This is the archive for October 2009
By Shamal Asnani, Courier Film Reviewer
The sixth installment of the Saw series was released in theatres October 23, 2009. John Kramer/ Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) once again reprises his role in this movie, showing that even after death, he is still in much control over people’s lives, weather it be he apprentices, or future victims. Not unlike its prequels, the films plot focuses on a certain person of Jigsaw’s choosing, who is being tested through various life endangering games in order to prove that they possess the will to live. In Saw VI, William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), an executive at a health insurance company, is chosen to endure the mental and physical torture of Jigsaw’s games.
Posted by courier at 09:12 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Cheeseburger Waikiki
1945 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96805
(808) 941-2400
While my family and I were on vacation in Hawaii, we were walking around Waikiki and happened to find Cheeseburger Waikiki along Kalakua Avenue. My mom suggested we go in for a bite since her co-worker recommended it. Not knowing what to expect, I stepped in and was happy with the surroundings.
The restaurant is lined with authentic décor of pre-statehood Hawaii, including posters and other relics from Pearl Harbor. You don’t get a “fancy” feel at the restaurant; you get the feeling that this is somewhere you can be comfortable and get your hands (and maybe even clothes) greasy. The restaurant isn’t enclosed either, so you can feel free to look outside and take in the brisk city life.
Posted by courier at 05:31 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Olivia Guitron, Courier Staff Writer
Demi Lovato's new CD, "Here We Go Again" is packed with hit after hit. A single named after her CD title (Here We Go Again) came out before the CD hit store shelves. It was a preview of what was coming afterward and set the stage for the CD. "Here We Go Again" is a sassy story of a girl who lost her boyfriend, but how in the end she forgives him and starts over again. This song definitely shows Demi's true potential, beyond her Camp Rock career and her previous album, "Don't Forget", however both are very impressive. She has matured through the sequence of her CD's.
Posted by courier at 09:26 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Jericho Faustino, Courier Staff Writer
"More than a Game", the soundtrack to the motion picture, "More than a Game", is full of chart topping artists such as : Drake, Kanye West, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Lil' Wayne, and many more.
Track 1: Drop It Low
Performed by: Ester Dean ft. Chris Brown
The song has a very repetitive and club style beat that would sound great in a club or a party. I didn't really think the verses where that great. The song is like lyrical freak dancing. I wouldn't recommend anyone listening to this song with their parents or little kids present.
Posted by courier at 09:17 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Laurel Brodzinsky, Courier Staff Writer
I was first exposed to Owl City when I first heard “Fireflies” on the radio (Live 105). Attracted by the electronica sound and catchy nonsensical lyrics, I decided to investigate further. Owl City in now my current musical fad, and I just can’t stop listening.
Owl City is still relatively unknown since Adam Young, the sole member of the band, only began recording in 2007. His first two albums,
Of June (2007) and
Maybe I’m Dreaming (2008) were independently produced.
Ocean Eyes (2009) is the first studio album, and contains the single ‘Fireflies”.
Ocean Eyes reached #2 on iTunes’ Top Albums list the week of July 14th and was scored favorably.
Posted by courier at 09:05 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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After Dachau, by Daniel Quinn
Hardcover: 230 pages
Publisher: Context Books
Language: English
ISBN-10: 189395613X
ISBN-13: 978-1893956131
Imagine waking up in someone else’s body two thousand years in the future where there are only white skin blonde hair, blue eyed people on this planet. This is the story of
After Dachau, a novel written by Daniel Quinn.
The story is set in New York City two thousand years in a DIFFERENT future where the Nazis were the first to make the atomic bomb and killed off all the “mongrel” races. It follows the story of a man named Jason Tull Jr. who researches cases of reincarnation.
Jason is sent to investigate a weird memory loss case of a beautiful woman named Mallory Hastings. But instead of actually speaking to Mallory Hastings, Jason speaks to Gloria MacArthur, a black woman who lived two thousand years in the past and has now been reincarnated in the body of Mallory Hastings.
Posted by courier at 09:25 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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The Lie by Chad Kultgen
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061657301
ISBN-13: 978-0061657306 by Chad Kultgen, is a novel about three freshmen in college, Kyle, Heather, and Brett.
