10- The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 11,1994 'Animation' doesn't mean animated $ By JOHN R. RYBOCK With all the animation festivals which roll through this small berg, I have to admit that I can tend to get a little spoiled. Through them, I got to 24th International Tournee of Animation Various directors. see a slew of Academy Award win- ners, from "Creature Comforts" to "Technological Threat," to the less artistic, better known Beavis and Butthead. So as I slide into my seat (eigth row, third in from right aisle), I may have been expecting too much. I probably set myself up for the disapointment I felt as the curtain closed on the "24th International Tourneee of Animation." Only a couple are great, a few are pretty good, and the rest are tedious to watch. So, let us discuss the ones which were not so bad. "The Square of Light" is a drawn out tribute to Scorsese's "Raging Bull," featuring a point-of- view boxing match. The art is a per- fect combination of realism and style. The chalk on a black background trurns the negative space into shad- ows, and the sketch nature of the artist's hand aids in the illusion of getting punched in the face. "The Sandman" utilizes stop-mo- tion animation to the same degree of effectiveness that "Nightmare Before Christmas" did. The 10-minute film is a bedtime tale which is as soothing as any of the Grimm fairy tales. Though its style is heavily borrowed from Tim Burton, the animators take it a step further in their style and detail, but they keep a Burtonesque macabre twist to finish it. The finale of the festival is a trib- ute to the Will Vinton Studio. Vin ... wha'? Well, ol' Will is the man be- hind the California Raisins. Though before condemming his studio for that, their other work deserves a look at. A full range of styles are shown in the tribute, from computer-animated dancing tools, to stop-motion house- hold electronics. High quality seems to be the common denominator in all their work. But the fine pieces of animation which are featured in this festival are buried under a load of garbage. A lot of the pieces become tedious to sit through. The opening piece, "Get a Haircut," is a music video with a cool song, but could lose the visuals. "We love it," is a similar piece, animation set to music, but besides just losing the visuals, they should lose the song which is annoying by the end of the second verse. And the inclusion of "Prehistoric Beast" proves that the Tournee is not above using a big name just because they are a name. It's an example of stop-motion animation which is just one notch above "King Kong." Other than depicting a battle between two dinosaurs, which don't look fully ac- curate, there is nothing remarkable to this piece, except for the fact that it is done by Phil Tippit, of Industrial Light and Magic and one of the people who won an Oscar for the visual effects in "Jurassic Park." The festival ended on an upswing, with the Will Vinton tribute just fad- ing as the curtain draws to a close. It saved me from spending the rest of the night in a blue funk. Had any other piece closed the show, I would have locked myself in my apartment and played Cure and Smiths CDs all night. And if that does not sound as a ringing endorsement, you've caught on. THE 24TH TOURNEE OFANIMA- TION is playing at the Michigan Theater through April 15th. wl "Keely and Du" presents the abortion issue with compelling 'Keely and Di By ROBERT YOON Jane Martin's scorching play "Keely and Du," which opened Friday night at the Purple Rose Theatre, could easily have been made into a two-hour political rally to garner support for one side of the abortion debate. ____________________ Director 'PERFORMANCE_ Newell Kring' s Keely and Du goal, however, was not to incite Purple Rose Theatre political action, April 8, 1994 but rather to stimulate conver- sation and provoke thought. And with the powerful "Keely and Du," he does just that. The harrowing story of a pregnant rape victim who is kidnapped by a radical pro-life organization is unique in the 20-year-old abortion conundrum because it offers compelling arguments for both sides of the fence. Kring is particularly successful in presenting this emotional tale because of the dynamic relationship between Keely, the pregnant captive, and Du, the kindly, elderly nurse who cares for her day-to-day. "Keely and Du," which is presented in two acts, has an added potency because of the sheer strength of the two female leads. Suzi Regan and Bee Vary are both extraor- dinary in their portrayals of Keely and Du, respectively. Regan, who is handcuffed to a bed for the majority of the play, gives an emotional performance as a woman who is struggling to comprehend what is happening to her and why. She is genuine in conveying an array of emotions, from trembling terror to indignant outrage. As Du, Bee Vary is sure to resemble someone from your life, be it your grandmother, neighbor