‘School of Rock’ gets an A

JIM ERWIN

Derek: “School of Rock,” staring Jack Black is a hilarious trip in

the mind of a real rocker. Since I’m a drummer, guitarist and hard

rock fanatic, this movie easily stepped into position as my all-time

favorite film. I had already seen “Orange County” and am an avid fan

of Tenacious D, so I had extremely high expectations going into the

theater, and this movie surpassed all of them.

Black plays a down-on-his luck, guitar player, Dewey Finn who

needs money to make the rent. So when Dewey takes a call for his

roommate offering a substitute teaching position at $650 per week

starting immediately, he jumps at the opportunity. Once at the

high-end prep school, Dewey teaches his musically-talented,

classically-trained students the only thing he knows, rock-n-roll.

Obviously, hilarity ensues.

Although the movie is centered around Black, it also features the

impressive talents of Zach (Joey Gaydos) shredding on guitar and

Lawrence (Robert Tsai) on keyboards playing and impressive lead

during the credits. This unrelentingly funny piece of cinematic

mastery is a showcase of one of the most talented, musical and comic

minds of our time.

Sean: “School of Rock” is a really good movie. Jack Black played

and delivered his role well. I enjoyed the music and was amazed that

the kids, especially Joey Gaydos on lead guitar, could play so well.

I’ve been humming the lyrics all weekend long and am looking forward

to the sound track.

Sarah Silverman played the part of the nasty girlfriend, Patty.

The story would have been better if they had toned her evilness down

a lot. Her boyfriend, Ned Schneebly (Mike White) was weak-minded and

never stood up to anyone. You wanted to slap him. He did a great

wimp.

Teri: I admit it -- I laughed out loud almost as much as I laughed

when I read Derek’s “cinematic mastery is a showcase of one of the

most talented, musical and comic minds of our time.” I wouldn’t go

anywhere near that far but I am guilty of enjoying this light lark,

this rock-n-roll romp. Would I have chosen to go see this movie? No,

but I’m glad I did. The music appreciation that Jack Black teaches

his eager students is now called “Classic Rock” or the oldie but

goodie music from the ‘70s that I grew up with, so that was fun. Joan

Cusack plays a very impressive uptight principal, Rosalie Mullins,

who we can’t help but sympathize with when she explains the pressures

she endures from the parents of these promising preppies. We

reluctantly cheer for the loutish, slob, guitar-head, Dewey as he

teaches the kids that in their music, there is independence and

victory over “the man.” I think this “School” delivers a solid B.

* SEAN RUHLAND, 14, is a freshman at Huntington Beach High School,

DEREK RUHLAND, 16, is a junior at Huntington Beach High School, and

TERI SIMONIS, 43, is an office assistant for the city of Huntington

Beach.

‘Duplex’ crumbles under its own weight

What do you do when the little old lady upstairs is driving you

nuts and won’t move away? Kill her of course. That’s the premise of

“Duplex,” a new comedy staring Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller. This

is a movie that had a lot of promise, but unfortunately falls flat in

the delivery. Neither Barrymore or Stiller are convincing as wannabe

killers and don’t deliver many laughs. The sad part is that “Duplex”

has a pretty great script. It’s just too bad it fails in the

execution.

The story tries to walk a thin line that allows Barrymore and

Stiller to contemplate murder while being completely lovable. Here’s

the problem: nice people don’t plot to murder the elderly. Barrymore

and Stiller’s characters are never nasty enough to be believable as

killers. Neither of them express the intensity or anger necessary to

hate a neighbor enough to kill them. I felt constantly pulled out of

the moment, unable to go along with the story, and too disengaged

from the characters to laugh.

Stiller plays a writer who can’t work at home during the day

because of his elderly neighbor’s inane interruptions. Anyone who’s

ever lived with a writer knows that this should have sent Stiller

into an uncontrollable homicidal rage almost immediately. Despite

Essel’s constant demands for his time, Stiller never loses his cool.

He and Barrymore never lose their tempers or fly out of control. They

just smile and tell each other how much they love each other. It’s as

though we’re supposed to believe that characters with Prozac-like

serenity are really expressing explosive rage.

The only performer in “Duplex” who carries her weight is Eileen

Essel, who plays Mrs. Connoly, the little old lady from hell who

terrorizes Stiller and Barrymore 24-hours-a-day. Essel viciously

insults and belittles Stiller, but her Irish colloquialisms and

grandmotherly demeanor make it all seem like polite conversation.

She’s rude, nasty, ever so helpless and totally hilarious. She

inspires the kind of fear and dread that would bring the Hell’s

Angel’s to their knees.

“Duplex” is directed by Danny DeVito. I’m a big fan of his movies

and this one is a disappointment. “Duplex” doesn’t hold a candle to

“Throw Mamma from the Train.” The recurrent theme in these two

movies, killing old women, makes me wonder whether DeVito has

unresolved issues with his mom. At the risk of sounding like I’m

flogging a dead senior citizen, the reason “Throw Mamma” is hilarious

is because the character’s anger drives them to insanity. The

characters are as dark as the humor.

In “Duplex,” the characters don’t have a dark side. Barrymore and

Stiller seem more likely to bore someone to death by talking about

colorful peacock sculptures than to commit cold-blooded murder.

Stiller’s best moments are when he’s doing physical gags. Barrymore’s

constant cuteness drags down the whole movie. She’s even cute when

she pukes on Stiller.

The only way I could recommend “Duplex” is if you just love

anything that Barrymore makes. If you’re the kind of person who

prefers the predictability of “Charlie’s Angels” to the quirkiness of

“Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,” you’ll probably enjoy “Duplex.” My

view is that this one isn’t even worth renting. I’d like to get a

refund from the theater.

* JIM ERWIN, 40, is a technical writer and computer trainer.

Good, old fashioned story telling

“Secondhand Lions” is good old fashioned family storytelling.

Michael Caine and Robert Duvall take great delight in playing two

characters that may look old and foolish but are actually young, fun

and full of life.

The first time Walter (Haley Joel Osment, “Sixth Sense”) lays eyes

on his two great uncles they are fishing -- with shotguns. In fact,

Garth (Michael Caine) and Hub (Robert Duvall) do just about

everything using their guns, from keeping traveling salesmen away to

intimidating unwanted relatives. Walter is initially considered to

belong in the latter category by the eccentric brothers. And Walter

would just as soon be spending his summer vacation with his mom

elsewhere. She’s off to learn how to be a court reporter, however,

and a 13-year-old boy would be underfoot. She has also heard that

Garth and Hub have a huge stash of money hidden somewhere on their

dilapidated Texas farm. It’s money she figures she’s entitled to and

expects Walter to find before she returns to collect him by the end

of summer.

The reclusive brothers just returned home after 40 years abroad.

Garth and Hub don’t have seem to a need to be around other people,

nor do they see a purpose in having Walter around for the summer,

until their greedy nephew, wife and kids show up for an unwelcome

visit and tell the uncles to send Walter packing. On that note, the

hell raising brothers take a liking to Walter just to irk the

meddlesome relations who want whatever the money the uncles have to

be all theirs.

Walter learns to trust and believe in his great uncles. He

discovers the truth about the cache of money hidden on their

property, but is in for a surprise when his mother returns for him

late one night. She arrives with a detective who claims to know the

real truth about Garth and Hub’s past. It’s a moment of truth and

decision for Walter, one he must make on his own and defend because

his life and his great uncles lives depend on it.

* PEGGY J. ROGERS, 40, produces commercial videos and

documentaries.