From the Runway to Ring Mall
BY LOUISE LAO
VOLUME 41, ISSUE 27 | MAY 05 2008
The sun is shining and the breeze is balmy—spring has definitely arrived. Some days, the heat is sweltering enough to drive a girl into the ubiquitous shorts and flip-flops uniform. What can you do to get out of a hot-weather fashion rut, especially on a college student’s budget? Here are a few spring and summer trends to take from the runways to Ring Mall.
IN RAINBOWS
In this spring’s shows, ROY G. BIV ruled the runways. Color was bold, bright and unapologetic. Designers did not shy away from color, and neither should you. To interpret this trend in a subtle way, try taking one item of clothing and wearing it in an unexpected color. Buy jeans in a striking lemon yellow, or for those who take baby steps, a pale blue. Accenting neutrals with brights, like the chartreuse miniskirt or the lipstick red jacket paired with pale colors at 3.1 Philip Lim, is quite a brilliant move. More ways to add punch to an everyday outfit are to layer with a bright cardigan or wrap oneself in a scarf in an eye-catching color—why not both? Spring is no time to be shy. Even Ralph Lauren, which is known for its classic designs and color palette, sent models sashaying down the catwalk in vibrant, saturated hues in the label’s 40th anniversary show. From Easter-egg pastels to Day-Glo neons, fashion went full spectrum.
AROUND THE WORLD
Many designers took inspiration from global cultures in their collections, from Christian Lacroix’s outlandish feathers and prints to Proenza Schouler’s more subdued palette. African motifs and Asian ikat patterns were prevalent on this season’s runways. Fortunately, for those on a budget, this trend can easily translate into an accessory, like a scarf or piece of jewelry, to update a basic outfit.
Another global-inspired trend of the moment is the gladiator sandal. Although the shoes have appeared in past seasons, they are everywhere this spring. If you want to keep the style a bit more subdued (in other words, if you want to avoid looking like you’re about to fight Russell Crowe) try the style in black or silver with just a few straps. With these global looks, you can dress like you’ve traveled the world, even if the most exotic place you’ve been lately is Fashion Island.
ART STAR
Vivid colors, expressionistic and aggressive brushstrokes—does this sound like a critique from a studio art class? Actually, we’re talking about dresses from Chloé and Dolce & Gabbana, among others. This season, many pieces appear to be streaked with paint and covered in a myriad of intense hues. Art and fashion unite more than ever this spring. In addition to fashion inspired by the abstract expressionism movement, designers have been inspired by illustration.
A prime example lies in the fairy illustrations printed throughout Prada’s collection. Are you artistically inclined? Grab a fabric pen or even some acrylic paint (because it’s permanent, it works as fabric paint) and make some fairy figures (or anything you’d like!) of your own. If you’re more on the crafty side, a bottle of Rit dye is your friend as designers were also inspired by the look of watercolors. Dip-dyeing a shirt, skirt, scarf or even a dress will create the much-desired ombré effect. Tie-dye shirts and scarves are also fresh ways to bring the artistic trend to everyday wear.
Now that you are familiar with some of the trends of spring and summer, make them your own. Don’t fear color, pattern or personalization. As Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion is made to become unfashionable,” so embrace changing trends as different outlets for self-expression. Have a stylish spring!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
New University 4/21/08
Latin-American Film Festival: Life, Blood For Rent
BY DAVID LUMB
VOLUME 41, ISSUE 25 | APR 21 2008
With the recent surge of interest in indie films, independent foreign films are finally starting to creep out of film festivals and into local venues. To that end, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and Department of Latin-American Studies, in collaboration with the Film and Video Center, is presenting the 9th Annual Latin-American Film Festival from Wednesday, April 16 to Saturday, April 19 and again the following week from Wednesday, April 23 to Saturday, April 26.
Each night features a select film. In keeping with the festival’s traditions, most of the films are the directors’ premiere films. Showings begin at 7 p.m. in HIB 100, with a $2 admission fee.
