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Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II; The End of an Era

Last modified on 2011-07-15 07:36:19 GMT. 101 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

Before I begin my review, I think it is important to note the date. As I write this, it is around 2:30 AM on July 15, 2011. Nine years, eight months and one day ago, the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit theaters, a huge risk taken by Warner Brothers Studios given the fanatic following the then four-books in series had accrued. While the tone of the film was kept relatively light, it opened to good reviews and outstanding box office numbers, with an audience skewering towards the 1990s generation.
Today, July 15, 2011, marks the end of an era.
I was six years old, nearly seven, when I first picked up a copy of Sorcerer’s Stone in my elementary school library. It was by far the longest and most complex book I had ever read in my six years, probably just above my second-grade reading level. By the middle of the novel I was hooked. I quickly read the next two books in the series as I impatiently awaited the release of the fourth novel. By the fifth I had somehow managed to get into the midnight book releases (thanks, Dad!). By the time Deathly Hallows came out, I was sixteen, halfway through high school, unsure of what lay ahead. The only thing I was truly certain of as I turned the final pages of the book was the fact that I had (at the time) two more Harry Potter films until I could really say that my childhood was over. At this time, it is mere days from the fourth anniversary of the release of Deathly Hallows, and the only thing that has really changed is the uncertainty of what lies ahead. That, and the fact that now, I am forced to admit that my childhood has finally come to a close, that the era in history that gave us the Backstreet Boys and Junie B. Jones has finally reached its conclusion. Though Rowling has publicly said that she has not shut the door on returning to Potter completely, we, the children of the 1990s, who grew up eagerly awaiting book releases and the midnight rush for the next movie, have seen Harry grow up from an unloved, neglected orphan into a (SPOILER ALERT) happily married family man.
Eight months ago I wrote my review of the first part of Deathly Hallows. As I approached the same theater this evening, I could feel the same energy all around as a friend and I joined the line of about one hundred people waiting to enter the theater. Among the fully costumed moviegoers were Lord Voldemort, Ginny Weasley, a variety of Death Eaters and dementors and inexplicably Neo from The Matrix. The mood was inattentive as commercials that are often played on television were broadcast, focused for the teaser clip of The Dark Knight Rises, and exasperated as the trailer for the next Twilight movie played. As the shot faded from Forks, Washington to Albus Dumbledore’s marble grave, the crowd fell silent. This is what we came here for. This truly was the end.

The filmmakers, knowing that this meant the end of this beloved series to an entire generation, left few things from the book trickle through the cracks. Very much an action film, the battle sequences that make up the core of the film were beautifully done in a way that was true to the books while also being inclusive to unaware audiences. Every bit of film was meticulously shot and edited. Even the changing of minor details was done in a way that unless you had read the book multiple times could go unnoticed for multiple viewings. The Kiss We’ve Been Waiting for for Ten Years (yes, it deserves to be capitalized for our non-Potter-oriented readers) was done cinematically in a much different way than Rowling’s original setting, but it was done perfectly to the point that I didn’t care that the circumstances were different. The few minor flaws were almost unnoticeable. The fifty-seven deaths in this section, though many not shown in the film, hit just as hard, if not harder, as they did on the page. Though David Yates was a bit unsteady for the first two films he helmed for the series, he did a magnificent job with bringing Deathly Hallows to the screen, this film in particular. Each character that had a moment in the book saw their moment on the screen, from Neville Longbottom killing the final Horcrux to Molly Weasley losing her cool when Bellatrix Lestrange tries to get to her sole daughter. The final scenes from Alan Rickman show his power as a performer, the character Snape finally being redeemed after six and a half books of being a villian. The casting for the epilogue, taking place nineteen years after the Battle At Hogwarts, was unbelievably perfect. Each member of the next generation looked precisely like their parents, even carrying some of their mannerisms. I would hope that if Rowling were to ever explore this second generation, the casting would remain the same.

This film truly belongs to the trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. As we have watched them grow up alongside us for the last ten years, the film saw the completion of their transformation from rambunctious adolescents to young adults willing to sacrifice themselves in order to protect their friends and families. Grint, whose character has mostly been used for comic relief through the series, was finally able to see Ron Weasley profess his love for Watson’s Hermione Granger, who has grown from a know-it-all to the backbone of the trio. At the heart is Radcliffe, whose onscreen transformations both as an actor and physically have made him almost unrecognizable from the young boy we first saw so many years ago. Another transformation to note is that of Matthew Lewis, who has transformed Neville Longbottom from a timid boy afraid to stand up to his friends to a man standing up to evil and defying its expectations. Any member of this cast can and probably do whatever they want now that the series is over, without fear of typecasting as their characters in such a big franchise.
I, for one, plan on seeing this film again, probably multiple times. I highly suggest you do as well. In addition, I would watch the final two films, the second of which takes off seconds after the first, together in order to get the full effects. While the series and our childhoods have officially come to a close, both can live on forever through repeat viewings and readings.

Album Review: David Cook’s “This Loud Morning” Keeps His Career Rock-Solid

Last modified on 2011-06-30 02:03:14 GMT. 108 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

Two and a half years after making his post-American Idol debut, David Cook is making his way back onto the music scene with his sophomore effort, This Loud Morning. Since winning Idol’s seventh season in 2008 he has been touring and recording almost nonstop. Besides a cover of “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” used as this year’s exit song on the show that made him a star, this is the first set of new material he has released since his major-label debut.
Sticking with the same rock influences present on his previous record, the album boasts several radio-ready tunes. Likely second single “Take Me As I Am” is standard individuality fare, but paired with Cook’s vocals it soars, adding a level of depth to the lyrics, “we can take tonight, make it last forever.” Lead single “The Last Goodbye” is a perfect kiss-off, accompanied by a powerful baseline, roaring guitar and deep lyrics. Cook co-wrote every song on the album, which also features powerhouse songwriters David Hodges (who wrote for artists such as Evanescence and Kelly Clarkson), Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic, Adele, Gavin DeGraw and Hilary Duff) and Claude Kelly (Britney Spears, Jay Sean, Jessi J). “This Is Not For You” and “Let Me Fall For You,” available on the deluxe edition, are reminiscent of material on his self-titled debut but manage to be unique and different from their predecessors.
This album will probably be faced with critics as reviews start coming out, but in terms of a sophomore album by an Idol alum, this definitely ranks in the top five. Tracks I would absolutely recommend downloading? “We Believe,” my personal favorite from the album, and lead track “Circadian.”

LMFAO Keeps on Party Rocking

Last modified on 2011-06-16 21:36:17 GMT. 72 comments. Top.

