‘Matrix’ drowns plot in overdone effects
Movie review
Ryan Nyburg
Pulse columnist
I find it interesting that two of the
top grossing films in America are
“Down with Love” and “The Matrix
Reloaded.” These two films are so
far apart, both ideologically and
emotionally, that anyone who saw
both in one weekend would risk
cranial implosion. But as it is my
job to measure the pulse of our cul
ture, I saw it as a risk worth taking
in order to compare two contrasting
movements in cinema.
The first of these movements is
the rise of nostalgia. “Down with
Love” is a film for old souls. It is a
throwback to the Technicolor ro
mances of the early 1960s, the
kind that starred Rock Hudson
and Doris Day and usually took
place in Manhattan.
The story feels lifted right out of
those films, having to do with a
book that teaches women how to
look at romance the same way
that men do in order to take con
trol of their lives. The author of
this book is played by Ren6e Zell
weger with a sophisticated
earnestness. Her romantic rival is
played by Ewan McGregor, as a
men’s magazine columnist trying
to write an expose proving that all
a woman really wants is love and
marriage.
While the lead performers are
both about as perfect for their
roles as we’re likely to get in this
day in age, the supporting cast re
ally carries the film. David Hyde
Pierce in particular, as McGregor’s
neurotic editor, steals most of his
scenes with a twitchy kind of glee.
His nervous clumsiness is the per
fect offset to McGregor’s suave
ladies’ man.
While the period details could
never be accused of being accurate,
they certainly capture the idea of
the early 1960s, if not the reality.
But nothing in the film is real. It ex
ists in its own little cinema comedy
universe where romances can end
with the couple doing musical num
bers together during the closing
credits. It’s a simple universe and a
nice one to visit.
Existing in a wholly different kind
of universe is “The Matrix Re
loaded.” The fact that this was one
of the most anticipated films of the
year makes its faults all the more
disappointing. You could forgive the
first film’s bland acting, stilted dia
logue and new age pseudo philoso
universiTY
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Romantic comedy
'Down with Love'
provides a look back
to the early1960s,
while The Matrix
Reloaded'uses
digital effects
to bring viewers
into the future.
Courtesy
phy because the presentation gave
it a certain sense of wonder. It was
like “Star Wars,” only with cooler
gun fights and kung fu.
But while the first “Star Wars” se
quel took the original and developed
upon it, “Reloaded” seems satisfied
with maintaining the same level. Un
fortunately, it doesn’t succeed.
This film seems like a detailed list
of what is wrong with the use of dig
ital effects in live action films. While
the fight scenes in the original felt
like real fights enhanced by digital
effects, the sequel’s fights are more
like video game bouts. The action is
so computer generated that it de
taches you from what is going on.
The film tries to do so much with its
effects that it overextends itself, and
eventually the seams begin to show
in the animation.
But while the effects are over
done, they are at least well done to
a point. The acting, on the other
hand, is only marginal at best. Lau
rence Fishbume, easily the best ac
tor of the bunch, is loaded with the
most inane dialogue.
Keanu Reeves and Carrie Anne
Moss exude a kind of functional
blandness, which would be fine if
we weren’t expected to believe that
they are lovers. They have no
chemistry — the only thing they
seem to have in common is their
lack of personality.
Is the film entertaining? Yes, in
a visceral sense. But it’s not some
thing you want to think too heavi
ly about. Like “Down With Love,”
it’s the cinematic version of
popcorn. Fun to eat, but some
times you need something with
some substance.
Contact the Pulse columnist
at ryannyburg@dailyemerald.com.
Tympanic musicians
prepare to expand
options, repertoire
The Eugene-based band has
experienced West Coast
success and is about to
start a busy summer tour
Tom Adams
Freelance Reporter
Improvisational jamming is a
necessary part of most bands’ evo
lution — a time when a group of
musicians gets in touch with its
own voice. However, jamming is
also a stopping place for many
bands. The few who go beyond this
point set their sights on the next
stage of musical development.
Eugene band Tympanic has
achieved this rite of passage.
One of the band members recent
ly graduated from the University,
and the other three will receive their
degrees on June 14. The four said
they are determined to follow their
hearts and expand the edges of their
musical boundaries, saying they are
no longer comfortable being labeled
as a “jam band.”
“We started what we were doing
because we were at ease on our in
struments,” drummer Ryan Do
browski said. “We would jam and
play on the energy of the crowd at
our shows, but we didn’t have a
long list of songs. We still have a
strong attachment to on-stage im
provisation, but now we’re finding
our own voice and we’re writing a
r
lot of new material.”
Guitarist and vocalist Austin
Jones echoed Dubrowski’s remarks.
“Our songs are taking on more
structure and focus,” he said.
While all the band members are
musically inspired, bass guitarist and
lead vocalist John Craig writes most
of TVmpanic’s material.
“We’re at a stage of development
where we’re trying to create songs %
with more meaning and emotion,”
Craig said. “I’m trying to focus my
lyrics on things I believe are really
important — life, death and politics,
for example.”
Craig was quick to point out that
while he writes the bulk of the band’s
material, the whole group breathes
life into the songs.
“I do most of the core writing, but
I come to the band with ideas to
make them ours, not mine,” he said.
Although 2-year-old Tympanic is
still quite young, it has already per
formed in upscale venues including
the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles and
Eugene’s McDonald Theatre.
“We continue to enjoy touring and
playing shows,” guitarist, key
boardist and vocalist Harvey Rogers
said. “But we are now able to be a lit
tle more selective in where we play.”
A busy tour schedule awaits
Tympanic this summer, beginning
with a graduation bash on June 7 at
Taylor’s Bar and Grill, followed by
Turn to Tympanic, page 11
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