The Hoya Guide: Jan. 18, 2013

the guide

the weekly magazine for life on the hilltop

january 18, 2013

There and Back Again Stories from A Semester Abroad

The Great Boy Band Debate, Resolved

G3

Asian Food to Put A Spring in Your Step

Getting Past Politics in G10 G8 ‘Zero Dark Thirty’

this issue AWARDS SEASON BEGINS 3 lifestyle feature 6 food&drink 8 soundbite arts & 10 entertainment guideonline

GOLDEN GLOBES SNUB QUALITY

As you could tell from our live tweets of Hollywood’s first awards event of the year, the guide was definitely watching the Golden Globes. Be sure to go online and check out our thoughts on the nominees and winner in the Best Television Series — Comedy or Musical category and our ideas about other programs that should have been recognized.

‘carry the one’ | roots from the garden

there and back again

PASTEMAGAZINE.COM

the b spot | the dining duo

AllieDoughty Page 5

‘mama’ | girl meets world

saywhat

“

They thought we were dating, and I was hoping to meet their brothers.

”

— Anderson Cooper on dating girls as a teenager

“Sneaking past Dotty — the old curmudgeonly lady who checked ... that everyone was wearing an entrance badge — proved to be the most challenging feat of the day.”

newreleases ‘SUIT & TIE’ | JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE FT. JAY-Z 

It was a great couple weeks for comebacks, and none could be better than the return of JT. His first new song in six years features Jay-Z, no less. The song shows off Timberlake’s incredible vocal range, hitting both high and low notes flawlessly. We can’t wait to see what his recently announced album, The 20/20 Experience, brings later this year.

NEWS.SOFTPEDIA

the guide Braden McDonald, Executive Editor Victoria Edel, Managing Editor Hunter Main, Copy Chief Zoe Bertrand, Layout Editor Leonel De Velez, Photo Editor Kim Bussing, Deputy Guide Editor Nicole Jarvis, Deputy Guide Editor Emily Manbeck, Deputy Guide Editor Chris Grivas, Deputy Photo Editor Erica Wong, Deputy Photo Editor Jessica Natinsky, Deputy Layout Editor David Chardack, Deputy Copy Editor Shannon Reilly, Deputy Copy Editor Sean Sullivan, Deputy Copy Editor

Danny Funt, Editor-in-Chief Sheena Karkal, Guide Editor Corrections and Clarifications If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editor Braden McDonald at (202) 6873415 or email executive@thehoya.com.

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Signed columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of THE HOYA. Georgetown University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for student editors.

THE HOYA does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, color, national or ethnic origin. © 2012. THE HOYA, Georgetown University twice weekly. No part of this publication may be used without the permission of THE HOYA Board of Editors. All rights reserved. THE GUIDE is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus. Additional copies are $1 each.

Editorial: (202) 687-3415 Advertising: (202) 687-3947 Business: (202) 687-3947 Facsimile: (202) 687-2741 Email: editor@thehoya.com Online at www.thehoya.com

‘NUCLEAR’ | DESTINY’S CHILD 

While “Nuclear won’t officially be available for purchase until Jan. 29, it is well worth tracking down on the Internet for a listen. The tune stays pretty low key throughout, but the harmonies are classic Destiny’s Child. Rumor has it that Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland will join Beyoncé during the Super Bowl halftime show, and this song only gets us more excited for Feb. 3.

STEREOGUM.COM

‘I DREAMED A DREAM’ | ANNE HATHAWAY 

Chances are you’ve heard of Les Misérables and the rave reviews it’s getting. The movie is stunning, and Hathaway’s Fantine is even more so, particularly in “I Dreamed a Dream.” It’s a total must-buy for those occasional cry-your-heart-out nights and for all you musical theater nerds out there, the whole album is worth purchasing just so you can hear Hugh Jackman’s voice any time you want.

BROADWAY.COM

lifestyle

A Cup a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

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offee consumption is an essential part of college life — just look at the never-ending lines at Uncommon Grounds or Saxby’s. But rumors circulate about the detriments of coffee, such as its addictiveness and increased risks of heart disease and even cancer. Health-conscious friends of mine have been torn between the craving for a daily dose of coffee and its potential health effects. Is coffee really the trap that it is often painted to be?

The answer from recent research on coffee seems to be a happy “no” — at least for those who exercise prudence in their habit.

A study by the American Heart Association published in their journal Circulation: Heart Failure in 2012 concluded that moderate coffee consumption may in fact have slight benefits to heart health, identifying an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and risk of heart failure, although the exact relationship is not clearly pointed out. The findings of the study are consistent with other studies, such as one published in Harvard Women’s Health Watch in 2004. These studies disclaim the

findings of earlier research, which associate coffee drinking with increased heart disease rates. High-risk behaviors like smoking and physical inactivity are often unaccounted in these studies, leading to biased results, explained Dr. Donald Hensrud, preventive medicine specialist from the Mayo Clinic on its health information.

Other health benefits associated with drinking coffee have also been found. An Australian study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, in 2009 provides significant evidence for an association between coffee consumption and reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. It suggests that individuals with the lowest levels of consumption have triple the risk of getting Type 2 diabetes compared with individuals who drink the most coffee, and identifies a seven percent reduction in the risk of having Type 2 diabetes for every additional cup of coffee consumed daily.

In 2012, researchers from the Universities of South Florida and Miami published their findings in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease demonstrating a link between coffee consumption and delayed onset of

Alzheimer’s disease. Even in individuals already with mild cognitive impairment — often seen as an early sign of dementia — a higher level of blood caffeine, equivalent to about three cups of coffee a day, have a significant impact on delaying the conversion to Alzheimer’s. The same conclusions are backed up by a 2009 study from Finland and Sweden that shows a 65 percent reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in regular coffee-drinkers.

Drinking coffee has also been shown to improve mental health. A 2011 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine finds a 15 percent reduction of depression risk in women who consume two to three cups of coffee daily, compared to women who do not have a habit of coffee consumption.

All in all, it seems that coffee-drinking is a far more beneficial habit than we would have imagined. While the rule of moderation applies — as it does with everything else — it seems safe to say that a cup of coffee a day is, at worst, harmless. Next time you are tempted by the rich aroma of roasting coffee, just go for it.

KELLY LIU Special to The Hoya

LEONEL DE VELEZ/THE HOYA

A HEALTHY PICK-ME-UP? Recent studies have shown that coffee may not be as bad for you as you thought.

The Eternal Battle of the Boy Bands At the guide, our staff is known for having strong opinions about pretty much everything. Starting in 2013, we’re taking stands on the pop culture issues that really matter, from tween stars to the movies that make us smile, from catchy pop songs to the stories that are dominating the Internet.

MUHSADAM.WORDPRESS.COM

’90s FLASHBACK Does ’N Sync’s patchy denim make you swoon?

As One Direction and The Wanted have become more popular in the music industry with tweens and teens, the image of the boy band has changed along with it. Instead of coordinating outfits and dance routines, this new breed of post-pubescent pop stars prefers tatted-up arms, shuffling smoldering and singing in unison. The meteoric rise of these British boy bands on this side of the pond has been compared to the explosive popularity and vicious rivalry of boy bands in the late 1990s.

Everyone had their favorite, but the two groups who were fighting for the crown of America’s favorite boy band were the Backstreet Boys and ’N Sync. We don’t particularly care for 1D or the other guys, so we decided to settle the more important question once and for all.

