Wednesday, February 28, 2001

"You're Killing Bambi!"

I have heard this phrase uttered in reference to those who kill deer during hunting season, and I must admit that I'm operating from a pretty close wavelength to that. I've enjoyed the outdoors all my life, and I love to go out and shoot at animals -- with a camera. But when it comes to hunting, I can't help but cringe. I would never be able to shoot an animal like that; it's just not in my nature. But is it wrong for anyone to do it? That's a very difficult call to make.

When I see a deer out in the woods, I see a beautiful living creature. If I saw one killed before my eyes, it would devastate me. But the fact of the matter is that there is an entire portion of the year which is designated for killing these animals. Hundreds of people look forward to the opening of deer season so that they can go out and bring home a trophy and feast on deer jerky and venison for weeks to come. Deer are not the only animals that are hunted, of course, but they are the animals that enter my mind first when I think of hunting. So is it wrong to hunt these creatures down just for the fun of it? I don't really know.

A few years ago I would have said yes, yes, unequivocably yes, but I've come to realize that the world is not that simple. Hunting has been a part of human nature for millennia, and it can't be expected that we will simply stop now that we are in a position of privilege. I certainly can't argue with hunting when it is essential for survival, as awful as it seems. And I do realize that animal products are used in everyday life in more ways than we are aware of. I became acutely aware of this when I tried unsuccessfully to become a vegetarian. So I feel a bit of a hypocrite condemning hunting.

So I won't condemn it, but I will continue to express my uneasiness with it. What does it say about a person when his or her greatest joy is derived from depriving another being of life? No life should be destroyed simply for bragging rights. I believe that if an animal must be killed, it should provide nourishment or clothing or some other basic need. This is far too serious a matter to be mere "fun". Hunting purely for sport is contradictory to our humanity.

The Irish Rovers Bring St. Paddy's Day Early to Erie

While most of America celebrated Mardi Gras yesterday, I was among a crowd of Irish enthusiasts who wouldn't wait for St. Patrick's Day to break out wearin' -- and, more importantly, the singin' -- o' the green. The Sisters of Mercy in Erie, PA brought the Irish Rovers to the D'Angelo auditorium, "the most intimate hall in Erie". Tickets were twenty dollars, twenty-five for Gold Circle seating. With only a five-dollar difference, we decided to splurge on the good seats, and we were seated right in the middle, about ten rows back from the stage. I attended the show with my mom and my grandma.

I have seen the Irish Rovers twice, six and seven years ago. Both performances were at the Warner Theater, which is considerably larger than D'Angelo. I narrowly missed the chance to see them in Erie two years ago (it was opening night for the school musical, and I was in the orchestra) and in Dayton this past summer (our car broke down on the highway). So this was my third Irish Rovers concert. I knew I would enjoy it, but I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. The make-up of the group was different; Will Millar, who had sort of led the pack at the two concerts I attended, is no longer with the group, and Jimmy Ferguson, another original band member, died in 1997.

The group now consists of George and Joe Millar, Wilcil McDowell, Wallace Hood, John Reynolds, Sean O'Driscoll, and Kevin McKeown. Each member brings something special to the band. George, whose fiery red hair fits his Irish mischievousness, is the leader who lends his songwriting talents to the group as well as his voice and guitar-playing skills. Joe, cousin to George, is primarily known for his deep, rich voice which is so suited to Irish ballads, but he also plays the accordion and bass, is a whiz with the harmonica, and can make a pair of spoons sing in a manner I never thought possible. The robust John Reynolds is the resident joker, always ready to add a healthy dose of Irish humor to a song or story. His vocals, bass, tin whistle, and guitar are welcome additions to the songs.

Wilcil, the only original Rover besides George and Joe, displays astounding mastery of the accordion. In addition to his vocal talent, Wallace is adept at playing an impressive array of stringed instruments and employs the tin whistle with stirring beauty. Kevin McKeown strives to always find the perfect percussion for each song, even if it means making use of something that isn't exactly what you would consider a musical instrument. Sean is not able to join the Rovers for many shows, but he was able to make it to Erie, and he added a third accordion, three different stringed instruments, and a fine voice to the group.

The Irish Rovers are known for concerts which seem more like a party, and last night was no exception. All right, so we didn't pass around a bottle of whiskey as George suggested, but we clapped heartily to most of the songs and sang along to several. The show began with The Irish Rover, a rollicking song about a shipwrecked vessel. Most of the songs which the Rovers pulled from their repertoire were similar in nature to this one, loud and rowdy with lots of opportunity for crowd participation. Unfortunately, the first time they specifically asked us to sing along during a song (What Wid Ye Do), they were met with dead silence because they were singing so fast nobody could figure out what they were saying. At least we could clap...

I had to admit that there were several songs I didn't recognize, because the band has released two albums of new material since I saw them last in 1995. Not that this was a problem. I'd never heard any of the songs they sang at the first concert of theirs which I attended, but I loved every minute of it. Such was the case here with the songs I was unfamiliar with, which included, among others, Erin's Green Isle, a lovely song written by George and sung by Joe, Down by the Lagan Side, the beautiful title track of their latest album, and In the Bushes of Jerusalem, an unconventional ode to the famous "rebel of Jerusalem" who lived 2000 years ago.

Among the old favorites were Good Luck to the Barleymow, a recitation of all of the Irish measurements for containers of beer, Black Velvet Band, the tale of a poor young fellow sent to VanDieman's Land for a crime he didn't commit (during this song, every time Joe tried to sing a verse, someone else in the band stole the spotlight from him, even Kevin, who was hidden behind the rest of the band), Little Brigid Flynn, the song of a bachelor pining after a lovely young lass (Joe's solo to make up for his slighting in Black Velvet Band), What Wid Ye Do With a Drunken Sailor, a raucous sea shanty which required the audience to take on the roles of the shantymen and the drunken crew, Wasn't that a Party, written by Tom Paxton after witnessing a traditionally wild Irish Rovers party, and their trademark, The Unicorn, Shel Silverstein's account of Noah's flood and why there are no unicorns today.

