02/06/09 Intermission [pdf]

inside

RVCA Design Director Kristin Reiter dishes on her job, closet, and life ... page 3 Exclusive Intermission interview with “Coraline” director Henry Selick... page 4 Film review of animated stop-motion horror fantasy film “Coraline”... page 5 Benjamin Button not up to par; Super Bowl commercials either...page 6 “Lips Together, Teeth Apart:” seniors dramatize middle-aged frustration...page 7

intermission

FRIDAY

2.06.09 stanford’s weekly guide to campus culture

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a publication of the stanford daily

courtesy bleachblack.com

“Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” - Coco Chanel

ALSO INSIDE

B i t i n g

t h e i r

l i p s

C o r a l i n e

Stanford students Claire Slattey, Vanessa Petrosky and Zach Chotzen-

a film review and exclusive interview with Director Henry Selick

Freund put on “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” for their senior project

steve lesser

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THE GRAMMY AWARDS...

courtesy estelle.com courtesy yearofthegentleman.com

courtesy miauk.com FRIDAY

2.06.09 courtesy jonasbrothers.com ith movie awards season officially underway, you are probably a little tired of hearing the news, “‘Slumdog Millionaire’ wins . . . again!” Luckily for you, the monotony is about to be broken. This Sunday, the Grammy Awards take center stage again. Though the show has been pretty dull the past few years, this year’s performances will be a little more exciting: U2, Coldplay and Radiohead will all be performing. Here at Intermission, we want to let you know what’s up for awards — and, of course, help with those betting pools we know you will be throwing your money into. “Record of the Year” will definitely be going to the most deserving of the nominees: M.I.A., for “Paper Planes.” Hey, we told you “Slumdog” was cleaning everything up this year, and this hit is on its soundtrack. Don’t bet on “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay; while this song is nominated for basically every category, a lawsuit claiming it’s a rip-off is sure to taint its success. For the same reason, it probably won’t win the “Song of the Year” award. Instead, that honor will likely go to “American Boy” by Estelle, featuring Kanye West. Teens will be happy to hear this: The winner of “Best New Artist” will probably be triple teenage heartthrobs The Jonas Brothers. If the boys don’t win, beware of a teen riot. The winner of “Best Female Pop Vocals” will clearly go to the most popular girl of the summer — Katy Perry. While “I Kissed A Girl” may not be the best song of the group, it was downloaded over three million times on the Internet. “Best Male Pop Vocals” is a little bit trickier to predict. Jason Mraz had a smash hit in “I’m Yours,” but Intermission is going to hesitantly place a proverbial bet on Ne-Yo’s “Closer.” This song is, on average, played on rotation every 3.5 songs on all top-40 stations. If you’re looking to make money on this category, look to Ne-Yo. Probably the most important category of the entire show, “Album of the Year,” will be won by an unlikely duo. While Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III” may seem the natural and smart choice, Intermission implores you not to choose it. This award is going to go to Robert Plant (former member of Led Zeppelin) and Alison Krauss for their collaboration, “Raising Sand.” The Academy of Recording Arts will always give this award to old-timers, no matter what kind of young talent is included in the category. We hope you have a great Grammys this year, and using our picks, make the money you need to pay for tuition! . . . or at least, a cup of Fraiche. (Disclaimer: Intermission is not responsible for the loss of thousands of dollars.)

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—annika HEINLE contact annika: [email protected]

BONE TO PICK?

well then, email us! [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Joanna Xu

