When I groaned after No Strings Attached ended, my friend turned to me and said, “If you hate romance, don’t go see romantic comedies!” And those who have read my reviews before probably already know that I’m not a sucker for romance. So you would think that I might enjoy a comedy about platonic sex buddies Emma and Adam (played by Nathalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher). They have their simple romance-free rules, just in case they start falling for each other. But as we all know, in the world of romantic comedies, rules are made to be broken. Corny jokes and unrealistic situations ensue.

Portman and Kutcher are beautiful people, no one can deny that. It’s not hard to watch them on screen. But after seeing Portman’s work in Black Swan, there’s just no comparison. She is capable of challenging herself as an actress, but No Strings Attached is the kind of movie that comes out a hundred times in a year. A girl with commitment issues “unexpectedly” reveals that her heart isn’t made of stone. Not completely original. I’m not yet convinced that Kutcher can take on tougher roles than the cute, flawless love interest, but he owes it to himself to at least try something new.

There are a lot of minor characters who the audience is forced to become invested in, but don’t get any reward. Abby Elliot, known for being a current cast member on SNL, could have used a lot more screen time. The same goes for Mindy Kaling (The Office), Olivia Thirlby (Juno), Kevin Kline, and Ludacris. And there’s a puppy, who’s a complete scene-stealer. Unfortunately rather than getting to know their characters, we’re forced to sit through almost two hours of Adam and Emma will-they-won’t-they.

Every movie has some redeeming qualities, though, and this one has two: its use of technology…and Ludacris. Unlike the majority of this unrealistic movie (Adam’s dad gets together with Adam’s ex-girlfriend just for an example off the top of my head), the use of technology was actually clever. When Adam and his friends analyze text messages and voicemails going back and forth between him and Emma, it was pretty reminiscent of some conversations between my friends. (Ever have one of those conversations: “OMG, he texted me ‘hi.’ What do I say back?” and then debate possible responses for an hour?) That’s the one great thing about romantic comedies; they’re usually not in production for an extended period of time, so they are pretty relevant.

Overall, if you’re unlike me and are looking to lose yourself in a simple romantic comedy with a couple of clever, check out No Strings Attached. It will definitely deliver. If you’re hoping for a movie with a little more meat that makes you feel something, go watch one of the Academy Award front-runners instead (try The King’s Speech if you haven’t seen it yet).

Click here to get Meredith’s take on other new releases.

Looks like someone kissed a boy and liked it…

What will Obama say to the kiddies?

Ludacris is the new Oprah?

Add some bling to your mani.

Whitney Port has a fashion emergency.

Chris Brown uses Michael Jackson for comeback.

But then, I was driving home from a concert and heard a gem from the past on the radio (“My Neck, My Back” by Khia, anyone?). This led to a conversation with my friend about songs that we used to listen to in middle school that we definitely shouldn’t have.

Seriously, it’s amazing how many songs somehow slipped under my Mother’s radar in middle school and managed to taint my twelve year old ears.

So, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a playlist with all those little ditties that we all LURVED in school, even though we most likely weren’t 100% sure what the lyrics really meant.

My Neck, My Back – Khia. Obvi. But seriously, WTH? I know they didn’t play the unedited version on the radio, but this sh*t was just NASTY. I don’t really care to hear about your penchant for having your you-know-what licked, Khia. Thanks.

What’s Your Fantasy? – Ludacris. I thought I was the coolest girl on the bus in 8th grade when I used to blast this shizz on my Walkman (oh, those were the days). Everybody’s favorite part: “Rough sex, make it hurt…”

Too Close – Next. You’re makin’ it hard for me….enough said.

2 Become 1 – Spice Girls. I think I vaguely understood the meaning of 2 becoming 1 back in the day (Two souls coming together? Aw!) But, giving the song a second (okay, millionth) listen a good 10 years later changes everything. Those sneaky, sneaky little Spice Girls.

Nookie – Limp Bizkit. NO. clue.

When The Lights Go Out – 5ive. I remember handing out this single in the gift bags at my 6th grade birthday party. Bet everyone’s parents appreciated that.

Touch It – Monifa. Ima show your body what your tongues doin’ wrong…This boys shyness got me wet like crazy…I want it more and more when you call my name and spank me. Really, Monifa?! REALLY?

Nice and Slow – Usher. I just wanna take it nice and slowww….

No Diggity – Blackstreet and Dr. Dre I remember the DJ spinning this track quite frequently at “Teen Nites” at my junior high. Right along with..

