TNR Extra Holiday Tab

Happy Holidays: Best of UC

Winners Crowned Pg. 8

:

BEYOND CINCY

6

WINTER MOVIE ALERT 7

VICTORIA’S SECRET 8 SHOW

INDEX

v

2

SERVE BEYOND CINCINNATI

4

Student mission group travels around the world

WINTER MOVIE ALERT

7

Four movies to check out over the break

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

10

Two bills passed before end of semester Suicide march is depressing

509 and 510 Swift Hall University of Cincinnati 45221-0135 Office phone 556-5900 Office fax 556-5922

The News Record FOUNDED IN 1880

‘Softly’ Sinks Newest Brad Pitt movie disappoints at box office

13

Sell your books for CA$H in hand at any of our THREE convenient locations during Exam Week: At the store on Calhoun Street Behind University Park on Calhoun At the SAE House on Clifton Ave

Fall Semester Rentals are due back to the store at 321 Calhoun Street by Sunday December 16th your Spring Semester textbooks during break at www.DuBoisBookStore.com Sell your books at DuBois Book Store during exam week for a

Shop Online Now!

textbook pre-order

COUPON!

www.DuBoisBookStore.com

NOV. 28 - DEC. 4, 2012 — COVER STORY — NEWSRECORD.ORG

4

COVER STORY

PUMPING IRO INSIDE THE RISKS, SIDE EFFECTS OF POPULAR BEN WILLIAMS | FOR THE VERGE MAGAZINE There’s nothing more stress-relieving than pumping iron or running on the track with a group of friends. Something about feeling the muscles expand and contract with every repetition makes the body feel truly alive. Day after day, week after week, the mind shuts out the pain and anticipates the glory of finally having that celebrity physique.

But when weeks turn into months and the mirror continues to disappoint, a sense of urgency and the desire for a little help creeps into play.

This is not a new or unusual feeling. Athletes and fitness junkies everywhere have hit that same frustrating wall. In recent years, the use of steroids in professional sports has seen a substantial amount of publicity. More and more doctors and personal trainers are hammering into the minds of young workout freaks the danger these substances can have on their bodies. As this information is circulated, those looking for a little assistance with their workouts are turning to non-steroid supplements to boost their energy and recovery in a much safer way. Countless substances can aid in muscle growth and stamina, but figuring out the safest and best quality products is always a hassle.

“In a world of thousands of supplements, it is hard to decide what is OK and what is not,” says Allison Maurer, sports dietitian for the University of Tennessee athletics. “Because supplements are not regulated by the FDA, supplement manufacturers can be as truthful or misleading about their products as they want to be.”The proper research takes time and energy; so many people choose to grab off the shelf the most compellinglooking product or the one that has a familiar name. This is a potentially dangerous method which may not produce the desired results. John Bedel, head trainer at Solid Training in Cincinnati, says people need to know and understand what they are taking. “The problem with some people is that they have to keep on adding more and more — thinking that’s the way they will get big — but they are wrong,” Bedel says. “Be smart, and do your research on what you are taking.” With all of the various supplements on the market today, it is tough to determine which are quality products and which ones simply give you a false sense of security in exchange for a large chunk of cash. Bedel says there is only one way to know for sure: Research the options. Fortunately, there are experts who are much wiser and will do the hard work for us.

The experts give essentially three main types of athletic supplements to focus on. The most popular

which are the building blocks of protein. This of these on the market today is whey protein mix. reduces soreness and speeds up your ability to heal Most avid exercisers have seen the pictures of post workout, and if taken during or before your the 70-year-old man with “The Rock” (excuse me, workout, will increase your endurance and help in Dwayne Johnson) body claiming whey protein was his miracle drug. While the word “miracle” the prevention of lactic acid build-up.” So if stairs are intimidating after a hard leg workout or an has been stretched here more than Bruce Jenner’s intense round of cardio, amino acid-replenishers face, it may not be far from the truth. Nick Squeri, could be your best friend. They simply help the a former collegiate athlete and supplements muscles recover after a difficult workout. reviewer for Paramount-Supplements.com, says As Bedel said and Scandura agreed, research is protein is essential if muscle growth is desired. imperative to do before starting a new substance.