LAYOUT EDITORS Kairen Wong Jin Yu

COPY EDITOR Samantha Lasarow

DESK EDITORS Annika Heinle Kate Hayes

PHOTO EDITOR Amanda Zhang

Kristin Reiter, RVCA design director

all pictures courtesy bleachblack.com

Light-haired vintage-junkie, artfully grungy, fabulously unique Kristin Reiter is the design director of RVCA for a reason. She tells the world why through her popular fashion and inspiration blog, bleachblack.com, which is a collaboration with her close friend, Valerie. There, she posts pictures of mindblowing vintage discoveries, do-it-yourself (DIY) instructions, drool-inspiring designer items and just about anything that inspires her. It sure inspired Intermission’s Joanna Xu, so she gave her a call: intermission (i): First, tell us a little about what you do with RVCA, your day-to-day activities, etc. Kristin Reiter (KR): Well, I’m the design director for RVCA, which means I work with Creative Director/Founder PM Tenore on checking out all the designs that we get. I work with the art and marketing departments to make sure that everyone is cohesive and speaking the same language. I deal mostly with men’s clothing, women’s clothing and accessories. On a day-to-day basis? That sort of depends. I review a lot of sketches and do a lot of fittings. RVCA also does a lot of collaboration work with different artists and people, whether that’s skaters, surfers or supermodels like Erin Wasson. My days are generally quite crazy, but it’s nice because there’s something new every day.

ten rules, like how if someone frequents your blog, you kind of have a responsibility to comment on theirs as well. It’s become a giant community where you can meet people and make crazy new friends. It can be overwhelming sometimes because I can’t respond to everything always. Being involved in fashion? That’s my world! So my blog is related to everything about my work, too. i: I love the way you dress — it’s unique, but knows fit like no other and is a designer definitely worth researching. I also love the designer behind Grey Ant — Grant Krajecki. He’s another L.A. designer that’s really close to me. I love everything ‘80s and ‘90s, and early Versace — under Gianni, not Donatella. I’m in love with Nicholas Kirkwood shoes.

i: RVCA is a great surf/skate company, but it’s not particularly known for its clothing line. How would you describe the line? KR: I would describe it as utilitarian workwear, but with a styled twist. [The line] has a lot of modern pieces. The foundation of the original RVCA clothing line is men’s. All of

the clothing line’s a bit unisex — I wear a lot of the men’s products as well! Even now, with the women’s line, it’s a bit more tomboy-ish. Which is why Erin Wasson is the perfect face of the women’s line — because yes, she’s a supermodel, but she also has a distinct tomboy flavor. i: Tell me about the fashion blogosphere. Any favorite blogs? Experiences? KR: Well, as you know, Rumi [owner of highly popular blog FashionToast.com] is my good friend. She kept bugging me to start a blog myself, so I did. The blogosphere is definitely a cool place — though when I first joined I didn’t know about all these unwrit-

very comfortable and compatible with your personality. What advice do you have to give to college girls looking for a similar confidence in what they wear? KR: For me, I grew up in the Midwest, so I grew up in T-shirts and jeans. I developed my fashion sense by forcing myself into new situations, introducing myself to odd people and getting into things that I was unaware of before. I also work in a male-dominated company, so I can’t always venture out into the totally inappropriate. But I still dress like myself. You know, I used to get kicked out of class for being a distraction! I think I’ll always be an outsider. Your own personal style has to have an evolution.

i: Favorite places to shop? KR: One of my absolute favorites is a vintage shop in Hong Kong. There are a lot of places I love right now — Maxfield’s in L.A. is super cool. I have a few favorite vintage shops in Huntington Beach, such as American Vintage. I find a lot of inspiration pieces there! South Beach has great summer stuff, Palm Springs too. And of course, New York has magnificent stores. [Joanna asks about a vintage shop that she saw Lady Gaga go to in Los Angeles] KR: I also love Lady Gaga. She’s amazing! That’s where the whole massive shoulder-pad things came from. I also put up a clip of early Versace/Balmain video on my blog; in my opinion, that’s sort of where all the inspiration is coming from now.

i: Finally — tell me a fashion week story! KR: Aggh . . . fashion weeks are always really crazy. Once, there was a fashion week trip that was a 24-hour event for me: I flew in red-eye, went to the Alexander Wang show, went to his after-party and didn’t sleep. It’s fashion week — there are always a million things going on. Of course, it’s a fun time, but for me it’s also a bit stressful just because I’m working. Oh — and I’ll be going again to New York in three weeks for Erin’s presentation of the Erin Wasson x RVCA line. Her line is awesome, and we’re super excited to show everyone! —joanna XU

i: How essential do you think money is to style?