Kyle is your typical nice, smart, honest guy, but he is kind of a loser. Heather is the usual slutty, materialistic, sorority bitch who’s main goal is to marry someone rich. Brett is Kyle’s best friend and he is the complete opposite of him. He is hilariously rude, pervertedly disgusting, filthy rich, and thinks that women are the source of all evil.
Posted by courier at 09:15 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: MTV (February 1, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0671027344
ISBN-13: 978-0671027346
“You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.”
That is who Charlie is, a wallflower in the world he lives in. Charlie is an observer in the puzzling high school society around him, an atypical freshman surrounded by troubled individuals. Throughout the story he writes anonymous letters to someone he doesn’t know. After reading them you begin to understand how unconventional his character is.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is about that remarkable moment in your life where the wind is in your hair, while you’re on the way to your first party, and the perfect song comes on the radio, and you feel infinite. That point in time that makes you believe everything is how it should be, and for one night you’re not missing out on anything. The novel addresses controversial topics such as homosexuality, teen pregnancy, drug use, and suicide.
Posted by courier at 08:34 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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"Saw"
For: Playstation 3 and Xbox 360
From: Zombie Studios/Konami
ESRB Rating: Mature (blood and
gore, drug reference, intense
violence, strong language)
Say this for "Saw's" video game debut: Be it on purpose or by accident, it pretty bluntly captures (as best a video game can, anyway) what it must feel like to find yourself trapped inside one of the Jigsaw Killer's traps.
Mostly, that's to the game's credit. From the very first moment "Saw" cedes control to the player, you're trapped inside a puzzle, and the only assistance the game provides is a simple overview of the basic controls. The puzzle isn't exactly a mindbender, but it is smarter than your typical "hit switch to open door," and it's awfully nice to see the game respect its audience's intelligence and expect players to figure their way out without help.
Posted by courier at 09:06 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Micah Mahinay, Courier Staff Writer
The Treasure Island Music Festival took place in San Francisco on October 17 and 18 on Treasure Island.
The festival was set up on the edge of the island, creating a beautiful view for the fans to enjoy the scenery and listen to live music from selected bands all over the world. The festival also had other attention grabbers, such as the art that was presented by local artists, the decoration including lights, the food from a variety of cultures, merchandise to buy, and a giant Ferris wheel.
Posted by courier at 10:09 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Banana Leaf (McCarthy Ranch)
182 Ranch Dr.
Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 719-9811
Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 11 am-3 pm,
5 - 9:45pm
Friday: 11 am - 3 pm, 5 -10:30 pm
Saturday: 11 am-10:30 pm
Sunday Closed
The Banana Leaf Restaurant in Milpitas offers a mixture of foods from Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. It is an outstanding restaurant. It’s a cozy, warm, inviting place to dine with anyone; however this isn’t the right place to dine for a romantic date.
This restaurant itself is a bit small and loud. It’s an energetic place to dine. A plus about this restaurant is that you can dine inside or outside. Inside it warm and the aroma of cooking food spreads throughout, but outside you can eat under the beautiful sky when the weather's good and sit under the portable heaters if it's cold. You have to eat inside if it's raining, though.
Posted by courier at 09:40 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Shamal Asnani, Courier Movie Reviewer
All fans of the G.I. Joe franchise should be marking November 3 on their calendars because that is the date when
G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra will be released on Blu Ray and DVD.
The movie’s plot is centered on the back story of how the franchises’ villain, Cobra, rose to the position of Cobra Commander. The film follows soldiers Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayons), who have been ordered to carry out the mission of delivering warheads.
Posted by courier at 06:00 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Eric Brown, Courier Music Editor
The band Paramore has come a long away over the past few years. Since their 2005 debut
All We Know Is Falling, the band has served as one of America’s emo darlings. From legendary stints on the genre-defining Warped Tour to their enthusiastic and gifted vocalist Hayley Williams, Paramore had everything a short lived emo-pop sensation could want in the era of modern music.
Posted by courier at 09:40 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Olivia Guitron,
Courier Staff Writer
The Sunstreak is a band with friendly lyrics and magnificent rock music. The band consists of vocalist Tony Rebis, bassist Jason Sarks, guitarist and vocalist Jack Flynn, drummer Gary Forster, and David Schuler on guitar, synth, and vocals. All hail from their hometown of Rochester, New York.
