0 Tuesday- Sepem er 1 ,2002 michigandaily.com/arts mae@michigandaily.com ARTS 8 Third season of HBO's hit mob show 'Sopranos' now on DVD 0 By Jeff Dickerson Daily Arts Editor This Sunday night will be one of the most successful nights in history for the cable channel HBO. Not because of a world championship boxing match or the premiere of a Hollywood blockbuster, but because it is finally time, after numerous delays and rumors, for the fourth season of the critically acclaimed drama "The Sopranos" to commence. Just in time for the debut of the new sea- son, HBO home video has released the THE SOP third season'of their most popular program THE CON on DVD. As was the case with the release THIRD S of the first two seasons, the box set DV includes four discs contained in elaborately detailed gatefold packaging. Picture/Sound: Each of the 13 episodes is presented in Series: *** the widescreen format, just as it was showni originally on television, with pristine pic- Features: ** ture and sound.H The most satisfying special features of HB the box set are the audio commentaries from some of the creative players of the show. Actor Steve Buscemi provides insightful commentary for the episode "Pine Barrons," his "Sopranos" directoriali debut. Series creator David Chase provides his thoughts for the episode "Amour Fou," but it is Michael Imperi- oli's commentary on "The Tell-Tale Moozadell" that is the most interesting to hear. Also included is a behind the scenes featurette, last- ing a whopping three and a half minutes, that is little more than a dispensible promotional piece. Consider- ing the evolution of DVD extra features, one might think HBO would want to give their fans something more substantial. Unfortunately the third season of "The Sopranos" is not as consistent as in previous years. For every brilliant episode, say the Charles S. Dutton-starring "Another Toothpick," there RANOS - is a dud, like the Dr. Melfi rape episode, MPLETE "Employee of the Month." Some of the EASON best and worst work of the entire series can D be found in this season. James Gandolfini and the rest of the cast are just as impressive as when the show r* began in 1999. The difficulty in the third season emanates from the emergence of * new characters and story arcs thrown into the central plotline without thorough explanation. Too much of what goes on in the 13 episodes of season three feels coincedental and unnatural. "The Sopranos" has a lot to live up to in the upcom- ing fourth season. Since the first season, the show has failed to live up to its initial perfection, but despite its flaws, "The Sopranos" is without a doubt the best drama on television. Members of 'Defying Gravity' discuss the dangers of outer space travel in a bar scene. Delightful'Defing Gravity' now playing at Performance Network By Jim Schiff Daily Arts Writer Jane Anderson's "Defying Gravi- ty" is a small ensemble piece that touches on many themes. At the sur- face level, each character wants to defy gravity; or in other words, view the Earth fiom above. On a more profound level, the play asks us to examine our own personal quest for the stars. 'Defying Gravity' delights on both levels. Though the play is fictional, its story is rooted in the failed Chal- lenger mission of 1986. Sarah Bur- con portrays a high school teacher who is about to make her first jour- ney into space, and Annie Palmer plays Elizabeth, her attention-crav- ing young daughter who is reluctant to see her go. The story revolves around the two actresses, but five others: a bartender, a NASA techni- cian, two tourists and above all, French Impressionist painter Claude Monet, are all present when the rocket takes off. Each carries a dif- Courtesy of HBO Everybody is back for the new season of "The Sopranos." Well almost everybody. UOwn Collect Calls Save The Max y s 1 800MAXSAVE.COM 1-800-MAX-SAVE (1-800-629-7283) *Plus set-up. Interstate/8p.m.-7a.m. ferent perspective on the mission - some see it as a wondrous opportu- nity, while others view it as a life- threatening risk. Most of "Defying Gravity" takes place before the rocket's launch. There isn't a great deal of action; indeed, the audience is only given little snippets of the D character's lives, in par- Gi ticular Elizabeth's and her mother's. We don't At Pe know why, for example, Networi her mother was selected Shows T for the mission, at least Sat outside of her curiosity Sun of outer space. It's also T unclear as to why Perform Monet (Roy K. Denni- son) is able to travel through time and become part of the story. A bit more explanation would have been helpful, however, the characters' backgrounds are relatively less important than the broader premise of the play. Speaking of, "Defying Gravity" is chock full of metaphors of jour- neying into space. The play pur- ports that the Chartres Cathedral represented mankind's belief that the taller the structure, the closer to heaven we were. Along these lines; Elizabeth's interest in'her mother's foray into space is represented by her desire to reach new heights: she jumps on a chair until she can touch the ceiling with her fingertips. While some analogies are less obvi- ous than others, each illustrates the emotions surrounding an adventure into the unknown. The acting is uniformly strong, though some roles are showier than others. Roy K. Dennison as Monet is the clear standout. Donning a charming French accent and a long gray beard, he injects both humor and heart into a role that border- lines caricature. Similarly, Travis Reiff as C.B., the NASA technician, and Carla Milarch as Donna, the erformance k thru Oct. 6 hurs., Fri. and t. 8 p.m. Jay 2 p.m. $22.50-27.50 ance Network expectations fully realized EFYING R.AVITY local bartender, were particularly convincing. The two must change almost immediately from a state of joy to despair after the mission fails, and both seem to harbor the most grief. journey becomes ours. The small cast helps to create an intimate feel onstage. Coupled with the sparse lighting and props, "Defying Gravity" feels less like a play and more like a character study. It's almost as if the audience is a part of the story - we can empathize with their fears and . Each character is so d that, in the end, their a0 Courtesy of Performance Network Staring at the stars in 'Gravity.' Courtesy of Performance Network Overcoming acrophobia. 'U' graduate produces Sept. 11 album, proceeds benefit charity By Luke Smith Daily Arts Ed itor University graduate Dr. Neal Cherian wasn't needed on site in New York in the wake of Sept. 11. Cherian, a neurologist specializing in dizziness at the Cleve- land Clinic in Ohio, felt the need to do something in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. "I thought, what could I do?" Cherian told The Michigan Daily. Cherian teamed up with Patrick Conneen and New York area doctor John Bells to release We Stand As One World, available now through the trio's website (www.westandasoneworld.org). Additionally, We Stand as One World will be available in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's record store. "I wanted to do something meaningful, not self- serving," Cherian said. Since his medical expertise wasn't needed at ground zero, he turned to something he, Conneen and Bells all enjoyed: Music. We Stand As One World is a two-disc compilation 0 DIAL 10-10-226 THEN 1 + AREA CODE AND NUMBER Q I I