The Michigan Daily-Friday, April 15,1993- Page 9 Get on the Train ArtTrain, the Ann Arbor based mu- seum on a train that brings art to small country towns that aren't located near art museums and galleries, is kicking off anew season and a 25-city national tour with the exhibit, "The Romance of Transportation." The exhibi features work by painters like Thomas Hart Benton and Andy Warhol and photog- raphers like Dorothea Lange. There are also hands-on activities, audio-fisual shows, and demonstrations by artists. The fun lasts from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday. Pick up the train at 1100 N. Main. Call 747-8300 for more info. Behar Reads Ruth Behar, author of the book 'Translated Woman," the story of a Mexican woman who learns to be a witch, is going to read from her poetry and fiction. The reading will takeplace in the Common Language bookstore at 7 p.m. Sunday evening. It's free so everybody should come. Call 663- 0036. Gain valuable marketing, negotiation, and finance experi- ence. The Michiganensian Yearbook is looking for a business manager for the 1993-94 school year. Re- sponsibilities include budgeting, promotions, distribution, and other duties. If you have any questions or would like an application, stop by the Student Publications Building -420 Maynard St., or call 764-9425 and ask for Randy. The Vermeer String Quartet, playing Sunday at Rackham, hail from such far-off lands as Israel, French-Canade, New York, and the exotic Nebraska. *Vermeers find Ann Arbor a choice town by Jeremy Williams The VermeerString Quartetis looking forward to visiting Ann Arbor this Sunday, according to Rich- ard Young, the group's violist. "Ann Arbor is one of thechoiceplacestoplay," he said. "Everybodylooks forward to playing in Ann Arbor and I think one of the reasons is because there are so many good musicians in town." That's high praise from a musician who has performed and taught in Ann Arbor before. "I was hired by the U for two years to teach chamber music there,"said Young."I have had to look at my musical convictions in a little bit of a different light after having that interaction with the students." Although Young has only been with the Quartet for eight years, he has already recorded one of the program's pieces with the group, Schubert's Quartettsatz in CMinor. Anotherpiece on the group's Ann Arbor program - Gyorgy Ligeti's Quartet No. 1 - will be released around Christmas. The lastpiece on the program, Smetana'sQuartet in E Minor ("From My Life") is one of the great romantic quartets. "It's a devastatingly dramatic work, and every time I play it, it gets me," Young said. "It really gets you right in the heart -it is so emotional, and of course meaningful. The guy went deaf, two of his children died, he had a terrible life, and this piece is really all about that." This collection of musicians, hailing from Israel, French-Canada, New York and Nebraska is consid- ered one of the world's finest chamber music groups. The quartet takes its named from the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. At first, they had trouble finding a name for the group, but as Young puts it "Vermeer is a great Dutch painter ... so why not?" Before their first concert in the Netherlands, the Dutch were wary. "The Dutch were very suspicious of a (foreign) group naming themselves after one of their national treasures, and yet they are all Ameri- can citizens," Young said. That was more than 20 years ago, and now that the group has hit it big, they are welcome in any country. The group has per- formedin the majorcities ofNorth America, Europe, Israel and Australia; it has also played in several international festivals, including Tanglewood, As- pen, South Bank, Spoleto and Mostly Mozart. Young said that his experience teaching in Ann Arbor helped him to refine his own playing. "If you are in a position where you are obliged to share with your students not only what you think is appropriate, but why, it obliges you to come to grips with the basis for your convictions -more than you would if you are simply out there playing all the time." He also hopes the group must be at its best in Ann Arbor. "There is not one person among the music students who will not be listening with avery special discernment," Young said. "I was therein Ann Arbor for two years telling them how to doit, and youknow they're going to be checking me out to see if we can do what I was talking about." The quartet rehearses six days per week, three hours a day; if practice makes perfect, there shouldn't