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8 - Friday, April 6, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
SLICE OF COMEDY
'Pie' cast reunites
TV REVIEW
Ensemble wins 'Game'
'American Reunion'
cast and crew talk
humor, new film
By KAVI SHEKHAR PANDEY
Daily Arts Writer
"Hey, do you want to have sex
with us right now?" Jason Biggs
asked. "I know we just met,
brother, but there's a fucking
lock on that door, right?"
Since it would be a blatant
breach of journalistic ethics, this
writer for The Michigan Daily
respectfully declined, politely
pointing out that the windows in
the group-study rooms at Ross
are in fact, two-way, before pro-
ceeding with an interview with
the cast and crew of "American
Reunion": writers/directors Jon
Hurwitz and Hayden Schloss-
berg ("Harold and Kumar"
films), star Eddie Kaye Thomas
(Finch), and the apple pie par-
amour himself, Jason Biggs
(Jim).
It's been a long 13 years
since the first "American Pie"
launched a new generation of
teen-sex comedies and nine
years since the last non-direct-
to-video sequel, "American
Wedding." But the original cast
wasn't always keen about reunit-
ing for yet another installment.
"No one thought after ("Amer-
ican Wedding") that there was
going to be one, and the idea, on
the surface, wasn't that appeal-
ing," Thomas said. "(Hurwitz
and Schlossberg) wrote a qual-
ity script, and I know that's what
got everybody on board. It's hard
to find good movies, period, to
make. Whether it was 'American
Pie 4' or a whole other film, it's
just a good, funny script, which
got everybody to say 'Alright, I'll
do it.'"
Because of storytelling and
scheduling issues, members of
the core cast were dropped for
2003's "American Wedding,"
including Chris Klein (Oz), Tara
Reid (Vicky) and Mena Suvari
(Heather). But Hurwitz and
Schlossberg were insistent that
they and everyone else were
game before "Reunion" moved
forward - this meant every-
one, including Jim's foreign
exchange crush Nadia (Shannon
Elizabeth), the MILF Guys and
The Sherminator.
"You wanted to bring back all
thefavorites fromthat firstfilm,"
Schlossberg said. "The hope was
that once you started getting
some of the cast, the rest of the
cast would jump on board."
Hurwitz added: "If these guys
hadn't signed on board, Tara
Reid would have played every
character. It would have been
Eddie Murphy style."
As newcomers to the "Ameri-
can Pie" franchise, Hurwitz and
Schlossberg were brought on
for their dual-threat capability
- not only did the duo create,
write and direct the entirety of
the legendarily raunchy "Har-
old and Kumar" trilogy, they are
devotees of the "American Pie"
films.
"These guys know these mov-
ies better than any other human
being walking on the planet - to
a scary degree," Thomas said.
Biggs related an anecdote
from their flight to Detroit that
explicated the breadth of the
pair's fandom.
"I looked over, (Schlossberg)
puts his earphones into his
iPhone," Biggs recounted. "I'm
like 'What're you watching?'
because I'm nosy as shit. And it's
'American Pie 1.' He was like 'I
just wanted to double check the
Uncle Mort reference in 'Ameri-
can Pie 1' and see what scene it
was in.'
"When you're doing a sequel,
you want to make sure."
Schlossberg began.
"Yeah, especially six, seven,
eight months later, after the
movie's already been locked into
the can, you want to be able to
reference it on the flight," Biggs
interrupted.
"I was sitting next to Jason
Biggs, I wanted to impress him,"
Schlossberg said.
But when it came to writing
the story, the duo knew they had
to inject fresh material among
the recurring jokes and call-
backs to the previous films.
"When we were first
approached with the idea of
doing the movie, Jon and I
started thinking about differ-
ent ideas, and the first idea that
came into our heads was that
Jim's mom is dead," Schlossberg
said.
"You sick fucks. You sick, sick,
fucks," Biggs exclaimed.
"The truth of the matter is,
when you have someone like
Eugene Levy (Jim's Dad) and
you see that he's been put in the
position where he's been doing
the same thing every movie,"
Hurwitz said. "We were looking
to give Eugene (more to do)."
