lohan gets lucky in latest film pg. 5

May 18, 2006
Music, Movies and More
LOHAN GETS
LUCKYINLATEST
FILM PG. 5
“Poseidon”: No “Titanic” Hit
Gnarls Barkley Takes Soul Music To A New High
Entertainment News, Top 10 iPods Downloads and Much More...
INSIDE
T H E B U Z Z @ D A I LY T I T A N . C O M
M AY 1 8 , 2 0 0 6
2
THE BUZZ
CONTENTS
02 Entertainment News
Top 10 iPod Downloads
03 Cafe Offers Good Eats for
Cheap
04 “Poseidon”: No “Titanic”
Hit
06 CD Reviews
08 Flashback Favorite
ON THE COVER: Lohan
Stars in film about luck. Photo Provided by 20th Century
Fox.
THE BUZZ
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Dianika Abbott
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Nicole M. Smith
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
Can Sengezer
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
Emily Alford
PRODUCTION
Dianika Abbott
Danielle Torricelli
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Amber Dillion
Sarah Oak
The Daily Titan 714.278.3373
The Buzz Editorial 714.278.5426 [email protected]
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Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan
INSIDE
By Mahsa Khalilifar
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Hollywood is a buzz (no pun
intended) when news is no longer secret, but in Celebrityland is
anything ever a secret? … Nicole
Kidman has made it official, at
least according to People. The
Oscar Award Winner is engaged!
Her future groom is country singer, Keith Urban, whom Kidman
has been seeing for a while now.
No word yet on the wedding date,
but after rumors speculated that
the two were more than boyfriend
and girlfriend, that ring on her
fourth finger seems to be one
fit for a bride-to-be … Richard
Hatcher of “Survivor” fame, yes,
remember him? No, he is not set
to receive another million, which
is what he won from the hit CBS
show, instead 45-year-old Hatcher
is going to spend some time in
jail. Exactly 51 months, thanks
to not being forthcoming on his
taxes and allegedly succumbing to perjury, repeatedly People
reports … Two divas are having a
battle of words. Singer Christina
Aguilera said some disparaging
remarks about her fellow songstress, Mariah Carey. In the
June issue of GQ, Aguilera says
some negative things about Carey,
reportedly from an incident at a
party when Carey was not-so nice
to Aguilera. Carey stung back,
telling NBC entertainment show,
“Access Hollywood” something
different and turning the tables
on Aguilera’s motives in general
… Another diva in her own right,
Pink (real name: Alicia Moore)
has announced a 22-city tour.
MTV reports the singer will perform at smaller venues this time
around. The tour will kick off at
the end of June in Chicago and
will end late July in Dallas …
New CD releases of the week
include music writer turned singer, Christina Milian’s hot one: So
Amazin … Band Hoobastank’s
Every Man for Himself … From OTown fame, to a solo gig Ashley
Angel Parker’s Soundtrack
to Your Life … hip-hop artist
Cam’Ron’s Killa Life … New
DVD releases include Nathan
Lane and Matthew Broderick
in “The Producers” … scary
flick “When a Stranger Calls”
… Simon Baker in “Something
New”… Celebrity gossip of the
week: Did Ashlee Simpson really
have a nose job, or has she just
been pictured at better angles?
… Stay tuned for more news and
gossip in the next Inside Buzz …
TOP 10 IPOD DOWNLOADS
By Mahsa Khalilifar
Daily Titan Columnist
The Buzz is your source for
the most updated trends going
on in the music industry and
where would we be today without the ever-so-popular and
trendy iPod? So for you iPod
fanatics out there: shuffle, nano,
mini, etc … here’s the list of the
Top 10 downloads according to
www.Apple.com for the week,
some pop, hip-hop and everything else in between … Happy
listening!
1. “SOS” by Rihanna
2. Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day”
3. “Over My Head (Cable Car)
by The Frey
4. Lil John Feat. E-40 & Sean
Paul’s “Snap Yo Fingers”
5. “Dani California” by The Red
Hot Chili Peppers
6. “Ridin’” by Chamillionaire
& Krayzie Bone
7. Fort Minor’s “Where’d You
Go”
8. “Unfaithful” by Rihanna
9. Sean Paul’s “Temperature”
10. “What’s Left of Me” by
Nick Lachey
MAINSTREAM
M AY 1 8 , 2 0 0 6
T H E B U Z Z @ D A I LY T I TA N . C O M
THE BUZZ
3
CAFE OFFERS GOOD EATS FOR CHEAP
By Dominic Kingdamo
Daily Titan Staff Writer
While Downtown Fullerton
would never be mistaken for
an exotic location, the Tropical
Smoothie Café tries its best to
gives the impression that you’ve
been transported to an island getaway.
