—I I
Photo courtesy of Miramax Films
JASON MEWES (left) and Kevin Smith reprise their riles as Jay and Silent Beb in Smith’s nevr
film, “Chasing Amy.”
Catch ‘Amy’ for atypical love chronicle
By Ann Stack
Film Critic
Call it a date-movie version of “Clerks” —
a case of the highly improbably becoming the
probable.
As the previews have said, “Chasing Amy”
is a love story about two incompatible lovers.
But it’s also about relationships; platonic and
otherwise.
It focuses on lifelong best friends Holden
McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Banky Edwards (Ja
son Lee) as they deal with the growing and -
changing that follow in the years after high
school.
Banky and Holden, creators of a successful
cult comic book series, are at a convention when
they meet fellow comic book artist Alyssa Jones
(Joey Lauren Adams). Holden falls hard for the
beautiful, talented Alyssa — but there’s one
little catch.
She’s a lesbian.
The two become good friends, though, and
despite herself, Alyssa finds herself falling in -
love with Holden. So as their relationship
The Facts
Film: “ChasingAmy'
Stars: Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren
Director: Kevin Smith
Rating: R (Language, Sexual content)
Grade: A
Five Words: '90s sex explored in flick
Please see AMY on 13
Solid acting saves film
from timeworn plot line
By Gerry Beltz
Film Critic
The everyday stupidity of every
day people can be an unbelievably
overwhelming force.
Take the case of Jeff (Kurt
Russell) and Amy Taylor (Kathleen
Quinlan). While driving through
the desert, their brand-spanking
new car breaks down. The cellular
isn’t within range, and Jeff’s
knowledge about cars stops at the
radio knobs.
The Facts
Film: 'Breakdown“
Stars: Kurt Russell, J. T. Walsh,
Kathleen Quinlan
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Rating: R (Language, Violence)
Grade: B
Five Words: Wife kidnapped,
husband gets frantic
Walsh and Russell give this film
some life.
Enter mce-guy trucker Red Barr
(J.T. Walsh), who offers them a
ride.
Instead of staying together,
these two Mensa candidates split
up in the middle of nowhere —
with Amy heading off with Red,
and Jeff staying with the dead car.
Eventually, Jeff makes it to the
supposed rendezvous. But he finds
no trucker, and more importantly
to Jeff, no wife. He tracks down the
trucker, who claims to have never
met Jeff before.
Naturally, Jeff begins to get
rather testy, and local law officials
think Jeff may be just a wee bit
bonkers.
As it turns out* there was a kid
napping (gasp!) and Jeff is the only
one who can do anything about it.
True, the “kidnapped-but-no
one-believes-him” plot is an old
one, but solid acting from both
One of Russell’s best scenes in
volves the torture of one of the kid
nappers with a roll of duct tape and
the brakes on the vehicle. (OUCH!)
However, Russell makes his char
acter a bit too vulnerable by mak
ing him rather stupid (which gar
ners him several blows to the head
with blunt instruments by the bad
guys).
Walsh isjust a good ol’ boy, and
whether he’s talking to the police
or blackmailing Jeff, the character
is the same; it’s just a difference
between wanting to shake his hand
and beat him over the head with a
shovel.
Quinlan? She’s in the movie for
about 10 minutes, either sleeping,
talking about junk food or scream
ing. That’s about it for her.
As a thriller, “Breakdown”
keeps toddling down the highway,
but it is by no means a classic.
Panel votes
for stricter
TV ratings
ByJannineAversa
Associated Press
WASHINGTON—Reflecting dis
satisfaction with existing TV ratings,
a Senate panel voted its support Thurs
day for legislation that could either
require stronger ratings or ban violent
shows when children are likely to be
watching.
The Senate Commerce Committee
voted 19-1 to send the bill to the Sen
ate for consideration. The action turns
up the pressure on the TV industry to
voluntarily strengthen its six-tier, age
based ratings systems that went into
effect New Year’s Day.
“It’s a sad day for the republic,”
said ABC lobbyist Billy Pitts. If the
bill was enacted “shows like
' Schindler’s List’ could not be shown
to broad audiences.”
The Senate could vote on the mea
sure this month, aides said. There ap
pears to be less enthusiasm for an
identical bill in the House, creating
uncertainty whether the legislation
will ever become law.
The bill by Sen. Ernest F. Hollings,
D-S.C., responds to complaints that
the industry’s movie-like ratings don’t
give parents enough information about
the type, amount and intensity of vio
lence in each show.
“It may be the only way to get
Please see RATINGS on 13
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox
STARTING TODAY, “Star Wars,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return
of the Jedi” will be appearing in the same Linceln theater complex
for the first time.
Wars trilogy to appear in one complex
By Gerry Beltz
Senior Reporter
One building. One trilogy. Once in
a lifetime.
As of this afternoon, when the spe
cial edition of “Return of the Jedi”
opens at the StarShip 9, 1311 Q St.,
all three “Star Wars” movies will be
playing in one movie theater, a first
for Lincoln moviegoers.
“We’re really expecting great
things for it,” said Lisa Fryda, man
ager of the StarShip 9.
With the opportunity to see the
entire “Star Wars” trilogy on the big
screen for just over five dollars, Fryda
said, she is expecting business to in
crease.
“By getting the third (movie),” she
said, “we expect business will pick up
quite a bit.”
With the computerized ticket sales
available at the StarShip 9, tickets for
all three shows may be purchased at
any time during the day of the show.
Even if the tickets are purchased
ahead of time, however, moviegoers
may not simply go to the next audito
rium for the next movie.
“Most people come to the lobby
anyway to visit the snack bar or go to
the bathroom,” Fryda said.
Fryda said she doesn’t anticipate
any problems of people sneaking from
one movie to the next.
“That is something we have really
cracked down on,” she said. “It’s not
really a problem around here, though.”
Also landing at the StarShip 9 this
Friday will be pop and popcorn for one
dollar, something Fryda said she had
requested for a long time.
“I’ve really been pushing for one
dollar stuff,” Fryda said. “A lot of par
ents drop off their kids here with a
buck, and the smaller size of these
items will appeal to the kids coming
to the movies on the weekends.”
As of Thursday afternoon, those
who wish to view the entire “Star
Wars” trilogy in one day would have
only one set of times to follow: The
2:00 p.m. screening of “Star Wars,”
followed by “The Empire Strikes
Back” at 4:30 and “Return of the Jedi”
at 8:30.
“With all three movies available in
one complex,” said Frank Rhodes,
film buyer for Douglas Theatre Co.,
“it gives those people interested in the
‘Star Wars’ movies a chance to see all
three movies on the big screen.”
It’s impossible to say how long
moviegoers will have this opportunity,
Rhodes said.
“It will be available for at least one
week,” Rhodes said. “A lot depends
on the number of people going to see
the movies for the second and third
time.”
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