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Show Thursday, November 18, 2004 Daily Utah Chronicle 'Primer' is primetime for bad headlines Like this one, director Shane Carruth's vauge Sundance one-liner is just a 'nice try' "Primer" Think Film Inc. Written and directed by Shane Carruth Starring Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden, and Anand Upadhyaya Rated PG-13/78 minutes Opened in theaters Nov. 12 at the Broadway Centre Two out of five stars Aaron Allen Staff Writer As head-scratchers go, "Primer" will have you burrowing into your skull. It's an impenetrable Rubik's cube of a movie about a group of white-collared, tech-sawy software engineers who build a time machine in their garage. Sounds like a summer project for Calvin and Hobbes—only these guys use a bigger box (of the non-cardboard variety). Hell, they don't even know it's a time machine at first. Aaron (Shane Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan) work into the wee hours of the night, piecing things together, butting market! That scribbling noise heads and rubbing chins. you hear is Martha Stewart Hmm. They know they're creating taking notes. Pretty straightforward so something—possibly something lucrative—but confound far, right? But wait—movies it all, just what is it? It looks that hurtle through time and like a Mr. Coffee machine space always toy with paracrossbred with a nuclear re- doxes and "Primer" whores actor. Turns out the machine itself out to them. Aaron and secretes a protein that would Abe must time their journeys normally take days to form. just right so they can avoid Time passes much quicker in- their past selves, side the box than outside, or But what harm would that something like that. do? Would future Abe cease These characters talk in the to be if he locked his double sort of shorthand, rat-a-tat- in the closet? Or do they extat Geek Speak that nobody ist as two completely sepaoutside of MIT would under- rate beings on one timeline? stand. It's a bit overwhelming, If Aaron's cell phone rings, is but that's OK. Like an episode the call from the past or the of "E.R.," we may not get the future? Can phone calls travel terminology, but we get the through time? Would you incur roaming charges for that? behavior beneath the words. It's fun to ask these quesThey build a bigger machine, big enough to climb inside tions, but only for so long. and travel backward in time. Paradox after paradox and And what do they do with twist after twist pile up until their future knowledge? Pre- the sheer glut of plot makes vent a murder? Save a suicide "Primer" absolutely incomjumper? No sir, this is not your prehensible. grandpa's "Early Edition." There's a whole storyline Like the good, capitalistic about a shotgun at a party middle Americans they are, that will blow right past you. Aaron and Abe play the stock And when the motivations of the characters turn a little... crazy...it's unclear why and how they came to such drastic decisions. I seriously doubt a second viewing would help confused viewers. Writer/director Shane Curruth (who also stars as Aaron) has crafted a screenplay too tricky for its own good. His characters look tired and confused after countless trips down the space-time \H'"HIGHER continuum. Boy oh boy, can we sympathize with that. "Primer" made a big splash at Sundance last January where it won "Best Drama," a loopy decision caused by altitude sickness, no doubt. Here's a movie that never holds your hand, never explains anything in laymen terms, never looks back to see if you're still there. It's a brave decision that doesn't pay off. Movies like "Memento" and "The Usual Suspects" had brain-bending structures too, but we eventually had some idea of where we were, what we were watching and why the characters did what they did. The only thing Carruth's movie is prime for are vague and sparse ambiguities, which, in turn, primes everyone for boredom. aallen@chronide. Utah, edu EDUCATION ASSISTANCE AUTHORITY It's in your interest... consolidate your student loans Other benefits and features offered through UHEAA's Federal Consolidation Loan Program include; fslo credit chec £ . ^ ••-:-; if] Flexible, extended^ repayment plans •< No pre-payment penalty "What is it, man?" "Looks like a Sundance squeak-by, Jim." "tower Rates for consolidating during Earth! Wind! Fire! Calendar! Nov. 18 Thursday So here's something you might not know about Calendar-we're in a gang. In fact, we are a gang. Nobody messes with Calendar... we're crazy, homes! We go around and tag stuff and wear