8A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 12, 1996 Stormy'Squall' By Michael Zilberman Daily Arts Writer "White Squall," a surprisingly low- profile offering from Ridley Scott, is a fairly simple coming-of-age story. We follow the Albatross, a sailship with a crew comprised of 15 year olds, on an ill-fated, year-long cruise; in that time, the boys lose the ship but learn a thing REVIEW White Squall Directed by Ridley Scott with Jeff Bridges and Scott Wolf At Showcase or two about themselves. Still, there's something immensely weird about this movie. First of all, "White Squall" is not a Ridley Scott film. There's been some sort of mix-up or an elaborate conspiracy. Why, it's a TONY Scott film. It has all the instantly recognizable elements of Tony Scott's oeuvre, from "Top Gun" (young hotshots learn about life through macho rivalry and collective labor) to "Crim- son Tide" (there's a stand-off between the captain and his first mate). It has a huge tech that it worships: a s flowing with ba homoeroticism: The times the director s cent flesh is rivaled Sant and leermeister' it has nothing, absol would indicate thatt movie is, in fact, the "Blade Runner" and Even "Party of Fiv( the wide-eyed protag convenient substitute ft that the actual Tom Cn his gallery of cocky in enough, there's a pate a captain of the Albat Bridges, who, in his becomes absolutely from Kurt Russell. Come to think of wrong with a good " in the age of "Seven, use one. Unfortunate also a school; this immediately saturate "Dead Poets' Societ) And be sure, you'l neyed subplots and i acters. Here's a serio who finds strength past. Here's a guy wh of heights - of cours slowly sinks inological artifact the movie, he's gonna have to come to ailship. It's over- terms with his vertigo. There's a men- rely concealed acing bully who, as we learn, is just sheer number of about illiterate, and - get this - his howcases adoles- former victims organize a secret study only by Gus Van group so that they can help him cram for Victor Salva. And the exam (when he's not busy cram- utely nothing, that ming his boot up their masochistic the author of this asses). man who helmed If there ever were a potential for "Alien." genuine human drama in these stories, e"'s Scott Wolf, as it has fizzled out by the beginning of nist, seems to be a this century; even the most professional orTomCruise(now direction can't help it now. The factthat uiseisthroughwith this schoolboy schmaltz is set against nocents). And sure what is basically a glorified travelogue, rnalistic co-star- leads to further weirdness. Between ross played by Jeff tests, the students manage to have a tough-guy mode, rendezvous with a Cuban armada, a indistinguishable volcano, 20 Dutch schoolgirls (to quench our growing suspicions) and it, there's nothing finally a "white squall" itself, a hori- Top Gun" rip-off; zontal tornado of sorts, which sinks the " we can certainly ship. ely, the sailship is The boys survive, however, and as is the touch that they return home, the film suddenly, es the movie with shockingly, gains power. After what y" overtones. they've been through, everything about 1 get all the hack- their lives before the journey seems unnecessary char- dull,unnatural and pointless. Their feel- usly troubled guy ings are conveyed to us by pretty to overcome his minimalistic means: The shock of star- o's mortally afraid ing at a "20 percent OFF" sign after an e, in the climax of hour and a half of beholding seascapes "I'm Jeff Bridges, captain of the ship and star of this movie. Give me some Grey Poupon, little man!" and Dutch schoolgirls, once again, throws us completely off balance. But this time, it works: Finally, we're ready to sympathize with the heroes. But no, that's not enough for "White Squall": In its last reel, the movie feels an urgent need to change into a court- room drama. Watching the trial scene, as the captain of the lost ship equivo- cates the past and the boys deliver one teary-eyed testimony after another, is an utterly anticlimactic experience. "White Squall"clumsily winds up with Scott Wolf narrating in voice-over that, if he only had a chance, he'd relive the journey all over again. By that time, as viewers, we physically can't subscrp to that. RECORDS, Continued from Page 5A Slipstream Side Effectsy Cho Records With the critical success and alterna- teen acceptance of U.K. pop-rock im- ports like Oasis and Blur, it was only a matter of time before a flood of melodic Brits washed ashore. "Side Effects" is certainly riding the wave, but it does so in impressive style. The album gets off to a tepid start with the lame "Up In Heaven," a tune that really wants to rock out but doesn't quite know how. It's also a poorindica- tor of what's to come: most of the tracks succeed in being smart, textured and playfully mopey, if fairly derivative. Slipstream flows best in the mid- tempo melancholy that dominates the generous 78-minute disc. Chiming gui- tars, gloriously self-loathing vocals and memorable hooks are all over the place. "late too late," "Give It Some Time" and "I Saw Your Face" are prime ex- amples, paying homage to the pioneer- ing power-pop of Big Star while plac- ing it in a modern context. "Home- town" and "All The Symphonies" will make you think of Oasis, but the simi- larity doesn't get in the way. The music is so well done, you