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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1992)
Arts & Entertainment Soldier bombards theaters “Universal Soldier” By Gerry Beltz Staff Reporter “Universal Soldier” (Plaza 4,12th and P streets) is full of action and stunts, but has holes in the plot that Jean-Claude Van Damme could do one of his infamous “triple pirouette kicks" through. Please don’t misunderstand what is being said. Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren fans alike will not be disap pointed at this movie, unless they get picky about things like plot develop ment, realism and so forth. The movie starts out in Vietnam, wdh Lundgrcn as a psychotic ser geant who has laid waste to an entire village, believing all the villagers to be the enemy. Van Damme is done with his lour of duly and just wants to go home. But after Van Damme watches Lundgrcn kill two more of the inhab itants, Lundgrenand Van Damme end up killing each other at point blank range. The incident is covered up and the two bodies are listed as Missing In Action, packed in ice and shipped off to a secret installation. The film then switches to today’s setting, where both Lundgren and Van Damme have become members of a team of programmed supersoldicrs used in last-resort situations dealing with terrorism. Unfortunately, Van Damme has “deja vu” experiences that begin to snap him back to free thought, and Van Damme does a complete turn around when Lundgrcn is about to blow away a nosy reporter (newcomer Ally Walker) as part of a cinemati cally-rcquired military cover-up. Van Damme then saves Walker and abandons the Universal Soldier detachment. i ms snaps Lundgrcn out ol his program, but his character is stillpsy chotic (making necklaces out of hu man cars, etc.) and wants to catch the traitor, no matter what. For the Van Damme fans, they won’t be disappointed. One of his best scenes puls him in a roadside cafe cashing in heads for about 20 sec onds, then munches a tuna salad sand wich for a little bit, then starts up again. His martial arts sequences arc fairly infrequent, but decent. For the ac lion/ad venture fans who want their adrenaline pumping, “Uni versal Soldier” is recommended. For those seeking well-rounded plots and acting, look elsewhere. ^ of Twentieth Century Fox Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin star in “Prelude to a Kiss," an enchanting fable about the immortality of true love. Meg Ryan’s Kiss a smash “Prelude to a Kiss” By Stacie Hakel Staff Reporter True Love: a love without limi tations, without haste— an uncon ditional love. This is the basis for the movie “Prelude to a Kiss,” in which two young lovers find them selves falling in love at first sight. On a dark city night, Peter Hoskins (Alee Baldwin) arrives at a party his friend Taylor (Stanley Tucci) is having. Upon arrival, he meets the eccentric and interesting Rita Boyle (Meg Ryan), who he becomes immediately attracted to. After finding out about her in securities and fears, Hoskins asks her for her hand in marriage, and she accepts. The wedding day arrives and a strange happening occurs. A mys terious elderly man (Sydney Walker) pops up out of no where and asks to kiss the bride. Apparently, neither of them were aware of the power of a kiss, as the pair switch personalities fol lowing their climatic kiss. mo^-H After his work for the Academy Award-nominated “Longtime Companion,” playwrighl/scrccn writcr Craig Lucas has again pleased his audience with “Pre lude to a Kiss.” Baldwin, who has been seen in “The Hunt for Red October,” “The Marrying Man” and “Bectlejuice,” puis on a gentle show of affection in this film, as Hoskin’s love for Boyle is seen traveling further than jusl looks. Ryan, who has appeared in “When Harry Mel Sally..."‘Top Gun,” “Innerspace” and “The Doors," has a unique and confus ing character as Boyle, but plays the character in such a lovable and adorable manner that her eccen tricities arc almost forgettable. The movie also stars actress Fatly Duke and actor Ned Beatty as Boyle’s parents, and it is obvi ous that Boyle has somehow inher ited these eccentricities she ac quires. Walker’s (“Love Story”) char acter, as the mysterious old man, is excellent, yet he jusl pops out of no where. “Pro lude to a K iss,” while some what comical, is a heart-warming film that shows more than just passion. It brings across a message of love, a love that will stretch to all mrans Disney film tops new video releases By Gerry Bettz Staff Reporter The new releases ai video stores is looking pretty slim this week, unless you’re into Disney flicks, that is. SylvcslcrStalloneandEsiclleGeity kick off this week’s trio of new re leases with “Slop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!” This is a droll comedy of a cop’s mother coming into his life, turning it upside down, then seeing something she wasn’t supposed to. Naturally, he gets to protect her from anyone carrying a gun and the movie runs downhill from the open ing credits on (Available July 16). Next, we have bad character acting at its best in “Love Crimes.” Here, Patrick Bcrgin portrays a psycho with a camera, who entices women to be photographed in com promising situations and rapes them after doing so. moyfo ! However, his victims regularly refuse to prosecute because of im pending humiliation. Dana Greenway (“A Kiss Before Dying”) is the district attorney that wants this “shutterbug psycho” be hind bars. Unfortunately,Greenway’s character has the emotional range of a cheap water pistol. “LoveCrimes” will beavailable in both R-rated and unrated versions (Available July 15). Finally, there is a bright spot this week — the release on video of “The Great Mouse Detective” from Disney. It is an adventure that could be deemed “What If Sherlock Holmes Was A Mouse?” The animation is superb through out the movie and is entertaining both for the young and the old. Christmas begins in Nebraska By Stacie Hakel Staff Reporter If the summer’s heat is getting a bit irritating, be sure and cool off with winter ’ s “Season ’ s Greetings,” staged by the Nebraska Repertory Theater. The play takes place in the merry atmosphere of Neville and Belinda Bunker’s (Kevin Paul and Leigh Dillon) home, in which their relatives fight and complain while they scurry around preparing for the arrival of Christmas day. During the play, Neville ignores Belinda and puts off the few chores he is assigned to. Neville spends most of his time with his friend Eddie (Devon Schumacher). Eddie also has a poor relationship with his wife, Pattic (Ann Niergarth), who is pregnant for the * fourth time and trying to control her anxiety towards Eddie’s lazy behav ior. The oblivious doctor Bernard (Stephen A. Gaines) who is concerned only about his annual puppet show, spends his time constantly bickering with Harvey (Clifford Mason) the ovcrzcalous veteran, who is obsessed with guns and knives. Phyllis (Liann Pauison), Bernard’s ditzy and drunken wife, attempts to cook Christmas dinner, and pulls it off with only a few minorcuts and bruises. Rachel (Jean Lyle), Bclinda’sscxu ally deprived sister, digs for attention and finds it in the novelist Clive (John Lepard), who she has brought home to celebrate this joyous occasion. British author Alan Ayckbourn has grasped the festive season of winter to collaborate this splendid play. “Season’s Greetings” is just one more in addition to the excellent plays he has written, such as “Mr. What Not,” “Relatively Speaking” and “A Case of Mistaken Identity. After the opening his 37th play in 1989, Ayckbourn achieved equiva lence— numerically— with William Shakespeare. “I hope my plays hold up in 400 years; that’s the real test,” Ayckbourn said. “Season’ Greetings” was excep tionally appropriate, even for this time of year, so everyone can prepare themselves now for the joyous, yet horrid Christmas season. “Season’s Greetings” opened July 9 and will run through July 25 at the Carson Theater in the Lied Center for the Performing Arts. Performances arc staged at 8 p.m. every Tuesday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sundays.