Maroon Weekly Issue 207

Issue 207 // October 13, 2011

Bud Light Welcomes you to the 37th Annual Renaissance Festival

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contents filmfest

Red Wasp Film Festival // Stage Center Theater hosts film fest for asipring movie makers.

communityspotlight

Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival // Bryan prepares to host Poetry Slam.

Editor in Chief Chris Shepperd

Design/Layout Erin McAllister Erin Tanner writers

Autumn Dawson Mara Minsberg Brandon Nowalk Ian Soares Joey Trevino PHOTOGRAPHER Valorie Clark

artistspotlight

Artist Spotlight // Joey caught up with Aubrey Hunt to talk about her upcoming show and CD release.

communityspotlight

Restaraunt Review // Mara makes a visit to Papa Perez in Downtown Bryan. See what she thinks.

@themovies

Top 20 picks // See what Brandon has to say about this weeks top 20 box office hits.

By Chris Weachock

chuckles

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Business Manager Andrea Maynard

MANAGING EDITOR Chris Zebo

maroonweekly.com // Sept. 29, 2011

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Publisher Mick Maynard

DISTRIBUTION Meredith Morse Becca Nelms Erin Tanner INTERNS Britney Holley Moses Kidd Erin McAllister Meredith Morse Erin Tanner

Maroon Weekly is an independent, student-operated publication and is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university funding.

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints to typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher.

1st copy is FREE, additional copies are $0.50 each Maroon Weekly 216 W. 26th Street ste 29 Bryan, Texas 77803 ph: 979.696.3971 | fax: 281.312.5160 Š Copyright 2011 Legacy Media Inc.

www.maroonweekly.com Oct. 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 3

October 13-27

/concert///// // CURTIS GRIMES //

THURSDAY 13 campus

The College Fishing Festival will be taking place in College Station. Teams from Texas A&M and the surrounding states will fish each day at Lake Somerville.

Weigh-in and results will be at Duncan Field each day with games and various other fun events taking place. 8 a.m. Thursday at TAMU- Duncan Field.

FREE.

fruits and vegetables that Texas has to offer at the Farmers Market. 11 a.m.

Thursday at Sbisa Dinning Hall. 979-845-3005.

food+drink

The award-winning Messina Hof Winery and Resort will tickle your taste buds with a variety of themed cooking parties with the Vintage House Chef this fall. All guests will receive a tote bag filled with seasonal goodies and a recipe booklet. 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Messina Hof Winery & Resort,

Texas country singersongwriter, Curtis Grimes has been lucky campus enough to play shows Grab some of the freshest with Pat Green, Randy concert Rogers Band and Eli Prepare yourself for Bass is Loaded featuring Young Band. Now he is Marquese “Nonstop” Scott, DJ Get Low, Lady headlining his own show. and the Amp and DJ Mary Jayne at Schotzi’s.

Scott is a Dubstep master and will have his Come check him out. moves on full display. when Thursday, October 13th. Doors open at 9 p.m. where Schotzi’s.

205 University Dr. College Station. tickets $5 when 10 p.m Thursday Oct 13th

where The Tap tickets FREE

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thursday

4545 Old Reliance Road Bryan. $70. 979-736-9463.

concert

The Village Café hosts its ”Live @ the Village” singer-songwriter showcase sponsored by Maroon Weekly, KEOS, and the LaSalle Hotel. 8 p.m. at Village Café, 210 W 26th St, Bryan. FREE. 979-7038514.

campus

The Mr. & Miss Hispanic Heritage Month Pageant will be taking place in Wehner. The purpose of this event is to award a two award to important Hispanic individuals a scholarship for their distinguished

accomplishments.

The winner of each gender will receive a $500 scholarship, as the first runner up for each gender is awarded a free dinner. 8:30 p.m.

Thursday at TAMUWehner Building. FREE. 979-862-2000.

concert

Country rock singer, Garrett Snowden, will be playing La Bodega Taco Bar. During his fresh and growing live music career, he has shared the stage with artists such as Bart Crow, Jason Boland, Chris Knight, and Granger Smith as well as many local artists. 9 p.m. Thursday at La Bodega, 102 Church Street Ave College Station.

concert

Country rock singer, Garrett Snowden, will be playing La Bodega Taco Bar. During his fresh and growing live music career, he has shared the stage with artists such as Bart Crow, Jason Boland, Chris Knight, and Granger Smith as well as many local artists. when 9 p.m. Thursday where La Bodega, 102 Church Street Ave College Station. tickets FREE. 979-691-8226.

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concert Texas

country

singer-

songwriter, Curtis Grimes, who has been lucky enough to play shows with Pat Green, Randy Rogers Band

Salsa Under the Stars

By Moses Kidd

If you’ve ever been to the Village Cafe in Downtown Bryan for their popular salsa nights, imagine the same thing... but outdoors, under the stars, on a crisp fall night in the courtyard of Revolution Cafe. On Friday, October 14, Salsa Under the Stars returns for its second year at Revolution.

Mambos—the entertainment company responsible for Salsa Wednesdays and Salsa Saturdays at the Village—will be hosting the event.

Never danced salsa or have two left feet? The evening begins with fun salsa lessons for beginners at 9:30pm. The halfhour “Crash Course Salsa Lesson” teaches you just enough to stay on the floor—or in this case, on the compacted gravel at Revs. At 10pm, after the lesson, the courtyard opens to general dancing until 2am.

Admission is $5 at the door and includes the salsa lesson. For more information, visit Mambos’ website at mambosentertaiment.com.

friday

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and Eli Young Band, will be performing at The Tap. 10 p.m. Thursday at The Tap, 815 Harvery Road College Station. FREE.

FRIDAY 14 concert

Come see Mr. Wayne Johnson perform 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s

soft rock! 7 p.m. Friday at Casa Rodriguez, 300 N. Bryan Ave Bryan. FREE. 979-779-0916.

concert

Thompson Square with special guest George Ducas playing at Texas Hall of Fame. 8 p.m. Friday at Texas

Thompson Square Live

By Britney Holley

CMA nominees for new artist and vocal duo of the year, Thompson Square will be bringing their nu-country to the Hall. Keifer and Shawna Thompson met at a music competition in Nashville, TN and hit it off from there.

Their smooth country sound fuses with a rougher rock edge, producing high-energy shows and albums.

Soon after their radio smash hit, “Are You Gonna to Kiss Me or Not,” their music career took off and has taken the country by storm. With country influences from Reba McEntire to Alabama and rock inspirations from Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, the pair was the opening act for country-star Jason Aldean’s tour. Their “Kiss Me” video became a viewer favorite on GAC and CMT. American country singer-songwriter, George Ducas, will also be hitting the stage. Ducas first entered the music scene in the late ‘90s and has been writing songs for artists such as Garth Brooks, Dixie Chicks, Randy Rogers and many more. With influences from Wille Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Ducas is a talented singer and songwriter.

