Book Review: The Circle: Zoe Dartley '16

Posted by Contributing Writer

We continue reading a book for many reasons: the beauty of its language, its intriguing plotline or perhaps the fact that the story's tension is so palpable that one simply cannot stop following it, despite an ever-growing feeling of sickness. This is the case in Dave Eggers' latest tour de force, The Circle, whose plot unfolds like a fast-moving train wreck you can't take your eyes off of.

The novel opens at the beginning of Mae Holland's journey as a new employee at The Circle, a Bay Area Internet titan that has streamlined all search engines and social media systems into one completely transparent program, removing all anonymity from the web. Its members have a cult-like devotion to the company's mission, "Privacy is theft, Secrets are lies." The symbolism may not be subtle, but it's potent. Eggers has a gift for understanding the nuances of his main character's thought process. We follow Mae's opinion of the company from complete astonishment to mistrust to, finally, devotion.

While The Circle's employees are all Type-A devotees, they still know how to party; on her first night Mae attends an orgy-like festival, complete with rare, gourmet food and alcoholic potions. Many members pass out in the campus's well-equipped dorm rooms, feeling no need to return home when all of their necessities are on site.
Part of Eggers' genius is the fact that, although we know something is about to go terribly wrong in the book, we can't seem to stop turning the pages. The novel reverberates with prophetic wisdom, especially because all of The Circle's inventions seem believable. What start out as nifty tech ideas morph into agents of immense societal change at a company where young and ambitious geniuses are given exorbitant amounts of money to roll with their dreams.

The most prominent example of this is SeeChange, a program that is introduced during Mae's first few days at the company. The program consists of tiny, high-definition video cameras that can be placed anywhere in nature and produce live-stream coverage. Introduced as an agent of human improvement, The Circle's employees believe the world will be free of corruption if these cameras are omnipresent. Thus, the regime begins: the cameras begin to be placed in cities all over the world, in private homes and even around the necks of politicians.

Sure to evoke comparisons to 1984 and Brave New World, The Circle is unequivocally relevant. While it may be hard to suppress a rise of bile in the throat whilst reading it, one emerges with a greater understanding of not only our technological world, but how it affects our need for validation and communication. As any great book should, The Circle will haunt its readers with questions long after its scarlet cover is closed. How far are we willing to go in the need for information and innovation? Perhaps the next great dictator isn't a single figure, but rather the result of one of the proudest human inventions: technology.

Book Review: The Circle

Posted by Zoe Dartley '16

We continue reading a book for many reasons: the beauty of its language, its intriguing plotline or perhaps the fact that the story's tension is so palpable that one simply cannot stop following it, despite an ever-growing feeling of sickness. This is the case in Dave Eggers' latest tour de force, The Circle, whose plot unfolds like a fast-moving train wreck you can't take your eyes off of.

The novel opens at the beginning of Mae Holland's journey as a new employee at The Circle, a Bay Area Internet titan that has streamlined all search engines and social media systems into one completely transparent program, removing all anonymity from the web. Its members have a cult-like devotion to the company's mission, "Privacy is theft, Secrets are lies." The symbolism may not be subtle, but it's potent. Eggers has a gift for understanding the nuances of his main character's thought process. We follow Mae's opinion of the company from complete astonishment to mistrust to, finally, devotion.

While The Circle's employees are all Type-A devotees, they still know how to party; on her first night Mae attends an orgy-like festival, complete with rare, gourmet food and alcoholic potions. Many members pass out in the campus's well-equipped dorm rooms, feeling no need to return home when all of their necessities are on site.
Part of Eggers' genius is the fact that, although we know something is about to go terribly wrong in the book, we can't seem to stop turning the pages. The novel reverberates with prophetic wisdom, especially because all of The Circle's inventions seem believable. What start out as nifty tech ideas morph into agents of immense societal change at a company where young and ambitious geniuses are given exorbitant amounts of money to roll with their dreams.

The most prominent example of this is SeeChange, a program that is introduced during Mae's first few days at the company. The program consists of tiny, high-definition video cameras that can be placed anywhere in nature and produce live-stream coverage. Introduced as an agent of human improvement, The Circle's employees believe the world will be free of corruption if these cameras are omnipresent. Thus, the regime begins: the cameras begin to be placed in cities all over the world, in private homes and even around the necks of politicians.

Sure to evoke comparisons to 1984 and Brave New World, The Circle is unequivocally relevant. While it may be hard to suppress a rise of bile in the throat whilst reading it, one emerges with a greater understanding of not only our technological world, but how it affects our need for validation and communication. As any great book should, The Circle will haunt its readers with questions long after its scarlet cover is closed. How far are we willing to go in the need for information and innovation? Perhaps the next great dictator isn't a single figure, but rather the result of one of the proudest human inventions: technology.

