11-07-12

11.07.12 Issue 230

CORY MORROW

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GRAND STAFFORD NOV 9

kyle park

harry’s nov 14

>all american rejects @ hurricane harry’s >grand slam poetry @ downtown bryan >worldfest @ wolf pen creek >naked fish sushi food review

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Stephen Chacon Brandon Nowalk Anthony Pannone PHOTOGRAPHERS Eesha Farooqi Brittany Hicks CONTRIBUTORS Defacto Productions EatBCS.com KISS 103.1 KORA 98.3 INTERNS Sarah Dean Becca St. Germain Brittany Hicks Luke Murray Ike Ntube Lauren Rohr DISTRIBUTION Caleb Holt Eugene Holub

Wreck it Ralph Movie Review

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Kyle Park @ Hurricane Harry’s

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All American Rejects @ Harry’s

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4 7 9 28 Cory Morrow @ Grand Stafford

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START 11.07.12

photo by kelly pollard/lala photography

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Cory Morrow @ Grand Stafford

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Every now and then, a risky gamble pays off in a very big way.

Such is the case for Texas’ own Cory Morrow, or at least for his stepdad. The lucrative career Morrow has enjoyed through the span of nearly two decades and an impressive ten albums was all made possible by a bet made by his stepdad over a guitar in a Mexican border-town. Laying down more than twice what the guitar was worth, Morrow’s stepdad bet the merchant all or nothing based on the outcome of a coin flip. After the coin toss, a young Cory Morrow would receive his first guitar.

Born in Houston in the spring of 1972, Morrow grew up going to school in the Bayou City. He took up guitar lessons at the age of 15, and would quickly begin to hammer out ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin songs. It was not until his college years as a student at Texas Tech that he was introduced to the honky-tonk styles of other Texas natives, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Robert Earl Keen. Taking mental notes from the raw style perceived in their music, Morrow began to mold his own vocal signature into

by Luke Murray

what he is famous for today. Following other names like Merle Haggard and Don Williams, Morrow would eventually run into a fellow aspiring artist, Pat Green. The two struck a chord together and developed a deep-rooted friendship, as each of them marched to the tune of their own guitars on their own journeys for prominence.

Leaving school early in 1993, Morrow moved to Austin in search of a spark to ignite his career. He began playing local gigs while honing his own bluegrass style of red-dirt country. After a lot of dedication and paying his dues, Morrow sold 200,000 records across the state under his independent record label.

With all the success he was having, things began to run wild and a little off track. His career took a serious hit in 2005 due to a legal controversy. After some time, pushing through the struggle and letting things mellow out, Morrow reinvented himself on a personal level. He cleaned up his act along with

LISTEN pg 4 | maroonweekly.com | 11.07.12

focusing a lot more on his faith. He also found the woman that he would later ask to marry him. It was after revamping that he rebounded his career with the release of his ninth solo album, “Vagrants and Kings”, of which he either wrote or co-wrote each of the ten tracks. The album was his most passionate and raw musical expression yet. After taking it all in, Morrow realized that as hard as the road can get, there are always people willing to help you along.

“For so long I tried to do it on my own,” said Morrow. “The thing is, you’re not supposed to do it alone. Why would you want to?”

Morrow will be playing at Grand Stafford Theater in Downtown Bryan on November 9. Folk Family Revival will be opening the show. Tickets are available at grandstaffordtheater.com.

Scan this code for ticket information.

The Niblett Trivia Question: What was the name of ‘N’Sync’s first American single?

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11.8 - THURSDAY

Joe Rice @ Perrine Winery

Joe Rice, singer and songwriter form Austin, Texas, will be performing live at the Perrine Winery. Rice’s inspirational music is known to be quite original, capturing life’s little moments–moments that are hard to describe in conversation, but can connect to his audience through song and sound. This is a great opportunity to discover new music so don’t miss out!

The Rocketboys @ Grand Stafford

Riding on momentum built by merging themes of brotherhood with soaring rock, The Rocketboys have been on the positive side of critical acclaim since their inception.

They will be playing at Grand Stafford Theater on November 8. Opening the show are The Tontons, Holy Fiction, and The Lonely Hunter.

Sean McConnell @ The Tap

Coming to The Tap for a CD release show, Sean McConnell has College Station on his agenda to add to his 200,000+ mile tour. As a songwriter, his songs have been recorded

by Plain White T’s, Jason Castro, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, the Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen, The Eli Young Band, and many others.

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Cory Morrow @ Grand Stafford

A true Texas troubadour, Cory Morrow has been cranking out real-deal tunes since he was a teenager. Over the years, he has become a favorite to sold out dance-halls across the state and beyond. He will be performing at Grand Stafford Theater on November 9, and Folk Family Revival will open the show.

Turnpike Troubadours @ Harry’s

Plan on a heel stompin’, fiddle grindin’ time as one of red dirt’s best brings their best to College Station. Turnpike Troubadours are coming to Hurricane Harry’s on November 9.

LISTEN 11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 5

11.10 - SATURDAY

Cody Hodges @ Church Street BBQ

Cody Hodges will be at Church Street BBQ on November 10.

His music has a traditional Texas twang and a bluesy feel mixed with some rock and oldies.

Seryn @ Grand Stafford

Seryn is a band from Denton, and they have a way of layering various instruments into exalting harmonies that will charm your ears off. They will be performing at Grand Stafford Theater on November 10 with Foreign Fields and Julia Sinclair.

11.11 - SUNDAY

Mic Check Poetry @ Revolution

On Sundays at 8:30pm, Revolution Cafe and Bar hosts Mic Check Poetry, an evening where local and traveling poets showcase their skill with words while you enjoy the final moments of your weekend. Every second Sunday of the month, Mic Check hosts a poetry slam.

All American Rejects @ Harry’s

Aggieland has become host to many big names and topshelf talent over the years. Coming into town on November 11 is internationally acclaimed pop/punk/rock band The All-American Rejects. Currently riding a tour sprung from their March release of the band’s fifth album, they have added College Station as a stop.