can easily see beyond the obvious influences. There's bound to be some mistakes on such a long record, and here it comes in the form of misguided experimentation. "Computer Love," with its laughably deadpan delivery and obnoxious key- boards, really should have been left on the cutting room floor. In general, their at- tempts at up-tempo rock are only moder- ately successful, as the messy "Do You Have An Answer?" demonstrates. Ulti- mately, the good far outweighs the bad. "Side Effects" is a well-written, flaw- lessly produced example of British power-pop. Like Teenage Fanclub at their best, Slipstream wear their influ- ences on their sleeve, but do it with such flair that you can hardly complain. -Dave Snyder Mel Torme with Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass Velvet and Brass Concord Jazz Mel Torme, like many jazz greats, has a nickname: the Velvet Fog. A listen to Areyoglokg for a -- -alernaive' I Monday, February 12 5:10-6:30 pm Michigan Union, Kuenzel Room Cosponsored with the Math and Economics Departments Mel Torme Is happy. Tuesday, February 13 5:10-6:30 pm Cosponsored with Undergraduate Michigan Union, Pendleton Room Psychology Society Thursday, February 15 4:10-5:30 pm CP&P Program Room Stop by eP&p to explore these and other fields in the P&P/ career /IbrarY. 3200 Student Activities Building http://www.umich.edu/-cpp 764-7460 The Unn emit, fr M hir Career Panning Pla ent :'Iwbifl iiSudern Aiai I this album provides more' than ample proof that he deserves the moniker. Mel puts out a level of creamy goodness that makes Nat King Cole sound like John Fogerty. His voice is so rich and languid, without being flabby or cheesy that it's a wonder he hasn't received the same kind of recognition that his peers Joe Will- iams, Johnny Hartman and Billy Eckstein have. Until you listen to the band. The Boss Brass seems to be suffen from the Doc Severinsen disease. While displaying a certain technical tightness and flawless intonation, they're just, well, silly. Every arrangement sounds almost identical, right down tothe goofy predictable high notes in the lead trum- pet part. Featuring five trumpets, five saxes and five trombones they're just too damn big. At times Mel's heavenly voice was squashedbetween thick slo, of brass sound, effectively obscuring the best part of the album. The Gershwin standard "Liza" is one of the better tracks. Mel executes an- other one of his flawless scat solos, exhibiting a melodic inventiveness ab- sent in many horn players. One of the album's brighter spots is "If You Could See Me Now," by Tadd Dameron An expert at writing brood- ing,dark,bittersweetmusic,Damero, piece is given color and depth by band without overstepping its bounds. As usual, Mel gives a wonderful inter- pretation of the vocals. There are a few more good points, like the drums and auxiliary percussion on "I Get a Kick Out of You," or the unison figures shared by Mel's scat solo and the band in "My Sweetie Went Away." In fact, in almost every song, there are mo- ments when it is just Mel and the surp ingly able Boss Brass rhythm secti ; they actually swing. But in a matter of moments, the rest of the band ruins it. I feel bad for Mel. Torme is a brilliant singer and composer. Almost all of his records are worth picking up. Except this one. Oh how the mighty have fallen. - James P. Miller Stevie Wonder Natural Wonder Motown Records Stevie Wonder: Who on this planet hasn't been exposed to his music and his name? This sightless marvel has prevailed for decades over the barriers his blindness and the ignorance of oth- ers created to become a musician of well-deserved legendary status. Thogh his 1994release,"Conversation Piec, didn't generate much hype, his newest, two-CD release should. In theearly'60s, Wonderbecame the first Motown artist to record an album live; some 30 years later, Wonder has done it again. "Natural Wonder" is a live taping of a concert Wonder did with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestrain Osaka, Japan. Twenty-four songs mag- nificent, "Natural Wonder" offers s- lections from the entire span Wonder's works and more. "My Cherie Amour,'' "You Are the Sunshine ofMy Life,""For Your Love," "I Just Called to Say I Love You" - "Natural Wonder" is chock full of songs that are unmistakably Stevie in creation. Wonder has such a wide range of musical talents, and this keepsake reflects that. In its two CDs lie blues ("Stevie Ray Blues"), reggae ("Mas Blaster"), funk ("Superstition"), b lads ("Ribbon in the Sky") and a good dosage of oldies craze ("Signed, Sealed Delivered, I'm Yurs"). Throughout "Natural Wonder," you will hear and experience the musical magic only Stevie can generate with his WHEN & WHERE. February 14th, * See an American Express rep for theatre location. WHAT. Cardmembers get tw2 compli- mentary passes to United Artists' blockbuster The Birdcage. HOW. Just bring the American Express Card or Optima Card and your student ID to the location listed below to pick up your passes. NOW. If you're not yet a Cardmember and would like to take part in our exclusive previews, it's easy to apply for the Card. Just call 1-800-942-AMEX, ext. 4114. MORE TO COME. The Birdcage is one in a series of five major motion pictures to be previewed on your campus this year, compliments of R "37 7: BO ". B ESE MAY S hBQLS 5 ~awauaauahiauaaa.auu;auaI