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(04/25/13 5:28pm)
With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, many students are looking forward to the reprieve of summer. However, there is one obstacle standing in their way: final exams.
Every student has them, and they are especially daunting for newer students and those about to graduate. It is important to remember not to stress yourself out over exams. There are several steps to take that will help you study and reduce stress.
The first, and perhaps most obvious, step is the one that most students ignore. Do not procrastinate.
If your professor warns you of the exam three weeks before it is scheduled, do not wait until the night before to study. Plan things out in advanced and schedule your time around exams.
Also, be sure to note when your exams are. It is difficult to study for an exam when the study time you allot yourself ends up being taken by another exam you forgot to plan for.
The same applies to papers and essays. If you are given a ten page paper as a final, do not wait until the day of to work on it. The stress levels alone make this a bad idea. You will rush it and make mistakes.
For essays and papers its best to at least plan ahead by a week. If possible, write the paper early, wait a few days for your head to clear and then go back and edit it. You would be surprised at the mistakes you notice once you approach it with a fresh perspective. You have to make the most of the time available.
Inevitably, some students will find themselves backed into a situation where they are forced to choose between exams. This is not a pleasant situation to be in. Before giving up or panicking, analyze your strengths in each subject. Also, look at what the tests are weighted at in your overall grade for the class. You may have to make the tough choice to focus on one exam over the other.
Play to your strengths. If you are strong in history and have a great grade in that class but are struggling in spanish, focus more on the spanish exam, but still review over the history if possible.
This is only for extreme cases of course. If possible, avoid being in placed in these types of situations. Try studying in advance as much as possible.
Memorization and flashcards are tried and true methods for preparing for exams. They can be used for nearly all subjects. Dates of major historical events, complex equations, foreign language terms, and more can be studied in this manner.
It is a cheap and effective study method when working alone or in groups. It is even possible to outline papers with flashcards.
You can also seek out teachers for help preparing for exams. Most teachers are happy to answer questions their students have about the exam. They will work with you for as long as they can or until you are ready.
Do not be afraid also to ask if you can retake some of your previous exams in the course. This gives you a way to prep for the exam by looking at how the teacher has formatted some of your earlier exams. It also allows you to review material that may be covered on the final exam.
If the teacher will not let you view an older exam, create your own. Work out questions that you think may be on the final. Go back through your class notes and see which sections were covered the most; chances are they will be a test topic.
What students need the most during exam time is sleep. Do not forget to get some sleep during exam week. Your mind will be sharper and more alert if you are well rested.
Try to avoid relying on energy drinks to stay awake during the exams; they are not healthy. The most sleep you get, the better you will retain the information.
It is unlikely that you will get the recommended eight hours of sleep a night, but try to get at least get six. If you have two or three hours free during the day, try to take a short nap. You would be surprised how much of an energy boost a nap can be. A little rest here and there will help reduce your stress levels. That is the most important thing to remember.
Just do not stress out over finals. You will do worse if you panic.
(03/27/13 1:54pm)
Sam Raimi’s “Oz the Great and Powerful” follows in the footsteps of Tim Burton’s 2009 movie, “Alice in Wonderland”. Both rely heavily on CGI visuals and characters, and even share the same teams for the visuals. Each film is an original story grafted onto a preexisting work, “Oz” being a prequel to the Frank L. Baum series and Burton’s “Alice” being a pseudo-sequel to the original.
The story of Oz is one that should be familiar to anyone who is a fan of the original film or has read the books. Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is a carnival magician and womanizing con artist who is swept away in his hot air balloon by a fierce tornado. He lands in the merry old Land of Oz where he is decreed the chosen one, destined to save the land from the evil witch.
James Franco is an excellent choice for Oz. He is able to personify the sleazy carnival magician. Despite being a womanizing con artist, he is actually rather likeable. Michelle Williams portrays Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. She gives what is probably the blandest performance in the film. Her character is not very memorable and nearly all of her scenes are stolen by Franco’s charismatic Oz. Zach Braff is passable as the affable comic relief animal sidekick character. Apart from Franco, Rachel Weisz delivers the most energetic performance as the scheming Evanora. She is clichéd, but one of the more memorable performances in the film.
The final member of the main cast is Mila Kunis as Theodora, the future Wicked Witch of the West. She was the greatest disservice in the film. Her character was poorly written and had the worst dialogue throughout the movie. She also underwent a disappointing character arc, detailing her transition from lovesick supporter of Oscar to the cruel and evil witch with whom audiences are familiar. She is the first person Oscar meets when he comes to Oz and falls in love with him almost immediately. Oz’s growth from womanizing conman to heroic savior was generic, but well-executed. Theodora’s character arc was insulting. What started out as a possibly complex arc detailing her struggle with her own corruption was cast aside for a disappointing resolution.
The visuals and costumes for the film were superb. The period piece costumes for the Kansas sections looked great. The costumes in Oz are excellently designed as well, save for one. Mila Kunis’ witch costume was the worst of the film. It basically looked like the filmmakers went to Party City and picked up the first generic slutty witch costume they saw. The prosthetics for her face also looked bulky and unnatural.
The 3D for this film was actually quite good. It is a mix of the old style 3D where objects leap from the screen and the newer style where they provide depth in the picture. The CG was also excellently done. The set pieces were gorgeous and the CGI characters Franco interacted with felt natural and realistic.
“Oz” may not be as great and powerful as the filmmakers hoped it would be, but it is not too great of a disappointment. Franco’s acting alone makes it an enjoyable watch. The visuals are also engrossing and entertaining. I give this film 3 out of 5 stars. It is not great, but it is not awful.
(03/06/13 5:25pm)
On Thursday, Feb. 14, the Macon Police Department released a statement saying MPD officers Jonathan Wesley Graves and Adolphus Jones were arrested. The 26-year-old Graves and 27-year-old Jones were arrested due to incidents involving firearm theft.
According to the warrant, Graves and Jones are accused of taking a 9 mm pistol from a Mumford Road apartment Aug. 21, 2012. The two then went to a dirt road near Mumford Road and fired the gun until it was empty. Afterward, they discarded it into a metal trash bin near Montpelier Avenue.
Jonathan Graves is charged with two counts of fiduciary theft, and a violation of oath of office. He was arrested and had his bond set at $13,800. Adolphus Jones is charged with one count of fiduciary theft and violation of oath of office. He was arrested, as well, and had his bond set at $9,750.
Both officers were released after meeting their bond requirements. Both have also since resigned pending 5-day termination.
Macon Police Department Chief Mike Burns released a statement in relation to the event.
“The actions of the officers involved in these thefts are disgraceful and will not be tolerated.” Burns said. “Beyond fiduciary crimes, they violated the sacred oath of office taken by every Macon Police officer. The many fine officers in this department are saddened by the actions of their colleagues as they continue to work diligently to protect the citizens of Macon.”
