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Dancin' the night away

By C. Warner Sills and Michael Reschke · Thursday, Feb. 8,2007 12 a.m.

Though Bloomington is famous for its restaurants, culture and entertainment, students often overlook another form of its nightlife -- dancing. Lessons are available in everything from ballroom to country line dancing, and with Valentine's Day just around the corner, they're a great way to have fun with a current partner or find a new one. Arthur Murray dance studio, located off Third Street near Borders Bookstore, offers lessons in 18 different styles of ballroom dancing, including smooth dances like the fox-trot and tango, rhythm dances like the salsa, rumba and cha-cha and the popular swing dance, said Barbara Leininger, owner of the Bloomington Arthur Murray dance studio.

The Indiana Daily Student

Don't spread the McPhever

By C. Warner Sills and Wes Jakacki · Thursday, Feb. 8,2007 12 a.m.

Katharine McPhee should have beaten Taylor Hicks for "American Idol." Yeah, that's right, I proudly watch the show. Katharine McPhee actually fits the role of the "American Idol" much in the way Kelly Clarkson did in the first season of the show. She even has the pipes and the image to translate into commercial success and to be something special, but in her self-titled debut album, McPhee presents a dichotomy between the big old-fashioned vocal numbers and modern pop. The album suffers from the lack of an identity and misses out in the process.

Only Jennifer Garner could get Kevin Smith to actually talk in a movie.

Silent Bob finally talks

By C. Warner Sills and Brian Hettmansperger · Thursday, Feb. 8,2007 12 a.m.

Without Kevin Smith, "Catch and Release" would have just been romantic without the comedy. "Catch" is the story of Gray Wheeler (Jennifer Garner) putting her life back together after the sudden death of her fiancé. Co-starring Kevin Smith as the best friend and Juliette Lewis as the kooky ex, the movie has a formula for success. After Grady's death, Gray begins learning about secrets from his past, including a 4-year-old kid he's been supporting. After the money stops because of Grady's death, the mother of the child (Lewis) crashes Gray's life and sets up shop in a hotel close to Gray's house. She begins coming over and we learn about her quirky behavior and her kid's desire to destroy almost everything. Among all this chaos, Gray begins falling for Fritz, the sleazy guy from the funeral.

Now you have your choice of watching the gore-tastic version or watching the edited down, made-for-TV version. We’ll stick with the first option.

Passion two-disc interesting, unnecessary

By C. Warner Sills and John Barnett · Thursday, Feb. 8,2007 12 a.m.

What can be said about Mel Gibson's gorgeous, graphic-tone poem to his own personal lord and savior that hasn't already been said by every film critic, pundit and biblical scholar on the planet? I won't waste time trying to break new ground; suffice it to say that Gibson and his collaborators had to do something right to puncture my callous, secular shell to impress the hell out of me with this film. Gibson expertly directs actor James Caviezel through a veritable house of horrors in depicting the hours before and after the crucifixion of Jesus, and Caleb Deschanel's stunning, sometimes brutal cinematography is enough to make cinephiles shed a tear.

'Lost' in transition

By C. Warner Sills and John Barnett · Thursday, Feb. 8,2007 12 a.m.

Absence, at least as it pertains to me and my reasonably unhealthy obsession with all things "Lost," has made the heart grow fonder. Contrarily over the 90-plus days since its last episode (with its newest installment airing just last night), it has also seen the attention spans of a significant number of once casual "Lost" fans turn tail and seek comfort in such inane pursuits as saving the cheerleader and finding out who's on "the list" and why. Hey, "Heroes" fans, remember that show where there was a mysterious list and people were trying to find out why they were on it? Yeah, it was called "Lost." With "Heroes" surging out of the gate as a sort of ADD-friendly, soap-operatic alternative to "Lost's" glacial pacing and intricately layered mythology, television drama is definitely beginning to play into the hands of the short of attention. When the most recent Emmy and Golden Globe winner for Best Dramatic Series is not only NOT an actual drama but consists primarily of random sex, coached crying and laughably maudlin music cues, I begin to recognize the warning signs. "Grey's Anatomy" fans, your wrath is welcomed.

The Indiana Daily Student

Borns lends little to intelligent debate

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Feb. 8,2007 12 a.m.

After reading Joanna Borns’ Jan. 31 column, “Seeking a BFF,” I realized I had seen the absolute lowest common denominator journalism ever to grace the pages of a newspaper since the advent of movable type.

The Indiana Daily Student

Ginger, Fred and Federico

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:54 p.m.

Next to Akira Kurosawa and Martin Scorsese, Federico Fellini ranks high on my list of great filmmakers who rarely disappoint me. Fellini's vast body of work only had two strikes from me in the past, "Il Bidone" and "Fellini's Casanova," and after hearing so much about "Ginger & Fred," I expected greatness. Unfortunately, the film wound up being strike No. 3. Strike No. 3 doesn't mean Fellini is out of my respected pantheon, but "G&F" is missing that wonderful charm that can only be found in a Fellini movie.

The Indiana Daily Student

Passion two-disc interesting, unnecessary

By C. Warner Sills and John Barnett · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:52 p.m.

What can be said about Mel Gibson's gorgeous, graphic-tone poem to his own personal lord and savior that hasn't already been said by every film critic, pundit and biblical scholar on the planet? I won't waste time trying to break new ground; suffice it to say that Gibson and his collaborators had to do something right to puncture my callous, secular shell to impress the hell out of me with this film. Gibson expertly directs actor James Caviezel through a veritable house of horrors in depicting the hours before and after the crucifixion of Jesus, and Caleb Deschanel's stunning, sometimes brutal cinematography is enough to make cinephiles shed a tear.

The Indiana Daily Student

Where's my Grammy nomination?

By C. Warner Sills and Joanna Borns · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:50 p.m.

