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Welcome to the Boy's Club The Adventures of Tintin (Rated PG) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS Much like Pavlov's dog, I have been conditioned to respond to the sounds of Celine Dion's "The Heart Will Go On" with tears. Weirdly, the fact that the song makes me cry always inspires hysterical laughter. So, sorry, people in the theater trying to enjoy the Titanic 3D trailer, I might have gotten a bit loud. Maybe I'm a bit burnt out on kids movies, but The Adventures of Tintin (107 minutes) left me a bit cold. The spectacle was there, the sense of adventure and wonder, the nostalgia … it just seemed to lack heart somehow. Obviously, di- rector Spielberg put a lot of time and effort into the project, demonstrating a good deal of loyalty to the source material in the pro- cess. But just like the source material, this is a story by boys, about boys and for boys. The narrative connection to the Indiana Jones movies is clear, but did we really need another kid's movie where boys get to do all the cool stuff? The film opens on some arty credits, which lead into a shot of Tintin, boy re- porter (Jamie Bell) having a caricature drawn by a street artist with Snowy the dog by his side. In a clever bit of tribute, the caricature resembles the original art in the children's series by Herge. Actual Tintin, however, resembles Neil Patrick Harris. While Tintin schmoozes with the artist, Snowy runs off down the street in pursuit of a pickpocket (Toby Jones) who turns out to be important later. While tracking down his dog, Tintin spots a nice model ship and buys it just ahead of two competitors, Sakharine (Daniel Craig) and Barnaby (Joe Starr). Tintin skips off home to display his new toy, only to have an evil little kitty sneak into his apartment and mess with his stuff. After he leaves to investigate the his- tory of his find, somebody breaks in to steal it. I wonder if it was one of the guys who were trying to get it earlier? Eventually, one of them shows up, only to be shot up on Tintin's doorstep. He must have been wearing a bullet vest or some- thing, because despite being shot badly enough to pass out in the entryway, there isn't any blood. Interpol agents Thompson and Thompson (Nick Frost and Simon Pegg) help- fully explain that the possibly dead guy was also an agent, and that he was on the track of something huge. Naturally, he didn't tell anyone what he was doing, and because he is possibly dead or maybe just shot and in a coma, they can't ask him. This story is going nowhere quick. Maybe some villain will appear to advance the plot? Yes indeed! The new villains kidnap Tintin, and are very mean to Snowy, who manages to follow them all the way to the docks because he is smarter than the average dog. The bad guys put their captive in a locked cage below decks, and the head bad guy stops by to offer some helpful and menacing exposition without actually accomplishing anything that will further his presumably evil plot. Luckily, Snowy the wonder-dog frees Tintin, and they hook up with Captain Drunky (Andy Serkis). After some ship chases, followed by airplane chases, followed by motorcycle chases and then some more ship chases, the heroes triumph, mostly because the vil- lain has a stupid backstory. All in all, the movie was cute. I am sure kids will enjoy it more than I did. But just to make sure that kids don't take the wrong message away, tell the kids that girls can become heroic reporters chasing down pirates, too. Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15. HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? editor@upand- comingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Reducing Emissions From the Editors of Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: I understand that some Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. states have banded together to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. Can you enlighten? — Bo Clifford, Cary, NC Given the lack of federal action to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., several East Coast states joined together in 2008 to form the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), committing to a market-based system to cap carbon pollution and lower energy bills while creating more green jobs. Under RGGI, the 10 participating states — Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont — agreed on a region-wide greenhouse gas emissions limit, enforced through the sale of pollution permits to large fossil fuel power plants there. The utilities that run the plants purchase the right (at quarterly auctions) to emit certain capped amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). The money raised is in turn invested in local businesses throughout Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states that promote energy ef- ficiency and renewable energy sources. RGGI's overall goal is to reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector in the states involved by 10 percent by 2018. The program was conceived in 2008 by then New York gov- ernor George Pataki based on a similar fed- eral program launched by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 that successfully curbed emissions of other pol- lutants that led to acid rain. While RGGI had strong bipartisan support at launch, changing priorities have since forced some states to reconsider their commitments. According to RenewableEnergyWorld.com, New Jersey is likely to back out, while factions in New Hampshire and Maine have also called for a withdrawal. "The political tides have turned significantly since the program was started, and many legis- latures are now dominated by a new crop of lawmakers looking to cut spend- ing in cash-strapped states," the website reports. Environmentalists and many business owners have banded together to try to save RGGI in the face of economic threats to its viability. Last July some 200 Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic businesses signed on to an open letter urging the governors of the 10 participating states to keep up with the program so that it can achieve its goals. "The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative shows that market-based programs can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while boosting our economy and improving energy security, and we encourage you to support and strengthen RGGI going forward," the letter states. The letter goes on to cite research showing a $4-6 increase in economic output for every $1 invested in energy efficiency programs in the RGGI states. "Even better, these market-driven investments create jobs in the clean tech sector — one of the most dynamic segments of our state economies." Perhaps more important, RGGI "serves as a powerful model for what a comprehensive national energy policy should do" says the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a leading environmental group. Whether or not the economy will improve enough or climate change will become dramatic enough for Congress and the White House to take federal action to limit greenhouse gas emissions across the board is anybody's guess. In the meantime, keeping alive programs like RGGI might be the best we can hope for. CONTACTS: RGGI, www.rggi.org; RenewableEnergyWorld.com, www. renewableenergyworld.com; Businesses Letter to State Governors, www. cleanenergycouncil.org/files/RGGIJuly2011Final.pdf. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. JANUARY 25-31, 2012 UCW 21