Not coming out till next week I have been able to sample LMFAO’s sophomore album titled Sorry for Party Rocking. This is the duo’s second trip to the studio and it shows. They have only gotten better, they have fully embraced the party boys act and the album is truly a party start to finish. It seems the duo evolved in a big way and are always on the cutting edge of their genre and the music scene in general. With the dub step genre beginning to boom into the main stream LMFAO are really the first to integrate the style flawlessly into their electro-hip-hop genre. The whole album is a fun ride and is laced with some big guests such as Will I Am and Busta Rhymes. The duo’s first single titled Sorry for Party Rocking has already had huge success on the Billboard Top 100. But their second single Champagne Showers shows LMFAO is here to stay. They have successfully

integrated into the main stream without skipping a beat and staying ground with the style that s

hot them into the spotlight. The tracks are heavy party songs and will pump any one up to get into that party zone and I am sure some of these songs will become party anthems this year at Franklin Pierce. The album drops on June 21 and you should get your hands on it right away because there is not one bad track on Sorry for Party Rocking.

 

Champagne Showers- LMFAO ft Natiala Kills

 

Interview with Shwayze and Cisco Adler

Last modified on 2011-04-14 22:27:45 GMT. 106 comments. Top.

by Michael Davies

After Shwayze and Cisco Adler performed at Franklin Pierce University on April 2, 2011, FPTV was able to catch up with the performers.  Erica Tomaszewski conducted the interview and enjoyed her experience.

“It was very exciting to be able to interview them because the guys seemed down to earth,” said Tomaszewski.

According to the interview, Shwayze should be releasing another album by the end on April.  If PAC gets another artist or band for next year, expect FPTV to cover the event

Check out FPTV25′s YouTube page for more videos!

Recap & Review: Grey’s Anatomy: The Music Event

Last modified on 2011-04-01 17:47:23 GMT. 99 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

So maybe I’m in the minority here, but I personally really enjoyed “Song Beneath the Song.” I thought the way the music factored in, especially Callie’s songs, was perfect for an out-of-body experience. Some of my predictions were pretty far off, but who could have predicted what happened during “Walkin’ On Sunshine?” SPOILER warning from here on out.

The episode opened up with Arizona waking up after getting knocked out by the airbag’s impact. Seeing that Callie is no longer in her seat, she naturally begins to freak out. On the hood of the car, Callie regains consciousness only to see herself looking back at her, singing part of “Cosy in the Rocket,” the show’s theme song for the first few seasons.

As they get to the hospital, “Chasing Cars” begins. Featuring Sara Ramirez, Kevin McKidd and Chandra Wilson (Callie, Owen Hunt and Miranda Bailey, respectively), the song is performed as what appears to be the entire hospital staff of Seattle Grace Mercy West assesses the damage done to Callie and the baby, who will be known as Mighty Oak, Mark’s nickname for it, from here on out. Callie was already freaking out, but seeing trauma surgeon Owen burst into song only make her hyperventilate more. Bailey, who began the show with five interns that all faced traumas (in order, Cristina lost a baby and a fallopian tube, Meredith almost drowned, Izzie got cancer, George got hit by a bus and Alex got shot), felt a deeper connection to the tragedy and did her best to comfort Callie during her verse, grabbing her hand when Callie reached out. The baby’s heartbeat was eventually found as Callie began crashing, leading everyone to rush her to an OR. The last thing seen in the scene is Arizona, blood still pouring steadily out a gash on her head, saying that the truck came out of nowhere, holding back tears.

While Callie’s on the table, Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) begins singing “Breathe (2AM).” To say my predictions were off would be half-correct, the song was being directed towards Mark but Avery had nothing to do with it. Lexie ran off in search of Mark, who was about to lose his child and best friend. She eventually finds him crying in the stairwell, which is one of the biggest places for conversations and tears in the hospital. “You don’t have to do this, I know you hate me,” Mark says between tears. Meanwhile, Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) goes to the gallery, where Arizona is watching. As the song ends, Lexie and Alex comfort them as well as they can, given the very uncertain circumstances.

Addison Montgomery sighting! After new OB Lucy Fields admitted that this case, with Mighty Oak only being twenty-three weeks along, was out of her depth, Addison was flown in from Los Angeles. I’ve missed seeing Kate Walsh on Grey’s. I love her on Private Practice, but it’s still not the same. It is revealed that Lucy failed to give Mighty Oak anything to mature its lungs quicker, so premature delivery is not an option. Cut to a meeting with all of the attendings and Owen’s back at it with “How We Operate.” This was one of the weirder song placements, minus the conversation between the three remaining residents from Bailey’s crop of interns, Owen lead the meeting in song. After the meeting, Bailey, Mark and Arizona discuss the options. Arizona and Mark begin fighting as Bailey begins singing “Wait.” I’m pretty sure the reason why the song was placed here is because of the line “wait, and he will be gone.” Cristina, looking at Callie’s scans, finds a way to save both Callie and the baby as Derek tells Meredith that Callie has suffered enough neurological damage to not come back as herself. Mark tells Arizona that she’s nothing with this baby.

Back to another scene in Callie’s head, where she and Arizona are back in the car, moments before the crash. Arizona is much more sympathetic to the fact that Callie is trying to help a friend in need and tells her that she can get her phone from the backseat. That’s when Callie realizes that Arizona’s going to propose marriage, which Arizona denies as she tells Callie to get her seatbelt back on, something millions of viewers were urging her to do as last week’s episode ended. Callie says she loves Arizona as she starts singing “Walkin’ On Sunshine.” This is where the episode started getting really weird, to me at least. It cut to Eli and Bailey singing and dancing near a call station, followed by Owen and Cristina getting undressed in their kitchen, Teddy checking on Henry and Alex and Lucy fooling around in his trailer. Lexie is shown with a sleeping Mark, stroking his hair, then it cut back to Meredith and Derek, who appear to be back in their newlywed-bliss stage. Callie opened her eyes but was unresponsive, leading Derek to say it was too soon to tell how intense the damage was. Cristina proposes her plan to Owen and Teddy using past cases, but Teddy objects. Arizona talks to Callie about how she doesn’t want to feel like nothing, even though she is legally viewed as nothing to her and the baby. During a Calzona duet of “Universe & U,” Callie moves her finger, then crashes as out-of-body Callie begins to bleed out.

Callie is next seen on the gurney getting transported to an OR, with out of body Callie next to injured Callie, singing “Grace,” last heard when Denny died in Season 2.  Mark and Arizona sit in separate rows in the gallery, having been banned from the OR while Callie’s in there. In their first non-confrontational conversation of the episode, Callie suggests praying. Mark tells her he hadn’t stopped praying since he heard about the crash. In the OR, Callie begins to bleed out, Teddy’s objection to Cristina’s surgery is overturned and the cast begins singing “How To Save A Life.” As Callie begins to crash again, out-of-body Callie begins singing between Mark and Arizona, who are both standing by the window. Addison delivers Mighty Oak, who wasn’t doing good. With an encouraging nod from Mark, pediatric attending Arizona saves Mighty Oak’s life, getting her heart to start beating as they stabilize Callie. Mark tells Arizona that she’s not nothing and they make peace. Meredith, who wasn’t really involved in the episode, confessed to Derek that during the previous day’s baby shower she was jealous because Callie got pregnant without trying. I don’t know what this means for Meredith, but I can see her dark and twisty side coming back over the next few episodes.