11.13 - TUESDAY

Breakaway @ Reed Arena

Non-denominational Breakaway Ministries’ events have already set a record for attendance, and Tuesday’s assembly of worship, inspiration and entertainment will surely set yet another one. @ Kyle Field!—9:00pm—Kyle Field—Texas A&M University—Free

Carol Burnett @ Rudder

Six-time Emmy Award winner Carol Burnett was a household name throughout the ’60s and ’70s with her popular variety/sketch comedy television show, The Carol Burnett Show. At the beginning of each show, Carol would sit with her audience and have a question-and-answer session, bantering about whatever they wished. Come to the show with your questions and prepare to have a great time with one of this country’s most talented performers.

11.14 - WEDNESDAY Kyle Park @ Hurricane Harry’s

Kyle Park will be playing at Hurricane Harry’s on November 14. Texas’s own heartbreak-kid is bringing his own unique style to the Harry’s hardwood for a night of two-steppin’ fun..

LISTEN pg 6 | maroonweekly.com | 11.07.12

Carol Burnett @ Rudder Theater

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by Ike Ntube

MSC OPAS has made it a habit to bring world-class performers to campus multiple times a year. These events range from ballets to notable cultural figures taking the stage to share anecdotes about their colorful, storied careers. This Tuesday, OPAS is bringing an enormously colorful and successful actress to Aggieland’s center stage.

Carol Burnett has been one of the most successful performers across all stages. She is an actress, comedian, singer, and writer. She has seen stints on Broadway, has had her own TV show, and she’s been awarded countless accolades. The event at TAMU serves as an opportunity to hear her speak about everything and virtually anything that’s happened throughout her career as a cultural icon.

Although this is a big show, it’s a conversation between her and the audience, meaning that you will have the chance to ask her questions and influence the topics Burnett elaborates upon.

Burnett is from San Antonio but moved to Hollywood to live with her grandmother as a child. She lived a traumatic childhood, but she learned that if you can find humor in the bad times, life can be lived one joke at a time. She also learned that being humorous was something she wanted to share with friends and—eventually—a national audience.

After attending UCLA, Burnett found her first initial break into TV. She became a regular guest of many TV shows and garnered enough public appeal to take the reigns of her own variety show.

The Carol Burnett Show was a weekly show that aired from 1967 to 1978. The show usually opened with a question and answer session with the audience (the inspiration for the kind of event that she’s doing here). Burnett’s expressive face and versatile talent made the show what it was—multifaceted and extremely funny. It would go on to receive 25 Emmy Awards. Her show was the last highly successful major network variety show to this day. In 2002, the show was ranked number 16 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time list and in 2007 it was listed by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Best TV Shows of All Time.

After the show, Burnett continued to appear in plays, TV, and movies—and she still makes appearances to this day. She has recently done some voiceovers for animated movies and has appeared on shows such as Glee and Desperate Housewives.

For more information on Carol Burnett and the event at MSC OPAS, visit mscopas.org.

All American Rejects @ Harry’s

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Aggieland has become host to many big names and top-shelf talent over the years. Coming into town on November 11 is internationally acclaimed pop/punk/rock band The All-American Rejects. Currently riding a tour sprung from their March release of the band’s fifth album, they have added College Station as a stop.

In Stillwater, Oklahoma, high school buddies Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler realized they shared a similar passion for music. After searching for a couple of additional band-mates, the two founding members hooked up with Mike Kennerty and Chris Gaylor. The quartet spent the 1990s playing local live gigs and recording demos. They had set a goal to release their first indie album by the spring of 2000. The group gradually built up a steady fan-base, and after releasing an EP in 2001 they began a tour around the American Midwest.

Catching the attention of Doghouse Records, the indie band had found a label. In October of 2002, the band released their first international album The All-American Rejects and thus broke into the Top 40 on the Billboard’s top 200. Their hit single “Swing, Swing” broke onto four different billboard charts and garnered them international recognition.

By 2006, the band was riding on several hit singles and sold out live shows. Deciding to take a hiatus from the road, Ritter and his bandmates took time to work on their next studio release.

This album would begin recording in the summer of 2007. The resulting effort was an album titled When the World Comes Down. The first single off the album resulted in four weeks at the Billboard Top 40’s number one spot and sparked a worldwide tour. The aforementioned track was none other than “Gives You Hell.” The All-American Rejects would take this album to heights they had never been while successfully touring until December 2009, after a year traveling around the globe capping off ten successful years in the music industry.

by Luke

Murray

After all the success and critical acclaim, the band’s leader hit a rough spot. After ending a longterm relationship, he then moved to Los Angeles.

“I decided that I needed a major life change, so I did a massive spring cleaning and rid myself of everything that was normal and domesticated,” says Ritter. “I’ve been in a band since I was 17.

I was in a relationship since I was 17. So here I was, at 25, still feeling 17 in every way, because I’d just come off the road after being on it my entire adult life.”

Ritter spent nine months buried in a hole of excess, and it took an intervention from his longtime friend and band-mate, Nick Wheeler, to dig him out. Wheeler suggested that they get it together, and the two ended up spending time in California, Colorado, and Maine. Spending the secluded time finding themselves and writing music, the result was their newest album, Kids In the Street. The album encompasses themes of nostalgia, excess, regret, and truth. Each track paints a lyrically candid reality of Ritter’s perception.

“The record tackles everything I’ve never been brave enough to talk about,” Ritter says. “Even if I may not always seem very likeable, it was important that I be truthful and really open up about what I’ve been through.”

The All-American Rejects will perform at Hurricane Harry’s on November 11 with special guest Cherri Bomb. Tickets are available at frontgatetickets.com.

LISTEN 11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 7

Kyle Park @ Hurricane Harry’s

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For a lot of people, the week slows down when it hits Wednesday. The week is officially more than half over and a taste of the weekend is always welcome. This Wednesday, Hurricane Harry’s will help kick off your mid-week and set the tone for your weekend with a performance by Texas country artist Kyle Park.

Park hails from the Austin area, where he started his career, and he definitely didn’t take the easiest route to establish himself as a musician in the Lone Star. Park didn’t search out a record deal but instead decided to take his career completely into his own hands, creating Kyle Park Music. With his own label, he released his first album in 2005, Big Time, and has been working hard ever since.