Found on the corner of Lemon
Street and Commonwealth Avenue,
Tropical Smoothie Café is on the
ground level of the Pinnacle apartment building and is just minutes from Fullerton College and
Fullerton High School.
When you first walk into the
café, you’re greeted with a clean,
cool, open and well-lit eating area
that features floor-to-ceiling windows, ceiling fans, and a few large
tropical plants.
There are several two-person
tables and a few four-person
tables, but not so many to make
the decently sized space feel cluttered.
To further play up the café
feel, features a purple couch and
two loveseats surrounding a coffee table and a plasma TV hanging from the wall displaying the
Travel Channel.
The Fullerton location of the
franchise café has only been open
for about eight months, but is
Dominic Kingdamo/Daily Titan Staff
already a popular destination for
nearby residents, some of whom
owner Hiren Patel, 29, already
knows by name.
Patel, who is a Cal State
Fullerton graduate, said it has reg-
ulars who come from the apartment’s upstairs and the nearby
businesses and right when they
walk in he already knows what
smoothie and wrap they want.
And smoothies and wraps
should be what you want if you
plan to check it out, as their menu
mainly consists of those two items,
along with sandwiches, soups, salads, and tortizzas, a cross between
a pizza and a tortilla.
On my visit there, I had the
pleasure of trying one of their 17
wraps, the Veggie Veggie, which
is a garlic herb tortilla containing
a mouthful of ingredients including southwestern rice, corn, black
beans, asparagus, romaine lettuce,
tomatoes, onions, Swiss cheese,
Parmesan cheese, and an olive oil
vinaigrette dressing.
While the size of the wrap isn’t
visually impressive, the small
meal was surprisingly filling.
My friend tried the Chicken
Mango Habanero wrap, which is
a white tortilla filled with chicken breast strips, romaine lettuce,
crunchy wontons, low-fat mozzarella cheese, and a mango haba-
nero sauce. She enjoyed it, but
did say she was expecting it to be
saucier.
The smoothie menu consists
of 37 smoothies split up into several categories including low-fat
smoothies, dessert smoothies,
local flavors, power smoothies,
and meal replacement smoothies.
We shared one of the power
smoothies, the Peanut Paradise,
which is a combination of peanut
butter, banana, non-fat yogurt and
protein powder.
I was delighted with the taste
of this delicious smoothie and it
served as a nice complement to
my wrap.
The Peanut Paradise is also
one of Patel’s favorite smoothies,
who said this is also one of the
better selling flavors, along with
the Hawaiian Breeze (pineapples,
orange and non-fat yogurt) and
the Mango Magic (mangos, pineapples and non-fat yogurt).
Patel also said the two most
popular wraps are the Thai
Chicken Wrap (chicken, wontons, cucumber, lettuce, sesame
seeds and a Thai peanut sauce
wrapped in a white tortilla) and
the King Caesar (chicken breast
strips, romaine lettuce, tomatoes,
Parmesan cheese and Caesar
dressing wrapped in a garlic herb
tortilla).
In addition to pleasing your
tastebuds, Tropical Smoothie Cafe
will please your wallet with moderately priced food and a happy
hour discount.
From 4 to 7 p.m. On weekdays,
happy hour will save you $1 on
smoothies and wraps.
The total for our two wraps and
smoothie with discount came out
to $11.39.
Not bad for a meal that left us
feeling full but not stuffed.
All in all, Tropical Smoothie
Cafe a nice, healthy addition to
downtown Fullerton.
If you’re in the mood for a
tasty treat that’s as good as it is
good for you, stop by the Tropical
Smoothie Café.
MAINSTREAM
T H E B U Z Z @ D A I LY T I TA N . C O M
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THE BUZZ
Concert
Calendar
MAY
22
MONDAY
Metal Skool
Key Club
Los Angeles
23
TUESDAY
George Clinton &
Parliament
HOB Sunset Strip
Hollywood
24
WEDNESDAY
T.I.