Which band is better: Backstreet Boys or ’N Sync?

Although the two bands don’t seem all that different looking back, in the 90s, they were anything but similar, and every tweenage girl made sure she vocalized her loyalties to which she considered to be the better band. Even fast food chains like McDonald’s and Burger King picked sides: Mickey D’s supported ’N Sync: and Burger King, Backstreet

Boys. We guess since Backstreet wanted it that way, they could have it their way.

Teen obsession with both of these bands went far beyond just knowing all the words to every song. While both bands released favorites, ’N Sync gave us the best gossip with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’ iconic, denimdrenched relationship. We have to give props to Backstreet for having a classy look, however, sporting everything from Nike gear to Armani suits. ’N Sync definitely had their styling issues — mesh shirts, velvet pants and oversized jackets? Come on, boys. Yet who could forget Justin Timberlake’s Ramen-noodle hair, and who would ever want to?

For all the joy the Backstreet Boys gave to the world, how many of them still have solo careers? Most people can’t even name a single member of the band beyond Nick Carter. Well, Kevin, AJ, Brian and Howie obviously failed to make a big impression. Not ones to give up easily, the Backstreet Boys took a short break, returned to music in the late 2000s and released a string of under-theradar albums. They even managed to travel on the Never Gone Tour in 2006 and produce a semi-hit single with “Inconsolable,” off 2008’s Unbreakable.

And *N Sync has spent all of these years broken into smithereens. All five members of the band haven’t been seen together since forever, and JT’s former bandmates weren’t included on the guest list for his recent wedding to Jessica Biel. Though it’s sad to think that these pop stars will probably never reunite, we can’t complain about their solo careers. JT has created quite a good name for himself in not only the music but also the film industry. Find us one person who didn’t enjoy his performances in “The Social Network” and “Friends with Benefits,” and we’ll be shocked.

When it really comes down to it, though, there is no noticeable winner between the two bands. The purpose of a boy band has always been to sell music and create a brand that teenage girls gush over, and both ’N Sync and the Backstreet Boys successfully accomplished this in the late ’90s. Although the boy band competition might continue to ensue among the up-and-coming groups, they all have one thing in common — they all aim to live up to The Beatles. And just like 98 Degrees will never be considered good, no other band will ever dethrone The Beatles.

1.18.13 | the guide | 3

lifestyle IMAGINING THE ISRAELI SPRING Adaptation of Ibsen Classic Fails to Transcend ZACH GORDON Hoya Staff Writer

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o be honest, I like to think of myself as an environmentalist. I love our planet and think that for the sake of the future of both Earth and everything that lives on it, we should do our best to keep it clean, safe and healthy. To some people, my environmentalist attitude would be considered liberal; some might call me “green.” But growing up, it was normal to question everything around me and look for ways to change them for the better. I gained this outlook through my local Jewish Community Center preschool and subsequent Sunday school education.

Growing up Jewish instilled many values in me, the most important of which is to never stop questioning anything and everything around you. It’s a habit that I’ll never break. It’s not surprising, then, that I questioned many aspects of “Boged (Traitor): An Enemy of the People,” currently running in Georgetown’s Gonda Theater.

Its American debut performance, directed

by Joseph Megel and put on by Theater J — the local Jewish Community Center’s theater troupe — is a stagnant play about family and environmental issues. Getting this play to Georgetown, however, wasn’t the an easy process. Theater J approached

Megel this past October to direct the play, and he accepted. Once arranged, though, it was a slow process moving forward. According to Megel, the production crew had only “a week of workshop” on the script with the Center for the Study of Jewish Culture at the University of North Carolina at Chapell Hill and “3 weeks of rehearsal.” The process “was very complicated,” but they at least had playwright Boaz Gaon there to help.

“Working with the playwright here, made the experience particularly rich, but it also was such a short rehearsal period and we had so much to accomplish,” Megel wrote of the show’s progression in an email. “This was a particularly hard project to realize in the time we had.”

Based on the play “An Enemy of the People” by Henrik Ibsen, Gaon along with fellow playwright Nir Erez have moved Ibsen’s tale to a small town in the northern part of the Negev — Israel’s southern desert — and updated it to take place in the modern day. They kept the characters, themes and major events from Ibsen’s play, but the modern setting and location bring different elements to the foreground.

The main plot line deals with two broth-

COURTESY THEATER J

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Theater J’s production “Boged” sets Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” in modern Israel with limited success.

4 | the guide | 1.18.13

ers and those close to them as chemical sense of reality. Hemmingsen aggressivewaste from industrial plants threatens ly shouted every line without emotion, the safety and health of all those living in and Tolaydo lacked emotional depth, their town. The show centers on Dr. Tom- switching between angry and depressed my Doany (Michael Tolaydo) as he fights without warning. Bowers, though, had his brother Simon (Brian Hemmingsen), the only cringe-worthy moment of the the mayor of their town, to shut down show, exclaiming “Squeal!” (to clarify, these industrial plants. His concern is for she said it instead of making the noise) the safety of those living in the town, but when her father’s water tests come back.

Simon is more concerned with money There were also many flubbed lines, and power; without the plants, he warns which certainly didn’t help its situation. t hroughout Marshall is the the play, the only convinc“We seldom think of Israel or the town’s econing actor. Ruthomy would less in her busiIsraeli desert as a place where tank and the she treats industry and growth could effect our ness, people would blackmail and environment.” be unhappy. manipulation The two as a second characters career, all the — Director Joseph Megel that run these while laughing plants play an at those who important role in the play, as they are oppose her. the roots of the conflict. Moddy Ekstein The set was uninspiring, with a single (Georgetown drama professor Sarah platform, a few chairs and a table makMarshall), the CEO of the company that ing up the scenery for the entire show; owns and operates many of the plants their location on the platform changing at this industrial park, spends the entire depending on the scene. Not only did play tricking all of the characters to turn this make it hard to tell where the chara profit and open up more plants. But acters were, but it made the play duller what complicates the situation the most than it could have been otherwise. The is that Tommy’s wife, is Katy (George- only other element to the set was a large town theater professor Nadia Mahdi), digital window display. However, this the daughter of the owner of the other display added nothing to the scenes and plants in the park. Embroiled in a love- acted simply as a background. hate relationship with his daughter and Although many elements of this new granddaughter Yarden (Blair Bowers), show felt lackluster, “Boged” offers some he values family and money but not the political and social commentary that ecological safety of the town. Yarden, proves highly relevant today. a spunky and ambitious teacher, gives “Ibsen’s play could not be more topithe historical context to the play that it cal today. But we seldom think of Israel otherwise lacks. Her involvement in Is- or the Israeli desert as a place where inraeli youth activism as part of the “Israeli dustry and growth could effect our enSpring” helps viewers know that this is in vironment … a Israeli Spring movement fact taking place in the modern day. coinciding with the Arab spring,” Megel The plot is thick with political and social wrote. “Young people [are] living in tents satire — both about modern Israeli poli- in Tel Aviv, protesting for economic and tics and Jewish cultural politics — but has political justice. It has so much to say a hard time conveying itself. For the most internationally and so much to say to us part, I got the jokes and satire, but this is right here. It connects us with ideas that probably only because I’m Jewish and have are so important today.” been raised with them. I’m afraid, however, Although its humor gets lost in subpar that it would be lost on those unfamiliar acting, and its messages seemingly vanwith Jewish customs or culture. ish amid confusing and unarticulated The main problem I found with the dialogue. Boged is a performance full of plau was the acting. It wasn’t bad, but it substance. The play runs through Feb. 3 was poor enough for the show to lose all and is $15 for Georgetown Students.

lifestyle

Novel Captures Life’s Imperfections

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arol Anshaw, in her latest novel, proves she has a talent for making us feel better about ourselves. After all, if you picked up her The New York Times-recommended bestseller to look for some weekend reading, you’re most likely not a drugaddicted astronomer with a significant other in prison, a fading artist passiveaggressively attempting to ruin your children’s careers or an activist missing an ear whose husband has run off with his new girlfriend to be a Christian missionary in Africa.

