REVIEWS

BattleBlock Theater: A True Thinking Man’s Game

Gameplay screenshot of BattleBlock Theater. Source: http://www.battleblocktheater.com/ — Gameplay screenshot of BattleBlock Theater.
Source: http://www.battleblocktheater.com/

Released on April 3rd, The Behemoth’s BattleBlock Theater is a game that fuses platforming and puzzle gameplay to create an experience that is full of fun trial and error sequences and delightfully challenging, precision jumps. If you’re familiar with either of their previous efforts, Alien Hominid or Castle Crashers, then the zany story and graphics of BattleBlock Theater won’t come as much of a shock to you. You play as one of many “prisoners” who was shipwrecked on an island and taken captive by technologically-advanced cats. The game’s all-around good guy, Hatty Hattington, has been brainwashed by the feline enemies and forced to run their theater, which showcases the prisoners attempting to make their way through the various levels of the game. Each level comes with different flavors of enemies, death traps, puzzle elements, and power-ups. There are cats who will try to punch you into the water (hint: you can’t swim), spike traps, teleporters, and much more within each stage.

Progression through the game is simple enough; you must collect three of the gems that are strewn about the level and then find the exit. Most levels (called acts) in the game have seven gems to collect, and your grade at the end of an act is largely dependent on how many gems you finish with. There are a good amount of gems that can be collected simply by progressing through a given act, but the remainder of them are either hidden or require skilled puzzle solving or jumping to obtain. You can also improve your grade by finding the hidden ball of yarn in each act and/or completing the act quickly. Unrelated to the grade system is the golden hat that will occasionally appear. Finding the golden hat and then completing the act with it in your possession yields ten gems for you to spend. Dying with the hat will cause you to lose it, sometimes for good.

Perhaps the best part of the game is the narrator, who not only provides the backdrop for the game’s story through hilarious cutscenes, but also both commends and heckles your performance as you go along. His witty lines and critiques never get old, and there’s a one-liner for just about everything you do. One death will yield a shocked comment like “Oh my goodness gracious!”, while the next could be met with “That was pretty funny.” Thankfully, there are no lives to lose in the game, so you have as long as you want to try every possible solution and die every possible way before advancing.

The controls in BattleBlock Theater are as tight as you’ll find in any platformer. I never felt like I would miss a jump because of my character sliding off an edge. The characters really stick their landings well, and the ability to slightly change direction in mid-air allows for true precision jumps; which is perfect, because you need to be accurate to complete each chapter’s finale and encore acts. These stages are quite challenging and unlike the normal adventures in the game, you’re on a timer. Failing to complete the act in time kicks you back to the level select.

The amount of customization in BattleBlock Theater is nearly endless. Characters are divided into five categories, by the shape of their head (sphere, cube, pyramid, cylinder, and star, which contains bonus unlockables). New faces for the heads are unlocked by collecting gems and spending them in the Gift Shop. There are some truly wild faces to choose from in the game, such as Elvis, an eyeball, a house, a devil, and an elephant. You can also earn weapons for your character, which range from an exploding frisbee to a vacuum and many more, though only one may be used at a time. Weapons are purchased in the Gift Shop using balls of yarn. You can also pick one of nine colors for your character, which will help you tell yours apart from a friend’s if you happen to be playing the game’s co-op mode. Better yet, you can customize your character while in the middle of a level, should you want to change weapons or faces.

BattleBlock Theater Logo
Source: http://www.xblafans.com

BattleBlock Theater isn’t short on multiplayer versus modes, either. Eight different gametypes await you, each with more than a handful of different layouts to enjoy them on. Soul Snatcher, Muckle, Challenge, King Of The Hill, Color The World, Grab The Gold, Ball Game, and Capture The Horse. All of them offer different styles of gameplay and are sure to entertain for hours on end. These modes can also be played online against other users in ranked or quick matches. The online play is smooth, with little to no latency detracting from the mechanics.

Another awesome feature about this game is the ability to create your own levels to wreak havoc on. I personally am no good at this sort of thing, but given the creations that more creative people have been coming up with in games like Halo 4 and Minecraft, I’m sure that BattleBlock Theater will have a lot of nice content for users to throw down with.

