Ryder can't save truly hellbound 'Lost Souls ARTS The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 16, 2000 - 9A John Brown's Body n. revives musical spirit By Wilhelmina Mauritz Daily Arts Writer I have to admit I was relatively x excited to see "Lost Souls" when I first saw previews for it. Unfortunately, that was a little more than a year ago, and I.. PL ;A Lost Souls Grade: D At Showcase and Quality 16 this is never a good sign for the movie. The post- ponement tends to hint at some major production difficulties. Suffice it to say I was feeling a bit wary to what i was about to watch heading into "Lost Souls." Not to mention the fact that in the last Schwarzenegger and came out last Thanksgiving? Yeah, well that's basi- cally the same movie as "Lost Souls" minus Arnold. My uneasiness about this film was confirmed. "Lost Souls" is a disaster. It begins badly, improves slightly, pulling off a few frights and shockers; but it eventually just crashes and burns into a sea of confusion and disorganization. It's one thing for a movie to be artistic and eerie, but it's quite another to make no sense at all. "Lost Souls" is about a man, Ben Chaplin ("The Truth About Cats and Dogs"), who is going to turn into the devil on his 33rd birthday. Winona Ryder plays the woman who is trying to help him. How exactly is never quite clear. There's not a whole lot more to this movie even though it adds a few more sub-plots that are totally unneces- sary and basically there to fill up space and open up the option for a few more scares. The characters, like the rest of the movie, are a total void. What you see is what you get. It's hard to care about any of them. Chaplin is not even that likable of a character before he finds he Courtesy 0f NewLine Cinem Winona Ryder and Ben Chaplin have a heart-to-heart on the swings in "Lost Souls." is the soon-to-be reincarnate of the devil. Except for the fact that the devil will now be roaming the streets of New York, do we really care what happens to this particular guy? This seems to make the whole premise of the movie a bit lacking. Ryder seems to be there as a big name to bring in the people. She doesn't make the movie any worse but she certainly doesn't add to it either. A lot of her character is left unexplained which is supposed to make it more mysterious but ends up making it con- fusing. She continuously has weird hal- lucinations throughout the movie and yet, there is no explanation as to why By David Edelman Daily Arts Writer Since the release of their new album This Day, John Brown's Body has been touring the United States and she has them. There is a small refer- ence that she was possessed at one point. We don't know by whom or what - The devil? An evil spirit? Who knows? The appearance of "Lost Souls" has the same soft, grainy look that was used in the movie "Seven" which unlike "Lost Souls" was able to get past its initial aura of creepiness. As a fan of horror movies in general, it does not take much to satisfy me. Even the corny ones will usually provide some sort of entertainment. "Lost Souls" wasn't even corny. Perhaps a few more years in production would have done this movie some good. Probably not. much of the world. ming in Ann Arbor Johnt Br"own's Firefly Club Tonight at 8 p.m. They will be jam- tonight at the Fire- fly Club, starting at 8 p.m. With unique style and a joy- ous spirit, John Brown's Body offers a pleasant alternative to an ordinary and pre- dictable music world. Based out of Boston, with Michigan alum David Gould on bass, JBB pre- serves traditional you have for the new album? KK: We would like to see our music prosper. Ultimately, God will decide what will come of this project. There is always a balance between God's vwill and people's attempt to help them- selves. We are working diligently and keep our hearts open. TMD: What messages are you trying to convey through your music? KK: Freedom. People are in chains that they don't even see. Man can't be satisfied in this world of materialism. Our music is a spiritual medium; we want people to see that they are free. People should rejoice. Life should be lived in the moment; we hope to revital- ize this spirit. TMD: JBB is described on your fly- ers around campus as "militant reggae." What do you mean by that? KK: The military is a tough well- ordered machine, forceful and comes to conquer. That is our plan. We bring a revolution with love; our weapons are love and justice. Love is the most pow-. erful force in this world. TMD: How did you develop the remarkable unfeigned accent you sing with? Growing up in Ithaca, NY, where does that genuine "Jamaican" sound come from? KK: How do I answer that question? You don't ask me why my eyes are the color they are. That is who I am. We have our own experiences and reflect God's love differently. We are all indi- viduals, and we (JBB) fake nothing. There is no fronting in this band. Our show is different every night; every- thing depends on what we are feeling at the time we perform. year