The Blake Beat
E3
November 16, 2012
REVIEWS FOR YOU
Reality tattooing show is truly masterful
x By John Beers
Audiences have been captivated in the past by shows like Miami Ink and continue to fall in love with reality competitions like The X Factor and Master Chef. Well Spike has found a way in to take the best of both and combine them into their up-and-coming, winner-take-all tattooing competition: Ink Master. The show, which is in its second season, features 16 of the best tattoo from around the country competing for a $100,000 dollar prize and a write-up in Inked, a well-renowned tattooing magazine. Each episode consists of “flash challenge” and a final tattooing challenge, after which the judges eliminate one of the contestants from the competition. The flash challenges are not limited
to tattooing, and are designed to show of the artists technical skills such as line-work and use of colors. Past flash challenges have included painting on amputees prosthetic legs and cutting lines in hair. In a change from the first season, the winner of each flash challenge controls which tattoo each other competitor does in the knockout round. Each knockout round has a different theme which the judges evaluate the contestants on. Some of the more notable themes include from the past seasons include photorealism, where the contestants try to replicate a photo in a tattoo and American classic, where the “canvases” were all military veterans who got tattoos that featured stars and stripes. In a recent episode centered around new age tattoos using lots of a color, some of the more
John Beers
History hits the big screen in movie masterpiece
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Michael Errigo
intriguing tattoos were a phoenix in a girl’s groin area as well as a brain on the back of a man’s head. What really sets the show is not the superb art work, but the characters it attracts both in the artists and guest judges. Some of the notable guest judges have include linebacker Terrell Suggs, and NBA players Chris “Birdman” Andersen and Matt Barnes. The contestants take it to a whole other level though, with constant behind the seen smack talk and mind games. My favorite contestant this season is Kay Kutta, an artist from North Carolina who instigates all the smack talk. Overall, this is an excellent show with high quality tattoos and even high quality drama. New episodes come on every Tuesday at 10pm, with plenty of reruns in between.
by Michael Errigo
Making movies about history is hard because, for the most part, the screenplay has already been written. One of the greatest stories written by our history is that of slavery and the 13th amendment. For a while it seemed like telling this story was a tall task for any director or any actor to fully execute. That was until Lincoln came out last Friday. Every show was sold out at Bethesda Row, the only theatre in our area that had been chosen for the limited release. Luckily, I bought my tickets ahead of time and stood in line with movie buffs and history majors alike. I was there for many reasons. I wanted to see if it could live up to its hype (especially its powerful trailer). I wanted to see if Steven Spielberg could take our history and make a drama out of it, especially at a
grueling 150 minutes. I wanted to see how Daniel Day-Lewis, despite being one of the greatest actors of our time, could possibly do justice to one of the greatest human beings in history. I was also there because I love movies, and this one seemed good. But mostly for the first three reasons. Let me start my actual review by saying this is a masterfully crafted movie. From the superior acting to the crisp cinematography to the powerful music, this film delivers. Every great movie has its star, and in this case, said star is nearly invisible. Daniel Day-Lewis practically disappears into the character of Abraham Lincoln. I found myself thinking of the character as Abraham Lincoln instead of merely a man playing Abraham Lincoln. He gives personality and life to a man that most of us have only seen in a history textbook. Day-Lewis is supported by an impeccable cast highlighted
by Sally Field as wife Mary Todd Lincoln and Tommy Lee Jones as House member Thaddeus Stevens. The movie pays extremely close attention to historical facts and provides a great inside look at the inner-workings of American politics. Most of the action happens in the House of Representatives, which may sound boring to some but I assure you that the snappy, well-written script makes the verbal action just as exciting as the physical action. The beginning may seem slow-developing at times but I thought it only added weight to the events later in the movie. At its core, Lincoln is a very well made, very entertaining movie. It is as simple as that. I could spend 1000 words praising the films intricacies and accomplishments but in my view, a simply good movie deserves a simple praise: Well done.
Skyfall falls short of 007 film predecessors
Lack of ‘Bond girl’, fight scenes dooms lastest title by Priya Dadlani Ahhh, James Bond – such a classic. From Russia with Love, License to Kill, Octopussy, Tomorrow Never Dies—these were a few of the films that shaped the character of James Bond, 007 Agent. This past weekend the latest addition to the James Bond series, Skyfall, came out in theaters. Beginning with the great opening song called “Skyfall” by Adele, I was excited for the movie, ready for an action packed evening. But I was sadly misled. Skyfall was not an action packed, suspenseful thriller with gun shots, death, and one beautiful young Bond girl adding a feminine touch to the plot. Instead it was like a soap opera with more drama and less gore. If one is not familiar with the Bond movies, you would enjoy Skyfall. But these
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movies have some guidelines to follow. First of all there has to be one Bond girl—Skyfall had two so-so female characters that did not play huge roles. There also have to be multiple fight scenes that make you creep up to the edge of your seat—Skyfall had only one. There should be more technology gadgets like watches that can tell you the location of your enemy or iPhones that double as guns. This movie had limited gadgets unless you want to count big screen computers and hard drives. I will say that Skyfall started out really well with a great car chase scene which definitely set the tone for a high-paced movie. But after the first 30 minutes the intense feeling died out and the rest of the movie was a blur of storytelling and houses burning down. Being a fan of Daniel Craig, the Bond since 2006, I was highly disappointed by his bland
acting. Although Skyfall was ten times better than Quantum of Solace, it could not compare to Casino Royale. Javier Bardem played the villain Silva, a creepy ex-agent who left MI6 to run his own illegal affairs. Although Bardem usually delivers a great performance, he didn’t make for a good bad guy. Silva was creepy in all the wrong ways - you didn’t want him dead; instead you’d rather pass him a moist towelette and some sanitizer. Maybe the movie as a whole was good, but it failed to live up to the high standards set by the past Bond movies. After almost falling asleep multiple times during the opening night of Skyfall, it’s hard for me to vouch for the beloved, sexy character of James Bond. So I won’t, instead save yourself the 11 dollars.
Priya Dadlani
Marley documentary reveals history of legend
Senior captivated by biography about reggae music idol x by Zema Meseretu
Zema Meseretu
Earlier this year I went to downtown Silver Spring to the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center with my brother to see the Bob Marley documentary, Marley. Director Kevin Macdonald also directed familiar films like The Eagle and State of Play, as well as many other invigorating documentaries. I cannot even begin to describe how powerful and inspirational this film was. Usually when you watch a documentary you learn solely about the person or event, but with Marley, the audience is nourished with an abundance of fine points. Not only are you given the oppor-
tunity to learn about the legend himself, but the documentary gives you general knowledge of the history of Rastafarianism, Afro-centrism, Reggae, Ska, Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, and other African cultures. I sat there and just embraced the legend of Nesta Marley; I learning things about him I never even knew (those who know me know that is pretty surprising). Fun Facts: Marley had 11 children within seven different relationships. He was born and lived in St. Ann’s, Jamaica, with his mother. He only saw his white English father a handful of times. Marley was not popular to African Americans before he became a household name to White Americans.
Reggae fan or not, this documentary is enjoyable for all. Live performances by Marley himself and personal home video footage really help the viewer connect with the legend. Questions answered and mysteries solved, the film offers it all. Forty-four years ago this month marks the time Marley began exploring Rastafarianism, which is when he met Mortimo Planno of the Divine Theocratic Temple of Rastafari in Kingston, influencing Marley’s well-known and admired music. I recommend that everyone see this documentary. My opinion may be biased, but I highly believe that there is something for everyone enclosed in Marley. Jah Bless.