"Flushed Away" is a refreshing joyride of fun for everyone. Roddy St. James (voiced by Hugh Jackman) is a pampered pet mouse living in London's upscale Kensington neighborhood. When the humans go on vacation, they leave him with plenty of food and has no problem amusing himself with the abounding toys and electronics - that is, until street-rat Sid (Shane Richie) crashes the party. While trying to coerce Sid into taking a "whirlpool bath" in the toilet, Sid gives him a push instead and sends him on a whirlwind adventure.
For some reason, London's sewers are populated mostly by mice, rats, frogs and musically-talented but cowardly slugs that created entire cities using discarded items. It is in the sewers where Roddy meets street-smart Rita (Kate Winslet), a sort-of-pirate (complete with a boat called the Jammy Dodger), and joins her on a perilous journey. Rita is trying to save her (extremely large) family from poverty by keeping a large, gaudy (and kind of rose-colored) ruby away from an evil Toad (Ian McKellen). Meanwhile, Toad is unhatching dastardly plans requiring the aid of his (very) French cousin Le Frog (Jean Reno).
Stuffed full of clever jokes and hilarious physical comedy, "Flushed Away" never sacrifices laughs for story, or vice versa. Directors Henry Anderson, David Bowers, and Sam Fell have hit upon a brilliant combination of slapstick comedy, drama and adventure in an 85 minute film that flies by, leaving audiences satisfied. Collaborating with DreamWorks Animation, U.K.-based Aardman Features provides remarkable computer animation for the film.
It's the music in "Flushed Away," however, that nearly steals the show. From the singing (and occasionally serenading) slugs to the energetic soundtrack (including use of "Bohemian Like You" by the Dandy Warhols during a water-chase), the music helps keep the action seamless and even the youngest of audience members fascinated. Rated PG for crude humor and some language, "Flushed Away" is fun (and appropriate) for everyone. Families, friends, couples - this film is a must-see this fall!
Originally published in The Chronicle in November 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
28.2.11
'Saw III' slices through unanswered questions
"Saw III" is one of the goriest movies ever released in American theatres. I have been watching horror movies since childhood and have recently reviewed gorefests such as "Saw II" and "Hostel" without turning away from the screen in disgust or terror. While watching "Saw III," however, I covered my eyes to block out the intense gore at least twice during the film and spent several suspense-filled moments peeking through my fingers at the shocking imagery.
If you can get past the gore, "Saw III" has a fascinating plot that ties together loose ends from the first two films. Screenwriters Leigh Whannell and James Wan pick up where "Saw II" left off, with John/Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) near death and his assistant Amanda (Shawnee Smith) helping him set up his next games. Jigsaw's next game is for Jeff (Angus Macfadyen), who has a burning need for vengeance after losing his son to a car accident because of a drunk driver. Jeff must make it through a house of horrors where his own physical encounters are nothing compared to the psychological torture he faces as he sees the other victims in the house.
While Jeff struggles, so does Lynn (Bahar Soomekh), the depressed doctor Amanda has kidnapped to keep Jigsaw alive until Jeff's tests are completed. Lynn must cope with the increasingly unstable Amanda while trying to keep Jigsaw alive by any means necessary - including brain surgery with power tools.
Director Darren Lynn Bousman does a fantastic job of keeping the audience fascinated despite being disgusted, both by the gore and the blatant moral depravity in much of the subject matter. Rated R for strong grisly violence and gore, sequences of terror and torture, nudity and language, "Saw III" is appropriate only for the strongest of constitutions. During opening weekend, I observed parents bringing their young children (who couldn't have been more than eight years old) into the theatre for this film, which was completely irresponsible and reprehensible. Trust me, the cost of a babysitter for an evening is much less than the cost of therapy years later.
For those who have enjoyed the "Saw" films, "Saw III" will reward your patience with (almost all) the answers you're waiting for by the end of this brilliantly written film. Just remember to skip the concession line on your way in.
Originally published in The Chronicle in November 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
If you can get past the gore, "Saw III" has a fascinating plot that ties together loose ends from the first two films. Screenwriters Leigh Whannell and James Wan pick up where "Saw II" left off, with John/Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) near death and his assistant Amanda (Shawnee Smith) helping him set up his next games. Jigsaw's next game is for Jeff (Angus Macfadyen), who has a burning need for vengeance after losing his son to a car accident because of a drunk driver. Jeff must make it through a house of horrors where his own physical encounters are nothing compared to the psychological torture he faces as he sees the other victims in the house.
