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(02/27/08 3:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Like a true love letter, “Be Kind Rewind” makes you remember what you love about movies. It’s all about creating an idea that inspires an audience. When Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) realizes his Passaic, N.J., VHS-only rental store called Be Kind Rewind will soon face demolition due to bad business, he decides to research the modern world of DVD rental. In the meantime, he leaves his loyal employee Mike (Mos Def) in charge of the store. But after Mike’s best friend Jerry (Jack Black) mistakenly erases all of the tapes, the rental store is suddenly filled with nothing but blank tapes.A kooky yet loveable regular named Miss Falewicz (Mia Farrow) then arrives, requesting a copy of “Ghostbusters,” which she claims she has not yet seen. Mike is left with little choice but to grab his video camera and declare to Mike, “I’m Bill Murray; you’re everyone else.” The two frantically remake a hilarious 20-minute version of the beloved film, filled with Hi-C Ecto Cooler and a terrorized fridge. Soon enough, the entire community is clamoring for Mike and Jerry, along with their third counterpart Alma (Melonie Diaz), for their “sweded” remakes, explained by their “Swedish” origin. Ultimately, Mike and Jerry are living the stuff of YouTube dreams – but with tapes instead of webcams.From “Rush Hour 2” to “Carrie” to “The Lion King,” Mike and Jerry swede hundreds of movies. The once-apathetic community is filled with life and exuberance, as they find purpose and happiness in their hometown. Renters can even star in films they request to be sweded. Local hoodlums play alongside Mike and Jerry in their rendition of “Boyz n the Hood,” as an afro-ed and wounded Jerry yelps, “Our hood! What is happening to our hood?”“Be Kind Rewind” doesn’t have an overly optimistic ending, nor does it conclude on a negative “death of VHS” note. It simply celebrates all the wonder of film and its power to change people. The only fault in this movie is its lack of character analysis – it only reaches the surface of each main player. You just catch a glimpse of Jerry, who is less obnoxious than most Jack Black haters would expect. The romance between Mike and Alma is barely teased, as is the relationship between Mike and Mr. Fletcher, whose bond is stronger than simply employer and employee.In essence, though, “Be Kind Rewind” is a lighthearted feel-good comedy that won’t disappoint any movie lover. Michel Gondry has created his best work yet.
(02/26/08 3:36am)
I love reading obituaries. Not because I consider myself particularly morbid or fascinated with death, but because they are usually some of the most intriguing pieces of literature you can encounter. Obituaries are like condensed biographies. You get all the noteworthy matters of someone’s life and decide whether or not his or her biography, if they have one, is actually worth reading about. Earlier this month, Dorothy Podber, a 75-year-old former art-scene wild child, passed away. Her name might not mean much to us, but she contributed to one of Andy Warhol’s works of art that brought in a record-breaking price at auction.\nIn her New York Times obituary, she was noted as being most-well known for shooting a pistol through a few of Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe’s portraits. She just asked Warhol “if she could shoot a stack” of them. The pop artist consented because he assumed she was referring to shooting photographs, not bullets. He later requested that she not return to his studio because she was “too scary.”\nOne of the wounded paintings, “Shot Red Marilyn” sold for $4 million in 1989. In May of 2007, Warhol’s painting “Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car 1)” sold for $71.7 million. The most expensive painting ever sold is Jackson Pollock’s “No.5, 1948,” sold for $140 million. When I read an obituary like Dorothy Podber’s, it makes me realize I want to have some impact on this world by the time I die. Reading obituaries can help one understand what they want to be remembered for. Perhaps even more importantly, it determines how one will be remembered. \nDo you want your obituary to boast your career, your family or your good deeds? Perhaps you want to have it all. Do you want to be remembered in your city, state, nation or throughout the entire world? \nPerhaps Dorothy Podber was a nobody who is only well-known for something she did on a bad acid trip. But she was somehow commemorated for her off-beat personality and unorthodox composure. In a 2007 picture of her, she is seated on a Native-American style sofa chair, decked in a cheetah print jacket, black pants and tube top. Not to mention she topped her ensemble off with a creme hat wrapped with a purple ribbon. Now that was a classy broad. \nAs insignificant a figure as Podber might have been, she marched to the beat of her own drum and left an impression on people. \nGranted, fascist dictators and infamous murderers get to be in the Times’ obituaries, as well. So let’s hope that you too would like to be remembered for having a positive impact on people.\nIf you ever find yourself lost in your hopes for the future, think of what you would want your obituary to say. Sure, you can always plan your funeral in advance and request to have your tombstone personally engraved beforehand. \nBut the obituarists of the world won’t sugarcoat your existence. Therefore, I strongly suggest you try to make something out of it while you can.
