University Chronicle

“John Carter” is a science fiction/action/comedy about a former military captain, John Carter, who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he hesitantly becomes enmeshed in a culture collision. During his extended stay on Mars, Carter meets and befriends a variety of aliens and creatures of all kinds.

To return back to Earth, he must become a hero on Mars by saving the foreign alien-kind. Not only does he help them but he also gives the world hope, something to believe in, and most of all, a successful victory in reinstating their power.

The House of Pizza, established in 1964 is located in the heart of downtown St. Cloud at 19 Fifth Ave. S. Their is another location in the Pinecone Marketplace in Sartell. This sensational pizza establishment is St. Cloud’s pride and joy and has my mouth watering just thinking about the treat that is in store.

As someone who has grown up in St. Cloud, I remember the taste of the House of Pizza for as long as I can remember. The look and feel of the restaurant has changed over the years due to beautiful new renovations, but their flavor and quality of pizza has not changed one bit.

Our Lady Peace has grown and changed as a band – from their late 90s distinctive sound to their recent twist to the slightly more mainstream rock – it’s a band that’s moved with the times while trying to keep their signature style.

They’ve worked hard to hold on to, and showcase, Raine Maida’s unique vocals and their songs’ distinguishing lyrical imprint throughout their active years. Sadly, their newest album “Curve” seems to be throwing everything out the window.

“Curve” isn’t the return to their late 90s sound, even though that may have been Maida’s intention. And it certainly isn’t as mainstream and accessible as their 2009 album “Burn Burn” either.

In a distant future, North America has been destroyed. From the post-apocalyptic ashes, the new country of Panem rose.

Ruled by a single-party dictatorship, under President Snow’s (Donald Sutherland) lead in a very futuristic and wealthy utopian-like city called the Capitol, the nation was divided into 13 districts.

Approximately 75 years before our story begins, the districts of Panem rebelled against the Capitol, primarily due to the oppressive ways in which they were ruled by the government. The rebellion, known as the Dark Days, ended with the defeating of 12districts by the Capitol, and the annihilation of the 13^th District.

The animated movie, “The Lorax,” is based on the imaginative children’s book by the beloved author, Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax” stars the young actors Taylor Swift and Zac Efron who provide the voices for the main characters, Audrey and Ted.

The illustrated imagination of Dr. Seuss is brought to life in the real world in the “The Lorax”.

“The Lorax” tells the tale of a fictionally plastic world and its unique people.

“This Means War” brings new meaning to the adage “all is fair in love and war.”

“This Means War” is an action romantic comedy about the fight for love along with lots of comedy and some action. FDR Foster and Tuck are the greatest and deadliest CIA spies and not only inseparable partners but also the best of friends until they learn they’re both dating the same woman, Lauren Scott. After finally deciding to keep their friendship a secret from her, they use all their arsenal and fighting skills and high-tech gadgets to beat their new enemy – each other.

“Big Miracle” is a drama film based on a 1989 novel, “Freeing the Whales” by Tom Rose that was inspired by a true story that united the world.

“Big Miracle” narrates the motivational story of a sudden discovery of three breath-taking gray whales fighting against all odds to stay alive. Initially their only supporters were a small town news reporter and a Greenpeace volunteer to help them along their brave and seemingly impossible journey through the Arctic Ocean.

The majestic whales were named Fred, Wilma, and Bam-Bam by a young American boy.

Kingdoms of Amalur is the first game ever made by 38 Studios and it is also developed by Big Huge Games. KoA is set in a fantasy world created by R.A. Salvatore, who you may recognize from his Forgotten Realms and Star Wars novels. In addition the artwork was drawn by the creator of the “Spawn” comic, Todd McFarlane. There are a number of big names attached to Kingdoms of Amalur and they all come together to make a magnificent whole.
Graphics 8/10
The art of Amalur is somewhat cartoonish, and it reminds me of McFarlane’s other work constantly. The style works for this game however and the animations for the enemies look unique and fluid. The models for monsters are especially well done and each one is unique. The humanoid enemies all look vaguely similar and it would have helped to have their clothing styles be vastly different.
Story 7/10
The story of Kingdoms of Amalur is your standard fantasy fare with a larger helping of elves. A rogue faction of the Fae called the Tuatha Deohn has declared war against the mortal races of Amalur and wish to purify the world in the name of their new god. Their cause is helped by the fact that Fae never truly die and so with time they have whittled down their mortal foes and are winning the war. You play as a recently deceased mortal who has been resurrected by the Well of Souls and must take up arms against the Tuatha once more. The world of Amalur is governed by that eternal cop-out of lazy writers: “Fate.” The thing that makes your character special is that you have no Fate and are therefore the only free-willed person in the world. The interesting thing is the integration of this story element into the actual gameplay. Your superpower mode and even your talents are all determined by Fate and it gives an in-game reason for the ability to respecialize your character.
Gameplay 10/10
The gameplay is where KoA really shines through. The combat system is very fluid and at times feels more like a fighting game than an RPG. Timing blocks at the right time causes a slowdown effect that allows you to act faster and you can even do juggle combos with the right weapons and spells. The questing system is the tried and true style of every RPG from the past 10 years and it does the job without complaints. The talent system feels more like an MMO than a single player game but it works well within the system. The world feels like an MMO without all the people in it; it’s quite reminiscent of Skyrim. There are 5 different factions in the world with their own quests and rewards. They are your typical factions (Fighters, Thieves, Wizards, etc.) but they are fun nonetheless.
Replay Value 8/10
The replay value for KoA doesn’t lie in the story but in the gameplay. Trying out different combat styles and builds can be interesting and fun. Each weapon and class style offer different controls and completely different feels from one another. Though the quests have different ways of being completed which can make for enough content to justify another playthrough as a different class and personality type.
Kingdoms of Amalur is a highly addictive game that will draw you in with its combat and hours of gameplay. It’s a completely new series and if it gets some support I can see great things in its future. Kingdoms of Amalur was released on Feb. 7, 2011 and is available for $59.99 wherever video games are sold.

“100 Proof” is the third country album by the American singer Kellie Pickler.

Released to stores nationwide on Jan. 24, 2012, “100 Proof” is her first album and collaboration with her new producers with Frank Liddell and Luke Wooten, Lee Ann Womack and fellow country singer, Miranda Lambert.

“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is a drama film based on the award-winning novel of the same title. The exceptional novel was written by Jonathan Safran Foer and was published in 2005.

Recounting the 9/11 events and its aftermath, the story of “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is told from a child’s viewpoint. A beloved man’s death during the execrable 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center leaves behind his distraught wife and his confused, only son.

The narrator and main character, Oskar Schell is remembering the luminescent decade his father spent with him until his sudden death and funeral.