SOFA

Potiche

Sofa — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:25:59 +0000

Be wary of “potiches,” because a French trophy wife, as any woman daily humiliated by a successful husband, just might actually be a respected factory manager under the guise of curlers and Chantilly cream colored suits. Indeed, François Ozon’s latest screwball comedy, Potiche, tells the story of a patronized housewife who has to take over an umbrella factory while her husband is being hospitalized after a confrontation with angry French strikers.

France most prominent pairing of actors, Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu, are once again reunited in this utterly absurd comedy. It is crammed with intelligent and hilarious allusions to famous French culture from the 70s up until now, simultaneously featuring furry phones and Sarkozy’s blunders. But you don’t have to go in for frog legs to appreciate a well-constructed plot with multiple turnarounds and skilled actors who manage to breathe life into two-dimensional characters.

Potiche may well be a little weighed down by references and its theatrical origins but it is still a refreshing and clever farce blending battle of the sexes, disco music and class struggle.

Orgasm Inc.

Sofa — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:45:48 +0000

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we women could have an orgasm each time we get laid? What if a pill, a patch, or a nose spray could give us a hand? After all, we already take pills to grow hair, get rid of unsightly wrinkles and fight shyness, so why not treating our “female sexual disorders” (FSD)? But it is when the pharmaceutical industry came up with the eerily high figure of 43% of women allegedly suffering from FSD that Liz Canner started suspecting something dubious about the medical companies’ deep motives. She spent almost a decade investigating the patterns of pharmaceutical industry work on female desire. Her documentary Orgasm Inc. reveals that companies might be trying to take advantage of women and potentially endanger their health, in pursuit of billion dollar profits rather than well-balanced and fulfilling sex lives…
Liz Canner handles her subject with subtlety, wit and a genuine commitment to a better and more comprehensive sex education. The distress of women quite ready for a vagina-job in their quest for pleasure surfaces but is always handled with delicacy and humor. Orgasm Inc. reveals the greed and hypocrisy of pharmaceutical companies and the whole process of “corporate creation of a disease” while bitterly hinting at the insanity of a society that defines norms of behavior and tries to correct any deviation from these norms with pills. But don’t let yourself be fooled, Orgasm Inc. is not another angry feminist rant! Hilarious and educational, it is really worth watching, and it features, among others, a dildos museum and a giant velvet female sex-shaped pillow.

If this review is not arousing enough
Orgasm Inc. is set to release on February 11th.

-Emma Roth

Below is Emma’s interview with director Liz Canner:

KABOOM

Sofa — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:35:33 +0000

Kaboom, the new film from director Gregg Araki, tells the story of a bisexual college student named Smith. Smith’s everyday routine of hanging out and hooking up with his friends is interrupted when, on a drug trip, he hallucinates about witnessing the murder of a mysterious red-haired girl. Although he initially dismisses the murder as a figment of his imagination, a series of strange events leads him to believe that it was, in fact, real.

The unusual plot of Kaboom creates an interesting blend of horror, comedy, and mystery. The resulting combination may not be completely seamless, but it is certainly enjoyable. The glut of sexuality and violence is a bit over-the-top and the plot is a bit contrived. However, the film has a campy charm that simply makes it fun to watch.

Kaboom is off-the-wall and exaggerated, but it is still an incredibly enjoyable film. If you don’t take it too seriously, you’ll have a great time. Kaboom is playing now at the IFC Center in New York City.

-Katie Hoppenjans

IP MAN 2: LEGEND OF THE GRANDMASTER

Sofa — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 01:32:22 +0000

IP Man 2 tells the story of grandmaster Ip Man, who arrives in British colonial Hong Kong to teach Wing Chun kung fu. At first facing resistance from the other martial arts masters in the city, the kung fu masters must unite in order to face a Western boxer Twister. IP Man 2 is a tale of east vs. west, a tale of the fight against colonial oppression and for Chinese unity.

IP Man 2 is an excellent martial arts film. With amazing cinematography and choreography, the fight scenes leap off the screen. The one weak point of the film is the melodramatic acting, which is not so much an issue for the Chinese actors, but really stands out for the English speakers playing the colonists. The English actors were inconsistent both in acting and accents. Yet, impressively, this didn’t detract from the film as a whole. If anything it made the British appear more ridiculous while the audience empathizes further with the Chinese.

IP Man 2 is worth seeing in theaters for the epic fight scenes. You’ll find yourself cheering on Ip Man even if you haven’t seen the first film. IP Man 2 opens January 27^th and is playing in New York City at City Cinemas Village East.

Britney’s Back

Sofa — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Have you heard Britney Spears’ new single Hold it Against Me yet?

Correspondent Liz Lanteri had the following thoughts on the song:

“Okay, from the start of the song, I feel like I am being sucked into a vacuum or air vent which I think may be appropriate if is trying to insinuate an air conditioned environment is paradise; however, the lyrics lead you to believe she’s speaking of an animate object, yet whatever that may be is never specified which leaves britney spears fans up in arms once again. Lets break it down “Hey over there, please forgive me, if i’m coming on too strong.” Hey who? Do you not know their name, i mean i’m guilty of doing that from time to time – the delirious vague “hey you” when approached by someone I’ve met but clearly don’t remember – but then the lyrics continue “hate to stare, but your winning, and they are playing my favorite song.” Hmm… at this point i’m more interested in hearing that tune rather than this one She continues to dominate what seems to be a one sided conversation probably in an effort to reach the masses and having them sing along with their own interpretation. Smart? eh, I say overdone All in all I if I had to decided, she’s talking to a man in power, one that could be threatening but popular none the less my guess, Captain Morgan PS: she is said to have stolen this from the country duo The Bellamy Brothers (http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/302449) Brit Brit, I hold you accountable, therefore I hold it against you.”

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City Wednesdays – Episode 1 – Fall 2010

Sofa — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:56:52 +0000

On City Wednesdays, Paul and Anna sit down with Yuxi to discuss her recommendations for what Columbia students should do throughout the city in their spare time.

Television Tuesdays – Episode 1 – Fall 2010

Sofa — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:48:57 +0000

On Television Tuesdays, Anna and Paul sit down with Olivia and Ashlin to discuss the latest in television!

Movie Mondays – Episode 1 – Fall 2010

Sofa — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 02:31:41 +0000

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to our first episode of 2010. This year we will be breaking all of our entertainment news up into digestible snippets so that you can update yourself on what to look out for in the coming weeks on the go. Mondays are for movies, Tuesdays are for television, Wednesdays are for life in New York City, Thursdays are for Celebrity Gossip, and Fridays are for Fashion. We hope you enjoy this new spin on Sofa, Columbia’s #1 Entertainment News Show!

In our first episode of the Season, our spectacular hosts Anna Lund and Paul Hsiao sit down with our movie correspondent Katie Hoppenjans to talk about the latest in entertainment news and hear from our Classic Movie specialist Holly on what she recommends Sofa viewers add to their Netflix queues this week.

We hope you enjoy and that you check back soon for more entertaining news on entertainment!

SOFA Fall 2009 Season Finale!

Sofa — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:33:09 +0000

The season finale is all about happy endings as two students find love, the hosts talk (or rather sing) Disney and SOFA’s own correspondent meets some of his film idols.

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SOFA Episode 4: Exclusive Interview with the Filmmakers of Until the Light Takes Us

Sofa — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:40:34 +0000

SOFA Correspondent Marina Pieretti learns all about Norwegian black metal in this exclusive talk with Aaron Aites and Audrey about their new film UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US (Out this weekend!)

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