(03/19/13 4:00am)
Girl meets boy. Girl falls for boy. Boy breaks girl's heart. Girl gets revenge. This is the classic storyline that is featured in countless movies. Forget about female empowerment or strong female leads-life revolves around boys. This unfortunate storyline is also the backbone of the new film Oz the Great and Powerful. Though visually stunning and enchanting, I was left feeling disappointed, as it largely centers around the idea of female dependence on male acceptance. As a remake of the original Wizard of Oz story, the overall film was well done, from the acting to the special effects. James Franco as the self-centered traveling magician named Oz is entertaining, though I would have liked for the character to be more relatable to the audience. Oz is very selfish and will do anything to further his fame, including manipulating women to his advantage. Though he is the main character, I failed to develop any understanding or compassion for the character; this was slightly disappointing because other movies often do manage to create an emotional bond with even the most unlikable character. The first 20 minutes of the movie are in black and white, which is well-suited to the dreary Kansas atmosphere and Oz's role as a mere traveling magician. This part was slightly lengthy, but I appreciated the contrast it created between Kansas and the land of Oz. Upon arriving in the colorful, magical and mystical land, Oz meets the good witch Theodora (Mila Kunis). She lights up the screen as her character quickly falls under Franco's enchanting spell and her character evolves dramatically over the course of the movie. Everyone in Oz is immediately thrilled because Oz's arrival signals the realization of a prophecy that he will save them from the wicked witch. This feeds Oz's ego and he doesn't hesitate to take on the role, even if he isn't the right wizard for the job (he has no actual magic skills). After meeting each other and sharing a lovey-dovey scene, Oz meets Theodora's sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), a deceptive, controlling and power-hungry witch. The sisters task him with killing the "evil" witch Glinda (Michelle Williams). In a surprising twist on the classic story, Glinda is first introduced as the evil witch, but Theodora and Evanora quickly reveal themselves as the true villains of the story. What I had the biggest problem with is the result of Oz's rejection of Theodora's love-she is literally driven mad and becomes the infamous wicked witch. Really? I personally think it is pathetic that the story revolves around a scorned heart and it is a pity that three strong female leads are wasted on a sexist mantra. Williams' performance as Glinda was my favorite of all the witches, mostly because of how her inner goodness contrasts with her last performance I saw-in Blue Valentine-as a frustrated, emotional wreck. She exudes beauty and grace, an important contrast to the somewhat heartless and self-absorbed Oz. I enjoyed her interactions with the people of Munchkin Land as a pseudo-mother protecting the people of Oz. My favorite character by far wasn't even human. She was a little China Doll voiced by the adorable Joey King, a rising child star who was equally endearing as the little sister Ramona in 2010's Ramona and Beezus. The animation of the delicate doll was perfect and she was incredibly lifelike. Her interactions with Williams as she accompanies Glinda and Oz in their journeys were adorable and she helps chip away Franco's hard exterior. Franco forms an unexpected friendship with Finley, a monkey voiced by Zach Braff, which also helps humanize Oz because he developed his first real friendship with Finley. Both of these non-human companions far surpass the standard supporting-actor duties. They help move along the story and prove essential to the success of Oz and Glinda's plan to get rid of the evil sisters. Visually, the movie was not a miraculous show of special effects (aside from the grand finale and triumph of goodness), but the graphics did have a storybook-like quality that suited the fairytale setting very well. But even if it was visually appealing, I was left slightly disappointed because of the hype I had heard leading up to the movie. Besides being disappointed by the "girl with the broken heart" theme, I felt like there was very little character development, which detracted from my ability to become emotionally invested in any of the characters. The film lacked that certain spark-something which is disappointing from a story that has been artfully told so many times. So maybe that is the problem-maybe The Wizard of Oz has reached the end of its ability to keep innovating its backstories, subplots and alternative interpretations. I love both the book and theater versions of Wicked, but Oz the Great and Powerful does not do L. Frank Baum justice. *
(03/12/13 4:00am)
My first introduction into the befuddling prose of Shakespeare was Romeo and Juliet in my freshman year of high school; whether it was the teacher's fault or the text's, I was not entertained by the Shakespearean language, confusing plot twists and dramatic characters. So while finding my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater, I nervously awaited the start of Much Ado About Nothing, the 25th production of Hold Thy Peace.
(03/05/13 5:00am)
After the release of his new single, JustArts sat down with Cameron Wolff '15 to discuss his passion for music and electronic band RapidFflow. JustArts: Would you tell me about the history of RapidFflow and how the group got started? Cameron Wolff: So, in the summer of 2008, I went to a music place in San Francisco and started messing around with online music making programs and then I showed Chris Atanasian, my best friend and the other half of RapidFflow, and we started making music. JA: How would you describe the style of music that RapidFflow makes? CW: We make electronic music, but there are a lot of sub-genres, like techno, trans-house, so we cross a lot of different styles. I also put in classical flare to the music like Mozart style. JA: How did you come up with the name RapidFflow? CW: To get the 'rapid' Chris used part of his computer username and mine is my last name backwards, so then we smushed them together to create RapidFflow. JA: How many songs has RapidFflow come out with? CW: We've come out with two albums, the first one entitled RapidFflow and our second Handful of Ownage, and we've had two singles since then, "Digital Mist" and "Mystery". JA: Tell me more about your new single "Mystery" that just came out. CW: "Mystery" just came out as the single for our new album that is coming out hopefully at the end of summer. I'm probably going to dedicate one of the songs to my Grandma who passed away recently called Nama, which is what I called her. For "Mystery," my friend Michael Leung '15 made the artwork and worked on other stuff as well. JA: What types of songs will your new album feature? CW: It has songs like "Mystery" and previous songs, but it also has songs that are completely different than anything we have ever done before; it still has our melodic style that listeners recognize and keeps our fans coming back. We also evolved our production of the music to make everything sound better and we really worked on trying to make it sound comparable to other top artists' music. JA: How have you seen your music evolve over time? CW: The first album was really raw, not much mixing and more simple beats. The second album we got a little better making chord progressions, and our most recent singles are a huge step for us putting in a lot more sounds, mixing and mastering it and really going for the professional sound of other artists. JA: What is your biggest musical influence? CW: I have to say the Beatles, but Chris' influences range from System of a Down to Daft Punk to the Crystal Method. JA: What other notable experiences have you had with music production? CW: This summer I interned at Hans Zimmer's studio, the guy who's made the music for Lion King and Inception. I got to sit in with composers and watch them work on the music for Assassin's Creed and all their different techniques which helped me learn different styles of music. I had previously just worked on music, but I got to see how they produced the music for movies and video games too. JA: Are you majoring in anything music related? CW: I am minoring in Music and last semester I took an electronic music class which helped RapidFflow because I learned how to mix and master tracks to sound more professional. Now, we have over 200,000 views on our page so we are doing pretty well. JA: Where do you see RapidFflow going in the future and your own work in music? CW: I would like to continue doing this for 10, 15 years, but realistically I'm not sure that can happen because it's hard to make it in the music industry. JA: Tell me more about your fan base. CW: Most of our fans are based on watching our videos on YouTube, but we've sold a lot of music in Australia, Canada, all over the United States and we've even had some random sales in Austria, Germany and the U.K. I would love to spread more into Europe because they love this type of music there. JA: What do you think makes RapidFflow unique? CW: I think the fact that Chris and my writing style is based off of rock and classical music, not just electronic, shows that we are making electronic music out of other sounds that people have never heard before. * -Jessie Miller
