Graduation and beyond
As one of four graduating seniors on the Red Skies staff, I wrote about my experience at Salem State and what's going to happen after all this is over.
Two weeks are all that separate us graduating seniors from the real world. Sure, we’ve had a taste of it, living on our own in the dorm rooms or apartments, having jobs during school and during the summer. Having narrowly avoided the real world by making it into college, I had armed myself with plans: plans for jobs, plans for grad school, plans for my own apartment. However, despite these well-laid plans, I find that I’m starting to question my real world skills. Although I can brag about having read excerpts of world literature and write a great research paper the night before it’s due, I’m not sure these are exactly marketable skills.
Any state college offers an English degree, and Salem State happened to be just far enough away from home that I didn’t feel too dependant, but I could still get some laundry done. My first semester, the balance between school and work slipped, as I spent final exams, which always seem to coincide with the insane holiday shopping season, in a state of madness that I’ve never reached again.
By my sophomore and junior years, I began to find a balance here at Salem State College. This year, I managed to wrap up my course load without much trouble-although I went over allowed credit load each semester, although I never got near the lunacy of junior year, when I held down over 20 credits. In addition to my school work and my job, which I held steadily from sophomore year ‘til the store’s unexpected closure this March, I managed to find time to partake in a few activities. Usually I’m not much one for the extra-curriculars, but I found a place for myself at Arnis, a martial art that originated in the Philippines borrowing and adapting from other martial arts, typically practiced with two sticks.
Days, semesters, courses fade together now as I look back, though a few events stand out to me. First year, after that horrible holiday season, I realized that I hadn’t stopped to take a breath from work and school since I started working at 14, so I took a summer off and reassessed my reasons for working. The summer of sophomore year, I lived off croissants and jus d’orange in Quebec City, and learned that cell phones, and cars, and rushing around are not required ingredients in a decent life. I found that plans aren’t the best way to do things; just wandering around the city led to some of my best experiences there. Junior year, I found the courage to don sweatpants and go see why all of these students were walking around with sticks.
The recent tragedy in Virginia brought home how lucky I am to have so many great classmates and professors, many of whom I’ve known for several years. I look forward to calling these professors by their first names soon.
Just like with acting, for every writer earning their bread at by actually writing, there are 99 writers who earn their bread waiting tables. I know if I get a job in publishing for the first few years, I’ll be judged by my WPM and skill at remembering coffee orders instead of any independent thinking skills I might have. I might not get to fulfill all my plans for a while, but I think that my time at Salem State has helped me on my way.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
EBMCB-Don't you wanna be cool?
The East Boston Make-out Club Band
“Heavy metal with a ukulele, acoustic guitar instead of electric, no drums or bass,” is how Davina Yannetty, one half of The East Boston Make Out club band describes their music.
The East Boston Make-Out Band is a fresh new sound on the Boston music scene, with Davina typically on ukulele, and Heather Mumford, the other half of the EBMOCB, on guitar and percussion. The girls have gone from performing at a friend’s birthday party to headlining gigs at TT the bears and performing across the state at UkaPalooza, a music festival celebrating one of the most underrated instruments.
Their singles include such gems as “Better”, “You Can’t be a Stalker Without binoculars”, and “Adolfo Never Called Me”. “Adolfo” is an upbeat sounding tune about a real life encounter with a date with a DJ from WBCN that recently prompted some On-air drama (and free publicity for the band). With an increasing fan base and repertoire, the girls rarely have downtime, but they spared some time to talk about their band with one lucky reporter.
In Heather’s drafty but charming house in Roxbury, Davina, Heather, and I all sat together and I scribbled furiously in my notebook while the band chattered and enjoyed some lentils.
Melissa: What is the East Boston Make-out club really about?
Davina: Tonsil hockey
Heather: And justice
Melissa: I know from your Myspace profile that I’m not supposed to ask, but East Boston Make-Out Club Band?
Davina: Yeah. That’s who we are.
Heather: People think about our name, and wonder why we aren’t making out.
Davina: Or why aren’t we making out with each other?
Melissa: How did you two decide to form the East Boston Make-Out Club Band?
Davina: Well, Heather writes music, and one day I decided I wanted to perform with her.
Heather: We learned that you make money sitting on the [Boston] commons pretending you’re playing music.
Melissa: Do you have any advice for up-and-coming musicians?
Heather (emotionally): Never stop believing!
Davina: My advice is…when someone offers you a gig, always ask how much you’re getting paid. Even if it’s nothing, you know its nothing.
Heather: And don’t sing songs when you have the flu. Especially if you’re getting paid nothing.
Davina: Write a song about anything you want to write a song about- even if it’s that stupid collar that your mom bought for your cat that you hate. Even if it’s not a radio hit, you’ll still feel better about that stupid collar in the end…and maybe punch your mom.
Melissa: How do you get ideas for your songs?
Davina: Generally they’re from real life experience
Heather: …And Davina’s awesome sex life
Davina: ... and Heather’s activism parties
Heather: And about inner turmoil and stuff…only funny.
Melissa: Do you have any really hardcore fans, aside from Davina’s mom, who shows up at every show bearing sampler CDS and sporting an Eastie Make Out Club Band shirt?
Heather: I don’t think we have any really crazy fans…or maybe that drunk guy!
Davina: That really drunk guy at the Bell in Hand Tavern… He told us he wanted to make out , but that never happened. It turned out he was a friend of the band playing after us…
Melissa: Where do you guys see the band going in the future? What are you hoping for?
Heather: To make trillions of dollars.
Davina: Not trillions, but enough to just be The East Boston Make-out club band. Enough money to do only this…that’d be good.
Heather: And get some bitches.
Davina: Definitely!
Heather: 1. Bitches
Davina: 2. Hot tubs
Heather: 3. Man servants.
Davina: 4. Hummers
Heather:…No, horses! Horses are more environmentally friendly!
Davina: It was a joke, [jerkface]. Maybe enough money to buy a Chevy Lumina…
After the interview, I got an impromptu sneak peak at their newest song, “The East Boston Make-Out Club Song”. A longer song than most of theirs, this upbeat tune attempts to explain the name and the draw of the band. Headlining another show at TT the Bears in Cambridge on April 9th, with a handful of gigs running through May, the Eastie make-out club definitely seems to be on their way to getting those bitches and man servants. And remember, Southie eats the bird.
To learn more about The East Boston Make-Out Club Band or to hear their music, visit their profile at http://www.myspace.com/eastiemakeoutclub .
“Heavy metal with a ukulele, acoustic guitar instead of electric, no drums or bass,” is how Davina Yannetty, one half of The East Boston Make Out club band describes their music.
The East Boston Make-Out Band is a fresh new sound on the Boston music scene, with Davina typically on ukulele, and Heather Mumford, the other half of the EBMOCB, on guitar and percussion. The girls have gone from performing at a friend’s birthday party to headlining gigs at TT the bears and performing across the state at UkaPalooza, a music festival celebrating one of the most underrated instruments.
Their singles include such gems as “Better”, “You Can’t be a Stalker Without binoculars”, and “Adolfo Never Called Me”. “Adolfo” is an upbeat sounding tune about a real life encounter with a date with a DJ from WBCN that recently prompted some On-air drama (and free publicity for the band). With an increasing fan base and repertoire, the girls rarely have downtime, but they spared some time to talk about their band with one lucky reporter.
In Heather’s drafty but charming house in Roxbury, Davina, Heather, and I all sat together and I scribbled furiously in my notebook while the band chattered and enjoyed some lentils.
Melissa: What is the East Boston Make-out club really about?
Davina: Tonsil hockey
Heather: And justice
Melissa: I know from your Myspace profile that I’m not supposed to ask, but East Boston Make-Out Club Band?
Davina: Yeah. That’s who we are.
Heather: People think about our name, and wonder why we aren’t making out.
Davina: Or why aren’t we making out with each other?
Melissa: How did you two decide to form the East Boston Make-Out Club Band?
Davina: Well, Heather writes music, and one day I decided I wanted to perform with her.
Heather: We learned that you make money sitting on the [Boston] commons pretending you’re playing music.
Melissa: Do you have any advice for up-and-coming musicians?
Heather (emotionally): Never stop believing!
Davina: My advice is…when someone offers you a gig, always ask how much you’re getting paid. Even if it’s nothing, you know its nothing.
Heather: And don’t sing songs when you have the flu. Especially if you’re getting paid nothing.
