Community Arts

Daniels' tax plan draws fire from conservatives

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Smith · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12:08 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Mitch Daniels proudly displays a samurai sword in his office, a remnant of the days when President Bush nicknamed him "The Blade" for his prowess in cutting taxes and federal spending. But now the former White House budget director -- and Indiana's first Republican governor since 1988 -- has proposed a one-year tax increase to slice away at the state's $645 million deficit.

Order Up!

By Ryne Shadday · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12:07 a.m.

When Edward Hughes opened Just Deliveries last month, his idea to deliver carry-out to his customers' front doors was just beginning. While delivering food items such as pizza is not a new concept, the idea to deliver other food from restaurants such as Casa Brava or The Trojan Horse, is relatively unique.

Help Me, Harlan! College

By Harlan Cohen · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12:07 a.m.

Dear Harlan, My son is in ninth grade and is a great kid. Our computer sits in the dining room, and while I don't actively snoop into who he is talking to online or what he's doing, I do look up from time to time. Last week I looked up and saw that he was discussing his sexual orientation.

9/11 victim identification comes to end

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12:04 a.m.

NEW YORK -- The medical examiner's office has largely ended its effort to identify the remains of those killed at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, leaving more than a thousand victims unidentified.

Fashion + rock = cool

By Doug Evans · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Watching pretty girls sport original and rather sexy designer outfits would be a thrilling night on its own. Now sandwich this fashion show between four rocking bands and you've got an extravaganza worthy of a VH1 special. Well, almost.

'Diaries' paints portrait of Guevara

By Mary P. Hansell · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

We recognize him from the red posters and his star embroidered beret. We have studied him in our history and Spanish classes. And to some, he is the symbol of rebellion and the enticing passion of revolution. Yet, before Che Guevara became the social revolutionist we have all come to know and love, he was Ernesto Guevara. In the film "The Motorcycle Diaries," we are introduced to Guevara when he was a young Argentinean medical student with no real plans for the future. Based on true stories found in Guevara's memoirs, "The Motorcycle Diaries" is about the journey of two men who changed the way they saw the world and who they would become.

Buying Eastern culture, one film at a time

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

It seems that in recent years Hollywood has been quick to purchase the rights to various foreign films and churn out their own Americanized version. Steven Soderbergh's Oscar-nominated "Traffic" was a remake of the British mini-series "Traffik;" Cameron Crowe's "Vanilla Sky" was a remake of Alejandro Amenábar's "Abre Los Ojos;" and there are countless other countries tapped for such remakes. However, there is a geographic hotbed that has recently become the source for countless rights purchases: the far East.

Oscar oracles

By compiled by Chris Wisner · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Every year the world of cinema goes on a journey to see which films have accomplished the most. It all begins with various critics' association award ceremonies followed by the Golden Globes and then various guilds that award directors, screen actors and producers for their stunning achievements. At the end of all these award shows is the biggest ceremony of them all: the Academy Awards.

'Donnie' DVD gets darker

By John Barnett · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Originally released in late 2001 to almost no fanfare outside the film festival circuit, Richard Kelly's "Donnie Darko" has since developed quite the cult following, which in turn necessitates a DVD rerelease in extended director's cut form. This cut adds 20 minutes to the original, mostly in the form of extended scenes that were featured in the first DVD incarnation as deleted scenes. These scenes work to flesh out the complicated bits, of which there are many, and to add closure to parts of the original cut that left many fans baffled.

'Taxi' not worth the fare

By Joanna Borns · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Beep! Beep! That was the sound of Jimmy Fallon's career suicide after he left the cast of "Saturday Night Live" and chose to make "Taxi," his first major, post-show project. The film is a take-off on the 1998 French action-comedy of the same name, but something must have been lost in the translation. Yes, the American version has cool chase scenes with fast cars and beautiful women, but the plot is weaker than an egg shell and there's no comedy to make up for it. Plus, it's just plain boring.

