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Tournee of ‘toons to show world’s best animation
By J—1 ttrauch
Senior Reporter
Be sure to ‘toon in to the 24th
annual Tournee of Animation this
weekend at the Mary Riepma Ross
Film Theater at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
The Tournee is the acclaimed
annual feature-length compilation
of the world’s best animation. It is
made up of 13 animated shorts
from five countries and includes a
tribute to Will Vinton Studios.
Dan Ladely, the director of the
Ross film theater, said, “Will
Vinton is the fellow who worked
in claymation and made the Cali
fornia Raisins commercials.
; “He started out doing all the
work on his own, and he was so
impressive that he started doing
commercials and now has his own
studio.”
Vinton Studios is represented
with “A Salute to the Dimensional
Artistry of Will Vinton Studios.”
This 22-minute segment in
cludes “Mr. Resistor,” an electri
fying adventure in stop-motion
animation, and “Cool Tools,” a
computer-generated short that fea
tures a hip-hop hammer.
This year’s Tournee also in
cludes an impressive group of
award-winning films.
Among them are “The Sand
man” by Paul Beiry and “Words,
Words, Words” by Michela
Pavlatova.
“There are a lot of really good
examples of practically every type
of animation,” Ladely said. “Ev
erybody will find something that
they like in this diverse selection
of animation.”
An animator who worked with
Steven Spielberg on “Jurassic
Park” also is included. Phil
Tippet’s “Prehistoric Beast” was
made in his garage and took two
years to complete.
Ladely said the Tournees had
been received well in previous
showings at the film theater.
“Animation has gotten really
popular in the last few years,
Ladely said. “We have had a lot of
people call and ask when the next
Tournee was going to be.
“Hopefully those people will
come see this one.”
Event: The 24th Annual
Tournee of Animation
At: The Mary Riepma Ross
Film Theater
Times: three showings today
and five showings Saturday
Tickets: $5, $4 for students,
$3 for senior citizens,
children and Friends of the
Riepma Ross
Youths’ acting saves ‘The War’
Senior Aeport*
“The War” may revolve around a conflict
between two groups of children, but its cen
tral theme of the futility of violence gives a
message to everyone. "
Stephen Simmons (Kevin Costner) is a
Vietnam veteran who suffers from post-trau
matic stress due to the horrors of the war
and his own feelings of inadequacy.
He returns from a voluntary stay at a
mental hospital and tries to instill his feel
ings of pacifism into his explosive son, Stu
(Elijah Wood).
Stu and his sister, Lidia (Lexi Randall),
are building a tree fort and also battling with
a family of rough kids, the Lipnickis.
The film touches on a number of deep
issues, but the main one it tackles is the de
teriorating effects that war has on the hu
man spirit.
Stu listens to his father’s advice of pas
sive resistance but does not fully grasp his
intentions until after a major battle with the
Lipnickis.
The film is awesome on most counts, but
a few mediocre acting performances and
some holes in the plot keep it from being a
show of award-winning capacity.
The realistic dialogue and behavior of the
children in the movie give it a special charm
that is rarely seen on the big screen. Chil
dren usually are ignored or presented as little
adults.
The acting of the young folks in this one
saves the show. Elijah Wood gives a great
performance as Stu, an emotional boy who
just wants his father around.
Court My of Unhroraal Plcturoa
Kovln Costnor stars with Elijah Wood In “Tho War," a now film about
tho futility of vlolonoo.
Newcomer Lexi Randall also is fantastic
as Stu’s older and more rational sister.
Latoya Chisolm is fabulous as Lidia's best
friend Elvadine. She gets into her assertive
and hilarious character with every ounce of
her body and soul.
Kevin Costner has yet to do a poor job as
an actor and this film is no exception.
But Mare Winningham was transparent
and seemed as if she never got into her role.
“The War” is a great show, filled with
emotional ups and downs and is an enjoy
able film for almost anyone.
