Jun 15-21, 2016

Jun 15-21, 2016 / Vol. 30 / No. 17

Central Intelligence: Formula Won

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE *** (out of four) DIRECTED BY Rawson Marshall Thurber STARS Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart Critics often dismiss certain films (and not unreasonably, I might add) as nothing more than “formula pictures,” bland movies that star popular actors playing stock characters being thrust into predictable situations. Every once in a while, though, one of…

Matt Brunson

Finding Dory forgets consistency

FINDING DORY **1/2 (out of four) DIRECTED BY Andrew Stanton & Angus MacLane STARS Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks Of the first 10 animated features to come out the Pixar gate, only one was a sequel. But out of the last seven, four have been sequels, and of the four films announced for future release, three…

Matt Brunson

Dark Horse: The neighs have it

DARK HORSE *** (out of four) DIRECTED BY Louise Osmond STARS Jan Vokes, Brian Vokes An underdog tale about an overachieving equine, Dark Horse centers on a magnificent animal named Dream Alliance and his triumphs and travails both on and off the racetrack. Yet even though this horse is the marquee draw, the movie is…

Matt Brunson

Weekly horoscope (June 16-22)

For All Signs: We will arrive at the summer solstice on June 20. This is the point of the year at which the northern hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun. Therefore this is also theoretically the longest day of the year. For centuries, pagans celebrated this day with prayers and requests for blessings from…

Vivian Carol

Bizarre crime from Charlotte police files (June 16)

Shots Fired When operating a large, marijuana-growing operation in your home, it’s best to keep a low profile and act, well, responsible, at least in public. Last week, a man threw a temper tantrum while in traffic in southeast Charlotte that not only put a woman’s life in danger but also led to the discovery…

Courtney Mihocik

Three questions for Franke Jones, executive chef at 204 North

At first glance, 204 North Kitchen & Cocktails looks like just another happy hour bar for the young professional crowd, but it’s a farm-to-table restaurant behind it all, focused on showcasing the best that area farms have to offer. Since opening in May, executive chef Franke Jones has been methodically developing new menus. He recently…

Ryan Pitkin

Theater reviews: Stage Kiss and Charlotte Squawks: 12 Angry Hens

Returning from intermission at the Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte’s production of Stage Kiss, I was strangely disoriented when I saw the set for Act 2 of Sarah Ruhl’s comedy. For most of Act 1, our protagonists were the leading players in a revival of a sentimental drama, The Last Kiss. “She” had been Ada Wilcox,…

Perry Tannenbaum

Soundgarden frontman finds Higher Truth

When it comes to grunge, Chris Cornell is part of that critical trinity of musicians (alongside Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder) that contributed to its arrival into the world of music. But while he’s best-known as the longtime frontman of Soundgarden, Cornell’s meanderings with side projects and solo efforts have produced for him a kind…

Anita Overcash

A clean-cut Joe Gillespie takes plea deal, puts Homer behind him

It was less than a year ago that Joe Gillespie emerged from the Creative Loafing News section as the hero Charlotte didn’t know it needed. Gillespie was featured in our 2015 Best of Charlotte issue to represent “The Best of” our bizarre crime column, The Blotter. Within hours of the issue hitting racks, the story…

Ryan Pitkin

Brunch Nightmares

To go along with this week’s Brunch Guide, CL staff talked with servers and foodies to find out what sort of brunch nightmares they’ve encountered. As our findings prove, not all experiences are smooth and delicious. “Hell is heaving a tray of 40 mimosas into the air at a bridal shower, and watching the blood-thirsty…

Anita Overcash

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