FREE PUBLICATION - 03.26.14 - VOL. 10, NO. 27 - MAROONWEEKLY.COM
Elijah Wood Talks About his New Film, Open Windows, and Privacy in the Digital Age
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2014 Spring Housing Guide
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Open Windows and Privacy: The Many Faces of Elijah Wood By Chris Zebo The name Frodo immediately conjures up another name: Elijah Wood. Elijah knows this, but it doesn't concern him. Not in the least. Unlike other actors who've become typecast by the roles they've played over the years (William Shatner, Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman), Elijah's range of characters extends far beyond The Lord of the Rings franchise. From Radio Flyer to The Ice Storm, voice acting in the animated film 9 to playing Ryan in FX's television comedy Wilfred, Wood is the lord of range. In recent years, he's played a number of darker characters in thrillers and horrors—genres he loves. He plays a blood-lusting, psychopathic killer on a rampage in Maniac, a concert pianist in Grand Piano who's threatened with a bullet by a sinister murderer if he plays the wrong note, and recently he plays a fan who wins a failed date with an actress in Open Windows, a nail-biting thriller by Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo. Looking at his roster the past few years, Wood could easily be typecast in darker hues than his Lord of the Rings run.
typecast by her hundreds of adult films. However, Grey has made appearances in a couple of mainstream flicks and television shows the past few years, including HBO's Entourage and Steven Soderbergh's indie film The Girlfriend Experience. In Open Windows, she plays Jill, a popular actress who participates in an Internet contest where one lucky fan can win a date with her. Nick, played by Wood, is that lucky fan. Unfortunately for Nick, Jill cancels the date. Jilted and despondent, he's contacted by a man named Chord, who poses as Jill's manager. He sends Nick a secret web link and tells him to drag it onto an “open window” in his computer browser. When the link is activated, Nick is able to follow Jill's every move on his computer screen—unbeknownst to her—via her web cam, cell phone, security cameras, and even satellite imaging. However, Chord has sinister, ulterior motives and ruins Nick's unbridled voyeurism. He forces him to watch helplessly as his favorite actress is abused and abducted. Nick is determined to save her.
“It's definitely not something I'm seeking out,” Wood tells us during a recent interview at SXSW. “Although I think as an actor, I'm always looking for different and new experiences.”
If the premise seems a little far-fetched, it is. However, Vigalondo wasn't as concerned with suspending disbelief as he was with broaching particular paranoias of the digital age.
Open Windows stars Wood alongside former adult film actress, Sasha Grey, who's unquestionably been
“When you choose to make a movie that happens in front of a computer screen,” Vigalondo tells us, “you are
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almost condemned to talk about privacy, about all these things.” Although privacy is the underlying motif of the film, it's not his focus. In fact, he's not so sure our paranoia about digital privacy is even a realistic fear. “I have this feeling that recently we don't care that much about privacy,” he says. “We are terrified; and yet at the same time when we go onto the Internet, we know that we are exposing ourselves. Every time we give our information to a search program, you are talking about yourself. And people don't seem to care that much about it. So I am worried about privacy, but I don't think the movie is based on that fear. It's using that fear as a way to talk about something else, which is protection. About the fact that as consumers on the Internet we don't consider ourselves as people who exploit other people. But the Internet is playing tricks with our morals all the time, and sometimes we become exploiters.” Wood agrees. In his personal experience using Facebook and managing his Twitter account, he's encountered his own share of paranoia and trepidation. “I think privacy is an abstraction,” Wood says. “When we sign up for something on Facebook, and we know—and it even warns us—that if we sign on using Facebook that they're going to have access to our photos and all these things—it's still abstract. It doesn't feel real; so people don't think anything of it.”
At the core of that abstraction—of doing what we want on the web with less scruples and yet still demanding others play by the rules—is his character's dilemma in the film. “What my character does at the beginning of the film— because of that sort of distance, a click—it doesn't feel like a physical act, it doesn't feel like anything wrong. But of course it is wrong. I think we all kind of experience that to a certain degree.” In a virtual world, where our actions seem to cohere to a different set of malleable rules, morality and ethics become click-by-click judgments. Add to that the speed of each transaction we make, the multiple pages we view, the media we download, the comments we make—and every action has
It's Grey's life off the screen that facilitated the real motif of the film, according to Vigalondo. The film's tension isn't so much derived from our fears of having our lives intruded as it is in us being intruders ourselves. “Her presence allows me to talk about the kind of consumers these movies have,” Vigalondo says, “the kind of people on the Internet. And since I was making the movie with her, I had this dream of an anger that so many people show on the Internet towards a girl that was a star but now she's doing something different. They are so angry at her. And I feel that's disturbing, and I saw that kind of psychology on the Internet that I wanted to put inside this villain. He's a person that's really cruel, who is really horrible. But at the same time, he has this sense of justice, of what is right and
“As consumers on the Internet, we don’t consider ourselves as people who exploit other people. But the Internet is playing tricks with our morals all the time, and sometimes we become exploiters. - ELIJAH WOOD, ACTOR its own consequences, yet without the reflection we'd give to events occurring in real life, beyond the screen.
what is wrong. I find that all the time on the Internet, and I'm horrified by that.”
