Somewhere between the westerns of the 1960s and the melodramas of the 1930s lies Baz Luhrmann's original vision of "Australia." The outback native's fourth film strays far from his sling-shot angles and obsession with close-ups to give a sweeping, epic view of both the breathtaking Aussie landscape and the epic romance he created for it.
The Killers is a fun band. Sure, there is the occasional lyric that can be interpreted as deep until the next one has you scratching your head, but this band isn't supposed to make you think. And the best part is, they're completely unapologetic about it.
Halfway through "Milk," we find Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) greeting campaign supporter Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch) near the steps of San Francisco City Hall. Like Harvey, Cleve too has cleaned up his stringy hair and replaced raggedy threads with business casual attire. Harvey is visibly upset. He tells Cleve that he wants him to keep his flamboyance visible regardless of the etiquette that political theater may require. To drive the point home, he frolics up the marble steps, twirling and singing on his first day as the nation's first openly gay public official.
"We are the last bastion against crappy, sound-alike radio in Orange County," says its philosophy on the KUCI website. "We are the voice of freedom for all the independent music that gets snubbed by the major labels. We are the defenders of the faith for those who choose to express a different opinion. We are corporate rock's worst nightmare. We are KUCI."
Internationally renowned violist Jerzy Kosmala participated in the second Faculty Master Class last Monday as part of an inaugural series of events organized by the UC Irvine Music Department. Students performed pieces from some of classical music's greatest composers to a diverse audience of professors, students and community members.
Bassist Toshiya rocks out with Dir En Grey at the LA Wiltern on Saturday, November 29th. Dir En Grey is a popular Japanese rock band that has an enormous underground following, including students at UC Irvine.
Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know: Suddenly, the professor is taking roll in my 100-person lecture class and teaching assistants are taking it again in my 40-person discussion section. I'm told that if I am counted absent in more than a certain number of lectures and discussions, I will fail the class completely. But by the time roll is finally taken and class actually starts, we are 10, sometimes 20, minutes into the allotted class time. Far be it from me not to admit that some days, I couldn't ask for more than a shorter lecture. But in the back of my mind, I can't help but feel a bit cheated.
This year, don't resort to a last-minute gift card. Buy something unique while avoiding the dreaded mall crowds by shopping for presents online. These Web sites offer original and affordable gifts, from beautifully crafted baubles to downright wacky knickknacks.
