Inside Beat 2010-01-21

INSIDEBEAT JANUARY 21, 2010 • VOL. 28, NO. 1

THE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE OF THE DAILY TARGUM

A decade at Rutgers You couldn’t have been a super-senior for THAT long

EDITORIAL BOARD M ARGARET D ARIAS ..................................... EDITOR S TACY D OUEK ............................ ASSISTANT EDITOR NIDHI SARAIYA.............................................BOOKS EDITOR A DRIENNE V OGT .................................... COPY EDITOR MICHAEL MALVASIO.................................FASHION EDITOR EMILY SCHACHTMAN........................................FILM EDITOR JASON STIVES...................................................MUSIC EDITOR R AMON D OMPOR ...................... PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR TOM WRIGHT-PIERSANTI....................................TV EDITOR THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS TO INSIDE BEAT : Amanda Litchkowski, Amy Rowe, Becca Zandstein, Ilana Kaplan, Jason Pearl, Jennifer Carlin, Laura Silverman, Leah Felner, Natalia Tamzoke, Nicole Klein, and Rosanna Volis Cover photo courtesy of allmoviephoto.com.

INSIDEBEAT Rutgers Student Center 126 College Avenue, Suite 431 New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Phone (732) 932-2013 Fax (732) 246-7299 Email beat@dailytargum.com Web www.inside-beat.com Advertising in Inside Beat, Call (732) 932-7051 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

January 21, 2010

Column

The Old Fart in a Chic 21-Year-Old Body

BY JASON STIVES MUSIC EDITOR

I have found that having an expertise in music has its strengths and weaknesses. On the upside, being knowledgeable in a certain field means you will be called upon frequently by drunken friends playing trivia games and family members desperately trying to figure out “Double Jeopardy!” The downside is that on an almost regular basis you will find people who impose their snobbish taste on you, finding yourself feeling not only inferior to them but idiotic.

Being trendy in musical taste is a trait I have come to despise in many fellow music scholars, mainly for the fact that whatever is considered hip is un-hip to them. Liking mainstream music is an unpopular, corporate mindset that to them means you can never equal their expertise, let alone appreciate the quality of music they thrive on. Honestly, it falls on a personal image that these people try to enforce about who they are in reference to Everyday Joe’s.

I have never been one to enforce an image because, realistically, whatever I do to change my

status, my look and my living conditions, deep down I’m the same person. If I throw on an Abercrombie & Fitch pullover, gel my hair and put on a Fleet Foxes album, I’m still the guy in the loose jeans with the same Led Zeppelin T-shirt he wore when he worked at Hot Topic back in high school. I’m not a surfer in board shorts because I’m not good with water; I’m a rather timid washer to begin with. I don’t wear sandals in winter — it’s January out and I have a cold so I can never be comfortable in that kind of image.

This is the same belief I have about the chic culture that wannabe New Yorkers and Philadelphians try to thrive on by listening to the newest bands in Brooklyn. The hipster culture is the biggest offender because many of them are so fake in their noncorporate living — eating from Whole Foods, riding Fixie bikes and living with six other starving art students in a row house.

Some readers may sit there and say that’s not true, but week in and week out I see a lot of these people filter in and out of the record store I work at. They come

BY AMANDA LITCHKOWSKI

carousel that hangs suspended over a plasma ball, a funky and slightly deranged sculpture that Tim Burton is weird. prepares exhibit-goers for the full If that is not common knowl- Tim Burton experience in the edge, then nonbelievers should next room. check out the Museum of Modern If what is present in the main Art’s exhibit dedicated to the mas- gallery does not provide ample intermind behind Edward Scis- sight into Burton’s mind, then sorhands, The Nightmare Before nothing short of electroshock Christmas and many other disturb- therapy will. The walls are lined ing yet visually addicting films. with series of drawings and paintThe Tim Burton exhibit, ings from different phases of Burwhich opened in November, oc- ton’s life organized into three time cupies the Special Exhibitions periods: “Surviving Burbank” Galler y on the third floor of the (1958-76), “Beautifying Burbank” MoMA. Jam-packed into this sin- (1977-84), and “Beyond Burbank” gle gallery are Burton’s personal (1985-present). sketches, video shorts, film The art in “Surviving Burprops, character designs and let- bank” is exactly what one would ters to directors and actors. imagine from a young imaginative Viewers enter the exhibit mind growing up in middle-class through the mouth of a crazed suburbia. Round, wide-eyed chilmonster and proceed into a black- dren fight off monsters and deand-white striped hallway spotted ranged clowns lurk with fangs and with screens playing episodes of psychotic smiles.

Burton’s Web project, The World “Beautifying Burbank” displays of Stainboy. At the end of the hall Burton’s early professional work, in a UV-lit room stands a variety such as a film called Vincent in of monsters dangling from a neon which Burton describes the main character, a small lonely boy, as having a “poetic yet slightly melodramatic feel.”

Viewers begin to see a pattern: oddball miserable children with good intentions on a quest to survive, if not to be accepted.

Monsters transform into villains as they get a little more intricate, a little more human and a little more symbolic. In “Beyond Burbank,” viewers feast their eyes upon character sketches for Big Fish, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd.

Rows of Jack Skellington heads (from The Nightmare COURTESY OF MICHAEL LOCASIANO Before Christmas) express

STAFF WRITER

in packs of three or four, normally with their hipster girlfriends in toe with the hand knit bags they make —reeking from depriving themselves of baths for several days.

I have seen them laugh at me and my fellow employees for not knowing a trendy new band they discovered that we don’t have in stock. Their superior mindset is the equivalent of the modern-day bully, but regardless of the fact that they annoy me, I don’t find their existence inferior to mine. Individuality is something we sadly lack among the mass culture in this country.

