THE MONUMENTS MEN (Rated PG-13)

Fighting the Nazis to save Western civilization? How can you miss with such easy targets as Adolf Hitler and his uncivilized henchmen embarked on a mission to destroy art treasures that define the very essence of European culture?

Assembling a hardy band of soldiers to go behind enemy lines during World War II should be something like “The Dirty Dozen.” The result would have been plenty of high stakes action.

On the other hand, “The Monuments Men,” directed by and starring George Clooney, is more like “Ocean’s Eleven,” yet mostly absent the tension and excitement of a Vegas casino heist caper fraught with peril and fear of failure.

Of course, another slight problem for creating daring wartime exploits is that the experts of the art world are older guys who have the professional background and necessary grounding in cultural affairs that would elude the typical draft-age Army recruit.

Based on Robert M. Edsel’s bestselling nonfiction book “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History,” the film is intended to be a true account even though the names of the principal figures are pseudonyms.

Sanctioned by the American government, as President Roosevelt and General Eisenhower came to understand the importance of saving cultural heritage, a group of middle-aged and out-of-shape of art historians, architects and artists was organized.

The answer to saving cultural treasures was the formation of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) group, in which George Clooney’s Frank Stokes, a leading art historian at Harvard’s Fogg Museum, was a natural leader given his wartime experience in World War I.

Stokes organizes a group of like-minded individuals, who are too old to be drafted or serve voluntarily as soldiers, but since they may come under fire, they have to go through basic training.

Stokes is joined by Matt Damon’s art expert James Granger, John Goodman’s sculptor Walter Garfield, Bill Murray’s architect Richard Campbell and Jean Dujardin’s art dealer Jean Claude Clermont, a French Jew based in Marseilles.

Other members of the group include the colorful Hugh Bonneville’s British aristocrat Donald Jeffries, a flawed man seeking a second chance, and Bob Balaban’s art historian and theatrical impresario Preston Savitz.

The only real soldier and young person in the MFAA group is Dimitri Leonidas’ Sam Epstein, recruited because he speaks German, knows his way around the battlefront and comes in handy as the driver.

As to be expected from past film outings, Clooney affords his character and that of Matt Damon several opportunities to engage in playful bantering, even though they remain earnestly serious about the mission.

Damon’s Granger gets extra comic mileage with his mangling of the French language, which he apparently learned in Montreal, to the point that no French person wishes to engage him in their native tongue.

The Monuments Men find a valuable, if somewhat wary and skeptical, ally in occupied France with Cate Blanchett’s Claire Simone, a curator at the Jeu de Paume museum in Paris, which the Nazis had converted to a warehouse of stolen art works.

Risking her life to secretly catalog the locations of pilfered art, Simone wants to be sure the Allies won’t simply keep the recovered masterpieces for their own collections of art.

In the late stages of the war, fearing his own demise and Germany’s loss, Hitler issued the so-called Nero Decree that everything the Nazis had amassed was going to be destroyed, so that nothing would fall into the hands of the victors, including the art treasures.

Understanding the implications to civilization, Granger and Simone forge an unusual bond, not a romantic love one, but rather a mutual love of art and culture, along with a passion to save masterpieces for a noble reason.

Not satisfied with being the catalyst behind the Monuments Men mission, Clooney’s Stokes also gets the benefit of uttering the most exalted dialogue, sermonizing about the great value in a civilized world of saving art treasures.

“The Monuments Men” arguably could have used more action and excitement, but then this is not a war epic. A sense of urgency to saving the priceless works of art is the film’s saving grace.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake continues its 2014 series of “Concerts with Conversation” on Saturday, Feb. 15, with an informal concert by the renowned folk duo of Alisa Fineman and Kimball Hurd.

The Valentine’s weekend event starts at 7:30 p.m. in the intimate Meeting House next to the hotel.

“We’ve had great times here with the folk duo of Rita Hosking and Sean Feder,” said Tallman owner Bernie Butcher. “When I heard reports from Don Coffin and others at the recent Kate Wolf Festival that Alisa and Kimball were just as good, I jumped at the chance to invite them up to Lake County.”

