IUSA

Trapt in nu-metal hell

By Alyson Brodsy and Evan Ross · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

There must be some sort of infernal machine that produces filler band for modern rock radio. First, start with poorly tattooed, pierced-lipped white teenagers from California. Then, add some radio-friendly angst and chugga-chugga guitar riffs. Next comes a dash of "agro-EXTREME" culture right off a Mountain Dew commercial. The final product, after being cooked for a little under 15 minutes, is a bland cookie-cutter nu-metal band. The customer's primary reaction, if said customer is over 14, is to promptly change the station to something else.

These guys have a delicious 'gift'

By Alyson Brodsy and Rob · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Every time I listen to Blackalicious, one thing always catches my attention: the blazing speed at which Gift of Gab raps. There are a lot of performers out there who rap quickly, but Gift of Gab leaves them in the dust. He is like a hip-hop version of that guy who used to do Micro Machine commercials. Also, he doesn't seem to require oxygen like us mortal humans. That is the only way to explain his ability to rap for such long stretches without taking a breath; either that or between takes on The Craft he must have frequently collapsed in an asphyxiated heap.

May I please have some more, Polanski?

By Alyson Brodsy and Doug Evans · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Sure there are a handful of "Oliver Twist" films already in existence, and this recent version merely serves to demonstrate Hollywood's present obsession with remakes of other remakes. But this version of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" has something that puts it over the top that the others did not have: director Roman Polanski.

A movie about Stewie.... Muahaha!

By Alyson Brodsy and Mark Perlman-Price · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

If you're like me and watch 12-16 hours of television a day, you've probably seen many an advertisement for the new "Family Guy" DVD "Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story." If you're really like me and have a DVR that records "Family Guy" on every channel (because it's on at every time of day), then you're probably drooling over this DVD (and probably have already bought it).

A lesson in French filmmaking

By Alyson Brodsy and Chris Wisner · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Jean-Luc Godard's "Masculin féminin" and I have a bit of history together. Long ago in a film class I took, when it came time to study the French new wave, we didn't screen Godard's "Breathless" or Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" -- two of the top films associated with the period. No, instead "Masculin féminin" was shown and for a brief period that night, my idea of cinema was completely altered.

'Flowers' anything but broken

By Alyson Brodsy and Chris Wisner · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

"Broken Flowers" seems like it would make a good metaphor for a lot of director Jim Jarmusch's films. They all seem to be very beautiful and interesting but after time, much like a flower, by the end they've wilted up and died. Going into "Broken Flowers" there were a lot of doubts in my head, mainly since all previous experiences with Jarmusch led to disappointment, but when you've got the genius of Bill Murray in your film, what could possibly be broken is easily fixed.

Sex, sex, sex!

By Alyson Brodsy and Kayleigh Stefanko · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

As a young adult in today's society, I can hardly imagine a time when talking about sex was taboo. But when our parents were our age, a sexual revolution was exploding all around them. "Inside Deep Throat: Theatrical NC-17 Edition" gives our generation the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what a volatile time this was in America. Directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato made an extraordinary documentary that focuses on how and why "Deep Throat" became the touted "most profitable film of all time."

'Wildflower' too flowery, not wild enough

By Alyson Brodsy and Tony Sams · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Adventures in music work in one of two ways: pass or fail. Sometimes they pass, like when Bob Dylan went electric or when Green Day made a rock opera. But most of the time they fail, which is the verdict that must be delivered for Sheryl Crow's latest album, Wildflower; a disappointedly ballad-laden effort that is too flowery and simply not wild enough.

On cell phones and (unnatural) love for cheeseburgers

By Alyson Brodsy and Evan Wade · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

It finally happened the other day. After days (possibly even a week) of eagle-like observation, I found that my theory was true. Note that I am not a scientist, and my "eagle-like observation" basically amounted to me walking to class and occasionally sitting on a campus bench and smoking a cigarette. But still, through my hard work I have found something that will shake the university to its very core: A large portion of the student population has been replaced with marketing robots. Androids. Foul, mechanical things created only to steal our money and pollute our minds with their capitalist gospel.

Becoming a part of the Shot glass Mafia

By Bryan Lufkin and Byran Lufkin · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Aging is all about milestones. Sixteen means getting behind the wheel instead of meeting Mom outside the movie theater to be picked up promptly at eight. Eighteen means living up to your democratic duty and exercising your right to vote. But it's 21 that's arguably the most anticipated among young people in America. While for many 21 is the age that officially represents the transition into adulthood, it also bestows upon millions of college students across the country the right to finally purchase alcoholic beverages legally.