“When you break down muscle, you need to For anyone trying to improve their workouts, rebuild it,” he says. “If your muscle is a building, supplements all sound like a Thanksgiving feast to then protein is the building blocks. You can only a starving man. However, there are some cautions build the building as high as you have material to that go along with the gravy. build it. If you’re not getting enough protein, you “I always tell athletes that if they choose will even lose muscle. Protein is definitely my No. to take any supplement, they are putting their 1 product.” No. 1 or not, a protein supplement is health, eligibility and safety at risk,” says Maurer. sure to yield results when used religiously and will “I tell them, if you say the supplement name offer a considerable amount of aid for the dollars out loud and it sounds like it should come with spent. an Incredible Hulk action figure, you Another common and talked-about probably shouldn’t take it. When the supplement in the workout world words “extreme,” “super,” “rage,” is creatine. It may sound like In a world “assault,” or anything like that, something that belongs in a you could probably guess there Rob Zombie film and to the of thousands of is something in it you should inexperienced supplement supplements, it stay away from.” Maurer says user, this popular product that while every supplement can be equally terrifying. is hard to decide could have an unexpected Creatine is a product people what is OK and side effect, there are ways in are using, but not necessarily which people can be safe and fully understanding. “Studies what is not. still enjoy improvements with show that creatine helps their favorite product. with the ATP (adenosine -Allison Maurer Moderation is critical triphosphate) in the muscle University of Tennessee with supplement use — some stores, which gives the muscle fibers Athletics supplements do result in small side more energy,” says Ryan Scandura, a effects that should be considered before being certified personal trainer specialized in rehab used. The safest supplement is protein, Bedel says. and therapy. Essentially, creatine is designed to He adds that the greatest potential problem with aid in stamina and recovery as well as keeping on protein is some gassiness due to overconsumption. the added muscle. Bedel, Squeri and Scandura all Beyond this, though, he says there are no reported greater level of successes when they tried significant cautions. creatine for themselves, and with their clients. “I Creatine, is a different animal. “I quit taking have benefited greatly from it,” says Bedel. “I notice them after personal experiences like nausea, I recover great using it. My energy and strength is panic attacks and even a trip to the hospital,” great when I use it as well.”

Scandura says after a combination of creatine and Recovery is another concern gym-regulars other supplements went wrong. “There are risks have. A resource to eradicate this inevitable feeling associated. These might include heart problems, is the post-workout, amino acid-replenishing kidney stones, kidney failure, liver failure, supplement. Its basic use is to increase the healing gastrointestinal issues, nausea, light-headedness of muscles in a shorter period of time. For people and others.” What’s most important, he says, is who work out daily, this is vital so they can focus to recognize the fact that everyone responds on similar muscle groups consecutively, if need differently to supplements. For instance, Bedel and be. Squeri says this replenishing component “is Squeri spoke of personal successes primarily branch chain amino acids (BCAAs),

Check out newsrecord.org over the break for the latest updates in sports and news from around campus and the Clifton community.

MFA in Creative Writing at BUTLER UNIVERSITY

A new home for creative writing in the Midwest.

www.butler.edu/mfa-writing

UNIVERSITY NIVERSITY HANUKAH CHANUKAH B”H

Tuesday December 2

MENORAH MENORAH LIGHTING LIGHTING

McMicken Commons

Monday, December 10 McMicken Commons 5:00 PM!

at 5p.m.

• Honoring:

• Huge Menorah – 18 feet tall!

• Free food: Latkes Hot Chocolate Donuts • Join together with the UC Jewish community!

Dr. Santa Ono

UC President

Lane Hart

Student Body President

Dr. Gila Naveh

Head of Judaic Studies Dept.

• The Bearcat Band • Lighting by Dr. Joel Hoffman of CCM + Remarks from: • Menorah made by DAAP Students

+A18 foot Project of: tall Chabad at UC menorah!

