In almost a complete parody of all that is theatre, “This is the End” features its cast as fictional versions of themselves- a mockumentary of sorts. The film starts with Jay Baruchel arriving in Los Angeles to visit Seth Rogen in an attempt to rekindle their recently drifting friendship. While Jay intends to spend time alone with Seth, James Franco’s housewarming party summons them and the duo make an appearance at the party, which is attended by a plethora of big-name celebrities.

However, Franco’s party is crashed literally when- unbeknownst to the party-goers- the apocalypse occurs, destroying all of Los Angeles and taking countless casualties- many of which are Franco’s guests. The Earth around Franco’s mansion is scorched, leaving all but six survivors inside: Franco, Rogen, Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride. With the world ending around them, the group must survive on their rations, instincts and most importantly, their friendship.

As if the idea of an apocalypse isn’t scary enough, the film dwells on such themes of the battle between Heaven and Hell, the devil, divine forgiveness and dives deep within the pages of the Bible. Despite how heavy these subthemes are, the overlapping theme of friendship more than balances out the movie. Humor is placed above all in “This is the End,” which is showcased by portraying the Devil in a silly and unnatural way.

With an ensemble cast of comedic geniuses, “This is the End” is almost too funny for its own good. The laughs come so frequently that it may be hard for viewers to catch up on some of the comedic gold that comes spewing out of these talented actors’ mouths. From surprising cameos to laugh-out-loud moments like “the exorcism of Jonah Hill,” longtime fans of the Goldberg-Rogen duo may break a rib from laughing so hard.

However, at almost two hours long, the film tends to drag on during some of its scenes. It makes room for more comedy but viewers can get lost in the ensuing chaos. Although the film is rated R and its cast is notorious for being rather over-the-top in their respective films, some of the content found in the film may be straddling that line a little too close for comfort. It makes for serious laughs but make sure you don’t watch the film with any relatives.

Although the film shouldn’t be taken as anything more than just a group of friends basking in the success their careers have earned them and though the film drags on with pointless but humorous nonsense “This is the End” provides enough laughs to last you the entire apocalypse… should there ever be one.

Rating: 4/5

Right away the film dives into a rescue mission on a primitive planet by the crew members of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Immediately the situation becomes tense between the the dynamic duo of Spock and Kirk when the latter compromises Starfleet regulation to save Spock when his life becomes endangered during the mission. The relationship that was blossoming between Spock and Uhura from the first film also rests on thin ice when she jumps to the conclusion that he did not have her in mind when she thought he was going to die.

The plot deepens when a stranger later revealed as Khan launches a surprise attack on Star Fleet, striking both at home and at the heart. Kirk, Spock and company go after Khan, leading to battles with Klingons, numerous explosions and an epic battle at the end.

Star Trek was exceptional aside from a few random details. For one, there was an unnecessary scene when one of the female characters gets undressed and they show a shot of her just in a bra and panties. This had nothing to do with the plot and didn’t contribute to the story in any way. Another example was the fact that this same character played the daughter of an American Starfleet admiral, yet she had a British accent. This could have been for any number of reasons but can still leave any new fans of the franchise in confusion.

Despite its high expectations that the first implicated due to its critical success, J.J. Abrams comes through to deliver an incredible staple in the refurbished “Star Trek” series. It had the perfect amount of romance, action, humor and sarcasm to keep fans entertained through the whole movie.

Rating: 4.5/5

The film begins with a flashback to the late 90’s where Stark and a mystery woman are at a party. A mysterious fellow named Aldrich Killian, played by Guy Pierce, invites them to join his new startup company. They have a chat and Stark, with a reputation as not being the nicest person, invites him to the rooftop so they can further their conversation. What happens after that, sets the stage for the rest of the movie.

The sarcastic yet eccentric Stark, played by Downey, Jr. is once again fighting crime although this time he must do so while tackling his emotional struggles.

The events that occurred in Marvels last epic film “The Avengers,” where Stark and the rest of the avengers had to protect New York City from an attack, left Stark battling emotional demons that gave him anxiety. Not to be alone in his personal battle, his computer side-kick Jarvis and his significant other Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, helped him along with his recovery as well as a younger character Starks meets along the way.

