Talking chimpanzees. Time travel. Homicidal orchestra musicians. This isn't your ordinary super hero tale. Then again, that's what makes "The Umbrella Academy" such a fresh break from all the standard, run-of-the-mill superhuman tales-it's weird, weird,...

The Book: "Oil!" Written by Upton Sinclair (1927) Sinclair's novel views early twentieth-century capitalism pitted against the budding socialist and communist movements - all through the naive eyes of Bunny Ross, son of prosperous oil magnate J. Arnold...

To listen to the review, click here. Track of the Day: "All the Wine" - The National From the album "Alligator" (2005) When people think of a pick-me-up song, they usually imagine something like the theme for "Rocky," or "I Will Survive," by Gloria Gaynor....

Hello Ryan Seacrest, Upon the latest viewing of "American Idol," it is clear that the show is becoming ever more disappointing than the days of Kelly Clarkson and Reuben Studdard. As a concerned fan, I'd like to point out some of the key problem areas...

"Closer" (2004) Director Mike Nichols Starring Jude Law, Clive Owen, Natalie Portman and Julia Roberts Picked Because After hearing such carefully written dialogue come from four undeniably strong screen presences, how can you watch another movie the...

To listen to the review, click here. "Ego Trippin'" - Snoop Dogg Rating: 7 / 10 Snoop Dogg has lost a lot of the things that made him a star back in the early 1990s, thanks to a reality TV show, kids and a tendency to act significantly less "gangsta"...

For those who might not find the prospects of rising indie-rock band Crystal Castles appealing enough, Heart Shaped Hate is opening for them tonight at the House Café. Heart Shaped Hate is a two-piece "pink metal" outfit, with NIU students Natali Wiseman...

My father is one of those people who gets caught up in excitement with embarrassing ease. He's reliably the loudest and most animated applause-giver in any audience (someone taught him to whistle through his fingers years ago, which turned out to be a...

To listen to the review, click here. "Lola" - The Kinks From the album "Lola vs. the Powerman & the Money-Go-Round, Pt. 1" (1970) This love song comes just in time for the melting snow and warmer temperatures to bring us into spring. I've personally...

The Ramones still have an incredible influence on contemporary pop punk. For example, Teenage Bottlerocket, which features members from another punk band, the Lillingtons (a fine example of classic pop punk). The newer band keeps the sound and energy...

March 6 proved to be a good test run for the actors and crew of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Students from the School of Theatre and Dance, under the direction of Stanton Davis, performed one of Shakespeare's classics with talent and precision. "A Midsummer...

REVIEW "Doomsday" Rating: 6/10 Starring: Rhona Mitra, Malcolm McDowell, Bob Hoskins Plot: A deadly epidemic tears through Scotland, prompting the government to build a giant wall to protect the healthy citizens, abandoning everyone else. Years later,...