INSIDEBEATTHE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE OF THE DAILY TARGUM

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HIPSTER COP • BATMAN ARKHAM CITY • SERIOUSLY...I’M KIDDING • ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

Original Theater

In Your Backyard

It ShouldaBeen You

It ShouldaBeen You

October 27, 2011Page 2 • Inside Beat

BOOKS

Spence BlazakLeigh ConklinEmily Corkum

Jessica EspinosaJosh Kelly

Saskia KusnecovAmy Rowe

FREDDIE MORGAN............................................................................TV EDITOR

EMILY GABRIELE.......................................................................MUSIC EDITOR

HEATHER TEDESCO................................................................THEATER EDITOR

ZOË SZATHMARY....................................................................FASHION EDITOR

JILLIAN PASON..........................................................................COPY EDITOR

KEITH FREEMAN.........................................................................PHOTO EDITOR

ALEX NATANZON............................................................................FILM EDITOR

DIANA CHOLANKERIL...............................................................ONLINE EDITOR

RYAN SURUJNATH...........................................................VIDEO GAMES EDITOR

E D I T O R I A L B O A R D

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CONTRIBUTORS TO

INSIDE BEAT :

ZOË SZATHMARY....................................................EDITOR

RYAN SURUJNATH.....................................................ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ASHLEY PARK...................................................ASSISTANT EDITOR

Cover Photo Courtesy of Nelson Morales

WRITER MAX BROOKS PREPARES

RU FOR ZOMBIE ONSLAUGHT

BY SPENCE BLAZAKSTAFF WRITER

Rutgers has hosted lectures oneverything from Daoist meditationto Snookie’s rhetorical skills, buton October 20 a lecture was heldthat taught attendees how to sur-vive a life- threatening and immi-nent danger: a zombie apocalypse.Writer Max Brooks, author ofWorld War Z and The Zombie Sur-vival Guide, took the stage at theLivingston Student Center to de-bunk many common misconcep-tions about the zombie species.

As he did in his best sellingbooks World War Z and The Zom-bie Survival Guide, Brooks neverbroke character during his lec-

BY LEIGH CONKLINSTAFF WRITER

Coloring pages for children,short stories, guided meditationand tips on “easy ways to make alot of money” are just a few of thewide range of topics covered inEllen DeGeneres’ newest book,Seriously… I’m Kidding. De-Generes combines her sense ofhumor and optimism with somethoughtful words to create an in-spiring, humorous and light readwhile her personality radiatesfrom every page.

There is no concise direction orplot of Seriously… I’m Kidding,each chapter no more than six orseven pages dedicated to a widerange of topics. One chapter, “Forthe Teenagers,” provides a hilari-

Seriously...I’m Kidding

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ture. He is in the business of zom-bie research, and he takes hisbusiness very seriously. The lec-ture was organized by showing acommon belief of the zombie-poca-lypse then showing what would re-ally happen in the real world.

The first point Brooks madewas that the most important thingfor survival “isn’t a massive sub-machine gun, but this little guy,”gesturing to a bottle of water. Heexplained a common concept thatis seemingly forgotten the seconda flesh-eating monster appears: hu-mans run on fluid, and without it,you’ll be dead before any zombieeven gets close.

Next, he discussed the topic ofweapons. Due to the influence of

zombie videogames like Left 4Dead, it is commonly believed thata large gun is the optimal tool forfighting the undead. Brooks said,“If you add up the populations ofAmerica, Mexico, and the snowcreatures [Canada], then that ishow many bullets you are going toneed... if you don’t miss. My ad-vice? Go to Home Depot and getsomething there.” He then wenton to say that his weapon of choicewould be a machete.

Brooks’ next topic was trans-portation. He told the audience,“Don’t use cars. They have yet toinvent one that runs on fear...Nogas? No you. Use a bike instead,because they do.” With the basicsin mind, it was time to learn about

how to form the perfect zombiesurvival group. He advised listen-ers to stick together, start plan-ning now, and consider the skillsof the people selected to join.“Choose the people you take inwisely,” said Brooks, “because youaren’t going to need an igloobuilder if you are in the Sahara.”

The lecture ended with aquestion-and-answer sessionwhere Brooks answered with hisrazor- sharp wit, entertaining all.When asked why he was drawnto zombies, Brooks said, “Duh?”He then expanded his answer,explainingthat it is the only mon-ster that comes to hunt for youbecause it is literally every-where. This reporter had the

chance to ask him the question,“Muammar Qaddafi was suppos-edly killed today, until CNN an-nounced that he has turned intoa zombie. How do you see thisworking out for Libya?” Brooksanswered, “Considering the U.S.already has a policy of shootingour enemies in the face, I thinkLibya should watch out.”