Joined by: Alpha Epsilon Pi

Dr. Mitch Livingston

VP for Student Affairs

+ Free FoodBinah Hillel

Drew Smith Student Body President

Dr. Gila Naveh Head of Judaic Studies Dept.

+ The Bearcat Band

*Latkes* Judaic Studies *Hot Chocolate* *Donuts*

+ Meet Jews

• 6pm - Traditional Services On Campus Experience the beauty + Menorah made by • 6:45pm - Delicious 5-course Dinner

DAAP At the Chabad House and warmth of astudents Sponsored By Chabad at UC Jewish Student Center traditional Shabbat – 2718 Digby Avenue every Friday Night!! www.ChabadatUC.com facebook.com/groups/chabadatuc

LIFE & ARTS

“Django Unchained”

“Zero Dark Thirty” Filmmakers have tried to effectively portray the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for most of the last decade. The only one to accomplish that has been “The Hurt Locker,” Kathryn Bigelow’s 2009 Academy Award-winning film. This December, Bigelow returns to the War on Terror, but this time focuses on the manhunt for Osama Bin Laden in “Zero Dark Thirty.” With a more recognizable cast, including Jessica Chastain (“The Help” and “The Tree of Life”), Chris Pratt (“Moneyball”) and Kyle Chandler (“Super 8,” “Friday Night Lights”), a quality effort in “Zero Dark Thirty” would solidify Bigelow’s status as America’s best director at portraying modern warfare on the big screen.

7

Audiences know what to expect from Quentin Tarantino. That’s not to say his liberal use of bloodshed, darkly hilarious conversations and well-tempered plot twists has gone stale. Perhaps no director since Stanley Kubrick (“A Clockwork Orange,” “The Shining”) has combined both critical and commercial appeal to the extent of Tarantino.

The director of “Pulp Fiction,” “Reservoir Dogs” and “Inglorious Bastards” returns on Christmas Day with “Django Unchained,” a Spaghetti Western set during the Civil War era. Jamie Foxx plays Django, an escaped slave who partners with bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) — winner of the 2009 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Inglorious Bastards” — in an attempt to eliminate a vicious mob and save Django’s wife.

How well “Unchained” will compare to his previous work remains unknown, but Tarantino’s upcoming offering will likely be one of the most entertaining films of 2012.just that.

Movie

“The Hobbit” “The Hobbit,” the first part of director Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth, is 2012’s most anticipated non-Batman blockbuster. As with all adaptations from page to screen, audiences will likely be split between those who read J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic and those who just want to enjoy a well-crafted fantasy film.

Written before the “Lord of the Rings” novels, “The Hobbit” is equally imaginative, if not markedly more child friendly. Whether or not Jackson can create the dramatic tension needed to satisfy his diverse audience — diehard Tolkein fans, children and movie lovers all included — represents the director’s biggest challenge to an impressive career.

Alert GEOFF DANIELS | CONTRIBUTOR

“Les Miserables” “Les Misérables” is perhaps the most wellknown and successful musical of the past 25 years. It should come as no surprise the film version features an allstar cast, including heavyweights Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. Soaring musical numbers, heavy cultural content set against the backdrop of France’s infamous June Rebellion in 1832 is sure to be a box office success — and the premier musical of the year.

THE BEST OF UC AWARDS 2012 The votes have been counted and the victors decided. With more than 19,000 votes, The News Record readers have chosen what makes up the best and brightest of the University of Cincinnati experience.

From Best Burrito to Best Residence Hall, readers voted on 24 different categories.

Check out the results below, and for more information on Best of UC, visit our website, newsrecord.org.

