A&E

So, this is the last week of the last school quarter — oh, I can already taste the sweet summer freedom — and though many students are deluged with papers and finals, many other students plan to drift aimlessly through this week. Instead of getting intoxicated and watching hours of YouTube videos, why not check out some of the events that UC Irvine’s art departments have to offer?

Horror films, more so than films of other genres, tend to tow a fine line between creating anxiety and hilarity.

Ever wanted to play Pokémon trainer and action star in mythically re-imagined 1920’s Japan?

A girlfriend experience, by urban definition, is a high-class, high-cost relationship with a call-girl, who under the provisions of the transaction will provide sex (with protection), oral sex (without protection) and generally maintain the minute actions and idiosyncrasies that come with a dedicated “girlfriend” relationship. Now that we are familiar with the basic law of the land, we can begin. This the premise of Steven Soderbergh’s newest film, “The Girlfriend Experience.”

Critical acclaim. What does that mean, anyway? Subjectivity and objectivity are really dicey, especially in entertainment where there are always two sides of the coin. Word of mouth is one thing, but the word of critics? I have nothing against a friend telling me to catch a movie because he thought it was interesting, but he couldn’t possibly tell me how I’d feel about it. Doesn’t that take away the art of the entire thing?

Often, films and television shows are praised for their directing style, actor performances, cinematography or special effects. Yet, many individuals often overlook the fundamental foundation that makes a film or TV show possible: screenwriting. Without a script, these other elements would not be possible. From “Good Will Hunting” to “Juno,” screenwriting has been a key aspect that has defined a performance or produced those memorable lines that you can’t help but say at the opportune moment.

Most drama productions put on at UC Irvine are either directed by faculty members or graduate students. In some cases, a handful of undergraduates are invited to direct plays called workshops. In almost all cases, however, UCI funds the entire play: the lighting, rights to the script, costumes and even stage costs. That is, all cases except one.

To answer the more pertinent question outright, yes, it does appear that Christian Bale’s now infamous on-set rant was more the result of spelunking too deep into character rather than just plain dickish-ness. It’s strange then, with all that pent-up rage successfully vented on cybernetic hordes throughout the film’s two hours, that Bale’s John Connor is less enjoyable and human than Edward Furlong was in “Judgment Day” 18 years ago. But if you are really hankering for deep character involvement and development, you’ve missed the point of this franchise.

It’s been a long, hard road for Eminem since he released his last album, “Encore,” five years ago. After a failed remarriage, the death of a close friend and exhaustion from touring, Eminem spiraled into a realm of sleeping pills and prescription medication while cutting himself off from the rap world that wondered if he would ever return. Despite falling off track, Eminem has returned with “Relapse,” which explicitly chronicles his addictions and the severely declining state of his physical and mental health.

East Bay Area natives Green Day have gotten a lot of criticism for “selling out.” Growing up in Northern California, surrounded by a thriving punk rock scene in Berkeley, it seemed that the band would follow suit in the same vein as the area’s Operation Ivy or Jawbreaker.

Few people could have guessed what surprises the 2009 Indian Culture Show would have in store. Some might have predicted it would have been simply fun to watch, or even that it would be a spectacular show, but few could have guessed it could arguably be called the most compelling show put on at UC Irvine this year.

Andrew Tonkovich, a lecturer in the English Department, presented two readers from the spring 2009 edition of the Santa Monica Review at the UC Irvine Bookstore on Thursday.