INSIDEBEATTHE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE OF THE DAILY TARGUM

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Internal AffairsNot all political memoirsare created equal

December 2, 2010Column Page 2 • Inside Beat

Alex Natanzon, Ciara Copell, Gwendolyn Breitstein, Inayah Bristol, Jason Pearl, Jenna Grunfeld,

Steve Smoke, Ryan Surujnath

ARIBA ALVI..........................................................................TV EDITOR

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

NATALIA TAMZOKE...................................................THEATER EDITOR

ROSANNA VOLIS..........................................................FASHION EDITOR

AMANDA LITCHKOWSKI.....................................................ART EDITOR

NANCY SANTUCCI..............................................................COPY EDITOR

KATHERINE CHANG.........................................................FILM EDITOR

NIDHI SARAIYA..............................................................BOOKS EDITOR

ASHLEY PARK..............................................................ONLINE EDITOR

RAMON DOMPOR...............................................................PHOTO EDITOR

E D I T O R I A LB O A R D

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INSIDEBEATTHIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS TO

INSIDE BEAT :

STACY DOUEK.................................................EDITOR

NATALIA TAMZOKE.......................................ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ROSANNA VOLIS.............................................ASSISTANT EDITOR

Cover Photo of Nelson Mandela ofWikimedia Commons

BY NATALIA TAMZOKEASSOCIATE/THEATER EDITOR

The other day I was in a Barnes& Noble, and as soon as I walkedin I stumbled upon Sarah Palin’snewest book America by Heart. I’lladmit that my first reaction was tolaugh, and it wasn’t because Ithink she’s a ridiculous politicalfigure; rather, the smile came tomy face as I began to think abouther possible bid for the presidencyin 2012. Now, I’m not going to sithere and rant about Sarah Palin—that would be far too easy. Instead,I’m going to explain why I hopeshe does run, and why I can’t waitfor it to happen.

As someone obsessed withtheater, I can’t help but take pleas-ure in the theatricality of politics.During the 2008 presidential elec-tion, I would literally sit in front ofthe television for hours justwatching polls, speeches and thelatest outlandish remarks frompoliticians about their opposingpolitical party. CNN was my sta-tion of choice, and AndersonCooper was my homeboy. Thosewere the days.

While the campaigning hasquite a few months before it kicksoff, it’s nice to see Palin plantingher seed early. Mentioning shemight run around the same timeher memoir comes out seems tobe helpful. (After all, having timeto edit and compile her views may

Lions, Tigers,and

Mama Bears Many of the best iOS games have an unusual premise, and Secret Exit’s crit-

ically acclaimed Zen Bound is one of them. In Zen Bound, the player must usea length of rope to tie up wood and stone carvings. As the carvings — anythingfrom animals to abstract shapes to alarm clocks — are tied up, color will spreadacross their form wherever the rope touches. The more painted the object, thehigher the goal reached. While the first few levels are simple, there is a some-

what steep learning curve as the carvings become more elaborate. Even though the later lev-els may be challenging, Zen Bound will still provide a fun and unique experience to anyone whodownloads it.

—Jason PearlAPP

OF

THE

WEE

K rantZEN BOUND

be more effective than her past in-terview blunders.) However,some of her material is still likelyto cause controversy — and I’mloving it.

Regarding victims of HurricaneKatrina, Palin states, “HurricaneKatrina revealed something otherthan government incompetence. Itrevealed a population of Ameri-cans dependent on governmentand incapacitated by the destruc-tion of the American family.” Wow.I’m sure affected families and theDemocratic Party will have lots offun stuff to say about that. Andwhat about her bit on teenagepregnancy and abortion? “ManyAmericans, I think, are a lot likeJuno.” That’s so rad. I wonder ifshe could get Ellen Page to en-dorse her views.

Despite her words, Palin hasgrown as a politician. Based onher tea party speeches and re-cent interviews, she has devel-oped confidence while stillmanaging that raw honesty thatwe know all too well. Will this stirthings up? Can Palin pullthrough? Only time will tell.

In America by Heart, she says,“If they thought pit bulls with lip-stick were tough, wait until theymeet a mama grizzly.” Sarah, keepit coming — your words areloaded guns, and I can’t wait foryou to go hunting this political sea-son. Just make sure you don’tshoot any elephants.

December 2, 2010 Art • Fashion • TV Inside Beat • Page 3

What: loans for high-end artPrice: ranging from $133-$5,332Where to buy: culturelabel.com/art

In addition to Culture Label’s extensive unique artselection, the online shop also totes a servicecalled “Own Art.” The program allows customersto purchase contemporary paintings to furniturewith the help of incremental loans. And even bet-ter, they’re interest-free! Most of the availablepieces are or have been exhibited in top spots likethe Tate Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art.