Movie: “The War”
Rating: PG-13
Stan: Elijah Wood, Kevin Costner,
Mare Winningham, Lexi Randall
Director Jon Avnet
Grade: B+
Five Words: Kid show appeals to
everyone
it,
Alum’s comedy tour brings his antics home
By Chad Lwtnx
Staff Reporter
College makes good comedy material.
Experiences from his six-year stay at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln have in
spired Mark Gross’ best acts, like the one
he used two weeks ago for his “Tonight
Show” audition.
Tonight he will bring it back to Lincoln.
Gross, a 1989 UNL graduate, will per
form stand-up comedy with fellow
Lincolnite Craig Peters at Noodles Comedy
Club at 8:00 tonight and Saturday night.
“It’s going to be loose and ftin. We’ll
have old bits and new stuff,” Gross said.
Gross pursued his comedy career right
after graduation. His five years of comic acts
have included A&E’s “Comedy on the
Road,” “Evening at the Improv,” Comic
Relief ’92, and writing for Comedy
Central’s “Politically Incorrect.” He also
recently toured with comedian Paula
Poundstone, where he performed with
Paulie Shore, Howie Mandel and Kevin
Nealon.
His first comic exposure was when he
placed third at the Showtime comedy con
test as an undergraduate, Gross said. He
mounted successes by winning comedy con
tests in Lincoln, he said.
“I constantly thought about dropping out
and going on the road. But I stuck it out,
graduated, and have been at it for the past
five years," Gross said.
He said he missed the optimism he had
in college. Having a goal like graduation to
look forward to was a promise of success, he
said.
"There are no landmarks like that any
more," he said.
He said he had enjoyed his work on the
club circuit, which kept him on the road 52
weeks a year. But he said he soon hopes to
cut his involvement on the club seem and
find a more stationary job.
"I want to be able to have a dog, to see art
on my wall. I’m fascinated with domestic
life because I'm sick of traveling. Last year
I bought my own pillow, and it was the most
exciting thing I did all year," he said.
-%
Artist says
sculptures
are simple
iy Patrick H—nbf cht
Staff Reporter
Fletcher Benton will appear with his
outdoor sculpture “Three Triangles” at
10:30 a.m. on Saturday to meet admir
ers.
But to really enjoy the sculpture, situ
ated in front of NBC Bank at 13th and
O streets, one should walk past it quickly
without much pondering. That’s what
Benton, the sculpture’s creator, says.
Benton said in a phone interview,
“People should be able to enjoy a sculp
ture for what it is, like they’d enjoy a
tree.
“If you see a beautiful woman walk
ing past you on the street, you don't get
to spend a lot of time with her. But you
know you’ve seen something you like.”
Too many people will stop in front
of a sculpture and rake it for a secret
meaning that the piece actually doesn’t
have, Benton said.
“What do I want a person to feel
when they pass my sculpture?” Benton
asked. “I want them to have a good feel
• _ M
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late 1950s, Benton painted signs to fund
his career as a painter. And throughout
his career he has used the alphabet in
his art, because of its simple beauty.
“Letters have the most beautiful of
all geometry,” Benton said. “It’s not the
sounds of the alphabet. It’s the geom
etry.”
Benton especially admires the letter
R.
“Look at a page of advertising, ami
you’ll see all different types of R’s: beau
tiful R’s, ugly R’s, sexy R’s. It’s one of
the most beautiful and graceful of all
letters.
“Artists create because it’s fun,”
Benton said. “It has a sense of reward.
And you’ve made a statement, good or
bad, and there it is for everyone to deal
with.”
So if you bump into Benton on Sat
urday morning, or wander past “Three
Triangles” while bar-hopping the night
before, Benton would advise you not to
think too much.
“When people look at art, they ask,
‘ What does that mean?’ because they’re
intimidated,” Benton said. “When
people look at art, they should drop their
baggage and become children again.”
