Category: Columns

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Arts & Life Columns Movies Review

“Premium Rush” deemed a typical action movie with an engaging cast

 

Courtesy of premiumrush.com

Carolyn Williams
Writer

“Premium Rush” is director/screenwriter David Koepp’s latest, end-of-summer, adrenaline-inducing, action thriller starring New York City bike messengers as unsung heroes locked in a classic struggle of good versus evil. But really, that’s pretty much the gist.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Wilee, an Ivy League law school grad who is putting his diploma to good use by delivering messages up and down the city as a bike messenger. This character, though perfectly likable, has a death wish; here he is whipping along lanes of traffic all day, on a bike with no gears or brakes. He and his girlfriend, Vanessa (Dania Ramirez), and their goofy sidekick of sorts (Wole Parks) are portrayed here as enlightened anti-corporate thrill-seekers. They are called to the siren song of high speed cycling through obstacles and thinking their way around corners, all while engaging in friendly banter and/or casual lovers’ spats, until the plot intervenes.

A dirty cop named Detective Monday (Michael Shannon) has a little bit of a gambling problem, and things go from bad to worse. After taking a beating from some Asian toughs for coming up short, he receives a tip about a sure way to make up his end of the bargain by the appointed time, if he’s willing to bend the law a little bit and intercept a package on its way to Chinatown.

Enter Nima (Jamie Chung), Vanessa’s roommate, who has gotten mixed up in some kind of dirty dealings in the Asian underworld. Don’t worry, we quickly learn the reason: she’s trying to bring her son into America after working three jobs for two years while attending Columbia to raise the money. She knows Wilee’s the best messenger in the biz, so she requests him to carry this sensitive package. He’s subsequently less than pleased to find himself being chased by Monday all over New York, but the truth of Nima’s package is revealed. Naturally, once they understand that they’re fighting for the “American Dream,” Wilee’s crew springs into action, leading to a series of dizzying bike chases and narrow escapes–a culminating and predictable ending for this sort of a movie.

“Premium Rush” isn’t a bad movie by any means. It has a good cast (with the exception of Shannon reprising his role as the crazy guy from “Revolutionary Road”, except it doesn’t make as much sense here) and a good director who knows what he’s doing as far as action movies go. If you’re looking for something deep, this isn’t it. Minimal character development and a general adherence to the action-film playbook hurt “Premium Rush,” even if it does have some excellent action scenes. Between “The Dark Knight Rises”, this weekend’s “Looper” and the upcoming biopic “Lincoln,” Gordon-Levitt clearly has been very busy, and though we’ll hope the next two films are better, “Premium Rush” will do for now.

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Arts & Life Columns Humor Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces

Ben Rees

Writer

Column History

When published in a history book, an individual is immediately lauded for his or her accomplishments while other vices he or she may have had are pushed aside. History has extremely selective hearing and, if you don’t believe me, I encourage you to be imaginative for the next 500 words and humor me–that’s right, humor me.

Let us start early with the masterful and innovative thinker, Socrates. He examined and tested the minds of men, and his methodology for questioning the general populace made him one of the most famous philosophers to date. Yet, what if we take him out of the limelight? Socrates was an older gentleman who, while walking around in a toga (which wasn’t weird then), approached unsuspecting people and bombarded them with questions.  He would hold court with the people of Athens, and was put to death for essentially being annoying or disavowing the gods; I can’t remember which. His sentence of corrupting the Athenians sounds grandiose now, but maybe, just maybe, Socrates was simply a roving wise guy who stepped on a few too many intellectual toes.

Noah Webster, the man who compiled the first American dictionary, must have been a huge bother. How frustrating is it when friends correct your speaking in a casual setting? Can you imagine having coffee with the guy who generated today’s standardized dictionary? He must have driven people up the wall with his nonstop conquest for proper language. Besides, anyone whose life goal is to compile and define an extensive collection of words must have been seriously anal (go ahead and look that one up).