The Irish Rovers entertained for a good two hours, interspersing their music with amusing anecdotes, mostly provided by John, who was occasionally chided by George for going a little too far with his humor. He had an arsenal of mother-in-law jokes and drew the crowd's dubious sympathy when he recalled his childhood of living in a two-bedroom house with his grandparents and twelve sibling and attending a school run by "the sisters of little or no mercy". He also told some pretty good jokes illustrating the differences between Scots, Brits, and Irishmen.

When the show was over, most of the audience headed out after an evening of supreme entertainment, but we were among the several dozen who stuck around to have our newly purchased albums autographed by the band members. This was something that they hadn't done at either of the previous concerts, so I was looking forward to seeing them up close. It was a rather frenzied mish-mash of people passing their album covers down the line for the boys to sign, but they tried to make a little bit of chit-chat with us as we passed. When my mom mentioned I would be spending a week in Ireland this summer, George warned me to "stay away from those Irishmen, they're nothin' but trouble."

Trouble, perhaps. But boy, they sure are fun!

Tuesday, February 27, 2001

"Jackie Draper, Meet Jackie Paper!"

As we all know, "Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honallee". But what about Jackie Paper? Where did he come from? This movie explains. Jackie Draper is a young boy who is so withdrawn that he is in a coma-like state. His parents bring in a number of specialists, but no one seems to be able to help him. No one, that is, until Puff comes along. In order for Puff to take Jackie on his journey of pure imagination, Jackie must be rid of the extra baggage of his body. So his "living essence" is transferred onto a paper cutout of himself drawn by Puff. The voyage is ready to start.

As the song indicates, the two set sail across the sea on a boat with sails made of pillows. This was Jackie's idea, one of the first in a long string of problems that he will need to use his ingenuity to solve. In order to do anything, he has to get past his fear, which is what has paralyzed him.

One of his most frightening experiences occurs when he and Puff venture into the territory of a huge pirate, Very Long John. Puff encourages him to see past the pirate's rough exterior, and Jackie lets his imagination run wild despite his fear. This allows him to see the pirate as a baker, and he puts this image into play when Long John asks him for his last words. The fierce pirate vanishes almost instantly, replaced by a cheery baker.

The most difficult challenge lies in Puff's homeland of Honallee, which has been taken over by large talking noses and redubbed The Isle of the Living Sneezes. These creatures are very unhappy, and they have made Honallee a miserable place to be. Puff is distraught at what has happened to his home, but Jackie uses the problem solving skills and imagination he has acquired on this trip to come up with the perfect solution to everyone's problems (to the tune of Peter, Paul and Mary's Weave Me the Sunshine).Afterwards, he is ready to go home and begin really living, and though he does leave Puff, the movie leaves a more optimistic feeling at the end than the song does. Both the boy and the dragon are ready to go on with their lives, each the better for their friendship.

This is a cute movie encouraging the use of the imagination to dispel fears. I wouldn't put its quality up there with Disney or Don Bluth, but anyone who loves Puff the Magic Dragon should see this at least once.

Monday, February 26, 2001

Goofy Goes to College

In An Extremely Goofy Movie, high school has finally ended, and Max, like most high school graduates, is eagerly looking forward to his first taste of independence. He will be joined at college by two old friends, and all three are excited. Goofy is devastated. He doesn't know what he's going to do without his son, and it distracts him from his work at the factory. Before he knows it, he's out of work, and he is shocked to discover that he can't get a new job because he doesn't have a college degree. Oh, well. No problem...he'll just go to school with Max!

Max is already having difficulty adjusting to the college scene. He is determined to enter the Extreme Games, but he's already made enemies with the leader of the toughest team on campus. This gang is set to make his life miserable, and his buds are along for the ride. Luckily, they find a friend in a coffee shop beatnik, who Max's best friend PJ immediately takes a liking to. But just as life starts looking up for Max, Dad shows up in class wearing a huge afro wig on his head and announcing himself as Max's dad.

Goofy went to college in the '70s apparently and dropped out, so he's stuck in that era. Everything about him reeks of disco. He finds understanding with a librarian who, despite her quiet demeanor, has quite a wild side which comes out when she discos with Goofy.

Goofy would be having a great time at college if it weren't for the fact that his son is so antagonistic towards him. This is heightened when Goofy is picked up by the opposing Extreme team and outperforms Max. Goofy's disillusionment in discovering his son's distaste for him is demonstrated through a psychadelic dream filled with swirling images and set to the tune of Come on, Get Happy. It's beginning to look like neither father nor son will be happy anytime in the near future, but when the true test comes, the love that Goofy and Max have for one another will triumph.

This is a good movie well suited to Goofy's character, but it's not terribly original. It bears a striking resemblance to a certain Rodney Dangerfield movie, but I suppose that this should hardly be surprising. Disney has very few films that aren't based on another story. I wouldn't put this in a league with Disney classics such as Pinocchio, Jungle Book, and The Lion King, but if you like Goofy, you're sure to get some laughs out of it.

A Presidential Love Story

I first heard about this book on Good Morning America, and Charlie Gibson's descriptions of it and the excerpts he read sparked my interest enough that when my grandma asked us to return I Love You, Ronnie to the library, I hung onto it a couple days so I could read it. I finished it just moments ago.

As most of us know from the media, Ronald Reagan has been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for the past several years. He just celebrated his 90th birthday on February sixth. I recall him as the president in office during the first eight years of my life. As I was quite young at the time, I wasn't paying much attention to what he was doing, but I always figured he was a pretty good president. I've read the speech he delivered in the wake of the Challenger explosion and seen how eloquent he can be.

