Sunday, February 27, 2011

OBITUARY- Thailand Restaurant




OBITUARY
Thailand Restaurant | South Easton, MA
A great restaurant within walking distance of Stonehill’s campus, Thailand Restaurant closed on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 in the late evening hours. It was 21 years of age. Though the specific circumstances of death are unclear, employees close to the restaurant revealed it had to close because they were unable to renew the lease. Thailand Restaurant is survived by numerous employees who are always friendly, attentive, and hospitable to both new and returning customers. Thailand Restaurant offered excellent food at very reasonable prices. It was well known for amazing Pad Thai, super curry dishes, and an excellent all-you-can-eat buffet. Thailand Restaurant was a great getaway for students and local community members alike. It was known as a great spot where families of Stonehill students can go when they come to visit for a weekend, or perhaps after move-in day in the Fall or move-out day in the Spring. A place where students could escape the bland weekend cafeteria food, it was something different and delicious. It was an ideal location for a date, with a pleasant atmosphere. It was respected for not following the norm near a college campus of being either a pizza place or a liquor store, but instead being a culturally diverse and more adult/real-life dining experience. Thailand Restaurant, you will be missed dearly by many

Allyson Hansgate

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Why 'The King's Speech' Shouldn't Win Best Picture

It will though. Of quick note, this film is great. It is an all around well made piece of cinema with crisp editing, fantastic performances from the three main leads (Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush) as well as from the supporting roles, the cinematography is note worthy as is every other technical aspect of the film. It is, without question, well deserving of all of its 12 Oscar nominations. But, with all this in mind, I don’t believe it deserves the title of Best Picture of 2010. Please keep in mind, here there be spoilers.

Reason #1: This film is Oscar Bait. If you are unfamiliar with this term, it is a label put on the types of films that the Academy historically prefers. Most films that get nominated for Best Picture and the other major categories, to be fair, fall under this distinction. But, The King’s Speech falls under a particular brand of Oscar Bait. This particular brand is made up of the films that speak to the close relationship between cinema and theater and the drive to be recognized as a serious medium of art. This includes musicals (Nine), films about World War II, in particular the Holocaust (The Reader), and biopics, especially those about the British Crown (Elizabeth). If it is also a period piece, preferably set in Britain before World War II, you’re golden. The Academy, hoping to appear appreciative of fine art, will gladly push nominations on these types of films rather than the ones that took more risks and strayed away from the film making norm. This has been pointed to as the reason for Nine’s four Oscar nominations and The Reader getting a Best Picture nomination over the widely popular and critically acclaimed The Dark Knight. Not to say these types of films never deserve the recognition, but it is a well documented bias in the Academy’s history.

The King’s Speech manages to hit several of these notes. It is of course a period piece set in 1930’s London and tells the tale of the Duke of York becoming King George VI. Also, the main conflict of the film is the King attempting to overcome a stammer so his people will have faith in him and the country as it enters World War II. This is the type of World War II action that the academy loves: ignoring the dirty, ugly warfare and concentrating on the effects past the battlefield (see: Saving Private Ryan, which undeservedly lost Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love, a period piece). Oh, the Academy also loves films where the main character has to overcome a disability (see: Forrest Gump, which undeservedly won over one of the most influential films in recent history, Pulp Fiction).

I should mention that I don’t believe films like these should not be made. They tell interesting tales that are enjoyable and open overlooked chapters of history to a new audience. But, stacking the deck so heavily in one’s own favor for praise from the Academy is frustrating, especially when films attempt to do this every year. What I would like to see from future films of this particular sort that deal with the Crown are to take more risks in their film making and not to just play to the audience who will give you the award. Challenge your audience.
Reason #2: The ending of the film is curious. For those who haven’t seen the film, King George gives a flawless speech to his nation, impressing his teacher/ friend, his wife, his country, and himself. With the victory under his cap he goes on his balcony to acknowledge his people. The country is ready for World War II! That last part bothers me. The film is meant to end on an uplifting note of personal triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds. As the jovial, celebratory score kicks in and King George confidently stands over his people, all I can think is “How about some perspective here?” One of the most brutal struggles in the history of society is beginning, the Holocaust is occurring on the same continent, and I’m meant to be revelatory over the King of England overcoming a speech impediment? I’m aware, though, that this is where the story has to end and I doubt there was a way to keep what I just mentioned in context and still achieve a feel-good ending. It just leaves me with a poor taste in my mouth as I leave the theater.

