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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 2004)
h4| NTERTAINMENT HE BATTALION 7A Thursday, March 4, 2004 ymi IXXjy L C R I T I Q UE tions that only serve to keep the complacent audi ence staring at the “purty pictures” on the screen. The sappiness of some scenes is often over whelming, but what can one expect from a movie that came from “The House of the Mouse.” The movie is not a terrible one, but at the same time film-goers looking for a movie that will not only entertain but will offer some mental exercise will be well-advised to stay away. “Hidalgo” shouldn’t offend anybody but the thinking man. Every one else is sure to get a kick from this stan dard Hollywood piece of driftwood floating in a sea of queso. Hot and Ready Large Pepperoni Pizza $ 5 +tax little Caesars EVERYDAY 696-0191 carry out only 2501 Texas Ave. S OVER 30,000 won weekly 1805 Briarcrest, Bryan 979-776-0999 OPEN TUESDAY TO SUNDAY Ag Appreciation Nights on Wed & Thurs Nights: 6:00 & 8:00 * New times for 2004 • Open Tuesday thru Sunday, 6 & 8 * 1/2 price paper * M0 1/2 price Bingo Magic Machines • BYOB • '2500 package prize each session LARGE NON-SMOKING ROOM Great Food • Security • Pull Tables St. Joseph Brazos Valley Stjoseph Catholic gll <s #859 BVCASA Catholic Church School ;dy Cress I ou might , possible.' engineer id he eiijo; id of Cra ray fromii nd," Rodgc in sound” mtinueloti 11 be drivi laying ffl« i van, <i — n ill vhat iter by lives, :ms. itut ■edits. Photo Courtesy of Touchstone Pictures Mortensen (right) plays Frank T. Hopkins, a ! racer fallen from glory, who is invited to com- jeteina 3,000 mile race across the Arabian Desert ySheik Riyadh (Omar Sharif, left). “Hidalgo” Touchstone Pictures Starring Viggo Mortensen ‘Hidalgo” is a movie that was made for a spe- Ic audience. It just so happens to be the same idience that enjoys “America’s Funniest Home 'ideos” and CBS sitcoms. Amusing at times, illy entertaining at others, “Hidalgo” is grade- (Hollywood cut. Prepared from a recipe of box-office success, Disney film is as predictable and cliched as it but at the same time, it doesn’t inflict too hharm on a viewer's brain cells. Hidalgo” is the story of Frank T. Hopkins, a American Indian who has fallen a long way glory, and his horse Hidalgo, who compete long-distance race through the Arabian sen. Along the way, the pair of misfits ountersand stonns, swarms of locus, scheming racers and bandits. Viggo Mortensen plays Frank T. Hopkins much le Indiana Jones on downers, quick with a sar castic quip or fisticuffs when he’s not brooding nilhhis horse. Hopkins has an unnaturally close relationship with his horse, and the two enjoy all salts of activities together, from saving damsels in fistress to eating insects. The horse seems to be the smarter and more responsible of the pair. Casting director Nancy Foydid an excellent job in choosing the horse that played Hidalgo. The eyes of the beasts give off an uncanny intelligence and charm. After watching ihe first half of the movie, audiences won’t be able tohelpbut fall in love with Hidalgo and care about his plight. This is exactly what director Joe Johnston (“The Rocketeer,” “October Sky”) is hanking on - that audiences will be too distracted | curing shout the horse to notice the shallowness of the script. “Thtfilm features a lack of likeable characters, /foplinsis too busy feeling sorry for himself to give the audience a chance to. The other characters are either villains or stereotypical foreigners with grasp of the English language and the nuances of its humor. Besides the amusing scenes the horses are actually racing for their ray survival, the movie focuses on a hastily thrown together plot that focuses on stealing a prize horse. Along the way, the love interest is kid napped and - of course - Hopkins and Hidalgo go and save the day. On the way, they get themselves ilothe villain’s complex, which is amusing, but Aegunfight that ensues has been seen dozens of lined before in better crafted visual styles. The cinematography is one aspect of the film lat never fails to please. The sepia tone that cine matographer Shelly Johnson uses to capture the desert locals helps add to the destitution of the of a race through the. heat and sand. During one overly sentimental scene, a well-craft ed use of camera techniques and special effects helps bring together a well-composed hallucina- n sequence. The movie often takes the road of fantasy in highly unbelievable scenarios and situa- - Robert Saucedo “The Lost Skeleton of Cadava” Columbia-Tristar Starring Larry Blamire A tongue-in-cheek sendup of a 1950s science fiction film, “The Lost Skeleton of Cadava” is hilarious in its awfulness. Seemingly built for late- night movie watching parties, the movie is laugh- out-loud funny as it celebrates and builds upon the cliches that helped earn legendary director Ed Wood his infamous legacy. When a serious scientist (Larry Blamire) and his bubbly wife embark on a trip to the woods to locate a meteor that contains atmospheria, an elu sive element that potentially holds the key to mankind’s salvation, they become entangled in a web of mock-horror. A mad scientist with dreams of conquering the world, Dr. Roger Fleming, is also in search of atmospheria to resurrect the evil skeleton that resides in the cave of Cadava. Also in search of atmospheria are two well- meaning aliens who need to repair their ship that crashed and unfortunately let loose a bloodthirsty mutant, which is not much more than a man inside of a costume that looks as if it was