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UWG students complete short film; prepare for greatness
By Alix Carnes
Guest Writer
aearnesl@my.westtia.edu
It's definitely no
laughing matter that
UW(i's own David Heath
Yates has completed his
short film “No Laughing
Matter” and has entered
it into Chiller TV's Dare
to Direct Contest. The
film centers on the happy
couple James (played
by Chuck Manning) and
Rose (Yen Nguyen). All
seems well until James
begins having nightmares
and anxiety attacks. Upon
consulting a professional
(l)r. Brad Yates) about it,
James and Rose discover
Mr. Woodcock lacks any laughs despite solid casting
By Grant Wallace
Staff Writer
i> rannntS7@yalwo.com
Just the title of this
movie should give you a
pretty clear indication of
whether or not this movie
is for you. It's not like
Billy Bob Thornton even
needs anew name change
to make it sound funny.
And ironically enough,
it’s not even that funny.
But like their names, the
movie isn't capable of
much more. Mr. Thornton
is the only thing keeping
this movie in theaters right
now, which by the looks
of it, won’t be too much
longer.
Mr. Woodcock
teaches 7th grade physical
education, except he
isn't your average phiz
ed teacher. Instead of the
basics, he makes his class
more like a boot camp,
vouching to use verbal
abuse along with the
physical. Seann William
"Ugly" is totally the new in
By Lauren Lovvorn
Guest Writer
itrannntH7@xahoo.com
In the past few years, I
have given up on television.
Growing up with shows
such as Full House and
Family Matters,l find myself
completely uninterested in
the world of reality TV and
hour long television dramas.
I cannot help but wonder
what happened to the morals
and the lessons produced by
the shows of my childhood.
However, all of that
recently changed, and I
now find myself rushing
home every Thursday night
to catch weekly episodes
of ABC's Ugly Betty. This
Golden Globe winning
show brilliantly combines
the flashy comedy of today’s
sitcoms with the morals
found in older shows. The
show’s concept originated
from Columbia’s telenovela
Yo soy Betty, la fea.
When I tell people
about the show, 1 commonly
find misconceptions on
the s' nonsis. Ugly Betty,
actress Salma
i sh'w that
L>v/, . at the Latina girl
jm w
that the problem is no
joke.
The majority of
people who worked on
the project were students,
faculty, and alumni of
UWG, and according
to Yates, “The road to
completion was rough.”
Over the course of
a few weekends and two
weeks of shooting and
post-production, not to
mention late nights doing
storyboards at Waffle
House, “No Laughing
Matter" is completed. It
is not, however, the first
film Yates has done. In
fact, he and Manning
have their own production
company called Huck
Scott plays John Farley, an
overweight student of his
whom years later, would
go on to write a book about
letting go of
these past
nightmares.
His fame has
made him a
national figure
and people
from all over
praise him for
changing their
lives. His
homet o w n
decides to
award him
the town
medal for his
achievement,
so he decides
to come back
home and I
surprise his
mom with
a visit. The
climax is when
.. .. 1 1 St A £
Photo courtes\ Rottentomatoe\ .com
Despite the past comedy performances of Thorton and Scott, Mr. Woodcock
can't compete with the likes of near month old Superhad.
John realizes his mother
is dating Mr. Woodcock
and vows to split them
up. Not the most original
played bv America Ferrera.
The show celebrates
Betty Suarez for being an
intelligent individual who
ignores the constant societal
influences to conform to the
“ideal" look found in fashion
magazines.
Personal assistant to the
Editor-in-Chief of one of the
hottest fashion magazines,
Betty often saves the day
with her bright ideas. One
comes to admire her for her
honesty and commitment
to her job and personal self.
Just like the characters in
the show, one cannot help
falling in love with Betty,
despite her mismatched
wardrobe and exaggerated
braces.
To help balance the
show, audiences have the
comic relief characters
of Betty ’s nephew, Justin
(Mark Indelictao), the
musical obsessed 12
year old. Amanda (Becki
Newton), the snobby Mode
receptionist with a quite
famous mother (see season
finale of season 1), and
Marc (Michael Urie), the
deviously funny assistant
who plays the Will to
Amanda’s Grace.
You Productions. Of
course, his goals for “No
Laughing Matter" vary,
but “the first one is to make
the finals at Chiller’s Dare
to Direct Contest.” Yates
said. “This will cause my
work to be aired. Another
C'mlits:
David Heath Yates - Writer,
Director. Producer, Audio
Jose Avila-Kelly - Director of
Photography
Katy Rhodes - Makeup Artist
Ben Watts - Music
Production Assistants:
Melissa Blose
Tim Petty
Ereya Cole
Bubba Petty
Jerry Parts - Storyboard
Artist. F*rop Designer
screenplay but, like I said.