Park had determination; he wouldn’t turn down a gig and found himself playing in big and small towns across the state. He released his second album, Anywhere in Texas, in 2008. Around this time, he started re-engineering his lyrics and developing his own sound.

by Ike Ntube

In 2010, Park saw his popularity grow as he released two EPs, one of which contained the single “All Night”, a track that received regular airplay for months. He and his band were playing more than 175 shows a year at the time, mostly in Texas.

His most recent album, Make Or Break Me, was released in 2011 and contained remastered fan favorites (voted for online) from his EPs and some new material. With the release of the album, Park and his band got the chance to tour much more nationally, with even a few international shows. Park has performed with or opened for Clint Black, Tracy Lawrence, Randy Rogers, Eli Young, and some other big country names.

For more information about Kyle Park, visit kylepark.com.

LISTEN 11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 9

MSC Town Hall Battle of the Bands

by Lauren Rohr

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The finale of the MSC’s Town Hall Battle of the Bands is rapidly approaching and a handful of bands are ready to bring what they've been working so hard for to the stage.

Bands will be performing on Friday, November 16 at 7pm in the MSC Ballroom. Each band will have a scheduled set to play, so don’t be late! The band with the highest score will be crowned the winner and will be taking a rockin’ $500 prize home.

These talented musicians have been practicing nonstop to get through the two preliminary stages of the competition. This is what these bands, as well as their fans, have been waiting for. The suspenseful relationship they've created between themselves and the judges will be brought to the stage and broadcast for all eyes and ears.

Committee members will be judging the remaining bands as they did throughout the preliminary rounds. Some of what the committee members will be looking for is the band's uniqueness, technicality, performance, and overall appearance.

Get pumped. As the lights go down, and the artists take the stage, a battle of epic proportions will transpire at TAMU.

TexaS a&M UNiverSiTy PreSS Book Sale w w w. t a m u p re s s . c o m

Good BookS for 2 BUCkS

UPCOMING EVENTS:

NOV. 8 - JOE RICE 4-8pm 10% off Wine by the Glass

NOV. 14 DE-STRESS WEDNESDAY (Glass of wine & 15 min chair massage $15)

Hundreds of slightly damaged books $2-$3! All books 25% to 90% off!

November 14 and 15, Wednesday and Thursday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

TWeeT TreaT! #tamupress

Show us your mention of the Press Book Sale in any social media outlet, and get a free

Reveille book.

No purchase necessary!

To celebrate University Press Week, your local publishing house is opening its warehouse doors for a huge book sale! Perfect holiday shopping!

The Press is located in the John H. Lindsey Building on the TAMU campus, Lewis St., one block north of George Bush Dr. Parking available.

Call 979-458-3984 for more information, or to make arrangements for persons with disabilities.

LISTEN

pg 10 | maroonweekly.com | 11.07.12

Award Winning Wines Made in College Station, Texas

Street Team

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INTERN with MAROON WEEKLY Marketing

Summer & Spring 2013 Fall 2012

Copy Editing

Writing

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Distribution & Promotions

maroonweekly.com/internships

Turnpike Troubadours @ Harry’s

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People who come from fly-over states in the American heartland have hard work and perseverance bred into their moral character. Times are tough, and for musicians it can often be even tougher. It takes a lot of dedication to win over a crowd who judges you before you even take the stage. The commonplace perception is that the group singing at your local honky-tonk is just another run-of-the-mill act trying to sing a few songs and get some free beer. Not the case for Oklahoma-bred Turnpike Troubadours.

The quintet released their first album in 2007, which eventually helped them develop their loyal fan-base. They went from cutting their teeth in smoky bars to actually having genuine recognition and fans coming to hear their music.

“When we first started playing, people couldn’t have cared less that we were there,” recalls Evan Felker. “They were there to drink beer and raise hell and they didn’t really care what music was playing while they did it. But as we went on and as we got better, they started to listen. I mean, they were still drinkin’ plenty of beer, but before too long, they were actually coming to hear us and asking us to play our songs, and not just covers of traditional favorites and all the other stuff we’d been doing.”

by Luke Murray

The group fashions a different style of red-dirt country, a genuine heel-stomping, fiddlegrinding, old-fashioned sound that evokes the heartland. The guys have a certain twang generated not only by Felker’s vocals but also by the use of an up-right bass and more than a fair share of fiddle solos.

Their May release of Goodbye Normal Street blends easy-going lyricism with a few tracks that possess some serious attitude.

“This time around, we tried to balance things out,” says bassist Edwards. “We wanted to combine the idea of getting something perfect, the way you can only do in a proper studio, with the energy of playing in front of a thousand people jumping around and screaming.”

Turnpike Troubadours will be performing at Hurricane Harry’s on November 9 with special guest Shane Smith. Tickets are available at harrys.bcsclubs.com.

LISTEN 11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 13

Exclusive Interview: Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival Director Amir Safi stories by Sarah Dean

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“A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness.” – Robert Frost If you aren’t looking for Revolution Bar and Café, you might miss it. The intimate venue – hidden in Downtown Bryan – is home to a congregation of poets whose words engross visitors in an incomparable manner. As you stumble inside and collapse into one of the few empty seats, a hush falls over the crowd. A poet steps forth into the blinding light of the stage, inhales sharply, and speaks. There is no preparation for what follows.

As the sheer tenacity of the poet’s words wash over you and sink into your skin, you are forced to question and confront everything. Poetry wields an unparalleled power which demands snaps and gasps from its listeners; it's an art form where passivity has no place. On November 9th and 10th, Downtown Bryan hosts the second annual Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival, an event which will paint the town in prose for two special nights.

Slamming is an unequaled vulnerability experienced by any poet with enough courage to brave the stage. But at this festival, poets competing in Texas Grand Slam will take up the arduous task of challenging one another in an inspiring poetry competition.

