Campus Circle Newspaper Vol. 19 Issue 46

December 2 - December 8, 2009 \ Volume 19 \ Issue 46 \ Always Free

Film | Music | Culture

NICOLE AND NATALIE GARZA

Join the Twins for Sleepless Nights in Transylmania

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campus circle December 2 - December 8, 2009 Vol. 19 Issue 46

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Editor-in-Chief Jessica Koslow editor.chief@campuscircle.net Managing Editor Yuri Shimoda managing.editor@campuscircle.net

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF FILMMAKING

WARRENMILLER.COM FOR MORE INFO

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Tickets available at Ticketmaster (except Torrance) and select** Theater Box Offices. TORRANCE tickets available at 310.781.7171. Tickets also available at the following Sport Chalet stores and locations. For NEWPORT BEACH: Huntington Beach, Irvine, South Coast Plaza; For BEVERLY HILLS: West LA, Marina del Rey, Beverly Center; For TORRANCE: Torrance, Marina del Rey, Long Beach; PASADENA: Arcadia, La Canada, Glendora, Burbank.

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04 NEWS LOCAL NEWS 06 FILM NATALIE AND NICOLE GARZA Comedic twins shine in Transylmania. 07 FILM COLUMBUS SHORT Puts Up His Guard in Armored

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Calendar Editor Frederick Mintchell

Campus Circle newspaper is published 49 times a year and is available free at 40 schools and over 800 retail locations throughout Los Angeles. Circulation: 30,000. Readership: 90,000. PUBLISHED BY CAMPUS CIRCLE, INC. 5042 Wilshire Blvd., PMB 600 Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 939-8477 (323) 939-8656 Fax info@campuscircle.net www.campuscircle.com © 2009 Campus Circle, Inc. All rights reserved.

09 FILM JASON REITMAN Directs George Clooney in Up in the Air 09 FILM PROJECTIONS 10 FILM THE STRIP Director Jameel Khan captures strip mall hilarity with Dave Foley. 10 FILM REVIEWS 12 FILM SCREEN SHOTS 12 FILM DVD DISH 14 MUSIC FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS Celebrate The Weekend 16 MUSIC LIVE SHOW REVIEWS 16 MUSIC FREQUENCY 18 MUSIC CD REVIEWS 19 MUSIC DVD REVIEWS 19 MUSIC REPORT 20 CULTURE WOODEN NICKELS 20 CULTURE FUN FOR LESS 22 CULTURE CURTAIN CALL 22 CULTURE THE ART OF LOVE 23 CULTURE ON THE MENU 24 SPORTS THE SPORTS WANDERER 24 SPORTS PIGSKIN BLITZ 24 SPORTS CENTER ICE 25 SPORTS L.A. HOOPLA 25 CULTURE GAMES & GADGETS 26 EVENTS THE 10 SPOT 27 CULTURE JET SETTER 27 CULTURE JEWELRY BEAT Cover: Transylmania's Nicole and Natalie Garza Photo Credit: IGN/Cherie Roberts

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09 FILM PAGES Contributing Writers Christopher Agutos, Priscilla Andrade, Lauren Barbato, Jonathan Bautts, China Bialos, Erica Carter, Richard Castaneda, Cesar Cruz, Nick Day, James Famera, Mari Fong, Denise Guerra, Zach Hines, Joe Horton, Damon Huss, Jonathan Knell, Becca Lett, Lucia, Ebony March, Angela Matano, Ryan McWhorter, Samantha Minton, Azin Mirchi, Samantha Ofole, Brien Overly, Ariel Paredes, Sasha Perl-Raver, Parimal M. Rohit, Tana Rusitanonta, Mike Sebastian, Doug Simpson, Jennifer Smith, Jessica Stern, Sable Stevens, David Tobin, E.S. Turrill, Stephanie Vasquez, Mike Venezia, TJ Webber, Kevin Wierzbicki, Candice Winters, M.M. Zonoozy

Joy Calisoff joy.calisoff@campuscircle.net

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Sunset Boulevard is trying to change with the times: Viper Room and Roxy Theatre are partenering up for 2-for-1 shows.

SAVING SUNSET BOULEVARD

Times They Are A-Changin’ BY DAVID TOBIN Famous streets litter the globe. From the Champs-Élysées to Broadway, these thoroughfares have grown to historic levels not because of the asphalt below, but what stood upon them. The life that developed in these small patches was so significant that the actual land below their feet took on a meaning of its own. Los Angeles is no exception, boasting one of the world’s most famous streets, a place where people travel from around the world just to feel the energy of something honest and pure. The Sunset Strip has been home to legend and lore for over half a century, and now, as the world changes yet again, the street known for shaping the way we listen to music is also facing a shift. Since the 1920s, this storied mile and a half of concrete and palm trees has been a refuge for Hollywood elite and those who have done things their own way. When the rest of the world was regulating the way they lived, even with Prohibition, the Sunset Strip offered a place where people could go and be free. Having no jurisdiction over the area now called West Hollywood, the City of Los Angeles left it up to the sheriff to run things – and they handled how they saw fit. With the entertainment industry flourishing, the street became alive with clubs, restaurants and music. This oasis for entertainment is what laid the groundwork for the ’60s

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and ’70s when clubs like the Whisky A Go Go and Roxy Theatre were born. With music coming from all sides of Los Angeles, and the hills behind and below, the street filled with performers of the day. There was little to stop the creative explosion that took over this street … and even gave way to the infamous riot on the Sunset Strip in 1966. But, times have changed. With the weakening of the music industry, expense accounts have dried up and so have the budgets for live shows, the staple of this street. First the Coconut Teaser fell by the wayside, and then Tower Records closed up shop. The historic Sunset Strip went from a mile and a half to about four blocks in a matter of years. With the rumored closing of the KeyClub at the end of November, it seems as though this playground for Hollywood is drying up; or is it just changing to fit the times? To those who say the lack of traffic is solely because of the economy, Nic Adler, owner of the Roxy Theatre, offers something a little deeper. “West Hollywood has an aging population. We don’t have what we’ve had before, which was people living right on the street. That’s the difference between Echo Park and Silver Lake. The dude in the band lives down the street. So we are a little geographically challenged. The people around us aren’t actively participating with us,” he says. Facing the fact that the people who created the strip are now entering their golden years, it seems that they are taking the street with them. Property below Sunset ranges in the low millions, while above homes can easily reach $15

million – far from the demographic that partakes in $10 rock shows on a regular basis. But the clubs are fighting back. The Viper Room and Roxy Theatre have partnered up to offer 2-for-1 shows. If you buy a ticket at one venue, you could get into a show at the other. Drink specials are commonplace now, and social networking has become an integral tool in the relevance of these venues. “You can’t sit and be idle, you have to be on the cutting edge. That’s what makes Sunset special. You always have the hottest bands here from all areas of music; not just one thing,” Adler says. Adler has really gotten the Roxy up and going with Twitter, already boasting about 20,000 followers. The city has even come on board to support this little piece of real estate. In the fall, over 10,000 people turned up for the Sunset Strip Music Festival, sponsored by the Sunset Business Association. The SSBA was created in 2001 to provide public outreach and marketing and is comprised of the owners that have set up shop along the street from Crescent Heights to Doheny Drive. With the success of the SSMF and the clubs joining forces, it seems that there is hope for the street that has done so much for so many. “We are going through a Renaissance on the Sunset Strip,” comments Adler. “Anytime the street became about one thing, it would change. It has always been about a mix of everything, and we’re starting to see some new things come up on the Strip like Soho House and Boa. You’re finding that mix again.” The mix may be coming back, but the alleged closing of the KeyClub is a reminder that things are different. The inability of the music industry to function like it has since its incarnation could possibly be one of the great indications that times are changing. Now it’s just a matter of seeing how the ones running the show handle the weight of things to come.

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Comedy comes naturally to Transylmania’s Garza twins.

THE GARZA TWINS

Double Your Pleasure in Transylmania BY JAMES FAMERA For Natalie and Nicole Garza, comedy is a family affair. “We make people laugh just by being us,” says Nicole, the twin’s unofficial spokesman and the chattier of the two. “There’s no filter, and comedy just comes naturally.” In Transylmania, the sisters play identical twins (Go figure!) who embark on a madcap semester abroad at Transylvania’s Razvan University. But with leather-clad professors and a Dracula-style castle that doubles as a lecture hall, the twins soon realize that Razvan is not the esteemed institution it promoted in the brochure. The movie shot on location in Romania, and for the sisters, it was their first visit to the country. “At first we were like, Romania! There’s no such thing!” jokes Nicole. “We couldn’t even tell you where it was on a map.” A longtime favorite among international filmmakers, directors David and Scott Hillenbrand took full advantage of Romania’s rich historical monuments and shot much of the film at Castle Corvin in the Transylvanian Alps, which proved to be problematic for the ultra-modern Garza twins. “Romania is a little behind,” says Nicole. “We had no Internet. No TV. It was literally just the cast in one hotel, and all we had to do was hang out with each other.”

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They may have been frustrated by Romania’s lack of 21st century amenities, but the Garza twins know what it’s like to have nothing. Raised by their grandmother in a poor section of Miami, they grew up without the everyday luxuries most children take for granted. “We went to a school where no one spoke English, and we didn’t speak Spanish,” says Nicole. “So it was difficult to break out of that.” The sisters may have come from limited means, but their ambitions and goals were anything but small. Almost from the time they were born, they knew they wanted to act. “We made a pact when we were 10,” Nicole reminisces, “that when we turned 18 we would move to L.A.” The twins kept to their word, and a few months after their 18th birthday, they headed to Hollywood. How they arrived there, is a different story. “We sold our grandma’s car and used the money to buy a couple of Greyhound tickets,” admits Nicole. When most actors struggle for years, oftentimes decades, before receiving their big break, Natalie and Nicole watched success fall into their laps. They booked a few national commercials and even had a development deal for their own television show with ABC. However, it would all prove to be short-lived. “The executive who signed us for our development deal at ABC was let go, and then our deal expired,” Nicole laments. “By that time we had spent all our money.”

With no money in their pockets, the sisters waited tables to make ends meet. They still went on auditions from time to time but found that they worked better as a pair. The number of auditions that required twins, however, were few and far between. Then one day, they heard Doublemint Gum was casting twins for a series of new television and print ads. The girls called up their manager and soon met with the casting agent. Three auditions later, and they were the new Doublemint Twins. “We got the job because we were the only twins who knew how to ride a bike,” Natalie says. With their faces splashed all across television and magazines, it wasn’t long before Hollywood came knocking. Since their days as the Doublemint Twins, Natalie and Nicole have landed guest spots on several television shows, including “The O.C.,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Gilmore Girls.” Transylmania is their first movie for the Hillenbrand brothers, who are known for their frat boy comedies. Since the directors were also bonded by blood, were the sisters given any preferential treatment on set? “No more than any of the other actors,” admits Natalie. “They made us very comfortable and let us be us. There was a lot of improvisation.” Now that they have a few movies under their belt, in addition to a number of commercial and television credits, what’s next for Natalie and Nicole Garza? “We have some offers, mostly on the reality side, but we’re not sure if we want to do that,” says Natalie. “We still want to work in movies,” Nicole interrupts. “Well,” Natalie responds. “That goes without saying.” Transylmania releases in theaters Dec. 4.

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ARMORED

PRIME SEATS FOR PERFORMANCES DECEMBER 5, 12 AND 19

TICKETS Call 213.972.8001 and mention ‘Opera U’ (subject to availability)

Columbus Short packs heat.

