PROVIDENCE

Review: Michael Jackson's This Is It

Is this it?
The Star Wars –style titles that begin Kenny Ortega’s hastily assembled Michael Jackson tribute documentary explain that the film has been whittled down from 100 hours of behind-the-scenes video shot between last April and June during rehearsals for the King of Pop’s planned 50-date “This Is It” London concert series.

By BRETT MICHEL | November 12, 2009

Monsters of rock

Heavenly hardness from Chinese Stars and Six Finger Satellite
Full-lengths from local rock icons Six Finger Satellite and the Chinese Stars provide a decimating double-dose of kinetic madness.

By CHRIS CONTI | November 10, 2009

Review: Disney's A Christmas Carol

State-of-the-art technology allows actors to reach new heights of hamminess
Charles Dickens made a mint with readings of A Christmas Carol , but a century and a half of technological progress has not been kind to the property.

By PETER KEOUGH | November 09, 2009

Julian Casablancas | Phrazes for the Young

RCA (2009)
Someday, a great rock film will be made. The opening shot is of a wasted rock star, bejeweled and clad in the finest leather, with white panthers circling the living room of his Parthenon-esque manse as he hits PLAY on a comically large reel-to-reel.

By DANIEL BROCKMAN | November 09, 2009

Morrissey | Swords

UME Imports (2009)
Morrissey — begrudging patron saint of all that is emotionally desolate and otherwise comfortably bummed — is but a mere mortal, as his recent collapse on stage proves.

By ZETH LUNDY | November 06, 2009

Madness and mayhem

Perishable’s Anna Bella Eema gets primal
So you think that ghosts and goblins and vampires and werewolves are pretty scary creatures even when it’s not Halloween, hmmm? Well, that’s perfectly natural, but there’s one word in that sentence that lords it over every gibbering monster ever conceived: think.

By BILL RODRIGUEZ | November 03, 2009

Gang of four

New work at 5 Traverse and Providence College
The elegantly simple shapes of Providence artist Lisa Perez’s shallow wooden wall sculptures at 5 Traverse Gallery take on charming, wobbly, bubbly forms with uneven edges, as if they were worn away by rivers.

By GREG COOK | November 03, 2009

Matias Aguayo | Ay Ay Ay

Kompakt (2009)
You know the old saying: you can lead a horse to dance music, but you can’t make it sign up for a Beatport account.

By MICHAEL BRODEUR | November 03, 2009

Engagements, break-up motives fly under the radar

Dr. Lovemonkey answers your questions
My boyfriend broke up with me almost six months ago and, while I’m pretty much over that ...

By DR. LOVEMONKEY | November 03, 2009

Keep moving!

Off the Couch
Sharp sounds all over the state

By PROVIDENCE PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | November 03, 2009

Review: The Fourth Kind

Creepy, but clumsy
If the “actual footage” used in this film is real, then there’s something going on up in Alaska even more frightening than the rise of Sarah Palin.

By DAVID WILDMAN | November 04, 2009

Jason returns

Publisher stuffs game-fixer Tim Donaghy's book idea; Antoine Walker's broke
As next week will feature a Friday the 13th, it’s time to check in on the NBA’s very own Jason, Tim Donaghy.

By MATT TAIBBI | November 04, 2009

Hip-hop from Hell

Horrorcore salutes Ice Cube and Alice Cooper
Depraved hip-hop is the biggest thing to hit trailer-trash America since sliced meds.

By CHRIS FARAONE | October 29, 2009

Noir comes to Providence

In Cold Blood
Former Providence Journal reporter Mark Arsenault’s new novel, Loot the Moon , is the second in a series focused on obituary writer, inveterate gambler, and investigator Billy Povich.

By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | October 28, 2009

FRA’s Italian Gourmet

Beyond wonderful
Ever have that kind of day when you need to start your lunch with a chocolate chip cookie?

By JOHNETTE RODRIGUEZ | October 29, 2009

Judging the Judge

Committee Doubting Thompson. Plus, The Bish, Rush, and more.
After reading Sunday’s front page BeloJo story, “Support for R.I. Judge not unanimous,” your superior correspondents have to suspect that everything — absolutely everything — is thoroughly politicized.

By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | October 28, 2009