What Anshaw does, however, is remind us that just because we think our lives are going in one direction, we never know how one accident can permanently threaten to unravel everything we’ve established.

Her fourth novel, Carry the One is a wonderful book, but it’s certainly not for everyone. Although the prose is beautiful and the individual story lines haunting, the characters are very heavily flawed, and there are passages that rival a certain scene between Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman in Black Swan.

Siblings Carmen, Nick and Alice con-

sciously seek out self-destruction, and predictability of life by celebrating sucthere’s enough grim acceptance of drug cess and conceding our own occasional addiction and unhappy circumstances inability to make an impact and save to encourage us to start making better the ones we care about. Interspersed bedecisions. That said, it’s an elegant book tween births and deaths, coming togethwith the topics expertly handled to ers and falling aparts, the shortened life make us realize that, hey, that’s just life. of the girl haunts each character as they Taking place individually are over the course of burdened by their 25 years, the book roles in her death. discusses the multiIt’s a very moddecade impact of a ern novel that is substance-caused not afraid to shy CARRY THE ONE car accident that away from topics kills a young girl that other books

By Carol Anshaw on the night of Carmight bypass: men’s shotgun wedgraphic depictions ding. In the car are of drug abuse, exNick, whose scientific brilliance is only plicit same-sex encounters and directly outshone by his tendency to get high, calling out parents for abusing their and Alice, a promising artist who is as children or watching the abuse and not devoted to her work as she is to fooling stepping in. Its brash lack of fear in adaround with the groom’s sister. Round- dressing these issues make it intriguing, ing out the ensemble are Olivia, the but certainly not an easy read. Neverthedriver, Nick’s girlfriend and fellow junk- less, the prose is captivating, the opporie, Tom, a musician who finds celebrity tunity to delve into formerly taboo topthrough tragedy, and Maude, the fickle ics is almost irresistible and Carry the model-turned-nurse.

One provides a glimpse into the direcAnshaw masterfully navigates the un- tion of modern-day literature.

KIM BUSSING Hoya Staff Writer

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VIMEO.COM

HAUNTED BY THE PAST A struggling family is shaped by a tragic accident.

roots from the garden

Thanks for the Memories: The Real Jersey Shore

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fter spending a few weeks in my New Jersey hometown during winter break, I was finally able to visit what is left of Pier Beach in Spring Lake, a frequent summer destination of mine while growing up. About five days a week, a designated parent would usher a flock of children into her massive Chevy Suburban with our towels and boogie boards piled in the back. Because the 20-minute trip seemed like an eternity when all we wanted to do was drop all of our stuff on the scorching sand and hightail it into the ocean, we amused ourselves in the car by splitting ourselves into teams and playing the alphabet game, or else listening to ’90s tunes, which are superior to the music of any other decade.

Once we got to the beach, sneaking past Dotty — the old curmudgeonly lady who checked to make sure that everyone was wearing an entrance badge — proved to be the most challenging feat of the day. Fortunately, my friend’s grandmother lived in Spring Lake and had an abundance of season badges to lend to us so that we didn’t have to pay the ex-

orbitant price of a daily badge that dicated when a stranger walking on day-trippers couldn’t really avoid. If the boardwalk was naive enough to we weren’t able to get our hands on believe that it was his lucky day in a badge that day, my brother, our his finding some cash. Everything friends and I would be forced to make came together when the lookout gave pleasant conversation with Dotty so one last signal and the dollar-holder that she would let us enter our par- swiftly yanked the bill down, makadise without the entitlement of a ing it just out of the stranger’s reach. badge. Or if we were seekSometimes, there was an ing a little more thrill, we extra person who helped would opt to saunter up pull off the prank by aconto the boardwalk, sit companying the lookon the ledge by the railout, but if there were ings for a few minutes as too many kids lingering if we had no ulterior moaround the same spot AllieDoughty tives and jump onto the near the boardwalk, it sand without paying. would have seemed susIt was always a plus picious. The best part, when we had enough people in our of course, was the reaction of the deposse to play running bases or capture ceived. Most of the time, the victim the flag, but the greatest days were realized that a few kids were behind those in which we performed the dol- the scheme, either laughing at our lar trick. It usually required two or antics or walking away in a huff, but three people — no more, no less — for occasionally, there would be that guy optimal results. There was the person who remained oblivious throughout who hid underneath the boardwalk, the whole stunt and cursed himself holding the dollar bill and maintain- for not being quick enough. ing its position through one of the As if our lunches of cheese fries and cracks between the wooden boards. candy from the snack stand hadn’t Then there was the lookout, who in- fulfilled our daily junk-food quota, we

couldn’t consider the day a success unless we convinced our parent-chauffeur to take us to Hoffman’s, the best ice cream shop known to mankind.

So why is all of this important? Now that I think about it, I may have Dotty to thank for developing the cheerful, personable skills that have caused Leo’s workers to warm up to me; they would probably have despised me otherwise. In other words, I learned very early that being as friendly as possible goes a long way. I learned how to do cartwheels on the beach because I knew that I would be safe if I fell on its velvety surface. I learned that failing to put on sunscreen in 90-degree cloudless weather is really poor judgment.

Yet everything that stood with pride on Pier Beach is gone because all that Sandy left behind was some sand. Now, all I have left of that part of my childhood are some fabulous memories — and perhaps a few embarrassing home videos.

Allie Doughty is a senior in the College.

ROOTS FROM THE GARDEN appears every other Friday in the guide.

1.18.13 | the guide | 5

a world of difference A

Georgetown education is punctuated for most by many meaningful academic and social experiences. For some, however, many of the most eye-opening ones do not happen on the Hilltop. A semester abroad immerses students in a different culture, forcing them to confront preconceptions. Five students share their study abroad stories.

Tim DeVita (COL ’14) Stellenbosch, South Africa

Now that I am back at Georgetown, I am often asked the question, “How was Africa?”

Such a short question is deceivingly simple and altogether impossible to answer en route to class.

My time in South Africa had a profound effect on me. Its natural beauty and dynamic culture entranced me.

In South Africa, I was enrolled directly in Stellenbosch University, just outside Cape Town in the Winelands. This is South Africa’s premiere Afrikaans University. The Afrikaaner community descended from the Dutch and is noted in history for comprising the National Party that imposed Apartheid. In fact, I had multiple classes in the building where the laws of Apartheid were written. At Stellenbosch, I lived in RES. This is similar to Hogwarts in that if you get into a RES, you live there for multiple years and compete academically, athletically and artistically with other RES students. I was the one American in my hallway and thus made mostly South African friends. I still talk to many on a daily basis. In our spare time, my friends would teach me how to surf, go wine-tasting or attend music festivals, which took place almost every weekend.