HOB Anaheim
Anaheim
25
THURSDAY
Afroman
Normandie
Casino
Gardena
26
FRIDAY
Throw Rag
Troubadour
West Hollywood
27
28
SATURDAY
Mobb Deep
HOB Sunset Strip
Hollywood
SUNDAY
The O’Jays
Gibson
Amphitheatre
Universal City
29
MONDAY
The Smiths
HOB Sunset Strip
Hollywood
‘POSEIDON’: NO ‘TITANIC’ HIT
By Ian Hamilton
For The Daily Titan
Kept afloat by good acting and
mostly realistic special effects,
“Poseidon” sank because it so
closely followed the patterns pioneered by other films.
The movie is a remake of
1972’s classic disaster film “The
Poseidon Adventure.”
In both stories, a giant wave
overturns an ocean-liner and a
small group of survivors try to
make it to the surface by traveling
to the bottom of the ship.
At one hour and 38 minutes, the
modern “Poseidon” opens with a
fly-over of the ship followed by
a short introduction to all of the
important characters.
Once the wave hits, though, the
movie never takes a breath as the
survivors try to beat the ever-rising waters.
The ship becomes a deathtrap
once overturned.
Smartly, most of the interior
special effects of water, flame and
debris are real.
When water pours in from the
floor or fire burns in the background, the elements look real
and feel dangerous.
Unfortunately, external shots
of the ship are extremely reminiscent of “Titanic” and obviously
computer generated.
was the dramatic 1993 movie
“Alive,” in which a plane
crashes in the mountains and
the survivors are forced to eat
dead human flesh to survive.
Not only are the actors transplanted from similar films, so
are the characters.
Old-fashioned Ramsey can’t
stand the relationship between
his daughter and her fiancé.
This is far too reminiscent of
the father-daughter-fiancé relationship in “Armageddon.”
Usually fast paced action
would be a major plus, but
the most tragic moments of
“Poseidon” did not carry the
weight they should have.
Director Wolfgang Petersen
could have paused once in a
while to let the characters conPhoto provided by Warner Bros. Pictures template their losses or mull
the tragic things they’ve done
Jacinda Barrett (Left). Jimmy Bennett (Middle) and Josh Lucas (Right),
to save themselves.
try to escape mayhem in Warner Bros. Pictures, “Poseidon.”
Petersen did a great job of givLuckily, most of the story 1991’s “Backdraft.”
ing the actors a chance to grapoccurs inside the ship.
As Russell’s daughter Jennifer, ple with their emotions in “The
The by all the principal play- Emmy Rossum is the worst/best Perfect Storm,” but he missed
ers is excellent and they fit into fit, as she was just recently saved that boat here.
their parts well, too well in fact. from rushing waves in “The Day
There are so many great surRichard Dreyfuss, although grey- After Tomorrow.”
vival and disaster movies that
haired and gay in “Poseidon,” still
Josh Lucas was especially stand out because they are unique
brings to mind the great white impressive in his role as Dylan in some way.
shark from “Jaws.”
Johns, handsome leader and sur“Poseidon” is not one of them.
As Robert Ramsey, Kurt vivalist of the troupe.
It does contain many tense
He’s not new to survival films moments, but not enough to get
Russell plays a father who knows
a few things about fire. Russell either.
over a predictable plot and far too
It turns out Lucas’ first film familiar characters.
seemed to be missing his ax from
PLASTIC SURGERY: IS IT A FASHION MUST?
By Lauren Padilla
Daily Titan Staff Writer
A
world of plastic …
Just another fashion
accessory?
OK … plastic
surgery seems to be everywhere
nowadays, but does that make it
normal?
In Hollywood on reality
shows like The Swan and I Want
a Famous Face, a new nose or
boob job is just like buying a
new purse or blouse.
Major problemo! Changing
your body is permanent, not just
a remedy to pacify your current
idea of beauty.
I must admit the idea has definitely crossed my mind once,
twice or a couple thousand times.
Fuller, perkier breasts would be
perfect for the back bearing (no
bras allowed) tops I adore, but
could I go through with it?
Marilyn Monroe
was plus size,
and considered to
have one of the
hottest bodies of
all time.
LAUREN PADILLA
Daily Titan Staff Writer
The implications of plastic
surgery can be alluring but also
kind of scary.
I don’t think our self-confidence could take it.
Honestly, it’s hard enough not
to compare oneself to other girls,
but now we will have to stack up
to a perfect unattainable beauty
... it just doesn’t seem right.
