dailywildcat.com/wildlife
B section
wednesday, march 24, 2010
Wildlife
Steven Kwan Arts Editor 520•621•3106 arts@wildcat.arizona.edu
House wins with Chatroulette
Video chat site offers a lot of junk
BEFORE YOU GRADUATE
Arizona Daily Wildcat So spring break just ended. That is tragic. However, you still have a month and a half of school left to cross out more Tucson must-do’s. There are a lot more randomly awesome places and events in this city than you’d think. Hey, you might even get a great story to rival your friend’s epic tour of Miami’s night clubs. You’ll never know until you try.
The latest online means to embarrass and to feel embarrassed is Chatroulette.com, a Web site that allows users to connect with random strangers around the world. The addition of video and audio and the option to switch, or “next,” to another random person distinguish Chatroulette from other chat sites. You no longer have to wonder whether that self-proclaimed French supermodel is truly handsome or beautiful, you’ll get to see him or her for yourself — for better or worse. Even though you’ll see the other person, you never know what he or she is really like until the chat begins. So in a limited and very unscientific experiment, the brave volunteers of the Arizona Daily Wildcat WildLife staff went on Chatroulette. Their only restrictions were a time limit of 15 minutes and to attempt to have an actual conversation.
Dinner and a show
Just off East Broadway Boulevard and North Kolb Road sits the Gaslight Theatre: a small venue that adds a little excitement to any meal. A Tucson gem since 1980, the theater and restaurant offers original melodramas that are both hilariously satirical and wittily stereotypical. If you can tolerate a little cheesiness, you’ll be impressed with the intricate sets and talented actors. “The Son of the Sheik,” an adventurous romance story complete with flying carpets and camels will start April 1 and run until June 12. Student tickets will cost you around $16, and a couple more bucks will get you something delicious to munch on during the show.
OBSERVATIONS & RESULTS
One of the worst things that can happen
My virginal trip on the Chatroulette circuit was terrible. It lasted than less eight minutes, but it will never leave me. I know I’m not the first person to have caught glimpses of hairy, overweight men masturbating. So you might think my experience could not have been worse than the average Chatroulette victim’s. However, until you have seen a man smack his testicles against his webcam, you have not been the places I have been. Most people on Chatroulette who had their clothes on looked depressed with their life; I imagine the two correlated. I too have felt such pain: When I was finally matched with an attractive woman, she disconnected from me almost immediately. I have since felt inadequate, despondent and alone. I wonder what she didn’t see in me. I think penises. — Zachary Smith
A nice Frenchman
INSIDE
Chatroulette was an interesting experience. I don’t think I suffered too much psychological damage; however, I did find a few surprises. My first partner ended up being two teenage boys, one in dark sunglasses and the other one perched beside him. After introducing myself with a general “hi” and receiving no response, I clicked “next” to switch partners. The conversation with my second partner took up the majority of the seven minutes or so I spent on the Web site. He was a nice, talkative bloke from France. New to the site himself — it being his second time — I definitely did not get the“creep”factor I had experienced with the first guys. After a short exchange of customary pleasantries, we parted ways. The remainder of my time was not so congenial. In fact, disgusting comes to mind. My third partner turned out to be a heavy-set older man who only
gave me a wink and a slight head nod before continuing to stare at me on the screen. The fact that I saw his hands go south did little to put me at ease. My last and final pairing was with someone’s crotch. Yes, a man’s crotch. Needless to say, that was the end of my session on Chatroulette. — Dallas Williamson
Wanted: Anonymous chat
I can see the appeal of Chatroulette, but 10 penises later I’m over it. What did I learn? There are some interesting people out there, but I’ve seen one too many men masturbating for my taste. Maybe omegle.com, a similar Web site that was around first and doesn’t feature webcams, is the poor man’s Chatroulette, but I’ll take anonymous conversation over video chats. Chatroulette seems more fun as a group, and if you’re an attractive girl it gets old quick. There is potential to meet some interesting people — if you can get past the penises. Even if anonymous webcamming isn’t your thing there is some intriguing novice Chatroulette sociology going on around the Internet. Google “Chatroulette sociology.” — Ali Freedman
Baby carrots
It was four a.m. The Americans were all in bed. Belgians, Brazilians and the French prowled the Web. After a few dozen chats, I developed standards for who is a good person to talk to, and who deserves a hasty “next.”