BY SAMANTHA OFOLE Lacey Terrell

Columbus Short is either an incredibly lucky guy, an extremely talented actor or, most likely, he’s a combination of both luck and talent. The actor, dancer and musician who got his first break in the dance flick Stomp the Yard Columbus Short and Matt Dillon has had a very illustrious career appearing in star in Armored. hit flicks like Save the Last Dance 2, Quarantine, Whiteout, This Christmas and the musical drama Cadillac Records with Beyoncé Knowles. “It’s a blessing because I was on that audition grind four to five times a week,” says the 27-year-old Missouri native. With several projects in the pipeline, including the John Singleton movie Tulia with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton and a Stomp the Yard sequel, Short currently stars in Armored, an action-packed thriller about a crew of armored truck guards who plan to rob their own security firm. “It’s a very smart movie, and I fought to get the part,” he says. “It juxtaposes drama and action in a believable way with plenty of rock ’em, sock ’em and blow ’em up moments, as well as emotionally intense scenes.” Directed by Nimród Antal (Vacancy), Armored also features Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne, Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”) and Jean Reno (The Da Vinci Code). “You just hope to be able to act and get paid to do it,” Short says. “I hope I can continue to be gratified as I was with this movie. It has changed the way I thought about what I do, and it brings me back to why I do it and also why I chose this path. It’s not about monetary gain. I like to do projects that are artistic and gratify me and keep me afloat.” 
 Armored releases in theaters Dec. 4.

photo: Javier del Real

9 performances DEC 2-19 MICHELE MARIOTTI EMILIO SAGI DIRECTOR JAVIER ULACIA SCENERY DESIGNER LLORENÇ CORBELLA COSTUME DESIGNER RENATA SCHUSSHEIM LIGHTING DESIGNER EDUARDO BRAVO CHOREOGRAPHER NURIA CASTEJÓN ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR/CHORUS MASTER GRANT GERSHON

CAST INCLUDES

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PRODUCTION

(SECOND CAST PERFORMS DECEMBER 5, 12, 19M)

Production made possible by generous gifts from the

LLOYD E. RIGLER - LAWRENCE E. DEUTSCH FOUNDATION and SYNNE H. MILLER and the late PAUL A. MILLER

PLÁCIDO DOMINGO ELI AND EDYTHE BROAD GENERAL DIRECTOR JAMES CONLON RICHARD SEAVER MUSIC DIRECTOR

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“…for all his film’s sober analysis, Diaz never loses sight of the human cost of global capitalism.” - Andrew Schenker, The Village Voice

“A sort of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ for global economics…” - Charles Masters, The Hollywood Reporter

“…should be required viewing by every politician in the world.”

- Eric Monder, Film Journal International

“★★★★ …EXCELLENT.”

- Kam Williams, NewsBlaze.com

“POWERFUL.”

- Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com WWW.THEENDOFPOVERTY.COM

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PROJECTIONS

UP IN THE AIR

PXL THIS 19 Dec. 7 @ UnUrban

Dale Robinette

In Flight with Jason Reitman

BY JAMES FAMERA

Unlike Ryan Bingham, the corporate anti-hero in his latest film Up in the Air, director George Clooney and director/co-writer/producer Jason Reitman has had few occasions when he Jason Reitman on the set of Up in the Air has had to fire someone. “I had to fire a 7-year-old girl in a commercial once,” Reitman recalls of his days as a lowly commercial director. “We sent her to lunch, and then we sent her home.” In Up in the Air, George Clooney stars as the aforementioned Bingham, a corporate downsizer who, after years spent living inside airports, hotels and rental cars, suddenly finds himself grounded. Now, well into middle age, Ryan realizes he has spent the majority of his adult life alone and in transit, and contemplates what it might mean to have an actual home. “Instead of going from door to door, he goes from hub to hub,” Reitman notes. “Once Ryan has his epiphany, he realizes the value of human connection.” Although a relative newcomer to Hollywood (The Academy Award-winning Juno was only his second feature.), Reitman had no trouble getting Clooney to play Bingham. “He said, ‘I read it. It’s great. I’m in,’” Reitman recalls. “Of course, I had written it with him in mind, but I wasn’t presumptuous enough to think that George Clooney was going L. A. Campus Circle to do my movie.” It’s no wonder that Clooney agreed to do the film. As no stranger Wed, to Oscar season, Dec. 2, 2009 there’s already talk that Up in the Air will sweep the nominations come January. 1/4 pg. But with only three films to his credit, does Reitman feel that he may have(4.875” hit his x 5.9”) career apex a bit early? In typical fashion, the director is as modest as one can expect. Landmark Theatres/BP “The morning I found out about Juno was one of the great moments in my life, and if I had a moment like that again, I would cherish it,” says Reitman. Up in the Air releases in select theaters Dec. 4.

.

BY CANDICE WINTERS

L.M. Sabo’s I Push On captures an individual’s protest against big oil through cutting their lawn with a push mower.

When I started babysitting at the tender, naïve age of 12, it was just an urban myth. Older girls would joke about it and advise that I be on my best behavior at all times, just in case. Well, obviously I was always a watchful, responsible sitter regardless of whether or not,I thought I was being watched by an omniscient, hidden party. But it’s a scary thought nonetheless. We’ve even seen it in numerous films lately. First Meet the Parents, then movies like The Nanny Diaries and License to Wed followed suite. It’s a sign of the changing times and the advent of the age of technology when it is feasible for a film’s plot to be ushered along by a video recorder in a stuffed animal. Now, it’s not only a parent’s precaution but a form of art that has its own film festival dedicated to the funny, scary, unusual footage caught on the nanny cam. PXL THIS 19 features films made with the Fisher-Price PXL 2000 toy camcorder, and “pixelators” come from across the country to show their “cinema povera” artwork. The shorts expose one man’s crusade to boycott oil by cutting his own grass. They depict a girl enjoying the afternoon with her kitten. They even expose the party scene from the perspective of the socially awkward. original This annual festival is something that has been long in coming and will hopefully be file: around for a while because, though I love feature films as much as the next girl, it’s so much more interesting to see footage that isn’t as easily accessible. non-SAU And to all those who still babysit: You may want to stay away from stuffed animals, toy cars and the likes in the off chance that you might be making your silver screen debut. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. FREE. UnUrban is located at 3301 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica. For more information, visit pxlthis. ning.com.

OUTRAGEOUSLY FUNNY . ”

“

PAGES

An absolute laugh riot. –Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru

Star Trek: The Art of the Film (Titan) In time for the DVD release of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek update comes this beautiful book that takes you inside the making of the film. It highlights production sketches, concept art of the ships and planets, the makeup and creature development process, costume design and more. Grade: A —Mike Sebastian Star Trek: The Art of the Film is currently available.

College Vegetarian Cooking (Ten Speed Press) Megan and Jill Carle’s cookbook doesn’t waste time with false advertising. Most of the dishes are made to be stand-alone entrees that can be completed by people who mess up boiling water. The sisters offer timesaving tips, like using pre-packaged products whenever possible, but this is not a book full of “semi-homemade” recipes. It’s packed with gorgeous pictures and homey recipes that even the most fervent carnivore wouldn’t mind eating. Grade: B+ —Melissa Russell College Vegetarian Cookbook is currently available.

How to Rap: The Art and Science of the Hip-Hop MC (Chicago Review Press) Paul Edwards interviewed over 100 hip-hop artists, from A Tribe Called Quest to will.i.am, and compiles their tips and stories in a part technical instruction, part advice and guidance manual. With a foreword by Kool G Rap, improve your skills with chapters about content, flow, writing and delivery. Grade: A —Jessica Koslow How to Rap is currently available.

Director and Cast Q&A Friday, Dec. 4! ©2007 bataFilms. All Rights

Reserved.

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STARTS FRIDAY! For showtimes and to buy tickets go to laemmle.com

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THE STRIP

Dave Foley and Jameel Khan spark up laughs. BY MELISSA RUSSELL Making an indie film is never easy, but sometimes it almost comes naturally. And for writer-director Jameel Khan, while filmmaking wasn’t exactly his first choice, comedy is like breathing. “I was in business school in Indiana, and I hated it,” says Khan of how he got into film. “But I always liked doing comedy, so I went to Columbia College Chicago, because I wanted to write comedy. I didn’t know anything else to do.” And yet in his film debut, The Strip, Khan has managed to meld business and comedy into one seamless film. The Strip follows the lives of five Electri-City employees as they try to sell low-end electronics in a strip mall just outside of Chicago. First, there’s Glenn (Dave Foley of “The Kids in the Hall” fame), the store manager who means well but has no ambition in life other than to motivate his employees through the type of team building exercises that make company retreats unbearable. Then there’s Kyle who feels trapped by the expectation that he will take his father’s place in running the Electri-City “empire.” Rick wants to be an actor, but still lives with his mom, while Jeff revels in slackerdom and, after a bad break-up, ends up living out of his van. Finally, there’s Avi,

a Pakistani immigrant who is all ready to go through with his arranged marriage, until he finds out just how beautiful his intended wife is. As their stories weave into the tapestry of the film, these five must reevaluate both their friendships and their dreams. The film took about four years from writing to distribution, and one of the hardest things about making any film is always getting the financial backing. But for Khan, who didn’t want to risk other people’s money, the initial funding to get the process started was provided entirely by himself and his family through the creation of their own independent production company, Bata Films. But with no recognizable name behind the scenes, you still have to pull all your strings to get things done. While most of the actors in The Strip were already friends from doing improv comedy with Khan in Chicago, it was bringing Foley on board that really got the ball rolling. “Dave Foley, we just sent him an offer and hoped,” says Khan. “As a first time director, you can’t get anyone, but Dave liked the script and wanted to work, and that let us get a couple of other pieces. Once you signed his name, it made you a little more legit to other actors.” According to Foley, while it wasn’t laugh-out-loud funny, it was really the strength of Khan’s script that drew him in. “It’s not a very jokey script. It’s very low-key, about characters. There’s not really a whole lot of plot in the movie, it’s more that there’s this group of people and how their lives affect each other,” says Foley. While Foley is right in calling it a low-key comedy, Khan’s subtlety does come through on screen in a Little Miss Sunshine-esque way. The film might not be overtly funny in the typical brash, American way, but its characters seem to move in a space that allows them to grow while still

Brothers

Everybody’s Fine

(Lionsgate) Brothers stars Natalie Portman as Grace. She’s a devoted mother of two little girls and the wife of Sam (Tobey Maguire). Her family is about to lose its patriarch to the rigors of the war in Afghanistan. Sam is headed overseas for another tour of duty. While this local hero is striving to be the best he can be, his kid brother, Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal), is a whole other ball of wax. Just days before Sam ships off, Tommy is released from jail for bank robbery. Shortly after deployment, Sam and his company are shot down by enemy fire. News gets back to Grace that her husband is dead. This sets her on the difficult journey of having to pick up the pieces and care after her daughters – even though her heart is broken. Seeing the pain of his loved ones forces Tommy to step up and be a better man. But just when it appears that the family is regaining its stride, news arrives that Sam is alive. He returns home – but he’s changed. No one realizes the depth of the horrors that Sam endured until he finally explodes with anger. Brothers is an excellent display of young talent. Portman is stunning and has a glow of subtle elegance that shines on screen. Gyllenhaal is both sexy and sympathetic; he takes the same elements that made him so charming in Brokeback Mountain and elevates them in this latest performance. But it’s Maguire who is truly outstanding. He has surpassed expectation in Brothers, giving a performance so broad that he is a shoo-in for every accolade available to an actor. Grade: A —Ebony March Brothers releases in theaters Dec. 4.

(Miramax) Everybody’s Fine, by director Kirk Jones, addresses the reality of growing old and the realization that reaching out is the only way to stay truly connected. Robert De Niro plays Frank, a newly widowed husband who is looking forward to a family weekend. Four of his grown children plan to come home for a visit, causing Frank to eagerly anticipate their arrival. He soon learns that not one or two, but all four children flake on the homecoming due to prior engagements or busy schedules. Disappointed, he then decides to travel across the country to surprise each one of his children. We soon start to learn that all of his “happy” children aren’t necessarily so. Frank’s visits start a series of phone calls between the siblings, who collectively decide certain secrets should remain so. As the film goes on, you learn that Frank was a bit of an overbearing father who wanted his children to succeed. His frustration builds throughout the film because he senses they are all lying to him, and he just wants the truth. Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell and Drew Barrymore round out a fantastic cast, which should have left me feeling fulfilled. Unfortunately, this film felt a little lackluster. Grade: B—Ariel Paredes Everybody’s Fine releases in select theaters Dec. 4.

