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Wilson and Chan bide time in latest buddy pic

By Ryan McAdams · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

For all the bizarre charm of Owen Wilson, even he cannot transcend the flavorless environment of "Shanghai Knights." All of the elements from the first film ("Shanghai Noon") remain: the throwaway references to pop-culture (this is one of the most gloriously anachronistic films ever), the ingenuity involved in setting up rather boring fight scenes and the one-man band of Owen Wilson, who appears to believe that if he beats his drum loud enough, eventually all will begin to dance with him.

Former Kirkwood members reform as new performing duo

By Jamieson Hawkins · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

There is an old saying, "The family that plays together stays together." This seems the perfect catch phase for the many bands in the music industry that have done just that, combining the talents of multiple family members into one musical group. Cases in point: The Jackson Five, The Allman Brothers, the Everly Brothers and even the fictitious Blues Brothers. Back stage opportunities for brotherly bonding probably played a huge role in the internal maintenance and professional longevity of these groups.

Juliana Theory sounds impossibly unoriginal

By -Val Tsoutsouris · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

That the Greensburg, Pa. quintet The Juliana Theory called on Jerry Harrison to produce its major-label debut, Love, says it all. That's because Harrison, the former Talking Heads guitarist, has made a name for himself as a producer of bands trying to sell out arenas and still maintain reputations of serious artists. In other words, he produces U2 wannabes. Many of them, including Live and Creed, are vaguely Christian, and none of them dare show a sense of humor for fear they won't be regarded as "important" artists. Just look at some of the bands Harrison has produced: Live, Creeper Lagoon, Josh Joplin Group, Stroke 9, Crash Test Dummies...all bred for arenas, they would probably form the Lollapalooza lineup in hell.

Punk rock flavored with diverse harmonies

By Jessica Palmer · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Since their single "What a Waster" debuted on the UK pop charts, The Libertines have taken London by storm. Hailed by many a critic as London's answer to The Strokes, this band from East London is quickly gaining notoriety all over Europe. Rock and roll in it's rawest form, The Libertines are essentially a four-piece band of leather-clad, drugged-up rockers. Apparently the band's live shows are hit or miss, but rarely fall short of chaotic. Their debut album, Up the Bracket, suggests more stability, albeit only slightly.

Same 'ol story, different people

By Natalie A. Trout · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Man gets paid to take out woman. Plan fails when he falls for her. She finds out, gets angry and gets over it. Haven't moviegoers seen this before over and over again? It's been done before, and apparently it's still popular among screenwriters because the latest LL Cool J flick, "Deliver Us From Eva" is exactly like other movies we've seen in this genre.

Read collaborates with actors for spoken word

By Michael Tapscott and Mike Tapscott · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

As a boy, with a boyish imagination, I spent my nights in bed listening to readings of "Moby Dick," "The Chronicles of Narnia," "The Red Badge of Courage" and many others on my mini tape deck. As I think back on those romantic days now, I imagine hearing that famous first line of "Moby Dick," "Call me Ishmael," and I swear that I hear the sound of seagulls swarming around the docks for scraps from the enormous wooden ships and the narrator saying "Argh!" before he delivered his most personal information.

Making sure cupid's arrow hits the target

By Jennifer Mehalik · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and generally guys and gals have different ideas on how they should spend the evening with that special someone. For girls, Valentine's Day can be a time when they can get dressed up, go out to eat at a fancy restaurant, receive flowers or other presents and see where the romantic night will take them. Guys, on the other hand, might rather have their Valentine's Day be a low-key affair. Their idea for a good night could consist of eating in and just hanging out, which may be cheaper than going out on the town. Of these two scenarios, one doesn't have to be Dr. Phil to figure out which one will emerge the victor. Valentine's Day is an event for the girls.

Shakira, you kiss your mother with that mouth

By Seth Forster · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Despite what MTV and tons of other stupid public service announcements tell you, voting is NOT the best way to make sure your voice is heard. Singing is. I figured this out not too long ago when wondering why it is that the singers of the past 10-15 years seem so forgettable. Wasn't grunge just lazy, recycled punk? Weren't all the roots rockers just echoing the voices of the past? And wasn't "mainstream" music just as bad in the past? All this seems valid, so why is it that there are maybe 10 memorable singers of the past decade?

The Great Divide: Concerts on and off campus

By Ryan Allen · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Strange things have been going on in the Bloomington live music scene, and by strange I mean upsetting, or possibly disturbing. There seems to be a dichotomy of some degree between University/Union Board concerts and off-campus concerts. Granted, there are many people who do not know or even care about what concerts are where in Bloomington. I know this because I've been to several where I thought that attendance was surprisingly lacking. Or maybe it's just me? Or maybe it's because advertising is limited to flyers on cluttered kiosks and on the jumbled bulletin boards of local record stores.

