I The Behrend Beacon tytonidae - noun - as defined by Dictionary.com - When they told me to let the animals loose, 1 decided to open the tytonidae cage first, but then I saw my friend Jeff huddled in the back of the cage. I guess it wasn't "tytonaeic." Writers' strike shows some signs of ending; ers still demand BN Rachel Reeles shy' . vt rite? rcrsl 157 w p.u.cdu After another turbulent week between strik ing writers and television and film studios, current negotiations are Imall% making. progress. The week began with unsuccessful nego tiations. The Writer's Guild of America and the stu dios met at the table on Thursday. Nov. 29 to (IA to reach a compromise. However. the writers rejected the studios' pro posal w ithout discussion. The Guild called it an ineffecti \ c PR stunt ignoring the Guild's core demands. "You can't put lipstick on a pig.'' Mona Niangan. executive director of the East Coast Guild. told the New York Times. "They're to ing to make a statement that they are. in fact. looking tier a solution. it's illusory.- The studios expressed similar indignation. Already concerned ahout the damage that uncon trolled Internet access has caused entertainment industries. most studios were unwilling to meet the Guild's demands. Studio executi \es hegan to appeal to the media. making statements and e\ en calling reporters. expressing that giving in to the on NBC. anal the lirst-e\ er \‘. inter sho‘‘ino of CBSs Brother. - the Writers strike has had an extreme effect on TV slums. •••••••••••••• 000000 •••••••••• Upcoming releases: Movies I An, Legend -Dec. 14— Will Smith stars as the last man on earth in this upcoming block buster. He searches for a cure to a virus which only he is immune to. Rating: PG-13 kre our, uolk alb EMMiI ~e_4OOA z,„ ( , - I 11, t% hag*, than c,r1.11;1,, Music Mary J. Blige -Dec. 18- Growing Pains ••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • income from the pressure. ,\ fter one month of blackouts. late nitiht TV has had to lay CONI RIBll I I) PIP )1( ) Alvin and the Chipmunks —Dec. 14— Alvin, Simon, and Theodore come to life to stir things up for their guardian Dave Seville (played by Jason Lee). Rating: PG The Wu-Tang Clan —Dec. 18— The 8 Diagrams Trri - F i rp i rrik - r 1 - f - yri r - it- frri `comprising only the barn owls" OHM 111Ctill CO1111)alIN vi..antcd make it \ Li\ that their ‘‘ai., not \‘cakenim2 .111 c \‘ rue! it 1 enckk ed CIICIL \ returned to pickctin full-lorcc on Nlonda\ 111(1111111y.. In a plea Ui 21.1 i Id ineinbcr. .Icll Hernian , ,n. ENA.ll6\c Director and Strike Coordinator of the Writer Guild. y‘i of IhC protc , f,. - We created a clunatc ul unii% and qrenlith - and ~hotline down production .111 o \ to \‘. ri is a major rcason Ihr compttnic , . prc,stirc deal with ICIC\ kioll Ntli(110 , , are indeed hcL!ititlithi to led oil nun-\\ ritill:2 stall. Carson Daly is the first late-night host to return to the air in order to ,avC the jobs of his 75_ member \\ riting staff. Other late-night stars like Jinum Kimmel. ('onan O'Brien and .lay 1..cn0 are lan ing their non-\\ citing qaft - s salaries out-01-pockct until 1111111er ntiticc. Since some tele \ ision s ha‘ c already run out of script like "The Office - and - Heroes). and mist other, All in the upcoming weeks. telex ision stations are turning to) reality 'IN and ganie shows to till prime time space. Vie \\ crs can expect to see a modernised - Anierican Gladiator rhe higge,t cancellation due to the strike lAm Legend: 2007's top movie? 411 B 1 Sal !Aline • • • stall 11 rite, ,0 I 22u , p •Tt is a very dark future for Robert • Neville. the protagonist of the upcom • • ing movie / Le 'duel ',el to hit the • aters Dec. 14. The film stars Oscar nomi • • natal actor Will Smith and is directed by • Francis Lawrence. The plot is mainly • • about ties ille. an ordinary man who • appears to he Earth's only survivor after a • • global \ iral epidemic. which claims the • lives ()I everyone that Neville knows. • • During Ne\ ille's search for other sur- • \i\ ors. he encounters something that is • • less than human. This plot was first • • dreamed up h\ acclaimed author of spec • ulati \ e fiction. Richard Matheson in • 1954. \\ ho. in addition to I Ain Legend, • • has written the inspirations to the films • • Stir o/ te/wes and What Dreams May • Come. Le , ..etit/ howe\ or. is Matheson's • • most enduring \\ork. ha‘ ing heen adapted to the hig screen twice before. That's • • right. this \ ersion of I ;1m Legend is actu • all\ the third time the story has been • • adapted into a film. although it is the first • • time the film has taken the title of the • original Matheson novel. The first. re • titled to The Last Man an Earth. which • • starred Vincent Price. the second, re • titled. The (hoega Man. which starred • • CONTRIBUTED PHOTO • • / am Legend is expected to he one of this • winters most excitin 1110ViCS. Internet broadcasts CONTRIBUTED PHOTO was unknown, the Recent negotiations have brought both sides closer to Guild has recently reaching an agreement and a new contract. released a state ment. "For the last so far is probably the Democratic debate, scheduled for Dec. 10 on CBS. Many of the Democratic can didates openly supported the writers from the very two days we have had substantive discussions of the issues important to writers, the first time this has occurred in this negotiation. - The writers recessed to collect responses to the proposal, and further negotiations began Thursday. Dec 6. The writers are asking for one year of fixed resid ual income, which is the system currently in place. However. they want that rate increased with every 100.