Community Arts

Revisiting a 'broken' life

By Alyson Brodsy and John Barnett · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:57 p.m.

Jim Jarmusch, the writer/director of such indie darlings as "Stranger Than Paradise," "Down By Law" and "Dead Man," tries his hand at quirky self-exploration in "Broken Flowers" with intriguing results. Bill Murray ("Lost in Translation," "Caddyshack") stars as Don Johnston, a fifty-something former Casanova who was once rich in women and technology money, but now faces a lonely existence in his cold, modern abode. One random day he receives an anonymous letter from an old flame telling him he has a 19-year-old son who is now looking for him. This news sparks his Ethiopian amateur sleuth neighbor (Jeffrey Wright) to assist Don in seeking out all five women he dated approximately 20 years ago.

Foxx brings the naughty

By Alyson Brodsy and Cordell Eddings · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:53 p.m.

Next up to attempt entertainment industry domination? Jamie Foxx. With an Oscar already on his mantle, and the success of "Golddigger," the amazingly successful collaboration with Kanye West, a solo album seemed inevitable. Funny how things change. In a former life Jamie Foxx played himself on a TV sitcom about a struggling singer living and working at his families hotel to make ends meet. Sadly the show was canceled seemingly sending Foxx into the ocean of obscurity that has swallowed up the careers of so many promising talents starved for exposure.

Mary J's 'Breakthrough' Gospel

By Alyson Brodsy and Cordell Eddings · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:51 p.m.

The Queen of soul and R&B is back in her latest release which unleashes a fiery ball of raw emotional honesty, brutal truths, headbangers and tear wrenching tales of hope. Mary J. bares her insecurities, joys and soul on her newest release The Breakthrough, showing she still has the guts and the will to give herself to the public. Few female R&B stars have been able to achieve legend status without gimmicks, constant club jams or the occasional booty shaking.

Third Strokes album falls short

By Alyson Brodsy and Ty Schrock · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:49 p.m.

With all that has been said and written about The Strokes, it's hard to blame them for becoming the most self-conscious band in rock. The crush of expectations, hype and backlash surely has to weigh on their minds, and being branded the "saviors of rock" has always been an impossible label to live up to. Up to this point, none of that talk has really mattered though. The only thing that did matter was that The Strokes were a fresh and exciting young band that put out two great records.

Dysfunctional family, dysfunctional film

By Alyson Brodsy and Tony Sams · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:46 p.m.

The trend to make characters in films wholly unlikable is one that I'm not sure I'll ever understand. There is a lot of ground to be gained by making characters 99 percent unlikable, with a glimmer of hope or redemption. But if a writer or director can't reel the audience in, all could be lost, as it is in Noah Baumbach's ("Mr. Jealousy," co-writer "The Life Aquatic") insufferable "The Squid and The Whale." I suppose "likable" is in the eye of the beholder.

Welcome to the suck

By Alyson Brodsy and Matt McMullan · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:42 p.m.

Kristanna Loken ("Termninator 3") has nice breasts. That is the one and only reason you should go and see the horror/adventure/vampire flick she stars in, "BloodRayne." She pulls them out and bounces around on top of some mulleted vampire hunter for about two minutes. You get to see them. It's kind of nice. But, although they may not be hers, I'm told you can see all sorts of boobies for free on the internet. So that kind of cancels out the film's only draw. Beyond that, I'm at a loss. There's hardly anything to tell you; it's just really, really bad. Really. But okay. Because someone is bound not to listen to me, Loken leads as Rayne.

'Grandma's Boy' goes up in smoke

By -Kehla West and Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:40 p.m.

A good stoner flick is hard to do. There are the truly good, there are the so-bad-they're-good, and there are the mediocre. "Grandma's Boy" is right in the middle of the mediocre. Allen Covert, who has worked in 12 of Adam Sandler's 15 films, plays Alex, a 35-year-old video game tester. After his roommate squanders their rent money on hookers and they get kicked out of their apartment, Alex moves in with his grandmother, Lilly (Doris Roberts of "Everybody Loves Raymond") and her two roommates.

