As we approach the proverbial season of giving, many people are probably thinking, “Didn’t I already do that last year?” Every year, our Euro centric culture focuses nearly all of its altruistic energies on the Christmas season, resulting in a philanthropic cornucopia of Salvation Army Santas ringing their bells for money outside of the local Target, “Adopt-a-family” drives, and donations of presents for underprivileged children.
Amidst all of this holiday cheer, it is easy to either dismiss charity altogether as corny and unrealistic or to turn a cynical shoulder while complaining that people today want everything without working for it. It is even easier to put such activities on the backburner during this hectic time of year or to simply let laziness get the better of any charitable impulses that somehow snuck into your head after watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” After all, you could donate a present, but who wants to go to the mall during the holidays?
For those who find themselves year in and year out formulating a detailed plan of how to escape Target without crossing paths with the Salvation Army, there is still hope. The student group STEP (Students Together Ending Poverty) is making it very easy this year to donate money or food or both to a good cause. All they ask is that the next time you are rummaging through your cupboard you set one of those packages of Ramin or cans of Ravioli-O’s aside and drop it off in UC 240. You won’t exactly starve because of the loss and you will have a chance to feed someone who may be close to starving.
Still not convinced? Well, living in Miami, it shouldn’t be hard to convince anyone that homelessness is a problem. Millions of Americans sleep on the streets and are never sure of when their next meal will be, and many of those Americans can be seen right here in our own city. Anyone who has been to South Beach should be familiar with the irony of a homeless woman or man sleeping outside of a store that sells G-strings for $300. And anyone who knows anything about homelessness should be familiar with the fact that it is not exclusively a lazy, drug and alcohol addicted community, as some people do indeed believe.
On Tuesday, STEP organized a luncheon called “Faces of the Homeless” where people who have to deal with these issues in their own lives were able to speak. It was clear that these people were no lazier than anyone else. They had no aversion to work or holding a steady job. They were not happy with having little or no financial control over their lives. Rather, they were caught in a trap of bad credit, little opportunity, and sometimes an inability to find work because of the lack of a mailing address. These were not people who were content to be the receptacles of charity, but people who were desperately trying to make a life for themselves and their families in spite of their decreasing opportunities to do so.
Of course, donating food and money will not solve all of their problems, but it at least recognizes that they exist and that they are not struggling alone. We think students should take an active role in addressing this problem instead of simply brushing it under the rug as our government tends to do. A good place to start is by taking part in the “Skip-a-Meal” project in the campus cafeterias where students can sign up to skip a meal with the proceeds going to homeless shelters.
EDITORIAL
Toppel helps you “find the section & the seat”
Toppel Career Center offers a plethora of services catering to the different qualifications and aspirations of students and alumni at the University of Miami.
“They know the stadium they want to play in but they don’t know the section or the seat. We help them find the section and the seat,” explained James Smart, the director of Toppel Career Center, regarding the services offered.
According to Smart, the vision of the Toppel Career Center is to serve as a “bridge between academics and the real world.”
Services Toppel offers include resume critiquing, career advising and counseling, career development programs and internship programs.
The Toppel Career center also organizes and hosts numerous career building events including Career Expos in the fall and spring semesters and Toppel 101, a one hour workshop designed to help students reach their goals, whether career-oriented or focusing on graduate study.
“It’s steps for graduation and how to stay on the right track, career development skills and how to network,” said Alexis Franklin, a member of the Toppel Student Advisory Board, of Toppel 101.
Originally offered to seniors only, due to popular demand Toppel 101 will be open to all students enrolled at the University and will be held through Nov. 25.
“The Toppel Career Resource Library is full of books, magazines, newspapers and job listings that can help students to find the right career path or help them discover where they’d like to be after graduation,” said Jill Borges of the Toppel Student Advisory board of the career resource and research facility located inside Toppel.
Many students are unaware of the vast wealth of career information located within walking distance from their classes, and while some students know of the Toppel Career Center, they possess a minimal understanding of the features and services available.
Junior Bianca Biagioni remarked, “I have no idea even where the building is.”
“I know that they do resume critiques and career planning, but I’ve never actually taken advantage of their services,” said junior Melissa Perez.
Sophomore Sammy Nader shared the same unclear perception of Toppel.
