87 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(09/20/01 5:04am)
As I sat at home Sunday night, pretending to do homework, one of my roommates came down from his room bursting with excitement. He's a telecommunications major, so he loves TV, especially good TV, and he just saw a great show.\nIt was "Band of Brothers" on HBO. Anyway, during his little discussion about the show, he brought up a quote from the show that really stuck with me and hit close to home about thoughts in my head the past week. \nThe quote, he said, was "You think there's still hope. The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can function the way a soldier is supposed to function."\nThe quote, taken from a show about a group of World War II soldiers, needs no explanation. The point to all this is what is alluded to in the quote is something many of us might have to deal with. With the recent attack on the United States and elevation of Osama bin Laden to chief suspect in it all, there are continuing clues that we as a nation might be heading to war against bin Laden, Afghanistan the country harboring bin Laden, and any other terrorists in the world.\nWhile I agree with the necessity of a strike against whomever is responsible for last week's tragedy, all that it entails is pretty frightening. Being that I am mere months away from graduation, should the draft be instituted again, I would be a prime suspect for being called to go to war. Luckily, I'm not sure we will need the numbers to start the draft again, but that doesn't leave me safe and sound.\nSome vicious, gutless criminals attacked the United States, the country I've called home my whole life. Whatever his or her reasons may be, it was a brutal slap in the face to every single member of this country. So, the question facing us all is this; should I enlist in the armed forces and defend my country after this attack?\nI know there are some that believe war is the last way to solve this problem, and I know that there are others still who are wondering what's taking President George W. Bush so long to bomb these people back to the Stone Age. Despite all this, the question is one that has to pass through every one of our heads, if for only a second. For some of us, it won't take long to make the decision, defend my country no matter what. Others may think, let someone else do it. Then there are the rest of us, who are somewhere in the middle with no idea of what to do. That's where I fall.\nOn one hand, I like to think of myself as patriotic and I would step up for my country when it needs me. Then, another part of me wonders if that is something I really want to get myself into. We've all seen the madness at the beginning of "Saving Private Ryan", and from what news stories reported at the time, war is much crazier than that scene was or could even capture. \nWhat's the best decision for you? I can't tell you that, I don't think anyone else can. If you are lucky enough to know a veteran, maybe you should ask them for advice on the decision. The point is, this is a decision that will be hard for each of us, and what is right for one may not be right for someone else.
(09/13/01 4:56am)
Movie soundtracks are never great. They aren't those life-altering albums that are spectacular from start to finish. They are merely compilations of songs in the movie and those mythical "songs inspired by" the movie. The most one can ever hope for from a movie soundtrack is a solid roster of tunes to enjoy.\nThat being said, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back accomplished all that can be hoped for from a soundtrack -- featuring many of the great songs you hear in the movie, as well as a bunch of quotes. While these quotes on the album aren't the best lines you will hear in the film, they are still humorous and do a great job of jogging the memory of funny moments from the flick. \nWhen it comes down to the music, the album covers a wide array of genres. Rockin' classics like Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" and Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" make an appearance, as well as the track "Tougher Than Leather" from rap veterans Run DMC. A nice touch is "Tube of Wonderful" by Soul Asylum lead singer Dave Pirner that Kevin Smith fans will recognize as the theme song to "Chasing Amy." \nAnother great song on this collection is "Jackass" by the Bloodhound Gang. The song was originally written for the soundtrack of the MTV show of the same name, but the idea was canceled and the song winded up here. With lyrics like "I'm a pimped out Jedi Knight, a cross between Obi Wan and Dolemite," you've got a good chance for a fun song. \nAll in all, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a solid listen, with the added bonus of all the movie trailers on the enhanced CD-rom portion of the disc. So, if you are looking for a solid soundtrack to bring you back to the movie theater, if only for a little bit, than this CD is the one for you.
(09/13/01 4:00am)
Movie soundtracks are never great. They aren't those life-altering albums that are spectacular from start to finish. They are merely compilations of songs in the movie and those mythical "songs inspired by" the movie. The most one can ever hope for from a movie soundtrack is a solid roster of tunes to enjoy.\nThat being said, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back accomplished all that can be hoped for from a soundtrack -- featuring many of the great songs you hear in the movie, as well as a bunch of quotes. While these quotes on the album aren't the best lines you will hear in the film, they are still humorous and do a great job of jogging the memory of funny moments from the flick. \nWhen it comes down to the music, the album covers a wide array of genres. Rockin' classics like Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" and Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" make an appearance, as well as the track "Tougher Than Leather" from rap veterans Run DMC. A nice touch is "Tube of Wonderful" by Soul Asylum lead singer Dave Pirner that Kevin Smith fans will recognize as the theme song to "Chasing Amy." \nAnother great song on this collection is "Jackass" by the Bloodhound Gang. The song was originally written for the soundtrack of the MTV show of the same name, but the idea was canceled and the song winded up here. With lyrics like "I'm a pimped out Jedi Knight, a cross between Obi Wan and Dolemite," you've got a good chance for a fun song. \nAll in all, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a solid listen, with the added bonus of all the movie trailers on the enhanced CD-rom portion of the disc. So, if you are looking for a solid soundtrack to bring you back to the movie theater, if only for a little bit, than this CD is the one for you.
