March Issue.qxp - Our Lady of the Lake University

LAKE
About time for some ‘Passion’
Mel Gibson comes through with
a powerful, if not controversial,
interpretation of the crucifixion
of Jesus Christ.
FRONT
March 2004
Volume 14
No. 3
PAGE 7
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSIT Y, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Changes in weekend
program welcomed
A day
in the
life of...
Alfredo Valenzuela
CO-EDITOR
The world we live in never
stops changing, and the latest
string of events within the Office
of Extended Learning proves just
that.
Currently, department functions are being revised, positions
have been terminated, recruitment is on the rise, and continuing education is getting a second
chance.
When
asked about
the
latest
modifications within
her department, Rita
Russ, associate director
of Weekend
and Evening
RUSS
D e g r e e
Program,
said, “I do not anticipate change,
yet I welcome it. These changes
will be good for all here at the university.”
One of the easily recognizable modifications within the
Office of Extended Learning is the
change of its name. Now called
the Weekend and Evening Degree
Program, the department is in the
process of evolving in an attempt
to further assist the needs of the
students.
Assistant to the provost, Dr.
Alicia Gresham, and a group of
Cristina Y. Almendarez
LAKE REPORTER
Ever called the university and wondered who
is on the other side of the phone line? Rosemary
Saenz is one of the people who answers your questions or connects you to the department that you
need. In fact, Saenz has been answering the
phones at OLLU for the past 22 years.
Saenz was born in San Antonio and is an
alumna of the class of 1998. Before working for the
university, Saenz was head bookkeeper at a local
H-E-B company for 30 years.
“I like working here. The environment is so
calming and relaxing,” Saenz said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE
4
PHOTO BY KRYSTLE CORRAL
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
50 years later, Ball is still on a roll
Jennifer Herrera
LAKE REPORTER
Whenever one thinks of the
history of The Lake, one cannot
leave out Sister Isabel Ball.
Sr. Ball is practically a fixture
at OLLU; she has served at the
school since 1954, when she was
named to the faculty of the
Department of Chemistry. This
year marks her 50th year of service
to the Lake.
More recently she served for
23 years as Dean of the College or
Arts and Sciences. She is committed to OLLU and proud of how the
university has evolved into what it
is today. Ball is familiar with how
The Lake once was, because she
spent most of her life at The Lake.
In Elmendorf, Texas, Sister
Isabel Ball embarked on her journey to OLLU. Born on June 1,
1929, she began her life as any normal child would just enjoying the
pure essence of childhood.
Ball was taught in a county
school until her eighth-grade year.
She credits the teachers at the
school for teaching her more than
she could ever learn from textbooks. The teachers were dedicated to their careers and she learned
a few life lessons by this.
While attending school, Ball
came into contact with a group of
sisters that taught her catechism.
She admired the sisters and
through her high school years she
considered becoming one of them.
“Even in high school that
thought kept on coming back to
me, should I be a sister?” Ball said.
But Ball did not care much
for teaching and during high
school she planned on becoming a
nurse and joining the army.
Ball attended St. Mary’s High
School, now Providence High
School, making the commute from
Elmendorf to San Antonio every
day just to attend school. Ball then
graduated from high school at the
age of 16, and decided to attend
Our Lady of the Lake College.
„
VAU LT
7
“White
Men Can’t
Jump”
revisited.
“I do not anticipate
change, yet I welcome it.”
Rita Russ
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF WEEKEND AND
EVENING DEGREE PROGRAM
faculty members are working on a
project to consolidate the weekend operations with the rest of
the university. Within the last
month, the position of director of
the weekend and evening degree
program has been eliminated in
order to help the needs of the 878
students enrolled.
How is eradicating a position benefiting the students?
With 878 students enrolled,
201 of those being traditional
crossover students, there seemed
to be a bit of confusion having
two separate offices which basically perform the same function.
Something needed to be
done.
“We are starting to see that
students want both traditional
and weekend classes,” said
Gresham.
A recommendation for the
fusing of admissions for both traditional and weekend students
has gone to the provost for
review. Once this recommendation has been approved, space
council will look at it next. Space
council is in charge of any departmental movement within the university.
CONTINUED ON PAGE
3
Alexander’s fate lies in
the Carnahans’ hands
Local couple try to raise
funds to adopt Russian boy
who captured their heart.
Jennifer Herrera
LAKE REPORTER
PHOTO BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
Sister Isabel Ball has held a variety of positions over the course of her 50 years of service to OLLU.
In fact, she did not consider
any other school other than The
Lake for college.
“The Lake had the Sisters of
Divine Providence, so that sounded pretty good to me. They accepted me here and I grew up here,”
Ball said.
Ball had an interest in sciences when entering college, so
she decided to major in chemistry,
but then switched to biology. She
later earned her bachelor’s degree
in biology, then in chemistry.
She explained that college
was more fun than high school
because she felt at home and
accepted in college.
But the constant thoughts of
becoming a sister kept lingering in
„
her mind.
“When I was in college, I kept
thinking of being a sister, but I didn’t want to teach. I thought I didn’t
want to teach,” Ball said.
After college, Ball decided to
enter the convent. However, she
says, entering the convent was a
very difficult decision to make.
That is where she finds herself today -- being a sister and
teaching. Though she was never
fond of teaching she soon overcame that.
“Teaching is the one career I
have pushed the hardest. Anyone
who seems interested in teaching I
try to help them,” Ball said.
Ball believes that teaching is
the most rewarding profession.
H EA D 2 TO E
4
Massage therapy
makes its way
into the lives of
individuals.
“A teacher is not in it for
appreciation, there are those times
you do get appreciated but that’s
not why you do it,” Ball said.
Ball categorized her experience at The Lake as a growing
experience, one where she literally
did grow up mentally, physically,
and even spiritually.
The impact The Lake has had
on her is tremendous. At one time
she even considered herself more
loyal to The Lake then she was to
her congregation of sisters.
The Lake was Ball’s turning
point in her life, she grew into the
person she is today because of the
experiences she has encountered
here.
CONTINUED ON PAGE
„
R E V I E WS
6
“Darkness”
metal on
welcomed
ground.
It took a segment on a local
TV news station last summer for
Brooke Carnahan and her husband, Dan, to realize that they
wanted to adopt. But the child
they wanted to adopt was someone unique, someone that was
worth any sacrifice.
Brooke Carnahan, a licensed
vocational nurse (LVN)
at
McCullough Hall, was so moved
by the segment that she immediately logged on to the Web site
that featured information on
orphans from Russia. The
orphans came to Sea World for a
day to enjoy the waterpark. Most
of the children had never been to
a water park or had even seen
such animals like dolphins or
whales.
The children had practically
come with only the clothes on
their backs and did not have
much. And many of them were
looking for homes.
It took one week with
Alexander, a blue-eyed, 10 year
old for Brooke and Dan to know
that it was meant to be, that
Alexander was the child that was
meant to be their own. Carnahan
believes that Alexander found her
and her husband.
“He found us, they came
here from nothing and had nothing, and the week that he stayed
“The week that he stayed
with us, he made us see
the light.”
Brooke Carnahan
HOPEFUL MOTHER OF ALEXANDER
with us, he made us see the light,”
Carnahan said.
Because of that Brooke and
Dan knew that he had to come
back to them; regardless of how
they had to do it, they would raise
the funds, somehow one way or
another.
“Through an interpreter, he
told us he felt in his heart and
soul that he belonged to us,”
Carnahan said.
Brooke and Dan have been
married for 16 years, and had no
children. Having had a hysterectomy earlier, she knew that she
was no longer able to bare a child.
She knew that her next choice
was adoption if she wanted a
child badly enough.
So Brooke and Dan decided
that adoption was the best route
to go.
Brooke and Dan needed to
raise enough funds to go through
the whole adoption process. The
fundraisers have ranged from
having barbeques, bingo games, a
garage sale and just recently a
spaghetti supper fundraiser.
CONTINUED ON PAGE
3
„
D I D YO U K N OW?
Our Lady of the Lake
University covers an area of
52 acres of land and was built
in 1895.
3
opinion&editorial
2
STAFF
adviser
Kay O’Donnell
[email protected]
co-editor
Alfredo Valenzuela
[email protected]
HIV risks are still
present in society
Graduation? I'll
get back to you
Jermaine Williams
Victoria Martinez
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
co-editor
Leticia Russi
uvalearussl
entertainment editor
Melissa Gonzalez
[email protected]
layout and design
Chris Burrell
[email protected]
photographer
Krystal Corral
[email protected]
artist
Jack Pina
[email protected]
staff writer
Cristina Almendarez
[email protected]
staff writer
Jesse Blanchard
[email protected]
staff writer
Krystal Corral
[email protected]
staff writer
Vanessa Duran
[email protected]
staff writer
Jose A. Garcia
[email protected]
staff writer
Jennifer Ann Herrera
[email protected]
contributing writers
Victoria Martinez
Jermaine Williams
When names like Arthur
Ashe, Rock Hudson and Kimberly
Bergalis are mentioned, people
automatically think of AIDS or
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
The
fact
that
most
Americans would know that Ashe,
Hudson and Bergalis died of AIDS
is in no small part due to the enormous attention HIV and AIDS has
received in the press for over a
decade.
Two decades after it began,
the AIDS epidemic is still continuing to spread across America, and
still continuing to claim lives.
Now one of the communities
hardest hit by the epidemic is trying to raise awareness in another
community where the virus is on
the rise.
African Americans make up
12 percent of the population but
account for almost 40 percent of
all AIDS cases.
Comprehensive prevention
education is lacking in many
African-American communities.
