The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 23, 1999, Image 5

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    Aggielife
The Battalion
Page 5 • Friday, April 23, 1999
Cookie's Fortune
Starring Glenn Close
and Chris O'Donnell
Directed by
Robert Altman
Playing at Hollywoodl 6
I In this quirky star-studded drama by Robert Alt
man, dialogue and acting are definitely the back-
bom 1 of the film.
A small, stereotypical Southern town is the set-
| ting for this mystery. The church is the center of
[ society where Camille Dixon (Close) thrives on di-
■ recting all of the church plays.
■ Camille is a woman who pleases people on the
■ outside, but is a conniving spinster at heart. Close’s
I snooty portrayal is classic. Her accent and tone
■ can drive anyone crazy.
^Bpon borrowing a fruit bowl from her geriatric
■ saint of a sister. Cookie, Dixon discovers her lying
Hdead of an apparent suicidal gun shot wound.
Ashamed of her sister’s behavior and jealous of her
state, Camille stages the suicide as a murder,
lamille’s actions cause a chain reaction in which
idrien truths are revealed,
the small town feel is rather humorous. Every-
nl knows everyone else’s business, there is only
ne town lawyer and the sheriffs department
^makes Barney Fife look like James Bond. A cameo
by Lyle Lovett helps add to the small town flavor.
I The film’s young stars (Liv Tyler and O’Donnell)
don't seem to shine or exactly live the roles they
are portraying. On the other hand. Close and
Charles Dutton give some of their wittiest perfor-
- mances.
Q .1 This film has no special effects and no giant
- score or soundtrack, but sometimes a movie with
character and subtle humor can deliver a fair
amount of entertainment. (Grade: B-)
Life
Starring Eddie Murphy
and Martin Lawrence
Directed by Ted Demme
Playing at Hollywood 1 6
In this not so funny take on life in the slammer,
Lawrence and Murphy play Claude and Ray, the bitter,
foulmouthed entrepreneur stars of Life.
Life seemed to fall short of every one of Murphy’s
films (except Holy Man) short of Lawrence’s former
sitcom Martin. A scene with Lawrence as Shanaenae
would have drastically raised the comedy level in this
film.
The movie begins in 1932, when during the De
pression Harlem nightlife look as fruitful as ever.
Caught up in bad debts and bootlegging, Claude and
Ray are thrown together as new partners in crime.
The movie takes a lot of time to even reach the
point of life imprisonment for the duo, which leaves
too much wasted space spent on meaningless and not
funny dialogue.
The producers of The Nutty Professot and Liar Liar
adopted one of the worst possible screenplays to
showcase the talents of these two comedians.
A film must not be all that great when the audience
is forced to wait for a supporting character to make a
funny.
One of the good credits to this film are the makeup
artists. As seen in many of Murphy’s earlier movies, a
metamorphosis into new characters is signature. This
movie follows Ray and Claude sixty plus years in jail,
and the magic of makeup molds their appearances
along the way.
So many black comedies can be considered some
of the most entertaining movies made (Friday, Com
ing to America], but it is sad when films are made
simply to draw crowds by using the names on the
marquee. Eddie and Martin can do better than this.
(Grade: C-)
— Jeff Kempf
— Jeff Kempf
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
jSens. McCain and
Teingold awarded
BOSTON (AP) — Sens. John Mc
Cain and Russell Feingold, who
crossed party lines to propose cam
paign finance reform legislation,
were named Thursday as winners
of the John F. Kennedy Profile in
Courage Award.
I McCain, a Republican from Ari
zona, and Feingold, a Wisconsin De
mocrat, were honored for address-
ng fund-raising excesses and trying
o regulate the flow of special in-
:erest money to campaigns. The
VIcCain-Feingold bill was ultimately
Jefeated last year.
This is the 10th Profile in
Courage Award and the first to be
shared by two elected American
soliticians.
The award, which comes with a
125,000 stipend, is presented to
sleeted officials who fight for what
they believe is right, despite op
position from constituents, inter
est groups or others.
It is named for President
Kennedy’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-win
ning book “Profiles in Courage.”
