The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California • E10

KPhysical Page THE FRESNO BEE PRERUN 10 Time Printed 16:49 Composite Logical Page THE FRESNO Mob Therapy deals with complex lives of Mafia heirs. REVIEW Rating: (violence, language and some drug use). Starring: Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Seth Green, Dennis Hopper. Written and directed by Brian Koppelman and David Levien. A New Line Cinema release.

One hour, 33 minutes. So far, Lil Rob is keeping his day job Rapper built his following without radio. Breakfast, Lunch Dinner Fresh Baked Bread Daily 99 39 49 10 02BUY 1 ENTREE OFF Not valid with other specials. Excludes Seafood, Steak and Sunday breakfast Expires October 25, 2002 8029 N. Cedar corner Cedar Nees) 435-5111 6:30 am 10 pm Daily GET ONE of equal or lesser value BY MIKE OSEGUEDA How many musicians do you know who have a successful song on commer- cial radio plus a strong following and still have day jobs? Lil one of them, and one of a small group.

The San Diego native recently made his way onto radio with but before that, through word of mouth and little-to- no promotion, his first two albums sold 150,000 units. All the while, Lil Rob was working in a warehouse in San Diego, making music and living an everyday life. is his response to whether he wants to leave his job and concentrate on music full time. happy either way. So Saturday, during his weekend off, Lil Rob will trek to Fresno to perform at 7:30 p.m.

at the Big Fresno Fair, along with 3LW and Amanda Perez. General-admission seats are free with fair admission and reserved tickets are available for $6. Lil Rob talked to The Bee about his musical influences, what to expect from his show and how he maintains his below-the-radar popularity. Question: How did you build such a strong fan base? Lil Rob: By just being myself and being like everybody else. Why do you think you played by commercial radio? I think going to be used to it yet.

not ready for it. It is a little differ- ent, but sometimes different is good. Who are your musical influences? My grandmother and my dad. My grandma used to sing ranchero music. My dad used to sing in an oldies band.

I guess where I got it from. My brother was a DJ. Something always had to do with music out here. What makes you different from other rappers? never really tried to make it. be happy without the rap stuff.

Favorite San Diego pastime? Just cruising in my cars. My lowriders. What kinds of cars do you have? I have a Chevy Impala convertible, a Chevy pickup and a Cadillac Fleetwood. Current album? usually cruising around to the Gap Band or S.O.S. Band or something.

Or some oldies. I really listen to much rap besides on the radio. Favorite TV show? I even watch TV that much, either. Compa- is always classic. What do you know about Fresno? Not much.

been out there one time to do a car show, but I get a chance to stay and enjoy it and see really around there. What can Fresno expect from a Lil Rob show? Just a good time. The reporter can be reached at or 441-6479. For table of 10 Table sign to Daytime e-mail Deadline for reservations is Oct. 7.

After Oct. 8, tickets will be sold at the door on a space available basis only. Tickets at $45 each Table of 10 at $450 Total enclosed VISA MasterCard Make checks payable to: MMC Top 10, 1600 Street, Fresno CA 93721 DEBBIE ASTONE Executive Director Fresno State Auxiliary Corp. ARMEN BACON Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Fresno County Office of Education MARISA DIMAURO Principal Sierra Vista Elementary School, Madera MARGE GOBBY Pharmacy Manager Reedley Pharmacy ROCHELLE MINNETI NOBLETT Pete's Sports Shop, Madera SUE MOORE FENSKE Executive Director Community Food Bank, Fresno PHYLLIS NEUFELD Artist Paintings of Hope, Joy and Peace MARCIA A. ROSS Attorney Jory, Peterson, Watkins Smith, Fresno NORA SALAZAR Nora Associates Realty, Madera SONJA (SUNNY) SHERVEM Director of Child Life Services Children's Hospital Central California, Madera CALL VIVIAN ST.

LOUIS AT (559) 237-4706 FOR INFORMATION The Marjaree Mason Center is partially funded by the County of Fresno, City of Fresno, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Office of Criminal Justice Planning. Awards Luncheon Wednesday, Oct. 16, 11:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Fresno Convention Center Ballroom (Old Exhibit Hall) 700 Street, Fresno $45 per person $450 per table of 10 99 40 44 10 02 Catering Available FREE BEVERAGE 99 40 13 10 02 Must present coupon. Not valid with any other coupon or offers. Not valid on any major holidays. Expires EMPIRE BUFFET COUPON EMPIRE BUFFET COUPON Buy one meal and get second meal for Off Must present coupon. Not valid with any other coupon or offers.

Not valid on any major holidays. Expires Super Chinese Buffet 10 Shaw Ave. Clovis SE Corner Shaw Minnewawa (559) 322-6888 Come Try Our New Sushi Bar Over 100 items daily bill when youhave a partyof 2 or moreTake Lunch Special Jumbo Pepper Shrimp and Prime Spare Ribs BY ROGER EBERT I A I A hen Matty Demaret is12, he fails a test. Hisuncle gives him a gun and asks him to shoot a squealer. Matty just do it.

all his uncle says. just not cut out for Matty grows into a young man determined to make a place for himself in the mob, and hangs around with other young heirs to a shrinking empire. Their fathers sat around counting money, but expected to work the noon and evening shifts at the family restaurant. Matty (Barry Pepper) wants a chance to prove himself. He begs his dad, Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper), for a job, and finally gets one picking up some money in Spokane.

