Freshman Bryan Greene, 19, CTVA major, practices parkour at the Tempest Freerunning Academy in Northridge. Greene has been practicing parkour and freerunning for almost two years now.

Running across a graffiti-filled wall and momentarily parallel to the ground below him, for a few seconds, Bryan Greene has found a way to defy gravity.

Across from him, grown men and women flip from a seven-foot ledge into a sea of bright blue foam, while others hop between iron monkey bars.

If it sounds like an adult playground, it’s because that’s exactly what it is. Welcome to the Tempest Freerunning Academy, the first facility in California solely created as a space for aspiring freerunners and parkour athletes to play.

“It has this freedom to it where you can really play in your own environment, like you did as a kid,” said Gabe Nuñez, one of the Academy’s owners. “In the end it’s a big jam for us.”

Open since April 2, the academy functions as a gym and obstacle course for those interested in the world of extreme.

Although often confused, parkour and freerunning are two different techniques. The object of parkour is to get from one point to another in the most efficient way possible, while freerunning involves an aesthetic flair that often includes flips. Imagine the look of gymnastics performed while aggressively jumping off of and between walls.

Any person who’s climbed a tree or flipped off a diving board can see the appeal of achieving these physical feats on a larger level. The sports are attracting those who enjoy finding new ways of pushing themselves physically, including gymnasts, climbers and stunt men and women.

Dan Mast, 22, one of the members of Team Tempest, enjoys the freedom of movement that comes with freerunning.

“There’re no rules. I know it sounds weird, but I came from gymnastics, where everything is pointed toes and straight legs. Here, I don’t have to do any of that,” Mast said. “I love exploring my physical self in what I can do and what I can’t.”

Nuñez, Victor Lopez, Paul Darnell and Rich King are the four owners of the Academy, and represent the initial Team Tempest that began training professionally five years ago.

The small group of four eventually grew to a team of 11 athletes, passionate about the practice and growth of freerunning and parkour.

The world they’ve created at the academy is an ode to an amalgam of inspiring training spots from around the world. There is Little Rio, with its small pastel-colored concrete walls, the brick-looking Pershing Square and the warped wall, based off of the famous obstacle featured in “Ninja Warrior.” There is even a section devoted to Mario Nintendo, who Nuñez describes as the “first freerunner.”

These relatively new hobbies have been picking up momentum over the last few years (the 2003 documentary “Jump London” brought the hobby of freerunning to light in the U.S.), and the timing of their popularity couldn’t be more perfect for the opening of the gym.

“This is the first year I can go up to a stranger and ask them, ‘Have you ever heard about parkour or freerunning?’ and they almost always say yes,” Nuñez said. “Last year, that wasn’t possible. So it’s been cool watching it grow to that point.”

And judging from the numbers they are regularly attracting to their open gym, there’s a growing market for the sport. According to the management, since its opening night, crowds of 40 to 60 people have been coming nightly, and nearly half of them are always new-comers.

Some are drawn into this world of parkour and freerunning because of the accessible community they find. Bryan Greene, 19, has been freerunning for two years, and said the welcoming environment he discovered in the sport has been unique.

“You meet so many awesome people, and everybody’s out there doing the same thing. It’s just really easy to talk to people,” said Greene, CTVA major at CSUN.

As groups of people clump together on the gymnastic spring floor to watch each other perform tricks, there’s a sense that this is more of a challenge in creativity, rather than a competition of machismo.

“It’s more about experimenting what you can do in your environment, not so much of what you can do compared to someone else,” Nuñez said.

Although it’s a recent phenomenon, those involved in the sport recognize that using one’s body as a medium for expression is an eternal idea. According to Nuñez, the idea behind the academy is to remind people that they’ve always been able to do this.

“Let’s get everybody to remember that they can move. Everyone started doing this as a kid. You were jumping around from one rock to another, you were trying to skip, trying to jump off of something,” Nuñez said. “We’re trying to get people to remember, ‘yeah, you can do that, and it’s still fun!’ And now there’s even more options.”

Pricing

$80/month, 1 class per week

$120/month, 2 classes per week

$150/month, 3 classes per week

$7 per open gym session

$50/month, unlimited adult open gym

More information

19821 Nordhoff Pl. #115

Los Angeles, CA 91311

tempestacademy.com

(818) 717-0525

10/1/2010

“The Social Network”
The tagline advertises, “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” David Fincher’s “The Social Network” chronicles the rise of Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg from “Zombieland”), the 26-year-old billionaire, CEO, president and co-founder of Facebook who formed the web empire in his Harvard dorm room. Zuckerberg allegedly stole the concept of Facebook and forced former friends out of the company. Lawsuits were filed and became the film’s basis from the book “The Accidental Billionaire.” Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin guides the stalwart story to life with a star-studded cast, including Andrew Garfield (“Spiderman”), Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”) and Rashida Jones (“The Office”).