(02/21/08 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rhe first IU Hip Hop Congress Elements Gallery was organized and funded solely by the organization’s chapter head. Nowadays, current president Tim Zawada said the Elements Gallery and the IU Hip Hop Congress are progressing with more members, community involvement and events.Zawada said the congress also collaborates with other campus organizations such as WIUX to co-sponsor events, including this week’s Hip Hop Awareness Festival. WIUX Music Director George Drake told WEEKEND the Hip Hop Congress is a valuable campus organization because of its uniqueness in providing an outlet for hip-hop-related activities. “There are other radio stations in Bloomington, even if we are the only student-run one, but there is no other Hip Hop Congress,” Drake said. He said the Hip Hop Congress is the front-runner of hip-hop at IU, and that the genre has recently become more of a constant at IU because of the congress’ presence. In the spirit of the festival, the Hip Hop Congress will host its 8th Annual Hip Hop Elements Gallery at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, in Foster Gresham’s Hoosier Den. The festival and Elements Gallery are entirely free to the public. The four elements that will be showcased at the event are MCing, DJing, graffiti and break-dance. “The event is supposed to be a tribute to the original parties that laid the foundation for the hip-hop culture in the Bronx during the mid-to-late 1970s,” Hip Hop Congress President Tim Zawada said. “Back then, there would be a DJ spinning, an MC on the mic, and kids breaking and writing graffiti.”The event starts at 7 p.m., but Zawada said there is no time breakdown for the various performances and battles. This is because the four elements will be blended together throughout the night to present each one equally. WEEKEND has provided the highlights of the Elements Gallery, as well as ways to get more involved with the IU hip-hop community.PerformancesIllogicAccording to allmusic.com, the MC Illogic “almost single-handedly put Ohio on the map in the world of hip-hop.” Remixmag.com has noted him as an “indie hip hop staple” and said he possesses “beautiful writing with unsettling music.” Twilight SentinelsAccording to its Myspace page, Indianapolis’ Twilight Sentinels is reminiscent of the “golden era” of hip-hop, a “refreshing departure from the keyboard sonics and synthetic drums of today’s hip-hop.”Sentinels member DJ Alan “Topspeed” Roberts performs often in the group’s hometown of Indianapolis, including at nightclubs Spin and Casba. One of its two MCs, Joe Harvey, told WEEKEND he hopes events such as the Elements Gallery will help hip-hop receive the respect it deserves. He believes the genre as a whole perpetuates unprecedented negative publicity. He said he could not speak for everywhere, but that this is the case for Indianapolis. Career-wise, Harvey hopes to continue making a living doing what he loves while being able to support his family. “I know that may sound cliche, but we still feel that way after all these years,” he said. BattlesEmcee Battle, $300 prize Any individual who can freestyle can participate in this battle. A DJ will begin spinning, after which the MC has 30 seconds to conquer their opponent. “It’s kind of like a 30-second ‘yo mama’ joke except more creative and talented,” Zawada said.B-boy battle, $200 prizeDepending on how many “b-boys” or “b-girls” attend, the battle will either be 1-on-1 or 2-on-2, Zawada said. Officers of IU’s Breakdance Club will be judging the battle.To sign up for the battles, one must register at the door of the event or RSVP on the event’s Facebook page.GraffitiSeveral graffiti artists, including Bloomington’s own Jet One and the artist Ulser, will be showcasing and selling their work. Hip-Hopcracy The IU Hip Hop Congress is a university chapter of the nonprofit national organization Hip Hop Congress. According to its Web site, the national Hip Hop Congress’s mission is “to use the culture of Hip Hop to inspire young people to get involved in social action, civic service and cultural creativity.”The IU chapter hopes to involve members with events and the community.“You don’t have to be very interested in hip-hop music to be in HHC, but the culture of hip-hop is something a lot of people can relate to, and we use that as our bridge.” Zawada said.Zawada also noted that he stresses the term “congress” because it means each member has the right to vote and to their opinion in regard to planned events. No matter what a member’s rank is, they can organize an event.“You can do whatever you please, and if it coincides with our overall goal, we will back it,” he concluded.The Hip Hop Congress holds meetings at 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday in Kelley School of Business Room 327.
(02/19/08 1:27am)
If video killed the radio star, tabloids killed the rock star. They even killed the movie star, for that matter. Perhaps they also killed the common sense of the typical American citizen.\nThe things Americans do to be like celebrities have reached an all-time low. While famous folk are fighting the paparazzi, the masses are paying companies to follow them around. At least that’s the case for Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, everyone’s favorite couple to hate on “The Hills,” who made a profit from their posed “spontaneous” paparazzi shots.\nThis past month, Time magazine wrote a feature on Celeb 4 A Day, a company that specializes in hiring fake paparazzi to follow fake celebrities so they can feel famous — for at least one night. One order of pesky paparazzi stalking can cost up to $1,500. The company started in November in Austin, and has since expanded to Los Angeles and San Francisco. \nThe Web site, www.celeb4aday.com, boasts that they can give your special events the star treatment for special occasions. They’ll even acquire information about you so the paparazzi will ask you questions as you are at your preferred event. The site suggests the “fun” you’ll have when your personal paparazzi are actually calling out questions about you and your life — just like they do with Julia, Brad and Britney!\nAh, yes. You must mean questions like “How could you do that to Jen?” and “Are those real?!” \nThere are plenty of perks to being a celebrity. Fame and money are the obvious ones. But the paparazzi scandals we see celebrities encounter should not be reasons to envy our famous counterparts. One of the few things we have that celebrities don’t is privacy. We might not be rich or famous, but at least we know we can go to CVS in our raunchy sweatpants without the whole world finding out. \nWhile the headline of this column is meant to signify the paparazzi killing the spirit of famous and non-famous Americans, it does have some literal context. And it brings to light serious consequences. \nFollowing the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed in a car accident in 1997, several conspiracy theories arose around their causes of death. One theory blamed the persistence of the paparazzi. \nEven if the paparazzi might not be the reason for their deaths, a December 2007 article from the United Kingdom’s Telegraph provides evidence that the paparazzi chose to photograph the crash instead of assist the injured victims. While Fayed and the driver Henri Paul immediately died, Diana and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones (who survived) were still alive while photographers were reportedly taking pictures of the car. \nAfter Lindsay Lohan crashed her car in 2005 while being followed by a photographer, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger passed legislation that would punish paparazzi for such behavior. Schwarzenegger has had his fair share of legal conflict with the paparazzi himself.\nAnd this is the treatment that some Americans are paying for. The desire to want to go be given such treatment is simply disgusting.
