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Future festive flicks include
possible Oscar contenders
By RICHARD Sf.HTH
2nd JAF.'IS DEAN
Staff Writers
in case you were a little disillu
sioned by the lack of good stuff
around at the movies recently,
especially after the disappointing
Thanksgiving crop, we thought
we'd give you the run-down on
the films scheduled for this Christ
mas to whet your appetite.
All films that want to be con
sidered for Oscars next year have
to be released for a whole week
before the end of this year. Here
are some of the likely contenders,
which are creeping in just before
that deadline.
Talk Radio Oliver Stone's
follow-up to "Platoon" and "Wall
Street" is about a controversial
radio talk-show host who is threa
tened by a radical group of right
wing extremists. The film is actu
ally adapted from a book by
Stephen Singular and a play by Eric
Bogosian. Bogosian himself takes
the lead role and is supported by
Ellen Greene ("Little Shop of
Horrors").
Rain Man Martin Brest ("Beverly
Hills Cop"), Sydney Pollack ("Out of
Africa") and Steven Spielberg were
all at one stage scheduled to direct
this script which heralds Dustin
Hoffman's long-awaited return
(we're deliberately ignoring "ish
tar") to the screen Also starring
current sure thing Tom Cruise, the
film was finally given to Barry
Levison ("Diner," "Good Morning,
Vietnam"). Hoffman plays an au
tistic idiot savant with a photo
graphic memory who's given a
family inheritance. Cruise plays his
con-man brother, intent on get
ting hold of the money for himself.
Mississippi Burning Deep
South, 1 964, is the setting for this
story of two FBI agents (Gene
Hackman and Willem Dafoe)
searching for three missing civil
rights workers. Shot on location
in Jackson, Miss., and LaFayette,
Ala, the film employed local actors
and technicians, many of whom
were around for the real events
of the story. The film's name is
taken from the actual FBI file on
the case. Directed by Alan Parker,
of "Birdy" and "Angel Heart" fame.
The Accidental Tourist Wil
liam Hurt and Kathleen Turner
team up again with director Law
rence Kasden - all of whom
worked on the terrific "Body Hear
- in this adaptation of Ann Tyler's
novel of the same name. They play
a couple so devastated by the loss
of their son that she leaves, and
he has to start a new life, which
he does with the help of a spirited
dog trainer, played by Geena Davis
("The Fly").
A Cry In the Dark in her first
film since "ironweed," Meryl Streep
recreates the true story of Lindy
Chamberlain, the Australian
woman who received unwanted
fame when her baby went missing.
She claimed that it had been taken
by a dingo (an Australian wild dog),
but the Australian Press vehe
mently opposed her story, saying
that she murdered the baby. Also
starring Sam Neil!, and directed by
Fred Schepisi, all of whom last
worked together in the excellent
"Plenty."
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Dan Ackroyd and Kim Basinger star in the new comedy
release, "My Stepmother Is an Alien."
There are also some blockbuster were separated at birth and get
comedies on the way, including: together on a quest to find their
Twins Arnold Schwarzenegger mother - apparently the only
and Danny Devito play a set of
scientifically created twins who See HOLIDAY FLICKS page 11
Round out your holiday wish list with these five albums
By doug ed?.:u?:ds
Staff Wilt sr
Albums to put on your
Holiday wish Ust
Faced with the predicament of
having to choose one record out
of a possible half dozen or so
choice discs for my last review of
the semester, l decided instead to
compile a list of prime vinyl for
your holiday gift-givingreceiving
pleasure. The following LPs repre
sent only a small sample of the
cool sounds released over the past
few months, but l found myself
enjoying these records in partic
ular, in addition, IVe been way too
poor to buy some stuff I would
have loved to review, so the list
is smaller than I'd prefer. Anyway,
I hope you all spend plenty of time
in your favorite record store over
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the break and are hip enough to
check out one or more of these
platters.
Dinosaur Jr. Bug
Since I'm not a big fan of the
"we're sloppy as hell, cant sing
that well, but sure can play loud"
school of alternative music, (which
does not, by the way, include
those masters of the loose feel,
The Replacements), this one came
as a pleasant surprise Dinosaur Jr."s
earlier efforts didnt strike me as
much as this one, and I think the
difference lies, quite simply, in the
songs. On Bug you find good
melodies, interesting chord pro
gressions and some great lyrics in
addition to the normal doses of
loudness and dissonance. This
album rocks hard and heavy, but
it doesnt sound like one long aural
attack where ail the songs become
indistinguishable from each other.
"Freak Scene" shows the group at
its best and is even more ear
catching than its funny cover
version of Peter Frampton's
"Show Me the Way," from the
band's last ep. The last cut on the
record is the best primal scream
tune IVe heard in ages. And
you were beginning to think only
my comrade reviewer, Mr. Bullock,
liked that kind of thing!
Keith Richards - Talk Is
Cheap
Indeed it is, music lovers, but
when a record talks with this
much energy and class it deserves
a listen - or two or three. You
may . not think of this, ancient-
Roiling Stone as part of the alter
native scene, but this excellent
solo debut is certainly a fresh,
welcome alternative to much of
the sugar-coated shlock polluting
today's airwaves. Keith and his
band of ace session musicians,
including former David Letterman
drummer Steve Jordan and ver
satile guitarist Waddy wachtel,
play with spirited abandon and
manage to achieve a kind of
musical tightness just by staying
loose. The album mixes rock, soul,
funk and R&B to form a collection
of memorable tunes that the
ragged-voiced Richards sings with
surprising dexterity. Rolling Stone
or not, Richards has made an LP
that stands on its own as an
exciting, well-crafted piece of
work.
Lloyd Cole and the Commo
tions Mainstream
In a fairer world, music this good
would be mainstream, unfortu
nately for Uoyd and us, his Amer
ican record label didnt think this
was even good enough for the
non-mainstream, and, after more
than a year's delay and a change
in labels, his third domestic release
finally became available this fall. If
you like guitar-based pop with
great hooks, thoughtful arrange
ments, unique vocals and intelli-,
gent, clever lyrics, this is an essen
tial purchase. I suppose that
description cuold apply to a lot of
groups, such as The Smiths or Echo
and the Bunnymen, but Cole and
friends have created a distinctly
original sound and a 10-song album
-wjtti not one . bad .number. How.
could anyone resist the biting wit
of "Sean Penn Blues" or the fast
talking hipness of the opener, "My
Bag"? Do yourself a favor, do the
band a favor, buy this record.
The Waterboys Fisher
man's Blues
Last, but not necessaril v least, on
my abbreviated list of recom.
mended vinyl, (and I do mean vinyl
for ail of you brainwashed, digital
masses) is this fourth release by
the underrated, overlooked
Waterboys. Known for frontman
Mike Scott's passionate vocals and
his lyrics' grand poetic imagery,
the group seems to be in a quieter,
more traditional mood here. By
traditional I mean Celtic folk music,
which pervades the record
throughout While these songs are
not as uplifting or musically com
pelling as most previous compo
sitions, Scott still expresses his
visions and thoughts skillfully and
sincerely with obvious references
to one of his biggest Influences,
van Morrison. There are, however,
a few numbers that recall the
majestic "Big Music" of the band's
past, especially the stirring "We
Will Not Be Lovers." This is the kind
of record that's perfect for listen
ing to by a warm fire on a cold,
damp winter afternooa Dont ask
me why.
So there you have it, some
helpful suggestions for the holiday
shopping binge. I hope all you
plastic fantastic lovers check out
at least one of these titles. Chances
are youH like what you hear, and,
if not, well Its Christmas. You
can always return it.-
at.':'
. ... i J -J J J AM j.