November 17-23, 2010 \ Volume 20 \ Issue 44 \ Always Free
Film | Music | Culture
HOLIDAY FILMS Deck the Screens In Hopes of Oscars
“ DANNY BOYLE AND JAMES FRANCO TAKE US ON A MEMORABLE THRILL RIDE.”
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ‘SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE’
NOW PLAYING
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“ DANNY BOYLE AND JAMES FRANCO TAKE US ON
A MEMORABLE THRILL RIDE.” “
★★★★
”
“ UNFORGETTABLE
AND ULTIMATELY UPLIFTING.”
“ A STUNNER.
JAMES FRANCO IS SIMPLY TERRIFIC.”
“ TRIUMPHANT AND ENTHRALLING. A DOUBLE TOUR-DE-FORCE FOR JAMES FRANCO AND DANNY BOYLE.”
“ CELEBRATORY AND SPELLBINDING FROM START TO FINISH. ‘127 HOURS’ BRIMS WITH LOVE OF LIFE IN UNEXPECTED WAYS.”
“
★★★★.
A PHENOMENAL PIECE OF WORK.” “ DAZZLING AND PERPETUALLY SURPRISING... IT PINS YOU DOWN, SHAKES YOU UP AND
LEAVES YOU GLAD TO BE ALIVE.”
HOLLYWOOD WEST LOS ANGELES SHERMAN OAKS at Sunset & Vine (323) 464-4226
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campus circle Nov. 17 - Nov. 23, 2010 Vol. 20 Issue 44
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Managing Editor Yuri Shimoda managing.editor@campuscircle.net
Cover Designer Sean Michael Editorial Interns Kate Bryan, Christine Hernandez
Contributing Writers Tamea Agle, Christopher Agutos, Jonathan Bautts, Scott Bedno, Erica Carter, Richard Castañeda, Kantreal Daniels, Nick Day, Amanda D’Egidio, Natasha Desianto, Sola Fasehun, Gillian Ferguson, Stephanie Forshee, Jacob Gaitan, Christian Goss, A.J. Grier, Denise Guerra, Elisa Hernandez, Zach Hines, Damon Huss, Arit John, Don Le, Danielle Lee, Lucia, Ebony March, Brendan M. Newton, Samantha Ofole, Brien Overly, Ariel Paredes, Sasha Perl-Raver, Dov Rudnick, Brianne Schaer, Mike Sebastian, Doug Simpson, David Tobin, Anna Webber, Kevin Wierzbicki, Candice Winters
Contributing Artists & Photographers Tamea Agle, Jacob Gaitan, David Tobin, Anna Webber ADVERTISING Sean Bello sean.bello@campuscircle.net Joy Calisoff joy.calisoff@campuscircle.net Jon Bookatz Music Sales Manager jon.bookatz@campuscircle.net Ronit Guedalia ronit.guedalia@campuscircle.net
5:48:22 PM
inside campus circle
Editor-in-Chief Jessica Koslow editor.chief@campuscircle.net
Film Editor Jessica Koslow film.editor@campuscircle.net
11/7/10
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04 NEWS LOCAL NEWS 04 BLOGS D-DAY 06 FILM DVD DISH 06 FILM SCREEN SHOTS 07 FILM PROJECTIONS 08 FILM BURLESQUE Christina Aguilera, Cher and Kristen Bell dazzle in this new musical.
THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT AND YOU ARE PART OF IT
08 FILM TV TIME 10 FILM MOVIE REVIEWS 12 FILM HOLIDAY FILM GUIDE 15 MUSIC L.A. UNDERGROUND 15 MUSIC EVERY AVENUE And Their Fearless Friends, Too
WWW.SKIRBALL.ORG/1000JOURNALS
16 MUSIC ANDREW MCMAHON The Dear Jack Foundation’s First Benefit Concert 16 MUSIC STREET DRUM CORPS Kick Off a Roxy Residency with a Bang 17 MUSIC LIVE SHOW REVIEWS 18 MUSIC FREQUENCY 18 MUSIC REPORT 19 MUSIC CD REVIEWS 19 MUSIC DAEDELUS Spins Back to L.A. on Magical Properties 05 CULTURE GAMES & GADGETS
Calendar Editor Frederick Mintchell
Campus Circle newspaper is published 49 times a year and is available free at 40 schools and over 800 retail locations throughout Los Angeles. Circulation: 30,000. Readership: 90,000. PUBLISHED BY CAMPUS CIRCLE, INC. 5042 Wilshire Blvd., PMB 600 Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 939-8477 (323) 939-8656 Fax info@campuscircle.net www.campuscircle.com © 2010 Campus Circle, Inc. All rights reserved.
20 CULTURE GET UP, GET OUT 20 CULTURE EXHIBITIONS 21 CULTURE CURTAIN CALL 22 CULTURE ON THE MENU 22 SPORTS GALAXY KICK 22 SPORTS PIGSKIN BLITZ 23 SPORTS L.A. HOOPLA 23 EVENTS THE 10 SPOT Cover: Holiday Film Guide 2010. Photo credit: hundreddays
CAMPUS CIRCLE/WEST SIDE STORY 4.875” X 5.90” • B&W PUB DATE: 11.23/10
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18 AND ADOPTED
Where to Go From Here by EBONY MARCH, NEWS EDITOR Over the past few decades, adoption numbers in the United States have grown exponentially. It is estimated that two percent of the U.S. population, or about six million Americans, are adoptees. There are numerous reasons why birth parents opt to place their children for adoption. Some fear the economic hardships associated with child rearing. Others take issue with the stress that a child would have on their lives. And for others, there may be issues of physical or mental health at stake. Adoption records that were sealed at the time of the child’s birth usually become available upon the child’s 18th birthday. That’s when the state in which the adoption took place unseals the records (including the name of the birth parents, previous address and other pertinent details) making all parties in the adoption available for contact. In some cases, either party may reserve the right to refuse or deny contact. Some birth families may not wish to revisit the trying time in which their child was adopted and therefore, could refuse to acknowledge the adoptee. However, there are some instances in which an adoptee could refuse to get to know one or both birth parents out of loyalty to their adoptive family or because of anger stemming from being
Campus Circle > News > Local News placed with a new family. Some notable adoptions have taken place in the public eye. Classic silver screen star Joan Crawford adopted two children, Christina and Christopher Crawford. Although the leading lady had a rocky relationship with both children, she was one of the first stars in Hollywood to be open about the process. In the 1990s, television star Roseanne (then married to actor Tom Arnold) came forward with news that she had given birth to a daughter nearly 20 years earlier. She and her daughter were reunited, and Roseanne even hired the young woman to work on her hit show. Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra, who have been heavily featured on MTV’s hit show “Teen Mom,” placed their newborn daughter, Carly, with an adoptive family. The entire process was shown on the cable network. More recently, singer Madonna has adopted two African children, David and Mercy. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are also the proud parents of three adopted children of other races. Transracial adoption (which occurs when the adoptive parents are of a different ethnicity than the adopted child) has become a widely accepted form of the practice over the past decade. Many private adoption agencies concede that there is a higher need for placement of minority children in the United States. There are also lower fees associated with the adoption of non-white children, which gives prospective parents incentive to choose children from other races. The Internet is rife with resources available to reunite birth parents with the children they placed for adoption. Iwasadopted.com is an excellent site that helps parents and children who are both in full accord and wish to find each other. The site has a number of microsites as well that can find matches across a number of countries. So if a European child was adopted by an American family, this site is an
D-DAY
STUDENT SUICIDE BEGINS WITH SILENCE by denise guerra
When I was a Freshman at UC Riverside, THERE were two students who committed suicide. One person during winter break, and another had reportedly suffocated himself to death when his roommate found him. On a trip to NYU, my friend took us on a tour around campus. “See the windows,” he said, “they’re only allowed to be open that much to prevent people from jumping.” That crack in the window was large enough for a small bird to land on. In fact, all the buildings surrounding NYU have a safegaurd of fences that kept students from jumping. Earlier this year, national media attention centered on Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi, whose final Facebook post simply stated, “Jumping off the gw bridge sorry.” He had no one to talk to and nowhere to go, so he jumped. His story of public humiliation and its tragic effects have sparked various debates, including suicide amongst college students. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports a national average of 7.29 suicides for every 100,000 students.
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Campus Circle 11.17.10 - 11.23.10
Courtesy of MTV
FILM
Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra of MTV’s “Teen Mom” placed their daughter with an adoptive family. excellent place to start. OmniTrace also offers search options for those involved with adoptions. State agencies provide excellent information, although, be warned: Your case may not be their top priority, so expect of bit of red tape when going through the government. If an adopted child or his/ her biological parents have enough basic information to get their search started, there are plenty of starting points to make initial contact. Facebook is widely used and therefore, an easy and neutral way to break the ice. People have easily reconnected by privately messaging each other via the service. E-mail is also a viable way to make an initial introduction, although, it requires one party to know the other’s address. Since adoption is never an easy process on anyone involved, it’s important that adopted children, birth parents and even adoptive parents work hard to support each other and respect whatever decisions arise from their joint situation. Being 18 and adopted can open up a whole new world to any adoptee willing to explore their options.
Campus Circle > Blogs > D-Day Earlier this year, there were six suicides in six months at Cornell University, and Cornell has less than 20,000 students. So why talk about suicide? Because it’s such a hot topic? No, it’s because no one wants to talk about it. The only comfortable way of talking about it is through emotionally distant objective rhetoric of statistics or through small talk where we say, “Yeah, that’s a tragedy,” and move on to the next topic. It is a subject that needs to be talked about openly and with understanding, an understanding that college is a pressure cooker where feelings of isolation and anxiety over money and the future can cause any student to feel the need to just say, “Fuck it.” They say it quietly, to themselves, while everyone else continues on with their own problems and worries. The social taboo of suicide means you’ve gone mental, and it’s handled with uneasy caution because people are either too uncomfortable to talk about it or they just don’t know what to do. In fact, suicide is a phenomenon of silence. A University of Texas study of 26,000 college students from 70 universities found that 18 perecent seriously considered suicide, but only half of those students are actually telling anyone about it; this ranges from talking to close friends to seeking professional help. The funny thing about this finding is that talking about it usually helps (I know), but it’s one of the hardest topics for anyone to understand. Various public and private universities have acknowledged this, and there are several programs already established, and for which you have already paid for. I know UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services offers any student registered with the university up to 10 sessions of psychological and psychiatric services. If you take the school’s insurance, the services are prepaid. When I used this service, my therapist was at the last stage of his medical internship before getting his master’s degree. In my head, I thought that
Darrell Wong/Fresno Bee/MCT
NEWS
Talking about depression and suicide with someone can help. not being with a professional meant I was missing out in some way, but because there was something at stake for him and he was new to it all, I felt that the level of care was genuinely higher, and that he really wanted to understand and help. I could have opted out and received someone with the initial Ph.D., but I didn’t care whom I spoke to at the time. I just needed to someone to listen. USC offers a similar service to anyone registered as a student. I had to talk to a lot of different people to find someone that was a right fit for me to talk to. Some scoffed at my problems or just kept quiet. Some people just really can’t relate to you, while others can; and it can be anybody from a friend to a co-worker who won’t judge you. Talking about it helps. Schools understand how hard it is being a student and their programs are specially tailored to understanding student mental health. Even if you opt out of receiving professional help, find someone to talk to. It’s not just your life you’re affecting. Like my experiences at UCR and NYU, it can be a total stranger’s. And don’t only talk, but for those on the other side, listen to your friends. It just might be what they really need.