Campus Circle 12.02.09 - 12.08.09

Actor Rodney Scott and director Jameel Khan filming The Strip

showcasing the comedy in their everyday lives. “He really knew what he was doing,” says Foley of Khan. “For a first-time director, he had a clear sense of what he wanted and how he wanted to shoot things. He had everyone’s confidence.” While Khan may have had a good idea of how to get the shots he wanted, he also tried to test out some of his material in a rather unlikely place: on set. “My main goal constantly was trying to get the crew to laugh,” says Khan. “They’re not supposed to laugh, so if you get them to laugh, it’s probably going to be funny on screen.” So while The Strip and Bata Films is finally making it in the indie film world, Khan has some words of wisdom for aspiring filmmakers. “Be prepared to give up a lot of sleep and a lot of time,” says Khan encouragingly. “You have to really love to do it because everyone else is willing to put in so much time, so talent alone is not going to do it for you. But if you want to do it, you can do it.” The Strip releases in theaters Dec. 4.

Campus Circle > Film > Movie Reviews

MOVIEREVIEWS

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The Last Station (Sony Pictures Classics) Michael Hoffman’s The Last Station chronicles the life of the rapidly declining Leo Tolstoy (already a hero for the working class in Russia) and the changing relationships he has

Lorey Sebastian

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Sam (Tobey Maguire) and Grace (Natalie Portman) in Brothers

with his wife, Sofya (Dame Helen Mirren), his children and his most trusted friend, Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti). While Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer) is undoubtedly madly in love with his wife, he struggles with the choice between making her happy and choosing the aristocratic lifestyle they’ve been born into, or giving everything up in favor of poverty, celibacy and vegetarianism – in short, becoming the perfect disciple of his own philosophies. Similarly, Tolstoy’s secretary and a promising follower of Tolstoyism, Valentin Bulgakov (James McAvoy), is struggling with choosing a life of self denial or celebrating the love that Tolstoy preaches. With an all-star cast, the acting is moving, without being dramatically overbearing, and balances drama and comedy expertly. It’s subtle, yet affecting, and watching Mirren make crowing noises at Plummer is probably the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. In places, the pacing in The Last Station is a little slow, but when the story starts to lag, it’s beautifully shot and visually interesting. That’s a small price to pay for such a touching story. Grade: A—Melissa Russell The Last Station releases in select theaters Dec. 4.

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DVDDISH

THE ‘TWILIGHT’ TREATMENT

SPECIAL FEATURES

BY ZACH HINES

BY MIKE SEBASTIAN

The universe has quite the sense of humor. When The Dark Knight blew all the box office records out of the water, I rejoiced, and my faith in the moviegoing public had been renewed. But then The Twilight Saga rolled in, and the second installment, New Moon, a film with a fraction of the depth and sophistication, broke almost all of the box office records The Twilight Saga: New Moon that The Dark Knight set. inspires Zach Hines. Great for them. I haven’t read the books, and I’ve only seen the first film, which will probably make me look very hypocritical. However, being a massive hypocrite who is constantly making an ass of myself because I don’t have the slightest idea what I’m talking about is something I happen to be proficiently talented at. After New Moon’s success, I took some time between head slaps to break down what I thought was at the core of its content that has so many women (That’s right, it’s not just teens.) hooked like drug addicts. After thinking about it for maybe five minutes or so, I came to the conclusion that when you strip everything away, Twilight is ultimately about a woman’s obsession with being flipped on a dude for the first time – more specifically, a dude who’s bad for them. There’s nothing more exciting for women than hooking up with the “dangerous guy.” Safe is not fun. When you combine that with the idea of being a teenage girl who hasn’t been hurt yet and corrupted with all the stuff about men they’re going to complain to their girlfriends about later on in life, you’ve got a winner. Armed with this knowledge, I’m going to help the rest of Hollywood exploit this and cash in on it. Below, I’ve suggested three movie franchises we can re-energize by giving them the “Twilight treatment.” I don’t see any reason to risk any more money when we have this no-brainer story formula to work with. It’s time to throw out all the scripts in development and write new ones loaded with teenage sexual angst. Years from now, I will no doubt be applauded for my expert grasp of this genre.

Alternative Holiday Viewing: “Seinfeld,” the

Twilight Alien A teenage Ellen Ripley (played in the original franchise by Sigourney Weaver) lives with her parents on a spaceship that’s on a mission to another universe. For some strange reason, all of the other crewmembers have brought their teenagers along with them, and Ellen falls for Steve, the “dangerous guy.” Unfortunately, everyone on board is a Mormon, so Ripley and Steve can’t have sex. Next thing you know, the ship is invaded by facehuggers who start planting aliens in everyone’s chest, and Ripley and Steve have to fight through the aliens to save their love. At the end when they are the last two left, they decide to have sex. As they’re both disrobing, suddenly, Steve starts to convulse and an alien bursts out of his chest. Ripley is forced to grab a flamethrower and incinerate him and the alien.

Twilight Ghostbusters The story focuses on Jenny, one of four teenagers who are being trained to be the new ghostbusters. The other three are all dudes, and it isn’t long before Jenny falls for Howard, the “dangerous guy” out of them. The only problem is, they’re all Mormons, so they can’t have sex. Jenny and Howard have to put their love on hold to fight off an onslaught of ghosts that threaten to destroy New York. At the end when the ghosts have been defeated, Jenny and Howard decide to have sex, but as they’re both disrobing, Slimer bursts through the wall and slimes both of them.

Twilight King Kong A group of teenagers are vacationing on a mysterious island inhabited by prehistoric creatures. Why? I have no clue. Ann wanders off and is kidnapped by a huge “dangerous” teenage gorilla named Kong. Although she’s scared at first, she soon warms up to him and they both fall in love. As it turns out, both Ann and Kong are Mormons, so they can’t have sex. The rest of the group comes looking for her, rescues her and manages to kidnap Kong and get him back to the States. Back in NYC, Kong escapes, grabs Ann and ascends to the top of the Empire State Building. Once at the top they give in to young love and decide to have sex. Unfortunately, as Ann is disrobing, fighter planes come out of nowhere and blast Kong off the side of the building. Send feedback to screenshots@campuscircle.net.

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Kimberley French

SCREENSHOTS

Festivus episode: This classic episode entitled “The Strike,” from the stellar final season (season nine, episode 10), introduced the world to the twisted holiday invented by Frank Costanza. Its traditions include a bare metal pole and shirtless wrestling. Meanwhile, George has come up with the perfect scam in lieu of gift giving. He sends people a card saying a donation has been made in their name to his made up charity, the Human Fund. For the true Grinch, Black Christmas (1974) is the perfect holiday remedy. Watch sorority girls screaming for their lives when a psycho stalks them over Christmas break. Margot “Lois Lane” Kidder stars in this early slasher classic. Director Harold Ramis made something of a comeback with 2005’s The Ice Harvest. John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton star as a shady lawyer and a strip club owner who attempt to rip off the mob on Christmas Eve. Of course, double crosses and surprise complications trap Cusack in town. Ramis mixes film noir with pitch black comedy from a script co-written by novelist Richard Russo. Connie Nielsen and Oliver Platt co-star. “Mystery Science Theater 3000”: Santa Claus Conquers The Martians. Join Joel and his robot friends as they lambaste this deranged piece of ’60s schlock. The title pretty much says it all.

Funny

Business: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: It’s A Very Sunny Christmas. Nothing says the Spirit of Christmas like the gang at Paddy’s Pub. These guys take the self-centered eccentrics of “Seinfeld” and crank them up to 11. It’s the funniest show on TV right now. This special hour-long episode is the perfect antidote to that warm and fuzzy feeling. “Mystery Science Theater 3000”: Vol. XVI. The latest collection of “MST3K” classics includes a limited edition Tom Servo figurine. There are four episodes, two from each host’s eras. From Joel we have the Mad Max rip-off Warrior of the Lost World and Bela Lugosi’s The Corpse Vanishes. Mike riffs on Santa Claus and one of the best episodes, Night of the Blood Beast, which includes the original Turkey Day bumpers. Also available: Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

The Idiotbox: Season Four of

the Master of Suspense’s landmark anthology show “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” comes to DVD. Guest stars include Steve McQueen, Claude Rains, Bette Davis, James Coburn and Walter Matthau. Behind the camera are Hitch, Roald Dahl, Arthur Hiller and Ray Bradbury. Also available: Mental: The Complete First Season

Made in Japan: New anime releases: Evangelion: 1.01, Bamboo Blade: Part One, Nabari No Ou: Complete Series, Part Two, Sgt. Frog: Season One, Part Two Blu Notes: Two classics of

’90s cinema come to Blu-ray. Luc Besson’s breakout hit in the U.S., Leon: The Professional, stars Jean Reno and a young Natalie Portman as a professional killer who takes under his wing an orphaned girl who wants revenge for her parents’ deaths. Gary Oldman and Danny Aiello also star. Steven Soderbergh’s feature debut, sex, lies and videotape, was single-handedly responsible for kicking off the Sundance craze. It tells the story of a bizarre love triangle of sorts. It centers on an uptight woman (Andie MacDowell) who has sworn off sex, her husband (Peter Gallagher) who is having an affair with his wife’s sister and an old college friend (James Spader) who has come to visit. Spader, however, has a peculiar hobby – videotaping women’s confessions.

Also Available: The Brooklyn Heist, 2 Turntables and a Microphone: The Life and Death of Jam Master Jay

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MUSICINTERVIEWS

Living for Their Weekend BY BRIEN OVERLY

Take a look at the members of Forever the Sickest Kids. Spend a minute or two and really take in all of them. Now, based on what you’ve gathered and assumed, you might be surprised to hear whom they name-check on their latest EP, The Weekend: Friday. No, not the rock icons of decades past; Not even the current scene kings of the dance-flavored punk circles they frequent. Jay-Z and Soulja Boy. No, really. But they’re not a joke band. No, really. For Friday, the first installment of a three-part EP release, the Dallas natives are true to synth-rock form with their signature brand of infectious pop jams. But that doesn’t mean the EP won’t still challenge listeners’ expectations, either. The aforementioned references happen on the track “Hip Hop Chick,” amid a first-person play-by-play of finding love in the least likely of places – while maybe being slightly intoxicated. Though they might seem out of their element in any establishment that catered to fans of the musicians they reference in the song, keyboardist Kent Garrison assures that his band actually had some real life experience to draw upon for inspiration. “Some of the guys in the band are really into hip-hop,” Garrison jokes. “One of them is a DJ and started deejaying in

some cities after shows, so we all have to go into the hip-hop scene. We thought it was a cool idea to write a song about a punk rock guy falling for a hip-hop girl, a girl that he wouldn’t normally go for. It’s just a fun song about opposites attracting.” Without naming names, Garrison places himself as one of the less likely candidates as source material for the song. “It’s not my genre of choice, but I definitely appreciate and respect good hip-hop,” he says with a laugh, adding that the most shocking artist to be found on his iPod is only Duran Duran. For the rest of Friday, Garrison and his band mates, bassist Austin Bello, drummer Kyle Burns, vocalist Jonathan Cook and guitarists Marc Stewart and Caleb Turman, tread on more familiar ground. As Garrison explains, Friday is a natural progression from the band’s 2008 debut album, Underdog Alma Mater. “There were so many songs that we could’ve recorded for the first record, but we had to narrow down what we wanted it to be,” he says. “The writing process for this was pretty much the same. We just wanted a fun, poppy EP, and to have a lot of songs you could have fun singing along to.” Friday also sets up the sonic transition into the band’s forthcoming Saturday and Sunday EPs. “Saturday will definitely tie in well with Friday, it won’t be too different. It might be a little bit heavier, but with more of a dance beat to it. We’re really excited about where it’s going,” says Garrison. “We’ve also got a lot of ballad-type songs and acoustically driven songs that are more emotional and will probably end up making Sunday.”

Kevin Ou

FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS Forever the Sickest Kids get riled up for The Weekend.

Though their plan of releasing shorter recordings at more frequent intervals is an untraditional approach for bands, it was the only logical step for the Kids. “It just feels natural for us to be releasing the way we are. We have so many songs written already, the easiest way to get more out faster is through the EPs, doing a three-part album rather than doing 14 songs and waiting two years to release the next 14,” says Garrison. “Hopefully we can keep a schedule where certain months out of the year we’ll always be recording and certain months we’ll always be touring.” Would a joke band have that kind of foresight? So don’t let the popular misconceptions about pop music or the dance-punk scene the band sprang from influence your opinion, these guys take their music seriously. “We’ve always wanted to be a pop band. A lot of people give us crap about being too poppy, but that’s who we are. People are either going to love us or hate us, we know that. It’s just part of the job and something you’ve got to get used to,” says Garrison. “Every album tells a story. I’ve always felt really passionate about that, putting together a big project and letting the world hear it.” The Weekend: Friday is currently available. Forever the Sickest Kids will perform Dec. 3 at the Avalon and Dec. 5 at House of Blues Anaheim. For more information, visit foreverthesickestkids.com.

