Lifestyle

• ‘Tis the Season for A Christmas Carol: Broadside Sits Down with Zemeckis

  Lifestyle November 12, 2009 at 4:26 pm Comments are Disabled

  Josh Hylton, Staff Writer Beginning with The Polar Express and Beowulf, award-winning director Robert Zemeckis has become the pioneer for motion capture technology, a technology that allows the performers’ movements to be captured and reproduced digitally, and his latest 3D visual darling is A Christmas Carol, starring funnyman Jim Carrey. Broadside recently chatted with Zemeckis on the look and feel of his new film, the challenges of getting it done, and what new elements he hopes to bring to the timeless story. What inspired you to follow up Beowulf with A Christmas Carol? Why Dickens’ Christmas Carol and not another story? When I was doing Beowulf, I realized that this is a great form to reintroduce classic stories in a new way to a new generation of movie-goers because what you can do is can create a version of the story which is visually modern and separate it out, and many of these classic stories have great spectacle in them which makes them, in a strange way, difficult to do for the big screen so they are sort of relegated to Masterpiece Theater and that sort of thing. So you get a chance to really, in the case of A […]

   

• In Bed with Billy: Selecting Classes and Men

  Lifestyle November 12, 2009 at 4:22 pm Comments are Disabled

  Billy Curtis, Sex Columnist Selection can be a really important thing. Whether you’re choosing your classes for an upcoming semester or the right guy to date; your choice can make all the difference. As class registration opened this past week for the spring semester, I began thinking about how important these options can be. Think about it, if you choose the wrong schedule, there is a strong probability that you could end up spending more time in college than you originally intended and if you choose the wrong person to date, you could end up investing your time in a relationship that may be more damaging than beneficial, resulting in you losing in the end. Either way, it’s always smart to weigh your options and understand the risks that can vital to consider. Mason’s selection of dating material hasn’t showed much promise, at least for me, but I am sure some have had better luck. So what happens when you aren’t happy with the class options you are given, you search for alternatives. In my case, I looked to other college campuses in search for a better dating opportunity. James Madison University didn’t have a very promising selection, mostly just […]

   

• Two Days, Two Stars: Bob Dylan and Rob Thomas Highlight Week at the Patriot Center

  Lifestyle November 6, 2009 at 12:30 pm Comments are Disabled

  Patrick Wall, Style Editor The coming week is one filled with musical superstars. Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas takes the Patriot Center stage with OneRepublic on Nov. 10, followed by the incomparable Bob Dylan the day after. Three-time Grammy winner Thomas burst into the spotlight in 1996 with the release of Matchbox 20’s freshman release, Yourself or Someone Like You. Anchored by five popular singles including “Push” and “3 A.M.,” the album went on to sell over 10 million copies. The band’s next two albums were also commercially successful and the band churned out several more radio hits. After the release of their third record, Thomas left to work on a solo project. Already famous on his own, thanks in large part to his collaboration with Santana, Thomas released his first solo effort, …Something to Be. The album debuted at number one, based largely on the strength of hits like “Lonely No More” and “This is How a Heart Breaks.” Thomas returned to Matchbox 20 after the group’s 5-year hiatus, culminating in 2007’s Exile on Mainstream. The band toured for a year before Thomas returned to his solo career. In 2008, Thomas again returned to the solo scene with Cradlesong. […]

   

• New November Music: Like Autumn Leaves, New Albums Dropping all Month

  Lifestyle November 5, 2009 at 9:22 pm Comments are Disabled

  Patrick Wall and Pearson Jones, Style Editors Weezer – Raditude (11/3) Legendary nerd-rock quartet Weezer is back with their seventh album, Raditude. The lead single, “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To,” is as hooky as the name is long. Singer Rivers Cuomo retains his awkward charm while the band provides an energetic pop-punk background. Raditude has the potential to be the best summer album of the winter. Dashboard Confessional – Alter the Ending (11/10) Chris Carrabba, better known as the mastermind behind Dashboard Confessional, will release his sixth album, Alter the Ending. The lead single, “Belle of the Boulevard” has the same kind of heartfelt emotion of Carrabba’s older work, but feels more like his polished work from Of Dusk and Summer. Fans who have stuck by him thus far will likely be pleased with the new batch of songs. Three 6 Mafia – Laws of Power (11/10) Oscar-winning hip hop trio Three 6 Mafia (that title never gets old) return with their follow-up to last year’s smash Last 2 Walk with their tenth studio album, Laws of Power. The record features a litany of musicians ranging from Insane Clown Posse to Guns N’ […]

   

• The Weird World of Jared Hess: Broadside Talks with Gentlemen Broncos Director

  Lifestyle November 5, 2009 at 9:16 pm Comments are Disabled

  Katie Robertson, Broadside Correspondent Jared Hess is an award-winning writer and director who, in just five short years, has created two blockbuster films and made a lasting impression on popular culture and the independent movie-making world, creating an unassumingly unique genre all his own. Hess, who brought us the weird world of Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, has a new movie called Gentlemen Broncos opening in selected cities Oct. 30. Gentlemen Broncos tells the story of 15-year-old Benjamin Purvis, an aspiring science fiction writer, played by Michael Angarano (Lords of Dogtown). Benjamin’s mom, played by Jennifer Coolridge, sends him to a writer’s camp where Benjamin gets a chance to meet his idol in the science fiction writing world, Dr. Ronald Chevalier. Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement plays the Bluetooth-wearing, novel-stealing antagonist of the film. Chevalier, in a fit of desperation, steals Benjamin’s story to submit to his publishers. The story that unfolds follows Benjamin’s misadventures to get recognition for a story that was rightfully his. Broadside got a chance to sit down with Hess to ask him about the inspiration for his new film, a surprising Ninja Turtles connection, and the danger that comes with getting too weird. […]