'Casanova' offers charm, eye candy

By Alyson Brodsy and Chris Wisner · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:38 p.m.

Almost 30 years ago when director Federico Fellini attempted to adapt the memoirs of Giacomo Casanova, the notorious lover of thousands of women, he tried too hard. The film was surrealistically awkward and casting Donald Sutherland as the infamous libertine was an error. Lasse Hallström, the same director responsible for the romantic "Chocolat," makes an attempt not to tell the life story of Casanova, but only a small segment of it. Unfortunately, he didn't try hard enough.

'Hostel' tortures stomachs

By Alyson Brodsy and Doug Evans · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:31 p.m.

Word has spread that "Hostel," Eli Roth's follow up to his 2003 horror flick "Cabin Fever," is gory. In the sense that blood is spilled and random shop tools are used to inflict pain, this assertion is true. However, I would say the film is not so much gory as it is physically discomforting. The blood in this movie seems tame compared to the severed body parts, gushing pus and spewed vomit. Keep in mind that the gore does not begin until the halfway point of the film, so you do have some time to prepare.

A triumphant love story

By Alyson Brodsy and Olivia Morales · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 7:29 p.m.

There are typical love stories and then there are actual love stories. Every once in a great while, someone makes an actual love story into a film. Ang Lee's ("The Ice Storm," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") "Brokeback Mountain" is the type of actual love story that might leave you breathless. Lee has been a filmmaking acrobat from day one of his directing career, leaping from genre to genre with the fluidity of a professional gymnast.

Finding some 'Soul'

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:48 a.m.

For more than 30 years, the IU Soul Revue has been honoring the heritage of black popular music through song and dance. The male and female ensemble churns out its soul and R&B with horns and a rhythm section, occasionally accompanied with a string section and dancers.

Search for chancellor temporarily halted

By Peter Stevenson · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:47 a.m.

The already troubled hunt for a new IU-Bloomington chancellor and senior vice president for academic affairs took a turn for the worse Monday when IU President Adam Herbert put the search committee on hold until after Saturday's special board of trustees meeting. Members said they are concerned the committee might soon be dissolved.

Campus clocks given playlist of songs

By Michael Sanserino · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:39 a.m.

When Mike Crowe, director of IU facilities, began his search for large clocks to place on campus, he wanted to make sure the clocks would help students get to class on time. Giving those students a soundtrack was an added bonus.

Race colors discussion of Herbert

By Adam Aasen · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:39 a.m.

IU faculty say that references to race have had a significant effect on the dialogue surrounding the job performance of Adam Herbert, IU's first black president.

Glitch strips employees of prescription benefits

By Michael Zennie · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:39 a.m.

A computer glitch caused 7,000 IU employees to temporarily lose prescription drug insurance this weekend.

Bush warns Democrats about criticizing Iraq policy

By Alyson Brodsy and Jennifer Loven · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:36 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush warned Democratic critics of his Iraq policy on Tuesday to watch what they say or risk giving "comfort to our adversaries" and suffering at the ballot box in November. Democrats said Bush should take his own advice.

Knock, knock

By Ryan Phillips · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:26 a.m.

Hear that knocking on the door, Hoosier fans? It's an opportunity, one that might not present itself again.

Losing streak could ignite fierce Spartans

By Brian Janosch · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:16 a.m.

Perhaps the only thing scarier than a team like Michigan State riding a winning streak is a team like Michigan State riding a losing streak.

Freshman Ben Allen looks to step into expanded role

By Andy Romey · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:14 a.m.

Freshman center Ben Allen broke out against Indiana State last month, scoring 21 points and grabbing seven rebounds. But his performance couldn't earn him much extra playing time because sophomore forward D.J. White was gradually becoming healthy again and resuming his starting role.

Police say Schwarzenegger rode motorcycle illegally

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 11,2006 12:06 a.m.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was riding his motorcycle illegally over the weekend when he collided with a car in his Los Angeles neighborhood, police said Tuesday.