Sex and violence are becoming more acceptable in our media-intensive culture.Most nightly news stations report on at least one murder or death every program. On Facebook, there is an abundance of celebrity...
Every year, Sacramento State celebrates Black History Month in an effort to educate students about the importance of black history and all that African-Americans have accomplished.”[As students] become...
“No” is a political drama that centers on a historical moment during Chile’s efforts to end an authoritarian government. The film’s use of camera techniques places us in the era and instills the...
An attractive girl lies on a table clad only in a bikini while equally attractive men take shots of alcohol off her stomach. The crowd, wearing sorority and fraternity logos, cheers them on. This is a...
This little indie darling came out of its Sundance Film Festival debut last year with high praise. Right away, what got me intrigued was the premise: Three journalists head out to Seattle to do an exposé on a man who puts out a classified ad seeking a time-traveling partner.
“Safety Not Guaranteed” has a quirky charm about it and equally charming quirky characters.
The film’s odd premise keeps things light, but then I quickly realized how little it actually had to do with time travel. The real travel was either the journey the characters took discovering something about themselves or the time they spent living in the past. If you like time-travel films, “Star Wars” references or surprise endings, you should definitely check out “Safety Not Guaranteed.”
Scott Barrett
The first time I heard the French musician Françoiz Breut, it was by chance. The hours of albums on repeat thereafter and for years to come were entirely by choice.
This past January, Mrs. Breut released her sixth album, La Chirurgie Des Sentiments, in line with her usual style, which is almost one all to herself. Her music is generally classified as indie, moody French pop and chanson.
Francoiz’s songs are mostly sung in French, which, although I do not understand a word, draws me even further into the entrancing and mysterious sway that her vocals possess.
Françoiz Breut is largely unknown in the American scene but take a chance and listen.
During the opening monologue of the 85th annual Academy Awards, host Seth MacFarlane said the theme for the night was music in film. Boy, he wasn’t kidding. The three and a half hour long ceremony was...
If you’re in the mood for a tear jerker, look no further than “La Misma Luna” (the original Spanish title of “Under the Same Moon”). This movie is in Spanish, but reading subtitles is not rocket science. It is a heartwarming movie that will make you emotional from beginning to end. It tells the story of 9-year-old Carlitos who is left behind by his mother Rosario who works illegally in the U.S. The story develops when Carlitos decides to embark on a journey to find his mother. This movie makes you understand what really happens when a child is left behind by his or her parent who travels miles for a better future and a child yearning for his or her parent. Child actor Adrian Alonso makes every scene worthwhile. You can see his frustration, sadness and determination to find his mother in his facial expressions and not just verbally. It warms the heart but it’s funny too, thanks to Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez. His sarcasm is sure to make you laugh.
By Fabian Garcia - album pick
Raphael Saadiq brings back a magical soul element with his 2008 album “The Way I See It.” The album sounds like something you might have heard back in the 1950s or 1960s when Motown hits were flooding the radio. A noticeable doo-wop vibe is present throughout all the songs as Saadiq sings about love and inspiration on what seems to be a vintage performance microphone. Tracks such as “Calling,” “Oh Girl” and “Never Give You Up” truly anchor the record as an homage to Motown’s musical style. By revisiting an outdated sound in R&B, he was able to breathe new life into an almost forgotten genre.
Limited features and overall quality production propel this album beyond a mediocre rendition of old soul music. The songs may sound a little familiar because of similar melodies we’ve heard in famous oldies, but they actually stand on their own quite well as original works. Saadiq sings as smoothly as he did when he was with Tony! Toni! Toné! and clearly adds his own flair to each track with echo effects to imitate the past. If you’re into oldies, soul or just plain love-songs, then this album is something to look for.
By Nathan Mendelowitz - game pick
A great game you may have missed and should pick up is 2008’s “Prince of Persia.” Ubisoft decided to start new with the Prince of Persia franchise after a successful trilogy of videogames.
The visuals are cell-shaded making it look cartoony, yet it is still clean looking and it makes the game vibrant and colorful. It’s a nice change from the dark and realistic styles of the previous games. Ubisoft also went back to what made the franchise great with acrobatic platforming.
Players can have the characters jump around climbing huge structures and it has a parkour feel of running around the beautifully rendered ancient Persian environment. The combat is also simple with simple button commands to dodge and parry enemies. The other great aspect is there is no anger while playing since you can’t die. It’s a system inviting players to try different ways to get through each level on a trial and error basis. It’s fun and keeps the gameplay fresh. It’s a game worth getting, so don’t wait any longer to play.
Best Feature Film, picked by Anthony Nathan - "Django Unchained" Critiqued for its excessive use of the n-word and the not-so-subtle historical inaccuracies like “Mandingo” fighting and 1980s weaponry,...
Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, “Safe Haven” offers us the same well-worn love story and predictable plot points leading up to a melodramatic climax. Katie (Julianne Hough) is...
One of the biggest myths in the National Football League is the idea that a player cannot lose his job after suffering an injury and missing playing time.
When a player goes down, there is already a backup ready to take his spot. All it takes is one injury to another player and the backup now becomes the starter.
Now, whether or not the original backup eventually becomes the full-time starter depends on the situation with the injured player.
NFL players have an average career of three-and-a-half years. It is a mistake for them to become comfortable and think they will play forever.
It is an even bigger mistake to think they are not replaceable. Whether the injury is serious or not, a football player is only one play away from being knocked out of the game – either physically or through demotion.
I think the reason this is such a hot topic in the football community is because people have different views on whether or not being replaced is fair.
To be honest, I do not know what is fair and what is not fair. That is a gray area to me.
Perhaps the only concrete reason to claim an injured player’s swapping is fair is if the newcomer provides more potential and ability at the position.
There are some players in the NFL that are unquestionably elite at their respective position.
Players like quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers on offense and linebackers Patrick Willis and DeMarcus Ware on defense are simply too good to be easily replaced.
If any of these players were to get injured, their job would not be in jeopardy.
Controversies only occur when there is a legitimate brewing of tension between choosing the original player and his replacement.
The most recent controversy in the NFL involves the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick.
Smith, the eight-year veteran, boasted his best season under center in 2011 after leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants. The previous six years were very up and down for Smith and the team. Many fans, including the media, had given up on him.
While his stock has risen the last season and a half, many still doubt him.
Smith was knocked out of the Nov. 11 game against the St. Louis Rams with a concussion and replaced by second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick has started two games since then - against the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints - and played very well in route to winning both games.
I do not think there would be a quarterback controversy if Kaepernick did not display a different, and better, level of play than Smith had – but he has.
Kaepernick’s ceiling is unknown, but it undoubtedly is higher than Smith’s.
For the last eight seasons, I have come to understand the type of player Smith is. He is careful with the football, relies on check-downs and is not a deep-threat quarterback.
Now, this is fine and wins games, but fans want more.
Kaepernick, although relatively still unknown in his abilities, provides more ability at the position. He is currently on a hot streak and should get better each game.
Smith will lose his job to Kaepernick, but what the future holds remains to be seen.
I personally do not think it is fair. After all, Smith has been a winning quarterback for the past two seasons.
But when Kaepernick had to step up for the injured Smith, he outplayed him in every way. Kaepernick under center opens the 49ers passing offense up and creates a new, explosive dimension it lacked before.
