The mass of men may lead lives of quiet desperation, but Power? He's living the drum.
"Adventures of Power" is "Napoleon Dynamite" with imaginary drumsticks, a quest movie for the Rock Band generation. Ari Gold (yes, that's also the name of the agent on HBO's "Entourage," and that show's Adrian Grenier plays the villain here) writes, directs and stars in the story of a dreamer from a small New Mexico mining town who longs to bash the fake skins.
Unfortunately, Power's passion for air drumming is a love that dare not speak its name. Says one character: "You aren't going to start that abomination again, are you? Because it's wrong!"
As labor unrest at the copper plant threatens to explode (the workers are led by Power's union-organizer dad), Power crosses the country to hone his skills at the pedal of a master. Naturally, there's a climactic contest for the big money ($2,000!).
Gold places his fond comedy in the '80s with all the cinematic skill of early MTV. It features a totally awesome period soundtrack (with plenty of Rush) and some rad pillow talk: "You have the golden locks of David Lee Roth," whispers Power to his lady love. There's also a glimpse into the dark underworld of Mexican air-drumming rings.
"Adventures of Power" just may teach the world that, as hard as it is to catch the wind, it's harder still to drum the air.
--
Michael Ordona --
"Adventures of Power." MPAA rating: PG-13 for some language including sexual references. Running time: 1 hour, 28 minutes. At Laemmle's Sunset 5, West Hollywood.
--
Accruing some bad 'Karma'
They say no one sets out to make a bad movie but after suffering through the atrocious "Creating Karma," I'm not so sure that's true. How else to explain a picture so emotionally, comically and, yes, karmically out of touch with the real world -- not to mention the sheer basics of filmmaking -- that watching it feels as if you're being "Punk'd," movie-style.
This shrill mishmash involves a cranky Manhattan magazine editor named Karma (co-scripter Carol Lee Sirugo), who loses her job, moves in with her New Age therapist half-sister (director and co-writer Jill Wisoff) and somehow becomes the darling of the downtown slam poetry set. Along the way, Karma encounters a wacky bunch of poets and free spirits who guide her to, I guess, enlightenment.
