The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - 5A
Theatrics can't
land Fall Out
Boy on its feet
By JACK PORTER able but memorable cut. "America's
DailyArts Writer Suitehearts" stands out due to its
tightly wound funk groove buffet-
Pop-punk's popularity is wan- ed by angular guitars and a soulful
ing, and Fall Out Boy knows it. tenor vocals a la Maroon S's Adam
So Pete Wentz Levine, but suffers fromstale lines
and company like "I must confess / that I'm in
are trying to love with my own sins."
graduate from Fall Out Bo The obvious winner on the disc
the genre they is lighter-waving "What a Catch,
dominated a few Folie a Deux Donnie." Stump's balladeering
years ago, aban- Island reaches a surprising high on the
doningshipwith track, where he tempers hishyper-
kindred acts like active take on R&B vocal stylings.
Panic at the Disco. The band's new What's most intriguing is how
sound on Folie d Deux is grandiose much the track reveals about the
yet amorphous, filling tracks to band itself; the second half is filled
the brim with theatrical flair and with quotations from its previous
restless experimentation. But-the singles like "Sugar, We're Going
result is an over-stuffed turkey of Down," "Dance, Dance," and "This
an album that's too invested in try- Ain't a Scene, It's a GoddamnArms
ing to please both old fans and new Race." The ease with which these
listeners at the same time. It shows
that Fall Out Boy's real strength is
in wanton teen guitar pop, not the
new arena alt-rock veneer they
strive for here.
One thing hasn't changed: Lead
singer Patrick Stump still revels
in the sound of his own voice. He
savors every impassioned "whoa"
and careless sigh, and his perfor-.
mances have grown ever more
breathless and blustery to match
the album's self-important tone.
The showmanship is to the album's
detriment - Stump drowns out
the cameos that were supposed
to sell the album in the first place.
Where are Pharrell Williams and
Lil' Wayne? Even Elvis Costello is
hard to distinguish from Stump
on his token appearance (he sings
only four lines).
Opening track "Disloyal Order
of Water Buffaloes" sets the stage
with its organ-led intro and melo-
dmimauetic iyra.s like 'n one wants
to hear you sing about tragedy."
Its thunderous chords give way
to lead single "I Don't Care," com-
plete with narcissistic lyrics ("I
don't care what you think /as long
as it's about me") and pentatonic
swagger that make for a predict-
A failed attempt
at maturity.
lines fit together shows a certain
cynicism - Fall Out Boy knows
that, to some extent, its songs are
interchangeable.
Folie d Deux is a curious album
that's stuck between the imma-
ture charm of earlier Fall Out Boy
efforts like From Under the Cork
Tree and an excitable impulse
to strive toward musical adult-
hood. The inclusion of symphonic
strings on "Donnie," the organs
on "Disloyal Order of Water Buf-
faloes" and the horn blasts on "20
Dollar Nose. Bleed" are merely
superficial gestures that suggest
a desire to "grow up." If Stump
developed his R&B melodicism
beyond throw-away recognition
and Wentz came up with a new
bag of lyrical tricks, Fall Out Boy
may become something more
than just a clever joke. That has
vet to happen.
"Nobody move! I'm posing for my commemorative coin."
Landslide victory
Sean Penn's career-defining
performance makes biopic
one of the year's best films
By BLAKE GOBLE
Daily Arts Writer
The obvious film to compare "Milk" with
would probably be "Brokeback Mountain."
Both are mainstream, Focus
Features-produced films that
tout gay issues and aim for
awards. Both present pro- Milk
gressive idealism set against
tumultuous times, and are Atthe
strong, romantic melodra- Michigan
mas. But there's one slight Theatre
difference that makes "Milk" Focus Features
far superior to its ideological
contemporary: "Milk" has
emotion.
Whereas "Brokeback" was an austere and
cold effort, "Milk" is an emotional work that
deserves to endure. A heartfelt story about
human rights and the neglected legacy of
openly gay San Francisco politician Harvey
Milk, "Milk" has a charismatic and affable
main character, an insightful history and a
sense of intimacy seldom seen in typical Oscar
bait.
It's 1970, New York City. Harvey Milk, por-
trayed by the effortless Sean Penn, is 40 years
old and hasn't done much in his life as a silent
cog. But with a middle-aged desire to bloom
and find happiness, Milk decides to flee from
the "machine" and re-establish himself in San
Francisco.