A prime avenue for reaching
the African-American community
is through the local church. It
should be a task that religious
leaders not only spread the gospel
but provide relevant information
about the AIDS situation.
African-American churches
have consistently been the backbone of community advancement,
from the time of slavery to the
civil rights movement.
Four San Antonio pastors
recently completed a weekly
Sunday-school curriculum based
on issues of sin, disease and spiritual healing to target the AIDS
epidemic.
Not only do their resources
and events get the congregations
thinking more about AIDS, but
they also challenge church members to use their gifts and talents
to reach out to those who are suffering from the disease.
Churches will find that starting an AIDS ministry will allow
them to speak truth to people who
have previously heard only condemnation from Christians.
Race and ethnicity are not,
themselves, risk factors for HIV
infection.
African Americans are more
likely to face challenges associated
with risk for HIV infection including poverty, denial and discrimination, substance abuse, partners
at risk, and the STD connection.
Although poverty itself is not
a risk factor, studies have found a
direct relationship between higher
AIDS incidence and lower
income.
A growing number of African
Americans are responding to the
HIV/AIDS crisis in their community; others have been slow to join
the effort.
Without frank and open discussion of HIV risks, many
African Americans will not get the
information and support they
need to protect themselves and
their partners from HIV.
press
Submission requirements:
The Lake Front accepts letters to
the editor for publication on the
Opinion page of this newspaper.
Letters should have the author's
printed name, signature and contact information. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters
can be submitted in person or by
mail and become the property of
The Lake Front. The editor
reserves the right to edit letters
for libelous material, grammatical errors, space constraints,
and/or offensive language. The
Lake Front does not discriminate
because of age, sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability or
sexual orientation. “Letters of
the Editor” is intended to serve
as a public forum for issues
related to The Lake community.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“So, when are you gonna
graduate?”
It's the inevitable question
anyone in college will get at least
once while in school. In my case, I
get it about every other month (if
not more).
For the most part, I have my
days when the question doesn't
bother me, but then there are days
when I've got my back up against
the wall with term papers, readings
and work, that when asked about
graduation the person asking will
get a look that can either chill blood
or have them fumbling with words
to recover over their now-obvious
faux pas.
It's not that I necessarily hate
being asked, it's just that I hate
being asked so often.
For me, family get-togethers
are probably the worst time for this
question. I go to these gatherings
with the intention of forgetting
about anything related to school.
Chilly, I know. Rude - no
doubt. But, hey I said it's what I
was thinking NOT what I said.
The problem though is not so
much the question, but rather how
it makes me feel - rushed.
As a student, I already feel
rushed and pressured. I get that
feeling every time a major paper or
exam comes up. Even as a senior
with months left to graduate my
stomach still turns at the thought
of finals and all the studying I've
yet to do.
Being a student, some people
seem to think that I'm on some
four-year break from life's pressures.
But I'm not.
In last month’s issue, an opinion article was published with some
information that was incorrect. Some of the information that was not
accurate and needs clarification is as follows:
The fifth paragraph stated that there were 45 organizations recognized by the universities campus activities, there are only 39. To be
more specific there are only 20–25 organizations that attend regularly.
Technically, not all the honor societies are required to sit on the
General Council.
In the fourth paragraph, it stated that the quote was from the resolution when in fact it was not a quote from the resolution. The quote
was stated in the thank you letter that La Unidad Latina asked SGA to
help send out a few days after the meeting had ended. The thank you
letter outlined how to make a donation and thanked organizations for
future contributions.
Finally, in the seventh paragraph, the resolution states that each
organization may donate (a voluntary act) $10 or $20; it is not forcing
them to do anything. No resolution of this kind can force anyone to
do anything, only resolutions that are to change policy.
We do not want to mislead anyone about the information dealing
with the SGA and the proposal by Lambda Upsilon Lambda.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Living in a dorm should be a great experience. For many of us it is the first time away
from our parents and we look forward to it as a
time in which we will enjoy living on our own in
a cool new place.
Unfortunately our first day here most of
our dreams are shattered. First of all the Web
site for Residence Life is full of false advertising. They show only partial views of the dorms
that do not show how run down they are. Also
they promise or imply things that we cannot
actually use. When you go to the Ayres/Pacelli
Web site they state that facilities include a study
lounge and a TV lounge. This is untrue because
there is only one lounge in Pacelli, which must
be shared with Ayers. The study lounge by the
pool is locked at all times and some residents
do not even know that it exists.
In addition, according to blue prints of the
dorms we are to have a game room, which we
are not allowed access to either. If these facilities are locked up, just collecting dust. Why are
we not allowed to use them?
Apart from that, there are many other
small annoyances that I do not think we should
have to deal with. Other residence halls do not
have to go through it and we all pay the same
amount of money to live here. First of all there
are only four washers and dryers in each Pacelli
and Ayres even though Pacelli has 48 more residents than Ayres. As a result Pacelli residents
must literally fight in order to get their clothes
clean. Does it not make sense to have a couple
of extra washers in Pacelli since there are 48
more people living there?
Also is every body aware that we are the
only University in all of San Antonio that does
not allow their residents to have microwaves in
their rooms? I understand that supposedly it is
a safety issue but I believe that if we are not
allowed to have them in our rooms then the
University should provide a kitchenette or at
the very least more than one microwave. Whose
idea was it to have one lousy microwave for two
halls of 208 girls?
Basically all I would like is for residence
life to be aware of the way I feel about having to
live in Ayres and Pacelli and for them to consider making some changes so that I can have a
better experience as a resident here at OLLU.
What do you
think of the
resurgence of
the ’80s?
Geanna Cuellar
SOPHOMORE
“Well, it went away for a
reason. It’s coming back
because people can't think of
new ideas.”
Marisol Flores
JUNIOR
“For people that liked the
’80s, that's good. I've seen
people wearing ’80s clothing, but I never really
noticed it.”
Grace Rodriguez, freshman
Vivian Carrera
SENIOR
“I grew up in the ’80s, I'm
glad to see that TV shows are
bringing back their original
characters, like ‘Inspector
Gadget’ and ‘The Wonder
Years’.”
Kike Castro
FRESHMAN
Hey Pan, Who
are you voting for
in the upcoming
election?
“I like it. It'll die out, but
come back. The ’80s
had bands that actually
played instruments and
really rocked out.”
comic by chris burrell
Election Woes
The Lake Front is published
monthly during the academic
school year. The Lake Front
newsroom is located in the
University Wellness Center
(UWAC) in Room 105.
Contact information:
The Lake Front
Student Publications
Our Lady of the Lake University
411 S.W. 24th St.
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 434-6711, Ext. 2445
[email protected]
[email protected]
Once the late-night party is
over, the homework is still going to
be there. Just because I broke up
with my boyfriend doesn't mean
that my literature reading will wait.
And just because I work nights
doesn't mean that the next day's
morning class is going to wait for
me to get out of bed.
No, like everything else a student still feels pressure just as anyone who's holding down a 40-hour
workweek. If any of the things I
mentioned happens to them does
life stop?
No.
Your boss is not going to care
about your long weekend, personal
problems, or late night work-related activities. You're still expected
to do a job.
And for students, for the four
or five years of schooling, that is
our job.
We may not be fired if we're
late to class, but we can still be
dropped. And even though we
don't fear not getting promoted if
we don't do our job well, we still
fear academic probation or suspension.
These are just some of the
pressures a student feels. This is
not to make light of anyone who is
not a student, but rather to give
them a glimpse of what we worry
about.
So, the next time you think
about asking someone when he or
she is going to graduate, don't take
offense if they give you that deadpan look or some vague reply. It
could be that they've just been
asked a little too often lately.
As for me, I'll be able to finally put an end to this chapter of my
life titled “When Are You Gonna
Graduate?” It'll close in the form of
my graduation invitations.
SOUNDING OFF
CORRECTION
San Antonio Press, Inc.
The opinions published in The
Lake Front are not necessarily
those of The Lake Front staff or
the faculty, staff, administration
or student body of Our Lady of
the Lake University.
The Lake Front publication
strives to inform, entertain and
communicate with The Lake and
its surrounding communities.
Advertisement information is
available upon request.
MARCH 2004
James Ferguson
FRESHMAN
come on,
Say bush!
Say bush!
not
bush. twenty
years from now
he’ll still be looking
for weapons of
mass destruction.
“It's rad, but we had our
chance, so we missed it.
Every generation misses
their chance.”
Milina Myint
FRESHMAN
“The music was the best
thing. I did like the fashion.
I loved the colors!”
ollunews
MARCH 2004
3
Continuing education program still evolving
WEEKEND
CONTINUED
Part of the next change will
be separating the functions of
each advisor. Now recruiters are
in the office Monday and Friday,
while the rest of the week they
are out recruiting potential students.
“I think that this is a good
idea,” Russ said.
An additional change will be
the reorganizing of some staff for
example, Associate Director Rita
Russ. Her current position will
cease to exist, and Russ will now
be the liaison for adult students.
The liaison for adult students will act as a point of contact for weekend students who
cannot be on campus and are in
need of an advocate to help with
their needs.
Last year, the weekend and
evening program had $100,000
for their advertising budget. As
for what the monies paid for, was
adverting for informational ses-
sions about the weekend and
evening degree programs on the
radio, TV, and billboards.
The reality is that the entire
advertising budget was spent
and only 21 prospective students
attended both sessions held in
November.
“Although six sessions are
planned through out the year,
budgeting for such events can be
difficult,” Gresham said.
New ideas for recruitment
have been implemented.
“Recruiters have now been
going on-site for recruiting, and
we have had great success with
that,” Gresham said.