or kindergar- g and honest portrayal of both sides of the issue. LI' provokes ten teacher. Vary's folksy charm helps to give her charac- ter, and the pro-life argument, an unexpected moral force. Regan and Vary both add a human quality to their charac- ters, making their respective arguments all the more realistic. Because both leads are so likable and realistic, audi- ence members from any political bent will find them- selves carefully examining the both sides of the issue, if for no other reason as a favor to a friend. Phillip Locker gives a haunting performance as Walter, the preacher who heads Operation Retrieval, the group that kidnapped Keely. Locker's Walter is a man of staunch conviction and a strong sense of patriarchal authority. Despite several religious tirades, Walter is not a two- dimensional ideologue. His character, like the others', significantly fleshed out by the second act. Almost the entire play takes place in only one room - a basement. The seats are arranged around the stage, surrounding all the action. The set itself is claustrophobic and dark, which not only makes you feel that you are actually in the basement observing this bizarre chain of events, but it also foregrounds the interaction between Keely and Du. An elaborate set on a traditional stage would have diluted the play's intensity. "Keely and Du" offers a powerful examination of not only the abortion issue, but of forgiveness. It stimulates conversation and debate, and poses many unanswerable questions. It is what theater today should be. KEELY AND DU plays through May 22nd at the Purp e Rose Theatre (137 Park Street, Chelsea). Performances are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets range from $10 to $20. Call 475- 7902 for more information. Hi-Five Faithful Jive/RCA They can sing, they were polished in concert after their first album was released, they have a big name pro- ducer (Dallas Austin), but they lack something which used to be essential to music - a creative idea. "Never Should've Let You Go" and "Uncon- ditional Love" have catchy melodies but there is just no substance to any of their flow. This album popped right out of the generic R&B mold which became tiring somewhere around 1989. How many songs can have "Miss U Girl," "I'm In Need" and "Ready 4 U 2 Love" as main titles? Have we run out of ways to creatively express our love for each other? Or even our sexual lust for one another? Hi-Five actually begin their closing song "Uncondi- tional Love" with the words "I will climb the highest peak / Swim the deepest sea / I would cross the desert land / I would do anything for your love." In the same song is their one mo- ment of slightly meaningful expres- sion, when someone says, "Now more then ever it's important for couples to stay together. You don't know what's going to happen." Perhaps an en- deavor to discuss the need for strong relationships in times of pain. But this semi-original thought *is overshad- owed by the load of cliches which permeates the rest of the album (it's nearly an EP, as it is with only eight songs). It's too bad to see what was surely a lot of work result in some- thing almost completely devoid of meaning. - Dustin Howes Schooly D Welcome to America Columbia Records MC Hammer isn't the only one changing his style radically. Schooly D has also left the more giddy rap he's performed for the past decade (much like MC Hammer's earlier music) and joined the hard-core rap camp. Looking at the front cover of this CD - which includes pictures of chains, homeless Blacks, housing projects and a 40-ounce in the hands of a Black man - one would think, "Yeah. This brotha's about to tell it like it is. He'bout to kick some knowl- edge." When you hear the cuts in "Wel- come to America," the truth becomes readily apparent. This CD is so ... BAD, it's not even good enough to call "whack." The intro is just plain dumb. In "I Know You Want to Kill Me," Schooly D bitches at everyone and everything from President Clinton to the NAACP. Although these groups and people do need bitchin' at, Schooly D doesn't address any of these reasons. Instead, he goes on to talk about how everyone wants him killed because he's the mac, he knows too much - you know, shit like that. Listening to him drone, I began to wish that whoever wants Schooly D killed would succeed - soon. °I Know You Want to Kill Me" is, in fact, indicative of most of the cuts on this CD. From the song "Welcome to America" to "Peace of What" to "Another Sign," Schooly D starts off sounding like Ice Cube, addressing important problems. But, instead of continuing on that road by rapping about some serious causes and solu- tions, Schooly D takes the hoeish, Eazy-E route and flip-flops from ad- dressing the problems within theBlack community to rapping about what a mac and an OG he is. In other cuts, like "Gangsta Trippin," "Gimme Your Shit Nigga" and "Stop Frontin," Schooly D doesn't See