A Roast or an Award Show?

(Originally ran January 23rd, 2011)

Shocking wins and a host aiming for Hollywood’s jugular drove The Golden Globes to new heights. “The Social Network” ruled the movie section of the award ceremony while the television show “Glee” dominated its competition.

Hearts were broken and there were tons of toss-ups and near misses in this year’s awards. With host Ricky Gervais opening with, “It’s going to be a night of partying and heavy drinking—or as Charlie Sheen calls it: breakfast,” the awards were off to an interesting start.

The ceremony started with Christian Bale (“The Dark Knight,” “American Psycho” and “The Machinist”) receiving his first major acting award with his supporting role in “The Fighter.” Bale was able to keep his cool this time around when mentioning his wife, contrary to two nights ago at The Critic’s Choice Awards.

“The Social Network” started their reign as they grabbed the award for Best Original Score, composed by Trent Reznor and his partner Atticus Ross. Seconds later Reznor expressed his shock through Twitter using what some may consider inappropriate language. “The Social Network” also snagged a globe for Best Screenplay taking it away from “Inception” and “127 Hours.”

As the night progressed, “The Fighter’s” Melissa Leo received an award for her supporting role in the film, which is based on the true story of boxer Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and his struggle to become pro in the 1980s.

Though most have not gone out of their way to see it, “In a Better World” won Best Foreign Language Film, based in Denmark, and centers on two risky Danish families.

“Burlesque” beat out Disney’s “Tangled and “Chronicles of Narnia” for Best Original Song.

Another shocking win for the night was Chris Colfer from “Glee,” who was extremely surprised about his win for his supporting role. Colfer was barely able to put words together as he happily accepted the award and spoke out against bullying in schools.

“Glee” continued to conquer as they collected awards in Best Supporting Actress and Best TV Series: Comedy or Musical.

“The Big Bang Theory’s” Jim Parsons grabbed Best Actor for TV Series: Comedy or Musical, while “The Big C” took Best Actress for TV Series: Comedy or Musical.

“Boardwalk Empire” took the award for Best TV Series in the drama category breaking AMC’s “Mad Men” winning streak.

Natalie Portman (“Garden State” and “V for Vendetta”) took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress: Drama with her beautiful and breathtaking performance as the troubled ballet dancer Nina Sayers in “Black Swan.” Portman’s role in this film has been receiving rave reviews and she seems to be the front-runner for the Oscar this year.

Colin Firth from “The King’s Speech” snuck in and took home Best Actor: Drama with his role as King George VI of Britain who struggled with a speech impediment.

Best Director went to David Fincher for “The Social Network” which did not come to much of a surprise for most, since he has directed films such as “Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Se7en” and, his most famous, “Fight Club.” Fincher was able to bring Mark Zuckerberg’s journey through the creation of “Facebook” to the silver screen in an understandable and sleek way.

By far the biggest surprise of the evening was what Ricky Gervais got away with saying. All jokes, puns, jabs and insults aside, the acceptance speeches were full of heart as every speaker included a fiancé, husband, wife or kids.

With a cancer-free Michael Douglas strutting onstage and Robert DeNiro cracking a few jokes of his own as he received the Cecil B. DeMille Award, audiences could not help but smile and applaud.

For years now, The Golden Globe winners have been a shoe-in for Oscar nominations,which will be announced Tuesday, Jan. 25.

Coens Stay 'True' to Form

(Originally ran January 16th, 2011)

The latest from the legendary Coen Brothers is "True Grit," a story full of gunpowder, gore and unexpected giggles. With a stellar cast, outstanding script and their trademark style, "True Grit" is sure to be a shoe-in for Oscar nominations this February.

The story of "True Grit" is centered around a 14-year-old girl named Mattie Ross, played by Hailee Steinfeld, who vows revenge after her father is killed in cold blood by Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). She hires U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to track down Chaney, but not without her assistance. The unlikely duo runs into Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) and together the trio travel through Indian Territory in the fall of 1877 on a search for Chaney and The Pepper Gang.

The Coen Brother's style is written and displayed all over this movie. From scenes filled with fresh, fluid and interesting dialogue, a scene merely consisting of talk about horse trading, to the scenes drenched with suspense as the audience waits to see if Cogburn will be able to take down a criminal from miles away with nothing but a rifle and one eye.

