Critics Picks: 'Monarch,' 'Somebody That I Used to Know' parodies, 'Injustice'

The Short List
Critics Picks: 'Monarch,' 'Somebody That I Used to Know' parodies, 'Injustice'

Arts journal

'Monarch'

Have you seen the second number of Seattle's newest arts journal, "Monarch"? It's a handsome little thing, with some striking ink-on-paper work by Robert Hardgrave; a fine essay titled "The Reductive Impulse" by Jim Demetre; two crisp, quizzical couplet series from poet John Wesley Horton; and a lovely dream-journal meditation by Shawn Wong. Jake Uitti is managing editor of this labor of love featuring Seattle writers and artists. The print edition is pricey — $10 — but fair, considering the care. You can visit the content online at www.themonarchreview.org. Do.

Paul de Barros,

Seattle Times arts writer

Video parodies

'Somebody That I Used to Know'

This unbelievably catchy song performed by Gotye and Kimbra has a cute, if bland, video — a video that has spawned a litter of much livelier parodies. There's one by Key of Awesome, which shows all the group members playing one guitar simultaneously, plus a Vancouver Canucks parody, a Minecraft parody, a dogs-and-cats parody. The best one, hands down, is the gone-viral "Star Wars" parody, complete with a George Lucas character, in which the vocalist laments Lucas' notorious changes to the Blu-ray edition. "What happened to the 'Star Wars' I used to know?" he sings. This version sticks in your head, too.

Melissa Davis,

Weekend Plus editor

DVDs

'Injustice'

Thinking-woman's hunk James Purefoy ("Rome") plays a British barrister so concerned with justice, he metes it out himself on occasion in this absorbingly twisty psychological thriller. Created by Anthony Horowitz ("Foyle's War"), the miniseries co-stars an affecting Nathaniel Parker ("Inspector Lynley") as an old-school chum facing a murder rap.

Misha Berson,

Seattle Times arts writer