contact joanna: [email protected]

Meet... ERIN WASSON Erin Wasson is a Texas-born model, stylist, and designer. She has walked the runways for designers such as Armani, Cavalli, Karl Lagerfeld and Gucci, and advertised in campaigns for Michael Kors, Rolex, Tiffany & Co., H&M and Maybelline. She styled for two seasons for notable designer Alexander Wang and has since then started two lines — one of jewelry called LowLuv, and the other of clothing line called Erin Wasson x RVCA, which is a collaboration with the surf/skate brand RVCA. Erin x RVCA will be available in leading department stores and boutiques worldwide on March 1.

i: What are your favorite types or pieces of clothing? KR: No. 1 is jeans, usually RVCA’s. I also love tomboy-ish boots, adore T-shirts, love a great jacket — especially the loose, blouse-y type — and of course, a great dress. I know, it’s surprising — it offsets everything. i: What about favorite designers? KR: Tons! First is probably Henry Duarte. It’s hard to find him because he only does custom work now, but he’s basically a really amazing L.A. designer who does a lot of custom denim and ‘70s-inspired clothing. He

KR: Not at all! I work closely with Erin Wasson, and she’s got amazing style, so of course a ton of her pieces are ridiculously high-end. But we’ve gone shopping before, and we both love vintage pieces too. Her great style comes from her awesome eye, and I think that’s true of everyone. Rumi, too — she’s great at mixing high-end and low-end pieces, looking fabulous in it. Most people can’t go out and buy $1,200 shoes every season all the time, but they still look fabulous and stylish!

courtesy feb. 2009, fashion magazine

friday february 6 2009

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? Q&A intermission

with Henry Selick

enry Selick is a dedicated man. Nearly eight years after Selick first read an unpublished manuscript of Neil Gaiman’s eventual bestseller, “Coraline” arrives in theaters a technical marvel. “Coraline” is the first-ever feature-length film shot entirely in stop-motion spectroscopic 3D, a painstaking process requiring 512 photographs for each second of moving picture. Intermission recently spoke to Mr. Selick about his latest film, his inspirations and his artistry.

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i: A lot of the people associated with this project, from Neil Gaiman to members of the crew, have expressed how much they wanted to make a story that resonated with future generations, with children “not even born yet.” What about this film and its themes do you think will remain resonant beyond its initial reception and the excitement surrounding the film? HS: Well, again, beyond the themes, I think there’s something in the nature of stop-motion, the textural qualities and things beyond that — it’s timeless. You could show any kids any [early stop-motion]; you could show them the original King Kong, and they’re just fascinated by it. It’s just that, I think, everybody as a kid goes through a phase where they believe their dolls or toys are living things, and it doesn’t take much for them to believe that they could come to life, and maybe that’s what makes it timeless. There’s something with stopmotion where you can come back to it after years and it’s just always old-

