WL
Arizona Daily Wildcat
B section
Justyn Dillingham Arts Editor 520.621.3106 arts@wildcat.arizona.edu
INSIDE kwan on comics • b3
loft movie preview • b5
DWwildlife TRIPLE THREAT MOVIE SHOWDOWN
The movie ‘basterds’ of late summer Brandon Specktor It’s been a tremulous summer in America. Unemployment has been rising, industry has been buckling, overzealous government spending has failed to stimulate the economy, but worst of all, the jerks responsible have been shrugging their shoulders as they sip champagne and watch the world burn from their golden parachutes. Bastards. But while the dastardly deeds of these real-world bastards have gone largely unpunished, cinema has stepped in (as it often does) to capitalize on the nation’s welling discontent. Summer may be over for us students, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for a little bastard-bashing wish-fulfillment. If you should find yourself feeling a little sadistic at the end of class this week, curb that angst with one of the many end-of-summer flicks that aim to purify the world, one bastard — or “Basterd” — at a time.
Inglourious Basterds Rated: R Run Time: 153 mins
The way it was
Lisa Beth Earle/Arizona Daily Wildcat
John Gialanella, an MFA visual communications student, looks closely at prints from the ‘Confronting the Capitalist Crisis’ art exhibit in the Joseph Gross Gallery on Monday, Aug. 24.
Justyn Dillingham You might not know it to look at that small, trim-looking white building next to the School of Art, but inside those walls, universes are colliding. “Confronting the Capitalist Crisis,” on display in the Joseph Gross Gallery through Oct. 7, is a display of prints brought together by the radical artists’ group Justseeds Radical Art Cooperative. It features the work of more than 60 artists from across the country, all illustrating familiar radical themes: the people against capitalism, the people against globalization, the people against “the prison-industrial complex.” In the next room, the Lionel Rombach Gallery, Chris McGinnis’s “Heritage” is on display until Sept. 9. It’s a
startling work: twenty-nine wooden panels spread across the floor (with one on the wall), all painted with eerie, evocative images of industrial America. In terms of style and intent, these two exhibits are about as far apart as you can get. But their physical closeness is fortuitous. Spend an afternoon walking back and forth between the two rooms, taking in their ferociously detailed images, taking in their messages, and you can begin to imagine the two exhibits having an argument of sorts.
From anger to ambiguity
Slogans scream at you from the walls of the Joseph Gross Gallery: “Solidarity with the Palestinian People,” “How Many Dead Are Too Many,” “Strike While It’s Hot.” En-
graved faces, emaciated and stark, glare out at you with despairing eyes — members of the “people’s history” the exhibit celebrates. It’s a striking and haunting compilation of images. The energy and emotion that went into “Capitalist Crisis” is palpable. If you stand there long enough, you might begin to feel the eerie contrast between the silent noise conjured up by the emotional images and the stillness of the gallery itself. What “Capitalist Crisis” has not done is find an original way to express its vision. It speaks the familiar language of the Old Left: flags, marches, fists clenched in solidarity. They seem archaic and clichéd because they are. You can almost hear Woody Guthrie strumming his guitar GALLERIES, page B8
Go to dailywildcat.com for more images from the ‘Heritage’ and ‘Confronting the Capitalist Crisis’ exhibits, currently on display in the Lionel Rombach and Joseph Gross galleries.
Score: 4.5/5 Nazi Scalps There are two camps when it comes to Quentin Tarantino’s ultraviolent, endlessly referential films: those who love them, and those who wish the talky director would just fall on his own Hanzo sword, sparing the world any more insufferable fastfood monologues. “Inglourious Basterds,”Tarantino’s fifth and newest film, may have promised via its ubiquitous adverts to unite these camps with a straightforward World War II narrative, but may ultimately be the least accessible, most uniquely Tarantino film to date. “Basterds” is a sensational revision of the end of World War II, brought about by an explosive all-in-one assassination attempt on the Third Reich’s head honchos. Central to the
One exhibit roars in your face. The other gently tugs you into a dreamy, ambiguous vision. Two gallery shows present us with contrasting visions of an industrial century— an artists’ argument about America.
Photo courtesy of nytimes.com
plot is a legendary squad of JewishAmerican soldiers known by their enemies as The Basterds, who, under the supervision of the dapper, drawling Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), specialize in the gruesome extermination of Nazis in occupied France. While the trailers make it seem like a majority of the film follows the bloody exploits of the bastards, screen time is actually split very judiciously among a motley slew of amusing supporting characters — all equally instrumental in the final TRIPLE THREAT, page B2
Owl City offer sugary, derivative pop, again Ali Freedman Adam Young is Owl City — a oneman band whose sound is fantastically catchy but nothing original. With his major-label debut Ocean Eyes, Young has won over crowds via Myspace and been picked up on alternative rock stations across the country. Young has found himself a viral single in “Fireflies,” which has flown away with its success. Even with the single’s sudden popularity, however, it is hard to look at Owl City’s sound or lyrics as a novel sound to invest in. Owl City is playing off the success of Photo courtesy of Amazon.com the Postal Service by essentially mimicking their sound, which upon the release of Give Up finally found a popular audience. That’s not to say that the style of music is bad, but Owl City isn’t new or fresh or even really unique at all. Its sound and lyrics are trite but catchy and a bit too sugary sweet. Purely pop, Young’s lyrics are about love for the most part, a bit about sweet things like watching the stars or chasing fireflies, and even venture into the realm of Young’s nerves at the dentist. Nothing could be more G-rated. While “Firefly,” the breakout hit, is lyrically pleasing, the poppy, computer-generated beats the lyrics are layered over don’t do much but play off the successes of other Ocean Eyes bands. Owl City Were Ben Gibbard (The Universal Republic Released July 28, 2009 Postal Service, Death Cab for $10.99 Cutie) and Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin) to merge their voices into one, Adam Young would be the result. While it is not Adam Young’s fault his voice harkens back to that of other artists, the blatant copycat style of pop he’s branded is unimpressive. If you’ve got yourself a real sweet tooth, the lighthearted, low-key electronic music of Owl City may be right up your alley. However, with each song sounding a bit too much like the others and a general lack of originality, many music fans will find that Owl City gets old fast. That said, Owl City offers some true pop music and has made a real connection with the popular and alternative music crowd, so he must be doing something right. Owl City’s Ocean Eyes is worth giving a listen to via MySpace or iTunes before making an investment.
