In my opinion...

Guilty Pleasures

JESS BOYLAN GUEST WRITER JB738@CABRINI EDU

Find me a girl between the ages of 12 and 22 who is willing to do something other than sit in front of the TVon any given weekday night. This task is not as easy as it seems. I know many young women claim immunity to the power of primetime WB TV, but the fact remains that a good portion of, if not most, teenage girls find themselves glued to the tube from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., rain or shine.

Whether the show will be starring bald yet beautiful Chad Michael Murray, shy and mysterious Gregory Smith, or “super” hunky Tom Welling, it matters not. The girls will still turn on their TVs and hide their remotes from their roommates.

But why are these nighttime soap operas so popular? What is it about them that makes young girls swoon? Is it just the cute boys? This is doubtful, considering all you have to do to get an eyeful of attractive testosterone is go to class. Could we be watch- ing to fit in with the crowds and to have something to talk about in the cafeteria the next day? This theory is unlikely as well, considering many girls are reluctant to even admit they watch the shows.

These “guilty pleasure” programs are sometimes considered too juvenile for a serious college woman to be watching religiously. Maybe we have such an obsession for these shows because they simply show us the things we are interested in: be it forms of absolute perfection we may never seen outside the small screen, or real life issues many of us face every day.

Handsome boys fall in love with brainy girls, the captain of the football team doubles as the caring older brother, parents and teenagers find common ground. On the flip side, these shows also broadcast innumerable unplanned pregnancies, promiscuous sex, drug use and other “naughty” things.

Whatever the true reason we watch, the message is clear. The WB has found the perfect formula to win young audiences, whether we will admit it or not.

DOMENIQUE PINHO GUEST WRITER DDP722@CABRINI EDU

Sundance film festival winner, “Garden State” is as unique as it is charming which allows for a draw of attention from a wide variety of audiences. I wouldn’t classify “Garden State” into one specific genre; I would simply call it “different.”

The movie itself is based around a young man, Andrew Largeman, (played by director Zach Braff, star of NBC’s “Scrubs”) who basically shuffled in and out of his life induced with numerous types of medications in order to cope with the his mothers’problems. Largeman finds out the terrible news of his mother ’s death, which forces him to return to his home, the Garden State, better known as New Jersey.

Although Largeman feels he has formed a new definition of a home in Los Angeles, he realizes when he returns home that there is much he has left in New Jersey. Whether it is undiscovered, forgotten or denied, this is his home, and for that he finds some sort of peace and serenity back in the Garden State.

Fate steps in during the film and Largeman is introduced to an innovative woman, Sam (magnificently played by Natalie Portman), who is unlike anyone he has ever met. Through Sam he finds strength, which lets him distinguish what he has been missing all these years away from home.

“Garden State” is a superb film, filled with laughs, tears and unforgettable scenes. Well directed and even more beautifully acted, Braff has a talent and should pursue in both the acting and directing world. Although people may look at this movie as a typical love story, it’s so much more than that. It’s a unique scene play and written so well.

Only certain movies have the ability to speak to the audience, and “Garden State” is one of them. It reaches out to you, the viewer, about the message of home, love and fate. It’s worth the $8.50. A well deserved “A” for this unforgettable film.

As for the soundtrack, I can only say one thing about itabsolutely amazing. From light to classic rock, the “Garden State” soundtrack is as soothing as it comes. The soundtrack itself is very hard to find. Many stores do not carry the CD since this movie is only playing in select theaters across the country. In order to find the CD for myself, I had to drive for nearly an hour.

I finally found several copies of the soundtrack in a small, local CD store in Marlton, N.J. called TUNES. It carries many bands, for example, The Postal Service, whose song “Such Great Heights” is featured in the film. If seeing the movie isn’t a desire or an option, one should definitely invest in this astonishing, “A+” soundtrack.