Inside Beat 2011-11-17

NOVEMBER 17, 2011 • VOL. 29, NO. 210

INSIDEBEAT THE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE OF THE DAILY TARGUM

YouTube Phenoms From Miniscule Pixels to Prominent Personages NEFITS• E B H IT W • FRINGE R A G D E .

J EAL TIME• M IC P E • E 3 • IQ84 R A F R A W MODERN

IKIRU

Page 2 • Inside Beat

November 17, 2011

EDITOR’S RANT

VIRTUAL FINDS

BY EMILY GABRIELE MUSIC EDITOR

Changes in technology have led to changes in our lifestyle habits — a cultural shift frequently discussed in the media.

As consumers, we are able to shop online for essentially anything that we desire — ranging from clothes to love interests. Online dating sites such as eHarmony and match.com allow

people to seek out others who they’d like to date, without requiring them to ever leave their house. This is just one example of how the Internet has expanded our world so immensely, yet also enables us to never have to go out and physically engage in activities. Actions such as going out and shopping or dating are seemingly ancient.

By no means am I inferring that picking someone up the “oldfashioned” way is completely out-

dated (no pun intended). However, discovering people via the Internet has become quite popular, and I’m not just referring to dating purposes. Just as we can discover friends and potential relationships online, we can also discover new talent. Websites such as MySpace and YouTube offer opportunity for nearly everyone’s “talents” to be discovered. The question that rests at hand is this: is YouTube the new A & R of the music industry?

Human interaction is a vital component in assessing a person’s overall disposition, of course. But with a ser vice like YouTube, companies may be foolish to not capitalize on the handy and useful talent community that resides at their fingertips. Instead of paying for an A & R rep to fly from New York to Texas to see the next best talent, a label now has the ability to seek out talent online, particularly on YouTube, for free.

INSIDEBEAT

EDITORIAL BOARD Z OË S ZATHMARY .................................................... EDITOR RYAN SURUJNATH.....................................................ASSOCIATE ASHLEY PARK...................................................ASSISTANT

EDITOR EDITOR

FREDDIE MORGAN............................................................................TV EDITOR EMILY GABRIELE.......................................................................MUSIC EDITOR HEATHER TEDESCO................................................................THEATER EDITOR ZOË SZATHMARY....................................................................FASHION EDITOR JILLIAN PASON..........................................................................COPY EDITOR KEITH FREEMAN.........................................................................PHOTO EDITOR ALEX NATANZON............................................................................FILM EDITOR DIANA CHOLANKERIL...............................................................ONLINE EDITOR RYAN SURUJNATH...........................................................VIDEO GAMES EDITOR

This idea is not far-fetched, as recent history has shown. Talented musicians such as Justin Bieber, Grayson Chance and recently signed duo, Karmin have come into the industry as viral video sensations. Will YouTube become the newfound source of artist recognition? For one thing, it saves labels a lot of funds — that’s indisputable.

But will YouTube ultimately serve as a medium as effective as face-toface interaction when new talent is sought out?

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS TO INSIDE BEAT : Spence Blazak, Tammie Chiou, Shama Huq, Elena Georgopoulous, Josh Kelly, Saskia Kusnecov, Ryan Lizotte, Diana Weinapple Cover Photo Courtesy of theplace2.ru

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November 17, 2011

Inside Beat • Page 3

FASHION & TV

Fringe with Benefits

BY DANIELA WEINAPPLE STAFF WRITER

A fun new fashion trend has been sweeping across the University this semester: fringe. While it used to be reserved mostly for handbags, boots, and the occasional dress for those seeking to channel Pocahontas, fringe is now appearing on a range of items from casual t-shirts to suede pumps to even jewelry.

Fringe was spotted on runways last spring during Fashion Week 2011 on pieces by designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, and is popping up in retail stores.

One of the greatest things about fringe is its versatility. It can be the perfect accent on a color ful southwestern inspired sweater, or it can add a 1920s flapper feel to a cocktail dress, giving it just that extra spice you were looking for. Still, fringe is something that must be approached with caution, as it can appear a little tacky if worn improperly. Here are some ideas for wearing fringe fashionably to ensure there’s no chance of you looking like you’re dressed up in a questionable Halloween costume.

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The First Shifts in Broadcast Programming: NBC Cuts Deep

BY FREDDIE MORGAN TV EDITOR

This week, NBC was the first of the four major broadcast networks to completely overhaul their programming schedule.

First to feel the heat from this season’s newbies is crime drama Prime Suspect starring Maria Bello, which has been cut after the show wraps filming its thir teenth episode. Through NBC claims it is still “considering their options” for the future COURTESY OF CRITICALFAILURE.COM

of the series, many sources repor t that people on the show have already been told the series is cancelled.

