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(06/08/06 4:00am)
Cheddar, provolone, bree: cheeses that could describe the cheesiness that is "High School Musical." But when using the adjective cheesy people often forget, cheese tastes good. \nThe story begins at a vacation resort New Year's Eve party where teeny boppers Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) are forced into singing a karaoke duet. As they take the stage they discover they have amazing computer enhanced singing voices they were never aware of. The couple shares a magical night but as vacation ends they must part ways until, as luck would have it, Gabriella's mom gets transferred and she ends up at Troy's high school. The two decide to audition together for the school's musical, but problem is, on Troy's home turf he's worshiped for being the varsity basketball stud. His teammates freak out about his new interest in theater (though they have no problem expressing their anger in song in dance) and the two must also compete against reigning drama club thespians, brother-sister team Ryan and Sharpay (who often get a little too close for sibling comfort).\nThis made-for-TV Disney Channel movie became a phenomenon earlier this year when it pulled in over 36 million viewers and the soundtrack topped the Billboard album charts, selling over 2 million copies (making it the top album of 2006 to date, unheard of for a made for TV movie soundtrack).And while it may just be "Grease" for young kids, It's nice to know its success may spark interest in movie musicals for a new generation after "Rent" and "The Producers" failed to score big.\nObviously the film is made for young audiences (it's so innocent it doesn't even let its leads kiss) and its corniness makes "Grease 2" look like "Casablanca," but that doesn't mean educated college students can't enjoy it. The awesome songs are annoyingly catchy (had the film been released in theaters "Breaking Free" would easily take home the Oscar for best song) and Kenny Ortega's choreography is damn impressive (especially coming from a cast so young.) It's also refreshing to see high school students actually played by teenagers.\nSpecial features include a making of feature and instructional dance video (that's nearly impossible to follow), plus music videos and even a karaoke sing along version of the film.\nSo if next year you see some kid in Gresham trying to get the freshmen to dance around a lunch table in unison while singing a song called "Stick to the Status Quo" just ignore me, if no one joins in, I'll quit eventually. This is one guilty pleasure worth checking out.
(06/08/06 4:00am)
There was no event more divisive in America during the last 50 years than the Vietnam War. While everyone seemed to have an opinion on the rights and wrongs of the war, the men who actually fought were often ignored or forgotten. Oliver Stone's "Platoon" was a breakthrough in that it told the story of the Vietnam War through the eyes of the common enlisted soldier, and did so without glossing over the harsh realities of the war.\nIt helped that Stone served in Vietnam in 1967-68, as his script and direction take on a real air of authenticity. Most of the events and characters in the movie are based upon what Stone actually encountered during his time there.\n"Platoon" essentially chronicles Stone's experiences through the character of Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), who arrives in Vietnam wide-eyed and naïve, having volunteered to serve his country. Almost immediately though, Chris's preconceptions are shattered as he cannot make sense of the confusion around him. To Chris and his fellow men, Vietnam becomes Hell, an inescapable pit of death, rape, heat and bugs. Their only release comes in getting high and singing Motown in their downtime.\nThe rest of the film is centered on an ideological battle for the soldiers' minds manifested in the characters of Sgt. Barnes (a brutal Tom Berenger) and Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe, at his most compassionate). Barnes and his followers are hawks in the strictest sense, with their hatred for the Vietnamese prevailing over everything else. Elias serves with a more benevolent hand, questioning the Army's involvement and actions in the war. \nThis new two-disc set is worth having just for the special features alone. Along with the usual fare of commentaries, deleted scenes and trailers, there are six documentaries included that range from the historical aspects of the war, to the difficulties of filming in the Philippines, to an emotional Q&A with real veterans after a screening of the film. \nThe most interesting \ndocumentary centered on the cast's experience prior to and during filming. Stone, wanting his actors to understand just what Vietnam was like, put them through two weeks of simulated army duty in the Philippine jungle. Although most of the cast came to detest Stone for his brazen and authoritarian tactics, he was clearly able to coax some of the best performances of their careers. \n"Platoon" should be mandatory viewing for anyone who wants to understand the true nature of war. War is glorious only in hindsight, and is not about political leadership or brilliant-minded generals, but about the men who fight on their behalf.
(06/08/06 4:00am)
Spanish film director Luis Buñuel used to say, "thank God I'm an atheist." The highly outspoken, anti-fascist filmmaker is best known in the world of cinema for his early collaborations with Salvador Dalí and surrealist films such as "Un Chien Analou" and "The Golden Age." While these two crowning achievements garnered him international praise and jumpstarted his long and prosperous career, Buñuel was also considered to be somewhat of a political menace. \n"Viridiana" was shot in 1961 and was Buñuel's first film in Spain since his departure to France and later Mexico in 1939. Upon its release "Viridiana" was not only banned in Spain (a ban that lasted till the '70s after the fall of Franco's regime) but it was also fully denounced by the Vatican for being inappropriate and blatantly anti-Catholic. \nViridiana (Silvia Pinal) is a young, beautiful woman on her way to becoming a nun and entering a life of religious piety, chastity and above all, a strict moral lifestyle. Her lonely uncle Don Jaime (Fernando Rey), who has just lost his wife, summons his niece to visit him before she makes her final vows and in turn he asks for her hand in marriage because of her striking resemblance to the said wife. Viridiana denies, Don Jaime drugs her in order to take care of his physical desires, then hangs himself and leaves his estate and wealth to Viridiana and his son Jorge, thus prolonging her path to sisterhood and creating tensions in the manor. \n"Viridiana" is very much a film that deals with issues of lust, devotion, love, sin, civil humanity and, of course, religion. The film is a scathing look at both social politics in Spain and a departure from strict, sacred religious morals. Surrealistic images like a crucifix that doubles as a pocket knife or a scene where some drunken bums reenact the Last Supper, are examples of Buñuel's persistent desire to criticize and satirize the state of Spain during the Franco fascist regime. \nThe wonderful Criterion DVD features a stunning transfer of the film, an interview with Mexican actress Silvia Pinal and author/Buñuel expert Richard Porton and an extensive booklet featuring an essay and interview with Buñuel. The most significant extra, however, is a fascinating mini documentary about Buñuel's career from a 1964 French television show, chronicling his early work and his cinematic styles.\nBuñuel is to this day one of the most important filmmakers to come out of Spain and has no doubt influenced modern Spanish directors like Alejandro Amenábar or Pedro Almódovar, both who dabble in Buñuelesque dark humor and eroticism. "Viridiana" is an interesting vision that exposes the problems that Buñuel believed plagued Spain under fascism. It is shocking, funny and disturbing, but also has a certain level of humanity and questions morality, beliefs and basic human desires.
