! Battalion
A
GGIELIFE
Page 5 ♦ Wednesday, February 24, 1999
F«# rkshops offer
l t° wr iti n g>
{.jjjjbn production
BY KYLE WHITACRE
The Battalion
jhe Texas Film Festival will offer six
jworkshops discussing topics in film
land film production Wednesday
trough Saturday.
i Carol Jackson, director of the festival and
junipr English major, said there have been
^■es and improvements made from last
ear’s workshops.
“Tlr is year we’ve had more than we’ve
ver had before,” Jackson said. “We’ve got
vo directors doing workshops, which is
aerial, because in the past, we usually only
Idprofessors speaking on different topics.”
Tin two directors speaking are Gary El-
■rg, director of Ted, and Tim McCanlies,
Hlor of Dancer, Tx. Pop. 81.
Jeremy Valdez, a senior journalism and
iiemical engineering major, will speak on
|w engineers are depicted in films.
Th< workshops this year were primarily
rganixed by Mikel Parent, a sophomore
nglish major and member of the MSC Film
ociety.
Helped by Jackson and other Film Soci-
ty members, Parent said he contacted the
peakers and created the topics for this year.
“1 organized them along with the rest of
le film festival team as well as other mem-
ers of Film Society," Parent said. “Their in-
ut was very helpful. The most basic goal
/as to make the film festival a fun thing to
o, and ... an intellectual exercise as well,
lopefully, attendance will be high again this
ear.”
The two directors will be having their
/orkshops Saturday.
Gary Ellenberg will be talking about film-
taking at noon in Library Annex 417B. Tim
/IcCanlies will be holding a screenwriters
workshop at 2 p.m. in Rudder Tower 701.
Three Texas A&M professors will be
otos coustb' ft voiding workshops this year. Dr. Marian
Me will be discussing film remakes at 2
nrrell (Ethan ).m. Thursday in Library Annex 417C.
olic father,an; Dr Paul Christensen will lecture on how
at homein' >oetr\ and film interact, including poetry
ure-length: md film media and a discussion of basic
iiical McCann emiotics. This lecture will be at 4 p.m.
ii Texas Thursday in Library Annex 417C.
, | 0r t he glffl'l Dr Terence Hoag wood will lecture on
ilmsthat directly or indirectly comment on
aither their own production or film produc-
_ tipnin general within the text of the film at
2 p.m. Friday in Rudder 701.
^Hrent also discussed how topics were
nhosen for this year’s festival workshops.
yThe way we chose topics was that we,
he ; Film Society members, didn’t really
:hdosr,” Parent said. “We went to the fac-
jltylnd filmmakers with the notion of the
ectur e/workshop series, and it just went
rom there.
“Of course, we had input on what was
ping to go down, but really, it is a joint ef-
ift bet ween the faculty and filmmakers and
he Film Society.
“We’ve got a great relationship with the
d at Rudds' acuity here; they are really good to us. And
)f cfurse the filmmakers are wonderful to
to and learn from every year. ”
discuss life'
neers
p’il-A
Meeting
• Center In
Photo Courtesy of MSC Film Society
Valerie Red-Horse talks to one of her sisters in the
Native-American-inspired movie Naturally Native.
Naturally Native
Starring Valerie Red-Horse and
Irene Bedard
Directed by Valerie Red-Horse
and Jennifer W. Farmer
What if Mary Kay were Native American?
This is the idea behind Naturally Native, play
ing at the Texas Film Festival Thursday at 7
p.m. at Hollywood 16.
A complex tale attempting to balance the
lives of three Native-American sisters raised
by a white woman, trying to break cycles of
alcoholism while maintaining tribal heritage.
The movie also deals with some non-tribal
issues such as Internet dating, growing older
and wider and attempting to maintain a sense
of sensuality.
The highlight of the film is the autuer de
femme Valerie Red-Horse, who pulls triple
duty as writer, co-director and actor.
