A SLICE OF HOME ON A KUMMELWECK ROLL
Bar Review - Anacone’s Inn
(5 out of 5 G's)
by Jacob Drum
The sign outside Anacone’s Inn proclaims it to be your “home away from home.” With a combination of great food, cheap drinks, and a relaxed friendly atmosphere, that claim is hard to deny.
Located at 3178 Bailey Avenue (on the opposite side of the Heights from Main Street; just a few blocks up from LaSalle Avenue), Anacone’s offers a wealth of light bar fare to soak up your alcohol intake. Every item on the menu is under $4, ranging from chili to chips to meatball hoagies. But the unquestionable gem of this neighborhood staple is their Beef on Weck. Juicy mounds of rare beef set between the traditional salted caraway seed roll make the perfect counterpunch to a small, but effective—and reasonably priced—draft beer selection. (Hint: Ask for horseradish when the bartender offers you condiments. Not only is this spicy spread a much tastier option than ketchup or mustard, but it’ll also make you look like a seasoned pro.)
The draft beer selection is not as varied as some of your more eclectic Elmwood bars, but they do have Guinness and Saranac seasonals on tap, and their bottle selection fills in any gaps you might find, with a wide selection of both foreign and domestic favorites.
One major advantage Anacone’s has over the Main Street strip is the cost. With nightly specials ranging from half-price pints on Sundays to Thursday’s Mug Night—where $2 fills up any size mug you bring in with draft beer—this bar is the perfect place for those of you who find yourselves scraping together last week’s empties to pay for this week’s beer pong.
Anacone’s is home to a wide range of patrons, from crust punks to older couples, from around the block to a mercifully low percentage of frat guys. Visitors can watch sports or movies on one of the bar’s two wall-mounted televisions, jockey for position on the juke-box, or enjoy what may be the last coin-op pool table to cost fifty cents.
Anacone’s has long been a well-kept secret among regulars, neighbors, and the lucky few who were introduced by their friends. The small crowds only add to an atmosphere of home-style comfort. There are no dance floors, no deejays, and only the occasional surly customer; usually disgruntled ex-Generation staffers or the odd whiskey-muscled jock.
Not to worry; the staff are some of the most professional and amiable bartenders in the business. They’re the type that will trick your inebriated friend into giving them their car keys in exchange for a bag of chips or some other little trinket; it may not seem like much, but it’s about the most important skill in a bartender’s arsenal.
DARK COMEDY PROMISES BRIGHT TOMORROW
Movie Review - The Weather Man
(5 out of 5 G's)
by Zach O’Neill
“That was refreshing.” This is the first line of the movie, The Weather Man, and it will be the last thought one will have as the film ends.
Too often Hollywood has put us through the feelings and thoughts of the modern woman, a “chick flick,” as they call it, neglecting the neurotic tendencies of the modern man. Figuring men are all just tin-cans-of-tough with heads as empty and lifeless as Elizabeth Taylor, the only male mind portrayed on the big screen lately is either a straight arrow that always knows what’s going on or a blank-minded idiot that makes us giggle with glee. Men don’t get to have many dimensions in the movies. The Weather Man finds the male mind, opens it up, and inspects our common thoughts and desires in an incredibly entertaining way.
In the same vein as American Beauty, this flick watches a collapsing family. Portrayed in much the same way, with consistent narration, daydreams, and flashbacks, the film accentuates the strength of the script. There is purpose behind the direction taken by Gore Verbinski, who can add another notch to his variety of successful films (The Mexican, The Ring, Pirates of the Caribbean). It’s through this type of on-off switching in time and space that we can easily see a man’s mind at work.
The film begins with the depiction of a man, David Spritz (Nicholas Cage), in the middle of a mid-life crisis. He is divorced and quite distant from his family. However, his job as a Chicago weather man brings him success. David tries hard to prove his success to his dying father, Robert (Michael Cane; The Cider House Rules, Batman Begins), who is a world-renowned writer and infallible in David’s eyes. Yet, Robert focuses more on David’s domestic life where things aren’t going so hot. His daughter is being picked on at school and smoking cigarettes, his older son has just been released from rehab, his ex-wife is getting very close to another man, and he seems quite estranged from it all. The plot focuses around David’s attempt to fix it all.