RATING:
B2
• wednesday, august 26, 2009 • arizona daily wildcat
Around Town Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 28
Watercolor Exhibition. It’s not just for kindergarteners anymore. “To Have the World in Hand: The Art of Watercolor” is an ongoing exhibit (through Sept. 13) that features work by some of the bestknown watercolorists of the last century, from the UA Museum of Art’s permanent collections. UA Museum of Art, Main and South Galleries. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon - 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed Monday. Free for students, faculty and staff; $5 general admission The Warlocks. Apparently, this is what the Grateful Dead used to be called, long before they founded that great rock tradition of 52,000-hour-long concerts. But this isn’t them. This is a Los Angelesbased band touring to promote their fifth album. With the Morning After Girls. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. 21+. 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 advance, $10 day of show
“Torment and Sorrow.” A reception for Gabriel Celaya, whose work is currently on display in the Kachina Lounge. Call 621-6142 for more information. Student Union Memorial Center, Kachina Lounge. 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Free “Humpday.”It’s the non-Lohan hookup movie everyone’s talking about. Joshua Leonard (of “Blair Witch Project” fame, if it can still be called fame) and Mark Duplass star as two straight guys who decide to take their friendship to the next level — on camera. “Humpday,” right, makes its Tucson premiere at The Loft Cinema today. Check loftcinema.com for showtimes. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Tickets are $8.75 for adults, $6.50 with student and military discounts, $5.75 for children and seniors, and $4.75 for Loft members Photo courtesy of nytimes.com
Thursday, August 27
Saturday, August 29
Fruit Bats. No, this isn’t a desert animal exhibit (though we like those, too). It’s a critically acclaimed band whose unique sound has been described as “zoology rock.” We hope they don’t pull any Ozzy-style hijinks onstage. With Death Vessel and Golden Boots. Plush, 340 E. Sixth St. 9 p.m. $12 OUR PICK: We hate to use clichés, but there’s no way to avoid“making beautiful music together” this time around. Two married couples from four different countries — Laura Tagawa from the U.S., Toru Tagawa from Japan, Orquídea Guandique from El Salvador and Fernando Zúñiga from Costa Rica — will perform a concert featuring pieces by Teleman, Rolla, Mendelssohn and Beethoven. Holsclaw Hall, Music building. 7 p.m. Free
Monday, August 31
“The Bare Necessity of Art.” This is your last chance to see this special summer exhibit at the Etherton Gallery, showcasing some of the gallery’s best work. The exhibit will be up through Aug. 31, but will only be viewable by appointment. No promises whether there are any nudes on display. Etherton Gallery, 135 E. Sixth St. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free OUR PICK: Marcy Playground. Whether it made you want to shake around with delight or rip your ears off, “Sex and Candy” has probably had some kind of impact on your life. Should you be in the mood for more shaking or ripping, the geniuses responsible for the 1997 semiclassic are in town, and close enough to campus that you might be able to hear that unmistakable whine drifting through the window during your after-hours economics class. The Rock, 136 N. Park Ave. All ages. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets on sale at the door Secret Agent Woman. Ever thought about being a secret agent? What do you have to major in to do that, anyway? Kate Mathis, author of “Living Lies,” a new novel about the troubled life of a female secret agent, will be signing books at 17th Street Market, 840 E. 17th Street. Noon - 3 p.m. Free
Sunday, August 30 The Bled. Sounds painful, doesn’t it? This Tucson-based band, left, which has been compared to bands like Refused and the Mars Volta, has been rocking out since 2001. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. All ages. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. $10
“The Burning.” We’re not vouching for the quality of this 1981 horror flick about a mass murderer set loose on a summer camp with a pair of garden shears, even though it boasts a decent critical reputation and the acting talents of “Seinfeld’s” Jason Alexander. But it should be a lot of fun — assuming you’re one of those people who enjoys movies where a lot of people scream and get killed. You know, like every movie made between 1981 and 1983. The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. 8 p.m. $2
Tuesday, September 1 Dog Days of Summer. Has your pooch sniffed a flower lately? Your canine friends are welcome at Tucson Botanical Gardens every Tuesday through Aug. 30 from 7 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. 2150 N. Alvernon Ave. $7 for adults, $3 for children and dogs Blondie.Yep, that Blondie — the ’70s New Wave band that crested to fame on the strength of classics like “Heart of Glass” and proto-rap number “Rapture.” Are they still as good as they ever were? Probably not, but who can say no to a legend? Desert Diamond Casino, 1100 W. Pima Mine Rd. Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $30 to $55 advance and $35 to $60 the day of the show — compiled by Justyn Dillingham
Photo courtesy of myspace.com
What’s on your iPod?
