8A -- Wednesday, January 2S, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4 TV REVIEW FX comedynot super The film to premiere at the Michigan, "For a Good Time, Call ...," is geared toward college-age audiences. Sundance return A2 will be premiere location for 'For a Good Time, Call...' By ADITI MISHRA DailyArts Writer "Third time's the charm," said Michigan Theater director * Drew Waller about hosting Sun- K dance USA for the third year in a row, echoing the excitement and anticipation within one of Ann Arbor's characteristic establish- ments. The Michigan Theater stands amid central Ann Arbor as a remnant of the glorious "good s old days" of American cinema, - acknowledging and featuring of smaller-budget independent productions that often tend to be far more competent and master- ful than their blockbuster coun- terparts. It seems a natural fit for Sundance, which shares the mutual goal of promoting inde- pendent talent.' Sundance's Senior Program- mer David Courier discussed the strong relationship that the fes- tival and Ann Arbor have built over the past three years. . "(Michigan Theater CEO and Executive Director) Russ Collins is the greatest, and Michigan Theater has been remarkable. This has been a very, very happy partnership. Ann Arbor was a no-brainer for us," Courier said. For the Michigan Theater, the collaboration is the perfect opportunity to attract new the- atergoers. "We're hoping people under- stand that they're not only going to get the quality experience of being at the Michigan Theater, but also have that great, added bonus of watching a Sundance movie," Waller said. "For those who are new to being a part'of the Michigan Theater, it'll be a great introduction. Everybody's going to be laughing, and why not be in a shared experience like that?" Ann Arborites aren't the only ones who have something to gain from this event. "For filmmakers, it's an opportunity to connect with growing audiences in local com- munities," Courier explained. Sundance will be premiering "For a Good Time, Call..." in Ann Arbor tomorrow night. In atten- dance will be first-time director Jamie Travis, screenwriter and co-star Lauren Miller ("50/50"), and supporting actor and 'U' alum James Wolk ("You Again"). The theater had no idea what they would be showing when they were re-selected this year for participation in Sundance. "This is a year for female comedies. ("For a Good Time, Call...") is about two friends who are enemies in college and end up becoming friends after. It's definitely going to relate to a col- lege town. It's a sexy, raunchy, female-driven comedy," Courier said. "This film was selected because it will be a crowd-pleas- er," Waller added. "Sundance knows that even though we're one of the smallest cities select- ed, we're the largest venue. They want to make sure the film they give us is going to have every- body walking out saying 'That was fantastic!'" As one of the larger Sundance venues, the Michigan Theater is trying to fill 1,700 seats for an independent movie in Ann Arbor, a relatively small city. Some of the other cities selected include Los Angeles and New York - veteran cities for orga- nizing film festivals that should have no problem finding an audience for whatever movie set to premiere. But Waller is confi- dent the theater will rise to the challenge. "Ann Arbor, though it is a smaller community, has a very smart collective of people," Waller said. "They get it, they understand art, and they come to us. We're able to present this as the thing you need to go to, so that's really worked in our favor. The obstacle, if you'd call it one, is getting people of all ages to know that they need to come to this." Waller also said that this year's premiere appeals to one large part of Ann Arbor's popu- lation: its students, members of a generation that he believes will most appreciate everything "For a Good Time, Call..." has to offer. "The people behind this film are them," he explained. "If they _ came and watched this film, the students would recognize that the actors are their age, the screenwriters are their age and the directors are their age. They're going to perceive this in a completely different way than some of our older mem- bers. They're going to respect it because it was done on a shoe- string budget and, you know, anybody can do this." By BRIANNE JOHNSON Daily Arts Writer While the parents are away, the teens will play - or, if you're 15-year-olds Gary and Joel, mas- ter the art of smoking as the clock ticks down to the defin- Unsupervised ing moment Pilot of your awk- Thursdays at ward, ado- 10:30 p.m. lescent lives: your first FX