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fashioned — it feels like it’s from another time. I think it travels well through history — they still put out those old Christmas specials, “Nightmare” never goes away, and in terms of this story I think it goes right back to what we said earlier. In the classical sense of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, these are stories that get to the core of who we are as people, sitting around a campfire and trying to scare the hell out of each other. Ultimately, the one modern thing about it that I’m very happy with is her family is more real. [Coraline’s] mom is a bitch sometimes — that’s just who she is — but she has a fierce love for her family; she’s the one who gets the job done. I think presenting a perfect family is really wrong — I think it’s bad for children, to make them desire that, and so I’m extremely glad that we have this sort of a family that, at the end of the film, they’re friendly to each other, but it’s not like everything changed and is wonderful all of a sudden. i: It feels like almost every year now, whatever Pixar CGI film comes out gets lauded as “re-revolutionizing” animation, but in terms of your own films, working primarily in stopmotion and almost constantly with a more gothic undertone, do you think there’s something about stop-motion animation that lends itself to this darker, almost more surreal kind of storytelling? Why would you choose to tell your darker stories in this particular kind of animation with all the technology now at your disposal? HS: Well, if you look at the history of stop-motion, it lived in two very different place — as special effects to make the monsters and creatures in old films, and these were the darker uses of it, and then there were also the more cartoonish uses of the form [for old “Puppetoons” short features and stop-motion Christmas Specials like “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman”]. I think a lot of the perception of linking the gothic element to the medium of stop-motion is really Tim Burton and his great story of the interplay between two holiday worlds [“The Nightmare Before Christmas”], being the first stop-motion feature of prominence. I knew Tim and worked with him; we share a lot of sensibilities. I’m also attracted to darker things, scary things, so the work I’m going to do is going to be a cousin of that in the same way I got together with Neil Gaiman. Stop-motion to me sort of shakes with life — it’s imperfect, you feel the artist’s hands. It’s inherently creepy but it’s also very warm. It’s real stuff — that’s what it is. —matt GILLESPIE contact matt: [email protected]

FiLM REVIEW

CORALINE here’s something electric and sinister about stopmotion animation. While stop-motion (essentially the practice of photographing miniscule adjustments made to models or puppets in order to produce the illusion of motion) has been around almost as long as motion pictures themselves, it has only come of age in the last 15 years. The film that first brought stop-motion to the masses, as well as the first full-length stop-motion feature film ever creCALE O A S ated, was Tim Burton and Henry Selick’s “The Nightmare F N 1 O . s t a t s Before Christmas.” Fifteen years later, Selick returns with vital the “Coraline,” and it’s nothing short of a miracle how far he, couline pled with Tim Burton, has brought the genre. “Coraline” Cora explodes off the screen (literally, as it’s the first film ever filmed entirely in stereoscopic 3-D) like nothing you’ve ever PG se ated niver u l Anim e seen before at the movies. It’s a technological masterpiece four all a par e? finds get hom years in the making, but beneath the film’s astonishing aese n i l r Cora n she eve a thetic lies an incredibly simple, heartfelt story, and it’s from c t bu this narrative that the true magic of the film emerges. Coraline Jones, a blue-haired teen voiced by Dakota Fanning, has just moved from Michigan to rural Oregon, being uprooted from her best friends in the process. She’s stuck in the middle level of a grim new apartment with her preoccupied parents and some less-than-desirable neighbors — the lower floor is occupied by a pair of ancient British actresses, and above her resides Mr. Bobinsky, an eight-foot Russian eccentric who spends his days eating beets and training his circus mice. Add into the mix a vaguely stalker-esque neighbor boy named Wybie, and it’s easy to understand why Coraline so desperately wishes to find an escape from her dreary surroundings. Luckily, she doesn’t even have to look outside her own home to find a completely intoxicating alternate reality of adventure. Through a portal, Coraline discovers in an upstairs room of her new house, she is transported to the Other World, which looks exactly like Coraline’s real world — if it were to be remade with everything an angsty pre-teen could ever desire. While Coraline’s real mother can be bossy and disinterested, Coraline’s Other Mother caters to her every need — whole tables of her favorite foods, a bedroom plucked straight from a fairy tale and a quick fix to Coraline’s all-too-persistent problems with Wybie. Coraline’s real father always means well, but he’s courtesy http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/coraline/trailer

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i: From reading the production notes to the film, it’s so

HS: There’s no one technical area I’m really most proud of, but what I’m most proud of is that the technology is subsumed and that it supports the story. I’m most proud that technology didn’t overwhelm the story and the characters. Even the 3-D is pretty in your face sometimes, but again, it’s serving the story. There are a few things I’ll mention though that really stick out — for one, we had a huge number of combinations with the faces [Coraline was capable of over 200,000 different facial expressions, whereas Jack Skellington in “Nightmare Before Christmas” could make about 150]. We did that by splitting upper and lower face, and then having a sculpt for every different mouth shape and controlling these independently of mouth, eyes, brows, etc. In the refinement of Coraline’s expressions — everyone’s really — we took things to a completely new level. More aspects: atmosphere. The old TV specials are pretty clunky, and everything’s very solid. I was going for something where light was transmitted through leaves and where everything was alive, not just characters walking through a dead world. So even clouds are shifting, trees are swaying, individual blades of grass are blowing.

