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Thursday, December 16, 2010 • HERITAGE NEWSPAPERS/WESTERN REGION
‘Tangled’ soars, but also plays it safe 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 “Tangled.” Catchy songs, upbeat heroine, bubble-gum attitude and gorgeous animation. These are what tend to define classic Disney animation, which is to say the periods in which they hit their stride (1940s, ’50s, and early ’90s). They’re clearly aiming for that vibe with their latest and 50th film, “Tangled,” a telling of the tale of Rapunzel. In this, Rapunzel is still a naive, longhaired princess stuck in a tower for all 20-something years of her life. When a charming thief named Flynn hides away in her tower, Rapunzel sees it as an opportunity to witness the outside world. The unlikely duo get in all sorts of adventures and, in true Disney form, begin to fall for one another. Despite the fact that the film is rendered with computers, this is a movie that looks and feels like a traditionally animat-
expect, never feeling really ed one, and I mean this in both important or necessary. good and bad ways. It’s good, Mind you, it’s never once because, let’s face it, the film is boring, and to be sure I sat in absolutely gorgeous. the theater enjoying myself a Over the last six years, good deal, but conDisney poured $260 sidered: After all million into developthe amazing movies ing this movie, and Disney has given us, nearly every penny did such a standard shows on screen. It one really need to blends the abstract be made? Had they beauty of handfocused on the story drawn animation as much as they did with the vivid detail the visuals, then of that of computerprobably so. But, generated animainstead, we have tion. Every frame is “Tangled,” a movie a visual revelation. that soars in some It’s also refreshrespects but plays ingly straight-forit far too safe in ward, doing away others. with the self-aware, RYAN MICHAELS I give it 2.5 out of referential style 4 stars. we’re used to from, say, a “Shrek” Film critic Ryan Michaels, a movie. But the downside of adhering freshman at Skyline High School to the Mouse House’s tradition- in Ann Arbor and two-time winal habits is that “Tangled” plays ner of the Michigan Press and feels like most other Disney Association Better Newspaper Contest for his reviews, can be films, and most animated films reached through for that matter. It pleasantly ebbs and bobs along for 90 min- mrogers@heritage.com. utes, hitting all the beats and character moments you would
MOVIE REVIEW
New research offers hope for Alzheimer’s treatments this work, with funding from New molecular tools develthe U of M Horace H. Rackham oped at the University of School of Graduate Studies, the Michigan show promise for “cleansing” the brain of amyloid plaques, implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. A hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease — a neurodegenerative disease with no cure — is the aggregation of protein-like bits known as amyloid-beta peptides into clumps in the brain called plaques. These plaques and their intermediate messes can cause cell death, leading to the disease’s devastating symptoms of memory loss and other mental difficulties. The mechanisms responsible for the formation of these misfolded proteins and their associations with Alzheimer’s disease are not entirely understood, but it’s thought that copper and zinc ions are somehow involved. The research, led by assistant professor Mi Hee Lim, was published online Dec. 3 in the Proceedings of the National Tues Dec 21st Academy of Science. 7pm Longest Night Service In earlier work, Lim and her Christmas Eve: team developed dual-purpose molecular tools that both grab 5p.m. Family Service metal ions and interact with 7p.m. Communion amyloid-beta. 11p.m. Candlelight The researchers went on to show that in solutions with First United Methodist or without living cells, the Church of Saline molecules were able to regulate copper-induced amyloid-beta 1200 N. Ann Arbor Street aggregation, not only disruptSaline, MI 48176 ing the formation of clumps but (734) 429-4730 also breaking up clumps that www.fumc-saline.org already had formed. Building upon that first generation of compounds, Lim First United and lab members Jung-Suk Methodist Church Choi and Joseph Braymer now 128 Park Street, Chelsea, MI report a second generation of 734.475.8119 www.chelseaumc.org compounds that are more stable in biological environments. December 21 - 7:00 p.m. Longest Night Service The researchers tested one of those compounds, described Rejoice in the birth of Christ in the PNAS paper, in homogewith us on Christmas Eve! nized brain tissue samples from 4:00 p.m. Children’s Christmas Alzheimer’s disease patients. Eve Service “We found that our compound 8:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service with Communion is capable of disassembling the 10:30 p.m. Candlelight and mis-folded amyloid clumps to Communion with form smaller amyloid pieces, Liberty Brass Quintet which might be ‘cleansed’ from the brain more easily, December 26 demonstrating a therapeutic One service at 11:00 a.m. application of our compound,” Rev. Joy Barrett said Lim, who has joint appointRev. Tom Macaulay ments in the Life Sciences Institute and the Department of Chemistry. In addition, preliminary tests Christmas Worship Service Sunday, December 19, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. show that the bi-functional Chelsea High School Auditorium small molecules have a strong Nursery & Children’s Church available potential to cross the bloodRefreshments served beginning at 10:00 a.m. brain barrier, the barricade of Parking at the rear of the building. cells that separates brain tissue Sponsored by Immanuel Bible Church from circulating blood, protecting the brain from harmful subChristmas Eve Service stances in the bloodstream. Friday, December 24, 2010 at “Crossing this barrier is 6:00 p.m. essential for any treatment like Immanuel Bible Church this to be successful,” Lim said. 145 E. Summit Street, Chelsea Next steps include more 734.475.8936 intensive testing of the new immanuelbiblechurch.net compounds for diagnostic and therapeutic properties. Lim and her team collaborated with Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy, professor of chemistry and biophysics on
You are invited to join us this Christmas!