Graves had been previously arrested due to two incidents occurring on Nov. 6, 2011, and June 16, 2012.
In both incidents, Graves removed a firearm that had been recovered in an investigation, reported it lost and gave it as a gift to another
person. Graves allegedly found a small .380- caliber Cobra handgun that had been reported missing seven months earlier. According the arrest warrant, he then gave the gun to a relative as a gift instead of turning it in.
A separate warrant indicates, on Nov. 6, 2011, Graves was accused of taking a .25-caliber gun from two suspects. He then gave the gun to a relative as a gift.
Graves had been reported for other complaints in the past, including one incident where he was drinking at a local bar while off duty and allegedly handcuffed himself. He was not in possession of the key, and another officer had to release him from the
handcuffs. No discipline was imposed for this action.
Jones had received verbal counseling in March 2012 after a traffic accident. He also failed to appear at Municipal Court in relation to that event.
Police records show that both Graves and Jones were hired to the Macon Police Department in 2010.
This weapons theft comes three weeks after two officers, Troy Guidry and Jon Wantz, were charged with violation of oath of office, theft, trespassing, and burglary. According to arrest records and warrants, they broke into a doctor’s office and stole a tractor. Both resigned after their arrests.
(03/06/13 3:39pm)
In 2012, the overall crime rate for Macon and Bibb County dropped. The Macon Police Department reported that the past year had the lowest total in 19 years, dropping 13 percent in total crimes.
The total number of crimes committed was 7,459, putting the area 1,100 crimes down from 2011’s 8,559. These numbers reflect an overall trend in crime in Macon in the years since Mike Burns became the Macon Chief of Police.
Burns has been in office for eight years, during which a significant decrease of crime in Macon has occurred. In the past eight years (2005-2012), 69,713 crimes were reported. In the eight years prior to his arrival (1997-2004), 91,982 crimes were reported to the MPD.
Burns said much of this reduction is due to a plan enacted in January of 2012. The plan called for officers to increase their visibility and to be more attentive of being near businesses and residential areas.
The officers are meeting with more success in stopping and solving crimes because they are near the areas where crimes are committed.
Burns sums it up simply by saying that the officers are “responding quicker.”
Despite the overall decrease in Macon last year, several areas of crime did in fact rise. Homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault numbers increased in the past year. Significant drops in automotive theft, larceny, and burglary countered these increases. According to Burns, rape and homicide saw an increase because those crimes are harder to predict and prevent. Burns said that their best effort in these categories is to “just try to get them in jail quick.”
Their efforts to capture and jail violent offenders have resulted in an 80 percent success rate with capturing rapists and an 86 percent success rate with homicide.
The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office reported that its crime rate dropped nearly 10 percent in 2012. Both Bibb County and Macon saw a decrease in property crimes this past year. Bibb County Sherriff David Davis credits the new metal recycling laws that went into effect last year. Criminals had been breaking into buildings and even stealing cars to sell the metal.
The county saw a rise in domestic disputes, arson and aggravated assault. They saw a decrease in auto break-ins and general auto theft.
One area of crime that saw a rise this year was commercial robberies. However, Davis explained that the increased number is at least partially due to the eight robberies of the X-Mart adult-themed store on Emery Highway in the past year. These eight robberies count for a large portion of the 30 that occurred countywide last year.
Both Bibb County and Macon beat the national average for crimes solved. The national number of crimes solved was 48 percent. Bibb County saw 64 percent of crimes solved, while Macon saw 65 percent. The city of Macon awarded Precinct 3 with the 2012 MPD Crime Reduction Award for having a 21 percent reduction in overall crime.
The two departments are set to be consolidated next year, and they plan to continue the practices they have instituted in recent years. The consolidated Macon-Bibb County government will begin in January 2014 and replace the current governments of Bibb County, the city of Macon and Payne City.
(02/20/13 3:39pm)
Rock legend 38 Special will be headlining the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival Street Party on March 23.
The band 38 Special is a multi-platinum selling group that found success in the 1980s with hit songs including “Hold on Loosely” and “Caught Up in You.”
The band is known for a style that mixes southern rock with arena rock. Over the course of their career, the group has sold over 20 million records and has toured across the world.
The group is closely related to southern rock royalty. Founding member Donnie Van Zant is the brother of the late Lyrnyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant.
Longtime friends Don Barnes and Donnie Van Zant formed the band in 1974 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Though the lineup has changed over the years, Barnes and Van Zant have remained the core of the group, save for a short period where Barnes pursued a solo career.
The current lineup consists of Van Zant on vocals and guitars; Don Barnes on vocals, guitar, and keyboard; Larry Junstrom, who has been playing bass with the group since 1977; Danny Chauncey providing backup vocals and guitar since 1987; Bobby Chaps on keyboard since 1991; and Gary Moffatt on drums since 1997.
The band promises to maintain an intense stage presence throughout their concerts.
They describe their efforts onstage as a “celebration of camaraderie and brotherhood, a precision unit bringing the dedication and honesty to a long history of classic songs, as well as surprisingly fresh new material.”
Accompanying 38 Special at the festival will be the Knoxville- based group The Dirty Guv’Nahs and the Atlanta Funk Society.
The Dirty Guv’Nahs is fresh from the success of their recent album titled “Under These Southern Skies” and has recently played at the Bonnaroo Music Festival.
The Atlanta Funk Society sports a variety of 70s and 80s inspired brass grooves and has toured all over the country, including going on the road with the legendary Paul Simon.
They recorded a live set at the Hummingbird in Macon on March 24, 2012. It is available as a free download on their website http://theatlantafunksociety.bandcamp.com/.
The Macon Cherry Blossom Festival is the self-proclaimed “Pinkest Party on Earth.” It is held annually to celebrate the flowering of Macon’s 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees.
Held during March since 1982, the Cherry Blossom Festival has grown from its humble roots to become one of the Top 20 Events in the South and among the most popular in the country. The committee strives to improve the festival each year and hope to encourage its continued growth.
The Street Party is being presented by the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival in conjuncture with 11th Hour, 13 WMAZ and Cumulus Broadcasting.
The event will be held at Cherry St. Plaza in Downtown Macon on Saturday, March 23 from 5-11 p.m.
Tickets go on sale Feb. 26. Tickets will be $12 in advance and $20 on the day of show.
For more information, call 478-751-7429, or go online to www.cherryblossom.com.
(02/20/13 3:14pm)
The final event of the Macon Film Festival was a screening of the Academy Award-nominated film, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. The film has garnered universal acclaim since its release at the Sundance Film Festival and has gone on to be nominated for four Academy Awards.
The film follows the story of a young girl named Hushpuppy and her father Wink. They live in a rural Louisiana community known as “The Bathtub”, located south of a levee. The community is small, poor and close-knit. They spurn government aid in exchange for their freedom. They live in a community they know will flood if a powerful storm blows through. When this occurs, it becomes the story of how a community can be a family and persevere through something together.