“In orientation, we were told to post our resume on the internet or to take it over there so that they can critique it, but that’s all I know,” explained Nader. “I don’t even know where it is.”
Many students have difficulty accessing the services provided because of restrictions of time and transportation.
“I don’t live on campus, so I only come here for class, and I’d never think to come here just for that,” commented junior Stephanie Altuve.
Senior Marci Hora, also a commuter, shared the same concerns. “I went once to look at pamphlets and see if they had jobs posted, but I’m never on that side of campus.”
“Toppel should reach out to students more instead of students having to reach out to them,” commented junior Tiffany Rainey. “I still don’t know exactly what they can do for me.”
“I definitely don’t think students use Toppel enough. I think this is due, in part, to the fact that they are not fully aware of all that Toppel can offer. Most people don’t know that they can go to Toppel to get their resume critiqued, or for a mock interview,” explained Toppel Student Advisory Board member Valerie Figueredo.
For students who have difficulty taking advantage of the on-site Toppel services, Toppel also offers an interactive website which can be accessed through the University of Miami website and links to Cane Trak, a service through which students can search for internships, find out what companies are recruiting on campus and submit their resumes online. “It’s a great tool you can use from anywhere at any time,” said Figueredo.
Students who have taken advantage of some of the services offered at Toppel are quite satisfied with the guidance and information they have received.
“I would say that the great thing about Toppel is they have an unlimited amount of resources to help students find internships and get jobs,” said junior Tom Berryman. “Unfortunately, a good majority of students don’t capitalize on their opportunity until they graduate.”
Senior Rod Ruiz also found his Toppel experience fulfilling. Ruiz attended Toppel 101 and decided to sign up with a career counselor for more career assistance.
“That helped me out a lot because it was one-on-one time and she was better able to cater to my needs. I told her my ideas regarding where I wanted to live and what I wanted to do and she told me about options I didn’t know I had,” Ruiz said. “I found it so helpful, in fact, that I’ve scheduled another appointment to take advantage of other Toppel services.”
Toppel not only handles undergraduate student affairs, but also caters services specifically to alumni, whether looking for further career direction or for a complete change.
“Sometimes people find out the world of work isn’t what they expected it to be and they come back,” Smart said.
Toppel caters to international students as well, helping them to find success in America.
Student Advisory Board member Shakira Henderson said, “They serve for the entire student body, and that’s something that’s unique to them. Most different places at UM don’t really cater to international students as much as Toppel does.”
Overall, director James Smart advises students to begin their career search as early as possible. Toppel staff attempt to guide them in a direction which will best serve their individual agendas and take advantage of their unique skills.
“Sooner or later, you’ll have to go to work and you’ll have to know these things,” Smart said. “There is no substitute for time.”
Toppel Career Center is adjacent to the Whitten University Center and can be accessed at www.miami.edu/toppel.
Students can also call 305-284-5451 for more information or to schedule appointments with career advisors.
UM officials seek to inform students of the dangerous effects of Adderall
Adderall, an increasingly popular study drug, has recently become a growing and dangerous concern within the UM community, according to administration.
“We’re concerned about all the drugs that may be present on campus,” said Dr. Pat Whitely, vice-president for student affairs. “Every time a drug appears on our radar screen we try to educate our students about the side effects.”
“Adderall is speed,” said Malcolm Kahn, Ph.D, ABPP, director and associate professor at the Counseling Center. “This is a very highly regulated class of drugs with very real and serious medical consequences.”
In a recent Life and Art article printed in the Nov. 8 edition of The Miami Hurricane, two students gave their testimonials regarding why they use Adderall to study. Both accounts emphasized how the drug has helped them improve academically but made no mention of the negative medical consequences of using the drug without a prescription.
“Adderall is a drug used to treat neurological disorders and has different effects on the brain function of individuals who have been diagnosed to benefit from the drug,” Dr. Kahn said. “In recent years, these types of drugs have become a sort of fad because of the media and many times people think they may be displaying symptoms of a disorder that they probably do not have.”
Sexual impotence, nervous tremors, unwanted twitching, mental disturbances, high blood pressure, irritability and depression are all common side effects of the drug.
“Many young men experience strong negative psychological effects from not being able to perform sexually,” Dr. Kahn said. “The psychological and emotional effects of the drug will continue long after the drug wears off.”