The unbelievable: a wall covered with 1,521 donuts

The culprit: Jennifer Rubell

The down-low: Rubell, a graduate of Harvard and the Culi-nary Institute of America, as well as a daughter of Miami’s allegedrichest art-collecting couples, has been successful her whole life.She’s opened a series of hotels in Miami, been a food columnist andalso wrote a book about simple entertaining. Then she decided to tryout an art career, and what better way to start than by hanging donutson a wall? She created “Old-Fashioned” using nothing other than,you guessed it, Old-Fashioned donuts from Dunkin Donuts. Thetreats were hung from nails exactly six inches from each other. View-ers were allowed to grab a piece of the art and nosh away.

The unnecessary fun facts: Rubell has also createdsculptures of her head with expensive cheese, hung them from theceiling and blasted them with a heat gun. Below the cheese headslied piles of crackers onto which the melting cheese would drip andcreate finger food for gallery goers. She’s also made a padded cellout of pink cotton candy. Yum!

BY JENNA GRUNFELDSTAFF WRITER

In case you were wondering,Sarah Palin’s Alaska is just asbeautiful as anyone else’s, but ithas a shrill, annoying runningcommentary along with it.

Sarah Palin’s Alaska is a realityshow with a touch of nature. TheAlaskan scenery is majestic —there are some breathtaking shotsof Mt. McKinley, picturesquelakes and eagles in their naturalhabitats. If you were to watch theshow on mute you might enjoy itfor the green lakes and snowyhills. If you do have the sound on,you have the supreme displeasureof noticing just how unnecessary— if not detrimental — it is to haveSarah Palin there at all.

It’s clear almost immediatelythat there is very little focus to theprogram; is it a platform for Palin’sopinions, an inside look at theoften-overlooked 49th state or awindow into the Palin family life?

Palin is a mother of five, agrandmother, an aunt, a wife and,lest we forget, a politician. We arepainfully reminded of her politicalrole about five minutes into the se-ries when Palin begins talkingabout a neighbor who has movedin to observe and write a bookabout her. “Todd and his buddiesgot out there and built a 14-footfence,” Palin says in her interview.

BY ROSANNA VOLISASSISTANT / FASHION EDITOR

A perfect closet, it’s what every clothes-obsessed individual dreams about— to hold all of your precious belongings, to display your shoes and hangyour coat. Who wouldn’t want a closet like Carrie Bradshaw’s in the Sex andthe City movie? That closet played a crucial role — it’s where Carrie and Bigfinally reunite in search of her navy blue Manolo Blahniks. How about theawesome closet from Clueless? It guided Cher through her many color-co-ordinated, ’90s ensembles with ease. The underestimated centerpiece of anyroom, a closet is where a person decides how he or she will present them-selves to the world on a particular day. Ever wondered what the closets ofsome of the most influential designers look like? So did we. Take a look athow one generation of little girls who once played dress-up have lived outtheir fantasies. So when you’re storing your shoes in Target bins or packingprecious dresses into a tiny dorm room, you can dare to dream.

Designer Digs

Sarah Palin’s Alaska TLC, Sundays at 9pm | D

What were they thinking?

BY AMANDA LITCHKOWSKIART EDITOR

Seriously...Donut Wall

Clockwise from L-R: Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer (Creative Directorof Estee Lauder), Jenna Lyons of J.Crew and Nanette LeporePhotos Courtesy of ElleDecor

BY AMANDA LITCHKOWSKIART EDITOR

It’s almost holiday time, and there’s a downside to all the wintery joy and cheer. There are about 20 daysleft to find the right gifts for all the right people. What’s even tougher is being on a budget. Unfortunately, thistime Inside Beat is not here to help. Instead, this week we take a look at a few bank-breaking gifts that are tooawesome for most to afford.

What: your DNA on a canvasPrice: starting at $440Where to buy: dna11.com

First, you mail a mouth swab of your DNA to thecompany. DNA11 then categorizes your sample intoa Haplogroup, which is like an ancestral group ofhuman beings based on migration patterns. Next,your DNA sequence is combined with a personal se-rial number to create a unique URL address. Finally,the URL is transformed into a 2D barcode that isthen printed on canvas in the colors of your choice.

What: a workout session in a galleryPrice: upon requestWhere to buy: Technogym, located in SoHo

Technogym is part workout space, part showroom andpart luxury lounge. The two-story gym, complete with agrand staircase surrounded by a vertical garden, openedonly two weeks ago. After a sweaty session under the su-pervision of a galore of personal trainers, customers canenjoy gourmet espresso while skimming art books inthe library area. And coolest of all, Mick Jagger uses thesame technology housed in Technogym.

