Category Archives: Arts

Murder was the case Kevin Bacon and Christian Slater come of age (again) in courtroom drama Murder In the First, a story of revenge and the fine line between justice and injustice By Michael Horowitz Daily Bruin Senior Staff Murder In the First stars two of Hollywood’s favorites, known more for wisecracking leading male roles […]

Plays are half success, half failure at this season’s One Act Festival Theatre 40 adds memorable and forgettable at annual festival By Lawrence Sullivan Once again, Theatre 40’s Annual One-Act Festival is in season, now going on its sixth year. In comparison to the company’s sensational previous two festivals, this year’s was anticlimactic. Notwithstanding, at […]

‘S.F.W.’ lives up to name with futile attempt at Gen X trauma Angst-filled film explores world of instant celebrity By Michael Horowitz Daily Bruin Senior Staff S.F.W. is one of the most aggravating cinematic experiences of the year. Jeffrey Levy’s humorless film tries to define our generation with half-assed, one-note characters, but slicing your face […]

‘Social Security’ commands fiery performances Lightning-quick responses, retorts sustain satire in Bergman’s comedy of overbearing mother, in-laws By Jennifer Richmond Daily Bruin Staff The Kahns (Michael Daniel Vila and Susan Allenbach) have finally gotten to a point in their career where things are going smoothly. Their gallery is popular and they have some of the […]

Students joke for, not about, professor in new course New UCLA Extension course teaches stand-up basics for aspiring comedians By Rodney Tanaka Long weeks of preparation culminates in this one moment: the final exam. Your palms sweat, your heart beats faster. Your grade rides on your performance. You step out onto the stage and grab […]

Putting Garth Brooks in his place: history College students, as open minded as they often think they are, frequently hold prejudices against "mainstream" artists. When an artist has achieved a considerable amount of commercial success, young people often suspect it has something to do with shallow pandering, of stooping to the lowest common denominator, as […]

MINISTRY OF ILLUSION In 1933, Joseph Goebbels, Reich minister for national enlightenment, controlled one of the most powerful vehicles of the time for mass indoctrination ­ the cinema. Realizing that propaganda became ineffective once the viewer became conscious of manipulation, German films from the Third Reich reflected the spirit of National Socialism, rather than restating […]