Springer’s Security
Under Question
CHICAGO (AP) — When fists fly
and hair is yanked on the set of
“The Jerry Springer Show," guests
should not just be separated —
they should be arrested, a City
Council member said.
Alderman Edward Burke, a for
mer police officer, said the off-duty
Chicago officers who provide se
curity for the show should enforce
the law. He wants to call those of
ficers before the council’s Police
and Fire Committee.
“If they are committing batter
ies, assaults and other offenses,
then why isn’t the police depart
ment taking appropriate action?”
Burke asked Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the show
had no comment.
Some critics contend the
fights are staged. Springer has
denied it.
Usher postpones
shows due to injury
ATLANTA (AP) — Rhythm and
blues singer Usher canceled
three concerts after dislocating a
shoulder while rehearsing dance
steps.
The 20-year-old star was
placed under the care of an or
thopedic surgeon after injuring
himself Wednesday, spokesper
son Courtney Barnes said.
Usher, who lives in suburban
Atlanta, had been scheduled to
tour New Zealand and Australia
later this month.
fnr itiaI
JLxJM* JLLLC:*
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• CREATIVE SERVICES
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TECHNOLOGY
* OFFICE AND
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* TECHNICAL
You're working on your education, let Pro Staff work on
your experience. We offer positions with top companies
that will give you a competitive advantage in today's
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AUSTIN, DALLAS, HOUSTON
800-244-7960
jjjj mm mmm PM
ClAin T! 1HJlOlid
iGr JL JLb JLm Vr
APRIL 19-23, 1999
Monday - April 19th
Bowling at Wolf Pen 9 pm to 12 am
$1.75 per game
lSJo c vv
Officer
Works hops
for recognized student organizations
General Session
7 - 8:15 p.m.
Introduction to Officer Success:
What Student Activities can do for you:
featuring Dr. Ben Welch
Rudder 601
stuact.tamu.edu
Thursday, April 29
Interest Sessions
8:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Fundraising and Advertising
Rudder 601
Technology and Student Organizations
Rudder 302
Building Student Organizations
Rudder 308
Risk Management Issues
Rudder 410
ATTENTION
Liberal Arts Majors
There are a limited number of summer internships available in Austin
and Washington D.C. for Liberal Arts juniors.
pplicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or better and be active in leadership organizations.
For more information, access the Political Science website:
http://wwwpolisci.tamu.edu
Or call the Center for Public Leadership Studies: 845-4114
We're making history!!
rs f\ f\ f\
GGIELAND
Applications are being accepted for the
2000 Aggieland yearbook staff.
• Section Editor
• Designer
• Copy writer
• Photographer
Pick up applications outside the Aggieland office,
Room 004 Reed McDonald. Applications are due
Friday, April 23, by 5:00 p.m.
PROFITABLE NUMBER! 845-0569
THE BATTALION CLASSIFIEDS
Toin us for the 4th Annual
Ga<" es Music
Fun
Give Aways
Free Refreshments
This celebration is for families and students, young and old —
Everyone who lives on PLANET EARTH
This event wilt feature communiff wide education on:
$ Water Conservation $ Recycling
$ Water Quality $ Waste Reduction
<jg» Energy Conservation $ Composting
Sponsored by the Cities of Bryan and College Station Energy. Solid Waste, and Water Services Departments,
The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency, and Texas A&M University Physical Plant.
5LH6DUL6 OF eV6NT5 I
Brush Collection Boom Demos
10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.
Fire Hydrant Painting Contest
.......10:30 a.m.-12:00 N
Backhoe Rodeo
12:00 N - 2:00 p.m.
Joy Jump.
All Day
Exhibitors
All Day
Demonstrations
All Day
Games/Give Aways
All Day
receive
first <9°® Tjvi mugs!
punet v*
ii*-* Pleas* limit one per person.
Additional Tartkipating Agencies
induae: hAuh
T Te*as forest Service
T Te%as National Resource Conservation Commission (TNPCC)
T Te^as Parfcs Sr ViiWlife Inland f isheries - Touch Tank
T Te*as Parks Sr Wildlife - Herpetology
T Te*as Water Development $oard
And man-f more ...