COURTESY OF DNA11

COURTESY OF URBAN DADDY

COURTESY OF CULTURE LABEL

COURTESY OF JENNIFERRUBELL.COM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TLC.COM

The Art Aficionado’s Wishlist

“By the way, I thought that was agood example. What we just did,others could look at and say ‘Ohthis is what we need to do to se-cure our nations border.’”

In the pilot episode, the view-ers do get the chance to learn alittle about the dif ficulty in-volved in climbing a mountainlike Mt. McKinley. We are ableto see tiny brown bear cubs andlarger bear cubs fishing andfighting wish each other; welearn about the small planescommonly employed in Alaskaas a means of transportation;and we learn that Palin’s hus-band, Todd, is a very quiet indi-vidual, which at the leastprovides insight into how theirrelationship works.

The scenes from the remainingepisodes in the season show more ofthe same: extreme adventures, thechildren’s antics and Palin’s high-pitched leadership in keeping thefamily together and showing themthe way. For those who have noticedPalin’s lingering presence in side-banter, this show will provide plentyof good material. But if you are look-ing for quality entertainment, it’sprobably best to look elsewhere.

BY ASHLEY PARKONLINE EDITOR

If President Barack Obama wants to lead by example, he is certainly doing his partto teach the lessons of charity and generosity to the nation’s children. Of Thee I Sing:A Letter to My Daughters was written in 2008, prior to his presidency, and is Obama’sfirst children’s book. All of the proceeds will go toward a scholarship fund for chil-dren of fallen or disabled soldiers.

Each page of the book pays homage to famous Americans, such as Georgia O’Keefeand Neil Armstrong, with each historical figure representing an American virtue like cre-ativity and patriotism. The writing is poetic and perhaps a little overly sentimental. However,the lovely, soft illustrations by Loren Long will blow you away. She fills the book with color,warmth and a painterly gracefulness apparent in everything from the noble profile of JackieRobinson to George Washington’s billowing cape.

As a children’s book, Of Thee I Sing lacks whimsy and fun, but it is a worthy bedtime selec-tion for its inspirational and beautifully portrayed message of what it means to be an American.

BY NIDHI SARAIYABOOKS EDITOR

In his new memoir, Decision Points, former president George W. Bush takes a franklook at his tumultuous eight years in office and the events that shaped them.

Bush had his share of political missteps and public blunders. Yet it was undoubtedlytough for one man to be scrutinized for every decision he made. He was criticized for act-ing too rashly in the search for weapons of mass destruction and heckled for acting tooslowly in aiding victims of Hurricane Katrina. While in the White House, Bush often re-sisted accepting responsibility for these events, but in the book, Bush breaks away thatstubborn “I’m always right” assertiveness. While he stops short of accepting the blame forany serious wrongdoings, he admits to making some unsound choices and discusses howhe would have acted differently in some circumstances.

For readers with strong opinions about the former president, Decision Points is not likelyto change them. But those willing to look beyond the black and white portrayal of GeorgeW. Bush in the media, this retrospective will show some shades of gray.

A Day InThe Life

Throughout the fallmonths, politicianshave been releasingnew publications,both left and right.

Decision PointsOf Thee I SingBarack Obama | B George W. Bush | B

Which politicians have the edge? Inside Beat’s staffcasts its vote on these bestselling political memoirs.

It’s a tie!Obama losespoints for not

actually writinga memoir, andBush gains thesympathy vote.

PresidentialDebate

Global Impact

BY SHAMA HUQSTAFF WRITER

As a progressive Labour Party member who helped change the atmosphere ofBritish politics, and as a prime minister through tumultuous new times, Tony Blairhas overseen many crucial events in British history. His memoir A Journey: My Po-litical Life serves as an attempt to reveal the underlying relationships and decisionsthat were present beneath the surface.

While the book covers the entirety of Blair’s political career, the most notable sectionsdiscuss the choices he made following 9/11. Blair stands out as the only British prime min-ister in history to send troops out five times, standing in solidarity with America and ourforeign policy. But this was not an easy task for him and he goes through the struggle thathe encountered within Britain and within himself during this time. Blair carefully fills in theblanks with a friendly voice, using first names in a manner that allows the reader to feel asthough they were witnesses to these behind-the-scenes moments. He also displays a dex-terity of language throughout that should be unsurprising, given the way with words thatpoliticians seem to possess, but it is still pleasant all the same.

The singular flaw is something that Blair admits at the very end, stating, “It has neverbeen entirely clear whether the journey I have taken is one of triumph of the person overthe politics, or of the politics over the person.” Indeed at times, the tone of memoir feels asif Blair is questioning rather than reflecting. But, it is still an enjoyable read thanks to Blair’sdry humor and impeccable British wit.