Brazilian Guitar Quartet Review: Starting Zankel?s spring season off right

Posted by Kelsea Schimmel

Launching Zankel's Spring 2014 events, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet performed in Zankel on Thursday, Jan. 30.  A world-renowned group, the quartet won the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards for "Best Classical Album," and has been praised for its "seductive beauty" and "virtuosic gusto."  With a unique combination of six-string and eight-string guitars, the group has a traditional Brazilian sound and is able to perform an original and unusual repertoire. The group has performed over 250 times in America, Europe and Asia for more than a decade.

 The Brazilian Guitar Quartet masterfully performs traditional music, embodying the sounds and styles of Brazilian taste and culture.  Brazilian music is often referred to as samba, a genre of music that reflects the styles of Africa, Portugal and India.  In the 1960's, Samba mixed with American Jazz and became 'bossa nova'. This style is much more contemporary, yet still maintains its traditional roots.  Classical music is also prominent in Brazil, but maintains the traditional samba sound.  The Brazilian Guitar Quartet brilliantly performed the traditional sounds of Brazilian Samba, paving the way for the exciting 2014 spring season at Zankel.  Check out their latest CD, Spanish Dances, and get ready for more musical talent this spring.

Delineation of the mind: Rebecca Baruc '15, student artist, has exhibition in Case Gallery: Rebecca highlights the importance of not filtering yourself when pursuing what you love.

Posted by Blair Warren

People sometimes believe that the difference between their own convictions or way of thought to that of another's is merely their counterpart's misconstruction of a concept. Is this really accurate? Do we as humans have the liberty to categorize a person's beliefs or process of thought as right or wrong, with no space in-between?

Rebecca Baruc '15, an American Studies major and Studio Art minor, said, "When I look at things like the human form, I see abstractions and lines intersected. That's how you translate something onto two-dimensional paper. It's like you're creating an illusion when you're doing a portrait." Rebecca makes a good point, relative not only to creating art but also in the understanding of others. Everything that is believed is, in one way or another, an illusion of 'truths' that belong to the processes of one's own mind.
Rebecca attended the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland last semester and is back on the Skidmore campus this semester. During her term away, she spent focused time cultivating not only her art, but also the processing of it.
"It was exciting, I really loved it. It was two weeks of printmaking, two weeks of live model and two months of free time for self-determined studio art." When she returned to Skidmore, her works were exhibited from Jan. 21 - 27 in the Case Gallery of Case Center. Each piece represents not only her artistic talent, but also her own way of seeing the world and the people in it.
"I didn't title any of these pieces because I didn't want to be pedantic, by saying 'this is called this, so you should think that,'" Rebecca said, but one of her pieces that stuck out she sometimes referred to as 'The Feminist Essay Procrastination'.
"I had one essay to write the whole term about anything in art history, so I decided to write about feminism in contemporary art. Every time I sat down to write the essay, though, I would procrastinate by drawing these self-portraits. I don't think any of them look exactly like me, but they're all essences of who I am. It's multi-faceted, which is the conclusion of feminism in art today and is not constituted by just one female artist. Also, feminism in art history is what allowed me to become a confident female art student today."
Rebecca finds inspiration in the works of naturalist painters, specifically John Singer Sargent. She also admires the innovation of Klimt as well as the interactive, performance art pieces of Aneesh Kapoor.
While abroad, Rebecca discovered new ways of expressing what she saw in both the world and in people in her artwork.
"I've been really obsessed with delineation; it was an obsession I wanted to pursue. I also wanted to get over treating things as precious. So, I had this portrait of my friend and I delineated the color areas. I decided I've done a lot of portraits, so this doesn't have to precious. I also doodle a lot, so I wanted to take that line and make it invade a nice portrait. It's all connected; it started in the life room, where I had to draw her [a nude woman] as she moved, but then I put my geometric doodling into it. This made me see her form as abstract shapes, which then creeped into everything I did."
Rebecca explained the importance of letting go of preconceived notions of what may seem right or wrong, giving the mind an openness to freeform, let things take shape, and create.
"I learned not to judge the process. For example, with delineation and doodling, I was told to explore different surfaces to do it on. At one point I was sitting at my desk delineating a toilet paper roll and wondering, why am I doing this? It's so easy to judge something that you're doing but I learned that it was all part of a larger process, which is probably the best thing I learned. I hope that people take away from this how to not feel scared about pursuing their curiosities. Just don't filter yourself."

Reel Talk: Winter Preview

Posted by Sean van der Heijden

A ton of great films have already been released this year, from Gravity to 12 Years a Slave to the recent Hunger Games sequel, but there are still a bunch more to come. Here's a preview of a few of the films I'm most looking forward to as winter approaches:

1. American Hustle: dir. David O. Russell, starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner.

Set in the 1970s, this film is a fictional account of a conman (Bale) forced to work for an FBI agent (Cooper) in order to bring down the corrupt New Jersey government. David O. Russell is essentially combing the casts of his two previous movies, The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook, but there's honestly nothing bad about that. It looks like a fantastic setup-part comedy, part crime-drama, all amazing actors and actresses. American Hustle comes out on Dec. 18.

