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.
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