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GIFT GUIDE BY mike sebastian Novatel Wireless’ MiFi 2200 MIFI 2200: With the Novatel Wireless MiFi, you can have high-speed wireless Internet anywhere. There’s no need to subscribe to costly 3G data plans for your portable devices, just pay as you go. You can check your e-mail, get a movie time or find directions on the move. It’s a simple one-touch connectivity with four hours of usage time on the battery, 40 on standby. You can use up to five devices at one time, with a range of 30 to 40 feet. Plus, it’s password protected, so no one can leech. novatelwireless.com Etón Soulra Solar-Powered Sound System: Compact and solar powered, the Soulra iPod/iPhone dock is perfect for home, the beach, camping, pretty much anywhere short of spelunking. The durable rubber and aluminum design is also splashproof. A plastic cover protects your portable device. Not only does it play your tunes, but it charges your iPod too. It also includes a remote and an AC adapter, just in case. Go green with this ingenious gadget. etoncorp.com GelaSkins: Show your hometown pride and liven up your cell phone, iPod or computer with GelaSkins. Various artists have teamed up with GelaSkins to create works of art for your electronics. EBoy’s Los Angeles skin features a Where’s Waldo?-esque cartoon scene of famous landmarks, from Johnie’s Coffee Shop to the beach. The removable skins go on easy, protect your device from scratches and come off without a sticky residue. You can even send in your own artwork or photo. gelaskins.com H20 Audio Surge Waterproof Headphones: Take the monotony out of swimming laps with these waterproof headphones. But these buds aren’t just for swimmers. They also protect against corrosive perspiration. They come with five different sized earplugs to ensure the perfect fit. Guaranteed to withstand submersion of up to 12 feet of water, they also come with a lifetime warranty. A waterproof armband (sold separately) will keep your iPod safe. h2oaudio.com Haier Blu-ray Player: Blu-ray players have finally become affordable. The Haier BDP100 is available for under $150. It features full 1080p HD viewing, plus it will upconvert your DVDs to their highest possible resolution, so you can enjoy your current movie library like never before. But that’s not all. The network player has a direct Internet connection for BD Live, streaming movies from Netflix or listening to music from Internet radio sites like Pandora. haier.com Magellan Roadmate 3065 Commuter: The RoadMate 3065 is a comprehensive GPS unit designed for commuters. With the Traffic Wakeup feature, you can program the unit to wake itself up 30 minutes before your morning and afternoon commutes. It will then boot up the traffic alerts so they’re all ready when you get in the car. It features one-touch access to your favorite destinations, AAA tour book destinations with detailed information on restaurants and over six million points of interests, like hospitals and repair shops. magellangps.com Samsung Sh-B123 Optical Disk Drive: Now you can watch Blu-rays on your computer with the world’s fastest Blu-ray drive. This internal optical drive has a 12X BD-ROM read speed, 16X DVD and 48X CD. The packaged Cyberlink PowerProducer software allows you to upscale DVD resolution to full HD as well as burn HD camcorder movies to DVD. The drive’s burn speeds are fast with 16X DVD-R speed. The drive looks great with a sleek mirror front design. Plus it’s eco-friendly, with 25 percent lower power consumption than competitors, low lead time and low acoustic noise. samsung.com/us “Scene It? Comedy Movies Deluxe”: For the movie trivia buff in the family, the “Scene It” line of games offers a fresh take on the traditional board game. Comedy Movies features classics like Animal House and Caddyshack to new favorites like The Hangover. Using your DVD player, the game takes you through film clips, trivia and on-screen puzzles, and now features all new mini-games and bonus activities. sceneit.com Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Galactic Passport: For the gamer in your life, the Galactic Passport is a bundle of goodies for the popular online game. Included are: a 90day premium membership to the online game, 500 Station cash (the in-game currency), an exclusive Togruta playable character species and a Yoda bobblehead that sits on your monitor. clonewarsadventures.com
SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY Center for Esthetic Dentistry
Left Photo: Small Natural Teeth (Before) Right Photo: Veneers, Teeth #5-12 (After)
Esthetic Restorations All procedures are performed by Post-graduate Dentists and supervised by Clinical Faculty of the Center for Esthetic Dentistry call (310)825-4736 for an appointment UCLA School of Dentistry, Westwood Campus Campus Circle 11.17.10 - 11.23.10
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R.I.P. DINO DE LAURENTIIS
BY mike sebastian Blu Notes: For the Hogwarts devotee in the family, the Harry Potter Ultimate Edition Blu-rays are a must-have. Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire come to hi-def in threedisc editions packed with bonus features, including conversations with the cast, photo books, character cards and more.
The Vault: Fifteen films from one of the all-time great directors make up The Elia Kazan Collection. Kazan was an actor’s director, guiding some of cinema’s landmark performances, from Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront to James Dean in East of Eden. Other films include A Face in the Crowd, Panic in the Streets, Splendor in the Grass and more. Also included is a warts-and-all documentary on Kazan by Martin Scorsese.
Music: Containing over 14 hours of performances spanning the 1950s-1980s, the Frank Sinatra: Concert Collection is essential viewing for any fan of Ol’ Blue Eyes. The sevendisc set contains television specials and live concerts, with appearances by Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin and more. Wholetrain (available Nov. 23) is a fictional graffiti feature about four writers told by Florian Gaag. The award-winning, gripping drama is accompanied by an original soundtrack featuring KRS-One, Planet Asia, Afu-Ra and more. The Idiotbox: Deadwood: The Complete Series (Blu-ray available Nov. 23) – Ian McShane created one of the greatest characters in TV history with Al Swearengen, the foul-mouthed saloon owner in the mining town of Deadwood. Timothy Olyphant is the reluctant sheriff trying to keep the hotbed of greed from descending into total anarchy. Sex and the City: The Complete Collection is the ultimate collector’s set for devotees of Carrie and the girls. This 20-disc set includes every episode of the TV series along with both theatrical films, plus an all-new bonus disc featuring a roundtable discussion with the show’s writers. Also included are alternate endings, commentary tracks and a fashion-style photo book. FX’s soapy plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck: The Complete Series follows two very different partners in a cosmetic surgery practice and their turbulent personal lives over six award-winning seasons. The bold series used the cable medium for great effect. Featuring 50 remastered episodes handpicked by one of the show’s original producers, Tonight: Four Decades of the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson brings together over 30 hours of the king of late night. Featuring appearances by Woody Allen, Muhammad Ali, the Jackson 5, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, George Carlin, Bill Clinton and more, this is an amazing collection. Also included are some of Carson’s earliest episodes long thought lost, which are available for the first time. The entire run of everyone’s favorite OCD P.I. is now available in Monk: The Complete Series. Tony Shalhoub probably had to add on a new room to his house for all the awards he racked up over the show’s eight seasons. The dramedy follows a brilliant former police detective who, following the murder of his wife, develops a number of crippling phobias. Now, he’s out to prove himself to get back on the force. The Pacific is an epic 10-part HBO miniseries from producers Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman, the team behind Band of Brothers. This series takes you to a side of WWII seen less often, the Pacific theater. With stunning, visceral cinematography, it follows three real-life marines through the horrors of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Also included are profiles of the real people the series was based on, historical documentaries and a making of the series. Under the Radar: Oscilloscope’s “Circle of Trust” subscription is the perfect gift for lovers of independent cinema. The distributor has carved out a unique niche bringing small, thoughtful independent films to DVD with loving Criterion-esque treatment. The subscription service gets you the next 10 releases delivered to your home a month before their street dates, plus half-off of one of each of the titles from their existing catalog. Previous releases include: Wendy and Lucy with Michelle Williams and documentaries The Garden and Flow. 6
Campus Circle 11.17.10 - 11.23.10
by zach hines
Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times/MCT
NEWS
Dino De Laurentiis at the Academy On Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010, legend– Awards in 2001. ary megaproducer Dino De Laurentiis passed away at the admirable age of 91. I don’t think it’s possible for anyone alive right now to not have seen at least a few of the films that he’s been involved with. De Laurentiis has produced every type of film and worked with every kind of filmmaker. In honor of De Laurentiis’ life and career, I’ve put together a list of my Top 5 favorite films produced by the man. Here goes, in chronological order… La Strada (1954) Directed by Federico Fellini Many years before legendary writer-director Federico Fellini created his seminal masterpieces La Dolce Vita and 8½, he made this film produced by De Laurentiis starring Anthony Quinn and Fellini’s real-life wife Giulietta Masina. The film is about a young girl who gets sold to a traveling Gypsy circus and features Fellini’s incredible camera work and beautiful black-and-white cinematography. Ulysses (1954) Directed by Mario Camerini I’m a huge sucker for Greek mythology, and I absolutely love Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey – probably the best Part I and Part II of any storyline in the history of the universe. The Odyssey is of course the story of Ulysses (or Odysseus depending on what version) returning home from the Trojan War covered in The Iliad. Kirk Douglas stars in the film as Ulysses, and murders it as you can imagine. The first time I saw this was in elementary school. The teacher showed the film to us after we had finished reading the book. I fell in love with the story right away reading the book, and then once I saw the movie it was a wrap-a-doo. Serpico (1973) Directed by Sidney Lumet How can anyone not love a film where the main character gets shot in the face in the first scene? Made during the golden age of filmmaking, starring the great Al Pacino and directed by the just-as-great Sidney Lumet in one of their many collaborations, this film about an undercover cop who winds up incriminating a bunch of corrupt cops from his own precinct is one of those required viewing film school type films. One of the things I love about it is you’ve got this scene early on in the film where Pacino is chasing down a suspect, and there’s a shot of Pacino sprinting after this guy and it’s the hardest you’ll ever see anyone run on film. Classic. Manhunter(1986) Directed by Michael Mann Before Anthony Hopkins murdered the game (quite literally) as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, De Laurentiis produced this adaptation of the first book in novelist Thomas Harris’ series of novels. The film stars William Petersen and Brian Cox in the role of Lecter. The name was changed to Manhunter from “Red Dragon” because of a similarly titled film that De Laurentiis had produced the year before that didn’t do well, and he didn’t want people to think this was a sequel to that. After this film, De Laurentiis gave up the rights to the next Lecter book, The Silence of the Lambs, for someone else to make, and well … we all know what happened there. Many years later De Laurentiis would produce Hannibal and a remake of Manhunter now re-titled Red Dragon, both with Hopkins reprising his role as Lecter from Silence. Army of Darkness (1992) Directed by Sam Raimi Part III of the epic horror-comedy The Evil Dead series starring Bruce Campbell in the role that made him iconic. The Evil Dead introduced us to Ash, the protagonist of the series played by Campbell, and the book of the dead. Evil Dead II showed us Ash getting his hand possessed by evil, and after having to cut it off, replacing it with a chainsaw. At the end of Part II, Ash gets transported back to medieval times and leaves us with a great cliffhanger. Army of Darkness picks up right there and chronicles Ash’s further adventures and battle against the forces of evil. This is one of the best and most original genre mashups in film history, and I feel sorry for those who can’t love it.
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THE SOCIAL NETWORK Nov. 21 @ Aero Theatre by candice winters The scene opens to: INT. CAMPUS BAR – NIGHT MARK ZUCKERBERG, a “sweet-looking 19-year-old whose lack of any physically intimidating attributes masks a very complicated and dangerous anger. He has trouble making eye contact and sometimes it’s hard to tell if he’s talking to you or to himself. ERICA, also 19, is Mark’s date. She has a girl-next-door face that makes her easy to fall for. At this point in the conversation she already knows that she’d rather not be there and her politeness is about to be tested.” What then ensues is one of the most memorable dialogueheavy film openings in the history of film. It is a bit over the top, but how many people of the average viewing audience have been hit by the opening line from Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940)? “Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” However, that was in the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood filmmaking, when ideas were fresh and eagerness was the friend of success. What do we have in theaters now that makes us like film? Sam Mendes always does us a favor by creating memorable openings (remember the American Beauty (1999) home video of Thora Birch and that damn plastic bag?). Unlike that film and hundreds of others with similarly brilliant openings, none are as great as David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010). Why? Because Aaron Sorkin is a screenwriting god. Fincher is a master of the aesthetic of filmmaking. His past masterpieces include Brad Pitt star vehicles Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), and you have to admit, the guy’s got style. A pattern that seems to intertwine (at least the appearance) of his films is his tendency to have low-key lighting with green or blue-tinted color temperature to set the mood of a scene. The Social Network is no different. The opening scene I’ve been raving about is, like most of the film, strangely yellow, recalling a beer haze you used to get in college perhaps? Regardless, the color permeates the dialogue between Mark and Erica. MARK: “Did you know there are more people with genius IQs living in China than there are people of any kind living in the United States?” Genius is exactly the word I would use to describe Sorkin’s ability to cast tone, mood, character development and plot establishment within the first 10 or so minutes of a film. The actors, in this case Jesse Eisenberg and Rooney Mara, play the dialogue like it’s one long, leisure game of tennis that escalates and hits every crescendo so the crowd can take sides, but still marvel at each opponent’s strength. If you haven’t seen the film, I apologize for possibly ruining something, though I don’t think anything can do it justice like the footage itself. Hopefully by the now, the posters and trailers have made it clear exactly what the film is about: Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, must fend off suing friends and enemies to maintain his vision for the social networking site. Aptly marketed as “the most modern and timely movie of 2010,” the film lives up to the hype, primarily because of the aforementioned script that contains rapid-fire dialogue as well as compellingly smart chronology. As a treat to script junkies like myself, the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre is hosting a screening of The Social Network on Sunday, Nov. 21, followed by a Q&A with the man himself, Aaron Sorkin. I don’t get starstruck or celebrity giddy because, frankly, actors are all the same. But what I wouldn’t give for Aaron Sorkin and even an ounce of his ability. Aero Theatre is located at 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. For more information, visit americancinematheque.com.
SCREEN GEMS PRESENTS A DE LINE PICTURES PRODUCTION A FILM BY STEVEN ANTIN CHER CHRISTINA AGUILERA “BURLESQUE” ERIC DANE MUSIC CAM GIGANDET JULIANNEEXECUTIVEHOUGH ALAN CUMMING PETER GALLAGHER WIPRODUCED TH KRISTEN BELL AND STANLEY TUCCI SUPERVISOR BUCK DAMON WRITTEN AND MUSIC BY DONALD DE LINE DIRECTED BY STEVEN ANTIN BY CHRISTOPHE BECK PRODUCERS STACY KOLKER CRAMER RISA SHAPIRO STARTS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES
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BURLESQUE
Cher and Christina Aguilera: Show-Stopping Showgirls by sasha perl-raver When she walks into a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel, a black sweater studded with gold sequins wilting off her milky shoulder and skin tight black pants revealing the body of a 20-year-old, the entire press corps takes a collective breath and sighs lovingly, “Cher.” Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the presence of greatness. Considering this is the woman who played God on “Will and Grace,” it makes sense that she’d be taking a break from her blockbuster Las Vegas show in order to promote Burlesque, her return to the big screen after a six-year absence, a film her co-star Stanley Tucci calls, “Gay Fantasia.” Directed by Steve Antin, brother of Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin, Cher co-headlines Burlesque with Christina Aguilera, who makes her big-screen debut as Ali, a small-town girl with a big time voice who moves to Los Angeles in hopes of becoming a star. Ali gets a job as a cocktail waitress at the Burlesque Lounge, a once resplendent nightclub that’s now ailing, and falls under the tutelage of the owner, Tess (Cher), and her rapier-witted stage manager (Tucci, who could read the phone book and be compelling). It’s a lush, beautifully photographed movie musical filled with show-stopping song-and-dance numbers that call to mind films like Gypsy, Chicago, La Cage aux Folles and even
Campus Circle > Film > Interviews Showgirls (in the funny, campy way minus the sleaze). Asked why she stepped away from an acting career that earned her wide critical acclaim for iconic roles in The Witches of Eastwick, Mask, Silkwood and her Oscar-winning turn in Moonstruck, Cher takes a pull from a Big Gulp-sized iced coffee, shrugs and says simply, “I forgot. Nothing came to me that I liked, except a part in Mamma Mia!, which I was on the road and couldn’t do. I’ve been busy. It’s not like I’ve been a shut-in, but I forgot that I like acting so much.” Effortless and charming, Cher’s performance is a reminder of just how talented she is. According to Aguilera, Cher’s professionalism and level of performance were the best on-set learning tools she could have asked for. “Cher; what better person to learn from?” Aguilera smiles. “And she is just as good, if not better, in her off-camera moments. She really pushes the other person’s buttons to make them react and make them even better than what the dialogue calls for. She makes it easier for the other [actor].” In response, Cher praises her co-star’s transition from singing superstar to actress. “She was nervous but held herself well. I’d be frightened too, to walk onto a set where you’re starring in a movie and you don’t know what to expect. I think she did a great job of not being so nervous that it diminished her performance.” Aguilera admits that she wasn’t always confident and assured. After years of being asked to appear in different films, she says she waited until the right project came along because she “wasn’t going to do a movie just to say I did it. I wanted to really believe in something and feel passionate about it.” First approached by the studio, she liked the idea of a burlesque movie but wanted changes made to the character. “It just wasn’t something for me,” Aguilera explains.