I Love You, Ronnie is two things: a memoir, written by Nancy Reagan, of her life with her husband, and a collection of the love letters which he wrote to her over a span of 50 years. These letters actually make up the majority of the book and were the primary reason for its having been written. She wrote in her introduction, "I realized how valuable the art and practice of writing letters are, and how important it is to remind people of what a treasure letters -- handwritten letters -- can be. ... If only people could see Ronnie's letters, I thought, they'd realize so much, including how wonderful it can be to take the time to write what you feel to those you love."

Ronald Reagan wrote letters to his wife Nancy constantly, for no reason at all except to tell her that he loved her. He addressed his notes by using a variety of pet names, and he had a plethora of nicknames which he used for himself. He enhanced store-bought cards with his doodles and sentiments. The depth of the love he expressed in those letters was amazing, and each letter sounds like a voyage of discovery, as though he had just fallen in love with her at that very moment. In one letter he compared their love to that between Anne and Gilbert Blythe of Anne of Green Gables, but he insisted that the fictional couple's love paled in comparison to that which he and Nancy shared. Always waxing poetic, he nonetheless repeatedly proclaimed the insufficiency of his words to express the love he felt.

This is a beautiful and poignant collection, an intimate look into the lives of Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. Unfortunately, they are increasingly the only reminder Nancy has of her husband; his mind is increasingly distant. In 1994, the former president sent America a letter explaining his diagnosis and thanking the country for the love he had been shown. He and his wife had disclosed their diseases before, and they hoped they could raise awareness of Alzheimer's in the same fashion. There is still no cure, but perhaps a breakthrough looms on the horizon. Until then, I Love You, Ronnie reminds us, as the Simon and Garfunkel song Bookends suggests, to "preserve your memories. They're all that's left you."

"I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead." -- Ronald Reagan, November 5, 1994

My First Movie

As I recall, this is the first movie I ever saw in the theater. This was a great experience for me, and I probably would have been impressed no matter what the movie was. But this particular film happened to be Disney's The Great Mouse Detective, a fine member of the Disney full-length animated features collection which is too often overlooked.

The story takes place in Great Britain and begins with Olivia, the daughter of a brilliant toymaker. When her father is kidnapped by Ratigan, a vicious rat with plans to take over the royal throne, young Olivia seeks the services of the famous detective Basil of Baker Street. She is led to his residence by Dawson, a portly doctor who is well acquainted with the "Great Mouse Detective". Basil and Dawson are very similar in appearance and personality to Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

Basil, who is a bit haughty and sometimes rather daft, is balanced out by the kindly and practical Dawson. With Olivia in tow, they embark on a mission to save her father. Upon their arrival, they discover that the toymaker's task is to create a robotic queen who will fool the masses and through whom Ratigan will rule. This, of course, means that the current queen will have to be taken care of as well, so it's a race against time for the sleuthing pair to keep the queen from falling to Ratigan's lethal aspirations.

This is a great Disney movie full of adventure and suspense, leading up to a fabulous climax at Big Ben. London is a popular setting for Disney movies, and it is once more used most effectively here. My favorite character is the gentle Dawson, but there are many well-defined characters here to enjoy. Even the dog, who provides their transportation. Ratigan is despicable, and he's got one of the liveliest songs a Disney villain has ever been given. I'm not sure why this film has been overlooked so often, but don't let that deter you from introducing your children to the wonderful world of The Great Mouse Detective.

Sunday, February 25, 2001

"The Best VeggieTales Video Yet!"

At least, that's what Esther was hailed as. This was to be the Cleopatra of VeggieTales, the best Big Idea had ever produced. Well, I must say it fell short of my expectations. Don't get me wrong, it was of the same quality that I have come to expect from this line of videos, but it seemed sadly lacking. There was no countertop scene with Bob and Larry. There was no Bob, period. The narrating position, which I would have thought would have logically gone to Bob, was given to an unknown guy with a New York accent. We never even see him during the video, so maybe he's not even a veggie. Other missing characters include Jimmy and Jerry Gourd, Scooter, Junior and his family, Laura, the bandits, and the less prominent Madame Blueberry and Grandpa George and Annie. That's a pretty big list.

The story is taken straight out of the Hebrew Scriptures...well, almost. Our heroine is young Esther, a leek with a perfectly normal speaking voice and beautiful singing voice. Nothing cartoony about her. Not only is her voice mature sounding, her eyes have irises. She is the only Veggie whose eyes contain more than pupils. Her cousin Mordecai is Pa Grape, a stalwart old fella who helps convince her that "you never have to be afraid to do what's right." Haman, the king's right-hand man, is Mr. Lunt, and the Persian king is Mr. Nezzer. This time, Mr. Nezzer is a pretty decent guy, but Mr. Lunt is just plain nasty. His character informs the king in song that "there are those who can't be trusted," and the king is tricked into signing a decree against Mordecai, who just saved his life from the Peaoni Brothers, who tried to drop a piano on his head. ("And we could have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for that meddling queen!") Esther passed on the warning from Mordecai to the king, but she faces the daunting task of exposing the treachery of Haman.

Esther, after praying for guidance in her pleading song Tell Me Why, was selected as the queen in an amusing parody of a beauty pageant hosted by Archibald Asparagus. The contestant before her, a slightly crazed, boisterous woman with decorative horns on her head, sang what I suppose is the Silly Song replacement. Accordion in hand, in screeching that almost competes with nails on a chalkboard, she serenaded the two-man committee with her rather frightening ode listing the virtues of puppies. Esther's song, The Battle is Not Ours, is, by contrast, beautiful. It reminds me of Joseph's Close Ev'ry Door and brings home the point that "there is nothing we can't face when God is at our side."