While Jeff struggles, so does Lynn (Bahar Soomekh), the depressed doctor Amanda has kidnapped to keep Jigsaw alive until Jeff's tests are completed. Lynn must cope with the increasingly unstable Amanda while trying to keep Jigsaw alive by any means necessary - including brain surgery with power tools.
Director Darren Lynn Bousman does a fantastic job of keeping the audience fascinated despite being disgusted, both by the gore and the blatant moral depravity in much of the subject matter. Rated R for strong grisly violence and gore, sequences of terror and torture, nudity and language, "Saw III" is appropriate only for the strongest of constitutions. During opening weekend, I observed parents bringing their young children (who couldn't have been more than eight years old) into the theatre for this film, which was completely irresponsible and reprehensible. Trust me, the cost of a babysitter for an evening is much less than the cost of therapy years later.
For those who have enjoyed the "Saw" films, "Saw III" will reward your patience with (almost all) the answers you're waiting for by the end of this brilliantly written film. Just remember to skip the concession line on your way in.
Originally published in The Chronicle in November 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
"A Christmas Story" delights audiences this holiday season
"A Christmas Story," based on the award-winning and time-honored film, provides magnificent holiday entertainment in Northwest Indiana this December. Munster resident Charles Gessert directs Jean Shepherd's hilarious autobiographical tale.
Norm Boucher is phenomenal as Ralph, a nostalgic man who vividly recollects a 1938 childhood Christmas in Hohman, Indiana, when all he wanted was a Red Rider BB gun, despite everyone's warnings that "you'll shoot your eye out" with such a toy. Young Ralphie (played magnificently and with remarkable facial expressions by Matt Gerhardt) is a fairly typical kid. He and his friends Flick (played by the talented George Mokdessi) and Schwartz (performed by a delightful young actor from Highland- Leonardo Garcia) get themselves into a bit of youthful trouble by daring each other to do things. This kind of encouragement is how Flick once finds himself with his tongue stuck to a cold metal pole in the schoolyard.
Ralphie is the subject of a childhood crush by schoolmate Ester Jane (a funny part radiantly delivered by the adorable Olivia Marcukaitis). He is also one of many targets menaced by local bully Scut Farkas (a role delivered by the gifted Brian T. Johnson). More important to Ralphie, though, is his mission to receive a BB gun for Christmas.
After careful consideration, Ralphie unleashes a plan to convince his mother (played by Mary Ernster) and father - better known as The Old Man (and played by John Reeger) - that he not only wants but needs the gun. Hilarity ensues and before long the entire audience will be nostalgic for Christmases past.
Scenic designer Ann N. Davis and properties designer Stanlee K. Hodsden do a brilliant job of bringing the multi-tiered set to life. Whether showing a warm family home (complete with gooey oatmeal for breakfast), Ralphie's classroom, or Santaland at Goblatts department store, the stage moves through the play with the realism of a movie set. Colored lights by lighting designer Carl Ulaszek take us inside Ralphie's imagination each time he loses himself in thought - imagining possible situations or fantasizing about his alternate life as a cowboy just like the Red Rider.
"A Christmas Story" is delightful with wonderful acting and all the charm of the film. Families seeking a holiday activity will find what they're looking for at Theatre at the Center.
Originally published in The Chronicle in December 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
Norm Boucher is phenomenal as Ralph, a nostalgic man who vividly recollects a 1938 childhood Christmas in Hohman, Indiana, when all he wanted was a Red Rider BB gun, despite everyone's warnings that "you'll shoot your eye out" with such a toy. Young Ralphie (played magnificently and with remarkable facial expressions by Matt Gerhardt) is a fairly typical kid. He and his friends Flick (played by the talented George Mokdessi) and Schwartz (performed by a delightful young actor from Highland- Leonardo Garcia) get themselves into a bit of youthful trouble by daring each other to do things. This kind of encouragement is how Flick once finds himself with his tongue stuck to a cold metal pole in the schoolyard.
Ralphie is the subject of a childhood crush by schoolmate Ester Jane (a funny part radiantly delivered by the adorable Olivia Marcukaitis). He is also one of many targets menaced by local bully Scut Farkas (a role delivered by the gifted Brian T. Johnson). More important to Ralphie, though, is his mission to receive a BB gun for Christmas.
