Thursday March 7, 20l3Serving the Blue Water area since 1931. A public forum by and for students.

Volume 62, Issue 4

More Photos of BWMA Page. 7

IndexCampus................2-3

Community........4-7

Sports......................8

Entertainment......9

Comics..................10

Blue Water Music Awards brings musical community together

“Sure, there was a drunken clown who puked on the red carpet, but that was expected.” That was the case for David Peters, the lead singer for Mountain Babies, but to everyone else at Lynch’s Irish Tavern, the Blue Water Music Awards (BWMA) was a night of unexpected excitement, friendship and a community coming together to appreciate what founder David Whitt calls the cities greatest commodities—the musicians. The BWMA was designed to showcase local musicians to the Port Huron community, while showing some appreciation for the artists and their talents and giving them, as put by the award’s Facebook page, an attaboy and some well-deserved recognition. Local musicians from all around the Port Huron area were selected via ballot to

Fundraiser raises over $5,000 for science museum

St. Clair County Community College President Dr. Kevin Pollock showed off his musical talent Thurs., Feb. 28 during a fundraiser to raise money to expand SC4’s Natural Science Museum on SC4’s Port Huron campus. Sponsored by the SC4 Foundation and Lynch’s Irish Tavern, “The Sounds of SC4 President Dr. Kevin A. Pollock” featured Dr. Pollock singing and playing the acoustic guitar at Lynch’s from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event was free of charge, though donations were encouraged. Lynch’s started off the night with a $500 donation, more than the originally pledged $200. According to David Goetze, Director of College Advancement, Foundation, and Alumni Relations at SC4, the event raised $5,170, well over the $3,000 goal. Of the total, two live auctions raised $1,200; among the items were tickets to a Tigers game on April 27.

Many faculties, alumni, SC4 Foundation members and quite a few members of the Board of Trustees at SC4 came to Lynch’s to support Pollock and help raise money. Some audience members even held up scorecards during the first few songs. Before playing, Pollock said that he was “incredibly nervous” having only performed six times in the last four years. The Natural Science Museum

be nominated for the fifteen awards ranging from Most Obscure Cover to a Lifetime Achievement Award. Many musicians, such as SC4 alumni Alyssa Ferri, who received of the Amateur of the Year Award, expressed pleasant surprise at the turnout. “I felt the turnout was a bit surprising,” Ferri said, “it really is a wonderful thing and hopefully it receives even more support from the community as it does grow.” According to Whitt, the BWMA is intended to be an

annual event. “Next year I see more categories, awards for nominees, as well as trophies for winners.” Whitt explained, “I also see a lot more involvement from the community and the local musicians.” This means readers can expect to see the BWMA joining the expanding list of events hosted in downtown Port Huron, such as the Blue Water Film Festival and the various pub crawls. For musicians, this is an

is the third capital project of the SC4 Foundation’s “All Aboard: Campaign for Talent, Technology, and Tomorrow,” which began Nov. 1, 2011. The Natural Science Museum expansion will be in their current location on the first floor of the Clara E. Mackenzie building. Renovation will improve and expand upon existing displays and some in storage, with signage and surrounding seating for group or individual study. The All Aboard campaign is donation based and focuses on raising money for five capital projects and student scholarships. The McMorran Greenway and Street Closure Project and the Campus Innovation Center were the first two projects to be completed. Remaining campaign projects include restoration of room 312 in the Main Building and updating campus signage. To donate to the campaign online or view more information on remaining projects, visit sc4.edu/allaboard.

opportunity to step up and get ready for the next BWMA. One method of doing this is by getting involved with the open mic nights that are available in the area. Lynch’s Irish Tavern offers open mic night every Tuesday night starting at 10 p.m. and the Raven Café offers bookings for musicians who are interested in playing. For fans to get involved, it’s as easy as promoting the local talent, and when the time comes, putting it to a vote.

