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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Tuesday, May 19 Ashland council to consider water rate surcharge, Welcome Center agreement Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district Jackson County district election turnout under 17 percent Makeover brings new look to old clinic Education Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district John Muir students need help producing eighth-grade yearbook Ashland High School seeks volunteers for 2015-16 Heading to Harvard Rising from the ashes Environment Demonstrators hope to save tree Documentary 'When Giants Fall' tells tragic story of elephant poaching Mt. Ashland Ski Area proposes summer adventure center Long drought, big storm make for a dirty Bear Creek Jackson County declares drought disaster Business Makeover brings new look to old clinic Cars We Remember: 1955 and 1956 Plymouth memories Ashland's CD Or Not CD will carry on Sawyer Paddles sues manufacturer, alleging breach of contract Ashland seminars focus on employment law Politics and elections Ashland council to consider water rate surcharge, Welcome Center agreement Jackson County district election turnout under 17 percent Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability City of Ashland to consider making recorder position appointive, not elective Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection State News Oregon's snowpack at just 11 percent of average Lack of snow nixes ski portion of popular Central Oregon race Bill under debate in Oregon would limit livestock antibiotics Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Obituaries Death Notices Patricia Carole-Mae Perrin Alpha W. Crews Brian Erskine Fletcher Nita Day Shareable Check out top import and export for every U.S. state Patriots fan sets up GoFundMe page to help pay for team's Deflategate fine Sports Latest Stories AHS decathlete Thompson-Siporen overcomes knee surgery to shine at districts George Barnes: We need to help free Tom Brady O'Brien, Kim claim MWL doubles title Kelly McElroy: I hate this ‘game’ App Finder: Best cycling apps High school AHS decathlete Thompson-Siporen overcomes knee surgery to shine at districts O'Brien, Kim claim MWL doubles title Thompson-Siporen earns three MWL titles in first day of district meet Ashland heads to Eugene for MWL district meet Ayers pitches Eagles past Grizzlies Southern Oregon University O'Brien, Kim claim MWL doubles title Ashland heads to Eugene for MWL district meet Raiders Maguin, Parks, Sanders highlight first day of CCC track meet SOU lands two on all-CCC softball team See you in August Voices Latest Stories Granlund cartoon: Sen. Warren vs. Obama Letters to the Editor, May 19 Council Corner: Please help me with my list Granlund cartoon: Memorial Day and Uncle Sam George Barnes: We need to help free Tom Brady Editorial Other Views: Vaccine rate improves Our View: Focus on the basics Our View: Elected or appointed? Our View: Change is brewing Our View: Forest work is a bargain Letters Letters to the Editor, May 19 Letters to the Editor, May 14 (No heading) Letters to the editor: Tuesday, May 12 Letters to the Editor, May 8 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ambrose spins a conservative fantasy Guest Opinion: Restoring the Plaza's sense of place Guest Opinion: Making conservation a game Guest Opinion: A good day to act Columns Council Corner: Please help me with my list George Barnes: We need to help free Tom Brady Chris Honoré: The journey of the African elephant Herb Rothschild Jr.: An appalling budget Jeffrey Gillespie: Shame on the high seas Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Ashland Calendar, Thursday, May 14 4 Things To Do This Weekend Movie listings: May 15-21 Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum at The Mountain House Steve Poltz, Grant-Lee Phillips at Old Ashland Armory Theater Ashland-originated plays to tour throughout country Ticket Availability Ticket availability Ticket Availability Departing Ashland Independent Film Festival programmer talks about what makes a good movie Music The Farr Side: Contest open for singer-songwriters The Farr Side: Mumford & Sons’ latest is full-on rock Interview: Country singer Suzy Bogguss enjoying life on the road The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Interview: Offspring plays hits new and old on tour Visual Art Movies Documentary 'When Giants Fall' tells tragic story of elephant poaching Movie review: ‘Mad Max’ is a fresh, fantastic approach to a classic idea Your A-to-Z guide to the ‘Mad Max’ franchise Movie listings: May 15-21 'Wild Tales' is twisted, dark and lovely Food and Drink Taqueria Picaro takes over Tabu space Owner of Mix and Amuse to bring Flip burger joint to Ashland Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Dr. Elaine Heffner: Teaching values Food for Thought: Grapes deliver sweet healthy goodness Community Blog: God's sigh: the breath of peace Sid McKeen: A bumper crop of idle observations Cars We Remember: 1955 and 1956 Plymouth memories Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Mocha Musings Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Council Corner: Please help me with my list ... Ashland council to consider water rate surcharge, Welcome Center agreement ... Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district ... Council Corner: Please help me with my list ... Ashland council to consider water rate surcharge, Welcome Center agreement ... Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district ... Movie review: 'Mad Max' is a fresh, fantastic approach to a classic idea Comment By Ed Symkus More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News ***Embargoed for Friday release.*** Pretend for just a moment that there was no “Mad Max,” that back in 1979, Australian director George Miller hadn’t made that scrappy post-apocalyptic movie, or its two sequels, the far superior “The Road Warrior” and the too contemplative “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.” Go one step further. Make believe Miller had never found the little-known Australian actor Mel Gibson, who would go on to make the role of solitary ex-cop Max Rockatansky an iconic film figure. Imagine that all these years later, George Miller, after making such films as “The Witches of Eastwick” and “Babe: Pig in the City” and “Happy Feet,” decided to do that post-apocalyptic idea he’d been carrying around for so long. Now stop imagining it, and go buy a ticket for “Mad Max: Fury Road,” not just a reboot, but a whole new approach to his series, the last entry of which was released in 1985. The chameleonic Tom Hardy (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Drop”) is Max, an ex-cop who roams around alone, having lost his family and the world he knew to some huge disaster that’s referred to in brief, haunting flashbacks, but never really explained. The “Mad Max” films became best known for their relentlessly ferocious car chases (trucks and other unidentifiable vehicles were also involved). A quick word to fans of that component: Miller does not let you down in this one. The first car chase, with Max on the run, happens about two minutes in. It’s excellent. And before you can catch your breath, there’s an equally terrific foot chase through some mountain tunnels. In this version of the Mad Max world, there are shortages of food, water, gasoline, and healthy people. Max seems to be holding his own, but those scary looking fellows who are after him – hoards of pale, bare-chested bald guys – want his blood because he’s a universal donor. The setting is a structure called The Citadel, a place where those on the outside are wretched remnants of humankind, and most of those on the inside – the bald guys – seemingly worship a feeble old man whose body and whole persona are perked up when armor-like electronic devices, and one hellishly frightening metal mask, are attached to him, turning him into the powerful and maniacal Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). But among Joe’s followers is one woman who, if she chose, could break any man in half. That would be the deadly serious Furiosa (Charlize Theron), Joe’s main driver, always ready to jump behind the wheel of her 2,000 horsepower truck, or war rig, and head off across the desert to pick up a load of petrol in Gastown. For a film with a dearth of dialogue, there’s a lot of storytelling going on. Furiosa is a woman on a mission, just not the one Joe assigned to her. When she and the baldies accompanying and protecting her veer off the road to Gastown and head into “hostile territory,” we learn of her involvement with another shortage – that of beautiful women who are able to bear children, aka breeders. Sorry, no more will be revealed here on that. But it’s OK to go in knowing that the film features plenty of insane driving, explosions, spears, bodies flying through the air, and a huge toxic sandstorm, as well as fights galore, one of the best occurring between Max and Furiosa, both of them road warriors who despise each other upon sight, but must figure out a way to work together if they want to survive. Nicholas Hoult (“About a Boy,” the two most recent “X-Men” films) plays Nux, a bald, disease-ridden boy who’s sort of an excitable and probably harmless mix between the characters Beetlejuice and Captain Spaulding in “The Devil’s Rejects.” This is one of the loudest movies you’ll ever experience. There’s a point where you hear pounding drums on the track, then the camera suddenly cuts to a big truck, hurtling across the desert with a platform on front holding four men pounding away on giant Kodo drums, and another guy in front of them, an electric guitar strapped on, shredding away, with flames belching out of its double neck. What a scene! This is a spectacular movie that does what great movies are supposed to do. It makes you forget about everything else in the world while you’re watching it. And somehow, by embodying a quiet intensity, Tom Hardy makes you forget about Mel Gibson. Ed Symkus covers movies for More Content Now. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Written by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris; directed by George Miller With Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne Rated R By Ed Symkus More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted May. 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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