“The Men Who Stare at Goats” Review

In the first 10 minutes viewers are introduced to a journalist, Bob Wilton (McGregor), who lives a rather redundant life in Michigan as he tries to mend his broken heart by doing “what everyone else has done–I went to war.”

He continues through the film to share his story in a timeline of three parts: his broken heart, how he made it to Iraq and, most importantly, his time spent with former members of the military psychic division during the Iraq War.

The movie is based on Jon Ronson’s non-fiction book, “The Men Who Stare at Goats.” The title refers to the idea of people killing goats by simply starting at them; a secret government experiment referred to as project Jedi.

With a cast like Ewen McGregor, George Clooney, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey the movie has set a high bar for itself. Viewers will not be disappointed in finding that, while the movie deals with the military, it doesn’t focus on dramatic scenes but rather the many “what-if’s” asked when it comes to special operations.

Once arriving in Iran Wilton comes across two dilemmas: he doesn’t have a lede for a new story and he doesn’t have any documents allowing him to enter Iraq. It is at his temporary residency, a random hotel in Iran, that he meets Lyn Cassady (Clooney) who is suppose to be the best “Jedi warrior” from his days as a member of the U.S. Army’s First Earth Battalion.

Cassady tells Wilton about Bill Django (Bridges), Larry Hooper (Spacey), how the unit started and what the project was all about.

From the time Wilton meets Cassady till the end of the movie, the story follows the life of a journalist searching for a story. It can serve as a reminder to writers that every story has an interesting angle if you look for one.

As the wise Cassady told Wilton, “If you keep shooting for a dream that can’t be attained, then you will always be swimming against the current.”

Though the lack of soundtrack is hard to get used to, and the humor is dry, Clooney’s characteristic comedic one-liners and the interesting evolutions in three decades worth of military covert activities that keep the movie at the same level as its star studded cast.

Grade: A
Rating: R

– Issa Luckett

“Where the Wild Things Are” Review

“Where the Wild Things Are” is a minor miracle: first because it develops Maurice Sendak’s under-300-word picture book into a coherent movie, but more importantly because of how brilliantly it captures being 7-years-old. It wouldn’t be exaggerating to count “Where the Wild Things Are” among the best films ever made about childhood.

Max — played by newcomer Max Records in an impressive child performance — feels lonely within the confines of his house. The movie’s brief opening scenes show how sister Claire ignores him for her teenage friends and his mother (Catherine Keener) deals with work and dating in addition to raising two children. During a fight, Max bites his mom (already mirroring the creatures he will soon join), runs off and sails away on a boat. Eventually he finds himself on the island inhabited by the wild things, and quickly becomes their king.

It’s not surprising that director Spike Jonze’s vision initially conflicted with the movie studio’s sensibilities: “Where the Wild Things Are” is a far cry from more recognizable kid monster movies like Monsters vs. Aliens. The plot is minimal at best and Max is the only human character present for more than two or three scenes. Moments like Max’s first encounter with the wild things, or a glimpse of the bones of previous, eaten “kings,” are almost scary.

There’s a deep loneliness lying within these creatures as well, and though their joy and exuberance are shown, the film also has a melancholy tone rarely present in any children’s movie. At any rate, Warner Bros. release and support of such a unique and inventive film certainly should be commended.

Of course, vital to any “Where the Wild Things Are” adaptation is how the wild things look and on this note especially the movie doesn’t disappoint. The monsters’ designs, created by Jim Henson’s Creature Company using CGI sparringly, complement the film’s shaggy, earthy aesthetic. The entire movie is visually stunning, in fact, and creates a landscape where the picture book’s deep, dark forests meet sunny, desert stretches in the boundless, unexplained way an imaginative child thinks.

The wild things’ voice actors (which include James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, and Forest Whitaker) are also all well-done and further the characters rather than distract audiences with familiar celebrities. Jonze and screenwriter Dave Eggers interestingly suggest that these monsters represent parts of the protagonist’s personality.

