Cinemann October 2010

Cinemann

October 2010

Table of Contents

10 4

Easy A

6 14

Halloween Movies

20 Cinemann 2

The Town

Wall Street

8

Never Let Me Go

12

The Social Network

Fall Television

17

True Blood

Cinemann: Volume VI, Issue 2

Editors in Chief

Associate Editors

Andrew Demas Maggie Reinfeld

Katie Cacouris, Tucker Caploe, Jessica Chi, Zoe Kestan,

Senior Editors

Staff Writers Alice Taranto, Sam Torres, Charles Sherr, Emma Specter

Matt Taub Alexandra Saali Faculty Advisor

Deborah Kassel

Contributing Writers

Rachel Buissereth, Anise Charles, David Feuerstein, Jacob Frackman, Abigail Greenbaum, Bennett Heller, Noah Margulis, Jay Palekar, Savannah Smith, Rachel Simerka-Smith, Henry Warder

Letter From the Editors Dear Reader, We are proud to present our second issue of Cinemann. As you flip through the pages, we hope you find yourself spooked and in awe of the movies October has to offer. From the drama of Easy A to the horror of The Town to the sexual tension of True Blood, this issue covers a broad spectrum of topics. We hope you embrace the Halloween spirit as you read through Daniel Ehrlich top five favorite Halloween movies. See you at the movies!

Follow our magazine at issuu.com/cinemann.

If you would like to write for Cinemann please contact us!

Yours Truly, Andrew Demas and Maggie Reinfeld

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Easy A

By Savannah Smith

Easy A, directed by Will Gluck and starring Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Dan Byrd, and Aly Michalka is a fantastic, hilarious film that will quickly become a teenage classic.

The film follows Olive Penderghast (Stone), a girl with a good sense of humor and a perfect, clean-cut reputation.

But when Olive’s gay friend Brandon (Byrd) begs her to pretend to have sex with him so he won’t be bullied about his homosexuality at school, her spotless reputation rapidly shatters; she is instantly known as the school slut. In addition to her new title, Olive gets a huge number of requests from other male students at her school, offering her money and gifts in exchange for a rumor about her hooking up with them as well. Meanwhile in English class, Olive is studying the novel The Scarlet Letter and finds her life is paralleling that of protagonist Hester Prynne – a women who commits the act of adultery and as a punishment must wear the letter “A” on the breast of her clothing. To fit into her new reputation, Olive begins to wear lingerie to school and embroiders the letter “A” on each of her articles of clothing (hence the name of the movie, Easy A), all the while having a secret crush on Woodchuck Todd (Badgley), the boy famous for being the school mascot.

Olive faces a number of enemies during her period of acting as a trollop, including Marianne (Bynes), a very religious Christian girl who is angered not only

by Olive’s promiscuity, but also by Olive’s quick rise in popularity. Another is her best-friend-turned-enemy, Rhiannon

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(Michalka), who too is annoyed by Olive’s rise in the social ladder and her level of wantonness.

After maintaining this promiscuous reputation for a while and not finding much satisfaction in its results, Olive begins to realize that it’s time to tell the truth about her acts of wrongdoing to the school community and come clean.

The film is superb, with just the right amount of humor to make you laugh throughout and quote the script for days.

It’s jammed packed with references (to Twilight, John Hughes movies, and Judy Blume, just to name a few) dropped in at exactly the right moments.

Not only is the movie perfect for just about any teenage girls’ sleepover right alongside Mean Girls, but it also provokes thought about how exactly reputations define us, why they feel so important in daily life, and just how fragile they really are. In Olive’s case, all it took to destroy hers was a false rumor that was created to help a friend.

In addition to a hysterical script, written

by Bert V. Royal, the cast was excellent.

Emma Stone’s performance as Olive was completely memorable and magnificent.

The rest of the cast did a great job too, all creating unforgettable characters that I can’t wait to meet again soon.

Easy A is one of those movies you just don’t want to end. It keeps you laughing, entertained, and interested – and when it comes to chick-flick movies like these, that’s all you’re really asking for, anyway.

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Wall Street Money Never Sleeps By katherine kobylarz

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps picks up where the 1987 film Wall Street left off, revolving around the 2008 financial crisis in New York City, and the life of wealthy corporate raider Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) after his 8-year prison sentence, which concluded the last movie. The original film tells the story of a young stockbroker named Bud Fox who wanted to work for Gekko. Fox represents the class of his father, a hard working mechanic who never earned much money in his lifetime. Here, we find Fox aspiring to avenge the misfortune and labor of his father’s life by becoming extremely successful.

