Wednesday October 19, 2005 arts.michigandaily. com artseditor@michigandaily.com RTS 5A Courtesy of Paramount "Wow! I never knew Spider- man was so limber." Korean ceramic legacy on Display Jenny Flack and Shubra Ohri Daily Arts Writers Visitors can embark on a journey trac- ing the lives of the Korean bourgeois through the longev- _ ity of their pottery. Running up until The Enduring Nov. 6, University of Art of the Michigan Museum Korean Potter of Art exposes visi- tors to 18 centuries Now thru Nov. 6 of Korean culture Free in "The Enduring At the University Art of the Korean of Michigan Potter." The form Museum of Art and function of the pieces, which were gathered and funded by the Hasenkamp and Nam families, are indicative of the change with social context. "The 250 pieces of Korean pottery were carefully collected over time by Bruce Haskenkamp" said Museum edu- cational director Pam Reister. "He sought to build a comprehensive collection that would be ideal for a teaching institution." Hasenkamp sold the pottery collection to the University, each piece reflecting different cultural and societal trends in Korean history from the first to the 19th century. The acquisition of this collec- tion signifies an important addition to the One of the pieces on display at the UMMA. AARON SWICK/ Daily ACTORS TAKE A DETOUR WITH LATEST FILM By Amanda Andrade Daily Arts Writer "Elizabethtown" stars Orlando Bloom. For a fast-fading portion of the female population, that's enough to determine the fate of the movie. That the film screams its resemblance to the superior "Garden State" is forgivable. That it's Elizabethtown about as subtle as Food Network host At Showcase and competent first-time actress Paula and Quality 16 Deen bludgeoning you over the head Paramount with a Kentucky frying pan is inciden- tal. Even the fact that the whole film amounts to a hip soundtrack wrapped in little American flags and bad editing ceases to matter. Women who love Bloom will see this movie. And they won't be disappointed. As Drew Baylor, a bril- liant shoe engineer about to lose his company almost a bil- lion dollars, Bloom is in nearly every scene. After being fired and attempting suicide, Drew gets a call telling him his father is dead. On his way to Kentucky to retrieve the body, Drew meets a perky and persistent flight attendant named Claire (Kirsten Dunst). Sparks fly (in the script anyway) and moody close-ups of the wistful-looking pair ensue. Once in Elizabethtown, Ken., Drew meets his father's extended family. They're lolloping caricatures of simple, value-driven, red-state America, but the accents sure are charming. Between reconnecting with his roots (a whole angle that never sells given that he grew up in Oregon and speaks with a mangled British accent) and his blossoming love affair with the cute blonde, Drew learns that failure and suc- cess mean nothing before the awesome power of life - or little American flags. Of course, because this is a Cameron Crowe film ("Jerry Maguire"), the central theme also serves as the linchpin for any extended piece of dialogue. "You failed," says Dunst vap- idly, shrugging. It's a sweet message, but given that "Eliza- bethtown" is the director's follow-up to the commercial flop "Almost Famous" and the unmitigated awfulness called "Vanilla Sky," let's hope Crowe can take his advice better than he dishes it out. Which is not to say the film is entirely bad. Nobody in the movies today conjures longing (especially the musically spot- lighted variety) quite the way Crowe does. And despite the fact that the film has a good deal of extra fat - including an entire road trip that's as implausible as it is unnecessary - the movie is effective at conveying the wonder and uncertainty of life. Indeed, watching the film is a very pleasant, if rather empty, exercise in Bloom fulfillment. But make no mistake: That's really the reason to watch. Crowe fans are not likely to be impressed, and Dunst gets nowhere near naked. Her female fans should also know that Claire is written as an eccentric accessory to the brooding Bloom, and Dunst does absolutely nothing to give her depth. For his part, Bloom captures the inner turmoil but lacks ener- gy and a convincing speech pattern. Still, at the end of the day, We-Hate-Kirsten websites will magically materialize at the hands of an estrogen-heavy female audience, and Crowe will go back to helming lucra- tive Tom Cruise ventures. "Elizabethtown" is far from a bad film. It's just not a particularly involving one, executed with less subtlety and skill than the talent should have been able to manage. That doesn't mean it's not full of Bloom shots: Bloom in a suit, Bloom in a T-shirt - even Bloom shirtless in one scene. Screw