   

• Rock, Paper, Action: Mockumentary The Flying Scissors is Amusing, but Not Much Else

  Lifestyle November 5, 2009 at 9:07 pm Comments are Disabled

  Josh Hylton, Staff Writer There’s a game I play with my friends. It is always spur of the moment and it always comes about when we have a disagreement, when neither my friend nor I want to get up and do something. It is initiated by one quick sentence: “Let’s go, on ‘shoot.’” That game is Rock Paper Scissors, but to us, it is more than a game. It’s a way of life. It is sacred and the loser must do what is expected of him, no questions asked. Perhaps that is why I was so amused by the new mockumentary, The Flying Scissors, a film that puts a humorous satirical spin on the hallowed game. The film follows the National Rock Paper Scissors League as they prepare for the upcoming championship where dozens of regional winners from all over the nation will compete in upstate New York with the hope of being crowned the NRPSL champion. Among the contestants are Leon Washington, played by Mike Britt, who uses vulgar trash talk to intimidate his opponents, Frank, played by Todd Susman, an aging man who has come down with arthritis in his RPS hand, making it increasingly difficult to compete, […]

   

• Movies That Rock: They’ve Got the Beat: The All-Time Best Films About Music

  Lifestyle November 5, 2009 at 9:04 pm Comments are Disabled

  Ross Bonaime, Staff Writer Last Wednesday, Michael Jackson’s final concert opus, This Is It, was released to rave reviews and sold-out showings. On Nov. 13, Pirate Radio will be released. It’s a movie starring Philip Seymour Hoffman about DJs going out to sea to broadcast illegal rock and roll radio to ‘60s England. With this recent rise of music in movies, here are the top-ten movies about music: 10. School of Rock What would happen if Jack Black took over a private school’s music class? The film shows the educational power that all types of music can have on children and that Black would make a pretty great music teacher. 9. 8 Mile At the height of Eminem’s musical career, Marshall Mathers made his stunning film debut appearing as underground rapper B-Rabbit.  The film builds around his constant struggles until finally they burst into a breathtaking musical performance that hits viewers as hard as life has hit B-Rabbit. With “Lose Yourself,” Mathers won an Oscar for best song. 8. I’m Not There Todd Haynes decided to take a spin on typical rock biographies like Ray and Walk the Line by having six different actors play Bob Dylan in different points of […]

   

• Isolated Incident: Dane Cook to Visit the Patriot Center

  Lifestyle November 5, 2009 at 9:01 pm Comments are Disabled

  Patrick Wall, Style Editor It’s been nearly two years, but he’s back. On Nov. 6, outspoken comedian and actor Dane Cook will bring his antics back to the Patriot Center with his ISolated INcident Global Thermo Comedy Tour. Known for his outrageous observational humor, Cook has proven to be a smash hit among college students. Starting his career in Los Angeles, Cook appeared on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend in 1998. Since then, he has released five comedy albums and has toured successfully for each. In 2004, his album Retaliation was the first comedy album in nearly thirty years to climb the Billboard charts, peaking at number four. This feat put him in the company of comedy greats like Bill Cosby. He is notable as being one of only two comedians to sell out the famed Madison Square Garden. For his latest release, titled ISolated INcident, Cook performed in front of a crowd of 30 at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood. In addition to his successful stand-up career, Cook is also known for his acting. He has acted in over 20 movies, starring in such films as the cult classic Waiting…, Employee of the Month co-starring Jessica Simpson, and Good Luck […]

   

• Metal Madness: Iconic Metal Bands Rock the Patriot Center

  Lifestyle November 5, 2009 at 8:58 pm Comments are Disabled

  Chris Earp, Broadside Correspondent This Halloween, two iconic heavy metal bands made their way to George Mason University for a show to end all shows. The headliners, Dethklok and Mastodon, are both unique within the genre. The former is actually a cartoon band around which the television show Metalocalypse is based. The short comedy takes a satirical look at the metal world, poking fun at the industry and bands themselves. Real musicians record Dethklok’s music, and two genuine albums later, have amassed a large and rabid fan base. Mastodon has been an integral part of American metal for years. Since the Atlanta-based band first crashed onto the scene with Remission in 2002, their music has been evolving steadily. The product of this evolution is Crack the Skye, a concept album that fans had the pleasure of hearing played all the way through this Halloween. One of the reasons that heavy metal concerts are so much fun to attend is that the fans are so energetic. The excitement that I felt just milling about, trying to find my seat was absolutely electric. It seemed like everyone I saw was wearing a Mastodon or Dethklok shirt, and some were even dressed like […]

   

• Tuesday Jams: Baby Grand Takes the Stage at Jazzman’s

  Lifestyle November 5, 2009 at 8:56 pm Comments are Disabled

  Chris Earp, Broadside Correspondent Happy to get out of the October drizzle, I ducked into the warmth of Jazzman’s. Not many people were there, save for some film students taping the show and a couple of coffee drinkers. It seemed that the only people intently eyeing the “stage” (which was simply the corner opposite the entrance) were directly related to the event in some capacity or another. For those who don’t know, every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., the Program Board hosts a “jam” at Jazzman’s, a coffee shop located on the ground floor of the Johnson Center at George Mason University. I took a seat close to the PA and glanced around, trying to find someone affiliated with the Program Board. I finally identified her after hearing her talking to the film students. Interdisciplinary Studies major Sho Roberts, a Mason grad student and first-year member of the Program Board, happily explained the idea behind Tuesday Jams. “The idea is basically to give students a relaxed environment that they can hang out in and support local music. We alternate who plays weekly; first we’ll have an open mic type setting, then we’ll feature a [Mason] student, and finally we showcase a […]