Brooks ended his lecture bybringing up a few helpers thatwere clad in zombie makeup. Hethen gave the audience one last tipfor dealing with the zombie horde— how to fight them. He took offhis jacket, put up his fists, countedto three, then ran away, biddingthe audience a good night on hisway out the door.

ous exaggeration of how teens useabbreviations such as “LOL.” A140-character “‘tweet,” “How to Be-come a Billionaire” and a personalbucket list are the topics of somemore light-humored chapters.

(Almost) all humor aside, De-Generes offers some insight intoaspects of our lives we might notalways take notice of. She com-ments on the pervasiveness andinaccuracy of stereotypes in “La-bels.” To illustrate, she mentions awoman who tried to attribute De-Generes’s sexuality to the fact thatshe had three cats as pets. De-Generes writes, “At first I thought,‘Well, yes I really am a lesbian.That secret’s out. But then Ithought, Wait, what?’ How doesthe number of cats you have makeyou a lesbian?” DeGeneres uses

humor to draw attention to and ad-dress important aspects of oureveryday lives, like the signifi-cance of honesty, common cour-tesy and seeking happiness.

DeGeneres also offersthoughtful words of advice. Sheencourages readers to be confi-dent in themselves and not worryabout how others perceive them.She is a wholehearted supporterof intrinsic beauty: “I’m veryproud to be a woman. I’ve beenone my whole life.”

Ellen DeGeneres uses aunique combination of her humorand personal experiences to cre-ate a book affluent in wit, knowl-edge and advice. DeGeneres’words are uplifting and encourag-ing. Seriously… I’m Kidding istruly one of a kind.

Ellen DeGeneres | B+

October 27, 2011 Inside Beat • Page 3

FASHION

BY ZOË SZATHMARYEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Occupy Wall Streetprotests may be known forcatchy slogans, aggravated pick-eters and extensive media cov-erage…but fashion abounds,too. Plainclothes police of ficerRick Lee, who works as a com-munity af fairs agent at theLower Manhattan demonstra-tions, has been dubbed the “Hip-ster Cop” by the Internetcommunity because of his styl-ish duds. A quick Google searchbrings up multiple memes ofLee, including a snapshot of himwith the caption, “Doughnuts?Psh… I’m all about beignets.”

Fashion journalists have alsocaught on to Lee and his sartorialknow-how. In an interview withGQ Magazine, Lee admits that hisfavorite brands include Burberry,

Eye On...THE HIPSTER COP

BY EMILY CORKUMSTAFF WRITER

As the leaves change color from summery greens to or-anges and yellows, everyone’s thinking of what to dress up asfor Halloween. For women there is great thought that goes intowhat to wear; for many, Halloween means a short skir t andsome sort of animal ears, reminiscent of those worn by theladies of Mean Girls. To truly stand out this season ladies, whynot try a new approach?

It is time to think outside of the box; instead of tossing a sheet overyour head and cutting eyeholes or running to Victoria’s Secret, whynot dress up like one of the fashion industry’s leading ladies?

To become these fabulous women is really quite simple. Inorder to look like the beautiful Audrey Hepburn, simply wear a lit-tle black dress, a strand of long, elegant, pearls and pin your hairback into a French twist or tight bun. To pull the look together, trylooking in vintage shops for a long cigarette holder.

If you prefer to be iconic as well as scary, go for the Anna Win-tour look. To flawlessly pull off this costume you will need a blondwing with a bob cut and bangs as well as very large black sun-glasses. Form there you are at liberty to put on the most high-fash-ion looking outfit you own. To portray Wintour, a true fashionlegend, it is all about the attitude and air of power. If you need helpuse Meryl Streep from The Devil Wears Prada as a reference.

For Halloween, you can always transform into a ghoul, a ghost,or a sexy mouse, but keep in mind that you could instead be a divaor a woman of power and grace.

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Ralph Lauren and Brooks Broth-ers. Wearing skinny jeans while onduty is not favored by his depart-ment, yet Lee concedes, “Off duty,I throw on skinny jeans, a t-shirt,and a cardigan. I guess you couldsay I look more hipster on theweekend. Or in the summer, I'llwear my jeans cuffed, with wingtipshoes and a t-shirt and a vest.”

Apparently, Lee’s appearancehas been pretty useful at theprotests in Zucotti Park. Becausehe does not look like a typical cop,he is able to engage politely withprotesters and make sure thingsdo not get out of hand. It probablydoesn’t hurt that he enjoys organicfood and his favorite music in-cludes Radiohead and the Killers,according to the New York Times.If you decide to join in on the Oc-cupy Wall Street action, make sureto look for Detective Lee and hisretro attire.