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FREQUENCY

LIVESHOWREVIEWS

BY BRIEN OVERLY

Dec. 3 @ Avalon Dec. 5 @ House of Blues Anaheim I have to admit, some of their songs are terribly silly and make me feel terribly old and out of touch with new music, but it’s really hard to not crack a smile while listening to Dallas dance-pop act Forever the Sickest Kids. Yes, teen girls love this band. Yes, they did just release a song about dancing with a “hip-hop chick.” No, I can’t relate. Regardless, there’s always room for fun music to balance the music tackling the heavy topics, so long as the band isn’t comprised of shitty dudes. As far as I know, these kids meet the criteria. More on the serious side, the Rocket Summer will still put a smile on your face with their brand of piano and guitar-driven melodic pop. Frontman Bryce Avary seems like a generally wholesome dude who is also generally unfazed by being in a scene dominated by egomaniacs and attention whores … meaning that bright and sunny exterior is likely a façade to hide the meat locker on his tour bus where he stores dead bodies. I swear, it’s the only way I can logically rationalize witnessing Avary still being all smiles during the Florida stretch of the 2007 Vans Warped Tour.

Nov. 18 @ Club Nokia Watching Röyksopp live is a fullon show – complete with costumes, masks and hit after hit of non-stop aural pleasure. Everyone at Club Nokia would agree that the Norwegian duo of Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge with guest vocalists, Anneli Drecker and Robyn, put on an amazing show. They started the night with “Röyksopp Forever” off their latest album, Junior. Afterwards, the tempo got fast and never let up as Drecker sang in different masquerade masks throughout the night (an owl on “What Else Is There?”). Berge wore a red motorcycle helmet with matching elbow pads on “The Girl and the Robot” to accompany Robyn. Like I said, it was a show! The venue was perfect for Anjulie mixed Middle Eastern and pop at Röyksopp’s intricate, electronic sounds the Wiltern. and melodies. None of the detailed synth parts (just as memorable as their lyrics) were lost in the mix. Röyksopp’s music is timeless. Their set was a mix of eight years worth of music, yet “Poor Leno” and “Remind Me” (2001) sounded natural mixed in with new tracks like “You Don’t Have a Clue.” This consistent evolution is the beauty of Röyksopp. The band hadn’t played in Los Angeles since 2005, and the show was definitely worth the wait. —Tana Rusitanonta

Cinematic Sunrise

Flex

Dec. 3 @ Chain Reaction Dec. 4 @ The Troubadour Even weeks later, I’m still baffled by former Chiodos frontman Craig Owens’ ordeal with his band and the fact that he was deposed of his position at all. Not to further beat the proverbial dead horse, but seriously, dudes? When fans invest themselves emotionally in a band’s vocalist … it might be wise to consult a marriage therapist before investing in a divorce attorney, so to speak. I don’t know what Owens’ current level of amicability is with his former band mates, given that one of them is currently in Cinematic Sunrise with him, so I’ll cease my speculating henceforth. Though I’ll still hold onto my “Team Craig” T-shirt, just in case. Now, let this predicament not cast a shadow on Owens’ past work or what he has in store yet. Despite his seemingly insular demeanor, Owens is one of the most dynamic frontmen in this scene. Though he’s not a singer for the masses, Owens and his distinctive voice can effortlessly meld melodic crooning with brutal growling. Aggressive while still vulnerable, his singing can be just as cathartic for an audience as he makes it out to be for himself, so show your support for a singer who has mastered the art of performing and honest emoting. Besides, I’m sure the other members of Chiodos will be just fine. Plenty of bands have replaced their singers and gone on to be even bigger than they were before. Just look at Saosin … and … uhh …

Nov. 19 @ Conga Room Panamanian Spanish reggae singer Félix Danilo Gómez, a.k.a. Flex, made an appearance at the Conga Room, and he delivered a memorable performance to the sold-out show. Flex popped on stage and immediately made waves with his No. 1 hit “Te Quiero.” The romantic tune caught the audience by surprise, but they still loved it. But Flex also sang all of his prominent songs, including “Te Amo Tanto,” “Escapate” and “Dime Si Te Vas Con El.” —Marvin G. Vasquez

Story of the Year: Still as fun as ever.

Forever the Sickest Kids/The Rocket Summer

Story of the Year Dec. 8 @ The Roxy There was a time when I was all about this band. Like, all about them. I never missed an L.A. show they were on the bill for. I knew all the lyrics to their debut album, Page Avenue, verbatim. “Dive Right In” was my official jam of that time period. I could usually predict with some accuracy the backflips and guitar throws their live show entailed. I was shamelessly devoted. And then everyone else caught on and decided to be all about them as well. And then I subsequently heard “Anthem of Our Dying Day” eleventy-billion times on KROQ. And my youthful interest started to wane. Yeah, even back then, I was that dude, despite the fanboyism. I didn’t pay much attention to the two albums that came after, and then surprise, surprise, I found out they’re scheduled to release their fourth studio album early next year. For nostalgia’s sake, I gave their newest song a listen and, much to my dismay, I quite liked it. Still the big-sounding epic guitar rock that has long been the Missouri natives’ signature style, new song “To the Burial” throws back to the band’s old school punk and hardcore influences. More stripped down and raw than some of their previous efforts, if this is what the new album shapes up like, it will be a welcome return to basics. And, honestly, the songs off their first album are as catchy and fun today as they were when I first heard them six years ago.

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Anjulie Nov. 20 @ The Wiltern Opening for a Raphael Saadiq crowd was not an easy task, but Anjulie was fearless to show the crowd that she has what it takes. However, the audience wasn’t feeling her mix of Middle Eastern and pop music. Anjulie’s songs were very basic and didn’t do much to grab the spectators. The simple lyrics stirred little emotion while the dancing on stage seemed more suitable for a kid’s birthday party or ’80s video than a crowd bent on getting down to some soul and funk. At one point, Anjulie joined in a percussion breakdown on her own set up of toms. Generally, during a percussion jam between musicians something other than a repetitive pattern emerges, but not in this case. The addition of her drum solo took away more than it added. The highlight of Anjulie’s set was her last song, a Middle Eastern number that offered some originality and insight into her act. The problem was this was the only song with any kind of dynamic composition, and it came at the end of the set. It may take a year or two, but if Anjulie can stick with her act, she might find a way to refine things and bring more of her originality into her performance. —David Tobin

Atreyu Nov. 21 @ The Wiltern Wrapping up their fall tour, Atreyu went out with a bang before a sold-out crowd. Tasked with the duties of providing main support for Hollywood Undead, Atreyu did more than just warm up the crowd. With call and response in almost every song and constant encouragement from frontman Alex Varkatzas, the O.C. group brought the audience to levels the headliner never lived up to. Pulling songs from their decade-old library, Atreyu gave fans who drove from all over exactly what they wanted. The band sounded like a solid machine from start to finish, offering little room to take a breath. Bodies overflowed the tiers of the Wiltern floor as various pits emerged only two songs into their set – a true sign that your band is doing something right. The fact that this band can incorporate so much crowd interaction is what sets them apart. Bridging the gap between stage and floor is tricky, but from the looks of this show, these guys mastered it a long, long time ago. —David Tobin

David Tobin

Röyksopp

THE LATEST INDIE RELEASES

THE BRONX Mariachi El Bronx

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART Higher Than The Stars

The Pains return with four brand new songs that do what the band does best—breathe fresh life into indie-pop with their exuberance and charm. Features a bonus remix by Saint Etienne.

VIVIAN GIRLS Everything Goes Wrong

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM 45:33 Remixes

On 45:33 Remixes, segments of the original 45:33 record are lovingly reinterpreted by everyone from Brookyn’s Runaway and Norway’s Prins Thomas to Berlin’s techno technician Riley Reinhold and Theo Parrish.

PINHEAD GUNPOWDER Kick Over The Traces

Los Angeles-based punk band The Bronx returns with their latest offering, inspired by the inescapable Mariachi music that celebrates Mexican-American culture.

The Vivian Girls are back with their second album. On Everything Goes Wrong, the influences remain the same: Ramones, ’60s girl groups, surf, and indie pop. Watch for constant touring in late ’09 and ’10.

Kick Over The Traces is a 23song “Best Of” collection from Pinhead Gunpowder (feat. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and Aaron Cometbus), selected by the band themselves.

LISA GERMANO Higher Than The Stars

MARY ANNE HOBBS Presents: Wild Angels

CHOIR OF YOUNG BELIEVERS This Is for the White in Your Eyes + Burn the Flag

“... often walks that miraculously fine line between breathtaking terror and intoxicating beauty. Chilling, seductive and sorrowful, but dressed up like a lovely lullaby to mask the tragic core...” —Dream Magazine

A great transatlantic showcase for emerging new artists who fuse existing genres like hip hop, dubstep, grime, and soul into exotic and exciting new forms. Features 18 pioneering tracks selected by Radio One’s Mary Anne Hobbs.

Musical nods to Roy Orbison, The Beach Boys, Pixies, and Hank Williams abound. As heard on NPR’s First Listen and KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic and on Melrose Place.

WHY? Eskimo Snow

A sung, sobering take on mortality that unfurls in lush waves of Americana and pop-infused psych-folk, it’s their most livesounding yet—a shadowy and sprawling piece as intimate in subject matter as it is handsome in timbre.

AVAILABLE NOW FROM YOUR LOCAL BEST BUY

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deviation from the rest of the album’s sound, classic rock guitar hero Billy Squier joins Davis for the gruff and psychedelic title cut showing that Orba Squara can rock if he chooses to. Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki The Trouble with Flying is currently available.

Bowling for Soup Sorry for Partyin’ (Jive) Who remembers that cute-butridiculous song “Girl All the Bad Guys Want?” Somehow, Bowling for Soup seemed to fade away after 2004, but now the band is back in all their surfer punk glory with Sorry for Partyin’. Really, it’s got everything you’d expect from a band like BFS. The album’s opening track, “A Really Cool Dance Song,” is a catchy … well, dance song along the same lines as 2002’s “Punk Rock 101.” There’s also “Hooray for Beer” and “No Hablo Inglés,” which are both funny, infectious and irreverent, and if you’re a guy with a best friend, you’ll definitely get “BFFF.” There’s also the high school senior anthem “Only Young,” and “If Only” rounds out the set list with a love song. While most of their songs are fun (even if they’re less than surprising), the humor on “My Wena” falls flat. The joke here is so obvious that you overlook it, thinking that the guys from BFS are cleverer than that … right? But just say the title fast enough, and you’ll get it. No seriously, that’s the whole joke … I think. Grade: B —Melissa Russell Sorry for Partyin’ is currently available.

Orba Squara The Trouble with Flying (Res Freq) Orba Squara is the stage name of multiinstrumentalist Mitch Davis, and you may not realize it but you’ve probably heard his work on television; music from his debut album, sunshyness, has been used in commercials for Apple, Frito Lay, Expedia, Saturn, Goodyear and Sun Chips. The Orba Squara hallmark is that of childlike innocence as Davis delivers his vocals so gently that most of The Trouble with Flying comes across as very lullabyish, especially when his folksy sounds are embellished with tinkling bells and toy pianos. Many will find this set of songs overly twee, and there’s little room to argue with that opinion when it comes to songs like “Millionaires,” where Davis sings to a loved one about the joys of imagining great wealth or on “Treasure Map,” where the lyrics reference leprechauns, gypsies and Minotaurs. In an odd but nice pairing and a total

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Campus Circle 12.02.09 - 12.08.09

Eban Schletter Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas (Oglio) While most holiday albums look to the past for inspiration, soundtrack composer Eban Schletter gazes to the future on his yuletide sojourn. Schletter – who has scored for “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Mr. Show with Bob and David” – presents a loose narrative of a military satellite that switches its programming from armed conflict to peace and goodwill due to a timely transmission of seasonal songs. While Schletter’s Mannheim Steamroller-ish instrumentals of well-worn winter hits lacks stimulation, Schletter’s two originals make the grade. “Send Christmas Into the Universe” has an appropriate chorale arrangement that suitably goes with likeminded perennial December favorites. Pop-flavored “What Will Become of Christmas,” sung by fellow L.A. artist Grant-Lee Phillips, could fit well on the next Celine Dion or some other diva’s 12thmonth song collection. Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas is best experienced after some spiked egg nog or, better yet, as a live stage show such as the one Schletter has offered up this year. Grade: C —Doug Simpson Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas is currently available.