As I eagerly looked online at the list of nominees for the 49th annual Grammy Awards this Sunday, I was shocked to see that my name wasn't on the list. I'm so tired of being snubbed by the Recording Academy. Sure, I'm not a recording artist, per se. I've never released an album. I've never even performed karaoke. But if the Black Eyed Peas can get a Grammy nomination for "My Humps," why can't I? I never expected to actually win a Grammy. I'm not that naive. But it could at least throw me a nomination as a gesture of its respect for my work. I didn't ask to be nominated for song of the year. But the academy could've at least nominated me for best new age album or maybe best polka album. If you're like me, you weren't

The Indiana Daily Student

Excellent services

By C. Warner Sills and Craig Shank · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:49 p.m.

The Pacific Northwest has been a hotbed of musical activity over the previous decades. One of the latest bands from the area to generate some attention is Seattle's own Central Services. Typically, it's best to remain skeptical of the buzz buildup around a band, but Central Services is actually deserving of the hype.

The Indiana Daily Student

Don't spread the McPhever

By C. Warner Sills and Wes Jakacki · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:48 p.m.

Katharine McPhee should have beaten Taylor Hicks for "American Idol." Yeah, that's right, I proudly watch the show. Katharine McPhee actually fits the role of the "American Idol" much in the way Kelly Clarkson did in the first season of the show. She even has the pipes and the image to translate into commercial success and to be something special, but in her self-titled debut album, McPhee presents a dichotomy between the big old-fashioned vocal numbers and modern pop. The album suffers from the lack of an identity and misses out in the process.

The Indiana Daily Student

Big Easy Listening

By C. Warner Sills and Brian J. McFillen · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:46 p.m.

Before hitting play on Harry Connick, Jr.'s latest album, Oh, My Nola, I solemnly swore that I wouldn't go easy on him just because it was a tribute to his hometown of New Orleans. No, I don't feel pity -- I'm a critic. Fortunately for my sake -- and the sake of my editors who, I suspect, did not want to field hate-mail from Louisiana -- it's quite good.

The Indiana Daily Student

'Remains' of the Trio

By C. Warner Sills and Chris Green · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:44 p.m.

It's new, but it's not really new. Alkaline Trio, The Misfits of my generation of punk rock, have compiled a good deal of their B-sides and a few live ones in one affordable, convenient package. I was hoping for a brand new album, but this is the next best thing I suppose. The compilation album is made up of 19 B-sides and three live cuts. You also get a DVD for no extra charge, their first since the live set at the Metro they put out a few years ago.

The Indiana Daily Student

Busy 'Weekend'

By C. Warner Sills and Brian J. McFillen · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:42 p.m.

Want the review in brief? Bloc Party's A Weekend In The City is a clear-cut example of the "ambitious second album" -- both in its failings and its successes. Access to greater studio resources has resulted in a grander, more sophisticated sound … along with some fussiness and a diluting of the raw electricity seen in the band's 2005 debut, Silent Alarm. Meanwhile, frontman Kele Okereke's painfully sincere lyrics address every concern he has ever had -- oftentimes with vibrant imagery and sharp phrasing, but occasionally dropping a groan-worthy clunker. There are moments that hew a little too close to Silent Alarm, and others that point to a blazingly bright future -- in short, it's not perfect, but promising.

The Indiana Daily Student

Horror on the farm

By C. Warner Sills and Brian Hettmansperger · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:41 p.m.

Take equal parts "The Sixth Sense" and "The Birds." Add in "The Shining" and garnish with Grant Wood's painting "American Gothic," and you have yourself a tasty horror cocktail called "The Messengers." "The Messengers" opens with the Solomon family moving from Chicago to North Dakota to begin new lives as sunflower farmers. There's the obligatory teen female lead Jess (Kristen Stewart), the overly optimistic father Roy (Dylan McDermott), the doubting mother Denise (Penelope Ann Miller) and the mute little brother Ben.

The Indiana Daily Student

Silent Bob finally talks

By C. Warner Sills and Brian Hettmansperger · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:39 p.m.

Without Kevin Smith, "Catch and Release" would have just been romantic without the comedy. "Catch" is the story of Gray Wheeler (Jennifer Garner) putting her life back together after the sudden death of her fiancé. Co-starring Kevin Smith as the best friend and Juliette Lewis as the kooky ex, the movie has a formula for success. After Grady's death, Gray begins learning about secrets from his past, including a 4-year-old kid he's been supporting. After the money stops because of Grady's death, the mother of the child (Lewis) crashes Gray's life and sets up shop in a hotel close to Gray's house. She begins coming over and we learn about her quirky behavior and her kid's desire to destroy almost everything. Among all this chaos, Gray begins falling for Fritz, the sleazy guy from the funeral.

The Indiana Daily Student

The good-looking 'German'

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Wednesday, Feb. 7,2007 11:37 p.m.

The year 2006 was an interesting one for director Steven Soderbergh's filmmaking experiments. Last January saw the release of "Bubble," Soderbergh's indie gem that spanned multiple release formats yet still went relatively unnoticed. In December, Soderbergh unveiled "The Good German," his throwback to old noirs of the 1940s using only equipment available at that time in history. "German," based on the World War II thriller from novelist Joseph Kanon, takes Soderbergh favorite George Clooney as Jake Geismer and sends him to the Potsdam conference as a military journalist covering the meeting of the "Big Three" after Germany's fall. Driven around the ashes of Berlin by Tully (Tobey Maguire, who should stick to playing Spider-Man and not attempting to speak German), Geismer stumbles upon America's plot to transport ex-Nazi scientists out of Germany to begin building bombs for the forthcoming Cold War with Russia; all the while Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett), the wife of one of the dead scientists, wants to escape the rubble of her homeland.

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