WHAT'S HAPPENING : FILM.Quirky to the max:``Rushmore'' is a wonderfully quirky comedy that's causing a fair share of confusion right now. The film landed in theaters for one week in December in order to qualify for Oscar consideration and was named by several outlets (Premiere magazine among them) as the best film of the year. Most people have never heard of ``Rushmore,'' though, and wonder why the best film of 1998 is just making its way into theaters now. Simple explanation: It's a wonderfully quirky comedy. And that means that Hollywood figures it's too weird for the general public to embrace. They're probably right, but if ever there was a movie that deserved to find an audience, ``Rushmore'' is it. ``Rushmore'' follows the adventures of 15-year-old Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a passionate geek A technically oriented person. It has typically implied a "nerdy" or "weird" personality, someone with limited social skills who likes to tinker with scientific or high-tech projects. The origin of the term dates back to the late 1800s. who loves everything about his prep school, the Rushmore Academy. Unfortunately, Max is about to flunk out flunk Informal v. flunked, flunk·ing, flunks v.intr. To fail, especially in a course or an examination. v.tr. 1. To fail (an examination or course). 2. because he spends more time on extracurricular activities than he does studying for classes. Max's passion for life gets a little out of hand when he falls for a beautiful grade school teacher (Olivia Williams) and must compete for her affections with his friend, a depressed tycoon, Mr. Blume (Bill Murray). It's one the strangest love triangles you'll ever see and one of the funniest, too. Written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson (the ``Bottle Rocket'' team) and directed by Anderson, ``Rushmore'' has a vitality and touching innocence altogether its own. Newcomer Schwartzman delivers a passionate, funny, moving performance and Murray hasn't been this good since ``Groundhog Day.'' This is a comedy dark around the edges, but sweet in the center - not a bad choice for a Valentine's weekend confection con·fec·tion n. A sweetened medicinal compound. Also called electuary. . - Glenn Whipp television Riding the `Storm' out: No syrupy hearts and flowers here. Premiering Sunday, six-hour miniseries ``Stephen King's Storm of the Century'' (9 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Thursday on KABC KABC Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children , Channel 7) is a reasonably spooky heart-chiller. Praise be, ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. , for your smart counterprogramming In broadcasting, counterprogramming is the practice of offering programs to attract an audience from another station airing a major event. Television The main events counterprogrammed are the Super Bowl and the Oscars. on Valentine's week. Set on a small island off the coast of Maine, ``Storm of the Century'' is horrormeister King's first miniseries written directly for television. It retells the old story of selling your soul to the devil - as a terrified ter·ri·fy tr.v. ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing, ter·ri·fies 1. To fill with terror; make deeply afraid. See Synonyms at frighten. 2. To menace or threaten; intimidate. group of islanders try to save their kids from an all-powerful stranger while a lethal storm rages. Colm Feore is excellent as the evil mystery man. Tim Daly and a large cast are capable as his snowbound snow·bound adj. Confined in one place by heavy snow. snowbound Adjective shut in or blocked off by snow Adj. 1. prey. Sadly King overindulged himself. His script should have been tighter. And his moralizing mor·al·ize v. mor·al·ized, mor·al·iz·ing, mor·al·iz·es v.intr. To think about or express moral judgments or reflections. v.tr. 1. To interpret or explain the moral meaning of. gets heavy-handed. But the notion of evil invading ordinary lives is compelling - making ``Storm'' a decent if overlong o·ver·long adj. Excessively long: an overlong play. adv. For too long: talked overlong. escape. - Kinney Littlefield Orange County Register stage Mamet twin bill closing: It's the last weekend to check out the two David Mamet plays as the Geffen Playhouse. Both ``The Old Neighborhood'' and ``The Cryptogram'' - playing in repertory - contain brilliant moments, razor-sharp dialogue and fine acting. ``Neighborhood'' is three related one-acts plays about the recently separated Bobby (Dennis Boutsikaris) who returns to Chicago to confront his past. As he encounters old friends and relatives, he tries to deal with his midlife crisis midlife crisis n. A period of psychological doubt and anxiety that some people experience in middle age. midlife crisis . ``The Cryptogram'' takes place in 1959, with Donny (Dunford); her friend Del (Begley); and her son, John (Will Rothhaar) awaiting the return of the boy's father, who is taking him on a camping trip. When the father doesn't return, the trio's lives begin to unravel. It's a provocative play full of clues and symbols. Like other Mamet works, the plays are punctuated generously with humor, albeit very dark humor. The Geffen Playhouse is at 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood. Plays run in repertory through Sunday. Tickets: $30 to $40. Call (310) 208-5454. - Rob Lowman music Early start on Mardi Gras: It's always Mardis Gras when ex-Meters guitarist Leo Leo, in astronomy Leo [Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Nocentelli's New Orleans funk-rock band hits town. With the Meters, Nocentelli defined Big Easy r&b, not only on their own albums like ``Rejuvenation'' and ``Fire on the Bayou,'' but as the backing band for the numerous artists produced by Allen Toussaint in the '70s. As Toussaint's house band, the Meters played on records by Lee Dorsey, Earl King, Chris Kenner, Betty Harris and Toussaint himself. They also released danceable instrumental singles like ``Cissy cissy Noun pl -sies Adjective same as sissy Adj. 1. cissy - having unsuitable feminine qualities effeminate, emasculate, sissified, sissy, sissyish, epicene Strut'' and ``Sophisticated Cissy'' under their own steam. Nocentelli appears Saturday at the Mint in Los Angeles. The New Orleans group Fat Tuesday opens and there will be a Mardis Gras costume contest with a prize of $50 and a Nocentelli album for the winner. Nocentelli, who promises a new album this year, will perform new material and classic Meters tunes. The Mint is at 6010 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. Show time is 9 p.m. and tickets are $15. Information: (323) 954-8241. - Fred Shuster CAPTION(S): 3 Photos Photo: (1) ``Rushmore'' features a funny and passionate performance by newcomer Jason Schwartzman. (2) Former Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli plays the Mint on Saturday. (3) Playwright David Mamet's ``The Old Neighborhood'' closes this weekend at the Geffen Playhouse. |
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