Scene

SNL at the movies: Winners and Losers

Why Gratuitous Violence Ruins 'Kick-Ass'

I've written for Scene for slightly over a year. Movies are not my strong point. When I write, it's almost always about music. I enjoy movies; I go to one or two a month, but I have never loved them like many do. I can see the art in many movies but usually fail to appreciate it. The point is, I'm much more akin to the average movie go-er than a seasoned critic. However, there is a reason I'm writing this column: I have never reacted so negatively to a film than I did while watching "Kick Ass." I'm practically a stereotype of the film's target audience. I'm a white male in my early 20s. I'm a non-obsessed fan of comic books and their following movies from the first two entries in the excellent "Spiderman" series to the tragically flawed "Watchmen" and even the muddled and campy "Ghost Rider." From my first viewing of the trailer, I was looking forward to seeing "Kick Ass." The movie wasn't without its high points. It had a number of genuinely funny parts, although in the true style of a weak movie, most can be found in the trailers. The style of the movie was near perfect. Drawing heavily from its graphic source material, director Matthew Vaughn skillfully works comics in everything from the minor touches to a full blown, beautifully illustrated flashback.  Against a backdrop of these artistic components, the cast gives remarkable performances. Although Kick-Ass' and Red Mist's alter egos are towards the shallow end of the character pool, Chloe Moretz and Nicolas Cage give top notch performances as Hit Girl and Big Daddy. Cage, who excels at playing mentally unstable characters, gives his second best performance in recent memory, second only to his role in "Bad Lieutenant; Port of New Orleans."  His Adam West imitation as Big Daddy and doting father alter ego both ring true. Cage not only manages to pull off a scene where he shoots his bulletproof -vested daughter in the chest, he does so in a loving way. Moretz, as the heavily publicized Hit Girl, shows remarkable skill on the screen, readily switching between an innocent schoolgirl and a cold-blooded killer. It is the treatment of Big Daddy and Hit Girl where the film falls not only apart, but into an extremely dark and disturbing place. Some minor controversy has already taken place over Hit Girl's use of the c-word in the movie's red-band trailer. Defenders of the movie predictably countered with, "Why is her language such a concern when she spend the entire movie killing people?" Of course, this all takes place in an R-rated movie so the use of harsh language shouldn't surprise anyone. The problem is exactly that raised by its defenders: The violence in this movie is completely amoral.    That is not to say that I do not enjoy violent movies. Like many in my generation, I like Tarantino films, and unlike many, his "Kill Bill" double feature is among my favorites. More often than not, overtly violent movies have some redeeming value. Whether it's "Saving Private Ryan's" gory take on war, Tarantino's revenge fantasies or the cruelty of Japanese horror films, there is a unique point of view and critical lens through which the action occurs. The violence in "Kick Ass" plays like the worst type of video games; it's stylized, brutal, celebratory in its gore and meaningless in its nature. This is not a natural product of the plot of the film. Instead, the gratuitous and meaningless violence is the result of several important narrative details and stylistics elements. In the translation from comic book to big screen, a very important piece of Big Daddy's character was lost. Big Daddy is a fallen cop who is attempting revenge on the man who framed him. In the film, his story ends there. In the comic, it is later revealed that this was a fantasy world; Big Daddy was never wronged by mobsters and is pursuing them in an attempt to create a new life for himself and his daughter. While some changes are bound to be made in translation, this one is drastic. In the film, he's a tragically unbalanced father seeking revenge; in the comic, he's clinically insane. The audience goes from being shocked of his actions in the comic book to almost understanding in the theater. Much of the effective point of the comic is lost in this simple change. The film also goes to great length to continually remind you that its setting is in our world. These are supposed to be real life super heroes. Its flaw comes from the cartoonish violence. Hit Girl becomes some martial arts wizard, able to take down multiple armed men. These supposedly "life-like" action sequences intend for us to laugh and cheer as an 11-year-old girl, who again, as the movie goes out of its way to reminds us, acts in the real world, slays villain after villain, leaving a very real body count. The final straw come in the penultimate fighting sequence as Hit Girl kills a small army of heavily armed men. The director chooses a fairly common technique of using a pop song over explicit violence, as successfully seen in "Reservoir Dogs" ("Stuck in The Middle with You" by Stealers Wheel) and "American Psycho" ("Hip to be Square" by Huey Lewis and the News). Instead of contrasting the violence and focusing on the deranged individuals perpetrating the violence, Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" serves to make us see how cool it is that Hit Girl is killing people. This is not satire my friends, this is sickening.  

