By Erin Hayes & Jono Baron

Gargoyle staff reporter & senior editor


Posted Monday, April 9, 2007, The OG, arts

EACH WEEK WE'LL look ahead to the next releases in entertainment, from movies opening in C-U to DVDs and CDs hitting the stores. We'll also look at some of the more promising local concerts and performances scheduled for the coming week.

MOVIES OPENING IN C-U THIS WEEK

“Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters” (official site)

After seven years, a full-length feature of the hit show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” is coming! The cartoon show (whose episodes have been only 15 minutes long up to this point) stars a group of talking fast-food items named Master Shake (a milkshake), Frylock (a box of French fries), and Meatwad (a ball of uncooked burger meat) as they deal with everything from “vampire buses” to giant spiders who try to take over the world by rapping. So in a nutshell, no one really knows what the ATHF film could entail. But either way, it's bound to attract an audience.

Opens Friday at the Beverly 18 and Savoy 16. For showtimes at both theaters, click here.

“Disturbia” (official site)

After Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf) is put under house arrest, he turns to voyeurism. But instead of “pleasantly” looking in on the private lives of others to satisfy his own boredom, he becomes convinced that his neighbor, Mr. Turner (Davis Morse) is a serial killer. But despite his efforts to look into Mr. Turner's elusive behavior, Kale is stopped time and time again by the limitations put on him by his house arrest. As it becomes clearer and clearer that no one is going to listen to his claims, danger seems to lurk just beyond his shoulder.

Opens Friday at the Beverly 18 and Savoy 16. For showtimes at both theaters, click here.

“Perfect Stranger” (official site)

After her friend is murdered, Rowena (Halle Berry), a journalist by trade, becomes determined to track down and seek revenge on the killer. She quickly finds herself entering the world of online dating, where she meets up with her suspect (Bruce Willis). But when she infiltrates his company as a temp worker, the tables are turned, and Rowena finds herself as the potential new prey.

Opens Friday at the Beverly 18 and Savoy 16. For showtimes at both theaters, click here.

Jono's Pick: “Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters.” I haven't been a fan of ATHF in recent days. The show hasn't shown its image on my television screen for at least a year, in fact, and I don't feel that I've been missing anything in the process. In addition to that, I'm not really sure just how amusing or successful this movie will (or even can) be once it's released. ATHF is usually 15 minutes long, and even that wears down on me pretty quickly — there's a reason I haven't watched it in so long. But all of its flaws aside, and whether I'd hate it or not, this film is my pick for the week. And why? It's not because I have anything against the kid who played Louis in “Even Stevens” — I loved that show. Really, the only reason I want to see the ATHF movie is because it amazes me that an ATHF movie is even possible. I see this as a chance for scientific observation, and not an opportunity to be entertained. For everyone else, if you're a fan of the show, go ahead and watch it — I'm sure you'll have a great time killing your brain cells for two hours. If ATHF hasn't been your thing in the past, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be any time soon.

NEW CD RELEASES (in stores Tuesday, April 10)

CocoRosie, “The Adventures Of Ghosthorse And Stillborn”

Freak-folk duo CocoRosie, composed of half-Cherokee sisters Bianca and Sierra Casady, release their third full-length album. “Adventures” features childlike instruments (such as maracas and xylophones), hip-hop beats, atmospheric synth, operatic background vocals, and extensive use of drum machines and trippy, jittery sampling. The album will be released on Touch and Go Records, known for acts like Calexico, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and TV On The Radio.

Tiësto, “Elements Of Life”

Probably the best-known DJ in the world, Tiësto returns with an original album of uplifting trance music. “Elements Of Life” shows off his signature style, blending inescapable, expansive beats with soaring female vocals. Collaborators on this album include singer-songwriter Charlotte Martin and American DJ BT, who appeared on Tiësto's previous record “Just Be” and is known for pioneering the trance genre.

Guster, “Satellite EP”

Alternative rock band Guster find a creative outlet in “Satellite.” This release features tracks that did not make the final cut of their 2006 record “Ganging Up On The Sun,” such as the effervescent jangle-pop tune “G Major,” which is featured on their MySpace page. The album also features covers of The Beatles' “The Two Of Us” and Bonnie Tyler's “Total Eclipse Of The Heart.”

Bright Eyes, “Cassadaga”

Indie folk-pop group Bright Eyes follow up their 2005 sister records “Digital Ash In A Digital Urn” and “I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.” Lead singer and songwriter Conor Oberst documents his travels across the United States with delicate, historically conscious lyrics laid against a backdrop of well-orchestrated atmospherics. Contributors to the record include solo artists Ben Kweller and Rachael Yamagata.

