Page 3017 – The Source

Medieval Torture: CGI leads In the Name of the King astray

Mike BookeyJanuary 16, 2008May 24, 2024

Welcome to CGI hell. Save yourself the pain, go rent Excalibur.Good lord. The Transporter goes medieval…kinda. This movie is such a pile of horse manure I hardly know where to start. I thought I could give it a semi-pass because kids would like it, but I think kids will feel ripped off. They're too smart for this junk, being exposed to the high-tech CGI world of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. This film is based on a video game of the same name, but it's so defiantly low-budget it falls somewhere below a Robin Hood after-school TV special.

The nutshell description involves Farmer (Jason Statham), a simple man whose wife (Claire Forlani) is kidnapped by ravaging and pillaging "Krugs" (ultra-crummy Lord of the Rings monsters) and his quest to retrieve her. There's an evil Sorcerer, Gallian (Ray Liotta), who commands the army of Krugs, an aging king (Burt Reynolds) whose wisdom is beyond comparison, a wimpy-spoiled-brat heir to the throne (Matthew Lillard) with a traitorous agenda, a good sorcerer (John-Rhys Davies) who wants to make things right, and his daughter (Leelee Sobieski) who stares blankly at any and everything.

Opinion

Countering the Recruiters’ Story

Eric FlowersJanuary 16, 2008January 30, 2025

We can't do it alone; we really need your help. We need you to be at school board meetings and tell the members why you think military recruiters need to go back to their military recruiting offices, or at the very least those of us who actually served in the military should be able to tell our story. Young students are making a life-and-death choice, and this decision should be made from an informed, balanced viewpoint and not a one-sided, biased view, which is now the case. I thought this was what education was all about.

Opinion

Roads Are Snow Joke

Eric FlowersJanuary 16, 2008January 4, 2023

My wife and I live in New Hampshire but spend about five months in Bend every year, usually through the winter months. This winter I can't tell you how disappointed I am at the conditions of the roads, sidewalks, parking lots of stores, parks, etc. in the city and surrounding area.

Music

That’s What Happened to that Album: Coyo and Shireen Amini triumphantly resurface

Jeff TrainorJanuary 16, 2008April 4, 2024

It's something of a testament to the productivity of Central Oregon's music scene that music CDs - whether they come from record labels, local promoters pushing out-of-town acts, or local players - tend to stack up around here like panties at a Neil Diamond show. At times, the sheer quantity of music coming across your trusted Source Weekly writers' desks means some solid albums are bound to get buried for awhile without ever seeing the inside of a pair of headphones. Here are two such relatively recent, rediscovered works from local artists - stay tuned for future excavations.

Opinion

Round and Round We Go in the Snow

Eric FlowersJanuary 16, 2008April 15, 2023

Q: What's the difference between Crappy Roundabout Art and Snow Plowing?
A: The City of Bend only pays for one of them.
We have crappy roundabout art that the City of Bend has spent money on all over town – yet we don't pay to maintain our roads after a storm???
Driving around Bend after it snows is like taking your car down the Air Chamber at Bachelor.

Opinion

Something Rotten in Oregon

Eric FlowersJanuary 16, 2008November 22, 2023

Two recent divisive headlines ring sour. 1) "Spousal rights for same-sex partners on hold" and 2) "Judge thwarts gay partnerships law."
Doesn't "There's something rotten in" apply only to Denmark? Nope, it's right un-der our noses here in Oregon!
An injunction was requested and honored by Bush appointee Judge Michael Mosman to put a hold on domestic partnerships. The law was to take effect Jan. l. On Feb. l Mosman will consider the issue. The foes argue that if the law went into effect it would violate the rights of those who signed the petition!? If you think that's gobbledygook, Judge Mosman said a "fundamental right" is at stake when voters sign petitions. The "fundamental right" is the "right" to petition the government. The peti-tioners failed to obtain the required number of signatures for a referen-dum. Now the foes are "passing the buck" by stating that it wasn't their fault, it's the fault of state officials who rejected the petitions! Hello? Signing a petition is not a vote; it's merely a request to place an issue before the voters for approval or rejection. A failed petition(er) has no rights except to re-petition! (Source: Secretary of State.)

Outside

The Frozen Tundra Strikes Again

Mike FicherJanuary 16, 2008February 13, 2023

The hole in the roof distilling the elements onto the artificial turf of Texas Stadium in Dallas, the prescription athletic turf in Foxboro, the sterile confines of the RCA Dome in Indianapolis - then, there is Green Bay. Real grass, deca des of championships, legends and history oozing from the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, a sea of green, cheeseheads, fans bundled in layers of warm clothing, snow, lots of snow on the ground-could you ask for a better setting for playoff football?

Outside

Sliding and Gliding: Locals fare well at Nordeen as avalanches lurk

Mike BookeyJanuary 16, 2008January 23, 2023

The best part of competing in the Great Nordeen Nordic race is the stories and tales formulated before, during, and after the event. Everyone has a story about how well, or not so well, their wax worked; how the person in front of them augured into the bank going down the first steep twisting downhill; or how they bonked on the last grueling uphill.

Culture

Parralel Lines: Kite Runner comes up short

Mike BookeyJanuary 16, 2008November 21, 2023

If you saw the preview for Marc Forster's (Monster's Ball) adaptation of The Kite Runner and thought the overblown voiceover and tacky gold title made the movie look like a bit of a chore to watch, you're not alone. Little about the preview looked appealing beyond the dark eyes of Khalid Abdalla, who stars as Amir, a writer living in the Bay Area in 2000. A phone call from an old family friend who speaks meaningfully of "a way to be good again" sends Amir home to Afghanistan, but not before Forster treats us to a lengthy, languid flashback that explains some of the caller's mysterious offer.

Food & Drink

Falling for the Decoy: A new restaurant in downtown

Mike BookeyJanuary 16, 2008December 7, 2024

I hate to call on a cliché (as well as date myself) but my recent visit to The Decoy Bar and Grill reminded me of a real-life version of “Cheers.” You know, the 80’s show that made Ted Danson, Shelly Long, Woody Harrelson and Kristie Alley famous and where everyone yelled “Norm!” when George Wendt came through the door. It was that mix of neighborhood, preppy, blue-collar, college, yuppie, sporty and regulars that only few places can pull off. The Decoy, at least in its initial impressions, seems to have succeeded in that welcoming atmosphere. It’s “Cheers” with a good menu.

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