TVTIME
KYLE RICHARDS Meet the “Realest” Housewife in Beverly Hills by ebony march Kyle Richards has an enviable life. Since childhood, she made a splash on the Hollywood scene as a noted child actor. She and her sisters, Kim and Kathy, were the Fannings of their day, appearing in everything from television shows to horror films. As an adult, Richards is married to the love of her life, real estate mogul Mauricio Umansky, and just happens to be the aunt of world-famous starlets, Nicky and Paris Hilton (with whom she bares a striking resemblance). From a glance, she makes it all look flawless and easy. But ever since Bravo’s latest installment of its successful “Real Housewives” franchise, Richards is garnering respect and praise from fans who see that she’s just as normal as they are. “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” is the muchtalked about reality show that chronicles the daily comings and goings of a handful of fabulously wealthy married women living in the nation’s most coveted zip code. Richards stars opposite her sister Kim as well as friends like Adrienne Maloof (owner of the Palms hotel and casino as well as the Sacramento Kings) and frenemy Camille Grammer (former wife of actor Kelsey Grammer). Each week, their every moves are projected to millions of people with little to no filtering for matters of public relations.
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Stephen Vaughan
FILM
Cher and Christina Aguilera star in Burlesque. “[Ali had] no backbone, no bite. She had to have more drive, more passion. They rewrote her and I think they made her into more of a fighter for me,” she says, unwittingly namechecking her own 2003 hit single. Meeting with director Antin, who used things like Caravaggio paintings and Ellen von Unwerth photography to convey the visual world he planned on creating, sealed the deal. “Burlesque can be presented in many different ways,” Aguilera continues. “He’s a big Fosse fan. He was inspired by Cabaret [and] Liza Minnelli; I knew Steven would do it in a classy, elegant way.” Asked if Burlesque will be her big screen swan song or just the beginning of another long string of exceptional performances, Cher shares a bit of her life philosophy. “I don’t believe the word no,” she says. “No is a bullshit word that someone made up. I think if you’re an artist, you just don’t care. And if you’re a regular person, you try to care less.” Burlesque releases in theaters Nov. 24.
Campus Circle > Film > TV Time So, how does one become a Real Housewife? Well, you could say that coming from a famous family has its perks: In 2005, she appeared on TV in a show featuring her nieces Paris and Nicky. It was this appearance that set her current undertaking into motion. “Funny enough, somebody saw me on ‘E! True Hollywood Story’ and they thought I’d be perfect for this,” she says. With the support of her immediate family, which also includes daughters Alexia, Sophia, Farrah and Portia (her youngest), Richards signed on, and the rest is history. She deals with the same rigors of family life that other wives and mothers do, including sibling issues and juggling a complicated schedule. Since this season got underway, audiences have been treated to a number of happy and candid moments, including Richards and her friends attending a Jay-Z concert in Vegas. Interestingly, the platinum-selling rapper isn’t the only contemporary musician that she enjoys. She lists the Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears and Fergie among her other favorites. But just when it’s assumed that she might be more Hollywood Hills than Beverly Hills, Richards brings it back home. “I also love classical music,” she notes, enthusiastically. True, the Beverly Hills wives buck expectation at every turn. Richards is not only chic and glamorous, but she demonstrates a lot of heart and hands-on interaction with her family – a fact that TV often suggests is handled by hired help (Grammer, herself, admits to having four nannies for her two children.). Still, with all the lighthearted charm on the show, the blogosphere has often fixated on the catfights and disagreements. In the weeks prior to its debut, Bravo leaked images of Richards arguing with her sister and also
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spilled secrets about her tension with Grammer. To speak with her, you get the sense that the sudden addition of strife is something new to this wife and mother. In spite of the eye rolling and cringing that some of the cast members do behind each others’ backs, Richards tries her best to take it all in stride. “Not everybody gets along, and not everybody gels,” she confesses. She even admits that at times she feels out of place among all the badmouthing. Some of the altercations even have her fantasizing about a stint on another cast of the popular show. “I would have to say New York,” she says. “I feel like I would fit in a lot better there.” This admission begs the question: Will she return for a second season of the hit series? “It depends on what day you ask me,” she says. “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on Bravo.
“THE M H I KIND N CONV EARTBR D -BE OF ENTI EAKIN ON A N G “ON C D I ND D NEM I E OF N A G E T F T I , I C N H ES A E THE E BE P GENE IC THA AND BEST ST M “SPE T DEF R O A ‘ V H T Joan CTA I I ARRY ES O ON.” IES Robb ins, E CUL J F ake H NTE POT T RTAI AR .” amilt H E NER on, F T Y S E OX-T “ E R T A V ’ Y R H “TRU E . R E T Dean . A ” S Shaw Rich ILL I L LY a n r Y I d E s d N Bonn , WG w a A r d G N ie La s , FOX AME ufer, WE -TV RICA .” “ S TRIB B R Kare UTE OM I n Lan LL CAN nus, ADA E!” STAR IAN T Z EN TERT !” AINM
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David James
Campus Circle > Film > Movie Reviews
Love and Other Drug’s Maggie (Anne Hathaway) and Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) are under the influence of the ultimate drug - love.
Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story (Seventh Art Releasing) You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the documentary Jews and Baseball. Nor do you have to be an especially big baseball fan. But if by chance you happen to be both, Mazel Tov. Your film has arrived! It is a subject long overdue as the focus of serious inquiry, and filmmakers Peter Miller and Ira Berkow take it on with unconcealed relish. The task, however, is not necessarily an easy one. There are multiple storylines to contend with and instances of controversy to sort through. The hero-worship stories are probably the easiest and most uplifting. Andy Cohen of the New York Giants was signed for the explicit purpose of drawing Jewish fans and delivered more than the Jints bargained for. There is Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg who in 1938 ended the season two homers shy of Babe Ruth’s single-season, 60-home run record. Greenberg, whose greatest years coincided with the rise of Nazism in Germany, explains how he felt that every time he hit another ball over the fence it was a strike against fascism. Sandy Koufax is featured as well. The legendary pitcher widely regarded as the greatest left-handed pitcher is recalled for his stance on not pitching on the High Holy Days of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, even as the holidays tend to fall in the final month of the season during heated pennant races, or even on one occasion on the first game of the World Series. One of the most surprising facts presented in the film is the number of Jewish ballplayers, over 160, very nearly corresponds to the number of games played in a season. Surprising because of the small percentage of Americans who call themselves Jewish and because of the stereotype of Jews as unathletic. The issue of stereotypes is at the core of the film. Whereas the game was a representation of American ideals of fairness and equality, Jewish youth sought to gain respect on the playing field. Most interesting is the exploration of aspects of the game that appeal to a historical Jewish sensibility: the emphasis of statistics and fine detail, the component of storytelling and the rituals associated with the game. In one interview with a rabbi it is suggested that the hard-luck baseball fan dreaming of “next year” can be connected to the ancient Jewish phrase, “Next year in Jerusalem” – perhaps a tad fanciful but fun nonetheless. Grade: A—Dov Rudnick Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story releases in select theaters Nov. 19.
Love and Other Drugs (Twentieth Century Fox) I was an adolescent in the 1980s, and as such, I can recall a number of awesome, pop-culture events that were synonymous with the decade. There was break dancing,
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then, Cabbage Patch Kids. But my favorite fixation was the softcore porn flicks, acting as romantic comedies that defined those years. It was great: For the price of admission to the local multiplex, you could see a movie star – butt naked – simulating sex on screen; fake orgasms, dry humping and all. I always wondered what happened to this filmmaking phenomenon. ... Then I saw Love and Other Drugs and realized, “Aw, hell! Fox just brought sexy back!” The romantic dramedy reteams Academy Award nominees Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal who last bumped uglies in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain. In Love and Other Drugs, he is Jamie, a handsome slacker who recently got fired from his electronics job for banging the boss’ girlfriend. Not content to fall into the shadow of his overachieving brother (Josh Gad), Jamie switches gears and becomes a pharmaceutical rep for Pfizer. He starts pushing his prescription smack to local doctors and eventually encounters a beautiful patient named Maggie (Hathaway). Jamie learns that she has Parkinson’s disease, but this doesn’t deter his lust. Before you can say, “Magnums or regular?” these two lovebirds are banging each other senseless on the floor, in the bed and ... well, everywhere. Things for Jamie improve even more when Viagra (brought to you by the good people at Pfizer) hits the shelves, making him a very successful boy. Sadly, Maggie’s condition begins to intensify and this, ultimately, tests their loyalty to each other. While Love and Other Drugs offers no new insights into the romance genre, it’s so much fun. Hathaway and Gyllenhaal look fantastic together. This film is a hot and contemporary must-see for date night or for late night – whatever floats your boat. Grade: B —Ebony March Love and Other Drugs releases in theaters Nov. 24.
Made in Dagenham (Sony Pictures Classics) When looking at the 1960s with a nostalgic eye, it’s easy to glamorize the decade, wishing that one could go back to the fashion, music and progressive attitude that we associate with that time. Who wouldn’t want to rock out to the Rolling Stones while rocking the London mod look? But as Made in Dagenham shows, the standing of women in the ’60s would shock any modern woman, working or not. Based on a true story, the film outlines the struggle of British female workers in a run-down Ford factory in the suburb of Dagenham to first be classified as skilled workers (They meticulously sew all the seat upholstery for cars made in the factory.) and then to earn equal pay with men. Rita O’Grady (Sally Hawkins), a young mother, leads her fellow factory girls, and then women across the labor union, to strike after a meeting with company heads causes her to snap
out of her usually quiet demeanor to stand up for the level of skill required to do their work. The women eventually get an important ally in Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity Barbara Castle (played as a posh ball buster by Miranda Richardson), who eventually helps get an equal-pay act signed into law in 1970. As I mentioned before, it’s always interesting to see a representation of a past decade that takes into account the real social standing of women. It’s sometimes difficult to get out of our modern way of thinking about gender status. And that can sometimes extend to film as well, so it’s refreshing but also horrifying to see how women were actually treated in the so-called “free-thinking” ’60s. The working class women of the time were expected to be full-time mothers but also bring in income, even though their husbands fancied themselves the “breadwinners” of the family. Women were not allowed to be as good or – God forbid – better at anything than men outside the home. Even wealthy, educated women (as represented by the wife of a Ford higher-up, played by Rosamund Pike) are treated as idiots and end up serving food for the husband and keeping their mouths shut. Fun, passionate, full of ’60s fashion, girl power and great performances, Made in Dagenham is a delight, even as the female characters are put down. They fight for their rights to be taken seriously. Fight on, sisters. Grade: A —Kate Bryan Made in Dagenham releases in select theaters Nov. 19.
Today’s Special (Reliance Media Works) In Today’s Special, writer-comedian Aasif Mandvi stars as Samir, a sous-chef in an upscale Manhattan restaurant working toward a promotion as the head at a new restaurant. Then two things happen: A younger and more talented chef gets the job, and his father has a heart attack and becomes bedridden. Samir then has to help run his father’s failing Indian restaurant and in doing so, finds his passion and talent for cooking Indian fare with the help of a mysterious cab driver (Naseeruddin Shah). Being a correspondent on the always funny “The Daily Show,” one might expect this film to be a laugh riot in which every moment in the story is ripe for derisive commentary. Instead, the movie is a more gentle comedy of circumstances and the reluctant hero who is faced with them. And I think it is a better movie for it. What Mandvi does bring from his television post is a straight-faced character, someone who can be a hard worker but is mainly just dealing with an environment of goofy characters. Samir resists the changes that are happening to him, so the film feels a little slow because we know where he will end up (turning the restaurant around), but he takes a while to become proactive enough to make it happen. Again, this ended up fitting the tone of the film, which was different than my expectations. The cinematography really heightened the disparate kitchens Samir works in: the gleaming white of the upscale restaurant and the grimy, turmeric-smeared hole of the Indian restaurant. But when those Indian spices come out, the colors are vivid and really give a feel for one of the best aspects of Indian food: the vibrant flavors. But interestingly enough, the shots of the food and spices do not come off as food porn (like in Julie & Julia). At some level, the story is not about food, it’s about family. Samir is learning a lesson that many younger people do in film (another example: Bend It Like Beckham): that going back to your roots and supporting your family while still doing what you’re talented at will reap rewards. Only when Samir gets proactive about his family’s restaurant does he get the recognition he’s been searching for. Grade: B+ —Kate Bryan Today’s Special releases in select theaters Nov. 19.
