Arts
Page 8 Daily Nebraskan Tues
Coen fans
will enjoy
'0 Brother'
Oh Brother Where Art Thou
1-—(★★★★:
BY SETH FELTON
I was a little biased going into
this movie because I absolutely
loved the Coen brothers’ last film,
“The Kg LebowskL”
“O Brother, Where Art Thou"
is not the Big L But it has the same
feel, the same tone. The three
main characters - escapees from
a prison chain gang - are led by
one Ulysses Everett McGill
(George Clooney), who promises
his two compatriots a share of a
$1.2 million hoard he stashed
before his imprisonment
McGill then leads the slow
witted, perpetually slack-jawed
Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) and
manic, unstable Pete (John
TUrturro) on a quest to get bade to
. McGill’s shack before the valley is
flooded in preparation for build
ing a hydroelectric dam.
In typical Coen brothers fash
ion, the plot is primarily driven,
not by a strong narrative direction
or even character motivation, but
by a series of random events, die
consequences of which lead to
other random events.
Thus, in their journey to the
fabled treasure, they manage to
record an album as the Soggy
Bottom brothers, meet up with
gangster George “Babyface”
Nelson, break up an enormous
KKK meeting (it is Mississippi in
the 1930s, after all) and influence
a gubernatorial campaign.
At the beginning of the film,
we are told that “O Brother" is
based on Homer's “Odyssey.” It's
been a long time since I read it,
but not knowing the events of die
Homeric epic does not take
enjoyment from the film. Most
recognizable to everyone will be
the Sirens, the blind prophet and
Big DanTteague (John Goodman),
the one-eyed Bible salesman who
represents the Cyclops.
Most notably absent is the
whole chopped-up Daddy and
married Mommy episode, but
that would have given the movie a
slightly different flavor.
I have yet to decide what
makes Coen brothers films such a
riot because in all honesty, noth
ing really happens in them, and at
the same time, we’re hit with a
barrage of what should be normal
events. Instead, they are tilted and
colored with a hint of instability,
like baking soda and a drop of
vinegar. Ids not enough to make a
complete mess; it’s just enough to
keep the scenes bubbling with an
indescribable energy.
In some scenes, the Coen
brothers add more bubble. In oth
ers, less, but they never let the
instability get out of hand.
The whole movie is like a
chemistry experiment, with sev
eral sub-plots being concocted
separately at first. Then, slowly
and carefiilly, like a catalyst being
poured into a previously inert
substance, the sub-plots are
mixed into the characters’ formu
la of events. Molecules from each
substance begin to bond.
By the end of the film there are
no sub-plots - the mixture finally
congeals and explodes in a flash
of music, crooked politics and
divine intervention, and the audi
ence is cheered and inspired by
the resulting fireworks.
This is what makes “O
Brother” a success: Each sub-plot
is funny and quirky early in the
movie, even when it doesn’t seem
related to the main characters at
afl. The movie is made that much
more satisfying when each sepa
rate element comes together to
multiply both the energy and
comedy of the film.
Admittedly, for some this film
will not dick. For some, alotofthe
early scenes may seem pointless.
For some, it may move too slowly.
Some may find the characters a
little too clichgd, especially the
arrogant, preening governor and
his fat, sycophantic sons running
his campaign. And one could say
that, once again, Clooney plays a
character who gets by on charm
and gab, not an unusual role for
him. It could be argued that he
was typecast as a glib charismatic
in this movie as well.
But I never noticed these
filings. I was too busy enjoying
myself. Go see this movie; I guar
antee the majority of you will
come out more than satisfied.
“O Brother, Where Art Thou”
Starring George Clooney, John
Thrturro and Tim Blake Nelson.
Directed by Ethan Coen. Written
by Joel and Ethan Coen. Rated
PG-13 (language and adult situa
tions) Playing at the Lincoln 3.
Story by Sean McCarthy
Paintings, beadwork among new Noyes exhibits
The documented demise of a moon
flower and detailed beaded jewelry are some
of the works of art featured this month at the
Noyes Art Gallery, 119 S. 9th St
Gabrielle Moscu, whose five paintings
chronicle the death of a moon flower, said
she spent a year and a half thinking about
the paintings but spent little time painting
the oil-on-canvas work. The last painting in
the series has a two-painting-in-one effect.
“I wanted to take a magnifying glass to a
specific point,” Moscu said.
April Stevenson, whose beads are dis
played at the Sheldon Gift Shop, designed
her beadwork on a computer before she
made them. Stevenson said she preferred
working with beads for the color contrast.
“I tend to like geometric, repeating
designs,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson's father, Bob Stevenson, also is
featured in the focus gallery. Unlike April,
Bob Stevenson displays works of stained
glass. This is not the first time the two have
had their work displayed in the same gallery.
The University Place Art Center, 2601N. 48“
St., also had displayed their works.
“It’s just a different creative outlet for
both of us,” April Stevenson said.
Along with the Stevensons and Moscu,
two other artists are featured in the Focus
Gallery exhibit at Noyes: Nina Szczerbowska
and Glenda Dietrich. Dietrich's works fea
ture paintings, while Szczerbowska displays
still photography.
For those who want to give their home
made Valentine’s Day cards an extra kick, the
gallery is offering a card-making class,
taught by Noyes, on Sunday from 1-3 p.m.
rhe price for the class is $10.
New albums hit the racks for pop fans
Jennifer Lopez misses mark with mediocre 1 Lo' Vitamin C's 'More'unabashed and full of pure fun
BY ANDREW SHAW
I have this recurring dream where I’m
being chased, and no matter how many
alleys I run through, no matter how many
fire escapes and fences I climb, she’s stiil
there, wagging her hips and flipping her
hair. I don't think I’m alone in that dream.
