Archives
Billy Bob Thornton is in full “Bad Santa” mode in “Mr. Woodcock,” an uneasy comedy about an adult who returns home to discover his mother is planning to marry the gym teacher who made his high school days a living hell. The thing about Thornton is, he makes no compromises
Archives
The Brave One How many films have there been about victims of violence who turn into avengers? Charles Bronson made five. Kevin Bacon’s “Death Sentence” was released two weeks ago. How are we supposed to respond to them? When Bronson’s kill count got above 50, why didn’t the scales of justice
Reviews
Cruising down Sixth Avenue in Tacoma, you will pass restaurant after restaurant, but tucked in on the corner of 6th Ave. and one of the many side alleys in Tacoma, you might miss Dirty Oscar's Annex if you're not paying attention. There's not a lot to look at when you
Arts
Are you running out of wall space for your child's artistic creations? Have papers covered with colorful crayon images covering every horizontal surface throughout your home? Can't bring yourself to toss any of junior's masterpieces? Here's a cool alternative to the recycling bin: Opening in June, the Young At Art Gallery,
News Front
Maj. Eric Reid will represent Joint Base Lewis-McChord as a member of the All Army Triathlon team from June 4-8 at the Armed Forces Championship in Hammond, Indiana. An officer with the 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, this will be his third year participating in the event. Reid said he's always had
Benefits & Deals
Veterans, whether old timers or recently discharged and living in Thurston County can look forward to a wide range of new services available to them. "There are a lot of big changes coming for vets," said Lou McElroy, chairperson of the Thurston County Veterans' council. For starters, the Tacoma and Federal Way
News
In the very back row of chairs sat Albert Cortes. I sat down next to him. "I feel I should be here to pay my respects," the veteran of the Korean War and 21 years of service quietly said to me. "There are guys here who gave their lives for us, and
Military Life
Going to war can be hard on the body, mind and spirit of the soldier and his or her spouse and children. Derrick Bostic, a retired U.S. Army sergeant first class, said he knows this all too well from personal experience. "I'm on my third marriage," he said. "When you look at
Arts
Every kid loves Legos - those fantastically versatile, brightly colored interlocking little blocks that hurt like nobody's business when you step on them in the dark. Even so, parents love them, too, for the hours of creative play they provide. And how many architects and engineers launched their start building
Music
Even though it shouldn't be, it's a surprise when a musician takes a new direction. We've been conditioned to think of artists in one way or another, so any stray movement is met with derision and disbelief. Straying from what we perceive as an artist's sweet spot is a controversial
Stage
Theater-goers accustomed to the intense drama of David Mamet plays such as Oleanna and Glengarry Glen Ross might be surprised at his A Life in the Theatre, a small play in which the less is said, the more is implied, a bittersweet comic drama that runs about an hour and
Arts
"Ahoy, A Maritime Exhibition" at B2 Gallery features paintings of ships and boats and people at work on the water by Mary Pacios, Susanna Rodriguez, James Cole and Austin Dwyer. In many ways, Dwyer dominates the show, due to his technical skill and the high drama of his work. But his
South Sound Cinema
It used to be that documentaries were the medicine you took to feel better about seeing untold quantities of garbage at the movie theater. Documentaries were like Flintstone vitamins to make us feel better about seeing whatever Nicolas Cage action abomination came roaring through the cinema. Slowly, though, people like
Arts
Ah, spring! It's when our thoughts turn to things like baseball, gardening, cookouts and long sunny days. If your thoughts also turn to things like fairies, dragons, magic and make believe, you're going to want to mark your calendar for May 30. Beginning at 10 a.m. and running until 7 p.m.,
News Front
Run. Honor. Remember. That's the motto of the group wear blue: run to remember, and that's exactly what many runners did Memorial Day at PowderWorks Park in DuPont. Families, soldiers and community members gathered at 9 a.m. Monday morning to pay respect to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The
News Front
Do you watch disaster prepping television shows? Are you ready for a post-apocalypse scenario? Do you have a pantry stocked with enough food to feed a literal small army? Is your survival expertise unmatched? Or do you just want to test your survival skills? This summer, active-duty servicemembers will go up
Bars & Clubs
It can be fun, but drinking beer isn't usually considered a way to help others. It can be, though, if the brew you choose is Homefront IPA. All proceeds from the India pale ale, brewed by Fremont Brewing Co. and nine other breweries around the country, go to nonprofit organizations that
News Front
Everyone knows Jonathan Harris. Case in point. Lt. Col. Anna Sullivan, public affairs officer at McChord's 446th Airlift Wing, sat on a deserted South Pacific island several years ago when a man approached from down the beach. Too awkward not to say something, seeing the two of them were the only
Music
With pro lighting, sound and fog machine, professional musicians and amateur singers forged together on stage to create renditions of everything from Tool to country and R&B, and even Disney's Frozen anthem, "Let it Go." This was the scene on a recent Wednesday at The Town, Tacoma's newest venue. The 7,000-square-foot space,
News Front
The rise in popularity of photography as both an art form and as a means of reporting on and archiving historical events coincided with the American Civil War, the first major war to be extensively photographed. Photographers such as Mathew Brady, Alexander Gardner and Timothy O'Sullivan brought the gritty reality of