BY AUBREY SHERMANSTAFF WRITER

Following her bestselling debut Going Rogue, former Republican vice presidential can-didate Sarah Palin returns to bookstores with her follow-up, America By Heart: Reflectionson Family, Faith and Flag. Inspired by her belief that our current government is threat-ening America’s founding principles, the book reads as a love letter to the Constitution andthe founding fathers, as well as a rallying call for the public to stand up against big gov-ernment. Avoiding in-depth discussion of any issues at the heart of today’s politics, she in-stead focuses on broader themes: appreciating our veterans, the importance of family andthe role religion has had in shaping our country’s morals.

Her writing style is simple and breezy, making the book easy to finish — and that’s a goodthing because, after a while, her almost religious faith in the infallibility of the Constitutionand her extreme optimistic tone become grating. There are occasionally uncomfortable mo-ments as well, such as when she argues that victims of Hurricane Katrina would have copedbetter if they had had stronger family units, and when she criticizes her daughter Bristol’sadolescent pregnancy. But despite all its faults, the book may be a worthwhile read for its in-sight into the motivations behind the tea party movement. Just don’t expect any surprises. InAmerica By Heart, Palin proves her worth as a true politician who knows how to hit the emo-tional chords in her audience while sidestepping any substantial response to her critics.

BY NIDHI SARAIYABOOKS EDITOR

Nelson Mandela is a man who has become a living legend due to his distinction as ananti-apartheid activist, the first democratically elected president of South Africa and a NobelPeace Prize winner. But in Conversations with Myself, readers get to see a unique viewpointof this glorified man, one uncolored with the perceptions of others or himself.

Unlike most autobiographical accounts, this book tells the story of Mandela al-most completely through personal letters, recollections and transcribed conversa-tions. Except for the editorial notes at the beginning of each chapter, there is nooutside analysis presented. Readers must become historians and take these individ-ual artifacts to string together a linear narrative.

It is clear from the first few pages that Mandela is a man of many words. From thenumerous letters and lengthy conversations with family and friends to the copiousnotes written on his desk calendars, he always had something to say. But the depth ofhis introspection is equally impressive. With stories about his first wife, race relationsand his experiences as a lawyer, Mandela ponders with a philosopher’s astuteness anddiscusses his analyses in detail.

Conversations with Myself is an informative and enlightening read, but don’t be fooled byits approachable title. For casual fans of Mandela, this book will generate more questionsthan answers. However for history buffs, this scholarly compilation will elucidate the detailsleft out by the history books.

BY NINA MACAPINLACSTAFF WRITER

When Condoleezza Rice is mentioned, most people do not picture a young girl withMickey Mouse ears sitting on a couch eagerly awaiting a new episode of The MickeyMouse Club. As the first black woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State, Rice is often as-sociated with images of power, intellect and strength. But in her memoir Extraordinary,Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family, Rice brings to light the little girl in the Mickey Mouseears as well as the supportive parents who always sat on the couch beside her.

Raised in the deeply segregated environment of 1950s Birmingham, Ala., Rice recallsher childhood with an appreciative and humble voice. She avoids the over-sentimentalityfound in most memoirs, and yet it is hard not to feel a surge of emotion for her parents. Shesings their praises through the entirety of the book and is obviously grateful for their em-phasis on education and their dignity as people. Rice likens their protective upbringing toa “buffer” that shielded her from discrimination and she credits them for paving the roadto the success she has achieved.

While most political autobiographies focus on politics and individual deeds, Extraordi-nary, Ordinary People tells the story of family. Her consistently positive angle on her par-ents and home life does lead the reader to ponder the existence of any sugarcoating, butultimately the book is very insightful and enjoyable.

FemmePhenoms

Conversations with Myself A Journey: My Political LifeTony Blair | B+Nelson Mandela | A-

Both have cool accents, but

Mandela sneaksaway with the victory.

America By Heart Extraordinary, Ordinary PeopleCondoleeza Rice | BSarah Palin | C-

Rice wins the majority vote with creativity

and inspiration.

BY ALEX NATANZONSTAFF WRITER

Roger Michell’s Morning Glorystarts off as a promising romanticcomedy but manages to lose flavorthroughout the film’s progression.The cast of popular and acclaimedveteran actors give the moviemuch potential, but ultimatelyMorning Glory falls in to the vastpool of unoriginal, “We’ve seen itbefore” romantic comedies and isanything but glorious.

Becky Fuller (RachelMcAdams, Sherlock Holmes) is asweet, workaholic news producerfor a local morning show. Afterbeing fired she fervently searchesfor jobs and is eventually hired byJerry Barnes (Jeff Goldblum, TheFly) the head of a struggling, big-time morning news show calledDayBreak. She settles in quicklyand almost immediately wins the

December 2, 2010Film • Video GamesPage 6 • Inside Beat

BY JASON PEARLSTAFF WRITER

Skyline is a lot like the illegiti-mate child of Cloverfield and Inde-pendence Day. The producers ofSkyline decided to throw almostthe entirety of its meager budgettoward some second-rate specialeffects, leaving only the scraps foreverything else.

