(03/03/09 5:00am)
It's hard to imagine how different seeing Dirty Dancing-The Classic Story on Stage is from watching the movie. On one hand, Eleanor Bergstein's adaption follows the movie very precisely-the script and soundtrack are almost identical and many cast members bear surprising resemblances to the players that appear in the movie. But there is something exciting about witnessing 10 professional dancers simultaneously hoist their legs atop their studly partners' shoulders in the fiery "Do You Love Me?" number that doesn't quite happen in the movie.It's an exhilarating 1963 summer for Frances "Baby" Houseman, played by the charming Aspen Vincent (at the show I attended, she was substituting for Amanda Leigh Cobb, who usually plays the role). Baby's family had planned to visit the Catskills retreat for some relaxation, but Baby's agenda is waylaid when she meets Johnny Castle, played by Josef Brown, and is introduced to an entirely different world. Castle's dance partner, Penny Johnson, played by the sleek and gorgeous Britta Lazenga, is knocked up and is afraid that her pregnancy will ruin her and Castle's performance at the end of the weekend. In an attempt to save their routine, Baby becomes Castle's new dance partner and secretly sneaks off during the retreat to learn how to dance. However, her father, who dislikes Castle, discovers Baby's involvement. The lovestruck Baby fights against her parents' disapproval and begins her journey as a young woman in this tale of passion and defiance.To me, though, the plot is trivial compared to the show's astounding dancing and unbelievable technical work. From the first scene, I was drawn in by the musical's presentation. The combination of varying scenes of song and dance strung together seamlessly by unnoticeably quick scene changes gives the stage a three dimensional effect that was never in the movie.The result is complete immersion. For example, there is a section on the floor of the stage that rotates. Well-to-do lodgers sit and have light lunch, their tables moving with the platform as the retreat activities director walks slowly past them, keeping up with the platform's speed. The audience feels as if they are moving with the director, not unlike watching a moving frame of reference. Speaking of which, the stage is quite a technical achievement. In addition to the rotating portion, a rising platform lies upstage and is used in scenes where the performers are elevated. The two sometimes combine, such as when Baby walks up to Johnny's room on the rising and rotating platform, giving the effect of her walking up stairs. Drop-down props include colored lamplights used during intimate slow dance scenes and, most impressively, the giant log that Baby and Johnny walk on in the woods. The centerpiece of the production is a screen behind the stage consisting of 50 LED video panels that project images to accompany the scene while also opening and closing to allow performers and props to move to and from the stage. According to a press release from Lighthouse Technologies, responsible for the display, it is "lit by 200 moving lights and includes more than 200 automation cues with state-of-the-art surround sound." Considering the presentation, Dirty Dancing is as much a dance performance as it is a musical. The three leads, Vincent, Brown and Lazenga, do not sing at all, but their performances and choreography-which were directed by Kate Champion, Craig Wilson and David Scotchford-more than make up for the lack of singing.Vincent, Cobb's understudy, displayed technical grace even when Baby is meant to stumble. Unlike Cobb, though, Vincent is much shorter than Brown and doesn't much resemble the film's Jennifer Grey, causing me to do a double take when she was addressed as Baby. Brown, a leading dancer in The Australian Ballet, flaunts his toned body with perfect spins and steps, giving the show the majority of its sex appeal. He plays Johnny Castle well, though his acting is stiffer than Patrick Swayze's. But this is unimportant considering how phenomenal his dancing is. Whoever his partner is, he leads and lifts her with ease while also demonstrating outstanding footwork. The star of the dancing show, however, is the stunning Lazenga. A former member of the Joffrey Ballet, she has danced leading roles in Snow Queen, White Widow and Hermia. When she makes her first appearance dancing with Brown, her blend of allure and flawless technique locked my attention instantly onto her despite the presence of other dancers. Every move was precise and deliberate, and even though she had high heels on and was taller than all the other female dancers in the show, she maintained perfect balance. It's a shame her character becomes pregnant; I would have loved to see her dance in more than a few numbers.As noted, Dirty Dancing is more of a dance performance than a musical play, but the musicians are just as essential in the show. Often a trumpet or saxophone player would accompany the dancers on stage, bringing out the soundtrack with live music. Notable are performances by Ben Mingay and Karen Burthwright, featured singers whose duet in the Oscar-awarded "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" will melt the hearts of any Dirty Dancing fan. The nonmusical aspect of Dirty Dancing is weak, however. By the middle of the second act, I was so tired of the sappy dialogue that my attention drifted until the next minor dance number came up. The play drags on until Castle makes an impressive entrance from behind the audience. After saying the famous line "No one puts Baby in a corner," the audience cheers not only because they recognize the line but also because they've been waiting a long time for something exciting to happen. Then again, the final 10 minutes are worth the wait. The sudden explosion of visual and aural stimuli overloaded my senses, and it was not until the cast started taking bows when I noticed that my jaw had literally dropped. It was that good.So despite the drawn-out plot, Dirty Dancing-The Classic Story on Stage absolutely blew me away. It doesn't just bring the movie to life, it presents an entirely new perspective of the story--one that focuses on what gave audiences "the time of their lives."Dirty Dancing-The Classic Story on Stage is produced by Jacobsen Entertainment and is now playing at the Boston Opera House for a 10-week run through April 12, 2009 before heading to L.A.'s Pantages Theatre.