I took a wide array of courses, many focusing on community development. For example, for my “HIV: A South African Perspective” class, I worked directly to combat the HIV epidemic. The university gave four of my classmates and me 1,100 rand (approximately $120) to construct a sustainable HIV proj-

Michael Paslavsky (COL ’14) Dublin, Ireland Although Georgetown’s colors may be blue and gray, I think the color gray applies best to the city of Dublin. Every morning I woke up to gray skies, gray streets and gray rain — I don’t even know if that’s possible.

However, I would not have changed any of it.

COURTESY TIM DEVITA During the past semester, Dublin was our playground. My fel-

ect in the township of Kayamandi.

The townships of South Africa are where the black population lived during Apartheid. Most residents still live in tin shacks. I ended up befriending the girl who was our community partner and still correspond with her, too.

In South Africa, race is a hot topic. Although many students I encountered were not overtly racist, most of their parents were biased. This is largely because our generation is the first that does not recall the Apartheid years, seeing as the regime fell in 1994. I faced prejudice not only as a white male, but also as a Westerner and as a homosexual. Most Africans still feel the sting of imperialism and also see homosexuality as “un-African.”

This surprised me, because South Africa is one of the few nations with a Constitution that protects against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Thus, even though many South Africans were uncomfortable with members of the LGBT community, I had more rights there as a foreigner than I do in the United States as a citizen.

Having finished classes in early November, I had time to backpack across Namibia, South Africa, Mo-

low Georgetown students and I experienced everything from €2-euro chicken fillets — pronounced “fillits” — trust me, I had a hard time getting that one – to a people, clad in cheesy Christmas sweaters, who celebrated Christmas for three weeks as they pursued their goal of the “12 Pubs of Christmas.”

We met the local Dubs and the culchies from the farms, but regardless of the county, they were hospitable and shared their entertaining stories — at least from the various pieces of the story I could actually

zambique and Swaziland. This experience gave me confidence in myself while exposing me to people from all walks of life. I learned to step outside my comfort zone, immerse myself in many different cultures and interact with people whose backgrounds were extremely different from mine. Facing prejudice gave me the strength to stand up for all of my values, despite being in a completely foreign place. Lastly, I learned the struggles of the developing world. I now complain less about little things that often upset Georgetown students like the quality of Leo’s food.

I hope to help those in need as I pursue a career as a doctor and will definitely monitor the effects the products I consume have on others. Moreover, I aspire to help the effort to gain equal rights for LGBT people in the United States as the people in South Africa have done.

As I revisit the familiar scenes of Georgetown student life, I see them with new eyes. In such a short period, my outlook on life was altered. I now see life on a more global scale. I implore all Georgetown students to spend some time abroad and away from the Hilltop.

understand. Certain expletives are pretty clear in any language or dialect.

The Irish people, no matter the country’s fiscal uncertainty, always had smiles on their faces and as Georgetown students focused on grades and futures, there are moments our smiles fade for stupid reasons. The Irish taught me to always keep smiling and of the beauty of “tomorrow” — hopefully, my professors can catch on to that idea as well.

As much as Ireland was great, I’m glad to be back.

There was one night in late November when my friends

and I watched the phenomenal video narrated by University President DeGioia about the Campaign for Georgetown. As the camera panned away from the front gates, I can assure you the waterworks were not from the gray skies but from the Georgetown students who had sincerely enjoyed their experience abroad but were ready to come home to the Hilltop.

In all seriousness, we didn’t actually cry — it was our allergies to the mold growing in our bathroom, which we didn’t clean for the four months.

Samantha Lin (SFS ’14) Amman, Jordan I went to Amman, Jordan knowing very little Arabic. And I’m not being modest — I hadn’t taken a single Arabic class, the alphabet looked like a mysterious code I would never unlock and the only phrases I knew were “Do you speak English?”

COURTESY SAMANTHA LIN

Alexandra Buck (COL ’14) St. Petersburg, Russia Imagine a Lady Gaga concert: crazy costumes, bright lights, provocative dancing and a building full of “little monsters.” Now imagine a Lady Gaga concert in Russia, where an anti-gay propaganda law prohibits the promotion of homosexuality to minors.

When I received tickets to the con-

Nicholas Dirago (COL ’14) Havana, Cuba There were essentially three responses that I would get when I told people I was studying abroad in Cuba. By far the most common was, “Oh, I didn’t know you could do that” — a tepid combination of surprise, uncertainty and suspicion. Beyond that, they were about evenly split between genuine interest (“Wow! What a great opportunity!”) and circumspect cross-examination (“What exactly are you going to do there?”).

At this point, I don’t even remember what my exact motivations were for choosing Cuba as a destination for studying abroad.

I do know, however, that I was looking for a place that would be substantially different from the settings to which I was accustomed; I wanted to maximize the proverbial pushing of my comfort zone.

Of course, this is exactly what study abroad is supposed to be about. To be sure, Cuba pushed me in ways that I could not possibly enumerate here. But for all of the differences, for all of the unfamiliar aspects of the new culture, what repeatedly struck me over the course of my semester abroad

cert in St. Petersburg, knowing I would be studying abroad, I never could have anticipated what the event would be like. Months before the date, the city seemed to have mixed feelings. Some Russians I spoke to were very excited that she was finally coming. Others, however, found it embarrassing and a threat to society. While homosexual acts are not illegal, any sort of representation in public can get you in a lot of trouble. Even before Lady Gaga’s plane landed, she was being threatened with a $150,000 fine or arrest if the show took place. Between her manager and Russia’s prime minister, everything was smoothed out.

But it still felt like Russia wasn’t ready for her quite yet.

The night of the concert, the crowd was restrained by police holding shields and batons. Nothing major happened outside, but it felt like the

was the sameness that I encountered.

Before my departure, I would often joke that I’d be “so close but so far” while in Cuba; the island, despite being only 90 miles off the coast of Florida, would be like another world.

Yes, there were old cars. The government is socialist. There’s been remarkably little contact with the United States since 1962.

Business has little presence. Different, to say the least.

But at the end of the day, the most striking thing about Cuba — and perhaps the hardest thing to illustrate — is how familiar the country was. Cuba, like anywhere else, is a country full of people living lives — wholly ordinary lives. It has many quirks, but none of them makes the place any more or less of “another world” than do those of any country with which the United States has normalized relations.

One thing that did set Cuba apart, however, was that people have to live these ordinary lives with so few resources — often times due to the embargo but more generally due to poverty.

As a result, sometimes things don’t operate optimally; sometimes you have to

and “Where is the bathroom?”

But I didn’t want the language barrier to stop me from studying in a region where I had always wanted to go. So, I took a huge leap of faith and hopped on a flight headed to the Middle East. At first, I was completely overwhelmed. I had to pick up survival phrases (“Give me my money now!”) and learn how to live with four host siblings in a two-

bedroom apartment.

Studying abroad in the Middle East is, to be honest, terrifying, but entirely worth it.

Everything from my three-year-old sister’s confiscating my phone and refusing to give it back until I had correctly pronounced a new Arabic word to hiking through a river and rappelling down an 80-foot waterfall to hearing air sirens in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusa-

police were waiting for just one person to make a wrong move. When the concert finally started, I wasn’t surprised that the crowd was low on enthusiasm; the opening bands were nothing like the pop stars the Russians love. I was in for a big shock, though, when the crowd remained at a dull roar when Lady Gaga came out.

