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television review : Dysfunction leads to funny family

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Ryan Murphy, best known for his involvement in several popular shows,  including Glee, Nip Tuck and American Horror Story,  recently adopted a new role with the premiere of television show “The New Normal.” The farcical-style comedy introduces a homosexual couple, played by Justin Bartha and Andrew Ranells, hanging onto the hope that their surrogate mother, played by Georgia King, will become pregnant with their child. The premiere episode set a healthy foundation for the main characters, including the hilarious Rocky, played by The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Nene Leakes, who adds blunt humor that meshes well with the bigoted opinions of Ellen, played by Jane Forrest. The novelty of “The New Normal” is how it purposefully avoids using stereotypes to define the atypical characters.  David and Bryan are recognizable as two gay males. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Arts & Entertainment

Cult Classic review : ‘Virgin Suicides’ presents an eerie nostalgia

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

“The Virgin Suicides,” a novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, came to life on the big screen under direction of Sofia Coppola in 1999, showing an astonishingly accurate translation of written word to film. With American gothic tropes visible from beginning to end, the movie leaves viewers with an eerie nostalgia. The film stars James Woods and Kathleen Turner as Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon, the parents of five blonde-haired beauties who begin killing themselves one by one. The Lisbons’ parenting skills, or lack thereof, are marked by Mrs. Lisbon’s remorseless hunger for control and Mr. Lisbon’s refusal to put his foot down as the man of the house. Submissive and weak, Mr. Lisbon has no backbone and rarely gives input, allowing his wife to rule the home with an iron fist. Ultimately, this … Read entire article »

Filed under: Arts & Entertainment

film review : ‘Trouble with the Curve’

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Each year, one sports film attempts to break away from the pact and transform into more than a mere stereotype on the big screen. “Trouble with the Curve” fell short of “Moneyball” glory, but instead brings a deeply unique message, which attempts to trigger a strong emotional connection. “Trouble with the Curve” stars Clint Eastwood, who plays a decrepit old man losing his health and possibly his job as a baseball scout. Gus (Eastwood) has been one of the best baseball scouts for decades and can even tell a good hit just from the sound of the baseball hitting the bat. Amy Adams plays his equally knowledgeable daughter, Mickey, who is forced to abandon her job at a high-powered law firm and attempts to save her dad from getting the ax. Her … Read entire article »

Filed under: Arts & Entertainment

Ask Pheonix

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Dear Phoenix, I am so stressed with school and personal issues recently. How do I cope with this stress? Everyone gets stressed, and depending on the specific stressors, finding relief can be difficult. In moderation, stress is good for you. It can help motivate you to complete the tasks at hand. When it builds up and becomes severe, it can become detrimental to your health. As college students, most of us are too familiar with this severity. There are many methods to relieve stress, from breathing exercises to simply making a calendar. Whenever I feel like I have a million tasks to complete and it is challenging to remember all of them, I make myself a giant calendar. This way I can see what is coming a week in advance and can plan … Read entire article »

Filed under: Arts & Entertainment

‘Pippin’: Filled with entertainment, but nothing more

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

“Pippin,” a musical by Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz, opened last Friday at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre  under the direction of Eric Rosen. Traditionally, “Pippin” productions keep the original 70’s pop style musical score, but Rosen had a different vision for his production: punk rock. The fourth wall is immediately broken with this in-your-face rock concert production. Throughout the show, the ensemble continuously transforms into characters in the play. First, the audience sees the Leading Player (Wallace Smith), who introduces Pippin (Claybourne Elder), a young prince searching for fulfillment in life.  To prove himself, Pippin begs his father, Charlemagne (John Hickock), for permission to fight alongside him in the war against the Visigoths.  Pippin clearly does not fit in with the other soldiers, including his half-brother Lewis (Sam Cordes), but … Read entire article »

Filed under: Arts & Entertainment

Travel Corner: U-News staffers from abroad discuss their home countries, experiences at UMKC

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Xuan Cai:China Xuan Cai, from Shandong, China, is working on a master’s degree in accounting. She came to Kansas City in 2011 after earning a bachelor’s degree at the China University of Petroleum, Beijing (Peking). “My mother chose this major for me,” she said. “She said it was the perfect job for a girl. With engineering, you might have to be outside and do labor, but with accounting, you just need to sit and handle worksheets.” Cai’s mother is an accountant in a hospital, and her father is a civil engineer. Their only child, Cai said she would be a doctor if she were not pursuing accounting. “I went with my mom to the hospital, and I liked the idea of working with injections,” she said. “Also, a doctor can save people’s lives, so … Read entire article »

Filed under: Arts & Entertainment

Bartender’s Corner: Affordable dive bars near campus

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Dive bars hold a pleasant, dingy charm, and are notorious for offering incredibly cheap drink specials. In midtown Kansas City, there are plenty of dive bars to choose from, but only a few worth repeat visits. The following bars are some of the best places near campus for cheap drinks and fantastic entertainment. Buzzard Beach For those who hate cover charges but enjoy live (typically indie) music and fantastic drink specials, Buzzard Beach is a great choice. Buzzard’s happy hour specials are always affordable, and long hours give patrons a large window of opportunity to purchase dirt-cheap drinks. Happy hour runs 3-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3-9 p.m. Friday and 3-7 p.m. Saturday. During happy hour, well drinks are $2.50 ($2.75 for drinks involving juice), and select draft beers are $1.25 each. The … Read entire article »

Filed under: Arts & Entertainment

‘A Voyage’: UMKC jazz professor releases his debut album

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

The 18th and Vine District received a taste of UMKC talent on Thursday, opening The Blue Room’s stage to Associate Director of Jazz Studies Dan Thomas’ jazz band, Voyage. The performance featured and promoted the premiere of the band’s namesake album. The stage is a familiar place for Thomas, who has created a number of original works during his career.  However, recording and releasing an album was the first milestone for his recent musical collaboration. “This is the first album for Voyage.  This record differs from my others, as I am a little older and I like to think wiser,” Thomas said. “This music is the first quartet record I have done and I was writing from a different place, having come through a rather serious health issue.”The quartet features Thomas ,  … Read entire article »

Filed under: Feature

Measure everything: Moving struggles teach simple life lesson

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

There’s nothing quite like that feeling I get when I see a garage sale sign. There aren’t really words to explain it, but I like to think it’s as close to euphoria as one can come. I struck real gold with this one. What started out as a hunt for dishes for my new apartment turned into the center piece of the whole living room. I’d never seen such a beautiful armoire, but I wanted it the minute I saw it. It looked like something right off of HGTV. The off-white shabby chic look was nothing short of fabulous, and the full length mirrors added to the elegance and sophistication. Little did I know that the shabby chic look was soon to become authentic. On moving day, I couldn’t have been prouder. This … Read entire article »

Filed under: Forum, Opinion

I love my grandparents: Romney’s ‘47 percent’ remarks insult America’s seniors

September 24th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Mitt Romney’s comments, that the 47 percent of Americans who do not pay federal income taxes are dependent upon government and believe they are victims, insult many college students and elderly Americans living on a fixed income, such as myself and my grandparents. Romney’s campaign has accused Obama of laying the groundwork to ration Medicare for seniors, yet Romney’s plan is to end Medicare as we know it. Medicare, the most efficient health care system in the world, is paid for by withholding taxes that all working Americans pay, regardless of whether or not they are part of the 53 or 47 percent. Romney has gone back and forth over the past several months about what exactly he plans to do to with healthcare if elected president, but his attitude toward seniors proves … Read entire article »

Filed under: Forum, Opinion

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