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Show Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012 w Pre- Emptive Critics 'The Man with the Iron Fists' I have to admit I am not the biggest Tarantino fan. I respect his craft and unique style, but it's just not my favorite. I did get some awkward guilty laughs out of "Pulp Fiction," but I've never seen any of the "Kill Bills" or "Inglorious Basterds." "Reservoir Dogs" scared the crap out of me and gave me nightmares for days — as those are the times I get any sleep. I think my issue with Tarantino's work is the very dark perspective on humanity. Aside from my trepidations toward his movies, "The Man with the Iron Fists" looks like a highaction, colorful and sexy film that will likely be a blockbuster. And when I say sexy, I think we're probably boardering into some ocd fetishism, but people dig that stuff. I can't say I really absorbed much of what the plot line might be. There were lots of slow in air flips and fighting, violence, and like I said — weird sex scenes. If you like kinkiness, beheadings, and eyeballs flying through the air, this is the film for you. As for me, I'm not disappointed to work through the weekend and miss this one. I'll probably Redbox something a little more mellow for my weekend entertainment. - natashabodily@gmail.corn Twitter: @Natasha627 A&EDiversions 'A Late Quartet' Focusing on an instrumental quartet, "A Late Quartet" seems to focus on real life circumstances outside of the musical aspect of performing for others. Casting two academy award winners, Christopher Walken and Philip Seymour Hoffman as half of the quartet, looks like it has much more than great casting. Catherine Keener and Mark Ivanirl are the other two members of the quartet. We learn that Peter Mitchell, played by Walken, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and wishes to perform one more time as a quartet and then call it quits. This creates a whirlwind effect of emotional turbulence among the other members of the quartet. When Walken decides to leave the group, Hoffman and his wife Keener, a member of the quartet, struggle with issues of their own. From some of the one liners from the trailer, it appears this film uses the musical instrument as a metaphor of the human condition. Walken says "What are we supposed to do? Stop? or struggle to continuously adjust to each other up to the end, even if we are out of tune. I don't know?" What is more important, the individual or the group? I think this film will focus on the things that make us great as secluded humans as well as connected ones. I like films that disfigure the usual happy-go-lucky attitude of the movie industry. Give me real life situations and show me vulnerable people who struggle dealing with them. Using a classical music ensemble as the main point of interest, 'A Late Quartet' seems to be a potential academy award winner itself, with it's unique storyline and character interaction. What is more important, the individual or the group? Page 5 'Wreck it Ralph' If you are a functioning, breathing human being, you probably grew up playing — or at least having some sort of exposure to — video games. My childhood was defined by heroes such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, Kirby and Link. Disney's newest animated feature, "Wreck - It Ralph," attempts to fill theater seats by appealing to the glory days of video gaming. The film revolves around Ralph, voiced by John C. Reilly, the titular villain of the arcade game WreckIt Ralph. After spending 30 years in the shadow of the game's protagonist Fix-It Felix, voiced by Jack McBrayer, Ralph decides he wants to be a hero and leaves his game to seek glory. He finds this in the form of a new first-person shooter game, featuring a war-hardened soldier voiced by Jane Lynch. However, Ralph's game hopping creates trouble, so he has to team up with Vanellope von Schweetz, voiced by Sarah Silverman, to save both his game and the entire arcade. "Wreck-It Ralph" punches gamers right in their collective childhoods. A trailer shows Ralph in a bad guy support group with video game villain legends such as Zangief, M. Bison, Dr. Robotnik and Bowser. Sonic the Hecgehog will make a cameo, as will Link, Mario and Luigi, Cubert and even Ken and Ryu from Street Fighter. Disney is blatantly trying to get the 20-somethings who grew up with these games to buy movie tickets — and I think it will work. The animation looks great and the voice cast is starstudded. I pre-emptively think "Wreck-It Ralph" will be well worth the cost of admission for 108 minutes of flickering nostalgia. - ej.jungblut@gmail.com Twitter: @TheJungleButt - travis.c.williams@aggiemaiLusu.edu The pre-emptive critics write knee-jerk analyses of upcoming films based solely on hearsay, advance publicity and most importantly movie trailers. They have not yet seen the movies. CULTURE: Students benefit from diverse professors ►From page 4 and grew up in New Zealand. She came to the U.S. in 1983 and has been on USU's faculty since 1988. She said she has had a positive experience in Cache Valley. "I like Americans — they are very receptive to foreigners, especially