The Gwinnett Daily Post Weekend/Entertainment Section

Gwinnett Daily Post

Friday,May 20,

2011

PAGE 2 • WWW.GWINNETTDAILYPOST.COM • FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011

Concert MovieJune 4th Legend NANNY MCPHEE RETURNSJune 11th 10StepsBack, Déjá Vu MEGAMINDJune 18th The Ron Jonsons PETER PANJune 25th Drowning Creek SHREK FOREVER AFTER

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what to do, hear, see, watch, read, listen to, visit and eat in Gwinnett and Atlanta

week end

Art Beat ....................................................................Pg. 6

Movies ...........................................................Pgs. 8-13,15

Showtimes ............................................................Pg. 12

By Venue ................................................................Pg. 16

Gwinnett Calendar ............................................Pg. 18

Metro Calendar ....................................................Pg. 19The “Weekend” arts and entertainment guide includes select events inthe coming week.To be considered for a listing, send a fact sheet to:Weekend, Features Department, Gwinnett Daily Post, 725 Old Nor-cross Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30045; or call 770-963-9205, email [email protected] or fax 770-339-8081.

The Dish: Pho 168 serves traditional Viet-namese cuisine ....................................................Pg. 4

Weekend Design: Kristen Hansen

INSIDE

Staff Photo: Jason BravermanPho 168 in Grayson serves its pho Tai (beef), shrimp rolls and salt and pepper squid appetizers.

going to see a movie?did Michael Clark call it

a stinker? a snoozer? or a joke? ordid he say it was not to be missed?

check out the movie reviewsin the Weekend section

how else would you know?

Gwinnett Daily Postgwinnettdailypost.com

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 • WWW.GWINNETTDAILYPOST.COM • PAGE 3

DINING

LAST FRIDAY OF MONTH • MAY - SEPTEMBER • 8PM

FREEPICNIC & ENJOY

ROCKBLUEGRASS

BLUES & MOTOWNINCLUDING GRAMMY

NOMINATED SHAWN MULLINS

$65 TABLE RENTALS

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Gwinnett County Historic Courthouse

678-226-2639visitlawrenceville.com

FAMILY DEALERSHIPS

PRESENTSLAWRENCEVILLE 2011

CONCERT SERIES

MOONLIGHT& MUSIC

A selection of local eater-ies recently featured in theGwinnett Daily Post:

• Rey’s Cuban CaféIf you’re in the mood for gen-uine Cuban food and notconcerned with plush sur-roundings, check out Rey’sCuban Café in Loganville.The varied menu featuresreasonably-priced Cubansandwiches and platters,with the most expensive itemon the menu costing $9.99.Appetizers include Cubanfavorites such as papa rel-lena (fried beef stuffed pota-to) and mariquitas (friedplantain chips).2950 Rosebud Road,Loganville, 770-972-1020

• Cafe AromasCafe Aromas specializes inwedding cakes, but alsomakes birthday cakes, cup-

cakes, pies and cookies. Thebakery is able to create cus-tomers’ ideas of excitingwedding, birthday or specialoccasion cakes. Then there’sthe wide variety of cupcakes.Cafe Aromas makes morethan 20 different cupcakes,most notably its red velvet,hummingbird, Germanchocolate and butter vanilla.The menu isn’t limited todesserts, though. In an effortto drive daily business, thecafe also serves hot andcold sandwiches, paninis,salads, soups and quiche.755 Lawrenceville-SuwaneeRoad, Suite 1530,Lawrenceville, 770-995-0225

• Corralejo Mexican Flairand Tequila BarSalmon, lobster, steak, chick-en, even fried green toma-toes give a nod to distinctgeographic areas throughout

Mexico and even here inGeorgia. The most populardishes so far are the Mahi-Mahi de la Costa Baja andthe Monte Cristo sandwich.The fish is exquisitely freshand the sandwich is a hearty,deep-fried ham and turkeysandwich served with eitherFrench fries or sweet potatotots and a side of raspberryjam. The bar offers onlyimported, authentic tequilas,some aged in cherry barrels,some in Jack Daniel’s barrelsand some even in wine bar-rels.3890 Lawrenceville-Suwa-nee Road, Suwanee, 678-482-9900

• Cinco Mexican CantinaThe Spanish name and mildMexican-inspired interior hintat Cinco’s style of food, butMexican is simply a baselinefor the food created by Chef

Luis Ramirez. The Tampique-na, grilled steak with mashedpotatoes and a cheeseenchilada, is a blend of Tex-Mex with a midwestern flare.There is calamari to go withqueso dip; veal and shrimp;chicken salads and enchi-ladas. They have fajitas andtacos, but also salmon andpork shank.1500 Peachtree IndustrialBlvd., Suite 100, Suwanee,678-541-0645

• Rosebuds Restaurantand BarBill Bailey, known to cus-tomers as Willie, calls Rose-buds’ menu American cui-sine with a cajun twist. Thespeciality is deep-fried cajuninjected turkey, which cus-tomers can special order.The entire menu is based onold family recipes from Billand his wife, Rosie, but the

two have added a specialtwist. There’s the JumpingChili Shrimp, which featuressauteed shrimp in a spicyhomemade chili and garlicsauce. There’s also PeachTilapia, which features aGeorgia peach salsa on topand comes with the signa-ture fried green beans. Theone menu item Bill is mostproud of is the barbecueribs, which he says he’ll putup against anybody’s intown. The ribs come withhomemade potato salad andbaked beans.3315 Sugarloaf Parkway,Lawrenceville, 770-837-0539

• Tilted Kilt Pub & EateryThe dishes are hearty, andmany have Irish roots. Theburgers and wings arefavorites, and the fish andchips, shepherd’s pie, IrishNachos and Gaelic Chicken

are unique and flavorful. Akids’ menu is in the worksnow, but the pizzas, burgersand chicken fingers, alreadyon the menu, are popularwith children.Customer favorites includeDanny Boy’s shepherd’s piewith ground beef, carrots,peas and mushroom gravytopped with a hearty helpingof mashed potatoes andparmesan cheese, andserved with garlic bread for$10.99. The Irish Nachos, anappetizer but enough for ameal, are also a signaturedish popular with customers.Fresh cooked potato chipsare topped with cheesesauce, seasoned groundbeef and tomatoes. TheDrunken Clams are a must— steamed in beer andserved with garlic bread.

GWINNETTTASTES

• Continued on Page 5


THE DISH

Pho 168 Asian Cuisine770-807-79891932 Grayson Highway, Grayson

BY CAROLE TOWNSENDStaff Correspondent

• Open since: March 20

• Location: Situated in asmall retail center near theintersection of Rosebud Roadand Grayson Highway

• Hours: 10 a.m. to 9:30p.m. Mondays through Thurs-days; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri-days through Sundays

• Owners: Brothers Steveand Ca Nguyen

• Atmosphere: This tradi-tional Vietnamese cuisinerestaurant offers patronsauthentic Asian dishes servedin a quiet, relaxing atmosphere.Soft music and a nod to Asiandécor hint at the care taken inremaining true to the Viet-namese recipes and originalmenu selections and traditions.In fact, the menu is printed intwo languages and featuresphotos of dishes. The ownersare also happy to explain anydish customers may have ques-tions about.

• The Menu: The extensivelist of menu selections includesappetizers, soups, noodle dish-es, spring rolls and combina-tion meals. The several vari-eties of Pho (noodle soup) arehearty and filling, served withfresh sprouts and greens.Authentic Vietnamese gourmettouches are pleasantly surpris-ing, such as the sugarcane,shrimp paste, bean curd, squidand rice and egg noodles. Trueaficionados will enjoy Hot

Clay Pot offerings. Theseafood and vegetables arefresh, and the spices andsauces perfectly complementthe entrees, soups and appetiz-ers. Everything offered on themenu is reasonably priced.

Appetizers include two eggrolls ($3.95), crab Rangoon($3.95), bean curd shrimpwrap ($3.95) and several otherselections.

Beverages include domesticand imported beers (includingVietnamese and Chinesebeers) and wine. Be sure to trythe fresh orange juice, youngcoconut juice, fresh saltylemonade or iced sweet milkcoffee, all priced at $3.65.

Delivery is available withina five-mile radius.

