01 Monday January 12, 2004 arts.michigandaily.com artseditor@michigandaily.com Ule tdiijun Iait ARTS 8A 2I A44 c ., r , + Living the dream in 'America' By Zach Mabee Daily Arts Writer Courtesy of Sony Attempting to make a movie about the American Dream is, even in the most skilled hands, almost always a flawed undertaking. The story of com- ing to America has been told so many times that nearly any permutation of it hardly seems inno- vative - or even In America interesting. "In America" fills the At the State Theater tired tale of immi- 20th Century Fox grant life in Amer- ica with a previously unseen vigor, a forceful intensity that, in emphasizing struggle with brutal honesty, makes tri- umph indescribably sweeter. The story, which is rooted in Direc- tor Jim Sheridan's own immigration experiences, follows Johnny (Paddy Considine, "24 Hour Party People") and Sarah (Samantha Morton, "Minori- ty Report"), a young Irish couple and their two daughters, Christy (Sara Bol- ger, "A Love Divided") and Ariel (Emma Bolger), as they settle in Man- hattan, start their lives anew and attempt to leave behind them the anguish of their past. Problems abound from day one, as Johnny struggles to find work acting and Sarah works for meager wages at a local ice cream parlor. All the while, their tenement is barely habitable, and they have virtually no money, all of which goes toward subsistence and the girls' Catholic education. It's only when they unexpectedly befriend a reclusive Clearing gutters, getting by, looking ahead, the day you die. By Za Daily A Courtesy of 20th Century Fox The greatest movie about coming to America since ... "Coming to America." Sor They styles movi that f finall Cer boun Fish" creati "Fi son w for "s says, Every Bloo [youn CATCH OF.THE DAY BURTON REELS IN A WINNER WITH 'BIG FISH' cch Mabee He stretches the imagination significantly and blends krts Writer magical realism with sheer absurdity to create episodes that are peculiar and often humorous. The fantasy is pleasant, and it is plainly clear why Edward Bloom's stories and personalities are so adored. me directors really find their niches in Hollywood. With an ever-present, ear-to-ear smile, McGregor comfortably locate homes in certain genres or plays Bloom with over-the-top whimsy, and he is sur- of filmmaking. Few, however, actually make a rounded by a strong supporting cast. Steve Buscemi e that brings to fruition their creative goals - one co-stars as a country-bumpkin poet turned bank robber fully actualizes their potential. Tim Burton has turned Wall Street fin- y done this with "Big Fish." ancier/adventurer and rtainly most of his previous works showcased his Danny DeVito joins dless imagination and directorial acumen, but "Big the cast as an is the glove designed for his _...__...__ eccentric circus ve hand; it fits perfectly. ringleader. The sh" is a tale of a father and ig Fish gaunt Helena Bonham vho, having known each other At Showcase, Carter plays both a Quality 16 and so long," as the narrator once Madstone witch and a lonesome, are like perfect strangers. Sony love-deprived woman. yone knows and loves Edward This snug fantasy is m (Albert Finney [older], Ewan McGregor perhaps most enjoyable, iger]) as a personable, congenial yarn-dispenser though, because it is so - that is, everyone except Will (Billy resonant. Everyone tells Crudup, "Almost Famous"), his son. stories, and Edward Will resents Edward's continual story- Bloom tells them telling and hopes to get to know his especially well. The father for his true self beneath the personal signifi- many anecdotes. cance of fables is When Edward falls ill, Will returns universally recog- home and, with the aid of his mother (Jes- nizable, and so is sica Lange [older], Alison Lohman Bloom's character, [younger]) and wife, helps his ailing father. regardless of how fan- While sick, Edward is bedridden and given tastic he may, at the ideal opportunity to tell completely his times, seem. People youthful, surreal adventures. He reels off love him for the con- narratives about a psychic witch, travels genial, personable with a giant, a stint in the circus, life in an character who comes ideal town called Spectre, finding his wife to life in his fables, and true love and fighting as a special opera- and it's Will's own tions soldier in Japan. tragic loss that he These recollections afford Tim Burton cannot accept this an ideal medium for his creative artistry. earlier. neighbor that they discover hope and strength amidst seemingly endless despair. Both the grief and eventual hope are very tangible emotions, and they're roused wonderfully through subtle filmmaking. Certainly the loss of a loved one has its effect on the family, but their struggle and pain are con- veyed most clearly through everyday frustrations and toils. Watching Johnny cart an air conditioner angrily through the city streets to help his girls on a summer day garners sympathy. Seeing him risk their entire savings to win Ariel an E.T. doll at the fair proves his unyielding desire to please his girls. This meditative style also helps Sheridan and company capture the essential beauty of scenes that can only be appreciated appropriately on film. From a musically-charged snowball fight in a wintry landscape to a solemn close-up of a newborn child, "In Amer- ica" makes great the most simple, potentially trivial, moments. It also capitalizes on the basic, most unrefined roles of the film: those of the two sisters - played by actual sis- ters - Christy and Ariel. They com- plement each other ideally, as Christy reveals a taciturn understanding and appreciation for her family's lot, while Ariel teems with vigor and adorably innocent curiosity. Indeed, their unity brings sanity to their parents' chaotic lives and buttresses relationships both within and outside the family. As chil- dren, they provide crucial coherence to a family that, without it, would have crumbled and never reached its sweet deliverance. 