We are all fighting to be like each other in one way or another but my personal appeal lies solely in my own sense of satisfaction.

The fact that I act as an individual with no personal label makes me feel better about myself than most of these people probably do about themselves. The music I like is of a wide variety; I’m not reinventing the wheel by discovering new bands or rediscovering old ones. I’m just doing it to have a greater appreciation for the music community around me, not to be the next in line in a bunch of followers looking for a place in life.

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Tim Burton’s Modern Art

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Page 2 • Inside Beat

the many different emotions of the film’s beloved protagonist as a gigantic statue of Edward Scissorhands blankly stares at the crowd around him.

Burton’s serious emotional conflict revolving around his childhood is most noticeable throughout the exhibit. Drawing after drawing sheds light into the deepest and darkest corners of Burton’s psyche as viewers gape at illustrations of small children standing alone in blood-splattered rooms. Stainboy, of The World of Stainboy, is told that he is a “deviate, sick, no-good-to-society freak of nature,” and suddenly Edward Scissorhands appears a bit clearer to its fans.

Without a doubt, Bur ton’s work is glaringly unique, and his development in Pop Surrealism is invaluable. Yet, wall after wall of melancholy and doom grows old fast, and to viewers’ surprise they cannot distinguish one monster from another they saw 10 minutes ago.

As a fan anticipating the release of Alice in Wonderland in March, I was shocked to find that the most appealing part of the exhibit to be a series of cynical cartoons done in the early-to-mid-80s. A pair of eyeballs strips an unsuspecting woman as a caption reads, “He’s undressing her with his eyes.” Others in the series also display literal interpretation of romantic clichés.

After wading through throngs of hipsters, tourists, art students and the occasional goths, the Tim Bur ton exhibit is fascinating but repetitive. On top of that, the crowds are nearly unbearable. Too much art and too many people packed into the same galler y do not make for a satisfying experience.

Theater

January 21, 2010

Inside Beat • Page 3

Radio City Christmas Spectacular Radio City Music Hall | B+

BY BECCA ZANDSTEIN STAFF WRITER

Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular will have audiences leaving the historic theater tr ying to kick as high as a Rockette with melodious Christmas songs ingrained in their head. Although the stor y behind the show is about two brothers who find Santa, the main attraction is undoubtedly the Rockettes. Their world famous eye-high kicks and precision dancing will have viewers’ eyes glued to them until the curtains slowly conceal the Rockettes and their beauty.

The quick costume changes and perfection of the Rockettes’ performance are stunning. If the dance routines aren’t enough, the Rockettes sing in delightful harmony. From the wooden soldier dance to the ragdoll arrangement, they leave ever yone begging for more.

The show has gone through a few changes from previous

years to appeal to younger crowds and keep them enticed throughout the show: There is now a 3-D scene shown from a television screen on stage and there is no intermission. Christmas Spectacular lures in a demographic consisting of not only adolescents but also college students and elders. Never theless, these changes were seen as mandator y to keep the influx of audience constant.

However, the acting is not Tony Award-worthy. The best actors are usually young, vibrant and talented Broadway hopefuls at the peak of their career who can deliver solos that will give listeners chills. The two main actors in Spectacular are juvenile and still need time to develop their skills and let their voices mature. The Rockettes always steal the spotlight at the perfect moment and easily keep it.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular has become a tradition for many families and one that will create long lasting memories.

Theater’s 10 in 2010

BY NATALIA TAMZOKE • STAFF WRITER

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While many may still be ringing in the New Year, the New York theater scene is welcoming new shows into their spring lineup.

Here is a sneak peek of what to expect:

1

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (Cort Theater, 138 West 48th St.) Taking place in the 1950s, the story focuses on an Italian-American longshoreman, Eddie Carbone, and his increasing obsession with his teenage niece, Catherine. Revival of the 1955 play by Arthur Miller (The Crucible, Death of a Salesman).

Starring: Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber. This show is currently previewing. Opening is set for Jan. 24.

2

THE MIRACLE WORKER (Circle in the Square Theatre, 1633 Broadway) This play revolves around Helen Keller’s life and her relationship with Annie Sullivan, the teacher who taught her how to communicate with others despite her disabilities.

Revival of the 1959 play by William Gibson.

Starring: Abigail Breslin and Alison Pill. Previews begin Feb. 12. The opening is set for March 3.

3

A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 West 45th St.) As a man searches for his missing hand, a bickering couple enters and tries to con him into buying one. Much like other works by Martin McDonagh, this dark comedy is aimed to make the audience laugh and cringe.

Starring: Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Anthony Mackie and Zoe Kazan. Previews begin Feb. 15. The opening is set for March 3.

TIME STANDS STILL (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th St.) A play about a war journalist and photographer who are forced to return home and cope with living a normal life.

Starring: Eric Bogosian, Brian d’Arcy James, Laura Linney and Alicia Silverstone. This show is currently previewing. The opening is set for Jan. 28.

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COURTESY OF THEADDAMSFAMILYMUSICAL.COM SPIDER-MAN, TURN OFF THE DARK (Hilton Theatre, 213 West 42nd St.) Based on the Marvel comic, this has been highly anticipated for quite a while. Though funding has been low, the hope is for this production to go up some time this year. Featuring music by Bono and The Edge and a book by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger.

Starring: Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming. Dates TBA.

6

THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th St.) Inspired by the macabre cartoon characters created by Charles Addams. Musical written by Andrew Lippa, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.