Staff Photos: Jason Braverman

LunchAll lunch specials, withthe exception of chowfun or noodles withchicken, shrimp orseafood (all priced at$9.99), are $6.99.Choose from more than30 lunch special items,including:• Crispy noodles withbeef, shrimp, chicken ora combination of all• Chicken with vegeta-bles in a spicy sauce• Beef with bell peppersin a black bean sauce

Dinner• Shrimp, beef, chicken,squid and mixed vegeta-bles with soft egg andrice noodles $11.95• Seafood fried rice$11.95• Red snapper filet inblack bean sauce $14.99

ONTHEMENU

Above, Pho 168 inGrayson serves upits pho Tai (beef),shrimp rolls and saltand pepper squidappetizers.Left, Pho 168 servestraditional Viet-namese cuisine andis located at 1932Grayson Highway, inGrayson.


DINING3480 Financial Center Way,Buford, 678-482-5545.

• Steverino’sSteverino’s is a pizzeria,but caters to more thanjust the pizza crowd. Theyfeature great burgers, hotwings, sub sandwichesand salads in addition totheir signature pizzas. Thepizzas are specialbecause the dough ismade fresh on locationand the marinara sauce ismade from scratch froman old Italian family recipe.Steverino’s most popularpizza is the supreme,while the steak andcheese sub is also afavorite with customers. Aunique appetizer is theblue cheese chips, whichare homemade potatochips with blue cheesesprinkled on top.3117 Main St., Duluth,770-622-2110.

• Euro Gourmet Grill and CaféMenu items and marketgoods are genuine East-ern European, featuringmany dishes and items

from Germany, Italy,Bosnia and even Turkishcoffees and candies. Thebreads and sausages arehandmade either on thepremises or in a local bak-ery less than a mile away.Any item on the menu canbe ordered for either lunchor dinner. Among the mostpopular are beef and lambkebabs and beanstew/Grah: an authenticfamily recipe made with

beans, carrots, onions,parsley, peppers andserved with homemadebread.488 Gwinnett Drive,Lawrenceville, 770-513-7788.

• Amy LaFaye’sAmy LaFaye’s restaurantin Dacula is a down-hometribute to Southern cook-ing and family recipes. Youcan come in and order a

plain biscuit, a biscuit withbreakfast meat (chicken,steak, sausage link, ten-derloin, ham, sausagepatty or bacon) or a wholeplatter with biscuit, eggs,and plain, cheese or buttergrits, meat and gravy. TheFriday evening dinnermenu changes weekly butincludes a choice of twomeats, a long list of sides(pinto beans, boiled cab-bage and macaroni andcheese are favorites),cornbread or rolls and adessert.2559 Pharr Ave., Dacula,678-377-4664.

• Boudreaux’s Cajun Market and CafeBoudreaux’s Cajun Market

and Cafe isn’t just arestaurant. It’s a communi-ty gathering spot. Free livemusic is offered severalnights a month. Many usetwo words to describeBoudreaux’s menu:authentic and esoteric.Boudreaux’s gets a freshsupply of seafood weekly,and the products arehandselected from ven-dors. The menu is 80 per-cent Cajun and 20 percentcreole. An authentic Cajunlunch buffet is servedWednesdays through Fri-days.3067 Main St., Duluth,770-814-8388

• Mama Mia’sThe three-meat lasagna,

spinach, mushroom andartichoke pasta, stuffedshells and pizza, with thedough made from scratchevery day, still remain cus-tomer favorites. Two itemshave been added to themenu — sausage withpeppers and onions overlinguine noodles, andbaked spaghetti pie. Allentrees include a housesalad and bread. MamaMia’s features a bar thatserves beer and wine.There are six differentdraft beers available andmore than 11 differentwines from house to high-er end.5394 Five Forks TrickumRoad, Lilburn, 770-469-1199.

• From Page 4

Formerly PalmThai Cuisine

770-237-09202160 Riverside Parkway, Suite 136

Lawrenceville, GA 30043

GRAND OPENINGSpecial!

15%OFF

*

DinnerMonday-Saturday5p.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday 4:30-9:30p.m.

LunchMonday-Friday

11:30a.m.-2:30pmSunday 12-2:30p.m.

*Excludes gratuity, tax and alcohol

NOWOPEN

File PhotoSteverino’s serves the supreme pizza with pepper-oni, sausage, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms.Also served are the steak and cheese sub withhousemade potato chips, a mediterranean saladand hot wings.

Saturday will find thebeautiful Town CenterPark in Suwanee filledwith artistic activities ofall kinds. Beginning at 11a.m., Arts in the Park Fes-tival will offer visitorsmore than 40 juried visualartists, all types of per-forming groups, and at 5p.m., a concert featuringZydeFunk’s New Orleansbased “groove sound.”

There will also be anopportunity for anyone tocreate and maybe win anaward with the “Chalk-Walk Art Competition.”This event is divided intoage divisions whichinclude elementary, mid-dle and high school levelsplus an adult category forages 18 and older.Although admission to thePark is free for the festi-val, this event will includea $20 registration fee.

The visual artists onhand will include a widevariety of media such aspainting, photography,pottery, jewelry and alsowriting and elemental art.Many artists will bedemonstrating their craftfor the public to see justhow they go about makingbeautiful pieces of art.

The entertainmentschedule is exciting aswell. Beginning at 11:15a.m., a roster of diverseperformances will begoing throughout the day.A strolling violinist,Thomas Pearson, willwander throughout thecrowds all morning. Actswill include the TaiwaneseSchool of Georgia DrumTroupe, Atlanta HarmonyCelebration, Sounds ofSuwanee, Queen GlitterStoryteller and Magician,

Gwinnett School of Rock,plus authors David Fulmerand Renee Dodd. A poetryreading is also included at4 p.m. before the Zyde-Funk featuring CharlieWooten starts at 5 p.m.

The event is being host-ed by the North GwinnettArts Association and thecity of Suwanee.Spokesperson and NGAAPresident Vickie Johnsonsaid, “Suwanee held the

Arts in the Park event afew years ago, but thisevent was revived andheld again last year at


Marchello’sant Italian Restaurant

High quality ingredients, friendly service, relaxing atmosphere and reasonable prices,

has been Marchello’s secret to success in past 28 years.

MarchelloMarchello’sItalian RestaurantItalian Restaurant

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4125 Buford Drive (Hwy. 20), Suite SLee’s Crossing Shopping Center, Buford

770-945-1333www.marchellos.net

Join us for a great meal and dining experience.

Marchello’s Summer Special2 course meal and 1/2 bottle of Chianti wine for

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Mail your completed entry to GDP/I AM NUMBER 4P.O. Box 603, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 or visit

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Name ____________________________________________

Address __________________________________________

Phone ___________________ Email ___________________

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be 18 years old or older to enter. Void where prohibited & restricted by law. Sponsor’s employees and their dependents are ineligible. Entries must be received by June 3, 2011. Winners will be notified by phone.

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ART BEATHOLLEY CALMES

ART BEATSuwanee’s event celebrates Arts in the Park

Special Photo

Artist Andi Szantidemonstrates hercraft as visitors toSuwanee’s Arts inthe Park watch.The event returnsSaturday.

• See Arts, Page 7

Town Center Park.“This year’s event has a

focus on all of the arts.We are including finearts, pottery, sculpture,jewelry, photography,glasswork, woodwork,fiber and textile arts,poetry, storytelling,music, puppetry andmore.”

There will be wonder-ful prizes this year for theartists. LaDonna Greinerwith Creative Clayhousewill be demonstratingRaku Clay work. Mau-reen King, a multimediaartist, will be creating“portraits” on site withvarious fiber and fabric

materials. Sculptor LoriSturgess with RecenteredPieces will be creating anon-site sculpture madefrom disposable materialsgenerated throughout the

day at the event itself.The North Gwinnett

Arts Association led theway in making this eventpossible. Johnson said,“As a nonprofit organiza-

tion, the NGAA strives toeducate the public con-cerning the arts and cre-ativity. Arts in the Park isa perfect fit. And whatbetter group to run an artevent than a group ofartists?”

A new logo was devel-oped for the eventthrough the NGAA, andextensive advertising wasdone through posters,banners, and T-shirts.Members of the

The NGAA will beoverseeing and runningthe event throughout theday.

“This year’s Arts in thePark will be more than anart show,” Johnson said.“It will be an art educa-tion.