The Best of UC: 2012 Winners Best Chili: Skyline Chili Best Burger: Five Guys Burgers and Fries Best Clifton Bar: Woody’s Best Spirit Wear: DuBois Bookstore Best Tattoo/Piercing: Beelistic Best Fraternity: Pi Kappa Alpha Best Dining Hall: MarketPointe Best Rental Company: Uptown Rental Properties Best Chinese: King Wok Best Coffee: Rohs Street Cafe Best Ice Cream: Graeter’s Best Burrito: Chipotle Best Indian: Krishna Indian Carryout Best Pizza: Dewey’s Best Newport Bar: Hofbrauhaus Best Clothing Shop: Urban Outfitters Best Late-Night Eatery: Toppers

Best Sandwich: Penn Station Best Concerts: Riverbend Best Bagel: Brueggers Best Residence Hall: Daniels Hall Best Breakfast: Panera Best Ethnic Cuisine: Chicago Gyros Best Cookies: Potbelly’s Best Fast Food: Chipotle

To promote the value of equality among each sorority, Leah Howell, student activities and leadership development manager, requested there to be no category for Best Sorority.

“While [each sorority] values our individuality, what we value most is our unity,” she said. “We are all sisters. Every organization that is on campus brings a unique and vibrant piece to the UC community. We wouldn’t be as exceptional without any one of those organizations.”

10

NEWS SG approves bill for holiday event

DANI KOKOCHAK | SENIOR REPORTER

The University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Student Government passed several bills sponsoring holiday events on campus at the senate meeting Wednesday.

Senators discussed a bill concerning the sponsorship of “Santa Claus Ono Is Coming To Town,” a holiday caroling event on the Tangeman University Center steps Dec. 10.

Ono is expected to be dressed as Santa Claus and will be available to take photos with students.

Some senators expressed concern about the holiday event including only those students who celebrate religious connotations of Christmas.

“It will include songs from the Christian holiday of Christmas, from Kwanza, from Hanukkah, as well as other winter-time songs that are secular so we thought that it would be inclusive of other holidays that are going on around the same time,” said Student Body President Lane Hart.“We wanted to make sure it wasn’t an event centered around the Christian holiday.”

The bill moved to appropriate $715 from the programming line item of the SG budget to cover the cost of sound equipment and a photo booth for the event.

After concern was expressed towards the cost of the photo booth, senators agreed to appropriate $165 from the

programming line item for sound equipment only.

Senate also discussed a bill concerning the sponsorship of the Chanukah Candle Lighting on MckMicken Commons Dec. 10.

The event serves the purpose of educating students on the Jewish culture and how they celebrate Hanukkah, and the meaning of the holiday.

“They wanted it to be as inclusive as possible just to let people know that [the Jewish holiday] is something they could learn from,” said Sabrina Johnson, residence hall advisor senator and associate vice president of special interest cultural affairs.

The bill appropriated $132 from the office supplies line item of the SG budget to fund the Chanukah Candle Lighting.

Students and faculty who attend the candle lighting event are encouraged to attend the holiday caroling event on the TUC steps directly afterwards.

“We purposely put [the caroling event] right after the menorah lighting event… so we could get some of those people and people would be encouraged to come to both events,” Hart said.

The bills concerning SG sponsorship of the caroling event and menorah lighting event were passed in the senate by majority vote.

For more campus news coverage, check newsrecord.org.

kara driscoll | news EDITOR

HO HO HO The University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Student Government appropriated $715 from its programming allocation funds to cover some costs of a holiday event for students. UC President Santa Ono will dress as Santa Claus to greet and take pictures with students on the Tangeman University Center steps Dec. 10.

Commissioners vote to reduce tax rebate Board approves rollback to pay for sports stadiums

BENJAMIN GOLDSCHMIDT | CHIEF REPORTER The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to reduce the property tax rebate in order to pay for the city’s two professional sports stadiums.

The board approved the rollback on property tax deductibles by a 2-1 vote, with County Commissioner Todd Portune the only one to support an increase in sales tax to fund projects. Board President

Greg Hartman and Commissioner Chris Monzel voted for the rollback.

“Either way, you know, I’m disappointing someone, I’m not standing up for something I said,” Monzel said.“It’s the catch 22.”