(01/29/13 5:00am)
The first few minutes of The Impossible were that of an overwhelming sense of doom. I knew exactly what was going to happen to the Bennett family-the devastating tsunami in Thailand in 2004 where they were vacationing for Christmas. I remember reading articles in People magazine about the natural disaster and now I saw on the big screen just how horrific the experiences of tsunami victims and survivors actually were. The Impossible, by the renowned Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage), is based on the true story of a Spanish family's experience in Thailand. The acting was impeccable-from every character-and the special effects were flawless. The raw emotion mixed with hard-hitting images created a dual visual and mental response to the film. I cannot imagine a better way of telling the tragic story from the perspective of a single family. Naomi Watts, as Maria Bennett, was incredible, and this was definitely one of her best performances to date; she captured the resilience, yet vulnerability, that the injured family matriarch experienced while fighting for survival. Ewan McGregor, as her husband Henry, embodied an entirely different character than the Star Wars jedi I had previously seen. After the tsunami first hit the oceanfront resort the family is staying in, Henry is left with the two youngest boys, Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast), ages seven and five, respectively, still at the resort. He sends the boys off with a group of survivors headed to the mountains and stays behind to look for his wife, not knowing that she and their oldest son Lucas (Tom Holland) have already started their journey to safety after being washed away from the resort by the relentless waves. The rest of the film chronicles their travels through Thailand, separated from one another, while Maria is fighting for her life after a gory chest and leg wound. She and Lucas travel together, encountering natives who help them; as Maria becomes weaker, we see Lucas emerge as more than a 12-year-old boy. He is strong, resilient and takes care of his mother, becoming a man over the course of only a few days. It is an understatement that Holland is beyond amazing in this movie. Throughout much of the second half of the movie, he is the focal point, as he takes care of his mother, navigates the disaster-torn country and continues to hope the rest of his family has survived. As a young actor, it is clear that his rise to fame starts now, and he has won two awards for his performance in the movie-London Film Critics Circle Awards' Young British Performer of the Year and National Board of Review USA's Best Breakthrough Actor Performance. However, The Impossible did receive some negative critiques, like that it inaccurately portrayed the tsunami from the perspective of a white, foreign family and ignored the plight of other people. But, the film is truly about a family and the ties that bond them together amidst an overwhelming crisis. Personally, I like films that take a worldwide event and transform it into the experience of a single person or family; it creates a more personal, often more emotional connection for the viewer, especially when they didn't have the same experience. The Impossible reminded me of other noteworthy films, like United 93 and Extremely Loud & In- credibly Close, both about Sept. 11, yet containing entirely different spectrums of the story. Visually, The Impossible is stunning and the detail and dedication put into the production is evident. Throughout the initial scenes of the tsunami's impact, they used moments of pure black, with only the sounds of rushing waves which mimicked the helplessness of being caught in the water. Though some of the wider shots of the tsunami's destructive path were shot using miniatures, the scenes in which Watts tumbles like a rag doll through the debris-filled water are entirely real-she was actually submerged in a tank of water, take after take. Walking away from the movie, I gained a greater understanding and visualization-though from a movie perspective-of what transpired in Thailand in 2004. The Impossible is a reminder of the tragedies that befall mankind and the need to maintain awareness of the lives of people around the world.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
As I sat in my elementary school classroom 12 years ago, two planes crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex. New York City. Where I spent Thanksgiving, where my dad often worked and the emblem of everything American. Since then, the government has tracked down and killed many people responsible for the attacks, but most prominently spent an entire decade looking for the Al-Qaeda leader in charge-Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), chronicles the CIA's lengthy search for bin Laden and the obstacles it faced. In 2003, young CIA operative Maya (Jessica Chastain) is reassigned to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan where she joins Dan (Jason Clarke) in numerous visits to black sites, where Al-Qaeda suspects are brutally interrogated. Many of the opening scenes of the movie display these graphic, detailed torture scenes-Bigelow does not shy away from the brutality of the alleged torture that occurred throughout the bin Laden manhunt. Naturally, the scenes received mixed responses about the legitimacy of including something that controversial; some even called for the blacklisting of Zero Dark Thirty from the Academy Awards. But, let the record show, I was not surprised or shocked by the torture scenes-it was expected. We know that past and current administrations allegedly turned a blind eye to torture interrogations. It was all in the name of American security, and it is not this movie's job to judge such acts as right or wrong. As a whole, the 157-minute film left me in awe of the stellar acting, intense plot and masterful directorial vision. I was never bored, never checked my watch and never even questioned the length of the movie. The plot was fast-paced enough to keep viewers entertained, yet the drama and suspense added the substance that typical action movies lack. Though many critics may argue against the film's historical accuracy, I believe that Zero Dark Thirty is an outstanding portrayal of real events that changed the politics and culture of the United States. We know the real story, but Bigelow's adaption brings a realistic insight into this historical event. To avoid any spoilers, I can't go into detail about my favorite, standout scenes, but there are some shockers-moments that caught me completely off guard. There are also emotional appeals, leading to the turning point where Maya's search for bin Laden becomes more of a personal vendetta. In that same vein, Chastain explodes on the screen in her role. As a rising star, Chastain completely blew me away in her complex portrayal of a woman often in dangerous situations, following her own intuition despite the adversity she faces. Even when no one else believes the leads Chastain has on tracking bin Laden, she sticks to her guns and doesn't give up-nonstop for ten whole years. As for the supporting cast, Clarke's ruggedly handsome appearance mixed with badass, no-nonsense attitude make a great counter to Chastain's tough, yet feminine demeanor. His interactions with Ammar (Reda Kateb), the prisoner, are especially compelling and the two characters build an interesting cat-and-mouse dynamic. Despite the brutality, the scenes are incredibly believable and I really enjoyed watching Clarke's more psychological interrogations of Ammar, like teasing out information in return for food or cigarettes. By the time bin Laden's compound in Pakistan is stormed by special forces, the movie spirals rapidly through the raid of the building. They encounter over a dozen people in the massive house as they painstakingly search through every room for the target. This introspective into the life of bin Laden was surprisingly touching and gave a sense of humanity to one of the most hunted men in American history. I strongly recommend Zero Dark Thirty, not only as a highly entertaining movie, but also as something every American should be aware of. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the subsequent capture of bin Laden are an integral part of American culture and I believe this movie does both events justice.