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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1998)
LO The Battalion esday • February 24, 1998 CRITIQUE T hree definitions given for the word “palmetto” include (1) nickname for a southern state; (2) a small fan-leafed palm tree; (3) a fat bug found in Florida. Oddly enough, all of these definitions can be applied to the film by the same name. Palmetto focuses on the topsy-turvy life of its main character Harry Barber (Woody Harrelson), a news paper reporter. The film opens with Barber being released from prison after a two-year stay behind bars. As he walks down a dirt road, Barber is tom between heading out to Miami or returning to Palmetto, the sleepy seaside Florida village that always brings trouble even to the most innocent of people. On the road, Barber sees Palmetto District At torney John Renick (Tom Wright) in one car and his old girlfriend Nina (Gina Gershon) in another car. Without haste, Nina gets out of her car and lures Barber back to Palmetto as if there had not been a two-year gap since she had last seen him. Before long, Barber befriends the mysterious Rhea Malroux (Elisabeth Shue) who makes him with an offer he cannot refuse: $50,000 to pretend to kidnap her stepdaughter. Although this may seem like a lot of trouble to be getting into right after being released from jail, Barber is thrown another twist in his already skewed life — the district attorney wants him to act as press liaison for the kidnapping case in which he is directly involved. But as dead bodies unexpectedly pop up, hid den identities make their true faces known and past situations come back to haunt him, Barber finds himself in a whirlwind of criminal activity. The cast of Palmetto — Harrelson, Shue, Gershon and Michael Rapaport — is one thing that may attract people to see the film; the act- Woooy Harrelson plays Harry Barber in the new film Palmetto. ing is another aspect that will keep audience members in their seats. But it is the plot of the film that is sure to have people feeling satis fied they paid to see the film. Harrelson has come a long way from his pop-culture character in films such as White Men Can’t Jump and Indecent Proposal. Fol lowing in the success of The People vs. Larry Flint and Welcome to Sarajevo, Harrelson proves a worthy actor in the film. Gershon and Shue, both extremely seductive and polar opposites in the film, help bring back the good and bad female depictions in film from days of the old silver screen. catora 3 St team a sot Rician i ietitiana entan^ ins cases < ititywit relatkJ sjustil ittendK m i Private bedroom/bathroom suites, furnished or unfurnished 2, 3 or 4 bedroom/bathroom apartments. Individual leases. Rent includes cable TV, local phone, 24-hour monitored intrusion alarm, no utility deposits, entrance gate video screening from your apt., full-size washer and dryer, and kitchen appliances. Enjoy unparalleled amenities: resort style swimming pool, fitness center, sports facilities, computer lab and gate courtesy officers. Sign a lease by March 31 and get 50% off your first full months rent. Win a VCR, 25-inch color TV or a mountain bike. Simply place your name in our drawing by Saturday, Feb. 28! out today 693*9432 Carolyn into The Dixie By Rhonda Reinhart Staff writer Carolyn Wonderland and The Imperial Monkeys Bursting With Flavor Justice Records Critique: A C arolyn Wonderland and The Imperial Monkeys’ lat- I est album is bursting with more than flavor. Wonderland’s gruff vocals and sassy songwrit ing make Bursting With Flavor a spicy mix of rock, blues, country and soul. Add salt and lime, and you’ve got an instant party. Regardless of the group’s eclec tic style, it is undoubtedly a rock ‘n’ roll band. The energy emitted by the heavily accented drum beats, electric guitar and lyrics about drinking, drugging and par tying bring to mind early Rolling Stones and The Black Crowes. Although Wonderland and the Monkeys’ sound is definite ly rockin’, the heavy rhythm and blues influence cannot be ignored. Tracks like “Loose Ends” and “Stay” sound more like Motown tunes with a hint of rock ‘n’ roll. The reason this Houston quar tet can pull off the switch from rock to blues to rock so well lies in the lungs of Wonderland. The strength of her voice provides amazingly soulful sounds on Bursting With Flavors’12 tracks. Wonderland has been compared to Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt and Melissa Etheridge, but her vocal style is certainly all her own. She can go from a screeching falsetto to full-force growl with no warn ing and she sounds like she’s hav ing fun in the process. The tracks on Bursting With Flavor resonate with emotion and make their listeners want to close their eyes, shake their heads and stomp their feet. The album com pletes the musical spectrum with weepy ballads and raucous, good-time rock ‘n’ roll antics. Although Wonderland’s Leasing Office: 201—B Holletnan • vvwYv.meIrose.com Jar From back left, clockwise: Eric Dane, guitar; Leesa Harrington-Squyres, drums; Carolyn Wonderland, lead vocals; Chris King, bass. voice is the most striking as pect of Bursting With Flavor, the album would not be nearly as impressive without the tal ented backup performers. Guitarist Eric Dane, bass-play er Chris King and drummer Leesa Harrington-Squyres bring to the album a nice blend of mu sical styles and genres. The group members work well together and play off each other fabulously. Carolyn Wonderland and The Imperial Monkeys is scheduled to open for Storyville Friday, Feb. 27 at the Dixie Theatre. And if Bursting With Flavor is any indication of what the group’s live shows are like, audi ences are in store for a night of sweaty, rowdy rock ‘n’ roll from two talented Texas bands. jj lislld BE AN EXCHANGE STUDENT IN PU£Bf.A. MEXICO UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS AMERICAS FOR SCHOOL TEAR 1998-99 IS tnn !s?35?r.Il INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS* THURSDAY, 2/16 AtOORM RM 358 8IZXELL HALL WEST iiiiii RFOUiREMEMTS! 3.0 CPR. U.S. CITIZEN. iUNIOR STATUS AT TIA4C OF EXCHANGE. PROFICIENCY OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS 161 BIZZELL MALL WEST &45-OSA4 _ ; ,5-1—*r | ■m § RODEO 2000 1st Annual iAardi Or as Party Wednesday, March 25th Wear a Costume - Get in Free $300 Costume Contest 4 ;! Mardi Gras Parade with TONS of Beaded Necklaces & Doubloons to be Tossed! DrinH Specials Champagne ■ Jumbo Hurricanes Captain Morgan Drinks Longneeks MLF —0—0— —0—0— ^