SLC Punk

At Ann Arbor 1 & 2

HH

"SLC Punk" is a humorous, loud, crazed, in your face comedy that touches upon some very esoteric, thought provoking questions, such as what life's true meaning and our existence within it.

Set in Salt Lake City, Utah in the '80s "SLC Punk" is a portrait of a recently graduated non-conformist, Stevo (Matthew Lillard, "She's All That"), who's faced with some major life decisions. Stevo's father (Christopher MacDonald) is an ex-hippy lawyer and wants him follow in his footsteps and attend Harvard Law School.

Questions whether there is more to life then being an anarchist and raising hell with his antisocial best friend, "Heroin" Bob (Michael Goorjian), whose hatred of needles earned him the name, continue to plague Stevo. From discussing the disgust of hicks to the benefits of holding an anti-establishment stance, nothing seems to convince Stevo to remain anti-government and loyal to his punk friends.

Writer/director James Merendino's flashback shots of flashbacks - along with the irony of punks/anarchists existing in the heart of Mormon country - makes for an unusual yet interesting set-up. While the connection in the plot seems rather weak between Stevo's "tough" drinking at the same time vehement hatred at the "system" and the Ivy League, the overall intensity of the film and its deeper meaning is amazing.

Neshe Sarkozy

Trippin'

At Showcase

H

The latest trend in films seems to be the focus on the trials and tribulations of the days of high school, from the senior prom to graduation to first time heartbreaks. High school has made a place for itself in Hollywood. Among the ranks of these ever so popular high school movies is the new release, "Trippin'"

"Trippin'," starring Donald Faison ("Clueless"), Dean Richmond ("Cosby Show") and Maia Cambell, is a typical high school movie, set in a suburban L.A., with a homeboy twist. Greg (Richmond), your run of the mill "nice guy," has a crush on the hottest and most popular girl in school, Cinny (Cambell). His one wish before he graduates is for Cinny to go to the prom with him. Unfortunately for Greg a few obstacles stand in his way, namely Cinny's boyfriend and Greg's non-college bound future.

In effort to impress Cinny, Greg applies to college and lies about his admittance to UCLA. Not surprisingly, his plan backfires.

June, Greg's best friend, is the other main character. He plays your typical hormonal driven high school boy. With a one-track mind focusing on the present only, June finds himself in trouble with the local drug-dealer and his prom date's jealous ex-boyfriend.

Although "Trippin'" produces a couple laughs, overall this movie was a complete failure. Not only does it fail to accurately portray high school, but it's not funny. The jokes are typical and geared for an unintelligent audience. This film is predictable down to last scene, lacking any brain stimulation for viewers.

The young actors are the film's only saving grace. These freshman actors are able to entertain audiences throughout this ridiculous film.

"Trippin'" attempts to portray high school in a comedic way but because of the lack of substance and reality, this film is nothing less than a disappointment.

Mary E. McGreevy

A Bug's Life DVD

Following in the fine tradition of "Toy Story," Pixar's "A Bug's Life" is computer animation at its best. And while it may seem a little more geared towards younger audiences than "Antz" (the other computer animated bug movie of this past fall), "A Bug's Life" is a children's movie that can be enjoyed by all.

No matter how hard he tries, Flik, an ant, just can't seem to get anything quite right. When the movie begins, he's testing out a new grain gathering invention as the other ants are working furiously to accumulate food for their offering to the evil grasshoppers. Soon after, a mistake by Flik ruins the offering and puts the ants in hot water with the grasshoppers. Flik then hits the road in search of bigger bugs to help his fellow ants overcome the grasshoppers.

The animation here is breathtaking - the colors, shadows and moving frames are comparable to the work in a live action movie and all help to make "A Bug's Life" a virtual feast for the eyes. Another highpoint is Kevin Spacey's sinister voicing of Hopper, the leader of the grasshoppers and primary tormentor of the ants.

In terms of extras, the DVD version of "A Bug's Life" comes with a few items of interest to fans of the film. Included are both sets of outtakes that appeared during the credits when the film was in theaters and the Academy Award winning short "Geri's Game." The outtakes were a brilliant touch that spruced up the ending and it's nice to be able to see both sets. In addition, the overall quality of the image is very sharp - and is available to watch in both a widescreen and full frame format.

"A Bug's Life" is one of the few children's movies that appeals to all ages, and, as a result, is a very worthwhile pickup on DVD.

Matt Barrett

05-17-99