Friday March 11, 2005 arts. michigandaily. com artspage@michigandaily.com RTSaliigan3alp 8 01 . . . ...... . ........ . Courtesy of Basement Arts Music freshman Rebecca Whatley and Music junior Justin Holmes perform in an act from "Love's Fire" called "Bitter Sauce." 'Love's Fire' imagines sonnets as theater By Zach Borden Daily Arts Writer Courtesy of Buena Vista "Hey, Vin, I have a present for you. It's in my diaper and it's not a toaster." PACIFIERY SUCKS DIESEL FUMBLES THROUGH POORLY WRITTEN FAMILY COMEDY By Amanda Andrade Daily Arts Writer There's a scene in the family comedy "The Paci- fier" in which star Vin Diesel dives valiantly into a sewer only to emerge caked with human excrement, clutch- ing an uncannily appropri- ate message: "Ha Ha." Either Diesel acutely understands the current state of his career or someone at Disney has a very cruel sense of humor. The Pacifier At the Showcase and Quality 16 Buena Vista far-fetched, don't worry. There's actually an elabo- rate video-game-style minefield installed, complete with flame-shooter, falling spikes and trapdoor acid wells that must be crossed in order to gain access to the program. The focus of the movie, unlike typical Diesel fare, is not the conspiracy, but the characters. In this case, it's the little munchkins Wolfe must protect from the spies and terrorists seeking the program. All five kids are well cast and well used to provide humor and some vague notion that the audience should care about what happens onscreen. Even the steely Wolfe falls for the kids as he learns to cope with his worst fear: dirty diapers. Apparently, he's man enough to swim through sewers but is highly averse to a task most girls learn to do at age 13 for less than minimum wage. There are also those challenging baby car seats (he installs a comprehensive computerized secu- rity system, but he can't buckle a seat belt?) and various other heartwarming parenting troubles that awkwardly collide with Wolfe's rigidly disci- plined military training. Oh, the hilarity of exces- sively emphasized incongruity. Though it's familiar, the premise is still ripe for much funnier material than this. The film's jokes take too long to set up, and director Adam Shank- man ("Bringing Down the House") moves from one failed gag to the next with no sense of pacing or point, giving the film a lazy, haphazard feel that it can't shake even when the story gains momentum. The whole movie becomes flat, redundant and often straight-up inept. Diesel tends to muddle through what funny dialogue he has with a lumbering, incompetent delivery that makes any scene in which he has to react painfully strained. That said, the man can play a hardass like no one else in the busi- ness, roaring intimidating commands brilliantly. Because of this, other characters' reactions to his authoritarian persona work to strong comedic effect; this proves to be one of the film's much- needed saving graces. With "The Pacifier" sucking up more than $30 million in its opening weekend, maybe that sewer- diving scene is metaphorically misleading. After all, it seems Diesel is the one finally getting the last laugh on the film's skeptics. Ultimately, it's the unfortunate viewing public that must wade helplessly through this kiddie pool of shit. Love is a tricky term to define - it can evoke so many different emotions, such as Love's Fire passion, tender- ness and jealousy. Tonight at 7 p.m. This weekend's and 11 p.m. Baseent rtsSaturday at 7 p.m. Basement Arts performances of Free "Love's Fire" puts At the Arena Theatre a fresh perspective Frieze Building on what love can mean by recreating several of William Shakespeare's sonnets onstage. Originally performed by The Acting Company in New York in 1998, "Love's Fire," is the brainchild of renowned the- ater director Mark Lamos. Lamos sent seven different Shakespeare sonnets to seven American playwrights. Each writ- er's mission was to craft a one-act play based around the meaning of the poem each received. While all of the pieces are different, they are linked by their Shake- spearean origins and the theme of love. Helming the Basement Arts production of "Love's Fire" is actress Chelsea Lein- berger, who discovered the play and felt an immediate rapport with it. "Shakespeare's words are timeless, and they catch the meanings in our everyday lives," she said. With a yearning to direct, Leinberger faced several challenges in mounting the performance. "It's