October 27, 2011Page 4 • Inside Beat

TV

BY FREDDIE MORGANTV EDITOR

In CBS’s new medical drama, AGifted Man, FOX’s House meetsJerry Zucker’s Ghost. The centralstory revolves around Dr. MichaelHolt (Patrick Wilson, Angels inAmerica), a narcissistic and ambi-tious neurosurgeon who comes torealize he is being shadowed bythe ghost of his ex-wife (JenniferEhle, The King’s Speech). Soundscool, right? However, while it’sequipped with a unique conceptand an ace cast of television veter-ans, the show is not as good as itshould be.

The series opens with Dr. Holtwhen he’s working on a patientand barking at his medical team,and we are to infer that while heis very involved in his work, he iscallous and out of touch withother’s emotions. So, when hiseyes twinkle upon running intohis ex, Anna, we realize she mustbe must be very special. She, too,has become a doctor and has de-voted herself to clinic work.Michael, on the other hand, hasbailed from non-profits, as his ex-traordinary talents are bettersuited for billionaires and celebri-ties. The two have a lovely mealand play catch up, but somethingseems “off;” for a once-marriedpair who hasn’t seen each other inyears, they are surprisingly stiffand never touch. This is becauseAnna’s actually dead.

Dr. Holt panics. He thinkshe’s seeing things, and giveshimself an MRI. Holt’s long-suf-fering assistant (Margo Martin-dale, Justified) grows worried.But Anna continues to reappear.

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Could it be that she’s trying toteach Dr. Holt a lesson? Through-out the episodes, Anna hauntsMichael in the worst way possi-ble, and she is charming enoughto be morally seductive. Shepleads with Michael to pay moreattention to his patients and to re-turn to the clinic she once ran –two of the last things thatMichael ever wants to do.

There are striking similaritiesto House, but House has donethem better. Dr. Holt, like House,is the best, so the richest come tohim. He is supposed to be moreinterested in his cushy lifestylethan serving those who are lessfortunate. However, Wilson is notconvincing enough – he givesHolt a desire to save people thatis unfitting with his alleged per-sona. In addition, pretty muchevery case Dr. Holt tackles has al-ready presented itself on House.In the first few episodes, we see apregnant woman with cancer, apilot who, if she is exposed, willnot be able to fly, and a little boywith an infection. The formulamirrors that of any medicaldrama: Holt diagnoses and treats,then a different symptom pres-ents itself and he must regroup,until finally after a questionableprocedure, an epiphany whichleads to a final diagnosis.

All in all, the medical mysteriesand personality typecasts have allbeen done before, but the undeadangle could provide somethingunique. A Gifted Man would bebetter if it were be a comedy, be-cause it’s hard to take ghosts seri-ously – especially those who areadorable and funny. But that isn’treally what CBS is aiming for.

October 27, 2011 Inside Beat • Page 5

VIDEOGAMES

BY SPENCE BLAZAKSTAFF WRITER

Perfection has taken many dif-ferent faces over the years. Some-times, it looks like The Godfatherand sometimes like Radiohead’sclassic album OK Computer, butnow, perfection wears a cowl.Batman: Arkham City is a sequelthat not only lives up to its prede-cessor but surpasses it in extrav-agant fashion.

Like any good Batman story,Arkham City finds a way to do theimpossible — make Gotham Cityinto something even bleaker thanusual. In this case, half of the cityis now a prison! Any Gotham resi-dent who has the air of criminalbehavior is thrown into the newdistrict, dubbed Arkham City.Players find themselves in theshoes of the incarcerated BruceWayne and must try to get to thebottom of what is going on.

The plot is brilliant, with thetwist-and-turns of a Dashiell Ham-mett noir thriller. Players use Bat-man’s Sherlock Holmes-esquereasoning to get to the bottom of

BY RYAN SURUJNATHASSOCIATE EDITOR

Between conducting corporateespionage and navigating througha web of misinformation, AdamJenson never seems to have iteasy. The Missing Link is a newpiece of DLC that places Jensoninto even more inhospitable sur-roundings. This new scenario isentirely separate from the maingame; players access the DLCfrom the main menu at anytimeand can play without any fear ofrepercussions on their main game.

The Missing Link spans ap-proximately five hours and ex-plains the events that transpiredduring Jenson's journey fromHeng Sha to Singapore. He isfound aboard a cargo ship and ispromptly captured and tortured byBelltower Security, an organiza-tion that is central to the mainstory. Jenson manages to free him-self and is subsequently embroiledin yet another conspiracy.

