See these KU alumns put on a FREE show at the Hashinger Hall Studio! Teaser performances will occur during the day in the Kansas Union Traditions Area.
Here’s a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kapGTEz1Vc
Take a break from studying with free breakfast food, trivia and prizes, and free back massages. We will have biscuits and gravy, pigs in a blanket, cinnamon rolls, potatoes, hot cocoa, and coffee.
10 PM – midnight, Sunday, Dec. 9 at Mrs. E’s Dining Commons; free with student KUID
An annual SUA event, Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, which donates toys to children whose parents can’t afford to buy gifts for Christmas. Trains with children’s wishes can be picked up at the Kansas Union, Mrs. E’s, or the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center. The program was founded in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks
Check out this SUA-produced commercial for our fall concert. Kyle Fisher, one of our assistant SUA communications coordinators, put together the video, which stars SUA members Rachel Buoye and Danny Sanchez, and features “Infinity Guitars” by Sleigh Bells.
Sleigh Bells will headline SUA’s fall concert on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012. Doors open at 7 p.m., and hip-hop producer Araab Muzik will open. Tickets are free with an SUA Student Saver Card; $5 with a KU ID (students, faculty or staff); and $20 for the general public. Tickets are available at the SUA Box Office, Kansas Union, level 4; or at the Granada box office, 1020 Massachusetts St.
Watch the original Sleigh Bells video for “Infinity Guitars” here:
Kevin Roberts, an author and chef, will demonstrate for KU students quick, simple and tasty alternatives to fast foods. He is the author of two cookbooks “Munchies” and “Kissing In the Kitchen”. He hosts the TLC’s show BBQ Pitmasters and is a regular on the Today Show and on CBS’s This Morning.
Here are links to video interviews with Kevin:
http://munchiestv.com/media/
And all his audition videos from Next Food Network Star:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/
Submitted by Andrew Fillmore, Comedy & Music Coordinator
1. Ryan Gosling in The Ides of March (2011) with George Clooney
2. George Clooney in The Descendants (2011) with Judy Greer
3. Judy Greer in Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2012)
(Judy Greer is amazing in The Descendants, just so you know.)
The best kinds of movies are those concerned with destiny and the human condition, but the most interesting ones do it in a messy way. When the Duplass Brothers’ latest effort,Jeff, Who Lives at Home, opened with Jeff (played by Jason Segel) talking about the role of destiny in a scene from M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs (which is, admittedly, one of my favorite movies), I knew I would be in for an interesting ride. Both movies are about finding destiny in a messy way, and I’m okay with that.
There’s not much plot to the Duplass’ movie. Jeff lives at home (like the title!) with his mother, Sharon (Susan Sarandon). Sharon is frustrated at work, but her life becomes more exciting when she receives messages from a secret admirer. Pat (Ed Helms) is Jeff’s brother, who suspects that his wife (Judy Greer) may be cheating on him. But the real star of the movie is a stranger named Kevin and the way he affects all of the characters’ destinies.
Everyone in the movie is changed by Jeff’s optimistic outlook on life during the course of one day. Stylistically, the movie doesn’t attempt to do a whole lot, and it doesn’t really need to. The quartet of actors carries the movie, and that’s what the core of the movie is about. The story moves along a brisk pace, mostly thanks to quick edits, and clocks in at a short 82 minutes.
The movie doesn’t use a lot of tropes present in previous Duplass Bros mumblecore entries, but the dialogue does seem very natural. Mumblecore-style jerky camera movements and zooms dominate the beginning of the movie and get extremely distracting, but as the movie progresses it seems more natural. I’m not actually sure why I keep using the term “mumblecore” here because this movie (and last year’s Cyrus) have mainstreamed the mumblecore movement.
Production value in the movie seems kind of lacking, but I think it matches the thematic themes. The sets are ordinary, but honestly it would be distracting if the sets were lavish. The sets are simple because these characters are living simple, boring lives until this strange day. The lighting here is plain as well, and it almost has a harsh quality that gives the characters more realism.
I can see how the ending of the movie could be divisive for some and tonally off, but if you believe in the characters like I did, it totally works. It’s all about Jeff’s (messy) destiny, just like it was your destiny to read this review.
