The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 22, 2004, Page 6, Image 6
-m /TT-^T' THEY SAID IT
• /1 I “We've got ANOTHER holiday to
» / I I W worry about. It seems
pag.e ^ V I I Thanksgiving Day is upon us.”
Monday, November 22,2004 -acharuebrownthaSSg8^?
Bridget's trip to
‘edge of reason'
lacks humor,
charm of original
"BRIDGET JONES: THE
EDGE OF REASON”
★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆
By MARJORIE JONES
THE GAMECOCK
Bridget Jones is back, but she’s not
quite as funny as she used to be.
Renee Zellweger returns as the
silly British 30-something in
“Bridget Jones: The Edge of
Reason,” with Colin Firth reprising
his role as the stuffy Mark Darcy
and Hugh Grant is back as the
loveable scoundrel Daniel Cleaver.
The much-anticipated sequel
begins six weeks after the original left
off with Bridget happily dating the
smoldering Mark.
Bridget still manages to make the
audience cringe with her impulsive
and embarrassing behavior, like
when she tries to solidify her
broadcast journalism career by
skydiving.
Not necessarily a bad career
move, but of course Bridget skydives
directly into a pigpen and ends the
broadcast with the ever-popular
close-up of her bum.
As if her shaky journalistic skills
weren’t enough, Bridget creates
friction in her relationship with Mark
by humiliating herself in front of his
lawyer colleagues.
Daniel arrogantly waltzes back into
Bridget’s life and convinces her boss to
send her with him on an assignment in
Thailand to tape broadcasts on
tourism.
Bridget gets haphazardly thrown
in jail but, resilient as ever, manages
to make the best of her situation.
Faced with the same decision
between two handsome Brits as in the
original, Bridget has to figure out what
will bring her happiness or more
specifically, who will bring her a happy
ending.
Zellweger exhibits Bridget’s
humanity duly well in “The Edge of
Reason,” but somehow it is not
always received as humorous. The
audience doesn’t know whether to
laugh at her or just feel sorry for
her. While the original teetered on
this humor-pity ledge, it
accomplished more in the way of
laughs.
What is missing from the movie are
the original’s biting cynicism and
sarcasm. “Diary” perfected this aspect
of British film, but “Reason” comes up
short.
“The Edge of Reason” does
provide a few laugh-out-loud scenes,
namely a hilarious fight that ensues
between Daniel and Mark as they
chase each other around, flailing,
fist-fighting and wresding in a
fountain.
Zellweger gained more than 20
• pounds both times she took on the
role of Bridget Jones, and while it
worked for her in the original, she
looks terrible in the second film.
Her acting in on par with the
original, her accent is as convincing
and her embarrassment even more
♦ Please see BRIDGET, page 7
"THE SPONGEBOB
SQUAREPANTS MOVIE”
★★★★ out Of ☆☆☆☆☆
By D.E. McGUIRT
THE GAMECOCK
Parents, grandparents, aunts,
uncles and older cousins may find
themselves being urged by the little
ones to take them to see “The
SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” over
the course of the coming holiday
weekend. These same parents, etc.
may find themselves sitting in the
neighborhood multiplex, baffled,
trying to make some sense of the
talking blue-eyed sponge, the snot
green one-eyed plankton, and the pot
bellied starfish in the Bermuda shorts.
Yes, one imagines that it can be
overwhelming for the uninitiated.
A little SpongeBob 101 is in order.
SpongeBob SquarePants lives in an
undersea town called Bikini Bottom.
While he is only a kid, he lives
alone (sponges, being asexual, don’t
have parents). SpongeBob earns his
living by flipping burgers over at the
Krusty Krab fast food joint, where he
has to deal with the likes of his boss,
Mr. Krabs, and his misanthropic
coworker, Squidward Tentacles.
