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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
FIGHTING REVIEW AND INTERVIEW WITH ZULAY HENAO
By Philippe Buteau
Copy Editor
I like fighting. And what do you know a movie comes that is all about that.
Channing Tatum, the twinkle-toed marvel from the original “Step Up,” plays as Shawn MacArthur a New York City bootlegger with a mean hit. Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) notices his right hook and gives him an opportunity to earn extra money fighting.
The story serves its purpose just fine, namely not getting in the way of the fist-to-cheek action. He fights, he gets paid, he fights, he gets paid more then he fights the final boss. MacArthur’s background is interesting, but the movie spends a bit too much time for my liking teasing something in his past which in turn takes away from the fighting.
I would have much rather learned more about Boarden, the used-to-be-big time hustler from Chicago. I don’t know how people from Chicago speak, but if Howard told me that they speak like his character, then I’d believe him. He delivered his lines with a voice and cadence that at first seemed annoying, but grew on me as I found out more about Boarden’s style and the kind of person he is.
The actual fighting in “Fighting” is bada**. The hits sound like they have real weight, and the reactions from the one hit add to that. I wish I could say more about how much I like the fights unfortunately there weren’t enough of them to talk about. Barely a handful of fights lightly sprinkled into a two-hour movie. Sure, I wouldn’t want them overdone but a little more would’ve made me happier.
Although the story stays out of the fighting’s way, the lovey-dovey stuff between MacArthur and Zulay Valez, played by Zulay Henao, is obtrusive. Throughout the movie they feel unnecessary and like something Montiel felt had to go in. The conversations between MacArthur and Boarden during the long no fighting moments add much more.
The fighting in this movie is sick, simple as that. I only wished the movie knew that or was more confident in it.
Interview with Zulay Henao
Zulay Henao, plays Zulay Valez in Rogue Picture’s upcoming movie “Fighting.” The following is an interview that I had with the actress prior to the film’s release.
Q: Your character shares your name. Can you explain how that came to be?
A: The director [Dito Montiel] really liked it and he asked if he could use it and I said yeah because a lot of people didn’t know how to say my name right. So I thought it was a good opportunity to present my name to the world and be like, “This is how you say it.”
Q: So when Shawn McArthur (Channing Tatum) says in the movie, “It’s like ‘July,’” did that come from you?
A: It did. Somebody said that to me when I was trying to tell him how to pronounce my name. He’s like, “Oh so it’s like July but Zulay.” And I said yeah and I was like that’s a good way to tell people when I meet them when they have a problem because it makes sense. So it worked. And I said it to them in the audition room and the director liked the line and he kept it.
Q: Would you prefer if she wasn’t named after you, or does that not really matter?
A: You know what, in the beginning I was like, “Do I really want it to be my name?” But I think ultimately it’ll be to my benefit. And I think it’s a different, unique, interesting name so why not. It’s fine. I never had a problem with it really.
Q: How was working with Channing Tatum?
A: He’s such a nice, genuine, sweet person. It was really fun. I mean obviously he has so much going on and there’s so much that he’s doing it was great for me to have the opportunity to work with him at this point in my career. So it was great.
Q: And Terence Howard?
A: Terence was very interesting to work with. He’s a very focused and intense actor, and I really enjoyed my work with him and watching him work. And it was great. He’s an Academy Award nominee and that’s a plus to work with someone on that level.
Q: Since he’s an Academy Award nominee, did he offer you any sort of advice?
A: He just told me to relax in my work. He told me to trust what I was doing, so I took those words and ran with it. Because he, well they both did, they all put me at ease.
Q: In the production notes you said that Zulay, Shawn, and Harvey strip each other to the bone. What did you mean by that?
I don’t think I was the one that said it.
Sorry.
A: But I think what they mean by that is that when they all meet, I think that they’re all in a very low point in their lives. These people are not people who necessarily would be friends had it not been for this fighting stuff. I don’t think that they would’ve met, or would’ve been friends under different circumstances. So I think what they meant by that is that they ultimately teach each other how to trust and love again and that’s important. Because I think, especially in a city like New York City, you’re beaten down and you’re just doing, doing doing and you’re not seeing the outcome the way you want it to be, you can get really down and low. So this is about them learning to trust each other again and to trust life and to get up from where they are to ultimately achieve their goals.
