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(02/13/02 5:00am)
Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes) - R Starring: Penélope Cruz, Eduardo Noriega Directed by: Alejandro Amerábar The source material for Cameron Crowe's recent effort "Vanilla Sky," was "Abre Los Ojos," a bizarre sci-fi/drama lensed by talented young director Alejandro Amenábar, who achieved great success last year with "The Others." Amenábar is the Spanish equivalent to M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense"). He's a young dude churning out otherworldy flicks of mind-boggling proportions topped-off with twisted endings. "Abre Los Ojos" is a much darker film than its United States remake. So far as narrative goes the two are almost identical. But the way characters are depicted (Amenábar's are far more cruel to one another) and the films' closing moments couldn't be more different. Where "Vanilla Sky" left viewers with a sense of hope, "Abre Los Ojos" is scathing, cynical, cold and violent. Eduardo Noriega headlines the film as César, a wealthy restauranteur who has the finer things in life delivered to him on a silver platter. He's in the midst of a casual affair with Nuria (Najwa Nimri), an incredibly possessive and emotionally unstable sex-kitten. Soon after, his best friend Pelayo (Fele Martínez) brings a gorgeous actress named Sofía (Penélope Cruz) whom he met at the library to César's birthday party. César is immediately smitten with the captivating actress with no thought to his friend's feelings. Nuria gets jealous, all hell breaks loose and fantasy and reality begin to intermingle. The film is fascinating, and much like Amenábar's "The Others," the camera work is first-rate. The acting, while good, is no match for the American cast which consisted of Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz and Jason Lee. Cruz especially has improved upon her original performance, and it's interesting as a viewer to see the difference between the two. The films of Amenábar and Crowe, while similar on the surface really couldn't be much different. The original has none of the pop culture references of Crowe's update, focusing instead on the sci-fi elements of the story. All in all, I prefer "Vanilla Sky" to "Abre Los Ojos," but both are interesting and well worth a look.
(02/06/02 6:58pm)
NBA Live 2002\nRating: E for Everyone\nFor: X-Box, Playstation 2\n: EA Sports\nFollowing in the proud tradition of its numerous predecessors "NBA Live 2002" makes quite an impact upon the X-Box. However, the game is far from perfect in that it has frequent lapses in defense, an annoying trend among many hoops titles.\n"NBA Live 2002" boasts many features which have become standard in this ever-expanding technological age. The game has both season and franchise modes, in which gamers can control a team in hopes of steering them towards the playoffs. Similar to the "All-Madden" teams featured in EA's popular gridiron titles players will have "Legends" squads ranging from the '50s to the '90s and featuring greats including Dr. J, Pete Marovich, George Gervin, Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas, among many others, as well as modern day Eastern and Western Conference All-Stars. \nA feature that sets "NBA Live 2002" aside from its competition is the 1-on-1 gaming mode. To have an onslaught of Hall of Famers as well as today's premiere ballers squaring off against one another amid blacktop and chainlink fencing is really entertaining. Another element of the game that sets it apart from titles of yore is the inclusion of "His Airness" Michael Jordan. Few games, aside from the old school Nintendo 8-bit title "Jordan vs. Bird," have included this living legend because of licensing rights.\nThe game's biggest drawback is its lack of defense. First off, it's hard to understand, especially rebounding. And secondly, once gamers discover the placement of the turbo trigger as well as their squad's most solid player, it's too easy to win. Even in Superstar mode (supposedly the game's toughest) you can blow by the computer or your opponent's defense in an effortless drive to the hole. For instance, I typically play as the Sacramento Kings at the Superstar level, and square off against such formidable teams as the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia '76ers or the unstoppable Los Angeles Lakers, but still manage to take C-Webb to 40-plus points a game. Sure, it's fun, but it's unrealistic.\n"NBA Live 2002" has incredible graphics and sound thanks to strong work by the ever-dependable EA Sports and the X-Box's powerhouse hardware. It's not the greatest hoops game on the market (that would be EA's "NBA Street," far less realistic yet far more entertaining), but it's certainly a good time.\n\n
(02/06/02 5:00am)
NBA Live 2002\nRating: E for Everyone\nFor: X-Box, Playstation 2\n: EA Sports\nFollowing in the proud tradition of its numerous predecessors "NBA Live 2002" makes quite an impact upon the X-Box. However, the game is far from perfect in that it has frequent lapses in defense, an annoying trend among many hoops titles.\n"NBA Live 2002" boasts many features which have become standard in this ever-expanding technological age. The game has both season and franchise modes, in which gamers can control a team in hopes of steering them towards the playoffs. Similar to the "All-Madden" teams featured in EA's popular gridiron titles players will have "Legends" squads ranging from the '50s to the '90s and featuring greats including Dr. J, Pete Marovich, George Gervin, Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas, among many others, as well as modern day Eastern and Western Conference All-Stars. \nA feature that sets "NBA Live 2002" aside from its competition is the 1-on-1 gaming mode. To have an onslaught of Hall of Famers as well as today's premiere ballers squaring off against one another amid blacktop and chainlink fencing is really entertaining. Another element of the game that sets it apart from titles of yore is the inclusion of "His Airness" Michael Jordan. Few games, aside from the old school Nintendo 8-bit title "Jordan vs. Bird," have included this living legend because of licensing rights.\nThe game's biggest drawback is its lack of defense. First off, it's hard to understand, especially rebounding. And secondly, once gamers discover the placement of the turbo trigger as well as their squad's most solid player, it's too easy to win. Even in Superstar mode (supposedly the game's toughest) you can blow by the computer or your opponent's defense in an effortless drive to the hole. For instance, I typically play as the Sacramento Kings at the Superstar level, and square off against such formidable teams as the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia '76ers or the unstoppable Los Angeles Lakers, but still manage to take C-Webb to 40-plus points a game. Sure, it's fun, but it's unrealistic.\n"NBA Live 2002" has incredible graphics and sound thanks to strong work by the ever-dependable EA Sports and the X-Box's powerhouse hardware. It's not the greatest hoops game on the market (that would be EA's "NBA Street," far less realistic yet far more entertaining), but it's certainly a good time.\n\n
(02/06/02 5:00am)
Kiss of the Dragon - R\nStarring: Jet Li, Bridget Fonda\nDirected by: Chris Nahon\nJet Li has been underused and misused in so many pieces of generic Hollywood crap. He was far and away the most entertaining performer in the derivative sequel "Lethal Weapon 4," his anemic "Romeo Must Die" left the Bard rolling in his grave and "The One" was anything but. Kung fu flick fans longed for the Li seen in such expertly made Hong Kong fare as "Fist of Legend." Finally with "Kiss of the Dragon" they have him.\n"Kiss of the Dragon," pairs Li with world-renowned French filmmaker Luc Besson ("Léon" or "The Professional" to American audiences) who both co-wrote and produced the film from Li's story idea. \n"K.O.D." tells the story (what little there is) of Liu Jian (Li), a cop sent to Paris to assist in the investigation of a notorious Chinese gangster. A corrupt French officer by the name of Richard (Besson regular Tchéky Karyo) frames Liu Jian for the murder of said suspect and entangles him in a mass conspiracy. Needless to say, things go haywire and Jet is left alone to bust balls and crack skulls amidst an onslaught of Euro trash. He later hooks up with the archetypical junkie hooker with a heart of gold (Bridget Fonda). \nBy no means is this a classy flick; villains are blown in half by grenades, thong-sporting hookers gyrate to Mystikal's "Shake Ya Ass" and a pool ball is kicked soccer style into a dude's cranium killing him instantaneously. "K.O.D." is a watermark for those of you who deem a six-pack and a Bruce Willis flick as a fine cultural experience.\nThe DVD is up to par with a film of this pedigree. The disc contains a modest commentary track featuring Li, Fonda and director Chris Nahon. Each track was recorded separately, but they're nonetheless entertaining. Li constantly refers to himself in the third person, while Fonda seems enamored by and sexually attracted to him. \nOther features include a Jet Li featurette during which he chronicles his friendship to fellow cinematic martial arts legend Jackie Chan and discusses his Buddhist philosophies at length. Another featurette focuses upon the flick's martial arts choreographer Cory Yuen, who previously worked with Li on pretty much all the crap referenced earlier -- despite this, the featurette's pretty cool.\n"K.O.D." isn't "Citizen Kane" and Li sure isn't Laurence Olivier, but that doesn't detract from the fact that this is a fun roller coaster ride of a flick. For those of you who've longed to see someone get stabbed in the neck with a set of chopsticks, this is the flick for you.\n