I can imagine nothing worse than living with Ludwig van Beethoven. His renown is wholly justified; he is one of the most amazing musicians to have ever lived, and his works almost always sound great. I say almost always because in the unfortunate situation that he was a roommate of yours, his deafness would probably have impeded your sleeping. If a composer cannot hear how loud he is playing, then I strongly doubt he would have heard your attempts of asking him to kindly turn the harpsichord down.

Bill Gates was too smart for Harvard. He got bored there, so decided to do what many kids do–he moved into his parents’ house. Now, as glamorous as this sounds, Gates didn’t exactly sit around watching “Full House” reruns; he and his good buddy Paul Allen created Microsoft, which is the reason Gates is worth $66 billion. But, before all this success, Gates was just one of those kids who was too cool for playing Monopoly like the rest of us. Instead, he had to form a multi-billion dollar technological monopoly and make the rest of the world feel like losers for staying in school.

Everyone knows a kid who thinks he has a great idea and drops out of school, but we all sleep well at night because we believe that he will fail. But Gates and the others I have mentioned all succeeded at a massive rate because they had talent–talent and the ability to overcome anything that stood in their way. Most of us don’t have this talent, so, unfortunately, we have to control our quirks, because I know that in my case, I can’t justify my annoying habits with $66 billion or statues of myself.

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Pasta with Homemade Spicy Eggplant Tomato Sauce

 

Katie Mancino | The Bucknellian

Katie Mancino
Staff Writer 

15-Minute Meal: Pasta With Homemade Spicy Eggplant Tomato Sauce

This is quickly becoming one of my top five favorite dishes. It’s delicious, easy to make and uses stuff I always like to keep on hand. You can make it as spicy as you want based on how many pepper seeds you throw in. If you don’t have tomatoes around you can use canned diced tomato (1/2 cup canned= 1 fresh tomato). If you want more protein, add in a can of cannellini beans when you add the tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (4 servings) Rozoni Smart Taste Pasta
  • 1 cup chopped red onions
  • 1 cup chopped green peppers (save about 1/2 the seeds)
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
  • 4 vine ripe tomatoes
  • 5 cups cubed eggplant (about 1 medium-sized eggplant)
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions

  1. Put a pot on the stove to boil water for the pasta.
  2. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, cook onions, peppers and 1 tsp. olive oil for two minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes and 1 tsp. olive oil and cook for three minutes.
  4. Add eggplant and last tsp. of olive oil, reduce heat to medium and let cook until the eggplant is soft (5-8 minutes).
  5. While tomato sauce cooks, toss in pasta and drain when finished.
  6. Top each serving of pasta with 1/4 of the tomato sauce.

Makes 4 servings
274 calories, 4g fat, 57 carbs, 8g protein

My website: piecesinprogress.tumblr.com

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Arts & Life Columns

Trend Report: Shine On

Trend Report: Shine On

By Kate Jansen

Eccentric patterns have certainly been on the rise this season. One popular look that has appeared in a myriad of department stores is of the sequined, shiny and studded variety. This week, I have composed a list of all of the shimmery closet essentials for this fall.

The top: This season, look for blouses with studded shoulder embellishments and full-sequined tanks. What I like most about these tops is that they are incredibly versatile; they can be dressed down for class or dressed up for more formal occasions. When paired with dark-wash skinny jeans or leggings, sequin-embellished jackets and sweaters–much like Michael Jackson’s circa 1984–can definitely make an elegant fashion statement.

The dress: Glittery mini dresses are back again this fall. My closet at home can attest to my obsession with sequined dresses, many bought for winter formals. Suede shoes­ (neutral or black depending on the sequins’ undertones) pair beautifully with embellished dresses and skirts.

The bottoms: Metallic-coated denim and faux-leather leggings have also flourished into a fad this season. These pants look great with any baggy waffle tee or sheer blouse, which is particularly the reason why they should be a staple in everyone’s fall wardrobe.

