His head explores his cache of words,

too heated with all these college people packed in,

seated in the Bean Cycle and weak knees ensue, dude.

Nostrils tingle as coffee beans crumble and people mingle,

humbled by the last poet’s punch line about political times,

while intricate art straight from aching hearts hangs inside wall frames.

And Brent Adams is too cool to fumble over any broken words,

his verbs in action, sparking flames fueled by reactions from fans,

new-comers, new experiences.

But Adams, slipping rhymes into people’s minds through the mic,

Simply sees it to unite by turning writing into insight,

his right mind transforms his left views to something new,

something the community can use—

And as the last lines fall off his lightning quick lips, his words cease.

The crowd pleases him with screams of applause, oohs and ahs.

This is the scene of the Fort Collins Poetry Slam at the Bean Cycle. This is where people unite on the first Friday of every month to see these poets perform. Language is transcended and transformed into art, and people come to freely express their voice.

Brent Adams, 24, is a Colorado State University graduate student, majoring in ethnic studies, and he has written poetry since middle school.

“People feel small and insignificant in addressing issues in the world,” Adams says. “If you’re just one person in a sea of violence, thinking about these problems, it can wear you down. But poetry offers the community a chance to hear voices that normally can’t be heard.”

Adams has not only found a way to express his thoughts through poetry, but he has found it to be empowering. While working with eighth grade kids at the Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center in Fort Collins, Adams says that sometimes he doesn’t know if what he does really helps; thus, why he writes poetry.

“If we can get together and show that more of us care, it makes me feel like we do have power in the community,” Adams says. “Poetry gives me a sense of efficacy.”

Efficacy, to project and definitively speak to minds

that feel they to find and communicate thoughts,

and to connect in an authentic way,

Where the oppressed are heard,

And voices are found.

Kimberly “Infinite” Ford, a junior ethnic studies major, also finds her voice through poetry.

“I think [slam poetry] is a great way to communicate thoughts,” she says. “People who are not heard in political arenas, such as everyday people like us, are given a chance to be heard through poetry.”

Along with Adams, Ford performs at the poetry slam in early April. Women’s rights. Removing distrust in people. Abandonment. These are the issues that strike a cord when voiced through her spoken word. She wants people to listen, and wants to hear others as well.

“We have equal respect for each other’s words,” she says, alluding to the poetry slam. “Whether it’s the audience or the other poets, it creates a feeling of community when people are able to freely and openly express their voice.”

Sasha Steensen, a CSU assistant English professor, is fond of poetry, but feels that the poetic voice can get lost in the sea of technology.

“There are so many demands upon our attention,” she says. “You’ve got Internet, e-mail, billboards — an information overload. Poetry presents and looks at these things from different angles and helps us decide how to process these things as a culture and as individuals.”

She describes language as a “way to communicate a particular meaning.” If something needs to be described or communicated, we use words to symbolize that particular feeling or object. But with poetry, a poem is an object itself, and the reader has to engage with how the words sound and look in relation to each other, rather than each individual meaning.

“Try to think without using language and usually it comes in immediately to label whatever it is we are thinking about,” she says. “Poetry, on the other hand, requires a certain kind of engagement and asks the reader or listener to be critical and pay attention.”

Steensen always tries to accept an invitation to read, and enjoys how the performance enhances the poetry. She says that the performance can expand the possibilities of poetry for the listener.

This is where Larry Holgerson comes in to play…on words, that is.

Holgerson, who is known as the “slam master” or “booger,” is a well-known face in the slam poetry world. Holgerson is also the person responsible for organizing the slam at the Bean Cycle and has been doing so for the last five years.

“We always fill up [the Bean Cycle], and people may have to sit on the floor,” Holgerson says. “When those 16- and 17-year-olds come in, along with the college kids, and speak their truths, they can say something that simply devastates you. They’ve been thrown a world of crap, and find a way to speak through it all. Their day to day dealings, concepts and aggressions are portrayed through their poetry.”

Aggression, curved.

Politics, diverge.

Human rights, for sure.

Expression, through verbs.

Action, reaction, thinking, writing, stinging, fighting and overall uniting,

All because of the spoken word.

Sounds absurd?