(01/30/02 4:29pm)
Originally, geeks were circus performers whose show consisted of biting a head off a live chicken. Today, some see geeks as dorky little feebs who couldn't get laid in a morgue. But whatever social skills some might think geeks lack, they more than make up for with vast knowledge concerning a particular topic -- film, music, video games, comic books, whatever.\n"I would consider myself a 'Star Wars' geek," says Aaron Steele, a graduate student in art history. "I have the foresight to look past things and can use information for my own means. This is a galaxy far, far away -- it doesn't need to blow my mind." \n"Geek" bands such as Weezer are breaking into the mainstream and maintaining a mass fan base. Films by "geek" directors such as Wes Anderson ("The Royal Tenenbaums") and Todd Solondz ("Storytelling") are achieving nearly universal critical acclaim, while other "geek" films such as "The Fellowship of the Ring" are receiving both critical and commercial success. Comic books are also breaking into the mainstream through upcoming feature adaptations; "Spiderman," "Daredevil," "The Incredible Hulk" and "Batman: Year One" are all in the works or prepping for release. Even video games now almost equal the film industry in net profits. \n"Videogaming stopped being a geek sport more than a decade ago," says Richard Herren, an IU Computer Gaming Club member. "I'm 32, so I lived through the days when only eggheads played video games. Nowadays, there are couch potatoes of all varieties with Playstation controllers in hand. The only difference between them and the brainiacs is the quality of the gear."\nWithin the world of rock, geeks served a pivotal role at the genre's onset.\n"Buddy Holly was a geek," music professor Glenn Gass says. "He possessed a much more cerebral quality than many of the over-sexed rockers."\nSome influential musicians didn't stop at looking like a geek -- they were geeks by lifestyle. At least one iconic geek rocker held a dorky profession.\n"Elvis Costello took the geek aesthetic to the edge. He was literally a computer programmer while he was making demos," Gass says.\nArtists like Holly and Costello or bands like the Talking Heads paved the way for today's geek rock like Weezer, a band whose position at the forefront of geek rock and roll is "obvious," Gass says. \nAndrei Molotiu finds the definition of a geek to be rather subjective. Molotiu is a visiting lecturer in art history currently teaching H150: History of Comic Book Art. \n"It's an evaluative term and on the other hand it's a descriptor. It's so often used in a self-referential way that it can't be all bad. You're taking a negative term and turning into a positive one," he says. \nStill, the term can carry an inherent sense of sadness. Though geeks are taken in jest by many, that might not be the case for the smart yet small-for-his-age oddball kid next door.\n"People describe themselves as geeks to fight back against the taunts they received as children," Molotiu says. "In places like Columbine, it shows you that the clique system and the marginalization of geeks is strong. In that respect geekdom hasn't come into the mainstream."\nHerren, a sophomore in the school of computer science, agrees and says most of the time people are mislabeled as geeks. \n"'Geek' is definitely the wrong word, despite the occasional pop culture misuse," Herren says. "'Geek' has a very specific meaning coming from the circus tradition and still referencing someone who does something gross or disturbing for attention. I suspect, having been a performer of geek magic, that I am the only person who fits that bill."\nGeeks come in all shapes, sizes and colors. The realms in which their geekdom lies can differ significantly from one individual to the next. They're breaking away from the mainstream and through their own rebellious individuality breaking back in. Welcome to the mainstream, geekdom.
(01/30/02 5:00am)
Originally, geeks were circus performers whose show consisted of biting a head off a live chicken. Today, some see geeks as dorky little feebs who couldn't get laid in a morgue. But whatever social skills some might think geeks lack, they more than make up for with vast knowledge concerning a particular topic -- film, music, video games, comic books, whatever.\n"I would consider myself a 'Star Wars' geek," says Aaron Steele, a graduate student in art history. "I have the foresight to look past things and can use information for my own means. This is a galaxy far, far away -- it doesn't need to blow my mind." \n"Geek" bands such as Weezer are breaking into the mainstream and maintaining a mass fan base. Films by "geek" directors such as Wes Anderson ("The Royal Tenenbaums") and Todd Solondz ("Storytelling") are achieving nearly universal critical acclaim, while other "geek" films such as "The Fellowship of the Ring" are receiving both critical and commercial success. Comic books are also breaking into the mainstream through upcoming feature adaptations; "Spiderman," "Daredevil," "The Incredible Hulk" and "Batman: Year One" are all in the works or prepping for release. Even video games now almost equal the film industry in net profits. \n"Videogaming stopped being a geek sport more than a decade ago," says Richard Herren, an IU Computer Gaming Club member. "I'm 32, so I lived through the days when only eggheads played video games. Nowadays, there are couch potatoes of all varieties with Playstation controllers in hand. The only difference between them and the brainiacs is the quality of the gear."\nWithin the world of rock, geeks served a pivotal role at the genre's onset.\n"Buddy Holly was a geek," music professor Glenn Gass says. "He possessed a much more cerebral quality than many of the over-sexed rockers."\nSome influential musicians didn't stop at looking like a geek -- they were geeks by lifestyle. At least one iconic geek rocker held a dorky profession.\n"Elvis Costello took the geek aesthetic to the edge. He was literally a computer programmer while he was making demos," Gass says.\nArtists like Holly and Costello or bands like the Talking Heads paved the way for today's geek rock like Weezer, a band whose position at the forefront of geek rock and roll is "obvious," Gass says. \nAndrei Molotiu finds the definition of a geek to be rather subjective. Molotiu is a visiting lecturer in art history currently teaching H150: History of Comic Book Art. \n"It's an evaluative term and on the other hand it's a descriptor. It's so often used in a self-referential way that it can't be all bad. You're taking a negative term and turning into a positive one," he says. \nStill, the term can carry an inherent sense of sadness. Though geeks are taken in jest by many, that might not be the case for the smart yet small-for-his-age oddball kid next door.\n"People describe themselves as geeks to fight back against the taunts they received as children," Molotiu says. "In places like Columbine, it shows you that the clique system and the marginalization of geeks is strong. In that respect geekdom hasn't come into the mainstream."\nHerren, a sophomore in the school of computer science, agrees and says most of the time people are mislabeled as geeks. \n"'Geek' is definitely the wrong word, despite the occasional pop culture misuse," Herren says. "'Geek' has a very specific meaning coming from the circus tradition and still referencing someone who does something gross or disturbing for attention. I suspect, having been a performer of geek magic, that I am the only person who fits that bill."\nGeeks come in all shapes, sizes and colors. The realms in which their geekdom lies can differ significantly from one individual to the next. They're breaking away from the mainstream and through their own rebellious individuality breaking back in. Welcome to the mainstream, geekdom.