The accessories: Art deco accessories add certain vintage flare to any ensemble. My favorite place to shop for bangles and chain necklaces is Urban Outfitters, mostly because their accessories are chic and relatively inexpensive. Faux-gem studs have also been in high demand this fall. I am also a fan of the oversized analog watch. I love how this simple accessory can make any ensemble appear collegiate. Marc by Marc Jacobs and Fossil offer a variety of wristwatches in gold, platinum and leather.

The shoes: Leather, metallic and studded ballet flats also add a unique twist to an outfit. There are many opportunities to wear these shoes. For a casual look, pair studded flats with black leggings and a chunky neutral sweater. On your next shopping trip, watch out for golden-toed flats. If a venture to the mall is not in the near future, check out Piperlime and Zappos online. They have a fabulous selection of flats and ankle boots for this fall and winter.

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Arts & Life Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces: Pets and their Owners

Ben Rees
Writer

Animals are not people. They do have rights, and no animal should be treated poorly; however, these rights are animal rights, not people rights. If I cannot pee on 6th Street without getting a ticket, animals should not be able to sit at the table. I know there is no rule that says dogs must abide by an established canine code of conduct, and luckily, most people who own pets are wholly reasonable and keep their dog’s food in the dog bowl instead of in bone china (go figure). This being said, some strange people interact with their animals in a very creepy and inappropriate manner.

I wasn’t joking earlier; I know people whose dogs sit at the dinner table with them. Because dogs physically can’t sit at the table, and under my chair is ever so lonely, they go above and beyond their call of duty as owners and actually sit their dogs on the table. This isn’t right. I don’t care how many times cleaner a dog’s mouth is than a human’s, if I bathed by licking myself, I don’t think I would be allowed anywhere near the house, much less on the dinner table. When I asked this eccentric couple why their beloved Jeremy sat on the table (note the creepy human name), they told me it was too cold for him on the floor. Now, I’m no evolutionary biologist, nor a veterinarian, but I can bet that the reason animals have fur is because it keeps them warm, especially when they sit on the floor.

In addition, as much as I enjoy providing a pooch with a good ear rub, I just plain don’t like when animals follow me around. When I walk out of my bedroom at eight in the morning, I don’t want there to be a furry bridge troll at my doorway who won’t let me through until I throw a ball down the hall.

Pets are not children, nor will they ever be a suitable indicator for whether a couple is capable of having an baby. They are not the same thing, and just because you can walk a dog every day doesn’t mean you can push a stroller full of Furbees while you breast-feed.

The moral of this column is as follows: people who treat their animals like people are exceedingly creepy. Having a conversation with your dog doesn’t stimulate its intellectual capacities, especially when it’s scooting around on the living room rug. The only thing worse than talking to your dog is talking to your cat. At least your dog is staring at you while you talk; cats are essentially Slinkies with fur. Talking to your cat is only a half step up from talking to yourself, and we all know where you end up after years of doing that.

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Arts & Life Columns Sleeping Around

Sleeping Around: The DOs and DON’Ts of PDA

Dixie Rose
Columnist

There are two types of couples on this campus: those who are genuinely happy and love spending time together and those who want everyone to think they are happy and love spending time together. Unfortunately, the latter of these feels the need to express their emotions at inappropriate times and places. Seriously, it seems like any time and place works, regardless of the circumstances. I’ve taken it upon myself to compile some guidelines about on-campus displays of affection. While this seems like a guide, it’s more like a public service announcement.

Do: Kiss in public

I’m all for PDA. The couples that walk around holding hands and giving each other little goodbye kisses before class are adorable.

Don’t: Be too aggressive about it.

There’s a difference between a quick kiss and going at it in the middle of the Rooke Science Center’s atrium. I’m sorry, but 9 a.m. is too early to see people shoving their tongues down each other’s throats.

Do: Sit near each other in class

I enjoy sitting by my boyfriend in class for the same reasons I like sitting by my friends; he’s good entertainment when class gets dull and he doesn’t judge me when I ask stupid questions.

Don’t: Act like it is date night

Being in a physics lecture is different than being at a movie. I don’t want to watch people snuggled up together in a classroom, and neither does anyone else. Can you imagine being a professor and watching two college kids canoodling in the front row? Ew.

