DECEMBER 2015
8 MOVIE MADNESS
10
PRESS START
13 PULSE HIT LIST
16
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
in good CEDAR FALLS
Beck’s Sports Grill | American, Sports Bar 2210 College St., Cedar Falls 319-277-2646 Hours: Open daily at 11:00 am www.barmuda.com Featuring Beck’s best burgers, craft beers and a great place to play pool and enjoy watching a good game with your friends. Panthers favorite hang-out on the hill.
www.barmuda.com Bourbon Street offers all natural beef steaks, seafood and fresh oysters. Complimented by an extensive menu and many fine wines. Nightly specials and Happy Hour from 4-6pm. Ferrari’s Ristorante | Italian and American 1521 Technology Pkwy., Cedar Falls 319-277-1385 Hours: Monday – Friday 11:00 am - 10:00 pm, Saturday 04 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com Ferrari’s features only the finest steaks, freshest seafood and authentic Italian fare. The extensive dinner menu and fine wine selection make it a great place to celebrate any occasion.Voted best place for a business lunch with several light and quick options. Soho Sushi Bar & Deli The Stuffed Olive | Deli, Sushi, Tapas and Breakfast 119 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-9995 Hours: Monday – Friday at 06:30 am; Saturday – Sunday at 07:00 am
PRICING GUIDE (per entrée) | $10
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WATERLOO
Bourbon Street | Steaks, Seafood and Fresh Oysters 314 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-5285 Hours: Monday – Saturday 04:00 - 10:00 pm
www.barmuda.com Fresh made sushi and deli sandwiches, salads and paninis combined with globally inspired tapas dishes and over 100 different martinis. Also serving homemade breakfast selections and cookies made from scratch. Beck’s Taproom Grill | American Bar and Grill 3295 University Ave., Waterloo 319-234-4333 Hours: Open daily at 11:00 am www.barmuda.com Beer lovers rejoice! New iPour technology on Beck’s Taproom Wall will allow patrons to serve themselves to sample 35 local and regional craft beers. New menu features several new dishes that pair well with our craft beer selections as well as old favorites. #IdTapThat Guerilla Brewing/Lava Lounge/Beer Hall | Microbrewery and Bar 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo 319-234-5686 Hours: Monday – Thursday 05:00 pm - Midnight; Friday & Saturday 04:00 pm - Midnight Artisanal Nano Brewery is releasing limited run beer, producing 10 gallons of each new recipe.We produced 50 different beers in 2013. Brand new brew.
Hilton Garden Inn Garden Grille & Bar | 7213 Nordic Drive Cedar Falls 319-266-6611 HiltonGardenInnCedarFalls.com Breakfast Monday-Friday 06:00 am - 10:00 am Saturday-Sunday and Holidays 7:00 am - 11:00 am Lunch Closed
$20
$30
$40+
Dinner Monday-Sunday and Holidays 05:00 pm - 10:00 pm Bar Monday-Sunday and Holidays 05:00 pm - 10:00 pm Full service dining with intimate atmosphere, exterior patios and fire pits. Open to the public for breakfast and dinner.A freshly prepared breakfast buffet is offered daily. Dinner menu with entrees from a great steak to yummy burgers and delicious desserts. Bar menu available featuring smaller bites, great beers on tap and selective wines. Our experienced staff and delicious menu selections are sure to make your dining with us a success. The Lone Wolf | Bar, Restaurant 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo 319-833-2157 Hours: Monday – Friday Breakfast 07:00 am - 10:30 pm Sunday – Thursday Lunch 11:30 am - 01:00 am Friday & Saturday Lunch 11:30 am - 02:00 am Howl Hour 03:00 pm - 06:00 pm Monday – Thursday Glass of Wine $1.50 Retro Beers $1.50 $2.00 off appetizers www.theislewaterloo.com Whether you feel like getting food to go or plan to stay a while,The Lone Wolf is sure to please. Otis & Henry’s Bar and Grill. | Bar and Grill 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo 319-833-2241 Hours: Tuesday – Saturday open at 05:00 pm Closed Sunday and Monday www.theislewaterloo.com Whether you’re in the mood for decadent prime rib or a classic burger the menu is a diner’s delight.
Rudy’s Tacos | Mexican 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo 319-234-5686 Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 am - 09:00 pm www.rudystacos.com Rudy’s uses local ingredients through the Northern Iowa Food and Farm Partnership’s Buy Fresh/Buy Local program. Hurricane Grill and Wings American Restaurant 2027 Crossroads, Blvd., Waterloo 319-833-9464 Hours: Open daily at 11:00 am www.hurricanewingsia.com Hurricane Grill and Wings is a fun family restaurant with a tropical feel, specializing in wings that are “LIVE WITH FLAVOR” with over 30 sauces to choose from. Offering an outdoor patio with a super menu and specialty drinks.
Hy-Vee Market Café | 1422 Flammang Drive, Waterloo 319-274-0407 Hours: Sunday – Thursday 06:00 am to 09:00 pm Friday – Saturday 06:00 am to 10:00 pm www.hy-veemarketcafe.com Hy-Vee Market Café is a full-service restaurant where the goal is to serve great food at a great value in a great atmosphere. Offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and features delicious appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and a full bar. Every menu item is made-to-order with fresh ingredients and served by friendly wait staff. On Sundays join us for brunch, which includes an exceptional buffet with a Create-YourOwn Eggs Benedict and Omelet Station.