Yes, but still it occurs,

and all we want is our voices heard.

We are poetry. We are poetic. We are people. But most of all, we are.

“It doesn’t take a degree, employment, permission [to write poetry],” Adams says. “You just need guts.”

“It stems from oppressed communication, oppressed voices,” Ford says.

“We don’t have any engagement with the world that doesn’t involve language,” Steensen adds.

“Culture is an operating system and we need the one in Fort Collins to be heard and feel eloquent about the way we do it,” Holgerson says.

They all speak, hear, listen, voice their opinions and lead individual lives. They all live in Fort Collins and involve themselves in the community. They all have something to say about poetry. And if you listen very closely, you might catch the meaning behind their spoken words. This is the motion of poetry, deep in the heart of Fort Collins.

“New Moon,” the second movie of the four-part series, grossed $140 million at the box office on opening weekend, earning $72 million on opening night. According to Michelle Lee, an undeclared sophomore, “‘Twilight’ equals ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Harry Potter’ – it’s that big.”

But why has “Twilight” become such a sensation? For one thing, the story allows us to indulge in the idealized love story between human and superhuman and to escape the flaws of realistic relationships in order to experiment with the prospect of eternal love.

Beyond that, “Twilight” has, shall we say, “re-vamped” the popularity of vampires in mainstream pop culture.

The vampire of today is a humanized, tortured hero who struggles morally with its existence as a monster and has compassion for humanity, a characterization that has evolved and transformed numerous times over the last century.

Tim Kane, author of “The Changing Vampire of Film and Television,” categorizes the characterization trends of the vampire in visual media into three cycles: The Malignant Cycle (1931-1948), The Erotic Cycle (1957-1985) and The Sympathetic Cycle (1987-Today).

Movies created during the Malignant Cycle are exemplified by “Nosferatu” (1922), the unauthorized adaptation of Dracula made in Germany (a silent film). Others dealing with the original Dracula, including “Dracula’s Daughter” (1936), “Son of Dracula” (1943) and “Return of the Vampire” (1944), portray the vampire as a ruthless and brutal killer who has no compassion for humans.

As the genre progressed, the vampire evolved from cold-blooded killer into the exotic sex symbol of the Erotic Cycle. During this film period, the vampire most often attacks victims slowly and seductively while the victims, often women, lie sleeping and unaware in a bedroom setting.

The best examples of these vampires appear in the 1974 and 1979 re-makes of “Dracula.” Dracula seduces his female victims by first kissing them as a lover would, then biting them. In both films, the victims respond with moans of arousal and pleasure rather than pain.

The vampire transforms once again during the Sympathetic Cycle, maintaining its erotic symbolism but also taking on some human emotional and psychological characteristics, and even expressing varying degrees of dissatisfaction with its existence as a vampire.

This is where “Twilight’s” Edward Cullen comes in. Cullen curses his existence as a vampire and criticizes the nature of vampires heavily throughout the series.

Author Stephanie Meyers characterizes Cullen as a victim of his condition and grants him compassion, respect, love and jealousy of the position of humans, an emotion that the supernatural creatures have never before expressed in cinematic history.

One of the newest and most recently popular sympathetic vampires is Bill Compton, the Louisiana Civil War soldier-turned-vampire of the HBO series “True Blood,” based on the “Sookie Stackhouse” novels by Charlaine Harris.

In “True Blood,” vampires have “come out of the coffin” in modern-day Louisiana, where Bill Compton tries to the best of his ability to assimilate into the human community.

The series weaves sexuality, religion, politics and the supernatural into a complex allegory that explores the modern search for identity. Compton greatly condemns his existence as a vampire, and tries to reconnect with his humanity through his relationship with Sookie Stackhouse, a human woman.

Exemplified by Bill Compton and Edward Cullen, contemporary vampires maintain their nature as blood drinkers, but attract massive audiences because of their emotional complexity, physical perfection and compassion for humanity.

Their current dynamic and humanistic characterization allows the viewer to interpret vampires not just as immortal monsters but as beings that reflect the nature and image of ourselves.

This scene is one that many people in the past few years are experiencing through pop culture in books, film and TV. And if you have yet to partake in this phenomenon, then you are one of the few who doesn’t know – vampires are everywhere and they’re not leaving anytime soon.