If you would like to sample some music, you can listen to each band’s music online thompsonsquare.com and georgeducas.com.

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friday

FREE. 979-691-8226.

Hall of Fame, 2309 S FM 2818 Bryan. $12 Tickets at Cavender’s or The Hall. $15 at the door. 979-822-2222. (see story below)

concert

Come listen to contemporary rock country band, Texas Unlimited (aka TUB).

The band orginally started playing for weddings and private parties but have now become the most requested country and variety band in Texas. TUB has also shared the stage with many major stars including: George Strait, Garth Brooks and Brooks and Dunn. 8 p.m. Friday at Lakeside Icehouse and Grill, 8200 Sandy Point Rd. Bryan. FREE before 9 p.m.

concert

2011 Texas Music Awards Nominee for Best Female vocalist, Libby Koch, a singersongwriter from Houston, Texas will be performing a live show at Fitzwilly’s. 8 p.m.

Friday at FitzWilly’s Bar and Grill, 303 University Dr. College Station. 979-8468806.

campus

In honor of Hispanic Heritage month a dance competition will be held to show off skills in dances such as the salsa, merengue, and bachata.

There will be free food and entertainment all night.

8 p.m. Friday at TAMUCommons. FREE. 979-8622000.

concert

Come enjoy fresh food at La Bodega while listening to the sweet sounds of southernrock-jam band, Reagan Firestorm. 9 p.m. Friday at La Bodega, 102 Church Ave College Station. FREE. 979691-8226.

dance

Salsa Under the Stars returns for its second year at Revolution. Never danced salsa or have two left feet?

The evening begins with fun www.maroonweekly.com Oct. 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 5

calendaroct13-27

salsa lessons for beginners at 9:30pm. The half-hour “Crash Course Salsa Lesson” teaches you just enough to stay on the floor—or in

this case, on the compacted gravel at Revs. 9:30 p.m.

Friday at Revolution Café and Bar, 211B S Main Street Bryan. $5.

concert

Come listen to a live musical performance from local blues singer, Leannasaurus Rex. 10

concert JT Coldfire is a band that is a fusion of Blues and Rock music. JT has gained the reputation of being one of the hardest working musicians in Austin.

Come out and enjoy live music and also enjoy food at Church Street BBQ. when 11 p.m. Saturday where Church Street BBQ, 100 Church Street College Station. tickets FREE.

saturday

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By Meredith Morse

2011

Wiener Fest

Come out to Wolf Pen Creek to celebrate all things short, long and fuzzy! Saturday, October 22, Brazos Animal Shelter will be hosting its 5th Annual Wiener Fest, a fun family

event commemorating man’s best friend. Proceeds for the day’s events will go to building a new shelter for the homeless animals in our community.

This year, Wiener Fest, free and open

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p.m. Friday at The Tap, 815 Harvey Road College Station.

FREE.

salsa dancing. Starts at 8 p.m. at Village Café. 210 W 26th St. Bryan. $5

concert

concert

Enjoy great food and music as rock n’ roll band Britt Lloyd perform. 10 p.m.

Friday at Church Street BBQ, 100 Church Street College Station. FREE. 979268-0227.

SATURDAY 15 concert

After the Ags BTHO Baylor, we’re gonna celebrate with some good beer and lively, foot stompin’ fiddle music! Stop by and check out this energetic 3 piece Irish instrumental band! After the Baylor game Saturday at O’Bannons Tap House, 103 Boyett St College Station. 979-846-9214.

dance

Every Saturday come to The Village Café for fun complimentary salsa lessons followed by a hot night of

to the general public, will host plenty of activities for the kids, live music, local pet vendors, food and drinks, a 5K Fun Run and Walk, a costume contest, and even a Dachshund dog race.

The 5K Fun Run and Walk starts bright and early at 8am. The registration fee for participating adults is $25, and children under 12 can walk or run for only $10. You do not have to leash your kids, but all canines getting their share of exercise for the day must be tethered tightly to their loving owners.

The costume contest begins at 9:30am and features four furry categories: look-a-like (owner & pet), couples (dog pairs), most creative, and best dressed formal. The contest is open to the public and all dogs, be it Dachshunds or Great Danes, and registration is $10. All furry friends must be on their best behaviors and on a leash.

To finish off the competitions for the day, at 11:30amthe 5th Annual “Wanna Be a Wiener” race will unleash the swift sprinting

Come check out Rooftop Renaissance at La Bodega.

The band just released their debut album “Lead the Serenade” in April 2011. 9 p.m. Saturday at La Bodega, 102 Church Ave. College Station. FREE.

concert

Singersongwriter Jamboree will be at Revolution Cafe & Bar. Others playing include J Goodin, Jacob Asbill, Ian Ferguson and more. 9 p.m.

Saturday at Revolution Café and Bar, 211 B S Main St Bryan.

concert

Come out to Schotzi’s and listen to alternative country singer, Ross Cooper. 11 p.m.

Saturday at Schotzi’s, 205 University Dr College Station.

FREE.

fury of dozens of Dachshunds. No, it’s not a viral YouTube video – it’s a reality. A cluster of wiener dogs will be competing against each other for the title of the Fastest Wiener in Brazos County.

Participants must be Dachshunds; and although they do not need to be AKC registered, dogs of

A Day of Fun, Family, and Fur Saturday, October 22 9:30 a.m.

questionable or mixed breed will not be allowed to race. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place finishers, but even if your Dachshund isn’t the fastest dog on the block, each registration still comes away with one free T-shirt for participation.

To register your dog for any of these events, a proof of rabies vaccination is required. For more information, visit brazosanimalshelter.org/wienerfest. html or contact Judy LeUnes at wienerfest@suddenlink.net.

H Fu alf ll - $ -$ 5 65 0

THE INAUGURAL

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION

MARATHON + HALF MARATHON

12.11.11

USATF Certified Race Flat Fast Scenic Live Music After Race Party Register on our site or at the Rec Center during the first week of classes.

BCSMARATHON.COM

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Country and barbeque make a great combination. Come catch a live musical performance from the Texas country Tyler Brown Band, while enjoying delicious barbeque. 11:30 a.m.

Saturday at Church Street BBQ, 100 Church Street College Station. FREE. 979268-0227

SUNDAY 16 campus

The exhibit offers an overview of Aggie traditions and the history of the Corps of Cadets, including the SandersMetzger gun collection, with over 600 rare firearms and accessories. 8 a.m. Sunday at TAMU- Sanders Corps of Cadets Center. FREE.

Icehouse & Grill.

Come enjoy the live music free of charge. 8 p.m. Sunday at Lakeside Icehouse & Grill, 8200 Sandy Point Rd. Bryan.

FREE.

dance

Come visit the Rooftop on Sunday Nights. Service Industry Night Dance Party.