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Campus Circle > Film > Special Features Ben Affleck continues his rise to the top of Hollywood’s food chain in this drama for the recession era. Centering on three businessmen who are forced to reassess their lives after being laid off and featuring a quartet of Oscar winners (Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner), this is John Wells’ directorial debut after producing some of the best in TV (“China Beach,” “West Wing,” “ER”). Expect to hear this film’s name when the 10 Best Picture nominees are announced. The Fighter (Paramount) Infamous for on-set antics like throttling his Three Kings star George Clooney or berating his I Heart Huckabees star Lily Tomlin, David O. Russell climbs into a legitimate ring and lets fists do the talking. Mark Wahlberg, who trained for two years for the role, and Christian Bale star in this film about boxer “Irish” Micky Ward (Wahlberg) and his older brother/trainer, Dick “Dickie” Eklund (Bale).
Jaap Buitendijk
The Tempest (Touchstone/Miramax) Shakespeare’s classic tale is brought to the screen by visionary stage and screen director Julie Taymor. With a luminary cast – Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina and Djimon Hounsou – this could be the best Shakespeare adaptation since Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
HOLIDAY FILMS by sasha perl-raver
It’s time to deck the halls with the sea– son’s best. We’re talking Oscar contenders, the culmination of major film sagas and the rebirth of one of our favorite flicks from the ’80s.
NOV. 19
Love and Other Drugs (Twentieth Century Fox) Brokeback Mountain’s Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal reunite for way more sex in Edward Zwick’s romantic comedysatire about a charming Viagra salesman (Gyllenhaal) who falls for a wild free spirit (Hathaway).
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Warner Bros.) The final chapter of Harry Potter’s saga draws to a close – or at least the first half of the final chapter. The second and final chapter (in theaters July 15, 2011) already has Hogwarts devotees lathered into a frenzy over the Boy Who Lived as they prepare for the mother of all cinematic payoffs for Potter fans; the highly anticipated showdown between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Directed by David Yates, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 kicks the holiday movie season off with a bang.
NOV. 26
Made in Dagenham (Sony Pictures Classics) Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) stars in this true story about a group of female factory workers in 1960’s London who sparked the movement to create an equal pay act for women. Directed by Nigel Cole and with outstanding performances by Rosamund Pike, Bob Hoskins and Miranda Richardson.
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The King’s Speech (The Weinstein Company) Based on the true story of the Queen of England’s father and his remarkable friendship with Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue (Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush), The King’s Speech is earning deafening Oscar buzz for Colin Firth, who stars as King George VI, a man with a debilitating stutter, who unexpectedly becomes King when his brother abdicates, forcing him to learn to address his subjects publicly.
Black Swan (Fox Searchlight) Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) directs Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis in this dark psychological thriller about a ballerina (Portman) unraveling as she prepares to dance “Swan Lake.” Pointe shoes and pirouettes have never seemed so sinister.
The Next Three Days (Lionsgate) Three years after Lara Brennan (Elizabeth Banks) is accused of murder, her husband John (Russell Crowe) decides to break her out of prison. Based on Fred Cavayé’s Pour elle, think of it as Conviction meets Law Abiding Citizen.
The Warrior’s Way (Rogue) A warrior-assassin (Jang Dong-gun) hides out in a small town after refusing to carry out a hit. See Kate Bosworth in chaps in this Wild Wild West meets Crouching Tiger hybrid.
NOV. 24
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Burlesque (Screen Gems) Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin’s brother, Steven Antin, directs Cher and Christina Aguilera in this story of a smalltown girl (Aguilera) who moves to Hollywood for a shot at stardom and finds it while working in a burlesque club run by a former dancer (Cher).
All Good Things (Magnolia) Documentary director Andrew Jarecki (Capturing the Friedmans) takes a stab at fictional narrative, though the film is based on a true story, and comes up with a movie that’s a lot of things, not all of them good. Ryan Gosling plays the disturbed heir to a real estate dynasty, Kirsten Dunst is his wife who “mysteriously” goes missing.
Faster (CBS) Driving around Los Angeles, it’s hard to miss Faster’s
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billboards. Featuring a scowling Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson with muscles so enormous, his deltoids look like they’re trying to eat his neck, the former wrestling star seems to be abandoning the path his career was taking with films like The Game Plan and returning to his Walking Tall ways. Costarring Billy Bob Thornton and Maggie Grace.
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The Company Men (The Weinstein Company)
The Tourist (Columbia) It stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie – need we say more? A remake of the French film, Anthony Zimmer, Depp stars as a man who travels to Venice to recover from heartbreak. When he meets a mysterious woman (Jolie) he gets caught up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. We don’t know what will be the most breathtaking: Jolie, Depp, Venice or the sex scene that was just cut to appease the MPAA and will surely land on the DVD’s special features.
DEC. 17 Casino Jack (ATO) Earlier this year Alex Gibney released Casino Jack and the United States of Money, uncovering the corruption perpetrated by Jack Abramoff, a lobbyist currently incarcerated for bribing members of Congress. If documentaries aren’t your thing, now you can see the same story played out by Kevin Spacey as Abramoff and Kelly Preston as Pam Abramoff. How Do You Know (Columbia) James L. Brooks turns in his first R-rated rom-com since 1987’s Broadcast News. Featuring Owen Wilson, who Brooks mentored during Bottle Rocket, and Jack Nicholson, who won an Oscar when Brooks directed him in As Good as It Gets, the film asks the question, “How do you know when you’re in love?” and stars Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd as two people in crisis and, possibly, in love. Rabbit Hole (Lionsgate) Nicole Kidman produced and stars in this film by the alwaysprovocative director John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus), about a couple (Kidman and Aaron Eckhart) whose perfect world is shattered when their son dies. TRON: Legacy (Walt Disney) Are you ready to be derezzed? We are! TRON: Legacy follows Sam (Garrett Hedlund) as he investigates a signal sent from his father’s old arcade and finds himself pulled into the digital world where his dad, Kevin (Jeff Bridges), has been trapped for 20 years. Follow-up films can be tricky, but TRON: Legacy seems to take everything that made the original cult favorite great and amp it to 11. Yogi Bear 3D (Warner Bros.) Who’s got a pick-a-nick basket? A mixture of live action and animation in the Alvin and the Chipmunks vein, Dan Aykroyd (Yogi), Justin Timberlake (Boo Boo) and Anna Faris all signed up for adventure with this smarter than the average bear.
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Campus Circle > Film > Special Features Not to be confused with the ’N Sync album, this film from Ivan Reitman stars Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher as friends with benefits who are fighting to keep their relationship strictly physical despite developing more complicated feelings.
JAN. 28 The Mechanic (CBS) Jason Statham stars as an elite assassin in a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson flick. We love to watch Statham kick ass, but between The Transporter trilogy, two Crank films and The Expendables, it would be nice to see him do something that’s not “by rote.” Restless (Columbia) Dennis Hopper’s son Henry makes his debut opposite Alice in Wonderland star Mia Wasikowska in Gus Van Sant’s drama about a terminally ill girl (Wasikowska) who falls for a boy (Hopper) with a morbid fascination. Scott Garfield
FEB. 4
Kelly (Gwyneth Paltrow) serenades a classroom of young fans in Country Strong.
DEC. 22 Country Strong (Screen Gems) Considering Gwyneth Paltrow is responsible for one of our favorite duets, “Cruisin’” from the Duets soundtrack, we can’t wait to see her go country in this drama about a troubled, country star who’s losing her luster and hitting the bottle. With a beauty queen-turned-singer (“Gossip Girl”’s Leighton Meester) nipping at her heels and a crumbling marriage to her husband/manager (Tim McGraw), she hooks up, in more ways than one perhaps, with a rising country-music songwriter (Garrett Hedlund) so they can chart his ascent and her comeback. Gulliver’s Travels (Twentieth Century Fox) Jack Black, Emily Blunt and Jason Segel star in this update of the classic children’s book. Black leads the charge as Lemuel Gulliver, a travel writer on assignment in the Bermuda Triangle. Little Fockers (Universal) Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro reunite as they brace themselves for the arrival of a bouncing baby Focker in the follow-up to Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers. Somewhere (Focus) Director Sofia Coppola’s hotly anticipated feature about a hard-partying actor (Stephen Dorff) holed up in the Chateau Marmont who gets an unexpected, life-altering visit from his 11-year-old daughter (Elle Fanning). Somewhere won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival this year, making Coppola the first American woman (and fourth American) to earn the prize. Could an Oscar be next? True Grit (Paramount) If this film sounds familiar that’s because it’s an adaptation of the 1968 Charles Portis novel that was made into the 1969 film starring John Wayne. This time, the Coen brothers, who also wrote the script, direct Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin in the classic western tale of a young girl who recruits a marshal to track down her father’s killer.
DEC. 25 The Illusionist (Sony Pictures Classics) Beautifully composed and incredibly moving, director Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville) takes animation to a new level in this tale about the end of the vaudeville era. Chomet adapts the screenplay, which is almost dialogue-less but
stunningly evocative, from one originally written by mime/ filmmaker Jacques Tati.
DEC. 29 Another Year (Sony Pictures Classics) Director Mike Leigh continues to champion character over plot and use improvisation over scripted dialogue in this tale of a happily married couple (Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen) surrounded by family and friends who are all miserable. The Way Back (Newmarket) Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris and Colin Farrell star as a group of soldiers who escape from a Serbian gulag in Soviet-occupied Poland during WWII and travel across Asia to reach safety. Peter Weir has an outstanding directorial track record, (Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show). This leader of Australian New Wave cinema might finally win the Oscar he’s so long deserved.
DEC. 31 Blue Valentine (The Weinstein Company) Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are heartbreaking in a crushingly truthful, unflinching look at the past and present of a couple whose marriage is falling apart. Directed by Derek Cianfrance, Blue Valentine has been dogeared for Oscar contention since it debuted at Sundance and quite deservingly.
POST-HOLIDAY RELEASES... JAN. 14 The Dilemma (Universal) Vince Vaughn and Kevin James star as Ronny and Nick, best friends both married to women way too hot for them (Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder). When Ronny discovers his best friend’s wife is having an affair (with Channing Tatum), he struggles with whether or not to tell Nick. The Green Hornet (Columbia) Seth Rogen as action star? The guy who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind adapting a comic book? This could be a case of so many wrongs making a right. Plus, you can enjoy Inglourious Basterds’ Christoph Waltz, fresh from his Oscar win, as the villain.
JAN. 21 No Strings Attached (Paramount)
James Cameron Presents: Sanctum (Universal) A 3-D thriller produced by James Cameron about a team of underwater cave divers trapped during an expedition to the largest and least accessible cave system on Earth. The Roommate (Screen Gems) Minka Kelly and Leighton Meester give college the Single White Female treatment in this thriller that will have you thanking your lucky stars the only thing your roommate does to make you nuts is eat your cereal.
FEB. 11 Just Go With It (Columbia) Brooklyn Decker steps off the pages of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and onto the big screen as Adam Sandler’s dream girl. A string of lies forces him to enlist his friend (Jennifer Aniston) to pose as his soon-to-be-ex wife in order to win her heart.
FEB. 18 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (Twentieth Century Fox) Martin Lawrence is strapping on Big Momma’s fat suit once again in this continuation of the franchise. This time FBI agent Malcolm (Lawrence) and his nephew Trent (Brandon T. Jackson) go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school. Unknown (Warner Bros.) This thriller stars Liam Neeson who awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken his identity and no one, including his wife (“Mad Men”’s January Jones), believes him. He teams up with another hot blonde (Diane Kruger) to prove his identity.
FEB. 25 The Eagle (Focus) Set in 140 A.D., this adaptation of The Eagle of the Ninth, follows a young Roman officer (Channing Tatum) searching to discover the truth about the disappearance of his father’s legion in the north of Britain. This film might best be known for being the set on which Tatum scalded the head of his manhood. Hall Pass (New Line Cinema) The Farrelly brothers direct Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis as two married best friends whose wives give them each “a hall pass” – a weeklong opportunity to do whatever they want, with whomever they want, with zero consequences. It’s all fun and games until their wives start enjoying some extracurricular activities as well.