Max immediately identifies with Carol, a wild thing equally anarchic, playful and emotional, like Max himself. He can’t understand the squawking of creature K.W.’s owl mentors, just as he can’t understand his sister’s friends. It is an interesting idea that helps expand on the short source material.

The diverse crowd of adults and children present at one screening suggest a wide possible appeal for “Where the Wild Things Are.” The film should resonate with any age group: Children can identify with Max’s sense of adventure and creativity, while audience members old enough to remember the original book can appreciate the artistry Jonze has added. The film is obviously very personal to the director, who spent over a decade trying to get it produced, and is imbued with the same sense of sprawling originality as his previous movies “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation.”

With an end result as successful as “Where the Wild Things Are,” the struggle was well worth it.

Grade: A
Rating: PG

–Jimmy Geurts

U2 “360 Degrees” Concert Review

With the energy and passion only U2 can deliver to a show, the 360 Degrees tour was every bit the spectacle it was hyped to be when it arrived Friday night in front of a crowd of more than 72,000 raucous fans at a packed Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Led by frontman Bono, the iconic Irish rock quartet displayed the musical genius that has made them a global phenomenon over the past three decades. Guitarist David “Edge” Howell Evans and Bassist Adam Clayton were in sync all night, beautifully blending rhythmic guitar sequences while Larry Mullen thumped the drums in unison.

The band opened with “Breathe” from its latest album “No Line on the Horizon” and played “Get on Your Boots” and “Magnificent” among others from the same disc. They also performed a wide variety of their classic hits, including “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Beautiful Day,” “Mysterious Ways,” “Stuck in a Moment” and “With Or Without You.”

Crowd favorites seemed to be “One” and “Where The Streets Have No Name” which the band played during the back-half of their set, when they took on a political and social tone. Images of protests from the Iranian elections were shown on screens during “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and Bono talked of imprisoned Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, dedicating the song “Walk On” to her.

Opening for U2 were British rockers Muse, who lived up to their reputation as one of the best live performances in the world. Blending elements of progressive rock and electronica into their music, the band began its set with a pulsating rendition of the politically charged “Uprising,” the lead single off their new album “The Resistance.”

Led by singer Matthew Bellamy, the band then played a number of well known songs from previous albums, including “Map of the Problematic,” “Supermassive Black Hole,” “Starlight” and “Time is Running Out” to the delight of their fans. Muse thrives in the concert setting with their ability to sound just as good live as they do on CD.

Much of the build-up to the show surrounded the use of a massive stage set dubbed “The Claw” that is reportedly the largest ever for a rock concert and being used by U2 for the tour. The structure weighs 209 tons and is joined by a 54-ton cylindrical screen made up of 500,000 pixels, according to the Tampa Tribune. The way the structure is put together allows for a 360 degree viewing experience for the crowd and better visuals for those in distant seating.

The booming sound system was also top-notch, making the tours’ emphasis on technological overload a great success.

– Ian Lanphier

“Couples Retreat” review

Vince Vaughn lovers will want to make sure they don’t miss “Couple’s Retreat,” in theaters today.The movie centers around marriage, kids and divorce.

The pacing is really good, and specifically focuses on four couples and the different levels of life they are at.

One couple, Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell), represent the organized married duo that always has power points for everything. While they both feel that they cannot remain married they bring attention to a couples therapeutic island called Eden. The island is suppose to be a couples getaway full of outdoor activities and optional therapy, but in order to get a group rate everyone has to go.

The other couples that join them have their own problems. Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristin Davis) despise each other so much they are counting down the months until their daughter moves out to divorce; essentially making them ideal candidates for therapy, but not for vacationing. Meanwhile, Shane (Faizon Love) is already divorced but definitely wants to take his 20 year old girlfriend to the island to pary.

The only couple not on the rocks is Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), who are happily married with kids, but they never got their honeymoon. They see the trip as a way for them to getaway and have alone time.

When getting to the island they all find out that therapy is not optional and temptation lies on the other side of the water where all the singles are partying. This forces couples to see if they are strong enough to stay with their partners.