Billy Bob Thornton makes
it at least a little enjoyable.
Unfortunately, half the
jokes were revealed in
the trailer so I lost a few
laughs just from watching
that. As for Seann William
On the ABC website,
home to the show, creators
challenge viewers wfith the
campaign to "Be Ugly in
‘07.” They echo the message
of the show, as they tell us to
redefine the impossible goals
of beauty in the world today
by just being ourselves.
While we don't get
the over-the-top after
sch<x)l special music at the
conclusion of each episode
common in the TV shows
of my childhood, we do
still get the same messages
with a modem day twist.
To destroy all preconceived
notions. Ugly Betty does
not mock the very beautiful
America Ferrera in her fake
braces and wig. Instead, it
teaches us to embrace our
physical appearances and
not let them get in the way
of our dreams. I hope to see
more shows like this one in
the future.
For those who wish
to "uglify” themselves.
Season 1 is now available
in a box set, and the new
season premieres Thursday,
September 28 at 8:(X) PM.
To learn more about the
show, or to watch episodes
online, go to www.abc.com.
goal is to sell this short
with a couple other shorts
I made on DVD.”
Anyone can go online
to vote for Yates’ film
at www.chillertv.com/
Dare_to_Direct/Video_
Gallery/31320.htm1.
Cast:
Chuck Manning James
Yen Nguyen - Rose
Dr. Brad Yates - Dr. CJacey
Heath Yates Heathciiff the
Clown
Tim Petty David
Josh Mi lam - Young James
Anthony Johnson - Policeman
Students:
Katy Rhodes
F-reya Cole
Emily Rhodes
Bubba Petty
Bo Collar
Scott, ever since American
Pie came out, 1 haven’t
seen him in anything
worthwhile, this included.
He does a tine job
acting, but his character
worked against him.
When jokes weren’t being
As Cities Burn's "Come Now Sleep" amazes
By Adam Disser
Guest Writer
gdisser / @ westga .edit
Released Aug. 14,
“Come Now Sleep,” the
newest release from the
band As Cities Burn is
one that easily qualifies
for at least one of the top
five, if not the number
one album of 2007.
Following their debut
album, “Son, I Loved
You at Your Darkest,”
another great CD, As
Cities Burn lost their
former lead singer, thus
resulting in a softer, yet
still energy-filled sound
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told, the movie and
in anything to mak ,
for the space in-between.
Amy Poehler’s character
even plays
a dumbed
down part,
which is sad
because we
all know
how funny
she can be as
Seth Myer's
co anchor
on Saturday
Night Live.
Ethan
Suplee also
appears
in parts of
the movie
as Johns
partner,
trying to
I
help him get
rid of Mr.
Woodcock.
And
although his parts are
funnier than Seanns or
Amys, they are too short
lived and when compared
of their own. Even with
a dramatic change such
as this, “Come Now
Sleep” still delivers the
influential messages and
amazing music that the
last CD did and even
rivals it at points. Every
member of this band is
exceptionally talented at
what they do and it truly
shows in this album.
Although it is out
rightly Christian in
nature, “Come Now
Sleep”canstillbeenjoyed
by a vast audience, for
many of its messages are
universal and for those
t
to his past work (Art School
Confidential, Clerks II),
Mr. Woodcock is too PG
of a movie for Ethan’s best
comedy. The ending of the
movie is foreseeable but it
does leave w ith one of the
movie’s best laughs.
Seann Williams
Scott’s career has been
headed downhill for quite
sometime and with a movie
like this, I don’t see any
progress in the near future.
On the contrary. Bill Bob
Thornton’s past resume of
flops (Bad News Bears.
Bad Santa), has taken a turn
for the better, w hich I hope
is a sign of good things to
come. If you’re looking
for a movie to kill some
time with, this would be
the one. If you’re looking
for anything else, you’d be
better off seeing Superbad
for the third time.
2/5
who are Christian, it can
strengthen and positively
challenge the way one
views their own faith
and life itself. Here is an
excerpt from the song
“Timothy” from “Come
Now Sleep”:
Tell me I’m only
dreaming.
Tell me he’s just
sleeping.
And when morning
comes,
We’ll both wake up to
see the sun,
And love that’s enough to
keep our friends alive.
Then take me back
to where 1 was,
before I was bom.
It’s like sweet and
dreamlessly. it
sounds like heaven
to me
Overall, “Come
Now Sleep” is a
must have for those
people that like
good music. It will
certainly be better
and more inspiring
than any MCR
album you have or
have ever thought
about purchasing.
This album truly
pushes perfection.