"It's kind of a genius idea - to
introduce death into the 'Ameri-
can Pie' franchise is conceptu-
ally ridiculous," Biggs said. "But
it's so smart and so good, it's one
of my favorite things about the
movie because, first of all it adds
some poignancy, which there is a
lot of in this movie, despite what
you may have gathered from the
present company."
Though pathos is pumped
up, so are the sex-crazed she-
nanigans that would make even
Tracy Morgan blush. While Jim
romancing a pie was boundary-
pushing in 1999, Jim running
around in a gipii suit for an
extended sequence is one of the
tamer scenes in 2012.
"When we were on set, you
shoot those long days and like,
on hour 15, I'd have a long con-
versation with Biggs," Thomas
narrated. "I'm like 'Yeah, I think
the country is headed in the
right direction, how do you feel
about Obama' and he's got leath-
er studs on his cock."
Now with kids and careers,
the hormonal teens from "Amer-
ican Pie" have certainly evolved
and matured - thankfully, the
humor hasn't one bit.
By DAVID TAO
Senior Arts Editor
"Game of Thrones" is rap-
idly becoming one of the most
intricately plotted TV shows
since its HBO
counterpart, **
"The Wire."
The backstory Game of
of the series
takes up liter- Thrones
ally thousands Season 2
of pages. So premiere
before we get Soodaysat 9p.m.
this review
going, we HBO
should get a key
piece of background informa-
tion out of the way: Ned Stark is
dead. Our goody-two-shoes hero
and famed Internet meme had
his head cut off and mounted
on a spike at the end of the first
season. That would have been a
massive spoiler, but his severed
head currently decorates a mild-
ly polarizing "Game of Thrones"
promotional poster that screams
"Look at us! We killed our lead
in the first season, which means
we're edgy and shocking and
unpredictable!"
The poster is a bit much, but
its message holds true - in its
second . season premiere, the
tale of political intrigue and
deception that captivated audi-
ences last year wastes no time
in bringing the explicit horror
of George R.R. Martin's dark,
cynical fantasy world to life.
Our first minutes back in Weste-
ros feature fights to the death
staged for the amusement of Jof-
frey (Jack Gleeson), the realm's
new king. They're soon followed
by a character that "marries"
his daughters and fathers his
own personal harem. Round-
ing everything out are several
instances of infanticide, as well
as typical "Game of Thrones"
material: attempted poisoning,
plenty of topless prostitutes
and, of course, medieval torture.
While these scenes lose some
shock value for die-hard fans
who've pored over the books and
visualized these scenes count-
less times, it's certainly flinch-
worthy material.
Yet, beneath all the horror and
blood and crimes against nature
lie the things that make "Game
of Thrones" the best drama any-
body has made in avery long time.
There's the wonderfully devel-
Damn, it feels good to be a Lannister.
oped
- and.
cally to
has co
Ned's
den), w
battle
victorii
els ago
Ned's
Fairley
her soi
from h
of adul
murde:
boy kin
and tas
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tal of F
show r
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who r
Ned'sE
tenuou
ly is,a
frustra
insolei
ity is
ensemble, which despite the arrival of her dwarf-brother
in many cases, due specifi- Tyrion (Peter Dinklage, who
- Ned Stark's beheading, won an Emmy for his perfor-
me into its own. There's mance last season), whom their
son Robb (Richard Mad- father has sent to babysit. Ridi-
oho returns as a seasoned culed and underestimated due
commander, with three to his stature, Tyrion delights
es under his belt as he reb- in his newly acquired power,
ainst the crown. There's pointing out his sister's mistakes
widow, Catelyn (Michelle with glee and swiftly consolidat-
), looking on helplessly as ing control. Sitting among it all
n is prematurely snatched is Littlefinger (the perpetually
er by the responsibilities underrated Aidan Gillen), the
lthood. And there's Ned's kingdom's self-made master of
rer, the aforementioned coin, who pragmatically plays all
ig, whose love for opulence ends against the middle.
