The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 5 Dude, she's obviously not into it. Infi ity and beyond ARONOFSKY'S THIRD FEATURE EXPLORES LIFE, DEATH AND DESIRE By CHRISTINA CHOI Daily Arts Writer 0 Death is often mandatory in romantic trage- dies, but "The Fountain's" unique take on its intrica- ***' n cies exceeds the normal The boundaries of a typicallove Fountain story. Through a spiritual and ethereal exploration At the of love literally throughout Showcase and the ages, death becomes a Quality 16 catalyst instead of an end, Warner Bros. spurning an intense and impossible search for a cure for fate. Though it's set in present day, "The Fountain" considers death to be just another curable dis- ease. At least, that's the belief scientist Tommy Creo (Hugh Jackman, "X-Men") clings to as he researches treatments for the brain tumors of pri- mates. The reason for his work is clear - his wife Izzi (Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener") is dying of a brain tumor. Unlike her husband, Izzi remains undaunted by her prognosis, and spends her time writing a book detailing an old Mayan legend about one man's quest to live forever. Despite its beginning as a classic drama of love and loss, "The Fountain" strays wildly from conventional plotlines when Tommy obliges Izzi's request to read her still-unfinished book. Fantasy and reality begin to blend in the story, a transformation so absolute that it becomes nearly impossible to discern the real world from its imaginative counterpart. Tommy becomes Tomas, a 16th-century Spanish conquistador seeking a magical tree that will save the life of his queen (also played by Weisz). He eventually finds the tree only to dis- cover a band of pagans and their fire-wielding chief standing guard. Jackman, perhaps using his "X-Men"-honed skills, then proceeds to fend them off deftly with the prowess of a seasoned warrior. Yet just before his apparent success, he's dealt a mortal wound. But death is never truly the end. Centuries after Izzi's actual death, an older, monk-like Tommy is found drifting in a space capsule toward a golden nebula. With the magical tree in his care, Tommy's only desire is to revive Izzi once he reaches the center of the nebula. Along the way, he's haunted by memories of Izzi and how he constantly chose his research over spending time with her. These reincarnations of Tommy constantly fluctuate in a nonlinear path throughout the film, creating an unsettling displacementof real- ity. It's sometimes impossible to tell which rep- resentation of Tommy is authentic and which is merely a character in Izzi's book. Instead, their collective passion for the woman they love cre- ates a powerful effect that makes it incredibly difficult not to be moved by the fact that Tom- my's sole motivation, regardless of his place in time, is to keep Izzi alive. Yet director Darren Aronofsky ("Requiem for a Dream") doesn't offer any easy answers. While Tommy's research in the present-day world seems promising, the tumors of his test sub- Lessons learned from 'Earl' " m y Name is Earl" problems, but the outcomes lead certainly isn't the to simple lessons that apply every- funniest show where. on television. It's often so sappy Making it right years after the and simplistic that even its few fact, as Earl tries to do, isn't so good jokes are easily overlooked. simple after all. He may have only Still, NBC's hit sitcom, now in its stolen money from a guy to buy sophomore season, is beer, but is returning that among today's most money enough? Aren't the original and surprising- consequences that guy ly introspective shows. suffered Earl's responsi- It sets itself apart from bility too? all its soulless, clueless And is it really payback genre counterparts by if it's done under different highlighting the dif- circumstances? If as a 35- ficulties involved in IMRAN year-old millionaire, you doing even the smallest SYED pay back $5 of a 10-year- bit to affect change. It's old's lunch money you stole often said that crime doesn't pay, decades ago, can we really call it but in "Earl" we see the myriad all even? "Earl" never pontificates structural barriers that ensure - it simply explores such ques- charity and goodwill are equally tions with the humility and sim- as frowned upon and unsung. ple sincerity that anyone who has For those who have yet to fig- ever faced the humbling everyday ure out exactly whose name is of life can relate to. Earl, the show centers on a life- And finally there are the bar- long petty criminal named Earl riers to doing good, probably the Hickey (Jason Lee). Its concept is show's single biggest theme. Why simple: Earl is trying to turn his is it illegal to put change in other life around. From stealing to van- people's parking meters? If some- dalizing to bullying, Earl did just one wants to do such a thing, why about every un-"Sesame Street" thing you could think of Then one day, he wins the lottery, only Trailer-trash to be hit by a car in the midst of his street jubilation. TV has its In the hospital late at night, barely conscious, Earl catches lessons, too a bit of "Last Call with Carson Daily," where Carson explains that his outlook on life is based on should the government stop him? karma. "Do good things," he says, The simple, despicable, yet prag- "and good things will happen to matic truth: If all meters get fed, you." Earl takes this advice to the government issues less park- heart, knowing all too well what ing tickets and loses money. happens when you don't do good But other bureaucratic barriers things. With his faithful and lov- make even less sense. Knowing ably clueless brother Randy at his he committed fraud on his taxes side, Earl embarks on aomission for years, Earl tries to give the to change (save) his life, using government the money he owes by his lottery money to right all the writing a check and taking it to an wrongs he has ever committed, Internal Revenue Service office. all scribbled on a scrap of paper Thanks but no thanks, he's told: residing indefinitely in his shirt The government only takes money pocket. it misses. Even if you committed A sitcom with such a sanitary fraud, it's your right to withhold concept can easily be shallow and that money until compelled to pay lack the subtle touch that makes it back. any good TV show work. But for So the government forces Earl "Earl," the push to do good isn't to remain a criminal even when good enough. Everyone wants he tries to make amends and move to do good; no one walks around on. The perils of a cops-and-rob- saying "I will ignore three people hers justice system, all neatly today, backstab six others, steal packaged into an entertaining 22 a drink