Starring: Nathan Lane, Bebe Neuwirth, Carolee Carmello, Kevin Chamberlin, Jackie Hoffman. Previews begin March 4. The opening is set for April 8.

7

COME FLY AWAY (Marquis Theater, 1535 Broadway) Twyla Tharp’s new musical spotlights the relationships of four couples as they fall in and out of love at a nightclub one evening. Features the music of Frank Sinatra.

Starring: Matthew Dibble, Holley Farmer, Laura Mead, Charlie Neshyba-Hodges, Rika Okamoto, Karine Plantadit, Keith Roberts and John Selya. Previews begin March 1. The opening is set for March 25.

8

AMERICAN IDIOT (St. James Theater, 246 West 44th St.) Based on the Green Day album, this musical focuses on the rocky lives of three friends dealing with issues ranging from drug addiction to fathering an unexpected child to being deployed to fight a war.

The musical moves to New York City after a successful run at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Cast is not official, though it may star John Gallagher Jr. (Tony Award winner, Spring Awakening). Previews begin March 24. The opening is set for April 20.

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (Longacre Theater, 220 West 48th St.) When a gay couple’s straight son brings home his ultra-conservative in-laws, chaos ensues in this revival of the 1983 Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman creation. Based off the French play by Jean Poiret.

Starring: Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge. Previews begin April 16. The opening is set for April 18.

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PROMISES, PROMISES (Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway at 53rd) A good-natured bachelor tries to get ahead in his company by loaning out his apartment to executives and their mistresses. However, complications arise when one of the women happens to be a woman he has loved from afar. Based on the 1960 film The Apartment. A Neil Simon/Burt Bacharach/Hal David creation.

Starring: Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth. Previews begin March 28. The opening is set for April 25.

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Page 4 • Inside Beat

January 21, 2010

TV

Make It or Break It ABC Family, Mondays at 9 p.m. | B

BY BECCA ZANDSTEIN STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

TNT, Mondays at 10 p.m. | B

Men of a Certain Age

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BY AMANDA LITCHKOWSKI Men of a Certain Age prides itself on mediocrity. Its humor falls far from laugh-out-loud and its storyline consists of nothing but the day-today lives of three middle-aged men. Even so, the show possesses an undeniable feel-good quality that keeps viewers hooked.

Every Monday night, Men of a Certain Age recounts new obstacles in the lives of Joe (Ray Romano), a recent divorcée who owns a party supply store; Terry (Scott Bakula), a self-proclaimed lifelong bachelor who cannot break into the acting world; and Owen (Andre Braugher), a diabetic car salesman with a family on his hands and his father as a boss.

All three have been friends since college.

The show was created by Ray Romano and Mike Royce, two screenwriting geniuses who worked together on Everybody Loves Raymond. Although Romano’s new dramatic comedy is a complete change from his sitcom of nine seasons, his observational humor and focus on character development vibrantly stand out in Men.

Make It or Break It takes portrayals of gymnasts to a new level. It shows the pretty and the ugly while demonstrating the importance of teamwork and inspiration. The hit series, now in its second season on ABC Family, follows a group of teenage gymnasts training at The Rock gym on their quest to win the Olympic gold medal. The show tries to reassure women that achieving one’s dreams is possible, despite even when slightly absurd. Although it is obvious that the actresses don’t do their own stunts, the show is still luring in girls of all ages ever y Monday evening.

Chelsea Hobbs (The L Word) plays Emily Kmetko, the new girl at The Rock who takes risks to prove that it’s all about talent, not money. Lauren Tanner (Cassie Scerbo, Bring It On: In It to Win It) is the gymnast who loves backstabbing girl-fights and focuses more on balancing men and money than her balance beam routine. Ayla Kell, an upand-coming actress, plays Payson Keeler, the top gymnast at The Rock whose sight only consists of gold medals. After falling at Nationals, a back injur y disqualifies Payson, and Kaylie Cruz takes first place instead.

Even though Kaylie (Josie Loren, 17 Again) has the voice of a

squealing cheerleader with asthma, she manages to become the town’s beloved celebrity, but is distracted by love and risks her career by dating.

Due to an affair between The Rock’s first coach, Marty Walsh, and Kaylie’s mother, Lauren’s father tries to use this to his and Lauren’s advantage. But instead the gym settles for Sasha Beloff (Neil Jackson, Quantum of Solace) as their coach, returning the gym to elite status. Then, to ever yone’s surprise, Marty Walsh is chosen to be the coach of the national team, which only means drama for all of those involved with The Rock. The gymnasts may have the talent to win gold but might leave the Olympics empty-handed because of their lack of unity and focus, if they even make it there.

Make It or Break It would greatly benefit from having more realistic stunts and focus more on the sport visually. The main actresses don’t quite depict gymnasts physically — they lack toned muscles and look fragile. Yet Make It or Break It draws in a large audience because of the endless drama and realistic modern portrayals of family issues. The show intertwines each family and team member to demonstrate the essential objective of teamwork. We are all individuals, but when two or more are put together, the potential to accomplish something eyeopening is inevitable.

For twentysomethings, watching Men of a Certain Age might feel a little bit like watching their parents on TV, except they are funnier and embarrassing someone else. We, the younger viewers, roll our eyes as Joe tries to read his daughter’s texts — he would have been able to, he says, “if her phone wasn’t a damn Rubik’s cube.” We are slightly disgusted by Terr y’s relationship with a 25-year-old coffee shop employee. And we silently hope that when we are reaching the age of 50 we won’t be overweight and have to wear an oxygen mask during sleep like Owen.