CONTENTS
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ALAN SIMMER | PULSE
P
erhaps you’ve heard of a little movie franchise called Star Wars? Or maybe you’ve been living in a space slug for the last 40 years? Either way, lightsabers and Jedi are going to be unavoidable. With a third trilogy kicking off this year — and standalone flicks scheduled in between — there’s more science fiction hurtling toward your eyeballs than you can shake a gaffi stick at. (That’s a Sand People weapon.) We’ve gotten a few trailers and a few teasers, but the Disney marketing machine has thankfully managed to keep the plot details under wraps. In the vacuum, we shall speculate madly about where the next installment of the space saga will take us. Here are some things on our minds; thank the Force we’re only a few weeks away from the answers. That lightsaber: The red blade with the crossguard has been the subject of much discussion. Will this new design actually be of some utility in the inevitable lightsaber duel, or is it just for looks? Silver storm: Is the silver armor bestowed to a stormtrooper who can actually hit a target with a blaster? Because that will make the mysterious soldier wearing it a much more dangerous foe. Or is this a self-styled thing? Someone found a bottle of shiny silver spray paint and just went to town? The old-timers: How much screen time are the actors from IV/V/VI really going to get? There’s a delicate balance between passing the torch and hog4 PULSE
ging the action, though is anyone going to complain about too much Han? No, no they are not. Also, are Han and Leia married? (Fingers crossed.) Luke’s whereabouts: He’s been conspicuously absent from the promotional materials, save for a hint of him here and there. Is he going to be hidden for most of the film, or will he turn up fairly early on? The droids: What’s up with C-3PO’s arm? Does Princess Leia not have enough money for some paint? Are we just salvaging parts from junkyards now? WON’T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?! And which R2-D2 will we see: the wry, crafty version from the original films, or the tricked-out, rocket-boosting machina ex machina of the prequels? The effects: We know J.J. Abrams has been building actual sets and using actual props. Will that prevent this movie from feeling hollow and empty like the prequels?
ALAN SIMMER | PULSE Whether you’re experiencing them for the first time or just reviewing before the next chapter, there’s one daunting question between you and 800 minutes of space opera goodness: In what order should the Star Wars movies be watched? Watching from Episode I to Episode VI is a nonstarter; all the shocking twists of The Empire Strikes Back are ruined by the prequels. And release order — classic trilogy, then prequel trilogy — has its own problems, not the least of which is ending with the three worst movies. (So much for finishing strong.) The solution? Machete order. Blogger Rod Hilton outlined the ideal way to consume Star Wars back in 2011. Start with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, break for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, then wrap it all up with Return of the Jedi. That’s 4-5-2-3-6. Hilton outlines all the reasons this is a very good idea — and there are many — on his blog. (Google “machete order” and it’s the first thing that comes up.) But the short version is that it introduces you to the Star Wars universe with the movie best suited to doing so, the original entry, and maintains a spoilerfree run. “The prequel backstory comes at the perfect time, because The Empire Strikes Back ends on a huge cliffhanger. … Delaying the resolution of this cliffhanger makes it all the more satisfying when Return of the Jedi is watched,” Hilton wrote. And there’s the benefit of jettisoning The Phantom Menace. Hilton makes a convincing case that Episode II and III work better without the baggage of the first movie attached, though you can go back and pick it up at a later date as more of an anthology movie. And the less Jar-Jar, the better. (Though I will admit the Darth Binks theories that have been floating around have almost convinced me to watch Episode I again. Almost.) LUCASFILM PHOTOS
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ALYSSA ROSENBERG | THE WASHINGTON POST Warning: Spoilers, mild though they be, be here!
O
ne of the great pleasures of Star Wars, Episode VII: The Force Awakens is the opportunity to see Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill reprise their iconic roles as Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. But one familiar face will be much missed: Billy Dee Williams isn’t slated to return in this installment as the rogue-turned-rebel Lando Calrissian (although he might be in future Star Wars films). It’s a shame, and not simply because Williams’ presence energizes any screen he is on. Lando Calrissian is a fascinating and fraught part of the Star Wars legacy and the conversation around race in science fiction and diversity in pop culture more broadly. Long before he was cast in Star Wars in a role that was the epitome of sophisticated cool, Billy Dee Williams had earned the title of “the black Clark Gable” for his performances in Lady Sings the Blues and Mahogany. In 1976, he told the New York Times that he wanted to play “more historical movie roles, notably Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Alexander Pushkin, the Russian poet who was half black, Hannibal and King Solomon, ‘and other great classical figures who have never been done by men of my hue.’” Those dreams never quite materialized; in subsequent years, he’d show up in television shows and movies, as well as in films such as Tim Burton’s Batman — but Lando Calrissian became by far Williams’ most iconic role. “Billy Dee Williams has a complicated relationship with Lando Calrissian,” Chris Taylor wrote in How Star Wars Conquered the Universe. “On the one hand, the … actor laments that his other movie roles were overshadowed by the suave gambler and administrator of Cloud City. On the other hand, he is strongly proprietorial of the role. When I interviewed Williams, he reminded me that he has reprised his role in every medium going: the NPR adaptation of Empire Strikes Back, the two Star Wars: Battlefront games, Robot Chicken, The Lego Movie, a