“One of the things I find fascinating about the movie,” says Wood, “is something we can all relate to: that moral ambiguity about the choices we make. The things we say, or the thing we choose to download—we have a relative distance from it. We behave on the Internet in some ways where we wouldn't behave if we were faced with an individual.”
Casting Wood was a different story than casting Grey. Her status beyond screen elevated the layers in which the film operates conceptually, while it was Wood's versatility as an actor that most appealed to Vigalondo.
For example, Vigalando muses, “Say they've stolen these photos from this actress. She's naked, and that's a crime. We don't support that kind of crime because we don't want anybody to steal our photographs.” “But we will look at the photographs,” Wood says, “But we go to see them as fast as possible,” Vigalondo says, laughing. Grey's performance as a character who wishes to remain private, contrary to what we know about her real life as a porn star, elevates the concept film's concept to a whole other level. “The fact that she is an ex-adult film star gives another layer of irony,” says Vigalondo, “another layer of significance. She has said that this is not an adult movie, but it's aware of her past. The movie is not exploiting that part of herself, but it's aware of that. Which I think is really interesting.”
“I thought about him all the time I was writing the role,” Vigalondo says. “I love the fact that Elijah is agile. The character evolves, starts here and ends up there. He makes it believable. It doesn't feel forced. That, for me, is one of the treasures of the movie.” Wood first met Vigalondo at Fantastic Fest in Austin a few years ago. The two were immediately drawn to each other. Elijah was a fan of the director's work, especially Timecrimes. Although he has always been a fan of fantasy, horror, and thrillers, Wood says the characters he's been playing lately are completely fortuitous. When asked if he has been searching our darker roles, he says, “In some ways, it's more organic than that.” “This particular film and Grand Piano are examples of completely organic scenarios, where I met Eugenio [director of Grand Piano] and Nacho at Fantastic Fest in Austin,” Wood says. “I certainly love genre films; I'm drawn to them as a fan of cinema, and it's cinema I like. But I don't know that I'm necessarily looking just for those kinds of films now. I think it is also circumstantial. Those happen to be the films that I've come across that are interesting and unique.”
THINK
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maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 5
Places to Call Home
Skillrex
“RECESS”
Release Date: Mar. 18, 2014 Reviewed by Heydy Sanches Love him or hate him, Skrillex deserves credit. At 29 years old, he is one of the biggest names in music. As a Grammy nominated artist who’s sold millions of records, played in front of millions of people, and headlined huge music festivals, Skrillex is dubstep’s biggest star. He recently released a full-length studio album, RECESS, as a solo artist, and it’s obvious from one listen that the star producer pushed the boundaries of a genre he helped define. In RECESS, Skrillex shows off a softer more minimalist style than the edgier, bass-heavy sound he’s known for. For some listeners turned off by his catalog to date, this release might be welcoming. For those who swear by him, his patented Transformers-fighting-over-bass-drops sound makes a few welcome appearances. On RECESS, Skrillex might be drawing up the blueprints for a new wave of EDM. Either that or he’s just showing all the cards in his own deck.
Foster the People
“Supermodel”
Release Date: Mar. 14, 2014 Reviewed by Heydy Sanches With their second studio album Supermodel, Foster the People makes incredible effort strides on the experimental side, showing a group that’s willing to evolve and explore new frontiers. Supermodel is completely different from their first album, Torches, but this album is still a near-perfect indie-pop experience. Tracks like “Fire Escape” and “The Truth” occasionally display clear signs of musical genius and even cognitive brilliance on the writing end. Consequently, Foster the People’s parting from their first album’s signature sound is the best decision they could made moving forward. Despite the rising electronic biosphere that is swallowing up indie pop/rock, the band still manages to dabble in synths with eclectic instrumental arrangements in tow. In due time, Mark Foster’s creative image will become clear as his work matures. Consider this a transition album, and you’ll be more than satisfied.
maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 •MAROON WEEKLY • p 7
College Station’s premier student community Our professional on-site staff is dedicated to serving your needs and arranging both social and educational activities to help you meet other residents and enjoy your college experience. There is no reason to look elsewhere, apply today and reserve your space at College Station’s most exclusive student housing community! U Club Townhomes is an American Campus community. American Campus Communities is the nation’s largest developer, owner and manager of highquality student housing communities.
