â– VGGIELIFE
5A
■’HE BATTALION
Thursday, April 3, 2003
c
IT H
Bringing Down the House
Queen Latifah, Steve Martin,
Eugene Levy
Touchstone Pictures
Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin), recently
divorced, appears to have it all — from a plush
[home in the hills of California to a fancy
sports car. Although Peter misses his wife, he
begins an Internet relationship with
‘LawyerGirl,’ who seems like the perfect
/oman to help him forget about his ex-wife.
Peter spends a lot of time making sure
everything is perfect for his first big date with
Ithe attractive, blonde woman in the picture he
{received from LawyerGirl. The doorbell rings,
’eter runs to the door, and Charlene Levy
(Queen Latifah), fresh out of the Los Angeles
Tounty Jail, busts into his home and into his
(life, ready to stir things up for this career-
ibsessed man.
Dressed in dark blue shorts with a matching
{top (decorated only by identification numbers
m the back), Charlene is definitely not the
?etite blonde Peter expected to see. Charlene,
/rongfully charged with armed robbery, is an
lonest woman, and Charlene’s image is clearly
the photo that Peter received via email.
^hen Peter takes a closer look, she is in the
>ack right corner being arrested. Peter wants
jher out immediately, and Charlene wants Peter,
m attorney, to take her case.
In order to get what she wants, Charlene
jecomes an intrusive house guest insisting that
^ter throw her a huge house party in his home
ind showing up in her most “ghetto fabulous”
)utfit at his country club while he is meeting
with a top client. Peter finally gives in and the
two most unlikely of companions develop an
endearing friendship.
Although the movie is loaded with racial
stereotyping, a weak script and Steve Martin
(whose better comedic days are long past), it is
saved by Queen Latifah’s flawless timing and
her ability to make even overused jokes seem
fresh. She is the reason the movie has grossed
more than $100 million, stayed No. 1 for three
weeks, and still remains in the top 10 after
four weeks.
Overall, the movie takes advantage of a lot
of jokes that everyone has heard before and
walks a thin line between harmless comedy
and blatant racism. The best scene takes place
in the bathroom of the country club as
Charlene threatens to “kick the bulimia” out of
a young yuppie who crosses her. With an aver
age supporting cast, the Queen carries the
show and is sure to bring down the house, even
if she has to do it all on her own.
—Lauren Smith
IRMi
tvili a Iv.l lift anJ Junk* \ lints can t save- it
LLLjUI
W nt to see it on \iJec
Mj
Catcli tilt matiiirt
Q
t uij ticLls online
bust out ijour lent aixl camp
ul Km mjlits
n okanot
BRAXTON
Toni Braxton gives
T birth to second son
; LOS ANGELES (AP) - Singer
Toni Braxton and her husband
have another son.
"They are doing great, both
mother and baby are resting
comfortably,"
her publicist,
David Brokaw,
' said Tuesday.
Diezel Ky
fBraxton Lewis
Iwas born
SSunday at an
|Atlanta-area
^hospital. He's
Ithe second
child of Braxton, 34, and her 32-
year-old husband, Keri Lewis.
They also have a 1-year-old son,
•Denim.
The Grammy-winning singer
jmet Lewis when his band, Mint
fCondition, accompanied her on a
|concert tour.
Rolling Stones cancel
concert in China
NEW DELHI, India (AP) - The
Rolling Stones have arrived in
India, after canceling their first-
ever concerts in China because of
a mystery disease.
The flu-like illness has infected
more than 1,800 people world
wide, killing at least 75, mostly in
Asia.
The band arrived with its 150-
strong entourage in the southern
city of Bangalore late Tuesday on
its "40 Licks" tour.
They had been scheduled to
perform Tuesday in Shanghai and
NEWS IN BRIEF
April 4 in Beijing, but changed
their minds because of travel
warnings from the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention and the World Health
Organization.
These are just the latest shows
the veteran rockers have can
celed in their "40 Licks" tour
because of the disease — severe
acute respiratory syndrome, or
SARS. They performed in
Singapore earlier this week, but
scrapped two weekend concerts
in Hong Kong.
