Campus Circle Newspaper Vol. 21 Issue 4

January 26 - February 1, 2011 \ Volume 21 \ Issue 4 \ Always Free

Film | Music | Culture

‘TRACES’ Get Looped in on the Fun © 2 011 CAMPUS CI R C L E • ( 3 2 3 ) 9 3 9 - 8 4 7 7 • 5 0 4 2 WILSHIRE BLVD., #600 LOS ANGELES, CA 90036 • WWW.CAMPUSCIRCLE.COM • ONE FREE COPY PER PERSON

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle

inside campus circle

campus circle Jan. 26 - Feb. 1, 2011 Vol. 21 Issue 4

8

Editor-in-Chief Jessica Koslow editor.chief@campuscircle.net

6

A HILARIOUS NEW COMEDY FROM THE AUTHOR OF

JEWTOPIA!

14

04 NEWS COLLEGE CENTRAL 04 BLOGS FUN FOR LESS 05 BLOGS THE GREENER SIDE 12 BLOGS THE WING GIRLS 21 BLOGS THE ART OF LOVE

06 FILM THE RITE Colin O’Donoghue deals with demons.

07 FILM DVD DISH 08 FILM THE MECHANIC Ben Foster teams with Jason Statham on a quest for revenge.

10 FILM MOVIE REVIEWS

CALL NOW FOR TICKETS! (323) 960-7784 or visit www.plays411.com/playdates

Yuri Shimoda managing.editor@campuscircle.net

23 BLOGS TREND BLENDER

OPENS JANUARY 27th,2011

Managing Editor

11 FILM PROJECTIONS

Film Editor Jessica Koslow film.editor@campuscircle.net Cover Designer Sean Michael Editorial Interns Deepthi Cauligi, Daeun Jeong

Contributing Writers Tamea Agle, Scott Bedno, Zach Bourque, Mary Broadbent, Kate Bryan, Erica Carter, Richard Castañeda, Nick Day, Natasha Desianto, Gillian Ferguson, Stephanie Forshee, Jacob Gaitan, Christian Goss, Denise Guerra, Elisa Hernandez, Zach Hines, Lucia, Cindy Lee, Ebony March, Mike Matusiewicz, Samantha Ofole, Brien Overly, Ariel Paredes, Sasha Perl-Raver, Eva Recinos, Dov Rudnick, Mike Sebastian, Doug Simpson, David Tobin, Abbi Toushin, Kevin Wierzbicki, The Wing Girls, Candice Winters

14 MUSIC FREQUENCY 14 MUSIC SLASH Legendary axeman shows off solo debut at the Gibson Amphitheatre.

15 MUSIC UNDEROATH Celebrate Disambiguation 15 MUSIC LIVE SHOW REVIEWS 16 MUSIC REPORT 16 MUSIC NOTES 17 MUSIC CD REVIEWS 07 CULTURE GRAPHIC NOVELS 12 CULTURE EXHIBITIONS 18 CULTURE L.A. MOVES 18 CULTURE JET SETTER 19 CULTURE BEAUTY BEAT

Contributing Artists & Photographers Tamea Agle, Jacob Gaitan, Daeun Jeong, Mike Matusiewicz, David Tobin ADVERTISING Sean Bello sean.bello@campuscircle.net Joy Calisoff joy.calisoff@campuscircle.net Jon Bookatz Music Sales Manager jon.bookatz@campuscircle.net Ronit Guedalia ronit.guedalia@campuscircle.net

Calendar Editor Frederick Mintchell

Campus Circle newspaper is published 49 times a year and is available free at

19 CULTURE GET UP, GET OUT: “Traces”

40 schools and over 800 retail locations

20 CULTURE CURTAIN CALL

Circulation: 30,000. Readership: 90,000.

21 CULTURE ON THE MENU 22 SPORTS L.A. HOOPLA 22 SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL 23 EVENTS THE 10 SPOT

throughout Los Angeles.

PUBLISHED BY CAMPUS CIRCLE, INC. 5042 Wilshire Blvd., PMB 600 Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 939-8477 (323) 939-8656 Fax info@campuscircle.net www.campuscircle.com

Cover: Bradley Henderson in “Traces” Photo Credit: Michael Meseke 2010

2

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

© 2010 Campus Circle, Inc. All rights reserved.

EN P O

O T S

Y A D

A Magical Encounter between Human and Horse

“THE GREATEST SHOW I’VE EVER SEEN!” Larry King, CNN

Under the White Big Top, Downtown Burbank (Interstate 5) 1.866.999.8111 • cavalia.net

FILM

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS

DVD

GAMING

SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Campus News College Central Local News U.S. News

COLLEGECENTRAL

LAID OFF, RETURNING TO GRAD SCHOOL

BY KELLI FRYE

Many laid-off workers are returning to school to study what they love in order to work in more creative and meaningful careers.

Elizabeth Gist wants to help people in her career and give back to the community; in addition, she wants a career that offers stability and pays well.

“Nursing met those needs,” she says.

She is starting the Cypress College Registered Nursing Program this month working toward an Associate Arts degree.

Gist had already worked her way through college at California State University, Long Beach, earning a bachelor of science degree in Business with a concentration in Finance/ Real Estate over 10 years ago.

She was working as a senior underwriter in the Subprime mortgage industry making over $100,000 a year when she got laid off in 2008.

“I thought about it for two years, before making a decision as it would be a considerable hardship on my family to return to school,” Gist, a single mother of two, says. “There is no financial aid available to those who already have a degree.”

The Pell Grant only pays for your first bachelor’s degree,

Campus Circle > News > College Central says Rose Mennan, an employee at the U.S. Department of Education, Financial Aid Services.

“Students have to be very careful in what they major in the first time they earn a bachelor’s degree,” Mennan continues.

“Students can get loans for graduate degrees or other undergraduate degrees but not financial aid.”

Despite the financial obstacles, Gist feels going back to school will be extremely rewarding.

“I know the next two years will fly by, and at the end it will be a fabulous experience which will provide phenomenal growth and opportunity for me and my family,” she says.

She graduates in December 2012. The future nurse plans to work full time at Hoag Hospital where she now interns one day a week.

In addition, she plans to continue her education working toward a bachelor of science degree in Nursing in an accelerated one-year program online.

Christina Granados feels that going back to school will also pay off for her. She wants a career that utilizes her creativity. She is currently enrolled in the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts working toward a master of fine arts degree in Film and Television Production.

“I struggled with the idea of being a student again, but ultimately decided that it was an investment I was willing to make,” Granados says.

Granados feels that she is getting a fabulous experience at USC. “As soon as I was accepted, I thought, ‘state-of-the-art facilities at a reputable school?!’ How could I say no to that?” she states. “The investment of time and money is no joke, but I love every second of my life, and I’m looking forward to career growth.”

The aspiring director earned a bachelor of arts degree in

FUNFORLESS

FUN ON A BUDGET

The Hollywood Way! by mary broadbent Alright, the holidays are over, a NEW YEAR has begun and everyone is fresh out of cash as another semester kicks off. So what is there to do to cure the boredom and keep yourself feeling like you’re getting the L.A. Experience?

Fear not, for there are a few solutions to this undying dilemma for the frugal spender that will help you have a great time in Los Angeles for a decent cost and won’t break the bank causing you to be stuck in the common room eating Ramen noodles and watching reruns of the “Family Guy.” For those of you who are looking for completely free activities in and around Los Angeles, here are a few options to help satisfy that cabin fever itch.

Obviously, one of the best solutions is always the great outdoors. There are tons of hiking trails spread all throughout the canyons and beaches, as well as some inland at Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon. One of my favorites is actually located right off of Franklin Avenue, up Beachwood Boulevard. If you drive all the way to the top, you can find parking right near Sunset Ranch and a hiking trail that leads you all the way up behind the famous Hollywood sign.

Other options are the obvious day at the beach. But to mix it up, try checking out the local drum circle at Venice

4

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

English with a minor in African-American Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2007. She was working in publishing at Glencoe/McGraw-Hill when she was laid off in 2009.

“It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” she says about the layoff.

Granados says she was dabbling in her creativity with artistic projects on the side while working at Glencoe/ McGraw-Hill.

After she was laid off, she decided to follow her creative talents and turn them into a career.

Granados plans to start up a production company after she graduates in 2013. She is now working with a creative and talented group of people that she hopes to continue working with after graduation.

Yet another person I know attends a hairdressing academy in Los Angeles, studying at a trade school and following his creative passion. He is working toward getting a license in Cosmetology, because he wants to be his own boss and more in control of his career.

“I want to use my dedication and creativity to build my own empire,” he asserts.

In addition, he doesn’t want anyone telling him what to do.

In 2003, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in Communications with a concentration in Advertising from California State University, Fullerton. He had worked in product marketing in the fashion industry for five years when he was laid off in 2008.

“I didn’t want to get laid off again,” he says.

The hair stylist loves what he is doing now. He plans to be a session stylist after he graduates this year and eventually open his own salon.

Campus Circle > Blogs > Fun For Less Beach that happens an hour before sunset every weekend (venicebeachdrumcircle.com). Here you can participate in music created by your local community and probably walk away making a friend or two.

If you have a bike, roller skates, skateboard or even a good set of shoes, you can always cruise along the pathways that run all the way from Malibu down past Marina del Rey. If you don’t have a bike or skates there’s also plenty of places in the area to rent. One is Perry’s Café (perryscafe.com) located right alongside the beach. They have all kinds of bikes, skates, boogie boards, available for rental as well as food and drink.

Prices are based on an hourly or daily rate and can range anywhere from $8 to $25.

More inland, there are fun activities both day and night at museums and music venues. MOCA (moca.org) and LACMA (lacma.org) offer free admission during the weekdays and there are free residencies at venues like the Echo (attheecho. com).

You’ll always find something new here that’s eclectic and diverse, but after you sample the music and art, why stop there? Local comedy clubs offer the same satisfaction and a few laughs too. IO (west.ioimprov.com) and UCB (ucbtheatre.com) host weekly comedy events and are great places to check out improv, stand-up and cage matches held by up-and-coming and established comedians.

However, we all know that sometimes in order to have a little bit more fun, a few dollars are required, so for those willing to make the sacrifice for a few activities in the $10 to $30 dollar range, here are some ideas for you.

For group fun, there’s always the ever-so-popular bowling night. There are a few spots like Jewel City Bowl (jewelcitybowl.com), All Star Lanes (allstarlanesbowling. com) and PINZ (pinzbowlingcenter.com) that offer bowling

David Tobin

NEWS

PINZ is a great (and inexpensive) alley for bowling night. after 9 p.m. to midnight for around $7 total. This includes the game, shoes and the lane rental.

Also, there’s Moonlight Rollerway (moonlightrollerway. com), Skateland (skateland.net) and Pickwick Gardens (pickwickgardens.com) for both roller skating and ice skating that are always fun for friends or dates. Both activities have dollar days, games, live music and karaoke to keep the night fresh and entertaining for everyone.

If you spent last semester crunching for exams, why not spend the beginning of this one catching up on movies at the discount theaters in town like $4 matinees at Highland Theatres (highlandtheatres.com).

If you’re into taking classes on top of classes, there are places like Lomography in West Hollywood (lomography. com), which offer workshops teaching you how to take quality pictures. You don’t even need a camera, and classes can cost as little as $15 for a roll of film, camera rental and the experience to walk around Los Angeles and send home photos to your folks to let them know their kid is having fun at school.

Become a CAMPUS CIRCLE Fan on Facebook http://bit.ly/dhFhEE THEGREENERSIDE

FACEBOOK FEVER! BY deepthi cauligi

Deepthi Cauligi

I had to write about FacE– book for obvious reasons. Facebook, oh my! It is more addictive than drugs.

What is about these social networking sites that gets everybody glued to their laptops? Well, for one it is fun (duh!), and for another it helps you pretend like you are listening to the professor when you Students are Facebooking instead of are actually ‘Facebooking.’ giving professors their full attention.

But is it so addictive that it has to be used even when the professor is lecturing in class?

“Of course I use Facebook in class. If the professor is boring, or when I am feeling drowsy, Facebook is one of the strategies that I use to keep myself awake,” says Kruti Shah, a USC student.

However, she goes on to say that it is absolutely distracting when her classmates use Facebook since it diverts her attention and makes her lose concentration. She understands that using Facebook disturbs her neighbors, but she justifies her action by saying that “this is the easiest way to stay awake in class, especially when the professor speaks slowly or is repetitive.”

I don’t see why we as students should use Facebook when we are supposed to be listening to the professor and taking notes.

I personally feel that it is highly distracting when a classmate is flipping through pictures of her friend or changing her status saying, “Let’s party this Friday. Who is in for some drinks and food?”

What has happened to the good old face-to-face talk? Well, it’s more Facebook-toFacebook talk. Facebook and other networking sites help people find their old friends and meet new people. It even works as an online dating site (I have not tried that one yet, nor do I intend to!).

Facebook is undoubtedly a very useful creation, but students should learn to keep these distractions at bay.

Professors, before beginning their lectures, have started warning students not to misuse their laptops, especially by using Facebook. Every professor is aware that students chat on Facebook more than taking notes.

Facebook fever is spreading like an epidemic, and they have no other option but to keep an eye on students to make sure they are mentally in class and not drifting off into cyberspace.

Professors are now banning laptops to avoid such distractions in class. However, students continue to be glued to Facebook and distracted by similar Web sites by smuggling their iPhones and smart phones under the desk to peek at news feeds and update their status.

Be it home or class, Facebook has made its way into student life and is going to stay there for a while. iPhone, blackberry and any phone you name can access Facebook.

If laptops are banned in class, mobile phones come out of the pocket. Such is the pull toward this social networking site.

“Eighty percent of the time Facebook is distracting because I waste my time going over the news feed, while 20 percent it is actually helpful since it allows me to refresh myself in classes that last for two hours or longer,” says Aaushi Jain, another USC student.

If you can multitask, then using Facebook and listening in class at the same time would not be a problem.

Professors just want their students to learn and get good grades. If that can be accomplished, they are more than happy with their students. Digital distractions are a menace to professors and students alike.

As a student, I have also used Facebook in class. I have observed that when my neighbor is on this site, I tend to look at the screen rather than look at the professor lecturing in class.

It is not only wrong to divert other students’ attention but is also very disrespectful to the professor.

Now I think twice before using Facebook in class. It is not that difficult to control technological temptation.

Just keep in mind that Facebook is not to be used in class because even though you can multitask, there may be other students who cannot do that.

Turning off the network connection on your laptop when you are in class is the best way to avoid digital distractions.

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 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

5

NEWS

FILM

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS DVD Dish Interviews Movie Reviews Projections Screen Shots Special Features TV Time

FILMINTERVIEWS

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews daring and spine-tingling film is based on a book called The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist.

