P ARTS "We're going to use 'Jurassic Park' as a blueprint for 'The Flintstones' with a vengance." - Keith Isaac, VP-International for MCA/ Universal on why everyone will be drowning in John Goodman's face for the next year. Crystal not 'Slick' Sequel steps in something nasty S OK Corral in Mich b Lawrence Kasdan, years before "The B e University. His latest film, "Wyatt Earl ad Michigan Theater on Sunday at 5:00. T Michigan Theater and the U of M Proi ae, why the general admission tickets are $ can one ever really pay too much to see the with Summer Fest isle: ev- De- nly at. By Micah Berryhill It's that time of year again when the Ann Arbor Summer Festival rides into town for three weeks of spec- tacular performances, outstanding outdoor movies, fabulous food booths, and a free (yes, free) concert that is sure to be a hit. This season (June 17-July 10), beginning Friday with the season kick- off party, marks the 11th year of the Summer Festival/Top of the Park and promises to have something for every- one. The festival began in 1984 and fo- cused mainly on classical music and theater programming. The idea of the festival in Ann Arbor came from Eu- geneB. Power.AccordingtoKatherine Funk, this season's Summer Festival director, Power was tired of driving past the Power Center and seeing it dark (which means empty in theatrical terms).Fromthat,heandotherfounders organized Ann Arbor's first festival. It has been a success ever since. But this year's theme will stray a little from the classical mode and into a culturally diverse and multi-faceted array of programs. The festival pre- sents a wide range of talented per- formers including country music leg- end Willie Nelson and Family, Rob- ert Cray Blues Band, stand-up come- dian Paula Poundstone, the Paul Tayor Dance Company and many, many more. All performances will take place in the Power Center for the Perform- ing Arts at 8 unless otherwise noted. Funk purposely chose diverse per- formers to feature new as well as staid standards. This way it involves and pleases a wider audience because the festival is not focused on one major By Rich Singer "City Slickers" was such an excep- tional film, a high point in Billy Crystal's illustrious career, that any- one who thinks that such brilliance can be replicated in a sequel would have to }t}City Slickers 2 Directed by Paul gan Weiland; written by Billy ig Chill" or "Body Heat," was at the Crystal, Babaloo Mandel p," is making its Michigan debut at the and Lowell Ganz; with Billy the showing is a benefit for the Crystal and Jack Palance gram in Film/Video Studies. That's 15. But hey, it's for a good cause, and be mad. That was what came to mind Keinhaving watched the movie. Not that " "City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly's ival hits tow n Gold"isabadmovie.It'sjustnotgood. Mitch Robbins (Crystal) is the theme. owner of a talk radio station in New Adjacent to the Power Center per- York City who commutes from his formances will be the Top of the Park, new home in the country. See, in the which is another major festival activ- first movie he learned an important ity. Concerts by area musicians are lesson, probably the only lesson that presented nightly and you can enjoy a one really needs to learn. That lesson is bite to eat while watching movies the secret to life. Confused, depressed, outdoors Sundays through Wednes- and going through a mid-life crisis, days. Mitch was dragged by his buddies, Phil Other activities are offered during and Ed (played respectively by Daniel the Summer Festival which include Stern and Bruno Kirby), to the Wild workshops, lectures and danceclasses. West to take part in a cattle drive, Not only can you have fun watching where they met Curly (Jack Palance), these many talents, but you can also an old, weathered cowboy in the clas- become a participant as well. sic tradition. Curly had a profound ef- There are also some special pre- fect on Mitch by filling him in on the sentations made for children on Sun- secret to life. days - Gemini and Friends, The Mitch, having learned the lesson, is Firebird and The Great Dinosaur now happy and incontrol of hislife. He Mystery. no longer lives in the miserable city and The festival attracts up to 90,000 no longer works at his miserable job. people from a wide area around south- The film opens up on his 40th birthday eastern Michigan and surrounding and he isn't even fazed. In fact, he's states and approximately 2,000 to lookingforwardtoit. HetriesonCurly's 4,000 people attend the Top of the hat while receiving his birthday conju- Park activities. And you thought Ann gal from his wife and feels something Arbor was only busy during the school inside the lining: a treasure map. year. This is definitely the time and And that's where the fun begins. the place to meet new people. Kind of. Not an extraordinary amount This three-week-long fun fantasy is of fun. The jokes are thin and too few in put on by a non-profit organization. number and the plot relies on an im- Money received from ticket sales plausible series of coincidences that cover less than half of the festival's make the story a little too hard to be- operating expenses. The main sup- lieve. port comes from contributions from Bruno Kirby sat this one out. To ordinary people and must continue replacehisvoid,JonLovitzwasbrought for the festival to be an annual Ann intoplay Mitch'sne'er-do-wellbrother, Arbor event. Glenn. His performance is adequate This 1994 Summer Festival season but his whining tends to become ingra- is dedicated to the memory of Power, tiating after two hours plus. His talents whodiedlastDecember.AlthoughAnn are better left to more cameo length Arbor has lost a very important and appearances like that in "A League of influential man, his founding vision Their Own." Billy Crystal and Daniel will continue. Stern are pleasant in their roles but the lack of witty lines cause their perfor- mancestofallshort. Palance, asCurly's twin brother Duke(implausible coinci- dence?), commands a presence on the screenbutstrays into the realmof over- acting quite often. The writers are the ones to blame. The script simply was not as sharp as the first one. Besides the lack of humor, the relationship between Mitch, Phil and Glenn becomes sappy where the relationship between Mitch, Phil and Ed was endearing. Judged on its own merits "City Slickers 2" might pass for all right. It makes a decent matinee when tickets are half price. Or maybe it's better left for video. It's cute and passes the time, butit's notsome ofthese talented men's best work. CITYSLICKERS2iscurrentlyplaying at Showcase and Briarwood. 338 S. Slate 996-9191 Dlaily Specials *17 Pint Night $2.99 Cheeseburgers (11:30 - 3) Pitchers of Fuller's $9.25 Live Music SI All U Can Eat Ribs $6.75 Live Jazz Foster's Pitchers $5.25 Candice says "Chocolate Crepes taste like CocoWheats."