Arts
'Fifth Element' follows set sci-fi formuals
By Sean Levy | May 19, 1997Strong cast and costume design balance with tragically simple plot and flawed style
Sean Levy
Arts
Russell battles ruthless rednecks
By Sean Levy | May 12, 1997'Breakdown' examines ordinary people in extreme circumstances
Arts
'The Saint' sins cinematically
By Sean Levy | April 14, 1997After foregoing a second mission in the bat suit, Val Kilmer takes on a lesser-known superhero, Simon Templar, in "The Saint." As a chameleon-like master of disguise, Templar is James Bond with a makeup kit -- a smooth and tenacious master of clandestine operations. Loosely based on a TV series starring Roger Moore, "The Saint" follows Templar's frenzied adventures as he travels between Russia and England.
Arts
'Devil's Own' fails to convince
By Sean Levy | April 7, 1997Movie suffers due to substandard filmmaking and mediocre acting
Arts
'Ransom' scores as contest of wits between two men
By Sean Levy | November 20, 1996"Ransom," the latest in an offering of high-action blockbuster films, attempts to provide suspense by taking the viewer on complex twists of the plot. As the name implies, "Ransom" tells the story of the abduction of Sean Mullen (Brawley Nolte), the young son of a wealthy New York airline tycoon, Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson), and his wife Kate (Rene Russo). "Ransom" is the first film venture by both Ron Howard and Gibson since their respective acclaimed and Oscar-nominated directing of "Apollo 13" and "Braveheart." A corrupt detective named Jimmy Shaker (Gary Sinese), the man who organizes the kidnapping, heads a group of criminals who hold Sean captive for an asking price of $2 million. The kidnapper concludes that Mullen will undoubtedly fork over the money, since it seems that such a rich man would not mind parting with a paltry sum in exchange for having his son back. A ransom expert (Delroy Lindo), who is hired to help recover the boy, proudly declares to Mullen that he has been able get a hostage back alive seven out of ten times.
Arts
'Secrets and Lies' arouses emotions, stands out among films
By Sean Levy | November 13, 1996"Secrets & Lies," an emotional orgy of a film, meticulously depicts the depression and dissasfaction of a family living in London and the ulitimate tightening of their bonds to each other. Acclaimed British writer and director Mike Leigh has become well-known for depicting working class stories, tightly charged with emotion yet tempered with humor. "Secrets & Lies," winner of the Cannes Film Festival's top picture and best actress awards, abounds with a serious intensity.
News
Laurel Stavis named public affairs director
By Sean Levy | September 24, 1996Laurel Stavis, director of public affairs and government relations at Wellesley College, will become the College's first director of public affairs next month. The job is "a broadening and heightening of what used to be called news director," said Roland Adams, the acting director of the News Service. In the new expanded role of director, Stavis will head the Public Affairs Office and serve as the Dartmouth's liaison between the President and the media as Dartmouth's principal communications officer, according to a College job description. After a year-long search following Alex Huppe's resignation from the position of news director last fall, a committee chose Stavis out of a pool of nearly 200 candidates to fill the position, said Senior Assistant to the President Peter Gilbert, who headed the search committee. "As director of public affairs, Laurel Stavis will lead a new era in Dartmouth's communications with its various constituencies, taking on a broadened portfolio of responsibilities and coordinating an array of communications efforts throughout the institution," said College President James Freedman in a statement released by the College. Stavis said she is looking forward to coming to the College. "I have admired the Dartmouth News Service from afar, and one of the things I most look forward to is working with them," Stavis said. When asked if she had any special projects planned, Stavis replied that she plans on doing "a lot of listening to a lot of different people." She added that "Colleges are cultures and each is different." Stavis said the job was an "opportunity to broaden Dartmouth's role in relation to its many constituencies." Adams said that the News Service has a "tremendous staff, and I am not bashful about saying so." Although Adams believes he successfully handled his job as acting news director, he said "we are all looking forward to Laurel coming here and achieving new heights." Gilbert previously told The Dartmouth the office formerly known as the College News Service changed its name to the Office of Public Affairs "to reflect the responsibilities of the office that deals with not just the media, but also with public affairs and communication issues." Stavis is the ninth head of the operation, but the first after its renaming.
News
Doctor details health risks of marijuana
By Sean Levy | May 21, 1996Dr. Geoffrey Kane, Medical Director of Adult Chemical Dependency Services at Charter-Brookside Hospital in Nashua and graduate of Yale Medical School, alerted students last night to the adverse effects of marijuana -- a drug often said to be harmless. A group of about 60 students heard the speech, titled "Bong hits, blunts and brownies: What do you really know about marijuana?" in 105 Dartmouth Hall, during which they peppered him with questions. Kane began by saying "marijuana is a hot topic" and then took off his jacket to reveal his need to cool off and lighten the mood. Kane said it is important to discuss the ramifications of using the common drug because people should not be "blindsided with consequences." Many people are still attracted to the image of marijuana from the 1960s, when there was "little evidence that marijuana was dangerous," he said. In the 1990s, marijuana's adverse effects on memory, learning, sexuality, health and other factors are apparent, he said. Marijuana comes from the hemp plant and is "called 'weed' because, as some of you may know, it is easy to grow," he said. The drug's active ingredient, called tetrahydrocannabinol, attaches to receptors in the brain, impairing their function, and generally "slows things down," he said. Kane explained immediate effects of the drug -- which include altering the user's perceptions of time and place and impairing their ability to drive or complete other complex tasks. Kane said even casual marijuana use can hinder memory and learning functions -- even days after ingesting the drug "School work is likely to be impaired," as well, he said. He then showed a slide labeled "Marijuana and Sex" and joked, "For guys, I could put marijuana or sex." since chances for impotency are doubled in heavy users, Kane said. Kane said it is also dangerous to mix marijuana with other drugs. If used with alcohol, for example, he said marijuana can heighten the chances of death since it inhibits vomiting, which might normally protect the body from absorbing high levels of alcohol. Despite its reputation, Kane said marijuana can be addictive. "A lot of people consider marijuana not to be addictive," he explained, but claimed that recent studies show evidence of behavioral addiction. Kane said symptoms of withdrawal can include chills, restlessness, insomnia or weight loss. The audience reacted passionately to much of what Kane said and engaged the doctor in an hour-long debate following his speech. Audience members cited a "conflict of interest," saying that since Kane dealt with addiction as a doctor, he was biased against the drug.