My friends and I were singing along and jumping up and down to every song. Our paws were up, and we didn’t have a care in the world. Beside me, people stood completely still, with their arms folded over their chests. In the stadium area, most stayed seated for the entire concert. Even when Gaga yelled for them to stand up and dance — and had her message translated — very few got up. It was unlike any concert I had ever been to. She later told the crowd via translator that she was so thankful to be in Russia and wouldn’t end her fight until equality existed for all her little monsters.

While my friends and I went crazy over

wait in a long line, the finished product isn’t what you expected or accomplishing what you need to is impossible for reasons beyond your control. This is what was most challenging for me, and I originally attributed it to my impatience.

Cuba made me realize, however, that what I had been thinking of as impatience was probably something closer to entitlement: although I never knew it, I felt that I was entitled to smooth operations and the absence of the obstacles I would encounter, and I got frustrated when reality wasn’t commensurate with that belief. And although a gut reaction for myself and many American students was to resort to blaming a backward economic system or a clumsy bureaucracy, the lesson for me was that I’ve had the privilege of being accustomed to conditions that much of the world could never have access to.

Obviously, I knew that going in. But being in Cuba made it real; it put my entitlement into stark relief. I suppose I wish that saying that you’re going to study abroad in Cuba got the same reaction as saying

lem to successfully bargaining for a lamp (all in Arabic!), my time in Jordan was adventurous from start to finish.

In the end, I surprised myself in my ability to jump into unexpected situations without knowing what I was doing but with the faith that I would not only get out of it but also learn something from it. That was the most surprising thing about study abroad: myself.

her speech, crickets could be heard elsewhere in the arena.

I later found out that many Russians went to the concert for bragging rights only — something I never would have guessed. It turns out her fan base isn’t as large in Russia. Also, it turns out the cultural norm is to sit down for concerts and enjoy whatever type of music or show is going on. I think a lot was lost on the crowd because she spoke and sang in English. It’s definitely not a popular second language in Russia, and the people who have studied it tend to be younger.

It makes sense to think that concerts would be different all over the world, but I never expected a Lady Gaga concert to be so subdued. I learned so much about Russian culture in one night, and I’ll never forget that concert.

I think I’ll stick to U.S. concerts from now on, though.

you’re going to Barcelona, London or Buenos Aires.

But if it’s not going to get that reaction, I wish it weren’t because of the perception of Cuba as some COURTESY NICK DIRAGO foreign, incomprehensible world. Instead, I wish it were because of the depth of our first-world entitlement and the distancing effect that it can have vis-a-vis the world’s most vulnerable populations.

food&drink A Lighter Spin On Asian Classics

CAITLIN DESANTIS Special to The Hoya

 SPRIG AND SPROUT

A

sian cuisine and I have always had a love-hate relationship. While I usually can’t get enough of the mix of sweet, spicy and tangy flavors, I’m not a huge fan of fried meat coated in heavy sauces, so I’ve been vigorously on the hunt for quick Asian food I can feel good about eating. I tried ShopHouse in Dupont Circle, but its madeto-order rice bowls with curries and spices were too intense and overwhelming. I wanted a restaurant that served fresh and light Asian flavors.

Sprig and Sprout on Wisconsin Avenue was my answer — a gift from the gods of Asian cuisine. Specializing in Vietnamese food, the tiny shop offers made-to-order rice bowls, noodle bowls, pho and sandwiches. The best part about Sprig and Sprout is that you choose the amount of sauces, herbs and veggies that go into your meal, so everything is prepared to your liking.

For those, like me, who tend to avoid restaurants that drown their meats in sauce, this offers a perfect alternative.

Sprig and Sprout’s pho is the perfect meal for a cold, drizzly day. Pho is a traditional rice noodle soup simi-

2317 Wisconsin Ave. NW cuisine: Vietnamese price: $$ lar to ramen, and I ordered it with the employee-recommended mix of brisket and flank steak. The broth was savory and beefy, with tender shavings of meat and rice noodles, and sprinklings of herbs and onions brightened up the soup, giving it a nice, fresh flavor. I added some sriracha for spice, but you can also add Hoisin sauce for sweetness or lime for a citrus kick.

Their rice bowls are also incredibly satisfying, but they don’t make you feel over stuffed. I tried the lemongrass chicken bowl, but they also offer pork belly, beef or tofu. Served with herbs and crunchy vegetables, the dish was crisp and colorful. I added Sprig and Sprout’s signature sauce, which is sweet and vinegary. Adding peanuts on the side provided a nuttiness that balanced the sweetness of the Sprig and Sprout sauce.

Egg rolls are something that I usually stay away from as they tend to be greasy, but I gave in and tried one with pork and shrimp. Surprisingly light and flaky, the restaurant’s egg rolls are delectable and should be a definite addition to your meal. Sprig and Sprout also offers Boba tea, fruit smoothies

CAITLIN DESANTIS FOR THE HOYA

GETTING FRESH Sprig and Sprout offers delectable fare for those craving a healthier alternative to their favorite Asian dishes. and Vietnamese or Thai ice coffees.

Sprig and Sprout is a convenient lunch or dinner option that offers take-out options as well. While it’s a little more expensive than Chipotle or Wisey’s, the ingredients are fresh, and you get more than what you pay for.

Leaving Sprig and Sprout, I felt satisfied without feeling like I had eaten too much, which, given the plentiful portions, was a tribute to the lightness of

happyhour

their food. I split the pho, rice bowl and egg rolls with a friend, and it definitely felt like a feast.

Sprig and Sprouts is about a 15-minutes walk from St. Mary’s Hall, but the Wisconsin GUTS bus will drop you off just a few doors down. The restaurant offers a convenient option for quick, fresh Vietnamese food and a menu that focuses more on the actual food than the sauces.

a weekly roundup of some of the best shots, mixes and punches.

Irish Coffee

Pepino

epicurious.com

bonappetit.com

A warm mug of Irish coffee is exactly what we need at the end of this chilly, weary week . The recipe is simple: Whip 1/4 cup chilled heavy cream with 2 tsp. of sugar until the mixture becomes slightly stiff. Then, pour 3 tbs. of Irish whiskey into a mug and add strong, hot coffee until it fills 3/4 of the cup. Finally, spoon out a dollop of your whipped cream.

Try a refreshing Pepino for a twist on tequila.

Using a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, mash 1 cucumber slice in a cocktail shaker. Add 3 tbs. tequila, 3 basil leaves, 1 1/2 tbs. lime juice, 1 tbs.

Cointreau, 1 tbs. pineapple juice, 1/2 tbs. agave and 1 cup ice. Shake several times to blend. Pour into a tall glass; garnish with remaining cucumber slice and basil sprig.

8 | the guide | 1.18.13

Trendy Spot Serves Up Freshly Squeezed Joy COURTNEY MASTRANGELO Special to The Hoya

N

ow that syllabus week is over, it may be time to detox before Lau reclaims your weekday nights.

Juicing has become the latest Hollywood trend. Juice bars are popping up all over the East and West Coasts, but The B Spot is not your average juice bar.