Even though it’s dark, this is a comedy. One can’t help but laugh at the pathetic turn of events or the expression of violent thoughts so common in our own minds. David’s own inner-dialogue seems more apt to rant rather than solve anything: “I wish I had two dicks.” The startling bombardments with fast food add a unique further touch of amusement to the film.
This is also Nicholas Cage’s best work. A far cry from the national bore that was National Treasure, Cage’s performance deserves some sort of nomination and a good strong slap on the back that says, “Well done, Nick. Well done.”
So guys, it’s time for you to drag your girlfriends to a movie about men, about how we think and we feel. It’s time for the “chick flick” in the passenger seat to stop giving directions and let the “dick flick” drive, we know where we’re going. Damnit.
GUNS AND SEX AND RAP, OH MY!
Movie Review - Get Rich or Die Tryin’
(2 out of 5 G's)
by Amanda Lerman
Is it possible to express little amount of emotion and still star in a successful lead role? Hit rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson takes this challenge by starring in Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, which is also the title of 50 Cent’s best-selling CD. The film, written by Terence Winter, an Emmy-winner for his work in HBO’s The Sopranos, creates a story line much like Eminem’s vehicle, 8 mile, by taking key elements of Jackson’s real life and combining them with some fictional events to illustrate his path from living as an orphan living on the street to selling drugs and becoming a hit rapper. Directed by Jim Sheridan—best known for Oscar-nominated films such as My Left Foot and In America—Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ is a far cry from his award-winning material.
The film begins with the infamous shooting in which Jackson was plugged nine times. As he lies in the street, he says, “I’ve been looking for my father all my life. This is my search.” So far, off to a good start. Following this, the audience is taken back to Jackson’s childhood, where he learns the ropes of dealing crack by watching his gorgeous, drug-dealing mother (Serena Reeder) on the streets. They were abandoned by the father and are left to cope without him. After the disturbing death of his mother, Jackson uses his street smarts to lead a crack-dealing crew and obtain the expensive shoes and clothing he believes will make him a success in life. Using his mother as a role model, he refuses to live in poverty like his grandparents, making minimum wage by working a nine to five shift. Although he enjoys the respect he receives from his crew and expensive things such as his Mercedes, his ultimate passion is the music. Right on.
Aside from the kinetic plotline, Jackson’s performance is derived of hardly distinguished glares and frozen stares. Actors Terrence Howard as Bama and Adewale-Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Majestic help save the film and steal the spotlight in every possible scene. When Jackson accumulates enough money to buy a Mercedes, we see a glimpse of personality as he flashes smiles and goofy sayings into his rearview mirror to express his excitement about becoming a success and owning his own car. As to be careful not to break from his “tough man” character, he then tosses intimidating looks into his mirror and practices harsh sayings at pretend enemies. This clip helps express how Jackson must keep a protective cover by sustaining a tough image in order to endure the life experiences he had to overcome. As soon as it comes, his smile disappears.
The constant series of violence with endless shootings and repetitive images of exposed sexy women feed the film’s target audience with what they expect to see. I would advise you not to come to the theater expecting any award-winning acting, but if you like violence and sex this film is for you. It proves that perhaps Curtis Jackson should stick to rapping and steer clear from acting.
ART MAG
Magazine Review - Tokion
(3.5 out of 5 G's)
by Audrey Odhner
Silly me. Having never before noticed the cover of Tokion magazine along the shelf of any bookstore, I bought it to review thinking it was new. However, after walking back home drenched from the downpour, I soon realized that it was indeed the celebratory fiftieth issue I held in my hands. I wasn’t about to walk it back. Besides, having already survived nearly a decade, there must be something neat about it, right?