The scenery for this video is lush and inviting, with lively cityscapes, grandiose palace scenes, and breathtaking sunsets. There is plenty of humor to be found, but it's subtler than usual. In the beginning of the video, for instance, a sign reads: "Public Transportation: Why Wait Till A.D.?" Moments later, we see this wondrous creation, a chariot with grapes for wheels. Surprisingly enough, it works. Haman has a most amusing temper tantrum just before whisking Esther away to the palace, and his temper and ego provide more laughs along the way. There's a reference to the Jacksons here (when the king and Haman are playing Trivial Pursuit), and Esther serves her husband fast food for dinner. The befuddled inquiry of the king is also priceless: "Why is there a piano on my cake?" And then there is the Isle of Perpetual Tickling, to which the kingdoms worst criminals are sent. They are led there by a darkly shrouded figure wielding a giant feather.

Yes, there is a good deal of comedy in here, though Larry's usual antics are absent. He is a scribe or something of that sort whose task is to record all the events of the day concerning the king. His only words here are when he reads his notes to the king to help him sleep. There are only four Veggies getting much air time here, and Esther is one of them. It's a very well done video, and I enjoyed it very much, but it didn't really seem longer to me than the videos which contain a Silly Song and countertop scene. I guess I'm a gal who likes things to stay the same once I've found a formula I like, and there was just too much about VeggieTales that I have come to love that was missing in this video. I look forward to Lyle the Kindly Viking, and I hope to see with it the return of all my Veggie pals. I guess I can't begrudge them a little break, but they'd better be back!

Friday, February 23, 2001

Star Wars is Not Star Trek!

I've been a Trekkie for as long as I can remember, and I got razzed a lot for it during grade school. One time, members of our class were asked to make crafts for the graduating seniors which would be presented at their banquet/roast. Our art teacher read through the descriptions of the projects, asking for volunteers for each. When she came to the girl who was a Star Wars fanatic, everyone pointed to me. I protested that I knew nothing about Star Wars, but the response I received was "Oh, Star Wars, Star Trek, same difference." I could not convince the teacher that I was unqualified for the task, and I wound up making a Star Trek poster simply because my knowledge of Star Wars was so limited. I did so grudgingly, however, figuring that the recipient probably was no more a Star Trek fan than I was a Star Wars fan.

Well, I finally saw Star Wars when our family purchased the trilogy from a video club. I had never been too terribly interested in seeing it because it struck me as being much darker in nature than Star Trek, but once I had seen it I was perfectly happy to call myself a fan. I still don't believe that Star Trek and Star Wars have much in common, though. For one thing, Star Trek takes place in the future, and many of its key characters are from Earth. Star Wars is supposed to hail from the distant past and occur in an entirely unknown part of the universe. Star Trek is not so much focused on good guy/bad guy. It's deals more with everyday situations which might occur on a starship and people which its crew might encounter, and the enemies encounter rarely pose a serious threat to the entire galaxy.
Anyway, let's just say they're different.

Star Wars: A New Hope introduces the focal characters in the Star Wars saga. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill), the ambitious 17-year-old stuck on "the planet [the bright center of the universe] is farthest from." His provincial life is turned on its head when his home is destroyed and he joins Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) to learn the ways of the Force and fight the evil Empire. He is joined by the prissy protocol droid C-3PO,who looks slightly like a gold version of the Tin Man, and the mischievous R2-D2, a dome-shaped droid who rolls rather than walks and communicates with a series of mechanical sounds.

Han Solo (Harrison Ford), the rough-around-the-edges pilot of the Millenium Falcon, which he claims to be the fastest ship in the galaxy. He's in desperate need of cash and agrees to pilot Luke and Obi in order to save his skin. His egotism and sarcasm rub Luke the wrong way initially, but he's really the only guy they've got. With Han comes Chewbacca, a wookie. Chewy, a huge, furry Bigfoot-type creature who generally has more bark than bite, speaks using growl-like vocalizations.

Throw into the mix Leia (Carrie Fisher), the lovely princess who is being held captive by Dark Lord Darth Vader (Darth Vader), and you've got the core group of characters who will all play important roles throughout the trilogy. Although Leia is rather obnoxious to begin with, both Han and Luke find themselves falling for her, creating a love triangle that is at the heart of many of the trilogy's best scenes and resolved brilliantly in The Return of the Jedi.

The Star Wars trilogy combines fantastic creatures, romance, the battle of good and evil, action, and comedy to produce a tale of true epic proportions. It contains many memorable scenes and quotable lines, and its soundtrack is some of the most recognizable in music history. This first volume is a promising beginning, and it ends with A New Hope that the best is yet to come.

Saved the Best for Last

I am aware that most serious Star Wars fans are slightly embarrassed by this final portion of the trilogy, in large part due to the Ewoks, but I stand by my opinion of this movie as the best of the three. It includes that incredible scene in Jabba the Hutt's palace, wherein Leia melts Han, Luke defeats the disgusting creature in Jabba's pit, Leia strangles Jabba, and Luke and Han escape their sentence of being slowly digested by a gigantic creature with a thousand teeth.

Luke returns to Yoda to find that his mentor is dying, and he learns the truth of his father's identity. While talking with the spirit of Obi, he discovers that he has a twin sister. One of the most powerful moments in the movie occurs when he finally tells Leia of their connection, saying, "The force is strong in my family. My father had it, I have it, and my...sister has it."

Family becomes a major part of the end of this epic. Luke and Leia discover that the love they have for one another is familial rather than romantic, though no less profound. Now Leia can love both Han and Luke without guilt. I love the little scene at the end when Han reluctantly tells Leia she should be with Luke because she loves him and Leia replies that Luke is her brother and proceeds to kiss him. That look of befuddlement molding into a "hey, this worked out really great!" expression is priceless.

And, of course, the relationship between Luke and his father. In the end, Darth Vader is a sympathetic character. Luke's assessment that there is still good in him is correct. Luke loves his father and is unable to destroy him, and Vader, in turn, is moved to become Annakin Skywalker once more in order to save his son and overthrow the emperor whom he had served for such a long time. He knows he cannot survive as Annakin any longer, but he dies happily, having finally been returned to the light side.

