IOA - The Michigan Daily - Monday, March 25, 1996 S.: It's a wonderful night for Oscar! Well, folks, it's that time of year again. To be hosted by former winner Whoopi Goldberg, the Academy Awards will air tonight at 9 o'clock on ABC. Mel Gibson's period epic, "Braveheart," leads the pack with 10 nominations; other favorites include "Sense and Sensibility," "Apollo 13" and "Dead Man Walking" (pictured right). All bets are off, however, on whether that smilin' pig (pictured above) will take home an Oscar of his own. Babe's movie is nominated in most of the major categories. The Daily, film staff has painstakingly compiled two lists for your reading pleasure - we predict who we think WILL win in the top contests, and we decide who we think SHOULD win. It was a tough call in most cases, but hey, everyone has an opinion. We just hope the Academy is as wise as we are ... Dancers push perfon Alvin Ailey Dance Theater retu By Chrys Gee For the Daily The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returned to the University's Power Center this past week, after a 15-year absence. It arrived to share its vision of fierce American modern dance. One of the most prominent and successful modern dance companies in the United States, the group was founded more than 30 years ago to celebrate the struggles and triumphs of African Americans and all Americans. The company has provided uplifting perfor- mances to sold-out audiences ever since. Friday night was no exception. The evening explored repertoryA works created by three choreographers. Starting with the most contemporary work, the audience was taken back in time to conclude with Ailey's master- Danc piece "Revelations" (1960). Opening the evening, "Riverside" was an intoxicating ballet that high- _ lighted the company members' liquid arms, arching backs and legs of steel. The lines and flow of the dancers bodies stylistically fused their ballet and ethnic dance training. The choreography continuously moved back and forth from poised balances, with arms and legs out- stretched to the heavens, to gyrating, earthbound pelvises. "Riverside" was choreographed in 1995 by the company's current artistic director, Judith Jamison. The movement of the dancers and naturalistic music portrayed a community of people living along a river bank, in harmony with their surroundings, as day turned into night. Watching the perfor- mance, the people, the water and the dance became one. "Fandango," a pas de deux created by master choreogra- pher Lar Lubovitch in 1990, was performed by Elizabeth Roxas and Leonard Meek. With seductive ease and Olympic strength, the piece explored seemingly impossible balances and lifts. "Fandango" captured two lovers at one instant in time that seemed to stretch forever. Without missing a beat or losing their balance, the dancers also pursued every opportunity to exploit the flexibility of their bodies. Al- REVIEW kivin Alley American ce Theater Best Picture: WILL WIN: "Sense and Sensibility" SHOULD WIN: "Sense and Sensibility" Best Director: WILL WIN: Mel Gibson, "Braveheart" SHOULD WIN: Mike Figgis, "Leaving Las Vegas" Best Actor: WILL WIN: Nicolas Cage, "Leaving Las Vegas" SHOULD WIN: Nicolas Cage, "Leaving Las Vegas" Best Actress: WILL WIN: Susan Sarandon, "Dead Man Walking" SHOULD WIN: Sharon Stone, "Casino" Best Supporting Actor: WILL WIN: Ed Harris, "Apollo 13" SHOULD WIN: Kevin Spacey, "The Usual Suspects" Best Supporting Actress: WILL WIN: Joan Allen, "Nixon"- SHOULD WIN: Mira Sorvino, "Mighty Aphrodite" Best Original Screenplay: WILL WIN: "The Usual Suspects" SHOULD WIN: "Nixon" Best Adapted Screenplay: WILL WIN: "Sense and Sensibility" SHOULD WIN: "Leaving Las Vegas" LOTS OF GREAT NEW RELEASES ON SALE AT MIDNIGHT X-FILES SOUNDTRACK$ 199 VERVE PIPE VILLAINS$99 STONE TEMPLE PILOTS $119 fi-. 'Flirting' with a contest Finally! A contest returns to the Daily Arts section. We know you've been waiting a long time for it, so we'll be brief. Would you lIke to see the new fil "Firting with Disaster," directed by David 0. Russell (of "Spanking the Monkey" fame) and starring the always wacky Ben Stiller? Sure you do. And we want you to see it, too. For free. Just come to the Daily Arts Office, seco floor of the Student Publications Building, 420 Maynard St., and tell us the name of another film In which we have seen Stiller (we'll all laugh together I you can tell us what TV character his real life dad plays ... but that answeri not required to win). You must arrive between 12 noon and 6 p.m., and all winners will receive a pass good for the admission of two