Bridges and Damon play off each other as if they have acted in countless movies before, but Steinfeld is truly the one who shocks the crowd. She holds her own and often steals the scene from veterans Damon and recent Oscar winner Bridges.

Although Steinfeld is the star, Bridges and Damon bring a comedic and, at times, serious feel to the movie. Brolin brings something new to the screen, coming from an all around tough guy from the Coens' film "No Country for Old Men" back in 2007, to a bumbling killer in "True Grit." He shows he is not going to be a typecast actor with a lot more to offer than just good looks.

Though it is strange to see the Coens take on the western, a genre which seemed all but dead in recent years, they bring it to life with superb directing, allowing this adaptation to flourish.

Ross is one of the reasons this movie is not just a straight gun-toting Western, but a movie with a mind and soul. Seeing a 14-year-old girl, especially in the 1800s, act so strong and self-reliant is a shock. She never backs down, even against aggressors more than three times her age. She has the tenacity of an old soul trapped in the body of a girl. This may have seemed like an extremely difficult role for someone so young to take on, but 14-year-old Steinfeld masters the role beautifully.

"True Grit" is based on Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name. However, unlike the John Wayne vehicle of 1969, the Coens truly bring the novel to life for the first time, utilizing much of the original dialogue of the novel and allowing actors to pull off some interesting stunts. They are able to display their trademark of dark comedy, particularly in a scene where Damon gets a bit "tongue-tied."

Their use of humor really helps the audience feel more for the characters and hope everyone accomplishes their goals in the end. Through it all, the audience is part of the journey. The Coens are able to grab the audience by throwing in words or phrases that probably have not been heard in decades. Such as "poke" which means a sack or "let it knit" which would mean to let something heal on its own. These little splashes of legitimacy thrust the viewer back into a lost time and was done perfectly.

"True Grit" may not be on the top of everyone's list, but it definitely needs to be. A heavy-hitting cast, phenomenal directors and a fresh look at an old Western story to boot, this movie will not allow itself to be overlooked.

"True Grit" receives a 9 out of 10.

The 'Deathly" Beginning of the End

(Originally ran November 21st, 2010)

As hundreds of fans from all over the region crammed into the AMC theatre in Schererville, Ind. to see "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," it started to dawn on them: Harry Potter is almost over.

Some fans even started to countdown to the beginning of the movie, which debuted at midnight Nov. 19. "Five minutes!" exclaimed a group of fans, decked out in Harry Potter apparel from scarves and robes, to scars and glasses. As the theatre grew dark and the trailers ran their course, squeals of excitement and dire anticipation rose to a startling level.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," takes the trio of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) , Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ronald Weasley (Rupert Grint) out of Hogwarts and into the real world. After their safety nets are destroyed, the trio realizes how very real and very scary this world is getting. Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), the evil wizard who has been after Harry since he was a baby, is looking for one of the Deathly Hallows, a gift from the Grim Reaper. Meanwhile, Harry and his friends trek out to find and destroy items called Horcruxes, which each hold part of Voldemort's being. By destroying these Horcruxes, they destroy part of the otherwise immortal Voldemort.

While in line, some fans chimed in their feelings about their beloved franchise reaching its end.

"I'm going to die," lamented one Potter fan, Christina Terry. She has been a fan ever since third grade and has been to every single midnight showing of the film, so it is easy to see her love for the franchise.

"It's really sad. I really like this series because the [whole thing] just comes to life on screen," said Leslie Lopez, who became a fan of the movies before the books. The turnout for the midnight showing was impressive as they filled five theatres with about 1,000 Harry Potter fanatics.

Since this is the beginning of the end for the franchise, all the actors and actresses pulled out the big guns. The best example is Rupert Grint, who took his performance to new heights as Ronald Weasley. Usually seen in most of the movies as the comic relief or the shy red-head with not much input or say, this time around he adds an air of jealousy to his otherwise comedic role, showing distrust in his friends who seem to be getting too chummy for his tastes.

Along with Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe show off their acting prowess as well. One scene in the film deals with Hermione having to tie up a few loose ends in her family, which is incredibly moving and, although it was not in the book, allows viewers to have more feeling towards Hermione as she usually just comes off as a know-it-all. Daniel Radcliffe also has a big scene and left the entire audience sniffling and grabbing for tissue.