The most entertaining aspect of The Return of the Jedi was the antics of the Ewoks who populate the lush planet of Endor. These playful creatures are mostly peaceful but prove to be formidable allies for the Rebels --once they decide not to eat them. The teddy bear-like beings live in elaborate treehouses and speak in a very strange and ancient language. They provide a good deal of comic relief but also are shown in moments of sadness as some of their numbers fall to forces of the Empire.

In the end, of course, the Death Star is destroyed and the most dominant evil entity in the universe has been eradicated. Everything ends happily for our heroes, and we are left with a rich feeling of fulfillment that all is now right with the cosmos.

Gave Me the Shivers!

I was never too interested in Star Wars when I was growing up, and The Empire Strikes Back is the reason. We caught part of it on TV one time when I was pretty little, probably six or seven years old. All I remember from that initial viewing was the image that would haunt me for days. Han being led to the chamber in which he would be frozen. Leia proclaiming, "I love you," and Han replying, "I know." (I recall my dad making a remark something to the effect of "nice guy!" But I noted later that he was simply reciprocating her actions from a previous incident.) Then the procedure was performed, and Han came out in a block of frozen carbonite. In my young mind, that picture of the distorted mold of his face protruding from the ice was one of the most disturbing images I could imagine. I left the room and wanted nothing more to do with Star Wars.

But I finally got over it, and taken in context with the rest of the trilogy, particularly The Return of the Jedi, this scene has lost most of its horror for me. Still, I can't help but shiver when I recall the first time I saw his frozen form.

But putting that aside, The Empire Strikes Back is a great second installment to the Star Wars series. It begins on a harsh, arctic planet, where Luke is stranded with his beast of burden, a large, thick-furred creature similar in appearance to a kangaroo. Han, who had planned to fly the coop, flies to the surface to rescue his young friend. Shortly thereafter, one of my very favorite lines in the entire trilogy is spoken. Han accuses Leia of causing the extenuating circumstances that are preventing him from leaving the base. Infuriated, she throws him a first-class insult. "Why, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking...nerf-herder!" To which he replies, "Hey, who you callin' scruffy-looking?"

Once Luke has healed from his injuries, it's time for him to meet Yoda (Frank Oz), whose level of Jedi mastery far eclipses that of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who died fighting Darth Vader. The swampy planet where Yoda resides is full of unknown dangers, and Luke and R2-D2 have a couple of serious scares before their meeting with the endearing Yoda, which comes about in a most amusing fashion.

In this movie, a dramatic turn of events occurs when Luke confronts the dreaded Vader, who utters the famous words, "Luke, I am your father." This middle chapter ends on a note of uncertainly, as opposed to the the triumphant ending of the first. Luke must learn the truth of his origins and reconcile himself with that truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. The group of faithful friends must be separated, but the stage is set for a breath-taking resolution in my favorite of the three movies, The Return of the Jedi.

Tuesday, February 20, 2001

"The First CD Game"

I first encountered Play it by Ear in my middle school music class. For the purposes of the class, we broke up into teams and selected a spokesperson for each question. It was one of our favorite pastimes in the class, and when our music teacher couldn't come one day, it was the ideal activity to be supervised by a substitute. In this case the substitute happened to be our principal, who had been the kindergarten teacher when my class was in kindergarten. We were having a great time when the selected card instructed the CD controller to go to track 66 for a series of really short stories. It would soon turn into a moment that would live in infamy when the man in the first story began to demonstrate his knowledge of certain vulgar terms. We all loved our principal, but it was pretty comical to see her jaw drop like that. We were very careful to avoid that track thereafter.

A couple years later, we managed to snag it from a WQLN auction. I can't remember exactly what we paid for it, but I think it was around nine dollars. Now when we play it at home, we generally don't keep score. We just take turns asking and answering questions. That way we don't have to be so bummed out by how little we know!

The CD features 99 tracks, each of which is broken up into three separate sections (A, B, and C). Each track has several cards interspersed throughout the deck, each asking a different set of questions. Each card is double-sided, with a different track's questions on either side. There are many different categories to choose from, including TV, Movies, Sports, News and History: 1969 and before, News and History: 1970 and after, Animals, Musical Instruments, Pop Music, Classical Music, Tongue Twisters, Folk Songs, Marches, and Anthems, Short-term Memory, and Really Short Stories. I may have missed a category or two in there, but I think I covered them all.

The Sports and News and History tracks mostly feature news broadcasts or isolated quotes by famous sports figures or politicians. TV and Movies require that you be able to identify a television show or movie by a portion of its soundtrack. The Music categories feature clips of songs. Musical Instruments provides a series of three different instruments or rhythms, while Animals provides three different animal sounds. Tongue Twisters is pretty self-explanatory, as is Really Short Stories. Short-term Memory tracks give lists of items.

Many of the questions are quite tricky. You may here a song clip and be asked to identify the name of a song that group performed with a particular singer. Or you may hear a quote and be asked what political position this person held prior to making that statement. Expect to be stumped a lot.

Some of the tracks are just a lot of fun. For instance, if you were asked to identify a robin among gaily whistling birdsong, low grunting, or "Merry Chistmas," could you do it? Hmmm... And you will no doubt come to love certain recurring characters in the Really Short Stories, such as all those talking machines (an elevator and a pop machine, to name two) and the val gal / surfer dude airheads Cheryl Ann and Leo (the one responsible for the dreaded track 66).

This is a game your family will enjoy playing again and again. I highly recommend it for all -- just watch out for Leo's mouth if you're playing with kids!

It's a Giant Man-Eating Plant; What's Not to Love?