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Funnyordie.com video. If Lando were to show up in an Episode VII, Williams is ready to go. … Says Williams, banging his cane, ‘No one’s going to play Lando but me.’” That dedication to the character has put Williams in an unusual position: He both originated an iconic character and has played a number of the riffs that comment on Calrissian and his unique place in the culture. Some of the tensions around the character, among them the draw of his character, the risk of shading into stereotype and his status as the lone black character in an overwhelmingly white fictional galaxy, have been there from the beginning. “It’s too bad that the character played by Billy Dee Williams, the story’s only black principal (with the possible exception of Darth Vader, whose voice is supplied most effectively by James Earl Jones), is exaggeratedly unctuous, untrustworthy and loaded with jive,” Janet Maslin wrote in her initial review of The Empire Strikes Back. (In 1997, when the films were re-released, she’d revise her opinion, calling Williams’ experience in the film “smashing.”) Lando’s reputation as a smoothie has become a staple reference for pop culture in the years since the character arrived onscreen in Empire. In How I Met Your Mother, Ted (Josh Radnor) adopts “Lando” as a pseudonym during a liaison. The Boondocks, the animated adaptation of Aaron McGruder’s comic strip about a black family in a predominantly white suburb, has an episode in which Granddad (John Witherspoon) comes to believe he has a son from a womanizing period of his life when he went by the nickname “Lando”; the younger man’s real father turns out to be Billy Dee Williams. And during The Lego Movie, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s gleefully demented take on creativity within corporate constraints, Batman (voiced by Will Arnett) ditches his comrades to go party with Han Solo (Keith Ferguson) and Calrissian (Williams himself). There’s a moment where it seems like Lando’s going to argue that Han and the crew of the Millennium
Falcon ought to join the fight against Lord Business (Will Ferrell). But he ultimately gives in to the allure of a good time: The scene ends with Lando and Batman talking capes. But one good measure of the strength of a character is whether he’s still compelling after decades of analysis and references have accumulated on top of the original. And by my lights, Lando Calrissian still is. One of Williams’ accomplishments in Empire and Return of the Jedi is how much he manages to feel like an old-fashioned movie star in a futuristic setting without making the performance seem incongruous. Lando Calrissian can flirt with a pretty woman (Princess Leia) and run a trade colony, sell out a close friend and then try to make up for a bad decision. When his deal with Darth Vader goes south, he doesn’t protest too much; he simply gets on with the next stage of things. Lando’s the only character in Star Wars with a truly comfortable sense of style, and it’s no mistake that despite his late introduction to the franchise, he’s the guy who gets to blow up the second Death Star on his own. He even looks reasonably dignified while getting choked out by a Wookiee. Lando’s the Rick Blaine of Star Wars, with more humor and warmth. His charm’s more than unctuousness, and with the distance of time, it’s hard to read his sparring with Han or his flirting with Leia as jive. If Lando Calrissian was a dispatch from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, it’s a shame that the entertainment industry that’s tried to reckon with him ever since is still struggling to create his equal.
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I
t’s been more than a decade since a new chapter in the sci-fi saga Star Wars appeared on the silver screen. The newest film, The Force Awakens, which opens in theaters Dec. 18, is one of the most anticipated movie releases ever. The last movie, Revenge of the Sith, showed Anakin Skywalker’s descent from Jedi Knight to Darth Vader. It hit theaters in May 2005. Those were the most recent events for our chronology, which saw the release of three prequels years after the first trilogy. In the timeline of the films’ mythos, the most recent event we’ve seen was an Ewok dance party at the end of Return of the Jedi. While that moment won’t top most fans’ lists of great Star Wars moments, neither do cheesy lines like “Hold me like you did by the lake on Naboo … where there was nothing but our love” from Revenge of the Sith. What offense is greater is a matter of debate for which the Internet was invented. Since the action takes place after the original trilogies, fans have been speculating how much continuity from the previous films will carry over into the new movie. All? Some? What about the animated series? Is Vader really dead? Are the red-helmeted soldiers Coruscant security forces? What does Yub Nub mean?
Clear your mind of questions. We present some cold, imperial facts about the first six movies that strike us as interesting. This should tide you over until the Jedi return to a screen near you. n 4.5: The number of hours actor Alec Guinness devoted to filming his appearance as ghostly Obi-Wan Kenobi in Return of the Jedi. Guinness’ contract outlined he would start at 8:30 a.m. and be done by 1 p.m. Those 4.5 hours of work earned him millions of dollars. n 40: About the number of theaters agreeing to screen Star Wars in 1977 after the release date was moved up to before Memorial Day. n 36,000: About the number of theaters screening The Force Awakens. n 200: According to a magazine interview in 1980, the approximate number of pages George Lucas said his original Star Wars screenplay was. Most screenplays are about 95 to 120 pages, as one page typically represents a minute of screen time. n 7: Puppeteers it took to animate Jabba the Hutt. Three puppeteers were inside the Jabba puppet. One controlled the right arm and jaw. Another handled the left hand, tongue and head. The third person was in the tail. Outside, two people used remote controls for the eyes while one person under the floor worked bellows for the lungs to blow cigar smoke. n 0: Actors playing clone troopers. The shots in the prequels were computer animated. This is also the number of Star Wars holiday specials acknowledged by fans and George Lucas. n 1138: A number that Lucas slipped into parts of all six films. n 1: The number of hours it took for Sphero’s BB-8 robot toy to sell out on launch day, according to the company’s CEO. At $150 a pop, that’s a lot of dough. Will the spherical cutie (at left) dethrone R2D2 as king of the droids?
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LUCASFILM PHOTOS
PULSE 7
DECEMBER 11
In the Heart of the Sea STARRING: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Ben Whishaw It’s the year 1820, and a whaling ship is terrorized by a sperm whale, which later becomes the novel “Moby Dick.” I’m sorry, I’m supposed to feel sorry for the dudes getting attacked by a whale, JAWS-style, when they were the ones going around killing all the whales? Maybe I root for the whale in this one, is all I’m saying.
AMIE STEFFENEICHER | PULSE WRITER
DECEMBER 4 STARRING: Allison Tolman, Toni Collette, Adam Scott, David Koechner Is it a warm, family holiday movie stocked with comedy actors? Is it a kid-driven, adventure fantasy featuring monsters? Is it a straight-up, slasher-horror flick? Yes, yes and yes! So what, exactly, is the demographic for this? Who knows! Good luck, movie promoters!
Macbeth
STARRING: Michael Fassbender, Elizabeth Debicki, Marion Cotillard, Sean Harris It’s Shakespeare for people who enjoyed the film “Braveheart.” I’m sorry, you wanted a better description? That’s it. That is literally it.