However, the kids are not the only ones who stood out in the cast; the adults were nothing short of amazing. Helen Bonham Carter, who plays sadistic dark wizard Bellatrix Lestrange, causes the audience to cringe and snarl whenever she makes an appearance on the screen. Ralph Fiennes proved once again why his Voldemort is one of the greatest villains to grace the silver screen.

All other technical aspects of the film continue to improve on the high standards set by the franchise. The CGI of the creatures in this film are amazing and more life-like, especially those used to create Dobby, who was last seen in the "Chamber of Secrets" helping Harry Potter throughout his 2nd year at Hogwarts.

The locations in this film are not only breathtaking, but spot-on as they make the characters seem so small in this enormous world crumbling around them. David Yates, third time Potter director, took aspects of the book and seamlessly placed them into the movie without making it seem clustered or dull.

The three heroes have grown up since their first time on screen, and it is apparent this is not a children's film. There were scenes uncomfortable even for 20-year-olds to see, as well as some sensuality involved.

These films have grown darker over time and show no signs of stopping. Within the fantasy genre, it would seem like an impossible task to gain acceptance of fans and non-fans with an all-conclusive movie, but Yates pulls it off.

Since the action was mainly withheld for Part 2, the raw emotion is what pulled the audience through until the end of the movie. The cliff-hanger leaves audiences in a dark and hopeless place, and it could not have been a more perfect start to close such a beloved franchise—by making the audience sob into their popcorn.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" receives a 9 out of 10.

What's the Deal with GMail?

(Originally ran October 3rd, 2010: News Article)

As most students of PUC may have noticed, Netmail is no longer used. As of Sept. 24, all PUC students automatically had their student e-mail accounts switched over to Gmail.

The problem is whether students know how to use it.

"I haven't been receiving certain e-mails," student Paige Roby said. "I had to change my password five times. I like it better than Netmail, but it could use a few tweaks."

As for the layout of the user homepage, some students already familiar with Gmail like the design, but others find it too complex.

 "All the features are cool, but I don't need it. Personally, I like things to be simple. I don't need a chat thing," said Student Inlaing Theng.

Martin Morales, a computer operator in Computer Technology and Information Services, had some answers for students having problems with their Gmail accounts.

"There has been some lack of communication," Morales admitted from the get-go.

He went on to mention most students or staff workers seem to have the biggest problems since they have to reset their passwords every 30 days. This caused at least a five hour time span for the Netmail accounts to get transferred to the Gmail accounts.

Most thought it was going to happen automatically and called in with confusion or complaints. Some were also confused when they noticed the "purdue.calumet.edu" was not needed when logging into the Gmail account. Morales shed some light on the situation.

"We wanted to be clearly viewed as a separate of Purdue University so the PUC e-mail addresses now end in ‘purduecal.edu,'" Morales said.

Many at PUC may be wondering why the switch was made. Compared to Netmail, Gmail is able to hold at least 40 times more space, Meaning a student would not have to constantly delete e-mails to stay under quota. Students will also be able to type up documents and attach them to e-mails easily, without worrying about slowing down their laptop or computer.

Gmail offers a calendar so students can keep up on what assignments are due while checking their e-mail. It also allows a quick and easy way to create a website, which may sound bizarre but could come in handy someday.

It is easy to see why the switch from Netmail to Gmail was made. Since it is mandatory all PUC students now have a Gmail account, if any questions or concerns arise about Gmail accounts, students are encouraged to visit the IS Customer Service Center in Gyte 133. The center can also be reached at 989-2888, or by e-mail at csc@purduecal.edu.

Big Match-Ups Take Shape

(Originally ran October 10th, 2010: Sports Article)

Michelle Mullins Chronicle Correspondent

Flag football heated up during the second week of the intramural season. With the first week in the books, teams were able to get down to business.

PUC Gym Rats vs. Ballz Deep kicked off the week’s games.

When asked about strategies and some weaknesses of the team, Michael Childers of the PUC Gym Rats replied, “We have a good defense, and last week was our first time playing together as a team, so we just need more familiarity.”

The defense of the Gym Rats showed against Ballz Deep as they forced many incomplete passes. With their strong defense intact, the final score ended with PUC Gym Rats taking a win at 42-35.

