The first thing to notice is the cast. This year’s “Dreamy McDreamboat,” Ryan Gosling, reemerges from the shadows of The Notebook with his third starring role this year as Stephen Meyers, second-in-command for the presidential campaign of Governor Mike Morris (Clooney).  Stephen is an ambitious, young, and idealistic campaign worker, who puts all his faith in the ambitious, not young, and idealistic Governor. The more knowledgeable campaign workers include Stephen’s boss, Paul Zara, (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and the head of the opposition, Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). Rounding out the D.C. personalities are a sneaky New York Times journalist (Marisa Tomei) and, of course, the intern (Evan Rachel Wood). All the parts are played expertly by a cast that has seen a ridiculous amount of Oscar nods between them. However, this is Gosling’s show, and his performance stands out above the rest.

From the beginning, the film speaks to Clooney’s idealistic world. Young women are easily charmed by handsome older men, a crooner sings in the background of a smoky bar, a popular presidential frontrunner doesn’t declare a religion, a black senator from North Carolina holds peaceful office, and a few unsupported jabs at the Republican Party are taken (unsupported, not undeserved). However, it was at this moment, just when Clooney had me half-convinced I was watching an unbelievable Hollywood portrayal of Washington, he pleasantly surprised me with some turns that suggested more complex characters and a more realistic story, as Stephen struggles to stay on top after meeting with the opposite side and eventually uncovers a few secrets himself.

In all, The Ides of March is a well-written, well-cast movie. The problem lies not in the story, but the material itself. What’s that, you say? Politics is a dangerous game that sometimes leads even the most idealistic players into corruption and deceit? The movie tells us this rather artfully, but it’s a disappointingly basic message at the end of the day. For you movie-goers mildly interested in politics, by all means go see it, just don’t expect to get your political pants blown off by anything innovative. Rating: B

Many college-aged guys and gals are barely familiar with Allen’s work. Maybe you’ve seen Vicky Christina Barcelona, his last major critical success, or watched Annie Hall in an intro film class. This is a shame because, with over 40 movies under his belt, Allen is one of the most prolific filmmakers of our time.  I’m not saying all 40 flicks are must-sees… there’s a definite downside to pumping out three, sometimes four, movies in a year.

Luckily for Woody Allen fans, Midnight in Paris contains all of the admirable qualities of his more enjoyable films. The film is original, quirky, and cleverly muses on romance and life through the eyes of an underdog-type protagonist involved with a pretty woman. Allen, who in his younger years often played the male lead in his movies, cedes central role to Owen Wilson.  Wilson does a fine job of blending his own off-beat traits with Allen’s distinct mannerism– actually, he nails the role. Marion Cotillard elegantly plays the 1920s “It-girl.”  Rachel McAdams is another story: I found her to be the weak link in an otherwise stellar cast.  As in Sherlock Holmes, McAdams really got on my nerves.  But in her defense, Allen intends for the audience to hate her “bitchy girlfriend” character.

Marion Cotillard as a 1920s muse

The film succeeds in being nostalgic, while simultaneously convincing us that nostalgia is all about perspective, and is usually a waste of energy. The film’s surrealist vibe plays homage to the Modernist Paris it celebrates. The cinematography includes iconic shots of every Parisian scenes: this is Allen’s love letter, of sorts, to the City of Light. For literary zealots, the film’s reimagining of the ex-patriate artists and writers of the twenties is particularly fun.  A disheveled Ernest Hemingway inquires, “Have you ever shot a charging lion?” and Adrian Brody makes an incredibly convincing Salvador Dali. Other cameos include Kathy Bates, Tom Hiddleston (Loki in Thor), and Carla Bruni.

Midnight in Paris also lives up to Woody Allen’s record of making ideal flicks for date-nights: guys and girls will both find this film entertaining. To get in the Modernist Paris mindset, read some Gertrude Stein or check out a modern art history book before you head to the theater. If the film piques your interest, read Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast.

Whether you’re a lover of literature and art, or just need an fun summer film, Midnight in Paris is an excellent pick.  The main theme focuses on a universal search for happiness and love in this crazy, chaotic world.

 Watch the trailer for Midnight in Paris here.

Check out my reviews of True Grit and Wolfman, and be on the look-out for more summer movie reviews.

