8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 ARTS 9 Courtesy OT ne Weinstein Company "You're weird looking." Frilly comedy bares all, mildly entertains By Christina Choi For the Daily While tactfully bypassing the potential trauma of a disrobed Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Mrs. Henderson Presents" is a Presents tasteful take on nudity in At the Showcase high society, The Weinstein Company interjecting welcome fluffiness into the otherwise- dismal World War II era. The film's namesake (Judi Dench, "Pride & Prejudice," who recently earned an Oscar nod for her role) is a not-so-mournful widow searching for a hobby to complement her newly single life. She stumbles upon the rundown Windmill Theatre and hires astute gentleman Vivian Van Damm (Bob Hoskins, "Beyond the Sea") to transform it into a stage for continuous musicals, the likes of which were previ- ously unheard of in European society. A clever publicity stunt - the inclu- sion of nude female actors into the show - comes as a sudden revelation to Mrs. Henderson, though she offers a flimsy rationale for it later. Whatever the case, "Revudeville" becomes a hit with hormone-driven soldiers while skillfully providing a backdrop for the film's unexpected relationships. The catch: The theater is forbid- den from having naked bits running amuck on the stage and must instead find ways to showcase them "artisti- cally," meaning without movement. Aside from the obligatory scene involving old men and their titter- inducing willies, the British film- makers handle nudity well, and the resulting musical numbers are both charming and charismatic. The songs effortlessly smooth the transitions from stage to reality with an infec- tious beat. Despite the profligate nudity, the film's unusual relationships are at its core. As an immature socialite, Mrs. Henderson is a formidable match for the gruff Mr. Van Damm. While her wit is best appreciated by an older audience, their cheeky interactions are reminiscent of third-grade antics without the hairpulling, which is for- tunate for the aging Dench. Their name-calling lends cre- dence to the scene where Mr. Van Damm strands Mrs. Henderson atop a high cabinet in his office with no way down. It's absurd, yes, but also strangely fitting for a woman who delights in shocking court officials by calling a woman's "midlands" by their less euphemistic name. Another novel relationship in the film originally appears to be a love story between a beautiful actress, Maureen (Kelly Reilly, "Pride & Prejudice"), and a sweet-faced sol- dier. But appearances prove deceiv- ing when he sleeps with her and then announces he has a girlfriend. The audience will get a dark satisfaction from perfect Maureen's decidedly imperfect ending. While the film connects with the ongoing war in some respects, its main focus (as well as "Revudeville" itself) is entertainment. The use of archival footage of the London bomb- ings seems too-contrived and out of sync. The effect is jarring in an oth- erwise lighthearted film that shows pleasure as a universal and transcen- dent human need, even in the dreariest moments of war. Is it strange that we hear R. Kelly when we see this? JUST A BIT OUTSIDE FIRST-EVER NCAA BASEBALL GAME MOST REALISTIC TO DATE By H. Jose Bosch Daily Arts Writer Sports is an industry, a seemingly omnipres- ent fact of life - even when it comes to sports video games. After EA Sports was shut out of the Major League Baseball game market by 2K Sports, the video-game giant refused to sit out a season. Instead, EA Sports released the very first NCAA baseball game, "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball." Gainers will have plenty of time to pave their own road to Omaha before Opening Day at the Fish. The highlights of the release are the new throwing and hitting systems introduced by EA Sports. The unique load-and-fire hitting sys- tem will likely raise the bar for baseball games. Much like the swing system in "Tiger Woods Golf," a player must push the right analog stick down to make the batter load, then push the stick up to swing the bat. Players can also use the right analog stick for throwing the ball. All you have to do is press and hold the stick in the direction of their desired throw, and then release to let the ball fly. Both new systems make the game much more realistic than previous baseball titles. The load- and-swing system forces players not only to time pitches like a real hitter does, but also to identify whether a pitch is going to be inside or outside. The throwing system makes players concentrate more on throws to first base than