Monzel noted neither an increase in sales tax nor a rollback on the property tax deductible is fair to taxpayers, but favored the rollback because it might allow the Board to return some money to taxpayers.

Portune, with the minority vote, favored raising the sales tax a quarter

cent because it would generate revenue from everyone who likely uses the stadiums from surrounding counties, not just Hamilton County homeowners, and said it was the most equitable solution.

“For 12 years as a commissioner, I have fought to make certain that we not only kept the fund in balance, that we not only held the teams feet to the fire … but that we also honored 100 percent our commitment to homeowners and property owners that we not reduce the property tax rollback,” Portune said.

A few attendees reminded the board

of the promise it made in 1996 — when voters approved building the stadiums — to not rollback deductions on property taxes.

While Monzel viewed the property tax solution as the lesser of two evils, he raised concerns about possible Bengals’ reactions to $33 million of taxpayer money being on-hand.

“With this $33 million, I don’t think the Bengals will wait a second until they can come down here and say, ‘We want that $18-million scoreboard, because we know you have $33 million,’” Monzel said.

NEW YEAR’S EVE

MASQUERADE BALL 2013

M O N D A Y , D E C E M B E R 3 1 ST Count down with style and mystique...Reveal yourself at midnight..

Masks provided.

Doors open at 9PM Champagne toast. available Heavily passed hors d'oeuvres until 11pm. $25 Tickets at www.cincyticket.com Music conducted by DJ

Storm and DJ Sinceer.

Jacket optional. Fashionable Behavior a must. $25 Tickets available at www.cincyticket.com RSVP table & hotel reservations joe@fb-cincy.com

126 West 6th St Downtown Cincinnati

513-200-9596 www.fb-cincy.com

LIFE & ARTS UC men put on ‘Secret’ pink show 12

ANNIE MOORE | SENIOR REPORTER

The Clifton community got a little “Pink” during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show watch party at Bogart’s Tuesday night.

The event featured drink specials, Pink merchandise raffles and a bigscreen viewing of the annual fashion show.

In its second decade, the Victoria’s Secret fashion show draws millions of viewers nationwide every year.

University of Cincinnati male cheerleaders and Greek members strutted down a makeshift runway to the sounds of DJ T.O., dressed in Pink gear, which they threw into the crowd and gave to raffle winners.

“We thought [the cheerleaders] would be a good way to give the event a UC feel,” said Arielle Marasligiller, a Victoria’s Secret Pink Campus representative. “We thought it would help get people to come.”

Approximately 200 people attended the event.

Third-year nursing student Erin Williamson said she came for the giveaways and to support her friends, while second-year nursing student Rachel Hopkins said she came because she loves Victoria’s Secret.

The Pink representatives try to host an event every month, said Marasligiller.

“We’ve hosted a tailgating party, a yoga event, as well as an event at Kenwood Mall this semester,” she said.

Created in 2002, Pink is Victoria’s Secret’s sub-brand that attracts late teen and college-age women.

In 10 years, it’s expanded to include entire collegiate collections with licensed merchandise from universities across the country — including the University of Cincinnati.

For more information about things going on around campus, check out newsrecord.org. If you have a tip for us, or see we aren’t covering something you feel is important, let us know by emailing newsrecord. living@gmail.com or manager. newsrecord@gmail.com

Former UC Basketball star ‘globetrotting’ KEITH BIERYGOLICK | MANAGING EDITOR Former University of Cincinnati basketball player Darnell Wilks didn’t get picked in the 2011 NBA draft, but he ended up on a team arguably more famous than any of the 30 NBA teams — the Harlem Globetrotters.

“Other guys want to go to the NBA and stuff like that,” Wilks said. “I get more out of people coming to the games and every time they see me — or see me out and about as a Globetrotter — they got a smile on their face because they had a great experience with the Globetrotters.”

Wilks drew the Globetrotters’ attention when he showcased his freakish athletic ability in the State Farm College Dunk competition at the Final Four. The Globetrotters invited Wilks to a tryout and gave him the nickname “Spider” — because he’ always climbing to go get the basketball — after he made the team.