In addition, a startling decision that will occur midseason has left many fans uneasy. NBC will bench Community to make room for 30 Rock on Thursdays, as well as several new shows premiering in the winter. New shows include Smash with Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Are You There Chelsea, and a television adaptation of the 1993 Tom Cruise film The Firm. Television

rookies Up All Night and Whitney remain on television.

In their broadcast news department, NBC has gained another reporter. It has been announced that Chelsea Clinton will become a fulltime correspondent for NBC Nightly News. The former first daughter is expected to begin immediately working on the “Making a Difference” segment, which spotlights people who volunteer to improve the lives of others in their community. Clinton joins political offspring Meghan McCain, who also works for NBC Universal.

Page 4 • Inside Beat

November 17, 2011

TV & VIDEO GAMES

BY JASON PEARL

EPIC MEAL TIME

ONLINE EDITOR

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CHECK FOR NEW VIDEOS EVERY TUESDAY @ YOUTUBE.COM/USER/EPICMEALTIME

What began as a light snack in October of last year has now evolved into a seven-course meal as the popularity of Epic Meal Time increased exponentially since their modest debut. Originally conceived by former substitute teacher and sane man Harley Morenstein and partner-in-crime Sterling Toth, this web series has skyrocketed in popularity, with each new installment consistently gaining views in the millions. Epic Meal Time’s fame may be due to its unique premise: a bunch of crazed Canadians gorging themselves on primarily bacon to the sounds of The Terminator soundtrack while drinking Jack Daniels.

A lot of Jack Daniels.

Each episode of Epic Meal Time is usually themed around one extravagant dish, like a 138,226-calorie bacon cheeseburger (The Sloppy Roethlisberger) or a fat sandwich (The Angry French Canadian) that

could easily give the Grease Trucks a run for their money.

Their most infamous culinary creation, however, is the TurBaconEpic.

This Moreauvian monstrosity consisted a quail, Cornish hen, chicken, duck and turkey all stuffed into one another with copious amounts of bacon strips and stuffing. The entire avian mess was then stuffed inside of pig, wrapped in more bacon strips, and basted with a butter and Dr. Pepper glaze. And because all that still wasn’t gluttonous enough, they garnished it with Wendy’s Baconators. What followed could only be described as a colossal feeding frenzy, with guests tearing into the amalgamation with their bare hands. Just a typical Tuesday for the guys of Epic Meal Time.

So whether they’re dousing their food in Four Loko, forging bacon chalices, or cracking jokes about the enigmatic Muscles Glasses, the Epic Meal Time crew has proven time after time that they have indeed permanently changed the cooking game.

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CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3 Infinity Ward | B

BY RYAN SURUJNATH ASSOCIATE EDITOR

In its first 24 hours on the market, Infinity Ward's highly anticipated title Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 sold 6.5 million units and generated more than $400 million worth of revenue in what is being heralded as the greatest launch in entertainment history.

The numbers are indeed staggering, but numbers alone cannot speak about a game's merit.

Modern Warfare 3’s singleplayer game mode spans roughly five to seven hours, and takes place almost immediately following the events of its predecessor.

World War III has broken out, pitting the United States and its allies against Russia. The campaign's

main strength lies in its sense of scale. The set pieces are beyond impressive and serve as brilliant stages to the game's large-scale firefights. From shootouts on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to tanks rolling through Paris, the game's scenery helps provide an accurate, and somewhat chilling, depiction of what World War III might look like. Unfortunately, storytelling and character development are not emphasized quite as much as set pieces. The plot follows a clichéd action film route and the game makes it difficult to care about the scores of soldiers who have been mowed down in all the fighting.

Enemy AI is another issue: The game often insists on throwing waves of endlessly spawning enemies at players; this gets irritating

very quickly. Nonetheless, the campaign provides more than enough thrills to keep adrenaline junkies satisfied.

Spec Ops mode makes a triumphant return to Modern Warfare 3. There are a number of special missions players can tackle either alone or cooperatively, and trying to best these can provide a rather difficult challenge. In addition, there is a new survival mode, in which players are tasked with fending off hordes of enemy soldiers. This helps make Spec Ops a truly unique experience.

Over the next few months, work, school and significant others will go neglected due to Modern Warfare’s signature multiplayer experience. Modern Warfare 3 plays almost exactly as its predecessor did; this is both a

strength and a great weakness.

The degree to which Modern Warfare 3 adheres to the familiar old formula is rather disturbing. Apart from new maps, it is difficult to discern gameplay differences between Modern Warfare 3 and Modern Warfare 2. In a full priced sequel, a franchise ought to show development and progression.