Joss Stone Colour Me Free (Virgin) Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and James Brown are synonymous with soul. Joss Stone, a young and talented artist, certainly has some major soul of her own. Anyone who disagrees is absolutely senseless. Stone, an English soul and R&B singer-songwriter and actress, came into the industry in late 2003 with The Soul Sessions, her multi-platinum debut album. Mind, Body & Soul, her second album,

topped the UK Albums Chart and included her hit “You Had Me.” In her latest comeback, she brings her fourth album, Colour Me Free. Stone goes back in time honoring the sounds of good old retro soul and lyrics that reflect her life. Colour Me Free is a project that not only is powerfully relatable, but it showcases Stone’s talent as a singer and songwriter. Her first hit track from the album is “Free” and it’s an anthem for the young and old. “Don’t tell me that I won’t/I will/Don’t tell me how to think/I feel/Don’t tell me ’cause I know what’s real/What I can do … ” – this track is one of those emotionally charged songs that isn’t lost on listeners simply because it has a message. Overall, Colour Me Free is an amazing album that features songs that hit home to many listeners. Stone’s powerful, soulful voice matched up with her insightful lyrics makes this album one of my favorites. Joss Stone fans will be delighted with her latest effort. Grade: A —Melissa Evalle Colour Me Free is currently available.

Robbie Williams Reality Killed the Video Star (EMI) If Robbie Williams wants to blame reality on the death of the video, that’s fine, but he needs to find another excuse for the death of his songwriting ability. With only three bright spots on his latest CD, Williams does little to protect the video star that he has become. Tracks like “Bodies” fill the album, offering little or no depth. Uninspired lyrics mixed with lackluster songs keep this album from jumping off the shelf. Williams’ voice is seldom showcased. With such a powerful set of pipes it makes one wonder why a majority of tracks are spoken instead of sung. His club-esque tracks do little to make one move, and the lyrical content is very lowbrow. This witty singer has failed to grab a hold of the platform that he once dominated. Hopefully for Williams, this is just a simple case of bad luck. Grade: C—David Tobin Reality Killed the Video Star is currently available.

Join CAMPUS CIRCLE www.campuscircle.com MUSICREPORT BY KEVIN WIERZBICKI

Vulture Whale's Bamboo You is currently available as a free download.

Vulture Whale: Bamboo You Playing off the title of the Rolling Stones album Tattoo You, Birmingham, Alabama’s Vulture Whale has named their new E.P. Bamboo You. The six-song set is an homage to British rock ’n’ roll and even goes so far as to have frontman Wes McDonald singing in a faux British accent throughout. The premise might sound cheesy but actually the idea works out nicely; find out for yourself by downloading Bamboo You for free through Vulture Whale’s MySpace page.

Idle Warship Free the Party Robot Idle Warship (Talib Kweli, Res & Graph Nobel) have teamed up with Mick Boogie to release a new 14-song mixtape called Party Robot. And to really get the party started the guys have decided that you can have Party Robot absolutely for free, explaining their decision thusly: “When we established Idle Warship we did it for us. Now that we’re giving you this music Idle Warship no longer belongs to us; it belongs to the world. We don’t believe in labels for music – labels may stop you from hearing something before you listen to it. We appreciate those who’ve taken this journey with us without judgment and enjoyed the ride. To everyone who purchased our music on iTunes and anyone who has bought a ticket to an Idle Warship show, this is for you. All my party robots stand up!” Party Robot can be downloaded through Idle Warship’s MySpace page.

MUSICDVDS Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Live (Vagrant) Drone rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have released a new concert album, appropriately titled Live. The effort contains two DVDs and one 14-track CD recorded over multiple gigs in Berlin, Dublin and Glasgow in 2007. Shot predominately in black and white, the concert DVD follows the band on tour for their album Baby 81. Though filmmaker Tessa Angus has done a wonderful job of capturing the raw essence and grittiness of a Black Rebel Motorcycle Club gig, the dark film would definitely benefit from a spark of color. The glaring strobe lighting might be too jarring for viewers, who might feel that they’re watching a bad slasher flick as opposed to a grimy rock concert. Although a concert DVD could never replace the raw energy and adrenaline of a BRMC show, the film gives fans a close-up view of the indie musicians as they breakout with some of their greatest hits. Their performance of “Mercy” is dark and brooding, while “Weapon of Choice” illustrates the band’s rocker roots. Live also includes a special features DVD with footage of the band’s studio recording sessions for Howl and offstage acoustic performances. The band is currently recording a new studio album in Hollywood. The upcoming release is the band’s first since losing their original drummer, Nick Jago. Leah Shapiro, who has previously toured with the Raveonettes, joined the band in 2008 as their new drummer. The new album, Beat the Devil’s Tattoo, is slated for release March 9, 2010. If you can’t get enough of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – or you’re just a Twi-hard at heart – the band’s new song “Done All Wrong” is featured on the soundtrack for The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Grade: B —Jennifer Smith Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Live is currently available.

Write Me a Song, Eric Eric Hutchinson is about to release Sounds Like This Live 2, a five-song E.P. with live versions of some of his biggest songs, including “OK, It’s Alright With Me.” And who knows – by the time Hutchinson gets around to releasing Sounds Like This Live 3 he may have a song to include that he wrote just for you. If you have an idea for a new song for Hutchinson just send your suggestion to myehutchsong@gmail.com, and maybe Eric will turn your thoughts into a big hit. You have a couple weeks to enter the “Inspire an Eric Hutchinson Song” contest; Hutchinson needs time to write the songs and make videos for them, which will then be posted at Erichutchinson.com on Dec. 7, 14 and 21. Sounds Like This Live 2 drops Dec. 15.

Ringo Says Y Not Former Beatle Ringo Starr has finished up a new album that he’s calling Y Not. Starr didn’t have to go very far to find a producer for the record as he decided for the first time ever to handle the duties himself. How did he come about the decision to become a producer after all these years? “Well, I looked in the mirror,” the drummer says, “and I was looking real groovy that day.” More seriously, Starr says that after cutting his solo albums with studio wizards like Richard Perry, Arif Mardin and Don Was, it was just something he felt it was time for him to try. “It’s a confidence thing, I suppose,” says Starr. “I’ll be producing anything I make from now on. Y Not is really another way of me saying ‘Yes, I can.’” Guests on the new set include Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Ben Harper, Richard Marx and fellow Fab Four member Paul McCartney, who duets with Starr on “Walk With You.” Y Not drops Jan. 12.

Monsters of Folk Video Contest Monsters of Folk – Conor Oberst, Jim James (or Yim Yames if you prefer), M. Ward and Mike Mogis – continue to promote their self-titled debut album through extensive video work. They just released a video for “Say Please,” a gorgeous bit of film shot by cinematographer Lance Acord, who is known for his work on films directed by Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola. Now the band wants you to make their next video by creating your own visual interpretation of their song “Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.).” The contest winner gets $5,000, a Gibson guitar signed by the band and a copy of the new Final Cut Studio software. Five runners-up will take home a signed vinyl copy of Monsters of Folk. Find details on how to participate at Shangrilamusic.com/monstersoffolk/videocontest; you have until Jan. 1 to get your entry in.

Campus Circle 12.02.09 - 12.08.09

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Getting Rogue-y Up in Here Brief Encounters with Sarah Palin in Borders Books

Joe Horton

BY JOE HORTON There was trouble ahead in the purchasing line of my neighborhood Borders Books. You know the scenario; you can smell it even before you see it – a single cashier, drowning in a stack of receipts as the concerned-but-clueless customer looks on, mumbling, “No, that’s not it, not that either, no, no, maybe this? no, not yet…” To pass the time, I browsed the stacks of special “I’m not going to review books at the front of the store, those prim and prissy this book because, one, I hardcovers with their own display tables, those glamorous, oddly-themed (“pre-holiday?”), dioramahave dignity, and two, even ed books that lavishly crack their fat spines as they reading a fair few pages, lounge in clear view of everyone in the store. Sure, I have absolutely no idea books like Ben Fountain’s stunning Brief Encounters what it’s about, save for the with Che Guevara, winner of the PEN/Hemingway fact that John McCain, in a award for best first fiction amongst its slew of other desperate attempt to pop the accolades, languish in the dusty grotesqueness of the Obama balloon rising fast literature stacks, and the whores of the book world – glossy almanacs, kitty calendars, golf how-to’s – tart out of the air above Invesco up the snaking line to the cash register, but it’s the Field in Denver last August, displayed books at the front of the store that always chose the governor of Alaska keenly ensnare the customer’s attention. as his running mate.” And what timeless treasure do I find at the firstand-foremost display? Going Rogue, of course, the opening volume in the Sarah Palin oeuvre. I’ll admit it – I leafed through it longer than I ever thought I would. I did, however, feel it necessary to roll my eyes frequently, offer derisive snorts on a consistent basis and turn the pages with a dismissive flick of my wrist just to ensure that no one watching me would ever mistake me for a possible (“pre-holiday?”) purchaser of the book. Here, I should offer some pithy-yet-substantive review of the book to support my dickish tone. ’Fraid not. I’m not going to review this book because, one, I have dignity, and two, even reading a fair few pages, I have absolutely no idea what it’s about, save for the fact that John McCain, in a desperate attempt to pop the Obama balloon rising fast out of the air above Invesco Field in Denver last August, chose the governor of Alaska as his running mate. It’s like writing a book about winning the lottery, which I admit might be an interesting read on the underside of a Snapple lid or scrawled into a bathroom wall when you’re, yes, stuck, but to have your own display at this Borders, at every Borders, at every bookstore – both online and physical – in the country? I’ll give Palin credit – she was mayor of Wasilla, and she did win a gubernatorial election – but when you say thanks-but-no-thanks to filling out the remainder of your term running the state of Alaska and you instead come out with a book and a bus tour to promote said book, I am forced to rescind any credit I may have previously offered, and we’re back to square one: an old guy grabbed her and convinced her to show up at rallies with him; she gave a series of horrifyingly inept interviews on every media outlet possible except Fox News, where she shone with the radiance of the Northern Lights and her policy influence is now is limited to using her Facebook page to make up lies about people, places and things (“death panels,” anyone?). In short, she’s me. Or you. Or Earl Cubbins. Or Nancy DeAmbriosio. Americans all. We should all have books. At least Earl’s son Truedeau, who just took 15th place in the unofficial hot dog eating contest at school. I’d read about Truedeau. But I, for one, cannot write a book about my life that would warrant the front display at Borders. I can’t write about an old guy grabbing me due to matters currently under adjudication, I refuse to appear on networks with people who will doubtless be witnesses for the defense in the Hague and my New Year’s Resolution every year is to be less snarky on Facebook when the screen is too blurry to read. But maybe that’s just me. Maybe Going Rogue will win this year’s Pen/Hemingway for best first fiction. Maybe it deserves the shine its cover glints off the warm lights at the front of the store. When the catastrophe in the check out line was finally over, I put down Palin’s tome. “Don’t put it down,” a man behind me advised, rubbing snow off his shoulders though it wasn’t snowing. “That book changed my life. You should buy two, one for the little missus.”

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Campus Circle 12.02.09 - 12.08.09

Catch the Derby Dolls Championship on Dec. 5.

ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY SEASON FUN BY EBONY MARCH My parents named me rather appropriately: Ebony March converts to Ebenezer Scrooge quite easily. Being a member of a dysfunctional family meant that all the normalcy and sweetness that most of my friends felt during the holidays never really translated into our household. Therefore, I developed a great disdain for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the like. Still, each year, I’m assaulted by a constant barrage of well wishes and good holiday cheer. Bah humbug! It’s enough to make a Grinch like me want to barf. When you’re a loner who hates the season predicated on familial fun, you may initially feel outnumbered. But mark my words: Los Angeles is a great place to be you and me during the holidays. There are a number of awesome events taking place in the weeks before and after those dreaded calendar dates. You just have to know where to go to enjoy them. If you were one of the people who saw Drew Barrymore’s kickass directorial debut, Whip It, then you no doubt enjoyed the sexiness and coolness that is roller derby. Although chicks on skates are not a new concept, Barrymore updated the theme with great edge and a powerful message: “Be your own hero.” You can do just that Saturday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. when the famed Derby Dolls Championship takes place. Catch the top-ranked Swarm as they battle the Tough Cookies for the title. If you haven’t seen roller derby in person, trust me, you need to. Not only is it hot, but it’s pretty amusing watching fast babes kick the snot out of each other. It all goes down at the Doll Factory (1910 W. Temple Ave., Los Angeles; derbydolls.com/ la). But act fast; I hear this one might sell out online. Tickets range from $20 to $40. For all my alchies out there, you can finally marry your love of hooch with your bleeding heart by participating in the Happiest of Hours with the District Weekly. Bouchees Bistro (515 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach) and Smooth’s (144 Pine Ave., Long Beach) are hosting this monthly party, Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be plenty of good food and gourmet eats. Best of all, public participation in this event will benefit the Children Today charity. Los Angeles is a den of sin filled with tawdry secrets and dirty deets. If you’ve been harboring a nasty little secret and you want to get it off your chest then try the Dirty Secret Club (Level 3, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles) on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m. As you enter the event, you’ll be ask to place your beast of burden into the “chest of salvation.” Secrets will be pulled from the box at random and read out throughout the night. You can purge that monkey on your back, socialize and perhaps engage in some freaky behavior that will require you to participate in next year’s event as well. This is a great place to take friends and relatives who may be in town to visit but dislike Christmas carols as much as you do. Twenty dollars gets you in on all this fun. Wine tasting is fast becoming one of America’s most beloved pastimes. After all, with the advent of the Food Network and a different cooking show every other day, the public has to know which beverage goes great with a particular dish. Starting this month, the Six (10668 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles), formerly Jack Sprat’s, will offer “Wine Wednesdays.” This means wines by the glass will be $5 with complimentary flatbreads and guest wineries will host. The Six features 17 artisanal wines by the glass, over 24 handcrafted microbrews and six specialty ales on tap. Finally, to all my homies still pissed about the cancellation of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride,” salvation is here. The annual L.A. Auto Show (1201 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; laautoshow. com) is back and ready to dazzle with the finest in automotive innovation. This event is a steal at $8 to $12 and lasts until Dec. 13. You’ll see the best in concept cars as well as upcoming models of rides that you already know and love.

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CURTAINCALL “Baby It’s You!” Now-Dec. 20 @ Pasadena Playhouse “Baby It’s You!” is the highly entertaining musical story of Florence Greenberg (Meeghan Holaway), who, in the early 1960s, discovered the Shirelles and built one of the most successful independent record companies with AfricanAmerican partner and songwriter, Luther Dixon (Allan Louis). This heavily threaded story takes place in a forgotten pocket of time between “the day the music died” and the Supremes’ era. Every song in the musical fills you with the fleeting sense of an epiphany; listening to these artists that you normally only hear on late-night infomercials. Discovering their history is like stumbling on treasures. The musical, written by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, is as much the story of the Shirelles as it is their discography; the harmonious quartet is performed by Erica Ash, Berlando Drake, Paulette Ivory and Crystal Starr Knighton. These four African-American women, a New Jersey housewife and her forbidden African-American lover/partner take on the male-dominated music industry via their independent label, Scepter Records. “Baby It’s You!” showcases a decade’s worth of memorable tunes. Some featured artists include Ronald Isley, Chuck Jackson and Gene Chandler, played by the very versatile Geno Henderson (whose voice was as incredibly loud as his clothes!). “Baby It’s You!” gives the Shirelles as well as other music from the early ’60s a much-needed resurrection. This intriguing tale studded with crowd-pleasing numbers, like “Mama Said,” “Tonight’s the Night” and “He’s So Fine,” beautifully represents the fragile innocence of early ’60s music in the same decade of Beatlemania.

sand and s, secrets,

Rumor

Director Floyd Mutrux could not be more right when he says, “We had no idea who made the music, and no idea what went on behind the scenes. Turns out, the back story was the story.” —Cesar Cruz Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. For more information, visit pasadenaplayhouse.org.

“The House of Besarab” Now-Dec. 20 @ Hollywood American Legion Theatre “The House of Besarab,” directed by Terance Duddy, is a fantastic play adapted from the classic Bram Stroker novel Dracula. This intoxicating, horrifying ancient love story will confound you as you decide which of the actors to follow through Count Dracula’s enchanting castle. The play truly begins as you enter the Hollywood American Legion Theatre, where a gypsy woman (Miliza Milo) hands you a rosary-style necklace, after which you are met by the escaped mental patient Renfield (David Himes), who wakes Count Dracula (Michael Hegedus) from his tomb. Dracula’s passionate and ghoulish appearance strikes anxiety into people who have failed to display their cross; his mysterious aura along with his voluptuous vixens, Cruza and Riva (Megan Harwick and Sara Spink), make it nearly impossible not to tag along into the massive auditorium. It is in this room, replete with antique furniture, bowls of potions and goblets filled with blood, that the audience is transported to Dracula’s 1895 Transylvanian castle. Here, in Count Dracula’s Castle, this dark place where miracles of the occult occur, we meet the chained villager Slava (Jason Parson) whom the pernicious Dracula is turning into a wolfman.

blood.

John Ales

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(l to r) Erica Ash, Paulette Ivory, Berlando Drake and Crystal Starr Knighton as the Shirelles in “Baby It’s You!”

However, if one chooses to remain in the atrium, they will be met by the Count’s nervous guests: the scholarly vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Travis Michael Holder), Renfield’s former institution proprietor Dr. Seward (Terra Shelman) and the young lovers Jonathan Harker (Dane Bowman) and Mina (Chase McKenna). “The House of Besarab” at times deflates the torturous Dracula and exhibits a tortured man – one afflicted by the pains of loneliness, intense heartache and demonic craze. Hegedus’ Dracula is so evil, it’s fantastic. He almost speaks in curses, and his accent is part of an incredibly passionate performance. —Cesar Cruz The Hollywood American Legion is located at 2035 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. For more information, visit plays411.com/besarab.

THEARTOFLOVE BY LUCIA LOVE YOURSELF, BE YOURSELF, TRUST YOURSELF

ontoya M d R a h c i R By uRe clashRson foR cult ete P a s i l y B d e t c e iR d

Mark Taper Forum

$20

Illustration ©Vincent Valdez

World Premiere • Now - Jan 24, 2010

tic starkets t at

213.628.2772 CenterTheatreGroup.org/PalestineNM at the Music Center, Downtown L.A.

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Mark Taper Forum

Circle 12.02.09 - 12.08.09 22 Campus Campus Circle

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213.628.2772 CenterTheatreGroup.org/PalestineNM at the Music Center, Downtown L.A.

When it comes to dating and relationships, you often hear the following phrases: love yourself, be yourself, trust yourself. What Lucia do they really mean? Love Yourself: Think of yourself as a small child. Whenever you’re about to do something, ask yourself: Would I do this to a child? Would I feed a child this food? Would I have a child drink this? Would I allow a child to be in this situation? Loving yourself means you eat and drink healthy food and exercise your body. You get enough sleep and take care of yourself when you’re sick. It also means you don’t traumatize your psyche by feeding it junk. Stay away from negative movies, TV shows (including the news) and gossip magazines. Don’t keep people in your life who are physically, mentally or emotionally abusive. When you love yourself, you are a magnet drawing people to you who will also love you. Be Yourself: Being yourself means you are being real. The easiest and fastest way to do this is to express what you are feeling using “I feel” statements – I feel uncomfortable being intimate with someone I barely know; I feel disappointed that you would lie to me. As soon as you say “I feel” you are automatically being real, which makes you irresistible, since most people put up walls and don’t express their feelings. Of course, to express your feelings, you have to know what they are first. Start asking yourself how you feel throughout the day, and soon it will be easier to identify and relate your true feelings. Trust Yourself: Women are often told, “You can’t trust men” or “Don’t trust men.” Women are so busy worrying about whether they can trust a man or not, that they can’t just relax and feel loved. Luckily, you don’t have to trust anyone else; you just have to trust yourself. What does that look like? It means that you listen to your feelings. If you feel uneasy about a person or a situation, take a step back. Don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position until you know who you’re dealing with. Your feelings will never lie to you. Trust yourself enough to listen to them. Write to Lucia at theartoflove.net. Read an excerpt from Lucia’s Lessons of Love at lessonsoflove.net. Listen to Lucia live every Sunday at 3 p.m. PST on latalkradio.com. Remember: Love inspires, empowers, uplifts and enlightens.

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CJ's Pork Belly Brittle

THE YARD

119 Broadway, Santa Monica BY ERICA CARTER Usually when you think of downtown Santa Monica, you think Third Street Promenade with all of the shops and restaurants. Some are high end, some are homey, but none really marry the two. There are a few restaurants here and there that are fancy like Boa and Sushi Roku, but those are not places I would suggest visiting often unless you’re made of money. Luckily, two restaurateurs found the balance of quality food at reasonable prices right in the heart of downtown Santa Monica. Enter the Yard, a gastropub just across from the sands of Santa Monica beach. As I walked through the double doors, the Yard was brimming with conversations from guests throughout the place, in fact, it was completely full – on a Tuesday night. Opened in March 2008, the Yard is experiencing a surge in patronage, probably due to the grand re-opening in mid-November with a new chef at the helm. From the minute I tasted my Blood Orange Martini, I began to understand why the Yard, with its neighborhood bar atmosphere, is likely to stay busy. Starting off with drinks, the menu features an impressive eight draft beer selections and 30 bottled beers. My aforementioned martini is regularly on the menu, but they also feature Cocktails of the Week, with great pairings of fresh fruit and liqueurs that are not often used. The Cucumber Martini with fresh puréed cucumbers and lime was on a few tables, as was the draft beer AleSmith X from San Diego and another popular Pilsner, Prima Pils. The fare at the Yard is very conducive to sharing because of its tapas style menu. It features a wide array of options that blend high-end items, like the sweet and spicy Duck Confit Salad and the Chocolate Persimmon Salad, with simple, familiar items like Ain’t No Thang Chicken Wings and Pulled Pork Sliders. My favorite was the special of the night, Crisp Pork Belly with Tater Tots. Other must-tastes are the exquisite Pan Seared Diver Scallops with Mandarin Artichoke, Ginger Date Vinaigrette and the delicious Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Pear Salad. The 8oz burger, ground with three different types of beef, was so juicy that I wondered if there was butter injected in there, and the bread was fresh as can be. The chef – Christopher “CJ” Jacobson, from Bravo’ s “Top Chef ” – carefully created the approachable menu keeping in mind the spirit of the beach city. Previously working at Venice’s organic restaurant AXE, his love for fresh ingredients and supporting the local farmers market is evident. The Chocolate Persimmon Salad is hard to come by on Tuesdays because Wednesdays is the day Jacobson shops for ingredients. It always shows in the quality and taste of the food when the person preparing it truly enjoys what they do. On the Yard’s Web site, Jacobson has a blog where he shares his random rants and recipes, and he has even produced videos for videojug.com on the art and technique of classic American cuisine. I’m not one for desserts, but it’s hard for me to pass on chocolate, and the ramekin baked Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie a la mode was just what I needed. Next time I’ll try Chef CJ’s favorite, the Apple and Pomegranate Galette with Dates, Walnuts and a Gruyere cheese crust, finished off with whipped cream. Sounds delicious and healthy, doesn’t it? The Yard also has weekly themed nights and promotions, featuring live jazz, wine and cheese tastings, as well as local DJ nights on the weekends. For more information, call (310) 395-6037 or visit theyardsm.com.