There, Milk becomes the voice of a grass-
roots gay movement. But it's not quick and easy;
he begins as just another small business owner
looking for equal rights and freedom from
harassment. But then Milk starts running for
public office. He runs several times for different
positions before finally getting elected to the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where he
encounters his fellow supervisor, the infamous
Dan White (google the "Twinkie Defense" after
seeing the film.)
Yet "Milk" is never truly about Milk's politi-
cal ups and downs. It's about his infectious
idealism and what he meant for human rights
in the late 1970s. Articulate, passionate and
quite likable, Sean Penn doesn't just play Milk.
Penn embraces him. Milk was about creating a
voice that could be heard and understood, and
by presenting it in a way that anybody could
notice and remember. And with messages like
"never blend in" and "you gotta give 'em hope"
buttressing Milk's cause, it's hard not to fall for
the film.
Milk was a gifted speaker with tremendous
presence. He's incredibly engaging here via
Penn's portrayal. And judging by the film, he
combined the presence of the Obamas with
the charisma of the Clintons. Self-deprecating,
approachable and incredibly bright, Penn gets
everything honorable and admirable about
Milk just right. To watch Penn act here is to see
a performer working at his peak.
"Milk" scores as an accessible biopic thanks
to lyrical camerawork, 1970s historical antiq-
uity and a great supporting cast. Also con-
tributing to the success is the script by new
screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (TV's "Big
Love"). But, overall, Penn and director Gus Van
See MILK, Page 8A
"Man, the bus was supposed to be here four hours ago."
Doubt' divinely, shines
By BLAKE GOBLE
DailyArts Writer
There's something fascinating
about the antiquity and rituals of
churches. They
are stuffy, con- *,**
fusing and kind
of creepy; they Doubt
produce the same
over-arching At Showcase
sensations felt and Quality 16
when watching Miramax
"Doubt."
There are
two reasons to see "Doubt." First,
there's never been such an accu-
rate depiction of Catholic schools
in popular film. Second, "Doubt"
arrives at dueling cultural corner-
stones, setting itself right after the
assassination of John F. Kennedy
and opening now, at a time of Cath-
olic bewilderment.
A minimalist prodding of ideas
realized with great performances,
"Doubt" is a sensationally pro-
vocative film. Based on the award-
winning play by John Patrick
Shanley ('Moonstruck"), "Doubt"
is a series of circumstances, inci-
dents and revelations at a Bronx
Catholic School in the fall of 1964.
At its core, it's about adults in con-
flict ov
may no
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sion tor
'er something that may or When suspicions arise that Don-
t have happened to Donald ald was molested by Flynn, ques-
(newcomer Joseph Foster), a tions and accusations are tossed
African-American student. about by all. But, much like faith
er Flynn (Philip Seymour itself, "Doubt" isn't about finding
an, "Charlie Wilson's War") answers. It's title doesn't mince
w priest at the school with words.
al approach to sermonizing Everyone knows about Catholic
ass and understanding. Still, guilt, but "Doubt" presents a lesser
eres to old-school assump- known trait: Catholic intrusive-
priority over nuns and has a ness. A mix of broad humor and
nt for eerily long nails. deadly serious drama, "Doubt" gets
nwhile, Sister Aloysius its ideas out any way it can. Starting
Streep, "Mamma Mia!") is off as a historical pastiche of maud-
ool's principal and resident lin Catholicism, writer-director
ard nun. Stern, strict and Shanley understands the humor of
ly terrifying to the parish, private schools and their rules.
According to Aloysius, ballpoint
pens are ruining penmanship in
this country and a photo of the
Ln eerie and Pope at the front of class is rever-
ent, as well as a good mock-mirror
nest depiction through which to watch the stu-
of dents. The manners, relating to
the politics of meddling and formality, are fasci-
. natimng because they're so true. For
holic schools. outsiders it's funny and unusual,
but for Catholic school refugees,
it's almost too honest.
But it's the intrusiveness that
ot quite a ruler-swinger, but leads to a series of religious quan-
wers of guilt and accusation daries and tested fights over what
an compensate for her aver- exactly happened to the boy. Did
physical punishment. Flynn do something? Or is Aloysius
over-reacting? The drama, which
shouldn't be elaborated upon too
heavily, is breathtaking. As an audi-
ence member, you can never take
sides or make assunptions because
See DOUBT, Page 8A
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