9 Q

PAGE THE STAR 6 ARTS Nov. 9 - Nov. 15, 2010 "Due Date" should never have been born

MICHELLE COOLEY Staff Writer

The trailers for "Due Date" don't leave any room for mys­ tery. The first thing I thought was, "Well, here's another 'Road Trip' movie." The traveling comedy features the talents of Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis, and a plot so generic that you can almost see the bar code in the corner. But perhaps it was these low expectations that makes this film a much more enjoyable ex­ perience than originally expected. For starters, director Todd Philips did a great job selecting Downey and Galifianakis for the lead characters of the film. Both actors gave realistic performances, which made it easier to fall into the story. Galifianakis did an especially good job playing · Ethan Tremblay, the source of every conflict, complication and bad twist in the tale. Normally, this type of character in these sto­ ries Jack all self awareness, and remain the same crazy trouble­ maker from beginning to end, but Galifianakis added real depth and development to the character, making it feel like Tremblay was someone I could meet in real life. Downey, in his portrayal of Peter Highman, also managed to skillfully depict Galifianakis's punching bag. The best thing about his character was that he was able to be enough of the "nor­ mal" person of the duo to make all his misfortune hilarious, but ·~~ - at the saine time have issues with his character that changes and .... $ develops as the plot progresses, allowing us to see him grow as a person. They accomplished the right level of seriousness to bal­ ance the story and make the,feeling d'lore endearing. Besides the well-developed characters, the jokes and hu­ mor of the movie had, for the most part, a great flow to it. The movie mixed in different styles of humor, from jokes based on characters, to comedic situations, to dry wit and to shock humor. Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galijianakis are the two highlights in an otherwise bland and typical situational comedy. While some of the strongest jokes can be seen '.iust by watching the trailer, there were several unexpected scenes that allowed for the energy to flow almost consistently through the film from start doesn't mind having.one crazy friend. million. Maybe it's optimism, but I don't want to believe that to finish. Not only was the story boring, but the circumstances that the world is such a place that the beginning events of this movie For example, when Tremblay has introduced himself as an_ forced them to travel together are unbelievable. Well, maybe could happen to anyone. actor to Highman, he shows off some of his photos. One image is there is some deeper meaning in play, where the rest of the world Besides questionable plot, every character that wasn't the two of Tremblay dressed up in a button down shirt and serious glass­ only listen to the few lines that they want to from the normal guy guys who were traveling were two dimensional. The characters es, to which Highman guesses him to be ''A nerd, a professor." and then make their own conjectures, ignoring the rest of what he that were created for use in a single scene were the worst, where Tremblay's response: "No, that's Malcolm X." has to say and purposely misunderstanding the situation with no stereotypes were employed to allow us to identify them quickly. While the strong points of the film allowed for some great room for correction. While it is normal for any story to have a few characters that we entertainment, there were many areas where the film fell flat. The Or, maybe the film was in a hurry to get to the rest of the meet for a moment and then never care about again, in this film it plot was as bland as it was unoriginal. jokes, and for the sake of story they employ a barely passable felt like we were so busy with the development of the duo to care The story is basically about two guys, a normal one and a explanation for why a guy would travel with the person who is about any other character. crazy one, forced into a road trip together. They have several ruining his life. At any rate, the condition in which Highman was So, while this movie had many unexpected good points to it, unfortunate and exaggerated things happen to -them, and finally put on the "no fly" list was such a huge misunderstanding that in the end it was a typical dumb comedy road trip. Be ready for reach the end of the trip, where the normal guy realizes that he it's a wonder why he didn't sue the airport for a couple hundred some laughs, but other than that, don't hold your breath. Elliot Smith releases retrospeciive 3.IbulTI I • •