The film’s juggling act reflects true family
life, but the characters’ identities get lost in
the melee.
Occasionally, the trio of sisters seems like
an episode of “Designing Women,” complete
with Red-Horse’s character coming off as Dix
ie Carter’s Julia, but it is always good for a
hoot.
— Aaron Meier
Your Friends and Neighbors
Starring Jason Patric and
Ben Stiller
Directed by Neil LaBute
LaBute’s first film. In the Company of Men,
set the indie world ablaze and garnered eu
phoric critical reviews.
With his brutally honest touch, he has es
tablished himself as a harsher and more sar
donic Woody Allen.
Neighbors follows six “sad sacks” with
non-descript names — Mary, Barry, Terri,
Cheri, Cari and Jerry — as they hop from bed
to bed in a game of sexual roundelay and
generally mess up their lives.
In fact, one of Jerry’s (Stiller) quotes from
the film pretty much sums up the plot: “What
do these characters all have in common? They
all want to ... f—k! It’s always about f—
king! ”
All of the characters are shooting blanks
sexually, using sex to look for love, but they
are too selfish for their own good.
Because LaBute adapted the film from his
own play, “Lepers”, Neighbors has a definite
stage-quality feel.
LaBute’s minimalistic direction forces the
audience to concentrate on his words, as
scathing as they may be, and his characters,
as immoral as they may be.
— Jeff Schmidt
Floating
Starring Norman Reedus and
Chad Lowe
Directed by William Roth
Floating is the story of Van (Reedus) figura
tively floating through life, exploring the chal
lenging world of sleeveless T-shirts, smoking
weed and breaking into people’s houses.
Van is one of those hard-luck cases that
movies love to promote: Dad gets his legs
clipped in a car accident; Mom takes all the
money and leaves home, and Van is left to care
for his crippled father.
Meanwhile, a rich family moves across the
lake from Van, and he meets Doug (Lowe), a
fellow swimmer.
Doug and Van become fast friends and fre
quently swim against each other. Doug is on
the swim team at State where his overbearing
father is the coach. Pretty soon, Doug’s dad of
fers Van a scholarship to swim.
This is Van’s way out of his dreary life, what
was once “the white picket-fence life.”
But for some reason Van turns it down, and
he and Doug have one more misadventure that
leads to catastrophe, one of those cinematic cat
astrophes that changes everything within the
span of hours.
— Jeff Schmidt
The Intervention
Starring Jamie Harris and
Alison Eastwood
Directed by Glen Freyer
The Interven
tion, playing at
the Texas Film
Festival Thurs
day at 9:30
p.m. at Holly
wood 16, is the
typical formula
Hollywood
film.
But only if
formula films
were Throw
Momma from
the Train meets
the writings of
Sylvia Plath.
Written and
directed by
Glen Freyer,
The Interven-
tion is a COn- Photo Courtesy of MSC Film Society
glomeration of Alison Eastwood stars in The In-
the internal ram- tervention featured at festival,
blings of a struggling screen writer and the
neuroses that surround his L.A. life and fami
ly-
The screen writer, played with proper
Hugh Grantian self deprecation by Jamie
Harris, contemplates his own suicide all un
der the guise of research for a new film he is
writing about a man named “Eye.”
Making way for the inevitable remark,
“Eye [I] want to commit suicide.”
The inevitable crisis intervention is some
thing out of a “Seinfeld” episode, except
without Kramer.
Freyer brings one of the funniest moments
of the festival to life with a refreshing take on
phone conversations and an even more un
usual look into phone sex.’
— Aaron Meier
Spring Symposium
Saturday, March 6, 1999
Jlju
Tickets can be purchased at the MSC and the Wehner Building or
from Becky Rosser in the Student Programs Office. Any questions call 845-1515.
Jlju
nfr
"t irv'i *? u f -tttt
Sneak Preview! - One day only!