Modern Warfare 3 does not do this, instead recycling many of the same aspects present in Modern Warfare 2 and borrowing one of two things from Black Ops. For example, the game’s reused graphic engine is beginning to show its age. Though Modern Warfare 3 still looks fine, it hardly compares to the likes of Battlefield 3.

This is not say that there are not a few changes. New maps and game modes, like Kill Con-

firmed, inject some freshness into the series. The most notable change is a revamped killstreak system. In addition to the traditional killstreak rewards players are used to, Support killstreaks do not reset upon death and are more defensive in nature. Specialist killstreaks award players who mount successive kills with additional perks, turning skilled players into unstoppable machines. Players select which killstreak type to use as part of their character class.

Fans of the Call of Duty franchise should know exactly what to expect with this latest installment.

The singleplayer is not perfect and the multiplayer feels somewhat recycled. However, more importantly, Modern Warfare 3 is still fun and addictive.

November 17, 2011

Inside Beat • Page 5

BOOKS

IQ84 Haruki Murakami | B+

BY SHAMA HUQ STAFF WRITER

The lines between reality and fantasy are often blurred, but what happens when you take reality and use it to create a world so wholly beautiful and heartbreaking that the reader feels like they are a part of that world, too? In his latest novel, IQ84, acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami (author of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore) has managed to weave another spellbinding tale for readers.

IQ84 features two narratives: those of a young woman named Aoname, and of Tengo, a man with dreams of becoming a writer.

Though they follow seemingly dissimilar plotlines, over the course of one year, they eventually converge through a tangled web of events.

At the book’s beginning, Aoname launches a quest to understand the perplexing incongruities in the world around her – she assigns a name to this new “existence” full of discrepancies and puzzles, IQ84, where Q represents a question mark. At the same time, the aspiring novelist Tengo takes on a mysterious ghostwriting project and soon finds his life intertwined in this new assignment. In the characters’ world, existence is determined by the delicate balance between a jaded sense of déjà vu and somehow knowing the everpresent shadows that lurk behind the sunlight. Murakami’s work is amazing: he forces us to ask where the depiction of existence ends

and reality truly begins.

Murakami’s style has been fleshed out over several books.

Though his style can seem spartan at times, his writing uses simplistic descriptions and a halting, haunting prose that checks readers and allows them to fully immerse themselves. Murakami uses repetition often, in order to show rather than tell, and this gives the effect of true submersion. Readers feel the characters, as though they were more than mere colorful shadows within your imagination.

Murakami explained in a 2004 interview, “I don’t want to persuade the reader that it's a real thing; I want to show it as it is. In a sense, I’m telling those readers that it's just a story — it’s fake. But when you experience the fake as real, it can be real.” Perhaps the only real criticism is the length of this book; checking in at 944 pages, the story suffers slightly from stretching out what could have been expressed in shorter passages, especially given Murakami’s effortless writing style. Nonetheless, the beauty of this novel reaches heights very few authors manage to touch these days, and is a laudable feat.

This is Haruki Murakami’s 12th novel, and has been viewed by many as his magnum opus.

The anticipation by fans over IQ84 is in fact worth it — it’s an intriguing read for anyone who has ever found themselves noticing the complexities in life, and rather than leaving a closed door, wondering, Just what will happen if I opened this door and stepped outside?

The Marriage Plot Jeffrey Eugenides| BBY ELENA J. GEORGOPOULOS STAFF WRITER

The Marriage Plot starts off with attributing the average person’s fascination with love to everything from ardent Victorian literature to the “free love” of the 1960s. Meet Madeleine: a young girl pondering over what she wants in a man as she lays in bed on the morning of her graduation.

From there readers enter the pasts of three characters who are in their senior year at Brown University: Madeleine, an English major who grew up in a privileged upbringing; Leonard, a brooding yet brilliantly charming and sensual manic-depressive and Mitchell, a religious-savant of sorts, who is convinced that he is meant to be with Madeleine.

Even after graduation, with the love triangle cooling off, all three characters continue to figure out their place in a world with a failing economy and new mindset, constantly going in and out of each other’s lives and thoughts.

Eugenides has always had a unique way of presenting his characters; however, despite his past work, Madeleine and Leonard’s characters are as frustrating as they are dense, and reading their

expectations of one another and themselves is like watching a typical rom-com movie: it's riddled with clichés, with a few sympathy points here and there. Their interchanging roles of needy and caretaker add another level to the overall depressing nature of their relationship, allowing the reader to see their ending from a mile away.