There is a certain beauty in the
un-perfect, and I think society is
steadily losing sight of that.
Do we really want to live in a
world where everyone looks the
same? It would be so boring.
Cindy Crawford’s mole has
helped to make her one of the
longest working models ever.
Marilyn Monroe was plus
size, and considered to have one
of the hottest bodies of all time!
Fashion is about accentuating
what you have, not changing
who you are.
Although, at the same time
I think if someone is really
uncomfortable with their body,
they shouldn’t be judged for
choosing to do something about
it.
There are circumstances where
plastic surgery seems needed.
For example, for some obesity
can be life threatening and getting gastric-bypass surgery can
help them lead healthier and
fuller lives.
Also, in the case that someone
breaks their nose or gets in a
horrible accident, reconstructive
surgery can help them get back
the body they once had.
Basically, I think plastic surgery should not just be seen as
another fashion accessory.
It deserves serious thought
and should not be taken lightly
because ultimately, fashion and
style is born within.
MAINSTREAM
5
LOHAN GETS LUCKY IN LASTEST FILM
M AY 1 8 , 2 0 0 6
T H E B U Z Z @ D A I LY T I TA N . C O M
THE BUZZ
By Lori Martinez
Daily Titan Staff Writer
While the premise for “Just My
Luck” revolves around the life of
a 20-something-year-old, freshout-of-college young woman, just
knowing that the young women is
played by Lindsay Lohan makes
me automatically expect cheesy
teen drama.
“Just My Luck” follows the
lives of two young people, Ashley
Albright (Lohan), a successful
young public relations assistant
who has had everything handed to
her on silver platter.
She lives in a fabulous apartment (supposedly shared with
Sarah Jessica Parker) and amazing promotions seemingly fall
from the sky.
Enter Jake Hardin (Chris Pine),
an un-lucky in life band manager/
bowling alley janitor.
Jake is a cross between accidentprone and just plain unlucky.
When the two meet and kiss
one night at a masquerade ball
their lucks change.
And this is when the movie
actually got interesting.
Up until this point the only
thing I could concentrate on was
how a 20-something-old-college
graduate can afford such grand
things.
A fabulous apartment in New
York, right out of college?
I don’t think so.
Also, they make the 19-yearold Lohan look more grown up by
plastering dark red lipstick across
her lips and adding red nail polish,
not to mention she looks like she’s
wearing her mother’s clothes.
Compared to her faithful sidekicks in the movie, Dana (Bree
Turner, 29) and Maggie (Samaire
Armstrong, 26) Ashley looks like
a snobby younger sister who has
never had to work or struggle for
anything.
Things become entertaining
when Ashley and Jake share a
kiss and end up trading luck.
Immediately Ashley’s life is
turned upside down leading to
small fires, electrocution and even
a few stints in jail.
There’s a bit of vindictive justice in watching Ashley’s life
fall apart, plus there’s always
great entertainment in watching
Lindsay Lohan look a mess for
a few hours, make-up streaming
down her face and all.
Lohan does have a natural talent for comedic timing and physical comedy.
She becomes more likeable
during this period of slap-stick
comedy.
As a spoiled “luckiest girl
ever” no one can relate to her,
but as someone who is “S-O-L
(shit out of luck),” according to
Pine’s character, the audience can
empathize.
While Ashley’s life is falling
apart, Jake’s life is finally making
it big.
Immediately after the fateful
kiss Jake’s life flourishes, he manages to get his band a record
contract and fabulous “new artist penthouses” courtesy of the
record label.
All in all, the movie had some
hilarious moments and kept me
entertained, however I feel it had
little to do with Lindsay Lohan’s
big-name.
Dana and Maggie, the sidekick/best friends stole the show
away from Lohan as relatable and
believable 20-something-yearolds in the way they live and
behave.
The other star of the show was
the band, McFly, named after the
main character in “Back to the
Future.”
They are a real band from
England trying to make it big in
America.
Their catchy pop-punk music
made the movie worthwhile
and made me wonder about the
soundtrack and where I can buy a
McFly album.
While the movie may not have
succeeded in giving Lohan the
transition from teen star to serious
actress, it did open a door for up
and coming McFly.
Photo provided by 20th Century Fox
Lindsay Lohan (Left) and Chris Pine (Right) live happilly ever after in
20th Century Fox’s, “Just My Luck.”
GNARLS BARKLEYTAKES SOUL MUSIC TOANEW HIGH
By Andy Stowers
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Just who is
Gnarls Barkley?