Basically, Skyline follows thestory of several unlikeable and un-interesting 20-somethings duringsome sort of alien abduction event.After crashing in his friend’s pent-house following a night of drinkingand arguments, Jarrod (Eric Bal-four, The Texas Chainsaw Mas-sacre) and his girlfriend Elaine(Scottie Thompson, NCIS), areawakened by a strange blue light.The alien invaders have inventedwhat amounts to a human bug zap-per that lures their hypnotized preyinto tractor beams. Jarrod initiallybecomes entranced by the enig-

BY CIARA COPELLSTAFF WRITER

Denzel Washington has done it again. His newest film, Un-stoppable, is the perfect action adventure movie. The film isaction-packed, as it follows two train workers trying to stop arunaway train filled with toxic chemicals. What makes thefilm even more incredible is that it is based on a true story.

Washington plays Frank Barnes, a veteran train engineerwho quickly becomes the unlikely hero in a horrible situa-tion. Washington plays the party flawlessly, bringing muchneeded comedy every so often, giving the audience a breakfrom the constant adrenaline rush that comes with watchinga train chase for two hours. Even more impressive thanWashington’s performance, however, was Chris Pine, whoplays Will Colson, the new kid on the job who is stuck withFrank on his first day after training. Though they initially buttheads, the two come together to save the people in the townwhere the train is going to derail.

Many would agree that Washington is an amazing actor,and the idea of starring side-by-side with him would bedaunting. But, surprisingly, Pine holds his own againstWashington and really shines throughout the movie.Rosario Dawson (Rent) is also impressive in her role asConnie, the yardmaster who helps Frank and Will stop thetrain from headquarters. She executes her role as a strongheroine and stands out in her arguments with the naïvevice president of operations trying to call the shots from anoffice in an unspecified location.

Unstoppable leaves the audience satisfied and keeps theadrenaline pumping throughout. The film starts off a little bitslow, and many are left wondering where it is going, but afterabout 20 minutes, the wait pays off. The mere notion of asolid hour and a half of watching a train chase would makeany audience member wary of potential exhaustion and bore-dom, but comedic elements as well as subplots were placedstrategically so the audience got a break here and there. Aparticularly funny aside was revealing that Frank’s twodaughters were waitresses at Hooters.

Though the movie starts off a little slow, the audience be-comes so engulfed in the chase, that it is hard to even re-member the slow start by the end. Unstoppable leaves theaudience emotionally invested in the characters and on theedge of their seat throughout the entire film. Clapping occa-sionally broke out in the theater after especially intense mo-ments. Unstoppable is truly an amazing action adventure thatis great for anyone, as long as you’re ready for a wild ride.

BY RYAN

SURUJNATHSTAFF WRITER

The final notable release ofwhat has become the year of thesequel is Assassin’s Creed: Broth-erhood — the direct successor toone of the best games of 2009, As-sassin’s Creed 2. Brotherhood takesplace almost immediately after theevents of the previous game,rather than entering a new eraand introducing new characters.

The single player follows twostorylines. In the present day,Desmond Miles, a descendant ofthe ancient order of the Assassins,uses a device called the Animus torelive the memories of his Renais-sance-era ancestor Ezio Auditore

Tony Scott | A

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

Roger Michell | C

Ubisoft | A-

UnstoppableMorning Glory

SkylineBrothers Strause | F

COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES

COURTESY OF UBISOFT

COURTESY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

admiration of her co-workers, in-cluding weary, long-time veterananchor Colleen Peck (DianeKeaton). In hopes of boosting theshow’s ratings, Becky fires thecocky head anchor, and replaceshim with legendary reporter MikePomeroy (Harrison Ford).Pomeroy unwillingly takes the jobbecause of a clause in his contract.All hell ensues after that, as Beckymust handle her bickering anchorsand manage a resentful Pomeroy,all while balancing her budding ro-mance with co-worker Adam Ben-nett (Patrick Wilson, Watchmen).

One would expect a film star-ring Ford and Keaton to immedi-ately have a certain level of depth,regardless of the genre. Unfortu-nately, Morning Glory fails to cap-tivate, despite having the makingsof a good movie. It tries to beclever, by having a witty back andforth between the main charac-ters, but it is evident that there is

no essence behind it, and the in-teractions are dry to say the least.The humor is cute in certainscenes, but, for the most part, onlybrings about a few weak chuckles.Because of the poor character de-velopment, the ending was unsat-isfying and quite underwhelming.