Instead of advertising to the
entire city, recruiters are targeting specific groups and are using
advertising monies smarter.
The final change is more of
the rebirth, the rebirth of the
continuing education program.
Continuing education was sent
to the colleges a few years ago,
but once there it died out.
“Right now, I have someone
heading up continuing education,” Gresham said. “The start
up of continuing education was a
recommendation from SACS
accreditation review last year.”
Through the revision of
departmental functions, elimination of valuable positions, and
the revival of continuing education, the weekend and evening
degree program’s recruitment
numbers are on the rise.
POLICE BEAT
Sueltenfuss Library
Feb. 4, 2004
Alarm Malfunctions
An officer was dispatched via the emergency phone patch to the
Library. Upon arrival the officer heard no alarm sirens but heard the
beeping noise coming from the fire panel. The Library was checked for
smoke and fire and found none. The electrician was contacted and he
stated he would be taking care to repair the problem with the alarm.
No damage was reported.
St. Ann’s 1st Floor
Feb. 4, 2004
Funds Escort
An officer received a call from a staff member who was requesting
a funds escort. The officer met with the staff member and provided the
escort and went back to duty without incident.
Centennial Hall
Feb. 5 2004
Lock Door Request
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL CORRAL
An officer was dispatched to Centennial Hall via the emergency
phone patch to lock a door. The RA stated that the northeast door was
unlocked and upon further investigation the officer found a piece of
paper wedged in the slot preventing the door to securely lock. The
paper was removed and the door was locked. Nothing further was
reported.
Flores Hall 1st Floor
Feb. 5, 2004
Unlock Door Request
An officer was approached by a resident student and asked him to
let her into Flores Hall. The student stated that she did not have her ID
because she had left it in her dorm room. The officer let her in and had
her bring her identification outside to him once she got it. She brought
her IDs and the officer went back on duty.
The Police Beat is provided by Campus Police.
All names are withheld for privacy.
Caranhans continue
effort to adopt child
CARANHAN
CONTINUED
“Thirteen thousand dollars
is the amount of funds needed,
which does not even cover our
travel, extra things, INS fees,
passports and even visas,”
Carnahan said.
In early March, Carnahan
was ready to take half of the
money to the adoption agency.
Now Brooke and Dan wait
anxiously for everything to fall
into place. They are still in need
of monetary funds, and to get the
go ahead to adopt. It depends on
MARCH
30
Multicultural
Committee “Day of Unity,”
Mall Area, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
OLLU Job Fair -- Network
with employers and apply for
internships and career opportunities. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., UWAC
Gym. For more information, contact Career Services at 431-3971.
Lenten
Reflection
Series Concert -- 12:25 p.m.,
Sacred Heart Conventual Chapel
Blood drive, Sponsored by
the South Texas Blood and Tissue
Center and the OLLU Office of
Health Services. GDR II & III, 10
a.m. to 4 p.m.
31
Nite Out with
the Stars, PWSR, 8 p.m.
APRIL
1 National
Humor
“He (Alexander) told us
he felt in his heart and soul
that he belonged to us.”
Brooke Carnahan
POTENTIAL PARENT
the kindness of strangers just so
they can have Alexander in their
lives.
If you are willing to offer
some help to Brooke and Dan,
contact them at their home phone
number: 210-402-4026.
Month Kick Off, PWSR 7 p.m.
SGA Dialogue, PWSR, 7
p.m.
2 Student Vocal Recital
-- 1:15 p.m., Fine Arts Building,
Room 200
Voci di Sorelle concert -Women’s vocal ensemble will
present a concert of a capella
music, 7:30 p.m., PWSR
3 Calle 24 event -- “El
Sapo,” children’s play about a boy
and a frog, by Mexican-American
playwright David Rice. 3 p.m.,
24th Street Theater. Admission
$1 for children; $5 for adults; free
with valid OLLU ID.
Alumni/Staff/Faculty
Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by
the Office of Alumni Relations &
the School of Business, All alumni/faculty/staff are invited to
bring their children or grandchildren (infant to 9 years of age) for:
Free lunch with the Easter
Bunny, free Easter egg hunt &
prizes, free Easter activities for
Chief of Police A.J. Sandoval believes in fostering ties between the police and the community.
Police chief shares his
passion for law, people
Vanessa Duran
LAKE REPORTER
Chief of Police A.J.
Sandoval III brings a broad
range of experience and strong
law enforcement morale to The
Lake.
“My biggest passion has
always been two things: law
enforcement
and
people,”
Sandoval said. Being chief of
police integrates these two things
making his position an enjoyable
one.
Sandoval’s law enforcement
experience includes being a law
enforcement officer for Corpus
Christi, and chief of police for
Robstown.
At the same time, Sandoval
was retiring from Valero Energy
Corp.,
formally
Ultramar
Diamond Shamrock. His responsibilities at Valero entailed loss
prevention, executive protection,
as well as corporate training and
development,
organizational
change management, and knowledge environment.
After retiring from Valero,
Sandoval took time out to build a
fountain in his yard and play
with his granddaughter. After a
year of being retired Sandoval
decided to come back to work.
The chief of police position here
on campus was perfect for him,
integrating both law enforcement and a Catholic-centered
community to care for.
“My philosophy has always
been to be proactive, so that
problems are prevented although
law enforcement has the reputation of being reactive,” said
Sandoval. Sandoval feels that
crime on campus is very minimal
due to the force’s belief of crime
prevention.
“I love the fact that when I
had a flat tire a police officer
helped me,” said Vanessa
Colchado, freshman. “It was kind
of like having my dad on campus.”
As chief of police, Sandoval
has taught his officers that no
problem is too small or too big
and that it is important to create
a cohesive environment between
the force and the community in
order to ensure greater protection.
When asked if it was a difficult transition from being a city
chief of police to being a campus
chief of police, Sandoval said no
because it still involves the two
things he loves most and now he
can have a closer relationship
with those he is policing.
As a law enforcer, Sandoval
knows that sometimes it is hard
to enforce the rules such as
improper parking and misconduct because it makes the officers
the bad guys. But he also knows
the importance of keeping order
and professionalism in a community, because if the police
force was unorganized or sloppy
then it would put all Lake community members at risk of vandalism, theft and other crimes.
Much like his office,
Sandoval is both neat and professional, and as a vital member of
the campus community, one of
his goals is to involve himself and
the police department in student,
faculty and staff activities.
Sandoval also hopes to keep a
positive ongoing relationship
with all campus members. His
door is open to all, he says.
calendar of events
children, pictures with the Easter
Bunny (photo package available
for purchase), 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Mall Area, BYOB: “Bring Your
Own Basket.” Call 431-3985, email [email protected] or
complete an online RSVP form by
visiting
“Alumni”
at
www.ollusa.edu (In case of rain,
festivities will begin in PWSR).
4 Honors Convocation,
Thiry Auditorium, 2 p.m.
Calle 24 event -- “El Sapo”
children’s play about a boy and a
frog, by Mexican-American playwright David Rice. 3 p.m., 24th
Street Theater. Admission $1 for
children; $5 for adults; free with
valid OLLU ID.
6 Express Fest UPC
presents Jason Carney, Mall
Area, 7 p.m.
Lenten
Reflection
Series Concert -- 12:25 p.m.,
Sacred Heart Conventual Chapel
Learning from Entrepreneurs Lecture -- Brad
Braune, artist and owner of the
Brad Braune Gallery, left his job
as an architect to pursue a career
as an artist and gallery owner. A
distinguished watercolor artist,
Braune’s commissions include
the Joffrey Ballet, the Texas
Folklife Festival and numerous
private and corporate collectors.
6-7:30 p.m., Sueltenfuss Library
Community Room
8 Holy Thursday (Student Holiday)
9 Good Friday (University closed)
10
Easter
day (University closed)
Holi-
11
Easter
day (University closed)
Sun-
12
Easter
day (University closed)
Mon-
13
Vocal Workshop with Voci di Sorelle, 7 p.m.,
Fine Arts Building, Room 200
14
Student voice
recital, 4 p.m., Fine Arts
Building, Room 200
Salsa Break, Mall Area
5-6:30 p.m.
15
Faculty Recital featuring Mark Alexander
and Mary Rita Partlow, 7 p.m.,
Thiry Auditorium
16
Fiesta begins
Student Piano Recital -1:15 p.m., Fine Arts Building,
Room 200
Junior
Recital
of
Melissa Hunt and Elizabeth
Young, 7 p.m., Thiry Auditorium
17
Spring Impact
National Youth Service Day
18
Anonymous 4
Sr. Ball
marks 50
years of
service
BALL
CONTINUED
Now Ball is the director of
Mission Effectiveness, a job that
entitles her to let everyone know
what the mission of the university is. In this new role, she interviews potential employees and
tells them about the mission.
Educating the community
is also part of this new job.
Another part of it might be considered monitoring to see that
all that we do and how we do it is
in line with the mission.
Ball acknowledged the fact
of leaving OLLU someday, but
not anytime soon. She has too
many responsibilities at the
moment to just get up and leave.
She is also the director of a
few grants, and on top of that, in
the fall of 2004 she will be
teaching a general chemistry
course. Ball is enjoying what she
is doing and will know when it is
time to go.
All in all, she has accomplished many great things in her
life and she still feels that she
has the drive to accomplish so
much more. She has earned
multiple degrees, touched many
lives, and has taught lessons that
will last lifetimes.
Ball has made an impact on
many lives just by her presence
here at OLLU, she has changed
many lives by her gentle words,
and dedication to what she does
leaving a lifelong impression
with any OLLU student.
