INSIDEBEAT OCTOBER 22, 2009 • VOL. 27, NO. 8
THE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE OF THE DAILY TARGUM
Forget the GOOD Whether you avoid them completely or only enjoy them in your house with the blinds closed, this week it’s all about the BAD and the UGLY.
October 22, 2009
Column
rant
Page 2 • Inside Beat
In Defense of Gingers BY EMILY SCHACHTMAN FILM EDITOR
I’ve been thinking a lot about gingers lately. I’m sort of partial to them, having been one myself since birth. The thing is, we kind of get a bad rap. The expression was never “pesky blonde half-sister” or “troublesome brunette nephew;” nay, the expression has always been “redheaded stepchild.” This phrase is old enough that there are several stories floating around as to its origins. One naively suggests that the phrase comes from a threat shouted in the 1986 Charlie Sheen film The Wraith while another offers some gibberish about the medieval English custom of primae
noctis, but most seem to agree it has something to do with the strange and unlovable quality of redheads. To this I reply, shut your mouth! Not cool, conventional wisdom. Not cool at all. According to my expertise that I just gained from the last 20 minutes I spent on Wikipedia, red hair is caused by a recessive gene on chromosome 16. Pheomelanin is what specifically actually gives the hair its pigment, and about four percent of Europeans have it. There is, however, a higher percent exactly in the regions you might guess: Think Celts and Vikings. Wikipedia actually offers a plethora of absolutely fascinating and probably half-true facts about redheads (including a surprisingly
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detailed disambiguation page. Apparently redhead is a breed of North American duck, a 1959 musical and a suburb in Australia?). But let’s move on. At this point it seems like I should distinguish: There are all sorts of gingers out there, and we’re not all created equally. This is not to say there’s a superior redhead, more to point out that ginger comes in all flavors. There’s the kinder, gentler titian, like that of genius late night host Conan O’Brien, Ron Howard, Seth Green, Nicole Kidman (when she manages to pry herself away from the bleach bottle), or Queens of the Stone Age singer Josh Homme. There’s the darker, orangey redhead a la snowboarder Shaun
White, the rakish Prince Harry and Vincent Van Gogh. Then, there are the darker members of the gingersphere (my people), whose ranks include the awesome Chuck Norris and fierce Tilda Swinton. And finally there are the faux coppertops — the Lucille Balls, Rita Hayworths and Ashlee Simpsons of this world — who just want in on the fun. Not that I blame them. Of course, it’s not all great athletes and artists. For every Axl Rose there’s a Carrot Top, and for every Susan Sarandon there’s a Lindsay Lohan. Historically we have to claim Napoleon and General Custer as ours, but we also get Elizabeth I. Overall, though, we’re a pretty interesting bunch.
My point is this: Gingers are awesome. We’re rare. We’re ridiculously adorable when we’re little. And according to some, we’re a dying breed. On the first weekend of every September, the city of Breda, located in the Netherlands, throws a two-day celebration called Redheadday. I know we missed the boat this year, but perhaps we should consider celebrating retroactively, if only to spite our somewhat turbulent history and public image. So I say instead of being the redheaded stepchildren, relegated to either the yellow-eyed Scut Farkus bully role or ridiculous Bonaduce notoriety, we reclaim the phrase as a declaration of how unique and diverse a group we are.
EDITORIAL BOARD M ARGARET D ARIAS ................................................. EDITOR T OM W RIGHT -P IERSANTI .................. ASSOCIATE EDITOR S TACY D OUEK ....................................................................................... ASSISTANT N IDHI S ARAIYA ........................................................................................... BOOKS A DRIENNE V OGT ........................................................................................... COPY M ICHAEL M ALVASIO ................................................................................ FASHION EMILY SCHACHTMAN...................................................................................................FILM JASON STIVES............................................................................................................MUSIC TOM WRIGHT-PIERSANTI........................................................................................TV
EDITOR EDITOR EDITOR EDITOR EDITOR EDITOR EDITOR
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS TO INSIDE BEAT : Emily Gabriele, Marc Mance, Amanda Litchkowski, Elena LoBello, Amy Rowe, Peter Sperlazzo, Erin Sweeney, Natalia Tamzoke, Rosanna Volis and Tara L.Young. Cover photo courtesy of allmoviephoto.com
October 22, 2009
Where the Wild Things Are
Inside Beat • Page 3
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE THE REVIEW Spike Jonze | A-
BY JASON STIVES MUSIC EDITOR
Directors are constantly plagued with appealing to the general public; even more so when attempting to turn a 10-sentence story into a 90-minute journey. For some, like Spike Jonze, it can take the better part of five years to balance out artistic appeal with a satisfying product for the audience. Turning Where the Wild Things Are into a movie was doubtlessly a challenge, but it was one that paid off across the board. Although many people have tried and failed to bring adored books to the big screen untainted, here Jonze has successfully managed to reinvent Where the Wild Things Are. The story focuses on a young boy who escapes into a world of strange beasts to escape his own problems. Though engrossing, it is quite the pill to swal-
low for any parent looking for a nice kids film to watch with their young ones. Max (Max Records), the rebellious 12-year-old protagonist of the film, is the awkward kid everyone has either known or been at some point in their life. Themes of isolation and social acceptance run rapidly through Max’s life; he is bordering on adolescence and is unwilling to accept the loss of his childhood. The world of the wild things is a brooding, dark and strange environment for the lone beasts that Max encounters. The beast that befriends Max, Carol (James Gandolfini), carries emotional baggage mirroring the boy’s own. The rest of the characters, voiced by the likes of Chris Cooper, Forrest Whittaker and Catharine O’ Hara, show to Max that regardless of where he goes, his problems will always follow him. The film looks and feels like a more mature children’s book and does not loosen on the bizarre and bleak aesthetic that Jonze has created in his other films. The movie itself is not intended for children and may not deal well with faithful readerzs of the book, but needless to say, the movie is an appealing one — a mature fairy tale than even author Maurice Sendak could not have possibly expected.
