THE TARTAN Oct.

5, 2011

THE SCENE

Dark of the Moon lacks cinematic integrity

JUSTIN WOOD
jwood9@radford.edu After the bewildering, and tedious Transformers: Rise of the Fallen it seemed implausible that Director Michael Bay could really pull up from the nosedive, neither talented nor genuinely interested enough to make that happen. Cautiously pleased to admit, something did indeed change between now and 2009, as Transformers: Dark of the Moon is easily more watchable than its immediate predecessor. That doesnt mean that the now traditional bloat, excess, bouts of dgety boredom, and terrifyingly fascist politics are absent. All it means is theres a little less. Like the previous two, the lm follows a strict formula. As expected we are treated to the continuing mundane exploits of Sam Witwicky. Its pretty basic stuff: our protagonist is out of college and struggling to land a job since almost all of his life experience up to this point has been dodging homicidal sports sedans. Again Shia LaBeouf sweats sarcasm trying his hardest to make these moments entertaining, doggy-paddling uselessly against the sledgehammer intelligence of the script. LaBeouf has comic timing and charisma, occasionally managing to hold interest but its still a struggle to sympathize with Witwickys predicament. Still, at least this time the writers seem to try to tell an actual story, parading Sam past cameo after embarrassing cameo by talented character actors. John In the Line of Fire Malkovich is orange. Frances Fargo McDormand is cold. John Barton Fink Turturro does that character he plays in Adam Sandler movies. Sigh. Only 50 percent of the Transformers part of the movie makes sense so I wont bother summarizing. Besides when does the second half ever need summarization? Every one of the lms spends the second half trying to outdo its own set pieces in increasingly complex and messy cartoon action sequences. Watching the lm in 3D, I was pleased to see the action was improved, the extra dimensionality able to organize and sort out the animated junkyard piles punching, shooting, and disintegrating into metal akes, usually a visual cacophony that makes the mind and the butt numb. Swooping around the giant gleaming towers of Chicago as they are shredded and punched apart by an invading Decepticon army is sometimes impressive but often as you watch millions of studio dollars ushed down Michael Bays toilet brain you are reminded that his vision is really only thanks to hundreds of talented animators and artists who play second ddle to a girl who wears high heels in a war-zone. Mostly, save that the cost of this disposable movie could end world hunger, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is harmless. The only place the lm stands out as a criminally evil is its politics. The Decepticon invasion of Chicago isnt entirely played for laughs here; in an attempt to play things grittier Bay shows the initial invasion in a dark War of the Worlds inspired massacre. Faceless citizens actually get vaporized and the villain talks about labor camps for humans. The Decepticons are recast from drooling supervillians to goose-stepping Nazis, and the shift is effective. Midway through the lm however, if your brain is still engaged to the part of your mind that performs critical thinking, your jaw should drop at a choice on the behalf of Bay and his Autobot heroes. Glazed over in the space of a second, the Autobots defend a choice so morally bankrupt and startlingly fascist you cant help but sit stunned through the rest of the ashy smashy bits. While most critics seemed relieved that Bay hadnt tortured them as badly as in 2009, I couldnt really get past this storytelling decision. Bay has always parroted right-wing Iraq War parables of sacrice and moral justication but never has the result been so frightening. Maybe it isnt Bays thoughts on rationalized loss of life that is really the scary part. Perhaps its the chilling moral that if you drown your messages in enough sparkly robot carnage and lingering shots of looming supermodel cleavage, people wont even remember the messages are there.

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Places:
Bisset Park:

you need to know about

RYAN ARIAS

rarias@radford.edu

Looking for a place to hold a school event, or maybe someplace to just relax and have a picnic, and close to campus? For those new to the Radford University, who may have heard word of it, but ia.com panoram have never seen it, its located across the big bridge toward the stadium at 23 Berkley Williams Dr. It is a public park with a small playground and a long, winding walkway that circles around the entire length of the park. There are many open and grassy areas to have picnics and even grills to have a barbeque! For those looking for an open, public place to hold events, Bisset Park offers gazebo and park building rentals for public and private events alike. I have personally walked the parks path and I can say it is always fun, especially with friends.

blurbs on the subject but they also give image and links to originating subject matter so the reader can more interactively search and add to their knowledge. Memes are an essential part of our current culture because they change as quickly as fads; they manage to integrate into our current society without us knowing it. The website is well managed as are the Know Your Meme videos. Watch and see how many memes are active in your daily life here at Radford.

Game:
Mortal Kombat:
Mortal Kombat is a classic game in present day terms. As of late many game companies have been remaking old games for the newer console platforms, and failing at it. Very few, if any, hit that mark of new classic and end up a shameful recreation that kills a little bit of that childhood. But as mentioned, few hit the mark, and one of the few was Mortal Kombat for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. It was a clasvideo sic remake of an old favorite that brought you back to gam z.com the days of the arcade, especially with new Arcade sticks for console enjoyment. This new installment of Mortal Kombat lacks many of the bells and whistles found in these new spin classic remakes and plays much like the old 2D arcade graphics, with a few 3D goodies like environment and arena designs. A pleasant addition, for those old school gamers and new school gamers alike, was the story mode, which follows the history before the rst Mortal Kombat and its competitors. The story line adds dimension to a classic game and the cast of characters and story expands with each play through.