Copied and pasted introductions are never a good sign — it shows they’ve been on the site for a while or are remarkably lazy. Other notable nono’s: couples, close-ups of“abs”and too many smileys. As for the men keen on taking their clothes off, I retaliated with a comment involving baby carrots. The experience is actually intriguing if you have some spare time. Total anonymity is refreshing and you’ll meet the most interesting (or bizarre) people imaginable. Sure, there’s the intermittent penis, but that’s college for you. — Kathleen Roosa
Ode to the Rubix Man
Nude male genitalia. For nine straight rounds. Then, I hit upon a winner! I dubbed him Rubix Man. He told me he would solve his Cube. Eyes closed, he promised me “no penis.” True to his word, he jumbled it. Solved it in two minutes, and seven seconds. “Knock it down to 45 seconds, then I’ll be impressed.” I pressed ‘F9.’ He vanished into the black of my screen. I never saw him again. — Joe Dusbabek
Going in like gangbusters
I decided to give it a go along with several friends — one of them advised me not to do it alone. We divided ourselves between two computers, guys versus girls, making it some sort of competition and started chatting. Some, OK, most of the people were bizarre while others kept up some interesting conversation for several minutes. The hint of a dark room or a provocatively placed camera was instantly next-ed. I saw way too many guys jerking off. Along with the overexposure of penises came more guys, but this time they wanted us to flash them. They got a flash, but was it one of the girls? Nope. It was hilarious to say Photo courtesy of Chatroulette.com
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Photo courtesy of Chatroulette.com
the least, and our partners definitely weren’t expecting dude nipple. We were on a roll, nexting the conversations when they got boring and chatting it up with strangers. There were a lot more nexts than actual conversations. We were completely enticed by this strange new activity, but finally had to stop when we became exhausted. You have no strings tied to any of these people; you can talk to them about anything if you decide you even want to talk to them at all. Odds are, without Chatroulette you probably wouldn’t have talked to them in the first place. —Emily Moore
Not all fun and games
After 15 minutes on Chatroulette, the newest Internet social networking fad, a trend starts to emerge. Sadly for the eyes and the pocketbook — intensive therapy is pricey — that fad is male genitalia. It took me four tries before I found anything on Chatroulette other than a man in a darkened room, either proudly flaunting the fact that he was masturbating or surreptitiously doing so just beyond the camera’s view. Although I tried to quickly avert my eyes and hit“next,”I still saw more junk than your average Monday afternoon. Some aspects of the site are pretty cool. I practiced my Spanish skills with a man in Palma, Spain, and talked to a 24-yearold entrepreneur in East Germany. Unfortunately, the latter forced me to “next”him when he asked politely that I “show him my tits.”No, thank you. The most off-putting aspect of Chatroulette is not the plethora of penises. This is par for the course in any Internet phenomenon — remember the MySpace friend requests from, ahem, exotic dancers? The worst part of Chatroulette is the “next” function. A stranger can, upon simply seeing your face under unflattering webcam conditions, decide you’re not worth the time it takes to type “Hey.” I was passed over half a dozen times, and my sense of self-worth took a beating. But I have to admit, every time I saw a sullen male face in a darkened room, an arm jiggling suspiciously, I breathed a sigh of relief as I resolutely clicked “next.” —Heather Price-Wright
CONCLUSION
It is safe to conclude that the odds of having an actual conversation on Chatroulette are slim. Much like a stint at a Las Vegas roulette table, the house wins in the end and unfortunately, that house is populated by hirsute, overweight men in various states of undress.
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7010 E. Broadway Blvd. Call for reservations and showtimes at 886-9428
Hang out at the rock gym
Barely a five-minute car ride from campus lies a spectacular rock gym called Rocks & Ropes. With plenty of routes for all levels on a handful of walls, there’s no end to the variety of courses to conquer. If it’s your first time, you will have to take a quick orientation that will show you the ropes, so to speak. The gym also hosts a variety of clinics that teach anyone from the novice to the master on subjects ranging from bouldering to lead climbing. So wear some comfortable clothes and bring a partner — you’ll be climbing in no time.
330 S. Toole Ave. Suite 400 Admission: $12 Rentals (climbing shoes, harness, helmet): $6 One month student membership: $45 882-5924
Natural beauties
Speaking of rocks, one of Arizona’s best natural treasures is the Kartchner Caverns State Park. With beautiful living stalagmites and stalactites (because who really knows the difference anyway) towering up to 50 feet, tours of the “Big Room” last over an hour and a half. Additionally, 17 miles east of Tucson is Colossal Cave Mountain Park. Legend has it that outlaws hid in the many passages of this dormant cave, leaving behind tales of secret treasure. With both sites maintaining an inside temperature of around 70 degrees, either tour will be a nice reprieve as the Tucson heat creeps up.
Kartchner Caverns State Park Benson, Ariz. Cave Tour Rate: $18.95-$22.95 (depending on tour) Call 586-2283 for reservations and to book tickets. Colossal Cave Mountain Park 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail Vail, Ariz. Cave Tour Rate: $11 647-7275 — Kathleen Roosa
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• wednesday, march 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat
local scene
To-Do List
FRIDAY, MARCH 26 Powhaus Productions Presents Trash to celebrate the birth of punk music at Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. There will be music, dancing and $3 drink specials. Doors open 9 p.m. $3. 18+. Call 740-1000 or visit www.rialtotheatre.com/ for more information. SATURDAY, MARCH 27 “The Taming of the Shrew,” a comedy involving the battle of the sexes written by Shakespeare, will be performed at Marroney Theatre. Show time 1:30 p.m. General $28 and students $19. Call 621-1162 or visit http://arizona.tix.com/ for more information to buy tickets. SUNDAY, MARCH 28 Butterfly Magic at the Gardens will be open to the public until April 30 at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. The event will exhibit tropical butterflies in a greenhouse. Open daily aside from holidays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. $12. Call 326-9686 or visit www. tucsonbotanical.org/ for more information. MONDAY, MARCH 29 “Tapped,”a documentary on the plastic bottle business, will premiere as part of the“One-Hit Wonders” screenings at The Loft Cinema, 1103 N. Camilla Blvd. Director Stephanie Soechtig and producer Sarah Gibson will be present. The first 100 viewers who bring a single-use plastic water bottle can exchange it for a free stainless steel water bottle. Show time 7:30 p.m. Adults $8.75, students $6.50, Loft members $4.75. Call 322-5638 or visit www.loftcinema.com for more. TUESDAY, MARCH 30 Carnival Illusion, held nightly until May 29, is a Victorian-inspired magic show performed by Roland Sarlot & Susan Eyed. The show takes place at Doubletree Hotel Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way. Nightly shows 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. $26 includes the show and dinner. $5 off and 2-for-1 dinner discounts available for tickets bought on www.carnivalofillusion. com with the code MTCVB. Call 615-5299 or visit www.carnivalofillusion.com/ for more information. Did you know....40,000 lbs of broken windshields fill our landfills up in one month alone in larger cities?