With tons of unlockables, a nice assortment of game modes, and a story mode with enough meat to it for any gamer to be entertained for more than a few hours, BattleBlock Theater really hits the mark. This is one of the few titles that I have no complaints with, and at only 1200 Microsoft Points, this game is an absolute steal. You’re getting about $40-50 worth of game for $15. I’ll take that every time. I’m very happy to award BattleBlock Theater an A. Nice work, Behemoth.

System: XBOX 360
Genre: Side-Scrolling/Platform/Puzzle
Players: 1-4 co-op or head to head, local or online
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points ($15)

Hannibal is Delectable, to Die For

by Michael Tyminski

Mads Mikkelsen is Hannibal (Source: NBC)

Hannibal: Thursdays 10p.m. NBC

In a year where killers are in mid-season vogue (Cult, The Following, Bates Motel), it would only make sense that one network would take on one of the silver screen’s most genial killers of all time: Hannibal Lecter. This has potential to be a huge risk, however, as Anthony Hopkins’ turn as Lecter in Silence of the Lambs remains one of the most iconic performances in cinema history. Add in the fact that NBC’s last 10pm Thursday offering remains one of the most abysmal offerings of a show this season (Do Not Harm) and we suddenly see one of the most high-risk, high-reward scenarios in a time slot that has held some very lauded offerings (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, ER).

Hannibal follows a much younger Lecter than we are used to as the show takes us back to the origins of Lecter as a killer. When criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) consults Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) in order to track down a criminal whose head he can’t get into, it looks like the beginning of a beautiful partnership. They are surrounded by a veteran cast including Lawrence Fishburne as Dr. Jack Crawford, whom doesn’t always agree with Graham’s methods.

The premiere has Crawford going to Graham to chase down a serial killer whom murdered eight girls in the Minnesota area. When they struggle with the forensic details and Graham cannot get into this killer’s head (despite his pure empathy), Crawford recruits Lecter in order to get in the head of a cannibal (any guesses who this cannibal might be?). However, Graham views Lecter with suspicion due to the issues between himself and Crawford, while Lecter uses subterfuge to try and break Graham.

The first thing I noticed, and I think many people will notice, is how visually impressive the show looks. It has the best set of blood effects I’ve seen on a show this ilk, and the cinematography of both Will’s murder replays and his dream sequences never fail to impress. The show has a very cinematic feel to it in general, especially in terms of the camera work even in it’s more subtle instances, such as the dark silhouette-like introduction to our titular character.

In addition to the visual beauty of the show, the show is well acted. Hugh Dancy’s Will Graham perfectly displays the sort of anti-social (and tortured) personality that they have written for him without being excessively hammy. Mikkelsen’s Hannibal is friendly, a touch stern, and far enough removed from Hopkins’ portrayal that over time I could see one becoming comfortable with it as an alternative approach to the character, while portraying Lecter’s love of mind games and foreshadowing the monster to come. For me however, the biggest surprise was watching Scott Thompson (of Kids in the Hall fame) playing an understated and astute forensic pathologist.

The writing also feels tight in a number of ways. First and foremost, it was not afraid to take its’ time bringing Hannibal into the party, instead focusing the first half hour on Will Hughes, whom in and of himself is a gripping protagonist. Similarly, I appreciated that the writing showed small flashes of the cannibalistic killer we all know and love, including the standard issue Hannibal lectures, the emphasis on politeness, and the overall mastermind aspect we’ve come to expect from the character. The ending felt a little rushed to compensate for taking the time, but considering the way the episode resolved itself (I try to avoid spoilers wherever possible), it makes perfect sense in hindsight.

The Final Verdict: Hannibal just clicks. The show is visually vibrant, its’ characters are incredibly deep, and the show is not afraid to put spanners in the works to keep its’ characters from succeeding (for me one of the worst things about the forensic drama genre is when it becomes incredibly obvious that the criminal will always end up in cuffs at 55 past the hour). The show seems compelling as Hannibal will continue to find new ways to break Will, Will tries to shrug off Hannibal, and Crawford will be completely confused by both of them. My recommendation? Watch it.