Their music is highly enjoyable and extremely catchy. Their lyrics captivate listeners and make you want to listen to more. This band started off at the Vans Warp Tour in 2006 and since then has become one of the greatest bands without a distributor. They have sold more than 26,000 copies of their music and have enough potential to sell much more.
Posted by courier at 09:31 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Hardcover: 335 pages
Publisher: Algonquin Books
of Chapel Hill;
Roughcut edition
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1565124995
ISBN-13: 978-1565124998 by Sara Gruen is a story of Jacob Jankowskis’ adventures in a depression-era circus. The story opens to find an elderly Jankowski, to his dismay, spending the last of his days in a nursing home. When his parents die in an automobile accident, Jacob chooses to run away and finds himself jumping the Flying Squadron of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.
Gruen does a brilliant job of bringing her colorful characters to life. Some people that Jacob meets while with the circus are Uncle Al, the ringmaster; an elderly man named camel who knows everything there is to know about the circus, August, the animal trainer who is a paranoid schizophrenic; and Marlena, Augusts’ wife.
Posted by courier at 09:13 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson
Paperback: 608 pages
Publisher: Vintage (June 23, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307454541
ISBN-13: 978-0307454546
I started
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson, because I saw a friend reading it and had heard it was on the National Bestseller’s list. I ended it because I was completely enthralled in the carefully twisted plot and character’s personalities.
Originally titled in Swedish “Men Who Hate Women”, this thrilling adult mystery/crime novel deals with issues of dominance by men over women, corruption, investigative journalism, human nature, and love.
Mikael Blomkvist is a financial reporter in Sweden who after getting in too deep in an expose of a Swedish conglomerate industrial monster, gets convicted for libel. In the aftermath of his shame, Henrik Vanger, another Swedish corporate icon, seeks Blomkvist out to investigate the cold case of his missing niece, Harriet. The cover story for this investigation is a ghost-written autobiography of the Vanger family and development of the corporation.
Posted by courier at 06:18 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Wicked Curse
by Nancy Holder
Reading level: Young Adult
School & Library Binding:
291 pages
Publisher: Topeka Bindery
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0613618319
ISBN-13: 978-0613618311
"A full year had passed since Holly Cathers' parents had drowned, and her best friend, Tina Davis-Chin, with them, whitewater rafting on the Colorado River. Death had invaded the Anderson home in Seattle, taking Marie-Claire, the sister of Holly's father. Marie-Claire Cathers-Anderson lay rotting in one of the two plots she and her husband, Richard, had purchased together once upon a romantic dream of eternity. The reality of her adultery made it very hard for Uncle Richard to hope for another, better place where she waited for him - a fact that he told Holly often, now he had taken to drinking late at night."ť >/div>
This is the second book in the
Wicked series. Again this has no relationship to the spinoff of the
Wizard of OZ book.
Holly, Nicole, and Amanda's life as newly found witches is getting more complicated. After the death of Amanda and Nicole's mom died their father goes into a state of shock and completely shuts down. The girls are struggling with what to do and Holly is changing more then she wants.
Posted by courier at 06:14 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Brutal Legend
For: Playstation 3 and Xbox 360
From: Double Fine Productions/EA
ESRB Rating: Mature (blood and gore,
intense violence, partial nudity,
strong language, suggestive themes)
Everything Tim Schafer fans expect from a Tim Schafer-produced project is all over the entirety of his latest offering, which almost certainly will emerge as the consensus choice for 2009's best-written video game. "Brutal Legend" is a both a send-up of and a heart-on-sleeve tribute to the world from which heavy metal videos and fantasies are made, and every piece of its presentational puzzle — from casting to voice acting to character animation to the sharply funny script that ties it all together — could scarcely wish for a better treatment than this.
As a nice bonus, the actual game portion of "Legend," while not quite as spotless, is pretty excellent as well.
"
_____
Posted by courier at 09:22 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Krystyna Wolny, Courier Staff Writer
Tired of the same old “Mexican food” at Taco Bell? But want it just as fast? Are you anywhere in the South Bay? Well then head over to Aqui, in Downtown Campbell, conveniently located on the corner of E. Campbell Avenue and 2nd Street. Intelligently nicknamed “Cal-Mex”, it uniquely mixes Southwest, Asian, Californian, and Latin American flavors, to create burritos, enchiladas, tacos, and other traditional Mexican dishes.
