Monday, May10,'1999- Th 6Michgar Dail - 11
.'Twas a week before 'Star Wars'...
William
Shakespeare's A
Midsummer Night's
Dream
Fox Searchlight
the Michigan Theater and
Showcase starting May 14th
*1
Shakespeare done well is a thing
of beauty. Shakespeare done badly is
... the latest film version of "A
Midsummer Night's Dream."
Rarely has a director misunder-
stood a Shakespearean play so com-
pletely or made one so boring as
chael loffmann (One Fine
av"). floffmannt tells this tale of
romance in the woods with such
ineptitude that by the time Puck
delivers his epilogue about dreams
and sleep. it's more than likely you'll
already be asleep. -
To amplify off Hoffmann's mis-
takes, the cast is for the most part
uniformly bad. With the exception of
Calista Flockheart as Helena and
*ippert Everet as Oberon, the
ensemble is abominable. Sticking
out like a sore thumb is the normally
capable Michelle Phiffer as the fairy
queen Titania. She seems to be in a
different movie than the rest of the
cast as site blunders her lines and
looks beautiful.
Shakespeare is likely turning in his
grave, as this film about true love
hetween humans and fairies outside
the patriarchal city makes a cute joke
Ot of his legendary comedy. Though
the funny but not flawless play-with-
in-a-play almost salvages the film,
you'll be so sleepy you'll hardly
iotice that it doesn't gel with the rest
of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Eda Sho/inskt
Dancemaker
fie Four Oaks Foundation
the Michigan Theater
"Dancemaker" is a film that cap-
tures the essence of the dancing.
world, bringing audiences a first
hand glimpse at what life as a
dancer/choreographer is really like,
through its detailed examination of
Paul Taylor and his dance company.
Taylor is often distinguished as the
"world's greatest living choreograph-
*" creating legendary dance moves
for the past 40 years. "Dancemaker"
traces the Paul Taylor Dance
Company from rehearsal to back-
stage to the actual performance, and
provides interviews with company
members and Taylor himself.
"Dancemaker" introduces us to
Taylor, revealing a man of many tal-
ents is also a man of much darkness.
low dancers and members of his
mpany are aware of this, recogniz-
ing him as a loner - one able to see
"the darkness and the light." Taylor
is quoted saving "I get my energy
from being afraid ... to fail."
For Taslor, his company is his
family, though, and the film captures
this through Taylor's statement, "No
matter what happens, I an stil proud
of yout: painting a picture of uncon-
ditional lover
It is noted that Taylor has a lot to
say, and lhe says it through his dance.
"Datcemaketsh's brilliant portrayal of
one production's legendary choreog-
rapher/dancer exposes thi pain, the
joy and the excitement of dance. The
complexities of life are what seem to
drive Taylor and his dancers alike.
Aarv E. AlcGrein
Six Ways to Sunday
Stratosphere
At Ann Arbor 1&2
Take the incest taboo between$ ,
mothers and sons, include the Jewish
tob, add a whole lot of graphic gore
and you end ip with "Six Ways to
Suniday," a hizarre dirk comedy.
Somewhere in a small town in
Ohaic, 18h-year old Harry (Normtan
Reedus) is hired by the Jewish mob coartesy aof
as a hitman/enforcer. Harry's mother In "Election," Witherspoon wonders: "What would Bill Clinton do in thl
Kate (Debbie Harry) is an ex-took-
er/nightclub singer former junkie does from beginning to end, juggling front of the Flick politica
and has tremendous insecurities, a cadre of unreliable narrators, spot- in efforts to claim reve
partly due to her gay hushattd leavinig ott dratwings of school admtintisttatots nrotags, expose the ludic
her and a scathing satire of a high school inanity behind student c
Kate's overprotectiveness for student council election without ever just "give something back
Harry shows in her continual need once dropping the ball. dent body - and not n(
for reassurance of his love for her. Reese Witherspoon gives the per- that order.
From giving him baths to tweezing formance of her career as infuriating- "Election" is brilliant
his blackheads while telling him that ly perky on the surface, infuriatingly on politics - high schoc
all women are evil, what's evident is scheming on the inside, presidential wise - and its sense
that there is more to this mother/son candidate Tracy Flick. Matthew business of ethics and
relationship than meets the eye. Broderick gives the pertormance of never been more simultai
Harry exhibits a disturbing cruel what should be the rejuvenation of his and precise, but Payne'sc
side wherein he finds that he enjoys post-"Godzilla" film career as he of filmmaking is as shag
smashing peoples faces in. In order coasts towards 40 (did anyone ever fresh out of the wrapper.
to deal with these messed up feel- dream that Ferris Bueller would be E
ings, however, he creates ati alter-ego middle-agedt). They make it all too
named Madden. easy to let "Election"'s other stand-
This dark brooding movie is defi- outs slide right by, but keep an eye on
nitely not for the tender hearted. newcomers Chris Klein (a dead ringer
while we can always appreciate a for Keanu Reeves), Jessica Campbell
film that hasn't succumbed to the and Frankie Ingrassia as the two can-
cliches of Holtywood, Adam didates and campaign manager,
Bernstein's "Six Ways to Sunday" respectively, who throw themselves in
fails miserably in its progression and
the development of its characters. If
it wasn't for Norman Reedus' superb
performance, and the fact that he's so
damn cute, the movie wouldn't have
grabbed any attention.
Neshc Sarkozy "
Election
Paranount
At Showcase
Hospital training in US En land and South
"Elecion"is oe of hoserare America. Graduates eligil to practice in
"Election" is one of those rare US and abroad. Transeer students consid-
movies that manages to perfectly ered, clerkships available. All you need is Arts andS
to have completed pre-medical require- usn dcto
capture the high school experience in ments. For morn information call Nursing Educatio
general and dispense in our midst a 404 3551412 Sum
cast of indelible characters. Most or 770 485 9966
movies find it impossible to have it . e*can scntc SSummer Session I
both ways, either by choice or by Our web address is May 18-June 25
inability, but Alexander Payne's
("Citizen Ruth") sophomore effort is wwwaas.upenn.ed
smart as a whip about everything its a
LIKE FREE
STUFF? STOP
BY 420 MAY-
NARD ST. ON
FRIDAY, MAY
14TH BETWEEN
1-3 P.M. AND.
PICK UP A COPY
OF PAPA VEGAS'
SINGLE "HELLO
VERTIGO."
ONE PER CUS-
TOMER AND
SUPPLIES ARE
LIMITED.
1 ait and Jce and
&mihtg.ice Sh l'd i at1
- mothoacemade of.1
$1.00 off Meal Size1
Smoothie or Fruit Shake
1$.50 off Snack Size
i Smoothie or 1
I Fruit Shake
I Expires 8/31/99
1 1
1 522 E. Williams
s (Next to Cottage Inn)
Paramount(Pctures
is situation?"
il juggernaut
nge for past
rousness and
ouncil or to
k" to the stu-
ecessarily in
in its attacks
o and other-
of self. The
morals has
meously hazy
own business
rp as a razor
rin Podolskv
Sciences - Business (The Wharton School)
n " Social Work - Engineering and Applied Science
mer Abroad " Penn Language Center
Summer Session 11 12 Week Evening Session
June 28 - August 6 May 17- August 6
u/CGS email: cgs@sas.upenn.edu 215.898.7326