house party (actual girls included). Combin- ing cluelessness and longing with the relentless search for popular- ity, FX's newest animated series, "Unsupervised," spotlights TV's most under-represented out- casts: the "dirty kids." The grimy, arm-cast-sniffing kids, the ones whose hand-me- down Hanes deteriorate with the slightest contact to any substance cleaner than ball sweat - those kids. But Gary and Joel aren't those kids. Everyone just seems to think so. Gary (Justin Long, "Live Free or Die Hard"), a frizzy, min- iature Weird Al Yankovic and self-taught laundry connoisseur, is the man of the house and self- taught laundry connoisseur. Free from the supervision of a flighty dad and bar-hopping stepmother, Gary only has his best friend Joel (David Hornsby, "Pearl Harbor"), freckled and squeakier than a pre-pubescent Justin Bieber. Yearning for the sexually active lives of their fellow students, Gary and Joel navigate their way around boobs, boners and bed- room decor (scorpion poster? Total Aphrodisiac). But as the two soon discover - between inter- vals of celebratory dance and the imparted wisdom of a kangaroo- romancing neighbor - the key to acceptance is merely being true to oneself, for "a man's skin is the only outfit he has. He might as well be The their o inexpe inabilit boyish gerous bear absent of the They'r ed cou head, dudes for late one ha other). comfortable in it." macho pride is "aww"-inspiring, charm of Gary and Joel is gripping the sympathy of 'the :bvious naivety and air of viewer in a way Bart Simpson rience - and their utter never could. ty to escape it. In their Unsurprisingly, "Unsuper- love for ninjas and dan- vised" serves more sympathy than contraptions, the two humor. The show seems to suffer an innocence strikingly from a comedic identity crisis: It's in recentmediaportrayals not cringingly raunchy, it runs stereotypical teenage boy. low on TV's default offensive ste- e neither the bone-head- reotypes, it doesn't smother the sins to Beavis and Butt- audience with social satire and it nor the porn-mongering doesn't even attempt to emulate strapped into a headset sharp wit or dark humor. Rather, e-night gaming (Slurpee in "Unsupervised" coasts on the :nd, Jergen's lotion in the characters'cluelessness; Gary and Joel are not too smart, but not too stupid. Unfortunately, they're not "too" anything. Anim ation The episode drags for 30 min- utes, never achieving a satisfying sn't alw' as climax. It's uninspired artistical- Y ly and comedically - a frustrat- animated. ing disappointment for such a strong cast of voice actors, from the uninhibited Hornsby to Fred Armisen ("Saturday Night Live") rwhelmed by his own as Gary's-wistful, overprotective into teenagedom, Joel 'neighbor. 'wishes to retreat back into Like its teenage protagonists, efore drugs and drinking. "Unsupervised" is still finding nsistently displays slips of itself. As likeable as the charac- nt excitement, vehement- ters may be, Gary and Joel are ng a car to "Yo, growl it! not enough to run a household or the engine!" The lack of carry a show. FX "Freaks and Geeks" walks into the Danger Zone. 0 S 1: Ove foray openly a life b He cot innoce ly urgi Growl 0 " CONCERT PREVIEW 'U' symphony to perform ageless pieces By LAURA KAYE DailyArts Writer It often seems that popular aspects of our culture will last forever: ripped jeans, Ugg boots, Lady Gaga. But in truth, only a few cultural UliVerSity aspects are Symphony long-lasting. Among those Orchestra aspects, classi- Tonight at cal music must 8p.m. be included. Tonight at Hill Auditorium Hill Auditori- Free um, the Michi- gan community will have an opportunity to enjoy a timeless experience first-hand, as the University Symphony Orchestra presents its first con- cert of the new year. The highly acclaimed group is in the top echelon of student orchestras in the country and consists of individuals who hope to play, teach or compose music profes- sionally. As a selective, audition- based group composed mainly of music majors, the orchestra has won many national awards and performed at Carnegie Hall. At tonight's upcoming con- cert, the main piece that will be play written Danish Kennei versity of con this pi guishat a mess desire lenges. and op pani bt torious Lac Ra The form Concert on the ate Siy annual atre & tition. this po for sym form. Kies' red is "Symphony No. 4," works that have stood the test of n during WWI by the time for the performance. For the i composer Carl Nielsen. group's next concert, in February, thKiesler, director of Uni- the orchestra will be performing orchestras and professor new works developed by