Thursday, November 25, 2010 • HERITAGE NEWSPAPERS/WESTERN REGION
Page 5-B
‘Unstoppable’ has flawed script, but unstoppable energy MOVIES IN REVIEW
RYAN MICHAELS
Hey, I’m Ryan Michaels, a 14year-old writing movie reviews for Heritage Newspapers. I’ve been doing it for three years, and enjoy it a lot. Here’s my review of “Unstoppable.” Consider me not a fan of Tony Scott. His films are the absolute epitome of style over substance. And considering that he only does action movies and thrillers, typically I would be fine with that, but Scott’s style gets really annoying, really fast. He fails to realize fast-paced cutting and shaky camera-
work does not comprise any sort of energy. It’s just showy and annoying, which is why I’m very surprised that all of these elements play to the advantage of his latest movie, “Unstoppable.” Denzel Washington and Chris Pine play train conductors that must do whatever they can to stop a runaway train from obliterating a good deal of southern Pennsylvania as most of the cars are loaded with explosive chemicals. “Unstoppable” is a movie that, like the locomotive it revolves around, gradually builds up
momentum and pace as it goes on. It’s a tautly paced, constantly entertaining action film, and a damn-near perfect example of the three-act plot structure. Washington and Pine are the principal leads in this movie, and the dynamic between the two is very entertaining to watch. It’s a familiar “old guynew guy to the job” type deal, but their performances make it work. It’s also something of a pleasure to see Pine, as he hasn’t been in a film since his breakout role as Kirk in the “Star Trek” reboot. Also, Kevin Dunn, Kevin
Daycroft Montessori hosts portable, inflatable planet Pupils from Daycroft Montessori School had a chance Oct. 20 to experience STARLAB, an inflatable, portable planetarium brought to Daycroft’s Elementary Campus on Zeeb Road in Ann Arbor by staff members of the Detroit Science Center. STARLAB, one of the Detroit Science Center’s “Traveling Science” programs, was just one of many math- and science-oriented activities the students experienced while their parents and teachers engaged in conferences. Each Daycroft classroom, from kindergarten through grades five and six, visited STARLAB for a 30-minute presentation on the current season’s sky. Students crawled through a narrow passage into
STARLAB’s dome-like space, just big enough to project the stars, planets and moon onto its ceiling. These hands-on workshops are keyed to groups of young learners from early childhood through high school age. The programs commonly take place at schools, churches, community centers and scout meetings. In Daycroft’s other Detroit Science Center-hosted programs, students explored how gardens grow by creating their own terrariums, learned about vibration and sound by making musical instruments from straws and learned about going “green” by reconstructing old shutters, stools and pipes into putt-putt golf and ring-toss games. The students also predicted and tested the effectiveness of para-
chutes of different sizes in safely landing wrapped eggs. The bigger the parachute the better, as it turned out. This helped students grasp concepts of fractions, percentages, proportion and scale. Another activity explored the effects of motion and friction. Solving the “Missing Money Mystery” put the focus on correct use of decimals. On hand to guide the students were Don Klaser, the Detroit Science Center’s manager of presentation outreach, and Scott Young, who coordinates education outreach and camp activities for the organization. Also helping out from the Detroit Science Center were educator Amy Seipke and presenters Freeman Harrison and Cathy Mandas.
Corrigan and the ever-reliable Rosario Dawson are all decent in their various supporting roles. The cast as a whole, however, does something of a miracle by making a clichéd script seem new, urgent and exciting. Mark Bomback’s script is inarguably the film’s greatest weakness because of how rehashed and predictable it can be at times. There’s no doubt the movie draws you in for its whole duration, but you can still guess virtually every beat this movie hits. Overall, “Unstoppable” is a
predictable, but thrilling and compelling thriller. It does what all great popcorn flicks do –– makes you not want to get up from your seat even once. It overcomes its flawed script to achieve a kind of momentum and energy that’s, well, unstoppable. Pun intended. I give it three out of four stars. Film critic Ryan Michaels, a freshman at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor and two-time winner of the Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper Contest for his reviews, can be reached through mrogers@heritage.com.
EMU theater opens season with Shakespearean classic Eastern Michigan University Theatre will open the 2010-2011 season with the Shakespearean classic “Hamlet.” Directed by Lee Stille, this edgy adaptation of “Hamlet” will be performed in the Quirk Theatre at 7 p.m. Oct. 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30, as well as 3 p.m. Oct. 24. All performances will take place in the Quirk Theatre in the Quirk Dramatic Arts Building, located at the intersection of East Circle Drive and Best Hall on EMU’s Ypsilanti Campus. Beneath the glossy facade of the new Denmark, young Prince Hamlet recognizes a dangerous world of pretense. Hamlet finds himself caught in an oppressive and sudden shift of power within his familial and political environment. His father is dead, and his mother married to his uncle, who sits upon his
father’s throne. Pushed to the brink by these recent events, Hamlet must war with himself while struggling to survive both betrayal and revenge. Stille brings William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy to new levels with contemporary twists and imaginative perspective. The production contains violence and sexual innuendo and is recommended for audiences 13 and older. Tickets for Hamlet are $15 regular admission, $12 for students, $9 for MainStage patrons. Tickets are available by phone at 4872282 and in person at the Convocation Center, the Student Center ticket office or the Quirk Box Office. To purchase tickets online visit www. emutix.com.
Shop & Dine Locally this Holiday Season for Great Last Minute Gifts!
Unique Jewelry
vintage • artisan • eco-funky Discover whimsical
Exp. 12/31/10
Princess DESIGNS
407 N. Fifth Ave. in Kerrytown Market & Shops Ann Arbor • 734.663.2628
28 days .... ‘til she knows that Santa read her letter! Downtown Tecumseh • (888) 659-8979 www.hackerjewelers.com
M SPEC IDNIGHT M IALS ADNE 10 S FRID AM - MID S AY, D EC 3R NIGHT! D.
© 2010
25% off with this coupon
gifts, holiday decor & fun surprises for everyone on your list!
407 N. FIFTH AVE • KERRYTOWN • ANN ARBOR 734.302.3060 • FOUNDGALLERY.COM