Region

'Gospel of John' should pray for forgiveness

By -Jenny Kobiela · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with religious films. Movies like "The Ten Commandments," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "The Prince of Egypt" provide solid adaptations of stories held dear to many faiths. Unfortunately, "The Gospel of John" does not succeed in adapting the biblical story of Jesus' life into anything but a boring, terribly acted waste of celluloid.

'Pearl' proves a real cinematic gem

By by Isaac Edwards and Isaac Edwards · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

Much like Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," a certain shroud of mystery surrounds the subject of what is oft considered Delft artiste Johannes Vermeer's masterpiece, "Girl with a Pearl Earring." Painted during the decadence of the 17th century Dutch Golden Age, Vermeer's portrait was and still is starkly minimalistic with a quiet sense of intimacy. Managing to bring the subtle intensity of Vermeer's painting to the silver screen, director Peter Webber adapts Tracy Chevalier's acclaimed novel, making his feature directorial debut with "Girl with a Pearl Earring."

Big themes, small film

By Neal Taflinger · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

America has worked so hard to compress all its disparate elements into a cohesive whole that we have projected our national character onto the consciousness of the globe. America is more than a country, it's an idea. With "In America," Irish-American writer/director Jim Sheridan and his daughters/co-screenwriters Naomi and Kirsten tell a semi-autobiographical story of a family fighting for redemption against the backdrop of Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan.

HUNTING HAUNTINGS

By By Ryan Heath and Ryan Heath · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

Out the car window, I can't see much more than moonlight as it flashes between the treetops. The crescent moon is veiled in clouds, creating an eerie, silver glow around it that does little to illuminate the pitch-dark night. We have been driving through the woods for the past 15 minutes, and the road in front of us seems to snake endlessly onward into the dark. It is a storybook night for a ghost hunt.

'Big Bounce' more like 'Big Suck'

By Doug Evans · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

Oftentimes Elmore Leonard novels make smooth transitions to film (i.e. "Jackie Brown" and "Out of Sight"). Sadly, this is not the case with The Big Bounce -- not even a great cast that includes Gary Sinise, Charlie Sheen and Willie Nelson can save this dreck.

One flick you'll happily 'Divorce"

By Jennifer Whalen · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

What do you get when you combine a few dangerous affairs, the French language and a mysterious painting? Your answer: the movie, "Le Divorce."

Triple the flavor, triple the Folds

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

Ben Folds fans rejoice! The name and fingers behind rock's greatest three-piece fivesome has returned with a series of three EPs. This, after an all-too-long hiatus following his 2001 solo debut, Rockin' the Suburbs, and his subsequent and wittily titled, Ben Folds Live, which dropped in late 2002.

'Score' likely to make you snore

By -Kehla West · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

How many things can the letters SAT stand for? Suck Ass Test, for one. Stoned And Toasted, for another. But the jokes stop there in MTV's horrible, horrible attempt at moviemaking. Stick to just not showing music videos, MTV.

Look out Below! 'Kamikaze' drops from Chi-town

By -Brandon Tucker · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

It's been six years since Twista released an album, posing the question: just what has he been doing all this time? Aside from being featured on various heavyweight CD's including Jay-Z's Blueprint 2.1 and Ludacris' Word of Mouf, he's remained in relative obscurity, all the while riding the wave of his '97 hood classic, Adrenaline Rush.

Music to make 'Playground Love' by

By Mia Partlow · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

It is sometimes troublesome that electronic bands so often fall into the trap of being too sterile, too emotionless and lacking the organic power of music played by live musicians. Kraftwerk, of course, turned this problem into an attribute and launched a movement. But Air, with its newest album, Talkie Walkie, seamlessly binds electronically produced beats with samples of live instruments, creating an effective indie-pop/electronic blend.

Tragic 'Friedmans' flick too troubling

By Tony Sams · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

You can't help but feel sorry for the Friedman family. The Long Island family was tragically torn apart in the late 1980's when the father and one of the sons were accused, perhaps rightly or wrongly, and sent to jail for child molestation. But while watching "Capturing the Friedmans," an agonizing and frustrating documentary by first-time filmmaker Andrew Jarecki, you also can't help but feel like you have absolutely no business sticking your nose in their lives.