There definitely is something interesting about Tokion. For starters, the title, which is underscored in smaller print with the words “Creativity Now,” is intriguing. The credits page revels that “tokion” is actually “a fictional word meaning ‘the sound of now.’” I personally, even after reading the magazine (devoted as much, if not more to art and fashion than music), am not sure what that means, but it sounds pretty cool nonetheless.
Essentially, this seems to summarize the feel of the whole publication. The cover, featuring a greasy, bubble-gum blowing Chloë Sevigny along with a list of featured names including Bikork, Nick Night, and Stephen Malkmus, exudes with that certain “indie cool” that makes so many run, not walk, towards the nearest “underground” exit.
However, Tokion does not have its nose quite so high in the air as one might suspect. It has its moments; for example, one series of fashion photos is so overexposed that you can barely discern the outline of the model let alone what they are wearing. Nonetheless, even these are interesting photographs.
The visuals are definitely what make the magazine. Most pages are devoted entirely to one large photograph or artistic image of which the color, texture, and quality are well arranged, although they could be more varied.
Another aspect of the magazine’s visual appeal is its uncommon approach towards advertisements. Anyone who has picked up a Vogue knows how many hundreds of ads can be miraculously squeezed into one magazine. Tokion graciously manages in this issue to keep it down to a few—tucked away at the very beginning and end of the booklet.
The writing, at least in this issue, is pretty unpretentious, though sparse. In place of many real meaty articles, there are a number of short introductory pieces devoted to a range of different artists. They do a great job in this arena of featuring creators from a variety of creative mediums, including comic book illustration, skateboarding, film, visual art, and design, among others.
Overall, Tokion makes for a relaxing flip-through ”read.” And, while a subscription to the bi-monthly publication may not be the most stimulating in any particular field of interest, it may prove a fun, miniature visual spectacle for your own rainy day.
THE GIRLS ARE BACK IN TOWN
DVD Review - Gilmore Girls: The Complete Fourth Season
(5 out of 5 G's)
by Christopher Ahearn
Gilmore Girls is a show that documents the trials and tribulations of a young single mother, Lorelai (Lauren Graham), and her adolescent daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel) in the small New England town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut.
The show centers on the relationship—one that is much closer to that of a pair of sisters rather than mother-daughter—between the two Gilmores. Lorelai, a thirtysomething, fiercely independent women who grew up in the stifling environment of Connecticut Society, ran away at the age of 16 while pregnant with Rory, and acts more like a free spirited teenager than a hardworking parent. On the other hand, Rory is studious and responsible, much more like a sober adult than our generation’s average college student.
With season four—which originally aired on the WB Network in 2003—the young Rory enters her first year at Yale, while Lorelai brings her longtime dream of owing an inn to fruition. Fans of the show worried that when the two were split up the show would founder, but after only a few of the 22 total episodes, the creative team behind the series hits their stride and is able to make use of the distance as a tool for the show’s quirkiness.
As always, each of the plots follow the girls’ everyday dramas and romantic entanglements, while surrounded by the colorful cast of townspeople and quirky characters that fans of the show have come to know and love.
But the plots are merely incidental, as series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s brilliance in making this show lies not in its storylines, but in its execution. Gilmore Girls is modeled after screwball comedies of the 1940s, pitting richly textured characters against one another in a tongue-in-cheek battle of the sexes.
It’s a show of sharp, witty dialogue delivered in rapid-fire back and forth spats. Pop culture references are bandied about constantly, covering everything from Victorian literature to contemporary movie stars to presidential politics of years past. The action of Gilmore Girls is almost negligible; it focuses on clever verbal banter to advance its storyline rather than hackneyed plot contrivances.
The box set’s only downfall is the noticeable lack of extras. With only a few deleted scenes here and there, a few short documentaries on the show, and a simplistic word game, the “bonus material” will leave viewers wanting more—especially at the list price of almost $60.
But overall, the set—like the series—is as engrossing as it is entertaining, and keep fans and newcomers to the show alike glued to their television for hours.