(02/03/09 5:00am)
Mind control. Telekinesis. Spies. Secret government agencies. Push is a superhero thriller that involves anything a college student would want from a movie: evil organizations, explosions, a hot chick and people shooting guns with their minds. The movie centers around Nick Gant (Chris Evans), a "mover," someone with the ability to manipulate inanimate objects at will by identifying the object's atomic frequency and alter the gravity waves around it. Following his father's murder at the hands of Division-an evil agency that captures psychics-Nick escapes to Hong Kong to live in hiding. However, he soon meets another psychic, Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning), who, as a "watcher," has the ability to see the future. Gant is forced out of hiding as he and Holmes search for Kira (Camilla Belle), who is the only person to escape from Division and who holds the power to defeat the organization. With her powers as a "pusher," Kira can push certain thoughts into others, forcing them to act at her command. With Division on their tail, the three must find a way to stop the agency's plan to build an unstoppable militia of psychics.JustArts attended a conference call with Push's Chris Evans and Camilla Belle, during which the actors gave insight into their experience with the movie.Evans, a Boston local, has previously been in films such as Fantastic 4 and Sunshine. Question: Tell us about your character, Nick Gant.Chris Evans: I think there's a lot that I can relate to, personally, to the character. He's afraid and insecure. He's hiding from the world and pain from the past. Unlike Johnny Storm in Fantastic 4, who loves the spotlight, Nick is a guy who's on the run and would just as soon shed his powers. Q: Speaking of Fantastic 4, do you worry about being typecast in movies with similar content? CE: There's always worry [about] being typecast. It's something to be aware of, but if the pieces of the puzzle fit, you just go for the role. If a role looks really good, it would be hard to say no. You don't want to be typecast, I suppose, but it's really tricky sometimes. And I really don't want to avoid a role because I've done a role similar to it. Q: What about the process of getting roles in general? CE: For me, it wasn't that one role that would shoot me to stardom or something. It's been a slow and steady pace since Not Another Teen Movie. I think one of the main things that apply is luck. You just keep on trying to work with the right people and keeping doing it. And I'm almost embarrassed to say it, but it's strange that I've been sucked into sci-fi. My favorite genre of movies would have to be simple, human stories involving simple characters. You know, a father and a mother and a sister, and what can happen just in a family. Q: How do you think the story of Push compares to others in the sci-fi genre?CE: Well, for example, I liked that in X-Men mutation was a known thing. But in Push, no one really knows the superpowers exist. The general public is completely unaware that it exists, and to me it just makes the stakes higher. Q: So you're from Boston. Do you come back a lot?CE: I just love meeting people from Boston. In fact, I'm just back from Boston for three months. Three months is, like, unheard of, but I went back for Halloween, and I thought, I might just stay back in the east coast. So I actually just got back to LA two days ago. Q: Why do you think a college student from Boston, for example, should spend the $10 to see your movie, considering the current economic crisis?CE: Well, I think movie tickets are still pretty cheap. You know, everything's getting affected but fortunately movie tickets are still pretty much the same price and I think Push is just a fun movie that college students can relate to. There's so much that's enjoyable about it. Our director, Paul McGuigan, really tried to rely on skilled stuntmen and clever camerawork for the special