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Whether it is the pop art of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, a modern Kiki Smith canvas sheet or a visiting photography exhibit from Dor Guez, the Rose Art Museum has distinguished itself as a premier emblem of what a modern museum should be. Following a successful fall semester, this spring offers the introduction of three new exhibitions, all of which will premiere at the Opening Reception on Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. Walead Beshty: "Parallel Exhibitions of Post-War Non-Figurative Art from the Collection" and "Untitled": In collaboration with Rose Director Chris Bedford, artist Walead Beshty will have two exhibits on display in the Sandra Fineberg Gallery: "On the Matter of Abstraction (figs. A & B): Parallel Exhibitions of Post-War Non-Figurative Art from the Collection" and "Untitled," both of which consist of new acquisitions of abstract art and pieces from the Rose's collection. Beshty has also brought part of his own work to campus in the form of a mirrored glass floor that appears to crack as visitors walk over it-a unique take on what it means to break from traditional exhibit styles. Beshty is known for his work with photograms, a type of photography where instead of using a camera, objects are placed directly on light-sensitive photographic paper and then exposed to light. The artist accidentally stumbled upon this technique when undeveloped film in his suitcase went through an airport x-ray machine. Beyond the obvious physical effect, Beshty believes the film represents the social and political atmosphere in a post-9/11 world with heightened airport security measures-the photos and world were completely altered. He has also worked with sculptures: a previous exhibit featured FedEx boxes with a panel of cracked glass on top. Inspired by his interest in shipping companies, Beshty put a piece of glass into the box then shipped it to the exhibition site. Upon arrival, the glass is displayed as a representation of the trials of traveling through space and time like the exposure process of film. Sam Jury: "Coerced Nature": According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Sam Jury's work is "psychological, observational and investigative. She is both allusive and innovative." These five adjectives do seem to capture the essence of Jury's photography and videos, yet they also seem to embody a mystical quality that is impossible to describe. The blurred, eerie landscapes and mysterious figured in the foreground create an uneasy feeling, as if suspended in a single moment, knowing little about the past or future. Born in the United Kingdom, Jury is truly an international artist with past exhibits across the United States, Germany, England, Ireland, Spain, Bulgaria and China. In 2002, she set up an art school in the United Arab Emirates in conjunction with London's Royal Academy. This experience in the Middle East heightened Jury's interest in photography but, due to the tense environment of the region, led her to stage shoots for her photographs, instead of waiting to find something naturally. After returning to England, Jury started her work with video. Her video work consists of choreographed scenes that emphasize the ambiguity of time, identity and motion and the upcoming exhibit will feature several of her works. The Rose catalogue describes the upcoming exhibit as a representation of "suspended trauma, in particular the fraught relationship between human beings and our environment." The exhibit will be in the Lee Gallery and around campus-some of the videos will be projected on sculptural forms, walls and windows. Ed Ruscha: "Standard" : Originating at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Ed Ruscha's exhibit titled "Standard" will be shown in the Foster Gallery. It features various art mediums including film, paintings and print work. As a young artist, many artists in the pop art movement, including Jasper Johns, whose work also hangs in the Rose, influenced Ruscha. Like other famous pop art, his art is heavily rooted in commercialism as seen in the presence of everyday objects in his work, like a gas station or billboard. The dominance of Hollywood in society also influenced his work, resulting in his adaption of the iconic Paramount Pictures' "Mountains" logo, among others. On a larger scale, several of Ruscha's first commissioned works were large murals at museums and libraries: At the Miami-Dade Public Library, he painted a series of 50 murals on the rotunda based on a Hamlet quote, "Words without thoughts never to heaven go." Perhaps more famously, Ruscha also produced prints of paintings that displayed words, often comical, yet making an allusive statement about society, that ranged from words across a sunset horizon to a set of seven works each with a rhyming word. Additionally, he created "liquid work" paintings that appeared as if a liquid was spilled onto the canvas. Later, he used another technique called trompe l'oeil that looked like ribbons of curling paper manipulated into words. In the 1960s, Ruscha produced a surrealism-inspired series that depicted everyday objects in absurd positions, as if hovering over the ground or somehow transformed. In the '70s, Ruscha experimented with alternative materials and used everything from red wine to grass stains to axle grease to blackberry juice on stain-absorbent materials. As the legacy of his art shows, his work spans many different forms and styles; the original exhibition curated at the Los Angeles Museum featured over 300 pieces of exclusively his work, but the Rose will feature a selection of these, complemented by their own pieces from various other artists. *
(01/15/13 5:00am)
The night began with a stroll down the red carpet-cameras flashing and celebs showing off the latest fashions-with a swarm of glamorous actors and actresses all vying for a coveted award. Sunday night's Golden Globes, hosted by comedians Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, proved to be a reiteration of award predictions, yet there were a few surprises in the course of the night. Unsurprisingly, Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor in a Drama for his role in Lincoln; however, the "wow" factor comes from the man who introduced him-Bill Clinton. The former president appeared on stage to introduce the movie, further elevating Steven Spielberg's award-worthy status. Amy Poehler welcomed him with a hearty, "That's Hillary Clinton's husband!" Despite being snubbed by the Academy for an Oscar nomination, Ben Affleck pulled through with a Best Director and Best Picture for his film Argo. Also a night of notable success, Les Mis?(c)rables won for Best Musical and Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway walked away with Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. Girls won Best Series, comedy, and Homeland won Best Series, drama. Adele, as expected, received Best Original Song for Skyfall, while Brave justly won for Best Animated Film. But one of the most shocking moments of the night was Jodie Foster. While giving her seven-minute acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, Foster pronounced this win as an impetus for change and new direction in her life, which many people falsely interpreted as her resignation from Hollywood. Foster also acknowledged her homosexuality after years of public speculation. As we can see, the actual award winners of the night were mostly predicted, but the true test of this year's film industry waits until the Oscars on Feb. 24.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