It chronicles many of the events shown in the film and also introduces the world to Father Gary Thomas, the priest on whom the Michael character is based. Father Gary was an exorcist for four years and now presides over a congregation located just outside of Santa Cruz, Calif. He absolutely recognizes the attraction that most people have to the shadow side of life and thinks the curiosity is normal.

“People are drawn to the tragedy,” he explains. “I think we’re just made that way.”

The Rite has a prevailing theme within it about whether or not there are really demons in the world. It forces the audience to believe or to be skeptical. As for its cast, they are just as on the fence as the characters they play.

“I don’t know what my beliefs are about any of it, really,” says Hopkins. “The problem with skeptics and atheists is that we never really know the truth.”

O’Donoghue engaged in hands-on training for his role by attending a few exorcisms. The practice has been banned for years in Ireland, so he had to rely largely on his research to play Michael Kovak. He was surprised to see the casual nature of many of them.

According to O’Donoghue, most exorcisms are not the bloody affairs seen in movies where somebody’s head rotates while they spew pea soup. He likened them to someone going to their local physician for a checkup.

“I went to a couple of exorcisms in Rome. I think the level of faith the people have is fascinating,” he notes.

Egon Endrenyi

A BUDDING ROMANCE?

Michael (Colin O’Donoghue) and Angeline (Alice Braga) in The Rite

THE RITE

Prepare to sleep with the lights on. by ebony march If you were lucky enough to be alive and well during The Blair Witch Project phenomenon, you’ll remember the long lines out the door and around the corner of most multiplexes.

You’ll recall the sleepless nights spent with the lights on or jumping at every little creak of the floor and whistle of wind against your windows. That movie – let’s face it – messed up a lot people. Well, for those of you who weren’t around for that one, meet your very own version of The Blair Witch Project.

In The Rite, newcomer Colin O’Donoghue plays Michael Kovak. The handsome, young priest-in-training decides that the calling just isn’t for him. However, his mentor strongly discourages his departure from the Order. He suggests to Michael that he should take a course in Exorcism that the Church will be holding in Rome. A summer spent in Europe – how bad could that be?

Once Michael arrives in Italy, he befriends a stunning Latin journalist named Angeline (played by Brazilian beauty Alice Braga). Michael begins sharing details of his training with her after he meets up with an eccentric older priest named Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins). It is under his teaching that Michael begins to wander down a violent and frightening path into the afterlife.

Father Lucas has spent so much time trying to drive out the demons of others, that he neglected to deal with his own (literally). Michael soon finds himself knee-deep in some terrifying, unexplained phenomena that prove to be a bigger test than anything he learned back home.

6

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

The Rite continues Hopkins’ reign as one scary mutha.

His breakthrough role was the villainous Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. As Father Lucas, Hopkins is far less dubious, but equally engrossing. He steals nearly every scene within the film’s climax, but still has no idea why everyone is so frightened of him.

“I don’t know,” he says. “I guess I seem to have a knack for [being scary]. I guess people just think I’m a scary person.

My wife’s not scared of me. I’m scared of her.”

O’Donoghue, however, was greatly intimidated by his costar. The 30-year-old Irish actor has been a fan of Hopkins’ work for years. Adding to his nervousness was the fact that The Rite was his first feature film.

“I had a few meetings for this [film], and I tested with Tony,” he says. “I thought, ‘Even if I’m acting with Anthony Hopkins for 30 minutes, it’s still good.’”

Just as thrilling as the audition process, being on set made O’Donoghue even more humble.

“It was just an honor to get the chance to work with the caliber of actors on my first film,” he says. “As an actor, it’s sort of hard to think that you’ll work opposite someone who’s such a master classman.”

O’Donoghue’s family – who have supported him during his years of creative struggle – were absolutely thrilled with news of his success. Although the actor hails from an Irish Catholic background, his family had very little judgment about the subject matter of The Rite.

“My family weren’t that strict, not my immediate family, anyway,” he says. “Everyone was just delighted I got a part.”

He then jokes that he went out and celebrated the news of his casting in true Irish fashion.

“I got drunk,” says O’Donoghue.

BASED ON TRUE EVENTS One of the claims to fame that a lot of contemporary films have is that they are “based on true events.” This disclaimer has graced a number of movies like The Last Exorcism and The Fourth Kind. The Rite also shares this distinction. This

The Rite is incredibly stylish; everything from the locations to the shot details to its cast are visually stunning. Watching O’Donoghue play opposite his female co-star Braga has caused some critics to speculate whether there is an underlying romance between Michael and Angeline. During the film, the pair’s initial introduction is so rife with sexual tension that it even elicits the stink eye from an on-looking nun.

However, Braga and O’Donoghue shoot down any talk of their characters being in love. They especially play up their newfound sibling-type feelings for one another in real life.

O’Donoghue has been married for a little under two years.

Braga speaks of the actor in only the friendliest of terms.

She was pleased when the director (Mikael Håfström of 1408 fame) found her leading man because the search for one had been exhaustive.

O’Donoghue remembers fondly her first words to him on set. “‘Congratulations! I’ve been waiting for ages for them to cast you!’” he says, smiling at her.

“And now he’s my brother!” she jokes.

COMMON GROUND Hopkins and O’Donoghue share a lot of common ground, not only as actors, but in their personal interests. Hopkins is a renowned artist and musician who has been playing piano since he was 6 years old.

O’Donoghue’s musical aspirations lie within his band, the Enemies. He’s the group’s guitarist and says their sound is a bit of a funk-rock hybrid. The Enemies got a leg up on the Hollywood scene when they were asked to play at The Rite’s wrap party. Although music is O’Donoghue’s pastime, he says of the gig: “It was great fun!”

As for Hopkins, working with his young co-star was a pleasure. The veteran actor is known for his generosity on stage and screen.

He even had a little fun at his expense. Early on, O’Donoghue delivered his lines during a key dramatic scene and without missing a beat, Hopkins turned to him and replied, “Is that the way you’re planning on playing the part?

It’s your career.”

The Rite releases in theaters Jan. 28.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle DVDDISH

SPECIAL FEATURES by mike sebastian

Under the Radar: Nowhere Boy chronicles the life of a young John Lennon, focusing on his tumultuous relationship with the mother who gave him up, a painful memory that would define much of his life.

Enter the Void is an audacious, hallucinogenic trip through life and death from Gaspar Noé, director of Irreversible.

Air drumming comedy Adventures of Power features a hilarious ensemble cast, including Michael McKean, Jane Lynch and Adrian Grenier.

Andy Serkis stars as punk rock legend Ian Dury in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. The director of The Road to Guantanamo makes his dramatic debut.

Also available: Sandra Bullock in Fire on the Amazon, White Wedding, My Last Five Girlfriends, Heartbreaker Action! Bruce Willis is a retired CIA operative who finds himself targeted by his own government in Red. Now, he reassembles his old team, including Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich, to fight back.

There’s plenty of old school shoot ’em up action in the modern-day western Red Hill.

Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood”) is a young police officer on his first day in a quiet town when an escaped convict starts murdering people.

Behind the Music: Hip-hop artist Tupac gave an intimate interview from within the

GRAPHICNOVELS Sin City: Book 3, 4, 5 (Dark Horse) With the big screen sequel to Sin City on the horizon, Dark Horse has reissued Frank Miller’s iconic graphic novels that started it all.

Book 3, The Big Fat Kill, has Miller starting to leave the noir plots of the earlier books and delving further into his world of corrupt cops, deadly prostitutes and mercenaries. Dwight returns from A Dame to Kill For and gets a corrupt cop killed, threatening the treaty between the prostitutes and the police. Book 4, That Yellow Bastard, will be familiar to fans of the first film adaptation. Detective John Hartigan rescues 11-year-old Nancy from a child predator. To protect the girl, Hartigan confesses to a crime he didn’t commit. In Book 5, Family Values, Dwight is on a mission in the name of the Old Town girls to find out who carried out a hit in a roadside diner. Along the way, prostitute assassin Miho dispenses some of Miller’s trademark balletic violence.

The books feature pinups by artists like Mike Mignola and full color covers.

Grades: B+, A-, A—Mike Sebastian Sin City: Book 3, 4, 5 are currently available.

EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT STARTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 28TH! BEVERLY HILLS Laemmle’s Music Hall (310) 478-3836 Tickets available @ laemmle.com

Clinton Correction Facility in which he discussed gang life, prison and his relationship with his mother in Tupac Uncensored and Uncut: The Lost Prison Tapes.

Bill Withers: Still Bill profiles the soul music legend.

Made in Japan: Gantz: The Complete Series is a trippy and gory sci-fi anime about

2.3135''X5.9''BRUCE CAMPUS LEE! CIRCLE MENTOR OF THE LEGENDARY WED. 1/26

people who are brought back to life by a black sphere known as the Gantz, only to do its bidding killing aliens hidden amongst the population.

Blu Notes: Cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s long-unavailable masterpiece Santa Sangre comes to hi-def. The beautifully surreal and disturbing film follows a mentally scarred young man through his past raised in an abusive circus family to his present relationship with his murderous arm-less mother.

In honor of Black History Month, two great films come to Blu-ray: Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of The Color Purple starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey, and Spike Lee’s epic biopic Malcolm X starring Denzel Washington as the controversial Black Nationalist leader.

The Idiotbox: Some new recruits join the Glee club for more singing and dancing in

“KUNG FU

“GREAT

FUN!” “BREATHTAKING EXHILARATING.” “AMAZING!” REIGNS– SUPREME!” VARIETY

AND

– SCREEN DAILY

– TWITCH

– MSN

the beloved series Glee: Season 2, Vol. 1. Included are the Britney Spears, Rocky Horror and Gwyneth Paltrow episodes.

Beloved ’80s TV classic Webster: Season One comes to DVD. An ex-football star and a socialite find themselves the unwitting legal guardians of a precocious 7-year-old.

Zorro: The Complete Series collects all 88 episodes of the ’90s reboot of the classic swashbuckler, as well as the original Douglas Fairbanks film and the first chapter of the theatrical serial.

Explore life’s greatest mysteries in The Universe: The Complete Season Five.

Also available: Top Shot: Season One

The Horror! The Horror! Like previous horror franchise claims of definitive ends, you can bet Saw: The Final Chapter won’t be the last we will see of Jigsaw. Cary Elwes returns along with other survivors of the killer’s deadly cat-and-mouse game, including self-help guru Bobby Dagen, who has some dark secrets of his own.

The Vault: John Wayne:

Bigger Than Life includes the titular documentary, comic western McLintock!, rare TV appearances from Duke, John Ford’s documentary The American West and more.

Ronald Reagan: Centennial Collection contains eight films from the Great Communicator in honor of his 100th birthday. They are: Dark Victory starring Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, Knute Rockne All American (“Win one for the Gipper!”), Kings Row, Raoul Walsh’s Desperate Journey with Errol Flynn, This Is the Army, The Hasty Heart, Storm Warning with Ginger Rogers and The Winning Team with Doris Day.

LEGEND OF THE GRANDMASTER

IN THEATERS FRIDAY 1/28!

Mann CHINESE 6

6801 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood • (323) 464-8111 www.manntheatres.com • CALL THEATRE FOR SHOWTIMES www.ipman2movie-us.com Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

7

NEWS

FILM

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS DVD Dish Interviews Movie Reviews Projections Screen Shots Special Features TV Time

FILMINTERVIEWS

(c) 2011 CBS Films

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews

Steve McKenna (Ben Foster) is out to avenge his father’s murder in The Mechanic.

THE MECHANIC Jason Statham takes Ben Foster under his wing. by ebony march Action movies are like sports cars: the more modern and sleek they are, the better. The producers of the 1972 action film, The Mechanic, realized they had a sophisticated film on their hands. So much so that they decided to give it a sexy upgrade and release it to a younger audience.

Despite some obvious changes like the casting of action phenom Jason Statham (The Expendables, Crank, The Transporter), the story remains the same: Arthur Bishop is one of the best hitmen out there, but he’s also different. He’s quiet, cultured and detached. Bishop knows that in order to be effective in his role, he must kill while always making it look like an accident.

When Harry – his close friend and mentor – is ordered dead, Bishop makes it his personal mission to get to the bottom of the attack. However, things get a bit sticky when Harry’s son Steve (played by Ben Foster) turns up out of the blue, seeking payback for his father’s murder. He convinces Bishop to take him under his wing and teach him everything he knows.

For a guy who’s always done his thing without an audience, Steve’s proposition poses a bit of a challenge.

However, Bishop likes the companionship and decides to help. Then, faster than you can say “double-cross,” true alliances are revealed, and one of these guys winds up dead.

8

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

Unlike a number of remakes that take the basic premise of a film and turn it on its ear, The Mechanic is about as close to the original as you can get. The original screenwriter, Lewis Carlino, was even able to retain his credit on the movie because of the minimal changes to it. His words get a contemporary tuneup through the efforts of Richard Wenk (the film’s co-writer).

The one surprise that The Mechanic does have is its sophistication. Unlike many action flicks and thrillers that are a kick-ass display of guns, body counts and pyrotechnics, this movie relies more on plot, characters and emotion.

Many people who actually remember the original cast members (Charles Bronson as Bishop; Jan-Michael Vincent as Steve) loved the special relationship between the two.

Bronson’s Bishop is a lot less rugged than Statham’s, but the underlying themes are still the same. Statham gets the chance to stretch his acting chops and play a man that is lonely and seeking a companion.

Bishop’s budding friendship with Steve is a close one filled with a surprising amount of concern and affection, considering both guys are loners. Statham and Foster have interesting chemistry together, which is needed in lieu of the graphic violence that Statham’s movies are known for.

Director-producer Irwin Winkler (the other man behind Rocky) says that Statham was a deliberate choice for this reason.

“Jason has such a charismatic quality,” he notes. “He just generates excitement when he’s on the screen.”

In The Mechanic, Foster has the good fortune of being paired with one of the biggest stars of today. The 30-yearold actor has starred opposite a number of well-regarded talent (Woody Harrelson in The Messenger; Christian Bale in 3:10 to Yuma), but has yet to experience a blockbuster hit.

His onscreen alliance with Statham is bound to change that.

Even Statham notes that their rapport was instant.

“We had a couple of beers, and we spoke about what was necessary,” he says. “There was a natural chemistry.”

As for Foster, he was attracted to the film because the Steve character was just too rich to pass by. He felt protective of Steve as a young man who is a confused loner, seeking a father figure in Bishop.

“I try to protect the person I’m playing,” he explains.

“We’ve all had the exposure of being alone. We’ve all had the experience of being betrayed by a friend or a loved one.”