effects, rather than the CGI. Q: How was the filming experience for Push, especially with the other actors?CE: Well, Dakota and Camilla are both so amazing. Dakota always puts a smile on my face. And Camilla, I love to joke with her, but she hates my jokes. She thinks I'm so unfunny. Actually, they both think I'm the lamest thing in the world. [Laughs] And it was tough to get Camilla to come drink with us. Q: Sounds like it was a good time. What was the biggest challenge of filming in Hong Kong? CE: The food. Hong Kong has a different cuisine [than] America. It's just hard to find a nice piece of white chicken meat. It's a different world, a different process. And the local workers there have such a good work ethic. When they show up n the morning they're ready to work. All the actors have to pick up the pace because back home we're not used to that. You know, it was the first time I've been in Hong Kong. But overall, it was a really great experience. Belle, who plays the role of Kira, was interviewed next. She is an L.A. local and recently starred in When a Stranger Calls and 10,000 B.C.Q: Tell us about your character.Camilla Belle: Kira is really mysterious. I think my favorite thing about her is that you're always guessing if she's good or bad. The whole role, it's very character-driven, and it stays true that she always keeps you guessing. Q: Tell us a little about you. As an actress, as someone college-aged. CB: Well, my favorite acting inspirations are Kate Winslet, Liam Neeson and Cate Blanchett. Even though I'm acting instead of going to college, all my friends are in college. So I guess when I hang out, I'm hanging out with college kids and I act like a college kid. In a way, my friends bring the vibe to me, but I've never been a person to go out and party. Q: Push is your first sci-fi film. What did you think of it?CB: I think Push also has so many other aspects such as thriller and drama and some romance. I wasn't used to powers and abilities, so I approached it more with a human approach. It was so much fun, you know, all the big fight scenes and shooting guns and running around Hong Kong. Even the bruises and cuts I got from it, I wear with pride. Q: Chris said that you like to make fun of him a lot. What was it like filming with him and Dakota? CB: [Laughs] I didn't know he'd say that. I think I make fun of him because he's like this tough guy from Boston, and he's really confident, but he's actually really sweet at heart and gentle and will break into song and dance. I think we really connected because we both love musical theater. And I connected with Dakota too because we both grew up in the business. She's also one of my favorite actresses. I had to remind myself that I was going to dinner with a 13-year-old, she's just too mature. We all got along really well. The cast was lucky because we all became part of a family. Q: Did you have any new or different experiences while shooting? CB: The number one thing was being in Hong Kong. I've never been to Asia before. Being able to go to Hong Kong opened so many doors to me. And we got a few days off so I got to go to Beijing and now I can say I've been there. Reading the paper in Hong Kong, seeing the locals there was just such a new experience. Hong Kong's also so different than mainland China. I'd go to temples and try to blend in as much as I could and experience all the Asian cultures there; it was amazing. And working with the cast, we are all different and Paul McGuigan is so much different than any other director I've worked with, he can just talk on hours and he'll say, we have to work now, and we'll get a little thrown off! Q: Why do you think college students should see this movie? CB: One reason is that Chris and I are the same age, and it really appeals to our age. Push is different and edgy. It's young, it's fun, and more of an escape than anything else. Push is rated PG-13 will be released in theaters Feb, 6, 2009.