The two bloodsucker dramas paving the way for the vampire craze are the “Twilight” teen-drama book series by Stephanie Meyer, which are now being made into movies, and the sexualized HBO series, “True Blood,” based on The Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

While vampires have been part of folklore and myths in various cultures for thousands of years, the modern vampire is no longer a beast. Instead, he is a brooding, pensive, powerful, penitent and sexual being in human form.

So why are vampires such a hot commodity right now?

According to Michelle Lee, an undeclared sophomore and “Twilight” enthusiast, Stephanie Meyer is responsible for the current popularity of vampires.

“She opened a new gate that allowed vampires to be more sexually attractive than scary, a depiction that appeals to women,” Lee said.  “[Vampires] have become a larger trend because we are more open minded to new ideas.”

Lee explained that Edward Cullen, the male protagonist in the “Twilight” series, is particularly sexy because he is portrayed as the perfect man who embodies what most women want.

However, the vampire as a sexualized figure did not start with Stephanie Meyer’s teenage vampire-romance series. Instead, critics argue that the modern-day vampire began as the humanized and sexualized character Dracula in Bram Stoker’s classic novel.

According to Tim Kane, author of “The Changing Vampire in Film and Television,” Dracula was depicted as a man and a beast that audiences were fearful of and intrigued by.

Michael Lundblad, the director of animality studies and an assistant English professor at Colorado State University, said he couldn’t easily trace a trajectory from “Dracula” to the modern vampire, but that the two are obviously connected and related.

He said that sexuality is a major part of vampire representation because it seems their lusty desire for blood – a primal, ancient longing – often making people think that desire comes from “our animal instincts.”

The connection between animals and vampires is still present, which can be seen in films and books today, but, as Kane explained, over time the vampire has become less animalized and more humanized.

In early vampire films from 1931 to 1948, the vampire was a “ruthless killer who had no compassion for humans.” Then in 1957 to 1987, Kane said the vampire became less murderous and more of a sensual, erotic figure who seduced his victims with a kiss before attacking. In the last cycle, from 1987 to today, the vampire retains his erotic nature, but is more of a sympathetic figure that is more human than beast.

Alaina Steiner, a graduate student in the English department, agreed that vampires are most definitely becoming more humanized and sexualized.

Currently, she is working on a project to complete her master’s degree in which she is looking at the ways vampires are being used as a metaphor for a commodified “Other” in the “True Blood” series and “Twilight” novels.

“Vampires are operating as a consumable object, more so than as actual characters,” Steiner said.

The term “Other” is defined by psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan as socially differentiating between one group of people and another, that is, “us” and “them.”

One way Steiner is looking at how vampires are consumed is through the TV show “True Blood,” where vampires have “come out of their coffins” by attempting to gain civil rights. While there are numerous topics she would like to discuss, she is focusing on the subculture of humans in the show who exploit vampires by using their blood as a new designer drug, which is known as “V.”

“Doing ‘V’ is described as a very sexualized and euphoric experience,” she said. “By consuming vampire blood, you get a little bit of vampire identity for a short period because they claim you can feel actual elements of the vampire whose blood you’ve ingested.”

When a user takes “V,” not only can they see and hear more, but they are also stronger with increased libidos.

“The desirability of this drug expresses the cultural insecurities and the desires for more – more beauty, strength, virility – more of whatever it is that our cultural identity issues tell us we need,” Steiner said.

In the context of sex, vampires are another way to define what sexuality is for human beings, albeit sensual or erotic.

“Because they’re [vampires], not humans, they’re a safe place for less politically correct sexual desires to be expressed, [like biting] or S and M,” Steiner said.

Vampires are known as inherently sexual beings, but aside from that aspect, what is it about vampires that make them so appealing?

Kristopher Hite, a biochemistry graduate student, runs a popular science blog, tompainesghost.com, which he explained is a way for him to make science more accessible to non-scientists.

“People are so fascinated with these paranormal, non-science myths,” Hite said. “And with vampires, their whole sexualization has led further into pop culture allure, and [science] is a great tool to try and understand vampirism.”

One of the ways vampirism can link to science is through the rare genetic disease called porphyria.