Iron Man’s main nemesis in this film was The Mandarin, portrayed by Ben Kingsley. The Mandarin was bent on terrorizing the world as most Marvel villains do.

What this film did that was a positive was that the audience saw Stark’s personal side. His reputation of a hot shot billionaire was not evident throughout and it made it easier to connect with the character.  He also was not in his Iron Man suit as much this movie although his suits did keep him up at night.

“Iron Man 3” certainly had no shortage of its action scenes. Each fight scene was well done and kept the audience on the edge of their seats.

There was also no shortage of comedy in this movie. Downey, Jr. has become somewhat of a comedian in his recent flicks and it was no different here. An MVP for comedy in the movie would have to go out to Kingsley’s character. He supplied good humor in what is seen as a serious role.

Not all was positive with this sequel.

The movie offered a few twists that would turn off some viewers. At times throughout the movie, it was a little slow paced and confusing. Followers of the comic book series may not be pleased to see how the “Extremis” storyline was played out on the big screen.

Overall, this was another good effort for the comic superhero Iron Man and although he might not be in the next Avengers movie and there possibly will not be an “Iron Man 4,” at least Robert Downey, Jr.’s portrayal of the famed Iron Man will go down in history as one of the greatest ever.

3.5/5 stars.

Facilitated by Student Health Services, the fair was initially started to provide basic health services to students and to educate them about healthy lifestyle choices.

Registered Nurse Robin Perry said that she, along with other Student Health Services nurses, were “checking blood pressure, height and weight, BMI, waist circumference, and answering any questions students may have in regards to overall health and lifestyle choices.”

“Our main goal,” Perry said, “is to promote health awareness, help students identify areas where they might want to focus on for a healthier lifestyle, and to give them an overview of the services we provide in the clinic.”

Perry explained that the new Student Services building opened the doors for more health services that are now available to students.

“Because we’re in the new Student Services building,” she stated, “we have many more resources available now than we did in the past.  We have full counseling, the everyday nurse practitioners, immunizations, flu shots, wellness checks, and blood work.  We try to really get a full picture for the students.”  Many of these services are offered to students at no cost.

Although the main focus of the health fair was to promote healthy lifestyles, the fair also welcomed a diverse assortment of vendors and organizations.  From a rock-climbing wall to spiritual readings, students had no shortage of activities in which to partake.

Mesa student Melissa Corie braved the rock-climbing wall, making it all the way to the top and back again without a problem.  Still jittery from the adrenaline rush, Corie stated that she hadn’t rock climbed since middle school.  “It took more effort than I remembered,” she said, “I’m afraid of heights so it took physical strength and mental strength.”

Corie also took part in a spiritual reading, which drew a long line of other eager participants.  “The reader said that I was blocked in some way,” she said, “and right after he said that, I almost felt it being lifted out of me.”

Volunteers from the non-profit organization Falun Dafa were also in attendance, and provided live demonstrations of their meditation techniques.  The group practices a traditional Chinese method of meditation, which is used to improve physical health and reduce stress and anxiety.  In addition to spreading the word about this ancient healing method, the Falun Dafa group also sought to raise awareness about the persecution of individuals in China who follow this self-cultivation practice.

A volunteer by the name of Yu stated, “This ancient practice is so beneficial, but the Communist regime in China wants to ban it.  Many people have lost their lives or have been persecuted and because of this, it pushes Falun Dafa to the world stage.”  She added that the group “has no membership fees, no dues, and we don’t even accept donations.  There is no church or worshipping; it’s just a practice to improve the mind and body.”

As evidenced by the diverse group of volunteers, students were provided with an array of ways to improve their health, from Western medicine to alternative methods.  Between the food stands, nutritionists, and rock-climbing wall, Mesa’s health fair enjoyed another successful run, as students were seen crowded in front of the LRC well into the afternoon as the fair came to a close.

There are certain factors that bring up the conversation of relocating. Poor attendance is usually where it begins. Fans basically stop showing up because the team does not produce results either at home or away.

Another factor is the ownership wants to move to a bigger better market. With lucrative TV deals just waiting to be signed, owners are looking for ways out of bad situations and relocation is a viable option.

The last reason, and probably the biggest, is the lack of a modern functional stadium or arena. With stadiums now serving as a venue for other things besides sports, cities around the country are upgrading.