With Jenson apprehended atgunpoint and stripped of hisweapons and augmentations, play-ers start with a completely blankslate and are able to rebuild theircharacter however they like.Given Human Revolution's trade-marked emphasis on choice, play-ers can choose a set ofaugmentations that promotes acompletely different style of playthan what they may be used to.

Though this may sound entic-ing in theory, it hardly works outas well in practice. The MissingLink suffers from linearity that isuncharacteristic of Human Revo-lution’s usual gameplay. The DLCabandons open, urban environ-

BatmanArkham City

Deus Ex Human Revolution:The Missing Link

Rocksteady Games| A+

Eidos Montreal | B-

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ments in favor of enclosed, indoorsettings. Stealth and hacking areclearly emphasized here; while itis possible to play through TheMissing Link in a more combatbased manner, it is not as satisfy-ing. Combat based players willconstantly find themselves trip-ping alarms and forced into pro-longed, tedious conflicts againstchallenging enemies.

The tight, enclosed environ-ments are dark and bland; it does-n’t feel as artistic as the first game.This is made even worse by theconstant backtracking that playersmust endure. Players will see cer-tain areas three to four times onthe way to different objectives.

Despite some shortcomings,The Missing Link has a number ofstrengths. The plot is thoroughlyfleshed out and is engagingenough to fit into the main game'scontinuity. The story builds upover several hours to a worthwhilefinal climax and boss fight. This isThe Missing Link’s true strength,as Eidos has apparently listened tosome of the complaints critics hadregarding boss fights in the maingame. The Missing Link’s final,gratifying fight allows players touse a variety of tactics to subduetheir enemy. This fight clearly rep-resents how the main game's bossencounters should have been.

The Missing Link suffers fromits fair share of problems, butalso manages to add an interest-ing new storyline to the Deus Exworld. For $15, it’s dif ficult toconsider The Missing Link amust-have, but it adds enoughnew content that fans of HumanRevolution should at least con-sider downloading this DLC.

mystery after mystery. They areall challenging to solve, making itall the sweeter when one is ac-complished. The player reallyfeels like Batman.

While sequels frequently getbad raps for existing for no otherreason than to make money,Arkham City gives players whatthey actually want: more of whatthey found in the first. While thefirst game merely had Batman pit-ted against Poison Ivy, Joker,Scarecrow, Bane and Killer Croc,players will now find themselvesup against every villain they canthink of. One of the game’s bestmoments is fighting an evil sharkthat the Penguin sends to get Bat-man. Not many video game expe-riences are more gratifying thanpunching a shark.

Aesthetically, the game isflawless. The graphics use all ofthe potential of the gaming sys-tem, and expertly capture thedoom and gloom of Gotham City.The score is terrifying, in thatmorose way a Batman scoreshould be. The sound effects givethe game an extra layer as well

by going above and beyond withthe perfectly made sounds of theoddities Batman encounters, i.e.punching a shark.

The game play is set up as anopen world experience, whereplayers can take their time withthe main story. Side missionsabound, and Arkham City makesa trail blazing decision in videogames by doing something notoften seen: side missions thatare relevant to the main story-line and aren’t just throwaways.Playing as Catwoman and Robinis much more enjoyable thanone might think, and the mis-sions are a nice change of paceto the main storyline.

The only “gripe” that could behad with the game is that thebosses are not a huge challenge todefeat. This is a minor setback inan otherwise challenging game,and players wind up fighting somany different bosses that by theend that it all evens out.

Arkham City is, frankly, just funto play. Getting this game should-n’t even be a question for anyonewho owns a gaming console.

P L A Y B I L LGEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE

NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY

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BY HEATHER TEDESCOTHEATER EDITOR

Typically, the Great White Way offers a wide variety of plays and musicals encompassing several gen-res, including tragedy comedy, satire, etc. Today, Broadway marquees are filled with adaptations of tel-evision shows and movies that have been put on stage to entice a more widespread audience. In responseto this, the off-Broadway circuit has also become more commercial, leaving no home for original playsand musicals in Manhattan. This is good news for the regional theaters of New Jersey, who are gettingthe spotlight for producing original works.

One premiere that is especially important here in New Brunswick is being performed right now at theGeorge Street Playhouse. On Oct. 4 George Street Playhouse opened its 2011-2012 season with It Shoulda BeenYou, written by Brian Hargrove and directed by David Hyde Peirce.

