Tony Blair

Latest Articles

Review: The Ghost Writer

Competent but dull
How odd that the two latest films by two of the world's greatest living filmmakers should be adaptations of bestsellers set on islands off the coast of Massachusetts.
By PETER KEOUGH | March 02, 2010

Disclosure: not a dirty word

Menino's shame and Kerry's blunder. Plus, Olympic follies.
The City Hall e-mail scandal that has scored headlines in recent weeks exemplifies Mayor Thomas Menino's antagonistic — almost contemptuous — attitude toward public accountability.
By EDITORIAL | September 30, 2009

Review: In the Loop

Armando Iannucci wags the war
Six years ago, Armando Iannucci's slick and merciless political satire might have drawn more blood, but even now it blows away the recent satiric competition with its sharp, sardonic screenplay and uncompromising cynicism.
By PETER KEOUGH | July 23, 2009

Crossword: ''Fade to black''

Where the L did it go?
Where the L did it go?
By MATT JONES | March 05, 2008

On the national affront

An inescapable year reaches its inevitable conclusion
Where does one begin to recap 12 months of such willful self-parody?
By BARRY CRIMMINS | December 19, 2007

Music Within

A squad of sharply drawn outcast vets
Richard Pimentel has a lot put upon him: born to an interracial couple in the ’40s, he’s “the eighth miscarriage that lived."
By TOM MEEK | October 24, 2007

Good Stuff

URI finds humor at the White House
News and exposés about the Iraq war have been draining us mosquito-style over the years.
By BILL RODRIGUEZ | October 16, 2007

Rallying cries

Candidates on both sides have yet to define their campaigns. Any ideas?
Though the press focuses on organization, tactics, and fundraising, campaigns are won by unifying ideas.
By STEVEN STARK | September 19, 2007

Presidency of the absurd

Looking for insights into Bush’s torture policy? Try limericks, rhinoceroses, and a pistol-packing midget bicyclist
In the literature of absurdity, torture is never far away.
By JAMES PARKER | August 01, 2007

The Prisoner or: How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair

Underscoring the insanity
Up to now the War in Iraq has differed from Vietnam in one respect: no black comedy.
By PETER KEOUGH | March 29, 2007

Vicenza to Washngton: No thanks

Americans abroad
By next Christmas, 40 percent of the British presence in Iraq is expected home.
By MARY ANN SORRENTINO | February 28, 2007

Royal pain

Mirren and Frears save The Queen
Every tragedy reaches a point where mourning turns to kitsch. Watch the trailer for The Queen (QuickTime)
By PETER KEOUGH | February 20, 2007

From Vietnam to Iraq

Corrosive wars that destroy the social fabric of democracy and the institutional integrity of political life
Getting rid of defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld was relatively easy compared with how painfully difficult it is going to be to get the United States out of Iraq.
By EDITORIAL | November 15, 2006

Stamping grounds

Mauritius ; Stuff Happens ; 9 Parts of Desire
Theresa Rebeck’s new Mauritius makes philately seem almost as exciting as the activity it sounds like.
By CAROLYN CLAY | October 24, 2006

Off with their heads

Recent polls are giving the GOP the willies. So should the movies.
The signs are getting bleak for the man in the White House and the party in power.
By PETER KEOUGH | October 20, 2006

Players and painted stage

Fall on the Boston boards
It seems the fall theater season was shot from a gun this year, barely after the Labor Day picnic baskets had been packed away.
By CAROLYN CLAY | September 13, 2006

Good night, Mr. White

A fond farewell to a local legend
Phillipe and Jorge were mightily saddened last week when we learned of the death of longtime friend, confidante, and jokester Doug White right after our deadline.
By PHILLIPE & JORGE | August 23, 2006

The Pet Shop Boys

Fundamental | Rhino
Coming off a soundtrack for Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin and a UK-only hits collection (PopArt), Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe put out their first full album of new songs since 2002’s unfocused Release .
By FRANKLIN BRUNO | August 15, 2006

Anybody can edit

A weekend of Wikimania
Wikipedians postulate and congratulate their way into the future of the Internet.
By IAN SANDS AND JESS MCCONNELL | August 11, 2006

The real anti-Hillary stands up

John Edwards stakes his claim
According to John Edwards, America has too many politicians (focus-grouped, poll-obsessed, expedient) and not enough leaders (principled, candid, sincere).
By ADAM REILLY | August 27, 2008

Kofi Annan’s would-be successors

Who ’ s got next?
Au revoir, Kofi Annan. Your term as United Nations secretary-general may run through this year, but you’re as good as gone.
By ADAM REILLY | July 26, 2006

Schmucks unlimited

2006: A first-quarter scorecard
It’s April, supposedly the cruelest month, but after a winter that seemed like 150 days of March, how bad can it be?
By BARRY CRIMMINS | April 05, 2006

More mush from the wimps

Shame on Democrats who fail to support Feingold’s call for censure
The reaction to the call by Democratic Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin to censure President Bush for violating national law by conducting warrantless domestic surveillance clearly demonstrates two things.
By EDITORIAL | March 29, 2006

The English Beat

Classic and timeless
A full house came out to see the English Beat play the Middle East downstairs a week ago Tuesday, many fondly recalling the 2-Tone, ska-rock heyday of the early 1980s, no doubt.
By JIM SULLIVAN | March 27, 2006