Mitchell’s story of spiritual and moral fulfillment when he misses his chance with Madeleine, while bleak at times, makes him the most interesting of the three, making one almost wish during reading that the book could have been solely about him.

The novel, with its descriptions of the economic downturn of the 1980s and its semi-optimistic college graduates, parallels the climate today, making it a more timely campus-set novel than most. But, its execution is much like that of a college student going through different identities throughout four years; while the three main ideas of love, mental illness and spirituality, as symbolized by the characters, all include beautifully written and touching passages about the nature of each subject, none feel fully complete or even sincere, with one idea abandoned in favor of jumping to the next.

INTERNET SENSATIONS With the advent of YouTube, it has become possible for people to broadcast their talent to the entire world without the backing of an expensive talent agency.

Inside Beat takes a look at some of the most talented performers to benefit from the Internet revolution.

Television Stars

BY FREDDIE MORGAN TV EDITOR

The birth of video blogging began in 2006 with a waiflike girl named Bree, a sixteen-year-old religious devotee with strict parents and a pension for recording videos about herself. There was something captivating about her as she vlogged of the ins-andouts of her strange religion and her even stranger, ever-absent parents. She had a friend named Daniel that she was quite fond of, who created a YouTube account for himself to post videos about his relationship with Bree. Ultimately, critics and fans alike grew suspicious of this mysterious girl; how was it that her religion prohibited her from doing anything remotely fun, yet she owned a laptop and a camera? It was soon revealed that Lonelygirl15, Bree’s persona on YouTube, was actually an actress named Jessica Rose, an Australian attending the New York Film School at the time.

Jessica Rose has since become a television actress because of this unprecedented “YouTube gig.”

But while the series diminished, this new form of video entertainment did not die out. Real people were inspired by Lonelygirl15’s fake identity and, seeking fame the same way Jessica had, proceeded to post about their own lives and somehow make their videos interesting. Videos inspired by Lonelygirl15’s channel, such as mememolly’s, display not only charisma and performing talent but also editing and splicing abilities. These people now have obtained fame in their own right.

With any passing fad, the world grew tired of “just anyone”

with a camera and an opinion.

Today, it takes much more than several rants in order to attract an audience. Comedy channels began to emerge modeled after channels like Funny or Die; what better way to obtain fame than by making others laugh? The biggest commercial success stories with their roots in Internet videos are those of Bo Burnham’s (Comedy Central Presents) and Donald Glover’s (Community). At merely 16 years old, Burnham began releasing selfdescribed “pubescent musical comedy” songs on YouTube. His hilarious comedic timing and Rrated verses earned Burnham a spot on Comedy Central Presents.

Donald Glover, too, began making waves during college with his sketch comedy group Derrick Comedy. Glover was soon thereafter hired as a writer on NBC’s 30 Rock, thanks to his comprehensive comedic material displayed online.

These people are on the brink of worldwide stardom: Lisa Donovan (LisaNova) – former cast member of MadTV Kassem Gharaibeh (KassemG) – starred in an iPhone4 spoof commercial with Jane Lynch Philip DeFranco (sxephil) – starred in a Web-based series called Hooking Up with Jessica Rose Shay Butler (Shaycarl) – has appeared on No Ordinary Family YouTube partners: Watch out for when their YouTube successes bleed into the real world!

Hannah Hart (myharto) Jenna Mourey (JennaMarbles) Epic Meal Time GloZell Green (GloZell) Kingsley (ItsKingsleyBitch)

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R ED

BY RYAN SURUJNATH ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Red vs. Blue first premiered on Rooster teeth.com in April 2003. It is widely credited with bringing the art of machinima into the mainstream's attention. RvB was the brainchild of Burnie Burns, Gus Sorola and Geof f Ramsay who decided to turn their Halo gameplay videos into a fullfledged stor y.

Red vs. Blue is a comedic adventure that follows the stor y of

two teams, Red and Blue, who are stationed in a box canyon.

Each team has a base at the opposing ends of the canyon, though the first episode establishes that either base only exists in response to the other.

The two sides are supposedly in the middle of a war, but neither team has the motivation to fight the other. Even though the series' footage is captured in the Halo videogames, the stor y follows a different continuity to the Halo universe; those who have not played the game will still enjoy Red vs. Blue.

VS .