Kicking off my holiday season movie marathon, I eagerly tuned into The Fitzgerald Family Christmas-released Dec. 7 and directed by Edward Burns-a drama that chronicles a family's numerous struggles in the days leading up to Christmas. The Fitzgerald family consists of absentee father Big Jim (Ed Lauter), matriarch Rosie (Anita Gillette) and their seven adult children. When he walked out on the family 20 years ago, Rosie swore she would never let Jim back into her home after he had an affair-a vow she kept until he asked to spend Christmas with the family this year. Older brother Gerry (Edward Burns) lives at home with their mother after the death of his wife-subtly explained with a reticent reference to Sept. 11. In a resolute mission, he aims to gather all the siblings together for Rosie's 70th birthday, though truthfully he wants to discuss whether or not Jim should be allowed to spend Christmas Day with them. It is clear that there is a long history behind this family conflict, and not all members feel the same way about Jim's return. Fitzgerald was not a spectacular film; it didn't tug at my emotions or make me question any deeper meanings of life. But it is a very realistic portrayal of a family and the problems they face as individuals which, in turn, affect the entire family dynamic. Most family-centered movies depend on some humor, but there was no comedic relief to break up the endless parade of serious topics, which ranged from marital affairs to substance abuse. There was no love between the characters, no sparks of a common bond between the siblings. Even with their differences, the natural bond between siblings should have been portrayed in the film because, for the majority of the film, they seemed isolated from each other. I can only point out one scene between Sharon (Kerry Bish?(c)) and Skippy (Brian d'Arcy James) that displays a sibling bond, but even during that scene they were talking about how they barely knew each other. Each sibling made his or her entrance to the movie in a scene in which viewers gained a descriptive glimpse into what each person's life was like, whether it was married with a baby or casually dating an older man. That first taste of each of their lives was enough to draw me into the emotions and development of the film because I wanted to know what happened to them all. In terms of individual characters, Burns came off as clich?(c)d, stuck-up and desperate to unite his family; he works so hard to bring his family together, but he doesn't even realize how damaged all their relationships are. Out of the four sisters, I thought Dottie (Marsha Dietlein) was best portrayed in her role as a mother newly separated from her husband after having an affair with the gardener. Looking a bit strung out, the movie portrays Dottie during her mid-life crisis as she tries to figure out what she wants in her life. Younger sister Connie (Caitlin Fitzgerald) is tragically pathetic in her role, yet it fits the character perfectly; she is the sibling that needed rescuing and her hesitant behavior exemplifies that perfectly as she remains a shy wallflower. The climax divides the siblings into two groups as they struggle to find a solution to their Christmas dilemma: three younger siblings versus the four older ones. At this point, I became more interested in the three younger siblings-Connie, Sharon and Cyril (Tom Guiry)-because the three of them seemed to have much more in common than the rest of the siblings, partially because they have the most issues in their lives-the result of being raised without a father figure. In the end, Fitzgerald struggled to leave a lasting impact, though it does stir up the themes of the importance of family and forgiveness in the spirit of the holidays. Despite some strong performances, the lack of plot development and interaction between the characters strongly detracted from the film. It would have highly benefited from the use of humor to break up dense performances and illustrate that despite all of its drama, family is still a magical thing-especially during the holidays. *
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As I settled into my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Sunday, images of past Rather Be Giraffes memories played across the large projection screen-from previous performances to behind the scene moments. The coed a cappella group also played songs from their album, mostly featuring songs from last year. As I heard "The General" by Dispatch playing, it reminded me of RBG shows I saw last year and immediately put me in an a cappella mindset. The show this semester was called Rather Be Giraffes Travels Through Time, in honor of its 10th anniversary as a group.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As I settled into my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Sunday, images of past Rather Be Giraffes memories played across the large projection screen-from previous performances to behind the scene moments. The coed a cappella group also played songs from their album, mostly featuring songs from last year. As I heard "The General" by Dispatch playing, it reminded me of RBG shows I saw last year and immediately put me in an a cappella mindset. The show this semester was called Rather Be Giraffes Travels Through Time, in honor of its 10th anniversary as a group.
(12/04/12 5:00am)
Of all the books I have read for school over the past ten years, I can confidently say that only a select few have truly proven to be a good read. Some of those books have even left an indelible mark on my life as a student and an individual. For an anthropology class this semester, I was assigned The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, an anthropological case study in Merced, Calif. by Anne Fadiman. Although hesitant at first, I was captured by Fadiman's vivid prose within the first few pages. Her language is precise, but more importantly, she effectively creates an emotional connection with the reader through the use of anecdotes and scientific fieldwork evidence. Originally published in 1997 and again in 2012-after Lia passed away-with a new afterword by Fadiman, Spirit painstakingly chronicles the medical journey of a young child, Lia Lee, who is born to Laotian immigrants to the United States, and whose family clashes with the American medical system while trying to receive treatment for her epilepsy. At its core, the book is an emotional example of real life medical anthropology and how the cultural differences of an immigrant family and western doctors complicate their interaction. Lia was born in Merced in 1982 after her family's difficult refugee journey from Laos to the U.S. after being persecuted by other Southeast Asia groups. Her father and mother, Nao Kao Lee and Foua Yang, are from Laos and belong to the Hmong ethnic group, which has historically been discriminated against, constantly fighting for their right to exist. Fadiman does an exquisite job capturing the essence of the Hmong people, which she attained from hours of fieldwork talking to the Lees and other Hmong families in Merced. The Hmong are known for their resilience against adversity, according to Fadiman's research, something that was vital as they fled their home country to refugee camps in Thailand due to violence and persecution. The Lees arrive in Merced, already an area with a substantial Hmong population, with no knowledge of English or American culture. At three months old, Lia suffers her first seizure, thus beginning a four year-long journey through the American medical system. Because of the language and cultural barrier between the Lees and the American doctors, Lia's condition is misdiagnosed, thus perpetuating the seizures until she is finally diagnosed with epilepsy by the doctors at Merced Community Medical Center. From that point on, there is constant conflict between the Hmong and American medical practices in terms of Lia's care. Her parents believe in Shaman ritual practices, in which a healer performs elaborate rituals that attempt to reunite the body with soul; in comparison, the American doctors believe that epilepsy is caused by overactive electric impulses in the brain. In terms of anthropological vocabulary, both groups are ethnocentric-viewing their culture as the correct way of doing something and not accepting that of other cultures. Instead, I believe that Lia's life could have turned out very different if both groups had been able to efficiently communicate and make compromises, like combining Western medical practices and the Hmong's Shamanism. Spirit has won many literary reviews, including The National Book Critics Circle Award, and is also required reading at many medical schools. Not only a good novel, Spirit exists to advocate for cross-cultural interaction and understanding, something all too needed in an increasingly global world Within the context of my anthropology class, I viewed this book as a case study of existing cultural boundaries and how attempts to lessen the divide are difficult to execute. Because of the language difference, medical beliefs and different cultural norms and values, the chances of effectively communicating about a complicated health matter are slim. Western medicine is based in science-doctors are extensively trained to know the human body and treat problems that arise. In the information presented in the book, the Hmong don't understand medical practices that Westerners find commonplace, like drawing blood or taking medication for an illness. Fadiman brilliantly layers her insight on these topics and conflicts while relaying Lia's tragic story. In comparison to other anthropological fieldwork books I have read, Spirit captivated my interest for these very reasons. Fadiman was not just another anthropologist in a far-away land giving descriptions of a foreign culture. Instead, I grew attached to Lia and wanted to know her story. My thoughts wandered between trying to imagine what I would do in a similar situation to how these types of cultural misunderstandings could be avoided in the future. Fadiman suggests ideas like having more interpreters who could help mediate cultural differences.