After careful consideration, Ralphie unleashes a plan to convince his mother (played by Mary Ernster) and father - better known as The Old Man (and played by John Reeger) - that he not only wants but needs the gun. Hilarity ensues and before long the entire audience will be nostalgic for Christmases past.
Scenic designer Ann N. Davis and properties designer Stanlee K. Hodsden do a brilliant job of bringing the multi-tiered set to life. Whether showing a warm family home (complete with gooey oatmeal for breakfast), Ralphie's classroom, or Santaland at Goblatts department store, the stage moves through the play with the realism of a movie set. Colored lights by lighting designer Carl Ulaszek take us inside Ralphie's imagination each time he loses himself in thought - imagining possible situations or fantasizing about his alternate life as a cowboy just like the Red Rider.
"A Christmas Story" is delightful with wonderful acting and all the charm of the film. Families seeking a holiday activity will find what they're looking for at Theatre at the Center.
Originally published in The Chronicle in December 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
Ferrell, Hoffman deliver in "Stranger than Fiction"
I discovered two things during "Stranger than Fiction" - Will Ferrell can do drama, and literary theory can be successfully discussed in a Hollywood film.
Warm, sentimental, and absolutely captivating, "Stranger than Fiction" manages both comedy and drama without becoming hokey or (too) predictable. Harold Crick (Ferrell) is a slightly obsessive-compulsive but an otherwise terribly mundane IRS auditor. However, Harold's routine is suddenly and completely disturbed one Wednesday as he begins to hear a woman's voice narrate his life "accurately, and with a better vocabulary." That voice belongs to Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), an eccentric and somewhat disorganized author suffering from both writer's block and the new, unwanted, assistant, Penny (Queen Latifah) her publisher sent to her office to assure that Kay's new book is completed.
Unfortunately for Harold, Harold has never heard of Kay and she believes Harold exists only in her story. Even worse for Harold, Eiffel intends to kill the character she's writing about. In search of answers, Harold sees a therapist (Linda Hunt) who suggests he may be schizophrenic but eventually refers him to a literary expert. It is only after Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman) finds out about a key phrase in the narration that he takes Harold seriously, at which point he recommends Harold figure out whether he is in a comedy or a tragedy in order to determine how likely he is to actually be killed. This is further complicated, of course, by an eccentric baker named Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who Harold is currently auditing.
The acting in this film is fantastic. Ferrell and Gyllenhaal have remarkable chemistry, Hoffman shines in an unlikely role and Thompson plays Eiffel as such as brilliant train wreck that we often worry about her safety as much as Harold's. "Stranger than Fiction" manages to avoid too much of the annoying overt "life is short, live it to the fullest" message by contemplating the situations in which Harold finds himself as well taking an interesting approach to the "predestined fate versus free-will" argument.
This film is rated PG-13 for some disturbing images, sexuality, brief language and nudity, but its contemplative nature will have appeal little to the younger crowd anyway. Director Marc Forster's "Stranger than Fiction" is unexpectedly thoughtful and powerful, leaving audiences with something to talk about for hours over coffee or drinks, unlike most films this holiday season.
Originally published in The Chronicle in November 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson
Warm, sentimental, and absolutely captivating, "Stranger than Fiction" manages both comedy and drama without becoming hokey or (too) predictable. Harold Crick (Ferrell) is a slightly obsessive-compulsive but an otherwise terribly mundane IRS auditor. However, Harold's routine is suddenly and completely disturbed one Wednesday as he begins to hear a woman's voice narrate his life "accurately, and with a better vocabulary." That voice belongs to Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), an eccentric and somewhat disorganized author suffering from both writer's block and the new, unwanted, assistant, Penny (Queen Latifah) her publisher sent to her office to assure that Kay's new book is completed.
Unfortunately for Harold, Harold has never heard of Kay and she believes Harold exists only in her story. Even worse for Harold, Eiffel intends to kill the character she's writing about. In search of answers, Harold sees a therapist (Linda Hunt) who suggests he may be schizophrenic but eventually refers him to a literary expert. It is only after Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman) finds out about a key phrase in the narration that he takes Harold seriously, at which point he recommends Harold figure out whether he is in a comedy or a tragedy in order to determine how likely he is to actually be killed. This is further complicated, of course, by an eccentric baker named Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who Harold is currently auditing.