Upon hearing Arizona’s description of the baby, Callie begins singing “The Story,” triumphantly walking around the hospital and watching Mark with Mighty Oak. Teddy severs her teacher-student relationship with Cristina since Cristina refuses to listen. Callie walks back into her room and begins yelling at her body, shaking the bed and trying to wake herself up. She succeeds by grabbing her ankles, as real Callie watches out of body Callie disappear. The first thing she does is say yes to Arizona.
In terms of the music in context, the only things I thought were misplaced were “How We Operate” and “Walkin’ On Sunshine.” I get that “Walkin’” was all in Callie’s head, but that was a lot of foreplay going on for people who all had emotional connections to their potentially dying friend. I loved what they did with “The Story” and “Breathe,” and I don’t think “How To Save A Life” would have had as much of an emotional impact if it wasn’t for the entire cast singing. I thought it was better after a second viewing. I think that if they had tried this any other season, with any other scenario, it would not have worked half as well. I’m excited to see what’s in store for the rest of the season.

Review: Grey’s Anatomy: The Musical Event Soundtrack

Last modified on 2011-04-01 18:49:56 GMT. 91 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

Tonight marks a huge milestone in the seven-season history of Grey’s Anatomy. After seven seasons, Grey’s has gone musical for tonight’s episode, aptly titled “Song Beneath the Song.” Beware of SPOILERS after the jump.

In last week’s cliffhanger ending, Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) were on their way to a bed and breakfast as Callie’s baby shower gift to Arizona. Callie, roughly seven months pregnant, received a text from Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), her best friend and the father of her unborn child. Annoyed at the constant presence of Mark in her life, Arizona throws Callie’s phone into the backseat. Callie removes her seatbelt to retrieve her phone to comfort her friend in his time of need as Arizona complains about how Mark gets more of Callie than she does. Taking her eyes off of the road, Arizona asks Callie to marry her. Before Callie has a chance to respond, a truck hits their car in a head-on collision.

In a few clips released over the last several days, some of the songs used in the episode can be seen in context. “Chasing Cars,” heard on Grey’s in the second season finale, is performed while Callie and Arizona arrive at Seattle Grace. “How To Save A Life,” from season two’s “Superstition,” takes place as everyone in the OR tries to save Callie and the baby. Some of the other songs are a little harder to decipher. Chyler Leigh’s Lexie Grey sings “Breathe (2AM),” which was first heard when her half-sister Meredith was involved in a bomb scare in the show’s post Superbowl two-parter, “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It.” Lexie, currently involved in a love triangle with Mark and Jackson Avery, could be singing this during a particularly trying moment where she could be torn between her love for Mark despite the pregnancy and her attraction to Jackson. “Grace,” another song from the second season finale, was playing when Denny Duquette died from complications stemming from a heart transplant.

The songs, though obviously not performed by people who sing all the time, are all well-done and show exactly what Grey’s is about.  All are performed in the same understated way that they were previously used in the show. Doing a musical episode is risky for any show, but I think Grey’s can pull it off. After last season’s bloodbath of a finale, the show has seen a new life, proving that after a few missteps over the years (Rose, Izzie’s hallucinations, the ill-fated pair known as Gizzie), this veteran is back and better than ever. Judging by the tone of the songs and the previous contexts they were found in, tonight’s episode is bound to be emotional. I would definitely recommend downloading the whole album. Check back tomorrow for my full thoughts on both the episode and the music after seeing it in context!

 

UPDATE: Full thoughts here!

Review: Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” Single/Video

Last modified on 2011-03-20 06:37:37 GMT. 491 comments. Top.

by Jen Connors

I will admit that I am not the world’s biggest Little Monster. I like Lady Gaga in moderation, usually when I need a beat to get me through the next three minutes and some odd seconds and nothing else is really cutting it. When I read the lyrics to “Born This Way,” after months of hype and buildup, including a declaration from Gaga herself that this album will, “change the world,” I was intrigued, but a little disappointed. When I heard the song for the first time, I felt it even more. While “Born This Way” is a good dance song and sure to gain some sort of club-anthem status, it has the same beat and message as another “love yourself” anthem: Madonna’s 1989 smash hit “Express Yourself.” From the spoken intros to the techno-friendly, drum heavy tempo, it’s hard to distinguish the songs at first. “BTW” is already breaking records, becoming the 1000th song to top the Billboard chart and the fastest-selling song in iTunes history, selling over one million downloads in less than a week. I think on its own the song is good, but not as fantastic as Gaga made it out to be in interviews prior to its debut.  When the video made its debut about two weeks ago, I felt that disappointment again. What had so much potential to be a truly groundbreaking video for Gaga turned into another space show, complete with unicorns, visual effects, and birth scenes.
The video opens with a shot of “Mother Monster,” a Gaga alter ego, and a reading from her manifesto. Mother Monster is a God-like creature who births both good and evil. The births are shown through somewhat graphic effects. The music itself doesn’t begin until two and a half minutes into the video, which clocks in at seven minutes and twenty seconds. Intercut with images of Mother Monster is the “good” side, dancing along to the song for the first verse with a somewhat natural Gaga shown with dancers and by herself. When the “evil” side is shown, it is just a zombified dancing Gaga with a man standing still next to her. It’s a dance-heavy video that relies heavily on the usual over-the-top Gaga techniques.
I feel like “Born This Way” had a lot of potential to be the next “Beautiful,” but Gaga completely wasted it. The video is so frivolous and overproduced, it’s almost impossible to take the song’s message seriously. If she wanted to do something truly daring, she would have abandoned her usual production values, her usual makeup and costumes and especially the unicorn featured throughout the video, in favor of a natural approach, showing the way she is without the pizzazz and the effects, and maybe even showing some regular people that are comfortable with who they are. If she is trying to make herself the spokesperson for the LGBTQ community, she should be able to show her listeners that she knows what it’s like to be young and confused about who you are. A unicorn isn’t going to help the fourteen year old who’s been bullied all day and puts on the song when they get home from school. A dancing zombie isn’t going to help the seventeen year old who’s confused about what they want in life. By releasing this video, with this type of message song, Gaga is essentially saying that she was born an overly-sexualized zombie God, sent down to earth to end prejudice and hatred. I would definitely recommend listening to the song, but I would skip the video unless you are a die-hard Little Monster.