Admittedly, I was biased when I sat down to watch the movie as it takes place in my hometown, Fort Smith, Arkansas. I’d been looking forward to the film for quite some time, and my enthusiasm was magnified after the trailer was released last October.  Fort Smith, with its rich and wild history, is the perfect setting for a Western. It’s a unique place that belongs both to the South and the West; it somehow remains not remotely Southwest (just ask a resident what they think about Texas). Called “Hell on the Border,” it was founded as an army fort in 1817 on the edge of the Indian Territory. By the late 19th century, it was notorious for its outlaws who would move back and forth across the border. U.S. Marshalls were hired to go into the territory and bring back the wanted, which is the central idea of the film.

The film itself is adapted from the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, first adapted in 1969 by director John Ford and starring John Wayne. It is an important distinction that the Coen Brothers didn’t remake the film; this is a brand new adaptation. The earlier version was born into a era that celebrated the myth of the American West, exemplified by the grandiose landscape (a.k.a Ridgeway, Colorado) where the movie was made. Although the new film was shot largely in Texas and New Mexico, the scenery is almost identical to the more eastern landscape in which the story is set. The film glorifies gritty realism at its best. It’s bloody and unforgiving, and while the good and the bad are never confused, the directors did an excellent job of blurring the lines.

The plot revolves around a 14 year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) who seeks to hire Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), the meanest, toughest US Marshall in town, to track down Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who killed her father. Along the way, they pick up Texas Ranger LeBoeuf (Matt Damon), who is searching for the same man. The odd ensemble travel into the Indian Nation and their unique personalities add a wonderful freshness to the Western with suberb acting and Coen-esque dialogue. The banter between LeBoeuf and Cogburn provide some of the most memorable parts of the film, as well as an excellent portrayal of the young heroine by the unknown Steinfeld.

As the movie progresses, the characters move deeper and deeper into lawless territory and story becomes wilder at every step of the way. The violence is unforgiving and real — we never have the feeling who will survive and who won’t. The story successfully keeps us on the edge of our seats while eventually providing a bad guy butt-kicking similar to the climactic scene in Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven.

The Academy awarded the film with 10 nominations this year including Best Picture, Best Actor (Bridges), Best Supporting Actress (Steinfeld), and, to no surprise, Best Director.

The question is: will it win Best Picture? I don’t know. As well done as the movie is, it is a genre film. It may be a great Western, but unlike 2008’s No Country for Old Men, it doesn’t transcend the genre. I’m willing to bet the Coens didn’t want it to; they simply explored and improved the Western as they intended. Bridges may lose Best Actor to Colin Firth’s excellent performance in The King’s Speech as well, possibly only because Bridges beat out Firth for the award last year. One of the best aspects of the film, however, is in it’s sprawling landscapes and poignant portraits; the film’s images are truly beautiful.  It won’t surprise me if the Brothers’ longtime collaborator Roger Deakins beats Inception’s Wally Pfister for cinematography. While I doubt True Grit will sweep the Oscars this year with worthy competitors like The King’s Speech and The Fighter, you can be sure that the two-headed director’s latest project will receive at least a few nods here during Hollywood’s biggest night.

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, first introduced to Congress in 2001, aims to remove the barriers blocking the way to success for many within our nation’s borders. If passed, the DREAM Act would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants under the age of 35 who were brought to the US as minors and graduated from an American high school. Those eligible would be granted a “conditional” citizenship status for a six-year period during which they would complete two years of study for a college degree or enlist in the military for the same amount of time. After six years, as long as they commit no major crimes, they would become eligible for permanent citizenship.

William Perez, Ph.D, is an Associate Professor of Education at Claremont Graduate University. Perez’s research covers immigration and acculturation, making him Claremont’s resident expert on the DREAM Act. I sat down with Dr. Perez to discuss his findings and learn the way in which he believes the Act would affect America and its immigration policies.

Perez sees the DREAM Act as a win-win idea. “There are an estimated 65,000 undocumented students who graduate from high school each year,” Perez states. “Among undocumented high school graduates between the ages 18-24, only 26% go on to receive higher education, compared to 60% of legal immigrants who graduate.” The statistics for high school show a similar gap. “Only 60% of undocumented immigrants between the ages of 18-24 have graduated from high school compared to 85% of immigrants with papers.”

The DREAM act would help increase the percentage of well-educated citizens while decreasing the percentage of undocumented and mostly uneducated immigrants who fear deportation. Also, the Act aims to help children who were brought here not by their own accord, but by forces out of their control. The opposition against the DREAM Act, however, claims that these benefits would provide a new incentive for aliens to cross the borders illegally.

