Monday S April 1, 2005 arts. michigandaily.com artspage@michigandaily.com ART S 5A - - ------------ . . ........ . ... Courtesy o faramount When he did this naked and with bongos, it led to an arrest. 'Sahara' delivers Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox "What the hell am I doing in a movie with this guy?" early summer action By Amanda Andrade Daily Arts Writer NEARLY 'PITCH' PERFECT FALLON AND BARRYMORE SCORE IN LIGHT ROMANCE By Jeffrey Bloomer Daily Arts Writer MOVI E REVIEW In the hierarchy of American romantic com- edy, novelty is as fruitless as it is infrequent. If a film deviates from the standard - boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl Fever Pitch back - it's a sure bet that At the Showcase audiences will want little to and Quality 16 do with it. As a direct result, Twentieth Century Fox nuance has replaced origi- nality, and no one knows this better than the Farrelly brothers, the writ- ing-directing team behind "There's Something About Mary" and "Stuck on You." The brothers have sidestepped contrived con- flict and saccharine sentimentality as narrative filler in lieu of their own brand of romantic comedy: the gross-out date movie. And from the moment audiences saw Cameron Diaz's semen- soaked blonde locks combined with Ben Still- er's asinine puppy love in "Mary," they were hooked. Nevertheless, with "Fever Pitch," they step' outside of their comfort zone, ditching the gutter jokes in favor of an only slightly less-exploited angle: the Boston Red Sox. The remarkable thing about the film is that it is not a rushed hack job that aims to cash in on to the team's triumph over their infamous 86-year losing streak last fall. The movie, based on Brit- ish author Nick Horby's memoirs of the same title, was in development long before the Red Sox's stunning turnaround, and a reshoot was even required to give it a new, timelier ending. Likewise, "Fever Pitch" is not a paper-thin ode to the pop-culture phenomenon, but rather a genuine - albeit fluffy - attempt to explore the culture of sports fandom and its conse- quences, translating Hornby's fanatical soccer (er, football) follower into the story of a school- teacher (Jimmy Fallon) in a 23-year-long love affair with the Red Sox. His obsession just so happens to be interrupt- ed by a sweetheart businesswoman (Drew Bar- rymore) at the worst possible time imaginable for a long-time Boston baseball fan: the begin- ning of their glorious 2004 season. Even with its honorable intentions, "Fever Pitch" is still a distinctly hit-or-miss affair, both as a romance and as a cultural commentary. The 'romantic ahgle, typecasting "Batrymore as a woman on the wrong side of 30 who's desper- ate to find a guy, takes full advantage of her natural charm to channel viewers' softer sides. The more thoughtful casting is that of Fal- lon. Though he's not likely rise to the ranks of comedy superstars like Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey, he downplays his natural goofiness to provide an ever-so-slightly understated perfor- mance that suits the film well. Alas, the romantic plot from the glossy courtship to the inevitable final scene set at Fenway Park - is utterly transparent and will alternatively inspire swoons and eye-rolls at its self-conscious cuteness. The same goes for the film's social commentary; while it takes on sports obsession and treats it as more than a plot device, it cuts itself short, acquiescing to the prepackaged narrative rather than aiming for any real insights beyond the superficial. Still, "Fever Pitch" is a welcome change of pace for the Farrellys - a satisfying and sin- cere, if uninspired, bout of genre entertainment that wears its heart on its sleeve. As the third screen adaptation of a Hornby book, it falls short, offering only a fraction of "About a Boy's" winsome charm and an even lesser approxima- tion of "High Fidelity's" insufferable wit. But as light; easy-to-swallow spring escapism, "Fever Pitch" just about takes it home. Ushering in the new summer season with a lackluster bang - a crackle or a pop might be more appropriate - "Saha- ra" is hot, dirty and stitched together from at least three Sahara other recent films. At the Showcase But summer is the and Quality 16 time for mindless Paramount explosions and pretty people, and "Sahara" packs fun into every frame - just try not to think about it too hard. The plot is not so much a story as an excuse to get from one action scene to the next. Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) is obsessed with finding a ship from the Civil War. The old ironside goes by the nickname "Ship of Death," and a mysteri- ous plague seems to be emanating from its resting place somewhere in Mali. Al Giordino (Steve Zahn, "Saving Silver- man") is the comic relief sidekick, and Eva Rojas (Penelope Cruz, "Vanilla Sky") fills the role of feisty hot chick. After helming the miniseries "Taken," director Breck Eisner makes his first step up to big-budget features. If there's any question as to why an outlandishly expen- sive studio venture was handed over to such an inexperienced director, the fact that Eisner happens to be the scion of Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his mul- timedia empire had, no doubt, a negligible role in the assignment. In any case, young Eisner is competent, if not exactly the sec- ond coming of Steven Spielberg. The film is suitably conceived and exciting enough to avoid tedium despite its length. Part of the credit goes to the stars though. McConaughey manages to tone down his "Reign of Fire" persona just enough to construct an impressive and engaging hero. The shirtless scenes don't hurt either. Zahn is handed more smug jokes and one-liners than any sidekick in recent memory, but he manages to come across sufficiently heroic to pull it off. And