Tea Era (271 Castro Street, Mountain View)

Tea Era is undoubtedly the best local place to get your standard cup of PMT. Tea Era’s tea is made from freshly brewed tea, and the boba (tapioca pearls) maintain a consistent texture that is sweet, chewy, soft and delicious. The tapioca pearls are neither overbearingly large and cumbersome to chew nor minuscule and hazardous to swallow. And out of all the other pearl tea places, it has by far the best ammo for plastic straw guns (not that one would ever waste such good pearls as ammo). It’s heaven in your mouth.

The menu offers updated innovative variations of milk tea (such as Honeydew Milk Tea and Almond Milk Tea) as well as smoothies, flavored teas and juices. Prices at Tea Era are relatively low, as they range from around $2.50 to $3.50 depending on the type of drink and size.
One downside of the store is that unlike other pearl tea stores, it does not offer any snacks. Tea Era is also fairly small. There are only a few tables located inside and outside the store, making it a less than optimal place to spend time with friends. The store is also cash only. Loyal Tea Era-ians, however, are granted a drink reward card—every 10 drinks purchased merits 1 free drink. Although it is awkwardly nestled behind a Chinese noodle store and difficult to find, after the initial discovery the store is unforgettable.

OCHA (1350 Grant Road, Mountain View)

Ocha differs from the other PMT stores in its methods of brewing the tea. Unlike other stores, Ocha uses a machine called a “Teapresso.” Essentially, tea is brewed through an espresso machine. This allows the lingering flavor of tea leaves to permeate much more so than in the typical cup of PMT.
While Ocha sells PMT, the flavor of the tea is interesting and unique. The flavor of the PMT is slightly reminiscent of soymilk, with a strange aftertaste that is neither good nor bad. The boba at Ocha is decent—soft and slightly chewy, but undoubtedly below par compared to the boba offered at Tea Era. It simply does not offer the same quality of chewy bounciness that Tea Era pearls have. The PMT itself does not taste awful, but it is undoubtedly different.

Ocha’s truly delicious drinks are its natural teas. It offers a large variety of teas—from Passion Fruit Green Tea to Earl Grey to Oolong Jasmine Tea—and almost any drink from the Espresso Tea menu tastes delicious. Each tea has its own delicious flavor. In addition to this, customers are also allowed to fully customize their drinks. One can opt to alter the sugar levels in their drink to truly customize the experience.

The store also offers a highly extensive snack and meal menu. The crispy chicken, a popular item, is actually chicken. Unlike Verde, the crispy chicken at Ocha features chunks of meaty chicken deliciousness. The chicken can also be customized by of adding various degrees of spiciness. The meal menu offers basic entrees: fried rice, various types of noodle soups and fried noodles, Shabu-Shabu and sizzling plates.

Ocha’s biggest drawback is its prices. Ordering a drink and a snack can easily cost around $8. Eating a sit-down meal can cost $16 per person. However, Ocha is definitely the place to go for a good cup of tea and traditional Taiwanese cuisine.

Verde (852 Villa Street, Mountain View)

Verde makes a cute effort at creating pearl milk tea, and it doesn’t do a half bad job. The standard PMT at Verde is a creamy blend of milk and tea. The icy flavor of the drink itself mitigates the creamy texture, but also contributes a bit of sloshy consistency. The vast quantities of ice make consuming those last few pearls a difficult task. The tapioca pearls are definitely something to order if one feels like just chewing on something; they’re the perfect blend of chewiness and pleasant sweet flavor. Overall, the taste of the pearl milk tea is decent.

Perhaps Verde’s greatest asset is its extremely diverse menu. From various drinks to foods, Verde offers an interesting array of snacks such as Taiwanese Toast—some sort of jam on top of regular toast. However, interesting varieties do not actually equate to good taste, and the food at Verde is definitely subpar. Prepare to be vegetarian once you step inside Verde because ordering crispy chicken actually yields an unappetizing plate of very fatty crispy chicken.

The store is, however, an optimal place to hang out with friends as it is well-furnished with a number of booths. Verde’s unique asset is the Five Star Reward program. Instead of customers having to carry store-specific rewards cards, Verde simply scans one card that also serves as a reward card for other stores, a convenience that loyal customers will certainly appreciate.