The new sequel follows Gekko’s post-jail endeavors, including the release of his new book, Is Greed Good, and his desire to repair his

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relationship with his estranged daughter, Winnie (Carey Mulligan). The plot thickens when we find out that Winnie’s fiancée, Jake (Shia LaBeouf ), works for one of Wall Street’s major investment companies, and he is looking for funding for his alternate energy project. Meanwhile, Jake receives a 1.5 million dollar bonus from his boss, Lewis Zabel (Frank Langella), who hates the current operation of investment firms.

Director Oliver Stone is right in his element in these movies, having worked on many films about political figures and politically motivated historical events. He, too, has often been in the center of controversy surrounding the subject matter and portrayals in his work. Stone has said that future projects he wants to

work on would involve characters like Hitler and Stalin, so it makes sense that a criminal personality such as Gekko might intrigue him. Additionally, Stone was raised primarily by his stockbroker father, and often had summer internships at a financial exchange in France, which clearly influenced his perspective on these films.

Both movies premiered at a time when financial crises had recently occurred; hence, they were especially relevant to people’s lives, which is probably one of the main reasons why they have both been so successful. Based on the success of the first movie, and its Academy Award win, I would predict that this movie is going to be equally popular in its continuation of the story, just in an updated setting.

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Never Let Me G

By Abigail Greenbaum

Set in an altered 1952, Never Let Me Go tells the emotionally charged tale of a dystopian England.

The movie is told in three parts, beginning with the protagonists’ time at school. Young Kathy (Izzy MeikleSmall), Ruth (Ella Purnell) and Tommy (Charlie Rowe) serve their purpose well, as they manage to attach the audience to their characters while still plaguing the story with numerous questions.

While it is clear that the children have been brought up at Hailsham, and that they are somehow different, it is only near the end of the school story that we find out the truth behind the children’s purpose there. They were bred as donors – cloned off other human beings and destined to supply their organs to those in need. This begins the movie’s attempt to conquer moral questions, but the far more compelling aspect of the story is the love triangle between the three leads.

Kathy’s love for Tommy is estab-

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lished in the very first scenes of the movie, but gets tangled with complications as the story progresses. Especially as the characters grow, the question of which girl Tommy truly loves becomes the focal point of interest for those watching.

The general atmosphere of the school section is grim and grey, doused with the intrigue of the characters’ backgrounds. It is only in the second part, when the characters are fully grown, that the essence of the plot is established.

Kathy, Ruth and Tommy learn of a Hailsham myth: if two people have a way of proving to their old teachers that they are in love, they will receive a few years reprieve before ending their life with the infamous donations.

The movie’s emotional impact increases here, for you see just how desperately the characters wish to prolong their lives. The impeccable acting of Carrie Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield helps to drive home the troubled love that swims between the three

friends. Though Ruth (Keira Knightley) often seems unsympathetic, it is hard for watchers not to pity her, along with each and every player in the story.

The third part takes yet another jump in time, adding another element of sadness to the story as you see the characters reconcile for the final portion of the movie. In this section, the characters struggle to see if the legends they’ve heard are true, as well as seek more time together. Here the movie questions the existence of the soul, as well as the ethical questions that surround cloning and organ donations. Though compelling topics, the short length of time spent on these ideas prevents them from truly making a point. However, this could also be considered a positive for it allows the movie to fall squarely on the power of the story and not develop into being too preachy.

Once again, the actors do a superb job of finalizing the relationships of their characters, and the last forty minutes of

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the movie make quite an impression on moviegoers. The ending is as dark and hopeless as the rest, but it is artful, and certainly well done.

The movie makes a significant mark on those in the theater, and though the dark mood may be slightly overdone, it adds to the affect. Additionally, the movie leaves many curious to read the book and compare, which hopefully means it does its job in hooking them.

Despite the words of a few critics, most of those who had read the book were pleased by the movie. Several said they felt the film brushed off the friendship between Kathy and Ruth, but otherwise thought the movie served the book well.

More than anything else, Never Let Me Go leaves you asking questions and wondering about the future. It takes the popular premise of a dystopian world and puts a unique, relevant spin on it. Job well done.

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by ross karetsky

Ben Affleck writes and directs himself a starring role in this action-packed, romantic bank heist film. Ben plays the part of Doug MacRay, a thief in Charlestown, Boston, the neighborhood with the highest rate of auto theft and bank robbery in the world.

After falling in love with his gang’s hostage at their last heist, he tells himself that he doesn’t want to follow his father to prison. Doug wants out of the family business. He plans to flee “the town” with his new girlfriend, Claire (Rebecca Hall), who is still unaware that he is one of the men who abducted her during the robbery.

