Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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JULY 6-12, 2016 UCW 21 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Went Nowhere Central Intelligence (Rated PG-13) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS Sometimes I review movies I don't feel like watching, for lack of something better to review. Sometimes, I even enjoy those movies. Most of the time, I don't. World of Warcraft is just too darn long to review, so I was left with Central Intelligence (114 minutes), which was also too long. Comedies don't need to last two hours, despite what Judd Apatow has convinced us all. And when a film has as much padding as this one, I get antsy. I admit, Central Intelligence wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In the beginning, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson actually has some funny material to work with — but it doesn't last long. Also, whoever convinced Kevin Hart he was a funny guy should be arrested and thrown into solitary confinement. On a scale of one (Zach Galifianakis) to 10 (the chaos that ensued on The Office when Dwight made them think the building was on fire), Kevin Hart has never gotten higher than a three. Calvin Joyner (Hart) peaked in high school. He is married to his high school sweetheart Maggie (Danielle Nicolet). I spent most of the movie trying to figure out where I knew her from, and finally found out she did some guest appearances on Key and Peele, which I binge watched not too long ago. Their marriage is clearly based on the lingering shreds of the love they felt for each other in high school, and they both seem ready to spend the next 30 years keeping each other company while slowly dying inside, because divorce requires effort. One day, Calvin is contemplating the shreds that used to be a promising life, and he accepts some random guy's friend request. That is never a good idea. Turns out, it is former high school outcast Robbie Weirdicht (Johnson), now using the name Bob Stone, and making some truly interesting life choices. That's not even sarcasm, I really was enjoying all the random Sixteen Candles references and fanny packs associated with Bob Stone, the now muscled version of a former punching bag. He seemed genuinely sweet and at peace with himself, despite all the ways in which he defied stereotypes. Like, why don't more men wear purple sparkly unicorn shirts? Then, it turns out he doesn't have any friends and, while he might have developed his body — mentally and emotionally — he never moved past high school and being a sad sack victim of anyone who wandered by. And he now works for the United States Government. It seems Calvin was the only one who was ever nice to him. When his partner Phil (Aaron Paul) dies under mysterious circumstances, and he doesn't know who to trust, Calvin was the only one he could turn to. All things considered, it wasn't a terrible addition to the surprisingly crowded list of accidentally a spy movies — it was no The Man Who Knew Too Little, but it was at least up there with the classic Richard Grieco romp If Looks Could Kill. And, we get to see Amy Ryan break someone's fingers! Now showing at Patriot 14 + IMAX. FTCC Proud to Serve Vets by CYNTHIA RODRIGUEZ Have you recently transitioned from active duty to civilian life and are wondering where to go from here or retired from military service and looking for a second career? Are you a spouse or dependent looking for a brighter future? If so, education is the answer for you because education can open the doors of opportunity. Those doors at FTCC are waiting for you to open them to begin your journey to obtain the knowledge and skills needed for a bright and successful career. If you have been thinking about obtaining a higher educational degree, now is the time to stop thinking about it and do it! Before you know it, another year will have passed and you'll realize you're another year older and still thinking about furthering your education. The Fayetteville Technical Community College All American Veterans Center is proud to serve military veterans and their dependents as they pursue their educational goals. The Center was created to honor veterans and to provide a location where veterans can gather, find assistance and receive the support necessary to ensure success at FTCC and beyond. The Center is staffed by a team of veterans and dependents from all branches of the military who have a passion to serve fellow veterans. The team members answer questions and offer guidance to help veterans take that first important step for a smooth transition into education. Our staff members have six to seven years of experience and are knowledgeable about the different types of VA educational benefits needed to make the right decisions. Our veteran students have a home away from home at FTCC. The Veterans Study Hall/Lounge is available to veteran students for relaxing, studying in between classes or socializing with fellow veterans while enjoying popcorn, coffee and donuts. The FTCC Student Veterans Association holds monthly meetings at the Center, and Mr. Rylander (a dependable, committed volunteer from Patriot Outreach) is ready to assist and refer veterans to resources available throughout the community. A math tutor is also available at the Center. The Veterans Center Lab is a recent addition and is intended to provide an area for staff to service prospective and current students who are completing the enrollment process or submitting VA applications or forms. Through the VA Work Study Program, veteran students have an opportunity to work part time while completing their programs of study. Work study students assist fellow veterans in submitting forms and understanding Blackboard and student email logins. The Center is fortunate to have FTCC work study students as part of the team, dedicated to the purpose and goals of FTCC and the Center. The All American Veterans Center is located at the Fayetteville campus inside the General Classroom Building in Room 202. Summer office hours are Monday- Thursday from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come by, visit and confirm your smart decision to begin taking classes at FTCC! Fall classes begin August 15, and registration is currently under way. CYNTHIS RODRUGUEZ, Veterans Services Supervisor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200. The center is staffed by a team of veterans and dependents from all branches of the military who have a passion to serve fellow veterans. Admission $1.00 • Adult FREE with Paying Child • All Staff FREE HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200.