FETISH by David Bramwell

Ah, the fetish: so much variety, so many forms of expression, such possibilities. David Bramwell's book Fetish is a tour guide to the world of kink -- both what is out there and how to practice it.

Following a brief discussion of what a fetish is (taking only a positive view and igonring any possibility that they could be a problem), Fetish quickly jumps into both information and guidelines. There are definitions and terminology (pygophilia certainly has a pop culture appeal); movies, books, art, and fiction; and references for more information.

Then there's how to enjoy them. Fetish gives lots of guidelines, advice, and occasional preferences for types of fetishes, popular role -playing scenarios, gear and items for use, and the importance of setting. There are numerous illustrations, both drawings and photographs.

This book has some flaws. Fetish says one section is on page 120 when it doesn't appear in the book. Every photo of a person has them with a tattoo, piercing, or both, instead of presenting the less-adorned practicioners. And their breakdown of the acronym "bdsm" left out the middle part. (If you're wondering, it's a combination of bondage and disciplie, dominance and submission, and sado-masochism. You're welcome.)

Fetish does provide a nice overview of the more popular areas of the fetish. Bramwell writes with both enthusiasm and practicality, encouraging people while also letting them know of costs and potential risks. For the beginner looking to learn about the fetish -- out of curiosity or to practice -- Fetish is a good place to start. Just look for the book with the rubber cover!


Overall grade: B

Reviewed by James Lynch

PORN: BUSINESS OF PLEASURE

While there have been numerous documentaries about pornography -- some reviewed here -- leave it to MSNBC to take a look at the business side of adult entertainment. Porn: Business of Pleasure is an hour-long program that's essentially a "state of the industry" piece.

Hosted by Melissa Lee, Porn: Business of Pleasure has lots of statistics and interviews about porn -- and its current problems. While adult entertainment is hugely profitable -- the show estimates porn is worth $13 billion in the U.S. and $100 million globally each year -- dvd sales for adult movies were down between 30% and 50% last year. The paradox, reflected on by several people, is that while technology has made porn more accessible, it's also made free materials more available, hurting sales. (There's also the contradiction that while we're told porn is less taboo, many here did not want their faces shown.)

Interviews are plentiful, including: adult star Jesse Jane talking about her drive to build a business empire; Max Hardcore, speaking right before going to prison for his obscenity conviction; female executives at Wicked Pictures, a writer for Wired magazine; and Michael Leahey, porn opponent and "self-diagnosed sex addict."

Porn: The Business of Pleasure does a decent job covering what's happening in adult entertainment today. If there's a flaw (apart from their incorrect statement that YouTube allows porn and ignoring 2257 laws overapplied to the Internet), it's what gets lost in its selected focus. There's very little history here, nothing on print adult entertainment (which may be suffering a lot more than movies), and anti-porn viewpoints are either ignored, given little discussion, or answered by those in the industry. Still, Porn: Business of Pleasure is a solid update of how technology can both help and hurt an industry at the same time.

Overall grade: B-

Reviewed by James Lynch

MORE DIGRESSIONS by Peter David

Peter David is a great many things -- comic book writer, novelist, bowler, husband and father, friend of (and co-speaker with) Harlan Ellison, movie fan, punster -- and he has chronicled many of his thoughts and adventures in his column "But I Digress" in Comic Buyer's Guide. More Digressions is the second collection of the "BID" columns (the first was printed 15 years ago), and it collects many of his essays from 2001 to 2009.

The essays in More Digressions are grouped together by chapters, each of which pursues a theme: comic books, freedom of speech, the love-hate relationship Peter David has with his fans, etc. Each chapter has a few opening thoughts on what follows, and a few essays get a historical note when appropriate. The incomparable Harlan Ellison introduces this book in Ellison's typical unique fashion.

