6B Entertainment Friday October 16,1998 Review Academy Award nominee Oprah Winfrey (center) stars as Sothe, a former slave who is literally haunted by her past), in Touchstone Pictures' drama Beloved. Set in rural Ohio following the Civil War, the film also stars Kimberly Elise (left) as Sethe's daughter Duane and Thandie Newton (right), the mysterious young woman who calls herself Beloved. Contributed art. Spirits of the past provide mystical quality in Beloved By Jeremy M. Doherty Kansan movie critic The past comes to life in Beloved, and the memories are anything but sunny. As a child born into slavery, Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) watched helplessly as white plantation owners lynched her mother. While pregnant with her daughter, Sethe was raped by two white men who were after the milk in her breasts. After escaping from the Kentucky plantation (ironically called Sweet Home) to Cincinnati, Sethe murdered her two-year-old daughter so that she would never face the horrors of a slave's life. In adapting Toni Morrison's novel, director Jonathan Demme has captured many of the book's trademarks. Morrison's lyrical, mournful language, the chronological lapses in the story's timeline and the violently sexual imagery have survived the translation to film. Morrison fans will be delighted. *Beloved* also examines how ex-slaves attempted to find their identity in the years following the Civil War. In Morrison's view, emancipation itself did not guarantee freedom. The former slaves were forced to abandon old schools of thought and sever ties to their heritage. The movie begins eight years after Sethe killed her daughter, and now she must contend with the child's ghost. In the film, unseen forces attack the family dog and shoo off Sethe's two sons. Life in the rickety house outside, shared with her remaining daughter, Denver (Kimberly Elise), is spent on tips. Change arrives in the form of two visitors. The first is Paul D (Danny Clower), a big-hearted ex-s slave from Sweet Home who shows up on the doorstep looking for womanly companionship. She finds her emotions reignited by Paul D's affection, but Denver, who never knew her own father, resents his presence. The second visitor is Beloved (Thandie Newton), a wide-eyed young woman who appears one afternoon strewn out on Sethe's front lawn. Though she's wearing an expensive mourning gown, Beloved seems to possess the mind of a child, and she climbs to Sethe like a toddler. Gradually. Beloved begins to domi Kansan rating: *** out of **** BELOVED Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes Rated R for a realistic depiction of slavery and rape nate the household, insistent on monopolizing Sethe's attention and driving Paul Daway. At the same time, Sethe's mood worsens, and she grows infatuated with Beloved, shunning both Denver and her lover. Demme's direction, a combination of documentary-style realism and dreamy operatics, makes a perfect match for the poetry of Morrison's story. As usual, his direction of actors is flawless; expect Oscar nominations in February for Winfrey, Newton and Elise. But the movie falters in its final act as Demme struggles to find a suitable exit. As a result, Beloved ends on an unconvincingly upbeat note — totally out of place for this kind of film and the important message it delivers. The Mighty tackles too much Review By Jeremy M. Doherty Kansan movie critic Sharon Stone playing a dooby housewife makes about as much sense as Meryl Streep playing a leg-crossing eschpath. Surprisingly, Stone is one of the more acceptable components in *The Mighty*, another touchy-feely drama about a child with the Morquio syndrome — a condition that causes dwarfism in children. While this outing is nowhere near as sugary as last month's *Simon Birch*, it tackles more issues than it can reasonably solve in a two-hour block. Disease? Got 'em. Domestic abuse? You bet. Single parenthood? Yup. Alcoholism? Uh-huh. Gun control? Right on. Underneath the CNN-ready material, The Mighty does present a fairly sweet friendship between two misunderstood kids. But director Peter Chelson is so concerned with his horde of plot strands that he doesn't allow that friendship to breathe. The movie is worth noting for the fine performances by Elden Henson and Kieran Culkin (Macauley's brother) as the two friends. Hensen is Max, a Goliath-sized kid who, nevertheless, allows a gang of bullies to terrorize him. With his father (James Gandolfini) in prison for the murder of his mother, he lives a lonely life with his grandparents (Harry Dean Stanton and Gena Rowlands). How lonely? Every day after school, he heads to his room in the basement and hides under the bed. The house next door soon is occupied by Gwen Dillon (Stone) and her son Kevin (Culkin). Kevin is a smart-mouthed kid in leg braces, and his mom constantly nags at him to chew his food slowly and to avoid rowdy sports. Kevin is assigned to act as Max's English tutor, and the two kids develop a hankering for all things related to the King Arthur legend. They begin to roam the streets of Cincinnati, with Kevin perched on the larger kid's shoul- THE MIGHTY Kanson rating: ** 1/2 out of ****** Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes Rated PG-13 for profanity and hardly any