Sundance Film Festival: Red State

Last modified on 2011-01-25 22:05:26 GMT. 642 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

“Welcome to protestors and excitement and the last paradise of free speech,” John Cooper, director of the Sundance Film Festival, began as he introduced one of the festival’s most controversial films. Starting at least ten minutes late, the world premiere of Red State had attracted a sold-out crowd and at least ten members of radical conservative group Westboro Baptist Church picketing the film.
The fact that there was going to be a protest was already common knowledge. Smith acknowledged it on his Twitter page, replying to a follower that he was going to, “Join them, I guess. That’s what you do when you can’t beat ‘em.” The WBC issued a press release on January 15,  stating Smith’s “hatred” and the fact that the film “mocks the servants of God and calls good evil and evil good,” as reasons for protesting. They were met with about 200 students from Park City High School, holding signs with legends such as, “
The movie itself is, as Smith puts it, a political/religious/horror/thriller film centering on the actions of a group not unlike the WBC in a small Midwestern town. The film opens on a teenage boy (Michael Angarano) passing a funeral on his way to school. The funeral, which was being held for a gay man who was found brutally murdered behind a bar, had a crowd of protestors from a fundamentalist group called Five Points. Upon entering his classroom, a debate about the validity of the group occurs. Soon after, two of the boy’s friends (played by Kyle Gallner and Nicholas Braun) show him a printout of an online dating profile of a woman from the group’s hometown, saying that she has been in communication with them for a few weeks and that she wanted to meet them later that night. While driving to the neighboring town, the boys accidentally side-swept a vehicle that appeared to be abandoned. The car contained the sheriff of the town, who was in the car with another man. The boys fled from the scene and continued to the woman’s home. After a few drinks, she said she was ready to have sex with all three of them. They were told to go into the bedroom and begin removing their clothes. The boys get knocked out by something hitting the walls and Gallner’s character wakes up alone, in a dog crate, on some type of conveyor belt.
It is soon revealed that he is in fact inside of the Five Points church, and that the boys’ planned night of debauchery had gone terribly wrong. While the pastor (Michael Parks) is giving a sermon, preaching about how hateful of a country the United States is and how the world is going to hell, it becomes clear to Gallner that this was not a good place to be, even less so when the men of the group reveal that a gay man is tied to a cross in the middle of the room and proceed to murder him in cold blood, identically to the way the man whose funeral was shown was killed. That is when the fact that the group has automatic weapons is revealed, and as federal agents attempting to take down the organization arrive, a bloodbath begins.

This film is not for the faint of heart. Smith said so himself during the film’s introduction. Red State is a bloodbath for about two-thirds of its ninety-five minute runtime, with serious questions of what is good and what is evil being raised. With radical groups abundant today, it’s almost safe to ask if the movie hits a little too close to home, with amount of potential radical groups like the WBC might have to do something like this.
The movie is notable for other reasons. Kevin Smith stated during the film’s Q&A that this will be his penultimate film as a director, with Hit Somebody! being his tenth and final effort. He will instead focus on releases features done by newcomers via his Smodcast Pictures banner. Hit Somebody!, based off the Warren Zevon hockey song of the same name, is due to hit theaters sometime in 2012 and will feature most of the same cast as Red State.
As previously posted, Smith is not going about the traditional route of selling a film, doing press and a publicity tour for Red State. He is instead going on a fifteen-city, month-long tour beginning March 5 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. “I came here seventeen years ago and all I wanted to do was sell my movie, and I can’t think of anything f—ing worse seventeen years later than selling our movie to people who just don’t f—ing get it,” he said upon purchasing the four million dollar flick for a paltry $20. “We’re starting over, so to speak,” he continued, “and this time it’s not enough to just make the movie, we have to learn how to release the movie because true independence isn’t making a film and selling it to some jack—. True independence is schlepping that s-t to the people yourself.” Smith is refusing to do any publicity or any press for the film.
Tickets for the first run of the Red State USA Tour go on sale Friday, January 28. The dates are as follows:
March 5- Radio City Music Hall, New York, New York
March 6- Wilbur Theater, Boston, Massachusetts
March 8- Harris Theater, Chicago Illinois
March 9- State Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 10- Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, Michigan
March 11- Clowes Memorial Hall, Inianapolis, Indiana
March 12- Midland Theater, Kansas City, Missouri
March 14- Clark State PAC, Springfield, Ohio
March 22- Paramount Theater, Denver, Colorado
March 26- McAlister Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana
March 28- Paramount Theater, Austin, Texas
March 29- Cobb Energy Center, Atlanta, Georgia
April 4-      Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle, Washington

Red State will be in theaters October 19, 2011.

EXCLUSIVE: Red State is going to…

Last modified on 2011-01-24 07:55:20 GMT. 389 comments. Top.

It was not a secret that Kevin Smith was planning on selling Red State, his latest effort, at auction during the film’s premiere January 23 in front of a sold-out crowd. The secret was what actually happened at auction: Smith bought the movie himself for twenty dollars from producer John Gordon and announced his plans for the film. Instead of a typical release and publicity campaign, Smith is taking the film on a fifteen-city tour across the United States to begin making back the four million dollars he put into production beginning in early March. After a month on the road, Smith will take a hiatus and pending the results of the tour, he will take it back out until its October 19 theatrical release date. October 19 is significant because it is the seventeenth anniversary of the release of Clerks, his first film which also premiered at Sundance. More to follow…after this movie. Five of us are at Cedar Rapids right now.

Sundance Film Festival: Day 1-4

Last modified on 2011-01-23 02:56:36 GMT. 336 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

Park City, Utah. 2,358 miles and two time zones from Rindge, New Hampshire. Forty-five minutes from Salt Lake City. Native population: 7371. Population for the last week of January: questionable, but up by a few thousands at least. This week, seven Franklin Pierce students are part of those thousands of people attending the Sundance Film Festival as part of a class. The seven person class consists of Meghan Graf, Ben Friedman, Kevin Murphy, Liz Squire, Steve Yuen, Aaron West and myself, with Blake Wood as our professor. Over the course of the next several days, we will watch about eighteen films apiece, some with looming release dates (Cedar Rapids) and others gaining notice for the first time (To.get.her).

After picking up our tickets and divvying them out over a late breakfast/early lunch, we decided to go explore the area. The area around Main Street, where two Sundance theaters and the Slamdance Film Festival are located, houses most of the restaurants, bars and stores in Park City. Main Street also doubles as a showcase for numerous musicians trying to get their name out by playing on the street. The musicians have all been incredibly talented so far, with acts ranging from a pianist to guitarists to full bands. We have taken to referring to various statues as our landmarks, from a cow in front of an ice cream store to a bear near the box office and a moose down the street from our condo. Situated in a valley surrounded by ski mountains, the area itself is absolutely gorgeous.

For our first night here, we had dinner at Zoom, a restaurant owned by Sundance founder Robert Redford. While Redford is often known to make an appearance the first night of the festival, he wasn’t there during our meal. The director of Howl, Rob Epstein, was leaving as we were sitting down. The food was excellent and very filling. After dinner, we went to the opening night party at the Legacy Lodge. Sadly no celebrity sightings but we got a decent amount of swag and had a lot of fun.

