Sucking it up ... Jeff Daniels' latest film "Super Sucker" has a gala screening Saturday at the Michigan Theater, followed by, a VIP reception at Zanziber with the cast. 6 p.m. $20 - 250. michigandaily.com /arts ART04v S FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2002 5 Louis-Dreyfus hopes to avoid Seineld curse By Christian Smith Daily Arts Writer As NBC's new sitcom "Watching Ellie" begins, we see Julia Louis-Dreyfus standing half-naked in her bedroom, repeatedly yelling "Take it" at the mirror, each time with increasing intensity. Inside the framework of the show, this scene has multiple meanings. On a literal sense, it is a reference to a cue that she will later give her band ** to start playing. Figuratively, she is expressing her current WATCHING ELLIE dissatisfaction with not only Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. her band, but also her life in general. However, an argu- NBC ment could be made for an implication outside the context of the show. After the ill- fated attempts made by her former colleagues in their post-"Seinfeld" careers, Dreyfus could be urging view- ers to accept her in her return to television. While Michael Richards and Jason Alexander essen- tially exported versions of Kramer and George to "The Michael Richards Show" and "Bob Patterson," respec- tively, Dreyfus attempts to distance herself from the role of Elaine by playing a completely different charac- ter in a completely different atmosphere. Dropping many of the characteristics that became so familiar on "Seinfeld," "Ellie" instead borrows from numerous shows that premiered last fall to critical acclaim and commercial success. Dropping the laugh track ("Unde- clared"), this single-camera comedy ("Scrubs") takes a real-time concept ("24") and examines the life of single Los Angeles club singer, Ellie Riggs, in a weekly 22- minute snapshot. The pilot episode is somewhat uneven. It starts off with a hilarious opening sequence where everything seems to go wrong at once for Ellie. While hurrying to get out of her apartment in time for a club date, Ellie has Bassett over-acts as Parks in emotionless CBS miniseries By Melissa Gollob Daily Arts Writer The story of the woman who began the civil rights movement by refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus has come to the small screen. "The Rosa Parks Story" follows Mrs. Parks through- out her life to that fateful night books. All these events lead up to Mrs. Parks' refusal to vacate her seat to a white man because the white section on the bus was full. From the moment of her arrest, reli- gious leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the NAACP form ways to fight back against their oppres- sors. Mrs. Parks' involvement tapers off during the bus boycott, when she was arrested. It also includes an all-star cast and a cameo appearance by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, Dexter Scott King. "The Rosa Parks Story" begins as Rosa (Angela Bassett, "What's Love Got to Do with It") enters a ** THE ROSA PARKS STORY Sunday at 9 p.m. CBS but the movement was just gaining momen- tum. Bassett as Rosa Parks is convincing except for her constant over-acting in certain scenes. Bassett contin- uously cries, whines and defends herself to everyone Parks meets. Peter Francis James as to previous scenes. The .more pow- erful bus scene came earlier when the bus driver insisted Rosa re-enter the bus from the back. When she reluctantly went out the front door in the rain the bus sped off and left her to walk the five miles home. Another drawback of the story was the constant foreshadowing that attempted to convey that Rosa Parks was predisposed to start the Civil Rights Movement. At times, the supporting cast lectures no one in particular about the conditions of the South and Parks always insists things will be different one day. This emphasis takes away from the actual action of Mrs. Parks. One positive aspect of story is that once the boycott begins, Rosa reveals herself as a woman with complicated feelings. This was a new concept for the story at this point. The refreshing look at Rosa Parks as a person lends a new per- spective to her character, Unfortu- nately, the story ends abruptly at this time so any more insight is left up to the viewer. Courtesy of NBC This is the girl. to deal with an overflowing toilet, her neighbor Ingvar who knocks himself unconscious trying to help, and a naked doctor who comes to the rescue. But after she gets out the door, things slow down and the digital count- down at the lower-left corner of the screen becomes glaringly apparent. Written and created by executive producer Brad Hall, who also happens to be married to Dreyfus, the series also stars Lauren Bowles as Ellie's younger sister, Steve Carell as her ex-boyfriend, Don Lake as her veterinarian neighbor and Darren Boyd as her guitarist/adulterer boyfriend. Peter