Tapioca Express (740 Villa Street, Mountain View)

To be fair, Tapioca Express was one of the first stores in the PMT business. However, because of the rise of other pearl milk tea competitors and the lack of innovation on its menu, Tapioca Express has fallen to the back of the pack.

The standard Jasmine Milk Tea at Tapioca Express is extremely bland. The drink tastes like virtually nothing, and while Tapioca Express does offer a variety of add-ons—tapioca pearls, both large and small, and an assortment of interestingly colored jellies—most of them are lackluster and chewing on them feels like lodging one’s teeth into some sort of flavorless gum.

However, opting to drink a more flavorful option such as the Peach Milk Tea subjugates the drinker to an overly sweet drink. Most of the drinks on the Tapioca Express menu are overpoweringly and unnecessarily sweet. The store also offers a number of seasonal specials, but most of them are simply artificial sweetener mixed with ice.

Tapioca Express is the epitome of the stereotypical pearl milk tea store. It has all the basics—the large drink and snack variety—and it even offers free WiFi. But until Tapioca Express attempts to revamp its drinks, it will be mediocre at best.

Final Word

Overall, Tea Era is the best place to go to for just the standard cup of PMT. Ocha is an excellent, albeit expensive, alternative for good food and hanging out with friends. Verde offers acceptable drinks and an excellent ambiance for spending time with friends. Tapioca Express is only worth a visit if one is desperate for WiFi and some PMT.

So, what type of food should accompany such a holy day? Let The Talon be your guiding light to the Holy Grail of sporting nourishment, as we explore the top five foods that will be sure to satisfy your demands. Whether it’s hunger or sheer pre-game anxiety that’s driving you to eat, these are the absolute musts for any game day.

Guacamole

Guacamole and chips go together like chips and dip. Why? Because they’re chips and dip. This appetizer is great for any occasion, be it a knitting party or a football man-fest. The best chip to accompany guacamole is your classic restaurant style Casa Sanchez tortilla chip. Its saltiness and crispiness give an authentic feel and crunch that no Tostito chip can. Eight million pounds of guacamole are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday each year, so go to your local supermarket and get yourself some guacamole goodness.

Chicken Wings

Chicken wings embody the anarchy of football games—those nitty-gritty moments when everyone’s hands reach out, fumbling for the last wing. If the game doesn’t get you sweaty, the wings should, as there’s no better feeling than having spicy sauce sting the sides of your mouth. The best place to get wings is SmokeEaters, located right on De Anza Boulevard. Yes, it’s better than Wing Stop; I’ve managed to convert many non-believers to this place. SmokeEater’s has so many levels of spiciness that you won’t know what to do with yourself. Seven levels, in fact, from mild to inferno, test the eater’s tolerance for spice. These wings are absolutely smothered in sauce, so get those wet napkins ready, put on your big boy pants and get ready for a messy game of football.

Mini corn dogs

Baby corn dogs are cute, bite-sized and delicious. Get an army of them and equip yourself with ketchup. These pups run out fast. They’re also microwavable, which is absolutely crucial when your food arsenal runs low. With their small size and sweet corn outside, mini corn dogs are irresistible. You can also practice your Tom Brady (or Eli Manning) touchdown passes by tossing them into someone’s mouth.

Bagel Bites

Easy to put on a platter, and even better when they aren’t hot, Bagel Bites are a great munch food for game days. Instead of ordering a large pizza and waiting forever, set these mini-pizzas on a platter and wait for about 10 minutes. It is a much better use of your time. Miniature pizzas are perfect if you don’t want a mess all over the couch, and they are a delectable finger food. However, you probably have to get off the couch to go make them, which is quite laborious when you’d rather be watching the game. There’s a solution: Ask your parents. It’s the best way.

Bacon-Wrapped Sausages

Sorry to all the healthy people, but bacon-wrapped sausages are a necessity at football get-togethers. What’s better than wrapping meat with more meat? These guys are dang tasty, and it’s time you stop eating those low-fat sausages anyway. This “Epic Meal Time” based food will get the juices going, especially if you envision your food in the eyes of Muscles Glasses. After consuming this hearty appetizer, you will need about 15 minutes of intense aerobics to work the calories off.