Celebrities seem to be flying under the radar, yesterday at least. Steve and Kevin saw Anton Yelchin and are about 70% sure they spotted Kim Kardashian when they went to Main Street for lunch today. Meg, Ben and I saw Liv Tyler as we waited in line for The Ledge,  and Ben and Aaron saw Michael Moore speak at a panel about culture and social change with Bobby Kennedy Jr, as well as Harry Belafonte. According to Steve, Anton was with his mom and was, “freaking out about steak,” and that Kim was “with a bunch of rich-looking, attractive women.” Aaron and Ben saw Ryan Seacrest after a panel that Michael Moore was heading. Zoom, which is usually full of movie stars on the first night of the festival, was missing its celeb clientele and its owner, Robert Redford. We’re currently all hoping that the stars come out of hiding for at least one day before we leave.

So far we have seen four movies. We all saw a shorts program as a group to start off the day, which included the star-studded Fight For Your Right Revisited, a parody of what happened to the Beastie Boys following the 1987 video shoot for “Fight For Your Right.” Fight starred Seth Rogan, Elijah Wood and Danny McBride as the band in 1987 and Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly as an older version. I personally thought that the short was funny, but maybe a little over the top: the credits listed forty film and television stars in cameos. Next, I saw The Ledge with Ben and Meg (the rest of the group caught a showing this morning) while Kevin, Liz and Steve saw Bellflower. Steve and Kevin could not stop singing the film’s praises, with Kevin stating, “it took a love story and turned it on its head. It was one of the most original movies I’ve seen in a while.” Steve goes on with, “the acting is some of the most sincere I’ve seen. The characters were basically playing themselves.” The Ledge, a thriller starring Liv Tyler, Charlie Hunnam, Patrick Wilson and Terrance Howard, was powerfully written and acted, with twists that could have changed the outcome of the story several times before the film’s harrowing climax. We have three movies scheduled for tonight and eight for tomorrow. Between now and Wednesday morning, we each have about eighteen films to see. Updates will follow as we get out of films.

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Review: My Chemical Romance’s Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Last modified on 2010-11-22 17:11:19 GMT. 271 comments. Top.

by Nick Caramico

Following the grim and somber Black Parade, My Chemical Romance blasts back onto the scene with the anthemic and driven Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.

Following another loosely based concept, each band member takes on an alternate persona as one of the four “Killjoys”. The group of outlaws are set in California in 2019 battling an evil corporation, guided by pirate radio DJ “Dr. Death Defying”. Like most concept albums, the story is a little difficult to follow, but with the help of their unique music videos for the first two singles, things are cleared up a bit.

The album is a delightful mix of pop party hits, over-the-top ballads, and guitar driven rock. The guitar solo’s on “Bulletproof Hearts” are reminiscent of earlier songs like “Thank You for the Venom”, while the disco-like synth heavy “Planetary (GO!)” sounds like a Good Charlotte hit.

Slower, methodical songs like “SING” and “Summertime” add a nice contrast that really shows off the evolution of this band. Like all good concept albums, several shorter “songs” scatter the album, narrated by Dr. Death Defying, help to explain the story and serve as a momentary break from the surrounding chaos. Where The Black Parade drew parallels to The Who and Queen, the band more closely relates this album to 70′s and 80′s US radio rock. The intricate production and big lyrics on tracks like “S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W” and “The Kids from Yesterday” has the listener torn between comparisons to recent Green Day and The Killers or Whitesnake and David Bowie.

The real highlights of the album come with “Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back” and “The Only Hope for Me is You” where the true blend of old and new MCR shines. A wonderful balance of big, loud vocals, guitar riffs, and atmospheric effects show off the ambition of this band. The first single “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)” is a perfectly cliched rock song with it’s harmonizing guitars, solo, and drug references, while somehow making it sound their own. The album manages a unique and interesting blend of the punk that brought MCR into popularity and classic pop rock themes that make for catchy songs.

My Chemical Romance manages to capitalize on the grandiosity of The Black Parade while bringing back heavy guitars of their past, keeping it fresh all the way through.

Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I

Last modified on 2010-11-20 06:38:57 GMT. 362 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

I was ten years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out. I had gone through the books quickly, instantly falling in love with the world J.K. Rowling had envisioned. Now, nearly ten years later, the books have ended and the time has come for the films to come to an end. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I was released at midnight last night, signifying both the end of an era and our childhoods.
Walking into the theater, roughly two hours before the movie actually began, you could feel the energy instantly. It was a kind of energy that can’t be matched at a game or a concert, the kind that is only achieved when something is a cornerstone of a generation. There were people decked out in full Hogwarts uniforms, others in homemade T-shirts, people in regular clothing, and not a single person looked unhappy to be there. The movie opened to cheers from the crowd, many of whom had been there even longer than we had.

The film itself is darker than the rest of the series, to be expected due to the dark nature of the book. Families are torn apart, friendships suffer damage, innocent people die. The golden trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger have abandoned their studies at Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s six Horcruxes, fragments of his soul implanted in objects significant to him. Their friendship, which has seen some ups and downs over six years, reaches a low point when Ron abandons the Horcrux effort after months of searching. From that point until (SPOILER ALERT) Ron’s return, Harry and Hermione’s always solid friendship is strained.
After widely exploring the romantic lives of the characters in the sixth film, their relationships are still a major plot point of Hallows, though not as explored as in films past. Ron and Hermione still have a chemistry that neither character is willing to act on, a tension there throughout the two-and-a-half hour movie. Harry and Ginny share a brief kiss near the beginning. The main focus is on friendship, however, with the majority of the film showing the trio traveling from place to place on their quest. One of my personal favorite scenes was one not in the book between Harry and Hermione. Soon after Ron left, the remaining two were sitting in tense, sad silence, with only the radio breaking the silence. Harry went to Hermione and began to dance. It was the perfect thing to lighten the mood, a moment for the two characters to appreciate the friendship and company of one another.
\Despite the film’s dark storyline, there are definitely comedic elements incorporated in the dialogue. When six of his friends transform into Harry clones to transport him to a safe house past the Death Eaters, one tells a Weasley to look away, stating that she was “hideous.” Rupert Grint, always a source of comedic value with his delivery, gets to steal scenes frequently.  The return of house elf Dobby will bring both tears of laughter and sorrow to the experience.

After the harrowing final minutes of the film, I left the theater feeling old. The books came out when I was seven, the movies when I was ten. These characters have been there for my entire childhood and adolescence, practically defining my formative years. After the books ended when I was nearly seventeen, the promise of two more movies seemed like something that could be spread out. With another movie added, the definitive end to my childhood has been delayed until next July, but the end of this film felt like a door closing. There was nothing I would change about this movie, from the cinematography to the perfect casting and the eloquent writing, but beware of tears and a cliffhanger when you see it. I for one cannot wait to see Part II of this cinematographic masterpiece, but as a stand-alone, Part I is definitely my favorite of the series, and the truest to the books.

Review: Same Conan, Different Scale

Last modified on 2010-11-09 19:01:31 GMT. 128 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

“Welcome to my second annual first show,”  Conan O’Brien lamented during his inaugural opening monologue of his brand new cable talk show after nine months off the air. Conan premiered last night on TBS with a bang, literally: during the course of the hour-long show, Conan found himself being shot by a group of network assassins in three different pre-taped segments. With first guests Arlene Wagner, Seth Rogan, Lea Michele and Jack White, Conan kicked off on a network-bashing, fun-loving note.

