So how does a broody Vietnam vet with a long-term case of post-traumatic stress disorder keep busy in the backwaters of Thailand for 20 years between Rambo III and the sequel called just plain Rambo? Judging from the appearance of Sylvester Stallone, who co-wrote, directed, and stars in the hell-with-it-all bloody fourth run of the stomping action franchise, John James Rambo at 61 has kept fit via a regular regimen of wrangling poisonous snakes, running a longboat, and keeping his head bandannas clean. Unfortunately, that quiet life is interrupted by a party of howlingly naïve Christian missionaries and medics from Colorado who request Rambo's navigational services. The do-gooders are headed upriver to assist ethnic Karen refugees in Burma (apparently no one's told Rambo that the country's called Myanmar now), underdogs who have been fighting a brutal civil war with the ruling military junta for 60 years.
The fools have chosen a profoundly dangerous route, of course, as befits any war pic involving the word ''upriver.'' It's a given that Rambo will initially say no, followed by grrr. Also a given is the capture of the hapless missionaries, the arrival of a search party of colorful mercenaries, and Rambo's mournful decision to blow all of Burma to hell to rescue the hopeless lot of them — mercenaries and missionaries alike. Baby-stabbing, decapitation, gang rape, and rivers of blood: Rambo is up to its boot tops in numbing violence.
The brutality, tough enough to take, would be intolerable if Stallone didn't toss the movie like a cant-clearing grenade at notions of stay-the-course righteousness (not to mention at the sermonizing of more faith-based agonies staged by Mel Gibson). Rambo teaches that fighting sucks, good intentions can be futile, and coalitions of the willing are a charade: A man's got to do what a man's got to do. Sometimes that means tying on the old bandanna to hack one's way out of the Hollywood jungle so disorienting to aging action stars. B-
Source:http://www.ew.com/
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Woods Isn’t Driving Perfectly, but He’s Cruising
SAN DIEGO — In the relative calm before the coming Pacific storm, Tiger Woods churned inexorably across the North Course at Torrey Pines on Friday, making birdies from the rough, a par from the sand, a chip-in par from the green and putts from everywhere else. His bogey-free round of 65 on a striking California day provided yet another Tiger Woods Clinic, this one titled: How to Thrive When You Can’t Drive.
It was another tough day on the tee box for Woods, the world’s No. 1 golfer, who hit only 6 of 14 fairways after hitting only 7 of 14 in Thursday’s first round. Of course, that did little to slow his march toward his sixth Buick Invitational victory, his fourth straight, and his 62nd tour win.
Woods’s 36-hole total of 12-under-par 132 put him four strokes ahead of 29-year-old Kevin Streelman, ranked No. 1,114 in the world. Streelman, the third and final alternate to make the field, had been sitting on the practice putting green Thursday when he was told he had five minutes to make it to the 10th tee on the North Course. He hustled over, hit the fairway with the first of his 67 shots and added 69 more to get himself into a Saturday tee time with Woods and Stewart Cink, who also shot a 69.
“Tomorrow is probably going to be the most gratifying, fun day of my life,” Streelman said to the TV cameras.
For Woods, it will be something else, another step on the path of golf history as he continues his quest to break almost every record in the book. This is not to suggest he does not appreciate the difficulties along the road traveled by struggling golfers like Streelman. “It’s a fine line,” he said. “People don’t realize the difference between someone making cuts out here on tour, getting on the tour and winning a golf tournament.”
While fans of quixotic quests will have their eyes on Streelman, and those of tournament organizers will be on the predicted storm that is expected to dump rain on Southern California starting Saturday night, Woods will be focused on the prize.
Regardless of the forecast, the size of his lead or the ranking of those chasing him, Woods never eases up or relaxes until the last putt drops Sunday.
“Tomorrow, hopefully, I can shoot a good round and move up — increase my lead,” he said. “They’re not handing out the trophy today. You’ve just got to keep going forward. If they handed out the trophy today then it would be over and no big deal.