Tension ran high as some trash talk was directed towards the PUC Gym Rats by two members from the 119 Boyz.

“We were just cheering for our friends and they got mad,” Michael Halajcsik of 119 Boyz said.

119 Boyz faced off against Showtime later in the night and dominated with a score of 49-17. Nov. 1 looks to be an interesting night when 119 Boyz face off against the PUC Gym Rats in what has now become an instant rivalry.

Other match-ups saw the Final Four (previously known as Fantasik 4) win against Team Name by a 63-28 margin.

Why So Serious scored a victory as well against Island Limin, 49-0.

The night was filled with total knock outs, showing some teams are starting to find their strengths and laying down some serious strategy.

The highlight of the night was the match between Captain Kurt and PUC Bears. Smart plays and quick moves scored Captain Kurt the victory in a 49-0 shutout. Ben Moul explained how the team was able to bounce back after their loss last week.

“We had some big plays, but made a lot of mistakes last week, so this week we decided to go big and cut out mistakes,” Moul said.

According to Moul, Captain Kurt checked up on the standings before the match and found PUC Bears lost last week. They hoped this meant they would have the opportunity to win, Moul said.

The team consists of engineering students. They admit their appearances may trick you, but these guys mean business.

“We’ll be here next week,” Moul said. “Serving up losses.”

This Case Should Have Stayed Closed

(Originally ran October 17th)

Movies like the 1976 “The Omen” and “Orphan” from 2009 make it hard for “Case 39” to break out of the shell of “innocent child gone evil.” With poor acting and predictable twists, this movie barely puts up a fight to be notable, becoming lost in the paperwork.

“Case 39” follows the story of Emily Jenkins (Renée Zellweger), a social worker who takes on the case of Lillith Sullivan (Jodelle Ferland). Lillith is a young child with abusive parents and is soon taken away and put into the care of Emily. As the days pass with this child in her home, Emily feels something is a little off with this girl.

As the story progresses, we see Lillith’s true intentions and personality take shape. Emily is tormented throughout the movie by various close encounters with death and emotional torture. Emily seeks help from her friends Doug (Bradley Cooper) and Detective Barron (Ian McShane), but all attempts seem useless against Lillith’s strange presence.

Some credit must be given to Ferland’s performance, coming from movies like “The Messengers” and “Silent Hill,” she already has the “creepy girl” factor down. Though, in this, she was able to stand out due to more effective dialogue and range than any of the other actors in the movie. The audience is able to see her transform into this creature one second and jump back into the guise of an innocent little girl the next. One scene between Lillith and Doug is played out so well the audience can feel the uncomfortable tension grow as Lillith shows her true colors, causing Doug to be put in a very tight situation.

One good performance was not enough to keep this movie up to par, though. Zellweger was unconvincing and annoying at times. Her character had little to no dimension, causing her performance to fall through and come off as a joke. One moment she is swearing up a storm and finally showing some guts, the next she is cowering under a bed and crying her eyes out.

The storyline was anything but original and the CGI was laughable at times. Some scenes even dragged on for what seemed like hours. Though some scenes were pretty brutal and even shocking at one point, some happened so fast it was almost unclear as to what exactly happened. One scene in particular left the audience wondering if a person had really died or not, which, if anything, should be the clearest aspect of a horror movie. As for the CGI, the hornets taunting Cooper’s character looked more like giant flies. These hornets then gathered on his back and took on the shape of a giant black blob rather than a nest of hornets.

This movie’s trailers were completely different from the concept of the movie, which causes a bit of confusion as the film starts to roll. The concept from the trailers involves a young girl haunted by demons that follow her wherever she goes, but the theme for the movie is really the girl herself is not what she seems. Granted, there will be some scenes from the trailers which will not be in the film, but at least 50-60 percent of the footage was not in the movie. If the advertisements had been publicized more, this would have been a much bigger problem.

A horror movie at this level of mediocrity does not need to be nearly two hours long either. It may have something to do with the inclusion of what feels like an alternate ending, or maybe it is because the audience could see the twists coming from a mile away.

Either way, “Case 39” should have been left in the filing cabinet.

“Case 39” receives a 4 out of 10.