(02/12/08 4:31am)
The difference between the female and male mind is not as difficult to figure out as everyone makes it out to be. The answer does not lie in “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus” or in any “Sex and the City” rerun. \nThe answer is this: Disney vs. Porn. \nMy whole adult life, I’ve been fairly accurate in defining individuals based on their tastes. It’s not a matter of prejudice, but of understanding. Little girls grow up watching Disney cartoons where princesses find their Prince Charming and live happily ever after. When little girls grow up, their Disney dreams evolve into romantic comedies, McDreamies and sappy love songs. And once little boys hit puberty, they discover the magical world of porn. \nBoth the Disney and porn franchises create false fantasies that will never come true. While the business of Disney is struggling, the porno industry, specifically in terms of the Internet, is only rising. This doesn’t mean women should concede to men’s porno dreams, or that men should look to become Prince Charming. The sooner everyone can acknowledge their fantasies are far from reality, the sooner the sexes might actually reach an understanding. It’s all about a sense of compromise between the two – a hope to establish a mutually beneficial relationship. \nBut that’s the hard part. Obviously, the resolution does not lay in Disney porn, or Jenna Jameson starring as the next Disney princess. \nNoted journalist and cultural critic Ellen Willis best explained this potential compromise when she described the difference between sex for men and women. After all, she was first to coin the term “pro-sex feminism,” two concepts that were previously contradictory. Willis stated there are two kinds of sex: classical and baroque. Classical is romantic, emotional and focused on a particular person. Baroque is playful, anonymous and “focused on sensation for sensation’s sake.” Classical is stereotypically feminine while Baroque is stereotypically male. She concluded that “The classical mentality taken to an extreme is sentimental and finally puritanical; the baroque mentality taken to an extreme is pornographic and finally obscene. Ideally, a sexual relation ought to create a satisfying tension between the two modes (a baroque idea, particularly if the tension is ironic) or else blend them so well that the distinction disappears (a classical aspiration).” \nI suppose there are a few lucky ones out there who get to live out their dreams of real-life fairy tales and erotica. Hugh Hefner’s got it pretty good, and millions of women pine for Prince Harry and Prince William. But idealistic souls too often face harsh disappointment. They can choose to keep up the optimism, settle for pessimism, or recognize reality. The latter always seems to be the hardest, even though it is the most efficient.
(02/05/08 1:56am)
Workaholics, alcoholics, sexaholics — they’re all the same. When something’s controlling your life and ruining everything else around you, it’s an addiction. Admitting it is up to the “holic” in question. If he or she chooses to deny it, that’s where loved ones come in.\nSometimes, you need an intervention. I’m not just talking about a Bahamavention or a trip to rehab. \nFirst aired in 2005, the A&E reality show “Intervention” follows various addicts while their friends and family attempt to give them one last ultimatum. The program provides a gripping and often disturbing look at the world of addicts. If A&E fails to get back to you in time, try to think back to a time before reality shows did all our dirty work for us and put matters into your own hands. \nThis is exactly what two of my friends did this past week to our “men-aholic” friend. After the men-aholic in question confessed to seeing a lowlife of a guy this past weekend, they both realized it had to stop. Because these two interventionists are also budding entrepreneurs and Kelley business majors, they set up a contract. \nNo sex, dates or booze until the end of the semester. If these guidelines are broken, the men-aholic must pay $100 to each interventionist. She must also knock on every door in her dorm, declaring to each one of her floormates that she is an idiot. If the men-aholic deceives the interventionists, she must pay an additional $500 for lying. There are two exceptions in this contract: The menaholic is allowed to consume alcohol during spring break, and she is allowed to date one interventionist-approved male. \nThis weekend, the men-aholic did not break any of her terms. On Friday evening, amongst the two interventionists and the menaholic, I told a group of our friends at a party of this experiment. These girls immediately began laughing — commending the men-aholic while claiming they could never sign such a contract themselves.\nCollege has more or less accepted sexaholism and alcoholism not as problems or addictions, but as social norms. There’s hardly such a thing as a casual drinker. And let’s face it, nobody’s drinking Kamchatka vodka for its refined taste. This is the way of life. \nAnd in a way, that’s what the social aspect of college is all about. When you’re not studying, writing papers or trying to find an internship for the summer, you want to unwind. It’s a means to get all the crazy out of us before we hit the real world. What young Hollywood socialites are being condemned for isn’t far off the social norms of college life. \nBut addictions, vices and bad habits don’t just disappear when we graduate. They are often self-perpetuating and then you end up with a bad case of syphilis and a worthless liver. \nSo, when you’re choosing to live free or die hard, try to use some moderation. If not, your best friends might creep up on you and stage an intervention.