“But since we have so many more holes to play, as you’ve seen on tour anything can happen. You’ve got to keep pushing, keep going forward and making birdies.”
That is a lot easier to do when you have no bogeys on a day when your driver is still not cooperating. Even though he hit one fewer fairway Friday than Thursday, Woods was at least slightly happier with the direction things were headed.
“I drove like a dog yesterday,” he said of Thursday. “But today I at least started the ball on line. I over-shaped them, that’s fine, O.K., I can fix that, it’s not a problem. I feel pretty good with it.”
Phil Mickelson will be working on fixing his misses this weekend from further back in the field. He hit 12 of 28 fairways through the first two rounds, one fewer than Woods, but was unable to offset that deficiency by raising his iron play. He has hit 19 of 36 greens through two rounds, 10 fewer than Woods. Mickelson remained upbeat, despite being tied for 40th after his 73 on the South Course.
“You never know when it’s going to click,” he said. “I’ve got to go off early tomorrow, one of the first groups off the back side, and I should get nine holes of greens that are fairly smooth and maybe I can get the putter rolling and make some birdies.”
For Streelman, the objective is to survive. He got here by making it through three stages of qualifying school. He has never made it on any level above the mini-tours, not even on the Nationwide Tour. The most he has won playing golf is $25,000, which he earned in last year’s The Ultimate Game, a Las Vegas made-for-TV event in which golfers play for their own (or their sponsor’s) money by putting up $50,000 each.
“It’s been a very difficult road,” he said. “You have pitfalls and tremendous highs and lows, especially when you’re scrounging money to get to the next tournament and to put gas in your car sometimes.
“It can be quite an experience. At the same time I think that makes you a stronger person and a stronger golfer.”
This weekend will test the strength and resolve, on very different levels, of Woods and Streelman. For Woods, more history is in the balance; for Streelman, it will be a chance to make a little of his own.
Source:http://www.nytimes.com
It was another tough day on the tee box for Woods, the world’s No. 1 golfer, who hit only 6 of 14 fairways after hitting only 7 of 14 in Thursday’s first round. Of course, that did little to slow his march toward his sixth Buick Invitational victory, his fourth straight, and his 62nd tour win.
Woods’s 36-hole total of 12-under-par 132 put him four strokes ahead of 29-year-old Kevin Streelman, ranked No. 1,114 in the world. Streelman, the third and final alternate to make the field, had been sitting on the practice putting green Thursday when he was told he had five minutes to make it to the 10th tee on the North Course. He hustled over, hit the fairway with the first of his 67 shots and added 69 more to get himself into a Saturday tee time with Woods and Stewart Cink, who also shot a 69.
“Tomorrow is probably going to be the most gratifying, fun day of my life,” Streelman said to the TV cameras.
For Woods, it will be something else, another step on the path of golf history as he continues his quest to break almost every record in the book. This is not to suggest he does not appreciate the difficulties along the road traveled by struggling golfers like Streelman. “It’s a fine line,” he said. “People don’t realize the difference between someone making cuts out here on tour, getting on the tour and winning a golf tournament.”
While fans of quixotic quests will have their eyes on Streelman, and those of tournament organizers will be on the predicted storm that is expected to dump rain on Southern California starting Saturday night, Woods will be focused on the prize.
Regardless of the forecast, the size of his lead or the ranking of those chasing him, Woods never eases up or relaxes until the last putt drops Sunday.
“Tomorrow, hopefully, I can shoot a good round and move up — increase my lead,” he said. “They’re not handing out the trophy today. You’ve just got to keep going forward. If they handed out the trophy today then it would be over and no big deal.
“But since we have so many more holes to play, as you’ve seen on tour anything can happen. You’ve got to keep pushing, keep going forward and making birdies.”
That is a lot easier to do when you have no bogeys on a day when your driver is still not cooperating. Even though he hit one fewer fairway Friday than Thursday, Woods was at least slightly happier with the direction things were headed.
“I drove like a dog yesterday,” he said of Thursday. “But today I at least started the ball on line. I over-shaped them, that’s fine, O.K., I can fix that, it’s not a problem. I feel pretty good with it.”