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By Brandon Specktor Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tucson will be hosting“The Water Project: Tucson’s Synergistic Water Festival,”a weekend of films, live performances and panels to promote water conservation and education as a part of World Water Week. The festival begins on Friday at The Screening Room. A series of nine waterthemed short films made by local filmmakers will be screened at 6 p.m. Following the shorts, the feature documentary“Blue Gold: World Water Wars”will be screened at 8 p.m. Admission for the events is $5. On Saturday the festivities will move to Himmel Park in the form of Solar Rock, a totally solar-powered day of music and speakers. Vice mayor Rodney Glassman will introduce the first performers at noon, and throughout the day local policymakers, researchers and musicians will fill the stage. The lineup includes Spirit Familia, the Mitzi Cowell Band, children’s singer-songwriter Bruce Phillips, and 2010’s Arizona Daily Star Battle of the Band winners Soñar. Food, vendors and children’s activities will be available through 6 p.m. The full
— Bryan Ponton
lineup is available at http://solarrock. wordpress.com/speeches/. Sunday’s events begin at Sabino Canyon at 10 a.m. where visitors will gather at the picnic area to engage in inter-faith song, prayer and reflection. At 11 a.m. buses begin loading for downtown and the next phase of the festival. An“Enviro-Vendor Fair”will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Armory Park Center. Water-themed exercises and merchandise will be displayed, and public discussions on water sustainability will be held throughout the day. Blake Gentry of the United Nations Association of Southern Arizona will moderate a policy panel and Q&A session with Arizona water officials at 2:30. At 4:30 a panel of researchers and scientists will deliver sustainability presentations. All events of the day are free, with the exception of the 6 p.m. after party, which will feature more live music and speakers and a catered buffet. Admission costs $10. The festival will continue into the night at the Casbah Teahouse, celebrating the full moon with music and dancing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Entry is $5. The Water Project is an initiative of the Conscious Collective, a community visual and performance arts group that aims to
spread environmental awareness as part of the Tucson Arts Brigade. The Tucson Arts Brigade is a nonprofit organization that has been supporting community arts since 1996. One of its most visible contributions to the city is the “Share the Bounty”mural at Fourth Avenue’s Winsett Park, near Bison Witches Bar & Deli. As denizens of the desert, and the world, for that matter, we owe it to ourselves to explore and endorse sustainability. If you can’t stand the heat, tax-deductible donations to the Tucson Arts Brigade can be made at the festival Web site: www.waterprojectfestival.org/.
IF YOU GO
Water Project Film Festival at The Screening Room 127 E. Congress St. $5 for one or both programs 6 - 7:30 p.m. “Water Shortages,” film shorts by local filmmakers 8 - 9:30 p.m. Blue Gold: World Water Wars
Londoner Long hits the desert Thursday By Brandon Specktor Arizona Daily Wildcat Bobby Long is a long way from home. Hailing from the town of Wigan near Manchester, England, the young, 20-something singer-songwriter is in the throes of his second U.S. tour, coming to Tucson for the first time tomorrow night. “I’ve been to Phoenix, but I’ve never been to Tucson,”Long said over the phone between shows at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.“I’m looking forward to it … it’s always nice to be playing in a new place that I’ve never been before.” Long had been playing open mic sets around London before his popularity spiked by a chance encounter with Robert Pattinson, the Edward Cullen of“Twilight”fame. A mutual appreciation for each other’s music sparked a friendship, and eventually the inclusion of a song penned by Long and fellow musician Marcus Foster on the“Twilight”soundtrack. The song,“Let Me Sign,”was performed by Pattinson himself on film, but Long’s credit on the album triggered a snowball of popularity that the folk soloist found “overwhelming, at first.” The global debut on“Twilight”came with its disadvantages.“People dismiss you like, ‘Oh, you’re on a vampire soundtrack,’”Long
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travels and inspirations — the stories behind the stories. This impulse to connect with audiences has left Long with varied reactions to U.S. cities during his tour. “To play in New York is always an amazing experience, but often times it’s the smaller places (that I prefer) … smaller towns where just 120 people turn up and I just have more room to play,”Long said. Unlike Dylan, though, Long keeps things apolitical. Though he has always been enamored with folk and the Western tradition of protest songs, Long says he strays away from overt messages in his music. “I don’t want to go out and save the world,”he said.“I want to express myself. Maybe one day I’ll want to express myself through that medium.” Get your folk fix and join the Photo courtesy of W3 Public Relations talented troubadour at Club Congress tomorrow night, along with relevant,”Long said.“I think I became the Tacoma pop duo He is We. Just don’t relevant on the ‘Twilight’ soundtrack.”He expect any “Twilight.” added that, although appearing on the soundtrack was a great way to jumpstart his popularity, he has faith in the quality of his own songs and feels he could have achieved Bobby Long & He is We fame without the“Twilight”bump. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. And rightly so. Long’s stage presence Thursday, March 25 resounds with the storytelling folk traditions and intimate acoustic style of artists like 6:30 doors, 7 p.m. showtime Bob Dylan and Neil Young, intermixed $12 All ages with conversational asides that recall his
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said through his cheery cockney accent. Ultimately, though, the song provided an exposure in the States that launched Long out of obscurity seemingly overnight. “You’ll be doing this stuff for years and then all of a sudden you kind of become
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Photo courtesy of Shaun Roby for the UA School of Theatre Arts
on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. To see “The Tamer Tamed”, go to the Marroney Theatre on Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Student admission is $19. For more information, please call the
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THURSDAY, MARCH 25 Rappers Paul Wall and Chamillionaire will be performing on their In Love with My Money tour at Club DV8, 5851 E. Speedway Blvd. Show time 8 p.m. $22. 18+. Call 323-782-0401 or visit ticketmaster.com for more information and ticket sales.
