Kyle's Movie Guide: "Chicken Little" and "Glory Road"

Don't look now, but the CAC pulled a fast one on us all. Just when we all thought that "Chicken Little" was lined up for this weekends entertainment, they got tricky on us and made this weekend's film a double-feature. That's right; they're showing Glory Road in addition to "Chicken Little." Thank you CAC! Now I have to do double the work to review these movies. Well guys, let's giddyup!

Oh my goodness, it's Zach Braff! TV's favorite medical misfit stars as the voice of Chicken Little. It's not really Braff's real voice, but that whiney one he occasionally uses. If you watch "Scrubs," you know the one.

Chicken Little is much like The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Convinced that the sky is falling, he attempts warning the entire town. There is one problem: Chicken Little doesn't exactly have the best reputation for being the most honest. The town is sure that Chicken Little was hit in the head with an acorn and is simply confused. Little did they know that the mischievous piece of poultry is telling the truth! He really was hit with a piece of the sky that fell because Earth is being attacked by aliens! Now it is up to Chicken Little and his band of misfit animals to save the planet! In addition to Braff, "Chicken Little" features the voices of Garry Marshall, Don Knotts, Patrick Stewart, Steve Zahn, Joan Cusack, Catherine O'Hara, Wallace Shawn, and Fred Willard. Talk about an all-star lineup! "Chicken Little" is rated G for extreme, gruesome violence, a copious amount of obscenities, and graphic nudity. Just kidding. You can bring the kids to this one.

March is now gone. How'd your bracket do? Mine won the campus-wide pool. Thanks for asking. Have you ever wondered which basketball team has influenced college basketball the most? You may guess Duke, UCLA, or Kentucky? Well, if you guessed Texas Western University, you are correct. I, for one, am glad that the CAC decided to play "Glory Road." In the spirit of "Remember the Titans," this film deals with the issue of integrating black players into sports in the 60s.

Josh Lucas plays an ambitious young coach who is eager to have the opportunity to coach Division I basketball. He is given that opportunity by Texas Western University. This film chronicles the 1965-66 season when Lucas wins the national championship. While amazing, it is not the fact that he won the championship that is of importance; rather, it is the fashion in which he won.

College basketball was integrated at this time. There was, however, an unspoken agreement among coaches that only one black player would be played at home, two on the road, and three if the team was behind. Arriving at TWU, Lucas realizes he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting quality white players to come and play for the struggling program. He then goes north into the playgrounds and recruits black players. Lucas is not a racist, nor does he seek to exploit the blacks. He simply wants to win.

The movie covers the discrimination that the players faced in their historic season. It also depicts animosity between the black and white players. When watching, note the attitudes and mutual respect that the white players have for the black players when the coach informs them that their starting spots are given to the blacks. This is rated PG for racial issues including violence and epithets, and momentary language. This is a great film to see if you are a basketball fan.