Phil Mickelson will be working on fixing his misses this weekend from further back in the field. He hit 12 of 28 fairways through the first two rounds, one fewer than Woods, but was unable to offset that deficiency by raising his iron play. He has hit 19 of 36 greens through two rounds, 10 fewer than Woods. Mickelson remained upbeat, despite being tied for 40th after his 73 on the South Course.
“You never know when it’s going to click,” he said. “I’ve got to go off early tomorrow, one of the first groups off the back side, and I should get nine holes of greens that are fairly smooth and maybe I can get the putter rolling and make some birdies.”
For Streelman, the objective is to survive. He got here by making it through three stages of qualifying school. He has never made it on any level above the mini-tours, not even on the Nationwide Tour. The most he has won playing golf is $25,000, which he earned in last year’s The Ultimate Game, a Las Vegas made-for-TV event in which golfers play for their own (or their sponsor’s) money by putting up $50,000 each.
“It’s been a very difficult road,” he said. “You have pitfalls and tremendous highs and lows, especially when you’re scrounging money to get to the next tournament and to put gas in your car sometimes.
“It can be quite an experience. At the same time I think that makes you a stronger person and a stronger golfer.”
This weekend will test the strength and resolve, on very different levels, of Woods and Streelman. For Woods, more history is in the balance; for Streelman, it will be a chance to make a little of his own.
Source:http://www.nytimes.com
Cora Skinner: Brody Jenner’s New Girlfriend
Brody Jenner and Cora Skinner, his new girlfriend, are happy together. She has even met mom and dad!
Don’t look for her on The Hills anytime soon, however.
“She’s met the parents. She’s part of the family. But no, she’s not on the show,” Jenner, 24, told People.
“I’m choosing to keep her away from being on The Hills because that would bring a lot of conflict and drama to the relationship [of myself and] Lauren Conrad.
Lauren Conrad, who turns 22 on February 1, was the last girlfriend to receive an enthusiastic thumbs up from Jenner father, Olympic star Bruce Jenner, and his wife, Kris Kardashian. Yes, Kim Kardashian’s mother.
Despite any possibility of a reality show conflict, Brody Jenner conceded, “[Cora Skinner] may just do a little guest appearance.”
But the 22-year-old model is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Maxim, Playboy’s lingerie catalog, and on CSI: Miami.
However, camera shots aren’t the kind that interests Brody.
“My family comes from the South. I love a girl who can hold a shotgun,” he said of the pair’s skeet shooting outings. “I don’t know what it is. But a girl that can hold a shotgun well. … that turns me on.”
And what does Cora Skinner (click for more photos) like about him?
“My bedroom style,” Jenner says.
Source:http://www.fashion.ie/
Don’t look for her on The Hills anytime soon, however.
“She’s met the parents. She’s part of the family. But no, she’s not on the show,” Jenner, 24, told People.
“I’m choosing to keep her away from being on The Hills because that would bring a lot of conflict and drama to the relationship [of myself and] Lauren Conrad.
Lauren Conrad, who turns 22 on February 1, was the last girlfriend to receive an enthusiastic thumbs up from Jenner father, Olympic star Bruce Jenner, and his wife, Kris Kardashian. Yes, Kim Kardashian’s mother.
Despite any possibility of a reality show conflict, Brody Jenner conceded, “[Cora Skinner] may just do a little guest appearance.”
But the 22-year-old model is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Maxim, Playboy’s lingerie catalog, and on CSI: Miami.
However, camera shots aren’t the kind that interests Brody.
“My family comes from the South. I love a girl who can hold a shotgun,” he said of the pair’s skeet shooting outings. “I don’t know what it is. But a girl that can hold a shotgun well. … that turns me on.”
And what does Cora Skinner (click for more photos) like about him?
“My bedroom style,” Jenner says.
Source:http://www.fashion.ie/
Television: Disney's 'Minutemen' stresses chemistry, not brain strain
"Minutemen" likely won't hit the ratings stratosphere of "High School Musical," but it's still a zippy and entertaining trip through time that's liable to attract lots of kids to the Disney Channel again.
