fttfp llaUg ®ar MM
'Ya-Ya' Fun Estrogen Fest
By Kristen Williams
Staff Writer
To enjoy and appreciate “Divine
Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” a view
er should be Southern, a member of a
close group of friends and a woman.
If you adhere
to this criteria in
any way, then
“Ya-Ya” will prob
ably be hilarious
and touching, as it
is intended to be.
If not, then per
, - - . /irridwe>
rev/ew/
"Divine Secrets of
the Ya-Ya
Sisterhood"
★★★★☆
haps it’s best to see another flick.
The film is an adaptation of the
acclaimed novel of the same name by
Rebecca Wells. Unlike other movies
derived from literature, “Ya-Ya” follows
its source closely and doesn’t invent any
new scenes.
“Ya-Ya" combines three different
story lines into one big pot of Louisiana
style gumbo. The modem day
sequences jump from a mother Vivi
(Ellen Burstyn) to her daughter, Sidda
Merritt at Her Best on Stage
By Sarah Kucharski
Managing Editor
Diamond in the rough Tift Merritt
has been polished clean and set in plat
inum. Alter a brief stint in the recording
studio, the Southern rock artist returned
home with a debut album under her
belt and a clean
er, more sophisti
cated sound.
Merritt opened
her show with
“Virginia No One
Can Warn You,”
the second track
/ -.concert}
rewewr
Tift Merritt
Cat's Cradle
Friday, June 7
★★★★☆
from Bramble Rose, released June 4. The
pint-sized powerhouse seemed
refreshed, full of grit and glad to be in
front of a familiar audience.
She slowed things down with “Are
You Still In Love With Me?,” a story
song reminiscent of Willie Nelson’s
music. The bittersweet, melancholy bal
lad is perfectly indicative of Merritt’s
country roots and exemplifies her talent
for tugging at the heartstrings rather
than just cranking out soon-to-be
Southern rock anthems.
In the same vein, Merritt warbled out
“Sunday,” a midtempo, blues-oriented
ballad for sensual, clandestine activities.
Backed by newly added saxophone and
trumpet, Merritt’s band, the Carbines,
swelled to match her plaintiff, yet pow
erful vocals.
Her Joplin-meets-Raitt-meets-Cline
voice is not Merritt’s only asset, howev
er. She jumps freely from acoustic gui
tar to electric and from harmonica to
keyboards. At the Cradle she bounced
from instrument to instrument and from
song to song, eager to keep the show
rolling at a breakneck pace.
As she sat down at the keyboard for
the Vietnam War-themed tune “Bird of
Freedom,” Merritt verbally dismissed
the insult of a Canadian critic who
recently equated the song with
Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” As the band
members kept time with the soft taps of
their cowboy boots, Merritt exhibited
equal aptitude on keyboards as she did
on guitar for the duration of the hard
rock, 19605-influenced song.
Merritt finished the set by switching
back to acoustic guitar and adding a har
monica for “When I Cross Over,” also
' ~n >
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(Sandra Bullock). They are engaged in
an argument so heated that it’s up to
Vivi’s friends, the female sisterhood
known as the Ya-Yas, to resolve it
The Ya-Yas are Vivi’s three best
friends since childhood who have seen
each other through every joy and sor
row. In an effort for Sidda, an unusual
ly cynical Bullock, to understand her
mother, the Ya-Yas break open their
scrapbook to tell their story and Vivi’s
through a series of flashbacks.
These blasts to the past are fairly
seamless but still can be confusing. The
Ya-Yas’ names randomly float around
until a light bulb moment occurs halfway
through the film in which one can final
ly link the older Ya-Yas to their younger
counterparts. Only Vivi’s leadership of
the Ya-Yas is evident in the transitions.
Drenched in bourbon, cigarettes and
fits of both hysteria and humor, Vivi’s
story carries die majority of the movie.
As the dysfunctional yet charming moth
er, Burstyn bears the weight with ease.
The actress shines as present-day Vivi
- she rants like a drama queen about
I 11 Bb ' jW
fjM HUE wbk ■ w;'
DTH/JASON ARTHURS
Texas-born Southern rock musician Tift Merritt celebrates the release of
her debut album, Bramble Rose, at the Cat's Cradle on Friday.
the final track on Bramble Rose. The slow
fade of the hymn-styled tune brought the
concert to a quiet end - at least until the
audience erupted into explosive applause,
calling Merritt and the Carbines back to
theStagefolfl ffirPe-srirtg eflcOre.
And while she covered the entirety of
Bramble Rose on stage, it must be said
that Merritt live is a different creature
than Merritt on CD.
Not to mix album reviews with con
cert reviews, but Merritt in the flesh
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Arts & Entertainment
Sidda as the ice tinkles in her bourbon.
Ashleyjudd is surprisingly versatile in her
role as a younger Vivi, immersing herself
in drunken tirades, as well as having light
hearted fun with her young children.
Alcoholic episodes and cigarette
smoke-filled escapades are common
even with the older Ya-Yas, except for
Maggie Smith, who carts an oxygen tank
as Ya-Ya Caro. Smith has been criticized
for her “Southern” accent, but it sounds
like an old quavery-voiced Louisiana
woman even when she occasionally slips.
At first sight, the film seems like a teary
chick flick, which it is at times. However,
it sheds light on the timelessness of
women’s friendships and the relationship
between a mother and her daughter.
These themes may seem tired, but the
film throws in something new- a
woman’s relationship with her mother’s
friends can also be a very strong bond.
The closeness of all the women seems
genuine, and any Southern girl can relate.
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
bears a certain raw grittiness that a stu
dio recording cannot reproduce. Her
energy is contagious, and the complica
tions of budding stardom are made null
and void by her musical voracity in
front'bfa crowd.
For now, this trait might be the only
thing that will truly pave her way to
fame.
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
Kudzu
aSSSa c TjuMt *■’* C TSuESStr-TAVtCSA
THE Daily Crossword By Alan P. Olschwang
ACROSS
1 Rounds or
clips, e.g.
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loop
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Cleveland
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Velvet" writer
Bagnold
65 Escritoires
66 Molt
67 Matured
DOWN
1 High peak
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ment
3 A Moore
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