(01/13/09 5:00am)
Bryan Singer's historical thriller Valkyrie pits Tom Cruise against overwhelming odds: as Colonel Stauffenberg, he must kill Hitler after losing one eye and seven fingers. As an actor, he must anchor a movie that lacks believability. In both instances, Cruise falls short, but not before making a reasonable attempt.The film begins with Stauffenberg writing in his journal, condemning the atrocities he has witnessed as a Nazi leader. The next day, after confronting a general about taking action against Hitler, the African camp he is stationed at is attacked, resulting in the aforementioned injuries. The movie picks up as Stauffenberg meets with a group of Nazi conspirators and is made the leader of Operation Valkyrie, a plan based on a version of Hitler's own intent to protect the central government if Hitler were to be killed by deploying the Reserve Army, which would be mobilized to deal with any civil unrest. Stauffenberg takes advantage of his high rank to rewrite Operation Valkyrie and have the plan approved. Enacting it will help his group take control of Berlin's government after Hitler is killed, establishing a new regime and ending the war. The plan is risky, and the men involved will certainly lose their lives if anything goes wrong. But this is a story where the outcome is already known; Hitler is invincible, as we all know he will not die in an assassination plot. However, I wonder how Stauffenberg and his men will eventually fail, even though I don't feel nervous because I already know what happens. The most impressive thing about Valkyrie is that it builds tension, regardless of the fact that we know the good guys lose this time. For example, there is a scene in which Stauffenberg arms the bomb that he plans to plant near Hitler. He is in a changing room, struggling to close a briefcase containing the explosive, on the verge of being discovered by an officer. As he fumbles with his three fingers, the officer opens the door and Stauffenberg barely makes it out undetected. Does it matter that he got away then? To history, no, but to the audience, the scene gives us hope, and we want Stauffenberg to get as close as he can to succeeding. Yet I'm not sure someone so unhandy, so to speak, would be assigned the task of handling the bomb. Treat this as a Hollywood thriller in which Tom Cruise has an eye patch, and you will enjoy Valkyrie. But as an account of the most well-known assassination attempt on Hitler, it fails in presenting anything believable. And, the movie's serious tone is compromised by the numerous Americans with American accents portaying Nazis. What is the audience meant to think when Stauffenberg's narration in the beginning changes from German to English? Rather than strengthening the movie's claim that "The following is based on a true story," I am reminded that this is Hollywood and that Stauffenberg is not actually a German but the same guy who played volleyball with Val Kilmer in Top Gun. As a colonel who decides to put his and his family's lives at risk and betray his loyalty to the Nazi army, the potential for the exploration of Stauffenberg's character is huge. Consequently, Cruise's flatness in Valkyrie is disappointing. At the end of the movie, when he is facing execution, I still don't quite sympathize with him. When I saw Valkyrie at its press release in December, the theater was packed 45 minutes before the movie started. Clearly, people wanted to see a movie about a group of high-ranking Nazis attempting to kill Hitler. But a film with interesting subject matter is not always interesting. Valkyrie turns out to be a decent Hollywood suspense film but a poor "based on actual events" story.
(10/28/08 4:00am)
On Oct. 25, Indian culture filled Sherman Function Hall during one of the most colorful and energetic events of the year. Hosted by Brandeis University's chapter of Namaskar (the Association for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains), Diwali and Navratri 2008 was the event of the weekend, bringing hundreds of students and Brandeis community members together to experience India's music, food and art. Diwali is also known as Deepavali, which means "row of lamps," and actually occurs on Oct. 28 following the Hindu calendar's new moon day. It is celebrated in India by setting off fireworks, giving gifts and lighting diyas, candles meant to drive away darkness and evil. Navratrih is celebrated with a circular dance called Garba.The night began with a slideshow by Dipal Savla '12 that showed pictures of last year's Diwali event. The two festivals were introduced, and the first ceremony of Puja began. The Puja (a religious ritual performed to show respect to the gods) involved a shrine with pictures of the Hindu gods Ganesh, Saraswati and Laxni and the singing of aarthi, or prayer songs. Performances by Brandeis students followed. Nipun Marwaha '12 sang a traditional Indian song while Ethan Geringer-Sameth '12 laid down a fiery beat with the tabla, a type of Indian drum. Ashni Dave '12 gave a riveting performance of a classical Indian dance called Kathak, which means "storytelling." The audience cheered enthusiastically as she executed perfect spins in her traditional Indian Angarkha (an outfit consisting of figure-hugging trousers that are worn beneath a flared skirt). Her ensemble also included a long necklace, bangles, Tikka earrings and bells on her ankles. Dave used bells called ghunghru, to tap out a fast, rhythmic