THE BOOK VS. THE MOVIE BY NIDHI SARAIYA BOOKS EDITOR
In Spike Jonze’s new movie Where The Wild Things Are, a word is worth a thousand pictures. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how Jonze was able to turn Maurice Sendak’s original 10-sentence story into an hour-and-a-half-long movie. Jonze’s creativity is astounding, taking the simple stor y of a boy who was sent to his room for “wild behavior” into a heartwarming tale of one who struggles with his parents’ divorce and his older sister’s abandonment. Max is no longer just a disobedient little boy, but a character that we could all relate to, whether when he fumes at his family for being ignored or feels guilty for doing something he cannot take back. We find ourselves rooting for him as he runs away from home and tries to find solace by sailing away to an island full of wacky monster personalities.
But for all of Jonze’s hard work, he neglected one important detail: This movie is based on a children’s book, and it should still appeal to that audience. The film adaptation may have earned a PG rating, but it certainly is not a children’s movie. The monsters of Sendak’s illustrations may have large horns and claws, but they are ultimately harmless. The movie monsters, however, punch through trees, attack each other and nearly kill Max several times. The charm of Sendak’s Max leading a monster parade through the forest is lost in the film as film Max’s kingly fun is constantly interrupted by trying to keep all the monsters happy. Worst of all, Jonze’s interpretation turns what should have been a young child’s carefree daydream into an isolated foreign land where real life problems are intensified. Jonze succeeded in adding realism and turning Where the Wild Things Are into a movie for all audiences. But when a book is loved by readers around the world for inspiring childlike wonder, why break with the original formula?
THE SOUNDTRACK Karen O and the Kids | A BY EMILY GABRIELE STAFF WRITER
A classic children’s book transposed into a movie with the hopes of being a classic better have a great soundtrack to accompany it. The soundtrack to Where The Wild Things Are has undoubtedly achieved that goal. All 14 songs on the album are composed by Karen O, lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, accompanied with a lot of kids. All of the songs are very fitting for the movie. The soundtrack takes you through Max’s journey from the initial point of when he leaves his room to the moment he returns. There are many different emotions weaving through the album, paralleling Max’s feelings during his journey, and letting the listener feel the same. Its first-released song, “All Is Love,” emits feelings of carelessness and freedom, which is how Max feels when he starts on his journey to a place where the wild things are. In it, Karen O and the kids sing “It’s a mystery/where you’ll find me, all is love,” explaining the emotions felt during the primeval stages of running away. Further into the album, there is a track titled “Worried Shoes,” which tones down the immediate feelings of excitement of running away and gives the listener the worried perspective of Max. To end the album there is a song called “Sailing Home,” which is self-explanatory: The journey is complete. So give it a listen, and travel through another experience of Where the Wild Things Are.
FANS OF THE FILM WILL LIKE...
THE WILD THINGS Dave Eggers | B
BY NIDHI SARAIYA BOOKS EDITOR
As if collaborating with Spike Jonze to create one adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are wasn’t enough, Dave Eggers recently released yet another version of the beloved children’s stor y entitled The Wild Things. As Eggers explains, after co-writing the screenplay with Jonze for the movie, Sendak approached him and suggested that he write a novel that included details that did not make the final cut. But Eggers was not content with that — he put his own spin on the classic and made it a book for all ages. The Wild Things certainly has its ups and downs. Unlike the movie, this stor y did not have to be child friendly, and Eggers takes advantage of that. His writing rests on a tenuous balance, treating Max like a precocious boy who cannot help acting like the inexperienced kid he truly is. It brings a smile to your face as you imagine adorable Max, sailing on a boat all on his own and declaring that “by his rough calculations, he had to be at least seven million miles from where he left off.” Eggers also creates a richer plot by filling in some of the gaps of the film, such as the whereabouts of Max’s dad. However, by introducing “grown-up” ideas, the novel — at times — starts sounding out of character for its young protagonist. Despite a few serious moments, The Wild Things is an enjoyable read. Eggers uses the same self-contemplating voice that he developed in his famous A Hear tbreaking Work of Staggering Genius to bring us into Max’s world — a world full of personal woes like a parent’s divorce, imaginar y troubles like ruling a monster kingdom and angr y little boy problems that can be solved by dinnertime.