The cast of this film may be the most genuine to appear in a film in years. The actors have amazing chemistry together and not one bad performance is turned in. This is especially surprising since the cast was mostly made up of first-time actors. Quvenzhané Wallis was only six years old when she was cast as Hushpuppy, and despite her young age she is a wonderful lead for the film. She gives the character an innocence that gives her comments about her life more weight. Dwight Henry as her father, Wink, is amazing to watch. He has a manic, but contained, energy that always seems to lurk beneath the surface, ready to burst out. His interactions with Wallis are fascinating to watch. They have a strong father-daughter relationship that is strained at first, but the love between the characters does show in times of stress. The rest of the cast is great as well, but they are onscreen mostly in a group as the core community members.
The Bathtub itself is as essential to the film as the characters. Though set in a fictional community in Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish, the film was actually shot in Terrebonne Parish. The rural community definitely takes inspiration from actual rural fishing towns in the bayou that constantly face the threats of erosion, flooding and government relocation.
The cinematography is beautiful. It is easy to see why the residents of the Bathtub are so attached to their home. Early in the film, Wink says that they have the most beautiful view in the world, and it is easy to agree with him. The characters do not have easy lives by any means, but they do enjoy their lives.
The music goes from Southern instrumentals to haunting melodies that perfectly convey the tone of the scenes. The choices for the score are perfect and memorable. It is interesting to see how balanced the film is between the surreal imaginative elements, as seen by Hushpuppy, with the cold reality of their world. Since the film is being seen almost exclusively from Hushpuppy’s perspective, the world takes on a mystical appearance at times. Through her eyes, what could have been a small movie takes on an epic scale.
The film is difficult to watch at times, but for every moment of heartbreak and horror there are moments of wonder and resilience. The film deserves the accolades given to it and is one of the stronger movies to come out last year.
(02/20/13 3:05pm)
Macon showcases eclectic silver screen talent in local downtown venue
The eighth annual Macon Film Festival was held in downtown Macon Feb. 14-17. Dozens of films were shown, several of which actually premiered at the festival. The content ranged from feature-length films about the rise of a punk rock band and their publicist, to a documentary showing the living conditions of a community in a Manila cemetery, to a short film that was simply two people’s blood painted on frames of film. Special guests included the filmmakers of several of these films, legendary Indie actress Mink Stole (who screened the original “Hairspray”), Emmy winner Crystal Chappell, director Steve Nash and Face-Off contestant Roy Whooley. Events wrapped up with a screening of “Beasts of the Southern Wild”.
“The Suicide Kid”, a feature-length film that premiered at the festival this year, tells the story of a YouTube Vlogger who rises to fame after he posts a video of his failed suicide attempt. It is told entirely through episodes of his vlog. He starts out as an awkward college freshman and develops an unhealthy fixation with a female classmate. After a series of events, he turns into an egotistic jerk who forces himself onto people he dislikes and who dislike him.
The film was directed by Marcus Sullivan and co-written with Adrian Murray and Dean Tardioli. Tardioli also stars in it as Timothy, the titular Suicide Kid. The film was in development for four years, one of which was spent filming. Sullivan explained that the concept came to him during high school after watching several video blogs by someone on YouTube. He realized that a narrative of this person’s life was forming through the videos and he saw potential for a story based on this. The film has fun with this concept and reminds the viewers that they are actually watching a series of videos, having Google ads and other YouTube elements pop up. The manner in which this was shot could cause some legal issues when it comes to distribution of the film.
“The film was shot guerilla style,” Sullivan said. “We didn’t have permission to shoot everywhere we were at. We didn’t even pick the music because it was all stuff that was in the background of where we were at.”
Another feature-length film, “Hated” follows a character named Veronica (played by Genevieve Padalecki of “Supernatural”) as she tries to promote her four friends’ band in post-9/11 New York. This film was extremely well made, and its quality stood out from many of the other films shown. It is a character-driven story about how friendships can be strained as fame interferes. The acting is great in this film, and the music from the band has a great punk rock sound. Director Lee Madsen, who attended the event, was thrilled to be showing the film at the festival.
“It’s great to get it out there to people. It’s tough to get a film out there to the people,” Madsen said. He has had offers for the film to get direct-to-video distribution, but he is hesitant to accept. “My producer and I agree that it may be best to hold out for a theatrical release,” he said. “We really think this may be the one.” His previous film, “Happy in the Valley”, is currently available on Netflix.
The Animation category was loaded with great films. The standout film was “Address is Approximate”, a journey told using stop-motion Google Earth. It has no dialogue but instead uses the visual medium in surprisingly complex ways to tell their story.
Other highlights include “Death of a Cemetery”, the story of a large community of squatters that have built their homes in the city of Manila’s largest cemetery. The cinematography and narrative were very moving and highlighted a little-known subject. Director Jeanie Duque Dizon said that she was born in the Philippines and learned of the cemetery because it was one of the places her mother “told her never to visit.” The documentary took roughly two years to film and one to edit. They have other projects in the works, including a coming-of-age story of a teen in a refugee camp.
These are only a few of the films showcased at the Macon Film Festival, held at the 567, an intimate viewing venue. For a complete list of the winning films and directors, see the graphic to the right.
(02/14/13 5:39pm)
Mercer University celebrated this year’s Founder’s Day with alumnus Erick Erickson speaking at the event held Feb. 13 in Willingham Auditorium.
Erickson is currently the editor-in-chief of RedState.com; the most widely read right-of-center blog on Capitol Hill. He is a Fox News contributor and a former CNN political contributor. Erickson also hosts a radio show on the nation’s most listened to talk radio station, WSB of Atlanta. He graduated from Mercer with his Bachelor of Arts in 1997, majoring in history and political science. He earned his Juris Doctrate at Mercer’s Walter F. George School of Law in 2000. Prior to his work at RedState.com, Erickson practiced law and managed political campaigns.
Erickson opened his morning address by quoting the late Ferrol Sams and reflecting on his passing by acknowledging a past Founder’s Day speaker and Mercerian. Erickson spoke in detail about his experiences at Mercer in the 90s.
“Mercer weaves itself into our lives,” Erickson said. “Mercer has always been intertwined with my life.”
Erickson explained how former Mercer president Kirby Godsey used to preach at a church he attended with his grandmother at a young age in rural Louisiana and how he first met professor Dr. Eimad Houry as a young child living in Dubai. Dr. Houry was the son of a grocery store owner who continually kicked out children for playing within the isles. Fifteen years later, Dr. Houry became Erickson’s international politics professor at Mercer. In addition, Erickson met his wife at Mercer through a string of unlikely events.