hard to do Shake- speare in a black box theater, since it's really meant for unseen works," she explained. Leinberger was able to put her own unique spin on this production with transitions between the segments and featuring the actual sonnets more in the second part of the performance. Several notable playwrights, such as William Finn, Wendy Wasserstein and Tony Kushner, have contributed to this enticing piece of theater. Kushner's seg- ment, the comedic "Terminating, or Lass Meine Schmertzens Nicht Verloren Sein, or Ambivalence" is based on Sonnet 75. Focusing on a therapist, her patient and their lovers, the act touches on a variety of topics, such as life and sexuality. Leinberger believes the real highlight of "Love's Fire" is writer John Guare's contribution, "The General of Hot Desire." Essentially a discussion within a discussion, Guare's work focuses on a group of students debating the meanings of Sonnets 153 and 154. Their interpreta- tions lead to a religious debate that touches on Adam and Eve, different religions and how God feels about people on earth. For those who come to see"Love's Fire," Leinberger hopes that the audience will not only gain additional appreciation for Shakespeare and the playwrights behind the interpretations - she wants them to connect with what the performance has to offer. "Nobody can close their minds to the different ways and types of love, such as friendship, sex, betrayal and forgive- ness. I hope the audience walks away with something to talk about and something to feel," she said. - ., . 0 With high-profile failures threatening to disgrace the actor's career beyond recognition, "The Pacifier" is Diesel's last-ditch effort to sustain his fame; this grants this incompetent and embarrassing waste of film its own thick stench of desperation. Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe (Diesel) is assigned to protect the children of a recently assassinated government scientist who may have hidden a com- puter program that's capable of controlling foreign nuclear weapons in his house. If the premise sounds Johnson's blues-pop develops on 'Dreams' By Abby Frackman Daily Arts Writer Music RE-VlEW On In Between Dreams, Jack John- son breaks the typical singer-songwriter mold, producing a new genre of music, Jack an amalgam of surfer- J style, blues-inflected Johnson pop. Despite faulty in Between sequencing, the smooth Dreams vocals and poignant Universal lyrics produce a mostly successful album. Johnson's debuttalbum, Brushfire Fair ytales, was met with high praise from college kids and teenage girls, immediately creating a loyal fan base for the to-fi pop artist. Despite luke- warm reception, 2003's On and On managed to debut at No. 3 on the Bill- board chart and went platinum. It's two years later, and Johnson has returned with his third studio album, and In Between Dreams lives up to fans' expectations. The carefree melodies supported by the depth of the lyrics create the trademark Johnson sound that admirers are sure to eat up. Perhaps the most striking quality of Dreams is the fact that Johnson marries catchy melodies with subtle yet strong lyrics. "Crying Shame" is one of these tracks; Johnson croons emotionally about the war in Iraq: "We say it's a war Third season of 'Shield' shines on DVD By Nick Kochmanski Daily Arts Writer When "The Shield" first premiered on FX in 2002, the series was heralded as the forerunner of a new era in cable TV programming. With its gritty cam- era work and complex plotlines, "The Shield" paved the way for edgy shows The Shield: like "Nip/Tuck" and "Rescue Me," for Season 3 which audiences should be thankful. ~ 20th Century Fox Season three of "The Shield" provides a compelling look into how an L.A. policeman and his motley crew of fellow cops (called The Barn) abuse criminals in brutal displays of violent justice. The Barn's chief, David Aceveda (Benito Martinez), takes part in what might be the season's most dramatic plotline. After being raped at gunpoint, he sets out to regain the confidence and self-worth he lost by exacting vengeance on those who stole his dignity. The emotionally wrenching performance by Martinez will keep audiences watching for more. The nonstop action doesn't let up as the season progress- es. The Strike Team, led by Vic (Michael Chiklis), faces harrowing challenges throughout the season, most of which conclude in a high-octane climax. Despite a few similar