Whether you’re looking to avoid an assignment or a spate of bad weather, the movie theater is the perfect getaway. 2011 has a selection of films to suit every taste—and with the recession still bedeviling the box office, plenty of theaters are offering discounted tickets to students these days. I’ve combed through the archives of IMDB and Apple Trailers to bring you my picks for the year. How can you resist?
Sarabeth here. But only for a short time, because I figured I could have my other half, Matt, write this week’s article. I thought it’d be a fun change of pace for those who ever wondered what things were like from his point of view. I already know how great and wonderful he is, but I think it’s important for other girls out there to see that there are really good guys to be had and when it comes to serious relationships, guys really aren’t that different from us.
Here’s what he had to say:
There are a couple of things going on in my life that I consider pretty surreal. I’m nearing the end of my college career and going into the real world soon. I’m getting to the point in my life where I’m making fun of the trends of younger people, which makes me feel like the old man yelling at kids to get off my yard. All these freaking celebrities are dying! All of this stuff seems unreal; the fact that I’m getting married to the girl of my dreams is the polar opposite.
Sarabeth and I started out with a weird relationship. You might know the details if you’ve followed her from the beginning of her writing for CollegeCandy (which I also think is pretty surreal, BTW; random anonymous people arguing over what she says on them there internets is just weird). Basically, we were just friends first and as I spent more time with her, I came to the realization that I was (and still am!) truly happy when I was with her. Read More »
As a female film/TV major, I’ve been noticing lately that although we’ve come a long way for women’s rights, there are still some of us who have to fight sexism on a daily basis just because of what we chose to study in college. Even though almost 60% of college students today are women, there are still many majors that are dominated by the boys.
And my major, film and television, is one of them.
I decided to major in film and TV because I want to work in that industry one day (duh). I have always dreamed of being a screenwriter, producer, or, my ultimate goal, a movie director. When I tell people I that they look at me in shock. “Are there female directors??”
Uh, thanks, dude.
OF COURSE THERE ARE!
When I’m not in the male-dominated classroom, I work (with only 2 other women) for a show on a local TV station. The rest of the staff makes jokes about women constantly, and while it’s all in good fun and I know they’re good guys, I’m getting a bit sick of it. They never listen to me or the other two girls, and we’re kind of ignored when it comes to creative content. The only time they do listen to the women on staff is when it is coming from the size 4, blonde girl I work with. And that only upsets me even more. Read More »
College brings a whole lot of new experiences, new lessons and new people. But it seems that no matter what school you go to, there are same characters on every campus:
With the Go Green revolution, a lot of us have been making the effort to protect and preserve our environment: trees, animals, reservations. Hemp jewelry is so in right now and vintage is your new passion, right?
Well, guess who’s more passionate than you are? The Neo-hippie, better known as The Empathetic Activist.
The Empathetic Activist feels the pain of the distressed, whether it is animal, mineral or vegetable. When a mouse-trap is set up in the dorms, he or she will be there to protect the rights of our furry friends. When soda cans are thrown in the cafeteria trash, he or she will be there to lecture their peers on the perils of cans in dumps around the world. When a tree is cut down to expand your campus, he or she is there screaming murder through blurred vision…or at least collecting signatures to stop the madness.
The Empathetic Activist cares, but not about material objects. While we’re all spending what little money we have on a spring break wardrobe, the E.A. is perusing the local consignment/ thrift/ vintage shops while munching on some tofu, as he or she is also most likely vegan/vegetarian. (“Animals have rights too!”) And when your favorite neo-hippie is not purchasing vegan Birkenstocks, you will find him or her working for social consciousness, whether it be through debates and discussions with friends or long and heated monologues during class. Read More »
It’s rainy. It’s windy. You haven’t seen sunlight in days, you didn’t do so hot on today’s pop quiz, and you really don’t feel like reading about the Enlightenment for history class. What better way to beat the dreariness and procrastinate than by having a comedy movie marathon to boost your spirits and make you laugh?
When fall settles in and it’s not as much fun to walk through campus on a chilly, dismal day, grab a bunch of kids from your hall, pop some warm, buttery popcorn, and veg out in flannel pj’s and sweats. You’ll feel better, you’ll have fun, and best of all, these movies sure as hell beat anything that sprung from the Enlightenment! Read More »
So posters for the new Tom Cruise movie Valkyrie (which has been pushed back like, 7 times) have just come out, and we gotta say, adding a lame picture to a weird title is definately not the way to get people interested in this flick.