I've seen many of the columns in More Digressions before -- in CBG or on Peter David's website -- and it's a pleasure to have them together for rereading. Even when I disagree with him, which isn't often, he makes his points with passion and intelligence. His writings are sometimes unusual or comic, he paints vivid portraits of some great people, and he gives the reader much to think about. I wish that the original publication dates for the articles were included, but other than that Much Digressions is another fine collection of the digr-- musings of Peter David.

Overall grade: A
Reviewed by James Lynch

OUT OF SIGHT

Elmore Leonard's novels have always been about character as crime, and the movie Out of Sight is no exception.

As much a romance as a crime caper, this Steven Soederbergh film is smooth, clever, and romantic to boot.

Jack Foley (George Clooney) is a criminal who relies on his brains instead of guns to rob banks. He escapes with the help of his friend Buddy (Ving Rhames), planning to steal a fortune in uncut diamonds from banker Richard Ripley (Albert Brooks), also in the prison. But as luck would have it, Federal Marshall Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez) happens to be stopping at the prison just as Jack is climing out of a tunnel in the ground. Buddy wants to leave her, but Jack brings her along, joining her in the trunk during the getaway. Afterwards, the two seem obsessed with each other: Karen wants to be part of the task force that's chasing Jack, while he calls her from time to time to chat.

Back to the crime... As we learn from flashbacks, ganger Maurice Miller (Don Cheadle) wants to be part of the robbery -- but he's a lot more dangerous than Jack. There's alos Glenn Michaels (Steve Zahn), a stoner who is easily led. And Marshall Cisco (Dennis Farina), Karen's father and a cop, sees before she does how deep her interest in Jack goes.

Out of Sight is a combination of the star-crossed lovers (here, the criminal and the law enforcement official) and the robbery caper. Neither of these are completely original, but they flow together seamlessly here. Director Soderbergh makes the action stylized, but not so much that it's over the top (as in his Ocean 11-13 movies). George Clooney puts on his frequent charming rogue persona to good effect, and Jennifer Lopez is quite good as the romantic, yet officially determined, love interest. Add in a good supporting cast and a few surprises on the way, and Out of Sight becomes a pretty good crime-romance movie.

Overall grade: B+

Reviewed by James Lynch

Rhett Miller, RHETT MILLER

Most musicians have a "signature sound," their own recognizable way of putting together a tune. If there's not enough variety, a familiar sound can become repetitive. This is the fate of Rhett Miller, the third solo album by Old 97's frontman Rhett Miller.

As always, Rhett Miller's music is about love lost and love not found. From the opening "Nobody Says I Love You Anymore" to the hopeful/wishing "Sometimes," Rhett's a lonely soul out to make a connection. (The exception: the science fiction-themed "Happy Birthday Don't Die.") Indeed, Rhett's trademark voice sometimes feels like it'll crack under the emotion any second.

The problem is that this is nothing new, and the songs on Rhett Miller tend to wallow in the mellow. Almost none of the songs have the energy of his work with the Old 97's or his impressive first solo album, The Instigator. Some of the songs here are catchy, and Miller always has a different sound than either top 40 radio music or classic rock. Still, Rhett Miller has a been there-done that feel for anyone who's heard Rhett Miller's other work.

Overall grade: C
Reviewed by James Lynch

Captain Bogg & Salty, Emphatical Piratical (Scabbydisc, 2009)

Captain Bogg & Salty are a band of musical pirates from Portland, Oregon. I don't know if they get out on the high seas much, but they draw crowds in clubs and libraries around Portland, and have built up an equally receptive following among children and adults. Both lead roles (Salty is the swab) are played by Loren Hoskins, who co-writes most of the songs with First Mate McGraw (Kevin Hendrickson, lead guitar, who also doubles as Chucklehead Pete the cabin boy). Contributions come from the whole band, though, including Sunny Jim the cook (Paul Ianotti, keyboards), Buckle the gunner (Andy Lindberg, guitar), Mr. Filibuster the hammock stretcher (Lucas Haley, bass), and Ramshackle the carpenter (Dave Owen, drums). They have made four albums, including the just-released Emphatical Piratical.

