The Battalion
U(|ursday * February 5, 1998
The Wedding Singer
Starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore
Directed by Frank Coraci
Pearl
Brandi
Ballard
staff writer
he times they
are a
changin’.” Who
knew how true this state
ment would be? Think
back to the year 1985.
Too long ago to jog your
memory? Adam Sandler
can help refresh a few
memories. Some of
which may be better off
forgotten.
Sandler’s latest movie,
The Wedding Singer, proves not only to be a
-romantic comedy, but a retrospect of life 15
years ago. From imitation Michael Jackson
gloves to Madonna’s stack of plastic
bracelets, this movie definitely shows the
world as it was before Van Halen broke up
and Burt and Lonnie called it quits. A time
when the world seemed so much simpler
and we were all in puberty.
Aside from being a blast from the past,
this movie includes a little love and ro
mance. Sandler and romance? He does it
and pulls it off without a hitch.
He plays the part of Robbie Hart, a small
town boy who wanted to make it big as a
rock star, but settled for being the town’s
wedding singer. Quite pleased with his life
and his girlfriend of six years, he is in total
shock when he is left behind at the alter like
a bad pair of parachute pants.
In comes Julia (Drew Barrymore), a wait
ress for the local catering business who is
Wn <>: 'nil i?,
Rated PG 13
sneak preview review
Critique: A
soon to be married to what Sandler finds to
be a total jerk. He can not help but fall in
love with her as he helps plan her wedding.
He spends his spare time singing at bar
mitzvahs and becoming the town lunatic.
As fate would have it, the love of his life
runs off to Las Vegas with her fiance to get a
quickie wedding.
Sandler boards a plane to chase after his
one true soul mate. What he does not know
is that they are on the same plane and he
swoons her back into his arm, with his
amazing singing ability.
Just like a time machine, The Wedding
Singer brings back all of the 80’s favorites —
the hit show Dallas, the Dunkin’ Donuts
twin commercials and Don Johnson
wannabes.
They all take the audience back to a time
where tight rolled blue jeans were cool, Billy
Idol was popular and people were doing
that loop thing with their belts. It is enough
to make one stand back and wonder, “What
were we thinking?”
Sandler keeps everyone rolling by mak
ing fun of old fashions and his hysterical
jokes of the times.
Not only is this a great movie to see, the
sound track is even better. What is a movie
without the music? If anything, the ’80s was
a time of some serious rock bands and
heavy metal music.
Sandler and Barrymore put on award
winning performances and keep you laugh
ing the entire movie.
Continued from Page 3
“Wishlist” is a goofy and
whimsical power-ballad of a
love song that includes some of
the most warm-hearted revela
tions displayed by Pearl Jam
like: “I wish 1 was a sentimental
ornament you hang on / I wish
I was the evidence I wish I was
the grounds for 15 million
hands opened up towards the
sky / I wish I was the full moon
shining off a Camaro’s hood.”
Vedder finally displays a dif
ferent side of his personality
and gives his fans insight into
previously undisclosed corners
of his soul.
However, keeping with Pearl
Jam tradition, Yield can’t help
but remind listeners that the
band isn’t afraid to turn up the
volume and the tempo.
With hard-hitting songs
such as “MFC” and “Brain of J,”
the oh-so-familiar and friendly
Pearl Jam guitar mixes harmo
niously with the hard-pound
ing drums of Jack Irons.
In “Brain of J,” Vedder de
clares, “Who’s got the brain of
JFK? / What does it mean to us
now? / The whole world will be
different / Soon the whole
world will be relieved.”
In addition to revisiting its
roots, the band is beginning to
slow down a bit with mature
sounding ballads.
Pearl Jam once again shows
its diversity with the funk/punk
nuance “Doing the Evolution,”
which ridicules the exaggerated
sophistication of human
hypocrisy.
Vedder rings out, “I am
ahead / I am advanced / I am
the first mammal to wear
pants.” He also uses crafty
lyrics such as, “ I am a thief / I
am a liar / There’s my church
/ 1 sing in the choir,” as well
as predicting our fiery demise
in 2010.
Yield is a true value for lis
teners in several categories,
but the album’s greatest asset
is the setting of a constant
mood and treating listeners to
an unedited peek at the softer,
sentimental side of Pearl Jam.
If you were anticipating the
release of Yield with a longing
for the glory days of grunge
with songs reminiscent of “Je
remy,” “Alive” or even “Blood,”
you’ll probably be disappoint
ed. However, if you were look
ing forward to a more earnest
and warm sound as opposed
to the vessel bursting squelch
ing of most of today’s rock,
Yield may be exactly what your
looking for.
The progression of sound ex
hibited by Pearl Jam over the
past seven years just adds legiti
macy to the notion that the
band is comprised of truly tal
ented and thoughtful musicians.
That is exactly what the title
of their last album No Code
means — not sticking to a pre
ordained recipe for success.