B LUE

The key to RvB’s success is its array of hilarious and dysfunctional characters. The Red team is led by Sarge, a disciplined, yet bloodthirsty staf f sergeant who hails from the Southern United States. Beneath him in the Red team's command str ucture are the shameless brownnoser Simmons, the hopelessly lazy Grif f and the ambiguously gay Donut. The Blue team is just as interesting. They consist of Church, a perpetually irate Texan who is killed and comes back to life as a ghost;

Tucker, a womanizer who is impregnated by an alien; Caboose, whose mental disposition varies from mildly dim-witted to completely lost; and Tex, an independent mercenar y who is the only competent soldier in the canyon. Since the series uses video game characters in the place of actors, Red vs. Blue keeps the audience’s attention with clever dialogue and character development. The writers have found a balance between weaving a serious stor y and maintaining the show's trademarked humor.

Since its inception more than eight years ago, Red vs. Blue has skyrocketed to Internet popularity. Even Halo’s developer Bungie could not ignore the machinima series for long: Bungie supported Red vs. Blue throughout its production process and even featured cameos by the RvB voice actors in Halo 3.

Red vs. Blue is currently in its ninth season and episodes, both new and old, are available to download at roosterteeth.com. Hopefully, Red vs. Blue will continue to amuse audiences as new Halo games come out.

Musical Notes Taken From YouTube

BY EMILY GABRIELE MUSIC EDITOR

Justin Bieber is the most successful musical artist that has used YouTube as a platform to jumpstart his road to fame (shout out to Usher for detecting talent and capitalizing on it).

Though the young, purple-loving artist may be the most successful, he is certainly not the only one to capitalize on the technological phenomenon.

Here’s the way it works: typically speaking, “YouTube sensations” record a video of themselves singing and/or playing an instrument. The general public receives the posted video relatively well and there’s a lot of buzz. More often than not, a musical icon will discover the YouTube artist and attempt to work out some sort of record deal with the newbie — thus developing the upand-comers’ skills; from the computer screen to the stage.

Exhibit A: The Quick to Be Signed — Esmee Denters

Mr. Pop himself — Justin Timberlake — recognized Esmee Denters. He spotted her recording of the Natasha Bedingfield cover “Unwritten” and she was the first artist he signed to his label, Tennman Records. Denters’ video currently has more than 16 million views and counting…

Exhibit B: The Unsigned But Well-Recognized — Sophia Grace Brownlee You may know this adorable young lady from her cover of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass”. At 8 years old, YouTube has ser ved as a major platform in making Brownlee’s dreams come true.

Her video merited recognition from Ellen DeGeneres, who featured Brownlee, accompanied by Rosie, her 5-year-old cousin, on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Not only did Brownlee get to perform her rendition of the hitsong but she was also given the pleasure of meeting Ms. Minaj herself. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Brownlee’s YouTube Channel is the third “most-subscribed to in the UK”

for this month. The future of Sophia Grace’s musical career should be interesting; what record label will reap the benefits of yet another YouTube star?

Exhibit C: The Unsigned and Under Recognized — Jayme Dee If you haven’t heard of her, or her music yet — what are you waiting for? The California-native Dee has covered songs from Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” to Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me” to MGMT’s huge-hit “The Kids”.

With a heartfelt voice and impressive creative abilities it’s surprising that Jaymee Dee has yet to be signed. Jaymee Dee also writes her own music — just another weapon that she has in her arsenal. On the face of it, it appears that Dee is a label’s dream … but thanks to YouTube, she has been able to share her talents without ever having to sign a dotted line.

Her YouTube subscribers fall just short of the 60,000 mark; though the number isn’t astronomical, her talent itself makes her next-up in our book.

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Page 8 • Inside Beat

November 17, 2011

FILM

Nights of Cabiria (Le notti de Cabiria)

BY SASKIA KUSNECOV STAFF WRITER COURTESY OF IMDB.COM

Ikiru (1952)

BY SPENCE BLAZAK STAFF WRITER

When translated into English, Ikiru means “to live” — it just might be the most pretentious, let alone dramatic, title of all time, yet the movie lives up to its moniker completely. Ahead of its times, Ikiru does the seemingly impossible: capturing the meaning of life on celluloid.

Ikiru is the story of a selfish older man who has had the same bureaucratic position in his city’s government for years. He has enough power rule as a lord over those beneath him. He is a bitter man, loathed by many, still mourning his deceased wife and hounded like a vulture by his inheritancehungry son. Then, he is diagnosed with stomach cancer and given a year to live. There is no way for him to fight it, just a decision about how to spend his remaining time on earth.

This is where the movie separates itself from others before and after it. In films like The Bucket List, the two protagonists deal with their impending deaths by doing the things they’ve always wanted to do before they die. The reason the movie doesn’t work is that it’s just selfish, and the only epiphany they reach is that the little things in life are what count. What kind of philosophy is that? It is too simple.