(01/31/08 5:00am)
Whoopi Goldberg has called the Juno soundtrack "the biggest soundtrack ever," but it doesn't faze Kimya Dawson. Besides the links to articles her father sends her, Dawson hasn't realized the popularity of "Juno," nor does she care. \n"I tend to live outside the realm; I don't follow charts," she said. "I don't subscribe to that mentality." \nThis is not to say Dawson is completely anti-mainstream, however. As an admirer of Whoopi Goldberg, she was thrilled to appear on the ABC television show "The View" on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. \n"I'm on a first-name basis with her," Dawson said. "I had tunnel vision (when on 'The View') -- she was the only one I saw." \nWhile on the show Dawson and her Moldy Peaches bandmate Adam Green re-enacted the closing scene in "Juno," in which Ellen Page and Michael Cera sing the band's song "Anyone Else But You." \nDawson's appearance on the soundtrack is all thanks to Ellen Page, who plays protagonist Juno MacGuff in the movie and said to the film's director Jason Reitman that her character should listen to The Moldy Peaches. Reitman soon contacted Dawson, the group's lead singer and songwriter. Subsequently, about half the songs on the "Juno" soundtrack contain Dawson -- whether in the form of The Moldy Peaches, her solo work or the supergroup Antsy Pants.\nDawson said she loved the film, and that it made her cry. \nShe said the entire cast and crew of "Juno" are amazing and that she can't imagine having an experience as positive on a film set again. \nDespite the recent success of The Moldy Peaches, who have been on hiatus since 2004, Dawson seemed skeptical about a reunion. \n"We're not planning on anything else," she said. "We always operated that way, with not seeing each other for six or seven months, then coming together. We're in different places and not feeling it together right now."\nAccording to Jason Nickey, co-owner of Landlocked Music, Dawson's solo albums have always done well, and she is a "consistent seller" for the store. \nBloomington's SC Distribution Company, which distributes Kimya Dawson's past two albums on K Records, has also noted the artist's recent popularity. \n"We've definitely seen a spike in orders of Kimya Dawson records since the release of the Juno Soundtrack," said Evan Whikehart, head of marketing for Bloomington SC Distribution Company. "With all the attention around the movie, and the soundtrack specifically, there's a whole new group of people being exposed to her music, and it's exciting to watch that."\n"Though they are two different situations, and two different bands, something similar happened with the Shins when Garden State came out," Whikehart said. "Good for her! She's got a baby; I'm sure she can use the money." \nDawson has always brought her 2-year-old daughter Panda and fellow-musician husband (and Antsy Pants bandmate) Angelo Spencer on tour with her. \nShe always makes sure her shows are baby-proof and admits touring with Panda hasn't changed her habits. \n"I've never been a party animal," claimed Dawson. "I'm kind of a baby myself."\nDawson's youthful manner is often reflected through her work as an artist. She credits this to the positive experiences that surrounded her family's home as a day-care center and her 10-year stint as a camp counselor. Dawson admires the purity and honesty that children possess. \nThese are essentially the qualities that Dawson hopes to achieve with her music. \n"I was never trying to be a singer; I'm just trying to tell a story." \nDawson even hates the word "fan," because of the line it draws between performer and audience. \n"We're equal, we're building everyday connections and being made connected," she said. "People will come up to me at my shows and say, 'I wish there were more people like you,' and I'm like, 'Are you kidding me?' Everywhere I go, I meet amazing people." \nDawson said she has experienced countless positive interactions with people, but believes most people have become isolated. For her, people just need to open their eyes to experience the same. \n"You just have to put down your blackberry and go talk to someone. \n"And I say this as I am talking on a blackberry." \nDawson is currently working on her sixth studio LP, a children's album titled Alphabutt.
(01/31/08 5:00am)
A lot has changed since Chan Marshall, a.k.a., Cat Power, released her debut, the appropriately titled covers album The Covers Record, in 2000. Between The Covers Record and her latest effort Jukebox, she released two stunning studio albums and gained widespread acclaim. She also spiraled in and out of alcoholism, became the new Face of Chanel, toured like hell and starred alongside Jude Law in "My Bluebrry Nights." \nBut one thing has stayed the same over the years: her soul. Her albums may have become more polished, but her essence is still there. Her everlastingly ethereal voice makes this clear. This compassion in singing was expected from female jazz and blues singers of the past, but nowadays it's hardly expected. It should come as no surprise, then, that on Jukebox Marshall chose to cover the likes of Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday and Jessie Mae Hemphill.\nYet, when Marshall covers a song, she doesn't try to duplicate it. Instead, she pays tribute to her influences by incorporating her own flair into their songs. This subsequently makes you forget these tunes were even covers to begin with. She makes Frank Sinatra's glitzy and warm anthem "New York, New York" bluesy and sultry as she howls, "If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere." \nA Georgia native, Marshall's work is often influenced by country blues, as can be seen in her take on Hank Williams in "Ramblin' (Wo)man."\nThree of Jukebox's tracks are Marshall's own, including "Song to Bobby," which appropriately follows her rendition of Dylan's "I Believe in You." Her tribute song sounds more Dylanesque than the actual cover, which further proves she is capable of imitating but chooses not to do so. Even her amazingly personalized "Sea of Love," which was remastered on the "Juno" soundtrack, is a cover of a 1959 R&B track by the Twilights.\nGranted, Jukebox isn't the most commercially friendly album out there. But neither was her breakout hit, 2006's The Greatest. As an indie artist, she's always had the freedom to make the music the way she's wanted. She's finally just getting the credit she deserves. \nHell, she could probably even make a Pussycat Dolls song sound classy.