If you're looking for historical accuracy, or a serious discourse on pirate life, you've come to the wrong place. As the Captain himself states in the opening song and title track (sung to the tune of the can-can song), "We are pirates of the make-believing kind. We are pirates of the type you HOPE to find!". Given recent events in Somalia, I suppose that is an important distinction. The mail is delivered by a seal, the sea monsters are friendly and like to play, and the band shares Frogg Island with natives who call themselves the Bamboo Maroons. These natives worship a giant purple tiki who never says anything, but is evidently a very good listener. The musical style is mostly mid-tempo rock with a predictably Caribbean flavor, although there's also a fun surf rock instrumental called "The Plank Walker" and a rocking cover of "Never Smile at a Crocodile" from Disney's Peter Pan.

So in case you haven't figured it out, Captain Bogg & Salty specialize in some very silly but fun nautical mayhem. The band/crew do a fine job making songs that even most adults will find themselves singing along with. Kids who are into pirates will love Emphatical Piratical. Adults who act like children where pirates are concerned will like this as well. But if you're the kind of person who'd puzzle over how a pirate ship could be piloted by a secondary crew of bunny rabbits when the main crew goes to bed, you might find this a bit beneath you.

Overall grade: B+

reviewed by Scott

PANDORA'S BOX

The irrestible female has often been portrayed in movies, and one of the earliest remains one of the greatest: Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box. This wonderful silent movie combines many contrasting elements to create a truly memorable film.

Lulu (Loiuse Brooks) is a showgirl, and she has an irrestible combination of smouldering sensuality and childlike enthusiasm. Almost everyone she meets falls in love with her, including publisher Dr. Ludwig Schon (Fritz Kortner), his son Alwa (Francis Lederer), and even the Countess Anna (Alice Roberts). Unfortunately, misfortune and despair follow wherever Lulu goes, making her an innocent femme fatale. Her own entourage is made up of Schigolch (Carl Goetz), an old and shifty man who pretends to be her sponsor; and Rodrigo (Kraft-Raschig), a strong man who dreams of being in a variety show with Lulu.


Brooks' acting is perfect, but it's one of the many impressive features in this film. Some silent films rely on too much exaggerated gestures to show emotion, but director Georg Pabst manages to bring out the subtle tragedy of his actors. The lighting and action are well done, whether it's the hustle and chaos of a theatrical performance, the wealth of a wedding celebration, or the dinginess of life on the skids.

Pandora's Box is, from start to finish, an amazing movie. Brooks is a perfect leading lady (and the hairstlye she wore in this movie became known as a "Lulu" and is still popular today), and whether Lulu was an unknowing innocent or calculating user of those around her. This movie goes from high society to the slums, from generosity to selfishness, from crime to redemption -- with Lulu at the center of it all. Pandora's Box is a true classic.

Overall grade: A+
Reviewed by James Lynch

PUBLIC ENEMIES

Gangsters and feds slug it out during the 1930s in Public Enemies, the latest crime flick from director Michael Mann. This movie is a clash of personalities -- but something is missing from the movie.

It's the Great Depression and bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is America's most famous and infamous criminal. Dillinger robs banks and blasts away with his machine gun -- yet he doesn't steal from individuals and proves amusing and charming even while committing crimes.

Naturally, the bad guys have to be pursued by the good guys. J.. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) wants publicity and funding for his Bureau of Investigation, and he sees getting Dillinger as the key to both. His pick to lead the pursuit of Dillinger is Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), who made headlines for killing Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum). The supporting cast includes Billie (Marion Cotillard) as Dillinger's love, a coat check girl who is as excited by Dillinger's lifestyle as she is aware that he'll wind up in jail or in the ground; and Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham), a mobster who seems to enjoy killing.

Public Enemies misses a great chance to contrast its too leads. We learn much about Dillinger -- that he has a code of honor while also ruthless and self-serving -- but Purvis remains almost a mystery. Did the fed hate Dillinger, respect him, have qualms about the wiretape and brutal interrogations, or have his own ambitions? Bale plays Purvis as almost stoic and efficient, with little revealed beyond his duty.

