Palo Alto Weekly 09.07.2012 - Section 1 by Palo Alto Weekly

Movies actors. That view has led many to reject the controversial film as mere exploitation, but Zobel’s narrative control shows restraint, betraying none of the characters’ concealed pleasure or willful moral denial. Rated R for language and sexual content/nudity. One hour, 30 minutes. — Peter Canavese

The Words --

(Century 16, Century 20) Identity theft gets a fresh spin in “The Words,” an ensemble drama exploring moral crimes in the literary sphere. While I wouldn’t blame you for leaping to the likes of James Frey and non-fiction bestsellers built on juicy lies, “The Words” concerns a wholesale act of plagiarism, the purloined novel in question having taken inspiration from its true author’s life. Or maybe none of this ever happened. Maybe it just makes for a good story, or a good metaphor for untrustworthy character. And to go one “meta,” we actually know it never happened: It’s only a movie we’re watching. Wow. Deep. The film’s framing device finds bestselling author Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid) conducting an extensive public reading from his latest novel before offering private spoilers to an audience of one: hot literary groupie Daniella (Olivia Wilde). Hammond’s story, which forms most of the film, tells of Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper), whose dreams of artistic and popular success as a novelist have been repeatedly stymied. Told he’s talented but unpublishable, Rory settles into a mailroom job at a publishing firm so he can marry his sweetheart, Dora (Zoe Saldana). But when they honeymoon in Paris, Rory accidentally gets his hands on a long-lost unpublished manuscript, a soulful novel that shames Rory in its brilliance: first because he could never write something that elegant, and then because Dora reads it and professes deeper love due to her husband’s unexpected depths. Of course, Rory cannot bring himself to confess the novel’s origin. Instead, he offers the book to his boss for a second opinion. Suddenly, Rory finds a lucrative contract under his nose, and he makes a Faustian bargain with himself, seizing his dreams by selling someone else’s soul.

Century Theatres at Palo Alto Square Fri -Sat 9/7-9/8 Robot & Frank - 2:00, 5:00, 7:25, 9:45 Ruby Sparks - 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 9:50 Sun thru Thurs 9/9-9/13 Robot & Frank - 2:00, 5:00, 7:25 Ruby Sparks - 1:45, 4:30, 7:15

Tickets and Showtimes available at cinemark.com

That’s all well and good until an old man (Jeremy Irons) shows up to claim authorship of the now widely acclaimed bestseller. The old man has his own story to tell, of his younger self (Ben Barnes), the novel’s origins in tragedy, and how the book was lost in the first place. Despite the Russian-nestingdoll structure, “The Words” is a fairly straightforward yarn with bluntly articulated themes of Regret, Guilt, Misplaced Trust and the Vagaries of Fate. The direction by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal (also the screenwriters) is sturdy enough, as are the per-

Avenidas presents the 9th Annual formances by Irons (at his canniest) and Cooper (resonant in his moral rottenness). But while Marcelo Zarvos’ Philip Glass-lite score tries to convince us we’re watching “The Hours,” it’s hard to care about much of anything in this work of fiction about a work of fiction that’s either a couched confession or an artful “lie that tells the truth.” Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and smoking. One hour, 36 minutes. — Peter Canavese

Family Caregiver Conference Saturday, September 15, 9 am - 3 pm Mountain View, CA Topics will include: Forgiving yourself Long-term care costs Safe medication use Dementia care challenges Avoiding burnout Help for hoarding Free tours of Avenidas Rose Kleiner Center at 3 pm! Register at Avenidas.org or call (650) 289-5435.

Resources and programs for positive aging

Palo Alto Uniﬁed School District REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION OF BIDDERS PQ-12

DUVENECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MODERNIZATIONS & NEW CONSTRUCTION The Palo Alto Unified School District is inviting qualification information from General Contractors to provide Construction Services for an upcoming construction project. Duveneck Elementary School: Construction of a new two story classroom building, two single story classroom buildings & modernization to multiple existing buildings. Construction estimate is $8M. There will be a MANDATORY prequalification conference on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 10:00 AM at 25 Churchill Avenue, Building “D”, Palo Alto, CA. The project and the Prequalification package will be discussed.

SAVE THE DATE FOR THESE SPECIAL UPCOMING EVENTS!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Movie Screening at the Aquarius Theatre: “Who Does She Think She Is?” SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20

Divorce Recovery Seminar

september highlights NEW FOR THIS MONTH: — Job Strategy Groups — Journaling and Poetry — Assertive Woman Workshops — Uncover Your Joy & LifeStory — Goal Setting Workshop — Women & Sleep Workshop For further details, visit our website: deborahspalm.org 555 Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto 650/473-0664

debor ah’s palm

All responses to this RFQ must be received no later than 01:00 PM Tuesday, October 2, 2012. Interested firms shall submit Qualifications as described in the Prequalification Package to: Palo Alto Unified School District Facilities Department 25 Churchill Avenue, Building “D” Palo Alto, CA 94306 Attn: Lori Larson Direct questions regarding this Request for Qualification (RFQ) to Lori Alvarez Larson – lalvarez@pausd.org These are not requests for bids or offers by the District to contract with any party responding to this RFQ. The District reserves the right to reject any and all responses. All materials submitted to the District in response to this RFQ shall remain property of the District and may be considered a part of public record.

5K walk, 5K & 10K run

Moonlight RUN&WALK

Sept. 28