The catchy song
“Crazy”
that
hit radio waves
weeks ago made
me wonder the same thing.
A song that had enough soul to
hit Power 106, yet enough pop to
make it to KROQ.
Not to mention a song good
enough to make me go out and
buy his new album.
However, Gnarls Barkley is not
just one person.
It is a musical collaboration
between DJ Danger Mouse and
Cee-Lo Green.
The album, St. Elswhere hit
stores May 9.
Danger Mouse, powerhouse
producer Brian Burton, is also
a DJ who gained prominence in
2004 by mixing The Beatles White
Album with Jay Z’s Black Album,
calling it the Grey Album.
He has also produced a Gorillaz
album and was nominated for a
Grammy.
Cee-Lo Green, a member of the
Goodie Mob, is hip-hop and R&B
musician.
He has been featured as a singer
and rapper in songs with artists
such as Black Eyed Peas, OutKast,
and Twista.
Together, they make Gnarls
Barkley.
Their musical talents have
brought them into contact with
many famous pop, rap, and R&B
artists of the day.
They like to make it seem as
though Gnarls Barkley is really a
person.
As though his personage is true
and impossible to find.
Their album came out in the
United Kingdom on April 24 and
hit the charts as the number one
album.
The first single, “Crazy” hit
number one as well and became
the first song to ever to go straight
to number one based soley on
digital downloading.
The album tries to answer the
question of the alter-ego that is
Gnarls Barkley.
It constantly changes its sounds
and never gives up any sort of
momentum throughout the album.
The album points you in one
direction that may be Gnarls
Barkley and the next thing you
know, you are somewhere else
more confused than ever to who or
what he may be.
Gnarls Barkley may exist still,
however. He is a pen pal to rock
critic Lester Bangs and has been
known to leave notes with large
tips at restaurants while with CeeLo and Danger Mouse.
But this all may be a cover up.
Whoever Gnarls Barkley is,
whether a make up of producer
Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo or a
true person, he makes great music,
and his first album St. Elswhere
does not fall short in any way.
Besides “Crazy”, songs such
as “The Boogie Monster” and
“Smiley Faces” mix the funk, rap,
and pop making it’s own unique
sound.
Songs such as “Just a Thought”
and “Necromancer” bring out the
darker side of Gnarls Barkely
when he talks about suicide. The
songs still embellish in their funky
surroundings.
Even though I don’t even like
rap, funk, or R&B, I still recommend the album for all music
lovers.
READ THE BUZZ ONLINE AT WWW.DAILYTITAN.COM
M AY 1 8 , 2 0 0 6
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MUSIC
T H E B U Z Z @ D A I LY T I TA N . C O M
THE BUZZ
1990S BAND BACK, BETTER THAN EVER
By Cindy Tullues
Daily Titan Asst. News Editor
Eight albums
later and over 50
million copies
sold worldwide,
Red Hot Chili
Peppers hit success again with their
long awaited double album Stadium
Arcadium.
The album features 28 influential
tracks and is undeniably their most
rewarding album in their 23-year
music career. The album explores
new sounds of jazz and soft rock in
collaboration with their signature
funk rock sounds.
Incredibly, in some musical way,
the different music genres have
come together into a musical masterpiece.
The Peppers seem to have found
a new ambition and determination
that fueled the melodic success
of Stadium Aracdium that virgin
Pepper fans and hard-core fans
alike can appreciate.
Nine No. 1 hit singles is musical proof that the Chili Peppers are
musical geniuses!
It is impressive that a group
who has been through a string on
band members and endless hours of
rehab has not lost their edgy tunes
that made them famous.
Eventhough a band of four
members. John Frusciante more
famously known as Flea and lead
singer, Anthony Kiedis, are and
will always be the Red Hot Chili
Peppers as they continue to rule the
psychedelic funk rock music genre.
Compared to former albums like
Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Stadium
Aracdium represents the Chili
Peppers’ transition into adulthood.
The album has much of a more
harmonic sound and less of the hip
hop-funk many of us are so accus-
tomed to.
The first disc Jupitor, kicks it off
with the Chili Peppers’ most recent
smash hit “Dani California.” Then
five minutes into the CD catchy
lyrics and soft, yet very uplifting
beats of “Snow (Hey Yo).” This
song hints to similar sounds of Jack
Johnson, only with a more rappier
and poppy edge.