Dr. Perez attributes this claim to a common misconception about illegal immigration. He references Doug Massey, a demographer at Princeton who spent over two decades collecting data in Mexico. “Undocumented immigrants come to the United States looking for jobs,” Perez states. “In Mexico, they have to borrow three to five thousand dollars to get into the country when the average household only makes about one hundred dollars a month. They immigrate to find a job because there is a demand for their labor. Things like free health care and free schooling are not even part of the decision.” He also calls attention to the RAND Corporation, a group that after various studies came to the conclusion that undocumented immigrants proportionally under use social services. “For services like health care, they are more likely to pay cash,” Perez says, “because they are afraid.”

Fear also impacts student activism. Although there is a growing movement on university campuses, Perez says it’s still difficult to get undocumented students to speak openly about their beliefs. “The groups are sometimes secretive, and they may fear ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” says Perez. Hate groups only add to this fear. “If an undocumented student activist posts their phone number online for an upcoming event, he or she may receive all kinds of phone calls, telling them to leave the country or other terrible things,” adds Perez. Last year, UCLA student Nancy Meza distributed a press release about a DREAM Act demonstration that blocked traffic on Wilshire Avenue. Soon after, radio hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou began a movement to have her deported, including setting up a website which sold “Deport Nancy Meza” t-shirts displaying the toll-free number for ICE.

Perez firmly believes in what the DREAM Act would do for students. “These students are frustrated. It isn’t their fault they were brought into the country. They have graduated from high school and done everything people have asked of them. If they graduate from college, a new wall lies ahead when they can’t get a job. They are Americans without papers. Some don’t even speak Spanish.”

The DREAM Act was last presented to Congress as part of the 2010 National Defense Authorization act alongside Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. It was defeated. If introduced as a stand-alone bill, the DREAM act may fare better next time it is brought before Congress.

For more information about the DREAM act and the thousands of lives it could change, check out Dr. Perez’s most recent book, We ARE Americans: Undocumented Students Pursuing the American Dream.

Fincher and his crew do a heck of a job, too. The film itself has been compared to Citizen Kane. Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay weaves effortlessly through multiple time lines. Trent Reznor’s soundtrack inspires and entertains. The acting is superb and break-out roles abound for at least half a dozen stars. It’s Jesse Eisenberg’s biggest film by far, Andrew Garfield will soon take up the role of Peter Parker in the new Spiderman reboot, and Fincher’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo stars Rooney Mara. Not to mention, we can finally accept Justin Timberlake as a serious actor.

What I find most striking about The Social Network is how it straddles two different worlds: the world we live in today, and the rapidly fading world of the 20th century. Can we still envision a world without Facebook? College life just wouldn’t be the same; technology helps define our existence here. Facebook is even linked to the Forum. When this article is published, I’m immediately going to “like” it so it appears on my homepage, in hopes that other people will see it and share it in turn. It has surpassed even e-mail as our primary medium of distributing information.

Facebook has even begun to change the way we think about labels by eliminating life’s gray areas. Are we really in a relationship with someone if our homepage doesn’t say so? Maybe, but if we are it certainly isn’t socially acceptable to maintain a “single” status on our page. If a guy moves from New Orleans to Boston as a kid and chooses either location as his hometown, he automatically labels himself as either a Southerner or a Northeasterner. If we don’t select whether we’re interested in men or women, does that make us sexually ambiguous? It really isn’t that much of a stretch.

We don’t live in the same world that we did before Zuckerberg created Facebook.  The advent of the site caused us to neatly compress our personalities and relationships and display them online. Our profiles define us. Even if you decide to be the person with a blank info box, you’re making a statement to the Internet world via your profile (you rebel, you). As a film, The Social Network is a marker on a time line telling us that now, for better or worse, we are submersed in a new social network-centered age, and there is no going back.

I present to you Mt. Baldy, elevation 10,064 feet. Approximately 12 miles north of Claremont– under 25 minutes in a car– it is one of the most accessible locations where we can release our inner outdoorsmen. Because the Forum has already covered the fact that Mount Baldy is a great next door skiing destination, I’ll only briefly mention it here. Seriously, though, visit Baldy in the spring. How many schools in the country are 30 minutes from powder and 45 minutes from surf?

For this article, I’d like to concentrate on summertime Baldy, or “first semester” Baldy. Several trails lead to the top, all of which are under 13 miles and are doable as day hikes. The more hardcore hikers can choose to backpack in and camp at the top to witness a stunning sunrise over the San Gabriel Mountains in the morning. If you aren’t digging the windy summit, another camping location on the mountain is located at a Sierra Club- sponsored green shed about halfway to the summit that provides the amenities: a stove, running water, and an outhouse.

