"Versus" Nightclub and The Club Didn't Win

Using the old Los Angeles Stock Exchange building, Versus Nightclub is the latest in new Hollywood hot-spots; at least that's what they're aiming for. The club boasts three levels, one of which is a super-exclusive VIP area overlooking the rest of the club that regular guests cannot really see into.
At the grand-opening Saturday, the most noteworthy celebrity guests were to include Heidi Cortez ("Sunset Tan" and Playboy), DJ Skribble and Dave Navarro, along with other so-called celebrities such as Audrina from "The Hills." Really.

The red carpet was left virtually empty, save Cortez standing aimlessly and doe-eyed — posing stiffly for the periodic photo op, her mouth gaping in an uncomfortable and overly injected smile. When other celebrities were arriving, little attention was paid to them.

The most recognizable of the bunch was David Blue ("Ugly Betty") while the others who arrived were generally or completely buzz less. One gentleman had an entourage of one passing out business cards to make sure the press knew they were important but informed us we would have to wait until the end of the night for a photo opportunity. Let me hold my breath.

For a while, the red carpet served not as an isle for photos and interviews, but as a sort of holding pen for those who had walked its short distance, and this line ended up taking most of the carpet.

The most excitement outside was found in talking with Terrance, the manager of an extra security team hired for the night. He had more personality than most of the faces to walk the red carpet. Asking a public relations rep when Navarro might arrive, my photographer and I were given an answer of "about an hour" so we decided to enter the club, only to be faced with an undisclosed delay.

The minutes passed while we were being told it would only be a moment longer, with employees scurrying back and forth. When we were finally approached by a very large member of the club's main security, we were told that the elevators were said to be in working order, though not yet inspected and approved and therefore could not be used. Considering the club's layout and that the photographer, Chris, has been in a wheelchair for over ten years — well, it put a wrench in our plans for the evening. I do not suggest a grand opening that cannot properly accommodate all of its guests. Why they did not ensure the proper inspections and certificates for their elevators before opening is an unanswered question.

They offered to carry him up the stairs and to equip him with a security guard for the night "because of [his] situation." Both were refused, the latter being patronizing and an attempt at over-compensating. We did go inside; he stayed in the lobby while I traveled upstairs to check out the festivities.

The club had pockets of people in cloisters and the rest of the club was pretty open and empty looking. None of the so-called private tables were being used, nor did they look very private, and though music was playing, nobody was dancing.

Most of the guests were not dressed appropriately for an upscale club, which Versus has tagged itself to be. Many guests arrived in light jeans and over-worn tee-shirts (some less dressy than what you would find in local bars and pubs) while others came in pastel '90s club-kid attire — uber-platform boots, pigtails and all.

I spent about an hour upstairs, taking photos and speaking with the one friendly bartender there, though she was trying too hard to publicize the hot-factors of the club. The décor is simple and uneventful in the midst of the club's smoke machines and light effects. A closer look does show the renovated Art Deco original features mixed with a light, modern flare. The space, which has a lovely streamline to its décor, would be better for the fashion shows, plays, and jazz concerts that are said to be included on the calendars to come. None of those things are found to currently be scheduled.

The club is not worth the trip out there, past the rows of homeless residents in their make-shift communities; all you will find is another club without anything new or special to offer. The only reason Chris and I stayed as long as we did was because we were offered a couple of free cocktails, no doubt to help soften the blow of Chris not being able to get upstairs. We stayed long enough to finish them but refused to take further advantage. At this point no number of free drinks would change each of the negatives of the experience of Versus Nightclub. It was generally irritating and condescending, but most of all really boring.

As a member of the press I was still considered to be working for too lowly a publication to be offered a press packet upon my check in, and was actually standing right in front of a public relations woman who tried to whisper to another that they should save them for the bigger papers. Bigger papers were never seen and there seemed to be more than enough packets for the few people there asking for them.

Considering our readers include people the club allegedly wants as guests, I wouldn't snub a small paper if I were them. In LA, you never know who you're networking with.

The only fun that was truly had was because of the company I was keeping. So grab your friends and stay local. If you want to hit up LA for a hot club, Versus Nightclub is not it. When we left at 11:30 pm, there was no sign of things picking up, no sign of Navarro and still no sign of Audrina. I think I'll live.


Versus LA Nightclub
618 S Spring Street (Los Angeles Stock Exchange Building)
Grand Opening October 25, 2008
Los Angeles, CA 90014
versusla.com

A Road Trip to Nowhere

Review - "Sex Drive"
Becky Kinder
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, October 21, 2008


SUMMARY: Three friends, on a road trip filled with mishaps, eventually reach the destinations they really needed to get to.

OUR VIEW: "Sex Drive" is a road trip everybody has already taken.

STARS: 1 out of 4

The latest in a long line of raunchy teen comedies is "Sex Drive." Instead of a throw-back to bawdy comedies of the past, this film seems to be attempting to cram every cliché and overly used bit from its predecessors into each scene.
When 18-year-old virgin, Ian (Josh Zuckerman) gets the green light to go and visit a girl he met online, he is encouraged by best friend Lance (Clark Duke) to steal older brother Rex's (James Marsden) Pontiac GTO to make the nine-hour drive. Throw in female — but not feminine — best friend, Felicia (Amanda Crew), and you have a road trip, destination: sex.