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MUSIC CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Baseball Basketball Football Hockey Soccer The Sports Wanderer

THESPORTSWANDERER

PIGSKINBLITZ

MINING FOR (BLUE) AND GOLD

TROJANS WIN UGLY AGAINST UCLA BY PARIMAL M. ROHIT

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Campus Circle 12.02.09 - 12.08.09

Rudy Sanchez

BY PARIMAL M. ROHIT Come to California. Dream big. Become rich. A mantra established about 160 years ago at a random sawmill in Northern California was repeated again on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim. Of course, riches are not always measured by currency. For a group of students who nicknamed themselves after the tides of people who made California the Long Beach State claimed victory over ultimate destination for dreamers, Sunday Jerime Anderson and the Bruins at the 76 was definitely a day for dreaming big and Classic Sunday. realizing wealth. While the original 49ers dreamt big about financial wealth in light of a few gold flakes supposedly discovered at Sutter Mill, the Long Beach State basketball team bearing the same nickname took the floor of the Honda Center with a different kind of dream – that of defeating UCLA. And defeating UCLA had its own wealth that could not be monetized. When the final buzzer sounded in Anaheim on Sunday, the players who make up the Long Beach 49ers men’s college basketball team rushed each other in the name of discovering their newfound wealth – victory, and it came at the expense of the blue-andgold of UCLA lore. Eureka! They found it! Final score: Long Beach State 79, UCLA 68. See, the 49ers definitely had reason to celebrate this weekend. These “riches” are not measured in dollars but in euphoria and happiness. It was a victory of David-beatsGoliath proportion. After all, when it comes to college basketball, Southern California is definitely UCLA territory. So when the Bruins and the 49ers squared off on Sunday afternoon at the 76 Classic in Anaheim, it was a classic case of David versus Goliath, with one school (Long Beach) trying to escape the long, tall shadow cast by the other (UCLA). Escape they did, as the 49ers earned their first-ever victory against UCLA, improving to 1-11 against the Bruins. Of course, it was a shadow that was a long time in the making. When the two schools met for the first time on the hardwood in 1970, UCLA was fresh off a national championship and in the midst of college basketball dominance, with John Wooden at the helm and players such as Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, Walt Hazzard, Gail Goodrich and others biding time in Westwood. The 49ers had quite a season of their own in 1970, boasting their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and finishing fourth in their regional bracket. Long Beach State then made consecutive Elite Eight appearances in 1971 and 1972 – quite the accomplishment considering the school’s newcomer status. Alas, the 49ers were overshadowed by their hardwood brethren a few miles up the San Diego Freeway, what with UCLA prevailing as National Champs in 1970, 1971 and 1972. Ever since, the 49ers have been that cutesy little team playing in front of moderatesized crowds at the Pyramid, Long Beach State’s pride-and-joy of a multi-purpose athletic facility. All the while, UCLA has dominated the front pages of the sports section as they shot hoops in the hallowed Pauley Pavilion. Since they met for the first time on the court in 1970, it was UCLA who had all the “riches” and Long Beach State who settled for “scraps.” And it showed on the court, with the Bruins winning each of the first 11 match-ups between the two schools, not to mention all those national championships and NCAA postseason appearances. Do not expect things to change in the future, either. The area is not ripe for regime change in light of Sunday’s game. The Bruins will continue be an attractive school for blue chip recruits, despite loses to both Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton this season. “The Beach,” however, will always be just another college basketball program with occasional success. Rebuilding year or not, it is still UCLA and everyone else. Yet, every dog has its day. For the 49ers, that day was Sunday. Sure, it is rebuilding year in Westwood, but ask the 49ers if they care. They finally beat UCLA. For this group of players from Long Beach State, no amount of riches can buy the happiness and joy derived from Sunday’s victory. Long Beach State’s win, while not monumental, reminds us of the mantra echoed 160 years ago. Come to California. Dream big. Become rich. Even if becoming “rich” means you are a David defeating a Goliath.

Steve K. Zylius/Orange County Register/MCT

FILM

USC’s Damian Williams scored It is never easy to pick a side in a Civil War. on a 48-yard pass late in the While the Trojans (8-3, 5-3) are certainly happy they fourth quarter of Saturday’s win won their own “Civil War” against UCLA last weekend at over the Bruins. the Coliseum, who should USC root for as Oregon State takes on Oregon Thursday night in one of the coolest nicknamed rivalry games in the country? An Oregon (9-2, 7-1) victory means they win the Pac-10 title outright, giving USC a chance to force a three-way tie for second place. However, an Oregon State (8-3, 6-2) victory eliminates Oregon from the Rose Bowl and means the Trojans can do no better than third place in the Pac-10. Of course, USC would have to defeat Arizona (7-4, 5-3) this Saturday and hope that both Oregon and Washington (4-7, 3-5) win out, but the Trojans cannot be happy about the prospects of hoping for, at best, a three-way tie for second place and a Holiday Bowl berth – and a 28-7 win over UCLA is not strong enough a tonic to make up for an otherwise disappointing season. Alas, the Trojans must be happy their “ugly” home victory over UCLA did not translate into a dropping in the polls. Despite 12 penalties (107 yards) against the Bruins (6-6, 3-6) and a lackluster offense that scored its first non-turnover-induced touchdown in the fourth quarter, USC managed to move up two spots to No. 18 in the BCS Poll. While it will have no impact on a bowl game, final polls or overall standings, there should probably be an independent poll asking fans to determine the level of classlessness demonstrated by both coaches Rick Neuheisel (calling a timeout after a knee) and Pete Carroll (subsequently play-calling a rub-it-in-your-face 48-yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds remaining despite a 21-7 lead). If anything, the wide-angled shots of the entire UCLA bench halfway across the field and ready to go toe-to-toe with the Trojans in a non-football setting definitely demonstrates the Pac-10 has some grit.

CENTERICE

Clem Murray/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT

NEWS

KINGS CALIFORNIA DREAMING, DUCKS START TO FLY BY PARIMAL M. ROHIT

Anaheim Ducks winger Bobby Ryan

If the Los Angeles Kings had anything to be thankful for this past holiday weekend, it was that the NHL schedule-makers kept the team within the state of California Nov. 28 and Dec. 12. During the two-week stretch, the Kings play eight games without leaving the state, including seven in Southern California – perfect timing, considering how beautiful the weather has been in the L.A area during these final few weeks of autumn. The Kings certainly are starting to show their appreciation with results on the ice, starting off the eight-game stretch with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Chicago Blackhawks last Saturday in front of a Staples Center crowd of 18,118. The win put the Kings in second place in the Pacific Division; with a record of 15-10-2 (32 points), Los Angeles is barely in front of the Dallas Stars (12-7-7, 31 points) and Phoenix Coyotes (1511-1, 31 points) and trails the league-leading San Jose Sharks (18-6-4, 40 points). With the favorable all-California venue schedule during the next seven games, the Kings hope to solidify their record and inch closer to the Sharks before seven of nine games after Dec. 14 away from Staples Center. Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Quick have kept the Kings relevant in the Western Conference; Kopitar’s 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) places him third in league scoring, while Quick’s 14 wins are two shy of the league high. Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks were certainly thankful to the schedule-makers for blessing the team with a seven-game homestand that started on Nov. 19. So far during the homestand, the Ducks have won four of six to improve to 10-11-4 (24 points). Yet with the two home losses at the hands of division rivals San Jose and Phoenix, the Ducks are not doing much to dig themselves out of the division’s basement. All stats as of Nov. 30.

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L.A.HOOPLA

LAKERS’ BENCH IS THE DISCUSSION BY MARVIN G. VASQUEZ The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the preeminent team in the NBA. They unarguably have the best starting five. However, every unit has its woes. For now, the purple and gold should be concerned about their bench, at least to some degree. Head coach Phil Jackson does not appear to be concerned, at least for now. Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar are some of the players coming off the bench. Jackson made references to two crucial ones with integral roles (Odom and Vujacic). Odom is the one who will receive the most playing time coming off the bench, and the rest will follow. He could easily be the sixth man of the year for this current campaign, but it is a rather difficult task because of the talent around the squad; there are multiple individuals who are simply scorers, and his scoring opportunities are thus limited. Odom is the most versatile player for the Lakers due to his easiness to play all five positions convincingly. He can score, dish dimes, block shots and rebound aggressively almost to perfection on both ends of the floor. Jackson believes it is just a matter of time when Odom

will be a true spark off the bench. “He’ll find his way. He had 12 rebounds tonight. That part of his game was good. He had five assists, which is OK,” Jackson said after the Lakers 100-90 victory over the Knicks Nov. 24. Jackson went on to state that Odom was slow to adapt last year as a bench player. Currently, Odom is averaging 9.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He could only get better as the season continues. Vujacic, on the other hand, is a true shooter who can drop three-pointers, long perimeter two-point attempts, pull defenders out of the paint to protect the line behind the arc and be an annoying defender to opponents. Thus far this season, Vujacic has been subpar and is not getting as much playing time as he has before. His role is yet to be determined this year. “I think a lot of it has to do with match-ups as we come out as a team,” Jackson said about Vujajic’s playing role this season. “With the type of guard core we have, with the type of bench we have, a lot of it is about who is going to match up well and the type of game that is being played against us.” The Lakers are the defending NBA champions. After their loss at Staples Center, Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni highlighted this fact. “It’s hard to play against a team with three seven-footers,” he said. “They’re a really good team. Until someone says something different, they’re the champs.” Knicks rising star David Lee, who is averaging 17.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, concurs with D’Antoni. “I think they’re the best team in the league, until somebody proves otherwise,” Lee said. “At this point they’re the best team in the league because of their depth and the weapons that they have.”

Campus Circle > Culture > Gaming

GAMES&GADGETS

SOUNDS LIKE THE HOLIDAYS

Gifts That Will Be Music to Their Ears BY JONATHAN KNELL Whether you love or hate the constant barrage of Christmas carols blasting out of your radio, there is no question that music makes the holiday. The gift of music manages at once to be both universal and incredibly personal. If you have someone important who loves music, don’t just give him or her another iTunes gift card this year. While these gifts might be a bit pricey, they will be sure to give some holiday cheer to any musician or music lover on your holiday list.

Eos Wireless: While Eos Wireless (eoswireless.com) products are admittedly expensive – with the iPod Docking Station Transmitter starting around $200 and additional speakers coming in around $100 each – they offer an acoustic punch that is worth the price to an audiophile. The iPod Docking Station Transmitter and each of the wireless speakers is packed with two tweeters, a subwoofer and other soundenhancing technology. The Docking Station is an amazing audio device on its own, but when you add the one speaker that is included and up to three more, it becomes a full audio experience.

The Lakers have the best player in Kobe Bryant (His 30.1 points per game leads the NBA.), three powerful seven-footers and Odom coming off the bench. Odom could be starting on any other squad. The Lakers also have the best coach and a lot of depth. The only dilemma for now is their bench and its trouble maintaining the team’s big leads. This was evident when the Lakers hosted the Knicks Nov. 24. Los Angeles had a vigorous third quarter in which they outscored the visitors 28-17 to open up an 83-62 comfortable advantage going into the last quarter of play. Jackson pointed out that the large edge was relinquished partly because of the lack of leadership on the floor. That is true, but it was sloppy basketball for about six-to-seven minutes in the fourth quarter. Jackson had a perplexed look on his face as he entered the post-game press conference. He simply did not know what to say about the game in terms of his opening statement. Is this a cause for concern on his bench status? Probably so, but not as much as other teams would perhaps see it as such. “Right now, they are just filling in minutes for guys that are getting rest on the bench,” Jackson said. “We’ve got to have better than that.” In the end, Jackson trusts his team and believes it can only improve on its current flaws: the bench holding the big leads. “We have to do a good job on finishing up games,” Lakers forward Pau Gasol said. “We work so hard to get 2025-30 point leads and blow them out in the end, but then we lose them in the fourth quarter.” The Lakers host Miami Friday and Phoenix Sunday – two games that will test the mettle of the entire team.