SpongeBob is a happy little fellow
who enjoys ice cream sundaes and
singing the goody goober song. He
bathes himself by swallowing a bar of
soap and stepping into the shower,
upon which soap shoots out of every
orifice. SpongeBob’s best friend,
Patrick, the aforementioned starfish,
is quite simply a delight to behold. If
SpongeBob ’ proves absorbing to young crowd
there is any justice in the world, Patrick
will be nominated for best supporting
actor by the Academy, becoming the
first invertebrate to be so honored.
The plot of the movie revolves
around Plankton (owner of the Chum
Bucket fast food restaurant) and his
attempt to take over the world by
stealing King Neptune’s crown and
selling it on the black market. The crown
ends up in dangerous Shell City, and all
heck breaks loose in Bikini Bottom as
Plankton initiates his evil fascist scheme
to control the population.
SpongeBob, volunteers to make
the dangerous journey to Shell City to
take
back the crown for Neptune. Patrick,
eager to assume the Sancho Panza
role, goes along with his friend on the
treacherous journey.
True, “SpongeBob” isn’t a whole
lot different from any of the television
episodes on Nickelodeon as it
stretches itself thin at points to fill the
90 minutes. But it’s creative, it
features characters that are impossible
not to like, and it’s often hilarious.
As an added bonus, it’s not likely
to corrupt the minds of your family’s
younger set. The movie offers good
messages about greed, bravery,
friendship, foolish confidence and the
mind-numbing effects of fast food .
Here’s a piece of advice to
adults when they are
watching this in the
I theater: sit near the
) front. Then, at
Hr f one of the
moments, turn around and look
behind you. You will see rows and
rows of children’s faces light up with
joy. It’s a beautiful sight to behold. |
Comments on this story?
E-mail gamecockfeatures
@giom.sc.edu
PHOTOS SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK
‘Alexander ’fails
to reach expected
greatness, success
at box office
%
“ALEXANDER”
★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆
By WHITNEY BRADSHAW
THE GAMECOCK
“Men reach and fall. Reach and
fall.” What an apt statement to put in
the opening dialogue of the new
Oliver Stone film, “Alexander”. The
film reaches for greatness and glory
and yet falls desperately short.
After a promising first 45
minutes, the film slowly descends
into a dark abyss from which there is
I
no return.
The opening dialogue by the
incredible Anthony Hopkins, as
Ptolemy, is brilliant, giving the film a
firm foundation upon which to build.
Even the early childhood scenes of the
young Alexander are intriguing and
the first few Colin Farrell scenes have
positive aspects.
However, the film quickly goes
sour as it begins to delve into
Alexander’s personal life. It suggests
that Greek homosexuality and
Alexander’s bad home life were the
real “problems” in the great
Macedonian king’s life. The result is a
hero almost impossible for viewers to
like or feel anything.
“Alexander” has all the potential to
be a wonderful film — it has an
outstanding cast, a good director and
some promising dialogue. Yet it lacks a
strong sense of continuity.
Even with talented actors such as
Val Kilmer, who plays a despicable
Philip II, Angelina Jolie, as
Alexander’s mother (completely
creeping us out with her obsession
with snakes) and even Colin Farrell,
the film lacks a unifying thread.
Hopkins is amazing as a
narrator, but his narration and the
fact that the same characters are in
all the scenes remain the only
continuous aspects as the film
jumps from place to place within
Alexander’s life. Shot without a |
solid sense of order, the movies
feels like it is falling apart at the
seams.
Virgil once wrote, “Fortune
favors the bold.” It does not,
however, seem to favor “Alexander,”
even with all the promise this film
seems to hold.
Comments on this stoiy? E-mail
gamecockfeatureMgwm.se. edu
CD REVIEW
Young strikes gold with his
newest ‘greatest hits' album
“GREATEST HITS”
Neil Young
★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆
By MEG MOORE
THE GAMECOCK
Hitting shelves amid a season
inundated with “best of...” collections,
Neil Young’s “Greatest Hits” brings a
legend back into the limelight. The
two-disc set, which includes a high
quality DVD-audio version along with
the normal CD, contains 16 tracks
spanning over 22 years of times.