He goes on to explain that he’s usually pretty casual about which roles he takes on and the reasoning behind it.

“I’m not really conscious about it,” says Foster of his roster of work. “It’s who I get to play with and are there questions that we need to ask.”

When he was first presented with the opportunity to appear in The Mechanic, Foster was dead-set against seeing the first version. His concern was that he didn’t want to “unintentionally borrow” from Vincent’s performance.

His ignorance was also his bliss due to some of the stunts that he’d have to perform. In one scene, Foster has to jump from a tall structure.

This would normally be an easy day at the office for other actors, except for one small detail: Foster is afraid of heights. Further complicating matters is that the actor suffers from vertigo.

The crew had a little fun at his expense when, right before he was to jump, they fooled him into believing he wasn’t properly strapped into his harness.

Still, he was able to complete a series of takes on the stunt after all and now feels proud of himself for having the guts to try it.

“If you’re lucky enough to work as an actor, the gift is to do things that you’re not usually able to do,” he says.

This philosophy was a short-lived one, however. Foster’s character Steve goes home with a gay hitman (for an assignment).

Things get a little out of hand, and Steve has to kill or be killed. The scene pairs him with an actor that is 6 foot 5 and built like an ox. It was during the filming of this scene that the actor sustained a debilitating shoulder injury.

“I went home, came back and my shoulder was up to here,” he says, laughing while raising his right shoulder to ear level.

Statham jokes about Foster’s bravado and need to complete his own jumps.

“He’s got a certain-sized ego that will push him past the limits that he’s willing to go,” jokes the actor.

Perhaps Foster felt the need to compete and keep up with his co-star. Statham was, at one time, an Olympic diver. He was also a street salesman and feels that his previous work allowed him to make a successful leap into the creative arts.

“It just gives you a lot of tools to get stuck in,” he says.

The Mechanic, like many films today, was shot on location in New Orleans. This gave the filmmakers a natural landscape that could double for a number of different places without ever having to leave the same town. They cheated three different cities without ever leaving Louisiana.

Co-producer Bill Chartoff named a list of reasons why he loved shooting in the Big Easy: the weather, the tax incentives, the food and the music. The latter figured prominently in the film.

Bishop, in both the original and the remake, is an avid music fan. His pride and joy is a classy retro record player and a record collection (No iPod for this guy, thank you!).

Still, with a movie that is an even mix of old-meets-new, Statham is just as excited as he’s always been to sign on for projects like this that move him.

“It’s a good life,” he says. “I’m working with some great people.”

The British star continues to shock his fans by seeking roles that are well rounded in order to flesh out his portfolio of work. He’s next seen starring opposite Robert De Niro and Clive Owen in the dramatic thriller The Killer Elite and also as a shit-kicking gnome in Disney’s Gnomeo and Juliet.

The Mechanic releases in theaters Jan. 28.

“CHILLING, PROVOCATIVE AND COMPLETELY TERRIFYING!” Mark S. Allen, CBS-TV

“AN INSTANT CLASSIC. HOPKINS IS MESMERIZING.” Carrie Keagan, NGTV

“NO ONE DOES SCARY BETTER THAN ANTHONY HOPKINS.” Shelli Sonstein, Clear Channel

“‘THE RITE’ WILL MAKE YOU A BELIEVER.” Jeremy Parsons, ReelzChannel

STARTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 28 WESTWOOD Regency Village 310/208-5576 HOLLYWOOD Grauman’s Chinese $3.00 parking after 6:00 PM in 323/464-8111 4 hr parking at “Privilege Parking Lots”. $1.00 refunded Hollywood & Highland with paid admission after 6:00 PM. only $2 with validation.

CHECK THEATRE DIRECTORIES OR CALL FOR SHOWTIMES.

HOLLYWOOD Mann Chinese 6 323/464-8111 4 hr parking at Hollywood & Highland only $2 with validation.

NO PASSES, COUPONS, GROUP ACTIVITY TICKETS OR VIP TICKETS ACCEPTED.

CENTURY CITY AMC Century 15 888/AMC-4FUN 3 hrs free parking.

Additional 2 hr parking $3.00 with AMC validation.

WEST LOS ANGELES The Landmark at W. Pico & Westwood 310/281-8233 www.landmarktheatres.com FREE PARKING

BEVERLY HILLS Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14 323/692-0829 #209 4 hours on-site validated parking only $2.00.

SANTA MONICA AMC Santa Monica Seven Theatres 888/AMC-4FUN UNIVERSAL CITY CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX 888/AMC-4FUN Half Price General Movie Parking With Rebate

AND AT THEATERS EVERYWHERE

(213), (310), (323), (562), (626), (661), (714), (760), (805), (818), (866), (877), (888), (909), (949), (951), (Group Tickets 81)

LA Campus Circle

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES Regal Cinemas L.A. Live Stadium 14 800/FANDANGO 4046# Validated Parking $5 for 4 Hours, Parking Lot at Olympic & Francisco

WEST LOS ANGELES Rave 18 & IMAX (formerly The Bridge) 310/568-9950 SHERMAN OAKS ArcLight Cinemas at the Sherman Oaks Galleria 818/501-0753

NEWS

FILM

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS DVD Dish Interviews Movie Reviews Projections Screen Shots Special Features TV Time

MOVIEREVIEWS

Campus Circle > Film > Movie Reviews and Hung Chun-nam, the foil to Ip Man, and is the linchpin that makes the film work. His acting is worthy and steady, but it’s his fight choreography that proves to be grand poetry.

His fighting sequences are detailed and technical and come quick and fast in a relentless way that leaves you breathless and unconcerned about plot or storyline.

Ultimately unnecessary, but no less interesting, is the storyline involving a British prizefighter challenging Chinese pride in post-World War II Hong Kong. Played as an arrogant buffoon by a steroidal Darren Shahlavi, “The Twister” Milos seems to serve as not-so-veiled modern characterization.

That he suffers a humiliating defeat at the hands of Ip Man also seems a not-so-veiled reference to Chinese humility and solidarity in the face of Western oppression and arrogance.

Now, I’m no expert, but that’s the first time I’ve seen world politics injected into a kung fu film not starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Grade: A —Christian Goss Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster releases in select theaters Jan. 28.

Well Go USA/Variance Films

When We Leave

Hung Chun-nam (Sammo Hung) and Ip Man (Donnie Yen) face off in Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster.

A Somewhat Gentle Man (Strand Releasing) The redeeming qualities we give to gangsters are just a funny side effect of our psychosis. It’s a movie, you know, so the reality of the situation it portrays is not often brought into the discussion. It doesn’t even enter our thoughts sometimes, and we can go on watching a film, feeling things for these characters the way we never would if we were put in their actual situation.

Such is the case for Ulrik (Stellan Skarsgård) who has just been released from prison where he spent many years locked up for killing his wife. He is not only sheepish and quiet, but he doesn’t seem to have any way of making his own path down the slippery road of recovery and assimilation back into society.

Ulrik may not say much, but it’s only because those around him won’t let him get that far. His old employer, the mafia boss of the Oslo suburb, greets him with accepting, albeit conniving, arms. He sets Ulrik up in an apartment owned by his sister who, though also antisocial, warms to Ulrik and his soft demeanor and soon becomes jealous of the attention he draws from other women. In fact, women in general still find him attractive, and it appears that he was never really a bad guy. He is a gentle man, if not in his actions, then in the instincts he must ignore when employed by the gangsters.

Adjusting to life out of jail is as rough as Ulrik was expecting, especially because his boss is trying to convince him to go back to work in the business of intimidation, threats and killing off. Concurrent with his boss’ need to right the wrongs done to him, Ulrik must endure an inner struggle between what he wants – a mundane, safe life out of the mafia spotlight – and what he is expected to do.

Skarsgård portrays the main character convincingly, as he is particularly talented at giving his audiences a subtle look of sullenness and unending contemplation. Skarsgård brings to the character all that any casting director could ask of an actor when his role has surprisingly fewer lines than would be expected. Most of what comes across to the audience is a feeling, a sense of who Ulrik is, which conflicts with what he has done in the past.

There are laughs in this film, however dark and unassuming they may be. In particular, the scenes between

10

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

Ulrik and the landlady involving the “sex for food” subplot are the funny parts, which the film could use more of. These calm moments are the ones we yearn for so that we can further study the art that Skarsgård has mastered.

There isn’t too much to this film in terms of action or plot, but what director Hans Petter Moland does offer is a small wonder of a film that is a treat in this age of cumbersome filmmaking.

Grade: B—Candice Winters A Somewhat Gentle Man releases in select theaters Jan. 28.

Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster (Variance) I don’t know much about kung fu films. It’s a big genre.

Mastering the minutiae is an endeavor not unlike holing up in a dojo somewhere and perfecting your crane fighting style and figuring out the best way to defend tiger style. People devote entire careers to pinning down the whos, the whats and the wheres and still can come up cross-eyed when it comes to questions like, “What are the best films of the wuxia period?” And, “Who would win in a fight between Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal?” It’s probably more indicative than I would like to admit that my favorite kung fu move is Kung Fu Panda. Really.

Still, you don’t have to be able to differentiate your Way of the Dragon from your Enter the Dragon to sit down and enjoy a kung fu film. All the same rules apply to making a strong film in any genre or discipline. You need a good story, grand visuals, steady technique and a director with a deft hand.

But the thing that separates a kung fu film from just any other film is action and the cast to execute the fighting choreography. If you don’t think so, make sure you stay home when your best friend ditches work to catch the Yuen Biao marathon down at the multiplex or you could find yourself in your own street style version of Fist of Fury.

Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster is a movie that succeeds because of its casting and its fight sequences. Donnie Yen does an understated job in the title role as Ip Man, developer of the Wing Chun fighting style and, ultimately, the master and teacher of Bruce Lee. Kung fu legend Sammo Hung pulls double duty as the action director for the film

(Olive) According to U.N. reports, there are over 5,000 cases of “honor crimes” committed against women across the globe each year. These crimes involve the injuring or killing of a woman who is “dishonorable.” This is the subject of the German film When We Leave, which is the official German entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Academy Awards.

Umay (Sibel Kekilli) is a young mother who wishes to escape the abusive and oppressive relationship with her Turkish husband Kemal (Ufuk Bayraktar). She takes her young son Cem (Nizam Schiller) and travels to her parents’ home in Berlin. Being Muslim (as it is in many cultures), Umay’s family struggles between their love for Umay and the shame she is bringing upon them by leaving her husband with no intention of return.

This film is a very quiet one, making very powerful statements in small moves. Umay herself has a quiet determination to keep her son away from his father and only grows loud and desperate when her family tries to physically take Cem away from her. Even the fact that Umay left her husband is difficult for the family to speak of, and every mention of it has a huge weight behind it.

There is a great deal of pressure on Umay to obey the men in her life and also on her brothers to be men. Although there is a great love for her in her family, even her father gives her little sympathy, siding with Umay’s husband in the matter and even calling his daughter a “whore.”

This brings up a lot of questions about women’s rights and how culture plays into it. In this specific circumstance, and also across other cultures, the woman hatred stems from a desire for the man to be in complete control of his family. Anytime a woman tries to be independent from a man’s control, she runs the very real risk of being physically punished. This archaic point of view continues to exist today, so much so that Amnesty International has a “Violence Against Women” campaign trying to protect the rights of women across the world.

The look of the film is very warm, whether it is showing dusty Turkey or the breezy summer in Berlin. Umay enjoys the summer weather, shedding her traditional head covering in favor of lightweight dresses and sweaters. One could imagine that this is a visual confirmation of the shame Umay has laid on her family. Ultimately, in the end, her son Cem (played by Schiller with a tiny, doe-eyed depth) is the victim of Umay’s family’s cultural hatred toward women. With this, the film makes another powerful statement: When you hurt women, you hurt children as well.

Grade: A —Kate Bryan When We Leave releases in select theaters Jan. 28.

Become a CAMPUS CIRCLE Fan on Facebook http://bit.ly/dhFhEE PROJECTIONS

&

FILMS OF ROMAN POLANSKI

INVITE YOU TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A PASS FOR TWO TO SEE

Jan. 27-30 @ Egyptian Theatre by candice winters

Rosemary’s Baby screens Jan. 29.

There is a fine line that must be drawn at some point in a filmmaker’s career, a line that separates the personal from the professional. Of course, the two collaborate and often conspire to make or ruin someone in the public eye, but it comes with the territory of being famous. Michael Jackson couldn’t always distinguish the line, Bill Clinton had his personal affairs affect his career, and the private feud for Brad Pitt forced us to choose: Jen or Angie.

But no one rocked the public scandal like Roman Polanski. You know the name, but can’t place the person? He’s a big director who has made some of our favorite horror films and thrillers. But he really became a household name in 1977 when he was arrested and later pleaded guilty for the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl. To avoid sentencing in the United States, he fled to his home in London, and then to France.

His case was recently brought back into the news when, in 2009, he was arrested by the Swiss police to be extradited back to the United States, though he was let go the following year and declared a ‘free man.’ Regardless, he is an amazing filmmaker and a treasure to this country, which Polanski hasn’t seen since 1977.

The American Cinematheque is holding a four-day tribute to Polanski, whom they view as one of the great writer-directors of our time. It can be said with full confidence that he revolutionized the horror genre and reinvented the conventions of the surreal thriller for generations of filmmakers after him.

If you want to catch “Traumatic Rendition: A Roman Polanski Retrospective,” screenings take place at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Each of the four days contains a double feature billing, and each double feature has at least one title that is essential for horror lovers the world over.

On Thursday, Jan. 27, the American Cinemateque features Knife in the Water (1962) and a reinvention of Shakespeare’s classic play Macbeth (1971). Co-written by Jerzy Skolimowski, Knife in the Water plays with your innate claustrophobia. If you don’t have a fear of tight places, you will after watching this film. One of his lesser-known works, by no means is it any less superior than his others. Centered around three characters – a husband, his wife and a random hitchhiker – the film escalates into downright violence.

Polanski’s version of Macbeth isn’t your typical Shakespeare. He turns the British classic into a splatter-filled journey with some prose intermixed.

On Friday, Jan. 28, Chinatown (1974) and The Tenant (1976) are the two films shown as a double feature. Chinatown is the quintessential film for the city of Los Angeles netherworld, one in which a 1930’s private eye (Jack Nicholson) uncovers a pool of lies, incest and murder. Polanski stars in and directs The Tenant, a sick and twisted story about a man who learns the last inhabitant of his apartment committed suicide. He begins to reach increasing paranoia and insanity as he slowly becomes the prior tenant and suspects his neighbors want a similar fate for him.