(01/30/02 5:00am)
GameCube:\n• "Resident Evil" -- The Playstation standard is revisited in correlation with the release of the upcoming "Resident Evil" flick directed by Paul Anderson ("Mortal Kombat"). This game, along with an onslaught of other "Resident Evil" titles, will be released solely on the GameCube in an exclusive licensing contract with Capcom throughout 2002.\n• "Metroid Prime" -- Samus returns in this GameCube update of the 8-bit Nintendo classic. The game will incorporate aspects of the much beloved first-person shooter genre a la "GoldenEye" or "Halo" and will contain all of the old school gats and gizmos. "Metroid Prime" is scheduled for release this November.\n• "Star Fox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet" -- Fox McCloud returns for the first time since "Star Fox 64" with "Star Fox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet." The game is being designed by Rare, the folks that brought gamers "GoldenEye" and "Perfect Dark," and as such, it's a real departure from the other titles in the series. This game removes McCloud from his trusty Arwing ship and places him in a barrage of hand to hand combat. The gameplay is supposed to be very similar to that of "Zelda: Ocarina of Time." Currently, the game is scheduled for release in April.\n• "Mario Kart" for GameCube (title pending) -- The classic cartoony racer which made its presence widely known on both the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 will be hitting the GameCube sometime during 2002, presumably late in the year. The game will support four players and will return all of the classic Nintendo characters we've grown to know and love. With more detailed tracks and a greater number of polygons, "Mario Kart" will be a title well worth including in your collection.\nPLAYSTATION 2:\n•"State of Emergency" -- Rockstar Games provides us with another nugget of socially irresponsible video gaming in the vein of their break-out hit "Grand Theft Auto 3." The game play echoes coin-ops of the late '80s, i.e. "Double Dragon" in its side-scroller style. Looting, killing and maiming are handsomely rewarded as gamers inhabit gang members fighting against Americorp, a monopolistic regime. Players are armed with an assortment of weapons including Molotov cocktails, uzis, grenade launchers, shotguns, tazers, pepper spray and tear gas, among many other tools of destruction. The game hits streets Tuesday.\n• "Virtua Fighter 4" -- Developed by AM2 under the supervision of esteemed game designer Yu Suzuki, "Virtua Fighter 4" promises to be a royal kick in the pants to the somewhat lacking fighting genre. Characters and levels are designed in far more detail, and gameplay will be enhanced through more offensive weapons and a beefed-up defense. "Virtua Fighter 4" should serve as another shining example of the way in which Sega (now defunct as far as hardware goes) is developing inspired titles for other consoles. \n• "Britney's Dance Beat" -- That's right folks, everybody's favorite little Lolita is hitting the PS2 with her very own video game! The only way this game could be cool is if you had an old school Power Pad a la 8-bit Nintendo to bust some phat moves on. As far as musically themed video games go you're better off sticking to "Parappa the Rapper." Dope!\n• "Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2" -- The latest installment of EA's popular speed and flee racing series will hit the PS2 later this spring. Unlike a majority of the series' predecessors, cops are incorporated into the game to spice things up a little bit. Thus, gamers are given yet another opportunity to wantonly break the law in a pixilated world. A vast assortment of cars including the Aston Martin Vanquish, BMW Z8, Ferrari 360 Spider, Ferrari F50, Jaguar XKR, Lamborghini Diablo, Lamborghini Murcielago, McClaren F1, Mercedes CLK GTR, Opel Speedster and a vast assortment of Porsches make breaking the law a whole lotta fun.\nX-BOX:\n• "Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions" -- As developed by Bunkasha, "Wreckless" should be a change of pace for the design house, as well as a whole lot of sleazy fun. Drawing inspiration from such far-flung sources as Sega's "Crazy Taxi" and John Woo's Hong Kong bullet ballets, "Wreckless" promises to be one helluva ride. The game hits the streets Feb. 15.\n• "Hunter: The Reckoning" -- In Interplay's spinoff to "Vampire: The Gathering," you must battle an assortment of monsters including zombies, werewolves and vampires. Players can choose one of four different characters including Deuce (a shotgun and axe toting biker bad boy), Father Esteban (a priest armed with cross-bow and sword), Samantha (a tattooed lady cop sporting a kitana and revolver) or Cassandra (a 20-year-old raver chick adorned with throwing knives and Woo-esque double guns). "Hunter: The Reckoning" will be released Mar. 15.\n• "UFC: Tapout" -- The translation from the highly controversial and widely criticized underground fighting tournament to video game seems to have been a fruitful one as designer Crave preps a sequel to their bone-crunching Dreamcast hit. "UFC: Tapout" seems to have upped the stakes of its predecessor with incredibly detailed texture mapping and supposedly improved gameplay. The exclusion of such "UFC" luminaries as Royce Gracie and Tank Abbot is almost inexcusable, but the game still looks pretty rocking. "UFC" will be released in March.\n• "Outlaw Golf" -- Simon and Schuster are prepping this delinquent golf title for release sometime this spring, and to say the least, it's certainly inspired. If your caddie acts like a moron you can crush his head in with a 9-iron. Gamers can choose to play with "respectable" characters ranging from Killer Miller -- a depraved, escaped death-row inmate, to Doc Diggler -- a third-rate pimp complete with stripper girlfriends. Practice modes include a driving range in which you're rewarded for breaking the windows of parked cars. Who ever said golf was boring?\nPC:\n• "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" -- Here's yet another game furthering the development of society as a whole: this time the culprits are Eidos Interactive. In this sequel to last year's popular but somewhat problematic shoot-'em-up hitman is contracted to snuff out a wealthy Japanese businessman as well as a member of the KGB. This family fun will be "hitting" PC's sometime this Spring. \n• "Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast" -- It's "Star Wars," you possess both blasters and light sabers and it's coming this spring. Need I say more?\n• "Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix" -- This sequel to last year's popular first-person shooter promises to improve upon its predecessor's gory antics with the incredibly fluid "Quake 3: Team Arena" engine. Levels are bigger, guns more accessible and violence more realistic. Fans of the similarly titled war -- mongering mag should be pleased with the combat depicted in "Soldier of Fortune II." The game should be available during the first quarter of 2002.