Ut iV (1 1 X i t l> « ) « |=ù » fl ^5******* wmmmm a S S m m . «¡BIIII ■ ■ H ;ÿÿÿ«:*VÿÏ5 «H v„ >> riS 2A Thursday, May 17,2001 Daily Nexus film I review NO SEX IN THE CHAMPAGNE ROOM THE CENTER OF THE WORLD IS MORE PRETENTIOUS THAN BECOMING something about grits_patrick adam might This is a love story. Boy meets girl in the non-threat­ dering ridiculous. closer to breaking the arrangement with each passing ening coffee shop. Boy finds out girl is a rock drummer Richard Longman (Peter Sarsgaard) is a twenty­ night. Richard’s charms — which include awkward by day and stripper by night. Boy shows up at club for a something, socially inept and sexually frustrated Silicon smiles, personal confessions and computer game prowess lap dance from girl in the hope of sparking a deeply emo­ Valley millionaire. When he meets Florence (Molly — appear to be winning her over. Evidendy, dollar bills tional and intellectually stimulating ... well, maybe just Parker) and discovers her alternate persona, he instandy are not what strippers want. They clearly need to be stimulating, relationship. Reviewer leaves theater think­ proposes a trip for two to luxurious, romantic — you wined and dined. ing he would have rather watched his laundry swirl in the guessed it — Las Vegas for which Flo will be compen- Between simulations of hand jobs and milling about washing machine for an hour and a half than sit through casinos, our characters must have something to talk this film. about, something in common if their love is meant to Wayne Wang (“Smoke,” “The Joy Luck Club”) ■ ■ A TWENTY-SOMETHING, last. Yet their meaningless dialogue made me want to attempts to make a statement on effects of technology on “ ™ SOCIALLY INEPT ANti leave my seat in favor of the local watering hole. personal relationships in his most recent offering “The SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED SILI­ American theaters need to take a cue from the continent: Center of the World.” The sometimes erotic, if not CON VALLEY Start serving beer. graphically sexual, content tends to overshadow the con­ A similar movie was made several years back called sequences of voyeurism through digital media while the “Sliver”. Though that movie was nothing to e-mail home script uses nonsensical dialogue to eat up running time. MILLIONAIRE about, at least it didn’t try to be something it was not. An Shot entirely on DV (digital video), the sometimes overly pretentious independent film that insults my grainy and handheld visuals are the best format for rep­ 99 intelligence is not worth the price of admission. As strip­ resenting the seedy underbelly of the adult entertainment pers were once a dime a dance, indie filjns such as “The industry. The movie is extremely visually appropriate, as sated to the tune of $10,000. She concedes, with due Center of the World” are becoming a dime a dozen. So the technique makes one feel as though they are intrud­ apprehension, to accompany Richard under several con­ why pay more than 10 cents to see this movie? Put that ing upon the action as it unfolds. Unfortunately, it is a. ditions, not the least of which is no penetration (sorry pocket change to good use at the Laundromat and you’ll depressing film that fails to create believable characters smut-lovers). have money left over for “College Night” at the Rhino. because the dialogue comes off as trite, forced and bor­ A freckled nymphette with low self-esteem, Flo grows No cover. Restaurant and Music Club presents: THE ENGLISH PEAT'S PAVE WAKEUNG Friday, M a y IS at 10 pm • Mastermind of SOs British pop/ska sensation The English beat and later, General Public. Stinging danceable beats and joy­ ful rhythms into the collective mojo of fans young £ old. WISE MONKEY ORCHESTRA Thursday, May Z4 at 9 pm * Horn driven, soulful funk with powerful female vocals combining infectious, shake-your-booty grooves with mind-expanding trips through time and space. QUIXOTIC HIP-HOP NIGHT m g Only *3.00 Cover Z1 and over nfw/ni Thursday, M ay 31 a t 9 pm COME BEFORE THE SHOW FOR SOME GREAT APPETIZERS OR PINNER 21+Fiiilad SOhO Restaurant £ Music Club XH\ State Street, Upstairs in Victoria Court • 96Z-7776 www.sohosb.com Daily Nexus Thursday, May 17,2001 3A film I review KOOL HEATH SHOULD A KNIGHT’S TAIE BE SUCH A SILLY ONE? hella kool_andy sywak After watching the first couple of minutes unfold in tourneys and earn more gold pieces. Feigning a noble In a film that is basically a novelty, Helgeland recruit­ “A Knight’s Tale,” one quickly figures out that they’re background in order to compete, the young William ed a lot of talented theatrical actors, and their perfor­ going to have to get into a different