How to Live with Mediocrity: ABC’s Latest Show Fails to Bring The Funny

by Michael Tyminski

How to Live With Your Parents (For The Rest of Your Life): Wednesdays 9:30pm, ABC

When it comes to television, even broadcast television, networks tend to have their own historical strengths and weaknesses. Fox, for example, built their network on The Simpsons, but also has a fairly rich tradition of animated comedy over the past decade. NBC had its’ Thursday Night comedy juggernaut throughout the 80’s and 90’s. CBS rules the roost with its’ alphabet soup of forensic shows and mediocre-to-bad Chuck Lorre comedies.

As for ABC, when I think of them, the first thing that pops into my mind is their domestic/family comedies going back to eighties, be it Growing Pains, Full House, Home Improvement, Roseanne, Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Modern Family, or as the network that inexplicably gave According to Jim eight seasons. From this long line of dom-coms comes ABC’s newest show: How to Live with Your Parents (For The Rest of Your Life).

How to Live is about uptight divorcee Polly (Sarah Chalke) whom due to the economy is forced to move back in with her laid back parents Max and Elaine (Brad Garrett and Elizabeth Perkins). Things are further complicated however, as her ex-husband Julian (Jon Dore) hangs around in her life, mostly to be around their daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston). The pilot picks up about a year after this move, only to find Polly stuck in a state of relative inertia about how to piece her life back together in terms of both love and money.

So how does How to Live fare? Well it’s very obvious from moment one that Polly is very much a straight up retooling of Elliot Reed, neuroses and all. In fact the opening segment takes liberally from Scrubs, including a number of narration to cut away gags that seemed like lesser versions of your average John Dorian flashbacks. The writing in general is mediocre and inoffensive, if a little formulaic at points. For example, was there really a need to introduce Julian in the second segment in a throw away scene that says almost nothing about the character that wasn’t brought up in the introduction?

The acting is generally pretty competent, despite the often lacking material. Elizabeth Perkins is particularly strong as Polly’s mom, as she sells the oft ridiculous and borderline negligent nature of her character perfectly. Brad Garrett is similarly competent as Max, Polly’s stepfather, an occasionally peevish but fairly responsible father-figure. Sarah Chalke’s Polly, however is a little too neurotic and overwrought at times, as if the weight of the world is on her shoulders despite the relatively low stakes of the show (How low are they? So low that Julian would conceivably save her from a bad date).

The Final Verdict: How to Live With Your Parents (for the Rest of your Life) is the definition of mediocre. It’s not completely unfunny, but a red flag pops up in my mind when I realize that I laughed more at the last five minutes of tonight’s Modern Family (from tuning in early), than I did in thirty minutes of How to Live. I’d recommend skipping it, though there’s enough chemistry in the cast that if it ever moves from taking it’s characters and structure from other shows and tightens up it’s jokes a little more, it could eventually become a serviceable fourth show for a block that already has three very strong comedies.

Crunch Fitness’ in Chelsea- Why it’s the best

by Ryan Shea

We are all looking for ways to stay in shape, especially with bathing suit season coming up in a few short weeks (although mother nature seems to think differently). There are a bevy of different gyms you can go to in the New York City area, but which one is the best to go to? In my opinion, that one is Crunch Gym. They recently opened a brand new location in Chelsea, it’s third location in the big apple. The location is at 220 West 19th Street between 7th and 8th avenue, wedged in the heart of the Chelsea district. [Read more…] about Crunch Fitness’ in Chelsea- Why it’s the best

Sony X Review- MDR-X10 Headphones

by Ryan Shea

Sony has been to go to name for decades when it comes to handling all of your audio needs. From the first time I bought my own Walkman back in the 90’s to now, I have always been impressed by their dedication to how the product looks and sounds at the same time. Their new line of headphones is no different. I got the opportunity to review the X10 line that that has just been released, and it is being backed by none other then “American Idol” legend and current “X Factor” host Simon Cowell.

