Juliana Theory Brings Message of Love “Bulletproof Monk”: Where's My
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Page 13 ThePfl^ Friday, May 2,2003 Arts and Entertainment CD REVIEW Juliana Theory brings message of love Emily Killian listener to love even though they is still quite good. Pilot copy editor are only “the shell of a man.” The last song on the album, This is the “Repeating, Repeating” “Everything,” sums up the over latest The Juliana Theory’s shows how easy it is to get all message of the album— love cover o f burned out when you focus on is everything. They say that love The % newest release, entitled “Love” Juliana is a happy marriage of emo rock the wrong things in life. is a reason for life and that “love T h eo ry's and hard metal. Not just superfi “Congratulations” is about is a bond without reason, a cry "love cial rockers, the band shows being broken but still having for connection, a light in your album. both lyrical and musical depth hope. This track is one of my eyes.” coupled with a strong message favorites on the album. Other themes explored by of love. In “The Hardest Things,” the band include trust, pain, the In “Bring it Low,” the band the band explores the relation future, betrayal, loss and hope. asks the listener to open his/her ship between having to make Thus far, the album, mind and consider that they are hard decisions and hurting other released by Epic (Sony) records, more than they seem. This people. “In Conversation” is has reached 71 on the Billboard seems to go along perfectly with about the problems people have 200, and the track “Bring it the band’s gradual shift towards communicating with each other. Low” was part of “MTV Road deeper, more meaningful music. “Into the Dark,” is a song Rules: Don’t Make Me Pull This In “Shell of a Man,” the that was released on a previous Thing Over.” band pits love against bitterness album, but with a new twist. For more information on the Photo and hate, and shows that love is This version of the song is much Juliana Theory, go to courtesy of The Juliana the answer to life’s problems. more rock oriented than the pre www.julianatheory.com or Theory The band asserts that “love is vious. Although I like the origi www.epicrecords.com. the answer” and encourages the nal version much better, this one Killigan Points: 4 out of 5. M o v ie r e v ie w “Bulletproof Monk”: Where’s my Rachel Jones cessor, the streetwise, petty, yet caring, pick Pilot staff pocket, Kar (Seann William Scott). At first, Kar is annoyed by the monk, but is drawn in by his When I was a little girl, I was tormented by “fortune cookie” wisdom and knowledge in the people who went around making those “martial martial arts. When the scroll is taken, the monk arts” noises that Bruce Lee instituted into the and Kar, joined by a mysterious young woman American movie genre. nicknamed Bad Girl, must take back the scroll I never fully understood it until I watched and defeat the Nazi officer and his followers. one for myself last week. Needless to say I was I pity Chow Yun-Fat in his decision to film tom between laughing my head off and shaking this movie, especially after watching his spec my head with shame at what I saw: Asian guy tacular performance in “Crouching Tiger, having to defend his ancestors’ honor and giv Hidden Dragon” as Master Li Mu Bai. Seann ing out Chinese proverbs that belong on William Scott, having a habit of appearing in American-made fortune cookies. No wonder I dim teen movies such as “American Pie” and was tormented. “American Pie 2,” does his usual cute, make- the-girls-swoon smile, the dumb, confused Albeit, “Bullet Proof Monk” does not have looks and gets the girl. any ancient ancestors’ honor to defend, it is The movie does have its positive scenes. bound by the same cheesy “fortune cookie” The visual effects are impressive, as are the wisdom that bound many other hokey martial fight scenes. As a girl, I must say Scott does arts movies during the 1970s and 1980s. have his shining moment with his smile and “Bulletproof Monk” has a nameless line, “Because you’re so — beautiful.” Tibetan monk (Chow Yun-Fat), who must pro There’s even a point in which an impatient tect a sacred scroll from a Nazi officer. The Kar points out the entire foolishness of the chase goes on for 60 years, during which the movie, poking fun of the monk’s wisdom, monk must choose his successor, who will be telling him that his proverbs can be read on for revealed by fulfilling the prophecies that tune cookies. choose the next protector of the scroll. During Overall, “Bulletproof Monk” leaves the this time, the monk has not aged (thanks to the audience wondering how the monk got Kar to scroll’s power) while the Nazi officer deterio follow and trust him, and wishing that they had Photo courtesy of MGM rates. been warned that although the monk is bullet While on the run, the monk finds his suc proof, the movie is not foolproof Chow Yun-Fat playing a Tibetan monk and Seann William Scott, who plays Kar, run through the street to protect a sacred scroll.