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THE MATERIAL Tools of the Trade by brien overly Given their chosen band name, it should come as no surprise that the members of the Material are something of experts in the fields of architecture and engineering. Figuratively speaking, that is. As one of the best bands coming out of the local L.A. rock scene, though, let the record show that their skill didn’t come without having to get their hands a little dirty at times. “Our music’s a little edgier, but we still have those pop vocals,” says frontwoman Colleen D’Agostino, adding, “I think that’s why people don’t really know where to place us.” Despite the difficulty for critics to pinpoint a genre for her band, D’Agostino, along with guitarists Roi Elam and Jon Moreaux, and drummer Kevin Pintado, seem to have little trouble winning over fans with their brand of melodic pop-punk-tinged rock. While there is indeed something of a market saturation with girls of just-edgy-enough aesthetic fronting guitar-driven bands that are both Warped Tour and VH1 friendly, the Material has a secret weapon. Unlike many of their contemporaries, the Material actually manages to capture that elusive quality of authenticity, in no small part due to D’Agostino’s honest lyricism. “I’m only in a writing mood when something big is going on in my life, so I take those times, even if they’re bad times, and write a ton of stuff as a catharsis,” D’Agostino says of her raw and emotive songwriting style. And though
Campus Circle > Music > L.A. Underground her songs may function as pseudo therapy sessions, there’s another purpose at hand. “It just so happened that my parents split up right as we were moving to Portland and that was when I was writing a lot of my lyrics, so some of them sound kind of angry, but I’m not the kind of person that can listen to a happy song when I’m bummed out. If I listen to something that’s in the mood I’m in, it makes me feel better, so I try to connect with our fans with things that have happened in my life that they’re probably going through too.” As the band awaits the January release of their debut fulllength album, What We Are, D’Agostino promises the goal remains the same, though her approach has shifted a little bit. “I’ve tried to be less ambiguous with my lyrics and more straightforward. I’ll try to tell a story that everyone can relate to, but I want them to be able to think about it,” she says. “The last album was a little different because I wrote it from different perspectives, where I’ll get into the mindset of the person I’m singing about and go from their point of view. But I’ve written songs that are more about personal experience and those are probably the ones where you see me really go crazy on stage.” In the meantime, the band is putting the finishing touches on the music video for the track “Before This Ship Goes Down” to hold fans over until the album’s release, a song that seems all too appropriate for where D’Agostino and her band mates are in their musical careers. “The song is about two people in love who bury their dreams to live the day-to-day, nine-to-five type life, but realize they need to find something more. I wrote it about my parents as a hopeful thing before they split up, but it definitely applied to myself as well,” she says. “There was a
time when we had to work full-time jobs and do the band on the side, and it was kind of a hard switch when we decided to move out of our apartments, quit our jobs, go out on the road and be homeless.” She adds the last word with a laugh, though one that still acknowledges the truth of it. “I grew up in a structured home, so I feel less stressed out when I know what we’re doing tomorrow or next month or next year,” she says. “Giving that up to live the band lifestyle has been kind of hard for me, because I don’t know what’s happening next, but it’s gotten me out of my shell, and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.” What We Are will be available Jan. 11. The Material perform Nov. 18 at the Roxy. For more information, visit myspace.com/ thematerial.
MUSICINTERVIEWS
EVERY AVENUE Alternate Routes
by brien overly The members of Every Avenue have a lot to be stoked about. Each tour they’ve done has been bigger than the last (including a headlining outing this year), last year’s Picture Perfect album was some of their best work yet and it seems the Michigan pop-punk natives are finding themselves more recognizable in public than ever. That said, bassist Matt Black, guitarists Jimmie Deeghan and Josh Randall, vocalist Dave Strauchman and drummer Dennis Wilson are still their own worst critics, even amid their success. Almost a year exactly since the release of Picture Perfect, hindsight is indeed 20/20 for Black. “When we were writing songs for Picture Perfect, we had so many tours going on, we didn’t have time to just sit down with each other and jam out ideas. It was kind of hectic,” he says. “I’m extremely proud of the songs, but we didn’t have a lot of time to flesh out some of the ideas, which is something we’re really striving to do for the next record.” Though, Black says the band’s next album is still a long ways away. “Jimmie, Josh and David are constantly writing, we just haven’t sat down and talked about what ideas we want to use yet. It’s still in the really early stages.” Black and his band mates don’t hesitate to make retroactive edits to some of their songs, though he’s quick to assert the changes are ones only he himself likely notices. “I play a lot of stuff differently live, but it’s literally the smallest changes. It’s not like we added breakdowns or anything,” he says with a laugh. Considering that the band is making some of the most infectious and danceable rock around that still feels adult accessible, they might be the only guys in this scene who could really pull off those breakdowns if they tried. Though they likely won’t go that path, it’s proof that for the members of Every Avenue, the options are still limitless. Every Avenue perform Nov. 17 at the House of Blues Sunset Strip. For more information, visit myspace.com/everyavenue.
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MUSICINTERVIEWS
ANDREW MCMAHON Celebrating Life
by jonathan bautts Andrew McMahon has lived quite a life in just 28 years. Not only is he the frontman for two well-loved and respected bands, Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate, but he endured a tough battle with leukemia. After surviving the ordeal, he started the Dear Jack Foundation in an effort to raise awareness and funds for cancer treatment and research. On Nov. 18, he performs with both bands at the El Rey for the foundation’s first annual benefit concert. “Over the years we’ve been raising money through a number of different vehicles, whether it be tours where we dedicate a lot of the profits to a charity, etc.,” McMahon explains. “This year it occurred to us if we could keep it local, rather than spend the kind of money that requires you to get on the road and run around, that we might be able to make a little bit more money. We’re hoping that this is the first of many of these events to come.” Throughout the years fans have stuck by his side and readily embraced similar kinds of efforts, the outreach of which isn’t lost on McMahon. “I never anticipate that just because you’re a fan of the band you’re going to in turn be somebody who supports a very specific and personal goal of mine,” he admits.
Campus Circle > Music > Interviews With last year’s release of Dear Jack, a documentary chronicling McMahon’s fight, the foundation went out on its first Warped Tour over the summer and hopes to raise more money this year than ever before. Recently, it has been very active with events such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Night Walk. “Every year it seems we make a little bit more and more people find out about it,” McMahon adds, although he’s also careful not to become too complacent. “While I’m always impressed and always excited, I always feel like we could do more.” This fall McMahon, an L.A. resident, wrapped a reunion tour with Something Corporate, although he says not to expect any new music from the group in the foreseeable future, and is now in the thick of recording Jack’s Mannequin’s third album, which ideally will be out by next summer. “A lot of this record will be like Everything In Transit,” McMahon says, referring to Jack’s debut album that was finished right before his diagnosis. “That record was a very interesting time, almost like a coming-of-age sort of thing. It was me coming from the Something Corporate thing and starting to find my feet. Glass Passenger, for me that record in a lot of ways was about what I would consider a very turbulent time. I was sort of finding my peace after this crazy crisis that I was in. I would like to think that this newest record is going to be about where I’ve arrived at.” “I find that a lot of these songs hammer home on the themes and complexities of love and how that plays into a life,” he continues. “There are a lot of songs that speak to a life that’s finally found, whether it be settling or at least a greater understanding of how far I’ve come the past five or 10 years.” The band is also choosing to forgo the shiny pop production approach that has become so popular in recent
MUSICINTERVIEWS
STREET DRUM CORPS
Take Up Residency at the Roxy by tamea agle Anyone looking for something new on THE the Sunset Strip will find what they’ve been searching for when they go see brothers Bobby and Adam Alt along with Frank Zummo, who make up the L.A.-based Street Drum Corps. The band has been together since 2004 when they decided to focus on a brand of drumming all their own. From the very beginning they were using found objects, everyday items and elaborate setups in their performances. “The first day that we ever played together was on found objects. At Bobby’s rehearsal studio in downtown L.A., across the street is a junkyard. We just went there with a pair of drumsticks each and a video camera and jammed for an hour. It was interesting to use all of this found stuff and find out how to get a car door to sound good, and we just went with it and it evolved from there. You want to bring that on stage and beat on it, and it actually sounds cool? There are no rules in Street Drum Corps. We are able to do whatever we want.” When I spoke with Zummo, he was driving to meet fellow band members Adam and Bobby Alt for rehearsal for their upcoming residency, which takes over the Roxy. Preparing for the shows, the band went all out.
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times, instead relying on being stripped down and recording live. “I think as a result you’re going to get one of the more honest offerings from Jack’s Mannequin,” McMahon admits. “It’s going to come from the heart, and it’s not going to be real processed. It’s not going to be real affected by production. It’s going to be a pretty naked, honest representation of what it is we do, both in the studio and on the road.” Meanwhile, McMahon’s health remains as strong ever, and 2010 is his fifth year in remission. “They never call leukemia a cure, but after five years they definitely say your chances of relapse go down significantly,” he says. “This is a milestone that needless to say I’ve been very eager to reach since I was diagnosed. At times it felt like I never would reach it or it was so far away. It’s been a big celebration this year, kind of feeling like that part of my life is behind me. Obviously not the fight to help other people, but my own personal fight seems pretty far in the distance right now.” The Dear Jack Benefit Show is Nov. 18 at the El Rey. For more information, visit jacksmannequin.com.
Campus Circle > Music > Interviews “Let’s make it an event,” Zummo proclaims. “Let’s transform the Roxy into this insane Mad Max kind of drum world and do something that hasn’t been done. We think that’s exciting. We hope people think that’s exciting. We want it to be something truly different that you can’t see on just any day on the Sunset Strip.” The Roxy residency is a break in the band’s busy touring schedule and is the first time that people will be able to see them play anything of this scale. “We’re bringing in the most production we’ve ever had,” says Zummo. “We really have never done anything like this before. It’s a mixture of all three of our drum records. [Street Drum Corps (2006), We Are Machines (2008) and Big Noise (2010) will be available exclusively at the Roxy shows.]” Inspiration for the band comes from everywhere, making their shows a conglomeration of sounds from all over the world of music and performing art. “We really are inspired by groups that are pushing the levels and doing things outside the box,” Zummo explains. The band is influenced by everything from electro with nontraditional dirty beats to Las Vegas Cirque De Soleil shows to “Stomp.” They are in turn inspiring other groups like their past touring partners, Linkin Park. The new album, Big Noise, is available at the Roxy, but in 2011 a deluxe edition will be widely released with bonus tracks, including a song with an impressive list of collaborators brought together by the band. “It’s fun for drummers to get away from their bands and just slam on a keg or do something that they are not used to, so we just made a wish list of drummers and everyone came down [to record],” says Zummo. Along with the residency, the band is working on polishing and recording their album.
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Frank Zummo, Bobby and Adam Alt of Street Drum Corps “We’ve been doing half days in the studio. We’re finishing our main record with the singing on it, and next week we’ll be in to record more drums,” Zummo says. “We went and toured the world and really became a band with the addition of the singing, and we came home and we wrote a bunch of these songs that the label is really excited about. So we’re recording them. We are about to finish them and get it all done before this year is over.” In the new year, expect to hear more from the group as they plan their next tour. “We hope to take this thing to New York, Miami, do residencies all over and then eventually land in Las Vegas,” states Zummo. Not only will the band be on tour and supporting their album releases, but they will also continue to support their franchise bands, Street Drum Corps presents BANG, in the coming year. So we can all look forward to hearing and seeing a lot more from these guys in the years to come! Street Drum Corps perform Nov. 23 & 30 and Dec. 7 at the Roxy. For more information, streetdrumcorps.com.
Join CAMPUS CIRCLE www.campuscircle.com LIVESHOWREVIEWS
Campus Circle > Music > Live Show Reviews the crowd, participating in a massive pit as he screamed “Nothing wrong with me” and crowd surfers traveled around. Drowning Pool delivered an amazing performance. —Jacob Gaitan
Jacob Gaitan
Ghostland Observatory
Emily Greene captivated the packed Hotel Café.
Black Taxi Nov. 2 @ The Viper Room I have yet to be disappointed by a night at the Viper Room, so I was thrilled to be able to cover Black Taxi there. I was not very familiar with the band at the beginning of the night, but by the end of the show they had me hooked. On my way home, I put on their sample CD and turned up the volume for my drive back over the hill. Black Taxi, hailing from Brooklyn, were a joy to watch. When I go to a show, one thing that can make it or break it for me is the attitude of the members. If they are not having fun, it is hard for me to. In the case of Ezra, Bill, Krisana and Jason, it was clear from the start that they have fun performing, and their energy is contagious as it quickly spreads to the audience. Throughout the set, frontman Ezra had an impressive array of instruments at his disposal. While belting out lyrics, he constantly went from the tambourine, to a drum, to a megaphone to a trumpet and back again. —Tamea Agle
Drowning Pool Nov. 4 @ Nokia Theatre Supporting Godsmack and Five Finger Death Punch on a North American tour, the heavy metal spectacle concluded a massive sixweek tour in Los Angeles as the Texas natives of Drowning Pool immediately exploded on stage. Drummer Mike Luce hyped the audience with drum intros as he held his own with excellent rhythms and backing vocals. Lead Singer Ryan McCombs paced like a caged animal while they opened with “Sinner.” The crowd quickly responded with circle pits across the floor. McCombs’ screams seemed to intimidate the microphone he gripped as he shook it in his hand. C.J Pierce played with raw emotion and fierce intensity, alternating from high-pitched riffs to heavier melodies. Stevie Benton’s bass sent out thick vibration waves around the venue as the people in the front row rapidly banged their heads. Drowning Pool pulled out all the stops for the final date of the tour. The atmosphere shifted as they played “37 Stitches,” a lyrically driven and extremely emotional track. It provided a perfect opportunity to showcase Pierce’s talents as a guitarist. They continued in a softer direction with “Turn So Cold,” as they managed to play at least one song from each album. As they thanked the audience for a wonderful time, the countdown started and “Bodies” came on. McCombs jumped into
Nov. 4 @ Club Nokia Have you ever had the chance to attend a concert when it’s the lead singer’s birthday? It’s kind of an amazing thing. The whole place instantly starts off in party mode, and the energy puts things on a whole new level. Now imagine that the band you’re seeing is the underground sensation Ghostland Observatory. The show started with the crowd singing “Happy Birthday” on their own accord as the intro music began. Then fog filled the stage and drifted into the audience. Hands raised in the air to grab the faux clouds that were startled by an array of lasers from every direction. As soon as the first song kicked in there was no holding back the crowd. Bodies began to fly over the barricade in a fit of sweat and smiles. One song after another, the band continued to push the limits of the sound system at Club Nokia. Rumbling bass in the last few songs even jolted the curtains from the sides, which the fans quickly grabbed on to until security pulled it back. The fans seemed very pleased with the set, and the show was solid. However, some people were a little upset that a lot of the new album was performed and one of their most famous jams was missing from the set, “Dancin’ on my Grave.” Fans come out to see bands play stuff they know; using a few new songs is fine but adding too much into the mix will slowly alienate your crowd because they can’t get into the music. Ghostland is excellent at realizing when their fans are starting to slide, and they quickly adapted their setlist to keep the party moving. It was mentioned earlier, but it needs to be revisited … The light show was awesome. I know that’s not very poetic in its description, but there’s no better way to put it. The investment on lasers for this show was well spent and used properly. Sometimes the lights play in the background, but this time they were the main attraction. From song to song they helped tell a story and whip the crowd into an overwhelming frenzy by the time the show was done. No matter how big the lights are or where the show is, Ghostland Observatory is always an amazing band who should not be missed no matter what your musical taste is. —David Tobin
Emily Greene Nov. 6 @ Hotel Café New York based Emily Greene played the Hotel Café in front of a packed audience. Promoting her debut album, Is This What You Had in Mind, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter looked relaxed and confident as she revealed herself emotionally with her songs. Accompanied by three gentlemen on stage, Greene sat behind a keyboard and displayed her passionate voice across the club. Alternating to a baby grand piano. She pressed each key with sensuality and eroticism. The folk-pop ambience soothed the warm air as it traveled around the room. Her soulful voice was well received, as the cheers between songs grew louder by the end of the night. Greene showcased her versatility by transcending between upbeat positive songs like “Starting Fresh” to emotionally driven tempos such as on “Is This What You Had in Mind.” Although her music was sentimental and warm, she revealed a quirkier side between songs. With Christmas lights decorating her keyboard stand, she showed a comical side while interacting with the crowd. She poked fun about her personal experiences while in New York. Greene made jokes about long-distance relationships she’s had to loving and hating best friends to the keyboard petals failing to work. She appeared to be at 30 places at once, as she smiled and repeated, “No more coffee for me.” Greene’s music was a blend of Norah Jones and a tamed version of Amy Winehouse, sprinkled with light shades of Sarah McLaughlin. She presented herself very articulately and carried herself with passion. Still, she radiated a sweet and innocent demeanor as she closed the night with an a cappella cover of “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes.” —Jacob Gaitan
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MUSIC CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS CD Reviews Frequency Interviews Live Show Reviews Music Report Special Features
FREQUENCY by Brien overly Every Time I Die Nov. 17 @ Chain Reaction Lots of bands put on really good shows. All of the bands and musicians in this week’s Frequency put on really good shows. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t. Or unless I wanted to write mercilessly scathing things about them, but that’s not that case this week. As great as all the other acts are, though, there’s not one that can put on a show that’s quite as visually and sonically intense as Every Time I Die. When these guys take stage, there’s no guarantee that any of them or you yourself will still be fully conscious by the time they finish their set. Like the premise for most modern horror movies, except this is actually worth your time.
