The Valley News • www.myvalleynews.com • March 28, 2014
A-10
Entertainment
The Movie Review: “Into The Wild” A Netflix Instant Re-watch Into the Wild is a fine example on what happens when you get amazing actors for every part, and not just your lead. Emile Hirsch is very likable creating a character who wants to get away from civilization. We’ve all felt like Chris when we’ve become frightened by the idea that we’ll be stuck with the same job forever. Chris embodies our sprit of adventure and why we need to travel. But his support system proves he’s still young and has yet to understand why we need others. So while there is a story, I see
Robert T. Nickerson Special to the Valley News I cannot say that I understand how bad it is to be alone as I have a nice family to go to. But I know of people that either have no family or are too far to find comfort. But what is great about the human spirit is how we can turn our friends into our loved ones. I believe that if think you are alone, take the time to consider your friends. Who do you like eating with? Watching movies with? Telling stories with? Your friends can be family, so be thankful for that. What is more interesting is that we don’t realize we need other people until we are the furthest in solitude. We want to be alone to find peace only to see later that the peace is within the people we love. There’s nothing wrong with being alone; I like to be alone as it gives me a better chance to churn out better, but I would never want to leave my life completely at the cost of my family. One man learns that the hard way in the wilderness survival drama Into the Wild. In 1992, Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch) has
arrived in a remote area in Alaska where he has finally accomplished his goal of making it into the north to find peace within nature. All he wants is to live in the wild and fend for himself, and discover his true animal self. Cut to two years earlier where Chris has graduated with honors in college only to reject a normal life. He burns all his identification, donates his savings to charity, and leaves for a life of fending for himself. A broken down car leads him to start hitchhiking cross-country to build his stamina. One stop takes him to South Dakota where he works with a farmer, Wayne Westerberg (played by Vince Vaughn). Another takes him to a very rural town of Slab City, California finding himself with other people looking to get away from society. Another leads him to a leather worker, Ron Franz (played by Hal Holbrook). He recounts his story to Chris about how he lost his family and even teaches Chris to make a leather belt. Cut back to Alaska where Chris finds that peace can only be found with others, yet nature begins to turn on him when he finds he can’t leave.
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Into the Wild as more of a series of random encounters. Each person represents several sides of how we live. Vince Vaughn is the hard worker whose greed gets the better of him. The people in Slab City are the furthest from society, having chosen to live with nature, at the cost of their pride and decency. Hal Holbrook is the guy that most of us want to be; old, but with a sense of purpose even after we cease contact with everyone we love. Chris goes through these trials for his true test in Alaska, and we want him to learn his lesson. But
maybe he’s learned it too late. I’ll give this five abandoned buses out of five. Though it’s about being alone, Into the Wild made me want to call my family and friends to let them know how much they mean to me. The people we grow up with have shaped us into who we are, but I don’t know if we thank them enough for it. Into the Wild is an awe-inspiring building of character and adventure. Robert T. Nickerson is a film critic. His work can be seen at mastermindfilmproductions.com.
Musical biography of Beatles comes to Temecula TEMECULA – Most people know that The Beatles are one of the most acclaimed bands in rock and roll history, because their music has the hypnotic qualities that make teenage girls scream and artists today and yesterday cite them as one of their influences. While many people don’t have the opportunity to see the two surviving Beatles – Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr – live in concert these days, the closest thing to watching an actual Beatles concert will be “In My Life – A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles” at the Old Town Temecula Community Theatre on April 30 and May 1 at 7:30 p.m. The musical is family-friendly. Not all tribute bands are alike. This one portrays the Beatles – John Lennon (Nathaniel Bott), Paul McCartney (Christopher Overall), George Harrison (Jesse Wilder) and Ringo Starr (Axel Clarke) – as authentically as possible, from their singing to the myriad of guitars used throughout the band’s decadelong career. Listening to songs like “Penny Lane” or “I Want To Hold Your Hand” from this tribute band is almost like listening to the original icons themselves. The cast members are age-appropriate for the Beatles, between 22 and 32 years of age. While the great repertoire of songs bind this musical together, the audience also gets the opportunity to relive the most important moments of The Beatles’ epic leg-
Courtesy photo On April 30 and May 1, the Abbey Road band will perform music during “In My Life – A Musical Theatre Tribute to The Beatles” at the Old Town Temecula Theatre.
acy, which spans the entire 1960s period. The actors that portray the band members connect with the crowd through their lovable sense of humors and cheeky banter. As one watches The Beatles progress throughout that decade, the band’s manager Brian Epstein (Alxander Jon) makes his presence known throughout the musical, narrating his side of the story starting from his discovery of the Fab Four at the Cavern Club in Liverpool up until after the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. This show is not just about reliving the breakthrough Ed Sullivan Show performance on February 9, 1964 that 78 million people watched on television, or reviving their deafening and packed Shea Stadium concert in 1965, it also
touches on the band’s intimate moments in the recording studio. The audience observes the four in the studio as they struggle to reconcile their creative differences after Epstein’s death in 1967, a couple months after the release of Sgt. Pepper. This production is as historically accurate as possible, with the band using the exact gear from the box amps to the guitars. Even the costumes they used throughout the performance – from the suits to the ensembles they wore during their Sgt. Pepper’s period – mirror the originals designs. Tickets ($25 to $37) may be purchased at www.temeculatheater. org or by calling toll-free (866) 653-8696. Old Town Temecula Community Theater is located at 42051 Main Street, Temecula.
Heritage High students to perform ‘In the Heights’ for two consecutive weekends ROMOLAND – Heritage High School breaks new ground with its upcoming production of “In the Heights.” “In the Heights” won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical and will be remembered as the first Broadway musical to feature rap.
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Cast of Heritage High School’s spring musical “In the Heights” during rehearsal.
Courtesy photos
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Greg Newman, director of Heritage High School’s spring musical “In the Heights,” gives notes to some of his cast during rehearsal.
The show tells the universal immigrant story of a Latino community in a New York neighborhood struggling to assimilate while surviving economic reality. The major characters all face significant and life-changing hardship while grasping to hold onto their dreams. Director Greg Newman is excited to be doing a show that features stories of Latinos in a modern setting. “The story documents in many ways the struggles immigrants face as they come to America,” said Newman. “Stories about Latino culture are probably underrepresented in America. However, I did not choose this show expressly to feature Latin culture, but because the characters and their stories are so memorable.” Cast members are learning a lot from the show.
“The thing I appreciate most about the show is the sense of community and how the cast has come together like family,” said junior Matt Balane who plays Usnavi. Senior Daniel Balbuena plays Graffiti Pete, far removed from his last role as Mr. Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice.” “I appreciate that the characters in the play do not like the changes they deal with, but that they learn to adapt to change and move forward,” said Balbuena. “In the Heights” features amazing choreography by Hope Burns, who is also the Heritage High School dance team coach. All are welcome to see “In the Heights” at 7:30 p.m. on March 28 and 29, and also on April 4 and 5. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students. Heritage High is located at 26001 Briggs Rd. in Romoland.