2. The Wolf of Wall Street: dir. Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, and Kyle Chandler.

Based on a true story, this chronicles the immense success of a wealthy stockbroker (DiCaprio) who succumbs to corruption and crime during the 1990s. It's sort of a black comedy, but it looks insane: full of outrageous, witty characters and wild parties, but also investment fraud and the federal government. This marks the fifth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio, and it promises to be one heck of a film. The Wolf of Wall Street lands in theaters on Christmas Day.

3. Her: dir. Spike Jonze, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, and the voice of Scarlett Johansson.

My personal favorite, Her is the story of a lonely writer (Phoenix) who buys an advanced operating system (queue Scarlett Johansson) to help organize his life, but ends up falling in love with it. The film sounds strange, quirky, and inventive, but also emotionally poignant and bitingly current. Featuring a score by Arcade Fire and original music by Karen O., it appears Jonze is going for a slightly surreal atmosphere here, while nevertheless connecting the film back to raw human emotions. Her opens in wide release on Jan. 10.

Also coming out this season are The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Dec. 13), the highly-anticipated comedy sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (Dec. 20), Ben Stiller's surreal adventure story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Dec. 27), and family saga August: Osage County (Dec. 27) staring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. 

Film Forum: Blackfish

Posted by Julia Mahony

Shamu, the star of SeaWorld, is an animal beloved  by all. An orca these colossal creatures regularly put on spectacular shows, entertaining hundreds of people. However, the  friendly story of Shamu is now a thing of the past. Gabriela Cowperthwaite's documentary, "Blackfish" tells the story of Tilikum, a 12,000 pound orca that infamously attacked and killed the head trainer at Orlando Florida's SeaWorld in 2010 and was implicated in two previous deaths.

SeaWorld's concern with maintaining its public image is evident in terms of who was willing to speak in the film. Witnesses to Tilikum's attacks and trainers appear on camera, while park executives refrained from on-camera interviews. Cowperthwaite makes it crystal clear that attacking humans is not a natural inclination of orcas, but that their secluded environment potentially leads to a kind of psychosis. In fact, there has never been a recorded incident an orca assault on a human in the wild. The whales are described by researches as very social, caring creatures, with thousands of miles of ocean as their usual stomping ground. Being confined nightly to dark and gloomy concrete pens is most likely the cause for Tilikum's destructive behavior. The CNN anchor Jane Velez-Mitchell poses the following question, "If you were in a bathtub for 25 years, don't you think you'd get a little psychotic?"

This documentary should appeal to students interested in biology, neuroscience, oceanography, and anyone who cares about the way humans treat the Earth and her animals. Many whales have accidentally hurt themselves in attempts to escape from their enclosures. One neuroscientist in the film avers that their brains may be even more advanced than ours. As a trainers says, "When you look into their eyes, you know somebody is home." 

"Blackfish" is playing at the Film Forum at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 21st and Friday, November 22nd, as well as at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 24th . At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 23rd,the Film Forum is having a Meet the Artist event for Kyle DeCamp's latest multimedia piece, "Urban Renewal", which encompasses live performance, slide projection and mesmerizing sound.

12 Years a Slave' is a disturbing but powerful portrayal of slavery in America

Posted by Sean van der Heijden

Directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, newcomer Lupita Nyong'o and a ton of other stars, '12 Years a Slave' is based on the memoir of Solomon Northup, a freeman who was living in Saratoga Springs, NY before being tricked, drugged and sold into slavery in the south.

McQueen is an auteur known for his honest and brutal direction, and he keeps filming when others would shut the camera off or look away. While making the picture that much more difficult to sit through, his steadfastness greatly elevates the emotional impact of the film. It's a must-see, if only for educational purposes-just as 'Schindler's List' is used to teach about the Holocaust and 'Milk' about the struggle for gay rights.

There is a moment in '12 Years a Slave' when, as a form of punishment, Northup is hanged by his neck, the tips of his toes just able to reach the ground below him. The camera stays on him for a few minutes. It is silent, and all you can do is listen to him struggling for breath.

This is one of the more disturbing moments in the film, but not the worst. Eventually, Northup is sold to Edwin Epps, a short-tempered and impulsive plantation owner portrayed by Michael Fassbender. He is by far the most villainous and terrifying character in the film, and Fassbender brilliantly captures his mood swings and tempestuous personality.

It is Chiwetel Ejiofor, however, who steals the show. He brings so much life to Northup, and completely disappears into his character. He is able to depict so many deep levels of emotion while also bringing dignity to a man who was unwilling to let anyone take away his will to "live" rather than just "survive." Additionally, Lupita Nyong'o, in her first big film role, is mesmerizing as Patsey, a hardworking and desperate woman and the object of her master Epps's attention. She is hated by Epps's wife-masterfully played by Sarah Paulson-and most of the more dramatic moments in the film revolve around her character's tragic story.