Reason #3: The film’s not saying anything new or interesting. This is pretty much all my personal preference, but Best Picture should go to a film with subversive or challenging themes. The King’s Speech is about personal triumph, overcoming the obstacles each of us is presented from the day of our birth, learning to trust others, and, to a certain extent, fulfilling our destiny. These are all classic themes in cinema and are important for people to see and enjoy, but The King’s Speech does not do much to this established genre. One could argue that the film is trying to say something about class systems, mainly that we lose opportunities for greatness when this type of system is strictly observed. The film, though, fails to take this idea to fruition, settling for the need for classes shown by the importance of the King in the universe of the film. Thus, the film fails to challenge its audience and is happy to stay a good personal story of growth, which it does wonderfully. I just would hope for more from what is supposed to be the best film of the year.

Also, this poster is TERRIBLE!

-Daniel Perry

Monday, February 7, 2011

The Civil Wars



If you haven’t heard of The Civil Wars yet, consider this your tip-off. You’re welcome.

This dynamic duo released their first full length album, Barton Hollow, a week ago and already it’s jumped to number one on iTunes list of hot buys. Rightfully so, I’d say. Sure, the couple got an auspicious vault into the public’s eye when their single “Poison & Wine” was played during an episode of Grey’s Anatomy; Taylor Swift’s benediction didn’t hurt either. But their hauntingly seductive tones and simple compositions have kept the river of success flowing.

While the music of The Civil Wars (Joy Williams and John Paul White) carries components of the neo-folk trend our hipster personas love, there is also a much deeper, raw, sensuous feel to their songs. Tracks like “Barton Hollow” draw images of the secrets in the nostalgic, dirty South (Bontemps anyone?) while “20 Years” bewitches and burrows into the heart of regret. And without fail Williams’ enchanting elegance mixes with White’s rough-hewn (yet somehow silky) depth to create duets that flow naturally, full of emotion and skill.

Look, you don’t have to take my word for it. I’ll even put the links here for you:

Poison & Wine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfzRlcnq_c0

Barton Hollow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrOUwbsy12E

Dance Me To The End of Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgFh1rEr5dM&feature=related

(The last is a cover of Leonard Cohen’s song. Prepare to have music move you like you wouldn’t believe.)


-Casey Kapalko
Music Editor

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Facebook Status Categories

By Erin Horan
The “Dear__, Sincerely, ___”
Dear Alarm Clock, Please feel free to take a vacation day tomorrow.
Sincerely, Lazy Ass.
The Sympathy Plea
Soooo sick today, can barely move ugh!
The “I Have Friends!”
Evelyn Brown and Jessica Smith are the funniest people in the world!!
The Shameless Plug
My band’s playing at McFarrell’s tonight, come check us out!
The Sports Update No One Needs
THE STEELERS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL WOOT WOOT
The Weather Update No One Needs
It’s snowing!
The I Feel Guily for (staying up so late watching YouTube, drinking my body weight in alcohol, eating that entire pizza) so I’m Getting It Off My Chest
Four shots of vodka + five beers in two hours = bad idea
The I Need Plans Tonight!
Anyone going out tonight?
The I Have Plans Tonight!
Going out in Boston tonight with my besties!
The I Had So Much Fun Last Night!
Had a blast in Boston last night with my besties!
The This is How Much I Hate Homework/ Grad School Apps/ Work!
Why, why, why do I always leave writing essays to the last minute…
The Happy Holiday!
Happy President’s Day!
The Status of the Week
It’s Sister Week! If you have a sister who you love and will love forever, copy and post this status!! Or it’s like you’re saying you really don’t love your sister!!
The Optimum Way to Contact Me in the Near Future
Lost my phone so facebook me! or
Will be away from my computer this weekend so text me!
The Obscure Song Lyrics
“And the seasons, they go round and round, and the painted ponies go up and down…”
Annnnd of course:
The Intimate Details of My Daily Life
Just ate lunch (turkey sandwich with mayo and chips) now time to clip my toenails! They’re disgusting!