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What are your Halloween costume plans?
I kind of want to do the old white-sheet-as-a-ghost costume. It's the old Americana, cliché costume that you see in cartoons, but you don't really see anybody wearing it anymore.
—Lena Withers, Loveland, Colo., graduate student
Wednesday Addams. I think it would be interesting and stand out from the other costumes. I didn't plan on buying the costume until I saw it at a store and tried it on. It fit perfectly, so I got it.
—Sarah True, Shawnee senior
I'm going to be Artie's girlfriend because Artie from The Adventures of Pete & Pete is awesome and everyone would want to date him. It's going to be homemade, so I gotta find some tights and the glasses.
—Corinne Depperschmidt, Wichita sophomore
Sarah Palin. I want to do something buzzworthy, and it's projected to be the most popular costume this year.I'm making it myself because its easy: blazer, skirt, heels and a fake rifle. —Laura Kelly, Lenexa junior
I want to be a robot because it looks super legit. It'd definitely be homemade because all you need to do is take a cardboard box and tape some aluminum foil on it.
—Kelsie Lange, Lawrence sophomore
I'm going to be a boxer because one, they're badass and two,the only thing I'd have to buy is a pair of blow-up gloves.I already have shorts,a sports bra and my bathrobe—just in case it gets cold. Tasha Parman,Derby senior
I'm going to be a cat because cats look sweet, but if you get on their bad side they can attack you. Just like me.
—Courtney James, Kansas City, Mo., freshman
—Derek Zarda
I'm going to be a police officer, because I think it's really sexy to put someone in handcuffs.
Jillayne Buckhalton, Overland Park freshman
MOVIE: W.
Oliver Stone's W. was supposed to be the film that broke the recent flop-fest that political films have been going through in the past few months. It's my guess, however, that W. will simply be joining the list of reasons why studios need to stick to escapist action and horror flicks for the next year.
W boasts an all-star cast featuring Josh Brolin as Dubya, James Cromwell as Bush Sr., Jeffery Wright as Colin Powell, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney.The movie alternates between the years of Dubya's rise to power and his tenure as president. It shows his partying days, in which he is protrayed as having a serious drinking problem—as well as the Bush family dynamic, which pushes him to run for governor and eventually to president.
The movie garners laughs and has some serious moments, but overall felt like it couldn't decide what kind of film it wanted to be. Some of the actors have admirable character performances, but the use of hyper-mannerisms and well-known Bushisms made many of the portrayals feel more like you were watching an SNL parody rather than a serio-comic biography.
Jeffery Wright as Colin Powell and James Cromwell as H.W. both turn in excellent performances. The movie doesn't portray Dubya as a malicious, power-hungry socialite, but instead as an ignorant, good-hearted stooge who desires his father's respect and who was manipulated by those around him, specifically by Dick Cheney. Oliver Stone missed the mark with this one. If you want to see a solid political film by Stone, rent JFK.
Miller Davis
MOVIE: Body of Lies
Body of Lies is a modern-day political thriller set in the Middle East and Europe. The story follows covert intelligence officer Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his struggle to bring down the deadly terrorist leader Al-Saleem. Ferris is run by Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), the reigning czar of black-ops in the Middle East for the CIA. Every day Ferris must track, torture and kill suspected terrorists, all the while unsure if he can trust those he is working with or if he is even able to rely on his boss. Hoffman is portrayed as a loving family man in his personal life, but an unflinching leader in an organization that has no oversight and very little accountability. Ferris must ultimately decide if he is willing to sell his soul for the safety and good of his country.
Ridley Scott directed this very capable thriller that takes a few predictable turns, but generally keeps the tension high and the audience guessing. Several scenes are especially exciting, including a high-speed helicopter chase and a clandestine pick-up in the middle of the desert. DiCaprio turns in a characteristically strong performance, but Crowe steals the show with a performance that simmers with spookiness
Body of Lies shows the power and ability of the government through its technology,
but the film also presents the scary possibility that, despite all of our technology,the government may still be fairly powerless in the face of terrorism. It asks not only the question, "Who watches the watchmen?" but also "What if the watchmen are no longer effective?"
If you enjoyed movies like Munich, Rendition, or Syriana, you will enjoy Body of Lies.
—Miller Davis
October 23,2008
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