Arts

Schizophrenicagilisticexpialidocious

Nathan James  —  Sep 25, 2007

It is roughly that time of the semester when most freshmen make an important decision in their lives. They discern whether their respective roommates are future friends or sociopaths. There is little wiggle room on this one. Random room assignment affords us the unique opportunity to know our peers intimately whether or not we want to.

I have had my fair share of roommates. Freshman year I was blessed to have someone with whom I connected and we had a pleasantly uneventful year. Sophomore year, I had three crazy motherfuckers.

Spotlight on Rooney

Rebecca Weiss  —  Sep 25, 2007

They’re R-R-Rooney. That band that was all over the place in the heyday of The O.C. Their big brother Phantom Planet, (literally, since Rooney’s frontman is the younger brother of Phantom Planet’s then-drummer Jason Schwartzman) played the theme tune and Rooney rocked the episode of the show where Marissa was a poor little rich girl and Ryan was a kid from the ghetto too good for his station in life. Remember that one? Remember Rooney?

Well, they’re back, and they’re bringing some old school pop into their music. The Sun caught up with lead singer Robert Schwartzman to talk about all the stuff that’s happened in between. Here is an excerpt of that conversation:

Better Luck Next Time, Chuck

Bavee Suparaneni  —  Sep 24, 2007

With the recent string of raunchy comedies that have infiltrated theatres, including 40-Year Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, Knocked Up, and Superbad, Good Luck Chuck attempts to follow lead and falls frighteningly behind the front runners. The premise for the film is promising enough: Chuck Logan (Dane Cook) is a successful dentist who has been cursed to a life of bachelorhood because every woman he (rarely) loves and (always) sleeps with is destined to marry the next guy after him. Charlie’s obnoxious best friend, Stu (Dan Fogler), encourages the curse for the “good of all women” (aww thanks so much Stu, we apreciate the thought).

Promises Kept

Jason Turer  —  Sep 24, 2007

Eastern Promises, the latest film from director David Cronenberg, is a crime drama that obeys the conventions of its genre while neatly transcending them. Tightly written and masterfully directed, the film is thoroughly engaging and fresh off it’s win at the Toronto Film Festival, seems poised to become one of the year’s best.

Snow White In The 21st Century

Meredith Richard  —  Sep 24, 2007

Once upon a time there lived a girl named Sydney White. Directed by Joe Nussbaum, this modern-day adaptation of Snow White commences in the usual way: girl’s mother dies, girl is forced to do manual labor. However, in this case she wears flannel and wields a hammer, as a worker in her father’s plumbing company. The film opens with Sydney (Amanda Bynes) going off to college at Southern Atlantic University. Her greatest aspiration is to pledge her late mother’s sorority, Kappa Phi Nu. Upon her arrival, she meets Dinky (Crystal Hunt), a blonde, big-haired southern belle who has already established her top five outfit choices for their first rush event.

Digging Deeper

Jared Kraminitz  —  Sep 24, 2007

Tomorrow at 7:15 P.M., writer-director and Ithaca native Katherine Dieckmann will be screening her most recent film, Diggers, at Willard Straight Hall. Set in the late 70s, the film quietly observes the end of an era for a group of four Long Island clam-diggers and friends, in the tradition of Diner and I Vitelloni is just one accomplishment on Ms. Dieckmann's lengthy resume. After spending time as a film critic for the Village Voice she began writing for Rolling Stone, before moving on to directing music videos for Wilco and R.E.M. The Sun had a chance to speak to Ms. Dieckmann about growing up in Ithaca and her love for making films.

The Sun: Do you think that growing up in Ithaca helped push you towards a creative lifestyle?

Buyers’ Guitar Guide

Sammy Perlmutter  —  Sep 20, 2007

Buying a guitar in this digital day and age can be tricky. Although there exists an abundance of online stores where customers can browse everything from neon-yellow Daisy Rocks to electric-blue Danelectros, the options at times can be overwhelming.

While the knowledgeable collector can sometimes discover hidden gems on sites such as Ebay and Craigslist, most often the beautifully pictured “vintage collector’s item” is actually a well-disguised “second-hand piece of crap.”

And for the beginner, the endless bombardment of (so-called) deals on sites such as MusiciansFriend.com, GuitarTrader.com and SamAsh.com can be confusing, and, not to mention, misleading.

Record Review: 2 Pac

Dan Goldstein  —  Sep 20, 2007

In the second installment of Nu Mixx Klazzics, 2 Pac’s thoughts and words are brought back to life with help from additional vocalists, new instrumental work and other extra additives. Classics “Hail Mary,” “2 Of Americaz Most Wanted” and “How Do U Want It,” each part of the original Nu Mixx track list, make their second appearances in the series.

The highlight of this collection is the new version of “What’z Ya Phone #,” originally from 1996’s All Eyez On Me. Pac’s lyrics come alive and are clearer than ever over a slower, almost Screw-like, beat. The discrepancy between the lethargic music and Pac’s hyped up lyrics make the listener really pay attention to everything he says.

Record Review: Animal Collective

Lauren Herget  —  Sep 20, 2007

In the Grimm fairy tale, The Town Musicians of Bremen, a gaggle of domesticated animals leave their masters in pursuit of freedom. Along the way, they are mistaken for monsters by strangers who cannot comprehend their music-playing ability. In the end, the pipers in the tale march confidently into the town of Bremen, triumphantly announcing their arrival.

Animal Collective has long been on the music scene, but we might as well treat their latest LP, Strawberry Jam, as their own ecstatic entrance. While their previous LPs (Feels and Sung Tongs) were inarguably impressive, they bear the mark of a band trying to define and understand its own sound.

Frankly, Sung Tongs plays like promising acoustic demos in comparison to Strawberry Jam.

Record Review: Horse the Band

Alicia Intriago  —  Sep 20, 2007

What do you get when you combine post-hardcore with Nintendocore beats and guttural screaming? Horse the Band. Their latest album, A Natural Death, displays their ability to make synthesized beats (which sound like something out of Super Smash Brothers) on top of a contemporary hardcore sound. HTB continuously change the rhythms within their songs; it’s hard not to listen for fear that you’ll miss whatever breakdown they throw down next.

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