The movie was filled with exciting car chases, gunfights, and a few bare-knuckle brawls. Doug and his crew race around town in all sorts of vehicles: from Dodge Chargers to minivans, there is plenty of

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high-speed action. And Doug’s crew is always packing either M16 assault riffles or pistols. They are quick to draw, and eager to do so.

The cast wasn’t anything special. Ben Affleck and Blake Lively are the only two eye-popping names on the cast list. Ben does his job to make the viewers care for the criminal he plays and to see through his rough exterior into the caring and compassionate heart of a misled man who never had a chance.

Blake Lively adapts to a new role at the opposite end of her spectrum. Not particularly well, either. You can see her struggle taking the trip from high society, Upper East Side privilege, down to the projects of Boston. Her Boston accent was clearly a little shaky, or maybe that was just from all the drugs she was supposed to be on in her

appearance throughout the film as Krista Coughlin, Doug’s best friend James’ sister.

Doug has a relationship with her in the beginning of the film, which quickly falls apart after he meets Claire. Krista has substance abuse issues, and deals oxy cotton.

Jeremy Renner plays the role of James Coughlin. James is the neighborhood tough guy, a convicted killer, who just got back from serving nine years in the federal pen. He is the hot head who Doug has to watch over and keep calm. This is not an easy task for Doug, as James is fast to pull out his gun, and even faster to pull the trigger.

His crew is always covering their tracks and staying disguised. Each heist brings an elaborate costume; sometimes they dress as nuns, with wrinkling masks covering their faces, or as skeletons, to add

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spectacular. I would encourage people to add it to the middle of their Netflix Queue, but not to go out and see it, unless you are stuck inside on a rainy day. I don’t expect to see this movie receive any awards this year, as it didn’t provide any groundbreaking substance or memorable acting. If you are the type that lives for bank heists and action, then this may be a little more for you, but I have definitely seen a dozen movies that start and end just like this one.

The story did help paint a picture of a neighborhood that has had a reputation of this kind of activity for decades.

It describes what it was like for the multigenerational Irish families in Charlestown in which crime has been passed down from father to son. There is a scene during which the four thieves are seated next to each other getting briefed by their boss

before their big heist, and the boss comments on how they look just like their fathers who sat right where they did before them. This is the point where Doug fully realizes that he has to break the cycle that is pushing him towards a cold, dreary cell like the one that his father resides in.

Go out and rent it. You may love it; you may hate it. I fell somewhere in between, and this movie was definitely targeted towards an audience of fifteen-year-old boys. Ben Affleck, at the end of the day, has turned out a mediocre film at best. The second to last scene was the only kicker. It was an engaging, romantic drama action flick at times, but a bore the other fortyfive minutes I sat in my seat, fidgeting and predicting the next scene – which I did pretty well most of the time.

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a bit more fear into the bank customers.

The movie has a few funny moments in it, such as after a good long dramatic shootout or a police questioning, one of thieves has a quick one-liner, or a sarcastic comment to spit into the interrogating officer’s face. Frequently, the theater erupted into laughter.

The storyline progresses and you continue to learn more about Doug’s past, all the way back to his childhood. You learn of his NHL draft, a forgotten hockey career that he let slip out of his hands. You gain an emotional attachment that makes you hope he doesn’t get shot when he is being chased down by SWAT teams and FBI agents.

This action-packed romance was definitely entertaining for the hour and thirtyfive minutes it carried on for, but it wasn’t

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by hannah jun

There are few perfect words to describe our last decade thoroughly, but The Social Network gives us one: Connection.

The Social Network is a biopic about the conception and early years of Facebook. We all know Facebook as “the social network”, the thing we log onto five times a day to find out who’s dating whom and to keep in touch with people. But in its early years, Facebook was nothing more than an idea, and perhaps, as the movie illustrates, a stolen one. Facebook nor Mark Zuckerberg was involved with the production of this movie. However, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin was an advisor on the book, The Billionaires, on which the movie is based. Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Panic Room, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and written

by Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, West Wing, Charlie Wilson’s War), The Social Network is a highly intelligent and winding movie. It will keep you pondering with its plot twists and philosophical turns.