\n• "Command & Conquer Renegade" -- This spin-off to the popular "Command & Conquer" series will be hitting shelves sometime in February. Westwood Studios alongside chief game designer Brett Sperry expand "C & C" implementing a more first-person shooter style of play as opposed to strategy. Although, the game will differ from many of the first-person shooters according to Executive Producer Dan Cermack. He told IGN.com, "It's about being on the ground in the middle of a C&C universe -- it's not about trying to compete with first-person shooters."\nFrom Pong to Gamecube:a brief history\n1972\n• "Pong" is released by the Atari Company. Chubby kids nationwide can now enjoy tennis indoors without breaking a sweat.\n1977\n• Atari 2600 is released. The government starts training for an alien invasion by having pilots play "Space Invaders" and "Asteroids."\n1981\n• Nintendo Entertainment System released. Plumbers rejoice to finally have a spokesmodel that can save princesses and keep his butt-crack hidden.\n1989\n• The Nintendo Game Boy debuts. Now kids can ignore their parents not only in the living room, but also at the dinner table and on vacations.\n• Sega Genesis released. Phil Collins tries to get spokesperson job, but a blue hedgehog beats him to it.\n• Power Glove is released for the NES. The evil kid from "The Wizard," Lucas, is quoted saying, "The Power Glove is so bad."\n1991\n• Super Nintendo is released in United States. The 16-bit console wars begin and lunch table arguments increase causing detentions to also rise. Common comments like "Mario sucks" and "No, you suck" are heard throughout elementary school cafeterias nationwide.\n• The "Time Traveler Hologram" video arcade game is released showing off new technology, but it's a dollar to play. Many kids are seen just watching the demo over and over again.\n• Sega CD is released along with the first creation of Full Motion Video in games. Games like "Night Trap" show the full potential of how bad of an idea this really was -- girls in lingerie prance around a house avoiding kidnappers.\n1992\n• Sega releases the 32x add-on for the Genesis system. Weeks later the add-on can be bought cheaply at nationwide garage sales.\n1995\n• Sega Saturn is released with full potential to prosper until…\n• Sony releases the Playstation. College kids finally get a CD-Rom machine worth skipping class for. Almost every "Final Fantasy" Game in the upcoming years is reportedly bought with textbook money.\n1996\n• Nintendo 64 released with a magical and colorful 3-D look at Mario World. The new four-player port lets gamers wait less for their next game of "Goldeneye," and also sets new standards for double dates. Well, it would if the 64 owners could get dates.\n1999\n• Sega Dreamcast debuts. A great and impressive machine, but could not compete with the other amazing competition, sort of like the IU football team.\n2000\n• Playstation 2 debuts in United States. The new machine comes with a built in DVD player and allows the owner to never have to leave the couch again, unless they need to switch the game or movie.\n2001\n• Billionaire Bill Gates sets his sights on addicting children in the console market with the launch of Microsoft's X-Box. Gates is quoted as saying, "Man, Satan really gives you a lot for a soul."\n• Nintendo releases Gamecube. A new video game war begins with online play and new name calling like "Cube-face" and "Box-head." Gamers still are not praised for their originality.
(01/23/02 6:01pm)
Director Ted Demme passed away two Sundays ago at the entirely too young age of 38. Many people have little or no idea about who Mr. Demme was, but fans of his small, independent and oftentimes quirky works know that he was somebody indeed.\nDemme was the nephew of esteemed Oscar winning director Jonathan Demme ("The Silence of the Lambs"). Despite this relation, he paved his own way through his brief but fruitful filmmaking career.\nDemme broke into the biz as a production assistant for MTV in the mid-'80s. He had a pivotal role in the development of "Yo! MTV Raps," the influential hip-hop show featuring Dr. Dre and Ed Lover, which brought rap directly into the living rooms of white, upper-middle class suburbia. \nHis directorial debut came in 1993 with "Who's the Man?" which reunited him with Dre and Lover for the first "hip-hop whodunit?" and although the flick was funny it was a tad misguided. Where else are you going to see a flick co-starring Kriss-Kross and Bernie Mac ("Ocean's 11")?\nDemme's second release, "The Ref" (1994), not only kick-started the careers of Kevin Spacey (who paid him tribute at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards) and Denis Leary, but may also be the funniest Christmas flick ever made.\nIn 1996, Demme hit a career highpoint with "Beautiful Girls," one of the best romantic comedies of the '90s featuring an incredible ensemble cast and a phenomenal soundtrack. Movies this funny and heartfelt only come around once in a blue moon.\nDemme re-teamed with frequent collaborator and friend Leary in 1997 for the gritty Irish gangland thriller, "Monument Ave." The movie was a mixed bag, both compelling and a tad bit slow, very reminiscent of Martin Scorsese's early effort, "Mean Streets."\n"Blow," which was released this past spring wound up being Demme's swan song. The film told the true life story of George Jung (Johnny Depp), the most successful coke dealer in United States history. Jung and Demme became instantaneous friends, and the love and respect these two men shared translated to the screen. "Blow" was a moving piece of first-rate filmmaking and ranked among the best films of 2001.\nDemme was finishing work on a documentary concerning filmmakers of the 1970s with screenwriter Richard LaGravenese ("The Ref") and was prepping the oceanic thriller "Nautica," which was to star Heath Ledger and Ewan McGregor. \nOn a personal note, I'd written some comments on a Web page a little more than a year ago concerning/defending Mr. Demme and his work. He happened to see the said comments, and despite having a most assuredly busy schedule he replied to me. He said, "Thanks for the kind words, man. You're a great fan. I can't wait for you to see 'Blow,' it's my favorite one yet. You keep watching them and I'll keep making them. Thanks."\nUnfortunately, that won't be the case. Ted died of a heart attack shortly after playing in a charity basketball match on Jan. 13. He leaves behind a wife, Amanda Scheer-Demme, who was the music supervisor on many of his films, as well as two children, a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-month-old son.\nAlthough I never knew Ted Demme, his films and the brief yet kind e-mail he once sent me tell worlds about the man and his character. Thanks Ted. You might not keep making them but I'll continue watching them.