Public Enemies is still an intriguing movie of crime and law enforcement. Depp's performance doesn't glamorize the criminal yet makes us able to see why he was so popular. The setting of the Great Depression also reveals why people would admire a criminal who went out and took what he wanted -- even if that was outside the law. And unlike many other movies, this shows the blood and guts of guns and violence, not neat, inoffensive little bullet holes. Public Enemies is far from perfect, but it is an entertaining diversion.

Overall grade: B-
Reviewed by James Lynch

THE HURT LOCKER

An apolitical film about the war in Iraq, The Hurt Locker is a stark, powerful glimpse into what could be the most dangerous work of the American soldier.

Set in Baghdad in 2004, The Hurt Locker focuses on Bravo company, an army unit whose job is primarily to disarm or detonate explosive devices left by insurgents. As we see from the opening scene, the automated robot can't do everything -- and the thick protective suit doesn't guarantee survival, as Sergeant Thompson (Guy Pearce) unfortunately proves when a bomb is set off.

Thompson's replacement is Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner), a near-celebrity who's disarmed over 870 bombs. He's also reckless, ignoring the robot and ditching his protective gear as he wishes. Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) is a by-the-book soldier whose job is to protect James despite his risks. Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) is somewhere between the two, neither as gung-ho as James nor as uptight as Sanborn.

Baghdad is as much a character as the soldiers -- and the city is a terrifying place. In the world of Bravo company, every piece of trash could hide an IED, every spectator could be waiting to detonate an explosive. Anyplace else and the soldiers would be paranoid; here, it keeps them alive.

Unlike many war movies, The Hurt Locker never discusses whether the American role is good or bad. Bravo company simply does its job every day -- James defusing bombs, Sanborn and Eldridge watching through their rifles for trouble -- and the movie occasionally tells us how many days are left in their tour.

Tension permeates The Hurt Locker. The atmosphere is, even with moments of humor, one where peril is a continuing companion. Director Kathryn Bigelow gets the most from the actors, making them three-dimensional characters who, despite serious differences, are ready in an instant to do their duty. The Hurt Locker doesn't give any easy answers or opinions; instead it is a harrowing look at a place and a duty most of us can barely imagine.

Overall grade: A+
Reviewed by James Lynch

Warsaw Village Band, Infinity (Barbes Records, 2009)

We now return to our regularly scheduled assortment of obscure music. With their albums People's Spring (2001) and Uprooting (2004), the Warsaw Village Band had already established themselves as one of the best international folk acts of the decade. The sextet of Maja Kleszcz (vocals and cello), Magdalena Sobczak-Kotnarowska (vocals and dulcimer), Sylwia Swiatkowska (vocals and fiddles), Wojtek Krzak (violin and nyckelharpa), Piotr Glinski (drums and percussion), and Maciej Szajkowski (frame drums) may root their sound in the fiddling traditions of their homeland, but there is quite a bit more to the music they make than that. They have always had an aggressive, punkish edge, for one thing. Plus, much like the Finnish band Värttinä, they incorporate folk influences from across Europe and the globe, especially styles that suit their three-part female vocal harmonies well. It's not always easy to tell which aspects of their sound are in fact Polish in origin. But the band wholeheartedly embrace the present as well, and are particularly fond of black American music in its many forms. On their brand new album Infinity, you can hear traces of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and the blues mixed in with Polish and European folk fiddle music. Happily, Warsaw Village Band have the musical skill it takes to make the combination sound perfectly natural.

The story of Infinity begins with the birth of Wojtek and Maja's first child. In the liner notes for the album, Wojtek describes the album's concept as "the need to take a dip in tradition, derive from it and create contemporary and modern compositions -- to inspire other generations." Wojtek and Maja composed most of the music on Infinity, with the lyrics continuing to come from from mostly traditional sources as they had on the previous albums. It appears as though the fiddler and the cellist have assumed a much greater degree of control of the band's musical direction than they had in the past, but the quality of the music is certainly not adversely affected by it. If anything, the band sounds better than ever.