beat displaying impressive footwork. When the Indian dinner line was opened, attendants showed their enthusiasm for free food by swarming the tables. The items offered included Indian rice pudding, rice, aloo (a potato dish) and paneer, a curry with cream and cubes of cheese.In the center of the hall was the Rangoli table. Rangoli is a popular form of sandpainting in India that involves bright colors and depictions of nature. A piece of wax paper was placed over the pre-drawn pattern, covering the entire circular table. Then, anyone who wanted to could use glue and colored rice to follow the elaborate pattern. Students also lined up to receive henna tattoos from a professional artist. Henna is often used in Hindu weddings to beautify the hands and bring good fortune. The artist tattooed elaborate patterns on students' hands and arms for free. The main attraction that night, however, was the social dance. After Shailee Vora '12 explained Garba, the floor was opened up to those who wished to participate in the circle. Garba is composed of relatively simple steps that can be embellished with turns and spins. The anyone-can-join nature of the dance could be compared to Western social dances such as the electric slide and Cupid shuffle. However, Garba proved to be somewhat challenging to newcomers as the circle of dancers pulsated and twisted quickly in a spectacular showcase of uniform motion. The next dance was called Raas, a line dance that involved participants holding two sticks and hitting them in patterns with those of the dancer across from them. The dance was simpler and, for most novices of Indian social dance, more enjoyable. Some even formed their own circle and improvised steps and moves involving the sticks. Whether doing their own dance or lining up for Raas, everyone enjoyed dancing with the wooden sticks.When the sticks were returned, however, people were not ready to stop dancing. The dance floor was opened up for the final hour of Diwali and Navratri as students danced to upbeat Punjabi and popular music. It was a stunning merging of Western party dancing and Indian dance that lasted until the very end of the night. Namaskar's Diwali 2008, co-sponsored by South Asian Students Association, showcased Brandeis' cultural and religious passion and provided an opportunity for students new to Indian culture to learn and experience something fresh. Ariel Zommer '12, who had never been to an Indian or Hindu event, said she "loved the dancing, because having fun is the best way to experience a culture." "I had no idea what to expect," she said. "I was surprised at how many people showed up, but I guess everyone at Brandeis is up for trying new things.
(10/21/08 4:00am)
Saturday Night tells the story of a group young of Brooklynites in the midst of the Roaring '20s. Based on the play Front Porch in Flatbush by Julius and Philip Epstein with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, this work presents the clever and delightful story of several middle class twenty-somethings gallivanting about during an era with a booming economy. Sondheim initially began the public portion of his career by composing the lyrics for the 1957 Leonard Bernstein masterpiece West Side Story. However, in 1954 Sondheim created the music for Saturday Night. The musical's planned Broadway opening was canceled due to the death of the producer, and consequently Saturday Night did not premiere until the late 1990s. The actors of the Brandeis Theater Company effortlessly portrayed the playful dynamic of a group of young friends looking to get lucky in life, love and the stock market. Overly ambitious Gene, played by Robert St. Laurence '11, continually spends outside his means but behaves with an instinctual charm that draws everyone to him, especially Helen Fogel, a fellow Brooklynite with a pragmatic view on life who eventually brings Gene back down to earth. The greatest ambition of Gene's bawdy, rowdy and strapped-for-cash buddies (played by Justin Becker '09, Ethan Prizant '12, Robert Orzalli '11 and Austin Auh '10) other than winning big on the stock market is to find a date for Saturday night. Hank, Celeste and Mildred (played by Ross Brown '10, Ashley Sauerhof '09 and Gabrielle Young '09, respectively) round out an excellent cast. This production was directed by Professor Eric Hill (THA) and Katie Nadworny '09, with musical direction provided by Brandeis class of 2008 alumnus Matthew Stern.Swimming through a soup of Brooklyn accents are songs dealing with such contemporary 1920s issues as the movies ("In the Movies"), the stock market ("Montana Chemical") and making out with a broad ("Exhibit A"). In typical Sondheim style, puns and innuendos abound. The jokes about the booming 1920s stock market and the audience's knowledge of the impending crash must have been powerful in the postwar time of 1954, but today these jokes take on a different resonance in the context of our current economy. The overt theme of the dangers of living outside your means and going into debt take on a new weight and significance. But the overall lightheartedness of the show transcends these worries with themes of community and love in "It's that Kind Of A Neighborhood." The joys and pitfalls of romantic love carry the show through to its somewhat hasty happy ending. Yes, Saturday Night tells us, Brooklyn's OK if you're in love.Saturday Night runs from Oct. 16 through Oct. 26 in the Laurie Theater of Spingold.
