The Voice: Reviews

Movie Reviews

2006-11-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

by: Jordan Vetro

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
A Jewish Actor plays a Kazakhstan Reporter in America. Where does he find himself? On very dangerous ground.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan tells the story of a Kazakhstan news reporter who is sent to America to document the ways Americans live so that Kazakhstan can become more modern and sophisticated. On his trip, he insults a great many American minorities, botches a live interview on an American film channel, makes a mockery of a Texas rodeo and falls in love with the woman he plans to marry: Pamela Anderson. These are only a few of Borat's misadventures.
The general consensus on Borat, among most reviewers of note is that no other film of this sort has ever been made before. The brand of style and comedy has never been seen before. The film is thoroughly obnoxious and yet surprisingly politically relevant. Borat is not just a collection of crude humor thrown out into the wind to make a depraved generation giggle. The film has a purpose. Where Michael Moore will create a documentary with the purpose of going out into society to show Americans that the word is not quite right, Sacha Baron Cohen creates a mock-umentary so that he can go out into society and get people to tell him how dumb they are. Sometimes he takes this idea much too far; despite that it makes the film very interesting.
This is not the only form of humor one can find in the film. There are petty jokes, witty one-liners, silly puns and smart quips. However, this film goes much too far in some of its humor. The picture is far too crude for me to consciously recommend it to anyone. While it mocks American political culture, it also gets very crude and very crass in its attack of Americans in general. The film is littered with rude and insulting humor that had many of the people in the audience fidgeting. I must also concede that the opinions of the film push the boundaries in some cases to places where Christians should not be prepared to go. While I can agree with the film’s view that many American ideas are quite preposterous, Borat has insulted people groups and ethnicities who feel that the film is a very low blow to their societies. This is something we as Christians should not be able to relate to.
Ironically, there is only one issue that I feel the film handled with some (if not complete) sensitivity, and that is Borat's run in with a charismatic church and his 'salvation.' In a fit of remorse, Borat enters an intensely charismatic church and gets slain in the spirit by the church leaders. He makes a great many Christian friends and takes the religion back to his country. While the film does slander the faith on a few cases, it is the only issue that seems to be given some sensitivity.
While there are points of the film that interested me very much, again I must give a warning. Borat 's wit and political relevance are not worth the time one will spend witnessing some of the most debasing and crude humor presented on screen in quite a while. The discomfort one feels far overrules most enjoyment, and the film's benefits are lost amidst a sea of controversial vulgarity.

Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger than Fiction is the story of a writer and an agent of the internal revenue service. Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson) is a successful writer living in New York who has a bit of a problem writing her latest book. She doesn't know how to kill Harold Crick (Will Ferrell). Little does she know that Harold Crick is alive and currently residing in the city, and what's more, he can hear her narrating his life, and he knows she wants to kill him. The story twists and turns about in a smart comedic fashion. It has a lot of heart, and an excellent ensemble that is just too likable to produce a poor film.
I very much enjoyed Stranger than Fiction. Will Ferrell, a man who has lately become infamous for a brand of comedy that is rarely enjoyed by anyone born before the 80s, pulls off a performance which we have never seen him give before. He is witty and dramatic and the film is proof that he may have a career when the youth of North America have moved past his brand of comedy. Actors like Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman, veterans in the acting field, bring a level of real class to the film and give it style.
While the film might come off as dry to some, there is very little I can say against it stylistically.
As a Christian, there are a few things to note about the film. It is certainly a secular film. It celebrates the beauty of a relationship out of wedlock and, although there is no nudity or direct sexual content, there are some scenes which have the ability to make people grossly uncomfortable. But this issue I leave to you.
I enjoyed Stranger than Fiction, and found it light and compelling. Again I leave it up to you whether or not it is worth your ticket to find this out for yourself.

The Presige

Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bail) have a problem. Both want to become the greatest magician and possibly performer that London has ever seen, and they hate each other. When Angier's wife is killed, possibly due to the negligence of Borden during a trick performed while they were both magician's aids, a brutal rivalry begins between one magician who recognizes the power of the performance and one who understands the complexity of a good trick.
The film is an intelligent thriller; while it is not intensely frightening, it does do an excellent job of gripping an audience. It is fact; it jumps through time and space and is quite possibly the best film I have seen this year. I was gripped by the excellent characters and brilliant story, co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins) who brings the same powerful and stylistic performance to The Prestige.
And do not fear all you who agree that witchcraft has been taken far too lightly in our society. While the film does present some twisted science and dark secrets, the film is about real life magicians. These are illusionists not warlocks. However, with this information in mind, do not think you will not be surprised.
I give my full recommendation to anyone with the stomach for a wild ride to see The Prestige. It is a very gratifying film and an excellent performance given by the actors, the director and the entire stylistic crew.