Kick-Ass' Kicks Ass

"Kick-Ass" is without a doubt the best superhero movie since "Spider-Man 2" (nothing can top a dude with eight arms). With awesome action sequences and a strong comedic nature, this movie beautifully treads the line of thriller and comedy while also incorporating social commentary on apathy and corruption. This is a must see for anyone who is a fan of superhero movies or appreciates "R-rated" humor and an overly violent preteen girl. The adventure begins with young Dave (Aaron Johnson) going through the motions of his monotonous life, as an average high school kid with dreams of hooking up with the prettiest girl in his class, his English teacher, as well as a moderately attractive student his own age, Katie. After being mugged and seeing someone witness the crime without taking action, Dave begins to question his faith in humanity and ask, "Why has no one ever tried to be a superhero before?" Dressed up in a wetsuit with a few sticks strapped to his back, Kick-Ass is born. Punching the air in alleys and running around on a rooftop, Dave trains to one day face the muggers who robbed him. In the first public appearance of Kick-Ass, he gets severely beaten up by the muggers, stabbed, stripped and taken to the hospital. With damaged nerve endings that dulls his sense of feeling and metal plates lining his bones, Dave becomes a slightly more durable hero Strutting around town in his suit, Kick-Ass begins his revitalized career looking for a lost cat. When he encounters three thugs taking on one guy, he steps in only to take a beating. Because of his medical improvements though, he is able to continue fighting and save the man's life. When Kick-Ass yells at a bystander to call for help, the individual instead videotapes the fight and makes Kick-Ass an Internet sensation. After a few more trials and failures, our hero meets up with the father daughter crime-fighting duo of Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz). Hit Girl makes this movie great; the young girl dual-wielding handguns and taking out mobsters was more entertaining than a magician pulling a cantaloupe out of a top hat. At the same time, Big Daddy is a great character, training his daughter in a hilarious manner and raising her in a house filled with machine guns. Local mob boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong) is established as the villain, trying to hunt down the superheroes because they are killing all of his men. Frank's son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), in an attempt to bring Kick-Ass to his father, poses as Red Mist, another superhero, and seeks to become Kick-Ass's sidekick. With their limited training, they are quite the crime stopping team. The casting in Kick-Ass is impeccable, and no part was better played than Hit Girl. Moretz, 13, brought her character to life and she certainly has a bright acting future. Frank, Red Mist and even every mobster is played very well and all have their comedic moments. One of the best scenes involves Frank's large guard saying "Everything's under control" while grabbing a bazooka from his desk. On the other hand, Kick-Ass could have been portrayed a little better, with the actor being very bland. An Andy Samberg ("SNL") or a Jonah Hill ("Superbad") may have been a better choice. Nicholas Cage provided a surprisingly good performance. Finding success in a role that does not involve stealing the Declaration of Independence coupled with the fact that he's in enough financial trouble to take on the upcoming film "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" seemed very unlikely.  However, his acting was impressive as he played the role of Big Daddy better than Adam Sandler. This movie is the perfect movie for the college aged demographic. Still, some may find the use of a young actress in a very "R-rated" role controversial, and the 3-shamrock review reflects that. While at times "Kick-Ass" seemed unnecessarily violent, that does not detract from the overall entertainment value of this film. "Kick-Ass" delivers laughs along with strong character development. This was one of the best superhero movies in a while and may even inspire you to put on a cape and try to catch the offenders NDSP emails sketches of to the student body.  