Davina: Write a song about anything you want to write a song about- even if it’s that stupid collar that your mom bought for your cat that you hate. Even if it’s not a radio hit, you’ll still feel better about that stupid collar in the end…and maybe punch your mom.
Melissa: How do you get ideas for your songs?
Davina: Generally they’re from real life experience
Heather: …And Davina’s awesome sex life
Davina: ... and Heather’s activism parties
Heather: And about inner turmoil and stuff…only funny.
Melissa: Do you have any really hardcore fans, aside from Davina’s mom, who shows up at every show bearing sampler CDS and sporting an Eastie Make Out Club Band shirt?
Heather: I don’t think we have any really crazy fans…or maybe that drunk guy!
Davina: That really drunk guy at the Bell in Hand Tavern… He told us he wanted to make out , but that never happened. It turned out he was a friend of the band playing after us…
Melissa: Where do you guys see the band going in the future? What are you hoping for?
Heather: To make trillions of dollars.
Davina: Not trillions, but enough to just be The East Boston Make-out club band. Enough money to do only this…that’d be good.
Heather: And get some bitches.
Davina: Definitely!
Heather: 1. Bitches
Davina: 2. Hot tubs
Heather: 3. Man servants.
Davina: 4. Hummers
Heather:…No, horses! Horses are more environmentally friendly!
Davina: It was a joke, [jerkface]. Maybe enough money to buy a Chevy Lumina…
After the interview, I got an impromptu sneak peak at their newest song, “The East Boston Make-Out Club Song”. A longer song than most of theirs, this upbeat tune attempts to explain the name and the draw of the band. Headlining another show at TT the Bears in Cambridge on April 9th, with a handful of gigs running through May, the Eastie make-out club definitely seems to be on their way to getting those bitches and man servants. And remember, Southie eats the bird.
To learn more about The East Boston Make-Out Club Band or to hear their music, visit their profile at http://www.myspace.com/eastiemakeoutclub .
Senior Week Activities
Senior Week Activities
by: Melissa Lanouette
Those students who are lucky enough to be graduating this semester have an opportunity to participate in some of the great senior week activities offered by the school. Whether you go to hang out with friends or to make some new ones, these events are a fun chance to have a good time before you leave Salem State College. Tickets can be purchased at a rotating variety of locations on campus, but the best bet to getting them is to go directly to the Program Council’s office.
Sunday, May 13: Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles
This is an amazing opportunity to take advantage of a great price on a Red Sox game. At only $15 a ticket, this trip will likely be packed, so buy your tickets early. No transportation is provided to this or the Wednesday night Sox game, but public transportation to Boston is simple. Seniors can only purchase a maximum of 2 tickets and to only one of the games provided, but if you’ve bring a friend and your friends bring you, you get to take advantage of two great games at a low price.
Monday, May 14: Senior Cruise on the Provincetown II
This late night cruise, 10pm-1am offers seniors over the age of 21 a change to boogie down in Boston Harbor. With busses leaving from Peabody hall at 9 pm r, it is possible to have a safe good time and freely enjoy the Provincetown II’s three full-service bars without worrying about a designated driver (but, as always, drink responsibly!). The ship can accommodate over 1,000 people, so any interested senior is almost guaranteed a spot. So, whether you bring a date or a group of friends, this $20 cruise will be a great way to socialize and relax after finals week.
Tuesday, May 15: Senior Reception at Salem Beerworks
Although Beerworks will likely be crowded with seniors all week anyway, this free event looks to be a great excuse to spend more time there. Sponsered by the Alumni Association, this event offers free hor d’ouevres and a raffle for some great, as yet, undisclosed prizes. Held from 9-11pm, the reception at Beerworks is a good place to celebrate, but make sure to RSVP so they’ll save you a spot.
Wednesday, May 16: Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers
Like the game on Sunday, the school is also offering $15 tickets to anyone seniors interested to attend. Make sure you RSVP to this event, or get there early, since these tickets will likely sell out fast! No transportation offered to this event either, but the commuter rail or the T are convenient, or a group of students could carpool in.
Thursday, May 17: Night at the Improv Asylum
This 18 plus event offers a night of great comedy and good pasta at one of the best comedy clubs in Boston. The show is called “It’s the North End of the World as we Know It (And I Feel Fine)”, and it features a number of hilarious sketches that must be seen to be believed. One $10 tickets includes transportation from Peabody Hall, a ticket to the show, and dinner. Although room isn’t limited on this one, make sure you get your tickets early, as this promises to be a great evening!
Friday, May 18: Trip to Mohegan Sun
Although a trip to a casino the day before graduation may lead to some sad seniors walking down the aisle, as long as it is handled responsibly, this trip should be a blast! Transportation to the Mohegan Sun casino is provided from Peabody hall, and students who go will spend a full day enjoying the variety of pleasures at the casino. In addition to gambling, the casino also offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and bars, so if an unlucky morning leaves you broke, you can still have a good time for the afternoon. Busses leave at 10 am, and the students can enjoy the casino from 12:00 to 4:00 for only a $5 transportation fee. A 6 pm return to Peabody hall will ensure seniors have time to rest before the big day on Saturday.
Saturday, May 19: Commencement
No listing of senior week activities would be complete without a mention of the biggest activity of all. Commencement, held at 10 am, will be the culmination of your undergrad career. Students must report at 8:30 sharp, preferably with their cap and gowns, though the bookstore will be scalping them before the show for those forgetful students. Elizabeth Walker, CBS4 News, will be speaking this year, and receiving an honorary degree. Congratulations, proud seniors, you’ve done it!
by: Melissa Lanouette
Those students who are lucky enough to be graduating this semester have an opportunity to participate in some of the great senior week activities offered by the school. Whether you go to hang out with friends or to make some new ones, these events are a fun chance to have a good time before you leave Salem State College. Tickets can be purchased at a rotating variety of locations on campus, but the best bet to getting them is to go directly to the Program Council’s office.
Sunday, May 13: Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles
This is an amazing opportunity to take advantage of a great price on a Red Sox game. At only $15 a ticket, this trip will likely be packed, so buy your tickets early. No transportation is provided to this or the Wednesday night Sox game, but public transportation to Boston is simple. Seniors can only purchase a maximum of 2 tickets and to only one of the games provided, but if you’ve bring a friend and your friends bring you, you get to take advantage of two great games at a low price.
Monday, May 14: Senior Cruise on the Provincetown II
This late night cruise, 10pm-1am offers seniors over the age of 21 a change to boogie down in Boston Harbor. With busses leaving from Peabody hall at 9 pm r, it is possible to have a safe good time and freely enjoy the Provincetown II’s three full-service bars without worrying about a designated driver (but, as always, drink responsibly!). The ship can accommodate over 1,000 people, so any interested senior is almost guaranteed a spot. So, whether you bring a date or a group of friends, this $20 cruise will be a great way to socialize and relax after finals week.
Tuesday, May 15: Senior Reception at Salem Beerworks
Although Beerworks will likely be crowded with seniors all week anyway, this free event looks to be a great excuse to spend more time there. Sponsered by the Alumni Association, this event offers free hor d’ouevres and a raffle for some great, as yet, undisclosed prizes. Held from 9-11pm, the reception at Beerworks is a good place to celebrate, but make sure to RSVP so they’ll save you a spot.
Wednesday, May 16: Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers
Like the game on Sunday, the school is also offering $15 tickets to anyone seniors interested to attend. Make sure you RSVP to this event, or get there early, since these tickets will likely sell out fast! No transportation offered to this event either, but the commuter rail or the T are convenient, or a group of students could carpool in.
Thursday, May 17: Night at the Improv Asylum
This 18 plus event offers a night of great comedy and good pasta at one of the best comedy clubs in Boston. The show is called “It’s the North End of the World as we Know It (And I Feel Fine)”, and it features a number of hilarious sketches that must be seen to be believed. One $10 tickets includes transportation from Peabody Hall, a ticket to the show, and dinner. Although room isn’t limited on this one, make sure you get your tickets early, as this promises to be a great evening!