“Let Me In”
Remake shouldn’t prevail in any filmmakers’ vocabulary. Matt Reeves (“Cloverfield”) understood that after remaking the 2008 Swedish cult vampire film, “Let the Right One In.” I was hesitant endorsing any remake, but after seeing “Cloverfield” and “Kick Ass” this year I have reaffirmed my faith. “Let Me In” portrays a bullied boy and his 12-year-old neighbor- a vampire- played by Chloe Grace Moretz (“Hit Girl” from “Kick Ass”). The two perfectly matched misfits develop into best friends to overcome life’s daily obstacles in Los Alamos, N.M. Co-stars include Academy Award nominee Richard Jenkins (“Step Brothers” and “The Visitor”) and Elias Koteas (“Casey” from “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” films).

10/8/2010

“It’s Kind of a Funny Story” (Limited Release)
The tagline advertises, “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” David Fincher’s “The Social Network” chronicles the rise of Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg from “Zombieland”), the 26-year-old billionaire, CEO, president and co-founder of Facebook who formed the web empire in his Harvard dorm room. Zuckerberg allegedly stole the concept of Facebook and forced former friends out of the company. Lawsuits were filed and became the film’s basis from the book “The Accidental Billionaire.” Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin guides the stalwart story to life with a star-studded cast, including Andrew Garfield (“Spiderman”), Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”) and Rashida Jones (“The Office”).

“Nowhere Boy” (Limited Release)
Aaron Johnson (“Kick-Ass”) stars as John Lennon in the true story and formation of the most majestic of rock ‘n’ roll groups, The Beatles.  Teenage Lennon journeys to become one of the most prolific musicians of the 20th century.  Kristin Scott Thomas co-stars as Aunt Mimi (“The English Patient”) while Thomas Sangster (“Love Actually”) portrays a young Paul McCartney.

“Buried” (Wide Release)
Ryan Reynolds (star of the upcoming “Green Lantern” movie) stars as Paul Conroy, a U.S. truck driver who discovers himself trapped inside a coffin in Iraq. With only a cellphone and a lighter, how long will he survive and subsist? The plot is reminiscent of a scene from “Kill Bill Vol: 2” when Beatrix Kiddo (a.k.a The Bride) is buried alive, however this story line comprises the entire film. Independent horror films have created sensations over the years with films like “Saw” and “Hostel.” Can this film actually weather and withstand tension throughout?

10/15/2010

“Jackass 3D”
Johnny Knoxville and gang return in the latest “Jackass” installment. Farce, gags, ludicrousness and wisecracks prevail in this must-see comedy film. You won’t be disappointed by one of the most talked-about films of the year.

10/22/2010

“Paranormal Activity 2”
The trailer evokes grainy footage of a dog, baby in crib, and a hooded figure standing in the doorway. The mirror reads, “What is happening to Hunter?” Though little is known about the film, Oren Peli, writer and director of the original film, has acknowledged concerns about making a sequel to a cultural phenomenon. Expect “Saw 2” over “Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows.”

“Hereafter”
Clint Eastwood, the iconic director of “Mystic River,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Gran Torino” delivers a solid film written by Peter Morgan (“The Queen” and “Frost/Nixon”). This thriller intertwines a factory worker (Matt Damon- “The Bourne” Trilogy), a French journalist (Cecil De France- “High Tension”), and an English boy as they all deal with death in different ways. The film also co-stars Jay Mohr (“Jerry Maguire”) and Bryce Dallas Howard (“Spiderman 3,” “Lady in the Water” and “Twilight: Eclipse”).

10/29/2010

“Saw 3D”
Like its preceding sequels, the “Saw” series has deteriorated to the same shtick-boring and predictable. From a series that once revived the horror genre, it has become the one thing it detested….formulaic. The film stars Sean Patrick Flannery (“Connor” from “The Boondock Saints” movies) while Tobin Bell reprises his role as “Jigsaw.” Let the games begins, but let’s hope this is the concluding chapter of a once promising horror series.

Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and down a dark alley is a small and cozy hole-in-the-wall venue for live music and art called The Smell. For Angelinos, The Smell is regarded as a hot spot for indie and underground artists whose eclectic style of music is often overlooked by the mainstream music scene. Here you’ll find both local and out of town musicians playing music just to please the home crowd.

Recently, The Smell had a progressive rock show that was mind boggling and awe-inspiring to watch. Clevis was the first band to perform and played music that not only set the tone for the evening, but was also mesmerizing to watch. Clevis is comprised of bassist Ken Moore and drummer John Enke, but the lack of other musical instruments didn’t take anything away from the sheer quality of their performance.

The floor looked like an endless array of effect pedals, but Moore incorporated them as if he’d been using them all his life. Moore used endless styles of playing that ranged from slapping to finger tapping. Clevis even incorporated an electric cello that Moore played while the bass ran on a loop track. Enke’s drumming was not something to be ignored as he belted beats that complemented the music in every aspect.

‘The bass player was awesome, he tore it up like there was no tomorrow,’ said fan Greg Lee.’

Another solid performance of the night came from We Be the Echo of San Francisco. They played an infectious blend of progressive rock and experimental metal that would have fans of Rush take notice. We Be the Echo was the only band to have a guitarist and it was a nice change from the mix of other bands that were all comprised of bass and drums as the main instruments. The guitarist, who goes by the title of Graeme Nicholls, played intricate parts that ranged from clean melodies to heavy riffs that ran up and down the guitar. At one point they played the intro of Chocolate Rain, which was pretty cool to see played on guitar, bass and drums. The bassist, known as Myke Stryker, and the drummer, known as Ilk Koskelo, added to the elaborate style of music with a fashion that only hard working musicians could do.

