PAGE THE STAR MAY 16, 2011 ENTERTAINMENT 7 ''Cultures of Resistance'' "Turtleneck and Chain" raises a\Nareness for· fails to impress eager fans Sonoma State students'

KAITLII', ZtTELLI made of materials that .most Ameri­ Editorial Asst. cans would throw in the trash. There are two generations that hav·e no edu­ Iara Lee's heartbreaking docu­ cation and no values. mentary "Cultures of Resistance," "I wanted to see if it was a boy or shown in Darwin Hall on May 12, girl," said one man when telling how raises awareness of world conflicts he tore an unborn baby out.of wom­ being fought by people through both an's stomach. · violent and artistic measures to keep And the movie goes on, with their cultures and ways of life alive. more gut wrenching problems that Filmmaker Lee and her producer most Americans don't even know are George Gunn conceived "Cultures of happening. Resistance" in 2003, right before the One · woman walked out of the Iraq war. The film was later named audience, others were silently crying. the Best Documentary at the Tiburon But the saddest part of the event was 2011 Film Festival. many audience member's complacen­ ''People were being killed and cy. The room was maybe one-third nobody cared. I started looking for full and at least five people were on small gestures-ordinary people that their cell phones, occasionally glanc­ were relatable," said Lee in the dis­ ing up while these horror stories were cussion following the screening of being told and then looking right back Courtesy// Kaboommagazine.com the documentary. down at their screens learning who Her documentary took years to got drunk last night on Facebook. · The boys of The Lonely fslandfail to impress their fans with the release of their new album," Turtleneck and make, spanning 25 countries, with in­ There were beautiful parts to the Chain!' terviews done in the native languag­ film amidst all the hopeless stories. es. Lee and her crew (which often It was like watching an episode of Au ESSE ORR There are a few tracks that were funny enough to emit just consisted of one camera man and Anthony Bourdain's "No Reserva­ Staff Writer laughter like "Mama." Paying respect to the mamas ofthe if she was lucky, a sound guy) were tions." Viewers got to see local food, · world, everything about this song works. A repetition of often deported or imprisoned. culture, people and art. Singers and slow then quick beats accompanied by their hip-hop style "I was put in jail in Palestine. poets were interviewed on what they Here come the men behind "Dick in a Box" and "Jizz lyrics easily had me smiling. The highlight of the track You can't bring cameras into a lot are doing to raise awareness of global in my Pants." Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva comes when their mother walks in while they are record­ of these countries, I just kept trying. conflicts in a peaceful ways. Schaffer bring us their second album titled, "Turtleneck ing the song. So while singing about how much they love Most of the time we were hiding from In Colombia, a country that has and Chain." The country has become so enamored by their mama, they scream at her to get out of their room the governments; even the militants endured over forty-five civil wars, a their parodied songs and comedic acting on SNL that the when she interrupts them. It is all very comical, keeping [we filmed] are less dangerous," said poetry festival is held every year in consensus is, this album has got to be good. Well think up with the previous expectations for The Lonely Island. Lee. Medellin where hundreds of people again. The instrumentals were the one redeeming factor of The well edited film was broken gather outside to hear poems about By having the songs on the album without the accom- the album. Each song gets the listener to tap their foot or into about 10 segments looking at struggle and survival through the panying performance on SNL, major emphasis is taken nod their head. There is a mixture ofhip-hop beats usually specific political, environmental and most brutal human suffering. off of the meaning. Instead of seeing their facial expres- accompanied by a loud bass. Sometimes the music was so social conflicts and how the people Lee stresses the importance of sions and reading their body language, the listener must overpowering the lyrics were drowned out, which I didn't of each were responding. Many of the showing this film to American audi­ imagine the way they would perform each song. This was mind at all. These guys are supposed to be great because issues were jaw dropping. ences, acknowledging that so many of hugely detrimental to the album, especially since most of the lyrics, because of the words, but "Turtleneck and In Brazil the Xingu River Valley us have the privilege and opportunity of the songs are bad. "Turtleneck and Chain" consists of Chain" was only good because of the background music. is being dammed, robbing the native of access to resources that can help songs that can definitely be viewed as individual but it Apart from "Mama," "Jack Sparrow" and "Japan" people of their land and resources. In these people. all seem so forced as if the band realizes that they had to most of the lyrics to the other songs had me in desper­ Nigeria, oil companies have destroyed "Travel, instead of going to Mi­ make enough parodied songs to fill an album. ate need to throw my laptop at the wall. I ached for the farmland leaving behind dirty water ami on your two week vacation go 'to The worst song is "Rocky," where ffle tno sings - guys who ang m on a Boat" but the songs on this al­ and no food. When the people be­ Rwanda. The most lovely people live about fighting Rocky Balboa. It starts with a head-bang- bum did not bring it to the next level. Perhaps what was gan protesting by making flyers and 1 in Iraq. Go build a school in Brazil," ing beat and catchy rap phrases but ends in complete dis- missing was Justin Timberlake who has made multiple giving speeches the Nigerian gov­ said Lee. "We are directly linked. gust. Samberg gets killed by Rocky; the description of appearances with the band. "Motherlover," the last song ernment started killing the peaceful Nobody has an excuse. We all have getting his nose bone smashed into his brain is