DJ C-Nelly performing.

10 p.m. Sunday at The Corner Bar (Rooftop), 401 University Dr. College Station. FREE

MONDAY 17 campus

There will be a lecture from Phyllis Frye at Texas A&M University. 4 p.m. Monday at TAMU. FREE. 979-8453211. (see story on page 10)

Fox and Hound every week for two serious and seriously fun poker tournaments. Qualify for

concert Local singer songwriter nights will feature Lindsay Harris with friends in a night of showcasing local, independent and acoustic talent in Bryan/College Station. when 10 p.m.

Wednesday where Schotzi’s, 205 University Drive.

College Station. tickets FREE.

poker tournaments at various casinos each month by showing your dominance here every

week! 7 p.m. Monday at Fox and Hound, 505 University Dr College Station.

Clayton Gardner plays every Sunday night at the Lakeside

poker

A fan of poker are you? Then join

By Moses Kidd

This year’s Red Wasp Film Festival will take place at StageCenter Theater from October 21-22.

The local festival was started by Carol and Craig Conlee back in 2003. Around that time, a filmmaker named Mark Beal was getting ready to start his first independent film. The Conlees were very involved with theater groups in the area and Mark needed help finding actors for his film. Carol and Craig were very interested in Mark’s idea and wanted to help him bring his film to the silver screen. After brainstorming, the trio realized that starting a film festival would be a great way to raise funds for Mark’s project.

wednesday

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Oct 21-22

spring, a time when wasps frequent in large droves, the insects would swarm in the air and irritate some of the guests attending the festival. Instead of trying to get rid of them, the Conlees sought harmony with their environment by leaving the wasps alone and even naming the event after them. But eventually the wasps stopped bothering visitors at the festival even though they continued to join spectators as each year’s festival.

Even though Red Wasp was started as a way to raise money for the filmmaker, the first two festivals actually lost money. The third time is always a charm, and as the popular axiom implies, the third event actually broke even. Beal thought there was no point in having the fundraiser because, by this time, he had already finished his film. But the Conlees continued having the festival simply because they saw a need to help filmmakers fund their projects. The Red Wasp film festival currently raises money for a different filmmaker each year.

The very first Red Wasp Film Festival was held at the 7F Lodge, a small bed and breakfast that the Conlees own in Wellborn. However, the property’s facilities, which feature historical log cabins, were actually too small to accommodate the crowd gathering at the festival. So in 2006, the Conlees decided to move the event to Conlee Auctions, a warehouse the couple owns in Downtown Bryan. Even though the venue was much larger than the bed and breakfast, the Conlees eventually decided to move the event once again, to StageCenter Theater in 2008.

The event’s name comes from an experience the Conlees had back when the festival first started. Since the celebration was held during the

Admission to the event costs $15 per night. For more information about the Red Wasp Film Festival, call visit the Red Wasp website at redwasp.org. www.maroonweekly.com Oct. 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 9

This is a conference is that has various presentations from the Texas Sea Grants Extension staff and other selected speakers. 8 a.m.

Monday at TAMU- Rudder Tower 701. FREE. 979-8451245.

bingo

Every Monday night at The Tap before karaoke there is Monday Night Football BINGO. As the game goes along calls we be called out as they happen and if that play is on your card you cross it off to get a BINGO and win free stuff 8 p.m. Monday at The Tap. 815 Harvey Rd. College Station. FREE

karaoke

Every Monday night come out to The Tap for karaoke and drink specials all night long. 10 p.m. Monday at The Tap. 815 Harvey Rd. College Station. FREE

TUESDAY 18 campus

This documentary film presents how gas rights work and what one needs to know about natural gas drilling and gas rights. 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday at TAMU- Koldus Room 227. FREE.

to Prune and How to Cut it with Roy Vaughn, Master Gardener Do you know the correct way to prune a tree?

Do you know what time of year trees should be pruned?

What else do they need to stay healthy? 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at

Larry J. Ringer Library, 1818 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy College Station. $10. 979-7643416.

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campus

community

All day profit sharing for a different charity each Tueday at the Village Cafe.

Interested in a profit sharing opportunity? Contact the Village Café at kristy@ thevillagedowntown.com.

concert Come out and support Zach Walther. when 10:30 p.m. Thursday where Church Street BBQ, 100 Church Street College Station. tickets FREE 979-268-0227.

campus

There will be a lecture from professor Lynne Vallone that will focus on childhood studies.

12 p.m. Tuesday at TAMUGlasscock Building Room 311. FREE. 979-845-8328.

community

Tree Care and Pruning; When

By Meredith Morse

monday

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Texas A&M is bringing change to its campus. Phyllis Frye, an openly transgendered attorney from Houston and senior partner of the law firm Frye and Associates, will be speaking on Monday, October 17 about events that led to the establishment of a student-based GLBT society in Aggieland.

The lecture, cosponsored by the Department of Communications and the College of Liberal Arts Civil Dialogues Project, will focus on the legal struggles faced twenty-five years ago to permit lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Aggies to meet openly on campus as an organization.

Having lived over sixty percent of her life as the woman she always knew herself to be, Frye is known as the “Grandmother” of transgender law in the US. A former member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, Frye is a woman of many hats – an Eagle Scout, a US Army veteran, a licensed civil engineer, a licensed attorney, a lesbian wife, and a father.

When the push for equal rights for transgendered individuals was barely a grassroots movement, she worked steadily to increase public awareness and implement change. In 1980, she abolished the Houston law against crossdressing. Eleven years later, she founded the Transgender Law Conference. For her efforts, Ms. Frye was honored with the “Creator of Change” award from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in 1995.

And now she looks to share her insights with Aggies and attendees alike. Held on campus at Sterling C. Evans Library in Whitley Street Room 106, from 4pm-5pm.

The lecture is open to all.

For further information, please contact Dr. Patrick Burkart at pburkart@tamu.edu.

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Grammy nominees Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy wil be taking the stage at Rudder Theatre. These are two celtic fiddlers that are very well known and will be putting on a fabulous show.

7:30 p.m. Tuesday at TAMURudder Theater. www.

MSCOPAS.org.

979-8451234. (see story below)

concert

Join J Goodwin each and every Tuesday all semester long. He may be local but he puts on a show. 10 p.m.

Tuesday at Revolution Café and Bar, 211B S Main St. Bryan.

karaoke

Every Tuesday, O’Bannon’s teams up with Absolute Karaoke to bring you the best, and worst, of what College Station has to offer… Karaoke

begins at 10 pm and we have $2.50 Teas all night long!!

10 p.m. at O’Bannon’s, 103 Boyett St. College Station.