Pony – Ginuwine. Can’t get much more direct than “I’m horny, let’s do it.” I remember telling my mom it was about dancing.

How Many Licks? – Lil Kim. Okay, Kimmy, now I know you weren’t talking about Tootsie Pops.

Listen to the entire dirty mix (besides Monifa – guess no one really cares about her) here!

Any songs you remember from your younger days that you can’t believe you actually were allowed to listen to? Leave them in the comments!

We’ve reached the mid-way mark of October, and that means that we at CollegeCandy are really psyched for Halloween. We’re definitely still pondering what to wear on the 31st, but when it comes to children’s costumes, there are a few get-ups we’d rather not see prowling the streets.

The following is a list of Halloween costumes for children to avoid, containing several funny, inappropriate, and unsafe outfits we’d rather not see on our younger siblings and babysitting charges.

1. Pinocchio with Strings

A Pinocchio costume is all well and good, but the strings on this thing look really unsafe. Can you imagine this kid running around all hopped up on chocolate in the dark? That sh*t is gonna get tangled. And based on this photo, I don’t know what these strings are suspended from–maybe the kid’s chaperone is supposed to hold them? Putting your kid on a leash for Halloween. Nice.

2. Corpse Bride

This costume sort of looks like Lindsay Lohan’s “ex-wife” costume from Mean Girls. But what’s truly frightening here is dressing up your little sis as a sexualized, virginal corpse. Not so hot.

3. Austin Powers

I’ll definitely admit, when I first saw this costume I laughed my ass off. You can almost hear this kid snarling, “Yeeeah, baby!” But in order for him to pull off The Spy Who Shagged Me with charm, he’d have to know a thing or two about mojo. Maybe it’s best if we let boys be boys for now, since we all know the guys will start pimpin’ sooner or later…but hopefully not before they outgrow their Huggies.

4. Tween Pink Leopard Dress Costume

Ugh. There are SO many things wrong with this outfit. I wouldn’t wear it as a 20-year-old woman, much less a preteen girl. If you take off those ears, this poor child looks nothing less than a prostitute. Let’s see… ho collar? Check. Cheezy pink leopard print? Check. Lingerie gauze? Check. Slutty pleather miniskirt? Check. Revealed navel? Check. Hooker heels? CHECK. How did that old Ludacris song go? Oh yeah: YOU’S A HO.

5. Native American

Maybe this is just me, but I think this costume is really racist. It’s one thing if you want to dress up like Pocahontas, but it’s entirely another if you’re just a Native American. Would it be funny if a Native American child dressed up as a Colonial? My mother grew up just down the road from a Native American reservation, and I know costumes like this wouldn’t fly back in her hometown.

6. A Toilet

Seriously, you are asking for your kid to get a few swirlies with his Starbursts if you dress him in this. Flush this idea, people. Flush it down.

[Seen any other horrifying children's costumes this year? Let us know!!]

I’m going to say what everyone is thinking. Ludacris is a modern day Shakespeare. Yeah, I said it, someone had to. If you don’t know every word to “Roll Out (My Business)” then I’m not sure you can be considered an American.

What could be better than a modern day Shakespeare? Pair him with today’s JFK or some other awesome leader of yesteryear. That of course, is Barack “Yeah I did coke, so what?!” Obama. Luda plus Obama? It’s like Batman and Robin, peanut butter and jelly, Paris and Nicole, boxed wine and passing out on a sidewalk! They just make sense together.

Naturally I was psyched when Barack and Luda first met up to talk about AIDS, empowering the youth or bling. My hopes were built up by a conversation that I could only assume they had.

Ludacris: YOU’S A HOOOO, OHHHHH!

Barack: Together… we can change America, Ludacris.

Ludacris: Yeah man, you’s going for that number one spot.

Barack: I want you, to be… my running mate.

Ludacris: YEAHHH Baby. Hells YES we CAN OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LUDA! YEPPP!

My dreams started to become closer to reality when Ludacris dropped his new song “Obama’s Here”. Brilliance, sheer brilliance. I’d even call it poetic if poetry wasn’t so boring. He even dropped the idea of him being the Vice President! I felt faint with excitement, Ludacris said all the things I simply couldn’t articulate. My personal favorite line? “Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant.”

However, things have taken a turn for the worse. Obama wasn’t as crazy about Ludacris’ single as I was. He formally REJECTED Luda’s delicately put-together song. I’m crushed. According to Ludacris, Obama would’ve even give him a “special pardon if [he’s] ever in the slammer.”