NERDGASM
Video Game Review - Star Wars Battlefront II (PS2)
((4 out of 5 G's)
by Michael Torsell
Star Wars games seem to be a dime a dozen, and Lucasarts keeps up a steady stream of new releases every year. Last year saw the release of Star Wars: Battlefront, a multiplayer action game which went on to become the bestselling Star Wars game of all time. With the ability to enter into the major battles in both trilogies, the game was a sure thing. This year, they have returned with Battlefront II, a significant upgrade of its predecessor. Adding space battles and the ability to take control of major characters while improving and keeping the things that made the original so good, Lucasarts has taken a great game and made it even better.
Using the tight, instinctive control scheme found in its predecessor, Battlefront II builds on an already excellent formula. Using both analog joysticks, players are allowed to move and aim independently of each other; thus, one can easily keep up with the fast pace of combat. Battlefront II does not waste controller buttons and players have a variety of moves (jump, crouch, somersault, etc.) at their disposal. These things make combat intuitive and highly entertaining. Although it takes a little while to get used to the dual stick setup (making the training mode highly recommended), the control scheme is tight and corresponds with the game’s battles.
Battles revolve around two opposing sides from the Star Wars Universe (Republic versus Separatists and Empire versus Rebellion) fighting against each other on a variety of planets. Players chose from six unique classes based upon their own style of playing. The variety of classes opens the game up to different styles of play, whether you want to go on a rampage or quietly infiltrate enemy lines. Lucasarts has also added space battles allowing one to take control of Tie Fighters, X-Wings, etc. However, while the ability to hop on an X-Wing and fly into and over the enemy ship, wreaking havoc, is at first fun, the space battles are achingly slow and are the games only weak link. Also new is the hero class. After certain objectives are met (kill a certain amount of enemy troops or take command posts) you gain the ability to choose a famous Star War’s character unique to each planet and side. Players now have the chance to be Yoda, General Grievous, Han Solo, Boba Fett and many more. These characters have significantly heightened abilities and special moves allowing them to turn the tide of any battle. While the game could get stale quickly, Lucasarts has put in a plethora of modes and locations to keep it interesting and dynamic.
Battlefront II is packed with different types of play and succeeds in staying interesting over extended periods of time. In “Instant Action”, you and your friend can choose between “Assault” (free combat), “Capture the Flag,” and “Hunt” (where one side must eliminate the other in a set time limit) and fight on any of the 16 planets available. There is a story mode where you take control of a unit and follow it throughout the Clone Wars. “Galactic Conquest” is by far the most complex and enjoyable mode. In it, players compete in conquering the galaxy, vying for individual planets and using credits acquired in battle to buy upgrades and power ups. Finally, all of these things are available, barring “Galactic Conquest” in the excellent online mode. Individuals can easily log on and compete against up to 24 other players. Battlefront II remains fun over repeated sittings with a non-stop supply of things to do.
Lucasarts has improved upon an already excellent formula; Battlefront II is one of the best multiplayer games released this year. Boasting a tight control scheme, a variety of game modes, and a familiar atmosphere, this game is worth buying.
FEAR BEFORE THE MARCH OF SCENEKIDS
Concert Review - Fear Before the March of Flames
(4 out of 5 G's)
by Peter Scheck
The Icon, one of Buffalo’s newest clubs, hosted a highly anticipated show in Buffalo’s hardcore scene two Sundays ago. As the night’s headliners, Fear Before the March of Flames took the stage; they brought crates and cases with them and set them up in towers. A six-foot stack of modification and amplification instruments stood behind a rack of keyboards and the humble musician who wrangled them.
While the band tuned their instruments and went about various pre-show rituals in strange zipping shirt cuffs and blazers, they demanded water and observation. They didn’t speak to the audience for most of the rest of the show. Save spitting on them. And there was plenty of spitting. But as soon as the band struck their first chord, I realized why the audience full of high school students didn’t mind their undies getting a little wet.
Suddenly, this group of hip twenty-somethings were in the middle of song, playing songs from their latest album Art Damage as well as several new songs from an unreleased album. The audience ate it up. The band’s excitement spoke just as loud as the band, the lights that struck my face like high beams hurt my eyes about as much as a fight in a whiskey bar. March of Flames has a dramatic effect in its live show that makes the viewers heartbeat fast enough to beg to be spat on, blinded, and deafened again and again.