Entering the cheap-looking, sparse set after longtime sidekick Andy Ritcher’s introduction, O’Brien was met with a chant of his name and a standing ovation from the audience that had followed his journey from network television to basic cable. Forced out of NBC after a mere six months of hosting The Tonight Show, O’Brien has been contractually obligated to remain silent about his time at the network since his final show last January. Mentioning his “high highs and low lows,” Conan took his lowest hit this Halloween when a mask with his likeness was released. The worst part of the mask, according to the host, was the fact that it was named the “ex-talk show host” mask. Ritcher quipped that they were very authentic and that, “inside, it smells like tears.” After playing with the interactive blue screen moon and scaring off Arlene Wagner, a nutcracker museum curator, Seth Rogen was brought out to discuss the strange details of his engagement and Proposition 19 in California. Following Rogen was Lea Michele to discuss the GQ photo controversy, which you can also read about here. O’Brien’s solution to making the photos seem less sreamy was to insert a completely unedited photograph of him from high school. Jack White closed the show by performing a rockabilly number recorded on O’Brien’s “Legally Obligated from Being Funny on Television” tour.

Overall, I think cable television will be a good place for Conan. I think he’s going to be a little disoriented for the first couple of weeks trying to find his place in cable, but that’s to be expected. He has gone from being a smaller fish in a big pond to a shark in an ocean, which will take some getting used to. By keeping the same writing team, the same characters and most of the same band, the show is still reminiscent of his Late Night days, just on a smaller scale.

Conan airs nightly at 11PM on TBS (FPU channel 11).
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This Week’s Leak

Last modified on 2010-11-04 01:20:54 GMT. 334 comments. Top.

By James Connelly

Love the Way You Lie, Eminem’s Billboard number one hit just got a sequel. Rihanna’s upcoming fifth studio album Loud is set to come out November 10th but after the success of Love the Way You Lie Rihanna takes the lead and tells her side of the story. The song is very piano driven and stripped of a lot of what the original beat had but it works for her side of the story. Rihanna told MTV she wanted no part of creating part two because she “felt the original could not be beaten.” Although the song is almost all Rihanna, Eminem gets his side of the story in during the last verse in what could be argued to be the best verse between part one and two. The song has not been officially released but take a listen here at FPTV25.com.

DOWNLOAD LINK

Objectification in the Media: Glee and GQ

Last modified on 2010-11-03 19:21:59 GMT. 320 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

In an world where engineered images of the ‘ideal’ person are thrust upon people from every which way, objectification is common in both genders, and it’s one of the biggest problems faced today. With publications like Maxim and GQ, not to mention an uncountable amount of online content, it’s almost unavoidable. With the advent of the Internet, the images are shown and spread quicker than they ever have been before. The spread of these images often leads to body issues and various insecurities.
Recently, three cast members from the cast of Glee did a spread for the November issue of GQ magazine. Stars Dianna Agron and Lea Michele, both 24, were photographed posing as what Agron calls “very heightened versions of our school characters. A ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ version,” while costar Cory Monteith, 28, was fully clothed. Upon the release of the photos last week, the Parents Television Council condemned the FOX network for allowing the shoot to happen, declaring that the shots “border on pedophilia.” While the shots are rather risque, the actresses in question are both in their twenties, well beyond the legal age, and posing for magazine geared towards grown men. As pointed out by Agron in a post on her blog, if an eight year old viewer is looking at these pictures, how did they get ahold of such an adult magazine to begin with?

Yes, these are women who are role models to young girls. Were they dressed like role models in the shots? Not necessarily. Clad in short skirts, high heels, bras and underwear, Agron and Michele were portraying the kind of girls men fantasize about every time they see a girl in a school uniform. By exploiting their bodies the way they did in the shoot, most likely at the urging of their agents, Agron and Michele subjected themselves to the type of objectification that is common in locker rooms, office cubicles and dorm rooms today. How are women supposed to move past names like “skank” and “trick” when many are so willing to display their bodies in such a fashion? “Guys whisper behind our backs about how we look every day,” Agron’s character points out in a recent episode. How is this supposed to end with shoots like this, inspiring millions of young girls to dress the way they did in the shoot?
Michele and Agron are just the tip of the iceberg. Other stars such as Megan Fox, Minka Kelly and Miley Cyrus have been known to pose provocatively. Cyrus, at just seventeen, has had a slew of photo scandals to her name in just three short years, peaking with a topless shot for a 2007 for Vanity Fair at just fifteen. Annually, the highest-selling issue of Sports Illustrated is the Swimsuit issue, featuring various models and female athletes in various bikinis. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, showcasing dozens of models in their underwear, is generally the highest-rated program in its timeslot during its annual airing. Halloween is just as bad, with women’s costumes ranging from “sexy nurse/teacher/librarian/police officer” to “sexy animal.” Children’s costumes are just as bad, getting skimpier every year.

That’s not to say that objectification is a one-way street. While it is not as publicized, women objectify men just as much. People Magazine has its annual “Sexiest Man Alive” issue, generally the publication’s highest-selling issue. For three seasons, there was a character on One Tree Hill whose exact purpose was to comment on how good-looking the basketball players were. In the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the character of Rocky, a good looking Frankenstein-esque creature, traditionally wears gold briefs and not much else. There are countless blogs and web pages dedicated to celebrating “hot”, generally shirtless men. Things like “Mrs. Andrew Garfield” or “I LOVE RYAN REYNOLDS” are common on notebooks around the world. Shirtless magazine covers are common on publications like Rolling Stone or Men’s Health. Also common are covers with men in tight, water-soaked, white T-shirts. Women covers often feature bared midriffs, lingerie or occasional nudity. In films and on television, men are often shown as being completely comfortable with their bodies, while women are seen as shallow and insecure about their flaws. One of the only times I have seen a man portrayed as being insecure about physical appearance was Monteith on Glee. On the October 26th episode, Monteith is shown as being afraid to wear a costume traditionally worn by Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. “I actually started showering with my shirt on,” his character laments during a workout with the “ab-ulous” Chord Overstreet, who hates himself after eating a cookie or Doritos. Male insecurity, with the rise of weight obsession, often leads to men overdoing it when they work out, which leads to many adverse consequences.

Objectification is a double-edged sword any way you look at it. It is a big problem in our world today, and the fact that so much content is available in both print and online is a major factor. While the idiom “sex sells” is always relevant and applicable, one should not have to completely lose their dignity to make their point.

Review: The Social Network

Last modified on 2010-10-13 05:42:01 GMT. 371 comments. Top.

By Jen Connors

It’s one of the most influential aspects of our lives, something that makes or breaks relationships, something that can stop you from getting your dream job, something you probably check upwards of five times a day: Facebook. Founded in 2004 in a Harvard dorm room, the social networking site has become something that most of our generation has forgotten how to function without. Its founding was recently chronicled in The Social Network, a recent release that is already receiving Oscar buzz for performances by Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg.