OUR PICK
The Arizona Repertory Theatre presents its latest shows “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare and “The Tamer Tamed” by John Fletcher to be rotating until the end of this week in the Marroney Theatre. Directed by Brent Gibbs, the rotating shows present the two sides to the original controversial comedy by Shakespeare. “The Taming of the Shrew” is a play based around Kate, who vows never to get married. When Petruchio agrees to marry Kate, he attempts to “tame” her to make Kate an acceptable wife. “The Tamer Tamed”takes off with Petruchio remarrying after the death of Kate. His new wife, Maria, shows Petruchio that women are equal to men, and comedy ensues. With a different show each night, the audience can enjoy both plays in two consecutive nights and see the entire story of Petruchio, Kate and Maria.Yet, seeing the plays individually will be enjoyable too. Check out “Taming of the Shrew”
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24 “Wanted: The Cisco Kid,”a musical about a group of outlaws seeking justice, will be performed at The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway Blvd., until Saturday. Wednesday and Thursday performances begin at 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday performances begin at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. General public $17.95 and student $15.95. Call 886-9428 or visit www.thegaslighttheatre.com/theatre.htm for more information.
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arizona daily wildcat • wednesday, march 24, 2010 •
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‘God of War III’ fitting conclusion to epic series It’s been a long, three-year wait, but Sony Santa Monica’s“God of War III” is finally here. The Greek mythology-inspired epic sticks to its previous winning formulas while wrapping up the trilogy in a satisfying way. It’s not perfect, but it does many things very well and will undoubtedly help rank the series among the best of all time. The story picks up right where it left off at the end of“God of War II.”Kratos, our angry anti-hero who is still peeved about the gods’ betrayal, is on the Titan Gaia’s back riding his way up to Mount Olympus to destroy Zeus and any who dare oppose him. Kratos is
uncompromising in his quest for vengeance and is one of the most static characters I’ve ever witnessed in a video game. By the end of the game he does become more humane, but his single-minded blood thirst will definitely be a turnoff to some. And what blood thirst there is! This is absolutely the goriest game I’ve played in my 10-plus years of gaming, and all of it is rendered in a stunning graphic package. “God of War III” is the most impressivelooking game of this generation. However, there are several areas that don’t match up to the rest of the game’s quality, and the contrast is noticeable. For the most part, though, the game will astonish you with the detail involved in nearly every aspect.
The plot of “God of War III” is a revenge tale at its heart, and this is the impression you will have for most of the game. There are several standout moments, including an amusing interchange with a drunken Hera and another short discussion with a certain boss that you fight shortly afterward. The gods come off as whiny and immature — much like their literary counterparts — but later on the story takes a quick turn toward the tragic. I’d be remiss to spoil it for you here, but you will have a revelation near the end that will drastically change your viewpoint of all the preceding events. While originally an unfocused decision, the true tragedy of what the gods have wrought upon themselves will become clear and ultimately improve the story. The combat system has remained roughly the same since the previous outings. The only two differences are slight but welcome ones. The new weapons you gain are all useful this time around and provide a welcome diversion from the standard equipment (titled the “Blades of Exile” this time around). Level design is mostly great but can be questionable in certain areas; a certain set piece that I won’t spoil here can be overwhelmingly frustrating for anyone but the most patient. The camera also has been refined. While it still isn’t controllable, it lends a cinematic viewpoint and increases both the scale of the events and the perception of your size while you fight. There are also several instances of perspective change where you see through the eyes of Kratos as opposed to the normal third-person view. This is especially well done in a boss battle that features one of the most gruesome, disgusting and satisfying displays of violence I’ve ever played through. Kratos’ journey has finally concluded in a spectacular fashion. Fans of the series will be sad the trilogy has ended but very pleased it ended as it did. All significant plot loops are tied up, Kratos again stamps himself into the gaming landscape and, in doing so, will leave nearly every fan satisfied.“God of War III” will go down in gaming history as the conclusion to one of the greatest series of all time, and any fan of video games owes it to themselves to see how it all ends — if only because you have to know.
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‘Final Fantasy XIII’ a technical ode to fans By Joe Dusbabek Arizona Daily Wildcat The long-awaited “Final Fantasy XIII” has finally been released, and even though it is a masterpiece in terms of graphical achievement and sound design, it bucks many series conventions that keep it from being as legendary as its predecessors. The story of “Final Fantasy XIII” is placed within a sci-fi universe this time around, where a massive corporation monopolizes everything, and there is an interesting interplay between the game’s version of gods and humans. Sound interesting? It is, but not initially. First, you are going to have to slog your way through 30 hours of linear gameplay, which is not for everyone. “Final Fantasy XIII” breaks away from Japanese role playing game convention and does away with nearly everything typically associated with the genre. The linearity is still there, but there are no side quests until much later. There aren’t any towns to sell or trade your items, there are no famed minigames and the combat system is so fast you’d be inclined to label it a choicebased action game as opposed to a turnbased role playing game.