(10/21/08 4:00am)
On Oct. 17 in the Schwartz auditorium, Student Activities hosted A Cappella Night, an evening meant to showcase some of Brandeis' most talented a cappella groups. The four groups that performed that night were Up the Octave, Voices of Soul, Too Cheap for Intruments and VoiceMale. Before the show started, the a cappella groups warmed up while students poured into the nearly full auditorium. "People singing, fun time night" was written on the blackboard, indicating the casual nature of the show. However, the calm yet eager attitude of the students implied that most of the audience had a strong interest in a cappella. Up the Octave opened up the show with "Anywhere You Go" by the 1990s rock band the Gin Blossoms, which featured soloist Saumya Sankaran '09. "Breathe," originally by Michelle Branch, showcased another notable soloist, Ariella Newberger '09. And, though the lovely group of 10 women had a soft sound, their hand and body motions were integral in helping to propel their music forward. Voices of Soul, which came up next, displayed its energetic sound with selections such as "You Gotta Be" by Des'Ree and "No Diggity" by Blackstreet, which featured lively beatboxing and rap. The group also brought out their personality with bright singing and dancing. "No One" by Alicia Keys was particularly strong, as indicated by the cheers and applause bestowed upon the group by the audience following their performance of this particular title. The unique all-female group Too Cheap for Instruments performed folk titles like "Hunter" by Dido and "The MTA Song," a piece about Boston transportation by the Kingston Trio. All seven performers wore colorful sashes and new member Jordan Hinahara '12 donned a cowboy hat for the purpose of acting out "The Window Washing Cowboy." The group featured well-rehearsed harmonies complimented by a quirky sound.The first three a cappella groups were phenomenal, but the students became most excited when the last group, VoiceMale, began their performance. The company began with "Falling Over You" by Rockappella and the group's sound filled the auditorium with its strong harmonies, beatboxing and solos. Soloist for Cole Porter's "In the Still of the Night" Adam Levine '11 surprised many by jumping down from the stage to sing and woo a particularly lucky female student. VoiceMale's "Where You Are" by Marc Broussard, "Two Thousand Years" by Billy Joel and "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King were also impressively performed. Chase Hiller '12, one of the new members of the group, said regarding his experience with VoiceMale that he "wanted to be in a group [that he could] be close with," the freshman remarked, "so VoiceMale has been a very rewarding experience." However, being in a competitive a cappella group poses challenges, including "memorizing obscure background lyrics." However, Chase was still ecstatic to be in the group's first official concert with a large turnout.Brandeis is known for its many talented a cappella groups, and any student who does not attend events like A Cappella Night is missing out on seeing great singers perform together. It is not too late to get involved in the a cappella circuit, either; there are several a cappella events coming up, such as the Castle Coffeehouse at Chum's on Nov. 24.
(10/07/08 4:00am)
Spore for Windows and Mac is a game in which the player creates a single-celled organism and proceeds to guide the creature to sentience, civilization and eventually galactic domination. It was developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright, the renowned brainpower behind The Sims and SimCity. When the highly anticipated life-simulation game was first announced, there was already controversy concerning Spore's treatment of intelligent design versus evolution. Now that this multi-genre game has been on the market for a month, people are taking more pronounced sides in the debate.The concept of the game revolves around both the creation and evolution of life. At the start of each stage, the player is prompted to create his creature. He can manipulate the creature's size, bone structure and features: arms, legs, mouths, eyes and natural weapons. User-created content, or the element of the game that consists of "playing God," is central to Spore; the role of the player is, essentially, to be an intelligent designer, and this is why Christianpost.com stated in a September article that the game "helps players understand intelligent design" and that the "intelligent design community. says [the game] supports their cause." But the creature's evolution also plays a vital part in the game. In fact, the only way to progress in Spore is through the creature's development. The player discovers new body parts that either give new abilities or enhance old ones, and sooner or later the creature's brain size increases, and your creation becomes capable of making tools and socializing. The game-makers were not oblivious to this argument of intelligent design and evolution. In their official TV ad, the voice-over casually remarks, "Do you believe in Creatiolutionism?" addressing the presence of both creation and evolution in the game. Will Wright, a "strong evolutionist-basically atheist," as stated in an interview with Paste Magazine, remarks in the same interview