If I have one complaint, it's that 12 years do not seem to pass by at all, mainly because none of the characters substantially age. Also, Brad Pitt is thrown in for ten minutes to depict a kind-hearted abolitionist, and while he does a good job, it just feels like Brad Pitt on a slave plantation, which is totally out of place.

Regardless, while the film may be harrowing and difficult to sit through, it is simply brilliant all the way through and by far the most honest depiction of slavery that I've ever seen.

Film Forum: The Spectacular Now : "The Spectacular Now" authentically celebrates youth.

Posted by Julia Mahony

"The Spectacular Now" is a must see. As people who have graduated high school recently and have college graduation on the horizon, it is easy to relate to  imminent transitions in the characters' own lives.  The film has been compared to "Say Anything" and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," smash hits and timeless classics in this genre. Since there are so many phony depictions of romance involving people our age in film, it is refreshing to see a genuine portrayal with no sugarcoating.

"The Spectacular Now" begins with a portrait of a hedonistic young man.  Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is the beloved class clown, and, in his own words, "the life of every party." He views himself as the king of living in the moment. Things aren't too bad for Sutter either. He has a popular girlfriend and a great job, not to mention everyone likes him. However, no one takes him seriously. Sutter refuses to even think about the future, because he is too busy living in the now. As a high school senior, he is alone in his refusal to acknowledge the impending changes coming his way, resulting in his girlfriend choosing to break up with him. Sutter deals with this emotional blow the same way he deals with everything, by drinking. The next morning he is found by classmate Aimee Finicky (Shailene Woodley) passed out on her lawn. After offering to help her with her paper route, the two become friends.

The heart of the movie is in its authenticity. Sutter and Aimee's relationship with one another is convincingly awkward at first. Rather than some grand romantic proposal, the two organically grow closer to one another over time. Sutter helps Aimee stand up for herself and she gets Sutter to admit to emotions that he has kept masterfully hidden from others, as well as himself. One of the most unique aspects of this film, in regard to its genre, is that events that are usually emphasized, such as prom and graduation, just happen like other events in the characters lives. No life-changing revelations occur during these events, but rather the changes take place in a more realistic ways, when the characters are at their most vulnerable. Teller and Woodley deliver truly palpable performances. The honesty with which they convey the story is original and poignant.  Both actors were awarded the Sundance special Jury Award for their work in this film.

             "The Spectacular Now" will be playing at the Saratoga Film Forum this weekend on Thursday, Nov. 7 and Friday, Nov. 8 7p.m., as well as Sunday, Nov. 10, at 3.pm.

Film Forum: A Touch of Sin and ??vocateur: Two hidden gems are playing at the Film Forum this weekend.

Posted by Julia Mahony

One of the films you can view at the Saratoga Film Forum this weekend is Jia Zhang-ke's "A Touch of Sin."  The movie is divided into four parts. Each segment is centered on different characters who are driven to brutal events that leave us questioning the nature of humanity.

All four sections of the film are based on true events and represent a  modern and dystopian . The characters range from a miner with his own personal interpretation of justice to a young receptionist who is pushed far beyond her limits by a lover, whose response to an ultimatum is a savage one. Though "A Touch of Sin" has a contemporary setting, it heavily draws on the tradition of wuxia, Chinese fictional stories that narrate the journeys of martial artists.                                                

"A Touch of Sin" won the award for best screenplay at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. The movie showings at the Film Forum this weekend will be the regional premiere for the film. It is playing at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 1st, as well as at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 3rd .       

         The other film playing this weekend is "??vocateur." It is a documentary about the Morton Downey Jr. Show. It showcases Downey's role as a predecessor to conservative commentators, such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. The documentary illustrates the great influence the show had on "trash TV," a kind of tabloid talk show designed with some sort of controversial purpose in mind. "??vocteur" is playing at the Film Forum at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 2nd . Special Treat: After the movie, meet and converse with the filmmaker! All movie screenings are just $5 with valid Skidmore ID.

Skidomedy's Friday show did not dissappoint

Posted by Luca Mobilia

When a member of a comedy group opens a show with a calming monologue you know you are in for a raucous time. This is how Skidomedy started off their first show of the year, The Bonobo Banana Bandana Bonanza. Luke Conley, '14, sat serenely speaking to the audience as snippets of porn mixed in with meditational footage were projected on a large screen behind him. To those who were turned off (pardon the pun), I would remind them that if members of our very own SGA can giggle over a dirty joke, so can they.