Taking a Dip in Matt's Pond

The band matt pond PA will perform Saturday at Legends, in the midst of a tour with artists like Ben Folds, Bobby Long and Wintersleep.  

Before They Were Famous...

Lady Gaga When you think of the Catholic Church, what image comes to mind? Lady Gaga, 24, in a First Communion gown? Probably not, but this provocative, insane and very entertaining performer got her start as a student at Catholic Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York. Her real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta and Italian blood surges through her veins. At the age of 13, Gaga had written her first ballad and at 17, she was one of only 20 people ever to earn early admission as a music student to the Tisch School of Arts at New York University. She dabbled in rock ‘n' roll, got frisky in burlesque shows and in 2008 signed to Interscope Records, bringing her both fame and fortune. The rest is history as the world goes gaga for a woman who simultaneously reinvigorated the pop industry and challenged almost every stereotype society has seen.

Ya Gotta Regatta!

Every year, there comes a weekend when you are contractually obligated to perform a certain task. In other words, YA GOTTA REGATTA! Hailed as one of ESPN's Top 100 college student activities, the Fisher Regatta is a celebration of spring time, swimming suits, brats and sunshine — basically everything warm. What better way is there to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon than taking in a competitive race featuring your fellow students?  

Inside 'The Cove'

Good documentaries are known for having great footage and exclusive interviews, but one documentary in particular has single-handedly redefined what it means to document. The American documentary "The Cove" is a powerful message to the world about what occurs behind closed doors, or in this film's case, coves.  

Florence and the Machine deliver energized and charming performance

Sometimes it seems like the Brits have all of the musical talent these days. This can be frustrating to any fan because of the shortage of stateside performances. Luckily, Florence and the Machine, one of the most promising musical acts of the moment, graced Chicago with its presence Monday night. Even after buying my tickets only a few weeks before the show and getting the last available at the cheapest price, I somehow got box seats that looked right over the stage. The House of Blues was a perfect venue for the concert. Its smaller size led to an intimate atmosphere, as every seat was close to the stage. It truly felt like everyone there recognized the talent of lead singer Florence Welch and connected with her music. The crowd was young and full of energy, with the exception of the strange sightings of several male concert-goers well into their 50s. Who said good taste has an age limit? Florence and the Machine is a five-member band, but lead singer Florence Welch is undeniably the main attraction. Florence opened the show with "Howl," and howl she did, but only in the best sense of the word. Listening to recordings of her songs, it is clear she has a strong voice, but it is even more powerful live. The combination of her expressive voice, extravagant outfit and electric stage presence were the perfect addition to her already passionate songs. Clad in a black lace cape and fedora and going barefoot for most of the show, her look was definitely eccentric, but this Victorian gothic style enhanced the performance. Florence's songs so easily get under your skin with their raw lyrics and sound. On stage, many of the songs would start with dim lights and just a couple flicks of Florence's wrists in the spotlight to the beat of the drum. She even sung "Blinding" with her cape pulled over her head. All of this could have come off as extremely weird, but it just all worked. Florence herself was extremely charming, thanking the audience several times and acknowledging the many calls and compliments from the audience, one of my favorites being, "Florence, you have beautiful feet!" She involved the audience two times, which made everyone feel able to interact with the show. During "Dog Days Are Over," which has gained deserved attention recently after being used in several television shows and in the trailer for "Eat, Pray, Love," Florence had the audience jump at the same time, which actually made the ground shake. When singing "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)," the crowd was asked to yell the refrain of "Raise It Up" at different points. Florence ended the show with that performance after singing all the songs from her album "Lungs," as well as a lesser-known track from her box set, "Hardest of Hearts." One of the audience favorites was the soulful cover of "You've Got the Love." I had to drag a friend along to the show who did not like Florence and the Machine before. But after this entertaining and charged concert even she was won over, which is a testament to Florence's live presence. Florence's talent should continue to be recognized as more people appreciate her incredible voice and songs. At just the start of her career, she has plenty more to offer with her unique and charming style. The often-eerie mood and Florence's wailing voice (again, in the best sense of the word) surely left concertgoers with a performance to remember.

