Scene

Notre Dame Student Film Festival Entertaining and Enlightening

With topics ranging from the controversial Westboro Baptist Church to the difficulties of single motherhood, the 22nd Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival was highly entertaining and impressive. The festival, featuring 15 short films and documentaries, aired this weekend in the Browning Cinema at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Here are some of the highlights:

Fashion by Felicia: Fur Hats

Arriving back on campus from our holidays is always a wistful time. We yearn for the hours spent in heady relaxation after an abundant meal cooked by our parents who are ever so eager and happy to wait on their prodigal offspring returned from the halls of academia. We grieve for the Christmas morning spent opening lovely wrapped packages and eating hot brioche under the tree, and for the hedonism of our New Year's celebrations which must be replaced with the challenges of new classes and the tediousness of required errands and duties.  Compounding this January season of longing is the Dr. Zhivago landscape in which we find ourselves. Our breath visible in front of us, we gaze on never-ending expanses of Moscow-esque snow which seem to create a mirage of long-lost friends sledding eagerly towards us (just the other day on South Quad I was sure I saw Omar Sharif desperately crying my name and swiftly running as he did so brilliantly in the Dr Zhivago film adaptation of 1965).  

Black Swan: Both Beautiful and Disturbing

Joining more well-known and mainstream films such as "The Social Network" and "Inception" in the running for numerous Golden Globes this year is the highly acclaimed and somewhat controversial ballet drama/thriller "Black Swan." Directed by Darren Aronofsky, known for similarly dark but praised films "Requiem for a Dream" and "The Wrestler," the always-exceptional Natalie Portman and impressive Mila Kunis star in a film that has left audiences both amazed and disturbed.

True Grit salvaged by Bridges

Joel and Ethan Coen's faithful adaptation of 1968's "True Grit," the film that finally won John Wayne an Oscar for Best Actor, has a style and sensibility about it that only the Coens can pull off, and that might be its only fault.

Weekend Events Calendar

Thursday: Student Standup/Humor Artists

Men's Basketball: ND to face Marquette, Pittsburgh

After a rough week on the road, No. 16 Notre Dame returned home and to victory with a 66-58 win over No. 25 Cincinnati Wednesday. With the Bearcats behind them, the Irish have a shot at redemption against Marquette Saturday before hitting the road again to take on No. 4 Pittsburgh Monday.

Farmer: Annual questions return for Irish (Jan. 1)

It's that time of year again. Mid-January: The days of syllabus week, laughable amounts of snow and the annual questioning of Notre Dame basketball.

Movies to Look Out For in 2011

More not less vampires:

Men's Basketball: Transfer takes charge

Receiving contributions from transfer students is not a rarity for the Notre Dame basketball program. In fact, two current Irish starters did not start their career in South Bend. But senior guard Ben Hansbrough does more than just contribute for the Irish — he has become the de facto leader of the 2010-11 Notre Dame squad, both on and off the court.

Gorgeous at the Golden Globes

Anne Hathaway

Students debut their film class projects at festival this weekend

History classes have research papers, business classes do group presentations, but film students make movies.

Girls' Sophomore Effort is Spectacular

Girls' follow-up to their spectacular debut "Album" may not be a rock and roll revelation, but its solid song writing and increased production value make the six-song EP one of the year's best new releases.

Style Spotter

2010 in review: Television

‘Jersey Shore' Phenomenon        

Scene Around the World: Harry Potter Premiere in London

Junior Adriana Pratt hits up the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" red carpet in London. Pratt is in the UK as part of Notre Dame's London Programme.

2010 in review: Viral videos

Double Rainbow

2010 in review: Movies

After a 2009 that was dominated by successful blockbusters —"Avatar," "Star Trek" and "Transformers 2" to name a few — 2010 fell a little flat. For every "Inception," there was a "Last Airbender," and for every "Harry Potter," there was a "Percy Jackson."

2010 in review: Music

‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' Kanye West

Winter Events Calendar

Notre Dame women's soccer College Cup semifinal vs. Ohio State

Music Rewind: Michael Buble jazzes up Christmas classic on 'Let It Snow'

Love him or hate him, Michael Bublé can sing. And his jazz-infused style is perfect when it comes to Christmas songs. In 2003, Bublé released a Christmas EP called "Let It Snow," featuring his jazzy renditions of six classic Christmas songs. Bublé's "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," "The Christmas Song," "Grown-Up Christmas List," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "White Christmas" are beautifully done and should immediately be added to your Christmas playlist.