8A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, November 23, 1998
Weekend, etc.
returns next week
with a look at the
latest fad to sweep
this generation.
The weekly
magazine features
swing dancing.
It's Sure to be a
jumpin' good time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I
pire T UU
Yogur pasifl n :
V'~* w swungO
To Be
wo a9
Film &
Video
200 !
!
F/V 200 is a hands-on
survey course which"
introduces students to
!
the production process
for Television, Motion
Pictures and Video, u
and it is the pre-requisite;
course for more advance
production courses.
Students make projects
in all three media."
!
The course places
production methodss
rithin the context of
History and Theory.
To register:
Sign-up NOW in the :
Program for
Film & Video Studies *
2512 Frieze Building
Phone:764-0147;
then go to the 1stf
class meeting.th
'Tis the season
i 10
to hit theaters
By Matthew Barrett
Daily Arts Writer
Swish it around and spit it out. Really, how exciting would it
be to drink nothing but water from now until Christmas? After
gulping down Adam Sandler's aqua in droves, movie audiences
can expect a barrage of high quality movies in the next month
and a half. Traditionally the time when the majority of the
Oscar-caliber films are released, the holiday movie season
seems to have something for everyone.
Things get started with Wednesday's release of "A Bug's
Life." Coming from the makers of "Toy Story," this computer-
animated insect comedy boasts the vocal talents of Kevin
Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late Roddy McDowall. "A
Bug's Life" has an uphill battle ahead with "Antz," another
computer-animated insect comedy, still in theaters.
The other highly anticipated animated movie is "The Prince
of Egypt," the story of Moses, Ramses and the Ten
Commandments. Fans should plan on parting massive crowds
to get into this sure-fire hit.
Bickering brothers reappear in "Very Bad Things," a
scathing comedy sure to offend many more than it pleases.
This story of a bachelor party gone wrong features a blistering
performance by Christian Slater as the ringleader of the wrong-
doers. Also look for Cameron Diaz in quite a turn from her role
in "There's Something About Mary."
Speaking of things gone horribly wrong, a shot-for-shot
remake of "Psycho" by Gus Van Sant has irked the ire of movie
fans across the country. Starring Anne Heche, Julianne Moore
and Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates, this may be the scariest
movie ever made and not because of anything on screen.
Audiences are left shaking at the thought of what's next: a
remake of "The Godfather" with the Baldwin brothers and
Kim Basinger or maybe an updated "Harold and Maude" with
Gloria Stuart and Macaulay Culkin?
More horror comes to theaters in "The Faculty," a story
about high school teens who think that their teachers are really
aliens. Hopefully, this collaboration between writer Kevin
Williamson ("Scream") and director Robert Rodriguez will be
a much-needed break from the usual teen-slasher films that
pollute today's theaters.
Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton play brothers who stum-
ble on a crashed plane filled with money in "A Simple Plan."
Courtesy of Disney Enterpises
Hopper (Kevin Spacey) raids theaters in "A Bug's ie."
Thornton owns the film in his performance as the overlooked
brother and could be clearing off space on his mantel come
Oscar night.
Director Chris Columbus, usually known for his work in
lighthearted comedies ("Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire"),
turns serious with "Stepmom." Susan Sarandon plays a cancer-
stricken mother, and Julia Roberts the woman that she must
teach to care for her children.
Another high-profile pairing, in a slightly more upbeat film,
is that of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in "You've Got Mail."
Hanks and Ryan play characters who hate each other in real life,
but, unknowing are, e-mail buddies. Will they remain on friend-
ly e-mail terms when they find out the truth? Only time will tell.
After playing the president in "Primary Colors," John
Travolta laces up his wingtips and gets ready to go to battle in
the legal thriller "A Civil Action." Travolta plays a lawyer going
up against a corporation whose contaminated water may have
led to the deaths of several children. The film boasts an out-
standing ensemble cast including Robert Duvall, Kathleen
Quinlan and William H. Macy.
And finally, the year's most anticipated film may well be
"The Thin Red Line." Twenty years after his last effort, "Days
of Heaven," director Terrence Malick returns with a war drama
adapted from the James Jones novel. The film features Sean
Penn, John C. Reilly, George Clooney, John Travolta, Woody
Harrelson, Nick Nolte and several other well-known actors.
Malick will have his work cut out for him because of the
incredible power and success of "Saving Private Ryan."
So whether it's Hanks, Travolta, Moses or Norman Bates,
the holiday movie season looks sure to please.
By Leam Zaiger
Daily Arts Writer
With bodies flowing, feet tapping,
and legs leaping, "Reflections"
brought an eclectic assortmnt of
performances to the stage at the
Betty Pease Studio Theater this past
Saturday. This collection was pre-
sented as a BFA/BDA thesis concert
and was comprised of an artistic and
varied batch of creative and interest-
ing pieces.