Weekend Events Calendar

Thursday: "Invictus," DeBartolo 101 at 10 p.m. Opening with Nelson Mandela's (Morgan Freeman) release from prison in 1990 and his subsequent ascent to the presidency, "Invictus" is an inspiring story of national pride and the struggle to overcome racial difference in a country divided by apartheid. Somewhat ingeniously, Mandela sees the national rugby team as a vehicle to unite his country. Through his support of the rugby team, Mandela succeeds in both inspiring the team to reach new heights and his countrymen to unite, even if it is in the name of rugby. "Invictus" will also be showed Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 p.m.

Pitchfork: Not a Farm Tool

Some people simply can't wait for Lollapalooza in early August for their fix of music festival mania, and Pitchfork was created for those people. No, this is not in fact a festival for farmers to showcase their snazziest agricultural tools, as many may believe at first glance. It is the concentration of Pitchfork Media's musical elitism into one short weekend. For a festival in only its fifth year, Pitchfork has brought together quite an impressive lineup, complete with indie superstars and many more artists who are on their way there. Friday's lineup is decisively smaller than Saturday or Sunday because the festival doesn't start until much later in the day. Broken Social Scene is sure to be one of Friday's highlights. The Canadian collective is one characterized by fluctuation. The number of members in the group fluctuates and can include as many as 19 people. They are sure to bring in a large crowd of loyal followers, and may in fact be the reason people buy tickets for Friday to begin with. That's in fact one of the things unique to Pitchfork. Three-day tickets are not as popular and festival goers tend to buy tickets for Saturday and Sunday alone. At a fraction of the cost of Chicago's other notable festival, however, it still brings at least 50,000 visitors to Union Park each year. One of the best things to come out of Jersey lately is, without a doubt, Real Estate. The band released its self-titled debut album earlier this year and was embraced with open arms by the folks at Pitchfork. Real Estate was awarded one of the coveted "Best New Album" titles and was deemed worthy of this summer's festival. One of the best tracks off the album is "Beach Comber" because it is exemplary of the rest of the sound Real Estate is going for. It isn't too busy and has a smooth melody that promises to be just as great live as it is on the album. One of the unquestionable highlights of Saturday's spread is LCD Soundsystem. Best known for his 2007 album "Sound of Silver," James Murphy is sure to draw a crowd. The album, as well as the rest of his work as LCD Soundsystem, has a warm, electronic feel to it. It's not so much dancing music, but it's more something that must be sung along with. "Someone Great" is the best example of this. It could be accurately described as "bopping around" music. His popularity will no doubt bring hipsters in from every corner of Chicago and beyond, like moths to a flame. The booking of Pavement was a big win for the festival. The Flaming Lips headlined last year's Sunday show, so Pitchfork certainly had to pull out all the stops to be able to top that this year. After 10 years apart, the members of Pavement announced earlier this year that they would reunite for a tour this year. Since the band's last show in 1999, quite a bit has changed in the music industry, but Pavement still remains relevant. It promises to be an amazing concert experience and will most likely be the highlight of the entire weekend. The rest of the weekend is just as good as the aforementioned bands. It turns out that Pitchfork has once again brought together the cream of the indie crop so to speak. Also performing will be Wolf Parade, Panda Bear, Why?, St. Vincent, Beach House, Here We Go Magic, Surfer Blood, and many others. So get yourself a ticket to Pitchfork and save yourself the money you'll spend seeing them at Lollapalooza in two years.