On a blog post Hite wrote: “Victims of this disease have an uncanny similarity to historical descriptions of vampires and phenotypes [traits of any living being] of this disease have been suggested as [a] possible explanation for the origin of vampire legends.”

According to the American Porphyria Foundation Web site, porphyria symptoms can include muscle weakness, confusion or hallucinations, sensitivity to the sun, dark-colored urine, nausea and other symptoms; however, since this disease is not limited to one disorder but eight, different patients experience different symptoms.

“Science is not saying people suffering from porphyria are vampires – that is a big misunderstanding that people have – porphyria patients are real and vampires are not,” Hite explained.

He uses science in a rational way to explain the world. One way he does that is through the biochemical link between symptoms of vampirism with symptoms of porphyria.

“When you crush garlic, the smelly compound goes into the liver and blocks the enzyme that clears the malformed porphyrins [that lead to porphyria],” Hite said. “So it exacerbates some symptoms, including extreme light sensitivity, gums receding to make fangs, glowing teeth, etc.”

In most vampire myths, garlic is often used as a repellant to ward off vampires, which Hite said has been used since the Middle Ages.

But for the modern vampires in the “Twilight” series, garlic holds no power. And, following with Kane’s theory about the sympathetic vampire, the vampires who are considered “good” and morally sound do not feast on humans, but instead on animals.

Hite explained that, for many people, vampires are alluring because the characters are usually sexualized males who are both powerful and fragile.

“This dichotomy is alluring [in the sense] that it is completely ephemeral because vampires can go away if they’re exposed to the sun,” Hite said. “The whole combination of death and sex could be some weird connection that people have with death and sex, possibly a biological imperative to consummate before you die.”

And that ephemeral nature of vampire existence is a fact that is not forgotten by current fans of this genre, but it is something that can be overlooked when a story is being told.

Jessica Allaire, an undeclared sophomore, said that the “Twilight” saga is interesting and the drama is fun for so many women because they can relate to the Bella, the female protagonist, and her love obsession with Edward.

Allaire described Edward as, “overwhelmingly beautiful and muscular with abnormal-colored eyes … but the whole beauty [about Edward and vampires] is the eternal part.”

Yet Allaire did not mention that Edward is a vampire – a non-human figure who is hungry for human blood. While the modern vampire is a sympathetic character, a “tortured hero” as Steiner said, their animality is always present in their constant need for blood.

For Hite, the aspect of blood with vampires fascinates him because as a biochemistry student, he said he automatically thinks about the properties of blood, how blood works and also the connection to porphyria.

“Blood is amazing, when it’s contained in you, it’s giving you life,” he said. “But when it’s out of you and exposed to the world, then you see the red – then there’s a risk – and you’re risking dying and death.”

As vampires have become humanized since they first appeared in folklore thousands of years ago, they have developed a conscience and have the ability to show regret and reason.

“The modern vampire is much more of a trope or metaphor for how we express some cultural wants and needs that may not be easy to express directly,” Steiner said.

Lundblad agreed, adding that vampires are figures for negotiating differences among human beings, like class issues among vampires and other supernatural creatures like werewolves.

The vampire’s progression through pop culture has gone through several transformations from a beast to a sexualized and sympathetic figure in a human body, but where does the myth of vampires go from here?

“They will probably continue to get more human,” Steiner said. “And arguably less counter-culturally powerful, less amoral, and maybe less strong and extraordinary until there will probably be some teenage nerd vampire who is picked on and can’t get a date to prom.”

Had enough time to think?  The correct answer (of course) is Fort Collins, local music and rock ‘n’ roll.

If those weren’t the exact words you had in mind, you’ve come to the right place.  Welcome to The Playlist, a guide to all things involving local music in and around Ft. Collins.  Whether you’ve been a part of the scene for a long time or are interested in a little something homegrown to liven up your iPod, it’s never too late to get educated on the sounds of your own backyard.

Ft. Collins is arguably the center of the Northern Colorado music scene.  The Aggie Theatre in Old Town regularly lends its stage to acts such as Social Distortion and Tech Nine.  Tour buses for Foreigner and Willy Nelson can often be spotted in the parking lot of the Budweiser Events Center just down the road in Loveland.