There are a couple of things this new made-for-TV movie does have in common with the other Disney phenomenon that broke cable records and created a national fever for Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens: "Minutemen" also was filmed in Utah and was produced by Utahn Don Schain and his Salty Pictures production company.
And it does have some of the infectious likability of "HSM," thanks to a trio of young actors who spice up the comedy.
The movie premieres tonight at 9 on the Disney Channel.
Virgil and Charlie (Jason Dolley and Luke Benward, respectively) are two nerdy students at Summerton High (which looks suspiciously like Murray High School) who meet when they become victims of a football team prank and are hung by their undies from the giant statue of the school's ram mascot.
Charlie may be small and young, but he's a genius inventor. His latest creation is using any light source (in this case, a slide projector) to bend time. With the help of Virgil and a loner biker boy named Zeke ("Sky High's" Nicholas Braun), they build a time machine that can send them back a day or two.
While buying a lottery ticket is the first thing they think of(who wouldn't?), the boys decide to use their invention for good instead of evil and go back in time to help other nerds avoid being the targets of pranks by the cool kids.
But when they travel back too far, it creates a disruption in the time continuum. A black hole appears in the high school's football field and starts sucking in the whole planet (which means Salt Lake County is toast, for sure).
"Minutemen" is a nicely paced, simple comedy that, unlike other time-splitting stories, keeps the paradoxes of science at bay. Think of it as an undemanding version of "Back to the Future."
It all works because the heart of the movie is the three boys and their comic chemistry. Benward, in particular, who starred in "Because of Winn-Dixie" and "How to Eat Fried Worms," has a spunky presence. Moms everywhere will just want to pinch his cheeks.
More important, the movie ends up saying something about the value of friendship and teamwork. Yes, those might be overused messages, but if the Children of America are going to rule this country one day, they'd better start learning to be nice to each other.
As a Utahn, I'm pleased with the kind of work that Schain and his Salt Lake City-based Salty Pictures have done after shooting 40 movies in the state, 19 for the Disney Channel. (He has another one coming up later this year called "Dadnapped" that was filmed mostly in Magna.)
His movies, including both "High School Musicals" he produced, have shown audiences the beauty of this state better than any travel bureau could ever do.
Source:http://www.sltrib.com
There are a couple of things this new made-for-TV movie does have in common with the other Disney phenomenon that broke cable records and created a national fever for Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens: "Minutemen" also was filmed in Utah and was produced by Utahn Don Schain and his Salty Pictures production company.
And it does have some of the infectious likability of "HSM," thanks to a trio of young actors who spice up the comedy.
The movie premieres tonight at 9 on the Disney Channel.
Virgil and Charlie (Jason Dolley and Luke Benward, respectively) are two nerdy students at Summerton High (which looks suspiciously like Murray High School) who meet when they become victims of a football team prank and are hung by their undies from the giant statue of the school's ram mascot.
Charlie may be small and young, but he's a genius inventor. His latest creation is using any light source (in this case, a slide projector) to bend time. With the help of Virgil and a loner biker boy named Zeke ("Sky High's" Nicholas Braun), they build a time machine that can send them back a day or two.
While buying a lottery ticket is the first thing they think of(who wouldn't?), the boys decide to use their invention for good instead of evil and go back in time to help other nerds avoid being the targets of pranks by the cool kids.
But when they travel back too far, it creates a disruption in the time continuum. A black hole appears in the high school's football field and starts sucking in the whole planet (which means Salt Lake County is toast, for sure).
"Minutemen" is a nicely paced, simple comedy that, unlike other time-splitting stories, keeps the paradoxes of science at bay. Think of it as an undemanding version of "Back to the Future."
It all works because the heart of the movie is the three boys and their comic chemistry. Benward, in particular, who starred in "Because of Winn-Dixie" and "How to Eat Fried Worms," has a spunky presence. Moms everywhere will just want to pinch his cheeks.
