‘Man on a Ledge’  premiered yesterday in theaters across the world. The film starring Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, and Edward Burns, has been one of the mot anticipated releases for 2012. When I first saw the previews in theaters, I found myself counting down the days until its premiere.

When January 27 finally arrived,  I got my boyfriend and a group of our closest friends for a Friday night group date, which is the best way (in my opinion) to enjoy a movie of this sort. The ironic thing about this group date was that everyone involved, except for my boyfriend and I, studied criminal justice at John Jay, which actually made the outing so much more enjoyable and interesting.

Before I go to see a movie I always check out the reviews, just to get an idea of what to expect. For this film, the reviews were slightly dismal and made me a bit skeptical. But naturally all my friends wanted to see it, so I had no problem paying to see it as well because I was in such good company.

Now, for those of you who are not familiar with the film ‘Man on a Ledge,’ here is a quick synopsis fromMovieFone:

In the heart-pounding thriller ‘Man on a Ledge’, Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) makes a desperate and life-threatening move to prove his innocence after he is framed for the theft of a rare, prized diamond. Recently escaped from prison and with nowhere else to go, Nick climbs onto the ledge of a towering skyscraper, inviting the eyes of New York City to anxiously watch as one wrong step could mean plunging to his death. But as one police negotiator soon learns, Nick’s daredevil stunt, captivating the eyes of the public and media, masks a dangerous ploy to reveal the truth about his tarnished name. With the help of his brother and with time running out, Nick’s intricate plan must work perfectly, but when you’re on the 25th floor ledge of a building, going down takes on an entirely more hair-raising meaning.

I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.  From the start of the movie, I was drawn into the plot. One would think the story line to be cliched and predictable because there are so many movies about people trying to prove their innocence, but there are tons of twist and turns in this movie that you wouldn’t expect. What I also enjoyed about this movie was the fact that there were bits of comedic relief during moments of suspense in the film. What kept me from giving this movie a 5 was the fact that I was left with a lot of questions at the end about a few things that happened in the plot and about a few of the characters.

Although I enjoyed the movie, I thought my John Jay friends would be the movie’s harshest critics but to my surprise they all enjoyed it and one of them even said that movie reminded them of why they chose this career path in the first place. I speak for all of us when I recommend seeing this film.

If you can’t see the film this week, but would love to have a movie night with a group of your closest friends, here is a coupon for DVD Funhouse (click the photo for a printable page):

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The city is tough, and coming from a girl who self-proclaims that she can handle anything, that’s saying a lot.

Things went wayward when upon my arrival my roommate backed out of the lease we were all set to sign. It was Thursday, her lease ended Tuesday, I started work Monday, and I had no place to live. My four-day plan to unpack, unwind and explore my new city of residence was thwarted and replaced by stress, tears, uncertainty and the strong possibility of being homeless in the immediate future.

I searched and searched and searched for hours and days on end until I found a solution. I’m now subletting an apartment in Chinatown for a month, and my roommate is a 29-year-old Swedish man who works in an art gallery.  Throughout the ordeal, all I can remember is longing for the days when my parents could fix everything for me. But, seeing as Mom is in Jacksonville, Fla. and Dad is in San Francisco, it would have been even more work for them than it was for me. And let me just say, it was work—hard, grueling, frustrating work.

But, everyone in New York City is working hard, working tirelessly, and students aren’t the exception. In a city that revolves around hard work, it’s easy to forget to pamper yourself every once in a while. In such an expensive city, though, budgets often leave no room for a little pampering, and I could definitely use some.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a Campus Clipper coupon book. The Beauty and Youth Salon + Spa is offering special student packages such as $15 manicure and 10-minute massage and $25 for a chocolate manicure and pedicure. Receive peace of mind for a lot less.

Julia Jacobo, University of Florida

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I have an addiction, and it’s receiving free stuff for stuff that I was going to buy anyway. Free shipping for spending $25 online at American Eagle? Sure. Free gift bag full of goodies from Clinique for buying the foundation I needed anyway? Heck yes! People say nothing is ever free. I choose to ignore them.

I have another addiction, and it’s ice cream. It doesn’t matter how cold it is outside or what time of day it is, I could always go for a bowl of Rocky Road or French Vanilla with chocolate syrup and sprinkles (or both!).

The best part of New York is even ice cream parlors deliver. You don’t even have to step out into the cold to get your fix of frozen sweetness. Check out the Campus Clipper coupon book for a Haagen-Daaz deal: a free pint of ice cream with your first delivery order of $10 or more. What a yummy deal!

Julia Jacobo, University of Florida

Follow me on Twitter!

Click here to download the Campus Clipper iTunes App!

Follow Campus Clipper on Twitter or keep current by liking us on Facebook.

Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest student discounts and promotions. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and the majority of you will probably be going home for the holiday weekend.  Some of you may be lucky enough to have a family member or friend drive you back.  For the rest of you, though, you probably have to deal with this.

Philadelphia's 30th Street Station. Note the number of people at the bottom of the picture.

Whether you’re from Jersey or Kansas, you will probably have to deal with transportation like this.  And this isn’t like the subway, either: here you’ll be on the rail or the road from one hour to 20.  It’s a long trip, but if you follow some of these tips, you’ll get though it relatively painless.

First, plan your trip ahead of time.  You may know how long it takes to drive from college to home, but it’s probably a lot different on a bus or a train.  Amtrak and Greyhound have trip planner services on their websites, which tell you the approximate time that you will arrive at your destination.  Put in the appropriate times and see how long it will take, and when your ride is going to leave.  If you have to leave during a time you have class, make sure to notify your teacher ahead of time.

Second, make sure you can afford it.  New Jersey Transit and the Metro North are both relatively inexpensive, and the most you’ll pay with them is around $20.  However, if you’re taking Amtrak, you’ll pay a lot more.  Depending on where you’re getting off, tickets can cost upwards of around $30 each way.  It’s never a good idea to spend all your money on a train ticket, so make sure there is some way you can pay for it and still have enough for yourself.  Amtrak also offers student discounts for holders of the Student Advantage card and other services, so be sure to check that out.

Some trains may make scheduled stops, at which point you might be able to walk to the station to grab some food or use the restroom. Ask a conductor when the train is about to depart, and whether or not you'll be able to walk off the platform and get back on before the train leaves.

Finally, plan out what you’re gonna do in transit.  If you’re forced to take the Amtrak or Greyhound, chances are you live pretty far away.  Don’t pack too much stuff, as trains and buses don’t usually have much in the way of storage.  Pack a small backpack or tote bag full of a few trip essentials, like books, an iPod, and maybe a few snacks.  Trains and buses sometimes make scheduled stops to transfer crew or drivers, so you might be able to take advantage of those instances.  Just remember; there may be a bathroom on the train, but it’s what you expect a bathroom on a moving platform to be like.  You might be able to take a quick nap until you reach your destination, but just be prepared to have some wicked neck pains!

I probably should have included this in the last few points, but please make sure that you have someone to pick you up when you reach your destination.  It’s really not fun when you have to wait at a bus stop for an hour because you didn’t let your parents know when you’re about to get off!

Follow these steps, and you may very well have a pleasant trip.  And when you get back, you can enjoy a nice slice of pizza!

Sergio Lopez, Polytechnic Institute of NYU, Graduate Student ’12

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Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!