BANKING ON BIOS
SHAMEFUL TO THE EARS
Sometimes our love of knowing everything about celebrities goes a bit too far. As if tabloid magazines and gossip blogs aren’t enough, now celebrities (and desperate ghostwriters) have been churning out biographies left and right trying to make a quick buck and market themselves. Even better, writers seize upon the opportunity to compose biographies for recently deceased stars because somehow their deaths have made their lives worth writing about. But the sad truth is that most readers are willing to pay up to read the life stories of the rich and famous. Sarah Palin’s memoir, Going Rogue, is already topping preorder charts. Of course, not all celeb biographies are terrible. Kathy Griffin’s Official Book Club Selection and Sen. Edward Kennedy’s True Compass have received rave reviews. Most of the time, though, you’re better off just watching E! True Hollywood Story. — Nidhi Saraiya
STAY TUNED
I must be honest, unlike some of the other sections in Inside Beat, music gets it all wrong on a regular basis by producing some of the biggest garbage albums at least twice a month. While it’s based strictly on opinion, I would like to point my finger at some of the biggest of fenders. So far, 2009 has produced some mediocre and, at times, over-hyped releases that not only have failed to sell exceptionally well, but failed to be wor th a second listen before chucking them to the nearest discount music store. First, there was the less-than-stellar return of Green Day, who regardless of promising to forge pass the themes of 2004’s American Idiot, sauntered into its abysmal, overblown and downright boorish counterpart 21st Century Breakdown in May. Speaking of boorish returns, while I hate to rag on a man who has brought nothing but great music out of the Garden State, Bruce Springsteen’s latest effort, Working on a Dream, was a nightmare. Overproduced at times with imagery about love and dreams and whatnot, the album was just flat-out insulting to
someone brought up on a heavy dose of Born to Run and The River. OK, so just to sway away from the mainstream, let’s discuss a myriad of junk released on the lessthan-eager public. Don’t forget the Disney Company and their constant pursuit to deafen us with acts like Demi Lavato and the Jonas Brothers. What about the emergence of the music genre known as crunk core, delightfully and overly hyped by junk bands like Broken Cyde and The Millionaires? And what about Whitney Houston? I think I should leave it at that. — Jason Stives
WE ECTED EXP E MOR
Not all entertainment is created equal.
THE GOOD, THE BA WINKERS The fashion industry has been known to shock its devoted fans regularly. But, as odd as a designer’s vision may seem at first, we all usually come around to worship it. Enter Winkers. No single item in the fashion world has ever horrified me quite as much. Winkers are tackiness in its truest form. Winkersdesign.com is a company that specializes in decorating pants. You mail in your pants and pay anywhere from $149-$269 for either a set of eyes screen-printed on the back or some other atrocity that “winks” as you walk. “Your wink is the crease between your buttock and the top of your leg,” the
company advertises. There are different styles to choose from, such as movie clapboards that open and close, ducks that “quack” and a pair of nauseating owl eyes. Only in America could a trend like this arise and be glorified with comments such as this one on the company’s Web site, “It’s so hard to pick a favorite — they’re all great! What a novel concept and ver y well done. Keep up the good work and sense of humor!” If there is anyone out there willing to shell out over $100 to “wink” as they walk by, we won’t be laughing with them. — Rosanna Volis
UGLY
STARRING... SPIDER-MAN? Broadway has been home to the greatest and most respected shows of all time. But starting in February, Peter Parker may change that as previews for Spider-man Turn Off the Dark begin. The show, which has been in the works for several years, claims it will "hurtle the audience through an origin story both recognizable and unexpected." I don't claim to be a theatre expert, but I am pretty sure Spider-man on Broadway is just as tacky as Wal-Mart on fifth. Spidey does have a potentially interesting soundtrack though — that is, if you feel like listening to Bono's rendition of "Spider-man...Spider-man!" The superstar singer of U2 has already produced the music and lyrics for the wall crawler to belt out as he swings from set to set — a set that is costing production millions of dollars to create. In fact, the total cost for this spectacle is close to $40 million, thanks to director Julie Taymor, whose claim to fame is bringing The Lion King to Broadway in 1997. Although Simba did just fine on stage, chances are the manturned-spider won’t fair as well. As of now, the cast only includes Evan Rachel Wood (Mary Jane) and Alan Cumming (Green Goblin)— Spider-man has yet to be cast. The good news is if all goes well, it will only take about 8,000 years to break even! —Michael Malvasio
POTEN TIAL FAIL
B D A O O G LAUGHS VS. LAUGHABLE D Late night talk shows are in a golden era. Fans of topical monologues, comical sketches and offbeat celebrity inter views have almost too much goodness to pick from. Conan O’Brien and David Letterman, two of the most brilliant comedy innovators of all time, face off head-to-head at 11:30 p.m., followed respectively by Jimmy Fallon and Craig Ferguson, both of whom are drastically underrated. And yet, with all the incredible comedy being beamed into our homes, millions of Americans insist on settling. “No, don’t challenge our minds,” they shout. “Don’t present us with anything original. We want the same jokes we’ve heard before, just with more current names inserted into them. We want wacky headlines!”