leg-crossing aers, handing out pocket change to street beggars. Max eventually works up the nerve to throttle the bullies who have been tormenting him. Although arguably miscast, Stone sinks into Gwen's blue jeans and flannel shirts pretty well. But despite her efforts to de-glamorize herself, we never foretet that we're watching a movie star. Then Chelsom decides to reintroduce Max's father into the story, and The Mighty suddenly turns into a Pulp Fiction for kids. The movie just can't sustain the abrupt shift in tone, which is altered again at least twice before the final credits. Sometimes, simplicity is the best route. Theatre promotes 75th anniversarv By Mariana Paiva Kansan staff writer Lauren Stanford, Stillwell senior, spent six hours this week carrying a sign on Jayhawk Boulevard, advertising the new University Theatre production. Stanford was promoting "The Batting Cage," which officially opens the University Theatre's 75th season at 8 tonight at Crafton-Prever Theatre. "We are having a pretty good response," Stanford said. "A lot of people have showed some interest." Katherine Pryor, associate director of the University Theatre, said the initiative did not mean that tickets sales were declining. Rather, she said, the point was to promote the 75th season of the University Theatre. THE BATTING CAGE As part of a traineeship program, students are actively promoting the upcoming plays. - What: "The Batting Cage" - Where: Crafton-Preyer Theatre, Murray Hall ■ When; Tonight, Saturday, Sunday and Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week. What time: 8 p.m. all days, except Sunday, which is at 2:30 p.m. Pryor said that in a focus group last year they found out that there were some students on campus who did not even realize that there were shows being performed on campus. we are trying to find ways to encourage more students to come to the theater, just as they do with the football team and the basketball teams," Pryor said. "There are a lot of things that those people have to do in town, so the University Theatre may not be one of their top choices." Wright said. Jack Wright, director of "The Batting Cage" and professor of theater and film, also said he thought more students should come to the theater to appreciate the performance of their peers. Wright praised the work of the students in the plays and said the work was very professional. Becca Booth, Lawrence sophomore, plays the character Wilson in the University Theatre's production of "The Batting Cage." Photo by Joseph Griffin/KANSAN "The quality of work is so good, and we just want to expose it more to other students," he said. He said that the first saw "The Batting Cage" performed in the 1996 Humana Festival at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, Ky. The play, written by Joan Ackermann, talks about family relationships, how people deal and communicate with each other and the loss of a loved one. In the play, two sisters arrive in South Florida to scatter the ashes of a third sister, Morgan, who died two years earlier. Upon arrival, the two discover that their sister's ashes have been lost by the airline and that their mother cannot join them in Florida. "The difference in this play is related to the fact that there is a missing person in the family and how this person has affected everybody else," Wright said. "Morgan wanted her family to stay together, so she arranged this trick for them to realize they have to go on like everybody else." Tickets for the play can be purchased in the KU box offices and cost $6 for students, $11 for senior citizens and $12 for the public. Computer RENAISSANCE 1525 West 6th 843-9922 The Etc. Shop 928 Mass Downtown Parking in the rear All eyes on you SELL 1029 MASS TRADE PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS COLLEGE CORNER LAUNDRY Cheapest Wash N' Fold Service in town! - 60¢ per lb. flat rate · $15 for 30lb of laundry · Wash N' Fold service from 9am-5pm,7 days a week Open 7 Days a Week 8am to Midnight 19th & Louisiana Midnight Green Hall, Room 107 9:00 am - 1:00 pm The program will include information on: Saturday, October 17, 1998 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KU CREDIT UNION An institution of the University Credit Union Minority Law Day Saturday. October 17,1998 *Admission Procedures *LSAT Infrmation is hosting a *Career Information *Financial Aid Infrmation *A Mock Law School Class *Student Life THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF LAW KU Athletics would like to Welcome 30th Anniversary of Kansas Women's Athletics Reunion Weekend For more information, please contact the Law School Admissions Office at (785) 864-4378 Casual dress is appropriate 7:30 am Golf Tournament - Orchards 1:00 pm Soccer vs Iowa State The weekend's activities include... Lunch will be provided 3:00 pm Soccer vs. Nebraska 7:00 pm Crimson/Blue Swim Meet 7:30 pm Volleyball vs. Iowa State 10:00 pm Men's & Women's Basketball Late Night all the former KU Women Athletes back for the Friday Saturday Sunday 10:00 am Alumni Brunch 1:30 pm Tour of Athletic Facilities 3:00 pm Family Picnic 7:30 pm Volleyball vs. Missouri At Arizona Trading Co. we buy, sell, and trade quality men's and women's clothing every day. 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