More important, the movie ends up saying something about the value of friendship and teamwork. Yes, those might be overused messages, but if the Children of America are going to rule this country one day, they'd better start learning to be nice to each other.
As a Utahn, I'm pleased with the kind of work that Schain and his Salt Lake City-based Salty Pictures have done after shooting 40 movies in the state, 19 for the Disney Channel. (He has another one coming up later this year called "Dadnapped" that was filmed mostly in Magna.)
His movies, including both "High School Musicals" he produced, have shown audiences the beauty of this state better than any travel bureau could ever do.
Source:http://www.sltrib.com
CBS2 anchor Salerno dies in Wis. snowmobile smashup
Randy Salerno - 1963-2008 | His best friend, Scott D. Hirschey, is accused of driving under the influence, awaits homicide charge
A boyhood friend of WBBM-Channel 2 news anchor Randy Salerno was accused Friday of killing the television personality in an alcohol-related snowmobiling accident in northern Wisconsin.
Salerno died Thursday night after a snowmobile he was a passenger on slammed into trees after dinner with friends, officials said.
"I don't know what we're going to do without him,'' said his morning and midday co-anchor, Roseanne Tellez. "He was one of a kind."
Salerno, 45, a resident and native of far northwest suburban Crystal Lake, was riding on a snowmobile on Plum Lake near Sayner, Wis., about 90 miles north of Wausau.
Scott D. Hirschey, 44, of Crystal Lake, was driving the snowmobile. He was arrested on allegations of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, said Vilas County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Joe Fath. Formal homicide charges will likely not be filed until next week, said Vilas County District Attorney Albert Moustakis.
Salerno and Hirschey have known each other since second grade, said Salerno's wife, Irene. Even as Salerno left the state for a time before rising to Chicago television stardom and Hirschey remained in Crystal Lake working in construction, the two remained close. Last summer, they shared Little League baseball coaching duties. Hirschey is the godfather of Salerno's son.
"Two buddies having a good time -- to have it end this way . . . it's unbelievable,'' said Salerno's high school basketball coach, Gary Collins.
Hirschey, who was in fair condition at a hospital in Marshfield, Wis., is said to be devastated.
"I'm sure Scott would change places with Randy in a second if he could,'' said Irene Salerno, who added that she has no animosity toward her husband's friend. "It was just a horrible accident,'' she said.
Salerno flew to the area with friends Thursday aboard a private plane, Channel 2 said. The accident occurred after one of the snowmobiles broke down while the group was returning to the Eagle River Inn and Resort about 11:30 p.m., after dinner.
Hirschey agreed to drive a snowmobile designed for one passenger with Salerno riding on back. The snowmobile slid off a trail, throwing Hirschey off, while Salerno "took the full force of impact" when it hit several trees, Channel 2 said.
Salerno was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff's office. Hirschey was flown to St. Joseph Hospital in Marshfield.
Channel 2 devoted its 11 a.m. newscast, which Salerno usually co-anchored, to his death, with colleagues remembering him fondly.
Reporter Susan Carlson, who delivers traffic reports on the morning show, said that while Salerno could be dry-witted, "if you had a personal thing that was going on in your life that was difficult, Mr. Sarcasm would be the one to send you a touching card. I don't think he wanted that to get out."
"Working with him was a daily delight,'' said Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker, who, as Channel 2 entertainment reporter, worked with Salerno.
Nearly 6-foot-6, Salerno was a star basketball player at Crystal Lake South High School. He was named most valuable player and elected to the school's Hall of Fame in 1981, said boyhood friend Chuck Ahsmann. "Randy was more of a quiet guy in school. You wouldn't imagine him at an anchor desk,'' recalled Ahsmann, who now teaches physics there.
Around Crystal Lake, Salerno would sometimes wear a ball cap and sunglasses. "I used to kid him, 'You've got your disguise on today,''' Collins said. "He wasn't big on 'Hey, I'm Randy Salerno from TV.' "
Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley said Salerno was active in community events, often accompanied by Hirschey.