Christmas Eve
STARRING: Jon Heder, Patrick Stewart, James Roday, Julianna Guill Most of this movie takes place in six different elevators that people are stuck in on Christmas Eve — one at a hospital with a patient and doctors, one in a workplace with a boss and a recent ex-employee and one simply featuring a grumpy Patrick Stewart. Probably they all get along/find common ground/learn something about themselves at the end.
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A Royal Night Out
STARRING: Sarah Gadon, Bel Powley, Emily Watson, Rupert Everett When World War II ends, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret are allowed outside the palace walls to celebrate with the commoners -- incognito. Initially, they’re chaperoned, but this being a movie, they eventually shake their chaperones, separate and have the time of their lives with goodlooking gentlemen. It’s a coming-of-age, party movie for the British monarchy, with just the right tone to get it an Oscar nod or two.
Life
STARRING: Robert Pattinson, Peter Lucas, Lauren Gallagher, Kendal Rae A Life magazine photographer starts shooting photos of James Dean before he ever got famous, and then kept shooting them after he did. Fun fact: There was a time when they assigned one photographer to just follow around an unknown actor for months! And they were actually friendly! Oh, the glory days of tabloid journalism!
The Letters
STARRING: Juliet Stevenson, Rutger Hauer, Max von Sydow, Priya Darshini Mother Theresa’s journey from simple nun to a worldwide celebrity known for her work with the poor. Go see this and feel bad about your contributions to the world.
DECEMBER 4 Chi-Raq
STARRING: Nick Cannon, Teyonah Parris, Anya Engel-Adams, Wesley Snipes Chicago has a higher homicide rate than American special forces in Iraq — this statement frames this Spike Lee film about Chicago’s gun deaths. But then he pivots: Instead of approaching the violence documentary-style (or even Boyz in the Hood-style), he goes for a bit of humor — the wives and girlfriends of those perpetuating the killings go on a “sex strike,” refusing to do the deed until the violence stops. (If it sounds familiar, it’s the plot from the ancient Greek play “Lysistrata.”) If you’re one of those “laugh so you don’t cry” people, this movie is for you.
UNIVERSAL, PARAMOUNT, WARNER BROS. AND AMAZON STUDIEOS PHOTOS
Krampus
DECEMBER 18 Sisters
STARRING: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Heather Matarazzo, John Cena Tina Fey and Amy Poehler play sisters who come back to their childhood home and throw a big, teenage house party as 30somethings. (40-somethings?) Kind of the female, grown-up version of Stepbrothers, where two comedy vets just play off each other for two hours. What I’m saying is, it’ll be funny, regardless of plot.
Son of Saul
STARRING: Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Urs Rechn, Todd Charmon A prisoner in 1944 Auschwitz is forced to burn the bodies of his friends and neighbors. Did you think The Pianist wasn’t depressingly horrific enough? You’ll love this movie!
DECEMBER 25 The Hateful Eight
STARRING: Channing Tatum, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Samuel L. Jackson Tarantino’s 8th film is set in post-Civil War Wyoming, in the winter, among a group of bounty hunters that includes Samuel L. Jackson. Basically, they all seem to be fighting to claim the $10,000 bounty of the prisoner they’re keeping. It’s Tarantino, so expect a lot of long speeches, gun fights and unnecessary, repeated use of the n-word. For three hours. Also, Channing Tatum is in this for some reason.
Point Break
DECEMBER 11 The Big Short
STARRING: Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Steve Carell Four guys with separate interests in economic issues who predicted the credit and housing bubbles decide to take on the big banks — ZZZZ. But wait! The trailer tries so hard to make it seem like Ocean’s 11! There’s a scene at a gun range! — ZZZZ. I get it — you really want people to know how greedy bankers are. BUT WE GO TO THE MOVIES TO ESCAPE.
STARRING: Teresa Palmer, Luke Bracey, Édgar Ramírez, Tobias Santelmann Inspired by, but not exactly, like the original 1991 film, this one features an undercover FBI agent tracking a group of extreme sports athletes who also happen to be sophisticated criminals who fancy themselves to be Robin Hoods. It’s pretty much a series of action-movie stunts on big waves, tall mountains and in the air — so if that’s your thing, you’ll love it.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
STARRING: Kaley Cuoco, Bella Thorne, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate The Chipmunks have just three days to stop Dave from proposing to his girlfriend in Miami, so they hit the road along with Dave’s girlfriend’s terrible son. Featuring real people talking to cartoons! Hijinks! Fart jokes! The song Uptown Funk changed to Uptown ‘Munk! Mercifully comes in at just over an hour.
The Revenant
STARRING: Tom Hardy, Leonardo DiCaprio, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter Leonardo DiCaprio plays an 1800s frontiersman who is buried alive by his crew after he’s mauled by a bear and they don’t want to deal with him anymore. Since they also kill his son, he sets out for vengeance on them all. Did you enjoy The Hateful Eight? This one likely has many of the same themes!
Concussion
STARRING: Will Smith, Gugu MbathaRaw, Stephen Moyer, Alec Baldwin Will Smith plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic neuropathologist who discovered that football players repeatedly hitting their heads led to bad things later in life. The NFL did not take kindly to this being revealed, obvs. But let’s all consider that we never collectively thought repeatedly hitting your head was a bad thing until faced with Omalu’s evidence.
OTHER FILMS Youth
DECEMBER 4 Michael Caine plays a retired orchestra conductor hanging out with other old people and his daughter at a vacation spot.
MI-5
DECEMBER 4 Fans of Bourne-esque action movies will love this one, featuring a former British spy being called upon to find a terrorist on the loose before he sets off a largescale attack on London.
The Lady in the Van
STARRING: Maggie Smith, Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Jim Broadbent Dame Maggie Smith plays a homeless woman living in a van -- in some rando’s driveway. She’s going senile and possibly dying, but this being a British movie, there are lots of laughs to be had at those scenarios.