Noyce's film nearly flaw-proof

By by Isaac Edwards and Isaac Edwards · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Returning to his Outback homeland, big budget director Phillip Noyce ("The Bone Collector") has given us "Rabbit-Proof Fence," a film of understated power and beauty, delving into a still raw period of Australian history concerning their indigenous people, the Aborigines. From 1905 to 1971, the Australian government sanctioned the kidnapping of "half-caste" children, who came from Aboriginal-white marriages, and placed them in institutes where they could be "domesticated," or white-washed, depending on your particular spin. Today, these children are known as the Stolen Generations.

Trick-or-Treat: Cheap Trick brings legendary rock stylings to Bloomington

By Seth Forster · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

About 25 years ago, Cheap Trick released one of the most successful live albums in rock history. Though they had already released several albums, now classics "Cheap Trick," "In Color" and "Heaven Tonight," it wasn't until "Live at Budokan" that one of the most important power-pop bands got the attention it deserved in the U.S. The band exploded after that with its hook-laden, hard-rock tunes and tongue-in-cheek attitudes.

Brody magnificent in Holocaust film as 'The Pianist'

By Mike D’Avria · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Every year there are a few Holocaust films that come out, but don't leave a lasting impression. With the exception of memorable films like "Schindler's List," and "Life is Beautiful," many of these films about the Nazi persecution of the Jewish people leave the theater and are soon forgotten. Roman Polanski's new film "The Pianist," is one film that will not be forgotten, and is truly one of the best films of this past year.

Down the old mainstream

By Michael Tapscott and Mike Tapscott · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

On a day in which the imminent terror status at home was elevated to high, anything short of blood on the stage was going to seem irrelevant. That was precisely the presence of The Nicotones on the night of their release party for their newest EP, You Got It Raw. Though hardly a beacon of the populous, Saturday night at Rhino's was not a symbol of the new disenfranchised youth, it was of the blinded, non-involved and conservative suburbanites.

Remarkable acting, pretentious movie

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

"Igby Goes Down" opened to predominantly favorable reviews this past fall. Unfortunately, few of us read anymore, and as such, the film left town within a week or two of its Bloomington debut. "Igby," while pretentious, is a good little flick worth checking out now that it's available on DVD.

'Orta' graphics superior in battle scenes

By Neal Meyer · Thursday, Feb. 13,2003 12 a.m.

Sega's "Panzer Dragoon" series originally appeared on the Sega Saturn console, which means it was played by about a dozen people. Fortunately, those 12 people are fans of the ravenous and loyal variety, prompting Sega to bring "Panzer Dragoon Orta" to the Xbox. What Sega has created is a beautifully crafted, surreally imagined and supremely entertaining gaming experience.

Dream job may not be out of reach

By Sean Addington · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 11:58 p.m.

It's something everyone has thought about. Something everyone has dreamed of. That's right: the dream job. These jobs could range from running a business to teaching the next generation of leaders or fulfilling one's major interests. Some of these dreams came from memories from our childhood. Freshman Drew Slentz found his dream in a favorite activity.

Racism: a personal prejudice

By Rory Starks · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 11:57 p.m.

When faced with the slightest bit of racial insensitivity, many of us are quick to blurt out "racist!" and come running from the hills with pitchforks and torches. It is an unfortunate occurrence seen all too often in the news, and most recently, on campus.

Search for grad schools made easy

By Mary DeBrunner · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 11:56 p.m.

Many students are starting to feel frazzled as the month of March approaches. And no, it's not because they have been sitting on the couch, biting their nails, wondering what would happen if the IU basketball team did not make it to the NCAA finals (although some probably have been). Instead, it is because a majority of the application deadlines for graduate schools fall in February or March at the latest.

Pepsi's arm gets a twist

Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 11:56 p.m.

Until Wednesday, Pepsi was finding itself in hot water concerning its double standard for choosing foul-mouthed spokesmen for their products. Last year, the company decided to "can" a spot featuring rapper Ludacris due to Bill O'Reilly's claim that supporting such an "immoral" artist would force him to urge his viewers to boycott.

Education students go overseas

By Stacy Ellis · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 11:56 p.m.

Every year IU's School of Education sends 60 to 80 students to one of 10 countries in order to immerse them in a different culture as a teacher, as a student and as an active member of the community. The Cultural Immersion project works to broaden the perspectives of future teachers by adding cultural sensitivity to their credentials in life.