In short, you’d better know what you’re in for if you’re going to pick this up. Although a massive portion of the game has you literally running along a path and fighting visible enemies along it, the combat system is fun and really begins to show its depth about five or six hours in. A kind of new mechanic called “Paradigm Shift” is the true heart of the game’s combat system. It allows you to change your party’s class type on the fly, making instant combat strategy changes both possible and necessary. Paradigm Shifts are often essential to surviving encounters, and a rating system at the end of each battle will tell you how well you utilized them. The story has always been the strong point of a“Final Fantasy”entry, and developer Square Enix hasn’t dropped the ball here. The presentation is strong and features a plot that quickly bounces back and forth between six unique characters. A few of them are definitely stereotypes, but fortunately the presentation distracts from any minor gripes. At its core,“Final Fantasy XIII” is more a refinement of the formula established by its predecessor. Square Enix has done its best to keep the series relevant during the days of a shooter-dominated market and
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has, for the most, part succeeded. Long time fans will be disappointed at some of the neglected features from the past, but ultimately “Final Fantasy XIII” succeeds at streamlining the experience for everyone. It’s not perfect, but it’s good in its own right and deserves recommendation.
She & Him’s Volume Two a summery delight By Kathleen Roosa Arizona Daily Wildcat Just about everyone is in love with Zooey Deschanel. As the indie pinup girl for our generation, girls want her hair and guys crush on her. We love her deadpan characters, from the quirky sister in “Almost Famous” to the title character of “(500) Days of Summer.” You’ve seen her sing in films before, such as when she crooned “Baby It’s Cold Outside” with Will Ferrell in “Elf.” Her dabbling turned into a career when she paired up with indie-folk god M. Ward. The two created “She & Him,” successfully releasing their first album, Volume One, in 2008. Volume Two, like its predecessor, is unabashedly retro in its sound and summery in its feel. She & Him take the lyrics written by Deschanel and add Ward’s guitar accompaniment to give the songs a soft, but full, body. Deschanel’s rosy voice is innocently attractive, begging you to sing along.
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Released March 23, 2010 One of the earliest tracks on the album is “In the Sun,” featuring a Regina Spektorlike piano plunk and ‘60s style melody. Like many of her other songs, it features a certain amount of tension between the
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happy-go-lucky sound and the more serious lyrics. Check out the music video as well — an adorable fusion of folk and “High School Musical.” Let’s just say it involves hula hoop choreography. Other noteworthy songs include “Don’t Look Back,” where you can envision Deschanel sighing on a windowsill thinking about an old summer fling, and “Gonna Get Along Without You Now,” a Skeeter Davis cover capable of inducing both toe tapping and head nodding. Some songs contain a plethora of instruments, while others make you perk up to simple harmonies and guitar strains. The record’s only small drawback is the weight on a song’s chorus, which can be repeated up to five times within three minutes. The charms of Volume Two are undeniable. You can feel Deschanel’s sliver of a smile as her voice effortlessly leaps around the scale as Ward’s acoustic plunking wafts in the background. The 13 songs range from tropical love songs to bittersweet ballads, ending with an a cappella lullaby titled“If You Can’t Sleep.”While you won’t blast Volume Two at a raging party, its sweetness is definitely worth a listen.
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• wednesday, march 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat
arizona daily wildcat • wednesday, march 24, 2010 •
spring film previews
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‘Dragons,’ ‘Date Night’ and Robert Downey Jr., oh my! FRIDAY, APRIL 9 “Date Night”
Starring: Steve Carell and Tina Fey Plot: A couple goes out on a date night and is mistaken for a different couple. Why you are interested: Carell and Fey are supported by a knockout cast of Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Mila Kunis, Mark Ruffalo and Kristin Wiig. Even if the script is as tepid as the trailers make it out to be, that level of talent will certainly elevate the material. To what extent remains to be seen.
FRIDAY, APRIL 16 “Kick-Ass”
By Zachary Smith Arizona Daily Wildcat
FRIDAY, MARCH, 26 “How To Train Your Dragon”
Starring: Jay Baruchel Plot: A Viking teenager befriends a dragon. Why you are interested: Because it’s directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. They’re not household names, but they both cut their teeth with Disney during the Golden Age,
with work on “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin” and “The Lion King.” However, DreamWorks’ animation studio has been somewhat unreliable. Sometimes they make “Kung Fu Panda,” other times “Shark Tale.”
“Hot Tub Time Machine”
Starring: John Cusack Plot: Four men stumble upon a hot tub that is also a time machine. Why you are interested: Because of the name, really. Also, supporting turns
by Chevy Chase and Crispin Glover sound promising. I’m interested to see “Daily Show” alumnus Rob Corddry in an expanded role, but quite concerned as to why John Cusack is billed as starring in the movie, yet hardly appears in any of the trailers.
“A Prophet” (The Loft Cinema only)
Starring: Tahar Rahim Plot: A young Arab man rises to become a mafia kingpin in a French prison. Why you are interested: Because it won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a record 13 Cesar Awards (the French Oscar). Furthermore, director Jacques Audiard’s previous film “The Beat That My Heart Skipped” was one of the decade’s best and “Prophet” is already drawing favorable comparisons to “Goodfellas.”
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
“Fish Tank” (The Loft Cinema only)
Starring: Katie Jarvis Plot: Fifteen-year-old Mia begins a strange relationship with her mother’s boyfriend. Why you are interested: Because it won Best British Film at the BAFTA Awards and was called “nearly flawless” by A.O. Scott of The New York Times. You owe it to yourself to see one independent/ foreign film every year and “Fish Tank” looks quite worthy.