Ikiru ups the ante.

The story of Ikiru is triumphant, and its message matters because the plot is completely realistic and plausible. The man’s first reaction to the news isn’t to make a list of things to do because that isn’t what someone in that situation would actually do. Instead

he goes out and gets drunker than he has ever been with young people, hoping that intoxication is the answer. After some wandering around and soul-searching, he reaches the glorious epiphany that every person should reach before their last breath: happiness is fleeting and external, while joy is what really matters.

It’s basically like watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas but for adults: It’s beautiful, heartbreaking, tragic and triumphant all at once. The man’s decision to become selfless and devote the rest of his time to converting a bug-infested dump into a playground rivals the magic of Scrooge’s similar transition.

There are some movies where you know the ending going in, so the focus of the story is on how it is told. Ever yone knows that Apollo Creed beats Rocky, Darth Vader is Luke’s father, and Jaws explodes in the end, yet still generation after generation watches these characters. In Ikiru, we know that the man dies from the beginning, but that only makes the movie that much more impressive that it can have such an emotional effect.

The style of director Kurosawa was always “arty” long before it was mainstream, and the allegorical shots and metaphorical blocking of the actors and camera is like that in Citizen Kane. No shot is wasted, and every shot says something powerful.

Every truly great movie is at least somewhat philosophical, and Ikiru is about as philosophical as it gets. In closing, don’t let the subtitles keep you away because watching Ikiru just might be more than a movie.

If Federico Fellini’s 1957 film Nights of Cabiria, makes you laugh, cry and feel generally uncomfortable, then it’s doing its job. Giulietta Masina plays Cabiria, a spunky prostitute from the then-seedy section of Rome called Ostia. The film opens with her almost drowning after being pushed into the river by her lover when he steals her purse.

She is rescued by a group of townspeople, but as soon as she is conscious, pushes them away and embarks on a tumultuous search for love and finer things through the streets of Rome.

Cabiria’s search has extreme highs and lows as she tries to find meaning and mercy from life. She spends a night in both worlds: the luxury of a famous filmmaker, and the squalors of “The Caves” — a safe spot for the homeless who once stood in the same position she did. After searching exhaus-

tively through the streets, she eventually finds herself looking for mercy at the base of the Catholic church’s Madonna.

Cabiria’s attitude is marked by cynicism and paranoia until she meets a seemingly genuine accountant named Oscar, played by Francois Périer. At the start of their relationship he tells her, “We can all pretend to be cynical and scheming ...when the cynical mask drops, all that is best in us awakens.” After Oscar coaxes her into an engagement, Cabiria rediscovers an innocence and perspective that was lost when she made a life on the streets.

However, the film ends in a tragic, bittersweet manner. This ending is akin to the Italian neo-realistic style of Fellini’s films, which focuses on stories of the working class and impoverished in postWWII Italy. Chief among the conditions of this time were poverty and desperation — both aspects that Cabiria deals with every day.

Whether she is crying at the feet

of the Madonna, gawking bitterly at haute couture in her faux fur, or crying on the cold ground beside an empty purse, Cabiria is a case study of these hardships.

The prostitutes in Nights of Cabiria were controversial characters in the production of the film and almost prevented it from being financed. Fellini based their personas on those he had met while filming Il Bidone. Upon its release, the film’s reception responded not to Cabiria’s story, but to the underlying implications about human pathos that her life displays. The film was awarded an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1958.

When you sit down to watch Nights of Cabiria, you are committing yourself to the bumpy, emotional rollercoaster ride that is the life of Cabiria Ceccarelli. She will teach you about hardship, humanity’s vulnerability and the wealth gap in post-war Italy, but she will not give you repose on a Friday night at home.

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S M L I F N G I E R O F E T I R O V A F OUR LA HAINE, Matthieu Kassovitz, starring Vincent Cassel (1995) PRICELESS, Pierre Salvatori, starring Audrey Tautou (2006) 8 1/2, Federico Fellini, starring Marcello Mastroianni, (1963) GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES, Isao Takahata, starring Tsutomu Tatsumi (1988) HERO, Yimou Zhang, starring Jet Li & Tony Leung Chiu Wau (2002)

Inside Beat • Page 9

November 17, 2011

FILM

J. EDGAR Clint Eastwood | B-

BY: DIANA M. CHOLANKERIL STAFF WRITER

Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby) graces audiences with another directorial pursuit in J. Edgar. The film takes a stab at understanding the expansive and enigmatic life of John Edgar Hoover, the first and longest-reigning director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It proves to be enticing with vivid performances by Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception) as J. Edgar Hoover and Armie Hammer (The Social Network) as Clyde Tolson, Hoover’s most trusted friend and ally. We also see an almost unrecognizable Naomi Watts (The Painted Veil) as Ms. Helen Gandy, Hoover’s secretary.