Just under two hours, the perfor-
mance covered a variety of styles
and themes.
L u c i l l e
~, Andersen
introduced the
Reflections evening with a
self-choreo-
Pease Studio graphed, solo
performance.
Nov. 21, 1998 Her presenta-
tion was pre-
ceded by a
spoken piece
reflecting on
the time when
she was
younger and
had just completed a successful
dance audition. With free and fluid
motion Anderson moved across the
stage portraying the expression of
her character. Anderson concluded
with another piece of reflection
addressing her true youth at the time
of the original audition.
Anderson also choreographed
another piece, "Stretch Marks."
Starring her six sons, the piece was
filled with enthusiasm, energy and a
poetic expression of brotherhood.
This masterful creation conveyed all
aspects of the bonds between broth-
ers, including playful fighting, the
guidance of older siblings and the
inherent friendships shared. These
adorable faces moved in sync, and
independently when expected, pleas-
ing both the eye and the heart of the
spectator. This piece sparked laugh-
ter and warmth.
Lily Baldwin, Kelly Hirina and
Laila Sales showed their dramatic
skills in "If the Shoe Fits," a clever
piece in which the three women take
on the roles that accompany the dif-
ferent pairs of shoes they try on.
From character to character, these
ladies used dramatic humor enter-
taining the audience through a col-
lage of the roles they play.
Other pieces included dramatic
solos by Markus Van Zwoll, Erica
Bjornstad, Josh Major and Amber
Grauch. Their abstract performances
ranged from colorful and energized,
fast moving performance to somber,
fluid, melancholy motion. At times
some of the presentations seemed
slow and more dramatic than neces-
sary, with too much confusion to
observe all aspects of the dance. But
these numbers were complemented
by those remaining which created a
vibrant mixture.
This colorful compilation of
dance concluded with a bang. That's
right, a big band swing number
brought the evening to a close. This
trendy quality, the swingers definite-
ly grabbed the attention of its audi-
ence. With flips, twists and turns
and smiles galore, these bouncing
pairs filled the stage and left the
audience contemplating learning to
swing.
Thesis show swings
0
0
I
I
Garners skip football, head to Union convention instead
I
i
By Chris Cousino
Daily Arts Writer
While a fleeting glimpse of the Star Wars uni-
verse premiered Friday with the release of "The
Phantom Menace" teaser trailer, people envisioned
their own aspects of the Star Wars world by playing
the "Star Wars" role-playing game, one of a number
of events found at this past weekend's 10th annual
U-Con gaming convention.
Held on all floors of the Union, U-Con brings
together people of all ages. Along with role-playing,
gamers delved in much heated battles of miniatures,
board games and collectible card games, such as the
very popular "Magic: The Gathering."
Chair of the convention Eric McGlohon, who
recently won a "Magic" pro tour qualifier and trav-
eled to Rome to compete, explained that the con-
vention focuses on the student population, but they
"try to pull in as much as possible."
With a crowd ranging from junior high schoolers
to 50-year-olds, the convention kicked off on Friday
at 5 p.m. and ran until yesterday evening. All play-
ers paid a fee for either a one-day or full weekend
pass. Gaming lasted until around midnight on both
nights.
Trading the Ohio State game for a chance to show
off their skills, gamers went head-to-head against
one another with the watching eye of the game mas-
ters, who McGlohon said were a combination of
game fans and certified GMs.
Along with these qualified leaders, the conven-
tion invited various dealers to display their products
and run demo tests of new, up-and-coming games.
Bill Barber showcased "Baseball Tycoon," a hip,
new board game that allows the player to feel what
it's like to be George Steinbrenner, as you act as the
owner of a baseball team, trading and signing play-
ers en route to the championship.
Along with "Tycoon, Mark MacKinnon's role-
playing game version of "Sailor Moon, published
by Guardians of Order, premiered at U-Con, after its
North American release on Wednesday. Based off
the hit television series which he researched by
watching countless times, MacKinnon explained
that "it's an easy game to learn, easy to catch on."
Another highlight of the convention was the
attendance of guest of honor Jolly Blackburn, cre-
ator of the popular gaming comic magazine,
"Knights of the Dinner Table." Winner of the 19o
Origins Award for Best Professional Gamin
Magazine, the quite jolly Blackburn explained that
he's just, "enjoying the ride;"
Blackburn participated in a live reading of hisv
comic on Saturday evening as audience members
were encouraged to dress up as their favorite
"Knights" character and partake in the fun stories
which Blackburn feels are "timeless." Costumes
were donned again yesterday with a costume con.
test featured as one of the convention's closing
events.
With the close of this year's convention as a su*
cess, the U-Con Gaming Club is already planning,
gaming fun for next year's festivities, to be at the
Union on Nov. 12-14, 1999.
I
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