Of course there will bethe usual good food andgood music to enjoy, anddon’t forget to plan onparticipating in somethingthroughout the day. Bring

your drawing cap, yourmusical ear, your poetrymind, and enjoy.”

For more informationabout Art in the Park,email Lynne BohlmanDeWilde at the City ofSuwanee [email protected] call 770-945-8996.

Holley Calmes is a free-lance writer and public rela-tions consultant specializingin the arts. Email her [email protected].

Arts


Mail completed entry to GDP/Josh Groban • P.O. Box 603, Lawrenceville,GA 30046 or visit gwinnettdailypost.com to enter at

Name _____________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________

Phone ___________________ Email ___________________________________

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be 18 years old or older to enter. Void where prohibited & restricted by law. Sponsor’semployees and their dependents are ineligible. Entries must be received by May 31, 2011. Winners will be notified.

New album Illuminations available now! • joshgroban.com

with special guest ElewJune 8The Arena at Gwinnett CenterTickets also available at Ticketmaster outlets or charge byphone: 800-745-3000. All dates, acts and ticket prices subject tochange without notice. Ticket prices subject to applicable fees.

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• From Page 6

ART BEAT

▼▼‘‘We are including fine arts, pottery,sculpture, jewelry, photography,glasswork, woodwork, fiber and textile arts, poetry, storytelling,music, puppetry and more.’’

NGAA president and spokesperson

Vickie Johnson

So, you think you’regood at movie trivia?Every week, we give read-ers the opportunity to flextheir movie muscles byanswering five trivia ques-tions from our movie critic,Michael Clark.

Congratulations to lastweek’s winner, Sean Dee-gan of Snellville.

Here are last week’squestions again and theanswers:

1. In what state was“Sling Blade” set?

A: Arkansas

2. What is the commonnon-acting bond shared byHumphrey Bogart, SissySpacek, Annie Lennox,Jimmy Buffett, Rod Ser-ling and Little Richard?

A: All were born onChristmas Day

3. Name the last personnominated for a directingOscar in a movie they alsoappeared in as an actorwith a major speaking role.

A: George Clooney for“Good Night, and GoodLuck”

4. What was the firstShakespearean play to beadapted into a feature-length (not short) film?

A: “Richard III” in1912

5. What was the firstfilm to receive 10 or moreOscar nominations?

A: “The Life of Emile

Zola”

Now, for this week’squestions:

1. Name a movie direct-ed by Robert Redford thatwas set in Montana.

2. What movie franchisehas collectively receivedthe most Oscar nomina-tions?

3. Name the last personto win an Oscar for playinga gay or lesbian character.

4. Name two movieswhere Brad Pitt providedthe voice for an animatedcharacter.

5. What is the commonacting bond shared byBarry Bostwick, JonVoight, Kenneth Branagh,Alan Cumming, Christo-pher Plummer and JohnLithgow?

The first person torespond with all the correctanswers receives a prizepackage of movie-relatedgoodies, which couldinclude promotional T-shirts, hats, posters, DVDs,video games and more. Thewinner also gets their namepublished in the next Week-end section. Please emailyour answers, along withyour name to [email protected] “Gwinnett DailyPost Trivia Contest” in thesubject line. In the event noone answers all of the ques-tions correctly, the personwith the most correctanswers submitted by 6 p.m.the Monday after the con-test is posted will be thewinner. Only one winnerper household is eligibleeach 30-day period.


MOVIE TRIVIA CONTEST

Mail your completed entry to GDP/Gnomeo & JulietP.O. Box 603, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

or visit gwinnettdailypost.com to enter at

Name _________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

Phone ___________________ Email ______________________________NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be 18 years old or older to enter. Void where prohibited & restricted by law. Sponsor’semployees and their dependents are ineligible. Entries must be received by May 27, 2011. Winners will be notified by phone.

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAYTM & DVD MAY 24TH!

questionsquestions

Lights, Lights, camera,camera,

Test your film knowledge with

Michael Clark

Special PhotoGeorge Clooney was nominated for a directingOscar for “Good Night, and Good Luck” and alsohad a major speaking role in the film.

BY MICHAEL CLARKMovie Critic

The brands “Hallmark”and “National Geograph-ic” are staples in Ameri-can culture and both con-jure up immediate, indeli-ble, iconic yet distinctlydifferent images.

The Internet has madethese brands less signifi-cant than each used to be,and like every savvy cor-poration, each has tried toadapt. Hallmark begandoing so years ago, waybefore most companiesdid. It lent its trademarkto any studio dedicated tomaking “meaningful”movies with “heart.”Although generally dis-counted, these filmsalways squarely hit theirmark with their targetedaudience.

Long associated solelywith nature photographyand documentaries,National Geographic haskind of done the samething here as Hallmarkwith its first live-actionfeature film “The FirstGrader.” This is a moviethat desperately wants tobe embraced as gritty andsocially relevant whilewanting the viewer to getweak in the knees andwarm and cuddly — justlike Hallmark.

The suits behind “TheFirst Grader” surelythought a movie like thiswould be a no-brainer.Heart-tugging and sincereto the point of threaten-

ing saccharine-inducedcardiac arrest, this “basedon real events” story notonly widely misses themark dramatically, it alsowhitewashes and twiststhe truth so far it mightas well be considered awork of fiction.

Constructed in a man-ner almost identical to“The Godfather II,”director Justin Chad-wick’s film bounces backand forth more often thanit should between eventstaking place in 2004 andthe early ’60s. Thiswouldn’t be so bad if thestories had the same rela-tive tone or least compli-mented each other, butthey don’t. It also doesn’thelp that close to half ofthe movie is presented insubtitled Swahili, some-thing the target audience

probably won’t like. What’s most frustrating

is that both stories aregood enough to warranttheir own separate films.Like “Love and OtherDrugs” from last year,Chadwick and screen-writer Ann Peacock provetwo good halves with littlein common paired togeth-er cancel each other out.

The thread connectingthe then and the now isKimani Maruge (playedyounger by LwanderJawar and older by OliverMusila Litondo), an illit-erate 84-year-old formerfreedom fighter.

When the Kenyan gov-ernment announced in2004 that any native witha birth certificate couldget a free education,Maruge took the procla-mation literally. He

showed up at an over-crowded school brimmingwith 5- and 6-year-olds,wanted in and wouldn’ttake no for an answer. Heeventually found an allyin Miss Jane (NaomieHarris), the school’s soleteacher and principaladministrator. Jane’schoice to admit Marugecaused some folks to gettheir shorts in a bunch,and while mildly tense,we’re pretty sure how itwill work out in the end.It’s all very safe, “G”rated stuff.

Not so safe and farfrom “G” are the ’60sflashbacks depictingMaruge as a member ofthe Mau Mau rebels fight-ing the reigning Britishfor their independence.Presented mostly ingrainy, saturated and

hyper-edited clips, thesescenes are sketchy withthe narrative and far tooviolent for family audi-ences who will be bothshocked and confused.

The filmmakers’biggest sin wasn’t playing

fast and loose with thetruth, it was taking whatis clearly a simple, inspi-rational story and turningit into an unnecessarilyfussy jumble.

(National GeographicEntertainment)


‘The First Grader’ one big fussy jumbleThe First Grader

(PG-13)

MOVIES

★★★★★★

Special Photo: National Geographic EntertainmentMiss Jane, played by Naomie Harris, sits at her desk marking an exercisebook with a smiling Agnes.

When the otherwise artisticallyreputable Johnny Depp proclaimeda couple of years ago he’d make adozen “Pirates of the Caribbean”movies if offered, it didn’t reallycome as much of a surprise. Thisfranchise allows Depp to make avery comfortable living and offsetshis relatively low wages for themore prestigious art house pro-jects.

Ignoring the rule that any fran-chise can sustain quality or fresh-ness beyond three installments,producer Jerry Bruckheimer andDisney studios uncork the fourthin the series but most of it poursflat. Even by the low-achievingstandards of previous “POC”flicks, “On Stranger Tides” isdevoid of anything interesting orresembling original thought; againnot all that surprising. If your audi-ence is used to hamburger helper,you don’t want to throw them offby tossing them a filet mignon.

This is the first in the series notto be directed by Gore Verbinskiwho wisely bailed. He is replacedby Rob Marshall (“Chicago,”“Nine”) and it makes sense thatthe very few worthwhile scenes inthe movie are a result of Mar-shall’s extensive background as afive-time Tony Award nominatedchoreographer. All include Deppand all three take place in the first20 minutes. After that it’s two-plushours of pronounced tedium andan overwhelming air of been there,done that.

