'Song of Singapore'
'The Arrival'
Rated PG-13
sets up a makeshift satellite sta- determined to foil the plot, man-
tion in his garage and tracks ages to infiltrate the aliens' head-
what he suspects is a radio sig- quarters and learns that the
nal conversation between outer aliens look just like humans —
space and a transmitter in
when they want to. One of
Mexico. Leaving his girl-
them even looks like, no,
friend behind, he races to
yes, Gordian! Oh, the
MOVIES
Mexico, where he inadver-
implication of it all.
tently crosses paths with a sci-
If this whole thing sounds sil-
ormally, I would approach
a film boasting Charlie
Sheen as its star with the
same enthusiasm that I
would a menu listing MSG as the
main ingredient. But with the
summer movie season in gear, I
vowed to view Ori-
on Pictures' The Ar-
rival with a reborn
sense of hope.
Unfortunately,
my attitude adjust-
ment was only
slightly rewarded.
Instead of the
smug, insincere
Charlie Sheen that
Brian Schulz, Susan Arnold and Marlon Bailey in Song of Singapore, running at the
we have all come to
Attic Theatre through July 7.
ignore, The Arrival
he Attic Theatre's Song of ed cast — a cocktail-shaker of brings us a more
Singapore is set in a seedy swingy sound. Susan Arnold subdued, dare we
Singapore nightclub of the plays Rose, the amnesiac, and can say, mature Char-
1940s. The Japanese are she can light up a room with a lie Sheen, who,
coming, but the talented boys and torch song, in this case one called when not bugging
girls sing their hearts out for the "I Can't Remember." (He: "Lost his eyes out like
audience despite amnesia, black- your passport?" She: "Lost my Don Knotts, actual-
ly gets a chance to
mail and murder.
past, sport.")
All of this is in the vein of sum-
Her backup guys are Marlon act.
Sheen
plays
mer smoothies — light enter- Bailey (one lean baritone) as
tainment that tickles
Hans van der Last and Zane Ziminski, a
entist (Lindsay Crouse)
your fancy but troubles
Brian Schulz (one silky NASA astronomer,
Ron Silver a nd
not one brain cell. So, it
tenor) as Spike whose assignment Charlie Sheen are in investigating global warm-
goes without saying
Spauldeen. Bailey gets to is to monitor radio the midst of a sci fi ing. They share a meal and
conversation and, putting
that the star of the
conspiracy
sing the supremely silly signals from outer
their information together,
nightclub show, Rose of
"Home in Harlem" (he's space. One night, he
it becomes apparent that
Rangoon, cannot re-
a Dutch national, lest thinks he hears
member how she got to
you wonder). Schulz, too, something extraterrestrial and this global warming thing hasn't
Singapore (when you
gets his nobby number, reports his findings to his boss, been caused by aerosol deodor-
MICHAEL H.
get to Sumatra, turn
"Shake Off the Blues," Gordian (Ron Silver). Gordian ant after all.
MARGOLIN
No, as it turns out, Earth's at-
right; if you find your-
and he gives it as good as isn't nearly as excited as Zane,
SPECIAL TO THE
but rewards Zane's efforts by fir- mosphere is being manipulated
self in Cambodia, you've
he's
got.
Which
is
a
lot.
JEWISH NEWS
gone too far) and was
There are a few extra ing him under the guise of bud- by aliens who have begun to col-
onize our planet but have found
"parta that scandal in
plotters who hasten us to get cuts.
Sensing a conspiracy, Zane our climate a bit too drafty. Zane,
Jakarta."
the denouement: Augustus
Amnesia aside, what we have Williamson plays Inspector Mar-
here is a familiar thing: a cabaret vin Kurland, and his surrogate
show — lots of songs, some 18 or spy is Jean Lyle Lepard as Chah
AMC LAUREL PARK 10
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ano, woodwinds, drums and a double entendre as in Limey
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bass). The set could pass for (British) or "slime" as in nick-
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Chung's restaurant downtown: name. See what I mean about
Dragonheart (PG-13)
think lacquer red and paper brain cells?
The Rock (R)
lanterns.
Except for a fishy plot,
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The five authors and
some missing jewels, the
W. MAPLE, W. OF TELEGRAPH
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Earhart and World War
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Hard (PG-13)
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The Rock (R)
Twister (PG-13)
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Director David P. Drobot has
Eddie (PG-13)
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drews Sisters." He: "Which one?" to be heady, just enough ver- Spy
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She: "The one on the left.") Rim mouth to be tasty: a summer slur- The Arrival (R)
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shot, please.
py for grownups.
Dragonheart (PG-13)
Race the Sun (PG)
The Rock (R)
Best of all, though, are the hon-
Toy Story (C)
ey-toned sounds of the syncopat-
N
At The
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CD
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T
ly, you're right. But one of the
problems with this movie is that
it's not supposed to be silly and,
at the same time, it isn't silly
enough. Instead of playing it
tongue in cheek, it's more like
stick in mud. Where is the smug,
insincere Charlie Sheen when we
need him? Expect The Arrival to
arrive in your local video store
well before Labor Day.
— Richard Halprin
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