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This week's reviews: 'Old School,' Jennifer Hanson, 'Lone Ranger'
(PEOPLE) -- This week PEOPLE.com looks at the film "Old School," Jennifer Hanson's self-titled debut album and "The Lone Ranger" on the WB. Movie review: 'Old School'
This most excellent comedy takes the old "Animal House" blueprint and builds on it using newer, better materials. Start with a framework of cheerful grossout humor along the Farrelly brothers' model. Shingle it over with nail-sharp jokes, the sort perfected by our great architect of sarcastic irony, David Letterman. Then lease the thing out to an ensemble of crack performers: from Will Ferrell, as a beer-guzzler known as Frank the Tank, to mullet-headed Seann William Scott, as an animal handler who bullies miniature ponies. Can you say "party"? Oh, the cornerstone -- the plot: When a newly single lawyer (Luke Wilson) moves into a rental on the edge of campus, his bored married buddy (Vince Vaughn, who rivals Bill Murray at playing fatuous sleazeballs) convinces him to open a frat for bodies that are not necessarily students. One of them, an octogenarian, has an inspiredly nutty moment singing "Dust in the Wind." Bottom line: Cheers! Music review: 'Jennifer Hanson'Jennifer Hanson (Capitol) Warm, rich and sensuous, capable of ranging from bluesy rock to intimate ballads, Jennifer Hanson's voice at times brings to mind Stevie Nicks's or the young Linda Ronstadt's. With her versatile debut album, though, the 29-year-old country-pop newcomer should make a name for herself. Hanson cowrote nine of this disc's 11 tracks, among them the jazz-inflected "Simply Yours" and the highlight, "Half a Heart Tattoo," a clever story song about two women realizing they have identical tattoos devoted to the same man. Hanson's husband, Mark Nesler, cowrote five songs that suit the vivacious style of the singer, who is also nicely complemented by fine musicians. Although Hanson succumbs to the overwrought pop of "Beautiful Goodbye," on which her exaggerated phrasing wears thin, she is a welcome new voice in Nashville. Bottom line: A big hand for Hanson TV review: 'The Lone Ranger'WB (Wednesday, February 26, 8 p.m. ET) I can hear the brainstorming session in The WB's executive suites: "The prequel thing worked with 'Smallville.' Now let's do a younger, sexier 'Lone Ranger.' We'll toss the 'William Tell Overture' and replace it with loud rock." "Better yet, keep a little 'William Tell' but play it on electric guitar." This mockable two-hour movie, conceived as the pilot for a possible series, depicts the western hero as a 20-year-old, well before he and "faithful Indian companion" Tonto had their TV adventures of the '50s. In this version Nathaniel Arcand plays Tonto as an assertive Apache who helps 19th-century law student Luke Hartman (Chad Michael Murray) gain revenge after baddies murder Luke's brother. A tribal shaman (Wes Studi) suggests that Luke don a mask to spook the villains. But when Luke makes his dashing debut as the Lone Ranger, he seems to be garbed for Mardi Gras rather than a gunfight. The best action scene comes when Luke fantasizes a hot bath with Tonto's luscious sister (Anita Brown). Bottom line: Leave it alone -- Terry Kelleher
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