The film that opened the festival, El Brindis, which means “To Life” in English, is directed by Shai Agosin. Emilia (Ana Serradilla), a professional photographer in Mexico, reluctantly travels to Chile to visit her ailing father, Isidoro (Jose Soriano) and his Jewish family, whom she hardly knows. Tension between father and daughter is alleviated by the local Rabbi David (Francisco Melo), although his interaction with Emilia may cause more problems than it solve
The film is well-written, if formulaic, but the characters are honestly portrayed with fresh dialogue. Serradilla plays her awkward family interactions well, although this translates to some exceedingly stiff scenes with Soriano, but the chemistry is apparent in her scenes with Melo, which turns into a believable romance.
Soriano is the feature of the film, and takes every scene he’s in, delivering strength, pain and guilt, but intentionally without tact. Overall, the film succeeds where bigger budgets fail: honesty in relationships strained with conditions and past problems. It isn’t great, but it’s cute, an enjoyable film to experience and a promising start for Agosin. As an added plus, the shots of Chile and Mexico are beautiful, and Agosin deserves extra credit for shooting on such a gorgeous location.
Jacobo Sefami, a professor in the department of Spanish, strongly desired to bring Latin-American cinema to the UC Irvine community and started the Latin-American Film Festival in 1998. Sefami partnered with the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles to advertise for the festival, which featured exclusively Mexican films from the 1990s.
The festival has grown to include all Latin-American countries: some of this year’s entries include collaboration between Mexico and Canada, Germany and Cuba and Argentina, France and Spain.
“Our main goal is to bring films that are not available in theaters, films that are very well-done but, unfortunately, don’t make it,” Sefami said. “Foreign films are scarce, because of Hollywood’s influence and because people don’t like to read subtitles.”
This year, Sefami has passed the reins of running the festival to Michael Harrison, a graduate student in the department of Spanish. “[The Festival]’s purpose is to expose the university community and local community to experiences from different places they don’t have access to.”
“Pura Sangre”
By Anabela Kim
Though the title may bring to mind gruesome revenge flicks or noir-like fantasies, instead, Leo Ricciardi’s “Pura Sangre” is the story of a love affair with the mundane beauty of the rural landscapes of Argentina. Captured through soothing hues of blues and greens, the film paces itself as patiently as the soft breezes coaxing the country fields. As the second installment of this year’s Latin-American Film Festival at UC Irvine, the film, within its quiet beauty, explores the tension of an estranged family its chasms deepened by obstinacy and misunderstanding.
As nine-year-old Santiago (Yaco Levy) takes a ride with his parents to reunite with his grandfather and settle a decade-long rift with his family, the ride is abruptly cut short after a disastrous car accident leaves him orphaned. His grandfather (Oscar Alegre) makes the decision of his life to look after him, panged at having to face the offspring of his daughter, and the man she ran away with. This prepares the film for the journey the family goes through to possibly heal the deeply engraved chasm. And “pura sangre,” which means pure blood in English, rings deep in the film, where the familial bond is eternal.
The film revels in its unorthodox portrayal of the ordinary. Dialogue is minimal and colloquial, while actors, although they carry emotional weight, don’t seem to be acting at all. The film achieves most of its momentum from its strong visual storytelling, inventive cinematography and editing. This subdued atmosphere reflects the emotional intensity of the grandfather, as he mourns over his dead daughter and struggles to accept her son.
Typically, a film with this much burrowed tension would expectedly climax to a satisfying revelation. However, the grandfather remains stoic in his “climactic” scene in the church. It is a powerful cliffhanger that cuts abruptly. The words, which don’t seem to say much at all, hit like darts. The director’s sincerity to this form is admirable, but one has to wonder if the revelation would have had more impact if it had more screen time.
Despite its fearless appeal to subtlety, the film isn’t entirely unforgettable. Hopefully, a more tightly constructed film may come out of this same director in the future but, so far, the emotional impact is just not there.