Last year, UM conducted a campus-wide, anonymous survey of 3000 randomly selected students. Of the 962 who responded, only 17 reported taking a psychiatric drug without a prescription.
“This study indicates that most students are responsibly dealing with their work in a healthy, substance-free way,” Jennifer Brack, assistant dean of students and advisor to PIER 21, said. “The high number of students who utilize the Counseling Center also demonstrates that students are interested in learning how to effectively and naturally cope with their lives.”
PIER 21 is a comprehensive, innovative, multidimensional education, prevention, and intervention program that focuses on alcohol and other drug use, misuse, and abuse.
According to administration, PIER 21, the Academic Center and the Counseling Center can help students find ways to enhance their academic performance by way of advising, programs and workshops that focus on time management and prioritizing techniques, developing strong study habits and utilizing effective time management strategies.
“It is unfortunate that our society is placing such emphasis on the ‘quick fix’,” Brack said. “It’s scary to think about a community of people who need to rely on pills to get through daily responsibilities. We hope that instead of asking around for extra Adderall that students will first make a strong attempt to develop coping skills for themselves.”
Carmen Lex, in her testimonial printed in the Nov. 8 issue, emphasized the fact that she was aware of the potential long-term effects of the drug:
“I may be blemishing my body like with any other drug and I’m thinking, whilst marveling at about a hundred other ideas, will I become addicted to this pill?”
“Students need to be aware that this drug is dangerous and should not be used by individuals to which it is not prescribed,” Dr. Kahn said. “Even though they may feel that it is helping them momentarily, the long term effects can be extremely detrimental.”
Dr. Kahn says that the Counseling Center will not be prescribing Adderall to students after this semester.
Students who are experiencing negative effects of amphetamines like Adderall or other drugs should visit the Student Health Center. To get diagnosed for a specific disorder, contact the Counseling Center at X8-5511.
PIER 21 can be reached at 305-284-6120.
Jorge Arauz can be contacted at xxarauzxx@yahoo.com
Campus Calendar and News Briefs
TODAY
STEP is sponsoring Skip-A-Meal in Chartwell’s at 4:30 p.m. as part of Hunger and Homelessness week.
UM Volleyball takes on Notre Dame at the Knight Sports Complex at 7 p.m. Free pizza will be served to the first 100 students with a ‘Cane card.
The Department of Psychology presents the Third Annual Undergraduate Conference for Research in Psychology, or UCON, from 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the UC Flamingo Ballrooms and the International Lounge. Come see fellow students present their research in poster and oral presentations and enjoy a complimentary lunch. RSVP to Conference Co-coordinator Jose Rodriguez at 305-284-3303 or JoseR@miami.edu.
NOVEMBER 16
The Gifford Arboretum is hosting another horticultural workshop and plant diagnostic clinic at the John C. Gifford Arboretum, Biology Department, Cox Science Building. Co-sponsored with Miami-Dade Cooperative Extension Service, the workshop will feature lectures about invasive exotic plants and trees and include a tour of the UM Palmetum. The plant diagnostic clinic, which is free, runs from 8:30 – 10 a.m. The workshop requires a registration fee and is from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., with lunch provided. For more information, contact Derek Artz or Carol Horvitz at 305-284-5364.
Men’s Basketball Exhibition vs. Global Sports Team at the Knight Sports Complex at 7 p.m.
NOVEMBER 17
Hurricane Productions presents.John Singleton, 8 p.m. @ Gusman. John Singleton is the director of Boys N the Hood, Poetry, Remember the Time, baby boy, Higher Learning, Rosewood, SHAFT, and Fast and Furious 2. For more information visit www.um-hp.com.
Come say goodbye at the last UM volleyball game of the season vs. Syracuse at 2 p.m. at the Knight Sports Complex.
NOVEMBER 18
The HSF Scholar Chapter will have a meeting at 7 p.m. in UC 245. Guest Speaker Casey Cusick will be giving tips on how to write an outstanding personal statement for scholarship and grad school applications. Also, scholarship applications for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute will be distributed. Papa John’s pizza and drinks will be served.
NOVEMBER 19
Want to travel the world, build your resume and make positive differences in the lives of others? Come learn about the Peace Corps in an information session and video presentation from 12 to 1 p.m. in UC 237. For more information, please contact Erin Seiler, Peace Corps Recruiter, at 305-284-5398, eseiler@umiami.edu or room 101 in the Ferre Building.
