Thursday January 5, 2006 arts. michigandaily. com artspage@michigandaily. com Rbe WtSiigan Baili 8A ITIEAELNIIY' 'MOUNTAIN LEDGER DRIVES LEE'S HAUNTING MASTERPIECE By Jeffrey Bloomer Daily Film Editor FitM R EV1EW 90 Courtesy of Cash Money Don't ask what the tear tattoos are for. When Ennis and Jack first meet, they won't even speak to each other. They wait for the owner of a sheep ranch, anticipating his return so Brokeback they can ask for whatever Mountain work he has to offer in the outback of Wyoming, circa At the Michigan 1963. Even when they are Theater and hired to work together, they Showcase only slowly become friends Focus until one freezing night in the mountains. When they can't help but share a tent, they confuse and frighten each other by having sex. They would surprise us, too, but "Brokeback Mountain" has long since been pigeonholed as the "gay cowboy movie," a distinction that would be as disturbing to the characters as it will be to audiences who see the film and expe- rience its searching, tender, almost tragic story of love and loss. The film, expanded from the famous Anne Proloux short story, is headlined by two rela- tively big-name stars - Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal - who step over the potential for controversy and completely immerse them- selves in their roles. The frankness with which the film deals with its same-sex romance (and, yes, graphic sex) demands not only the respect of the audience but also its undivided atten- tion. There is scarcely a moment where view- ers' preconceived notions can play out because the romance's onscreen intensity always feels so urgent. But then again, so does the entire film. Direct- ed by Ang Lee, the Taiwan-born great who pre- viously delved into genre filmmaking with such Wayne finds mature grooves on Carter' By Anthony Baber Daily Arts Writer Courtesy of Focus "I'm glad we decided not to hike to Baby-Got-Back Mountain." modern touchstones as "Sense and Sensibility," sees "Brokeback Mountain" as a classic Ameri- can western, casually brooding and always visu- ally breathtaking. Lee develops the love story in much the same way: No issue is made of sexuality other than the way it affects the characters, as their clan- destine romance survives two long decades and both men's marriages even while their constant separation slowly chips away at them until they finally can't take it. The remarkable thing about the film is that Lee constructs it very much as a product of these two genres - the western and the sweep- ing period romance - and has no qualms about its deviation from their conventional terms. This is brilliantly crafted work, without question one of the best movies of the year. This would amount to little, of course, if the stars weren't up for their roles. As Ennis Del Marr, the film's aching backbone, Ledger deliv- ers the performance of his career. The actor, otherwise best known for roles as tween heart- throbs in films like "A Knight's Tale," renders a performance so mesmerizing and haunting that it dominates the film. Gyllenhaal doesn't always follow through in the final act but still shows the work of a thoughtful and skilled perform- er. As the men's wives, Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Diaries") and especially Michelle Williams (TV's "Dawson's Creek") are honest, simple and powerful, aware of their husbands' secret to varying degrees but always sensing the emotional distance. "Brokeback Mountain" ends with a tinge of hope, but the film is really about loss in more complex terms than you might expect. The men live in a time when their love was dangerous; they don't understand it and they don't want to, but they can't escape it. I have no idea whether the film has the power to change minds as its early champions have claimed. But I do know that it's moving and provocative, and audacious enough to follow through with its convictions without the slightest hint of hesitation. This is a new Hollywood classic in a very traditional sense, the sort of film with images that will forever ingrain themselves in the industry's cre- ative imagination if only for the subtle revolu- tion they represent. Lil' Wayne has come a long way since he first came onto the scene at age 16 in 1999 with the Hot Boyz on Cash Money. Of course, by being a mem- ber of Cash Money Records, his songs were recorded with Lii' Wayne Tha Carter I1 Cash Money other artists on the label (Juvenile, etc.) who rapped about being surreally iced-out. No one took him seriously in the context of these hood moguls, but Wayne wouldn't be held down. Determined to be seen as more than just another Southern rapper, he released Tha Carter in 2004 that featured a hidden side of his talent and looks to go further with the sequel, Tha Carter, Vol.I. Weezy returns like a warrior: long dreadlocks, no shirt and a chest covered with tattoos. Trying to separate himself from the everyday Southern rapper, he comes with a new slice of production: Instead of Jazze Pha and Mannie Fresh beats, he has tracks by Heatmakerz and other East Coast heavy-hitters. The most uniquely produced song is "Shooter," a jazz-funk feel of deep bass and electric piano. Like almost every other rapper who moves units, he has found 101 dif- ferent ways to symbolize drug-dealing, but includes more reasons and human- izes his swagger. In "Hustla Musik" he leads the cho- rus with "Baby you gotta know that I'm just out here doing what I gotta do for me and you." He's matured into a strong, determined and powerful rapper who isn't afraid to reinvent himself. Although he makes a vast improve- ment here, he hasn't perfected his flow yet. He makes an artistic statement with his new range of production, but his narrative ability seems a bit hackneyed and in some cases it's the melody that saves the song. Lil' Wayne is lacking his early, scrappy charisma