Morning Glory doesn’t com-pletely fail as a film due to strongacting on the part of McAdams andFord. McAdams’ ability to decom-pose her character’s personality ispraiseworthy, and she acts as theglue keeping the film together. Shegives her character a very likeablecharm, allowing the audience to re-late with her. Ford’s performanceas the esteemed Pomeroy was no-table because he was able to trans-form himself into the persona ofMike Pomeroy, while still stayingwithin his acting scope. Still, onewould have hoped for more fromKeaton. Her enactment felt plastic,and, aside from a few exchangedinsults, there wasn’t much com-munication between her andFord’s character.

Don’t see Morning Glory ifyou are expecting a heartwarm-ing comedy at the level of WhenHarry Met Sally or My Big FatGreek Wedding. This film unen-thusiastically fails to live up to itsprospective. Morning Glory is thesort of picture that you watchafter a long day of work, whenthere is nothing better on televi-sion, and you just need some-thing light to fall asleep to.

matic glow but is snapped out of itby his friend Terry (Donald Faison,Scrubs). Witnessing the incrediblepower of the extraterrestrials andknowing full well the effects of thelight, Jarrod and Terry decide thatthe best course of action is to go upto the roof and stare at the space-ships. When that brilliant ideadoesn’t work out, they regroupwith a few others in the apartmentand try to figure out a way to avoida horrific amount of probing.

Everyone involved in the pro-duction of Skyline should beashamed to have their names at-tached to the project. To startwith, the actors are barely evenacting. They seem to be simplyreading their lines and addingsome inflection every once in awhile. Honestly, I’ve seen betterperformances in HamburgerHelper commercials. The direc-tion is unsurprisingly no better, asGreg and Colin Strause have di-rected only one other feature, the

critically panned Alien vs. Preda-tor: Requiem. Many of the scenesare awkwardly framed or cantedand are often not-so-cleverly bro-ken up by shots of the LA skyline.

Clearly the pair of visual ef-fects designers has no grasp ofdirection, and, after the cine-matic tragedy that is Skyline,should give up on their new-found hobby. As for the screen-play, it frankly doesn’t make anysense. It’s not just that the plot isridiculous even in the context ofthe movie, but parts of conversa-tions seem to be completely leftout. If a lack of cohesion andtransition in dialogues makessense to you, you’ve got a jobwaiting for you in Hollywood.

To put it simply, nothing isdone well in Skyline. Even thingsthat would normally go unnoticedin a film, such as sound mixing,are done poorly. Anything wouldbe preferable to sitting throughthis abysmal travesty.

da Firenze in order to find the lo-cation of an artifact known as theApple of Eden. The player prima-rily takes on the role of Ezio dur-ing memory blocks and followshis story as he releases Romefrom the corrupt hands of the Bor-gia family and the Templars.

Like its predecessors, Broth-erhood remains a third-personaction game. Mechanics worksimilarly to the previous games,implementing a system of lowprofile (stealthy) and high pro-file (aggressive) actions. Thegame tries to emphasize stealth,but the player can (and some-times must) engage in upfront,open combat.

Unfortunately, while thestealth elements can provide aninteresting challenge, the opencombat is made much too easy.

Players can tear through largegroups of enemies with relativeease through counter-kills and thenew execution streak feature.

While it looks nice and fluid,this is a problem because in agame in which the player iscalled an assassin, it is too easyfor stealthy assassinations to turninto complete blood baths. Thisshould not diminish from theoverall experience. Brotherhoodis a beautiful looking game. Thecity of Rome is spectacular, char-acter models look nice, and thecombat animations are some ofthe best I’ve seen.

Most know what to expectfrom the single player, but mul-tiplayer was uncharted territoryfor the Assassin’s Creed fran-chise. Though it is a first for theseries, Brotherhood provides an

amazing multiplayer that of fersa refreshing deviation from theusual online MMO, shooter orsports game. The level up sys-tem that the game utilizes is typ-ical: players unlock newequipment, weapons and perksas they earn experience.

Players are thrown into a mapfull of NPCs. Each player takeson the appearance of a certainNPC character model. The objectis to assassinate the given targetwithout killing an NPC lookalike.Players are given radars to findtheir target, but in more ad-vanced game modes the radaronly gives a broad general area inwhich the target could be. Inthese cases, players must use ob-servation to determine where thehuman player is hiding. The mul-tiplayer rewards players not nec-

essarily based on the number ofkills but rather how stealthilysaid kills were obtained.

Brotherhood provides thegreat campaign experience thatmany remember from Assassin’sCreed 2. Ubisoft did not have toinclude a multiplayer for peopleto buy this game, but they did soand it is implemented beautifully.Be sure to put Assassin’s Creed:Brotherhood on your holiday wishlist, as it is a legitimate Game ofthe Year candidate.

December 2, 2010 Music • Theater Inside Beat • Page 7

BY EMILY GABRIELEMUSIC EDITOR

Recently, hip-hop artists have been releasing new material to share withthe world. These are songs that should definitely make it onto your playlist.