If you had to pick one day of the four-day Polanski marathon, you would be safe and satisfied in attending Saturday, Jan. 29, when the American Cinematheque has on tap a double feature of horrific proportions. Repulsion (1965) was Polanski’s second film and his first shot in English. One of my all-time favorite psychological thrillers, Repulsion has a warped and demented sense of humor that only a horror enthusiast could appreciate.

Catherine Deneuve stars as a beautician who is irrationally disgusted with men and is thrown headfirst off the deep end when her sister leaves for the weekend with her boyfriend.

The second film is the first film that made me scared to go to bed as a child. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) is not a light one to pick off the shelves on a rainy day. Starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes as a young couple expecting a baby, the film is horror at its finest and may very make you believe in the existence of worldly evil.

The series closes Sunday, Jan. 30, with Cul-de-sac (1966), a criminal thriller, and The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), a film about vampire slaying far before it was the cool film to make. Polanski, apart from his personal drama that has spanned decades at this point, is still one of the most highly revered and talented directors in the industry. Sometimes, a quality scare is all you need.

The Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, visit americancinematheque.com.

SCREEN GEMS PRESENTS A VERTIGOMUSICENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION “THE ROOMMATE” ALY MICHALKA DANNEEL HARRIS FRANCES FISHER AND BILLY ZANE EXECUTIVE BEAU MARKS SONNYDIRECTEDMALLHI PRODUCEDBY DOUG DAVISON AND ROY LEE WRITTENBY SONNY MALLHI MICHAEL FRIEDMAN BY JOHN FRIZZELL PRODUCERS

BY CHRISTIAN E. CHRISTIANSEN

MUSIC SUPERVISION BY

To register to win, enter at www.campuscircle.com/sweeps/TheRoommate Two lucky grand-prize winners will also receive an aura for iPad case

by

The best iPad display stand folio.

aura for iPad. Elegance Encapsulated.

To enter to win an iPad case, go to Handbago.com/contests

LL REBECCA: CA D, TE N A W E AT M M O RO 1-866-666-6001 No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Each pass admits two. All winners will be drawn at random from all eligible entries for all prizes. 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. 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. Two (2) Grand-Prize winners will each receive an aura for iPad case by iSkin® (ARV: $120). (Total ARV of Grand Prizes: $240). Specific terms, limitations and conditions may apply to all prizes. No cash substitutions.

Deadline for entries is Monday, February 7, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. (PT). Winners will be notified on or around Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. (PT). Winners will receive a run-of-engagement pass good for two admissions Monday through Thursday only, excluding holidays, at prespecified theater(s), which 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, February 7, 2011. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and is not guaranteed. Specific terms, limitations and conditions may apply.

www.TheRoommate-Movie.com

IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 4 BW CAMPUS CIRCLE PROMO AD – HALF PAGE 4.875” X 12” (Run Date: 01/26) REV (4): 01 / 21 / 10

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

11

NEWS

FILM

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Art Beauty Books Fashion Food Gaming L.A. Moves Special Features Theater Travel

EXHIBITIONS

THE BIG PICTURE:

Mark Mothersbaugh + Shepard Fairey Now-Feb. 19 @ Subliminal Projects Gallery

by Cindy Lee Mark Mothersbaugh and Shepard Fairey’s artworks are the epitome of vibrancy. Located near Chinatown at 1331 West Sunset Boulevard, Mothersbaugh and Fairey’s gallery opening reception for The Big Picture, gathered a hoard of people last Saturday, Jan. 22.

While waiting in the long line amidst Fairey and Mothersbaugh’s fans, it was possible to get a sneak peak into the gallery. With Fairey himself as the DJ, the gallery was quite small for two artists who have been very productive in their careers. Fairey is responsible for the pop art style campaign poster for President Obama, whereas Mothersbaugh is well known for his contributions as a musician and artist. He has composed many musical pieces for animations and is the frontman of Devo.

Nevertheless, despite its size, the gallery was substantive.

And sure, like its title suggests, their artworks are composed of intricate details that form a bigger picture.

Both artists are lovers of the pop style, as well as the surrealistic and psychedelic imaginative art that form from creativity. Their artworks are a fusion of playfulness, but at the same time, subjects of queasy attraction. This exhibit

Campus Circle > Culture > Art consists of contemporary pieces from Mothersbaugh’s collection of postcards blown up to a large scale, as well as the postcards themselves, Fairey’s take on his artistic vision and several pieces from children with illnesses; children whom Mothersbaugh and Fairey spend time with as providers of art therapy.

Aside from their contributions to the arts as icons, the two artists are great philanthropists who are a part of the Art of Elysium’s Elysium Project and Subliminal Projects.

Both Mohersbaugh and Fairey spend a great amount of time and energy toward helping children with illnesses. They are funders as well as therapists for the children, who at times need to get away from thinking of their state of health.

Through the night, while secretly stalking the two artists within the gallery, we were lucky to have pulled Mothersbaugh aside from all the greetings and compliments of the gallery for a quick interview.

What is your concept for this show?

Mark Mothersbaugh: Well, I’m really interested in Japanese calligraphy, which explains the calligraphy on some of the pieces. I’m not that good at it, and my friends from Japan tend to make fun of it.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

You see the postcards [points] over there? Those are diary entries. I keep them around, and when I find one that I like, what I do is put them on an overhead projector and enlarge them to create a larger image.

How long does it normally take you to finish painting the larger version of the postcard?

It really depends … some may take only up to a day or some may take up to about two weeks.

What made you collaborate with Shepard Fairey?

We both [volunteer] for the Elysium Project and are advocates of the same project in spending time with sick

THEWINGGIRLS

TOP 10 WAYS TO SURVIVE A BREAKUP 1) Don’t try to be friends. For the love of God, don’t try to be friends with someone you bumped genitals with. It’s not gonna happen. You may feel like you’re friends, but she doesn’t, or vice versa. Save everyone the trouble and don’t try to be friends!

2) Cut off all communication. This is along the same lines as not being friends. To truly get over someone, you can’t be around them 24/7. This makes your brain cloudy. Get away from her. No hanging out, no late-night phone calls, delete her from your Facebook, no texting, e-mailing, bmm-ing, iChatting ... etc.

3) Do not stalk her. So you deleted her from your Facebook friends; that means you can still go on your mutual friend’s page and see pictures of her and her new “better without you” life, right? No, not right. Getting away means not stalking her either. Don’t ask her friends how she’s doing. Either way you will twist it to make yourself feel worse about yourself.

12

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

children.

Did you have any style clashes that you had to work out?

With Shepard? No, he knew what my style was and how my pieces looked like, so assuming he asked me to collaborate with him, he was interested in my vision.

We are aware that you spend a great amount of energy on charity work for children with serious illnesses. What exactly is it that you do?

I feel like it’s important for these children to have a way to escape from their condition. Sometimes they need to get away from that feeling of having to always talk to a limited amount of people consisting of their parents, doctors and nurses.

They need to spend time talking to other people as well.

Having interviewed Mothersbaugh, he soon disappeared into the crowd of people again. While enjoying the art, the music and the drinks, the scene of viewers walking about from picture to picture with a bounce resembled more of a classy party scene than a gallery opening reception.

While enjoying the art, we coincidently ran into one of Mothersbaugh’s co-workers, Albert Fox. He referred to Mark as a fun boss whom he described as being eclectic, inspiring and “good to watch while [he] writes stuff off of his head.” Fox also added that it was nice to finally see the pieces properly displayed.

Subliminal Projects Gallery is located at 1331 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, visit subliminalprojects.com.

Campus Circle > Blogs > The Wing Girls 4) Remember there is someone much better out there for you. Yes, she’s the only one for you, blah blah blah, we know.

But if you were so great together you would be together right now, right?

5) Get hot. Nothing cures the “I’m unlovable” blues like a new haircut, a new gym membership or a pair of electric green vans. Manpamper yourself a little. It will make you feel attractive again!

6) Talk about it. Keeping it all bottled up will make you insane, so you need to talk to family and friends about it.

Depending on the situation a month of therapy couldn’t hurt either.

7) Make a list. Make a list of everything that didn’t work in the relationship. There are a lot of things we all forget when thinking of those baby blues, so it helps to have a list handy to remind us of the truth.

8) Hook up with someone. As soon as you feel ready, or even before then, you may need a little hookup. This helps remind you that you are hot and girls still like you, no matter what happened in your relationship. Also, it reminds you how fun it is to be single!

9) Wait before dating again. Make sure you wait before you jump right into something again. You need to look at the reasons you broke up with the last girl and try to repair them

before you can ever really be in a relationship that actually works.

10) Time heals. Remember how much you cared when you didn’t win the Little League game 10 years ago? No? We didn’t think so. In time you won’t even care that she cheated on you with her professor, and in a few years you will have trouble even remembering her name. Time heals everything, and you need to remember that no matter what comes your way.

For more information, visit thewinggirls.com.

CAMPUS CIRCLE

FILM MUSIC CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS

CD Reviews Frequency Interviews L.A. Underground Live Show Reviews Music Notes Music Report Special Features

FREQUENCY Thursday Jan. 26 @ House of Blues Sunset Strip Jan. 27 @ House of Blues Anaheim OK, so if you want to cry this week – and really, who doesn’t?

– this is the show to go get your sob on at. Like, in a good way though.

Because if there’s one thing frontman Geoff Rickley can do, it’s providing the perfect opportunity for others to have a catharsis via his own words and music. Given that his music sounds and feels like his own deepest and darkest of catharses, it should be no surprise that Rickley’s brutally raw emotionality never fails to hit home ever so poignantly.

From the pain of lost youth and innocence to the struggle of interpersonal relationships to the greater issues of politics, culture and society, Rickley can verbally capture both the big picture and the little things with stunning accuracy. But, y’know, don’t spend too long with Kleenex in hand, lest you take an elbow to the face while the rest of the audience is throwing down around you. I mean, heart-wrenching lyrics or not, the guitar work of Tom Keeley and Steve Pedulla is brutal in a very different way. As in, of a more face-melting variety.

I guess Underoath is playing this show too or something, but … whatever.

My Chemical Romance Jan. 26 @ The Grammy Museum Oh come on, who doesn’t love this band? Be it openly or as a closely guarded secret, everyone has a soft spot for this band. Even if you stand by being completely over them and can’t bear to hear them, at some point, you were all about My

Chemical Romance.

If you listened to music at all in the last six years, you had an MCR phase somewhere in that span of time. To be fair, I know it may not be the proudest, highest point of someone’s musical taste history, but even when listening to the band’s earliest work, most of it still stands as legit musicianship.

Admittedly, some of it is very time-specific to that scene, but the best thing about MCR is that their legitimacy has increased with each album they’ve released. With a clear progression into mainstream waters without sacrificing their signature dark edginess, the band seems to have mastered the art of writing dark rock songs that push the boundaries of pop music.

Chuck Ragan/Social Distortion Jan. 27, 29 @ The Palladium I’ll start off by saying I have the utmost respect for Mike Ness and Social D. They’re tried and true punk icons – all natural piss and vinegar, not from concentrate, and whatnot.

But really, y’all need to go to this show to see Chuck Ragan perform. This dude is worth seeing live even if he’s only opening the show.

The sometime post-hardcore frontman shows his softer side for his solo material, but effortlessly keeps the same gritty rawness of his harder work even when only backed by an acoustic guitar. If you thought Geoff Rickley was going to make you cry, Ragan here will have you a sobbing mess by the time his set’s over, and at least this time you don’t have to worry about your teeth getting knocked out inadvertently.

Just … don’t expect the same luxury should you ever happen to see Ragan in his capacity as Hot Water Music frontman. What happens at Ragan’s solo shows … stays at Ragan’s solo shows.

MUSICINTERVIEWS

SLASH

Shredding Solo by richard Castañeda For all his accolades, worldwide recog– nition, admiration and reputation as one of the most downto-earth dudes, the one thing you wouldn’t assume about Slash is his insecurity regarding his own guitar playing.

“I try to spend a minimum amount of time not playing the guitar. I’ve always got a guitar close by ’cause I always think I’m going to forget how to play,” Slash admits with a little laugh. “I’m definitely humble about my guitar-playing prowess, and I’m constantly trying to get better at it so that I can feel more confident about it.”

The last two years have seen Slash dominate the news regarding Velvet Revolver’s new singer search, the unlikely reunion of Guns N’ Roses (including Axl Rose’s constant scorn) and his talent-laden eponymous solo debut. In addition to his first full movie score for This Is Not a Movie, the dude’s also a successful published author, and he has a place on the Hollywood Rockwalk. With so much diverse, rich talent, it’s comforting to know that his inability to play poker (He’s too impatient.) or basketball (He can barely dribble.) makes him human after all.

Like Santana’s last four albums, Slash grouped together some of today’s hottest acts to keep himself busy. Where Slash succeeds more than Santana, however, is Slash never dropped off anyone’s relevancy radar. Supernatural was a defibrillator for Santana’s career. Slash’s debut is a cathartic endeavor for

14

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

Brantley Gutierrez

by brien overly

Campus Circle > Music > Frequency

Thursday wll make you cry, but in a good way.

The Postelles Jan. 28 @ The Roxy This is what indie really should be. Expertly arranged and intelligently written, but still relatable and fun above all else.

No pretension, no posturing, no making aurally loathsome sounds and saying that the masses “just don’t get it,” just good, lo-fi rock ’n’ roll, sung from the everyman perspective of the world.

Also, anything that sounds this much like a chimera of the Kooks and the Strokes is OK in my book as far as pulling from worthwhile aural influences. And unlike most of my other picks this week, you won’t actually be driven to tears at this show, I promise.

Campus Circle > Music > Interviews an artist who continues to impress without having to prove he’s still got it.

The process wasn’t as easy as you’d think for this generation’s Jimi Hendrix. Although Slash admits he didn’t hear many no’s and no one outright told him that they refused to work with him, he did have to deal with his muse’s greatest nemesis: distractions.

“If I’m locked into something, and I’ve got a definite idea, then it’s easy,” Slash says. “Trying to ascertain whether you have a definite idea is a task unto itself. I’m always focused, but I’ve got a lot of distractions.”

Two of his album’s best and head-turning-at-first collaborations include Black Eyed Peas’ darling Fergie (“Beautiful Dangerous”) and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine (“Gotten”). Both songs initially make you wonder how it could possibly work, but then they remind you that foresight is one reason why genius is sometimes misunderstood.

When Slash’s solo album was coming together, he didn’t contact musicians to ask them if they wanted to play. He kept busy in his studio and just jammed. At the end of the day, he’d go through his Rolodex of rock stars and pick out the ones he thought would gel with his tunes the most.

“I compose the music first, and the music called out for a good female rock singer on one [Fergie] and somebody with a voice like Adam’s [Levine] on the other,” Slash recounts. “I went with the voices that came to mind.”

