Campus Circle Newspaper Vol. 21 Issue 34

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campus circle Sept. 7 - Sept. 13, 2011 Vol. 21 Issue 34

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Editor-in-Chief Yuri Shimoda editor.chief@campuscircle.net

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03 BLOGS SPIRITED BRUIN 03 BLOGS TROJAN SIDELINES

Managing Editor/Art Director managing.editor@campuscircle.net Film Editor film.editor@campuscircle.net Music Editor

23 BLOGS TREND BLENDER 04 NEWS U.S. NEWS: 9/11 Anniversary 06 FILM BEWARE THE GONZO Ezra Miller and Zoë Kravitz start an underground paper.

music.editor@campuscircle.net Calendar Editor Frederick Mintchell calendar@campuscircle.net Editorial Intern Kristina Bravo

06 FILM PROJECTIONS 08 FILM THE CHANNEL SURFER: Fall TV 10 FILM DVD DISH

BIG

savings

EVERYDAY Where can you find sharks, bears, dinosaurs, goats & chickens, the latest must-haves and deep-fried, covered in chocolate, food on a stick all in one place? The L.A. County Fair – that’s where.

For Pure.Savings. visit lacountyfair.com and click on the Buy Tickets Now cart. Select Group Tickets and use promo code

CAMPUS 2

Campus Circle 9.7.11 - 9.13.11

Contributing Writers Scott Bedno, Zach Bourque, Mary Broadbent, Jonathan Bue, Jason Burnley, Erica Carter, Richard Castañeda, Nataly Chavez, Natasha

11 FILM SPECIAL FEATURES

Desianto, Sola Fasehun, Suzi Fox, Jacob Gaitan,

12 FILM MATT DAMON Heads an All-Star Cast in Contagion

Alexandre Johnson, Cindy KyungAh Lee, Patrick

13 FILM MOVIE REVIEWS

Sasha Perl-Raver, Rex Pham, Ricardo Quinones,

Denise Guerra, Victoria Gu, Elisa Hernandez, Josh Herwitt, Tien Thuy Ho, Dana Jeong, Meissner, Hiko Mitsuzuka, Stephanie Nolasco, Samantha Ofole, Sean Oliver, Brien Overly, Eva Recinos, Dov Rudnick, Mike Sebastian,

14 MUSIC REPORT

Doug Simpson, Emmanuelle Troy, Drew Vaeth, Kevin Wierzbicki, Candice Winters

14 MUSIC CD REVIEWS 16 MUSIC PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT Perform Joy Division Classics in L.A. 16 MUSIC NOTES 17 MUSIC LIVE SHOW REVIEWS 21 MUSIC FREQUENCY 22 MUSIC L.A. UNDERGROUND 18 SPORTS NFL PREVIEW 19 SPORTS SOCCER BRIEF 19 SPORTS DODGERS 411 19 SPORTS PIGSKIN BLITZ 05 CULTURE GET UP GET OUT 05 CULTURE BEAUTY BEAT 20 CULTURE ON THE MENU 20 CULTURE JET SETTER 22 EVENTS THE 10 SPOT

Contributing Artists & Photographers Tamea Agle, Stephanie Choi, Emmanuelle Troy ADVERTISING Sean Bello sean.bello@campuscircle.net Joy Calisoff joy.calisoff@campuscircle.net Jon Bookatz Music Sales Manager jon.bookatz@campuscircle.net

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Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle SPIRITEDBRUIN

by tien thuy ho

Welcome Week at UCLA is a remarkable start to the academic year for new and returning Bruins. The festivities include Bruin Bash, which is a concert, dancing and movie in addition to an “enormous activities fair.” On top of these fun events, freshmen have other special activities to attend such as the Target Private After-Hours Shopping Event.

Bruin Bash begins the celebration on Sunday, Sept. 18 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Drake Stadium where UCLA’s campus events commission will host a music concert. This concert is one of the biggest at UCLA, and admission is free and only for UCLA students. So be sure to have a valid BruinCard as your ticket to Bruin Bash or else you will not be able to enjoy these events.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the bands will begin to perform at 8 p.m. Check out bruinbash.ucla.edu for this year’s lineup announcement.

Then, from 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., Bruins can walk to the LA Tennis Center for a dance or simply lounge around Bruin Plaza. To keep track of updates on Bruin Bash, visit bruinbash. ucla.edu.

The midnight movie is an annual event that UCLA hosts at Ackerman Grand Ballroom the same night of the concert.

UCLA has special privileges to pre-screen a movie before it opens in theaters. Bruins who want to watch the movie need

to line up at Bruin Plaza around 9 p.m., three hours before the start of the movie because this event is so popular and seating is restricted to about 1,000 students. And of course, the only way to obtain a wristband into the movie is with a valid BruinCard. During the showing of the movie, there will be chances to win prizes by answering trivia questions about the movie and its actors.

The following day, Monday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., UCLA will host its Enormous Activities Fair for Bruins to learn all about community service, Greek life, culture, music, art, dance, sports and everything about UCLA life.

Over a hundred clubs will be present at Drake Stadium to inform Bruins about what they do. Bruins will be able to sign up for clubs they are interested in and talk to representatives of those clubs.

Also, the fair is a great way to learn about job opportunities during the school year whether you are interested in working for UCLA housing or ASUCLA jobs on campus. There will be so much food and drinks in addition to games and prizes (Last year, printers that scan, copy and print were given out!).

Undoubtedly, many will walk away with numerous free, useful things such as calendars and T-shirts.

If you are a freshman, the fun is on a completely different level! In addition to all the events of Bruin Bash, freshmen who dorm have the opportunity to attend Target’s after-hours shopping event. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Target will treat UCLA freshmen to an exclusive event at their L.A. store on La Cienega Boulevard.

Freshmen will board a bus at the dorms that takes them to Target to attend the event taking place from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Aside from shopping with friends for amazing deals on merchandise for school staples, Bruins will enjoy a live DJ, dancing, entertainment and even taking photos with

TROJANSIDELINES

THE REVIEWS are in “Just Seen It” is a hit. by elisa hernandez When it comes to getting an opinion on movies, people used to turn to Siskel and Ebert to get either two thumbs up or two thumbs down on a feature film. But times have changed since they were on the air, and now most students turn to their peers, Internet reviews and/or advertising; but for USC alumni David Freedman, Siskel and Ebert are the two men who inspired him to start his own show.

“I was at Café 84, having dinner with some friends after seeing a movie. There was a group of undergraduates at the next table talking about it,” Freedman says. “I thought what a great idea for a show. ‘Siskel & Ebert’ was the inspiration growing up, and this show is the remake of that show … [It’s] multicultural and younger.”

“Just Seen It” is an unscripted Web-based show posted online at justseenit.com. The show consists of a panel of graduate students discussing a film. The graduate students are primarily from USC, but the show will also feature graduates from NYU and UCLA. They are all masters or Ph.D. students in production, critical studies and/or screen writing. Freedman is the creator and show runner for the 7-month-old show that premiered

Seth Odell/UCLA

welcome week at ucla

Campus Circle > Blogs > Spirited Bruin

UCLA students always enjoy Bruin Bash during Welcome Week on campus. the Target mascot, Bullseye. Food and drinks will be provided, including samples from Mars, Wrigley, vitaminwater and Kraft.

Even though classes will commence on Thursday, Sept.

22, hopefully all these fun and exciting events will pump everybody up to make the most of this new academic school year!

Have a student group or idea for a future Spirited Bruin? E-mail editor.chief@campuscircle.net.

Campus Circle > Blogs > Trojan SideLines in January 2011. He recently obtained his Masters in Film and TV production at USC and was one of the founding members of Moviefone (777-FILM).

The five- to six-minute long show discusses the most recent films that have been released on the big screen. The review covers the film’s cinematography, story and writing, casting/acting, directing and production values.

“We always cover story and writing; it’s the foundation of every movie,” Freedman says.

The reviewers discuss all topics and then give their opinion for moviegoers to either “see it – in theaters,” “stream it – at home” or “skip it – altogether.” The reviewers hold ticket stubs and place them in the middle of the table after giving their verdict over the film. “[This is the] only review show in the world to say see it, stream it or skip it … it’s the way people think on every other review show it’s either good, ok or bad,” Freedman says. “We try to [review] all types of movies … We have an amazing cast and crew that can post and produce four or five segments every week; we want to do all the big releases.”

But they also screen independent films as well such as The Tree of Life and Win/Win. Reviews come out about a week before the film hits the big screens. They have screened movies such as Our Idiot Brother, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and Columbiana. Most recently, the show reviewed Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, One Day, Conan the Barbarian and Fright Night.

Right before every new season, a broadcast e-mail is sent to all cinematic students at USC for open auditions for cast and crewmembers. Although primarily run by graduate students, the show also welcomes undergraduates who are passionate about movies as well.

The show has released its 75th episode and continues to

Sean Wright, Liz Manshil and Brian DePasquale review Columbiana on “Just Seen It.” grow. The show is filmed in three closed sets: one of a lounge, a restaurant and a living room setting. Freedman says that before filming an episode, the cast and crew goes through a 45-minute prep. It also takes 45 minutes to shoot an episode, and for all students involved it’s a good working experience.

Although only a Web-based show at the moment, Freedman looks to expand his show so that it may reach a wider audience.

“We would love to keep building our following, love to get it on a national broadcast medium, spreading the word and letting people find out about the show,” Freedman says.

“I love movies, I love TV and I love this show; I hope the show will get a wide audience to follow it.”

For more information, visit justseenit.com.

Have a student group or idea for a future Trojan SideLines?

E-mail editor.chief@campuscircle.net.

Campus Circle 9.7.11 - 9.13.11

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Campus Circle > News > U.S. News

Chuck Kennedy

an unprepared VA [Veterans Affairs Department] and unprepared work environment.”

The wars took their toll in other ways as well. The invasion of Iraq became shrouded in a fog of questionable motives. The war in Afghanistan, where the 9/11 plot was hatched, turned into a sideshow. Then just months after combat in Iraq began in 2003, former President George W. Bush declared “mission accomplished.” Yet the fighting continued for years. Casualties mounted, as did mistrust and cynicism over the entire undertaking.

How different was his quick claim of victory from what President Franklin D. Roosevelt told Americans in 1942 about the rough going yet to come in World War II? “Your government has unmistakable confidence in your ability to hear the worst, without flinching or losing heart. ... In a democracy there is always a solemn pact of truth between government and the people.” Was there any wonder when support for the war, if not the warriors, began to slip?

“When there are wars being fought and a sense of purpose has not been clear to the public, with problems being so complex, people do lose their trust in leadership,” says presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Construction crews work on the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero.

A CHANGED AMERICA

Sept. 11 has made an indelible impact on the American psyche. by david goldstein

mcclatchy newspapers (MCT) The day began in crystalline sunlight and endlessly blue skies, but soon whipsawed into a decade of war, economic meltdown and deep political division. Ten years after Islamic terrorists hijacked passenger jets and crashed them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, the America that emerged from the smoke and rubble was in some ways a very different country.

How different? First, a story: It’s said that when President Richard Nixon made his groundbreaking visit to Communist China in 1972, he asked Premier Zhou Enlai what he thought about the French Revolution. It’s unclear if Zhou thought Nixon was asking about the political upheaval of 1789 or the Paris student demonstrations just four years earlier. In any case he replied: “Too soon to tell.”

It might be too soon to fully understand the impact of 9/11 as well. Did it somehow help spark the Arab Spring because our response unleashed so much upheaval in the Middle East? Or the Tea Party, which harnessed an anxiety that America had lost control of events and turned that into an intimidating political force?

It was easier to gauge the fallout on the day itself.

From the moment of impact, the terrorists struck not only concrete and steel, but the very notion of American might and invincibility. From crowded cities to one-stoplight towns, from farmsteads to factories and across the rugged spaces where the singular character of America has been mythically chiseled and shaped, the nation held its collective breath. Perhaps we still do. Don’t many of us pause when we hear the unmistakable scream of a jet engine in downward

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flight – and wait?

“I think 9/11 and its aftermath years later were a shock to our national consciousness because of the way we thought about ourselves and our place in the world,” says Nicholas Burns, the American ambassador to NATO at the time and a top State Department official during the Iraq War. “It has been a much more difficult, much more fearful time for us.”

Historian Douglas Brinkley says 9/11 put America into an unfamiliar “defensive crouch.” It triggered a mad rush to protect ourselves. We endorsed government measures that pierced the privacy of e-mail and telephones, and created a mammoth security bureaucracy that frisked nuns at airports – but, two Christmases ago, missed a would-be bomber with explosives tucked into his underwear.

In the relentless search for security, we’ve wrestled with questions that go to the heart of who we are. Have warrantless wiretaps made us safer or just chipped away at the wall that protects the public from overzealous authority?

Has torturing suspected terrorists saved American lives or undermined the values we trumpet around the world?

Photographs from Abu Ghraib, the infamous Baghdad prison where Americans abused and tortured Iraqis, then put them on display, shocked the world. Is that who we’ve become?

“I don’t think America ever lost touch with the good part of itself,” says former Sen. Bob Kerrey, a member of the 9/11 commission and a Medal of Honor winner who lost part of a leg during combat in Vietnam.

CASUALTIES, CYNICISM MOUNT Nearly 3,000 people died on Sept. 11. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that followed have so far claimed 6,000 American lives and tens of thousands of civilians in each country.