Part of what makes Ft. Collins such an eclectic mix of auditory delights is the influence of the student body at CSU.  Campus has played host to a wide variety of big name acts, from Colorado heavyweights The Fray in 2006 to Lupe Fiasco in 2008.

Names such as these may hog all the space on marquee boards and fill the coveted Saturday evening slots at venues, but they all had to start somewhere.  At one point, even the biggest names were local.

Case in point: In 2005, Tickle Me Pink formed in Ft. Collins.  According to their official MySpace page, the band rose quickly, releasing two EP’s on their own before catching the attention of Wind-Up Records in 2008.  Their first full-length release, “Madeline,” was greeted by a sellout crowd at the Aggie and receives regular airplay on the radio station Channel 93.3.  Still in their early 20’s, their MySpace biography bills them as “one of the biggest bands in Colorado.”

But local music is not only about the prospect of eventual nationwide name recognition, tour buses and groupies.  It is about experimentation, fun and boundless energy.  But most of all, it is about music made by music lovers, for music lovers.

The possibility of finding something that fits your own unique tastes is endless.  Enjoy indie rock with a healthy dose of violin?  Check out the three-piece Stella Luce.  More inclined towards funky bluegrass?  The five person outfit Good Gravy! might be right up your ally.  In the mood for ukulele-playing singer/songwriters with a penchant for creating YouTube video’s?  There might only be one, but you’ll find her in Danielle Ate the Sandwich.  Looking for a bit of good old fashioned hard rock to get you in the mood before a Friday night binge?  The whiskey-loving five-piece Give ‘Er Hell will put some fire in your veins.

No matter what your cup of tea, Ft. Collins is home to a rich underground of musicians just waiting to have their music heard.  The Playlist will supply you with all you need to become a connoisseur of the Ft. Collins local music scene.  You’ll find info on venues, artist interviews, concert reviews and much, much more.

However, if you just can’t wait to delve into the scene, an excellent resource is the Fort Collins Musicians Association Web site.  You’ll find an extensive list of bands arranged by genre with links to their personal Web sites.  Dig around, get your hands dirty, and you’re bound to find something you like.

The incredible thing about becoming involved with any local movement is the people.  MySpace is a good place to get a glimpse of what exactly you’re looking for, but if you do discover a band you like, go and check them out.  Say hi after the show and let them know you appreciate what it is they do.  Buy (never steal) their album.  But most of all, take the opportunity to connect with a vibrant community that represents the musical tastes of our city.

a personal challenge…

Have you ever scrolled through your iPod, trying to find that same old Rolling Stones album you’ve listened to a hundred times, and just happened to stop on the vintage B-side you never knew you had? Well, I haven’t, but I think I’d like to.

It’s easy for music to get lost once it’s digitized. Maybe it’s because good old analog devices can’t fit in my pocket. Maybe it’s because people can afford to steal more Mp3’s than physical CD’s. Maybe I really don’t care about all 12 tracks on Kesha’s new CD, but downloading it was the only way to get the single.

Whatever the reason, files on a computer don’t stick out the way a pile of CD’S and records does. I guess you could call me a musical democratist: all music deserves to be listened to, even the lowest, oldest digital dregs.

With this in mind, I’ve set a challenge for myself. I’ll be keeping a personal “musiclogue” (like a travelogue for music) through blogspot. If you’re interested in hearing my game plan, want to join with me on your own sonic journey, or just want to discover the funky stuff I find in the nearly 11 days of music I have on my iPod, check my blog. It will be updated every week, and I promise it won’t disappoint.

Claire Danes (“Romeo and Juliet,” “Stardust”) played the part of Grandin almost to a tee in the television movie, and took the audience on an emotional ride through the frustration, the heartache and, finally, the clarity.

The film begins Grandin’s journey at her aunt’s ranch. She gets fascinated with the gate as it opens and closes. Soon she sees an intricate design in her head that plays out on-screen. It involves what it seem to be complex math skills and dimensions. But she still has a hard time dealing with other people, so she bonds with the cattle and other animals.

From her experience that summer, she spent her lifetime pursuing an education dealing with cattle, which ultimately led to some pretty innovative thoughts. She also published many articles for Beef magazine.

