Blood strikes morose look into past

There Will Be Blood is a movie that has been garnering such extensive praise by critics it’s a shame that it has gotten such a limited theatrical release; despite this, the film will most likely gain instant status as a classic—and it should. This film is a reminder of a time when the importance of an actor’s performance (not special effects or action set-pieces) could make or break the impact a movie had on an audience.

The Orphanage

I don’t like cheap shots. I can’t stand when some movie shows up in the theaters claiming to be the “scariest movie since (insert movie title here)” when all the movie really has is a means of making a violin screech at ridiculously high decibel levels while something pops out. I know this has become a staple scare tactic that is here to stay, but horror movies need to remember how to build the tension instead of just throwing loud noises at us. Juan Antonio Bayona clearly has not forgotten the importance of a solid story and smart pacing. The Orphanage plays like an old ghost story, but it certainly has a fair share of tricks and twists up its sleeves—good twists. Most importantly, as far as horror movies go, it’s fantastically scary.

Karamazov Bros. make sparks fly

With lots of humor, dancing, music and—of course—juggling, the comedy and juggling troupe the Flying Karamazov Brothers dazzled the audience of the Ferst Center for the Arts on Saturday, Jan. 19 with a performance of their newest show, entitled “4PLAY.”

Cloverfield creates modern monster movie

Movies are all about the hype and anticipation before the release dates. The teaser trailers, websites and photos are all strategically put together to draw an audience on opening weekend. Unfortunately, not all live up to their teaser trailers and websites—many end up being a letdown. There are, though, those select few movies that give the viewer just what he or she was expecting.

Two Bits on stereotypes:

Attention all nerds; I don’t like Star Wars, Star Trek or science fiction films in general, especially films that star that hack actor from Rudy. Also, I wish NBC had developed a new Law & Order spinoff instead of devoting its entire lineup to shows for dorks. I realize that I’ve offended a significant portion of the Tech population, but I’m sick of the nerd culture that continues to expand on campus.