Something for everyone... Lucky Boys Confusion visits the Blind Pig bringing with them a Chicago ska punk sound. 10 p.m. 996-8555. michigandaily.com /arts alx e 1tdgztn acdg RTS TUESDAY OCTOBER 9, 2001 5 'Serendipity a Malkmus, The fortunate accident Jicks: A work in rock progress I By Tricia Donelan For the Daily The title of the new romantic comedy directed by Peter Chelsom ("The Mighty") has an under- lying meaning. Not only does the word serendipi- Serendipity Grade: B+ At Quality 16 and Showcase Aft ty describe the sequence of events that happen during the course of the film, but it also portrays the genuine reaction many members of the audience may have after viewing. On account of previews, the film can simply be cate- gorized as a "chick flick," and do not be mistaken, it is. However, 80's icon John Cusack, has proven once again that he has unbeliev- able talent. Not only does Cusack continue to have .... :.: . whose cynicism causes them to curse cheesy, unrealistic love flicks and all that they stand for. The film is set in the early-'90s and opens in a hectic New York City Bloomingdale's during Christmas season. Two complete strangers, Jonathan (Cusack) and John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale leave their love to a twist of fate. Sara, played by Kate By Nick Dybek For the Daily The microphone wasn't grounded and it shocked Stephen Malkmus as he took the stage at the Kalamazoo State Theatre on Saturday. When fixed, he stepped back to the micro- phone and mumbled, "It seems like, Courtesy of Miramax Be bot palil is b ing sha by woi considerably volatile performances (unlike the life many other teen actors from this infamous of decade whom have in totality vanished from the nig film industry) in classics such as "High Fidelity" eac and "Being John Malkovich;" he can also save a cov film with his underrated, subtle genius for come- boo dy. The hilarious chemistry between Cusack and mat Jeremy Piven ("Very Bad Things," "Grosse tiny Pointe Blank") is enough to make the claim that 'fate the accidental viewing of "Serendipity" can be S quite a fortunate experience, even for those Jon b Ftbaltake over the stag By Jenni Glenn Daily Arts Writer ckinsale ( "Pearl Harbor") enter the scene, h with the intent on of purchasing the same r of black cashmere gloves as a holiday gift. It latantly obvious by the way that they are gaz- into each other's eyes, that they are indeed ring a moment. Vhile partaking in some coffee talk at a near- diner, Jonathan learns that this mythical man whom he is intensely drawn to leaves her entirely up to destiny. Jonathan is the essence confusion when he is left at the end of the ht with a promise that fate will guide them to h other if it is truly meant to be. This enant is prompted with the circulation of a k and a $5 bill, complete with contact infor- ion. And so the drama continues on and des- leads the film upon the path of which it is d to travel. ara's best friend, Eve (Molly Shannon), and athan's best man (take notice of the inevitable complications here), Dean, played by Piven, pro- vide extremely humorous counterparts to the two lead characters. As previously mentioned, this is especially apparent during the interactions between Dean and Jonathan. Cusack and Piven ultimately rescue the movie from drowning in an undertow of pure sappiness. Now, don't get me wrong. The plot really is not that bad; a bit fan- tastical, but hell, it's the movies. However, I find it a necessity to reiterate the fact that the comedic value of John Cusack's and Jeremy Piven's performances undoubtedly, make the movie. Whether you see the film for the quirky dynamics of those two palpable individuals or for the Heather Nova and David Gray songs in the background, you will find that it is quite enjoy- able. In fact, you will be experiencing the powers of serendipity, and cracking many a smile in the meantime. here in Michigan Stephen Malkmus Kalamazoo State Theatre October 6, 2001 Malkmus andl , a lot of bands die from electrocu- tion," then added with his characteristic smirk, "because they rock so hard." This was an ironic open- ing to a perfor- mance that was more like a jam session at the local communi- ty center than a big-budget rock show. his new band, The effortless charm do the work for him. The result was an extraordinari- ly intimate show. Malkmus respond- ed regularly to calls from the audience with his trademark sarcas- tic wit, ignoring only those who called for old Pavement songs. When someone requested dancers on stage, he replied, "Sure, I never discourage dancing except at funerals and math tests." Then the band kicked into a cowbell-heavy version of "The Hook." Sadly, it seems that Malkmus is in no immediate danger of being elec- trocuted for "rocking too hard" As a band, The Jicks lack the sonic power, intensity and tightness that Pavement once had, and Malkmus himself has, slowed down in the last few years. His new songs are more lyrically based than ever and many did not translate well on stage, though the great ballads, "Church On White" and "Trojan Curfew" still hit home. Malkmus has lost none of his