Drummer Jesse Appelhans and bassist Eric Kiersnowski of Totally Serious put on show that was technical beyond belief. Appelhans was constantly beating away at the drums at an inhuman pace. The look of intensity on his face said it all as he belted away at the drum heads with the technicality of a seasoned drummer. Kiersnowski’s bass lines were so frantic and complex that everybody’s eyes seemed glued to his performance. It was a sight to see as much as it was to hear.

‘These guys are beyond belief,’ said fan Lucas Taylor of Totally Serious’s performance.
Ninja Academy spruced up their show with a little visual entertainment. The bassist and drummer, known as Indo-Ninja and Outdo-Ninja respectively, graced the stage dressed as ninjas. The use of costumes almost always makes for an indelible performance, and Ninja Academy definitely left their mark on the audience. Also in the group was Ninjamamalickum who sang vocals with opera-like gracefulness and Gongis Khan who played a taiko drum.

All in all it was a great show and none of the bands disappointed that night. The audience gave much gratitude and appreciation to the bands, and it was mirrored in all of the musicians’ performances.

‘I love the bands and I would definitely come back again, even in the pouring rain,’ said fan Jessica Parsons.

In 1984, the world would have never known that their children would look up to four amphibians as their heroes. Four turtles, named after the renaissance artists Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello, were mutated and trained to fight evil. They lived in the sewers, ate pizza and were guided by their rat sensei, Splinter. The four famous amphibians were simply called the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

First created as comic-book characters, Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman have sparked a sensation with these lovable creatures.

After a television series that debuted in 1987 that ran for more than nine years, and three live-action films, Warner Bros. has now created a full computer-generated movie to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of “turtle power.” With a strong voice cast, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chris Evans and Ziyi Zhang, this new movie once again utters the word “Cowabunga!”

However, the new revival of the Turtles franchise seems to be in a bit of a “shell shock” after several years of absence from the big screen. The action falls short and the characters seem unfamiliar. It shows that they have not been together in a long time, as the movie conceals their collective charisma that originally made the Turtles such a hit. The characters’ voices also disappoint.

Laurence Fishburne’s prominent voice narrates the movie’s beginning. An ancient threat arises in New York City as a menacing immortal is born and unknown creatures are let loose. Sarah Michelle Gellar voices the turtles’ most trusted ally, April O’Neil, a former reporter who is now a bit of an archeologist. Gellar, known by many as the star of the TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” shows a lack of emotion and interest in her dialogue, even at the beginning of the movie when her character blandly asks Leonardo to come back from his training in South America.

Master Splinter, voiced by Academy Award nominee Makoto Iwamatsu, sounded like a drunken Asian sailor. Chris Evans is voice of the turtles’ vigilante comrade, Casey Jones. Evan’s voice sounded as confused as his character seemed to be most of the time.

Confusion brewed among the turtles throughout the movie. Since Leonardo’s departure, the other three greens have parted ways through their different activities. However, their individual attitudes are still intact. Donatello uses his Einstein-like brain to serve as a phone-in technology support guy. Michelangelo is still “the dude with the party attitude,” as remains the children’s party mascot. Raphael still hones the reckless, arrogant and rogue emotions he is known for, while fighting crime on his own as the “Nightwatcher.” Leonardo still has the reputation of being their wise and fearless leader. The turtles are never portrayed as they were in the past, as the movie played too much on their shortcomings with each other.

Upon Leonardo’s arrival, Raphael immediately disapproves of his commands. Donatello and Michelangelo were portrayed as side characters instead of key members of their crime-fighting team. Both characters almost served no purpose in the story’s plot, as the film focused on Leonardo and Raphael’s conflict that eventually lead to a climactic battle between the two. It was not until the movie’s end that audiences get to see some real old-school ninja turtle action.

The only character that fit his role perfectly was the movie’s antagonist, Max Winters, voiced by Patrick Stewart, who also starred in the X-Men trilogy. Although Stewart’s villainous character did not resemble a typical ninja turtle villain because he did not wear an unusual costume or called himself “the Shredder,” the character does well as the turtles’ new bad guy. Michelangelo’s comedic slurs also pulses life into the movie’s tiring dialogue.

The graphics were the only well dome aspect in the movie. The computer-generated human characters closely resemble humans portrayed in Pixar Studio’s “The Incredibles,” and the turtles’ graphics were sophisticatedly detailed. In a fight scene between Leonardo and Raphael, rain gave their skin a natural shine, as individual drops of rain could be seen on their amphibian skin. The environments and backdrops were also very detailed and enhanced scene after scene. Max Winter’s four main henchmen with an ancient Egyptian style, were exceptionally unique from any other characters in the movie.

The film keeps the turtles in their shells. Instead of blowing the lids off sewers to celebrate their unexpected comeback, they peek out from inside their shells with a bit of uncertainty.