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intermission (i): What first drew you to Neil Gaiman’s manuscript and the project in general? Henry Selick (HS): I found when I started to read Neil’s manuscript, it felt like coming home. It felt like I was in tune with another creative person who was from the same planet that I was. I could actually see a movie by the time I was halfway through. To imagine the film, there’s kind of the hook of Coraline wishing for something more than what she has, and we all do that. I think everyone sometimes imagines that they have other parents or another child or another life. I liked that there were classic influences — Alice in Wonderland going down the rabbit hole — but also open enough to let me do a Grimm’s fairytale, “Hansel & Gretel” sort of thing. Ultimately I liked the inventiveness of the story — buttons for eyes, the darkness of it, the dry humor . . . really, there’s nothing about it I didn’t like.

impressive how much work went into it, from how long it took to make each of the puppets [two months] to the effort it takes to shoot even a few seconds of stop-motion in spectroscopic 3-D. With all the technical undertaking that went into the film, which parts are you most proud of or most excited to show to your audience?

boring and more than a little distant; contrast this with her Other Father, who plays piano and builds a gigantic Technicolor garden in Coraline’s spitting image. As expected, Coraline becomes thoroughly enthralled with this enchanting new world where she is, finally, the complete center of everyone’s attention. Everything in the Other World seems absolutely perfect except for one glaring abnormality: everyone has buttons sewn on in place of their eyes. What begins as a slight visual nuisance for Coraline — she shows little trouble adjusting to being loved tenderly by button-eyed copies of her parents simply because she is being shown attention — soon gives way to a nightmarish reality as Coraline realizes the Other Mother’s true intentions are far more sinister. Coraline then becomes caught in a struggle with the powers of the Other World to save herself and her family from its demonically enticing hold. To reveal nearly the entire plot of “Coraline” would betray its magic. Selick, adopting the bestselling novella by Neil Gaiman, has taken what could be thought of as a clearly conventional storyline in the vein of Grimm’s Fairy Tales and spun something entirely new with it. “Coraline,” for all its technical mastery and visual pomp, is really just telling the story of what it means to be brave, and to face down seemingly insurmountable odds in the name of who we are and that which we love and cherish. It’s a film that will resonate with (and, yes, perhaps at times terrify) younger viewers with its dazzling effects and incredibly sympathetic hero, but it’s also a film that adults will appreciate for both its visual ingenuity and its protagonist’s pragmatism. Coraline is smart, clever and, when called upon, incredibly brave; she’s the kind of role model any parents would hope inspires their children. In a world that seems to be spiraling so quickly downward, ‘Coraline’ is a godsend, a thoroughly innovative and imaginative piece of filmmaking by a man both deeply passionate about his material and at the creative peak of his craft. —matt GILLESPIE contact matt: [email protected]

friday february 6 2009

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FiLM REVIEW

It’s Oscar time! Mr. Button, you’re up first

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The film starts off with an old woman on her deathbed as her daughter begins to explore the fantastical life of Mr. Button by reading his diary. We are immediately introduced to the origins of his birth: if you haven’t already guessed from all the commercials and movie trailers, Benjamin is unique in that he ages backwards. In the beginning of the

the vital stats.

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film he is a wrinkly old baby, and as the years go by, his body gets younger and younger. However, despite the reverse physical aging, Benjamin’s mind ages normally. For example, even if his body looks 70

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PG-13 Drama A man who is born old and gets younger every day nonetheless experiences love, loss and life.