(01/23/02 5:00am)
Fast and The Furious - PG-13\nStarring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker\nDirected by: Rob Cohen\n"The Fast and the Furious" came out of nowhere to surprise and enthrall gear heads and action flick enthusiasts alike. The movie personifies the entire idea behind a "sleeper" hit. It didn't feature any major celebrities or have a bloated budget but managed to gross $145 million dollars domestically and cemented the career of up-and-coming action star Vin Diesel ("Pitch Black"). The recently released DVD should please fans of hard-hitting yet mindless action filmmaking.\nAn article that appeared in Vibe magazine concerning the alluring subculture of illegal street racing loosely inspired "The Fast and the Furious." Diesel headlines the flick as Dominic Toretto, a cocksure adrenaline junkie and all-around badass who leads a crew of street racers suspected of hijacking semi-trucks. Human Ken doll Paul Walker ("Varsity Blues") co-stars as undercover cop Brian O'Connor who poses as an incumbent racer to infiltrate the crime ring, but in the process falls for Dom's nubile little sis, Mia (Jordana Brewster of "The Faculty"). Action ensues, cars are demolished, cue the piss poor alt-metal/hip-hop/techno soundtrack.\n"The Fast and the Furious" features some of the sweetest car chases/races ever committed to celluloid, and for this reason alone the DVD is well worth purchasing. And if that weren't enough, the disc is chock full of some pretty cool extras including "Racer X" the article that inspired the movie, the making of "The Fast and the Furious" from storyboards to final feature comparison, the flick's theatrical trailer, numerous featurettes concentrating on the film's special effects and a "dope" Ja Rule music video. \nAlthough many of these features are cool, some wind-up falling short; all of the deleted scenes were rightfully discarded, Rob Cohen's feature-length commentary is nothing to write home about, the "exclusive" featurette on editing for the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) should have remained a tad more exclusive and for some reason a lame public service announcement featuring the all-together bland Walker proceeds the film. \n"The Fast and the Furious" isn't highbrow filmmaking and won't elicit much thought amongst viewers. But it sure does entertain and is well worth a look.
(01/23/02 5:00am)
Director Ted Demme passed away two Sundays ago at the entirely too young age of 38. Many people have little or no idea about who Mr. Demme was, but fans of his small, independent and oftentimes quirky works know that he was somebody indeed.\nDemme was the nephew of esteemed Oscar winning director Jonathan Demme ("The Silence of the Lambs"). Despite this relation, he paved his own way through his brief but fruitful filmmaking career.\nDemme broke into the biz as a production assistant for MTV in the mid-'80s. He had a pivotal role in the development of "Yo! MTV Raps," the influential hip-hop show featuring Dr. Dre and Ed Lover, which brought rap directly into the living rooms of white, upper-middle class suburbia. \nHis directorial debut came in 1993 with "Who's the Man?" which reunited him with Dre and Lover for the first "hip-hop whodunit?" and although the flick was funny it was a tad misguided. Where else are you going to see a flick co-starring Kriss-Kross and Bernie Mac ("Ocean's 11")?\nDemme's second release, "The Ref" (1994), not only kick-started the careers of Kevin Spacey (who paid him tribute at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards) and Denis Leary, but may also be the funniest Christmas flick ever made.\nIn 1996, Demme hit a career highpoint with "Beautiful Girls," one of the best romantic comedies of the '90s featuring an incredible ensemble cast and a phenomenal soundtrack. Movies this funny and heartfelt only come around once in a blue moon.\nDemme re-teamed with frequent collaborator and friend Leary in 1997 for the gritty Irish gangland thriller, "Monument Ave." The movie was a mixed bag, both compelling and a tad bit slow, very reminiscent of Martin Scorsese's early effort, "Mean Streets."\n"Blow," which was released this past spring wound up being Demme's swan song. The film told the true life story of George Jung (Johnny Depp), the most successful coke dealer in United States history. Jung and Demme became instantaneous friends, and the love and respect these two men shared translated to the screen. "Blow" was a moving piece of first-rate filmmaking and ranked among the best films of 2001.\nDemme was finishing work on a documentary concerning filmmakers of the 1970s with screenwriter Richard LaGravenese ("The Ref") and was prepping the oceanic thriller "Nautica," which was to star Heath Ledger and Ewan McGregor. \nOn a personal note, I'd written some comments on a Web page a little more than a year ago concerning/defending Mr. Demme and his work. He happened to see the said comments, and despite having a most assuredly busy schedule he replied to me. He said, "Thanks for the kind words, man. You're a great fan. I can't wait for you to see 'Blow,' it's my favorite one yet. You keep watching them and I'll keep making them. Thanks."\nUnfortunately, that won't be the case. Ted died of a heart attack shortly after playing in a charity basketball match on Jan. 13. He leaves behind a wife, Amanda Scheer-Demme, who was the music supervisor on many of his films, as well as two children, a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-month-old son.\nAlthough I never knew Ted Demme, his films and the brief yet kind e-mail he once sent me tell worlds about the man and his character. Thanks Ted. You might not keep making them but I'll continue watching them.
(01/09/02 5:00am)
This past year was rather disappointing from the perspective of your run of the mill filmgoer. Many films were about as entertaining as a colonoscopy. For every "Memento" there was an onslaught of bottom feeders such as "Tomb Raider." \nOnly the concluding weeks of the year offered highly skilled filmmaking in the forms of "The Fellowship of the Rings," "The Royal Tenenbaums," "Vanilla Sky" and "Ali" (despite what many say both Will Smith and this movie rocked). \nOne hopes that Hollywood will improve upon many of the turds they incessantly hurl towards audiences in 2002, and in turn, it will be a banner year for cinema. It's in this hope that film fans seek solace, and as such, I'll run through a series of flicks that shouldn't completely suck.\nThe year should kick off in fine form with the comedy "Orange County." Not only does the flick co-star comedic genius Jack Black, it's also directed by Jake Kasdan whose first film was the criminally underrated "Zero Effect." It opens Friday.\nThe following week Bloomington will receive "Black Hawk Down," a film that was actually released during the last portion of 2001 in New York and L.A. This is the true story of a group of U.S. Rangers sent via helicopter into Mogadishu, Somalia to capture warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Pretty boy Josh Harnett headlines the flick (man, I hope he bites the bullet hard in the first reel). Featured alongside him are Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore ("Saving Private Ryan") and newfangled Australian cult film fixture/future "Incredible Hulk" star, Eric Bana ("Chopper"). Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") directs.\nWar/propaganda films seem to be all the rage this year. Mel Gibson reunites with "Braveheart" collaborator Randall Wallace for "We Were Soldiers," a Vietnam saga. The flick co-stars "American Pie" staple Chris Klein. Hong Kong action maestro John Woo is also lensing a Native American-themed WWII actioneer "Windtalkers," starring Nicholas Cage, half a reservation casino's night staff and Christian "Gleaming the Cube" Slater. I can see it now; cue a flock of doves alongside a bevy of tanks, and blam! you've got one hell of an action sequence.\nSteven Spielberg directs Tom Cruise for the first time in the futuristic sci-fi epic "Minority Report." The film is based off a short story by Phillip K. Dick. He wrote the source material to the highly regarded post-apocalyptic classic, "Blade Runner." If the teaser's any indication this flick should be pretty screwed-up. Hopefully, "Minority Report" will make amends for Spielberg's bastardizing re-release of his family classic "E.T.," in which guns are digitally removed and replaced with walkie-talkies and the classic diss of "penis breath" has altogether been excluded. Self-censorship at its finest. Very wussy, Steve.\nTwo genres making a healthy resurgence in 2002 are the gangster film and flicks derived from comic books. And rightly so, because these films usually rule. Martin Scorsese's needlessly delayed historical Irish gangland pic, "Gangs of New York" will finally be released this summer. Former pantywaist turned badass Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day-Lewis star. Sam Mendes, the acclaimed director behind "American Beauty" directs "The Road to Perdition," also a summer release. The flick melds the aforementioned genres in that it's based upon a graphic novel (essentially, a grandiose comic book) by Max Allan Collins and features fictional hitmen, as well as a fictional depiction of Al Capone. Tom Hanks finally breaks his cycle of playing nice, cuddly guys in need of a hug to portray a vengeful hitman. Screen legend Paul Newman and solid character actor Jude Law also star.\n Other comic book films include; "Spiderman" lensed by Sam ("Evil Dead") Raimi and starring a buffed-up Toby Maguire, "Blade 2," in which Wesley Snipes revives his titular role of the vampire hunter and "Daredevil" starring freshly rehabbed Ben Affleck as a blind lawyer/crime fighter.\nMany revered directors will unleash their latest masterworks upon audiences, these include; David Fincher's ("Fight Club") Hitchcockian thriller "Panic Room," Steven Soderbergh's follow-up to his breakthrough hit "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" entitled "Full Frontal," Robert Rodriguez's third installment of the "El Mariachi" series, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," Kevin Smith's first non-Jay and Silent Bob flick "Jersey Girl" and Spike Jonze again teams with Charlie Kaufman for "Adaptation," their first collaboration was the incredibly bizarre yet no less ingenius "Being John Malkovich."\nOh, and I'm forgetting the next installment of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "The Two Towers" (which should reign), "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones" (which should rule) and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (which is incapable of either).\nIndie flicks will also rock with Roger Avary's ("Killing Zoe") teenybopper-laden adaptation of Bret Easton Ellison's ("American Psycho") novel "The Rules of Attraction," the French import "Brotherhood of the Wolf," which may well become this year's "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon," and "The 51st State" in which Samuel L. Jackson cracks skulls while wearing a kilt.\nLadies and gentleman, 2002 is shaping up to be one helluva year at the movies.
