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(09/14/06 6:45pm)
Many IU students hail from the Midwest—Indiana, Illinois, Ohio or Michigan. There are also many students from across the United States. Some may consider a California native to have "come a long way's to college."\nMany IU students also enjoy the luxury of having their parents help out—if not pay completely—for tuition. \nBut few IU students can say they both come from a long way's and be totally responsible for putting themselves through college.\nEnter junior Richa Sharma. Though a graduate of Warren Central High School on the east side of Indianapolis, she is originally from a small, hut-lined rural village called Sujnpur in India. She moved here when she was seven.\n"Because of the differences in school systems, I was two years younger than everyone else when we moved to America," says Sharma. "I didn't know any English. I was alienated, so I tended to get in fights."\nLackluster grades didn't help her situation, either. And with two other siblings living in a single parent household, money was tight. Sharma had to learn to make do early on.\n"I was working since I was 14," Sharma says. "I was a server at Steak 'n Shake and a sales associate at Reebok. I had to work both jobs at the same time on top of going to school to support myself and my family."\nBut the rocky road smoothed out after Sharma found a new love out of a required high school class: science. With a newfound interest in biology and chemistry, Sharma began flying straight, staying out of fights and buckling down with her studies.\n"I eventually got a research position at the IUPUI School of Medicine," Sharma says. "Working in the lab forced me to grow up. I had to wear high heels, look nice and stop getting into trouble. But I loved working hard and being surrounded by smart people."\nSharma is now attending IU on a full merit-based scholarship as one of 21 Cox Scholars at IU and as a Lilly Endowment Scholar, along with an arsenal of eight other scholarships she earned in the past couple of years. \n"I never thought I would get into IU," Sharma says.\nShe is currently preparing for the MCATs this year and applying to med school at IUPUI. She is also continuing her research and insists that she is living proof that hard work leads to success.\n"Hopefully I can also work hard at a professional career. I want to be a doctor or a psychiatrist--I love to help people," Sharma says.\nBut she also knows that there always has to be time for equally important endeavors.\n"I always take some time out to watch Family Guy," she says, laughing.
(09/14/06 6:44pm)
It must have been a daunting task for Beyoncé and her producers to choose the first single for her new album, "B'day." All pop records need that upbeat first single to drive album sales, and in "B'day"'s case, any of 10 tracks would have been sufficient. They're that good. If Columbia Records is smart they'll milk the album for all it's worth, releasing single after single after single.\nThe album begins with "Déjà Vu," with Beyoncé singing "bass" (enter bass) then "high-hat" (cue a nifty little high-hat shuffle) followed by collaborator/boyfriend Jay-Z. Soon Beyoncé's off, away with the blaring trumpets that have come to fit her musical style so well. Next up is "Get Me Bodied" which uses the album's common formula: some clapping, a voice in the background shouting "hey" and Beyoncé's voice accompanying an infectious beat while singing some form of "ohhh, ohhh" repeatedly. It's a set-up that sounds bad on paper, but works extremely well when heard.\nThe song (and several others) features intensely heavy bass. Even after turning the bass setting down to -8, my speakers were still pounding. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the sound may be better suited for large entertainment systems rather than home devices.\nBeyoncé continues with some old school funk on "Suga Mamma" before suddenly getting pissed on "Ring the Alarm." The album's second single is unusually angry territory for the often timid Ms. Knowles, but is the actual alarm really necessary?\nOn "Kitty Kat," B, as she refers to herself, blurts "I'm not feelin' it." I'd have to agree. The song is by no means bad, but it can't keep up with the expeditious pace of the other tracks. Beyoncé lets women know the best way to grab a guy's attention is to wear a hot outfit on "Freakum Dress." The song works in the same way as this so called "Freakum Dress," commanding the room, asserting the principal characters, showcasing Beyoncé's dominance.\nBeyoncé decides to end the album on a slower note with two exceptional ballads, "Irreplaceable" and "Resentment." The somber songs wonderfully capture the emotion of ending a relationship with simultaneous anger, sadness and empowerment. "Irreplaceable" includes a welcome, soothing acoustic guitar, an instrument absent from the rest of the album. "Resentment" sounds like it could've been sung by her old group, Destiny's Child, due to its background female harmony.\nFor some reason the album contains only 10 tracks. Beyoncé, who co-wrote all the songs with several other writers, probably could've turned out more, but, fortunately, if the listener waits a few seconds after the end of "Resentment" there's a bonus track, "Listen," from her upcoming film "Dreamgirls." The song is a powerhouse number that is good news for the film. Based on the hit Broadway show, if all the film's performances are this show-stopping, it should be damn entertaining. "Listen" is an original song that wasn't in the show, and with it Beyoncé has pretty much secured a win for the Best Original Song Oscar next year. On the tracks she belts "I don't know where I belong/I'll be moving on/now I've got to find my own." Trust us B, with "B'day," you've found your perfect place. Don't move on from there.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
