Michael Woods

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Thespian Serves Up New Theater

By Michael Woods | April 6

"Theater should be about big ideas in a small space," said Paul Frellick, director of the new Deep Dish Theater Company. And Frellick definitely has a big idea. It's the type of idea that could just as easily be labeled ingenious or ridiculous. When Deep Dish opens its doors in a few weeks, it won't be in an obscure corner of an artsy Triangle neighborhood or on one of the many area college campuses.

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`Brothers' Improves Upon Genre

By Michael Woods | March 29

"The Brothers"3 1/2 Stars"A father should be wiser than his son," says Fred (Clifton Powell) to his son Jackson (Morris Chestnut). "I'm glad that this time it turned out not to be true."You'll feel the same way after seeing "The Brothers." With its candid wit and smooth blend of bawdy humor and heartwarming moments, there's no doubt that "The Brothers" got the best genes available in the growing family of upscale black drama-comedies and also learned from the mistakes of its cinematic elders.

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Black Media: Looks All Light to Me

By Michael Woods | March 22

Once upon a time, I was in love with The Box, and all was right in the world. (For the uninitiated, The Box was "music television you control" -- a channel that played music videos all day, every day. It was divine.) Every day after school, I would bond with The Box, soaking in the latest from Tribe, De La Soul, Snoop, Salt 'N Pepa, Das EFX and others.Then one day The Box went away and took my love for music videos with it. Sure, I'd catch Rap City now and again, but it wasn't the same.

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Tired Clich

By Michael Woods | March 22

Exit Wounds2 StarsWhat's the easiest way to resuscitate the career of an over-the-hill action star? Apparently, the formula doesn't entail quality acting, exciting special effects and a plot to match. Instead, simply pair your aging actor with a white-hot, multiplatinum rapper who's building his movie career and just let it roll.In "Exit Wounds," Steven Seagal returns to the screen as Orin Boyd, a good cop in a bad situation (please insert ominous baritone voice-over).

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Mali's Musical Tour de Force

By Michael Woods | March 8

Mamadou Diabate seems happy. It has not yet been a day since he endured the 20-hour flight from his native Mali to Manhattan, but he is laughing and sharing a contagious energy.Accompanied by his kora -- a 21-string harp almost 6 feet tall -- Mamadou has performed extensively throughout his African homeland and in neighboring countries for the past three months.One might assume that a conversation with him would be dominated by the details of his latest journey.

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Arquette, Dog, Run Out of Laughs In Juvenile, Tasteless `See Spot Run'

By Michael Woods | March 8

See Spot Run1 StarYou know the disclaimer about how "no animals were harmed during the making of this movie?" I'm beginning to think theaters should air some kind of warning during the previews concerning the harm the audience might experience while watching a terrible flick.After suffering through "See Spot Run," my only emotion was pity for all the parents who were dragged to it by their 8-year-old progeny.And my only question: Why is a college paper reviewing this?!"Spot" is a desperate PG-comedy about a highly trained dog (Spot, a.k.a.

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Resurgence of '80s Culture Takes Us Back to the Future

By Michael Woods | March 8

FASHIONThe most visible area of '80s revivalism has been clothing.

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Eminem Lost Street Cred, Transformed Into TRL Darling

By Michael Woods | March 1

Despite my interest in the results, I still managed to miss the Grammy Awards. The year 2000 wasn't particularly groundbreaking in American music, so I figured the handful of artists who had distinguished themselves would be rewarded with lots of little golden paperweights.Turns out that my psychic gifts aren't quite on par with Cleo's. Just as I was struggling to comprehend how Destiny's Child (a.k.a. Beyonce and them) and Toni Braxton cleaned up while Erykah Badu and Jill Scott got blanked, the phone rang.

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Chris Rock's New Comedy Meets Low Expectations

By Michael Woods | February 22

Down To Earth2 1/2 StarsThe trailer for "Down to Earth" left me bracing for the truly terrible. The movie just looked stupid -- black comedian plays aspiring black comedian who dies, goes to heaven and comes back as old white man? And just in time for Black History Month, too. Goody.As the film began, I thought of Richard Pryor movies like "The Toy." Was Chris Rock -- who co-wrote and produced "Down" -- about to go out like that?

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`Hannibal' Serves Up Gore, Poor Characterization

By Michael Woods | February 15

Hannibal3 StarsAs one of the most graphic scenes in film history squeals to a close, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) pulls in close to Special Agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore) and delivers a classic line."I came halfway around the world to watch you run, Clarice. Will you let me run?"Starling's response is never really in question. But the moment might have been suspenseful had the quandary been posed to Ridley Scott, the director of "Hannibal."In adapting Thomas Harris' novel, Scott succeeds in resurrecting Dr.