The vision of the story was just as impressive as the life presented in it. Grandin sees everything in an extreme visual sense. Director Mick Jackson (“Volcano,” “The Body Guard”), took that piece of information and made the film enticing. Whenever a euphemism is uttered, the audience is shown what Grandin imagined. When her respected science teacher, Professor Carlock, asked her to remember all her pairs of shoes, the screen showed every shoe she had seen in her lifetime, ticking by like a set of fast moving pictures.

This film ultimately provides hope for everyone affected by autism. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a film full of heart ache and despair; there’s a tinge of humor, and when the film has ended, it will leave you breathless and wanting more. Grandin is an inspiration, and I urge everyone to see the movie, or at least watch the trailer.

Grade:  A

But this quest in literature is dwindling because competing technologies are elbowing out the culture of books and reading – that is – unless you own a Kindle, eReader, Nook, iPad or a similar digital reading device.

I don’t own a “digital reading device” – even that terminology sounds wrong because I read what are called “books” on printed pages. Now, don’t get me wrong, people should read in any format they’re comfortable with because books are a struggling medium. For me, I prefer books in print because there are too many things that get lost in the digital translation; namely, the culture of books, which is exactly what this blog is trying to avenge.

And that fight is one that the novelist and poet Sherman Alexie believes in, too.

In an interview with Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report Dec. 1, 2009, Alexie claims that the digitization of books is deteriorating the literary world for not just authors, but communities as well.

“The celebration of books inside each community is gone, the localized appreciation of books is gone,” Alexie said. “It amazes me that people who want to eat locally [and] live locally never think about buying locally [and] never think about the local value of a book.”

While he makes a valid argument, I find it hard to agree that the celebration of books is completely gone. It isn’t – at least in Fort Collins because of the support of the Be Local movement and booksellers like Old Firehouse Books, Reader’s Cove and the Matter Bookstore.

Along with booksellers, book publishers, writers, readers, professors and community members in Fort Collins are also reviving the “almost loss” of our book culture by taking the time to read books in print, to support local authors and to believe in the culture of books – which we need in order to thrive.

According to Goethe, and I agree, “The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation.”

We cannot ignore digitization, but what we can do is work with it by blogging about the news, events and material of our CSU and Fort Collins book culture because that culture is here, alive and waiting for you to seek the authenticity in your life through literature.

Stephen King drew inspiration for his ‘70s book “The Shining” (which was eventually made into two movies) from the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. “Catch and Release,” a romantic comedy with Jennifer Garner and Kevin Smith, was filmed mostly, if not entirely, in Boulder in 2006. “Independence Day” was partly filmed at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs in 1996.

And what does Fort Collins have? While we can’t exactly say we’ve had any close encounters with the Hollywood kind, we can’t say that FoCo is a total stranger to the film business:

Jon Heder (star of “Napoleon Dynamite”) was born here October 26, 1977. But don’t get too excited; he moved when he was 2 years old to Salem, Ore., where he was raised.

Jake Lloyd (little Anakin Skywalker in “Star Wars, Episode I”) was born here but also moved in 1994 to jumpstart his film career.

A scene from “A League of their Own” was filmed in the South College Fieldhouse in the early 1990s.

Most recently, Claire Danes will star in an HBO original movie, “Temple Grandin,” a story about an autistic CSU animal sciences professor. The film debuted on Feb. 6 and a film premiere was held in the Lory Student Center Theatre.

So when you think that Fort Collins has no famous connections, I hope you look back to this blog and remember that all the other “famous cities” are just overrated anyway. Think about it: Half the scenes from the original “Shining” (starring Jack Nicolson) aren’t even shot in Stanley Hotel. Heck – they weren’t even shot in Colorado. As for the television remake, it flopped like Boulder’s “Catch and Release.” And Colorado Springs’ “Independence Day?” … OK, fine, there’s nothing wrong with that movie. It continues to overshadow Fort Collins.

Stay tuned soon for a review of “Temple Grandin.” As always, keep checking back for other new blogs – I plan on attending the Boulder International Film Festival this weekend and am hoping for some juicy sightings. I appreciate the attention.