Besides his wife, Irene, whom he met while she was a producer at WGN-TV, a Channel 2 spokeswoman said, he is survived by Haley, 13, a daughter from his wife's earlier marriage; daughter, Slone, 9, and son Charlie, 7. Other survivors include his parents, a brother and a sister.
Source:http://www.suntimes.com
A boyhood friend of WBBM-Channel 2 news anchor Randy Salerno was accused Friday of killing the television personality in an alcohol-related snowmobiling accident in northern Wisconsin.
Salerno died Thursday night after a snowmobile he was a passenger on slammed into trees after dinner with friends, officials said.
"I don't know what we're going to do without him,'' said his morning and midday co-anchor, Roseanne Tellez. "He was one of a kind."
Salerno, 45, a resident and native of far northwest suburban Crystal Lake, was riding on a snowmobile on Plum Lake near Sayner, Wis., about 90 miles north of Wausau.
Scott D. Hirschey, 44, of Crystal Lake, was driving the snowmobile. He was arrested on allegations of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, said Vilas County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Joe Fath. Formal homicide charges will likely not be filed until next week, said Vilas County District Attorney Albert Moustakis.
Salerno and Hirschey have known each other since second grade, said Salerno's wife, Irene. Even as Salerno left the state for a time before rising to Chicago television stardom and Hirschey remained in Crystal Lake working in construction, the two remained close. Last summer, they shared Little League baseball coaching duties. Hirschey is the godfather of Salerno's son.
"Two buddies having a good time -- to have it end this way . . . it's unbelievable,'' said Salerno's high school basketball coach, Gary Collins.
Hirschey, who was in fair condition at a hospital in Marshfield, Wis., is said to be devastated.
"I'm sure Scott would change places with Randy in a second if he could,'' said Irene Salerno, who added that she has no animosity toward her husband's friend. "It was just a horrible accident,'' she said.
Salerno flew to the area with friends Thursday aboard a private plane, Channel 2 said. The accident occurred after one of the snowmobiles broke down while the group was returning to the Eagle River Inn and Resort about 11:30 p.m., after dinner.
Hirschey agreed to drive a snowmobile designed for one passenger with Salerno riding on back. The snowmobile slid off a trail, throwing Hirschey off, while Salerno "took the full force of impact" when it hit several trees, Channel 2 said.
Salerno was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff's office. Hirschey was flown to St. Joseph Hospital in Marshfield.
Channel 2 devoted its 11 a.m. newscast, which Salerno usually co-anchored, to his death, with colleagues remembering him fondly.
Reporter Susan Carlson, who delivers traffic reports on the morning show, said that while Salerno could be dry-witted, "if you had a personal thing that was going on in your life that was difficult, Mr. Sarcasm would be the one to send you a touching card. I don't think he wanted that to get out."
"Working with him was a daily delight,'' said Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker, who, as Channel 2 entertainment reporter, worked with Salerno.
Nearly 6-foot-6, Salerno was a star basketball player at Crystal Lake South High School. He was named most valuable player and elected to the school's Hall of Fame in 1981, said boyhood friend Chuck Ahsmann. "Randy was more of a quiet guy in school. You wouldn't imagine him at an anchor desk,'' recalled Ahsmann, who now teaches physics there.
Around Crystal Lake, Salerno would sometimes wear a ball cap and sunglasses. "I used to kid him, 'You've got your disguise on today,''' Collins said. "He wasn't big on 'Hey, I'm Randy Salerno from TV.' "
Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley said Salerno was active in community events, often accompanied by Hirschey.
Besides his wife, Irene, whom he met while she was a producer at WGN-TV, a Channel 2 spokeswoman said, he is survived by Haley, 13, a daughter from his wife's earlier marriage; daughter, Slone, 9, and son Charlie, 7. Other survivors include his parents, a brother and a sister.
Source:http://www.suntimes.com
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Spirit of the Marathon
The best sports movies all have one thing in common: a strong and relatable emotional core that transcends whatever athletic pursuit the film involves. This tenet holds especially true for the fine new documentary "Spirit of the Marathon," which takes a passionate look at long-distance running, culminating at 2005's Chicago Marathon.