(06/08/06 4:00am)
As a game concept, a great white shark eating people ranks right up there with "Wilmer Valderama Tries to Nail Every Legal Hollywood Starlet Under Age 23."\nAnd in "Jaws Unleashed" it's just plain fun to stalk swimmers, divers and scientists before dragging them to the bottom of the sea and tearing them in half in an orgy of blood and gore to replenish your constantly fading appetite and health bars.\nJaws has got a couple other moves like a tail whip and charge attack, but they're harder to execute because of the finnicky controls (a problem just about every game faces when set underwater), and are not nearly as much fun as eating people. After a basic training mission, and a ridiculous opening mission where Jaws grabs a scientist to open a locked door and eats a Shamu-look-a-like in front of dozens of now-traumatized children, the shark is set loose in a wide-open GTA-style world full of side-missions.\nGraphics are above average, especially when it's chowtime for the great white, but the Xbox is capable of a lot more. Soundwise, screams of your victims are pretty basic, but there are some cool variations of the classic Jaws theme.\nThere's some kind of claptrap story (complete with C-grade voice acting) here about getting back at the town of Amity Island, but I'm pretty sure paying attention to it will actually drop your IQ about 20 points.\nStill, the game is pretty lengthy and full of unlockables and trivia about the movie, but much like dating Lindsay Lohan, after awhile you realize that though it's fun for a while, it's a pretty shallow experience. At $30, this is a budget title, and it shows. The game was delayed for almost a year and could probably use a few more months of polish. But much like the GTA series, the pure, unadulterated, bloody fun of being a vicious man-eating shark let loose on an unsuspecting town overcomes a lot of the games technical problems.
(06/08/06 4:00am)
Now that school's over I've been able to fully invest my time in the entertainment world. And while all Hollywood's happenings might not be worth mentioning (what if I don't want to be on Team Denise or Team Heather?) there have been some pretty big events recently. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the month of May.\nThe summer movie season officially began, but not as studios had hoped. "Mission: Impossible 3" bombed! Ok, a $48 million opening weekend is by no means bad, but a franchise film starring Tom Cruise debuting in over 4,000 theaters could have easily pulled in another $20 mil. For months there's been speculation over whether Tom's recent behavior, mainly alienating his female fans (haha, get it, alien), would affect his box office performance. Sure everyone's sick of his antics, but to the point of boycotting? Despite all his craziness the public is forgetting Tom actually is a great actor (remember "Magnolia" and "Jerry Maguire?"), and unlike most tabloid targets (cough, Jessica Alba, cough) he has the talent to back up his actions. Come on people, threaten a backlash but don't actually follow through with it. Plus there's other people besides Tom who get hurt by this, like director J.J. Abrahams (the man created "Lost," he should never experience pain for the blessing he's given us), Keri Russell (this could cause her to go back into hibernation), and all the other behind the scenes people. And if Tom's movies are failing, does this mean Katie's next movie will only make $4 million instead of 7? At least the industry can relax after that furry mutant bailed the box office out (No not Kelsey Grammer in X-Men, I'm talking about Tom Hanks "DaVinci Code" mullet.)\nMay was also season finale time. For the most part all of my shows ended nicely, and though the Jim and Pam make-out session in "The Office" was perfect, many other show's hook-ups were just plain icky. Like Lorelai going back to Christopher on "Gilmore Girls", J.D's girlfriend getting knocked up on "Scrubs," Gabriella catching Carlos and the maid screwing around on "Desperate Housewives," and Meredith and McDreamy doing the dirty at a fake prom. Ugh, with them getting back together, "Grey's Anatomy" is going to suffer "OC" Ryan and Marissa syndrome and get stuck in a romance that drags down the show for two seasons. Speaking of "The OC," I refuse to even mention the death of Marissa Cooper, I'm done with the show forever. Ok fine, just a little rant. Whyyyyyy Whyyyyy Whyyyyy (you think Nancy Kerrigan can scream those words, she's got shit on me)! Sure Coop and I had our differences but killing her won't solve the show's problems. Seriously, how did it get this bad? Oh well, California here we won't come anymore.\nTaylor Hicks won "American Idol" but when his name was announced there was only one thing I could think about as Katherine McPhee smiled in the background, do you think Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini are still friends? The obvious answer is no. Kelly is huge now and well, Justin is not. And after "From Justin to Kelly" they'd probably want to distance themselves forever (hey maybe "Since You've Been Gone" is about him), but that's like surviving the Titanic or some other disaster, you're bound together for life. While Justin's probably living off his uncle Samuel L. Jackson, (speaking of Samuel only 71 days until motherfuckin' "Snakes on a Plane!") Kelly is deservedly getting all the attention and their friendship is never even mentioned, leading me to believe it never actually existed. Kelly, give me a call and let me know.\nOn May 30th I woke up at seven (which does not happen often) to say farewell to Katie Couric. Truthfully I only watch "The Today Show" about five times a year, but it makes me sad that I won't have the option of watching it anymore. Sure if I want a Couric fix I could switch to CBS, but that involves watching the news, and me and important issues just don't mix (can't you tell, I just rambled about Justin and Kelly's relationship). The show was so pack filled with clips that I kept waiting for the "Montage" song from "Team America" to break out. Instead Tony Bennett sang "The Way You Look Tonight," the song that Katie and her late husband danced to at their wedding (insert teardrop here). But maybe Katie isn't the nurturing Queen of Nice we all view her as. Giving Meredith Vierra her job means the ladies on "The View" now have to suffer the wrath of Rosie O'Donnell. My money says Star Jones eats her first.\nThankfully Brad and Angelina had their baby Shiloh (perhaps they were hoping for a beagle puppy instead) in Narnia, er, Namibia thus making her ineligible to run for president, so all worries about the Pitts' world domination can be put to rest. But enough about them, lets congratulate Mira Sorvino for being sane and naming her son Johnny.