Editors Note: Stacey was not able to attend the Boulder International Film Festival on Feb. 11-14. For information on the festival and how to get involved in the future, visit the BIFF Web site.

Well, if you haven’t already, check out my previous blog, “A lifetime of movie lovin’,” and see if our tastes match. If they do – even only a little bit – then I urge you to rent any of the films listed below. They’re worth it, and you can take that statement to the bank.

The movies listed here are what I like to call “the unfortunates.” These guys never really had the recognition they deserved. Maybe it’s because they have mostly unknown actors or were produced with a very low budget. Who knows? What I do know is they provide a glimpse into another reality or time, allowing you to forget about your problems for just a little while.

So kick your shoes off, turn on the TV, turn out the lights and enjoy.

1. Stay (2006) iTunes Rental $2.99

Genre: Psychological Suspense

Sexuality Rating: None

Violence Rating: Suicide reference, mild blood

Drug Rating: None

MPAA: R

This is one of these films I hate to even explain because I’ll probably ruin the whole element of surprise. I’ll do my best. But first, let’s point out a few things: this movie is the perfect blend of death, life and everything in between. The transitions from scene to scene are smooth and creative, providing an innovative look into the lives of the two main characters and contributing to the disorientation throughout the film.

It all starts with a car wreck, an event that changes Henry’s (Ryan Gosling) life. After the accident, he gets a temporary replacement psychiatrist, Sam (Ewan McGregor), when his regular doc goes on leave. Henry then makes a bold statement, declaring that he’ll kill himself in three days. As time ticks away, Henry sends ripples through the psychiatrist’s life as Sam tries to find him before its too late.

2. The Fall (2006) Blockbuster Rental $1.99

Genre: Drama

Sex: None

Violence: None

Drugs: Mild

MPAA: R

I love artsy films, and this one surpassed my expectations. Filmed in 18 different countries over the span of four years, this movie is sure to take you out of your living room and into another world altogether.  A beautiful example of story telling and amazing cinematography, it’s easily enjoyable.

The movie is set in 1920’s Hollywood at a Catholic care facility where a man named Roy (Lee Pace, “Pushing Daises”) is taken after he breaks his legs while filming a stunt for a movie. He meets a little girl, Alexandria (Catinca Untaru), who broke her arm in a fall of her own. As the man and girl grow to know each other, he tells her a story.

This is where the imaginative ideas come into play. Once Alexandria becomes surely hooked on his words, Roy makes a little deal with her – if she gets him more pills, he’ll continue the story.

3. The Chumscrubber (2005) Blockbuster Rental $1.99

Genre: Drama

Sex: Little

Violence: Little

Drugs: Heavy

MPAA: R

Despite the unusual name, I like this film particularly because this sort of storyline probably happens all the time in the real world but is never told.

It takes place in a suburb, where Stanford wives are multiplying and unhappy children and teenagers push the limits of what they can get away with. It shows the interaction between people in the midst of a small town drug dealer’s suicide. The results draw a line between the main character, Dean (Jamie Bell, “Billy Elliot”), and everyone else.

This is a town where emotions are so repressed that, inevitably, little explosions start to happen. Wait long enough, and emotions start to manifest themselves beneath a sheet of pent up anger. Figure that.

4. 11:14 (2005) iTunes Rental $2.99

Genre: Drama

Sex: Brief but mild

Violence: Heavy (very graphic at times)

Drugs: None

MPAA: R

Robberies, vandalism, hit and runs, sex in cemeteries – this one has it all within an hour time frame.

The film uniquely examines a particular incident from multiple points of view. It seems like everything escalates until it all goes wrong at 11:14 p.m. Those are the magic numbers, folks. Every time you watch another character’s point of view, a little more information is revealed. The director doesn’t take you too off course – things are always stuck in this hour-or-so time frame, always in the same city.

I’ve always liked films that have multiple vantage points, but few are made and even fewer are made well. 11:14 has no main character, but the cast includes Patrick Swayze (”Dirty Dancing”), Rachel Lee Cook (”She’s All That”) and Ben Foster (”Hostage”). Swayze plays an overprotective but somewhat still estranged father; Cook, a highly sexual teenager looking for trouble; and Foster, a young hooligan who doesn’t know what he has until he’s… cut off. There’s a pun to Foster’s description. You’ll get it when you watch.