As the singer bobbed and weaved between his bandmates, the reason for the band’s popularity came into view. They play the game, obviously, of digging into their pockets deep to pay for visual amazement. Hollywood’s effect on high school kids has clearly made its mark on the band, but unlike action films, once they bait their audience, they have the hooks to catch them and reel them in.
March of Flames’ newer work has gotten heavier and far more industrial with the inclusion of samples and synthesizer parts. Most of their tracks have slow breakdowns reminiscent of the band’s metal roots, but these breaks are deeper and louder than most bands of their genre. Their songs allow the audience to get somewhat lost in the work that they do, each song having several contrasting parts, so the set seems confusing and even almost psychedelic. Guitar scales crash into booming breakdowns and are then carried away by samples and handclap rhythms. I found myself stomping my head so hard to the rhythm that I felt like a fool.
Though still, a band with a great deal of work to do before they can be described as a band instead of a fashion, March of Flames are a band with enough catch and performance ethic to warrant a $10 entry fee. Though most of their fans were in their mid teens, I’m not afraid to say that in my third year of college and find myself among them.
I’M A MURROW-ITE
Movie Review - Good Night, And Good Luck
(5 out of 5 G's)
by Peter Scheck
In the early 1950s, Edward Murrow was the man America trusted. As a radio reporter during the Second World War and later as host of CBS’s “See it Now” series, Murrow was a journalistic hero. After years of wartime reports and investigative journalism, Murrrow turned the camera toward Senator Joe McCarthy in 1954 in an attempt to stop the communist fear that had swarmed the nation from some of its top politicians.
The beginning of George Clooney’s new film, Goodnight and Good Luck, contrasts contemporary television with its 1950s counterpart. The film is black and white, showing great contrast between today’s thousand channel news frenzy. The film begins with Murrow (David Strathairn) speaking at a television award ceremony, “being used to detract, delude, amuse, and insulate us.” He called the audience “fat, comfortable, and complacent.” Their discomfort provided a great beginning and end to the film, acting as bookends to a story based so strongly on public sentiment.
Goodnight is a film which, of course, showcases the director’s political ideals, but is able to observe the procedures of 1950s American journalism without, for the most part, melodramatic scenes of introversion. The film is segued masterfully through an in-studio jazz group playing slow standards. They create a warm atmosphere for television, making today’s TV seem sickeningly dead in comparison.
The audience is introduced to Murrow as a stern man who loves his job about as much as he pushes its boundaries. His work is painted in the film as his life, and when it is eventually taken from him, we feel his pain, but he doesn’t ever look down. Murrow is shown late at night, working in front of a typewriter, cranking out the next day’s script. He is portrayed as a man who will stop at nothing to protect his own integrity as well as that of American news in general.
At an hour and a half, the movie doesn’t have time to do much in the way of glorification. Murrow is portrayed so modestly that the audience falls in love with his compassion and humble speech at work rather than his personal life. Hardly a glimpse of his private life makes its way to screen. Especially uncommon in modern film is the creation of a character who has, seemingly, no past and no future—simply a flash of greatness emphasized in the film. This leaves one who knows the story satisfied at not having to hear a rehashed melodramatic story of rejection and acceptance. Unfortunately, any stranger to Cold War politics will most likely be wondering if this media struggle was all these characters lived for.
Although a man’s long foreshadowed death and a couple’s struggle with company policy greatly exaggerate already elaborate details of the film, most characters are best left to add support to the superior performance of the protagonist. Murrow became the symbol, as did his character on television, of a great group of people led by the bravest soldier.
The film is especially relevant today, when right-wing fear tactics separate the patriots who support war from the “un-American” dissenters. American media is a mess, a high-tech collage of consumer-friendly explosions and name-calling, and in its shadow, Goodnight and Good Luck is a past-due reminder of the power television and radio once had on the American public.