The 1999 Off Campus JlSks.
Ocusina Fair
■
Showcasing over 50 apartment complexes, housing management
companies and locator services. Stop by to gather information on
prices, floorplans, and FREE STUFF!
^ Wednesday, rebruary 24m
4jsSS&T 9:3€am - 3:€€pm
m
MSC first fleer
For more information call 845-1741 or stop by Koldus 112
ENT
E
AN AGGIE TRADITION FOR FIFTEEN YEARS
SPRING SESSION II
DANCE
LESSONS
TTI .RBUG I
ERBUG I
I
I
ERBUG I
II
JITTERBUG
DAY
TIME
LOCATION
SUN
4-5:30
GRW 266
SUN
6-7:30
GRW 266
SUN
5:30-7:15
BRAZOS CENTER
SUN
7:45-9:30
BRAZOSCENTER
SUN
8-9:30
GRW 266
WED
8-9:30
GRW 255
THUR
6:30-8
GRW 255
SIGN-UPS WILL BE IN THE MSC FOYER 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Feb. 25
JITTERBUG I CLASSES WILL MEET MARCH 7, 28 & APRIL 11,18
C&W I CLASSES WILL MEET MARCH 28 & APRIL 11,18
C&W II CLASSES WILL MEET MARCH 3, 10, 24, 31
ADV. JITTERBUG CLASSES WILL MEET MARCH 4, 11, 25 & APRIL 1
COST: $30 PER COUPLE. $40 FOR ADVANCED JITTERBUG
fmi: www.tarriu.edu/aggie wranglers
Theatre Arts Program of Texas A&M University presents
Allan R. Kenward’s
CRY
HAVOC
FEBllIJAllY 25,20,27
MAUCII 3,4,5,G
8P.M.
UlJDDFll FORUM
Tickets at the MSC Box Office
(409) 845-1234
Students and Seniors $5
General Public $8
4S*
May Graduates
Official Texas A&M
Graduation Announcements
;p©n sale^
Jan. 11 - Feb. 26, 1999
For Information and to place your order
access the Web at:
http://graduation, tamu.edu
All orders must be placed over the Web
All payments must be received by February 26
MSC Box Office
845-1234
Mon-Fri 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
In the majestic Colorado Rockies
at KEYSTONE.
That’s right Keystone, The Nature of the Rockies^
just df o i
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Just opened!
The Windows.
Keystone's new
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Save up to 35% on lodging with the Midweek Break Offer. Stay in a beautiful 2 bedroom
condominium right in Keystone Resort, Sunday through Thursday, from just $312/person*.
Includes four nights’ lodging and a 3-day Colorado Ticket.
Call for details 1.888.754.8722
or visit our website at www.keystone.snow.com
Keystone Resort, Colorado
*Offer valid 2/1 1 - 413/99. Price quoted is for a Forest 2 bedroom and is based upon quad occupancy. Limited
availability/inventory. Rates may not be available on all dates, all days of the week or for all lengths of stay.
Not applicable to group/conference stays. Surcharge and taxes additional. Other restrictions may apply.
Other discounted rates available after 4/3/99. Copyright 1999 Keystone Resort.
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MSC Hospitality’s Second Annual
Southern Regional Conference on Student
Community Service
Extends a special thanks for a successful venture
and would like to thank the following individuals for their
support.
MSC Hospitality
Host Committee
Justin Wood Louisa Bouterse
Conference Coordinator Conference Advisor
Ms. Jennifer Jamieson Ms. Jeanie Heller
Bush School Project Unity, Bryan, TX
Mr. Jim Reynolds
Memorial Student Center Director
Dr. Ben D. Welch
Student Activities Director
Dr. J. Malon Southerland
Vice-President for Student Affairs
And a Special Thanks to the
MEADOWS FOUNDATION
of Dallas, Texas
Without the extensive financial support from this
private philanthropic institution, this conference
would not have been possible.