(01/29/08 4:15pm)
On the day of Heath Ledger’s death, I found myself more than disappointed with the American masses and the media. While I think it is important to venerate his career after his death, it’s hard to believe that everyone and their uncle were always huge fans of the actor. \nOf course, I too was shocked when I found out about his death, and naturally felt troubled — especially when I recalled that he and Brokeback Mountain castmate Michelle Williams have a daughter. \nI guess everyone became a Notorious B.I.G. fan when he died, and a lot of people went out and got Aaliyah albums after her death. If Kurt Cobain hadn’t died at the prime of his career, his fans might have turned on him later on. People obviously feel sympathetic when it comes to death — especially when it involves such young people. But that doesn’t mean we should all pretend “10 Things I Hate About You” was our favorite teen flick of the 90’s. \nThe original 80’s teen satire “Heathers” truly depicted how people react to sudden death. When three of the most shallow high school archetypes allegedly commit suicide, the film suggests, “Suicide gave Heather depth, Kurt a soul and Ram a brain.” \nSometimes, immediate reverence is depicted in the worst taste possible. Take for example a Best Buy in San Diego, who constructed a display filled with Ledger’s DVDs — from “Brokeback” to “Lords of Dogtown” — and wrote “Remember a Great Actor Through His Great Performances.” \nIn even worst taste, Fox News host John Gibson mocked Ledger’s death. Gibson, who called “Brokeback Mountain” “a gay agenda movie,” incorporated clips of the film, and stated that Jake Gyllenhaal finally found a way to quit Ledger. He also called Ledger “a weirdo” who had “a serious drug problem.” \nPundits such as Maia Szalavitz of the Huffington Post chose to use Ledger’s death as a way to advertise against the perils of prescription pain killers — when it has yet to be established that this was the cause of his death. Tabloid magazines have used his death as a way to exploit his relationship with Williams and his possible drug abuse.\nBoth the media and the masses have chosen to handle the death of Heath Ledger in the worst possible ways. While some are becoming insanely upset, others fail to realize that this was the death of an actual human being. It’s unfathomable to imagine what Ledger’s family is going through. Suffering through the death of a loved one is traumatizing enough, but having to walk down the street and see tabloids about his troubles could only augment the agony they are going through. \nNo individual should change their opinion about someone simply because they died. And just because Ledger is a celebrity doesn’t mean he deserves to be scrutinized to such an extent, especially so soon after his death.
(01/24/08 5:00am)
A breezy and enjoyable movie, "Mad Money" aspires to nothing more and nothing less. It's the kind of thing you'd find yourself surprisingly getting into on a lazy Sunday afternoon. You'll laugh a bit more than you expected and find the plot is more compelling than you might have assumed. In short, it's less predictable than most movies that end up on constant rotation on TBS, even though that will probably be its fate. \nHoping to aid her recently fired husband, middle-class homemaker Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) gets a job for the first time in decades. With her degree in comparative literature, she is handed the only career she is qualified for -- a janitor. The catch is that she's scrubbing toilets at a Federal Reserve Bank. She is overwhelmed with debt and by the amount of money she sees go to waste, as the bank recycles an average of $1 million a day. \nBridget thus devises a plan to strategically rob the bank. She recruits two other janitors, as played by Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes. As unlikely as this felonious trio might seem, some of the best parts of the movie involve their dynamic. While Keaton plays her usual neurotically hilarious self and Latifah is the queen of sass, it's Holmes' ditsy character that stands out. Actually, it's nice just to see her escape Tom Cruise's Scientology sphere, as her last role was in 2005's "Thank You For Smoking." \nThe presence of Callie Khouri, who has written films such as "Thelma & Louise" and "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," is probably partly to thank for this film's surprising smarts. "Mad Money" is not just a chick flick that empowers women over men. Naturally, our robber protagonists eventually get greedy with their money, which is why they catch the attention of government taxmen. \nThey don't face the same fate as Bonnie and Clyde or Martha Stewart, however. Let's just say Bridget's neurosis prevails in the end.
(01/22/08 12:18am)
I’m not exactly the world’s biggest feminist. It’s not that I don’t condone some forms of feminism; it’s just never been my bag. \nBut when I picked up the February issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine, the self-proclaimed “#1 Women’s Magazine,” I became quite disappointed. My disappointment started as early as the cover. I was initially interested in reading about this month’s cover girl Katherine Heigl. Then I saw that three of the headlines mentioned “him”: “Arouse Him Like Crazy!” “45 Ways to Get Even Closer to Him” and “The Most Satisfying Sex Position: It Turns Him On ... and It Feels Awesome for You!” I did some research on the history of Cosmopolitan Magazine. According to its Web site, Cosmo started as a general interest magazine in the late 1800s, but it became a publication for independent, sexually-liberated women in the 1960s. Part of the reason for its popularity was the way it made women not feel guilty for having pre-marital sex and discussed the issues they cared about. For example, the first issue focused on the birth control pill — which was still new at the time. \nFast forward some four decades later — and my, how things have changed. Women no longer have to abide by Victorian-era sexuality, or lack thereof. Instead, plenty of women are having guilt-free, premarital sex. Which is great, but according to Cosmopolitan articles, the sex is mainly about pleasing guys, while women pleasing themselves seems secondary. And this seems quite contrary to Dr. Joyce Brothers’ statement that “over the years, the magazine has consistently given women permission to steer their own sexuality.” In fact, the only part of the magazine that seems to focus on women steering their own sexuality is the ads section, if you know what I mean.\nI’ve never stumbled upon any men’s magazines that focus so much on pleasing and accommodating women. And I’ve definitely never read a cover story about a guy that mainly focuses on his marriage, unless it’s a story about Keven Federline. Why should the #1 women’s magazine focus on pleasing men? It might be because women in their 20s or 30s feel like their biological clocks are beginning to tick, and nobody wants to marry a cougar. Men, however, can stay bachelors as long as they like, and it’s always acceptable. \nI was also disturbed to find a piece titled, “10 Subliminal Tricks that Make People Adore You.” Here’s a new one ladies: how about being yourself for once. \nI’ll admit, there were a few good things I got from this issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine. I found a quick and easy recipe for potato gratin, one of my favorite dishes ever. Sadly, this was under a feature titled “Dinner He’ll Love You For.” I also learned that Tommy Lee Jones was Al Gore’s roommate at Harvard and that Anne Hatthaway originally turned down Heigl’s role in “Knocked Up” because “the birthing scene was too graphic.” But if those are the only perks of Cosmo, I’d like a refund.