The Queen of Comedy Reigns Once More

Chelsea Handler released her latest book, "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang," this March, and has it ever made a bang. She is in the midst of a huge book tour that 32 cities and 47 shows, and she's still managing to maintain her five half-hour installments of the hit late-night talk show "Chelsea Lately" each week. "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" hit No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list in March and currently holds the No. 2 spot in the Hardcover Nonfiction category. Although people may speculate about whether it belongs alongside books like Karl Rove's "Courage and Consequence" on the Best Seller List, even more people will wonder how this hilariously unbelievable set of essays can be classified as nonfiction. Handler also has two other books to her name. Her first book, "My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands," is a memoir detailing the outrageous, not-so-romantic flings of her younger years. Her second, more successful work has sold close to half a million copies and is appropriately named "Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea." Not surprisingly, this collection of raunchy anecdotes from Handler's past mirrors only slightly the quintessential coming-of-age tale in Judy Blume's "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" is also comprised of a plethora of short stories concerning hilarities in Handler's life from childhood on. She was the family misfit as a youth, living with her Mormon mother, Jewish father and six siblings who chose their varying religious sects. Several of the anecdotes from Handler's upbringing exhibit her early independence and aloofness from her family. In the book, her parents often mumble, "Jesus Christ, you'd think she was raising us," as a response to her strong-willed and sarcastic personality. In one story, "When Life Hands You Lemons, Squeeze Them into Your Vodka," Chelsea writes a report on Reaganomics to earn the Cabbage Patch Doll she longs for in third grade. As it turns out, her father brought home a bald preemie doll named Stanley, leaving Chelsea no choice but to steal the real thing from her creepy next-door neighbor Jason. Many of the more "mature" stories center around her relationship with her "live-in lover" Ted Harbert, who oversees E! Entertainment as the CEO of Comcast. Handler is contracted until 2012 with E! for her talk-show "Chelsea Lately," but the couple is rumored to have split recently. Perhaps he finished reading "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang," in which Chelsea affirms, "I'm a girl, but not as much of a girl as my boyfriend." Still other stories revolve around different family members: her "off" sister ("off" meaning Mormon, in Handler's words) or her brother employed as a public accountant who couldn't possibly have a "real life" like her. Each essay contains at least five to 10 laugh-out-loud irreverent quotes that readers will have the urge to memorize so they can shamelessly attempt to entertain their friends with Handler knowledge. Handler's voice in her work, though completely unique, can be most closely compared to the honest vulgarity in the Tucker Max memoir "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," which is also a New York Times Best Seller. Not a bit less provocative than this male author, Handler holds nothing back when she rips on others or recounts awkward stories about herself.   The only complaint a reader may have about "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" is that they wish it were audible. Handler's wit definitely comes through more evidently live on "Chelsea Lately"— the delivery of her quips is so sincere and her facial expressions are priceless on television. And no Chuy in the book? Her little nugget is greatly missed! But any true Handler fan will appreciate the background on her life uproariously outlined in "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang." There are no regrets after reading this comedienne's chronicle, except the embarrassment to endure when you realize you've been laughing out loud alone.

Lollapalooza lineup revealed

It's that time of year again — the annual release of the Lollapalooza lineup.

By the beat: a non-fan chronicles the return of 'Glee'

The Scene section is written by volunteers. It may be hard to believe, but we're not paid for our efforts; we write because we like writing, culture and deep down, we believe we have good taste. The articles reflect this: They are usually about subjects we love or hate. To combat this, I'm writing about a show I've never seen but is hugely popular, "Glee" on Fox.

Urinetown: Student-produced satire comes to Washington Hall

The St. Edward's Hall Players bring the subversive Broadway hit "Urinetown" to Washington Hall today and Thursday. Tickets for the 7 p.m. shows are $5 for students, $7 for the general public and are available the LaFortune box office or at the door.

