The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Monday, December 4, 2006 - SA Like father, like son: Ben Taylor works The Ark. Taylor embraces, reflects pedigree "Smells like somebody got into my White Castle!" The bottom's the limit PENN CAN'T SALVAGE NATIONAL LAMPOON'S LATEST FAILURE By ELIE ZWIEBEL Daily Arts Writer Few current college students who know anything about the movies haven't seen 2002's "Van Wilder." Though not the best of comedy troupe . j National Lampoon's cine- Van Wilder matic offerings, the origi- 2: The Rise nal "Van Wilder" helped of Taj revive the struggling sati- rists responsible for "Ani- athe Sha e mal House" (1978) and Chevy Chase's "Vacation" MGM series. But while National Lampoon is often lauded for these titles, the company is also responsible for at least 25 comedy bombs, and "Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj" falls resolutely into the lat- ter category. Like any sequel that isn't as good as its pre- decessor, "Van Wilder 2" takes the original synopsis, characters and script and changes them only enough for the movie to pass as new. Director and co-writer Mort Nathan (the man behind Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s disastrous "Boat Trip") apparently hoped an idealized view of a sexually liberal Europe would make the new "Van Wilder" mix original and creative, but the volatile blend explodes in his face. After leaving Coolidge College and the tute- lage of seven-year college student Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds, "Just Friends"), Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn, "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle") moves to Camford Col- lege in England to pass on his American par- tying lessons to a handful of socially awkward undergrads. Taj helps Camford's new fraternity, the Cock and Bulls, to compete for the Hastings Cup, a prized trophy signifying academic, athletic and social achievements (shades of "Old School," anyone?). Their main competition, of course, is the Fox and Hounds, a fellow frat house of pompous prestige. Throughout the fraternity's struggles, Taj also tries to woo his nemesis's girlfriend, Char- lie, played by the beautiful Lauren Cohan. Though you would expect Cohan could only go up from her tertiary part in the dud "Casa- nova," she seems to have no unreachable new low in her roles. Playing sidekick to Ryan Reynolds's Van Wilder, Penn had some worthy moments - he was even funny as half of"Harold and Kumar's" titular duo - but here Penn proves incapable of carrying a comedy on his own, lacking the dry sarcasm of Reynolds's original "Van Wilder" protagonist and failing to elevate any lines or moments into something funny. When a movie comes along that fails to inspire even one isolated chuckle in a half- filled theater of very mixed demographics, it's hard to catalog it as a comedy, or - in the case of "Van Wilder 2" - as good in any way. But there is a perfect category for this seem- ingly unclassifiable film, one that is gaining more and more titles with fiascoes like the recent "Date Movie": crap. By CAITLIN COWAN DailyArts Editor Ben Taylor, the 29-year-old off- spring of James Taylor and Carly Simon, must be sick to Ben Taylor death of being and Sonva his parents' Kitchell son. Some of the patrons at At The Ark The Ark this Friday past Friday, most of whom were suspiciously middle-aged, may have been drawn to Taylor because of his blood: oth- ers,tohissoothingvoice andmellow grooves. But after acoustic guitarist David Saw's opening set and a short intermission, Taylor loped onto the stage'in ill-fitnggrey khakis, a yel- low T-shirt and a five o'clock shad- ow, and all comparisons seemed to converge. The first person who comes to mind when Taylor opens his mouth isDylan(witnessthe crowd's hushed whispers of "Dylan! Dylan!"). But after a few minutes, it became clear the apple does not fall far from the tree. Taylor turns phrases and strums melodies in a way that is overwhelmingly similar to his father's music. His voice, while abit deeper, has the same curved quali- ties. He even has his father's mouth and slight, endearing underbite. While his songs - a mix of jam sessions and stripped-down acous- tic solos - are reminiscent of his musical upbringing, they're truly his own. Ben ventures further from typical song construction than his father ever did, and