BY STEVE

SMOKESTAFF WRITER

Danger Days: The True Livesof the Fabulous Killjoys is un-doubtedly MCR’s most ambitiouseffort to date. Set in 2019, theband members take on new per-sonas for the concept album. Thesound is refreshing, yet familiar.Classic MCR alternative rock isinfused with an array of electricsynth to create an album thatshould have more than just theusual MCR fans excited.

The album begins with an an-nouncer over a rising guitar riff

BY INAYAH

BRISTOLSTAFF WRITER

For anyone who disliked thedark and depressing route Ri-hanna took with her last album, noneed to worry, the bright and pop-driven Rihanna is back. Her fifthstudio album entitled Loud is acompletely different kind ofalbum, full of a wide variety ofsongs ranging from mid-tempoballads to upbeat pop songs.

The album can be describedas confident, fun, flir ty anddownright naughty. Songs like“What’s My Name (feat. Drake)”and “Raining Men (feat. NickiMinaj)” show a fun side to Ri-hanna’s style. On the other

BY GWENDOLYN BREITSTEINSTAFF WRITER

Founded in 2004, A 4 Effort is a student group dedicated toshort-form improvisational comedy.

Credits: Most recently, the group opened for Ben Bailey,the host of Discovery Channel’s Cash Cab. They also openedfor such comedians as Nick Thune as well as comedy groupssuch as the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company, andthe world-famous sketch group Derrick Comedy.

Members: The A 4 Effort troupe includes University stu-dents John Bender, Emily Lowinger, Jordan Gochman, BrytonMcGrath, Alex Puhalla and Dan Conroy.

Style: Their improv is based on games with predeterminedstructures similar to the ones played on the TV show WhoseLine Is It Anyway? Because all the parts of A 4 Effort’s showare unscripted, the games start with a suggestion from the au-dience. Each joke, pun and pratfall is made up by the groupmembers on the spot. The group attributes its ability to createhilarious and cohesive scenes to cooperation, practice and astrong group bond.

A 4 Effort will be holding its end-of-semester show on Thurs-day, Dec. 2 at 9:30 p.m. in Scott Hall, Room 123. Tickets are $2for students with RUID and $5 for regular admission.

BY NATALIA TAMZOKEASSOCIATE/THEATER EDITOR

Last appearing on Broadway in2008, [title of show] was based onits writers, Jeff Bowen and HunterBell, who also appeared as the twoleads during the initial run from afestival. While Bowen and Bell areabsent from the production at theGeorge Street Playhouse, theshow successfully tells their storywith its talented cast.

[title of show] follows twofriends, Jeff and Hunter, who de-cide to create a new show withinthree weeks for the New York Mu-sical Theatre Festival. After somethought, they decide to write a mu-sical about writing a musical. Andso the show continues, taking theaudience through their journey,assisted by their two actressfriends, Heidi and Susan.

Seth Rudetsky, best known inthe Broadway sphere for his workas a conductor and pianist, colum-nist for Playbill.com, and host of“Seth’s Big Fat Broadway” on Sir-

Listen Up!My ChemicalRomance

Loud | B-

Spotlight on RU Theater

Rihanna

Hip Hop Edition

[title of show]“An Original Musical” comes

to New Brunswick.

George Street Playhouse | B+

Danger Days:The True Lives of theFabulous Killjoys | B+

Hip-hop’s hottest female emceehas finally released her debutalbum, Pink Friday. The albumhas many tracks featuring otherartists such as Eminem, the BlackEyed Peas Will.I.Am, Kanye Westand Drake. “Moment 4 Life” is amelodic song that contains cleverlyrics from both Minaj and Drake.Make sure to pay close attentionto the lyrics, the whole album isjam-packed with quick-wittedpunch lines.

J. Cole released his mix tape tobuild anticipation for his debut album,Cole World. The compilation of songsraised the bar for this hip-hop star ashe continues to break through to therankings of current emcees. “Homefor the Holidays” seems like a perfectfit for the upcoming holiday season.Let Friday Night Lights hold your ap-petite until he decides to takeoverwith Cole World.

West yet again proves his mu-sical genius with his release of MyBeautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.Having released tracks every Fri-day to give fans insight to the po-tential of the album, its release fellnothing short of magnificent. “Allof The Lights” features parts by Ri-hanna, Kid Cudi, Alicia Keys, Fer-gie and Elton John. With so manyartists appearing on top of West’shard-hitting beats, there’s no waythis song can be ignored.

G-Unit member Lloyd Banksreleased his third solo album, ti-tled Hunger for More 2. While theregular album is worth listeningto, the song “Where I’m At” is aniTunes exclusive track, and it is afantastic bonus to the album. Withheartfelt storytelling lyrics fromboth Eminem and Banks, the songis sure to impress fans as Banksre-enters the rap game.