“On Stranger Tides” also marksthe first outing without the love-bird characters played by OrlandoBloom and Keira Knightley, twohighly photogenic performers whocan’t act a lick. In their stead areOscar-winner Penelope Cruz as

the love interest of Depp’s JackSparrow and Ian McShane (“SexyBeast,” “Deadwood”) as Black-beard.

The only non-fictional characterin the film, Blackbeard, akaEdward Teach, terrorized theCaribbean for a brief stretch in theearly 18th century, yet none of it orthe actual manner of his demiseare incorporated into the script. Anactor of incredible subtlety,McShane smartly underplays therole and instead relies on his pierc-ing blue eyes and gravely baritoneto do all of the work.

Given a few more lines and far-ing way better than he did in thelast outing is Keith Richards asSparrow’s father Teague. It’sunfortunate however thatRichards’ character shows up outof thin air and exits in a similarmanner.

You would think a movie aboutpirates would actually take placeon the water but very little of thisone does. Set mostly on land andat night it lacks the visual pop andsweep of the previous three, some-thing that is only made all themore glaring by the flat visualsand listless 3-D presentation.

Also absent is that thing piratescrave so much: treasure, or at least

any of the monetary variety. Sub-stituting for loot here is the leg-endary Fountain of Youth, the fic-tional spring that is regularly andmistakenly credited as being dis-covered by Spaniard Juan Poncede Leon. The landlocked slog tothe Fountain takes forever and aday and resembles “Romancingthe Stone,” “Splash” (yes,“Splash”) and “Raiders of the LostArk” but not in a good way.

Perhaps to make up for the lackof high seas adventure, the film-makers, in a fit of pure despera-tion, “jump the shark” with theinclusion of vampire mermaidsand zombie pirates. No, that’s nota typo: vampires and zombies.Don’t be surprised if werewolves,mummies or even Frankensteinshow up in the inevitable fifthinstallment.

As long as this franchise keepsperforming at the box office andon home video — and Depp is inthe cast — Disney and Bruck-heimer are doing to keep churningthem out. Perhaps Depp wasn’texaggerating when he said he’dmake a dozen of them. By the timehe’s done, he might actually startlooking like Richards does nowand won’t need to don any more ofthat glam mascara. (Disney)

PAGE 10 • WWW.GWINNETTDAILYPOST.COM • FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 • WWW.GWINNETTDAILYPOST.COM • PAGE 11

VIEWPOINTS

MICHAEL CLARKPirates of theCaribbean: OnStranger Tides

(PG-13)

ANGELICA——

PENELOPE CRUZ

CAPTAIN JACK——

JOHNNY DEPP

BLACKBEARD——

IAN MCSHANE

★★★★★★

New ‘Pirates’ movie ‘jumps the shark’

When the otherwise artisticallyreputable Johnny Depp proclaimeda couple of years ago he’d make adozen “Pirates of the Caribbean”movies if offered, it didn’t reallycome as much of a surprise. Thisfranchise allows Depp to make avery comfortable living and offsetshis relatively low wages for themore prestigious art house pro-jects.

Ignoring the rule that any fran-chise can sustain quality or fresh-ness beyond three installments,producer Jerry Bruckheimer andDisney studios uncork the fourthin the series but most of it poursflat. Even by the low-achievingstandards of previous “POC”flicks, “On Stranger Tides” isdevoid of anything interesting orresembling original thought; againnot all that surprising. If your audi-ence is used to hamburger helper,you don’t want to throw them offby tossing them a filet mignon.

This is the first in the series notto be directed by Gore Verbinskiwho wisely bailed. He is replacedby Rob Marshall (“Chicago,”“Nine”) and it makes sense thatthe very few worthwhile scenes inthe movie are a result of Mar-shall’s extensive background as afive-time Tony Award nominatedchoreographer. All include Deppand all three take place in the first20 minutes. After that it’s two-plushours of pronounced tedium andan overwhelming air of been there,done that.

“On Stranger Tides” also marksthe first outing without the love-bird characters played by OrlandoBloom and Keira Knightley, twohighly photogenic performers whocan’t act a lick. In their stead areOscar-winner Penelope Cruz as

the love interest of Depp’s JackSparrow and Ian McShane (“SexyBeast,” “Deadwood”) as Black-beard.

The only non-fictional characterin the film, Blackbeard, akaEdward Teach, terrorized theCaribbean for a brief stretch in theearly 18th century, yet none of it orthe actual manner of his demiseare incorporated into the script. Anactor of incredible subtlety,McShane smartly underplays therole and instead relies on his pierc-ing blue eyes and gravely baritoneto do all of the work.

Given a few more lines and far-ing way better than he did in thelast outing is Keith Richards asSparrow’s father Teague. It’sunfortunate however thatRichards’ character shows up outof thin air and exits in a similarmanner.

You would think a movie aboutpirates would actually take placeon the water but very little of thisone does. Set mostly on land andat night it lacks the visual pop andsweep of the previous three, some-thing that is only made all themore glaring by the flat visualsand listless 3-D presentation.

Also absent is that thing piratescrave so much: treasure, or at least

any of the monetary variety. Sub-stituting for loot here is the leg-endary Fountain of Youth, the fic-tional spring that is regularly andmistakenly credited as being dis-covered by Spaniard Juan Poncede Leon. The landlocked slog tothe Fountain takes forever and aday and resembles “Romancingthe Stone,” “Splash” (yes,“Splash”) and “Raiders of the LostArk” but not in a good way.

Perhaps to make up for the lackof high seas adventure, the film-makers, in a fit of pure despera-tion, “jump the shark” with theinclusion of vampire mermaidsand zombie pirates. No, that’s nota typo: vampires and zombies.Don’t be surprised if werewolves,mummies or even Frankensteinshow up in the inevitable fifthinstallment.

As long as this franchise keepsperforming at the box office andon home video — and Depp is inthe cast — Disney and Bruck-heimer are doing to keep churningthem out. Perhaps Depp wasn’texaggerating when he said he’dmake a dozen of them. By the timehe’s done, he might actually startlooking like Richards does nowand won’t need to don any more ofthat glam mascara. (Disney)

PAGE 10 • WWW.GWINNETTDAILYPOST.COM • FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 • WWW.GWINNETTDAILYPOST.COM • PAGE 11

VIEWPOINTS

MICHAEL CLARKPirates of theCaribbean: OnStranger Tides

(PG-13)

ANGELICA——

PENELOPE CRUZ

CAPTAIN JACK——

JOHNNY DEPP

BLACKBEARD——

IAN MCSHANE

★★★★★★

New ‘Pirates’ movie ‘jumps the shark’


SHOWTIMESSHOWTIMESMOVIE TIMES FOR FRIDAY, MAY 20

BUFORDREGAL CINEMAS,MALL OF GEORGIA 203333 Buford Drive678-482-9263www.regalcinemas.com

Bridesmaids (R)10:40 1:30, 2:55, 4:30, 7:30, 9:10, 10:20, 12:05Fast Five (PG-13)11:05, 12:20, 1:50, 3:15, 4:40, 7:30, 9:45, 10:20,12:40Jumping the Broom (PG-13)10:15, 1:10, 4:10, 5:15, 6:45, 9:25, 12:05Pirates of the Caribbean: OnStranger Tides An IMAX 3-DExperience (PG-13)9:45, 12:50, 3:55, 7:00, 10:05, 1:00Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides (PG-13)10:35, 11:25, 11:55, 1:40, 2:30, 3:05, 4:45, 5:10,5:35, 6:15, 7:50, 8:40, 9:00, 9:30, 10:55, 11:45,12:15, 12:40Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides 3-D (PG-13)10:10, 11:00, 1:15, 2:05, 4:20, 7:25, 8:15, 10:30,11:20Priest (PG-13)10:25, 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 8:05, 10:15, 12:30Priest 3-D (PG-13)11:50, 2:15, 4:30, 7:05, 9:25, 11:35Rio (G)10:00, 12:20, 2:40Rio 3-D (G)10:30, 12:50, 3:20, 5:40, 8:10, 10:30Something Borrowed (PG-13)10:40, 1:15, 4:20, 7:10, 9:50, 12:45Soul Surfer (PG)10:45, 1:20, 4:10, 7:35, 10:05, 12:35Thor (PG-13)11:35, 12:10, 2:20, 2:55, 5:05, 5:40, 8:00, 8:30,10:40, 11:05Thor 3-D (PG-13)11:05, 1:50, 4:40, 7:35, 10:25, 12:55Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big HappyFamily (PG-13)2:00, 7:15, 12:30Water for Elephants (PG-13)11:00, 4:30, 9:45