from the office fridge minutes. and top it all off by crashing into While pointing out the com- a coworker's car and not leave a plexities of the simple problems of note." But it happens. our lives, "Earl" doesn't shy away "Earl" truly breaks new ground from the simple truth our hectic in its analysis, dissection and lifestyles tend to belittle: No mat- ultimate appraisal of what makes ter the barriers, we can right our good and bad. It is a show of not little parts of the world - if we simply committing a crime or only choose to try. making amends but about the _____________ consequences of both. Its setting - Even if Syed won the lottery, in a rural town is a perfect place he says paying his parking tickets for such a portrayal - people's would beout of the question. E- lives are complex and so are their mail him at galad@mih.edu. LEARN TO LIVE FOREVER The Fountain of Youth. The Tree of Life. The Holy Grail. Whatever you want to call it, Hollywood film- makers have been fascinated with the idea of eternal life for some time. Check out some of its other cin- ematic manifestations: "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989)- Har- rison Ford, in the series's most complex installment, battles Nazis, theforces ofdarkness and his own waningfaithto find the Holy Grail, which will grant eternal life; before the bad guys do. Noone else does it better- especially not with a whip. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"(2001)- Voldemort wants the Sorcerer's Stone. The Sorcerer's Stone brews Elixerof Life, whichgrants the drinker eternal youth, Enter wands, broomsticks andsome adorably prepubescent British actors before theytfound their groove, "Tuck Everlasting"(2002) - Yes, it's Disney, but this cinematic rendition ofta cassic young adult novel hits a few sweetspots in its exploration of young loveand the unfore- seentragedy ofteternal youth. Also, see Rory Gilmore get her Victorian dress on. jects remain unchanged (at least at first). As he faces the unnerving fact that he may not be able to save Izzi, his other selves still fight to defy this. Despite the outcome, the film reminds us that we live in a world outside the realm of sci- ence fiction. Our inevitable fate is made haunt- ingly clear and continues to linger even after the credits roll. Let the holiday exploitation parade begin By KAI QIN For the Daily With the passing of Thanksgiv- ing, it's time for the latest attempt at a Christmas cash-cow. This year it's "Deck the Halls," with * Matthew Broderick Deck the ("The Stepford Halls Wives") as an At the anal-recen- Showcase and tive optom- Quality 16 etrist who 20th Century Fox prides him- self on being the town's unofficial Christmas king. Sure, he may look innocent with his endless supply of sweater-shirt combinations, but with his strict holiday calendar and meticulous planning, Broder- ick's Steven Finch is essentially an obsessive-compulsive mess. That is until Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito, "Be Cool"), a maniacal car salesman, moves into the house next door. The two men quickly develop a love-hate relationship straight out of "The Odd Couple" with their epic feud over seasonal trivialities. When Buddy discovers his house isn't visible from outer space, he embarks on an obsessive mission to build the world's largest Christmas light display - which ruffles Finch's king-of-Christmas feathers. Inane gimmickry,botched physical humor and an hour and a half of sleep-inducing absurdities ensue. Even for the lowered standards of a holiday comedy, "Deck the Halls" completely fails to conjure any laughs. Every joke is recycled, every sight gag contrived. Only the special effects are worth laughs - the green screen has never been more awkward and fake snow so obvious. In the "funniest" scene of the movie, Finch and Hall's daughters dance onstage in front of their unsuspecting fathers toward a punch line so ineffective even comedic veterans like Broderick and DeVito can't squeeze out a drop of humor. The wives of the warring men, Kristin Davis ("Sex and the City") and Kristin Chenoweth ("RV"), are barely given any material to work with, standing around only to con- vince the audience the two male characters have families. The film's only savinggrace turns out to be Buddy's awe-inspiring LED light show. Clearly inspired by Internet videos of real-life Christ- mas lights synchronized to various songs, "Deck the Halls" takes its own display to greater extremes: camels used for horse-dr the win Suc] out ous figui show up can't hel own our and other livestock are "Deck the Halls" is a caricature a live nativity scene, and a of a movie, its release surely the 'awn sleigh further adorns product of economic acumen and ter wonderland. As vari- financial analysis instead of cre- ative ingenuity. What the studio didn't realize is the reason classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A ig tChristmas Story" were successful of the holiday is because they were good movies in the first place, with holiday ico- nography like mistletoes, garlands s o and Christmas trees all secondary to character development and plot progression. By failing at these res like Rudolph and Santa very basic elements of storytelling, on the roof, we simply "Deck the Halls" drains the audi- p but be tempted to put up ence of any spirit, holiday or oth- own holiday decorations. erwise. * Do you advertisewith The Michigan Daily Classified or Display departments? * want to try something new and exciting? * why not also advertise Online with www.michigandaily.com? IPD T rade S how s M Call your online account executive at 734.615.0135for this exciting, new offer and other deais! Integrated Product Development (IPD) Trade Shows Eight teams. Eight products. Jump into the action by casting your vote! Online Trade Show November 22 through November 28, 2006 Location: Online at www.tmi.umich.edu Each team has created a web page to market their product to YOU! Check them out starting 11/22, and then use the easy online form to vote. On-Campus Trade Show Wednesday, November 29, 2006 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Location: Tishman Atrium, CSE Building, North Campus See the actual products and test them out yourself! Catch the competitive buzz and enjoy some snacks while you cruise around the displays. The 2006 product class challenge is: The One-handed Kitchen: A system that facilitates food preparation by people with the use of just one arm or hand. Contact TMI at 734.647.1333 or email tmi.info@umich.edu www.tmi.umich.edu if so,.then apply to be an Online Sales Account Executive with The Michigan Daily! This is a great job with commission pay and an awesome resume builder! I