the soundtrack and nostalgic Americana imag- ery. That's how to sell a film. museum's Asian art collection. The collection is divided into three periods, displaying pieces that reflect cultural and aesthetic trends indicative of each respective time. The earliest pieces are characterized by their earthen, unglazed surfaces and unembellished design, demonstrating that their purpose was foremost a pragmatic one. These pieces are notable for their thin and even surfaces, which were difficult to achieve. Visitors should also take special notice of the differing heights of these pieces, as height was an indicator of class status: the taller the piece, the wealthier the owner. The second time period displays pot- tery from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Buddhist values that became prominent in Korea at the time are reflected in these pieces. Korean potters developed a cela- don glaze that remains popular. "Celadon was highly prized in China and Japan and was sought after in this most innovative time" said Reister. These pieces have an austere beauty with a subtle design qual- ity, most notable in their green hue, which ranges from green accented with blue, yellow and even brown. "These pieces are functional in a ritual way," Reister added. Nobility in the court coveted these pieces because of their richly accented glaze. The last time period exhibits pottery from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) when Confucianism came into fashion. Ornate designs featuring animals symbol- izing Confucian values, such as the crane, the symbol of longevity, the crane, reflect this development. These pieces borrow from the Chinese tradition of cobalt blue glazed onto white porcelain pottery. Because the pottery is arranged in a chronological order, it's easy to observe not only the changing features and designs exemplified by these pieces, but also the culture of each period. For instance, the water droppers in the Joseon Dynasty portion give visitors an insight into the life of upper-class Korean males, who were expected to be com- petent in poetry and calligraphy. These whimsical items were used to add water, one drop at a time, to solid ink that was ground against an ink stone to produce the desired consistency. Water droppers were often specifically crafted for indi- viduals as gifts and were prolifically col- lected and traded. The exhibit offers a distinct taste of Korean culture and history that can appeal to both pottery aficionados and those looking to expand their understand- ing of Korean culture and society. MILLER Continued from page 1A He said he chose the piece because he felt it reflected his father's feelings about the role of theater and the artist in American society. Arthur Miller, who was subpoenaed by the House Committee to testify against suspected Communists at a hearing and refused, described in the letter his belief that democracy and art should be reflections of each other. English and Theater Prof. Enoch Brater, a Miller scholar and personal friend, read an original piece titled "A Memory of Many Mondays." It described personal memories of the playwright and experiences of his influence on American theater. Afterward, a video of-Miller's life was presented. It largely chronicled Miller's time at Michigan through photo- graphs and clips of Miller and his friends and colleagues. University Regent Andrea Fischer Newman called the construction of the Arthur Miller Theater "a prominent moment in University of Michigan's rich history." She went on to describe the program's events as a "symbolic panora- ma" of creativity and generosity. The tribute also served to celebrate the fruition of several years of planning. Creativity was brought to the events by a musical performance featuring singer George Shirley who sand an aria from the William Bolcom and lyricist Arnold Weinstein's operatic adaptation of Miller's play "A View from theBridge." The program also included readings from Laurence Goldstein, editor of the "Michigan Quar- terly Review," actress Joan Copeland, Miller's sister, and remarks from several others, including Music Dean Christopher Kendall and Charles R. Walgreen, the grand- son of Charles R. Walgreen Jr. University of Michigan Law School 2005 Dean's Special Lecture Member of the WTO Appellate Body LUIZ OLAVO BAPTISTAbt Facts and Rules ks in the WTO October 20, 2005 n t 1s:0pm ,m- ~ O 4:00 pt~m. Room 120 Hutchins Hall University of Michigan Law School f 625 South State Streets a ,k Freadopen to the pubic °n'k3'bhin aa" y aw 3 R' 3 '< For more information contact: Stephanie Wiederhold 734.764.0535 Tell about: I Kant Now You Kant Discover the new and exciting way to find all of the information vn i rte~tA 4fnr r't r~rc