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Show www.dailyutahchronicle.corn 5 ARTS Wednesday January 23, 2013 COURTESY NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT JAVAN RIVERA/The Daily Utah Chronicle Film-goers at the Sundance Film Festival test out the latest products from Nintendo, including the Wii U, in the company's Nintendo Lounge. Nintendo offers samplings )) GAMES GALORE Sundance hosts a lounge featuring free runs of Nintendo's new consoles and games for waiting film patrons Javan Rivera STAFF WRITER The Sundance Film Festival is recognized as one of the largest gatherings of visual arts professionals in Utah. During this week, the small ski town of Park City draws aspiring directors, actors, actresses and film buffs galore. However, hidden amidst the paparazzi and the three-hour-long wait to see the next great indie film, there are other visual media to be enjoyed, including everything from street artists to concerts. In the case of gaming giant Nintendo, this year Sundance had an entire lounge dedicated to showcasing its newest product release, the Wii U. Starting Jan. 21, the Nintendo Lounge opened to the public during Sundance. The lounge is designed to give everyone a chance to really see what the Wii U is all about. Much like the Nintendo Wii, the Wii U contains a number of features that do not translate well if you are just watching. From motion controls to the versatility of the Wii U's new tablet-like game pad, hands-on time with the Wii U is the only real way to experience it, said David Young, assistant manag- er of public relations for Nintendo of America. "[Nintendo Lounge] is a great way to introduce Nintendo products to different audiences and to put the controllers into the hands of new people," Young said. "Because with Nintendo products, to really get the magic of it and the fun of it, it's best [to] try it out, to get hands on." Decked with a full bar, food, a series of large, flat-screen televisions, Wii U gaming systems and couches, the Nintendo Lounge resembles a series of living rooms all themed around Wii U games. Make no mistake — although the Nintendo Lounge might be set up as a part of Sundance, the lounge is all about the games. Those who visit will be able to demo multiple new titles available for not only Nintendo's Wii U, but also their recently released handheld gaming system the 3DS XL. Whether gamers are interested in a gory shoot-out with "ZombiU," classic platforming action with "New Super Mario Bros U," or testing karaoke skills with "Sing Party," the Nintendo Lounge has a little of everything. Although much of Nintendo's initiative is targeted at letting the public experience the Wii U and 3DS XL before owning one, the lounge does have a few offerings for those who might already own Nintendo's latest consoles. It features a number of playable game demos of currently unreleased titles, such as "Rayman Leg- ends," "Wii Fit U," "Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon" and more. Even if one is at Sundance purely for the film festival, Nintendo of America product evaluator Gil Ruta said people should drop by the Nintendo Lounge just to give the Wii U a try. "Gaming is for everyone," Ruta said. "Whether it's for families, hard-core garners or celebrities, they'll all come in, check out what we have and get really excited, especially with the new Wii U game console and the new games." The Nintendo Lounge will be free and open to the public from ii a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the week of Sundance. j.rivera@ chronicle.utah.edu Grohl film inspires future artists `The Following' offers disturbing thrills Savannah Turk A&E EDITOR Dave Grohl has become the heartthrob of the Sundance Film Festival. Fans are scrambling for a sighting of the big-hearted, hard-core musician as he travels through theaters this week. However, the Foo Fighters originator proved he is more than a head of long, brown locks during a student preview of his directorial debut "Sound City" on Monday at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. Grohl began "Sound City" by chronicling his journey into music stardom with Nirvana, highlighting the recording studio that led to hits such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit." After digressions about the history of Sound City recording studio and Fleetwood Mac, Grohl gets to the heart of the film, the Neve console. Although Grohl's main plot of "Sound City" often gets sidetracked with anecdotes about drums, producers, the '8os and Rick Springfield, the documentary is supposed to surround the Neve console, a soundboard that changed the fate of almost too many musicians to name. The punk-rock genre thrived at "Sound City," producing hit records by Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Metallica, Cheap Trick and many more. After following the rise and fall of "Sound City" and their artists, the film enters the digital age and blames Pro Tools for the eventual fall of rock music, and consequentially the Neve console. The lacking "human element" of technological music tools is questioned throughout the latter half of the film, the one