(12/06/01 5:34am)
n wake of the tragedies that occurred on Sept. 11, many musicians and other industry types have come together to remember those lost and to collect money for various charities and relief funds. Bands for America is college rock's contribution to the cause.\nThe album kicks off with "Mud Football," a track by Jack Johnson, which features the slide guitar of the indispensable Ben Harper. The track is fun, but has no real social value beyond that. This is a trend of much of the disc, and it's sort of cool. Unlike so many post-Sept. 11 musical tributes, this one isn't self-important, it's fun and when necessary it will take a more reflective tone.\nCurrent college rock mainstays The String Cheese Incident and O.A.R. both contribute tracks from recent albums. String Cheese's effort, "Outside and Inside," is a funky little ditty that speeds things up early. O.A.R.'s cut, "Hold on True," is slightly more mellow and romantic, but the piece also seems to correlate quite well with general post-Sept. 11 sentiments.\nLesser-known, yet no less talented acts also contribute tracks. Dispatch as well as Slightly Stoopid both churn out powerful and entirely relevant reggae-tinged rockers respectively titled "Passerby" and "Wiseman." The eerily dubbed Domestic Problems contribute the saxophone heavy "James Francis." And Pepper's Ghost contributes the beautiful, piano driven "Sad, Sad Song," which is somewhat reminiscent of Billy Joel's early material.\nThe album culminates with Garrett Dutton's topical and emotionally stirring "On 9.11.01." The song varies greatly from Dutton's work with G. Love and the Special Sauce but is just as good. Where most of his cuts are likely to incite partying this one's more likely to spur tears and contemplation. This is without a doubt the finest track on Bands for America.\nI suggest everyone pick-up this album, not only is it really good, but the proceeds also go directly to the United Way and The September 11th Fund. It's a rare and beautiful thing when quality music and aiding those in need can work hand-in-hand, and as such, Bands for America is a really cool album. \nRating: 7
(12/06/01 5:33am)
Prolific rappers Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have teamed up yet again in the urban comedy "The Wash," as well as on the film's soundtrack.\nThe two collaborations between these rap luminaries are certainly the high points of The Wash Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The first, "On the Boulevard," is a funky gem with a tight beat and an exceptional hook. Their second team-up "The Wash" lacks a little musically by comparison to their other track, but it's stronger as far as lyrics go -- especially when delivered by the Doggfather himself.\nMany other rappers make solid contributions to the film's soundtrack. Recent upstart rapper and Athens, Ga., native Bubba Sparxxx churns out a decent effort with "Bubba Talk," which includes horses neighing, cows mooing, a conga drum and decent guitar riffs. As produced by Timbaland, the track comes across as Outkast gone "redneck."\nBusta Rhymes contributes a strong effort with "Holla." His trademark rapid-fire delivery is milked for full effect. Dr. Dre produced and mixed "Holla," and much like his other efforts on the album the tune contains a tight hook and phat beat.\nD12, Eminem's rap collective, also contributes "Blow My Buzz." The track was produced by Eminem, and is as good, if not better than many of his recent efforts. Much like other tracks by Eminem and D12 the rhymes are strong yet coarse and infinitely funny.\nAlthough D12's effort is quite humorous, the album's most comedic track comes in the form of Xzibit's "Get Fucked Up With Me." Listeners will get a contact high off this dank effort. Lyrics range from "You can stand by your word cause your word is your balls/ Lose one you losin' 'em all" to "All I really want for me?/ Trying to live with two hoes like 'Three's Company.'" Funny stuff.\nIf only the rest of the album clicked on all cylinders. Many of the album's other cuts are piss-poor R&B by little known artists. As is, The Wash Original Motion Picture Soundtrack contains some extremely strong rap efforts, yet is bogged down by many other lesser R&B tracks.\nRating: 6
(12/06/01 5:10am)
In 1996, a cinematic comedic duo formed to stand among the greatest of all time. Laurel and Hardy, Pryor and Wilder, Jay and Silent Bob and finally, Favreau and Vaughn. The film was "Swingers," which has since become a cult comedy hit far exceeding its meager beginnings, and whose vernacular became a pop culture staple. \nThese gentlemen followed their seminal work with "Made," a film somewhat reminiscent of "Swingers," but with a gangster motif, and its heart worn blatantly upon its sleeve. After an entirely-too-brief run in theaters this masterfully made dramedy is now available on DVD, and is well worth a look.\n"Made" is the story of Bobby (Favreau, the consummate straight man) and Ricky (Vaughn, working at his obnoxious best), two childhood friends who now dredge through their lives as mediocre amateur boxers and half-assed construction workers. Bobby wants nothing more than to settle down with his stripper girlfriend (Famke Janssen of "X-Men" fame), but Ricky has a completely different agenda. He's a loudmouthed hustler with delusions of imminent mafia grandeur. Naturally, he's ecstatic when Max (the crankily wonderful Peter Falk), offers them the opportunity to travel to New York, and serve as hired Mafia "muscle." \nThe chemistry between Vaughn and Favreau is impeccable in "Made," with Vaughn excelling in the ubiquitously obnoxious role of Ricky. The rest of the cast features a bevy strong supporting performances and hilarious cameos; Faizon Love (Big Worm in "Friday") and surprisingly enough, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs turn in deft work as fellow gangsters. Vincent Pastore of "Sopranos" fame plays the boys' limo driver to a comedic and somewhat ironic hilt. Eclectic cameos are turned in from Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Dustin "Screech" Diamond, and immensely talented character actor Sam Rockwell, who plays a gay bellhop in the flick.\nAside from a great film, which is presented in a 16:9 Widescreen cut with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, the "Made" DVD contains a barrage of impressive supplementary features. The disc has three documentaries, two trailers, hilarious outtakes and deleted scenes, a funny yet insightful commentary track featuring Favreau, Vaughn and producer Peter Billingsley AKA Ralphie from "A Christmas Story," as well as a cool Scene Edit Workshop.\nAs written and directed by Jon Favreau, "Made," is a skewed take on the prototypical mob movie, and much like "Swingers," its comedic punch isn't easily dulled. Simply put "Made" is bar-none one of the best films of the year, and the DVD serves as a suitable companion.