How do you turn a truly remarkable, mysterious story into a movie without it losing it to flopville? If you're the average director, you start by having one of Hollywood's top writers write you a script. But if you're director Allen Coulter (known for his work with "The Sopranos"), you may decide to pair up with someone like Paul Bernbaum and hope that, along with an all-star cast, your outcome is the exceptional movie, "Hollywoodland". In this case, your hopes would be justified. \nThe movie takes a deeper look at one of Hollywood's most mysterious deaths. Actor George Reeves (Ben Affleck), who made his film debut in "Gone With The Wind", was best known for playing Superman in television's "Adventures of Superman". On the night of June 16, 1959, Reeves died in his Hollywood Hills home from a single gunshot to his head, leaving behind his fiancée Leonore Lemmon (Robin Tunney) and tons of shocked fans. The Los Angeles Police Department decides to close the case, leaving the conclusion that Reeves had committed suicide.\nBut Reeves' mother, Helen Bessolo (Lois Smith), refuses to cope with the idea that her son ended his life. Convinced that there are non-suicidal circumstances surrounding the death, Helen hires private detective Louis Simo (Adrien Brody), to investigate the death. Simo seems to believe that the affair Reeves had had with Toni Mannix (Diane Lane), wife of MGM studio executive Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins) may hold the truth behind Reeves unexpected death. Simo continues his quest for the truth and even risks his life to uncover Reeves' so-called suicide, while also finding the case has some connections to his own personal life.\nThe movie follows Simo's investigation while also showing flashbacks of Reeves before his death, which can make the movie a little hard to follow. Yet, overall, the movie was not only able to entertain but intrigue.\nAside from being well cast, "Hollywoodland" was beautifully shot, and able to recap the glamour of Tinseltown in the late 1950's. From the scenery and set to the constant lighting of cigarettes on screen, few movies have been able to recreate that period in time as believably as this. The acting was phenomenal. Diane Lane, Adrien Brody and Bob Hoskins' performances are all Oscar-worthy. And it's nice to see that the "Good Will Hunting" Ben Affleck is back (I know many thought we'd never see that side of him again after his recent movie flops). It seems he has finally redeemed himself.\nI left the movie amazed at learning it had a running time of just over 2 hours, as time seems to fly by in this movie. Even if you are unfamiliar with the story behind George Reeves' death, the movie will leave you hypnotized with the thought of whether the death was, in fact, a suicide or a murder committed by someone familiar with Reeves' personal life.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
With "Idlewild," popular hip-hop duo Outkast try to reimagine old school gangster films and classic Hollywood musicals by injecting their modern rap style. It's an ambitious task. When it works, it works extremely well, but it often strains to connect the dots from element to element.\nSet in prohibition-era Georgia, the film follows life-long friends Percival (André Benjamin) and Rooster (Big Boi), who work at a speakeasy called "Church." Reserved Percival, who's been unhappily laboring away at his father's (Ben Veeren) funeral home for years instead of realizing his dreams as a songwriter, escapes through his piano while he backs up frontman Rooster (think a hip-hop Fred Astaire). When the club's owner is murdered by gangster Trumpy (Terrence Howard), Rooster inherits Church, and its debt, and turns things around by hiring a celebrity singer, Angel Davenport (newcomer Paula Patton). Unsatisfied by his payments, Trumpy starts a war with Rooster while Percival falls for Angel.\nThe film's savior is director Bryan Barber, who fills the film with lots of eye candy and popping effects. Barber brings much of the similar, original style to the film that he did to the music videos he's directed for the group. There's frenzied camera shifting, flipping and twirling. In some shots certain people freeze completely, while others' movements are sped up and mixed like a record player. Newspaper photos come to life, a talking flask offers Rooster advice, and dance scenes are slowed down to show just how elaborate and complex the choreography is. The style, similar to "Moulin Rouge," is something that could only be obtained through the median of film. \nBarber's contributions to the film aren't all positive; he also wrote the weak script. The story is pure paint-by-numbers gangster material thrown in with the whole "hardworking son trying to escape his overbearing father" arc. The film's voice-over, provided by Percival, gives us the age-old lesson: all the world's a stage and we're just performers making entrances and exits. Cliches making your head spin yet? \nWhat's worse, the film has trouble focusing on one specific plot element and irritatingly goes back and forth from the love story, the family issues, and the mafia war.\nConsidering this is a musical, the musical numbers should be the best part. However, they're too few and the music, while not bad, doesn't really fuse with the jazz style it seeks to. The background score is more entertaining that the original songs. While the songs may not shine, watching them performed is fun due to the cool way they're filmed. But, um, how do you make a musical and not have singing legends Vereen and Patti LaBelle (who makes a cameo) show their A game? Like much else in Idlewild, sheen takes the place of solidity, and the audience is left wanting.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
