Community Arts

Chocolarte

By Brian Hettmansperger · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 11:51 p.m.

When it comes to creating chocolate art, as in any trade, there are artisans. The chefs that participated in the "The Art of Chocolate" Sunday at the IU Art Museum were all such chocolatiers. "The Art of Chocolate" was just one event that comprises the ongoing Week of Chocolate, a celebration of chocolate and the local community.

Ratliff pours in 20 in IU upset victory

By Matt Mattucci · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 11:50 p.m.

A.J. Ratliff walked toward the IU students at the south end of Branch McCracken Court, his arms raised to the rafters. There were 8.6 seconds remaining on the clock, but he cracked a smile anyway.

Around the Arts

Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 11:49 p.m.

Jazz Fables Concert Series presents the Al Cobine Big Band

P.S. I love Playstation

By C. Warner Sills and Michael Mellini · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:59 p.m.

I'm not a very experimental person. I enjoy predictability and while Sony has made vast improvements in its different video game systems, the model remains relatively similar: disc games and the same incarnation of controllers. Playstations are my comfort food. It's hard to believe that two letters and a number (PS3) could bring so much happiness into one's life. The graphics are creepily realistic, game controls aren't overly impossible and the controllers are now wireless and extremely light. On the downside, the system itself is a beast. The size isn't a huge deal, as the system just sits on a shelf, although someday soon that shelf may break. To go along with its HD-capable clarity is the ability to play new BluRay DVDs, although with movies costing about $35, this feature will go unused until prices drop.

PS3 Superbowl Shuffle

By C. Warner Sills and Zack Teibloom · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:58 p.m.

Bloomington is a town divided. Even at Assembly Hall, as Hoosiers unite in a common goal of winning a basketball game, the war of words between the navy and orange and the blue and white gets ugly. With a fortnight between the Colts and Bears clinching their spots in the Superbowl and the playing out of the epic game, we're getting antsy for some action. We turned to Madden and a four-man PS3 battle for supremacy. Chris Freiberg and I "beared down" with sexy Rexy and the Bears while Chris Wisner and Michael Mellini tried to prove Peyton could win the big one.

I love my box: The 360 monologues

By C. Warner Sills and Chris Freiberg · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:54 p.m.

Spending time with all three next-gen systems only further convinced me that I made the right decision in purchasing an Xbox 360. Frankly, it seems like the best bang for your buck. Admittedly, the PS3 version of "Madden 07" did look a tad bit better, but not worth shelling out an additional $100-$200 for the system. Bring out a true killer-app PS3-exclusive in a couple years though that really shows the graphical difference between the two. Still, nothing on the PS3 looks as good "Gears of War" on the 360. And for some weird reason the new Dualshake controller feels kind of flimsy compared to the weightier Xbox 360 wireless controller.

Smokin' dat chronic Wii

By C. Warner Sills and Joanna Borns · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:51 p.m.

Ever since Nintendo came out with the Wii, marijuana connoisseurs everywhere are a little more confused than usual. Maybe this is just because I'm on a college campus, but I've heard many complaints that "Wii" sounds almost exactly like "weed." Thus, there are many misunderstandings to be had. Where's the best place to score some Wii? Should they legalize Wii? Blaze the Wii out there. Psychoactive drugs aside, my first Wii experience was captivating. It was Wii Sports at a friend's house. I made a digital character that looked just like me and I named it Ramrod. I was brand new to the concept of Wii, and the idea of people accidentally flinging their remotes into their televisions in the heat of the moment was both hilarious and exhilarating. God bless wrist straps.

Nintendo's latest gaming system a BIG HIT

By Zack Teibloom · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:49 p.m.

One of my earliest memories is looking for fun on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Seeking guidance, I went up to the master of fun and said, "Daddy, what's the funnest thing in the whole wide world?" Without hesitation he said "sex," and walked away. Well, he was right, but if you were to ask me the funnest video game in the whole wide world, I wouldn't have to hesitate either. I would hand you a Wii-mote and say "Wii Sports." Let's bowl and then maybe some home-run derby and a boxing match.

Oscar Season: Little Miss Overrated!

By C. Warner Sills and Michael Mellini · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:44 p.m.

For a movie-goer, Oscar season is like bulimia: There's so much great cinema, glamorous movie stars and Billy Crystal to gorge on, but when your favorites are overlooked and the ceremony is overexposed, Oscar, too, can leave you drained, feeling empty and crying in a bathroom stall.

Wii Extra-game Features

By C. Warner Sills and David Antognoli · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:41 p.m.