Those people are Jay Leno fans, and from coast to coast (but mostly in between) they chuckle at his non-offensive humor, Parade magazine-caliber inter views and enormous face. They give him astounding ratings, ratings that earn him an unprecedented 10 p.m. slot for his grandparent-pleasing shenanigans. Leno has worked hard to find a niche, and he’s discovered it in the dull-as-dishwater mass TV viewing public, people who’d rather watch another Law & Order spin-off than The Wire. Leno is the Everybody Loves Raymond to Conan and Letterman’s Arrested Development — and sadly, he crushes them appropriately in the ratings. —Tom Wright-Piersanti
AD AND THE UGLY THE DOMINO EFFECT Considering my love of all things absurdly hilarious, picking the single worst movie was not an easy choice to make. Once a movie surpasses a certain level of sheer mediocrity, it becomes fun — not for the caliber of its craft, but for the joy of watching how bad it gets. However, if you’re looking for something really terrible, there are the classics: Plan 9 from Outer Space, Hercules against the Moon Men, and Manos: Hands of Fate are a few. There are the up-and-comers like The Room and Transformers. My personal favorite, though, is probably the neon-tinted 2005 romp Domino. Tony Scott schizophrenically jumps around from a DMV employee’s (Mo’Nique) attempts to get on Jerry Springer to explain her definitions of mixed race people like “blacktinos” and “chinegros,” to an unlikely bounty
hunter team composed of a shrill Keira Knightley, smarmy Mickey Rourke, and the mostly silent Edgar Ramirez, to the coked-out television producer Christopher Walken. Meanwhile, Brian Austin Green and Ian Ziering play themselves, Lucy Liu is a hardass FBI agent, and Tom Waits shows up briefly as some kind of desert-wandering prophet. It’s terrible. And yet … it’s so bombastic and obnoxious that it’s hard not to be won over by how much fun everyone seems to be having, even if the underlying message does seem to be that times are sacrifices must be made. All of these films — Domino included — are undoubtedly so bad they’re good and then probably bad again, but that doesn’t make them any less watchable. — Emily Schachtman
Unwatchable, unbearable and unwearable, here are the editors’ picks for the worst of the worst.
D A B SO GOOD IT’S
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN (LEFT) AND KEIRA KNIGHTLEY (RIGHT) STAR IN DOMINO.
Page 6 • Inside Beat
New York, I Love You Natalie Portman, Bret Ratner & others | A BY ELENA LOBELLO STAFF WRITER
Where to find true love? It’s a question asked by almost everyone at some point, and according to New York, I Love You, the answer is New York City. New York, I Love You, based upon the film of a similar idea called Paris Je T’Aime, was first released at the Toronto Film Festival in 2008 and is now open in limited release. Directed by more than 10 different directors, including Shekhar Kapur (The Four Feathers, Elizabeth: The Golden Age), Mira Nair (Mississippi Masala, Vanity Fair), Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) and Natalie Portman, and starring a countless number of big-name actors, the film touches upon all kinds of love. It explores everything related to the emotion,
from love blooming after an unexpected one-night stand to the love between a father and daughter. The film is comprised of several different stories that find a way to connect with each other. One instance is of a smooth, quick-talking writer (Ethan Hawke, Dead Poet’s Society) trying to pick up a woman; she later bumps into a man (Chris Cooper, The Bourne Identity), who is working through marital issues with his wife (Robin Wright Penn, Forrest Gump). These types of interlocking stories create a sense of unity between the characters, but also give viewers the sense that there is love happening all around the Big Apple. In another story, Hollywood icons Cloris Leachman (High Anxiety) and Eli Wallach (The Holiday) give touching performances as an elderly couple hobbling their way
across town to celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary at Coney Island. All of the feelings sparked from their first date through the decades they have spent together are recollected, and the impression left from the life these people have shared is awe-inspiring. That sweet story is juxtaposed with a comedic tale of two young people getting to know each other emotionally — and physically — at a young man’s prom, where he is set up on a date with his local pharmacists’ daughter. The young man is played by Anton Yelchin (Charlie Bartlett, Star Trek), the pharmacist is played by James Caan (Elf, The Godfather Trilogy), and his promiscuous/aspiring actress daughter is played by Olivia Thirlby (Juno). Other big-name actors include Bradley Cooper (The Hangover), Shia LaBeouf (Transformers), Natalie Portman (V for Vendetta) and many others that bring their own unique style to New York and its love affairs. New York, I Love You gives ever yone hope that even in the big city, love can be found around any corner. There are some heartbreaking stories and some uplifting ones, but none that leave a viewer without the feeling that somewhere in life is their own personal love story.
