Clash of the Titans: not that bad! Character flaws are partially forgiven by decent story and imagery Angela Espinoza fter being heavily promoted A« the last few months, it was no surprise to me that critics bashed Clash of the Titans. Like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and any of the past and future Twilight movies, I originally planned to avoid this film at all costs, hoping to one day brag about the fact that I’ve never seen it. However, someone close to me managed to sucker me in through his love for the original 1981 film of the same name. As much as I hate to say this, Clash of the Titans was an okay movie. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to give a comparison to this film and its original counterpart—although I can vouch that Bubo the owl makes a brief cameo. What I can say is that the film sticks to the basics of the story of Perseus: a human-born man fathered by Zeus who, long story short, decapitated Medusa in order to use her deadly gaze to defeat the Kraken (a mythical sea monster) and save the life of Andromeda. Beyond that, try to forget that they’re potentially adapting a story. Possibly the most overbearing problem with the movie was its characters: there’s too many of them. For every ten characters somehow acknowledged, about one is actually relevant. To make matters worse, most of them look alike. Nearly every man has a beard and every woman is a brunette with a similar face. You’re going to forget most of the names, so the only real way to tell certain characters apart is to see which ones talk the most before they die— yes, spoiler alert, a lot of them are simply casualties. Worry not, though, you won’t get attached to many of them— there’s no character development outside of Perseus (Sam Worthington). This wouldn’t be so bad if the movie didn’t act like it was aware of this; for example, two of the characters (I really don’t know their names or actors, so I apologize) enter the film as obvious comic relief—we see two or three attempts by them to be funny for the rest of the movie. I’m not being picky, it’s as if the writers actually forgot about them. Additional complaints in the public domain have come from the abundant use of over-acting in the film. To be honest, I had no problem with the acting—my beef is with the characters, not the actors. There’s no question that Liam Neeson (as Zeus) and Ralph Fiennes (as Hades) earned - their paycheques. That was what saved this film; apart from whatever the producers tinkered with, everyone who worked on this film did their job well. People have been claiming that it should have featured better CGI effects. This isn’t Avatar we’re talking about; it’s a springtime popcorn flick aimed at teenagers. Save for Medusa (Natalia Vodianova), the CGI in this film really is something, especially during the giant scorpion sequence. What is probably the most obvious flaw before you see this movie (besides black Pegasus) is that this film was originally supposed to come out on March 22. At the last minute, it was decided to alter the footage into 3D (a la Alice in Wonderland). Always remember: proper 3D films are filmed with the required equipment before hand. Adding the effect later on is like enlarging a small picture on your computer — it becomes pixelated and ugly. Save yourself three dollars and see the film in its actual format. Overall, I give it a 6/10. 8 Storytellers, rejoice This American Life still the final word in podcasts By Cody Klyne odcasts: pre-recorded and on demand. You’ve either never heard of them or you subscribe to way too many. Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, and though the term itself wasn’t coined until sometime in the mid ‘00s, podcasts have been around for the last 10 years. It boils down to what is essentially an online-release of a radio broadcast. There awaits a library of limitless information and entertainment at the click of your mouse. Perfectly poised to be blasted through your ear buds, content offered through the format runs the gamut: politics, economics, film, video games and more, there’s something for everyone. But enough pleasantries; let’s cut to the heart of the art. The champion storyteller and relative old guard, of the podcast world. Over 400 episodes and into its 15" year, it’s This American Life. A weekly hour-long radio program and podcast hosted by the quirky and enjoyable Ira Glass, This American Life is distributed online to 1.5 million listeners around the world thanks to Public Radio International. The show takes an informative and journalistic, not voyeuristic, approach to personal interviews, essays, and discussions that explore the lives of everyday people. Made up of a handful of segments, each episode is held together by a subject focus that looks to provide listeners with an understanding of the lives of real people—such as one entitled “Middle of the Night,” focusing on the unique jobs and people that come to life after the lights go out. Researched and investigated by Glass and a varying cast of staffers, international correspondents, would-be reporters and artists, the overarching themes presented by this motley crew don’t always seem entirely coherent. That said, over the course of the hour, things just kind of fall into place. Layered and sometimes complex, the loose and subversive connections between the segments or acts are what help Tee mel ek develop a purpose that gives each episode an identity and sets it apart from the rest. This structure is not only unique to the podcast but necessary to keep in mind when attempting to navigate This American Life’s extensive back catalogue. More importantly, once you’ve gotten a taste, you will actually want to catch- up on the episodes you’ ve missed. Released online every Sunday, the week tends to end in one of three ways: with a bang, a laugh, or a whimper. Like drawing straws it all depends on the episode. This anything- is-possible mindset is due to how well This American Life has positioned itself as an arena for storytellers from all walks of life. From the self-deprecating humour of best-selling author David Sedaris, to the more sombre, thought- provoking tales of struggle and defeat provided by everyday people, such as the recent tale of a “fixer” speaking out on his experiences as part of the Catholic Church in episode #403; each foray leaves an emotional impact that inspires or wearily lingers on one’s mind. It’s important to keep in mind that another person’s emotional baggage, even when filtered through the sterile glow of iTunes on a computer screen, is still emotional baggage. It can get heavy. Subject matter aside, inevitably, there’s an “it’s cool if you listen to our conversation”, fly-on-the-wall quality to the tone of almost any episode of This American Life that, at the very least, acts as a reminder that there are people all around the world with stories to tell. So, if you ever find yourself looking to escape for awhile, and are willing to take a chance, a good yarn is only a click away.