Williston Observer

3 popcorns

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”

Monkey See, Monkey Makes a Sequel

By Michael S. Goldberger

Special to the Observer

In a perfect circumstance, we would take all the politicians, seat them at little desks in a cute kindergarten classroom, and make them watch director Matt Reeves’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” Graham crackers and milk would be served. No popcorn or cheese nachos. Ok…maybe gummy bears. The hope is that the allegory, a politically savvy heir to George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” would teach them something about what the sane folks on this Earth are trying to accomplish. I’m hoping this review prompts that tutorial.

While we wait for said renaissance, we good citizens, both patrician and plebeian alike, can comfort ourselves in the lessons of peace and general humanism taught by this very engaging film’s apes and a smattering of Homo sapiens who get it. As there’s more than a skosh of violence to impress just what we naked apes are trying to avoid, Mom and Pop might want to abide by the PG-13 directive. Otherwise, it’s all part and parcel of the film’s haunting panoply. Superb art direction helps etch the not so brave world presented.

It is the near future, and owing to some simian virus that leaked out of a test tube and killed most of the world’s populace, we’re not sure if there are any survivors besides the small community of genetically immune folks who are making do in San Francisco. Led by Dreyfus (Gary Oldman), a post-apocalyptic, self-styled Medici, their next step to recovery entails hiking into the Muir Woods and reconnecting a disabled power station to the dam. There’s only one problem…well, actually three in Realtors® parlance.

Location, location, location. That’s where the smart monkeys live…in general harmony, might I add, led by Caesar, their alpha ape personified. Winningly portrayed by Andy Serkis, who’s somewhere inside that costume, he is the anthropoid answer to the philosopher king. Honest, he aspires to no greater office, and is hence able to focus entirely on the job at hand: the commonweal of the constituency that has entrusted him.

Of course, like his namesake, he’s got his problems: Namely, an ape or two with either an axe to grind or a desire for a bit more power. Playing the proverbial right-hand man, the scheming prime minister, if you will, is Koba, a heretofore loyal yet rather dyspeptic sort, acted by Toby Kebell. Not to excuse him, mind you, but we’ll be told of his reasons.

Mixing several instructive parables, with strong symbolic allusion to the European conquest of the New World, it is obvious that these two civilizations are about to clash. We hope that calmer heads prevail, but speculate that the Vegas odds are against it.

While the albeit competent Dreyfus is decidedly hawkish, in a reverse of the power structure back in Monkey Town, it’s his point man, Malcolm, sympathetically depicted by Jason Clarke, who always first considers the enlightened, nonviolent route.

Smaller melodramas in each camp furnish the subplots, the everyday joys and turmoil that inform our humanity, so to speak. Combine all these elements and therein lies the philosophical essence of what several generations of screenwriters have been trying to impart ever since Pierre Boule’s 1963 novel inspired the first “Planet of the Apes” (1968). In short, beyond appearances, what does it really mean to be human?

The great surprise is that for all the opportunities to lapse into a platitudinal preachiness, especially when you consider that the gist of the message has had seven previous iterations, there is a novel freshness here. The characterizations among the apes, which include gorillas and at least one scholarly orangutan who forms a bond of learning with Malcolm’s son, Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), become as real to us as the animals who spoke from the pages of the Golden Books® we pored over in childhood.

Marvelous special effects heighten the drama. Whether the CGI is helping sculpt personages (or is it apenages?), contrasting the fragility of the machine world with haunting forest landscapes or depicting the brutality of some pretty heavy battle scenes, it is always to complement, not upstage. For good measure, and to please a sentimental sense, parallels are made between Caesar and Malcolm’s quests for domestic tranquility.

Of course a modicum of open-mindedness is suggested. I’m reminded of a dorm mate at Olde Ivy Film Criticism College who shunned cartoons because, “C’mon, how could Porky Pig talk?” But that’s the point. If we aspire to a greater civilization, a childlike trust is required of all parties…an ability to embrace wisdom no matter from what race or creed it emanates. In its dedicated effort to proffer said ideal with entertaining panache, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” doesn’t monkey around.

…

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” rated PG-13, is a Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation release directed by Matt Reeves and stars Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell. Running time: 130 minutes

By Kim Dannies

Nothing makes me happier this time of year than a pie bursting with local summer berries enveloped in a buttery, flaky crust. The strawberry rhubarb season was one of the best in recent memory, and now sensational raspberries, peaches, and blueberries are taking their turn on the pie carousel.