TNT Maddox, only the ninth female player in the team’s history and first to play with the Globetrotters since 1993, appreciates having a player with Wilks’ leaping ability on her team.

“For a guard, having Spider — we call him Spider — on your team is like a dream come true,” Maddox said. “You can pretty much throw the ball anywhere around the rim and he’ll go get it. He makes you look good.”

The Globetrotter’s main goal might be to entertain the crowd with highflying dunks and fancy trick passes, but that doesn’t mean Wilks doesn’t work hard. In fact, Wilks thinks he’s in better shape now than he was at UC. “The biggest difference [between the Globetrotters and UC] would be having a game every single day,” Wilks said.

“To be honest, it’s a lot more [work] with the Globetrotters than it was playing college basketball.”

Maddox, whose journey after playing at Temple University took her to Sweden for two years, calls the team’s schedule“a grind.”She estimates from December to

April she’ll play in 120 games — not counting exhibitions outside the United States. An NBA team, whose season is two months longer, only plays 82 games.

Despite the amount of basketball they play, Wilks and Maddox aren’t just basketball players. They’re ambassadors of the sport.

“You gotta be able to entertain, be able to — when people come out to the games — you gotta be able to put a smile on their faces, you gotta be able to talk to people,” Wilks said. “There’s a lot that goes into being a Harlem Globetrotter that’s more than just basketball.”

Maddox watched the Globetrotters play for the first time when she was seven, and also caught the team one night after basketball practice in college.

“I was just as impressed then as I was when I was seven,” she said. “To be a part of that now is definitely honoring.”

A part of that honor is the opportunity she’s been presented with to be a role model to young girls across the country.

“It’s definitely a big responsibility,” Maddox said. “It’s crazy to know that doing something I love to do can make such a big difference in someone’s life.”

The Globetrotters strive to impact lives off the court and leave families with lasting memories on it -something the players can’t help but get caught up in.

“It’s amazing,” Wilks said. “I plan on being a Globetrotter as long as my legs allow me to go out there and play.”

How to go: Where: US Bank Arena When: Dec. 29 Time: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Other Bearcats who played for Globetrotters: John Howard, Jesse Jemison, Melvin Levett, Jermaine Tate and Anthony McClain

13

LIFE & ARTS

‘Anna Karenina’ lives up to classic novel Jake Scott | Staff Reporter Adapting a love story from a novel is no trivial task, and while “Anna Karenina” lives up to the Leo Tolstoy novel of the same name with a good cast and superb acting, but tricky scenes sometimes find a way to overshadow the positives.

“Anna Karenina” takes place in 19th century Moscow during politically pressing times. Through a web of relations, two high profile aristocrats become involved in the scandal of the century. What is explored, however, is the capacity of the human heart, and how far one is willing to go for true happiness.

Keira Knightley (“Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Pride and Prejudice”) portrays Anna Karenina — the wife of a famous Moscow aristocrat — and delivers a dazzling performance. Knightley conveys the torment of a woman who put everything on the line, only to watch it all fall apart.

Photo by Laurie Sparham Knightley’s co-star provides a charming TOLSTOY ON SCREEN Jude Law (Aleksei Karenin) and Kiera Knightly (Anna performance.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Karenina) star in “Anna Karenina.” An uncompromising plot makes the adaptation of (none other than the title character from the 1877 novel a little hard to follow, but the acting makes it more than worthwhile. superhero comedy “Kick-Ass”) plays Alexei

Vronsky, a high-ranking military officer hell-bent on winning over Anna.

The blend of politics and romance carries one of the film’s major themes — corruption.

Just one of its themes, “Anna Karenina” seems almost an embodiment of Dante’s nine circles, with lust and heresy predominant throughout the entire film.

With other big names like Jude Law (“The Talented Mr. Ripley”) and Matthew MacFayden (“Pride and Prejudice”), it’s impossible not to praise the cast.

Having said that, Joe Wright’s directorial approach and script are often a bit excessive.