Lead singer of Mountain Babies, David Peters, plays during the intermission of the BWMA.

Photo Credit:Liz Whittemore

Editor-in-Chief Christina Stoutenburg

Production Editor Zack Penzien

Business Editor Erick Fredendall

Copy Editor Garrett Summerville

Managing Editor Nick Wedyke

Web Master Rebecca Kelly

Photo Editor Liz Whittemore

Sports Editor Rachael Pittiglio

Adviser John Lusk

ESG Contact Info: Email: eriesquaregazette@gmail.com Address: 323 Erie St Port Huron MI 48060

Editor’s Note: All views expressed in editorials and columns contained within the ESG are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ESG or any of its advertisers.We welcome feedback!

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Find us at esgonline.org, facebook and twitter

Event Calendar Thursday March 7, 20l3

Pub CrawlSaturday, March 16 1:00 p.m.

Downtown Port Huron, Port HuronTickets: Wristbands: $10 in advance,

$15 on the day of the event.Ride the St. Patrick’s party buses around

participating pubs in Port Huron.

St. Patrick’s Day ParadeSaturday, March 16 12:00 p.m.

Downtown Port Huron, Port HuronParade starts at Pine Grove Park and

will be traveling through downtown Port Huron.

Thursday at Noon Concert Series: Faculty String Trio

Thursday, March 28 12:00 p.m.Fine Arts Theatre

SC4 CampusFaculty String Trio is from Grand Valley State University and will be preforming

classical music.

Campus

AIM HIGHER

Come see why Wayne State University attracts so many of the region’s brightest transfer students. A nationally recognized research university in the city’s coolest neighborhood, Wayne State is alive with possibilities. You can choose from hundreds of academic programs and prepare for careers in the market’s most rewarding fields — including the health sciences, engineering, education and business. Community college transfer students must apply by April 1 to be considered for fall Wayne State University transfer scholarships. Find details at scholarships.wayne.edu.

Apply for free at apply.wayne.edu.

Ready to take the next step?

Blue Water Humane Society Charity AuctionSaturday, March 9, 9:00 a.m.

Port Huron Factory Shops1661 Range Road, Kimball

Doors open at 9 a.m. and the auction starts at 10 a.m. A 50/50 drawing will be available as well as food for sale.

Leprechaun LoopSaturday, March 16 9:00 a.m.

Blue Water YMCA1525 Third St., Port Huron

Tickets: Before March 3: Adults: $30 10K, $35 5K; youth: $25 10K, $25 5K. After March 4: Adults: $35 10K, $30 5K; youth: $30 10K, $25 5K. 2K fun walk, $20.

Comedian Ralphie MayMcMorran Auditorium

701 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron

Tickets: $29, $39 and $40

“Wit”Thursday, March 21 – 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 22 – 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23 – 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24 – 2 p.m. Tickets: $7 for adults and $5 for students and

seniors age 60 and older Fine Arts Theatre SC4 Campus By Margaret EdsonDirected by Tom Kephart

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Campus Thursday March 7, 20l3

According to aol.com online author Lauren Berger, “All college students need to have an internship”. SC4Media Broadcasting Major Katie Gunn of Capac is one such college student. According to Gunn, she has a broadcasting internship at cable Channel 6 in Port Huron.Gunn said she worked for Channel 6 at the March of Dimes Jail and Bail in Port