Daddy’s Home
STARRING: Linda Cardellini, Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Alessandra Ambrosio An ill-advised Will Farrell movie, where he plays a hapless, boring stepdad who has to deal with his stepkids’ real (and cooler) dad, played by Mark Wahlberg, coming to his house. Immediately, they get into an ongoing fight about who loves the kids more. You’re really going to watch THIS Will Farrell movie on Christmas? BUDDY THE ELF DOESN’T APPROVE.
DECEMBER 25 PULSE 9
ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER
Just Cause 3
Rainbow Six Siege Devil’s Third
Wait, this game isn’t Uncharted? With the matinee-idol brunette leaping out of an exploding plane, you’ll forgive me for being confused, right?
Yes, this is a Tom Clancy game, but I don’t have room for that part of the title up there, so he can just deal. He’s got enough money, I’m not too worried.
Bonus points if you remember this game exists, because Nintendo’s trying its best to pretend it doesn’t. It’s not listed on the release schedule on the press site, even. Awwwk-ward.
PC, PS4, XB1; Dec. 1.
PC, PS4, XB1; Dec. 1.
Wii U; Dec. 11.
Buy Fallout 4 and say goodbye to your life JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER
F
allout 4 has ruined my life. The game has stripped away all about life that is good: family, romance, friendships, movies, stable employment, food, sleep. Playing Fallout 4 requires sacrifice that can’t possibly be worth a video game. Right? Of course not, even one such as this, an epic RPG that embodies the idea that video games can bring the best of different storytelling mediums together. Think of a sprawling tome plucked from the classics section of a bookstore, a long-running movie series that reliably deepens its mythology, a composer who infuses his music with boundless creative energy, an artist with a vision of the world that’s both intriguingly alien and unsettlingly familiar. To play Fallout 4 is to experience all of those things at once, and from that point on, playing it is all you’ll want to do. The player builds a character in 2077 of the Fallout universe, which sees an America with a distinctly ’50s aesthetic and a mix of technologies. You won’t find any Internet or flat-screen TVs, but there are hyper-intelligent robots, Iron Man-like metal suits, and laser guns galore. The player barely has time for a morning coffee before nuclear bombs begin to
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For: PC, PS4, XB1 | Price: $59.99 | Rated: M Pros: Gigantic, densely packed world offering hundreds of hours of gameplay. Cons: Buggy. Lack of tutorial for settlement system. Graphics just adequate.
shatter society, prompting him or her to head to a Vault, a gigantic underground shelter. A few plot beats and 200 years later, the player emerges into the postapocalyptic wasteland of the Boston area. Nearly every object in the game amounts to something. Take a pan from the kitchen and scrap it for steel. A child’s toy provides screws and plastic. These elements allow the player to manufacture supplies. Weapons in particular receive a lot of attention, with every gun, knife and piece of armor modifiable in a variety of ways.
The series also introduces settlement building and management, which allows the player to design and populate dozens of areas. The settlements also generate quests, ensuring that no matter how many quests you complete, there will always be more to do. Coming nearly 10 years after Fallout 3 and five after Fallout: New Vegas, the gameplay remains a fusion of role-playing and first-person shooter, improved from its predecessors to make the most engaging experience thus far. The often clunky mechanics of the previous titles have been streamlined, with combat making for a visceral experience that never wears out its welcome. Just be sure to save, and often, because death can come quickly and with little warning. Fallout 4 features a characterbuilding system that honors tradition while taking gameplay progression in a new, simplified direction. For each level gained, you simply get one point to put into one of seven stats (strength, charisma, luck, etc.) or in one of dozens of “perks” that grant various advantages. Life is full of important decisions, but few will equal or surpass the difficulty of deciding whether or not to spend that newest point on increasing the character’s
NINTENDO, BETHESDA, SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES
intelligence, or on making him luckier, or her a better shot with a pistol. The game, as released, is buggy, saddled with a litany of malfunctions from minor to game-breaking. Many have complained about the graphics, which look closer to last-generation games than current ones. The settlement building features virtually no tutorial, forcing players to clumsily learn the complex management rules. Yet to call Fallout 4 immersive is an understatement. The Fallout universe is deadly and diseased but densely populated, teeming with life. There’s a main plot surrounded with hundreds of side stories, ones that often carry remarkable impact. I write these things not to encourage you to buy Fallout 4, but the opposite. It’s not so much a game or a work of art, but an addictive drug. Fire it up and watch as your priorities change, your obligations go unmet, and your few waking moments away from the game are spent fantasizing about it. Take it from me, who has seen his life slip away; don’t buy Fallout 4.
FOR: Wii U
DECEMBER 4 OK, so, like, Xenoblade Chronicles is one of my most favoritest games ever, so this has been my most anticipated game of the year. *hyperventilates* And it’s here and it’s going to take so much time to play because the open world is apparently bigger than Fallout 4 and Witcher 3 combined and there are giant robots to fly around in and *passes out*
PULSE 11
HEARD THAT
DRIFTLESS SISTERS SPARKS FROM THE FIRE
T
he Sprengelmeyer sisters have each been in love. From the sounds of the Driftless Sisters’ debut album, it sounds like they’re getting over it. The album title seems to hint at where the madness of love comes from. Passion, love and anything else that burns inside of us comes from a little spark of madness everyone possesses. “We’re all a little crazy, we’re all insane, don’t you know that’s what love is,” they say in the title track. The Driftless Sisters, named after the region of Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois that escaped the glacial infill that covers the rest of the Midwest, produce songs as varied as the region’s topography. They fluctuate from hypnotizing high and lonesome melodies to bold, layered folk-pop in the nine-song album.
JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER
Much of the beauty of their sound comes from their sparse spacing and simple arrangements. Musicians can be tempted to hide weaknesses in layer upon layer of tracks in a production.
delivery of the lyrics “pick a bed of cotton,” “pick a bed of hay.”
That’s not what Lilly and Laurel do. They put the gentle echoes of their harmony vocals front and center. Instead of big instrumental breaks, the pair break into ohs, oohs and ahs for melodic flourish.
There is some carry-over from Lilly’s previous project, The Matriarchs, including the trotting, pace-changing song Beats Me, a highlight from her last album. What didn’t carry over are the production flaws. All but two tracks were recorded at Last Songbird Records in Montreal, Quebec, for a clean final product.
The songs White Picket Fence, Sailor Song and Yes Child have little more than their harmonies and a strumming banjo. The more complex songs are well produced and infectious. Some Say, with stomping bass and laughing vocals, has an indie-rock-viafolk-instruments sound, whereas Yes Child, recorded in Lilly’s living room, has the sound of a traditional roots song with the adept
Beyond the arrangements is the message. The songs are penned by Lilly, and her views on love seem refreshingly selfish. “Love ain’t free when it robs your soul,” she sings in Some Say. Loving who you are and what you do is liberating, her songs say. Waiting, wanting or depending on love from someone else diminishes us. “Never give yourself to another, they will only part,” she
sings in Dreamed of Love. The sisters gave their spark of madness and love to their music and ignited an album that’s easy to love.
MICROWAVED JESSE REMIXED
ADELE 25
C
an Adele even sing a B-level song? Every track on her highly anticipated 25 sounds grand, from the piano tune Remedy to Water Under the Bridge, which is layered and full of echoes and sounds as if it were created just to be performed live. And even when the singer collaborates with producers who at times sound formulaic and radio friendly, she brings them to new levels. Max Martin, who has created pop anthems for Katy Perry, Britney Spears and Taylor Swift, sounds unrecognizable on Send My Love (To Your New Lover), which has Adele on guitar. Bruno Mars and his producer cohorts,
Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown, work more than magic on All I Ask. 25 not only meets incredibly high expectations, it exceeds them. Adele’s growth is best heard on Million Years Ago, a touching, soft song that is majestic and unforgettable. The 11-track album is not a far stretch from 21, the singer’s best-selling 2011 album. Even the top-selling single, Hello, continues to sound better and better after each listen. “Hello, can you hear me?” she sings. Yes, Adele. And we’re so glad we do. — Mesfin Fekadu, The Associated Press
ENYA DARK SKY ISLAND Enya’s timing is perfect. Dark Sky Island, her first album in seven years, arrives in a chaotic, increasingly violent time, following the terrorist attacks in Paris. Enya’s lush, peaceful soundscapes provide a much-needed balm that soothes without boring. Her single Echoes in Rain has the pacing of Joan Osborne’s One of Us, but Enya’s hallelujahs have some swagger to them, bouncing against the plucking string sections to create a groove in the prettiness. It’s interesting how all the space in her songs leads your brain to fill
in bits that aren’t there. For example, the verses on the lovely ballad I Could Never Say Goodbye will have you thinking of Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love, even though it quickly moves in a different direction. After all, Enya’s music focuses on sound first, with lyrics acting mainly as support. (She even sings two songs in Loxian, the untranslatable language created by her collaborator Roma Ryan.) There’s no need to understand what she is singing in The Forge of Angels, for example, to get a feeling of grandeur and peace from it. It’s what Enya does best. — Glenn Gamboa, Newsday
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I
owa industrial band Microwaved is working on a new album for 2016. In the meantime, songwriter Gabe Wilkinson has released a remix version of his 2014 album, Jesse.
The album features the same dark lyrics, but with different sounds and samples, the songs are completely different versions. The remixed version has more of a hardrock than industrial sound with more guitar, layered-synth melodies. Some songs add spooky overtones compared to the originals. It also features more contributions from Sean “Satyr” Tracy of PRODUKT, who collaborated with Wilkinson on the original album. It offers an enticing hint at what the next album will sound like but also gives fans of Microwaved’s hard, driving and layered sounds something to tide them over until then. — John Molseed, Pulse
OUR PICKS, YOUR CLICKS When We Were Young by Adele Nobody does cry-yourself-to-sleep power ballads better than Adele. This track is quintessential Adele at her gloriously heartbroken best. — Amie S. Ain’t Gone Yet by William Elliot Whitmore The final track off 2015 release Radium Death. You can sense his love of Iowa in his grandiose lyrics about life and death in the opening lyrics. — John M. WTF (Where They From) by Missy Elliott feat. Pharrell Williams That’s how they do it where we from. My new official walk-up song for everything. — Meta H. The Ballad of Mr. Steak by Kishi Bashi Live albums are usually anathema to me, but this string-quartet-meetsindie-songwriting mash-up might be better live than in the studio. — Alan S. Wolf Life Me by TV on the Radio Whether you’re feeling particularly wolfish or just need a four-minute pick-me-up, this fuzzy rock song will leave you howling long after it’s over. — Christinia C. Flesh Without Blood by Grimes I never thought creepy bubblegum dancetronica would be my thing. Apparently, I was wrong. — Wes T. Plus Ones by Okkervil River So many delightful pop culture references, all to point out why that extra hanger-on to whatever passing fad always fades away. — Christinia C. Darling Corey by The Lowest Pair Not an Iowa band, but its Midwest roots run deep. A couple of weeks after a show in Waterloo, this pair got a well-deserved Steve Martin bump. — John M. Sugar Rush by AKB48 Every now and then you need an injection of hyper-cute J-pop. When that time comes, this is the song. — Wes T. That’s the Way Love Goes by Janet Jackson Grab a glass of wine and watch the snow fall. This hot, smooth track will keep you plenty warm. — Meta H. The Unknowns Blues by Isaac I was listening to the group’s newer singles, looking for good new music, but this 2014 release grabbed me with its catchy beat. — Alan S. Send My Love (To Your New Lover) by Adele Yes, I did pick two songs off an album she’s not letting you stream for free on Spotify. GO BUY IT, IT’S GOOD. This one’s a toe-tapper! — Amie S.
