0 - - - --________ -__________________ mmm V V w V 14B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magazine - Thursday, March 14, 2002 A guide to who's where, Thursday, March 14 what's happening and why through you need to be there ... The W eekly List Wednesday, March 20 Films opening The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magazini Harrison's Flowers This is not a heart- breaking and inspring story of Harrison Ford and his world-famous rose garden, but after watching it, you will wish it was. At Showcase: 1:30, 4:15, 7:20, 9:55, 12:25 (Fri. and Sat.) Ice Age Fox enters the digital animation world, so far ruled by Pixar and Shrek; somhow I don't think the voice of Ray Romano will compare to Mike Myers'. At Showcase: 2:30, 4:30, 6:45, 8:45, 10:45 (Fri. and Sat.) Films h All About the Benjamins P Diddy has since retracted this statement after see- ing Ice Cube's film. At Showcase: 12:55, 1:25, 3:05, 3:35, 5:10, 5:40, 7:35, 8:05, 10:00, 10:30, 12:00 (Fri. and Sat.), 12:30 (Fri. and Sat.). y A Beautiful Mind Now, it isn't the factu- al errors that will help this film's Oscar chances, it's the fact that the star is such an asshole. At Showcase: 2:50, 3:40, 6:40, 9:25, 12:05 (Fri. and Sat.). Big Fat Liar The surprise hit of the winter season; someone kill Malcolm now! At Showcase: 12:20,.2:20, 4:40, 7:05. * The Count of Monte Cristo Get this, the last name of this book's author is Dumas. Why that's funny I don't know, I just wanted to point it out anyway. At Showcase: 7:00, 9:30, 11:55 (Fri. and Sat.). *** Dragonfly Hey, at least its better than "3000 Miles to Graceland." At Showcase: 2:15, 4:25, 9:05, 11:15 (Fri. and Sat.). * 40 Days & 40 Nights I hate Josh Hartnett! How many guys can decide to not get any? Josh, pass some of those chicas this way. At Showcase: 12:25, 2:50, 4:50, 7:15, 9:15, 11:10 (Fri. and Sat.). **i In the Bedroom Somehow still in the- aters. Miramax is the devil. At Showcase: 12:00, 2:35, 5:10, 7:50. John Q The dearly departed Ted Demme I1 Resident Evil Milla "Return of the Blue Lagoon" Jovovich is in it and that is all you need to know. At Showcase: 1:10, 2:40, 3:00, 3:30, 5:15, 5:45, 7:30, 8:00, 9:45, 10:15, 12:00 (Fri. and Sat.), 12:30 (Fri. and Sat.) Showtime Is DeNiro trying to make us forget that he knows how to act? At Showcase: 1:05, 2:35, 2:45, 3:15, 5:00, 5:30, 7:25, 7:55, 9:35, 10:05, 11:40 (Fri. and Sat.), 12:10 (Fri. and Sat.) olding makes a cameo in Denzel's melodrama; don't worry Ted, we will never forget "Who's the Man?" At Showcase: 12:10, 2:40, 5:20, 7:45, 10:10, 12:25 (Fri. and Sat.). *** The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Isn't it about time for that "Two Towers" preview about now; I can't wait any longer! What happens next?! At Showcase: 1:15, 4:45, 8:15, 11:35 (Fri. and Sat.). ***** Monster's Ball Still Puffing away at your local Cineplex, Mos Def-initely. At Showcase: 12:05, 6:55. **** Queen of the Damned So I guess Aaliyah couldn't act or sing; why is everyone missing her so much? At Showcase: 10:25, 12:35 (Fri. and Sat.). ** Return to Neverland OK, that last com- ment was a little harsh. Sorry. At Showcase: 1:20, 3:10, 4:55. The Time Machine I bet Dreamworks wishes it could go back in time and find a better script for this disaster. An Uber- Morlock? Come on. At Showcase: 12:15, 12:45, 1:15, 2:25, 2:55, 3:25, 4:35, 5:05, 5:35, 7:10, 7;40, 8:10, 9:20, 9:50, 10:20, 11:20 (Fri. and Sat.), 11:50 (Fri. and Sat.), 12:20 (Fri. and Sat.). * We Were Soldiers I want to see it just to watch Chris Klein die; where's the pop- corn! At Showcase: 1:00, 4:00, 6:50, 9:10, 9:40, 11:45 (Fri. and Sat.), 12:15 (Fri. and Sat.). *** Courtesy of Warner Bros. Robert DeNiro sell out to the camera in "Showtime" and sells out to the movie industry at the same time. MANISH RAIJI/Daily The sign for the world famous Partagas cigar factory - a symbol of Cuba - against the backdrop of the capitol building - a symbol of neo-colonialism Uii 1 -C IT 13&AIV Thursday BOOKS Dr. Dennis Chemin Reads Chernin reads from and signs copies of his book "How to Meditate Using Chakras, Mantras and Breath." 7 p.m., Borders Books & Music, 612 E. Liberty St., free; 668-7652. Rachel Vail Reads Vail reads from and signs copies of her book "Sometimes I Am Bombaloo." 