It must have been a daunting task for Beyoncé and her producers to choose the first single for her new album, "B'day." All pop records need that upbeat first single to drive album sales, and in "B'day"'s case, any of 10 tracks would have been sufficient. They're that good. If Columbia Records is smart they'll milk the album for all it's worth, releasing single after single after single.\nThe album begins with "Déjà Vu," with Beyoncé singing "bass" (enter bass) then "high-hat" (cue a nifty little high-hat shuffle) followed by collaborator/boyfriend Jay-Z. Soon Beyoncé's off, away with the blaring trumpets that have come to fit her musical style so well. Next up is "Get Me Bodied" which uses the album's common formula: some clapping, a voice in the background shouting "hey" and Beyoncé's voice accompanying an infectious beat while singing some form of "ohhh, ohhh" repeatedly. It's a set-up that sounds bad on paper, but works extremely well when heard.\nThe song (and several others) features intensely heavy bass. Even after turning the bass setting down to -8, my speakers were still pounding. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the sound may be better suited for large entertainment systems rather than home devices.\nBeyoncé continues with some old school funk on "Suga Mamma" before suddenly getting pissed on "Ring the Alarm." The album's second single is unusually angry territory for the often timid Ms. Knowles, but is the actual alarm really necessary?\nOn "Kitty Kat," B, as she refers to herself, blurts "I'm not feelin' it." I'd have to agree. The song is by no means bad, but it can't keep up with the expeditious pace of the other tracks. Beyoncé lets women know the best way to grab a guy's attention is to wear a hot outfit on "Freakum Dress." The song works in the same way as this so called "Freakum Dress," commanding the room, asserting the principal characters, showcasing Beyoncé's dominance.\nBeyoncé decides to end the album on a slower note with two exceptional ballads, "Irreplaceable" and "Resentment." The somber songs wonderfully capture the emotion of ending a relationship with simultaneous anger, sadness and empowerment. "Irreplaceable" includes a welcome, soothing acoustic guitar, an instrument absent from the rest of the album. "Resentment" sounds like it could've been sung by her old group, Destiny's Child, due to its background female harmony.\nFor some reason the album contains only 10 tracks. Beyoncé, who co-wrote all the songs with several other writers, probably could've turned out more, but, fortunately, if the listener waits a few seconds after the end of "Resentment" there's a bonus track, "Listen," from her upcoming film "Dreamgirls." The song is a powerhouse number that is good news for the film. Based on the hit Broadway show, if all the film's performances are this show-stopping, it should be damn entertaining. "Listen" is an original song that wasn't in the show, and with it Beyoncé has pretty much secured a win for the Best Original Song Oscar next year. On the tracks she belts "I don't know where I belong/I'll be moving on/now I've got to find my own." Trust us B, with "B'day," you've found your perfect place. Don't move on from there.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
Let's not beat around the bush: TV on the Radio's "Return to Cookie Mountain" is one of this year's best rock albums. We're not talking "top-10" -- we're talking "top-3" or better. And I say this as a person who is not especially a fan of TVOTR (not that I dislike them), nor really into avant garde music, nor a person who tosses out A's like parade candy. Only time will tell, but "Cookie Mountain" might well be the band's masterpiece -- and if you fancy yourself a devotee of daring and sophisticated rock, you have to get this album.\nNot that "Cookie Mountain" will please everyone. Its pace is often slow, heavy and deliberate, its production chilly and unsettling, and some people will simply not get past the dissonant, simultaneous high-low vocals of Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone (and their various collaborators including, if you haven't heard already, David Bowie). All that said, "Cookie Mountain" is much more accessible than TVOTR's first album, 2004's "Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes." While "Desperate Youth" was generally lauded by critics, (it won the 2004 Shorlist Music Prize and garnered attention thanks to single "Staring at the Sun") it was an album to be admired rather than loved. For all its technical skill and artistic ambition, track after track of hook-free droning made it less a collection of interesting songs than a roughly 45-minute meditation session -- interesting for a couple of plays, but doomed to gather dust on the shelf afterward.\nWith "Cookie Mountain," on the other hand, TVOTR do what made legends out of their idols Sonic Youth -- they pull their high-art music down from its pedestal, just close enough for us mere mortals to reach. While TVOTR hardly sound like anything else out there at the moment, the songs now have momentum and hooks, even sing-along choruses (albeit not in a "pump-your-fist" sort of way). The result is nothing short of stunning.\nFrom track to track, the band carries the listener through the sadness, fury, redemption and chaos of a post-apocalyptic world; they are clearly still pissed about the government's handling of Hurricane Katrina. Most surprising, perhaps, is first single, "Wolf Like Me," a bona fide rock song whose classic 4/4 beat (dum-dum-da-da-dum) will get your head bobbing while the closing chorus moves your lips ("we're howling forever, oo-oo!"). And, amaz ingly, in their abstract but poignant lyrics, TVOTR pull off the "Bono thing": simultaneously romantic, political and spiritual -- and if you think that's easy, ask Coldplay's Chris Martin.\nCritics often use the cliché "primal" to describe raw garage-rock acts such as Iggy Pop and the Stooges. TVOTR, however, show us what "primal" really sounds like. As complex as "Cookie Mountain" is, its simple, powerful, constant percussion; off-kilter multi-singer vocals; eerie guitar washes; and use of chants, flutes and other elements, make TVOTR sound less like a 21st century band than the unworldly music of ancient tribal ghosts dancing around an eternal bonfire.\nDare to join them?