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Handpicked for launch JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER
H
ow do you get a well-known performer to play your venue? You attract a big crowd. How do you attract a big crowd? You bring in a wellknown performer. That’s the dilemma the Gallgher Bluedorn in Cedar Falls has faced. Thanks to months of public input, Gallagher Bluedorn staff is ready to announce the results of an initiative to bring some known artists to the Cedar Valley. The names of artists who will perform there at shows Feb. 4 and April 7 will be announced at a Handpicked launch party Dec. 10. The party begins at 8 p.m. and will be held at Davis Hall. Complimentary food and beverages will be available for guests and Mohair Pear will bring a selection of vinyl for sale.
Handpicked is an initiative launched this spring to get input from Cedar Valley residents and music fans to generate a list of artists, bands and musicians they want to see come to the area. Gallagher Bluedorn staff and volunteers took input at events and concerts through the summer encouraging people to choose their favorite artists from a list of well-known performers. “These bands that aren’t normally the bands who come to this area,” said Blake Argotsinger, Gallagher Bluedorn associate marketing manager. “We’re trying to build a market.” The first shows are a chance to build more success and show managers and agents the Cedar Valley is a place to book a show. All it
takes is a catalyst, Argotsinger said. “We’re not a proven market at this point for these types of artists,” he said. “This will allow us to get artists and even bigger names and bands that are even more sought after.” Although the first artists have been picked, more shows are planned which means more input is needed, Argotsinger added. “We’re handpicking people the Cedar Valley wants,” he said. “We truly want your feedback.” People can RSVP for the launch party at www.gbpac.com. Follow Gallagher Bluedorn on Spotify to get access to the playlist Handpicked has helped generate and suggest your own favorite artists.
SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Natascha Myers She’s been performing since the age of 3, and Cedar Falls wunderkind Natascha Myers will strap on her guitar for yet another performance Dec. 11 in Cedar Falls as part of the Cedar Valley House Concert series. Myers is a singer-songwriter known for her unique folk/indie-pop sound, which is laced with soothing qualities. Proficient in guitar and piano, and in the process of learning the banjo, she works to implement diverse elements in her COURTESY PHOTO
compositions, including the relatively novel discovery of orchestral components. Her originals have been described as cleverly unique and overflowing with hyperbolic lyrics. Natascha Myers Friday, Dec. 11 @ 7 PM 122 W. 10th St, Cedar Falls RSVP at cvhouseconcerts@gmail.com, with artist name as the subject line.
TV Reviews
JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Since its debut, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been one of sit-comedy’s most reliable pleasures, an uproarious romp through the halls an unorthodox police precinct. That hasn’t changed in its third season, which sees the detectives continue busting criminals and busting each other’s chops. Even now that the will-they-or-won’t-they between Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Amy Santiago (Melissa Santiago) has resulted in “they will,” the cast’s chemistry is stronger than ever. The characters are uniformly strong, though when pressed, most would tell you that stereotypeshattering Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher) and egomaniacal secretary Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) get the most laughs per minute of screen time. FOX PHOTO
Sundays @ 7:30 PM | Fox
Fargo The second season of FX’s delightfully dark, Coen Brothers-inspired series jumps backward to 1979 and comfortably shifts from thriller to snow-drenched Western. Never has a TV show made the upper Midwest look so desolate, a place where the endless white land invites moral poison and death. This is the kind of area where criminals point their guns at cops with impunity, the perfect setting for a gang war between a North Dakota crime family and the Kansas City mob. From the deliberately cruel, to the heroic, to the innocent, evil has a way of getting around in the world of Fargo. Lurid, funny and murderously suspenseful, Fargo weaves a sordid web of quirkily watchable characters who collide in surprising ways. The cast, headed by Patrick Wilson as a noble state trooper, is nothing short of stellar, especially Bokeem Woodbine as an offbeat Kansas City mob enforcer. The only major misstep is the show’s’ kitschy portrayal of Ronald Reagan (Bruce Campbell), a pointlessly showy addition that briefly distracts from an otherwise crackerjack narrative. FOX PHOTO
Mondays @ 9 PM | FXSundays @ 7:30 PM | Fox
AMC PHOTO
The Walking Dead ABC PHOTO
Seven years in, ABC’s hit Modern Family suffers from a personnel problem. The large cast ranges from competent to excellent, with each episode dutifully trying to shoehorn them all into a lean 22 minutes. The result is wildly uneven; one plot might be funny and even touching, while another could be a complete waste of time and yet another so-so. Still, its heart is in the right place, with storylines that endorse familial bonds and find humor in the lessons learned from parenting and growing up. But with its overstuffed episodes, one can’t help but wonder if the fat can’t be trimmed from this extended family.
Fans no longer have to accept a lethargic prequel as a substitute, as the real thing is back. The show runners have cleverly managed to keep this year fresh by making it about one particularly horrific day in the lives of these zombie apocalypse survivors. With each episode simultaneously advancing the story and reviewing it from a different angle, we watch alpha male Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and company attempt to save their community from a zombie horde numbering in the tens of thousands. Think 24: Zombie Edition. Bloody as ever and with tension to spare, the sprawling urgency of these recent episodes have given the show a welcome shot of adrenaline. Without spoiling anything, one thread is particularly irritating, a cheap ploy to drum up buzz at the expense of fans’ patience. But the stakes are high and the danger unrelenting, making this megahit show as vital as it has ever been.
