The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 04, 1997, Page 10, Image 10
C*3RT K*<v *^9^ Professor of Pediatric Dentistry UNL Dental College Shares his Christian testimony • Tonight at 8:00 425 University Terrace (behind Pound Dorm) www. ihcc. org/college. htm Patrick Abendroth 436-7177 Even the odds. Theirs and Yours. Join AmeriCorps, the domestic Peace Corps. By tutoring kids, restoring streams and parks, building playgrounds, helping communities hit by disasters, serving in a health clinic, or meeting other important needs, you'll help others succeed. When you join AmeriCorps for one year, you get: ★ A living allowance and health care ★ Skills for your future ★ Deferral on qualified student loans ★ Almost $5,000 for education ★ An experience you'll never forget Sound interesting? Call AmeriCorps for more information: 1-800-942-2677 (TDD 1-800-833-3722). Or visit our website at http://www.cns.gov I . I If you’re a math whiz, you’ll know it’s a ^T6CLt deal. (If you’re not, well, you can come along, too.) _1_ Hey, we all know college students don’t have a lot of money to throw' around. That’s why Amtrak* is such a great deal. With prices like these, you can * afford to visit friends and family every weekend. And, with the Student Advan tage* Card, you save 15% on your ticket. _ The savings really add up. For more information, call your travel agent or I 1-800-USA-RAIL. Trains depart from I the Amtrak station at 201 N. 7th Street, Lincoln, NE. - -1 I ■ - ■ " 1-800-96-AMTRAK ■Fares shown are each way based on round-trip purchase, apply to coach travel only and are subject to availability Reservations may be required. No multiple discounts. Fares, schedules and restrictions are subject to change without notice By Bret Schulte Film Critic Hollywood’s most unrestrained sil ver fox, Richard Gere, has been gnash ing his teeth at the Chinese government for years over human rights violations and the suppression of religion in the communist nation - specifically, his own worship of choice, Buddhism. Gere’s newest political crusade, “Red Comer,” is the marriage of Gere’s noncommittal acting career and his devout dedication to Buddhism, which has been suppressed by Communist China throughout its mainland as well as in occupied Tibet, the former home of the exiled Dalai Lama. But we all know how Gere’s mar riages turn out. Like his ex-wife, Cindy Crawford, Gere’s politics and religionproved to be too much for “Red Comer” to handle as.welL Partially filmed in China and large ly completed in Los Angeles, “Red Comer” is an extremely confused and potently political film about a brilliant American corporate lawyer, (always Geres best character) Jack Moore, who becomes ensnared in China’s shadowy and omnipotent justice system. Sent to China by some monolithic American entertainment conglomerate, Moore is negotiating with Chinese offi cials to open up China’s notoriously closed society to Western programming. The closing of the deal means billions of dollars for both parties involved, as well as a momentous step toward China’s re introduction into the Western world. Of course, Gere’s character meets a beautiful woman, who works as amodel at a Chinese club and, of course, they land in bed before you have gotten a chance to wipe your glasses clean. The next morning, Moore is arrest ed for tiie murder of the model, who was found stabbed to death in the early morning by Chinese soldiers. Moore is promptly imprisoned and urged to confess his guilt, or face the 99 percent likelihood that he will receive capital punishment for his not-guilty plea. In China, the bullet for your shot to the head is billed to your family. As the American’s court-appointed defense advocate, yet another beautiful woman (Bai Ling) enters the equation. Initially abrasive and stand-offish, she finally warms up to Moore (duh), and places herself in direct opposition of the system she so adamantly believes in to save his life. While director Jon Avnet (“Fried Green Tomatoes”) deserves a nod for not letting Gere sleep with more than one woman in the movie, he does little to minimize the obvious physical attrac tion between the characters, which ulti mately only marginalizes the serious political nature of the film. Moore fights for his innocence against nearly the entire Chinese politi cal system, which is portrayed as con summately corrupt and intentionally evil - an interpretation easily embraced by Westerners, but one that is rather' unfair, and even in its attempt, inconsis tent at die same time. Treated with both respect and disdain by the Chinese, Moore finally reveals a plot against his life involving the communications deal and proves his innocence. Remarkably consistent in the film are inconsistencies. Moore is beaten, intimidated and imprisoned by Chinese officials,"but when he escapes through Beijing with a loaded weapon, the Nazi like Chinese decide not to shoot him as they pursue him to the American embassy. The Chinese court systems are equally unbalanced, with Moore strug gling to interpret Chinese law and cus toms to save his life and the officials making jokes about him. Clearly influ enced by Chinese officials, the court’s judges seemingly arbitrarily decide to listen to him and ignore him, only to release him in die end. While “Red Comer” paints a favor able portrayal of Chinese society and its people, its treatment of the political sys tem is absurdly childish and one-dimen sional, as is the character of Moore him self as a misunderstood playboy with a haunted past With Moore as a successful-yet innocent protagonist, accompanied with a few cute moments of the blos soming love on behalf of two spiritually wounded souls, “Red Comer” looks like a puppy-love John Hughes adapta tion of a pseudo-challenging John Grisham novel. If you want to see a Richard Gere film, go rent “An Officer and a Gentleman.” If you want to see a movie about China, rent “Empire of the Sun.” -J The Facts Title: “Red Comer* Stars: Richard Gere, Bai Ling, Bradtey Whitford, Byron Mann Rating: R (violence, adult situations, language) Grade: C Five Words: Leave political films to Stone Photo courtesy oE Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures SHEN YUEUN (Bai Ling) begs Jack Moore (Richard Gere) not to run from Chinese officials in “Red Comer.” Homecoming 1997 OUR ‘Pillars of Strength’ Thank you to the following sponsors of Homecoming: Alphagraphics Printshop Campus Recreation Center P%|£j»y Fairbury Brand Hot Dogs UmmU M Godfather’s Pizza Interfraternity Council KFRX Radio -__ Misty’s Restaurant & Lounge ^ Nebraska State Fairgrounds ^ Nike Old Home Buns Panhellenic Association P.O. Pears PALS Russ’s Market - Floral Dept. Sir Speedy Printing Student Foundation Tommy Hilfiger at Dillard’s University Foundation University Health Center University Program Council ^ UNL Chancellor’s Office UNIVERSITY; UNL Mail & Distribution B^,p|fST0RE UNL Parking & Transit Services ; UNL Printing Services Homecoming 1997 wqS coordinated by the following members of the Homecoming - ' Steering CorhmittenvASUN 7 UNL's Student Govrnment Student - Alumni Assoc. - , , ^^^^^^g^ASNR f lnter^^m^Comdl - Panh^linic Assoc. - Residence Hall . • .-.••• « • • ■ ■ ■ • ■ -' . * . • . .. -if £