The B Spot’s ambiance creates the perfect getaway within the Eastern Market, Washington D.C.’s artiest milieu, for busy Capitol Hill interns and healthconscious students to escape their hectic everyday tasks. The owners, Barry Lester and John Woods, are often spotted sitting at one of the tables near the entrance chatting with customers. Lester, an art historian and entrepreneur, and Woods, a well-known caterer to the stars, teamed up to establish the trendiest venue in the District. Not only does the establishment offer a large array of juices and teas, but it also reflects its neighborhood’s creative, artsy vibe. Upon entering the juice bar, my eyes wandered in awe over the walls, which are essentially a gallery of purchasable artwork by upcoming local artists. Local poets and musicians can also demonstrate their talents on the B Spot’s stage every Friday and Saturday.

The serene venue focuses on bettering the whole self with its organic produce and promotion of artistic expressions.

It is refreshing to visit a small business that has removed itself from the vicious, high-strung entrepreneurial world. That the owners make an effort to converse with their patrons, the staff is so friendly and accommodating and local artists can display their works make this place intimate. The down-to-earth and Zenmod vibe inspires creativity.

THEBSPOTDC.COM

LIQUID GOLD The B Spot serves up delicious juices at low prices.

 THE B SPOT 1123 Pennsylvania Ave. SE cuisine: Juice Bar price: $ The most popular juice is the Garden of Eden, which is made with carrots, apples, ginger and organic vanilla. As its name implies, it has an irresistible flavor with a hint of spice that leaves you wanting more. Those who are particularly health-conscious will enjoy the Super Green juice, which is made with spinach, celery, parsley, wheatgrass and cayenne pepper. Don’t worry if you have a sweet tooth; the menu offers two smoothies that are so divinely delicious it should be a sin. The B Nutty smoothie offers a taste of Italy by including organic coffee, Nutella, pistachio gelato, peaches, vanilla almond milk, chia seeds, amaretto and honey. The other smoothie, the B Spot Better Butter, tastes like a healthy Reese’s concoction with its organic peanut butter, organic chocolate syrup, bananas, peaches, Omega 3 oil supplement and vanilla almond milk.

The tea menu offers a wide range of options. The Energize Me blend is definitely for caffeine addicts; it has a bold flavor of black tea, yerba mate, licorice root and other spices that will keep your taste buds and mind on their a-games.

The menu boasts a few teas that competed in the World Tea Championship and North American Tea Championship. The Organic Black Celebration tea, which won the 2008 World Tea Championship, is one of the B Spot’s favorites, and the Ginseng Oolong tea was finalist at the 2009 World Tea Championship.

The oolong’s rich ginseng taste and hints of a floral background are very memorable. The Orange Vanilla White Chocolate and Chocolate Mint Rooibos Organic are the perfect picks for chocolate lovers.

The B Spot’s menu offers something to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. I praise this classy yet sassy juice bar for its individuality and fantastic menu. The B Spot provides resources to heal your mind, body and soul; no wonder it is the trendiest place to B.

food&drink the dining duo

Finding Community Flavor

W

ashington D.C. is a city of wot, gomen besga, doro wot and mengreat diversity, and with chet abesh all served on top of sponge great diversity comes great bread. Don’t worry, we were just as food. Outside of the immediate area of confused as you are. As we sat down Georgetown, the city and the greater waiting for what we hoped to be a deWashington D.C. area of Virginia and lectable meal, we saw old men reading Maryland encompasses many ethnic Ethiopian language newspapers and groups, creating pockets of undiscov- neighbors coming in and out calling ered restaurants. one another’s names. We began to If you’ve been a student for long realize this was not just a restaurant enough at Georgetown, you’ve likely and market but the heart and soul of had the opportunity to eat Ethio- the community. Although we weren’t pian food at least once. Drawn by surprised that a restaurant would act the mystique of a cuisine we had not as a social center for this community, yet experienced, we too found our- we became familiar with an Ethioselves curiously making our way to pian phrase: “Those who eat from the Das, undoubtedly the most popular same plate will not betray each other.”

Ethiopian restaurant for Georgetown The expression continues to ring true, students. Though the robust, slightly epitomized in the act of gursha, where sour smells of sponge bread and spicy one wraps some kitfo or wat with his lentils did not fail to pique our hun- or her sponge bread and places it into ger, upon further inspection, there the mouth of another, a show of trust was something amiss and love. about the place. We Ethiopian food uses slowly put the pieces toan array of colorful spice gether. Das is situated in a powders: the berbere, quaint 19th-century brick a spicy red mixture of townhome. The clientele HelenGuo & garlic, chili and salt, the appeared to be the usual bright orange mitmita JacobRichey made of chili, seeds and neighborhood mix: politicians, students, young salt, among many others. professionals, retired diplomats. OK, A central item of the cuisine are the nothing wrong with that. Next. Ap- wots, or stews. During a traditional praising our fellow diners, we were meal, you’ll find yourself tearing suddenly startled by the stark segre- apart a piece of the injera, or sponge gation. The cooks, waiters and wait- bread, and scooping up portions of resses, bus boys and the rest of the beef and chicken stews. Some of the staff were all Ethiopian, but none of ingredients serve as strong symbols of the clientele was. We began to wonder the culture and often reveal the facts where Ethiopians themselves ate, and of Ethiopian history. As one of the lonwe set out to answer the question. gest continuously inhabited regions As we learned from several slightly in the world, Ethiopian food has deawkward conversations with taxi veloped a complex variety of flavors drivers, the District’s large Ethiopian that only few other cuisines can begin population is settled mostly in the U to challenge.

Street area. For those willing to venture The beef stew at Habesha Market outside of the immediate Georgetown proved to be a spicier, tangier verarea, foodies and generally anyone sion of ground beef, with the strong, with a courageous palette will be hearty and grainy texture that all awarded with a delightful dining ex- stews generally share. The menchet perience. We eventually decided upon abesh, or lean beef, was ground and Habesha Market in the U Street area as cooked with jalapenos and onions, our choice destination for the cultural and proved to have a more citric flaexperience we were seeking. vor. We mixed the shiro, or chickpea Plastered in curvy Ethiopian script, paste, with lamb and collared greens, the hole-in-the-wall storefront appear- which served as a respite from the inance immediately drew us in. As we tense spiciness of the rest of the plate. opened the door, a wave of unfamil- At the end of the meal, the plate was iar aromas emanated from a kitchen. devoured, our stomachs were full and Reading the menu proved difficult, we were certainly satisfied. as most of the dishes’ names, though translated, didn’t have any meaning to Helen Guo is a sophomore in the us. Relying on our waiter, we ordered School of Foreign Service. Jacob the Taste of Habesha, which consisted Richey is a sophomore in the Colof spicy lentils, yellow peas, collard lege. THE DINING DUO appears every greens, cabbage, shiro, key wot, alicha other Friday in the guide.

1.18.13 | the guide | 9

arts&entertainment

Thriller Impresses With Chilling Twists

T

hose familiar with Guillermo del Toro know that he frequently juxtaposes children with dark spirits. In the film Mama, of which he was the executive producer, the familiar innocence of two girls is warped by the maternal and spiteful poltergeist, Mama. The thriller looks closely at the relationship between mother and child — or rather the absence of a mother from her children and how this is enough to drive maliciousness.

After their mother’s death, little Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and her infant sister Lily (Isabelle Nelisse) are taken to a desolate cabin in the woods where they are raised in by a maternal poltergeist they call Mama.

Years later, they are discovered by their uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend Anabel (Jessica Chastain). The couple decides to rescue the two girls and allows them to live in their house, but, unbeknownst to them, Mama follows as well.