Greg Kerr: A Man ‘Unremembered’ BY EMILY SCHACHTMAN FILM EDITOR
If trying to describe filmmaker Greg Kerr’s chimerical first work, Unremembered moves in the same circles as films like Memento and Mulholland Drive. It presents an intricate look at the blurred line between dreams and reality along with the devastating effects of being quite literally a man without a past. Unremembered is screening at the New Jersey Film Festival this weekend, so Kerr answered a few questions about his science fiction adventure. Inside Beat: What inspired this stor y? Greg Kerr: I have a deep interest in science and science fiction. In the realm of science fiction, I prefer high concept stories as opposed to pulp — I’m a 2001: A Space Odyssey fan as opposed to a Star Wars fan. There is a place for low concept science fiction, but it isn’t in my personal video library! But honestly, I can point to a precise moment that inspired this story.
October 22, 2009
Fashion • Film • TV
I had just returned from a trip visiting a friend in Vietnam in January 2002. I picked up some flu bug on the plane home, so I was exhausted and had a high fever. That first night back, I had a really unusual dream that revolved around the consequences of a person who has no past, but whose past history grows in reverse — from the present backward. IB: Two main female characters in the film are Callie and Penelope. Do you see The Odyssey as an influence on your stor y? GK: The Odyssey was a huge influence on this story. Unremembered doesn’t follow the plot of The Odyssey, but it is thematically connected to it. Like Odysseus, John is attempting to return home to his wife Penelope, but he’s trapped, not on a physical island, but an island in time. IB: There does seem to be a lot of physics involved in the stor y. Do you have a background in physics?
GK: In my youth, I had planned to be a scientist and started college in physics, chemistry and biology classes. I did quite a bit of personal physics research online and in books to support the script. Unremembered is an homage to the dreams I had as a youth — or maybe it’s just the scientist in me asserting itself on my creative subconscious! Much of the research moved me beyond science into philosophy issues and Jungian concepts about dreams, which I used to bridge the gap in the film when it wasn’t possible to explain it all through science. My feeling is even though there is a lot of physics discussion, it’s fairly simplified in the movie compared to how complex it can really get. For the non-physicists who appreciate tangible scientific complexity, Unremembered has much to offer. Unremembered is being screened at 7 p.m. by the New Jersey Film Festival at Scott Hall 123 on the College Avenue campus on Oct. 25 and Oct. 30. For more information, visit the Web site at www.njfilmfest.com.
Project Runway New Channel, Same Attitude
BY AMANDA LITCHKOWSKI STAFF WRITER
There is one hit reality television show that breaks the mold of largechested dimwits fighting for a burntout celebrity’s love: Project Runway. Originally one of Bravo’s talent-oriented reality competitions, Project Runway gives amateur and professional designers a change to show their collections at Br yant Park during MercedesBenz Fashion Week. Eliminated one by one through a hodgepodge of challenges that make viewers wonder what experimental drugs the show’s producers are taking, the designers sketch, sew and often cry their way through the world of fashion. Runway, in its sixth season, has undergone some slight alterations since last year. Delayed due to a three-month lawsuit, Runway is now part of Lifetime’s programming. The Bluefly.com accessory wall has now changed to that of Macy’s, the L’Oreal hair studio to Garnier, and the grand prize of a fashion spread in Elle magazine to
one in Marie Claire (thanks to judge Nina Garcia’s career change). Despite the corporate sponsorship changes, Runway still delivers a reality program of substance to creativity-starved audiences nationwide. Fashionistas, trendies and queer peers flock to witness poor judgments in taste (a hexagon-patched silver hooded dress?), fabric nightmares and Tim Gunn’s signature wisdom: “Make it work.” This season’s designers seem to be safely coasting on acceptability, compared to former seasons’ highenergy contestants’ unique pieces that blurred the line between outrageous and stylishly advanced. It appears that Runway has allowed its entry requirements to become a bit lax, but the program continues to provide viewers with an inside glimpse into the hightension world of fashion where designers make garments out of newspaper and Heidi Klum dismisses you from competition with an “Auf wiedersehen.” It may be dramatized, but it’s the closest we can get.