people to a specia screening tomorrow night at 7:30 at the Ann Arbor 1 & 2 theater on S. Fifth Ave. in beautiful downtown Ann Arbor. Can't wait any longer? We don't blam you. So just come on by - we're waiting.c nance limits trns to Ann Arbor ngo" left the audience intoxicated, the in- i between the two dancers was not as strongly music that was used, Maurice Ravel's pas- a." ntemporary works of Friday evening's prfor- ited the company's classical lines, Hercule nost impossible flexibility. By contrast, Alv ations" depended upon choreographic purity honesty; its dancers portrayed a more human reality. "Revelations" gathered together mentally strong individuals to give the audience a spiritual and emotional ex- perience. Although the company's physical virtuosity was still highlighted in this work, the viewer became more impressed with the performers as think- ing, responsible individuals. Alvin Ailey's choreography oft r drew upon his African American, small 6 town Southern roots. Danced to spiritu- als, Friday's performance of "Revela- dancers and audience on a three-partjourney. he piece to share cultural experiences with the y that all can experience is outstanding. Its ae of glorifying the struggles of suffering imes is universal. ctiori, "Pilgrims of Sorrow," the dancers start uted earth tones and showing the suffering erican experience through earth bound mov ked toward the sky. The next section, "Take Ater," had the dancers in a transformational wearing white. The piece ended with "Move e" in which the company, dressed in the color scend their suffering and dance with joy and ars; the Ailey company is still pushing the rmance by fusing breathtaking contemprary :h classical poise. Hence, by the end of the the audience was clapping in time with the >ing its feet. GIRL 6 Continued from Page 9A ensemble. Spike Lee ably plays the role ofGirl6's neighbor, the concerned, sports memor-a bilia-collecting Jimmy. Girl 6's ex-hugs band is portrayed with sympathy-dt - ing results by Isaiah Washington. Since the majority ofthe film's best and most outrageous scenes take place at t phone sex company, the best supporting performances also exist there. Featuring Debi Mazar as the reason- able Girl 39, Naomi Campbell (wearig an ironic 'Models Suck' T-shirt) as bad.' influence Girl 75 and a host of others, the operators have a way with words nd contribute to the film'slightslightly raun- chy atmosphere. Also encouraging the playful exph- itness ofthe film are theabundant Prince songs that incessantly underscore Girl 6's life. The soundtrack is like the ulti- mate testament of Prince's funky, pas- nd sionate genius. Peppering the perverted landscape are f innumerable cool cameos from the likes s of Madonna, Halle Berry, John Turturro and talk-show host Rolonda Watts, an d vivid, innovative daydream sequence These daydreams are ways of getting e inside Girl 6's head, viewing her hopes and desires through her depiction of clas- sic strong female characters, including Dorothy Dandridge in "Carmen Jones," Pam Grier in "Foxy Brown" and afro- puffed Thelma on "The Jeffersons." In the "Jeffersons" sequence, the real high- light is Spike Lee's dead-on accurate George Jefferson impersonation. The only apparent drawback of the fi ' is its lack of an intricate plot. Perhaps witty script by Suzan-Lori Parks cou have been improved by fleshing out more of Girl 6's relationships with her friends and callers, instead of adding a dull sub- plot ofa little girl falling down an elevator shaft (a less-than-subtle metaphor for Girl 6's own descent into fantasy). Partially a sex farce, partially ajour- ney toward self-esteem, and wholly ful- filling, the fun world of phone set "Girl 6" is even better than the real th4 ... and a lot less expensive, too. ROADWAY PACKAGE SYSTEM PACKAGE HANDLERS'.v PERFECT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS Saving for tuition? Find part-time work, Year-round at RPS! Roadway Package System, a small package delivery service, hires package handlers to load and unlioad package vans and semi-trailers: If you are not afraid of hard work, are at least 18 years old and wanttowork4-5 hours per day, Mon.-Fri., we can offer you $6.50/hr. plus $1/hr. tuition assistance after 30 .ยข1 "*P Do you want to write fine arts features and rev for the Daily Arts sectic Call Ted at 763-0379. Don't Panic!! If you think you're pregnant... call us-we listen, we care. PROBLEM PREGNANCY HELP 769-7283 Any time, any day, 24 hours. Fully confidential. Serving Students since 1970. 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