Friday, May 18: Trip to Mohegan Sun
Although a trip to a casino the day before graduation may lead to some sad seniors walking down the aisle, as long as it is handled responsibly, this trip should be a blast! Transportation to the Mohegan Sun casino is provided from Peabody hall, and students who go will spend a full day enjoying the variety of pleasures at the casino. In addition to gambling, the casino also offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and bars, so if an unlucky morning leaves you broke, you can still have a good time for the afternoon. Busses leave at 10 am, and the students can enjoy the casino from 12:00 to 4:00 for only a $5 transportation fee. A 6 pm return to Peabody hall will ensure seniors have time to rest before the big day on Saturday.
Saturday, May 19: Commencement
No listing of senior week activities would be complete without a mention of the biggest activity of all. Commencement, held at 10 am, will be the culmination of your undergrad career. Students must report at 8:30 sharp, preferably with their cap and gowns, though the bookstore will be scalping them before the show for those forgetful students. Elizabeth Walker, CBS4 News, will be speaking this year, and receiving an honorary degree. Congratulations, proud seniors, you’ve done it!
A Procrastinator's Guide to April
A Procrastinator's Guide to April
by: Melissa Lanouette
April is that time of years when a restless student most wished to be outside and active but is most chained down by work. The Professors’ Master Plan seems most evil this month, worse even, than homework during Spring Break or the coordination of five simultaneous midterms.
This is the month of term papers and final projects, of, “You’ve had three months to plan for this, no you can’t get an extension!” This is the month to turn in all those late papers that have been piling up since January. However, let a master slacker tell you, it is definitely possible to get this done and still have time to enjoy those lovely and long Spring afternoons. With a few simple steps, you can finish your work in plenty of time to smell the roses.
1) Gauge your teachers. Although all of them want to get your stuff on time, some professors, especially slow graders, won’t mind if it’s a few days late. Use this to your advantage when you have back-to-back due dates.
2) Use your time smartly. The afternoon and evening are important slack times in a schedule, so use the rest of your time wisely. Getting up a two hours early to get some work done works especially well since your brain hasn’t registered that you’re awake yet, and thus, hasn’t started telling you what awesome alternatives you have for doing homework.
3) When you work, work hardcore. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of doing homework/checking your
MySpace/watching a movie/listening to music/playing solitaire, but if you do that, you’ll find that you spend 3 hours “doing your homework” and have gotten nothing done. When you do your homework, do only your homework.
4) Red Bull is your friend. Full-time procrastinators pre-plan all-nighters. One key aspect is study-food. Anything with sugar or caffeine can help, although sugar may lead to crashes (i.e. drooling into your keyboard). My favorite study combo is Dr. Pepper and gummies. Although caffeine isn’t a substitute for real sleep and rest…actually, caffeine is a substitute for real sleep and rest.
5) Napping can be your friend. Although napping to avoid work obviously won’t help you succeed, afternoon napping can make sure you’ve got enough energy in the middle of the night to get work done. In the middle of the night, there are fewer things to grab your attention away from homework.
6) “But I already passed that in!” To be used only as a last resort, on a teacher so scatter-brained that they’ll believe it, this excuse not only works, but it inspires pity and guilt in a teacher. This excuse should only be used once, and on a teacher that has lost papers in the past. I used to pull this in high school frequently, but only used it once in college, because the teacher was taking half the semester off and lost almost everything the class turned in.
by: Melissa Lanouette
April is that time of years when a restless student most wished to be outside and active but is most chained down by work. The Professors’ Master Plan seems most evil this month, worse even, than homework during Spring Break or the coordination of five simultaneous midterms.
This is the month of term papers and final projects, of, “You’ve had three months to plan for this, no you can’t get an extension!” This is the month to turn in all those late papers that have been piling up since January. However, let a master slacker tell you, it is definitely possible to get this done and still have time to enjoy those lovely and long Spring afternoons. With a few simple steps, you can finish your work in plenty of time to smell the roses.
1) Gauge your teachers. Although all of them want to get your stuff on time, some professors, especially slow graders, won’t mind if it’s a few days late. Use this to your advantage when you have back-to-back due dates.
2) Use your time smartly. The afternoon and evening are important slack times in a schedule, so use the rest of your time wisely. Getting up a two hours early to get some work done works especially well since your brain hasn’t registered that you’re awake yet, and thus, hasn’t started telling you what awesome alternatives you have for doing homework.
3) When you work, work hardcore. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of doing homework/checking your
MySpace/watching a movie/listening to music/playing solitaire, but if you do that, you’ll find that you spend 3 hours “doing your homework” and have gotten nothing done. When you do your homework, do only your homework.
4) Red Bull is your friend. Full-time procrastinators pre-plan all-nighters. One key aspect is study-food. Anything with sugar or caffeine can help, although sugar may lead to crashes (i.e. drooling into your keyboard). My favorite study combo is Dr. Pepper and gummies. Although caffeine isn’t a substitute for real sleep and rest…actually, caffeine is a substitute for real sleep and rest.
5) Napping can be your friend. Although napping to avoid work obviously won’t help you succeed, afternoon napping can make sure you’ve got enough energy in the middle of the night to get work done. In the middle of the night, there are fewer things to grab your attention away from homework.
6) “But I already passed that in!” To be used only as a last resort, on a teacher so scatter-brained that they’ll believe it, this excuse not only works, but it inspires pity and guilt in a teacher. This excuse should only be used once, and on a teacher that has lost papers in the past. I used to pull this in high school frequently, but only used it once in college, because the teacher was taking half the semester off and lost almost everything the class turned in.
Monday, April 2, 2007
April Movie Preview
April Movie Preview
by: Melissa Lanouette
Curious about what to see in the upcoming month? Red Skies has looks at ten movies slated to come out in early spring. So grab your popcorn and head to the theater to catch these films (or don’t)!
April 6th:
Grindhouse: A double-feature movie featuring Quenton Tarantino’s “Death Proof” and Robert Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror”, this film is guaranteed to shock. The idea of the movie is to take the viewer back to the “Grindhouse” double features of the 1970’s, when two exploitation horror flicks would be shown back to back. Certain to be a film-going experience, complete with fake trailers for other exploitation movies shot by famed horror directors, this gory team-up between these two famed directors should not be missed.
Melissa Prediction: Those freaky trailers featuring Rose McGowen with a machine gun for a leg won’t win these two directors any new fans, but their diverse fan base will bring in solid box office results.
The Reaping: Hilary Swank must’ve decided commercial and critical success weren’t her style, since “The Reaping” looks to be a typical religious-angle horror movie. Swank stars as a miracle-debunker who gets her world turned upside-down when the Plagues of old start appearing in a small Texas town. Although Swank’s incredible acting talent must count for something, it won’t be enough to make this movie really pop.
Melissa’s Prediction: It’s R-rating won’t help it along in the box office, and since the trailer displays the horror aspect, I suspect those few who will see it will find it too thinky (Swank must’ve signed on for some reason).
April 13th:
Disturbia: This film is an updated retelling of Hitchcock’s, “Rear Window,” told in the common horror movie language of today: young, rebellious youths, characters too stupid to live, and superfluous half-naked young actresses. After being sentenced to house arrest, Kale (Shia LaBeouf) turned to voyeurism to fill his time. After getting bored of watching an array of hot teenage neighbors swimming, he starts to notice very suspicious activity in another house. Shia LaBeouf, once a Disney-owned child actor, accepts this relatively grown-up role, with Carrie Anne Moss (The Matrix trilogy) stars as his put-upon mother.
Melissa’s Prediction: It’ll make money, as long as all the high-school kids get their allowance this week.
Pathfinder: Another bare-chested, blood spattered historic epic based on a comic book, Pathfinder seems to be lacking some of the elements that made “300” a moderate hit. Starring Karl Urban, an action movie sidekick in all his previous roles, this film tells the story of a Viking who was stranded by his people during a raid and raised by a Native American tribe. When the Norsemen return, 25 years later, little Viking Eagle-Feather (actually called Ghost) is all grown up and ready for revenge. The acting, story, and film-making are all worse than “300”…even the washboard stomachs are less impressive.
Melissa’s Predictions: Comic book fanatics either are still broke from seeing “300” or are saving up to see “Spiderman 3”. Things look grim for Ghost.
April 20th:
Fracture: Starring Anthony Hopkins as a man who coolly attempted to murder his wife and Ryan Gosling (“The Notebook’s” Heartthrob) as the prosecuting attorney, this film seems half courtroom drama and half thriller. Gosling stars as Willy Beachum, a young prosecutor on his way to bigger and better things, who gets involved with a sexy but ambitious attorney who starts to twist his moral code. Hopkins shoots his wife in cold blood, willingly confesses to the murder, and seems unapologetically like Hannibal in this film.
