Watching girls scream themselves into a frenzy as a werewolf rips his shirt off, I wanted to remind this vampire harem of teenage girls that they were not at a Jonas Brothers’ concert. Rather, they were in the lobby of the movie theater and, sadly, the same theater I was at last Friday evening. I was however, in a tiny minority, as I wasn’t buying a ticket to the new Twilight film, New Moon.
The current Twilight rage has me both confused and disgusted. Since when are blood-sucking immortals and werewolves the object of screaming adoration and obsession? I cannot comprehend how fangs, freakishly pale complexions and appetites for blood are sexy. Now, I realize I grew up during the boy-band generation of Hanson and Backstreet Boys, but at least we were attracted to humans.
The New Moon movie trailer seems to be on repeat on every channel, and I am sick of listening, reading and seeing interviews probing Robert Pattinson on his love life.
I couldn’t care less who is on team Edward or team Jacob, and I can’t wait until the Twilight phase is submerged into the dead dark of night.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Big Bang Theory
Lately, nerdy physicists victimized by obsessive-compulsive disorders and a phobia of speaking to women have dominated my television set. With sarcasm, obscure ideas and outrageous behavior, CBS’s “Big Bang Theory” has captured my attention and I’m loving it.
Currently airing its third season, “Big Bang Theory” features brilliant but socially dysfunctional physicists, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons). Along with their friends, Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), the scientists are perfectly content in their nerdy, womanless, comic book world until Penny (Kaley Cuoco) moves next door. Beautiful and carefree, Penny offers them a challenge of understanding the opposite sex and confronting “normal” social interactions. These adventures, along with Leonard’s persistent love for Penny, offer continually refreshing episodes filled with well-written script and hilarious acting.
The last episode I watched was entitled, “The Gothowitz Deviation.” Walowitz and Koothrappali visit a Goth club and try to attract gothic women by displaying their dark side and faking tattoos. Meanwhile, Leonard and Penny are finally dating, and Sheldon tries to use positive reinforcement to train Penny to behave the way he would like. At one point, Leonard objects this by saying, “Sheldon, you can’t train my girlfriend like a lab rat!” Sheldon replies, “Actually, it turns out I can.”
It is scenarios such as this that make the show so entertaining. These nerdy characters have such vibrant, quirky personalities with their sole reliance on science, Sheldon’s need for consistency, and Wolowitz’s misguided obsession with finding a girlfriend..
Jim Parsons is particularly talented. Playing the most intelligent and aloof geek of the bunch, Parson’s delivers his lines with straight-faced wit. It’s almost as if he becomes this Spock-obsessed character and truly cannot sense sarcasm, must organize his cereal by fiber content, and has to sit in the same spot on the couch every time he sits down.
It’s amazing Parsons doesn’t laugh when delivering his lines, but perhaps it is the seriousness of Sheldon that makes him so funny to viewers. His character’s insanity is wildly entertaining (although Sheldon would argue differently: “I’m not insane, my mother had me tested.”)
The only character that doesn’t have me bursting with laughter is Penny. While there is nothing particularly wrong with her character or Cuoco’s acting, Penny is written too stereotypically. A gorgeous, ditzy blonde who works as a waitress while aspiring to become an actress seems too standard for the typically witty writing of “Big Bang Theory.” It seems as though Penny’s primary role on the show is playing a normal, mediocre person to contrast these genius, extreme personalities of the four men.
“Big Bang Theory” has an appeal for all audiences. Everyone possesses quirks and nerd-qualities to some extent, and to see them played up to an extreme is wonderfully entertaining. It is truly the show’s characters that form the appealing foundation of the show, and clever writing simply adds to it. “Big Bang Theory” is worth taking the time to watch and will leave you chuckling and wanting to find some physicist buddies.
Currently airing its third season, “Big Bang Theory” features brilliant but socially dysfunctional physicists, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons). Along with their friends, Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), the scientists are perfectly content in their nerdy, womanless, comic book world until Penny (Kaley Cuoco) moves next door. Beautiful and carefree, Penny offers them a challenge of understanding the opposite sex and confronting “normal” social interactions. These adventures, along with Leonard’s persistent love for Penny, offer continually refreshing episodes filled with well-written script and hilarious acting.
The last episode I watched was entitled, “The Gothowitz Deviation.” Walowitz and Koothrappali visit a Goth club and try to attract gothic women by displaying their dark side and faking tattoos. Meanwhile, Leonard and Penny are finally dating, and Sheldon tries to use positive reinforcement to train Penny to behave the way he would like. At one point, Leonard objects this by saying, “Sheldon, you can’t train my girlfriend like a lab rat!” Sheldon replies, “Actually, it turns out I can.”