U
Club Townhomes provides you the privacy and lifestyle you deserve in an off-campus student community that is built specially with you, the college student, in mind. Our convenient location and unmatched amenities keeps everything you want and need in one place and makes U Club Townhomes the best in college housing! Located across the street from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, U Club Townhomes is on the TAMU bus route, and within walking distance to campus. U Club Townhomes also has a great location to Blinn College in Bryan, TX. At U Club Townhomes, you will enjoy resort-style amenities including a clubhouse complete
with a fitness center, computer center, tanning beds, swimming pool with a private sun deck, and a recreation center with billiards, air hockey, shuffle board, and classic arcade games including Golden Tee® and Big Buck Hunter. U Club Townhomes offers fully furnished, four bedroom townhomes, individual liability leases, and cable and internet are included. Your townhome will be loaded with upgraded interior finishes including hardwood-style floors, a leather-style sectional sofa, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, crown molding, undermount sinks, and much more.
LUXURY STUDENT TOWNHOMES great location • 2-story townhomes with outdoor living areas • pet friendly • designer interior finishes huge walk-in closets • loaded game room • state-of-the-art fitness center • computer center • tanning beds
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APPLY ONLINE @ U CLUB T0WNHOMES.COM 801 Marion Pugh Drive • 979.703.1923
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The Barracks In a community full of hidden gems, The Barracks in South College Station might actually be the best-kept secret in Aggieland. The Barracks is a growing 151-acre development that offers beautifully upgraded townhomes and single-family homes in a well-maintained community located in South College Station approximately two miles from Texas A&M. The Barracks offers both sales and leasing options on their 3- and 4-bedroom townhomes and houses, and they have plans to add an additional 300 townhomes to the subdivision over the next few years. Each residence features a variety of standardized upgrades, including stained concrete flooring, granite countertops throughout, huge bedrooms, a private bathroom for each bedroom, and raised ceilings with crown molding. In addition to a pool facility and an outdoor fitness gym, The Barracks also features several beautiful park spaces spread throughout the development. All common areas and yards are maintained by the Homeowner’s Association. The Barracks is also home to a commercial project that will revolutionize the entertainment and recreation industry in B/CS. Currently under construction, Wakeside at The Barracks is a resort-style venue featuring a diverse array of indoor and outdoor recreation options located in the heart of The Barracks. The project will combine the first cable wakeboarding lake and Flowrider, a simulated surf machine, in the United States. In addition to the wakeboarding and Flowrider attractions, Wakeside will also feature a state-ofthe-art multipurpose event center, a Vegas-style pool and lazy river with a swim-up bar, an adult arcade including racing and golf simulators, and a restaurant and bar with abundant outdoor seating overlooking the lake and sandy beach. Tree Farm Brewing Company, a new local brewery specializing in craft beers, will also be located on-site at Wakeside and will be featured in the restaurant. To find out more about the best place to live and play in College Station, stop by the sales and leasing office located at 514 Deacon Drive West today!
maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 11
NORTHGATE’S NEW NEIGHBORS
NEW STUDENT LIVING COMING TO AGGIELAND FALL 2014 computer center with iMacs and even an iPad bar. Outdoor amenities include a resort-style swimming pool, hot tub, sun deck and barbeque area. Covered parking and WiFi hotspots are also available throughout the community. UCentre at Northgate will be the fifth American Campus community to set roots in College Station. American Campus Communities is the nation’s largest developer, owner and manager of high-quality, academically-oriented student housing communities.
U
Centre at Northgate opens it’s doors to Aggies next fall. Much anticipation surrounds UCentre at Northgate as it will be the newest student community joining the popular Northgate district. Students can get a sneak peak of what UCentre at Northgate has to offer by visiting the community’s leasing center located at 301 Ball Street. UCentre at Northgate will be located at 907 Cross Street—only one block from Texas A&M University. UCentre at Northgate is currently accepting applications for fall 2014 and spaces are already in high demand. Anyone interested in reserving a space is encouraged to apply online at ucentreatnorthgate.com. This new community will offer both 4 bedroom/4 bathroom apartments
and three-story, 4 bedroom/4.5 bathroom townhome villas. All apartments and townhomes are fully furnished with a leather-style sectional sofa, full-size beds and a built-in dining area with barstools. Student living at UCentre at Northgate is elevated to a new level with designer interior finishes including stainless steel kitchen appliances, granite and quartzstone countertops, hardwood-style flooring, crown molding, USB power plugs, and undermount sinks in both the kitchen and bathroom. Plus, residents will enjoy access to state-of-the-art amenities including a fully equipped 24-hour fitness center, game room with billiards, foosball, and the classic arcade games Golden Tee and Big Buck Hunter, two study lounges, a
Renderings and amenities subject to change.