(01/17/08 5:00am)
You know a movie is bad when its best parts are crammed in the previews. Although "First Sunday" has plenty of potential, it is an utter disappointment. Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan star as Durell and LeeJohn, childhood best friends and partners in crime. When Durell learns that he could lose his son if he doesn't pay a $17,000 debt, he and LeeJohn do the most logical thing they can: rob a neighborhood church. The two spend the night with church members, including Katt Williams as Rickey. Needless to say, hilarity does not ensue.\nBoth co-stars portray the same role they have been playing for years. Durell is a tough guy with surprising intellect and compassion, while LeeJohn is a village idiot. Alas, both actors are fully capable of playing characters with humor and substance, but the film won't allow it. Morgan, for example, is naturally hilarious in all his lunacy, but not when dumbed down for the sake of easy laughs. His flaw in film is akin to that of Chris Rock, who is far better in his raw comedy than in his scripted movies, which seem forced and unnatural. \nWriter and director David E. Talbert is also capable of much more than "First Sunday" suggests. Although this is his first attempt at film, he is a successful playwright who has been noted for his transformative urban plays, dubbed as inspirational and positive. Talbert lightly touches issues of fatherless sons and criminals in "First Sunday," but nothing in this film is inspirational. \n"First Sunday" is successful at being bad. And there is always a need for movies you can watch with your friends and mock shamelessly. Still, this category should usually be reserved for Lifetime movies and anything with Jamie Kennedy, instead of a feature-length waste of talent such as "First Sunday"
(01/10/08 3:15am)
In a recent case study, researchers have come to the realization that 87 percent of college parties will eventually play Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” The song will not only be played, but it will also be enthusiastically lip-synced, sung or danced to by 92 percent of the party’s population.\nOK, by researchers, I mean me, so don’t hold me to those statistics. But “Don’t Stop Believing” has been a recurring anthem throughout my college career. The song itself is a vague enough description of a “small town girl” and “city boy” who practically any boy or girl could relate to. Or perhaps the subject matter and lyrics are universal. Maybe we’re all “living just to find emotion” and “born to sing the blues.” While the song touches on themes of loneliness and desperation, the title and overall theme are hopeful. \nFor a long time, I thought this song might just be a Hoosier anthem. It was not until I visited a friend at Middlebury College that I realized it might be a universal college phenomenon. For those of you unfamiliar with this college, Middlebury is a Vermont liberal arts school with an undergraduate population of about 2,350. In short, it shares few similarities with our dear old IU. When I accompanied my friend to her school’s formal, I found myself at an open-air dance with a cover band consisting of middle-aged men. The band tried its best to play classics as well as Top 40 hits, including Eminem. What got the biggest response from the crowd was, of course, “Don’t Stop Believing.” I couldn’t find a single individual not singing and dancing along.\nOf course, it’s not just college kids who love Journey’s power ballad. It was popular when it was first released in 1981 and has since passed the test of time. It’s been featured in movies such as the “The Wedding Singer,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and “Monster.” It was even dubbed “the greatest song ever written” in the final credits of last year’s “Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Movie for Cinemas.” Kanye West recently performed a cover of the song in honor of his belated mother, Donda West. Shortly following the Sopranos series finale which closed with “Don’t Stop Believing,” the song became the No. 1 most downloaded song on iTunes. Although the finale itself received mixed reviews, it was clear fans didn’t want to stop believing. \nPersonally, I’ve always been impartial to the song. It was not until I realized its curious popularity that I became intrigued by its appeal. I understand the significance of artists like the Beatles, and even Boyz II Men. How many of their hits have become anthems of a generations? It is the longevity and quality of a song that makes it a classic, but I find this particular anthem more kitschy than anything else. This is why I ultimately believe we might need to stop believing and find a new anthem.
(12/10/07 4:00am)
If there’s one thing you’ve learned in 2007, let it be this: Awards don’t matter. Sure, Kanye West will tell you differently – but he might be the only one.\nIn 2006, Lily Allen garnered widespread success for her album, “Alright, Still.” She also became notorious for dropping truth bombs about everything from her fellow artists to – you guessed it – awards. When Lily was nominated for four Brit Awards – that’s the British equivalent of the Grammys – she told MTV news she would not win any of them. She stated that the judging committee were predominantly Universal Records insiders, so an obvious bias is formed. Lily, an EMI artist, did turn out empty handed that night, while a majority of the winners were on Universal Records. Sometimes, it’s just about politics.\nOur Grammy Awards are equally insignificant. In fact, artists that shine at the Grammys are usually subsequently cursed. Lauryn Hill cleaned up at the 1998 awards with her album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” winning four awards, including “Album of the Year.” Nowadays, you’ll see Lauryn is much like Whitney Houston during her Bobby Brown years. Norah Jones also scored big in the 2003 Grammys, winning five out of the eight awards she was nominated for. Four years later, Jones is only there to fill in the empty space at the CD rack at Starbucks.\nThe same curse can be applied to the Academy Awards. Cuba Gooding Jr. seemed like he had Hollywood at his fingertips when he won Best Supporting Actor for Jerry Maguire in 1996. Since then, Gooding has not appeared in a movie even worth renting. His most unmemorable films include “Snow Dogs,” “Pearl Harbor” and “Daddy Day Camp.” It will be hard to ever forgive Halle Berry for her performance in “Catwoman” after her Best Actress Award for Monster’s Ball. Sure, in the golden years of Hollywood, an Academy Award really meant something. There was once a time when Grammys honored a talented musician as well. \nAs anyone can learn from last week’s episode of “30 Rock,” awards can sometimes only be self-esteem boosters. Actors and artists can often be more insecure than one can imagine. And it is the job of their bosses, who become their subsequent caretakers, to acknowledge them with fabricated awards. Tina Fey did this by sending award statues made of cookies or staging a fake satellite acceptance speech for the Pacific Rim Emmys. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then you are missing out on the best show on television right now. \nPerhaps we should take an example of Woody Allen, who doesn’t even screen his films for competition at film festivals. And while he has consistently been nominated for and awarded Academy Awards, he refuses to acknowledge any of them.\nSo whether you’re making movies or albums or whatever, don’t do it for the possible fame or the glory. Do it because you can’t imagine doing anything else – and don’t end up like Lauryn Hill.