Military suicides are at record levels. Another 45,000 U.S. troops have been wounded, some in devastating ways, and will forever bear the scars of their service.

Troops are coming home, but “there are no victory parades,” Burns says. The country is spent – emotionally and fiscally. The wars have cost us more than $1 trillion, all on credit, and that’s come back to haunt us.

“Lots of kids ran down to the recruiting office,” says Paul Rieckhoff, who led an infantry platoon in Iraq and now is executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a nonpartisan activist group. “I don’t think they thought they’d do five tours and come home to find

CULTURAL DIVISION PROGRESSES Though the dots didn’t all connect, 9/11 for many became a lens for viewing everything that came after: The wars, a sagging economy, the social and cultural rancor. They provided coherence to the notion that the day was a point of demarcation.

America has long been “deeply divided on who it is and where we should go and what our priorities should be,” says Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. “I think 9/11 has probably sharpened it and perhaps revealed those divisions.”

Resentments festered. Fringe issues became mainstream.

Decorum disappeared. “You lie!” a congressman shouted at President Barack Obama during a speech. Critics questioned the president’s citizenship and warned that “death panels” in his health reform plan would decide the fate of the elderly.

Lawmakers worried inexplicably that Islamic religious law, or Sharia, might gain a foothold.

“It just seems as if the post-9/11 world has been a world in which our country seems to show itself as not very good in solving problems anymore,” says historian Michael Kazin of Georgetown University. “Both parties reflect this sense that America is not working very well, that we’re not able to set goals and achieve them.”

A brief moment of national unity did occur in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The country became a tapestry of shared grief. Leaders spoke with one voice.

“There was this sense there would be this profound change for the better,” says documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. “Americans were coming together in an unusually powerful way ... in the ashes. We live in a bittersweet memory of that collective tragedy and collective possibility. It hasn’t been the same since.”

Abraham Lincoln talked about the power of shared national sorrow and sacrifice at his first inaugural when he spoke of the “mystic chords of memory stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave.” They bind us to our past, he seemed to be saying, and we will best weather whatever befalls us together. Sept. 11, was that kind of common moment. When it was over, the Earth still turned in its usual orbit and the stars in the nighttime sky burned like a billion distant campfires. But the universe had shifted somehow.

“The moment before the towers fell and the moment after feels to me absolutely like a hinge moment in world history,” says playwright Tony Kushner.

Though we’ve felt the impact of 9/11, more will yet unfold. Ten years on, it still might be “too soon to tell.” © 2011, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. Distributed

by MCT Information Services.

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BEAUTYBEAT

distant worlds: music from ‘final fantasy’

is sunscreen

Sept. 9 & 10 @ Royce Hall, UCLA by alexandre johnson

Music has become an important marker of the ‘Final Fantasy’ franchise. The Distant Worlds tour plays the award-winning music of the “Final Fantasy” series performed live by a full orchestra accompanied by video and art highlighting the games’ most memorable sequences.

Square Enix’s “Final Fantasy” video game series has long been hailed for its music.

A majority of games have gone on to have an album release and sparked other music arrangements. The music has gained so much of its own attention that many songs have gained fans in their own rights. Fans will now be able to re-experience favorite moments as the music is performed live by the Distant Worlds Philharmonic Orchestra.

This tour is coming to Los Angeles on Sept. 9 and 10 to UCLA’s Royce Hall; LA concertgoers will be privileged to exclusive performances. The chief composer of the series’ music, Nobuo Uematsu, will be featured as keyboard soloist and have a rare onstage performance with Music Director Arnie Roth for the “Final Fantasy 6” song “Dark World.” As well, “Final Fantasy” creator Hironobu Sakahuchi will be present at the LA premiere. With all the specials planned fans will definitely woe missing the show.

Composer Uematsu has been hailed as a great in video game music, being the first to gain honors and awards for video games, such as song of the year through the Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1999. In turn, director Roth is a Grammy winning artist who has worked with mainstream artists as well as orchestras. Campus Circle had the chance to ask conductor Roth a few questions: Do you treat game scores the same as classical music scores?

Yes and No. The “Final Fantasy” scores require the same skill and are just as demanding and difficult as say Tarkovsky. The difference is these are pieces of music most musicians haven’t heard before. There is a learning curve. A good amount of rehearsals is teaching the music. I think this gives more of an exciting edge to the music for the musicians interact with the music and see fans in the audience react to the music.

Have you noticed yourself or the band members becoming interested in “Final Fantasy” as a result of playing its music?

Certainly, yes. Musicians become interested in all the scores. As well, they create interest in other musicians. For instance in Sydney the Sydney Symphony asks for us to cross median their music after a performance. As for me personally, I always search for scores to “Final Fantasy” songs especially after a fan mentions one. I’ll go ask Uematsu about “Hey, Cid” or so on.

Do you listen to fans a lot?

Yes, fans will come up at a show and ask about adding songs. We also have a Facebook page where fans often ask for certain songs or for us to go to locations. We have about 40,000 fans, but we do read through them all. As well, we have a newsletter where people can send in me questions.

How much does the show change, performance to performance?

We mix up as much as we can, but how can we not play scores like “One Winged Angel.”

Problem is, each show can only be a certain amount of time else musicians become fatigued and you’re doing overtime. The good thing about L.A. is there will be two different shows.

The 9th and the 10th shows are about 50-percent different.

The 9th and 10th will be Distant Worlds’ last concert in North America of the year as the orchestra will move on to shows will in Seoul, South Korea. The L.A. show will also boast music from every “Final Fantasy” game between the two concerts.

The series itself is reaching an important point and will be 25 years old next December.

With the anniversary approaching, Roth is looking for a big way in which to celebrate it. Fans are welcome to suggest locations and pieces that have had an important impact through the Distant Worlds Facebook page (ffdistantworlds) and through their site’s newsletter.

Royce Hall is located at 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles. To purchase tickets, visit ticketmaster. com. For more information, visit uclalive.org.

by erica carter

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine gave me a gift bag full of beauty products stocked with treatments ranging from Juvéderm non-surgical injections to non-invasive chemical peels to correct sun damage.

I don’t really need too much of these types of treatments – yet – but one thing that stood out was the iS sunscreen.

I’ve mentioned before in previous Beauty Beats that even though I’m very dark, my skin is extremely sensitive to the sun. I burn quickly, and I cannot be out in the direct sun for longer than 10 minutes. It’s almost become an allergy to the sun, so I’m always searching for the perfect sunscreen that will not only protect, but heal the damage that’s already been done. iS, or Innovative Skincare, is known for their attentiveness to ‘dispelling the myths’ of and clinically validating all of the ingredients that go into their products. They have reports on all types of skin conditions from acne and dry skin to pigment disorders and rosacea, so it’s easier to find what products will suit you best.

I’ve been using the SPF25 Treatment for about three weeks now, and my skin has never been better. I still get heat rashes, but they are isolated and only occur if I forget to apply this treatment. I think the combination of Octinoxate, which is easily absorbed to block UV rays, with the ever-popular zinc oxide is what’s keeping me scratch free.

The only downside is that I have to apply this liberally, every hour or so, to make sure I am completely shielded. But that is nothing compared to dealing with rough, painful dry patches of burnt skin every single season.

For more information, visit isclinical.com.

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FILMINTERVIEWS

beware the Gonzo Ezra Miller and Zoë Kravitz revisit high school. by kristina bravo Indie high school flick Beware the Gonzo has a lot going for it: a fresh-faced director inspired by his own compelling teenage life experience; support from the industry fairy god mothers at Tribeca; a New Yorkset; a Hunter S. Thompson-themed plotline dusted with a contemporary twist; and a charming cast that includes a dead ringer of a less glittery Robert Pattinson and a lucky winner of the unnaturally fine, Hollywood gene lottery pool.

Bryan Goluboff ’s directorial debut stars 18-yearold Ezra Miller as a rebel journalist who starts his own underground gazette, a result of being ousted from his prep school’s newspaper by its teen dream editor played by Jesse McCartney. With the help of fellow outsiders like horny nerd Rob Becker (Griffin Newman) and beautiful but enigmatic pariah Evie Wallace (Zoë Kravitz), his paper, aptly named Beware the Gonzo, shakes Poly Prep High School to the core.

“Seeing the title, I was immediately sold,” says the film’s star, through a videoconference from New York to Los Angeles. Wearing the effortless hipster uniform of battered T-shirt and tight-fitting jeans, Miller doesn’t stray too far from

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews his character’s look, nor his quirky demeanor. “They are some of my favorite art in the world, [Hunter S. Thompson’s] the Gonzo files. And then I read the script and I was twice sold, if not thrice. I just chased after it. I threw myself at Bryan’s feet and kissed his feet and then begged him for forgiveness.”

Alongside him co-star Kravitz, daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet, gives him a confused look. “Wait no … not for forgiveness, but to be in his movie. I did nothing wrong!” Miller corrects himself.

When asked about how the two actors liked filming Beware the Gonzo, it becomes clear that they had as much fun behind the scenes as they had in front of the camera.

“I remember the party scene, and Griffin getting drunk with the extras,” Kravitz says, referring to her other co-star.

“I think life imitated art a little, and Griffin Newman had sex with everyone,” Miller jokes. “No, that’s not true ... But he’s a very funny kid, and it was very interesting how all the extras became interested in Griffin. They were sort of all after him, and they would be conspiring to get him on the sidelines. One night in general was crazy because we took over a diner and had a party [complete] with a punk show and a mosh pit.”

“We were hanging out with all these amazing kids and, we got to have a real party. There was no ‘extra’ extra. They were all essential,” Miller adds, referring to the actual Poly Prep High School students who were employed by the film.

Kravitz remarks that “it was awesome,” but aside from the fun they had on set, Beware the Gonzo also verges on real adolescent issues that the young actress relates with. Aside from being a Jeff Buckley and Sublime-listening teenager, Kravitz’s celebrity blood didn’t shield her from growing pains.

“I went to two high schools. The first one I went to was a nightmare. It was a big, private, clique-y, cheerleader, jock-y thing which was scary to me. I was the artsy, weird person. I

PROJECTIONS

BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL Sept. 8-11 @ Downtown Independent Theater by kristina bravo You are quietly riding your bike, minding your own business – not emitting environmental hazards as you get to your destination – through the busy streets of New York City. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bus hits you.

What do you do? Instead of losing all faith in the universe, or if you are less dramatic sue the hell out of the MTA and go back home to California where you’re from, Brendt Barbur turned his unfortunate bump on the road (Ha! See what I did there?) into a game-changing idea. He started the Bicycle Film Festival in 2001 with the goal of celebrating the bicycle culture through music, art and film, and hopefully, with the awareness it brings, avoid getting hit by a bus again.

The Bicycle Film Festival, or BFF for short, has kicked off a spark in the urban bike movement in the past decade.

From its early beginning as a family event that screened PeeWee’s Big Adventure for free, to now touring 29 cities around the world, the festival has become a game changer that made riding a bike, well, cool again, in the process creating a more socially and eco-conscious culture that celebrate an alternative lifestyle.

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Sophia Zahariou

NEWS

Ezra Miller and Zoë Kravitz in Beware the Gonzo understood feeling like the weirdo. Then I was very lucky to go to art school later, and I had a good time. But the feeling of being judged and tormented, I understood Evie.”

Miller’s musical inclinations, on the other hand, leaned more towards Immortal Technique and Neil Young. Like Kravitz, however, he found something in common with his character. “I was probably similar in being arrogant in thinking that I was beyond it when really, I was just stuck in it and under its jurisdiction.” It’s safe to say that the actor, soon to be seen in a film adaptation of Perks of Being a Wallflower with Paul Rudd and Emma Watson, is doing fine now. If he were to have his own newspaper column, he says, “I think I’d like to write strange observations of really tense situations in New York City – like people in intense moment of awkwardness, anger, self-loathing and rage. I would walk around and write about people’s fights and then publish them to their dismay.”

Kravitz, on the other hand, whose character in the movie writes a sex column, opts for a more appetizing choice. “I would write a column about different kinds of sandwiches.

[I’d call it] ‘The Daily Sandwich.’”

Beware the Gonzo releases in select theaters Sept. 9.

Campus Circle > Film > Projections This year, BFF will make its way to Los Angeles on Sept.

8 fresh from Tokyo and Montreal. The party starts at the El Cid in Silver Lake with Bikes Rock! presented by Nomerica.

On Sept. 9, the film fest begins at the Downtown Independent where they will be screening clips and shorts in addition to two feature presentations of Racing Towards Red Hook and Bill Cunningham New York.

In Racing Towards Red Hook, directors Jessica Scott and Hyde Harper document three cyclists of different backgrounds who compete in the 2011 Red Hook Criterium, one of New York City’s biggest underground events. Every year in March, more than 80 hopefuls – most of whom are amateur cyclists – pedal through the streets of Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood with three simple rules: 20 laps, one gear, zero brakes. The 2011 competition, which is featured in the film, challenged its participants with an 11pm start, windy weather and sub-freezing temperatures. The three participants documented in the film include a Brooklyn cafe owner, a long time cyclist who teaches children how to ride track bikes and last year’s champion, a bike messenger and an up-and-comer in the world of cycling.