Q: How was Dito Montiel as a director?
A: He was a free director. He gave us a lot of freedom to make mistakes and to explore our characters. He was a very, very kind person. I think that his personality definitely comes through in his work. And I really loved and enjoyed his first movie [“A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints”] so I was very excited to work with him on this.
Q: What scene do you remember shooting the most?
A: The first scene because I was so nervous. It was the first day. It was the scene Channing and I shot in the park when I go up to him to apologize… to explain to him why I’ve been lying to him. It’s probably one of the most intense scenes for me. Because she’s now in love with this guy and he’s walking away from her. So it was pretty intense and it was the first day of production for me.
Q: Did you learn anything from this movie as an actress?
A: Yes I did. As you go, every job that you do I think you grow a little bit and feel more comfortable and more free to explore yourself, your experiences and what you can bring to the characters.
Q: Do you think viewers can learn anything from this movie?
A: I think aside from all the action and all the fighting sequences people are going to be able to take away something from the individual relationships that these people are making. I think we can all relate to being in a place in our lives where we’re not exactly that happy. I think that we can all relate to those moments. And I think in this movie we’re going to see three characters who are growing and evolving before our eyes and I think that’s going to be really interesting.
Q: You wrapped S. Darko (the sequel to “Donnie Darko”) before starting to shoot “Fighting”?
A: Yeah that was recent. That was last summer.
Q: Did you learn anything from that movie that you applied to “Fighting”?
A: Maybe just the experience of being on-set, but nothing from the movie itself or from the character. Samantha Darko is completely different; she’s a recluse and someone who is very dark. I don’t think Zulay is dark at all in that sense. So not from character to character, but just the experience of being on-set and working with different types of people.
Q: What do you think is the most interesting aspect of “Fighting,” whether it’s the story or the characters?
A: I think it’s that. Of course we’re all going to like the fighting sequences, but I think the underlying truth is that it’s OK to fall down, to make mistakes, and to get back up and try again. I think that’s what the movie is saying, “you have to get back up and just try again.”
Q: Are there any funny behind-the-scenes stories?
A: I keep coming back to the grandmother because I think that’s funny and everybody finds her funny. It’s been a while, so I don’t remember anything specific but working with my grandmother is a lot of fun. She brought a different energy to the set. She was really funny off and on-camera.
Q: She’s your grandmother?
A: No, no, no. [Laughs] My name. My grandmother. [Laughs]
Q: Seeing as Kevin Misher, one of the producers, created “The Fast and the Furious,” do you think “Fighting” has the potential to be that popular.
Friday, April 10, 2009
E-BOOKS HAVE A CHANCE TO DEBUT ON NORTH CAMPUS
Staff Writer
Innovative thinking by a group of three students on North Campus recently caught the Board of trustees by surprise. Every year, beginning in January, the Board of Trustees conducts three of their monthly meetings on each of the Broward College main campuses. At all of these meetings the students from the individual campuses do a presentation to the Board.
Michael Bramwell, Jewel Khan and Micki Racine used a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate a ground-breaking idea to address the issue of textbook affordability. “According to a recent study, the average cost for textbooks is about $120 per class,” Bramwell told the Board. “We are greatly interested in opening a new chapter in the affordability of textbooks for students at Broward College,” he added.
According to Bramwell, the Florida Legislature previously adopted Statute 1004.085 which required that by March 1, 2009 the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors shall each adopt policies, procedures and guidelines for implementation by community colleges and state universities, respectively, that further efforts to minimize the cost of textbooks for students attending these institutions while maintaining the quality of education and academic freedom.
Jewel Khan’s portion of the slide presentation included information about Miami-Dade College and Northwest Missouri State University. “Miami-Dade will be implementing their first e-book (electronic book) program this summer.
