Monday November 25, 2002 michigandaily.com/arts mae@michigandaily.com ARTS 5A 'Emperor's Club' keeps stale genre alive with help of Kline By John Laughlin Daily Arts Writer Michael Hoffman's latest film, "The Emperor's Club," is a combination of "Mr. Holland's Opus," "Dead Poet's Society" and "Pay It Forward" while also con- taining some flavor of the score from "Scent of a Woman." Starring Kevin Kline as the beloved teacher of Greco-Roman civilization William Hundert, the film is retires to his home only to receive an invitation for a re- enactment of the Caesar competition by a now older and wealthier Sedgewick. Hunderi is surrounded by this memo- rable group of former students and is able to see the many successes that he helped to create. The competition is a surprising repetition of history, but allows for Hundert to make amends with one of his former students and his soul. While "Emperor's Club" is a sort of amalgamation of various other "teacher homage" films, what sets it apart yet another homage to those who instruct us in scholastic life and have the ability to make us who we are today. While "The Emperor's Club" may not have the most unique roots in terms of a seeming sub- genre that has popped up in the last few years, it does contain unique lessons about the importance of "history" and personal integrity. St. Benedict's Academy for Boys is the prototypical East Coast college preparato- ry school complete with a Latin credo, THE EMPEROR' S CLUB At Showcase and Quality 16 Universal are the unique messages it conveys concern- ing the price of success and the importance of history. The very idea that a plus or a minus can perhaps change the course of one's life is every student's nightmare and while we are lead to believe that such an impact has been made, "Emperor's Club" allows pne to realize that while a single stroke of a pen may change one's grade, it cannot alter one's character. Kevin Kline's performance is masterful in his ability to express emotions without physicality. His presence on screen is like character: bold, truthful, intelligent and hon- Courtesy of United Artists The best Bond movie is "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." End of discussion. 007 . 'Die nth Day' revs up the 007 ctio wit a JinX of a twist gothic architecture and stern dean. Teaching at the school is William Hundert, whom all the students admire and is a man who holds knowledge and past his- tory as the keys to understanding and perhaps enlight- enment. It would be when the classic "troublesome, rebellious, lets-play-a-prank, son-of-a-really-important- man" student, Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch, "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys"), enters Hundert's classroom that his sanctuary for learning is upset and he is forced to deal with helping this new student appreci- ate the value of knowledge. The Academy holds an annual Julius Caesar contest in which the students participate to be crowned "Emper- or" in a test of classical history. By giving Sedgewick his old textbook (along with a little ushering), Hundert is able to make the boy want to learn and compete for the prize. After several rounds of essay writing, in one of the most poignant scenes in the film, Hundert changes Sedgewick's final exam grade from an A-minus into an A-plus, thus giving him the feeling of accom- plishment he so desperately needs and the ability to compete in front of his peers and less than adequate father. . The final round proves to be more than a showing of wits in that Hundert catches Sedgewick cheating, but is powerless to do anything about it. Hundert now must live with the guilt of not only thinking he failed this one child, but betrayed another student by raising Sedgewick's grade and thus ousting him from his right- ful place as one of the final three. Flashing forward to the boys' graduation in 1976 and then moving on into the filmic present, an aged Hundert is betrayed by one of his colleagues for the position of the new headmaster. Defeated and dejected, Hundert est. A Kevin Spacey or Robin Williams he is not, but one does gain the sense that at any moment the stu- dents could cry out "Oh Captain, My Captain!" too much that of his By Ryan Lewis Daily Arts Writer Flashier and reenergized, "Die Another Day" ushers in a happy 40 years and counting for 007. In this 20th installment of the longest last- ing film franchise ever, Bond is back with a 21st century edge fused to the formula that brought it fame back when Connery first took on the role " N ExplosiM batfts and chases rage as the latest Bond film rejuvenates the sleek savvy of old with a plot that restores to the series. Pierce Brosnan returns as James in his fourth appearance, and he is better than ever. He returns to the role with a cool confi- dence, allowing him to embody Ian Fleming's character with resonat- ing conviction. He has a tougher edge and a more powerful excitement DIE AN DA At Showc Qualit, Unitedi and is stripped of his double-0 status. equipped with stealth