For this performance, George Street Playhouse is magically transformed into a beautiful wedding recep-tion hall and hotel as the audience gathers to celebrate the unlikely union of Rebecca Steinberg (Jessica Her-shberg) and Brian Howard (Matthew Hydzik). Though the pair could not seem more thrilled about theirunion, their families have some other ideas about who each of them should marry. Take the mother (TyneDaly) and father (Richard Kline) of the bride for example: They would much rather their daughter marry anice Jewish boy, like her ex-boyfriend, Marty (David Josefsberg). Brian’s parents (Harriet Harris and HowardMcGillin) also find themselves less-than-thrilled with the union. The two families create a lot of drama as thewedding approaches. Handling the drama while keeping a (mostly) level head is Jenny (Lisa Howard), Re-becca’s sister and co-maid of honor.

With one twist after another, It Shoulda Been You leaves audience members on the edge of their seats dur-ing the whole show. Brian Hargrove takes a seemingly familiar plot and creates a relatable story that is con-temporary and yet suited for both older and younger generations. Barbara Anselmi’s music leaves severalgreat melodies in your head as you leave a theatre, all of which are sure to get their own followings.

The star-studded cast exceeds expectations with captivating performances that really connect you to thecharacters and leave you laughing with them — and crying with them too. Tyne Daly’s interpretation of Judyis outstanding. She pairs the excellent, signature Tyne Daly voice with the hysterical portrayal of a stereo-typical Jewish mother. Additionally, the chemistry that she has with the other actors is impeccable. Daly’s in-teractions with Harriet Harris, for example, are exceptionally brilliant. This is highlighted in the comedicmusical number “Nice.”

Another character that will keep you laughing is the wedding planner, Albert (Edward Hibbert). Hibbert’sperformance is absolutely hilarious and will have you begging for more each time he leaves the stage.

Despite the show’s comedic nature, it is also extremely powerful and presents the audience with many dif-ferent messages and perspectives on the world. One exquisite and memorable moment is Lisa Howard’s per-formance of the song “Beautiful.” This song speaks to the insecurities of many people, women and men alike,about their appearance and image … something that is all too relatable. The most moving song in the showis definitely Jessica Hershberg’s performance of “A Little Bit Less Than.” Hershberg’s raw emotion and pas-sion during this number are exceptionally moving and unparalleled.

A great deal of credit must go to the artistic vision and tactics of first-time director, David Hyde Pierce(Frasier). Though Pierce is no stranger to the stage or screen, he has never worked as a director before.When the opportunity arose for him to direct a play that his husband had written, he did not pass it up. Be-cause of this, Pierce’s work with Hargrove shows amazing cohesion and energy. This show is not dull for asingle moment — even the set design is ingenious. There are almost as many surprises in the set as there arein the musical itself and each one of them more exciting than the next. You will be absolutely blown away bywhat this set can do, and by the ways Pierce has the actors interact with it.

Overall, this show is captivating and a must-see for theatre fans everywhere. The show runs through Nov.6. The star-studded cast had the show selling well even before any reviews had been published, which onceagain shows how great a big world-premiere like this is for regional theatre.

Regional and college theater companies are often doing more experimental things with their shows, tak-ing risks that theatergoers cannot see on Broadway, and they’re a lot cheaper for the college student’s budget.Rush tickets are also often available for students.

MEET THE CASTMEET THE CAST

TYNE DALY

HOWARD

MCGILLIN

HARRIET HARRIS

JESSICA

HERSHBERG

LISA HOWARD

EDWARD

HILLBERT

RICHARD KLINE

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October 27, 2011Page 8 • Inside Beat

FILM

BY ALEX NATANZONFILM EDITOR

Drake Doremus presents atouching love story about passionthat endures the longest of distanceswith Like Crazy. Anton Yelchin(Alpha Dog) and Felicity Jones(Cemetery Junction) star as Jacob andAnna. They are two college studentswho meet in Los Angeles and form aromantic relationship with one an-other. After graduation, Anna’s visais set to expire so me must returnback home to London. When shetries to see Jacob again in Los Ange-les, she is turned downed by cus-toms. The two lovers must struggleto maintain a long-distance relation-ship while fighting with the pain ofbeing miles apart from one another.

Inside Beat was able to getsome ‘inside’ opinions from thetwo stars of the film and also fromdirector Drake Doremus on theirexperiences in filming and theirthoughts on this picture.