5. Strictly Sexual (2008) Hulu.com Free

Genre: Drama

Sex: Heavy (no nudity or graphic scenes)

Violence: None

Drugs: None

MPAA: R

One thing to keep in mind throughout this movie: it’s not as bad as you think it is. No nudity, no graphic scenes. Yes, I’m serious, and no, it’s not a “Skin-a-Max” type of movie. It places more emphasis on the relationships and interactions than the steamy parts.

Although the writers can get a little cheesy, the important thing to remember is it’s free. So if you absolutely hate it, you don’t feel like you lost $2, only an hour and 40 minutes.

Basic premise: two women are fed up with relationships, so they pick up two men from the bars, take them home and realize that the sex was so good, they don’t want to live without it. The men need a place to stay, the women need some good lovin’ – just make a deal and get it over with.

The men agree to stay at the “pool house” for extra attention whenever the women need it, no questions asked. All is well until emotion seeps into the plotline. Then it gets interesting.

Intrigued yet? You should be. Now, I may be a little out-of-date in my selections, seeing as how the movies listed are mostly from the mid-2000s.  I’d be interested in what College Avenue readers watch. So tell me: what’s your favorite movie that didn’t quite make it to the box office and why do you like it? Comment, bookmark and for my sake, keep coming back.

Since I will be doing some film grading for my College Avenue blog, I suppose it’s best if I graze the surface on how I critique films. Generally speaking, I don’t like cheese. I define cheese as blatantly obvious remarks that could be called cliché or corny. Some might argue that cheese is in the eye of the beholder. I say, “to-may-to, to-mah-to.”

Going back to the origination of my perfectionist self, my dad asked me once why I like certain movies.

“There has to be a common theme between your favorites and the failures,” he told me.  I can still remember his thunderous voice booming off the walls, mainly because it happened just last month.

I have to admit, it took me a while to answer. Dad, if you’re reading this, then here it is: I like creativity. Give me something in a movie I haven’t seen before (with no cheese) and I’ll most likely love it. That’s the main reason why I like “The Ring,” the 2003 blockbuster hit that made people want to give their television sets away.

The Ring, unlike many horror films – namely the recent release “Paranormal Activity” – had originality. We had never seen anything like it before. Even the original Japanese version, Ringu, lacked something. The American remake was eerie and disturbing.

Paranormal Activity, on the other hand, lacked so many things. Like a good plot line.

You got me why people like this movie. I guess it was the impression that this “really happened.” And if it could happen to these folks, then it could happen to them. Man, I hate to burst their personal bubble, but this was a production with a script, actors and a director.

Some might argue, “’Paranormal’ was original and creative. Nobody has pulled off a demon haunting/possession story before.” Here’s my problem with that statement: Nobody has ever pulled off a good demon haunting story, unless you count “Ghostbusters,” in which case I do not. It’s a comedy.

I remember my ethics professor showing a trailer to “Paranormal Activity” in class. The whole class watched in awe in the darkness and collectively shrieked when air gets blown under the sheet and makes ripples across her side of the bed. Please.

On the contrary, and you may laugh when I state this: I liked “Twilight.” Not only did I think it was a decent movie, but I also think Kristin Stuart did a decent job as Bella. Critics were too hard on the actress. They were probably comparing the book to the movie. I learned to never do that, and I learned the hard way when “Forrest Gump” came out on the big screen. (Yes, “Forrest Gump” was a book first. And it was brilliant).

Maybe I liked Stuart’s portrayal because I wasn’t too excitable when I was in high school either.  I could relate to her lack of emotion throughout the movie. Now, “Twilight” wasn’t the absolute best film of the year, but it provoked the romantic in me, which is sincerely hard to do.

Stay tuned, kids. The next blog will be great: the top five movies that skipped the box office. These movies aren’t rejects by any means, but a compilation of great films that have gone largely unrecognized. So if you’re a film buff like me, it’ll be a list that you won’t want to miss.

Before you go, leave me some feedback.  Are you a movie buff? If so, why do you like certain movies and dislike others?

As for me, come back and see me sometime.