8A - Monday, March 30, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com fiA - Monday, March 30, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom DHANI From Page 5A games in the National Football League, Jones shouldn't think much of a folksy schwingen tournament. Even so, the man takes sports very seriously and does all he can to increase the drama of the game. His warm-up routine is filmed with close-ups from various angles and he gives a dramatic narration of what he's thinking ("If I don't do this, no one will") to heighten the audi- ence's anxiety. His concentration is unfaltering during play, where he pouts over a penalty call. Dhani Jones is GOMORRAH From Page 5A opening scene, the audience is introduced to Totfl (Italian newcomer Salvatore Abruzzese), a malleable young delivery boy who wishes to join the ranks of the Camorra in hopes of sharing in the organiza- tion's wealth and power. The film then focuses on the reprehensible actions of a greedy waste disposal contractor and his reluctant associate, a tailor who defects from his Camorra-owned manufacturing job, a lowly money-carrier and two disillusioned hellions named Marco (Italian newcomer Marco Macor) and Ciro (Italian newcomer Ciro Petrone) who idolize the infamous "Tony Montana." "Gomorra" is unlike the typical multiple-narra- tive film in that its five plot threads rarely converge. Instead, the story is essentially five separate short quite possibly the only American to have ever argued with a schwingen official. The locations are exciting and the sports are fasci- nating and obscure, but Dhani Jones'slackluster ability as a TV personality makes "Dhani Tackles the Globe" a laughable project. A successful host is engaging and not afraid to make fun of his or her situation. Rather than taking the games so seriously, Jones should fash- ion his hosting style after Mike Rowe of Discovery's "Dirty Jobs," who makes awkward interviews funny. Maybe Jones will calm down and come into his ele- ment as the season progresses. But until then, all we know is that a raging Wolverine and a friendly game of schwingen don't mix. films that share only their thematic material (name- ly the treacherous actions of the Camorra) and the equally harrowing nature of their conclusions. By the movie's end, every character has sold his soul out of greed, fear or betrayal. The film is an expos6 that brings to the foreground the cancerous effects of the Camorra in Italy. The problem is prominent when considering the dan- gers associated with the film's production - death threats were made against several people involved in the production of the film, including Roberto Savia- no, the author of the book from which the film was adapted. Additionally, several of the actors featured in the film were later found to be directly involved with the Camorra. In spite of the unadulterated authenticity of "Gomorra," the limited character development and lack of plot convergence detract from the film's entertainment value and consign it to the position of a fragmented, emotionally aloof docudrama. 0 COURTESY OF ABC FAMILY All the happy people. Where do they all come from? Domestic disaster strikes ABC Family I 'Roommates' relies on a mixture of stale premises and jokes By BRIGID KILCOIN Daily Arts Writer "Roommates" is such a god- awful show that it makes the rest of ABC Family's programming look deep by comparison. Roommates The show focuses on Mondays the hijinks at 9 p.m. and romantic ABC Family entanglements of young New York 20-somethings. The plot goes like this: Mark (newcomer Tyler Francavilla), the show's focal point, bumps into his high- school sweetheart Katie (fellow newcomer Dorian Brown) in an elevator. After Katie mentions she's looking for a roommate, Mark uproots his life and moves all of his things to her apartment in Brooklyn so he can exist in closer proximity to her. Along the way, he encounters her quirky co- inhabitants and her on-again-off- again boyfriend. Everything about "Roommates" is tired. The show's plot is ripped off from horrible 1970s sitcoms, and the dialogue is trite and unre- alistic. There's a heavy reliance on comedic misunderstandings inthe style of "Three's Company," which is not only unfunny, but actually irritating to watch. In one situation, Katie pours out her heart to Mark about an unnamed romantic interest she's uncertain about persuing. Big sur- prise:Markthinkssheisreferringto him and tells her to go for it. Shock- ingly, it turns out she was refer- ring to an old boyfriend. Purposely vague conversations in which the participants walk away with differ- ent ideas of what just happened are the backbone of "Roommates" - each episode would be roughly five minutes long if the characters just talked to each other. Characters in "Roommates" are shallow and undeveloped; they also steadfastly avoid the course of action a normal human might take. For example, Hope (Tamera Mowry, "Sister Sister") dresses for work in a pantsuit and heels to trick her roommates into thinking she is a high-powered Hollywood executive rather than a lowly barista. The other characters on the show are similarly uninven- tive: Hope's boss is a flamboy- ant gay man who manages to be a walking embodiment of every homosexual stereotype. Likewise, the one-dimensional Katie has no notable qualities other than being attractive. The show's performers are a ragtag array of alumni from other lackluster sitcoms and newcomers including Tony Yalda, who previ- ously setthe world on fire with his performance as "American Idol" 's Sanjaya Look-A-Like in the 2008 film "Meet the Spartans." The lack of legitimate acting experi- ence might account for the over- the-top reactions and constant high-pitched yelling that pass as emoting on "Roommates." As a whole, "Roommates" is for- gettable at best, bafflingly point- less at worst. The show's subject matter - dealing with the stressful adjustment to adult life after com- pleting college - could have been appealing in the right hands, but the show goes for cheap laughs and slapstick rather than striving for comedy that is true to life. "Room- mates" manages to be a half hour of television completely devoid of any original content whatsoever. While ABC Family has carved a niche in basic cable by providing viewers with family-friendly fluff, "Roommates" is almost aggres- sively stupid and altogether unap- pealing. COURTESY OF FANDANGO-IFC These underwear are made of kevlar, right? F __________________________________________________ * I SPRING OPEN HOUSE SALES EVENT I Huge selection on motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, snowmobiles, scooters and MORE! We are new and improved and under NEW MANAGEMENT. Food, games, prizes, and entertainment for all 3 days! Nicholson Enterprises, Inc. 4405 Jackson Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 1-800-825-5158 Ready to Launch Thursday, April 2 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Alumni Center 200 Fletcher St., next to the Michigan League The Alumni Association wants to help graduating seniors get ready to launch their careers. Drop by the Alumni Center on April 2 and make connections that can help you settle into a new city, help you with your job search and help you find a career mentor. 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