The film is formatted with a nonlinear formula, jumping from three main events: the Winklevoss lawsuit, the Saverin lawsuit, and the past that illustrates how these two lawsuits came to be. The movie portrays Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) as an extremely blunt genius who is, nonetheless, inept at social situations. It explores the idea that Facebook might have been a plagiarized

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powerful. The mo ties of our genera as an unemotion

idea from twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer) and Divya Narenda (Max Minghella). And if it was not, what is considered technical intellectual theft in this new dimension called the Internet? But the more focused lawsuit is between Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Zuckerberg. Despite beginning as best friends, their dysfunctional relationship grows. Eduardo brings the case to trial after his stocks in Facebook are diluted to .03% from 30% with the entrance of “angel” investor Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). However, it is more than just the financial loss that pushes Eduardo; it is the constant passive aggressive behavior the two displayed that blew up into one big ugly fight. In the end, Facebook settles both lawsuits. The Winklevoss brothers received more than $65 million dollars (in real life they are now suing for over $466 million dollars) and Eduardo Saverin received an unknown amount. But what Mark really loses by the end is his only friend.

However, we cannot take everything at face value, as The Social Network is only based on true events. The film’s bias should not be taken lightly. If we want to know if the injustices on the wide screen are true, we must become active seekers. We must crossreference facts and delve through the layers of the movie if we want to find any real truth.

One primary example of change is the fact

that the real Mark Zuckerberg had a steady girlfriend throughout the birth and early years of Facebook. The movie makes this idea improbable because of the way Zuckerberg is portrayed – an adaptation supposed to highlight his isolating genius. Nevertheless, The Social Network is a fantastic movie with very interesting commentary on modern times. It exposes a deeply nuanced dark college life as well as the cutthroat business of startup Internet companies. Anyone who cares about how far we have come in the recent decade and what future beholds should watch this film. But as mindful and reasonable humans, we need to constantly question and look beyond cloudy bias. Don’t think whatever you watch is true.

Like all brilliantly made films, The Social Network contains more than just a great story. What also makes it are the thoughts and implications made about society. The Social Network takes a critical but necessary view on Facebook and its influence on society.

There is something curious in that a social network fostering connection and social relationships was created by an isolated man.

The film shows the black irony of the last six years on Facebook: we may all be connected through a plastic screen, but no one is on your side of the screen. We are still alone.

“The Social Network was so ovie calls attention to some of the realiation. It also portrays Mark Zuckerbug nal and egoitistical imbecile.”

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Halloween Mov

By Daniel Ehrlich

Halloween has become a real tradition in America, with the ritual of trick-or-treating being a significant experience for all children. But not only does Halloween provide opportunities to devour massive amounts of candy and dress up in fun or scary costumes, it also reminds people of their favorite creepy stories. And for movie fans, this makes Halloween the best night of the year for watching horror films. Most people think of horror films on Halloween, but some people might like a comedy with a few thrills interspersed. And so, I’ve decided to include a supernatural sort of comedy to put into the mix. Ladies and gentlemen, may I now present, in no particular order, my top 5 Halloween movies:

ead The Evil D

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Where to begin? In my opinion, there never has been or will be any movie that so effectively mixes comedy, horror, and just overall excessiveness as this one. It’s not the most well-known series, but over the years it’s amassed an impressive cult following. There are three movies in this series, and while all are worth watching, my personal favorite is The Evil Dead 2. This series, or at least the first two movies, revolve around a man named Ash and his experiences in a rural cabin in Tennessee. When he reads aloud a passage

from an ancient book there called the “Book of the Dead”, it unleashes malevolent spirits who possess and haunt Ash as well as all those accompanying him. Both The Evil Dead and the Evil Dead 2 start out suspenseful, but as they go along, there arises a sort of zaniness along with some incorporation of slapstick humor. By the climax of both movies, you’ll be on the edge of your seat – laughing, screaming, or both. There’s nothing else that can be explained, other than that it is essential viewing for any true movie fan.

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Scream

To horror fans, Wes Craven should be a familiar name. Since the early 1970s, he’s been making innovative, terrifying movies, many of which are now viewed as classics. He started famous franchises like The Hills Have Eyes and, perhaps most notably, introduced the world to one Freddy Krueger. So leave it to Wes Craven to create a film many consider to have reinvigorated the slasher subgenre. This 1996 movie follows Sidney Prescott, a high-schooler who has recently gone through the murder of her mother. After the murder of one of her peers, Sydney begins to be taunted and stalked by a killer who wears a long robe and a white mask resembling the character from the “Scream” painting, known in the Scream films as Ghostface. More people begin to die, and suspicious rumors begin to fly around regarding the identity of the killer. The characters realize that they are in a horror-movie type situation, and the climax finally reveals who the killer

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ei Frankenst

This movie, along with its first sequel, Bride of Frankenstein, is considered a true horror classic, perhaps even the greatest horror film of all time. Dr. Frankenstein and his hunchbacked assistant have robbed graves for human parts, and now they have managed to put together a human being out of their spoils. However, it turns out the brain they stole was that of a murderer. The monster breaks loose and wreaks havoc before being killed by an angry mob. But underneath the classic horror plot is a story that is truly tragic. Fran-

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is. When Scream came out, it was innovative in its breaking of the fourth wall; the characters realize they are in a situation they had seen in films, and make decisions based on that awareness. The killer even tests one of his victims with horror trivia. Clearly, the perpetrator of these murders has done his homework, so to speak. In this way, the movie effortlessly blends wit with traditional suspense and horror. The film was quite successful and well-received for this self-referential attitude.