            Skidomedy went on to cover all of their bases. They started off with a fairly straightforward sketch involving a kiddie clinic, but moved on to less trodden comedic ground. Personal favorites included a sketch where a boyfriend confesses his love for his significant other's father, which ends with the hilarious invitation to the wedding of "Boyfriend and Daddy" and a fake infomercial discussing the plight of those who suffer from "baby face" (they're human too, guys). Probably the best sketch by far was of a gay porn star forced by tough times to turn to straight porn; anyone who can say "your boobs are like giant balls" is okay in my book.

            A well-rounded and hilarious show, Skidomedy was a great time for everyone lucky enough to attend. I hope to see the group again in the future with more rip-roaring content.    

Director and scholar Anne Bogart to conduct workshops with students: This year's Artist-Scholar Resident will visit the campus early before her return next February

Posted by Julia Leef '14

Director, scholar, and this year's visiting Artist-Scholar Resident Anne Bogart will visit Skidmore College this weekend in order to lead a "composition weekend" with 30 volunteer theater students that will address the theme of storytelling. The rest of the student body is also invited to observe an open workshop from 1 to 2 p.m. in Rehearsal Studio A at the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater.

Bogart has had a long history with the College as the Artistic Director of SITI Company, which has visited the campus every June to run an intensive summer theater workshop for the past 20 years. Senior Artist-in-Residence Will Bond is a part of SITI Company, and Bogart is well-known in the Theater Department, according to Dean of Special Programs Paul Calhoun.

The McCormack Endowed Visiting Artist-Scholar Residency was created to extend the summer programming of the Office of the Dean of Special Programs to the regular academic year. The guest artists may teach and sit in on classes and seminars, interacting with both students and faculty. Previous guests have included Karole Armitage, Angela Brown, and Emanuel Ax.

Although the College welcomes a visiting artist to the campus every year, this is the first time one has chosen to perform an extra service for the student body. Bogart will make her official, public appearance Feb. 5 to 7.

Bogart's visits will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 11 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, the final hour of which will be devoted to the open workshop.

Reel Talk: Captain Phillips: Paul Greengrass's film is a pulsing, slow-burning thriller.

Posted by Sean van der Heijden

"Captain Phillips," which opened in theaters on Oct. 11, tells the true story of the eponymous captain, whose cargo ship was hijacked by Somali pirates masquerading as fishermen in 2009. Directed by Paul Greengrass, it starts off rather slow, taking a while to give all the background information and set up the story. Once it gets going, though, the film turns into an intense rescue mission and moral quandary that is impossible to turn away from.

Greengrass does a fine job at directing, but his handheld camerawork is incredibly shaky and at times nauseating. That being said, almost the entire film takes place on the ocean, so the direction does do a fantastic job at immersing the viewer further into the situation at sea.

Tom Hanks, who stars as the titular character, gives his best performance in over ten years. He portrays Phillips as an average, slightly arrogant man thrust into a highly unusual and stressful situation. Phillips-whom the pirates nickname "Irish" due to his heritage-is never directly referred to as a hero. Rather, the lengths he goes to keep his crew safe are presented as completely natural and are not particularly highlighted within the film.

Throughout the entire film, you can literally see the fear in Hanks's eyes-but this isn't acting, it is more than that. While terrified of the pirates who take him for ransom, he definitely feels sorry for them and goes to lengths to help them settle the situation calmly. At one point in the film , Phillips says to the pirate leader, Muse, "There's got to be something other than being a fisherman or kidnapping people." Muse replies, "Maybe in America, Irish, maybe in America."

Moments like this present the pirates as actual people, simply doing their jobs and trying to bring money back to their villages and leaders. Barkhad Abdi, who portrays Muse, comes out of nowhere to give the standout performance of the film. He holds his ground against Hanks the entire time, and while he certainly makes Muse into the villain of the film, it's clear that he really has no choice but to occupy this position.

Both actors are definitely in serious contention to snag an Oscar nomination come January and I suspect the film will get a few more as well. I'd also like to point out the brilliance of Henry Jackman's score, which serves as an intense, pulsing backdrop for the action that takes place on screen.

Overall, while 'Captain Phillips' takes a while to get going, the wait is well worth it. The film turns into a complex moral thriller that, despite potentially knowing the ending due to the fact that it is based on a true story, remains very intense throughout.

Film Forum: 20 Feet from Stardom: Morgan Neville's documentary follow music's lesser-credited talent.

