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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2009)
6 Clackamas Print Wednesday. May. 27, 2009 Arts Culturo Good book makes average movi lost secret society called the Illuminati from blowing up Vatican City with a newly synthesized substance, antimatter. If Langdon <ind a physicist named Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer), who helped create the anti-matter, don’t stop a series of murders involving the top selections for the recent papal election, the preferiti, and disable the antimatter, the whole city will go up in an explosion on par with Hiroshima. Hank’s character, the same as in “Da Vinci Code,” is supposed to be a badass intellectual type with an answer for every thing kind of like Indian Jones minus the bullwhip tricks, killing spirit, laid back attitude, good jokes, rugged look, over the top stunts and Nazi fighting capabilities. On a second thought he is nothing like John Hurlburt News Editor There is a strange incoherence that wafts throughout “Angels and Demons” that isn’t really understandable until the ending credits start to roll and the words “Directed by Ron Howard” appear on the screen. The movie throws you into the middle of a world you don’t quite understand and expects you to put everything together right olT the bat, instead of the gradual ease into the world that the book had sup plied. The first ten minutes of rushed confu sion created skepticism in my mind about the rest of the movie. I’m happy to report my initial feelings were not completely founded. “Angels and Demons” is a great book that turned into an okay movie. Some of the con- c e p t s behind the film are per fect sub stances for two hours and 20 minutes of entertainment. There’s a mystery that needs to be solved, a murderer who brands Catholic, cardinals like cattle, dissension in the church, a cute co-star and Dan Brown’s trademark cri tique of Catholicism. The movie is all about a faithless American symbolo gist, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), who gets summoned by the Vatican to help stop a long Indiana Jones and instead his character comes off more like a know-it-all who makes the Catholic church look like a squabbling group of mentally stunted high school freshmen. This time around, however, they cut the mullet-like haircut that plagued Hanks’ appearance his first time around as Langdon. The visuals in the movie are great and not once but twice do viewers get to watch as someone screams while burning alive. Many of the locations throughout the movie are world-renowned such as the Pantheon and St. Peter’s Square as well as a myriad of Catholic churches scat tered throughout Rome. This is a fact that becomes more impressive when you con sider that most of the scenes in the movie were filmed in front of a green sere The Catholic church banned “j and Demons” from being filmed any of Rome’s churches. The movie’s acting is believa well. Although I didn’t particular! Hanks’ portrayal as Langdon, I [ this was more how the characte scripted in the film. My main problem with the movis predominately a mystery - unless y< happen to be a world famous H symbologist - there aren’t very] opportunities for the audience to solve anything. Every advancement in the mo made by Langdon figuring out obscure clue that would involve the er having to understand ancient pj of the Illuminati as well as the hist nearly every sculpture in Rome. ' This adds to the incoherence movie where the viewer can’t real! nect with going becaus movie really the tii explain. This | tion of “ and Demon strips integral acters such as’ of their signif leaving you to.’ why they were ev in the movie. Overall the fill bad, but if you’re not into the Dan Brown ci your money would pi be better spent checki “Star Trek” and even are, you might be infurii some of the changes mad crossover. Blockbusters: What’s hot this summer? (besides the sun: Mark Sunderland The Clackamas Print The sun has risen. The sky is a pale blue, and the sounds of students fleeing school grounds sings through the air. Yes, it is that time of the year again and that time of the year is summer vacation. A time when students leave the class rooms in droves, parents frown as their children forget the information taught in school, and teachers get a brief respite from the classroom. Summer break also begets the ques tion: “What do we do now?” The question may be answered in many different ways from camping in the wondrous outdoors to staying at home with the family and friends, kicking back with a beer with the barbecue fired up or heading out the local theater and watch ing the latest flick. Movies are one of the most common forms of entertainment used nowadays and if one is headed to see a summer flick at the local theater, it helps to know what is coming out in the upcoming summer months. “Up” is coming out next week on May 29, and it’s another one of the many animated movies done by Pixar. Pixar is probably one the leading animated movie makers out there and, more often than not, the animated movies Pixar comes out with rock the box office. “Up” is about an old man by the name of Carl Fredricksen who ties thousands of balloons to his house and sets off on his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Unfortunately for Carl Fredricksen the trip isn’t going to be a leisurely trip by himself as he finds out Russell, 70 years his junior, is an acci dental stowaway. The movie looks fun to watch, for those who enjoy a relaxing family movie. “Drag Me to Hell” is another movie that is coming out on May 29, and it’s a complete turn-over from “Up.” 77U lust t^o We-eks May 27; Chrysalis: Women Writers noon-2p.m. Rook Hall 220 May 28: Sustainability Project 2009: Sustainable . Malmo noon to 1p.m. McJLoughlin Theater Behind the scenes Jour of “You Can’t Take It With You.” 4:30 p.m. Osterman Theatre May 30: Utility Workforce Readiness Demonstration Day 8 a m. Wilsonville Training Center “Drag Me to Hell” is a horror movie about a young L.A. loan officer who lives a great life. Of course, that doesn’t last long in the movie as an old lady comes into the office to ask for an exten sion on a house loan, but in an attempt to impress her boss, the young loan officer denies the old lady her request. This, is where the movie takes its first twist as the old lady places a powerful curse of Lamia upon her and forces the young loan officer to save her soul from eternal damnation. The movie boasts, from what one Can gamer from the previews, a twisting tale of self-soul saving and spine-chill ing scenes of shock and awe. Here’s to hoping it’s more than just some shock thriller with fancy graphics’ and neat special effects. Hopefully, it’s actually horror with more than just the previews telling the story and special effects try ing to make up for a lack of acting or story-writing. June 5 is when “Land of the Lost” is coming out, a comedy starring Will Ferrell th^t gets its name from 11 Saturday morning live-action TV It’s a modem take on the TV sen promises a non-stop rampage of li and giggles. This just names a few movie ing out within the upcoming wee should satisfy one’s desire for time at the theater. Here is also a movies that are coming within tl couple months! “The Taking Of Pelhem 123” J “Year One” June 19 “Transformers: Revenge of the June 26 “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dint July 1 “Public Enemies” July 1 “Bruno” July 10 “2010” July 10 “Harry Potter and the Half Prince” July 15 “G-Force” July 24 “G.I. Joe: Rise of Corba” Aug “Inglourious Bastards” Aug 21 June 8-12: Finals Week. Yay! June 11 'Graduation Ceremony GEDandAHSD June 12: College Certificate and Degree Ceremony