Erin's Pick: Nothing. For a while, I was caught between the Bright Eyes record and CocoRosie, but then I realized that neither of them would really be worth the time and money. Sure, Bright Eyes are pretty. They've got lots of string instruments and a pretty boy with a wavering voice. But who doesn't these days? Conversely, I am currently fascinated by CocoRosie's “Promise,” a track from “Adventures.” Somehow, it manages to smoothly blend Cat Power-like wispy vocals and haunting electronic instrumentation reminiscent of Hermigervill. The problem is, when it's placed next to its neighbor track, “Rainbowarriors,” it's clear that descriptive words like “fascinating” and “interesting,” while completely accurate, cannot work alone to redeem an entire record, and do not necessarily equal “good” (just visit their MySpace page if you want to see for yourself).

NEW DVD RELEASES (in stores Tuesday, April 10)

“Bobby” (official site)

Directed by Emilio Estevez, “Bobby” follows the stories of 20 people in the Ambassador Hotel on June 6, 1968 — the day Robert Kennedy was assassinated. Despite a relatively quiet initial release, the film has an excellent cast with such actors as Laurence Fishburne, Anthony Hopkins, and Helen Hunt, but also includes younger actors like Shia LaBeouf and Lindsay Lohan.

“Danielson: A Family Movie (Or, Make A Joyful Noise Here)” (official site)

“Danielson” is a documentary that follows the trials and tribulations of the independent rock group of the same name as they struggle toward recognition and against creative suffocation. Daniel Smith, the lead singer of the band, spends part of the movie mentoring a young and not-yet-known musician by the name of Sufjan Stevens, and must stand by and watch as (popularity-wise, at least) “the student bests the teacher.”

Jono's Pick: “Bobby.” I never got the chance to see this in theaters, since it seemed to come up out of nowhere, then disappeared almost as quickly. However, it seemed to me that — regardless of its automatically enticing subject matter — this film was promising. I'm not so sure about the appearance of Ashton Kutcher, but all of the other acting giants who took roles in this film must make up for one guy's ineptitude, right? In any case, the way “Bobby” decided to deal with that particular moment of the '60s (when the country seemed hopelessly split over the issues of war, race, and anti-communism, among other things) is pretty stunning, not to mention relatively ground-breaking. It's true that movies these days don't necessarily follow just one main character, but I don't recall it ever being applied to the '60s. And I don't see why not, when there really was so much polarization. I salute you, “Bobby.” You did what other films could not, and for that, I think you've earned a viewing.

LOCAL SHOWS & CONCERTS

Wednesday, April 11: Ambulette, Eastern Conference Champions, Light Pollution, Parenthetical Girls, Watery Domestic, 8 p.m., Courtyard Café, $4 students/ $5 public. Ambulette bring their '90s alt-rock sound to the Courtyard, joined by the quirky garage-punk tunes of Eastern Conference Champions. Orchestrated indie-rock group Light Pollution pays another visit from DeKalb, while another indie outfit (this time from Washington), Parenthetical Girls, joins in the fun. Local ambient rock group Watery Domestic rounds out the set.

Sunday, April 15: The Decemberists, My Brightest Diamond, 7:30 p.m., Foellinger Auditorium, $19 students, $24 public. The Decemberists, a prominent indie baroque-pop group from Oregon, will grace the halls of Foellinger with their presence. Their repertoire boasts variation from upbeat, complex anthems to mellow, folky lullabies, and will be accompanied by the experimental tunes of My Brightest Diamond. MBD are headed by Shara Worden, who has performed as a singer for Sufjan Stevens' band.

Erin's Pick: Both, if possible. I'm not going to lie, that Wednesday concert is really exciting. Five bands (a couple of them definitely more-than-decent) for five bucks is my favorite kind of show. Plus, I've seen Light Pollution twice at the Courtyard since December, and they're really growing on me. In terms of the Sunday show, I have my reasons. First of all, when My Brightest Diamond came to town earlier this year, I wasn't able to attend their show. Guess why? That's right, kids. Age limits! The show was at the Cowboy Monkey. I know I complained about this last week, but truly, it's a problem for young fans of the C-U music scene. In any case, now that I have an opportunity to actually see My Brightest Diamond, you can bet your boots I'm going to do what I can to take it. And then, there are The Decemberists. I've never had the privilege of seeing a band so popular, and so talented, and still classified as “indie.” Unfortunately, tickets are going rapidly, and I've been a procrastinator thus far, so whether or not I'll get in remains to be seen. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!