When asked how much of theirown personalities Felicity Jones andAnton Yelchin put into their charac-ters, Jones replied that they at-tempted to put in as little as possible,articulating that she wished to makeher character feel as real as possible.She called the performance “natu-ralistic,” a reduction of everything.She explained that through readingthe script she was able to uncoverclues about the characters and theirdistinct personalities. “Anna she’svery forward…she is constantly try-

LIKE CRAZYInterviews with the CastInterviews with the Cast

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ing to save the relationship whereasthat’s really very different from me.

Anton Yelchin agreed that thecharacter of Jacob was quite differentfrom himself because of the charac-ter’s introvert and passive nature.

Director Drake Doremus wasable to give some creative insightinto what he thought the theme ofthe movie is. He explained that itwas essentially the importance oflove. He elaborated that pursuinglove was something “special.” Hecharacterizes the tone of the film as“realistic” and “authentic.” “Hope-fully, it feels like it’s almost a docu-mented relationship that we stoleand presented to you.”

One of the most interestingquestions that Doremus elabo-rated on was the level of personalexperience that he brought intothe plot of the film and the charac-ter of Jacob.

He states that a good amount ofhis own personal experience wasimbued into the movie.

“I want to put my feelings andemotions about relationships intothe films. So, my co-writer, BenYork Jones and I put in a lot of feel-ings that we had about relationshipsand how difficult it is to maintain afirst love and what that's like to gothrough that. And I think a lot ofpeople can relate to that because Ithink a lot of people have gonethrough it. So, we really tried to tapinto our feelings about it.”

Like Crazy will be released Oc-tober 28th 2011.

October 27, 2011 Inside Beat • Page 9

FILMBY JESSICA ESPINOSA

STAFF WRITER

Excitement, wonder and dis-gust are all feelings that directorPedro Almodóvar’s brilliant film,The Skin I Live In, or La Piel QueHabito, bring out in an audience.The film moves at a very inter-esting pace, showing the past,present and sometimes both toexplain why the characters actthe way they do.

Antonio Banderas (The Legendof Zorro) stars in this controversialfilm as Robert Ledgard, arenowned surgeon with no scru-ples. The memory of his belovedwife fuels Ledgard’s unethicalwork. Though many in the sci-ence community tell Ledgard tocease his studies and experimen-tations in genetics, he refuses tolisten. He is too emotionally in-volved to just leave his final mas-terpiece unfinished. What beginsas Ledgard simply trying to helphis loved one turns into a tale ofrevenge, obsession and lust.

Robert Ledgard’s work in-volves creating a human skin thatis stronger and more able to with-stand being hurt, the way hiswife’s skin was not, when she wastragically burned. Ledgard is com-parable to Dr. Frankenstein in thisfilm. He uses human trials of thissynthetic skin on his patient,

BY ALEX NATANZONFILM EDITOR

What would the New JerseyInternational Film Festival bewithout a quirky and odd exper-imental film? Some Girls NeverLearn is a salad of bizarre,comedic, distorted, sexy andsometimes ludicrous happen-ings. The motif is perplexingand the meaning is left open tointerpretation.

To start with, a diver finds thelost leg bone of Amelia Earhart.

The Skin I Live In Pedro Almodóvar | A

The New Jersey International Film Festival: Some Girls Never Learn

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He becomes infatuated by the al-luring bone to the point wherehe constantly sees the ghost ofthe famous pilot. The diver isdrawn to Amelia and becomesobsessed with her. He is sent toa small town to have an oddballscience teacher with a gift of an-alyzing organic material take alook at the bone. During thestay, the teacher’s girlfriend be-comes sucked in by Amelia’sspell and becomes trapped in astrange nether-realm. The diverand teacher go to rescue the girl-

friend but the road ahead givesno hints and the teacher isn’taware of the diver’s devoutnessto Amelia.

Some Girls Never Learn is anexperience for any viewer willingto abandon any premonitions oranticipations of meaning andallow themselves to be taken on ajourney through some delight-fully wacky ideas. While this filmwill appear confusing at times andeven aggressively puzzling, itmanages to summon some heart-felt emotions from the character

of the teacher. It may be ambigu-ous, but some nicely filmedscenes reveal the love the teacherand his girlfriend have, and whilehis character is odd and a bit of aloser, he embodies determinationand apathy. He is a sincere personwith altruistic motives who em-barks on a crazed journey of ac-tualization, despite everything heremains driven.

Viewers will have their own in-terpretations of Some Girls NeverLearn, but that’s the point of thispicture. Films like these really

allow for a broad scope of creativecontrol where everything goes,and thankfully one can always seepictures as intriguing as this oneat The New Jersey InternationalFilm Festival.

