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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2004)
ENTERTAINMENT 7A HE BATTALION Thursday, April 1,2004 T •■LWilHT ■K iniii kits J d use | smal aid. soraejfi iences { tied inci ivarien associ “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” Starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet Focus Features Imagine the death of a loved one, a breakup between a couple at is genuinely in love or the hurt of a double-crossing friend, hen, after one all-night procedure. Imagine being able to erase ose painful events from one’s memory and leaving with blissful norance. The angst, pain and longing would be gone, and all that ould be left would be peaceful nothingness. This is “Eternal [unshine of the Spotless Mind.” Holding true to Charlie Kaufman’s screenwriting, “Eternal unshine of the Spotless Mind” is a strange movie. As opposed to her Kaufman films, the movie stays relatively in bounds and tame, ut compared to other mainstream movies, it is a labyrinth full of Ivists and turns. Viewers should be prepared to see some strange | nages and have their brains stretched a bit. Funnyman Jim Carrey thrives as main character Joel, a shifty, inely, soft-spoken geek. The character is a great new acting direc- on for Carrey, and it is similar to the character he played in his iovie “The Truman Show.” Joel decides to undergo the unbelievable removal of memories of |isex-girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet). Elijah Wood, Kirsten iunst, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Wilkinson complete a stellar cast that :eps the movie interesting and flowing. The story takes place against a snowy New York backdrop, where doctor has opened up a shop with a sketchy procedure of erasing rtain parts of people’s memories. This movie is a psychological quandary, leaving many questions answered about the effects of having your memory erased, but it ^logical enough to pacify audiences and make the story believable. The movie is hilarious at times as we see Joel in his childhood, lanting to be held by his mother and taking a bath in a sink. It is | So heartbreaking at times though, as he is stripped of his memories f Clementine. One of the most creative movies embraced by mainstream box Iffices, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is extremely lought-provoking and a memory you will not want quickly erased. JL! Keei liants Ban! irtisti Photo Courtesy of • MIRAMAX “Jersey Girl” Miramax Pictures Starring Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler "Jersey Girl” marks a new beginning for director Kevin Smith, raving behind the “View Askewnjverse” that has been home to mith’s previous five films featuring creations “Jay and Silent Bob,” Imithhas decided it is time to move on to a different movies genre. If Jersey Girl” is any indication of what the future holds for Smith, audi- ncescan expect bright things from the former clerk. In "Jersey Girl,” Ben Affleck plays Ollie Trinke, a New York music didst who falls in love with and marries Gertrude (Jennifer Lopez), together the two of them prepare for the arrival of their first child. Infortunately, life doesn't give the couple a happy ending. Gertrude iesofan aneurysm during childbirth, leaving Ollie to care for their ewdaughter alone. Still grieving over his wife’s death, Ollie throws imself into his work in an attempt to distance himself from the pain is dealing with. On one ill-fated day, Ollie is forced to bring his daughter to a work /ithhim. Stressed out over his child’s constant crying and a room of hanting press, Ollie loses his cool and, in front of a packed room of ress, lashes out at his client, the fresh prince of Bel-Air himself. Will . His career ruined, Ollie goes from a professional at the top of is career to a blue-collar worker living out of his father’s house in lighlands, N.J. Affleck’s performance as a man who is as in love with his past as Rich as he is in love with his daughter is easily one of his best roles et. Affleck has always been on the top of his game while working with win Smith. His role in “Jersey Girl” takes his standard up a notch. While Affleck does tend to ham up this role, his portrayal of a son ying to learn to be a father is always watchable, and many will even onsider it good. Not many actors can call a 7-year-old girl a “little T and still manage to be charming 10 minutes down the line, udience members will have no problem being able to tap into the taracter and empathize with his predicament. The movie is filled with actors on the top of their game. George arlin's performance as Ollie’s father is easily one of the best on- :reen roles of Carlin’s career. In one scene, Carlin remarks it’s