His friend Johnny Marbles (Seth Green) owns a private plane, and Matty asks him to fly the money back east. In the small town of Wibaux, Marbles gets rattled by cops in the airport, drops the bag in a luggage zone and loses it. This is not good. is inspired by the same impulse as It considers gangsters in the modern age, beset by progress, unsure of their roles, undermined by psychobabble. to be there was a way to do things and things got Uncle Teddy (John Malkovich) complains.

FEELINGS are The heart of the movie takes place in Wibaux, a town ruled by a tall, taciturn, ominous sheriff, played by that unmis- takable actor Tom Noonan. Matty flies out to Montana with backup: His friends Taylor (Vin Diesel) and Scarpa (Andrew Davoli). They stick out like sore thumbs in the little town. like the sheriff observes to his deputy. He assumes involved with drugs, much care long as they move on but is very interested in the possibility of money.

The movie crosses two formulas, Fish Out of Water and Coming of Age, fairly effectively. Because it wall-to-wall action but actually bothers to develop its charac- ters and take an interest in them, it was not at first considered commercial by its distributor, New Line, and languished on the shelf for two years until the growing stardom of Vin Diesel and Barry Pepper Were made it marketable. more than that interesting in the way it shows these guys stuck between generations. And it makes good use of Diesel, who, as he develops into an action superstar, may not get roles this juicy for a while. a tough guy, yes, a street fighter, but conflicted and with a kind of wise sadness about human nature.

The basic question, I suppose, is whether the rising generation of mobsters is so self-conscious it will never gain the confidence of its ancestors. psychological complexity only confuses an occupation that used to have a brutal simplicity. BPI From left, Andrew Davoli, Seth Green, Barry Pepper and Vin Diesel star in the New Line Cinema drama LIL ROB Lil Rob will join 3LW and Amanda Perez Saturday at the fair. 1731 W. Bullard Reservations Call 449-1731 Your Choice of Entree: $1495 Prime Rib Petite Filet Lamb Shanks Salmon Includes Soup or Salad BIG SUNDAY DINNER 99 39 96 10 02 DANCING LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Thursday, October 17 6737 N.

Palm Fresno (559) 447-8500 Located in the North Pointe Center at Palm Herndon Contemporary Banquet Facilities for up to 200! State-of-the-art video, audio and projection 993 16 90 90 2 Fresno's Hot test Night Club New Rock 104 Corona Days D.J. Ed Martinez 9 p.m. to Midnight Corona Bucket $10 $5 Cover After 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday Price Appetizers $1.00 OFF Drinks Friday, October 11 Piano Bar 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Happy Hour 5-7 p.m.

Saturday, October 12 Piano Bar 6 p.m.-9 p.m. 10:00 p.m.-1:30 a.m. $7 Cover 9 p.m. Budweiser Pitchers 10:00 p.m.-1:30 a.m. $7 Cover 9 p.m.

Wild Hare Band Wild Hare Band 12 Foot Big Screen 3110 N. Maroa Ave. (Between Clinton and Shields) Ph. 226-7499 All dinners are served "Multi-Course European The "Set-up" includes our soup of the day, the side dish of the day, vegetable, and tossed green salad in our house vinaigrette dressing. Plus ice cream coffee.

LOBSTER. $29.95 LAMB SHANK $14.95 A A POLKA MUSIC DANCE Special Menu for 8 pm Seating Reservations Required 9933511002 One discount per coupon. Not valid with any other advertised special. Chicken, Snapper or Special $899 Sunday Senior Special Not valid with any other offer or discount. Not valid holidays.

4pm- 7pm BUY ONE ENTREE GET A 2ND ENTREE 99 40 25 10 02FREE WITH COUPON EXP. OCT. 17, 2002 Join us every Sunday for our Award Winning Brunch 10 am 2 pm Featuring Laura Porter, Harpist LUNCH VALUE UP TO $5.00 DINNER VALUE UP TO $15.00 Excludes Sunday Brunch MARGARITAS OR DRAFT BEER The Restaurant Four Points Hotel Blackstone Dakota 230-8450 OKTOBERFEST HAPPY HOUR $150 MONDAY-FRIDAY 4-7 PM. OKTOBERFEST APPETIZER LIVE MUSIC with KEN KENNEDY 99 40 14 10 02 25 Shaw Ave. Clovis 322-5988 NE corner Shaw and Minnewawa Monday thru Saturday Limited Time Only.

Not valid with any other offers or coupons. ALL YOU CAN EAT Adult Lunch Buffet Over 100 items to choosefrom! Beverage $399 Monday thru Saturday All day Sunday Adult Seafood Buffet Beverage $699 E10 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2002 THE FRESNO BEE.