The fate of the poets is decided as they perform, separately but simultaneously, in three different venues --The Village, The Grand Stafford, and Revolution Bar and Café. Each poet will spit their best lines and on Saturday only a few will remain. At large and in charge of Texas Grand Slam is

Amir Safi, a poetry mogul and master of slam, as well as Bill Moran, (AKA Good Ghost Bill) who is Mic Check’s reigning commander and chief and this year’s host. We caught up with them last week to get the scoop on this year's festival.

Safi: It's the energy of a rock concert in your own back yard, but with the feeling of your favorite artist talking to you, saying the things inside of you that you don't know how to say.

For more information on Texas Grand Slam, visit their Facebook page. Two-day festival passes are $10 and will be $20 at the door. Tickets are available online at miccheckpoetry.com.

Moran: All of the fun and feeling of your favorite film packed into 3 minute—with nothing but a voice and a mic.

MW: How did Texas Grand Slam get started?

Safi: The poets will all compete using up to 8 poems. There are 6 slams in the festival. Ten out of the thirty nine poets will make it to the finals stage. Here, they will be scored on a scale of 0-10 by 5 randomly selected judges. The highest and lowest scores will be dropped to prevent bias.

The poet with the highest cumulative score after 3 rounds will be the Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival winner.

Safi: Texas was in a unique situation where it had more slam poetry scenes than any other state but no national level slam poetry festival to call its own. We thought, “Why not start our own festival?”

We at Mic Check decided to apply for the Pepsi Refresh Project grant to fund such a venture. The community really came together to support us and we won the grant. With the help of Pepsi and the Brazos Valley Arts Council, we were able to create Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival.

MW: How are the winners chosen?

MW: What will the winner receive?

Safi: 1st place: $1,000 grand prize; 2nd place: $500; 3rd place: $250

MW: How many poets are competing and are they all from Texas?

MW: Who are some of your favorite poets performing and why?

Safi: 39 poets are competing, traveling from Tennessee, North Carolina, Illinois, Louisiana, Utah, and from all over the great state of Texas.

Safi: In slam, it is very important to remain unbiased before the competition. Poets should be scored and hailed based on the merit of their works and not by what someone says about them. That being said, all 39 poets are my favorite because they believed enough in what we are trying to build that they registered for our competition.

MW: Describe to the uninitiated what they are going to experience.

TEXAS GRAND SLAM

pg 14 | maroonweekly.com | 11.07.12

Poet Profile: Faylita Hicks

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For spoken word queen Faylita Hicks, the spirituality of an individual is woven throughout everything and therefore takes precedence. That very spirituality is converted into metaphor and hyperbolic language, making for pieces of intense poetry that – when experienced – shake your very existence. Hicks has transformed trials and tribulations into dynamic pieces of spoken word.

She's generated outstanding verses – reflecting self-awareness and self-actualization.

“I’m a professional martyr/A hymn/For our unborn daughter is written all over my tummy and reminds me, 'Mommy, I’m sorry.'

Her controversial topics of choice have created a vessel of compelling poems which she has used to scoop up numerous awards.

Hicks’ socially-conscious poems confront topics of human trafficking, sexual abuse, homelessness and mental sickness, as well as social awareness, religion, gender and sexuality. Whether taking back the image of woman as a Goddess or giving testimony to the revolution of self in the phenomenal piece “Rhapsody” (which stunned the audience at the Women of the World Poetry Slam qualifier), Hicks is forging the way for women in spoken word by becoming the first female to win the Grand Slam Championship for the Austin Poetry Slam and the first to win the Women of the World Poetry Slam.

A student in the MFA Creative Writing program at Texas State, Hicks divides her time between graduate school, traveling and performing throughout the country, and leading workshops. You can catch her performing at Revolution Bar and Café for the Texas Grand Slam poetry festival.

More information on Faylita Hicks can be found on her Facebook page and on her writer profile at pw.org.

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Poet Profile: Ebony Stewart

With a style described as “beasty” by The Austin American Statesman, Ebony Stewart has continued to brandish her fierce performances as a lioness of spoken word. Stewart used poetry as a vehicle to save herself; it is where she turns to make things right. Flawless in her performance, she crafts insightful poems covering topics of love, relationships, sexual orientation, and women.

Stewart is skilled at capturing the audience’s attention before jolting them out of their comfort zones. Writing about her experiences as a sex educator to sixth and seventh graders in the poem “Anonymous Box Questions”, Stewart begins with charming anecdotes before delving into the controversial issue of sexual orientation. With such grace, Stewart has a unique gift of bending words back and forth and weaving them into an impactful piece of poetry that will render you speechless. This is especially true with “Hairatage”, a poignant narrative of an African American woman’s experience: “She says, ‘When your hair’s a mess, they think your life is too. And I shouldn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing my business better than me.’”

Stewart’s mastery of spoken word has led her to becoming the only adult, female, three-time Slam Champion (2007, 2009, 2011) in Austin. She’s won National Poetry Awards’ Slam Artist of the Year, and she’s one of the leading members of the Austin Neo-Soul slam team in 2010.

Equipped with poetic savvy, Stewart is heading to The Village to compete in the Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival. More information on Stewart can be found at her website, ebpoetry.com.

TEXAS GRAND SLAM

11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 15

Poet Profile: Outspoken Bean

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As conveyed by his name, Outspoken Bean is anything but silent. Bean’s high-energy stage presence and vivacious performances have captivated audiences throughout the nation and garnered him praise from world renowned theater director Robert Wilson, who said “Bean’s text is brilliant, simply brilliant.”

The Houston Press, in the town where Bean currently resides, stated that he “spoke with a certain assurance that, after only about 30seconds, made it pretty clear that he was someone important in the local performance-poetry scene.”

Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean was born a military brat and bred into a poet, playwright, and performer. He has been nominated to be the Poet Laureate for Texas, has opened for the great Buddy Wakefield, and has introduced Jay-Z. A favorite of Downtown Bryan’s Mic Check, Bean’s abilities span from comedic poems about celebrities to pieces about hardship. His “Letter to Shad Moss” is a piece dedicated to Lil Bow Wow. While doused in hilarity, the poem confronts the rapper with a powerful message represented in the line “Just because you’re able to buy your own doesn’t mean you’re being your own.”