“I chose to make a set of headphones with Sony because I simply wanted something better than what is in the market today,” said Cowell. “I’ve tried all of them, literally every single one. Sony and I set out to create the best headphone in the world. We are absolutely blown away by these. With the X headphones, it’s like being in the recording studio when the records are made. The sound is that clear.”

“Our X Headphones are for the true listeners, the music fanatics who share Sony’s uncompromising passion for music and precision in sound,” said Andrew Sivori, vice president of the Personal Audio Division at Sony Electronics. “Created by Sony and Simon Cowell, the new X Headphones deliver an amazing listening experience wrapped up in a cutting-edge design for the ultimate in self-expression.”

The look and feel-

Beyond how well put together the box was when it came to me, everything about these headphones read sleek and chic. The headphones itself fit very well onto your ears and are relaxing. They adjust to fit your specific head size very well, and at the same time are very lightweight. Overall in that aspect a very pleasant experience.

The sound quality-

The sound quality on these headphones are really through the roof. What really makes these headphones worth it is that you can be in a really busy setting and still only hear what you are listening to. The base on these are incredible and you can hear every instrument playing. For instance, right now I am listening to a great throwback, Busta Rhymes & Janet Jackson’s “What’s It Gonna Be?”. The base in this song is crazy as is, and Janet’s voice is soft but powerful. What the headphones does is that it enhances both counterparts to where everything sounds incredible all at the same time. Really, an incredible listening experience.

Overall-

Overall these headphones are just amazing. If this is one your wish list or want to get a tech-minded friend a great gift for his or her birthday.

They have also launched a new line in the x10 series dubbed the MDR-X05 Cans. Just launched a little over a week ago, itis a lightweight product with colorful designs from red on silver to black on red. It is available now with the x10 series at a price of $199, marked down a$100 dollars for a limited time only. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to pick up these great headphones and sport them out for your friends to see!

Album Review: Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience

by Rio Toro

Justin Timberlake: 20/20 Experience

Similar Artists: Beyonce, The-Dream, Michael Jackson

Genre: Pop, R&B

Label: RCA

The past six years have been kind to Justin Timberlake. While he was always known as a talented performer with a silky smooth voice, his ambition has grown tenfold to where he is now recognized as a talented actor, producer, and a suit & tie wearing entrepreneur. He is a man who has gradually shifted his image to the point where the clan of haters that spawned against him during his intrepid N’Sync days no longer have means to continue hating him. However, to be an artist who can no longer be reviled is both a blessing and a curse.

Even for those of us who weren’t teenage girls in 2002, ever since the Timberland produced stunner “Cry Me a River”, JT’s appeal has become hard to resist. In 2006 with FutureSex/LoveSounds, JT broke free of being a guilty pleasure act and put out an honest-to-god brilliant record. Music fanatics left and right were coming out and renouncing their love for the singer. His hiatus brought upon further analysis that has led many to feel that FutureSex is one of the quintessential pop albums of the 2000’s. Although his presence in social media never escaped us for more than a moment, (and as funny as some of those SNL skits were) we soon missed hearing him in his pure non-comedic vocal mode. Regardless of whether this album is good or bad, no one should still be questioning whether it is worthy of your attention, like any highly talked about pop album, the question is if this release is worthy when compared to the anticipation and hype surrounding it.

So now that we are listening to the new album, is it really all that big of a deal? Actually, it really isn’t, and that is disappointing for those expecting something profound. Aptly titled the 20/20 experience, the album represents a glimpse into a perfect life — the problem is, perfect can be pretty boring when taken in art form. This dullness is especially apparent from a lyrical standpoint, because while hearing about perfect marriages and soul mates is lovely, it doesn’t quite get under your skin. This would be forgivable if the album was emotive or even catchy enough, but nothing here proves to be grasping on a deeper level. It’s not from a lack of ambition though, as only “That Girl” could be considered a concise radio-friendly pop song. The tracks mostly hover around the 7 minute mark, but unfortunately most are not worthy of their extended time. A few songs do prove to be sprawling spectacles of sound, but it is solely because of the production rather than song writing or vocal performance – both of which are surprisingly lazy.