Starring: Aaron Johnson Plot: Typical teenager Dave decides to become a real-life superhero, despite having no special powers. Why you are interested: Overwhelmingly positive reviews have been coming out since its first screening at the Butt-Numb-A-Thon film festival last December. With its wanton recklessness and gleeful hyperviolence, “Kick-Ass” looks to be one of the freshest
Starring: Kim Hye-ja Plot: After her son is wrongfully accused of a killing, a mother undertakes her own investigation to clear his name. Why you are interested: Because director Bong Joon-ho’s previous flick “The Host” was the best monster movie in decades, so you know he’s the real deal. “Mother” marks Bong’s first foray into the suspense genre, and he has proven to be capable of reviving any style.
FRIDAY, APRIL 23 “The Losers”
Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Idris Elba Plot: After being betrayed and left for dead, members of a black ops team seek revenge. Why you are interested: Because you’re like me and will see any movie with Idris Elba in it. I’m cautiously intrigued by the film, as the trailer plays its cards close to the chest. Produced by the legendary Joel Silver (“The Matrix,” “Die Hard”) and featuring an impressive list of character actors, this could be one of the year’s surprises. April is a month of wild card films, so anything is possible.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
FRIDAY, MAY 7 “Iron Man 2”
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. Plot: Iron Man is back, with new enemies and new friends. Why you are interested: Because
Starring: Jackie Earle Haley Plot: Freddy Krueger kills people in their dreams. Why you are interested: You aren’t, and neither am I. Haley will be incredible, as he always is, but the film is produced by Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes. They are responsible for the terrible remakes of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,”“The Amityville Horror” and “Friday the 13th.” Besides, director Samuel Bayer has never shot a film before, with his music video resume featuring the abysmal video for My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade.”
Photo courtesy of aceshowbiz.com
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“Robin Hood”
Starring: Russell Crowe Plot: Robin Hood returns to England to free the people from the corruption of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Why are you interested: Because you want to see Robin Hood on an epic scale. Who better than the duo behind “Gladiator” to envision a sweeping tale of one of the most revered action heroes of all time? At the very least, this will erase all memory of Kevin Costner’s horrible portrayal of the Prince of Thieves. Photo courtesy of allmoviephoto.com
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the pedigree is too good to fail. Downey Jr.’s career renaissance has been outstanding thus far, and the addition of Mickey Rourke as the villain, Ivan Vanko, makes me giddy. Between War Machine and the suitcase suit featured in the trailer, my excitement is at a high water mark for any sequel. Yes, that includes “The Dark Knight.”
FRIDAY, MAY 14
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
“Clash of the Titans”
Photo courtesy of thepeoplesmovies.wordpress.com
“Mother” (The Loft Cinema only)
FRIDAY, APRIL 30
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 Starring: Sam Worthington Plot: Perseus makes a pact with father, Zeus, to stop Hades from taking over the world. Why you are interested: Because the director of “Transporter 2” is making a 3-D movie about Greek mythology. Let that sink in.
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B6
• wednesday, march 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat
A surreal relationship: Working with Dalí By Zachary Smith Arizona Daily Wildcat
Nestled in the back of Paradise Café sat Thomas Banchoff of Brown University. In town for the Daniel Bartlett Memorial Lecture series this past Monday, Banchoff agreed to speak with me before he left. His laptop erect before him, Banchoff turned to his wife with a puzzled look, as she attempted to show him how to call someone on Skype. For a man who has been doing research in mathematics since 1964, this was a rare moment of befuddlement. After all, Banchoff has taught classes such as Combinatorial Topology and Hyperbolic Geometry. He isn’t exactly a slouch. As a mathematics professor and geometer, Banchoff studies geometric surfaces and shapes beyond even the fourth dimension. His wealth of knowledge seemed limitless. He casually noted that he dabbles in calculus to create shapes as if this was a typical leisure activity. Here I was, someone who struggles to understand logarithms, sitting across the table from one of the most brilliant minds of geometric and spatial exploration of the past 50 years, and I don’t even own a calculator. As if Banchoff’s work and research was not daunting enough, he is also known for repeated consultations with famed surrealist, Salvador Dalí. I was intimidated. But as Banchoff spoke about his childhood, that feeling vanished. There was no deep mystery to the man’s love of math. He wasn’t a supervillain; He grew up loving shapes. He worked his way from two-dimensional diagrams to three-dimensional constructions.“I liked to make models. I got excited when I heard about the fourth dimension from a comic book.”He chuckled,“I’m still trying to figure it out.”
After receiving his doctoral degree from University of California, Berkeley, Banchoff worked at Harvard and University of Amsterdam before settling at Brown University in 1967. He pioneered work in differential geometry, and in 1975, The Washington Post published an article about Banchoff’s work in its style section. The accompanying picture showed Banchoff holding up a plastic model inspired by Dalí’s painting “Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus),” housed in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. A few weeks later, Dalí’s representative telephoned Banchoff to set up a meeting. Initially skeptical that it was Dalí who had contacted him, Banchoff found the request to be authentic when the two were introduced later that month. Dalí’s interest was to use technology to explore different perspectives. At the time, Dalí was working with holographic paintings and was attempting to move to stereoscopic paintings. He was looking for technical advice from Banchoff, who was making stereoscopic, animated films at the time. Banchoff explained that Dalí wanted to “help people see things in new ways.” Banchoff described their meetings as cordial and professional.“We were both learning from each other.” Over the years, the two would meet to exchange their newest work: Banchoff brought his films, Dalí brought his art.“He was fascinated by the mathematics, the visual science and the forms.”The two saw each other at least once each year over the next decade, as both men pursued images that could exist past the third dimension. Dalí’s early work evoked the frustration of post-war surrealism, while his later work delved into the mathematical abstractions being explored worldwide. He was intensely
Valentina Martinelli/Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thomas Banchoff, a mathematics professor at Brown University and a geometer, speaks about the use of science and mathematics in the art of Salvador Dalí on Monday in Gallagher Theater.