Films are shown 7 p.m. in theVoorhees Hall Room 105 on theCollege Avenue campus. Tickets are$8 for Rutgers Film Co-Op/NJMACfriends, $9 for students and seniorand $10 for general admission. Formore information about tickets,times, location and the entire sched-ule, visit njfilmfest.com

whom he has kept captive in hishome for years. The captive pa-tient who is essential in his med-ical discoveries and advances isbeautifully played by Spanish ac-tress, Elena Anaya (Van Helsing,Room in Rome).

The music selections in the filmreally help in further enthrallingthe audience; Alberto Iglesias’s ex-citing stringed pieces enhance themood as well as help to explore thepsyche of Dr. Ledgard as he fightswithin himself to continue on withhis work. Iglesias’ music adds a cer-tain depth to the film that reallymakes it captivating.

The themes of obsession andisolation from society for bothVera and Ledgard become some-thing they share and can relateto. Ledgard becomes so obsessedwith Vera that he installs camerasin her room, so he can watch herevery move from his bedroom.These complex characters inAlmodóvar’s film are intriguingto say the least.

The director, Pedro Almodóvar,does an amazing job at unravelingwhat may seem like a very com-plex plot in a way that is pleasingto the eye. Though this bewilder-ing film is only being shown in the-aters in New York City, it is morethan well worth the trip. Thismovie might be one of the best for-eign pictures of the year.

M 8 3M 8 3

JANE’S ADDICTION

October 27, 2011Page 10 • Inside Beat

MUSIC

The Great Escape Artist | A-

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BY SASKIA KUSNECOVSTAFF WRITER

The traditionally heavyacoustics of Jane’s Addictionhave jumped on the electronicwave with the group’s newalbum, The Great Escape Artist.After a second breakup, theband has been teasing its fanswith the release of a new studioalbum since a reunion in 2008,after a second breakup. Eventhough the band’s memberswent in dif ferent directions forsolo albums, side projects andguest members floated in andout of songwriting and produc-tion phases, it’s nice to see thatJane’s Addiction is still releasingfull-length works. However, fansmay be a little taken aback byJane’s latest release.

The first two albums that theband released, Nothing’s Shockingand Ritual de lo Habitual, intro-duced the band’s heavy guitar riffsand Perry Farrell’s distinctive,throaty vocals. The albums wereinstant hits, ranking moderatelyhigh on Rolling Stone’s “Top 500Greatest Albums Of All-Time.”After the band’s first break-up,Jane’s Addiction reunited to re-lease Strays in 2003. While it was-

Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming | A

BY JOSH KELLYSTAFF WRITER

After a listen through AnthonyGonzalez’s (known artistically asM83) newest album Hurry Up,We’re Dreaming, some may say thatthe sixth time is a charm. As he pro-gresses through his career, heswims within the streams of synth-pop, shoegaze and ambient sounds,with each album getting more re-fined and successfully stylized.

The French producer movedto Los Angeles as this album wasbeing recorded, citing his drivesto Joshua Tree National Park asbeing a big influence on thealbum. As the intro track begins,Gonzalez’s efforts are as strongand vibrant as a sunrise, reachingout of darkness with bright,charged beams of sonicpower. Recorded as a double LP,Gonzalez states that the tracks onthe two albums act as brother-sis-ter —– coming full circle to con-vey M83’s most introspective andpersonal album yet.

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n’t received poorly, critics down-graded it for, ironically, strayingfrom the traditional sound of theirfirst two albums.

This puts The Great EscapeArtist in a tentative position; withthe influence of the new bassist,TV on the Radio’s Glenn Stiek, theband takes a new direction. Songslike “Curiosity Kills” and “TwistedTales” mix the traditional post-punk darkness with a new sonicwave sound that indie-bands likeTV on the Radio ultimately pio-neered. “Ted, Just Admit It” and“Words Right Out Of My Mouth”adopt a psychedelic echo, withtalking-style intervals akin to somemoderate Animal Collective songs.

Regardless of how the critic-sques receive it, The Great EscapeArtist is a solid album of experi-mental, quality songs with dark,provocative lyrics and sultrytunes. Perry Farrell’s unique voiceis as easily appreciated as it was inNothing’s Shocking -- he’s justusing it in a different manner. Notonly that, but it is digitally editedto fade or echo out; the album isreally an experiment with vocalsas an instrument among other ele-ments. It’s a quality album, and al-though it does stand alone in theJane’s legacy, it stands strong.

The songs are about are citedas being written about dreamsthroughout in different stages ofGonzalez’s life; they are , and theyare very reflective and contain arobust quality. With large, airysynths, cascading drums and , softambient vocals, the songs soundplucked straight out of the ’80s. Asan addition to the musical stylingson this album, instruments suchas acoustic guitar and saxophonemake grandiose appearances.