In Bill Cunningham New York, director Richard Press explores the life of the legendary fashion photographer who has been snapping street style shots around the Big Apple armed only with his camera and his bike since 1978. There will be an after party back at the El Cid at 11 p.m.

On Sept. 10, the line-up includes a screening of With My Own Two Wheels. Shot in Zambia, Ghana, India, Guatemala and California, it tells the story of how the bicycle plays a big role in the lives of people around the world. In Zambia, for instance, a health worker uses his bike as a means of helping twice as many patients. In California, a young man uses it as a diversion from the gangs that plague his neighborhood.

With My Own Two Wheels screens at Bicycle Film Festival Sept. 10.

This is followed by “fun” and “urban” bike shorts and BMX screenings. Highlights include Estonia’s Simpel Dream, which follows the story of an aspiring BMX rider and Canada’s Fabric Bike, which documents an all-girl midnight bike gang called the Deadly Nightshades and their three-month process of creating a bicycle.

The festival’s L.A. visit wraps up on Sept. 11, where there will be a BFF Street Party from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Paragon Parking Lot at 232 S. Main Street. Their next stops will be Vienna, Lisbon and London.

Downtown Independent Theater is located at 251 S. Main St., Downtown. For more information, visit bicyclefilmfestival.com.

“ONE OF THE BEST

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FILMS OF THE YEAR PITCH-PERFECT PACING AND GREAT PERFORMANCES.” Kevin McCarthy, FOX-TV

“UTTERLY “TAUT AND “GRIPPING, TERRIFYING. THOUGHT-PROVOKING, PROVOCATIVE ‘CONTAGION’ IS THIS MOVIE IS AND DEEPLY A POWERFUL INFECTIOUS ENGAGING.” Scott Mantz, THRILLER. ” TO THE CORE. ” ACCESS Stephen Rebello, PLAYBOY Sam Hallenbeck, NBC-TV HOLLYWOOD

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Campus Circle > Film > The Channel Surfer

“Charlie’s Angels” return to the small screen Sept. 22 on ABC.

surf this: fall tv preview by hiko mitsuzuka

The back-to-school season doesn’t have to be about textbook workloads, stressful syllabi and fretting over your headshot on that student ID card. It’s also about putting off that term paper to reunite with Damon, Stefan and Elena, staying in to see what songs New Directions will sing and revisiting Wisteria Lane to find out how the final season will begin on “Desperate Housewives.” The new TV season is full of promise. Troubled cops, cute doctors, teenage witches (the spell-casting kind), sexy crimefighters, lovelorn singletons; but only a handful will be lucky enough to survive the next nine months. I present to you a sampling of the new television shows that have been beeping on my radar: “American Horror Story” (premieres Oct. 5; Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX) – the next “True Blood”: This Ryan Murphy-Brad Falchuk (“Glee”) collaboration follows the Sherman family as they move into their new L.A. home where things just don’t go bump in the night – they creep, moan and seduce. If you haven’t checked out the YouTube campaign behind this psychosexual drama, get on it now.

“Apartment 23” (premieres midseason 2012 on ABC) – the next “How I Met Your Mother”: Krysten Ritter and Dreama Walker star in this witty single-camera comedy about “a female odd couple.” And “Dawson’s Creek” fans, rejoice: James Van Der Beek also stars as … James Van Der Beek.

“Bedlam” (premieres Oct. 1 at 10 p.m.; Saturdays at 9 p.m. on BBC America) – the next “Being Human”: A clairvoyant (UK hottie Theo James) moves into an apartment building where the residents harbor dark secrets, the walls ooze with slime and the landlady likes to mix business with pleasure. Think of it as “Haunted Melrose Place.”

“Charlie’s Angels” (premieres Sept. 22; Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC) – the next “Alias”: The ’70s show that heralded the era of Jiggle TV and inspired a feature-film adaptation back in 2000 is now coming back to the small screen. The action has now moved to Miami, and Bosley is actually kind of … sexy. Fun fact: The series will premiere the same day on which the original show debuted 35 years ago. Early aughts Angel Drew Barrymore executive produces.

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“GCB” (premieres midseason 2012 on ABC) – the next “Desperate Housewives”: Darren Star (“Sex and the City”) and Robert Harling (Steel Magnolias) have come up with a tasty mélange of bitchery, backstabbing and bouffants – with a Texas twang. Kristin Chenoweth and Leslie Bibb star as former high school classmates who reunite, go to church and gossip their way through several scandals in Dallas.

“Grimm” (premieres Oct. 21; Fridays at 9 p.m. on NBC) – the next “Fringe”: A Portland homicide detective (David Giuntoli) solves gruesome cases related to nursery rhymes and bedtime stories and eventually learns that he is a descendant of hunters working to restore balance between humanity and mythological creatures.

“Hart of Dixie” (premieres Sept. 26; Mondays at 9 p.m. on the CW) – the next “Northern Exposure”: Rachel Bilson returns to television in what appears to be Sweet Home Alabama: The Series (C’mon, have you seen those billboards?).

The former “O.C.” sweetie plays a city doctor (seriously) who finds herself surrounded by small-town southern folk who talk funny. Classic fish-out-of-water stuff from the creative forces responsible for “Gossip Girl” and “Chuck.”

“Hell on Wheels” (premieres Nov. 6; Sundays at 10 p.m. on AMC) – the next “Deadwood”: This post-Civil War revenge drama is about a man (Anson Mount) on the hunt for the soldier who killed his wife. Producers are calling it an eastern – and not a western. I’m calling it yet another period drama disguised as Emmy bait.

“New Girl” (premieres Sept. 20; Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox) – the next “The Big Bang Theory”: The adorable Zooey Deschanel moves in with three dudes who help her get back on her awkward feet after getting dumped by her boyfriend.

It’s like “Three’s Company ” but without the polyester … and any mistaken sexual identities … and the Regal Beagle.

“Once Upon a Time” (premieres Oct. 23; Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC) – the next “Lost”: A small town where the residents all have secret fairy-tale alter egos? Sold. Our protagonist, Emma Swann (Jennifer Morrison), happens to be the daughter of Snow White, and it’s up to a creepy little boy to help her navigate the twisty storylines that are told throughout two parallel universes. Just as long as there’s no Black Smoke Monster…

“Pan Am” (premieres Sept. 25; Sundays at 10 p.m. on ABC) – the next “Mad Men”: More ’60s nostalgia! More retro costumes! More chauvinistic men sleeping with pretty young things in skirts! Christina Ricci and a bevy of babes fly the friendly skies in this buzzworthy drama that takes a peek into the goings-on of the flight attendants (when they were called stewardesses) and pilots of the iconic airline. Cockpit and mile-high club jokes are inevitable.

“Prime Suspect” (premieres Sept. 22; Thursdays at 10

p.m. on NBC) – the next “The Closer”: Let’s hear it for toughas-nails women! Maria Bello steps into the role originated by Helen Mirren from the original British series in the late ’90s.

For the 2011 version, Bello plays Jane, a fedora-wearing cop who isn’t afraid to wrestle with the big boys and occasionally get socked in the eye while trying to nab the bad guys.

“Revenge” (premieres Sept. 21; Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC) – the next Least Interesting Drama That Won’t Last a Full Season: Emily Van Camp is a woman who moves to the Hamptons to infiltrate the rich and powerful family that ruined her father. So far, this generically titled serial looks like one giant J.Crew catalog come to dysfunctional life.

“Ringer” (premieres Sept. 13; Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on the CW) – the next “Twin Peaks” (Get it? Twin?): Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to TV as a troubled young woman who assumes her presumed-dead twin’s identity and tangles herself up in a web of treachery, lies and betrayal. The CW is hoping to lure an audience mature enough to remember “Buffy” and dig the convoluted storylines.

“The Secret Circle” (premieres Sept. 15; Thursdays at 9 p.m. on the CW) – the next “The Vampire Diaries”: It’s good to be L.J. Smith. The author behind “Diaries” is also the creator of this trilogy from the early ’90s. Britt Robertson (remember her, from “Life Unexpected”?) plays new-girl-intown Cassie who discovers that she possesses a power that can do more than just send her flying around on a broomstick.

“Smash” (premieres Feb. 6; Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC) – the next “Glee”: This highly anticipated musical drama is slated for February, features original music and stars Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty as the creative forces behind the making of a Broadway showstopper. When you have Steven Spielberg attached as a producer, along with the razzle-dazzlers who gave us Chicago and Hairspray, it’s safe to say a grand ol’ time is guaranteed.

“Suburgatory” (premieres Sept. 28; Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC) – the next “Modern Family”: A single-in-thecity father (Jeremy Sisto) moves his teenage daughter to the suburbs in order to give her a more proper upbringing. Little do they know that the land of cul-de-sacs and carpools comes with new (and hilarious) challenges. The Mean Girls-meetsStepford Wives vibe is totally welcome.

“Terra Nova” (premieres Sept. 26; Mondays at 8 p.m. on Fox) – the next “Land of the Lost”: This Jurassic Parkish adventure focuses on a family as they, along with a handful of other humans, are selected to travel back in time to the dino era so that they can save humanity from a dystopian fate.

“Two Broke Girls” (premieres Sept. 19; Mondays at 9:30 p.m. on CBS) – the next “Laverne & Shirley”: What sounds like a potentially dirty viral video turns out to be a 21st century version of “Laverne & Shirley.” Here we have Max (Kat Dennings) and Caroline (Beth Behrs), a pair of New York City gals with dead-end jobs who decide to go into the cupcake business together. Shenanigans eventually follow.

“Unforgettable” (premieres Sept. 20; Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on CBS) – the next “The Mentalist”: Poppy Montgomery plays a NYC detective who has the sharpest memory on the planet and uses her talent to solve – you guessed it – murders.

In other words, it’s that new crime procedural your mom and dad will be watching when you call home to ask for money.

“Whitney” (premieres Sept. 22; Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. on NBC) – the next “Mad About You”: You’ve seen her ham it up on “Chelsea Lately,” and now Whitney Cummings is getting her own starring vehicle in which she plays a slightly skewed version of herself. Here, she’s trying to steer her fiveyear marriage away from Dullsville.

“The X-Factor” (premieres Sept. 21; Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Fox) – the next “American Idol”: Simon Cowell and company would like to bring reality competition TV into a new era – and give “Idol” a run for its money. Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger, L.A. Reid and Steve Jones join the brutally honest Brit as they give Americans from all walks of life a chance to shine on stage in front of millions to win millions.

For more pop cultural ramblings, visit thefirstecho.com and hotterinhollywood.com.

INVITE YOU AND A GUEST TO SEE

To enter for a chance to attend an advance screening register at: http://www.campuscircle .com/screening/Drive Screening will take place: Wednesday, September 14 at 7:30 pm in Los Angeles.

THIS FILM IS RATED R for strong brutal bloody violence, language and some nudity. No one under 17 will be admitted without a parent or legal guardian. No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Each pass admits two. All winners will be drawn at random from all eligible entries for all prizes. FilmDistrict, Campus Circle and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or injury incurred in connection with use of a prize. Not responsible for lost, delayed or misdirected entries. All federal and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. No phone calls please.

Seating is on a first-come,first-served basis and is not guaranteed.

IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE SEPTEMBER 16TH WWW.DRIVE-MOVIE.COM

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INVITE YOU AND A GUEST TO SEE

by mike sebastian

The Majors: A fiercely original action thriller from the director of Atonement, Hanna follows a 16-year-old girl (Saoirse Ronan) who has spent her life training with her ex-CIA father (Eric Bana) to be the perfect assassin. Now she must strike out on her own to track down their sworn enemy (Cate Blanchett).

X-Men: First Class tells the origin story of the superhero team, with future enemies Professor X and Magneto as young mutants teaming up to save the world. James McAvoy (The Conspirator) and Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds) lead an excellent cast in this successful reboot of the Marvel franchise from the director of Kick-Ass. The Idiotbox: TV’s best comedy, “Parks and Recreation,” has its funniest year yet with season three. Leslie (Amy Poehler) and the gang mount the Harvest Festival, Andy and April get married and the town deals with the death of beloved miniature horse Li’l Sebastian.

It’s the end of a TV era as everyone’s favorite boss (Steve Carrell) departs on The Office: Season Seven. But don’t despair, Will Ferrell’s multi-episode guest appearance softens the blow and then some.

Joel McHale (“The Soup”) leads a ragtag group of community college students including Chevy Chase and Donald Glover in Community: The Complete Second Season.

Ken Jeong (The Hangover) continues to be hilarious as Señor Chang. Guest stars include Betty White and Drew Carey.

Fringe: The Complete Third Season has plenty of mind-bending quantum physics plot twists to fill the void left by “Lost.” With alternate universes and the fate of the world in the balance, this show just gets better.

Maggie Q lends a martial arts kick to the latest incarnation of the Luc Besson spy thriller La Femme Nikita in Nikita: The Complete First Season. The action series follows an ex-con turned covert government assassin who wages war against her shadowy superiors.

Also available: Police Story: Season 1, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters: Season 1, Airwolf: The Movie

The Sporting Life:

With summer winding down, relive some of the Fall Classic’s most legendary moments with Baseball’s Greatest Games, presenting memorable games in their entirety, with an optional radio broadcast audio track.

Blu Notes: One of the most iconic films of all time, Brian De Palma’s drug epic Scarface hits hi-def. Al Pacino stars as Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who lands in Miami and rises to the top of a cocaine empire. The Blu-ray comes loaded with extras, including a new documentary, deleted scenes and comparisons to the original Howard Hawks film.