LIVE NEW
LIVE NORTHGATE OPENING FALL 2014
LEASING CENTER NOW OPEN AT 301 BALL STREET walk to class—only a block from campus • great location to Northgate • resort-style amenities 4 bed + 4 bath flats & 4 bed + 4.5 bath townhomes • designer interior finishes • individual leases
U CENTRE AT NORTHGATE.COM 907 Cross Street • 409.761.1 1 06 Renderings and amenities are subject to change.
in upscale student living
Located on the corner of Texas Avenue and University Drive, we are an exciting new multi-level community with a resort style pool, rooftop terraces, 24 hour Clubhouse, and over 50,000 of retail on the bottom floor!
Our clubhouse will feature: Two Story Fitness Facility Sauna and Steam Room Study Rooms Business Center complete with both Mac and PC Computers and Printers.
luxurious
WE OFFER A WIDE VARIETY OF UNITS IN 1-4 BEDROOM OPTIONS!
Just seconds from Texas A&M University, Northpoint Crossing has the perfect location, amenities and floorplans to fit any lifestyle needs! Stop by the office located behind our site at 100 Texas Avenue so we can show you around and help you decide which unit would work best for your needs!
Each unit will feature: Granite Countertops Dark Cabinets Stainless Steel Appliances Laminate Wood Flooring Washer and Dryer Rent also includes: furniture, parking, cable, internet, trash, water and sewer.
979.703.6449
NORTHPOINTCROSSINGTAMU.COM
* FOR RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT OLDHAM GOODWIN 979.268.2000, WWW.OLDHAMGOODWIN.COM
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1st Class Amenities
Walk to Class!
Resort-style pool, roof terraces, 24-hour clubhouse, & more!
10 min. walk to campus!
Retail Steps Away * 53,000 sq. ft. of shopping right at your doorstep!
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Now Leasing!
Leasing for August 2014! 1-4 bedrooms available!
LEASING OFFICE NOW OPEN AT 100 TEXAS AVENUE! 979.703.6449
NORTHPOINTCROSSINGTAMU.COM
* FOR RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT OLDHAM GOODWIN 979.268.2000, WWW.OLDHAMGOODWIN.COM maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 15
Live Well. Learn Well. ranging both social and educational activities to help you meet other residents and enjoy your college experience. There is no reason to look elsewhere, apply online today at aggiestation.com to reserve your space for fall 2013! Aggie Station is an American Campus community. American Campus Communities is the nation’s premier owner and manager of luxurious, academically oriented student housing.
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ettle down and live with peace of mind that you are going to be taken care of at Aggie Station, the best in Bryan/College Station student living! At Aggie Station you will have the privacy and lifestyle you deserve in an off campus student community that is built specifically with you, the college student, in mind.
Take advantage of our convenient location and unmatched amenities—everything you want and need in one place makes Aggie Station the best in college apartments! Aggie Station is conveniently located close to Texas A&M University in College Station,
TX, is on the TAMU bus route, and has a great location to Blinn Community College in Bryan, TX. You will also enjoy our amenities including a fitness center, business center, resort-style pool, tanning beds, game room, and much more. Aggie Station also offers fully furnished apartments in a variety of f loor plans, you can choose from four bedroom/four bathroom, three bedroom/three bathroom and two bedroom/ two bedroom accommodations. We also offer individual liability leases and cable and Internet. Our professional on-site staff is dedicated to serving your needs and ar-
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close to campus + on shuttle bus route + indvidual leases + roommate matching available + fully furnished private bedrooms & bathrooms + free tanning + computer center + full-sized kitchen + recreation center
Roommate  Matching  Available
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SPACES FILLING FAST R E S E RV E YO U R S PA C E T O D AY F O R FA L L 2 0 14
C A L LAWAYV I L LA S .CO M
great location to A&M and Blinn • 3-story townhome villas • individual leases • washer & dryer loaded game room • 24-hr fitness center • computer center • theater room • free tanning • hardwood-style floors
AMENITIES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Live In The Heart of Aggieland! The professional on-site staff is dedicated to providing excellent customer service, arranging both social and educational activities to help you meet other residents, and ensuring you enjoy your college housing experience. There is no reason to look elsewhere, apply online at callawayvillas.com to reserve your space at College Station’s most exclusive student housing community. Callaway Villas is an American Campus community. American Campus Communities is the nation’s premier owner and manager of luxurious, academically-oriented student housing.