Since the first episode there have been a handful of designers who stand out. Runway is currently at episode 10, with seven contestants left, and I project that the top two will be: Carol Hannah Whitfield A pint-size peppy 24-year-old from Charleston, S.C., Carol Hannah is a freelance designer who taught herself how to design and sew. Her experience lies in wedding dresses, but her color choices, originality and flawless garments have placed her in the top designers twice and kept her out of the bottom to date.
Irina Shabayeva Truthfully, I’d rather Althea make it to Bryant Park, because she is the sole contestant who has managed to make three-piece garments for numerous challenges, but Irina has become the judges’ favorite, with two wins and two top placements. Irina does have talent and her functional, patterned pieces often steal the spotlight.
Street Style: Wearing the Trends BY ERIN SWEENEY STAFF WRITER
The past month’s whirlwind of spring collections for 2010 in New York, London, Paris, and Milan presented us with countless trends and themes to look forward to once warm weather arrives again. Of course, we still face the styles of winter 2009-2010 in order to dress for the coming months of cooler weather. The long month of shows did give us inspiration for dressing before next spring in the form of the parade of show attendees — from editors to stylists to models — and their fabulous interpretations of the current season’s trends. The best street-style photographers and bloggers captured the fashion elite decked out in their most newly acquired ensembles. Three different looks emerged as the favorite styles of this season: tailored dressing, tough-girl chic and embellished glamour. The highly structured attitude of the tailored, more masculine-inspired look was
propagated most by the editors of high fashion tomes. Tapered trousers in exaggerated menswear proportions were particularly popular, especially when worn high-waisted with a belt or with a strong-shouldered blazer as seen on a stylist captured by Elle. Another necessary staple for this season is the crisp white oxford shirt, as proven by Dree Hemingway’s stark pairing with skinny black leather pants and Kate Lanphear’s buttoned-to-the-top men’s shirt. Each paired the blouse with a sharp blazer: Hemingway with a tuxedo jacket and Lanphear with a tentcut herringbone coat. The favorite shoe choice for this look was a pair of towering black heels — either minimalist pumps or powerful booties. The ubiquitous nature of leather on the fall/winter 20092010 runways clued us in early that tough would be in this winter. Show-goers did not fail to pick up on the trend, as they turned up in the front row as well as backstage in leather pants colored gray and black, motorcycle jackets, and enor-
mous, towering black platforms. The leather was matched most often with other black pieces — mini dresses of black chiffon and oversized, slouchy knit tops. Model Edita Vilkeviciute donned an eye-catching alternative to the all-black ensembles with her cigarette-leg gray leather pants topped with a lilac loose-knit sweater. Emmanuelle Alt, fashion editor of Vogue Paris, was striking in an angular white blazer with her T-shirt and black leather skinnies combo. Heavy metal jewelry, studded bags and shoes were an essential touch to this look, as done by models Natasha Poly and Sasha Pivovarova, who carried chainstrap handbags and donned a tangled silver chain-and-bead necklace, respectively. The true heavy-hitters of fashion, including those who are just as likely to be seen at the couture shows in addition to the ready-to-wear, favored a ladylike, embellished style. Giovanna Battaglia of L’Uomo Vogue did it best in a nude lace top with a layered pleated skirt outside the
tents in Bryant Park. The extravagance of the lace mixed with Battaglia’s leather pleated handbag and rhinestone encrusted sandals epitomizes the opulence of this style. The neutral color palette and Battaglia’s laissezfaire hairstyle balance the ensemble. Emma Watson proved that a showier use of embellishment does not have to appear garish or tacky. She wore a mini dress studded all over with small gold metal clusters outside the Burberry show, pairing it with nothing but super-tall black platforms and swept-up hair. Being college students, it is doubtful we have the resources to dress as flawlessly as these women who have made style their living. However, looking at their ensembles, you can take away the concept of how these stylistas have made the trend their own and which staples are worth investing in this season. We may not always get the looks on the runway, but the industry insiders and their fashion choices give us ideas that we can easily use for inspiration this season.
October 22, 2009
Inside Beat • Page 7
Film • Music
Relient K
Built to Spill
Forget and Not Slow Down | BBY MARC MANCE STAFF WRITER
There Is No Enemy | ABY PETER SPERLAZZO STAFF WRITER
In the late ’90s, Built to Spill was arguably one of the most famous and influential indie rock bands. Their unique style inspired countless bands, such as Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie. Today, Built to Spill is still going strong. With the release of There is No Enemy, the band’s sixth studio album, Built to Spill has proved once again that they are a band that can stand the test of time.