Posted by courier at 02:09 PM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Shamal Asnani,
Courier Movie Reviewer
It seems that now days all horror movies are failing to deliver in one very important element of their movies, horror, however this is certainly not the case with Paranormal Activity. The movie is centered on a young couple who have recently moved in together. Because Katie, the girlfriend, believes she is potentially being haunted, her boyfriend Micah decides to purchase a camera with the intent of using it to film what occurs while they are sleeping.
Posted by courier at 06:07 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Wii Fit Plus
For: Nintendo Wii
From: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: Everyone
(mild cartoon violence)
Nintendo lags behind convention when it comes to online content delivery, which is why "Wii Fit Plus" exists as a standalone disc only instead of a downloadable content pack for existing owners of the original "Fit."
This doesn't mean a whole lot of anything to those getting into "Fit" for the first time. "Plus" essentially replaces "Fit" on the marketplace: If you buy the $100 Wii Balance Board, this is what's bundled inside now. Everything that was in "Fit" is in "Plus," which is a standalone game despite some confusing language on the box that suggests you need both discs.
Posted by courier at 04:54 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Simply Thai
6295 Jarvis Ave.
Newark, CA 94560
(510) 793-1698
Simply Thai is by far one the best Thai restaurants in Newark.
I am a picky eater when it comes to Thai food, but the tastes of the food at this restaurant are outstanding.
On average, the wait to be seated at Simply Thai is around 10 – 15 minutes. The service is wonderful; the employees are very friendly to patrons of all ages.
Posted by courier at 09:37 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Krystyna Wolny, Courier Staff Writer
San Francisco’s annual dance music celebration, LovEvolution, kicked off last Saturday Formerly known as Lovefest or the Love Parade, the name change was due to a similar event in LA called “The Love Festival”. The promoter of that event felt there was too much confusion between the two events, so in order to avoid legal action, San Francisco agreed to change the name.
Another change this year is the $10 admission fee. The reason for this was because of the growth of the event this year and the need for increased levels of traffic, police, security, and medical personnel.
Posted by courier at 07:05 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Sousa's Restaurant
1614 Alum Rock Ave
San Jose, CA 95116-2429
(408) 926-9075
Being Portuguese myself, I am accustomed to authentic Portuguese food and flavors. So it was to my great pleasure that a friend of my mothers recommended the restaurant to us after dining there herself. After dining there, however, I must admit I expected much more from Sousa’s, the little Portuguese restaurant in Alum Rock, San Jose.
The restaurant definitely has a homey feel to it. Pictures of the owners and their family cover the walls, as well as old-fashioned Portuguese decorations lining the interior. It is impeccably clean, and well organized.
Posted by courier at 06:37 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Micah Mahinay, Courier Staff Writer
The horror film
Paranormal Activity is one of the scariest movies I have seen in my whole life; it’s so scary I put it up there with
The Exorcist.
The film only opened in nine movie theaters throughout the nation when it first came out. People who wanted it to come to their city had to
DEMAND it online.
After about two weeks in those nine cities, it opened in twenty more cities last weekend, with Bay Area showings in San Jose, San Francisco and neighborly cities like Santa Cruz and Sacramento.
Posted by courier at 05:37 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Shamal Asnani, Courier Movie Critic
Spielberg’s sequel to 2007’s
Transformers, will be released on DVD and Blu Ray on October 20.
The sequel is set two years after the previous film, where Optimus Prime and the autobots are now in alliance with a U.S. military organization. Meanwhile the protagonist, Sam (Shia LaBeouf) is embarking on a new life journey, college. However, despite his preference of being able to simply live a normal life, he is soon confronted by Optimus, who explains to him that his help is needed because of the Decepticon’s mission of reviving their old leader, The Fallen. Not too long after this discussion, Sam is taken hostage by Megatron, only to be saved by Optimus soon after, realizing that he is about to face a new battle.
Posted by courier at 05:08 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Krislyn Perez, Courier Staff Writer
With the help of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Consumer products and Warner Bros. Universal Orlando Resort is trying to make its new attraction, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, as accurate to the books as possible, although it won’t be hard with the very detailed writings of J.K. Rowling.
