B2 - THE PERKINS JOURNAL, Thursday, June 2, 2005
Smith
"Star Wars: Episode III
- Revenge of the Sith"
Running time: 146 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13
Whether you'll like "Revenge
of the Sith" depends on your
point of view. If you're one of
the generation who came of
age when the original trilogy
was released, you will prob-
ably fall into one of two groups:
Either you will be so filled with
nostalgia that you'll forgive just
about every flaw in this film, or
you will walk out of the theater
with head hung low, crushed by
the realization that you've been
hoodwinked :for three "decades
by George Lucas' promise of a
grand epic mythology -- a prom-
ise unfulfilled.
Guess which camp I'm in?
If you're willing to sit through
all two-and-a-half hours, you'll
find a few golden moments: a
great fight scene between Yoda
and the Emperor, the placing of
the mask on Darth Vader's face,
and the duel between Anakin
and Obi-Wan. This accounts for
maybe 20 minutes of the film.
Which means you'll be stucl with
more than two hours of clunky
dialogue and wooden acting on
the part of Hayden Christensen
(Anakin Skywalker) and Nata-
lie Portrnan (Padme Amidala),
whose onscreen chemistry is
about as steamy as Christmas
on Pluto. Christensen's line
deliveries are so leaden, you can
feel a THUD after he speaks each
sentence.
This isn't simply nitpicking on
my part. The love story between
Anakin and Padme is crucial
to the entire plot of the movie,
which is about Anakin's fall to
the Dark Side of the Force. If
their passion isn't believable,
then when Anakin does fall prey
to the Emperor's machinations,
it makes the whole scene unbe-
lievable.
Needless to say, the special effects
are first-rate -- as they should be
since George Lucas has his own
special-effects company
John Williams does his best
to bridge the musical themes
from the original trilogy and the
prequel travesties, with mixed
results. Why he chose "Duel of
the Fates" from Episode One as
the theme to the Yoda/Emperor
showdown is a mystery to me.
Of course, what I write really
won't matter. "Sith" will make
a gajillion dollars. So go. See it
for yourself. And I hope you fall
into the Overcome With Nostal-
gia camp, instead of the George
Lucas Robbed Me Blind crew.
GRADE: C-
(c) 2005 King Features Synd
Inc.
U
A vacation trip along the old
Route 66 can be lots of fun and
very educational. One can still
travel to Chicago on the same
road but it is more fun to take a
few detours. Leaving Tulsa, one
can drive up to Joplin on the Will
Rogers Turnpike, which is a nice
town which includes interesting
places to eat and (Mark Christian
College The chocolate factory
there is worth the visit. My Friday
and Saturday was spent making a
Dulcimer by hand. The teacher is a
well known Ozark singer and dul-
cimer player. For many years he
performed with a local band. Art
also preaches on Sundays and has
a great sense of humor.
Columbia, Missouri is a wonder-
ful city of about 85,000 people. It
was recently featured on "Destina-
tions" as a good place to visit. It is
the home of Sophia's, an upscale
restaurant which attracts customers
from a broad area of Missouri. My
favorite hang out during my four
months at the University was
the Flat Branch which is known
for their micro brewery but even
better for their hamburgers and
their special desert, the stout
brownie sundae. It is best shared
with at least two other people. We
had lunch here many times and it
was never boring.
We get off road to drive to historic
H.ermann, the home of the several
wineries. My personal favorite
is: Stone Hill as it has the best
restaurant in my opinion along
with a marvelous hostess named
JOan. Their specialty is German
food and I strongly recommend
iti The winery has tours and a won-
d~rful gift shop for purchasing not
ohly wine but local foods. At one
tim' e, this was the second largest
w Hery in America.
annibal is a town which every
reader of Mark Twain knows
well. The area along the Missis-
sippi River where Tom went rafting
is well preserved and one can see
Mark Twain's boyhood home. A
special museum is the Mark
Twain Museum & Gallery which
has 15 original Normal Rockwell
paintings depicting the adventures
of Tom Sawyer and the adventures
of Huck Finn.
Across the Mississippi and up
the road is Springfield, the capital
of Illinois The downtown area
has both an old and a new capitol
building. However, the Governor
does not want to live in Spring-
field so he resides in Chicago. An
underground parking garage is
convenient to those who want to
see the Lincoln Library and brand
new Museum. I must compliment
David Blanchette who provided
me with a media kit of the new
museum. He was very kind even
though we arrived just before
closing. He is a true professional.
The Abraham Lincoln Presiden-
tial museum is an absolute must for
every Child in America to enjoy. It
is the largest museum associated
with a presidential library and cer-
tainly the most advanced in media
presentation. It takes about four
hours to absorb the entire museum
but it goes very fast.
My favorite part of the
museum was the Ghosts of
the Library A state-of-the-art
Holavision (Trademark) special
effects create ghost-like, misty
visions of historical figures which
share the stage with a live actor as
viewers are transported on a detec-
live's journey into the past. Two
other galleries are important also
to see: The Treasures Gallery,
which show cases many of the
actual items that were a part of
Lincoln's life and Lincoln's Eyes
which is a pecial effects program
on understanding Lincoln's eyes:
sorrows, hope, vision and forgive-
ness among others. It has special
effects where the chairs vibrate and
the sounds are compelling. This is
definitely worth a visit
We continued to Lincoln, Illi-
nois where we attended the local
First Presbyterian Church. Philip
Blackburn is the young minister
and invited us foi" lunch at his
home. His lovely wife is also a
minister and soon to be a new
mom. They told us some interest-
ing stories about Lincoln. When
Lincoln was a lawyer, he would
come to Lincoln to meet his
clients The town wanted t0be
incorporated and Lincoln drew up
the papers. When it came time to
give the town a name, the locals
all wanted to name it after Lincoln
since he helped them so much. On
the day of the naming, Lincoln
came and the folks wanted to
christen the town. The only thing
available for this purpose was a
watermelon. So Lincoln squeezed
some juice of the melon and said, I
christen you Lincoln, Illinois. This
was the first time that his name
was used for that purpose. Many
schools, towns, buildings, etc.
have been subsequently named
for him.