Bean’s talent doesn’t stop at comedy. The much more intense piece, “Failure”, a poem about an imprisoned Father’s wishes to be heroic like Superman for his son, stuns audiences with verses like “Son, I love you. But, I’m only Clark Kent.

This phone booth can’t change me.”

Overflowing with vibrant words and imagery, Bean’s poetry engages the audience and tells unforgettable stories.

Outspoken Bean will be competing in Texas Grand Slam poetry festival, performing at Revolution Bar and Café during the first round. More information on Outspoken Bean can be found on his website at outspokenbean.com.

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Poet Profile: Patrick Hogan

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One of the five talented poets representing Mic Check in the Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival is Patrick Hogan. Although Hogan’s life is consumed with the unrelenting stress of graduate school, he has found time to compete in the slam and share his first love: writing.

Hogan’s involvement with Mic Check began 3 or 4 years ago and has fostered his love affair with poetry. Fierce lines such as “Like lions/ We shook the fear from our manes/And we’re not bound by anything” showcase Hogan’s growth and gifted abilities as a passionate poet.

His flair for poetry began years ago. A writer from the start, Hogan says, “I have always written. I don’t think anyone really starts or stops writing.” Upon arriving at Texas A&M, Hogan found his home at Mic Check in Downtown Bryan on Sunday nights and soon began participating in slams.

“I started doing slam because I was going through a hard time and needed an outlet. I wanted to be heard and matter. For three minutes a week, I was the focal point of at least one person’s life, and we all seek that, in one degree or another.”

Hogan’s participation in the non-profit spoken word organization allowed him to meet a vast array of talented poets and fall deeper in love with the written word.

“Getting involved in poetry isn’t just the love for writing, it’s the love of the community. The people involved create an atmosphere and a world for you. I just wanted to be a part of that.”

For Texas Grand Slam, Hogan will be performing at The Grand Stafford Theater, promptly at 6pm on November 9.

F

Poet Profile: The Fluent One

For slam poet The Fluent One, all it took to commit to a life of spoken word was someone telling him he was, indeed, a poet. It began in 2007 while he was a part of the inaugural slam team at Prairie View A&M. Since then, Fluent has won Austin’s Spitfest twice, finished 4th in Austin’s Neo-Soul’s Last Poet Standing, and collected several wins at various slams in Houston.

His championships clearly demonstrate his enormous talent, but Fluent owes much of his success to a pair of poetic counselors. Fluent says, “A monumental portion of my success is not due to any of my own prowess but the input of two mentors, Outspoken Bean and Deep.”

The duo asked Fluent to join them as a mentor with Metafour, a nonprofit organization out of Houston that facilitates individualism and literacy among Houston’s youth through creative writing and performance. Fluent was able to foster a love of writing in Houston’s adolescents, stating he was “consistently blown away by the talent.”

A man of many passions (including DJing, videography, and software engineering), Fluent has taken the spoken word scene by storm. Drawing inspiration from many muses, Fluent’s craft is polished and eloquent while remaining impactful. Of his writing, Fluent says, “there have been times where putting emotions into words have helped organize and calm thoughts, given voice to frustration, highlight paths of hope.”

Fluent is taking the stage at Revolution Bar and Café for the first round of Texas Grand Slam poetry festival. For more information on The Fluent One, visit his website at thefluentone.com.

TEXAS GRAND SLAM

11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 17

Phi Beta Lambda’s Home Run Derby for Alzheimer’s

by Lauren Rohr

F

For those of you who are still in World Series mode, do not put those jerseys away just yet! Grab your bats and gloves and head down to the Aggie Softball Complex on Saturday, November 10t at 12:30pm to participate in Phi Beta Lambda’s Home Run Derby for Alzheimer’s. Profits will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association for research on the disease.

The derby will consist of teams of three and will have the option of pitching to their own teammates or batting against one of the pitcher’s provided. If you are unable to find a team of three players, Phi Beta Lambda will help you put together a team.

Phi Beta Lambda asks that you arrive to the derby hungry because food and drinks will be served throughout the day. If you register by October 31, there will be t-shirts guaranteed in your size given away. So don’t wait too long to register!

To sign up, register online at Phi Beta Lambda’s Facebook page, or if you prefer to sign up in person, there will be a booth located outside of Wehner 113. Registration is only $15 per player. Batter up!

PLAY

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Scan this code for more information on Worldfest

Brazos Valley Worldfest @ Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater

T

11.8 - THURSDAY

by Ike Ntube

Traveling around the world is tough. Even aside from its initial cost, leaving your life and all its obligations isn’t easily manageable task. But for all of those who have fits of wanderlust and wish to leave everything behind and travel the globe, Texas A&M and the city of College Station are bringing the world to you this Friday night and all day Saturday.

The Brazos Valley Worldfest is an opportunity to explore different cultures without having to leave town.

The event at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater is free, with a surplus of free parking at Post Oak Mall.

The first night of the event is a Salsa night, and not just the kind you dip your chips in; from 6-8pm you can dance to salsa music and dip your feet into Latin America. In addition to the salsa dance, you can also try the edible kind as part of the festival’s salsa competition.

For those with a foreign cuisine or fashion craving, the Global Marketplace has you taken care of. In the marketplace there will be an international food court along with venders with crafts and imports from all over the world. This area of the festival is where the salsa tasting contest will take place as well.

Throughout the festival there will be several cultural displays. The majority of these displays will be put together by international organizations from Texas A&M. This serves as a chance to learn more about other cultures from people that probably know a lot more about them than you do. There will be about 50 displays that range from nearby Mexico, to Japan and some Arabic organizations.

It wouldn’t make the most sense for this festival to be at an amphitheater if there weren’t going to be performances, would it? There are two stages where performances will be taking place; the World Stage (the main stage) and the Heritage Stage. Performances are just as varied as the rest of the event; Latin dancing, Cloggers, martial arts, belly dancing, Prakriti, Flamenco dancing, African or Indian dancing, and much more.

The Brazos Valley Worldfest serves as a chance to look into several other cultures and possibly make a list of ones you want to experience in their real geographical settings. Without a passport and immunizations, you can sample the world right here in your own backyard.