However, even with the help of a solid acting ensemble, the subject may have been a bit too rich for Eastwood to cover in two and half hours.

The film makes a valiant attempt at chronicling the life of Hoover. The movie's opening thrusts audiences

into the 1920s, where they see a young Hoover who is friendless and socially inept to the common eye. Yet even in his twenties, Hoover had an uncanny knack for understanding a crime scene, something that many at that time took lightly. Fast-for ward to an elderly Leonardo DiCaprio (with the help of some serious latex intervention) posing as the older, more seasoned Hoover in the 1960s. Without even delving into the senior Hoover too much, Eastwood thrusts us backward in time to the ’30s and this back and forth directorial style remains the stylistic technique for the remainder of the film.

Although many will appreciate this style of directing, it is not an easy feat to master because the director can sometimes get so lost in the constant time warp that no central overarching questions are answered. J. Edgar was a puzzling, yet powerful man who did great things; he accomplished some of these feats through somewhat morally questionable means, but they were still great accomplishments nonetheless. However, Eastwood does

not really address this. He also does not address the alleged relationship Hoover had with Tolson, his secondin-command at the FBI. It highlights the love they had for each other but remains ambiguous as to whether there was a physical relationship between the two and how they dealt with the sexual tension over the years.

Despite all this dizzying time travel in the mix, the characters in this film are brought to life with the help of some great actors. A particularly powerful occurs when Hoover and Tolson address their sexual relationship.

Shards of glass and overturned tables become the backdrop of this powerful scene and Armie Hammer gives us a glimpse into his acting potential. Only 25 years old, Hammer has a bright future ahead of him.

Despite the very strong acting chops put forth by the film’s leading players, the film is focused more on seeing J. Edgar Hoover through the years rather than Hoover himself. Despite the lack of a central story, the film is quite enjoyable for an avid movie watcher and is still worth a trip to the movies.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM

Page 10• Inside Beat

November 17, 2011

MUSIC

MAC MILLER COURTESY OF MUN2.TV

Blue Slide Park | C

BY RYAN LIZOTTE STAFF WRITER

After Mac Miller’s signing to local Pittsburgh label Rostrum Records, the hype surrounding the young rapper rose immediately. Followed by a couple of popular mix tapes and a sold-out tour, the foundation was laid for a successful debut album … well,

COURTESY OF INTERVIEWMAGAZINE.COM

almost. Blue Slide Park showcases the best and worst of the young rapper, while displaying only small flashes of originality.

The lead single, “Frick Park Market,” shows Mac Miller at his lyrical best, supported by a great beat. Likewise, “Smile Back” boasts an above-average flow from Miller, who gives his best verses to date. Unfortunately, most of the album falls flat on its

face lyrically. As one might imagine, the lyrics don’t contain much more than profanity and not-sointricate descriptions of partying.

The monotone deliver y, which Miller maintains throughout “Blue Slide Park,” proves to be an additional annoyance. Although this is the same Mac Miller that released “Knock Knock” and “Donald Trump,” (two above-average hip hop

songs), Blue Slide Park does not really feel like the work of the same artist. Some of his musical issues can be attributed to poorly produced beats. This is exemplified in songs like “Up All Night” and “Party on Fifth Street,” tracks that are plagued by bland, uninspiring choruses.

If anything, Blue Slide Park shows us that Mac Miller has much room for improvement.

Rappers like Eminem and Kanye West have created albums that seem to define the genre of hiphop, whereas rappers like Mac Miller seem to reside at the bottom of the food chain. For someone like Mac Miller, who has already created a solid image and fan base, fans can hope that Blue Slide Park is the just a teaser display of his talents — and a very bitter beginning, at that.

Atlas Sounds Parallax | BBY JOSH KELLY STAFF WRITER

At the start of Parallax, the third solo album from Deerhunter's frontman Bradford Cox under the name Atlas Sound, you are greeted with a sense of familiarity without being able to place your finger on the details. For a solo album, Cox does well with putting together full arrangements of instrumentation. However, the seemingly dense and engaging songs lack the depth offered by a full group - a problem that many solo artists have to overcome.

The track "Doldrums" is representative of Bradford Cox's sound and style; he creates sonicscapes layered in bright, swirling textures with the tonal and spatial sensibility of Brian Eno. Nothing recorded for the album is charac-

teristically new; this album is merely a continuation of the same sound, instead of musical progression. This leaves you with a sense of short-lived satisfaction, creating a hunger for more, to those who seek development in their artists.