(08/28/01 5:39am)
Before I begin, I just want to let all of you out there know what\'s going on with this column. Once a week, I get to go off about any topic of national significance in the sporting world based on how I see fit. You might agree with me, or you might not. If you don't agree, too bad, because I\'m the one with the column, and you\'re not. Remember, you can always let me know what a moron I am; which I am accustomed to. And now, on to my first topic of college football.\nI love college football. Love it. It is up there as my No. 1 or 2 sport, fighting for position with hockey. With the season beginning this past weekend and all of the pre-season classics going on, this time of year is one of my happiest. Soon, every team in the country will be playing every Saturday, with the drunken hopes of their fans riding on every play, hoping their team will be the one that wins their conference, bowl game or maybe a national championship.\nI find that the bowl season is great. I am a huge fan, often being found glued to my TV watching whatever game it may be, from the Toilet Bowl (starting in 2004 maybe?) to the granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. But the bowl season is one of the problems with college football -- along with the polling system and the Bowl Championship Series -- and if each were changed, it would make the sport I love even better. \nTo start with, a playoff needs to be established instead of the bowl games. While I will be sad to see this tradition end, the minute the BCS was instituted, the tradition was starting down the trail of death anyway. So, I say scrap all that, and start a multi-team playoff system. This will help to eliminate the debate of every season about who should meet for the national title and also whether the winner of the so-called championship is actually the winner. These playoff teams could be selected by taking the winners of each conference and some wild card teams based on records and ranking. The seeding would also be based on the ranking.\nThis brings me to my second change, the weekly polls. I think they start too early. Sure, it's great to see who is the preseason No. 1, and if members of the national stage think that your team has a shot this year, but the polls can be a handicap to several teams. If your team is the "Cinderella team" of the season and isn't ranked, it could end up hurting the team's final ranking. Also, if a team is ranked high and ends up not being as good, they still might finish the season ranked higher than they deserve. So, if you wait until the third or fourth week of the season to start the polls, a team won\'t be handicapped or unjustly helped by the pre-season ranking. And, if all of my thoughts are instituted, the BCS can be done away with. After all, there is no reason some computer nerds should be in charge of the national title of college football. \nWhile I will be sad to no longer sit down on New Year\'s Day and watch so many bowl games, I can\'t even think about football anymore. These changes are necessary to turn college football into an even better game than it is.
(08/23/01 3:54am)
Wonder and amazement. Two emotions that as a child are frequently felt as one encounters a new thing every time they turn the corner practically. Yet, by the time you reach college, as we all have, including all you cute little froshies out there starting your first week of classes, these two emotions are few and far between, as a person starts to have a "been there, done that" attitude. Of course, there is always that wonder you feel during that first keg stand that you do, though its probably a wonder of how you can consume that much alcohol in so little time. \nSo, during my summer of nothingness, where I spent 80 percent of my time located on one of my several comfortable couches in my cushy B-town home, I got to watch TV. \nActually, I got to watch a lot of TV. Probably a lot more than I ever should have, and I'm pretty sure I've seen about every episode of any TV show that is worth watching, as well as all the episodes of "ALF." Now that ALF is one crazy alien, let me tell ya! But I digress. In all of my watching, I've found new wonderful and amazing things. And these things can be found in the best creation known to man, actually probably why TV was invented, infomercials.\nI'm sure you have all seen one or two, but my encyclopedia of infomercials is extensive. I've seen commercials for psychics, how to make more money, about the next great CD compilation (several made in my own hometown of Libertyville, Ill.) or another great tool.\nIts amazing, these products pitched on infomercials. Did you know that Miss Cleo can predict everything that will happen in your future, along with a little bit of sass to go with it? I've also tried some of that Nads stuff, and I must say, it is by far the best pain-free way to remove that unwanted back hair. Plus, my house is the proud owner of the amazing hammer that holds the nail for you -- quite impressive. \nWhile all these commercials have made my life easier without question and my music collection much better, these commercials did something that was definitely unforeseen. They helped to restore my faith in making a difference.\nNow, let me explain before I'm written off as crazy. Wait, that was done last year. Anyway, this is how the infomercials saved my life. I realized that, if all of these people out there can create these great inventions, that just maybe there is something that I can do that make a difference. And that is something that can be a little reassuring in the times that I'm approaching.\nBeing that I'm heading into my senior year, a year that will feature many a party, many a beer, and maybe even a job interview or two, I'm facing a lot of question marks in my life. I have nothing in my life that will be the same in a year, other than my friends and family. I could be working in a big office in the city, or a little podunk town in Montana. I could be subleasing a corner in an apartment, or living the good life in a phat crib that is the envy of everyone. The other thing I think about in my rather large melon is the question of what road I will be walking down in my life. Will I walk down the path that will end up making any difference to anyone, or will I walk down the path that will turn me into just another statistic in the census that is unimportant, another face in the crowd. Yet, these infomercials on these television channels have made me realize that I can and probably will make a difference. After all, if someone can come up with a product called Nads, then I sure as heck ought to be able to come up with something, right?\nBy the way, I'm offering to start up a collection of funds for me to do a trial run with Miss Cleo, see what she has to say and if it comes true or not. The way I see it, if a person like Miss Cleo doesn't tell the truth, then what can you count on in the world?