For more information on the Brazos Valley Worldfest, visit brazosvalleyworldfest.org.

BYOB and Paint @ Painting with a Twist

The “twist” is that you can bring your favorite bottle of wine or beverage to enjoy during the class. Come alone or invite your friends. Paint, canvas, and brushes are provided. At the end of the evening, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind creation and a newfound talent you might want to pursue. 7:00pm— Painting with a Twist—1643 Texas Avenue South, College Station-$35.

Karaoke @ Schotzi’s

Mixing alcohol with an open microphone always promises a good time, so swing by Schotzi’s for the classic “karaoke night”.—8:00pm—Schotzi’s—205 University Dr., College Station—Free.

11.10 - SATURDAY

Salsa Saturdays @ Village Café

11.12 - MONDAY

Open Mic @ Schotzi’s

11.13 - TUESDAY

Absolute Karaoke @ O’Bannon’s

Voted Best Night of Dancing (2011 & 2012), Salsa Saturdays starts with a fun, “30-Minute Crash Course Salsa Lesson” followed by a hot night of dancing. Come prepared to sweat and to meet new people at this Aggie hot spot! Visit mambosentertainment.com for more details. —10:00pm— Village Café—210 W 26th St, Bryan—$5.

Visit Schotzi’s for an opportunity to bare it all on stage.

Whether you consider yourself a songbird or the next Galifianakis of comedy; showcase your talents and enjoy a few minutes of fame or infamy.—8:00pm—Schotzi’s—205 University Dr., College Station—Free.

Put your vocal acrobatics to the test! Every Tuesday, O’Bannon’s Tap House pairs with Absolute Karaoke and offers up the most talented (and, more likely, least talented) crooners in College Station.—10:00pm—O’Bannon’s Tap House—103 Boyett St., College Station—Free

Wednesdays @ Village Café 11.14 - WEDNESDAY Salsa Salsa Wednesdays at the Village Cafe offer an hour and

a half professional dance lesson(8pm) followed by a night of dancing from 9:30-12am. A great night to learn new moves or to just let loose on the dance floor! Visit mambosentertainment.com for more details. —9:30pm— Village Café—210 W 26th St, Bryan—$8 lesson and dancing/$5 just dancing.

PLAY

11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 19

Chris Field, Founder of BCS Marathon and Mercy Project

by Chris Zebo

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Last year, Bryan-College Station hosted its first-ever BCS Marathon, an inaugural event that commanded a staggering 1,500 runners and even more spectators. This year, a month before the marathon is scheduled on December 9, more than 3,000 runners have already registered to run— and that number is climbing. Chris Field, founder of the marathon and also of Mercy Project—a non-profit organization which hopes to eradicate child trafficking and slavery in Ghana—has been very busy at the helm of both endeavors. In fact, we just caught him for an interview before he hopped a plane to Ghana.

MW: Talk a little about how BCS Marathon came about. Was the idea a result of your charitable work with Mercy Project or was it an event created aside from the organization?

Field: The marathon was really birthed from the fact that a small group of people thought BCS was big enough to host a great race like this, and I was interested in finding ways to further our work with Mercy Project.

The fact that I had completed a number of marathons and even directed some races myself made it seem like a no-brainer. The rest is, as they say, history.

MW: Mercy Project employs an approach to impacting change in Ghana that's long-term and culturally engaging. How is it different than other organizations like your own?

Field: Well, there's really no one else doing what we're doing in Ghana.

Other groups are going in and buying kids outright from their masters, or maybe trading them new equipment for the kids, but we are the first group to come alongside the fisherman and try to empower them to do something different with their lives. In this way, we are literally teaching a man to fish just in a better way than they've been doing. This makes fishing without the kids more advantageous than fishing with them.

MW: What aspects of society in Ghana is the organization aimed at changing?

Field: We obviously want to help the kids in Ghana who are being forced to work, but it doesn't end there for us. We want to empower the villages they are coming from, and we want to strengthen the Ghanian family in the places where they are reintegrated back into their families. It's really just trying to attack this complex issue from each of the sides possible.

MW: For people unfamiliar with Mercy Project, tell readers how the organization began. You have a personal experience which inspired its creation.

MW: Proceeds from the marathon go to Mercy Project, Down Syndrome Association of Brazos Valley, and Save Our Streets Ministries. How did you decide on the two other charitable organizations to partner with?

Field: Yeah, I traveled to Ghana in August of 2009 and saw first hand the issue of child trafficking or modern day slavery. Kids as young as 5 and 6 years old being forced to work 14 hours a day, 7 days a week in fishing boats. It was a horrible thing to see, yet it both broke and captivated my heart. I felt certain we had to do something to help.

Field: All three organizations are based here in BCS, and that was really important to us. We also wanted charities that were focused on kids, which both of these do. Finally, we wanted it to be groups with small enough budgets that the money they made from this event would be substantial and really help propel them forward in their mission. I think we accomplished all of those.

MW: What kind of attendance figures has the marathon achieved in recent years?

Field: Last year was our first year, and we had 1,500 people. This year we already have more than 3,000 registered, which isn't just huge growth from last year but also makes us one of the 75 largest marathons/half marathons in the country. We're pretty proud of what we've been able to do here in just a couple of years. And we have lots of sponsors and city officials to thank for being such great partners with us.

MW: For people who are running their first marathon, what advice would you give them?

Field: Soak it in; you only get to do your first one time. It's going to be hard, it's going to hurt, but it's going to feel unbelievably good to cross that finish line.

pg 20 20 || maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com || 11.07.12 10.31.12 pg

@adamdrakeonair

Josh Grider “Lone Star Highway” If Josh had the money behind him, he’d be a HUGE star! Great voice and great lyrics!

Zac Brown Band “Goodbye In Her Eyes” ZBB always puts out some of the best music out of Nashville. This is a great break-up song.

Granger Smith “We Do it in a Field” This Fightin’ Texas Aggie knows what it’s like to party while sitting on a tailgate!

Fun tune.