7 p.m., Borders Arborland, 3527 Washtenaw Ave., free; 677-6948. Brock Clark Reads Clark reads from his book "What We Won't Do." 8 p.m., Shaman Drum Bookshop, 315 S. State St., free; 662-7407. CAMPUS CINEMA Ann Arbor Film Festival The 40th Annual Film Festival plays the Michigan Theater until the 17th. For full schedule and tick- et information, please check the festival website: www.aafest.org Amelie I'm sure someday it will be funny that Renee Zellweger got nominated but Audrey Tatou didn't; today is not that day. State Theater; 6:45 & 9:15 p.m. Gosford Park If you can walk out of this theater knowing everything that hap- pened, then you are a better man than me. State Theater, 7 p.m. Monster's Ball Watch out, Sissy, Halle is taking aim at you. State Theater, 9:30 p.m. MUSIC Millish A fusion band with aggression fea- turing champion fiddle master Jeremy Kittel. The Ark, 316 S. Main St., 8 p.m. $12.50 761-1451. Blues Night: The Witch Doctors Great tim- ing, my witch wasn't feeling so well. The Firefly Club, 207 S. Ashley St. 8 p.m. $5 665-9090. The Ron Brooks Trio In these changing times it is good to see that some things stay the same. Bird of Paradise, 312 5. Main St., 8 p.m. $5 662-8310. THEA TER The Lucky Spot This rarely performed Beth Henley play, set in New Orleans in the 1930s, tells the story of Reed Hooker, who acquires an old house on a lucky hand of poker and turns it into the Lucky Spot Dance Hall. 8 p.m., Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, 408 W. Washington St., $8; 971- 2228. The White Rose This play portrays the true story of five German college students who protested against the Third Reich during WWII. 8 p.m., Performance Network, 120 E. Huron St., Pay-what-you- can preview; 663-0681. The Boys Next Door Basement Arts pre- sents this poignant Tom Griffin play about a group of four mentally handicapped men living under the care of a burnt out social worker. 7 p.m., Arena Theatre, Frieze Bldg, Free; 764-6800. ALTERNATIVES Cavafy's World This exhibit, located in the Works on Paper Gallery, presents a series of etchings by well-knownnBritish artist David Hockney. The drawings focus on Hockney's representations of themes explored by poet Constantine P. Cavafy, including homosexuality and human mem- ory. Michigan Museum of Art, 525 S. State, Free; 764-0395. Women Who Ruled: Queens, Goddesses, Amazons 1500.1650 This new exhibit= focuses on the representations of power- ful females during the 16th and 17th cen- turies, a time when numerous states and kingdoms were led by women. Michigan Museum of Art, 525 S. State St., Free; 764-0395. Friday BOOKS Making A Place for Literature One-day conference on literary publishing and communities of print, in honor of Laurence Goldstein and his 25 years as the editor of the Michigan Quarterly Review. Featuring Charles Baxter, Laurence Goldstein and many more. 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Michigan League, 911 N. University Ave., free; 763- 4139. CAMPUS CINEMA Ann Arbor Film Festival See Thursday. Michigan Theater. Amelie See Thursday. State Theater, 6:45 & 9:15 p.m. Gosford Park See Thursday. State Theater, 7 p.m. Monster's Ball See Thursday. State Theater, 9:30 p.m. MUSIC Donkey Punch Just as the bruise was healing here it comes again. The Blind Pig, 208 S. 1st St., 10 p.m. $5 ($7 under 21) 996-8555. Mike Beattie Acoustic folk with a bit of rock. Zou Zou's, Chelsea, 8 p.m. Free 433-4226. Oblivion What is drink yourself into?. T.C.'s Speakeasy, Ypsilanti 10:30 p.m. $3 483-4470. Los Mutequitos de Matanzas Combining traditional Cuban rumba with modern influences, this group will fuse percus- sion, song and dance into an exciting per- formance. 8 p.m., Hill Auditorium, $16-32; 764-2538. THEA TER West Side Story MUSKET puts a contem- porary spin on this classic 1950's musical about star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria with a large, multi-ethnic cast. 8 p.m., Power Center, $7 students/$13 adults; 764-0450. The White Rose See Thursday, 8 p.m., $25. The Lucky Spot See Thursday, 8 p.m, $14- 16. The Boys Next Door See Thursday, 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. ALTERNATIVES Cavafy's World See Thursday. Women Who Ruled: Queens, Goddesses, Amazons 1500.1650 See Thursday. Saturday BOOKS Author Reception and Book Signing In honor of the authors of "The Learning in Retirement Collective," who also wrote x DENTITY By MANISH RAIJI AND WAJ SYED DAILY ARTS WRITERS HAVANA - "No estd para los Cubanos." The scripted phrase is repeated so often and with so little emotion that it seems almost nonchalant -.as if Cubans not only under- stand that there are parts of society shut off for them, but that they don't even care. If one were willing to take this canned answer at face-value, the only conclusion to be reached is that some of those finer things in life - a drink in a bar, a nice home, a night at a disco - are simply unimportant to the average Cuban.