(08/02/01 1:56am)
In my days on this Earth, I have heard of a fabled thing, one that while I have never experienced, I would love to find. It is the thing that is called the "endless summer." Who came up with it, and where does one find it? For, sure as the sun will rise and set, this summer is coming to an end. If you listen closely, you can already hear the rumble of the cars coming down Rt. 37 to move all the new freshmen in. Nothing makes this more apparent than this being my final summer issue as opinion editor here at the IDS.\nI know that the number of you out and about on this fine campus during the summer is quite fewer in number than usual, and when you figure out the smaller number from there that read the paper, and even fewer that read this specific section, I am writing to a small group of people. So, to you five people out there, I know that my mug shot has not been a frequent visitor to this section; instead I have been honing my wares in other sections, specifically the sports and weekend sections. But I've done my bit, helping shape this page a little here and there, but mostly letting my writers do their thing every week, hopefully providing you with some enjoyment. Yet, with this the final summer issue, I think I have the right to give you kids my opinions one last time, whatever they might be. So sit down and read my little witty banter, because you have to.\nThis summer is the be all end all of my summers that will ever exist. Being about to embark on my senior year of college, I know that a summer from now I hopefully will have gainful employment somewhere in Chicago or some other city, living the good life that one can only find in the big city, where a simple beer is $5 and your rent for your apartment is slightly lower than tuition here at IU. And once you get out there in the "real world", as it is, a nice three month summer vacation is a thing of the past. So, what did I decide to do of my last summer of fun? I stayed down here in Bloomington! Woo!\nOriginally, I wanted to venture off to a big city internship where I knew no one, to see how I would handle it. Given that my parents weren't keen on my idea, the choices were back home again or here, so I tried here, something different. I expected a summer of previously unknown fun and excitement. So, now that it is coming to an end, what have I lived for three months? Nothing more than I typically experience any other month of my life. I got to drive long distances to places to see people for some weekends, but spent most of my time here in Bloomington, with my usual cast of characters around me, empty bottles of MGD lying on the floor and some nameless movie playing in the background for the umpteenth time. Pretty wild and crazy, eh?\nSure, going into this summer, I had delusions of grandeur. Living in New York City, living the good life in some internship, a complete stranger knowing no one and no place to go, but getting out there and living life. I'm sure it would have been great to do that, an experience I would never forget. Yet what did I end up with? The same thing that had been a staple of my previous three years of college, spending time with friends, doing things that at the time seem to be a great idea, but looking back one can't help but wonder why it was done (see: bleaching, hair). Want to know the funniest part of it all, the part that I will keep with me for years to come until I become a 70-year-old vegetable that wears a diaper? I wouldn't have had it any other way. The experiences and people that have dotted my summer are great and helped make this summer what it was. My final summer definitely went out with a bang.
(07/23/01 12:37am)
When the summer is about to begin, I always have a few movies in mind that must be seen in the theaters, no questions asked. And, with the summer mostly passed, the time has come and gone for many of those. "Pearl Harbor" and "The Fast and the Furious" have been long gone, seen months before in pure movie-going greatness. And while the always unexpected movie sneaks in the line of must-see summer fare -- "Shrek" comes to mind this summer -- there still remain one or two more that must be seen. The other night, I took care of one of those movies: "Jurassic Park 3."\nI admit, upon first hearing about the release of the third installment in this series, I was skeptical -- but after seeing the first couple trailers, I quickly became excited. After all, who doesn't like the original "Jurassic Park?" I was wondering what would go on, with no Michael Crichton book to adapt and without Steven Spielberg behind the camera as director. This movie was sure to be in a different direction than the previous two, but maybe that was what was needed, because of the poor job done in "The Lost World: Jurassic Park." Unfortunately, the lack of Crichton and Spielberg left something to be desired. \nSam Neill returns as Dr. Alan Grant, the paleontologist from the first movie. Two civilians, played by William H. Macy and Tea Leoni, hire Dr. Grant to tour the island and see the dinosaurs. Yet, upon reaching the island, he quickly learns the true reason of their arrival. They don't want to simply tour it; they want to find their son who is lost on the island (not worth your time here to explain). Upon their arrival on the island, things shockingly go wrong and the group is trapped on the island after their plane is destroyed. This half-hour of the movie, from the plane getting to the island up to a big dino battle, is the best part of the whole movie. \nFrom this point on, it's simply seeing how many new features they can work into the movie, whether it is new dinosaurs or improvements to other ones that had been seen before. It seems like the longer the movie goes, the worse it gets, culminating in a horrible ending, one that can't help but leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. It has been rumored that there were several problems with the script and a new ending had to be reshot before the film was done. It is easy to tell that there had to be some rewrites, because too much of the movie doesn't make sense. All in all, "Jurassic Park 3" leaves the viewer quite unsatisfied as they leave the theater. In fact, very few people even die in this one, and there is little suspense involved to boot. At least the last two had one or the other. Check this movie out at Blockbuster instead of the cinema -- save your money for this weekend's big blockbuster "Planet of the Apes." That one has to be good, right?
(07/16/01 1:57am)
Sports often times is a magical, fairy tale place where you see the old, aging superstar hit that one last home run or make that one last shot to win the game and ride off into the sunset as a winner. Sometimes the best material for movies are taken from and made about sports. Yet, in this day and age, any good happy story comes with people thinking that there is a hidden storyline going on underneath what we see, a conspiracy if you would.\nIn the course of the past week, two feel-good stories took place that days later had conspiracy theorists saying all is not as it seems. The first occurrence took place on Saturday, July 7th. Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned for the first time to Daytona International Speedway for the Pepsi 400, the site where his father, Dale Earnhardt, passed away at the Daytona 500 on February 18th. Junior dealt with all the emotion of the situation and managed to come from behind to win the race in an emotional display. \nThe second occurrence took place Tuesday in Seattle, site of baseball's All Star Game. This game was to be the last played by Cal Ripken Jr., the man often times referred to as the savior of baseball after the strike. On his first at bat, Ripken hit the first pitch he saw over the left field fence on his way to the All Star game MVP. Coincidence?\nIn the days following the two events, people got to talking about if there were conspiracies involved in both circumstances, to the point where ESPN even did a piece on it during Sportscenter. To all those people out there who believe its too good to be true that Earnhardt Jr. won the Pepsi 400 and that Ripken hit a home run in his final All Star game, I have one thing to say. Back off!\nPart of the draw of sports is that storybook endings can happen. That's why year after year, people tune in to watch and see what happens. While it's true that more times than not, the story book endings happen in the movies, they can happen in real life, or darn close to it.\nTwo of the best sports memories I have are from 1988 in Game 1 of the World Series when Kirk Gibson came off the bench to hit a home run for the Dodgers to win the game against the powerful Oakland A's. The other being the 2000 Super Bowl between the Rams and Titans. The last play of the game, the Titans are stopped one yard away from the equalizing touchdown that would have sent the game to overtime. \nNo matter how you try, you can't script greatness that can happen in sports. Which is why I continue to watch them. So, to all you conspiracy theorists out there who think Ripken and Earnhardt Jr.'s storybook days are too good to be true, they are. Deal with it.