Erickson explained that the lessons he learned at Mercer helped to shape his worldview and develop his policy towards honesty. While serving on the judicial committee as chief justice, he learned that sometimes doing the right thing is not always the most popular and many times results in lost friendships.
“Sometimes on the road you travel, through this university or not, you have to do things you don’t want to do,” Erickson said.
Erickson’s time at Mercer continues to affect his life. He still meets politicians and commentators who are familiar with Mercer and their appreciation of it has served as a great icebreaker.
“The whisper of the river calls you home and keeps you grounded," Erickson said. "One day you will listen to the whisper that you’ve heard all your life and realize that it’s not just calling you to your home, it’s calling you here.”
Due to the controversy surrounding his selection, an open discussion with Erickson was scheduled for 2 p.m. Feb. 13 in Penfield Hall. The SGA sponsored event was a question and answer forum titled, “Civility in Politics.”
During the session, many of Erickson’s controversial views and statements were challenged and questioned by faculty and students alike. Throughout his speech, Erickson continued to restate his belief that conversations are important and no one group should have control over who should speak.
He went on to say that he now recognizes the impact that his statements have had on people, particularly his family. His past remarks calling the Democratic National Convention “the vagina monologues” was widely responded to on Twitter. He reflected that the experience was like a light coming on; he realized “you are more than you think you are.”
During the session, Mercer student Joshua Whitfield asked Erickson how he would handle respectively criticizing someone without resorting the insults and slanders.
“It’s hard in the modern age to have a conversation,” Erickson said. “Modern conversations have lost the individual personality now that people are relying on ‘140 characters or less’ to convey messages.”
Erickson expressed that having civil debate is difficult but possible. He said that many times “the people on the other side tend to be good people.”
His views on women and feminism were challenged as he expressed his belief that both men and women should have the right to exclude members of the opposite gender from their sporting events and activities if they choose to do so. Erickson explained that he has the stereotypical view of feminists not because they are all a mold of the stereotype, but because he believes that every feminist he has met conformed to the mold.
Following the event, Erickson tweeted, “I am proud of myself for pointing out to the Women and Gender Studies students that their major has no real world value.”
The next day, Erickson posted on RedState.com about his experience at Mercer and that he enjoyed returning to his Alma Mater. In addition, he addressed the controversy surrounding his invitation to speak at the event.
Through both RedState.com and Twitter, Erickson claimed he was slightly disappointed with the lack of protests and rumored walkouts.
According to RedState.com, Erickson said, “We had the forum because a small group of liberal mostly female professors and a handful of students decided they could be the arbiters of which alumnus was an acceptable Founders Day speaker. It was abundantly obvious from their criticisms that while they hid behind some of my statements, they really disliked my worldview as a prominent Christian evangelical conservative.”
Erickson answered a variety of questions from both students and faculty. One topic in particular addressed discrimination based on gender versus race. Erickson was clear in his response that he does not consider they two interchangeable due to our country’s history.
According to RedState.com, “A student who was voluntarily subjecting herself to the women and gender studies program stood up and told me it was a debatable position that fewer people had died in the name of women’s rights,” Erickson said. “It was the one moment that left me speechless.”
Erickson closed the discussion by thanking Mercer for inviting him to speak at the morning celebration and participate in the “Civility in Politics” session.
“I’m a pessimist on civility in politics but I also think the conversations you have can be polite and respectful, like we’ve done here,” Erickson said. “It’s a matter of stepping outside to a degree, of your comfort zone or your basic knowledge, and learning who the person on the other side is, not just who you think they are.”
(02/06/13 3:31pm)
Elton John, Cirque du Soleil and Globetrotters appearing in next few months
Macon is known for the various forms of entertainment available in the city.
The following are a few of many events that will be held at the Macon Centreplex this semester.
The first big event coming to Macon is the Advance Auto Monster Jam on February 22-23.
Although monster truck rallies are not generally considered to be the most cultured of events, they are still quite enjoyable and entertaining to attend.
Some people enjoy seeing a truck the size of a small mobile home crushing a series of cars.
The events are usually action-packed and do well in sales.
The month of March features many promising events at the Macon Centreplex.
The first is the Harlem Globetrotters playing on March 13.
The Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines intricate displays of skills on the court with comedy and theatricality.
The Globetrotters have provided entertainment for millions for several decades and have played more than 20,000 exhibition games since being founded in 1927.
The team gets the crowds pumped once their theme music, a whistled version of “Sweet Georgia Brown,” announces their arrival onto the court.
The Globetrotters are always a crowd pleaser and well worth seeing.
On March 14, just one day after the Globetrotters event, Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley will be visiting Macon on their Locked & Reloaded Tour.
The 29-year-old Lambert has been nominated for multiple Grammys and won in 2011 for her hit single, “The House That Built Me.”
She has created a unique and soulful style of country music that harkens back to the famous country songstresses of old.
Bentley, age 37, is a multi-platinum singer/songwriter known for his own unique style of country music.
He combines modern country with influences from classic country performers.
The two performers’ styles should complement each other well and make the show worth watching.
The upcoming Elton John concert may be the most anticipated event in the next few months.
It is Sir Elton John’s first Macon concert in 12 years.
He is one of the most successful live performers in history and is famous for putting on unique and entertaining shows that manage to fill venues very quickly.
Tickets for this event are already becoming scarce, as the remaining seats for the concert are being bought.
Sir Elton has been active in the music industry since the 1960s and hqw continuee to grow in popularity, creating music that appeals to a wide audience.
The 65-year-old continues to perform for packed audiences across the world.
Sir Elton John will be playing at the Macon Centreplex on March 20.
From May 3-5, the world famous Cirque du Soleil: Quidam will be performed in Macon.
Quidam is the ninth stage show produced by Cirque du Soleil.
The show has met with rave reviews since its tour began in 2010.
It takes place in the imagination of a young girl who is alienated and forgotten by her parents.
She creates the mystical world of Quidam to escape her droll life.
The show combines complex acrobatics with traditional circus acts to create a mesmerizing and mind-bending experience.
For more information on these events visit www.maconcentreplex.com or call at (478) 751-9232.
(02/06/13 3:23pm)
The eighth annual Macon Film Festival will be held February 14-17. The festival intends to highlight the work of filmmakers from around the world. The films are entered into various categories and compete for cash prizes. The films will be screened at three different venues: the Cox Capitol Theatre, the 567 Center for Renewal and the Douglass Theatre.
The Macon Film Festival, which originally began in 2006, was created in an attempt to attract people to the recently renovated Cox Capital Theatre. Since then, it has grown into what Terrell Sandefur, head of publicity and marketing for the festival, describes as a “full-fledged indie film festival attracting filmmakers from around the world.”
Hundreds of films were submitted to the festival, and 85 of those films will be shown in the various categories. The categories include Animation, Documentary, Music, Music Video, Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Southern, and Student. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category. A jury of film industry professionals is judging the films in each category.
