behrcolls @ aol.com
This 'Punch' is spiked with wit, humor
by Daniel J. Stasiewski
staff writer
**** out of ****
Describing any P.T. Anderson film
as both bizarre and brilliant should
never come as a surprise. He is, after
all, the man who wrote the climactic
frog-raining scene in "Magnolia."
However, using the word brilliant to
describe an Adam Sandler movie isn't
just surprising, it's almost unheard of.
The Sandler/Anderson collaboration,
"Punch-Drunk Love," is more than
just brilliant. It's as funny as it is
scary, as timid as it is edgy. It's a
dizzying mesh of classic styles and a
modern story. "Punch-Drunk Love"
is as big an oxymoron as a brilliant
Adam Sandler film ought to be, and I
loved every moment of it.
Life is tough for Barry Egan
(Sandler). The troubled small
business owner is looking for
anything to fill the void in his lonely
life. His seven irksome sisters don't
help, as their interference only sets off
his explosive temper. Instead of
working on his social skills, Barry
concerns himself with collecting
Healthy Choice pudding cups in order
to take advantage of a loophole in its
airline miles promotion.
Barry does recognize that he needs
help. Instead of turning to a
psychiatrist, Barry looks for support
in the sultry voice of a phone sex
operator. When the operator tries to
scam Barry out of $750, he refuses
only to start an all-out war with the
phone sex company owner (Philip
Seymour Hoffman).
Five reasons why everybody
should love Raymond
PHOTO FROM EVERYBODYLOVESRAY COM
Even though we all love Ray Romano, he has not yet signed on for next
year.
When one hears about must-see TV comedy, one would
assume "Friends," "Frasier," or even "Will and Grace." And
those comedies deserve respect.
However, for the past seven years, CBS has worked up
their own little "must see TV" Monday nights, anchored by
one of the tube's hottest shows, "Everybody Loves
Raymond," starring a slew of Emmy winners, including Ray
Romano, Patricia Heaton, and Brad Garrett. The hit focuses
on the Barone family, Ray, his wife, and the unfortunate
situation of his parents living across the street.
It's true that "Ray" is not hyped the way NBC hypes its
comedies, but quite simply, CBS doesn't have to. Raymond
has found its audience and consistently finishes in the top
five when the weekly Nielsen Ratings come out. So, if you
haven't seen "Everybody Loves Raymond," here are five
reasons why, you too, would love Raymond.
1) "Who is that, the devil?" asks Ray of his daughter's
hand-drawn picture of Hell.
"No, it's you," she replies, matter-of-factly
Yes, Ray certainly has his hands full of family life.
But he'd rather not. The sports columnist husband would
rather sit on the couch and watch the game than help clean
up after the kids, talk to his wife, Debra, or go to church with
the family.
However, Ray keeps audiences in stitches with a happy
comedic medium of being funny, but not hilarious. His dry
humor mixed with almost childish antics makes him different
from his comedic rivals at NBC. In fact, "Everybody Loves
Barry's life of pudding cup
promotions and threatening phone sex
operators gets more complicated when
he finally finds that special someone
in his sister's coworker, Lena (Emily
Watson). Lena is a frequent traveler,
which works great with his plan to
collect thousands of airline miles from
pudding. Now if he could just get the
phone sex company off his back.
Punch-drunk is the perfect way to
describe your condition after walking
out of this film. For an hour and a
half, writer/director P.T. Anderson
takes the audience through a world
by Rachel Lyon
staff writer
tson, shows
that is peculiar in every way. The
opening scene of a sudden, violent car
crash followed by the mid-street drop
off of an old harmonium is as jarring
as thousands of frogs falling from the
sky. When Egan picks the harmonium
out of the street, the reality of how
utterly fantastic "Punch-Drunk Love"
is just begins to take shape.
The characters in "Punch-Drunk
Love" are a quirky bunch of misfits
and outcasts. Take Barry, for
example. Beside his pudding
collection, phone sex therapy, and
volatile tern • er, Ba hides com slete
Ray's wife, Debra's term of
endearment for her husband can be
heard weekly, as he tries to cope with
what she calls her "gothic-novel" type
of life. Who could blame her? Her
in-laws could almost be considered
"live-in-laws." Besides Marie's less
than sympathetic feelings toward her
daughter in law, she views
Debra(Patricia Heaton) as a messy
housekeeper, awful cook, and less
than nurturing mother. Plus Debra
must deal with Ray's "hands-off'
approach when it comes to household
duties. She's got to take on the
superwoman role as she battles her
evil, intrusive in-laws, her unwilling
husband, and the regular pressures of the modern homemaker.
Unfortunately, she has yet to conquer all three. She may win
a few battles, but overall, she's losing the war, and sometimes
at the sacrifice of her sanity. However, she and Ray unite in
the end, and the two are agreeable on the fact that their
relationship is "relatively normal."
3) "I was born with this family. I'm stuck AI them!"
Yes, family. Can't live with them, can live without them.
At least Ray would agree. Ray's parents, Frank and Marie,
played by Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, call his house just
as much of a home as their own.. sight across the street. And
it's a wonder the 60-some couple haven't killed each other.