WEDNESDAY 19 campus

“Designing Hospitals in China- An American Architect’s Experience” This is a lecture presented by David A. Rhodes. This will be held in the Wright Gallery in the Langford Building. 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at TAMULangford Architectural Center. FREE.

campus

During the race contestants will be give clues along a journey to locate various pieces of art on campus.

They will have to perform various task/activities at the stops. Team with the shortest time completing the route will be judged winner.

3 p.m. Wednesday at TAMU-

Cushing Library. http:// uart.tamu.edu/aaar2011registration.

campus

This is the closing lecture of the World Veterinary Year 2011. This lecture will have various known speakers. 4 p.m. Wednesday at TAMUTIPS Auditorium. FREE.

dance

Every Wednesday come to The Village Café for Salsa Lessons then at 9:30, following the lesson, the floor is open to dance. Starts at 8 p.m. at Village Café. 210 W 26th St. Bryan. $8/$5

concert

Local singer/songwriter nights will feature Lindsay Harris with friends in a night of showcasing local, independent and acoustic talent in Bryan/College Station. Featuring other

local and regional musicians and providing a great and relaxed atmosphere with great music on Wednesday nights at Schotzi’s. This will be the right place to discover new music, hear different sounds and experience the talent of Bryan/College Station & Texas A&M. 10 p.m. Wednesday at Schotzi’s, 205 University Dr. College Station. FREE.

concert

Every Wednesday Night come out to The Tap for Piano Bar with Russell & Mike. 10 p.m.

Wednesday at The Tap. 815 Harvey Road College Station.

979-696-5570

THURSDAY 20 campus

Grab some of the freshest fruits and vegetables that Texas has to offer at the Farmers Market. 11 a.m.

Thursday at Sbisa Dinning Hall. 979-845-3005.

concert

Kristy Kruger will be playing at Revolution Cafe and Bar. 4 p.m. Thursday at Revolution Café & Bar, 211B S Main St Bryan. $5.

concert

The Village Café hosts its ”Live @ the Village” singersongwriter showcase sponsored by Maroon Weekly, KEOS, and the LaSalle Hotel.

This week the featured artist is Aubrey Hunt. 8 p.m. at Village Café, 210 W 26th St, Bryan. FREE. 979-703-8514

concert

Eat, drink, and rock out with FM2865, a high-energy, rock n’ roll-country band, out of North Zulk, TX. The band named themselves after the road that inspired many of their songs. 9 p.m. Thursday

Fiddlers MacMaster and Leahy to Perform tuesday

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By Moses Kidd

World-renowned Celtic fiddlers Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy will be performing at Rudder Theater on October 18. Although this is Leahy’s second performance at A&M, MacMaster will be making her very first OPAS appearance.

The Grammy-nominated duo combines fiddling, singing and step-dancing into their musical repertoire. Fans categorize the group’s sounds as a mixture of Cape Breton fiddle music and Canadian folk music.

Mother of four and wife to Leahy, MacMaster performs over 200 shows each year while touring Canada, Europe, and North America. All of MacMaster’s 10 albums have topped the Billboard World Music charts. Aside from winning numerous Juno and East Coast Music Awards, MacMaster has also performed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and Good Morning America.

In addition to teaming up with his wife for special duo performances, Leahy heads a band--named Leahy--comprised of his seven brothers and sisters. The family has three albums which have sold over half a million copies worldwide, including the self-titled Leahy, Lakefield, and In All Things.

For ticket purchasing information, please visit mscopas.org or call 979-845-1234. To learn more about Natalie MacMaster’s and Donnell Leahy, visit their websites at nataliemacmaster. com and leahymusic.com.

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Young Frankenstein the Musical at Rudder

Just in time for Halloween, Young Frankenstein the Musical will be hitting the stage at Rudder Theater from October 25-26. The classic horror tale has been told and retold many times since Mary Shelley penned the original in 1818, but none of the remakes are considered as comical and engaging to fans as Brooks’ latest. The re-vamping follows the journey of young Dr. Frankenstein as he attempts to finish his grandfather’s masterpiece of science, reanimating a corpse. Unfortunately, as we all know, things don’t go as planned. For diehard fans of the movie, the musical’s rendition stays true to the original. The musical’s Executive Producer, Kary Walker, says, “All your favorite moments from the film are all onstage.”

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By Moses Kidd

Young Frankenstein was the winner of the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award and the Broadway.com Audience Award for Best Musical. The musical features tunes like “The Transylvania Mania,” “He Vas My Boyfriend” and “Puttin’ On The Ritz.” Brooks, a three-time Tony winner, personally wrote all the music and lyrics to the performance.

Brooks collaborates alongside five-time Tony-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman and three-time Tony-winning writer Thomas Meehan, his record-breaking team from “The Producers.” “Mel Brooks and Susan Stroman pull out every stop with divine silliness and a touch of genius. Brooks’ lyrics are bright and witty,” says Clive Barnes of the New York Post.

For ticket pricing, visit opas.tamu.edu or call 979.845.1661.

www.maroonweekly.com Oct. 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 13

Station. FREE. 979-268-0227.

concert

Come check out Texas singersongwriter, Cruise Duke, who takes influences from Texas country and red-dirt music and combines them together to present a great show. 8 p.m. Saturday at Schotzi’s, 205 University Dr. College Station. FREE..

Come out and support Zach Walther. 10:30 p.m. Thursday at Church Street BBQ, 100 Church Street College Station. 979-268-0227.

FRIDAY 21 campus

“Which Way Home”.This documentary is one that takes place in Mexico and focuses on unaccompanied child migrants and their everyday lives. 11:30 a.m. Friday at TAMU- Koldus Room 227.

FREE.

concert

Beatle Jackson, a singer/ guitarist from Austin, will be playing at La Bodega. He is a party cover musician who can play over 2,500 songs ranging from the 40’s to the present, of all styles and genres. 9 p.m.

Friday at La Bodega, 102 Church Ave College Station.

FREE.

concert

Come enjoy a musical peformance from country/ folk singer Corb Lund. 10 p.m. Friday at The Tap, 815 Harvey Road College Station.

concert

American Texas Country/Red Dirt singer, Brandon Rhyder, will be performing a live show at Hurricane Harry’s.

10 p.m. Friday at Hurricane Harry’s, 313 College Ave College Station.

concert

The Clay Wilson Band, a high energy, adult contemporarycountry band, from Dallas/ Fort Worth, will be playing a live show at Schotzi’s. 10 p.m. Friday at Schotzi’s, 205 University Dr. College Station.

concert

A combination of country and soul make up Texas band FM 2865. Come see them play a live musical performance at Church Street . 10:30 Friday at Church Street BBQ, 100 Church Street College

SATURDAY 22 concert

dance

Every Saturday come to The Village Café for fun complimentary salsa lessons followed by a hot night of salsa dancing. Starts at 8 p.m. at Village Café. 210 W 26th St. Bryan. $5

concert

Come out to Lakeside Icehouse and listen to The Rock-A-Fellas, one of the Brazos Valley’s most popular cover/party bands. Their high energy show encompasses rock, country, motown, disco, blues, classics, retro, and anything else you could possibly want from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and beyond. 8 p.m. Saturday at Lakeside Icehouse and Grill, 8200 Sandy Point Rd. Bryan. $5 after 9 p.m.

concert

Texas country musician, Josh Spivey, will be playing live at La Bodega. He draws influences from Chris Knight, Robert Earle Keene anything that has to do with Texas Country. 9 p.m. Saturday at La Bodega, 102 Church Ave College Station. FREE.

concert

The Docs are a southern music band that add their rock flair into their music.