Melissa’s Prediction: Any thriller starring Anthony Hopkins is guaranteed to fill seats, and with Ryan “Eye Candy” Gosling as the lead, it can only get more popular.
Hot Fuzz: Although very disappointing to those anticipating a sequel to “Shaun of the Dead” (“From Dusk ‘til Shaun”?), this film follows the same concept, parodying action films instead of horror ones. Sharing both the two main actors, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and the director with “Shaun of the Dead”, Hot Fuzz promised to be a hit. Simon Pegg is Nicholas Angel, a policeman so good that his team conspires to send him somewhere he’ll stop making them look bad. In a small, sleepy town, he is paired with the over-eager son of the police chief (Nick Frost). After the worldwide success if the strikingly British “Shaun”, this film likely will go for more international appeal.
Melissa’s Prediction: Not enough people saw “Shaun”, not enough people will see this. But word of mouth about the British zombie movie parody will fill a few more seats in this British action movie parody.
April 27th:
The Invisible: A remake of the Swedish film 'Den Onsynlige', this movie portrays one teens struggle as he finds himself trapped between life and death, invisible to others. After being deliberately hit by a troubled girl in a car, he wakes up and finds that he’s invisible, that he can’t touch or change anything that happened. However, instead of making his girlfriend know he loves her with the help of Whoopi Goldberg (the similar plot of “Ghost”), he has to try and help his parents and the police solve his murder. Starring mostly unknown actors and actresses, “The Invisible” seems to have an interesting and complicated plot line, without the teen angst and half-naked 15-year-olds that dominate the Teen genre.
Melissa’s Prediction: Unless they start advertising this film, it’s unlikely to be much of a success. Also, it’s half-balanced between arty and “teenagery”, so it might have trouble finding a market.
Kickin It Old Skool: Jamie Kennedy is usually a hit-or-miss talent, but his last two movies, “Son of the Mask” and “Malibu’s Most Wanted”, were definitely in the miss category. What makes this one different? In this film, Justin Schumacher (Kennedy), a true child of the eighties, goes into a coma after a break dancing accident and wakes up to find 20 years have passed. Combining “Austin Powers”, “Big”, and “I love the Eighties”, this film probably promises more than it delivers. Certain to contain endless mentions of the now-ridiculous fads of the eighties and the typical “child grows up overnight” gags, this film will contain some laughs, but the rest will seem forced and overdone. Melissa’s Prediction: Kennedy has repeatedly lacked the star power or acting chops to front his own movie…no matter how good the movie could’ve been with someone else starring. The studio should’ve gotten Knoxville or Ferrell if they’d wanted a hit.
by: Melissa Lanouette
Curious about what to see in the upcoming month? Red Skies has looks at ten movies slated to come out in early spring. So grab your popcorn and head to the theater to catch these films (or don’t)!
April 6th:
Grindhouse: A double-feature movie featuring Quenton Tarantino’s “Death Proof” and Robert Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror”, this film is guaranteed to shock. The idea of the movie is to take the viewer back to the “Grindhouse” double features of the 1970’s, when two exploitation horror flicks would be shown back to back. Certain to be a film-going experience, complete with fake trailers for other exploitation movies shot by famed horror directors, this gory team-up between these two famed directors should not be missed.
Melissa Prediction: Those freaky trailers featuring Rose McGowen with a machine gun for a leg won’t win these two directors any new fans, but their diverse fan base will bring in solid box office results.
The Reaping: Hilary Swank must’ve decided commercial and critical success weren’t her style, since “The Reaping” looks to be a typical religious-angle horror movie. Swank stars as a miracle-debunker who gets her world turned upside-down when the Plagues of old start appearing in a small Texas town. Although Swank’s incredible acting talent must count for something, it won’t be enough to make this movie really pop.
Melissa’s Prediction: It’s R-rating won’t help it along in the box office, and since the trailer displays the horror aspect, I suspect those few who will see it will find it too thinky (Swank must’ve signed on for some reason).
April 13th:
Disturbia: This film is an updated retelling of Hitchcock’s, “Rear Window,” told in the common horror movie language of today: young, rebellious youths, characters too stupid to live, and superfluous half-naked young actresses. After being sentenced to house arrest, Kale (Shia LaBeouf) turned to voyeurism to fill his time. After getting bored of watching an array of hot teenage neighbors swimming, he starts to notice very suspicious activity in another house. Shia LaBeouf, once a Disney-owned child actor, accepts this relatively grown-up role, with Carrie Anne Moss (The Matrix trilogy) stars as his put-upon mother.
Melissa’s Prediction: It’ll make money, as long as all the high-school kids get their allowance this week.
Pathfinder: Another bare-chested, blood spattered historic epic based on a comic book, Pathfinder seems to be lacking some of the elements that made “300” a moderate hit. Starring Karl Urban, an action movie sidekick in all his previous roles, this film tells the story of a Viking who was stranded by his people during a raid and raised by a Native American tribe. When the Norsemen return, 25 years later, little Viking Eagle-Feather (actually called Ghost) is all grown up and ready for revenge. The acting, story, and film-making are all worse than “300”…even the washboard stomachs are less impressive.
Melissa’s Predictions: Comic book fanatics either are still broke from seeing “300” or are saving up to see “Spiderman 3”. Things look grim for Ghost.
April 20th:
Fracture: Starring Anthony Hopkins as a man who coolly attempted to murder his wife and Ryan Gosling (“The Notebook’s” Heartthrob) as the prosecuting attorney, this film seems half courtroom drama and half thriller. Gosling stars as Willy Beachum, a young prosecutor on his way to bigger and better things, who gets involved with a sexy but ambitious attorney who starts to twist his moral code. Hopkins shoots his wife in cold blood, willingly confesses to the murder, and seems unapologetically like Hannibal in this film.
Melissa’s Prediction: Any thriller starring Anthony Hopkins is guaranteed to fill seats, and with Ryan “Eye Candy” Gosling as the lead, it can only get more popular.
Hot Fuzz: Although very disappointing to those anticipating a sequel to “Shaun of the Dead” (“From Dusk ‘til Shaun”?), this film follows the same concept, parodying action films instead of horror ones. Sharing both the two main actors, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and the director with “Shaun of the Dead”, Hot Fuzz promised to be a hit. Simon Pegg is Nicholas Angel, a policeman so good that his team conspires to send him somewhere he’ll stop making them look bad. In a small, sleepy town, he is paired with the over-eager son of the police chief (Nick Frost). After the worldwide success if the strikingly British “Shaun”, this film likely will go for more international appeal.
Melissa’s Prediction: Not enough people saw “Shaun”, not enough people will see this. But word of mouth about the British zombie movie parody will fill a few more seats in this British action movie parody.
April 27th:
The Invisible: A remake of the Swedish film 'Den Onsynlige', this movie portrays one teens struggle as he finds himself trapped between life and death, invisible to others. After being deliberately hit by a troubled girl in a car, he wakes up and finds that he’s invisible, that he can’t touch or change anything that happened. However, instead of making his girlfriend know he loves her with the help of Whoopi Goldberg (the similar plot of “Ghost”), he has to try and help his parents and the police solve his murder. Starring mostly unknown actors and actresses, “The Invisible” seems to have an interesting and complicated plot line, without the teen angst and half-naked 15-year-olds that dominate the Teen genre.
Melissa’s Prediction: Unless they start advertising this film, it’s unlikely to be much of a success. Also, it’s half-balanced between arty and “teenagery”, so it might have trouble finding a market.
Kickin It Old Skool: Jamie Kennedy is usually a hit-or-miss talent, but his last two movies, “Son of the Mask” and “Malibu’s Most Wanted”, were definitely in the miss category. What makes this one different? In this film, Justin Schumacher (Kennedy), a true child of the eighties, goes into a coma after a break dancing accident and wakes up to find 20 years have passed. Combining “Austin Powers”, “Big”, and “I love the Eighties”, this film probably promises more than it delivers. Certain to contain endless mentions of the now-ridiculous fads of the eighties and the typical “child grows up overnight” gags, this film will contain some laughs, but the rest will seem forced and overdone. Melissa’s Prediction: Kennedy has repeatedly lacked the star power or acting chops to front his own movie…no matter how good the movie could’ve been with someone else starring. The studio should’ve gotten Knoxville or Ferrell if they’d wanted a hit.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
...maybe a lot more than 20...
