LIFE & ARTS September 8, 2011 September 8, 2011 LIFE & ARTS Graphic B3 The Bucket List
By AUBREY HOEPPNER COPY CHIEF Line dancing pushes hidden agenda Upon surveying the boot-stomping, hooping and hollering crowd at Border- line, I couldn’t help but wonder, where did all these pseudo-Texans come from? When did the residents of Los Angeles County learn to two-step? I concluded that Texas has nally given teeth to its claim of being a whole di erent country and has begun to colonize its biggest rival state. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY I had been looking forward to a Sibling dysfunction: Paul Rudd plays Ned, brother to Miranda, Elizabeth Banks’ character in the comedy “Our Idiot Brother.” night at Borderline since the summer, when I kept seeing the Facebook status- es of Malibu summer students recount- ing their fascination with the country Western dance hall. e Wednesday college night ($3 for students over 21, Rudd’s ‘Idiot’ makes for good laughs with ID) seemed like a perfect way to The Weinstein Company Rated: R celebrate making it halfway through the “Our Idiot Brother” rst week of school. Plus, as some of our peer schools retain their “Footloose”- By ALEXANDER WILSON found in every comedy, but Paul does not t in with that society. Ned loveable a ection, especially toward era dancing bans, it’s an opportunity to STAFF WRITER Rudd brings us a character who is ends up losing his job at an organic the older son of Miranda and Dylan, exercise our controversial dancing rights. genuinely admirable. One could even farm, his girlfriend, his dog and his he manages to screw things up and Borderline has brought a model of go so far as to say — controversially dignity. he moves on to the next sister’s house dancing completely out of sync with the Paul Rudd breaks out of his — that Ned is a Christ-like gure Coming out of prison, he is where he will eventually screw some- Los Angeles natives and has conformed “straight man” role as the loveable because of his expressed unconditional thrown back into the world where his thing else up there, too. West Coasters to its ways through Ned in this heart-felt comedy about love about everyone and everything, condescending sisters feign their sup- rough the relationships with cultural fusion and peer pressure. is a dude whom society deems as being especially his canine friend Willie port for their “idiot brother.” None of each of Ned’s sisters, Ned screws up model of invasion is genius, really. Bor- careless and clueless, but who may Nelson. It is this attitude that all of the sisters is as detestable as Elizabeth and they in turn kick their stupid, derline has disguised a hostile takeover actually o er a perspective we could the foil characters deem to be “idiotic” Banks, playing the spicy journalist idiot brother out to the next fam- as a fun night of socializing and playing all learn something from. before they learn their lesson in the Miranda. Ned’s other sister Liz, played ily member willing to deal with his dress up. e lm was a bit formulaic and end: Unconditional love is something by Emily Mortimer, is the submissive incompetence. In the end, the idiot It exhibits clear syncretism of the vaguely familiar, tending to rely on we could all bene t from cultivating. housewife of Steve Coogan’s brilliantly who we have come to believe is Ned Texas and LA cultures, a common sentiment more than clever quips or Ned seems to have no ability to funny character, elaborately rude ends up being instead the worker historical tactic of bringing a colonized meaningful dialogue. be a properly functioning member in documentarian Dylan. Ned harbors bees and work-savvy society dwell- people around to the invader’s culture, Ned is the typical nice guy goofball society, especially in contrast to his little respect from this hilarious cast of ers who profess competence but are usually religion. Rather than inciting savvy sisters who each have their own actors who are all household names in actually vulnerable and deep down are rebellion by forcing patrons to endure world completely gured out. the world of comedies. searching for the happiness that Ned an entire night of country music, the Zooey Deschanel, playing a sexu- Following the lm’s formula, has found because of how he lives his DJ blended hip-hop into the playlist. Overview ally explorative New York hipster is as Ned goes from one sister’s house to life with little care and lots of love for “Apple Bottom Jeans” and the like came Release Date charming as always, but at times frus- the other, trying to get his life back those around him. with their own line dances, however, trating. She along with her two sisters together (saving enough money to For better or worse, it is a warm which the regulars already knew by August 26, 2011 are so caught up in their own issues live in the goat barn at his old organic comedy that ends triumphantly and heart. He also threw a bone to the new- Starring that they can’t take a moment to enjoy farm). leaves the audience feeling emotional- bies, including the “Electric Slide” with Paul Rudd, Zooey Deschanel, Eliza- life or to love like Ned does. Dylan dryly condescends happy- ly satis ed. “Our Idiot Brother” could the lesser-known pure country hits, like beth Banks, and Steve Coogan However, Ned’s apparent trust in go-lucky Ned and his idiocy. Dylan be a great date movie or light-hearted the “Watermelon Crawl.” Director others takes a turn for the worse when is a serious documentarian who can’t comedy to see alone or with friends. e décor also curiously incorporates Jesse Peretz he is tricked by a cop into selling him even lend Ned a hand by o ering him De nitely worth seeing this weekend. elements of both cultures. Hanging Genre marijuana. Immediately the message a crummy job on the set of his appar- from the ceiling is a mirror-encrusted Comedy is clear, that this lm will be com- ently important documentary about a disco saddle. Other pieces are subtler, Runtime menting on the relationship between a Russian ballet star whom he coinci- though. It wasn’t until the end of the night that I noticed that the lights and 1 hour 35 min society that maybe doesn’t have all its dentally is sleeping with on the side. priorities right, and a man who simply ough Ned continues to show speakers were mounted on a giant cow- [email