Do: Dance together at parties

It’s better to be grinded on by someone you actually like than a random first-year.

Don’t: Be that couple

We’ve all seen this: you’re at a register, trying to find an acceptable excuse to walk away from the kid grinding on you and you start scanning the room. All of a sudden, you see what looks like an awkward monster with too many arms and not enough hands. And then you realize it’s two people up against a wall who need a hand check.

Do: Have a healthy sex life

This means something different to everyone. My roommate’s boyfriend, for example, was complaining about a recent cut back from twice a day to once a day. But admit it–whether you go through a pack of condoms a week or are saving yourself for marriage, being physical is a big part of a successful and healthy relationship.

Don’t: Forget to close the blinds

Just because you want to experience it doesn’t mean the rest of the world wants to see it.

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Arts & Life Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces: May You Have a Short and Low Budget Life

Ben Rees
Writer

I was seriously disturbed after seeing the somewhat recent movie “Chernobyl Diaries,” or rather, the trailer (I’m sure you don’t walk away with much more after seeing the whole thing). It wasn’t the mutated goblin-people that got to me, nor was it the blood and gore. Instead, what truly scared me was the realization that people have a strange fixation, no, obsession with death. This morose obsession does not revolve around the consistent, inescapable encroachment of death; rather, it is fueled by our sick desire to not only see, but also comprehend all of the horrendous ways a human body can be destroyed. The simple Braveheart-esque sword plunge has lost its entertainment factor and now is being replaced by things like putting someone’s limbs in an automatic pencil sharpener, fueled by an electric current from a 1987 Honda battery into his unsuspecting nipples.

According to Spike TV’s last chance at any sort of ratings, there are “1000 Ways to Die.”  Why do we need to know all the obscure ways that our heads can possibly be smashed? It’s because we are constantly undergoing a kind of desensitization. Remember “ER?” The show ran from 1994-2009, making it a program that effectively spanned the equivalent of a millennium in the special effects galaxy. Even when blood looked like nothing more than barbeque sauce, in the early 90s, people grimaced and cringed. Even a few years ago, during the Mel Gibson “sugar-tits” era, “The Passion of the Christ” was thought to be the most graphic thing on the big screen. Since then, we have greatly surpassed anything that was thought up by “Mad Max.”

What happened? Why do we need to see horrible things happen to unsuspecting, innocent people? In these movies, the person who usually gets caught in a paper shredder isn’t even a bad individual. We’ve moved passed karma and have become fans of indiscriminate robo-shark attacks.

I’ll tell you what happened. We are bored. As people, we’ve become so accustomed to immediate gratification that we no longer care about what happens between the start of the movie and when the characters are killed off. We’ve written off all engagement in plot, and all we want to see is when the mutant bats eat someone’s eyes out. The best proof of this transformation I can give is this: when any group of people get together to watch the Oscars, absolutely nobody there has seen even half of the nominated films. I don’t just mean the obscure silent ones from New Guinea, but even the pictures that have a good deal of cinematic quality were unseen, which apparently nobody wanted to because it was over two hours long and didn’t show Channing Tatum’s testicles in 3D.

I don’t mean to accuse these low budget films of being total wastes of space and time, but please do yourselves and the greater American populace a favor: one time this year, just once, go and see a quality movie with a deep plot line. You’ll feel good about yourself and maybe, just maybe, you’ll enjoy a movie without a disemboweling scene.

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Double Chocolate Mini Muffins!

 

Katie Mancino | The Bucknellian

Katie Mancino

Staff Writer

Double Chocolate Mini Muffins!

38 calories, 1g fat, 9 carbs, 1g protein

These little muffins are a perfect healthy snack and will really satisfy that chocolate craving! They’re quick and easy to make in a total of 20 minutes and keep well in the freezer. I like to toss a few mini muffins in small Ziploc bags and freeze them so I always have healthy treats around. They’re excellent when warmed in the microwave, too!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Land O’ Lakes Light Butter
1 egg white
1/4 cup Vanilla Silk Light Soymilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp mini chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C) and spray mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add soymilk, egg white and vanilla.
4. Mix in everything else.
5. Add 2-3 teaspoons of batter to each mini muffin cup (about 3/4 of the way full).
6. Bake for 15 minutes.