Though these foods might not be the healthiest choice for sports fanatics, they are written in the very scriptures of the food Gods. All jokes aside, whether it’s fighting over the last bit of guacamole or wrestling for the pigskin, these foods will make any game day memorable.

The problem is that Hazel has lung cancer, which causes her to be constantly short of breath and as a side effect, short of days as well. “There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set,” she says. “I want more numbers than I’m likely to get.”
So begins Hazel’s search for a “forever within the numbered days” in John Green’s latest book, “The Fault in Our Stars.”

Against her wishes, she finds this in Augustus Waters, a boy at a cancer support group that her mom forces her to attend. After joking about the support group leader’s misuse of literality (“we are standing here in the Literal Heart of Jesus”) they become friends (with none of the annoying cat-and-mouse flirting games so often found in chick lit).

He’s also a osteosarcoma survivor with a prosthetic leg. “An excellent weight-loss strategy. Legs are heavy!” he quips.

But beware, this isn’t your regular chick lit where the (usually jaded) main character ends up surviving against all odds and rides off into the sunset with her boyfriend. Green doesn’t attempt to sugarcoat or ionize reality. He simply lets the world do its work and presents reality as it is. There are awkward oxygen tank and tubes that get in the way of kissing, and the main characters are well aware of how little time they have left.

But that’s not to say that “The Fault in Our Stars” is your typical depressing “cancer book” either. In fact, Hazel states that “cancer books suck.” Her favorite book, “An Imperial Affliction,” follows the life of a cancer victim who decides to go against cancer book canon and create a foundation for People with Cancer Who Want to Cure Cholera.

It is this book that unites Augustus Waters and Hazel, as they travel to Amsterdam (using a Wish from The Genie Foundation) to meet the cynical recluse of an author, Peter Van Houten. Even though the meeting doesn’t go as expected, they soon learn that there are days that no one can take away from them.
“The Fault in Our Stars” is incredibly readable and accessible to teenagers in a way that many books by adult authors aren’t. John Green doesn’t need to bend down to look you in the eye (he’s of average height, after all). And instead of the author having to try to reach out to teenagers, it feels as if he is used to being surrounded by thousands and thousands of them on a daily basis. And he is. It’s no wonder that this is the author who also has millions of views on his Youtube channel, vlogbrothers, which he produces with his brother Hank Green. They and their followers call themselves “nerdfighters,” people whose sole mission in the world is to “increase awesome and decrease suck.”

The prose is easy to read, but it isn’t dumbed down either. Green easily mentions Kierkegaard and Williams Carlos Williams while integrating philosophical discussions inside complicated syntax and mathematical musings. It’s quirky, funny and refreshingly interesting.

The book also delivers a fulfilling sense of pure, undiluted emotion and strays far from the typical sentimentality doled out by similar books in its genre. It achieves this by staying true to the reality of disease and teenage life (this is the first young-adult book I’ve read where the male teenage character actually plays video games. I mean, come on!).

There are no cliche Last Words, nor does the book seek to give a definitive ending to death or grieving. The only thing it seeks is to give meaning to the infinity of emotions and sensations within our own finite existence. And that alone is enough.
“Some infinities are bigger than other infinities,” Hazel says.

I’ve heard my math teacher say this before, but it never made sense until now.

The show is set around the premise that instead of closing Alcatraz in March of 1963 and transferring all the prisoners off the island (like history tells us) the prisoners mysteriously disappeared. Alcatraz was left empty, and now the prisoners are reappearing in San Francisco nearly 50 years later. FBI Agent Emerson Houser (Sam Neill) and SFPD Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) team up with Alcatraz expert Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) to try and find these criminals and get them back into custody.

“Alcatraz” incorporates many of the common elements of modern crime procedurals, such as the badass cutthroat detective, the witty and slightly incompetent sidekick and the menacing boss, but “Alcatraz” uses them well. Madsen leaves behind many of the unfortunate female stereotypes that are still exhibited by other similar characters (such as Kate Beckett from “Castle”) like wearing heels all the time—even while chasing criminals. Madsen is a great example of a female character who is even more powerful than some of her male counterparts.