The one voice that handles the majority of the hype is Alter Bridge’s Myles Kennedy. His name might not be familiar to many, but his reputation as one of rock’s most underrated voices is definitely making people notice now.

Not only is he Slash’s main singer on his current tour with Ozzy Osbourne, but it was revealed in late 2010 that Slash’s sophomore effort will exclusively feature Kennedy on vocals.

“[Kennedy] just has a really gorgeous voice,” Slash says. “He really has a voice that one can appreciate from a technical point of view and also from soulful point of view. He’s just really one of those people that’s gifted.”

One reason Slash’s solo album got its strong legs from the start was his involvement with Mexican director Ollalo Rubio, who commissioned Slash shortly after Velvet Revolver imploded to score This Is Not a Movie. The experience was a welcome mat of sorts to the idea of doing his first solo album.

“Scoring a movie brought a side of me musically out that I had no idea existed,” Slash shares.

“A couple of the pieces of music that I wrote for the actual score ended up on my record, and one of them was ‘Crucify the Dead,’ which is the Ozzy song,” Slash adds. “‘Beautiful Dangerous’ got its start in the score. Although I’d already written the song ‘We’re All Going to Die’ musically, I used it for the score and reintroduced it to myself to go after Iggy Pop and make a real song of it.”

Robert John

NEWS

Slash is currently available. Slash performs Feb. 1 at Gibson Amphitheatre. For more information, visit slashonline.com.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle MUSICINTERVIEWS

LIVESHOWREVIEWS Dashboard Confessional

Travis Shinn

Tamea Agle

Jan. 20 @ The Troubadour On the second day of their threeday takeover of the Troubadour, a somewhat quiet, but nonetheless excited, crowd greeted Dashboard Confessional. Many audience Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional members were quick to share that this was not the only night they would spend singing along with Dashboard Confessional.

With opening performances by Lady Danville and Saves the Day frontman Chris Conley, the energy was light and happy throughout the night. Conley, who will also be releasing a new album with his band later this year, was a perfect opening for Dashboard.

Looking into the audience, nearly every person sang along with Chris Carrabba. The loyal and eclectic audience knew every word to almost every song.

Carrabba skillfully took to the stage and after taking a moment to make some adjustments, did not miss a beat as he quipped, “Just getting some things fixed up here,” and the show began. Ending the night with “Vindicated” and “Hands Down,” the excited audience sang along and squealed in excitement at their favorite songs.

For many, the entire weekend was one to remember. —Tamea Agle

UNDEROATH by zach bourque

The zeitgeist of heavy music has grown and matured in synchronicity with its once rabid fan base. No longer will first generation acts like Underoath garner the same Beatles-rivaling fan intensity as 14-year-old girl’s scream literally and figuratively as these hardcore pop acts dance around on stage. And according to Underoath guitarist Tim McTague, that’s just fine with them. The band has released their latest record, Disambiguation, a rather interesting title that is prefaced by their trademark “Ø” that has become a logo of sorts for the band. It marks the first album over the band’s career that is without its last founding member, ex-drummer Aaron Gillespie.

McTague, who handles guitar work, as well as clean (read: sans scream) vocals, is quite alright with this situation.

“Aaron wanted to take the music in a different direction. We’re a democratic band; if five members want to go one way, we won’t be held back by the sixth,” he says.

The departure of the band’s last founding member has shaped its latest release into a more coherent sound that is at once more mature and less polished. This is a band that has grown up over the years, and while the sound is most certainly different than their more pop-oriented records prior, it’s a natural evolution that seems to represent that of many bands of late.

McTague seems to speak of the departure of Gillespie as almost a kind of weight off their chests. The band was able to really cut loose and make the record they had been wanting to make for some time now.

Mc Tague confirms, “We got to make the album we always wanted to make.”

Underoath gained a rabid underground following of Hot Topic-obsessed youth around 2005, following the release of They’re Only Chasing Safety. McTague seems nostalgic but almost embarrassed of the record, noting that it represented the driving force of Gillespie’s pop sensibilities when it came to the band’s music. There is no denying the importance of the record.

“It’s something that will never be replicated. The crowds have changed and grown as our music has. We no longer have the Beatles effect with screaming 14-year-olds, and that’s just fine with us,” he says.

It was immediately evident that McTague was very happy with their latest record.

“It’s like going to an art show. This is what we have to offer, if you like it awesome, if not that’s fine with us, too.”

While McTague notes that they at once did have some studio pressure to churn out paint-by-numbers emo music, notably following the release of They’re Only Chasing Safety, the label seems confident in the band’s image.

“They let us do whatever we want,” notes McTague, in regards to the release of Disambiguation.

This sense of veritable disdain for the band’s catchier sing-along tracks is evident in the band’s live performances as well.

“It’s not just about running around and singing anymore,” says McTague. “We’ve got some lighting and visuals this time, and we want to make it more of a performance.”

While it’s uncertain if Roger Waters will have to worry, it’s commendable to see a band put emphasis on the audio/visual element of a performance instead of just jumping around and screaming. The band is on a winter tour with similar scene veterans Thursday, who eschew Underoath’s don’t-look-back mentality as they play their 2001 hallmark record, Full Collapse, in its entirety. A Skylit Drive and Animals As Leaders open for the duo on the nationwide tour, which hits Los Angeles at the House of Blues Jan. 26 and Anaheim Jan. 27.

It’s doubtful the band will regain any of the previous decade’s mass influx of fans.

By now you are either a fan, or you’re not. The sound, while evolved, is still Underoath, for better or worse. What can be said is that few groups have actively chosen to stick to their guns like these guys. They are making the music that they, not you, want, and the active desire to please everyone has long subsided. Shameless, mature and impressively confident, Underoath has become a product of the times instead of one of the past. Ø (Disambiguation) is currently available. Underoath perform Jan. 26 at the House of Blues Sunset Strip and Jan. 27 at the House of Blues Anaheim. For more information, visit underoath777.com.

papercranes Jan. 21 @ Harvard & Stone The release of the papercranes’ new album, Let’s Make Babies in the Woods, was welcomed with a packed house and an enthusiastic audience. Harvard & Stone was the perfect chic venue for the papercranes’ release party and show.

The band’s frontwoman, Rain Phoenix, was clearly excited and thrilled to play the new album for more ears. The group was a joy to watch in the small and intimate bar.

With a depth of sound brought by cello solos and deep drum beats, the music had much to offer in feeling and attitude. The album, which began as an experiment for Phoenix, has paid off and has turned into a full record with quite the following. The band is often made up of familiar faces, including her family and friends who have made guest appearances on the album and at shows. —Tamea Agle

THE SILENT COMEDY february 5 » el rey theatre

february 11 » the music box

SONGBOOK VOLUME 1

PERFORMING SONGS FROM HIS ENTIRE CAREER

RUNNER RUNNER • A THOUSAND HORSES february 11 » el rey theatre

ACOUSTIC!

CHRIS CORNELL.COM

may 4 » john anson ford amphitheatre

CHARGE: 800-745-3000 • TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS THE MUSIC BOX BOX OFFICE MON–FRI 10AM–6PM

Circle campus circle • 1-26-11 • pdf onCampus server

1.26.12 - 2.1.11

15

NEWS FILM MUSIC CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS

CD Reviews Frequency Interviews Live Show Reviews Music Notes Music Report Special Features

MUSICREPORT

Campus Circle > Music > Music Report

by kevin wierzbicki

bonus cut, “Paper Lanterns/2000 Light Years Away.”

Civet Ready for Love & War

Neko Case Car Raffle

Los Angeles rock band Civet has announced plans to release their fourth studio album, Love & War, via Hellcat Records.

Fronted by sisters Liza Graves and Suzi Carmichael, Civet holds the torch once held by groundbreaking female-fronted acts like the Runaways, Bikini Kill and L7, and according to Graves, the band is now recognizable for their own sound.

“On this record Suzi and I not only found our voice, but we rediscovered our punk rock ’n’ roll roots,” says Graves.

“Our choruses are bigger and badder than the last record and coupled with blazing guitar solos and the raw vocals everyone has come to expect. We sound like a combination of Motörhead grit and ’77 raw power.”

The first single from Love & War is called “L.A. Nights,” and you can hear it now at soundcloud.com; the full album drops on Feb. 22.

Neko Case is giving away her classic 1967 Mercury Cougar as the top prize in a raffle being held to benefit the 826 National literacy project. The car, with an automatic transmission, red interior with aqua space lights, wood steering wheel, hideaway headlights and original burgundy paint job, can be seen on the cover of Case’s album Middle Cyclone.

Raffle tickets are on sale now for $45 each at nekocase. com/auction and a prize a day, including one of Neko’s guitars, an Anti- catalog of records, a 60-disc Matador Records sampler, an autographed New Pornographers drum head and a guitar signed by Elton John, Elvis Costello, Ralph Stanley and others, will be awarded starting Feb. 14. The car, filled with road trip goodies like Rand McNally guides, gift certificates to Chipotle Mexican Grill and a year’s supply of Tazo Tea will be given away on Feb. 18.

The raffle’s beneficiary, 826 National, operates a network of nonprofit centers, including in Los Angeles, that help students ages 6 to 18 develop their expository and creative writing skills.

Green Day is Awesome as What?

Multi-platinum rock band Green Day will release a brandnew live album entitled Awesome as Fuck on Reprise Records March 22. The set will include a CD, plus a bonus DVD and feature performances captured during the band’s 2009-2010 world tour in support of their Grammy Award-winning album 21st Century Breakdown.

The band recorded every show on that tour, and they’ve sorted through it all and picked the best audio cuts for the CD (including a take on “Burnout” that was recorded in Irvine) and decided that footage from their Tokyo stop would be what appears on the DVD. Those who purchase the set digitally will get two additional songs, “Letterbomb” and “Christie Road,” while purchasers at iTunes will get a third

TopBananas Video Debut You might be familiar with the work of L.A.-based rapper and producer TopBananas thanks to his remix of Lykke Li’s “Get Some.” Now, in conjunction with the publication of music critic Brandon Perkins’ online novel Please Use Rear Exit, Bananas makes his debut on video with his own song “Waiting for My Time To Come,” a part of the digi-novel’s soundtrack.

Set in Los Angeles, “Waiting for My Time To Come” follows Bananas’ journey on the L.A. public transportation

MUSICNOTES

THE JAZZ BAKERY

Shows Importance of Music by eva recinos It would be way too difficult to keep up a jazz club decades after the birth of the genre, right?

For Ruth Price, the answer is no. The jazz vocalist chose 1992 as the year to introduce Jazz Bakery to the world, a nonprofit organization that puts on shows from various esteemed jazz musicians.

Typing ”jazz” into Google automatically brings up the “Jazz Bakery.” It’s the reincarnation and redefining of a movement and an era. Gone is the seedy atmosphere permeated with cigarette smoke and the clinking of cocktail glasses of the 1920s. Instead, the organization presents an environment that keeps refreshments away from the performance and gives free entrance to any child who sits on your lap during the show.

But for this burgeoning rebirth in Los Angeles, a city with every artsy movement from street art to street performance, home comes not in a location with dingy lighting and questionable alleys but in the shining lights of Helms Avenue.

Driving down the lengthy and variegated streets off Venice Boulevard, you encounter Helms, a mini-world within the Culver City community. The street contains furniture stores and eateries and catches your eye the moment you see the huge lighted storefront and the words “HD Buttercup.”

16

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

Civet share tales of Love & War Feb. 22. system, simultaneously trying to balance his mundane 9-to5 job with the devotion to music that gets him up in the morning.

“It’s always a struggle for balance,” says Bananas, explaining how his video fits with the storyline of Please Use Rear Exit. “To me, Please Use Rear Exit is the story of a bluecollar guy trying to keep his sanity outside of work. And then there’s the whole DIY aesthetic of what the book actually looks like; ‘Waiting’ just seemed like a perfect fit.”

The project is a run-up to the spring release of Electric Nights, a seven-song effort that TopBananas intends to release as a free download.

Ty Segall Goner Records artist Ty Segall lives in the Bay Area now, but he grew up in Laguna Beach, and life in both parts of California inform his new album, Melted. Segall says that Melted sounds like “cherry cola, Sno-Cones and taffy”; find out for yourself when Segall plays the Echoplex Jan. 27.

Campus Circle > Music > Music Notes The dainty location once gave home to the Jazz Bakery until its lease ended. Left without a permanent location, the Jazz Bakery is now cleverly called the “Movable Feast.” The group continues to organize shows at a variety of venues until they find somewhere else to call home.

And the moment has come for the aura of the place and its performances to move to a new block near the Kirk Douglas Theatre on Washington Boulevard, not too far from Sony Pictures as well as a kaleidoscope of small restaurants and movie theaters.

The move not only causes jubilation for the jazz show but also for jazz lovers and the music industry. Finding a location and money to pay the bills came from the obvious effort to keep this venerated business of entertainment alive. Though the idea of a modern take on the jazz club may sound strange, the venue garnered visits from many performers and racked up international fame. The place that ran seven nights a week and breathes and lives that it’s just “truly and purely about the music” got enough attention to keep its footing in society.

With a couple million dollars from the Annenberg Foundation, which supports everything from art to education, as well as a deal struck with Culver City to take over a vacant lot, Jazz Bakery makes it look easy to keep up the music identity not only in an economically shaky city, but one that that has its head immersed in dozens of other music genres, not just jazz.

From the beginning, the foundation thrived from the unrelenting support of state organizations like the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Los Angeles County Arts Commission and businesses such as Guitar Center. The contributions show that there is something uniquely beneficial about having a place dedicated to music in your community.

The Jazz Bakery is not just an organization started by eclectic

Corey Wilkes performs at Jazz Bakery’s Movable Feast Feb. 4. jazz enthusiasts; it is a location where you can escape the noise of the city and enjoy jazz music. In that room, everyone from a toddler to a senior citizen can take a break from the hustle and bustle and just experience the power of music.

The dedication shown by the organization to keep its head afloat despite various obstacles, and the fact that it relies heavily on volunteers, shows that music, even the genres not in the Top 40, holds a special value for others, a value that can overcome any obstacles. From the teenager doling out a wrinkled dollar for a Hot Topic bag that gives back to the Hot Topic Foundation for the arts, there exists an obvious effort to keep up the arts in the community and allow music to thrive even in a difficult economy. It’s not too late to revive a musical movement. Everything from the music and attitude of the revived musical “Hair,” to the smooth persona and admirable dedication of the Jazz Bakery, shows that whatever music moves you, it really moves you.

For more information, visit jazzbakery.com.