DACULAGREAT ESCAPE THEATERS:HAMILTON MILL 142160 Hamilton Creek ParkwayDacula, GA 30019678-482-0624www.greatescapetheaters.com

Bridesmaids (R)11:10, 2:00, 4:50, 7:45, 10:30Fast Five (PG-13)12:20, 1:00, 3:50, 6:40, 7:20, 10:10Jumping the Broom (PG-13)11:35, 2:15, 4:55, 7:35, 10:15Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides (PG-13)11:30, 12:50, 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 7:00, 8:30, 10:00Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides 3-D (PG-13)

10:30, 1:30, 3:10, 4:30, 7:30, 9:30, 11:15Priest 3-D (PG-13)12:00, 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:20Priest (PG-13)10:35, 12:40, 3:00, 5:20, 7:55, 10:05Rio (G)11:20, 1:50, 4:10, 6:30, 8:50Something Borrowed (PG-13)11:05, 1:45, 4:25, 7:05, 9:45Thor (PG-13)11:40, 2:20, 5:00, 7:40, 10:20Thor 3-D (PG-13)11:00, 1:40, 4:20, 6:50, 9:40Water for Elephants (PG-13)11:15, 1:55, 4:35, 7:15, 9:55

DULUTHREGAL CINEMAS,MEDLOCK CROSSING 189700 Medlock Bridge Road, Suite 170770-814-8437www.regalcinemas.com

Atlas Shrugged: Part 111:10, 1:55, 4:25, 7:00, 9:40Bridesmaids (R)10:15, 12:50, 1:10, 4:30, 5:00, 7:35, 8:05, 10:30,11:00Fast Five (PG-13)11:05, 2:40, 7:25, 10:25Jumping the Broom (PG-13)11:30, 2:10, 5:05, 7:45, 10:50Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides (PG-13)10:35, 11:00, 11:25, 1:40, 2:05, 2:30, 5:10, 5:35,7:50, 8:15, 8:40, 10:55, 11:20, 11:45Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides 3-D (PG-13)9:45, 10:10, 12:50, 1:15, 3:55, 4:20, 7:00, 7:25,10:05, 10:30Priest (PG-13)11:40, 2:25, 4:45, 7:20, 10:20Priest 3-D (PG-13)5:15, 10:00Rio (G)11:15, 2:35, 4:55, 7:15, 9:45Rio 3-D (G)11:45, 2:55, 7:40Something Borrowed (PG-13)9:50, 12:30, 5:15, 8:05, 10:45Soul Surfer (PG)

10:30, 1:05, 4:10, 7:05, 9:45Thor (PG-13)10:00, 1:50, 4:40, 4:45, 7:30, 10:15Thor 3-D (PG-13)11:30, 4:00, 7:10, 9:55Water for Elephants (PG-13)9:55, 12:45, 3:55, 7:10, 10:10

LAWRENCEVILLECOLONIAL 18 THEATRES825 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road770-237-0744www.amctheatres.com

Bridesmaids (R)10:15, 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:10Fast Five (PG-13)10:00, 11:25, 12:50 1:05, 2:40, 3:45 4:10, 5:50,6:45 7:20, 8:55, 9:50 10:20Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs.Evil 3-D (PG)9:45, 12:05 Jumping the Broom (PG-13)10:30, 1:15, 4:05, 6:55, 9:40Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides (PG-13)9:20, 11:15, 11:55, 2:30, 2:35, 5:15, 5:45, 7:55,9:00, 10:35 Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides 3-D (PG-13)9:30, 10:05, 10:45, 1:10, 2:00, 4:20, 5:10, 7:30,8:30, 10:45 Priest (PG-13)10:35, 12:55, 3:20, 5:40, 8:10, 10:30Priest 3-D (PG-13)11:20, 1:40, 4:00, 6:30, 8:50Rio (G)9:35, 11:45, 2:10, 4:30, 7:00, 9:25Something Borrowed (PG-13)10:40, 1:20, 3:55, 6:35, 9:20Thor (PG-13)9:35, 12:25, 2:25, 3:15, 5:05, 6:10, 7:50, 9:05,10:40Thor 3-D (PG-13)10:10, 1:00, 3:50, 6:40, 9:30Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big HappyFamily (PG-13)1:30, 9:45Water for Elephants (PG-13)10:20, 3:55, 6:50

AMC DISCOVER MILLS 18 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 415678-847-9265www.amctheatres.com

Bridesmaids (R)10:30, 11:30, 1:20, 2:30, 4:30, 5:30, 7:30, 8:30,10:40, 11:20Fast Five (PG-13)11:15, 2:25 3:20, 8:45, 9:15, 12:00Jummping the Broom (PG-13)10:50, 12:45, 1:40, 3:50, 4:25, 6:40, 7:15, 9:30,10:15, 12:10Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides (PG-13)10:20, 11:00, 1:35, 2:20, 5:00, 5:40, 8:15, 8:55,11:30, 12:15Pirates of the Caribbean: OnStranger Tides 3-D (PG-13)9:50, 1:05, 4:20, 7:40, 10:55 Priest (PG-13)11:50, 2:15, 4:45, 7:20, 9:40, 11:55Priest 3-D (PG-13)10:45, 1:15, 3:40, 6:00, 8:30, 11:00Rio 3-D (G)10:25, 12:50, 3:30, 6:15Something Borrowed (PG-13)11:35, 2:45, 5:25Thor (PG-13)10:10, 11:55, 1:10, 4:00, 6:10, 7:00, 10:00, 12:20Thor 3-D (PG-13)10:55, 2:00, 4:50, 8:00, 11:05Tyler Perry's Madea’s Big Happy Family (PG-13)10:40, 1:30, 4:10, 6:55, 9:35, 12:05Water for Elephants (PG-13)8:40, 11:35

GEORGIA THEATRE CO.,TOWN CENTER VALUE700 Gwinnett Drive, No. 216678-985-2222www.georgiatheatrecompany.com

Battle: Los Angeles (PG-13)4:00, 7:00, 9:40Big Momma’s: Like Father,Like Son (PG-13)4:15, 7:15, 10:00Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2:Rodrick Rules (PG)5:20, 7:35, 9:55

Gnomeo and Juliet (PG-13)5:15, 7:25, 9:35Hop (PG)4:05, 7:05, 9:30I Am Number Four (PG-13)4:10, 7:10, 9:45Limitless (PG-13)4:20, 7:20, 10:05Mars Needs Moms (PG)5:30, 7:45, 9:55Rango (PG)4:25, 5:25, 7:40, 8:40, 9:50

VENTURE CINEMA 123750 Venture Dr.678-957-9545www.venturecinema12.com

The Adjustment Bureau (PG-13)4:10, 7:05, 9:15Arthur (PG-13)9:30Battle: Los Angeles (PG-13)4:00, 6:55, 9:25Big Momma’s: Like Father,Like Son (PG-13)3:55, 6:50, 9:20Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2:Rodrick Rules (PG)3:55, 6:50, 9:20Gnomeo and Juliet (G)5:10, 7:30Hanna (PG-13)4:15, 7:10, 9:35Hop (PG)5:15, 7:25, 9:45I Am Number Four (PG-13)4:05, 7:10, 9:40Limitless (PG-13)4:15, 7:15, 9:35Mars Need Moms (PG)5:15, 7:25, 9:45Rango (PG)4:05, 7:00, 9:30Source Code (PG-13)4:00, 7:05, 9:25

SNELLVILLECARMIKE 12 SNELLVILLE1905 Scenic HighwayPresidential Market Center770-979-1519

www.carmike.com

Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 (PG-13)1:45, 4:30, 7:20, 9:50Bridesmaids (R)1:05, 4:05, 7:05, 10:00Insidious (PG-13)1:35, 4:10, 7:10, 9:45Priest 3-D (PG-13)1:00, 3:15, 5:20, 7:35, 10:00Prom (PG)2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:15Rio (G)1:20, 2:00, 4:20, 5:00, 7:20, 8:00Something Borrowed (PG-13)1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 9:50Soul Surfer (PG-13)1:25, 4:25, 7:25Tyler Perry’s Madea’s BIg Happy Family (PG-13)1:00, 1:30, 4:00, 4:30, 7:00, 7:30, 9:30, 10:00

