Z/Web

Director: Peyton Reed

Cool flick! It’s astonishingly refreshing to see a comedy that doesn’t degrade its subject with stereotypes and crude jokes. Of all things, cheerleading is a subject you’d expect stereotypical humor, but I only counted one instance of “airhead cheerleader” humor. Instead this is a sharply written, realistic portray of the intensely competitive world of high school cheerleading. And yet it is a comedy, and manages to find lots of humor without degrading the characters. The characters are fun, cute, and likable: you want them to succeed. The story mostly centers around Kirsten Dunst’s character, who’s just been promoted to captain and is in charge of the squad. She then discovers that her predecessor stole the squad’s routines from a rival black high school. But is there time to come up with completely new routines in the few weeks before nationals? While certainly not deep or profound, this is a fun, enjoyable film, quite funny, and remarkably tame for a modern teen flick. Dunst is ideal in her role — so obnoxiously cute you want to slap her, but then she turns and smiles knowingly at the camera and you see that she’s having fun with the role, and isn’t vain or stuckup at all. Impressive performance.

This was a rerun game I’d missed, but it was a good one. Both teams have been on losing streaks and desperately wanted wins. Desailly managed a header in the 14th minute to put the home team up one, but Hutchison equalized fifteen minutes later. But just before the half, Gudjohnson, the Finn, who’d had a great assist on his team’s first goal, got one of his own. Sunderland went into the lockers at halftime a goal down, but came out determined. Hutchison got his second just six minutes into the second half, quickly followed by McCann less than ten minutes later. Kevin Phillips ended his goalless streak with a tap-in twenty minutes after that, and Chelsea couldn’t break down the Sunderland defense. So Sunderland wins at Chelsea for the first time since 1957! Final: 4-2 Sunderland.

Cool movie. I’d never seen this, or much of any John Wayne movie, but I started watching it on TV and then went and found my tape of it. It’s the story of an ornery Marshal (Wayne), a Texas Ranger (Glen Campbell), and a stubborn teen (Kim Darby). Darby’s father has been shot and she’s out to catch the man that killed him, so she hires John Wayne. Campbell ends up joining the party as the murderer’s wanted in Texas for shooting a senator and there’s a big reward out for him. The movie’s got some good action, lots of big stars in early roles (Robert Duvall’s one of the bad guys), great scenery, and of course the three main characters like to argue with each other. But it’s the teen, Darby, who’s character holds the film together, with her intelligence and determination: she hires Wayne because he’s got “grit,” but it’s really her who’s got true grit. Fun, though a little long.

Wow, what a romp! The U.S. Men’s team struggles against lowly opponents like Guatemala, but not these American youngsters. They came out storming. This bodes incredibly well for the future of U.S. soccer. Many of these kids are already known for the Sydney Olympics and their play in Major League Soccer. Connor Casey started things with a goal just ten minutes in, quickly followed by two from 17-year-old Bobby Convey. Thirty minutes in it was 4-0 U.S.A. courtesy of Jamar Beasley. In the second half, the U.S. easily held Guatemala off and got one more from substitute Brad Davis in the 76th minute. Wow! 5-0 U.S.A.!