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years old, Benjamin is at the intellectual level of a seven-year-old. The movie doesn’t really have a plot but can be best understood as a movie explaining what life would be like if you aged backwards. Since the premise here is really just a man’s aging, the film chugs along at an appropriate pace — and by appropriate I mean incredibly slow. The film clocks in at two hours and 48 minutes. This is not to say that the film isn’t interesting; like all good epic (and epically long) movies, this one is chalk full of quirky and interesting characters (think “Big Fish” again). As Benjamin goes through life, his relationships grow with these characters and are all affected by the fact that he has to watch all of his loved ones grow older and die. The film also has aspects of a love story which is achieved through interaction between Benjamin and Daisy, played by Cate Blanchett. It is through this relationship where the film’s poetics truly shine. Benjamin meets and (not surprisingly) falls in love with

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

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t’s that time of the year again folks: roll out the red carpet and place your bets on which movies you want to win that cute little statue we all call Oscar. In honor of this glitz and glam, we at Intermission are bringing you weekly reviews of this year’s much buzzed about Oscar-nominated films. First on the chopping block this week is Brad Pitt’s latest movie “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”. Nominated for 13 Oscars, including best picture and best actor (Pitt), this film is going to be one of this year’s biggest contenders. At the end of the day though, does the film actually live up to its accolades — or is it just more Hollywood overhype? If you’re as curious as the case of Mr. Button is, you’ll keep reading. If you want to know what to expect from this film in terms of style and form, imagine if the films “Big Fish” and “Forrest Gump” had a love child — a child named Benjamin Button. Right away, people who have seen the two aforementioned films will see the similarities in Benjamin Button right down to the, well . . . button.

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courtesy paramount pictures

Super Bowl commercials: from cute to funny hhh . . . the Super Bowl. The thought of this annual “celebration” brings many the thought of friends, chicken wings and cold beer. For me, the Super Bowl is somewhat bittersweet. In the fall of sixth grade, I was the No. 1 female middle school draft pick. My promising career was cut short when a 32 cross-Z-buttonhook went horribly wrong. I shattered my rib cage and experienced a compound fracture of my left femur. The heartbreaking injury left me with a hollow shell. To this day, I am unable to watch a single play of the game I loved so dearly. However, there’s still a part of the national phenomena that I can enjoy: the commercials. Over the years, I have become an expert in this area. I’ve had numerous essays published, three in premier magazines, and I am working on a 900-page masterpiece documenting the progression of the Super Bowl commercial. It’s an art, if you ask me. Between Super Bowl XXIV and last year’s XLII, America experienced a strong increase in commercial quality, which led many to believe it would only keep getting better. Regretfully, this year was somewhat

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of a letdown. I have picked my favorite five to analyze where things went wrong. Keep in mind, this is only my expert opinion and I may have missed a few due to my intense paranoia of witnessing the game. The frontrunner this year was from our friends at Audi; they aired the only commercial with a real, live mega-hottie badass actor: Jason Statham. It was smart, entertaining and spanned many decades. Jason, evidently looking for a new car in which to make his many getaways, wrecks both a BMW and a Mercedes (both in the past, maybe the ‘50s and ‘70s, respectively). He ends up liking the new A6. It must have responded to his touch just the way he likes it. The next is from Doritos. It involved classic spontaneous comedy: a crystal ball smashing a vending machine, and later colliding with the boss’ genitals. I love genital collisions. Coming in at a close third was Diet Pepsi-Cola Max — the diet cola for men. Throughout the entire commercial, men are “taking everything” from hitting their heads to more genital collisions, showing just how manly diet cola really is. Fourth, we have Bud Light. A

simple board meeting is taking place, and a man is thrown out of a window from three stories up. Who doesn’t want to see that? A very believable fall, too. Last, but certainly not least, is CocaCola. A man is enjoying an afternoon nap in the park when the nearby bugs steal his Coke. Enter a beautifully animated MouseTrap-like progression, which ends with all the happy bugs loving their puddle of Coca-Cola. This was by far the cutest commercial of the event. While I no longer watch the most important football game of the season, I’m glad that I can still enjoy chronicling the best commercials of the event. This year had some winners, but also some failures. I look forward to next year returning to the caliber I have come to expect. —annika HEINLE contact annika: [email protected]