:te for sadism make for the The performances them-
asily hateable character in selves are leagues beyond even
memory. pay-cable, but the characters'
interactions are the show's most
fascinating element, as we track
le W esterosi the machinations of the titular
"Game." In one particularly pow-
il1y, really like erful scene, Littlefinger reminds
Cersei that "knowledge is power."
heir sisters. Cersei responds by ordering
her guards to seize him and slit
his throat, changing her mind
at the last second as Littlefin-
it's in the Westerosi capi- ger squirms. "Power is power,"
King's Landing where the remarks Cersei as she orders her
eally picks up, giving us guards away, earning herself a
ters at their most vulner- moment of smug satisfaction.
nd most devious. Cersei, She doesn't seem to know
ose to Queen Regent at that she's earned herself a long
expense, reveals just how winter's worth of Littlefinger's
s her grip on power real- enmity, but as we jeer (or cheer,
as she reacts in constant as the case may be), we know for
tion to her son's spoiled a fact that we're in for a long sea-
nce. Her mental instabil- son's worth of exceptional enter-
further exacerbated by tainment.
EVENT PREVIEW
METAL to host poets
ByJOHN BOHN occurr
Daily Arts Writer Ypsila
decrea
In 1933, Black Mountain Col-
lege was founded, guided by its
progressive educational agenda
of interdisci-
plinary artistic One Pause
learning. P
The col-
lege had many Tonight at
notable fac- 7p.m.
ulty members,M
including John METAL
Cage, Robert Free
Creeley and
Charles Olson, among others,
and it was also the birthplace of
the renowned poetics movement
Black Mountain Poetry. While
the college has since disbanded,
its legacy remains. Influenced by
the college's model, the nonprofit
organization Copper Colored
Mountain Arts seeks to bring
similar educational opportuni-
ties to the Southeast Michigan
area.
"Black Mountain was trying
to have innovation in education
and create a new way of looking
at learning, a holistic approach,
which didn't involve just sitting
in a desk in a classroom," said 'U'
alum Sarah Messer, director of
One Pause Poetry.
One Pause Poetry is an orga-
nization within Copper Colored
Mountain Arts, and this year
it will be the focus of CCMA's
artistic agenda. They will kick
off their 2012 season tonight with
readings by three poets.
The organization was estab-
lished in response to multiple
literar
for a
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gan U
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its
"We
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ple fro
Poet
matath
Jennife
work a
Mat
the Un
ences in the Ann Arbor/ Writing program, has published
nti areas that were multiple volumes of poetry,
sing the public's access to which most recently include
y events. A lack of funding "Amorisco" and "Tocqueville."
series of readings at uni- He has received multiple awards
es such as Eastern Michi- including a Guggenheim Fellow-
niversity and the closing ship, a PEN American Center
of bookstores like Shaman Poetry Translation Prize and
which have their own three Pushcart prizes, among
g series, created a need in others.
mmunity for such an orga- Chang and Nezhukumatathil
in. were recently declared "Poets
Under 40 to Watch For" by for-
mer Poet Laureate Rita Dove.
One Pause Both have published multiple
volumes of poetry, including
etry kicks off Chang's "The History of Ano-
nymity" and Nezhukumatathil's
2012season. "Lucky Fish," which won a gold
s medal in poetry from the Inde-
pendent Publish Book Awards
and the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize
wanted to make some- for Independent Books.
happen for poets in the Tonight's reading will be One
unity," Messer said. Pause Poetry's first reading at its
e the fall of 2010, One new location: METAL, a combi-
Poetry has brought cel- nation art gallery and workshop
d poets to the Ann Arbor featuring metal work. Previ-
or free and public read- ously, the group held readings in
long with conversations a restored barn, which led to the
orkshops. Not only do they current precedent of One Pause
t to unite poetry and the Poetry's season mainly taking
but also unite the many place in the fall and spring.
ns within poetry itself. "It's an active metal shop
really honor diversity and where they restore cars, make
'in our poets," Messer said. metal sculpture and do all sorts
's a lot of camps of poetry, of metal work and design," Mess-
e try to really include peo- er said. "But then they also have
m all types of camps." events like poetry readings and
:s Aimee Nezhuku- performances."
il, Khaled Mattawa and Those who go may find an
er Chang will read their atmospheric mixture of poetic
t the event. recital as well as see the metal
tawa, who teaches at monoliths that decorate the back-
niversity's MFA Creative ground of the event.