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Check out Andrew’s Blog here: http://sixdegreesofgosling.com/
Submitted by Christy Khamphilay, Assistant Coordinator for Communications and Traditional Media
At the first Jayhawks Amazing Race last year, I think I had one of the easiest jobs for the event. Being in charged of one of the locations with two other SUA members, we told competitors the task they needed to complete to get the next clue. Many teams told us they had a difficult time finding our location based on the clue, and I saw emotions of frustration and competitiveness. However, I also saw elation and just pure fun while teams competed in the race.
I think one of the highlights of Jayhawks Amazing Race is it challenges students’ knowledge of KU, lets them gain new information and just the overall fun they get to have with their friends. Our Spirit committee put so much work into this event last year with successful results. For this year’s Jayhawks Amazing race, they have put in so much time, effort, and planning to make it even better for all the competitors. So, I’m wishing good luck to the Spirit committee and all the competitors for Jayhawks Amazing Race!
Submitted by Andrew Fillmore, Comedy & Music Coordinator, from his blog: Six Degrees of Gosling
I’m not a true Muppet fan. In fact, I think I’ve only seen two Muppet movies total. But the beautiful thing about The Muppets is that it reflects on the long legacy of the puppets while at the same time acquainting new audiences with these characters.
From the first scene to the final musical number, The Muppets is pure movie entertainment. The jokes are old school and could have easily fallen very flat, but writers Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller (who worked together on the hilarious Forgetting Sarah Marshall) manage to add clever winks to the audience in every punchline.
And the musical numbers. Some of the songs, like Amy Adams‘ showcase “Party of One,” really detract from the story and add nothing to the movie at all (even though it’s a perfectly okay song). But when songwriter Bret McKenzie (TV’s Flight of the Conchords) gets it right, he gets it really right. “Life’s a Happy Song” (Spotify link) may be one of my favorite movie moments from this year.
Segel and co. are clearly having the time of their lives paying tribute to these classic Jim Henson characters. The Muppets is essentially a 100-minute tribute to The Muppets, and that’s perfectly fine. Add this to the fact that there’s a tribute band called The Moopets present in this movie and you have a mindbender along the lines of Inception.
See The Muppets. Have some fun.
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Check out Andrew’s blog here: Six Degrees of Gosling
Submitted by Mariah Givens, Cultural Arts Committee Member
I just got the details on this Spring’s KU Style Project and I’m trying to hold on to my bloomers! The contestants are all so unique and ready to participate in this thrill of a night. The stylists were hand picked from numerous applicants eager to expose their talent, to turn drab into fab. However, the fun is not just the night of the event (March 14 at 7pm). The events that lead up to the contest include up close and personal interviews, cultivation through shopping, and utmost rubbing shoulders with some of the fashion advocates of KU. The contestants chosen are those who are somewhat… in the clouds about style. Some of them include Graduate Students simply dressing for convenience (nothing wrong with that) but with no true insight on how to dress to flaunt their true personality. The cherry on top just may just be the awesome prizes. I’m expecting a bang of personality to shine through both contestants and stylists by the end of the night. I will be keeping the entire campus involved on what all is going down these next 3 weeks… let the showdown begin.
Submitted by Kimberlee Hinkle, Assistant Coordinator for Communications and Online Media
When I joined SUA as a committee member last January, the thought of applying for a leadership position terrified me. I had every intention of continuing with the path I was on, believing that I wasn’t ready or experienced enough. A then leader, and a now very best friend was able to convince me otherwise. She sat down one day and asked me what position I was applying for. At a board meeting that night, each and every leader in SUA got up to talk about their experience in their respective positions. It was then that I decided I would apply.
Saying that SUA has completely changed my life would be an understatement. I have learned so much about myself as well as so many others in the organization. I have been given the opportunity to prove what I can bring to an organization, and received so much in return. I have built life-long friendships, and been a part of a community dedicated to enriching student lives
I encourage everyone to apply for a leadership position (here’s the link), because it truly is an amazing experience. You don’t even have to be a current member to apply. We currently have three leaders who weren’t members of SUA before applying for their positions, and are thriving. So, hurry up – apply! It’s 100% worth it!