- Such things exist in Cuba, contrary to popular conceptions. In fact, as far as things-to-do, Cuba has got it all. Editors: - Matt WGrandstaff Ja ne KrU ll MAGAZINE Associate Editors: Caitlin Nish, Andy Taylor-Fabe Writers: Stacy Anderson, Arun Gopal, Johanna Hanink, Zac Peskowitz, Manish Raiji, Rebecca Ramsey, Waj Syed Photo Editor: David Katz Photographers: Emma Fosdick, Kelly Lin, Leslie Ward, Jessica Yurasek Cover Photo: Manish Raiji Arts Editors: Lyle Henretty, Luke Smith, Managing Editors, Jeff Dickerson, Associate Editor Editor in Chief: Jon Schwartz WHAT TO DO: Old Havana is the epicenter of pre- and post- Revolutionary culture. It's the place to go for sight- seeing, good restaurants, great bars and jazz clubs, museums ... the whole nine yards of a cultural, relaxed, top-dollar Caribbean escapade. Though restaurants (good restaurants) tend to be harder to find, there's nothing like winging the bar/caf6 circuit for food - even if the outcome is less than palatable. (Note to vegetarians: Bring granola bars). If nothing else, the $1.00 ham and cheese sand- wiches found at roadside stands is a good tide-over. The Cuban drink of choice is the mojito, a fabulous concoction composed of rum, soda water, rum, lime juice, mint leaves and sugar (and lots of it). If you order a daquiri, order it "natural"; only tourists ask for frozen daquiris. No good tourist trip can be complete without a loop of the clubbing circuit. Vedado, Havana's central neighborhood, and Miramar, its western-most province, provide plenty of night life. The dresscode may be casual at most places, but the rules are twist- ed. Don't go to a disco expecting to dance the night away with one of the beautiful Cuban women you find inside - unless you are willing to pay. Prostitution is rampant in Cuba; so rampant that the propositions get boring. Cuba is in a state of flux; trapped in opposing his- torical fallacies. From the colonial-era El Capitol, the now defunct Cuban Parliament, which is a replica of its namesake in Washington, D.C., to the El Museo del Revoluci6n, the old presidential palace that has been converted from its colonial-era purpose into a shrine to Communist Cuba (complete with bullet holes, Che's boots and oddly, no mention at all of the Cuban Missile Crisis), to the ritzy and ostentatious Hotel Nacional, the best-preserved building in Havana - an homage to tourism - experiencing Cuba is like experiencing a political and ideological time machine. The 2002 Audi A6 driving past Havana's famous taxi stand, where tourists can pay a couple extra dollars to ride in a 1950s-era Packard - complete with Soviet era body job and North Korean tires - serves to highlight this conflicting yet con- sorting paradigm that is Cuba. Go see the beaches, go scuba diving, make your way around cigar plantations, rum factories and the classic car museum. Buy the fucking Lonely Planet guide to Cuba. Because this piece is not about what to do, what to see. It's about what to think. WHAT TO THINK: Tourism is only one part of Cuba - a small part of it. It is in Cuba, but it does not belong to Cubans. There are subtle indications to show how disjointed the Cubans' Cuba is from the tourists' Cuba. Guards stand at attention at every street corner, making sure that no Cuban speaks to a tourist for any longer than it takes to give directions to a landmark. Outside of jazz clubs, Cubans stand by the windows, watching the tourists and enjoying the music - but security guards at the door make sure that they can't come in. The hotels and discos turn away any Cuban females - unless they are accompanied by a tourist (in which case, it's a safe bet that she's been paid for). This security is decid- edly secluded to very spe- cific parts of the - city - the parts that tourists visit. In the southern neighbor- hoods of Havana, if one is willing to walk far enough away from the lights and the beach (and past the final guard on any given street, who will surely Two children play stickba warn you that "No hay nada para ti mis ally de aqui" - there is nothing for you beyond here), a very different picture can be seen. This is the picture of the average Cuban - who does not work in the totirist sector, who gets paid in Cuban pesos instead ofAmerican dollars (and is there- fore much poorer than Cubans involved in the tourist sector) and has come to loathe the perversion of Cuban culture at the hands of "los extranjeros." In the south-west corner of the Vedado neighbor- hood of Havana -where there is an open hostility toward tourists - the shocking disparity between the Cuban facade and the real Cuba can be seen. Worn- down build squat bent between th a kilomete Cubas is in "They c is a park - an old man "They thin said, motic that Cuban rum. The serving yoi Tourism changing t The old ma governmen Cuban stru them' he toward Ame Cubans s for outside tos," the ve Revolution followed b assassinate ganda cam easy to see Cuba open American Cuba has ta "Tourists They pay t statues of ( experienced of the worsi has been a dreaming o again point where, for throwing th tainly Amer "I'm ang ing capitali way it work poor gets i about his ne save us. In dream of th MAN: in Old Hava A musician $4, with wI his wife, his law, explai seen throu generation. happened, r not fight in pointing to - For this g cial. "Cuba all Phone Numbers: Michigan Theater: 668-8397; Quality 16: 827-2837; Showcase: 973-8380; State: 761-8667. Showtimes are effective Friday through Thursday. Matinee times at State Theater are effective for Saturday and Sunday only.