The acting in this film is fantastic. Ferrell and Gyllenhaal have remarkable chemistry, Hoffman shines in an unlikely role and Thompson plays Eiffel as such as brilliant train wreck that we often worry about her safety as much as Harold's. "Stranger than Fiction" manages to avoid too much of the annoying overt "life is short, live it to the fullest" message by contemplating the situations in which Harold finds himself as well taking an interesting approach to the "predestined fate versus free-will" argument.
This film is rated PG-13 for some disturbing images, sexuality, brief language and nudity, but its contemplative nature will have appeal little to the younger crowd anyway. Director Marc Forster's "Stranger than Fiction" is unexpectedly thoughtful and powerful, leaving audiences with something to talk about for hours over coffee or drinks, unlike most films this holiday season.
Originally published in The Chronicle in November 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson
Ditch 'School for Scoundrels'
"School for Scoundrels" is "Hitch" meets "Napoleon Dynamite" - a sort-of-romantic comedy that tries too hard and comes off as too unbelievable to provide more than a handful of cheap laughs. Roger (John Heder) is a New York meter maid with chronic panic attacks and a large collection of self-help books. He has a crush on his beautiful grad student neighbor, Amanda (Jacinda Barrett), but can't talk to her without being mocked by her snobby roommate (Sarah Silverman).
Roger's such a loser that he's even rejected by the kids he volunteers to spend time with in the Big Brother program. After being rejected by the third kid in a row, he seeks advice from a friend, Ian (David Cross), about how to be less of an overall loser. Ian offers Roger the phone number to a confidence-building class that helped him go from being a total loser to being able to find dates on the simple luck that he looks a bit like the singer Moby.
Suddenly, Roger finds himself taking a course on how to become a lion under the tutelage of the abusive and greasy "Dr. P." (Billy Bob Thornton) and his violent and anally fixated assistant, Lesher (Michael Clark Duncan). Dr. P. seems to be trying as hard to teach the class full of wishy-washy guys to be liars as lions. One of his predominant pieces of advice for the class is "lie, lie and lie some more." Roger begins to rise to the head of the class when the men head out for a hilarious paintball battle and he stands victorious over Lesher.
Unfortunately, as Ian warns Roger too late, Dr. P. is competitive against his top students. Just as things are starting to look up for Roger, including a dinner-date with Amanda, Dr. P. pulls out all the stops in a competition that includes everything from a violent tennis match to a spray-painted dog. If the stunts weren't so over-the-top and unbelievable, they'd be much funnier.
Director, producer, and writer Todd Phillips took things just a bit too far, which is unfortunate because the overall idea is entertaining. Thornton and Heder have great chemistry - but neither were really the right choice for the individual parts. Thornton is too stiff as Heder is too "Napoleon Dynamite." Ben Stiller provides a few laughs in an interesting role, but he doesn't come close to saving the film.
While "School for Scoundrels" might make a decent weekend rental in the snowy winter months, it isn't worth the trip to the theatre (even for a matinee). Personally, I'd be more interested to try and find the 1960 British film of the same title, which might have a chance of being funnier and more plausible.
Originally published in The Chronicle in October 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
Roger's such a loser that he's even rejected by the kids he volunteers to spend time with in the Big Brother program. After being rejected by the third kid in a row, he seeks advice from a friend, Ian (David Cross), about how to be less of an overall loser. Ian offers Roger the phone number to a confidence-building class that helped him go from being a total loser to being able to find dates on the simple luck that he looks a bit like the singer Moby.
Suddenly, Roger finds himself taking a course on how to become a lion under the tutelage of the abusive and greasy "Dr. P." (Billy Bob Thornton) and his violent and anally fixated assistant, Lesher (Michael Clark Duncan). Dr. P. seems to be trying as hard to teach the class full of wishy-washy guys to be liars as lions. One of his predominant pieces of advice for the class is "lie, lie and lie some more." Roger begins to rise to the head of the class when the men head out for a hilarious paintball battle and he stands victorious over Lesher.
Unfortunately, as Ian warns Roger too late, Dr. P. is competitive against his top students. Just as things are starting to look up for Roger, including a dinner-date with Amanda, Dr. P. pulls out all the stops in a competition that includes everything from a violent tennis match to a spray-painted dog. If the stunts weren't so over-the-top and unbelievable, they'd be much funnier.
Director, producer, and writer Todd Phillips took things just a bit too far, which is unfortunate because the overall idea is entertaining. Thornton and Heder have great chemistry - but neither were really the right choice for the individual parts. Thornton is too stiff as Heder is too "Napoleon Dynamite." Ben Stiller provides a few laughs in an interesting role, but he doesn't come close to saving the film.
