Scene

The hit list

1. "Killa Season" If you like excessive violence, people getting peed on after getting hit with bottles and rappers nieces getting shot, the Scene may have a film for you. Rapper Cam'ron's magnum opus "Killa Season" came out on DVD last week, and frankly, it's two hours of vile behavior and less-than-amateur cinematography.

Calypso cools summer heat

Looking for some sweet tunes to groove to while sipping tea and studying for exams? Why not take a trip down to the Caribbean... in sound! Calypso is a form of fun-loving yet political music bred from the Afro-Caribbean traditions of Trinidad and Tobago and other island nations as early as the 17th century.

Smyers breathes new life into SG office

In the four years since its inception, American University's Women's Initiative has gone from having no budget and very few events to being a thriving, visible, campus-wide organization. This year's resurgence can be credited to this past year's Executive Director, Jen Smyers.

A cappella group ends year on high note

Treble in Paradise, AU's all-female a capella group, performed its final concert of the year at the Kay Spiritual Life Center Friday. The girls performed new arrangements of "Hollaback Girl" and "This Love," as well as old favorites such as "Walking On Broken Glass.

Essential jams to pass the long summer time

1. "Summer Boy," Freezepop A few crucial ingredients of a typical, good ol' American summer: barbecues, SPF 15, lemonade and community swimming pools. This upbeat electronic ode to the aforementioned items is whimsical and laid-back, just like summer should be.

Fashion forward with campus mavens

If classrooms full of business suit-clad students are any indicator, AU is not a roll-out-of-bed-and-go-to-class type of institution. In fact, the quad and surrounding buildings are a veritable hotbed of fashion-conscious individuals, showing off everything from classic cardigans to spinning belt buckles.

Clarendon: suburban charm close to the District

Ah, spring. Warm weather, sunny skies and greenery- perfect for an afternoon constitutional. Thanks to the large population of Washington and its pole as a haven for tourists aiming to see the monuments, often one wishes for a less crowded area in which to walk around and enjoy the weather.

Springtime is right time for haircuts

I think its time for me to get a haircut. The brilliant explosion of keratin and pigment that perches like a brooding vulture atop my craggy dome of a head has reached its zenith of acceptability. My gently worn woolen hat had up 'til now served its purpose honorably, striving to contain the radioactive plume that was just longing to break free and blanket the innocent countryside with a red-tinged fog of death.

Top ten

When it comes to a movie buff's home viewing library, no self-regarding film aficionado could ever be worth their weight in Godard laserdiscs without a myriad of films with the stamp of approval from the Criterion Collection. The collection highlights the most important films from the past and the present and gives them the lavish treatment that they deserve, in exchange for a $30 price tag.

Temporary summer flings can cause lasting heartache

BLAIR BRYANT NICHOLS A make-out session with the Southern summer intern; the Bolivian who liked PDA all over from Georgetown to Dupont; the 32-year-old who was a recovering alcoholic and former smoker; the charming stripper-slash-Home Depot salesman. What do these all have in common? They are all just a sampling of my former summer flings.

Family film fails to hit the 'Goal'

Wow, where does one even begin with a movie like "Goal! The Dream Begins?" The movie looks good from the trailers: A young Mexican immigrant from Los Angeles gets his big break and chases a dream to play professional soccer in Europe. The beginning of the movie even starts out pretty cute with shots of him playing soccer in real L.

Comic

Maddox effaces little kids, everyone

If you ever lay awake at night, beads of sweat rhythmically dripping off your forehead and your brain tormented with thoughts along the lines of: "What is the best Web site on the Internet? Facebook? MySpace? THERE ARE TOO MANY AND I CAN'T DECIDE!" then suffer no more.

'American Dreamz' funny, but a little too close to reality

If President Bush and "American Idol" are the first two thoughts that pop into your head when asked "What's wrong with America?" then "American Dreamz" is for you. "American Dreamz" pokes fun at the Bush regime, exaggerating its flaws and combining it with America's favorite search for a superstar, "American Idol.

Famed sexologist doesn't beat around the bush with sex lectures

Pornography and prostitution: two things that generally send American (re: Puritan) society into a hissy fit. The amount of energy in our culture devoted to keeping these lustful vices at bay could probably power a small city. That is why it's extra-refreshing when a performance artist like San Francisco's Annie Sprinkle graces our campus with her hilarious, straightforward presence.

Music notes

Scar Symmetry "Pitch Black Progress" (Nuclear Blast) Sounds Like: Kind of like later period Soilwork, except with deeply growled vocals instead of screams, and even cheesier clean-vocal crooning. And the riffs aren't nearly as sweet. C+ For years, Nuclear Blast Records provided metal fans with a steady stream of adventurous bands, often from Europe.

Humiliation in 4/4 time: horrendous car tunes

Let's not kid ourselves here: Everyone keeps skeletons in their closet, if "skeletons" is a metaphor for "shitty music" and "closet" is a metaphor for "heart." And there's nothing more exhilarating than driving around when the weather is inviting, blasting the songs that make you feel infinite.