(07/09/01 1:22am)
Television has lacked quality shows for a long time now. Sure, some of it might be entertaining, but the shows that are good seldom make it because they are too advanced for the general public, such as "Sports Night" or "Freaks and Geeks."\nBut for those viewers who are interested in more quality television, there is a place where it is available to them, for only the cost of a premium cable package. For the past few years, HBO has been turning out quality series, such as "The Sopranos," "Oz" and "Sex in the City." Now comes another show in that line, "Six Feet Under."\nThe show is from writer Alan Ball, best known for his 1999 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for "American Beauty". It centers around a Los Angeles funeral home, Fisher and Sons. The father dies in the first episode, leaving his two sons in charge of the home. The only catch is one of them, Nate (Peter Krause, "Sports Night"), took off right after high school and rarely comes back, not wanting anything to do with the home. The other brother, David (Michael C. Hall), put his dreams on hold to stay and work the home with his dad and so is fiercely protective of it. Needless to say, there is all sorts of drama involving Nate coming back and trying to get re-involved in the family business, as well as in the family itself. Add in a mother, Ruth (Frances Conroy), who is dealing with the passing of her husband and its effect on her life, and a sister, Claire (Lauren Ambrose), who is dealing with being in high school and finding herself, and there are several different subplots to deal with in every episode.\nThe show is a drama bordering on dark comedy and has a similar feeling to "American Beauty," in that sometimes you want to laugh and other times you just have to watch and take it all in. A unique thing about the show is that every episode starts off with a random person dying in an odd way, who then becomes the customer the Fishers are primarily dealing with throughout the episode. It's a unique way of introducing new storylines for each episode.\nAll in all, it looks like HBO has scored another hit with "Six Feet Under." It's a show that you sometimes don't know what to make of, but you can never pull yourself away from watching. It's ironic that a channel so known for showing movies soon might be the choice of most Americans for great series television as well.
(07/05/01 1:36am)
Seems that these days, every baseball team is getting a new ballpark. In fact, I heard the Hoosiers are getting a brand new stadium with a retractable roof and all the creature comforts you could want. OK, so the Hoosiers really aren't, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that any day now, with the rates stadiums are going up. In Major League Baseball, two new parks opened up this year, PNC Park in Pittsburgh and Miller Park up in Milwaukee. While I have not been to Pittsburgh, if it's half as nice as Milwaukee's, the fans in "the burgh" have something to go see a game for, since their team gives them no reason.\nI went to a Cubs-Brewers game up at Miller Park a while back, and I was impressed. From the get go, everything went quite well. Parking was not too much of a hassle, as the park is right off the highway, and the exit leads you straight to the parking lot, with only a minimal hassle of waiting in line, considering the Cubs-Brewers is quickly becoming a big rivalry. Something to keep in mind should you ever venture up to the land of beer and brats is bring a cooler or two, as tailgating is a big thing up in Milwaukee. This was a new idea to me, I always associated tailgating with football, but in Wisconsin, apparently the Cheeseheads look for any excuse to get drunk in a parking lot, and a baseball game seemed as good as any. \nOnce we picked up our tickets from will call, it was time to go in. The only problem was, finding the right gate to go in. The entrances are not well marked, making it hard for one to figure out which gate to go in, unless they know what part of the park they are sitting in. Once you get in though, one realizes all the glory that comes from a brand new ballpark.\nEverything was squeaky clean, and the walk up to the second deck was not too taxing on the legs. And the seats, they were the best part. On the day of the game, my friends and I were able to snag first row second deck seats for a mere $20 each halfway up the third base line. These seats were great -- very close to the field and easy to see everything. While I don't know what the seats are like way up top, they didn't seem like they were all too bad. The way the decks are arranged, all the seats are made to be as close as possible to the field.\nThe best part of the whole night though, probably came after the game was over. After the Cubs were victorious and the fans started to vacate the park, the music to "2001: A Space Odyssey" came over the loudspeakers and a movement started over our heads, as the park officials started to close the roof. Miller Park has a retractable roof, for those days when the rains threaten or it's football weather in Milwaukee instead of baseball weather. I don't think I have ever seen so many people stop in their tracks and stare at the sky, awestruck. \nAll in all, Miller Park is a smashing success. While it lacks the history and ambiance of such parks as Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, it makes up for it in creature comforts.\nNext week: Jacobs Field
(06/28/01 2:22am)
A few days ago, Ray Bourque announced his retirement from the Colorado Avalanche and the game of hockey. This coming shortly after Bourque and his fellow Colorado Avalanche came from behind to win the Stanley Cup in seven games against the New Jersey Devils (as this columnist so correctly predicted). I would just like to commend Bourque on his decision to ride off into the sunset with the Stanley Cup riding shotgun in his car.\nBourque was the epitome of a NHL defenseman during his 22 years in the league, playing in 19 consecutive all-star games as well as winning five Norris Trophies -- the award given out every year to the best defender in the league. Bourque is also one of the last truly great sportsmen in all of sports, having spent almost his entire career in one city. From the beginning of his career all the way up to the trading deadline last season with the Boston Bruins, only being traded to the Avalanche because he wanted to win a Stanley Cup before he retired. He had the most games played out of anyone in the NHL without hoisting the Cup, a stigma that ended June 9th.\nBourque cited several reasons for his retirement during his press conference.\n"By far the most important factor is my desire to be around my children," he said. "Frankly, I also have had a strong commitment to myself never to stay too long in the game. \nAlso, we are still on cloud nine having won the Stanley Cup and having achieved that goal kind of rounds out my career."\nGoing out on top is the dream of almost every athlete, or so it seems. Winning that one last championship, hitting that last home run or making that last shot -- it's what each athlete wants to end his career with. While Bourque didn't score the game winning goal for the Avalanche, he did get to walk off the ice with the championship trophy, having won the last game of his season and career.\nWhich brings me to an important point: The first great athletes of my generation that I truly got to appreciate, Bourque, Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn, Dan Marino, John Elway and Michael Jordan, all have or are reaching the end of their careers. Some, Bourque, Elway and Jordan, got to end things on a high note. While Gwynn and Ripken still could, it looks unlikely, and for Marino, the Super Bowl trophy remains the one hole in his very impressive resume.\nBut while its important to go out a winner, I think it's even more important to go out before your skill is too diminished. To me, there is nothing more pathetic than an athlete who hangs on for too long, maintaining a spot in the lineup based more on reputation than skill. \nOne could make the argument, and I often have with my friends, that athletes such as Ripken, Gwynn and Patrick Ewing are holding on for too long, and it's sad to see them playing as they do now. \nAnd now, the man that turned on a generation to basketball and made David Stern richer than he could ever have hoped to be, Michael Jordan has hinted at another comeback. Jordan's first comeback was understandable; he retired too soon and still had much to give. Now, if Jordan comes back, he will be approaching 40. While I admit Jordan is a great athlete, I doubt that even he still has the skill to match up with the superstars of today like Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson or Vince Carter. So, as a selfish plea, I beg Jordan not to come back, and let us keep that last shining memory of you, hitting the game winning jumper in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz, winning your sixth and final championship.