The Coen brothers burst onto the scene in 1984 with their neo-noir debut Blood Simple.

Chock full of infidelity, double-crosses and murder, with atmosphere to spare, it would make Raymond Chandler proud. Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya and M. Emmet Walsh star.

Under the Radar: A trio of disaffected youth To enter for a chance to win a run of engagement pass for register at: http://www.campuscircle.com/sweeps/StrawDogs/

,

STRAW DOGS has been rated R by the MPAA for the following reasons: strong brutal violence including a sexual attack, menace, some sexual content, and pervasive language.

No purchase necessary. While supplies last. All winners will be drawn at random from all eligible entries. Screen Gems, Campus Circle and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or injury incurred in connection with use of a prize. Winners will receive a run of engagement pass good for two admissions Monday through Thursday only, excluding holidays, at pre-specified theater(s) and will be valid through the film’s run of engagement at that theater(s). Run of engagement passes will be valid beginning on or after Monday, September 19, 2011. Seating is on a first come, first served basis and is not guaranteed. Not responsible for lost, delayed or misdirected entries. All federal and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. No phone calls please. Specific terms, conditions, and limitations may apply.

IN THEATERS SEPTEMBER 16

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Campus Circle 9.7.11 - 9.13.11

CAMPUS CIRCLE

kidnaps wealthy socialites for ransom in the thriller The Entitled.

A Horrible Way to Die is a chilling portrait of a serial killer.

Rome and the Han Dynasty collide in the period epic Clash of Empires.

Also available: Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song

From the Vault: Now available online from the Warner Archives: Frank Sinatra is the unlikely title cowboy in Dirty Dingus Magee, a ’70s comedy-western based on the book by David Markson, adapted by Joseph Heller.

Best known for his supporting roles in films like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Tim Holt also starred in a slew of “B” westerns for RKO. Tim Holt Western Classics Collection, Vol. 2 collects ten of them, spanning 1943-1950.

Available through online retailers, the original Captain America adaptation finds the super-soldier unfrozen 50 years in the future to once again stop Red Skull.

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seiif AWARDs A Different Kind of Awards Show by sola fasehun

SEIIF Awards’ Tyrone Tann

Tyrone Tann, who began his career as a teen actor, who has broken records and won awards as a director/producer, has now founded the Stauros Entertainment Inspirational Independent Film Awards. SEIIF was founded with the goal to give independent filmmakers all over the world a chance to have their films recognized and seen. Tann took time out to discuss how his career led to the awards.

COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS A HAPPY MADISON PRODUCTION NICK SWARDSON “BUCKY LARSON: BORNMUSICTO BE A STAR” CHRISTINA MUSIC RICCI WITH DON JOHNSONWRITTENAND STEPHEN DORFF SUPERVISION BY MICHAEL DILBECK BRYAN BONWELL

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How did you get your start in the industry?

I was inspired by watching kids my age in movies, like Henry Thomas in E.T. I participated in talent searches and was fortunate to be discovered by my first manager who happened to be Corey Feldman’s father.

How did you come up with the idea for the SEIIF Awards?

I’ve been to a lot of festivals and award ceremonies throughout my career. While attending those types of events, I noticed things that I felt could be different. I wanted to one day be in a position to give recognition to independent filmmakers who may not get a chance at other major festivals or award shows because of politics. As a filmmaker myself, I understand how much it can mean to be recognized for hard work.

Who can submit to the SEIIF Awards?

It’s open to all independent filmmakers who have completed indie features, shorts or Web series, in any genre.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 >>>

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Claudette Barius

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews

Jory (Anna Jacoby-Heron) and Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon) in the thriller Contagion

contagion

Matt Damon’s on Red Alert. by frederick Mintchell For his latest would-be blockbuster, Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh has once again assembled a blockbuster cast. You have fellow Oscar winners Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet to go along with Oscar nominees Laurence Fishburne, Elliot Gould, John Hawkes and Jude Law. For good measure, he added Emmy winner Bryan Cranston, Writer’s Guild Award winner Demetri Martin (playing against type, by the way), BAFTA winner Jennifer Ehle and BET Award winner Sanaa Lathan.

The accolades aren’t limited to those in front of the camera either. Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns is a BAFTA award nominee, editor Stephen Mirrione is an Oscar winner, producer Stacey Sher is an Oscar nominee and set decorator Cindy Carr is also an Oscar nominee, just to name a few.

Contagion might be the rare prestige picture masquerading as a popcorn thriller. Or would that be popcorn thriller masquerading as a prestige picture?

Contagion, like Outbreak before it, shows how easily germs are spread. An international traveler reaches into the snack bowl at an airport bar before passing her credit card to a waiter. A business meeting begins with a round of handshakes. A man coughs on a crowded bus. One contact.

One instant. And a lethal virus is transmitted.

When Beth Emhoff (Paltrow) returns to Minneapolis from business in Hong Kong, what she thought was jet lag takes a virulent turn. Two days later, she’s dead in the ER (Don’t worry, this isn’t a spoiler – it happens within the first 10 minutes or so.), and the doctors tell her shocked and grieving husband, Mitch (Damon), they have no idea why.

Soon, others exhibit the same mysterious symptoms: hacking coughs and fever, followed by seizure, brain hemorrhage and ultimately, death. In Minneapolis, Chicago, London, China, Tokyo and Hong Kong, the numbers quickly multiply: One case becomes four, then 16, then hundreds, thousands, as the contagion sweeps across all borders, fueled

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by the countless human interactions that make up the course of an average day.

At the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers mobilize to break the code of a unique biological pathogen as it continues to mutate. Deputy Director Cheever (Fishburne) tries to allay the growing panic despite his own personal concerns and must send a brave young doctor (Winslet) into harm’s way. At the same time, amid a rising tide of suspicion over a potential vaccine – and who gets it first – Dr. Leonora Orantes (Cotillard) of the World Health Organization works through the network of connections that could lead back to the source of what they’re dealing with.

As the death toll escalates and people struggle to protect themselves and their loved ones in a society breaking down, one activist blogger (Law) claims the public isn’t getting the truth about what’s really going on, and he sets off an epidemic of paranoia and fear as infectious as the virus itself.

Though Contagion is clearly an ensemble film, Damon might be the considered the central figure. After his wife and young son’s death from the quickly spreading virus, he struggles to protect his daughter and himself from an increasingly violent and anarchic society. Onscreen, Contagion allowed Damon to reunite with former cast mates Paltrow and Law who previously worked together in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Contagion was not only a reunion onscreen as it allowed Damon to reunite with Soderbergh (the Ocean’s 11 films) and with screenwriter Burns (the Bourne films).

Fishburne famously exclaimed that he was happy to be offered a smart movie, and Damon agrees, “We were getting ready to do something else, another project that we’re still going to do, and Steven [Soderbergh] called and said ‘I’ve got this other thing, but we’ve really got to make it now. It’s really timely, and I think it’s the best thing that Scott [Burns]’s written,’ and that’s saying quite a bit. We obviously think a lot of Scott. He [Soderbergh] sent it [the script] over to me with a note that said ‘read it and then wash your hands.’ I read it and had the same reaction that [everyone else] did. I really want to be in this movie. It’s just a terrific, riveting, really fast read and really exciting and really horrifying but managed to be kind of touching too.”

Damon’s been fortunate to have the opportunity to play a wide range of roles, from action to comedy to drama. He

claims that he has no preference as to what kind of role he prefers, that “if the director’s good and the script is good, then it all comes together naturally.”

He goes on to say, “Steven’s movies don’t leave any fat on the bone. They’re lean and fast. For a subject like this, that pace mirrors the progression of the infection itself and how things spiral very quickly out of control, so you want that sense of acceleration. He knows exactly how to keep multiple threads alive and cut back to each one at the right time. The story really moves.”

We’ve been inundated with killer aliens and comic-book villains at the multiplexes lately, which can make for good entertainment. However, there is no real sense of danger since they don’t pose a threat to our personal well-being.

Viruses, on the other hand, are very real and very scary.

According to the CDC, there is a new virus discovered every week. Yes, that’s not a typo. Who can forget the health scares from the H1N1, Ebola, Swine Flu and SARS outbreaks?

Heck, it wasn’t all that long ago – 1918 – that the Spanish Flu epidemic wiped out 20 percent of the Earth’s population.

This is something that Damon is well aware of.

“With kids, I’m probably more protective than I’ve ever been. My wife’s nickname for me is ‘red alert.’ I’m like checking the kids to make sure they’re still breathing. I have a tendency to be overprotective without trying to be a helicopter parent.” Damon continues, “It [the role] was very easy for me to relate to, being a dad myself. Even though they’re going through this extraordinary experience, they’re still dealing with typical issues of parents and teenagers.

She wants to see her boyfriend, and Mitch keeps trying to impress upon her the severity of the situation and why even the slightest contact with him, if he’s infected, could kill her.

It leads to some highly charged moments.”

Apparently, Damon has become a little more proactive as he’s gotten older. His wife wouldn’t call him ‘red alert’ for nothing.

He admits, “after the Northridge earthquake [in 1994], I put the flashlight by my bed for like two weeks and then I forgot about it.”

I’m guessing he hasn’t forgotten about the flashlight now, and after Contagion, he probably hasn’t forgotten about the hand sanitizer either.

Contagion releases in theaters Sept. 9.

Become a CAMPUS CIRCLE Fan on Facebook http://bit.ly/dhFhEE MOVIEREVIEWS Shaolin (Variance/Well Go USA) The ultra cool and stylistic Shaolin, directed by Benny Chan, is reminiscent of Drunken Master and is a classic update of The Shaolin Temple, which launched the career of Jet Li. Shaolin, though not as impactful as many martial arts films of the past, definitely does a great job of entertaining and giving off the wow factor. It has refreshing characters that are great and magnify on screen and also features the master himself, Jackie Chan, who is great in a supporting role.

The film is carried by Andy Lau, who is very convincing as the main protagonist General Hou Jie who is fueled by his success on the battlefield. He sneers at Shaolin’s masters after killing a rival warlord on their temple grounds. His glory soon ends, and his own family is wiped out. Hou Jie becomes disillusioned and wanders near Shaolin, until he meets the cook monk Wudao (Jackie Chan), who provides him with food and shelter.

Hou Jie feels guilty for his past; he decides to become a monk and right his wrongs.

During his stay, Hou Jie understands and obeys Shaolin’s principles through study and practicing martial arts, mends his ways and finds peace and enlightenment from his heart.

One day, Hou Jie overhears that Cao Man (Nicholas Tse), who has taken control of his army, is oppressing the people by forcing them to unearth Chinese relics. Cao Man is selling the relics to foreigners in exchange for advanced weaponry, after which, he will have the laborers massacred to silence them.

As the civil unrest spreads and the people suffer, Hou Jie and the Shaolin masters are forced to take a fiery stand against the evil warlords. They launch a daring plan of rescue and escape after China is plunged into strife, as feuding warlords try to expand their power by warring over neighboring lands.

The movie has strong storylines and some stunts that will make you jump from your seat in enjoyment. Shaolin stands tall in line with many of the martial arts films from the east, thanks to its stunts and unique action-filled camera work. You really grow to enjoy Shaolin, which at times has touches of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Kung Fu Hustle, with a splash of Robin Hood to it. It’s a bit lengthy, but by the end of the film you truly feel as if you’ve gotten your money’s worth and you leave knowing you’ve seen a truly good movie.

Grade: A—Sean Oliver Shaolin releases in select theaters Sept. 9.

  —  

FILMSPECIALFEATURES <<< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 What makes this awards show different?

You could possibly win best actor, best director or best story without getting a nomination for best film. We also broke down the nominations into budget categories. So if a filmmaker does not a have a high budget, they still have a fair chance to possibly win an award within their own budget bracket.

a fifth anniversary showcase a fifth anniversary showcase

Why not call SEIIF a film festival? Why call it an awards show?

As of now we are pretty much designed to nominate and award films that have already been prescreened by our panel during a specific time period, as opposed to screening them publicly throughout the week like a film festival may do.

What are the submission deadlines?

Filmmakers can submit their films [through] Oct. 31. There are various submission deadlines between August to October. There is more information on our Web site [seiifawards.com]. Anyone submitting their film or Web series can use this code onto our Web site to get the discount: SE46774732S What was your best film or television experience?

I’ve had many, but (geez) let me think … As an actor one of my fondest experiences was working on a high budget movie called Starship Troopers. Working on “ER” was incredible because I was able to work with George Clooney and Noah Wyle. It was awesome to see big stars like them be so humble and down to earth. As a producer ... being able to produce and star in a movie I created and co-wrote called Social Misfits.

What advice can you give to anyone who wants to act, produce, write or direct?

My main motto was introduced to me by one of my first mentors, legendary producer Howard W. Koch. When I broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the movie, Bug Night, he embedded unto me: “Believe in what you do … never let anyone tell you, you can’t … take care of your cast and crew, and they’ll take care of you”.

Where do you see the SEIIF Awards in 10 years?

I hope to see it as an awards show that is able to recognize the new ‘it’ filmmakers of tomorrow. I’m hoping it becomes a place where we are truly able to recognize and spot new talent in film and Internet.