Mewes ordered to
undergo drug rehab
FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) - Jason
Mewes, who played a pot-smok
ing slacker in the Kevin Smith
films "Clerks" and "Jay and Silent
Bob Strike Back," has been
ordered to complete drug reha
bilitation or face jail.
Mewes, 28, who failed to report
for a court hearing stemming
from a 1999 heroin conviction,
had a warrant issued for his arrest
in December 2001.
On Tuesday, he surrendered
and pleaded guilty to probation
violation charges. He admitted
failing to report to his probation
officer, take drug tests or under
go counseling. He also admit
ted leaving the state without
permission and lying to his pro
bation officer.
Superior Court Judge Michael
D. Farren ordered Mewes to
begin treatment within 10 days at
Discovery House, a rehabilitation
center in Marlboro.
Mewes, a Highlands native now
living in Hollywood, Calif., must
complete the program before
he's allowed to leave New Jersey,
Farren said.
If he violates his parole again,
he faces up to five years in prison.
Williams' daughter to
run Boston Marathon
BOSTON (AP) - Ted Williams'
daughter is coming to town to
run in the Boston Marathon and
help out the Red Sox Hall of
Famer's favorite charity.
Claudia Williams will run in the
April 21 race to benefit the Dana-
Farber Cancer Institute, which
had close ties to her father.
"I remember visiting the
Jimmy Fund Clinic with him
and seeing how sensitive he
was with the kids and the
impact his visit had on them,"
she said recently. "I want to
give something to the cause
that my father felt so strongly
about."
Williams said she took up
running to deal with the grief
of her father's death.
The Red Sox traditionally play
at home on race day, a state
holiday, starting the game at 11
a.m. so fans filing out of
Fenway Park can watch the
marathon's lead runners go
through Kenmore Square.
The two Boston fixtures also
are linked through Dana-
Farber.
Williams will participate in
the Dana-Farber Marathon
Challenge, a program in which
runners agree to raise at least
$2,000 in pledges for charity.
Reality!
Now Hiring Community Assistants/Leasing for 2003!
Real Living. Real Learning. Don't settle for anything less.
Full-size washer and dryer
Deluxe mattress
Resort style shared living
Fully furnished
Individual lease
Free roommate matching
Big study desk
Free cable TV access
Free HBO & ESPN
Free highspeed Internet
Crossing Place "
New apartments for today's students.
979*808475
400 SoulFiwest Parkway
College Station, TX 77840
crossingplace.com
x, Win 6 months JfF
to 1 year ^
FREE RENT! ^
Wh
$0 if
Move-In jf*-
Fees!
Skydive
10 minutes
from campus
Skydive
Aggieland
•16 years combined staff
experience
• Video of your jump available
• Call or go to the website to
make a reservation
• Located at Coulter Airfield
• dzo@skydiveaggieland.com
www.skydiveagqieland.com
778-JUMP
I LARGE
I-TOPPING
$C 99
• pu/only
2 LARGE
I-TOPPING
$|7 99
® pu/delivery
I EX-LARGE
I-TOPPING
*8.”
I LARGE
2-TOPPING
& 2 liter drink
$| | 99
I # pu/delivery
PICKYOUR SIDE
LARGE
2TOPPING
AND I SIDE
78
pu/delivery
12.
LATE NIGHT
LARGE
I TOPPING
$ 6 w
after I Opm
pu/dellvery
LATE NIGHT
LARGE
I TOPPING
I 6. 99
after I Opm
pu/dellvery
Northgate Post Oak Square Center Rock Prairie
601 University Dr. 100 Harvey Rd. f Suite D 1700 Rock Prairie
979-846-3600 979-764-7272 979-680-0508
Zlil
lAl H
D. <
OJ
Sunday: 1 1 a.m. - midnight
Monday - Wednesday: 11 a.m. - 1
Thursday: 1 1 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Friday & Saturday: 1 1 a.m. - 3 a
r O
> -o
H m
m z
starting soon!
April 9 th & 10 th
May 11 th
College Station Kaplan Center
707 Texas Ave., Suite 106-E
Call us at 1-800-KAP-TEST or visit us : 'ine at
kaptest.com today to enroll!
a
X
b
I
E
1
i
a
v