This comes out as a southern rock/country sound that many enjoy hearing. So come out and check them out yourself.

11 p.m. Saturday at Church Street BBQ, 100 Church Street College Station. FREE. 979-268-0227.

concert

Come checkout a live musical performance from outlawfolk band the Dirty River

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concert American Texas Country/Red Dirt singer, Brandon Rhyder, will be performing a live show at Hurricane Harry’s. when 10 p.m. Friday where Hurricane Harry’s, 313 College Ave College Station.

Boys, who fuse classic folk with bluegrass and modernage rock. 11 p.m. Saturday at The Tap, 815 Harvey Road College Station.

SUNDAY 23 campus

The exhibit offers an overview of Aggie traditions and the history of the Corps of Cadets, including the SandersMetzger gun collection, with over 600 rare firearms and accessories. 8 a.m. Sunday at TAMU- Sanders Corps of Cadets Center. FREE.

concert

Clayton Gardner plays every Sunday night at the Lakeside Icehouse & Grill.

Come enjoy the live music free of charge. 8 p.m. Sunday at Lakeside Icehouse & Grill, 8200 Sandy Point Rd. Bryan.

FREE.

dance

Come visit the Rooftop on Sunday Nights. Service Industry Night Dance Party.

DJ C-Nelly performing.

10 p.m. Sunday at The Corner Bar (Rooftop), 401 University Dr. College Station. FREE MONDAY 24

poker

A fan of poker are you?

Then join Fox and Hound every week for two serious and seriously fun poker

19

wednesday

at La Bodega, 102 Church Ave College Station. FREE. 979-691-8226.

tournaments. Qualify for poker tournaments at various casinos each month by showing your dominance here every week! 7 p.m.

Monday at Fox and Hound, 505 University Dr College Station. 979-846-0211.

bingo

Every Monday night at The Tap before karaoke there is Monday Night Football BINGO. As the game goes along calls we be called out as they happen and if that play is on your card you cross it off to get a BINGO and win free stuff 8 p.m. Monday at The Tap. 815 Harvey Rd. College Station. FREE

karaoke

Every Monday night come out to The Tap for karaoke and drink specials all night long. 10 p.m. Monday at The Tap. 815 Harvey Rd. College Station. FREE

TUESDAY 25 campus

Guest lecturer James Nagek will be lecturing over his current research which is focused on the literature of New Orleans. 11:10 a.m.

Tuesday at TAMU- MayoThomas Room of Cushing Library. FREE.

community

All day profit sharing for a different charity each

Tueday at the Village Cafe.

Interested in a profit sharing opportunity? Contact the Village Café at kristy@ thevillagedowntown.com.

campus

The classic Broadway Musical, Young Frankenstein, will be at Rudder Theatre. 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday at TAMU- Rudder Theatre. www.MSCOPAS. org. 979-845-1661. (see story on page 13)

karaoke

Every Tuesday, O’Bannon’s teams up with Absolute Karaoke to bring you the best, and worst, of what College Station has to offer…

Karaoke begins at 10 pm and we have $2.50 Teas all night long!! 10 p.m. at O’Bannon’s, 103 Boyett St. College Station.

WEDNESDAY 26 dance

Every Wednesday come to The Village Café for Salsa Lessons then at 9:30, following the lesson, the floor is open to dance. Starts at 8 p.m. at Village Café. 210 W 26th St. Bryan. $8/$5

concert

Every Wednesday Night come out to The Tap for Piano Bar with Russell & Mike. 10 p.m.

Wednesday at The Tap. 815 Harvey Road College Station.

979-696-5570

fri-sat

21-22

Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival

By Meredith Morse

“A poet’s work is to name the unnamable; to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it from going to sleep.” – Salman Rushdie The dim outside lights of Revolutions Café & Bar make it difficult at first to tell whether or not you’ve actually come to the right place. People laugh over their ashtrays and sangrias as you settle down in the back, dogs wandering aimlessly between the tables. As chairs scrape closer toward the stage and the din of Sunday night conversation dies down, a sole figure steps up to the microphone and demands respect from both listeners and speakers alike. What follows next is not so much shocking as it is unparalleled – a reverent silence falls over the crowd as if it were a congregation at church. A lone poet strides up to the altar of the stage and proceeds to pour his very soul out through the vessel that is his words. Suddenly you feel everything – the weight of the poem, the tremor of the audience, and most importantly, the power of spoken word.

And now, on October 21-22, a local non-profit organization seeks to bring this very power to the streets of Downtown Bryan.

“We want to show everyone that Bryan/College Station isn’t a place where art merely exists; here, it flourishes.” says Amir Safi, recent Texas A&M graduate and local slam master of poetry. Safi is one of many integral members of Mic Check, a community-basted organization that seeks to bring

the joy of spoken word to Bryan/College Station.

What started as a quiet symphony of several brave poets in an empty room has erupted into a vast and proud chorus of individuals seeking to bring change to the world around them through an art form that is accessible to all audiences. Mic Check provides a forum of complete and total respect for the artists, and for spoken word in general. Completely free to the general public, Mic Check holds weekly open mic and slam poetry events at Revolutions Cafe & Bar on Sunday nights. The organization gained governmental non-profit status in August of 2010, and ever since then the momentum and fervor behind this group has only increased.

As a result of the organization’s growth within the last year, the leadership of Mic Check has decided to pursue even loftier goals. With the aid of grants from the Pepsi Refresh Project, The City of College Station, and the Brazos Valley Arts Council, Mic Check is hosting the Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival, the first ever state-wide spoken word competition.

A two-day event, TGS will be held on Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22 at three separate and simultaneous venues in Downtown Bryan. The first and semifinal rounds of slam poetry will be held on Friday night from 6pm-12pm and will take place at the Palace Theatre, Revolutions Cafe & Bar and the Village Cafe, with an after party doctored by DJ DIGG at Rev’s that will rage on until the wee hours of the morning. On Saturday evening at 8pm sharp, the final poets will go head to head to compete for the grand prize of $1,000 and title of the First Annual

Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival Champion.