(06/08/06 4:00am)
A unique building opened its doors Friday evening, to give Bloomington a taste of The Hospital. A renovated space with art and music studios in addition to a performance space set to hold dance parties, rock bands, and more, with modern art covering the walls. \nMark Rice and Aaron Deer also call the Hospital their home. Living and working in the space for the last month, they are excited about the self-proclaimed "labor of love." \n"Aaron and I are both musicians so it's great to have a studio here," Rice said. "Sometimes I'll find at 8 p.m. I haven't left the house yet, but I've gotten a lot done." \nRice, Deer and friends say they have spent a couple hundred hours getting the place ready for performances and have lots of ideas for the shows. They would ideally like to have close to ten events a month, with Deer stressing diversity when detailing his vision of the space. \n"We want as much variety as possible- not to forge a niche," Deer said. We don't want people to say, 'oh there's something at the Hospital tonight. It's going to be one of those shows.' We want to surprise people."\nDeer said the space will be an all-ages venue which, at least for now, does not sell alcohol and he hopes Bloomington will embrace it and help them guide the future of the space. \n"It's something everyone in the community can be involved in," Deer said. We've been in town long enough where we know enough people to have endless shows, but we want to open it up to everyone and stretch the boundaries of what art can be."\nPatrons of all ages came through The Hospital's open house were excited about the new space. More than a couple hundred people came to check out the space, a DJ, and lots of artwork. The artwork included photographs, sculptures, and a piece in which viewers opened a door to a projected screen image, which added a new object on every opening.\n"I think it's creative, edgy, and modern, but hard to find," said junior Amy Rickards, as she checked out some of the art work.\nLocated at 1021 S. Walnut, The Hospital is rather hard to find, tucked next to a scuba shop on the south side of town. The Hospital is not allowed to put up a sign due to restrictions on the property, but two lit up crosses highlight the area at night. \nThe Bloomington community that found the space seemed really excited about what can be accomplished there. \n"It's great," said Michael Anderson, Bloomington artist. "It's a perfect space for multi-media art. There's a lot of potential here." \nThe Hospital has come to be through the dedication of 13 artists, who share the space for a multitude of creativity.\n"It's taken about a month so far to get the place ready," said Shelley Harrison. "It looks pretty good so far, but it needs some work. "Six of us have art or music studios, some people of us book bands, fashion and art shows, and dance parties."\nFrequently alternating modern art, hanging from its high, white walls and showcased in a number of creative ways will be a trademark of the artsy venue. There is also a sewing room and video editing equipment.\nThe space is similar to The Church, which was around for a few months in the fall of last year as a performance space, but one of its founders, IU Graduate Elaina Morgan sees more promise for The Hospital. \n"The Church was my baby, but it had a lot of problems," Morgan said. "It was kind of filthy and left something to be desired. This space is better equipped for everything we want to do."\nMorgan seems determined to keep the idea of a work and living space alive.\n"I think there's a lot of potential here," Morgan said. "I've seen three year olds to 50 year olds come through today and I'm getting requests for shows from people in the community everyday."\nRice said that he's excited about the band "Home" and has a friend in New York coming in to do installation art for the show. He has ideas for an "install off" where four artists use their corner of the space for whatever they want. \nMembers of the art community found a lot of good in the space at its open house. \n"I'm excited to have another all-ages venue," said Zak McCarty, member of the band Puppy vs. Dyslexia.\nAnother fan of the space saw it as a way to showcase work of people underrepresented in the Bloomington community.\n"It's nice to see a place for contemporary art that's not the University or Waldron Art Center," said local photographer Jeremy Hogan. "Others besides students and retired people do art.\nDeer said the venue could only have been set-up in Bloomington. What he calls a good town with a lot of great people in it. The name of the venue is certainly unique, but Deer has his explanation. \n"The Hospital name is kind of a metaphor for the art community," he said. "You need to come in, and help keep yourself in tune. And I recommend frequent checkups"
(06/08/06 4:00am)
"Sanders," "Longhole" and the ever-popular "Rooftop" are just some of the names used to refer to the quarry that was immortalized in the 1979 film "Breaking Away." Indiana University students and locals alike flock to this giant limestone pond on hot summer days just like the characters in the movie that made the quarry famous.\nOne IU sophomore and informatics/telecommunications major first heard about the quarry from other people on the floor of his dorm during his freshman year and has been to the quarry several times since. He said he goes quarry jumping "for the thrill and the outdoor party-like atmosphere." He explained that the number of people at "Rooftop" varies depending on the day. On his most recent visit with some friends, he noted that they arrived on a weekend "at about one or one-thirty. There were about fifteen people there already and more came."\nAdjacent property owner, farmer and lifetime Monroe County resident Tom Bartlett said he started swimming in the quarries during the, early to mid '60s when he was, 12 or 13-years-old. Bartlett learned about the quarries from his father who used to drive their cattle to a smaller quarry to let them drink during hot summer months when the well water was low. \n"All the kids swam in them," Bartlett said. "It would be a Sunday afternoon thing. Whole families would go out there." \nThis was at a time before the man-made Lake Monroe was built for recreation. Bartlett and other local residents frequented a quarry that was known as "Earnestine" rather the one featured in "Breaking Away," although college students were going back to the now famous quarry even before the movie was filmed.\n"Longhole was more for the skinny dippers and college kids and things like that," said Bartlett. \nEven though the area is frequented by visitors it is illegal to go back to the quarry. Indiana State Trooper Travis Corea explained that when people go back there, it is considered trespassing. Many visitors understand that swimming in the quarry is illegal despite signs that warn "No Trespassing." In some areas of the property, however, these signs have been torn down. \nOn his first trip to the quarry, the IU sophomore didn't realize he was going to be trespassing until they, "got there and had to park at a church and walk back there. That's when it hit home that it was trespassing." \n"Trespassing wasn't enforced real hard until the movie came out," Bartlett said. They would always overlook it, but the numbers (of visitors) went astronomical after the movie came out."\nWhile fear of fines from trespassing won't keep most people out, the dangers of jumping into an abandon rock quarry will now keep one IU student from ever jumping in again. Sophomore Brittney Dyer says she, "would never do it again." She went out to the quarry with three friends during the summer, "just looking for some fun to do." \n"I jumped feet first off 'Rooftop' and tried to keep my body upright," Dyer said. "The momentum of the jump threw me backwards and I landed in the water on my back. I broke my wrist, cracked my sternum and sustained serious bruising along the entire backside of my legs due to excessive burst blood vessels. I couldn't move because of pain in my back, and was therefore bedridden for several weeks. The bruises took over a year to heal and I still suffer from back and neck soreness today. Because of my injuries, I couldn't swim or breathe. I was rescued out of the water by a stranger who was luckily watching from below." \nWhen asked to give advice to any would-be quarry jumpers Dyer said, "It doesn't matter whether it's your first attempt or your twentieth, one wrong move and you could be seriously injured. Ask any adult who grew up in Bloomington, and odds are they will know someone who was injured or died in a quarry related accident. When I think about the force in which my body hit the water, I feel very lucky to be alive and without paralyzing injury. There are plenty of other ways to get a cheap thrill."\nWhen asked to comment on the dangers of quarry jumping Bartlett added, "My dad told me about a guy who got killed jumping off of 'Rooftop'. Happened in probably [the] late fifties. He was a local boy, and there's been some since then."\nLongtime Bloomington resident Jeff Sympson, who owns property that borders the famous quarry, explained how a man drowned within the last year. The man was swimming in the water and his buddies were sitting on the edge talking to him. All of a sudden his friends couldn't find him. They thought he was playing a joke at first, but what had actually happened was that the man began cramping up and drowned. "The paramedics found him about fifteen feet below the surface (of the water) suspended," Sympson said.\nWhile quarry jumping may be a "thrill" and feel great on a hot summer day, there are many dangers. Not to mention that Bloomington's most famous quarry is on private property. Quarries are a part of Bloomington and Indiana University's history that are literally etched in stone. They will be forever remembered in that Hoosier favorite "Breaking Away." As for jumping into them, it may prove beneficial to remember some common sense advice and not try everything we see in the movies.