(11/06/12 5:00am)
Unless you have spent the last few weeks buried in the dungeons of the library with no electronic communication, you have probably heard that The Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm, the company that created the Star Wars trilogies. According to an Oct. 30 article in the Boston Globe, George Lucas claims to have sold the company in order to create a Star Wars legacy that extends beyond his own work and life, but I just think he sold out-to the tune of four billion dollars. Lucas has relinquished control over everything Star Wars-related, nearly 41 years of his life is now owned by a mega-corporation that controls the entertainment industry. However, this acquisition shouldn't come as a surprise-Disney has a history of buying large companies responsible for blockbuster movies; Disney previously purchased Pixar in 2006 and Marvel in 2009. I don't know what this means for the entertainment industry, but as a consumer, it makes me more hesitant to buy into their extensive film brands. In fact, a seventh installment to the Star Wars series is already slated for release in 2015, with much debate about what the plot will be under the new direction of Disney. Personally, what made the original two trilogies so powerful was Lucas' complete personal investment in the movies, as if every vision or idea in his head was coming to life on the silver screen. It began as a man with a dream of an alternate reality, but now Star Wars is a corporate piggy bank and I fear that the overall quality of the movies will be diminished. In his defense, Lucas has dealt with an array of critics who disapprove of the trilogy of prequels he produced, arguing that some minor events detracted from the legitimacy of the movie. So maybe it is his time to fade into the background and settle down in a Hollywood mansion, though his movie Red Tails, released earlier this year, was a success and proves he is still an important player in the industry. On the other hand, in an interview with The New York Times, Lucas stated that he may go back to film school at University of South California-where he started his film education. With that in mind, who knows what Lucas will do with the rest of his career, but hopefully, he will remain somewhat involved with the future of Star Wars. The $4.05 billion sale, which Lucas calls his retirement fund, is half cash and half Disney stocks. This gives Lucas approximately 40 million shares of The Walt Disney Company, or 2.2 percent of total ownership. In terms of shares owned by individual shareholders, Lucas is only preceded by the trust of Steve Jobs, who sold Pixar to Disney for another hefty sum of $7.4 billion. Interestingly, the stock price of Disney has not seen much change after the sale, which I believe suggests a general ambivalence on the part of market. Kathleen Kennedy, formerly the cochairman of Lucasfilm, will now serve as the executive producer of the future Star Wars film and has said in interviews that she and Lucas have discussed aspects of future films and plotlines. Maybe there is hope for another generation of films, but I highly doubt that the future success will match the legacy that has already been created. Perhaps the true winner of the deal is Kathleen Kennedy herself, who will now take on an even more active role in the Star Wars brand. She cofounded Amblin Entertainment in 1981 with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, and went onto produce blockbuster hits like Schindler's List, E.T. and Jurassic Park. Kennedy is the creative future of Star Wars; with years of experience as one of the best producers in Hollywood, I think if anyone has the talent to recreate Star Wars, it is Kennedy. Moreover, the success of the slated 2015 release of the seventh movie will also highly depend on the choice in director, which has not been released. But now the most important matter: Star Wars' Princess Leia is officially a member of the exclusive Disney princesses club. *
(11/06/12 5:00am)
Imagine this: a hospital, staffed with attractive doctors and nurses who spend equal time gossiping and treating patients. Sounds like most of the other female-led doctor television shows that have hit the airwaves recently, (The Mindy Project and The Mob Doctor). Premiered Oct. 16, Emily Owens M.D. on the CW Network does little to set itself apart from the pack. The theme is clich?(c)d and overused-a fresh batch of interns thrown into a competitive hospital setting where many comparisons can be made to the dynamics of high school. Cue the strict attending physician, heartfelt interaction with a patient and a sexy coworker, like a less entertaining, more awkward version of Grey's Anatomy. Soft-spoken, nervous Emily Owens (Mamie Gummer) starts off the series at her first day of work as an intern in a Denver hospital. Within minutes, I was cringing at her bizarre, verging-on-illegal verbal sparring match with a teenaged girl on the street-whose high school is strangely right next door to the hospital entrance. The convenient placement of a high school next to the hospital is questionable, pointing to the implicit high school themes that run the show. Owens is accompanied by Will Collins (Justin Hartley), her friend from medical school and secret crush, and Cassandra Kopelson (Aja Naomi King), her high school enemy. Collins is a deceptive heartthrob, spinning webs of friendship around Owens' uncomfortable and desperate crush. Owens also deals with Kopelson, whose sole purpose on the show is making Owens' life as an intern a living hell, such as by bringing up her embarrassing high school nickname, Pits (due to her nervous sweating habit). I don't know whether to laugh at Owen's pitiful situation or feel empathetic towards her. And then there are the nurses, whose storylines seem so unnecessarily cruel. Fitting with the high school theme, they are the nosy girls who spread rumors faster than fire and make it their mission to create complete disorder in the school. I have a hard time accepting M.D. as a dramatic television show-which it claims to be-when the behavior of the characters is so immature. The episodes are also semi-narrated by Owen's stream of consciousness, and throughout the entire show, I couldn't help but draw comparisons between it and Grey's Anatomy. But M.D. lacks the spark and excitement in one episode that Grey's has kept alive for nine seasons. M.D. is high school in scrubs. If Owens was capable of getting through medical school, why can't she stop obsessing over a boy or stand up for herself against bullies? When I watch Grey's, I am absorbed by not only the dramatic plot twists but also the characters themselves. Even in the M.D. pilot episode, there is no clear emotional tie created for the viewer with any of the characters. Emily's role as the high school pariah is emphasized by the minimal development of the supporting characters because she isolated socially. Clearly, everything centers upon the show's namesake, and it is boring to watch. But to be fair, Mamie Gummer, Meryl Streep's eldest daughter, is quite an actress. Having seen her in The Good Wife and the short-lived show Off The Map, Gummer has a wide range of character expression, and regardless of M.D.'s utter failings, she can act. The best scenes of the pilot episode are of her interactions with a sick little girl, talking in pre-teen terms about boys and love. Maybe it is just good genes, but Gummer deserves a better role than the 'Sexy Doctor Show' stereotype. The only way I anticipate myself watching this show would be in hope of weaning myself off of Grey's after hearing so many rumors of its demise after this season. Hospital-themed TV shows do have an inherent appeal and attract viewers (myself included), but I don't think M.D. has the provocative-and-entertaining-yet-intelligent appeal to make it a success. So, nice try CW, but the only thing successful about this show is Emily herself.