Stormare of "Fargo" is'also featured as Ingvar, but his talents are wasted in a weak and ineffec- tive role. The bottom line is that "Ellie" could go either way. The show could have been a disaster, and with the apparent curse on Seinfeld alums, it's a surprise it isn't. It's not great, but it shows a potential that can be devel- oped over time. Its weakness is that it rushes along with- out developing any of the characters and instead of watching "Ellie," all we seem to be watching is part of an incomplete movie. school of However, young girls run by northern Quak- ers. She learns the basic rules of the South and how to behave as a lady. As a young woman she meets her husband Raymond Parks (Peter James Francis, "As the World Turns") who falls in love with her at first sight. After they marry, the couple lives with Rosa's mother and goes about its life in Montgomery. Rosa occasionally experiences flashbacks to her childhood when she witnessed racial discrimination against her family and friends. One day Rosa spots an old friend's pic- ture in the paper. The friend has become a leader in the local chapter of the NAACP. The organization encourages Rosa to join and make a difference in the community. She begins to take action against the injustices of the South by Raymond Parks is able to act as a devil's advocate to Rosa when they discuss their way of life in the South without coming across as cynical. The cameo appearance by Dexter Scott King is powerful and telling of his father in the early days of the movement. He has captured his father's tone and oratory skills that help place Rosa Parks in the midst of the birth of the Civil Rights Movement. The climatic scene when Parks refused N[resolving to pass the voters' regis- to leave her al ul al L1e a D1'Ze- tration test and by accompanying a seat lacked aipausgroup of children to the white emotion and 0_ ' branch of the library to check out looked similar * w nning exploraton of isolation bahfhbatAnd on your right, you will see a terrible TV movie. curte World champions dance it out By Neal Pais Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad semblances of his native culture, Daily Books Editor V.S. Naipaul has long explored themes of exile, isolation and the effects of colonialism on the Indian psyche in his literature. Following brilliantly in this tradition, his "Half A Life" juxtaposes the emo- tional torments of one Willie Chan- dran with the sweeping backdrops of lands held in the grip of imperi- alism. Without uncertainty, one can clearly discern that the novel is lit- erature in the truest sense; the art is modernist, yet appeals somehow as a deeply personal work. Naipaul, ethnically Indian, Trinidadian-born and Oxford edu- cated - has been a literary force to be reckoned with since he began writing in England in the 1950s. A master of prose and a prominent historical essayist, Naipaul sharply dis- sects the difficulties of cultural displacement within his novels; most of his works deal with the problems of third world post-colo- nialism and its effects on1 HALF A By V.S.T Alfred A the com- mon man. Lauded "for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories," Naipaul was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize for Literature. "Half A Life" begins simply and continues throughout in that manner. The story begins with young Willie's plain question to his father: "Why is my middle name Somerset?" And so begins the story of William Somerset Chan- dran; commencing in pre-war India, flowing languidly through wartime London and finally set- tling in post-war Portuguese Africa. Briefly describing the trag- ic family history of Chandran, the novel's sad protagonist, Naipaul quickly switches to the young half- caste's exodus from a backward homeland. Lonely and isolated from all Willie embarks on a odyssey of self-discovery and ultimately, self- loathing. Beginning his Western life as a university student on scholarship, he experi- ences, with shame and disappointment, sexu- al awakening. He attempts to break the A LIFE ranks of English class Naipaul structure, only to find that he is scorned or .Knopf ignored. He cannot find a niche in any- where - London quickly becomes the land of disen- chantment for Willie. Naipaul illustrates this with precision; the writing is self-aware, spare, unadorned - reminiscent of Hem- ingway. After a time of great despair, Willie finally finds love in the arms of Ana, a fellow international student hailing from an unnamed Portuguese territory in Eastern Africa. Turning his back on the great metropolis, he follows her back to her home - and stays for 18 years. His African experience is different; comfort finally settles on him, and his education furthers. But in time, Willie discovers infi- delity, racial oppression and conse- quently, renewed unhappiness. The disillusioning forces of colonial life make