“Torture Me” is another unfamiliar track that remenisces back to
the Pepper’s classic funk rock days.
Fast and upbeat, the rockers kick it
up a notch by adding some funky
jazz to the track.
“Wet Sand” offers the best musi-
cal variety on the CD. It even comes
complete with some whistling in
the background!
The second CD, Mars, kicks it
off with something more funky,
“Desecration Smile,” however is
not compararable to any of the
songs on Jupitor.
Not a former Chili Pepper fan
myself, in fact, I caught myself
singing along with some of the,
what I consider the best Chili
Pepper songs yet.
Eventhough the band seems to
have soften up, they still do not
neglect their rockstar image and
roots.
NICK LACHEY SHARES WHAT’S LEFT OF HIM
By Lisa Maiorana
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Although many are still wondering who dumped who?
The message in Nick Lachey’s
new solo album, What’s Left of
Me may give listeners a clear
answer.
The album shows a side of
Lachey that many may have seen
in the MTV series “Newlyweds.”
A long way from his boy-band
“98 Degrees,” Lachey proves that
with a broken heart and a few selfproclaiming love songs, a solo
career can be done.
From his top charting song,
“What’s Left of Me,” until his
last song “Resolution,” Lachey
gives listeners an insight of what
he’s endured since his divorce
was posted on every scandalous
magazine cover throughout the
country.
Lachey proves to be a man of
strong emotions and romanticism.
After his crash and burn in
2005, Lachey has not specified a
single muse for this album, but
with such songs as “I Can’t Hate
You Anymore” and “Ghosts,”
Simpson may be the force that
drove each musical piece.
With lyrics like, “I chased away
the shadows of your name and
burned the picture in the frame,”
to “somewhere in the night there
are a pair of lovers/ look and
you’ll see the ghosts of what we
used to be.” Lachey uses metaphors that may apply to his relationship with Simpson.
Though no one can truly feel
Lachey’s pain, his expression
through song, may re-surface a
broken heart in anyone.
Thoughts of past memories may
cause hearts to pump a little faster
with emotion, and glistening tears
to trickle down one’s cheek.
Some may be saddened by his
lyrics, others amazed, but fans all
over the world will come together
to support Lachey.
FLASHBACK FAV.
T H E B U Z Z @ D A I LY T I TA N . C O M
M AY 1 8 , 2 0 0 6
THE BUZZ
7
QUIRKY ROMANCE BEFORE IT’S TIME
By Julie Anne Ines
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Before King Kong and his
blonde bombshell.
Before Jack and Innis; and
before Jim Levenstein and his
warm apple pie, there were
Harold and Maude: as far as
unconventional romances go,
theirs was the stuff that got
audiences talking more than 30
years before a ranch hand proclaimed “I wish I could quit
you.”
Released by Paramount
Pictures in 1971, “Harold and
Maude” tells the story of a 20year-old young man who falls in
love with a nearly 80-year-old
woman.
A pairing that would still raise
eyebrows despite the acceptance
of today’s girl-meet-gorilla,
boy-meet-boy and boy-meetpastry storylines.
Though it’s been decades
since the movie grooved onto
the silver screen – with music
it’s about connecting with
someone,” Mary says, a point
that director Hal Ashby and
writer Colin Higgins highlights in the 91-minute film.
The film opens with
Harold— a mixture of Topher
Grace-like gauntness, Johnny
Depp-like darkness and
Nicolas Cage-like stoicism—
lighting candles, setting up a
stool, and then hanging himself from a noose in the sitting
room of his mother’s lavish
estate.
Of course, the suicide stunt
is just a stunt—a desperate
demand for attention from
a cold and distant mother.
Photo provided by www.cinema-muester.com However,
it
highlights
Unconventional couple learns the meaning of true love in the 1971 film, Harold’s—played by Bud
Cort— obsession with death:
“Harold and Maude.”
he attends funerals for fun
and drives a hearse to get to
provided by Cat Stevens before gust; of vocal tolerance, but
he was Yusuf Islam—the fea- with Polident and IcyHot jokes those funerals.
But all that changes when he
ture couple probably would still on the side
Yet, Mary—of “There’s meets bubbly, carefree Maude,
get the same reaction that they
received when the movie was Something About Mary” fame— who is played by the plain-lookfirst released: a mixture of quiet gets it right when she says that ing but beautifully scintillating
disbelief with a little bit of dis- “Harold and Maude” is prob- Ruth Gordon.