PROFESSIONAL

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CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS CD Reviews Frequency Interviews Live Show Reviews Music Notes Music Report Special Features

MUSICREPORT by kevin wierzbicki PEBS: Sweet Surrender If you’ve followed the California punk scene at all over the past two decades you’ve probably heard of Buck-O-Nine, the band fronted by singer Jon Pebsworth. Now Pebsworth is heading in a different direction: He’s about to release a 10song collection of California-inspired folk songs called Sweet Surrender under the name PEBS, a nickname he’s had since the first grade.

“I’ve been working on these songs for awhile, but honestly it was never anything I planned on releasing,” Pebsworth explains. “I’ve always fiddled around on acoustic guitar, but once I started playing the demos of these songs for my friends they were the ones who really encouraged me to get out there and pursue this project.”

Veikko Lepisto of Mike Watt’s band is a member of PEBS’ back-up band, and another luminary from the punk scene, singer Steve Soto of the Adolescents, makes a guest appearance. Sweet Surrender drops on Sept. 20, and PEBS will play a record release show the day before at the Viper Room.

Campus Circle > Music > Music Report Sept. 25 to motivate fans to vote for them in head-to-head style competition. The top 10 vote getters will shoot it out for an additional week, whittling the pool down to five, and then music industry professionals, including members of Alesana, will pick the three winners and reveal the names on Oct. 4.

Alesana has a new album called A Place Where the Sun is Silent due on Oct. 18; the Rock Yourself to Sleep Tour stops at the House of Blues Sunset Strip on Nov. 3 and the Glass House on Nov. 4.

Slightly Stoopid Pay Per View Slightly Stoopid will perform a live pay-per-view webcast on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The show will originate at TRI Studios, owned by Grateful Dead/Furthur founding member Bob Weir who will make a guest appearance during the show, as will Don Carlos of Black Uhuru, Ian Neville of Dumpstaphunk and the Funky Meters and Karl Denson of Tiny Universe and the Greyboy Allstars. There’ll also be a chance for fans to interact with the band in a Q&A session between sets via onscreen Facebook and Twitter feeds. The cost to view the show live or stream a replay is $10, and tickets can be purchased at tristudios.com or slightlystoopid.com.

Rock Yourself to Sleep Band Contest

Half Notes

Motel 6 and music publishing and marketing company Primary Wave Music have announced the third Rock Yourself to Sleep Tour set to kick off Oct. 13 with Epitaph band Alesana as the headliner. Similar to the last two years, there’s a companion contest leading up to the tour which gives three up-and-coming bands the opportunity to open for Alesana on the six-week national tour, as well as free rooms.

Bands can enter the contest at rockyourselftosleep.com with their ReverbNation account. They’ll then have until

Mikal Cronin, one-third of Orange County surf-punk bashers the Moonhearts, is about to emerge with his debut solo album; the self-titled effort drops on Sept. 20.

Los Angeles-based Australian rock import Andy Clockwise has finished up his bi-coastal residency in support of his The Socialite album, but he has added two more local shows; catch him at the Port of Los Angeles Lobsterfest in San Pedro on Sept. 16 and at the KROQ Presents event at the Roxy on Sept. 22.

CDREVIEWS Grace Jones Hurricane ([PIAS] America) It’s been over 20 years since Jamaican singer and Studio 54 icon Grace Jones graced us (pun intended) with her musical presence. The once muse to Andy Warhol, became notorious for her androgynous looks, lavish acts featuring live leopards and alien couture. While today’s generation of listeners may not be familiar with Jones, her blend of dramatic rock, tranceinducing New Wave and retro disco is one that, like her razor sharp looks, will be difficult to ignore.

Hurricane, Jones’ new album, was released last year to critical praise overseas, and it’s set on taking over U.S. dance charts. Hurricane opens up with “This Is,” an empowering anthem of using one’s voice “as a weapon.” It’s fuelled by tropical dancehall, ensuring that sizzling parties last beyond summer. The eerie “Corporate Cannibal,” is a digital horror melody bursting with gripping guitars screeching like nails sliding down a blackboard. You don’t know whether to focus on Jones’ roars or surrender to the song’s echoing electronic beats, which is more frustrating than welcoming. Fortunately, Jones redeems herself in “Well Well Well,” a tender reggae chant. You won’t know what to do with its message of truth or sorrow, but all you can do is sway in agreement. There’s no doubt that Hurricane is an acquired taste, but rest assured that Jones’ sound hasn’t changed in decades. Now that’s a shock.

Grade: B—Stephanie Nolasco Hurricane is currently available.

Peter Wolf Crier Garden of Arms (Jagjaguwar)

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Laura Jean Hyde

NEWS FILM MUSIC

PEBS delivers Sweet Surrender Sept. 20.

Never Shout Never’s Time Travel album drops on Sept. 20, and you can pre-order a special bundle through iTunes that includes a limited edition lithograph personally hand-stamped by the band’s Christofer Drew, the CD with an alternate cover and digital delivery of the album’s instrumentals.

The latest from Orange County punk outfit Doggy Style is called Punkers Anthem; it’s available now on Cleopatra’s Anarchy Music imprint.

L.A. band Fool’s Gold is back with another album of African-influenced pop music; Leave No Trace is available now.

Prog metal band The Contortionist will release a vinyl picture disc version of Exoplanet on Sept. 13; the collector’s item comes with a digital download of the album.

Fans of Clutch will be pleased to hear that the band now has its own beer, cleverly called Clutch Beer. The brew is a dark sour ale with nine-percent alcohol content made by New Belgium Brewing.

Campus Circle > Music > CD Reviews If you’re familiar with the first Peter Wolf Crier album you’ll notice something new in sophomore release, Garden of Arms, immediately – a newfound fondness for the use of experimental effects. PWC’s bolder new direction is demonstrated on leadoff track “Right Away” where a recording of a keyboard part dubbed onto the song backwards plays a major part in the arrangement.

The sublime, dreamy sound the band is known for is still intact and, when stripped of its layers as it is on “Having it Out,” is some of the most endearing in the business. But PWC throws a curve into the familiar of “Having it Out” too, ending the song cold and launching instantly into “Krishnamurti,” an unexpected tangent into ’60s psychedelia. The jaunt into psych might not be purely a one-off; “Cut a Hand” has an up-front drum part that sounds decidedly like Ringo, and with singer Peter Pisano sounding not unlike Paul McCartney on the song it’s quite possible that the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album has been a subject of recent study. Wherever the inspiration has come from, it’s working. The expression of ideas on Garden of Arms is far more listenable than the band’s debut and clearly designed to widen their fan base.

Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Garden of Arms is currently available.

World Unite! Lucifer Youth Foundation Go Tell Fire to the Mountain (Secretly Canadian) Commonly referred to as WU LYF (pronounced “woo-life”) this band out of Manchester, England has purposely created an air of mystery about themselves by limiting the amount of information they give to the press and general public, and they’ve only recently revealed the identities of the four core

members of the band (The line-up has been known to balloon to nearly a dozen for live performances.).

This type of gimmickry doesn’t work unless, like WU LYF does, you’ve got a real buzz going with your music and you’ve actually already won half of the promotional battle you’re pretending not to be interested in.

The sound of cathedral organ fades in at the beginning of “LYF” and remains in place as the song moves from the church to the dance floor where a chorus of “Love you forever” confirms that the worshipful church organ is in place for a reason. Much of the album is performed in a musically similar alt-goth vein, but the real hooks here come via the unique vocal styling of Ellery Roberts who sounds something like Bruce Springsteen might if he was singing slightly inebriated and with a sore throat. Roberts strings phrases together with such a disregard for clear enunciation that at times it seems like he’s not singing in English and his impassioned, sing-song delivery sometimes conjures the image of a minstrel imp as if Lucifer really did have a hand in WULYF. The urgent “Spitting Blood” and the slow smolder of “Heavy Pop” are good places to start with this one; if you like those songs you’ll be able to recognize the treasure in the rest of Go Tell Fire to the Mountain.

Grade: A —Kevin Wierzbicki Go Tell Fire to the Mountain is currently available.

CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS CD Reviews Frequency Interviews Live Show Reviews Music Notes Music Report Special Features

MUSICINTERVIEWS

New Order might be done, but Peter Hook isn’t. by richard CastaÑeda

In the last 30 years, very few bands have been able to carry on successfully without their iconic frontman like New Order. The band, then known as Joy Division, was two weeks away from touring the acclaimed Closer album to American audiences when frontman Ian Curtis committed suicide. Although New Order eventually toured and played Joy Division songs around the world for nearly 30 years, legendary bassist Peter Hook felt that their overall contribution wasn’t enough.

“The decision to revisit the Joy Division material wasn’t made lightly. It was to celebrate 30 years of Ian Curtis’ life, which I felt was severely neglected by all of us in New Order,” Hook says.

In 2010, two celebrations were planned in the UK to commemorate the 30 years since Curtis’ death. Both celebrations never came to fruition. Hook felt it was his responsibility to celebrate his past in a manner he never could with New Order. Hook used his worldwide DJ stints to gauge interest in Joy Division. He says he “infiltrated” different countries as a DJ first and then as a member of his new band,

the Light.

“When I first came to do the celebration, I didn’t envisage singing, myself. I thought I’d play bass and get guest vocals,” Hook admits. “[The public’s reaction] was quite negative before we played it. It was really difficult to persuade people to help. They sort of headed to the hills. The only one with the gall big enough to do it was Rowetta.”

Rowetta – of Happy Mondays and “The X Factor” fame – helped Hook explore Joy Division material in a completely different way. The two released the 1102/2011 EP in May that was both in tribute to Curtis and Hook’s longtime friend, Rex, who had also committed suicide. Rowetta’s version of Curtis’ vocals takes on his same haunting qualities and helps transform the music into a contemporary gloomy atmosphere. “The reason we did the [1102/2011 EP] is that I was very pleased with Rowetta’s take and emotion and the passion she put into it, which I felt was completely different to [Curtis], but valid.”

The Light will play 13 dates in North America, including Mexico and Canada for the first time. In addition, Los Angeles is the only city on the tour where both Unknown Pleasures and Closer will be played in their entireties. “I’ve always had a wonderful time in Los Angeles. Since the early days of KROQ, the way we were supported in Los Angeles was very pure,” Hook shares.

Hook’s decision to revisit Joy Division material isn’t such a hit with his former band mates, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris. Since Hook’s departure from New Order in 2007, all three members have argued back and forth in the media over whether or not the band is actually over. Hook contends it is, while Sumner and Morris don’t.

Hook feels that the lack of empathy between Sumner and Morris won’t lead to a New Order reunion anytime soon. The

MUSICNOTES

MTV

Music? Television by eva recinos It’s difficult to shock in the entertainment world nowadays. Thanks to a few musicians who have pushed the boundaries with everything from raw meat dresses to lessthan-polite interruptions, the bar has been set high when it comes to creating scandal in the music world. So it comes as no surprise that a few moments from this year’s MTV VMAs tried – and failed – to push the envelope and make people gasp in surprise. In fact, the entirety of the VMAs failed to be any surprise: The winners were predictable, big names in mainstream pop who are already at the top.

Save for Adele’s goosebump-inducing performance of “Someone Like You,” and sweet sights like Beyoncé rubbing her pregnant belly, MTV still seems mostly focused on ratings rather than on music. The music part of the channel has obviously been gone for some time, with the appearance of the “Jersey Shore” cast reminding music fans of the transformation of the channel.

It’s nothing new that MTV has become a radically different channel than when it first started out, but this 2011 VMA broadcast made it obvious that it is holding on to the music portion of its name half-heartedly at best. This award ceremony could have been broadcasted on any other channel, and it would’ve garnered the same ratings and buzz. The channel virtually only sheds light on the obvious chart-toppers of the time. If you make the effort to wake up at 11 a.m. you

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lack of communication between the three has stalled the release of leftover songs from 2005’s Waiting for the Siren’s Call.

Half of the 22 songs recorded during those sessions made the album. It was always the group’s intention to release the leftover material, but they disbanded before doing so. The leftover music harks back to New Order’s Technique era.

“The ball is very much in their court as to what happens with these things,” Hook adds. “But we’ve opened the floodgates, and we’re planning to bring the whole music out at the end so people can have it.“ Hook hopes fans will be able to obtain the music not only because New Order promised it to them six years ago, but because he views it as a historical document of music.

Releasing it would wipe the slate clean and perhaps pave the way for a reunion someday.

“At the moment there are no bridges being built, no empathy, and the others seem very upset that I’m doing Joy Division stuff, which is ridiculous because they’re playing Joy Division and New Order,” Hook adds. “[But] time, as many people have proved, is a great healer, and if the Eagles can manage that, then I’m sure New Order could.”

Peter Hook and the Light perform Sept. 14 at the Music Box and Sept. 16 at the El Rey. For more information, visit peterhook.co.uk.

Mark McNulty

PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT

Campus Circle > Music > Interviews

Campus Circle > Music > Music Notes can still catch the Top 20 music video countdown. But the faces are all familiar. VH1, though also having its slew of reality TV shows, at least offers music lovers a “You Oughta Know” category that exposes them to new music.

The VMAs seem to be MTV’s last attempt to maintain the channel’s musical history and reel in more viewers. But when it comes to fostering the discovery of new music, MTV and the VMAs clearly fail. They’re not pushing the limits of the music world by introducing something new.