COURTESY OF LAST.FM
There is No Enemy is ver y reminiscent of the band’s older work, and contains many of the elements that made Built to Spill such a tremendous force in the music industr y. There is plenty of the band’s trademark heavy guitar rif fs and indie jamming here, as well as some new elements such as horns and vocal harmonies. Frontman Doug Mar tsch’s lyrics are ever y bit as aggressive and angst-ridden as they have always been, and the album deals with some pretty complex issues. In “Pat,” for example, Mar tsch laments a deceased friend, and in “Oh Yeah,” Mar tsch sings some tr uly
soulful lines that are per fectly accompanied by squealing guitars. Perhaps the only fault with There is No Enemy is that it is simply nothing entirely new. The album is somewhat of a musical anachronism — the low-fi, grungeinspired feel of There is No Enemy seems as if it would be a perfect fit in the late ’90s, but appears somewhat antiquated when compared to today’s music. Still, it is a great album and stands as one of Built to Spill’s finest works in recent memory. For a rock music fan looking for an album that is raw, emotional and intense, there is no better place to look than There is No Enemy.
Forget and Not Slow Down are the exact words to describe Relient K’s latest appropriatelynamed album. It was as if Relient K suddenly grew up, leaving no hint of the poppy and quirky guitar riffs over tongue-in-cheek — often cheesy — pop culture-filled lyrics they have been known for in their previous releases. Instead, they got a little serious. Metaphorically speaking, after 10 years of playing fun, catchy music, they essentially are forgetting the old ways, while not slowing down the music at all. And that is boldly put forth in the opening and title track of the album. Hit play, and off the bat drums and guitar blare out, and lead singer Matt Thiessen sings, “How many times can I push aside/is it time I befriend all the ghosts of all the things that haunt me most.” A lyric like that will signal a long-time Relient K fan with
a message saying, “Did they just say something deep?” But it ser ves as a clear statement that in this new album they are trudging into new waters. The lyrics are the most emotional and personal they have ever done, and not the cliché boy-loves-girl they are best at. Thiessen takes his words and fleshes them out with such heart while he sings lines like, “I don’t need a soul/without you/ I’m still whole/you and life remain beautiful.” Musically, it is the most creative they have done. With no taste of palm-muted power chords, at times they sound like a full-out rock band, and other times they sound like a smooth and soothing indie band. The album rarely slows down — except for the intro and ending tracks, where it acts like a moment to really take the previous songs to heart. Surely it’s a change to get accustomed to, but with each listen, it will sink in more. One thing is for sure: Relient K’s progression into this type of music has been a successful leap of faith.
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BY TARA L. YOUNG STAFF WRITER
When people try to do impressions of Marlon Brando, they usually have three go-to quotes: “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” from The Godfather, “STELLA!” from A Streetcar Named Desire and “I coulda been a contender” from 1954’s On the Waterfront. Brando almost didn’t take the role of Terry Malloy because of his personal dislike of Elia Kazan, the film’s director. Kazan had just testified at Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s hearings, outing Hollywood stars as Communists and getting them blacklisted, which ended some potentially promising careers. The material for the screenplay, written by Budd Schulberg, came from a series of exposé articles written by Malcolm Johnson about the corruption of the New Jersey waterfront and the daily danger faced by the dock workers. The movie opens with the murder of Joey Doyle. His body is hurled off of an apartment building rooftop in New York City. The sound of Joey’s scream before his body hits the pavement draws the residents’ attention to what has just happened. The most outspoken about finding justice are Joey’s distraught sister, Edie (Eva Marie Saint, North by Northwest) and the local priest, Father Barry (Karl Malden, A Streetcar Named Desire). All of the other “witnesses” are mostly apathetic dock workers who view Joey’s death for what it is — a message to stay silent, to not testify against
the “union” leader Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb, The Exorcist). Later that evening, Father Barry preaches to his congregation about why they should testify against Friendly in order to better their work conditions. He figures if everyone sticks together, the mob cannot “eliminate” all of the workers at once, and progress could finally be made for the dock workers. In the back of the meeting is Terry Malloy (Brando), detached from his working brethren because he holds a comfy position on the docks, thanks to his brother Charley’s (Rod Steiger, Dr. Zhivago) spot as Friendly’s right hand man. Terry used to be a prize fighter. He ended his career when he took a dive because his brother told him to, and he has been working on the docks ever since, doing favors for Friendly’s crew. Terr y is not intelligent enough to be a schemer, nor eloquent enough to express his love for Edie, who he starts to romance. Terry relies mainly on his survival instinct, second only to his blind devotion to his brother. He is the anti-hero. When he discovers someone close to him has betrayed him, Terry’s stoic shell begins to crumble. Enter the famous quote above, although it’s the poignant follow-up line to: “I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am,” which is truly heartbreaking. It is after this revelation that Terry becomes the protagonist in a more traditional sense. He stands up for all the repressed workers and decides to testify against Friendly. On the Water front won eight Oscars, including Best Actor (Brando), Best Supporting Actress (Saint), Best Director (Kazan), Best Writing, Stor y and Screenplay (Schulberg) and Best Picture. This movie will not disappoint and is fully engaging from the moment the first frame hits the screen until the ver y end.