Those who choose to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, after it opens this Spring, will be able to hang out in the Three Broomsticks and buy tools for pranking in Zonkos Joke Shop.
Posted by courier at 05:00 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Eric Brown,
Courier Music Review Editor
The Courier
received a free review copy of Jaicko's single, and other promotional materials, as well.
In the brief biography attached with Jaicko’s debut single “Oh Yeah” that
The Courier recently received the musician’s best self-description is that since his youth he has known his “hair would be a big part of [his] image”. This simple line is enough to gain an accurate sense of Jaicko’s entire personality and career. Rather than using his biography as a chance to explain his musical influences, strengths and unique qualities Jaicko focuses on the wrong thing—his hair.
Posted by courier at 09:35 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks
by Lauren Myracle.
289 pgs.
Teen Fiction is a story based on a girl named Carly and her sister, Anna. Carly's younger sister seems to have grown-up overnight, and Carly has to deal with plenty of other high school drama, besides her little sister. The sisters are complete opposites: Carly is into 60's music, being different and becoming a flower child, also known as a hippie, while Anna is into becoming a Barbie doll type with nice features and tries to fit in. The story only complicates when Anna is registered at the same high school as Carly, and Carly feels as if Anna will be much more popular than her.
Posted by courier at 10:22 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Brandie Moore, Courier Book Editor
"I'm going to drown. I'm going to die. The steel waters thickened, becoming waves of blackness. She couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything, except the terrible cold. The raft could be tumbling end over end for all she knew. Her mind seized on the image of the huge face of rock; hitting it at this speed would be like falling out of a window and splatting on the street. Her lungs were too full; after some passage of time she could not measure, they threatened to burst; she understood that she needed to exhale and draw in more oxygen. She fumbled at the belt but she still had no clue how to get free. As her chest throbbed she batted at the water, at her lap and shoulders where the straps were, trying so hard to keep it together, so hard. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die.”
When most people see this title they automatically think the play or novel written about the wicked witch of the west from the Wizard of Oz. So before you think that let me tell you that this is not that book. This is a totally different story.
This book was written by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie. The two of them together could only come up with a thrilling, mysterious, page turner of a book.
Posted by courier at 10:06 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Dead Space Extraction
For: Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC
From: Visceral Games/EA
ESRB Rating: Mature (blood and gore,
intense violence, strong language)
For the second time in as many years, developer Visceral Games has attempted to conform a genre to the needs of its fictional vision rather than
the other way around. And for the second time in two years, it pretty well knocks it out of the park.
Part of that has to do with what "Dead Space Extraction" is in relation to "Dead Space," the thoroughly polished third-person horror shooter that was among the class of the Xbox 360 and PS3 last year. "Extraction" isn't a port of that game, but instead a brand-new chapter in the fiction that details the run-up to the devastation that sets the stage of the first game.
Posted by courier at 09:01 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too!
11891 Dublin Blvd.
Dublin, Ca. 94568
Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too! is a family-owned Italian restaurant and pizzeria in Dublin, serving not only pizza but pasta, antipasti, and sandwiches.
Upon entering, the first thing I noticed was that the layout of the restaurant. When I opened the door, I looked to my left and saw a man making pizza behind a glass barrier. There were couches in the front of the restaurant for people to sit in while they waited. The wait wasn’t too bad – my family and
I went on a Saturday and we only had to wait ten or fifteen minutes.
Posted by courier at 10:29 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Shamal Asnani, Courier Film Critic
One of the latest movies to star Seth Rogen,
Observe and Report, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 22, 2009. The movie centers around the head of mall security, Ronnie, who takes his job as a mall cop as a position of honor. In the beginning of the film, a pervert male flasher exposes himself at the mall, managing to offend anyone who has seen him. Ronnie takes it upon himself to catch the flasher after the girl who is the object of his affection is victimized.
Posted by courier at 09:00 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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By Eric Brown, Courier Music Review Editor
One quality rock bands often lack is longevity. From band infighting to lack of artistic creativity to the constantly changing fan bases, there are a variety of factors that contribute to the failures of most bands. It’s due to these sorts of variables that we rarely see how bands approach their later years in life.
Posted by courier at 10:12 AM. Filed under: Entertainment
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