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By Moriah Geer-Hardwick
First off, anyone who goes to a kung-fu movie looking for a good plot should be kicked in the head with a spin
ning, back-snapping, eel heel kick. “Shangitai Knights,” sequel to “Shanghai Noon,” is the usual mishmash of cliche.s
and standard narrative devises, all e.visting solely for the purpo.se of getting through to the next action sequence. As a
Hare of color, the movie also shares time with a humor element, Owen Wilson. Wilson, with his offhanded, imbecilic
one-liners, counterbalances Chan's w'ild, mind-blowing martial arts, in a juxtaposition of Eastern style and grace, and
Western attitude and loud moutli.
The story, for what there is of it, opens with an English noble, I.O"’ in line for the throne, who steals a sacred seal in a
conspiracy to seize power. In the process of stealing it he kills Chon Wang’s (Chan) father, keeper of the seal. Seeking
revenge, Wang’s younger .si.ster, Chon Lin (Fann Wong), follows him back to England. Wang meanwhile, in America,
learns of his family’s predicament, and immediately teams up with his old friend Roy O’Bannon (Wilson), to rescue
his sister, avenge his father, and generally have a grand old time banging heads together and learning valuable lessons
about friendship.
As wdth the first movie, Chan’s choreography is stunning, and Wilson is utterly sidesplitting. Sadly however, the
film is held back by a few crucial elements.
First, Chan’s martial arts are good, but much slower, and less impacting than his other films. Also, dircctorially, the
cinematography fails to keep up with the pace of the action.
Wilson, w'hile still as funny as ever, relies more on innuendo and vulgarity for laughs rather than his usual quirky
comedy. The kung fu is unfortunately sacrificed to make room for this, leaving the picture slightly under-whelming as
far as action is concerned.
All in all, tltis is a typical sequel, in that it contains all of the formal elements of the fist movie, but none of its origi
nal panache. Fun, for what it’s worth, but ultimately more like a good Joke told one too many times, if you’ve .seen any
of Jackie’s other movies.
Final take: Your kung-fu is weak; you need more training. For the price of going to this movie in the theatre, you
can rent both the “Drunken Master,” and “The Legend of Drunken Master.” Think about it. Rated PG-13 for violence
and innuendo.
V-Y
Much Ado About Ministries: Small Group Style
By Lyndsay Mayer
“For where two or three are gath-'
ered together in my name, tliere am I
in tlie midst of them.” -Mat. 18:20
There’s no time like today to get
involved! Check out the Bible stud
ies and service projects below to find
something that speaks to you. If you
have a ministiw you’d like to add
to the list, please contact Lyndsay
Mayer at (828) 669-8012 ext. 5203.
Bible Studies
Jay Guffey welcomes any spirited
To my Valentine!
Emily,
I love you more each day.
I am so blessed to have you as my wife.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Brian
souls wi lling to brave the first I ight of
dawn to study tlie book of Ephesians.
This infonnal, inductive opportunity
to walk in the Word will continue for
the remainder of the semester. The
group meets every Wednesday in the
Belk conference room, from 6:30-7:
45 a.m. Call Jay at (828) 669-8012
ext. 3406 for more information.
A study of the Holy Spirit con
venes every Wednesday at 9 p.m.
in the Belk prayer room. Outsidp
material is used in broadening per
spectives on the verses studied. This
group is a great place to foster new
friendships and to experience God’s
glory at work through the Holy
Spirit. For more details, contact Jen
nifer Brooks at (828) 669-8012 ext.
5210 or Peter Thompson at (828)
669-4281.
Continued on page 8
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Black Mountain, NC 28711
Owner: Allan Hightower
Phone: 828.669.,5969
Email: epicc\’des(5)cmail.msn,cora
Page 4, Feb. 14,2003
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Howerton Fans Spur
Altitude to Victory
By Kendell Milton
Six Howerton residents cheered
on the Asheville Altitude basketball
team at their home game in Ashe
ville, Wednesday, February' 5.
The fans arrived at the Civic
Center with tickets Ibr the nosebleed
seats. “At first 1 thought this was
going to be lame, because no one
cheered,” remembers junior Clay
Hannah. “I said we had to make
something of this.”
The guys rooted for the home
team from up in the stadium seats,
until an Altitude dancer spotted
them and asked if they’d like to do a
favor. “Oh yeah!” said freshman Eric
Spoon. They were escorted down to
the front row, courtside, in exchange
for agreeing to continue to cheer
loudly. The Howerton guys cheered
the team to a victory' of 84-74.
“We got thirty-five dollar seats
for nine dollars. It w'as w'ell worth
it,” said Sam Ivey. Eric Spoon and
Kendell Milton came away from the
game with T-shirts, and the group
also got their picture taken with the
Altitude dancers.
Young-doo Shin commented,
“ The picture with the girls was good,
1 enjoyed the game. Basketball I love
it.”
Kendell Milton screamed his way
to the title of “The Altitude’s Wildest
Fan.” The team gave liim the official
game ball, autographed by the player
of the game, Brandon Kurtz.
“My highlight was when Kendell
got the game ball. And then he was
talking with them, with us standing
to the side,” said Clay Hannah.
Josh Cruz enjoyed “just being
there with a group of guys and actu
ally getting the chance to express our
love for the game.”
Eric Spoon almost didn’t go to the
Altitude game. “When Sam and Clay
were asking people if they’d like to
go, 1 was like nah. I’m going to stay
here and watch UNC beat Duke.
After they left, I thought, I should go
and ran down the steps with no shoes
on, saying I’m going too! I’m glad 1
went.”
-tD/.
'. ■■■•■; 1 V- "'■TYr
■■'•A- ■
Tlie Howciton Guys posing wiili Asheville Altituoe uance leam arier me game last Wednesday.
front porch
grid
Serving old fashioned hamburgers
and hot dogs made with
mustard, onions, chili, and slaw.
Free drink with purchase of
burger and fries when
you show your Alumni Discount Card
Monday: 7am-3pm
Tuesday-Saturday; 7am-8pm
Phone: 664-0099 400 1 -A State St. Black Mountain