(12/06/07 5:00am)
Every year an independent film comes along that truly inspires and moves an audience by bringing together brilliant writing, acting and directing. This year, "Lars and the Real Girl" is that film. \nRyan Gosling plays Lars, a painfully shy recluse in an isolated New England town. At the limits of his loneliness, he orders a life-sized sex doll. But instead of using the doll for its usual purpose, he treats it as his girlfriend "Bianca." His brother and sister-in-law are dumbfounded and take him to the family doctor Dagmar, played by Patricia Clarkson. She says Bianca is a delusion that they must allow to take its toll on Lars. The only thing for his family and town to do is play along, so Bianca becomes a part of the community. She volunteers at the local hospital, attends social gatherings and reads to children. \nCertain elements of this film are simply hilarious. Lars often does the little things a doting boyfriend would do, only he does them to an inanimate object. In one of the most memorable scenes, he serenades Bianca with Nat King Cole's spelling ballad "L-O-V-E." \nBut as the film progresses, the laughing stops as one begins to understand the underlying reasons behind Lars' love for Bianca. The audience sees his lifelong struggle with intimacy as he tells Dagmar about his incapability to be touched by anyone but Bianca. Even as he and Bianca argue, it is clearly due to his fear of abandonment. \nIt is primarily because of Gosling's shining performance that one can really empathize with Lars. The actor showed his true ability in last year's "Half Nelson," which garnered him an Oscar nomination. His role in "Lars and the Real Girl" only further demonstrates his talent as he takes on comedy and drama. \nSomewhere along the way, Lars becomes more in touch with reality. Perhaps this is when he realizes his feelings toward his sweet and compassionate co-worker Margo, played by Kelli Garner. But he also understands that all the efforts his townspeople make for Bianca are because of their love for him. As his sister-in-law suggests in the beginning of the film, people naturally need other people. In Lars' case, it just takes a sex doll for him to realize that. \nIn the end, "Lars and the Real Girl" leaves you with a hopeful view of the human spirit.
(12/06/07 5:00am)
Two decades ago, rock professor Andy Hollinden was rummaging around his old office in the basement of the Music Addition when he came across an old, defunct typewriter under the sink in his bathroom. It was caked with decades of dirt and dust, and most people would have just tossed it in the nearest dumpster. But the man who keeps a sign reading "Will Profess for Food" in the trunk of his car had grander plans for the sad, ancient device. He cleaned it, spray painted it gold and etched the words "Trust Yourself" across the middle keys. \n"I want to spray paint everything gold," Hollinden said.\nSomeone's forgotten hunk of metal became Hollinden's "magic gold typewriter" and is displayed predominately on the cover of his fourth and latest album Trust Yourself.\n"It's the underlying theme of everything I say when I teach," Hollinden said of the only two words that can be typed on his golden typewriter.\nOn Thursday at the Bluebird, Hollinden will perform eight songs from Trust Yourself (the show will be the first time the album is made available to nonstudents) along with an hour-and-a-half set of classic rock covers. IU's other favorite rock professor Glenn Gass will join Hollinden and his band on stage for a few songs as well. While other music professors routinely perform concerts and recitals, this is the first time Hollinden has performed in 11 years -- and the first time in 16 years for Gass.\n"Two months ago, if you would have told me I was going to perform at all, I would have thought you were crazy," Hollinden said.
(11/29/07 5:00am)
It is difficult for a film to have both commercial appeal and artistic integrity nowadays. And it's even more difficult for a novel to be successfully adapted to the big screen. "Love in the Time of Cholera" struggles with both these issues. And while it's fairly enjoyable, it doesn't live up to its precedent set by the novel it's based on.\nLeave it to "Love in the Time of Cholera" author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the master of magic surrealism, to write "the greatest love story ever told." Florentino, played by Javier Bardem, falls in love at first sight with Fermina (Giovanna Mezzogiorno). The two exchange love letters in their adolescence and telegrams when Fermina's father, played by John Leguizamo, sends her away after finding out about her romance. Eventually, Fermina attempts to believe that the love between her and Florentino was "just an illusion," as her father told her. She returns to the town where she first fell in love and marries a successful doctor, played by Benjamin Bratt. To heal his broken heart, Florentino sleeps with hundreds of women and documents each affair with prose and poems. He still pines for Fermina and says he is waiting to return to her when the doctor dies. Florentino's loyalty is shown as noble and true. The film is set in Colombia at the turn of the 20th century, during a time of disease and war, but this is only shown as a backdrop and serves as an afterthought. \nIt is indeed a sophisticated story, but the Hollywood-ization does not do the novel proper justice. This is not to say that the film isn't an enjoyable flick. It keeps the viewer's attention throughout its entire 139-minute span. But it is just the simplicity of the love story that is isolated. The emotions are captured quite poignantly and passionately. The actual context of the story is only on the surface, however. Then again, critics of the novel originally said the story itself was too simple. \nMy reaction toward this film was not much different from my reaction to "The Notebook." There is an obvious difference between the writings of the author Nicholas Sparks and Marquez. There is a creativity and imagination that no author shares with Marquez. Perhaps this parallel means I'm supposed to see that love in itself is simple and is the same to all humans. But still, there should be a difference between reading Shakespeare and empathizing with Romeo and Juliet and watching Joanie and Chachi on "Joanie Loves Chachi"
(11/26/07 12:38am)
Every year, Oprah reveals “My Favorite Things,” a list of what she believes are the best products and gift ideas around. This is always her most popular show, as the lucky guests all receive some of her favorite things. This year especially, a lucky group of Macon, Ga., residents seemed quite hysterical when they received these offerings from O herself. \nI’ll admit that the HDTV refrigerator with weather and info center from LG Electronics is amazing. The entertainment center’s even got LCD TV and DVD hookup. And this is all in a fridge! But other than that, Oprah’s fave things are a bit of a letdown. So, I decided to make my own favorite things list.