Even Adam Levine, the lead crooner of Maroon 5, took the liberty of cursing out the VMAs before they were televised, tweeting “the VMA’s. one day a year when MTV pretends to still care about music. I’m drawing a line in the sand. f**k you VMA’s.”

Many attribute this statement to bitterness over not being nominated, but the reality is that the lack of a VMA nomination will not hurt the popularity of Maroon 5, or the success of Levine, who has spent a season as judge on “The Voice.” And that’s perhaps the biggest flaw of the VMAs. The winners are so predictable that the honor doesn’t seem so high after all. The awards do not hold the same degree of importance as receiving a Grammy, and many Grammy winners’ careers have been transformed by their win. Not as many people knew Arcade Fire as they did Lady Gaga, but the winning of this prestigious prize got many a music fan’s interested piqued in the eclectic band. The Grammy ceremony is less likely to be the place where Lady Gaga leans in for an awkward attempt to kiss Britney Spears.

The VMAs felt like the congregation of the popular kids in high school. Though this is not a new trend, MTV is just proving it is not taking the awards show seriously because it does not invest in introducing new artists in general. The network is timidly keeping its interest in music while taking

Donna Ward/ABACAUSA.com/MCT

NEWS FILM MUSIC

Maroon 5’s Adam Levine criticized MTV on Twitter. the easy way out and giving fans the very celebrities they always see. MTV has always been a hot spot for new pop stars that everyone swoons over, but back then the channel at least dedicated more time to music videos in general, giving a wider array of artists for fans to choose from. Today, the presentation of the same musicians only cements the fact that MTV is looking to get ratings rather than making genuine waves in the music world.

If MTV chooses to finally separate completely from music, it will hardly come as a surprise to anyone. It makes more sense for a channel to maintain a full dedication to music than an obliged one. VH1 will most likely lose all its music affiliation as well, but it’s much harder to explain to the next generation why a channel with the words ‘music television’ hardly plays any music.

If MTV wants to focus on ratings, it is only fair that it doesn’t even attempt to deceive viewers as to its true intentions.

The musicians at the VMAs are already to booked for plenty of performances elsewhere.

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Campus Circle Beirut, Merle, Bryan Ferry, Idina/Greek Theatre 1/4 LIVESHOWREVIEWS page 4.875” x 5.9” • BW PUB DATE: 9.7.2011 Goo Goo Dolls Aug. 27 @ The Greek Johnny Rzeznik has this quiet cool about him that I want to figure out. He doesn’t say much to rile the crowd, and really, he doesn’t have to. For years, the Goo Goo Dolls’ soft rock ballads have continued to cause women (and men) to feel warm, inspired and ’90s era nostalgic.

I’m sure they’ve played classics like “Black Balloon,” “Slide” and “Broadway” hun– dreds of times, including on the last leg of their 2011 tour at the Greek Theatre. Even with their massive popularity, there’s a sense of humility that the Goo Goo Dolls portray on stage.

It was in 1995 that their breakthrough hit “Name” was released on radio, and their fans have stuck with them since, filling the 5,700-seat venue.

It was obvious which were the Dolls’ lesser-known tracks, including songs performed by the band’s longtime bassist Robby Takac, who took over the mic mid-show. Fans who follow the Dolls’ discography could appreciate Takac’s performance of “January Friend.”

A contrary dynamic to Reznick – Takac’s performance exhibited less crowd enthusiasm.

Of course, how do you compete with “Iris” or “Better Days” which have had serious radio play, commercials and movie placements. (Remember that Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage movie City of Angels, definitely a ’90s throwback.)

We sometimes forget how long it has been since the Dolls first hit the radio. It’s one of those rare gifts some bands have to create music that continues to touch their audience throughout time. After all these years, the Goo Goo Dolls’ repertoire of unforgettable rock ballads never loses its grand effect. What is that grand effect? A feeling that love abounds and the world is beautiful. I know, it’s sappy. But it’s a nice feeling to have.

—Denise Guerra

Campus Circle 9.7.11 - 9.13.11

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Campus Circle > Sports > Football

taking to the air

Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT

NFL teams with receiving corps four or five deep are using that advantage to score. by randy covitz

mcclatchy newspapers It’s no secret the NFL is a passing league, thanks to rules CHANGES favoring quarterbacks (don’t hit them too hard), pass blockers (liberalized use of the hands) and receivers (no contact in the first five yards). But where once a quarterback had one or two goto receivers, his options have multiplied to as many as four or five who are capable of breaking open a game at any time.

Consider how the Green Bay Packers beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers completed passes to 10 different receivers, led by Jordy Nelson’s nine catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. The Packers weren’t the only team with so many targets. The New York Jets didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver, but they had four players with 52 or more receptions.

In fact, 1,000-yard seasons aren’t the best benchmark for receivers’ production anymore.

It’s 100-yard games. In 2010, there were just 17 1,000-yard receivers, down from 23 in 2009.

But there were 181 100-yard receiving games, up from 163 in 2009 and the most since 2004, when there were 182.

Pittsburgh’s mercurial Mike Wallace had the most 100-yard receiving games with seven, and he tacked on another 89 yards with nine catches in the Steelers’ Super Bowl loss.

It’s little wonder then that two wide receivers were selected in the first six picks of the draft – Georgia’s A.J. Green, taken with the fourth selection by Cincinnati; and Alabama’s Julio Jones, taken by Atlanta, which traded a bundle for the sixth choice.

Here’s a look at five teams with the most dangerous fleet of receivers.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons gave up five draft picks, including their second-round choice this year and next year’s first-round pick, to move up 21 spots to take Jones, who will join one of the league’s most lethal passing attacks. Jones will provide a deep threat to go with Roddy White, who led the NFL with 115 receptions and was second in yards with 1,389, including five 100-yard games. Add Hall of Fame-bound tight end Tony Gonzalez, and quarterback Matt Ryan has plenty of options.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers had five receivers with at least 43 receptions, led by Greg Jennings, who was second in the NFC with 1,265 yards, second in the NFL with 12 TD catches and had five 100-yard games. But Rodgers has so many choices, including veteran Donald Driver, the franchise’s all-time receptions leader, and Super Bowl hero Nelson. In addition to James Jones, the Packers drafted Kentucky’s Randall Cobb, a former quarterback who can play any of the receiver positions, plus fill the wildcat role.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Even with Ben Roethlisberger missing the first four games, Wallace had a breakout season in 2010 with 60 receptions for 1,257 yards – and an AFC-best 21-yard average. Dependable Hines Ward contributed four 100-yard games, while tight end Heath Miller is good in the clutch. Yet it was rookie Antonio Brown who emerged in the playoffs, making a crucial third-and-19 catch for 58 yards late against Baltimore, and a third-and-6 grab of 14 yards that sealed the AFC championship game against the Jets.

New York Jets: Little wonder the Jets ponied up a guaranteed $24 million to retain Santonio Holmes. The Jets also signed the controversial Plaxico Burress to a one-year contract after he served 20 months in prison on a gun charge. Before prison, Burress, at 6-foot-5, had been a great target in the red zone for the Giants, a weakness for the Jets. Last season, Holmes missed the first four games in 2010 because of a suspension and caught only 52 passes, but he scored or set up the winning touchdown in four consecutive Jets’ victories. His signing made it difficult for New York to keep big-play receiver Braylon Edwards, but Mark Sanchez will still have an array of targets, including veteran wideout Jerricho Cotchery, tight end Justin Keller, running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, and fifth-round pick Jeremy Kerley, a multitalented receiver from Texas Christian University whose abilities as a special-teams player make him a replacement for departed free agent Brad Smith.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles’ receiving corps would make a pretty good 4x100 relay team, starting with DeSean Jackson, whose 22.5-yard average per catch for 47 receptions led the NFL. Other members: Jeremy Maclin – who caught 70 passes, 10 for TDs – and Jason Avant, who contributed 51 receptions. But the Eagles’ leading receiver was LeSean McCoy, who led all running backs with 78 receptions as a check-down option for Michael Vick.

can’t-misS games Make sure to mark these must-see match-ups on your calendar:

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Saints at Packers, Sept. 8: How often do the past two Super Bowl champions meet on opening night?

It’s tough to beat a game featuring the last two Super Bowl MVPs: Saints QB Drew Brees and the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers. This matchup is sure to make fans forget about the tedious off-season labor negotiations. If they haven’t forgotten already.

Atlanta gave up picks to move up in the draft to take Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones.

Rookies to Watch QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers: All eyes will be on Newton, the first overall pick of the draft, to see how fast he can adapt to the NFL game without an off-season program. First, he has to beat out Jimmy Clausen. It may be a bit much to expect Newton to match the 50 total TDs he produced as Heisman Trophy winner last year at Auburn, but his arm strength and quick feet will help him make plays.

OLB Von Miller, Denver Broncos: As a pass rusher, Miller will be able to make up for lost time a lot easier than quarterbacks or interior linemen. Just line him up and aim him toward the backfield. Miller, the second overall pick, has recovered from an ankle injury that limited him to 10.5 sacks last year at Texas A&M after leading the nation with 17 in 2009.

DT Nick Fairley, Detroit Lions: The Lombardi Award winner slipped to 13th in the first round of the draft but couldn’t have landed in a better place: Alongside defensive rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh and getting yelled at every day by Gunther Cunningham. Fairley led the nation with 24 tackles for loss – to go with 11 sacks – for the national champion Auburn Tigers.

New Faces in New Places CB Nnamdi Asomugha, Philadelphia Eagles: The additions of Pro Bowl cornerbacks Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (in trade for Kevin Kolb), Pro Bowl pass rusher Jason Babin (a one-time Chief) and signing of QB Vince Young as backup to Michael Vick, have the folks in Philly calling the Eagles the Dream Team. Asomugha was the cream of the free-agent crop, and he’ll team with Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel as the best corner combo in the NFL. The Eagles also signed defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins, formerly with the Packers.

QB Kevin Kolb, Arizona Cardinals: The worst-kept secret in the NFL after the Eagles put the franchise tag on Michael Vick. Had it not been for the lockout, Kolb would have been dealt to Arizona before the draft, because the Cardinals lacked a strong quarterback last year following the retirement of Kurt Warner. Kolb, 27, has made only seven uneven career starts in four seasons (11 TDs, 14 INTs), and coach Ken Whisenhunt and general manager Rod Graves are staking their reputation on him.

QB Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee Titans: There’s little doubt that Hasselbeck, 35, still has game, as evidenced by his impressive performance in Seattle’s upset of New Orleans in the NFC playoffs. But there are questions about his durability and whether he can sustain a high level of play. The Titans’ front office is filled with former Seahawks executives who think Hasselbeck will serve as a bridge to first-round pick Jake Locker, who will need a little time to acclimate to the NFL. QB Donovan McNabb, Minnesota Vikings: It’s kind of sad to see a once elite player bounce from team to team. But the Vikings seem to specialize in this tactic. (Remember Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Brett Favre?) If McNabb couldn’t succeed with a quarterbackfriendly coach such as Mike Shanahan, throwing 14 TDs and 15 INTs in 13 games at Washington, there’s not much reason to think he’ll thrive in Minnesota. If new coach Leslie Frazier is smart, he’ll have McNabb hand off to Adrian Peterson until first-round pick Christian Ponder is ready.

WR Chad Ochocinco and DT Albert Haynesworth, New England Patriots: The Patriots have had success with reclamation projects (see Randy Moss and Corey Dillon), but they’ve outdone themselves with Haynesworth, an out-of-shape malcontent during his two years in Washington, and Ochocinco, an egomaniac who doesn’t seem to fit the Patriot Way. Coach Bill Belichick sees Haynesworth as a 6-6, 350-pound man-mountain who can line up alongside Vince Wilfork, and Ochocinco as a needed target for Tom Brady.

Eagles at Falcons, Sept. 18: Eagles’ QB Michael Vick will make his first start in the Georgia Dome since 2006, and the sight of No. 7 will either stir the crowd to cheers or jeers. Matt Ryan, the quarterback who replaced Vick three years ago, has done pretty well himself, leading the Falcons to two playoff berths in three years. This game will feature two of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.

Jets at Patriots, Oct. 9: Oh boy, we get Jets coach Rex Ryan rolling into New England again, where he lived up to his boasting by leading his team to the AFC championship game with an upset of the Patriots.

New England QB Tom Brady has not hidden his disdain for the Jets and would love nothing better than to replicate the Patriots’ 45-3 win over New York last Dec. 6.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle SOCCERBRIEF

by marvin vasquez

It was a night like no other in Carson at the Home Depot Center Sept. 2, but the United States men’s soccer team still could not find a win with new German head coach Jürgen Klinsmann before about 16,000 fans in attendance. The U.S. experienced a 1-0 shocking loss at the hands of visiting Central American nation Costa Rica in an international friendly and are now 0-1-1 in the Klinsmann era. Klinsmann, who by far is one of the most charismatic individual on the face of the earth, remains optimistic.

“I never like to lose a game, but it was a very good performance. I was pleased with the way the players tried to implement all the work that we did on the training field throughout the week. The players are starting to learn what it means to play your way through and keep a high tempo and a high pace,” he says during the post-game press conference.

Costa Rica managed a goal by substitute Rodney Wallace in the 65th minute, just four minutes after he entered the pitch.