Thirty-seven students will be participating in the will have a choice of utilizing iPod Touch or the iPhone. It will allow students to sign in to class and give non-verbal responses to specific question with the flip of a button,” she said. “They will still have to attend class.”
According to Khan, Northwest Missouri State already has an e-book in place which has 500 students in 10 different departments participating. “Those students were provided with a Hewlett Packard (H/P) rental laptop computer, which is ironic because BC already has a contract with H/P,” she said. “The students are charged $10 per credit hour for the use of the laptop.”
Miki Racine, Phi Beta Lambda President, explained to the Board that each student selected the way they would get involved with an e-book program. “With that being said, I would like to introduce you to the new iPhone,” he told the Board. “Some of the features are that it is very flexible, convenient and compact. Books can be downloaded, stored and deleted.”
The next device Racine displayed was the Kindle 2 by Amazon.com. “I had the pleasure of experimenting with the Kindle 2 and I can tell you from my personal experience that it is great,” he said with a big grin on his face. Racine said that this electronic gadget is affordable and books can be downloaded to the Kindle 2 for only $9.99 and it is capable of downloading a vast number of newspapers and periodicals as well.
Racine showed the Board and the audience a brief video presentation describing the features of the Kindle 2. The video stated that there are over 250,000 book titles available on Kindle 2. “Moving on,” Racine said,” you’re probably wondering how this will benefit students. First and foremost is affordability. They create a way for students to save on the cost of textbooks.”
Racine said e-books are environmentally friendly as well. “It took 8.4 million trees to print the Harry Potter books,” he said. “I can download the whole series onto this little device,” he said as he waved the little 10-ounce unit above his head. Before Racine could turn the presentation back to Bramwell, Trustee Sosa-Douglas asked if she could get a hands-on demonstration of the new apparatus and Racine obliged by carrying it over to her. “I’m just blown away by this idea,” she said.
After the Board members took a few minutes passing the small device among themselves, the students were able to resume their presentation. Bramwell resumed by saying, “So, what are we asking for? Well, we’re asking for your endorsement and support for a pilot program for the fall semester of 2009.”
Bramwell said the North Campus English Department has already endorsed the experiment and has gone as far as authorizing e-books for two classes. “ENC 1101 (Prof. Karen Parker) and ENC 1102 (Dr. Tai Houser) will be using the Kindle 2 in their classes,” he said.
Associate Dean Jeffrey Nasse, who was sitting in the audience, told the Board that the English department was already using e-book in some of their classes. “They are much cheaper than traditional textbooks. Professor Parker is currently using one and Dr, Houser is using one as well in his class. These are much more than just reading. There are a lot of interactive activities and videos that go along with this as well. Faculty will decide which devices are appropriate”
Trustee Sosa-Douglass asked “How can we help you make this happen? You certainly have my full support as a Board member.” BC President J. David Armstrong, Jr. responded, “This is a grand experiment that we should explore and let these great faculty members and the students test it out for us and diagnose what bugs it might have and what challenges there are using e-books in our classes.”
A few days after the Board meeting, Dr Houser said he is pleased that the cost to the student will be less that if they were to purchase a traditional textbook. “I think e-books and the effective use of technology in the classroom, properly utilizing blackboard and its features, for instance, is really a great way for the college to become more learning centered,” he said.
“Students are engaged in reading all the time; e-mails, web pages, chat rooms, blogs, video blogs, etc. If 21st Century education is operating in a 19th Century paradigm, then education and educators are missing their primary goal. It’s fun for me because it’s asking me to step out of my comfort zone as an instructor and into a reality that belongs to my students.”
North Campus Provost, Dr. Barbara Bryan said she has always had an interest in finding ways to help students afford their books. She said she recently read a story about North West Missouri’s e-book pilot program and it looked promising. She met with all of the campus organization leaders and asked if there was an interest on the part of BC students.
In response to an e-mail inquiry, wrote, “E-text books are one on the few viable affordability options that colleges can consider. BC’s research study will focus on students and faculty satisfaction with the e-book format and the effectiveness of e-books as teaching and learning tools.”