For those interested in attending, a variety of activities are being held over the course of the festival. Among these events are several workshops focusing on different aspects of the industry, including workshops on directing, acting, casting, special effects, make-up and location scouting. These workshops are being hosted by professionals of the industry and by the festival’s special guests. The festival is easily accessible to students, and festival leaders encourage their attendance by allowing students with a valid ID to enter the film screenings free of charge, Sandefur explained.
The festival is used as a showcase to present a wide variety of films and filmmakers to the public. The festival is a distinguished event for the community, bringing national attention to Macon. Sandefur says that the film festival “attracts filmmakers from around to globe to Macon for the four day festival. For anyone interested in filmmaking as a career, this is an excellent opportunity to get up close and personal with filmmakers.”
Confirmed guests attending the event will include Emmy Award winner Crystal Chappell and famed Indie actress Mink Stole. Chapell will be screening the pilot of her new web series, The Grove, which follows two families over several generations. One is a working class family, the other wealthy. Both live in a Central California community known as The Grove. Chappell won an Emmy for her role on Guiding Light and for her previous web series, Venice. Mink Stole has appeared in many indie and cult films over the course of her career. She will be screening the hit film, “Hairspray,” in which she starred. She previously visited Macon while filming “Stuck” in 2009.
The film festival headquarters is located at 567 Cherry Street. Programs, tickets and merchandise will be available at headquarters beginning Wednesday, Feb. 13. For more information on the Macon Film Festival, visit their Facebook page at “Facebook.com/MaconFilmFestival.”
(02/06/13 3:12pm)
Valentine’s Day is one of the happiest times of the year. Loving couples plan elaborate romantic dinners ahead of time or just spend time in each other’s company.
All of the lovey-dovey time they spend together is secretly for one reason, to remind all of the unfortunate singles out there that they do not have the joy and bliss of a significant other.
Valentine’s Day, or Singles Awareness Day as it is often called, can be viewed in very cynical terms. Singles are often miserable on this day seemingly devoted to reminding them of their loneliness.
Valentine’s Day does not have to be viewed in such a negative light though. The unattached masses can still find many ways to spend the day alone.
One method is to take advantage of all of the classic romantic films that go on sale around this time. Many amazing movies, such as “Casablanca,” “Some Like it Hot” and “The Notebook” (okay, maybe not that one) are suddenly easily available around this time of year. By hitting up the sales rack of the video store, you can have yourself the beginnings of a classic movie marathon.
Of course, since these are all romantic films, singles may end up feeling even more depressed about their eternal loneliness. One thing that makes depression easier to cope with is chocolate, and that is also easily available around Valentine’s Day.
The week of Valentine’s Day is a candy lover’s paradise. Walking onto the candy isle of a store on the day after Valentine’s Day is like the gates of Wonka’s factory opening to show the heaven that lies within (at least the Gene Wilder Wonka Factory is magical--the Johnny Depp one is creepy).
It is possible to buy boxes of candy for less than a dollar. Enough candy can be bought to placate the post-Valentine’s Day depression that will linger for some. Buying candy the day before Valentine’s Day can also serve to compliment the movie marathon.
You can also try going on a hike and enjoying nature’s comforting sunshine. It will probably be 70 degrees on Valentine’s Day anyway, considering we live in Macon.
And who needs a significant other when you’ve got friends? Get together with your single friends and have an anti-Valentine’s Day. Play card games, enjoy your classic movie marathon together, eat unhealthy foods. The solace of friends mends even the most lonely of people.
One important thing to consider about Valentine’s Day is the loneliness that other singles feel. Perhaps instead of observing Singles Awareness Day, it could be possible to actually try speaking to another single that you are interested in.
Countless single men and women out there will be feeling the same loneliness that plagues you. Valentine’s Day could lead to a romance for those who dare to attempt a connection with someone. The loneliness felt does not have to be permanent. Few people enjoy spending all of their time in solitude, and on a day devoted to showing that solitude, the pain of being alone is all the more apparent.
Valentine’s Day does not have to be depressing. Sure, you may be jealous of all of the happy couples spending the holiday together, but there is a positive to being forever alone. At least you do not have to spend over $100 on a meal in an overpriced restaurant.
(02/06/13 3:10pm)
Famed action legend Sylvester Stallone and Sung Kang of the “Fast and Furious” series team up in their latest action flick, “Bullet to the Head”. The film is one of the most mindless action films to come along in years. Adapted from a French graphic novel of the same name, “Bullet to the Head” follows detective Taylor Kwon (Kang) as he teams up with hitman Jimmy Bobo (Stallone) as they seek revenge for the murders of their respective partners.
This film is troublesome from the get-go. The story at first seems like it will be a variation of the traditional ’80s buddy cop movie—it throws two characters on opposite sides of the law together and, for some reason, they actually agree to cooperate—yet it fails in that regard. Instead, the characters constantly undermine and insult each other, most of the dissent caused by Kang’s character.
The direction and cinematography of this film is awful. It plays like a television procedural cop drama and employs many techniques of that genre. The film constantly cuts to flashbacks of events that occur in the film only a few moments before. It feels insulting to the audience.
The writing in this film is among the worst of the films Stallone has appeared in during the last decade. The dialogue is weak and repetitive, while the story itself repeats pointless plot elements and delivers an unsatisfactory payoff. An excellent example of this is Bobo and Kwon’s constant arguing. Their relationship can easily be summed up as one becoming irritated by the other, pointing a gun at him and taking over. It was amusing the first time, but the film repeats it too often.
When the script relaxes and allows the characters time to breath, it can actually be entertaining. Bobo and Kwon occasionally get good banter. Stallone and Kang actually have decent chemistry, but the writing only allows the chemistry to show in a few scenes throughout the film. The action scenes are actually well done. There are several sequences that feel like they are from much better Stallone movies. The film is graphic and lewd and deserves its R rating.
Sylvester Stallone is actually decent in this movie. It is not his best performance, but he is obviously comfortable in this role. Stallone has a great presence onscreen and his natural charisma still bleeds through this mess of a film. This is Stallone in a fun action-hero role, which is what he is famous for. He carries the film. Christian Slater is a deliciously hammy and over-the-top villain. One particular scene between Slater and the protagonists is one of the highlights of the film. Sung Kang does not give a bad performance, but his character is so poorly written that he is the most detrimental aspect of the film.
Sung Kang’s character is incompetent to the point of parody, yet his incompetence is played completely strait. Apart from the fact that he is a police detective who decides to team up with Bobo, a wanted hitman, he spends the entire film trusting the corrupt cops, undermining Bobo and nearly getting Bobo killed. Kwan makes every clichéd action film mistake in the book. His distrust of Bobo even goes so far as to remove the firing pin from Bobo’s gun.
