I wasn’t sure to expect when going to see Jennifer’s Body. The movie was written by stripper-turned-screenwriter Diablo Cody, who also penned the 2007 Oscar winner Juno. Juno was a comedy about a teenager’s unplanned pregnancy (and can be seen on Dish Network’s premium channels), while Jennifer’s Body was about a man-eating girl-turned-demon. Sort of a change in tone here, yet not really. Both movies were marked with hipster, self-aware dialogue, such as “Don’t be Jell-O” (jealous) and “Honest to blog.” Let’s be honest, nobody talks like this in the real world, but it’s still catchy and makes the exchanges snappy and unique.I didn’t think I would be all that enthralled with Jennifer’s Body, mostly due to the hype surrounding its debut, but I can say now that it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

It’s unfortunate that it bombed at the box-office this weekend (the movie pulled in just shy of $6 million), but I still believe it’s one of the best horror movies of the year. In the film, Transformers babe Megan Fox plays the titular character, a sultry cheerleader who is a bit of a fish-out-of-water in the backwoods town of Devil’s Kettle. She is easily the most desirable girl at her high school, where she is BFFs with the mousy Anita “Needy” Lesnicky (Amanda Seyfried from Mamma Mia! and Mean Girls.) One night, Jennifer convinces Needy to come with her to the local seedy watering hole to watch up-and-coming indie band Low Shoulder perform. While there, a fire breaks out, killing dozens of patrons, and Jennifer is dragged off into the woods by the band.

This is when the movie shifts into horror mode. In a tense and creepy scene later that night, Jennifer shows up in Needy’s house looking bloody, disheveled, and harboring a serious appetite for meat. Before Needy can figure out what’s wrong with her best friend, Jennifer spews some disgusting black liquid on the kitchen floor and then disappears into the night. Turns out the band needed a sacrifice to appease the Dark Lord in return for him making them “as big as Maroon 5.” The only glitch was that the girl they chose (Jennifer) was no virgin, and as a result of the sacrifice gone wrong, a demon has inhabited Jennifer’s body. Now Jennifer needs to devour a new boy every few days to feel “full” and be back to her old self again. Needy confides in her boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons), but he doesn’t believe her until local boys begin to go missing. It’s up to Needy to stop her friend’s reign of terror before Jennifer inevitably devours the entire male population of Devil’s Kettle.

The movie promised to be a mix of Mean Girls, Heathers, and horror, and I think in most aspects the movie succeeds. The banter between the characters is quick and witty, and there is a snarky, sarcastic vibe to the proceedings that tells the audience that the film does not take itself too seriously. It could have benefited from a higher body count, but I was still pleased that we got a few likeable characters in the form of Needy, her boyfriend Chip, and poser goth-boy Colin Gray (played by the very likeable Kyle Gallner, who was also outstanding in The Haunting in Connecticut earlier this year.) It also was very reminiscent of the types of films we used to see in the 80’s (such as The Lost Boys), and I really enjoyed the tone throughout the film. Megan Fox, who we all know was not cast for her acting ability, was very good here and, although she was essentially playing herself, she’s nowhere near as bad as some reviewers are making her out to be. Jennifer is supposed to be vapid and self-serving, yet Fox is still able to infuse some vulnerability and insecurity into her performance. The gore is never over-the-top or gratuitous, and the musical cues used throughout the film set the mood accordingly (I especially enjoyed Low Shoulder’s single “Through the Trees,” which essentially becomes the anthem for the fire tragedy at the bar and is played several times throughout the movie.)

I saw this film with a girlfriend of mine who is not a fan of horror movies and she loved it. Personally, I have never been a fan of the Saw series or the watered-down PG-13 remakes that seem to be dominating the horror market these days, and I am always on the lookout for horror movies that are cool, quirky, unique, and well written. This year has produced some gems as Orphan and Sorority Row, as well as Halloween 2 (a movie that definitely did not play it safe and had many fans divided.) I can say that Jennifer’s Body ranks up there with some of the best of the year, however, it is a “love it or hate it” type of movie and I think that is the reason it did not perform well. Movies that are “different” than what the mainstream audience expects always have trouble finding their place, and sometimes it takes years for them to catch on. Take the horror anthology Trick ‘r Treat, for example. The movie was completed in 2006, yet despite all the positive buzz and glowing reviews that touted it as “one of the best Halloween movies ever made,” Warner Brothers delayed the movie for years and is finally dumping it on DVD this October.