(12/06/01 5:00am)
"Behind Enemy Lines" is a somewhat odd film to release at this particular juncture. Not only does it follow a mere week on the heels of the similarly themed "Spy Game," but its unabashedly pro-war themes will likely offend some viewers in wake of recent tragedies.\nCrooked-nosed comedic wonder Owen Wilson stars as Lt. Chris Burnett, a smart-alecky Naval jet navigator who wants nothing more than to fight in an actual war. Gene Hackman co-stars as his tough-as-nails superior officer, Admiral Leslie Reigart. \nThe men butt heads in a tenuous father-son dynamic. These conflicts spur a punitive Christmas day recon mission for Burnett. During which he flies off objective and happens upon a mass grave of people slaughtered by Serbian soldiers acting against a new-fangled peace accord. \nThe Serbs take none too kindly to the plane's presence and fire a series of surface-to-air missiles resulting in one of the film's most awe-inspiring action sequences. Burnett's aircraft is inevitably clipped and goes down deep in enemy territory where he's left to survive on his own devices.\nWilson, who normally co-stars in light comedies such as "Meet the Parents" and "Zoolander," makes an able transition into the role of the action hero. His laconic, surfer-dude persona and acerbic wit play quite nicely. He's nothing more than an "everyman" trapped in extraordinary circumstances, and this allows audience members to easily sympathize with his plight. Hackman isn't given nearly as much to do in the cookie-cutter role of Reigart, but him half-assing it is worlds better than many actors at full hilt. \nBut the real star of "Behind Enemy Lines" is director John Moore. The flick marks the Irishman's feature-length directorial debut following a series of commercial stints with Adidas and Guinness. He instills the same kinetic energy prevalent in television ads to "Behind Enemy Lines," and this visual flair makes for some of the coolest action sequences committed to celluloid this year.\n"Behind Enemy Lines" is often crass, ethnocentric, contrived and implausible, and I dug nearly every minute of it. Go expecting "Rambo" with half a brain as opposed to "Platoon," and in all likelihood you'll enjoy this adrenaline-fueled popcorn flick.
(12/06/01 5:00am)
In 1996, a cinematic comedic duo formed to stand among the greatest of all time. Laurel and Hardy, Pryor and Wilder, Jay and Silent Bob and finally, Favreau and Vaughn. The film was "Swingers," which has since become a cult comedy hit far exceeding its meager beginnings, and whose vernacular became a pop culture staple. \nThese gentlemen followed their seminal work with "Made," a film somewhat reminiscent of "Swingers," but with a gangster motif, and its heart worn blatantly upon its sleeve. After an entirely-too-brief run in theaters this masterfully made dramedy is now available on DVD, and is well worth a look.\n"Made" is the story of Bobby (Favreau, the consummate straight man) and Ricky (Vaughn, working at his obnoxious best), two childhood friends who now dredge through their lives as mediocre amateur boxers and half-assed construction workers. Bobby wants nothing more than to settle down with his stripper girlfriend (Famke Janssen of "X-Men" fame), but Ricky has a completely different agenda. He's a loudmouthed hustler with delusions of imminent mafia grandeur. Naturally, he's ecstatic when Max (the crankily wonderful Peter Falk), offers them the opportunity to travel to New York, and serve as hired Mafia "muscle." \nThe chemistry between Vaughn and Favreau is impeccable in "Made," with Vaughn excelling in the ubiquitously obnoxious role of Ricky. The rest of the cast features a bevy strong supporting performances and hilarious cameos; Faizon Love (Big Worm in "Friday") and surprisingly enough, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs turn in deft work as fellow gangsters. Vincent Pastore of "Sopranos" fame plays the boys' limo driver to a comedic and somewhat ironic hilt. Eclectic cameos are turned in from Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Dustin "Screech" Diamond, and immensely talented character actor Sam Rockwell, who plays a gay bellhop in the flick.\nAside from a great film, which is presented in a 16:9 Widescreen cut with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, the "Made" DVD contains a barrage of impressive supplementary features. The disc has three documentaries, two trailers, hilarious outtakes and deleted scenes, a funny yet insightful commentary track featuring Favreau, Vaughn and producer Peter Billingsley AKA Ralphie from "A Christmas Story," as well as a cool Scene Edit Workshop.\nAs written and directed by Jon Favreau, "Made," is a skewed take on the prototypical mob movie, and much like "Swingers," its comedic punch isn't easily dulled. Simply put "Made" is bar-none one of the best films of the year, and the DVD serves as a suitable companion.