While "School for Scoundrels" might make a decent weekend rental in the snowy winter months, it isn't worth the trip to the theatre (even for a matinee). Personally, I'd be more interested to try and find the 1960 British film of the same title, which might have a chance of being funnier and more plausible.
Originally published in The Chronicle in October 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
DiFranco delights Chicago fans
Some may say that Ani DiFranco has mellowed during recent years. During her concert at the Chicago Theatre on Oct. 13, however, it seemed that she was as sure of herself as ever - she's just at a different place in her life.
In a very intimate performance, despite the large (and very full) audience, DiFranco spoke freely about impending motherhood (she's about four months pregnant), her own personal politics and even shared a few humorous anecdotes and poems during her set. And what an amazing set it was. In addition to playing several songs from her new album "Reprieve," DiFranco treated fans to some old favorites as well as debuting a few new songs.
Much to the audience's delight, DiFranco kicked off the show with "Shy," one of the most popular tracks from her 1999 album "Not a Pretty Girl." From there, DiFranco frequently shifted the pace, moving between eras in her music much like thumbing through an old photo album. The fans were with her every step of the way, cheering as they heard the opening notes of some of their favorite songs and watching with wide-eyed awe as she shared new songs for the first time.
DiFranco's stage presence is as stripped down as her emotions. A simple, yet elegant backdrop and shifting colored lights illuminated DiFranco and her two-piece band, but never once eclipsed the performance, as is often the case at large concerts. Instead of attempting to use style to cover a lack of substance, DiFranco has truly mastered the balance between the two and the art of actually communicating with her fans.
The show seemed to end far too quickly (although she is pregnant) as she closed her set with the riotous "Shameless." The audience seemed incredibly relieved when she returned to the stage for an encore and closed the show with "Hypnotize" - as she called it, a lullaby. And it was. As the hundreds in attendance filed out of the building with the beautiful melody of her closing song still in their heads, it was clear that everyone would sleep a bit easier after the experience.
Originally published in The Chronicle in October 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
In a very intimate performance, despite the large (and very full) audience, DiFranco spoke freely about impending motherhood (she's about four months pregnant), her own personal politics and even shared a few humorous anecdotes and poems during her set. And what an amazing set it was. In addition to playing several songs from her new album "Reprieve," DiFranco treated fans to some old favorites as well as debuting a few new songs.
Much to the audience's delight, DiFranco kicked off the show with "Shy," one of the most popular tracks from her 1999 album "Not a Pretty Girl." From there, DiFranco frequently shifted the pace, moving between eras in her music much like thumbing through an old photo album. The fans were with her every step of the way, cheering as they heard the opening notes of some of their favorite songs and watching with wide-eyed awe as she shared new songs for the first time.
DiFranco's stage presence is as stripped down as her emotions. A simple, yet elegant backdrop and shifting colored lights illuminated DiFranco and her two-piece band, but never once eclipsed the performance, as is often the case at large concerts. Instead of attempting to use style to cover a lack of substance, DiFranco has truly mastered the balance between the two and the art of actually communicating with her fans.
The show seemed to end far too quickly (although she is pregnant) as she closed her set with the riotous "Shameless." The audience seemed incredibly relieved when she returned to the stage for an encore and closed the show with "Hypnotize" - as she called it, a lullaby. And it was. As the hundreds in attendance filed out of the building with the beautiful melody of her closing song still in their heads, it was clear that everyone would sleep a bit easier after the experience.
Originally published in The Chronicle in October 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
Hold a 'grudge' against Grudge 2
Director of the original Japanese version of "The Grudge," as well as this English-language remake, Takashi Shimizu could have done something interesting instead of doing more of the same. We already know that those exposed to the curse of fatally abused wife Kayako (Takako Fuji) are mentally tortured before being killed. "The Grudge 2" just shows us that the curse can travel outside Tokyo - and Japan, for that matter.
Shimizu gives us three vignettes that are intertwined with little cohesion. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns for a brief cameo as Karen Davis, an international college student hospitalized in Tokyo after trying to burn down the house where the curse originated. Karen's ailing mother (Joanna Cassidy) gets the call that her daughter has been in an accident and books a flight for Karen's estranged sister, Aubrey (Amber Tamblyn). In Tokyo, Aubrey meets a journalist named Eason (Edison Chen) seeking answers of his own.