about a bazillion movies have come out dealing with the same basic scenario as the one in "Lost Souls." It's the basic battle of good versus evil; God versus the devil and all of that fun stuff. Have you heard of the movie "End of Days ?" It stars Arnold Castillo's latest explores love affair with dance By Lisa Rat For the Daily What happens to your life when you are no longer able to do the thing you love best? This is the theme of the latest work by Ana Castillo, "Peel My Love Like an Onion." The author of fiction, poetry and essays, Castillo creates a memorable, funny and no-nonsense lead character in "Peel My Love" the formerly famous Peel My Love Like an Onion, Ana Castillo Grade: B Anchor Books flamenco dancer Carmen La Coja, which, translated, means "Carmen the Cripple." There is a reason the heroine has this unfortunate nickname: Despite being a famous flamen- co dancer, Carmen is crippled from a childhood bout with polio. She wears a brace on her leg at all times, except when she is dancing. She explains the best part of flamenco, saying, "You don't have to be svelte or even young to be a flamenco dancer. You don't have to have all your teeth or shiny hair. You just have Courtesy OAnChor BOOKS string of low-paying jobs. Essentially, she has lost almost everything she truly cares for. But at the end, Carmen gets everything she has ever wanted out of life and then a bit extra. The voice of Carmen La Coja is simple yet complex, often humorous and filled with spontaneity. She frequently eschews proper grammar and language, free-associating, ranting and raving. Her words turn into poetry on the page. There are a few obstacles on the dance floor, as we move with Carmen towards the end of the book. The plot of the book is at times confusing. A new chapter will begin and the setting will differ entirely from that of the preceding chapter, without explanation. The interesting structure of the book makes up for this con- fusion, however; each chapter is divided into short vignettes, which are titled after their first line. Part of this novel is a feminist treatise about a woman who is scorned by the two men she loves, yet goes on to find happiness and fulfillment without them in her life. She eventually succumbs to the comforts and familiarity of one of her former lovers, but the message remains the same: a woman can live a wonderful and satisfying life without a man. The other message of the book is "don't give up hope when it seems all is lost." Carmen, with style and a definite flair for life, never gives up, even when left without a man, a job, a sense of identity and her own home. There are worthwhile lessons to be learned from this book, and the character of Carmen La Coja will stay in the hearts and minds of readers for a long time. reggae sound while delivering a power- ful, lively beat. The band's passionate vocals and tight horns create appealing melodies for a sound everyone can enjoy. Lead singer/rhythm guitarist Kevin Kinsella took a few minutes on Satur- day torapwith The Michigan Daily. The Michigan Daily: How's it been for you guys on the road? Where has JBB played recently? Kevin Kinsella: We have been tour- ing for the past six weeks, pretty much all over the country. We've played in Chicago, California, New Mexico. We enjoy it. It's on the road where you get tight with the music. TMD: What type of aspirations do her identity, her livelihood or the two men in her life, both of whom are destructive forces. One of her lovers is Agustin, who has been her sig- nificant other for 17 years. He is the reason she became a dancer and is responsible for much of her fame. He is married, however, and has a wife and chil- dren back in Spain. Carmen's second lover, Manolo, is half Carmen's age. Manolo is the godson of Agustin. which creates tremendous tension and heartache for all characters involved. Neither man treats Carmen the way she should be treated. After losing her men, Carmen suffers through the death of friends and dealing with poverty. She is forced to live at home at the age of 40 because she cannot pay her rent with the money she earns from a to feel what you are doing, to keep up with the rhythm, to lead and follow your musicians." The plot deals with Carmen La Coja and the dra- matic changes she goes through in dealing with the demise of dance from her life. Her polio becomes so severe she can barely walk, and Carmen is left without U ( i ,',.1 a U: (l I U Almost good enough to get into our internsh ips. Congratulations. All the cramming, insomnia and junk food breakfasts have paid off. You're in college now - and soon, you'll be facing questions about your life. Like what to do with the rest of it. One thing is for sure, if you're a student of color, with an IN ROADS internship you could have a serious job every summer while you're still in school - making contacts and gaining experience in your chosen field of study. Hey, it won't be easy, but then again if you wanted it easy, you wouldn't be reading this right now.