RECORDS, Page 13 Depo-Provera* IContraceptive njection (sterile medroxyprogesterone acetate suspension, USP) WHAT IS DEPO-PROVERA CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION? DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection is a form of birth control that is given as an intra- muscular injection (a shot) in the buttock or upper arm once every 3 months. To continue your contraceptive protection, you must return for your next injection promptly at the end of 3 months. DEPO-PROVERA contains medroxyprogesterone acetate, a chemical similar to (but not the same as) the natural hormone progesterone, which is produced by your ovaries during the second half of your menstrual cycle. DEPO-PROVERA acts by preventing your egg cells from ripening. If an egg is not released from the ovaries during your menstrual cycle, it cannot become fertilized by sperm and result in pregnancy. DEPO-PROVERA also causes changes in the lining of your uterus that make it less likely for pregnancy to occur. HOW EFFECTIVE IS DEPO-PROVERA CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION? DEPO-PROVERA is over 99% effective, making it one of the most reliable methods of birth control available. This means that the average annual pregnancy rate is less than one for every 100 women who use DEPO-PROVERA. The effectiveness of most contraceptive methods depends in part on how reliably each woman uses the method. The effectiveness of DEPO-PROVERA depends only on the patient returning every 3 months for her next injection. Your health-care provider will help you compare DEPO-PROVERA with other con- traceptive methods and give you the information you need in order to decide which contra- ceptive method is the right choice for you. The following table shows the percent of women who got pregnant while using different kinds of contraceptive methods. It gives both the lowest expected rate of pregancy (the rate expected in women who use each method exactly as it should be used) and the typical rate of pregnancy (which includes women who became pregnant because they forgot to use their birth control or because they did not follow the directions exactly). PERCENT OF WOMEN EXPERIENCING AN ACCIDENTAL PREGNANCY IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CONTINUOUS USE Method Expected Typical DEPO-PROVERA 0.3 0.3 Implants (Norplant) 0.3 0.3 Female sterilization 0.2 0.4 Male sterilization 0.1 0.15 Oral contraceptive (pill) 0 3 Combined 0.1 - Progestogen only 0.5- IUD -3 Progestasert 2.0- Copper T 380A 0.8- Condom (without spermicide) 2 12 Diaphragm (with spermicide) 6 18 Cervical Cap 6 18 Withdrawal 4 18 Periodic abstinence 1 -9 20 Spermicide alone 3 21 Vaginal Sponge Used before childbirth 6 18 Used after childbirth 9 28 No method 85 85 Source: Trussellet a; Obstet Gyncol 76:558,1990 WHO SHOULD NOT USE DEPO-PROVERA CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION? Not all women should use DEPO-PROVERA. You should not use DEPO-PROVERA if you think you might be pregnant, have any vaginal bleeding without a known reason, have had cancer of the breast, have had a stroke, have or have had blood clots (phlebitis) in your legs, have problems with your liver or liver disease, or are allergic to DEPO- PROVERA (medroxyprogesterone acetate or any of its other ingredients). You will have a physical examination before your doctor prescribes DEPO-PROVERA. It is important to tell your doctor if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications or if you have a family history of breast cancer; an abnormal mammogram (breast x-ray), fibrocystic breast disease, breast nodules or lumps, or bleeding from your nipples; kidney disease; irregular or scanty menstrual periods; high blood pressure: migraine headaches; asthma; epilepsy (convulsions or seizures); diabetes or a family history of diabetes; or a history of depression. occur and, therefore, the bleeding that coma with your normal menstruation does not take place. When you stop using DEPO-PROVERA your menstrual period will usually, in time, retum to its normal cycle. 2. Bone Mineral Changes Use of DEPO-PROVERA may be associated with a decrease in the amount of mineral stored in your bones. This could increase your risk of developing bone fractures. The rate of bone mineral loss is greatest in the early years of DEPO-PROVERA use, but after that, it begins to resemble the normal rate of age-related bone mineral loss. 3. Cancer Studies of women who have used different forms of contraception found that women who used DEPO-PROVERA for contraception had no increased overall risk of developing cancer of the breast, ovary, uterus, cervix, or liver. However, women under 35 years of age whose first exposure to DEPO-PROVERA was within the previous 4 years may have a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer similar to that seen with oral contraceptives. You should discuss this with your health-care provider. 