(11/13/07 12:45am)
Everyone knows Facebook applications are the worst inventions of 2007. They’re idiotic, annoying and superfluous. I guess the same could be applied to Facebook itself. But seriously, I haven’t found an application worth applying myself to.\nThat is, until Best Week Ever invented the “My Lil Lohan” application. You see, the job of the writers of Best Week Ever is to find all of the memorable phenomenons in the world of Pop Culture, and lately, Pop Culture has been in a rut. In fact, most everyone I know is in a rut. It’s a rapidly spreading epidemic. Even living vicariously through celebrity gossip is pointless, as it is just as mundane as ordinary gossip. \nAnd while Lindsay Lohan’s routine has long been mundane, “My Lil Lohan” lets you control her. Her life is just as idiotic, annoying and superfluous as Facebook Applications, that it only makes sense she deserves one. And the construction of the application is actually quite brilliant. \nNow in her post rehab days, you can decide which way you want to steer LoHo. Each day, you can either do something nice or something naughty. Nice things include feeding, shopping, staging an intervention. Naughty things entail inviting her to a party, buying her a drink or organizing a bender – an alcoholic binge. You can also give La Lohan a series of gifts – from a hack to disable a DUI anklet to a Tupperware set. Her reaction towards these gifts all depends on the way you treat your Lil Lohan. \nSo if you choose to take Lindsay out to lunch instead of to a party, and then give her a 40 oz., she will pour the beer out “for her drinking days, may they RIP.” Sometimes, it doesn’t matter what you do. La Lohan just can’t fight her natural urges. If you offer her a non-Parliament cigarette, you leave her with no choice “but to snort some coke and make out with a boy, resulting in a 1 percent loss of her health!” Give her some white powder, and she’ll “realize how much she missed the booger sugar, and she now stands a 1 percent less chance of staying sober.”\nMy favorite, however, was when I gave my Lil Lohan a slice of pizza. Because the pizza was delivered by a hottie, she boned him. This made her feel pretty even though she was eating “gross fatty pizza.” The experience made her 1 percent happier with herself. And of course, because “Facebook is for friends,” you and your pals can get your Lil Lohans together for a bender.\nUnlike those other silly applications about zombies and werewolves, My Lil Lohan allows any Facebook user to understand the inner mechanism of one of the most important cultural figures of our time – or something like that. I would even suggest that a Sims-like computer game be invented, celebutante style. \nIf you’re anything like me, you’re sick of annoying Facebook applications and tired celebrity gossip. “My Lil Lohan” is the cure.
(11/08/07 5:00am)
After more than a decade since its original airtime, the entire one-season series of "My So-Called Life" is out in its own boxed set. As a rule, TV shows about high school have nothing to do with the reality of adolescence. But this series poignantly depicts all the emotions a teenage girl goes through. It's about hating your parents and falling in love for the first time. It's about dying your hair and popping zits. It's all about hormones, heartache and hilarity. \nAnd no one can better capture all of this than Claire Danes, as the series' protagonist Angela Chase. Like another excellent coming-of-age series "The Wonder Years," the story is narrated through its protagonist. Angela, however, is more of a precocious introvert who tries to find some meaning in her life. Although she is intellectually and emotionally mature, she possesses a naive nature. The pilot kicks off with her decision to no longer blend in with the crowd. She dyes her hair red and changes her scene. And throughout the short-lived series, she is constantly trying to find herself. \nThe characters in her life are not snippets of stereotypical high schoolers but perfect examples of the people who change your life. A pre- "Requiem For A Dream"-and-30 Seconds to Mars Jared Leto plays the wounded object of Angela's affection Jordan Catalano. The show also presents the difficulty parents must face in raising a teenage daughter while dealing with their own lives. And Wilson Cruz is groundbreaking in depicting one of the first openly gay characters on television, the sympathetic Rickie Vasquez.\n"My So-Called Life" is also a rare cultural portrayal of growing up in the mid-'90s. The series is set in suburban Pittsburgh at a time when artists such as the Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana were on top, while flannel was a fashion staple. And let's not forget it was during the Clinton era.\nLike most shows that have as much substance as "My So-Called Life," the show was cancelled after 19 episodes. The show itself was ahead of its time and, like its protagonist, too mature for the mainstream. This is a common occurrence for similar TV shows, such as "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared." Even the plethora of in-depth special features is rare for a DVD box set. At least this important TV show is finally receiving the treatment it deserves.