Even if you've never run for anything but a bus, you'll likely get swept up in this movie's inspiring journey of physical endurance and personal achievement.
Producer-director Jon Dunham, a marathon runner and USC film school graduate, has crafted an efficient yet comprehensive study that focuses on six intensely dedicated runners as they prepare for Chicago's annual 26.2-mile footrace.
These intimate portraits of seasoned athletes Deena Castor (a 2004 Olympic bronze medalist) and Kenya-born marathoner Daniel Njenga, along with four average Chicagoans -- Northwestern grad student Lori O'Connor, Boston Marathon hopeful Ryan Bradley, single mom Leah Caille and plucky septuagenarian Jerry Meyers -- are not only absorbing but also lay an affecting base for the film's third act, set during the Windy City's highly popular marathon. Before all is said and done, you'll find yourself wanting to grab a pair of cross-trainers and take to the streets.
Vintage archival footage, as well as comments from running experts such as past marathon champs Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers and Paula Radcliffe, round out the doc, which was shot by Dunham and Sarah Levy and tightly edited by Christo Brock. The movie is also something of a love letter to Chicago, vividly capturing many of the city's most photogenic spots.
"Spirit of the Marathon" is being shown only once tonight, with simultaneous screenings in nearly 500 theaters across the country (with an encore scheduled for Feb. 21). Detailed information is available at www.marathonmovie.com.
Source:http://www.latimes.com
Even if you've never run for anything but a bus, you'll likely get swept up in this movie's inspiring journey of physical endurance and personal achievement.
Producer-director Jon Dunham, a marathon runner and USC film school graduate, has crafted an efficient yet comprehensive study that focuses on six intensely dedicated runners as they prepare for Chicago's annual 26.2-mile footrace.
These intimate portraits of seasoned athletes Deena Castor (a 2004 Olympic bronze medalist) and Kenya-born marathoner Daniel Njenga, along with four average Chicagoans -- Northwestern grad student Lori O'Connor, Boston Marathon hopeful Ryan Bradley, single mom Leah Caille and plucky septuagenarian Jerry Meyers -- are not only absorbing but also lay an affecting base for the film's third act, set during the Windy City's highly popular marathon. Before all is said and done, you'll find yourself wanting to grab a pair of cross-trainers and take to the streets.
Vintage archival footage, as well as comments from running experts such as past marathon champs Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers and Paula Radcliffe, round out the doc, which was shot by Dunham and Sarah Levy and tightly edited by Christo Brock. The movie is also something of a love letter to Chicago, vividly capturing many of the city's most photogenic spots.
"Spirit of the Marathon" is being shown only once tonight, with simultaneous screenings in nearly 500 theaters across the country (with an encore scheduled for Feb. 21). Detailed information is available at www.marathonmovie.com.
Source:http://www.latimes.com
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Plainview teen killed while speeding
A 16-year-old Plainview boy with a learner's permit died early Saturday when he lost control of his friend's car while trying to find out "how fast it would go," Nassau police said.
Brian Assa, a Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School junior, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the 1:50 a.m. crash in Woodbury, police said.
A passenger, David Darvas, 17, also of Plainview, was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow and admitted in critical condition. A family member said Darvas was in surgery Saturday afternoon.
While loved ones kept vigil for Darvas, Assa was remembered as a beloved teenager.
"He was absolutely amazing," said Vanessa Assa, Brian's 28-year-old sister. "Everybody loved him, his friends' parents, his teachers."
According to Nassau County police, Assa was driving Darvas' 2001 Volkswagen Jetta north on Woodbury Road at a high speed.
Darvas, who has a senior license, was in the front passenger's seat when the Jetta approached the Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway overpass and Assa lost control, police said.
The Jetta drifted across the southbound lanes and onto a sidewalk before it hit a wall supporting the overpass. It continued and crashed into a LIPA pole before finally striking a tree, police said. Both teens were wearing seat belts, and neither alcohol nor drugs were involved, police said.
