Page 16 • Thursday, Se()teniber 19, 2002
A & E
The Pendulum
Iron and Wine
captures old
South in album
Jen Hildebrand
Reporter
“The Creek Drank the Cradle,”
the debut album from Iron and
Wine, combines the low-key gui
tar beats of popular singer-song-
writers with the mystique and val
ues of the old South.
With song titles such as
“Faded From The Winter” and
“Southern Anthem,” the album
chronicles one man’s life, incor
porating his family and personal
relationships with the singer's
relationship with his living envi
ronment.
Iron and Wine is more com
monly known as Samuel Beam, a
singer-songwriter from Miami,
Fla.
Possessing a gravely voice that
fits the lyrics he shares with the
public, Beam’s stripped-down
and simple music provides insight
and a different view on life. The
album also shows a limited range
both vocally and musically.
The music is enjoyable, but
though lyrically creative, it lacks
the emotional depth and varied
Plioto fiomSubBap
Samuel Beam
musical
tempos
that have
made
other
singer-
songwrit-
ers popu
lar.
A song
that high
lights Beam’s perspective of life
is “Promising Light,” with lyrics
such as “Time and all you gave/I
was the jerk who preferred the
sea/to tussling in the waves/tug
ging your skirt, singing please,
please, please.”
One problem with “The Creek
Drank the Cradle” is the lack of
variety and influences of other
music genres. Due to immigra
tion ;md the popularity of Miami,
many artists from the area incor
porate Caribbean rhythms into
their music. Instead of incorpo
rating these or other musical
styles. Beam sticks to one ele
ment. With some alterations in
musical style and tempo, this
artist has the potential to evolve
into a musical power.
Beam is touring the United
States.
Contact Jen Hildebrand at pen-
dulum@elon.edu or 278-7247.
THE ABORTIO
IT’S SAFE.
IT’S PRIVATE • AND IT'S
FINALLY HERE.
After years of safe, private, and effective use by women all over Europe,
the abortion pill is finally available to American women through
Planned Parenthood medical centers. This early abortion option can
usually be used within the first seven to nine weeks of pregnancy.
Chapel Hill
919-942-7762
Durham
919-286-2872
ITS ABOUT CHOICE.
ITS ABOUT PRIVACY.
ITS ABOUT TIME.
P Planned Parenthood*
of Central North Carolina, Inc.
‘Harvard’ fails to ace at box office
Sean Hennen
Reporter
For the first 20 minutes,
“Stealing Harvard” promised not
to be an all-out laugh-fest, but it at
least had one thing going it for,
the comic perfection of actor
Jason Lee.
Previously, Lee commanded a
string of great movies such as
Kevin Smith classics “Chasing
Amy” and “Dogma,” and critical
ly-acclaimed “Almost Famous”
and “Vanilla Sky.” His latest
movie is less than those intelli
gent ventures.
While Lee’s performance
saved the poor plot development,
he could not save Tom Green’s
performance.
The plot is far-fetched, but
lends itself well to the movie.
John Plumber (Lee) has a fairly
decent life. His fiancde Elaine
(Leslie Mann) handled their
finances well enough to save
$30,000 for a wedding and a
down-payment on their first
house.
He has a good job as an assis
tant manager of a handicap-spe-
cialty store, under the supervision
of his father-in-law (Dennis
Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Lee and Green start a string
of crime in “Harvard. ”
Farina). Plumber is enjoying his
life in quiet suburbia.
Plumber hits a glitch when a
promise he made to his niece to
pay for her first year of college
comes back to haunt him as she is
accepted to Harvard University.
She needs $30,000 to pay
tuition. Refusing to ask Elaine if
he can use their savings for his
niece, Plumber goes to his long
time friend Duff (Green) for help.
Duff is a polar opposite of
John, an inept, under-achieving
loser with a flailing landscaping
business that he runs out of his
van. Duff makes the suggestion
that “criminals have lots of
money,” and the pair proceeds to
hatch a series of petty crimes to
get the dough.
To make matters worse. Duff
and Elaine do not get along, so
Plumber is left to keep his life of
crime a secret from the woman he
loves.
As each plan fails more than
the one before it, Elaine, her
father and an overly tenacious
police detective (John C.
McGinley) become suspicious of
Plumber’s late-night antics.
Unfortunately, the best
moments of “Stealing Harvard”
are revealed in the trailer, and
what’s left is Green making a fool
out of himself on camera much in
the same way he did on his can
celed television show. Lee, Mann
and Farina all do well in their
comedic roles, but Green weighs
the cast and the movie down. By
the time the end credits role, the
80-minute movie feels excessive
ly longer.
Rating; Skip it and see Mike
Myers in “Goldmember” again.
Contact Sean Hennen at pendu-
lum@elon.edu or 278-7247.
DeNiro back to tough-guy status
WWW.PLANNEDPARENTHOOD.ORG/PPCNC
Dana Timmons
Reporter
“City by the Sea” is a thriller
that doesn’t fall info any specific
category.
Inspired by the Esquire
Magazine article “Mark of a
Murderer,” by Mike McAlary,
“City by the Sea” highlights fam
ily dynamics and what happens
when a father is forced to choose
between his son and his career.
Robert De Niro plays Vincent
LaMarca, a New York City police
officer who is investigating the
murder of a drug dealer. LaMarca
soon discovers that the prime sus
pect is his own son, Joey LaMarca
(James Franco). When another
murder is exposed and fingers are
yet again pointed at Joey,
LaMarca struggles to salvage his
relationship with his son and
solve the case at the same time.
He is faced with his past and
the repercussions of leaving Joey
when he was a young child.
The concept of father-son rela
tionships is stressed throughout
the film, as murder and violence
are intertwined with four genera
tions of LaMarca men. Ironically,
LaMarca’s father was executed
for murder and left his son at a
young age. As the father of a 2-
year-old, Angelo, Joey is placed
in an identical situation, and must
use his past experiences as a
guide for the future.
Michael Caton-Jones pro
duced, directed and wrote the
film. His use of emotion and fast-
paced action surround the viewer
with a sense of involvement.
The acting also leaves an
impression on audiences. DeNiro
depicts his character as extremely
strong-willed and loyal, which
makes the viewer sympathize
with him when he is tom between
two important aspects of his life.
DeNiro keeps his girlfriend,
Michelle (Francos McDomiand)
Photo courtesy of KRT Campus
James Franco stars in “City by
the Sea" with Oscar-winners
Robert DeNiro and Frances
McDormand.
in the dark about his personal life,
adding a sense of mystery to his
character. Franco is the polar
opposite because he portrays Joey
as weak and unstable due to his
drug addiction. These two charac
ters juxtaposed against one anoth
er make this movie unique.
Rating: Worth S6.50.
Contact Dana Timmons at pen-
dulum(iielon.edu or 278-7247.