Going in, I knew that the film was generating a lot of positive buzz that had been building for several weeks, but I was still skeptical. I’ve gone into a lot of buzzed-about movies with high expectations and left the theater slightly disappointed when it didn’t live up to the hype. The Social Network completely destroyed my expectations in the best way possible. Eisenberg portrays Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, with such ruthlessness and ferocity that one can only wonder how accurate the portrayal is. Garfield, as business head Eduardo Saverin, shows increasing frustration at Eisenberg’s character’s refusal to go about the traditional business route in order to make money off of the website. Timberlake has perhaps the easiest role in the film, or at least the one closest to his actual lifestyle: Sean Parker, founder of Napster, living the rock star life. Parker was not an original part of the Facebook team, but after a business meeting with Saverin, Zuckerberg and Saverin’s girlfriend, he became a mentor to Zuckerberg. His key contribution to the site? Changing the name from “Thefacebook” to merely “Facebook.” Armie Hammer portrays the Winklevoss twins, founders of HavardConnection and former collegues of Zuckerberg. They later sued him for stealing the idea for an online Facebook.

Like all things, the film has its flaws. The two key female characters, Erika Albright (Rooney Mara, soon to be seen in the film adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) and Christy Lee (Brenda Song, in her first major post-Disney role) are portrayed in different, yet negative ways. Albright, a student at Boston University, is first seen breaking up with Zuckerberg over drinks at the beginning of the film, saying that his condescending demeanor is the reason why he will always be lonely, no matter how successful he becomes after graduation. After drunkenly blogging derogatory things about her on his LiveJournal, he hacks residence hall databases to create FaceMash, a “Hot-or-Not” type of site for the Harvard crowd rating the women of the school. A blog entry prior to the launch contemplated comparing the girls to farm animals. The best light that she is shown in during the course of the film near the end. Lee, however, is shown as being a jealous, psychotic girlfriend. From her introduction at a lecture to a bathroom encounter with Saverin, her character’s peak is lighting an Hermes scarf on fire in Saverin’s apartment. Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter, has been on the record as saying, “These aren’t the cuddly nerds we made movies about in the 80s. They’re very angry that the cheerleader still wants to go out with the quarterback instead of the men (boys) who are running the universe right now.” The misogynistic undertones is the film’s major issue.

The Social Network is playing in theaters everywhere and is rated PG13.

Mixtape Monday: October 11, 2010

Last modified on 2010-10-11 23:56:47 GMT. 292 comments. Top.

In 1988, a singer-songwriter named Tracy Chapman debuted with “Fast Car,” a top ten hit. Known for its female-empowerment lyrics, the song was nominated for several Grammies and has since been covered by several artists, from Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson and REM to In Living Color. Rolling Stone declared it the 165th Greatest Song of All Time, the highest-ranked title both written and performed by a woman.

“Whole Wide World” is the most well-known recording by the English artist Wreckless Eric. Known for its easy-to-lean beat, the song was never a chart hit for Wreckless Eric, gaining notice after a 1997 cover by the Proclaimers and use as a plot device in the 2006 Will Ferrell-Maggie Gyllenhaal film Stranger than Fiction.

The Barenaked Ladies rose up on the Canadian music scene in 1989 with “Be My Yoko Ono,” a song comparing a relationship to that of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It was the band’s first single and released on a few of their following albums. Ono, when asked for a reaction to the song, said she enjoyed it, but liked the band’s followup “If I Had $1000000″ more.

Boardwalk Empire

Last modified on 2010-10-05 16:03:48 GMT. 337 comments. Top.

by Nick Caramico

In a fall television season packed with legal and medical dramas, one new show really stood out to me: Boardwalk Empire. Award winning producer Terence Winter, of The Sopranos, returns with Martin Scorsese and Mark Wahlberg to make up the Executive Producer staff. Scorsese himself directs the first episode, and worked closely with the other directors to continue the same “feel” throughout the series.

The first episode of Boardwalk Empire begins the day before American alcohol Prohibition begins in the 1920′s. Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, played by Steve Buscemi, is the Treasurer of Atlantic City, who is running the city’s underground bootlegging. Thompson has all the major authorities paying him off, from the mayor down to the fire chief, and even his brother, the police sheriff. Based on a real political figure himself, interacts with real historical gangsters and politicians, including Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. It is interesting to see things like cocaine being used as medicine and the proper language used.

Taking place in the 20′s, every set, costume, and music has been carefully crafted to truly make this series feel old fashioned. Period-accurate cars and telephones add to the unique look. A 1920′s style boardwalk was built in Brooklyn and used as the main set.

Prohibition doesn’t stop Thompson and his crew from profiting off the sale of alcohol. In the first few episodes, Thompson begins accumulating and setting up underground distilleries and gambling rings. Even though the sale and distribution of alcohol is illegal, there is hardly a bar, club, or casino in Atlantic City that does not serve alcohol. Thompson gets in trouble with Chicago gangsters early on when a convoy carrying alcohol was intercepted by rogue followers of Thompson. Thompson is not unlike Tony Soprano, in that he is constantly battling personal issues and “professional” issues. Thompson has the added pressures of having to appeal to the public and gaining supporters for an upcoming election. He needs to look clean to most people, but then rules the underground with violence and fear. The show bounces back and forth between these two sides of Thompson. Federal Agencies are not blind to Thompson’s ways and are quick to investigate his gang and the Chicago convoy debacle.

Buscemi grasps the role of Thompson well and delivers witty one liners to his associates, employees, and women. While the show takes a generally dark and serious tone, the interplay between Buscemi and his butler create some of the funniest and interesting interactions of the show. The way the characters interact also makes this show stand out, and it feels genuine. Even the secondary characters add a lot to this story. Thompson’s nephew who has just come home from the War is trying to rebuild his life and create a new life for his family, but gets caught up in the gangster lifestyle. The interactions between these two make for the most interesting scenes in the first few episodes.

Three episodes have currently aired, and it is not to late to catch up on this new show. HBO has already renewed the series for a second season after 7 million viewers for the series premiere. There are a lot of new an unique series to choose from this fall, but Boardwalk Empire stands out as being something truly different and out of the norm. Boardwalk Empire airs Sunday nights on HBO.

American Idol’s New Judges: Worth It?

Last modified on 2010-10-02 21:20:47 GMT. 299 comments. Top.

by Jen Connors

With the departure of three-quarters of the judge’s panel at the end of the last season of American Idol, there were many unanswered questions as to how producers would handle the tenth season of the ratings juggernaut. Would they keep the four-judge panel that was incorporated during the eighth season, or revert back to the original three judge format? Was Jessica Simpson or Mariah Carey going to be on the panel? What was going to happen to Randy Jackson, the only judge remaining from the original panel?