NOVEMBER 20
Islamic Society of UM is sponsoring a Fast-A-Thon as a part of the month of Ramadan. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to fast for someone else’s hunger. For each participant, local businesses will donate money to the Daily Bread Food Bank, which donates food to Camillus House and the CHARLEE Project. Participants will be invited to break their fasts with a dinner at sundown. To sponsor, participate or find out more, contact Minal Ahson at mahson@miami.edu.
Join Cane Cares for a nutrition tour at Stanford Dining Hall between 7 and 8 p.m. For more information please contact 305-284-6524.
NOVEMBER 21
Before the Miami vs. Pittsburgh Football game, from 4-7 p.m. at Tailgate Lot E4, all UM students with a ‘Cane card are invited to a free tailgate party courtesy of the U.S. Army. Feast on Hooters wings, Big Cheese pizza and drinks. Tailgate lot E4 is located across the street from the Gate 7 Student Entrance on the corner of NW Fourth Street & NW 14th Avenue. For more information contact Beth Cunningham, Hurricanes’ Corporate Sales Assistant at 305-284-5973 or email bcunningham@miami.edu.
NOVEMBER 22
Join the UM chapter of the Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society for the first annual “I Came, I Bid, I Won” silent auction to benefit the scholarship fund, at the Rathskeller from 5 – 7 p.m. Items to be auctioned include two tickets to the UM vs. Virginia Tech football game, a Kaplan graduate prep course, autographed National Championship footballs and more.
Want to do something about HIV/AIDS? Looking for a resume booster? Then sign up for HIV 104 training, which certifies you to speak in Miami-Dade Public Schools about HIV/AIDS. The training will be held on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 3 – 7 p.m. You must RSVP to attend, so e-mail visions_um@yahoogroups.com to reserve your spot.
Students who received the meningococcal meningitis vaccine and plan to travel to certain parts of Africa or have laboratory or industrial exposure may need to repeat the immunization. Information about the recent meningitis vaccine recall is available at www.menomune.com. For more information call Student Health Service at 305-284-5921.
The Richter Library is holding an Amnesty Week for the return of all overdue library materials. From Nov. 18 – 24, all overdue materials may be returned and the fines will be waived. Prior outstanding debts to the library will not be waived. For questions, contact Access and Delivery services at 305-284-6466 or email sschwarzer@miami.edu
Tickets for British pop-rockers Coldplay, who will be playing at the UM Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003 at 8 p.m., will go on sale at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, for $32.75 at the UC Ticketmaster.
The University of Miami’s Law School Center for Ethics and Public Service presented Attorney Richard C. Milstein with this year’s “Lawyers in Leadership Award” on Tuesday. The “Lawyers in Leadership Award” is presented to an individual who has utilized their leadership role in their community and who exemplifies ethical responsibility in his/her profession. Milstein joins well respected past recipients including Chancellor Tad Foote, attorneys Joe Klock, Ellen Friedin, Henry Latimer, Carlos de le Cruz and Judge Joan Lenard.
Twice an alumnus of the University of Miami, Milstein is an advocate for the rights of children, elderly and gays, and he promotes the importance of the performing arts in the community. He currently sits on the Executive Board of Directors of Save Dade, Inc., the Civilian Investigative Panel Nominating Committee for the City of Miami and the Counsel for the Performing Arts Center Trust, Inc. He is an Advisory Board Member for the Estate Project for Artists with Aids and a member of the Arts and Business Counsel, among many others. He is a past president of the Dade County Bar Association and is the recipient of numerous awards including the United Way’s 2002 Dorothy Shula Award for Outstanding Volunteerism and the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award. In 1999, the Dade County Bar established the Richard C. Milstein Excellence Award in his honor for his work in public service.
Nursing School plans for future
Students and faculty at the School of Nursing can look forward to a new facility and a new curriculum in upcoming years.
Plans are under way for the M. Christine Schwartz Center for Nursing Education, and revisions to the undergraduate curriculum are also being made to reflect nursing of the future.
“This new space will enable students to network with faculty and the other students,” said Dr. Sharon Pontious, interim dean of the School of Nursing. “We have wonderful faculty and motivated students, and we’ve been creative in using the resources we have now, but this new facility will give us the room we need to better teach our students.”