As a creative effort, this albumstands unparalleled in M83’s ca-reer, and is definitely one of thestrongest releases this year. No-table tracks include songs such as“Midnight City,” “Claudia Lewis,”and “Ok Pal.” Hurry Up, We’reDreaming is a milestone in artis-tic development in M83’s career;it’s a haunting meditation on life,love and dreams. If there is analbum that merits actually goingout and buying a physical copy of,Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming makesa strong case for the fact that it’sworth every cent.

October 27, 2011 Inside Beat • Page 11

MUSIC

BY EMILY GABRIELEMUSIC EDITOR

Four is the magic number. This Friday, October 28, the University’s four contemporary a cappella groups will be hosting their fourth an-nual 4gy event. The 4gy (pronounced four-gee) is a themed-based performance festive to Halloween. “It’s my favorite concert of the schoolyear, and it’s particularly fun because everyone dresses up for Halloween and each group dresses in a different theme,” commented Julie Mel-chor, Orphansporks’ Musical director. Joining the Orphansporks’ placement in the 4gy line-up are fellow a cappella groups: Shockwave, DeepTreble, and Casual Harmony.

“We’re doing a pretty diverse set this time, and we’ve come up with some pretty creative costumes as well,” teased Deep Treble’s Musical Di-rector, Galadriel Sevener. Each group will showcase four songs at the event, which will take place at Hickman Hall at 8 p.m. At the end of each 4gy,it’s a custom for all four a cappella groups join in a collaborative song to impress the audience with their super force of talent. “It’s really cool to seehow each group plays off the energy of everyone,” Courtney Shaw, musical director of Shockwave, enthusiastically stated.

Admission is $8 at the door for University students and $10 for non-University students. The 4gy begins promptly at 8 p.m. so don’t be late!

BY AMY ROWESTAFF WRITER

The Ridgewood, N.J., natives ofReal Estate offer up the opposite ofa sophomore slump with Days.While very much the same tone asthe band’s first self-titled album,Days departs slightly from thebeach rock subject matter withwhich the band is accustomed withan October release. Some of the

Days | A-

Real Estate

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album’s songs were written usingthe same guitar chords as others,which may strike listeners at first asrepetitive. But on subsequent lis-tens, the simplicity of each songwhisks the listener away to a care-free summer day of hanging out inthe suburbs of New Jersey…alifestyle which the band membersare all too familiar with.

Take it from front man MartinCourtney, who nostalgically sings

on the second track, “All thosewasted miles/All those aimlessdrives/Our careless lifestyle/It wasnot so unwise.” Throughout thealbum, layered guitar riffs and cy-cling rhythm keep listeners ontrack, evoking the essence of the“careless lifestyle.”

An overall relaxing album,Days contains just one song with-out words to showcase the band’smusical chops with “Kinder Blu-

men.” But its melody and rhythmare certainly enough to carry the“take-it-easy” vibe that the band istrying to evoke.

Another noteworthy trackthat is markedly dif ferent fromthe others is “Wonder Years,” inwhich bassist Alex Bleeker takesthe mic. He still succeeds in car-rying on the ease while lookingback at an old love, when hesings in his monotone voice,

“But I’m not yours and you’re notmine/No I’m not okay but I guessI’m doing fine.”

Days is a perfect album to haveplaying in the background whilestudying as its vibe of simple gui-tars and rolling rhythms are easyto hear even when slightly tuningout. But while tuning in, listenerswill enjoy the nostalgia of summerdays, even during the chilly au-tumn months.

October 27, 2011Page 12 • Inside Beat

MUSIC

BY EMILY GABRIELEMUSIC EDITOR

The long-winded protest onWall Street has caught the at-tention of many, includingcelebrities. Making subtle ap-pearances at the protest at Zuc-cotti Park over the past monthinclude music industry giantsKanye West, Russel Simmons,Kid Cudi and ‘60s folk singerPete Seeger. These celebrity ap-pearances have definitelyheightened the protest’s nota-

Musicians Occupy

Wall Street

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bility and raised the awarenessand contour of its cause.

The protest’s incessant drum-ming has rarely ceased, yet, how-ever there was a break in the beatwhen musical artists stopped by toperform. Jeff Mangum and MichaelFranti made an appearance to-gether earlier this month. Also join-ing the musical acts to pass throughZuccotti Park is veteran hip-hopartist Talib Kweli. Who’s the nextmusic industry member to occupyWall Street? Keep your eyes openand your ears tuned.