Barack! You’re going to pardon him for a future drive-by or shoot up of a club, but you won’t accept his praising lyrics? Ludicrous.

Hate it or love it, here are some throwback jams to start your evening:

“OPP” by Naughty by Nature

Yeah, you know me!

Other people’s property? Sure… that’s what it means. Whether you know any of the actual lyrics or not, you can’t not scream the chorus.

“Shoop” by Salt N Pepa.

Ummm you’re packed and you’re stacked, ‘specially from the back / Brotha wanna thank ya motha for a butt like that…

I can’t not be happy when I hear this song. I also have it memorized and spontaneously start rapping when it comes on. My friends have learned to embrace it.

“Mo Money, Mo Problems” by the Notorious B.I.G., featuring Puff Daddy (before he was Diddy and making bands) and Ma$e.

It’s like the mo’ money we come across, the mo’ problems we see…

Seventh grade dances, anyone? Come onnnn you know you love it.

“I Wish” by Skee Lo

I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller…

Skee Lo was probably five four and had no game, but someone found it amusing to give him a rap deal and brighten all of our lives back when MTV played videos.

“Nothin But A G Thang” by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.

One, two, three and to tha fo’…

If Snoop and Dr. Dre were at my door, I could die happy. As it is, I have to settle for their soundtrack. You may also consider “Gin and Juice,” if you’re feeling laaaaaid back, with your mind on your money and your money on your mind.

“Rump Shaker” by Wrecks N Effect

I like the way ya comb your hair, uh /

I like the stylish clothes ya wear, uh…

Alright, we all wanna zooma-zoom-zoom-zoom and a boom-boom…. The terrible lyrics suck you in.

“Make Em Say UHHHH” by Master P

UHHHH, na-NA-na-NA, na-NA-na-NA

He’s not talented, but you want to say “uhhhh” right along with him.

“E.I.” by Nelly

Oh ohhhh, what’s poppin tonight?

First of all, the entire Country Grammar album should be on your pregame playlist. But I’m going to assume you knew that.

“Can I Get A…” by Jay Z, featuring Ja Rule (where did he go??) and that one chick

…or even worse, if I was broke, would ya want me?

We all loved Rush Hour, and we all bought the soundtrack and listened to it religiously. Own it.

“Roll Out” by Ludacris

Now where’d you get that platinum chain with them diaaaaaaamonds in it?

It’s a tossup between this and “Fantasy,” but this is just so fun …

“Feel So Good” by Ma$e

Bad, bad, bad, bad boy, ya make me feel so goooood…

Yes, he’s getting a lot of play on this list, but it’s only because he disappeared. It’s too bad he became a preacher. Revisit his glory days, you know, before “Breathe, Stretch, Shake.”

So these are some of my favorite essentials. Make yourself a mix and start your evening off right!

His popularity is high among America’s youth, as he promotes their culture and holds many of the same liberal views stereotypically attributed to this age group.

Another group Obama scores big with? The hip hop community.

Obama has appeared on the cover of this month’s Vibe Magazine and is nicknamed “B-Rock” within its pages, according to a recent report by CNN. Although, in the past, Barack Obama has been accused of criticizing rap music, his recent meeting with esteemed (and unforgivably raunchy) rapper Ludacris is said to have been focused upon “empowering the youth” and promoting AIDS awareness, according to the Chicago Sun Times.

Rappers seem to forgive Obama for his lack of musical support, as his name has been mentioned in a variety of rap songs such as “The People” by Common and Talib Kweli’s “Say Something”. In these songs, the rappers aquaint Obama with positive change and the empowerment of African Americans.

All of this free publicity contributes to Obama’s alternate style of approaching the election. Obama Girl unintentionally stirred up the public when she appeared in a video unsponsered by the candidate’s campaign. Now, a slew of rap songs (again, obviously not sponsered by a man who has apprehended the lewdness of rap and its disrespect against women) are cropping up left and right.

While it seems paradoxical for rappers to support a man who has insulted their art and avoids discussing rap music in order to avoid being pegged as a “rap hater”, it also shows that rappers care about the government as much they care about Bentley’s and half naked women…thank God.

Guys who can sing and play the guitar … need I say more.

Obvious guys were selected, like Justin Timberlake (my future husband), Jared Leto, Kenny Chesney and Bow Wow (what? he’s turned into a really nice piece of young man). But then there are the questionable few — Lance Bass? Josh Groban? Dave Navarro? They’re definitely not my idea of “sexy.”

Check out the rest of these dudes.

Photos after the jump

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Which Music Man is the Best Catch?