British Comedy comes to ND

It's what writer Noël Coward called a "farce in three acts." It's the story of a séance that actually went right, then went horribly wrong. It's the story of a violent love triangle. It's the comic play being put on by the Department of Film, Television and Theatre at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC) tonight through Sunday. Jay Skelton, an assistant professor in the Department, is the director of this witty British comedy, "Blithe Spirit," in which novelist Charles Condomine, played by Ryan Belock, wishes to learn about the occult for his latest project. He and his wife invite friends and a quirky psychic to their home to hold a séance. Hilarity ensues when eccentric medium Madame Arcati, played by Shay Thornton, actually manages to bring Charles's first wife Elvira, played by Sloan Thacker, back from the dead. It's bad news for current wife Ruth, played by Clare Cooney, who finds herself beset by an invisible nemesis, still jealous though she no longer holds human form. The comedic journey through this world and the next is a comedy classic. The play appeals to a broad range of audiences and promises to be an enjoyable evening for all. From its beginning in 1941, the play provoked controversy. Coward wrote the play during the Second World War in an attempt to lighten the hearts and minds of the beleaguered Brits, but many thought he might be making fun of death at the height of the war. Objections, however, quickly fell to the wayside as the play went on to set British box-office records. Its run of 1,997 consecutive performances set a record for non-musical plays in the West End, held intact until "Boeing Boeing" in the 1970s. The actors in this performance said they had a great time putting on the play, which helps bring extra emotion and zeal to their already marvelous performance. Belock, who plays protagonist Charles, said he found this production one of the "most rewarding theatre experiences." "We adopted a new vocabulary, a new accent and a new look," he said. All of this is evident in the cast's beautiful performance, complete with zinging lines and upbeat humor. Clara Ritger plays gossiping dinner guest Mrs. Bradman. She said she also enjoyed working with the "stellar cast" of the play, a statement echoed by Thornton, portrayer of Madame Arcati. Ritger said she loves that Coward "poured humanity into his characters, which is not usually what you'd expect in a farce." "You're able to laugh at the sheer absurdity of the plot and utter truth of the situation," she said. It's the humanity in the play that really helps to draw in the viewer, helping them relate to the characters while keeping them hooked with the comic aspect. Director Jay Skelton was also instrumental in making this comedic masterpiece come to fruition. Over the last 18 years, Skelton has directed, written or produced more than 90 plays, musicals or operas in the Chicago, New York and Boston areas, and it is an honor to have such an esteemed thespian at Notre Dame. Belock and the other actors had nothing but glowing compliments for Skelton, saying that he has worked incredibly hard to "fully capture the sophisticated world of this play." We may finally be leaving winter behind us, but we could all still use some laughs in our lives this week, and the play promises to deliver quite a few hearty chuckles and more, in British accents nonetheless. So make your way to DPAC to enjoy the fantastic work that the Film, Television and Theatre department is doing. The play is at 7:30 p.m. tonight through Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Decio Mainstage. Tickets are $15 for regular admission, $12 for faculty, staff and seniors and $10 for students.