(06/07/06 10:07pm)
"Sanders," "Longhole" and the ever-popular "Rooftop" are just some of the names used to refer to the quarry that was immortalized in the 1979 film "Breaking Away." Indiana University students and locals alike flock to this giant limestone pond on hot summer days just like the characters in the movie that made the quarry famous.\nOne IU sophomore and informatics/telecommunications major first heard about the quarry from other people on the floor of his dorm during his freshman year and has been to the quarry several times since. He said he goes quarry jumping "for the thrill and the outdoor party-like atmosphere." He explained that the number of people at "Rooftop" varies depending on the day. On his most recent visit with some friends, he noted that they arrived on a weekend "at about one or one-thirty. There were about fifteen people there already and more came."\nAdjacent property owner, farmer and lifetime Monroe County resident Tom Bartlett said he started swimming in the quarries during the, early to mid '60s when he was, 12 or 13-years-old. Bartlett learned about the quarries from his father who used to drive their cattle to a smaller quarry to let them drink during hot summer months when the well water was low. \n"All the kids swam in them," Bartlett said. "It would be a Sunday afternoon thing. Whole families would go out there." \nThis was at a time before the man-made Lake Monroe was built for recreation. Bartlett and other local residents frequented a quarry that was known as "Earnestine" rather the one featured in "Breaking Away," although college students were going back to the now famous quarry even before the movie was filmed.\n"Longhole was more for the skinny dippers and college kids and things like that," said Bartlett. \nEven though the area is frequented by visitors it is illegal to go back to the quarry. Indiana State Trooper Travis Corea explained that when people go back there, it is considered trespassing. Many visitors understand that swimming in the quarry is illegal despite signs that warn "No Trespassing." In some areas of the property, however, these signs have been torn down. \nOn his first trip to the quarry, the IU sophomore didn't realize he was going to be trespassing until they, "got there and had to park at a church and walk back there. That's when it hit home that it was trespassing." \n"Trespassing wasn't enforced real hard until the movie came out," Bartlett said. They would always overlook it, but the numbers (of visitors) went astronomical after the movie came out."\nWhile fear of fines from trespassing won't keep most people out, the dangers of jumping into an abandon rock quarry will now keep one IU student from ever jumping in again. Sophomore Brittney Dyer says she, "would never do it again." She went out to the quarry with three friends during the summer, "just looking for some fun to do." \n"I jumped feet first off 'Rooftop' and tried to keep my body upright," Dyer said. "The momentum of the jump threw me backwards and I landed in the water on my back. I broke my wrist, cracked my sternum and sustained serious bruising along the entire backside of my legs due to excessive burst blood vessels. I couldn't move because of pain in my back, and was therefore bedridden for several weeks. The bruises took over a year to heal and I still suffer from back and neck soreness today. Because of my injuries, I couldn't swim or breathe. I was rescued out of the water by a stranger who was luckily watching from below." \nWhen asked to give advice to any would-be quarry jumpers Dyer said, "It doesn't matter whether it's your first attempt or your twentieth, one wrong move and you could be seriously injured. Ask any adult who grew up in Bloomington, and odds are they will know someone who was injured or died in a quarry related accident. When I think about the force in which my body hit the water, I feel very lucky to be alive and without paralyzing injury. There are plenty of other ways to get a cheap thrill."\nWhen asked to comment on the dangers of quarry jumping Bartlett added, "My dad told me about a guy who got killed jumping off of 'Rooftop'. Happened in probably [the] late fifties. He was a local boy, and there's been some since then."\nLongtime Bloomington resident Jeff Sympson, who owns property that borders the famous quarry, explained how a man drowned within the last year. The man was swimming in the water and his buddies were sitting on the edge talking to him. All of a sudden his friends couldn't find him. They thought he was playing a joke at first, but what had actually happened was that the man began cramping up and drowned. "The paramedics found him about fifteen feet below the surface (of the water) suspended," Sympson said.\nWhile quarry jumping may be a "thrill" and feel great on a hot summer day, there are many dangers. Not to mention that Bloomington's most famous quarry is on private property. Quarries are a part of Bloomington and Indiana University's history that are literally etched in stone. They will be forever remembered in that Hoosier favorite "Breaking Away." As for jumping into them, it may prove beneficial to remember some common sense advice and not try everything we see in the movies.
(06/07/06 10:04pm)
A unique building opened its doors Friday evening, to give Bloomington a taste of The Hospital. A renovated space with art and music studios in addition to a performance space set to hold dance parties, rock bands, and more, with modern art covering the walls. \nMark Rice and Aaron Deer also call the Hospital their home. Living and working in the space for the last month, they are excited about the self-proclaimed "labor of love." \n"Aaron and I are both musicians so it's great to have a studio here," Rice said. "Sometimes I'll find at 8 p.m. I haven't left the house yet, but I've gotten a lot done." \nRice, Deer and friends say they have spent a couple hundred hours getting the place ready for performances and have lots of ideas for the shows. They would ideally like to have close to ten events a month, with Deer stressing diversity when detailing his vision of the space. \n"We want as much variety as possible- not to forge a niche," Deer said. We don't want people to say, 'oh there's something at the Hospital tonight. It's going to be one of those shows.' We want to surprise people."\nDeer said the space will be an all-ages venue which, at least for now, does not sell alcohol and he hopes Bloomington will embrace it and help them guide the future of the space. \n"It's something everyone in the community can be involved in," Deer said. We've been in town long enough where we know enough people to have endless shows, but we want to open it up to everyone and stretch the boundaries of what art can be."\nPatrons of all ages came through The Hospital's open house were excited about the new space. More than a couple hundred people came to check out the space, a DJ, and lots of artwork. The artwork included photographs, sculptures, and a piece in which viewers opened a door to a projected screen image, which added a new object on every opening.\n"I think it's creative, edgy, and modern, but hard to find," said junior Amy Rickards, as she checked out some of the art work.\nLocated at 1021 S. Walnut, The Hospital is rather hard to find, tucked next to a scuba shop on the south side of town. The Hospital is not allowed to put up a sign due to restrictions on the property, but two lit up crosses highlight the area at night. \nThe Bloomington community that found the space seemed really excited about what can be accomplished there. \n"It's great," said Michael Anderson, Bloomington artist. "It's a perfect space for multi-media art. There's a lot of potential here." \nThe Hospital has come to be through the dedication of 13 artists, who share the space for a multitude of creativity.\n"It's taken about a month so far to get the place ready," said Shelley Harrison. "It looks pretty good so far, but it needs some work. "Six of us have art or music studios, some people of us book bands, fashion and art shows, and dance parties."\nFrequently alternating modern art, hanging from its high, white walls and showcased in a number of creative ways will be a trademark of the artsy venue. There is also a sewing room and video editing equipment.