By Erin Hayes & Jono Baron
Gargoyle staff reporter & senior editor
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007, The OG, arts

For those who want to return to their childhood, “Shrek the Third” is opening this week nationwide. For those of a more spiritual bent, a documentary about Carthusian monks living a life of silence in their French Alps monastery will open Friday at Boardman's Art Theatre. There's plenty of other new offerings in the world of entertainment this week, including the latest CD from Wilco and the DVD version of the well-received “Pan's Labyrinth.”

MOVIES OPENING IN C-U THIS WEEK

“Shrek the Third” (official site)

Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy star again in the third “Shrek” film to hit theaters. This one will incorporate new characters played by Amy Sedaris and Justin Timberlake as Shrek deals with the potential necessity of taking over the kingdom from his father-in-law, who has fallen ill.

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

“Into Great Silence” (official site)

Looking for something far from the mainstream? It doesn't more remote than this: a documentary about Carthusian monks living in the French Alps in one of the world's most ascetic monasteries. German documentarian Philip Gröning lived in the monks' quarters for six months and recorded — without crew or artificial lighting — their daily routine of prayer, work, and ritual. The film has no musical score or voiceover. Silence envelopes the screen. For 162 minutes, the viewer is plunged head first into the monastic life. The film opens Friday at Boardman's Art Theatre and promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience.

Opens Friday at Boardman's Art Theatre. For showtimes, click here.

Jono's Pick:: Pass. I'll admit, I liked the first “Shrek” when it came out, but how many years ago was that? I'm 18, man — I don't want to see a kids movie.

NEW CD RELEASES (in stores Tuesday, May 15)

Wilco, “Sky Blue Sky”

Wilco's sixth studio album is the first to include the band's latest lineup with guitarist Nels Kline and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone (of The Autumn Defense). Unlike Wilco's incredibly popular prior release, “A Ghost Is Born,” which featured multiple heavily distorted guitar solos and deep piano accompaniments in addition to trademark electronic melodies, “Sky Blue Sky” revisits their more folkish roots, with visible influence from Southern classic rock bands of the late 1960s and early '70s, while mixing in other, more acoustic folk elements. Fans can preview the entire album by streaming the songs in QuickTime at the band's site, Wilcoworld.net.

Telefon Tel Aviv, “Remixes Compiled”

This Chicago-based IDM group lay down the third step in their “unending endeavor to achieve the complete hybridization of music.” Their deep vocals and sliding strings meld with techno beats and trippy, rippling background effects, creating a surprisingly mature and cohesive result.

The Maccabees, “Colour It In”

If you like Bloc Party, you'll like these guys. The Maccabees produce delectable art-rock, merging danceable staccato with romantic, nostalgic lyrics, thoughtful vibrato, and highly melodic guitars. And, if it counts for anything, NME has already dubbed them “the best new band in Britain.” Not bad for a debut effort.

Linkin Park, “Minutes to Midnight”

Known for their rap-rock sound, Linkin Park hired studio legend Rick Rubin to co-produce their third album, the product of more than a year's worth of work. According to early reviews, the album represents a move away from Linkin Park's trademark style — it's less rap, more emo, if you can imagine.

Megadeth, “United Abominations”

The latest offering by Dave Mustaine & Co. is their first on Roadrunner Records — and what a debut. Hard-edged metal that goes back to the band's “Rust in Peace” era is coupled with smart political lyrics. Look for Gargoyle writer Carl Zielinski's review of this album coming soon.

Erin's Pick: The Maccabees, “Colour It In.” This band is incredibly poppy. If you don't like pop, don't even try it. In the words of NME, their music is “either heart-warmingly familiar and sweetly affecting or insufferably twee, depending on your point of view.” It just happens that I'm the kind of person who tends to opt on the side of twee, and I allow it to affect me sweetly and heart-warmingly. But aside from all that, they've toured with Wolfmother and Bloc Party, and recently became the first band since the Sex Pistols to be threatened with a nationwide live show ban in Britain (due to the, er … enthusiasm of their fans). They've got a bright future ahead of them, and I definitely want to do my part in creating it.

Jono's Pick: Wilco, “Sky Blue Sky.” While the Jew in me is relatively interested in figuring out this week's references (i.e. Tel Aviv and Maccabees), Jeff Tweedy has remained my single favorite modern artist since I first listened to Wilco. Despite the fact that “Sky Blue Sky” hasn't been met with the same kind of critical vigor as the band's last two albums, “A Ghost is Born” and “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” it still has some pretty amazing singles. And after all, what do I care what organizations like Pitchfork have to say about it? Screw you guys. Giving Wilco a 5.2 and Dan Deacon an 8.7 is a mark of pure idiocy, and Nelly Furtado is ranked in your top 10.

NEW DVD RELEASES (in stores Tuesday, May 15)

“Pan's Labyrinth” (official site)

Ofelia, a little girl in post-civil war Spain, finds an escape from her living hell in a garden labyrinth. Here, she must learn to deal with the monsters in her imagination, as well as the ones in her everyday life. The movie cuts back and forth between Ofelia's fantasy world and the real world of guerilla warfare in 1940s Spain. Deemed by Roger Ebert to be “beautiful and exhilarating, a fairy tale for grown-ups,” this film was highly anticipated. If you didn't catch it when it was in town this winter, make your way to your favorite rental establishment — this movie is sure to deliver. The DVD release includes tons of supplemental materials, including behind-the-scenes documentaries and production sketches.

“Army of Shadows” (official site)

The 1969 French film “L'Armée des ombres” about the Resistance movement during World War II is finally available on DVD in the United States. The DVD is a Criterion Collection edition, which serves to illustrate the film's sheer excellence as a cinematic work of art.

Bethany Hutchens' Guest Pick: “Pan's Labyrinth.” From her Feb. 6 Gargoyle review of the film, here are a few of Bethany's comments: “More reminiscent of tales by the Brothers Grimm than the sugary fairy stories of today, the characters that director Guillermo del Toro creates are both fantastic and frightening, the ‘good' creatures as well as the ‘bad.' … [Ofelia's] fantasies provide a surprisingly appropriate background to the violence of the guerrilla warfare. Del Toro cuts between the two stories expertly, never letting either languish, eventually blending the two into a frightening picture of Ofelia's abandonment and loneliness. … ‘Pan's Labyrinth' transcends genre to a class of its own. Visually magnificent, and deeply disturbing, ‘Pan's Labyrinth' should not be missed by anyone.”

LOCAL SHOWS & CONCERTS

Friday, May 18: The Kilborn Alley
Blues Band, 9 p.m., Iron Post, $4. This local blues group (nominated this year for “Best New Artist Debut” by The Blues Foundation) deliver one of their signature bar shows.

Saturday, May 19: Lucky Mulholland CD release show, with special guests Sprickets, Megan Johns, DJ Leg Two, 9 p.m., Iron Post, $5. Urbana garage-pop group Lucky Mulholland release their second EP, supported by Indiana indie-rock group Sprickets. Local songstress Megan Johns performs her Fiona Apple-like tunes, and DJ Leg Two fills out the night.