Monday December1,23 michigandaily.com artseditor@michigandaily.com R TSldd aak 5A I LOVE LIFE LOST MAYER'S CYCLIC SONGS OF SADNESS By Brandon Harig Daily Arts Writer CONCERT REVIEW While many artists can put on a decent live performance, it is the overpowering enthusiasm of John Mayer that makes his show so engrossing. It appears with every song there is a little more energy, a little Courtesy of Dimension Coffee makes me nervous when I drink it. Mmm hmm. Billy Bob no help in laughs of Bad Santa' more emotion being poured into the lyrics, a little more life in his signature hop. With bouncing guitar solos and the microphone moans of a rock star, John Mayer Saturday, Nov.29 At the Palace of Auburn Hills trademarks of Mayer's latest album, Heav- ier Things. With each transition came a step toward some sort of conclusion, the concert playing out like a read through Mayer's journal. Flowing seamlessly between his various electric, poppy songs (like "Back To You") and those more mellow and slow-paced ("Daughters"), the show progressed as a lover's lament. One of his more somber and bluesy pieces, "Come Back To Bed," lasted nearly 10 minutes with its various solos and a Mayer dialogue regarding the pitfalls of arguing with a woman. With mock reactions of surprise as his guitar did the woman's side of an argument, the song exhibited what anyone could see through- out the show: Mayer was having an incred- ible amount of fun. It'd be impossible for him not to with the reaction that came with songs like "Your Body Is A Wonderland." The floor section was at his mercy and the overall crowd enthusiasm was at its highest of the night when Mayer showed his ability to change the energy of the crowd with a simple strum of his guitar. Mayer proved this control over the audi- ence by dropping it to a hush and closing with the slow and contemplative "Wheel." A meditation on the cyclic nature of life, it was a fitting end to a show which present- ed an entertaining look on the highs and lows of life. By Jennie Adler Daily Arts Writer MOVIE REVIEW *** _ j This holiday, Santa is sleeping with Mrs. Claus' sister and getting into a dif- ferent kind of ho-ho-hoing. Without his jolly demeanor, Willie (Billy Bob Thornton), the anti-Santa, is a skinny washout, guzzling alcohol by the gal- lon. Terry Zwigoff ("Ghost World") directs this twisted portrayal of Christmas in "Bad Bad Santa Santa." At Showcase and Willie and Mar- Quality 16 cus (Tony Cox, Dimension "Friday") land jobs as Santa and his elf, respectively, at various malls only to rob them after their 30-day stint. But when the two end up at a mall in Phoenix, their plan derails. Thanks to the illustrious reputa- tion of Santa, Willie swindles his way into the pants of warm-hearted bar- tender Sue (Laura Graham, "Gilmore Girls") and the home of a timid little boy (Brett Kelly). The tubby face of Kelly, who's lov- ingly referred to as "the kid" (which is far better than his given name of Thur- man Merman) steals the screen. He's so persistent in his questions and his advent calender, it's hard not to cry for him. Under false pretenses, Anti-Santa befriends the lonely naive kid. The story, although simple and sweet, man- ages to avoid most of the schmaltz thanks to its dark humor and the biggest wedgie ever. In almost every scene, Thornton grates on your tolerance, as his humor is overdone and repetitive. The flavor- ful supporting cast deserves all the comedy credit. Bernie Mac as the head security guard is decked out in lavishly colored suits that match the oranges he's always eating. Mac shows off a different side of his talent by relying on his body language for once, as opposed to one-liners. Weighing in at three feet, 92 pounds, Cox is the perfect size for every feat. As a bitter thief who takes care of business, Cox is finally mak- ing the "small people" jokes and not just the butt of all the laughs as he was in his former movies. And not to be forgotten is John Ritter as the moral and anal mall manager. His lack of authority seems straight out of "Office Space." His puckered-up facial expressions compliment his scenes with Mac's lax demeanor. These dynamics between the characters bring humor to the film. Whether it's people wanting to see Ritter's last on-screen appearance or looking for a not so sug- ary Christmas tale, "Bad Santa" gets laughs with its cast, sans Billy Bob Thornton of course. Mayer put on a performance Saturday at the Palace of Auburn Hills that allowed his true skills and musical depth to come through. "Clarity," a rumination on the temporary nature of the present, set the stage for the sound and feel of the rest of the show. Fea- turing a trumpet and saxophone in the background, the song reflected a bluesy atmosphere which continued throughout the night. It was during songs such as "Only Heart" that Mayer let loose on the guitar, proving his dexterity by stomping on the fret and presenting a solo worthy of any true rock'n'roll show. The setlist was one of reflection on time and women, I want to dedicate tonight's set to my ass hair! Effective with faults, 'Freedom' fights a lost Cold War By Jared Newman Daily Arts Writer I.EOGAME REVIEW ***I IO Interactive has restored 1980's patriotism without being redundant. Its latest action-strategy shooter, "Freedom Fighters," is set in an alternate history in which the Unit- ed States is the final target for a Soviet Union that won the Cold War. Gamers take on the role of Christopher Stone, a plumber who is inadvertently thrown into a revolu- tion after being attacked by Reds during a routine maintenance job. This background is actually the only non-gameplay element that deserves mention. While the plot - as well as its vague parallels to the conflict in Iraq - is intriguing, its progression and characters lack develop- ment. The graph- ics are mediocre and laden with Freedom Fighters GameCube, PS2 and XBox Electronic Arts stuff as long as the gameplay gets the job done, especially considering that the single-player is rock solid? The premise is simple: Gun down commies, save hostages and destroy buildings. Added to this is the abili- ty to enlist the help of your fellow Americans along the way. They respond to a number of simple com- mands like "attack," "defend" and "follow me" and are actually much brighter than the moronic enemy AI. The way that comrades use cover fire or seek shelter when under attack goes a long way in substanti- ating this feature. What is most interesting about "Freedom Fighters" is that it doesn't stand out in any one way but is still one hell of a game. The level design is fresh and creative, offering tons of attack routes in constantly chang- ing environments. The result is a feeling of non-linearity within a lin- ear setting, requiring players to actually think about their methods of attack. Will you lead your team through the obvious pathway, will you sacrifice good cover for a sur- prise attack through the hills or will you split up for a two-fronted assault? Gameplay like this makes it easy to look past "Freedom Fight- ers"' shortcomings. clipping issues, the sound lacks punch, the music is for the most part ineffective and the multiplayer mode is boring. But who cares about that minor - I We Reserve The Right To Limit Quantities. No Sales To Dealers. HILLER'S IS PROUD TO BE NION STORE! 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