“Se Arrienda”
By Louise Lao
When the average college student imagines his or her life in 15 years, he or she most likely envisions themselves with a house, a successful career and a happy relationship or marriage.
At age 34, Gastón Fernández, played by Luciano Cruz-Coke, has none of the above. “Se Arrienda” or “For Rent” is directed by Alberto Fuguet and was released in 2005. The film, which is in Spanish with English subtitles, tells the story of Fernández, a man struggling to live with the truth that his life did not turn out as planned. In college, he dreamed of becoming the next Danny Elfman and composing music for films. The idealistic protagonist makes a vow among his friends, who share the same naïveté at the time, never to sell out for financial gain.
Fifteen years later, while spending six of those 15 years in New York City, Fernández returns home to Santiago, Chile, where everyone has changed but him. From one friend who became a Grammy-winning pop singer to his ex-girlfriend who designs shopping malls, Fernández finds that those who became successful did so by conforming to modern Chilean society. Broke, with no life or health insurance, Fernández reluctantly takes a job at his father’s real-estate company. He sells apartments to various characters, including Elisa, a college student who is fascinated by Fernández’s older work. By learning about the lives of his customers, he develops a new insight on life itself.
Fuguet intertwines scenes from the film’s main narrative with scenes from a film that Fernández made in his student days at Santiago’s Musical Conservatory (where, ironically, he was voted “most likely to succeed”), called “The Killer Ants.” In a city where killer ants devour anyone who is unable to love, the camera depicts several survivors (and unfortunately, none of the actual ants) in the eerily beautiful, practically deserted streets of Santiago. The scenes from this black-and-white student film correspond to moments of Fernández’s current life and provide a structural model that is uncommon in today’s mainstream American movies.
While the film drew criticism for touching upon various trite cinematic themes �' think of the “coming home from a long absence” and “awkward guy meets quirky girl” elements reminiscent of “Garden State” �' this movie is well-acted and visually engaging. The soundtrack and exchange between scenes of the modern day and the grainy, empty world of “The Killer Ants” are two aspects of the film that make it original and worth a watch.
“Se Arrienda” is quite relatable to a college audience. Students can easily see themselves as Fernández’s character, whether they share the same refusal to stray from their dreams or simply want to find their place in the world.
BY DAVID LUMB
VOLUME 41, ISSUE 25 | APR 21 2008
With the recent surge of interest in indie films, independent foreign films are finally starting to creep out of film festivals and into local venues. To that end, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and Department of Latin-American Studies, in collaboration with the Film and Video Center, is presenting the 9th Annual Latin-American Film Festival from Wednesday, April 16 to Saturday, April 19 and again the following week from Wednesday, April 23 to Saturday, April 26.
Each night features a select film. In keeping with the festival’s traditions, most of the films are the directors’ premiere films. Showings begin at 7 p.m. in HIB 100, with a $2 admission fee.
The film that opened the festival, El Brindis, which means “To Life” in English, is directed by Shai Agosin. Emilia (Ana Serradilla), a professional photographer in Mexico, reluctantly travels to Chile to visit her ailing father, Isidoro (Jose Soriano) and his Jewish family, whom she hardly knows. Tension between father and daughter is alleviated by the local Rabbi David (Francisco Melo), although his interaction with Emilia may cause more problems than it solve
The film is well-written, if formulaic, but the characters are honestly portrayed with fresh dialogue. Serradilla plays her awkward family interactions well, although this translates to some exceedingly stiff scenes with Soriano, but the chemistry is apparent in her scenes with Melo, which turns into a believable romance.
Soriano is the feature of the film, and takes every scene he’s in, delivering strength, pain and guilt, but intentionally without tact. Overall, the film succeeds where bigger budgets fail: honesty in relationships strained with conditions and past problems. It isn’t great, but it’s cute, an enjoyable film to experience and a promising start for Agosin. As an added plus, the shots of Chile and Mexico are beautiful, and Agosin deserves extra credit for shooting on such a gorgeous location.