the same color and beat up old grannies. Word. Yep, that's a pretty typical day in the C-City Killas. You want in? Cool, no problem. We're not an exclusive gang or anything. Anybody can join. Didn't you hear us-anybody, killa. Or, more specifically, Anybody Killa, Esham, Mack 10 and, most importantly, those craaazzzyyy circus freaks in the Insane Clown Posse. Clowns, don't even front, we know where you play: Utah State Fairpark (155 N. 1OOO West) at 5 p.m. for $ 3 0 . Seriously? $ 3 0 ? Do you have any idea who listens to ICP? Hint: Though they share similar backgrounds, they hate Eminem. And in the event of a natural disaster, most of their homes would be just fine...because they're mobile! Ya'll must be high... On fire. High on Fire. Tonight at Crazygoat Live (119 S. West Temple) at 9 p.m. for $ 8 . Now that's a price Calendar can deal with. Our prediction? Fire is the nationwide drug of choice by the year 2025. $8 a hit rivals that demonic LSD for the title of cheapest narcotic. Plus, it's got a totally awesome slogan: 'Get burned.' Incendiary. Somewhat less incendiary, but markedly more spandex-friendly, is the Utah Ballet, which showcases its "Tribute" performance at Kingsbury Hall ( 1 3 9 5 E. Presidents' Circle) tonight at 7 : 3 0 p.m. for $ 8 , $12 or $16, depending on how close to the ; "action" you feel like sitting. The ^performance runs until the 20th i of this month. Don't miss it. Seriously. Ballet is awesome-sauce, with a sprinkling of toe-shoe. Sounds delicious, huh? Earth! Wind! Air! Water! Fire! Heart! Heart? Hey...heart's not an element, what gives? Whatever. "Captain Planet" is the coolest thing since toasted bread. Which, you know, is pretty cool. Get the inner geek out at the "Captain Planet" Marathon today from 7 - 9 p.m. in the Heritage Center. Stoner bonus: Free pizza! the grace^period INTEREST RATES AT A RECORD LOW... Rood The | Chronicle; online | Svww.dailyutahclironicle.com: ^vvv.dailyutahchroniclc.corni jwwvv.dailyutahchronicle.com: Kvww.dailyu tahchronicle.com; ivwvw.daiK'utahchronicle.coni: jvvww.dailvu tahchronicle.com; M'vwv.daHyutahchroniclc.corni Let UHEAA help you lock in the lowest rates in student loan history...for the life of your loan. Take advantage of our great borrower benefits including a 1.25% percentage point reduction in your interest for having your payments automatically deducted from your checking or savings. + >.*-.;;*.,*? Get an additional 1% interest reduction by making 48 on-time payments. Call us today...there may never be a better time to consolidate your student loans. For Your Future 877.336.7378 • www.uheaa.org • uheaaloans@utahsbr.edu Just in case Capt. Planet and his sidekicks can't get your motherearth juices flowing, you can do one of two things: 1) Go watch "Waterworld" and realize those guys had to pee in lime trees to get clean water, which sucks, therefore pollution sucks, or 2} Make it easier on yourself (Kevin Costner with "gifls" on his face is NOT easy to look at. Those things look eerily like...never mind) and just check out the edifying Global Warming Truth behind " T h e Day After Tomorrow" today from 7 10 p.m. in LNCO 1110 for free. One question: Why can't trees hug back? Then, go ahead and dance away your eco-sorrows alf night long. Don't know how to dance? Didn't see "Swing Kids?" Too bad, but you're still in luck. The B is teaching all you kids with two left feet how to shake your tail feather tonight from 7:30-11 p.m. in the Union Ballroom. Then go show all your fancy new footsteps to the drunk co-eds at Cabana Club (31 E. 4 0 0 South) and hope to swing your way into his/her dorm room. It is, after all, College Night at the biggest little piano bar in town. Oh yeah, and how could we possibly forget? Like all Thursdays, this one holds in its 7 p.m. timeslot, the golden God of modern soap operas, "The O.C." That's right, the sizzle is back. Will Seth and Summer get back together? Can Ryan and Marissa handle being 'just friends?' (How can we be 'just friends' if we were never just friends to begin with?) And for Pete's sake, whose baby is it!!!??? FOX TV r you have always had the country's 'fair and balanced' attention, now you own its soul. I hope that makes you happy. Or sends you straight to hell. Whichever. Guaranteed Aviation • Tuition Assistance For more info contact: Captain M.R.Vanderbeek Officer Selection Officer United States Marine Corps toll free tel: (866) 607-5567 vanderbeekmr@1 2mcd.usmc.mil www.marineofflcer.com No Obligation Starting Salaries from $35,000 to $40,000 Marines The Few, The Proud, |