College is a time when many students avail themselves of opportunities to engage in activities they might not normally participate in. It’s easy to take some of these activities too far, and become addicted. In many cases, addiction is a serious problem and needs to be addressed as such by those affected. This isn’t one of those cases. Names have been changed to protect the addicted.
Hello, my name is __________, and I’m addicted to fan fiction.
Fan fiction is a covert addiction. The majority of college students may not even know that it exists, let alone it’s addictive nature. Fan fiction, as Wikipedia broadly defines it, “is simply unauthorized written work based on a published one.” Typically, fan fiction is written about current or popular books, movies, TV shows, or even video games. Some writers stay very true to the “canon” of the original work, which entails looking more deeply into certain events or character’s views of them. On the other hand, some authors can diverge greatly from the original work, picking and choosing certain characters or places and inserting them into completely different situations.
As an example, the Harry Potter fandom is one of the most prolific and varied at the moment, given the series’ worldwide popularity. The fandom, that is, any fan fic or art for the Harry Potter books or movies, includes everything from relationships between existing characters to stories about newly created characters. By far the most popular genre of fiction is romance, but just about every imaginable angle is covered.
The readers of fic are almost as varied as the stories. Although women make up the majority of fan fiction readers, they range in age from just old enough to use the internet freely to grandmothers. SpicyK, a long-time fan fiction reader, describes the addicts at a recent fan fiction convention she attended, “ I was surprised by the ages of the attendees. I was the youngest person there! One woman, a university professor, was over 60!”
“It gets bad sometimes. I can’t count the number of times I’ve showed up late for class after I needed to finish just one more chapter!” SpicyK, a long-time fan fiction reader and sometimes writer confides. “Just like with an exciting novel or movie, a well-written fan fic will draw you into it.”
Swanson, a long-time reader of all things fan fiction, spends roughly two hours a day reading fan fiction. When asked whether she has time for anything else, she confides, “I’ve skipped class like once, though fan fiction was more of a deciding factor than the only reason. Um…I’ve delayed hanging out with real people to read it.”
However, a typical college student, Swanson was quick to point out that she’s not technically blowing off real people to indulge her habit, since she lives with her room mate, who is also reading fan fiction. Her roommate, Dry_TINI, spends, “more than twenty…maybe a lot more than twenty…” hours a week reading fan fiction.
Dry_TINI, however, hasn’t skipped class to read: “However, I have skipped class to sleep, and I maybe needed more sleep because I’ve spent all night reading fan fiction.”
Like most addicts, readers rationalize their obsessions. When asked to explain her love, Swanson said, “It kind of has all the nice romantic punch of a romance novel, with emotional trauma and all that, but it’s shorter, there’s more sex scenes, and it’s more interesting.”
“That it’s …It’s like all the fun parts of a relationship, but I don’t have to do anything. If it ends good, if it ends bad, it has nothing to do with me or interacting with human beings. It’s like a book but more compelling because you know a lot about the characters and can picture them.” Dry_TINI clearly is experiencing some of the anti-social effects of addiction.
And it’s not just reading that’s the problem, writing fanfiction can also be a problem. A common term amongst the afflicted, “plot bunnies” are ideas for stories that come randomly and stalk a writer until they put a pen to paper.
“Writing fan fiction is like trying to navigate a maze. You have to navigate around the accepted universe and the characterizations in place in the original story, and make these characters jump through hoops that they normally wouldn’t.” SpicyK’s knowledge in this case comes from experience-she’s written over a dozen short fan fictions.
When asked if she was addicted, Swanson first denied it. “No, in the sense that I’m trying to find something to replace it. But I really don’t want to.”
Like most college-aged fan fiction readers, Swanson is female, walks around with dark circles around her eyes, and is hopelessly addicted to her fandoms: the Sentinel, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Metal Gear Solid.
“It’s just too darn good, I just can’t quit. They’re just cute and fun. Sure, I guess I’m addicted. Why not?” Swanson finally decides.
Hello, my name is __________, and I’m addicted to fan fiction.
Fan fiction is a covert addiction. The majority of college students may not even know that it exists, let alone it’s addictive nature. Fan fiction, as Wikipedia broadly defines it, “is simply unauthorized written work based on a published one.” Typically, fan fiction is written about current or popular books, movies, TV shows, or even video games. Some writers stay very true to the “canon” of the original work, which entails looking more deeply into certain events or character’s views of them. On the other hand, some authors can diverge greatly from the original work, picking and choosing certain characters or places and inserting them into completely different situations.
As an example, the Harry Potter fandom is one of the most prolific and varied at the moment, given the series’ worldwide popularity. The fandom, that is, any fan fic or art for the Harry Potter books or movies, includes everything from relationships between existing characters to stories about newly created characters. By far the most popular genre of fiction is romance, but just about every imaginable angle is covered.
The readers of fic are almost as varied as the stories. Although women make up the majority of fan fiction readers, they range in age from just old enough to use the internet freely to grandmothers. SpicyK, a long-time fan fiction reader, describes the addicts at a recent fan fiction convention she attended, “ I was surprised by the ages of the attendees. I was the youngest person there! One woman, a university professor, was over 60!”
“It gets bad sometimes. I can’t count the number of times I’ve showed up late for class after I needed to finish just one more chapter!” SpicyK, a long-time fan fiction reader and sometimes writer confides. “Just like with an exciting novel or movie, a well-written fan fic will draw you into it.”
Swanson, a long-time reader of all things fan fiction, spends roughly two hours a day reading fan fiction. When asked whether she has time for anything else, she confides, “I’ve skipped class like once, though fan fiction was more of a deciding factor than the only reason. Um…I’ve delayed hanging out with real people to read it.”
However, a typical college student, Swanson was quick to point out that she’s not technically blowing off real people to indulge her habit, since she lives with her room mate, who is also reading fan fiction. Her roommate, Dry_TINI, spends, “more than twenty…maybe a lot more than twenty…” hours a week reading fan fiction.
Dry_TINI, however, hasn’t skipped class to read: “However, I have skipped class to sleep, and I maybe needed more sleep because I’ve spent all night reading fan fiction.”
Like most addicts, readers rationalize their obsessions. When asked to explain her love, Swanson said, “It kind of has all the nice romantic punch of a romance novel, with emotional trauma and all that, but it’s shorter, there’s more sex scenes, and it’s more interesting.”
“That it’s …It’s like all the fun parts of a relationship, but I don’t have to do anything. If it ends good, if it ends bad, it has nothing to do with me or interacting with human beings. It’s like a book but more compelling because you know a lot about the characters and can picture them.” Dry_TINI clearly is experiencing some of the anti-social effects of addiction.
And it’s not just reading that’s the problem, writing fanfiction can also be a problem. A common term amongst the afflicted, “plot bunnies” are ideas for stories that come randomly and stalk a writer until they put a pen to paper.
“Writing fan fiction is like trying to navigate a maze. You have to navigate around the accepted universe and the characterizations in place in the original story, and make these characters jump through hoops that they normally wouldn’t.” SpicyK’s knowledge in this case comes from experience-she’s written over a dozen short fan fictions.
When asked if she was addicted, Swanson first denied it. “No, in the sense that I’m trying to find something to replace it. But I really don’t want to.”
Like most college-aged fan fiction readers, Swanson is female, walks around with dark circles around her eyes, and is hopelessly addicted to her fandoms: the Sentinel, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Metal Gear Solid.
“It’s just too darn good, I just can’t quit. They’re just cute and fun. Sure, I guess I’m addicted. Why not?” Swanson finally decides.
"Bone in zamboni!"
Melissa Lanouette
Blades of Glory review
“What have you got that they haven’t?”
“Matching sets of crotch luggage?”
After being expelled from men’s figure skating for fighting, Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy Macelroy (Heder) wind up (through a series of not entirely believable events) skating together in the pairs bracket as the first male/male figure skating team. Rife with the type of jokes one would expect from a movie about figure skating, ‘Blades of Glory’ remains relatively fresh, largely based on the comic chemistry between Ferrell and Heder.
Will Ferrell is basically synonymous with juvenile humor. ‘Talladega Nights’, ‘Bewitched’, and ‘Anchorman’ all displayed this side of his acting talent. ‘Blades of Glory’ is no different; however, don’t let the crotch jokes deter you. Ferrell movies have a tendency of just being Ferrell movies, lacking any real back-up characters. In this movie, a well-rounded cast takes the focus off Ferrell specifically and presents an all-around funnier movie.
