10 A&E

Oct. 14-27, 2013 www.lcc.edu/lookout

Flashdance fails to match movie magic

Sarah Spohn A&E Editor The big hair, the legwarmers, the hair band ballads, all things of the 80s. For being a kid that was born in the 90s, I have a strange fascination with most things that originated a decade before I was even around. So when Flashdance came to the Wharton Center at MSU, it seemed like a safe bet. The curtains opened, revealing sparks of welding at the steel mill, blue work jumpsuits and hard hats. Oddly enough, this seemed to be the only sparks I saw on stage for the remainder of the show. Its always difficult when you have a movie and bring it to life on stage. Duplicating it is risky. The actors nailed the iconic water scene, but not much else. The dancing was good, but not spectacular. Considering dance is in the title, I find it strange that Ive seen many plays at the Wharton with much better dancers. The young actress who played Alex seemed upbeat but didnt display any fire behind her performance. The liveliness was gone and her dancing seemed very rehearsed. And although she might have nailed every step, sequence and spin, it seemed extremely mechanical. The costumes were pale in comparison to the neon

The Flashdance cast performs at the Wharton Center at Michigan State University.

Courtesy photo

colors, tutus, legwarmers and pink lipstick I was expecting. The musical promised a great soundtrack of 80s mega hits, but ultimately let me down in that aspect, too.

One memorable scene did feature Joan Jetts I Love Rock n Roll and, of course, the iconic What A Feeling. But the newly written original songs didnt mesh well with the

others. The lyrics and storyline were hard to follow because the orchestra pit overshadowed and drowned out the actors voices.

The musical Rock of Ages was far better in my opinion. It had stronger singers, spot-on choreographed numbers and outfits that were hilariously realistic. Bottom line: If youre in the mood for a great 80s flashback, pop in the Flashdance VHS tape. If you want a live theater version, find an upcoming show of Rock of Ages; I cant vouch for the movie version, though. I saw a trailer with Tom Cruise and couldnt bring myself to watch it. The stage version, however, is scores better with a great soundtrack, live singers who belt it out loud and proud and plenty of crimped hair, neon legwarmers and guyliner.

King Crossword

New show Marvelous

Jeremy Kohn Staff Writer With the success of last summers blockbuster movie The Avengers, Marvel Entertainment soon announced a spinoff series featuring the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, to air on ABC. Fans became even more elated when writer and director Joss Whedon was named as one of the shows forerunners. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. made its illustrious debut to television on Sept. 24. The show begins with an introduction of how S.H.I.E.L.D has done its best for the past 10 years to keep the secret of superheroes and villains under wraps, but now the truth of their existence has come about. S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention and Logistics Division, and they exist to eliminate possible catastrophes or to clean up unwanted messes that occur in the Marvel Universe. Jumping to the next scene, we are introduced to Agent Ward, played by actor Bret Dalton. Ward enters a briefing room with Agent Hill, who was an agent who appeared in The Avengers. Ward and Hill discussed how the world has changed since the events they refer to as the Battle of New York. During the briefing, they learn of a hacking collective known as the Rising Tide which has been stealing data on artifacts S.H.I.E.L.D. has been searching for. It is during this scene we come to find out that Agent Phil Coulson, played by actor Clark Gregg, did not die at the Battle of New York but is, in fact, alive and well. The S.H.I.E.L.D. team soon discovers an unidentified man with superhuman-like

The Butler serves well

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powers saving a woman from a burning building. While pursuing this unknown target, they find themselves crossing paths with a member of the Rising Tide, a woman named Sky, played by Chloe Bennet. The pilot was a good blend of action and did a good job of setting the groundwork for character development. The acting by Sky and Coulson were the two high-points of the pilot. Whedons trademark wit is written all over this show. I can especially see it in the techie agents Fitz and Simmons, played by Ian DeCaestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge. I think this show will do well with fans of the Marvel Universe and the casual viewer alike, because if Whedon has proven anything, it is his knack of creating shows that touch a spark with an audience.

Lurah Peterson Advertising Manager When walking into the theater to see Lee Daniels The Butler, I knew about the Civil Rights Movement. Walking out, I had a whole new perspective on what happened in our countrys history. Throughout the movie, it was an emotional rollercoaster seeing what people went through from 1930 to 1970. Black people

NCG Eastwood Cinemas Showtimes and info available at: www.NCGmovies.com or (517) 316-9100
2500 Showtime Dr. Lansing, MI 48912

were being treated violently while they were having a peaceful protest. Based on a true story, this eye-opening tale focuses on Cecil, a black man working as a slave owners house butler, who later makes his way to working in the White House. Screenwriter Danny Strong took his inspiration from journalist Wil Haygoods 2008 Washington Post article about Eugene Allen. Cecil, played by Forest Whitaker, went through life being oppressed by white people.

He slowly changed that by working in the White House. During his White House tenure, he works under several presidents, many played by well-known actors. Cecil starts with Dwight Eisenhower (Robin Williams, then moves to John F. Kennedy (James Marsden), Lyndon Johnson (Liev Schreiber), Richard Nixon (John Cusack), Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and finally Ronald Reagan (Alan Rickman). I would recommend watching The Butler.