Three years since their last release, rock band Linkin Park is at it again with their fourth studio album, “A Thousand Suns.”

The band stated before its release that it is a concept album, focusing on the subject of nuclear war.

“A Thousand Suns” is meant for a continuous listening experience to encapsulate Linkin Park’s true vision.

While the album is successful in shrouding the listener in the midst of a nuclear war through music and sounds, it’s about the only thing that was done successfully.

Italians have a tradition of beautiful and cerebral films.

Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Conformist” is a film that is visually striking while teaching a lesson of morality and society at the same time.

It is a film in the vein of De Sica’s “The Bicycle Thief.”

At the end of the film viewers feel they have learned a lesson while being entertained.

“The Conformist” was made in 1970 but is set in 1930s fascist Italy.

Its protagonist, Marcelo Clerici, is a government employee in the fascist regime who is charged with killing his mentor and friend from college.

The most recent Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez slasher-flick, “Machete,” opened in theaters Sept. 3. In comparison to the credibility and success of other Rodriguez films such as “Sin City” and “Kill Bill,” this creation is disastrous.

The lead role of “Machete,” an ex-agent out for blood, is played by Danny Trejo, who maintains the same rough appearance he has in every other film.

Being type cast has finally led Trejo to a starring role, yet the acting is almost as gruesome as the gory brawls.

Robert De Niro plays Senator McLaughlin, up for re-election on the platform of immigration reform with a spin. This is his funniest role since “Meet the Parents,” and he is the only cast member who shows any talent in the film.

With high-powered action, the love drama of a soap opera and several twists, the movie “Takers” is sure to be a hit.

When a former partner in a robbery team Ghost (T.I. Harris), gets released from prison, he is supposedly only seeking his share of money from the last heist that landed him in jail. His normally laid-back, bank-robbing crew reluctantly agree to do one last job with him.

Idris Elba (Gordon Jennings) is the leader of this sophisticated bank robbing crew.

Elba tries to keep the group together while facing family-spawned demons of his own.

The use of Elba’s natural British accent in this movie is a beautiful element and seems to set off the diversity of the cast.

Hayden Christensen (A.J.) delivers an action-packed performance as he reminds the audience of his ‘Jumper’ days mixed with a little bit of Jet Li.

“Easy A” is a defining moment for lead actress Emma Stone, who plays Olive Penderghast, a high school outcast who models her life after Hester Prynne’s from “The Scarlet Letter” after a little white lie spreads across her campus.

The story is like that of any high school, and although it is quite humorous, remains played out.

Stone’s role is a sarcastic character in constant questioning of her life, and she puts on quite a performance.

In her other monotonous roles like “Superbad” and “The Rocker,” Stone was more of a shadow character, yet this part shows she doespossess some leading lady talent.

If Lindsay Lohan’s “Mean Girls” shook hands with Ellen Paige’s “Juno,” “Easy A” would be their bond in friendship, although the performance lacks the luster of satirical wit from Paige, and the audience appeal for sexual content from Lohan.

Publisher Princeton University Press recently released “On Whitman,” its second book of a series “Writers on Writers.” C.K. Williams was chosen to author the book.

Williams has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award and many others.

His other recent works include: “The Singing,” “Wait” and “Poetry and Consciousness.”

Williams goes into depth about the ideas, concepts and imagination of Whitman.

“Who else, even from the perspective of the sexually-liberated culture of America in the ’60s and ’70s, did it better?” Williams said.

Chicago rock quartet Disturbed is back with a vengeance with their fifth studio album, “Asylum,” released Aug. 31.

The CD kicks off with “Remnants,” a surprisingly beautiful instrumental track that leads up to, and blends seamlessly into, title track “Asylum.”

Here, Disturbed fans are reunited with lead singer David Draiman’s familiar, scratchy vocals and master storytelling.

Metaphorical madhouses aside, “Asylum” tells — in less than five minutes — the story of a man grieving for his wife.

Few bands could mingle such heartbreaking subject matter with instrumentals worthy of some serious head-banging and make it a hit, yet Disturbed does so flawlessly.

“The Suburbs,” a new album by Arcade Fire released Aug. 1 of this year, has sparked new blood since the band’s last CD “Neon Bible,” which made its debut in 2007.

Each of the 16 tracks promotes talent within the band. However, it is a mixed sentiment due their somber lyrics combined with upbeat tempos.

Yet, a melancholy attitude suits Arcade Fire and also reflects what most listeners today respond to.

Trying to describe The Who’s “Tommy” to someone is difficult.

“Tommy” by the band The Who is an album, a rock opera, a movie, a play, and an unforgettable experience.

“Tommy” was first released as an album in 1969.

The album tells the story of a deaf, dumb and blind boy who is a pinball champion.

The album is described as a “rock opera” because its tracks tell a sequential and linear story.

An album that will have you dancing and thinking at the same time is Broken Bells’ self-titled debut. It’s catchy hooks and thought-provoking lyrics can liven up any party.

Broken Bells is the duo of hit-making producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and Shins front man James Burton.

Danger Mouse had recently been half of the band Gnarls Barkley while Mercer had received much acclaim for his band The Shins.