Plenty, I would say. But my brother would be inclined to disagree. While he admits that he doesn't like the mouth on that man-eating plant, he loves its physical appearance. Frank Oz of muppet fame has once again created a winning creature in the eyes of my brother, who has always had a certain fondness for carnivorous plants. I have no doubt that Nathan will soon be slaving away to create his own replica of Audrey II. He's hooked, and he has made it clear that I am obligated to be kind to Little Shop of Horrors should I choose to review it. So, setting aside my inclination to wrinkle my nose, I will comply with his demand. Maybe -- just maybe -- this movie is worth the four stars I will give it. But I must admit that I lack the strength of conviction.

The story revolves around Seymour, an accident-prone, gold-hearted nerd played endearingly by Rick Moranis. I love his character here as much as I love his character in every movie I've ever seen him in. He's just adorable. Here he is cast as a poor man working on Skid Row in a florist's shop. When a plant he is caring for begins to take on a very abnormal appearance, business picks up for the store which has been recently devoid of customers. Seymour is an instant celebrity, but only he knows the dark secret behind the plant's success.

Audrey, played by Ellen Greene, is the object of Seymour's affection. I find her to be easily the most annoying human character in the film. She looks like a Barbie doll, very unrealistically proportioned, and talks with a mousy New York accent. She may be a very nice person, but she's such an airhead that she gives me a headache whenever she speaks. Directly contrasting her is her sadistic boyfriend Orin, magnificently played by Steve Martin (with black hair!). A motorcycle-driving dentist with an Elvis complex, he gets his jollies by inflicting pain on people. He is utterly despicable, but at least it's fun to watch him. His one show-stopping number Be a Dentist easily beats out Audrey's crooning tunes.

The movie is a definite musical, with probably more words sung than spoken. It has a definite Mo-town flavor to it; Audrey II, Seymour's wonder-plant, is voiced by a member of the Four Tops. The lyrics are pretty clever and the action surrounding the songs is generally pretty entertaining, but most of the actors have mediocre singing voices. Since the whole film has a pretty cheesy feel to it, their so-so singing fits right in.

Audrey II is my other least favorite character. It is rude and vulgar, just plain obnoxious, and of course there's the small matter of its feeding on human blood. I guess that I found Orin hilarious so I liked the character even though I hated him. I really didn't find much humor in Audrey II at all.

There's some nice cameos here that provide extra laughs. Jim Belushi makes a very brief appearance as a man seeking to market the Audrey II. John Candy plays a loony disc jockey, and Bill Murray portrays a masochistic businessman who is kicked out of Orin's office because he is enjoying the torture the dentist is inflicting upon him.

There are quite a few laughs to be had from this film, but a lot of the humor is dark or perverted or simply corny. The movie finds a happy ending finally, but it's a Goosebumps happy ending. In that show, every episode resolves itself happily until the minute and a half after the commercial break and before the credits. Then they throw in a twist that messes everything up. Henry's Awful Mistake, one of my favorite children's books, wherein an unwanted houseguest who causes the destruction of Henry the duck's house moves into his new house with him, employs a similar tactic. The irony in the movie is a little too morbid for my tastes.

Go ahead and rent this movie. If you've got pre-teen boys in your house, they'll probably love it. Otherwise, milk it for all the chuckles it can give you and then return it promptly to the video store.

Friday, February 16, 2001

Love Conquers All

When I was a senior in high school, I recall many of my teachers referencing this movie and suggesting that all of us see it. The chaperones on my February trip to the Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C., were especially emphatic in their praise of this film. I am surprised, actually, that it took me this long to see it. But see it I finally did. Last weekend my mom decided that we should rent it, telling me that she had been wanting to see it for quite some time. I expected that we would be watching a subtitled version; much to my surprise, it was dubbed. But while others have noted that they soon got past the distraction of the subtitles, I soon got past the distraction of the lips not being entirely consistent with the sounds which they produced.

By the time we got to the video store, it was 11:00 p.m. I had been assuming all along that my 12-year-old brother would go elsewhere while we were watching the movie; now, given the time, I figured he would just go to bed. I honestly didn't think the film would hold any interest for him. I was wrong. The three of us stayed up until after 1:00 on a Saturday night to watch Life is Beautiful, and none of us had any trouble staying awake for the duration.

The movie stars Roberto Begnini as Guido, a vibrant, comical fellow who wins the heart of the audience from the beginning. An Italian Jew, Guido wishes to open a bookshop but is forced to begin his life in the new town he has come to as a waiter in the Grand Hotel under the employment of his Uncle Leo. In a memorable scene, he engages in a hobbit-esque riddle contest with Dr. Lessing, a German physician for whom solving riddles is an obsession. Remember this man, for he will reappear at a crucial point towards the end of the film. So intent is the good doctor on his riddles that he refuses to eat. When an unexpected -- and very rich -- customer arrives, Guido must rush to bring him a satisfactory dinner despite the fact that the kitchen has all but ceased operation for the night. His solution is simple but brilliant and sets the stage for his next trick.

The first hour of the movie is a light comedy concerned with Guido's pursuit of Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a young schoolteacher who he keeps capriciously running into (quite literally) in a number of hilarious instances. Unfortunately, his "principessa" is soon to be married to a boorish upper-class fascist who is every bit as despicable as Rose's fiance in Titanic. Not only is she engaged, she is Catholic. But Guido manages to convince her of his piety by invoking Mary several times, each with immediate gratification. His wit, charm, and tenacity soon win her over, and he sweeps her away from her engagement party on a green Jewish horse (so marked by the fascists, hinting at the trouble soon to come).

We rejoin Dora and Guido about five years later, now happily married with an adorable son, Joshua (Giorgio Cantarini). Guido finally has his bookstore, and the little family is thriving despite the increasing signs of prejudice against Jews. Guido side-steps the issue comically with his son, foreshadowing his tactics during the darker portion of the film. When Joshua asks why a certain store has a sign reading "No dogs or Jews," Guido replies that all store owners have signs like that. He goes on to describe an instance in which his Chinese friend with a pet kangaroo was denied entrance to a store because of such a sign (reading, of course, "no kangaroos or Chinese"). He promises Joshua that they will put one up as well, and the boy demands that spiders be the outlawed animals.