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Oreo Cupcakes

Katie Mancino | The Bucknellian

Katie Mancino
Staff Writer

Oreo Cupcakes
109 calories, 19 carbs, 2g fat, 2g protein

Oreo cupcakes sound like the last thing that could be made in a healthy way, but it turns out that a lot of calories in Oreo cookies come from the cream filling (made mostly of shortening and sugar). By carefully scraping it off and not using it, you can quickly cut some out and still get the chocolatey, crunchy Oreo goodness in these fluffy, easy to make cupcakes! Try topping them with a dollop of fat free Reddi-wip and some crushed Oreo pieces.

Makes 15 cupcakes

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp Land O’Lakes Light Butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend
2 egg whites
1 cup Vanilla Silk Light Soymilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
6 Oreos, filling scraped off & discarded, wafers crushed (use a ziplock bag)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (177 C); put 15 cupcake liners in cupcake tin.
2. Beat sugars and butter until color lightens (an electric mixer would be best, but hand mixing will work too).
3. Mix in soymilk, vanilla and egg whites.
4. Mix in flour, salt, baking soda and Oreo until a smooth batter forms.
5. Fill each muffin tin with about three generous tablespoons of batter (about 3/4 of the way full).
6. Bake 15 minutes until golden colored, let cool, put on toppings and enjoy!

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Arts & Life Columns Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces

Ben Rees

Columnist

Ben Rees

Hobbies

Taking up a hobby isn’t easy. You need to find something you enjoy, which is far harder to do than most would believe. I didn’t wake up one morning knowing I would enjoy writing things to make people laugh; I was simply told enough times that I wasn’t funny and I knew it was my calling. With that emotional nugget on the table, I will politely remind everyone that hobbies aren’t simply frivolous activities. Hobbies require preparation and equipment.

Whether you take up horseback riding, hot air ballooning, archery or card tricks, no skill comes with ease–especially for me. Natural talent is not something I possess in most areas, so if I am going to develop a hobby, it takes serious commitment. Hopefully my failures will be your guiding lights as I recall my past shortcomings for the benefit of my readers.

I wanted to play piano for the longest time, so I finally convinced my dad to buy me an instructional book. I then purchased what all the piano greats had: a marble bust of Mozart. It sat right there above me as I plunked away at “Hot Cross Buns.”

After my piano phase and the release of Chingy’s “Holidae Inn,” I took up rapping. I would put instrumental versions of hit songs on my computer and pretend to be emotionally charged and talented. To go along with this, I, again, purchased what all hip-hop greats had: a marble bust of Dr. Dre. He sat on my desk with his immaculately carved Compton hat while I busted a rhyme.

In eighth grade, I took up fashion. I ditched all my Gap Kids polo shirts for some brand new And1 graphic tees, cargo shorts and Phat Farm shoes. I looked awesome.

Twelfth grade brought along my passion for weight lifting. I drank a nice big protein smoothie (or is it shake?) and headed into the school gym. I was tearing up the elliptical and could have won the gold medal in knee push-ups, but my enthusiasm and spirits were squashed once I saw other kids doing really intense things like weights.

Since college has started, I’ve gotten into investment banking. Due to the recent market climb, I have been pouring money into IRA’s and short-term startup IPO’s. I’m banking on the chances of a network effect influencing the arbitrage pricing theory, and my mom tells me you’re supposed to buy low and sell high. If I’m not mistaken, my financial folio will at least double in value due to the sky-high interest rates and the upcoming fiscal cliff.  That all sounds right, right?

Needless to say, hobbies take time, energy and usually money to develop. Hopefully everyone can learn from my mistakes and understand that unless you have a knack for something or a serious drive, you should probably save your money and not pretend that you’re good at everything. It always ends poorly.