nothing . on "Turtleneck and Chain" features Timberlake but the protesters, so the next generation has responsibility." but nauseating. album is hardly salvageable by then. resorted to violence in order to get "Just do something," said one It doesn't get better when Rocky pisses on him which, Besides Timberlake, "Turtleneck and Chain" fea- clean water and food. woman · interviewed in the Congo. they say, is "customary in sports." The song ends with tures Snoop Dogg, Akon, Nikki Menaj and Rihanna. It's According to the U.N. The Congo "Even if it's only once a year." Samberg dead and the listener grossed-out. I couldn't a compilation of popular talent and yet it falls completely is currently undergoing the deadliest The film is currently being shown help but wonder where the band would go after this. flat. Perhaps the disappointment of the album stems from conflict since WWII. Illegal control around the country in small venues Another hard to swallow track is, "Trouble on Dook- the high expectations set out by their first release, "In­ of its mineral rich soil by cell phone like SSU. It will be out on DVD next ie Island," where the band sings about shit. Where are the credibad." The band needs to stay on SNL and limit their and computer companies are deplet­ month. witty on- liners that The Lonely Island became so famous creativity to only a few songs a year that way we will con­ ing the land and promoting rape and for? Now they are singing about dookie? I wouldn't want tinue to be excited when the equivalent of"Dick in a Box" violence. Visit the website at www.cul­ to even watch this song performed on SNL. is performed. Liberians are living in houses turesofresistance.org to learn more. Summer of the Sequels: cashing in on familiar stories

WtLL HIXON by Pitt. By creating an emotionally epic aes­ Online Editor thetic, the dialogue-free trailer is convincing of the movie's possible greatness. Every year when May rolls around, the For fans of the unnecessary, there's "X­ weather isn't the only thing heating up. Movie Men: First Class" (June 3). Charting the begin­ studios meticulously begin to release block­ ning of the X-Men saga, the film lacks much busters and other highly anticipated films of its original star power, which could indicate come this time of the year. 2011 has no short­ the possible negative quality of the movie. No age of heavy-hitters destined for box office Halle Berry, no thank you. glory. "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams teams up with Kicking off the summer season is the Steven Spielberg for the potential masterpiece fourth installment of "Pirates of the Carib­ "Super 8" (June 10). The sci-fi film has a cast bean." This time in 3-D, "Pirates of the Carib­ devoid of star power, unless Dakota Fanning's bean: On Stranger Tides" (May 20) is guaran­ little sister counts·. Set in 1979, unusual and teed to rake in millions at the box office. The unexplainable events occur, and the truth is typical fun, adventure and humor of "Pirates" sought after. will please fans of the series. The super hero phenomenon continues However, it could suffer from "more-of­ with "The Green Lantern" (June 17) and the the-same" syndrome, keeping it from a must­ following month with "Captain America: The see status. Penelope Cruz is set to spice up the First Avenger" (July 22). series, as the dynamic between Cruz and star For the young at heart, _Jim Carey inher­ Johnny Depp could be electric, as it was when its penguins in "Mr. Popper's Penguins" (June the two costarred in the 2001 movie, "Blow." 17) and America's favorite talking cars are Young people around the nation who crave back in "Cars 2" (June 24). For the rest of us simple (but dumb) comedy rejoice, as "The there's ''Bad Teacher" (June 24), where Cam­ Hangover: Part II" is released this Memorial ero!). Diaz plays an obnoxiously inappropriate Day weekend (May 26). In its 2009 smash hit Jr. High teacher who crushes on a substitute predecessor, an odd group of guys experience played by Justin Timberlake. an unforgettable adventure in Las Vegas. This "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and courtesy.// onlinemovieshut.com . time around they bring the ch.aos to Bangkok­ ·"Larry Crowne" hit theaters on July L Tom Brad Pitt stars in, "The Tree ofLife/' one of the few non-sequels to hit the box office this summer that's right, Bangkok. What will occur in this Hanks is "Larry Crowne," who, suddenly un­ season. film is hard to imagine. employed, decides to go back to college, which Opening the same day is yet another se­ leads to him crushing on his married teacher, quel, "Kung Fu Panda 2," the animation led by played by Julia Roberts. the voices of Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman. Animals can talk in "Zookeeper" (July 8) America they are "Friends with Benefits." 5) and "Conan the Barbarian" (Aug 19) will Breaking free from the disease of sequels starring Kevin James, and an all-star cast (led The highly anticipated and almost self likely bring in big box office bucks. and unoriginals is "The Tree of Life" starring by Jennifer Aniston) shows up for "Horrible explanatory films "Cowboys and Aliens" and It's the summer of the sequels. There may Brad Pitt (May 27). It's a story of a Midwest­ Bosses" (July 8), a comedy in which a group "The Smurfs" hit theaters July 29. Opening be a shortage of films of substance in the com­ ern family .in the 1950s, chronicling the jour­ of guys scheme to permanently eradicate their the same day is "Crazy, Stupid, Love," a seem­ ing months. Movie studios know how to get ney of the oldest son Jack (Sean Penn) through bosses. ingly witty dramedy/romance with an all-star what they want, and that's cash money. While his adult years. Jack questions his existence The final chapter of "Harry Potter" ex­ cast including Steve Carell. millions will be ecstatic to see more of the and faith and struggles to reconcile the com­ plodes at the box office July 15, and on July 22 The heat seems to die down a bit in Au­ same, for the rest of us, well, there's always plex relationship he has with his father, played Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis convince gust, but "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (Aug next year. \ .