Well rounded with various themes, almost any audience will be sure to find something they like. From divorcing to raising a family, there is pain and love found in every bit of dialogue.

Overall, the movie has cameos that are worth seeing and an ending that isn’t like modern day hollywood with “happily ever after,” where everyone smiles. It shows so many sides to real life events that it will instantly draw in audiences.

Rating: PG-13
Grade: A+

– Issa Luckett

Pavement Reunion Tour Announced

Pavement fans rejoice. After years of reunion rumors the 90s indie rock band, Pavement, has finally confirmed that they will indeed be performing again together in a reunion tour nearly 10 years after the initial breakup.

In an interview with Rolling Stone Pavement guitarist Scott Kannberg said, “I think in the back of our minds, we always thought we’d do something again. But we never really talked about it until the last couple of months. It’s come together fast.”

The reunion is set to start in September of 2010 in Central Park with a couple of benefit shows. The band is currently in discussions with playing in festivals such as Coachella. Unfortunately, before Pavement fans get to excited, the band said that as of now they are just scheduling a couple of reunion shows and that this does not mean the band is back together for good.

– Tyler Shepard

“Between the Trees” concert review

Indie rock outfit and Orlando natives “Between the Trees” played an inspriring and energetic set at the Orpheum in Ybor Thursday night.

The band is made up of vocalist, guitarist and pianist Ryan Kirkland, drummer Josh Butler and bassist Jeremy Butler.

The set was an eclectic mix of songs off their newly released album “Spain,” as well as tracks from their 2006 release “The Story and the Song.”

Kirkland played the piano and led the crowd in sing-alongs to crowd favorites including “Darlin’, You Cry a Tear to Start a River” and “The Way She Feels” — the promotional song for the non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms. He started the show off with “We Can Try,” the first single from “Spain”. Kirkland’s soaring vocals and the band’s incredible stage presence make it easy to understand what their faithful fan base sees in them.

The band encouraged Tampa fans to attend their hometown show in Orlando at the House of Blues Oct. 3, where Kirkland assured they will play a lot more songs. An outburst of cheering upon that announcement seems to show fans are willing to take him up on the offer.

– Taghrid Alrajoula

“Zombieland” Review

Sure to be a hit for anyone with a sense of humor – or love of all things undead – “Zombieland” previewed tonight for select audiences before opening tomorrow.

The movie, which follows a paranoid, phobia obsessed boy Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) as he traverses through a world populated by mostly zombies – or infected people – had the preview audience laughing, applauding and holding their breath.

It opens with a narration by Columbus as he explains, with entertaining and gory clips, the rules that have help him survive for so long on a largely diseased and abandoned earth. The rules, including “Cardio,” “Check the Back Seat” and “Don’t be a hero” make frequent appearances throughout the film and are flawlessly intertwined into scenes with text animation and video examples.

While concentrating on surviving, Columbus meets zombie killing bad-ass, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), who is essentially a walking game of “Dead Rising” as he kills zombies with every weapon and every method possible. The pair is eventually joined by sisters Little Rock and Wichita and the four head for California, where they’re hoping to find sanctuary from the zombies.

What ensues is an entertaining adventure that touches on all emotions, including sadness, but is never far away from a good laugh. The love story is simple and cute and viewers will find themselves becoming emotionally attached to the characters.

Columbus is an endearing main character with some unfortunate luck in the women department. He has plenty of one liners and scene-stealing moments.

Tallahassee really stole the scenes, however, and with a touching back-story, tough outer shell and an obsession with Twinkies, he’ll have viewers rooting for his survival.

Nothing is inherently scary – though the amount of blood and guts in the film explains the ‘R’ rating and may make some flinch – but there are plenty of starling moments that may have viewers jumping in their seats.

One pleasing surprise in the film, which shouldn’t be spoiled, is the guest cameo.

Overall, the film was much more than a montage of brutal zombie kills – though that was a good portion of it.
It was funny, sweet, touching, sad, adventurous and gory – but somehow all these emotions and themes blend together to create a movie that was beautifully made, well-written and memorable.