Infinity opens much like Uprooting did, with a potent song in a jig rhythm called "Wise Kid Song." From there, the band rattles off one strong track after another. The ominous minor key ballad called "1.5 h" features viola and Eastern-inspired vocals from Tomasz Kukurba, a member of a prominent Polish klezmer band. The unusual "Skip Funk" which mixes the scratching of a DJ with plucked string instruments and a very jazzy vocal from Maja. "Is Anybody in There?" is the albums strongest track and an instant classic, setting a traditional Polish work song with energetic group vocals to the beat of African-style drumming. "Heartbeat" is an intriguing duet between Maja and a Polish R&B singer named Natalia Przybysz, with whom Maja went to music school. Maja plays her cello like an upright bass while Wojtek plucks his fiddle like a mandolin, but the soulful vocals and a chord progression worthy of Stevie Wonder make this song really make this song special. The ironically titled instrumental "Polska fran Polska" is a tribute to the embrace of the polska, originally a Polish style of tune and dance, by the folk musicians of Sweden. The band recaptures the frenzy of some of their earlier instrumentals with "Polka Story." "I've Met the Girl" mixes string harmonics with insistent percussion and some the group's best vocal work.

Simply put, Infinity is a carnival of delights, providing listeners with an eclectic and exceptionally good combination of the familiar and the unusual. Warsaw Village Band are not afraid to take chances, and right now they have both the energy and the superior musicianship to pull off anything they try. They are a great band that's on a roll. While I'd strongly recommend all three albums of theirs that I have, Infinity is the best of the three, and better than any album I've yet reviewed for this blog.

Overall grade: A+

reviewed by Scott

A promotional clip for Infinity. Yes some subtitles would be nice, but it does give a good glimpse into the workings of the band.

Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

I've been trying to figure out the right things to say regarding the sudden death of Michael Jackson on Thursday. As anybody familiar with my reviews has probably already figured out, I'd much rather talk about unfamiliar musicians that I do like than overly familiar musicians whom I never really cared for. On the other hand, Jackson was a cultural icon and somebody everyone close to my age more or less grew up with, which makes him too important a musical figure for his passing to go unacknowledged.

Jackson grew up in a large family in Gary, Indiana, a bleak-looking industrial city on Lake Michigan. Gary is the kind of place where you need to have dreams to keep yourself going, and the Jackson family dreamed big. When Motown first signed the Jackson 5 in 1968, Michael was just ten. He was the youngest member at the time (younger brother Randy would join up later), but the group revolved around him; his superior singing and dancing abilities were obvious even then. The Jackson 5 had a string of hits, and the recurring pattern of child/teen acts making a big dent on the pop charts every few years or so essentially started with them. Michael was destined for bigger things than the rest of his brothers, though. He made some solo recordings in the 1970's, but it wasn't until he teamed up with producer Quincy Jones that he became the superstar we all know. Their first album together, 1979's Off the Wall, sold over 20 million records. Of course, 1982's Thriller has sold over 50 million worldwide, more than any other album ever recorded. Aside from the music, Thriller clearly benefited from Jackson's grasp of the nascent art form of music videos. Jackson was already a star, but the string of videos he made for the Thriller album, combined with the exposure that the new network MTV provided for these videos, enabled him to conquer the world.

Then things started getting weird. Tabloid journalism feasted on his many plastic surgeries, his unnaturally high adult voice, his skin that lost its color seemingly overnight, his marriages and divorces, his eccentric lifestyle and reclusive behavior, and especially his fraternization with other people's children that would be creepy and disturbing even if all the allegations leveled against him are actually false. The stories are all too well-known to dwell on at length, and I see no point in speculating on what really happened behind the scenes. As for the music, everything Jackson did after Thriller seemed to plunge him deeper and deeper into an abyss of self-absorption and self-parody. Ominously, he looked increasingly frail and unhealthy as he got older.

