THE CHANGING FACE OF ECHO PARK Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland were the first Caucasians on their block. Five years later, they’ve made the film Quinceañera dramatizing the gentrification of a Latino neighborhood, exploring both gay and ethnic issues in the process. Page 16 PLUS : Talladega Nights, The Night Listener, Changing Times, THE DESCENT concert reviews on CSYN and Redd Kross, the Mel Gibson mess, and more! Page 12 || ENTERTAINMENT TODAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2006 ENTERTAINMENT TODAY PUBLISHER KRIS CHIN MANAGING EDITOR CECILIA TSAI GUEST EDITOR ERIC BYLER ART PRODUCTION DAVID TAGARDA TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR KATSUYUKI UENO COPY EDITOR JULIAN CAMILLIERI WRITERS ADAM BARNICK FRANK BARRON JULIAN CAMILLIERI WARREN CURRY BROOKE DAMMKOEHLER CLAYSON DEBURGER 8 CONCERT REVIEWS 15 CHANGING TIMES SHIRLEY FIRESTONE JANOS GEREBEN MICHAEL GUILLÉN INDEX JONATHAN W. HICKMAN TRAVIS MICHAEL HOLDER TINA KIM KAT KRAMER M. Y. LEE MICHAEL LEVINE ERIC LURIO MARY MALLORY SCOTT MANTZ TONY MEDLEY ENTERTAINMENT DAWN MILLER VOL. 38|NO. 43|FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2006 KYLE MOORE TODAY STEVEN SNYDER PETER SOBCZYNSKI 16 THE CHANGING FACE OF ECHO PARK SEAN REYNOLDS GAIL ROBERTS Writer/directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland talk about how their film Quinceañera dramatizes the ANNIE ROLLINS gradual gentrification of a Latino neighborhood, exploring both gay and ethnic issues in the process SUSIE ROTEMAN BRAD SCHREIBER BETH TEMKIN MOVIES MUSIC KIM VOYNAR MARCI WEINER 11 IDENTITY INTRIGUE IN “LISTENER” 8 A SUMMER OF CONCERTS RUSTY WHITE Kim Voynar reviews The Night Listener, starring Robin Williams Warped Tour music festival reviewed by Revn Kevin, JONATHAN ZEITLIN Redd Kross reviewed by Dustin Lane CARTOONISTS 12 VOICE OF “DESCENT” PHIL CHO Warren Curry celebrates The Descent as an instant classic, but 8 MUSIC LEGEND DEBUTS NEW ALBUM MARK DARCOURT Peter Sobczynski has a dissenting opinion Blondie Chaplin sits down with Kat Kramer DREW-MICHAEL ANNIE ROLLINS 13 “ANCHORMAN” RIDES AGAIN Will Ferrell’s Talladega Nights shares much in common with his THEATRE PHOTOGRAPHERS KATSUYUKI UENO previous hit Anchorman, perhaps too much — by Peter Sobczynski 4 “BLUEBONNET” NOT QUITE ON IT Travis Michael Holder reviews Bluebonnet Court COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT 14 “BARNYARD” ANIMALS FREAK OUT THE WEBSTER GROUP The new animated film is good for kids in some ways; bad for 4 BOWL ALIVE WITH “SOUND OF MUSIC” Tony Medley compares the current production at the SALES them in others — by Jonathan W. Hickman ALICIA APAGHIAN Hollywood Bowl to previous productions and the movie KIRT KISHITA 15 DENEUVE, DEPARDIEU TRUE IN “TIMES” Janos Gereben gives four stars to French import Changing Times 5 “SECOND THOUGHTS” HAS MUCH TO SAY CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR At 74, writer Tony Tanner debuts the musical Second Thoughts DANIEL ESPINOSA 15 “BROTHERS OF THE HEAD” HAS HEART Mockumentary about conjoined twins has more to offer than its TELEVISION EXECUTIVE OFFICE gimmick premise — by Jonathan W. Hickman 2325 WEST VICTORY BLVD, SUITE 5 6 “WHISTLER” A GUILTY PLEASURE BURBANK, CA 91506-1226 M.Y. Lee the N’s new series, half way through its first season OFFICE (818) 566-4030 17 ECHO PARK CHANGING CULTURE Fax (818) 566-4295 Michael Guillén talks to Emily Rios and Jesse Garcia, stars of 6 “TALENT” IS RELATIVE the Sundance award-winner Quinceañera Frank Barron reports on the reality show, America’s Got Talent COMING SOON: www.EntertainmentTodayOnline.com BOOKS COLUMNS 10 A FEEL OF REAL PULP Property of Entertainment Today. Sean Reynolds reviews the new pulp-inspired new novel 7 HOLLYWOOD BEAT with Marci Weiner Reproduction without written consent is prohibited. The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril All rights reserved. 7 HOLLYWOOD INSIDER with Dawn Miller The views of the reviewers and writers of this publication are their own, 10 MEL GIBSON AND THE LAW and do not necessarily reflect those of the management of Public defender and ET film critic Jonathan W. Hickman breaks down the legal case against Entertainment Today. ©2006 actor/director Mel Gibson, charged Friday with two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol || FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2006 ENTERTAINMENT TODAY Theater Review Bluebonnet not quite on it Court from making the impression it important be delivered directly out TicketHolders with might have. That something is Zsazsa front, to some imaginary place just Travis Michael Holder Gershick’s play, so improbable and above the back row of the audience, predictable that, no matter how much in case we’re too dumb to get it any FDR is just being inaugurated for