In the wake of Scream’s release, the slasher subgenre was revived, leading to the production of two sequels over the next four years (in addition to a third sequel being released in 2011), and other successful slasher films over the following years. Scream is a great horror film overall, not just due to its unheard-of-at-the-time, tongue-incheek attitude, but also because of its influence on the horror genre.

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kenstein is misunderstood, a confused creature seen as a monstrous, cold-blooded killer because of his appearance and a few tragic accidents. There is one scene in particular involving Frankenstein meeting a little girl at a lake that can warm even the coldest heart and bring anyone to at least a frown, if not tears. This movie is brilliant because it isn’t just an atmospheric chiller; it has a beating heart, just like the monster, at its soul.

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Halloween

How could I make a list of Halloween films without Halloween, the movie?

This movie became an instant classic when it came out in 1978, not only in the horror genre but also in the slasher subgenre it helped create. The work centers around relentless, psychopathic killer Michael Myers, who escapes from the mental institution in which he is imprisoned. He targets babysitter Laurie Strode and her friends in his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, murdering them one by one until Laurie is the only one left. Michael Myers has now become one of the greatest horror icons of all time, with his blank, expressionless mask and his unstoppable brutality. The film is an exercise in pure

suspense. While there are some big thrills throughout the film, it mostly builds up towards the incredible finale. It is a terrifying film because it uses that slow build-up, rather than an excess of blood (as many films today do), to shock and scare viewers.

This is the essential film to watch on Halloween because, not only is its title fitting, but the content is even more so. imdb

rs Ghos tbus te

Like I said, not all must-watch Halloween flicks have to be scary. That said, Ghostbusters might be the classic supernatural comedy film, mixing humor with a few small scares. The premise alone is hilarious: three recently-unemployed paranormal researchers open up shop as Ghostbusters, capturing unruly spirits that

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haunt the people of New York. Explaining its plot doesn’t quite do it justice; it really just has to be seen. Let’s just say there are some Sumerian Gods and a giant marshmallow involved. Ghostbusters was extremely successful when it was released in 1984, and with good reason. It had a top-notch cast, including most notably

SNL alums Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.

They take just about every scene, humorous or not, and manage to make it laughout-loud worthy. Today it’s considered a modern comedy classic. For those of you who don’t just want to scream on Halloween night, this movie is for you.

True Blood

By Alexandra Saali

The United States was once plagued by the assimilation of exslaves, immigrants, people of different religions, homosexuals, etc. Americans thought they were long past this.

In retrospect, these were but trivial examples of the struggle to co-exist with a minority group. Following the Great Revelation, we’ve learned vampires live among us. True Blood, a formula designed to sate the vampire’s thirst for hbo

human blood, allows these sadistic creatures to restrain from killing men.

As a result, vampires have progressed from nefarious monsters to fellow citizens overnight. Imagine the drama?

In reality, True Blood quenches the perverted, dark fantasies of its fastgrowing fan base.

True Blood, created by Alan Ball, chronicles the raging internal and external conflicts regarding super natu-

ral beings. Season one establishes the existence of The American Vampire League which keeps demons in-check, but the focus is on localized reactions to vampire integration. Specifically, the show documents events in the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps, where citizens (not all human) adjust to the repercussions of the Great Revelation. Most viewers enjoy sinking their teeth into main-character Sookie

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Stackhouse’s love affair with vampire Bill Compton. Stephen Moyer — actor who plays Bill Compton— “If we go from a base level, vampires create a hole in the neck where there wasn’t one before. It’s a de-virginization — breaking the hymen, creating blood and then drinking the virginal blood. And there’s something sharp, the fang, which is probing and penetrating and moving into it. So that’s pretty sexy. I think that makes vampires attractive.”

Even with a multi-million dollar ad campaign, the first season had merely two- million viewers. I admit to watching only when forced by my boyfriend, but after the season finale, I found myself craving more True Blood. I needed another flash of vampire-sheriff Eric Northman’s abs and a glimpse of Sookie’s brother Jason’s obliques to satisfy my thirst. I realized after my fifth dream about Eric Northman that I was hooked.