If you pay any attention at all to the world of entertainment, it's hard to escape stories of many different performers who were stars as children and now have (or had) many issues as adults. No child performer was a bigger star, or grew up to have more issues, than Michael Jackson. He needed people's love and adoration badly, of that there can be no doubt, but he seemed to cower from the attention when it involved any kind of scrutiny. Most poignantly, his behavior frequently suggested that he lacked the love of the person from whom he needed it most: himself.

In some ways Michael Jackson's life mirrors that of Elvis Presley. In the beginning, the youthful energy and motion he coupled with his singing turned him not just into a megastar, but into the most visible symbol of American popular culture in the eyes of the world. And by the end he was already a ghost of his old self, painful to both listen to and look at. He had everything, and yet he had nothing. History has a funny way of repeating itself sometimes.

posted by Scott

THE RED DRAGON INN 1 and 2

Okay, so your party of brave adventurers have wandered the dungeon, battled monsters, thwarted traps, and reaped the rewards of your epic deeds. What now? Time to hit the inn for some downtime! The Red Dragon Inn and The Red Dragon Inn 2, from Slugfest Games, follow the medieval fantasy party to their next activities: drinking and gambling.

Each of these games provides players with a choice of character. (In fact, the different characters are the sole difference between the two games.) The original game contains Dierdre the Priestess, Fiona the Volatile, Gerki the Sneak, and Zot the Wizard. The second game gives you Gog the Half Ogre, Fleck the Bard, Eve the Illusionist and Dimli the Dwarf. The different characters have their strengths and weaknesses, but they're quite balanced against each other.

Each player has a card to keep track on their Fortitude, Alcohol Content, plus slots for their deck, discards, and Drink Me! for their face-down drinks. Each player starts with 20 Fortitude, 0 Alcohol Content, and 10 gold. During a player's turn they follow the same four phases: discard and draw up to 7 cards, perform one action, buy drinks (putting a card from the Drink deck on another player's Drink Me! slot), then drink (by turning over the top card off their Drink Me! slot) and increasing their Alcohol Content. If a player's Fortutide ever meets their Alcohol Level, the player is out of the game.

One of the actions a player can do is start gambling. Players ante one gold, then use cards from their hand to take control of the round (by raising, using a Winning Hand, or cheating), and the last one with control wins the pot. And if a player loses all their gold, they're out!

Players can use Sometime cards at specific times (such as avoiding a Fortitude loss or making someone else's drink more potent) or Anytime cards (to steal gold or gain Fortitude).

The Red Dragon Inn and The Red Dragon Inn 2 are terrific party games. The rules are very easy to learn and each turn goes by very fast. There is some strategy in terms of what cards to keep or discard (offense, defense, or gambling) but the basic goal is easy: hurting other players while protecting yourself. Turns go by very quickly, there's a lot of humor in the cards, and even with only one possible winner this game will cause more laughs than hurt feelings. If you're looking for a quick, simple, and fun game spend the evening at The Red Dragon Inn or The Red Dragon Inn 2 -- or get both and have up to eight players unwinding with booze and cards!

Overall grade: B+
Reviewed by James Lynch

THE RETURN

Psychic visions have been a staple of many horror movies, and they're at the center of The Return. Sadly, there's nothing in this movie that stands out.

When Joanna was 11, she got separated from her father at a Texas festival and imagined a man talking to and walking towards her. This doesn't seem unusual as childhood experiences go, but it so affected Joanna that she left Texas and stayed away.

Now in her mid-twenties, Joanna (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has to head back to Texas on business. She's barely back before the radio keeps playing the same song over and over (even when turned off -- spooooooky!) and having visions of a murder and different places in Texas. There's also Terry Stahl (Peter O'Brien), the helpful, handsome loner with a bad reputation in town. And the more Joanna investigates, the more she finds that her visions are -- brace yourself -- from a crime in the past!