REGAL SNELLVILLE OAKS 142125 E. Main St., Snellville770-972-7469www.regalcinemas.com

African Cats (G)10:55, 12:55, 2:55, 4:55, 6:55, 8:55, 10:55Fast Five (PG-13)10:10, 11:45am, 12:50, 2:30, 3:35, 5:15, 6:20,8:00, 9:05, 10:45, 11:45Hop (PG)10:40, 12:45, 2:50, 5:00, 7:05, 9:10, 11:15Jumping the Broom (PG-13)11:30, 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30, 12:00The Lincoln Lawyer (R)11:00, 1:35, 4:10, 6:45, 9:20, 11:55Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides (PG-13)10:35, 11:25, 12:50, 1:40, 2:30, 4:45, 5:35, 7:00,7:50, 8:40 10:55, 11:45Pirates of the Caribbean: OnStranger Tides 3-D (PG-13)10:10, 11:00, 1:15, 2:05, 4:20, 5:10, 7:25, 8:15,10:30, 11:20Source Code (PG-13)11:20, 1:25, 3:30, 5:35, 7:40, 9:45, 11:50Thor (PG-13)10:15, 12:45, 3:15, 5:45, 8:15, 10:45Thor 3-D (PG-13)11:30, 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30, 12:00Water for Elephants (PG-13)10:15, 4:15, 10:15

For movie showtimes for Saturday and Sunday, visit the theater websites.

EDITOR’S NOTE:Film Fans features localresidents reviewing thefilm of the week:“Bridesmaids.” Want tobe a film fan? Email [email protected].

Completely hilarious.The funniest movie of theyear, so far. The story, is

based onastressed-out,down-on-her-luckand prettymuchbrokemaid of

honor played by KristinWiig, who co-wrote themovie.

She’s having to dealwith all of the “Brides-maids,” but the best oneis Melissa McCarthy,who leaves you with themost memorablemoments, as the groom’ssister. She’s extremelyfunny, vulgar and speaksher mind and steals everyscene she’s in. Overallthe movie was great. Weall need laughter in ourlives and this is definitelya movie that will giveyou lots of it.

It’s not your typicalchick flick. There weremany men in the audi-ence and they werelaughing the entire timeas well. I will be seeingthis a second and thirdtime.

— Kelly Cain,Lawrenceville

Set in old Milwaukee,this film under-deliversbig time and leaves youvery much under-

whelmed.So whatis wrong?The filmis notveryfunny andthe scriptis “acopycat

anemic” work that triesto catch the tails of“Wedding Crashers” or“The Hangover” but isnot even remotely close.Most of the humor isvery lame and the cast isas well except for KristenWiig, who plays Annie,the only credible crumb.

Annie has a bestfriend, Lillian, who shehas known since child-

hood. Lillian announcesshe is marrying and herbevy of friends andwould-be bridesmaidsbegin to emerge as themovie heads into obliv-ion. The women are actu-ally distasteful and theircontrived internal dishar-mony is pathetic andnon-entertaining. There-fore, the good news is westill have “WeddingCrashers” and “TheHangover,” which arelegitimately funnymovies. As for this, Isuggest you ignore it.

— Rick Wright,Auburn

This movie made me(and the rest of the audi-ence) laugh out loud severaltimes. It was truly funny,with a great cast of charac-ters and a timeless storyline. The numerous subplots

worked together nicely, didnot make the movie feelcrowded or disjointed, andincluded a romance, abreak-up, extended family

and work-relatedissues.KristenWiig, themaincharacter,also wrotethescreen-play,

which is why the roleworked so well for her.

The reason I did notgive this movie four starsis that there were a coupleof gratuitous sex scenes;they added no new dimen-sion to the plot, but insteadserved only to ratchet upthe MPAA rating from PG-13 to R. In addition, I wasdisappointed with the use ofprofane language — again,entirely unnecessary. I can’twait for the TV version to

come out so I can see thismovie again.

— Jenni McKinney,Buford


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Special Photo: UniversalFrom left, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, RoseByrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph andKristen Wiig star in “Bridesmaids.”


She’s been part of my life since Iwas 8 years old.

I remember watching Oprah afterschool every day when I was a kid andnow late at night after work thanks toTiVo. She’s made me laughand cry, but most impor-tantly, she’s made me think— about the kind of personI am and the kind of personI strive to be. And after 25years of life lessons,Oprah’s final show will airWednesday.

As a fan of pop cultureand a devoted follower ofthe entertainment industry,I always loved when shehad celebrities on her show.I’ll never forget when MCHammer was a guest back in the early’90s and he taught Oprah how todance like he did in his video for “UCan’t Touch This.” And in 2009 whenshe interviewed rapper and entrepre-neur Jay-Z, when just a few years ear-lier she criticized rap music because ofthe message it sent to young people.

She’s also had some of my favoriteactors on throughout the years, such asJulia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker,Tom Hanks and Will Smith. I was sur-prised to learn this year that ChrisRock is the celebrity who holdsthe record for most appear-ances — 25 — on“Oprah” over the past25 years.

But with all the funshows Oprah hasdone, she’s also had

some of the most riveting and thought-provoking guests on who reallychanged my life.

The one guest I remember thinkingabout for weeks after his first appear-

ance, and still think aboutto this day, was MattieStepanek, a boy with arare form of musculardystrophy. Mattie wasconfined to a wheelchairand needed an oxygentank to breath. Before hisdeath at the age of 13 in2004, Mattie became abest-selling author and aspokesperson for childrenwith life-threatening con-ditions.

One of Mattie’s life-long dreams was to meet Oprah. Hiswish came true and he appeared on“Oprah” several times, touching thelives of everyone, including Oprah,with his positive attitude and sense ofhumor. He was a symbol of hopedespite the illness that took his lifethree weeks before his 14th birthday. Ialways thought to myself, if this littleboy with so many health problemswas genuinely happy, then life wasnever really so bad. Mattie is remem-bered today by a park named for him

in his hometown of Rockville, Md.,and Oprah was there for the

dedication in 2008.The most recent

“Oprah” episode thatreally inspired me andgave me chills through-out the hour aired May 4.

The show that day paidtribute to the Freedom Rid-

ers, a group of men andwomen both black and white,

who, back in 1961, took abus from Washington,D.C., to New Orleans to

protest segregation. These people werewilling to die for racial equality. Theywere taught by the group’s founder tobe nonviolent and to protest withoutever striking back. It’s a story of hopeand tenacity, but most importantly, it’sa story of forgiveness.

I remember watching CongressmanJohn Lewis of Atlanta, who was oneof the Freedom Riders, sitting onOprah’s stage with a man holding hishand. But this just wasn’t any man —this was Elwin Wilson, a former mem-ber of the Ku Klux Klan who beatLewis unconscious when he steppedoff a bus at a station in South Carolinain 1961. Lewis recalled to Oprah howhe had an “executive decision withhimself” while he was being beaten —he was prepared to die for what hebelieved in.

After years of regret for what hedid, Wilson contacted Lewis in 2009to apologize for his horrible actions.After tears were shed on both sides,Lewis said he accepted Wilson’s apol-ogy and they are now friends.

I was in awe of Lewis and what aninspiring man he is, and if he can for-give such horrible things that someoneelse did to him, then we all can forgiveanyone for just about anything. It real-ly put life and forgiveness in perspec-tive for me. And for that I thankLewis.

So for the next few days, I’llwonder how Oprah will endher show after 25 years. Whowill she have on her lastshow and what will she say tothe viewers? I hope it will beone last inspiring life lesson.

Email Tori Boone [email protected].

VIEWPOINTS

TORI BOONECOPY EDITOR

Saying — 25 years of inspirationgoodbye to Oprah

From top, rapper MC Hammer teaches Oprah howto dance back in the early ’90s. Mattie Stepanek, anadvocate for children with life-threatening illnessesappeared on Oprah back in 2001. President Barack

Obama and First Lady Michelle Obamamade history as the first sitting pres-ident and first lady to appear onOprah in 2011. Duchess of YorkSarah Ferguson sat downwith Oprah in 2011.