PERFORMANCE PREVIEW
Sahana presents 'Swaranj ali'
By JONATHAN ODDEN is associated with a particu- of dance. For example, there is
DailyArts Writer lar emotion and it becomes the Pallavi, which is the purest form
responsibility of the musician to of the dance like the steps and
Since its inception in 2003, bring that emotion forward to the footwork, and there is also Abhi-
Michigan Sahana has brought audience." naya, which is expression and
the diversity and complexity The opening piece, "Alaipa- how the dance narrates its story."
intrinsic to the yuthey," is a Carnatic Kriti: a Ravi also explained that there
classical tradi- Swaranali: southern style, often in three are distinct subsets of Abhi-
tions of Indian parts, that tells a narration naya, like Vachika Abhinaya in
music and A Night of through changing refrains. In the Andhra Pradesh dance form
dance to Ann Music and the piece, the composer imag- Kuchipudi. Vachika Abhinaya is
Arbor. Focusing Dane ines himself as Lord Krishna's spoken narration by the dancers
on appreciation lover, unable to stop thinking and these lines make the dance
and perfor- Tonight at about Lord Krishna as he melo- into an almost play-like drama.
mance, Sahana 7p.m. diously plays the flute, expained This facet of the Kuchipudi style
is holding its UMMA Engineering senior Nikila Ravi, can be seen in the performance's
spring concert, co-president of Michigan Saha- second piece, "Jugalbandi."
"Swaranjali," Free na. "A Jugalbandi is a piece that
comprised of shows two different classical
four classical dances and five forms, either music or dance,
classical ensembles that show- Classical India and in this concert we're doing
case the extensive performance Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam,"
art of India. on the stage Ravi said. "Both are popular,
"In classical (Indian) music, t southern Indian dances that real-
there are two very distinct ly demonstrate the intricacies of
styles," said Business junior Vish the forms."
Srivastava, co-president of Saha- "The piece is blissful and Another element of the show
na. "There is the northern style, happy, as Krishna fills his lover's will be the third piece, "Shi-
Hindustani, and the southern heart with joy," Ravi said. "And vae Shivae Mallari," which is a
style, Carnatic. Whereas Hin- this is reflected in the Tala Adi, Bharatnatyam dance backed by
dustani music has become heav- which is the quickest Carnatic classical Indian music. This piece
ily influenced by Western styles, tempo, and in the Raga Kanada, showcases the most authen-
the Carnatic traditions remain which has a lighter melody." tic classical experience where
unchanged for centuries." After the opener, the concert dancer meets musician with col-
Srivastava explained how this introduces dance, the other art laborative energy, explained Sriv-
division makes it quite difficult formperformedbySahana. There astava.
to find common ground between are over eight distinct forms of "What is really cool about
the styles, and most pieces filter dance still widely performed in Indian music and dance is that
into one of the two types. Yet, India today. Sahana will pres- there is ahuge element of impro-
Srivastava clarified that there are ent dances from the Kuchipudi, visation that is built into every
underlying traditions that unite Kathak, Odissi and Bharatanaty- classical structure," Srivastava
them as "classical." am styles. But even with these said. "The piece is literally cre-
"In all classical Indian music, forms, all classical dances share ated together onstage during a
there are three main concepts: a single point of departure, Ravi performance, and you can get
Tala, which is rhythm, Raga, explained. a group of classical artists who
which is melody, and Bhava, "Classical dance is based on have never collaborated before
which is the overlying emotion rules," Ravi said. "Each style is and give them only a scale and
of a piece," Srivastava said. "The derived from the Natyashastra, rhythm to work within and
three define the way all music which is a book detailing all the they will create a whole perfor-
functions, so any particular song guidelines and different aspects mance."
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