Posted by Julia Mahony

This weekend, the Saratoga Film Forum will be screening "20 Feet from Stardom." The documentary, directed by Morgan Neville, follows the lives of some of the most underappreciated people of the music business; backup singers. However, the film does not focus on just any random backup singers. These women--Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and Judith Hill have all worked with music legends and are all icons in their own right.
 In the earlier days of pop, backup singers were usually white. Darlene Love was one of the first black women to break the racial barrier. Sonny and Cher, The Beach Boys and Elvis Presley are just a few of the artists that she worked with. Merry Clayton, who started singing around the same time as Love also sang backup for many top-notch artists. These include, but are not limited to, Neil Young, Carol King, and Joe Cocker. One of her most iconic performances was her duet with Mick Jagger on The Rolling Stones song "Gimme Shelter". Despite her impressive credentials, Love was not always treated fairly. Some of her most quintessential work was performed on a single produced by Phil Spector, who frequently credited her voice to other artists.
In this group of accomplished female singers the one that has probably gotten the most recognition for her career thus far is Lisa Fischer. Fischer won a Grammy for one of her own songs but did not think she had the ego for a solo career. She has sung backup for Roberta Flack and Tina Turner, among others. She has also toured with The Rolling Stones. Judith Hill is the youngest of the group, just 39 years old. Hill was chosen to be Michael Jackson's duet partner for his "This Is It" tour. Due to his demise, she never got to go on tour with him, but she did garner worldwide attention when she sang "Heal the World" at his memorial service.
Though this documentary has a star studded cast, including the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Mick Jagger, the real stars are the women who have spent their lives just a few steps away from the spotlight. Showings are Thursday October 17th, Friday October 18th, and Sunday October 20th at 7:30. Tickets are $5 with valid Skidmore ID.

Ty Segall's genius has unlimited potential : Indie star Segall has a unique vibe that is surprisingly versatile.

Posted by Jesse Shayne

Is Ty Segall the songbird of our generation? Think about it. The man is 26 years old and has already released eight solo albums, been a part of multiple collaborative efforts with some of the current kings of garage rock (Thee oh Seehs, White Fence, etc.) and has helped renew and redefine a genre that seemed worn-out thirty years ago. Combining punk, psychedelic, noise and glam rock, as well as heavy metal and classic rock, Segall and his fellow contemporary garage rockers have created a new hybrid form of music that pays homage to numerous great bands but introduces a degree of originality that distinguishes it as its own pronounced revivalist movement. With the release of his most recent effort (no I'm not talking about his eighth solo album, Sleeper, which came out in August), the debut self-titled album of a three-piece Black Sabbath-tribute under the moniker Fuzz, Segall has made it clear to anyone skeptical of his ability to diversify: the man can do it all.
Now, some people may be unaware who Ty Segall is (but let's be real, this is Skidmore, at least 50% of students on this campus have probably heard of him). While Segall has yet to break free from the realm of indie blogs and publications, he is a god amongst the Pitchfork-reading syndicate and his music had been featured on NPR and other highly reputable (and tasteful) musical outlets. I wouldn't be surprised if we have another Bon Iver/Grammy-esque situation on our hands in a couple of years, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Segall's rise to prominence began in 2008 when he started his solo career after playing with a number of underground bands in the Bay area. His first solo album was released on cassette that same year by Wizard Mountain, a tiny San Francisco-based record label. Upon the release of his fourth solo album, Segall signed with Drag City, the Chicago-based label responsible for discovering Pavement and Joanna Newsom.
Despite glowing reviews, after Segall's first couple of releases concerns were raised that his sound was one-dimensional--blaringly reverbal guitar solos, accompanied by muffled bass and crazy drum fills--the typical garage sound that dates back to the Beatles' edgier days. Segall's next few releases turned out to be more multi-dimensional with some slower songs and less guitar-driven structures. But if one thing was made clear by Sleeper, a quieted-down acoustic album in homage to Segall's deceased father, it was that Segall has a whole repertoire of sounds floating around in his bleach-blond Californian head. And now, with the release of Fuzz's debut effort (Segall's third album this year, and sixth in the last two years) all doubts are out. The man is a musical genius.
        Holed up in his San Francisco bungalow, Segall spends his days surfing and writing songs. Literally. He apparently writes a song everyday, even when he's touring, which he basically has been doing nonstop for the past three years despite releasing nine albums and multiple EP's during that time. He's a multli-instrumentalist, and while he could just continue to record solo, his collaborative efforts have led to some of the most insane riffs, lyrics and vibes of the past few years. Mikal Cronin, Jon Dwyer, (frontman of Thee oh Seehs) and Tim Presley (of White Fence) are all close friends and have collaborated with Segall, who's always down to switch things up. In the past year-and-a-half alone Segall has released four collaborative albums: Hair (Ty Segall & and White Fence), Slaughterhouse (The Ty Segall Band), The Traditional Fools LP (a reissue of an old album with friend and Ty Segall Band member, Mikal Cronin), and now Fuzz.
Segall plays drums while singing in Fuzz, making it clear that he doesn't always have to take center-stage while simultaneously stealing the spotlight with monster fills and angry lyrics. The album starts out slowly with a two-minute intro on the first track, "Earthen Gate," but things pick up almost immediately as Charles Moothart (a member of the Ty Segall Band) quickly starts belting out a guitar riff that Ozzy would have been proud of. Roland Cosio (life-long pal of Segall and a member of a couple of Segall's old bands) keeps things in line on the low end, matching Moothart's and Segall's energy. The album is essentially lo-fi garage meets stadium rock--Slaughterhouse on steroids.
It's hard to tell where Segall will go from here. A move to a major label? A switch to a more traditional studio sound? Whatever he does, you should pay attention. After all, given everything he has accomplished by age 26 you never know where he will be in ten years.