However, while at first glance “Alcatraz” seems very similar to other TV procedurals, it takes some interesting spins on the widely used genre. In most crime shows the only view of the “bad guy” is when they are arrested. In some cases viewers see the “good guys” chasing them once they’ve solved the mystery, but the majority of these shows are told from a third-person limited point of view. “Alcatraz” is unique in that it tells the story from the criminal’s perspective as well.

In addition to showing the story through multiple perspectives, it also tells it from multiple points in time. The show switches back and forth between present-day Alcatraz and the island in the ‘50s. In both periods of time, viewers see the chase to recapture prisoners from the views of the criminals and from Madsen and her team. Because of this, “Alcatraz” becomes more than just a standard crime show. It’s also a historical drama about the prisoners’ lives at Alcatraz.

“Alcatraz” is the newest show from executive producer J.J. Abrams (best known for co-creating “Lost” and “Fringe” as well as directing “Star Trek” and “Super 8”), and it employs many elements that are similar to those of his other works. Like his other TV shows, “Alcatraz” employs a system of individual plots for each episode while also incorporating an overarching mystery and ongoing storyline. By doing this, the show effectively creates investment in the storyline and a desire to see where the plot goes.

Overall, “Alcatraz” doesn’t disappoint. It combines the beloved elements of any TV procedural (a great team plus comic relief) with the classic sci-fi twists that Abrams has come to be known for. The show is enthralling and fun all at the same time, with likeable characters and what will hopefully continue to be an interesting plot.

One of the first big thrillers of the year, “Man on a Ledge,” tries to deliver stock thrills in the form of a slightly modified typical action plot. The film centers around Nick Cassidy (played by Sam Worthington) who threatens to commit suicide while his team steals a $40 billion diamond.
Although action movies centered around bank robberies have been done to death, “Man on a Ledge” breaks the mold through a twist on “standard” plot: The main strategy of the heist is a faked suicide by the protagonist.

Nick Cassidy is an innocent escaped convict who aims to clear his name.Meanwhile, negotiator Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) attempts to persuade him not to jump. Worthington’s performance is thrilling, and his edgy character captivates with restless and erratic behavior. Worthington’s character strikes a perfect balance between distress and confidence, and he is able to skillfully direct the robbery while reflecting on his past.

Banks’s performance is also captivating, with a backstory that makes the scene on the “ledge” dramatic as well as thrilling. The cinematography is breathtaking and sometimes frightening. The multiple camera angles and special effects give Cassidy’s position on the ledge a frighteningly realistic feel; it isn’t rare for the camera to take a quick peek over the side of the building.

However, the action-packed scenes on the ledge are not backed by any real suspense in other aspects of the film, and the actual scene of the robbery leaves much to be desired. The robbery is completed by Joey Cassidy (Jamie Bell) and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez), who fail to add any real suspense to the film.

The team breaks into the diamond vault without the use of any real technology.Compared to films like the “Ocean’s” series, the break-in lacks flash. Throughout the movie, the actual robbery scenes pale in comparison to the jarring action occurring on the ledge. In short, a man standing around was more exciting than the theft of a prized gem.

In all, “Man on a Ledge” seems to fit a very clear cookie-cutter mold. From the initial explosion break-in to the final scene, the film is often predictable. While it manages to provide all aspects necessary for an action film, it fails to innovate or impress in any way. The movie’s overall average nature is disappointing given the originally exciting premise.

Despite this trite action format and lousy critical reception (the film recieved a 23/100 on Rotten Tomato)the movie’s interesting premise still makes it worth a watch. Although perhaps it doesn’t justify the $12 theater price, it is definitely worth renting when it comes out on DVD.

The show originally debuted in the summer of 2001, becoming an instant hit. “Fear Factor” offered a fresh perspective on reality television, accented with stunts and mental challenges that drove viewers to the edge of their seats. After a series of good ratings, the show began competing against the Goliath of broadcasttelevision, “American Idol.” After losing a majority of its audience to Simon Cowell and company, “Fear Factor” was cancelled.
Now airing instead in the less competitive 9 p.m. time slot, the show brought back its original host Joe Rogan to lead the pack and challenge contestants. Because of the immense popularity the show enjoyed in its original seasons, producers told audiences not to expect to see a lot of changes. “Fear Factor” will try to win back fans with a similar method to the one it used in the original series.

If you have ever watched the original “Fear Factor,” the first things you will notice about the new show is that it is now in HD and that Rogan looks 10 years older.