She does know that there
will come a time when she will
retire and when that day comes,
Ball has already put some
thought into what she will be
doing.
“One day I’ll have to retire,
and when that comes I’ll read
mystery novels,” Ball said.
Carry this coupon
with you and get the
acceptance from
your peers.
it’s
something
for
free
The Lake Front
the voice of the students
concert -- The internationally
famed vocal quartet, on their
final tour, will perform selections
from “American Angels,” the
group’s recently released album.
4 p.m., Sacred Heart Conventual
Chapel. Tickets are $40 reserved
seating, $25 general admission
for floor level, and $8 general
admission for balcony. Tickets
can be purchased at Viva
Bookstore on Broadway, or by
calling 826-1143.
21
Armadillo
Pride Day, Mall Area, 11:30
a.m.-1:30 p.m.
22
Student Ensembles Concert - 7 p.m.,
Thiry Auditorium
To submit items for
the Calendar of Events,
either drop off the information
at The Lake Front office
(UWAC, Room 105) or e-mail
[email protected]
ollu&nationalnews
4
MARCH 2004
Pollack inaugurated
as seventh president
The Rev. Edward A. Malloy
(left), president of the University
of Notre Dame, spoke at the
ceremony.
President Pollack (below)
received gifts from several staff
and faculty members.
PHOTOS BY KRYSTLE CORRAL
Tessa Martinez Pollack was officially
inaugurated as the seventh president of the
university on March 6 in the Sacred
Heart Conventual Chapel.
Local religious leaders and other college and
university presidents took part in the ceremony. University of Notre Dame President
Rev. Edward A. Malloy, CSC,
was the keynote speaker.
In addition, presentations
were made by OLLU faculty,
staff, students, alumni,
founders and members of
the board of trustees.
Also, Father David
Garcia, rector of San
Fernando Cathedral,
offered a special blessing
to Dr. Pollack.
Dr. Pollack is the
first Hispanic to hold
the office of president at
The Lake.
Many students, faculty, staff, and community members attended
the inauguration.
Massage therapy: the healing power of touch
Cristina Y. Almendarez
LAKE REPORTER
What do most people do
when they fall ill? They take
medications as ordered by their
physician. But when it comes to
relieving stress in the lower
back and tense muscles, what is
one to do?
Therapeutic massage therapy is a choice that many consider -- not only is it relaxing
but according to the National
Institute of Health (NIH) it
slows the heart rate, lowers
blood pressure, increases blood
circulation and lymph flow,
relaxes muscles, improves
range of motion, and increases
endorphins.
Most people probably
think that having a massage
done is only a luxury, but it is
actually a good treat to give
your body.
What exactly is therapeutic therapy? It is the manipulation of the soft tissue structures of the body. According to
Healthworld online, physicians
and healers of all forms and
cultures have used hands-on
manipulation throughout history as an integral part of
health-care practice.
The practice of massage
has been around for a very long
period of time, in fact it dates
back 300 years in China's history.
The power of one of the
senses, touch, is truly amazing.
Ursuline Sister Veronica Cipar,
of the Ursuline Motherhouse in
Pepper Pike, Ohio, envisions
massage therapy as a means of
bringing a healing touch to her
patients' sprits as well as their
bodies.
Adrienne D. Gomez, fitness trainer and yoga instructor mentions that at the end of
the yoga class students pair up
in partners; while one is massaging the back of one of the
students, the student getting
the massage is stretching out
their back.
“The slightest touch of
someone's hand upon your
hand when you are upset or
uneasy can make a world of a
difference,” Gomez said.
There are many kinds of
massages that are being offered
around the world in massage
parlors ranging from Swedish
Massages to Deep Tissue
Massage. The one thing that
these kinds of massages hold in
common is that they all possess
the same basic principles.
Tension in the muscles
and other soft tissues can
impair circulation, resulting in
a deficient supply of nutrients
and inadequate removal of
wastes or toxins from the tissues of the body.
Recognition of the importance of blood circulation is
implicit in all forms of massage
and bodywork.
Stress is one of the major
reasons that people get a massage done in the first place. In
fact having a massage done is
an effective non-drug method
for reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
Massage therapy also
increases one's energy level,
since most massage therapists
usually help their patients with
the direction of their energy.
Energy can be directed or
encouraged to move through
and around the body in such
ways as to have impact on the
physical structure and function
of the body as well as on emotional well-being.
According
to
Joanna
Chieppa, R.M.T., a faculty
member at Heartwood Institute
in Garberville, Calif., and an
energy healing practitioner in
Sonoma County, “It is important for people to develop an
awareness that the flow of
energy in and around the body
is just as important to wellbeing as the flow of blood, the
flow of breath, the flow of cerebral spinal fluid -- that it is
essential for the health of body,
mind, and spirit.”
Today, we live in a fastpace world where everything
we do is on the go. By receiving
a massage, one can actually
slow down life and indulge one
of the greatest desires -- inner
peace and relaxation.
Saenz: the person on the
other end of the phone
A DAY continued
2300 N. St. Mary’s (@ Josephine)
(210) 736-2
2060
Open Daily
8:00 a.m. -1
10:00 p.m.
Saenz not only works at
the switchboard, but she is
also enrolled in classes and
continuing her education.
Already having a degree doesn't stop her from taking other
classes.
“I really enjoy learning
new things and keeping up
with times so I don't get
behind in anything dealing
with technology,” Saenz said.
Saenz's everyday routine
starts with her going to the
gym to exercise at 6 a.m. then
heading off to work at 7:15
a.m. until she gets off at 4
p.m.
“Exercising is really good
for you. Everyday that's what
I do from Monday through
Thursday. It keeps you alert
during the day,” Saenz said.
Working at the switchboard is one of those jobs that
can be taken for granted, for
if there was not a switchboard
where would our calls go?
Saenz's task varies from
calls asking about information on San Antonio itself or
at times phone calls asking
for a certain phone number in
the city.
“We (operators) go that
extra mile to make sure that
anyone who calls gets what
“Working at the switch-
board has raised a lot of
opportunities to meet all
sorts of people.”
Rosemary Saenz
OLLU OPERATOR
they need. Even if they just
want a number for some
restaurant in the city we will
try our hardest to find it for
them and give them their
information,” Saenz said.
After retirement from
her previous job, Saenz
became a part-time employee
back in 1982. Several years
later she became a full-time
employee and eventually took
classes to help her along the
way and ended up with a B.A.
in Liberal Arts in 1998.
“The hardest thing that I
had to overcome was that I
am a little older than most of
the students that were in my
classes,” she said. “But I wasn't scared at all, in fact I love
the challenge. That's what life
is, a challenge. When I had
finally gotten my degree I was
happy.
“Working at the switchboard has raised a lot of
opportunities to meet all
sorts of people,” Saenz said.
spor tsnews
MARCH 2004
5
Students voice opinions on sports at The Lake
Marisa Rodriguez
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It's that time of year again
when high school athletes begin
signing with colleges and universities around the nation to play
competitive sports.
Can Our Lady of the Lake's
intramural sports program satisfy
the needs of competitive athletes?
There are many high school
athletes who are willing to continue their career through college.
High school football player standouts such as Otis McDaniel and
Steven Williams of William H.
Taft High School recently signed
on to play NCAA football.
McDaniel signed with Texas
Christian
University
and
Williams signed with Harvard.
More than likely those two players will continue their athletic
careers.
There are other options to
continuing an athletic career even
if the player does not go to a
school with NCAA sports.
Our Lady of the Lake offers
intramural and club sports for
those who want to continue their
athletic career in some way shape
or form or if they want to stay
active.
Any student, no matter if
they are a beginner or advanced,
can participate in intramural
sports at the Lake. All that is
needed is a valid OLLU ID.
Our Lady of the Lake student
Victor Martinez wanted to continue his athletic career in college. It
did not worry Martinez that there
were no NCAA sports at OLLU.
“I just wanted to play competitive tennis, mainly against
other schools,” Martinez said.
In high school, Martinez was
active
in
the
University
Interscholastic League athletics.
Martinez played football and ran
cross-country for one year. He
also ran track and played tennis
for three years.
“I enjoyed competing in high
school because of the friendship
with my teammates. The weekly
rides on the bus to compete
against new faces were something
to look forward to,” Martinez
said.
With an effort in continuing
his athletic career in college,
Martinez decided to compete in
intramural sports. Martinez participated in flag football and
indoor soccer.
After participating, Martinez
felt it did not satisfy the need that
athletes have for competitive athletics.
“Intramural sports have a
lower standard, are less structured and less competitive,” he
said.
OLLU student Laura Arenas
noticed the difference between
high school sports and intramural
sports.
“Intramurals sports were a
lot more laidback. It wasn't as
strict. There were times where we
had to start games late because
we didn't have a ref come on
time,” Arenas said.
Like Martinez, Arenas was
active in athletics in high school.
Arenas ran cross-country and
track and played basketball. She
also participated in intramurals at
OLLU. She played co-rec flag
football, soccer, basketball and
all-girls flag football.
As far as structure is concerned, Martinez and Arenas
seemed to have the same perspectives, but Arenas was satisfied
with the Lake's intramural program.
“I liked it a lot. I met a lot of
new people. It was different,”
Arenas said. “If we were at UTSA
and had an NCAA team, then
intramurals would not satisfy the
athletes, but we're not. People
don't come to the Lake to play
sports.”
Addition of scoreboard a nice touch for softball field
Jose A. Garcia
LAKE REPORTER
Whoever said love fades
away never met these guys.
For the past three years, the
60 and over Men's Senior
Softball League has been using
the university softball field to
hold practices.