(09/14/06 4:00am)
Wow, there's a new Iron Maiden CD out. I didn't know they were still around. I didn't know people still cared about them. Well, for what it's worth, "A Matter Of Life And Death" is some classic metal for the modern times. If you love cheesy, epic metal, then step forth and raise your chalice, for Iron Maiden is about the deliver what your moral self desires so. \nIron Maiden is a band that really hasn't progressed over the years. So if you listen to this CD, you've heard everything else they've ever put out. Thirty plus years of music, fourteen albums -- incredible to consider. But what you do have here is 10 tracks of straight up power metal, no bullshit, nothing radio-friendly, nothing fashionable about it. \nIt's hard to bash Iron Maiden when they're the ones that started this whole powermetal thing. Yes, the vocals sound like Journey. There would be no Dragonforce if it weren't for the boys in the Maiden. Being a metal fan, I can appreciate what these guys have done. And it's pretty impressive to see that they are still running strong after thirty years. \nThe tracks range from battle-front anthems to 80's ballads. "The Longest Day" is damn near 8 minutes long, and is a track that will bring you to your knees. "These Colours Don't Run" is epic, with dueling guitar solos; you'll want to raise your metal hand in the air and rock out air-guitar style. This band is so cheesy, but that's what makes them great. It's just fun music. There aren't many slaying tracks on this outing, and a lot of the songs sound very similar. But it's still an enjoyable listen. Iron Maiden have a sound of their own that has been imitated time and time again. \nSo ... the bottom line: Should you buy "A Matter Of Life And Death?" If you're a diehard fan of the Maiden, then yes. If you're just getting into them, this is not a bad place to start. Iron Maiden is definitely a novelty act, but if you love metal, then you can appreciate what they've done for the scene. Here, the view is good.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
The year 1987 ... seems like a long time ago. I was a mere two years of age, far from old enough to understand punk music, let alone music in general aside from Raffi and Sesame Street, if anything. But in 1987, four young kids would start a band that would set the standard for punk and ska music for years to come. \nOnly lasting two years and only putting out one LP, Operation Ivy is a household name for anyone that listens to punk and ska music, and many of today's heavy hitters include them as an influence. "Energy" is easily one of the best punk/ska albums of all time, placing Operation Ivy in the same territory as the Clash, Sex Pistols, and The Ramones. \n"Energy" is filled to the very brim with 27 songs, none longer than 3 minutes, and I can honestly say not a damn one is skippable. The guitars are catchy and simple. The drumming is tight. The vocals are raw, yet understandable and emotional. Nothing is overproduced, the recording quality is a little poor, but keeps things raw. The songs vary in tempo, and shift from fast and punk to slower and ska-oriented (the oboe in "Bad Town" is amazing). You'll never get bored, and when the CD's over, you'll have to hit play again and do it all over. \nThese songs are about controversial issues, and how justice should be implemented through unity. This isn't just a CD; this is a movement. Not just entertainment, but a way of life. It's hard to fathom the impact that these 27 tracks have had. \nOperation Ivy's legacy lives on. Bassist Matt Freeman and guitarist Tim Armstrong went on to form punk stalwarts Rancid (Armstrong also started a side project, The Transplants), and singer Jesse Michaels went on to form the more mellow punk/ska outfit Common Rider. This album means a great deal to me, and if you're into punk and ska and haven't already heard it (which would signal that there's something horribly wrong with you), then what the hell are you doing? Get it sorted!