Movies
continued from page 1
Blink 182, “Damn It”
— Sam Fisher, anthropology junior
Sean Kingston, “Fire Burning (On the Dance Floor)” or Akon featuring Michael Jackson, “Hold My Hand”
— Colleen Carlotto, chemical engineering freshman
Sweet, “Ballroom Blitz” — Gavin Stockus, mechanical engineering junior
Garth Brooks, “Just Got Started Loving You”
— Patty Rodriguez , pre-architecture freshman
iTunes Store Top 10 Downloaded Songs 1. “Party in the U.S.A.,” Miley Cyrus 2. “I Gotta Feeling,” Black Eyed Peas 3. “Down,” Jay Sean 4. “Use Somebody,” Kings of Leon 5. “Good Girls Go Bad,” Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester 6. “Hotel Room Service,” Pitbull 7. “She Wolf,” Shakira 8. “You Belong With Me,” Taylor Swift 9. “Send It On,” Disney’s Friends for Change 10. “Whatcha Say,” Jason DeRulo — Courtesy of apple.com
‘District’ thrills, ‘Funny’ disappoints
attempt on Hitler and his goons. The film begins, for example, with a frustratingly long Spaghetti Western homage that introduces Shosanna Dreyfus (French actress Mélanie Laurent), a Jewish refugee hiding in France, and Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), the badass, yet surprisingly amiable, German officer responsible for hunting and killing Shosanna’s family. Other prominent players include sharpshooter and Nazi folk hero Frederick Zoller (Daniel Brühl), glam German actress Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), and “Hostel” director Eli Roth as Sgt. Donny “The Bear Jew” Donowitz. Given that there’s enough narrative threads in this film to strangle a Nazi platoon, action scenes are few and far between, making them even more satisfying when they appear. Stylistically, “Basterds” is classic Tarantino: rambling monologues, meticulously lush cinematography, Western homage, stirring sound effects, and, naturally, guest narration by Samuel Jackson. Pitt delivers a hilarious performance comparable to his stint in “Burn After Reading,” but Nazi detective Hans Landa truly steals the show with his deranged congeniality. Despite misleading marketing, “Basterds” is a totally over-the-top, one-of-a-kind cinematic experience with a bloody climax that would make Dick Cheney cry tears of joy. Tarantino fans dare not miss this one; haters will not be converted by it, but just might enjoy watching some “bastards” burn.
District 9 Rated: R Run Time: 112 mins Score: 4/5 Alien Entrails There’s no question that Nazis deserve whatever’s coming to them, but the topic of extraterrestrials is a bit more ambiguous. In “District 9,” the feature film debut of director Neill Blomkamp, we see that mankind might be the biggest bastards of all. Based on the inhumane segregation of South Africa under Apartheid (during which director Blomkamp grew up), “D-9” is an eerily believable dystopian vision of first contact. When a massive alien mothership halts unexpectedly over Johannesburg, South Africa, the extraterrestrial pilgrims are
forced to live in a militarized slum known as District 9. After 20 years with no movement from the mothership, human/alien tensions have escalated to a point of violence, and the government calls in the shady MNU conglomerate to evict the aliens to a veritable concentration camp far from the city limits. At the helm of the operation is Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), who could pass as a more ethnic Steve Carell. During the course of the evictions, Wikus becomes infected with an alien virus that slowly metamorphoses his DNA into that of D-9’s scaly captives. Naturally, everything goes to hell from here as the MNU, private military contractors, and Nigerian crime lords from D-9 all vie for Wikus’ valuable DNA and potential to harness radical alien weaponry. The beginning of the film is told in a gritty documentary style before switching to a more traditional thriller format after Wikus’ infection. From the opening when MNU soldiers execute unarmed aliens, to Wikus’ painful degeneration from the virus, to the third act when Wikus and his alien confederate Christopher wreak havoc on the military with alien weaponry, D-9 is a nonstop cringe, showcasing very few redeeming qualities in humankind. The film suffers a bit from “Passion of the Christ” syndrome, beating its message home through scenes of gruesome sacrifice and brutality, but is ultimately more thought-provoking than pedantic. The film ends in both hope and despair, drawing too many parallels to our current world for comfort, but offering a dynamic, action-packed ride all the way. This combination of medium and message is going to make “District 9” an icon of modern cinema — depressing as hell, but
an icon nonetheless.
Funny People Rated: R Run Time: 146 mins Score: 3/5 Jewish Comedians Last but not least is a little shard of hope in a dismal sea — a film that seems to say “Once a bastard, not always a bastard.” “Funny People” is the newest synthesis of Judd Apatow (“Pineapple Express,”“Knocked Up,”“40 Year Old Virgin”)’s writing and Seth Rogan (all of the above)’s chubby everyman appeal, but is not so much a comedy as it is a drama about comedy. Adam Sandler plays George Simmons, a crotchety playboy comedian who realizes he’s squandered his life and his talent when a Draculaesque Scandinavian doctor informs him he is dying. Simmons wallows in his self-loathing for a while until he witnesses an affecting stand-up set by loser Ira Wright (Rogan). Ira enters Simmons’ employ as a comedy writer/personal assistant, and slowly builds a bond of friendship as Simmons begins to cope with his imminent death. But it’s all for naught, because about an hour into the movie everyone finds out that Simmons is going to live after all. The funny man thus resolves to set his life back on track and use this second chance to win back his ex-wife (Leslie Mann) from her Aussie
Photo courtesy of allmoviephoto.com
heartthrob hubbie (Eric Bana). Ira tries to prevent his boss from doing anything stupid — but if he succeeded then there wouldn’t be a movie, would there? Peppered with stand-up sketches and bits of wisdom from a comedy cavalcade, including Rogan, Sandler, Jonah Hill (Superbad), Sarah Silverman, Ray Romano and even Eminem, “Funny People” certainly lives up to its title. This would be more of a compliment if the title was “Funny Movie,” but sadly that’s not the case. The film drags on entirely too long and tries to delve too deeply into too many characters’ lives, making it difficult to care about any one particular player or glean a unifying message from the comic stew. Forcing the audience to watch Simmons bitch and moan as he dies, then act like a self-entitled adultering douchebag once he realizes he’s going to live is just plain cruel, and robs the character of all sentimentality by the end. The meat of the film is in the endearing relationship between Ira and Simmons, but this conflict is often overshadowed by Simmons’ personal conquests and is never fleshed out as much as it deserves. “Funny People” has the potential to be a great movie, but with so many variable characters and conflicts crammed into one plot arc, the true beauty of the story becomes lost in a sea of penis jokes.