“Being the first year that we’re putting on this event, it’s very humbling to see so many artists coming in from across the nation,” says Safi, who will host one of the three stages involved in TGS. Nationally acclaimed poets from Minnesota, New Mexico, and the great state of Texas will flock to Bryan/College Station to bring the art of spoken word to our streets.

Each of the thirty-six poets has exactly three minutes and ten seconds to impact a deep emotional and empathetic response within the audience. For these few sacred moments, both listener and speaker reveal themselves to one another in one of the most vulnerable ways possible. From nationally famed poets Lacey Roop and Neil Hilborn to local spoken word phenoms James Church and Alex Arendt, each one of these competitors will bring to the stage a perspective unique entirely to their own artistic minds.

Festival passes for the two-day event can be purchased online through Mic Check’s webpage for $10.

“We’re using the funds for two primary goals: to increase the quality of our equipment so we can better infuse the community with poetry and the arts, and to give back by investing in other nonprofit organizations in the area,” says Safi.

For more information on the Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival and for ticket/venue information, please visit www.miccheckpoetry.com. www.maroonweekly.com Oct. 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 15

communityspotlight

Grab a Bite in B/CS

By Moses Kidd

Restaurants in the Bryan/College Station community are rewarding their patrons for treating their taste buds in town. The Taste of B-CS, a group of twenty-five local independently owned and operated restaurants, is offering its customers a new way to save money by eating at unique establishments around the city.

“Our group is all about giving the great folks of the Brazos Valley incentives to help support the restaurants that give the area uniqueness and a culinary sense of place,” said Wade Beckman, President of the Taste of B-CS. The Taste of B-CS helps patrons save money through its Rewards Program, which allows customers to register for a free card that electronically tracks points at any of the numerous featured restaurants available. Each time a diner enjoys a meal at one of the local joints, the customer earns points that are redeemable for rewards, such as gift cards to those restaurants.

And now they’ve introduced yet another way to save – in addition to the Rewards Program, the Taste of B-CS is now offering Web Certificates, online gift cards to your favorite restaurants discounted at 40%, as another incentive to dine locally. These certificates will be offered at random on a with a limited number available for each restaurant, which means if you want to cash in on this amazing deal, you have to act fast.

“The Web Certificate sales helps us fund the group and allows us to provide local diners with programs like the Rewards Card as well as helps us give back to the community as a whole,” Beckman said.

For more information on Web Certificates or the Taste of B-CS, visit www.tasteofbcs.com

TUE & WED, OCT 25 & 26 7:30 PM • Rudder Auditorium Mature Subject Matter

ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW! Call 979-845-1234.

Buy online MSCOPAS.org

Music Chart 1 // Jason Boland & The Stragglers

Mary Ellen’s Greenhouse 2 // Brandon Rhyder

In the Country 3 // Reckless Kelly

Good Luck and True Love 4 //Josh Abbott Band

My Texas 5 // Robert Earl Keen

I Gotta Go 6 // Max Stalling

6 x 9 Speakers 7 // Stoney LaRue

Velvet 8 // Eli Young Band

Crazy Girl 9 // Phil Hamilton

You Can Have Me 10 // Kevin Fowler

That Girl 11 // Rosehill

Dream it All Over Again 12 // Kyle Bennett

Here in This Town 13 // Brian Keane

90 miles An Hour 14 // Deryl Dodd

Baby, Where’s My Bottle 15 // Kyle Park

Make or Break Me 16 // Adam Hood

Flame and Gasoline 17 // Ryan Turner

Sweet Time 18 // Whiskey Myers

Ballad of a Southern Man 19 // Aaron Watson

Fast Cars Slow Kisses 20 // Curtis Grimes

Doing My Time 21 // Jason Meadows

Go Back There Again 22 // Tejas Brothers

This Little Feeling 23 // Cody Canada & The Departed

Skyline Radio 24 // John David Kent

Back to the Country 25 // Casy Donahew Band

Double-Wide Dream

mscopas

www.maroonweekly.com Oct. 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 19

artistspotlight

Artist Spotlight // Aubrey Hunt

By Joey Trevino

Simply put: Aubrey Hunt is a musician. It isn’t about the money or the glamor. She is a musician because when she performs she feels like there is something bigger than herself at work. That is enough to keep her returning to the stage night after night.

“People around me were encouraging and they were there to push me on towards a goal that I didn’t really think I had,” Hunt said.

performing. Music isn’t just about her doing something great; it is the Lord being made great through her music.

about because I am brought to this place that is very real,” she said when writing about low times in life.

Her first performance was in the spring of 2010, when Hunt opened for Jillian Edwards.

Hunt first picked up the guitar during her second semester of college when she found herself in a place that she described as loneliness.

At the time, her roommate was involved in music and she found that being in that environment made her want to learn. She said music helped her discover herself. It was the people she was surrounded by that encouraged her to move her performance from her bedroom to the stage.

“I was floating the entire time,” Hunt said. “I was brought to a point where the goodness that I felt was so beyond me; I felt very much that it was the Lord multiplying my joy through song.”

Although she said that a higher being is a main influence in her music, she would not describe what she plays as “worship songs.” She sings of dreams, life circumstances, love, and things that get her heart pumping. Her lyrics also revolve around her future husband, wherever or whoever he may be.

Hunt will be releasing her 5-track debut EP entitled “To Keep You Bright” on October 20 on iTunes.

Limited Edition hard copies will also be available on the 20th.

That moment generated a feeling inside of Hunt. It keeps her motivated to create music. To Hunt, things that are solely about ourselves tend to get boring very quickly. That is why she enjoys

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But it is not all rainbows and butterflies for Hunt. She also sings about life’s not-so-pleasant experiences and how good can come from the bad.

“That is something that I write

“I don’t think there is anything that I hope people take from this EP except for something joyful and bright and can make their heart lighter,” Hunt said.

She will be performing a CD Release show on October 20th at the Village Café in Downtown Bryan. She will also be performing at Rock the Republic November 11-12.

gamestop

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communityspotlight

Building Hope and Homes in the Brazos Valley The construction team is accepting volunteers for construction sites Tuesday-Saturday, 8am–5pm. Walkup volunteers are also welcome. For those that are looking for a leadership opportunity, the construction site host is a great option. The host’s duties include setting out supplies, greeting volunteers, making sure volunteers sign in and out, and more.

Since 1989, the Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity has been building homes for lowincome families who are currently living in substandard housing in the community. Inspired by their mission to eliminate poverty housing in the Brazos Valley, the worldwide organization strives to bring together people from the community and build decent homes with low-income families.

With a target population of 3,000

low-income families, Habitat for Humanity builds an estimated 20 houses per year. Over 300 houses have already been built by caring volunteers and needy families, and the number is still growing.

Habitat for Humanity is always looking for people who would like to help build a better community.

There are many opportunities for enthusiastic people to get involved.

There are currently seven teams that are looking for volunteers.