fascinated by Rene Thom’s catastrophe theory. Banchoff recalled,“Dalí would speak to Thom, then he would speak to me about visualization.” In his later work, Dalí would use the catastrophe theory as inspiration to explore cubic equations, quadratic and fifth degree equations. His final painting,“The Swallow’s Tail,” uses the S-shapes of Thom’s theory to form everything from a Dalí mustache to a cello to a symbol for an integral in calculus to the overtly religious image of a chalice. The piece is housed in the Dalí Archives in Figueres, Spain.
Banchoff described Dalí as a wildly intelligent man.“We could have conversations above the Scientific American level. We were talking about the interface between technology, mathematics and art. He knew what images fascinated him.” Banchoff spoke of Dalí not as an idol but a respected colleague. Only when prompted did Banchoff speak of Dalí’s renowned eccentricity. “He had an outrageous persona. When we visited him in New York, he would hold court at the St. Regent’s Hotel cocktail lounge. He would speak to
different people in French or Spanish or Catalan. They were flamboyant people in the art world or in the fashion world. It was a crazy spread. If you wanted to talk seriously, it was not out in the open.” As the conversation came to a close, Banchoff mentioned his continuing research concerning the fourth dimension. Though in his seventies, he spoke with the vigor of a child. Once mystified by the fantastic realms of his comic books, he still wanted to explore them. And for once in my life, I kind of did too.
Moriah Mason talks up ‘The Groundwater Up Project’ camera and how to edit, on the job (while making this film). Did you find that Monday night filmmaker process useful — the Moriah Mason participated in a learning process of just special UA showing of her film, kind of being thrown “The Groudwater Up Project” into making a film? as part of the film’s international Yeah, I really enjoyed premiere hosted by Voices of learning the skills of Opposition Monday Night Film filmmaking. It was exciting to & Lecture Series. The film, which have new tools with which documents aspects of the current to communicate the things water crisis in Delhi, India, was we were learning via film. It screened at the Aerospace and was different than the things Mechanical Engineering building I learned in writing essays auditorium and coordinated with in school or choreographing showings in Delhi, India and dances. Film is especially Vancouver, Canada. The 23-yearexciting because of the old filmmaker is a 2009 graduate number of people it has the of Sarah Lawrence College, and potential to reach. graduate of the International In a December Honors Program “Rethinking 2008 interview in The Globalization” Study Abroad Year. Progressive magazine, On Tuesday afternoon, she sat prominent water justice down for an interview with the advocate, Maude Arizona Daily Wildcat. Barlow, calls the global What is the central water crisis “the most message you and your fellow important human rights filmmakers try to convey Valentina Martinelli/Arizona Daily Wildcat and ecological crisis of in “The Groudwater Up Filmmaker Moriah Mason presented her film, ‘The Groundwater Up Project’ that documented the current water crisis in Delhi, India. our time.” Do you think Project?” Mason showed the film and answered questions about it on Monday. that’s accurate? Our central message is that I definitely agree with you don’t need to be an expert to Did you study filmmaking that statement. The water understand where your water is in school? crisis is something that is becoming coming from or to take part in, and take No, I didn’t. I studied dance and more and more evident in just about control of, how to use it. Everyone should international development at my every community on the planet. It be part of taking care of their water. is going to be exacerbated by global How did you come to make films? school. I learned how to operate a
By Gabriel Schivone Arizona Daily Wildcat
warming. But I think there is great potential and hope in the organizing that is happening around water. Because everybody needs water. And it cuts across social constructions that separate us. It creates the possibility for a great deal of solidarity across a great number of boundaries. Does the water crisis in Delhi have anything to do with other water crises in other places throughout the world? The water crisis in Delhi is created by over-consumption, unequal distribution, excessive pollution and also cementation from increasing urban development. These are issues in most communities, including Tucson. What does all this have to do with privatization of water? As water becomes a more scarce resource, on the one hand, corporations are finding opportunities to profit from the scarcity of water, either by bottling water and selling it as a couture or luxury product, or by taking over water systems previously operated by cash-strapped local governments. When corporations take over the operation of water systems they tend to raise prices and not maintain the local infrastructure. There’s no incentive (for corporations) to provide water to those who can’t pay for it. So the basic premise of water as a right is in opposition to the corporate need for profit.
This is your first time in Tucson, right? Yeah. I suppose you’ve noticed the green plots and manufactured grasslands in the city, especially on our campus. What do you think about these sorts of displays in places like the Sonoran Desert where grass would never grow naturally and thus needs to be constantly pampered with water to keep it green? I think it’s unfortunate that the aesthetic of a green lawn is given so much primacy when there’s so much beauty in the local environment that could be enjoyed. The desert is breathtaking, so why would you try to mimic an East Coast lawn, or West Coast lawn, for matter? Barlow takes note of a water justice movement full of what she identifies — herself included — as “Water Warriors.” Do you consider yourself a “Water Warrior?” (Laughs.) I don’t know how to respond to that. I think it’s a funny concept. I don’t really like using militaristic language in a movement that is based upon solidarity and taking care of the environment and each other, rather than exploiting the environment and people. So, maybe I’m a “Water Carer” or a “Water Wuss” or whatever you want to call it. I don’t think we need to call ourselves “Water Warriors” to be badass.
