8A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 14, 2002
ARTS
'Gosford' showcases
Altman in top form
'Furious' DVD full of features
By Lyle Henretty
Daily Arts Editor
By Todd Weiser
Daily Arts Writer
Robert Altman returns to familiar
territory with "Gosford Park." He
all but invented and perfected the
art of making the great dramatic
picture that interweaves the lives
and conversations of an enormous
cast that is now emulated all
through Hollywood. The most
Gosford
Park
Grade: B+
At Michigan Theater
recent example
of a director
pulling an "Alt-
man" is Wes
Anderson 's
"The Royal
Tennenabums,"
but he follows
other recent
Altman admir-
ers like P.T.
Anderson and
even Quentin
Tarantino.
Altman first
tackled the
try house in England, the many
guests there assembled for a dinner
party and all the servants taking
care of their elite masters.
"Gosford Park" begins with the
arrival of the honored guests to the
Gosford Park mansion, each com-
ing with their own maids and
valets. Each servant will be
addressed by their master's name
and they are quickly separated from
the privileged, being stationed in
the basement of the large house.
Wonderful editing connects and
contrasts the troubles and yearnings
of the upstairs with the gossip and
curiosity of the downstairs.
No one character is given central
importance, but the film's narrative
begins and concludes with recently
hired maid Mary Maceachran
(Kelly Macdonald, "Trainspot-
ting"). Mary, being new to the ser-
vice, is very inquisitive, and as she
learns information about secrei
affairs and past dealings, she helps
the audience learn a little more as
well.
The cast is too large to explain,
or even remember, everything that
is going on with every character
Each character's secret motivations
are rapidly unveiled as Altman's
camera winds around the rooms
Altman's signature use of a multi-
ple layered soundtrack adds to this,
so that many conversations go on at
once, with the viewer frantically
listening, searching for as many
details as possible
The emerging sto-
rylines and
desires come to
a climax with a
murder, which
then transforms
the film into a
complicated
whodunit
r
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When you place frightening up-
and-coming action star Vin Diesel
( " B o i 1 e r
E1Room") with
Paul Walker
The Fast ("Joy Ride) a
poor man's bad
actor, add cool
Furious DVD cars and hot
Universal Pictures mamas, stir in
the director of
"The Skulls,"
you've got your-
self the perfect McMovie, ready for
painless mass consumption. The
resulting flick, "The Fast and the
Furious," will not win any awards
this season, and the dialogue and plot
were apparently written for people
cutting and "let's get in the engine"
stylings of director Rob Cohen. The
paper-thin story has something to do
with Walker as an undercover cop
trying to find out about some rob-
beries or something having some-
thing to do with the sub-legal world
of drag-racing. He gets in the good
graces of Dom Toretto (the only
name I can think of that sounds faker
is Vin Deisel) and quickly figures out
that the "real" bad guys are the local
Asian biker gang. Then Walker's
character falls for Dom's sister and
there are a lot of cool car races.
That's about it.
The real story, though, is the
DVD's extra features. Cohen includes
a spirited commentary track, as well
as "making-of" featurette; Neither,
adds a lot, but fans will enjoy the
behind the scenes shot and watching
Courtesy or U
Look, ma, I'm in an Altman movie.
ensemble cast drama in 1979 with
"Nashville" and then later returned
to such material, most notably in
"Short Cuts." "Gosford Park",
much like Altman's past successes,
is a chaotic mess of multiple char-
acters that is sometimes difficult to
follow but is ultimately successful
in making the viewer an active and
interested participant in the action.
Previously studying the country
music scene in Nashville and the
everyday lives of many L.A. resi-
dents, Altman now turns his
attention to
a coun- 4
of "Clue" proportions. who found "Days of Thunder" too Michelle Rodrigu
The whole cast is exquisite, with compelling. lent in "Girl Fight
Macdonald giving an excellent per- That said, this is an ok-to-decent playing Dom's
formance, instilling her role with a movie when accompanied by eight Deleted scenes,
t sensitivity and warmth missing buddies and a few beers. DVD is the commentary, arer
from most of the characters. Mag- only way to see "Furious" in your they certainly don
gie Smith portrays Mary's superior, own home. The sound and picture are Film buffs will
Constance, and she is wonderfully superior, highlighting the intricate in the stunt break
contemptuous while also providing
t much humor in her constant snide
remarks. Helen Mirren, as Gosford
Park's housekeeper Mrs. Wilson, eeZer'spen ]
Shas the most powerful performance
ain the film. Mrs. Wilson wears an
aura of control and numbness
throughout the film that is beauti-
t fully broken down later in a terribly
yemotional scene.
The international cast is wonder- By Luke Smith
fully rounded out by Emily Watson Daily Arts Editor
("Breaking the Waves") as the head
housemaid who is having an affair In a frantic effort to redeem themselves (and their cred-
with Gosford Park's owner, Clive ibility) in the eyes of their fans, pop-savvy rockers Weez-
Owen ("Croupier") as a valet with er are preparing a fourth studio album to follow-up their
a secret past, and Ryan Phillipe platinum selling third record Weezer (The Green Album).
("Cruel Intentions") as a valet to an Weezer has released over 30 songs through the band's
American movie producer with a 'official website over the course of the last month. The
secret present. songs themselves sonically range from acoustic laybacks
"Gosford Park" is not a film ("Acapulco") to quasi-punked-out crunch ("How Long")
for everyone, simply because all glazed with Rivers Cuomo's unique sense of melody.
Robert Altman is an acquired Weezerwas released last May and debuted on the Bill-
taste. He has the conflicting abil- board Top 200 in the fourth position. The band would go
ity to make films as good as "The on to experience an internet backlash with a host of mes-
Player" and "Cookie's Fortune" and sage board communities criticizing the tediously simplis-
then turn around to make equally tic record.
awful films like "Pret-a-Porter" and In response to the fans' backlash, Cuomo and Co. have
"Dr. T and the Women." However, been releasing demos by the boatload through the band's
when Altman gets it right, he suc- official website. The demos have been updated daily over
ceeds in breathtaking fashion. the course of the past month with newer versions and
"Gosford Park" is quintessentially recordings replacing old as the band either records them,
great Altman and is sure to be well or sees fit to release them.
received by the Altman lovers, Acoording to Weezer's website, the band's fourth as-yet
while possibly being too challeng- untitled CD should see some sort of release near the end
, A, fob, t nepg r cinder of, of April. Thejelease date is up in the air, due to Weezer's
the public. recent problems with their label, Interscope.
.ez (who was excel-
t") attempt to justify
girlfriend Letty.
also with Cohen's
nothing special, but
L't hurt.
be more interested
kdown of a crucial
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
scene, showing how many cameras
and angles it takes to pull off a car
flipping through the air. Also includ-
ed are a visual effects montage, sto-
ryboard-to-feature comparisons and
"Racer X," the original magazine
article the film was basedon.
"The Fast and the Furious" is a
fine DVD, with plenty of features and
a so-so movie to boot. Let your
enjoyment of brainless action be your
guide.
1ng studio time
1 ful-length
Weezer will be launching another tour at the beginning
of February with stops throughout the East Coast, and
then they hop across the border for a brief stint in Cana-
da. They will be taking Saves the Day and Ozma along for
the ride.
The band then heads to Europe where they will spend
much of Mar. before they return stateside for pre-album
promotional duties.
Kelly Macdonald and Maggie Smith get all pretty.
s(ourt)dyobIntse gs p
Rivers Cuomo (left) and ex-Weezer bassist Mikej Welsh.
;iii) 4;
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