People who didn’t even watch the show knew all the celebrities from the cast. Remember Meekus, the gorgeous male model from Zoolander who died in a “freak gasoline accident”? That’s Eric Northman (6’4!!! Alexander Skarsgård) who dates Kate Bosworth in real life. My explanation for the show’s 100% viewer increase by season two is the cast’s good looks. Call me shallow, but the blogs, viewer commentary, and Google Images popularity substantiate

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my hypothesis.

Season two had three primary focus points: 1) the disappearance of a 2,000year old vampire Sheriff 2) the worship of Dionysus, the horned Greek god 3) sex, sex, sex, sex. The season’s start was dynamite, and viewers braced themselves for the battle of Armageddon as the show explored religion’s body.

Clearly Alan Ball, the shows creator, is a master of foreplay. Unfortunately, season two didn’t end with an explosion.

Instead, the final episodes fizzled out.

After fans bashed the season’s ending, Anna Paquin- who plays Sookie Stackhouse- publicly announced she was bisexual. As a result, the show’s popularity amongst gay, lesbian and bisexual communities exploded. In response to the new fan base, homosexual and bisexual behavior became increasingly prevalent on True Blood - whose 3rd Season borders soft-core pornography.

The plot of season three “revolves” around vampire and human politics.

Russell Edgington, the gay vampire king of Mississippi, is one of the oldest vampires in existence. He is 3000 years old which makes him incredibly powerful. To the horror of human beings and many vampires, Russell is determined to destroy The American Vampire League aka: The Authority.

With Russel Edgington in charge, supernatural demons would dominate

powerless human beings. Notice how I said supernatural demons and not just vampires. In season three, some very attractive primal beings called werewolves are introduced.

Creator Alan Ball has said that “vampires are sex,” and true to his definition, the show is ALL about sex. So when Allan says, “I don’t get a vampire story about abstinence. I’m 53. I don’t care about high school students.

I find them irritating and uninformed,” I highly recommend you believe him.

He also doesn’t seem to care about HBO’s ratings. Forget about the conservative parts of the country, the S&M, gay sex and extreme gore has repelled even more open-minded individuals.

HBO’s formerly, notoriously graphic shows like Sex and the City and The Sopranos had millions more viewers than True Blood. I have watched all three shows and can vouch for critics who say True Blood has taken explicit scenes to the next level.

Note to Alan Ball: I’ve reached my limit. The disturbing nightmares I had, following the episode where Eric Northman staked a male vampire during intercourse, forced me to stop watching your show. There is no doubt that you don’t care about high school students and no doubt that your show has suffered the “true death” in my household.

Fall TV Premiers

30 for 30

by ryan their

This year ESPN is celebrating their 30th anniversary by making 30 films, by 30 different filmmakers, about 30 different sport stories that have occurred since ESPN’s inception in 1979. 22 superb documentaries have been released and the remaining eight promise to be excellent as well. To celebrate and review the critically acclaimed series I have decided to list and review my top 5 of the series thus far.

Valentine’s Day 1993 rolls around and he is either at the wrong place at the wrong or time, or gets involved in a racial brawl at a bowling alley depending on whom you talk to. He eventually is accused of throwing a chair at a white girl and is sentenced to five years in prison. The movie examines conspiracy theories, such as the judge who sentenced him was a Hampton alumnus and did not want to see Bethel beat Hampton again. It is a great movie, and I will let you 5. No Crossover: The Trial of Allen watch it and see how it unfolds.

Iverson, directed by Steve James No Crossover is about Allen Iver- 4. Kings Ransom, directed by Peson’s arrest after his alleged involve- ter Berg ment in a brawl at a bowling alley on Kings Ransom is about the infamidnight of Valentine’s Day 1993. mous trade of the best hockey player The movie however is not a legal in the world, Wayne Gretzky, from drama at all it is a character study, an the Edmonton Oilers (at the time a examination of racism in his home- Dynasty) to the lowly Los Angeles town (Hampton, Virginia), and the Kings. The movie is about what haprole his status as a celebrity played pened behind the scenes that made in his lawsuit. Allen Iverson went to the trade happen and the massive the “wrong” high school (Bethel) as aftershocks of the trade. The people opposed to Hampton High School. in Edmonton rioted and sent death All the important people and peo- threats to the Oiler’s owner, while ple in positions of power in Hamp- Gretzky’s arrival in LA made hockton went to Hampton High School. ey relevant. The movie shows how These alumni loved Hampton ath- much hockey really means to the letics, and watched Allen Iverson people in a small town like Edmonlead Bethel to state championships ton. Where the Oilers were much in football and basketball his junior more than a team, they were family. year. It was viewed as a given that he Loosing their best player who was would repeat his senior year. Then also the best player in the world was

a type of sports heartbreak to which there is no equivalent to in the United States. Meanwhile, Gretzky makes the Kings relevant and celebrities start showing up at the forum.