“One of the reasons why
they like to use our softball field
is because they like the atmosphere,” Peggy Prather, director
of Development and Alumni
Relations, said.
“Plus, there are not that
many softball fields in San
Antonio and it gives them the
opportunity to get the practice
and workout whenever they
need,” Prather said.
Not only do the seniors love
to use the facility, but they decid-
PHOTO BY JOSE GARCIA
Faculty and staff members show their appreciation for the donation.
ed to raise money in order to
make the softball field better
equipped. On March 11, the
men's senior softball league
School mascot should go
back to the drawing board
j o s e ’s c o r n e r
decided to give something back
to the university that took them
in.
“Three years ago Kevin
Wilson, former campus recreation director, established a relationship between the Senior
Softball league,” Mary Ellen
Smith, director of Student Life,
said.
“This scoreboard not only
helps the men continue to keep
playing softball here, but it also
benefits the students, faculty,
and staff that use this facility as
well,” Smith said.
Not only did the seniors
donate a scoreboard, but they
also gave the university a $3,000
check from funds they raised
from all the men who compete in
the league.
“We had set a goal to raise
$4,500 for the university, but we
only had a month to hit that
goal,” Bill Altman, chairman of
the league's board of directors,
said. “But we did raise $3,000,
and that is better than nothing.”
To kick off the opening day
ceremony of the senior league,
Smith threw out the first pitch of
the 2004 season. Also in attendance representing the university were Adrienne Gomez, director of campus recreation, and
Ben Rivers, coordinator of
Intramural Sports.
“Having these guys here is
great for the community,” Gomez
said.
Most of the men who compete in the league hail from a
variety of backgrounds including
the military, engineering, education, business and the media.
They range in age from 60 to one
approaching 80.
“I enjoy being able to get
out here with guys my own age,”
said Dick Wiegert, a 69-year-old
native of Buffalo, N.Y. “This is
one of the many reasons why I
come to San Antonio, but don't
tell my son that. I just hate playing softball with younger guys in
New York, because they make me
feel old. Over here I see guys my
age and it makes things more
enjoyable for me.”
The men's league hopes to
make more renovations to the
softball field in the future. One of
the things that they want to do is
add stadium lighting to the field,
so that they will be able to at any
time of the day.
“It feels good to have them
here using our facility,” Smith
said. “We don't have to worry
about them, because they have
fun and they are safe.”
W E HAVE A SUREFIRE W A Y
Jose A. Garcia
LAKE REPORTER
One question that
strolls around some
students minds is why
do we have an armadillo as our school mascot?
“I don't know what
the deal is with the school
mascot being an armadillo.
I mean it's like we have an animal that is a piece of roadkill,”
Ernesto Vara, freshman, said. “I
don't see any armadillos wandering around campus, so why
do we have that creature as our
mascot?”
It is sad, but true!
As students we should be a
little concerned about why the
university has picked an
armadillo to be the university
mascot. It is common sense to
have a mascot that represents
the university, right? It would be
fine if Our Lady of the Lake was
located in the middle of the
desert between Alpine and El
Paso, than students would see
why we were given the armadillo
as a mascot.
But that's not the case here.
The university is located in
the heart of the West Side of San
Antonio and all we have to show
as our mascot is a loving, smiling, one thumb up armadillo.
How cheesy is that?
If our mascot is going to be
an armadillo, make him mean,
tough, and powerful rather than
soft. It looks as if he
got one too many
doses of “divine
providence” from
the university.
Students like
TO PREDICT THE FUTURE.
HIRE YOU TO INVENT IT.
Vara
feel they are
too ashamed to tell friends, family, and other universities what
our school mascot is because
they fear that they will be
laughed at.
“Whenever people ask me
what our school mascot is I tell
them it is an armadillo, and they
just look at me and laugh.”
Vanessa Rosa, freshman, said. “I
think if we had a decision to pick
a mascot I would want to have a
tough duck as a mascot. People
don't look at an armadillo as a
tough animal.”
Why not have a duck or
perhaps a squirrel as a school
mascot?
The university is located
near a lake, and by the looks of it
we have a mass population of
ducks that inhabit the lake.
Students even get to
catch
a
glimpse of the feathered
friend walking around
the campus on a daily
basis. So why not
consider the duck as a
possible mascot?
Another possible mascot
that could be considered could
be the squirrel, a prime inhabitant of the university. Given the
right look the fast rodent could
win the title of school mascot.
Its fierce, bushy tail and its
quick speed and mobility make
it a fighting creature.
Think about it.
When have you not seen
two squirrels fighting each other
on the trees as you are walking
toward the UWAC or just sitting
in the mall area?
Anything would be better
than having a friendly armadillo
as our school mascot.
Right?
It is time for a change. It is
time for something different. It
is time for students to speak out
about something that they think
should be changed about this
campus, but you can't do that by
just sitting quietly in your seat.
You want school spirit? You
want to have something to cheer
for when we have sports on this
campus?
Well it all starts here by
getting your opinion about
the person who brings the
spirit, joy, and competitiveness to the campus:
your school mascot.
Cyberspace controls and laser defense systems came as
no surprise to the U.S. Air Force. In fact, they came off
our drawing boards. No wonder we’re always looking to
hire the best and brightest. You can leverage your
degree immediately and get hands-on experience with
some of the most sophisticated technology on earth. To
request more information, call 1-800-423-USAF or visit
our Web site at airforce.com.
U.S AIR FORCE
CROSS INTO THE BLUE
DRAWINGS BY JACK PINA
6
enter tainmentnews
MARCH 2004
S.A. hip-hop scene small, but loyal ‘Permission’
Melissa Gonzalez
LAKE REPORTER
From the urban alleys of
Brooklyn, to the hot streets of
Los Angeles, hip-hop has break
danced out of the ’80s, shot forth
out of the ’90s, and landed in
fancy new duds for the fresh millennium.
The hip-hop scene is alive
and well and its success can be
witnessed daily from the scandalous music videos that MTV
and BET play religiously to the
extremely popular urban clothing lines that hip-hop moguls
have released such as Sean Jean
and Phat Farm.
Of course, you cannot fail to
leave out the infectious music
itself that conquers the Top 100
Charts weekly, winning numerous Grammys yearly, and
becoming a staple of pop culture.
Although hip-hop has
received musical recognition,
earned an impressive allegiance
of fans, and helped to break
down racial barriers, the uneducated music enthusiast can still
ponder the true meaning of hiphop.
Nicholas Espinoza, a Lake
graduate student, perceives hiphop as “coming up with your
own style or flavor while being
able to do your own thing and
feel confident about the way you
are every single day.”
Hip-hop is often described
as a youth culture that began in
the urban ghetto of South Bronx
but would later influence music,
art, and fashion worldwide.
“Anybody can like it (hip-hop music) and it’s not about
if you’re white, black, Hispanic or Latino but the way
you live.”
Nicholas Espinoza
GRADUATE STUDENT
“It's my expression and how
me and the people of my generation communicate. Hip-hop
music speaks of where I'm from,
my neighborhood and of my people,” said LaToya Mills, senior,
when describing her own definition of hip-hop.
Hip-hop is most well known
for its unique musical style that
consists of scratching and sampling by disc jockeys in the early
’80s, while individuals would
create rhymes called “raps” to
accompany the variations in
music beats. This would soon
lead to one of the most catchy
dance forms of all-time, break
dancing.
“Hip-hop allows you to feel
and to express yourself through
the music or through movements
and gestures, like the bob of the
head,” sophomore Shatoya
Roston said.
With the help of ’70s hiphop pioneers Kool Herc, Afrika
Bambaata, Grandmaster Flash,
and The Sugar Hill Gang, hiphop would soon give rise to popularity.
Some ’80s hip-hop masters
that would soon reign were none
other than Run DMC, L.L Cool J,
and KRS One. At the height of its
’80s popularity, hip-hop/break
dancing films made their way
into suburban American households
during
this
urban
takeover, but in a candy-coated
trend.
Violent
developments
occurred during the late ’90s in
the East Coast vs. West-Coast
rapper disputes, which resulted
in Tupac Shakur a.k.a. 2 Pac and
Christopher Wallace a.k.a. The
Notorious B.I.G., two of hiphop’s best, taken off the charts
permanently.
Hip-hop intellectual, Mills,
wants the media to not overlook
the effectiveness of hip-hop.
“People forget that hip-hop
can and has broken many racial
and socioeconomic barriers,
that's why it will continue to
expand,” Mills said.
Espinoza also believes in
hip-hop's major positive influences in the breaking down of
racial boundaries.
“Anybody can like it and it's
not about if you're white, black,
Hispanic or Latino but the way
you live,” Espinoza said.
San Antonio may not be a
hip-hop haven, but it has enough
of the urban flavor to create
some hip-hop hot spots over the
city. Such hot spots consist of
Sunset Station, Club Oxygen,
Planeta, Joe's Volcano, and
Graham Central Station.
Although San Antonio does
its best in bringing an urban,
hip-hop atmosphere into its
clubs, many hip-hop listeners
are disappointed with the lack of
hip-hop related music these
clubs play.
Espinoza is a dissatisfied
hip-hop enthusiast in reference
to San Antonio's hip-hop scene.
He explained that San Antonio
does not have a good hip-hop
scene due to the false flavor that
is fed. “Hip-hop really doesn't
come from MTV.”
Not everyone is completely
disappointed with San Antonio's
small hip-hop scene. Roston
gave San Antonio the benefit of
the doubt. “There's not a lot of
choices as far as hip-hop clubs,
but you do have your clubs that
try to incorporate some hip-hop
songs in their play lists.”