If you managed to pick up a Nintendo Wii, chances are you've been playing through Zelda and bowling your ass off. But what else is there to do with your Wii? While Nintendo doesn't preach convergence to the extent of Bill Gates and Microsoft, the Wii does include some interesting features that help it transcend the role of traditional game consoles.

Legendary Zelda Game excedes expectations

By C. Warner Sills and John Barnett · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:38 p.m.

Most long-time Nintendo supporters live by their own special calendar, punctuated not by days, weeks and months, but by the release of producer Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma's "Legend of Zelda" games. The three milestones on this calendar, all designed as flagship games for their respective consoles, are 1992's "A Link to the Past" for the Super Nintendo, 1998's "Ocarina of Time" for the Nintendo 64, and now "Twilight Princess" for the Nintendo Wii.

Live Arcade 'assault'

By C. Warner Sills and Chris Freiberg · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:36 p.m.

While the weekly retreads of '80s arcade classics are a fun diversion on Xbox Live Arcade, it's nice to see that the service encourages developers to pump out some good, cheap original games too. While "Assault Heroes" has some of the best graphics yet for an Arcade game (this could easily be mistaken for an early Xbox 1 title), its gameplay is straight up old school. The left analogue stick controls your vehicle or Rambo-style mercenary. The right analogue stick shoots. And you shoot a lot in this game--from green guys with guns to uh, crazy screaming red guys with guns. And the occasional giant mechanical spider (which might also require a grenade or a nuke).

ARTiFACTS

Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:35 p.m.

What: "Peasant Scene" by Kazimir Malevich of Russia in 1912 Pencil on Paper

Annual program gives NYC artists chance to create public art

Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:33 p.m.

NEW YORK -- There was the project that turned a Manhattan intersection into a baseball diamond, and another that converted a subway station into a Venetian canal. And then there was the magic carpet placed in a park, replicating the floor plan of a Brooklyn apartment. Thanks to a unique arts program, emerging artists are getting a chance to place their work in an unusual gallery -- the streets and public spaces of New York City.

Colonization through gunfire

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:32 p.m.

Shortly after the Xbox 360 launched in late 2005, Capcom released a trailer that quickly became one of the most anticipated titles for the system: "Lost Planet: Extreme Condition." There we watched as a man ripped holes into alien scum with a machine gun only before hopping into a giant mech equipped with Gatling guns and rocket launchers. Yeah, it was pretty sweet.

Windfall Dancers to bring 'Arabian Nights' to life

By Ashley Wilson · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:31 p.m.

When modern dance pioneer José Limón said, "American dance is not simply a style or idiom -- it is a potent idea," he certainly could have been talking about Windfall Dancers and their commitment to exploring new ways of movements and concepts in the modern dance arena. The Bloomington-based modern dance company will perform its dance interpretation of "Arabian Nights" on Friday and Saturday at the John Waldron Arts Center as part of the annual Middle Eastern Arts Festival, which takes place until Feb. 10.

This film has been rated: Not so good

By C. Warner Sills and Benny Goldman · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:30 p.m.

What makes a movie G, PG, PG-13, R or, most controversially, NC-17? Is gay sex more explicit than straight sex? Why is violence more acceptable than sex in American cinema? Is it all a giant government conspiracy? Documentarian Kirby Dick attempts to answer these questions and more in his independently released feature on the ratings board of the Motion Picture Association of America, "This Film is Not Yet Rated."

Same-sex marriage ban passes committee

By Alexandra R. Moses and Mike Smith · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:29 p.m.

A proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage advanced out of committee Wednesday after three hours of debate and a group of gay-rights activists were escorted from the Indiana Senate gallery for singing "We Shall Overcome" in protest.

'Side Man' opens Friday, features surviving artwork of Katrina

By Kelsey Nash · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:29 p.m.

Looking for a jazzy time this weekend? Then search no further than Jordan Avenue. The IU Department of Theatre and Drama will present Warren Leight's Tony Award-winning "Side Man," opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Wells-Metz Theatre. A glimpse into the jazz era and its gradual decline, the production pieces together music, art and emotion to portray the multi-faceted lives of stage musicians.

Two reissues from the master

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Wednesday, Jan. 31,2007 10:26 p.m.

Many years ago when I purchased the "Akira Kurosawa: Four Samurai Classics" boxset released by the Criterion Collection, I figured here were four films I'd never have to double-dip on. I was wrong. Last year's "Seven Samurai" three-disc set was one of the best DVD releases of the year and now Criterion has re-issued Kurosawa's most potent double-shot, "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro," in deluxe editions sold individually ($39.99 apiece) or as a boxset ($69.99 -- My advice: Order the boxset from dvdplanet.com for less than $46).