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ive like you mean it at Callaway Villas, the best in College Station student living! At Callaway Villas, you will have the privacy and lifestyle you deserve in an off-campus student community that is built specifically with you, the college student, in mind.
At Callaway Villas, you will enjoy access to a huge clubhouse complete with a state-of-the-art fitness center with separate cardio room, business center, theater room, game room, tanning beds, resort-style pool with a private sun deck, and much more.
Take advantage of a convenient location and unmatched amenities—everything you want and need in one place makes Callaway Villas the best in student apartments. Located on Marion Pugh across the street from Texas A&M University, Callaway Villas is just a short walk to class, Kyle Field, and the Student Recreation Center. Plus, the community is also on the TAMU bus route.
Callaway Villas offers fully furnished, 3-story townhome-style villas in a variety of f loor plans. Callaway Villas offers individual liability leases which include water, sewer, trash, cable, internet and utilities (up to a monthly cap). 10-month leases at Callaway Villas include a meal plan and housekeeping service twice a month, however a meal plan may be added to 12-month leases as well.
For Rates & Specials Text “Ranch” to 51378
Reveille Ranch
Live your life at Reveille Ranch! Designed specifically with the student in mind, Reveille Ranch, or “The Ranch” as it is also known, is the newest Aggie tradition. Proud to be one of the very few Aggie owned and operated purpose built student housing communities in Aggieland, The Ranch is conveniently located with easy access to both the central and west campus of Texas A&M and is on the Texas A&M Shuttle Bus Route making getting to class a breeze. The location also provides easy access to the Blinn College campus and is just around the corner from North Gate.
3645 Wellborn Rd., Bryan, TX 77801 • 979.691.6400
www.reveilleranchapartments.com
Aggie Owned and Operated 950 Colgate, College Station, TX 77840 • 979.764.8999
www.thetrailsatwolfpencreek.com
Reveille Ranch’s fully furnished apartment homes come in one-, two-, and four-bedroom floor plans with each resident having their own individual lease. All of the utilities (water, sewer, trash, cable, and internet) with the exception of electricity are included in the rent. Your electricity is billed separate, but individually, so you don’t have to worry about hassling roommates for their portion of the electric bill either. You will also enjoy fully equipped kitchens, full size washers and dryers in each home, the very popular screened-in patios and the peace of mind of on-site maintenance. Reveille Ranch makes it as convenient as possible so you can concentrate on being a student. Need to unwind after a long day at school? Lounge around the resort-style pool, challenge your neighbors to a game of basketball or sand volleyball, get in a solid workout in the fitness center, join in on one of the many property sponsored resident events, or enjoy your free cable TV with HBO on your furnished 32 inch TV. You can also hit up the nearby HEB grocery store for all the fixins’ to host a BBQ at one of the picnic areas, or join friends for some exciting restaurants and nightlife at Northgate. Time to get studious? There are group study rooms, a cyber lab and free high speed internet for your academic needs. Be sure and check out the new luxury 1 bedroom units that include designer finishes like granite countertops and wood finish flooring. Call 979-691-6400 or come by 3645 Wellborn Road for more information or check out Reveille Ranch on the web at www.collegestationstudentapartments.com or www.jamespoint.com. Reveille Ranch has everything you need for the student lifestyle you want.
For Rates & Specials Text “Trails” to 51378 pg pg 22 22 •• MAROON MAROON WEEKLY WEEKLY •• March March 26, 26, 2014 2014 •• maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com
maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 23
LIFE HAPPENS HERE!