Including stints with Buffalo
Springfield and Crosby Stills & Nash,
the Canadian-born singer/songwriter
has had one of the most enduring
careers in the music industry. Young
signed as a solo artist with Reprise
records in 1968, releasing his
eponymous debut the following year.
With an extensive catalog that
includes folk gems alongside Crazy
Horse-backed garage-rock tracks, Young
has become a household name, often
placed at the same musical level as
legendary songsmith Bob Dylan.
Favoring Youngs earlier work — in
part because as a Reprise release it could
not include any of the tracks he
recorded for GefFen records —
“Greatest Hits” was compiled on the
basis of airplay, record sales and known
download history.
Organized chronologically, the album
includes solo cuts, those recorded backing
bands Crazy Horse and the Stray Gators, as
well as two “Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young”
hits.
‘Kicking off with the lengthy “Down
By the River,” the first 11 cuts on
“Greatest Hits” all stem from the two
year period between the beginning of
‘69 and early ‘71.
From the extended guitar solos of
the opening cut and “Cowgirl in the
Sand,” to the piano-based simplicity of
“After the Gold Rush,” the album
captures the two musical sides of Neil
Young. Although his voice is anything
but pretty, it adds an earnest quality to
his folksy tunes and a dark edge to the
heavier efforts.
Young’s opinionated side $hines
through on the CSNY cut, “Ohio,”
♦ Please see YOUNG, page 7
Jeans continue to serve as wardrobe
staple with classic looks, new styles
i
By NATALIE NETZEL
THE GAMECOCK
Levi Strauss, James Dean, Brooke
Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jerry
Seinfeld — all have helped to make
the blue jean a national icon.
Whether with invention,
identification or how not to wear
them, such celebrities have
accentuated America’s love affair with
denim.
Strauss started with a simple
style for workers in 1873. Over
the years his back pocket design
has become the signature symbol
for blue jeans.
Along with the traditional 501
style, the Levis brand now seemingly
produces a style for everyone.
Ranging from the traditional and
classic to the trendy and fashionable,
Levi’s jeans still get the celebrity seal
of approval.
Whether they favor straight leg,
regular wash pairs or opt for low
rise boot-cut styles, the average
American also relies on Levi’s for
his or her comfort and look.
There are even Levi’s stores where
customers can customize a pair to fit
their preference as well as an official
Levi Strauss Web site,
www.levistrauss.com, which features
v a up us styles.
jOf course, in the days since
Strauss’s revolutionary vision,
various brands and styles have
emerged. Local boutiques such as
M, Luna and Belladea all offer
designer brands with a distinctive
touch.
Luna in Five Points carries jeans
from Seven, James, Citizens of
Humanity and Ernest Sewn, a new
label that broke off from the
popular Paper, Denim & Cloth
line.
These jeans are pricier, ranging
from $88 to $198, but are
distinctive and new styles arrive
regularly.
Embellished jeans with
rhinestones are also selling well at
Luna, adding a glamorous touch to
a material otherwise known for its
ruggedness.
M on Devine Street has slightly
less pricey jeans ranging from $75
150. Joe’s is a popular line known
for its amazing fit. Other brands
include Chip and Pepper, Red
Engine and Mavi.
Secondhand shops also carry a
variety of jeans, including designer
and no-name brands. Revente in
Five Points and Curious Closet at
Harbison ,are two better-known
\ stores with a wide selection of
cheap jeans.
Besides unique |joutiques, chain
stores also offer , a wide ;-an
selection.
Abercrombie & Fitch, Old Navy
and American Eagle all carry
modestly priced, style-setting jeans.
These stores have pairs with the
distressed details that younger pop
star celebrities, as
well as a majority
of students, find
popular.
B u t
distressed is
not for
eve ryo n e.
Classy
styles
appeared
on the fall
runways
at Chloe
and
Balenciaga. According to the winter
2004 issue of Suede, trouser-style
jeans are going to be hot. Among
many of their positive assets, the
biggest is that they are quite
♦ Please see JEANS, page 7