they did in the past when they only had to press a button. The two new features are a welcome change for hardcore baseball realists, but they can be incredibly frustrating for the casual gamer. Even after a month in dynasty mode, it's possible to be stuck in a 1-0 pitchers' duel against the worst teams. The good news is that MVP allows you to change the settings and revert back to last sea- son's precision-swing system and the good old- fashioned button-pushing for all throws. Along with the NCAA title, MVP will also feature the exhilarating chase to Rosenblatt Sta-' dium in Omaha. The dynasty mode - like most college-sports titles - allows gamers to become the head coach at any of the featured colleges and guide their team through a grueling regular- season and conference-tournament schedule. Along the way you can collect upgrades for your school by completing various challenges, such as hitting over a certain batting average during a series or committing zero errors in a weekend. Upgrades like a new practice field might mean the difference between signing that blue-chip recruit and the biochem major who just hap- pened to play ball in high school. The in-season recruiting isn't as in-depth as EA's NCAA Football, but it's very realistic. Prospects aren't available for recruitment unless team coaches are at certain level. The more wins, the higher the coaches' level becomes and the better recruiting classes will be. Once again, EA came through in the actual game play. The company obviously knows a good thing when it sees it, since graphics have hardly changed since last season's MVP title. But with plenty of new player mannerisms, from the way a hitter overzealously takes a pitch to the way a pitcher shrugs his shoulders before he sets, EA Sports is only one crotch-grab away from capturing a true ballplayer. Among the game's missteps is its commen- tary: ESPN announcer Mike Patrick and color man Kyle Peterson's play-by-play turns into a repetitive conversation reminiscent of pro- longed interaction with your grandparents. It'll make you want to tear your eyes out. And as anyone who's been at a Sunday after- noon game at the Fish knows, the game's atmo- sphere is often unrealistic. There's rarely more than a couple thousand at a typical game, whereas in NCAA's stadium, regardless of whether it's at a cornfield or a Big 12 school, sounds like a major league stadium. Rosenblatt Stadium in June has that feel. Northwestern in February doesn't. Still, while MVP 06 NCAA Baseball might not be the big leagues, it plays well, just as good as last season's MVP 05. For those who prefer the ping of an aluminum bat to the crack of wood, EA's latest is one for the majors. I I I DAIL.Y ARTS. WE WISH WE KNEW ' V ToQWTYOU STUDY ABROAD SEVILLA, SPAIN "The only place in Europe that merges Roman, Jewish and Moorish culture with a young and exciting University town, a Mediterranean diet and the perfect weather" UW - PLATTEVILLE / SPANISH-AMERICAN INSTITUTE "In 1984 the Spanish-American Institute of Seville, Spain and the Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville began a relationship that has now lasted for over 21 years and created one of the finest study abroad programs in the world according to The Students Guide to the Best Study Abroad Programs" * Classes taught in English and Spanish * Homestay with Spanish families * 24 hours staff on call - your safety and wellbeing - our number one concern * Daily culture visits - weekend trips available * Intercambio program * Price - $ 7,895 for WI/MN residents -- $ 8,495 for non-residents "Choose the sun drenched, exciting University town of Sevilla A, REC SPORTS INTRAMURAL 9 The University of Michigan Department of Recreational Sports Intramural Sports Program www.recsports.umich.edu 734-763-3562 REC SPORTS INTRAM4URAL S I Entry Deadline: Wed, 2/8 4:30 PM IM Buildine Entry Fee: $9.00 - doubles team $5.00 - individual Tournament Date: Sat, 2/11 sports Coliseum Entes &oD taken online Table Tennis S & D -. Entry Deadline: Wed, 2/15 4:30 PM IM Building Entry Fee: $35.00 per team Manager's Meeting: MANDATORY Thurs, 2/16 6:00 PM IM Building Tournament Dates: Entries also Sat, 2/18-Sun, 219 taken online IM Building Pre-Season Volleyball 0I i I Entries cdue: Mom, 02/20 4:30 PM IM Building 11 K . . - i_ . -.. . A,. .. .. -. . Entries taken: Mon, 2/20 ONLY 11:00 AM - 4:304PM IM Building Entry Fee: $90.00 per team Manager's Meeting: MANDATORY Wed, 2/22 6:00 PM IM Building Entries also taken online Entry Fee: $30.00 per team Meet Date: Tues, 2/21 Indoor Track Building Play begins: Mon, 3/6 IM Building Volleyball Relays Meet 1I 11 I