LIVE HERE! LIVE THE DISTRICT! UPGRADED FLOORING AND FLAT-SCREEN TVs COMMUNITY AMENITIES • Fully-Equipped Fitness Center • Pool Tables and Air Hockey Table • Game/Activity Room with Playstation 3
COM ASK E IN AND ABO UT O UR
SPEC IALS
• Resort-Style Pool • Lighted Basketball, Tennis and Sand Volleyball Courts • Personalized Roommate Matching • Active Residence Life Program • Computer Lab and Study Rooms
APARTMENT AMENITIES • Individual Leases in Two, Three, and Four Bedroom Apartments with Private Bathrooms
R U O ASE H 48OK & LEWAIVE
• Furnished and Unfurnished Apartments Available • Full-Size Washer and Dryer in Every Apartment • Electronic Keycard Access • Individually Locking Bedroom Doors • High-Speed Internet • Cable TV
on Luther 601 LUTHE R S TRE ET WE S T COLLEGE S TATION, T X 77840 866.557.0 070 W W W.THEDIS TRIC TONLUTHER.COM *Some restrictions may apply
*
E’LL EES F W N D AN CATIO LI APP
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“Luther” to 47464 for information*
*standard text messaging rates apply
The District on Luther Looking to live somewhere with spacious bedrooms and comfortable furniture provided? How about somewhere blocks away from campus, located steps away from a bus stop? What about a place where the workers greet you with a smile and organize events so that you can make new friendships with your neighbors? If you are looking for a place like this, The District on Luther is the student living community for you! "This is a great place for student living," says Melesa Cook, current resident at The District. "Its convenient location next to the bus stop, friendly and engaging staff, and nice furnishings have made it a very enjoyable place to live in this past year. I couldn't see myself living anywhere else!" Melesa isn't the only resident who feels this way, as most residents enjoy this off-campus student housing community dedicated to providing a wonderful place to stay and an even better place to study. Their apartments come fully furnished and include wood-style flooring, a 42” flatscreen TV, full-size washer & dryer, cable, and high speed internet. Residents also have complete privacy thanks to individually locking bedroom doors. The District always hosts events in order to make students feel right at home. They keep residents’ stomachs happy by giving away food like barbeque or smores on special holidays. They also create fun events like poker night and the dating game to help students become well acquainted with one another. The District also gives away awesome prizes at these events like cash, gifts cards, or sometimes even free rent! Being away from parents and hometown friends can be hard, but The District makes every effort to assure all resident feel comfortable and happy in their fancy new abode. Visit their website at www.thedistrictonluther. com to see more.
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HOUSING GUIDE Aggie Edition
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Reveille Ranch 979-314-2833
14 The Enclave 979-431-5511
2
Z-Islander 979-268-9999
15 Callaway House 979-314-2834
3
Aggie Station 979-314-1353
16 University Club 979-431-5526
4
Villas of Cherry Hollow 979-431-5533
17 Gateway 979-307-5945
5
The Factory 979-268-4780
6
The Stack 979-431-5519
7
The Warehouse 979-846-4400
8
The Tradition 979-431-5520
9
The Rise 979-260-7473
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10 North Point Crossing 979-307-5928 11 Eastgate Apts. 979-307-5946
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16
12 The Ridge 979-431-5517
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13 The Trails 979-431-5521
18 21
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20 Campus Village 979-314-2827 21 The Zone 979-431-5524 22 The Heights at Luther 979-485-8000 23 Knightsgate 979-307-5924 24 Parkway Place 979-307-5925 25 2818 Place 979-307-5937 26 The Cottages 979-703-1865
SEARCH THESE APARTMENTS AND MORE ON
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25
19 The Woodlands 979-703-5747
19
24 23
18 Crossing Place 877-978-1281
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APARTMENT SEARCH THAT WORKS
The Enclave 979-431-5511
Crossing Place 877-978-1281
The Zone 979-431-5511
EastGate 979-307-5946
The Tradition 979-431-5520
The Stack 979-431-5519
StudentRentIt.com If you’re looking for the ultimate, perfect, has-your-name-written-all-over-it apartment in Aggieland but need some assistance finding it, look no further than StudentRentIt.com. Student Rent It is a housing locator that caters exclusively to college students looking for off-campus housing. Created in San Marcos by two realtors, Student Rent It first started at Texas State University in May 2013. Now expanding to College Station, Student Rent It will be catering to Aggies. The website allow students to connect with potential roommates, other college students, to rate various apartments, and to locate private listings. Brenden Martin, one of the creators of Student Rent It, says that “after graduating with a degree in Digital Technology, working for Microsoft, and working on other startups in the past, [he] put [his] skills to work on solving a problem students face in college towns when it comes to finding housing.” “With it being college-student exclusive, we create a safer community for students to interact with students. By verifying your .edu email address, you can connect with fellow students and find roommates without worrying about SPAM. Also, our goal is to give students and parents a ‘bird’s eye view’ of their future home and community.” The website contains many different search options to find the best place that fits your wants and needs, allows you to directly contact property managers, and to learn about local events, deals and businesses happening around you. Martin says, “With StudentRentIt.com, it is a win-win-win situation for students, apartments and parents.” “Rather than just looking at pictures, we want you to see what it is like to live there. We really want to add original content allowing students to make decisions from their computer rather than driving around town all day.”
maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 27
By Cheyenne Mueller
Divergent
Action (PG-13)
Summit Entertainment favors best-selling young adult novels and turning them into films. Divergent is the production company’s third series, Twilight and The Hunger Games being its predecessors. While the film has been proactive with their publicizing, the film hasn’t garnered as much press as The Hunger Games. The two series are almost identical: set in a futuristic, dystopian society, separated by fences from an unknown predator. Both also focus on an age of “coming into adulthood.” Originally, the casting of Shailene Woodley as the film’s protagonist, Tris, made me nervous. All that I had seen of Woodley was from the TV series, Secret Life of the American Teenager, and her character was so whiny I couldn’t finish the series. My uncertainty didn’t fester for too long, because when Hunger Games came around, I was pissed about Jennifer Lawrence being cast as Katniss. But once I saw the movie, I was hooked. I held onto hope that Woodley would surprise me. And she did. Woodley was able to bring pathos to a character that didn’t have much as it was scripted. In these heroinedriven books, the female leads are strong characters with a grand total of three emotions: fear, adrenaline, and love for their family/cute boy. Shailene was able to evoke a range of emotions that felt genuine and weren’t overdone, and her acting skills were able to compensate for her slender figure; even though she didn’t look tough, she could act tough. When Theo James (Underworld: Awakening) came onto screen, there was an audible reaction from the females in the audience. Boys, hide your girlfriend, hide your wife, ‘cause Theo James is stealing all the ladies’ hearts (mine included – don’t tell my boyfriend I said that). The British actor speaks with a convincing American accent, and his Dave Franco-worthy eyebrows give him an air of authority and mystery. With any book-to-film remake, there’s going to be some changes in the script. It used to really bother me: “Why can’t they just stick to the book?” While changes can be annoying, the alterations made in this film actually made it better. Don’t worry, I’m not going to spoil anything for you. But if you haven’t read the book and think the movie looks interesting, you won’t be confused. The book itself, while not about a competition between teenagers murdering each other, still has quite a bit of darkness to it. Even though Divergent hasn’t been as successful as The Hunger Games, director Neil Burger (Limitless) did a great job trimming the fat from the novel and producing an entertaining and exciting movie. The movie is rated PG-13 for intense violence and action, thematic elements and some sensuality.
pg 28 • MAROON WEEKLY • March 26, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
1. Divergent
In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she’s Divergent and won’t fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it’s too late. PG-13 (139 min)
2. Muppets Most Wanted While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into a European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick. PG (107 min)
3. Mr. Peabody & Sherman The time-travelling adventures of an advanced canine and his adopted son, as they endeavor to fix a time rift they created. PG (92 min)
4. 300: Rise of an Empire Greek general Themistokles leads the charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy. R (102 min)
5. God’s Not Dead
College student Josh Wheaton’s faith is challenged by his philosophy professor, who believes God does not exist. PG (113 min)
6. Need for Speed
Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross-country race with revenge on his mind. His expartner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins. PG-13 (132 min)
7. The Grand Budapest Hotel
14. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Wes Anderson chronicles the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the world wars, and Zero Moustafa, a lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. R (100 min)
Jack Ryan, as a young covert CIA analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. PG-13 (105 min)
8. Non-Stop
After receiving a series of text messages demanding a transfer of $150 million into an offshore account, an air marshal must prevent a terrorist attack and clear his name. PG-13 (106 min)
9. The Lego Movie
An ordinary LEGO, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the universe together. PG (100 min)
10. The Single Mom’s Club The life story of Jesus is told from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion, and ultimate resurrection. PG-13 (138 min)
11. Son of God
The life story of Jesus is told from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion, and ultimate resurrection. PG-13 (138 min)
12. The Monuments Men
15. That Awkward Moment Three male best friends find themselves at that confusing moment in every dating relationship when they have to decide “So... where is this going?” R (94 min)
16. Ride Along
Fast-talking security guard Ben joins his cop brother-in-law James on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta in order to prove himself worthy of marrying Angela, James’ sister. PG-13 (100 min)
17. 3 Days to Kill
A dying Secret Service agent trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter is offered an experimental drug that could save his life in exchange for one last assignment. PG-13 (113 min)
18. Bad Words
A spelling bee loser sets out to exact revenge by finding a loophole and attempting to win as an adult. R (89 min)
19. Veronica Mars
An unlikely World War II platoon are tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners. PG-13 (118 min)
Years after walking away from her past as a teenage private eye, Veronica Mars gets pulled back to her hometown (just in time for her high school reunion) to help her old flame, Logan Echolls, who’s embroiled in a murder mystery. PG-13 (107 min)
13. Frozen
20. 12 Years a Slave
In a kingdom cursed to endure permanent winter, a young girl voiced by Kristen Bell teams up with a mountain man to rescue her sister and stop the curse in the latest Disney animated adventure. PG (102 min)
In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. R (134 min)
maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 29
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE & COMPUTER COLLECTION EVENT
April 26, 2014
7am– 2pm
FREE Event is at University Services Building Parking Lot– Enter HWY 30/Harvey Rd. East– No Entry from University Dr East Items Accepted: Fluorescent Light Bulbs Batteries Household Cleaning Agents Automobile Fluids Oil / Oil Filters Paint & Thinners Pesticides & Herbicides Cooking Oil Computers / Components TV’s Expired/ Unused Medication Items NOT Accepted: Radioactive Materials Tires / Household Garbage Large Copiers / Printers Refrigeration Units Explosives / Ammunition Waste Generated by a Business
CALL THE HHW HOTLINE FOR MORE INFO
979-764-3809
www.twinoakslandfill.com
WE NEED YOU TO VOLUNTEER!