Internships-gateway to job prospectsHuron this year. According to Gunn, the experience was priceless. “I’ve learned a lot, but mostly just how different an experience it is filming an all day project, (Jail and bail) especially one that goes on live,” said Gunn. Likewise, Gunn said she has also worked on basketball games and school board reviews as part of her internship. Ed Senyk, SC4 Communications Media Adjunct Instructor teaches the advanced television production course that Gunn is part of. Senyk also works at Channel 6 where Gunn serves her internship. Senyk believes internships play an important role in a student’s career choice.According to Senyk, students working internships have the

opportunity to work in different areas of the field they are interested in. “You get to look at the good and the bad to be able to decide if this is a career for you,” said Senyk. According to Wall Street Journal writer Todd Gutner’s 2009 article “Giving internships a post-college try,” both paid and un-paid internship positions have been used as a recruitment tool. According to Gutner’s article, over 70% of graduating college students with internships are offered employment from their internship host. SC4 English Professor and Erie Square Gazette advisor John Lusk believes continuous internships are the way to go. According to Lusk, students that get jobs as result of

internships benefit because they apply whatever is studied. In reference to video or radio careers, Lusk said, “It is natural to go into the field you are interning in.” Likewise, co-op positions offer students opportunity to learn necessary job skills. According to Iowa State University’s College of Engineering, co-ops not only offer college students professional development opportunities, they can lead to increased employment opportunities after graduation. For information on job opportunities, SC4 students can visit the SC4 online employment services, or call them at 810-989-5515.

The Biakuye Percussion Group shared a bit of African musical history with the blue water community Thursday, Feb. 21. The group performed in SC4’s Fine Arts Theatre from 12 to 1 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m., free of charge. The concert featured traditional African songs, dance, and creative interpretations. Mark Stone played the Kalimba and the Gyil xylophone, Sulley Imoro danced, played the Lunna talking drum and sang and Sawande Keita played the Djembe and Kpanlogo drum. The Biakuye Percussion Group’s music can be streamed online at allmusic.com. The first performance was part of SC4’s Thursday at Noon Concert Series. The series features musical performances to the community during the fall and winter semesters. Performances are free of charge and open to the public, with the exception of a holiday special in December. The second performance was sponsored by SC4’s Global Diversity Advisory Council. According to Karen Jezewski, Secretary for the Visual and Performing Arts, and Celeste Skalnek, Humanities Executive Coordinator, 240 people attended the first concert, and another 60 people attended the evening performance.

SC4 student Alonna Mertz heard about the percussion group by word of mouth that day, and attended the night performance. “Although I was only in the audience, I was delighted to be a part of the concert,” said Mertz. “They invited us all to

Percussion group comes to SC4 campusjoin in dances that have been performed for centuries and explained the background on their instruments and songs. The musicians were passionate teachers as well as artists.” The next performance in the noon series will be on March 28 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Fine

Arts Theatre featuring classical music by the Faculty String Trip from Grand Valley State University.

Biakuye Percussion Group member Sulley Imoro plays a small flute during their Thursday at Noon concert series free performance Thursday, Feb. 21. Photo credit: Liz Whittemore.

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Thursday March 7, 20l3Community

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Almost everyone at some point or another has been in a gift or resale store. A Little Something, located at 205 Huron Ave. in Port Huron, is definitely not your average resale store, according to their website. For A Little

Something, they do an awfully big something. A Little Something is a non-profit organization that specializes in training people with some sort of barrier to employment to work in retail, and with time they help transfer and locate work for said people. They are run through Community Mental Health, an organization that works with psycho-social disabilities and diseases. As stated by Sally Silorey, Manager and Employment Training Specialist at A Little Something, “The people we employ are just like everyone else. They are a paid employee, and do everything a normal employee does, the only difference being they work with

a job coach. We help them find work here in the community. We average one transfer a month. A Little Something takes donations, offers 20 percent off to college students with valid identification, and if someone purchases something too big to take home, we deliver for free. We have books, movies, games, home decor, furniture, gifts and a candy store. Ninety percent of what we offer here is not available anywhere else in Port Huron, as we try to be unique.” Kassie Piotrowski, a Job Coach at the store, said, “I teach employees register skills, how to greet customers, do inventory, basic retail skills. I try to keep them busy. I like it here a lot. It’s a much more

hands on approach to what CMH does. Much more hands on, and much more fun. I get to see things from their eyes, and communicate with them on a much more personal basis. Some employees were afraid to walk up and greet customers when I started in June, and now they do so without anyone having to say anything. They learn instead of being told here. Our atmosphere here is always fun, busy and upbeat!” Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Though currently closed Sundays, Silorey indicated that would change sometime in March. They can be contacted at 1-810-479-9047.