Based in Santa Cruz, Alisa and Kimball travel extensively and are favorites in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas.

They’ve earned national acclaim for their world music repertoire and songwriting abilities as well as their engaging personalities. Vocal harmonies are nicely blended with instrumental prowess on guitar, mandolin, dobro and banjo.

Following a recent performance, the Monterey Bay Weekly commented that “Alisa and Kimball are a fresh duo with gorgeous harmonies, an exquisite blend of acoustic instruments and insightful lyrics that speak directly to the heart ... They replenish the world with beauty on every level and are good medicine for the soul.”

Subject to limited availability, concert tickets at $25 plus tax may be purchased by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244, Extension 0.

More background information on Alisa and Kimball can be found at www.alisafineman.com/ .

This touching poem by Dan Gerber, who lives in California, captures the memory of a father’s advice, but beneath the practical surface of that advice we can sense a great deal of emotion, which shows through a little crack at the moment the father clears his voice before continuing.

Advice

You know how, after it rains,
my father told me one August afternoon
when I struggled with something
hurtful my best friend had said,
how worms come out and
crawl all over the sidewalk
and it stays a big mess
a long time after it’s over
if you step on them?

Leave them alone,
he went on to say,
after clearing his throat,
and when the rain stops,
they crawl back into the ground.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright 2012 by Dan Gerber, from his most recent book of poems, Sailing through Cassiopeia, Copper Canyon Press, 2012. Poem reprinted by permission of Copper Canyon Press. Introduction copyright 2014 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT (Rated R)

Sometimes you get an awkward feeling when viewing certain kinds of movies. That happened to me when, against my better judgment, I attended screenings for both of the “Sex and the City” films, an experience I would prefer to forget.

Well, that same sense of discomfort came back again when viewing “That Awkward Moment,” but for different reasons. The ostensible press screening was packed with young females who appeared to be sorority sisters from either UCLA or USC.

Mind you, that’s a much nicer and prettier audience than the usual gaggle of wrinkled old film critics who are largely cynical about everything, particularly any movie starring Zac Efron, the apparent darling of young women.

The awkward part is that many jokes involving the male anatomy are a big part of “That Awkward Moment,” whether it is the crudely funny effects of Viagra for healthy 20-something playboys or one character’s most inappropriate “costume” for a cocktail party attended by his girlfriend’s parents.

“That Awkward Moment” is a flimsy, almost innocuous comedy, unless, of course, you factor in the all-too-often crude anatomical references that make one wonder if Judd Apatow or the “Hangover” crew were involved.

The premise is also relatively thin. The story is about three buddies in Manhattan who make a pact to remain unattached, opting instead for an endless string of meaningless one-night stands.

The motivating element for this agreement is that young doctor Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) has just been blindsided by his wife Vera’s (Jessica Lucas) affair and request for a divorce.

Mikey’s best friends, Jason (Zac Efron) and Daniel (Miles Teller), are carefree bachelors who believe that the best way to deal with this betrayal is to avoid romantic commitments, and so they agree not to fall for any woman.

That’s easier for Jason and Daniel, both of whom work at a publishing house designing book covers, because they are essentially self-centered louts who hang out at bars and remain constantly on the prowl for easy pick-ups.

Of the three, the biggest player is Jason, because after all he’s played by Zac Efron, who has the good looks for the part and may come off as slightly vulnerable to a prospective partner even though he is far from it.

Daniel is the most animated of the bunch, talking a good game with a breezy patter, but mostly he’s helped by Chelsea (Mackenzie Davis), his apparent “wingman” on the social scene, guiding a few eligible women his way.

Reluctant to return to the dating game, Mikey may have the best chance to remain uncommitted, but this is complicated by mixed signals from Vera, who may be having second thoughts about her romantic entanglement with her divorce lawyer.

The best laid plans of mice and men often get derailed. The promise to avoid commitments at all costs and to stay single together is quickly strained to the breaking point. There’s something vaguely Shakespearean about the unfolding deceptions.

Funny enough, director Tom Gormican observed that the inspiration for his comedy came from Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” where a group of guys swear off women but then they all meet girls and they start lying to each other about it.