(06/25/01 2:52am)
These days, it seems the boundary between movies and video games is becoming more and more fuzzy. Some video games become movies, like the recently released "Tomb Raider", and some movies become video games, like "Jurassic Park". And then there are video games that seem to be a lot like movies, and movies that seem to be a lot like video games. That is the case with the release of "The Fast and the Furious", which is a lot like the video game "Midnight Club Racing" for the Playstation 2. And just like the video game, this is a movie that is big on action and visuals but seems to have lost something important to movies along the way, like a plot. \nThe basic point of the story, as near as I can tell, is this. Paul Walker plays a cop who is attempting to break up a truck hijacking ring in Los Angeles. Vin Diesel plays the leader of a group of midnight street racers who Walker's superiors believe might be behind the hijackings. Then, just to spice up the mix in a plot twist you can see coming from a quarter mile away, Jordana Brewster plays Diesel's sister, who becomes Walker's love interest, to force Walker to make the gut-wrenching decision if, when push comes to shove, he'll defend the brother of the girl he loves, or do his job. \nThis movie is 107 minutes of showing off fast cars and hot actors and actresses. And there are plenty of both in the movie. There are plenty of car races and explosions and everything else to get your adrenaline pumping on a hot summer day. Which is fine -- in fact, this movie is definitely good fun. \nUnfortunately, what separates this film from being what some call a good movie is a plot. In this MTV generation, perhaps the younger viewer believes a plot is less and less important as long as the visuals are stimulating, so I guess I'm a little old-fashioned. I like my movies to make some sort of a point for me to really enjoy it. I'll file this movie as a guilty pleasure, something you might enjoy while you are watching it -- but it's a momentary joy, and doesn't leave you talking about it after walking out of the theater.
(06/14/01 12:59am)
He is set to make his decision Friday, a decision that will have an affect on his life for years to come. Should he officially announce his entry into the NBA draft and sign with an agent, thus ending his college basketball career, or should he announce that he changed his mind and wants to stick around for one last year?\nKirk Haston has a decision that is more difficult than any I have had to make in recent memory. My decisions typically break down to what beer to buy, but his decision has to do with his career. Haston is going to have a NBA career, most experts agree on that one. In all likelihood, he would be drafted in either the first or second round should he decide to forego his senior year here at IU. Yet, as a fan of IU basketball, I have one selfish request for Haston before he leaves here: stay one more year.\nI know you don't get paid to play here, and you have potentially millions awaiting you in the NBA, but I think you need to weigh the options of your decision. In fact, choosing to stay could actually help you out next year in the draft. \nAs it stands right now, some mock drafts have you going in the late first or early second round, to such stellar basketball talent like the Vancouver Grizzlies. Have you ever seen these guys play? It's not pretty. Heck, their best player isn't all that interested in sticking around. Is it worth a million a year to win as many games as IU, but lose about 5 times as many? \nSecondly, you need to think about all that you are leaving behind. The upcoming basketball season could be one of the best in recent Hoosier history. Not a single senior graduated -- with only Andre Owens transferring out. You would be returning to a team you know well, and what a team it is. From Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jared Jeffries to the shot-blocking prowess of Jeff Newton, the sharpshooting eye of Tom Coverdale and the gritty defensive ability of Dane Fife -- this is a team that could seriously contend for the Big Ten crown, and maybe even more. Wouldn't it be great to be the leader of the first IU basketball team to make it to the Final Four in ten years?\nFinally, you yourself stand to prosper in ways other than team success. If you returned, you could be National Player of the Year, which would do wonders for your resume and NBA draftability. Also, most experts see you as more of a small forward type player when you make it to the big time, so one more year could give you more chance to work on your outside shot as well as defense, the two areas people think you need to work on the most. So, doing all that could move you up in that draft, and higher draft position means more money. \n If you have any questions about staying or going, just talk to Shane Battier. He stuck around for a senior season, won National Player of the Year as well as the National Championship. He would probably tell you staying all four years works out pretty well.\nSo, as an IU student and also an IU basketball fan, I have one request for you Kirk. We've cheered you on through the years, watching you get better and better, with all the highs, such as the three-pointer to beat Michigan State at home, as well as the lows, losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament the past two years. We'd love to have one more season of you in the cream and crimson to root you on to victory. Please stay.