People can find more info, including the trailer, a blog, and how to organize screenings, on “The Groundwater Up Project” Web site: www.groundwaterup.com.
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arizona daily wildcat • wednesday, march 24, 2010 •
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B8
• wednesday, march 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat
Cozy, cool treats at Café Italiano By Ali Freedman Arizona Daily Wildcat As the temperature begins to rise in Tucson and summer looms, relief can be found in gelato. If you think Frost is the only place to visit for gelato in town, think again. Located at the northwest corner of East Grant Road and North Swan Road, Café Italiano offers flavorful gelatos, espresso drinks, authentic thin crust pizzas and free Wi-Fi. The café-meets-gelateria feel is welcoming and very comfortable. The café offers an array of comfy chairs and couches surrounded by fun and brightly colored walls. Café Italiano is a nice place to study, hang out or go on a casual date. It’s low key, with friendly, laidback staff and patrons. It is quiet and comfortable. If sitting and chatting, relaxing or studying is what Café Italiano you’re looking for, 393-3396 Café Italiano has the enviroment for you. www.cafeitalianoaz.com The spot offers Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. a wide variety of Friday 7 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. gelato flavors as well as semifreddo, a Saturday 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. semi-frozen custardSunday 3 – 9 p.m. style ice cream. The rich gelato and creamy semifreddo offer cool relief from hot Tucson days. The coffee and espresso offered by Café Italiano is roasted locally at Caffé Luce. Add that to the fact
Lisa Beth Earle/Arizona
Daily Wildcat
if you go
Lisa Beth Earle/Arizona Daily Wildcat
Carla Pursel and her daughter Krystal Adams, owners of Café Italiano, serve up some fresh gelato on Tuesday. The café, located on the northwest corner of Swan Road and Grant Road, makes all of its gelato and sorbetto in-house from fresh local ingredients.
that the gelato and semifreddo are made on-site and you’ve got some great homemade eats. An extensive selection of pastries is also offered, including many flavored croissants, like chocolate and almond. The staff of the locally owned gelateria is friendly and helpful, offering assistance in selecting a flavor or drink without any hesitation.
Gluten-free and sugar-free options are also available. From creamy flavors like chocolate truffle and caramel to sorbettos like mimosa, mango and kiwi, there is something for everyone. If you need something to eat before hopping into dessert, try the margherita pizza. The ingredients are imported from Italy and the crust is topped with crushed tomato, fresh
Mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and drizzled with olive oil. Café Italiano offers a wide selection of treats. The friendly staff and welcoming décor make it a perfect study spot or place to unwind after a long day on campus. The café is open weekdays until 9 p.m. and weekends until 10:30 p.m. Gelatos, sorbettos and semifreddos are also available to go. A fresh plate of orecchiette al quattro formaggi at Caffé Milano Trattoria Paninoteca, downtown Tucson’s authentic European eatery. Tim Glass/ Arizona Daily Wildcat
Caffé Milano a medium-flavored escape
as simple as it sounds. The penne con salsiccia piccante e funghi porcini ($13) was topped with spicy sausage and mushrooms in red sauce. Hidden behind black canvas screens in downtown Neither portion was particularly large — though Tucson is Caffé Milano Trattoria Paninoteca. Touting we took a few bites of each dish home — but quality Italian food and a Yelp.com endorsement, both were flavorful in a comfort food kind of way along with ample indoor and patio seating, the pasta and promptly delivered to my companion’s and place is a rare type in Tucson. my heat lamp-warmed patio table. If, past the dark screens, you find its doors to be In true Italian style, the water glasses were iceopen — manyYelpers claim the management keeps less and kept half-filled, maintaining the feeling inconsistent“European hours”and of authenticity. However, the at the conclusion of Friday’s meal, waitstaff was cold and unamused the whiteboard proclaimed that by my companion’s admission the doors would next be open for that he could not pronounce the Caffé Milano dinner Saturday — upon entering name of his dish. 46 W. Congress St. the homey oasis, you’ll notice the In true Tucsonan style, a man décor first. Feeling authentically dressed just like the Red Power 628-1601 European, each votive holder Ranger revved his motorcycle and poster print — down to the for several minutes just a few impassioned Versace model guarding the bathrooms feet from our table, and each party bus or rowdy — is clearly hand-selected and unique. It’s a relief pickup that drove along Congress Street brought to sit among decorations not mass produced in the conversation to a halt. style of motels and Olive Gardens. It’s a refreshing The conclusion struck upon was this: Italy would reminder of authentic style to see thick eyebrows and be fun for a while, and Tucson is the loudest city in anger just above the name of Gianni Versace. the world. So, for a taste of unique simplicity at a price The fresh simplicity of the décor is matched reasonable for a low-key date — count on $10 to $20 by the food. Thanks to Italian 101, I knew even per person — and some beloved and less beloved before the waitress described it that the orecchiette traits of Italian dining, give Caffé Milano a visit. But, al quattro formaggi ($13) would be “ear-shaped” since the pleasure here is in the differences and escape and “with four cheeses.” Surprisingly, it was from the everyday, do yourself a favor: Sit inside.
By Christy Delehanty Arizona Daily Wildcat
if you go
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