be many critics in the house. THE VERMEER STRING QUARTET will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday at Rackham Auditorium. Tickets are $14 to $22; call 764-2538. ~LS4A 0ig SruuENr cyoY'r, "&" 0 a 'Benny and Joon' totally too totally cool by Jon Altshul Sometime after the cancellation of "Totally Pauly," MTV fabricated the illusions that post-modern art had sub- stance, moshing had some social rel- evance and that all carmechanics could afford a shrink and a sprawling house on the water. enny an oon Directed by Jeremiah Chechik; written by Barry Berman; with Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Aidan Quinn. Sorry, Duff.Life isn'tamusic video, Jackson Pollack can't paint and $9 an hour with two dependents means no live-in-housekeeper. "Benny and Joon," despite all its aestheticpositives, ismerelypost-Adam Curry MTV on the big screen. Like a Sara Lee Chocolate Cake, it tastes good until you realize what's in it. Essen- tially, after digestion, you'll be stapled to the shitter for the next three days. Starring the ultra-trendy Johnny Depp and the super-different Mary Stuart Masterson, the film crowds the viewer with characters that are too lik- able, a soundtrack that's too danceable, and a problematic, unintelligent script that confines the otherwise talented en- semble. The plot, which is refreshingly be- reft of any profound subtleties, is easily told: Benny (Aidan Quinn), an honest car mechanic, needs a house taker for his emotionally-troubled, pyromaniac sister Joon (Masterson). Neat way to spell a name, huh? This film is way alternative; it's like even cooler than "Singles" or "The Real World."Joon's volatile temperament has been the un- doing of so many former nannies that Benny is forced to juggle his schedule around work and his sister. The film treats mental illness as if it is cool, as if it is something that can be turned on and off like a light switch. This same sitcom attitude characterizes much of a film which offers such mo- ronic revelations as: "You know the older you get, the less things make sense." Duh. Enter Sam (Depp). Having lost a poker bet, Benny takes him in on the condition that he take care of Joon. Much to the awe of the audience, they fall in love. Irreverent and thoroughly unpredictable, Depp's Buster Keaton- like persona actually seems less so- cially-adjusted than Joon. And Deppfor his part is no Robin Williams - his character becomes so annoying and overbearing that you wish five random punks dressed only inBatmanUnderoos andblackDoc Martens would suddenly pop outofatrapdoor and beat the living shit out of him. Quinn, who has consistently gar- nered strong reviews for his taciturn, understated performances in "ThePlay- boys" and Barry Levinson's "Avalon," offers forth a somewhat lackluster, con- trived effort. A prolonged Spin Doctors video isn't particularly conducive for his obvious dramatic talent. The colors are vivid and the charac- ters are overstated. Everyone falls in loveandnoone'spoor. Sure, likemarsh- mallow fluff,it'll cheer you up, but it'll also make you fat and ugly. No sense in continuing. "Benny and Joon" is for high school sophomores from Delaware who like Paul Westerberg and think that Seattle is located somewhere between the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Be glad that you can look back and laugh. BENNYAND JOON is playing at Showcase. w w & RISPEPSI CARIVAL GAMES -PRIZES O)NK TANK"*MOONWALK 3BA1 D** R oeniaEiv SATURDAY, APIL IZ4 AT PALMER F iELD ce E) U U SBirkenstok] "I seemed to be the only one « inthe"license renewal line who wasn't getting hostile. The guy behind me was cussng his cowboy boots when I realized my Birkenstocks were beautiful. It must be the way they cradle your feet because I really didn't mind waiting for my new driver's license. I I even smiled for the photo." Milano "" Bri ¢ . g d Ab A' AIN MAGICAL VILLAGE TENDER ROMANCE MUSICAL TREASURE Book & Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner Music by Frederick Loewe Directed by BRENT WAGNER MusicalDirection by JERRY DEPUIT Choreographed by DEBRA ANN DRAPER POWER CENTER When you sell your textbooks to Utlrich's Bookstore between April 20th and May 2nd you'll receive cash AND a coupon god for 1 FREE Subway 6-inch sandwich* compliments of Ulrich's Bookstore. *Your choice of Cold Cut Combo, Tuna, Veggies & Cheese or Turkey Breast One coupon per visit $10.00 minimum buy-back required Coupon redeemable at Packard-Hill and Main St. Subway Sub Shops only - Expires 5-4-93 .... ... .. i f .v. . . ......