Special Photos


MOVIES

A UNIVERSAL PICTURE© 2010 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVITY MEDIA AN APATOW PRODUCTION “BRIDESMAIDS” MAYA RUDOLPHKRISTEN WIIGELLIE KEMPER MELISSA MCCARTHY CHRIS O’DOWDROSE BYRNE WENDI MCLENDON-COVEY

BARRY MENDELCLAYTON TOWNSENDJUDD APATOWPRODUCEDBYPAUL FEIGEXECUTIVE

PRODUCER PAUL FEIGDIRECTEDBY

WRITTENBY ANNIE MUMOLO & KRISTEN WIIG

CO-PRODUCERS ANNIE MUMOLOKRISTEN WIIG

SOUNDTRACK ON RELATIVITY MUSIC GROUP

MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes - Text BRIDESMAIDS with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)!

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

“TWO THUMBS UP”®

EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES

“MAN UP AND SEE ‘BRIDESMAIDS.’

Kristen Wiig is an indisputable goddess of comedy.”

Peter Travers

“REAL PEOPLE IN REAL RELATIONSHIPS,

REAL RAUNCHY, REAL FUNNY.”

Betsy Sharkey

“IF THIS IS ONLY A CHICK FLICK, THEN CALL ME A CHICK.”

Joe Morgenstern

“GUT-BUSTINGLY FUNNY.

‘BRIDESMAIDS’ GETS AN A!!!!”

Owen Gleiberman

Only recently displaced by “The Hang-over” as the highest-grossing “R” ratedcomedy of all-time, “Beverly Hills Cop”(the only worthwhileinstallment in a four-partfranchise) turned leadingman Eddie Murphy into aninternational superstar andis one of only a handful ofindispensable early ’80sflicks. Rarely has comedy,action and violence beenblended this well. Thebonus features are verygood but have all beenincluded on previous DVDreleases. It is the booming sound andcrisp visuals on the new Blu-ray transfer

that makes this title worth owning.

Technical specs: aspect ratios:Widescreen (1.78:1/1080p),audio: English (DTS HD-MA 5.1), French, Portugueseand Spanish (Dolby Digitaland Surround), subtitles:English, French, Portugueseand Spanish.

Special features include:• Director commentary• Three featurettes• Interactive location map• Trailer

(Paramount, $24.99)

DISC SPOTLIGHT

MICHAEL CLARK

Beverly Hills Cop Blu-ray (R)Disc: ★★★★★★★★Movie:

Recently reviewed films now playing inarea theaters:

• Bridesmaids (R) Kristen Wiig co-wroteand stars in what might be the funniest andraunchiest chick flick of all time. Blessedwith a dream supporting cast, Wiig chan-nels both Lucille Ball and Madeline Kahnand delivers one of the finest comedic per-formances in movie history. 4 stars —Michael Clark

• Everything Must Go (R) Will Ferrellplays an alcoholic salesman who loses hisjob and wife on the same day and mustcome to terms with his downward spiralinglife in this brilliant and poetic drama basedon a short story by the late Raymond Carv-er (“Short Cuts”). 31⁄2 stars —MC

• Hesher (R) Joseph Gordon-Levitt turns ina “Cape Fear” level De Niro performance inthis low-budget, high-voltage indie playinga homeless man with perhaps too muchangst while bonding with a confused andangry teen. Natalie Portman co-stars as anunlikely love interest. 3 stars — MC

• Fast Five (PG-13) All but one of the origi-nal main characters, five memorable onesfrom the first three sequels and three newadditions fight for screen time in this fifthsequel, which has little to do with cars andbabes and is more like a muscle-bound

version of “Ocean’s Eleven.” 2 stars — MC

• In a Better World (R) The winner of thisyear’s Best Foreign Language Oscar, thisDutch drama from director Susanna Bierexamines two teen boys as they try to copewith different forms of family loss and griefbut might be a tad too slow and deliberatefor some audiences. 3 stars — MC

• Something Borrowed (PG-13) Not eventhe droll supporting performance by JohnKrazinski can save this flat-footed romanticnon-comedy starring Ginnifer Goodwin andKate Hudson that is stuffed with unlikable,spineless, creepy and morally questionablecharacters. 11⁄2 stars — MC

• There Be Dragons (PG-13) The latestdisappointment from once-promising direc-tor Roland Joffe (“The Mission”) whosquanders a golden opportunity to explorethe Opus Dei Catholics and instead deliv-ers a moronic soap opera that uses theSpanish Civil War as a backdrop. 2 stars —MC

• Thor (PG-13) Mixing brains, brawn andCGI to tremendous effect, director KennethBranagh’s retooling of the ancient Norsemyth has something for everyone. Aus-tralian Chris Hemsworth stars as the titlecharacter alongside Anthony Hopkins andNatalie Portman. 31⁄2 stars — MC

NOWSHOWING

37 MAIN 37 E. Main St., Buford

678-288-2030www.37main.com

• Today: Moby Dick• Saturday: Slippery When Wet• Sunday: Rock Mafia

40 WATT CLUB285 W. Washington St., Athens

706-549-7871www.40watt.com

• May 27: Ryan Bingham and theDead Horses • June 24-25: ATHFest

AARON’S AMPHITHEATRE AT LAKEWOOD

2002 Lakewood Ave., Atlanta404-443-5000

www.livenation.com/venue/aarons-amphitheatre-at-lakewood-tickets

• Today: Kenny Chesney• Tuesday: Jimmy Buffett• June 18: Def Leppard, Heart• July 10: Motley Crue, Poison

ARENA AT GWINNETT CENTER

6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth770-813-7500

www.gwinnettcenter.com

• Sunday: Thomas and FriendsLive! On Stage• June 7: Katy Perry• June 8: Josh Groban• July 8: Matthew Morrison

PERFORMING ARTS CENTERAT GWINNETT CENTER

6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth 770-813-7500

www.gwinnettcenter.com

• Today and Sunday: “The LittleMermaid”• June 4: Cirque Fantasque

ATLANTA CIVIC CENTER395 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta

404-523-6275www.atlantaciviccenter.com

• June 3: Brian McKnight, Dweleand Joe

BUFORD VARIETY THEATER 170 W. Main St., Buford

770-271-7878www.bufordvarietytheater.com

• Today and Saturday: CousinRicky Peardon

CENTER STAGE1374 W. Peachtree St.

404-885-1365www.centerstage-atlanta.com

• Today: Mogwai• May 28: Namjoo: Unplugged

CHASTAIN PARK AMPHITHEATER

4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta404-233-2227

www.livenation.com

• Saturday: Paul Simon• May 27-28: James Taylor• June 3: The Monkees• June 5: B.B. King, Buddy Guy• June 17: Maze feat. FrankieBeverly

COBB ENERGY PERFORMINGARTS CENTRE

2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta www.cobbenergycentre.com

770-916-2800

• Wednesday: Incognito• Thursday: Bill Maher• June 10: Loretta Lynn• July 28: Bon Iver

EDDIE’S ATTIC515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur

404-377-4976 www.eddiesattic.com

• Today: Edie Carey and RoseCousins• Saturday: Pat McGee• Tuesday: Joyscout, Night Dri-ving in Small Towns and Rebec-ca Pronsky• May 27 and 28: Shawn Mullins• May 31: Kelly McFarling

FERST CENTER FOR THEARTS

349 Ferst Drive, Georgia Tech campus

404-894-9600www.ferstcenter.gatech.edu

• July 27-31: “Stripped”• Sept. 8: Michael Ian Black• Sept. 16: Herb Albert and LaniHall

FOX THEATRE 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta

404-881-2100www.foxtheatre.org

• Today-Sunday: “Hair the Musi-cal”• June 28: David Gray

THE LOFT1374 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta

404-885-1365www.centerstage-

atlanta.com/shows/the-loft/

• Wednesday: Bob Schneider• May 28: Bone Thugs-N-Harmo-ny • June 2: Warren G

• June 10: Joe Purdy

PHILIPS ARENA1 Philips Drive N.W., Atlanta

404-878-3000www.philipsarena.com

• June 22: News Kids on theBlock and Backstreet Boys• June 25: R. Kelly• July 9 and 10: Taylor Swift• July 12 and 13: Sade• July 17: Britney Spears withNicki Minaj• Aug. 25-28: Cirque du Soleil:Dralion