The story doesn’t follow a cliched path but rather makes slight detours around preconceived expectations.

Mama is more than just a stereotypical horror character: She both haunts and watches over the family. She is loved and

ARTURO ALTAMIRANO Hoya Staff Writer

feared, and it is this contradiction that The secret surrounding Mama inevitably makes the film more complex than a one- leads the adults to travel back to the cabin to dimensional plot about a simple haunting. search for an answer, although they strugMama raised Victoria and Lily from infancy, gle to find clues as to who Mama really is. protecting them and fending for them This isn’t your typical ghost movie. It throughout their childhood. It is only when elegantly integrates humor without hurtothers try to snatch ing the effect of the the girls’ affections horror. The setting is away from her that reminiscent of perjealously warps her petual twilight, with into a malevolent, lighting apt for either vengeful spirit. As a fairy tale or horror MAMA Victoria is drawn back scene, but the ambito the real world, she ance of the film is dicJessica Chastain, Megan falls out of love with tated by Mama. The Charpentier, Nikolaj CosterMama while Lily proplot is well-structured gressively relies on and reaches a satisfyWaldau Mama more. The film ing conclusion. also explores the dyThis above-average namic between sisters as one returns to real- horror film is further redeemed by its inity, and the other is left behind. tegration of unlikely familial dynamics.

Unlike her younger sister, Victoria knew Yhere is something about seeing fear in a her real mother before Mama, and this is child’s eyes that is inherently more chilling fundamental to explaining the difference than any amount of blood and gore could between the two sisters’ relationships with ever be. Mama is riddled with more than the spirit. When she receives a new mother enough startling moments to make it a figure in the form of her uncle’s girlfriend, thriller that’s worthy of the steep price of a she recognizes that Mama is dangerous. movie ticket.



UNIVERSAL PICTURES

MALICIOUS SPIRIT In this notable film, a family is plagued by a vengeful ghost.

girl meets world

Navigating Life’s Opportune Moments

W

hen I was in the sixth grade, I became completely obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. As in during the month of April, I watched it every day.

Every. Day. My older brother was going through a phase where he made us watch movies with closed captioning, so I quickly learned every word. Every. Word. I am not exaggerating at all. I watched it every single day for a month with my brothers when we came home from school, and I actually knew every single word.

Looking back, I have to wonder what made me love this movie so obsessively. A large draw was Orlando Bloom, my first celebrity crush. The walls of my middle school bedroom were covered in photos of him. Oh, to be young and in love with my first British actor again.

It’s a good movie, something that the three mediocre sequels might have made you forget. What makes it work is that it’s not just action — it’s a comedy. It has sword fights and a love story and a bit of magic, but in the end, it’s just funny. It’s also where I learned the word superfluous and the best way to refuse something (“I’m disinclined to acquiesce to your request”).

10 | the guide | 1.18.13

Pirates brings up an interesting idea: Potter, people tend to view battles as the the opportune moment and when you opportune moment to declare their feelknow it’s here. Captain Jack Sparrow ings — the love of Lupin and Tonks (my (Johnny Depp) first mentions it to play- favorite characters) is revealed right after fully excuse his inaction — he’s waiting Dumbledore’s death, and Ron and Hermfor the opportune moment. Later, when ione share their first kiss amid the battle Will Turner (my beloved Bloom) doesn’t of Hogwarts. confess his love for Elizabeth Swann (Keira In the “real world,” identifying the opKnightley) after the climactic battle scene, portune moment takes a lot more energy, Jack repeats himself, sayand I’m way more likely ing, “If you were waiting to be wrong. More often, I for the opportune mofalsely identify the opporment, that was it.” tune moment than I am to Because this is a movie, act on it at the right time. there are a few moments In movies and television that would have been pershows, there’s usually rain VictoriaEdel fect for Will to expose his or an intimate glance or feelings. But Jack is right two people screaming at in saying after they beat all the zombie pi- each other. Maybe it’s New Year’s Eve, or rates, he probably should have opened up, someone is flying far away, never to rebefore she returned to her stuck-up fiance. turn. In Pirates, Will finally declares his I’ve realized that the opportune mo- love for Elizabeth after he saves Jack from ment is essential to most of pop culture. I the gallows, and while he’s wearing a very think of “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees, fancy hat. a song that discusses the opportune moIn real life, I divulge my feelings in weird ment In Love Actually, every second of handwritten notes, text messages, Gchats the Christmas season is the opportune or, perhaps most awfully, through the moment to declare your love, a dubious gossip grapevine. Granted, that last one is claim that only works onscreen. In Harry because I can’t keep my own secrets, but

still. That’s definitely not the “opportune moment” of which Jack was speaking.

But I don’t falter in just my romantic encounters. I’m not exactly skilled at finding the opportune moment with my friends either. I start intense conversations in texts, never know the right time to hug a sad person (partially because I think every time is perfect for a hug!) and tell people “I love you” at inappropriate times.

I like to think my timing is off because I’m an open book, always willing to share my affections, but maybe I just lack the social grace in this area that other people have mastered. Other people don’t ask people they barely know if they’d like to be best friends, but other people are more boring than I am. They also have fewer best friends.

What I’m saying is that maybe the opportune moment only exists in movies. Or maybe it does exist in real life, but it’s not worth waiting for. Or maybe I just need to be less socially awkward. It’s probably the last one.

Victoria Edel is junior in the College.

GIRL MEETS WORLD appears every other Friday in the guide.

arts&entertainment

‘Thirty’ Stirs and Disturbs HUNTER MAIN Hoya Staff Writer

G

iven all of the controversy surrounding Zero Dark Thirty, it may be surprising that the film was released in Washington, D.C., just last week. In a December letter to acting CIA Director Michael Morell, Sens. Dianne Feinstein, Carl Levin and John McCain — all leaders of Senate committees on intelligence and armed services — questioned what they saw as a too-close relationship between the agency and the movie’s filmmakers. They also criticized “the film’s clear implication that information obtained during or after the use of the CIA’s coercive interrogation techniques played SONY PICTURES a critical role” in finding Osama bin LadHEROINE Jessica Chastain won a en. According to Reuters, screenwriter Golden Globe for her role.

