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Friday, March 10, 2000
6A
Above: Connie Nielsen, Gary Sinise and Jerry O'Connell embark on a mission to recover fell low astronauts stranded in a mysterious catastrophe in *Mission to Mars*. Below: The astra
naut crew discovers a link to life on Earth. *Bottom:* Sinise, Nielsen and Don Cheadle encounter more than they burgled for on the Red Planet.
Great effects aside, Mission to Mars a questionable film
By Clare McLellan
Kansan movie critic
Hitting theaters this weekend is a film sure to irk Kansas, State Board of Education members.
Hollywood's latest attempt to answer the "How did we get here?" question is Mission to Mars, starring Gary Sinise and Tim Robbins.
The twist here is that the origin of life on Earth wasn't a purely terrestrial event — nor a divine one — but a gift from our friends on the Red Planet.
What friends, you ask? Well, that's where Mission gets interesting, if not a bit too sci-fi for the average filmgoer.
The movie drags its feet a bit in the beginning, kicking off with a backyard party introducing all the characters and their families, who we, oddly, never encounter again.
Next thing we know, it's 13 months later and a crew, led by Luc (Don Cheadle of Booie Nights), has landed on Mars and discovers a massive structure that appears to contain water — meaning that life, at least at one point, possibly existed on Mars.
There is a time lapse between the crew sending the message to the orbiting space station (the story is set 20 years in the future) and mission control receiving the message, giving the Mars team time to reach this structure and cause some major problems for themselves.
We are to believe that this structure they find is the mysterious face seen on Mars' surface, and it becomes very angry when the crew tries to analyze it with radiation. So angry that it sucks three of them to their death in a funnel cloud, providing some incredible visuals — including one poor man being deprived of his limbs because of the centrifugal force. Ouch.
Enter Woody Blake (Robbins), Jim O'Connell (Sinise), Phil Ohlmeyer (Jerry O'Connell of Scream 2, Jerry Maguire) and Dr. Terri Fisher (Connie Nielsen of Rushmore, Devil's Advocate) to rescue/recover the failed mission to Mars.
In true Murphy's Law fashion, more problems ensue on their ship than NASA's worst nightmare, and more fantastic things happen than NASA could ever dream.
Mission to Mars
Acting: C
Writing: C
Cinematography: A-
Sound: B-
Overall: B-
Showing at Southwind 12, 3433 Iowa St.
It's disheartening to say, but the man who knocked us out in The Shawshank Redemption and thoroughly creeped us out in Arlington Road just doesn't pack a punch in this film. Robbins' character, Woody, is married to crewmate Fisher, but the on-screen chemistry just isn't there. His subtle, understated nature doesn't work its magic in Mission.
The story is fresh and thought provoking, which can be appreciated by anyone — not just sci-fi fans. It offers an intriguing missing piece to the jigsaw puzzle of life that, take it or leave it, is fun to watch. The writing, the screenplay and the acting leave a lot to be desired, however.
Sinise is equally disappointing, not because he doesn't fit the part, but because the interaction
among the characters is lackluster.
Perhaps the most believable characters are Luc and Phil, played by Cheadle and O'Connell, respectively. Even at that, none of the actors delivers a standout performance.
In the realm of visual effects, though, this movie is a treat. Not the pure eye candy that many hightech, sci-fi films display, but visually pleasing nonetheless. The scenes at the end are highly imaginative and well-directed by action-movie veteran Brian DePalma (Scarface, Mission: Impossible).
This movie also deserves credit for its PG rating — little violence, little (if any) swearing and no nudity appear in the film. In today's world of excess in all these areas, an action/sci-fi film lacking in all three while still entertaining is refreshing.
If you head to the theater with an open mind and a readiness to sit back and enjoy the whole moviegoing experience, Mission to Mars will not disappoint.
If you hate sci-fi, think Gary Sinise will never break the Lieutenant Dan mold or don't have five bucks burning a hole in your pocket, this Mission can wait for video.
Unified One: The Baggage that it Brings
Buy it
Hailing from Lawrence comes Unified One, a rock band with a dark sense of humor along with some impassioned lyrics and guitar riffs.
Check out songs such as "Girls and Things" and "Intimidation" for some vocals similar to Steven Page of Barenaked Ladies and some kickin' harmonies.
Vocalist Matt Cox, Lansing junior, may not have a fresh new sound, but he does well with what he has. Pouring raw emotion and solid control into his vocals in addition to playing several instruments, he's clearly the soul of the group.
Baggage is the band's second effort. Cox played all the songs on Unified One's first album, 1998's Apathy Ran Away, but this release finds him collaborating with drummer Aaron Koker of Topeka and keyboard player Tim Canaday of Leavenworth.
For show dates and more info, log on to the band's website at www. unifiedone.com.
Justin Parlette
The Ex-Husbands All Gussied Up Buy it used
Honky tonk is not for everyone; you've got to like a bit of twang, a hint of nostalgia and a salty sense of humor. This is where the three alt-country fellows win you over.
The Ex-Husbands will be bringing their New York City brand of honky tonk to Lawrence soon. The trio is coming to the Replay Lounge on tomorrow and, from the sound of its second album All Gussied Up, the show very well could be entertaining.
For three guys, they put out a lot of organized sounds. That said, I still couldn't get through the whole album without taking a breather — an overdose of honky tonk perhaps? The element that did keep me interested was the Telecaster guitar stylings of Anders Thomsen, the Ex-Husbands' lead-singer and songwriter.
For lovers of country-flavored music, this is an album you'll want to check out and a band you'll want to see live.
Melineh Kurdian
Bernard Butler's newest album, Friends and Lovers, offers a symphonic Brit-pop sound. Inside and out, from cover art to chords, the ex-Suede songwriter and guitarist has orchestrated pseudo-seventies rock anthem that are bold if not slightly tacky.
Bernard Butler Friends and Lovers Buy it used
When slowing down in tracks like "No Easy Way Out" and "Smile," he waxes sentimental with forced lyrics; you usually find yourself waiting for the pace to pick up a bit because it's rocking that Butler seems to do best. With all of the feel-good chord progressions and raucous guitar riffs, he proves himself to be a positively convincing guitarist.
The artist did the producing on Friends and Lovers as well. Andy Wallace, who previously collaborated with Nirvana and Jeff Buckley, mixed the album.
Having been a driving force in the British band the London Suede — which is accredited with revolutionizing Brit-pop in the '90s — Butler carries his experience with him well. He offers less edge than Blur and less glam than Oasis. And to his advantage, he still can ride on the waves of the band's cult-like following, which swelled in the early '90s, leading some members of the audience to rip off the lead singer's clothing.
Friends and Lovers won't put you in that sort of frenzy, but some of the tracks just might make you happy.
— Melineh Kurdian