(09/14/06 4:00am)
It's no simple task to evaluate tragedy from a critical perspective. It's even harder for me to admit that two of my favorite films of 2006 both deal with the events of September 11th, 2001. One of them (Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center") comes straight from the heart, while the other goes straight for the gut. Just as Stone's film strives for uplift amidst inconceivable circumstances, Paul Greengrass' United 93 achieves a documentary-like realism combined with an unflinching look at the madness of suicidal extremism.\nGreengrass and his cinematographer Barry Ackroyd chose to film "United 93" in an erratic, handheld style to heighten the sense of realism, and it's an extremely effective device. The decision was also made not to focus on any one or two particular characters as heroes, thus saving the film from any tired Hollywood action cliches. What we get is a dizzyingly candid look into the demise of Flight 93 and the utter confusion of the FAA and military on the ground. Once Flight 93 is in the air, the film unfolds in real time, and the drama is delivered simply by knowing that everyone on that plane has less than an hour left to live.\nAs the final moments approach, Greengrass delivers some of the best scenes on film this year. Once the passengers and flight attendants realize that New York City has been hit, they know what has to be done. Their attack on the hijackers is presented not as a glamorized takeover attempt but as a chaotic jumble of guttural screams, broken limbs, and spraying blood. It's almost too much to watch, yet the passengers' resolve to save their own lives is inspiration enough to render it worth watching.\nHonoring Flight 93's victims and their loved ones is the primary focus of the extras on this single disc, and the many interviews with family members add another level of emotion to the film itself. There is also an incredible amount of biography text on every one of the passengers and crew. Finally, Greengrass' full-length commentary track highlights the difficulty in bringing this story to the screen amidst constant criticism of it being "too soon" after 9/11 to do so.\nIt wasn't "too soon," however, as both United 93 and World Trade Center have proven. With all the books, television specials, and various other forms of media produced about 9/11 in the last five years, it's curious to me why only feature films based on the event seem to face such backlash against their production. 9/11 changed the world for the worse in so very many ways, and the vital impact of Greengrass' film is that it strips away all politics, patriotism, and pretense in order to present these events as they happened, in the context of a far more innocent world.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
A WARNING FOR THE VIEWER: Purchasing the brand new, seven disk, 17+ hour DVD set of the second season of Lost may result in abnormally long sessions of television watching, with possible side-effects of eye damage, weight gain/loss (depending on how focused you are), deterioration of relationships, and muscle atrophy. \nThat's the warning label that should come with Lost: The Complete Second Season--The Extended Experience. Once you start watching episodes it's VERY difficult to stop. But if you were really considering buying it, you already know this: you've watched season one and are familiar with the show. If you've never seen it, then I suggest buying the season one set in addition to season two, and spending about two solid days watching every episode so you're up to date for the upcoming season three premiere. Even if you've been watching religiously like most fans, hitting up the season two DVDs to brush up on anything you forgot doesn't hurt either (you know the writers love foreshadowing and making every detail count). \nThe DVD set features all 24 episodes of season two (some with optional commentary), and an additional disc of entirely special features. These include an all-access pass behind to the set, never before seen flashbacks, deleted scenes and bloopers, an in-depth look at character connections, a special look inside "The Swan" hatch, and more things I don't feel like copying off the back of the box. \nAll in all, the seven discs add up to a running time of 1056 minutes (17+ hours), which I find hard to believe -- I think in reality it's probably longer, considering there's 24 approximately 40-45 minute episodes (around 1000 minutes), plus a whole disc of features. \nSeason two of Lost continues the story of the 40 survivors of a horrific plane crash on a deserted island. The island contains many mysteries, including life-threatening natives (the "others") and supernatural occurrences. Season two more specifically chronicles the drama caused when the survivors find and break into an underground hatch on the island. They quickly realize the hatch is part of a larger, stranger operation and inadvertently become replacements for a man whose job was entering a number sequence into a computer every 108 minutes to "save the world". Not to mention the usual character flashbacks in each episode that add extra wrinkles to the story. \nAfter starting out in extremely intriguing fashion, season two gets a bit aimless in some of the middle episodes, which season one somehow never managed to do. But things come together in one of the most climactic/chaotic last episodes I've ever seen in a TV series, leaving season three wide-open in terms of possibilities. \nLost is worth the investment, worth the time, and one of the best dramas on TV -- now get caught up before the season three premiere. Just be careful. Once you get Lost in this show, there's no coming back.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