\nThe space is similar to The Church, which was around for a few months in the fall of last year as a performance space, but one of its founders, IU Graduate Elaina Morgan sees more promise for The Hospital. \n"The Church was my baby, but it had a lot of problems," Morgan said. "It was kind of filthy and left something to be desired. This space is better equipped for everything we want to do."\nMorgan seems determined to keep the idea of a work and living space alive.\n"I think there's a lot of potential here," Morgan said. "I've seen three year olds to 50 year olds come through today and I'm getting requests for shows from people in the community everyday."\nRice said that he's excited about the band "Home" and has a friend in New York coming in to do installation art for the show. He has ideas for an "install off" where four artists use their corner of the space for whatever they want. \nMembers of the art community found a lot of good in the space at its open house. \n"I'm excited to have another all-ages venue," said Zak McCarty, member of the band Puppy vs. Dyslexia.\nAnother fan of the space saw it as a way to showcase work of people underrepresented in the Bloomington community.\n"It's nice to see a place for contemporary art that's not the University or Waldron Art Center," said local photographer Jeremy Hogan. "Others besides students and retired people do art.\nDeer said the venue could only have been set-up in Bloomington. What he calls a good town with a lot of great people in it. The name of the venue is certainly unique, but Deer has his explanation. \n"The Hospital name is kind of a metaphor for the art community," he said. "You need to come in, and help keep yourself in tune. And I recommend frequent checkups"
(06/07/06 9:56pm)
Now that school's over I've been able to fully invest my time in the entertainment world. And while all Hollywood's happenings might not be worth mentioning (what if I don't want to be on Team Denise or Team Heather?) there have been some pretty big events recently. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the month of May.\nThe summer movie season officially began, but not as studios had hoped. "Mission: Impossible 3" bombed! Ok, a $48 million opening weekend is by no means bad, but a franchise film starring Tom Cruise debuting in over 4,000 theaters could have easily pulled in another $20 mil. For months there's been speculation over whether Tom's recent behavior, mainly alienating his female fans (haha, get it, alien), would affect his box office performance. Sure everyone's sick of his antics, but to the point of boycotting? Despite all his craziness the public is forgetting Tom actually is a great actor (remember "Magnolia" and "Jerry Maguire?"), and unlike most tabloid targets (cough, Jessica Alba, cough) he has the talent to back up his actions. Come on people, threaten a backlash but don't actually follow through with it. Plus there's other people besides Tom who get hurt by this, like director J.J. Abrahams (the man created "Lost," he should never experience pain for the blessing he's given us), Keri Russell (this could cause her to go back into hibernation), and all the other behind the scenes people. And if Tom's movies are failing, does this mean Katie's next movie will only make $4 million instead of 7? At least the industry can relax after that furry mutant bailed the box office out (No not Kelsey Grammer in X-Men, I'm talking about Tom Hanks "DaVinci Code" mullet.)\nMay was also season finale time. For the most part all of my shows ended nicely, and though the Jim and Pam make-out session in "The Office" was perfect, many other show's hook-ups were just plain icky. Like Lorelai going back to Christopher on "Gilmore Girls", J.D's girlfriend getting knocked up on "Scrubs," Gabriella catching Carlos and the maid screwing around on "Desperate Housewives," and Meredith and McDreamy doing the dirty at a fake prom. Ugh, with them getting back together, "Grey's Anatomy" is going to suffer "OC" Ryan and Marissa syndrome and get stuck in a romance that drags down the show for two seasons. Speaking of "The OC," I refuse to even mention the death of Marissa Cooper, I'm done with the show forever. Ok fine, just a little rant. Whyyyyyy Whyyyyy Whyyyyy (you think Nancy Kerrigan can scream those words, she's got shit on me)! Sure Coop and I had our differences but killing her won't solve the show's problems. Seriously, how did it get this bad? Oh well, California here we won't come anymore.\nTaylor Hicks won "American Idol" but when his name was announced there was only one thing I could think about as Katherine McPhee smiled in the background, do you think Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini are still friends? The obvious answer is no. Kelly is huge now and well, Justin is not. And after "From Justin to Kelly" they'd probably want to distance themselves forever (hey maybe "Since You've Been Gone" is about him), but that's like surviving the Titanic or some other disaster, you're bound together for life. While Justin's probably living off his uncle Samuel L. Jackson, (speaking of Samuel only 71 days until motherfuckin' "Snakes on a Plane!") Kelly is deservedly getting all the attention and their friendship is never even mentioned, leading me to believe it never actually existed. Kelly, give me a call and let me know.\nOn May 30th I woke up at seven (which does not happen often) to say farewell to Katie Couric. Truthfully I only watch "The Today Show" about five times a year, but it makes me sad that I won't have the option of watching it anymore. Sure if I want a Couric fix I could switch to CBS, but that involves watching the news, and me and important issues just don't mix (can't you tell, I just rambled about Justin and Kelly's relationship). The show was so pack filled with clips that I kept waiting for the "Montage" song from "Team America" to break out. Instead Tony Bennett sang "The Way You Look Tonight," the song that Katie and her late husband danced to at their wedding (insert teardrop here). But maybe Katie isn't the nurturing Queen of Nice we all view her as. Giving Meredith Vierra her job means the ladies on "The View" now have to suffer the wrath of Rosie O'Donnell. My money says Star Jones eats her first.\nThankfully Brad and Angelina had their baby Shiloh (perhaps they were hoping for a beagle puppy instead) in Narnia, er, Namibia thus making her ineligible to run for president, so all worries about the Pitts' world domination can be put to rest. But enough about them, lets congratulate Mira Sorvino for being sane and naming her son Johnny.
(06/07/06 9:47pm)
As a game concept, a great white shark eating people ranks right up there with "Wilmer Valderama Tries to Nail Every Legal Hollywood Starlet Under Age 23."\nAnd in "Jaws Unleashed" it's just plain fun to stalk swimmers, divers and scientists before dragging them to the bottom of the sea and tearing them in half in an orgy of blood and gore to replenish your constantly fading appetite and health bars.\nJaws has got a couple other moves like a tail whip and charge attack, but they're harder to execute because of the finnicky controls (a problem just about every game faces when set underwater), and are not nearly as much fun as eating people. After a basic training mission, and a ridiculous opening mission where Jaws grabs a scientist to open a locked door and eats a Shamu-look-a-like in front of dozens of now-traumatized children, the shark is set loose in a wide-open GTA-style world full of side-missions.\nGraphics are above average, especially when it's chowtime for the great white, but the Xbox is capable of a lot more. Soundwise, screams of your victims are pretty basic, but there are some cool variations of the classic Jaws theme.\nThere's some kind of claptrap story (complete with C-grade voice acting) here about getting back at the town of Amity Island, but I'm pretty sure paying attention to it will actually drop your IQ about 20 points.\nStill, the game is pretty lengthy and full of unlockables and trivia about the movie, but much like dating Lindsay Lohan, after awhile you realize that though it's fun for a while, it's a pretty shallow experience. At $30, this is a budget title, and it shows. The game was delayed for almost a year and could probably use a few more months of polish. But much like the GTA series, the pure, unadulterated, bloody fun of being a vicious man-eating shark let loose on an unsuspecting town overcomes a lot of the games technical problems.
