The Avenue - The Independent Florida Alligator

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

“The Incredible Hulk” fails to continue Marvel’s success

By JESSICA METZGER | June 18, 2008

"The Incredible Hulk" is an incredible disappointment. I had such high hopes for this remake after Marvel Studios' success with "Iron Man" and the film's reported box office numbers. True, this version is better than the 2003 "Hulk" but this film is still not up to par with what you would expect from a superhero movie.

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

‘Zohan’ delivers stylish, silly humor

By JESSICA METZGER | June 11, 2008

Don't mess with the Sandman. Adam Sandler has done it again with his combination of ridiculous characters, raunchy humor and crazy fight sequences that help make his new flick, "Don't Mess With the Zohan," gut-bustingly funny.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Battling for bike safety: Band, organization work to keep cyclists safe

By BAILEY PARKE | June 11, 2008

James Brown was pacing back and forth nervously waiting for the second call. It was late in the evening on May 5, 2007. He had just finished playing a show in Miami with his band, Battle!, of Gainesville. He was hoping she would be OK.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Juneteenth Festival showcases African–American heritage

By MARGARITA DELAPAZ | June 11, 2008

A late flight into the wrong airport did not keep Kenneth Ogungbemi from attending the Juneteenth Festival & Juried Art Show last year. It did, however, keep him from competing.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Handler’s book a summer must–read

By BRIANA O’SULLIVAN | June 11, 2008

Chelsea Handler began telling wild and eccentric lies at the age of 9. Since then, she has not stopped, and neither have the bizarre situations her untruths get her into.

THE AVENUE | FASHION

Prevent summer disasters with simple beauty tricks

By TINA WOLFAND | June 11, 2008

It's almost July, and all Florida ladies know that means stifling heat and humidity that make looking your best seem like an impossible task.

THE AVENUE | FASHION

Beat the summer heat with comfortable smock dresses

By EMILIE WILLIAMS | June 11, 2008

The times have changed, and we girls should be grateful. In 1958, women at UF were finally permitted to wear Bermuda shorts as long as they were not a disruption to class. According to a Tampa Tribune article published in April, faculty members could ban females from class if they felt their shorts were a distraction.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Old shtick on ‘Weezer’

By ROBERT HILSON | June 11, 2008

Not many guitar heroes make it through their high school years without getting slapped with the dropout tag, so it's even more impressive that Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo gets to flaunt a bachelor's degree in English from Harvard University. A decade-long stint with the Ivy League's finest must afford one all kinds of vital knowledge, and yet Cuomo still can't wrap his horn-rimmed head around the law of diminishing returns.

THE AVENUE | SEX

One—night stands can boost confidence

By ANNIE ANTHONY | June 11, 2008

A one-night stand is nothing to be ashamed of. You should be proud of it. Cramming a mini-relationship based on attraction and minimal conversation into less than 24 hours is a feat.

THE AVENUE | SEX

Summer heat may lead to underwater acts

By ANNIE ANTHONY | June 4, 2008

June 20 marks the first day of summer. In Gainesville, where winter means a long-sleeved shirt and closed-toe shoes, summer is the time you have to lounge by the pool, shoot hoops or play volleyball to attract the attention of potential mates.

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

“Sex and the City” finishes with style

By EMILIE WILLIAMS | June 4, 2008

The premiere of "Sex and the City" on Friday night brought out Gainesville's most devoted fans, and some even dressed the part. I wanted to get really carried away and dress in a pink leotard and pink tutu, which Sarah Jessica Parker dons in the show's opening sequence, but my roommates thought that was taking it a little too far.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Band reunions try to relive past, risk disappointment

By MEGAN HERON | June 4, 2008

Rock is not dead. We can thank all of the recent band reunions for attempting to repeat what was once good. A flip through the pages of Rolling Stone magazine reveals more and more bands coming out of retirement.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Spiritualized in limbo on “A&E”

By ROBERT HILSON | June 4, 2008

British trance-rocker and Spiritualized frontman Jason Pierce nearly died in 2005 because of - get this - pneumonia. Go figure. When you've had addiction problems with heroin, landing in the accident and emergency (A&E) ward because of respiratory complications is kind of like tiptoeing through a minefield only to contract tetanus from a rusty nail. Irony aside, the near-death experience yielded "Songs in A&E," a rock 'n' roll record that could very easily be confused for an electric requiem.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

A quick look at the Avenue CD stash

By SHAW PATTON | June 4, 2008

Collecting dust isn't a CD's purpose. In hopes of finding a worthy album to review, I snagged a stash occupying space in the Alligator office.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

College life hits the stage: “COLLEGE: The Musical” premieres Friday

By BRIANA O’SULLIVAN | June 4, 2008

Weekday parties, drunken mistakes, hangovers and the resulting truancy come to Gainesville this summer, and they're not just on campus.

THE AVENUE | SEX

First stop: relationships

By ANNIE ANTHONY | May 28, 2008

Relationships are as common as double-headed love bugs in March. You've established a relationship with everyone you've ever met - from your professors and peers to the Chick-Fil-A guy who knows your order before you even reach the register.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

The Music Man: Local’s music Web site a staple in Gainesville

By SHAW PATTON | May 28, 2008

His birth name is Shawn Dalton, but even his mother affectionately calls him "Glyph."

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

‘Sex and the City’ scores in big screen debut

By ANNA MONTANO | May 28, 2008

Any fan of the show will tell you that one of the most anticipated films of the year is the "Sex and the City" movie. Set three years after the series' end, this flick had a lot to live up to.

THE AVENUE | FASHION

Classic over trendy a safe bet for summer swimwear

By EMILIE WILLIAMS | May 28, 2008

This summer, beaches all over the world will feature all kinds of swimsuits: itsy-bitsy ones, tankini versions and yes, even the cut-away. The cut-away suit, also known as the "monokini," is a trend that I will undoubtedly avoid this summer.

THE AVENUE | FASHION

Summer brings new hair trends

By EMILIE WILLIAMS | May 21, 2008

Rihanna cut hers short. Katie Holmes and her daughter sport matching looks, and Lauren Conrad wore one in just about every episode of "The Hills" last season. You guessed it girls: I am talking about this summer's fiercest hairstyles - the pixie cut, the bi-level bob and the side French braid.