(06/07/01 1:31am)
There is actress Julianne Moore falling flat on her face. There is David Duchovny saying "you can't trust the government" because he "knows those people." For a second, you have to ask yourself, is this opposite day? Both Moore and Duchovny, two actors known more for their serious sides than comedy, are just two stars of the hilarious "Evolution."\nThe new film from Ivan Reitman, director of such classics as "Ghostbusters" and "Stripes," revolves around a meteor that crashes into Earth. The rock oozes a goo that quickly evolves into plant life, bugs and these blue ape things. Duchovny's character, Dr. Ira Cain, and his associate Dr. Harry Block, played by Orlando Jones (the guy from the 7 Up commercials) investigate the rock, and the aliens that come from it. Also in the mix is Seann William Scott ("American Pie," "Road Trip"), who is quickly becoming the actor to cast if you want to film a big summer comedy. Moore plays a government scientist who is the only person on the inside willing to listen to Duchovny and Jones when they say the aliens are attempting to take over the planet.\nThe film's occasionally frightening aliens give some jumps to the audience. But the main point of this movie is comedy, and it hits its target right in the bulls-eye. While this movie doesn't have all the raunch of some previous comedies such as "American Pie" and "Road Trip," there are still plenty of fart jokes to go around. A combination of the script and the actors make these jokes work a little better than usual.\nDuchovny is successful in his leading man comedic role. He pulls off the subtlety that is required when sharing the screen with both Jones and Scott, two actors who are quite expressive. The movie truly shines in the scenes that are shared by these three actors, including a scene in a suburban mall. It's true both Jones and Scott get most of the funny lines, but in the end, Duchovny gets the girl, and I think we all know who gets the better side of that deal.\n"Evolution" succeeds as a summer comedy which will make both adults and teenagers laugh, which is something truly remarkable.
(06/07/01 1:27am)
Ahh summertime, that lazy time of year when everyone slows down and the humidity gets ridiculously sticky. Ain't it grand? \nThose of us left on campus are much fewer than during the year, and the activity is reflective of that, with the campus often a ghost of its usual self. In fact, I can usually find a seat at the Indiana Memorial Union Burger King when I go for lunch, which is a truly remarkable feat during the school year.\nWhile most of the people here for the summer are taking classes, I am not. I am fortunate enough to have enough hours completed. I should graduate in a year, as long as I don't fail ice skating, but one never knows what could happen. \nSo instead I will spend my summer working...eventually. See, I don't have a job other than my wonderful position here at the IDS. But that doesn't pay much, and frankly I'd like to be able to buy a beer better than Natty Light, so I need to make the green.\nYet the job market is somewhat tight in Bloomington, so I have been hard up for finding a job. I did some telemarketing for a week, until I realized I don't like the phone, so that job was no good. Now I'm back on the street, shopping my wares for gainful employment. \nHere is a little look into a day in the life of those looking for a job, for those of you fortunate enough to already have a job, or those of you that don't need one.\n9 a.m. -- Ugh, too early. If the time is still in the single digits, it's too early for me to get up. Back to sleep.\n10:55 a.m. -- Ahh, that's better. And just in time for "Price is Right," the greatest game show known to man. Seeing all those prizes will be just the incentive I need to find a job.\n12:05 p.m. -- All right, "Price is Right" is over, and I correctly bid on the showcases again, hurrah. Time to find that job. Wait, I think my stomach just growled. Yup, it did. Time for lunch. Can't find a job on an empty stomach, right?\n12:35 p.m. -- That PBJ really hit the spot, now its job hunting time. Hmm, what is there in the paper? Telemarketing, telemarketing, telemarketing. Not so much. Oooh, psychology experiments, those could be interesting. Cubs on TV? Great, I can watch the Cubs, make some calls during the game, it'll all work out perfect.\n3:45 p.m. -- What a great game, another Cubs victory. Nothing in the paper, so maybe I need to go out and find a job at the mall or something, can't be too hard. What's that? Wanna go play basketball at the HPER? Sure. I need to play some ball to clear my head, and then I can find a job.\n6:30 p.m. -- Whew, that was a good workout. And yes, I'm glad all the bricks I shot helped to build the new building here at IU. Anyway, got to shower, eat dinner and then go look for a job!\n7:30 p.m. -- All right, I'm fed, cleaned up and ready to find that job. Wait; phone call, probably someone calling to offer me a job. Huh, wanna go to the Bluebird? Fifteen-cent draft night? I'm there. I need to relax, all this job hunting is stressing me out. \n2 a.m. -- Well, it's a little late for a job hunt now, and I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be talking to anyone about a job with beer on my breath, so it's time for bed. But without question, the job hunt will begin again in earnest tomorrow. Well, maybe. What hours are the plasma centers open?
(06/07/01 1:19am)
Two teams stand on the brink of greatness and immortality, with only the other in their way. For the Colorado Avalanche, a win tonight and another in Game 7 Saturday night in Colorado, will make them the winners of the Stanley Cup, the championship trophy of the NHL. For the New Jersey Devils, all that remains for them is to win tonight on home ice to be the owners of Lord Stanley\'s Cup for a second straight year.\nWhat has occurred the past weeks is some of the best hockey played by each team, but not at the same time. In Game 1, Colorado crushed the Devils in a 5-0 whitewashing in Denver, a game in which New Jersey clearly wasn't ready to play. Game 2 came along and saw the Devils even the score, winning 2-1 despite not receiving a goal from their vaunted "A-Line" of Patrick Elias, Petr Sykora and Jason Arnott. \nThe Avalanche recaptured home ice advantage in Game 3, winning 3-1 with the game-winning goal being scored by "Old Man River" himself, defender Ray Borque. Borque has been in the league for 22 years and has yet to get his name on the Cup, which has been a rallying cry for Colorado throughout these playoffs, as the players wear hats saying \"Mission: 16W," signifying the number of wins necessary to win the Cup. \nGame 4 provided what might be the turning point of the series. Colorado held a 2-1 edge in the third period when disaster struck. Goalie Patrick Roy, the winningest goalie in NHL history, misplayed a puck behind his net, allowing Scott Gomez to tie the game at the 8:09 mark. The Devils went on to win Game 4 3-2, tying the series up at 2 and making Game 5 crucial. \nThe Devils played Game 5 without Arnott after he was hit in the head with a puck during Game 4 -- though you could hardly know it -- as they crushed the Avalanche on their home ice 4-1. Elias and Sykora have awakened and are producing goals and assists the past couple games, which is a bad sign for the Avalanche.\nThe Devils could be the most stacked team in the NHL, rivaled only by the team they face in the Finals, Colorado. Both teams combine veterans with youth, potent offenses, good defenses and great goaltending. Each team has suffered injuries this postseason, but Colorado's might be more serious. The Devils lost right winger Randy McKay with a broken hand in Game 1, and now Arnott is questionable for Game 6 as well. Yet the Avalanche lost center Peter Forsberg to a ruptured spleen in Game 7 of the conference semifinals against the L.A. Kings . Forsberg was one of Colorado's best players, leading them in playoff points at the time of his injury. Forsberg might have made a difference in this series, but now no one will ever know.\nColorado will have to wake their offense back up to extend the series to Game 7 tonight, and the Devils have a chance to do what they failed to do last year -- win the Stanley Cup on their home ice. I think Colorado will rally behind Borque in their attempt to win him his first Cup and win tonight to take it back to Colorado. Then -- in what would be a truly storybook ending -- Borque scores the game winner in overtime of Game 7, then rides off into the sunset having quashed the demon of never having won a Cup.