appeals to both today's young audience and the elder Taylor's fans. Ben made use of his cross-gener- ational appeal once again on one of the last songs he performed. Titled "I Am the Sun," Taylor informed the audience with a wry grin that the last word of the title is spelled s-u-n. Despite the light-hearted disclaim- er, the lyrics to the song tell a dif- ferent story: not about planets, but about parents. The song explodes with, "I am the sun / That's all I've ever been since I begun/All I'll ever be until I'm done." Taylor, who was reluctant to become a musician like both of his celebrated parents, explored many avenues before succumb- ing to what he felt was his only calling. On this song he sings resonantly, "Even though I chase the darkness every day / Shad- ows only ever seem to run away." While it's foolish to take any song lyrics too literally, the tremendous urge to identify with Taylor based on the limited confessions buried in his lyrics is strong. He's acutely aware of his inescapable upbringing and understandahly concerned with blazing his own musical path. Sonya Kitchell and her husky, sultry sex-kitten voice joined Taylor and his band on the song "When I Was a Cowboy"before she returned Likable Taylor doesn't fall far from family tree. for her own set later that night. The blonde Kitchell and her swel- tering vocals were astonishing to hear, but after Taylor finished and left the stage complaining of a cold, the ambiance in the room tangibly deflated. He had held the audience spellbound for his entire set, and it was plainly sad to see him go. At one point during the show, Taylor asked with a madman's smile, "So what do y'all reckon, do I sound like James Taylor?" He raised and lowered his eyebrows in ques- tion and the audience cheered and laughed encouragingly. If this show is any indication of Taylor's future, it's sure to beas bright as the sun he sings about, brilliant parents or oth- erwise. 1, Love across the (literal) ages By HYATT MICHAELS Daily Arts Writer Twenty-year-old Harold Chasen has some disturbing issues. Not unlike a pres- ent-day emo Harold and brat, he assem- Maude bles elabo- Tonight at 7 p.m. rate pranks At the for parental Michigan Theater attention, and the young Brit's jokes are a bit grandiose: He fakes his death with theatrical precision. Harold takes delight in scaring everyone around him until the wisdom of 79-year-old hippie Maude (Ruth Gordon, "Rosemary's Baby") steers him down a brighter path. Com- mercially ignored during its initial release, 1971's "Harold and Maude" has since become one of the most beloved cult comedies of its time. And with sharp wit, wicked set designs and spot-on performances, it's no wt What immatur py youth ered bril Doe Jers manages angst an without: When high-spir bination Bo angs Ol two mee strikes u painfully ing to ac ander. - and Harold looks on in shock as could've easily been an the vehicle's real owner goes run- e take on Harold's unhap- ning after it. its turned into multi-lay- Ruth Gordon won an Academy liance by Bud Cort (John Award for torturing Mia Farrow in ey in "Dogma"). The actor "Rosemary's Baby," and she infuses to pull off a mixture of Maude with the same elderly spunk id child-like fiendishness (albeit a lot less satanic nosiness). forcing it. Even when spitting out an occa- he joins forces with the sional wise-elder platitude, Gordon rited Maude, their com- does it with enough grit to make is simply hilarious. The you forget its "Chicken Soup for the Soul"-likeness. Outside of the two lead perfor- y beats teen mances, the supporting cast shines - take special note of Harold's t with (much) long-suffering mother and her assembly line of prospective girl- der woman. friends and psychiatric help. With the combination of the direction of underrated Hal Ashby ("Being There"), a Cat Stevens soundtrack t at a funeral when Maude and some visually stunning back- p a conversation with the drops, "Harold and Maude" is as shy Harold while walk- quirky as it is understated - and car. Maude then drives off highly effective. The University of Michigan Do You Have Crohn's Disease *rUcrtv oii? W CA j j,1, per hour of ChaetC us inctn o peesv Get Your MCAT Scores UP!! Stewart University Go to... www.stewartmed.org Headaches Hurt. But it wouldn't hurt to consider our research study. 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