Isolation has always been a big draw in movies, be it on a deserted island like in Cast Away or in a haunted hotel like in The Shining. What I Am Legend examines is what happens when this isolation is manmade and urban.

At first, the images in The Russian Ending seem shocking and violent: volcanic eruptions and dark clouds of pollution mingle with photographs of funerals and bomb-damaged homes. Upon further exploration, however, the images prove to be more than just simple statements of tragedy; they take on a complex, ironic tone that engages and challenges the viewer.

The Egan Early Music Room was dark, and the walls vibrated with voices, percussion and guitar. A professor and 14 students were in the room, and everyone was singing, dancing or playing an instrument. Latin American Ensemble's Thursday night rehearsal was well under way and only halfway done. But next year, the ensemble's practice time will be cut in half, making practices like this one impossible. The ensemble, a one-credit course, began in 2001 as part of a tenure-track full-time position in Latin American Studies, but the professor in that position left four years ago.

BREAKFAST! In honor of the many glorious mornings I've woken up with nine other Grinnellians on Alternative Break trips and started the day commensally around a camping stove, this week's recipe is dedicated to that deity of breakfast foods--oatmeal.