(05/31/01 1:29am)
A ruling came down Wednesday from the Supreme Court that rocked the professional golfing world and got everyone talking again -- and it had nothing to do with Tiger Woods for once. \nThe Court ruled 7-2 that the PGA had to allow for Casey Martin to use a golf cart in tournaments because of his disability, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.\nMartin has a degenerative leg ailment that is worsened by walking, such as walking 18 holes of a golf course. While Martin is not a great golfer -- he is struggling on the Buy.com tour, a 'minor league' of the PGA -- and has only participated in a couple PGA tournaments this year, he has the ability to participate on the PGA tour some day, judging that his disability doesn't end his career too prematurely. While all accounts are that Martin won't be able to golf into his 60s because his disability will cause him to lose his leg before that, he would lose his leg much earlier if forced to walk the course. \nThe Court believes this change will not fundamentally change the face of the golf world. According to Justice John Stevens, who wrote the majority opinion, "What it can be said to do, on the other hand, is to allow Martin the chance to qualify for and compete in the athletic events (the PGA Tour) (offered) to those members of the public who have the skill and desire to enter." \nThe Court's decision met with some resistance though. In fact, members of the PGA have been resisting the opportunity for Martin to use a cart since the first day he tried to join the PGA. For months golfers have been going on about how allowing Martin to use a cart gives him an unfair advantage and would change the face of the game. The issue was never with Martin, the golfers said, but about the cart. \n"In Casey's particular case, there's no doubt about his disability," Hal Sutton -- a tour member who is also on the PGA policy board -- told ESPN.com. "This is not about Casey Martin. It's about the possibilities it opens up. The next person's disabilities -- it might not be as clear."\nThis is where the points start to get a little sticky for me. One, most people with disabilities are not able to play professional sports, it's just a fact of life. Martin is a unique individual in that despite his leg disability, he can still golf and golf well. So, the thought is, this disability question should not be brought up too often. \nSome golfers think that with bad backs and old age, many golfers would be able to acquire a cart. This is simple and not a problem. Old age and bad backs aren't disabilities. Do people get handicap parking stickers for these things? No. They are just a fact of life, so the golfers should deal with it, just like everyone else does. \nThe fact the golfers were so willing to prevent a golfer like Martin from participating, because he would have to use a cart, and just because of what it could do to their precious game is disgusting to me. All the Casey Martin issue has done is remind me how much some golfers disgust me. I say hurrah for the Supreme Court and their decision for Casey Martin, and hurrah for Martin too. Go out there and beat those golfer snobs and tell them what they can do with their opposition to you being able to ride a cart.
(05/24/01 1:31am)
Ahh, Memorial Day Weekend, a magnificent sports weekend if ever there was one. With the added bonus of a Monday off in a three-day weekend, sporting events abound. \nSure, there are plenty of baseball games to watch, preferably in person, and there are the playoffs in basketball and hockey as both wind down their seasons. There is also some stupid little car race going on in Indianapolis named after our bike race. Well, I'm not really all that excited for that aspect of the weekend. What I'm really looking forward to is the Final Four of college lacrosse. That's right, lacrosse, baby.\nSee, there are many people -- especially in this state -- who are really excited about the Indianapolis 500 this weekend -- and yes, I know it's not named after Little 500, I'm not that dumb. To me, it's probably some of the most mind-numbing television you could watch, right up there with watching golf or anything on the Lifetime channel. \nI mean, where is the excitement in watching a bunch of cars going around in a circle at high speed? Sure, the crashes are fun, but you can always catch those on Sportscenter -- which brings up my second point, which is that most people watch the race just for the carnage, not for any of the skill, albeit minimal skill. But really, what is there to watch? You can put drops of food coloring in your toilet and flush it and watch them race around, and that's a lot cheaper than dishing out the money for the ticket. \nIt's true that the Indianapolis 500 is an Indiana tradition, right up there with "Hoosiers" and, uh, high school basketball. Are there any other Indiana traditions? Well, I digress. My point is, just because something is a tradition doesn't mean it's a good thing. The Cubs have a tradition of losing, but I think they -- and all their fans -- would agree that all the losing is not a good thing.\nSo I will be glued to my TV this upcoming weekend, but for a different sport altogether. The Final Four of the NCAA Division One men's lacrosse tournament. This year's tournament will be taking place at Rutgers University with the semifinals Saturday on ESPN2 and the Championship game Monday on ESPN. \nThis year's championships promise to be exciting, with the top two seeds in the tournament -- Syracuse and Princeton -- making the final four. In the semifinals, Syracuse, the number one seed, will be facing off against Notre Dame, and Princeton, the number two seed, will be playing against Towson for the chance to play for the championship.\nLacrosse is a great game that combines many of the good aspects of other popular games, such as the number of players of soccer, some of the skills from hockey and the speed of basketball (well, probably playground basketball, not that slow down thug NBA ball) and is starting to gain popularity throughout the country. \nWhile the number of varsity teams, such as the ones participating this weekend, are not very large, almost every major university in the country features a club team with their own national tournament, including our very own Indiana University. \nSo this weekend, in the midst of your drunken stupor celebrating your day off from classes or work, maybe you should change the channel on your TV from the big race to the big game. You will get a chance to watch numerous finely-toned athletes running around at high speed and running into each other. It will kind of be like watching the big race, but in the lacrosse game you get the added bonus of watching all the players hit themselves with big metal sticks as well! Let's see some race car driver use a big stick when he's driving around that stupid little oval.