(10/29/12 4:00am)
With the opening of her show this past weekend, Jess Rassp '13 sat down with JustArts to discuss the play, 'Metamorphoses' and her theater experience at Brandeis. JustArts: How did you get involved with Brandeis Ensemble Theater? Jess Rassp: My first production with BET was Cinderella Waltz in the Fall 2011 where I was the head painter and scenic charge. I have always admired the work BET has put on at Brandeis since my freshman year, and since I greatly respect the group, I love working with them. JA: As a director, what are the biggest challenges you face while putting together a show? JR: Working with a range of actors is a challenge because there is a great mix of those who have never done theater before and more experienced actors. I welcomed the challenge of helping shy actors break out of their shells and guiding those with less experience to grow and mature as actors throughout the process. I also found ways of allowing those who do have experience in acting to shine and mentor other cast members. Altogether, the cast comes together to support one another and mold the show using their range of talents. JA: How has being involved with theater shaped your experience at Brandeis? JR: Extracurricular theater is the cornerstone of my time at Brandeis, and I have often learned more doing club theater than in my academic classes. There's something about being thrown into things and immediately adapting to situations that better shapes my learning and connection to others. JA: Are you involved with other art-related activities on campus? JR: I studied painting and sculpture for three years here, so I have been greatly involved with the Fine Arts department. I also work with the Theater Arts department in addition to my work with the Undergraduate Theater Collective. JA: Have you directed any other shows at Brandeis? JA: This is my first time fully directing a production, however I was the assistant director for Rent in the spring of 2011. I was predominantly responsible for character development and working with the actors on their roles with one another. Working on Rent has shaped my directing style and approach from the character's standpoint and how that character tells the story. JA: How would you describe your experience with BET and the UTC as a whole? JR: The UTC is very welcoming, and I learn so much about theater and different people when we all work so collaboratively. It is a great community that I'm thrilled to share my work with. JA: If you could choose any play to direct, what would it be? JR: I wish I had the opportunity to direct Next to Normal. JA: Do you see yourself remaining involved with theater after graduating from Brandeis? JR: Yes, I worked for Company One last summer and am looking into working for SpeakEasy in the spring. Next year I'm applying for an internship with the Huntington Theatre Company and American Repertory Theater. JA: Do you have one particular memory from your theater experiences at Brandeis that has particularly stuck with you? JR: Working on Rent was a great experience, and since it was my first time directing, I will carry that show with me forever. It's my foundation and the reason why I had the confidence to direct Metamorphoses. JA: How was the play Metamorphoses chosen and why do you think it is applicable to be portrayed at Brandeis? JR: The club chose the show when I proposed it to BET last spring. This play is a show unlike anything done at Brandeis before. It is a series of vignettes as opposed to a straight-thru plot. Many characters are doubled therefore establishing connections and relationships from the acting and storytelling standpoint. It was a tremendous challenge for the Brandeis community, and I think the actors embraced the opportunity to explore the difficulties of this show. Furthermore, it had challenging design aspects that were ambitious while also taken very simply and eloquently. The flexibility of the show provided many opportunities. JA: How do you think the audience responded to Metamorphoses and the interesting twist on Ovid's classic works? JR: I think the show has been well received by audiences. It is certainly beautiful, and I think the people who have seen the production will agree that it has an elegance and fluidity that is unique and unlike other shows Brandeis has seen. -Jessie Miller
(10/23/12 4:00am)
Director of Brandeis Players' latest performance, 'Escape From Happiness,' Doug Lockwood shares his experience in theater, a personal take on EFH and the importance of the arts in society. JustArts: What about George F. Walker's play Escape From Happiness attracted you to direct it? Doug Lockwood: I have always loved Walker's caustic, dark, muscular language and the surprising way that just when you think a character is done, they take an idea or thought three steps further into a verbose extravaganza! JA: How do you decide which plays you want to be involved in, whether it is directing or acting? DL: It's a combination of things. There are a bunch of plays I've seen or been part of over the years that I keep on kind of a back burner in my brain, and when the time is right, they begin to boil. Sometimes an artistic director or chair will give me some parameters of the kinds of plays they're looking to produce. With acting nowadays, it's about wanting to work with certain directors more than certain roles. That's been an interesting shift for me. JA: As a professional actor and director, what importance do you think the arts can bring to the regular workings of society and the people that it reaches? DL: With the pulse of society becoming more rapid, I believe theater is even more important these days in allowing people to slow down and examine their thoughts and feelings in community with other people. We go through our days with so much armor and technology, and theater is a place where we can unzip that armor and see what's inside. That can produce all kinds of changes by simply sensitizing people to their common humanity. Maybe the armor they wear when they leave the theater can be a little less heavy. JA: You are a founding member of the Actors Shakespeare Project here in Boston; how did you first become interested in Shakespeare plays and thereby involved with ASP? DL: I got my undergrad training at University of Colorado Boulder, and there is a wonderful Shakespeare Festival there that I did for two summers. We also had great teachers of Shakespeare at that school. I got involved with ASP when I first moved back to Boston in 2003, and it was great timing because I was more and more interested in site-specific theater which is what we do with the plays. JA: Having been on both sides of the stage as an actor and director, do you think that the type of interaction and relationship that is built between actor and director impacts the quality or impact of a performance? DL: Yes. I believe the director sets the tone for everything you experience at the performance from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. I believe the director's main job is to create a theatrical process where the actors and designers are constantly inspired to investigate and explore the play freshly each time. To truly do that, the actors need to feel a real sense of trust and freedom (as opposed to fear), which they will have only if the process has been truly collaborative and thorough. JA: Escape From Happiness is a comedic exploration into the life of an average family and the challenges they face. How do you think audience members will react to a theme so familiar to their own lives? DL: With laughter and recognition and empathy, I hope. I have never seen theater as an "escape" (ironically perhaps), but rather as an opportunity to look closer at my own "stuff," and I do think this play does that in a very darkly funny way. JA: Walker wrote this play in 1991; what do you think it is about plays like Escape From Happiness, that are a form of social commentary but still manage to remain relevant to society two decades after it was first produced? DL: Well, I think the great playwrights like George F. Walker tend to write about the big themes, and those don't change, in my opinion, so that his characters' grapplings in this play around personal issues such as family, love and identity are still extremely relevant, as are the societal ones he explores: police brutality, the conditions of our neighborhoods, speaking out against the system, etc. JA: What Shakespeare character do you relate to most and why? DL: Well, its always changing, but today I would say Feste from Twelfth Night. He is both inside and outside of his community, and I feel that way too. He can be a trusted friend and confidante, and then he can disappear for a long stretch of time, and I am like that too. I also identify with his mixture of wit and melancholy. And I do enjoy singing. -Jessie Miller
(10/22/12 4:00am)
Within hours of its midnight release on Monday, Taylor Swift's newest album, Red, sky-rocketed to the No. 1 slot on iTunes and is shaping up to be another hit album for the 22-year-old songstress. Swift has already released three No. 1 albums and received multiple Grammy awards. The highly anticipated release of Red marks the epitome of what it means to be Holly-wood's starlet, with her fans hanging on every lyric of the new singles off of the album. To be quite honest, I have been a devoted Taylor Swift fan since I heard her eponymous first album, followed by Fearless and Speak Now. I have grown up with Taylor; she was there at my first heartbreak and I cried along to every emotional lyric that so boldly expressed what I was feeling. But now, as Taylor and I have both grown up, her music has changed. Red has many similarities to past hits in terms of song themes, but Swift also experiments with new sounds, especially pop. The album starts off with "State of Grace," and although the song is admittedly weaker than others, it is typical of Swift to not start an album with her best work. The song draws listen-ers in, with her tender voice contrasted by strong instrumentals. Following this song, "Red" steals the show and is one of my favorite tracks of the entire album. The beginning line, "Loving him is like driving a new Maserati on a dead end street," perfectly evokes the feeling she seeks: speeding up with nowhere to go. The song is catchy and the color symbolism-red for love, blue for breaking up and grey for missing him-provides a visual context of emotional state that most songs do not. As a whole, the song reminds me of "The Way I Loved You" from Fearless because they both deal with lost love yet don't sink into a despairing, heart-wrenching tone. Toward the middle of the album, most of the songs are filler, light-hearted pop that diminishes Swift's talent. Both "22," "Stay Stay Stay" and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" all exemplify this cursory musical style of mediocre pop songs. "I Knew You Were Trouble" almost falls into this precarious category, but redeems itself purely in its comical value. For whatever reason, Swift breaks into some form of dubstep; the echoes of "trouble trouble trouble" resonate through the entire song somewhat eerily. These filler songs add nothing to the album and detract from the success of what Swift does best: ballads. In this album, "I Almost Do" and "Sad Beautiful Tragic" fill the ballad expectation of heartbreak commentary. The former features an acoustic guitar opener, followed by Swift's airy voice. Unlike the ballads on past albums, her voice is clearly more digitally enhanced, but in this instance it does the song justice. Additionally, Swift's mostly teenage girl audience, having much experience in this area, can relate to the love-jaded lyrics, the power of which should not be ignored. "Sad Beautiful Tragic" is another prime example of a Swift ballad-the music slowly creeps to its pinnacle of melancholy, drowning in her lost love and heartbreak. This is the type of song that I blast at full volume while I let my emotions run wild. Like "Enchanted" off of Speak Now, it pulls at my carefully tied-up emotions and brought back the Taylor I connected with in previous albums. On other albums, Swift has been accompanied by fellow female artist Colbie Caillat, but Red features the soulful voices of both Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody. Of the two, I personally enjoyed "Everything Has Changed" with Sheeran and his raw, acoustic voice. Swift banishes the distasteful pop that dominates other tracks in favor of a more natural, earthy sound. Her lyrics are as powerful as ever, but in place of a depressing failed-love story, Swift is optimistic and perfectly captures that first moment of attraction. What can I say? As a proud Taylor supporter, I'm trying hard not to fall into the bottom-less trap of blind approval of Red, but it is a solid album. She hits all the classical features of past songs but is also continuing to develop and evolve her style. I won't be listening to the album on repeat for the next month, but select songs have earned their place in a new playlist.