FINDING FANTASY

By Joanna Borns · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

Caroline Scott, a sophomore, admits she wouldn't go to theatres to see the first "Lord of the Rings" movie until a friend forced her to. She says the world of fantasy entertainment was not of any interest to her.

Is a Jägerbomb worth risking pneumonia?

By -Brandon Tucker · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

Late last Thursday night I was tooling around in my Geo Prizm doing donuts in the stadium parking lot. The fresh four inches of powder gave me a once-in-a-winter chance to turn my four-cylinder economy ride into a performance ATV.

Sailing toward mediocrity

By Craig Shank and John Barnett · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

Starsailor's second album, Silence is Easy, which follows on the heels of 2002's somewhat superior Love is Here, is a pompous display of production. How fitting that former reclusive genius/current charged murderer Phil Spector was at the helm during much of the album's creation.

ACOUSTIC PAIN

By Phil Kijak · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

The amount of noise Jackson Pain creates without the aid of distortion, forming a solid wall of sound, doesn't seem like it could be coming from an acoustic set. Senior Mike Chapman's vigorous guitar and vocals, along with the combination of senior Rob Stogsdill and Kyle Gobel's horn section, create soaring melodies backed up by Jeff Lawson's crash-filled drums and Andrew Caito's bass. All of these elements come together to form a sonic anomaly where it's hard to believe there is barely any electric influence on stage.

Long live the 'King'

By Craig Shank and John Barnett · Thursday, Feb. 5,2004 12 a.m.

'm the first to admit to being a sucker for award shows. No matter how hokey, silly or self-serving they may be, something about them draws me in, and I end up watching, stunned, like a deer in headlights.

Solving Racism Part 2

By Jack M. Silverstein and Jack Silverstein · Wednesday, Feb. 4,2004 11:57 p.m.

This is the second in a three part series. How do you change a person's prejudices? As we have seen, people's prejudices and beliefs are difficult to change. And yet, people's beliefs do change. How does this happen? In order for a person's beliefs to change, they have to be challenged. If a person believes gay people are evil, his belief may be changed if it is challenged by a positive experience he has with a gay person, or by a new popular belief of society. In time, he may begin to change his beliefs. Beliefs and prejudices change over time as they are challenged by other beliefs. The other part of the racism equation is power -- the systems and institutions that control large parts of society.

Barbie meets the hood

By Melanie Sims · Wednesday, Feb. 4,2004 11:50 p.m.

White girls with microbraids and violet-eyed brothas with blonde hair -- it was like Soul Train meets TRL, right there in the middle of Wal-Mart's toy section. And if you're wondering whatever happened to Sisqo -- he's been secretly kidnapped and cloned, along with Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake. Or at least, that's become my theory since seeing Happy D, Kiyoni Brown, Liam, P.Bo, Tika and Tre, in standard B-boy stance, patiently waiting to be purchased by some good-intentioned soccer mom hoping to spoon feed her 10-year-old a taste of manufactured multiculturalism.

The new tax menu

By Paul Musgrave · Wednesday, Feb. 4,2004 11:41 p.m.

Taxes -- and how governments collect them -- have subtle and far-reaching effects. Take Indiana's local governments -- cities, counties and townships. Most of their revenue comes from property taxes, based on the value of buildings and land. This system worked well in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when economic activity was primarily physical. But the economy is no longer tied to the land as closely as it once was. Instead of manufacturing and agriculture, most economic activity today is in the service sector, which includes everything from Arby's to advertising firms.

Former nuclear scientist admits leaking top secrets

By Alyson Brodsy and Burt Herman · Wednesday, Feb. 4,2004 11:38 p.m.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- The founder of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program claimed responsibility Wednesday for leaks of nuclear secrets he said were made behind the government's back, begging forgiveness in an extraordinary televised address to the nation.