The city of Chicago is a great
place to visit. Fommately, we were
able to get front row tickets to see
the Cubs play baseball against the
New York Mets. Our seats were
just behind the dug out and a short
brick wall was in front. We had to
try their famous hot dogs which
were great. Unfommately, it rained
several times during the game, but
it always resumed play until it
finally ended at 12:05 a,m. The best
part of the game was catching a fly
ball. Yes, glad we had a mitt. This
made it even more special. We also
visited the Aquarium and dined at
a wonderful Italian restaurant. Our
road to Chicago was a wonderful
vacation You might want to try it
tOO.
F ~ I
Roger Stevens
405.612.4522
Home or Office
Sales
Networking
Repair
Hardware/Software
Viruses/Spyware
We Make Housecalls!
By Sofia Tucker
Journal Book Reviews
Hannah Gray begins her story with "Somebody
said 'true love is like ghosts, which everyone
talks about and few have seen.' I've seen both
and I don't know how to tell you which is worse."
In the twilight of her years, Hannah decides to
return to the Maine coastal town of Dundee and
to record the story of the fateful summer she spent
in the tiny hamlet. It is a story she has carried
deep in her soul and does not wish to carry to
her grave. She knows she must face her ghosts
She was able to leave the memory of that summer
untouched as her adult life grew busy but now
her life has come full circle and she finds herself
remembering the beginnings more than the end-
ings. Remembering her first love, the one she
never got over and never forgot.
Hannah Gray was seventeen the summer her
stepmother rented a renovated schoolhouse on
the edge of town for the summer. It was a dif-
ficult time between Hannah and her stepmother
and Hannah sought refuge in newfound friend-
ships with the townspeople. It was from them
that she began to hear the story of Claris Osgood
and the murder on Beal Island that occurred in
the Spring of 1886. Hannah was unaware of how
her life and Claris' life were about to become
dramatically intertwined. For the schoolhouse
the Gray's were residing in that summer previ-
ously had been the schoolhouse on Beal Island
where Claris occasionally had taught music and
was rumored to be haunted. Driven from her
room by a strange crying sound, Hannah was in
town the afternoon she met Conary Crocker. That
meeting turned into a summer romance in,which
Hannah found friendship and a soul matetl
would never forget and began an
would forever shape her life.
"More Than You Know" is both
a ghost story beautifully twisted
tragic tales of both Hannah and
together in a fine tapestry
nail biting suspense. The author
fearlessly delves into the best and
passions and leaves us
can survive death. Is true love really
and are either one real? "More Than
is a great summer read, perfect
and suspense lovers alike.
Sofia Tucker is a Journal subs
County resident.
Sanders Family
rass
The Sanders Family is host- such as fiddles, guitars, modern bathrooms,
ingtheir29'h annual Bluegrass banjos, mandolins, dobros,showers, cc
Festival, June 8, 9, 10 & 11 on and upright bass. The music first aid station.
the family homestead, located -has become very popular the Some of the
5 miles west of McAlester, OK past few years, as it is heard will be there to greet'.
on State Highway 270. and enjoyed by all ages. This you arrive with your
The festival starts Wednes- is a family oriented festival will assist you in
day,dune 8 at 12 p.m. with with no beer, alcohol, or place to park and
opening eeremonies and will drugs allowed, must be prop- you get set up. Tt
start at' F p.m. Thursday, erly dressed and violators will designated area for
Friday and Saturday. The lea- be removed from the park. The camping and
tured bands are: The Lewis camp ground is clean and will be jam sessionS S
Family, Marry Raybon, Blue security patrolled, throughout the
Ridge, Eddie Sanders, Billie Admission is $12.00 per before the festival
Joe Foster, Don McAfee, The day or four day ticket forwell as during the
FarisFamily, Southern Strang- $40.00, children under 12 Come on over for a
ers, Salt Grass, Bill Grant and years are free. There is a lot Bluegrass Music.
Delia Bell, Southern Gentle- of free camper space, unlim- For more
men, Boggy River, Martin ited electric hook-ups at $10 may contact Freddie
Family, Louisiana Grass, Born per day with ticket, plenty of Rt. 6 Box 15 McAleS
Again, and Solid Ground. water scattered throughout the 74501, 918
Bluegrass music is noted park, RVdump available, seat- phone 918-423-0450
for its acoustical sound made ing available, lawn chairs wel- our website,
with non-electric instruments come, numerous shade trees, uegrass.com.
News Articles .
" & Ads
. Deadline.
,
Bed & Breakfast
West edge of Perkins on SH 33
405-547-7070
Mike &
tl
W
W
I
|
II
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 5-
Saturday 5-10
Closed on Sunday
Made Fresh
I owners: Rick &
Large & Specialty ord#
24hr notice
answering machine I
www.cimarron.smugmug.com
405/742-2876 or 405/547-5468