Listen weekdays 3-7pm

Kip Moore “Beer Money”

LISTEN

pg 22 | maroonweekly.com | 11.07.12

Shows hints of being good, but falls onto being cliché. Plus Kevin Fowler had a song called Beer Money years ago that’s much better.

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TASTE Naked Fish Sushi and Grill

NAKED FISH

by Stephen Chacon

Naked Fish is one of the better sushi places to enjoy in the BCS area. It makes a great first date location with close, personable tables and an urban atmosphere.

S

Sushi is much more than food; it's art. It's also one of those exotic foods many people have yet to discover because of their fear of raw fish, but Naked Fish has some of the best sushi I’ve had in town.

converting the rolls into sushi, which is a bed of white rice with a sizable portion of fish laid on top. However, if you choose sushi over the rolls, you lose quantity but keep the same price; so unless you are a sushi nut, stick to the rolls.

full on sushi guy. But nevertheless, these two pieces of yellowtail were in fact the best straight sushi I have ever had. Great taste of fresh fish without a fishy aftertaste. One reminder: do not try to dip this in the soy sauce or you will lose your bed of rice. I was satisfied without any soy sauce.

I started my dinner plate with their signature roll, The Naked Fish Roll, followed by Yellowtail Sushi and finally the Cherry Blossom Roll.

My final dish was a familiar favorite, the Cherry Blossom.

I substitute the seaweed wrap for soybean paper (small additional charge for the substitution).

I found myself enjoying the relaxing tunes of John Mayer, Norah Jones and the Dave Matthew’s Band while catching part of the Monday night football game. The mixed ambiance is centered by watching the sushi chefs prepare orders in their open kitchen. We were promptly greeted by one of their four servers working that night who took our drink order while we viewed the menu.

Wrapped in soy bean paper with tuna and avocado drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce, shrimp tempura and cucumbers inside, the Naked Fish roll has a very clean taste yet a familiar flavor, with the shrimp running throughout and a splash of contrast from the spicy mayo. I recommend this with low sodium soy sauce and wasabi paste mixed in to bring out the more subtle flavors.

This roll is one of my favorites because of the refreshing taste of tuna and salmon coming together with avocado and cucumbers. The dish is rolled as a cherry blossom petal and very colorful with the salmon reds and avocado greens in the center. I recommend this with light soy and wasabi sauce to enjoy the full flavors.

When you order, depending on which rolls you select, the rolls come in quantities of 4-12 with the option of

The next dish I dove into was the Yellowtail Sushi. I’ll be honest: I was a little nervous, since I am not much of a

Located between H.E.B. and Harvey Washbangers on Texas Ave., Naked Fish is a small sushi shop that seats no more than fifty people (if you decide to take a large party, make sure to call ahead).

pg 26 | maroonweekly.com | 11.07.12

Naked Fish is one of the better sushi places to enjoy in the BCS area. It makes a great first date location with close, personable tables and an urban atmosphere.

11.8 - THURSDAY

Wine and Paint @ Painting with a Twist

The “twist?” Imagine going to class with a beer in hand.

Well, you can do just that (or substitute a glass of wine) at Painting with a Twist. The popular art lesson teaches you how to paint(a different painting each lesson) while you sip a BYOB of choice. This is not your average art class; this is art entertainment. $35. Painting with a Twist - 1643 Texas Avenue South, College Station.

$5 Domestic Pitchers @ Daisy Dukes

Who said Thursdays were thirsty? How could they be with $5 domestic pitchers all night long at Daisy Dukes. Daisy Dukes - 217 University Drive, College Station.

11.9 - FRIDAY

Shrimp Boil @ The Tap

11.12 - MONDAY

Margarita Monday’s @ Ozona’s

11.13 - TUESDAY

Happy Hour @ The Dixie Chicken

11.14 - WEDNESDAY

Whiskey Wednesdays @ The Corner

Features Efficiency, 1 & 2 Bedroom Units Students First Resident Life Program Pet Friendly with a Dog Park On-site Spacious Floor Plans Sparking Swimming Pool with Sundeck Texas-size walk in closets Walking Distance to A&M Rec and Sports Complex Internet Included!

On the University Shuttle Bus Route!

Louisiana is a far drive. The Tap knows this; so they host a shrimp boil every Friday night. Save gas and get the bayou in BCS. The Tap - 815 Harvey Road, College Station.

Mondays are fun days at Ozona. With just the change in your couch cushions, you can make Monday feel like a Friday. Served all day. Drink responsibly. Ozona’s - 520 Harvey Road, College Station.

Tuesday’s 4-hour happy hour at The Dixie Chicken is 3 more hours happier than your average bar’s. That should put a smile on your face. Dixie Chicken - 307 University Drive, College Station Whiskey Wednesdays at The Corner takes hump day and stirs it up a little, with special whiskey cocktails served all night long. The Corner - 401 University Drive, College Station.

Ladies Night @ Daisy Dukes

Daisy Dukes Ladies Night isn’t just for the ladies; guys wanna be there, too, obviously. But ladies get in free all night, pay 50 cents for drinks, and can win $50 every hour.

Daisy Dukes - 217 University Drive, College Station.

Happy Hour @ Naked Fish Sushi

Every day is a good day for Sushi. That is why Naked Fish Sushi and Grill offers Happy Hour from 3-6 Monday Thursday. If that isn’t good enough, they are open til 1 a.m. for all your late night cravings Thursday-Saturday.

TASTE

11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 27

F

Wreck It Ralph

For the fourth time in six months, the week’s best movie is animated. This year’s Disney classic is Wreck-It Ralph, an arcade version of Toy Story about a villain in a construction game called Fix-It Felix who wants some respect from his game-mates for doing his job so well.

It’s The Last Temptation of Christ for gamers; Judas has to do what he has to do, right? So Ralph game-hops, first to a high-octane first-person shooter in some sci-fi military world called Hero’s Duty and then to a candyland racing game called Sugar Rush with Shrek-like politics and the Disney hero’s journey.

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: They made Sarah Silverman a Disney princess, and she wrecked the joint.