Film Forum: Blue Jasmine: Woody Allen abandons romantic Europe and returns to the reality of America in his latest film.

Posted by Julia Mahony

In recent years, Woody Allen's films have focused on grand European cities, such as Paris and Rome. These films have been surreal and enchanting, but with his newest film, "Blue Jasmine," Allen has shifted gears to stark American reality.

Theatrical chameleon Cate Blanchett easily delivers one of the best performances of the year in the titular role of Jasmine, a modern Manhattan socialite who has recently fallen from grace. She flawlessly embodies the aging diva in all of her vodka swigging, Xanax popping glory.

The film jumps between the current state of Jasmine's existence of disgrace and her glamorous life of the past, allowing the viewers to experience the gaudiness and grotesquery of her and her husband Hal's (Alec Baldwin) privileged world. Jasmine maintains conviction in her self-entitlement, whether she is in the comfort of luxury, or in the less than elegant world of her sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins). Ginger lives in a seemingly typical apartment in San Francisco, which initially shocks Jasmine in its obvious ordinariness. .

This weekend the Saratoga Film Forum will be showing "Blue Jasmine" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday the 10th, Friday the 11th, and Sunday the 13th. In addition, on Saturday the 12th at 7:30 p.m., "Rising From Ashes" will be playing. It is an inspirational film about genocide survivors in Rwanda, striving towards their dream of a national cycling team. Afterward there will be a panel discussion. Tickets are $5 with valid Skidmore ID.
  

Reel Talk: Alfonso Cuar??n's Gravity is Breathtaking : Cuaron's long-awaited new film does not dissappoint as it propells viewers through outer-space.

Posted by Sean van der Heijden

I got the chance to see Alfonso Cuar??n's "Gravity" down in Clifton Park-a film I've been looking forward to for a ridiculously long amount of time. It's about two astronauts who struggle for survival after floating debris collides with their spaceship, leaving them detached and adrift in space. It's not so much sci-fi as it is drama-thriller, and when I say "thriller" I don't mean that lightly. It was literally the most stressful 90-minutes of my life, but I was in awe during every second of it.

Cuar??n, who directed, co-wrote, produced and helped edit the film, hasn't done a full-length feature since 2006's poignant "Children of Men," but "Gravity" was well worth the wait. It's one of the best-directed films I've ever seen. Cuar??n's use of incredibly long takes draws the viewer in so that they physically cannot turn away. The film starts out with a 17-minute shot-no editing, no cuts. It's just the camera moving from one subject to another, in-and-out, close up and far away-all over the place, really. Space is limitless, and so is Cuar??n.

It's tough to appreciate just how masterful this film is until you see it for yourself. Set miles above earth's surface, every single take is absolutely gorgeous. The visuals are stunning, the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki is some of the best work I've ever seen. Steven Price's electric and ethereal score only adds to the tense atmosphere. The earth itself turns into a character, and it's used brilliantly all the way up until the very end.

As for the performances, well, there are really only two significant roles. George Clooney plays a veteran astronaut out on his last mission, and serves as a form of moral support to Sandra Bullock's character-Dr. Ryan Stone-who's up on her very first mission. Clooney does a fine job and is an integral part of the plotline, but it's Bullock who utterly dominates the screen time, giving a fearless and absorbing performance like never before.

It's by far the best work of her career-Dr. Stone is so real that it's scary. You laugh when she laughs, you cry when she cries, and you're breathless as she's struggling for air. The emotions that Cuar??n was able to elicit from her truly pull you into the film and make this an experience like no other. While the script isn't necessarily the best written, and most certainly skims the line of oversentimentality at times, those issues are secondary to the visuals and performances themselves.

It's truly an out-of-body experience, and probably the closet most of us will ever get to actually being in space.

Los Angeles based band brings a refreshing vibe: Echosmith will keep you humming long after you turn it off in the car.

Posted by Gwen Plummer

Straight off their summer stint on Warped Tour and now smack in the middle of a fall tour supporting Tonight Alive, Los Angeles based alternative pop group Echosmith has released their debut album, "Talking Dreams."
Comprised of four siblings (all younger than twenty), Echosmith, who signed with Warner Brothers Records in 2012, is already making big waves. Only a year into their careers, the newcomers have been named Alter The Press' 'Band of the Month' for October and landed a spot on Alternative Press' "100 Bands To Watch in 2013" list. 