4. Accidental Pregnancy Because DEPO-PROVERA is such an effective contraceptive method, the risk of accidental pregnancy for women who get their shots regularly (every 3 months) is very low. While there have been reports of an increased risk of low birth weight and neonatal infant death or other health problems in infants conceived close to the time of injection, such pregnancies are rare. If you think you may have become pregnant while using DEPO-PROVERA for con- traception, see your health-care provider as soon as possible. 5. Other Risks Women who use hormone-based contraceptives may have an increased risk of blood clots or stroke. Also, if a contraceptive method fails, there is a possibility that the fertilized egg will begin to develop outside of the uterus (ectopic pregnancy). While these events are rare, you should tell your health-care provider if you have any of the problems listed in the next section. WHAT SYMPTOMS MAY SIGNAL PROBLEMS WHILE USING DEPO-PROVERA CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION? Call your health-care provider immediately if any of these problems occur following an injection of DEPO-PROVERA: Sharp chest pain, coughing of blood, or sudden shortness of breath (indicating a possible clot in the lung); sudden severe headache or vomiting, dizzi- ness or fainting, problems with your eyesight or speech, weakness, or numbness in an arn or leg (indicating a possible stroke); severe pain or swelling in the calf (indicating a possible clot in the leg); unusually heavy vaginal bleeding; severe pain or tenderness in the lower abdominal area; or persistent pain, pus, or bleeding at the injection site. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF DEPO-PROVERA CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION? 1. Weight Gain You may experience a weight gain while you are using DEPO-PROVERA. About two thirds of the women who used DEPO-PROVERA in clinical trials reported a weight gain of about 5 pounds during the first year of use. You may continue to gain weight after the first year. Women in one large study who used DEPO-PROVERA for 2 years gained an average total of 8.1 pounds over those 2 years, or approximately 4 pounds per year. Women who contin- ued for 4 years gained an average total of 13.8 pounds over those 4 years, or approximate- ly 3.5 pounds per year. Women who continued for 6 years gained an average total of 16.5 pounds over those 6 years, or approximately 2.75 pounds per year. 2. Other Side Effects In a clinical study of over 3,900 women who used DEPO-PROVERA for up to 7 years, some women reported the following effects that may or may not have been related to their use of DEPO-PROVERA: Irregular menstrual bleeding, amenorrhea, headache, nervousness, abdominal cramps, dizziness, weakness or fatigue, decreased sexual desire, leg cramps, nausea, vaginal discharge or irritation, breast swelling and tenderness, bloating, swelling of the hands or feet, backache, depression, insomnia, acne, pelvic pain, no hair growth or excessive hair loss, rash, and hot flashes. Other problems were reported by very few of the women in the clinical trials, but some of these could be serious. These include convulsions, jaundice, urinary tract infections, allergic reactions, fainting, paralysis, osteoporosis, lack of return to fertility, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, breast cancer, or cervical can- cer, if these or any other problems occur during your use of DEPO-PROVERA, discuss them with your health-care provider. SHOULD ANY PRECAUTIONS BE FOLLOWED DURING USE OF DEPO-PROVERA CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION? 1. Missed Periods During the time you are using DEPO-PROVERA for contraception, you may skip a period, or your periods may stop completely. If you have been receiving your DEPO-PROVERA injections regularly every 3 months, then you are probably not pregnant. However, if you think that you may be pregnant, see your health-care provider. 2. Laboratory Test interactions If you are scheduled for any laboratory tests, tell your health-care provider that you are using DEPO-PROVERA for contraception. Certain blood tests are affected by hormones such as DEPO-PROVERA. 3. Drug interactions Cytadren (aminoglutethimide) is an anticancer drug that may significantly decrease the effectiveness of DEPO-PROVERA if the two drugs are given during the same time. 4. Nursing Mothers 0 0 Sweat. Anxiety, Time tick ing away... Now consider a more pleasant dream: KAPLAN gives you insights into the test and the minds of the test- makers. Kaplan helps raise your score. Kaplan helps improve your chances of getting into the law school of your choice. Kaplan wants to help prevent the nightmare by giving you an edge on the competition. Our Total Training for the LSAT gives you the reasoning skills and the test-taking techniques you need to score high. A cnmhination of live classes. ractice testinE. audio I