(10/15/12 4:00am)
What is the best part of my parents coming to town? The food. Besides spending time with two of my favorite people in the world, I can always look forward to a weekend break from Usdan and getting out into the culinary world of Boston. This past weekend, while here for Fall Festival, my parents surely fulfilled my cravings; from Friday to Sunday we ventured to a grand total of five restaurants. It's a miracle I can even move after the massive quantities of delicious food we consumed over the three days. After their mid-morning arrival, my parents and I went to In a Pickle, a local Waltham favorite. The small restaurant wasn't very crowded, as it tends to be at peak hours, and we immediately sat down at a table. I ordered coconut banana French toast with a side of home fries and two eggs, what they call "The Ringer." As far as French toast goes, I consider myself pretty well informed, so I can confidently say it was damn good. The bread was coated with coconut, then cooked and topped with sliced bananas. It was the perfect combination-a little crunchy, sweet, yet hearty. 7/10. For dinner, we stepped it up a notch and went to Bistro 5, an upscale Italian restaurant located in nearby Medford that was the apex of my dining tour. After pouring over the extensive menu, we ordered appetizers-a delicious, warm golden beet salad with goat cheese on top and, my personal favorite, the crispy tuna. Wrapped in a phyllo shell, the raw tuna was incredibly fresh with a side of avocado and cilantro salad and wasabi tobiko sauce that compliments the bite-sized food perfectly. As for entrees, I chose spaghetti alla chitara-squid ink and saffron pasta with assorted seafood. I was delighted and relieved that this dish met my high hopes. My companions ordered mushroom gnocchi, scallops and tagliatelle bolognese. The gnocchi was the ideal texture, the sauce was not too creamy, and it had the perfect amount of garlic expected from an Italian restaurant. The scallops were good, yet nothing special, but the plating was adorable-the scallops were over pumpkin risotto, some of which was served in a miniature pumpkin. Though I did not try the tagliatelle, I was told the mixture of veal, beef and pork in a savory red sauce was equally delicious, yet could have used more garlic. For dessert, we had an apple torta that was perfect for fall and a rich chocolate torte, but the true standout was the evening special- caramelized spaghetti squash in a white chocolate cup topped with ice cream. I wouldn't think an obscure vegetable would make a good dessert, but it emerged as a savory-sweet blend of smooth and stringy textures. 8.5/10. The next morning, we ventured out to one of my favorite restaurants, The Friendly Toast. Though I have been to this Cambridge restaurant a few times in the past, I always look forward to its eclectic d?(c)cor and perfect brunch fare. To start, I ordered a Pinky milkshake (vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup and fresh raspberries). For my main course, I got the classic tofu scramble-tofu, vegetarian sausage, mushrooms, corn, feta and provolone served with a side of home fries. The spicy potatoes go perfectly with a bite of the savory scramble and the proportions of the ingredients were perfect. My table also ordered a pumpkin pancake that had chocolate covered raisins cooked inside; it was good, but I definitely think some of their other pancakes are better, like the King Cakes with bananas and chocolate chips inside, and peanut butter and whipped cream on top. 8/10. On Saturday night, I went with a group of 14 people consisting of my friends and their families to Watch City Brewery in Waltham. Despite our reservation, we still waited at least 20 minutes for our table, but the manager did compensate for our wait with free appetizers. I was disappointed by my veggie burger, which I distinctly remember as having been much better prepared the last time I was there. The sweet potato fries, however, were once again perfect and the appetizer nachos were a great starter. Other highlights around the table included the lamb burger, which both people who ordered it agreed that it had to have been made in-house, and the steak bombers, which I understood to be a sort of Philly cheese steak egg roll. 5/10. The last meal my parents and I shared was an impromptu Sunday lunch at Ponzu on Moody Street in Waltham. I had heard rave reviews of their sushi, so I was anxious to try it out, and Ponzu did not disappoint. Their menu truly has something for everyone, from sushi to fried rice. I ordered a shrimp tempura topped with a tuna roll, two pieces of eel nigiri and miso soup. The shrimp tempura was especially delicious because it had the perfect amount of crunch in the breading, but melted in your mouth. We also ordered an Indonesian Gado Gado salad, consisting of cucumber, jicama, bean sprouts and string beans in a peanut dressing. Not only delectable, this dish was entirely unique and something I've never had at other sushi restaurants. 8/10. After this weekend, I'm dreading the return to the dining halls and I don't even have any leftovers in my mini-fridge. But I'll be waiting for the next time my parents come for a visit, most likely armed with a handful of new restaurants I'm dying to try.
