6B - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
ENTERTAINMENT
Don't cross the draw bridge to see unbelievable flick
Ever wondered how movie studios come up with ideas for new movies?
Sometimes I swear that big-wig studio executives must be on crack when financing some of the movies that get made and are then ruthlessly forced upon the unsuspecting viewing public.
My theory that Hollywood executives have a severe drug problem is evidenced by the increasing number of new movies with stories that must have been developed during periods of intense acid trips or violent hallucinations.
ben Stiller's newest movie Zoolander is a prime example. Stiller stars as a male supermodel scheming to assassinate the king of Malaysia. It begs the question, Why God? Why?
The awful truth is that Earth holds no answer capable of rationalizing the reason behind making such blatantly stupid movies. My point (I do have one) is that movie premises these days often border on the preposterous (example, Fight Club).
Imagine the relief upon learning that Robert Redford and James Gandolfini were starring in a movie called The Last Castle about a military prison revolt. Finally, a smart film with two proven dramatic actors. A definite can't miss if there ever was one.
Well, after counting my yet-to-be-hatched chickens, I actually saw The Last Castle.
On second thought, maybe Ben Stiller as a male supermodel does make sense. At least more so than some of what goes on in The Last Castle, a sloppy, contrived action/drama that tries earnestly to touch audiences' emotions without taking the time to actually make them care.
Brandon Stinnett
Movie Reviewer
ajpaykansan.com
Commentary
The usually reliable Redford stars as a highly decorated general sent to a military prison for disobeying an executive order from the president. After witnessing first-hand the atrocities carried out by the prison's tyrannical warden (Gandolfini) and his henchmen, Redford's General Irwin organizes and leads an improbable revolt aimed at forcing the warden's resignation.
To the film's credit, the prison revolt scenes are both fascinating and riveting. Oneexhilaratingaction sequence nearly makes the movie worth watching. But not quite.
It's just too hard to get past the characters who bare no resemblance to real people. I'm all about unique characters as long as there remains a certain level of plausibility.
General Irwin, an American military general respected by all who he has served with, is sentenced to 10 years in the slammer and never gives so much as a scowl. He accepts his fate with a
ho-hum smile, professing his intention to "do my time" and go home to sit on his front porch with the grandson he has never met.
One would think that a long-term prison sentence might invoke somewhat of a bad mood, but not for General Irwin. Maybe war warers are above emotions, or maybe director Rod Lurie was too busy ironing out plot threads to consider his characters as real people.
Even more suspect are the prisoners Irwin leads. It takes just one moving speech from the good general to transform these criminals into a cohesive army of soldiers, united to the core and inseparable under even the most treacherous circumstances.
General Irwin's uncanny power of persuasion would make even Hitler jealous. But I'm not buying it.
saving a movie about a prison revolt is nothing new, but it could have been effective had the characters been remotely interesting. The Last Castle doesn't come close.
Next time when confronted with a choice between watching a serious action movie such as The Last Castle or watching Zoolander, I may just opt for the latter. At least Ben Stiller is funny.
Contact Stinnett at 864-4810
The Last Castle ★★★
Great movie of the week: The Cable Guy. Many dismissed The Cable Guy as too dark and disturbing for Jim Carrey, the king of physical comedy. True, advertisements for the movie did present it as another in a line of slapstick, goofball comedies Carrey had gained fame for. Ace Ventura: Pat Detective it isn't, but The Cable Guy hooks audiences up with enough crazy humor to fill two movies. It is truly one of Carrey's most under-appreciated performances.
Bad movie of the week: Snake Eyes. Nicolas Cage and Gary Sinise star in a movie that looked a lot better than it was. Director Brian De Palma displayed his usual visual flair, but key plot lines late in the movie depend too much on coincidence. Of course, most viewers will be too bored by that point to care.
$2 Wells $2 Domestic Beer
THURSDAY,OCT.25,2001
EVERYDAY!
913 N.2nd St.Lawrence,KS 785-841-4122
"Experience Counts"
Mocha Florentine:
dark brewed coffee combined with steamed chocolate milk, topped with whipped cream.
638 Massachusetts·832-CAFE
Kansan Classifieds...