Kindle 2 Overview
· Simple to Use: no computer, no cables, no sync
· You never have to locate a “hot spot”
· Utilizes EVDO high speed cell phone network
· No monthly wireless bills, service plans or commitments
· Buy a book and it is delivered in less than one minute
· Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback book
· More than 250,000 titles currently available
· More than 1,100 top blogs available
· Holds over 200 titles
· E-mail your Word documents and pictures to Kindle 2
· Top US and International newspapers can be auto delivered
· Has a text to speech feature
· 6-inch screen with 16-level grayscale electronic paper
· Kindle for iPhone allows iPhone and iPod Touch to access Kindle
· Current retail cost from Amazon.com $359
AN EASILY SURVIVABLE SURVIVAL-HORROR
Copy Editor
Imagine if Freddy Krueger entered your dreams and you Muhammad Ali’ed him until the sun came up. Or if the big breasted blond turned around and used Jason Voorhees’ own machete on him.
Despite the fun I had with Resident Evil (RE) 5 that is my major gripe with it, basically, not being horrified of the horrific characters.
I was sent to a town in Africa to capture some guy who I think was a biological terrorist, or maybe my bosses didn’t like his voice as much I. Then I received some information about an old friend and former boss. I had to rescue the former and stop the latter. He’s bad so I had to stop him, I get it. But why did he want to wipe out the human race? Agoraphobia?
BASEBALL A BIG HIT IN THE POLLS
Sports Editor
It was pure excitement.
The Broward baseball team jumped for joy in the locker room when they first learned that they were ranked first in the state, edging out rival Miami-Dade College.
“We’re finally being viewed as one of the top programs in Florida” said sophomore pitcher Joe Mata.
They held their spot strong in the poll for three weeks before MDC recently flip-flopped their spots, leaving Broward at a close second.
But the players aren’t concerned about that, they believe that the only standings that matter are the conference standings.
The Seahawks (12-4, 26-10 overall) are now tied with MDC (12-4, 32-7 overall) for first with four games to go. Broward is ranked thirteenth in the nation, while Dade, ranked fifth, has a little more respect from the national polls.
Both teams have identical records, identical amount of games left and against identical opponents.
Something’s got to give.
If they come out ahead of MDC at the end of the season, they will be awarded a first round bye in the Southern Conference Tournament which starts from April 27 and ends on April 30.
“It’s played out as I exactly expected,” said Seahawks skipper Bob Deutschman, who feels that his team is right there in the thick of things at the final stretch of the season.
Out of those four games remaining, the Seahawks will slug it out with MDC two more times, one at home then one away.
A first round bye could be critical in one of the toughest conferences in the nation. The Southern Conference is one of the few conferences in the state, let alone the country that has two out of the three nationally-ranked squads in the state.
Although they kept the last two games against MDC close, the boys in blue have only managed to outlast Dade once out of their six meetings.
“Up until this last series it was a bit mental with us,” said Deutschman.
He does admit that being swept by MDC in their first couple of series may have been mental, but says that his team has now overcome that.
“They’re good, but we’ve got Dade twice into our style of play which is low scoring,” said Deutschman, who later on uses a basketball term. “We cannot run with them, we have to play a very slow, methodical type of game which is what we did [recently].”
If they manage to keep their games close, they should be in good shape. The Seahawks are 7-2 in games decided by one run.
Despite gaining interest from the national polls, some players still feel like there are still doubters out there.
“We work hard because we don’t have the big name players like everyone else has and we come to the field everyday to get better because we know we have something to prove to everybody else because people still doubt us,” said Third Baseman Patrick Donahue, who is batting .344 with 16 Runs batted in.
Even though both teams are in a tight-lock race, the Seahawks shouldn’t overlook Brevard CC., who they face in their last two games of the season.
Brevard (5-10, 10-22 overall), is one of the weaker teams in the Southern Conference. Brevard gave the Seahawks a hard time last time they met, scoring 17 runs on Broward as they split both meetings.
“We just got to keep playing our style of game. Keep the game close and let someone get that big hit,” said Mata, who is 2-0 with a 1.87 ERA. “That seems to be the winning formula for us this season.”
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