Pearl Jam wants something
new and so do their fans.
If you are not already a Pearl
Jam fan. Yield is an excellent
place to start.
If will help to develop your
interest and if you have been a
fan for some time, Yield is an
excellent addition to an already
superb collection of albums
form our generation’s most in
telligent and talented band.
The band sets itself apart
from their peers.
This time around, it has a
new, more innovative, totally
Pearl Jam sound.
It is easy to say the band is
well on its way to becoming
one of the most prolific bands
in rock history.
This Week’s Theme: If you had to change something about Texas
L&M. what would it be and why?
I wish they would fix the roads. You can’t travel with the potholes they
■ have in them.”
. mm >4 ^>1 i
w • fBli Mi I
— Dima Mousselli W?
Senior biology major ... ^
★ Thursday ★
• Fire Ants @ Fitzwilly’s
• Floor @ the Cow Hop
• Bobby Hall’s Ice Cold
Blues @ the Crooked
Path Ale House
* Tone Loc and C+C Mu
sic Factory @ Rudder
Auditorium
* Cory Morrow Band
{country/western band)
@ Shadow Canyon
★ Friday ★
• Kid Fantastic (rock/punk
band) @ the Cow Hop
♦ Blue Earth (rock band) @
the Crooked Path Ale House
• Blue Valentine’s (blues
band) @ Edge’s Bar and
Grill
• Freudian Slip @ Dixie
Theatre
• Gary Delz Power Trio
(blues/rock band) @ 3rd
Floor Cantina
* Lisa Richards (folk
singer) @ Sweet Eugene’s
★ Saturday ★
* High Chicago @ Fitzwilly’s
* Peeping Tom (rock/cover
band) @ the Cow Hop
• Mardi Gras Bash (street
festival) — downtown
Bryan
• Brent Thomas and Den
nis Fowler (comedians) @
Cafe Capri
• Freudian Slip @ Dixie
Theatre
• Ruthie Foster and Baby
Jason & the Spankers
(blues bands) @ 3rd
Floor Cantina
• Breedlove and Valejo
(country/western bands)
@ Shadow Canyon
• Martha’s Trouble
(acoustic rock band) @
Sweet Eugene’s
I '97 AGGIELANDS
I ARE HERE.
Ipick up or purchase your copy today.
• The nation's largest college yearbook - 848 pages
• Let the memories of the 1996-97
i :ji picking up your 1997 Aggieland is easy. If
you ordered a book, go to the back of the
. Printing Center (behind the Reed McDonald
building), look for the maroon banner and
>how us your Student ID. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4
>.m. Monday through Friday.
PICK UP YOUR
1997 AGGIELAND
HERE
• 2 inches thick • Weighs more than 10 pounds
school year come rolling back
I f you did not order last year's yearbook, you
may purchase one for $35 plus tax in room
015 (basement) Reed McDonald Building.
Cash, checks, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and
American Express accepted.
O
o.
¥
%
\joW we ^
4^
Most people
in our business
want you to get
life insurance.
(We want you to get a life.)
Come and learn how a career with
us can be more than just a job.
Information Session
February 25, 1998
7:00 p.m.
MSC Room 292A
On-Campus Interviews
February 26, 1998
at the Career Center
Call Sheryl Lyssy, Ag '86 at 281/583-4336
The Quiet Company®
wwwvNorlhwesU’mMulujIi om/’sales
©1998 The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co . Milwaukee . Wl 8075-36
FIRST ANNUAL TAMU
STUDENT RESEARCH WEEK
CALL FOR STUDENT RESEARCH ABSTRACTS
All undergraduate and graduate students who are involved in research at
Texas A&M are invited to participate in Student Research Week, March
23-28, 1998. The goal of Student Research Week is to enhance awareness
of student involvement in research at Texas A&M. It will give students
the opportunity to showcase their research efforts by participating in oral
or poster presentations. Participants may also choose to work with their
faculty advisors to prepare a presentation. Student Research Week will
highlight undergraduate and graduate student research endeavors at Texas
A&M while giving students the opportunity to attend special events relat
ing to the importance of student research. Some of the speakers of the
week include Marye Anne Fox, Vice President for Research at the
University of Texas who will talk about the importance of undergraduate
research, Mike Doyle of the Research Corporation of Phoenix will talk
about the importance of student research as viewed by a funding agency
and Jean Marie DeChant of Notre Dame College will present a talk titled
“Creating and Developing Student Based Research Programs.”
Abstracts must be received by the Office of Student Life, 112 Koldus no
later than February 16, 1998. For detailed guidelines please contact Amy
Montgomery or Nancy Sawtelle in the Office of the Vice President of
Research, 312 Administration, 845-8585, or visit the TAMU Student
Research Week website at
http://www.tamu.edu/researchandgradstudies/Research/RESWEEKyresweek.html