Page 42 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 134
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42 Issue #134 March 2024 www.sportsenergynews.com
In Reel Time
High School Confidential
Owen Wilson, follows a smart yet
By Nikolai Adams
eccentric teen named Max Fischer
ince we are quickly approaching (Jason Schwartzman – a regular
Sanother version of CAPE – our collaborator of Anderson’s), who is
local pop culture event (which will the extracurricular king of the posh
run April 20-21 this year), I thought Rushmore Preparatory School. The
I’d dig through my archives and spectacled, neatly coifed young
submit this interview/review from man is involved in everything at the
the 2018 edition with Jayson Warner academy, from being a playwright
Smith. Perhaps best known as Gavin, and president of the beekeeping
Negan’s trusted and rather level- club, to an alternate in wrestling
headed manager of the Kingdom in and a fencing team member, which
the television series The Walking has caused his grades to fall and has
Dead, he has quickly carved out placed him in the precarious position
several quality roles on both of being on academic probation. Nikolai Adams with The Walking Dead actor Jayson Warner Smith at
television and the silver screen in a Whilst on his journeys, he befriends CAPE 2018 Photo Submitted
rather short time. the much older Herman Blume (Bill
Murray – who also collaborates dropping all extracurricular activities trademarks grow and expand with
Also with a key role on the highly and soon stops attending school – bigger budgets, more intricate sets
regularly with Anderson), whose
acclaimed series Rectify (which deciding to follow in his father’s (this is shot on location – the high
ran for four seasons and ended in rather immature and moronic twin
sons go to school with Max. The unexciting footsteps and become school is actually Anderson’s own
2016), his character of Wendall his apprentice barber. Eventually, as St. John’s in Houston, Texas), and
dissatisfied middle-aged man is
Jelks is a master antagonizer and things usually do in movies such as more experience . . . you will also
death row inmate, while he takes a drawn to Max’s ‘togetherness’, while this, the two unusual friends make notice that Rushmore is broken up
the teen is fascinated by his self-made
wholly different turn as a loyal yet peace and Max gets back on the right thematically by months (a tool he
wild right-hand man airplane pilot millions – two very different peas in track. He writes a brilliant play on
the same pod (both seeing the other would continue to use frequently
to Tom Cruise’s character in 2017’s
as successful for wholly different the Vietnam War and sneakily throughout the years (think The
American Made (directed by Doug works to get Blume and Ms. Cross Royal Tenenbaums and The Life
Liman). He has also appeared on the reasons). The mature-leaning Max Aquatic with Steve Zissou), so, in
soon begins to fall for primary back together.
big screen in films such as Footloose As we have come to expect from other words, there are strong roots
(the remake), Mississippi Grind, teacher Rosemary Cross (Olivia that extend into his future features.
Christine, and Birth of a Nation. Williams), who lost her husband a Wes Anderson, his films have a
year earlier. To further complicate very unique, visual aesthetic (and The music must also be mentioned.
When the conversation turned to
his favourite film, Smith immediately the young man’s life, his new friend this one, only his second feature, There is a barrage of excellent sixties
Blume is also ‘hot for teacher’. is no different) – it is, simply put, tunes, with well known artists such
pointed to Wes Anderson’s Rushmore
Max is eventually expelled by the stunning. His thought process is as The Who, The Rolling Stones, The
as being at the top of his list. Secretly evident in every frame, always Kinks, Cat Stevens, John Lennon,
wanting to be Jason Schwartzman’s headmaster, Dr. Nelson Guggenheim
(Brian Cox) and has to go to the very making for unusual and brilliantly The Faces and Donovan leading the
character, he says he loves the film orchestrated shots – his original way. Yet, there is also some great
and could watch it over and over ordinary Grover Cleveland High.
Also, Max and Blume begin a long use of symmetry, bird’s-eye view, music from bands that have been lost
again. If you’d like to see the entire
distance feud over the woman. What slow motion, deliberately chosen to time, such as The Creation and
interview, you can simply search angles, and tracking shots (to name Unit 4 + 2, who had one major hit
‘Filmizon Jayson Warner Smith’ on starts with letters and a cleverly
staged bee attack, quickly escalates, but a few of his trademarks) are on with “Concrete and Clay”. It is an
Youtube.com and it should pop up full display. Yet, it also has a more excellent soundtrack that feels right
immediately. prompting Blume to run over Max’s
bike, and, in retaliation, Max cuts raw, realistic feel – a burgeoning for the tone and themes of the movie.
Wes Anderson’s 1998 film filmmaker growing in front of our
Blume’s car brakes – leading to his The performances are also solid.
Rushmore, which he wrote with
arrest. He becomes quite depressed, very eyes. We would witness these Continued on page 43