capability. But that hardly ever stops him. Everything in the film, from the After escaping the confines of extravagant sets to the ultra-fancy MI6 and his superior M (Judi Dench, fight sequences, is intricately "Iris"), Bond begins his rogue search detailed and sometimes too gaudy. for Zao. Information leads him to The fighting is, however, some of the Havana where a highly dangerous best in Bond history, including an genetic engineering lab changes peo- extraordinary, explosionless fencing ple's genetic makeup providing duel between Bond and Graves. But entirely new identities. the expensive choreography, demoli- Enter Jinx. The mesmerizing tion and CGI run too long and lose AmerieNS Apetih , played ry :na 'al they takeat reoIiflthe~ the gorgeous Halle Berry, has also actually interesting plot. found her way to Cuba in search of Following tradition - Bond is, Zao. Imbedded with diamonds from after all, the ultimate ladies man - earlier explosions, Zao seeks to the film is packed full of the neces- change his identity, and sary double entendre. Brosnan and Bond needs to know Berry play off each other quite who's funding it. appealingly as Jinx becomes less a Jinx's introduction typical Bond girl and more of her OTHER projects just one of the own character. Stephens is a little many tributes director over the top, but manages to pull off Y Lee Tamahori ("Along one of the most devilish villains ase and Came a Spider") pays to Bond has faced to date. Contribu- y 16 Bond's past. While her tions from Pike, Dench and Cleese Artists emergence from the are all superb. Yune's Zao has a water pays homage to fresh effrontery while providing an the original Bond girl arch-enemy throwback to characters Ursula Andress, numerous other like Odd Job. scenes honor the series' history. In "Die Another Day" manages to particular, in an abandoned subway inject some change into the superla- stop, gadget creator Q (a role now tive formula that has lasted for four filled by John Cleese) shows James decades, but it fails to stop where it through a hodgepodge of classic 007 should. The special effects are too memorabilia. long, too flaunted and too many; the As in every Bond movie, behind story includes more explanation than the dangerous assassin lies a diaboli- it should; and the film as a whole cal multi-billionaire with a drags on for more than it needs. Too respectable business front. Gustav much of the story jumbles and scrab- Graves (Toby Stephens, "Posses- bles while the focus is on the action. sion"), the lavish diamond mogul, This Bond is a welcomed return appears as the mastermind behind to the old while ushering in a new Zao, but something more evil is age. Although it still doesn't meas- obviously in the works. When Bond ure up to greatness, it triumphs as a returns from Cuba, he is reluctantly genuinely fun addition to its line- welcomed back by M and sent to age. As long as there are movies, Graves' Iceland fortress in the com- there will be Bond, and if this is an pany of femme fatale Miranda Frost indication of the future of the fran- (Rosamund Pike) and a slue of the chise, then fans and casual most desirable gadgets, including the observers alike should be in for a requisite expensive automobile fully- satisfying road ahead. The University of Michigan museum of art Courtesy of Universal Dead movie. I- resiliency. He has the swagger to fit the role where, finally, it is undeni- ably his to retain. The film opens with the formulaic Bond vs. horde action-opener in a demilitarized zone of "axis of evil" member North Korea. While, as usual, he manages to cheat death, defeat an army onslaught and finish with some quip, he uncharacteristi- cally becomes captured and impris- oned. After more than a year of torture, he is set free in exchange for the deadly assassin Zao (Rick Yune, "The Fast and the Furious"). Upon release, Bond is coldly welcomed back into a world that has drastically changed while he was away. Some- body from the inside set up Bond to be captured by the Koreans and gave vital information leading to the death of another operative. This time around, Bond has lost his credibility DAY WITH(OUT) ART VINTAGE CLOTHING, ANTIQUES, AND COLLECTIBLES December 1, 2002 To observe this annual commemoration of the tragic loss of life and creativity wrought by the AIDS virus, the University of Michigan Museum of Art will hold the following exhibition and programs: November 26-December 4 An exhibition from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, on view during Museum hours Sunday, December 1, Lecture, 3 pm Robert Atkins, co-founder of Visual AIDS, a New York-based organization responsible for the annual Day With(out) Art, speaking on changing representations of AIDS since the 1980s Monday, December 2, Poetry Reading, noon The Museum will be open over the noon hour for this special reading of poems of remembrance. UMMA's Day Without Art project is co-sponsored by the HIV/AIDS Resource Center, AIDS Partnership Michigan, - "u-~wr'~ -r.-r.m ~m~a ..m , ,u m m U U U ~ *