Development of the M. Christine Schwartz Center for Nursing Education will begin in May 2003 and will be completed by fall of 2004. The four-story building will be located between Allen Hall and the Memorial Building.
“It was a dream of ours to have our own school for a long time,” said Cheryl Quinlivan, director of development at the School of Nursing. “We didn’t think it would be possible. Students are very excited about having their own school.”
So far, the school has raised $11 million of the needed $13 million to fund the development of the new center.
“We’ve received small and large gifts from individuals who have been touched by the role of nurses,” said Quinlivan. “We’re very hopeful that we’ll raise all of our funds.”
The new facility will be the home students and faculty need to progress in nursing education and research.
“he space will allow us to refine health assessment skills,” Pontious said. The new technology will enable students to practice intravenous administration, catheritizations nd injections. The space will also allow faculty to have individual offices.”
The School of Nursing is currently located on the periphery of campus on Red Road, in an old fraternity house that was renovated to facilitate the current school. The facility, however, has become so limited in space that on-site practice labs are exceeding maximum capacity.
“I feel that the current building is too small for the current number of students that attend the School of Nursing,” said Jessica Sikkema, a senior nursing student. “We are also distally located on the campus, so sometimes we feel somewhat unattached to the rest of the school.”
“When we show prospective students and parents our current facility, they wonder why they would be paying UM tuition to attend the school,” Pontious said. “We have no space in the current building.”
Space is so limited that bathrooms have been made into offices for some of the faculty. Academic faculty are also sharing offices, eliminating confidentiality.
Undergraduate classes are taught in the Learning Center and Memorial Building, making it inconvenient for students to take the shuttle back and forth between the School of Nursing and the center of campus.
“The students don’t feel they are a part of campus,” Pontious said. “They’re never in the middle of campus to interact with the other students. They were left out of the yearbook last year because they were not around the UC often enough to see the banners.”
A limited facility has also made it difficult for undergraduate and graduate students to interact with one another and the faculty.
“I think that, the way the building is now, there is no place for nursing students to sit and do homework or hang out,” Minnie Perraza, a junior in the School of Nursing, said. “It’s time for a change.”
The school hopes to emphasize community-based nursing and will develop new majors to be implemented in fall 2003; however, some improvements to the curriculum have already taken effect.
“Last year we didn’t have a tutoring program for math,” said Marie Felix, a junior in the School of Nursing. “We have a tutoring program this year and, because of the program, I’ve been able to increase my math scores.”
A new program will also allow students who have completed their associates or bachelors degree to obtain their masters degree in two-and-a-half years.
The new center will not only benefit current students, but it will help increase the enrollment of students who wish to study nursing at the University.
“Even though I have not seen the specific drawing regarding the layout of the new School of Nursing, I feel thatthis would be a great way to attract more students into a career in nursing,” Sikkema said.
“The program is very hard and you need to study a lot, but I would recommend it to incoming students anyways,” said Felix.
The school currently has about 260 undergraduate and 110 graduate students and is expected to increase to about 500 total students by 2005.
“There are tons of exciting careers in nursing,” Pontious said. “It’s a profession that allows so much flexibility. Nursing is one of the only careers where you are making a difference in somebody’s life and you are getting paid for it. That’s exciting.”
She Loves You, yeah yeah yeah
Take a date to Love Night
The Ring Theatre is hoping that local lovebirds looking for a break from the ordinary dinner and a movie will flock to “Love Night,” an evening created to celebrate love and happiness, organisers said.
“This is about giving one night to couples. We’re trying to make it a great evening from beginning to end,” said Karla Hernandez of UM Media Relations.
Love Night will be taking place on the opening night of She Loves Me, a romantic musical based on the same play that generated the film You’ve Got Mail. The play is being presented from Nov. 15 to Nov. 24.
Tuesday’s performance is limited exclusively to University of Miami students. Entrance is free with the presentation of a ‘Cane Card, but Hernandez recommends that students arrive half an hour before the show.
“I think that it’s a good idea because there are so many couples looking for something to do in Miami. They have the chance to be together in a romantic setting,” said sophomore Marvin Roberts.
And the benefits aren’t limited to quality time together.
Each couple in attendance to the show will be presented with a rose. There will also be giveaways from sponsors such as Sephora and the Wellness Center, who will be giving away a free dance lesson.