'Skyline' Miles Below the Rest

(Originally ran November 14th, 2010)

 "Skyline" has an interesting, however unoriginal, story with some thought-provoking dialogue. However, it still manages to fall flat, due to lackluster performances and hokey CGI well-suited for a Redbox straight-to-DVD rental. These faults prove this outing, from the Strause brothers, to be painfully forgettable.

The film revolves around a group of people trapped in Los Angeles as hordes of citizens are harvested by alien invaders. Jarrod, played by Eric Balfour, is stuck in a luxurious apartment complex with his girlfriend, Elaine (Scottie Thompson), Denise (Crystal Reed), his best friend Terry (Donald Faison) and Terry's girlfriend, Candice (Brittany Daniel). After a late night partying, the group is awoken by strange lights shining brightly through the curtain. As one man is pulled towards the light, strange markings start to appear around his eyes and all over his entire body and then,in the blink of an eye, he is gone. This sets off a chain of events that send this group of people on a mission for survival.

This movie's biggest faults are how easily things are forgotten and how poorly they are explained. The visuals are a step above SyFy channel movies,but there is still a huge gap between this movie and movies such as Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds." When the audience does finally get its first glimpse of the alien creatures, they are surrounded by strange unflattering waves,makingit difficult to make out what they really look like.

The film also suffers from poor performances and overacting. Numerous characters end up screaming in the movie and all of them seem forced or overdone to the point where some members of the audience whinedfor the characters to shut up.

Though the acting may have been dreadful, the dialogue was not. The dialogue had substance and meaning, but the actors and actresses just were not giving it their all—or did not know how to. Jumping from dialogue to the overall story, one would think the two were written by separate people. The dialogue of the script should have shared some of its spunk with the story, since thisis where the film lacked immensely.

The movie is about survival. It shares its cookie cutter plot with a host of other alien invasion movies, and it has simply been done better. In a vain attempt to give the movie more substance, there are two obligatory scenes in which we find out what happens to the victims of the alien invasion. These scenes make an attempt to give purpose for the invasion, but it is never completely clear. While the audience is pondering the reason why the aliens are here, they are constantly dealing with characters dying, and Elaine being extremely irritating, with her overly dramaticyelling and flailing of limbs.

Movies like "Skyline" are easily forgotten because more time was spent on trying to dazzle folks than working on a unique and memorable storyline. The trailermay have pulled audiences in, but the poor story and mediocre acting sent them plummeting away.

"Skyline" receives a 5 out of 10

The Musical and Moving Nocturnes

(Originally Ran November 7th, 2010)

Not every renowned author can strike gold with each novella or short story they create. This is the issue with Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall.” It is innocent and creative by showing, while all in first person, how music impacts five lives in both negative and positive cases, but becomes rough around the edges when it comes to connecting with an everyday reader.

“Crooner,” the first short story of the novel, takes place in Venice, Italy and consists of a young Polish musician who runs into an American singer who happens to be an idol of his. He is soon convinced to join this man in an attempt to impress his own wife. This whole situation seems too amazing to proceed as easily as planned and ends up doing exactly that.

The second story “Come Rain or Come Shine” deals with an English teacher visiting his old college friends in London, England. Little does he know he is walking into a couple on the verge of breaking up and is being forced to solve their problems, with about two days to do it.

“Malvern Hills” is the third short story and stars a young guitarist who leaves London, England after a failed attempt of joining a band. He proceeds to stay with his sister and her husband in the Malvern countryside and gets a job at their café. Along the way he meets a Swiss couple who allow him to see a new side of his musical talent.

“Nocturne” begins with a saxophonist in the Beverly Hills hotel in California after facial plastic surgery. His neighbor happens to be a character from a previous story and they embark on a strange journey involving awards and yummy roasted turkey.

“Cellists,” the last story, involves a Hungarian cellist who meets a fellow cellist who is not all she is marked up to be.

Though Ishiguro seems to have a lot of work on his hands, he deals with it efficiently and gives the characters depth. He does in 30 pages what some authors cannot do in 200 by adding back story and feeling to every character. He even goes from the present to the past in “Cellists” and does it without breaking a sweat or creating any plot holes. Ishiguro’s descriptive eye shined bright in every single story, allowing the reader to feel like they were seeing everything through the narrator’s eyes. One example comes from “Malvern Hills” when the main character sees two people standing in front of the sunset and their faces are barely visible, then when they step closer and allow the sun to hit their faces he can make out who they are. He managed not to overpower the reader with too many descriptive details, avoiding mundane descriptions of what every blade of grass looked like or what every color in the sky portrayed.