Jacobo Sefami, a professor in the department of Spanish, strongly desired to bring Latin-American cinema to the UC Irvine community and started the Latin-American Film Festival in 1998. Sefami partnered with the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles to advertise for the festival, which featured exclusively Mexican films from the 1990s.
The festival has grown to include all Latin-American countries: some of this year’s entries include collaboration between Mexico and Canada, Germany and Cuba and Argentina, France and Spain.
“Our main goal is to bring films that are not available in theaters, films that are very well-done but, unfortunately, don’t make it,” Sefami said. “Foreign films are scarce, because of Hollywood’s influence and because people don’t like to read subtitles.”
This year, Sefami has passed the reins of running the festival to Michael Harrison, a graduate student in the department of Spanish. “[The Festival]’s purpose is to expose the university community and local community to experiences from different places they don’t have access to.”
“Pura Sangre”
By Anabela Kim
Though the title may bring to mind gruesome revenge flicks or noir-like fantasies, instead, Leo Ricciardi’s “Pura Sangre” is the story of a love affair with the mundane beauty of the rural landscapes of Argentina. Captured through soothing hues of blues and greens, the film paces itself as patiently as the soft breezes coaxing the country fields. As the second installment of this year’s Latin-American Film Festival at UC Irvine, the film, within its quiet beauty, explores the tension of an estranged family its chasms deepened by obstinacy and misunderstanding.
As nine-year-old Santiago (Yaco Levy) takes a ride with his parents to reunite with his grandfather and settle a decade-long rift with his family, the ride is abruptly cut short after a disastrous car accident leaves him orphaned. His grandfather (Oscar Alegre) makes the decision of his life to look after him, panged at having to face the offspring of his daughter, and the man she ran away with. This prepares the film for the journey the family goes through to possibly heal the deeply engraved chasm. And “pura sangre,” which means pure blood in English, rings deep in the film, where the familial bond is eternal.
The film revels in its unorthodox portrayal of the ordinary. Dialogue is minimal and colloquial, while actors, although they carry emotional weight, don’t seem to be acting at all. The film achieves most of its momentum from its strong visual storytelling, inventive cinematography and editing. This subdued atmosphere reflects the emotional intensity of the grandfather, as he mourns over his dead daughter and struggles to accept her son.
Typically, a film with this much burrowed tension would expectedly climax to a satisfying revelation. However, the grandfather remains stoic in his “climactic” scene in the church. It is a powerful cliffhanger that cuts abruptly. The words, which don’t seem to say much at all, hit like darts. The director’s sincerity to this form is admirable, but one has to wonder if the revelation would have had more impact if it had more screen time.
Despite its fearless appeal to subtlety, the film isn’t entirely unforgettable. Hopefully, a more tightly constructed film may come out of this same director in the future but, so far, the emotional impact is just not there.
“Se Arrienda”
By Louise Lao
When the average college student imagines his or her life in 15 years, he or she most likely envisions themselves with a house, a successful career and a happy relationship or marriage.
At age 34, Gastón Fernández, played by Luciano Cruz-Coke, has none of the above. “Se Arrienda” or “For Rent” is directed by Alberto Fuguet and was released in 2005. The film, which is in Spanish with English subtitles, tells the story of Fernández, a man struggling to live with the truth that his life did not turn out as planned. In college, he dreamed of becoming the next Danny Elfman and composing music for films. The idealistic protagonist makes a vow among his friends, who share the same naïveté at the time, never to sell out for financial gain.
Fifteen years later, while spending six of those 15 years in New York City, Fernández returns home to Santiago, Chile, where everyone has changed but him. From one friend who became a Grammy-winning pop singer to his ex-girlfriend who designs shopping malls, Fernández finds that those who became successful did so by conforming to modern Chilean society. Broke, with no life or health insurance, Fernández reluctantly takes a job at his father’s real-estate company. He sells apartments to various characters, including Elisa, a college student who is fascinated by Fernández’s older work. By learning about the lives of his customers, he develops a new insight on life itself.