arizona daily wildcat • wednesday, august 26, 2009 •
kwan on comics
B3
Lazy Sundays with Wednesday Comics O
ne of the best days growing up was Sunday. There was no school, but my parents still had to work so I would spend the day at our grandfather’s apartment. On the coffee table, seemingly waiting for me, was the Sunday newspaper. I would sift through it until I found the comics. I would sit there Steven for an hour or two, reading and re-reading the entire section, while the aroma of strong, fresh coffee wafted its way throughout the apartment. Now, as I read the new Wednesday Comics from DC
Comics, memories from that cozy hearth come back. And even though it hasn’t been entirely successful so far, DC should be commended for bringing such a project to fruition. Spearheaded by DC’s art director Mark Chiarello, Wednesday Comics features 16 stories serialized in 12 parts, which began this July. Kwan Each edition is priced at $3.99. Some of the best writers and artists in the comics industry — Neil Gaiman, Michael and Laura Allred, Kurt Busiek, Lee Bermejo — are involved. Like Sunday comics, each story is printed on tabloid-sized newsprint and in full color. Unlike what most current newspapers print, each page is devoted to one part of a series. (Imagine every page of the Daily Wildcat filled with nothing but comics.) The Wednesday Comics concept cannot be done nowadays through most, if not all, of the daily newspapers. With the numerous cutbacks, layoffs and shutdowns of several newspapers throughout the country, Wednesday Comics courtesy of DC Comics one of the worst hit
sections has been comics. The daily and Sunday strips have been shrinking since the 1940s. As each round of recession hit the newspaper, the comics literally shrank. The editor may cancel one or two strips, or, if the situation was really bad, the creators would have to work with fewer panels for their stories. It’s ironic that newspapers treat comics as second-class citizens — even, sadly, at the Daily Wildcat — since they can offer readers a panacea to the news. After reading the 30th story about the financial firestorm at the UA and at the State Capitol (for anyone new to the UA, you are in for a surprise), spending a few minutes with comic strips comes as a relief. They can also provide social or political commentary in the vein of “Doonesbury,”“Cul De Sac,” or “Calvin & Hobbes,” where they can cut to the heart of a thorny issue with just four panels. (Political cartoons have a tougher job — they only have one.) Despite my lamenting about the state of newspapers and comic strips, DC hasn’t quite succeeded so far with its own Wednesday Comics. Some of the stories, like Ben Caldwell’s “Wonder Woman,” are overly complicated in its design and storytelling, which results in a confusing read. It’s a shame since his Wonder Woman is probably the most refreshing version to come out of DC
in decades. Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso’s “Batman” can also be confusing but for a different reason. Because the story is told weekly, the recent episode where Batman takes out a thug without background explanation left me struggling to remember what had happened before. Thankfully, Risso’s simple, noir style compensates for the minimal story. Highlights out of the 16 series: — Paul Pope’s “Strange Adventures” — Pope is consistently great with his story and manga-influenced art. — Dave Gibbons and Ryan Sook’s “Kamandi: The Last Boy On Earth!” — similar to Hal Foster’s “Prince Valiant” in style and tone. — Adam and Joe Kubert’s “Sgt. Rock and Easy Co.” — pitch perfect in its pacing, story and art. Even for all of its flaws, DC Comics should be applauded for making an effort to introduce (or reintroduce) us to the Sunday comic strip. Now I just need a cup of strong, black coffee. —What are your thoughts about Wednesday Comics? What do you think of the comic strips in newspapers? Please leave your comments at the new DailyWildcat.com. You can reach Steven Kwan at arts@ wildcat.arizona.edu.
B4
• wednesday, august 26, 2009 • arizona daily wildcat
Ashlee Salamon/Arizona Daily Wildcat
Ramone Cardaya, left, owner and chef at El Cubanito, prepares a dish in the kitchen on Saturday, Aug. 22. Danny Vasquez and Samuel Cross, both pre-physiology freshmen, enjoy a meal at El Cubanito on Saturday, Aug. 22.