All sorts of shenanigans happen along the way, all formulaic and annoyingly predictable. Make a checklist of every silly, dumb, gross, potty-humor, ignorant or sexual joke you've seen in a movie or made with your friends and you will undoubtedly check most, if not every single one, off while watching this film. I like to take notes for my reviews and I was writing everything down before it happened. Everything.


Road kill that doesn't want to die, cops who are inept and brainless and more gay jokes than any person should have to endure in one movie is the mundane series of scenes you'll get with "Sex Drive." Don't forget to add a scene of diarrhea in a public restroom that they managed to add a bizarre and lame George Michael moment into as well. Each of the love stories squeezed into the script end up being misplaced and are just another additive to the same-old formulas.


Lance is the PC version to "Gossip Girl" Chuck Bass' Mac. Rex is the same super-tool jock of an older brother we've seen before; with a softer side you should see coming from the first scene he's in — though some audience members' reactions lead me to believe they never saw it coming. Crew looks bizarrely like Hannah Montana threw on a wig and decided to leave music for acting.


There were a few moments that earned my laughter, such as Rex's dream and the perfectly tasteless and cheesy themed motel rooms. The donut shop mascot costume will give you the giggles, especially when they're outside of Bob's Big Boy.


Mostly terrible actors in smaller roles are mixed with the talent of other actors wasted in the main roles, particularly Duke's. Seth Green's performance is the only wholly noteworthy one, and he admits to at least a portion of it being improvised rather than scripted. The flexibility of going off the script undoubtedly attributed to the funnier lines Green's performance lent to the film. Amish farmer Ezekiel's (Green) deadpan sarcasm may be "lost on his people," but it will leave you feeling uncomfortable for Ian while laughing into the scenes that follow.


The credits were cleverly displayed, along with the extra tid-bits of story continuation audiences look for these days. The clips of Green and extended cameos by Fall Out Boy during the credits are funnier than most of the other scenes during the movie.


If you want to see a totally expected story, stereotypical characters without anything new to offer, then head out to catch this. I suggest renting a classic like "Weird Science" or something slightly newer like "Dumb and Dumber" where you'll get a feel of the same humor without the overused after-taste.
"Sex Drive" crashed. It would have been nice to have a fresh take on this type of comedy — you know, "with a twist."

Terrorist-themed film takes a fresh approach

Review of "Traitor"
Becky Kinder

Staff Writer

STARS: 3 out of 4

OUR VIEW: A fresh approach to what could be the same-old-story of terrorists against Americans, keeping you on the edge until the end.

SUMMARY: Sometimes the only way to stay alive is to have every side want you dead.

Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Updated: Wednesday, September 17, 2008

There are some generalities - some assumptions that can be made about what a film with its strongest story line running along the vein of terrorism will be like. There are expected events and topics touched upon in "Traitor," but those do not get in the way of the tension it holds you in throughout the film. What may, on the surface, seem will be the same stories or views, is given a fresh approach.

Samir Horn (Don Cheadle), while attempting to sell explosives to an Islamic terrorist group, gets caught in a raid by local authorities and a couple of FBI agents. While imprisoned in Yemen, agents Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce) and Max Archer (Neal McDonough) begin to question Horn, digging deeper into his past as a former U.S. Army Special Forces expert in explosives as well as how his beliefs as a devout Muslim link him to terrorist bombings.

Through the friendship Horn forms with fellow captive Omar (Saïd Taghmaoui), the terrorists are able to escape prison, taking Horn with them in a belief-based bond of brotherhood. This eventually leads Horn to be linked to the bombing of an American Consulate in Nice, along with being connected to top terrorist contacts in London and other countries.

But is Horn a traitor to the United States? Leading the terrorists through planning suicide-bombings and attempts at remote bombings meant to kill as many Americans as possible without having to train yet another suicide bomber, the answer would be "yes." Clayton must capture Horn before another target is hit, unaware of the other contacts both Horn and the terrorists have in the FBI.

With unsaturated colors and a grainier focus than most Hollywood films, there is a definite surveillance quality to the film, putting the audience on the side of the FBI, the terrorists, and each country's citizens all at once. Using this style, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff places us with each group, making for an even better comment on the beliefs of those terrorists who claim to take the action they do because it is God's will, almost bringing an understanding and some sympathy, though without necessarily agreeing.


The film makes no constant attack on radical Muslims. Instead, it touches on their commonality ⎯ that they can be anybody, anywhere, and that they really believe that what they're doing is morally correct because of their religious beliefs. There is also a touch on racial profiling, tastefully added to the film rather than a leading focus.

Notable performances are abundant in this film, namely from Cheadle, Pierce and Taghmaoui. Jeff Daniels is worth mentioning in his smaller role, playing his government employee more as an every-man than the cookie-cutter character that can often be portrayed by other actors.

What seems to be one of the biggest themes of "Traitor" is approached early on in the film: when your loyalties are questioned - whether religious, friendship or brotherhood - you may say you're willing to kill, but are you willing to die?

"Traitor" is filled with faith, loyalties and friendships tested and how people can use those connections to achieve almost any goal, if played right. Choices to trade in friends for what you believe is the greater good are made; where, just as in chess, you must sometimes choose to sacrifice pawns to win the game.