Say it for everyone to hear
20% discount for students
Wednesday:
Cajun food
Billy Speers & The Beer Bellys
$2.50 premium drafts $1.50 stolls
Saturday: $1.50 ABSOLUTE
Free Party Rooms!
Weekly Specials
Tear this out and pin it up all week so you'll never miss a special!!
TONIGHT!
$2.50 16oz. dom. bottles
$2.00 beers and wells
Live dancing
$1 big beers &
$1double wells
ASTROS
BADA BING
CADILLAC RANCH
$2 bloody marys/
screwdrivers
$2.00 beers and wells Live dancing $2.50 pitchers, $2 wells, retro night
$2.25 Dos Equis pints
Coco Loco
$2.00 beers and wells Live dancing
$3.75 pitchers
$2.00 beers and wells Live dancing
EMERSON BIGGINS
$3 premium draft,
$3.50 frozen Margaritas
$2 domestic bottles
$2 Wells.
HARBOUR LIGHTS
2 for 1 Margaritas World Class Dance Party
$2.00 beers and wells Live dancing
$2.50 16oz. dom. bottles
$1 anything
JACK FLANIGANS
JAYHAWK CAFE
$ . 75 draws, $1. 50 dom liters,
$2. 25 almost anything.
$2.50 imports
$1.50 u-call-it, DJ &
dancing, 1/2 price burgers
$1.50 big beers,
$2.00 wells
JET LAG LOUNGE
$1.50 Bud / Lt bottles,
$2.00 180 & Bacardi
$2.00 well drinks
$2.99 big beers
OLD CHICAGO
$2.00 beers and wells
Live dancing
$1 anything
No Cover for Ladies
Great Specials World Class Dance Party
RAOUL'S VELVET ROOM
SET EM UP JACK'S
$3 Biggin's size Labatts draws
$2 Mexican Beers
$4.75 Biggin's size margaritas on the rocks
$3.00 Biggin's size Shiner Bock
2 for 1 margaritas
$3.00 Coronas
$2.00 Boulevards
$1.50 import drafts
$1.50 Bud/Bud LT.pints
$5 pitchers, choose winning team = free dinner buffet
$2.00 Red Bull & Vodka DJ Seano
$1.50 Miller High Life bottles,
$3.00 22oz. Rolling Rocks
$3 Biggin's size Bud Lt.
$1 Busch & Miller H-Lite cane, $1.50
waltz, $2.75 live, music
$1.75 premium draws
$2.75 Long Island Ice Tea, free pool
$1 Cap. Morgan, Retro Dance Night, $2.50 Big Beers $2 domestic bottles, $3 Captain/Jim Beam drinks $2.00 Bud & Bud Light pint draws
2 for 1 on most drinks
$2.00 Rolling Rock longnecks
Halloween Party - $200
for best costume
$1.75 dom. bottles, $3.25 micro beer liters, $3.75 premium liters
Karaoke!
Ride the bus to ALL KU home games Home football game
$2.00 pints, $1.00 refills,
$1.50 wells
$6.95 margarita pitchers
$2 Coronas. $.50 tacos
$1.50 big beers. $4.00 20oz
Long Island Ice Teas
$2 Smirnoff Ice / Twisters
Bobby Keys
$2.50 Jackaritas, $3.50 S
Hurricanes, DJ/Dancing
Home football games $2.00 Boulevard draft pints
NASCAR party during $2.50 16oz Bud & Bud Lt race,$2 16oz draws Bud/Lt bottles
$2.50 20 oz. Miller Lt
$2.50 20 oz. Coors Lt
$1 anything!
$2.00 house wines, wells domestic beers
$2 big beers
$.25 wings
$3.00 Martinis /
Cosmopolitans
$5 pitchers Bud & Bud Lt
2 Margaritas & Coronas, 2 for 1 burgers and $2.00
$1.50 25 oz. big beers domestic big beers
$2.00 pints domestic and micros
Import night $2.00 import and micro beers
$2.00 Boulevard pints
$4 32oz Bud & Bud Lt,
$2.00 double calls,
$2.25 Rolling Rock and Captain Morgan drinks
$2.00 domestic bottles,
$.30 wings
Check out Kansan.com for more drink, food and entertainment specials with profiles of Lawrence's bars and restaurants.
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