chops. His vicked lead guitar licks still have the capacity to be oddly quirky and beautiful at the same time. What made the show so enjoyable was the intimacy between performer and audience. When Malkmus came back to deadpan a medley of Radio- head's "High and Dry" and Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy" for an encore, it was clear that everyone involved was having a great time. Jicks, went through 12 songs. That gave them the opportunity to cover the majority of the tunes from their debut, self-titled album and try out several new songs, all of which were clearly still in developmental stages. "This one doesn't have a name yet," confessed Malkmus, as his band kicked into one of the new songs. One got the impression that Malk- mus and The Jicks are still a work in progress and that they are taking their current shows as an opportunity to work out the kinks. The Jicks are already a much dif- > ferent creature than Malkmus' old band, Pavement. On Pavement's last tour, Malkmus appeared on stage as a musician very near his breaking point. He rarely smiled or spoke, looked disheveled and nearly stood off-stage when the band played songs that its other guitarist, Spiral Stairs, had written. On Saturday, it seemed like an enormous weight was taken off of Malkmus' shoulders. He came on stage, sharply dressed in a white but- Courtesy of University Productions ton down shirt and blue blazer, and It may be Homecoming, but this weekend's big game won't unfold at the Big House. Instead, players will face off for the Homecoming football game on the Mendelssohn Theatre stage in the musical come- dy "Good News." The University Productions show, which coincides Good with the University's Homecoming News weekend, follows the fate of a Mendelssohn Theatre 1920s college football team and their avid fans. October11-14 "It's a real throwback to old Homecomings and the spirit of carefree youth," said director Mark Madama. The plot revolves around Tait's star player, Tom Marlowe, who struggles with his studies, and Connie Lane, the only Tait student who isn't interested in football. Connie must tutor Tom in order to for him to be eligible to play in the Homecoming game. The show also examines two other romantic subplots while following the football team. Football fans among the cast have a chance to por- tray college athletes. Senior David Reiser, who plays Tom Marlowe, watches the Wolverines from his sec- ond-row seats on football Saturdays. He said he loves being the football star in "Good News." "It couldn't be any more appropriate than here at Michigan, where football is such a big tradition," he said. The show highlights one of the Michigan football's traditions, Tom Hemingway's play-by-play commen- tary. Hemingway announced the football games on Ann Arbor's WUOM for nearly 40 years before retir- ing in 2000. His voice will be heard from off-stage announcing the Tait game in "Good News." The production also features faculty members who were involved in the 1993 revival of "Good News." Director Mark Madama wrote a new script for the 1927 Broadway musical, and choreographer Linda Goodrich worked on his production for the Music Theater of Wichita. Both are returning to the script after an eight-year hiatus. "Other people get the rights to the show, and they Bobby (Stan Bahorek) and Babe (Annie Ramsey) have a true love for football. only get the paper," said senior Kristin Williams, who plays Connie Lane. "We have the artists with us, and we know how they wanted the show to be." The University production offered Madama the chance to perfect his script. He added in a finale that he did not have time to include in the 1993 show and tinkered with some parts of the script. "To hear all the lines again, to go back to it after a long time, it's like rediscovering it all over again," Madama said. "Hearing it with the new voices, it just brings a new sensibility to it." Those voices will be singing the classic period tunes that make up the show's score, including "You're the Cream in My Coffee," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," "Button Up Your Overcoat" and "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries." Madama said "Good News" will introduce these catchy songs of the 1920s to students in the audience as well as the cast. "One of the goals was to let the students discover some of this music that has been such a mainstay in American culture since the 1920s," Madama said. The actors did research on the 1920s while reading the script, Williams said. They watched documen- taries and looked at photographs so they could better understand the lighthearted nature of the period, she said. Reiser said it is hard to perform in a carefree show when the country is undergoing a mourning period, but he said he hopes "Good News" will lift the spirits of its audience, at least temporarily. "I really do think that not only is it a nice escape for people to be able to come and forget their cares . TIA for a while, but it also helps you recall a time with Co fewer worries," he said. let his madcap sense of humor and Malkmus paves the way for The Jicks. ..