Also in Japan (but apparently nowhere near Aubrey), Allison (Arielle Kebbel) is an international high school student eager to make friends with the cool girls. Unfortunately for Allison (and those around her), she learns just how real the curse is after being dared to enter the cursed house by two classmates.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, where the curse has spread to an apartment building, Trish (Jennifer Beals) has just moved in with her fiancé and his two children. The young, angst-ridden, and overly curious Jake (Matthew Knight) is the first to realize that something is amiss in his neighbors' apartment and is possibly the most likeable character in the film.
Despite the fact that "The Grudge 2" may be the first film to show a possessed teenager drinking mass amounts of milk and purging it back into the half gallon, it provides nothing fascinating or shocking. With so many promising films being released around this Halloween, there is no reason to see "The Grudge 2." Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, disturbing images/terror/violence, and some sexuality, it doesn't matter that "The Grudge 2" is accessible to teens - they won't enjoy it anyway.
"The Grudge 2" lacks creepiness and suspense, supplying instead a plethora of unfulfilling in-your-face money-shot scares. I felt like, at best, the film spent most of its nearly 90 minutes vaguely teasing my mind only to leave me without a satisfying climax or any fond memories.
Originally published in The Chronicle in October 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson
Shimizu gives us three vignettes that are intertwined with little cohesion. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns for a brief cameo as Karen Davis, an international college student hospitalized in Tokyo after trying to burn down the house where the curse originated. Karen's ailing mother (Joanna Cassidy) gets the call that her daughter has been in an accident and books a flight for Karen's estranged sister, Aubrey (Amber Tamblyn). In Tokyo, Aubrey meets a journalist named Eason (Edison Chen) seeking answers of his own.
Also in Japan (but apparently nowhere near Aubrey), Allison (Arielle Kebbel) is an international high school student eager to make friends with the cool girls. Unfortunately for Allison (and those around her), she learns just how real the curse is after being dared to enter the cursed house by two classmates.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, where the curse has spread to an apartment building, Trish (Jennifer Beals) has just moved in with her fiancé and his two children. The young, angst-ridden, and overly curious Jake (Matthew Knight) is the first to realize that something is amiss in his neighbors' apartment and is possibly the most likeable character in the film.
Despite the fact that "The Grudge 2" may be the first film to show a possessed teenager drinking mass amounts of milk and purging it back into the half gallon, it provides nothing fascinating or shocking. With so many promising films being released around this Halloween, there is no reason to see "The Grudge 2." Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, disturbing images/terror/violence, and some sexuality, it doesn't matter that "The Grudge 2" is accessible to teens - they won't enjoy it anyway.
"The Grudge 2" lacks creepiness and suspense, supplying instead a plethora of unfulfilling in-your-face money-shot scares. I felt like, at best, the film spent most of its nearly 90 minutes vaguely teasing my mind only to leave me without a satisfying climax or any fond memories.
Originally published in The Chronicle in October 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson
Spend a night with Dante and Randall
"Clerks 2" is a beautiful tale of love and friendship, the perfect film for an evening in and a great stocking-stuffer for your favorite Gen-Xer. Available to buy or rent on Nov. 28, "Clerks 2" is funny, heart-warming and delightfully over-the-top.
Kevin Smith's writer-director debut "Clerks" is a charming black-and-white film about the lives and aspirations of Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson), two twenty-somethings killing time behind the counter at a New Jersey Quick Stop. "Clerks 2" picks up 12 years later, where very little has changed, save for their jobs - after an unfortunate Quick Stop fire, they are flipping burgers at the local Mooby's.
However, Dante is getting ready to move on - and across the country to Florida - with his fiancée, Emma (played by Smith's wife, Jennifer Schwalbach). Meanwhile, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith), recently back from court-assigned drug rehab (perhaps a nod to Mewes' real-life struggles with substance abuse), are still hanging around outside selling marijuana (though now using their own take on religion to resist the urge to smoke it themselves).
As Dante's time in New Jersey draws to a close, he finds saying goodbye is never easy - especially as Randal plans a unique farewell party and Mooby's manager Becky (Rosario Dawson) weighs in with her own opinions on Dante's relationship.
