OCR Text |
Show C-17 The Park Record Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, December 10-13, 2005 A deadly brew of oil and politics necessarily attain greatness. Employing many of the same people and techniques as its close ancestor, "Traffic," it leaves the same depressing, burnt-out aftertaste. Yes, it has taught us a lot. But did we learn anything? Writer-director Stephen Gaghan. By MICHAEL BOOTH who wrote the 'Traffic" script for MedinNews Group Wire Service Steven Sodcrbcrgh, launches multiA ihrowaway line in the polished, ple story lines and a dozen important overwhelmingly cynical thriller characters, then slowly brings them "Syriana" sums up the movies pure- together for a literally explosive finish. Just when we're sure Gaghan ly impure attitude. Malt Damon is an oil analyst has lost track of his threads, we find offering his daily quote to the vora- ourselves cringing from, a finale that cious sound-bite hounds of CNN, seems suddenly inevitable. and admonishes everyone to All slimy trails lead back to remember that "there's a $10-$12 Connex, a fictional multinational oil instability premium in the market." company manipulating world events Meaning: Chaos is good for oil to smooth its mergers and acquisicompanies, to the tune of a I0-spot tions. George Clooney is a lifelong per barrel. Some of their profits will CIA operative who executes two be spent at the CIA. on Capitol Hill, Iranian arms dealers on behalf of his or the streets of Beirut, to guarantee government, yet his next assignment seems suspiciously in line with the further chaos. Meaning: "Syriana" loves to illu- interests of Connex. And that minate, obfuscate and adjudicate the Iranian job left an extra black marpolitical world with iis own evolving ket missile floating around: As jargon. Damon's character ends up Chekhov would surely remind us, with a $75 million profit from a par- you can bet that a missile launched ticularly personal form of "instabili- in Act [ will acquire a target by Act III. ty." Damon lives a good life parsing Listen carefully to the words of the oil business in Switzerland, but a "Syriana," but don't trust a single family tragedy opens him up to new one before considering the source. "Syriana" is a fascinating movie possibilities of both bribery and rev- and a substantive and thought- olution. Jeffrey Wright is assigned to provoking one - but it does not "investigate" a Connex merger, but only deep enough to toss minor dirty players to regulators and protect his bosses. The Arab portion of the complex equation is represented by Alexander Siddig, an emir's son who promises populist reform if he ascends the throne, and Mazhar Munir, a migrant oil worker fired from his job who finds sustenance and soul mates in a radical Muslim school. Gaghan has said he meant to portray a world where there are no good guys and no bad guys. He's telling half the truth - there certainly are no good guys. Maybe one, and we know he's doomed. This is the flaw of "Syriana," to place everyone inside the movie and everyone watching it at the same level of guilt. Yes, I buy into something when I put $2 gas into my oversized car; but that does not give me the same responsibility as the chairman of a global oil company, or an Arab emir, or a CIA directorate. The style of "Syriana" and 'Traffic" is to make us feel equally culpable and therefore equally powerless, when the very fact a movie like this can be made into popular entertainment shows that change is possible. Gaghan delights in language, and excels at putting the right words in his characters' mouths. A CIA bureaucrat tells Clooney they could "utilize his skill sets," which involve blowing things up. A beguiling Muslim teacher in the madrassa tells his radicals, "The pain of modern life cannot be solved by deregulation or lower taxes." Loyalty is the only word foreign to Gaghan and his stable of movie operatives. Those naive enough to expect loyalty, including those of us in the audience, are kicked in the guts every few minutes. We have little time to breathe,, as the geo-political machinery of the oil business moves ever forward, fueled by the renewable resource of- avarice and malice. So many wonderful actors show up for small parts in "Syriana," we can be distracted from noticing the scenes they arc dropped into seem forced. Gaghan has terrifically biting things to say ("Corruption keeps us safe and warm") but has people like Tim Blake Nelson say them in the oddest settings. But Clooney, among others, deserves credit for how far he went to make us forget he's George Clooney, so that we'd pay attention to other things. Here he is fat and broken and confused, good at what he does without any clue why he's doing it. Compliments to the makers of "Syriana" for leaving in so many scenes, and so many lines, that must have made their backers squirm. Tough as it is to hear, we should all squirm for our own part in this fine