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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2015
PAGE.5
arts & features
HOROSCOPES
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Today is a 7
Squeel on the urge to overspend.
Rely on your teammates to meet a deadline. A female has the numbers. Associates provide valuable input today and tomorrow.
Acknowledge it. Consider the situation objectively for a wonderful discovery. Coast to victory
discovery. Coast to victory.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Today is a 7
An old method doesn't work in a new situation. Discuss creative, practical options with an expert. Make sure you get the instructions straight. Attend to career goals today and tomorrow. Verify account balances. Minimize the risks.
Harmony increases. The next couple of days are good for financial planning and research. Balance the books. Don't waste money on frivolities. Keep some back. An old method doesn't work. Try something new. Seize an opportunity.
Conditions look good for travel and study today and tomorrow. Get household chores out of the way first. Recuse yourself, in a conflict of interests. Don't gossip. Put your head down and get into your work.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Today is an 8
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Today is an 8
Take deep breaths when confronting a barrier. Your partner gets creative. Work together and gain more than expected over the next few days. Don't forget the bottom line. Divvy up proceeds according to your plan. Invest in your
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Today is a 7
savings.
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Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Today is an 8
today is an 8
Don't talk about your work, just do it. The pace is getting more intense. The excellent job you've been doing reflects well on you.
You bring ideas back down to earth. Avoid chatter and keep a calm Carlo dimm
deadline. Carpe diem.
Libra (Sept. 23-0ct. 22)
Today is a 7
Put your heart and talents into your work. Intellect and emotions contribute to the quality. Fun and play are the key elements for professional discovery. Postpone discussions and meetings. Immer yourself in your game.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Today is a 6
afterwards.
Home attracts like a magnet today and tomorrow. Enjoy domesticity. Don't talk back or overspend. Do what you promised. An argument would be a waste of precious time. Get into some fun, and clean up afterwards.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Today is a 7
Relax. Craft your words, but don't deliver them yet. Consider what you want to say. Study and write over the next two days, from home if possible. Work could interfere with travel. Family can help.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Today is an 8
Send invoices and pay bills.
Take action to correct a financial misunderstanding or breakdown.
Don't make expensive promises.
Trust your intuition. Wait for results.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Today is an 8
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Ped. 18)
Today is an 8
The work you do now pays later.
Get assertive without stepping on anyone. Avoid provoking jealousies. Stick to your budget. Don't make purchases just yet.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Today is a 6
Take quiet time for yourself today and tomorrow. Allow your thoughts to wander. Devote extra care to your physical well-being. Pamper yourself with peace and beauty.
Aimee's Coffeehouse, 1025A Massachusetts St., is currently working on implementing a dinner show that would happen once every two weeks or so.
AIMEE'S FROM PAGE 1
will be small and intimate for shows. Some of the shows might be interactive for the audience, and some may take place in a small, 15x5-foot space at one end of the venue.
JILL STIVERSON/KANSAN
Zimmerman envisions dinner theater shows at
Aimee's as after-hours events that include gourmet food, coat check and valet parking. He said he hopes the dinner theater will allow attendees to have a luxurious experience at an affordable price.
Strong and Zimmerman will begin searching for sponsors to fund the project very soon.
The frequency and the amount of shows to be held at Aimee's will depend on how much support comes from the community. Strong said he encourages community members to share recommendations and thoughts pertaining to the dinner theater with the South
Mass Art Guild.
We're in the investigative stages," Strong said. "Wed love the support from the community"
"I think it's really important that we pay attention, and if not preserve, (then) enjoy local downtown businesses while they're still here, because
they won't be here forever; Zimmerman said. "Aimee's is one of those really, really special places that means a lot to a lot of people."
— Edited by Samantha Darling
Lots of sex in dull romance of 'Fifty Shades'
ALEX LAMB
@Lambcannon
The offensive thing about the "Fifty Shades of Grey" movie is that after all the hullabaloo surrounding its sexual content — from think pieces decrying the characters' relationship to the fact that the film brings BDSM (bondage, dominance, sadism and masochism) to mainstream audiences — the final product is, in reality, pretty tame.
The unique element "Fifty Shades" has going for it is that sex scenes make up approximately 20 minutes
of the two-hour runtime, but only a few of them are legitimately kinky. The "Red Room of Pain" isn't utilized until close to the end, and despite giving a look at all sorts of tools and devices housed there, nothing particularly subversive or exciting actually gets used.
Most of the sex scenes are filmed pretty basically as well, lacking in creative ability and translating the energy of how it feels ineffectively. Rather than ignite the senses, these predominantly show sex in a standard manner, frequently forgetting to take advantage of the power that
close-ups and smart editing can provide.
As for the rest of this "erotic romance," well, it certainly bears the weaknesses of its origins.
Here, the narrative is excessively simple. Mysterious 27-year-old
Author E. L. James first penned the "Fifty Shades" books as "Twilight" fan fiction, and the story and characterization certainly feel like amateur fantasy writing. I would never advocate for Nicholas Sparks, but at least things happen in his plots and his characters receive far more development.
UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND FOCUS FEATURES/ASSOCIATED PRESS In this image released by Universal Pictures and Focus Features, Dakota Johnson, left, and Jamie Dornan appear in a scene from the film "Fifty Shades of Grey."
billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) takes a slightly stalkerish interest in shy college senior Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) after she interviews him. They're both intensely attracted to each other, but she has no sexual experience and wants a real relationship. On the other hand, he is committed to BDSM and wants a strictly sexual relationship, with her as the submissive and him as the dominant. The main conflict revolves around whether she'll sign a contract agreeing to this arrangement as they both push their personal limits, which, in execution, doesn't exactly make for compelling filmmaking.
At least Kelly Marcell's screenplay smoothes out a lot of the rough edges that made the relationship in the book so objectionable. Christian doesn't come off as a violent abuser here, and though he's still controlling, that's toned down as well.
Dornan and Johnson hold a palpable chemistry together, sexually charged but dramatically weak. Johnson relies far too much on her lip-biting move, but manages to give a surface amount of emotion for viewers to invest in her surprise, nervousness and particularly her pleasure. Dornan broods around and musters up enough
creepiness and jealousy to pass as a character with a few different sides, but falls short in bringing interesting personality to him.
Director Sam Taylor-Johnson handles needed moments of humor with a satisfying straightforwardness, from a drunk dial to the explicit dissection of Anastasia's sexual contract, while leaving room for awkward chuckles from the audience after lines that are too ridiculous to take seriously. However, many of the passionate moments bare a simplicity or distance in delivery. In a story all about pushing intimate boundaries, that's disappointing, especially when the climactic turning point involving those boundaries fails to feel like a big deal to the audience.
Ultimately, the wealth of sexual content adds up to primarily softcore pornography and just teases of kinkier and more provocative sex, with a fairly plain, unremarkably rendered fantasy romance surrounding it. That can still make for a hot and heavy time and put viewers in the mood, but there's little cinematic merit to "Fifty Shades of Grey" beyond that.
Edited by Kayla Schartz
QUICK QUESTION
Chloe Hays and Katie Norris are close friends and locals. This year they are freshman roommates at the University. The Kansan caught up with them and talked about their first year at the University.
What has been one of the hardest parts about coming to the University for you so far?
"For me, since I grew up here, it's kind of difficult being in the same place for so long. It would have been kind of nice to have a change."
CHLOE HAYS Freshman from Lawrence
"I think a harder class load compared to high school, and I would agree with Chloe about the hometown part, too."
KATIE NORRIS Freshman from Lawrence
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