The film is tremendous and does a great job of portraying how much hockey really means in Canada while at the same time masterfully telling the story and its effect on not just Edmonton but Los Angeles and everyone affiliated with hockey.

3. The Two Escobars, directed by Jeff and Michael Zimbalist The Two Escobars is an absolutely fascinating documentary. The film is about Colombia’s flashy, loveable, up and coming, tremendous, and inspiring soccer team and the connection in its rise with Colombia’s infamous drug trade. The two Escobars are Pablo and Andres Escobar. Pablo being the famous drug kingpin who makes a fortune of cocaine and becomes a folk hero in impoverished regions of Colombia by building houses and schools as well as soccer fields. Andres Escobar was the all world defender on the Colombian national team. The rise of the national team is traced to funding from drug lords and their money makes Colombia a trendy pick going into the 1994 World Cup. The greatest player of all time, Pele,

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even picked them to win the World Cup. In their first game they lose to Romania and then get death threats and amazing pressure from back home and under the pressure loose to the USA. The turning point being a fateful own goal by none other than Andres Escobar that sends Colombia home embarrassed and very much in danger of people who gambled on them and lost. It is an amazing movie that I highly recommend.

2. Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs.

The New York Knicks, directed by Dan Klores Winning Time is absolutely a must watch movie for any sports fan. That is what is so great about the movie, it is about basketball, specifically about basketball in Indiana and New York but really it creates so much interest in the sports world on a national basis you don’t have to be from New

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York or Indy to enjoy this movie. The Knick Pacer rivalry is so enticing because it has all the elements and characters a great rivalry needs. There is a villain for each side, The villain from the Knicks’ perspective is the trash talking, in your face, ice cold, steels of nerve, lights out shooter, Reggie Miller who is so easy to hate and vilify.

Then there is Spike Lee who is public enemy number 1 in Indiana, which is so remarkable because he isn’t even on the team. The heroes are the Reggie Miller (obviously for Indiana) and John Starks, the loveable scrappy New York folk hero. Knicks Pacers was the rivalry in basketball at that time not just in New York and Indy but everywhere. As said in the movie, the Celtics and Bulls had an amazing series with overtime and double overtime games but who outside of Boston or Chicago is talking about it? Well, ev-

eryone talked about Reggie Miller scoring 8 points in 18 seconds leading one of the most improbable comebacks in NBA history. Everyone talked about Spike Lee costing the Knicks the game by screaming at Reggie from his courtside seat. The movie also shows how great a basketball town New York really is, which makes it sad that there hasn’t been a great team in New York for years now. Winning Time is a superb film that any sports fan will love.

1. June 17th, 1994, directed by Brett Morgen June 17th, 1994 is by far the most unbelievable, surreal, astonishing sports movie I have ever seen. The movie is not surprisingly, about June 17th 1994, also known as the craziest sports day of all time. The day included; The New York Rangers Stanley Cup Victory Parade, Arnold Palmer’s last round of his PGA career, the deadline

30 Rock

by emma specter

for the MLB and their Player’s Association to reach a deal or else the season will be a lock-out, the opening day of the World Cup in Chicago, Game 5 of the Knicks Rockets NBA Finals, and of course the OJ Simpson car chase.

The movie has no talking heads; it is just continual news footage from June 17th 1994. It is as if you went back in time and are living the movie. The movie is truly unbelievable and is not only one of if not the greatest sports movies I’ve ever seen but one of the greatest movies in general that I have seen. This film is a must-watch for any sports fan and for anyone in general in my opinion. Trust me and watch this movie, you will thank me later.