Fuguet intertwines scenes from the film’s main narrative with scenes from a film that Fernández made in his student days at Santiago’s Musical Conservatory (where, ironically, he was voted “most likely to succeed”), called “The Killer Ants.” In a city where killer ants devour anyone who is unable to love, the camera depicts several survivors (and unfortunately, none of the actual ants) in the eerily beautiful, practically deserted streets of Santiago. The scenes from this black-and-white student film correspond to moments of Fernández’s current life and provide a structural model that is uncommon in today’s mainstream American movies.
While the film drew criticism for touching upon various trite cinematic themes �' think of the “coming home from a long absence” and “awkward guy meets quirky girl” elements reminiscent of “Garden State” �' this movie is well-acted and visually engaging. The soundtrack and exchange between scenes of the modern day and the grainy, empty world of “The Killer Ants” are two aspects of the film that make it original and worth a watch.
“Se Arrienda” is quite relatable to a college audience. Students can easily see themselves as Fernández’s character, whether they share the same refusal to stray from their dreams or simply want to find their place in the world.
New University 2/18/08
Master Cleanse: Diet Fad or Diet Fab?
BY LOUISE LAO
VOLUME 41, ISSUE 18 | FEB 18 2008
Beyonc� did it for a movie role, celebrities do it in order to slim down for an event and people must do it all the time when they have their jaw wired shut: They go on a liquid diet. Drinking nothing but protein shakes and smoothies for days or even weeks doesn't sound very appetizing, but what about a mixture of cayenne peppers, lemon juice and maple syrup? This particular diet, the Master Cleanse, is infamous for helping Beyonc� lose 20 pounds for the movie 'Dreamgirls.' However, others use it to simply cleanse their bodies, not just to lose weight.
Third-year civil engineering major Alex Welsh represents the latter reason. Instead of using the Cleanse as a weight-loss method, Welsh intended to detoxify his body by drinking nothing but the Master Cleanse cocktail consecutively, for 10 days. Welsh claims it was 'The longest 10 days of my life.' Weight loss, he adds, was 'an unintended result � probably the only thing you really realize right away.'
Welsh lost about 10 pounds doing the Cleanse, which sounds impressive, but many experts say that people who use this diet gain the weight back within a few weeks. Welsh states, 'If you want to lose weight really fast you could do it. ... Supposedly, the only kind of weight you lose is what your body doesn't need, like fat or toxic material,' he added. In other words, you should not expect any dramatic changes and, if you do, there's a good chance that the weight will inch its way back on you.
So what are the pros and cons of the Master Cleanse diet? Welsh likes the fact that 'you only have to worry about fixing your food one time,' because he would mix six to 10 glasses a night for the following day. On the other hand, times without the drink were tough. 'You have no energy unless you drink the drink. � Once you drink [it], that's how much power you're going to have. If you don't drink the drink, then you're really tired.'
When asked about doing the Cleanse again, Welsh states he would only do it once a year, instead of the recommended three to four times per year. On the contrary, Heidi Rom, a second-year humanities undecided major, said her friend often repeats the Cleanse, which had an unfortunate effect: 'She lost 10 pounds in two weeks, but the weight didn't stay off. � It's like a yo-yo.'
When asked about the Master Cleanse, most students were divided about its effectiveness as a diet. Diana Kang, a second-year international studies major, said she would try the Cleanse for weight loss. 'I would only do the detox diet if I wanted to get skinny for an event.' Heather Harden, a second-year biological sciences major, would not do the Cleanse at all, because 'basically you would just be losing water weight and you wouldn't be taking the weight off in a natural way, so it would not be beneficial to your health.' As for its detoxifying abilities, Harden said, 'I think there's other beneficial ways to detox, like taking antioxidants.'