Wallace, a 23-year-old forward who plays for the Portland Timbers, scored on a header after a series of rebounds. His first goal came in his national team debut.

The United States held two clear chances to collect goals

Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/MCT

DODGERS411

OH SO CLOSE TO .500 ball by marvin vasquez

Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers

With three weeks of baseball remaining, manager Don Mat– tingly should have one thing in mind for the rest of 2011. That is to reach and surpass the .500 record mark with the L.A. Dodgers. They are just oh so close to getting there.

Certainly their series finale loss to the Braves in Atlanta did not help, but their sixgame winning streak prior to that sure did. Of late, the Dodgers have been playing solid ball on the diamond.

Los Angeles has Cy Young and MVP candidates in left hander Clayton Kershaw and center fielder Matt Kemp, respectively, a solid load of young talent and a rather promising future, believe it or not. Nevertheless, their past and current on-paper struggles have taken over their once prestigious and prominent image in Major League Baseball. Now, all they have left is capturing and climbing over the .500 win-loss statistic in order to prove one thing: They are still in the game.

Six of the team’s losses in the month of August came on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies. Both the Phillies and Brewers are en route to making the postseason with great defense, consistent offense and superb pitching. The Dodgers did not care, though, as they played each game with determination. Los Angeles’ losses were by or less than three runs.

The Dodgers swept the Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and nearly swept the Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Padres yet again.

Having won two-of-three in Atlanta against the Braves, the Dodgers find themselves in good shape to gain an overall mark of over .500.

But why not the Wild Card? L.A. is less than 15 games behind Atlanta.

The Dodgers are continuing their road trip with stops in Washington and San Francisco before hosting the Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates and Giants at Dodger Stadium.

United States goalkeeper Tim Howard Each squad saw three different yellow cards in what proved to be a rather physical and intense match sporadically.

“They get frustrated because you have the ball, and we’re having most of the attack on their goal. They try to slow the game down by fouling, but I think we did a great job handling it,” U.S. midfielder Torres says of Costa Rica during the mixed zone interviews.

Klinsmann did not use five subs, which included GK Bill Hamid, Clarence Goodson, Jonathan Spector, Jeff Larentowicz and Tim Ream. U.S.A. plays Honduras on Oct. 8 in Miami at the Sun Life Stadium.

“We know what to expect once we go down to the qualifiers in Central America and play those countries,” Klinsmann reveals. “It’s a very hot tempered environment.

It will be very physical. There will be some very emotional situations there and it’s part of the game. We will be prepared for that, and we will be prepared in a way to stay calm and cool and just continue to play our rhythm and our game. If you keep that tempo up you will eventually create some chances.”

PIGSKINBLITZ

USC SURVIVES, UCLA GOES DOWN by marvin vasquez

George Bridges/MCT

Team U.s.A. yet to find win

early in the first half but could not capitalize. Individual shots from forwards Jozy Altidore and Landon Donovan landed just away from the goal. It gave a scare, however, to the Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

“I felt really good about my performance tonight and the team’s performance,” Donovan states. “Unfortunately, if I’m honest I have to take a fair share of the blame for missing a chance early and we fell asleep on a play that made the difference in the game. Overall, it’s hard to be upset with how we played. We just have to be a little bit better in front of both goals.”

Klinsmann implemented a 4-3-3 attacking system on the night, with Maurice Edu as the defensive midfielder and Donovan the attacker. Altidore was the central forward, with Robbie Rogers and Brek Shea on each flank.

“I feel pretty good in that role. I think that comes down to the guys I have in front of me. José [Torres] and Landon did well to get on the ball and create, and that made my job a lot easier. It takes some of the pressure off me. They wanted me to break-up plays and get on the ball to start the attack,” comments Edu. Defensively, veteran Tim Howard kept the goal, while Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Edgar Castillo and Timmy Chandler saw action. Each defender was worked hard throughout the night.

“Every game you learn a lot things. The players come away from this game with a lot of good information,” Klinsmann says. “Every situation they saw out there was different, and it was a challenge for them. For example, [Álvaro] Saborío as a center forward is a handful, and I think Michael Orozco learned a lot today.”

Costa Rican striker Saborío gave the U.S. defense a lot of trouble, but he was shutdown on the night.

David Eulitt/Kansas City StarMCT

Campus Circle > Sports > Soccer

UCLA’s Johnathan Franklin

UCLA: The Bruins almost captured a win over Houston in Texas, but suffered a disappointing 38-34 loss in their 2011 opener. Running back Johnathan Franklin was back to being his usual self, amassing 128 rushing yards on 16 carries with one touchdown. Quarterback Richard Brehaut threw for 264 yards on 17-of-26 attempts and two touchdowns. UCLA was down as much as 17 points, but a late push nearly ignited a complete comeback. Houston held on to the win.

The Bruins host their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Rose Bowl against San Jose State. Kick-off is at 7 p.m.

USC: The Trojans hosted the Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Coliseum, and USC escaped with a 19-17 victory. USC got off to a hot start offensively, as junior quarterback Matt Barkley connected with sophomore wide receiver Robert Woods on two scoring touchdowns. With 6:30 on the clock, Woods caught a perfectly thrown ball at the corner flag of the end zone’s left side. Woods made his defender looked foolish after a few moves to avoid contact. In the middle of the second quarter, Barkley tossed a 43-yard pass to Woods to make the score 12-0. Minutes later, the Golden Gophers cut the lead to 12-3, but the Trojan duo connected yet again just before halftime, increasing the lead to 19-3.

Minnesota, however, made a push in the second half and eventually got within two points of the Trojans, who were completely shutdown. Barkley made it known that he became worried. “I obviously had flashbacks to last year, but this is a new year and a new defense,” he says after the affair.

USC next faces Utah on Sept. 10 at 4:30 p.m. at the Coliseum.

Campus Circle 9.7.11 - 9.13.11

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KING Buffet 1375 N. Western Ave., Hollywood by erica carter The only buffets I really like usually in– clude a champagne brunch or are in Las Vegas. Under normal circumstances, there’s something slightly off putting about grabbing my food that’s been sitting under a heat lamp or that’s been made privy to less than pristine conditions – dirty hands reaching in, the sneeze guard not quite covering the food, I think you catch my drift. Well, the other day my friends were raving about a buffet they found in the heart of Los Angeles, King Buffet, which promised to change my mind about all things buffet.

Not only that, but the prices were unheard of, less than $10 for lunch, $11.99 for dinner $12.99 all weekend long. My first thought was hmm, it must not be that good, I mean the cheapest champagne brunch is about $18 and that includes seafood options! But in the name of all things adventurous, I put on my big-girl shoes and ventured over to Western Avenue.

From the outside, King Buffet is unassuming on the corner of De Longpre Avenue in a strip mall with ample parking that was already packed on a late Saturday afternoon. As you walk in, friendly staff and the familiar smell of buffets – a wealth of different foods blended together to create a soothing aroma – greet you. You’re instantly in front of food, so once you find

Campus Circle > Culture > Food your seat, grab a plate and get ready to “travel.”

The layout of King Buffet is slightly awkward, the middle sections offering hot food and sushi, and the sides offering salad bar and dessert stations. The Chinese food is what makes King Buffet. With things like sesame balls, coconut chicken, pot stickers and more, King Buffet’s selections are easy to love.

If you venture over to the seafood portion of the buffet, you’ll find mussels, oysters, crab legs, octopus and a nice selection of sushi items.

Usually I don’t have high hopes for sushi in a buffet, unless it’s of the Vegas variety, and this was about average. It’s not the best or the worst, but for the prices and the selection of over 10 different sushi, King Buffet does a pretty good job with their offerings. Most of the sushi is salmon inclusive, so if you’re a fan, you’ll probably love the sushi. I will say avoid the lobster roll, not very appetizing at all. I think the key to getting exemplary sushi at places like King Buffet is to grab it right after it is made, or right when the restaurant opens.

My favorites include the salt and pepper fried shrimp, oysters and Rangoon. The Rangoon was pretty much deep fried cream cheese, but not overly greasy and still had the crunchy texture that a lot of fried foods lack when placed in buffet lines.

I love fried fish, but not so much when I have to debone the fish, and that was quite the task at King Buffet. As was opening the King Crab legs, no proper utensils to do so! Still, where else can you get fresh oysters as part of a buffet?

You know the desserts were the best, and that’s only because they reminded me of the cafeteria at my junior and high schools’ – full of different Jello-s, puddings, cakes and pies. These treats interspersed with Asian delicacies made the dessert section the busiest station.

The food at King Buffet is not particularly delicious, but

JETSETTER

LIKE RUM? Love Barbados!

by kevin wierzbicki When you’re in the Caribbean and you’re doing something called “liming” what you’re actually doing is … nothing at all. Well, nothing too serious anyway. Liming is a Caribbean state of mind that’s defined by those times when you’re just relaxing and enjoying life. If you’re chatting with friends at the bar, dancing on the beach or enjoying a catamaran ride, you’re liming.

And while liming can refer to any non-work, fun activity there’s one thing that’s fairly universal when it comes to this distinctly Caribbean way of chilling out: rum! Rum is the preferred spirit beverage throughout the Caribbean and not just because the drinks that are made with it – pina coladas, Mai Tais, rum punch – have such a refreshing quality; part of rum’s popularity comes from the fact that it is manufactured in many of the Caribbean countries and drinking it is a local tradition. And nowhere is the tradition honored more so than in Barbados, the place where rum is thought to have originated.

The Mount Gay Rum Distillery, located in Bridgetown on the southwest coast of Barbados, is the oldest rum distillery in existence. The distillery started making rum for commercial sale back in 1703, about 60 years after the process became popular with do-it-yourselfers.

Tours of the distillery last about 45 minutes and are given on the hour all day Monday through Saturday. The tour begins

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it opened my eyes to the potential of buffets becoming a part of my dining out regimen. I probably won’t return to King Buffet, but I’ll venture out to the other seafood buffets in the area. Maybe the others won’t have a time limit on how long I get to enjoy my food. There’s a strict 90-minute policy at King Buffet, go over and get charged extra! An hour and a half is a pretty long time to be at a restaurant though, my guess that rule is for those gluttonous customers, and sad to say there were quite a few on my visit. Still, King Buffet is worth trying at least once, that way you know you have a place to fall back on should you need it!

For more information, visit (323) 468-9398.

Campus Circle > Culture > Travel in a small tropical garden where, if the distillery has just done a bottling, you’ll catch your first whiff of rum.

The first stop on the tour is a room done up like a traditional Bajan rum shop where you’ll see tools of the trade, learn about the distilling process and have a chance to sniff pots of different kinds of rums just like customers would have a century ago. You’ll see the actual distilling and bottling equipment and you’ll visit the most-anticipated stop on the tour: the tasting room.

The tour only costs $7 and that includes a taste of several Mount Gay blends, but you can purchase additional shots or mixed drinks in the tasting room if you like. There’s also a well-stocked gift shop where you can purchase a take-home supply or a souvenir T-shirt or cap. One thing you’ll learn on the tour is that rum is made from molasses, and molasses is made from the island’s sugarcane and you can view the cane fields by taking a short drive out of Bridgetown.

Barbados straddles the dividing line between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and most visitors prefer the west side of the island where they can play in the warm turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Resorts and hotels to fit all budgets are clustered around Bridgetown, and there’s just about always a big evening dance party going on somewhere that the friendly locals will be able to direct you to.

If you want to try a favorite Bajan culinary treat then head to the Waterfront Café, located adjacent to Bridgetown’s Careenage marina, where they have flying fish on the menu.

The smallish marina is one of Bridgetown’s main hubs of activity; you can hire a boat just steps from the Waterfront Café to take you fishing or sightseeing, and this spot is also where landlubbers can begin a walking tour of the city.

But a great way to spend the better part of a day is on a driving tour; take the shore-hugging highway north out of

Kevin Wierzbicki

NEWS

Mount Gay Rum Distillery is the oldest distillery in existence.

Bridgetown and you’ll see mile after mile of inviting coastline and probably catch sight of some very impressive yachts owned by the well-heeled. About half way to the top of the island there’s a turnoff that’ll take you east to the Atlantic side where the scenery is different – rugged and boulder-strewn – but equally as spectacular.

On this route is where you’ll pass through the giant sugarcane fields that blanket the hillsides, some of which swoop right down to the roiling Atlantic. Here, surrounded by the cane, is the perfect place to reflect for a moment on how much of the crop will eventually be distilled into rum at Mount Gay’s facility. This is the place too, if you’re not the one behind the wheel, to raise a big glass of rum punch to beautiful Barbados.

For more information, visit visitbarbados.org.

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Teach English in Japan

by brien overly

Live and work in Japan teaching English at one of AEON’s 300+ branch schools throughout Japan • 270,000 Japanese Yen monthly starting salary • 3 one-week paid vacations per year + 5 personal days • Subsidized, furnished apartment • Contract completion bonus • Health insurance • Paid training in Japan

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Witness the Kills’ abundant performance skills at the Wiltern Sept. 10.

Fitz & The Tantrums Sept. 9 @ The Greek It’s just not possible to not be in a good mood and not be in a dancing mood when jamming to Fitz & the Tantrums. The Motown revivalists write songs that beg to be sung along to, without ever having to go into lowest common denominator pop territory to achieve it. Smart and witty lyricism that balances honest emotional moods, vocalists Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs complement each other’s styles better even than some of the genre’s original greats. I know, them’s fightin’ words to quite a few people, but seriously, catch the Tantrums live and the soulful indie native act will make you a believer too.