Rating: R
Grade: A+

– Emily Handy

Blink 182 is back

Blink 182 was in Tampa last night after for a stop on the bands comeback tour after a separation that lasted four years.

Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker were back in their usual fashion and put on a show that was epic in proportion. All American Rejects and Fall Out Boy joined Blink 182 with a dazzling array of punk rock that wasn’t lacking in special effects — including light-up guitars.

With a packed house at the Ford Amphitheater, Travis Barker from Blink 182 stunned the crowd by playing the drums while he and his drum set were suspended in mid air.

Blink 182’s set was filled with flashing lights and six circular screens that gave close up images of the band. Blink preformed mostly songs from their newest album but brought a handful of their popular songs from older albums to rev up the crowd. The concert had the packed crowd on their feet and singing with the band.

Last night’s concert definitely affirmed that Blink 182 is back and better than ever.

Paranormal Activity: “Don’t see it alone”

Scene from the film "Paranormal Activity"

New documentary-style horror film “Paranormal Activity” is being released in only a few theaters across the United States, none of which are in Tampa. But don’t be discouraged – the movie is adding a new twist to advertising and letting people request the movie come to their hometown.

The film is being compared to “The Blair Witch Project” with its documentary, hand-held camera style filming and realistic characters. It is scripted but in a way that leads viewers to believe that the experiences happening to the characters are actual, and that the actors are too.

The movie follows a couple in their attempts to capture what they believe is ‘paranormal activity’ in their house.

But what’s most unique about this film is the way it’s being marketed to the public by showing movie-goers reactions to the on-screen terrors in the film’s trailers. A night camera facing a theaters seating shows couples clutching on to one another and boys and girls alike near hysterics.

This reverse view seems to be working. According to IMDB.com interest in the movie, with a tagline of “Don’t see it alone,” has gone up 1,208 percent this week. Reviews on the Web site confirm that the audience reactions in the films trailer are accurate to what’s been going on in the audience at pre-screenings, most of which sold out, according to the LA Times.

The closest theater to Tampa showing the film is on Universal Blvd. in Orlando, but if the trailer – which you can watch on the movie’s IMDB page – make you want to see the new horror film, “Demand it!” using the films Facebook application HERE.

– Emily Handy

PBS turns the final page on Reading Rainbow

“Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.” These simple and catchy words began a half-hour television show that entertained generations of children from 1983-2009. That television show was Reading Rainbow and was recently removed from syndication after a successful 26-year run, making it the third-longest running series in PBS history.
Hosted by Geordi La Forge (Star Trek: the Next Generation) for its duration, Reading Rainbow became a staple in many elementary school classrooms.
The show taught many children the joys of reading through the medium of television. While this may seem backwards it was a way to reach the youth, who had become increasingly more interested in the world of television and video games than literature.
In addition to teaching children the values of reading, Reading Rainbow also dealt with many real world issues like having a parent in prison and the importance of teamwork.
The show actually ceased production of new episodes in 2006, but continued to air reruns for the next three years.
According to the Washington Post, “A mix of low ratings and insufficient funding to pay for the production license sealed the show’s fate.”
In an interview with NPR, John Grant, who is in charge of content at Reading Rainbow headquarters at WNED in Buffalo, said no one was putting up the money necessary to renew broadcasting rights. Grant also said there had been a shift in philosophy towards teaching children how to read instead of why to read.
While many things have changed since the debut of Reading Rainbow in 1983, many things have also stayed the same. The Department of Education and teachers everywhere are trying to keep literature relevant in an increasingly electronic world. This new shift in philosophy towards teaching children how to read with phonetics and spelling instead of why to read is the latest effort. Perhaps this new shift in thought will produce another show that will be as long-lasting and well loved as Reading Rainbow.
The show will undoubtedly be missed by many, whether it is the children that watched it today or generations before that who cannot help but feel a sense of nostalgia upon hearing the theme song. Either way LeVar Burton and Reading Rainbow helped shape several generations of children and helped carve out a niche in the history of learning.

–Tyler Shepard