Starring opposite Ferrell is Jon Heder, best known from ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, who, for the first time, takes a step away from the Napoleon character he’s been rehashing in his last few films. Amy Poehler, of SNL fame, and Will Arnett round out the cast as the brother/sister team rivals of the main pair. Despite an ending that feels like they just stopped trying, and its shameless use of gay jokes, this film was thoroughly enjoyable. After walking out of ‘Talladega Nights’ at the theater, I got several elbows in the ribs to stop my unquenchable giggles, particularly during the first couples routine, and I’m planning to see it again tomorrow.
Blades of Glory review
“What have you got that they haven’t?”
“Matching sets of crotch luggage?”
After being expelled from men’s figure skating for fighting, Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy Macelroy (Heder) wind up (through a series of not entirely believable events) skating together in the pairs bracket as the first male/male figure skating team. Rife with the type of jokes one would expect from a movie about figure skating, ‘Blades of Glory’ remains relatively fresh, largely based on the comic chemistry between Ferrell and Heder.
Will Ferrell is basically synonymous with juvenile humor. ‘Talladega Nights’, ‘Bewitched’, and ‘Anchorman’ all displayed this side of his acting talent. ‘Blades of Glory’ is no different; however, don’t let the crotch jokes deter you. Ferrell movies have a tendency of just being Ferrell movies, lacking any real back-up characters. In this movie, a well-rounded cast takes the focus off Ferrell specifically and presents an all-around funnier movie.
Starring opposite Ferrell is Jon Heder, best known from ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, who, for the first time, takes a step away from the Napoleon character he’s been rehashing in his last few films. Amy Poehler, of SNL fame, and Will Arnett round out the cast as the brother/sister team rivals of the main pair. Despite an ending that feels like they just stopped trying, and its shameless use of gay jokes, this film was thoroughly enjoyable. After walking out of ‘Talladega Nights’ at the theater, I got several elbows in the ribs to stop my unquenchable giggles, particularly during the first couples routine, and I’m planning to see it again tomorrow.
Monday, March 26, 2007
March Movie Preview
Spring Movie Preview
by: Melissa Lanouette
Curious about what to see in the upcoming month? Red Skies has looks at ten movies slated to come out in this blustery month. So grab your popcorn and head to the theater to catch these films (or don’t)!
March 2
Zodiac: A typical “Catch the Killer” movie, this film features Jake Gyllenhaal in is his movie release since 2005. Based on the real murders by the Zodiac killer in San Francisco, this movie follows a long line of bad horror or thriller movies based on these events. However, early reviews are hopeful, they like the blend of thriller, police procedure, and newsroom drama that the film portrays.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like many movies that blend standard conventions, this will draw fans, but no one will really know what to think of it, and it won’t be the box office success the studio hopes it will be.
Black Snake Moan: This unconventional, Southern movie features Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci. Jackson plays Lazarus, a god-fearing, middle-aged man who discovers Rae (Ricci) left for dead on the side of the road. While nursing her back to health, he learns she is the town tramp with a bevy of psychological problems. He decides to, “Cure her of her wickedness,” and plans to do it by chaining her to his radiator.
Melissa’s prediction: Though this movie will undoubtedly find fans, it’s too far from center to gain much commercial success.
March 9:
300: Based on Frank Miller’s (Sin City) graphic novel, the movie 300 chronicles the famous last stand of the Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta leads 1,000 men of Greece into a battle against 100,000 Persians. Gerard Butler (“Phantom of the Opera”) leads the Spartans, shown in the sepia-toned trailer as gloriously furious, in only a loincloth and a red velvet cape. Featuring gratuitous violence, nudity, and mythical creatures, this movie promises to be an high-velocity rush.
Melissa’s prediction: Although it does blend weird/arty filmmaking with super-violence like “Sin City”, 300 likely frightens away its audience with its R rating and faded color scheme. However, if it is good, it will be very good, and might be the surprise hit of this month.
Miss Potter: In the spirit of “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter tells the story of the life of Beatrix Potter, the author of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”. Unlike “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter completely glosses over any bad aspects of Beatrix Potter’s life, and leaves the reader with the sugary condensed version. Featuring Renée Zellweger in the titular role and Ewan Macgregor as her publisher and eventual husband, this film is well acted and adorable.
Melissa’s Prediction: Despite the talent and sweetness, this is a movie for neither children or adults, catering mainly to the type of people who would have a “Hang in there!” kitten poster, namely old women and preteen girls, neither of whom is likely to spend much money seeing it.
March 16th
I Think I Love My Wife: Writer/Director/Star Chris Rock really steps up to make this picture happen. Richard Cooper (Rock) is a married man with a beautiful wife and two kids. When he meets the ex-mistress of his friend (Kerry Washington), he finds his dedication tested, and begins to fantasy about what it would be like to be single. Gina Torres (“Serenity”) stars as his wife in touching comedy.
Melissa’s Prediction: With so few comedies out this month and Chris Rock’s name attached, I Think… is a surefire winner at the box office.
Dead Silence: From the writer/director of Saw, this movie plays up the creepiness inherent in ventriloquist dummies. After the death of his wife, Jamie Ashen returns to his hometown to try to unravel the mysteries surrounding her death. Dark, quick-cutting shots certainly lend themselves to a creepy atmosphere, and viewers will be reminded both of Saw and the popular Japanese remakes that abound now.
Melissa’s Prediction: Puppets and ghosts aren’t nearly as scary as being forced to chop off your own foot. With an R-rating barring younger viewers, I suspect that only hard-core horror fans will be in attendance.
March 23
The Hills Have Eyes 2: A rehashing of a rehashing, The Hills Have Eyes 2 tells the story of a group of young, hot teenage National Guardsmen who are finishing up desert training in some ill-fated mountains. Following a distress signal, they are led to a mountain range populated with the self-same mutants who killed the Carter Family in “The Hills Have Eyes”. It’s rumored to be twice as violent as the first, but it hasn’t received a rating yet, which either means the studio is trying to cut it back to an “R” rating, or cut it back to a “PG13” rating.
Melissa’s Prediction: The first one was popular. This one will be popular. Am I the only person who thinks Hollywood shouldn’t be enable the kind of people who get off on watching models getting violently tortured?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: With the renewed interest in both the Turtles and big-budget superhero movies, it was only a matter of time before everyone’s favorite amphibians (sorry, Geico Gecko) made their way to the big screen (all right, turtles are really reptiles). Reappearing in cartoonish CGI, the Turtles are faced with a problem: what to do now that they’ve defeated their arch-enemy, Shredder. Luckily for us, alien-monsters invade the hometown of the T.M.N.T.’s, and they get to save the earth, again. A stellar voice cast, including Patrick Stewart and Sarah Michelle Gellar, add life to the animated people and animals.
Melissa’s Prediction: A great family film, this will also probably draw the college crowd who first grew to love the turtles.
March 30
Blades of Glory: A vehicle for Will Ferrell, with a side of Napoleon Dynamite’s Jon Heder, is a comedy about two male figure skaters that are forced to skate as a pair because of a feud. Rampant with the adolescent comedy that Ferrell is known for, this movie covers both the main characters feud and their attempts to become the first male/male skating pair in Olympic history. Poses that seem natural for male/female couples become ridiculous and provocative between Ferrell and Heder.
Melissa’s Prediction: Figure skating is much funnier than NASCAR. I suspect this FerrellFilm won’t disappoint any of his fans.
Meet the Robinsons: Disney’s newest CGI creation (without the help of Pixar) tells the story of a boy genius, Lewis (Jimmy Neutron, anyone?). This genius is in a foster home, and desperately wants a family. He creates a machine to help him access his earliest memories, including those of his family, but the machine sets off a series of strange. Lewis is sucked into a wild and psychedelic future, where he meets the equally wild Robinson family. A showdown with a man who frequently steals his inventions leads him to discover things about himself and his family.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like most of the new Disney movies, this film will be entertaining and profitable, but won’t reach the ‘classic’ status that Disney has been missing so often lately.
by: Melissa Lanouette
Curious about what to see in the upcoming month? Red Skies has looks at ten movies slated to come out in this blustery month. So grab your popcorn and head to the theater to catch these films (or don’t)!