* Free Meal & Refreshments * Free T- Shirt * Community Service Hours & Certificate of Appreciation
Five 2½-hour shifts are available
Please Register at www.cstx.gov/recycle
Attention Students
Great for Stu-Groups!
#hhw #properdisposal
By Katie Lea
Hurricanes and Hairspray With summer–and therefore hurricane season–fast approaching, we wanted to tell you something you might not know about those raging oceanic storms. We hear a lot of talk about aerosols and how bad they are for the environment (which neither us nor Dr. Zhang are disputing here), but there may be some good along with the bad. Aerosols may actually be weakening the giant storms we’ve come to fear. Renyi Zhang is a University Distinguished Professor at A&M specializing in Atmospheric Sciences. He and his team–which includes Yuan Wang, Keun-Hee Lee, Yun Lin, and Misty Levy–have been studying the effects of anthropogenic aerosols, or aerosols made by humans, on hurricanes. Using data from Hurricane Katrina, Zhang and his team found that
aerosols tend to not only weaken hurricanes during their formation, they also cause it to dissipate earlier than they would normally. That being said, aerosols do “appear to increase the amount of precipitation in a hurricane or typhoon,” according to Zhang. “The rainbands associated with such tropical storms seem to be much larger and stronger.” Despite these discoveries, further study into these varying positive and negative benefits need to occur before we can truly say if the good outweighs the bad. Though Zhang says the results are surprising, as other studies have found that “global warming by greenhouse gases makes hurricanes more intense and frequent,” the fact that “aerosols may operate oppositely than greenhouse gases in terms of influencing hurricanes” may prove to be very important to our understanding and predicting of hurricanes. Zhang hopes that we can take a more inclusive look at the effects humans have on our environment and what this can mean for climate change and weather patterns.
pg 30 • MAROON WEEKLY • March 26, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
Drink Slinger
GET TO KNOW YOUR FAVORITE BCS BARTENDERS
SLINGER OF THE WEEK
LEE MOORE
Revolution Café and Bar
MW: How long have you been a bartender? And what got you started? L: I’ve been a bartender since August. I got out of the military and came back here. I didn’t want to go to school, and I like talking to people. MW: What is the first drink you learned to make? L: Cop Killer. Blue Sea Vodka, grenadine, and sweet and sour. MW: If you could bar chat with one person—a celebrity, sport star, anyone—who would it be? What would you want to talk with them about? What drink do you think that person would ask for? L: The Rock. I’d ask him about his workout routine. I’d probably make him a Sazerac.
www.brazosvalleybride.com
Brazos Valley Bride | spring/summer 2014
3
MW: What is your personal favorite drink? L: Long Island Iced Tea. That does the job. MW: What is the craziest thing you’ve seen while working behind this bar? L: I’ve seen people get naked in here. MW: What’s your biggest pet peeve at the bar? L: People not speaking up. MW: Do you ever experiment with new drink recipes? L: All the time! If I make me a shot, I just start experimenting with stuff. MW: What is the most popular drink you get asked for? L: Jameson. Jameson on the Rocks.
Slinger’s Signature Drink MW: What is your signature drink? L: Sazerac. I mostly make it for myself. Not many people can handle it. MW: What is in it? L: It’s Rittenhouse Rye, which is a top shelf whiskey, Bruno (Italian licorice), two sugar cubes, and cranberry juice.
maroonweekly.com • March 26, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 31
Raise your expectations Texas A&M student lofts
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• Furnished lofts • Private bathrooms available • Flat-panel HDTV • Swimming pools • Fitness club • Wi-Fi and satellite TV • Ground-floor retail • AggieSpirit bus stop on site • Per-person contracts
Rates from $465
979.314.1900 | live-thelofts.com