There are a couple of easy secrets to a really good piecrust. The single most important thing is to use white pastry flour. Regular flour makes a decent crust, but pastry flour makes a sublime one.

Typically I buy pastry flour from a bin, but I recently splurged on a bag of local Nitty Gritty Grain white pastry flour. I was astonished at the superior quality of my crust. It formed and rolled out beautifully, held the oozing fruit in check, and melted in my mouth. I couldn’t stop eating the pie. I even did a side-by-side bake off with my traditional flour just to be sure, and there really was no contest. At $12.50 for a five-pound bag, it is dear—but definitely worth it.

The next secret is really good butter. Use the best butter you can afford in your crust, you WILL taste the difference. Vermont’s Cabot unsalted butter is a good place to start; if the pie is a super special one, go all the way with Vermont Creamery’s 86 percent butterfat butter.

The rest is easy. Add three generous cups of pastry flour to a food processor. Cut 1- pound of cold butter into 8 pieces and add to flour. Add a pinch of salt and pulse mixture 20 times to create a coarse mixture. Add 1/3 cup of cold water and hit long pulses until a ball forms in the bowl, about 1 minute. Add more flour if the dough sticks to the sides, or add more water drops if the mixture is not forming into dough.

Wrap dough in plastic. Chill for at least an hour or freeze until needed. I like to roll out my crust for a 9×12-inch rectangle baking dish leaving wide flaps all around the edges.

I add my filling, then pull the flaps up, crostata-style, with an rough opening in the center. I lacquer on some egg yolk and dust with raw sugar. The result is an earthy brown-berry-oozing wonder that serves 12.

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston with her husband, Jeff; they have three twenty-something daughters who come and go. For archived Everyday Gourmet columns go to kimdannies.com.

 By Jim Miller
 
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend any credible resources that rate the best vehicles for older drivers? My wife and I are both in our 70s and are looking to purchase a new automobile but could use some help choosing one that’s age friendly. What can you tell us?
—Car Shoppers

Dear Shoppers,
While there are a number of websites that rate new vehicles for older drivers, one of the most credible is Edmunds.com, a top-rated online resource for automotive research information.
For 2014, they developed a list of “top 10 vehicles for seniors” based on user-friendly features that help compensate for many of the physical changes—like diminished vision, arthritis and range of motion loss—that can come with aging.
But before we get to the list, here is a rundown of different features that are available on many new vehicles today and how they can help with various age-related physical problems. So depending on what ails you or your wife, here’s what to look for.

Knee, hip or leg problems
For comfort, a better fit and easier entry and exit, look for vehicles that have six-way adjustable power seats that move the seat forward and backward, up and down, and the seat back forward and backward. Also look for low door thresholds and seat heights that don’t require too much bending or climbing to get into. Leather or faux leather seats are also easier to slide in and out of than cloth seats.

Limited upper body range of motion
If you have difficulty looking over your shoulder to back up or merge into traffic, look for vehicles with a large rear window for better visibility, wide-angle mirrors which can minimize blind spots, back-up cameras, active parallel park assistance and blind spot warning systems that alert you to objects in the way. Also, for comfort and fit, consider vehicles that have a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, adjustable seatbelts and heated seats with lumbar support.

Arthritic hands
Features that help with difficult and painful gripping and turning problems include a keyless entry and a push-button ignition, a thicker steering wheel, power mirrors and seats and larger dashboard controls. And in SUVs and crossovers, an automatic tailgate closer can be a real bonus.

Diminished vision
Look for vehicles with larger instrument panels and dashboard controls with contrasting text that’s easier to see. And those with sensitivity to glare will benefit from extendable sun visors, auto-dimming rearview mirrors and glare-reducing side mirrors.

Short and/or overweight
Look for six-way adjustable seats, adjustable foot pedals and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.
2014 Best Vehicles
Here is Edmunds list of the top 10 vehicles for 2014 listed in alphabetical order. Each offers features designed to support drivers coping with the conditions discussed above. Their picks include both sedans and SUVs, and range from top-of-the-line luxury models to those with more affordable price tags.
Acura RDX SUV, Audi A8 Sedan, Ford Taurus Sedan, Honda Accord Sedan, Hyundai Sonata Sedan, Lexus ES 350 Sedan, Mazda CX-9 SUV, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan, Toyota Avalon Sedan and Volkswagen Passat.
To read more about the details of these choices visit edmunds.com and type in “Top 10 vehicles for seniors for 2014” into their search bar.