March 2
Zodiac: A typical “Catch the Killer” movie, this film features Jake Gyllenhaal in is his movie release since 2005. Based on the real murders by the Zodiac killer in San Francisco, this movie follows a long line of bad horror or thriller movies based on these events. However, early reviews are hopeful, they like the blend of thriller, police procedure, and newsroom drama that the film portrays.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like many movies that blend standard conventions, this will draw fans, but no one will really know what to think of it, and it won’t be the box office success the studio hopes it will be.
Black Snake Moan: This unconventional, Southern movie features Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci. Jackson plays Lazarus, a god-fearing, middle-aged man who discovers Rae (Ricci) left for dead on the side of the road. While nursing her back to health, he learns she is the town tramp with a bevy of psychological problems. He decides to, “Cure her of her wickedness,” and plans to do it by chaining her to his radiator.
Melissa’s prediction: Though this movie will undoubtedly find fans, it’s too far from center to gain much commercial success.
March 9:
300: Based on Frank Miller’s (Sin City) graphic novel, the movie 300 chronicles the famous last stand of the Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta leads 1,000 men of Greece into a battle against 100,000 Persians. Gerard Butler (“Phantom of the Opera”) leads the Spartans, shown in the sepia-toned trailer as gloriously furious, in only a loincloth and a red velvet cape. Featuring gratuitous violence, nudity, and mythical creatures, this movie promises to be an high-velocity rush.
Melissa’s prediction: Although it does blend weird/arty filmmaking with super-violence like “Sin City”, 300 likely frightens away its audience with its R rating and faded color scheme. However, if it is good, it will be very good, and might be the surprise hit of this month.
Miss Potter: In the spirit of “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter tells the story of the life of Beatrix Potter, the author of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”. Unlike “Finding Neverland”, Miss Potter completely glosses over any bad aspects of Beatrix Potter’s life, and leaves the reader with the sugary condensed version. Featuring Renée Zellweger in the titular role and Ewan Macgregor as her publisher and eventual husband, this film is well acted and adorable.
Melissa’s Prediction: Despite the talent and sweetness, this is a movie for neither children or adults, catering mainly to the type of people who would have a “Hang in there!” kitten poster, namely old women and preteen girls, neither of whom is likely to spend much money seeing it.
March 16th
I Think I Love My Wife: Writer/Director/Star Chris Rock really steps up to make this picture happen. Richard Cooper (Rock) is a married man with a beautiful wife and two kids. When he meets the ex-mistress of his friend (Kerry Washington), he finds his dedication tested, and begins to fantasy about what it would be like to be single. Gina Torres (“Serenity”) stars as his wife in touching comedy.
Melissa’s Prediction: With so few comedies out this month and Chris Rock’s name attached, I Think… is a surefire winner at the box office.
Dead Silence: From the writer/director of Saw, this movie plays up the creepiness inherent in ventriloquist dummies. After the death of his wife, Jamie Ashen returns to his hometown to try to unravel the mysteries surrounding her death. Dark, quick-cutting shots certainly lend themselves to a creepy atmosphere, and viewers will be reminded both of Saw and the popular Japanese remakes that abound now.
Melissa’s Prediction: Puppets and ghosts aren’t nearly as scary as being forced to chop off your own foot. With an R-rating barring younger viewers, I suspect that only hard-core horror fans will be in attendance.
March 23
The Hills Have Eyes 2: A rehashing of a rehashing, The Hills Have Eyes 2 tells the story of a group of young, hot teenage National Guardsmen who are finishing up desert training in some ill-fated mountains. Following a distress signal, they are led to a mountain range populated with the self-same mutants who killed the Carter Family in “The Hills Have Eyes”. It’s rumored to be twice as violent as the first, but it hasn’t received a rating yet, which either means the studio is trying to cut it back to an “R” rating, or cut it back to a “PG13” rating.
Melissa’s Prediction: The first one was popular. This one will be popular. Am I the only person who thinks Hollywood shouldn’t be enable the kind of people who get off on watching models getting violently tortured?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: With the renewed interest in both the Turtles and big-budget superhero movies, it was only a matter of time before everyone’s favorite amphibians (sorry, Geico Gecko) made their way to the big screen (all right, turtles are really reptiles). Reappearing in cartoonish CGI, the Turtles are faced with a problem: what to do now that they’ve defeated their arch-enemy, Shredder. Luckily for us, alien-monsters invade the hometown of the T.M.N.T.’s, and they get to save the earth, again. A stellar voice cast, including Patrick Stewart and Sarah Michelle Gellar, add life to the animated people and animals.
Melissa’s Prediction: A great family film, this will also probably draw the college crowd who first grew to love the turtles.
March 30
Blades of Glory: A vehicle for Will Ferrell, with a side of Napoleon Dynamite’s Jon Heder, is a comedy about two male figure skaters that are forced to skate as a pair because of a feud. Rampant with the adolescent comedy that Ferrell is known for, this movie covers both the main characters feud and their attempts to become the first male/male skating pair in Olympic history. Poses that seem natural for male/female couples become ridiculous and provocative between Ferrell and Heder.
Melissa’s Prediction: Figure skating is much funnier than NASCAR. I suspect this FerrellFilm won’t disappoint any of his fans.
Meet the Robinsons: Disney’s newest CGI creation (without the help of Pixar) tells the story of a boy genius, Lewis (Jimmy Neutron, anyone?). This genius is in a foster home, and desperately wants a family. He creates a machine to help him access his earliest memories, including those of his family, but the machine sets off a series of strange. Lewis is sucked into a wild and psychedelic future, where he meets the equally wild Robinson family. A showdown with a man who frequently steals his inventions leads him to discover things about himself and his family.
Melissa’s Prediction: Like most of the new Disney movies, this film will be entertaining and profitable, but won’t reach the ‘classic’ status that Disney has been missing so often lately.
Movie Review: Pan's Labyrinth
Pan's Labyrinth: Dark Fantasy
by: Melissa Lanouette
The mistake many filmgoers made with “Pan’s Labyrinth” was going in thinking it was a fairy tale, in the modern sense of the word. Today’s fairy tales are sweet stories that urge children to pursue their dreams. The ancient fairy tales that “Pan’s Labyrinth” evokes are darker stories, stories where happily ever after isn’t a guarantee.
For the most part, “Pan’s Labyrinth” has nothing to do with the fantastical elements shown the advertisements. It is instead a bleak story about the Spanish Civil War, shown through the eyes of a little girl. Ofelia, played by 12-year-old Spanish Actress Ivana Baguero, is played as both innocent and mature, fully grasping the horrifying reality she lives in but choosing instead the dark fantasy of the Faun. Ofelia moves with her delicate, pregnant mother to an old mill where her new, cruel stepfather awaits them. Like any good fairy tale, her stepfather is evil, but in a real, human way that makes his character more understandable and intensely more frightening. Obsessed with rooting out resistance fighters in the hills, Ofelia’s stepfather commits acts of terror on screen that will make even the most steadfast viewer flinch away. When Ofelia leaves behind her grim reality to seek out the Faun, it is not only a relief to her psyche; it’s a relief to the viewers.
Guillermo Del Toro, recently returned from big Hollywood movies like “Blade 2” and “Hellboy” returns to his roots in this Spanish language fantasy. His former experience directing horror and superhero movies shows through in both the real and fantastic elements. The international cast is so superb that the film would be as easily understandable without subtitles. Apart from Ivana Baguero’s amazing Ofelia, Maribel Verdu turns in a striking performance as a sympathizer with both the rebels and the lonely main character.
Whether you go rent it to marvel at the amazing creatures, such as the suspicious Faun or the incredibly frightening Pale Man, or to watch a creative and unique film, definitely don’t miss “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Just don’t expect a happy ending for this fairy tale.
by: Melissa Lanouette
The mistake many filmgoers made with “Pan’s Labyrinth” was going in thinking it was a fairy tale, in the modern sense of the word. Today’s fairy tales are sweet stories that urge children to pursue their dreams. The ancient fairy tales that “Pan’s Labyrinth” evokes are darker stories, stories where happily ever after isn’t a guarantee.