and tries for a mood that doesn't completely fit him yet. Still, he's come a long way from youth. He took some chances, made some mistakes and now is emerging as a full, adult artist. The boy has become a man before our eyes and ears. I Fun in short supply wit Jane' By Mary Kate Varnau Daily Arts Writer New 'Producers' doesn't translate _K The 20-something, moviegoing crowd had an epiphany last year. When "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" premiered, we learned two things about Jim Carrey: the typically goofy actor could handle a serious role, and Fun with Dick and Jane At the Showcase and Quality 16 Columbia Courtesy of Columbia Watching your own crappy movie at a theater requires a special disguise. Jim Carrey might actually be hot. Many of his new fans poured into the theaters over the holiday to feed their blossoming crushes, and instead ended up crushed because "Fun with Dick and Jane" is nothing more than a fluffy and unimaginative film. Sure, Carrey is attractive, but the 90 minute movie feels as if it will never end and inspires none of the classic "Dumb and Dumber" or "Ace Ventura" laugh- until-you-choke moments. The film focuses on a family of three. Dick Harper (Carrey) is promoted to Vice President of Communications the day before his company faces an Enron- esque crash. He and his wife, Jane (Tea Leoni, "Spanglish"), sell their belong- ings after months of unemployment, finally resorting to thievery in order to pay the bills. One problem with the film is the way it's been promoted.The audience comes in expecting a rip-roaring, slapstick comedy about the criminal exploits of the Harper couple. But the film takes too long to get to that point. The first half follows Dick and Jane through the loss of their jobs, the beginning of the financial crisis, then the slow - and slow is putting it mildly - descent into crime. When the narrative finally meanders its way to the robbery scenes, they are too brief and already featured in the trailers. The film is not altogether dull, but the humorous moments are forgettable at best. Carrey is charming and goofy, as usual. Leoni delivers a funnier (and sexier) performance than you might think. But there isn't a lot of chemistry between the characters - comedic or otherwise. The audience hoping at least for a flash of PG-13 nudity from the dually quirky, attractive leads, will be disappointed. Ultimately, the film is merely pass- able holiday fare. The plot is mildly interesting. The main characters are intermittently amusing. There isn't any- thing overtly objectionable about "Fun with Dick and Jane," it's just not all that worth watching. By Zach Borden Daily Arts Writer After becoming a Tony-winning, box-office behemoth on Broadway nearly five years ago, it was only a matter of time before the musical version of "The Producers" made the jump back to its original form: a broad, big- screen comedy. And given how much a sensa- The Producers tion "The Producers" was when it debuted on the Great White Way, At the Showcase it would only make sense to bring and Quality 16 along most of the show's primary Universal talents for the jump to celluloid. Unfortunately, devoid of the stage, even all the right players can't recapture the magic of the theater. The film follows Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane), once one of the most successful Broadway producers around, but, after a string of misfires, has his dreams of becom- ing rich all but shattered. But the timid accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) pays Max a visit and suggests that a producer can make more money with a flop than a hit, Max and Leo conspire to produce the worst musical ever, "Springtime For Hitler" - written by a Nazi (Will Ferrell). Yet problems arise fast when their musical becomes an unexpected success, and their curvy Swedish secretary (Uma Thurman) causes ten- sion between the duo. The film's success hinges on director Susan Stroman ("Center Stage"), who was instrumental to the actual musical's success. But Stroman is limited in her theatri- cal background and appears oblivious to the differences between film and stage in visual representation and act- ing. She seems content to overuse close-ups and direct most of the film on a few bland sets rather than think- ing bigger and utilizing more locations. The movie also takes time to gather comedic momentum and allow the narrative to flow. Compensating a little for Stroman's disappointing direction are the performances. Wisely, much of the original Broadway cast returns. Lane's bawdy and ram- bunctious Bialystock and Broderick's nebbish Bloom have plenty of charm, but their chemistry - while Courtesy of Universal It costs a little more for two of you. enjoyable - doesn't have the same magnetism it did on the stage. Also reprising their stage roles are screen newcomer Gary Beach and Roger Bart ("The Stepford Wives"), both of whom offer pitch-perfect comic tim- ing and show complete ease on camera. Most surprising, however, are the two established stars who steal the movie from the show's veterans. Thurman, as secretary Ulla, nails the loopy accent and plays well off Broderick and Lane, while Will Ferrell - Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind - is a hoot. Ferrell's is outlandish, but his mannerisms and comedic prow- ess create a force that rivals even Lane in sheer comic lunacy. While "The Producers" is passable as a film, it pales in comparison to its stage version. Sadly, "The Produc- ers" joins the ranks of recent movie-musical disappoint- ments ("Rent," "The Phantom Of The Opera") and begs the question if "Chicago" - which promised the revival of a genre so long pronounced dead - was merely a fluke after all. DAILY ARTS 2006. CAN'T STOP. WoN'T STOP. BAD BOY. Registration now open! 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