Rated R for pervasive sexual and crude content including aberrant sexuality, strong language, and some drug material, "Clerks 2" is not for young or easily offended audiences. "Clerks 2" is an equal opportunity offender, spewing anti-"Lord of the Rings" and racist comments between poking fun at the obsessively-Christian, token virgin, Mooby's employee Elias (Trevor Fehrman). Still, the offensiveness is part of the charm as Smith returns to his roots and touches the hearts (and funny bones) of Gen-Xers who remember why every man wants a woman who will bring him lasagna at work.
Originally published in The Chronicle in November 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson
Kevin Smith's writer-director debut "Clerks" is a charming black-and-white film about the lives and aspirations of Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson), two twenty-somethings killing time behind the counter at a New Jersey Quick Stop. "Clerks 2" picks up 12 years later, where very little has changed, save for their jobs - after an unfortunate Quick Stop fire, they are flipping burgers at the local Mooby's.
However, Dante is getting ready to move on - and across the country to Florida - with his fiancée, Emma (played by Smith's wife, Jennifer Schwalbach). Meanwhile, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith), recently back from court-assigned drug rehab (perhaps a nod to Mewes' real-life struggles with substance abuse), are still hanging around outside selling marijuana (though now using their own take on religion to resist the urge to smoke it themselves).
As Dante's time in New Jersey draws to a close, he finds saying goodbye is never easy - especially as Randal plans a unique farewell party and Mooby's manager Becky (Rosario Dawson) weighs in with her own opinions on Dante's relationship.
Rated R for pervasive sexual and crude content including aberrant sexuality, strong language, and some drug material, "Clerks 2" is not for young or easily offended audiences. "Clerks 2" is an equal opportunity offender, spewing anti-"Lord of the Rings" and racist comments between poking fun at the obsessively-Christian, token virgin, Mooby's employee Elias (Trevor Fehrman). Still, the offensiveness is part of the charm as Smith returns to his roots and touches the hearts (and funny bones) of Gen-Xers who remember why every man wants a woman who will bring him lasagna at work.
Originally published in The Chronicle in November 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson
Survive a zombie attack with 'World War Z'
Max Brooks provided us with a guide to surviving possible zombie attacks in "The Zombie Survival Guide" (2003). Now Brooks is back, with an eerily realistic account of a fictional war in which the world was overtaken by zombies called "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War."
Brooks tells the stories of people touched by the world-wide zombie war across the globe. The individual tales feel so real, with such detail and expression, that it's hard to believe one person could write from so many perspectives. Though it is clear Brooks is expressing his own political ideas through this work, politics never gets in the way of heartbreaking - or, occasionally, heartwarming - stories of a world torn apart.
From the story of an Australian astronaut who risked his life and health believing he would likely never be rescued while on a space mission during the outbreak to a chaplain in Siberia who was charged with the task of mercifully shooting soldiers who had been bitten by zombies, the tales told by Brooks' characters are the ones that would happen if the dead ever did happen to rise from their rest. Brooks gets under your skin and into your head.
Heroic anecdotes, such as American military stand against the walking dead in Yonkers, N.Y, remind us that not everyone gets out alive, even when we win. Brooks does keep a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor (what else could you expect from Mel Brooks' son), and refers - on several occasions in the book - to the use of a civilian survival guide that was used by Americans during the war. Just under 350 pages in hardcover, "World War Z" is worth the read for everyone who enjoys zombies, conspiracy theories and survivalist fiction. Be warned, however, this isn't a gory sci-fi movie in print form. If you want George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," go rent the film - "World War Z" is a character study about the lives touched by the events more than the events themselves.
Originally published in The Chronicle in January 2007 as Jade Lee Culberson.
Brooks tells the stories of people touched by the world-wide zombie war across the globe. The individual tales feel so real, with such detail and expression, that it's hard to believe one person could write from so many perspectives. Though it is clear Brooks is expressing his own political ideas through this work, politics never gets in the way of heartbreaking - or, occasionally, heartwarming - stories of a world torn apart.
From the story of an Australian astronaut who risked his life and health believing he would likely never be rescued while on a space mission during the outbreak to a chaplain in Siberia who was charged with the task of mercifully shooting soldiers who had been bitten by zombies, the tales told by Brooks' characters are the ones that would happen if the dead ever did happen to rise from their rest. Brooks gets under your skin and into your head.
