"Barbershop 2: Back in Business" is an interesting comedy about tyrannical large businesses attempting to force out firmly entrenched local businesses and radically change the landscape of a tight-knit community on the south side of Chicago. The humor in "Barbershop" is accessible.
"In the Widening Gyre" addresses the question, "How do we deal with tragedy if we no longer believe in 'the gods'?" It is a question that the play's author, Lear deBessonet, a fourth-year political and social thought major, had long been asking herself. DeBessonet's exploration of the question is staged in this original work that opened yesterday in the Helms Theatre, the smaller theater located next to Culbreth. Considering recent events, this question obviously has become much more timely than was perhaps initially intended.
While I wish I could say differently, "Shallow Hal" does not represent the best work of either its cast or directors. "Shallow Hal" is the latest from the Farrelly Brothers, the same pair responsible for the slightly demented "There's Something About Mary" and the equally off-beat "Dumb and Dumber." It stars Jack Black (one-half of Tenacious D and the boisterous music store clerk in "High Fidelity") as Hal and Gwyneth Paltrow as Rosemary, who sports a fat suit or skimpy clothing and sometimes both. The movie's plot is credible: A traumatic event in his youth leads Hal to evaluate women by their looks only.
"Mercy" is the first release of Abandon Jalopy, the solo project of Brad Smith. Formerly of Blind Melon, Smith is most notably the author of that band's signature song, "No Rain." Though Smith was the bass player with Blind Melon, he was also the songwriter (Shannon Hoon was the singer and died in 1995). Smith's songwriting focuses on the simple pleasures that music can bring, and "Mercy" displays Smith's depth of talent.
"The Glass House" is a thriller that isn't particularly thrilling. While there is nothing actually wrong with this film, and many things right, it's incomplete and therefore somewhat crippled. "House" is the story of two children - 16-year-old Ruby Baker (Leelee Sobieski) and her 11-year-old brother, Rhett (Trevor Morgan) - who are orphaned when their parents die in a car accident.