As college students, Men may not be our nighttime program of choice. We would rather feast our eyes upon shows like The Jersey Shore where stupidity runs amuck and whose only message is that mocking guidos is now officially socially acceptable. This aversion is expected because Men is not targeted at us; it aims to reach viewers approaching midlife crises and contemplating the average-ness of their existences. Yet viewers can be satisfied by Men of a Cer tain Age, where the lessons learned from ever yday challenges make life worth living.

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Books

January 21, 2010

Inside Beat • Page 5

January

New Books for the New Year

BY NIDHI SARAIYA BOOKS EDITOR

Mark your calendars. There might not be a new Harry Potter, Twilight or Dan Brown book on the horizon, but 2010 promises to be a great year for book lovers with a diverse range of books to be released in the next few months.

Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert

March

The author of the bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love returns with a sequel that focuses on giving marriage a second chance. Gilbert and her new love Felipe vow never to wed, only to find that circumstances force matrimony upon them in order to save their relationship. No longer a starry-eyed bride, Gilbert reexamines her feelings and knowledge about marriage and takes readers along for the ride.

House Rules by Jodi Picoult Jodi Picoult is back with House Rules, a novel that explores the effects of Asperger’s Syndrome on a child and his family. Jacob Hunt is a forensic mastermind and social outcast. When his gifts for solving crime, along with his odd Asperger’s-based behavior, land in the middle of a murder investigation, it is up to his family to bring the truth to light.

Joe Hill’s latest novel shows the dark side of grief. Ignatius Perrish had it all — a wealthy family, a touch of fame and a loving girlfriend named Merrin. But that is all taken away when Merrin is mysteriously found raped and killed. Although he is not charged with the crime, everyone in town suspects him to have used his parents’ connections to get away with the murder. Punished by public opinion and in mourning, Ig finds his inner demons are getting the best of him. He vows to find the person responsible for killing Merrin at any cost.

Get Back into the Reading Game

BY NIDHI SARAIYA BOOKS EDITOR

Many of us start the new year by making a list of goals that we plan to achieve in the next 12 months. Lost between the vows to exercise, eat healthier and study more may be the words “read more books.”

While this is a good intention, it isn’t enough to just make empty promises. After all, we all know the road that good intentions pave. If you are finding it difficult to crack open a book, here are some pointers that might help you get back into the reading game.

REREAD A FAVORITE

As cliché as it sounds, reading can be like riding a bicycle. It can be difficult to motivate yourself to read a 500 page book if you aren’t an avid reader, no matter how much your friends tell you that you’ll love it. So start simple: Pick up one of your favorite books lying around the house and rediscover your love of reading.

AUDIOBOOKS

Audiobooks are a great way to get around the “I’m too busy to sit down and read a book” excuse. They are perfect for commuters too. So instead of being bored during long drives or staring idly out of a window on a bus or train, try listening to an audiobook.

SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS

Given our Twitter-sized attention spans, it should be no surprise that short story collections are all the rage lately. The best part about short stories is that they are, well, short. There just isn’t time to create a dramatic buildup, so the author wastes no time in telling the story. But that’s not to say that short stories lack the big picture that larger works provide. A good short story author writes stories that play off of each other to send the reader a message through different perspectives. So, if you want to read a thought-provoking tale but you can’t commit yourself to a long book, reading a short story collection can be an excellent compromise.

February

Horns by Joe Hill

Rutgers Exit 9

A Decade in Review Although the average stay in New Brunswick is only about 4 or 5 years, or 20 minutes depending on your commuting schedule, this city has beared witness to many familiar passers-by in the past decade. nd of an u o S e h T ss Story e c c u S NJ

In his 2007 book, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Goodbye, Rutgers graduate and Hub City busybody Ronen Kauffman gave a detailed account of the then-budding New Brunswick music scene during his college years in the 90s. Acts like Lifetime and the Bouncing Souls were prominent couch surfers in houses around the University as well as the lords of the basement shows, creating a strong influence on young teens in attendance. If 90s New Brunswick was the building blocks for a thriving music scene, the first decade of the 21st century was the mainstream takeover.

Thanks to acts like Thursday, Streetlight Manifesto and The Gaslight Anthem, New COURTESY OF BRICKFISH.COM Brunswick became a term in itself, used to describe thriving music made by hard-working Jersey stiffs. The dividing line between the college town atmosphere and middle class living among the city gave rise to some of the most truthful sounds in popular music. Both Thursday and The Gaslight Anthem have become chart mainstays thanks to some critically acclaimed albums over the past decades.

Even a few Rutgers graduates have found chart success in between their busy class schedules and weekly cycle of bad dining hall dinners. Cobra Starship frontman Gabe Saporta had his first taste of fame back in 2002 thanks to his group Midtown, which formed in the heart of the University and went on to minor chart success and mass exposure on MTV2 and Fuse music channels. Along with acts like My Chemical Romance and Senses Fail, New Brunswick, along with the rest of the New Jersey music scene, played an integral part in the development of some of this past decade’s most popular music — both mainstream and underground.

— Jason Stives

TOP, STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO; RIGHT, THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM; BOTTOM, THURSDAY

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Most Rutgers students are probably unaware of the fact that several of their teachers have made great contributions to the world of literature. David Levering Lewis made history in 2001 when he won his second Pulitzer Prize in the Biography or Autobiography category for his second volume on the life of W. E. B. Du Bois. By winning a Pulitzer for the first part of the biography in 1994, Lewis, who taught history at Rutgers at the time, became the first author to win two Pulitzer Prizes for consecutive biographical works.