Like many experts, Harden agreed that antioxidants play a key role in a healthy diet. In 'Harper's Bazaar,' Naturopathic doctor Roni DeLuz recommended drinking 'two berry juices (try blueberries, pomegranates and a�ai berries), two vegetable juices (try broccoli, spinach and carrots) and a pureed-veggie soup each day.' If a liquid diet isn't for you, no one can ever go wrong with a healthy diet of 'fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grains and fish,' according to New York nutritionist Lauren Slayton.
In essence, the Master Cleanse diet can be an interesting and effective experience to detoxify one's body, but weight loss is a long-term process. If you're considering the Master Cleanse for weight loss purposes, try good old-fashioned healthy eating and exercise.
BY LOUISE LAO
VOLUME 41, ISSUE 18 | FEB 18 2008
Beyonc� did it for a movie role, celebrities do it in order to slim down for an event and people must do it all the time when they have their jaw wired shut: They go on a liquid diet. Drinking nothing but protein shakes and smoothies for days or even weeks doesn't sound very appetizing, but what about a mixture of cayenne peppers, lemon juice and maple syrup? This particular diet, the Master Cleanse, is infamous for helping Beyonc� lose 20 pounds for the movie 'Dreamgirls.' However, others use it to simply cleanse their bodies, not just to lose weight.
Third-year civil engineering major Alex Welsh represents the latter reason. Instead of using the Cleanse as a weight-loss method, Welsh intended to detoxify his body by drinking nothing but the Master Cleanse cocktail consecutively, for 10 days. Welsh claims it was 'The longest 10 days of my life.' Weight loss, he adds, was 'an unintended result � probably the only thing you really realize right away.'
Welsh lost about 10 pounds doing the Cleanse, which sounds impressive, but many experts say that people who use this diet gain the weight back within a few weeks. Welsh states, 'If you want to lose weight really fast you could do it. ... Supposedly, the only kind of weight you lose is what your body doesn't need, like fat or toxic material,' he added. In other words, you should not expect any dramatic changes and, if you do, there's a good chance that the weight will inch its way back on you.
So what are the pros and cons of the Master Cleanse diet? Welsh likes the fact that 'you only have to worry about fixing your food one time,' because he would mix six to 10 glasses a night for the following day. On the other hand, times without the drink were tough. 'You have no energy unless you drink the drink. � Once you drink [it], that's how much power you're going to have. If you don't drink the drink, then you're really tired.'
When asked about doing the Cleanse again, Welsh states he would only do it once a year, instead of the recommended three to four times per year. On the contrary, Heidi Rom, a second-year humanities undecided major, said her friend often repeats the Cleanse, which had an unfortunate effect: 'She lost 10 pounds in two weeks, but the weight didn't stay off. � It's like a yo-yo.'
When asked about the Master Cleanse, most students were divided about its effectiveness as a diet. Diana Kang, a second-year international studies major, said she would try the Cleanse for weight loss. 'I would only do the detox diet if I wanted to get skinny for an event.' Heather Harden, a second-year biological sciences major, would not do the Cleanse at all, because 'basically you would just be losing water weight and you wouldn't be taking the weight off in a natural way, so it would not be beneficial to your health.' As for its detoxifying abilities, Harden said, 'I think there's other beneficial ways to detox, like taking antioxidants.'
Like many experts, Harden agreed that antioxidants play a key role in a healthy diet. In 'Harper's Bazaar,' Naturopathic doctor Roni DeLuz recommended drinking 'two berry juices (try blueberries, pomegranates and a�ai berries), two vegetable juices (try broccoli, spinach and carrots) and a pureed-veggie soup each day.' If a liquid diet isn't for you, no one can ever go wrong with a healthy diet of 'fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grains and fish,' according to New York nutritionist Lauren Slayton.
In essence, the Master Cleanse diet can be an interesting and effective experience to detoxify one's body, but weight loss is a long-term process. If you're considering the Master Cleanse for weight loss purposes, try good old-fashioned healthy eating and exercise.
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