The album, which will be released on October 8, boasts twelve solid tracks, including the crowd favorite and outsiders' anthem "Cool Kids." Jam-packed with fun beats, catchy tunes and a cool back and forth between male and female vocals, "Talking Dreams" is a feel-good album made for rolling your windows down and screaming lyrics like "kids like us, we don't know when to stop/ we walk, we walk, we just keep walking/ we move, we move, we just keep moving on/we sing, we sing, we sing at the top of our lungs," and "let's love while we're young" out of the open sunroof with your best friends. 

Echosmith manage to do what bands in their scene are constantly trying to do - almost perfectly capture the essence of being a teenager and all the crazy emotions and unbelievable moments that come along with it. The album is layered with awesome drumbeats and guitar riffs, showcasing the talent every member of the band possesses - particularly seventeen-year-old lead singer Sydney. 

Talking Dreams is well balanced between upbeat feel-goods like "Let's Love" and "Nothing's Wrong," airy love songs "Bright" and "Surround You" and more angsty teenage 'fight-the-power' songs like "Come Together." All around, the album is young, fresh, and bright - nothing too heavy to weigh down the whole "windows down, radio up" thing. With time and maturity, hopefully depth and profundity will come. But for now, Echosmith can easily play in the same league as Tonight Alive and other well respected Warped Tour bands. "Talking Dreams" is everything a debut album needs to be.

Film Forum: Hannah Arendt: This week's screening follows the life of the first self-proclaimed "political theorist."

Posted by Julia Mahony This weekend, the Saratoga Film Forum will be showing Margarethe von Trotta's Hannah Arendt. Arendt, played by Barbara Sukowa, was one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century. She refused the title of philosopher because, according to her, philosophy related to "man in the singular" and her work was concerned with the reality that "men, not Man, live on the earth and inhabit the world." In other words, she was interested in the lives and actions of individuals, rather than the overarching role of mankind. Consequently, she called herself a political theorist.

This film is a portrait of a daring woman's profound thought process. The biopic centers on the controversial reporting Arendt did during the trial of the ex-Nazi, Adolf Eichman. In her reporting for The New Yorker she coined the famous phrase, "the banality of evil," a theory that Eichman, among other "evil" historical figures, were unthinking drones as opposed to masterminds of cruelty. As a result, she was accused of defending him.

On Sunday, after the screening, Skidmore English Professor Robert Boyers will be giving a talk about the film as part of The Film Forum's Town & Gown Series. Boyers is one of the leading experts on Hannah Arendt in the nation and was present during the making of the film.

As students who go to a college where the slogan is "creative thought matters", Hannah Arendt is particularly relevant for us. It a film is about deep thinkers and the consequences, as well as the repercussions, of taking thought seriously. Tickets for the film are $5 for students with a valid Skidmore ID.

It's Big Show time again: Danny Brown and Action Bronson take on 'Toga: While this year's performers are definitely unusual for Big Show, we predict they will be a hit.

Posted by Caroline Falls

SEC's selection may have come as a surprise to some, who remember past shows that featured more mellow names like Mayor Hawthorne and the Dirty Projectors. At first, SEC considered a Big, Big show, which would include a few headliners, a doubled budget, and enough excitement to satisfy two semesters. Yet, after rumors of a possible Danny Brown/Action Bronson tour were confirmed, it seemed the choice was clear.

The Detroit-raised hip-hop artist Danny Brown has been called "one of rap's most unique figures" by MTV, and was Detroit's Metro Time's "Artist of the Year" in 2012. Yet, it is Brown's unique look that catches the eye. His side-swept hair, gapped-tooth smile, and fondness for skinny jeans are just a few things that set him apart from the average rapper. His career, a winding path through the early days of the rap group Rese'vor Dogs, and rejection from 50 Cent's G-Unit Records, (because of his "unconventional" look,) lead him to release his first solo independent studio album, The Hybrid, in 2010. The single, "Grown Up," which Rolling Stone called the 41st best song of 2012, may be what catches the attention of new listeners preparing for Friday's show. Hopefully, his newest album Old, which is to be released this fall, will be given a test-run on Friday's crowd. 

Queens-native rapper Action Bronson will be performing as well, possibly livening up the audience with songs from his albums Dr. Lecter, Well-Done, and the EP Saab Stories-which features Whiz Khalifa and Prodigy. But don't let Bronson's copper-colored beard, eastern European blood, and love for cooking (yes, he's also a chef,) put you off. His performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2013 caught the attention of XXL Magazine, which featured him in their "Freshman Class"-a catalogue of up and coming rappers. His notable lyrics and larger than life personality have lead Pitchfork to call him "one of the most hilarious and creative writers in rap." Relaxed numbers like "Brunch" and "Shiraz" will compliment Danny Brown's upbeat, danceable, and jumpable tunes.

Named the "Richard Pryor & Gene Wilder of rap" by Okay Player, the show will combine the two artists in a noteworthy and unpredictable sell-out show that is not to be missed.