Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current, November 08, 2007, Image 28

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Eugene weekly., November 08, 2007, Page 28, Image 28

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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 2007)

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Newspaper Page TextBY JASON BLAIR ECLECTIC NORTHWEST DINING HAPPY HOUR M-F 3:30-6:00 $ 1 O F F E V E RY T H I N G ! 94 W. Broadway • 485-1124 !24 #).%-!3 ,HZ[[O 6WDUWV )ULGD\ O[[W!IPQV\JPULTHZJVT 6^LU>PSZVU (KYPLU)YVK` 1HZVU:JO^HY[aTHU (-PSTI` >LZ(UKLYZVU 1LJKWO\ 6DW 6XQ0DW T a st y Th a i Ki t c he n AUTHENTIC THAI CUISINE Daily Delivery 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm 5 62210<.,'&28/'3$,177+$7 :HKDYHQHZZD\VWRVDYHPRQH\ VHHPRYLHV +)Z]fbllbhg\Zk]3hger*)) +)L>GBHKZ]fbllbhg\Zk]3hger.) LUNCH SPECIAL! Famous Original Thai Wrap starting at $3.50 WEEKEND SPECIAL! ',5(&7('%<6($13(11 Honey Roasted Duck 1LJKWO\ 6DW 6XQ0DW Fruit Smoothies 5 :('$1*/((·6/867&$87,21 %,-28/$7(1,7( )5,'$<6$7 85' $< 681 '$< ´6OLFNO\ FKDUPLQJ 1V+WVKMZ\4I\M6Q\M;-);76 JHQWHHOO\ HURWLFDQG HUK[OL>HPSLYZ GLUHFWHGZLWK +VY[TVUK.LYTHU` VXSUHPH -YVT[OLMPUHS[V\YILMVYL SROLVKµ WHZZPUN7YV:OV[]PKLV )VI»Z IHDWXUHV 0LFKHOOH5\DQ 7,9-,*;:6<5+(SLNLU KHY` %LRQLF:RPDQ <WYPZPUNWLYMVYT HUJL IU )6)4(93,@ LVDW VXQ IULVDW VXQ FRED CLAUS PG 12:45, 1:50, 2:00, 3:40, 4:50, 6:25, 7:05, 7:40, 9:20, 9:55, 10:30 LIONS FOR LAMBS R 12:10, 2:50, 5:25, 8:00, 10:30 P2 R 11:40, 2:15, 4:45, 7:25, 10:00 BEE MOVIE PG 11:35, 1:10, 1:55, 2:35, 3:45, 4:25, 5:10, 6:30, 7:00, 7:45, 9:00 *EXCEPT THUR 11/15, 9:35, 10:20 AMERICAN GANGSTER R 11:55, 2:40, 3:30, 6:15, 7:05, 9:45, 10:40 SAW IV R 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:50, 10:25 GARTH BROOKS LIVE CONCERT NR ONLY ON WED 11/14 & THURS 11/15 AT 6 PM BEOWULF PG13 STARTS THUR 11/15 AT 10:15, 10:30 & 10:45 PM 3D SHOWINGS AT 9:30 & 11:59 PM MARTIAN CHILD PG 11:45, 2:25*, 5:05*, 7:55*, 10:40** *FRI THRU TUES ONLY **FRI THRU WED ONLY DAN IN REAL LIFE PG13 12:20, 2:55*, 5:30*, 8:05*, 10:35 *EXCEPT WED 11/14 NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 3-D PG 12:05, 2:30, 4:55, 7:40, 10:05* *FRI THRU WED ONLY 30 DAYS OF NIGHT R 12:25, 3:25, 7:20, 10:25 ACROSS THE UNIVERSE PG13 12:00, 6:55 3:10 TO YUMA R 3:20, 10:05 THE GAME PLAN PG 1:45, 4:30, 7:45, 10:35 RENDITION R [1:00] 4;00, 7:00, 9:55 THE COMEBACKS PG13 [12:10] 2:40, 4:50, 7:25, 9:40 THE BRAVE ONE R [12:25] 4:25, 7:15, 10:00 SEEKER: THE DARK IS RISING PG [12:15] 2:35, 4:55 UNDERDOG PG [12:20] 2:30, 4:40, 6:55, 9:30 THE NANNY DIARIES PG13 [1:05] 4:35, 7:40, 10:05 MR. WOODCOCK PG13 [12:35] 2:45, 5:00, 7:50, 10:30 STARDUST PG13 [12:55] 4:10, 7:35, 10:25 NO RESERVATIONS PG 7:45, 10:15 HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX PG13 [1:10] 4:20, 7:20, 10:20 THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM PG13 [12:30] 4:15, 7:30, 10:10 RATATOUILLE G [12:40] 4:30, 7:10, 9:50 HAIRSPRAY PG [12:45] 4:05, 7:05, 9:45 [ ] FRIDAY THRU SUNDAY ONLY 28 NOVEMBER 8, 2007 Vegetarian & Vegan Options Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas in American Gangster Black & White Smart gangster epic has blood, needs heart AMERICAN GANGSTER: Directed by Ridley Scott. Written by Steven Zaillian. Cinematography, Harris Savides. Music, Marc Streitenfeld. Starring Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, RZA, Ruby Dee, Common, Carla Gugino, Cuba Gooding Jr, Armand Assante, Lymari Nadal and John Hawkes. Universal Pictures, 2007. R. 157 minutes. 44411 Wine & Cocktails Now Available Beer on Tap Bubble Tea 11AM-9:30PM DAILY 80 E. 29th & Willamette 302-6444 Adv. Tix on Sale MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM (G) ★ WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY (R) - ID REQ'D (1150 215 440) 710 945 FRED CLAUS (PG) ★ (1130 1205 210 240 450 515) 730 755 1010 1035 LIONS FOR LAMBS (R) - ID REQ'D (1200 225 450) 715 940 P2 (R) - ID REQ'D (1155 225 505) 740 1010 AMERICAN GANGSTER (R) - ID REQ'D ★ (1130 1200 300 330) 635 705 935 1000 1030 BEE MOVIE (PG) ★(1145 1215 210 235 435 500) 700 730 925 955 MARTIAN CHILD (PG) (1230 410) 640 DAN IN REAL LIFE (PG-13) (1210 230 455) 720 950 SAW IV (R) - ID REQ'D (1225 245 510) 745 1010 NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 3D - $2.50 EXTRA FOR 3D (PG) 650 930 LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (PG-13) (1220 345) 735 1020 THE GAME PLAN (PG) (1235 415) OC: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (PG-13) Fri. (1220) 645 Sat. (340) 950 Sun. (1220) 950 ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (PG-13) Fri. (340) 950 Sat. (1220) 645 Sun. (340) 645 Adv. Tix on Sale MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM (G) ★ Adv. Tix on Sale BEOWULF (PG-13) ★ FRED CLAUS (PG) ★ (1030 120 410) 700 950 P2 (R) - ID REQ'D (1225 250 515) 740 1005 AMERICAN GANGSTER (R) - ID REQ'D ★ (1205 325) 645 1010 BEE MOVIE (PG) ★ (1210 230 455) 720 940 DAN IN REAL LIFE (PG-13) (1220 240 505) 730 955 SAW IV (R) - ID REQ'D (1250 310 530) 750 1015 THE GAME PLAN (PG) (1135 205 435) 710 945 Adv. Tix on Sale MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM (G) ★ FRED CLAUS (PG) ★ Fri. (140 420) 710 950 Sat. & Sun. (1100 140 420) 710 950 Fri. (150 430) 720 1000 LIONS FOR LAMBS (R) - ID REQ'D ★ Sat. & Sun. (1110 150 430) 720 1000 MARTIAN CHILD (PG) Fri. (200) 730 Sat. & Sun. (1120 200) 730 SAW IV (R) - ID REQ'D (440) 1010 ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (PG-13) Fri. (300) 650 940 Sat. & Sun. (1130 300) 650 940 Times For 11/9 - 11/11 ©2007 H ave you ever met someone you hoped would inspire you — a col- lege professor, perhaps, or the chef at your favorite restaurant — only to find the person uninspired and therefore uninteresting? To be skilled is one thing, but without inspiration, skill looks merely competent. This is the problem exempli- fied by American Gangster, a film that is focused and resolute in execution but lacks the intimacy and uniqueness required to be truly great. The film tells the story of two seemingly different lives linked by the logic of corruption: Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is a straight cop in a crooked department, a weary but wired crusader, while Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a dedicated bag man for Harlem’s mob boss, is a daily witness to corruption, particularly in the black com- munity. When Frank’s mentor dies, he goes into business for himself, determined to sell heroin at half the going rate. The year is 1969, and from Harlem to Vietnam, peo- ple are shooting up to the moon and back. According to the true story (“The Return of Superfly”) published in New York magazine in 2000, Frank Lucas flour- ished by virtue of discretion. He turned the prejudice of the day — namely the belief of the mob and NYPD that a black man couldn’t mastermind a sophisticated crim- inal operation — to his advantage. Frank buffeted that belief by staying under the radar, which is ironic given that he went all the way to Vietnam for his product, using military aircraft as couriers. Once stateside, he branded his drug Blue Magic, a form of heroin so potent that it immedi- ately monopolized the market. In the film, Frank becomes immensely wealthy, allow- ing him to provide for his extended fami- ly. But Frank’s success creates hardships for others, including Richie’s partner, who eventually overdoses on Blue Magic. That sets Richie on a collision course with Frank, albeit a long and winding one, as Richie joins a federal narcotics unit to track down the drug’s supplier. American Gangster, for all its sheen, is a well-built machine with a mass-produced soul. Given the talent involved, it doubtless will be considered for several awards. But the film is merely equal to, rather than greater than, the sum of its parts, largely because those parts — Washington and Crowe — don’t collide until late in the film. Washington is as good as he’s been in some time, but as an icy killer, his Frank is cool but dull. As a dope dealer with a surfeit of pride, benevolent and low-key in one moment but murderous and violent the next, Frank is a pastiche of gangsters we’ve seen before, from The Godfather to Goodfellas to even The Untouchables. Crowe is more impressive because, for a straight arrow, his personal life is bent out of shape. Josh Brolin shows up with his moustache, something he’s been doing a lot of lately, and adds a little something sinister as a detective on the take. Director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner but also Hannibal), writer Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List but also All the King’s Men) and Brian Grazer (uber-producer of 8 Mile but also Flight Plan) collaborate here for the first time. Considering their potential, it isn’t unrea- sonable to expect the extraordinary. Instead, we get simply ordinary. Given all the machismo, it’s the little things that grab you in American Gangster, like Ruby Dee’s moving per- formance as Frank’s mother. Her final scene is terrific. And Cuba Gooding Jr. resurfaces in a dark and convincing role as Nicky Barnes, the only real competition for Frank. American Gangster succeeds on a number of levels while containing very few surprises, other than depicting a rich- ly diverse black cast in a genre usually reserved for Irish and Italians. It wants to be a black Scarface, but Scarface was naked, emotionally and psychologically. American Gangster just gives us nudity. It is a film carefully created by true profes- sionals who might have done better by messing things up. ew American Gangster is now playing at Cinemark and VRC Stadium 15.