Heroic anecdotes, such as American military stand against the walking dead in Yonkers, N.Y, remind us that not everyone gets out alive, even when we win. Brooks does keep a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor (what else could you expect from Mel Brooks' son), and refers - on several occasions in the book - to the use of a civilian survival guide that was used by Americans during the war. Just under 350 pages in hardcover, "World War Z" is worth the read for everyone who enjoys zombies, conspiracy theories and survivalist fiction. Be warned, however, this isn't a gory sci-fi movie in print form. If you want George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," go rent the film - "World War Z" is a character study about the lives touched by the events more than the events themselves.
Originally published in The Chronicle in January 2007 as Jade Lee Culberson.
What happened to local theatres?
I remember when there were local theatres everywhere. As a child, I frequented the theatre just off Ridge Road near Venture (now K-Mart) in Griffith. Of course, that wasn't the only small theatre to frequent - especially as I got older. I found another two-screen theatre a bit further down Ridge Road, just into Gary. That theatre closed more recently - it seems like one day I was driving past it and the next I saw it empty, a shell of the years of local showings with friends.
And how many of us found a place at the Crossroads Theatre in Merrillville on Saturday nights for weekly showings of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show?" As a teen in the '90s, I remember meeting friends from all over Northwest Ind. (and Illinois) on those nights, in a place where looking or acting "different" was completely acceptable. Some of the friends I still hold dear I would never have met if not for those wild nights. How many other students at PUC can help but say the same?
The Crossroads closed this October. A young entrepreneur purchased it in the late '90s, in hopes of keeping our Saturday night dreams alive. Unfortunately, even the best of intentions - and fundraising done at the weekly shows by crowds desperate to keep the theatre going - couldn't stop the theatre from closing eventually. The last Saturday night show sold out (and then some), and as I looked around the crowd that night I knew how much the Crossroads would be missed.
Though the Crossroads Theatre will be the one most significantly missed, the AMC 9 in Merrillville is the one whose closing most surprised me. As I started doing weekly movie reviews in 2004 and 2005, I discovered that I preferred the less populated and more relaxed atmosphere of the AMC 9 instead of the new Kerasotes Theatre chain. As Kerasotes has infected the whole of Northwest Indiana like a disease, killing off so many other theatres, the AMC 9 was destroyed in favor of building yet another Kerasotes Theatre in the Westfield (formerly Southlake) Mall complex.
I have yet to walk through the doors of the Hobart (Merrillville) Showplace 12, and I don't ever plan to. They took the smaller, more friendly theatre where I saw "Serenity" for the first time (along with other favorites), and I don't want to give them my business. Don't we deserve the chance to choose where to see new release films in the Region? If Kerasotes can destroy all the small theatres in an area, they can achieve a monopoly on movie showings and that's bad for the community as well as the area's economy.
Originally published in The Chronicle in December 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
And how many of us found a place at the Crossroads Theatre in Merrillville on Saturday nights for weekly showings of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show?" As a teen in the '90s, I remember meeting friends from all over Northwest Ind. (and Illinois) on those nights, in a place where looking or acting "different" was completely acceptable. Some of the friends I still hold dear I would never have met if not for those wild nights. How many other students at PUC can help but say the same?
The Crossroads closed this October. A young entrepreneur purchased it in the late '90s, in hopes of keeping our Saturday night dreams alive. Unfortunately, even the best of intentions - and fundraising done at the weekly shows by crowds desperate to keep the theatre going - couldn't stop the theatre from closing eventually. The last Saturday night show sold out (and then some), and as I looked around the crowd that night I knew how much the Crossroads would be missed.
Though the Crossroads Theatre will be the one most significantly missed, the AMC 9 in Merrillville is the one whose closing most surprised me. As I started doing weekly movie reviews in 2004 and 2005, I discovered that I preferred the less populated and more relaxed atmosphere of the AMC 9 instead of the new Kerasotes Theatre chain. As Kerasotes has infected the whole of Northwest Indiana like a disease, killing off so many other theatres, the AMC 9 was destroyed in favor of building yet another Kerasotes Theatre in the Westfield (formerly Southlake) Mall complex.
I have yet to walk through the doors of the Hobart (Merrillville) Showplace 12, and I don't ever plan to. They took the smaller, more friendly theatre where I saw "Serenity" for the first time (along with other favorites), and I don't want to give them my business. Don't we deserve the chance to choose where to see new release films in the Region? If Kerasotes can destroy all the small theatres in an area, they can achieve a monopoly on movie showings and that's bad for the community as well as the area's economy.
Originally published in The Chronicle in December 2006 as Jade Lee Culberson.
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