CIO The Orion j February 18, 2004

DVD/AMERICAN SPLENDOR ing competition to "release the twins." White DVD/THIRTEEN was written for his own life. His life is HBO VIDEO skaters act more urban than one TWENTIETH CENTURY might expect, FOX filled with money and women beyond any which is supposed to be funny but really isn't. rock star's dreams, only to be tested by "American Splendor" details the true Then there's the popular potty humor, when Take a trip back to junior high and the 1980s, which Evans calls "the white story of a some of the friends defecate tour less-than-average guy turned in Wilson's relive the most impressionable years years." underground comic book hero. Our bus and stink the protag¬ place up. of your life. Let's hope your experi¬ With narration by Evans, his voice adds onist, Cameos Harvey Pekar, files patient records by Bob Goldthwait, Randy ence wasn't as rebellious and experi¬ a humorous and suave tone that illuminates at a veteran's hospital by day and puts Quaid and Dave Foley don't add anything mental as Tracy's (Evan Rachel Wood) what kind of man he is. together comic book stories by night. to the movie. The movie is predictable in "Thirteen." This film by Catherine The film is loaded with live-action shots Fascinated by the world around him and clich&i - a Hardwicke a typical teen flick. Not even is surprisingly believ¬ and pictures, as well as special features but unable to draw it, a Harvey uses his art¬ good soundtrack, with music by The able portrayal of a girl whose teen¬ with recent interviews with Robert Evans. ist friend \o transform Donnas, stick-figure brain¬ helps "Grind" along. age vulnerability forces her to shift His documentary at times might seem storms into real comic books. The only grind in this movie is the from seeking her mother's approval to one-sided, but the achievements this man The most creative part about this film grinding halt you'll come to after you real¬ Evie's (Nikki Reed), the most popular has made along with the risks he took make is that it blurs the lines between movie and ize how much time and you wasted. If you screwed-up girl in school. Her new the story of "The Kid" one worth watching. documentary. Most scenes are played out want to watch skateboarding, stick to a friend encourages her risky behavior, by actors, but sometimes the film smoothly documentary. which revolves around drinking, drugs, —Matt Shotland ' transitions into interviews with real people sex, stealing and ultimately distancing from Harvey's life. —Richard Gehrels herself from her old self as much as While this film earned the Grand Jury possible. It's with this that the most Prize for best drama at the Sundance Film interesting aspect of the movie takes Festival, it only makes the faintest impres¬ place: Tracy's relationship with her sion. Harvey's struggle with life is a predict¬ mom (Holly Hunter). able seesaw ride of depression and joy. While the realities of the movie are CD/THROW RAG Even so, this movie does do a few things very revealing and at times unnerving to DESERT SHORES well. It takes place in the late '70s to'early watch, the on-screen drama between Wood BYO RECORDS '80s and CD/RUBEN STUDDARD completely captures the clothes, SOULFUL and Hunter is the most, believable. The cars and SpaghettiO's cans of the time. J-RECORDS authenticity of the film's content is prob¬ The cycles of modern music can be so The attention to detail is superb, but the ably credited to the fact that it was co-writ¬ erratic that it's hard to tell between the movie is forgettable. He's the American Idol that ten nobody by Reed, who was 13 when she and good, the bad and the throwbacks from a was Hardwicke wrote it. Hardwicke's ready for. Maybe because his music choppy different era. Throw Rag, however, seems —Brian is not bubble Kennedy gum and more like food for edits and color changes are added ben¬ to embody all three of these elements. Pop/ the soul. efits to the movie's direction. It's not quite punk, this is not. Clay Aiken may have gotten all of the as heavy as Larry Clark's "Kids" but it's The raspy quality of the singer's voice is intense and a hype in th$ beginning, but Studdard's well acted. It's revealing look intriguing, but at times it's a little too weak platinum disc isn't making him look bad at how difficult adolescent life can be. to be heard over the guitar. But maybe either. His first single, "Sorry 2004," is that's the sound they were going for. The an apologetic song about a guy who is —Helene Hogue production of the album is pretty good and making promises to do it right the sec¬ the art on the back of the CD is enough to DVD/GRIND ond time around, like buying her birthday get you interested. WARNER HOME VIDEO gifts and roses on Valentine's Day. He has The first track, "Space Hump Me," that Luther Vandross falsetto and Donnie is just as rowdy as the title suggests and "Grind" is a skateboarding movie that Hathaway's tenor, and the pure emotion in should not be played while driving at skateboarders his voice probably won't even like. puts you in that special time and fast speeds. The funniest track is "Please Eric (Mike Vogel), is an DVD/THE KID STAYS IN THE aspiring place. It makes you want to bring out the Don't Touch," where you're not sure skater from Illinois, who PICTURE together with his candlelight dinner and red wine. whether you're not supposed to touch friends Dustin But his music isn't all WARNER BROS. (Adam Brody) and Matt kissy-kissy. Big because he shaved too close or because (Vince Vieluf), tries to meet and impress boy shows us that he can get his groove he's just a sissy. on with the professional skater Jimmy Wilson (Jason dance hits "No Ruben" and The man who changed the movie indus¬ Thankfully, punk rock has survived the London) when he comes to town. "What is Upon Sexy?" What sets him apart from try and inspired the Comedy Central car¬ bastardizations of the music industry that failing, the threesome decides to follow most artists is what his music is toon "Kid actually Notorious" is revealed in the have brought us Simple Plan and Blink Wilson on tour with the help of Sweet Lou saying. It makes you not only listen to the documentary of legendary producer Robert 182, among others. Though Throw Rag (Joey Kern), a ladies man and friend of bne Evans in "The Kid programmed electronic beats but to the Stays in the Picture." may not be the best, they can definitely of the guys. As you might imagiiie, prob¬ words, too. From a self-described "half-ass actor" hold their own. lematic situations arise during their cross¬ to the man who would own the record for country journey. —Cherre Stoneham producing the most successful films of all —Valerie Lum The movie has every kind of humor imag¬ time including "The Godfather," Evan's inable. There's sexist humor, like in a scene journey is filled with love, murder, deca¬ where Matt asks some girls at a skateboard¬ dence and deceit that seems as if a script KCSC IS BACK ON-AIR February 22nd

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