RED LIGHT CAFE553 Amsterdam Ave., Atlanta

404-874-7828www.redlightcafe.com

• Saturday: Kelly Taylor, AbbyOwens Threadbare, BrotherChanning and Quinn JeremyAggers

SMITH’S OLDE BAR1578 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta

404-875-1522www.smithsoldebar.com

• Today: Drew Schwartz, CaseyRyals 8pm• Saturday: Black Stone Kings9pm• Sunday: Faye Webster • Thursday: Amanda MeridethBand

THE TABERNACLE152 Luckie St., Atlanta

404-659-9022www.livenation.com/The-Tabernacle-

tickets-Atlanta/venue/115031

• Today: The Flaming Lips• Wednesday: Cage the Ele-phant• May 27: Panic at the Disco• May 28: Deftones• June 3: Above and Beyond• June 14: Owl City• June 17: Adele• June 20: A Perfect Circle

WILD BILL’S2075 Market St., Duluth

678-473-1000www.wildbillsatlanta.com

• Saturday: Dizzy Reed of Guns& Roses and his All Star Band• June 10: The Charlie DanielsBand• June 25: Skid Row• July 1: Chris Cagle• July 9: Jerrod Niemann• July 29: Cinderella

Most tickets available throughTicketmaster at 404-249-6400 orwww.ticketmaster.com.


MUSIC

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Learn the trick to super savings!BY VENUE


The Gwinnett Community Band is a non-profit group of musicians from

throughout the Atlanta area. Established in 1984, the band performs quality music

for public enrichment and provides ongoing performance opportunities

for enthusiastic adult amateur musicians.

The Gwinnett Daily Post and the City of Suwanee presentA PATRIOTIC CONCERTA PATRIOTIC CONCERT

Featuring the

Gwinnett Community Band

SPONSORED BY

Friday, May 27 • 7:00 p.m.Town Center Park • Suwanee, GA

The Gwinnett Community Band is a non-profit group of musicians from

throughout the Atlanta area. Established in 1984, the band performs quality music

for public enrichment and provides ongoing performance opportunities

for enthusiastic adult amateur musicians.

For more information, call 770-963-9205 ext.1100 Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of superb musical entertainment!

No Alcohol Allowed In Park

Directions to Town Center Park in Suwanee: I-85 North to exit 111. Left on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road for 2.5 miles.

Turn left onto Buford Hwy. Town Center Park is on the left.

COMMAND EXHIBITION TEAM “SILVER WINGS” PARACHUTE ONTO A 40’ AREA IN THE PARK!

IN LIEU OF ADMISSION COST WE ASKTHAT YOU VOLUNTARILY BRING

1 TO 2 CANS OF FOODOR HYGIENE ITEMS TO HELP FILL

LOCAL FOOD BANKS.

SaturdayThe Aurora Children’s

Playhouse series will pre-sent “Pirate Goody andthe Magic Chest” at 10a.m. Saturday at the the-ater, located at 128 PikeSt. in Lawrenceville. Formore information or tickets,visitwww.auroratheatre.com orcall 678-226-6222.

SundayThe city of

Lawrenceville will host aGrapes and Tastes inter-national food and winefestival from 1 to 7 p.m.Sunday in the downtownLawrenceville square.

Gwinnett School ofRock’s Spring Concertwill be held from 2 to 6p.m. Sunday at 2075 Mar-ket St. in Duluth. For moreinformation, visit www.gwin-nettmusic.com/?q=event.

May 28The Mall of Georgia’s

Movie Under the Starsand concert series willpresent the band Rumble at6:30 p.m. May 28, followedby the movie “DespicableMe” at the mall’s outdoorpavilion, 3333 Buford Drivein Buford.

Ongoing EventsKudzu Art Zone is hold-

ing an “Inspired By theMasters Exhibit” throughJune 25 at 116 Carlyle St.in Norcross. The gallery isopen 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fri-day and Saturday. For moreinformation, call 770-840-9844 or visit www.kudzuart-zone.org

The Aurora Theatre willbe running their produc-tion, “Over the River andThrough the Woods,”through June 5. The Aurorais located at 128 Pike St. in

Lawrenceville. For moreinformation or tickets, visitwww.auroratheatre.com orcall 770-226-6222.

Each day during themonth of May, the city ofSuwanee will hold their“Art on a Limb” programwhere a piece of original artis placed along the Suwa-nee Creek Greenway andother city trails. Those whofind the pieces get to keepthem. For more information,visit www.suwanee.com.

The Hudgens Center forthe Arts is presenting the“We Are Folk: ExploringTraditions in SouthernFolk Art” exhibit throughtoday at 6400 SugarloafParkway, Bldg. 300 inDuluth. For more informa-tion, visit www.thehud-gens.org.

The LawrencevilleGhost Tours, hosted bythe Aurora Theatre, will be

held beginning Saturdaythrough October. The walk-ing tours will begin and end

at the theater, located at128 Pike St. inLawrenceville. For more

information or tickets, visitwww.scarystroll.com or call678-226-6222.


GWINNETT CALENDAR

AVAILABLE ON DVD MAY 24TH!

Mail your completed entry to GDP/Lemonade MouthP.O. Box 603, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 or visit

gwinnettdailypost.com to enter at

Name _________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________

Phone ___________________ Email _______________________________NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be 18 years old or older to enter. Void where prohibited & restricted by law. Sponsor’semployees and their dependents are ineligible. Entries must be received by June 3, 2011. Winners will be notified by phone.

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For more information, contact Valerie Greenat 770.963.9205 ext. 1201 or email [email protected]

Join these sponsors in supporting Kidsville News!

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gwinnettcounty parks & recreation

METRO CALENDAR

June 3 Jonny Lang with special

guest Moreland & Arbucklewill perform at Concerts inthe Garden June 3 at theAtlanta Botanical Gardens,1345 Piedmont Ave. N.E. inAtlanta.Tickets are $37. Formore information, visitwww.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

June 12The Fox Theatre and

Encore Atlanta magazinewill host the 2nd annualTony Awards Viewing Partyat 6 p.m. June 12 at the FoxTheatre’s famous EgyptianBallroom.The Fox is locatedat 660 Peachtree St., Atlanta.Tickets for the VIP event are$50. For more information,visit www.foxtheatre.org.

July 8The Indigo Girls with spe-

cial guest the Shadowbox-ers will perform at Concertsin the Garden July 8 and 9 atthe Atlanta Botanical Gar-dens, 1345 Piedmont Ave.

N.E. in Atlanta.Tickets are$45. For more information,visit www.atlantabotanicalgar-den.org.

July 15Steve Earle and the

Dukes (and Duchess) fea-turing Allison Moorer willperform at Concerts in theGarden July 15 at the AtlantaBotanical Gardens, 1345Piedmont Ave. N.E. in Atlanta.Tickets are $39.50. For moreinformation, visit www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

Ongoing events Art Station will host the

exhibit “EndangeredSpecies: Found Paper,” bythe Atlanta Collage SocietyJune 4 through Aug. 13 at5384 Manor Drive in StoneMountain Village.

The High Museum of Artwill host “Alfred Stieglitzand His Circle: AmericanModerns from Atlanta Col-lections” exhibition June 18through Sept. 11 at 1280Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta.

For more information, call404-733-4437.

The Center for PuppetryArts will present “Beautyand the Beast” through May29. Showtimes vary.The the-ater is located at 1404 SpringSt. in Atlanta. For showtimesand more information, visitwww.puppet.org or call 404-873-3089.

The High Museum of Artwill present “Fifty Works forFifty States:The Dorothyand Herb Vogel Collection”through June 5 at 1280Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta.For more information, call404-733-4437.

The High Museum of Artwill be holding “The Muse-um of Modern Art, NewYork” through Aug. 14. t 1280Peachtree St. N.E. in Atlanta.For more information, visitwww.high.org.

The High Museum of Artwill host “John Marin’sWatercolors: A Medium forModernism,” from June 26through Sept. 11 at 1280Peachtree St. N.E. in Atlanta.Visit www.high.org for info.

Special PhotoJonny Lang with special guest Moreland & Arbuckle will perform at Concertsin the Garden on June 3 at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, 1345 PiedmontAve. N.E. in Atlanta.


Documents

The Gwinnett Daily Post Weekend/Entertainment Section