A seven-day Caribbean cruise donated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines will be raffled off. Tickets will be sold before the show and at intermission, and the winner will be announced at the final show on Nov. 24.
“It would be an awesome place to take someone on a date because it’s romantic,” said senior Manuel Delemos. “And, the chance to win a trip makes it even better.”
Plans have been proposed for a candidate to be chosen to propose on stage at the end of the evening, but these plans had to be cancelled because of a lack of applicants, but organisers said that they hope that the night will still be amorous for couples in attendance.
“She Loves Me is a delightful romantic comedy filled with thoughts of love and happy ever after,” said chairperson of Theater Arts Vincent J. Cardinal.
“I think it’s a good idea because you get to spend quality time with your boyfriend or girlfriend,” said sophomore Maria Guevara. ” It’s something different to attend instead of the movies.”
Some students said they felt the event was decidedly anti-single.
” I am bitter, and nothing that has to do with love interests me,” said single senior Matt Valero.
But single sophomore, Debbie Beckford had more positive ideas on the show.
” I don’t have anyone, but I would still like to go and get a rose and feel special,” said Beckford.
The program may even inadvertently create some new romances.
Freshman Erica Givens said, ” I’ll love anyone if I get to go to the Caribbean.”
For more information on Love Night or to purchase tickets for She Loves Me, contact the UM Ring Theatre by calling 305-284-3355 or by visiting their website at www.miami.edu/ring.
dvd review: Stolen Summer ***
When Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and a couple friends came up with the idea for “Project Greenlight,” they had little idea of the impact it would make. What started as a noble attempt to give unknown filmmakers a chance, blossomed into a full-scale soap opera, complete with backstabbing, sabotage and other Jerry Springer-like shenanigans. The final result of the HBO series was Stolen Summer, a modest film from a rookie writer/director.
Stolen Summer was the product of the contest – one chosen out of thousands of scripts to be made into a feature film. The winner of the contest was Pete Jones, a likeable enough guy, who, as promised, is no different than the average Joe. His script was given a $1 million budget and a professional staff, headed by executive producers Affleck and Damon, and producer Chris Moore.
“Project Greenlight” was a documentary series about the entire process, from the announcement of the winner to the film’s premiere. On the series, the making of the film was presented as a hectic mess. From the near firing of a co-producer to the epic battles between filmmakers and the studio – nothing seemed to go smoothly for Jones. Yet his film, Stolen Summer, just released on DVD, is a nice little movie with a suitably warm, homegrown feel.
Stolen Summer got its theatrical release as guaranteed, but it failed to expand outside of a few theaters in New York and Los Angeles. Its DVD release has done brisk business, although the title is dwarfed by the “Project Greenlight” logo hovering above it. Obviously, the marketing of the film alone was not as strong as hoped, thus forcing it to ride the coattails of the popular series.
Stolen Summer is a quaint family movie, but it dabbles with serious subject matter. The plot is centered on a young Catholic boy (played by Adiel Stein) who tries to get a Jewish boy (Mike Weinberg) into heaven. Their fathers, one a stubborn firefighter (Aidan Quinn) and the other a friendly rabbi (Kevin Pollak), argue over their children’s actions and prominent religions. The story takes place in the 1970s Chicago, a time Jones knew from experience.
Stein is just average in his role, totally overshadowed by his co-star, Weinberg. Weinberg’s character is younger than Stein’s, and (for the purpose of drama) spiced with leukemia. Given some meaty subject matter to deal with, Weinberg turns in a great performance for an actor whose age hasn’t hit double digits. Pollak and Quinn deliver believable performances.
The film also extracts believability from Jones’ experiences. He lived the 70s Chicago life, and several of the film’s scenes were shot in locations that he knew from his childhood. It’s not difficult to see why his screenplay beat out thousands, and his direction is sufficient enough to keep the film afloat. Despite the conniving nature of the director of photography, Pete Biagi, on “Project Greenlight,” the cinematography is quite notable.
If you watched the show, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the only person holding the movie together is producer Chris Moore, who came up with the show’s concept along with Affleck and Damon. While the marquee names were mainly involved in the beginning of “Project Greenlight,” Moore was hands-on in the entire process. His past credits include Good Will Hunting and American Pie, and, despite his egotistical rampages, he was the person most responsible for the finished product’s quality.
