‘Miracle’ dazzles; ‘Barbershop 2’ is boring

SARA SALAM

Relive that magical Olympic moment

Within the heart of a nation lies the strength to fulfill a dream

thought to be an impossible reality.

The dream of the 1980 United States hockey team was motivated by

the inspiration of their coach, Herb Brooks, whose intentions went

beyond forming the ideal team to forming the right one. He proposed

to build a team comprised of the most worthy players capable of

playing the game as a team. Though he created a schism among the

chosen few from all different parts of the country, his tactics for

teamwork prevail in the end.

Despite the tension between the troubled college men and the

doubts held by the Olympic committee, Brooks triumphs with aid from

his wife, Patty, and his assistant coach, Craig Patrick -- although

these two characters do, in reality, have their doubts as well.

Because the Russian communist government and the unpaid but

talented Russian athletes have a lopsided advantage when it comes to

playing the game, Brooks counters their strategy with careful

planning and unrevealed procedures to win.

Choreographed plays and pre-diagramed action stimulated the

intensity of the film and recreated the atmosphere of the dynamic

moments that make this game such an important and miraculous part of

sports history.

The film’s emotion is expressed as an equivalent to utopian

happiness. It is a rarity to find such extravagant humanism in any of

today’s films, but “Miracle” is the unmatched example of pure heart

and dedication.

Although some aspects the film lacked high-intensity drama and

humor, other areas such as individual and universal triumph

overshadow what’s missing. The morale, the determination and the

quest of unanimity share the spotlight as highlights .

Rather than re-witnessing only the intense and brutal hockey game

that so many adults can remember, the film emphasizes the background

and the motivation of a single man who had a desire to create that

Olympic gold hockey team. Each scene elaborates on the difficulties

and trials that Brooks had to endure to make his fantasy an

actuality. And despite a majority of criticisms, Brooks proves

himself as a coach and as a man of ambition.

* SARA SALAM is a sophomore at Corona del Mar High School.

Sequel to 2002 hit lacks original’s flair

The first “Barbershop” was a guilty pleasure. The notable

African-American cast produced lots of loud laughter with politically

incorrect observations of the American experience.

The same cast is back in Calvin’s Barbershop for the sequel, with

Cedric the Entertainer, Ice Cube and Queen Latifah at the forefront

of the story. But the new version lacks the pop and zing that made

the original so refreshing and enjoyable.

Don’t get me wrong. There are some knee-slapping belly laughs to

be had in the second installment, but they are fewer and farther

between compared to the rapid-fire comedy of the first effort. The

new film is weighted down with conventional plot devices that are

very predictable and don’t contribute to the satirical laugh meter

that made the first one so memorable.

In “Barbershop 2,” a national chain of yuppie hair salons called

Nappy Cuts opens a new store across from Calvin’s place. Bribing the

local councilman, the owners intend to put Calvin out of business and

buy out the entire block of locally owned businesses for further

development. This boring subplot takes over much of the screenplay

and eliminates opportunities for much of the down-home humor that was

at the heart of the first film’s success.

It’s a sometimes-pleasant diversion, but you’ll be better off

renting the original “Barbershop” to see how the producers were able

to get the money for the lesser sequel.

* JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator

for the Orange County public defender’s office.