This month, Gojira (the original Godzilla), finally received its first video release ever in the U.S. This new 2 Disc DVD set includes both the original 1954 Japanese version, and the heavily altered U.S. version that was released 2 years later called "Godzilla: King of the Monsters!", starring Raymond Burr.\nThe original Japanese version, Gojira, begins when two Japanese naval ships mysteriously blow up near some islands off the coast of Tokyo, followed by the destruction of a small village nearby. A research party investigates and finds one of Gojira's huge footprints. Paleontologist Kyohei Yamani (Takashi Shimura) finds a trilobite at the footprint site and discovers that the sand there also emits high amounts of radiation. He concludes that the creature is prehistoric and genetically mutated from nuclear bombs and testing. Gojira then appears again and commences to tear Tokyo apart, showing no signs of weakness from military defense.\nMeanwhile, Kyohei's daughter, Emiko (Momoko Kôchi), attempts to convince scientist Daisuke Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata) to use a device he invented called the "Oxygen Destroyer" that splits oxygen atoms in water and vaporizes anything in it. Daisuke is hesitant because of the power of the device, and the moral dilemma he faces is a result of his fears of the effects of nuclear power.\nAt the time, the Japanese were no strangers to issues regarding nuclear weaponry since it was less than a decade since the U.S. had dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Gojira made references to these events and the devastating effects of nuclear weapons, which were the reasons the U.S. version omitted them and instead, replaced them with terrible dubbing, unfitting stand-in actors, and Raymond Burr as a useless journalist named Steve Martin who stands around observing, smoking his pipe, and sharing his thoughts in the form of voice-over.\nGojira may have been inspired by American movies like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, but it's substantially different from the U.S. version, which is pretty much the same as the other Hollywood monster B-movies of that era. Gojira does a fine job of providing a solid and socially conscious narrative, a memorable score by Akira Ifukube, and a wonderful cast. Incidentally, Takashi Shimura, who plays the role of the paleontologist, was also a favorite of legendary director Akira Kurosawa and in several of his films including Seven Samurai, which beat Gojira for best picture at the Japanese Academy Awards.\nOverall this is a good DVD set. It includes audio commentary by Steve Ryfle, author of "Japan's Favorite Mon-star (The Unauthorized Biography of Godzilla)" and his publisher Ed Godiziszewski, an original movie posters slideshow, a "Making of the Godzilla Suit" documentary, director's notes, and a 16 Page Booklet. However, Sony could have spent a lot more time on the picture quality by cleaning up several white and dark spots throughout the film. Nonetheless, it has both films and is a must-own for any Godzilla or Monster enthusiast.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
YouTube.com features videos of all kinds, from the oddly funny: President Bush drunk and an unbelievable robot dance, to released entertainment like Daily Show clips, The O.K. Go treadmill dance, and anything you can imagine. The only thing you won't be able to find is porn or a video of Steve Irwin's death, though there are a lot of fakes. The free Web site doesn't require a password or fee to peruse the overwhelming amounts of videos.
And contrary to Senator Ted Steven's statement, it is not run through a series of tubes. Though there is a hilarious techno remix with a video mocking the Senator's assessment that he "got an internet" through a "series of tubes."
(09/14/06 4:00am)
LOS ANGELES - Television's iron man continues to forge on.\nBob Barker will start his 35th season as the host of "The Price Is Right" on Sept. 18.\nJohnny Carson once held the record for continuous tenure with the same show: 29 years. Barker broke it in 2002. And Merv Griffin's game-show classics "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune" are years behind "Price," the longest-running game show in TV history.\nBarker's approach, like the show's set, has remained essentially unchanged since he arrived Sept. 4, 1972 to host what was then called "The New Price Is Right": wholesome, playful and family friendly.\nHe's weathered some challenges along the way, including the death of his wife (and producer), Dorothy Jo, in 1981 and a sexual harassment lawsuit filed (and later dropped) by one of the show's models in 1994.\nBut even in this era of endless channel choices and increasing fascination with the shocking and salacious, Barker and "Price" maintain an upbeat, timeless charm.\nThe 82-year-old talked with The Associated Press about the secrets of his lasting appeal and what he's got planned for the next 35 years.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
This is me. Relatively normal by most accords, I suppose, but on this night I am learning that normal is in the eye of the beholder, and that every scene has its characters. Some wear pastel colored polos, while others choose grungy concert T-shirts. A character in one scene might recite poetry between drags of a cigarette, while another may thrash, bang and fight in their own.\nBut on this night, my scene is the Axis of Evil. It's a gathering of punks, goths and any other mislabeled misfit desperate for the type of night every college aged person yearns for. A night where they can be themselves.\nFor the purpose of this story, the following contextual and symbolic rules apply:\nThis is the scene. Slightly slanted to the eye, but overall understandable.\nThese are the characters. Bold in appearance, but again, perfectly relatable.\nAnd this is the story. Just another Monday night at Jake's Nightclub with some of the most abnormally normal people in Bloomington.