HotSpot: A Little Something

Vast sales floor of A Little Something. Photo Credit: Mia Rodriguez Front of A Little Something. Photo Credit: Mia Rodriguez

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Thursday March 7, 20l3Community

Fashion, fun, and glamor...these are things most would enjoy and dream about. The Angry Bull restaurant and bar in Kimball brought just that on Feb. 24 with their 3rd annual Red Carpet Extravaganza, put on by Chapter 800 of the Women’s Life Insurance Society. According to the Women’s Life Insurance Society mission statement, “Woman’s Life connects women with other women who care, giving women a special place to belong and a close community of friends, with the unparalleled opportunity to make a difference together for the causes important to them.” Participants, of which there was roughly 50, were encouraged to wear their brightest jewels and most dapper apparel as they walked down the “Red Carpet” to raise money for the Pink Fund, which helps those with breast cancer by paying up to three months of their expenses. Those who paid to take the walk of fame were treated to dinner in a private room, featuring a variety of drinks, delicacies and desserts. Sylvia Ludington, President of Chapter 800 of Women’s Life Society, said, “It’s fun with a cause, which is really the best kind of fun. People get to dress up and feel the spotlight, while underneath we raise funds for something great. We put on several fundraisers all year, at least one a month. This event

Lights, camera...mad bovine?is always fun and entertaining, and always something we look forward to. “ Members of Chapter 800 were also selling ballots at $5 each that urged people to try to predict the Oscar winners for

A 32 to 4 vote on February 21st sent Senate Bill 135 to the house for consideration in an effort to turn the bill into a law. If the house approves the bill, relationships between high school students and teachers will be illegal if the student

is under 21 years of age. Michigan law currently states that the age of consent is 16, except between a teachers and students, which is now is illegal until the student turns 18. With the current law, student-teacher relationships continue to be a problem because many students are 18, or in some cases 19 when they graduate. The purpose of the new law would be to protect those students who are above the age of consent, but still attending high school. “Why even place an age on it?” asked Moteaka Coody, a 19 year old SC4 student. “Those types of relationships should be outlawed entirely.”

More than just a bill sitting on Capitol Hill That is the case in some states such as Illinois, Connecticut and North Carolina, where sexual relations between a teacher and a student are completely illegal despite the student‘s age. The bill recently passed by the Michigan Senate states that if a teacher seeks out or engages in a sexual relationship with a student who is under 21 years of age, that teacher is subject to a felony charge consisting of a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The bill also states that at if a student is receiving special education services and is under 26 years of age while involved with a teacher, he or she who

is in the position of authority will face a misdemeanor charge of no more than $500 and/or 2 years in prison. However, this bill only applies to high school students and teachers. Moteaka comments, “The law should be extended to include college students also.” This is not the first attempt that the State of Michigan has made to revise this law. A similar bill, which was passed through the senate in 2010, never made it through the House of Representatives. But since the problem of these relationships continues to grow, the likelihood is high that this bill will be passed.

best picture, best actress, best supporting actress and other categories accordingly. Sylvia Ludington added, “It’s always fun to see whose favorites come out on top. People get to play the role of a critic in a way.”

For anyone interested in upcoming events and information, the Society can be explored and contacted through their website at www.womanslife.org or by phone at 1-800-521-9292.

