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(05/20/00 4:00am)
I HAVE been writing this column for three days, and still it remains unfinished. It's funny -- I'm never at a loss for words. And yet, here I am, staring at this screen and wishing I was doing anything but writing my last column. Maybe because I have too much to say. Maybe because I know most of it can't be put into words. Maybe because I'm not ready to let go.
(05/20/00 4:00am)
Those of us who love dance movies know that they operate under a few unwritten rules. They do not require the most original plot and characters, or the strongest actors. They should make up for it with insight, fresh performances, and of course, lots of beautiful, exciting dancing. The creators of "Center Stage" know this formula well -- and give us exactly what we want.
(04/27/00 4:00am)
MY IMMEDIATE thought when I received my first job rejection over e-mail was, "Why couldn't they at least send me a real letter so I could get a free drink at Orbits?" The more I mulled it over, the more angry I became at the use of impersonal, casual e-mail to deliver such weighty news.
(04/25/00 4:00am)
Just reading a scene from Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" is an experience in itself. His carefully crafted characters leap off the page, their evocative, multi-layered dialogue settling uncomfortably in the reader's mind. It's no surprise then, that the story of these characters - the fragile, tormented Blanche, her sensual, earthy sister Stella and the vulgar but powerfully attractive Stanley - are some of the most memorable in American drama.
(04/21/00 4:00am)
With the immense commercial and critical success of "American Beauty," it wouldn't take a psychic to predict an onslaught of tragi-comedy in the next year. Director Betty Thomas is the first in line with "28 Days," a comedy/drama about substance abuse and rehabilitation.
(04/20/00 4:00am)
THESIS. It's a scary word, isn't it? I probably just frightened half my readers away. For all you brave souls still reading, take heart. I'm here to tell you that writing a thesis is not that terrifying -- exhausting, exhilarating, challenging, intense, even fun. And while I'm at it, let me try to debunk some of the most common myths of the dreaded thesis.
(04/07/00 4:00am)
Ever wonder just what the Seven Society really does - I mean, besides provide a welcome distraction from boring convocation speeches? In his latest film, "The Skulls," Rob Cohen weighs in with his opinion, and, well, let's just say he won't be the next recipient of $7,777.77 - but he may get a gourd.
(04/06/00 4:00am)
SHE'S A media dream. Last fall, Cherie Blair, the wife of British prime minister Tony Blair, shocked the nation by announcing that, at age 45, she is pregnant. Last week, she made headlines again when, in a speech at King's College, she publicly encouraged her husband to take paternity leave, following the example of Finland's prime minister, who in 1998 took a break from running the country to help his wife with their newborn child.
(03/30/00 5:00am)
WHENEVER I'm angry with my roommate, I have a secret weapon -- showtunes. For some odd reason, she finds these, my favorite CDs, torturous, and will do nearly anything to avoid listening to them. Imagine my delight when I learned that officials at Eastern Connecticut State University had a similar idea -- offering opera tickets as an alternative to community service for students charged with disciplinary infractions. While the Connecticut Opera is understandably miffed at the insinuation that their performances are punishing, ECSU should be commended for its attempts to encourage in its students an appreciation for the arts, not matter how maddening its methods.
(03/28/00 5:00am)
I usually cite "She's All That" as the low point in what otherwise has been a fairly successful reinvention of the intelligent and incisive teen film genre. But as much as it pains me to displace possibly the blandest romantic couple of all time - Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Rachel Leigh Cook - from the bottom of the barrel, that dubious honor now belongs to "Here On Earth," the new romantic drama from first-time director Mark Piznarski.
(03/24/00 5:00am)
IN THE best literature class I ever took, we didn't read a single book. It was a course taught here at the University on the Broadway musical, based solely on viewings of movies or live theatre performances. In form, it was vastly different from any English class I've taken (and I've taken quite a few). Yet it inspired me in a way that no other academic experience ever has. My own love for the subject matter, and the passion of my professor and classmates, gave class time a special intensity. And it proved to me the value of innovation and creativity in education.
(03/09/00 5:00am)
I NEVER imagined that a die-hard, knee-jerk, bleeding-heart liberal such as myself would be so impressed by the tactics of a Republican presidential candidate. Or that the cynical journalist in me would appreciate any aspect of a down-and-dirty political campaign. But there's a first time for everything. A recent public announcement by a university president proved that politicians -- and the politics they practice -- still can make a difference.
(03/02/00 5:00am)
IT'S ALL too common at this University -- on these pages, especially -- that the administration's actions are greeted with the question, "What's in it for me?" We all want to know what the administration has done for us lately. And the answer? Probably more than we think.
(02/29/00 5:00am)
You don't go into an action flick expecting much more than cheap thrills and a few pretty faces. But director John Frankenheimer turns it up a notch in "Reindeer Games," delivering a film loaded with humor, intelligence and exhilarating suspense.
(02/25/00 5:00am)
IT IS A universally acknowledged truth - college students drink. Too much. It's no wonder, then, that U.S. colleges spend an enormous amount of time each year on alcohol awareness programs. Yet, when it comes to alcohol-related tragedies, some officials clearly would rather the public - even the students - remain unaware.
(02/22/00 5:00am)
In the opening moments of "Boiler Room," written and directed by newcomer Ben Younger, the voice of the protagonist explains why he is particularly influenced by the lyrics of the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. After all, he says, stockbrokers are the white boys' crack dealers. It's a contrived moment, but effective nonetheless. Much like the movie itself.
(02/17/00 5:00am)
IF WE'VE heard it once, we've heard it a thousand times -- as undergraduates at Mr. Jefferson's University, we should be scholars, rather than just students. The "intellectual community" asserts that students should strive to develop a philosophy of learning rather than viewing college simply as career preparation or a four-year, parentally-subsidized party. Contrary to popular belief, it's not an unworthy or meaningless goal. But it's time for the administration to put its money where its mouth is.
(01/19/00 5:00am)
WHAT ARE we to make of history? Is it something to hold on to, to anchor us to the ideals upon which this country was founded? Or is it more fluid, something that should remind us of our heritage, but still allow us to move forward?
(12/08/99 5:00am)
I'VE NEVER seen "It's a Wonderful Life." Sad, I know. But from what I've heard, it's a timeless, seasonless film. Yet its focus on perspective and faith teaches an important and appropriate lesson at Christmastime.
(10/23/99 4:00am)
I'D ALMOST forgotten my high school experience -- and that's no accident. I've tried to block it out for years. But sitting in U-Hall last week, watching Jacques d'Amboise and some of his students from the National Dance Institute lead hundreds of young children in a "trail dance," much of it came back to me. To say that the arts were a significant part of my secondary education in an understatement -- in fact, there's no question in my mind that singing kept me sane.