El Cubanito disappoints, despite savory menu Izajah Gordon I really wanted to like it. From the unassuming architecture of the free-standing building to the quirky assembly of the decor, I was ready for my culinary rags-to-riches adventure. Unfortunately, El Cubanito did not deliver. True, the building’s exterior could be described as a relic from Cuba’s concrete bunker-style architecture of the 1960s, but I was still fully prepared to accept the restaurant’s interior — numerous pictures and signed bats of Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks players — as a sports bar-ish atmosphere. Maybe that’s how they do it in Havana? With the “rags” atmosphere built up unequivocally around me, things could
only get better, I thought to myself as I ordered Jupina, a pineapple soda they say is Cuba’s favorite. My friend ordered Materva, a Yerba Mate soda, which we both agreed tasted like what we imagine a Colt 45 would taste like, or like that one time my friends dragged me to an Edward 40 Hands theme party. We also ordered two chicken croquetas, 75 cents each. They came out speedily, and looked like mozzarella sticks, but smelled, despite the flecks of at least 5 different spices and seasonings in the crust, like corn dogs. As I bit into the snack food, something went amok. The chicken had been ground to a pureed consistency. Not entirely pleased with my pink-in-color baby food corn dog, I ate half and left the rest to my friend who chanced the salmonella the way John F. Kennedy chanced
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the Bay of Pigs. But I trekked onwards. I ordered the chicken stew — cooked in beer, wine and tomato sauce, which sounded like the perfect antidote to the croqueta. Also, I’ve found that in college, I rarely need an excuse to consume alcohol before 8 p.m. The plate arrived with a flat Cuban roll, rice and beans. This course was actually pretty delicious. I was given three hefty pieces of brown meat, still on the bone, drenched, but not drowning in a deliciously flavorful sauce with hints of an extensive array of spices and herbs. The rice and beans were seasoned just perfectly, and made a fine addition to my mini-sandwich concoction of everything on my plate. Redemption. I was so proud of El Cubanito that I
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thought I would give it another chance to impress me at a reasonable price. I was thinking dessert. Unfortunately, our server had no idea what this crazy concept called after-meal deliciousness was. I asked to see the menu again so I could look at the desserts. No response. My friend offered a feeble “dulces?” Still nothing. I asked again for a menu, and pointed to the menu stack just three feet away. Nada. Up until then, I had excused the fact that our waitress hadn’t brought us water, had spent about 10 seconds less than she needed to take our two previous orders, and didn’t seem to be doing anything in the otherwise empty restaurant save for helping one other couple and a group of about seven or eight regulars. But this was
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too much — I wanted dessert. Unwilling to put up a fight, and full from our meal, we paid and walked out sheepishly. We felt like bad people for not being able to speak Spanish well enough to enjoy a sweet treat, and as we passed the skeleton dressed up Fidel Castro, I too felt the urge to divvy up blame — equally, of course. Maybe I really should have paid more attention to Ms. Tache in Spanish 1 and 2. Or maybe I’m being hypercritical and expecting too much out of a restaurant that’s only open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Doors close at 6:30 p.m.)
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arizona daily wildcat • wednesday, august 26, 2009 •
B5
‘White on Rice’ director inspired by eccentricity of average people EMILY MOORE You can catch the one and only local showing of Tucson native Dave Boyle ’s second film, “White on Rice,” at The Loft Cinema this Thursday. The film follows the story of Jimmy (Hiroshi Watanabe ), an awkward, dinosaur-obsessed 40-yearold “kid.” Due to his recent divorce, he bunks at his sister’s (Nae) and rooms with his 10-year-old nephew. His relatives “just can’t seem to get rid of him,” Boyle explained in an e-mail, which is fitting because the idioms “stuck to you like white on rice” or “all over you like white on rice” were Boyle’s inspiration for the title. It’s not a normal life. Jimmy’s on a quest to find a new wife, despite the fact that his brother-in-law, Tak (Mio Takada ), has no faith in him whatsoever. Tak’s niece Ramona (Lynn Chen ) moves in with them
and becomes the object of Jimmy’s affection. He then makes it his duty to steal Ramona away from his dashing coworker Tim (James Kyson Lee ). Despite Jimmy’s best efforts, everything seems to go hilariously wrong. Not only can you see this newly celebrated comedy Thursday, but you can also meet Boyle, both the writer and director of the film. “When I was a kid,
I always wanted to be involved in some kind of storytelling. … I became fascinated by the process of making movies, and eventually that became my full-time obsession,” Boyle said. The story had been something Boyle had in the back of his mind for a while. He met Watanabe while filming his 2006 directorial debut “Big Dreams Little Tokyo,” and the Photo courtesy of The Loft Cinema experience
serendipitously led to this film, which caters to and is centered on Watanabe’s talents. Boyle said he is inspired by the people around him. “I’m kind of a people watcher, and I am really interested in people who, for whatever reason, cannot hide who they are and how eccentric they are deep down inside,” Boyle said. He wanted to make the characters believable and real, people the audience could actually know or become friends with during the duration of the film. This movie was created purely for laughs and shows off Boyle’s sense of humor, he said. Despite the fact that it is a lesser-known film, if you give the film a chance you probably will enjoy it. It’s not one of those deepmeaning or hidden-message films, but it does have a positive vibe. “I like to make movies that will cheer me up, and I hope people feel like a million bucks when they see
this,” Boyle said. Depending on the turnout, there may be a chance to bring the film back to Tucson for more showings. “I think when people check it out, they will not be disappointed,” Boyle said.
“White on Rice” is playing at The Loft Cinema Thursday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8.75 for adults, $6.50 with student and military discounts, $5.75 for children and seniors, and $4.75 for Loft members.
Artist explores dark, haunting side of sounds AMANDA JOHNSON The UA Graduate and Alumni Gallery recently opened a new art gallery showcasing the art of painting with sound in the exhibit “Fragments in the dark until the end of time.” The creator of the exhibit is Orlando Montenegro, an art graduate student. Montenegro, who plans to graduate this spring with a master’s degree in painting and drawing, describes himself as a wanderer without a definite plan or destination, yet is search of purpose. “The exhibit is an experiment for me in combining a static medium such as painting with a sound recording that functions through time,” Montenegro said. “The show evolved out of the idea of painting through sound.” The exhibit is located in a small gallery room at the Visual Arts Graduate Research Labratory. The room has a simple setup. The painted walls depict hundreds of black moths scattered throughout the room. The room is completely dark except for one light that the moths are gathered around. “I would describe the show as having a foreboding and frightful atmosphere because of the sound piece, which is, at times, savage and relentless,” Montenegro explains. “The paintings on the walls are calm, but also convey a sense of destruction and annihilation that is more subdued.” After walking into the room, Montenegro plays an eight-minute sound clip to accompany the paintings on the wall. The clips are a mixture of sounds that Montenegro collected while
walking around in different environments. The mood of the exhibit becomes more grim when the sound clip begins. The project originally started out as an experiment that stemmed from Montenegro’s desire to step outside of his comfort zone. He started this project at the end of the last spring semester and continued it into the summer. Along the way, he had some delays with his work because he lost some of his sound clips. “It forced me to move on and create something new,” Montenegro said of the setbacks. “The show deals with dissolution or a breaking up into parts; disintegration,” Montenegro said. Montenegro decided to split the exhibit into two sections, the paintings and the sound. The sound clip represents violent destruction and demolition where death, struggle and conflict are intertwined. This is contrasted by the paintings that represent a death that seems more natural because there is submission and resignation to a destination, Montenegro commented on the meaning behind his work. The Graduate and Alumni Gallery is at the Visual Arts Graduate Research Lab on the northwest corner of Fremont Avenue and Mabel Street. Gallery hours for “Fragments in the dark until the end of time” are by appointment with the artist. Admission is free.