More recently, three more Rutgers professors, Annette Gordon-Reed, Mark Doty and Jayne Anne Phillips have been nationally recognized for their writing. Gordon-Reed, who teaches history, received the 2008 National Book Award for Non-Fiction, the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for History and several other honors for writing The Hemingses of Monticello, which details Thomas Jefferson’s complex blood relationship with the black Hemings family. The National Book Foundation also recognized English professors Doty and Phillips. Doty won the 2008 National Book Award for Poetry for Fire to Fire: New and Collected Poems and Phillips was a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award for Fiction for Lark and Termite.

Rutgers alumni have also had their fair share of success with books. Junot Díaz, who graduated in 1992, has become a fixture in the fiction world following his 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction with The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Díaz was even one of the fiction judges that chose to honor Phillips’ book for the National Book Awards this year. Perennial bestselling author Janet Evanovich is also a Rutgers graduate. Her latest book in her Stephanie Plum series, Finger Lickin’ Fifteen, was released in June 2009 and was the 10th consecutive book in the series to debut at number one on The New York Times’ bestsellers list for hardcover fiction.

— Nidhi Saraiya

Scarle t on th e Silver Screen Though Rutgers has hosted some very smart and talented independent directors in the last decade at the New Jersey Film Festival, an equally interesting trend is the multitude of independent and mainstream films that have been made in the Jersey area. Last year’s The Wrestler, for instance, was filmed on location in Central and Northern New Jersey. Other films from 2000 and beyond that were filmed in and take place around Rutgers’ home turf include Clerks II, The Station Agent, Sherrybaby, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Garden State and A Beautiful Mind. Whether through student efforts or those of Hollywood, Rutgers and New Jersey are undoubtedly still home to some great cinematic efforts.

— Emily Shachtman COURTESY OF ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM

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When looking back at the fashion industry in the ’00s, both Marc Ecko and Michele Promaulayko are Rutgers alumni that stand out as leaders in the design and publication industries, respectively. Both have been successful in the past decade by staying true to what they love while keeping in mind the lessons they learned during their years donning the Scarlet Knight logo.

Ecko, who originally came to Rutgers back in the early 1990s to study pharmacy, decided to create his own clothing line that eventually grew into an international brand. In fall 2008, the designer paid homage to his old stomping grounds and released a limited edition Rutgers-inspired collection as part of his Cut and Sew label. The line ranged from T-shirts to cardigans and included designs like the block “R”, University-inspired patches and pins and the infamous Scarlet Knight mascot.

Promaulayko made her mark in the publication world after graduating with a degree in journalism and media studies. Her impressive list of accomplishments in the past decade include authoring “Cosmo’s Sexiest Beauty Secrets” and “Cosmo’s Guide to Red Hot Sex,” editing Cosmopolitan magazine for both fashion and beauty and appearing on TV shows such as Today, Fox News and The Tyra Banks Show. After being an editor at Cosmo for almost the entire decade, Promaulayko recently made the move to editor-in-chief at Women’s Health, a move that Women’s Wear Daily said will enable the magazine to “go head-to-head with the biggest women’s magazines in the business.”

The stereotype that top fashion executives, head designers and press agents only come from fashion schools located in large and glamorous cities is widespread; however, these two industry leaders are proving that fashion powerhouses can also be found on the Banks of the old Raritan.

— Michael Malvasio COURTESY OF ADAGE.COM COURTESY OF SHOPECKO.COM

Page 8 • Inside Beat

For Less The Look

BY ROSANNA VOLIS •

January 21, 2010

Fashion • Film

Swap your bottomless oversize handbag for a smaller, more ladylike shoulder bag or clutch.

Think more Coco Chanel than bag lady.

STAFF WRITER

New year, new you, new clothes! With January already coming to a chilly end, it’s time to banish the winter blues with a wardrobe update. While celebrities have the envious luxury of keeping their look constantly up-to-date, we budget-conscious fashionistas need to be bit more resourceful. So if you’re still rocking a slogan tee from the Mean Girls era, it’s time for a change. A small update to your favorite closet staples will take you from blah to bold. We’ve selected six simple switches that will be your new go-to items this year, perfect for entering the new decade in style.

Quilted Bow Shoulder Bag- Forever21 $17.80

Can we please leave short, fitted tees in the eighth grade and update for a more loose-fitting layered look?

The full skir t is on its way to a better place. Replace the pouf with a more streamlined form-fitting mini.

Say goodbye once and for all to the bootcut jean. Skinny jeans have made their mark on the fashion world and are here to stay.

Chambray Henley Shirt Dress- American Apparel $62.00

Striped Double Knit Skirt- Forever21 $8.50

The little black dress gets an update with strong shoulders — a trend not for the faint of heart.

Bullhead Solana Extreme Skinny Rinsed Indigo Jeans- PacSun $39.50

Silence&Noise Strong Shoulder Dress- Urban Outfitters $58.00

Release your inner rock star, kick prissy boots out of your wardrobe and replace with a chunky motorcycle boot.

Frye "Engineer" Boot $188

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Interested in Modeling?

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Think you have what it takes to model in an IB fashion editorial, then contact us at...

beat@dailytargum.com

NJFF Spring Preview

BY EMILY SCHACHTMAN FILM EDITOR

Those dragging their feet through the end of winter break while fearing the onslaught of the spring semester: Fear not. The New Jersey Film Festival is offering an exciting mix of much-loved classics, thought-provoking non-fiction and infamous awards season contenders.

Perhaps the most notorious of this spring’s slate is Lars von Trier’s 2009 Antichrist. The polarizing, supernatural thriller employs gruesome images and biblical allegory to explore the grief of a couple who have lost their child. Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe, Antichrist will be showing this weekend (Jan. 22, 23 and 24).