Univer- ducting, explained how sity composers. Therefore, for the ece, named the "Inextin- concert tonight, Kiesler wanted ble Symphony," expresses the students in the group and the age of "inextinguishable" audience to experience world- to surmount any chal- renowned pieces. The song is melodious "We do a variety of music timistic, featuring a tym- during the year. We do old attle and ending on a vic- music and new music, music and triumphant note. from different countries and by different composers, (includ- ing) standards like Beethoven dy Ga a ill and Tchaikovsky and Shubert," Kiesler said. "We'll also do wer rplacemusic by Gershwin or Bern- re lc stein, and tn this case we are chmaninoff. doing Russian Romantic music from the Romantic era. We are doing pieces that are technically demanding but also very beauti- orchestra will also per- ful for the audience to hear." Rachmaninoff's "Piano One of the most essential ele- to No. 2," accompanied ments of a performance is for the piano by MT&D gradu- music to connect the audience uan Li, the winner of the and the musicians, enabling the School of Music, The- audience to transcend popular Dance concerto compe- music and revel in the classics. Kiesler mentioned that "The music doesn't exist only opular piece is a classic for itself, it communicates some- tphony orchestras to per- thing," Kiesler said. "After all, it is the greatest creation of the. ler said he chose eminent human spirit." "I am your TV boyfriend. Unhealthy TV courtship By ANNA SADOVSKAYA Ihave to watch the episode. Any- flopper. You don't want to be a Daily Fine Arts Editor one who is actively involved with flip-flopper. a series understands when I say So instead of facing the pos- To those who survive without I cannot skip an episode. I can't sibility of being a "sometimes weekly doses of "Modern Family" miss a week and continue with watcher," I methodically go and late-night "Mad Men" Net- the storyline the next Monday. through the list of shows I've flix binges: I envy you. You who It's not that I would be complete- stockpiled for this season and have uttered "I don't really watch ly lost - I would be able to pick watch them weekly - albeit, on TV": I admire you. You are not up the pieces within minutes - occasion, later than their air date. tied down by your obligations to but my commitment to the show I spend hours each week stress- television - you are free, without would be. ing about shows I have yet to binding compulsions to tune in. watch and episodes I've yetto see. I envy and admire you because Since television has become such that's how I feel whenever I take TV h a social experience, and everyone on another TV show. has US asks one another about their TV I feel like my ever-growing list ' habits, I feel like I have to hide of storylines and plot twists has c g n a from my friends whenever I miss become another schedule to fol- 'Breaking Bad' a particularly promising airing. low, rather than an indulgence. Ba I can't possibly explain to them I sneak in time between organic romance. (again) that I couldn't watch chemistry lectures, jamming as because, well ... my real life got in much of an episode I can into my the way. measly half-hour break. I stay This relationship, like many up far later than I can willingly Whenever you begin watch- others, is destined to fail. The admit, catching up on shows I've ing a new series, it's like a new romance is draining. It's not missed. "What about sleep?" my relationship: You tell the show me, television - it's you. It's body wonders. "Right after S find you'll see it every week and you your addicting, needy ways that out who 'A' is!" my mind snaps make the effort to be interested debilitate me and turn me into back. in what it offers. You slowly an episode-watching zombie. Nothing about the experi- unravel every twist and turn of This relationship will have to ence is relaxing, unwinding or the story, fall in love with a main end because I'm tired of worry- sane. It feels ritualistic and all- character, and suddenly, you ing about the TV I watch rather consuming - instead of enjoying can't imagine your life without than enjoying it. Unfortunately, the creative outlet TV provides, the series. By cheating and skip- I've just added another TV show I spend the time worrying about ping a few episodes here and to my schedule, and until the day being late for class or falling there, you' feel like a phony, a of parting comes, I'll be in my asleep before I reach the end of fake. You're not a truly devoted room, finishing the pilot episode the episode. But there's the catch: fan any more, but rather a flip- of "Alcatraz."