AAA Resource
Another excellent resource that can help you choose a vehicle that meets your needs is the American Automobile Association’s online tool called “Smart Features for Older Drivers.”
At seniordriving.aaa.com/smartfeatures you can input the areas you have problems with—like knee problems, arthritic hands or a stiff upper body—and the tool will identify the makes and models that have the features that will best accommodate your needs. Although this tool looks at model-year 2013 vehicles, in many cases the features shown are carried over for 2014 models.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Bolton
The Route 2 repaving project between Waterbury and Bolton will cause lane closures with alternating one lane travel during the week. Traffic control will be present, and motorists should expect traffic delays.

Burlington
Motorists should be aware of paving operations on Appletree Point Road, Balsam Street, Farrington Parkway, Vest Haven Drive, Wildwood and Leddy Park Road through Aug. 8. One-way travel will be maintained, but delays are expected in and out of Leddy Park during the work.

Essex
Paving will start on Route 15 at Butlers Corners in Essex and continue north to just past Browns Trace Road in Jericho. Traffic control will be present and motorists should expect delays. This project should be completed by the end of July.

Essex-Westford
Work repaving Vt. Route 128 from the intersection of Route 15 in Essex extending north on Route 128 for 5.7 miles into Westford will cause one-lane travel in areas and reduced speed limits. Weather permitting, there will be paving from Weed Road north to the end of the project. There will be guardrail and curb work on the Essex end of the project during the week. Traffic control will be present and motorists are asked to use extreme caution. This project will be completed by Aug. 1.

Interstate 89 – Between Richmond and Colchester
Nighttime work on I-89 between Richmond and Colchester continues. Work hours are Sunday through Thursday between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. and work is weather dependent. Motorists should expect lane closures and traffic delays. The speed limit is reduced and fines are doubled for speeding within the construction zone. Motorists should use extreme caution while driving through the construction areas. This project is expected to be completed at the end of August.

 Interstate 89 – Milton Lamoille River Bridges Project
The northbound right shoulder at the Milton Bridge is closed. Motorists should be aware of the possibility of unplanned lane closures to conduct maintenance during the week.
Jericho
The bridge on Browns Trace near the intersection with Lee River Road is closed through Aug. 15. Traffic is detoured until the project is completed.
Culvert replacement on Hanley Lane will reduce travel to one lane. Motorists should expect minor delays and this project should be completed by Aug. 21.

 South Burlington
Construction on the realignment of U.S. Route 2 between East Avenue and the ramps for I-89 by the Sheraton Hotel continues on the north side of U.S. Route 2 by the Sheraton Hotel and UVM property. The sidewalk on the north side of Route 2 is closed from the Holiday Inn to East Avenue. Pedestrian traffic is detoured. The bus stop remains open on the north side of Route 2 by the Sheraton. Regular work hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. with no lane closures expected during peak hours. This project is expected to be completed July 31, 2015.

Embezzlement

Joshua Clark

Joshua Clark, 22, of Waterbury was cited on a charge of embezzlement on July 8, according to police reports. Mountain Air Systems reported to the Williston Police Department that Clark had been using a company credit card to transfer money to his personal bank accounts and also paid for his cell phone bill, according to the report. To date, Clark is accused of stealing nearly $3,000 from the company, the report notes. Clark is scheduled to appear in court on July 31.

Identity Theft

On July 1, as the result of an investigation by the Williston Police Department, Logan Corey, 20, of St. Albans was arrested on charges of felony identity theft, felony false impersonation and a misdemeanor count of petit larceny stemming from charges related to the theft and use of an EBT card, according to police reports. Corey was lodged at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility.

Assault
Larry Kirby, 41, of Williston was cited on a charge of domestic assault after an altercation was reported to and investigated by police on June 25, according to police reports. He was taken to Chittenden County Correctional Facility.
William A. Myers, 26, who is homeless, was cited on a charge of simple assault on June 26, according to police reports. He was taken to Chittenden County Correctional Facility.
Pierre Begeleus, 37, of Williston was cited on a charge of domestic assault after an altercation at a Williston home on June 25, according to police reports. He was taken to Chittenden County Correctional Facility and held for lack of $1,000 bail.

Driving with suspended license
Christopher J. Clark, 25, of Hinesburg was cited on a charge of driving with a suspended license on June 23, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court.
Robert Daley, 36, of Underhill was cited on a charge of driving with a suspended license on June 30, according to police reports. No other information was released.
Police notes are written based on information provided by the Williston Police Department and the Vermont State Police. Please note that all parties are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.