THE COAST NEWS
A10
FEB. 8, 2013
New gallery opens in Village Use caution with ‘Side Effects’ By Noah S. Lee By Bryan Snyder
Special to The Coast News CARLSBAD — On Feb. 2, Carlsbad resident and artist Greg “Viz” Visintainer introduced his new Viz Art Ink Gallery to the Car lsbad Village. The gallery walls exhibit Visintainer’s art from originals to print reproductions. His imagery includes pop iconography, sports, cityscapes and geometric abstractions, but a step closer and guests were introduced to
Viz Art Ink takes doodle illustrations to the next level” * UHJ 9L] 9 LVLQW DLQHU $ UW LVW
Artist Greg “Viz” Visintainer introduces his work and gallery Viz Art Ink Gallery to the Carlsbad Village area earlier this month. Photo by Bryan a whole new world within Snyder
each composition. “Viz Art Ink takes doodle illustrations to the ne xt level,” Visintainer explains. “The main image is created by dozens of images within the main image.” Each composition begins with weeks of research, which ultimately leads to the hidden imagery that makes up each piece. Visintainer even goes as far as visiting locations around the U.S. as a way to inspire content for his future illustrations, as well as to do
the final piece justice. Visintainer’s approach to creating and selling art has been perfected through years of selling his illustrations at street fairs and festivals, but he began his pen ink illustrations as a simple way to pass time in class beginning at the age of 15. They later became a therapeutic process that helped him cope with hardships he faced in life. “It’s my meditation therapy and how I get rid of my
demons,” Visintainer explains. “Whenever I am going though tough times, I draw.” Though his pr ocess is very meditative, Visintainer also works closely with companies where he has created brand specific Viz Art Ink pieces for DC snowboards and apparel, which can be browsed at his gallery. Viz Art Ink Gallery is at 2906 State St. and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Are you a patient of Steven Soderbergh’s? If so, I advise you to not tak e the “Side Effects” medication he has prescribed to you and get a second opinion fr om a trustworthy doctor. I may enjoy thrillers as much as the ne xt moviegoer does, but I’ve also come to realize that even a fan of the genre has to under stand what makes this type of film work. As long as the puzzle spreads its clues for us to figure out and the fearful excitement is injected with just the right amount of intensity, then a thriller is fulfilling its pur pose. If any number of those qualifications is not met,then you can expect whatever it is y ou’re watching to be a disg race to the genre’s name. “Side Effects” exemplifies the ine vitable consequences of said disgrace and should not be taken by anyone. Successful psychiatrist Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) begins to conduct sessions with a y oung married woman named Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara), who is suffering from an anxiety disorder due to her husband Martin’s (Channing Tatum) jail release. Following Emily’s reunion with Martin, Banks prescribes a ne w pharmaceutical drug called Ablixa as treatment. Soon afterwards, however, Emily wakes up to find a cor pse in her apartment, having seemingly murdered the person. Banks then comes under fire from investigators, co-workers and his wife, all the while struggling to determine whether Emil y intended to murder the person, or if her situation is the result of medical malpr actice. Every thriller needs its clues, and every clue m ust be mapped out so that the audience and the main character can determine the solution simultaneously. In the case of “Side Effects,” the clues ar e only
Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum star in “Side Effects,” directed by Steven Soderbergh. Photo by Barry Wetcher
present toward the end and hardly, if ever, emerge in the beginning or middle. There isn’t enough to explain why the complications in Emily’s life resulted in several questionable situations, nor do w e comprehend the logic behind several characters’ actions. Banks’ search for the answers surrounding the murdered person in Emil y’s apartment is laced with aimless desperation, with no substantial findings until the climax. Even Alfred Hitchcock knew the boundaries of withholding and revealing critical inf ormation. In addition, the level of discomfort in the film comes too abruptly for both the audience and the main character to absorb. When Banks is informed by his co-w orker that maybe it’s time he downgrade his practice and move to a differ ent workplace, we’re suddenly yanked away from despising him to sympathizing for him. Such a hasty c hange in the mood not onl y gives the audience little time to adjust, but also creates a disquieting twist in the gut that compels moviegoers to sa y, “That does it! Eno ugh is enough, and I cannot tak e this anymore!” Talk about a bad case of cinematic o verdose.
With the e xception of Jude Law, none of the cast members’ performances contain much in the way of substance or movement. Law does what he can with the material gi ven to him despite Soderber gh’s disjointed direction. While the actor’s efforts deserve to be commended, he alone cannot sa ve this debacle from being loc ked away in a psyc hiatric hospital. If there is an y trace of life in Rooney Mara, the lack of expression in her c haracter gives no indication of it; her facial tics ar e so static you can’t help but wonder if she is being held bac k by super glue. Channing Tatum doesn’t get m uch screen time to justify his short-lived existence, and his marriage to Mara’s character contains little to no emotion. As for Catherine ZetaJones, well, let’s just say her involvement exhibits symptoms of a weak performance by a series regular in a soonto-be-cancelled television show. Should you decide to ignore my advice and pr oceed to w atch Soderbergh’s final big scr een project before taking a filmmaking sabbatical, the side effects you will most lik ely experience are boredom, frustration and disappointment. If the dir ector of “Side Effects” were a doctor , I would have his license revoked in a heartbeat and his office shut do wn until further notice.
MPAA rating: R for sexuality,nudity,violence and language Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes Playing: General release
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