Music Under the Radar: European Symphonic Metal

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who has name-dropped a band and you've nodded emphatically, agreeing that said band is so good/cool/innovative, only to completely forget its name the minute you walk away? Fear no more, because here is a list of some of the most note-worthy music out there today, with a focus on bands that are successful but that you may not have listened to yet. Did I unforgivably ignore your favorite? E-mail me and maybe I'll include it in the next list. Thanks to all the feedback I've received so far. Look for your suggestions when I write up their appropriate genres. Under the tutelage of acts like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, heavy metal made its way to the mainstream in the late 70s and early 80s. Bands got louder and the music got, well, heavier. This hasn't stopped, though it has fractioned a bit. Nowadays there are so many genres of metal and so many bands that cross labels that it's often hard to find exactly what you're looking for. Most bands get thrown into the pot of "progressive metal," which doesn't really indicate anything.  From thrash/speed metal to doom metal to Christian metal (oh yeah, it exists) there are literally thousands of bands screaming for your attention. This column focuses on prominent European metal bands. Europe has become particularly well known for its symphonic metal, which refers to metal that employs classical orchestra instruments, whether they be backing up electric guitars and drums or plugged in to create a new sound. If you have any suggestions for the next installment in the metal genre, e-mail the names in. Apocalyptica From Finland with love. If Beethoven were alive today, he would be playing with these guys. This electric-cello-centric Metallica cover band from the 90s has morphed into the premier collaborator for anyone with metal street cred. Nowadays they release all original content, often with guest vocals by lead singers from other bands (such as those listed below). They pioneered the format of "let's plug an amp to the cello and see what happens." Tracks to tap: "Grace," "I Don't Care" Lacuna Coil Italian grace meets spurned lover — and I'm not talking Puccini. Male-female vocals arch over the most "rock" sounding group on this list. These guys are what Evanescence failed to be — a musically relevant metal catharsis. Hooks are prominent in their radio-ready songs, and indeed, much of their success has been alongside such mainstream American acts as Slayer, and the cross-pollination can be heard. (It helps that the lead female singer Cristina Scabbia is dating a member of Slipknot). Lacuna Coil survives not so much on interesting orchestration as it does providing basic metal music that is inventive enough to keep the ear of a connoisseur. Tracks to tap: "Spellbound," "Our Truth," "Senzafine" Nightwish This is the great-granddaddy group of symphonic metal. Direct from Finland, this five-part, female-fronted metal royalty manage to marry pumping guitars and heavy bass lines with full orchestration (we're talking horns and violins) and soprano vocals. With lyrics that are as ethereal as they are operatic, this band has earned its spot as the golden standard of successful European metal. Dashing fearlessly from an orchestral interlude into a speedy guitar solo (often layered on top of the classical instruments), this is the most "epic" music you will find on iTunes. If the Fellowship of the Ring were a band, they would be Nightwish. Tracks to tap: "Amaranth," "Nemo," "Ghost Love Score," "Bye Bye Beautiful" Within Temptation Another European super-group, this female-fronted band from the Netherlands has a massive world following. These guys don't just do metal and orchestra, but often like to throw a choir in the background (just check out their 2008 live album "Black Symphony," which features electric guitar, bass, drums, and … a choir and 60-piece orchestra). The usual themes of lost love and unrequited passion are present in nearly every song, but Within Temptation maintains a sound that is so accessible one might even call them the "pop group" of the symphonic metal scene. If you fear the word "metal" for thoughts of silver spikes and over-extended tongues, let the corset-wearing soprano of Sharon den Adel change your mind. Plebes, start here. Tracks to tap: "Angels," "Stand My Ground," "The Howling"  

The Roots and Mike Posner Concert at ND

Going into The Roots/Mike Posner concert Saturday, I didn't really know what to expect. I had never heard of Mike Posner before he was announced as the opener, so I didn't know a lot about him.  I liked The Roots a lot, but many of my favorite songs by them are collaborations or feature substantial guest performances, so I was wary that their live set may not be as good as their production sound. I showed up late and missed the first few songs of the Mike Posner concert, but what I saw was good.  He worked the crowd, encouraged participation and did everything a good entertainer should do.  Honestly, however, it just wasn't memorable.  I remember having a good time during his set, but there were no specific moments that I remember because of him — I remember Notre Dame concert security, but that's for later.  Again, it wasn't a bad concert: it was entertaining, but I probably won't remember much from it a week from now. The Roots' set, however, was epic.  The band didn't really adhere to a set list; instead, they took a much more "jam band" attitude towards the show.  They interspersed in their songs short covers of other songs, individual musician showcases and just pure jamming.   They were able to control how the crowd felt at nearly all times, taking the room from just chilling and bobbing their heads to raging and bouncing in a matter of seconds. The Roots are known for their amazing live sets, and now I know why this is their reputation.  Also, their after-show demeanor — namely, the way they catered to the fans by coming out at the end to throw memorabilia into the crowd — was some of the best I've seen at a concert. The only major issue I had with the whole experience was the setting.  Notre Dame does not now how to host concerts.  I've been to concerts at home and concerts at other schools, and both the crowd and the concert security at Notre Dame were both such downers — it was the same for the Matisyahu concert.  Some people in the crowd did not even seem like they wanted to be there, and even more were hostile to many actions that I find essential to the concert experience: jamming out, singing, shouting, crowd surfing and moshing, among other things.   Concert security wasn't any better. In fact, their main purpose there seemed to be to quash any attempt to do anything besides stand stationary, maybe allowing a bit of head bobbing and quiet talking to those around you.  If this is your idea of what a concert should be, go to a jazz club or lock the dorm to your room and listen to a CD by yourself in the dark. I like to go to real concerts, not ones that make me yearn a concert thrown in Chicago, at Madison or a junior college.