Loyal 30 Rock viewers who tuned in to the NBC comedy’s Season 5 premiere two weeks ago were met with what seemed, in many ways, like a totally new show. 30 Rock’s perpetually cranky, sweatshirt-clad protagonist, Liz Lemon, happily ensconced in a relationship with a handsome pilot (played by none other than Matt Damon)? Alpha-male GE exec Jack Donaghy on the brink of fatherhood? Absurdly dedicated NBC page Kenneth working for rival network CBS? On paper, it might sound like all these sudden character upheavals place 30 Rock in danger going the way of other critically acclaimed, once-beloved comedies that declined in quality after the first few seasons. However, the first two episodes of the new season make it clear that 30 Rock isn’t going anywhere, largely thanks to the strength of its writing. 30 Rock’s wacky, tightly-knit cast of characters is undoubtedly amazing, but the show’s true mainstay is its signature brand of fast-paced, incisive comedy. 30 Rock’s characters are predictable, in the best sense of the word. By now, the writers and actors have gotten each character’s signature brand of humor down to a science. It doesn’t matter what life-altering new plot twist is cooked up for the pleasantly insane show-within-a-show star Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgn); He’s still going to deliver his trademark nonsensical similes (a few choice examples: “My genius is come alive... like toys when your back is turned,” and “I was scared,

shocked, angry, like a dog in a sidecar when it comes loose from the motorcycle.”). Even if ultra-narcissistic prima donna Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) actually does the unthinkable and finds success in her desperate quest for fame, she’s not going to stop being jealous of babies “for their soft skin and all the attention they get,” or getting upset when her stalker gets mental help and stops sneaking into her house to fill up her fridge with doll heads.

Some critics consider the consistency of 30 Rock’s comedy format to be one of the show’s more negative aspects.

For example, the constant references to Liz’s unattractiveness, social awkwardness and inability to find a man (even when she’s dating someone) can be construed as a lack of proper character development. However, the fact that Liz’s humor (and the humor directed at Liz) stays essentially the same despite her new relationship is refreshing in a world where TV shows change quickly and their signature humor often changes along with them. 30 Rock may not have created television’s most nuanced or three-dimensional characters, but that’s forgivable when the show’s comedy is so groundbreakingly well developed. 30 Rock’s writers and directors clearly know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to making people laugh, so who can blame them for sticking to a formula that works?

Honorable Mention: -Jordan Rides the Bus -The U nbc

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by victoria mckaba

From McDreamy to McSteamy, and drama galore, the medical soap opera Grey’s Anatomy is entering its 7th season on ABC this September. Grey’s Anatomy debuted on March 27, 2005 with a viewer total of 14.5 million people. It won the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Grey’s Anatomy is filled with “all delicious romantic-drama frosting on top of delectable medical-story cake,” says E! Online. The 6 seasons of Grey’s follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace-

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Grey’s Mercy West Hospital in Seattle, Washington. The show has been entertaining everyone across America for half a decade by captivating its viewers with transplanted livers, grand mal seizures, cancerous tumors and late night sex in the on-call rooms. wSeason Six ended with a horrifying twist for viewers around America. A crazed gunman is on the loose and in his wake leaves several staff members dead on a mission to kill Dr. Sheppard, Dr. Webber and Lexi Grey, the doctor who unplugged his wife from life support earlier in the season. After believing to have succeeded

in killing Derek, the shooter decides to spend “an afterlife with his wife” and commits suicide, but the despair does not end. Meredith discovers that she is having a miscarriage, perhaps due to the intense stress she is under while treating Dr. Hunt, who is shot in the shoulder. The season finale was filled with excitement and fear, and through the uneven season, it proved Grey’s is still heart-stopping drama.

Grey’s Anatomy returns for its seventh season on Thursday, September 23.

In the season premiere “With You I’m Born Again”, the hospital staff is try-

Anatomy ing to deal with physical and emotional trauma after the vengeful gunman’s deadly rampage. As Dr. Perkins, a trauma counselor, is brought in to help in the recovery and to assess each doctor’s readiness to return to work, Derek makes a spontaneous decision to resign as Chief and rushes back into surgery, taking everything a little too fast, and Cristina buries herself in her wedding planning. The season premiere is filled with adrenaline, flashbacks, and change, which bring viewers anxiously waiting for next week’s show. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) narrates “change

is constant. How we experience change – that’s up to us. It can feel like death or it can feel like a second chance at life. If we open our fingers, loosen our grips, go with it, it can feel like pure adrenaline. Like at any moment, we can have another chance at life. Like at any moment, we can be born all over again,” ending the episode in good spirits.

Many viewers are now wondering, what’s in store for the rest of Season 7?

“The theme of this season is rebirth, everybody is sort of coming out of this very dark place [following last season’s massacre],” Rhimes told aceshowbiz.

com. The season premiere is planned to start in glee with a wedding. That’s right – Dr. Yang will be walking down the aisle yet again! But it looks like the aftermath of the shooting will not blow over quickly throughout the hospital; the doctors will understandably be affected in many ways. Aside from coping with the accident physically and mentally, Dr. Sheppard will also step down and renew Dr. Webber’s status as chief of surgery. Dr. Andrew Perkins becomes the newest love interest for Dr. Teddy Altman. Can you say “drama”?

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