The Kills Sept. 10 @ The Wiltern My love for Alison Mosshart started by virtue of my love for all Jack White projects with my first listening to the Dead Weather, but since then, it has evolved into so much more.

I would wager it’s to the point that, dare I say it, Ms. Mosshart might just have surpassed White on my heart’s seasonal rankings.

I may have been late to the Kills game here, but it goes without saying that White might be the only dude in rock music who could even hope to share a stage with Mosshart.

No frontman of a lesser caliber could hope to be anything but completely upstaged by Mosshart’s stage presence and vocal ability. And even then, the more I jam to the Kills, the more I forget the Dead Weather has a male vocalist. Or something. Whatever, can’t be bothered. Readers, please don’t tell Jack about this, he would never understand.

With her signature sultry presence, Mosshart as a master of setting a mood with her voice and being an emotive storyteller while still being a complete and utter badass. Her signature mix of gritty howls and whisky-soaked crooning can go from dark and haunting to infectiously catchy, and couldn’t be a more perfect L.A. soundtrack, despite her East Coast origins. Similarly, guitarist Jamie Hince is a master at his chosen instrument, with his low-production style perfectly mirroring the rawness of Mosshart’s vocals. Together, the two making a bigger sounding album than you’d ever think only two musicians were capable of, and have an abundance of performance skill to match.

Above all else, though, Mosshart is a perfect example of how frontwomen can be completely rock ’n’ roll without being trashy, and be sexy without objectifying themselves or sacrificing their artistry. This is what girls who front bands should aspire to.

Foster the People Sept. 12 @ Galaxy Theatre I have to admit, and this is probably going to sound really bad, but … I’m so glad Foster the People is an L.A. band and not a European band. Specifically Swedish or British.

Upon hearing their band early on, I was absolutely sure that, despite how horrifically catchy their songs were, they were going to be completely static and emotionless with their stage presence, as is so often the case with the more electronically-inclined indie pop bands.

Luckily, as only local indie bands really know how to do, these dudes know how to bring the intensity when they play and give a full performance. They’re not afraid to get a little sweaty, they’re not afraid to show a little emotion and most importantly, they’re not afraid to have a little fun on stage and look like they actually enjoy what they’re doing. I know, God forbid you don’t look too cool to play your own music in this modern indie culture, but hey, at least the native threesome sound the part.

Yellow Red Sparks Sept. 13 @ Hotel Café Turning things down a little bit from the electric guitars, synth and whole-venue singalongs, Yellow Red Sparks will get your emotions flowing again armed just with acoustic guitars and an unfiltered voice. The band’s minimalist, bare basics style of singersongwriter indie-folk still manages to have a very big, almost visceral effect when seeing them play, even without all bright lights and crushing amps.

www.aeonet.com CALLING

ALL

INTERNS

Are you looking to break into…

Journalism? Photography? Advertising & Marketing?

CAMPUS CIRCLE is seeking a few enthusiastic, creative journalists, photographers and aspiring sales people to join our team.

Intern Perks Include: Free Movie Screenings, Free Music and an opportunity to explore L.A. like never before!

Take the next step in your career: Editor.Chief@campuscircle.net

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 9.7.11 - 9.13.11

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CALENDARTHE10SPOT

BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL FRIDAYSEPT. 9

Long Beach Lobster Festival Rainbow Lagoon, 400 Shoreline Village, Long Beach; originallobsterfestival.com The festival features live music, an inter– national food court, arts and crafts booths, desserts, beer and wine gardens, specialty cocktails and free souvenir digital photos. There’s a live sports tent where you can watch your favorite sporting events on four flat-screen TVs. Of course, there’s also Maine Lobster Feasts with lobster flown in nightly from Maine. Runs through Sunday.

WEDNESDAYSEPT. 7 PaleyFest: Fall TV Preview Parties Paley Center for Media, 465 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; paleycenter.org Fall’s new shows will be previewed with screenings, parties and celebrity panels with the CW today, NBC on Sept. 8, ABC on Sept. 10 and Fox on Sept. 12.

THURSDAYSEPT. 8 Fashion’s Night Out fnowesthollywood.com Businesses all over West Hollywood participate by extending hours and hosting events. Expect celebrity appearances, food, wine and fashion. Working with local retailers, designers and business leaders, the city is promoting the event, arranging shuttles to transport shoppers around the city and hosting an after-party at Skybar at the Mondrian following the celebration.

FRIDAYSEPT. 9 LA BBQ Festival Santa Monica Beach, Ocean Ave. and Colorado Ave.; labbqfest.com Enjoy authentic barbecue on the beach from Texas, Kansas City, Chicago and Santa Maria including tri tip, beef brisket, pulled pork, sausage and Kansas City- and Memphis-style ribs. Plus there will be live entertainment, award-winning desserts and over 20 beers on tap as well as wine and cocktails. Runs through Sunday. $60 (includes food AND drinks) – Use the code word CAMPUS to get $10 off.

FRIDAYSEPT. 9 The Brady Bunch Movie Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; americancinematheque.com “The Brady Bunch” creator Sherwood Schwartz (who passed away in July) is honored with a screening of the film adaptation of the sitcom, followed by a discussion with director Betty Thomas, Shelley Long (Carol) and Gary Cole (Mike).

7:30 p.m. $11, $9 w/student ID.

SATURDAYSEPT. 10 Chinatown Summer Nights chinatownsummernights.com Taste the culinary offerings of Chinatown and some of Los Angeles’ best food trucks; experience cultural

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performers; take part in hands-on, cultural activities presented by local organizations and museums; sip on Chinese beer and dance all night to KCRW DJs. At the Central and West Plazas between Broadway and Yale Street, from College to Bernard Street.

5 p.m.-midnight. FREE.

SATURDAYSEPT. 10 USC Football vs. Utah L.A. Coliseum, 3939 S. Figueroa; usctrojans.com The Pac-12 football season kicks off with the Trojans playing their first Pac12 game of the year against the Utes who are playing their first Pac-12 game ever (though I guess you could say it’s technically USC’s first Pac-12 game ever, too).

4:30 p.m.

SUNDAYSEPT. 11 Zeitgeist Media Festival The Music Box, 6126 Hollywood Blvd.; zeitgeistmediafestival.org This jam-packed festival features visual and interactive art, poetry, comedy, theatrics and other mediums including live music from acts like Billy Gibbons, Natacha Atlas, Lili Haydn, Ben Stewart’s Hierosonic, the social comedy of Rick Overton (MC) and Lee Camp and more. 2 p.m.-10 p.m. $40 plus a canned good.

MONDAYSEPT. 12 UCLA Women’s Volleyball vs.

CSUN John Wooden Center, 221 Westwood Plaza, UCLA; uclabruins.com The Bruins, ranked No. 11 in the preseason poll, face the Matadors in their first home game of the year. 7 p.m.

TUESDAYSEPT. 13 Throwback Fleece Night Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave.; losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com All fans in attendance receive a throwback fleece when the Dodgers take on the Diamondbacks. 7:10 p.m. Tix start @ $10.

For more events, visit campuscircle.com/calendar.

To submit an event for consideration, e-mail calendar@campuscircle.net.

L.A.UNDERGROUND

UNCLE Charlie

Redefining Soul Rock for Los Angeles by suzi fox Andrew Kelsey had been making a living as a musician in the Bay Area. Greg Markles was working as an actor in Southern California. At a Cerritos Community College reunion both gathered with other talented actors from the Generic Improv Peep Show. It was meant to be.

Through conversation it was discovered that Markles was a drummer and Kelsey a guitarist, singer-songwriter. Kelsey knew if he could land a decent drummer to accompany him he would be a happy man. He extended the invite to Markles, who was hesitant. He didn’t want to commit until he knew Kelsey had chops as a musician.

“There’s a lot of people out there that tell you they can play,” Markles says with a laugh. “You know what I mean.”

Markles had recorded with Larisa Stow and others but wasn’t about to jump in until he knew what he was getting in to.

Markles worked on film, television and voiceover projects that he then pulled Kelsey in for acting work. Acting was easy for them.

“It’s like flipping on a switch” says Markles. “In fact you can come watch us act like we’re nice guys on stage when you come see our band”.

Kelsey recalls, “The chemistry we had acting was nothing compared to the musical connection we had from our first gig. We started arranging together on the spot.”

While Markles is quick to boast about Kelsey’s songwriting abilities it is clear the two have a mutual respect for each other.

Kelsey remembers, “The first song we did was “Any Kind of Weather,” and Markles knew right away it had a Jack Johnson feel to it with the snare leading the rhythm.”

Both were pleased with the musicianship they saw in each other. Markles was impressed: “This guy’s got talent! I might actually do another show with him!”

After more than a year playing as a Beatles tribute band, they were determined to start a new band called Chico’s Bail Bonds (They sponsored the Bad News Bears.). Foreseeing legal issues here, the two decided to change the name to Uncle Charlie. The name is slang for curve ball.

Kelsey explains how the term relates to the band: “We like to think of ourselves as more than one-sided, kooky musicians. We’re not your typical pasty artists stuck in a room all day just writing songs. We’re also actors, we’re surfers, we’re dudes. Besides no one is ever named Charlie in a band! There’s a mystery to it.”

Other musical influences include Genesis, Police, Steely Dan, Eagles and James Taylor. Kelsey heard a lot of heavy metal in high school. He also had the R&B sound inspiring him.

He divulges, “I would love to do acoustic guitar meets baby makin’ Motown music.”

Kelsey and Markles are not the only members of Uncle Charlie. Shanon Paul brings a whole new set of skills to the group. Paul, a classically trained baroque musician has been with the guys for a year now and is playing a unique baroque bass that apparently only three or four people in the whole country are able to play.

Paul also teaches music at Santa Monica College. Hall and Oates, John Mayer and others have influenced Paul.

After years of diversity with temporary bass players, piano players and back-up singers, the band has settled in with Kelsey on guitar and vocals, Markles on drums and vocals and Paul on bass and vocals. Together they found what they really wanted to do.

They found their voice.

With catchy lyrics, rhythmic beats and infectious vocals, Uncle Charlie is a funky blend of Jack Johnson fused with the soulful grooves of Dave Matthews, three-part harmony and a rat pack show. Their sound is intoxicating and fills you with a warm buzz that leaves you wanting more.

Uncle Charlie performs Sept. 10 at Rumors in Culver City. For more information, visit unclecharliemusic.com.

Suzi Fox is the founder of artistfromtheattic.org; an organization that offers a venue for musicians, writers, actors, artists and others to post their work for FREE for the world to see!

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Campus Circle > Blogs > Trend Blender

designer spotlight: Formative by dana jeong

Photos By Stephanie Choi Fashion, body and architecture – three different types of expression that seem to embrace opposing ideals yet overlap in nature.

Formative is a line created by Ali Chen, Elaine Kwong and Anita Wong, three architecture students at the University of Southern California, to explore the art of human body and movement that both fashion and architecture are derived from and to blend together their contradicting characteristics. Their collection is full of irony: free and controlled, basic and original, uninhibited and restricted. On a late Wednesday evening, in a perfect space in downtown that represents and encompasses the very essence of their line, we sat down to discuss the past, present and future of Formative.

How did you guys decide to start this line together?

The way that Formative started was just like everything else: through a simple spark of an idea. We saw an opportunity to take our designs into something new and different.

What are some of your inspirations?

Some of the things that inspire us to produce our lines are the things we see in everyday lives. Because creativity is one of those things that come to you when you least expect, we are constantly on the move looking for the very thing that will move us towards our next line. For instance in our first collection, we went with the things that we knew and inspired us best – architecture – and took the relationship between the two and merged it in order to form our first collection.

Then in our most recent collection, we took the line in the opposite direction and experimented with the silhouette of the human body. We also post all our inspirations on our blog formative.tumblr.com so our fans can constantly see our process.

Tell us more about your design process. Do you individually come up with designs, or brainstorm all together?

Formative is a collective design effort from all three designers, and because we all practice architecture, the way we process is very similar. But at the same time we are each our own individuals, and we are always keeping each other in check with our designs.

What were some of the biggest drawbacks you faced since you started Formative?

One of the biggest drawbacks Formative has faced is the very thing that makes us strong. Architecture, although it defines us, also draws us back purely by its practice. In architecture, our common mediums are building materials while in fashion the common medium is fabric. So doing Formative really took us out of our comfort zone and challenged us to communicate in a different way.

Who do you think would be a perfect “Formative” girl?

The “Formative girl” is what we envision as a woman between the age of 18 and 30 who is bold, undaunted and loves to be noticed without too many flashy prints and colors. Her style is always simple, elegant and unique.

Where do you see yourselves 10 years from now?

When we started Formative, we began with purely an idea and never imagined in our wildest dreams that in only two seasons it would take us this far. That being said, we can’t say where we will be in five or 10 years, but we do hope that whatever point we reach, we will keep our design intentions pure.

Do you have any advice for the design students hoping to create their own line in the future?

To all future fashion designers, we advise you to truly keep the pursuit of design. Design, no matter the medium is a way that we as designers effectively communicate and inspire. So we encourage you to ignore those who do not see the way you do and keep your intentions.

For more information, visit formative.tumblr.com.

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