mess. New film is inspired by 'Miracle on Ice' tion of 1956 with a Hungarian-Soviet water polo match at the Melbourne Olympics, just days after the uprising was crushed by Soviet tanks. The Hungarian-born Vajna - producer of the "Rambp" films, as well as "Evita" and "Nixon"- said BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) A he wanted the film to tell todays new film to be produced by Andrew youth about the revolution, "one of Vajna about a legendary Hungarian- the most important moments in Soviet water polo match was partly Hungarian history." Vajna escaped from Hungary at inspired by the U.S. Olympic hockey team's 1980 "Miracle On Ice," the the age of 12 on Dec. 6,1956 - the same day the water polo match was producer said Tuesday. The film, to be called "Freedom, played in Melbourne. Joe Eszterhas, also born in Love" in Hungarian, intertwines Hungary's anti-communist revolu- Hungary, wrote the initial script for AlPftvt irvUR^tt t» CofteeHouse & Cybercaf* the film and Vajna said the two had been trying for nearly a decade to come up with a project about the revolution. "Miracle." starring Kurt Russell as Coach Herb Brooks, tells the story of the U.S. Olympic hockey team which defeated the seemingly invincible Soviet squad at the 198() Lake Placid Winter Games. Vajna said his film would have an all-Hungarian cast and have its premiere on Oct." 23. 2006, the 50th anniversary of the start of the revolution. The film will telJ the story of Karcsi, a fictional member of the for vour Hungarian team, and Viki. his girlfriend who slays in Budapest to fight the Soviet troops. The match in Melbourne - considered the most violent water polo match ever and known as the "blood in the water" game - ended in a 4-0 Hungarian victory and was called off by the referee with less than a minute to go, fearful the violence would spread to the stands. Members of Hungary's current water polo team - which won a gold medal at the Athens Olympics last year - are expected to have roles in the movie to be directed by Kriszta Goda. home Great '•111 COFFEE SHOP Screaitiin Fast INTERNET ACCESS Open 7:30am-l0pm 7 satisfying days a week. 738 Lower Main St. 649-0051 ••;7»i The Honda Snow Fighter Get rid of your shovel and get into your Honda dealer. • Honda 8.5hp OHV engine • Self-propelled track drive • Infinitely variable speed control/hydrostatic drive train • 28" clearing width, 20" clearing height 12 Months ' Same As Cash o,\c HS928TA Full Line Dealer Power Equipment 183 West 2100 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 888-274-3166 No Payments, No Interest Option for 12 Months! TT» Honda Power Equipment MasterCard* cord b tisoed by Wcti Faigo Fjianaal National Ban* Sps&at iefms of 12 rnorrtfw no payments; no interest opton wa apply to pu'ciiases charged v«9> approved cf&di ufcng y«ur Hcrda Po**f Equipment MasterCardfcneof credit No payments am <equ»«J during ins opi=on period The no interest opio<i mearw inero v no tnteres if your purcMwo B pad In full ut-vvn 12 monsha oftsr she date of pwcriaM, o^e«nta mieresi «sn.<«4 from daw of putouof: ai The APR for pufcfc»« u»lng your Honda Power Equipment fera of cedn. whr-n a 22 35% Tr* nmndord APR for Irnrreacfccns u*ung your MasterCard lino of credit wS bo 11 15% II you do not pay the total rrtnjntjm payment vitwn due. the APR lof transactrans Utlng your WaKerCard !<no of cnsdS W) bo 22 25% AH APRS g.^wi are as of April 1. 2OT5 Ail APRs ma/vory It ycu u u you/ cordtarcwh advances, the cosh advance fee ra 3% of Hie omounl el the cash advance, but rw!tewthan S'O DO OTef 0*^^10 1inttO3. "Offer good ority on Hooda i r o * btowem and ganeratoro For optimum perfotmanco and lafety re.id yow c*ne/'i manual beto/e opwawig your Honda Power Equipment c 2005 American Hondo Moier Co.inc. PCSD ChUd Care Center Would like to extend a great big THANK YOU!! To all of these local companies for their donations for our HOLIDAY FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER!! Staples-printer Swire Coke-coke dispensing machine Red Banjo-pizzas Wal-Mart-printing paper Frito Lay-bags of chips Redstone Theaters-6 tickets Black Diamond Gymnastics-kids tumbling SnydcrviBc Rec-season passes Egyptian Theater-tickets for theater PC Bread & Bagel-Gift Certificate Marc Raymond Salon-Massage stress treatment Mimi Vincent-Massage Stein Erikscn-brunch for 2 Zooms Dinner PCMR-ski passes California Nails-pedicure Deer Valley Lodging-ski passes Lees Nails-Manicure Bonnie Fair-quilt Wasatch Brew Pub-Dinner Eating Establishment-breakfast Holiday Lanes-bowling game CHRISTINE'S Thank You All!! HOMISTOID See Everyone Next Year Kitchen | Furniture | Lamps | Rugs | End Tables | Accessories 3126 Quarry Road, Suite A in Park City 1435-649*8981 B A U ME M E R C I ER GATEWAY OFFICES ADVANTAGE #4 YOU WON'T GO BROKE WHEN EQUIPMENT BREAKS DOWN! BAUME&MERCIER GENEVE* 1830 L Brooks 435,655.9696 JEWELERS www.gotewaybusinesstenler.com The Gateway • 801-456-4747 |