The day of Joshua's birthday arrives, and the family has a grand party planned for him. Dora's mother will be attending; she has been absent from her grandson's life up until this point. Before the party, Joshua puts up a valiant fight to avoid bathing before his party. His aversion to baths and showers will play an important role in a later scene which is both frightening and entertaining. The joyous day is cut short when Dora goes to pick up her mother and returns to find the house a shambles. Guido and Joshua have been taken.

At this point I urged Nathan to go to bed. I didn't think he would be able to handle the concentrations camp, particularly right before bed. He was setting himself up for horrible nightmares. But he insisted on staying. And so the movie transitioned as Dora, unable to convince the train station guard to release Guido, Joshua, and Uncle Leo, demands to board the train that is taking her family to the concentration camp. Joshua is pleased, because Guido has already told him that this abrupt journey is a surprise for his birthday. Upon arriving at the camp, Joshua expresses his distaste for the train ride; Guido agrees with his disappointment and promises that they will take a bus on the ride home.

Guido and Joshua are able to stay together, but Uncle Leo and Dora are taken to different parts of the camp. "They're on other teams," Guido explains. He tells his son that this is all a great big game and that the winner will receive a real tank. When they arrive in the barracks, he translates the rules of the camp for the company -- except that he doesn't know German, and he makes it up as he goes along, creating the rules of the game which Joshua must play. Whenever Joshua expresses doubt as to the way the game is going, Guido restores his faith, and he assures his son that the children who are telling him the truth about the camps are really just trying to throw him off and win the tank for themselves.

Despite the hard labor he must perform all day and the heavy foreboding that is weighing him down, Guido puts all his energy into protecting his son's innocence and keeping his faith alive. At the same time, he find ways to let his wife know that he is still alive and thinking about her. The manner in which he accomplishes these tasks is often just short of miraculous, and my brother noted that "he can't keep this up forever". If a date had been mentioned previously in the movie, I missed it; I had no idea how far along the war was. I told Nathan that maybe the camps were on the verge of being liberated. Relief flooded through me when this turned out to be the case.

But the horror was not over yet. The final hours before the liberation of the camp are the most terrifying yet, and circumstances are about to test how far a man's love for his family can go. I won't reveal the ending except to say that it is bittersweet. No movie about the Holocaust can end happily; far too many lives were ruined for that. But they can end hopefully, and this one does.

Life is Beautiful is a hilarious comedy, a riveting drama, a frightening look into one of the most horrifying events in history. But most of all, it is a love story. A story of a man's love for his wife, his love for his son, his love for life. A story of the power of love to triumph over the direst of circumstances. A story more than deserving of the praise which was heaped upon it.

I was shocked to discover that my mom had not known anything about the movie except its language of origin previous to watching it. She'd only heard that it was a wonderful film. The horrors of the camp hit her very hard. Nathan, meanwhile, was left feeling optimistic after the film's final resolution. Both agreed that it was a wonderful movie; I certainly concurred.

As for the contention that a comedy about the Holocaust makes light of the suffering there, I feel compelled to quote Hawkeye Pierce, M*A*S*H's famous comic. When asked how he could always be making jokes while spending his days amidst the bloody aftermath of battle, he replied, "It's the only way I can open my mouth without screaming." The Holocaust was a terrible chapter in world history. As such, it is the ideal backdrop for a film which attempts to prove that hope springs eternal and sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.

Wednesday, February 14, 2001

My Apologies to Art Garfunkel

Anyone who is fairly familiar with my interests will no doubt find it strikingly odd that I should choose a movie in which Art Garfunkel was involved to stand as the worst Valentine film I can think of. There are others, I am sure, but the irony is too good to let go here. My favorite singer, whose romantic ballads could sweep a girl off her feet, is also partly responsible for this film that I find so utterly un-romantic. I have thought about reviewing it for some time, but I have been too reluctant to plaster two stars on anything involving Garfunkel. I'm casting off my inhibitions now, and if Mr. Garfunkel ever would happen to read this, I apologize. I can only say that he is not the reason that this movie failed in my eyes.

Just the name of the movie, Carnal Knowledge, gives a pretty good idea of what the movie?s driving theme will be. The movie focuses on two men, whom we meet as college roommates in the 1940s. Sandy (Garfunkel) is a doe-eyed idealist, naive and clumsy around girls but searching for a meaningful relationship. Jonathan (Jack Nicholson) is world wise and rather vicious. His charm wins the ladies over, but his abrasiveness causes them to leave him.

The beginning of the film details Sandy's pursuit of Susan (Candace Bergen) and his eventual triumph. There are some really cute scenes here of Sandy trying to woo her and having no idea how to do it. Susan eventually takes pity on him and agrees to be with him, but soon afterwards she becomes involved with Jonathan. This is apparently the first truly satisfying relationship Jonathan has ever had. He actually enjoys talking to Susan and spending time with her. Sandy doesn't realize that Susan is doing double duty, and he never finds out because Jonathan isn't quite as big a rat as he appears. He breaks it off with Susan for Sandy's sake, and Sandy and Susan get married.

Well, now Jonathan's in a pickle, but we figure he'll find someone else in no time. Meanwhile, at least we know Sandy and Susan will live happily ever after...or do we? Unfortunately, this is not what happens. Several years down the line, we see Sandy complaining to Jonathan about his unfulfilling romantic life with his wife. Eventually Sandy stops mentioning her, and next time we see him he?s with someone else. Jonathan, meanwhile, finds a new flame in Bobbie, a role for which Ann-Margret received an Academy Award nomination. Their life together begins happily, but it soon deteriorates. He is never around, and when he is, he?s abusive. The once vivacious and beautiful Bobbie spends her days sleeping and drunk.