A gory 'history' lesson

By C. Warner Sills and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

While leaving the theater after "A History of Violence" it was apparent to me this film is going to create division with its audience. Some may deem it overly violent and pointless trash. Others may call it a modern-day masterpiece, and some may even leave the theater unsure of how to feel.

The same game as the others

By Alyson Brodsy and Matt McMullan · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Never before has a film mixed class warfare and golf so seamlessly. Then again, there probably aren't a lot of options for that choice. "The Greatest Game Ever Played" is a classic underdog story, in the same vein as "The Match of their Lives," "Miracle," "Cinderella Man," "Seabiscuit" and every other "cellar dweller-to-champion" movie you've ever seen. That's not to say it's bad, though. Any flick that can make one of the most mind-numbingly boring spectator sports halfway interesting deserves recognition.

Rossdale takes us back a decade

By Alyson Brodsy and Josh Kastrinsky · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

In 1997, I chose to see Bush over Beck for my 13th birthday. Beck's music has endured longer, but Bush was the essence of cool for many teenagers at the time. Those years were a great time for alt-rock, but the last few have been rough on Gavin Rossdale. One of the biggest post-grunge rock stars in the world ten years ago with Bush, Rossdale is now best known as Mr. Gwen Stefani, a decade after his former band's premiere, Sixteen Stone.

Inside Mix drops beats in Bloomington

By Holly Pilewski · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Think back to your junior year in high school. If you were like most kids, you were probably going to high school football games on Friday nights, starting the college search and driving everywhere you could because your license was still new. Unlike most high school students, current IU sophomore Dan Stevens was starting a business. He was taking an idea and making it a reality.

We are all disturbed

By -Sam Johnston and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Are you "Down with the Sickness?" When you hear the name David Draiman do you immediately think of the signature growl he does in many of more popular Disturbed songs? If you answered yes to either of the above, then you're more than likely a Disturbed fan. Disturbed, the Chicago-based four-piece band, is finally back with a new bassist in tow after a little over three years in the studio. Their newest release Ten Thousand Fists is an excellent illustration of a band taking their past successes and building on them to ultimately form a solid album.

You may not want to find 'home'

By Alyson Brodsy and Brian Janosch · Thursday, Oct. 6,2005 12 a.m.

Let's be honest, there are few people in American history who have a better story to tell than Bob Dylan. For the greater part of a decade, Dylan seemed to have a toe in almost every social pool, and that chunk of time (early to mid-1960s) is the sole focus of Martin Scorsese's new DVD "No Direction Home." When you team up one of the greatest living storytellers with one of the greatest living stories, it's impossible not to get a hit. The documentary travels from Robert

The death of Alan Matheney

By Alyson Brodsy and Peter Chen · Wednesday, Oct. 5,2005 11:49 p.m.

Alan Matheney died at 12:27 a.m. Sept. 28. Sixteen years earlier, an Indiana jury convicted and sentenced Matheney for a brutal and unforgivable crime: bludgeoning his ex-wife, Lisa Bianco, to death with a shotgun. His last-minute appeals were passed over, and after admitting remorse for his crimes, he was executed by lethal injection. He became the fifth person executed in Indiana this year, the most in a single year in since the state resumed the death penalty in 1977.

IU Student Association speaks out to students

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Oct. 5,2005 11:47 p.m.

The IU Student Association has always been a controversial group. As the representative body of the students of IU, it is in a position of great debate and great potential. IUSA represents the students' concerns and must address them accordingly. When an issue is raised, it is IUSA that must confront the administration and trustees to further the students' interests. With this, I believe IUSA to be making great strides toward a relevant and aggressive student governance organization.

Exporting the American dream

By Alyson Brodsy and Kirk Nathanson · Wednesday, Oct. 5,2005 11:46 p.m.

Today I want to try something new. We're going to play "The Shoes Game." Don't know the rules? Don't worry. They're simple and go like this: Look around and find someone else's shoes. Next, put them on.

Are you too rich?

By Alyson Brodsy and Deara Ball · Wednesday, Oct. 5,2005 11:45 p.m.

Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be rich. I don't mean rich with family and friends or spiritually rich, I mean literally, Donald Trump, cold, hard cash rich. I'm not crying poverty or even asking for charity. I just want to know what it's like to be able to buy a designer purse that costs more than my 1991 Dodge Shadow and not blink an eye. For those lucky few who are oozing with Benjamins, I can only ask the question: Where do you draw the line from being rich to being excessively rich? When does it all become too much?