Robyn Nov. 17 @ Club Nokia Because what else do you follow Southern rock-styled hardcore with than Swedish synth-pop? You can’t trail a mosh jam with another mosh jam, right? I feel like Keith Buckley himself wouldn’t want anything other than singalong club bangers to follow his set, really. But maybe I’m extrapolating. Moral of the story is that Robyn brings the fun with her to whatever stage she sets foot on, so once you’re done sweating out all your bottled up rage at the ETID show, you can sweat the fun back into your life at Robyn’s show. Definitive productivity, methinks.
Dear Jack Benefit Nov. 18 @ El Rey The debate of Jack’s Mannequin versus Something Corporate has been an age-old battle. Literally, like, hard-fought war of
Campus Circle > Music > Frequency epic proportions that’s been raging for millennia. No joke. But now, whichever side of this Grangerford-Shepherdsonesque fan rivalry you might stand on, you can attend this Andrew McMahon-centric show and be partially stoked. But most likely entirely stoked. Because really, when you’re watching McMahon play, with whatever band that may be, there’s nothing to not be stoked about in your life. Even at his most gut-wrenchingly raw and heart-achingly brutal, McMahon’s lyrical honesty and vocal vulnerability make for an emotive musical experience. On top of all that, the dude is one of the best instrumentalists and songwriters in emo-pop. Get him behind a piano and it’s nothing but pure magic that comes out of his key tapping. One of few musicians who can effortlessly balance showmanship with technical mastery, McMahon’s work with both of his bands are iconic within this music scene, but it’s really not until you’ve seen them perform live that you can fully grasp why. Oh yeah, and there’s that whole good cause thing too so you can sleep easy at night.
The Material Nov. 18 @ The Roxy Folks, prepare to meet your new favorite hometown band. Cliché as the saying is, this local-bred group is one of the best things to spring out of L.A.’s sometimes-loathsome music scene that you’ve never heard of yet. Granted, saying you’re the best local L.A. has in its melodic rock scene is like saying you’re the smartest “Jersey Shore” cast member in terms of how much awe it might inspire, but this band is actually aweinspiring in a very legit way. Sweeping and emotive female vocals over just-thrashy-enough guitars, the fivesome paint an aural picture that is both cinematic and hard-rocking at
MUSICREPORT by kevin wierzbicki Goldenboy: Sleepwalker The upcoming release from Goldenboy may be called Sleepwalker, but the band’s head honcho, Shon Sullivan, is hardly a somnambulist. The Diamond Bar native was playing guitar and piano in a band called Spain when Elliott Smith took notice and drafted Sullivan into his band. The exposure that being in Smith’s band afforded Sullivan led to side gigs with Eels, the Rentals and Neil Finn and also gave Sullivan a chance to establish his own brand. “It started as a solo side project,” says Sullivan. “I started writing the first record (2003’s Blue Swan Orchestra) while I was playing for Elliott, which I did for four years. Everyone had nicknames on the tour and ‘Goldenboy’ was mine, because I was a guy from the faraway hill country or something, and it stuck.” Mastered and engineered by Don Tyler, who worked on all of Smith’s albums, Sleepwalker is due to drop in early February on the Eenie Meenie label. Hear some of the new songs when Goldenboy appears at Casey’s in downtown Nov. 19.
Get Ready for Rock To Roll Side One Dummy Records has announced that Dec. 8 is the day you can help out the non-profit organization UCP Wheels For Humanity by attending the Rock To Roll event featuring a concert performance by Anti-Flag. Wheels For Humanity works to provide wheelchairs for children in need throughout the world and has helped over 44,000 kids since their inception in 1996, and Side One Dummy and Rock To Roll has raised lots of money for the cause, including $23,000 brought in by last year’s event in San Francisco.
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You may not be conscious after Every Time I Die’s thrashing. the same time. Unlike many of the other girl-fronted bands in their scene, the Material comes 100 percent gimmick free, completely void of the clichés and cheap pandering so readily available in more mainstream acts.
My Chemical Romance Nov. 22 @ House of Blues Sunset Strip Well, it’s about time. After so long hidden away, out of the media spotlight, the members of My Chemical Romance really couldn’t have picked a better time to make their presence known again and give the rest of modern rock a swift kick in the ass. Because if ever there was a band that could light a fire under their contemporaries by showing them how real, epic, anthemic, iconic rock sounds as it’s being made, it’s this Jersey-bred foursome. To be fair, given that it’s MCR, you might have to sell your soul to the dark lords of punk to get into this show. Unless of course you work in the music industry, in which case you sold your soul a long time ago. As I can attest to. Point is, soulless though you may be, seeing a band put on a rock show as big as these guys do at a venue as small as the House of Blues will be a damnation well earned.
Campus Circle > Music > Music Report This year’s Rock To Roll show at the Key Club also features the Black Pacific, Heartsounds, Destruction Made Simple and Punk Rock Karaoke, an all-star band made up of members of NOFX, Bad Religion, the Adolescents and Social Distortion. An online auction is also being held to raise cash; if you’d like to bid on autographed memorabilia from Flogging Molly, NOFX, the Gaslight Anthem, the Bouncing Souls and others, visit ucpwfh.org.
California Concert Revisited In jazz circles, there are few labels that carry the cachet of CTI Records, the independent imprint founded by Creed Taylor that in the ’70s put out records by heavyweights like Chet Baker, Stanley Turrentine, George Benson and Antonio Carlos Jobim. The label went under when the bottom fell out of vinyl sales but has now been resurrected by Sony Masterworks in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of its founding, and a major re-release effort is underway. First up and available now is a two-CD version of the legendary California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium, the 1971 show that featured Benson and Turrentine along with Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Hank Crawford, Johnny Hammond, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham and Airto Moreira. With the addition of five songs not included on the original album, the California Concert reissue presents the all-star jam in its entirety for the first time ever. At least 10 more CTI titles will be getting the reissue treatment over the next few months.
Get Snowed In for the Holidays Foxy Shazam, the Flaming Lips, Everest and American Bang are among those getting into the holiday mood for the new Warner Bros. compilation Gift Wrapped II: Snowed In. The
Goldenboy perform at Casey’s downtown Nov. 19. seasonal release contains brand new original Christmas songs from Cavo, Devo, Regina Spektor, the Goo Goo Dolls and Rachael Yamagata along with covers like Oasis performing Slade’s “Merry Christmas Everybody” and Stardeath and White Dwarfs taking a turn with Wham!’s “Last Christmas.” Some Christmas standards are included too; House of Heroes sings out “O Come, O Come O Emmanuel” while “Little Drummer Boy” gets re-imagined by the Flaming Lips. Snowed In will be available at digital retail next week.
Bleu Four You Are you one of the fans who helped raise money to finance singer-songwriter Bleu’s new album Four? If you put some cash in Bleu’s kitty at kickstarter.com, then you probably know that Four has just dropped and that the man who has written hit songs for and with the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Jon McLaughlin and Kate Voegele is currently on tour; catch him at the Hotel Café Dec. 9.
Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle CDREVIEWS
MUSICINTERVIEWS
Cradle of Filth
DAEDELUS
Le Switch The Rest of Me Is Space (Autumn Tone) Angelenos Le Switch release their second album, The Rest of Me is Space, and I’m still trying to grasp what the buzz is about. Maybe it’s that I don’t really lament the passing of certain ’70s classic rock sounds. And I really dislike Billy Joel, who for some reason keeps popping to mind as I listen. The Rest of Me Is Space is no radical departure from the formula laid out by their previous releases, but it does show growth and maturity. There are some genuinely good moments to savor here; it’s just that it’s a paltry feast and not enough to sate my appetite. Now for those moments: “Call Out” is laid back and harkens back to the Kinks à la Muswell Hillbillies. “Bad Decisions” has some riveting segments, although vocalist Aaron Kyle at times sounds like he’s gargling a mixture of hydrochloric acid and rocks and singing simultaneously. It’s an interesting sound that, unfortunately, makes me shiver for all the wrong reasons. My vocal chords ache just listening, and I can’t imagine the damage that one has to do to sound like that. (This is coming from a seasoned Tom Waits fan, keep in mind.) “Hurky Jurky,” the album closer, shows signs of genius, and I hope it’s a sign of things to come. It opens on a ragtime piano and slowly progresses, becoming a bluesy show tune-esque screamer with a smattering of softer elements like the toy piano thrown in for good measure. The rest of the album sadly reminds me of classic rock cover bands, except that these aren’t covers. Technically, they’ve got it down; in fact, they’re remarkably talented in that regard. But there’s little to speak of as far as originality, and outside of those tunes mentioned above, they’re lacking that special spark that makes a performance genuine, that makes you feel it in the marrow of your bones. It’s what transports an act from the arena of bar band and into the category of household name. Sadly, you won’t find it here. Grade: C —Natasha Desianto The Rest of Me Is Space is currently available.
Mariage Blanc Self-titled (Self-released) A disaster-plagued debut album from Pittsburg’s indie-pop finest has thankfully managed to find its way into our hands despite equipment blowouts, master tape disintegration and other such obstacles. The result of this band’s triumph over adversity is a neat collection of sweet and savory pop tidbits with a dark undercurrent swirling just below the surface. You see, Mariage Blanc are one of those bands whose lyric sheet deems a good, dedicated read. The jangle-pop essence of the music gives the deception of their being a good-natured bunch of lads, but a careful prodding reveals a seamy underside. The confessions of a man who is well aware of his issues and wise enough to analyze them, yet caught in a trap of being unable to escape them, play out here to a playful chord progression. It’s an interesting paradox that seems to be the Mariage Blanc formula. The album starts out strong with “Whatever You Say I Am,” a jangly ’60s-flavored gem that is deceptively innocent with a jaded core. “Trial and Error” provides immediate contrast with its low-key, melancholy opening that builds into a syncopated finale softened slightly by the addition of a lovely trumpet solo. “Origami” closes out the album on a (musically) upbeat note that betrays the pensive and intelligent lyrics. Fans of Voxtrot, Belle & Sebastian and Morning Benders, make haste and pick this one up. This is the next big thing and you can brag that you had their album when they were unsigned. Grade: B+ —Natasha Desianto Mariage Blanc is currently available.