defender being Nine Inch Nails' Savannah Turk A&E EDITOR PHOTO COURTESY SOUNDCITYMOVIE.COM Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl makes his directorial debut in this year's Sundance Film Festival with his work on "Sound City" which is showing at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. Trent Reznor, who advocates for programs such as Pro Tools as exactly what it is, a tool for music production. In the final fourth of the film, after "Sound City" has fallen because of overwhelming bills, Grohl unveils his real motive for the film: he rescues the Neve console and sets up shop in his own recording studio. To honor the legendary piece of equipment, Grohl brings the best of Sound City's legends back to record one more album on the Neve, including Grohl's musical hero Paul McCartney. Perhaps directing is not Grohl's calling, but inspiring future generations is. If anything, "Sound City" will motivate aspiring musicians to look to their role models for inspiration and find a unique voice in music. After the preview, the legend himself stepped on stage for a questionand-answer session with the audience. Grohl spoke fondly of "Sound City" and PHOTO COURTESY SOUNDCITYMOVIE.COM the Neve console, reminiscing in the seemingly outdated way to record music that generated so many timeless tunes. "There was nowhere to hide," Grohl said, encouraging artists to leave it all on the table in order to get to the human element, the individual behind the music. "If you and your friends have a passion and a drive to do something, then do it — just f***ing do it," Grohl said. Even throughout the film, it is clear "Sound City" is more than a documentary to Grohl — it is his message to the people. "Sound City" is playing all week at various Sundance theaters and is guaranteed to leave viewers inspired. Although the scenic detours in the plot might leave audiences confused at times, there is never a lull in entertainment and the moral is about as timeless as the film's featured musicians. s.turk@ chronicle.utah.edu Hannibal Lecter with a taste for female flesh, Purefoy executes his character well as the Fox's newest TV show "The handsome British intellectual Following" premiered Jan. 21 with a fancy for death as works and has left viewers thirsting of art. Regardless, his charfor more. The show follows ex- acter after the first episode is FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin more of a ringmaster, making Bacon) as he tries to recap- him the laziest serial killer yet ture serial to appear on killer Joe CarTV. roll (James However, Purefoy) and Carroll's minions — unravel his devious plan a group of involving a young people cult of fellow who admired killers called Carroll before the Followers. and during his PH OTO COURTESY FOX This dark time in prison and disturbing show at first — seem to have the most inglance seems like it has been teresting story lines and verge done before. Imagine "Dexter" on telling jokes throughout the or "Bones" without the humor show. These Followers who to relieve some of the murder- are driven and conflicted by ous tension. The show tried to murder are the most sympadistinguish itself by Carroll's thetic characters in the entire literary obsession and connec- show, providing the gray area tion to Edgar Allen Poe and the between Hardy and Carroll's romantic period. Although the clear good-versus-evil posifascination with Poe's work tions. is reminiscent of high school For a basic cable TV show, kids first mesmerized by the it is surprisingly bloody and "Tell-Tale Heart," there is violent, which is something some psychological work be- to be expected from direchind the cliché that gives the tor Kevin Williamson, who show a little more merit. wrote the screenplay for the With the use of flashbacks, latest "Scream." The images the show tells two stories: how of violence — mostly targeted Hardy first caught the cun- at pretty college-age girls — ning professor Carroll after he pair nicely with Marilyn Manmurdered i6 college girls, and son's malevolent rock cover how Hardy must rejoin the FBI of "Sweet Dreams" by The in order to catch Carroll again Eurythmics that floats behind after he escapes from prison the pilot episode — making it eight years later. slightly difficult to sleep after In the first episode (spoiler watching it. Williamson has a knack for alert) Carroll surrenders himself to the FBI, but not without cliffhanger endings and it is setting in motion a gang of ob- easy to see that the actors slip sessed followers who will car- into their roles better as the ry out Carroll's bidding while show continues. Because of he sits in prison and watches the show's hour-long length, the FBI scramble to stay one each episode seems like a short step ahead of the murderous thriller film. The show might not hook cult. Although Bacon is no free-spirited dancing teenager, everyone, but there is a niche he brings his reputation for re- of serial killer enthusiasts who bellion to "The Following" and will latch onto "The Followprovides a nice foil to the sinising" and never let go. ter Carroll character. s.turk@ Reminiscent of charming chronicle.utah.edu |