Band needs 'Disconnection Notice'

By Doug Evans · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

From the band that made a name for itself over 10 years ago with the hit, "Here in Your Bedroom," comes an album that sounds not unlike all its other releases. Disconnection Notice has some catchy pop-punk tunes and a few tracks with ska-induced rhythm, but the music certainly isn't a new expedition for Goldfinger.

Interim Iraq official vies for prime minister post

By Maggie Michael · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said Wednesday he was forming a broad coalition to fight for the post of prime minister after Iraq's dominant Shiite political party nominated a conservative candidate. The haggling over the new government came against the backdrop of more violence. A car bomb killed two people and wounded 14 in the northern city of Mosul, and a U.S. soldier was killed in a separate bomb attack north of Baghdad, officials said.

Pony immature and unoriginal

By Nate Gowdy · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Pony Up!'s debut seven-song EP is original. Unfortunately, it's not so original to be called inventive. It's original in the sense that no one else wants to sound like them. The all-femme five member band of sisters, co-workers, roommates and best friends, hailing from Montreal, has gotten attention as the first band signed to Aussie indie-boy Ben Lee's boutique label Ten Fingers. It is important to note that he never went anywhere either.

'Julia' is not 'All About Eve'

By Tony Sams · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

In István Szabó's "Being Julia," Julia Lambert is England's favorite stage actress of the 1930s. She has style, she has grace, she's an outlandish diva closing in a bit reluctantly on middle age -- you know the drill. The plays she performs in are pretty bad, which is okay because everyone is consistently reassuring her that her adoring public comes not for the play, but her.

'Saw' a decent thriller

By Rhett Umphress · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) wake up in a bathroom, each chained to one side of the room. In between them lies a dead body. An audiotape tells them that if Dr. Gordon does not kill Adam, Dr. Gordon's family will be killed. This is the method of a serial killer known as Jigsaw. He provides puzzles for his victims to figure out; the punishment for failure is death. As the story progresses, other Jigsaw cases are shown, demonstrating his various methods of torturing his victims.

Rock 'Never' stops on latest

By Mark Perlman and Mark Perlman-Price · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Can you believe its been nearly five years since "No Sex in the Champagne Room" was released, launching Chris Rock from comedian to all-around superstar, starring in movies like "Dogma," "Down to Earth" and "Head of State?"

Hip-hop Busts Rhymes Not Caps

By Isabel Estevez · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

This week IU is holding the biggest hip-hop event in its history: the Hip Hop Congress' 5th Annual Hip Hop Awareness Festival. The week-long event, which started Tuesday and will conclude Saturday, has been in the making since the summer and will bring together the efforts of various student leaders and associations. The result is a guest list that includes the likes of Brother Ali and Afeni Shakur, and a five-day series of events that will attract an expected audience of roughly 2,000 students and community members.

Your playlist can harm you

By Joe Poenisch · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

Hello radio, it's your savior Joe here to once again save you from total humiliation. I am here to be the radio doctor. I am here to diagnose your illness of overplaying certain songs and provide you with prescriptions of songs you rarely play or never play that people will like. I will begin with my first diagnosis.

ENERGY DRINKS: THE NEW COFFEE?

By Ryan Corazza · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

It's Friday morning and sophomore Chad Miller has just rolled out of bed for his 11:15 class at the business school. Sluggish and groggy-eyed, Miller hops into his car at Hoosier Courts and drives down 17th Street toward campus. He makes a pit stop at the gas station to fuel up. But it's not for his car; it's for himself.

One "sssssucky" sequel

By Matt Waters and Matthew Waters · Thursday, Feb. 24,2005 12 a.m.

"Son of the Mask" is just another poor idea from the Hollywood writers of today. Living up to the reputation that sequels rarely surpass their originals, "Son of the Mask" is definitely not "sssssmokin.'" With a new writer, director and cast, this movie very remotely resembles the original movie.