(04/10/01 4:00am)
Last Monday was a special day for me, and for many students on this campus.\nNot only was the men's college basketball championship game that night, but most major league baseball teams played their opening games. I celebrated by taking the day off and watching the Chicago Cubs play their first game of the season. \nAlthough the Cubs lost in extra innings, I was a happy man. I watched some of the other games on ESPN and ESPN 2, so I celebrated opening day correctly. (But if any of my professors ask, I was sick.)\nOpening day is the sign of summer and all the good things that go with it. And in the current weather, you need a hope of things to come to make it through the day. \nSpring is bad news because you never know what it will be like. Sunny and 60 degrees one day, rainy and 45 degrees the next. No one likes weather like that. While fall and winter do have some redeeming qualities -- football season and skiing/sledding respectively -- they lack those great summer qualities.\nIn the summer, the temperature is much higher, sometimes a little too high, but still good. Shorts and T-shirts every day, no question. The activities available during the summer are much more numerous just because you can be outside. That is probably the best part of summer. Going to the beach or the swimming pool is always a blast, especially with a water slide.\nBarbeques have been the backdrop for many of my pleasant memories -- having water fights and playing horseshoes, badminton or volleyball. And summer provides many exciting concert opportunities, with music festivals and outdoor music pavilions such as Verizon Wireless Music Center rocking all season long.\nAnd of course, there are baseball games. While the only choice for professional baseball in Indiana is the minor league Indians, several others are only a short road trip away. Whether it's checking out the Reds in Cincinnati or heading up to Chicago to see the White Sox or Cubs, opportunities abound. \nI know nothing says summer like sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley Field, drinking my cares away and cheering on my beloved Cubs to another victory -- or more likely another agonizing defeat.\nAnd one can't forget the most appealing aspect of summer -- no school. No more class, listening to some professor explain some theory you don't care about and will never use again. It's true that instead of class you will spend your days working, but at least you are making money.\nSo, while you are sitting in class, answering the third essay question on your history exam, remember all the goodness that awaits you a mere month from now. I can't count the times I've been in class, thinking about what I'll be doing in a few weeks when summertime is in full swing.
(03/22/01 4:15am)
Ahh, the return to school from spring break. Well, maybe it's more like ugh. Going to class Monday was rough, given the nonstop activities of my spring break. Thirty-plus hours in the car, passing through seven states, weather varying from 70 degrees and sunny to 30 degrees and snow. I'm still not exactly sure where I am right now, but then again, that's nothing new.\nIn my travels, I stopped home for a night or two. I had to pay a little visit to my friend's family. During the week before spring break, my friend lost his father. While we're not as close as we used to be, our families have remained close and his father, Larry, was a good friend of mine. This made midterms even more difficult than usual, dealing with my tests as well as the passing of a friend. Larry was the first person I have really known who passed away.\nSure, my grandfather died, but I was only 3 when it happened, so I don't remember him. I have a small family, so the odds of someone passing away are a bit smaller, thankfully. So, this recent occurrence was hard to deal with.\nAt first I was in shock. For the rest of the night, I couldn't wrap my mind around the truth of what had happened. He had been sick, so it wasn't a sudden death, but I never really thought that it would get this bad, even when he had fallen into a coma. After that first night, the shock subsided. It was like I knew he passed away, but I didn't know he passed away.\nThen came the visit during spring break. That's when everything started to hit home. I went by the house for about an hour, and he wasn't there. It was odd to me because I was so used to seeing him there every time I stopped by. But he wasn't there, and isn't going to be there again. Since I have never dealt with this before, it is weird.\nI think part of the reason this bond with Larry developed was that he was unlike any of my friends' fathers. Larry was a teenager trapped in a 50 year old's body. \nOne of my favorite memories of him happened about 10 years ago, when we had a barbecue at my house. All of the kids had water guns and were running about the yard squirting each other, acting like typical 10 year olds. Larry decided he should participate, so he got a bucket, filled it with water and chased us around with it, getting us pretty soaked. \nThe next thing that happened is straight out of the sitcoms. He threw the water at me just as I moved out of the way; the water soaked my dad instead. My dad got pretty angry, but everything was smoothed out in the end. But this story shows the type of guy Larry was, fun-loving and not ready to give up on acting young.\nEvery time I stopped by, I expected to get ripped on for any number of reasons. One of his favorite things to give me a hard time about was majoring in some "profession where you get paid less than managing a McDonald's." He would call me out on things my parents would call me out on, too, such as grades or class selection, but it was different. You expect that from your parents, but you don't always get that from a friend.\nThat is part of the reason his passing is such a loss. I liked having that outside perspective, someone who would always be brutally honest about what he thought about what I was doing. And it wasn't always criticism; I could go to him for advice and he would also congratulate me for things he thought I did well. I stop at calling him a second father, because I never saw him that way. But he was more than a friend.\nThe thing I think about now isn't the typical, "Oh, I wish I could have told him how I felt before he passed." I don't think that would have done him justice. \nInstead, I remember the last time we talked, during winter break. We were discussing what I had planned for the summer, if I would stay here at IU or go back home. He told me I should at least come home for a while this summer, because he wanted to hear "how many times you've been arrested" this semester. \nLarry, I haven't been arrested yet, but I'll keep you posted.