(06/07/06 9:41pm)
Spanish film director Luis Buñuel used to say, "thank God I'm an atheist." The highly outspoken, anti-fascist filmmaker is best known in the world of cinema for his early collaborations with Salvador Dalí and surrealist films such as "Un Chien Analou" and "The Golden Age." While these two crowning achievements garnered him international praise and jumpstarted his long and prosperous career, Buñuel was also considered to be somewhat of a political menace. \n"Viridiana" was shot in 1961 and was Buñuel's first film in Spain since his departure to France and later Mexico in 1939. Upon its release "Viridiana" was not only banned in Spain (a ban that lasted till the '70s after the fall of Franco's regime) but it was also fully denounced by the Vatican for being inappropriate and blatantly anti-Catholic. \nViridiana (Silvia Pinal) is a young, beautiful woman on her way to becoming a nun and entering a life of religious piety, chastity and above all, a strict moral lifestyle. Her lonely uncle Don Jaime (Fernando Rey), who has just lost his wife, summons his niece to visit him before she makes her final vows and in turn he asks for her hand in marriage because of her striking resemblance to the said wife. Viridiana denies, Don Jaime drugs her in order to take care of his physical desires, then hangs himself and leaves his estate and wealth to Viridiana and his son Jorge, thus prolonging her path to sisterhood and creating tensions in the manor. \n"Viridiana" is very much a film that deals with issues of lust, devotion, love, sin, civil humanity and, of course, religion. The film is a scathing look at both social politics in Spain and a departure from strict, sacred religious morals. Surrealistic images like a crucifix that doubles as a pocket knife or a scene where some drunken bums reenact the Last Supper, are examples of Buñuel's persistent desire to criticize and satirize the state of Spain during the Franco fascist regime. \nThe wonderful Criterion DVD features a stunning transfer of the film, an interview with Mexican actress Silvia Pinal and author/Buñuel expert Richard Porton and an extensive booklet featuring an essay and interview with Buñuel. The most significant extra, however, is a fascinating mini documentary about Buñuel's career from a 1964 French television show, chronicling his early work and his cinematic styles.\nBuñuel is to this day one of the most important filmmakers to come out of Spain and has no doubt influenced modern Spanish directors like Alejandro Amenábar or Pedro Almódovar, both who dabble in Buñuelesque dark humor and eroticism. "Viridiana" is an interesting vision that exposes the problems that Buñuel believed plagued Spain under fascism. It is shocking, funny and disturbing, but also has a certain level of humanity and questions morality, beliefs and basic human desires.
(06/07/06 9:36pm)
There was no event more divisive in America during the last 50 years than the Vietnam War. While everyone seemed to have an opinion on the rights and wrongs of the war, the men who actually fought were often ignored or forgotten. Oliver Stone's "Platoon" was a breakthrough in that it told the story of the Vietnam War through the eyes of the common enlisted soldier, and did so without glossing over the harsh realities of the war.\nIt helped that Stone served in Vietnam in 1967-68, as his script and direction take on a real air of authenticity. Most of the events and characters in the movie are based upon what Stone actually encountered during his time there.\n"Platoon" essentially chronicles Stone's experiences through the character of Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), who arrives in Vietnam wide-eyed and naïve, having volunteered to serve his country. Almost immediately though, Chris's preconceptions are shattered as he cannot make sense of the confusion around him. To Chris and his fellow men, Vietnam becomes Hell, an inescapable pit of death, rape, heat and bugs. Their only release comes in getting high and singing Motown in their downtime.\nThe rest of the film is centered on an ideological battle for the soldiers' minds manifested in the characters of Sgt. Barnes (a brutal Tom Berenger) and Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe, at his most compassionate). Barnes and his followers are hawks in the strictest sense, with their hatred for the Vietnamese prevailing over everything else. Elias serves with a more benevolent hand, questioning the Army's involvement and actions in the war. \nThis new two-disc set is worth having just for the special features alone. Along with the usual fare of commentaries, deleted scenes and trailers, there are six documentaries included that range from the historical aspects of the war, to the difficulties of filming in the Philippines, to an emotional Q&A with real veterans after a screening of the film. \nThe most interesting \ndocumentary centered on the cast's experience prior to and during filming. Stone, wanting his actors to understand just what Vietnam was like, put them through two weeks of simulated army duty in the Philippine jungle. Although most of the cast came to detest Stone for his brazen and authoritarian tactics, he was clearly able to coax some of the best performances of their careers. \n"Platoon" should be mandatory viewing for anyone who wants to understand the true nature of war. War is glorious only in hindsight, and is not about political leadership or brilliant-minded generals, but about the men who fight on their behalf.
(06/07/06 9:33pm)
Cheddar, provolone, bree: cheeses that could describe the cheesiness that is "High School Musical." But when using the adjective cheesy people often forget, cheese tastes good. \nThe story begins at a vacation resort New Year's Eve party where teeny boppers Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) are forced into singing a karaoke duet. As they take the stage they discover they have amazing computer enhanced singing voices they were never aware of. The couple shares a magical night but as vacation ends they must part ways until, as luck would have it, Gabriella's mom gets transferred and she ends up at Troy's high school. The two decide to audition together for the school's musical, but problem is, on Troy's home turf he's worshiped for being the varsity basketball stud. His teammates freak out about his new interest in theater (though they have no problem expressing their anger in song in dance) and the two must also compete against reigning drama club thespians, brother-sister team Ryan and Sharpay (who often get a little too close for sibling comfort).\nThis made-for-TV Disney Channel movie became a phenomenon earlier this year when it pulled in over 36 million viewers and the soundtrack topped the Billboard album charts, selling over 2 million copies (making it the top album of 2006 to date, unheard of for a made for TV movie soundtrack).And while it may just be "Grease" for young kids, It's nice to know its success may spark interest in movie musicals for a new generation after "Rent" and "The Producers" failed to score big.\nObviously the film is made for young audiences (it's so innocent it doesn't even let its leads kiss) and its corniness makes "Grease 2" look like "Casablanca," but that doesn't mean educated college students can't enjoy it. The awesome songs are annoyingly catchy (had the film been released in theaters "Breaking Free" would easily take home the Oscar for best song) and Kenny Ortega's choreography is damn impressive (especially coming from a cast so young.) It's also refreshing to see high school students actually played by teenagers.\nSpecial features include a making of feature and instructional dance video (that's nearly impossible to follow), plus music videos and even a karaoke sing along version of the film.\nSo if next year you see some kid in Gresham trying to get the freshmen to dance around a lunch table in unison while singing a song called "Stick to the Status Quo" just ignore me, if no one joins in, I'll quit eventually. This is one guilty pleasure worth checking out.