Wednesdays @ 8 PM | ABC
Sundays @ 8 PM | AMC
Modern Family
PULSE 15
T E I D L E U Y
FUN
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. Including Cedar Falls. Cedar Rapids. Iowa City. And all the spaces and places in between. Here are some events to help you get your holiday cheer on. BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE
Bundle up and soak in the magic of downtown Cedar Falls during the Baby, It’s Cold Outside event from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. The evening is part of Cedar Falls’ Holiday Hoopla celebration. Watch as ice sculptors create delicate works of art with their chainsaws. Take the kids to visit Santa at his workshop at the corner of Fourth and Main streets and then enjoy free, horse-drawn trolley rides throughout the downtown. The live nativity will also be open on Sixth and Main streets.
THE NUTCRACKER
Paramount Theatre
Orchestra Iowa will present The Nutcracker at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. This iconic ballet will be performed by dancers from the Cedar Rapids community, Orchestra Iowa School’s Discovery Chorus, Ballet Quad Cities and Orchestra Iowa. Tickets range from $19-$54 and are available at paramounttheatrecr.com.
Englert Theatre
The Englert Theatre in Iowa City will also be presenting The Nutcracker. Performed by dancers from the Nolte Academy, the production features a live orchestra consisting of local musicians and conducted by Carey Bostian. Performances are 7 p.m. Dec. 4, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 and 2 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6. Tickets are $28.50 and are available at englert.org.
WAVERLY CHRISTMAS GREETINGS ON MAIN
Get in the holiday spirit with Waverly’s Christmas Greetings on Main from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10. This year’s theme is All That Glitters and features live window scenes, horse-drawn carriage rides, an ice carver and hot spots featuring Nestle hot chocolate and other special treats. Join thousands of residents and visitors in downtown Waverly for this special signature event.
EUFORQUESTRA HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Over the past five years, Eufórquestra’s annual Home For The Holidays performances have brought the communities of Iowa City and Des Moines together in a huge way. Now in its sixth year, Home for the Holidays has provided funds for more than 55,000 meals for local food banks to the cities where Eufórquestra got started and returns home every year. Eufórquestra is energy and rhythm personified. An ever-evolving sound that has been influenced by music from all over the world with an emphasis on funk, pocket and groove. For over a decade the band has been igniting dance floors across the country, blending the roots of funk, soul, afrobeat and reggae. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18 at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City and Saturday, Dec. 19, at Wooly’s in Des Moines. Tickets for the Iowa City performance are available at englert.org, and tickets for the Des Moines performance can be purchased at woolysdm.com. DAVID HEMENWAY | PULSE ARTIST
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HOLIDAY SPIRITS
Cold outside and you feel like staying in? The folks at UV Vodka offer up these drink recipes to put you in fine holiday spirits. CRANBERRY GELATIN SHOTS n ¼ cup UV Vodka n 3 oz. package cranberry gelatin n 2 ¼ cup cranberry juice Heat cranberry juice until it boils,
BLUE FROST
n 1 part UV Blue n 1 part raspberry sherbet n 1 part lemon-lime soda Serve over ice in a lowball glass.
HOT APPLE BLAST n 1 part UV Apple n 3 parts hot apple cider Pour into a mug and enjoy.
pour in bowl and mix in gelatin until dissolved. Add UV Vodka and pour into shot cups. Put in fridge to set overnight. Makes 20 shots.
CHERRY CHEER n 1 part UV Cherry n 2 parts Champagne Mix ingredient, stir, and enjoy.
BERRY WHITE
n 1 part UV Blue n 1 part creme de cacao n 1 part triple sec n 1 part lime juice Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.
SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES
PULSE 17
REVIEW
Back with a purpose Justin Bieber will bring his Pur- there’s no doubt that tickets to this pose World tour to Des Moines’ unbeliebable event will sell out. Wells Fargo Arena on June 22. We The hype around Bieber’s new know that’s MONTHS away, but music continues with the smash successes of Sorry and What Do You Mean, which was crowned the Biebs’ first No. 1 on Billboard’s all-format airplay/ sales/streaming-
based Hot 100 the week of its release, selling over 335,000 units digitally in the U.S. that week. Justin Bieber
Thursday, June 22 Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines $50.50 | $76 | $116 iowaeventscenter.com
J
JUSTIN BIEBER PURPOSE
ustin Bieber’s new album is peppered with songs full of apologies and redemption. The troubled star claims he’s changed. And maybe he has. Or not. But one thing’s for sure — his music has gotten better. So much better. Purpose, Bieber’s first album since 2013’s R&B-influenced Journals,” finds the 21-yearold edging out his own zone in the current pop music landscape. The Biebs has almost found his voice. He opens the album — with noteworthy production from EDM expert Skrillex — with downbeat songs both personal and real. The R&B number Mark My Words feels grown-up and sexy and on I’ll Show You, Bieber gets deep. “It’s like they want me to be perfect, but they don’t even know I’m hurting,” he sings in an honest tone. His “don’t-count-me-out” attitude also shines on the simple piano tune, Life Is Worth Living, where he proclaims, “I’m working on a better me.” Drawing from his real-life experiences is what makes Bieber’s album notable, along with his falsetto, which he has close to mastered over the last few years. Purpose isn’t always reflective — it’s also full of addictive pop gems. Even if you hate the kid, it’s hard to hate the songs. The ridiculously catchy Sorry is easily one of the year’s best pop songs, thanks to its irresistible, dance-inducing beat. And the hits Where Are U Now and What Do You Mean follow suit. No Sense has a trap sound that is a highlight; the layered and experimental The Feeling, featuring rising newcomer Halsey, has a winning hook; and Bieber is cool and calm on the stripped-down Love Yourself. On the latter, the singer throws jabs at an ex: “My momma don’t like you, but she likes everyone.” Even that girl will be in love with this album. — Mesfin Fekadu, AP Music Writer
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