“Bullet to the Head” feels like it is trying to be an overly violent 1980s movie, but instead comes out to be a mess of a film that only has a few entertaining moments. This is a mindless action movie, but no one expects it to be anything more. It is hard to judge this type of film based on its quality and content since it does not attempt to be anything more than a violent action film, and this is all that it is.
(01/23/13 4:22pm)
Two students at Mercer University have unique hobbies that share a common element: both are examples of living history. Brooke Schermerhorn and Ethan Bloodworth keep history alive through practicing the art of spinning and Civil War reenactments, respectively.
Schermerhorn has been using a spinning wheel to create her own yarn from wool and other materials such as cotton and silk for the last seven years. Before that, she was experienced with using a loom for weaving to make cloth. She had been interested in spinning for some time and eventually decided to try it. She attended a meeting of the Georgia Mountain Hand Spinners, and over the course of the night, they introduced her to spinning.
“They were so nice, one of them even loaned me a spinning wheel,” Schermerhorn said. Within a month, she had purchased the wheel from the woman and was improving her skills at the craft. Eventually she started buying fibers from various farms in the area and began experimenting with different online fibers. As her interest in spinning grew, so did the price.
“People think that when you start from the most basic materials you are saving money. That’s not true,” she said, explaining that it was an expensive hobby. A pound of wool costs around $20. The spinning wheel itself is also a hefty investment. To Schermerhorn, however, it is more than worth it.
Schermerhorn enjoys giving demonstrations of how spinning works.
“It’s one of my favorite things to do. I get to sit and spin, I can talk about the history of fiber arts, or I can talk about current fiber spinning culture. I like explaining to children where the wool comes from.” Children seem especially intrigued and confused by the process, she notes. “A lot of children don’t understand why I do it by hand. They always ask why I don’t put a motor on it,” said Schermerhorn.
Ethan Bloodworth agreed that preserving history and the methods used is extremely important. Bloodworth has been participating in Civil War reenactments for the past year. He is a member of the 16th Georgia Company G Jackson Rifles. He has participated in around a dozen events and between 15 to 20 battles.
Bloodworth first experienced reenacting when he was assigned to write a paper on it. A friend of his took him to a reenactment where he got involved in the event. His favorite event he has attended was also his first battle after officially enlisting, the Old Clinton War Days.
“It was great,” he said, “I was getting to know everybody and getting everything I needed. I was really able to dive in head first, I loved it.”
Bloodworth explained that while he enjoys the battles and fighting, what he really enjoys is the sense of brotherhood he has with the other reenactors and the feelings of reverence they share towards the events of the war. His favorite events to participate in are memorial services.
“You feel yourself full of reverence,” Bloodworth explained. “You realize why you do this. It’s not love of battle; it’s to remember the history. To honor those who fell. No soldier wants to be forgotten.”
Remembering the past is very important, and these two Mercer students are doing their best to keep parts of the past alive.
(01/23/13 3:46pm)
“Zero Dark Thirty” tells the story of one of the greatest manhunts in history: the search for Osama bin Laden. The film follows a CIA agent named Maya as she pieces together clues and overcomes adversities to locate the infamous terrorist.
The trailers and promotional material for the film heavily implied that much of the focus of the movie would be on SEAL Team 6, covering their training to assault bin Laden’s fortress. However, the people of SEAL Team 6 are barely in the movie, which instead settles on a slow and poorly paced study of Maya’s attempts to find the most wanted man in the world.
Maya is a difficult character. She is abrasive towards her colleagues and especially toward her superiors. Characters like this are difficult to portray without the audience hating them as well, but Jessica Chastain manages to pull it off amazingly. The audience can understand the stress under which the investigation has put her. She is certainly not the most likeable protagonist to grace the silver screen this year, but she is one of the more interesting. Maya’s determination and Chastain’s performance provide the only driving forces behind the film. Since Maya is the focus of the film, it becomes less about bin Laden, who is onscreen for less than a minute, to being a character study about the determination of one woman to get her job done. This is the greatest strength and weakness of the film.
The rest of the cast is also quite good, but they get so little screen time that they do not leave much of an impact. They only show up when Maya needs something or when she needs someone to yell at. The focus on Maya seems to disregard all of the efforts and training of other people involved in the manhunt. Jason Clarke follows Chastain in the ranks of characters who receive the most screen time. Clarke’s character, Maya’s associate Dan, is one of the few people in the film with a sense of humor; unfortunately, this humor usually comes through when he is in the process of torturing a captive. Kyle Chandler also turns in a good performance as Maya’s first superior during the early stages of the investigation.
Neither the writing nor the direction of the film are worthy of the considerable praise they have been given. The pacing in the film is nonexistent, which is bad for a film that is over two and a half hours long. The tone is odd at times, and one particular scene concerning a terrorist bombing at a U.S. base is so awkward that it borders on farcical. However, the scenic shots are well done and the few action scenes are well shot. The climax at bin Laden’s compound with SEAL Team 6 is the best part of the movie—and also the section from which the majority of the trailer footage has come.
The film is not bad, but it is not worthy of the praise it has garnered. The cast members—what little we see of them, anyway—are all quite good. Chastain is shouldered with the burden of carrying this film and does not disappoint. It is her movie, not SEAL Team 6’s, not the CIA’s and not Osama bin Laden’s. If she had not been as capable an actress as she is, the film would have been much worse.
(11/28/12 11:00pm)
The workout video is one of the most unique forms of home entertainment. It is meant for someone who does not have enough time to go out and get exercise to stay fit. Imagine the plight of an overworked homemaker with three screaming children grabbing onto her pants leg. She cannot leave the children alone to go to the gym twice a week. So what is she to do? Bring the gym home to her!
That is what these videos do: bring the skill and experience of a fitness instructor right into the living room. There are many types of workout genres, two of which stand out the most.
Yoga is a form of exercise that has grown in popularity over the years. It is rooted in ancient Indian spiritual practices, but in the modern mindset, it is an exercise.
Yoga seems like it could be difficult, but the majority of the videos take the time to ease the viewer into the techniques. The most accessible from this genre was “Yoga for Beginners” and “Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown.”
In looking at the various videos for this article, a surprising subgenre of work out videos quickly made itself apparent. Pregnancy Workouts. I honestly did not know that such things existed.
I had assumed that exercise would be dangerous for the baby, not so according to the various videos in this category. Exercise during pregnancy can aid in the development of the fetus and reduce the damage done to the mother’s body during childbirth, as well as alleviate stretch marks.
“Yoga Pregnancy: Pre and Post Natal Workouts” seemed like a good video. It was very basic and easy to understand, but as a male, I may not be the best judge.
Many of the videos from the various genres fall into a category of rather questionable content. These are the videos that teach things such as various pole-dancing techniques and belly dancing. These videos could possibly get a person fired for watching them at work.