Waterfront
On The
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The Flaming Lips Embryonic | C+ BY AMY ROWE STAFF WRITER
The Flaming Lips stray away from the structured concepts of their previous releases with their eighth album, Embryonic. Although the album has an astrological theme to it, observed from song titles “Aquarius Sabotage,” “Gemini Syringes” and “Scorpio Sword,” it plays around with a larger concept: good versus evil. However, this theme gets lost along the way of this 18-track-long odyssey. The album opener, “Convinced of the Hex,” is quite listenable — especially its groovy, wavering bass line. However, most of Embryonic’s songs are really long jam sessions with repetitive riffs and industrial drum beats. There are some enlightening moments on the album, as seen with the whimsical “Evil.” The
tune employs symphonic sounds of the pipe organ and front man Wayne Coyne’s vulnerable vocals to communicate a regretful croon about changing the past. The transition from this track to “Aquarius Sabotage” is displeasing. The sabotage begins with a strange clutter of noises, juxtaposed by a gentle cooling-off with strings and a bit of hardly-audible dialogue. Embryonic does contain the Lips’ quirky charm. “If” presents us with Coyne clearing his throat and singing “People are evil it’s true, but on the other side/they can be gentle too, they decide,” in a highpitched voice. This childish and cutesy track reveals an underlying concept early on in the album. Embryonic is definitely an improvement from the Lips’ last album, At War with the Mystics. The album is a product of the band’s always changing sound, and it certainly takes listeners on a strange trip.
Come Back, Come Back,
Page 8 • Inside Beat
Wherever You Are BY NATALIA TAMZOKE STAFF WRITER
Theater legend Arthur Laurents is at it again. Well, not quite. Best known for his work on musicals Gypsy and West Side Story, the 92-year-old Tony Award winner brings his newest creation, Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are, to the George Street Playhouse. Though Laurents has shown mastery in some of his earlier works, his newest drama is, unfortunately, not a diamond in the rough. Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are is the story of Sara, a young woman who, coping with the loss of her husband Paolo, is able to take back her life by singing. With the plot focusing on her relationship with her in-laws and the all-toocosmic encounter with a new suitor, the
October 22, 2009
Theater George Street Playhouse | C
action never seems to rise or fall and becomes a stagnant story grazing the themes of love and loss. Despite the mishaps, many elements are masterfully employed. The staging of this show is simple yet effective. By making use of a revolving stage, the transitions between scenes are fluid and well-paced. A central theme in the show appears to be the use of the color blue, which is notably reflected textually and visually. Additionally, the music is sentimental, jazzy and performed with precision by Christopher Howatt (music director/pianist) and Danny Stone (bass). The actors are, for the most part, excellent. Shirley Knight, whose long career as an esteemed actress is reflected through her multiple Tony, Emmy and Academy Award wins and nominations, shines as Sara’s mother-in-law Marion.
Her style is emotional yet cold, and her lines are delivered meticulously and with meaning. John Carter (Richard) and Leslie Lyles (Michelle) genuinely exhibit the complexities of their struggle to cope with the death of their son and brother, respectively. Jim Bracchitta (Dougal) plays Sara’s new love interest with vibrancy. A disappointing comparison to the rest of the cast, Alison Fraser (Sara) never seems to suit the lead role. She is consistently affected and quirky, making her character unrealistic. As the only singer in the show and with two Tony nominations under her belt (The Secret Garden and Romance/Romance), one would assume that her singing should be at least somewhat decent. However, her voice cracks and screeches as she sings “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” and “The Best Things in Life are Free.” One would hope this is just a character choice but, if so, a disappointing one at that. Also, Fraser sets up a carefree, air-headed per-
sona for her character that eliminates any depth the lead character might possess. Probably the most disheartening part about the show is the script. Between the detached characterization and the lack of a strong conflict, the show drags. While it does pick up at intervals, the show is short of a hook to keep the interest alive. Furthermore, Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are runs 90 minutes without an intermission, making it even more draining for the audience. Between the excessive expositions, unfitting use of profanity and superficial writing, the cast seems to carry this show on their backs, burdened by its incoherency. While the show has potential to be meaningful and heartfelt, it must first address the audience’s need for a more eventful storyline. The characters are coping — but so what? Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are needs to rethink its approach and relay a story that can capture an audience more effectively.
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