The Dallas Cowboys stadium, nicknamed “Jerry World” after their General Manager/Owner Jerry Jones, cost over $1 billion to make and is used for many things besides Cowboys football. Musical acts, prized boxing fights and a Super Bowl have already graced their presence in the stadium.

These factors all contribute heavily to the idea of relocating and are currently being mulled over here in San Diego.

The Chargers for the last few years have been the subject of relocation talks. Los Angeles, being the second biggest market in the country, currently has zero football teams after losing two teams in the 90’s.  The Chargers are the logical choice to move to LA due to the geographical location and it won’t hurt the division alignment.

Hopefully this won’t happen, but there are steps to be made in order for the Bolts to stay super here in San Diego.

It all begins with the stadium. Qualcomm Stadium was built back in 1967 and the main reason why the Chargers are in relocation talks. “The Q,” as it is called, is an older stadium, compared to most of the NFL’s stadiums, and is passed over year after year to host a Super Bowl.

San Diego is the ideal spot for a Super Bowl due to the location and the great weather that is provided year round and those are the ideal traits for cities that host Super Bowls, except for next year when it is in New York, but that’s another matter.

The problem here in San Diego is that there is not enough space to put a stadium. There are options, like build in the parking lot at Qualcomm, put a stadium on a naval base or take down buildings in downtown and build a stadium next to Petco Park.  With those options come difficulties and adversaries.

Tax payers aren’t willing to publicly fund a new stadium and not get immediate results as San Diegans did for Petco Park.  The economy is also not very strong and that would be a turn off to a publicly funded stadium.

For now, it seems as though the Chargers will stay but it only takes one day for an owner to change their mind and they can be gone overnight with the snap of a finger.

The Chargers aren’t the only team in California with relocation drama. The NBA’s Sacramento Kings have been in a relocation drama the last three years.

The owners of the Kings, the Maloof family, have tried unsuccessfully three times in three years to move the team out of the capital to Anaheim and this year to Seattle. The Kings play in a very old arena for NBA standards and have also not been very good in the last 6 years.

This situation is different than that of the Chargers though. The Maloofs are in financial trouble and therefore have not been investing in the team and bringing in good players to compete. They are alienating fans and after a preliminary sell to a group from Seattle looking to move the team there, the Maloofs stopped showing up to games and would insert other teams fans into the luxury seats down on the court.

Fortunately for the NBA and Sacramento, the NBA owners have decided to keep the team in Sacramento as the fans, the city and a group willing to buy the team and keep them in town have all stepped up in their “Here We Stay” campaign.

Relocation hurts the team, the city and especially the fans that show their support both emotionally and financially and should only be a last resort option. Let’s hope the Chargers can get a new stadium so they can win their first Super Bowl here and the city can sing “San Diego Super Chargers” all throughout the night.

The movie starts out a little slow but that’s to be expected because it follows the great American novel so closely. With modern day effects and computer animation, the scenery was absolutely stunning. It’s worth the extra cash to have sprung to see the movie in 3D. The acting, especially from DiCaprio, was spectacular because as in most roles he’s taken on, he actually becomes the character. Maguire was a perfect fit to his role as well because he always seems to accurately depict the awkward but charming character with the films he stars in. See the “Spider-Man” films as reference of that.

However, it may be the soundtrack that catches more attention than the movie itself. It featured all new tracks from modern day musicians such as Jay-Z, Jack White and Gotye and was unexpected considering the movie takes place in the 1920s. Futuristic music and historical inaccuracies can ruin it for fans. One would think that with big name actors and a huge filming budget, the makers of the movie would have done their research better and gotten their information correct. Even though they’re just minor details in the big picture, they can certainly annoy a dedicated viewer.

The party scenes were the best part of the movie. The director spared no expense when it came to showing how extravagant the parties were that Jay Gatsby threw every week. It was definitely the kind of gathering you wish you were at– complete with drinking, music, dancing, and wild performances.

This definitely wasn’t the type of movie you need to run out and see on the first night of its releas. It was more like the kind you see when you’ve seen everything else already and it’s a matinee showing. This movie wasn’t particularly bad but for a remake with all the modern technology and information out there, it was still possible to make the same movie with a new twist much better than this was. Fans of the book would be much more interested in the 2009 adaptation.

(Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/MCT)

Although officially labeled a sequel, “Riptide” is almost a complete copy of its predecessor, as the game features the same characters, gameplay mechanics and unfortunately the same bugs and mistakes from the first.

Players take control over the same heroes from the first game: one-hit-wonder rapper Sam B., hotel receptionist Xian Mei, former football star Logan, ex-cop Purna and soldier John Morgan, another immune survivor and new playable character. Each character has their own special abilities, allowing players to adjust their characters’ skill trees to their liking.

Having escaped the zombie outbreak on Banoi, the survivors find themselves landing aboard a military ship. After the ship is struck by the zombie plague and thus getting sunk amidst the chaos, the survivors find themselves washed ashore on the island of Palanai, which too has fallen victim to the plague. Joined by numerous allies, the survivors look to once again escape the nightmare that is the zombie virus.

However, the zombie virus isn’t the only nightmare that infects this game. Armed with many of the same bugs and glitches from its predecessor- including rendering problems, inconsistent gameplay mechanics and lazy character animations- “Riptide” is literally a chip of the chip off the old block. Storyline syncing issues between co-op players online and the game occasionally freezing are just a few of these issues.

Despite the multitude of problems the game has, “Riptide” is most similar to its predecessor in the way that it’s unbelievably fun. With an open world complete with all-new areas to discover, players are subject to hours upon hours of gameplay, giving the game serious replay value- as if its $50 dollar price tag didn’t save you enough money. Players have a vast arsenal for zombie-extermination- from bats and crowbars to sniper rifles and rocket launchers, zombies have never been in such a world of hurt.

Like the installment before it, “Riptide” has 99 problems… but amazingly enough, these issues hardly take anything away from how addictively fun the game is. The storyline isn’t great, the gameplay can be choppy and clunky at times and you’re pretty much paying $50 for a copy of its predecessor, but one thing proves to be true: going ham on zombies is fun but it’s even more fun with friends.

Rating: 3/5

Social media users like being liked. To some, racking up a high number of likes on their daily musings is a thrill; others spend hours on endless scroll looking at other peoples’ posts. Recently, users have noticed that many of the graphics soliciting viewers to “Share” or “like” them have taken on a seemingly altruistic angle.

In the endless pursuit of becoming “#instapopular”, social media users post memes of trending causes like support for veterans, cancer research, and environmentalism. They see a compelling graphic, click “Share”, and then congratulate themselves for supporting a worthy cause, all without leaving their seat. Chances are that they’ve forgotten all about it the next day; their activism begins and ends with a bit of spam in cyberspace.

Defenders of this trend claim that they are increasing awareness. But while it can be agreed that social media is a wonderful tool for spreading the word about a cause, the benefits of these messages generally end there. All the memes to is essentially guilt-trip users into sharing them – they just don’t accomplish anything.

Part of the reason for the lack of effectiveness is the way in which the memes are worded. Rather than illustrating a problem and potential solutions, these posts employ juvenile scare tactics by implying that if someone doesn’t “like” that particular graphic, that person must be heartless.

One such meme reads “Kids with special needs are not weird or odd. They only want what everyone else wants… to be accepted. Can I make a request? Is anyone willing to post this in honor of all children who were made in a unique way. Let’s see who has a strong heart.”

Of course we should honor and respect children with special needs, but this graphic isn’t likely to have an effect. Riddled with misspellings and grammatical errors, these memes don’t prompt viewers to care about the cause; they just challenge viewers to prove their compassion.

This is not to say that people shouldn’t use the internet – or social media – to support a cause. There are a multitude of ways to help make a difference while staring at a computer screen. And while unfortunately they are not aimed at helping users attain online popularity, they will give the same users a legitimate way to promote a cause they care about.

Instead of clicking “like” on Facebook, activists-to-be should try clicking “donate” on a non-profit’s website. This method is just as simple, but is guaranteed to actually make a difference. If sharing graphics is a personal must, one can access official images on a charitable foundation’s website. Many of these foundations have profiles on social media sites, making it that much easier to support them directly.

It’s time to face the truth, #instaaddicts: spreading a meme around a social media site is not going to save the world.