HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
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Volume 103, Issue 123
102 years of editorialfreedom
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
Film Studios Offer Seasoned
Mixture of Holiday Movies
BY DEAN HAIR
ARTS EDITOR
Films this holiday season are filled with
sugar and spice and things not so nice.
Movie studios are pulling out all the stops
in an attempt to make millions of dollars
with some of the year’s most promising
films. However it is up to America to
decide the financial fate of these movies.
Crime and comedy films seem to have
plagued the fall season, and winter appears
to offer a lot of the same.
COMEDY
“Toy Story” Disney’s first full-length
computer-animated film has already
grossed over $65 million at the box office.
With dazzling effects and the voices ofTim
Allen, Tom Hanks and Jim Varney, “Toy
Story” is destined to be another Disney
classic. However, “Toy Story” is not a
musical and lacks the Oscar-winning
soundtracks of previous animated films.
“Jumanji” Robin Williams stars in a
film packed with super special effects by
director Joe Johnston (“Honey, I Shrunk
the Kids”). Williams has been trapped in a
jungle board game for 26 years and is
finally freed, but his jungle friends follow
him into the real world. His last kid-ori
ented film, “Toys,” bombed at the box
office, but “Jumanji” seems promising from
the trailers.
“Father of the Bride Part II” How they
are going to make a sequel to this film, I
don’t even know. But it stars Diane Keaton,
Steve Martin and the always stupid Martin
Short. Expect some major cheese from this
film, so be sure to bring some crackers with
you to the theater.
CRIME
“Heat” Michael Mann, creator of “Mi
ami Vice,” directs A1 Pacino and Robert
De Niro in the rough urban areas of Los
Angeles. Val Kilmer stars as a psychopath,
while Pacino and De Niro have their first
ever on-screen showdown. The film is
geared against Scorsese’s “Casino” and
has a running time of nearly three hours.
“Things to Do in Denver When You’re
Dead” Andy Garcia and crew portray
criminals who mess up a job and then find
themselves the target of the always excel
lent Christopher Walken and hitman Steve
Buscemi. This film will probably not last
long against the powerful performances in
“Heat” and “Casino,” not to mention the
long title.
“Goldeneye” The latest James Bond
installment is being pushed to the top as
one of the best 007 films ever. Six years
since the disastrous “License to Kill,” James
Bond has returned not quite shaken or
stirred with Pierce Brosnan lending class to
the film. Brosnan has already signed a deal
for three more Bond films.
ACTION
“Sudden Death” Jean-Claude Van
Damme uses his classic “acting” abilities
in his latest action thriller. Terrorists have
taken over a hockey rink packed with fans
who have threatened to kill his daughter
within two hours. The script is lame as
always, and Van Damme still poses no
threat to powerhouse Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
“Cutthroat Island” It’s the first version
of “Waterworld.” Geena Davis’ latest film
has been filled with controversy from the
Clmiml Hill, North Caroiiii
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1995
beginning since she signed on as a swash
buckling pirate. The movie’s budget has
soared past S7O million and is already
running the risk of not staying afloat.
“The Crossing Guard” Sean Penn steps
behind the camera as writer and director
with a grim melodrama. Jack Nicholson
stars as a man out to kill a drank driver
(David Morse) who ran down his daugh
ter. Buzz around Penn is that his acting is
as great as ever, but he needs to take a few
writing classes.
CLASSICS
“Sense and Sensibility” Emma Thomp
son portrays a 19th-century English single
woman who is admired by Hugh Grant.
This adaptation of Jane Austen’s comedy
may fall short of her previously released
and highly acclaimed “Persuasion.” This
film should be a winner if it reflects the
charm and appeal of director Ang Lee’s
“The Wedding Banquet.”
“Cry, The Beloved Country” Alan
Paton’s 1930s novel which centered around
black-white relations under apartheid in
South Africa is rumored to have at least
one Oscar performance. James Earl Jones
and Richard Harris star.
“Othello” How many films will Ken
neth Branagh direct or star in based on
William Shakespeare’s plays? Starring with
Irene Jacob and Laurence Fishbume,
Branagh may be able to use his frustration
from real-life break-up with Emma Th
ompson to catch another Academy Award
nomination. However, over 70 percent of
the Bard’s dialogue was left on the editing
room floor. Die hard Shakespeareans may
find this change unforgivable even for one
of England’s greatest actors.
DTH/ERIK PEREL
After the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Christmas parade ended Saturday, organizers parked the floats on the lawn of Weaver
Street Market in Carrboro. Local children gawked at the floats and played on them.
MUSIC
THURSDAY, DEC. 7
MIKE GARRIGAN with SOLSTICE. The Skylight
Exchange, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel
Hill. 933-5550.
JOE WILLIAMS. The Cave, 452 1/2 W.
Franklin St., Chapel Hill. 968-9308.
KNOCKED DOWN SMILIN'. Cat's Cradle, 300
E. Main St., Carrboro. 967-9053.
GILD THE LILLY with MOTHRA. The Lizard and
Snake Cafe, 110 N. Columbia St., Chapel Hill.
929-2828.
Floating Along
Calendar
<♦ —
FRIDAY, DEC. 8
THE ACCIDENTALS. The Cave, 452 1/2 W.
Franklin St., Chapel Hill. 968-9308.
DUKE ELLINGTON'S THE NUTCRACKER
SUITE.' performed by the North Carolina Jazz
Repertory Orchestra at 8 p.m. Memorial Hall,
News/Features/Arts/Sports 962-0245
Business/Advertising 962-1163
C 1995 DTH Publishing Coip. All rights reserved.
UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, N.C. For information, call
962-BACH
JACK and PATTIE LESUER. Ninth Street
Bakery, 776 Ninth St., Durham. 2860303.
PURPLE SCHOOLBUS. Cat's Cradle, 300 E.
Main St., Carrboro. 967-9053.
YETI with EAGLE BRAVO and BATTERSHELL
The Lizard and Snake Cafe, 110 N. Columbia
St., Chapel Hill. 929-2828.
SATURDAY, DEC. 9
PAJAMA DON. Ninth Street Bakery, 776 Ninth
St., Durham. 2860303.
See CALENDAR, Page 3