Planeta
Bar-Rio
Club
encourages hip-hop fans to enjoy
their unique, urban atmosphere
where on Thursday through
Saturday, Planeta Bar-Rio brings
hip-hop, international, and live
music. For more information on
Planeta Bar-Rio, check out
www.bar-rio.com.
Joe's Volcano also supports
the hip-hop genre, playing the
hottest that hip-hop has to offer,
Friday through Sunday, from 9
p.m. to 3 a.m.
Joe's Volcano invites you to
enjoy their multi-level dance
floors in a tropical environment,
and “Catch the Wave!” For more
upcoming Joe's Volcano events,
visit their Web site at www.joesvolcano.com.
‘Schizophrenic’ is all over the place
Marisa Rodriguez
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Former ’N Sync member J.C.
Chasez finally serves the main
course with his first solo album,
“Schizophrenic.”
The album does not have the
title “Schizophrenic” for nothing.
Chasez incorporates different
styles of music that can satisfy
any listener.
Like fellow ’N Sync member
Justin Timberlake, Chasez’s solo
endeavor appears promising.
Chasez co-wrote 14 out of
the 15 new tracks and the two
bonus tracks “Blowin’ Me Up
(With Her Love)” and a remix of
the album’s first single “Some
Girls (Dance With Women)” featuring Dirt McGirt.
Throughout
“Schizophrenic,” it is obvious which
artists Chasez tried to channel in
his songs. “She Got Me” could
have easily been a track off of
Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall”
album.
“Everything You Want” is a
reggae-driven track reminiscent
of the Police. “100 Ways,” a clever
song in its own way, pays homage
to Prince. Containing a strong
driving beat and clever lyrics that
would make a 15-year-old girl
blush, “100 Ways” is one of the
highlights of the album.
Ballads may be Chasez’s
forte. “Build My World,” written
by Chasez and new up-and-coming artist Tony Lucca, paints a
haunting portrait of loneliness
through the lyrics as well as
through the haunting arrange-
COURTESY PHOTO
J.C. Chasez offers a true mix of styles and genres in ‘Schizophrenic.’
ment.
The second ballad, “Dear
Goodbye” features Chasez’s
amazing vocal range. There is no
doubt that this man can sing. The
final ballad, “Lose Myself” begins
with a sappy lyric speaking of loving daffodils. What makes up for
the sappy lyrics is the music.
There is an incredible string
arrangement at the end of the
song along with Chasez’s soft
vocals that makes this a memorable track.
Chasez explores a little of his
’80s rock side with “If You Were
My Girl.” It is easy to tell that
Chasez lets loose on this track.
Other ’80s influences can be
heard in “One Night Stand” in
which Chasez uses a sample from
Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.”
Chasez also brings the ’80s back
with a sample of Corey Hart’s
“Sunglasses at Night” on “Come
to Me.”
However, the anthem of the
album is the new-wave groove of
“All Day Long I Dream About
Sex.” This song can easily become
a mantra on the dance floor. The
shouting chorus is so darn catchy.
The album also features a
country music-influenced song
called “Something Special.” This
song contains hand claps and foot
stomping with a very country
style bridge and whistling. The
album ends with the soft acoustic
guitar number of “Right Here (By
Your Side).” This track features
Chasez’s soft vocals.
There is no possible way to
compare “Schizophrenic” to
Timberlake’s
“Justified.”
“Schizophrenic” is all over the
place with no certain genre,
unlike the R&B influenced
“Justified.” Chasez succeeds in
recording what he wants and not
be pigeon-holed into bubblegum
pop music forever. At the end of
the day, Chasez will more than
likely leave his fans happy and
full.
Tragedy and despair reside in this house
Daniel Farias
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“House of Sand and Fog” is a
film that will have you thinking
about it long after you have
walked out of the theater. It is
film that provokes a wide range of
emotions for the viewer, and
won't exactly leave you feeling
good.
Kathy Nicolli (Jennifer
Connelly) is a recently divorced,
recovering alcoholic maid, whose
depression is quickly intensifying.
After months of not reading her
mail, she fails to open a notice
evicting her from the house she
inherited from her father, for not
paying the taxes.
Colonel
Behrani
(Ben
Kingsley), an Iranian immigrant
who has just arrived in the United
States, buys the house at the
county auction. Once a well-decorated and respected military man
in Iran, Behrani now works two
jobs to support his wife and son.
This initiates a bitter feud
between Behrani and Nicolli as
they each try to claim what they
both feel is rightfully theirs.
“House of Sand and Fog” is
the feature film debut by Russian
filmmaker Vadim Perelman, who
co-wrote, directed and produced
the film. It is based on the book of
the same name by Andre Dubus
III.
As the film progresses, you
come to realize that the struggle
between Nicolli and Behrani has
nothing to do with the house, but
rather with their personal survival.
For Behrani, the house is the
start of a new future in America
for him and his family, and he is
determined to provide the affluent life that they were accustomed
to back in Iran.
For Kathy Nicolli, the house
is all she has left in her life. With
no husband and no money, losing
the house would leave her with
nothing.
The film's complexity is
found in that the loyalty of our
compassion shifts among the different characters. We are not
quite sure who we should feel
sorry for, or encourage, or even
who is entitled to the house. This
creates a compromise in our loyalty to a particular character.
Connelly's subtle, yet powerful performance captures the
despair and carelessness of her
character. Only with Connelly
could a mere close up of her deep
green eyes convey her character's
fierce desperation and frustration, where another actress would
need pages of dialogue.
Both Kingsley and Shoreh
Aghdashloo (as his wife, Nadi)
were well deserving of their Oscar
nominations for their perform-
ances. Kingsley effectively captures the affliction of a patriarch
trying to maintain his integrity
and pride. Agdashloo, even with
minimal English dialogue, is able
to convey her fear and confusion
her she faces a struggle in a
strange new place.
The desperation and determination of both Connelly and
Kingsley's characters leads to an
unexpected and shocking conclusion.
In the opening sequence of
the film, a police officer asks
Connelly's character, “Is this your
house?” and you are not quite
sure how significant the question
is. It isn't until entering the lives
of these characters and knowing
what has taken place that the
question and answer takes on an
entirely different meaning.
Rating:
granted for
The Darkness
Alfredo Valenzuela
CO-EDITOR
The Darkness have left
London and ventured across the
Atlantic to conquer American air
waves.
With their latest release,
“Permission to Land,” the band
proves to be a throwback to the
golden era of big hair and spandex.
Although the first riffindulged single “Black Shuck” was
not as big a hit as anticipated. Its
follow-up, “I Believe in a Thing
Called Love,” however, got more
attention than the band expected.
Currently, “I Believe in a
Thing Called Love” is at No. 38 on
the Billboard charts. When first
released, “Permission to Land”
quickly climbed to its peak position
at No. 36, and has remained in the
top 40.
Although many find it hard to
bare, the shrieking, classic-metal
voice of lead singer Justin Hawkins
in “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”
has wound its way into some
hearts, including those nostalgic
few.
Another track on the album,
“Growing on Me,” has listeners
wondering who they are really
hearing. It seems as if you are listening to Ronnie James Dio, or for
that matter Queensryche.
The Darkness have ingeniously captured the true essence
and decadence of the unapologetic
’80s with their incredible showmanship, raunchy guitar solos,
killer hooks, and massive singalong choruses.
The tone of the album is upbeat for the most part. There is one
track that may leave you unconscious, but the rest of the album
makes up for it.
The songs deal with love,
hate, and the feeling of love from a
distance, you know, your typical
’80s love ballads. The tone of the
album makes “Permission to
Land” bright in color; alot of the
music of today's youth is so focused
on suicide and death that
“Permission to Land” is gladly welcomed.
All in all, The Darkness have
outdone themselves with their latest album and not only in their
native land but here as well.
“Permission to Land” was
nominated for Britain's prestigious
Panasonic Mercury Music Prize.
When “Permission to Land” was
released in the U.K. in July 2003, it
debuted at No. 2 on the U.K. album
chart, which later rose to No. 1.
For those of you who are
looking to catch the latest wave of
the British invasion, “Permission to
Land” is highly recommended.
Hawkins lures you in not only with
his creative lyrics, but as well for his
classic, metal-god voice.
PHOTO COURTESY OF
THEDARKNESSROCKS.COM
The Hermanos of
La Unidad Latina,
Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc.
Would like to cordially invite your esteemed organization
to our first scholarship dinner
Noche Dorada:
Following Education on the Road to Success
This years Noche Dorada will be held on
Saturday, April 3, 2004
At
Our Lady of the Lake University
Chapel Auditorium
Doors will open at 6:00p
Dinner will be served beginning at 6:30p
To purchase tickets go to: www.Noche.Hermanos.cc
Or call 210.528.6691
m ov i e n e w s
MARCH 2004
7
‘Passion’ a must-see for all
Melissa Gonzalez
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
As 2004’s most anticipated film, “The Passion of the
Christ,” director Mel Gibson
(“The Man Without a Face”
and “Braveheart”) spared no
expense in re-creating the final
hours and crucifixion of Jesus
Christ resulting in one of the
most powerful films to date.
Gibson begins his mesmerizing film in the mystical
Garden of Olives where the visibly weakened Christ (James
Caviezel) begins prayer immediately following the Last
Supper.
In Gibson’s version of the
methodical epic, he decided to
focus on Christ’s last 12 hours
leading to crucifixion instead
of centering the film completely on all of the numerous scriptures.
According to the film’s
Web
site,
www.thepassionofthechrist.com,
the
chronicle was adapted from a
composite account of “The
Passion,” and assembled from
the four biblical gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John.