Tysons Mall:
Many students, when they return home, will nd their way to Northern Virginia. Now aside from the Fairfax Mall, there seem to be few places to shop and a lack of stores and space to hang out, but it just takes a little looking. Tysons Corner Center is a large mall lomow abb.c cated in Virginia, just seven miles from Washington, DC. om There are also shuttle services and the Metro. It has over 10 brand name stores including a Barnes and Nobles with a Starbucks for a good mix of books and relaxation. Prices in Tysons Mall are comparable to other places in Virginia so the extra drive can seem like its not worth the trip. It is a massive mall with two levels of stores and large walking spaces. The most notable places are the Sony store, Old Navy and American Eagle. There is a food court with various places to grab a snack so you can keep up on your adventure, or small restaurants and bistros where you can sit and enjoy dinner. The mall opens weekdays and Saturday 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.

Comics:
SNAFU Comics:
For those of us that live and work on the Internet, sometimes homework gets a little sidetracked, .org otobucket but we always get it done, right? Right! So when ph you need a little break from the monotony of homework and want a stroll down memory lane, head on over to SNAFU Comics at www.snafu-comics.com and take a peak at the Powerpuff Girls comic. It is deceiving at first but not only does it star the Powerpuff girls, it introduces many characters from the 90s cartoons such as Samurai Jack and Dexters Laboratory. The PPG Comic is what is known as a doujinshi, or fan made comic. The art is done by Bleedman, and the style is unique to them. Bleedman does several comics within SNAFU and many are updated every week, like a normal comic strip, others are monthly, but worth the wait. The site has many comic strips worth reading as well so dont just stop at the Powerpuff Comics. There is also a fan comic of The Grimm Adventures of Billy and Mandy with a cameo from Spawn and a short, weekly-daily comic Bunny With. Check it out next time you find yourself longing for a stroll through your memories and a quick break from homework.

Website:
m rmeme.co knowyou

Know Your Meme:

Meme, pronounced meem, is an idea, style or behavior that is spread from person to person within a culture, but those of us that live on the Internet know meme as something only found on online. For those unable to keep up with memes and that which is now a mainstream part of our culture, you can follow a YouTube Channel known as Know Your Meme. The group does in depth research on the strangest and funniest subjects of the memes that, predominately, infect the internet. Their website is detailed and not only give short

Riveting jazz performance

JORDAN KAUFFMAN
jmkauffman@radford.edu
Jazz is not a term thrown into music discussions haphazardly; you either talk about jazz when you appreciate it or when you understand what it is. While jazz usually goes underappreciated and misunderstood, four great men are doing their best to make sure that jazz is well taken care of. Dr. Christopher White, Dr. Wayne Gallops, Dr. Joseph Scartelli and Mr. Al Wojtera are making unwary listeners believe they love jazz and its hard not to do when you attend one of their concerts. These men have made a tradition out of these Faculty Jazz Quartet concerts and each time, they get better and they ll the room with even more people. People walk out of that concert being blindsided, not even realizing they now love jazz. The themes for the concerts change each time; the last time it was several jazz standards as well as jazz renditions of classic tunes, mixed with their own spice and touch of improvisation. This time around, the faculty quartet has put an even greater twist on their concert: jazz infused classical. You heard that right; they took famous and popular pieces from wellknown composers (Bach, Chopin, Beethoven and more) and made them jazzy, sometimes more upbeat, blazingly fast and, oddly, tasteful. Whites buttery smooth saxophone tone was a highlight for sure, taking on solos fast and slow, melodic and loud, to the quiet and beautiful. From the calm rat-a-tat to the loud and bustling crack of the snare and cymbals from Wojteras drums are always a staple of the night, constantly keeping a rhythm that you could tap your feet to. Scartellis uid, walking bass is always at the forefront, while never being too loud. In order to appreciate his massive role, you have to understand how long it must have taken him to get his ngers moving that fast and accurately. Gallops bright and melodious chords and notes ring out, dominating the air and the other instruments during his solos, while taking a rolling, rhythmic bow when the other instruments take the spotlight. Each man a master of their own instrument and music itself, they commanded the room with such a forceful, tasteful presence that it was hard to ignore the music, even if you were there against your own will. The choices of pieces for the night were a wide array of famous composers, to famous songs, to even a Korean folklore tune. Each piece was masterfully composed and accented ever so perfectly. White and Gallops both share the spotlight evenly, taking on solos in each piece. Both men made their shining moments so effortless and inviting, you were begging for the next soaring melody line and scale run. My personal favorite was the calming and airy Symphony No. 9 in E Minor Op. 95 B. 178, that took me on a musical journey, further enlightening me on the use of subtle techniques and the importance of sensitivity to a piece. Though the piece may not have been the most thundering, it completely leaves you awestruck and desiring for the song to go on forever, but thats a common theme of the night with how well these masters play. I cannot wait for the next faculty jazz quartet concert to come around so I can savor that one as much as I have savored this one.

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