protected] boy hat frame ominously hovering over the dance oor. Borderline’s ritual indoctrination scheme is camou aged as dance lessons, the rst of which is at 10 p.m. Regulars also help out the less coordinated by pointing in the direction of the next ‘I’m With You’ step or calling out the moves, which helps disseminate the lingo. Late in the evening, the DJ asked all the girls to clear the oor for a guys- e Red Hot Chili Peppers EMI/Warner Bros. only dance. I was confused at rst by the amount of e ort that the men put the wire on deadline for the album more pop- and “Californication”- into their performance, a level of e ort By HANNA HOUGLUM I had previously seen only in male STAFF WRITER name, newbie Klingho er wrote sounding, which will be a de - resistance to dancing. But after several the words “I’m With You” on a nite crowd pleaser. Chad Smith’s rounds of competitive pushups entered piece of paper and showed it to percussion beats make this song a PHOTO COURTESY OF MYSPACE.COM the routine, I realized that this was, of e Red Hot Chili Peppers Kiedis who immediately knew that “head-bobbing, driving with your course, the mating line dance. e girls have nally released their 10th this would be the title for their windows down” kind of track. Key Facts got their turn, too, but they substituted album “I’m With You,” after new release. One of the best songs on the twirling for pushups. ve low-key years since their last “I’m With You” is a very open album is “Look Around.” Flea’s It looks as if this colonial power album, “Stadium Arcadium.” and inviting statement, which is bass beats and Kiedis’ rock-rap will exercise a benevolent dictatorship, RHCP appear to have slightly what the band wants to channel is more funky and party-esque Band Members with a rule well suited for students. returned to the style they gener- to their fan base. is is Red Hot on this track, and the lyrics o er Flea Line dancing is perfect for the Pepper- ated when Dave Navarro was in Chili Peppers’ rst album since something more for those willing dine group (non-)date model, because Anthony Keidis most of the numbers don’t require a charge of the guitar, due to the fact 1989’s “Mother’s Milk” to not to listen. Chad Smith partner. Not only does this style limit that in 2009 their longtime axe- have a song that correlates with the “Did I Let You Know” is heav- Josh Klinghoffer the amount of debauchery that other, man John Frusciante left the band album name. ily in uenced by a Latin sound, holier schools associate with dancing, for good. Released by Warner Bros. Re- complete with a horn section. On Hometown but it is also a plus for the ladies who Many longtime Chili Pep- cords on Aug. 30, this 14-song LP this track, Kiedis raps some sassy Los Angeles, Calif. avoid dancing because of the inevitable A calendar to keep you entertained all week pers fans were worried that with kicks o with the song “Monarchy phrases to the funky beats. creepers who like to sidle up uninvited. Frusciante leaving the band, their of Roses,” which is reminiscent “Police Station” is reminis- Genres For the boys who use that strategy, this unique sounds would be lost of their song “Warped” from the cent of a soft and personal Jimi funk rock, is not the place for that. While we’re on forever. However, “I’m With You” 1995 album “One Hot Minute.” Hendrix-style ballad where a alternative rock the subject, just don’t do that anywhere. Wednesday, Sept. 14 proves that new guitarist Josh ird on the tracklist is a previous long lost lover is followed Borderline is also not the place to be self-conscious. ose of us who did not Klingho er lls the Frusciante touching song titled “Brendan’s through the Hollywood ringer. Label grow up chasseing across a barn oor void just ne, but still contrib- Death Song,” in which the Peppers e song was inspired by real-life EMI, Warner Bros. spent the better portion of the evening utes his own stylized funk punk sing about the passing of their experiences of the Peppers’ own hopping on the wrong foot, spinning rhythms. longtime friend Brendan Mullen, frontman, Kiedis. Currently on Tour o count, and apologizing to those ese new sounds bring RHCP supporter and in-progress author e nal track on the LP is No around us after bumping into them back to the days of fret-bursting of their book, “ e Oral and “Dance, Dance, Dance.” It’s a for the third time. e key to getting beats that develop into cheery pop Visual History of e Red Hot catchy tune and concludes the al- Awards Won over the associated embarrassment is to choruses sung by Anthony Kiedis, Chili Peppers.” Mullen was the bum on an especially upbeat note. 6 Grammy Awards remember that even the people who are who has fronted the Red Hot Chili man who booked one of the Red “I’m With You” may not be 3 American Music Awards dancing with all the correct hops and Peppers since the formation of the Hot Chili Peppers’ rst shows in what fans would describe as typi- spins are still doing a dance called the 4 MTV Video Music “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.” So, really, band in 1983. 1983. e song is not meant to cal Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it Awards who should feel embarrassed here? Michael Balzary, better known be dark or depressing, but rather embodies all the essence of what As concerned as I was to be support- as Flea, and Kiedis are the two a beautiful memoir for a long lost fans love about Red Hot Chili Pep- Website ing a rogue state, I couldn’t help enjoy- members who have remained friend of the band. e track is a pers music. redhotchilipeppers.com ing myself. Borderline provides a great consistent within RHCP through- mix between an acoustic elegy and energy boost for anyone with a pair of out the years, except for the brief the essence of Nirvana. Twitter daisy dukes lying around. Just be sure to moments when Kiedis was asked e fourth song on the album, twitter.com/chilipeppers leave before the nightly sacri ce to the to leave the band to undergo drug “Ethiopia,” is a prime example memory of Sam Houston. at gets a rehabilitation. of the Peppers’ pulling beats and little dicey. When the time came to choose rhythms from traditional East a name for the album, the band African music. Following a more was striking out on ideas. Down to intimate song, this track is a bit [email protected]