(06/07/06 9:31pm)
With director Joe Roth (America's Sweethearts) and writer Richard Price (Shaft) teaming up together, along with a cast starring Samuel L. Jackson and Julianne Moore, "Freedomland" had everything going for it. The trailers have the movie made out to be a thriller with an edgy and unknown twist that leaves you with a desire to see it. Previews are meant to catch your eye by revealing interesting scenes, but with some movies, it seems that all of the interesting scenes from the movie are shown in that one preview, leaving nothing left to the rest of the movie. \n"Freedomland" is one of those movies where the trailer is as good as the movie is going to get. Julianne Moore (The Forgotten) plays Brenda, a dead-beat mother who is a recovering drug addict. The movie starts out slow with Brenda walking through what looks like the inner-city projects and arriving at a hospital with her hands covered in blood. Being one of the first to notice her, Detective Lorenzo Council (Jackson) approaches Brenda to learn that her car was jacked by a black man. However, it seems that the stolen car is the least of Brenda's worries, as she reveals that her four year old son was in the back seat of the car. Brenda's story seems to have one black man as the lead suspect, causing a major controversy and protest in the black community as many question the truth behind Brenda's story. \nWhile Detective Council is on a hunt for the black man blamed for stealing the car and the kidnapping of Brenda's son, a group of mother's who have suffered from the disappearance of their own children gather in the streets for a silent protest. Leading the protest is Karen Collucci ("The Soprano's" Edie Falco), a mother who lost her son and has since been moved by the incident. Karen begins a search for Brenda's missing son and soon learns that Brenda isn't quite telling the truth about what happened and the whereabouts of her son. \nThough the movie itself was unsatisfactory, it was well acted. The DVD case states this is "…Samuel L. Jackson's best work ever…", which I would have to disagree upon. Although Jackson shows a lot of dedication and passion in this role, he has played far too many other characters which clearly outshine his portrayal of Detective Council. Julianne Moore did a great job as an out-of -whack mother, though her performance reminded me a lot of her work in "The Forgotten." And with Edie Falco's role a much different one than she plays in "The Sopranos", she acted with a very tough and compassionate attitude, clearly that of her character. \nWith the movie and adaptation of Richard Price's novel being much of a disappointment, the DVD also lacks as it contains no special features. Given an "R" rating, this drama/mystery is geared towards adults, maybe older teens as it deals with a very serious and mature subject. However, I would not suggest that anyone rush to see this.
(06/07/06 9:28pm)
Simply put, Less Than Jake's new album is...Less Than Great. In With The Out Crowd, which was released in May, comes in the wake of Less Than Jake's 2003 hit album Anthem.\nFor those not familiar with their music, Less Than Jake is recognized mostly as a ska punk band. But their latest album features a new sound with less horns and more unnecessary shouting. The band's sound could be described as a combination of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Blink 182. I know that might sound like a good combination, but so did a collaboration between Michael Jackson and Eddie Murphy. \n"Soundtrack Of My Life" is the first song on the album and the song sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the record. Right off the bat you know the album is going to feature a lot of screaming, an abundance of complaining, and more teenage angst than an episode of "Saved By The Bell." If this is, in fact, the soundtrack to their lives, I wouldn't recommend seeing the movie.\nThe first single released off the album is ironically titled, "Overrated." I can't make this stuff up. In the song, the band asks out loud, "How can I be satisfied when everything is overrated?" Which led me to the obvious question, "How can I be satisfied when all of your songs sound exactly alike?"\nAnother song that most likely won't be nominated for any awards is, "Don't Fall Asleep On The Subway." I listened to this song about 10 times and still can't tell you what it is about. It sounds like Less Than Jake tried to fit as many words as possible into every line of the song. While doing this, they seemed to have failed to make the song have any real meaning. Oops.\nAlso, I'm pretty sure the band stopped trying when they recorded "Fall Apart." The intro to the song sounds eerily familiar to "There Goes My Hero" by the Goo Goo Dolls. To worsen the blow, on the same song the band sings "I can't stop this sinking feeling..." That line would be fine if Neil Diamond and several other artists hadn't recorded nearly the same phrase in, "Hooked On A Feeling."\nAlthough it sounds like I personally invented negativity, there is one song on the album I do enjoy. Less Than Jake saves their best for last with their last song on the album, "P.S. Shock The World." The song incorporates the horns that makes the group unique and sends an interesting message to its fans about their music.
(06/07/06 9:25pm)
It's always nice to listen to something that isn't like everything else that is out there, which usually happens to be popular. British hip-hop, at least in the states, is one of those things that sounds silly at first, but it's damn addictive, let me tell you. The Streets broke out on the scene in 2002 with Original Pirate Material, and are back with a new album entitled The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living.\nThis album is a direct autobiography of the bloke in charge, musical mastermind behind the Streets, Mike Skinner. It is a tale of sex, drugs, and violence, and Skinner's fame; he writes about his current life, unlike some rappers who write about being hard when they are from the suburbs (cough, cough Kanye West). The UK's a rough place, ever seen "Lock Stock" or "Snatch?" The album opener, "Prangin' Out," is all about paranoia and panic from doing drugs, and reminds you (or introduces you to) why the Streets are great. The tempo is a little slower, but things pick up with tracks like "War Of The Sexes," which you can infer what the subject matter is. And this song also includes the cheesiest line on the entire disc: "And remember not to get hammered either. 'Cause people who get hammered don't get to nail…" Stunning… \nSkinner tries his hand at slow, R & B-esque jams, and falls on his face. "All Out The Window" is a love song, and it's just annoying, I'm sorry. "Never Went To Church" is Skinner lamenting over his dead father and about him finding God. While very personal and heartwarming, it didn't do anything for me. \nWhere Skinner shines though is when he's being clever, damn clever indeed. "Can't Con An Honest Jon" is reminiscent of his track "The Irony Of It All" on Original Pirate Material (where he played two men: a drunkard and a weed enthusiast, who battle it out, defending their respective addiction). It describes in detail how to pull off a con, in a story-telling sort of way: quite possibly the best song on this album. And it's catchy.\nCompared to the latter two albums, this outing is the weakest one, but it's not necessarily a load of Von Trappe (that's crap in cockney if you didn't catch it). The beats are kind of weak, and Skinner is a little more conceited then in his previous efforts, where he talks about the common man and everyday life.\nBottom line: The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living is an enjoyable outing, and even if it's a little weak in places, it's better than anything you'll hear on MTV (even if you hear this on MTV). My advice would be to check out Original Pirate Material first (or even Skinner's second album, A Grand Don't Come For Free, which is a concept album about Skinner's travels through everyday life in search of love). But if you're into hip-hop, or just like obscure music, pick this up, oi.