“Home forthe Holidays”

“Moment 4 Life” feat. Drake

“Where I’m At” feat. Eminem

A 4 Effort

J. Cole

Nicki Minaj

Friday Night Lights

Kanye WestMy Beautiful DarkTwisted Fantasy

Lloyd BanksHunger For More 2

Pink Friday

“All of The Lights” feat. Rihanna

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COURTESY OF MYCHEMICALROMANCE.COM

COURTESY OF THE GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE

ius XM Broadway, tones down hislively real-life persona for the roleof Jeff. While anticipating linesevery now and then, he pullsthrough and builds a committedand likeable character.

Tyler Maynard (Altar Boyz, TheLittle Mermaid) beams as Hunter,his million-dollar smile and lovablecharisma easily winning over theaudience. Despite his vibrant na-ture, his performance never onceseems hammy as he maintains hissincerity. His sugary vocals add tohis character and create asparkling presence on stage.

The other performers onstage effectively add to Jeff andHunter’s journey. LaurenKennedy (Spamalot, SunsetBoulevard) plays a down-to-earthHeidi. She is a very natural per-former and sings beautifully andwith ease (despite occasionallystumbling on some highernotes). Susan Mosher (Hair-spray) takes on the role of Susanwith a mature eccentricity. Herwidened facial expressions and

perfectly timed delivery of linesbuilds toward a hilarious per-formance of “Die Vampire, Die!”Finally, musical director JesseVargas deserves a commendationfor his portrayal of the pianistLarry. The music throughout theshow is beautifully played, andhis occasional delivery of lines isadds to the humor.

Many of the lines include mu-sical theater or pop culture refer-ences that might not berecognizable to everyone. Somelines flew over the heads of audi-ence members, and the lack oflaughter added gaps to the flow.However, the actors do a good jobof keeping the text moving.

The creative process behindwriting a musical isn’t easy. Yet, [titleof show] allows the humor and hard-ship to roll out effortlessly. Thetruth behind chasing a dream is alltoo real, especially since the fourthwall is broken. Lovers of musicaltheater will especially enjoy this, yetanyone who’s ever had a dream willwalk away feeling refreshed.

that brings the album from zero to60 at an adrenaline pumping speed.“This one’s for all of you rock-’n’rollers/All you crash queens andmotor babies/Listen up!/The futureis bulletproof!/The aftermath is sec-ondary!/It’s time to do it now and doit loud!/Killjoys, make some noise!”The 30-second intro blends rightinto the first single “Na Na Na (NaNa Na Na Na Na Na Na Na).” Thetitle provides a not so subtle clueabout the repetitive nature of thesong. However, if you can put upwith the countless “Na’s,” the re-mainder of the song is fast paced,energetic and infectious.

The first song hints at changes inMCR’s sound, but the next string of

songs shows them experimentingwith synthesized beats and soundson tracks that still seem natural tothe band. “Bulletproof Heart” is aslower ballad that provides a nicecontrast to the rest of the album. On“Planetary (GO!),” MCR almostcompletely ditches their traditionalelectric guitars and use synthsounds to propel the song. “PartyPoison” is a catchy fast-paced ridethat is bound to be a hit live.

Danger Days is MCR simplyhaving fun exploring new areasmusically and thematically. Itmay not be groundbreaking, butit is definitely worth a listen formore than those that are justhardcore MCR fans.

hand, songs like “Skin” and“S&M” take a more adult ap-proach, with very sexuallycharged lyrics like “The mood isset, so you already know what’snext/TV on blast, turn it down,turn it down/Don’t want it toclash, with my body screamingnow/I know you hearin’ it, yougot me moaning now.” Then, ofcourse, there are songs perfectfor the club atmosphere such as“Cheers (Drink to That)” andOnly Girl (In the World)” whichadd to the star’s diversity.

One of the best songs on thealbum would have to be “ManDown.” The reggae-influencedtrack gives listeners a feel that has-n’t been present on a Rihannaalbum since her debut album,Music of the Sun. With powerful

lyrics, the song gives off an islandfeel and a nice flow.

While some of the ballads arelyrically impressive, they are notthe highlight of the album. Her bal-lads seem melodramatic, eventhough they are vocally better thanmost that the artist has done. “Lovethe Way You Lie Pt. II” is a fittingcontinuation to the original versionof the song that resides on Em-inem’s album. Part II has Rihannasinging the woman’s point of view,and Eminem adds a good balanceto the song’s entirety. As good as itis, though, the dramatic back-ground sounds seem unnecessary.

While the vocals of Loud can bea bit overbearing at times, thealbum is fun and filled with well-pro-duced songs. Rihanna definitely hasanother hit album on her hands.