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MOVIE REVIEW Fanning's acting resuscitates tired scary-movie themes “Hide and Seek” Starring Robert De Niro, Dakota Fanning ★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ By MARJORIE RIDDLE THE GAMECOCK Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning reinvent child’s play in the new thriller "Hide and Seek" with surprise plot twists and a somewhat predictable ending. De Niro stars as David Callaway, a newly widowed father who moves with his daughter Emily, played by Fanning, to upstate New York after his wife’s suicide. Emily experiences the shock one would expect with such a tragedy, but she is downright creepy when strange and seemingly unexplainable events begin to occur with the introduction of her imaginary friend, Charlie. David, a former doctor and psychologist himself, worries that his daughter is being controlled by the supposed imaginary playmate. David relies on a new companion, Elizabeth, and his former colleague Katherine to help him with his own grief over his wife and his misunderstanding of Emily’s fervent need for Charlie. Emily, encouraged by Charlie, treats Elizabeth with the utmost contempt. The only person Emily trusts is Katherine. As the plot weaves between real and imaginary, the mystery mounts about Charlie. Happenings go from eerie to gruesome, leading to a shocking development. The ultimate twist tries desperately to detract cliches and unoriginality. Fortunately, viewers won’t be disappointed with the conclusion. De Niro gives his usual gutsy performance, but the real star of this film is Fanning. Embodying the pan with dark brown hair contrasted against death-like, pale skin and startling blue eyes, Fanning gives an absolutely stellar performance. Her blank stares and hollowed expression perfectly show her indifference to the world following her mother’s suicide. Her appearance is truly saddening. In fact, Fanning’s performance as the traumatized child is comparable to that of Haley Joel Osment’s in "The Sixth Sense." So comparable, the audience might feel the urge to ask, "Do you see dead people, too?" Fanning is only 10 years old, but she is another child actor beyond her years, shown in her capability of capturing Emily’s cycle of emotions, ranging from depressed to content to frightened. Famke Janssen of "X-Men" fame stars as Katherine, the concerned colleague and friend. Janssen’s is a minor supporting role, but she is a key character in the climactic conclusion. Katherine is the nurturing sympathizer and the only one able to connect with Emily since Emily shuns every attempt her father makes to reach out to her. Considering the vast amount of cheesy thrillers offered to the viewing public, "Hide and Seek" recycles an overused anecdote but is able to stretch it into something seemingly new. ^hile the film won’t necessarily contend for any great film awards, "Hide and Seek" will entertain sufficiently while showcasing the haunting array of talent provided by Fanning. Comments on this story ? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gum.sc. edu KC BAILEY/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Dakota Fanning plays the role of a disturbed daughter who is grieving her mother’s death with the help of a supposed imaginary friend, Charlie. Her father, David Callaway, is played by Robert De Niro. Horror flicks pervade market By LIBBY KRAH THE GAMECOCK Horror movies have experienced a resurgence in popularity during the past few years. Not just reserved for October and Halloween anymore, the recent and upcoming releases of movies such as "White Noise," "Hide and Seek" and "The Boogeyman" perpetuate this trend. These movies represent a welcome change to some film enthusiasts. "I haven’t seen any of them, but I appreciate what they’re trying to do with the supernatural, psychological thrillers instead of just creature features," Chad Henderson, a second-year advertising student, said. Some students enjoy Hollywood’s latest frightful offerings. "In comparison to what else is out there right now, they’re pretty good," Dave McCullough, a first-year electrical engineering student, said. First-year international studies student Kelly Wilkinson is not interested in new scary movies. "I don’t think I was ever really that scared of a movie except for when I was like 5 and ‘Ghostbusters’ scared me," she said. Many fans miss the days of older horror flicks, like Hitchcock movies and horror series like "Friday the 13th" and "Halloween." "I’m not really a fan of horror movies. I enjoy the classics, but I don’t think they’re that scary, and the new ones don’t even compare," Wilkinson said. Some people have other reasons for their disinterest in these films. The sheer volume of movies released is overwhelming. Many themes, such as darkness, an unseen evil force or serial killers are repeated over and over in this genre. "There’s only so much you can do to scare people, so a lot of stuff is kind of overdone," Krissy Kalinauskas, a first year business student, said. Horror movies have been saturating the market with these repeated themes, making audiences less likely to see several movies on the same topic, rather than one good horror movie. The vague nature of the trailers for many of the films, including "Saw" and "Darkness," is discouraging for first-year English student Shannon Feeney. "The previews don’t tell you anything about them, so they don’t really interest me. I wouldn’t pay to see them," she said. The movies’ use of modern technology also played a role in the formation of people’s opinions. "The new ones are relying more on special effects," Feeney said. While digital effects made many complicated sequences more realistic, they often easily became the focus of the movie and detract from any existing substantial plotlines, which is a rare find in the genre. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK ' Skye McCole Bartusiak (Franny) stars with Barry Watson (Tim) in "Boogeyman," the latest horror film from producer Sam Raimi. Working out at home can be i encouraging By LISA LIDDANE KRT CAMPUS While having a gym at home might help encourage exercise, it also has many things you should take into consideration before spending a dime. Here’s what you should think about: Choose an appealing location that makes you want to work out. The ideal: a room dedicated to exercise. The reality: the garage, bedroom, study or great room. Make sure the space is well-lit. Keep in mind that the noise from some exercise machines will affect others who are resting or sleeping while you work out. Measure the space and equipment to make sure there’s enough room. Consider the ventilation. The room temperature should be comfortable when you’re exercising intensely. A fan can help if you don’t want to turn on the air conditioner all the time. Add entertainrrient or a view to keep boredom away. Options: TV, videos, an MP3 player and, if you’re on a stationary bike, magazines and books. A view of the outdoors can be a good distraction. Pay attention to the flooring. Put down a mat to protect the carpet from sweat and constant wear and tear. If you work out to exercise videos, avoid thick-pile carpets or rugs when doing step or kickboxing movements. These surfaces can add stress to the joints when you’re pivoting. Keep a towel and workout botde filled with water handy. It’s annoying to disrupt exercise to grab a cold glass of water from the kitchen or get a towel from the linen closet. The essentials of a home gym are equipment for strength training and cardio conditioning and a mat for yoga or Pilates. Try equipment first at stores and friends’ or neighbors’ homes before you buy. For strength training, use a set of free weights or a space-saving pair of Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells. You’ll need an adjustable exercise bench, too. Some fitness experts like using an exercise ball instead of a bench, but I recommend that beginners learn the basics on a stable surface before adding the challenge of instability from an exercise ball. For those who prefer resistance machines, there’s a wide range, from multistation machines to more compact equipment such as BowFlex and Total Gym. If you’re on a tight budget, use resistance bands and body weight. . Treadmills and ellipticals are the most popular home cardio machines. Expect to spend more than $ 1,000 for features and quality that approximate those of gym machines. See the January Consumer Reports magazine for a buying guide. Stationary bikes and bikes for indoor cycling are alternatives for those who want less impact on their joints. Cycling training videos might help when using indoor cycling bikes. If you already have a bike but have a small budget, tty a trainer that attaches to the rear wheel of your bike and provides some resistance while you pedal indoors. A better idea: Ride, walk, jog or skate outdoors. PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Angelina Jolie, famous for her roles in films such as "Gone in 60 Seconds,” serves as a goodwill ambassador for the UNHCR. Jolie encourages stars to volunteer By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DAVOS, Switzerland — Going back to making movies isn’t easy after doing something as rewarding as helping refugees, says Angelina Jolie, the actress turned U.N. goodwill ambassador. Jolie, one of the celebrities attending the World Economic Forum said acting cannot compare with the voluntary job she signed up for with the U.N. High Commission for Refugees in 2001. "If I’ve had a few months I’m having trouble going back to work because I’m finding that my time at home with my son and taking him around and traveling to UNHCR programs or other parts of the world is just more fulfilling and more interesting to me and I know is more important," Jolie said Saturday. "At the same time I know that by doing a film and making money and remaining in the public eye, I’m able to fund more programs and I’m able to bring more attention. So I know I have to do both. But it is hard to go back to work." Jolie, who spoke to reporters a day after actress Sharon Stone raised $1 million from forum participants to fight malaria in Africa, said she thinks celebrities can serve a valuable role by publicizing the realities of world problems. "We need the political will, and that ofteiv comes from the will of the people. So if celebrities or personalities can help to educate the people - not influence them, not tell them (what to do) - just tell them the truth about what’s happening and let them form their own opinion, that will strengthen them and they will push their politicians." She said business leaders attending the forum in the Swiss Alps are showing growing interest in helping the world’s refugees. "I met with a lot of UNHCR’s business partners who have already been committing their resources and time," said Jolie, who is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. "There’s quite a few." She said the interest in helping refugees didn’t need to be purely altruistic. "Business people can understand that these are people that will be returning to the countries that were destroyed," Jolie said. "If they have proper support and education when they’re in the camps or support when they’re back, they can make the country stable and maybe in the future they don’t go into conflict again. "It’s smart humanitarianism," she said. It’ also smart business." New Musiq for the week of February 1 “Red, White, &Crue” Motley Crue “All the Best” Una turner mm “Heart & Soul” Joe Cocker *Pepper’s Ghost” Arena "PerfectoPresents... The Club” Paul Oakenfold SPOCK'B BBARO “Octane” Spock’s Beard “Here’s to the Mourning” Unwritten Law !‘Anthology: The First 30 Years” /The Marshall Tucker Band "The prestige of an honor society, responsibility of a service organization, and the fellowship of a social fraternity." Phi Sigma Pi National Coeducational Honor Fraternity Informationals When: Feb. 2 and 3 Time: 7:30 pm Where: RHUU 304 Must have 3.0 GPA to join AoznJh<!1 jusc, XtiriQilfll lL/uIlvl If lflllrl ItilK E-mail phisigmapiau@yahoo.com or go to web.sa.sc.edu/phisigmapi/ AlphaUpsilonHome.htm www.dailygamecock.com Five days a week. Keen.