Visual Arts Graduate Research Laboratory 1231 N. Fremont Ave. Runs through Sept. 2 Free admission by appointment only
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MUSIC REVIEWS Fruit Bats The Ruminant Band Sub Pop 4 out of 5 stars
Fruit Bats, a folk-rock band originally based out of Chicago, released its latest project The Ruminant Band on Aug. 4. Now living in the heart of the modern folk world, Seattle, the quintet has grown tremendously since its humble beginnings. Lead singer Eric Johnson kicked off Fruit Bats’ recording career by producing four-track projects in the late ’90s under various quintessential indie names like “Holiday Inn” and “Senseless Tripe.”After years of failed shows and several member overhauls, the now-successful Fruit Bats recorded The Ruminant Band, which has quickly topped various music charts. Sitting in Sub Pop’s extensive collection of once-obscure-turnedmainstream bands — think The Shins, Postal Service and Iron & Wine — Fruit Bats’ newest release is sure to place the group among its popular predecessors. The Ruminant Photo courtesy of amazon.com Band offers a variety of indie-pop ballads and whimsical folk-rock tunes. Songs like “Primitive Man” and Being On Our Own” combine subtle but effective acoustic guitars with the ever-present tambourine. Even Eric Johnson’s voice cheerfully whines that “everything is going to be just fine” in the last track of the album,“Flamingo.”That lyric perfectly describes The Ruminant Band, which straddles the line between the Fruit Bats of the past and its inevitable future. Fruit Bats will be performing at Plush, 340 E. 6th St., on Aug. 27 at 11 p.m. Tickets are $12 online at www.ticketweb.com or at the door. — Alex Gendreau
RATING:
Portugal. The Man The Satanic Satanist Equal Vision Records 3 ½ out of 5 stars
In only four years, Portugal. The Man has cranked out six diverse albums. The name alone suggests variety and “conceptuality.” Each album, from 2006’s Waiter: You Vultures, the band’s first full-length project, to 2008’s Censored Colors, which contains experimental ballads, sets the bar for conceptual bands. The release of The Satanic Satanist, Portugal. The Man’s latest endeavor, can be regarded as its most accessible Photo courtesy of amazon.com album to date. The quirky band has dabbled in everything from progressive to psychedelic rock; however, the new album clashes with Portugal. The Man of yesteryear. Although the band continues to keep its eclectic vibe, fans of a more rowdy, experimental Portugal. The Man, might be disappointed, but Satanist brings a fresh perspective. The opening track, “People Say,” sets the bright mood by stating that: “All the people they say it will be OK.” It isn’t necessarily the band’s most awe-inspiring album to date, but it sure does appeal to the pristine indie-pop crowd. Songs like “The Sun” are reminiscent of Censored Colors, in which John Baldwin Gourley’s falsetto echoes throughout the track. Even if Portugal. The Man misses the boat on the angst-ridden tone of prior albums, it sets the bar for their versatility. While the band’s new toned down sound might seem generic, it is sure to appeal to a wider audience and perhaps grab a few long-time listeners. — Alex Gendreau
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• wednesday, august 26, 2009 • arizona daily wildcat
The Magicians: All light, no heat, but still a bright read
The Associated Press
Anna Swenson It’s impossible to read Lev Grossman’s new book, “The Magicians,” and not be reminded of Harry Potter. A dimension-hopping adventure that employs magic, transfiguration and epic questions of destiny and fate, the outward comparison hovers between coincidental and inevitable, “Harry Potter” being the most popular fantasy series of all time. But instead of weighing down Grossman’s 400page second book, it buoys the hefty, fantastical adult novel, which reads as the savvier, more cynical upperclassman to Potter’s flippant first-year affectations. Young Quentin Coldwater hates his life — until he is invited (by way of a Brooklyn side-garden portal) to attend Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. Graduates are called magicians, not wizards, but only after five years of rigorous, creatively written practical training. Schooling for Grossman’s magicians includes a personalized entrance exam that, for Quentin, involves making up his own language complete with grammar and a fourth-year sojourn to Antarctica, where students arrive after making the flight transfigured into geese. Grossman’s storybook-like language provides a sly contrast to his authentic dialogue and the agonizingly believable relationships between his characters. The languid tone practically begs to be read aloud before a roaring fire, but with the frequent expletives and sexual encounters, this isn’t your mother’s bedtime story. It is the book’s self-awareness and shrewd, sophisticated characterization that save it from being just another derivative fantasy paperback. It is a fantasy novel, but with a modern update that is both youthful and adult. As one character says about a punk named Penny regarding his attack on Quentin, “‘Are you kidding me? That guy was like a mystery wrapped in an enigma strapped to a f*cking time bomb. He was either going to hit you or start a blog. To tell you the truth, I’m kind of glad he hit you.’” Grossman knows what he’s up against in the genre, and he shades his particular brand of magic with subtlety and just a hint of real-world bitterness. Surprisingly literary, “The Magicians” tries very hard to convince its reader that it is not genre fantasy and not for children. While all the appendages of a great novel are present — compelling characters, humor, intrigue and pithy dialogue — the action of the story is far from neatly plotted. The characters spend the first half of the book at Brakebills, but then Grossman begins to lean too heavily upon the genre he wears so lightly: He sends his plucky young protagonists lumbering into a Narnia-esque other-world, on an
Chris Brown sentenced in Rihanna assault case
Lev Grossman “The Magicians” Viking Adult $26.95 epic, mysterious adventure, to save a foreign land, kill an evil man and rescue the girl. This almost-trite plotting is somewhat befuddling, as it was hardly hinted at in the first 200 pages. Grossman’s plot is a tenuous, nonsensical skeleton, but it is dressed with rich, beautiful imagery, lovely and authentic characterization and a smirk of self-possessed wit. Though “The Magicians” is a thoroughly enjoyable, sometimes enlightening read, it falls just short of being completely realized. For all his charm and cleverness, Grossman doesn’t quite breathe life into the body of the masterpiece he almost crafted. There isn’t much fun or much spark. Grossman seems to regard the magical elements of his novel almost ironically, or apologetically, the way one might wear a Lord of the Rings t-shirt. Though one might enjoy and even recommend this adventure/fantasy/romance to a friend, a reader can’t help but feel as if Grossman can’t quite bring himself to believe in the magic of which he writes.