(06/01/06 4:00am)
Follow-up sequels are always the franchise killers. Just look at Batman. It took the tragic antihero ten years to find a cinematic road to recovery after the 1995 release of "Batman Forever." When Brett Ratner took over as director for "X-Men: The Last Stand," the final installment of the X-Men trilogy, the fan community held its collective breath. Best known for "Rush Hour," Ratner was an unlikely candidate to fill the shoes of Brian Singer, who'd directed the previous two movies but left with most of the X-Men production staff to wrap up "Superman Returns." However, though "X3" fails to top its predecessors, Ratner still manages to deliver a competent summer blockbuster.\nA cure for the mutant gene has been discovered. Though some mutants are willing to embrace the idea, the mutant supremacist Magneto forms a brotherhood to combat what he sees as impending genocide. At the same time, Jean Grey -- who was buried under a mountain of water in the preceding movie -- has returned to life as the Dark Phoenix, a mutant of incalculable power. This was an epic event in the comic book series, a plotline that very well could have been the dominant theme of the movie. Instead, Phoenix stands by idly as events unfold around her, coming to life only when the action pertains directly to her. Though these two grand intrigues unfold in the presence of each other, they fail to merge into a unified plot.\nThe underlying strength of the X-Men trilogy has always been in its casting. For fans of the series' mutant mythology, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen were daydream embodiments of their comic book personas. Kelsey Grammer adds another dead-on portrayal to the roster as Beast. Still, as exciting as it is to see more comic book favorites, there is little opportunity for them to develop as characters. Colossus, Juggernaut, Kitty Pryde, Callisto, Multiple Man . . . the list of fan-sating mutant mayhem seems endless (and there's even a Sentinel to thrill the hardcore enthusiasts), but this parade of personality distracts from the inner struggles of the protagonists -- a mainstay of the X-men franchise. Characters like Angel flit around at the periphery of the story, while others are present only as fuel for the meat grinder.\n"X3's" body count gave the movie an apocalyptic flavor. Seeing Wolverine go to town on a bunch of baddies in "X2" made for a significant wow, but "X3's" explosion-laden, flesh-melting, knockout battle scenes rob the film of some of the subtle angst prominent in the previous installments. Cherished mainstays of the Marvel universe die unexpectedly -- two within the first half hour of the film -- and the miraculous resurrections of the comic world can only be stretched so far on film should a fourth movie ever surface.\nRegardless, you don't have to be a comic book aficionado to get a thrill out of "X-Men: The Last Stand." In fact, the movie stands on its own merits even for an audience who has never seen the first two installments. It's epic good versus evil, a superhuman action finale to a powerhouse trilogy.
(06/01/06 4:00am)
"This is the true story of seven jailbirds picked to live in an abandon hotel and find out what happens when people stop acting nice and start getting their eyes gouged out by a mental psycho path." No, "See No Evil" doesn't begin with this voice-over, but with all the arguing, hooking up and drugs, it's nothing more than a bad episode of "The Real World." Except people die. \nA group of young inmates are sent to clean up an abandoned hotel for a city work release program (smart idea), where an insane killer happens to live. Apparently inmates are now allowed designer clothes, beauty products and cell phones in jail as long as they are young and hot. Back in the day some nuns messed up our killer, Jacob Goodnight (played by WWE wrestler Kane), by making him wash his sins out of his eyes (or something like that, I don't know I kind of stopped paying attention) and now he gouges out the eyes of his victims. Turns out the victims were the lucky ones because, wait for it…wait for it… with their eyes scratched out they'll never have to watch this movie (ooh bet you weren't expecting that.) \nKane mopes around looking like the lovechild of John C. Reilly and the Hulk killing the kids, nothing too exciting. On a side note, my cousin used to work for the WWE and back in 5th grade I went backstage (or whatever you call backstage at a wrestling match) and met several wrestlers including Kane. So I saw Kane without his mask on, which was huge back then because Kane aaaalways wore a mask, but now since he's doing a whole movie without one, I guess it's not that big of a deal. Anyways... I could talk about all the crappy camera angles and weird ghost noises used (even though the hotel isn't haunted) but there's really no point, just don't see this movie.\nIn all fairness, "See No Evil" isn't much worse than its predecessors in a long list of bad horror movies to fly out of theaters this year. The sad part is how audiences continue to flock to these films. Even against "The DaVinci Code," "See No Evil" managed to have a pretty decent opening weekend. While you can't really expect much from a movie financed by the WWE and directed by a porn director (Gregory Dark), you'd at least think a porn director would know how to pleasure an audience. Guess not.
(06/01/06 4:00am)
If "The Rat" and "We've been Had" are the only Walkmen songs on your ipod and you've got $13 you're looking to piss away, you might want to stay away from A Hundred Miles Off. However, if you're favorite Walkmen song is "Hang on, Siobhan" like me and you're actually a fan, then go ahead and check out the latest from N.Y.s finest art-rock quintet. \nHamilton Leithauser and the boys try to step outside the box and expand with this one with the use of flamenco sounding horns on the albums first song "Louisiana" to later getting into strange tribal and punk rock percussion. Regardless of the experimentation, Miles is a Walkmen record through and through, with its trademark ambient reverbing guitars and brilliant, melodic piano and organ (not to be confused with the jerk-off, metrosexual sorority rock of the Killers and their use of the synthesizer). \nBut, the most surprising thing about the new record is that they have done absolutely nothing that resembles or builds on the catchy, pop-sensible, high energy tracks that made Bows and Arrows so popular and brought them so much acclaim. This is obviously a deliberate choice, one song is even titled "Always after You, 'til You Started after Me". \nLike every other to-cool-for-school indie rock band, they've run screaming in the other direction from whatever brings them national attention. Don't get me wrong, the album is very enjoyable. Upon listening, you'll immediately be humming "Boston" in the car and at work, and "Another One Goes By" with Leithauser's dylanesque croon over a gently swaying fifties sounding guitar, could be the best Walkmen song to date. \nIt's just that there is not a single moment on the album that gets your blood going. It's mellow and unstriking, which is fine but with the flashes of brilliance that have been seen in the past it would have been really nice to see these guys take a run at the throne of indie rock royalty and make an accessible, melody fueled rocking album. But I guess that's just not their brand of whisky. The way I see it, the Walkmen are just shy, standoff art rockers who are guilty of being great songwriters which sometimes causes unwanted attention from the masses. \nSo if you're an uptight music prick, the kind of asshole who hates the Strokes and won't admit Loaded is better than Nico, don't fret, the Walkmen are fighting to stay in obscurity. But if you're just a casual fan of that song from that car commercial or the previous NME tracks of the week, be careful because what you have is a solid record from a solid band but nothing that cashes in on the promise of Bows and Arrows. In fact it's about a hundred miles off.