Red Carpet at the Angry Bull. Photo credit: Kristopher Reynolds

Outside the Angry Bull. Photo credit: Kristopher Reynolds

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Thursday March 7, 20l3

Earlybird, Toaster or 1997? Choosing filters like these is just as important as the photos themselves for Instagramers Port Huron who use the Instagram App to create and

Port Huron filteredCommunity

share photos of the Blue Water Area. The popular iPhone and Android application Instagram lets users crop their photos taken on smartphones and apply artistic filters that transform the image. Instagramers Port Huron was founded by local artists and friends Kate Bartle, Jenny Walker, Amy Tunney and Todd Burdick. Bartle, Walker and Burdick are three former SC4 students who met while taking classes in the Communication Design Program. “We started Instagramers Port Huron as a way to help promote the Blue Water Area

and show people all over the world, through Instagram and Facebook, the beauty and charm of the area and to give people a glimpse of what life is like in this place we call home,” said Burdick.. The group holds photo walks monthly and welcomes and encourages anyone interested to join in. Walks involve meeting with area Instagramers and exploring the Blue Water Area on foot to take photos of its people and places. The next walk will be on Thursday, March 14th and more details will be available on the groups Facebook page soon. Currently, Instagramers

Port Huron is accepting photo submissions for the Blue Water: This Is Us Photo Exhibit and contest until Friday, March 15th. Photos should represent the Blue Water area and will be shown on March 29th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Port Huron Family Chiropractic located at 229 Huron Ave. Admission to this event is $2 and photos will be available to purchase for $5 with all proceeds going directly to the Blue Water Area Rescue Mission. Visit facebook.com/InstagramersPortHuron for more information on upcoming events and to share your photos taken with Instagram.

The bitter Michigan cold was no match for the brave plungers on the cold Sunday afternoon. The St. Clair Boat Harbor hosted the very first official Polar Plunge in St. Clair on February 24th. The suggested donation for one to participate was $75. All proceeds were donated to The Special Olympics of Michigan The Polar Plunge was supported by its six sponsors. These sponsors were Buffalo Wild Wings, Starbucks, Olga’s, Water Warriors, The Law offices of Cashen and Strehl, and the Voyageur restaurant located on the St. Clair River. The Voyageur not only helped sponsor the event, but was also the registration and meeting place for participants and staff after the initial plunge took place. After registering and turning in donations at The

Voyageur, plungers then walked the short distance to the boat harbor located on the Pine River. The participants were monitored by the St. Clair Fire Department and the St. Clair County Sheriffs Dive Team. The dive team had four divers in the water with the plungers, as well as a number of other divers on standby for emergency purposes. “Hats off to the firemen and diving team,” said St. Clair County Sherriff Tim Donnellon. “They are not being paid for

this, but are doing a great job and we couldn’t have done this without them.” Josh Allor, a Mt. Clemons resident, was participating in what would be his sixth plunge. “I’ve been to a Polar Plunge in New York, it was crazy! This is a much smaller and a more community oriented town. It’s a great opportunity to do something for a good cause without having to deal with a lot of people.” Josh joined the other participants in dressing up in outrageous costumes, wearing a

Polar Plunge for Special Olympics

floral one piece female bathing suit, complete with hula skirt and a Mohawk hat. He held his breath and took the icy plunge without hesitation. Afterwards at The Voyageur he added, “That was fun, we’re going to sleep well tonight.” The grand total for money raised was $8,531. Special Olympics of Michigan representative and event announcer Jim Adams said, “It’s great to see a community with a big heart come out to support a great cause.”

Snowy downtown Port Huron through an Instagram filter. Photo by Kate Bartle An Instagrammed Port Huron home with the “Rise” filter. Photo by Todd Burdick

Plunger Scott Price took home the best costume award on Sunday at the St. Clair Polar Plunge.