The Departed

The Boston Mob has moles, the police force has moles. The Departed is a twisted gun-slinging thrill ride which tells the story of enough moles to fill a borough as deep as the pacific. There is no one who can be trusted.
The Departed is an exceptionally well done film from the mind of Action Master Martin Scorsese. The cast includes heavy hitters like Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Whalburg and the King of cruel comedy Mr. Jack Nicholson.
The film is dangerous though. I will not get into the Christian politics of gun violence, but I will say that those who do not enjoy the sight of blood need not apply. The language is not for the weak hearted and the twitted conspiracy theories give a twisted look at modern law men. This is not an overly new idea. However, it has been hailed as the best presentation of this sort of genre in possibly a decade.
I am not here to offend. I will say I have heard many views on how we as Christians should approach the action genre and I will leave that question to you. The Departed is a very well made, but dangerous film and considered one of the masterpieces of its director. I enjoyed the film but again, the choice is yours.

Man of the Year

America's Presidents are not acting as they should. They have forsaken the American ideals and sacrificed their morals for party votes. And there's only one group of moral leaders who are still willing to stand up to them: the comedians, the truest men in media. (I'm being a little bit sarcastic here, but that is the basis for Man of the Year.)
Comedian Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams) is the only one left in America who’s still telling the truth. So why doesn't he become President? That’s why one of his audience members poses the question 'Why don't you run for President?' So as a political statement, that’s just what comedian Tom Dobbs does. And don't you know it, he wins.
Man of the Year is the story of what would happen if something that never should have happened happened. A comedian is the President elect (the man waiting for the president to finish his term because he has been elected to start the next one) and all of Washington is in an uproar along with one computer engineer who believes the new computer voting system used for the latest election has a glitch (Laura Linney), and she’s in trouble too.
Man of the year is a very enjoyable film. From the star and director of Good Morning Vietnam comes the latest in political controversy. It is no monumental achievement. I did leave the theater somewhat let down. But the film is funny, and intense in its own way. It is more than just a comedy.
The film is not explicit or dangerous to a Christian in any way. This in mind, Robin Williams remains one of the crudest men in Hollywood and we must be on our guard. All in all, it is not the best I have seen from actors or director, but I did enjoy Man of the Year. It has a lot of political insight as well as comedic value, and worth the price of admission.

A Taste of Vietnam

2006-11-20T15:45:00.000-08:00

by: Mike Salvatore

Today we’re going to talk about Viet-Thai food.

Let’s look at what Viet-Thai food is like before we look into the restaurants that serve it. This will help you make your way through the 100-200 menu items that most of these places serve.

Beef Noodle Soup (called “pho”, pronounced like “faun” without the “n”)
I am ashamed to admit that I have never tried pho. It’s the most popular, most authentic menu item. The soup is served in salad bowls – there’s a lot of it. You eat it with a spoon AND with chopsticks. Pho can come in many shapes and in many forms. Change the meat, change the noodles, add spices, add vegetables…there are endless combinations. Pho usually costs between $4.00 and $7.00.

Vermicelli Bowls
These are what Mary and I usually order. They’re big enough for us to split, but they don’t cost very much – between $6.00 and $8.00 is a great price for two people. I’ve seen some attempt to eat these without help, and they usually fail.
Vermicelli is a type of thin rice noodle. The bowls (salad sized, again) are filled with these noodles, one or two meats of your choice, some salad, and perhaps a spring roll.

Rice paper meals
Rice paper is thin, so thin that it’s see-thru. When you order a rice paper meal you’ll be served a pile of meat, some vermicelli, and some vegetables on a giant plate, as well as a stack of rice paper. To eat this, you put the food on the paper, wrap it up, and eat it like you would a burrito or fajita. These meals are among the most expensive, ranging from $10.00-$14.00.

There are several other things to order at Viet-Thai restaurants, but I consider the aforementioned three to be the “main” dishes.

I’ve eaten at 4 Viet-Thai restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo and 3 of them are worth visiting.

Your contenders:
Pho 95 – 323 King St. W., Kitchener, ON
Pho Vinh Tin – 170 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON
Ben Thanh Viet-Thai Restaurant – 36 Northfield Dr. E, Waterloo, ON. Also, 10 Pinebush Rd., Cambridge, ON
Pho Dau Bo – 301 King St. E, Kitchener, ON. Also, 1051 Victoria St. N, Kitchener, ON

Pho 95: best portions
95 has been the favorite place for Mary and me so far. It’s family owned, cheap, and tasty. 95 has the best spring rolls and the best lemon grass chicken (spicy and flavorful – try it!) hands down. Aside from the great food, the portions at 95 are generous. More food for the dollar is always appealing.

Pho Vinh Tin: nothing special
Vinh Tin makes its money off of UW students who crave Viet-Thai. There’s nothing special about it, which makes it in my opinion not worth going to. Their portions are less than the other restaurants, but their prices are the same.