Over the course of her and
ably “the greatest love story of
Harold’s
one-week relationship,
our time.”
“The point is, love isn’t about she transforms him and teaches
money or social standing or age, him to embrace life, all the
things it has to offer, and about
love in its purest form: it’s not
about staying inside boundaries, but about the soul to soul
connection that bridges the gaps
between them.
“Aim above morality. If you
apply that to life, you’re bound
to live fully,” Maude advises
Harold, to which Harold then
replies “then I haven’t really
lived.”
The film is chock-full of quotable lines like this and little bits
of wisdom that still echo with a
sense of relevancy today.
Though Cat Stevens’ provided philosophies for a generation
still burdened with the cross of
war, the feelings of in betweenness and uncertainty that he
sings about are something that
young generations can and will
relate to in the future.
And Maude’s advice to
embrace life and death, that life
is for the living, can touch you
whether you’re 18 or 80.
So, whether you’re on the
brink like Harold, pushing
toward the end like Maude or
somewhere in between, you’re
bound to take something away
from this classic cult film.
8
THE BACK PAGE
T H E B U Z Z @ D A I LY T I T A N . C O M
M AY 1 8 , 2 0 0 6
THE BUZZ
TV FINALES BRING SERIES TO CLOSE
By Elizabeth Simoes
Daily Titan Staff Writer
The month of May is a time of
closure and ending.
Along with finals and graduations, TV finales bring the
conclusion of the entire season.
In other cases these shows will
complete years of memories for
its fans.
Several beloved TV shows
are coming to an end this May,
causing die-hard fans to set their
VCRs and grab a box of tissues.
After eight seasons “Will and
Grace” will say goodbye.
The duo, along with eccentric pals Jack and Karen, have
entertained fans with humor and
insight regarding the world of
friendships, dating and homosexuality.
The finale will end Thursday
night with Will and Grace discussing the future since Grace is
pregnant with ex-husband, Leo’s
baby and possibly moving to
Europe.
Danny Masterson, Mila
Kunis, Laura Perpon, Wilmer
Valderrama and the rest will also
take their final bow as the cast of
“That ‘70s Show.”
The series chronicled the
almost wedding during the series finale that
aired May 8 on the WB,
and special guests Barry
Watson and Jessica Biel
returned as Matt and
Mary.
Another WB drama,
“Charmed,” will end
Sunday, May 21.
The series showcased
the lives of three witches
played by Holly Marie
Combs, Alyssa Milano
and Rose McGowan.
Shannon Doherty originally was on the show
and played the third sister to Combs and Milano
until she left the series.
She is not slated to return
for the finale.
“Alias” kicked its way
into TV history when it
Photo provided by www.vidiot.com first aired in the fall of
After 10 seasons of the joys and sorrow of family life, WB’s “7th Heaven” 2001.
The ABC drama, which
is finally calling it quits
will end May 22, featured
lives of teens growing up in the closed its pearly-white gates.
super spy Sydney Briscoe
The Camden family has expe- played by Jennifer Gardner.
decade of peace signs and bellbottoms.
rienced many changes during the
Throughout the duration of
Eight years later the teens course of the show, yet despite the series nothing could stop the
will find their way into a new their many trials and tribulations super spy from outsmarting evil
decade, the ‘80s, when the finale they have remained a tight-knit plots, cracking codes, dressing
airs Thursday.
group.
in unique disguises and kicking
After 10 seasons “7th Heaven”
The family celebrated Simon’s bad guy’s butt.
Malcolm in no longer in the
middle; he’s come to the end.
Frankie Muniz portrayed
the beloved character since
January 2000 in “Malcolm in
the Middle.” He encountered
crazy antics with his parents
and brothers each week, and in
the finale, which aired May 14,
Malcolm graduated from high
school and prepared for college
life.
After two terms in office and
on screen, the “West Wing” will
be vacated. The political drama
depicted life in the White House
for seven years.
Martin Sheen portrayed the
president of the United States
who worked alongside a talented
and high-strung staff in the Oval
Office.
The finale, which aired May
14, featured the inauguration
of the new president played by
Jimmy Smits.
Although these shows may
be leaving the primetime arena,
they will be added to a long list
of series whose episodes can be
seen as never-ending repeats on
cable channels.
Or if all else fails, fans can
savor their favorite episodes
countless times by purchasing
the complete seasons on DVD.