Lee Daniels’ Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, another much-discussed recent film, is also on board this spring. This provocative film depicts the plight of Precious, an obese, pregnant and illiterate teenager living in Harlem, and has sparked much Academy Awards speculation over comedian Mo’Nique’s terrifying performance as Precious’ abusive mother. Precious is double billed

with 1959’s Beat Generation classic Pull My Daisy, an avant-garde exercise in collaborative cinema that was written by Jack Kerouac and stars Allen Ginsberg.

Other cult films include Jacques Tourneur and Val Lewton’s Cat People and Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons (both from 1942). Cat People explores one woman’s neurotic fear of her own sexuality and its possible connection to the string of panther maulings in her city. Magnificent is notorious in its own right as it was finished not by its director, but the studio, and was cut drastically shorter than Welles intended.

Both explore the darker side of American class and sexuality and remain undisputed classics.

The spring schedule is also offering up some documentaries.

Garbage Dreams (2009), from Egypt’s Mai Iskander, follows three teenage boys living in a garbage village outside of Cairo as they face Egypt’s decision to replace their livelihood of recycling the city’s trash with a modernized disposal system. Mike Pasley’s 2008 Frag exposes the seamy, unspoken aspects of the professional video gaming industry. Joe

Berlinger’s 2009 piece, simply titled Crude, explores the sobering fallout of Shell Oil’s exploitation of Ecuador’s natural resources and indigenous population.

Finally, the NJFF is showing some great smaller films as well, including one with an in-person appearance from its director. Breaking Upwards’ Daryl Wein will be visiting Rutgers on March 5 and 6 to talk about his experimental, meta-narrative romantic comedy.

Whether looking for a new cinematic talent, checking out some of this year’s most buzzed-about major releases, or reveling in some of the tried and true cult classics, this spring’s schedule has something for everyone.

Films are (unless otherwise noted) shown at 7 p.m. in Voorhees Hall Room 105 on the College Avenue campus. Tickets are $8 for Rutgers Film CoOp/NJMAC friends, $9 for students and seniors and $10 general admission. For more information and the entire semester’s schedule, check out the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus or the Douglass Student Center or visit www.njfilmfest.com.

Film • Music

January 21, 2010

Inside Beat • Page 9

The Journey to a Classic

BY JASON PEARL •

STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM

What many college students consider a “classic” or “old” film is completely skewed, as is their basic understanding of what makes a good movie. Too often do people say things like “Yeah I watch old movies, like Fight Club,” or “Dude, Transformers is a classic!” Ideas like this are the reason that cinematic bowel movements like Paul Blart: Mall Cop and 2012 earn millions upon millions of dollars at the box office. Many of these people have seen very few movies made before the ’80s, if any at all, let alone great classics such as Citizen Kane or On the Waterfront. Luckily, there are a few simple remedies for this epidemic of ignorance.

The first way is to check the listings for Turner Classic Movies or a similar channel. TCM regularly spotlights influential actors such as Humphrey Bogart or Jimmy Stewart with scheduling centered on the “Star of the Month.” TCM also chooses prominent directors like Frank Capra each month and shows dozens of his or her movies. In addition, ever y Saturday night TCM shows one of their “essential” films, one that has been critically acclaimed or that has some form of cinematic significance.

While the quantity of new quality movies does seem to be declining, they are still out there. The eas-

iest way to ensure that you do not end up sitting through the film equivalent of a root canal is simply to pick up a newspaper and read a few movie reviews.

Many Web sites such as Moviefone and Rotten Tomatoes feature movie reviews. Five minutes of your time can help you make a better choice with the way you spend two hours of your day.

The American Film Institute, created by the National Endowment for the Arts, ser ves the purpose of recognizing excellence in film and educating people about movies. Over the past 11 years, the AFI has compiled various lists honoring the 100 greatest films in a given categor y, such as “thrills” and “heroes and villains.” Most impor tantly, the AFI has created two lists of the 100 best movies ever made. These lists are readily available on the AFI Web site and contain dozens of films that are essential viewing for anyone who enjoys movies.

So the next time you’re deciding what movie to rent, think of the incredible selection of cinematic masterpieces that you may never have known existed. Read some reviews from a reputable source to decide what to see in theaters. Just do something to prevent movies like Meet the Spartans from earning more than $80 million.

When In Rome Mark Steven Johnson | B-

STAFF WRITER

Although When in Rome is a blatant chick flick featuring semi-talented actors and an over-the-top plot, it does have heart. Mark Steven Johnson, who previously directed Simon Birch, Daredevil and Ghost Rider, manages to competently steer his romantic comedy fare from start to finish.

Beth, as played by Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) is the youngest curator at the Guggenheim Museum. The movie starts with her public humiliation—her ex appears at a showing with his new fiancée. From there things worsen for Beth when she gets the news that her baby sister Joan, played by Alexis Dziena (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist) is going to marr y some Greek guy named Umberto (Luca Calvani) who she barely knows. The wedding is planned to take place in Rome, smack in the middle of a huge transport of art that is going to be the centerpiece of Beth’s next event.

Thus, Beth must drop everything and rush off to the wedding. The audience is then thrown into a Greek wedding, where viewers are introduced to the clumsy but sweet best man, Nick, played by Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Las Vegas). Traditional wed-

ding hijinks ensue. Beth likes Nick and contemplates telling him so, but upon seeing him kiss another girl she desperately extracts some shiny coins from the bottom of a nearby fountain, rumored to bring love to those who throw in their spare change.