Many are content with a simple day hike. One of the shortest and most approachable hikes to the top is the South approach, which starts at Manker Flats via the Baldy Bowl Trail. Though steep in some places, this is a good hike for a beginner.  You’ll experience a 4,000 foot elevation gain during the hike, so pack plenty of water and pace yourself; the higher altitude will cause you to tire more quickly. If the South approach isn’t intense enough, you can continue down the Devil’s Backbone trail for a longer trip.

Baldy also has events for those willing to accept a challenge. Just last week, the mountain hosted the 45th annual Run to the Top, and there’s a bike-run duathlon this weekend. Even when there aren’t official events, trail runners love the less steep trails.

Whether in sun or snow, Mount Baldy boasts a bounty of exhilarating activities. Escape the Inland Empire’s traffic and smog at this awesome peak in Claremont’s own backyard.

If you haven’t visited the Folk Music Center, located across the street from Rhino Records in the village, you are missing out on one of Claremont’s most unique and interesting establishments. It was founded over fifty years ago by Charles and Dorothy Chase, who also happen to be the grandparents of the Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Ben Harper. Harper and his family continue to run the store, which features folk instruments from both the United States and all over the globe.

The festival, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Saturday (May 1) at Sycamore Elementary School, represents the spirit of the center itself by featuring artists on two stages from all over the world, including the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East. There are, however, still plenty of American folk artists performing, such as Voco, an all female a capella group that sings American and Irish folk tunes with body percussion, and Lil Rev, who is renowned for his mastery of the ukulele. Although Harper is unable to attend this year, Leon Mobley, a member of the Innocent Criminals, will perform West African music with his band Da Lion.

In addition to music, the festival will also feature 28 different workshops throughout the day, which are all included in the price of the $15 general admission ticket. These workshops are taught by the artists themselves, like Lil Rev and and guitarist Fred Sokolow, who are acclaimed teachers in their instruments. Their are workshops for both beginners and advanced musicians, and they range in subjects from guitar to song to didgeridoo. Attendants can bring their own instruments (there is a secure area to store them), but a limited number will be provided for use by the Folk Music Center.

For those interested in other aspects of the folk world, art and craft vendors will be set up at the festival, selling handmade jewelry, instruments, and art. There will also be a raffle to win a guitar autographed by Ben Harper.  For children, there is a separate stage with story telling, a drum line , and a sing-along. Ages 5 to 17 get in for $5, while children under 5 are free.

For more information on the Claremont Folk Festival, visit www.claremontfolkfestival.org

Leon Mobley tears it up:

Getting the Gear

The good news is, getting a surfboard at the Claremont Colleges is pretty easy. My favorite 5C club, On The Loose (OTL), will check them out like library books. You have to put down $150 for a deposit, but you get it back when the board is safely returned. If you have any Mudd friends, you can get both a wetsuit and surfboard through their program as well. For a board, you are going to want to get a pretty long one with a soft top to start out on. Also, until it warms up in the summer, and sometimes even then, wetsuits are a necessity. While On The Loose lacks in the wetsuit arena, many surf shops will rent them to you for as little as $7.50 a day (i.e. 15th Street Surf Shop, Newport Beach).

Taking It To the Ocean

Now that you have the gear, you have to brave the California freeways for an hour to get anywhere. If you have something like an SUV, lay down the seats and problem solved. Otherwise, you are going to have to invest in some kind of roof racs. Although tying your board down with ropes is an option, it’s much safer and faster if you buy the attachment that corresponds with your rack system. In most cases, it will cost you about $100 for the official attachments.

If transportation isn’t an option, you can always rent at the beach. You can usually rent boards by the hour, and a good day of surfing with a wetsuit will usually run no more than about $30-$40. If you can’t get to the beach, On The Loose sometimes hosts surf trips, which you can check out on their website.

When You Arrive

Assuming you’ve succeeded in the above areas, you have now squeezed into your wetsuit and are standing on the beach with your surfboard. If you’re lucky, you have an expert California surf buddy with you willing to show you the tricks of the trade. If not, you might want to suck up your pride and take a beginning lesson to get your feet wet. This can be pretty expensive, anywhere from $50-$100, but it will help you get the feel of surfing which, when you think about it, is a really unnatural thing to do. Also, don’t be afraid to talk to the surfers in the water, chances are they are named something like Zack or Cody and live up to the laid-back surfer stereotype.

Where to go? Newport/Huntington Beach and Santa Monica/Venice Beach are all about an hour away from campus. If you surf, help us out by telling us some favorite nearby beaches in the comments.