Silverman’s playful tyke Vanellope is an orphan living inside a Diet Coke volcano, but she’s determined to compete in the derby and win. The only problem is that she has that classic glitch, disappearing one moment and reappearing a few

by Brandon Nowalk

seconds later. Her bond with John C. Reilly’s Ralph provides one of the most heart-wrenching dilemmas in a cartoon this year, but her contribution to the Disney princess lineage is what really rocks the film.

Simply following up Cinderella, Ariel, and Tiana with Silverman, known for subverting an innocent demeanor with confrontational behavior, hints at the angle Wreck-It Ralph is playing. But by the end, Wreck-It Ralph says in no uncertain terms that the monarchy is over and that little girls can aspire to more than good wifedom.

The charming details of the game universe cement Wreck-It Ralph’s position in the Disney/Pixar canon. Sure, there are familiar faces from Super Mario Bros, Q*bert, and Mortal Kombat, but the real inspiration is in the fictional games, especially for non-gamers. (Trust me: I’m still on Super Nintendo.) The characters of the 8-bit Fix-It Felix move a pixel at a time inside that game, but movement is more

pg28 28 || maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com || 11.07.12 11.07.12 pg

fluid inside the more modern Hero’s Duty. In fact, the Hero’s Duty sequence gives many blockbusters a run for their money, with all these soldiers scrambling around this terrifying, stormy metal map as flying alien hordes threaten to eviscerate them, and it even comes up with a way to give the characters independence while submitting to the sovereignty of the actual player.

Finally, Sugar Rush is a gingerbread-house fantasia with plenty of its own clever structural uses for candy. That’s to say nothing of Grand Central, the sprawling power-strip terminal where all the games are plugged in, allowing all sorts of different characters to intermingle. Throw on Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch, and Wreck-It Ralph is one of the weirdest, greatest Disney movies in years.

Animation | PG |

toptwentyfilms

by Brandon Nowalk

1 Wreck it Ralph

15 Chasing Mavericks

1/2

John C. Reilly takes a villain on a hero’s journey in this arcade version of Toy Story. More importantly, they made Sarah Silverman a Disney princess, and she tore the establishment down.

Gerard Butler teaches a boy how to get his act together and surf and other boring life lessons against the season’s greatest screensaver: the monstrous, intoxicating, elemental waves off Monterey Bay.

2 Flight

16 The Perks of Being a

Denzel nails addiction, all inflated swagger and toddler pout, but director Robert Zemeckis is so cheesy he stuffs his film with Foghorn Leghorn accents and the VH1 top 100. The plane landing, though: Chills.

3 Argo

Wallflower

A freshman outcast falls in with two seniors in Stephen Chbosky’s adaptation of his own novel. It’s pretty, it’s witty, it’s gay. But mostly it’s a chance to see Emma Watson spread her wings post-Hermione.

1/2

Ben Affleck the actor glowers to show how serious this is while Ben Affleck the director lets loose on his best movie yet. The Iran hostage crisis has never been so fun.

4 The Man with the Iron Fists

The RZA finally learns the lesson that so many directors have been discovering since 1992: It takes more than stylized action, poppy dialogue, and an East Asian fetish to be Quentin Tarantino.

5 Taken 2

Right on schedule, every nine months, Liam Neeson pops out a new action thriller, each more serious than the last. Turns out this frustrating wannabe is the runt of the litter.

More wolves, please!

6 Cloud Atlas

1/2

Tom Hanks and Halle Berry keep bumping into one another throughout history in this time-skipping, gender-hopping, yellow-facing symphony. If only the filmmaking were as radical as the narrative.

7 Hotel Transylvania

1/2

If I’ve learned anything from the box office the

17 Looper

past few years, it’s that kids entertainment is where the money’s at. Parents will see anything.

Word to the wise: Stick with ParaNorman and Frankenweenie.

8 Paranormal Activity 4

At this point, complaining about boredom is on you. If you’re going to see Paranormal Activity 4, you know exactly what you’re getting: some doors spontaneously shutting and maybe a scare or two.

9 Here Comes the Boom

1/2

Hilariously bad title aside, this movie about a biology teacher who goes into MMA to raise money for his school is just preposterous. I mean, Kevin James as a biology teacher?

10 Silent Hill: Revalation 1/2

What don’t these characters understand about the refrain “Do not go to Silent Hill?” If you must go, however, there’s some small pleasure in seeing Ned Stark reunited with Jon Snow.

Emphasis on “small.”

11 Pitch Perfect

Okay, so it’s no Bring It On, but we all have our weaknesses. Turns out Anna Kendrick getting in a cappella street battles over bad ‘90s pop is one of mine.

12 Sinister

This found-footage film about a family uncovering the mystery of a demon haunting their house may sound like every other horror film this year, but at least this one has James Ransone?

13 Fun Size

1/2

Baby-sitting on Halloween takes a turn for the awesome when a girl’s little brother disappears in the crowd of trick-or-treaters. Hijinks ensue in Josh Schwartz’s latest cuddly, wannabe-edgy family celebration. Bonus points for Jane Levy.

14 Alex Cross

Tyler Perry Presents Tyler Perry’s Alex Cross Starring Tyler Perry. Because Along Came A Spider and Kiss The Girls worked out so well, here’s another Alex Cross movie, this one featuring an emaciated Matthew Fox.

Time-travel gem Looper has so much fun with narrative and mashing up sci-fi, western, and crime thriller genres. One thing’s for sure: It’s worth the ticket price. Maybe twice.

18 Seven Psycopaths

1/2

Colin Farrell gets sucked into the hilarious L.A. crime scene when his friends kidnap a mobster’s dog. Whatever its flaws, the director of In Bruges, an all-star cast, and a Shih Tzu? Comedy gold.

19 Frakenweenie

Tim Burton goes so far back to storytelling basics that he winds up teaching a lesson about the importance of science. The simple story of a boy and his dog has its moments, but it’s nothing compared to ParaNorman.

20 The Session

The twist on this period American Pie is that the hero was disabled (and kept virginal) by polio. Cue Helen Hunt, smartly launching her comeback with extra nudity. She really wants the Oscar.

LOOK

11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 29

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