Section A · Page 7
The University Daily Kansan
Friday, November 20, 1998
Entertainment
Enemy full of typical action-movie antics
By Jeremy M. Doherty
Kansan movie critic
Will Smith makes the leap to dramatic roles in Enemy of the State, which for him means making a movie that has nothing to do with aliens.
He doesn't even have a rap single on the movie's soundtrack. Oh, the horror!
**Enemy of the State instead is about the U.S. intelligence communities' efforts to provide wall-to-wall surveillance of every facet of American life. So desperate are they to record every phone call, conversation and traffic jam that the director of the National Security Agency (Jon Voight) orders the assassination of a congressman (Jason Robards) who has the power to crimp their projects through a single vote.
The assassination, committed in broad daylight at a Maryland park, turns out to have been caught on film by a wildlife enthusiast (Jason Lee). Before the evil secret agents can silence him with death, he makes a copy of the tape, which curiously finds its way into the Christmas shopping bags of Washington labor attorney Robert Clayton Dean (Smith).
"I hate doing this at Christmas," Voight's bureaucrat grumbles upon hearing the turn of events. "This" refers to a slew of blackmailing endeavors that his department employs to extract the tane from Mr. Jigey-Wit it.
Dean's life hits a tallspin. Voight's agents
ENEMY OF THE STATE
Kansan rating: **** out of *****
Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
jiggy wit' it
kared: "R" for profanity, gunfights and gettin'
break into his house, plant about a thousand listening devices and (gasp) steal his blender.
Gene Hackman finally shows up about an
Gene Hackman final hour into the movie as a former employee of the National Security Agency, but his connection to Dean's dilemma is tenuous at best.
At this point, *Enemy of the State* degrades into a typical action movie.
typical replete with the same old car chases and explosions that we've seen before, not to mention a shootout between mafia hit men, secret agents and the FBI that plays like an outtake from Face/Off.
Smith does a decent job keeping his Fresh Prince schtick under control, but he's relegated to playing sidekick to Hackman's ex-agent in the movie's second half. Personally, I think that Hackman, fine actor that he is, is much too old to be playing these kinds of daredevil anti-heroes.
Will Smith goes undercover with an ex-intelligence agent (Gene Hackman) in the thriller *Enemy of the State*. The movie also stars Joan Voight, Jason Robbins and Gabriel Byrne. Contributed photo
**Enemy of the State truly shines in its earlier scenes as director Tony Scott (Top Gun) stages his film as a thriller with a keen sense of humor. One of the movie's best bits has the surveillance
agents watching Dean's home on videotape, drinking juice made from their target's stolen blender. But moments like that are few and far between.
Expensive Star Wars trailer is movie enough for some
By Chris Fickett and Jeremy Doherty Kansan staff writers
Today, 20,000 copies of the new Star Wars movie preview will be released nationwide, but University of Kansas students might not be flocking to theaters like Star Wars fans in other cities.
The two minute and 10 second preview, known as a trailer, was shown at 75 selected theaters on Tuesday, but Southwind 12 Theater, 3433 Iowa St., probably will not show the trailer today.
In Los Angeles, two-thirds of a 500 person audience walked out on the feature presentation, The Siege, starring Denzel Washington, after the preview for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was shown.
In other cities, Star Wars fans paid up to $10 a ticket to see the trailer, only to leave before the movie started.
But local movie house operators aren't expecting big crowds in Lawrence today.
B. J. Smith, booth manager at Southwind 12, said that the theater expected the trailer to arrive today
but that it probably would not be shown in front of any titles until Thanksgiving weekend.
Nick Guhan, general manager for Southwind 12 Theaters, said that he did not think that local moviegoers would pay for a ticket and then leave after seeing the Star Wars trailer.
"It could happen," Guinan said. "I don't think I pay $4 for a ticket and walk out."
Some KU students saw the preview on the Internet.
Andrew Morgan, Leawood sophomore, said that his roommate took a break from watching pro wrestling to log on to the Star Wars Web site.
The trailer gave a quick glimpse of actors Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson, who reportedly will play Jedi knights in the upcoming film.
Morgan said the preview was impressive and appealed to cost a lot of money.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.
"My roommate said that George Lucas and that amount of money together should be illegal," he said.
Cowboy Junkies play it mellow
By T.R. Miller
Kansan music fiend
Cowboy Junkies' vocalist Margo Timmins expressed her concern that the band has gained the reputation for melancholy music. The band's most well-known numbers — "Commerz-Dienst"
"Common Disaster" and "Crescent Moon"
and "Crescent Moon" — are a somber pair and its rendition of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane" seems to slow the tempo and dampen the beat. Its latest release, "Miles. From Our
Home" sports some honest rock fare, proving this band to be more than just another angst-ridden group.
"The Cowboy Junkies played several cuts from the new album, including the title cut and my personal favorite, "Darkling Days." Guitarist Michael Timmins was the star for the first half of the show. Armed with two newly purchased guitars, which he bought in Lawrence, Michael gave the band a stormy
COWBOY JUNKIES
Liberty Hall, Nov. 13, 1998
**** out of *****
presence with his keen improvisation skills. This sweet, dry guitar sound played a lovely duet to his sister's undeniably angelic voice.
The band took care to touch on some tried- and true fan favorites. A strong and touchingly modest rendition of "Misguided Angel" inspired the crowd into a unison sway. "Crescent Moon" and "Sweet Jane" were particularly moving, thanks to the harmony between Margo Timmins and the blonde, pixie-cut back-up singer.
After a shaking encore, the Cowboy Junkies returned to the stage, played one more song and extended an invitation to all interested to stop by and say "Hi." Considering Liberty Hall was sold out before the show, I predict the band could have played an even larger venue, but the Cowboy Junkies are perfect for an intimate singsong in downtown Lawrence.
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