By plugging an iPod into the Docking Station, you can listen to amazing quality audio from up to five speakers, including the base itself. The Docking Station itself can be muted if it is in the main room, allowing one person to listen wirelessly to the speaker in one room without annoying their roommates in the main room. The whole unit can also be controlled wirelessly with a simple remote control and it can even play from an auxiliary audio source, turning this iPod speaker system and a television into a four-speaker home audio system. The sound quality is equally amazing from any room, allowing a music fan to listen to their iPod in any room in their house while it charges. Of course, for those who live in dorms or apartments where they would have more speakers than rooms, the speakers can also be set up to work together at key points throughout the room to offer better sound coverage. There are admittedly some items that can hurt the signal strength – like running microwaves – but this is a small flaw in a great audio device (assuming that you do not constantly run the microwave).

iSkin: Cerulean RX:

With the development of newer MP3 players and music-ready mobile phones, it seems as if Bluetooth has become a natural addition to the modern musical experience. Unfortunately, many people still have no clue about Bluetooth other than the earpieces that make people look like they are talking to themselves. If someone close to you has not been taking advantage of their iPod’s Bluetooth feature, the Cerulean RX (iskin.com/ceruleantx) may be perfect for them. By plugging this tiny Bluetooth receiver into any iPodready speaker, the Cerulean RX turns it into a Bluetooth speaker. Of course, this means that your gift-getter will need to already have a speaker that can deliver a charge to an iPod, but there is no shortage of affordable speakers out there.

Eos Wireless iPod Docking Station Transmitter

The real draw of this is that music lovers who already have an awesome iPod-ready sound system can now access their tunes from the moment they get back home. Admittedly, the price is a bit steep (around $150), but if you know someone who loves their music, it is worth the price to unlock their wireless musical experience.

Samson Go Mic: From the moment you first see the Samson Go Mic (samsontech.com, $60), it may be a bit confusing. It is designed to look like a professional studio microphone, and yet it is so small, you might think it is a toy. Whatever it looks like, this tiny microphone carries some amazing audio power. Coupled with the professional (if fairly complicated) recording software, this would be a great gift for an aspiring musician who can’t afford studio space to get started on their demo. Of course, not everyone is an aspiring musician, and the Go Mic is made – as the name implies – to go with its owner. The microphone is barely larger than a Zippo lighter and is made to be taken around. Even after it has been banging around in a backpack, the Go Mic should be ready to record a lecture or set up a podcast with its simple USB plug-andplay design.

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NEWS

FILM

MUSIC

CULTURE

EVENTS

DVD

GAMING

SPORTS

MEDIA

BLOGS The 10 Spot List of Events

CALENDARTHE10SPOT

CampusCircle.com >Events

BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL WEDNESDAYDEC. 2

SATURDAYDEC. 5 The Grammy Museum Presents: Maxwell

Infinity

Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Downtown; grammymuseum.org After the Grammy nominations are announced, the critically-acclaimed soul singer will perform to benefit the Grammy Museum, which turns 1-year-old on Dec. 6. 9:30 p.m. $35.

Premier Events Center, 613 Imperial St., Downtown; createfixate.com Create:Fixate celebrates its eight year anniversary with DJs, musicians and an art exhibit featuring over 40 local artists using painting, photography, sculpture, multimedia, installation, fashion, jewelry and video projection. 7 p.m.- a.m. Tix start at $15.

SUNDAYDEC. 6

WEDNESDAYDEC. 2 Zero Film Festival

Unique LA Holiday Show

Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., Downtown; zerofilmfest.com The first festival exclusive to self-financed filmmakers will feature 115 films spanning six continents, with features, shorts, animation, experimental and global film perspective events as well as a focus on Afghanistan filmmakers. Join in for rooftop projections, factories turned cinema and all night film marathons. Runs through Sunday.

California Market Center, 110 E. 9th St., Downtown; uniquelosangeles.com With over 300 designers, this shopping event showcases independent design talent at great prices. With an emphasis on “made in America” goods, 99 percent of the products at the show are proudly made in the USA. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Also Sunday. $10.

THURSDAYDEC. 3

SUNDAYDEC. 6 Dear Andy Kaufman, I Hate Your Guts!

UCLA vs. Kansas

Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles; cinefamily.org Andy Kaufman died 25 years ago, and his legacy is honored with the release of the new book Dear Andy Kaufman, I Hate Your Guts! and an evening of rare and never-before-seen Kaufman archived footage. 8 p.m. $15.

THURSDAYDEC. 3

Pauley Pavilion, UCLA; uclabruins.com The consensus pre-season No. 1 Jayhawks come to town in men’s basketball action. 2:30 p.m. Tix start at $40.

MONDAYDEC. 7 DWP Festival of Lights Griffith Park, 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles; dwplightfestival.com This magnificent display of millions of lights along a one-mile segment in Griffith Park has become a holiday tradition that attracts more than a half million visitors each year. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Runs through Dec. 30. FREE.

Millennium Magic X Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood; theatrewest.com Rob Zabrecky is the host and producer of this popular annual event. He will be joined onstage by some of his magical colleagues from the Magic Castle for three amazing performances. Runs through Sunday. Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. Tix start at $15.

Campus Circle 12.02.09 - 12.08.09

Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; kings.nhl.com Local Kings alumni will be playing in an exhibition to raise money for the USS Ronald Reagan. 7:30 p.m.

TUESDAYDEC. 8

FRIDAYDEC. 4

26

L.A. Kings Alumni Game

High Speed Networking The Yard, 119 Broadway, Santa Monica; networkingforprofessionals.com Instead of making love connections, you can make business connections. Network with other professionals, one on one, a few minutes at a time and make more new business contacts in one evening than most people will make in six months. 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Tix start at $20.

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CHANNEL ISLANDS Cave-orting at Scorpion Cove BY JESSICA KOSLOW When picturing an island getaway it’s easy to imagine lying on the beaches of Hawaii or strolling the sands of Cancún. But did you know there are islands much closer, about an hour off the coast of Ventura or Oxnard, waiting to be explored? Once discovered, the Channel Islands are your ticket to a lifetime of nearby adventure travel. While most Californians know about (Santa) Catalina, this is only one of the eight islands, and the only one with a significant permanent population in the town of Avalon. Camping is also available at Two Harbors, whereas camping is your only option on the other islands. The eight Channel Islands are: Anacapa, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Clemente, San Nicolas and Santa Catalina. In 1980, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa and Santa Barbara were made into the Channel Islands National Park. You can camp year-round on all five islands – there is one National Park Service-managed campground on each island – for only $15 per night/per site. Reservations can be made at nps.gov/chis. Luckily, arranging transportation is a breeze. Island Packers (1691 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura; islandpackers.com) provides your speedy and fun ride to and from any of the islands. While trips to Anacapa and Santa Cruz can be made year-round, those to Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa and San Miguel run May through October. Island Packers also offers Pacific Grey Whale (December through March) and Blue

and Humpback Whale (June through September) watching excursions. Nature lovers may also visit an island for the day, or take specialty cruises, like the Tidepool Exploring trip on West Anacapa (November through April) or the North Shore Wildlife Cruise (April through November). On your way over, you’re bound to see dolphins, sea lions, seals and all sorts of marine life. On my trip to Santa Cruz the dolphins played in the boat’s wake and raced alongside its bow. Santa Cruz is said to be the most accessible for beginners (like me!). The boat drops campers and visitors off at Scorpion Cove. After being welcomed by the park ranger, you’re free to explore the island or set up your campsite, which is a half-mile from the landing. You must carry in everything you need; The food and gear you bring is the food and gear you have for your entire stay. Because there are foxes and mice that have become accustomed to stealing food, the campsite comes equipped with food lockers in which you are advised to store everything edible while you’re away. Potable water and Porta-Potties are also at the site. Santa Cruz is the largest island in the national park, and it is said to resemble a miniature of what Southern California looked like more than 100 years ago. If you opt for the island tour with a guide, which leaves every day after the boat pulls in, you’ll learn that the Channel Islands rose from the ocean millions of years ago, born of plate tectonics, volcanic activity and fluctuating sea levels. San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa Islands were once joined, but over time, as sea levels rose, the four separate islands were created. If you’d like to strike out on your own, there are maps of various hikes you can take, ranging from a half-mile to 15.5 miles roundtrip. The eight islands and their waters are home to more than 2,000 species of animal and plants – 145 are not found anywhere else on Earth – which makes scuba diving and

Courtesy of SBAdventureco.com

Campus Circle > Culture > Travel

JETSETTER

Spot wildlife during a thrilling Sea Cave Kayak Adventure.

snorkeling awesome. But the most fun to be had on Santa Cruz is sea kayaking. Sign up with Santa Barbara Adventure Company (SBAdventureco.com) and choose from a variety of different excursions. One of their newest offerings is the Sea Cave Kayak Adventure. First, you’ll get a brief lesson from your guide (ours, Jen, combined a sweet sense of compassion without easing up on the challenge). If you’re strong and athletic, going solo is advised. If you’re not, doubling up in a two-person kayak can be less rigorous and more fun. Next, you’ll paddle around Scorpion Cove, enter dark caves, taste kelp, navigate the tides and gaze at some of the most breathtaking scenery ever. The most exhilarating part occurs when your guide sets you up to travel down a narrow corridor between two walls of rock. Think rollercoaster, without the track! During 2010, Channel Island National Park celebrates its 30th anniversary as the nation’s 40th national park. Isn’t it about time you experience some nearby island adventure? For more information, visit nps.gov/chis, islandpackers.com and SBAdventureco.com.

JEWELRYBEAT

JEWELS, JEWELS EVERYWHERE Trendsetting House of Harlow 1960 and Kelly BY ERICA CARTER

Kelly’s Nawaho Cuff ($88)

House of Harlow 1960 was started by a celebrity you may recognize. Known for her sassy but sweet attitude, Nicole Richie’s youthful spirit flows into her collection of stylish and affordable trinkets. Her 35-piece collection is drawn from aspects of Richie’s personal style, whether bohemian or House of Harlow 1960 Gold Red Resin Earrings ($22) street wear. She teamed up with jeweler to the stars Pascal Mouawad and with his help, House of Harlow 1960 features precision arrangements as well as versatility. There are many things to choose from: headbands, belts, necklaces and bracelets. All you really need is one or two pieces to set you apart from everyone else, stylista! House of Harlow 1960 can be found online at shopbop.com, shopkitson.com or Kitson stores. Next on the jewelry front is someone you may not have heard of … unless you watch “The Real Housewives of New York City.” Kelly Killoren Bensimon was the former editor of ELLE Accessories. She turned her love for all things sparkly into her own line, Kelly, earlier this year. Wear her pieces on a date or a fancy school function! Kelly can be found on HSN.com.

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ARE YOU AN ASPIRING ARTIST? REALIZE YOUR DREAM TODAY AT GNOMON SCHOOL OF VISUAL EFFECTS Gnomon School of Visual Effects Specializes in Training in High-End Computer Graphics for the Entertainment Industries.

REGISTER FOR WINTER TERM WINTER TERM BEGINS JAN. 11TH, 2010 Visit gnomonschool.com to register!

Artwork by Craig Mullins

Upcoming Event

Academic Offerings

Open House Events

Entertainment Design A one-year track designed to help aspiring artists develop their portfolios for careers in the film, broadcast and video game industries.

Saturday, January 9th 2009

2:00pm — 4:00pm

High-End CG Certificate Program The high-end CG program is designed to produce well-rounded artists, versed in the digital and traditional skills and techniques necessary to succeed in the fields of high-end digital visual effects, animation, game development and visualization. Maya Fast Track Program Based on the time-tested curriculum of Gnomon School of Visual Effects, this course will provide a thorough introduction to the premiere 3D program being used in high-end production. Individual Classes Mix and match courses to meet your career goals. We specialize in supplying students, professionals, and production studios with the skills they need to succeed in the animation and effects for film, television and game industries.

» An in-depth presentation discussing Gnomon’s programs, classes, campus life and the opportunities that await you in the Computer Graphics industry.

Online Classes Gnomon Online is designed to provide the same innovative training and experienced instructors as Gnomon School with the added convenience of learning from home.

» Get portfolio feedback and your questions answered by our admissions counselor, school representatives and successful alumni.

YOUR PIPELINE INTO THE INDUSTRY

» Find out about the admissions process and financial aid.

For more information and to RSVP for this event visit: www.gnomonschool.com/open_house

323-466-6663 info@gnomonschool.com 1015 N Cahuenga Blvd Hollywood, CA 90038