Aside from Mikey pining for getting back with Vera, Jason, the most unlikely of the trio to commit to anyone, meets the girls of his dreams in Ellie (Imogen Poots), though his initial hookup is that of a one-night stand that ends badly.

After meeting Ellie at his favorite bar, Jason later mistakenly believes she’s a hooker, a not unwarranted view considering that a box of condoms and an envelope full of cash sit in plain view on top of her nightstand. So he slinks away in the early morning.

Imagine Jason’s surprise when Ellie shows up a few days later for a pitch meeting at his office. She’s a potential client and he’s got egg on his face. What’s more, she’s sweet, smart and sexy, an irresistible combination for any sentient young professional guy.

For a guy trying to avoid commitment, Jason goes out of his way to try to repair the self-inflicted wounds on what was a budding relationship. And Daniel is finding it harder to keep his friend Chelsea at a safe distance.

In the end, there’s nothing terribly original about “That Awkward Moment,” a standard fare, but somewhat crude, romantic comedy where the scenery of Manhattan is more than a supporting player.

“That Awkward Moment” has its share of humor, though often the jokes are awkward, and yet there is a feeling that a better movie could have been realized.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

FORT BRAGG, Calif. – Symphony of the Redwoods is proud to offer two performances of beautiful and stirring music this weekend.

The Winter Concert, scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, presents Sibelius’ Symphony No 1 and Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor with Stephen Harrison, cellist.

Jean Sibelius’s first symphony is filled with the enthusiasm and passion of youth – a soaring tribute to his beloved homeland, Finland.

His love for his country’s people and its spectacular, glacially-carved landscapes were the inspiration for this lovely, lyrical piece of music.

Richer in depth and tone, Antonin Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor is generally considered one of the most beautiful cello concertos ever written.

The symphony is pleased to have Stephen Harrison, principal cellist for the Mendocino Music Festival, join them from the Bay Area for this performance.

With its three movements offering vibrant, warm melodies, it has been a concert favorite of American symphonies since its first publication in 1896.

The Symphony of the Redwoods is generously supported this season by North Coast Brewing Co. and the Westport Hotel.

This weekend’s concert will be held at Cotton Auditorium, in Fort Bragg.

Tickets are $20 each at Harvest and Tangents in Fort Bragg, and at Out of this World in Mendocino, online at www.SymphonyoftheRedwoods.org and at the door. Those age 18 and under are always free.

For further information, contact Alex Pierangeli at 707-964-0898 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

UKIAH, Calif. – Be part of a live filming of Ailura Fate's new music video at Ukiah Brewing Company this coming Friday, Feb. 7.

Ailura Fate is a Lake County band, consisting of vocalist Kayla Bell, guitarist Lindy Day, and bassist/keyboardist Kevin Village-Stone.

The group won the Rock 2 Category at Rising Stars Music Competition in 2013 and recently signed with international management through KaseQTR Productions joining an organization of world-class performers.

“To show our thanks to our awesome fans, we have door prizes and giveaways all night long” says Lindy Day. “Everyone who shows up will receive a free raffle ticket at the door. You could win an iTunes gift card, Ukiah Brewing Company merchandise, official Ailura Fate merchandise, CDs, or other gifts. We're also giving away glow sticks and other party favors. It's going to be a rocking party. And everyone gets a special gift just for attending.”

“This looks like a show to attend for music fans, these local folks won big at the 2013 Rising Stars Music Competition and have signed with an international booking agent. Chances are they won't be around here much longer. Awesome for bragging rights like 'I saw em when' type stuff,” said John Jensen of Konocti Broadcasting Co., who will be filming the event with his crew.

Ukiah Brewing Co. has the distinction of being the first certified organic brew pub and the second certified organic restaurant in the United States. All meals are prepared from scratch with organic and non-GMO ingredients.

Come enjoy drinks and dinner at Ukiah Brewing Co. on Feb. 7 and then be a part of Ailura Fate's performance from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. You must be 21 or over to attend.

A $5 cover supports the band and filming costs.

For more information on Ailura Fate visit www.ailurafate.com .

For more information on Ukiah Brewing Co. visit www.ukiahbrewing.com .