LACIE SCHWARZ showed that a true artist doesn't need anything Staff Writer but raw talent to be respected. The album acts as a starting line for a potential Elliott Smith fan to see the gamete To assume any of Elliott Smith's fans \¥ere of his talents. Unfortunately, the daunting truly surprised when his life was abruptly end­ truth that his finish line came way too soon ed by a self-inflicted stab wound to the heart, after take-off is a theme that is touched upon and this might sound insensitive, would be al­ throughout the album. most laughable. "An Introduction to .. ." highlights the Any true fan of Elliott Smith probably saw many aspects of Smith's career that called it coming from miles away, beginning with the him into the spotlight and made him a voice very first album he released: The man often for a generation that's over-come by more than dubbed "Mr. Misery," a play of his breakout just not fitting in, but by.an existence dictated song "Miss Misery," .was many things: de­ by the looming depression that follows every pressed, deeply affected, substance depen­ move. dent. The songs ·span his career, presenting the But he was so brutally honest about how listener with a basis regarding what he ulti­ he felt, that his audience respected him for mately conveyed to his audience in his life­ being the one voice that didn't euphemize de­ time. pression. Smith showed his audience these This is by no means a greatest hits album, qualities first-hand through his lyrics, without but more of some insight to the type of person Smith was and different aspects of his person­ ality that captured his audience and still loyal "The album acts as a. fans. starting line for a poten­ Smith's talent is unparalleled, even seven tial Elliott Smith fan to see years after his death. The force of the often­ Courtesy// clashmusic.com meek sounding singer/guitarist/songwriter's "An Introduction to ... Elliot Smith" is not a greatest hits album, but more of a look back on the the gamete of his talents. words shines light on the vulnerability that life and work ofan artist. Unfortunately, the daunt- potentially lies dormant in all of his listeners. ing truth that his Anish He looks at depression so matter-of-factly He was well-liked because he wasn't afraid to The content of his lyrics carried subject line came way too soon that it's almost like he respects it as a part and catalogue what he wasn't "supposed to" feel or matter that had only been popularized by the an ending to a life consumed and made popu­ write and did so with his subtleties and often ranks of Nick Drake and Kurt Cobain, both of after take-off is a theme lar by sadness. only hinting toward the whole truth of what whom also met the same suicidal demise that that is touched upon And his empathy for others seemed only lies within his subject matter. Smith himself eventually arrived at. They are throughout the album." to add to his inability to live outside of his As an artist, Smith often resented "super­ the exact definitions of art imitating life, but head and in present day. But the beauty that stardom." After the movie "Good Will Hunt­ I would be hard pressed to believe that Smith h_!! derives from this sadness encompasses the ing" came out featuring seven of his tracks ever even considered himself a true artist. definition of art. on the soundtrack, he had to deal, with hav­ Smith came at his shortcomings with blatantly stating the facts. Lyrics like, "She stares into space like ing fame forced upon him. He performed at honesty and eloquence. It's a bit of an under­ Release·d just over seven years after his a dead china doll" from the song "Waltz #2" the Academy AwardS"in 1998 and subsequent­ statement to say that "An Introduction To ... " death, the album, "An Introduction to... El­ showcase not only his amazing capability to ly has a difficult time re-integrating into his is painful to listen to. It's raw and true-to­ liott Smith" reads almost as a carefully build imagery to build context, but also gives closed-off and private type of life. life, and he is unapologetic for everything he planned S\licide note that spanned the career the listener a peep-hole into his inability to Through his music, specifically the song, wrote. of an emotionally-charged poet. The undeni­ separate his emotions from those surrounding "Pictures of Me" he channels that pressure he The sadness of the album is all-encom­ able power of each song doesn't come from the him. felt to live up to an image that was created for passing and could be a source of depression individual words so much as it does from his The theme of death runs rampant through­ him, but not by him; he made the music, but for some listeners. But the sound is so organic overall mentality. He isn't "Elliott Smith" the out Smith's whole discography. But you could everyone else turned him into a star. and un-refined that it's unbelievably pleasant everyday person and "Elliott Smith" the artist; be an avid listener and fail to catch his meta­ Lyrics like, "So sick and tired of all these to listen to. they're one in the same. phors. He explores his personal curiosities pictures of me, completely wrong, totally Sometimes we need our artists to trek Without the substance of his lyrics, the about why he is drawn to suicidal tendencies, wrong" touch on his inability to assimilate through the difficult emotions so that we, the music wouldn't hold any clout. His quiet voice but doesn't come out right and say, "I'm de­ into pop culture and find a niche as the emo­ audience, have something tangible and relat­ isn't extremely unique. His ability to make pressed, I want to kill myself." He finds an tional pop star. He had no desire to be any- able to hold on to. Just because he shares his one guitar sound like four helps his cause, but artistic angle to convey his natural thoughts thing to anyone. . intimate feelings, which happen to be of de­ doesn't mark his originality or capabilities. without having to be in._your-face. Ultimately, his success was accidental. He pression doesn't mean this is depressing to Plus, he was never very "good-looking." He sings, "I'm waiting for the train sub­ didn't try to hone in on a style of music that listen to. But the fact that his poignant lyrics alone way that only goes one way" like he's tell­ would popularize him, he just found an outlet It's quite the opposite, refreshing and gained him notoriety to the degree of compari­ ing his audience that he's just waiting for the for his severe depression and found a market heartfelt, some qualities mostly absent from sons to Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles, catalyst to his depression then he's ready to go. that had barely been touched on before. modern day popular music.