TLe.Rodt's'Scorpion'.ding_stLe.ate.n

l)y Gerl Ly11nUtter staff writer

Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper gave it thumbs down, but critics everywhere have been giving the "Scorpion King" praise.

Starring The Rock, the. World Wrestling Federation's pretty boy responsible for dismissing every 'wannabe·wrestler that crosses his path, "Scorpion King•·is exciting.

Even though the "Scorpion I(ipg" • is staged in a completely different era with warriors, rather than rookie wrestlers. The Rock gets two hours to flex bis muscles and show Memnon, the king of Gomorrah, who's boss.

Memnon and his band of waniors are in the process of driving other tribes out of their native lands. in order to gain more power and increase the size of his empire.

Under Memnon's control is the Sorceress, played by Kelly Hu. the key to Memnon's predicted victories. Memnon holds the Sorceress as a lavish prisoner, in order to help hirnformhis attack strategies and.act as a symbol of hope and courage for his elite anny.

Methyus, 'TheRock'scharacter, is hired by the other tribes in danger of being conquered by Memnon's anny to kill his priz.ed possession, the Sorceress. However, rather than kill the beautiful Sorceress, Methyus takes her captive and they fall in love.. left with a only a few more from the grunge era, such as Eddie Vedder, Chris Cornell and Scott Weiland," Knobler said. Other people will miss the music of Alice In Chains.

Methyus, the Sorceress and the endangered tribes band together to conquer Memnon and reclaim their lands.

After seeing the "Scorpion King'' I found it to be action-packed and entertaining. And. come on ladies, The Rock is half-nakedthroughout the entire movie. Don't think the directors forgot the .fellas, Kelly Hu is stunning with her skin-revealing costumes throughout the.movie. Who cares about Ebert and Roeper's thumbs down rating? The "Scorpion King" is an entertaining flick with a good plot, starring beautiful peopJe.

Quincy Adam, a sophomore, was also upset by Staley's death. "He had one of the most distinct voices in rock, which really made the band. Alice In Chains was one of the first bands that influenced my guitar playing and really helped me improve my playing," Adam said.

The band members were joined at the vigil by more than 200 fans, many of whom left notes and flowers in remembrance of the late singer. There was a request from Staley's family for the media to respect their privacy as they mourn their loss. Staley's family also has asked for donations to be made to Eastside Recovery Center in Bellevue, Washington.

Web Exclusive

Log onto www.theloquitur.com and follow the links for tracks by Alice In Chains and Paul McCartney.

•••••••••••••••••••• Spring Fling Update

Next week, Loquitur wraps up the coverage of the Spring • Fling bands. Look for articles on the bands "Eazy Four" and "He -Said, She Said."

Sam Shepanl's play, "The Curse of the Starving Class," is billed as a dark comedy. However.mnyof tile situations in the play were so far removed from what is considered "nor~ mal" life, that it was bard to find the hwnoTin them.

The play is about a fanning family living in the Imperial Valley, California. The year is 1976. The father~Weston, is an obvious alcoholic. whereas the mother; Ella. attempts to keep her alcohol problem hidden. The two childml. l3mtna and Wesley, at times appear more adult than their parents.. but this isa mask for their own problems that- have msulted,. fmm.lbeir mixed .dulclooods.

In addition to the theme of are addressed in the play as well. The ihemes of poverty, infidelity, and the phasing out of an agricultural ~iety are a~ as well. At times tbeweakofhean. Many imense Steve Hatzai, as Weston .the scenes are depicted on the stage, alcoholic father, also gave a such as. examples of domestic beautiful performance. His and~. uge.1. The drunken rages and times of son, Wesley, appears onstage almost maniacal happiness were covered in blood at one point in truly convincing and had me on the show. At another point, a the edge of my scat. Tbe real._bu&metedlamb-carcass is er, played by Maryann Elder. brought on the stage. There is also gave a good performance. no doubt that it is real, once you though at times I found her begin to smell it from your seat harsh character to be a bit too in the audience. There is 1:vena much. gun in the play, which the There is not much of a daughter, Emma, at one point • comedic nature to be found in rums at her mother. One of the this play, but do not let that stop most memorable scenes of the you from seeing it. There are play is when Wesley pulls food many beautiful moments and out of the refrigerator, throws on important lessons to learn from the floor and begins to gorge this play. It is admittedly a night himself with it while his hands of heavy thinking and the play are still bloodied. The scene is may even leave you a bit absolutely grotesque. depressed.,but the insights it will