Published 2003-10-08T00:00:00Z”/>
DVD/Wrong Turn
It’s “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” meets “Joy Ride” in this typical horror movie. Only there’s no chainsaw.
Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington, Jeremy Sisto and Emmanuelle Chriqui are the doomed few who find themselves lost deep in the woods after taking a wrong turn.
During their search for a phone, the kids stumble upon a house and make a gruesome discovery.
The rest of the movie is spent trying to get out of the woods and keep from being turned into teeny-bopper sandwiches.
There’s really nothing special about “Wrong Turn” to separate it from the bloody mess of teen slasher flicks.
But the bad guys are creepy, genetic mutations from some serious backwoods cousin humping.
Other than that, the general guidelines of horror movies are followed. In the movie, people only travel in couples, characters are killed off in a boy-then-girl order, the women are the only ones shown mutilated and the rule that horny stoners die first is upheld.
Somehow this movie does manage to save a little face by providing some truly gory sights and a number of scenes that are guaranteed to make you jump.
Though it lacks in originality, “Wrong Turn” is an entertaining ride for any horror movie fan.
<em>–Drew Harden</em>
CD/Elvis Costello
“North,” Elvis Costello’s latest album release is a continuation of his soft-ballad-style albums of the last 10 years.
But this particular album is the most “concept-oriented” of the bunch, with a clear beginning and ending mood.
The album catalogs the painful breakup of his marriage to Cait O’Riordan, and the regaining of his ability to love again.
Without guitars on the album, all of the songs were written by Costello on the piano.
Ever faithful sideman Steve Nieve plays piano on about half of the album, while Costello plays on the other half.
For those who have had their hearts broken before or appreciate quality music of meaning and sensitivity, this album is for you, whether you’re an Elvis Costello fan or not.
<em>–Brennan Purtzer</em>
Movie/The Rundown
The opening scene of “The Rundown,” has Arnold Schwarzenegger passing by The Rock in a bar saying, “Have fun.” Supposedly, Hollywood has officially crowned The Rock the next big action star, with Arnold’s stamp of approval.
The Rock certainly holds his own as Beck, a bounty hunter sent to fetch Seann William Scott, who knows the location of a valuable artifact in a South American town run by a ruthless mine owner (Christopher Walken).
Rock and Scott have a lot of good chemistry together, and Walken is an effective creep. Many of the villains are cheesy one-dimensional cutouts, and there’s an unnecessary humanitarian element about helping rebels.
But the fantastic fight scenes and good bits of humor sprinkled throughout make this a fun, if somewhat forgettable, thrill ride.
<em>–Eric Chrisman</em>
Book/The Secret Life of Bees
Fourteen-year-old Lily Owens and her black surrogate mother escape the harsh life of living under the roof with an unloving father who’s idea of punishment is forcing his daughter to kneel on piles of uncooked grits.
“The Secret Life of Bees,” written by Sue Monk Kidd and Published by Penguin Books, has sold over 1.7 million copies since it’s release in January 2002.
The book tells the compelling story of a young girl and her companion who run away to a town foreign to both of them. The duo is taken in by a trio of black beekeeping sisters who teach them their secrets.
“The Secret Life of Bees” is filled with emotion conjured from maternal loss, family and community betrayal and coping with the life’s disadvantages.
<em>–Samantha Stess</em>
CD/Vertical Horizon
The danger of becoming a rock/pop group is determining where the sell-out zone is located.
Many bands have carefully tried to tiptoe this line in hopes of not alienating its original fans. Meanwhile, the band is also plotting its takeover of pop radio.
The latest soldier fighting to stake its flag in enemy territory is Vertical Horizon.
Its new album “Go” is reminiscent of the Goo Goo Dolls before they passed the cusp into the nomad land of ballad rock many years ago.
The crunchy guitars are compelling at times. However, as is the problem with most bands these days, the riffs are uninspired.
The string ensemble is once again added in an attempt to bring some class to a rock album.
But it also takes away any semblance of a rock edge that could have been there.
This is the kind of easy listening music that might be playing on the oldies station when we all make it to the retirement home.
<em>–Valerie Lum</em>