Cruz, well, she's pretty. She avoids being as annoying as token babes in her position normally are, keeping her sweaty, bare-chested savior's attitude in check. The movie interlaces top-notch action sequences with stunning landscapes and laugh-out-loud comedy. That the plot relies heavily on the extreme luck and good tim- ing of its protagonists is more a nod to the conventions of summer movies than a fault. But underneath it all, the movie's too uninspired to be anything spectacular. Not only does it borrow heavily from hits like "The Mummy" and the "Indiana Jones" series, but it also takes from more recent tripe like "National Treasure." Eisner and Clive Cussler, who penned the source material, are patently uninterested in cre- ating something original. The movie plays like a salute to its genre; a keen audience member will have no problem envisioning each scene far before it takes place. Does it matter? The plot is dumb and nonsensical, and the movie is an unremitting cliche. But sometimes it's enough just to watch beautiful people in exotic places executing stunts and special effects. Despite its faults, "Sahara" deliv- ers where it counts. * Man Man release strange LP By Lloyd Cargo Daily Arts Writer MUSIC EV I Ew Board up the windows, lock up all * the valuables and send the kids to your Boyle's style dominates sweet-natured fable By Zach Borden Daily Arts Writer sister's before spinning Man Man's dement- ed carnival of a debut album. Dropped some- where between Tom Waits and Screamin' Jay Man Man The Man in the Blue Turban Without a Face Ace Fu The album is full of eerie dirges, but the most haunting song may be "Gold Teeth." The beautiful Rhodes progression is mutated by skitter- ing bells and detached backing vocals that sound as if they're sung by a zombie chorus. On this track and throughout the album, front- man Honus Honus's born-under-a- bad-sign-vocals echo what Blanco's gypsy clarinet emotes. The Man in the Blue Turban With- out a Face is an unsettling Mexi- can funeral march, an album with enough gravity to pull listeners into the seedy musical underworld. Be careful: this album stays with listen- ers, and its freak-show imagery is bound to haunt your dreams. FitREVw*** In the past decade, director Danny Boyle has established himself as one of the key players in edgy, independent cin- ema. Be it his breakthrough depiction of heroin addicts in "Trainspotting" or Millions the violent zom- bie flick "28 Days At the Later," Boyle has Michigan Theater proven that he's Fox Searchlight adept at experi- menting with dif- ferent kinds of material. Unsurprisingly, he has challenged himself yet again by making a movie that's not steeped in darkness, but is filled with welcome sweetness and feel-good moments. "Millions" tells the story of two young brothers, Damian (Alex Etel) and Anthony (Lewis McGibbon). After the death of their mother, the pain of the loss still lingers with each child - Antho- ny uses her death to guilt-trip people, while Damian escapes reality by hav- ing conversations with saints. On one afternoon, Damian is outside playing by a train track when a bag filled with more than 200,000 quid lands right near him. Damian informs Anthony about the loot, and the two instantly disagree about what to use it for. Anthony sees it as a way to fit in socially, while Damian - who believes the money was a "gift from God" - seeks to help the less fortunate. Adding to their troubles is a crook seek- ing the stolen money, and within several days, the quid will be worthless as the euro becomes the new currency through much of Europe. With its unique visual style, "Mil- lions" is very much Boyle's movie. The filmmaking techniques Boyle employs feature plenty of bright colors and child- like whimsy, which help emphasize the imaginative perspective of Damian. It is also a testament to Boyle's directorial ability that he can make the film warm, but without going overly sentimental - even though that fine line is almost crossed during the film's climax. Unfor- tunately though, Boyle's direction is not flawless - due to the loose plot, there are times when the film moves slowly. "Cassandra. She's a fox. In French she would be called 'la renarde.'" Hawkins on the freak spectrum, Man Man is a band that just wants to creep the fuck out of everyone. On The Man in the Blue Turban Without a Face, they employ chil- dren's choirs, toy pianos and two- headed werewolves to great effect. Still, "Millions" remains endearing, insightful and clever throughout - par- ticularly the film's ending, when every- thing ties together nicely. Frank Cottrell Boyce's ("24 Hour Party People") script wisely keeps the focus on the characters and their own conflicting beliefs. Boyce has also made one of the most memora- ble child protagonists for the screen with Damian, whose pure heart adds to the film's religious subtext. Newcomer Alex Etel easily carries the movie. Etel's wide-eyed innocence is bound to melt any cynic's heart, but the young thespian truly captures the soul of the character with an acute real- ism. Lewis McGibbon, also a newcomer, gleams with a confident intelligence that overlaps with his character's frustration. Even though it has a PG rating, "Millions" is not a children's movie. Kids may enjoy its visual fancies and find themselves relating to Damian, but there are some moments that may frighten them, and the weighty issues the story deals with are bound to go over their heads. Nonetheless, Boyle can add another solid film to his resume - he has put together a clean, mature character study about unexpected riches and the kindness people hold. -------------- I i E I 1 4 Q ~iW'' --no s ..but can't get out? CALL THE DELIVERY BUTLER! We deliver right to your door from -..... 0 ADV A SPrin9 festiVal of music and dance thursday, april 14. 5-7 pm. .- -.- z q --