Those questions and more were answered at a press conference on September 22nd in Los Angeles. After months of speculation, Ryan Seacrest took the stage to announce that Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez would be joining Randy Jackson for the new season, premiering January 12th. Judging by comments made during his first interviews as an official member of the Idol team, Tyler seems to be gearing up to resume Paula Abdul’s job as the nice judge, a position left vacant since her departure in 2009. Lopez appears to be going along the Kara DioGuardi-Ellen DeGeneres route, calling “tough love” and “artistry” as key things she will be using in her new position. Jackson has not made many public comments on his new colleagues, but is probably thankful to still have a job. Producer Nigel Lithgow wanted to revamp the entire judge’s table, with all-new talent.

As a longtime viewer of the show, I can’t help but think that maybe the show would have been better off ending last May with the departure of Simon Cowell. Cowell, from what I have found, was a big part of the reason why the show still had viewers, not the contestants. Over the last few seasons, both the winners and runners-up have underperformed from years past. Last year’s winner, Lee DeWyze, spent one week on the chart with his debut single at number twenty-four. Kris Allen, the 2009 winner, had one of the lowest-charting debuts of any winner yet. Without strong sales and with their dwindling number of weekly viewers, one can only wonder when the Powers That Be at Fox will decide to pull the show before it gets to be too drawn out. Hopefully Lopez and Tyler will be good for the show, but if not I would hope the network seriously considers cancellation before it becomes just another cliche.

Preview: The Social Network

Last modified on 2010-09-25 14:26:36 GMT. 258 comments. Top.

By Steph Lewis

“The Social Network” has caused a little bit of controversy! The movie portraying the very young founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg has stirred up interesting conflicts for Zuckerbergs image. The movie portrays Zuckerberg as a power hungry dictator with no social skills. The movie concentrates on how Zuckerberg’s sudden fame and fortune turns him into a greedy leader. On the day of the premiere, Zuckerberg went onto the Oprah Winfrey show and donated $100 million to troubled schools in New Jersey. If you ask me the gift was just another example has to how power-hungry Zuckerberg. He has made no other generous donations minus the one the day of the premiere so that the audience overlooks the way he is portrayed in the movie. $100 million dollars does not put a dent into the money is currently making. In the past year as Facebook’s market valuation topped $23 billion, so clearly $100 million was worth the attempts to keep a better image. Even though Mark Zuckerberg plans to not see the movie… you can! It will be in theaters October 1, 2010.

This Week In Sneaks: September 20, 2010

Last modified on 2010-09-21 12:15:16 GMT. 263 comments. Top.

By Eric Taverna

This is the first installment of many of “This Week in Sneaks”. I am an avid sneaker collector and in this segment I will be bringing you the best (or worst) of sneakers each week. So let’s get into it.

Jordan 6 Rings “3M”

This is a retro release of the Jordan 6 Rings but this color way is different from past releases. It features a complete 3M upper. 3M for those of you who don’t know is a reflective material and shines bright white/silver when in the sun or any significant light source. The sole is nice and icy and the rest of the shoe features minimal accents of light grey.



Available Now $160

Nike ACG Rongbuk GTX

As the winter months slowly approach it is a sneakerheads worst nightmare. They can’t wear many of their shoes for fear of ruining them. Well fear no more because the Nike ACG line is back and they brought some killer kicks. The Nike ACG Rongbuk is a fully winterized sneaker that features a complete Gore-Tex upper. This means your feet will stay dry and your kicks will look good. The sneaker is all black with minimal hints of red. This is a great offering from the ACG line and there are also two other color ways green and umber.

Adidas Jeremy Scott x Adidas Originals JS Wings 2.0

It’s not often that you see a sneaker that makes you look like Hermes but these certainly do. The JS Wings 2.0 is a crazy shoe designed by Jeremy Scott that features a completely light grey upper with the infamous JS Wings attached. Unlike the previous models of the JS Wings the wings on these shoes are not detachable and are places in a much more appropriate spot. If you want to break necks and get stares then these out of this world kicks are for you.

Available Now $200

Mixtape Monday: September 20, 2010

Last modified on 2010-09-21 12:12:25 GMT. 332 comments. Top.

mixtape: n; a compilation of songs recorded in a certain order on a CD or DVD

Welcome to our first ever Mixtape Monday feature. It is a new weekly post featuring three songs  from amy time before 1992, when the vast majority of this year’s freshmen were born.

This week’s mixtape consists of three well-known songs from the 70s and 80s. ‘In the Summertime,’ by Mungo Jerry, has been featured in movies such as Wedding Crashers and Mr. Deeds and is considered to be one of the best-selling singles of all time. This Tuesday, September 21, is the official start of fall. Hopefully this song will help you celebrate the last official day of summer in style.

The next song is Rick Springfield’s ‘Jessie’s Girl,’ an eighties staple about unrequited love that still finds resonance in pop culture today. Featured in 13 Going on 30, Glee and Hot Tub Time Machine, the song is available on Guitar Hero: On Tour and is still in consistent airplay on contemporary or classic rock radio stations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2T7wKdQsTo

The final song is ‘Bad Reputation’ by Joan Jett and the Black Hearts. It has been featured in 10 Things I Hate About You, Shrek and Kick Ass and was the theme song for Freaks and Geeks. The song is also available on three games in the Rock Band series.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOdLQp0JWQ0

If you want to submit requests for Mixtape Monday, send a song name, artist and year to frankinpiercetv25@gmail.com. The song has to be from 1992 or before. Each week will feature a song from a male artist, female artist and a group. All songs can be downloaded on iTunes, and be sure to check back on fptv25.com for more world and campus news.

Review: Brandon Flowers’ Flamingo

Last modified on 2010-09-20 15:06:55 GMT. 283 comments. Top.

by Nick Caramico

Not to be confused with his band The Killers, Brandon Flowers’ ‘Flamingo’ is the artist’s first roll of the dice at a solo album.

One glaring theme of this album comes from Flowers’ home town of Las Vegas. From the album cover to a good amount of lyrics, the theme of gambling and anything Vegas can be heard throughout.

Flowers’ voice becomes slow and methodical at points while the music remains upbeat. The album opens with a proper introduction (‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’) that sets the somewhat predictable tone for the whole album. ‘Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts’ compares the risk of gambling with the ups and downs of a relationship.

The album’s first single ‘Crossfire’ shows the starkest contrast between the solo Flowers and The Killers. With that being said, ‘Swallow It’ sounds like it could have been a left over from the ‘Day & Age’ album. One of the highlights of the album, ‘Hard Enough’ features Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley. The duet shows off both singers exceptional voices in a rather serious song about a breakup. The deluxe iTunes version of the album features some bonus songs that are more than worthy of being on the main album.

Synthesizer and piano replace the usual Killers guitar which at times gives the album a new wave or even glam sound. The general feel of the album is, at times, theatrical which fits into the Las Vegas lifestyle.

While comparisons will likely be drawn between ‘Flamingo’ and any Killers work, this is a valiant freshmen effort that distinguishes Flowers as a credible solo artist.