After dropping off other friends, Assa and Darvas were attempting to see "how fast it would go," said Nassau Det. Michael Fleming.
"This was simply a gross misjudgment," Fleming said.
Police found 300 feet of skid marks at the crash scene but hadn't determined the car's crash speed.
At the Assa family's home on Spector Lane, Brian's father, Jerry Assa, 55, said his son's friends called him early Saturday after the crash.
He said he rushed to the scene but police stopped him.
"They wouldn't let us near it," Assa said of the wreck. "Electrical wires were down."
Assa said witnesses had told him his son wasn't driving, information contradictory to the police account of the crash.
"They didn't know who was who for sure," Assa said of emergency workers who freed the teens from the wreck.
At NUMC, Darvas' family and about 10 students gathered on the second floor to await news of his condition.
Wayne Richards, of Plainview, a relative of the Darvas family, said the boy's parents weren't commenting because their son just had surgery.
Brian Assa was a soccer player who made the varsity as a junior, his father said. But a knee injury kept him from playing this past season.
"He loved it," Jerry Assa said. "He played multiple positions. Mostly, he loved playing halfback."
Sherry Gordon was one of the visitors to the Assa home yesterday to pay respects. She said her son, Brian Gordon, was friends with Brian Assa.
"This kid didn't have a bad bone in his body, a heart as big as they come," Gordon said.
Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District spokesman Robert Zimmerman said the district would offer counseling to students and staff when school opens on Tuesday.
Source:http://www.newsday.com
Brian Assa, a Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School junior, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the 1:50 a.m. crash in Woodbury, police said.
A passenger, David Darvas, 17, also of Plainview, was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow and admitted in critical condition. A family member said Darvas was in surgery Saturday afternoon.
While loved ones kept vigil for Darvas, Assa was remembered as a beloved teenager.
"He was absolutely amazing," said Vanessa Assa, Brian's 28-year-old sister. "Everybody loved him, his friends' parents, his teachers."
According to Nassau County police, Assa was driving Darvas' 2001 Volkswagen Jetta north on Woodbury Road at a high speed.
Darvas, who has a senior license, was in the front passenger's seat when the Jetta approached the Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway overpass and Assa lost control, police said.
The Jetta drifted across the southbound lanes and onto a sidewalk before it hit a wall supporting the overpass. It continued and crashed into a LIPA pole before finally striking a tree, police said. Both teens were wearing seat belts, and neither alcohol nor drugs were involved, police said.
After dropping off other friends, Assa and Darvas were attempting to see "how fast it would go," said Nassau Det. Michael Fleming.
"This was simply a gross misjudgment," Fleming said.
Police found 300 feet of skid marks at the crash scene but hadn't determined the car's crash speed.
At the Assa family's home on Spector Lane, Brian's father, Jerry Assa, 55, said his son's friends called him early Saturday after the crash.
He said he rushed to the scene but police stopped him.
"They wouldn't let us near it," Assa said of the wreck. "Electrical wires were down."
Assa said witnesses had told him his son wasn't driving, information contradictory to the police account of the crash.
"They didn't know who was who for sure," Assa said of emergency workers who freed the teens from the wreck.
At NUMC, Darvas' family and about 10 students gathered on the second floor to await news of his condition.
Wayne Richards, of Plainview, a relative of the Darvas family, said the boy's parents weren't commenting because their son just had surgery.
Brian Assa was a soccer player who made the varsity as a junior, his father said. But a knee injury kept him from playing this past season.
"He loved it," Jerry Assa said. "He played multiple positions. Mostly, he loved playing halfback."
Sherry Gordon was one of the visitors to the Assa home yesterday to pay respects. She said her son, Brian Gordon, was friends with Brian Assa.
"This kid didn't have a bad bone in his body, a heart as big as they come," Gordon said.
Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District spokesman Robert Zimmerman said the district would offer counseling to students and staff when school opens on Tuesday.
Source:http://www.newsday.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