By using frequent flashbacks throughout the film,
Gibson managed to attach the
most well-remembered miracles and experiences that
Christ claimed responsibility
for as well as imperturbably
introducing Satan (Rosalinda
Celentano) who continues to
tempt Christ throughout his
last hours.
The rich dialect did not
take away from the film’s progression or make scenes more
complex, it in fact added more
legitimacy to the film’s already
bold integrity.
Entirely filmed in various
locations of Italy, mainly consisting of Mattera and the
Cinecitta Studios on the outskirts of Rome, Gibson sought
out a truly genuine filming
location that represented
beauty, history and authenticity justly.
The vivid and spiritual
cinematography
of
“The
Passion of the Christ” were
based on the paintings of
Italian
Baroque
artist
Caravaggio recognized for his
realistic radiance that project
from sharp contrasts of light
and darkness.
Gibson flew in only the
best in make up artists and
costume
designers
from
Hollywood. All costumes and
clothing used in “The Passion
of the Christ” were thoroughly
researched and handmade for
more believability.
Renowned make up
artists worked on Caviezel for
over seven hours to recreate
the realism and brutality of the
scourging and crucifixion
scenes.
By releasing the film on
Feb. 25, Ash Wednesday,
Gibson created much controversy at box offices not only for
the film’s atrocious content,
but also for the merchandising
that accompanied the film’s
release and later for the multimillion-dollar earnings that
the director and production
company will eventually pocket.
According to the Internet
Movie
Database,
www.imbd.com, “The Passion
of the Christ” had a budget of
about $30 million but received
a weekend box office open with
over $80 million, bringing the
astounding total to well over
$264 million, as of March 14.
Caviezel (“The Thin Red
Line” and “Pay it Forward”),
although hand-picked by
Gibson, illustrated only fair
acting skills.
Throughout the entire
film his character endures
vicious Roman beatings and an
extremely gruesome crucifixion, which limits his acting
abilities to playing a severely
wounded and physically weak
individual
who
suffers
throughout the complete film.
Even though Caviezel had
a decent amount of convincing
dialogue, his uncanny appearance to Christ certainly added
more to his acting, making him
more believable.
Maia Morgenstern (“The
Oak” and “Ulysses’ Gaze”)
played Mary, the mother of
Christ.
“The Passion of the
Christ” contains all the elements of a fine film. The cinematography is breathtaking;
the subject matter is strong
and realistic, make up and costumes were of high quality, it
was simple to comprehend,
and the cast was tremendously
convincing.
I recommend this film to
drama enthusiasts, there is no
need for an extensive Catholic
background to appreciate the
film’s powerful message.
Rating:
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
Director Kevin Smith takes risks with ‘Jersey Girl’
Going mainstream,
hiring Affleck prove
to be good moves
John Seaborn Gray
THE DAILY COUGAR (U. HOUSTON)
(U-WIRE) HOUSTON - Kevin
Smith's newest movie, “Jersey Girl,” is
a huge risk for him. First of all, it's his
first foray into the hit-and-miss world
of mainstream cinema.
Foregoing the raunchy, vulgarityladen fringe entertainment that made
him famous, Smith has crafted a far
more vanilla movie.
Instead of his previous edginess,
the film has a much sweeter tone. It's
rated PG-13 and drops only one “fbomb.” This is a Kevin Smith movie
your parents would enjoy.
The second risk involves Ben
Affleck. His last three movies
(“Daredevil,” “Paycheck” and “Gigli”)
met with reactions from audiences
ranging from “disinterested” to “nausea-inducing.”
Couple this with his high-profile
romance with Jennifer Lopez (also in
the movie), and you've got a movie star
whom the country seems very, very
tired of.
While many of you will miss the
delirious, cartoony tone of movies such
as “Mallrats” and “Jay and Silent Bob
Strike Back,” it doesn't mean you
shouldn't give Smith a chance as he
attempts to mature into a more wellrounded director.
You should also give Affleck a
chance, remembering his good performances in “Good Will Hunting” and
“Changing Lanes.” It's best to enter this
movie as prejudice-free as possible.
The story starts with Affleck's
character Ollie Trinke, a highly-paid
public relations agent, as he meets
Jennifer Lopez's character, Gertrude.
After a whirlwind romance, they
get married and Gertrude becomes
pregnant. Unfortunately, she has an
aneurysm while giving birth and dies in
the hospital.
This isn't a spoiler; Lopez is dead
and gone within the first fifteen minutes of the movie. Ollie, barely concealing his grief, gets fired from his PR job
and moves in with his father Bart
(George Carlin).
After a short adjustment period
while Ollie gets his priorities straight,
the movie flashes forward six years.
Ollie now works for the city with Bart,
and his little girl, Gertie (an eerily J-Lo-
like Raquel Castro), is in grade school.
This is where the main story line picks
up.
All of the performances deserve
accolades. Affleck comes off as genuine
and likable; for once his cocky smugness works for him instead of against
him as he plays a guy who generally
hides how he feels from the rest of the
world behind a cheerful veneer.
Carlin is hilarious as Bart, and
effective in the scenes which actually
require the stand-up comedian to act.
Liv Tyler plays one of her most
lovable characters of all time with the
energetic, spirited Maya, and little
Castro plays convincingly as the love of
Ollie's life.
Credit must be given to Smith for
directing a movie with this adorable little girl without ever once going overboard on the sort of schmaltzy fluff that
other movies featuring children love to
indulge in.
Indeed, Smith's twisted, irreverent
sense of humor has survived surprisingly intact in this lighter fare; when
Gertie has to pick a song from a musical
to perform in front of her school, she
picks “God, That's Good” from the
bloodiest Broadway musical out there,
“Sweeney Todd.” The performance is
classic.
Although it gets disappointingly
formulaic toward the end (Ollie has a
big job interview, and wouldn't you
know it, it's within an hour of his big
duet with his daughter! Can he pull
them both off? Can you name how
many movies you've seen this device in
before?), the rest of the movie manages
to skirt cliche and provides an endearing, genuine love story about a man and
a woman.
FROM THE VAULT
Harrelson, Snipes take to the
court in Shelton’s classic comedy
Jose A. Garcia
LAKE REPORTER
Before the team duos of Michael Jordan
and Scottie Pippen, Tim Duncan and David
Robinson, and Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe
Bryant there was Sidney Dean and Billy Hoyle.
In the 1992 classic, “White Men Can't
Jump,” Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) and Dean
(Wesley Snipes) team up together to win some
extra cash on the mean streets of Los Angeles
on Venice Beach by hustling opponents.
Snipes plays a black basketball star who
has to find another way to make an income
because of the lack of work he is getting from
all the other jobs he has lined up, while
Harrelson plays a white guy from out of town
trying to make easy money by hustling people.
He does this in trying to pay off a debt that he
owes to a mob called the Stookie brothers.
Director Ron Shelton, whose first film as
a director was the great baseball comedy
“Bull Durham” (1988), knows all to well
how to bring a sport to life on the big
screen,
and in “White Men Can't Jump” he chooses
the urban court basketball game and gives it a
realistic view.
Shelton is also exceptionally good at
bringing both Harrelson and Snipe's characters to life. The language is one of the great
joys of this film, not just because of its energy
and spirit but because of its originality.
The use of four-letter words, the jokes,
and the non-stop competitive talking within
teammates keeps the audience on their feet
and begging for more.
But it's not all just fun and games for
these two guys.
Both Harrelson and Snipes have women
who want them to better themselves as
men and get rid of their boyish
ways.
Actress Rosie Perez
plays Harrelson's girlfriend
Gloria
Clemente,
a
Brooklyn woman
who dreams of
one day being
on the game
s h o w
“Jeopardy,”
who spends
all
day
studying
books
so
that
she
will
be
ready when
she gets her
big chance.
PHOTO COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX
The cast of “White Men Can’t Jump” helped
bring the urban court basketball game to life.
Snipes on the other hand is pressured by
his wife, played by Tyra Ferrell, to make more
money so that they can move out of the ghetto
and into a nice, decent neighborhood.
Snipes convinces Harrelson to team up
together and play for higher stakes in order to
give his wife what she wants the most.
Both Harrelson and Snipes both love the
game of basketball, but that is not why they
love to hustle players on the court.
Both Snipes and Harrelson have different
objectives to hustling for money, and Shelton
binds and weaves their two lives together outstanding.
While Snipes loves to play basketball for
the money, Harrelson plays basketball to settle
a debt.
The plot of this movie is weak, and this is
Shelton's downfall.
There are some parts where the movie
skips around and it makes you think about
what happened from the last scene to the next.
However, with all the excitement and
laughter from the comedic performances by
Harrelson and Snipes the plot of “White Men
Can't Jump” does not play an important factor
to the outcome of the movie.
m ov i e n e w s
8
Depp can sure
keep a ‘Secret’
MARCH 2004
Alfredo Valenzuela
co-editor
E
play the dark, melancholy, sensitive
person? One does have to give Depp
credit as being an exceptional actor,
but this typecasting needs to come
to a halt.
One thing that is hard not to
notice is the incredible amount of
product placement. From the cans
of Mountain Dew Rainey consumes,
to Doritos, Audi and Saab vehicles, a
UPS envelope, and a Slinky, “Secret
Window” seems more like a marketing ploy.
“Secret Window” is a great
movie but should stick to entertainment and not the commercial side of
our capitalist society.
The storyline in “Secret
Window” shadows that of 2003's
schizophrenic thriller “Identity.”
With such instances of near duplication, one wonders what is happening
to our creativity. Is Hollywood losing its creative and innovative
insight?