that Spore started off as a prototype "where creatures were evolving out of your control and you were picking from a selected set of mutations of your creature." The designer also told USA Today that the world created by Spore players is "definitely not a creationist universe." However, Wright believes that "players with either evolution or creationist views would find that Spore could accommodate both," as cited by GameDaily.Most Brandeis students responded fairly neutrally when asked, "Do you think Spore teaches creationism or evolutionism?" Scott Evans '12 believes the game "wasn't intended to teach either. It's just a fun game made to make money. Any particular view is just an interpretation of the game." Alex Bernstein '12, however, feels that Spore contains some lessons of natural selection. "I think the game focuses more on evolution, because the creatures change over time and gain beneficial features."Spore is not the first game to bring up scientific and religious controversy. Will Wright's SimLife was one of the first games to simulate evolution, while The Sims was labeled as a "God game." Lionhead Studios' Black & White actually puts players directly in the role of a god, watching over worshipping tribes while competing with rival deities. Forbes lists these games, among others such as Populous, Darwinia and Afterlife in its "10 Games That Let You Play God."Spore has sold over one million copies since its launch, and some say that it was one of the most anticipated games of all time. College@Home mentions the educational values Spore brings in its list of "25 Best Sims and Games For the Classroom." To see the extent of Spore's impact, readers are invited to visit the amusing Web site antispore.com, run by the AK47 Project.
(09/16/08 4:00am)
You've got to admit, the selection of food on campus isn't exactly the best. This is my third week here at Brandeis, and I'm already tired of the Usdan quesadillas (however good they may be) and Sherman food. So what should you and your friends do for dinner on Friday night if you don't want another meal of lackluster campus food? The simplest solution for attaining high-quality and varied meals is, of course, to go into Waltham-Main Street and Moody Street house a surprisingly wide selection of authentic ethnic restaurants and shops. Last Friday, I chose to peruse the Indian genre. There's something about dipping garlic naan into hot curry and savoring the blend of sauce and spice that drives me crazy. If you have a passing interest in Indian food or want to experience a unique dining experience, I recommend Little India at 475 Moody St., right up the street from Lizzy's Ice Cream. Little India is, in fact, little. Its red awnings are modest compared to others on Moody Street, and between its two rooms, the restaurant seats about 50 people. With dim candles and soft background music, the atmosphere is perfect for a quiet night of good food and relaxation. No, this is not a restaurant for big crowds. When our group of nine entered, the waiter seemed surprised and hurried to shuffle tables together, cramming us into one of the corners. Despite the squeeze, the tables were clean and the service was relatively quick.I ordered the chicken madras, a dish described by the menu as "boneless cubes of white chicken cooked in tamarind sauce with fresh garlic, ginger and cashews." It was served in a metal platter with rice. The dish was basically tender chicken covered with a thick, red sauce that tasted of tomatoes and Indian spices. It went great with both the rice and the naan bread, which I had to order separately. One disappointment, however, was the portion size; at $13.95, I was expecting something that could fill me right up, but the servings were similarly small for everyone else at the table.After finishing the madras, I just felt like I needed more. I was extremely glad I ordered the gulab jaman, a dessert composed of amazingly sweet dough. Definitely order these "wheat and milk balls drenched in sweet syrup." Again, my only complaint was the quantity, as two gulab jaman balls cost $3.50. I do love Indian food and have experienced it many times before, but Little India still ranks very high on my list. Danielle Zipkin '12, who had never had Indian before, said she enjoyed her lamb bhuna but still preferred Tom Can Cook's Thai cuisine. Scott Evans '12, who was also a virgin to the Indian culinary experience, said after partaking in yogurt served over rice and lamb that his first time was "surprising good." A girl named Lauren Zhang '11, being an adventurous sort, ordered the chicken vindaloo, marked on the menu for its spiciness. After some gulps of water, she concluded that the hotness of the spices blended very well with the dish, especially when eaten with naan. Of our group of nine, not a single person was disappointed.My only problem with Little India, in the end, is its small portion size and moderately high costs. For its price range of $10 to $14, there should simply be more food. And it wouldn't hurt if the tables were a little bigger, for the sake of comfort and mobility while trying to reach over the table for the communal rice bowl. But of course, the food provided is much, much better than anything on campus. A slightly bigger budget and a BranVan call is all you need to experience Little India.