(09/14/06 4:00am)
Many IU students hail from the Midwest—Indiana, Illinois, Ohio or Michigan. There are also many students from across the United States. Some may consider a California native to have "come a long way's to college."\nMany IU students also enjoy the luxury of having their parents help out—if not pay completely—for tuition. \nBut few IU students can say they both come from a long way's and be totally responsible for putting themselves through college.\nEnter junior Richa Sharma. Though a graduate of Warren Central High School on the east side of Indianapolis, she is originally from a small, hut-lined rural village called Sujnpur in India. She moved here when she was seven.\n"Because of the differences in school systems, I was two years younger than everyone else when we moved to America," says Sharma. "I didn't know any English. I was alienated, so I tended to get in fights."\nLackluster grades didn't help her situation, either. And with two other siblings living in a single parent household, money was tight. Sharma had to learn to make do early on.\n"I was working since I was 14," Sharma says. "I was a server at Steak 'n Shake and a sales associate at Reebok. I had to work both jobs at the same time on top of going to school to support myself and my family."\nBut the rocky road smoothed out after Sharma found a new love out of a required high school class: science. With a newfound interest in biology and chemistry, Sharma began flying straight, staying out of fights and buckling down with her studies.\n"I eventually got a research position at the IUPUI School of Medicine," Sharma says. "Working in the lab forced me to grow up. I had to wear high heels, look nice and stop getting into trouble. But I loved working hard and being surrounded by smart people."\nSharma is now attending IU on a full merit-based scholarship as one of 21 Cox Scholars at IU and as a Lilly Endowment Scholar, along with an arsenal of eight other scholarships she earned in the past couple of years. \n"I never thought I would get into IU," Sharma says.\nShe is currently preparing for the MCATs this year and applying to med school at IUPUI. She is also continuing her research and insists that she is living proof that hard work leads to success.\n"Hopefully I can also work hard at a professional career. I want to be a doctor or a psychiatrist--I love to help people," Sharma says.\nBut she also knows that there always has to be time for equally important endeavors.\n"I always take some time out to watch Family Guy," she says, laughing.
(09/14/06 3:48am)
This is me. Relatively normal by most accords, I suppose, but on this night I am learning that normal is in the eye of the beholder, and that every scene has its characters. Some wear pastel colored polos, while others choose grungy concert T-shirts. A character in one scene might recite poetry between drags of a cigarette, while another may thrash, bang and fight in their own.\nBut on this night, my scene is the Axis of Evil. It's a gathering of punks, goths and any other mislabeled misfit desperate for the type of night every college aged person yearns for. A night where they can be themselves.\nFor the purpose of this story, the following contextual and symbolic rules apply:\nThis is the scene. Slightly slanted to the eye, but overall understandable.\nThese are the characters. Bold in appearance, but again, perfectly relatable.\nAnd this is the story. Just another Monday night at Jake's Nightclub with some of the most abnormally normal people in Bloomington.
(09/14/06 3:41am)
LOS ANGELES - Television's iron man continues to forge on.\nBob Barker will start his 35th season as the host of "The Price Is Right" on Sept. 18.\nJohnny Carson once held the record for continuous tenure with the same show: 29 years. Barker broke it in 2002. And Merv Griffin's game-show classics "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune" are years behind "Price," the longest-running game show in TV history.\nBarker's approach, like the show's set, has remained essentially unchanged since he arrived Sept. 4, 1972 to host what was then called "The New Price Is Right": wholesome, playful and family friendly.\nHe's weathered some challenges along the way, including the death of his wife (and producer), Dorothy Jo, in 1981 and a sexual harassment lawsuit filed (and later dropped) by one of the show's models in 1994.\nBut even in this era of endless channel choices and increasing fascination with the shocking and salacious, Barker and "Price" maintain an upbeat, timeless charm.\nThe 82-year-old talked with The Associated Press about the secrets of his lasting appeal and what he's got planned for the next 35 years.
(09/14/06 3:37am)
YouTube.com features videos of all kinds, from the oddly funny: President Bush drunk and an unbelievable robot dance, to released entertainment like Daily Show clips, The O.K. Go treadmill dance, and anything you can imagine. The only thing you won't be able to find is porn or a video of Steve Irwin's death, though there are a lot of fakes. The free Web site doesn't require a password or fee to peruse the overwhelming amounts of videos.
And contrary to Senator Ted Steven's statement, it is not run through a series of tubes. Though there is a hilarious techno remix with a video mocking the Senator's assessment that he "got an internet" through a "series of tubes."