Join CAMPUS CIRCLE www.campuscircle.com CDREVIEWS Betty Moon Rollin’ Revolution (Evolver) Canadian Margaret Elizabeth culled her alter ego Betty Moon from A Witches’ Bible, but don’t think that because her stage name is taken from an occult handbook that she’s flakey or fakey. To the contrary, Moon was a teen fashion model, is trained in ballet and dramatic performing arts and is also an alum of the jazz program at Humber College in Toronto.

But the singer/rhythm guitarist has been rocking out for a while, and now she has relocated to Los Angeles to start, or more accurately continue, her Rollin’ Revolution.

Moon starts the album with “Captain Hi-Top,” a bluesy rocker that sounds like one of the jams that Grace Potter and the Nocturnals might knock out.

“My Stupid Dream,” Rollin’ Revolution’s first single, is a bit heavier with slashes of buzzing guitar that aim the song at hard rock radio and video playlists, typically a boys’ club.

As the album develops though, Moon’s primary influence becomes obvious; whether the songs are slices of slow, smoky seduction (“Drink Your Fears Away”), rocking, sex-charged thumpers (“Damagement”) or something in between, every song here echoes the classic rock of Heart.

Fans of Ann and Nancy Wilson owe it to themselves to check out this album, and Moon’s younger listeners will hear in Rollin’ Revolution one of the best kinds of ’70s rock done extremely well.

Betty Moon performs Jan. 28 at the Whisky A-Go-Go. Grade: A —Kevin Wierzbicki Rollin’ Revolution is currently available.

Gang of Four Content (Yep Roc) A third of the way into Gang of Four’s seventh studio album, Content, the band asks, “Who Am I?” and by the time you reach the final track, you might be asking yourself who this band is.

England’s post-punk pioneers are no strangers to experimental, minimal arrangements, but Content tears the envelope instead of pushing it.

“It Was Never Gonna Turn Out Too Good” provides the pun I don’t have to and made me look through the liner notes to see if T-Pain was a guest. The Auto-Tune, robotic voice sounds like an inside joke that somehow made it through the cutting room floor.

There are bright spots on Content, but they’re few and far between. Like a rock that gets a good skip on a lake, as soon as you hit a high point, the next song brings you back down with the gravity of mediocrity.

Grade: C—Richard Castañeda Content is currently available.

John Vanderslice with the Magik Magik Orchestra White Wilderness (Dead Oceans) Fans of John Vanderslice may have been concerned upon hearing the news out of the artist’s San Francisco camp that his new album was going to be a collaboration with the Magik Magik Orchestra, perhaps fearing that the large, classically-oriented orchestra would overwhelm his brand of understated pop.

In reality, Vanderslice has a long relationship with the MMO, and he hasn’t undergone too much of a stylistic departure here; he’s selected a mere handful (19 out of 100 or so) of their members to enhance White Wilderness with horns, reeds and strings.

The ensemble gives “Sea Salt” a cinematic feel, almost saying as much with buoyant flourishes of strings as Vanderslice does with his typically timid vocals.

“The Piano Lesson,” on the other hand, is jazzier and verging on the avant-garde as the string section plucks out a dance of individual notes, percussionists tap out a swirling polyrhythm and one insistent saxophone honks like an asthmatic duck.

On “Alemany Gap” the orchestration adds whimsy to a song that might otherwise just be melancholic, and throughout Vanderslice demonstrates that he knows just how to employ the MMO to best

Campus Circle > Music > CD Reviews effect, ending up with one of his strongest albums ever, if not his best.

Grade: A —Kevin Wierzbicki White Wilderness is currently available.

Lia Ices Grown Unknown (Jagjaguwar) There is really no arguing the fact that Lia Ices makes music that takes an acquired taste to appreciate.

Much of her work is minimalist in nature, or at least takes awhile to get started.

Grown Un– known’s opener is a slow, almost dirge-like ballad featuring Ices’ delicate, ethereal vocals over a sparse piano melody that eventually blossoms with a few more instruments and a catchy yet very subtle hook on the chorus.

Much of Ices’ vocal work, when there is little instrumentation, reminds of something like you’d find in a fantasy movie, perhaps when the film’s directionless hero suddenly finds enlightenment after stumbling upon this siren/nymph/pixie.

Patient and adventurous listeners will get a similar feeling from songs like “Little Marriage,” delicately dolled up with jingling bells, music box-like keyboard playing and a rhythm of snapping fingers.

Adding to the overall mystical aura is the performance of several songs in a Celtic vein, notably the title cut and “Ice Wine,” which is rendered both sweet and ominous by the traditional sounds.

Like the early albums of Kate Bush, Grown Unknown takes some getting used to and will never appeal to the masses, but there’s plenty of substance here for those willing to take a chance.

Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Grown Unknown is currently available.

The Material What We Are (Self-released) For their debut full length, the San Diego natives of the Material have done the impossible by self-releasing a freshman album that puts the signed (and better-funded) bands in their genre to shame with their songwriting and musicianship. To the point it’s almost offensive that this band isn’t actually signed yet.

From infectious dance-pop to gritty and introspective emopunk, the band effortlessly fuses a multitude of influences for a very natural effect, and continues to make themselves distinctive from similar female-fronted acts of lesser quality.

Frontwoman Colleen D’Agostino shows a darker and grittier side than before on songs like “Let You Down,” while maintaining her signature sensitivity on tracks like the emotive “I’d Be Lying” without falling into cliché trappings of sappiness.

Appropriately, guitarists Jon Moreaux and Roi Elam have mastered the art of thunderous arena jam shredding, and careful, intricate strumming to match D’Agostino’s vocal mood setting.

With the intensity turned up to 11 for the majority of the tracks, however, the album wouldn’t have been hurt by seeing more of the softer, more delicate vocals D’Agostino reveals in the piano-backed opening lines of “The Only One.” Though that strength is downplayed on What We Are, the fivesome still sound like nothing less than seasoned professionals on it.

But, y’know, pros that aren’t jaded and still know how to have fun.

Grade: A—Brien Overly What We Are is currently available.

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

17

FILM

MUSIC CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Art Beauty Books Fashion Food Gaming Get Up, Get Out L.A. Moves Lifestyle Special Features Theater Travel

L.A.MOVES

Campus Circle > Culture > L.A. Moves

GRUPO CORPO Jan. 28-30 @ Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

One of Brazil’s most celebrated perform– ing arts companies, Grupo Corop was founded by six members of the Pederneiras family, including choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras.

This week they perform two pieces, “Parabelo” and “Ímã,” both bursting with joyous dance movements and musical rhythms influenced by samba, capoeira, rhumba, bossa nova, tango and carnival.

Describe Grupo Corpo.

Rodrigo Pederneiras: “Grupo Corpo” was established in 1975.

The name chosen for the company was Grupo Corpo, which literally can be translated as “Body Group.”

Despite growing into a bigger company and running an important dance school, there is still the same spirit of unity that was there at its origins.

The creative collaboration between the direction, administration, the artistic director, the choreographer, dancers, lighting designer, scenic artist and costume designer has grown ever closer and the new works have gained each time greater harmony and unity.

Grupo Corpo has developed along those 35 years a very specific style, based on the Brazilian way of life.

What influences your dance performances?

The Brazilian culture is reflected in our work, through the music, the rhythm and also the way Brazilian people move.

Since my initial works, I began to create a spatial design, drawing imaginary lines from the entry and exit points of the dancers on the stage, testing my control over structures and movements.

Even though classical ballet techniques were the basis of my work, little by little Brazilian movements begun to be brought to the stage. We became to dance in a Brazilian style, showing some peculiar movements inherent to Brazilian people.

How is it working with family?

I think that the intimacy in excess isn’t good for work itself but helps a lot to overcome problems. And beyond the Pederneiras, there are other Grupo Corpo founders that have the same importance.

The most important here is the trust that exists between these people.

How did the ideas for this L.A. show come about?

The program is composed of two pieces: “Parabelo” and “Ímã.”

“Parabelo” is a sort of old gun that was used in the beginning of the last century.

This piece was created in 1997 and was inspired in a region of the northeast of Brazil, where the sun is so strong that it kills like a gun. But, on the other hand, it is a place of a very rich popular culture. “Ímã” means magnet, and the idea behind this piece, created in 2009, is the attraction and repulsion between the parts and the whole.

JETSETTER

COACHELLA SIDE TRIP Yucca Valley

by kevin wierzbicki Chances are you’ve never taken a road trip with the expressed intent of taking a bath. But in the Yucca Valley area there’s a place where you can take a “bath” you’ll never forget! The city of Yucca Valley is not only the gateway to the vast Joshua Tree National Park, a stunningly beautiful chunk of the high Mojave Desert, but also the place where the Old West and the New Age collide seamlessly. Best of all, the Yucca Valley area attractions are just off the highway near Indio and make for some potential extra fun if you’re planning a trip to the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.

Here are some things you might enjoy: You Need a Bath! The historic domed building known as the Integraton (2477 Belfield Blvd., Landers; integraton. com) was built in the ’50s out in the desert at a spot where the Mojave’s geomagnetic forces are said to align. Energy and sound are focused and amplified by the structure, and the facility offers a 30-minute “sound bath” where pure quartz crystal “singing bowls” are played live, bathing your body in acoustically perfect sound while you relax yoga style. The results are waves of peace, increased balance and awareness and deep relaxation of the mind and body. Public (group) sound baths start at $10 per person.

18

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

José Luiz Pederneiras

NEWS

Grupo Corpo dancers perform in the “Ímã” piece of “Parabelo.”

Is music a big part of the performances?

Yes, the music is the basis and the principle of my works.

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is located at 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. For more information, visit musiccenter.org.

Campus Circle > Culture > Travel Pioneertown: Pioneertown (pioneertown.com), located just outside of Yucca Valley, is a tiny Old West town and movie set where dozens of Western films starring old-time cowboys like Gene Autry and the Cisco Kid were produced. Roy Rogers, although he never filmed here, was often on the set and stayed in the Pioneertown Motel (5040 Curtis Road, Pioneertown; pitowninn.com), still in existence and still renting quaint rooms. Visitors can take self-guided tours of Pioneertown any day, and every Saturday from April through October (They’ll be there during Coachella.), the Pioneertown Posse puts on a Wild West show complete with gunfights and singing cowboys. Pioneertown is also home to Pappy and Harriet’s Restaurant, a good place to get grub, but also a concert venue that has hosted shows by Robert Plant, Billy Corgan, the Eagles of Death Metal, the Donnas and the Arctic Monkeys.

The Joshua Tree National Park: The otherworldly landscape of the Joshua Tree National Park (nps.gov/jotr), besides being filled with countless examples of its namesake, is strewn with huge boulders and rock piles and has become a favorite destination for rock climbers, with bolting allowed in certain areas with a permit. A scenic view can be had anywhere in the park but a stop at the Keys View overlook affords a vista that takes in the Salton Sea and, on a clear day, Mexico. The park has nine campgrounds, a dozen nature trails and six hiking trails. Ranger-led tours to the Keys Ranch, a surprisingly well-maintained, early 20th century homestead, are also available. The park charges an entry fee.

Take a Class: If you like what you see in the Yucca Valley area and would like to spend some additional time there furthering your education, you can do so through the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park (joshuatree.org). The institute offers field classes in Creative Arts, Cultural History, Desert Survival and Natural Science where you can take

Take in the otherworldly beauty of Joshua Tree National Park courses like “Desert Snakes: Fangs, Rattle and More.” Some classes are for college credit, and there’s usually a selection of classes available at half price.

Sushi and a Bed: Yucca Valley is the jumping-off place for all of the above activities, and the city is big enough that you can satisfy your shopping, dining and drinking desires easily.

The rates at the Yucca Valley Travelodge (54850 29 Palms Highway; yuccavalleyresort.com) are student friendly, and the motel has a game room, an extensive fitness center, a large, heated pool and (wait for it…) a sushi bar! Extended stay suites and furnished apartments are also available if you’d like to make the Travelodge your headquarters during Coachella.

There’s a California Welcome Center in Yucca Valley (56711 29 Palms Highway) that can provide you with maps and other information, and the city’s Chamber of Commerce has additional information available at yuccavalley.org.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle BEAUTYBEAT

GETUPGETOUT

ALEXANDER’S FOR HAIR

Know what’s fun? When you go to get your hair done and you have the option of getting your nails done, a facial or a relaxing massage. There are not too many places in Los Angeles that offer all of these services – let alone at a low cost.

Enter Alexander’s for Hair, a unisex salon in West Los Angeles. Opened by Krissy Smith, a master stylist who has a focus on being “green,” her goal is to provide a spot for both men and women for all their beauty needs. Now you men can go to the salon and watch the game at your station with your personal DirecTV flat screen or read up on the latest trends in Details. You can even purchase hair products from American Crew.

All of the products used at Alexander’s for Hair are organic. From the formaldehydefree nail to the skincare products, you feel better from the high quality of treatment.

For hair, Eufora is featured here. I have used Eufora for my African-American hair, and it works really well. The products are aloe vera gel based, with essential oils and botanical extracts (no sodium sulfate). Skincare also goes “green” as the salon has teamed up with Dr. Bernard Gramlich, founder of GRAM skincare. GRAM skincare focuses on protecting your skin from elements that cause inflammation, namely the environment, physical damage and hormone fluctuations. This line is great, especially the clarifying cleanser with apple stems (anti-wrinkles!). This works to go get rid of the blackheadcausing bacteria under the skin, before they rise to the surface.

If that’s not enticing enough to get you in, Alexander for Hair offers a 15 percent student discount all the time; just show your student ID. Also, through Feb. 13, you can enjoy 30 percent off the services if you mention this code: AFHGO. A 90-minute hot stone massage will only set you back about $65 – that’s unheard of in this town!

For more information, visit alexandersforhair.com.

BEAUTYBEAT

BELLACURES by erica carter

Male or female, you’ve probably had a bout with nail biting. If you bite them too far down, it looks ugly and can be painful. There are millions of nail salons you can go to in this town, but some tend to sacrifice cleanliness, or there’s a huge language barrier.

About four years ago, Bellacures, a new nail salon in town, was started by Samira Asemanfar whose idea was to change the way we mani/pedi. She wanted to ensure that her clients feel “comfortable enough to focus on what really matters: remembering that the little girl inside of you just wants to sparkle.”

Now men, you’re not cut out of this philosophy. What’s cool about Bellacures is the seating. Gone are the spa tubs and in come plush chairs with high armrests for your comfort. The pedicure tubs are lined with plastic and filled with perfectly warm water.

Bellacures uses these tubs because it’s been said that pipes from whirlpool spas can carry bacteria, hair and skin particles if not cleaned correctly. They also start you with a disposable pouch filled with toe separators, files, buffers – all the tools necessary for your treatment. After your treatment is finished, you can take the pouch home for further use … green and clean!