“Lips Together:” uniting seniors with middle-aged angst

steve lesser tanford students Zach Chotzen-Freund, Vanessa Petrosky and Claire Slattery performed the play “Lips Together, Teeth Apart,” a 1991 dark commedy by Terrence McNally, as their joint senior project. There is something both uncanny and marvelous about watching actors in their early twenties master the fraught emotions of adults struggling with middle age. “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” shows a day in the life of two couples as they try to celebrate the Fourth of July at a New York beach house on Fire Island. The house seems like paradise, but in reality, it was recently given to Sally in her brother’s will, and for that reason reminds everyone of her brother’s struggle with AIDS and a gay lifestyle that relied on the seclusion of Fire Island. Although the group thanks God they aren’t gay, their own lives are far from straight-laced and simple. Each character’s opening lines present an aspect of their personalities that they want to portray to the public. First on stage is Chotzen-Freund, playing Sam, the gut-scratching, middle-aged man who tries to act confident. Next, Petrosky stomps onto the stage as

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Sally — Sam’s wife — the distressed artist struggling with her brother’s death. John, played by Nathaniel Nelson, is the snooty husband who hides behind a New York Times crossword. Slattery plays John’s wife — the perky Chloe, dropping in French phrases between her incessant “friendly suggestions” and offerings of food and drink. These seemingly stereotypical characters, however, soon reveal a sarcastic and more complex personality that they hide from the public eye. Although they are supposed to be on vacation, the tension between these couples is evident from the start as they silently wrestle with their own inner demons. Private monologues quickly reveal to the audience the truths each character is trying to hide. After a few more one-liners, we understand that the other characters already know these truths; however, as actors in their own right, they are able to act ignorant and keep their lips together — for now. As the play progresses, the monologues join into the open conversations, and every unspoken word that had been neatly avoided adds to the foreshadowed chaos. Through witty jabs and comedic arguments, the true dynamics among each of the characters comes to light. The script offers

interesting commentary on contemporary issues, but also does incredible justice to the timeless theme of letting fear prevent us from the stirring experience of life. These actors succeed at creating their character’s individual personalities and a gripping group dynamic that allows for subtleties and outbursts. Equally enjoyable to watching the characters in the spotlight is observing the expressions and actions of the characters in the shadows. These actors give life to what some Stanford students are wit-

nessing their parents go through and what others fear will eventually happen to themselves. Although the subject matter is heavy at first, the evolution of the characters and plot allows for moments of genuine compassion within and amongst the couples. At times funny, at times sobering, but consistently compelling, this senior project is a theatrical experience not to be missed. The play opened last night in Prosser Studio Theater, located in the back of Memorial Auditorium. The remaining performances are

Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 8 p.m., with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Tickets will be sold at the door for five dollars.

friday february 6 2009

— g w e n WAT S O N contact Gwen: [email protected]

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2.06.0 F 7pm Bob Marley Tribute CoHo celebrate Bob Marley turning 64

7:30pm Vagina Monologues Cubberley Aud. see the incredible play celebrating femininity 8pm Lips Together, Teeth Apart Prosser Studio Theatre captivating senior drama project

Sa 7:30pm Bon Bon Ball Roble Gym because you know you love Viennese dance 8pm Poetry Slam CoHo it will make you instantly hipper

Su 7pm Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa @ FliCKS MemAud i like to move it, move it

M 8pm Jazz Jam Session CoHo if you need to relax and chill out, man

T 9pm Comedy Night 750 Pub, GCC it’s good to laugh

W 7pm Tango Dancing CoHo learn it for the ladies

Th 8pm A Concert in “Black and White” MemChu a concert telling the tale of a black man and white man

her at first sight when they are young children. However, due to Benjamin’s “condition,” he is quite the physical mismatch for Daisy. The film continues to build on this mismatch over the years, as the couple seems

intermission

biggest issue that I had in the film — the fact that it was just trying too hard. Watching slow motion montage sequences with romantically dramatic music gets tiring quickly, and believe me, this film is full of these, and other, moments where we are expected to break down and. But for me, the tears just do not come. Bottom line: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a good movie — but that is it. It’s just good, not great. I am not going to bother contesting the fact that it got nominated for so many Academy Awards, but I do think that there are much stronger film contenders in the mix. Stay tuned for reviews of those films in the upcoming weeks!