They argue constantly over issues such as who invented the
lawn. Then there's older brother Robert (Brad Garrett). Dear
old, bumbling, pathetic Robert, also, for a time, living across
the street with his parents. And Ray's older bro never lets
him forget who the favorite is in the family. "Raymond. He's
the center of attention; the center of affection; he gets the
center chair at the table..." and so on.
4) "Everybody Loves Ray" Every night
If you haven't seen "Ray" prior to now, don't wait until
Monday at 9 p.m. to see for yourself. WJET-24 reruns the
show every weeknight at 7:00. If you haven't seen these
episodes before, they're new to you.
5) Time May Be Running Out!
As of yet, Romano. has not signed on for the next year of
the sitcom. Yes, it seems so many sit-corns are threatening
to pull the plug after this year, but when it comes to
"Raymond" better safe than sorry. Tune in Monday nights at
9 p.m. on CBS before time if up.
MOM 4
Friday, November 1, 2002
his serious acting ti
Raymond" is based on Ray Romano's
real life. So some of the outrageous
situations Ray Barone finds himself
in can't be too far off from reality.
2) "Idiot!"
lack of self confidence behind a single
blue suit because he "thought it would
be nice to get dressed up to go to
work." Of course he wears the same
suit everyday, wherever he goes.
Barry's idiosyncrasies also help
Sandler give a solid performance. No,
it's not anything spectacular and it's
nowhere near Oscar worthy, but as
Barry, Sandler is able to try something
new without completely abandoning
the hot-blooded character he is known
for. I won't compare Sandler's turn
from slapstick to Jim Carrey's yet, but
The Code invades
Edinboro on Saturday
The Code plays raw punk rock with political and social mes
sages.
Fa114)4
by Kevin
staff writes
The 6ced - is - one twill ' that is we's
talk.
The Code plays raw street punk, in the
vein of Operation Ivy;and Bad Religion,
with a political and social message. But
the bend doesn'tjust sing about politics,
it is active as wen.
Fix example; last Saturday the Code
played an anti-war benefit show and
participated in protests in Washington
"We were right near the Vietnam
Memorial with a 11200,000 people," said
singer Mare Clinget jlt was amazing.
It was very peaceful, It's about showing
we don't want violence as a means to an
end. It was probably one of the greatest
things I've ever been apart of in my life."
The Code's &h i tt CD , "Alert Aware
Involved," show am s the band's socially
conscience message though fast paced
bare-bones punk rock. Songs such as
"Riot" and John Doe" show the band's
political side; something the band thinks
has been lacking in punk rock.
"We as people need to work together
more,"- said Clinger. "There are so many
things in this world that are (messed) up
that we pass off. We need to be more
alert, aware, and involved about the
things that go on around us that rule our
"Tice rant thing fibout punk rock
in it's about doing your own thingl
•
The Behrend Beacon
if Sandler does have another movie
like "Punch-Drunk" I might have to.
Sandler's costar Watson is the perfect
companion. As Lena, Watson is able
to portray her character with the poise
of a Hollywood starlet and still seem
completely reluctant to do so. There's
sweetness in her hesitation, and Lena
becomes the most honest character
because of it.
The characters, however fun, are
not the film's biggest attribute. P.T.
Anderson has directed a masterwork,
here. "Punch-Drunk Love," even with
its contemporary plot, finds a way to
combine old, otherwise conflicting
Hollywood film styles. The complete
absurdity of a screwball comedy, the
passion of an old-fashioned romance,
and the sinister thrills of film noir are
all present. With a shrill female voice
repeatedly singing "He Loves Me"
and an iris shot on Lena and Barry
holding hands, all this film needs is a
fast- motion sequence to throw silent
film into the mix.
I'm convinced that the
extraordinary Billy Wilder (director of
"Some Like it Hot" and "Sunset
Blvd.") would have loved this movie
It's zany and madcap, romantic, and
incredibly dark. Not all at once, but
repeatedly and appropriately. For
Sandler this is a much-needed
separation from his days as "Happy
Gilmore." Actually, everyone needs a
break from those days, and there's no
better place to find it than in
Anderson's "Punch-Drunk Love."
believe the social and pOl
of punk have been waning
decade. Butthee;j€.li...i,!:..;:.:,::
of kids becoming moo awn*
around them."
Clinger, an Erie native, proved to
Pittsburgh and formed the &teie after
few failed attempts at bands in Brie.
The band soon signed to A.F. menik
which is run by members ofAnti-Flag.
Since then the band has played thaws
with bands such as Good Ridding* as
well as staying active in the punk ow.
The Code will tour with Anti-Flts
and the Bouncing Souls this winter: Bitt
first, the Code will play the Hangout in
Edinboro on Saturday, along with
Common Rider, featuring members of
Operation Ivy and Scratching Wheasel,
some of the Code's influences and
idols.
"One thing that I learned from Erie,
especially the hardcore scene, was it is
all about doing to for yourself," said
Clinger. "Its funny to come back to a
town where you grew up and had no
success in with bands and come back
and there's 300 kids singing along to
your lyrics. It really inspires me
whenever I come back."
The band hopes to make more people
alert, aware, and involved by playing
shows and pushing their punk ideals.
After all, as Op Ivy said, "There ain't
nothing wrong with another unity
song."
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