The stunts in the show remain as entertaining and fast-paced as they were in the original series. Whether jumping off a building or hanging onto a flying helicopter, contestants are pitted in the same overly dramatic stunts. With the show now in HD, the creators abuse the use of explosions, but one can’t argue with the results. The show is hands down one of the most thrilling shows on television.

The fan-favorite part of the show (better known as the gross part) will definitely not disappoint the audience with the challenges it has up its sleeve for the new season. Whether contestants are challenged to eat live scorpions, jump in a bath full of cow’s blood or drink a mixture of tomato horn worms, stink beetles, flies and spoiled milk, be ready to put your plate down for this segment and ask yourself: “Would I really do that for a chance to win $50,000?”

With a strong show of ratings in the first 3 weeks averaging over 7,500,000 viewers, “Fear Factor” has proven that it is back on television and here to stay. So if you’re bored on a Monday night looking for something to watch, fear not to grab the remote and turn on “Fear Factor.”

Clint Eastwood: “It’s halftime in America”

Clint Eastwood’s dark voice helps remind us of the importance of coming together as country, despite our difficult times of unemployment and political dissension in the United States. The ad has a slow pace that accentuates Eastwood’s grave voice and is compelling both to the viewers and to the Chrystler vehicles it showcases in Detroit.

Audi’s Vampires

The car-maker Audi does a clever bit of story-telling off of the popular sensation of vampires in today’s media, a la True Blood and Twilight, by using 2013 Audi S7’s headlight technology to show the viewers that vampires are strictly nocturnal.

Acura NSX: Jerry Seinfeld vs. Jay Leno

Another brilliant ad by a car-maker. Acura utilizes humor as a universal appeal to show these two staples of television comedy fight out the rights to first dibs on the new Acura NSX model.

Second Story Software’s Toilet Humor

The ad about the free TaxAct software shows a boy running around everywhere to find a place to relieve himself. His ultimate choice? The pool. The company uses the tagline to emphasize their point, “Totally free. Feels good.”

Volkswagen’s Dogs

This heartening commercial by Volkswagen commercial shows an overweight dog running alongside the new Volkswagen Beetle to get himself into shape. It’s a bit cliché, but cute nevertheless.

The curtains open to the porch of the Mitchell household, where the lovebirds Ann Mitchell (junior Amanda Spielman) and Kevin Fredricks (junior Tom Rigodonzo) are perplexed about letting Ann’s parents know about their relationship with each other.

In the meantime, Ann’s mother, Donna Mitchell (senior Christine Do), is quickly preparing for the arrival of her superstar mother Penny Loring (senior Anna Tahran). When Penny enters the house, she reminisces about the memories she has growing up in the Roaring Twenties and reflects on the time when she decides to make a name for herself by becoming an actress. She rejects the man she loves, Edward Garrison (junior Devan Tormey), because she has aspiring dreams. Broken Box members bring these memories to life by re-enacting them in a vivid and engaging manner.

Meanwhile, Ann pops the question to her mother, who is astonished and does not approve. She voices her side of the story by claiming that it’s too young to become committed–an action that she regrets in her own ife.

The audience follows back to another flashback as Donna reminisces about how she became committed too quickly with Tommy (senior Johnny Hendriquez), who died in the army and left her a single mother. Afraid that her daughter will be left in the situation she found herself, she denies Kevin and Ann’s love.

The audience is quick to notice the differences between the daughter and mother–while Donna believes in staying true to the past and living her life dedicated to her family, Penny believes in making a name for herself and becoming an actress. Penny goes through four divorces and travels frequently for her demanding career.

The rest of the play focuses on how Ann and Kevin decide what’s right for them and attempt to obtain the approval of Ann’s parents. It highlights the idea of compromise and responsibility, as well as the relationships between mother and daughter throughout the generations.

The Broken Box Theatre Company has done an excellent job in creating this production and bringing it to life. Broken Box teacher Nancy Moran has directed yet another superb show, while senior Annalise Tahran delivered an outstanding performance as the lavish Penny in the 70s. Senior Laura Delamare played Penny in the 20s and junior Nikki Kashani played Penny in the 50s. Both did an amazing job in painting a vivid portrait of her character and revealing the progression in attitude throughout the years.