And yes, this album has ridiculously good production, but would you expect anything less? I mean, just look at the amount of top-notch producers who worked on every track — it almost feels too obvious that this album is incomparably smooth and gorgeous. It doesn’t take away from the experience while listening, but I wish I had something real to hook me in that wouldn’t disintegrate with time like the beats surely will. I’m being a bit too harsh actually; the album’s saving grace comes near the end with the penultimate track “Mirrors”. It is a truly heartfelt and drenching love song that you will wait patiently to hear every time you play the album. While the rest of the songs are a mixture of fun, inventiveness, and sexiness, their most defining characteristic may be that they are hollow.

Track Listing:

1.) Pusher Love Girl

2.) Suit & Tie

3.) Don’t Hold the Wall

4.) Strawberry Bubblegum*

5.) Tunnel Vision*

6.) Spaceship Coupe

7.) That Girl*

8.) Let the Groove Get In

9.) Mirrors*

10.) Blue Ocean Floor

* – Album Highlight

Real Housewives of Atlanta Recap: GWTW Fabulous?

by Ryan Shea

As an avid Real Housewives of Atlanta fan (and other seasons at that), this season was different in several ways yet it still brought home that punch at this particular venue does so well. Now that Kim Zolciak has departed this year, the lone original housewive in NeNe Leakes continues to be the one that everyone watches for when it comes to her no nonsense tolerance of stupidity and her overall hilarity that comes with being her. Besides her, there are two new housewives that were introduced in the mix, and boy did they deliver. One more than the other though. Kenya Moore made herself pretty comfortable in the RHOA franchise this year, coming in like a bullet from episode one when judging on a Jet Magazine contest to the finale last night when attempting to kick out other new housewife Porsha Stewart out for coming in a different costume (yes, that happened). Regardless, this was the best season of RHOA in a very long time and I am going to breakdown each housewife and my thoughts on them this season.

NeNe Leakes-

NeNe is truly the best part of this show, and in many people’s eyes the best housewife to ever exist on any of the series. Her vivaciousness and tenacity to get her career where it needs to be has been truly shown this season, in particular her always being bi-coastal in LA and Atlanta. She is finally a series regular on the NBC show “The New Normal” and that was documented in full this year. Also profiled heavily was her reconciliation with her ex husband Greg which culminated in him proposing to her in last weeks episode (Aww). My personal opinion is that they should’ve never gotten divorced in the first place, as to me it just seemed like she was so career driven that she wanted her independence and that was a main focal point in her leaving. Nevertheless, NeNe had words with every cast member this season except for Kandi (her former nemesis) and Cynthia. She read every other girl correctly this year, from Porsha having a controlling husband to Kenya getting way out of line with everyone for no reason. As for her relationship with Kim, that is one that will truly never flourish and be what it was supposed to be- as a modern day boughetto version of Thelma & Louise. Facts are this- NeNe is water to that shows livelihood. That franchise can’t survive without it. So keep coming back NeNe because we love you!

Kandi Burruss-

In my opinion, Kandi is the most successful when it comes to being a true business woman. Her storyline this year was falling in love with her boo Todd Tucker and the road to engagement and potentially a new baby in the works. She is one of two of the RHOA housewives that are getting a spin off, her’s being “The Kandi Factory” in which she discovers new talent to work professionally in the music industry (pumped for that). Kandi and NeNe are in the same realm in that they both really keep it 100 everywhere they go. Kandi did a very good job in the drama department by sticking with Phaedra during the whole battle with Kenya and finally settling the stupid beef between her and NeNe when they were on vacation. A true businesswoman, she continues to be the pioneer in female sex toys with her “Bedroom Kandi” line that earned her the Best Toy Sex Line at the 2012 AVN’s. The joke here that I love is when she said “I think I am the only person to win a Grammy and an AVN”. Really for me, Kandi is the shit and should’ve been an original housewife in season one as opposed to the woman she replaced, DeShawn (boring). She continues to breakaway from being just a girl from a 90’s girl group and really make herself a force to be reckoned with in the business world. Good for her.