Tina Fey's Successful Return to 'Saturday Night Live'

This weekend, "Saturday Night Live" returned after a four-week break with an impressive lineup. "SNL" alumna Tina Fey hosted and teen heartthrob Justin Bieber was the musical guest — the ingredients for what was sure to be an entertaining episode.

Italian Theatre Workshop Romantic Comedies Sure to Charm

The Italian Theatre Workshop will premiere April 15 and run through April 17. An annual production, the workshop is the production of a class that performs a play acted and organized entirely by students — all in Italian. This semester, the class, Italian Theatre Workshop: Amore, onore, tradimento (love, honor, betrayal) put together a production that examines the theme of marriage and infidelity in two different stories: Goldoni's "L'Osteria della posta" and Pirandello's "Bellavita." Italian is Notre Dame's second most studied language, Rome is one of its most competitive study abroad programs and Bologna is one of the few locations that offer a year-long study abroad experience. This workshop, a unique class offered only by the Italian department, aims to get students involved in not only the opportunity to further enhance their Italian but also to use their acting skills, engaging the students with the literature and the language both by speaking it aloud and performing in accordance to the text. This theatre workshop offers the challenge of having to study a complex play and then also perform it – all in a foreign tongue. However, it is also one of the few unique opportunities for the students to become completely exposed to Italian while still studying the language at Notre Dame. There is no option but to become completely involved with the work, as performing the text involves studying, reading, speaking and acting. Michelle Keefe, a senior and the play's student director, describes the class as "one of the few classes that offers an Italian immersion experience. It is a great place to experiment with speaking, listening, and understanding Italian; with the end result being something to be proud of, knowing that we were able to put on a successful show, and it was all done in Italian!" Both plays to be preformed are short comedies. The first, "L'Osteria della Posta," is about a woman who is about to meet the man she has been arranged to wed, yet when her husband-to-be sees her, he pretends to be someone else to find out what she's actually like. What he finds out isn't too pleasing, since she does not like the description of the person he actually is (her future husband) and in fact, already has a lover. Confusions and laughter galore, it is a much lighter play than the second one, "Bellavita." This play deals with the relationship between the lover and the husband of a woman who has recently died and their dispute over her son — whose father no one is sure of. Professor Lawrence Hooper, the class's teacher and director explained that since the plays are in Italian, students have to focus on the text and study it more than normal. Consequently, this dedication helps make the acting come naturally due to the intense involvement of the student with the text, which is an interesting approach to take on acting. Although previous acting experience is not required, and in fact many have never studied theatre before, students must have taken at least one year of Italian. Most students in this year's play have studied abroad in Italy, either for a semester in Rome or the entire year in Bologna. As part of their course requirements, the student actors keep journals and make analyses of the text, although classes consist mostly of rehearsals. In fact, the workshop can also count for FTT credit. Although aimed at a narrower audience due to the language barrier, if anyone has even a slight interest in Italian or in theatre, it will surely be a fun experience to watch fellow Notre Dame and Italian language students execute their work of a semester on stage. Not to mention, it'll be a challenge for the audience to keep up with complex and typically Italian plot, packed with love triangles, disputes and scandal. Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for non-students, and can be purchased at the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures in DeBartolo Hall.

Hidden' no more: These New Puritans Are Back on the Punk Scene

This is a truly weird album. This isn't to say that the British post-punk quartet known as These New Puritans were ever a by-the-numbers band, but "Hidden," their sophomore full-length is something else.