Jennifer Lopez is everywhere.
Her latest movie, “The Wedding
Manner,” has topped the box office for two
consecutive weekends. At the same time, “J.
Lo,” die follow-up album to her previous hit,
“On The 6,” bumped The Beatles off the top
of the Billboard charts. Whether it is the
effect or catalyst of her resurgent fame,
Lopez also has hogged the MTV spotlight
this last week. Even being mixed up with
Puff Daddy’s trial puts Lopez’s dark eyes and
curvaceous figure in die public eye where it
likes to be.
Can any artist stand up to this kind of
hype? Sure. Can Jennifer Lopez? No way.
Lopez first splashed onto the main
stream scene by playing the martyred main
character in "Selena.” She helped launch the
short flashbulb trend of Latin pop, and on “J.
Lo,” the singer tries to continue cultivating
her Latin roots while mixing in ghetto-chic,
seductive ballads and hot dance numbers.
What these add up to is a disastrously
diverse album.
While attempting to put forth a sexy
time with “Come Over,” Lopez performs
one of the most boring songs ever put to sil
icon. To describe the song as redundant
would be an understatement. The drum
track rarely deviates from its minimalist
groove, the bass repeats itself like the Rain
Man and the openly-sexual lyrics don’t
incorporate anything that could be mistak
en as inspiration, imagination or effort
BY ANDREW SHAW
Like a glass of orange juice or popping
an herbal supplement, Vitamin C’s sopho
more album, “More,” is easy to swallow.
Making that statement comes with a
healthy amount of embarrassment and dis
appointment in my anti-bubblegum; pop
leanings, but “More” is performed with the
right amount of quirk to turn me on.
Vitamin C is pure pop, unabashed and
shameless. She appears in two movies
(“Dracula 2000” and “Get Over It”), Tommy
Hilfiger has named a lipstick color after her
and Mattel is marketing a Vitamin C doll
But she mainly bills herself as a musi
cian. She has performed in malls across
America, played at the James Caldwell High
School Senior Prom and her self-titled
album went platinum.
“More” has no redeeming value and
doesn’t try to suggest any, which makes it
one of the most acceptable pop albums to
come from the teen-ruled genre.
The album touts the most stereotypical
pop songs ever to be written. “The Itch”
combines all the essentials for a Top 40 hit
into one song. At about 100 beats per
minute, the programmed percussion puls
es a definite beat with liberal use of stop
time. At any given time, five to seven vocal
tracks can be perceived, employing rich
harmonies, a hard-clipping melody and
one track devoted to spoken words with
heavy effects.
Add brazenly sexual lyrics, some as out
ward as "you can’t reach where I need
scratchin’," others more subtle like “I need
to get tricked again” or “’cause I wanna go
down,” and you’ve got yourself a song that
America can’t stop tapping its toes to.
The same ideas are repeated on the
When Jim Carrey leaned over in “Dumb
and Dumber” to emit what he labeled “the
most annoying sound in the world,” he
probably never thought the sound would be
challenged. Yet on “Dance With Me," Puffy
produces an electronic brass hit and repeats
it in machine-gun succession to bore a hole
into the side of any listener's head.
The poor production of “Dance With
Me” and “Come Over” describes the majori
ty of the album, but two songs stand out as
rare spotlights on the 15-track album.
“Carifio" and "Si Ya Se Acabd” show
Lopez still has definite talent. Her voice
shines with energy, the music swings with a
classic Latin beat and the two tracks fit
together to expose Lopez’s best side.
Unfortunately, “J. Lo” isn’t content being
a Latin album. Lopez dips her toes into too
many pools, trying to test the water of too
many genres, only touching on the surface
of most and releases a mediocre pop album
Jennifer Lopez “J. Lo” Epic Records2001
Vitamin
1-—
bouncily goofy "I Know What Boys Like”
and the endlessly staccato “I Can’t Say No.”
Although it is as typical as pop comes,
“More” sounds like a low-budget pop
album. The over-powering electronic
instrument presence gives the album a fake
and cheesy feel, but these elements of
laughable and quirky sounds make “More”
increasingly catchy and respectable in a
sick, sad sort of way.
Vitamin C's appeal still stems from her
marketability. She’s gotapretty face and one
hell of a body. I'm sure she has a fine voice,
but with the amount of manipulation that
she receives on “More,” Julia Child could be
a pop star. Vitamin C is not afraid of tackling
sexuality head-on, even if it is the fabricated
Hollywood version of what sexuality should
be, and that may be where Vitamin C, like
most modem pop stars, finds danger she’s
an image, not a musician.
Vitamin C “More” Elektra Records 2001
'80s kings Stewart, Ritchie enter millennium with new music
BY ANDREW SHAW
Rod Stewart "Human”
A collection of 11 songs
in Stewart's classic R&B
style. With help from for
mer Guns N’ Roses gui
tarist Slash, Mark Knopfler,
Macy Gray and Scottish
singer-songwriter
Helicopter Girl, Stewart
tries to reclaim the fans he
lost with the critically
defunct 1998 release,
“When We Were The New
Boys."
The Frogs “Hopscotch
Lollipop Sunday Surprise”
Indie-freaks The Frogs
release another album of
delightfully offensive tunes
with names like “Better
Than God,” “Nipple
Clamps” and “Bad
Mommy.”
Diamond Rio “One
More Day”
These country staples
release their sixth album
with the title track hit sin
gle.
Public Announcement
“Don’t Hold Back”
The quartet that used
to claim R. Kelly as a mem
ber releases their second
album. |
Lionel Richie
“Renaissance”
The ninth solo album
from the man who dances
on the ceiling.
“Renaissance” already has
sold more than 500,000
copies in Europe