Although I’m thrilled I will finally get to see it, why is it that studios shy away from the things that break the mold? If they do not star the latest incarnation of Jason or Freddy or Jigsaw they are considered a liability. The majority of audiences seem too concerned with “playing it safe” than venturing out into new territory. People wonder why we have so many remakes – well, it’s because the studios are afraid to try anything new for fear of rejection. So they stick with what works. As long as people pay to go see crappy remakes or sequels, the studios will continue churning them out. In short, if you are a horror movie fan, or a diehard movie fan in general, go see Jennifer’s Body and support it. For the doubters who are less easily swayed, I still recommend going to see this movie. If you go into the theater expecting some silly campy fun with zingy one-liners and hauntingly gloomy cinematography, you will feel you got your money’s worth. If that doesn’t convince you, then just wait for the DVD. Considering the box office take it should be out in a mater of no time anyway. Also be sure to check out:-Orphan -Halloween 2-Sorority Row -Friday the 13th -Drag Me To Hell And honorable mention of the year goes to My Bloody Valentine. Coincidentally, the writer and director behind MBV, Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier, have both signed on to the next film in the Halloween franchise – Halloween 3D, which is due out summer 2010.

By: Frank Bilotta

IPod docking stations are a great way to share your music with the world. It allows you to plug your iPod into a speaker system and broadcast the music outside of the headphones you would normally use. But there are so many docking stations to choose from…colors, gadgets, and of course the prices. Which one? Follow these 5 tips on how to choose the right iPod Docks.

1. Know the specifics about your iPod.

While many of the docking stations work for any iPod, there are other manufacturer’s that may make them different. Know your iPod’s model number and music capacity.

2. Decide which features you want.

Look at sites, magazines, and shops. There are docking stations that come with alarm clocks and are huge, or there are tiny ones which only allow you to plug in you i-pod. Prices vary. Some cost two hundred dollars, some cost five hundred dollors or more. Make sure the docking stations you are considering are compatible with your iPod, specifically, as there are many MP3 players out there, and some docking stations will be for other manufacturers’ MP3 players, not the iPod. There are even docking stations for specific styles of iPod that don’t fit all of them.

3. Get the money you need.

Don’t get so excited about buying a docking station that you rush out and buy the first one you see. Save up if you should. It’s better to wait to save up and get the one you want, rather than digging out and borrowing cash for something that isn’t really what you want.

4. Look around.

Check out e-bay, and all the shops that sell iPod Docks. Don’t just go to one shop-they could be selling at rip off prices, and you won’t know until you look around.

5. Narrow it down until you have 2 or 3 docks that you’re eyeing.

Compare them. Which one is most conveniently sized? Which one is the best colour and price? Which one wins most of these questions? Buy the one that is most like all of these questions. However, if you find yourself reluctantly picking it up, you most probably don’t want it. Make sure you actually WANT the docking station you buy.

Choosing a proper iPod docking station may be a tough thing, but follow the above tips will make your shopping experience much easier.

Abstract: This article provides a summary of the scientific and clinical evidence for 10 factors that can help prevent aging of the brain. These include dietary factors, herbal supplements, yoga, music, massage therapy and dance. The information is referenced to publications and research articles, to help the reader to make an informed decision on supplements for memory and brain health.

Introduction

Our lifestyle and what we eat has an influence on our organs. The brain is no exception, but is often neglected. Read through the pages on this article and you’ll get a quick summary of factors that can help to keep the brain active and young through our later years. Brain aging is a phenomena that in recent years, has attracted much attention by researchers and this article reviews some of the main factors that can modulate brain aging. Please also look up the references herein and conduct your own research!.

1. Dietary Antioxidants

Oxidative stress may produce neuronal degeneration through protein oxidation, DNA oxidation, and lipid peroxidation. The antioxidant micronutrients are ascorbate (vitamin C), alphatocopherol (vitamin E), and carotenoids, which are provided in the diet, particularly by fruit and vegetables. In observational studies, a high intake of vitamins E and C is protective against AD (Ref: Engelhart MJ, Geerling MI, Ruitenberg A, et al. Dietary intake of antioxidants and risk of Alzheimer disease. JAMA. 2002b;287:3223–9). Dietary supplementation with fruit or vegetable extracts high in antioxidants, such as blueberry or spinach extracts, might improve cognitive performance (Ref: Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Casadesus G. Reversing the deleterious effects of aging on neuronal communication and behavior: beneficial properties of fruit polyphenolic compounds. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;81:313–16). Flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants found in wine, tea, fruit, and vegetables may also prevent dementia. A large study showed that the intake of flavonoids is inversely related to the risk of dementia (Ref:Commenges D, Scotet V, Renaud S, et al. Intake of flavonoids and risk of dementia. Eur J Epidem. 2000;16:357–63).

2. Folate (Vitamin B12)

Folate or folic acid is found in various foods, including spinach, orange juice and yeast. The liver generates several forms of folate after the intestine has absorbed vitamin B. Folate deficiency, which is mostly caused by low dietary intake, has been associated with a number of physiological abnormalities during development and adulthood. The results of a recent randomized clinical trial indicated that a 3-year folic acid supplementation can help to reduce the age-related decline in cognitive function (Ref: Durga J, et al. Effect of 3-year folic acid supplementation on cognitive function in older adults in the FACIT trial: a randomised, double blind, controlled trial. Lancet. 2007;369:208–216)………… a complete text copy of this article is available at www.activmind.com.sg or click on this link http://www.activmind.com.sg/add_page.asp?pid=38&mcid=18