Parading through town R&B Plastics Machinery entered the Saline Christmas Parade for the first time this year. The company manufactures large machines that make plastic bottles of all shapes and sizes for markets such as packaging, food and beverage, dairy, detergents, motor oil and many more. The company is more than 33 years old and has some 55 employees. They chose the theme, “A Candy-land Christmas Story” to tie-in with the parade theme and show how plastics play a big part in everyone’s daily lives. Pictured are Bob Phelps, warehouse manager, and Dave Abraham, paint-booth operator, as the parade route bends through Saline.
Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative and the National Institutes of Health.
Call 734-246-0828 To Advertise Your Christmas Church Services
First Congregational United Church of Christ 121 East Middle, Chelsea 475-1844
Evensong Service
St. Joseph Church Corner of Mast & North Territorial Dexter, MI
7:00 p.m. December 15th
Celebrate the Season
The Country Church 734-426-8483
Christmas Eve December 24th
Christmas Eve Masses
Candle Light Service
at 4:30pm, 7:30pm & 11:00 pm
7:00 p.m. Lessons and Carols Visitors Always Welcome Pastor Marie Paterik
Christmas Day Mass at 10:00 am (no 5:00 pm Mass) Where CHRIST is Present… Christmas is Never Past!
St. Mary Roman Catholic Church Manchester
Episcopal and ELCA Lutheran
Downtown at 210 West Main Street
O Come, O Come Emmanuel! HOLY MASSES ON… Christmas Eve at 5:00 pm Midnight Mass at midnight Christmas Morning at 10 am
Christmas Eve Services 5:30 p.m. Family Worship 9:00 p.m. With Choir 6299 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. Saline, MI 48176 734-429-2991 www.holy-faith-church.org
Milan Free Methodist Church 950 E. Arkona Road Milan, MI 48160 (734) 439-2414
Christmas Eve at
5:00 pm Our Candles, Carols & Communion Service has become an anticipated tradition.
3050 S. Fletcher Rd., Chelsea (734) 475-8064
Webster United Church of Christ 5484 Webster Church Rd. Dexter, MI (734) 426-5115
Christmas Eve 1:30 pm Worship with Holy Communion 7:00 pm Candlelight Worship with Holy Communion 11:00 pm Candlelight Worship with Holy Communion at Historic Zion
Welcoming All People and All Families Whoever and Wherever They are on Their Faith Journey . . . Please Join Us for
Christmas Eve Family Service, 7:30pm
3:00PM – Christmas Eve Worship featuring Luke Schaible on the accordion. Worship will feature traditional German carols and songs, sermon and Holy Communion 7:30PM – Sunday School Christmas Eve Program, “The Little Shepherd” (Loose offering will go to the Sunday School) 11:00PM – Festive Candlelight Service with Holy Communion St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 8805 Austin Road, Bridgewater, MI 48115
The Rev. Ian Reed Twiss, Pastor The Rev. Don Dersnah, Deacon
Zion Lutheran Church
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24 CHRISTMAS EVE
Manchester United Methodist Christmas Eve Services
7:30 & 11:00 501 Ann Arbor St. — (M-52) Manchester, MI
(734) 428- 8495 Musical preludes begin one-half hour before each service.