The film progresses. and Jonathan and Sandy grow older and older and still find no satisfaction. Jonathan's attitude seems to have influenced the initially guileless Sandy, and he comes more and more to expect from his relationships something which cannot be attained. Jonathan, meanwhile, drives Bobbie to a suicide attempt and is guilted into marrying her, but he is still miserable, and the movie ends with him at a sex therapist.

This is a movie about two old friends who helped ruin each other's lives. It is more about the attitudes of certain men towards intimacy, and how both extremes are ultimately unsuccessful. Nichols has taken the aimlessness which he sought to portray in The Graduate and taken it one step further. Obviously he was trying to make a point, but if I was slightly befuddled by The Graduate, I found Carnal Knowledge downright baffling. The story becomes confused and unclear after the friends leave college. Susan simply disappears and we never see any mention of her again except when Jonathan accidentally includes her picture in a slideshow of women he has slept with.

This is definitely not a children's movie. There is quite a bit of nudity, for rather obvious purposes. The language is filthy. Probably half the dialogue would be blocked out by the Epinions censors! There is some violence, with Jonathan as the perpetrator. These same things added to my discomfort with the film. It's a terribly depressing movie; it would certainly put a damper on a romantic Valentine's Day evening. And it simply lacks the congruity that I seek in a film. I really have no complaints about the acting. I think all four major characters were portrayed well by their actors. But I thought the script didn't give them much to work with, at least after the college segment. If you're an avid fan of one of the people involved (that was why I saw it), it's worth it to rent it just to say that you saw it. But I wouldn't set my hopes too high.

Friday, February 2, 2001

As Absurd as the Holiday on which it is Based

About an hour ago, I saw coverage of Punxsutawney Phil's prediction for the fourth or fifth time today. I must admit to being rather perplexed each time February second rolls around and the country turns its eyes to a fat and bored-looking groundhog in a small town in Pennsylvania. How on Earth does a tradition like this get started? Nonetheless, it's fun, and it's good for a laugh.

Similarly, the Bill Murray movie which takes place in this town on this day is based on the absurd premise of a man being forced to relive the same day over and over. I suppose it's not too far removed from those time loops that the second crew of the Starship Enterprise kept finding themselves in, but this time it is only Murray's character, Phil, who relives the day. And he knows what's going on.

Phil is a jaded journalist sent to Punxsutawney to cover the February festivities. With him are his nervous cameraman and his producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell), with whom he quickly is smitten. Phil wants to get this assignment over with as quickly as possible, but it is not to be. When he falls into bed after a horrific holiday, he thinks his troubles are near an end. Little does he know they are only beginning...

What would you do if you awoke to discover that the clock had turned back and you were reliving the day you had just completed? What would you do if you continued to relive that day forever after? Phil is trapped in time, and while everyone around him is experiencing Groundhog Day for the first time, he is beginning to be able to predict what will happen at any given moment.

He milks his newfound time for all it can give him, learning all he can about the people who surround him so that he can feign acquaintance with them later. He picks up skills that he uses to impress Rita; in the end, most of his efforts are focused toward winning her love. When he feels that it is a hopeless cause, he decides to end his misery. But alas, death cannot stop Groundhog Day from coming to Phil yet again. He kills himself in dozens of different ways and still winds up in the same place he was before.

It takes an uncountable number of Groundhog Days for Phil to begin to understand why he may have been given this rare opportunity which he has seen as a curse. Phil must have the perfect day before he can move on with the rest of his life. No easy task, certainly, but when he finally manages it the transformation in his life and the lives of those around him is striking.

It's got a warm and fuzzy ending, but primarily Groundhog Day is a comedy propelled by the talent of Bill Murray, who has shone before in movies with similar themes and premises. It's silly, certainly, and not all of the humor is entirely appropriate for youngsters. And yes, at times it can be a bit monotonous. But for the most part, this is a hilarious movie with just enough feel-good to satisfy the whole family. It doesn't have to be Groundhog Day for you to enjoy this movie. Pick it up and I predict enough chuckles to warm up the coldest winter night.

An Unlikely Pair on an Incredible Journey

Over the years my family has amassed a large collection of movies, many of them taped off of television. Unfortunately, our collection has grown too large at times for us to contain it. In such instances, many of the taped movies are weeded out and disposed of. Unfortunately, one such spring cleaning effort went a little overboard, and many movies we did not intend to rid ourselves of were tossed out by mistake. When thinking of the movies that fell victim to that great tidying effort, my brother Nathan recounts this particular movie as one of the most grievous losses.

The Adventures of Milo and Otis is a bittersweet tale that recounts the coming of age of a pair of unlikely friends: an orange tabby cat named Milo and a pug named Otis. The two meet on the farm where they are born, and the mischief-making feline is constantly getting the stoic pug into trouble. The movie begins with a series of humorous misadventures which the puppy and kitten have at home.

The mood turns more serious when Milo is swept away while playing on a boat in the stream and is carried far away from his home. Otis follows hot on the kitten's trail, but the world is larger than either of them can imagine and each time the two are reunited, something comes along to drive them apart once more.

A series of difficult trials see Milo and Otis through childhood, and the movie ends with them reunited once more, this time with families of their own. As the friends set off to brings their families back to their roots, we see the story come full circle. It is a bittersweet moment, for Milo and Otis' childhoods were all too brief. But now a new generation has arrived to begin its own adventures.

The cinematography here is wonderful, with lots of great shots of animals in all sorts of situations, ranging from the humorous to the desperate. I almost think that the movie would have been better as a picture book of sorts; that is, no talking. Let the action tell the story. Dudley Moore's narration gave the movie a nice storybook quality, but I found it rather annoying in the context of an actual movie for all of the characters to be played by one person. It's annoying enough on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. I guess the only place where I've found that technique to be entirely successful was in Disney's The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met.

It's a fairly short movie, clocking in at only an hour and fifteen minutes, and while I wouldn't give it the highest marks for characterization, it's a cozy film about growing up and finding friends in unlikely places.