This DVD is weak on extra features. The included cut scenes are pointless, although the filmmakers’ commentary is informative. On the commentary track are Jones, Moore and co-producer Jeff Balis, a goofy screw-up who was fired and rehired by his friend Moore during the making of the movie. This makes for especially funny moments, like a scene that begins with Balis quipping, “When we filmed this scene, I was technically fired.” You can almost hear Moore slapping him in the back of the head.
Shawn Wines can be reached at shawnwines@aol.com.
film review: 8 Mile **1/2
It makes sense that Eminem, who loathes trendy pop stars with a platinum blonde vengeance, would make a movie like 8 Mile. He could have starred in any film he wanted (well, maybe not Harry Potter), but he bravely avoided the “quick buck” Ice Cube route.
Other pop culture icons like Britney Spears (Crossroads), Lance Bass (On the Line) and Mandy Moore (A Walk to Remember) went out and catered directly to their fan base, smothering them with cheesy romance and awful acting. Eminem, on the other hand, was driven to make real cinema.
At first glance, Eminem looks like he might be overwhelmed by the Hollywood big leagues. 8 Mile has three Academy Award winners in its ranks – and a star whose prior acting resume ranged from looking sad in the “Stan” video and angry in “Cleaning Out My Closet.”
Producer Brian Grazer’s last major project (Blue Crush and Undercover Brother aside) was A Beautiful Mind, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Director Curtis Hanson and aging actress Kim Basinger last worked together on L.A. Confidential, for which both won Oscars.
Studio executives were quick to announce that 8 Mile is not the Eminem story. Sure, it has similarities, but power players like Grazer and Hanson weren’t desperate to steal VH1’s thunder with a Slim Shady biopic. Instead, the story parallels the rapper’s struggles and hip hop drive, and this is vital in maintaining an air of believability with the “real” actors. Eminem is brilliant in a scene where he argues with his mom, played by Basinger. The controversial rap star goes head to head with one of the best actresses in Hollywood, and amazingly, it seems totally natural. Perhaps practice made perfect.
8 Mile is the story of Jimmy Smith (Eminem), a poor factory worker in Detroit who participates in hip hop battles under the name Bunny Rabbit. Smith is known by his friends to be a great talent, but when he gets on stage, he freezes. The movie starts right after he breaks up with his girlfriend, and he has to return to trailer life with his mom and kid sister.
The film, like Smith’s life, is dark and dreary. His mom struggles to pay the rent, and Smith is preoccupied with guarding his sister from the ultra reality around her. He is employed at a rather stereotypical inner-city factory, and spends his nights with a close posse of friends, each fired up with rap aspirations. The unofficial leader of the group is Future, played by Mekhi Phifer (Clockers), a 27-year old actor who should get some well-deserved popularity with this role. Along the film’s course, Smith falls in and out of love with Alex, a hip hop chicken head played by Brittany Murphy.
The film’s climax comes when Smith squares off against members of a wannabe rap group called the Free World. Their finale battle takes place at a local club, where they get 45 seconds to freestyle and insult each other as much as possible.
8 Mile is a decent movie, but it is hampered by an overly predictable “underdog overcomes” ending. The style of the film seems raw and real, definitely suitable for winter, and the characters have depth. While it is not Hanson or Grazer’s best work, Eminem proves himself to be talented in yet another field.
The acting is solid all around, and energy is abundant, but 8 Mile lacks a truly dramatic feel. Anyone who comes to the theater to see an Eminem movie will enjoy it, but people who are looking for another Hanson masterpiece in the tradition of L.A. Confidential or Wonder Boys will leave moderately unfulfilled.
Shawn Wines can be reached at shawnwines@aol.com.
Pretty Vacant: A bloody odd one-night stand at the San Juan Motel
These days, we can’t get enough of these eccentric, site-specific art installations popping up and down galleries, open-air spaces, convention centers, hip SoBe club floors like at Mynt-yeah, art is being exposed on the glittery, fruity walls of a club named after an Altoid-and even in motels, right? As art “connoisseurs,” we “love” walking through a seamy motel, into different, seedy rooms and observing cryptic performances by actors boxing on an imaginary punch bag or feigning death on a bed, gore and blood sullying a once-beautiful formal gown.