The main fault of these videos is that they have attractive women in skimpy outfits teaching the dances instead of the one person that everyone who watches workout videos wants to see. In fact, the greatest shortcoming of all of the videos was that most of them lacked Richard Simmons.
If there is one thing that everyone must know about workout videos, it is that Richard Simmons is the god of the genre. The man is skilled, and can teach the techniques in an easy to replicate manner, but that is not why he is the genre god.
He is genuinely entertaining. He has a large amount of screen charisma that is only matched by his seemingly endless amount of energy.
When I was a child, the woman who ran the daycare center I stayed at would put tapes on for us to watch. The most popular video among a group of three to six years olds was a Richard Simmons tape. The man beat out Barney in that daycare. True story.
(11/28/12 11:00pm)
On Saturday, Nov. 17, the Big House Museum hosted the fourth annual Fly South Music Festival, an outdoor music festival originally started by Bragg Jam, which began at 3 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m.
Several bands, including Mathis Brothers, the Travis Denning Band, Lingo, Flannel Church and Saint Francis, took the stage over the course of the day to entertain the guests at the Big House.
The Big House is the museum about the Allman Brothers Band and is set in the home they once lived in.
Lisa McLendon, Executive Director of the Big House was excited at the opportunity to host the event this year.
She has served on the committee of previous Fly South festivals and was presented with the opportunity to host it at the Big House.
New Town has hosted the event the previous two years, but due to their usual venue being located near a construction area, the Big House took over management of the event this year.
McLendon was glad that this year’s event was a success and is already looking towards hosting it again in the future.
“We’ve taken it over, so it’s ours now. Which is a good thing,” McLendon said.
McLendon added, “I have nothing against the previous organizations. They are fabulous organizations. I just think that it is a good marriage. With us being a music based museum, it just kind of makes sense for us to be doing it this year and we are just thrilled that it is going to continue.”
E.J. Devokaitis, the curator and archivist of the Big House, says that the museum is lucky to get such talented performers for these events.
He feels that this is due to its heritage in music community.
“Being part of the music community, we already have relationships with the music industry, managers, booking agents, so we know a lot of people. When it comes time to do an event, we reach out to our friends first and see who can come play,” Devokaitis said.
Flannel Church is one example. Flannel Church’s drummer and front man, Duane Trucks, is the brother of Allman Brothers’ guitarist, Derek Trucks.
Some of the bands that preformed were: Travis Denning Band and Flannel Church.
The Travis Denning Band is still a young band. This band showed skill in combining modern southern rock with classic country.
Their cover of the classic John Anderson country song, “Seminole Wind” was especially crowd-pleasing.
They brought modern Southern Rock elements to a classic song.
Flannel Church performed original material.
Every member of the band performed to their highest potential throughout the performance.
The first Fly South Music Festival hosted by the Big House seemed to be an overall success.
McLendon said that she and Big House will be evaluating whether to move the festival to a bigger stage in the future, or if it should remain on the Big House premises.
This annual music festival will be held again next November.
The location of the festical and the bands that will perform are still yet to be determined.
(11/28/12 11:00pm)
Featuring a large ensemble cast, “Cloud Atlas” may be the most expensive independent film to date. It is certainly one of the most ambitious. The 172-minute film features an outstanding ensemble cast including talented actors such as Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving and Halle Berry.
“Cloud Atlas” is a difficult film to write about. It is complex and at times confusing. It follows six different storylines, each set in a different time period. The stories range from a tale about a 19th-century sea voyage to cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic futures. The film follows different characters as they are reincarnated and interact with each other in different timelines. Their roles are often different, as are their gender and race. The interconnected nature of the six stories reflects the interactions of the characters. The main character of each particular segment reads, listens or watches some sort of record pertaining to the segment preceding theirs. One point that the film explores is the way that the lives and actions of different people affect others and the world around them.
The cast for this film is outstanding. Most of the actors play at least six different characters as the film progresses. Tom Hanks manages to steal the show in every scene he is in. All of his characters are interesting and grab the viewer’s attention. He is especially good in the first and last segments. These two performances greatly show his versatility as an actor. Halle Berry is also excellent in her roles, giving strong performances leading two of the segments.
Jim Sturgess and Jim Broadbent both give excellent performances as well. Broadbent shows the most comedic ability from the entire cast in the segment he stars in. Hugo Weaving is great in his roles, one of which will make you laugh out loud when you see him. The character he plays in the post-apocalyptic future segment is one of the most unique roles in his career. Korean actress Bae Doona delivers a dynamite performance in her roles. She is especially good in leading the cyberpunk segment of the story. She has the majority of the screen time in this segment and the progression and development that her character goes through is especially interesting.
The visual effects of the film are stunning. Each time period the film takes place in has its own visual motif and style that stands out as unique and memorable. The design of the city Neo-Seoul in the cyberpunk segments is breathtaking, harkening back to famous books and films in the genre, including “Blade Runner” and “Neuromancer.”
The costume and makeup work was also extremely effective in the film. Despite how well it looks, the makeup has received some criticism. This is because makeup and prosthetics are used to portray white actors as Korean, and Korean actress Bae Doona as white. This casting choice was made so that the reincarnation motif would be more apparent. However, it has been met with some criticism by people regarding it as racist.
The 172-minute film has amazing pacing and does not feel like a long movie. “Cloud Atlas” is one of the most unique films to come along in recent memory. It is well worth watching. Opinions on the film may be polarizing: some viewers may be turned off by its complex and intricate plot, or intimidated by the sheer number of characters it boasts. The film will certainly make the viewer think as the plot unfolds and the relations between the stories are revealed. Hopefully people will take the time to view it and see for themselves.
(11/28/12 11:00pm)
The Mathis Brothers, the Travis Denning Band, Lingo, Flannel Church and Saint Francis performed at the Fly South Music Festival. The Cluster was able to catch three of the bands after their performances for interviews.
The Travis Denning Band consists of singer and guitarist Travis Denning, guitarist Josh Graff, bassist Jake Johnson and drummer Brad Sorrell. This Middle Georgia group performs what they call “homegrown American music,” combining country, blues and southern rock. When asked how their group formed, Travis replied with a laugh that he “tried to get the best players available and these were the only people left over.” The members had actually played together in various performances before forming the band.
“At heart we are an alternative country band,” Denning says, explaining that they are influenced by a wide variety of music. They are fans of everything from blues and country to jam bands. They will be appearing at the Hummingbird on Nov. 30, after which they plan to go on tour in 2013. Their music is available on iTunes.
Lingo, the third band to play at the Fly South Festival, tries to blend various genres of music to create a sound all their own. They draw heavily from many genres, pulling together the guitar riffs of classic rock bands, a Latin beat and an excellent New Orleans jazz undertone to create something unique.