What does this poster say to you?
(Besides “Tom Cruise and a bunch of old white dudes are gonna be in a long and serious movie that is based on a true story so it will also probably be boring but Tom Cruise is a CELEBRITY and the MAIN CHARACTER so you’ll sit through it regardless.”)
You gotta love Japanese culture. They always find a way to surprise you with their little quirks and pleasantries.
I mean, in America, the stereotypical retiree will move down to Florida to spend their time lounging by the pool in a gated community or playing a few holes on the golf course. Lame. In Japan, adult films for senior citizens, aka “elderly porn” is growing into quite the profitable franchise, according to porn producing giant Ruby Productions.
While America’s economy is declining, many entertainment venues (including golf courses) are taking a hit. In Japan, at least one retiree is cashing in on the entertainment biz. Shigeo Tokuda, 73, is the Ron Jeremy of elderly porn.
CNN correspondent Kyung Lah describes Tokuda as “the star of his movies in every way, romancing his co-stars, no matter their age, no matter their needs.” And apparently, his films are no-holds-barred, much like anything Jenna Jameson has appeared in. Read More »
Last week, I wrote about choosing a school. This week, I get a little more specific: choosing a program. This might seem like a no-brainer; I mean, you’re probably not going to attempt an MFA in Puppetry if you just spent four years studying Atmospheric Science, right? Well… you never know. Afterall, Elle Woods went to Law School after majoring in Fashion Merchandising or something. Besides, I can tell you from experience that even if you think you know what you’re applying for, you better double-check.
Case in point: In college, I majored in English, and I was one class shy of earning a film minor. My final semester of college, no film classes that would fulfill my final requirement were offered, and even though I had taken film classes that weren’t part of the minor’s plan of study, they wouldn’t give me the “Film Studies Minor” title unless I took a class that wasn’t freakin’ available. I still get riled up about that, as you can see.
Anyway, I was seeking a Masters degree in English, though I really enjoyed Film Studies as well. Now, when you apply for a grad school program, you might have to choose a field within the realm of your chosen subject. For example, many English programs divide their grad students into Rhet/Comp or Lit majors; my friend is currently getting a PhD in Psychology, but her specialization is Early Childhood Development. So while you may earn a degree in a broad major like Politics, Journalism, or Philosophy, you may have to narrow it down to a specific topic when you apply to grad schools. Read More »
I have never seen any version of High School Musical. Besides the fact that most media manufactured for tweens these days gives me a rash, I find Vanessa Hudgens really, really hard to watch. Zac Efron isn’t much better, but at least he’s getting slightly more watchable with age (I’m waiting for the break-out role where Zac attempts to legitimize his acting by playing a retarded boy or drug addict).
But, rash-inducing as it is, you can’t deny that HSM has completely taken over the world to the point where crazy dictators are probably kicking themselves that they didn’t think of it first. Below, your first taste of HSM 3: We All Look Like We’re Made Of Wax (Note: I may have made that title up).
[Also...I would like to offer a $500,000 reward for the head of the man or woman who wrote the lyrics during the basketball game in this trailer. They must be destroyed]
I love books. I do. For me, reading is a passion, something I can’t imagine life without.
But sometimes, when it’s really super-summer hot, the thought of focusing your sweat-brimmed eyes enough to read a novel is just plain agonizing. Not to mention those dreadful rainy days when you are forced to stick it out indoors.
So here, for your viewing pleasure, I propose some alternative summer rentals (film = another love of my life). Some of these are weird and some are, well, weirder. But hopefully you’ll enjoy at least some of them as much as I have.
Oldboy
Okay, don’t watch this if you don’t like to feel very, very uncomfortable. (I do want to say, however, that this is my favorite movie of all time.)
Oldboy is a Korean film (director Chan-wook Park, for whom Oldboy is part of a trilogy; Park also directed the lovely I’m a Cyborg and That’s Okay), part of the wave of innovative Korean filmmakers that was going on a few years ago. It’s the story of a man who is suddenly kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years. By the time he gets out, the only thing he cares about is finding out who imprisoned him and why–and getting revenge.
Oh yeah, and it’s based on a comic book, so it’s extremely graphic. You’ve been warned. Read More »