Cynthia Bailey-

Cynthia’s will be short and sweet. The renewal of vows with Peter in Anguilla was nice. Her continuing her Bailey Model Agency was fun to watch as well. Her standing her ground when Kenya was acting a hot ass mess at her agency was great as well. Besides that, Cynthia remains to me an anomaly on that show. She isn’t that interesting but somehow continues a third season on the show. I was sort of shocked they kept her around and not that insane nut job Marlo Hampton. She does read well though. The funniest thing this season for me is when she asks Kenya- “Now Kenya, were you before or after Vanessa Williams”. HA. Love it.

Phaedra Parks-

Ugh. There are times where I like Phaedra, and there are times where she annoys the heck out of me. Regardless, her colorful commentary keeps me cracking up, especially her digs at onetime friend Kenya. That seemed to be her main focal point this season as well, was her ongoing battle with Ms. Moore. The battle began really when Phaedra didn’t want to cough up any money to pay Kenya for all the work she put into Phaedra’s workout video. I side with Kenya here, as regardless of friendship you should pay for something like that. That is when the flood gates opened and pretty much at every event something happened between the two of them. They seemed to squash things in the end, but besides that fight was there anything really interesting about Phaedra this season? Her going into the funeral business for pets bored the heck out of me and her relationship with her fine as heck husband Apollo bored me as well. With baby number two on the way, is there anything left for this woman to be a vital structure when season six happens? Stay tuned.

Porsha Stewart-

Or as I like to call her, the Alexis Bellino of RHOA. Meaning the girl says some dumb shit. Porsha is a bubbly fun girl who has some great family history that was documented at the beginning of the season (she is family members with Hosea Williams). That being said, the girl just proved why she is a real housewife this season by being married to a very controlling husband, AKA that closet case Kordell Stewart. Now he has filed for divorce from her and it is getting ugly. Really ugly. I am sure the way he was portrayed on the show didn’t really hit well with him on the home front hence why he is leaving her, but was there anything else that could’ve attributed to it? There were some great and genuine moments such as Porsha revealing her problems trying to conceive and her devotion to charity work, but really all that relationship was was Kordell telling Porsha what to do in every situation. She was another one that got into it so many times with Kenya, and originally I was on Porsha’s side, but as the season went on and all she had to throw digs on was her age really just showed how immature Porsha was. Now with the divorce riding high, she is sure to be a cast member for next season, but will they portray her as the newly single Carrie Bradshaw of Atlanta? Time will tell.

Kenya Moore-

I love Kenya Moore. I really, really do. I have had this girl’s back from the get go pretty much and there are so many aspects about her that I find to just be freaking fantastic. This show needed someone like her, and I understood why she did what she did. The only thing I disagreed with was how rough she was in the first episode when judging the Jet Beauty Pageant thing at Cynthia’s agency. Besides that, girl can stand up for herself. Phaedra was wrong in not paying her, you don’t do stuff for free. Porsha, miss “265 Days A Year” was wrong as well with her below the belt jokes that made Kenya seem to be this old woman when really she is the best looking girl of the bunch (and most physically fit). Did she overreact about Walter? No. If my friends kept inviting my ex to places and they knew it made me uncomfortable, well then they aren’t really friends to begin with? Kenya really did a great job at getting her point across and looking back on things I really get where she was coming from. “Gone With The Wind Fabulous” is truly the best quote of the season and a mantra I use in my everyday life. She is a beautiful and smart addition to the show and I can’t wait to see where it leads next season.

What are your thoughts RHOA fans? Did you like this season? What are your views on the ladies? Can’t wait for the reunion next week!

Album Review: The Mavericks – In Time

by Pamela Gordon

The first time I heard The Mavericks I was sitting in my car listening to my favorite radio station WFUV, and couldn’t believe my ears. It was a hybrid of sounds, that was joyously complex, melting both the old and the

new, and the “North” and the “South”.

After a seven-year stretch of no music, The Mavericks have ironically come back with the album “In Time”. It truly was only time that changed since their last album, maintaining their original and unique sound that can only be descried as The Mavericks. Raul Malo’s vocals exudes sex and desire, track after track with his Elvis and Ray Orbison like sound. With the accompaniment of a Ska strumming guitar, Latin brass section and great harmonies, the Mavericks surely are not to be reckoned with.