Mark Boal and director Kathryn Bigelow — the pair behind 2009’s The Hurt Locker, What these decisions do, though, is the Academy Award winner for Best Pic- make Zero Dark Thirty a masterful film. ture — are being investigated by a Senate The time jumps may downplay the seemcommittee for their communication with ing futility of the search for bin Laden, the agency. but truly being able to capture this on The film does film would be have a complex nearly impossible. relationship with Instead, they intorture. On one crease the tension hand, the torthat Zero Dark ture scenes are Thirty uses to full ZERO DARK THIRTY extremely unseteffect; especially starring: Jessica Chastain, tling, and there notable is the clearly exists some meeting with a Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt sort of empathy potential mole at for the terrorist a CIA operating Ammar, who is base in Afghanihumiliated by a CIA agent in the first few stan. While the different scenes are strung scenes. On the other, the information along at a rapid pace, the scenes themgleaned from “coercive interrogation selves run slowly enough to build a large techniques” is used to both create and cor- amount of anticipation. The raid on the roborate an eventually correct thesis on Abbottabad compound, for example, lasts how to find bin Laden. for more than a half-hour and is a filmThat the film was made so soon after making marvel in its masterful pacing the murder of bin Laden makes it clear and craftsmanship. In a Hollywood rife that this movie is meant to serve as the de- with over-the-top gunplay and cartoonish finitive historical account of the events it action sequences, the cold, brutal efficiendepicts. The way Boal and Bigelow choose cy of both Seal Team Six and the filmmakto tell the story, however, occasionally gets ing itself come across as shocking. It is, by in the way of this goal. The decision to my measure, the best scene in any movie have large jumps in time from key event in recent memory. to key event makes things seem as if they The senators’ criticism of the producgo much more quickly than they actually tion of Zero Dark Thirty may be legitimate did, which undermines the unending, — it’s impossible to defend the potential dogged determination of Maya (Jessica leak of national security secrets to HolChastain), the CIA officer whose entire life lywood — but that should not mean that revolves around the pursuit of bin Laden. the film itself should be maligned. The This — her defining characteristic — and politics surrounding the movie are what I her ambiguous reaction to her eventual and others believe got Bigelow injuriously success are made less effective because of shut out of an Oscar nomination for best the pacing. In addition, the movie revolves director (effectively, taking her movie out as much around Maya as it does around of the race for best picture and handing bin Laden, and many have complained the award to Lincoln), and this is a shame. that this focus downplays the role of oth- Masterfully crafted, Zero Dark Thirty traners and assigns more responsibility to her scends political controversy that would than is historically accurate. bog down a lesser movie.



Hit Show’s Return Falls Short of Expectations CAROLINE DESANTIS Special to The Hoya

J

ust as the second season of the hit series “Girls” premiered on HBO, it snagged two Golden Globes: one for Best Television Series — Comedy or Musical and the other awarded to writer/producer/director/actor Lena Dunham for Best Performance by Actress in a Television Series — Comedy or Musical. For anyone who missed last season, the show focuses on four 20-something girls living in Brooklyn. While the Golden Globes have solidified the program’s critical success, the characters have not been so lucky, as they are still hanging in a state of limbo since last season’s finale. But this season is still worth a watch.

As an avid viewer of “Girls,” I had hoped that each of the four main characters would have used the past few months to get their respective acts together, but as the second season gets underway, it’s clear that not only are these girls’ problems unresolved, they are even more complicated than before.

Each is trapped in a web of uncertainty, caught between prickly old problems while fearing what new uncertainties might lurk in the future.

Hannah is thrilled with a new romance but is still entangled in a complicated relationship with ex-boyfriend Adam, who was last seen getting hit by a truck as Hannah broke up with him at the end of the first season. Out of guilt, Hannah takes care of him, but Adam — and even Hannah — will not move past their old feelings for each other, no matter how dysfunctional they have become.

Shoshanna finally lost her virginity to the flirtatious coffee-shop owner Ray in the previous season, and while she may say that being deflowered is not the same as being devalued, she is far more insecure, especially in light of Ray’s sudden distance from her. Her anger and uncertainty leads to a repeat seduction from Ray, even though she makes it quite clear that she does not like him, and it’s entirely possible that she’s setting herself up for yet another “devaluation.”

Jessa only appears in the episode at the very end with her new husband, arriving at the airport presumably from their honeymoon. Clearly, her situation is too complex to address in one 30-minute episode.

While all of the girls are struggling,

Marnie seems to have the weakest grasp of who she is. The girl who, at one point, had everything now finds herself without a job, boyfriend or roommate. Her lingering feelings for former love Charlie and her distancing friendship with Hannah leave her so desperate that she even attempts to sleep with Elijah, Hannah’s gay ex-boyfriend. When the attempt fails, Marnie tells him that he does not have to try to be anything he’s not, and he retorts that she doesn’t either. These words manage to sum up the entire episode. Each girl’s actions show that none of them have any firmer grasp on who they are.

Midway through the show, I had trouble remembering why I was a fan of “Girls.” It was bleaker and missing the familiar spark — until a moment between Hannah and Elijah while they prepare for their party jogged my memory. The old humor and quirky personalities appeared, but unfortunately, it faded just as quickly. The events of the past season left each girl in a malaise — full of frustration, angst and heartache.

While the premiere of the second season did little to tie up any loose ends, it did show that Dunham is determined to take her quirky comedy in a new, and perhaps more meaningful, direction.

We can only hope that as the season progresses, she can do so in the laughout-loud-funny style that made the first season so entertaining.

IMDB.COM

METROPOLITAN WOMEN “Girls” follows the lives of four young Brooklynites.

1.18.13 | the guide | 11

bestbets

the c&o canal — rebecca goldberg

on campus

NOMADIC THEATRE PRESENTS: THE BALD SOPRANO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 8 p.m. — Devine Studio Theater

Directed by Robert Duffley (COL ’13) and produced by Natalie Gallagher (COL ’13), this Eugene Ionesco play will impress audiences when it premieres this weekend. Now regarded as a key work of the Theater of the Absurd, the play cleverly highlights the irrationalities of modern social interaction. Tickets are $12 for the general public and $10 for students.

UNITYLIVE BENEFIT CONCERT FRIDAY, 8 p.m. — Gaston Hall

Join GU AIDS Coalition in the fight against HIV/AIDS by attending their yearly benefit concert. Groove Theory, GU Jawani, the Saxatones and the Gracenotes will perform at this event. All proceeds will go to a school for AIDS orphans in Nairobi, Kenya. Tickets are $7 in Red Square and $10 at the door.

GPB PRESENTS: THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 8 p.m. and 11 a.m. — ICC Auditorium

The Georgetown Program Board has multiple free showings of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, starring Logan Lerman as a lonely high school freshman trying to find his way. Emma Watson and Ezra Miller co-star as his quirky friends, and the chemistry among the three makes the film more than worthwhile.

GEORGETOWN IMPROV ASSOCIATION SHOW SATURDAY, 9 P.M. — Bulldog Alley

This Saturday is the Georgetown Improv Association’s first show of the semester. The group’s program is not only completely unrehearsed but is also inspired by audience suggestions, and this is an evening you won’t want to miss. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for students.

around town saturday

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America and the rest of the North American continent have a critical but often overlooked indigenous heritage. The Smithsonian will be celebrating the culture with music, art and other entertainment at their museum dedicated to the topic. The event, which will span three days, is sure to be jam-packed with fun activities, including a movie with cultural highlights.

Talib Kweli, one of indie hip-hop’s forefathers, will be performing in a free concert this weekend, for what is sure to be a unique and engaging experience. Kweli, known for his unique beats and clever, sincere wordplay, is unlike any other rapper working in rap today and continues to pave the way for up-and-coming and veteran artists alike.

In preparation for the inauguration, it’s finally time to catch up on all of the presidential trivia you’ve forgotten from your AP U.S. History class. The National Cathedral, which has played host to the Presidential Prayer Service since 1985, will be presenting a discussion on the inauguration on Sunday— its planning, importance and inner workings — for public enjoyment.

WHERE: National Museum of the American Indian WHEN: 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Fri. to Sun.) PRICE: Free METRO: L’Enfant Plaza

WHERE: Little Miss Whiskey’s Golden Dollar WHEN: 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.

PRICE: Free METRO: Union Station or Gallery-Place Chinatown

WHERE: Washington National Cathedral WHEN: 10:10 a.m.

PRICE: Free METRO: Cleveland Park

JERROD MACFARLANE & BRIDGET MULLEN Hoya Staff Writers

COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM DEVITA