For the most part, “Pan’s Labyrinth” has nothing to do with the fantastical elements shown the advertisements. It is instead a bleak story about the Spanish Civil War, shown through the eyes of a little girl. Ofelia, played by 12-year-old Spanish Actress Ivana Baguero, is played as both innocent and mature, fully grasping the horrifying reality she lives in but choosing instead the dark fantasy of the Faun. Ofelia moves with her delicate, pregnant mother to an old mill where her new, cruel stepfather awaits them. Like any good fairy tale, her stepfather is evil, but in a real, human way that makes his character more understandable and intensely more frightening. Obsessed with rooting out resistance fighters in the hills, Ofelia’s stepfather commits acts of terror on screen that will make even the most steadfast viewer flinch away. When Ofelia leaves behind her grim reality to seek out the Faun, it is not only a relief to her psyche; it’s a relief to the viewers.
Guillermo Del Toro, recently returned from big Hollywood movies like “Blade 2” and “Hellboy” returns to his roots in this Spanish language fantasy. His former experience directing horror and superhero movies shows through in both the real and fantastic elements. The international cast is so superb that the film would be as easily understandable without subtitles. Apart from Ivana Baguero’s amazing Ofelia, Maribel Verdu turns in a striking performance as a sympathizer with both the rebels and the lonely main character.
Whether you go rent it to marvel at the amazing creatures, such as the suspicious Faun or the incredibly frightening Pale Man, or to watch a creative and unique film, definitely don’t miss “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Just don’t expect a happy ending for this fairy tale.
No Cell Phones in Class!
No Phones in Class
Assigned topic
by: Melissa Lanouette
The harbingers of a new age, cell phones have wrought a multitude of changes on the world. News, good or bad, is sent instantaneously. Unless a conscious decision to “turn off” is made, people are never out of reach. Cell phones have developed their own place in our culture, bringing us new vocabulary and etiquette. And no one is immune. Even those who scorn the mechanical umbilical are subjected to its use by those around them.
College students, especially, have fully integrated these increasingly tiny devices into their lives. This current generation was the first to grow up with cell phones, since they were introduced affordably about the time a teenager would get their first taste of phone freedom. When the current students at Salem State got their first cells, the phones were bulky, typically grey or black, and only offering the amenities of chatting unmonitored with friends and playing snake (if one was lucky). Now, however, cell phones can be taught to do any number of things, from playing console video games to listening to MP3s to watching exclusive television programs.
Does the average student really need all this? The answer seems to be resoundingly yes. Many students sport popular new phones, with varying features. Some carry BlackBerries or CrackBerries if you will, so called for their addictive tendency. These phones feature extended keypads, perfect for text messaging, as well as a dizzying array of features such as GPS navigation, e-mailing, and instant messaging via an internet service. A cell-phone camera has become standard, and many contain video captures. PDA phones can synch up to schedule with your home PC and hold lots of information, while still offering similar services to a standard cell phone. Newer models such as the Helio gadgets (don’t call it a phone!) offer access to MySpace and other friend networking websites.
Since almost the entire campus has a cell phone now, the cell phone clause on the syllabus seems to be as important as the special provisions clause. Many self-proclaimed “cell-phone Nazis” fail to follow their own rules however. This semester, in Mr. Levine’s class (names changed to protect the hypocritical), after a long-winded dressing down of whoever had the gall to leave their cell phone on during the class meeting directly following our first cell-phone lecture, the professor was extremely embarrassed to discover that it was his cell phone that had been buzzing for the last 5 minutes. However, student cell phone use is rampant, and does interrupt classes. Despite warnings, many students find themselves unable to leave their cells at home, and many class periods now are punctuated by beeps, buzzes, and obnoxious ring tones.
That younger people aren’t renowned for their courtesy doesn’t help either. Many students may not have been taught that everyone has to finish getting off the bus before you board or that it’s polite to hold the door for anyone, not just cute girls. With cell phone etiquette newly developing, it is hardly surprising that many students seem wholly ignorant of how obnoxious they're being. Many students carry on loud private conversations on their cell phones in awkward places. If your boyfriend thinks you’re cheating on him, the best place to talk about it isn’t the library or cafeteria, where the whole world is privy to your indiscretions. Teachers who ban cell phones from class probably don’t appreciate students text messaging instead of paying attention.
Like many wonders of the electronic age, cell phones have their problems as well as their rewards. TV breeds obesity and the internet breeds stalkers. Cell phones over-connect us to our world, and make it easy to ignore that those people around us can hear us. With cell phones omni-present, roadside call boxes and pay phones are becoming obsolete. Even if you do not have one, you can count on finding someone who will let you borrow his or hers. One of Red Skies’ staff waiting outside Meier for the bus was happy to lend a fellow student his cell phone, suspecting an emergency. However, he fell prey to the dark side of cell phone usage when the girl used the cell phone to call her boyfriend inside, “Honey, I’m right outside where I said I was going to be. Love you, see you in two minutes.”
Assigned topic
by: Melissa Lanouette
The harbingers of a new age, cell phones have wrought a multitude of changes on the world. News, good or bad, is sent instantaneously. Unless a conscious decision to “turn off” is made, people are never out of reach. Cell phones have developed their own place in our culture, bringing us new vocabulary and etiquette. And no one is immune. Even those who scorn the mechanical umbilical are subjected to its use by those around them.
College students, especially, have fully integrated these increasingly tiny devices into their lives. This current generation was the first to grow up with cell phones, since they were introduced affordably about the time a teenager would get their first taste of phone freedom. When the current students at Salem State got their first cells, the phones were bulky, typically grey or black, and only offering the amenities of chatting unmonitored with friends and playing snake (if one was lucky). Now, however, cell phones can be taught to do any number of things, from playing console video games to listening to MP3s to watching exclusive television programs.
Does the average student really need all this? The answer seems to be resoundingly yes. Many students sport popular new phones, with varying features. Some carry BlackBerries or CrackBerries if you will, so called for their addictive tendency. These phones feature extended keypads, perfect for text messaging, as well as a dizzying array of features such as GPS navigation, e-mailing, and instant messaging via an internet service. A cell-phone camera has become standard, and many contain video captures. PDA phones can synch up to schedule with your home PC and hold lots of information, while still offering similar services to a standard cell phone. Newer models such as the Helio gadgets (don’t call it a phone!) offer access to MySpace and other friend networking websites.
Since almost the entire campus has a cell phone now, the cell phone clause on the syllabus seems to be as important as the special provisions clause. Many self-proclaimed “cell-phone Nazis” fail to follow their own rules however. This semester, in Mr. Levine’s class (names changed to protect the hypocritical), after a long-winded dressing down of whoever had the gall to leave their cell phone on during the class meeting directly following our first cell-phone lecture, the professor was extremely embarrassed to discover that it was his cell phone that had been buzzing for the last 5 minutes. However, student cell phone use is rampant, and does interrupt classes. Despite warnings, many students find themselves unable to leave their cells at home, and many class periods now are punctuated by beeps, buzzes, and obnoxious ring tones.
That younger people aren’t renowned for their courtesy doesn’t help either. Many students may not have been taught that everyone has to finish getting off the bus before you board or that it’s polite to hold the door for anyone, not just cute girls. With cell phone etiquette newly developing, it is hardly surprising that many students seem wholly ignorant of how obnoxious they're being. Many students carry on loud private conversations on their cell phones in awkward places. If your boyfriend thinks you’re cheating on him, the best place to talk about it isn’t the library or cafeteria, where the whole world is privy to your indiscretions. Teachers who ban cell phones from class probably don’t appreciate students text messaging instead of paying attention.
Like many wonders of the electronic age, cell phones have their problems as well as their rewards. TV breeds obesity and the internet breeds stalkers. Cell phones over-connect us to our world, and make it easy to ignore that those people around us can hear us. With cell phones omni-present, roadside call boxes and pay phones are becoming obsolete. Even if you do not have one, you can count on finding someone who will let you borrow his or hers. One of Red Skies’ staff waiting outside Meier for the bus was happy to lend a fellow student his cell phone, suspecting an emergency. However, he fell prey to the dark side of cell phone usage when the girl used the cell phone to call her boyfriend inside, “Honey, I’m right outside where I said I was going to be. Love you, see you in two minutes.”
This is Red Skies, just for me!
As a Red Skies intern, I've been writing various articles and reviews for the Salem State e-zine. In this journal, I will post all the stories that I've written for Red Skies or that I wanted to write for Red Skies. I don't consider myself some great literary figure, and happily accept constructive criticism. Please enjoy these pieces, and continue to check the real Red Skies for great works from some of my Salem State College Contemporaries.
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