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Thursday March 7, 20l3Community1.Most Obscure Cover- The Poltroon

2. Amateur of the Year- Alyssa Ferri

3. WTF Award- Cool Kids Communications

4. Fan of Year-James Zimmer

5. Best Import- Jennifer Westwood

6. Best Export- Mountain Babies

7. Best Venue- Lynch’s Irish Tavern

8. Album of the Year- Mountain Babies

9. Best Female Artist- Rachael Byrne Spangler

10. Not Rock Award- Cool Kids Communications

11. Best Cover Award- Code Brown

12. Best Performer Award- Port to Port

13. Paul Thompson Music Award- Nate Dauphinais

14. Lifetime Achievement - Saddat Hossain

15. Musician of the Year- Saddat Hossain

BWMA winners

1 2

3,10 4

6,8 7

119

14,1513

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Thursday March 7, 20l3

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Sports

Both Skippers teams defeated the Monarchs at Macomb Community College on Feb. 27, the last games of the regular season. The SC4 women won 50-40 and the men won 85-74. The women were playing for the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Eastern Conference title, and the victory poised them to play for the MCCAA championship on March 2. The Lady Skippers are holding steady in their place as sixth in the nation in NJCAA Division II polls, which posted the same day as the game. The NJCAA also named Skippers forward Heidi Highstreet as its Division II player of the week for Feb. 18-24. For the Lady Monarchs, the defeat broke an eight-win streak. Previously they had a record of 25-1. The Lady Skippers’ record was 26-1 before they beat the Monarchs. Winning put the SC4 men’s record at 16-13 and left Macomb at 10-18. The Skippers face the Oakland Community College Raiders on Feb. 5 for the NJCAA District 10 Tournament Quarterfinal.

Coach Mike Groulx and Coach Dale Vos honored their second year students with this season’s last home game against the Schoolcraft Ocelots. The recognition ceremony might have given the teams the boost they needed as the Lady Skippers won 97 to 60 and the men 90 to 74. The women took the court first with a short bench as Sophomores Cianna Peterson and Teisha Knott sat out for disciplinary reasons. The Ocelots kept the game close into halftime with the score 44 to 33. “We slowed down a lot and need to pick up the pace,” said Assistant Coach Lucretia

In the first half of the game the Monarchs carried the lead with a varied offense. Monarch Charles Baskin shot several three-pointers, and Patrick Ferrell and Ryan Bush both made dunks, while the Skippers mainly scored near the paint. The Monarchs led by 13 at the end of the first period.

Bowerman of the SC4 women at the half. “(Brianna Berberet) is the one that is hurting us. We need to make sure she doesn’t make any more shots.” Skippers seemed to of did just that as the ladies pulled ahead with a commanding lead. Freshman Sheyna Deans lead the team in points with 22 and rebounds with 13 boards, while Sophomore Heidi Highstreet picked up 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Lady Skippers had six players reach double digits in points for the team’s victory. The men’s game ended the night’s festivities with the crowd in a frenzy after a massive dunk by Sophmore Corey McKinney. “It felt amazing to end up a career here like that.” said McKinney. McKinney was celebrating his 20th birthday with 12 points, three assists and three steals. “They are a good team all away around. You can’t just focus on one,” said Ocelots Coach Randy Henry. The Skippers proved him right with

Sophomores’ last stand5 of their sophomore players scoring in double figures including Brendalle Smith (12), Deion Stegall (13) and Austin Shell (14). Leading the team in scoring was Kem Bradshaw with 22 points and shooting 66% from beyond the 3-point line. Brendalle Smith led the team in rebounds with 10.

The men had one fear from the game as Sophomore Johnnie Mills left the game early with a lower leg injury. The SC4’s sports trainer had no comment at that time. The Skippers are now looking towards the post-season after a battle with local rival Macomb County Community College.

Skippers take eastern conference title Going into the second half, however, the Skippers recovered, pulling ahead and continuing to match the Monarchs’ scores. In the last seconds the Skippers foiled Macomb’s rebound attempts and went on to win by 11 points. Skippers coach Dale Vos

believed the Skippers played better in the latter period of the game. “It was our strapping defense for the last twelve minutes or so,” he said regarding the win. “Before that it was our lack of defense that got us in trouble. We pulled it together and were able to pull it out.”