Without realizing what she has just done, Beth returns to New York. However, four men (whose tossed coins she has retrieved) follow her to New York to court her: the sausage king played by Danny DeVito; a male model, Dax Shepard (Baby Mama); the tortured artist, Will Arnett (Arrested Development); and a Criss Angel-esque magician, Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite). Stalking ensues, even while Beth finds herself falling for Nick. She realizes that she may have indeed grabbed his coin, but then there is a repetitive back and forth — did she or didn’t she? — until the expectedly sweet resolution.

Audiences should not go into this movie thinking it will be anything less than a cute chick flick.

There is a chase in Central Park, a naked mural of Beth painted on the side of a building, and one of the coins drops and rolls down the spiral walkway of the Guggenheim. The jokes are funny and the slapstick is well-placed. Beth and Nick are relatable characters and if nothing else, it is reassuring to know that chick flicks can still be formulaically funny and charming.

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BY LEAH FELNER

COURTESY OF DAN BASSIMI

The Wonder Years

The Upsides | A

BY NICOLE KLEIN STAFF WRITER

Pop-punk band The Wonder Years has done it again.

Their sophomore release, The Upsides, brings a more optimistic and positive message from the five boys straight out of Philadelphia. The album has the same catchy hooks and hard-driving sound as their debut, Get Stoked on It!, but the true ar tistr y and distinction of this CD is shown in the lyrics.

The Upsides has some truly hard-hitting songs, each with a hint of their own personality.

The track “Melrose Diner” is the quintessential stirring break-up song. Instead of tales of a downward spiral, ever yone is re-

minded that life eventually goes on. The song with the most power ful message is titled “Washington Square Park.” With hopes of brighter days and a better future, The Wonder Years composed a song that relates to their struggles in the past. The funloving and sanguine tone to this song comes from the feeling of victor y over despair and reminds those listening to keep their heads up and to always stand their ground.

With words and lyrics gathered from morning bike rides through the streets of Philly, Dan Campbell and the rest of The Wonder Years crew have realized that being miserable at the young age of 23 is unacceptable. As a brilliantly composed catharsis of this band’s triumph over obstacles in life, The Upsides is an album everyone should pick up.

Page 10 • Inside Beat

January 21, 2010

Music

On the Scene:

Passion Pit Live

BY JENNIFER CARLIN STAFF WRITER

Although some may only know Passion Pit from a Sprint cell phone commercial, the impact of a television adver tisement cannot compare to the level of enthusiasm they brought to the stage on Jan. 10 at Terminal 5 in New York City.

A debut per formance by the electro-pop group Brahms kicked off the night, followed by Tragedy, an all metal tribute to the Bee Gees that translated their fer vor through excessive glitter, spandex and a lively rendition of “Staying Alive.”

The crowd was on edge with anticipation, cheering for nearly a half hour until Passion Pit began. As soon as the Massachusetts-bred group took the stage, a

zealous energy filled the small venue. The heat quickly rose as ever yone began jumping up and down to the good vibe of “Better Things.” Nine light boards behind the group illuminated each song with a different aesthetic.

During “The Reeling,” a dramatic blue light cast shadows on the performers before breaking out into an atomic explosion of flashing strobes. It felt like the party would never end as they quickly transitioned from one highlycharged song to the next.

There is more to the group then just its cool, college-chic exterior. Underneath the catchy rhythms are lyrics of inner turmoil and contemplation. In “To Kingdom Come” frontman Michael Angelakos sings, “I wish for the same old things / That turned me inside out, kneeling in

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such pain/It’s all a game.” Their first album, Manners, is imprinted with this emotion and masked by the ecstatic sound of pretty pop. Angelakos has channeled these studio-made insights into a dynamic stage presence.

The five-piece ensemble included a synthesizer, base, drums and guitar that backed Angelakos as he bounced be-

tween wild dancing, face-wrenching notes and a keyboard.

After the band crept into the darkness, the audience pleaded for an encore. Surprising ever yone, they broke into a cover of “Dreams” by the Cranberries.

Angelakos’s high-pitch voice was per fectly suited for the song’s yelps as he sang, “Oh my life is changing ever yday / every

possible way.” At last, the disco ball above the floor was lit and the Pit satisfied a sweatdrenched crowd with the song they had been cheering for, “Sleepyhead.” It is as if humans are hard-wired to move once “everything is going to the beat” and for the last time, fans released any inhibitions as they danced into oblivion.

Yeasayer

Odd Blood | B+

BY ILANA KAPLAN STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF PASSIONWEISS.COM

Odd is in with Yeasayer’s sophomore album, Odd Blood. The album, while very unique in sound and modification, has a rhythmic blend of rock, synth-pop and electronica. Coming from an experimental band, Odd Blood can best be described as something of a metaphor for a science experiment resulting in a gamut of all kinds of musical ingredients. The psychedelic properties of their music make them comparable to Of Montreal, MGMT and Hot Chip.

The band, based out of Brooklyn, is comprised of guitarist Anand Wilder, lead singer Chris Keating and bassist Ira Wolf Tuton. The band has toured with MGMT and Man Man, and has played various festivals including SXSW, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.

The band uses their mouths for much of the background melody outside of the traditional band setup, making for a unique sound.

The tracks on Odd Blood are consistent yet individually disjointed. “Strange Reunions” derives from tribal sounds and has a Beach Boys vibe, blending the Middle East with a California beach. “I Remember” is definitely one of the best tracks on the album. The haunting sounds of Keating singing “You’re stuck on my mind all the time” on repeat will make anyone fall in love with this song.

“Love Me Girl” is a mix of fast-paced, heart-racing synth beats that introduces itself with barely audible lyrics. The song is not ver y cohesive in sound, but that is what makes it so great. “Madder Red” is a more melancholy and mellow track with strong drumming, creating a unique type of a soothing song.