built for a play at a school that lost all of its theater funding for the year. Much like the movies it mocks, the film’s plot is just gift wrapping for the collection of genre stan dards. Eclectic objects find a home in this bizarre movie, with everything from bizarre weapons made from household appliances to the mysterious half animal, half-woman temptress Animala. Writer/director/actor Blamire cleverly inserts satire among the slapstick humor that helps sell this retro comedy. The script cleverly parodies the schlock-tastic dialogue of 1950s science fiction movies to a T. Audiences won’t help but find themselves quoting the movie’s spot-on dialogue. Just thinking back to Animala’s rock dance will leave fans softly giggling at the memory. The movie is filmed in black and white and fea tures a standard science-fiction score that helps add to the legitimacy of the movie. Part of the movie’s charm is the way it takes itself seriously throughout the hour-and-a-half screen time. The movie lends itself to repeat mocking and is ideal for a night of movie watching with friends. Unfortunately, like most one-joke ideas, the movie often contains slow parts and lolls in the humor, but audiences will be too busy resting their smile muscles to care. More hilarious jokes are just around the corner. The actors are exceptional at bad acting. Never letting in on the joke, the actors all help to carry the sight gags and inane dialogue with flair so believable, one begins to wonder if some of today’s notoriously bad actors may be faking bad as well. While most modern spoofs seem to find the need to hide behind gross-out humor and sex jokes, the movie, at a rating of PG, is so clever ly crafted it never strays from the wide-eyed innocent roots of the movies it spoofs. a - Robert Saucedo 4980 Dilty Shaw Tap Rd. Bryan TX, 77808 979 - 778 - 0173 From computer parts to complete systems... We’ve got you covered. Realty ^ Realty & Investment Company FREE LOCATOR 260-1200 PRELEASING NOW for May & August 2004! Across from campus, next to Taco Bell. www.united-rico.com um d sT*rmzmm«w4*m Backpacks? Hostels? 3 Cities in 4 Days? This ain’t your parents’ travel agency... it’s yours. London $278 Paris $279 Amsterdam $354 Brussels $335 ^ ^ Vega/ Prom $420 » 3 nights at Luxor Hotel Pori/ Prom $531 » 7 nights Faro is round trip from Houston and prices are per person. Subject to change and availability. Vegas package based on double occupancy. Paris package based on quad occupancy. Tax not included. Restrictions and blackouts apply. Fares are valid for students and youth under 26. BOOK IT BEFORE ■ THE THRILL IS GONE. ISTA 721 Texas Ave. S (979) 696.5077 lwww.statravel.com onLine »> on the pnonG >> on enmpu/ >> on the /treet PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Maria Shriver takes seatas federal juror ANGELES (AP) - ournalist-turned-California first Maria Shriver has another ewjob: juror. wearing a pantsuit and glasses, took notes (ednesday in U.S. District Court, tee she is on a jury hearing a iroduct liability case. There was no evidence of extra icnrity for the wife of Gov. irnold Schwarzenegger, iveryone entering the federal ourthouse must pass through a retal detector and each court- oomhas an armed bailiff. Shriver, a former “Dateline IBC" reporter, asked to be of her duties at NBC lews after her husband was governor. She said it ecame clear to her that as first idy of California, her journalistic would constantly be crutinized. Shriver had the seat nearest ie witness stand. She is one of tree women on the panel hear- igthe case of a man who claims e suffered nerve damage that osthim the use of his right arm hen he fell from an extension idder while working for a heat- 'gand cooling company. He is suing the ladder manu- icturer, alleging the product was "fective. CALLAWAY You've Never Lived or Worked Like This! HOUSE The Callaway House, the premier housing choice for students, is looking for Community Assistants for immediate and summer openings. As a Community Assistant, you will help make the Callaway House a great place to live through outreach with students, resident programming, leadership and customer service support. Qualifications Include: • Full time student of sophomore or higher standing • Minimum of 2.5 GPA or higher • Be in good academic and judicial standing • Information session will be held on Sat, March 6th @ 3:00 pm - Applications are now available at the Callaway House reception desk For more Information, please stop by or contact us at: 301 George Bush Drive West College Station,Texas 77840 (979)260-7700 www.callawayhouse.com American Campus Communities is an equal opportunity employer. Mar. 7 th - Mar. 11 th Acct 209 Billy's Video Sun 9p; Mon 7p Acct 209 Kratchman Tue 6p; Wed 7p Acct 209 Strawser Tub 6p Acct 230 Biol 113 Sun 9p; Tub 7p Biol 113 Sun 9p; Tue 7p Biol 114 Chem101 Keeney-Kennic Sun 12a Chem101 Magnuson Tub 5p Chem102 Sun 3p Chem102 Sun 3p Chem102 Conway Thu 6p Chem102 Peck Mon 12a Chem107 Chem 228 Hogg Mon 9p Chem 228 Sulikowski Sun 9p Chem 228 Tiner Sun 5p Econ 203 Nelson Mon 4p Boon 322 Sun 3p Fine 309 Joyner Sun 7p; Sun 7p; Mon 7p; Mon 7p Fine 341 Joyner Sun 7p; Sun 7p; Mon 7p; Mon 7p Info 303 Darcey Mon 3p, Tue lOp Math 141 Sun 9p; Mon 9p; Tue 7p; Wed 7p Math 141 Sun 9p; Mon 9p; Tue 7p; Wed 7p Math 142 Sun 6p; Mon 6p Math 142 Sun 6p; Mon 6p Math 152 Wed 10p Math 152 Wed lOp Mgmt 309 Wesson Tue 9p Mktg 309 Tue lOp Mktg 309 Tue lOp Mktg 321 Tue lOp Mktg 321 Tue 10p Rhys 201 Rhys 218 Bryan Thu 8p Rhys ?18 Schuessler Sun 12p Tickets Go On Sale Sun. 5pm Bookmark Us Online At: www. 4. OandGo. com