story arcs, the thrills are more than enough to keep audi- ences entertained. Visually, "The Shield: Season 3" translates well to DVD. The gritty, sometimes shaky camera work makes an easy transition from television to digital. In many instances, the colors and lighting on this accurate and appealing conver- sion look clearer and more brilliant on the DVD set than when viewed as a simple television broadcast. Unfortunately, "The Shield" DVD set lacks any worth- while special features. Besides season three's episodes, only a bonus documentary, a few deleted scenes and commentary by cast and crew serve as extras. While the commentary is a nice treat, it is only available on a few episodes, and it should have been incorporated into more of the season's episodes. "The Shield: Season Three" DVD warrants a buy on the show's merits alone. The episodes are faithfully reproduced, and the additional scenes, while not necessarily awe-inspir- ing, add to each episode. For fans, this set is a must-have. Show: **** Picture/Sound: **** Features: ** *I Courtesy of universal "Now I just need some bongos. Where's McConaughey when you need him?" for peace / It's the same old game / But do we really want to play ... a number of people are numbers / Who ain't coming home." Johnson's tender vocals cause lis- teners to become affected by the delicate subject matter. The emotional heaviness continues on the touching "If I Could," in which a family's newborn baby has only a few weeks to live. Thankfully, the album is not all slow, heart-wrenching tunes. The up- tempo "Staple Is Together" adds a new depth to Johnson's material with exploding drum kit work. The lead single on In Between Dreams, 'Sit- ting, Waiting, Wishing" is a song of unrequited love, underscored by wail- ing guitar chords. Despite the gravity of the track, the music is undeniably catchy and the arrangement surpris- ingly upbeat. Unfortunately, Johnson's latest is not without fault. "Banana Pan- cakes" is a painfully tedious dirge, while "Situations," clocking in at a little over one minute, makes a point- less addition to Dreams. The album would no doubt have been better Play examines Thoreau, not just protests By Mike Hyatt For the Daily It would be easy to mistake the without this afterthought of a song. Another misstep is the sequencing: The songs seem to be grouped in blocks of similar subject matter, with all the heavier tracks weighing down the second half of the album. Regardless of these faults, In Between Dreams is a solid release, chock-full of low-key, relaxing music fit for snoozing on the beach. To those who consistently compare Jack Johnson to John Mayer: Stop. The man has much more personality than Mayer, and it shines through on In Between Dreams. play "The Night Jail" as a pro- test against the Iraq war. The work tracks the events that led to transcendental- ist writer Henry David Thoreau's imprisonment for not paying taxes to help the Thoreau Spent in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail Tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. $5 and $3 for students RC Auditorium East Quad Mexican-American war and was originally published as a response to the Vietnam War. However, the directors of the Residential College production want audiences to notice another aspect of the play - Tho- reau himself. "We don't want people only rant- ing about the war," assistant direc- tor William Rak said. "The war is only a candy-bar portion." The complex production is done mostly in flashbacks that reveal why Tho- reau formed many of the famous ideas featured in his famous essay "Civil Disobedience." The produc- tion's directors are excited because the play will shine a more revealing light on the writer, not just his pro- testations. "(The play) sounds liberal with its anti-war sentiment," director Luke Randall admitted. "Thoreau's life was not just anti-war ... Thoreau's life was not just one piece." The play promises to give a detailed account of Thoreau, impos- sible to decipher from the stoic nar- rator presented in his writing. "The Night Thoreau spent in Jail" is per- fect for both fans and cynics of Tho- reau because it sheds light on both comedic and tragic moments of the writer's life that reveal a much more colorful character than his writings might let on. 0 0 GET AHEAD OR CATCH UP- SUMMER COURSES GIVE YOU AN EDGE 6t" annual Pre-Med Club 3-on-3 rournament Saturday, March 12 IMBIdg,6pm- H pm 0