(09/14/06 3:19am)
This month, Gojira (the original Godzilla), finally received its first video release ever in the U.S. This new 2 Disc DVD set includes both the original 1954 Japanese version, and the heavily altered U.S. version that was released 2 years later called "Godzilla: King of the Monsters!", starring Raymond Burr.\nThe original Japanese version, Gojira, begins when two Japanese naval ships mysteriously blow up near some islands off the coast of Tokyo, followed by the destruction of a small village nearby. A research party investigates and finds one of Gojira's huge footprints. Paleontologist Kyohei Yamani (Takashi Shimura) finds a trilobite at the footprint site and discovers that the sand there also emits high amounts of radiation. He concludes that the creature is prehistoric and genetically mutated from nuclear bombs and testing. Gojira then appears again and commences to tear Tokyo apart, showing no signs of weakness from military defense.\nMeanwhile, Kyohei's daughter, Emiko (Momoko Kôchi), attempts to convince scientist Daisuke Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata) to use a device he invented called the "Oxygen Destroyer" that splits oxygen atoms in water and vaporizes anything in it. Daisuke is hesitant because of the power of the device, and the moral dilemma he faces is a result of his fears of the effects of nuclear power.\nAt the time, the Japanese were no strangers to issues regarding nuclear weaponry since it was less than a decade since the U.S. had dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Gojira made references to these events and the devastating effects of nuclear weapons, which were the reasons the U.S. version omitted them and instead, replaced them with terrible dubbing, unfitting stand-in actors, and Raymond Burr as a useless journalist named Steve Martin who stands around observing, smoking his pipe, and sharing his thoughts in the form of voice-over.\nGojira may have been inspired by American movies like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, but it's substantially different from the U.S. version, which is pretty much the same as the other Hollywood monster B-movies of that era. Gojira does a fine job of providing a solid and socially conscious narrative, a memorable score by Akira Ifukube, and a wonderful cast. Incidentally, Takashi Shimura, who plays the role of the paleontologist, was also a favorite of legendary director Akira Kurosawa and in several of his films including Seven Samurai, which beat Gojira for best picture at the Japanese Academy Awards.\nOverall this is a good DVD set. It includes audio commentary by Steve Ryfle, author of "Japan's Favorite Mon-star (The Unauthorized Biography of Godzilla)" and his publisher Ed Godiziszewski, an original movie posters slideshow, a "Making of the Godzilla Suit" documentary, director's notes, and a 16 Page Booklet. However, Sony could have spent a lot more time on the picture quality by cleaning up several white and dark spots throughout the film. Nonetheless, it has both films and is a must-own for any Godzilla or Monster enthusiast.
(09/14/06 3:15am)
A WARNING FOR THE VIEWER: Purchasing the brand new, seven disk, 17+ hour DVD set of the second season of Lost may result in abnormally long sessions of television watching, with possible side-effects of eye damage, weight gain/loss (depending on how focused you are), deterioration of relationships, and muscle atrophy. \nThat's the warning label that should come with Lost: The Complete Second Season--The Extended Experience. Once you start watching episodes it's VERY difficult to stop. But if you were really considering buying it, you already know this: you've watched season one and are familiar with the show. If you've never seen it, then I suggest buying the season one set in addition to season two, and spending about two solid days watching every episode so you're up to date for the upcoming season three premiere. Even if you've been watching religiously like most fans, hitting up the season two DVDs to brush up on anything you forgot doesn't hurt either (you know the writers love foreshadowing and making every detail count). \nThe DVD set features all 24 episodes of season two (some with optional commentary), and an additional disc of entirely special features. These include an all-access pass behind to the set, never before seen flashbacks, deleted scenes and bloopers, an in-depth look at character connections, a special look inside "The Swan" hatch, and more things I don't feel like copying off the back of the box. \nAll in all, the seven discs add up to a running time of 1056 minutes (17+ hours), which I find hard to believe -- I think in reality it's probably longer, considering there's 24 approximately 40-45 minute episodes (around 1000 minutes), plus a whole disc of features. \nSeason two of Lost continues the story of the 40 survivors of a horrific plane crash on a deserted island. The island contains many mysteries, including life-threatening natives (the "others") and supernatural occurrences. Season two more specifically chronicles the drama caused when the survivors find and break into an underground hatch on the island. They quickly realize the hatch is part of a larger, stranger operation and inadvertently become replacements for a man whose job was entering a number sequence into a computer every 108 minutes to "save the world". Not to mention the usual character flashbacks in each episode that add extra wrinkles to the story. \nAfter starting out in extremely intriguing fashion, season two gets a bit aimless in some of the middle episodes, which season one somehow never managed to do. But things come together in one of the most climactic/chaotic last episodes I've ever seen in a TV series, leaving season three wide-open in terms of possibilities. \nLost is worth the investment, worth the time, and one of the best dramas on TV -- now get caught up before the season three premiere. Just be careful. Once you get Lost in this show, there's no coming back.