RATING:
LOS ANGELES — A judge on Tuesday sentenced Chris Brown to five years’ probation and six months’ community labor for the beating of singer Rihanna and ordered the R&B singer to stay away from his former girlfriend for the next five years. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told Brown that he could be sent to state prison if he violated any terms of his sentence, including an order to stay 100 yards away from Rihanna unless they’re attending music industry events. A probation report prepared for Tuesday’s sentencing describes two previous violent incidents. It said the first happened about three months before the February beating while the couple was traveling in Europe; Rihanna slapped Brown during an argument, and he shoved her into a wall. In the second instance, Brown allegedly broke the front and passenger side windows on a Range Rover they were driving while visiting Barbados, Rihanna’s home country. Neither attack was reported, the probation report states. Brown will serve his sentence in his home state — Virginia — and his community labor will be overseen by the police chief in Richmond. The judge said she wanted to ensure that Brown, 20, performs physical labor instead of community service, such as mentoring young people. He will also undergo a year of domestic violence counseling. Rihanna did not attend Tuesday’s sentencing. At one point, Brown, who was accompanied
by his mother, agreed to the terms of the sentence before Schnegg had finished going through them all. The hearing had been planned for Thursday afternoon, but Brown’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, asked to move up the singer’s sentencing to Tuesday. A previous attempt to sentence Brown was postponed when Schnegg said she hadn’t received adequate assurances that Brown would perform physical labor if allowed to serve probation in Virginia. The judge said she was satisfied with a letter presented by Geragos that Richmond Police Chief Bryan s T. Norwood will directly oversee Brown’s labor program. After Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault in June, Schnegg ordered the pair to stay away from each other and to not contact one another. Her order Tuesday essentially extended that until Brown completes his sentence. Donald Etra, Rihanna’s attorney, has said he didn’t think the strict rules were necessary, but that he and Rihanna favored a less-stringent ruling that simply ordered Brown not to annoy, harass or molest the 21-year-old pop singer. He said after Tuesday’s hearing that Rihanna did not object to the stay-away order, which allows the former couple to be within 10 yards of each other if they are attending music industry events. Schnegg said she was aware of reports that Brown had been spotted on several occasions in the same places as Rihanna. “I am not amused with the chatter that has been on the airwaves and any violation of your probation in this case comes with the potential for state prison,” Schnegg told Brown.
ARTS BRIEFS ‘America’s Got Talent’ leads prime-time ratings
NEW YORK — While America’s got talent, NBC still has a hit talent show in these waning weeks of summer. “America’s Got Talent” had the two top slots in prime time last week, as viewers flocked to see performers vying to move into the show’s semifinal round. Also in the reality realm, CBS’“Big Brother” did well, too, with its Tuesday installment landing in sixth place for the week. The Sunday edition of ABC’s quiz show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” ranked ninth. And on Fox,“Hell’s Kitchen” finished 10th. But for the most part, scripted episodic reruns claimed the audience’s eyeballs — and many of the most-watched sitcoms and dramas were on CBS. Overall in prime time, CBS was champ, averaging 5.81 million viewers (3.8 rating, 7 share). NBC was runner-up with 5.56 million (3.6 rating, 6 share), according to Nielsen Media Research. Fox was in third place with 5.14 million viewers (3.2 rating, 6 share), followed by ABC with 4.51 million (2.9 rating, 5 share), My Network TV with 1.55 million (1.0 rating, 2 share), the CW with 1.10 million (0.7 rating, 1 share), and ION Television with 570,000 viewers (0.4 rating, 1 share).
Jet Li returns to Chinese film after 3 U.S. movies
HONG KONG — Jet Li is returning to Chinese film with a reportedly non-kung fu movie after three Hollywood productions, a publicist said Tuesday. Li is due to start shooting the movie — tentatively called “Ocean Paradise” in Chinese — Edko Film publicist Zhang Hongyan told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. The film, due to be released next year, will be directed by a newcomer, Zhang said, declining to give further detail before the official announcement at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday. Hong Kong-based Edko Film is the Chinese distributor for the movie. The Chengdu Shangbao newspaper reported Tuesday that Li will not fight in the movie, but Zhang declined to confirm the report, only saying, “It’s a movie that’s very different from his previous movies.” Li’s last three films were all American productions. His two most recent releases are “The Forbidden Kingdom” — which marked his first on-screen collaboration with Jackie Chan — and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.”The 46-yearold action star just finished shooting the action thriller “The Expendables.” A former national martial arts champion in
China, Li first made his name in the Hong Kong film industry with the “Once Upon a Time in China” series before moving on to Hollywood, where his credits also include “Lethal Weapon 4,”‘’Romeo Must Die” and“Kiss of the Dragon.”