The Return is a dreary movie. The characters are flat, and all the actors seem to be drifting through the movie. There's nothing original done with the visions or possibilities, and everything is shot in muted, drab lighting. There aren't any scares per se, and the "action" consists of Gellar running away or sudden surprises mixed with loud bursts of music. (The dvd extras are a "making of," deleted scenes, and an alternate ending.) While not terrible, The Return is extremely unimpressive.

Overall grade: D
Reviewed by James Lynch

Moon

Science fiction has often gone beyond Earth, but Moon takes a more mundane view of outer space. The movie also focuses almost exclusively on one actor and manages to explore some intriguing areas.

It's some time in the future and humanity has finally found a source of clean energy: Helium-3, found in irradiated parts of Earth's moon. Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is up on a base in the moon, launching the Helium-3 back to Earth and performing maintenance on the machines. Sam is two weeks away from finishing his three-year contract to be there, and his only companion is GERTY (voiced by Kevin Smith), an emotionless robot whose "face" is a series of changing smiley faces. Contact with Earth is cut off, and Sam survives by viewing recorded messages from his wife and their young daughter. Sam also seems to be hallucinating.

After an accident with a lunar vehicle on the moon's surface Sam awakens in the medical bay on the base. He resumes work as normal, until he goes out to repair the vehicle -- and finds something that makes Sam question everything about himself, his assignment, and his future.

Moon is a thoughtful movie, focusing on the plight of its protagonist and the impact of technology on people. Director Duncan Jones manages to keep the almost-static situation on the moon from being boring (as well as turning an approaching rescue into a "ticking clock" of danger), and Sam Rockwell turns in another fine performance as a man whose job is like a prison sentence, and with the end in sight everything changes. Even GERTY is something of an enigma, helpful one moment and evasive the next. Moon may not be exciting, but it's certainly interesting.

Overall Grade: B+

Reviewed by James Lynch

The Hangover

There may be no better and worse ad for Las Vegas than The Hangover. This movie demonstrates that Las Vegas may very well be the ultimate party place -- and that can be way too much for some visitors.

Doug (Justin Bartha) is two days away from marrying Tracy (Sasha Barrese), so he needs a bachelor party. He heads to Vegas for the weekend with his friends Phil (Bradly Cooper), a party animal, and Stu (Ed Helms), a nerdy dentist totally whipped by his girlfriend Melissa (Rachael Harris). The three buddies are joined by Tracy's brother Alan (Zac Galifianakis), who's more than a little bit off: "I'm not supposed to be within two hundred feet of a school. Or a Chuck E. Cheese." The four head to Vegas, get a villa, and have celebratory shots on the roof of the hotel.

Cut to the next day. Phil, Stu, and Alan are all hung over. Their villa is a wreck, Stu is missing a tooth, there's a baby in the closet, there's a live tiger in the bathroom, and no one remembers what happened the night before. Oh yes, and Doug is gone.

The Hangover isn't so much a road trip movie as a retracing-our-steps flick. The three groomsmen spend the whole movie following clues in the hopes of finding their missing friend, a quest that leads them to roofies, an emergency room, thugs, a stripper (played by Heather Graham) Stu may have married, Mike Tyson (playing himself), a stolen police car, and blackjack.

The Hangover may be the latest in the "crude guys with a heart of gold" movies, and as such it's a good one. The characters are a nice range of characters, all reacting in different ways to a frustrating situation and a ticking clock. The actors are all very good, especially Zac Galifianakis, whose character isn't so goofy as to be a cartoon, leaving him just weird enough to be perfect. Director Todd Phillips, who directed Old School, once again shows what makes men tick, and how it also makes them ridiculous. There's no depth to the movie (and not much for the female actors to do), but The Hangover is amusing and good for quite a few laughs. What happened in Vegas this time was pretty funny.

Overall Grade: B

Reviewed by James Lynch