While the film flows beautifully, one can’t help but become confused in certain scenes.

The events transpiring are still clear enough to make the film work very well. All in all, the film — which has already been nominated for multiple Satellite Awards — definitely has a shot at being one of this year’s best romance movies.

Check out newsrecord.org for the latest updates in movies, music and entertainment news.

‘Killing Them Softly’ needs lesson in subtlety Jacob Grieco | Staff reporter

“America is not a country; it’s a business,” exclaims Jackie (Brad Pitt), during the final scene in “Killing Them Softly,” directed by Andrew Dominik.

The story takes place during the 2008 presidential election, as the audience is often reminded. Each scene from the opening scene until halfway through the film begins with either President Obama or George W. Bush delivering a speech concerning the economy.

A small-time group of criminals holdup a large criminal operation’s card game and take their money, resulting in a recession of the criminal economy. Jackie is hired by the organized crime bosses to put everything back to normal — which means killing everyone involved.

“Killing Them Softly” is more message than a narrative. America’s recession in the film is paralleled to a criminal economic collapse, although the message seems forced and left no room for character development. The only time the characters are not used to provide clichéd support for the message, they tell

irrelevant stories with Tarentino-esque low-life dialogue used to cement their criminal image.

The cinematography proves to be one of the film’s strong points. In one scene, Jackie rides in the backseat of a car his henchman is driving, and as they pull up next to their victim and Jackie pulls out his gun, the scene reverts to slow motion and the audience witnesses gruesome details of bullets passing through his brain.

The most interesting part of this scene is what happened to the car window. The window is initially broken in half leaving only the bottom intact. Each bullet shatters small portions of the window adding broken glass into the mess of blood and brains flying at the camera.

This scene embodies the entire film.

After the first bullet, the audience knows the man is dead, but the scene is extended to leave no questions.

Dominik’s “Killing Them Softly” needs a lesson on subtlety. He beats the audience over the head with his message so much it’s no wonder the movie finished in a pathetic seventh place on its opening weekend.

Courtesy of the weinstein company

KEEPING CRIMINALS IN CHECK Jackie (Brad Pitt) is hired by organized crime bosses to bring the economic state of the crime industry back to normal. Pitt puts in another solid performance, but the movie itself lacks subtlety. “Killing Them Softly” contrasts the economic crisis of 2008 with the seedy criminal underworld. The film is unrelenting in its juxtaposition of the two events. The director almost makes up for his lack of subtlety with fluid camera movement, but it’s not enough

CK-IN RENTAL CHE RETURN YOUR RENTAL BOOKS

DECEMBER 15

CASH for

BOOKS Visit uc.edu/bookstore for buyback hours and locations

UC BOOKSTORE | TANGEMAN UNIVERSITY CENTER /UCbookstores *NO PURCH NEC. VOID WHERE PROHIB BY LAW. Accrue points towards entries for a chance to win a $100 bookstore gift card. “The Game” is valid at the time of this publication and ends on 12/31/12 at 11:59:59 PM PT. Go to http://play.acmeloyalty.com/rules/termsandconditions-holiday.htm for Official Rules and details on entry instructions, winner selection, prizes, how to obtain an entry without sending a text message, etc. Open to eligible, legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. 16+.

Supported Carriers: Alltel, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Cellcom, Cellular South, Cincinnati Bell, Nextel, nTelos, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless.

Play for your chance to WIN bookstore gift cards & cool badges!

Text: 0032 to TEXTBK (839825) *We do not charge for SMS. Carrier message and data rates may apply. You can opt out of SMS messages at any time by texting STOP to TEXTBK (839825). Text HELP for help. Msg&Data Rates May Apply. Up to 4 msgs/week.

THANK YOU! For Voting Uptown Rentals UC’s “Best Of” Rental Company 2012 2nd Year in a Row! Now Leasing Studios to 6 Bedrooms!

Best Locations Around Campus!

Smart Move... www.uptownrents.com

513-861-9394