Sunday, March 29, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Features

FEATURES

Gibson's upcoming Christ epic drawing controversy

By Rachel Zoll The Associated Press The uproar over Mel Gibson's upcoming film on Jesus' death is testing the unusual partnership between American Jews and evangelical Protestants, who have recently become among the staunchest supporters of Israel. Many conservative Christians have called "The Passion" the most powerful depiction they've seen of Christ's final hours.

FEATURES

End of summer, nice weather makes for poor box office

In a summer of box-office failures and mediocre movies hyped up with toys and fast food giveaways, a few gems managed to sparkle.Surprises like "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and the animated "Finding Nemo" were big hits, while "The Hulk," "The League of Extraordinary Gentleman" and "Gigli" all failed to capture ticket sales."Hulk" opened in July and did about $62.1 domestically, but sales plummeted as fans had problems with the angst-ridden script.

FEATURES

Mass media tends to numb morality

I wish I didn't know some of the stuff I know.I wish I didn't learn some of the stuff I learned in high school and my first year of college.Part of it is my fault - I really shouldn't ask what a "hummer" is.Part of it is others' fault.

FEATURES

Students seek prizes, deals despite storms

Despite delays due to torrential rains and a tornado warning, about 5,000 students introduced themselves to local businesses during Thursday's Midnight Madness shopping spree.About 50 downtown businesses opened their doors and extended their hours, prompting students to stroll along East Grand River Avenue in search of good deals, freebies and a taste of East Lansing nightlife.The Capital Area Transportation Authority provided free transportation for the evening."It gets the kids out of the dorms to see what the city has to offer," said Joseph Orlowski, store manager at Steve & Barry's University Sportswear, 515 E.

FEATURES

top 10 Pick-Me-Up Songs

With the start of classes, a good portion of students are ornerier than a sex-deprived manatee. That said, the following is the first of several "Top 10" lists to appear in The State News this semester.

FEATURES

Fine performances can't cover bad script in 'Range'

Cowboy flicks have been around since the first days of film. Sometimes they are a formula for success and sometimes it's just a shoot 'em up, cornball movie - and Hollywood's newest western "Open Range" seems to be a pretty good mixture of both. Beautifully shot with excellent performances and a script that could have been just an updated Roy Rogers' movie, Kevin Costner starred and directed in this mediocre western. The story follows Costner, Robert Duvall, Diego Luna and Abraham Benrubi who play free grazers, cowboys that roamed the prairies allowing their cattle to graze upon the open fields.

FEATURES

Rancid puts on new face

Rancid's latest album, "Indestructible," might not live up to its maximum potential, but it's a nice blend of the group's progression from all-out punk to having tinges of ska and folk. It also shows off the band's variety in songwriting on the 19-song, nearly 54-minute album. The Californian quartet sets the tone right from the start with the guitar-charged, punked-out title track.

FEATURES

'Freddy Vs. Jason' gory fun

When I was a kid, my older brother would rent the "Friday the 13th," and "A Nightmare on Elm St.," flicks, which I was forbidden to watch. That never stopped him from waking me up in the middle of the night and dragging me downstairs to watch them. I was scared of Jason, and today I still get a little shiver when I see him trudging around on screen.

FEATURES

Talent competition reveals future musical big shots

Lansing - The capital city proved it was alive Friday night in downtown's Southtown nightclub as 3rd Deggree won the Lansing Live talent competition.The event was hosted by radio station WQHH-FM (96.5) in hopes to pull the world's next big rap or R&B star out of Lansing.A promotion of Rep Yo City, Inc., Lansing Live, the club and the artists participated in a talent search for local artists through select radio marketsThe competition urged local artists to send CDs to the radio station for a chance to perform live at Southtown nightclub, 1146 S.

FEATURES

'Sopranos' fifth season delayed, fan wants more

Back to school means the early and midnight cram sessions. Unfortunately, my Sunday night ritual, which would have been watching new episodes of "The Sopranos," will not be a staple this semester. All of my anxious waiting for the new season to begin would finally be over except for the fact all of my hopes have just been dashed - the new season is not beginning until March.

FEATURES

Showers mean less sleeping

Over the course of the summer I spent some time during the early morning hours handing out The State News' edition of Academic Orientation Program guides in front of Case Hall. Watching thousands upon thousands of incoming freshmen enter MSU fresh out of high school, I noticed a particularly humorous trend.

FEATURES

Area stores work to give students array of styles

Kinesiology sophomore Matt Lewis knows where to find shirts with funny sayings plastered on them, and it's not from the local mall. Students looking to update their closets with fresh styles of clothing for fall don't have to venture far from campus. Right across the street from campus are several stores that sell anything from MSU boxer shorts to Grateful Dead T-shirts. "A lot of the brands I had never seen before," Lewis said, describing what he calls the underground appeal of clothing found at Blue In The Face, 213 E Grand River Ave.

FEATURES

Good food at good prices

So you've finally made the transition to MSU. The dreaded orientation period is done, and now you're left on your own to figure things out.

FEATURES

DVD sales soar, VHS still intact

Cult movie fan Andrew Bishop knows he has to keep with up the times if he wants to maintain his cinema collection."A lot of places only sell DVDs, they don't even sell VHS movies anymore," the merchandising management junior said.