The Wichitan - Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls Texas

MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY | February, 9, 2005

ENTERTAINTMENT

'Wedding' Predictable but not Sleep-Inducing
Jason Kimbro | Staff Reporter

It’s that time of year again. Candy-shaped hearts and boxes full of chocolate are bound to rot the teeth of your loved ones this Valentines season, or if the chompers aren’t rotted away, maybe your soul will be once you catch one of the romantic date movies Hollywood has to offer this year.
Of course, they are not all that bad, including my review for this week, Debra Messing’s first big screen lead in “The Wedding Date.” You all know Ms. Messing from her homocomedic sitcom “Will and Grace.”
This was not too awful of a film. It had its patented “Lifetime” moments, but all in all, there were a few good chuckles and, on the unfortunate side, a whole baboon’s butt-load of sugar-coated used contraceptives. More mulling for the masses!
Here’s the gist:
This movie gets right into the whole plot of the flick, leaving out unnecessary character building, which is really unnecessary for a film like this.
Kat (Debra Messing) is heading to her half-sister’s wedding in England. She lovingly considers her family annoying to the point that she isn’t ashamed to tell people that the only one she truly loves is her stepfather who really isn’t blood so really isn’t family.
Other than the normal putting-up-with-the-weirdos-in-your-family-bit, she has to contend with the fact that the best man is none other than her ex-boyfriend whom she really had a really big thing for and really, really, really, thought could be the one. He dumped her, though, and now she wants to look as good as possible, so she has hired a professional male escort.
This escort’s name is Nick (Dermot Mulroney, the best thing about “About Schmidt). He is an utterly handsome man that every woman at the wedding creams, I mean screams about. Thick hair, muscle upon muscle, a unique curl in his lip, who wouldn’t want this man? Well, I wouldn’t. But I didn’t need to tell you that, did I? Ack, I am beginning to sound insecure. Let’s move on.
Well, the usual claptrap occurs. The cast are a bunch of typical characters that are usually seen in the sub-genre that is wedding movies, but I won’t preach about being derivative. It is a successful formula, unlike “Formula 51” (random movie insert of the week).
Suddenly a plane crashes in the pond behind the old Witherspoon place. People begin disappearing, and everybody blames it on Nick, because he is the only one they do not know. The other thing they don’t know is that the plane was carrying a race of cosmic vampires out on the prowl! No, wait. Sorry, the NyQuil is kicking in.
Anywho, here is what really happens (hey, I gotta come up with filler from somewhere!): everybody loves Nick, there is an unexpected twist or two that helps save the move from the doldrums of flat romantic comedies, there are actually a few decent laughs, and in the end, everything turns out to be perfectly peachy keen, or does it?
I won’t tell you! Maybe the cosmic vampires really do appear in this movie! Now that’s a date movie!
This film actually kept me awake, which was pretty good since I was on NyQuil then as well. This isn’t “A” quality entertainment, but it will suffice for you guys looking for a date movie that will satisfy your girl and that will keep you from going overly crazy.
The atmospheres were the typical pastels and haze that one would expect from a movie about marriage. Everyday b-grade meat at Taco Bell. Well, maybe a fancy Taco Bell.
Performances weren’t too shabby. Not too great, but not too shabby. I could see myself finding better at an elementary Christmas pageant, or worse in any big summer blockbuster.
I can’t give much to the story/plot of the film. Other than the little twist toward the end and the idea behind hiring a male hooker, this film is pretty cut and dry. You couldn’t find a more straight-forward and plain plot if you made a film about a cop chasing down a robber.
And here we are. Ready to spend money in an unthoughtful and overly planned manner for your loved one? If you do not have a loved one, are ya ready to mourn as you watch everyone else that does?
If so, then go watch this movie! Or don’t! It doesn’t really matter! VD is coming whether you are ready or not! And so is Dermot Mulroney!
I need more NyQuil. Or maybe some Equate nite time cold. Yeah. Cherry flavor rocks!

'Much Ado' about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in the Spring
Richard Carter | Drama critic for The Wichitan

Who: “A Night of Shakespeare” One-act versions of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Where: Royal Theatre in Archer City, on the square.
When: The 10th, 11th and 12th. The theater opens at 6:30 and the first play starts at 7:30.
Tickets: All evening shows are $12, $10 or $8 depending on location of ticket.
Contact: (940) 574-2489 for information or go to www.royaltheater.org.

There’s a first time for everything, and it’s time for Shakespeare at the Royal Theater in Archer City.
The theater is featuring abbreviated one-act versions of the Bard’s comedies “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Thursday through Saturday. Both plays run about 45 minutes apiece.
The two productions are directed by Barbara Phillips, the former one-act play director at Archer City High School,
Phillips directed Shakespeare for the high school, and “Midsummer Night’s Dream” was her favorite. She and her husband Jerry, the producer, had always wanted to bring Shakespeare to the Royal.
“But we knew that some people when you say Shakespeare, they say ’ewwwwww,’ Phillips said. “ So we wanted to do two one-act comedies that they could really find out that Shakespeare is hilarious, and his plays are funny. It might even spark them to read the whole plays.”
Phillips insists the Renaissance English dialogue will not be a stumbling block for audiences. “The language is not a problem once they get into it. At least it never seems to be,” she said.
The productions feature good casts, colorful costumes and straightforward sets, she said. “Shakespeare used simple sets,” Phillips explained. “The costumes and the acting are supposed to do the job. We’ve added a little bit more frill, but we’re keeping it as simple as possible, mostly trees and benches. “
She is most pleased with the casting. They had an excellent turnout with many people who had never come to Archer City trying out.
Perhaps it had something to do with the sparky dialogue, the legendary stories and the resonant themes of the theatricals.
Phillips said that “Much Ado About Nothing” is about a villanous attempt to thwart the marriage of a couple. But, when all is said and done, love conquers all, as Shakespeare was wont to say.
“Midsummer Night’s Dream” is about some rustics who decide to stage a theatrical to perform at the wedding of a duke. “This delightful play is humorous in it self,” she said, “but more humor is added by the wood nymph Puck and his practical jokes.”
“I promise that ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ will have everyone in the audience rolling out of their seats laughing. If they want to laugh like they’ve never laughed before, they will that night,” Phillips said.
Both plays will show that Shakespeare is nothing to fear, according to Phillips, but rather an experience to be thoroughly enjoyed.