When asked about the meaning of the band’s name, Justin and Alex Tramble reveal a humorous story about its origin. “One day we looked at a dictionary,” Justin begins, “We were carrying it down the stairs to pick the name of the band. It was, like, ceremonial. He [Alex] tripped down the stairs and the dictionary fell open. We bent down to pick it up and Lingo just stood out.”
“It was highlighted,” Alex adds with a laugh.
Lingo is currently on tour. “We do a lot of regional stuff,” Justin Tramble says. The band is currently touring primarily in the southeast. More information on Lingo can be found at their website, lingomusic.net, and on Facebook and iTunes.
Flannel Church was the fourth band to perform at Fly South. They are made up of an eclectic group of people who possess a strong sense of humor. The group includes drummer and front man Duane Trucks, bassist Kevin Scott, guitarist Gregory Hodges and vocalist Marshal Ruffin. When asked about how their group was formed, Trucks replied jokingly that they used Adult Friend Finder. “We were looking for Swingles. Swingles that were ready to mingl,” Trucks said.
The band was actually formed through several jam sessions between various members of the group, many of whom had played with Col. Bruce Hampton in Atlanta. The name originates from an avant-garde group of which they were once a part.
Trucks describes their inspiration as “mostly what, Tim McGraw or Alan Parsons? We’ll say both.” The band members were a hilarious group to speak with. This sense of humor certainly made the frigid November weather at the festival more bearable.
They hope to record an album soon and plan to go on tour in the near future. Flannel Church can be followed on Facebook and on their site, flannelchurch.com.
(11/28/12 11:00pm)
The latest installment of the James Bond films centers on Bond confronting a cyber-terrorist named Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) as he attempts to exact revenge on M (Judi Dench). The film has a heavy focus on M’s relationship with Bond, as it is mirrored by her history with Silva. M is portrayed as a mother figure for Bond and Silva, who wants revenge after M abandoned him years ago. He feels like a child who has been abandoned by his mother, and he basically says as much.
The cast in this film is phenomenal. Daniel Craig turns in a surprisingly complex performance as Bond. His previous outings have shown Bond to be a coldblooded assassin. This time, he is a much more complex character who is attempting to understand what direction he should take in his life.
M is faced with a similar decision. Judi Dench has played M since “GoldenEye” in 1995. This time she gives M a worn but resolved persona. She is tired of the life she leads but understands that there are few others who could perform her duties as well as she can. Dench is a great actress and this is one of the strongest performances of her career.
Raoul Silva may be one of the greatest Bond villains of all time. Javier Bardem is mesmerizing in this role. The manic, unhinged nature of Silva is a stark contrast to the cool-headed Bond. Bardem’s subtle mannerisms contrast the hammy, over-the-top nature of Silva, adding complexity to the character.
Ralph Fiennes and Naomi Harris both turn in strong performances. Harris has great screen chemistry with Craig and the banter between the two is very enjoyable. Fiennes is great as well, though his character, Gareth Mallory, does not leave a huge impression due to his limited screen time.
The soundtrack is among the best of the Bond franchise. The classic Bond theme is still prevalent in many scenes, but the film also features a remade version that adds a modern twist to the theme. Adele performs the theme song, “Skyfall.” The song is a soulful and brassy song that can easily hold its own with the classic Shirley Bassey Bond themes.
This film was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the franchise. “Skyfall” is a film about nostalgia and the passage of time. It features many callbacks to the early Bond films, including the Aston Martin DB5 spy car from “Goldfinger.” Even the theme song is a callback to the older films.
“Skyfall” may also be the most thematically strong film in the franchise. Both Bond and M are forced to confront their age and the fact that the world around them has changed. Bond is forced to confront the fact that he is getting older and that his methods may no longer work in the modern age. His grim resolve to continue is contrasted by Silva’s insanity and embracement of modern technology. He shows Bond that with a few keystrokes he can do more damage than Bond could in months. Bond and M are referred to as relics of the Cold War era, obsessed with playing in the shadows and using outdated forms of subterfuge. The film uses M’s defense of her methods to point out that their methods of espionage may be even more relevant today than they were in the Cold War. The enemies of the modern wars are faceless terrorists obscured by shadows instead of large and powerful nations.
“Skyfall” is not only a great James Bond movie; it is also a great movie. The film is strong enough to appeal even to those who are not fans of the franchise. As a standalone film, it is still extremely enjoyable. As a James Bond movie, “Skyfall” represents the culmination of 50 years of Bond’s exploits.
(11/07/12 11:00pm)
On Saturday, Nov. 3, Historic Macon hosted its half-price flea market. This is the second flea market that Historic Macon has had this year. The first flea market was their main sale and was held on Oct. 20. The first flea market was much larger and had a larger selection of items for sale. The second sale gave people a chance to look through the remaining items to see if there was anything that interested them.
The proceeds from the sale went toward Historic Macon. All of the items at the flea market were donations from people from around the area.
Jennifer Mayer, the Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator at Historic Macon, said that this was the 35th annual flea market fundraiser. Mayer also reports that this year’s turnout was the biggest yet.
The proceeds from the sale will go to meet the various needs of Historic Macon. The majority of the funds raised will be used for revitalizing the Beall’s Hill neighborhood near Mercer University.
The flea market has a permanent location year round so that they can take donations and spend the year sorting and pricing items. Mayer estimated that this year they had thousands of items in several different departments. Historic Macon received more furniture this year than they had the space for. Fortunately, the person who gave them a permanent location also provided them with a separate space for furniture.
At Saturday’s sale, Mayer was pleased with this year’s flea market and said, “I think we’ve done really well this year as a whole. This is our biggest sale yet and we had a lot of it go a few weeks ago at the sale, but we have some good things left and I think people are taking them.”
The flea market was quite busy Saturday with people browsing the various tables for wares. Historic Macon staff and volunteers assisted the customers with whatever help they needed.
Pat Donnelly has been working at the flea market sales for 20 years and enjoys the group experience. Donnelly said, “It is great teamwork. Everyone just sort of falls in and knows what they are supposed to do.” She agreed that this year probably had the largest turnout to date.
Donnelly admitted that organizing all of the people involved can be difficult at times. “Everyone has their own way of doing things and you just have to get used to it,” she said.
Janice Haley, another Historic Macon employee, has been involved with Historic Macon for 30 years and has been an employee for the past six. She was pleased to see all of the people involved with the sale return each year and felt this year was a success.
Haley was especially happy that much of the proceeds will go towards Beall’s Hill neighborhood. As a local resident, she appreciated the work that Historic Macon and Mercer University have put into restoring older neighborhoods and making them safe places to live.
According to Historic Macon, the 35th annual sale was a success. Historic Macon hopes to continue to grow and sell more items each year. Anyone interested in donating items or volunteering should contact Historic Macon at the Sydney Lanier Cottage, or call at 478-742-5084 for more information.