It is scenarios such as this that make the show so entertaining. These nerdy characters have such vibrant, quirky personalities with their sole reliance on science, Sheldon’s need for consistency, and Wolowitz’s misguided obsession with finding a girlfriend..
Jim Parsons is particularly talented. Playing the most intelligent and aloof geek of the bunch, Parson’s delivers his lines with straight-faced wit. It’s almost as if he becomes this Spock-obsessed character and truly cannot sense sarcasm, must organize his cereal by fiber content, and has to sit in the same spot on the couch every time he sits down.
It’s amazing Parsons doesn’t laugh when delivering his lines, but perhaps it is the seriousness of Sheldon that makes him so funny to viewers. His character’s insanity is wildly entertaining (although Sheldon would argue differently: “I’m not insane, my mother had me tested.”)
The only character that doesn’t have me bursting with laughter is Penny. While there is nothing particularly wrong with her character or Cuoco’s acting, Penny is written too stereotypically. A gorgeous, ditzy blonde who works as a waitress while aspiring to become an actress seems too standard for the typically witty writing of “Big Bang Theory.” It seems as though Penny’s primary role on the show is playing a normal, mediocre person to contrast these genius, extreme personalities of the four men.
“Big Bang Theory” has an appeal for all audiences. Everyone possesses quirks and nerd-qualities to some extent, and to see them played up to an extreme is wonderfully entertaining. It is truly the show’s characters that form the appealing foundation of the show, and clever writing simply adds to it. “Big Bang Theory” is worth taking the time to watch and will leave you chuckling and wanting to find some physicist buddies.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Taste of the Big Apple Pizza
Pizza is an essential component of a college student’s diet. Therefore, as a self-declared pizza-connoisseur, I set out to visit Taste of the Big Apple Pizza last Friday evening.
Located in a newly-developed part of downtown, it is in a loft-style building that’s modern and open. The interior has brightly painted walls and is decorated with NYC pictures and memorabilia, giving the restaurant a big city energy and atmosphere. On this particular Friday night, there was a live jazz musician playing to a large crowd of all ages.
Despite Big Apple Pizza’s busy night, my six friends and I were seated almost immediately. The menu offers a number of specialty pizzas along with pasta dishes, gyros and calzones. Three of us split a large “Beach Bum,” which is a Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza.
A tough critic of my personal favorite, this pizza surpassed my expectations. Generous heapings of pineapple and cooked to perfection, the pizza really was phenomenal. The other people I was with shared “The New Yorker,” which is ultimately a meat-lover’s pizza. This pizza also appeared to have mounds of hamburger and sausage and received raving reviews.
My one complaint about my Big Apple experience was the loudness of the restaurant. The talented jazz musician certainly added entertainment, but for a relatively small venue, it became too hard to hear when the keyboard and drums were both being played. I found myself finally able to hear conversation at the other end of the table between the musician’s sets.
But, if a loud dinner atmosphere doesn’t bother you, Taste of the Big Apple Pizza is undoubtedly a great pick for a Friday night out. The food is fantastic and comes in large servings, so come hungry and enjoy a refreshingly energetic pizza joint.
Located in a newly-developed part of downtown, it is in a loft-style building that’s modern and open. The interior has brightly painted walls and is decorated with NYC pictures and memorabilia, giving the restaurant a big city energy and atmosphere. On this particular Friday night, there was a live jazz musician playing to a large crowd of all ages.
Despite Big Apple Pizza’s busy night, my six friends and I were seated almost immediately. The menu offers a number of specialty pizzas along with pasta dishes, gyros and calzones. Three of us split a large “Beach Bum,” which is a Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza.
A tough critic of my personal favorite, this pizza surpassed my expectations. Generous heapings of pineapple and cooked to perfection, the pizza really was phenomenal. The other people I was with shared “The New Yorker,” which is ultimately a meat-lover’s pizza. This pizza also appeared to have mounds of hamburger and sausage and received raving reviews.
My one complaint about my Big Apple experience was the loudness of the restaurant. The talented jazz musician certainly added entertainment, but for a relatively small venue, it became too hard to hear when the keyboard and drums were both being played. I found myself finally able to hear conversation at the other end of the table between the musician’s sets.
But, if a loud dinner atmosphere doesn’t bother you, Taste of the Big Apple Pizza is undoubtedly a great pick for a Friday night out. The food is fantastic and comes in large servings, so come hungry and enjoy a refreshingly energetic pizza joint.
Welcome!
I'm an Augustana student in Sioux Falls, SD. I have never blogged before and am starting as a project for one of my journalism classes. I love to read, eat, watch reality television, and do crossword puzzles. Someday when I have to grow up I'd like to be a librarian. Consequently, a good portion of my blog will be restaurant and book reviews with some random musings in between. Enjoy!
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