As you may know, I cover country music here on Manhattan Digest. When you listen to this album you may say to yourself, just as I did, “That can’t just be country, can it?” The truth is, it’s not, The Mavericks are so versatile, they can’t be labeled under just one genre. Their span of style covers Country, Ska, Rock and Banda. Banda you ask me, Banda is a type of music that is brass based, mostly Mexican, and has had a large presence in Mexican Pop.

I spoke with others and asked their opinion on what genre they thought it fit under. After different answers it finally clicked, The Mavericks. That’s what they are, mavericks, “One that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group.” The definition itself sounds a bit abrasive, but because of this characteristic they have created a real name for themselves.

With tracks like “Back In Your Arms Again,” and “Born To Be Blue,” the desire to to soulfully sing along is turned all the way up on the dial. The tracks not only want to make you sing but dance as well. During the demanding yet convincing track “Come Unto Me,” my passion to dance the Rumba throws chills from my neck to my feet. I had even brought the track to my dance class where others agreed that the song bled sexuality and masculinity. There is a soft side to The Mavericks as well, during “Forgive Me” Raul Malo masters his vocals, gliding whimsically through lyrics of repent and yearning while accompanied by the tip-toeing of the piano.

If I had the convincing power to make you all by one album that I have wrote about thus far, this would be it. It may have been a long time since The Mavericks have come together to put out an album, but it goes to show good music can not be rushed, and it will come “In Time.”

The Place Beyond the Pines: Almost a Great One.

by Peter Foy

Well here it is, the first film of 2013 that I was really anticipating. I had been following The Place Beyond the Pines for some time, due to the considerable amount of pedigree surrounding the project. I was really impressed by Derek Cianfrance’s last feature Blue Valentine, and I was overjoyed when I heard that he would be re-casting Ryan Gosling (potentially my favorite working actor) for this project. The early reviews remarked on how epic the film felt in that it’s storyline spanned generations, and it also happened to be a crime film, which is my go-to genre for film. All of this was enough to have me readily follow the movie until it’s release, and then I was fortunate enough to catch an advanced preview screening of this film at BAM this week. I can now say that The Place Beyond the Pines is a better-than-average drama that occasionally feels rather unique and profound. Thing is, I really wanted it to be a great modern crime film, and it’s not quite that.

The Place Beyond the Pines is set in Schenectady, New York, and begins its ambitious storyline during the mid 1990s. The first third of the movie focuses almost entirely on Ryan Gosling’s character, Luke Glanton, a tattooed metal head who makes a living as a motorcyclist performer at carnivals. When Glanton discovers that an old flame of his, Romina (Eva Mendes), has giving birth to his child since last they met, he immediately decides to quit his job, reside in Schenectady, and try and support his child. Unfortunately, Romina has moved on and has a new man in her life now. Still, Glanton is determined to provide for his child, and starts to rob banks in order to get money. His actions eventually cross paths with police officer Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper), and carries out into the lives of all the film’s characters for years to come.

To say anymore about the film’s plot would be giving away too much (I already fear that this review will do just that), but let’s just say this film has enough story to fill at least three movies. Showing ambition towards a project is never a bad thing, but it certainly can be tricky to master. Derek Cianfrance says that he and his co-writer Ben Coccio went through several dozen drafts of the film’s script, and then had an arduous task of cutting it to a reasonable length(the original cut was reportedly about three and a half hours). It’s hard to fault the film for overreaching, as it carries a timeless theme about fathers-and-sons, and suggests how important it is that they both have one another in life. At its best, the film feels quite resounding, but there are a few crucial elements that seem to have been left on the cutting room floor.

For one, the film is very clearly broken up into three sections, all three of which feel a bit different from each other. After getting off to a rousing start in the film’s first third, it actually mellows out a bit for the second part. This part of the film focuses on Bradley Cooper character’s life as a police officer, and while it isn’t uninteresting, the character doesn’t hold the screen like the electrifying Gosling did in the film’s first third. It slows down the film’s momentum a bit, and I feel that a more consistent state of tension was intended by the film makers. The film’s final part is a bit more interesting than the second (at least it was for me), but it focuses on two new characters (played by Dane DeHaan and Harris Yulin) that don’t quite get the character development they need in order to really resonate with the audience. There’s also a sense of repetition in this final act, and many of the film’s secondary characters (played by actors such as Rose Bryne, Ben Mendehlsohn, and even Ray Liotta) come off as a bit underused. It all adds up to an ending that some might find poetic, but others might decry as predictable.