Ben Thanh Viet-Thai Restaurant: the fancy one
Ben Thanh is very tasty. Whenever I order something from them I enjoy it thoroughly. The atmosphere is a step above the other places, too…the design is nicer, the chairs are comfier, the fish water is cleaner. Ben Thanh has a few menu items that I haven’t seen at any other place, too. They have a creative chow mein selection, but everything they serve is high quality. Unfortunately, Ben Thanh has its downsides. The price is higher, not by much, but still higher. Also, they bring your food when it is ready. Not at the same time as the person ordering with you, not appetizers first and main dishes second…when it’s ready. One time when I ate there with Mary, she finished her food before mine came and our appetizers came when we were both finished!

Pho Dau Bo: most authentic
Dau Bo served me the best rice paper meal I’ve ever had last night. It’s always full of Vietnamese people, so you know that they’re doing something right. You can tell when an ethnic restaurant is good by how full of people from its ethnicity it is. I asked a Vietnamese guy in one of my classes about which Viet-Thai restaurant in KW is the best and he was sold on Dau Bo. He said the King St. location (not the Victoria one) is the most authentic Vietnamese food I’ll find anywhere in the tri-cities. So, go to Dau Bo because Vietnam likes it, and because I do too.

Sushi, Anyone?

2006-11-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

by: Mike Salvatore

I eat out a lot. Sometimes restaurants are the only place my fiancée and I can go to escape the busy residence/apartment atmospheres.

I would like to share some of the things I’ve tasted around KW with the EBC community. Let’s face it: There’s more out there than Twice the Deal, Chopsticks, Wimpy’s and Crabby Joe’s.
Another thing to face: Restaurant reviews one at a time are boring.

Today we’re going to talk about sushi.

I’ve eaten at six sushi restaurants in Kitchener/Waterloo, and three of them are worth visiting.

Your contenders:
Niko Niko Roll & Sushi – 20 King E, Kitchener, ON
Ye’s Sushi – 103 King Street West, Kitchener, ON
Taka Japanese Restaurant – 270 Bleams Road, Kitchener, ON
Sakura Island – 255 King Street North, Waterloo, ON
Sora Japanese Restaurant – 1500 Weber Street East, Kitchener, ON
Seoul Soul – 20-170 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON

If you’re going out for sushi in KW you should expect to pay around $10 for a lunch special or $15 for a dinner, with the exception of Ye’s which is $13 (lunch) and $20 (dinner).

Niko Niko Roll & Sushi: best maki
I wrote about Niko Niko for the Voice last semester, and it’s still worth your time. Their rolls (maki) are the best I’ve had, and the chef does his best to make the food look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. The dragon roll looks like a dragon! If you like maki, go to Niko Niko.

Ye’s Sushi: the “all-rounder”
Ye’s (pronounced “yep’s”) opened last June and I was there on opening day with my fiancée, Jeremiah Nahwegabow and PJ Wong. If you want to try a lot of different things, go to Ye’s. It’s all you can eat, and your food is made to order. Each item you get isn’t as high quality as other sushi restaurants, but if diversity is what you crave, this is your place. You can even bring non-sushi lovers along with you (strange ones, these) to enjoy several of their chicken, beef and vegetable alternatives. If you’re new to sushi, go to Ye’s and try lots of things.

Sakura Island: nice decorations
Expect to pay lots
Sakura Island was highly recommended to me by a friend. I went only once (I confess), and I didn’t find it to be that spectacular. The restaurant is decorated beautifully, but I found the portions to be sub-par (we had to go out for dinner after eating at Sakura Island) and the price to be not-so-representative of what we received. Don’t bother going.

Taka Japanese Restaurant: best sushi
I found Taka through the “Treasures” coupon book that EBC is selling. When I went the chef and waitresses were incredibly nice and personable. Mary and I got to sit in a nicely decorated booth with a curtain. These things meant nothing compared to the incredible sushi that we were served. By sushi, I mean a little ball of rice with a slab of fish on top. I could take up my word limit describing how good this food was, but really you should go for yourself to see.

Sora Japanese Restaurant: the angry Japanese lady
I keep giving Sora chances because it’s so close to the school. The sushi is decent and you get a fair amount for what you pay for, but when you go you have to deal with angry Japanese lady, and that’s not fun at all. I don’t know why she doesn’t like me or anyone I go with, but she’s pretty rude every time I go. One time a friend of mine forgot her wallet there. It wasn’t a good thing at all. Don’t bother going.

Seoul Soul: blends in with the rest
There isn’t anything bad about Seoul Soul, but there isn’t anything spectacular about it either. If you’re in the neighborhood and you have a sushi craving, by all means go and enjoy yourself, but don’t go out of your way to get there.

How To...

2006-09-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

"How do I write a review?"
Basically a review is your opinion on a place or thing. New CDs, movies, a restaurant etc. are all great candidates for a review. If you are wondering about a new release or a newly opened restaurant, chances are others are wondering the same thing! Why not inform us of your opinion?