Being realistic is not the flaw of this novel, as it falls short in its clarity, not its realism. In “Malvern Hills” it feels like the reader had to stop and pull out a map to understand exactly where the story is taking place. Speaking about places like Herefordshire, Table Hill, End Hill and Worcester got confusing, but he did manage to take the best option—getting the details out of the way sooner rather than later to avoid confusing the reader throughout the story.

Seeing past the flaws of this collection is easy enough since it never seemed to drag. After the first story, the reader quickly becomes addicted, reading to see how all of these stories will tie together. Each story has a tone of desperation hovering about it each person has revelations of being understood and heard. Though the reasons behind their destined goal may seem clever or ill-spirited, they all want to make an impact somehow. Some had to be dragged around and pulled out of their shells to understand how to move forward, but in the end they all had a lesson learned.

Ishiguro’s extra spice of detail and realism make this piece of work an addictive read, even if it might not grab the casual reader’s attention.

“Nocturnes: Fives Stories of Music and Nightfall” receives an 8 out of 10.

Kamikaze Girls Cut Loose In PUC

(Originally ran October 24th, 2010)

“Kamikaze Girls,” a Japanese film, was a smash hit last week shown as the third film of the International Film Series (IFS). IFS Director Steven Lombardo said, “It’s like Laverne & Shirley on acid.”

“Kamikaze Girls,” a film filled with gags, bright colors and a main character taking flight every now and then, felt heavily rooted in Japanese cultures at some points, but still earned laughs and tears from the audience.

IFS allows students, student groups and faculty to bring world cinema to campus and expose it to the community.

“These are films that do not get shown in big cinema, but are world renowned and Oscar winning films,” Lombardo said. “We have the National Honor Society presenting films, and even faculty from the History department.”

Though some may be turned off by the fact these films are shown in their original form, with no voice-overs and just subtitles, Lombardo wants students to check them out.

“Some teachers use [IFS] as a required part of a course, and for Philosophy, it has been [used] for extra credit,” Lombardo said. “Students are reluctant at first, but afterwards turn out to be loyal to the films.”

Lombardo is not the only one who helped make IFS blossom into a booming organization. Joshua Travis, the two-year coordinator of IFS, has been “highly instrumental,” Lombardo said, as well as Maria Luisa Garcia-Verdugo, who is the Interim Department Head of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Help also came from the Philosophy Department as Instructors David Turpin and Robin Turpin picked “Kamikaze Girls.” Various other departments, such as Communication and Creative Arts, and Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, also sponsor the series.

“Kamikaze Girls,” directed by Tetsuya Nakashima, follows the story of 17-year-old Momoko Ryugasaki (Kyoko Fukada) as she travels Tokyo to further her expensive Lolita clothes, a Victorian-based fashion. She constantly runs into problems coming up with money and mooches off her gullible father. She is extremely indifferent and strange to others, often dreaming about living in Rococo-era France.

Momoko runs into Ichigo “Ichiko” Shirayuri (Anna Tsuchiya) a “Yanki,” or a delinquent teenager, who is part of a girls-only biker gang, the Ponytails. Even though they are polar opposites, a very strange, but strong, friendship flourishes. As the story continues, the audience follows Momoko and Ichigo as they go on a journey to find an infamous embroiderer. Throughout their search, they have run-ins with gambling, decorative boutiques and epic battles, all keeping the audience glued to their seats. The film ran two hours, but left the audience happy and bursting with applause as the credits rolled.

“Kamikaze Girls” came a long way, starting out as a light novel before going to the silver screen and finally creating a manga, a Japanese comic book. Though a bit of background information is needed to become even more immersed in the film, this does not stop it from getting some well deserved laughs. One such laugh came from Momoko’s reaction to a local telling her to shop at what she referred to as a “supermarket.”

The next film in the “Japanese Cinema” theme, “Unlucky Monkey” directed by the cyberpunk-styled Hiroyuki Tanaka, is Oct. 27 in CLO 110 at 6:30 p.m.