Congratulations Lady Skippers! MCCAA Championship Winners

Sophomore Guard Corey McKinney. Photo credit: Sean Lathrop

9

Thursday March 7, 20l3Entertainment

Jack the Giant Slayer

Bryan Singer

Fantasy

2013

Divergent

Veronica Roth

Science Fiction

2011 Imagine that before you’re even old enough to attend college, you’re required to make a decision that will determine everything you can eat, wear, say, do or think for the rest of your lives. Sounds bleak. “Divergent” was the book that truly made me stop over-thinking whether a Kindle was a worthwhile purchase. 576 pages of print melted away well within the confines of standard business days. Immediately following, the sequel was in my possession. One who is a fan of young adult novels will truly

enjoy this one. Our Heroine Beatrice Prior is a member of the Abnegation Faction, one of five Factions that futuristic Chicago’s population is divided into. Members of Abnegation are self-sacrificing and self-deprecating to a fault, so much so they are not allowed to look in mirrors, among many other ways of denying themselves. Different factions value different things, and you are required by threat of becoming homeless to follow. One faction believes that “white lies” should be used often, as hurting feelings is a big faux pas. Beatrice, though, is torn between her choices. In this society that’s abnormal. Everything is black and white. Beatrice is a Divergent: a word only spoken in hushed voices. “Divergent” read pretty easily, and there were moments where you could tell the author was quite young. Some of her character development and

One choice to satisfy the rest of your life

writing was tangled in places, but the story was still a great read. This book can be looked at as a point of inspiration; Veronica Roth is only 24 and she’s a published author. I’m anxious to see where her writing career takes her.

As of this month, filming for the movie adaptation is beginning. Is this book going to be the next teenager go to? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Regardless, I very much enjoyed the book and would recommend it to young adults who enjoyed both classic and modern dystopians.

Jack the Giant Slayer, the most recent addition to the genre of modernized fairy tales, is a CGI driven adventure film made for the whole family…or is it? The film, directed by Bryan Singer, is inspired by the stories Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack the Giant Killer. The script takes liberties to appeal to today’s audiences, thus resulting in a disappointing and rather dull experience. The story follows Jack, a farm boy who gets caught up in a war between men and brutal giants who inhabit a world above the clouds. Upon receiving some magic beans, Jack accidently causes the princess to be kidnapped after a gigantic beanstalk takes his house, along with the princess, to the giant’s kingdom. Accompanied by a group of

knights, Jack embarks on a rescue mission on the giant’s home turf. The main problem with Jack the Giant Slayer is its drastic shifts in tone. At times, the film appears to be a comedic fairy tale meant for a younger audience. The simplistic plot and characters, accompanied by immature attempts at humor, indicate the filmmaker’s intent of making a movie for kids. However, scenes of giants biting off heads, people dying agonizing deaths, bouts of intense warfare and some strong language will surprise moviegoers. The result is a movie that is too violent for youngsters, and too immature for teens and adults. Another disappointing element is the acting. Most of the cast’s performances seemed forced, as if they knew the movie wasn’t worth their time and effort. The cast includes Ian McShane and Stanley Tucci, two very talented character actors. Their surprisingly weak performances lead one to think Singer’s direction to be the cause. To make up for the uninteresting script, the movie relies on special effects. The giants are completely animated,

Fee-fi-fo-fum, this movie isn’t much fun

and have a rather cartoonish appearance. However, their animations are impressively detailed. The movie, which was made for 3D, is filled with gimmicks. Objects are constantly coming toward the camera with the intention of taking advantage of the 3D technology. The action scenes are exciting and just enough to keep the audience’s

attention. With some practical effects and fleshed out characters, the movie could have been enjoyable for younger teens. Without the violence, this could have been a fun movie for kids. Instead, the movie fails to appeal to any demographic and is sure to be forgotten over time.

N

OW PLAYING

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Thursday March 7, 20l3Comics