0 Ripe dames shed clothes in 'Girls' By Mary Hilemeier Daily Arts Writer MOV E REVI Ew *I If you've got it, flaunt it. And if you happen to be a middle- aged British mum who doesn't exactly still have everything, flaunt it even more. This brave premise is at the heart of "Calendar Girls," a light-hearted look at 12 women who, in their fight to fuidraiser, conveniently find the time to rekindle friendships, unearth strength and beauty within and drop their clothes Calendar for a pin-up calendar. Girls When Annie's (Julie Walters, "Billy At Showcase and Elliot") husband passes away, she and Quality 16 her fun-loving best friend Chris (Helen Touchstone Mirren) set out to raise money for a hos- pital sofa in his honor. Logically they decide that the only possible way to raise enough money for a love seat is to pose for a nude calendar. What keeps this insane story from dissolving in its own ridiculousness is the fact that it is true. In 1999, 12 spunky women from Yorkshire made their own calendar, and six of those real women actually appear in the film. Despite a good-heart and healthy sense of humor, "Girls" starts slow and forgets to accelerate. The meandering look at village life picks up slightly when its gaze lands on either the radiant Mirren or the sympathetic Walters, but these flashes 6 Have you ever seen a grown woman naked? Eww. of life are not quite enough to sustain a suitable pace. A well-worn story track and bends in the plot are visible miles away and certainly do not help the cause. When the calendars surprisingly catch or, the women arelaunched into celebrity status overnight. Inevitably jealousies arise, and a lesson about the price of fame and across-the-board soul-searching expectedly ensue amid an emotional musi- cal montage. If the very idea of a dozen nude geriatrics causes your blood to curdle, don't worry - the photo shoots themselves are done respectfully and with appropriate humor. It's the camera's departure from the cheery faces of the heroines and the story's digression from the inspirational tale of these brave women that ultimately hurts the film. 6 Dail V Ar ts STAR SYSTEM (as represented by the women of "Saved by the Bell") Invisible War' strays from series but remains strong ***** Kelly Kapowski Lisa Turtle *** Stacey Carosi ** Jessie Spano Tori Scott No Stars A.C. Slater By Charles Paradis Daily Arts Writer VIDEOGAME REVIEW ** Those familiar with Eidos' 2000 release "Deus Ex" will find the company's latest installment, the long awaited sequel "Deus Ex: Invisible War," to be a satisfactory game yet a poor imitation of the first. Aside from similar plot ele- ments, "Invisible War" feels more like a good concept with the origi- nal name slapped on than a continu- the the bit ation of the original. While much of cerebral story remains the same, gameplay has changed quite a and for the worse. However, despite these changes, the game is still worthwhile. In "Invisible War," players take control of Deus Ex: Invisible War XBox and PC Eidos Seattle, where the game begins, you awake in your apartment to sounds of a raid. At this point, you realize that someone has it in for you. Like the original "Deus Ex," gamers explore a world where various pow- erful factions vie for position, manipulating pawns like yourself. Your journey will take you to vari- ous locales including Washington, Egypt and Germany, all of which are graphically well done. The storyline is fairly open- ended, with multiple paths and solutions to choose. You can side with a faction, then stab them in the back only to weasel your way back in later on. Along the way, you will be confronted with situations that can require Herculean strength, James Bond-like stealth or a combi- nation of the two. You can upgrade yourself with various biomods, which pale in comparison to the dynamic character development of the original game. Furthermore, the game slows down at times when there is a lot of on-screen action. Fortunately, there is a patch available for the PC to help correct this problem, but nothing similar exists for the XBox version. Though "Invisible War" does not live up to the standards set by its forefather, it still is a solid game in its own right. i Alex D., an enhanced secret agent whose school is destroyed with the rest of Chicago in an impressive opening cutscene. After fleeing to h" < r. : gy'. ::: JOIN US FOR WINTERFEST. A STUDENT ORGANIZATION EVENT! TUESDAY JANUARY 13TH 4-8PM 2ND FLOOR MICHIGAN UNION Top off your year with UM Spring or Summer Study Abroad! + -F- + + I ± + ± + - - + Ann Arbor - The University of Michigan Board for Student Publications is recruiting to replace members whose terms expire in May 2004. The Board is looking at members of the University Community-faculty, staff & students-who have experience and expertise in finance or journalism. The Board is responsible for three publications which -1 ------ - ----- -- - --- -------- * Over 125 Student Organizations Represented * Meet new people and get all the information you need to get involved! m