Every member in Broken Box has put in a lot of effort in order to make this play successful. So if you want to travel back in time along with the Broken Box crew, watch “Never Mind What Happened, How Did it End?” and find yourself entertained.

Though that is not, by any stretch, to say that it was bad.

Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn), the aforementioned protagonist, appears to only be capable of approximately three facial expressions ranging between solemn to grieved, with a little bit of angry in between. Even so it has to be said that Thomas Horn uses those expressions well and, as child actors go, is capable of bringing unprecedented emotional depth to the screen.

Another thing that might explain the movie’s appallingly low 46 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, particularly considering that Mission Impossible received a 93 percent, is the ever present voice over. If you plan on seeing “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” you should brace yourself for the extensive internal monologue of an emotionally disturbed nine-year-old.

Unfortunately, it is very easy to forget that Oskar is only nine, which could make some of his decisions irritating for an audience that expects to be entertained rather than forced to empathize. The story is presented from the point of view of a child and that immersion can be a little unsettling, despite undoubtedly being deliberate.

On the bright side, this is a movie that understands the value of subtlety. There are more than a few things left unsaid, and this aspect of the film is executed brilliantly. It is a movie with a message, but what that message is might be different for different people. That depth is why it is worthy of its nomination for Best Picture.

“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” would be incredibly refreshing in its complexity, compared to the average refuse typically seen in theaters, if only it weren’t about 9/11. That is simply not an event people want refreshed, though in the end they may be better off for having witnessed the story this movie has to tell.

Overall, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” flirts with excellence, but falls slightly short. It is mildly heavy-handed in its delivery, but at the same time it is very nice to see a recent movie that strives to do more than offer vapid entertainment. Moreover, a few scenes stand out as particularly aware and insightful about the human condition, which is far more than can be said of the vast majority of stories, let alone movies.

If you can stomach the discomfort, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is absolutely worth seeing, though it may require some intellectual and emotional effort on the part of its audience.

Because “Haywire” stars real life mixed martial arts fighter Gina Canaro as main character Mallory, the action sequences are significantly more believable and gripping. Canaro moves quickly and takes down her opponents in a myriad of imaginative ways–so instead of seeming staged and scripted, the punches and kicks feel like real fights.

The problem, however, is that while the action is impressive, dramatic fighting sequences alone aren’t enough to hold up an otherwise mediocre combination of plot and acting.

Large parts of the movie lack dialogue and development, and instead alternate between long scenes of missions and boring background music. Although this strategy for building suspense could have been effective if used sparingly and during shorter scenes, the producers overindulged and the method quickly became tiresome.

Moreover, despite Mallory’s multiple missions throughout the movie, none of them are adequately explained. Without a stable supporting plot, the jobs she’s assigned to simply devolve into one repetitive action sequence after another.

And to top it all off, Canaro’s acting often feels strained. Though very engaging when grappling with foes, her performance when it comes to dialogue and plot development is lacking. It seems as if she has trouble getting into character–an obstacle that makes it significantly harder for the audience to empathize with a protagonist who otherwise would have had great emotional potential. While Mallory’s employer’s attempts to have her murdered seem to make for a gripping storyline, Canaro’s subpar acting prevents her character from developing to the fullest.

Fortunately, although Canaro’s acting isn’t what one would expect from a main character, the supporting cast has a lot more to offer. Michael Angarano, who is cast as a man whom Mallory kidnaps and steals from, does an amazing job juggling anxiety and confusion (while at the same time providing much needed comic relief).

On the other hand, Bill Paxton, who plays Mallory’s father, performs strongly in one of the more complicated and developed roles. He seems clearly supportive of his daughter and wants her to succeed, but is scared, as any father would be, for her safety. He wants to help Mallory succeed in escaping those chasing after her, but at the same time is all too aware that she could easily get caught and be in serious trouble. Paxton walks this fine line wonderfully and is believable as a well-meaning, albeit concerned, parent.

While the fight sequences are truly superb and the supporting cast is strong, the lack of a convincing main character makes the movie fall short. The one major silver lining is that because “Haywire” lasts only around an hour and a half, most of its short time is spent showcasing Canaro’s impressive fighting skills–a major plus for a movie that otherwise doesn’t stand out.