frame of mind in becomes increasingly successful as he meets the lovely, mances are awfully good. Bettany’s Chaucer often steals order to enjoy the film. As soon as the opening medieval high maintenance woman of his dreams, Jocelyn the show with his charisma and comedic range, anchor­ crowd chants Queen’s “We Will Rock You” with all the (Shannyn Sossamon). She thinks he’s handsome and ing the fdm through its aimless points. Twenty-year-old unity of a basketball audience, the realization comes dashing and likes his cute, innocent peasant humility. He newcomer Sossamon also delivers a convincing perfor­ about: This movie is not supposed to be taken seriously. thinks she’s hot. mance despite her character’s lack of dimension. Ledger Taken at face value as some medieval fable about a But as Helgeland paints the numbers of his script, he is pretty decent throughout the film, although at times peasant who rises to become the mightiest knight in the comes to the point where a villain needs to emerge. Enter his earnestness borders on overwhelming. land, the movie surely falls flat. Anybody with a cursory But the question remains, why did Helgeland decide knowledge of the Brothers Grimm can predict the direc­ to include so many classic rock songs in the film? Its tion of the plot. But taken as a comedy that has no pre­ presence degrades an otherwise convincing period piece tenses to win. an Oscar or alter the way one views ^ THINKjf into a pulp fairy tale. There are enough serious perfor­ medieval society, it is a good, entertaining — if a bit long mances by talented actors to make the audience members •— weekend afternoon popcorn movie. Still, the question want to invest themselves in its direction, but the pres­ must be asked: Why did an accomplished writer/director ence of scenes where William trains to “Lowrider,” make like Brian Helgeland, who wrote the amazing and the audience members sit back in their seats again as they painstakingly historical “L.A. Confidential,” decide to realize they’re watching some escapist novelty. make such a film? The chief strengths of “A Knight’s Tale” lie in its Australian poster boy Heath Ledger plays William exciting jousting scenes and period scenery. Helgeland’s Thatcher, a peasant who enters a jousting tourney when the smug, aristocratic Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell), a tactful direction brings these scenes to life in a fashion the Jcnight he serves suddenly dies. Winning the bout, he brilliant jouster who embodies all the hierarchical values that downplays the negative violence. Still, when one persuades two friends and a traveling Geoff Chaucer William stands against. If you can’t guess the rest from leaves the theater, the question arises: “Was I supposed to (Paul Bettany) to help him train so that he can win more here, I’m afraid you need to enroll in remedial English. laugh at that or with that?” Facing Race III: The Race to Incarcerate A confrence on Prisons, Hip Hop and Race Noon-Multi Cultural Center $3 s t u . $ 5 gen. 7:30 & 10:00pm 9:00 pm -UCen Hub Tuesday, M ay 22 Wednesday, May 23 Saturday, May 19 EXTRAVAGANZA J U N E 2 R O B FIELD The Tharcl / de P r e s s u r e ^ Save Ferris Gravity Willing tha LiJcs Ambionic Hotline: 893-2833 Tack Johnson Titsofrenix www.as.ucsb.edu/aspb Ozma Warsaw 4A Thursday, May 17,2001 Daily Nexus theater I interview A DREAM NOT DEFERRED A RAISIN IN THE SUN VIAKES A SOCIAL STATEMENT heavyjenne raub “A Raisin in the Sun,” for many readers, may immedi­ encountered as a director o f this play? You've worked with Theatre UCSB as both an actor and ately bring to mind the last line of Langston Hughes’ It’s been a long dream of mine to direct this produc­ director. Do you prefer one to the other? famous poem, “A Dream Deferred.” Lorraine tion, and one of the biggest problems I’ve had in direct­ My whole training before I came to UCSB was as an Hansberry’s classic play takes its name from the poem, ing it was finding a cast, because it is completely African- actress. I took this position as a teacher of acting, but it’s spotlighting the Youngers — an African-American fam­ American except for one white role. Because we have a blossomed over the years as I’ve been here into other ily living in a small apartment on the south side of really intense [bachelor of arts] actors’ training program, areas, such as directing. I think when you come to a cer­ Chicago — as they await the arrival of a $10,000 check, obviously all of us as directors like to use [bachelor of tain point in your life, I think you start to have prefer­ the payment from the late patriarch’s life insurance poli­ arts] actors, although the auditions are open.