(10/08/12 4:00am)
I am part of the generation who grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermione, immersing myself into their magical world and learning life lessons at the same time. Therefore, when I heard J.K. Rowling was publishing her first non-Harry Potter series novel, I couldn't resist grabbing a copy of the book. To the woman who gave me years of entertainment, I could surely give a few hours of my time to read the latest fruits of her labor, The Casual Vacancy. Within five pages of the novel, a character drops dead in a golf club parking lot. From there on, the book centers on the aftereffects of Barry Fairbrother's death and in doing so reveals the inner lives of other town residents. Located far outside the outskirts of London, Pagford is a small, quiet town in England with a mainly white, middle-class demographic. However, after a controversial scandal and battle with neighboring town Yarvil, the lower-class, poor area called the Fields is forced to merge with the town of Pagford. Fairbrother's, a former council member, death leaves a casual vacancy-the title's inspiration-within the parish council, and this void soon sparks a bitter schism within the small community, pitting conservative against liberal, rich against poor and even father against son. The council calls for an election, with the vacant seat holding the key vote on two divisive issues: the closing of an addiction clinic and the disincorporation of the Fields to save the money in the town budget. Though the plot is substantial and progresses naturally, the defining aspects of Rowling's book are the characters. Within 500 pages, Rowling manages to create an entire ensemble of a town, giving almost every character a distinct voice and background story. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character, allowing the reader multiple viewpoints into the problems of Pagford and a greater understanding of how the conflict affected each individual. I found myself developing a connection with certain aspects of a character, recognizing the desperation of teenage Sukhvinder Jawanda, the compassion and dedication of social worker Kay Bawden and the anger of Andrew Price. The most heartbreaking character is Krystal Wheedon, a teenager from the Fields. Her mother, Terri, is a drug addict and a mess of a mother to Krystal and her younger brother Robbie. Their father is non-existent; their house is basically uninhabitable; and their basic needs in life, like food and parenting, are hardly met. However, before his death, Fairbrother takes Krystal under his guidance when she joins the school rowing team, and his significance, though she often denies it, is profound on her life. My heart ached for Krystal. Though she was only a character on a page, I so badly wished she would get the help she deserved and make a better life for herself and her brother. Rowling does not fail to produce a thought-provoking, introspective novel. Like the Harry Potter stories, the true message often lies below the surface, waiting for the readers to discover it themselves on their own terms. In The Casual Vacancy, Rowling demonstrates the downfall of society: the darker side of human nature that consists of selfishness and resentment, along with the inability to get past one's own bias and do something to make a necessary change in the broader community. Rowling's novel exposes the bitter, raw truth of human beings. They can be absolutely terrible and sometimes truly maniacal. They can let minor disagreements fracture their community and even their own families. Within the novel, Rowling deals with incredibly sensitive issues, including child abuse, rape, addiction, depression, death and religious intolerance; in response, it is an emotionally heavy novel that exemplifies actions and values usually seen as deplorable in society. Despite the fact that the novel gained its fame from its author rather than its plotline, it is still a worthwhile and insightful read. It is no stroke of genius or a Pulitzer Prize-winner, but Rowling's legendary voice cannot be ignored. As in Harry Potter, the characters spring to life off the pages and you are drawn into the mystical world she deftly creates. The Casual Vacancy may not involve magic wands, flying cars or evil wizards, but this Muggle world still invokes a critical human truth about society while engaging the reader in the journey of the small town.
(09/25/12 4:00am)
JustArts spoke with Kelsey Strouse '13, UTC Coordinator, about her experiences in theater at Brandeis.
(09/11/12 4:00am)
Three years ago, if you googled "Brandeis Rose Art Museum," your search would yield various news outlets reporting and commenting on the lawsuit between the Rose and several benefactors. Due to financial pressure from the economic downturn, the Board of Trustees had voted to sell off artwork in order to fund the museum and preserve its future. But, this measure was highly opposed by the supporters of the Rose, leading to a lawsuit that ultimately settled with the University. After the last director the Rose, Michael Rush's contract was not renewed, due to his disagreement on the decision to sell artwork during the financial crisis, the search for another director began. After an extensive search, Chris Bedford was chosen. Chris Bedford, with his astounding art knowledge, is a well-credentialed candidate for the job, especially following the hard work and dedication so many people have given to the Rose. His impressive curatorial r?(c)sum?(c) and genuine concern for the future of the Rose will hopefully sustain growth and innovation of the museum. In an interview with justArts, Bedford, who arrives on campus Sept. 17, described his vision and plans for the Rose. But let's go back to the beginning, before he was a well-known curator, before he even studied art. Born in Scotland and raised in the United States and England, Bedford describes his childhood as very "transient." "I would say that perhaps my experience growing up in different countries aligns nicely with the way that the art world has evolved into an international platform." If you go into any major museum exhibition, they feature art from around the world. Art transcends geographical barriers and unites the diversity of different cultures. His interest in art began at a young age: "The seed was sown during the period of time I lived just outside of London and my mother would take me to the National Gallery. I wasn't a student of art history at that point, but I had an unusually acute interest in painting and my mother was kind enough to indulge that," he explains. Later on, Bedford studied art history at Oberlin College, afterwards receiving an M.A. in the same subject from Case Western Reserve University. Before coming to Brandeis, Bedford worked as the chief curator of exhibitions at the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University. During his tenure there, Bedford curated many exhibits and counts among his professional highlights as having worked with Mark Bradford, who creates huge collages from random materials into works that comment on many political issues, and Pipilotti Rist, a visual artist who works with film and moving images. The Mark Bradford exhibition toured major cities across the country, from New York City to Dallas, and received excellent reviews from The Columbus Dispatch. Bedford has also received the 2008 Fellows of Contemporary Art Curators' Award for the exhibition "Superficiality and Superexcrescence," according to the Wexner Center for the Arts website. Bedford has also been working on an exhibition at the Wexner for three years, titled "Facture and Fidelity: Painting Between Abstraction and Figuration," that displays the history of painting. He describes the creation process as incredibly challenging, but as the final pieces fall into place, incredibly gratifying. Bedford will surely need to carry this same level of dedication and personal investment when he curates exhibits for the Rose, something desperately needed to regain the prestige of our museum. When asked what exactly qualifies him to be the director of the Rose Art Museum, Bedford confidently responds: "I've developed a capacity for exhibition-making and alliance building that's attracted a lot of attention critically and has allowed me to develop deep relationships with foundations and fellow institutions." He is also eager to build upon the Rose's existing reputation as a major player in the world of contemporary art and develop more programming, as well as create a dialogue with other institutions and connect within "the circle of collaborators," he says. Bedford did not go into specific detail about his plans for the Rose, but he did emphasize three main objectives: collection development based on the existing strong points of the museum, building up the reputation of the Rose by developing more exhibitions and integrating the collections more fully into the curriculum at Brandeis. In the short term, Bedford is pushing the creation of a large public sculpture on campus. "I view the right kind of sculpture as a way to bring outside the art of the museum walls and make that experience more easily available and an enticement to come in," he explains. A public sculpture is just one aspect of how Bedford hopes the Rose will become more noticeable to the student body, and he encourages the students to use the Rose as a resource, whether it is inside or out of a classroom setting. With over 8,000 pieces of various forms of art, it is hard to choose a favorite, but Bedford already has a few, though he is sure they will change over time. He is drawn to a "Drawers" a three-dimensional wall piece by Jasper Johns, a visual arts video by Anri Sala entitled "Dammi i Colori" and the Andy Warhol series "Death and Disasters." All three pieces reflect Bedford's own interest as well as the Rose's strength in 1950s and 60s contemporary artwork. Having an extensive, beyond-value museum of contemporary and modern art is a prominent resource within our Brandeis community, but I believe it is something we often take for granted. It is easy to acknowledge its presence, but the Rose truly embodies so much of what Brandeis stands for. Even though Bedford has yet to fully submerge himself into our community, he already understands its significance. "Art doesn't itself change the world around it," he explains. "But I would say that it exerts a powerful effect on those who view it. And those people are the agents who ultimately make an impact and do change the world around them."