not that ewants Ollie to stay with him, it’s that he doesn’t want to die alone. M f j cfaii cnkei >the! 3l Steel Baitl 8 ABOUT LAW FREE LAW FORUM Learn about the law school admissions process. Get valuable test taking tips and strategies. Hear from experts at a panel discussion. Tuesday, April 6th at 6:00 p.m. Texas A&M TAMU Campus Space is limited! Call 1-800-KAP-TEST or visit kaptest.com/law to register today. Test Prep and Admissions 1-800-KAP-TEST kaptest.com He then glances down at the mug of beer in his hand, and in that moment audiences see the pain in his eyes and realize that Carlin is not only a legitimate actor, but a great one. Lopez’s role is short and audiences will only catch a fleeting glance of her in the film. The movie’s real love interest is Maya, a video store clerk/graduate student played by Liv Tyler. Tyler’s joy ful performance reinforces the idea that a man can move forward from his past for a beauty and personality. The real standout of the movie is Raquel Castro as Gertie Trinke, Ollie’s daughter. Castro manages to be precocious without being annoying, a seemingly impossible task for many child actors. The other star of “Jersey Girl” is the outstanding music selection. The movie features a collection of great songs from such bands as The Cure, A1 Green and Fleetwood Mac. The songs are craftily timed to not only offer a nice soundtrack, but also serve as great transitions. Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond is a great addition to Kevin Smith's library of friends and with luck, the two of them will con tinue a productive relationship. Zsigmond works to brings a sense of scope and craft to Smith’s visual style. While “Jersey Girl” may leave some of Smith’s core audience feeling left out, it is a great step forward for Smith’s career. While the story features an abundance of warmth and heart, don’t expect too much of a downgrading of Smith’s dialogue. While there is a notable lack of the f-Bomb, his finely-tuned dialogue features a frankness that may cause many parents to feel uncomfortable with their children watching. “Jersey Girl” is a great indicator of Smith’s potential and an excellent begnning to the next stage of his career. - Robert Saucedo STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION TEXAS A AM 1 iXiVERSiTV' E LECTION C OMMISSION sZ a/s/s/s/szf s/s/s/s/s/s/sZ s/ VOTE TODAY sZsZsZsZaZsZsZsZsZsZsZsZsZsZ ...for Student Body Elections! March 31 s * and April 1 st - 9AM to 5PM • • • Vote at the MSC, Commons, Sbisa, West Campus Library, Rec, and vote.tamu.edu Let's Co Out To Eat Thursdays in The Battalion MEXICAN CAFE 3312 S. College Ave., Bryan Serving the freshest and best mexican fast food since 1969. Crispy Tacos No Limit. Show Student ID Expires 04-02-04 Between Farm Patch and Villa Maria B AKER Baking It Great! Bakery ♦ Pizzeria ANY PIZZA *r SANDWICH CCMBCI Offer Expires: 4/15/04. One coupon per transaction. 201 Dominik Drive (979) 696-5055 View our menu at: www.BlueBaker.com " — a ^ l I jp I II I g^ust tB^dn Mwvuvwvvwini^yi JfeaOen Sandwich Shoppe Old Fashioned Sandwiches Fresh Baked Bread Soups - Quiche - Salads Baked Potatoes Homemade Desserts BRYAN At the Intersection of Villa Maria Briarcrest 731-8891 f. ' .. * COLLEGE STATION ( Rock Prairie Rd next to I College Station Med Center J I CD 764-9222 \ 3901 S. Texas Ave. (I/2 mile North of University Dr.) [ Sun - Thurs. II a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Fri tV Sat. II a.m. - 2 p in., 5 p.m. - I0 p.m. CLOSED MONDAYS _ . 2 Can Dine! 5 Pc Mixed, 2 Reg. Sides 6 2 Biscuits 5. 99 Expires 04/17/04 3 Pc Mixed, | Texas A&M 1 Reg. Side J Students & 1 Biscuit j with a valid ID get $0 99! io% off ^ | on regular I Expires 04/17/04 I menu items. Present coupon when ordering. One coupon per customer per visit. Void where prohibited. Not valid with any other offer. Good at participating Popeyes only. ©2003 AFC Enterprises, Inc. Authentic Italian Casual Cafe 260-6666 SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS ONLY Present your Student I.D. and GET ONE FREE FRITTELLA ! w/ purchase of a Pepsi drink (* 1.50) / fT/uffeZ/rr Italian Cafe ^Ruck’s Pizza PIZZA - STROMBOLI HOAGIES | 2 Medium One Topping Pizzas $ 9.99 Limited time offer. Some restrictions apply. Free delivery Ag owned & operated 222 n. main in historic downtown brvan 979.822.2675 Monday-Friday 7:30 am-4 pm Saturday 8 am-2 pm Drive-Thru Available Regular Hours for Carry Out Call ahead for Casseroles £ Dishes Phone-in orders welcome Cakes and Diet Desserts Available Catering Available Wholesale Orders Welcome WEDDING CAKES, ALL OCCASION CAKES, SPECIALTY CAKES, KOLACHES, PASTRIES, SOUPS, SALADS, SANDWICHES, LUNCH SPECIALS AVAILABLE j#FREE Cookie £ Drink with Meal Speciai m w. L * " I* J