As the end nears, and the plot
unfolds one word of advice -- expect
the unexpected. “Secret Window”
takes viewers on a rollercoaster of a
thrill ride through New York's countryside and is well worth the price of
admission.
xpect the unexpected. Sony
Picture's latest thrill ride
“Secret Window” takes
drama to a new level. One
should prepare himself for an hour
and 46 minutes of suspenseful
adventure and mystery.
Nearing the end of a troublesome divorce with wife Amy (Maria
Bello), Morton Rainey (Johnny
Depp) is accused of plagiarism. A
strange man from Mississippi
named John Shooter (John
Turturro) alleges that Rainey stole
his story but changed the ending
and profited from the fame.
In hopes of receiving credit for
his hard work, Shooter stalks Rainey
waiting for Rainey to prove that he
did indeed write the story first.
After tarnishing Rainey's reputation,
killing his dog, and murdering two
others, Shooter's only way out is
through Rainey's complex mind.
Going any farther into the plot
of the movie would be saying too
much. Though one should know, if
you are looking for a movie to keep
you on the edge of your seat wondering who the antagonist is, “Secret
Window” is highly recommended.
Depp's performance was average; Morton Rainey's character is
dark, emotional and reserved, easily
filled by Depp's own personality.
How many times is Depp going to
Expect the unexpected in
Johnny Depp’s latest
thrill ride ‘Secret Window’
Rating:
PHOTO COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
‘Hidalgo’ gallops away from race
Spencer Harris
KA LEO O HAWAII
(U-WIRE) HONOLULU Watch out, here comes another
movie about horse racing. Unlike
the
previously
released,
“Seabiscuit,” “Hidalgo” looks at a
horse race that covers a greater
distance, cross-country. And
instead of the young and vigilant
Tobey Maguire holding the reins
of the underdog horse, it is Viggo
Mortensen.
Frank Hopkins (Mortensen)
is a U.S. postal courier in the late
1800s. He is famed for his delivery of mail over extensive area,
and even more popular in the
races that he has ran with his
beloved mustang, Hidalgo.
However, there is something
unique about Frank, he is not
pure Euro-American, but half
Native American and EuroAmerican.
On a delivery for the United
States military to Wounded
Knee, he delivers a message,
which unfortunately leads to the
death of his ancestral tribe. After
witnessing the demise of the
tribe, Frank falls into a state of
depression and ends up working
for a circus imitating the wild
antics of Buffalo Bill. During his
several acts, word gets around
about how wonderful his horse is
in the long-distance journeys.
Eventually, a rich sheik in
Arabia becomes interested in
meeting Frank, and decides to
invite him to partake in another
long-distance race. After much
thought, Frank decides to enter
the race.
Frank travels to the Middle
East to enter a 3,000-mile race
over a hot desert. Though there
are other participants, he is the
only foreign rider and look down
upon by other local riders.
Within
the
discriminatory
crowd, there is talk about how
Frank is going to lose, or even die
in the desert. Will Frank prove
how great a rider he is, or will
this race become his last?
“Hidalgo” is based on the
true story of Frank Hopkins, so
this film begins with an hourlong character development,
much like the beginning of “Last
Samurai,” where a great man is
suddenly dropped into depression over what he had witnessed
in a war. The director does an
excellent job in showing the
identity complexes that Frank
deals with on a daily level, before
and after the massacre.
The film also displays vividly the difficulty of the 3,000-mile
journey. But, the film is not really about the race itself, as the
previews have shown. The film
does show scenes of the race and
all of the difficulties that exist
before and during the race, but
when the film had ended, the
audience may be disappointed to
learn that the film’s true focus
was not about the race or the
horse.
Though there was the story
about how Frank met Hidalgo,
the film fails to show how the
two met and focuses on the relationship between the two.
Some aspects of the film
that do keep it worthwhile are a
few of the visual effects. The
famous sandstorm was displayed
well enough to create the true
tragic danger of sandstorms, in
addition there are also scenes of
quicksand, locust attacks and
images of “spirits.” However,
while these do help to maintain
interest in the film, it is not effective enough to really get you
involved on the film.
Personally, I walked into
the theater expecting to watch a
film on a horse racing, but was
disappointed to learn that the
film focused more on the life of
Frank Hopkins. I believe that the
title of the film is deceiving and
the director should have made a
decision to either rename the
film, or change the plot to fit the
title.
In comparison, “Seabiscuit”
was about the horse, and the
society, the people, that changed
around the horse’s race.
However, “Hidalgo” as pre-mentioned, is not about the horse.
According to the film, there was
not much social change as a
result of the horse race and
apparently only Frank Hopkins
truly “gained” the knowledge
about who he is.
‘Havana Nights’ won’t be the time of your life
Linzi Sheldon
THE DARTMOUTH
(U-WIRE) HANOVER, N.H. - I didn’t go
into “Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights” with
high expectations. In fact, I went in with the
lowest expectations I could muster. How could
you build on one of the best and most-watched
chick flicks of all time? How could you recreate
chemistry like Patrick Swayze and Jennifer
Grey’s illicit romance and “(I’ve Had) the Time
of My Life” theme song? Well, “Havana Nights”
replaces “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life” with
the thumping beats of Las Orichas’ “Represent,
Cuba,” and sadly enough, the soundtrack is the
best part of the movie.
The movie throws in a jumble of Cuban or
Cuban-influenced music as well as the usual
movie soundtrack gimmicks, such as a song
called “Dirty Dancing” by Black Eyed Peas. A
mix of hip-hop and salsa, the soundtrack is a
better use of your dollars than seeing this
movie. Or, of course, you could go to the movie,
close your eyes, and try to filter the fantastic
music away from the goofiest and cheesiest
lines I’ve ever heard.
The basic premise is that an American girl,
Katey Miller, and her family move to Havana,
Cuba, on the eve of the Revolution. Her family
expects her to move in their well-to-do, country-club circles, but Katey is attracted to a local
boy, Javier, who works at the hotel where they
are staying. Enticed by Javier’s sensual Latin
dancing, Katey, who is classically trained in
ballroom dancing, asks Javier to teach her Latin
dancing and soon becomes caught up in a
romance with him, who is fired from the hotel
by her father’s boss. In fact, Swayze is a big
drawing power for “Havana Nights.” When
Katey passed a room and the audience could
hear Swayze’s voice, audience members commented excitedly, “That sounded like Patrick
Swayze!” Swayze has not aged well, or, it seems,
naturally.
In fact, several times, the movie shows
them dancing on the beach and falling into the
sand, with Garai on the bottom so Luna would
not be crushed. It isn’t that Garai is a big-boned
girl but that Luna seems to have the build of a
14-year-old boy and a distinctly disconcerting
face structure as well. You would think that the
very first things a director of a second-rate
sequel would look for would be attractive leads
with feasible chemistry.
Indeed, recreating the romance of the
1960s Catskills takes a lot more than sand, sun,
great music, a meandering plot and mediocre
leads.
Real people live
in ‘City of God’
Sarah Ohmer
THE DAILY COUGAR
(U-WIRE) HOUSTON Come watch the Brazilian chicken
run in the favellas of Rio. Let the
salsa, funk, disco, jazz and soul
drag you down in the ironic cha cha
cha of Brazil’s City of God. The film
by the same name has scenes that
involve traveling through the
1960s and 1970s and jumping from
one gangster biography to another
to bring the webbed tragedy of the
hoodlums to your seat.
The screenplay turns the
movie into a book with titled chapters, and the directing follows the
text with visual transitions that
give the film a finely threaded feel.
The feeling is apparent from the
beginning. Each shot transports
the audience to a different character, a different intimate spot of the
favella, into the heart of the daily
life in the slums of Rio.
The camera chases a bullet
from the gun barrel, to a wall and
to the reflection of a hoodlum
trapped in a car’s side mirror. The
beautiful cinematography follows
the hoodlums beside their shadows
and up to the sweat on their foreheads. The screen comes to life,
and you can almost smell the ganja
in the cabin bedroom; you can
almost feel the gun shot in your
back.
The stark soundtrack of bicycle wheels intensifies the audience’s participation. You’re there,
riding your bike beside them, suffocating in the narrow cement
labyrinth.
Just like in the American
“Menace to Society,” or the French
“La Haine” (Hate), the Brazilian
“City of God” recaps the classic
gangster frame into a contemporary documentary context, with
fresh editing and charmingly honest acting. The cast perfectly
embodies how beautiful and peaceful the Brazilians are amongst each
other.
They show the groove that
existed despite the massive gang
shootouts and the desensitized
murderers. Boys fall in love and
deal drugs, friends bond with their
shotguns around a lucky guy protected by synchronicity.
Alexandre Rodrigues’ character Rocket profits from being at the
right place and the right time to
take the pictures that are his way
out. He shoots his own kind with
his mechanical eye, not their violent guns, and outlives the ill-fated
hoodlums.
The kids of “City of God” represent the tragic victims of free
trade’s irony, the desparecidos, the
forgotten ones in South America.
And the actors are too appealing to
let audiences ignore them.
A subtly stunning part of the
screenplay is the lack of mushy,
egotistical focus on emotional
character conflicts. In the sloppily
stacked slums, no one wastes time
with words. They dream with passion, act out their passions and live
and die with passion.
An adulterous wife is beaten
into the ground of her own living
room, a 5-year-old boy gets shot in
cold blood while he cries and more
gruesome scenes remind people
how grateful they should be for
their own life.
You’ll fall in love with the
characters and almost wish you
could hand them your lifestyle.
RATING SCALE
Do Not Bother
Mediocre
Decent
Worth Your $
Classic