And His Many Magical Properties BY brianNe schaer Hailing from Los Angeles, Daedelus (Alfred Darlington) was exposed to a wide variety of music at a young age, a factor that influences his musicality as he continues to break barriers in the electronic music genre. I touched base with Daedelus before he set off on the Magical Properties Tour, which concludes in Los Angeles Nov. 20 with the Gaslamp Killer, Free the Robots, Samiyam and Teebs. “It’s nice to have a homecoming,” he says. “L.A. is really home base, and it feels really welcoming. Almost everyone that’s on tour is pretty much originally from, or close to, L.A.; so it’s very close to heart. And having it conclude there is really just a way of saying thanks to all the people who have been a part of your lives and, hopefully, not being too weary of the road at that point.” Los Angeles is not only the conclusion of Daedelus’ tour, but also the city in which he was exposed to interesting music that would later lay the groundwork for his own musical style and sound. “Very luckily, growing up in L.A. the radio waves were filled with lots of different sounds. It was from a different time period. Whereas we’re at this kind of advent with Internet culture where music – any kind or genre of music – is available at just a click of a button, a download, away. It used to be a little harder to seek and find,” he says. “I think it’s fantastic; downloading is really a wonderful thing. People can have access to this kind of music at any moment. It’s kind of tough sometimes when people intend music to be in a record format, and a lot of times while downloading people just kind of pick and choose what suits them or what the popular hit is, so they miss some of the deeper album cuts.” “I know over time discovering some records that have lived with me for a long time, it’s not necessarily the hit single that is what ends up lasting with me the longest. It’s the b-side or the deep album cut that sometimes really is the most rewarding, as it was intended,” he continues. “That’s a little bit of a frustration with downloading, but I wouldn’t be talking with you today if it weren’t for downloading. So I’m very, very grateful to that as an avenue for an independent musician like myself.” Also adding to the list of influences for Daedelus is his parents’ record collection filled with “challenging, progressive music,” as well as his older sister’s taste of new wave, Goth and other ’80s music. “It’s a funny mix to have in my back pocket, but I’m very happy now that I have a background in some melody and some genres that I wouldn’t normally listen to growing up.” Although Daedelus admits to feeling “kind of dizzy at all the prospects of music.” He shares some of the tracks he’s particularly interested in today: “I listen to certainly a lot of my peers from Los Angeles. A lot of this kind of beat scene music is very much in my rotation all the time. And then I also have a real soft spot for film music from the ’60s and ’50s – so a lot of Bernard Herrmann and Ennio Morricone and John Barry; people like that – they make up my regular stew.” With such a whirlwind of different styles of music surrounding him, Daedelus still manages to create a distinct sound in his music. he explains that part of this is due to the feeling he puts into his music. “I’d like to think that it’s romantic music. That is, coming from a very emotional place rather than a cold, electronic place; even though it’s expressing itself in the idioms and the clichés of electronic music at times. I really like to think that it has all the sturm und drang of romance, hopefully.” He continues to tell me how this is an optimistic view, and that his music may sound more like what people traditionally think of as electronic. He hopes to “transcend that to a degree,” however. Daedelus was the greatest inventor in Greek mythology. My interviewee took his stage name from this, because when he was young he dreamed of being an inventor. “I really wanted that,” he says. “I thought it would be a beautiful life – creating things. I was terrible at it.” I believe now is a good time to interject that Darlington is an inventor of music, so it seems to have worked out. He says, “One of the things that kept me interested in Daedelus over all these years since I was a young kid was his tragedy. He was a sad figure at times. And I would like to think that, I don’t know, my music has an ounce of that as well.”
Jessica Miller
Darkly, Deadly, Venus Aversa (Peaceville) Step inside a haunted black mass ruled by Lilith, the headstrong sinner from the Garden of Eden who transforms into a bloodthirsty demon ready to stir havoc among the men who dare defy her. It’s the spine-tingling tale told in Darkly, Deadly, Venus Aversa, the new album by Britain’s legendary metal band Cradle of Filth. Led by wild-eyed frontman Dani Filth, whose vocals are certain to be blessed by a thousand banshees, Cradle of Filth’s new release is an epic horror opera that’s more nerve shattering than any possession. Unlike their past collections, all odes to the damned, Cradle of Filth’s debut under UK independent label Peaceville Records is stripped down to the bone, revealing the raw, flesh-curdling story of a succubus ready to attack listeners with her “sweet seduction.” While Filth’s signature vocals have calmed down from his shrieking times, Darkly, Deadly, Venus Aversa is a soul-shaking orchestra of sinister pianos, thunderous choirs, dark Victorian poetry and an assault of guitars climaxing to an end that may prove too terrifying for anyone with a weak heart to discover. Simply put, Darkly, Deadly, Venus Aversa is another nightmare you’ll enjoy having. Grade: A—Stephanie Nolasco Darkly, Deadly, Venus Aversa is currently available.
Daedelus performs Nov. 20 at the House of Blues Sunset Strip. For more information, visit daedelusmusic.com.
Campus Circle 11.17.10 - 11.23.10
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GETUPGETOUT
GLADIATOR ROCK’N RUN
Dan Clark wants you to climb the Stairway to Heaven. by sasha perl-raver On a foggy October morning, rising be– fore dawn, I tug on workout clothes and set off into the cold morning, prepared for some epic exercise. Birds aren’t even awake to chirp yet but, standing at the top of Los Angeles’ Runyon Canyon, I’m greeted by the booming voice of Dan Clark. “I’m here!” he says with an explosive burst of energy. Clark and I have never met, but as he extends his massive paw to envelope my hand in a warm shake, he already feels like an old friend, probably because I grew up watching him on “American Gladiators.” Before there was “Wipeout,” MMA or UFC, “American Gladiators” ruled TV. I can’t think of a single kid I knew growing up who didn’t dream of jousting against someone like Clark, better known as Nitro. Raise your hand if you’ve ever stood on a couch and tried to knock your friend off the ottoman with a broomstick. I know I have. Which is why I jumped at the chance to interview Clark, even if it meant following him up and down the steep, rocky side of a mountain at an hour that usually ends a night rather than starts a day.
Campus Circle > Culture > Get Up, Get Out As Clark runs me ragged through the dusty canyon, knighting me Athena, explaining the utility of using the Gladiator yell to push through pain during a workout; as he likes to say, “Pain is just fear leaving the body” – and apparently I have a lot of fear – we discuss his latest venture, the Gladiator Rock’n Run, which takes place Dec. 4 at Hidden Valley Park at 8 a.m. Part 5K, part obstacle course, part big fat party, the Rock’n Run is an event Clark designed for three categories of people. “There’s the guys like me who are in their 40s and 50s who just want to prove they can still kick ass; there are the athletes who are doing it as a real time trial; and there are the folks who just want to have a great time and exercise while they’re doing it,” Clark explains. He says he wants the course to make you “feel like you’re a kid in the backyard” as you complete challenges like Stairway to Heaven and Buddha’s Burden. During Stairway to Heaven, where competitors run the bleachers of the Irvine Amphitheater, “You climb so far, it’s like you’re going to heaven,” Clark smiles. “But it feels like hell?” I offer. “I like that!” he booms. For Buddha’s Burden, challengers lug bags of rice – 50 pounds for men, 20 pounds for women – 50 yards before dropping them as an offering at Buddha’s feet. “I wanted the challenges to have some meaning and not be mindless,” he explains. So how would someone prepare to be Gladiator-ready for the Rock’n Run? Clark’s own regime involves “slinging the iron,” frequent trips to Runyon, practicing yoga, cross training, boxing at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club and grappling at Legends. “It’s all about changing it up,” he explains.
EXHIBITIONS
THE 1000 JOURNALS PROJECT
Now-Feb. 13 @ Skirball Cultural Center by kate bryan On a quiet afternoon, I drove down to the Skirball Cultural Center to take a look at The 1000 Journals Project on display. Sitting by myself, I was able to be immersed in the art and memories set out on tables to be flipped through. Artist Brian Singer started The 1000 Journals Project in August 2000. He sent blank journals to various public places, and they ended up in airports, schools, museums, parks and wherever else you can think of. Inside was a note encouraging the person who found it to make an entry (with no parameters) and then to pass it along. What has resulted is a collection of art, personal confessions, political statements and well wishes for the next person who opens the journal. Of the thousand journals that have travelled the world, no less than 30 have made their way back to Singer, and a dozen are on display at the Skirball. Reading through the journals, I am reminded of another project: the PostSecret
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Campus Circle 11.17.10 - 11.23.10
There are 12 obstacles throughout the 3.15-mile race, with names like Skid Marks (it involves a muddy slip ’n slide), Gladiator BBQ (running through flames) and Rope a Dope (“Grab the rope or fall like a dope”) and awaiting both racers and spectators at the end is a post-race victory party. Now, are you ready for the magic words? There’s free Dan Clark wants you to exercise beer! while having fun and benefitting “Work hard, play a great cause at Rock’n Run. hard; that’s what I always say,” Clark says as he tells me that everyone over 21 gets a beer to toast the end of the race while they’re treated to three bands, a costume competition and a turn on the joust pedestal in the Rumble Pit. But the Gladiator Rock’n Run is about more than fun and games. The event benefits the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles, an organization Clark’s been involved in since his good friend’s daughter suffered a seizure the day she was born. She’s now 10 years old, has cerebral palsy and “will never be able to walk, crawl or talk.” The Rock’n Run is in her honor because, as Clark says, “She’s the real Gladiator.”
dparkphotography.com
FILM
For more information, visit gladiatorrocknrun.com.
Campus Circle > Music > Exhibitions postcard project, created by Frank Warren. In this project, individuals create a homemade postcard anonymously confessing a secret and mail it to Warren. He posts some of these cards on his blog or compiles them in his books and museum exhibits. There is a level of honesty in these postcards that only anonymity could bring. I would argue that as human beings we need some sort of outlet for the kind of confessions that aren’t polite (or in some cases, legal) to share with friends or family. That’s why therapists exist. It’s also why Warren got so many responses to his project. It’s also why The 1000 Journals Project is so fascinating: Every type of person in the world has something they need to share, something that can only be said in a safe, anonymous environment. The interesting thing about this project, which differentiates itself from the PostSecret project, is that some entries are signed by the contributor. Some even have contact information. I came across a few pages written on by a British woman who included her name, e-mail and a photo of herself. The sentiments of the entries start showing a pattern of outreach: Many people share their troubles so that the next person who picks up the journal may be helped or encouraged by their words or art. The whole so-called “experiment” really accomplishes what it set out to do, which is to foster a community in the tradition of the shared human experience. Also, since the project was started in 2000, there is a decade’s worth of journal entries spread throughout the journals already returned to Singer. Each page is like a time capsule, inciting nostalgia in the reader but also giving a sense of history on each page. Each entry also reminds the reader where she or he was at in their life at the time of the writing of the entry. I found entries from 2003 written by
(c) 1000 Journals
NEWS
A spread from Journal 707 of The 1000 Journals Project girls of a similar age that just reminded me how much I have changed since that year. The most exciting part of the project, however, is the possibility of contribution by Skirball visitors. Set up in one half of the room are tables with new journals whose cover art the Skirball commissioned from various artists. This is the 1001 Journals Project, extending the original project by starting the journals’ lives at the Skirball and then dispersing them across the globe. Each visitor helps create the exhibit by making an entry with provided markers, scissors, pencils, glue, feathers, art books, etc. I left the exhibit with a full heart, receiving the contributions of a decade’s worth of human honesty and having left my own small mark on the new project. Skirball Cultural Center is located at, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, visit skirball.org.
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Rogue Artists Ensemble
CURTAINCALL
“HYPERBOLE: origins” at [Inside] the Ford has music, dance and ... aliens.
“HYPERBOLE: origins” Now-Dec. 12 @ [Inside] the Ford Do you ever lie awake at night pondering what it is to be human and exist on the swirling ball of gas we call Earth? Does your mind reel about what else could be floating in the cosmos with us, and if we will ever be able to communicate with other life forms? If so, then Rogue Artists Ensemble has created the perfect answer to your existential wonderings in “HYPERBOLE: origins.” It is a wonderful theater act complete with expression, music, dance and aliens to help qualm the unsettling questions that have arisen for many people for quite some time. The Rogue Artists Ensemble wrote this unique production with contributions from Miles Taber, Nina Silver and the director Sean T. Cawelti, a UC Irvine drama department graduate. “HYPERBOLE: origins” features an all-star cast who eloquently graces the stage in multiple roles throughout the show, yet allows for those in attendance to become part of the production as well. Before you enter the theater, attendees are asked to answer life’s looming questions, “Where do we come from, and what does it mean to exist in this world?” by drawing their unique interpretation on a sheet of paper, which is later showcased. We are shown the origins of human ideals, concepts and known truths by two aliens. Yet in this theater experience, aliens as teachers seem like the best fit because they might be able to shed light on things humans have been pondering over for thousands of years. But don’t be fooled because they are modern aliens, complete with iPads, drum machines and very current music like Oh No Ono, the Very Best and Animal Collective. Director Sean T. Cawelti says, “The real heart of the project is about the storytelling and about the importance of passing along stories from one generation to the next. It’s about the cycle of life and death, the idea that when one thing ends, something else begins. As our world moves more quickly, we have to remember the importance of valuing where we’ve been.” —Danielle Lee [Inside] the Ford is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood. For more information, visit FordTheatres.org.
“Drunk Talk” Now-Dec. 19 @ The Dragonfly There’s a lot going on at the Dragonfly these days. In fact, the venue could be hailed for bringing rock and roll, underground, DIY theater back. Someone from Funny or Die was recently spotted in the audience of “Point Break LIVE!” Add that to the list of stars – Jessica Alba, Jason Schwartzman and Gary Busey – who have shown up for Thomas Blake’s smash show currently running Saturday nights at Dragonfly. The huge triumph of keeping “Point Break LIVE!” alive for three years inspired Blake and “Rules of Engagement” writer Lance Whinery to create “Drunk Talk,” which has been brought back by popular demand. Another interactive theater piece, this time the Dragonfly is the backdrop for the farewell party for McSwiggin’s. The beloved local bar is closing and everyone has gathered to say good-bye. The cast includes Tobias Jelinek from “Point Break LIVE!,” “Saturday Night Live” writer Danielle Kasen, David Alfano and Steven Sears from L.A.’s Second City, Greg Hoyt from L.A.’s Upright Citizens Brigade and Christi Waldon, the popular PA from “Point Break LIVE!” The real-bar environment turns into the scene of a wacky comedy, keeping the audience guessing as the cast members emerge out of the crowd. At one point, a cast member even buys a round of drinks for everyone in the bar. The awesome aspect of interactive theater is that the cast has to adapt as an ensemble, Jelinek explains. In both “Point Break LIVE!” and “Drunk Talk,” there are surprises, and that’s what keeps theatrical experiences so fresh and exciting. Jelinek continues, “We are able to take more risks.” While “Drunk Talk” begins at 8 p.m. every Sunday, it is preceded at 6 p.m. by “Roccopella,” a raucous one-man musical comedy written and performed by George Spielvogel, another star of “Point Break LIVE!” —Jessica Koslow The Dragonfly is located at 6510 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. For more information, visit drunktalktheshow.com.