Outdoor survival guide, Sass-style Though the good weather’s gone, Roxy was left looking for the hot spots for an outdoor campus hookup this past week. But getting your lovin’ on outside isn’t easy, even for a pro like Roxy. There’s always the risk that you’ll run into your 75-year-old math professor while grinding against the Quad, and worse yet, the risk that he will want to join. This in mind, Roxy decided to evaluate a few of Stanford’s naughtiest nooks. The Cactus Garden Roxy has often heard rumors that the cactus garden is a free-forall hookup spot on campus. While she appreciates the value of most things long and hard, cacti spines may just not be among the bunch. Don’t misunderstand: risk is key to any element of a sexy outdoor romp. But thinking that you’re pleasuring one thing and then realizing you’ve got your legs wrapped around a spike with a five-syllable Latin name is a few steps short of terrifying. Tip: There’s such a thing as too long and too hard, and a cactus is that thing. No room to roll, no place to prop: no place for Roxy. The Observatory The observatory is an ideal hookup spot if you are with your new girl or guy — open space, limited chance of getting caught by your roommate (unless you like that) and just think of the pick-up line opportunities. None of that, “I’m over the moon for you,” business. Get creative: “Oh sorry, I thought that was the telescope.” Or, “Just reach down here and turn this knob.” Or for you science nerds, “I’m hotter than a blue giant right now.” Tip: Avoid the Uranus jokes. And don’t get the metal equipment stuck anywhere you wouldn’t want to explain to a doctor. The Escondido Playground Roxy actually knows people who have gotten their freak on at the Escondido Elementary School playground at night. While Roxy was initially disturbed, she realizes there are some upsides to doing a little playing yourself. You’ve got swings, and well, you get the idea there. You have great position opportunities on the slides, as long as things don’t get too slippery. Best of all, there are those little holes in the fort you can, let’s just say, stick your head through. Tip: Night hours only. A playground may be great for some swinging, but jail isn’t exactly sexy unless you have some very unusual fetishes. The Faculty Hot Tub

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to never be the right “age” for each other. Only at about two hours into the film are Daisy and Benjamin finally right for each other, which means that female audiences will have to wait a while before Brad is finally attractive on screen. I won’t spoil the ending for you, but the film definitely contains some poetic ad nauseam, making us in the audience feel like the movie is overexerting itself to make us -appreciate the “beauty” of the story and its characters. This point then brings up the

Rumor has it that this is the hot spot for SAE guys to take their dates. (By “dates,” Roxy means “unwitting victims.”) A hot tub is a sexy spot to get things . . . flowing. But the deal breaker here is the word “faculty.” There’s nothing to get you, well, down like the mental image of Hennessy and Etchemendy chilling there in their Speedos. Tip: Let’s be honest. You don’t want to get anything stuck in a jet in the first place, but the idea of your physics professor finding you dangling there in the morning is even worse. Avery Aquatic Center Everyone loves a latenight skinny dip, and what better place to get wet than Stanford’s recreational pool? Make your own pool rules: Rough play required; pets (verb, not noun) are mandatory; excessive noise strongly recommended. While swimming and sex are great ways to get your blood pumping, swimmers should also be warned there’s a chance the police will show up. But don’t think of such a scenario as a drawback. Think of it like this: free handcuffs. Tip: Just make sure you don’t get tied up in a lane divider. Or, if you like it like Roxy does, make sure you get tied up in a lane divider.

— k y l e E VA L D E Z contact kyle: [email protected]