Billboard names Beyonce as ‘Woman of the Year’
NEW YORK — The year’s not even over, but Billboard already knows who its woman of the year is — Beyonce. The superstar will be honored by the industry publication at its annual Women in Music event. Past“Woman of the Year”honorees were Ciara and Reba McEntire. Beyonce will be on hand to accept her award at the Oct. 2 event in New York City. It’s been yet another big year for the entertainer. She had the smash hit“Single Ladies,”sang at President Obama’s inauguration, had a No. 1 movie with “Obsessed” and embarked on an arena tour.
Crypt above Marilyn Monroe sells for $4.6 million
LOS ANGELES — The price for spending eternity above Marilyn Monroe is more than $4.6 million. That’s how much the crypt directly above the actress went for in an online auction that ended Monday. The eBay.com listing says the space at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery above Monroe is being vacated, making room for someone else. The listing also offers the detail that the current occupant is “looking face down on” Monroe, who was laid to rest at the cemetery in 1962. Bidding for the auction started at $500,000 on Aug 14. The final bid was $4,602,100. The Los Angeles Times reported earlier this month that the seller was Elsie Poncher, who was putting her late husband’s crypt up for auction to help pay off the $1.6 million mortgage on her Beverly Hills home. Poncher told the newspaper that her husband, Richard Poncher, bought the crypt from Monroe’s former husband, Joe DiMaggio, during his 1954 divorce from Monroe. Her husband died 23 years ago at 81. Jolene Mason, the cemetery’s general manager, told the newspaper there is one empty crypt left in the mausoleum where Monroe is buried, available for $250,000 and located two spots above the actress and to the left. A message left for Poncher was not returned Monday. But she earlier said that, when she sells the crypt, she’ll put her husband’s remains in the one reserved for her, and when her time comes, she’ll be cremated. — The Associated Press
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• wednesday, august 26, 2009 • arizona daily wildcat
GALLERIES
continued from page B1
‘Heritage’ a haunting trip through industrial America’s history in the background. Some of the prints are striking — the grim “Hope,” the Soviet-esque “Strike While It’s Hot” — but they’re drowned out by the deafening roar of the rest of the images, all clamoring for your attention. In a way, the visual blare of “Capitalist Crisis” is simply another version of the crass world of mainstream politics; it speaks in absolutes, and if your answers aren’t theirs, there’s no place for you. The world “Heritage” calls up is ancient, too, but in a more ambiguous way. Some of its panels are flat and smooth, like the ghostly vision of a downtown at night — based on a pinhole photograph McGinnis took of Tucson’s Santa Rita Ballroom, torn down earlier this year. Others are so choked with impasto that they more closely resemble clouds or abstract images than landscapes. Overhanging the exhibit is a painting of a Ford dealership half-buried under snow. Part of a poem by Vachel Lindsay runs around the room, setting the stage: Kansas, plains, deserted roads. We’re in the America of John Steinbeck, but it’s one that’s been evacuated, leaving behind only landscapes and machines. “Heritage” is, among other things, a sort of travelogue of America, like “Wichita Vortex Sutra,” Allen Ginsberg’s epic 1966 poem. Ginsberg composed his poem by speaking it into a tape recorder during a car ride through Kansas — which is also where “Heritage” seems to take place, its Tucson ballrooms and abstract snowstorms notwithstanding. Walking away from the galleries, I felt I understood only too well what the artists behind “Capitalist Crisis” had been telling me; every image practically contained its own footnote. But what was “Heritage” trying to say? Was it condemning industrialism, celebrating it, or simply portraying it?
Recreating the industrial past
top: ‘Confronting
the Capitalist Crisis’ brings together the work of more than 60 artists in a display of prints. The prints depict the struggle of working people against their domination by the forces of capitalism and industrialism. Lisa Beth Earle/ Arizona Daily Wildcat left: Chris
McGinnis’s ‘Heritage’ combines several mediums — oil and automobile paint, wood, and even poetry — to create a vivid and mysterious vision of the American past.
TD-089350 7460_089350_10x10.5_4c.indd_p1
Alan Walsh/ Arizona Daily Wildcat
McGinnis, a third-year graduate pursuing his MFA in painting, told me he originally planned to display the panels individually on the gallery walls before deciding on the experimental and strangely apt U-shape it has been arranged in. With its red obelisk — a homemade work made out of wood and painted with automobile paint — as a kind of focal point, the exhibit resembles a sort of mysterious machine. An ideal vehicle, perhaps, for reflecting on the impact of the machine — particularly the car — and its arrival in our society. The obelisk, McGinnis said, was inspired by the Washington Monument, with all its associations of nationalism and the past, manifest destiny and masculinity, integrity and weakness. “It looks like it’s sturdy but it’s just stacked wood, it’s cheap — it presents itself as something more than it is.” “I don’t consider myself a political artist,” McGinnis said. “I consider myself a historical artist who attempts to recreate history in an accurate way.” He said he doesn’t consider “Heritage” a political critique so much as an attempt to evoke the past, with all its flaws and wonders. “This is our history — good, bad or indifferent. We should critique it, we should celebrate it, but more than anything we should talk about it.” “Heritage” and “Confronting the Capitalist Crisis” are both attempts to talk about that history. While they speak a very different language, it’s heartening to know that there’s enough room for both visions — one angry and direct, the other dreamy and unsettled — in one museum.
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