HIV NEGATIVE & POSITIVE WOMEN & MEN… Ages 18 to 65 are needed for a UCLA immunology research study
• You will be asked to donate up to 110 cc (approximately 4 ounces or 8 tablespoons) of blood up to 15 times over 4 years. • Volunteers will be paid $25 per visit. To find out more call Alfonso Coro at (310) 206-7288 or e-mail: acoro@mednet.ucla.edu Beth D. Jamieson, Ph.D., Dept. of Medicine, Principal Investigator UCLA IRB#: 07-03-009-04 Expiration Date: December 8, 2010
APPROVED JAN 28, 2010 UCLA MEDICAL NSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD
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QUSQO
11633 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles by scott bedno I’m not sure if I have ever surveyed my din– ner options for an evening and said the words, “Boy, I sure feel like Peruvian tonight.” Of course, since it’s not 1950, I rarely start a sentence with “Boy,” but you know what I mean. For some reason, Peruvian hasn’t had the same cache as other Latin cuisines such as Mexican, Argentine or even Brazilian. A recent trip to the Westside brought me to Qusqo, a threeyear-old establishment that offers Peruvian cuisine in a refined but comfortable atmosphere. Qusqo is literally translated as “the navel of the world, the center of nourishment,” which shows me that the owners view food not just as sustenance but spiritual nourishment as well. This is also reflected in the fact that in addition to being a restaurant, Qusqo is an art gallery. One of the first things I noticed when I walked in was the art on the wall. Speaking to the owner, Lucy, she said that most of the art is sourced from local artists who donate part of their sale proceeds to charities. Qusqo’s goal is to not only nourish the body but the spirit as well. The Qusqo menu also gives the uneducated (such as me) a bit of background on how Peruvian cuisine was influenced by a diverse mix of immigrants from China, Italy, West Africa and Japan. The result is a unique and delicious blending of
Campus Circle > Culture > Food flavors and cooking techniques. Normally I begin a dinner meal with an adult beverage, but our server, Juan, described a chicha morada I couldn’t pass up. It is purple corn juice boiled with apple, cinnamon, pineapple, clove and lime juice. Sweet, but not sickly sweet, the cinnamon and clove really captures the essence of fall. We started with three appetizers; two of them featuring Peruvian staples – corn and fish. Being the biggest corn on the cob fan in the world, there was no way I was passing on the Jumbo Corn and Cheese. Juan forewarned that this corn is unlike the Fourth of July staple I was used to. Peruvian corn is not sweet, but has large, meaty kernels that have a consistency more akin to hominy than sweet corn. Bathed in a jack and cheddar cheese sauce, I could have eaten two ears myself. The second successful appetizer is the ceviche, another classic Peruvian dish. Large chunks of white fish swim in a lime and onion broth, which “cooks” the fish without the use of heat. It’s light, refreshing and large enough for two to split. Not so successful was the fried chicken bites. Sounds simple enough but maybe too simple. The bites of fried chicken were overcooked and rubbery. For the main course, we chose the Lomo Saltado, which really shows the Asian influence of Peruvian cuisine. Lomo Saltado is a Peruvian wok stir-fry that combines lean beef with sautéed onions, tomatoes, chilies and potatoes. The beef is perfectly cooked, and the addition of potatoes creates a new twist on the classic “meat and potatoes” dish. The Pescado a lo Macho is lightly fried red snapper topped with sautéed scallops, shrimp and calamari in a slightly spicy pepper sauce, served with steamed rice. Here the Italian influence comes through as one could imagine this seafood mix in tomato sauce also working well with linguini. The sauce is light and doesn’t overpower the subtle flavor of
the seafood. The shrimp in particular are delicious, plump and crispy to the bite. The calamari was also well cooked, not chewy at all, which is a challenge with baby calamari. After all the previous dishes, we could only muster the energy for one dessert dish. The dessert was a Sopresa de Chocolate, or Chocolate Surprise. The surprise is a nugget of vanilla ice cream ensconced in chocolate hazelnut deliciousness. Garnished with sliced raspberries and dusted with cinnamon, the plate is a work of art, befitting the restaurant itself. Qusqo is a warm and inviting place, perfect for a date or dinner with friends. Prices are reasonable and beer, wine and, of course, sangria are available. Daily happy hour is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, call (310) 312-3800 or visit qusqo.com.
GALAXYKICK
PIGSKINBLITZ
OUSTED BY FC DALLAS
USC WINS SECOND STRAIGHT
by marvin vasquez
Questionable officiating contributed to an FC Dallas 3-0 victory over the Galaxy in the Western Conference Championship at the Home Depot Center before a sold-out crowd Nov. 14. Los Angeles held many opportunities to score, but FC Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman made crucial saves throughout the match. One of the most prominent stops came early in the first half after Brazilian midfielder Juninho carried the ball past two defenders. Juninho then fired a right-footed shot, but Hartman was there to make the save and keep the game scoreless. Both forward Mike Magee and midfielder David Beckham had their own share of long-distance shots, but Hartman managed to make acrobatic dives to prevent the Galaxy from scoring. In the 26th minute of play, Colombian forward David Ferreira collected a pass from Honduran Marvin Chavez inches outside the box. Ferreira made a move to his right before releasing an eventual goal past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. Prior to that play, defender Eddie Lewis appeared to have been fouled, but no call was made. On top of that, Ferreira seemed to be offsides. “Maybe a couple of calls didn’t go our way, but that is part of it. If you play in this league, the officiating sometimes doesn’t go your way,” Arena says. Moments after, midfielder Landon Donovan connected on a potent low left-footed kick from 14 yards out of the left flank, but Hartman made a diving stop. “At the end of the day it was pretty simple; they made the plays they needed. They had five shots on goal and scored three. We had a bunch more and didn’t score,” Donovan says. “Their goalie played out of his mind..” The second half proved to be more of the same for Los Angeles, who blasted shot after shot but could not convert on any given chance. Meanwhile, FC Dallas found two additional goals on behalf of George John and Chavez. With the win, FC Dallas face the Colorado Rapids Nov. 21, for the MLS Cup in Toronto, Canada. Los Angeles is now out of competition for a while, but Beckham is hopeful for the future. “We’re a good team, a good team of young players, and we’ll get over this and push forward for next season,” he assures.
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Qusqo’s ceviche appetizer is light and refreshing.
Campus Circle 11.17.10 - 11.23.10
by marvin vasquez
After a 24-21 victory over the then 18th-ranked Wildcats in Arizona Nov. 13, the USC Trojans move into the AP Top 25 poll as the No. 20-ranked team in the nation. With their second consecutive victory, the Trojans are now 7-3 overall while carrying a 4-3 record in the Pac-10 Conference. “Our offensive line has taken a lot of criticism, especially from me, but we ran behind them for 200 yards and they didn’t give up a sack,” USC head coach Lane Kiffin tells reporters after the game. The Trojans got off to a fine start after gaining a 14-0 edge in the first quarter, which saw a rushing touchdown from sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley and a seven-yard TD reception by Rhett Ellison. However, the Wildcats managed to cut the visitor’s lead by seven points at halftime, as USC led 21-14. With 3:35 left in the third quarter, Trojan kicker Joe Houston nailed the game-winning field goal from 30 yards out, while Arizona scored a TD with just over a minute left in the affair. Barkley amassed 170 passing yards on 21-of-35 attempts, while running back Marc Tyler collected 160 rushing yards and one score on 31 carries. More than seven receivers caught passes from Barkley, including freshman Robert Woods’ eight catches for 41 yards. “I don’t think I’ve ever carried the ball over 30 times in high school, Pop Warner, nothing,” Tyler argues. The opposition complimented Tyler’s presence. “Our inability to stop the run consistently hurt us,” Wildcat head coach Mike Stoops admits. “Marc Tyler is great on the vertical push. He ran well all night, and some of that can be attributed to our lack of discipline. They pounded us pretty hard tonight, and we just have to get better.” USC faces a test in Corvallis, as they travel to Oregon for a visit against the Beavers on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 5 p.m.
CALENDARTHE10SPOT BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL SATURDAYNOV. 20 “Reservoir Bitches” Tres Stage Theatres, 1523 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles (323) 850-7827 Natalie Denise Sperl stars in an all-female cast of “Reservoir Bitches,” based on Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic film. (Film) Industry people with business cards get in free. $20.
WEDNESDAYNOV. 17 Matt Groening
FRIDAYNOV. 26 USC Volleyball at UCLA
Barnes & Noble, 189 Grove Drive, The Grove; barnesandnoble.com “The Simpsons” creator signs his “ultimate” book, Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide. 7 p.m.
Pauley Pavilion, 301 Westwood Plaza, UCLA; uclabruins.com The L.A. teams face-off in preparation for the NCAA tourney where Pac-10 Conference members have captured 13 of 29 NCAA titles awarded with USC winning it in 1981, 2002 and 2003 and UCLA in 1984, 1990 and 1991. 5 p.m.
Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., Downtown; laparks.org/pershingsquare The winter tradition continues with the largest outdoor skating rink in Los Angeles with the lowest admission price. It’s an icy oasis escape nestled between treetops and skyscrapers in the heart of the city. Daily through Jan. 17. $6, $2 skate rental.
SATURDAYNOV. 27 Gone with the Wind
SUNDAYNOV. 28 Hollywood Christmas Parade
Whimsic Alley, 5464 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles; whimsicalley.com Along with the round-trip trans– portation to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at midnight, there is a pre-party with entertainment, food and refreshments, wizard rock, Potter lookalikes, costumes, games and prizes and more. 8 p.m.
thehollywoodchristmasparade.com This annual tradition for over 80 years includes celebrities from film, television and stage, award-winning bands, colorful equestrians, ornate floats, specialty characters and hosts Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie. The parade starts on Hollywood Boulevard at Orange, east to Vine, south on Vine to Sunset, west on Sunset, back to Orange. 6 p.m.
Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles; spaphile.com Featured spa and salon businesses will have tables at the event offering information, free services, promotional offers and product samples. Spaphile, Inc. and Pink Taco will be donating $2 from every purchase of the signature Pink Taco Margarita to the Breast Cancer Society. Event will take place on the outside patio of Pink Taco. 3 p.m.-7 p.m. FREE.
TUESDAYNOV. 23 “Next to Normal” Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown; centertheatregroup.org Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score, and chosen as “one of the year’s 10 best” by major critics around the country, including the L.A. Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone and The New York Times. Runs through Jan. 2.
COUPON OFFER Expire December 31, 2010. Excludes licenses, gift cards, tickets, tennis balls, Skechers Shape-ups, and Under Armour. Limit one coupon per customer. Cannot be applied to other coupons or prior purchases. Not redeemable for cash or cash equivalent and must be surrendered at time of purchase. Good for onetime purchase on in stock items only at any Big 5 Store. Cashier: Scan/Enter coupon barcode for each offer when prompted.
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Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; americancinematheque.com Frankly my dear, this is the truly highest-grossing movie ever (when adjusted for inflation). 7:30 p.m. $11, $9 w/ student ID.
THURSDAYNOV. 18 Harry Potter Release Party
SATURDAYNOV. 20 Girls Day Out
Attentio
Campus Cir n: c Readers! le
TUESDAYNOV. 30 “West Side Story” Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles; broadwayla.org The new Broadway cast album recently won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.” Runs through Jan 2. Tix start at $25.
For more events, visit campuscircle.com/calendar. To submit an event for consideration, e-mail calendar@campuscircle.net.
L.A.HOOPLA
LAKERS STUMBLE INTO LOSS COLUMN by marvin vasquez
Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/MCT
THURSDAYNOV. 18 Downtown on Ice
We Get You Ready To Play!
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Shannon Brown and Pau Gasol try to wrestle the ball from the Suns’ Jared Dudley Nov. 14.
The Lakers are no longer undefeated. Los Angeles suffered back-to-back defeats on the road against the Denver Nuggets (Nov. 11) and most recently at home versus the Phoenix Suns (Nov. 14). What happened? For starters, the Lakers (8-2) played quality teams in Denver and Phoenix; both the Nuggets and Phoenix hold the experience and talent to beat any team on any given night in the NBA. Second, the Lakers allowed both squads to score over 100 points, so defense was an important factor because they lacked it. Against the Nuggets, the Lakers held the lead for most of the game. However, the host team managed to produce a rally with bench players en route to outlasting the purple and gold. As they entertained the Suns, a similar thing occurred but the difference was in the amount of three-pointers made. Phoenix made 22 of them, while Los Angeles only nine. The Lakers’ inability to defend shooting guard Jason Richardson hurt them as well since he erupted for 35 points and eight rebounds. The only remaining undefeated team in the league is New Orleans at 8-0. Head coach Phil Jackson never really cared about breaking the all-time record for wins by a team in a season. In fact, he even hinted at not wanting it. Yes, the Lakers can no longer call themselves undefeated. And yes, the record that the Chicago Bulls hold probably will not be broken. However, L.A. truly does not mind because their true competition does not begin until June of next year.
Campus Circle 11.17.10 - 11.23.10
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What’s up?
OMG! Friday night was a blast. You should have seen the crowd. The people were going nuts, and so did we. My best friend was sooo excited – she nearly fainted. LOL. Saturday night was “GIRLS” night. We were looking fine and feeling good. Where were you? XOXO
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