(12/06/01 5:00am)
Prolific rappers Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have teamed up yet again in the urban comedy "The Wash," as well as on the film's soundtrack.\nThe two collaborations between these rap luminaries are certainly the high points of The Wash Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The first, "On the Boulevard," is a funky gem with a tight beat and an exceptional hook. Their second team-up "The Wash" lacks a little musically by comparison to their other track, but it's stronger as far as lyrics go -- especially when delivered by the Doggfather himself.\nMany other rappers make solid contributions to the film's soundtrack. Recent upstart rapper and Athens, Ga., native Bubba Sparxxx churns out a decent effort with "Bubba Talk," which includes horses neighing, cows mooing, a conga drum and decent guitar riffs. As produced by Timbaland, the track comes across as Outkast gone "redneck."\nBusta Rhymes contributes a strong effort with "Holla." His trademark rapid-fire delivery is milked for full effect. Dr. Dre produced and mixed "Holla," and much like his other efforts on the album the tune contains a tight hook and phat beat.\nD12, Eminem's rap collective, also contributes "Blow My Buzz." The track was produced by Eminem, and is as good, if not better than many of his recent efforts. Much like other tracks by Eminem and D12 the rhymes are strong yet coarse and infinitely funny.\nAlthough D12's effort is quite humorous, the album's most comedic track comes in the form of Xzibit's "Get Fucked Up With Me." Listeners will get a contact high off this dank effort. Lyrics range from "You can stand by your word cause your word is your balls/ Lose one you losin' 'em all" to "All I really want for me?/ Trying to live with two hoes like 'Three's Company.'" Funny stuff.\nIf only the rest of the album clicked on all cylinders. Many of the album's other cuts are piss-poor R&B by little known artists. As is, The Wash Original Motion Picture Soundtrack contains some extremely strong rap efforts, yet is bogged down by many other lesser R&B tracks.\nRating: 6
(12/06/01 5:00am)
n wake of the tragedies that occurred on Sept. 11, many musicians and other industry types have come together to remember those lost and to collect money for various charities and relief funds. Bands for America is college rock's contribution to the cause.\nThe album kicks off with "Mud Football," a track by Jack Johnson, which features the slide guitar of the indispensable Ben Harper. The track is fun, but has no real social value beyond that. This is a trend of much of the disc, and it's sort of cool. Unlike so many post-Sept. 11 musical tributes, this one isn't self-important, it's fun and when necessary it will take a more reflective tone.\nCurrent college rock mainstays The String Cheese Incident and O.A.R. both contribute tracks from recent albums. String Cheese's effort, "Outside and Inside," is a funky little ditty that speeds things up early. O.A.R.'s cut, "Hold on True," is slightly more mellow and romantic, but the piece also seems to correlate quite well with general post-Sept. 11 sentiments.\nLesser-known, yet no less talented acts also contribute tracks. Dispatch as well as Slightly Stoopid both churn out powerful and entirely relevant reggae-tinged rockers respectively titled "Passerby" and "Wiseman." The eerily dubbed Domestic Problems contribute the saxophone heavy "James Francis." And Pepper's Ghost contributes the beautiful, piano driven "Sad, Sad Song," which is somewhat reminiscent of Billy Joel's early material.\nThe album culminates with Garrett Dutton's topical and emotionally stirring "On 9.11.01." The song varies greatly from Dutton's work with G. Love and the Special Sauce but is just as good. Where most of his cuts are likely to incite partying this one's more likely to spur tears and contemplation. This is without a doubt the finest track on Bands for America.\nI suggest everyone pick-up this album, not only is it really good, but the proceeds also go directly to the United Way and The September 11th Fund. It's a rare and beautiful thing when quality music and aiding those in need can work hand-in-hand, and as such, Bands for America is a really cool album. \nRating: 7
(12/05/01 5:55am)
Monday, the self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Band Ever" took the stage of Normal, Ill., Redbird Arena. No, I'm not speaking of Weezer, the rock quartet whose popularity surged this past year because of their commercially viable "Green Album." Friends, I speak of the aptly titled rock duo supreme -- Tenacious D.\nThe D is composed of comedic genius Jack Black and his portly sidekick Kyle Gass, and their live show rocks like few have rocked before. Black, best known for his film roles in "High Fidelity" and a recent turn in "Shallow Hal," has a great stage presence and an even better voice. The man is a jumbled ball of hyperactive hilarity. His broad physical humor, which ranged from break-rolls to incessant lewd sexual gestures and dances all within a mere 45-minute set, elicits memories of an "Animal House"/early-"SNL" era John Belushi. He's that funny. Gass serves as an appropriate comic foil to Black, and he's an excellent guitarist to boot.\nThe D tore through many tracks off their recent self-titled debut album. Highlights included their more musically accomplished efforts such as "Tribute" and "Wonderboy," as well as crude comedic gems "Fuck Her Gently" and "Double Team," which they prefaced by mockingly flirting with girls in the audience in a rather crass but funny manner. All-in-all an excellent, albeit short set from the D, which concertgoers would benefit from seeing in a smaller venue as opposed to an arena, thus catching more, if not all of Black and Gass' comic nuances.\nWeezer headlined the show in fine form. Their hour and forty-five minute set consisted primarily of cuts off of their popular 1994 self-titled debut (also known as the Blue Album), and their aforementioned "Green Album," as well as some yet to be released material of a somewhat darker nature. \nUnfortunately, Weezer only played one tune, the hard-rocking "Tired of Sex," off their best album to date, 1996's Pinkerton. The absence of further material was rather disappointing, with the exclusion of the rarely-played "El Scorcho" and "Across the Sea" meriting most highly.\nCuts off the "Green Album," which have been much maligned by long time fans as being far too pop-oriented, worked much better live. Examples of this trend include "Don't Let Go," "Photograph" and "Island in the Sun." Whatever pop sensibilities once existed are excised and replaced with the thrashing guitars of lead singer Rivers Cuomo and lead guitarist Brian Bell and the hellacious backbeat of drummer Patrick Wilson. The effect was pop-gone-punk, true to the very nature of Weezer, and very cool.\nOld favorites "In the Garage," "My Name is Jonas," "Undone -- The Sweater Song," "Say It Ain't So" and "Only In Dreams" were all given rousing renditions. But "Only In Dreams" had the most profound effect, in part because of its lavish staging, which involved billowing fog from which band members' silhouettes were projected and an array of cool blue and purple lights. Weezer capped its set off with a gracious encore featuring fellow classics "Buddy Holly" and "Surf Wax America," both done to near perfection.\nOpening act Jimmy Eat World, fresh from a stint on this past summer's Warped Tour, rounded out the impressive line-up with a likable set. Jimmy Eat World's sound can best be described as punk tinged power-pop, similar in nature to a more mature Blink-182 or a less talented incarnation of Weezer.\nFew concerts could match-up to the sheer entertainment value contained here, and as such, I would highly recommend any interested parties to check out upcoming shows on the tour. Weezer, and most especially Tenacious D, are guaranteed to make the trip well worth your while.
(11/29/01 5:00am)
The Wash" was written and directed by oddly named "hood" auteur D.J. Pooh. He's best known as the scribe of the urban cult comedy hit "Friday." His latest effort doesn't stand up to his seminal work, but there are some sparse laughs to be had.\n"The Wash" is nothing more than an homage to the Richard Pryor/George Carlin flick "Car Wash." This film isn't anywhere near as accomplished nor as funny as its 1976 source material, and even the original incarnation wasn't as hot as many would have you believe.\nDre and Snoop co-star as Sean and D-Loc, a pair of eviction bound roomies who have a predilection towards smoking copious amounts of bud. After D-Loc gets Sean fired from Foot Locker following an underhanded sneaker robbery, Sean seeks employment amidst his perpetually stoned roommate at a local car wash as his manager. Hijinks ensue, dope is smoked and "bitches" are played.\nDre plays a likable straight man to Snoop's loose wire, but he is mildly bland, and the Doggfather is a straight-up jerk in this movie. Dre protege Eminem also appears as an ex-car wash employee, and he sucks. \nThe only performance of note in "The Wash" comes from comedian George Wallace (no, not the controversial Alabama governor of the 1960s) who co-stars as the car wash's jive talking, gun toting owner. Pooh, in an unwise writing decision, has Wallace kidnapped in the third act, once he realizes the film has no plot. And when he's not on screen, "The Wash" stinks to all holy hell.\nFans of recycled weed and poop jokes may enjoy "The Wash," but run-of-the-mill viewers will most likely find it derivative. Even cameos from such "comedy luminaries" as Pauly Shore and Tommy Chong can't save this sinking ship. "The Wash" is a film that will inevitably play on "USA Up All Night," and appropriately enough should be caught on cable and under the influence.