Habitat ReStore is also seeking volunteers Monday-Saturday to restock the warehouse and sort and pickup donations. Office volunteers assist with managing various clerical tasks around the office while landscape volunteers help maintain the lawn at the office.

If you are interested in giving back to the community and are interested in volunteering, visit: habitatbcs.org.

Giving back

By Britney Holley

Building Hope and Homes in the Brazos Valley

they love, like cooking, the BCS Habitat also provides lunches for construction volunteers, TuesdaySaturday. Volunteers are needed to supply sack lunches for a working crew of 20-30 people. Bilingual volunteers are also needed as translators for Spanish speaking Habitat families.

the to

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For those that are looking for an opportunity to give back to the community while doing something

www.maroonweekly.com Oct. 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 23

communityspotlight

Restaraunt Review // Papa Perez - Downtown Bryan

By Mara Minsberg

If you are looking for fresh Mexican food at reasonable prices, Papa Perez delivers delicious Tex-Mex style food in a friendly, familyowned restaurant environment.

Located in Downtown Bryan, Papa Perez wins over patrons with its welcoming atmosphere, attentive service, and flavorful homemade Mexican dishes.

complimentary homemade chips with salsa and checked in on us several times throughout our visit. Our party asked for a few accommodations to menu items and we received all of the changes we requested. While the restaurant was only half full during our visit, our group was extremely impressed at the speed with which our food arrived.

Papa Perez offers an upscale atmosphere with minimalistic interior design, featuring dark wood decor, brick walls and exposed ceiling pipes and duct work. We visited Papa Perez on a weeknight and were greeted by several very welcoming staff members. The hostess was very friendly and seated us immediately.

All of the waitstaff we came in contact with were helpful and attentive. Servers quickly brought us

The menu includes Tex-Mex favorites, like fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, chalupas, and quesadillas. Papa Perez’s menu also features a number of dinner entrees for varying tastes and palates, including barbacoa, empanadas, flautas, and gorditas.

Among Papa Perez’s speciality entrees is their fan favorite, the fried avocado stuffed with grilled chicken or beef and cheddar cheese. For variety with a group, Papa Perez

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offers Fiesta Grilled Platters--combo meals meant to serve larger groups of four or six. The restaurant also offers several traditional Mexican desserts, such as flan, pastel de tres leches, and sopapillas.

Papa Perez features lunch and weekly specials at reduced prices.

Their “Time-Off Tuesdays” offer free in-house dining for children under 12. On “Tasty Thursdays,” fajitas and tea for two comes in at just $13.49.

The restaurant’s “Freaky Friday” promotion includes low-priced drink specials, with $1.25 12 ounce draft beers and $1.50 domestic long neck beers.

Prices at Papa Perez are extremely reasonable and considerably lower than many other Tex-Mex restaurants in the Bryan-College

Station area. Most single serve entree-sized portions range from $6-$8. Portion sizes are ample but not overwhelming; everyone in our group was satisfied with the quantity of food, but no one had leftovers to take home. Everyone enjoyed their selections and felt that the value of the food was excellent for the price.

Overall, Papa Perez offers wellpriced Tex-Mex dishes and a variety of drink options. Service is delivered with a smile, and the staff and decor create a welcoming family-owned atmosphere. The restaurant is located at 200 South Main Street in Downtown Bryan.

For more information, call Papa Perez at (979)-775-7272 or search “Papa Perez Mexican Cuisine” on Facebook.

what’splaying

By Brandon Nowalk

1Real Steel

BattleBots, Hugh Jackman in family mode, a Hollywood kid straight from the Amblin School of Annoying Arts, and Kate from Lost. What could go wrong? You could almost say the lack of humanity is stylistic.

2

Super(?)star comedian Kevin Hart takes the Bieber approach, combining performance with biographical information. Because the one thing we all want from a comedy tour is a sobering portrait of an artist’s upbringing. I’m sure it’s enlightening.

top20 films

The Ideas of March

of the Planet of the 16Rise Apes 1/2

1/2

Clooney’s latest political film is a smooth-talking cutthroat who promises a new way but is mired in the same conventions we’ve seen. Get it? Ryan Gosling’s unremarkable— the perils of overexposure—but everyone else kills.

3Dolphin Tale

I’m 90% sure Morgan Freeman is trying to take over the Hallmark Channel. This time he applies his sentimentality to the tail of a disabled dolphin. Every generation gets the Free Willy it deserves.

4

Moneyball

1/2

This sports flick isn’t understated.

Director Bennett Miller’s asleep at the wheel. This is about a revolution, but nothing makes an impression until the genre-mandated climax. On the bright side, Chris Pratt gets to be a hero.

5

Hart: Laugh at My 15Kevin Pain

50/50

1/2

A strong cast and nuanced journey save what’s basically, when you get down to it, Terms of Endearment for millennials. Anjelica Huston is so powerful you can hear Meryl Streep crying to her therapist.

6Courageous

There are plenty of great Christian films out there, just not the

REAL STEEL

ones that call themselves Christian films. Whenever didactic melodrama drowns out style and wit, art doesn’t imitate life. It imitates Lifetime.

7The Lion King

The opening sequence alone is a classic: watercolor mattes, animated rack focus, Zazu Scorsese-style, the title card thud. This Hamlet of the savannah remains transcendent in style and meaning, fart jokes and all.

8Dream House

1/2

It’s like Shutter Island meets The Shining, only awful. Hasn’t the haunted house been through enough without having to endure this series of insulting twists? Even the trailer is like, “Oh, that was a secret?”

9What’s Your Number?

I see the potential in this thinly veiled apologia for human sluttiness.

But while Anna Faris is upset about her, um, popularity, she should be offended by the traditional rom-com formula she’s trapped in.

10

Abduction

Great, now they’re trying to make Taylor Lautner an action star.

Can’t he just stand outside Hollister with his shirt off or something? The E-trade baby is more convincing. And who randomly browses missing persons

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Mostly it’s Domestication of the Apes, but when the “rise” finally happens, it’s killer. Rupert Wyatt’s propulsive, truncated reboot is terrific action cinema straight out of Tottenham.

websites?

11Contagion

1/2

Soderbergh’s magnum opus.

Compassion courses through this analytical paean to science, a film with scary truths but comforting results: most people, most of the time, do the right thing. Also doctors peel Gwyneth’s face off!

17

Cars 2

Putting the lie to the notion that bad Pixar is still good cinema, ladies and gentlemen, Cars 2. Less like a Disney movie than a Disney channel cartoon. Too bad the merchandise is so profitable.

12Killer Elite

18

13

19 Warrior

It’s hard not to have some fun with Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Robert De Niro. But haven’t we seen this before? Just because you put a mustache on doesn’t mean we don’t recognize you.

he Help

Po’ black nannies and the white debutante harpies they raised get up to hilarious antics and learn lessons in this skin-deep, feel-good catharsis. Aunt Jemima has more nuance, and more truth about race in America.