Other highlights include “Monde Green,” an offbeat dance song that emphasizes Keating’s voice by using a distinct rhythm that is off-tempo with the background noise. It emphasizes more of the band’s futuristic tendencies with jive music and drumbeats.

Yeasayer’s odd but wonderful sound will be heard throughout the world when Odd Blood meets the ears of the awaiting public.

Ke$ha Animal | B+

BY LAURA SILVERMAN STAFF WRITER

What exactly does it mean to “wake up in the morning feelin’ like P. Diddy?” Apparently it means having a great time partying and making annoyingly catchy music. We first heard Ke$ha on Flo Rida’s “Right Round” singing the chorus, but she did not appear in the music video. Her debut album, Animal, takes listeners to a place where every story is a dance.

Any amount of heartbreak can be fixed with a snare drum and unforgettable words. Her songs have the dance-ability of Lady Gaga with the heartfelt lyrics of Taylor Swift, as heard on “Backstabber” and “Dancing with Tears

in My Eyes.” Listeners are left with relatable songs while they shake away their feelings. With the automated backbeat and killer hooks, Ke$ha won’t let us get her out of our heads — much like she can’t get that boy out of hers in the song “Stephen.”

The leadoff single, the unavoidable “Tik Tok,” is uncharacteristic of the rest of the album. It is about a party girl, without whom “the party don’t start,” while the rest of her songs are emotional episodes telling the stor y of loves lost or about the pursuit of boys. “Dinosaur” is a hilarious account of being hit on by an old man that is reminiscent of “Hey Mickey” by Toni Basil. With Animal, Ke$ha illustrates that all it takes to win our hearts is the spilling of her own over beats — and they are so addictive, we just can’t get enough.

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Music

January 21, 2010

Inside Beat • Page 11

Vampire Weekend Contra | ABY JASON STIVES MUSIC EDITOR

Many critics would have you believe that Vampire Weekend defines simpleton music and makes the fashionable very unfashionable by catering to the everyday suburbanite. The Afro-centric music and pretentious name-dropping of Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel on their 2008 debut became the tragically hip and chic thing to like at the turn of the decade. With their sophomore effort, Contra, the New York Afrorock quartet has spryly walked past the accolades of their self-titled debut. They’ve crafted an album more akin to the musical roots that they became popular for lifting and creatively mastering

some highly diverse lyrics for all to enjoy.

Contra doesn’t fall short of the high-life imager y that their first release enforced, made obvious by the wave crashing, punchdrinking atmosphere of the opening track “Horchata.” The album fails to slow down here on out and creates more moody and vibrant compositions. From the album’s single “Cousins” to the frolicking and danceable tracks like “White Sky” and “Run,” there is a sense of maturity in the band’s songwriting that goes beyond the beach house and polo sweatshirt images they seem to present to mainstream culture.

Listeners will be quick to notice a strong influence from some of the later works of The Clash, even down to the album’s title, homage to the punk band’s 1980 double release Sandinista! The track “Taxi Cab” is a brooding ode to The

Clash’s Joe Strummer, harkening back to their song “Straight to Hell” with a dark backbeat upset by the group’s African subtext.

The group also reaches heavily into the side work of their own personnel on tracks like “Diplomat’s Son” and “Giving up the Gun,” which bleed the techno sounds of guitarist Rostam Batmanglij’s side project Discovery. Lead singer Ezra Koenig’s voice cuts back on the sarcasm factor that went into a lot of previous cuts, honing in on a moving and spiritually-inducing singing style heard distinctly on the track “White Sky.” Like their self-titled debut, Contra is an album that takes a few listens to really seep in. But where the hipster habit of liking Vampire Weekend comes from the band’s blatant Saks Fifth Avenue image, Contra makes liking the band and their eclectic sound feel natural for everyone.

BY AMY ROWE

Beach House

STAFF WRITER

Teen Dream | A

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Beach House’s third album and Sub Pop Records debut, Teen Dream, contains their signature atmospheric quality but also features a more upfront sense of melody.

While their first two albums were full of hazy reverb and lofty vocals, Beach House builds on the strength of Victoria Legrand’s vocals and supplies noticeable catchiness with each track.

The first three tracks create a trifecta; these three strongest tunes demonstrate the changes marked by Teen Dream. The album begins with “Zebra” which,

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like many tracks on the album, uses Legrand and Alex Scally’s harmonious chanting to provide a dreamy quality from the get-go.

Legrand’s vocals build throughout the song in conjunction with Scally’s enchanting guitar riffs and crashing percussion. The following song, “Silver Soul,” is a much more powerful ballad, which conveys a familiarity in Legrand’s voice that one could not possibly pinpoint.

She presents an impressively dynamic vocal range throughout, which shows a departure from earlier works. At the end of the track, the luminous organ sounds via synthesizers actually morph into the intro of “Norway,” the album’s single. The song is quite upbeat, as is Teen Dream, in comparison to

Beach House’s previous albums.

By adjusting their rhythmic percussion speeds, the song conveys a mass of exuberance that actually speaks to the summertime essence of the band’s moniker.

Another notable track is “Used to Be,” a single the band released in late 2008. The song fits perfectly into this new album, as it has a very nostalgic air about it.

Legrand’s delicate, lush vocals inquire, “Are you not the same as you used to be?” which then lead into a twinkling guitar riff while she wonders, “Are you coming home, any day now?”

Beach House’s Teen Dream undoubtedly has summer vibes yet manages to act as a delicate winter soundtrack, making it an early standout in 2010.