So yeah, The Place Beyond the Pines has a flimsy arc, but that shouldn’t keep you from seeing it. Derek Cianfrance is clearly on his way to being seen as an A-list director, and he gives this film the same sense of grit and humanism that made Blue Valentine such a stellar indie picture. The film has a very natural feel to it, and he finds ways to shoot visceral action/chase sequences without coming off as stylized. His empathy for his characters is so observant, and it’s best communicated through Gosling’s performance. Once again, the formidable actor has added a great deal of weight to this picture through his acting ability. His character says relatively little throughout his limited screen time, but his expressions and mannerisms make us find sympathy in this brutish loner. The first act of The Place Beyond the Pines does indeed shine the brightest, and mainly because it’s the section that focuses on Luke the most, and it has the best action set pieces.

It’s decidedly a flawed film, but the film making, ambition, and performances are enough to make me kindheartedly recommend it. Over the last few weeks I’ve heard a few people say that they feel the movie looks like a Drive clone. Those expecting Drive will be particularly disappointed as it’s no where near as stylized or original as Nicholas Winding Refn’s masterpice. I also find it a shallow comparison, as besides minute surface details, I didn’t think the movie looked anything like Drive in the previews. Regardless, The Place Beyond the Pines should appeal to most audiences, and it raises my hopes as to what Cianfrance will do next.

Gay Marriage debate- you silly bible thumpers

by Ryan Shea

Two days ago my Facebook News Feed was flooded with red and more red and more red. The constant change of several gay and straight friend’s profile pictures was a significant eye opening experience as the DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act) and the ban on California’s Prop 8 have come into severe play on the Supreme Court. What made it so amazing to me is how many of my personal friends and thousands of others are for the ban and challenge of both acts and propositions and really how the support for gays in this country has increased exponentially in the past ten to fifteen years.

The funniest part of this whole thing is the opposition. Now, I always do my best to come into things with a mature look on both angles regardless if I happen to be biased on one side. This time around, there is no defense for the conservative bible thumpers who ONLY have one defense in this whole thing- the bible itself. Really people, you take one line in an entire book and turn it into something that is so beyond catastrophically stupid that we even have these ridiculous and time consuming debates, court cases and millions of people feeling like second class citizens.

I will only speak from my experience here. I always get the sense that these right-wing, old fashioned homophobic people view gay men in particular as only one way. They fear us for several reasons and blame a lot of what they think we are on their own huge insecurities. It wasn’t too long ago that interracial marriage was banned, now that is over. It wasn’t too long ago that white and black people drank from separate water fountains, now that is over. These things are all over because people stood up for what they believed was right (and actually was), spoke the fuck up and silenced the morons that were raised on their own bigotry because their parents and people around them taught to be hateful, simple minded jackasses.

This has even gotten to a point where the most right wing, conservative people like Bill O’Reilly and Karl Rove have stated somewhat in jest but really saying that gay marriage should happen. Yes, Bill O’Reilly and Karl Rove. Several other conservatives have stepped forward, in particular ones that thanks to Andrew Cuomo were a big part in legalizing gay marriage here in New York. I am fortunate, because I live in one of the states that when I do get married (gotta find the guy first, hit me up I’m cute) I can do it in a legal fashion and not have to tip-toe around a civil union or drive thousands of miles to another state to make it real. If this issue has become that drastic where the most conservative of conservatives are siding with gay and gay friendly people on this matter, then I don’t see why this whole process can be taken care of, prop 8 thrown away, DOMA taken down, and that EVERY MOTHER FUCKING STATE legalizes gay marriage. Everyone, and I mean EVERY PERSON deserves equal rights. This has become our civil rights movement, and we deserve what everyone else has.

As Miranda Priestly puts it so easily yet to the point, “That’s All”.

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