(X)) streams per quarter. After one year, they demand a 2.5 percent gross for any television show or movie broadcasted over the Internet; online broadcasting has become an ever-growing outlet for entertainment. The last writers strike took place in 1988, lasted for five months. and cost the studios over $5OO mil lion. The projected cost of this, strike, if it continues the same amount of time, i over SI billion Charlton Heston. These productions how ever we doing a v good job MEM rater , 1 1 a 11 S ferring e hook's original MIME materi CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Actor Will Smith. changing key elements of the story such as the main character's name This project was originally conceived by Ridley Scott. the famous director of movies such as Blade Runner and the more recent American Gangster. however the film did not make it past initial pro duction stages due to an inflating budget and now director Francis Lawrence is finally setting the project to life. Lawrence got his start directing various music videos and commercials before he got his break directing the religious action movie. Constantine. I Am Legend will be the young director's second released movie with two more set to be released, most likely over the next two years. The writing credits are also very strong in this film. The screenplay's co-writer. Akiva Goldsman, is an academy award winning writer for his adapted script for the film, A Beautiful Mind. Newcomer Mark Protosevich has written the screen play. in addition to Goldsman. According to Goldsman, the script has been written almost as an adaptation of The Omega Man, of which he is a fan. Several story elements have been changed. For instance. the setting has been moved from Los Angeles to New York City, in order to take advantage of the location (the Brooklyn Bridge serves for the most expensive scene filmed costing five mil lion dollars) and to more easily create a desolate setting, the isolation of the main character is of course, one of the most important parts of the film. Despite its possible deviation from its original source material, I Am Legend looks promising. The film is sure to appeal to fans of the horror and action genres. Be sure to catch what looks to be one of the most exciting films of the win ter. writ- beginning. and none of them want to he crossing picket lines to get into the CBS stu dio for the debate. However writers and studio executives came to the table again on Tuesday, Dec. 4, and these nego- nations went more smoothly. Although at the time of the negoti- ations any news coverage was blacked out, and even the location of the discussion By Brittany Sexton staff writer hass I 890 psu.edu given up at birth and it shows his the incredible journey. August Rush starts out as an orphan, listening to the sounds of his surroundings and then slowly makes his way to the "Big Apple." New York City. in which he tries to find his birth parents. Deep down Evan. also known as August Rush. knows that his parents still want him. lie endures many hardships during his journey, includ ing one mischievous Robin Williams who plays the role of Wizard. Wizard is why August began playing guitar in the park, and that opened up other paths for young August to take which eventually did lead him to his parents. It was not an easy journey though, and he meets many different kinds of people and learns life lessons along the way. His mother, played by the very beautiful Keri Russell is a well-known cello player and his father played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the lead singer of an Irish rock band, which is where August's love for music comes from. The movie runs 100 minutes and is full of beautiful music along with some pretty cool contemporary sounds. The movie keeps you attentive because you never know if he is actually going to find his parents. This is definitely a great film for the family and children or even a great date movie. Perfect for the holiday season! Friday, December 7, 2007 Top Box Office Hits Weekend of Nov. 30 - Dec. 2 Enchanted kept its #1 spot from last week as Awake made its debut at #5. 1. Enchanted $16,403,316 2. Beowulf $8,208,565 3. This Christmas $7,941,068 4. Hitman $6,021,927 5. Awake $5,856,872 6. Fred Claus $5,501,437 7. August Rush $5,021,435 8. The Mist $4,553,008 9. Bee Movie $4,444,798 10. No Country for Old Men $4,385,290 he new hit movie August Rush, which debuted Nov 21. 1 007 stars Freddie Highmoore as a young boy
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