Notable tracks for the album include: “The Shakes,” “Mona Lisa,” “My Angel is Broken” and “Lightsworks.” The style of the album sways between the lines of lomographic, faded, and hazy daydreams with sounds of whirly, winding guitar and key swells.

This is an album with a few songs that are certainly forgettable, getting skipped over in a play-through the album out of boredom or pure lack of interest. When the album shines, which it is more-so than not, it is a rewarding sonic experience.

For those in need of something new to listen to that is relatively engaging and entertaining, Parallax is an album worth a listen.

Inside Beat • Page 11

November 17, 2011

MUSIC COURTESY OF JAY MICHAELS MUSICS

Industry Blurbs What’s LOCAL CORNER: ACTION ITEM Going on Outside the Artistry

BY DIVYA PATIBANDLA STAFF WRITER

Recent University graduate Brian Cag leads Jersey’s very own Action Item. The group has found success in the pop-rock world with a current fan base of more than 35,000. The band’s crew of five consists of Cag on vocals, Anthony Li on guitar, Mark Shami on piano, David Buczkowski on bass and Dan Brozek on the drums.

Action Item has played alongside noteworthy acts such as Boys Like Girls, The Veronicas, We The Kings and All Star Weekend. Adding to their resume, Action Item has also opened for teen sensations Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.

The band is currently headlining the “Stronger the Love Tour.” The tour will be stopping by central New Jersey’s premier music venue, Starland Ballroom, only a short ride away from campus. The show starts early; doors open at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Come out and show some support for these Bergen County natives.

BY EMILY GABRIELE MUSIC EDITOR

The music industry’s “Big Four” has been reduced to the “Big Three.” The London-based EMI Group was sold on Friday, Nov. 11. Prior to EMI’s liquidation, the “Big Four” consisted of EMI Group, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.

EMI was split up into two different portions: recorded music and publishing. Universal Music Group purchased the recorded music end of EMI for $1.9 million, while Sony Corporation purchased the publishing arms for $2.2 million, sealing the deal at a collective $4.1 million between the two entities.

EMI has been a long-standing company in the industry, but they faced rough waters in 2007. Due to financial woes, Terra Firma purchased EMI in August of 2007 for $4.2 billion. Unable to fully rebuild and recuperate from the everchanging music industry, Citigroup Financial took full ownership of the EMI Group as of Feb. 1. With the intent to ultimately sell the EMI entity, Citigroup declared that all final bids for ownership of EMI be placed by the beginning of October of this year.

Now that Universal has purchased the recorded music entity, their roster is extended to artists like Katy Perry, Pink Floyd, David Guetta, Snoop Dogg and Coldplay. The publishing catalog that Sony has purchased proves just as impressive; among the publishing arms are songwriters such as Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Beyonce and Pink. Though a deal has been finalized, there still remains a lot of uncertainty within the industry. The direction of the newly anointed “Big Three” is debatable — it will be interesting to see how the sale of EMI will ultimately affect the future of the industry.

Page 12• Inside Beat

November 17, 2011

MUSIC

Summer Camp Welcome to Condale | B

COURTESY OF THE KISSINGER TWINS

BY TAMMIE CHIOU STAFF WRITER

If you’re missing summer, Summer Camp’s Welcome to Condale is your ticket back to July. This UK duo specializes in sweet and mellow sounds that are well suited for being blasted out of a boom box at a pool par ty. Behind the warm, nostalgia-tinged pop, the lyrics are similarly filled with ever ything a summer fling requires: passive-aggressive remarks, love/hate confessions and musings of hear tbreaks and obsessive love.

Digging into the teen psyche, Summer Camp paints an idyllic sound landscape that’s drizzled with synths and 80s-styled bleeps. “Better Of f Without You” immediately brings up visions of an ’80s sitcom set in So Cal, with campy accusations and

sassy remarks sung in a kitsch, heartfelt manner.

“I Want You” is certainly the most interesting song on the album, with its hazy pleas interspersed with chilling promises such as “I’d write your name in blood on every wall/It would make the evenings news.”

On the other end of the spectrum, the song “Summer Camp” itself is sweeter than the majority of the album. It contains spiraling guitar riffs and shy admissions accompanied by wavy synths that oscillate between the choruses, linking hand in hand with bubbly keyboards.

While fun and simple, the album stays firmly in the niche of retro-indie, and doesn’t seem to take many risks — but maybe it doesn’t need to. The primary vibe of the album implores listeners to kick up their feet, crack open a cold one and pretend to be experiencing a California summer even as fall draws to a close.