talent this production has gathered other way. a fourth time as Helen Burke (Leslie to make its debut, it’s all for naught. Cohen), a wisecracking Manhattan By the end, we learn that Helen journalist, motors west for a new Gershick certainly had the right was never alone with regard to her job. A minor car accident strands motives, committed to exploring a sexual identity, as it appears almost her at Bluebonnet Court, a ramshackle period in American history when we everyone is gay in this bucolic com- motel on the outskirts of Austin, fought the Nazis but had no inkling munity — except the local nympho- Texas. With a local mechanic on what the term civil rights meant for librarian Nanalu (Merring), who is the case who isn’t exactly in a hurry, our own citizenry. Bluebonnet’s rewarded for her heterosexuality with Burke moves into the motel and alcoholic owner and former infantry- immediately finds herself under the man Roy (Nail) casually uses the “N scrutiny of the owners, a troubled word” right in front of black house- young couple who look upon Helen’s keeper Orla Mae (Rajah), manner of dress as if she landed from and wonders aloud to another planet. Helen (tagged by Roy with the “N Not only is Helen Jewish, she’s a word”), “What lesbian prone to wearing pants and was I fighting for checkered blazers that might be fit over there? So for Bogie playing a crook on the your people can run. In rural Texas in 1944, Helen’s rule the world?” attire and her Glenda Farrell, side- of-the-mouth delivery create all The play brings kinds of curiosity, leading to many up some fascinating 3-for-1 SUMMER SALE! questions and a search of her room themes to ponder Restrictions apply. Details at: BroadwayLA.org/free by the proprietor’s wife. Yet in an era — one character pro- when one might expect a butch and phetically observes: roaming-eyed journalist to be run “The Japs have been out of town or buried behind a barn, cleared and it’s about NOW THRU AUGUST 13 Helen’s presence instead unearths time we look around more small town secrets than Allison for a new enemy.” But MacKenzie’s in that famous old novel Gershick’s writing is by Grace Metalious, Peyton Place. about as subtle as a brick Box Office Opens Daily at 10am. through a window 213.365.3500 or 714.740.7878 Bluebonnet Court features a and as preposterous GOLD CARD EVENTS Book 15 or more and SAVE! 866-755-3075 NedGroups.com PREFERRED SEATING knockout cast, including Jamey as a movie made for 800-NOW-AMEX BroadwayLA.org RESTRICTIONS APPLY A PRESENTATION OF Hood and Jonathan Nail as the the Sci-Fi Channel. motel’s Hee Haw-reject owners, And the play’s lack Dalila Ali Rajah, Michelle Merring, of subtlety is exac- and Jeanne Simpson. The set by Joel erbated by Kelly David, costumes by Shon LeBlanc, Ann Ford’s direc- and lighting by Kathi O’Donohue are tion, which insists ENTERTAINMENT TODAY • 4” X 8” • BW all the best that L.A. theatre has to every line she (or RUN DATE: 8/4/06 • DEADLINE: 7/28/06 offer, but something keepsBluebonnet Gershick) deems Leslie Cohen as Helen Burke and Delila Ali Rajah as Orla Mae LITTLE WOMEN CLIENT: CENTER STAGE ADVERTISING Theater Review Bowl alive with Sound of Music by Tony Medley he doesn’t have to bow his head, just with its delightfully sophisticated “stoop a little” to the Nazis. You won’t antipodal approach (they are certainly I’ve seen The Sound of Music so hear this in the movie, so it’s a delight not an “ordinary” couple) and better many times, both on the stage and to hear it again on stage. melody, seemed much more romantic the movie, that I could probably be to me. These decisions suggest to me cast in any role and know the lines. Another song Rogers replaced why Rogers never approached the But most people know it through the was the love song, “An Ordinary same lofty heights after he lost his movie, and the movie and the play Couple,” a duet between Maria lyricist, and emphasize the value of have distinct differences, one of which (Melissa Errico) and the Captain words to a song. is different music. After Oscar Ham- after they declare their love for one merstein died and the movie deal was another. Rogers never liked it, so The movie also moved songs. In made, Richard Rogers dumped two when he had the opportunity, he the play, “The Lonely Goatherd,” is a songs from the play and wrote new jettisoned it for a new song, “Some- yodeling song that Maria sings to the ones. It wasn’t a good idea. Dropped thing Good.” My feeling has always children in her bedroom in the first from the second act, was “No Way been that “Something Good,” while act. In the movie it was moved to the to Stop It,” a charming song sung by tuneful, is too pedestrian and self- second act in order to introduce Bill Captain von Trapp, Max Detweiler, centered, talking about Maria having and Cora Baird’s puppets.