Or perhaps we might enjoy watching a Technicolor painting, reminiscent of a multi-hued Paul Klee cubist work, and studying how it matches the color pattern of the cheesy double beds’ comforters. Even more, we might get all “revved-up” by looking at a pseudo-exercise room, manufactured, unprofessionally it seems, with wooden bars and air fans to generate energy or we may get daunted by an enormous batch of wool resembling a cocoon, dangling from the ceiling of a dimly-lit room and waiting to maybe produce a gargantuan-sized moth.
In any case, we might also think that these crazy art installations may be too far-fetched, providing the viewer with temporary pleasure, leaving us bewildered, unsure as to what to make of it, but that’s what we saw at the one-night only exhibit, Motel, which took place last Friday at the San Juan Motel in Little Havana on Calle Ocho. Featuring works by upcoming artists such as Vanessa Dubin, Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova, Jose Reyes, Anna Kamir, Vivian Marthell and Walter Garcia and curated by Ricky Ariza and Gretal Garcia, each room, altered by the installations, accentuated space, time, and place to welcome the onlooker within the distorted motel area.
The event drew an audience of artists, curators, critics and local hipsters along with UM folks and it was important for many people moving on from UM. It set a standard of avant-garde exhibition that is considered within the UM art department to be “NART” or not art. The individual rooms, while not always succeeding, spoke to ideas of temporal space and of a human’s place within an altered landscape. As “earth-art” uses the physicality of the land, Motel uses the architecture and roads to work as a metaphor. Many critics consider such work to be too intellectual and removed from the classical ideas about art, but there would be no point in bringing George Bush to an Old Dirty Bastard show.
The specific motel was used for about $30 per room and each unit had different dEcor with ceramic tile on the walls. The attitude of certain UM art teachers/critics is skeptical about exhibitions like Motel. When tolerance is an earmark to an organization-even one as picky as a bunch of artists-ideas then become the currency of debate, not attitudes. The group of people with power in the UM art community need to transcend the subjectivities into an arena where language is just language and where the spirit prevails. The problem with religion is the interpretation. Don’t interpret Motel…do be glad though that someone did it even though it may not fit within your artistic appetite.
Alex Saleeby can be reached at claysaleeby@hotmail.com
calendar
Tonight
Poplife presents Calvin Johnson, Little Wings and Wolf Colonel strut their stuff at the Polish American Club, 1250 NW 22nd Ave., Miami. The concert’s going down for the K Records Showcase (dope ’90s nostalgia alternative rock). Doors at 9 p.m. $8. Call 305-634-3907.
Oakland-based indie label, Tigerbeat 6 Records, shows off some of its groups-Numbers, CEX, Stars as Eyes-so you can get down ‘n’ dirty for Revolver at the Soho Lounge, 175 NE 36th St., Miami. Show kicks off at 10 p.m. and it’s $8. Log on to www. clubrevolver.com for more info.
Saturday, November 16
Come cling titanic beer glasses with your good ol’ pals for Dave Daniels’ birthday bash at Churchill’s, 5501 NE 2nd Ave., Miami. Our good buddy Dave-owner of the pub-along with Budweiser, present 62 Musicians for his 62 years, featuring groups such as Deep Down Low, Humbert, Mr. Entertainment, Kaktus, Jim Camacho, Fantastic Five, Muckraker, Pipe Clay Rut, Solar, Feeling Numb and Founded. Call 305-757-1807 for more info.
Satisfy your craving for art this weekend at the Dorsch Gallery, 151 NW 24th St., Miami, and check out Breakthrough, a new exhibit by Guerra De La Paz, opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Call 305-576-1278 for more info.
Sunday, November 17
Black Market Babies presents the first “Sunday Skool” with electro, garage/mod rock, and hip hop, with DJs Syke and UM’s very own Lil’ Jack Knife. The first night is free so get over there and give a little more flavor to your Sunday nights. The party’s located at Excedra, on the corner of LeJeune and Giralda, 2 blocks north of Miracle Mile. Contact Moral Barometer for more info.
Director John Singleton (Higher Learning, Boyz in the Hood) @ Gusman Hall, 8 p.m. Free for UM students.
Tuesday, November 19
The Donnas at Culture Room.
Friday, November 22
The Strokes with Jimmy Falon at Mizner Park in Boca Raton.