Willie passive and idle. Within the last third of the novel that Naipaul emerges as a purveyor of melancholy; "Half A Life" is utterly without joy, fueling itself with deeply penetrating forays into the mind of an alienated Indian man. In this regard, Naipaul nearly emulates Conrad, presenting the darker side of the imperial world. With "Half A Life," V.S. Naipaul has succeeds in furthering society's consciousness of race, identity and failure. Willie Chandran is not a particularly interesting character, but he is endearing and arguably universal. In a way, his discoveries are our own. And perhaps, like he, we all waste half our lives search- ing for the intangible. By Marie Bernard Daily Arts Writer Unbeknownst to most of this country, ballroom dancing has become a sport. In fact, it will quite pos- sibly join beach volleyball as a recently inducted non- traditional competition in the Summer Olympic Games. Previously considered to be an outmoded art form or something taught to small children before Bar Mitz- BALLRO vahs, the skill - now known as "Dances- LATIN port" - has become something of a COMPS national phenomenon, attracting college clubs from all over the country, including Intermu schools such as the University of Wiscon- Bui sin and University of Illinois. Also unbe- All day ton knownst to most of this country - finalsa Michigan's team is pretty damn good. University Ba In October of 2001, the Michigan Ball- room Dance Team won the collegiate national championship at the Ohio Star Ball. "As non- athletic as ballroom dancing may seem to many," said Sonali Rajan, the publicity director for the team, "opinions change after just five minutes of dancing a fast cha-cha in high-heeled shoes - and yes, guys have heels too." Tomorrow, the aforementioned men in heels and the O ET ra ild at1 alln with highly competitive nature rest of the team will be hosting their second annual ballroom and Latin dance competition in the Intramur- al Sports Building. This is an all-day event, from 8 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. It will begin with competitions for medals and end with a fun showcase of the less- traditional dances, such as the meringue and west- coast swing. Last year the event drew. in over 200 dancers. "The competition is run very much like a track and field 3M AND event - except in ties and tails and DANCE sequined dresses," Rajan said. CITION The "American Smooth" and "Interna- tional Style Standard" events - the d Sports waltz, ing tango, foxtrot, quickstep and Viennese rrow with waltz - will begin early in the morning. 6 p.m. The afternoon features American mDancing rhythms, including the mambo, bolero, m__ cha-cha, rumba and swing, as well as International Latin events, featuring the cha-cha, rumba, samba, jive and paso doble. The final rounds of the competition, which begin at 6 p.m., will feature the best dancers in the competi- tion. "The U of M spirit will come on full force in the evening," said Rajan. "This won't be like any demure ballroom you can watch on PBS - this, is screaming, high-energy, wolverine spirit." Voices on the Verge at The Ark By Gina Pensiero Daily Arts Staff Chick musicians arej these days. We see'them in every shade and variety after the "woman can be suc- cessful artists too" move- ment of the mid-'90s. As a result of this, many tal- ented and not-so-talented women gained national recognition in all fields of music. not a rarity VOICES VER The, Sunday 7:3C songwriters. However, there are a few things that differentiate them from the norm. The idea behind Voices On The Verge is it is a touring group that performs altered ver- sions of solo songs of the women in it. Each ON THE member of the group IGE backs the others up on stage. Ark The group released 0 p.m. $11. Live In Philadelphia in October of 2001 and will be playing a show in its support at The Ark on Sunday, Feb. 24. The album stays fresh and diverse by constantly alternating between the songs of the four different women but remaining unified in harmonies and arrangement style. One might say that the songwriting of Erin McKeown is what buoys the album. Additional voices and instru- ments on her songs like "Blackbirds" and "Didn't They" defiantly change and possibly enhance the original solo recordings. Some other highlights on the album include Polenzani's "Heaven Release Us" and "You Don't Know" as well as Amsel's "Louise." As a group, the styles of each indi- vidual artist are blended extremely well in Live In Philadelphia. Addition- ally, the album captures a natural and organic onstage presence of the proj- ect. Any fan of folk will surely not be disappointed by the efforts, live and recorded live, of Voices On The Verge. Many would pigeonhole the four women, Erin McKeown, Jess Klein, Rose Polenzani and Beth Amsel, who make up the group Voices On The Verge, as typical chick singer- I play Tea iF Oslo -u z m