12 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, August 13, 2001 MTV: Please stick to the music videos ARTS By Laura LoGerfo Daily Arts Writer MTV books? A practical joke, oxy- moron or both? I conjecture that MTV execs revolted when Oprah con- quered the book- world ("only The MTV can influ- Foreigner ence popular cul- Meg Castaldo ture, dammit!"), Grade: C so they struck MTV Books back by producing MTV Books - a sub-division of a respected publish- ing house that "young, hip" authors to the TRL fans who can read. All six of them. The latest offering is "The Foreign- er," a quick summer read by Meg Castaldo, a twenty-something Southern Californian transplanted to New York City. "The Foreigner" recounts the sor- did adventures of a twenty-something Southern Californian transplanted in New York City. Hmmm. The story unfolds as Alex, the hip, unfocused narrator, house-sits for her gay uncle, a feisty character who deserves far more attention than he receives, and meets her uncle's bohemi- an neighbor, a Swedish import. Despite her uncle's warnings to avoid entangle- ments with the Swede, Alex readily submits to her admitted weakness for foreign men. Only a few days after Alex is seduced by the charming foreigner, she finds him brutally murdered in his apartment - a somewhat fortunate break for Alex since her Belgian boyfriend Jan (pro- nounced "Yahn" and not to be confused with Marsha Brady's annoying sister) is arriving in town the next week for a business trip. Is the Scandinavian vic- tim the eponymous foreigner, or could it be the Belgian? Ah, suspense. Alex tortures herself about the Swede's death and lands in the middle of a "Law & Order" episode led by a handsome cop named Jacob. Just when the reader loses track of which guy is which, more males enter the picture. Alex's best friend from two days before surprises her by coming to NYC, ostensibly a pit stop on his long, twisted route across America as a drug addicted mooch. He acts strangely towards Alex, threatening her trust in him and forcing the reader to speculate: Does his odd behavior make him "the foreigner?" Somewhat like MTV, the book is addicting, and I couldn't help but read the entire novel in one sitting. One's drive to finish the book derives from Castaldo's stubborn refusal to reveal too much about the characters and their roles in the murder. On the one hand, this skillfully keeps the reader curious and involved. As Alex and the reader constantly question who the real for- eigner is, we also question who's good and who's bad. Indeed, Castaldo knows how to recreate convincingly real dia- logue and captures the reactions of an indecisive naif to a frightening situation accurately. On the other hand, the author loses this realistic touch, and the writing becomes uneven. She waffles between reality and fantasy, autobiography and fiction, so frequently, the effect is jar- ring. A representative example: "Once, at Neiman Marcus, a female colleague had asked me: 'How does it feel to be beautiful?' When people think you're beautiful, you work at being nice." I work at controlling my gag reflex. Earlier in the chapter where this awk- ward passage appears, Alex's anxieties at meeting her European boyfriend after a long separation are beginning to sur- face (completely plausible worries). But these reflections on her stunning beauty do not reflect the doubt she sup- posedly feels. No real woman, strug- gling to define herself against the chaos of NYC, trying to extinguish latent insecurities, would stand before a mir- ror remembering that she is the envy of all women. Such gross literary missteps compel me to turn against the protago- nist. Just two women besides Alex are fea- tured in the book, and only incidentally. One woman dates Alex's best friend and is a fashion model as well as a sniper for an African army, while the other is a bitchy, possessive co-worker The only woman who resembles any- thing real would be Alex, the proxy for the author. But of course. Although I much prefer Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wall- flower," a compelling book published by MTV in 1999, if you can get through an uneven story speckled with passages that make you wince from embarrassment, "The Foreigner" is a passable beach book - a small, light- weight, and entertaining novel. 'Turismo' excels at looks, not originali By Matt Grandstaff seen on a home console. Unfo Daily Arts Writer many of the flaws of the previou continue in "GT3," most deali When the original "Gran Turismo" collision. For instance, cars neve was released in 1998, video game fans damage from opposing cars or worldwide declared it the most fun, real- Rather than smashing into c istic racing game ever to hit home con- breaking through fences, carsjus soles. Combining real around in a fashion similar to th cars like the Dodge Porsche in the movie "Command Grade: B+ Viper with advanced While these oversights are driving physics, both the game features enhanced acc Gran "Gran Turismo" and and braking. Taking advantag Turismo 3 its sequel became DualShock 2's analog buttons, For Playstation 2 must-have games for and accelerating is now dete Sony racing and non-racing how hard you press the butto fans alike. While this change is cool, it w Three years later, Sony's latest install- the blisters on your :"A to a n ment of the series, "Gran Turismo 3: A- As for the multi-player Spec," brings its tested gameplay to the "GT3," there is one new feat Playstation 2. makes the game standout. W The most notable aspect of "A-Spec" game still features a two play is its unparalleled graphics. Never before screen mode, the game now f on any system has a game looked this option that allows up to six pl good. Forget the days of polygonal play at once. Using an i-Link shaped cars, as each car in "GT3" is cable, gamers can hook multiple shinier and more polished than your.car tions and TVs to allow for ex will ever be. similar to "Daytona USA" at The elemental effects of the game are The only downside to this op equally impressive, especially the game's you have to have enough money advanced lighting effects. From the way TVs, Playstation 2s, game co the sun shines through the trees to the copies of GT3 and i-Link cabl way light reflects off the side of a newly you and your friends have a few washed BMW, "GT3" makes other rac- dollars to throw around, get read ing games want to hide their faces in the ultimate racing experience. shadows. The only other notable ch While the look of "GT3" is without a "GT3" is its new and improve doubt enhanced, little has been done to track. While the previous game improve its objectives. In fact, aside from good songs from the likes of pretty graphics, the game seems identical and the Foo Fighters, "GT3" o to "Gran Turismo 2," requiring you to diversity with bigger names. earn money to buy more cars and better track features popular songs by J' parts, while earning new licenses allows drix, Papa Roach, Lenny Kra you to open new events. even an exclusive Snoop Do The gameplay is also similar to previ- called "Dogg's Turismo 3" ous "Gran Turismo" games. This is not songs make the game a more exh necessarily a bad thing, as "GT2" fea- experience, the game still lacks f tured some of the tightest controls ever nality needed to be a classic. .,........".s mzvaerwenn. . ^ lf..,«,« ................^... Y +Y' Y 'T 'T Sticking Around this Summer? 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