A popular service is the Fresh Start Manicure and Pedicure, a lemongrass soak with sea salt exfoliating treatment. After, a mask and paraffin treatment is applied to your hands and toes and the icing on the cake is a 10-minute hand and foot massage.

Bellacures features the latest colors from OPI and Essie nail polish. If you’ve ever used those products you know they are made to last.

A quick tip to students: The newest location in the Larchmont Village is offering a special. E-mail them and mention Bellacures in Campus Circle and receive a free pedicure.

Bellacures is located at 239 N. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills; 205 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles; 11712 Barrington Court, Los Angeles; 1609 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; 13033 Ventura Blvd., A, Studio City. For more information, visit bellacures.com.

Michael Meseke 2010

11515 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles by erica carter “Traces” is a high-energy acrobatic spectacle!

‘TRACES’

Now-Feb. 20 @ Ricardo Montalbán Theatre by stephanie forshee Picture this: You’re applauding uncontrollably after witnessing one of the most amazing acrobatic stunts you will ever see. Then, you pause about 10 seconds. Alright, wait for it – yes, now. Your thunderous applause immediately returns, because you have no choice but to continuously applaud these acrobatic performers. That’s sort of what being in the audience of “Traces” is like.

You don’t know what impressive is, you know no one who deserves the title of “multitalented” and your definition of stamina is way off – until you’ve seen “Traces.”

These seven artists – six men and one woman – truly boast multiple talents, all of which are extraordinary.

The entire ensemble kicks off the show with what one can only describe as seven people running mad on stage, but all the while squeezing in as many stunts as possible in the opening number. The artists tumble simultaneously all about the floor while those in the background (two men) throw a lady in the air while she dives at another man who somehow manages to catch her.

The madness continues for about seven minutes or so with the most action-packed acrobatics you’ll ever see. Even if you are familiar with impressive acrobatics, these performers are doing tricks one after another in a matter of seconds.

The opening is precisely what cast member Bradley Henderson told Campus Circle.

“It’s action packed, from the very start of the show,” he said. “People don’t really know what’s going on. It’s kind of chaotic. People are just flying everywhere.”

Mason Ames and Valérie Benoît-Charbonneau start off with an acrobatic dance duet that makes your campus cheerleading squad look like a joke. Of course, he lifts her up in the air with one arm, which most of us find impressive enough. But then Ames goes on to yo-yo Benoît-Charbonneau over his head, between his legs, behind his back, any place you’d never imagine. The duet is stunning and brilliantly choreographed.

Original cast member Henderson’s “Wheel” is equally impressive. He essentially spins inside of a metal ring by shifting his weight, just as a quarter spins on a table. His specialty is not only astonishing but interesting to see how someone can use their body in such a way.

The biggest crowd-pleaser is Florian Zumkehr’s stunt with a chair. He doesn’t sit; he stands. And he doesn’t stand with his feet the whole time; he also stands on his head. And he’s not pulling a headstand on the base of one chair. His fellow artists assist in arranging three chairs atop one another. Only then does he perform a headstand, a one-handed handstand switching arms, perfectly erect in the air.

The ensemble together is terrific. No one knows trust like these performers. They rely on one another to jump over them on roller skates, to catch them when someone throws them in the air and to not crash into them as they’re flying towards one another in the air.

You’ll never see anything like it. It’s unbelievable, and the performers’ personalities are layered in throughout the show. From the very beginning, the performers tell a little about themselves. While it might appear out of place at first, it makes the show that much more magical and personal as it progresses.

Director and choreographers Shana Carroll and Gypsy Snider and acrobatic designer Sébastien Soldevila showcase amazing originality in “Traces.” If it’s even possible to have a tougher job than these incredible performers, Carroll, Snider, and Soldevila have it.

It is fascinating enough to watch the acrobats’ movements, stunts and tricks. But your curiosity overwhelms you as you sit and think who created their movements and choreography and how it could possibly be done. The show is astounding, and you won’t want to miss these performers truly give their heart and soul to this breathtaking spectacle. “Traces” will make you soar with delight and dive into a most magical place.

Ricardo Montalbán Theatre is located at 1615 Vine St., Hollywood. For more information, visit broadwayLA.org.

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

19

FILM

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Art Beauty Books Fashion Food Gaming Lifestyle Special Features Theater Travel

CURTAINCALL “Me, As a Penguin” Now-March 6 @ The Lost Studio There’s a penguin in the bathtub! Yes, you’re probably as shocked as I was when I heard those words in the play “Me, As a Penguin.” If you assume the title is a metaphor or symbolizes something other than a penguin, you would be absolutely mistaken. The peculiarity of this play is overwhelming.

Liz (Mina Badie) is pregnant and about to pop. As if practicing for her own child, she takes her younger brother Stitch (Brendan Hunt) under her wing after he leaves his mother’s knitting shop. Stitch’s unusual behavior creates trouble for Liz and her boyfriend Mark (Craig Robert Young).

Hunt and Badie’s chemistry as loving siblings works well.

The two offer the audience some great laughs, as does Young.

Like a penguin with wings to soar but lacking the means to fly, “Me, As a Penguin” offers amusement but doesn’t quite ever take off. While the four actors are all terrific, the entire length of the show you sit in your seat begging the blatant question: Why are these terrific actors reading this curious script?

When the actors receive a laugh, it is 100 percent for their delivery. Bravo for them for making it work, because Tom Wells’ script could offer more. The play leaves too many pieces of the puzzle missing.

—Stephanie Forshee The Lost Studio is located at 130 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles.

For more information, visit plays411.com/me.

“Stories by Heart” Now-Feb. 13 @ Mark Taper Forum There are few performers who take to the stage with such relish as John Lithgow. The veteran actor of theater, film and television seems most at home – indeed, most at ease – in front

Campus Circle > Culture > Theater of a live audience. It feels appropriate, then, that the setting of Lithgow’s one-man show “Stories by Heart” involves simply a table, chair, lamp and some old rugs, the kind that you might find in the cozy den of one’s private quarters.

Oh, and a book. One rough-hewn copy of Teller of Tales, a collection of stories compiled by the late, great essayist H.L. Mencken. From these pages Lithgow has selected the two stories that are featured in each of the evening’s two acts, Uncle Fred Flits By and Haircut.

The significance of these two stories for Lithgow is personal. He rediscovered them while nursing his aged father back to health after a medical procedure. The idea struck Lithgow to read bedtime stories to help calm his father’s anxieties. As Lithgow reflects on the time, he shares some personal and family history.

The third of four children, Lithgow describes a childhood where storytelling was the most constant feature, a kind of religious practice. Lithgow’s parents were traveling thespians whose specialty was producing Shakespeare festivals. Lithgow recalls the adventures of his early family life with a kind of dismay as well as gratitude. He seems to acknowledge that the curious gift of storytelling, which every performer must embody, came to him as a kind of sacred heirloom, one that he is eager to share.

And so the evening is also an ode to storytelling itself and the role it plays in our lives. Lithgow asks more questions then he presupposes to answer, happy instead to let the voice of the stories provide whatever answers there may be for the meaning of storytelling in our lives. This he does with uncommon brilliance, deftly jumping from character to character in Uncle Fred Flits By or fully embodying the vulgarities of the narrator of Haircut.

Lithgow’s art is as much physical as vocal, rhythmic as

CURTAINCALL

‘EMILY’S SONG’

Now-Feb. 27 @ Hudson Mainstage by stephanie forshee What would it be like if a 10-year-old child was suddenly without a father? After being diagnosed with colon cancer, this is the question Chet Holmes faced. And so began his writing of “Emily’s Song.”

The world premiere that Hudson Mainstage is currently presenting as the musical “Emily’s Song” was originally a screenplay that was sold to Warner Bros. with LeAnn Rimes attached to play the lead. At the time, Holmes was thrilled to have sold his first screenplay, but the changes at the hands of the studio were so drastic he found himself desiring more creative control.

While the movie has yet to be filmed, several writers and directors have worked on the project at one point or another over the past several years.

“Some of them changed the story so much that you wouldn’t recognize it from my original story,” explains Holmes.

After the multitude of alterations, Holmes decided to buy back complete rights to “Emily’s Song” from Warner Bros.

20

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

Claudia Unger

NEWS

James Donovan and Mina Badie in “Me, As a Penguin” dramatic. At once he will employ vaudevillian footwork to strut across the stage or utter hideous sounds to capture a moment, but he always shows the good taste of allowing the language of the story to take center stage. This may be the most poignant and tragic aspect of the show, a kind of requiem for a bygone literary culture. For even as the show is a celebration of a rich literary legacy it can’t help but ring a melancholic note at its demise.

—Dov Rudnick Mark Taper Forum is located at 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

For more information, visit centertheatregroup.org.

Campus Circle > Culture > Theater “I wanted to tell it the way I wrote it, so I put it on as a play,” he says. “I have the control to tell the story that I wrote.

I’m really pleased and thrilled to show what I originally created.”

Seeing the play on stage is a dream come true for Holmes.

“The vision of what I dreamed the reaction [would be] was pretty much on target,” he shares.

“You sort of have a vision in your mind where you think people will laugh and where you think people will cry or you think people will cheer. And then you put it in front of an audience to see what happens. And in this case, they laughed where I wanted them to laugh, they cried where I wanted them to cry and they cheered where I wanted them to,” boasts Holmes.

To say the least, Holmes is beyond pleased with the first performances of the show.

“It’s wonderful to take something that you wrote from your heart and see these phenomenal actors who just bring so much to the characters and put it in front of an audience and see the audience get it, the way you originally intended,” says Holmes.

“It’s a thrilling period,” he adds.

The musical tells the story of Emily, who loses her mother at childbirth and depends on her father to raise her.

The two share a talent and enthusiasm for music.

When her father mysteriously disappears, Emily is left with only the music. So she dedicates her life to the successful singer-songwriter career she establishes for herself.

When Emily meets the potential love of her life, she can’t help but be standoffish since everyone she has truly loved she has lost.

Lindsey Haun (“True Blood”) stars as Emily in the 11-member cast.

Carmine DiBenedetto and Lindsey Haun in “Emily’s Song” “That girl’s a pro,” says Holmes of the starlet. “It’s a tour-de-force performance. It’s this huge part with a huge undertaking.”

Holmes’ daughter Amanda serves as the musical director and Haun’s understudy. She had the chance to fill in as Emily when Haun stepped out for nine days for a film, mainly in rehearsals, but also for one preview before a live audience.

“It was really cool to see my daughter in the preview,” says Holmes. “She’s not an actress. She didn’t want to be. But she can blow the walls off a stadium. She’s got one of those really powerful voices.”

Amanda also wrote five of the 11 songs in the musical.

“She’s gone on to be a prolific songwriter,” tells Holmes.

“She was inspired by [‘Emily’s Song’].”

Even with the adjustments to “Emily’s Song,” the stage might not be its permanent home after all is said and done.

“I want the opportunity to maybe get another studio to make it,” admits Holmes.

Hudson Mainstage is located at 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. For more information, visit emilyssong.com.

Become a CAMPUS CIRCLE Fan on Facebook http://bit.ly/dhFhEE ONTHEMENU

THEARTOFLOVE

FREEBIRDS WORLD BURRITO

Q&A

by lynda correa

Sarah Wiggins-Goff

3335 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles

by lucia

It’s a free country, right? To Americans, freedom of choice is one of the most valued liberties. Actually, it is one of the most cited rights directly applicable to daily living.

So here’s a question, why should this liberty be suffocated when it comes to food?

Freebirds World Burrito is looking to bridge the gap between our natural tendency toward unlimited freedom and narrowed food choices.

Freebirds, a concept burrito restaurant, has opened their second California location in downtown Los Angeles, across from USC. The original Freebirds opened in Isla Vista, near UC Santa Barbara, over 23 years ago.

With all the burrito joints in Los Angeles, why the need for another one? Because Freebirds is fresh food and gives you the “freedom to express yourself through the food you eat,” says Jeff Carl, chief marketing officer.

Upon arriving, guests are paired with a team member, known as a roller, and they will guide through your order the whole way, instead of handing you off to someone else like an insensitive assembly line. Your roller ensures that your food is made exactly how you want it, using only the freshest ingredients like grass-fed beef, hormone-free chicken, all natural pork carnitas or crispy fish topped with hand-cut veggies.

With four sizes and four flavors of tortillas to start with, a mathematician will find that there are over 2.2 trillion choices to customize your own burrito. (Yes really, they did the math.) The “Super Monster” burrito, a true man’s man burrito can weigh up to seven pounds. Take that, taco stands!

The theme to Freebirds clearly is freedom, with a free-spirited ambiance and a late ’60s rock ’n’ roll soundtrack. They like to say, “you rock, we roll,” and truly it’s an experience in itself.

Carl comments, “It’s all about freedom, where else can you find a huge blowout wall of the Easy Rider movie and a real motorcycle suspended from the ceiling?”

Each Freebirds location features the signature Statue of Liberty – affectionately known as ‘Libby’ – riding a custom-built motorcycle while breaking through the Freedom Wall. Libby serves as an awesome visual reminder and encourager to break through walls and change the world.

Freebirds more than anything is just about fun. Guest can enjoy making “foil art” with the foil left over from their burritos to leave on display around the restaurant. In some places, the art begins to take over, where Carl says, “It’s almost like we need a curator for the foil art.” They really emphasize freedom of expression in more than just your food choices.

True to their word of having more choices, the menu extends beyond just burritos.

Open at 6:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, you can grab spiced coffee or horchata and a breakfast burrito, or guests can have tacos, freedom salads, bowls and more. Freebirds is open until 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 9:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Not only does Freebirds strive to feed your belly, but your soul as well. Freebirds World Works was created to work with every World Burrito site to partner with two local charities to “help create awareness, act as a volunteer resource and become ambassadors” of their organizations.

For the Los Angeles location, the Art of Elysium, which provides artistic workshops for children battling serious medical conditions, and Union Rescue Mission, which embraces people experiencing homelessness, have been named the designated charities.

If the fresh food wasn’t enough to draw you to Freebirds, their charitable spirit will. You can eat well and feel good about it. Food with a conscience, yum!

It was the perfect storm for Freebirds grand opening. It was the first week back to school for USC students, and it was the first big party night that Thursday, Jan. 13. Add perfect timing to word of mouth buzz, and you get a grand opening that had to stay open 24 hours.

People were still in line for burritos at 4 a.m. They waited in line for something they thought was going to be worth it – and it is.

For more information, visit freebirds.com/california.htm.

I fell in love with a girl, and I told her. She was happy and said we can keep in touch online but she needs time. We spent a lot of time chatting.

One day she said she loves me, but soon afterwards she said she just wants to be friends. I was upset but agreed to be friends.