14

Drive

1/2

BMW commercial turned into a feature-length thriller. But, oh, what style! Long shots of LA, explosive violence, and killer turns by Albert Brooks and Christina Hendricks practically make you forget how empty it is.

1/2

The Debt

1/2

Red 2: Oscar Bait sees a trio of strapping Mossad agents fail to kill their Nazi butcher target, leaving their older selves to do it for them.

Speaking of coming up short, Sam Worthington’s still around?

It’s treated like a Greek myth, probably because Hercules had killer pecs. But the MMA’s so choppy it might as well have been a Zoolanderstyle walk-off. Tom Hardy can do anything, including rescue this macho weepie

20

Midnight in Paris

Woody’s magical tour of impressionist Paris is witty and beautiful but slight as his caricatures, and then love wilts, and the bittersweet wash reveals surprising depths that power his most inspiring ending in years.

what’splaying DVD releases 1. The Conversation

Movie Review // 50/50

By Brandon Nowalk

The problem with cancer movies is that they’re easy. Instead of earning an emotional journey, we take the shortcut--where our sympathies reflexively kick into high gear as soon as we hear the diagnosis. And then we spend a couple hours getting worse and feeling bad until, victory or death, we get that cathartic ending knowing we’ve been on a journey even though we couldn’t tell you what exactly it was about. Jonathan Levine’s 50/50 is exactly that easy, but thanks to a powerful ensemble and a nuanced arc, it’s one of the strongest films in theaters.

As someone who finds Joseph Gordon-Levitt insufferable in 500 Days of Summer and shallow in Inception, take it from me: he’s so naturally compelling here that it’s invigorating. The film is exactly as good as he is. He’s only repulsive when the script contrives some artificial Hollywood moment, like driving against traffic on a one-way street, and even there he almost compensates. And he’s supported by a small, effective troupe who invariably humanize somewhat exaggerated roles, from Philip Baker Hall’s pot-smoking cancer buddy to Bryce Dallas Howard’s overwhelmed girlfriend. Anjelica Huston is so warm and funny you want to see her in everything.

The flick can’t help piling on contrivances and montages, but Levine makes the best of it. Most impressively, for all its Hollywoodizations, 50/50 lacks a logline. The arc doesn’t distill to one slick sentence about a character growing. It’s more real than that, more procedural. It shows us what it’s like to be a young man with cancer and mostly leaves it at that. That’s its profundity: sometimes life-changing is quiet.

BD (Oct. 25)

As a surveillance expert who stumbles onto a murder plot, Gene Hackman bests his Oscar-winning work from The French Connection in this slowburn masterpiece from Francis Ford Coppola. Decades of politics and technological progress have made Coppola’s dystopia mundane, but the godfather of paranoid thrillers has never been more relevant.

2. Kuroneko

DVD/BD (Oct. 18)

3. Zombie

BD (Oct. 25)

DVD (Oct. 18)

4. Aki Kaurismaki’s Leningrad Cowboys 5. Winnie the Pooh

DVD/BD (Oct. 25)

BD (Oct. 18)

6. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 7. Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy

DVD/BD (Oct. 25)

8. Island of Lost Souls

DVD/BD (Oct. 25)

9. Dazed and Confused

BD (Oct. 25)

DVD/BD (Oct. 18)

10. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

www.maroonweekly.com Oct . 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 27

ontheshelf

Critic’s Pick // Top 10 books of 2011

Best Biography

By Autumn Dawson

#1 Happy Accidents

#2 A Heart of Freedom

#3 The Source of All Things: A Memoir

#4 The Orchard: A Memoir

#5 Townie: A Memoir

Jane Lynch

Chai Ling

Tracy Ross

Theresa Weir

Andre Dubus III

This incredibly talented actress and comedian opens her story with a piece of advice for her young self that provides an excellent preview of the pages to come: “As I look back, the road to where I am today has been a series of happy accidents I was either smart or stupid enough to take advantage of. My final piece of advice to twenty-year-old me: Be easy on your sweet self.

And don’t drink Miller Lite tall boys in the morning”

Inspiring. Powerful.

Humbling. All are contained with this recounting of a young woman’s journey to through the Tienanmen Student Movement, exploring the unknown story of Tiananmen Square.

The true story of survival and forgiveness of the ultimate betrayal.

Ross tells it like no one can. A must read for all Biography buffs.

This talented author, who has published award-winning suspense, romance, thriller and paranormal books under her pseudonym Anne Frasier, now brings us another story to fall in love with. Her story.

Wood-Style Flooring Flat-Screens in Every Apartment Stand-Up Tanning Booth Fully-Equipped Fitness Center Basketball & Sand Volleyball Courts Individual Leases Resort-Style Pool Game/Activity Room

thedistrictonluther.com 28 // maroon weekly Oct. 13, 2011 www.maroonweekly.com

Dubus is a master of words. Anyone with a past, especially a tumultuous one, will find a piece of their own story in this book.

Chec out o k upco ur ming SP

ECIA LS

“Luther” to 47464 for information* *standard text messaging rates apply

866.973.5389

ontheshelf #6 Ghost in the Wires Kevin Mitnick

Combining tech talk with a healthy sense of humor, Mitneck reveals the almost unbelievable tale of America’s most wanted hacker. This is a compelling story that is sure to be a page turner.

#7 Onward: How Starbucks Fought For its Life Howard Schulz

Very rarely do you get the chance to go inside a company to see how it deals with internal and external change, but that’s precisely what Howard Schulz gives us.

He talks about leading a company with heart, rather than just by spreadsheets and data; about finding a delicate balance that allows you to excel in a burst of creativity tempered with wisdom.

#8 Drama: An Actor’s Education

#9 A Stolen Life: A Memoir

#10 Start Something That Matters

John Lithgow

Jaycee Dugard

Blake Mycoskie

Becoming an actor was not in John Lithgow’s plans. An artist, he wanted to become, and he pursued that dream with rigor—until one night on the stage, when he was seduced by the roar of a crowd. His life would be forever changed.

Those with a love of theatre and a grounding with Shakespeare will highly enjoy walking in Lithgow’s shoes.

Anyone who saw the ABC interview with Diane Sawyer and wanted to learn more of this warm and lovely young woman must experience this memoir.

Written by Jaycee herself, you dive into the world of her backyard prison, complete with excerpts pulled from her journal entries penned during those years.

This short, quick read give a fascinating insight into a brand that created its own blueprint; a brand that combined business with passion and a desire to make a difference: TOMS. Theirs is a simple concept, with remarkable results: for every pair of shoes bough, give a pair away to underprivileged children.

www.maroonweekly.com Oct . 13, 2011 maroon weekly // 29

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the lofts

AT W O L F P E N C R E E K