in Utah," she said. is no animosity toward foreigners. What is cool about Cache Valley is that the beauty is as good as I could ever see in New Zealand, but it's also a good work environment." Cutler said the open display of firearms shocked her, as in New Zealand not even the regular police carry them. She said there were many cultural differences in things such as language, clothing, food and music. "For everything that I miss, there is something in America that I would miss as well," she said. "The most difficult part of all is being away from family." Jessica Palmer, a freshman majoring in social work, is enrolled in Cutler's statistics class and said it has been a positive experience for her. "I think it has been interesting to get a different perspective on things," Palmer said. "She has different stories to tell because she's getting her knowledge from both New Zealand and the States. I think it helps." When taking a class where a country's culture is involved, Palmer said she would rather take that class from a professor who is from that country. "They have more real-life experience," she said. "They have lived in that country and been immersed in its culture." Crescencio Lopez Gonzalez, a native of Mexico and professor of Latino urban literature, said the personal experiences he has had enrich his lectures and provide answers to questions students might have. "I have lived that reality, and therefore I'm able to enrich the experience of the student," he said. Lopez said the informationportrayed in books, television, documentaries and media discourse does not always paint the whole picture on some of the subjects he teaches. He said as an international professor, he is able to offer these perspectives to students through firsthand experience. "I'm not just talking from the books, but I am also bringing personal knowledge that cannot be portrayed sometimes in books," he said. "You fill in the blanks about how and why a character does what they do." Lopez said the teaching between him and his and students goes both ways, and as they learn from each other, he is able to better relate to his students and meet their educational needs. He said this twoway relationship has changed both him and his students. "As I am teaching them, they they are also teaching me teaching me about their culture," he said. about their experiences and how they see the world. They get the best of me, and I also open up to them. It has been a learning experience that has already begun to change me. I hope I have begun to change my students too. I know I have because I feel it." - calewp@gmail.corn @Calewp I COPY: Employees strive to provide quality service ►From page 4 said she started in the early 1980s and has seen many changes since she first started. "The technology has changed a lot because when I started, we used to do everything from hard copy originals in the machines to now where everything is electronic and digital," she said. Monson said she has been amazed at the amount of information that can be stored on a flash drive and it's a testament to how far technology has come. "You look at some of these flash drives, and they're just tiny and they hold so much," Monson said. "If you lose it, how much of your world comes crashing down?" Elbert said the Copy Center tries to provide quality customer service in addition to a quality product. She said it is a self-sustaining business and doesn't receive money from the university, so having happy customers is important. "I like learning new stuff," Elbert said. "I like the challenges with trying to figure out how to make the best product possible." "It's a good thing you like challenges, because you get them," Monson said to Elbert. Monson and Elbert said the most difficult part of their job at the Copy Center is trying to get the same vision the client has. "Sometimes you just have to throw your hands up in the air," Monson said. Monson said when the vision is caught and the product being printed turns out, it's the best part of the job and can often make their clients very happy. We want that finished product to look the best." Monson said. "We may not sign it or put our name on it, but we want the product that goes out the door to be the best we can do." Monson said when the vision is not caught it's often due to misunderstanding, be it on the side of the Copy Center or the client. "The oddest thing we've been asked to do is to make double-sided transparencies," Elbert said. While the constantly changing technology has taught Monson much about her job, she said she's also learned an important life lesson — that everyone has different ideas. "There is no one way to do things," she said. "There might be a way that works better than another. Trying to figure out what the person wants can be a challenge, but then the rewards come when you go beyond what they anticipate and expect." - april.ashland@aggiemail.usu.edu Twitter: @AprilAsh2012 Getting Engaged? Surprise her with a solitaire ... let her choose the ring. Starting at $500. S.E. Needham Quality at Internet Pricing. S.E. Needham jewelers since 1896 141 North Main • www.seneedham.com • 435-752-7149 |