One day we met, walked and talked and suddenly she told me, “I love you.” However, she called me after three hours to tell me she wants to go back to being friends.

When I don’t speak to her, she gets angry and tells me she can’t imagine herself with someone else but me. When I start speaking to her again, she tells me she just wants to be friends.

I do love her but what she is doing is making my heart fade. I’m starting to feel she is lying and playing games.

—Alex I don’t know how old this girl is, but she sounds very young – if not in age, then definitely emotionally immature.

It may be that she’s interested but scared or she may be playing games. It doesn’t really matter which one it is because the result is the same – it doesn’t feel good.

As long as she keeps going back and forth, you can’t take her seriously. She needs to be consistent in both her words and behavior. You can’t have a committed relationship with someone who can change her mind from one hour to the next.

I would suggest you date other girls and tread carefully with this girl.

Write to Lucia at theartoflove.net. Read an excerpt from Lucia’s Lessons of Love at lessonsoflove.net. Listen to Lucia live every Sunday at 3 p.m. PST on latalkradio.com.

Remember: Love inspires, empowers, uplifts and enlightens.

FOOD LOVERS DELIGHT • Medium 2 Topping Pizza • Spaghetti Marinara • Romano Bread Puffs

$21.95

Agoura Hills (818) 707-2121 • Camarillo (805) 389-4700 • Culver City (323) 296-1543 • Encino (818) 990-8820 Glendale (818) 247-1946 • Granada Hills (818) 831-1245 • Hollywood (323) 467-5791 • Huntington Beach (714) 964-5926 Koreatown (213) 386-6884 • Lawndale (310) 214-8704 • Mar Vista (310) 398-0180 • North Hollywood (818) 766-7184 Pacoima (818) 890-5515 • Palmdale (661) 947-4545 • Pasadena (626) 577-1723 • Saugus (661) 259-3895 • Simi Valley (805) 522-2586 Torrance (310) 792-4604 • Van Nuys (818) 786-3204 • Wilshire/Highland (323) 939-7661 • Winnetka (818) 700-0509 Expires 12/31/11

PASTA FEAST Buy a Pasta Dish and Get a Second Pasta of Equal or Lesser Value for…

FREE

Agoura Hills (818) 707-2121 • Camarillo (805) 389-4700 • Culver City (323) 296-1543 • Encino (818) 990-8820 Glendale (818) 247-1946 • Granada Hills (818) 831-1245 • Hollywood (323) 467-5791 • Huntington Beach (714) 964-5926 Koreatown (213) 386-6884 • Lawndale (310) 214-8704 • Mar Vista (310) 398-0180 • North Hollywood (818) 766-7184 Pacoima (818) 890-5515 • Palmdale (661) 947-4545 • Pasadena (626) 577-1723 • Saugus (661) 259-3895 • Simi Valley (805) 522-2586 Torrance (310) 792-4604 • Van Nuys (818) 786-3204 • Wilshire/Highland (323) 939-7661 • Winnetka (818) 700-0509 Expires 12/31/11

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

21

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Baseball Basketball Football Hockey Soccer

BASKETBALL

UCLA AIMS TO EVEN SERIES AGAINST USC by marvin vasquez

After the UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team suffered a 63-52 loss to the host USC Trojans at the Galen Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 9, they garnered a four-game winning streak. USC, on the other hand, is 1-3 after that affair with an overall record of 11-9 and 3-4 in conference play.

UCLA is carrying marks of 13-6 and 5-2, respectively, and are currently in a tie for second place in the Pac-10 with Arizona.

USC is tied for fifth. Currently, the Washington Huskies, ranked No. 20 in the nation, are atop of the Pacific 10 Conference.

The Bruins gathered victories on the road at Oregon State, 62-57 (Jan. 13), and Oregon, 67-59 (Jan. 15). Then they came home to collect wins over California, 86-84 (Jan. 20), and Stanford, 68-57 (Jan. 22).

Two predominant reasons why the Bruins have been solid of late are the production of sophomore forwards Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt. Both are averaging nearly 14 points and eight rebounds a game. Junior guards Malcolm Lee and Lazeric Jones have been instrumental as well. Lee is posting 12.8 points, while Jones’ 11.5 represents a boost in the scoring column. In their last win, which came against the Cardinal, Lee completely dominated the stat sheet. He contributed 23 points

Campus Circle > Sports > Basketball on 6-of-11 from the field, including two three-pointers, 9-of10 from the charity stripe and two steals. And his defensive efforts were remarkable.

“There’s not a better defender maybe in the country at the wing than Malcolm Lee,” Bruin head coach Ben Howland states.

Moreover, Jones collected 17 points and six boards, while Honeycutt registered 16 points and eight rebounds. What really won the game for the Bruins was defense, however, since they held Stanford to 30 percent shooting. Stanford was 20of-65. And what was most impressive is that the Bruins came from a 14-point deficit to defeat the visiting Cardinal (10-8, 3-4), who saw Josh Owens score a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Jeremy Green added 12 points.

“They definitely came out and punched us first,” Nelson says.

Play like that can assure the young Bruins’ team many potential wins in their remaining games, but it will not be easy.

“We’re just coming together as a team, and I think we’ll be pretty dangerous if we keep this going,” Nelson adds.

Jones continues, “We’re becoming really mentally tough.

When things don’t go our way, we’re out there fighting for each other.”

This is the mentality the Bruins must have against USC. The Trojans have not been stellar thus far in conference action, and a victory over their crosstown rival could easily change that perspective and silence critics. USC’s last contest came as they entertained the Cal Bears, ending in a two-point defeat (68-66) Jan. 22. Senior guard Donte Smith had 24 points to go along with a couple of rebounds and assists. But that did not help the Trojans even though Smith set a career high in points and three-pointers made with eight.

Freshman guard Maurice Jones was the only other Trojan

L.A.HOOPLA

LAKERS SPLIT ROAD GAMES by marvin vasquez

The Los Angeles Lakers are getting bet– ter, both defensively and offensively. Their most recent performance over the Nuggets in Denver last Friday proved it, especially after a 107-97 victory that avenged an earlier season defeat. Center Andrew Bynum did not see action in the 118-112 loss on Nov. 11, and he made a difference this time around.

Bynum collected 17 points, seven rebounds and two pivotal blocked shots that helped the purple and gold get back on the winning track. Both forwards Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom posted double-doubles, with Gasol registering 19 points and 13 rebounds while Odom had 18 points and 10 boards.

“How about Lamahhhh,” Bynum says about Odom. “He was strong.”

Yes, he was, but Bynum’s big presence both defensively in the paint and offensively showed substantial progress for the Lakers. Even Denver head coach George Karl knew it made a significant difference.

“Every one of their big guys had a big game,” Karl remarks.

“They’re trees down there,” Nugget Carmelo Anthony said. “And they bring Lamar, another 7-footer, off the bench, and he does the same thing: attack the offensive glass, putbacks.”

22

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/MCT

FILM

One of the best defenders in the country: UCLA’s Malcolm Lee in double figures, scoring 10 points. Three other players had eight points each, while no other Trojan had more than six.

The fact of the matter is that the Trojans need more people involved in the structure of the game in order to compete efficiently. A monstrous performance from one of them will not cut it against the Bruins. To top that off, the Trojans shot 40 percent from the field. However, the Bears recorded a better percentage in 45. This is where junior center Nikola Vucevic comes into play. Vucevic is the leading scorer while averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds per game, and he has to be highly effective in the paint offensively. A failure in Vucevic’s performance can simply cause the Trojans to be nonexistent with their big men on the attacking end. Junior guard Jio Fontan and senior forward Alex Stepheson are integral parts of the Trojan offense, too.

With the momentum and home court in their favor, look for the Bruins to overcome their earlier season defeat to the Trojans. UCLA and USC face off on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at Pauley Pavilion in Westwood with an 8 p.m. tipoff.

All stats as of Jan. 24.

Campus Circle > Sports > Basketball Kobe Bryant’s efficiency was noticeable although not prominent. Bryant scored 18 points, recorded six rebounds and made seven assists in less than 33 minutes of playing time.

Bryant had a low-key image in the first half.

“It’s important for me to keep my guys involved, and build their confidence,” he mentions. “I know I can score at any moment or get looks at any moment. The third quarter I was able to do that.”

But Ron Artest was an integral part of the win, as well.

In just 26 minutes, Artest pounded a total of 19 points and played extremely tough defense on Anthony throughout the contest. He was quiet overall, but very effective in containing Anthony.

“Artest is a strong defensive player,” Anthony says of the previous Houston Rockets’ player. “He has quick hands. I think as a whole the Lakers just do a great job just shifting the court, and especially now with Bynum and Gasol down there.

With Artest on the ball, he can take a lot of more chances now, just scrambling around out there.”

Artest counters with his own opinion.

“There’s nights where he’s had good nights, and there’s nights where I had good nights,” Artest remarks. “Tonight was a good night for the team.”

For the entire game, the Lakers held comfortable edges.

And they were able to control the tempo on the hardwood en route to their sixth double-digit win of the month.

“Size won tonight,” Karl adds. “Even when we did some good things defensively, we didn’t rebound the ball. The hope of playing with speed is you’ve got to rebound the ball and get more than four fast-break points.”

The Lakers are 9-3 in January, with losses to the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks.

Overall, Los Angeles held Denver to 47 percent from the

Chuck Myers/MCT

NEWS

Andrew Bynum and the Lakers mined a win in Denver. field, but the Nuggets made 37-of-78 shots. They were 7-of-21 from the three-point line for a below par of 33 percent. More importantly, the Lakers outrebounded the Nuggets 47-27 and made 10 more field goals.

Four different Nuggets scored in double figures, with Anthony’s 23 leading the attack. Arron Afflalo had 22 points, followed by Chauncey Billups’ 16 and Ty Lawson’s 15.

Bryant was well aware of the trade that Anthony has demanded and the boos Denver has delivered to its star player.

“Melo’s a good friend of mine, and it’s the truth,” Bryant shares. “It’s stupid. You don’t boo him. It’s silly. You boo him the first time, let him know how you feel and get over it.”

Prior to their win in Denver, the Lakers suffered a loss in Dallas by a score of 109-100 on Jan. 19 and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on Jan. 17.

This week will turn out to be a measuring point for the Lakers, who host the Sacramento Kings on Friday, Jan. 28, before the clash against the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Jan. 30.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle

CALENDARTHE10SPOT

BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL

TRENDBLENDER

LAYERS

What’s new, what’s in and what’s hot on young L.A.’s fashion scene.

FRIDAYJAN. 28 James Dean Double Feature Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; americancinematheque.com The icon only made three films, and you can catch two of them here, Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden. 7:30 p.m. $11, $9 w/student ID.

WEDNESDAYJAN. 26 Couples on the Run Double Feature New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; newbevcinema.com Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern are on the run in Wild at Heart, and so are Patricia Arquette and Christian Slater in True Romance. Special guests at both movies on Wednesday. Also Thursday. 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAYJAN. 27 Art Los Angeles Contemporary Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica; artlosangelesfair.com The fair presents 70 international blue chip and emerging galleries, with a strong focus on L.A. galleries. Participants showcase some of the most dynamic recent works from their roster of represented artists, offering an informed cross section of what is happening now in contemporary art making. Runs through Sunday.

THURSDAYJAN. 27 Wrestle Reunion LAX Hilton, 5711 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles; wrestlereunion.com The premier wrestling fan convention where you can meet the biggest stars and legends in wrestling including Mike Graham, Tito Santana, Mr. Saito, Mr. Fuji and more. Runs through Sunday.

SATURDAYJAN. 29 L.A. Fitness Expo L.A. Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; thefitexpo.com Attendees can meet celebrities, exec– utives and industry veterans with over 300 companies offering discounts and free samples. Take part in or watch kickboxing, weightlifting and wrestling competitions.

Also Sunday.

SATURDAYJAN. 29 Patton Oswalt’s Zombie Spaceship Wasteland Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; booksoup.com Known for Big Fan, Ratatouille and “The King of Queens,” Patton Oswalt has amused audiences for decades. With Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, he offers a look into his most unusual, and lovable, mindscape. 5 p.m.

by daeun Jeong In this strange dreamland called Southern California, winter is the perfect season for all fashionistas to let their visions run wild amidst temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 degrees. From beach items to winter items, feel free to mix anything, and I mean anything, in your closet. Still confused? Here are some layering tips to stay cool during the day and keep warm at night without losing your stylish twist.

SUNDAYJAN. 30 “33 Variations”

Summer Dress + Military Jacket

Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown; centertheatregroup.org Two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda heads a cast of eight in the new play written and directed by Moisés Kaufman (author of “The Laramie Project” and director of “I Am My Own Wife” and “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo”). Runs through March 6.

Bringing together polar opposites always produces a well-balanced irony, and fashion is no exception. Tone down the ultra girly vibe of your favorite dress from last summer with an oversized military jacket.

SUNDAYJAN. 30 Winter Wake: The Speakeasy That Has Been Mt. Hollywood Underground, 4607 Prospect Ave., Los Feliz; smartgals.org After years of poetry slamming, cake walking, parlor gaming, secret cocktail sipping and general mingling, Smart Gals Productions summon you to gather and celebrate the demise of the much-cherished Speakeasy. Come dispel your grief with the help of funeral cake, booze, strong coffee, live music, witty remembrances and the last, limited edition Bookmark, created by photographer Stephen Linsley. The password is: “She was so young.” Dress for mourning. 7p.m.-9p.m. $15

Printed T + Fur Vest Just because it doesn’t snow here doesn’t mean we can’t get our hands on fur, one of the hottest winter items that heat up the runway in many different colors and shapes. Throw on a cropped fur vest over a printed T-shirt to dress up a casual look.

MONDAYJAN. 31 “The Trial of Hamlet” Bovard Auditorium, 3551 Trousdale Pkwy, USC; shakespearercenter.org The court determines if Hamlet was mentally competent at the time he committed the murder of Polonius. 7:30 p.m. Tix start at $30.

TUESDAYFEB. 1 Lakers vs. Rockets Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; nba.com/lakers Pac-10 alumni Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill try to get out of their division’s basement, while the Lakers try to keep a stranglehold on theirs. Stop at ESPN Zone before the game (4 p.m.-7 p.m.) and get a free appetizer with the purchase of a beverage. 7:30 p.m. Tix start at $10.

Plaid Shirt + Leather Jacket Plaid shirts are no longer reserved for prep school nerds. Pair with a badass leather jacket for a British ’80s rock ’n’ roll vibe. Make sure to unbutton all the way unless you really want to look like, well, a prep school nerd trying to join the cool crowd.

For more events, visit campuscircle.com/calendar.

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

Campus Circle 1.26.11 - 2.1.11

23