November’s theme will involve films from South America. Each week a Spanish professor will present a movie originating from Peru, Venezuela, Chile and Brazil.

Though it seems heavily led by faculty at the moment, Lombardo encourages students to throw in ideas for films to play during the upcoming months.

“Anyone who wants to suggest something is free to do so,” Lombardo said.

Capcom KOs Chi-Town

(Originally run September 26th 2010)



 "How you guys liking Marvel vs. Capcom 3, so far?!" the announcer asked in anticipation. The crowd roared with "woo's" and cries of excitement; giving the announcer the answer he wanted to hear. This was the first group in North America to play the latest build of "Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds" and everyone was certainly thrilled about that. It has been ten years since "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" debuted on the Dreamcast console and the turnout for this "secret" screening for the newest installment was anything short of amazing. As Seth Killian, special advisor to all Capcom fighting titles, stated, "I was blown away."

  About 500 anxious gamers crowded in front of the small lot on Wolcott Ave in Chicago  Wednesday night and more than a few had comments about the event. Although the entire roster has not been released yet, when asked who they would like to see in the game some gamers quibbled over having players from "Godhand," "Megaman" and even "Resident Evil," so they could have a full "Resident Evil" team. Some even made comments about who they were not particularly happy about seeing, such as X-23 from "X-Men" and Amaterasu from "Okami. "Some felt they were grateful to have an event like this happen in Chicago.

 For those who are not familiar with the "Marvel vs. Capcom" series, players can use up to three characters when battling against various characters from the two franchises using their special abilities and fighting styles.  In the latest franchise players are given the option of simple or normal mode. These two modes allow you to either button mash, if you're new to the game, or figure out combos and powerful attacks on your own. The button system is a lot less restricting than previous games and a new option of being able to throw your teammate during a combo allows players to get the maximum amount of hits. Killian eased newcomers' worries though, stating, "Marvel vs. Capcom 2 came out ten years after it had already been in arcades and on Dreamcast so people have basically ten years to practice. So don't be reluctant towards Marvel vs. Capcom 3. It will be more of a level playing field."

 Entering the warehouse the game was debuting in was an experience in itself. Rows of flat screen televisions and PlayStation 3 consoles, hooked up to arcade modules or PS3 controls, and thumping techno music composed of theme songs from characters of Capcom and Marvel, were amazing. Macaroni and cheese pizza was not the coolest thing that was happening in this warehouse - it was the reactions from the gamers themselves.

Though X-23 and Spider-man didn't make an appearance, everyone was pleased with the playable characters thus far. "It's a phenomenal game, fast-paced and fluid controls. It's just phenomenal, but I'm going to have to play more," says Cornell, who has been a fan of the series since the beginning. Gamers had nothing but good things to say about this video game, dropping phrases such as "looked great", "very fluid gameplay" , "graphics look amazing" and "very quick like Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Star." The game's only negative feedback seemed to be how the swapping of characters was a little different and confusing.

People came from all over, some traveling from Ohio or Canada, and started lining up at eight in the morning. "I showed up about four hours early and there were at least 150 to 200 people here," says Killian. When asked why Capcom decided to pick Chicago out of the many cities to showcase this game he replied, "Speaking selfishly, this is my hometown, and we're trying to expand it to places where we know there are gamers who are awesome but they aren't really getting attention all the time." 

Through this "Fight Club," which is  the name these events are going by now, there were various free merchandise given to every gamer ranging from a Captain America t-shirt to Marvel and Capcom shot glasses. It is safe to say that fans of the series went home happy this night, and after a ten-year hiatus, "Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds"will definitely be a crowd pleaser for old fans and new fans alike. "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" is available spring 2011.

Introduction

Hello all!

I should probably be sleeping at this point, but I've decided to take a little advice from my superiors at the newspaper. I'm going to post all of my articles from the first to latest on this page.

Any questions or comments should be placed below or you can simply e-mail me.

I hope that eventually I can cover subjects on this page and on the newspaper as well. :] 

On this page I will be covering a wide variety of topics in pop culture such as video games, movies, books, and albums. Although some of the stories on here will have to do with some campus happenings as well, just as heads up. ;]

Thanks for stopping by!