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[1] William Jefferson Clinton is my second favorite Arkansan. Johnny Cash is numero uno.

Here are some ground rules. I’m going to have two center focus points: North Quad and South Quad. I feel like this adequately covers the CMC community. Seniors in the apartments use the dining halls less and Mid-Quadders can figure it out based on which quad they are closer to. Secondly, the unit of measurement I used is the average size of a Claremont city block. To put this in perspective, the distance between Stark Hall and Boswell is approximately 2.5 blocks. I think this will be easier to think about than something like “2,834 feet to the Muddhole”, and much easier for me to measure.

The dining halls we will cover are Scripps/Motley, Pitzer, Frary, the Coop, and Hoch-Shanahan/Muddhole. I feel like these are the most popular destinations. Also, this article is based solely for travel purposes. If you want to read something that discusses quality, there was a recent article written about coffee and Claremont that also reached out for my professional opinion (the last paragraph!). Anyway, back to business.

South Quad: If you live in the South Quad, you are just under two blocks from Collins, your closest dining hall. Branching out, Frary is only a slightly further walk, and would probably be the same if it wasn’t for the construction.  The Hub is a little over two blocks and Scripps comes in exactly at three as the crow flies. Pitzer is a medium distance of four blocks. The real treks start to occur when you try to eat at the Coop or at Mudd. The Coop is five blocks away, while Hoch comes in at a whopping 7, over half a mile.

Consensus: If the food looks better at Scripps or Frary, go for it. A half mile for Mudd? No thanks.

North Quad: Since Collins and The Hub are right at your front door, I’m not even going to acknowledge them with a distance. Just walk outside. However, Scripps and Pitzer are also excellent options at only two blocks away. Mudd is still pretty far at about 4.5 blocks, but it’s really just on the other side of Scripps.  As for the Pomona eateries, Frary is about 3 blocks, while the Coop, with construction, is almost 7.

Consensus: Pitzer and Scripps prove the easiest alternatives to CMC food. Mudd is doable if you have some time, but unless you are meeting some friends on the weekend or after Pub, I really don’t see any point in venturing over to the Coop.

Well, there you have it. The dining hall distances are broken down.  Of course, if you are rushed for time, Collins is still the easiest, but some of the others are surprisingly closer than I initially though. In any sense, we’ll all probably still end up trekking seven blocks to the Muddhole next Saturday for one last steak quesadilla before bed.

Wolf (1994)

I think an important element to any good monster flick is the actor or actress playing the monster, and I honestly can’t think of anybody I would rather see turn into a werewolf (or even a mermaid, for that matter) than Jack Nicholson. James Spader co-stars in one of his better roles pre-Boston Legal, as a wimpy, nerdy foil to Nicholson’s, well, Nicholson-esque werewolf protagonist. The movie does have its fair share of ridiculousness, such as the opening scene, where Nicholson’s character, Will the magazine editor, pokes a wolf with a stick until it bites him. That being said, the film provides some good suspense, the effects are solid, unexpected people die, and like I said before, Jack Nicholson is a werewolf. If nothing else, watch it for scenes like the clip below, where Nicholson realizes he has “heightened senses” (sounds like another good movie in itself).

The Wolf Man (1941)

After seeing the original, it’s easy to understand why Hollywood would want make a remake. The Wolf Man really was a gem of the Golden Age with groundbreaking make-up, impeccable acting, and an ending that knocks the socks off viewers still today. The actors in the remake, by the way, creepily emulate the originals in a non-acting, natural sense. Benicio del Toro could be Lon Cheney Jr’s. son, and the original actor Claude Raines looks like a munchkin doing an Anthony Hopkins impression. The entire movie can be found online, but the clips are long and I don’t want to spoil anything for you. Just try to ignore the fact that everyone in Wales besides the father has an American accent.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

This is the undisputed greatest werewolf movie of all time. It has the comedy, the horror, the teen slasher elements, and the abrupt, awesome finale that has yet to be surpassed these 29 years. Boy gets bitten. Boy meets girl. Boy turns into wolf. That old story. The make-up is some of the best in the history of Hollywood, and every scene holds up when compared to the best a computer could create today. It’s probably better.  Also, the soundtrack is awesome. Every song has something to do with a moon.  I will leave you all with one of the greatest transformation scenes in movie history, to the pleasant sound of Blue Moon in the background. Be sure to take note of Mickey Mouse. I’m still trying to figure out that shot, but I like it.

An American Werewolf in London Transformation

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