10 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, May 4, 2004 ARTS By John Hartman Daily Ars Writer M E .0* While you stepped out of the room to refill your bean dip and cocktail weenie plates for the Best Foreign Film award segment during this year's Oscar telecast, you missed a very happy director Denys Arcand accepting his award for the Canadian The Barbarian film "The Barbarian Invasions Invasions" ("Les inva- sions barbares"). The At Michigan Theater film, which he also Cinemaginairenc./ scripted, is a touching Pyramide Productions portrait of a dying man re-living the life he led through his old friends and lovers. The film is in French with subtitles, but don't immediately shun it because of a little reading. Foreign films often take on subjects that Hollywood has tackled before but usually deal with them more honestly, as foreign filmmakers are less constrained by the expec- tations and formulas of Hollywood. Stories of dying men living out their last hours show up weekly in the cinemas as well as on small screen movies-of-the-week, but Arcand's film sidesteps cliche and creates a memorable portrayal of a man who regrets his past and is struggling to accept his death. Remy (Remy Girard, "The Red Violin") is dying of cancer, but in his prime, he was an energetic college professor. While portrayed as a smart and enthusiastic man, the film does not hide the fact that he was also a womanizer. His wife divorced him because of his philandering, and his grown-up son Sibastien (Stiphane Rousseau, "Les Dange invites many of the old man's friends and lovers to accompany the dying man and bid him a final farewell. And when the morphine stops assuaging his father's pain, Sibastien leaves the hospital to find heroin, meeting drug addict Nathalie, one of the film's most interesting characters. Actress Marie-Jose6 Croze brings a removed sympathy to Nathalie, and her subtly powerful perform- ance won her the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003. The supporting characters' quirks make the film work, even when it threatens to delve into familiar areas. One of Rimy's friends is now gay, his other friend has married a girl half his age who bore him several children, and two of his ex-lovers still cling to him, as he clings to the memories of the times he had with them. Even his ex-wife shows him sup- port as he becomes increasingly pain-afflict- ed. "The Barbarian Invasions" has the capabili- ty to affect different people in a number of different ways. It will undoubtedly strike a nerve with middle-aged adults facing many of the same problems as the characters in the film, but its presentation of the complexity of the father-son relationship will resonate deeply with an entirely different generation. The film relies heavily on the importance of memory in dark times because that is all Remy has left of his passions. Some of the most tearjerking moments occur when he 9 recalls his most poignant memories of the seemingly insignificant moments that end up meaning the most to him. At its bittersweet conclusion, the film reminds the audience that it is possible to meet death with acceptance and satisfaction, and with the film's loving and vibrant charac- ters at Rimy's bedside to comfort him, it is easy to see why. Ceci ne pas une tearjerker. 'BARBARIAN' TAKES OVER 2004's Best Foreign Film earns its Oscar Reux"), now a millionaire living in London, live for much longer, he comes to Canada to has not spoken to Remy in years. help his father through his last days. He rents When Sibastien hears that his dad will not out a deserted hospital wing for Remy and Rice expands sound in Detroit. By Brandon Harig Daily Arts Writer CONCERT REVIEW While Damien Rice, a native of Ireland, has not found superstar recognition in the States, he has Jobs!!! Spring/Summer Term Apply now at the Law Library enon-law Students *Law Students "S.I. Students Minimum pay is $8.50 per hour! Apply at the hiring table outside room S-180 in the Law Library's underground addition. AA/EOE made himself into one of acoustic rock's premier artists. Accompanied by a cellist, drummer, guitarist and female vocalist, Rice played a rivet- ing show at Detroit's St. Andrew's Hall that Damieni showcased hisf Rice rock 'n' roll ten- April25,2004 dencies. With this show, Rice utilized St.Andres Hall an electronic gui- Detroit tar and various voice synthesizers showing not only his capability to play high quality live shows, but also an ability to alter existing songs and add new layers to his already complex pieces. Rice's debut album, O, is a pre- dominantly acoustic collection of introspective songs that cover a broad emotional spectrum. Rice used this range to his advantage, mixing intense, spellbinding songs of noise and anger with slow, melodic compositions featuring only him and a guitar. This contrast developed into an emotionally grip- ping presentation that made the audience alternately want to escape the tension and absorb the show's intensity. Rice's use of voice technology drastically alters his material, adding a new dimension to his already potent music. At one point, Rice recorded a live sample of the chorus and put it on an increasingly faster loop until the song came to a muddled, confusing and ultimately deafening climax. This sort of loud experience came through in Rice's remorseful "I Remember," as well as the metaphorical "Prague," each featuring the delicate voice of singer Lisa Hannigan, who could hold her own as a solo artist if she wanted to. The collaboration was not always effective: "Amie," for instance, ended with a crash that came off as clumsy and entirely unpleasant. Rice redeemed himself, though, by ending the show with a meld of "Cold Water" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." The montage presented a thrilling synthesis of the old and new, a perfect descrip- tion of his current sound. Graceful one minute and artfully convoluted the next, Rice's live show presents a fantastic collection of retailored and artful songs that are both captivating and resonant. Utilizing the intimacy of chilling vocals and the commanding power of audio technology, the presenta- tion of songs provided a sold-out crowd the chance to not only tap into Rice's psyche, but also to expe- rience nearly two hours of emotion- al tempest. 528 South State St 1211 South University Ave. (734) 769.2555 (734) 998.0200 STUDNT RAVL &BEYON D