Friday, January 19, 1996 The Argus 3 i January 1 9A

"12 Monkeys" 1 A 3/4 OVIE Starring: Bruce Willis, REVIE Medeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt Directed by Terry Gilliam

By Tracy Sorrentino Staff Reviewer '12 Monkeys' a good mix of previous ideas

Relyingdeadly onviruses pop culture'sand flesh-eating current fascinationbacteria, "12 with Monkeys" is that not-too-rare film that attempts to capitalize on the ever-popular vision of humanity's future as a dismal dungeon. Bruce Willis stars as prisoner James Cole, an inmate from 30 years in the future who inhabits an earth in which 5 bil- lion people have been killed by a mysterious virus. Cole is sent back to 1990 and 1996 by a strange group known only as The Scientists. His job is to observe and gather information about The Army of the 12 Monkeys, an extreme animal rights group that is believed to have unleashed the deadly virus. Cole is immediately thrown into an insane asylum, a logi- cal fate for those who spout messages of the impending apocalypse. Here he runs into the brilliant, albeit imbal- anced, Jeffrey Goines, an impressive Brad Pitt. Along the way, Cole manages to abduct his psychiatrist, Katherine Railly, played by Madeleine Stowe. The performances are fine, but the script, by David and Janet Peoples, over-complicates the story. The reliance on coincidence forces the audience to suspend its disbelief a lit- tle more than is possible. Cole just happens to land in the asylum with Goines, whose father just happens to a Nobel Prize-winning virolo- gist. Their psychiatrist just happens to be a renowned expert on visions of the apocalypse. Come on, guys. Left to right: Tracy Lehmann, Tina Acosta, Becky Davis, Sarah Martin and Kristy Schmitt teeter-totter for charity. Crucial supporting characters are also ignored in favor of Jeff Millies/The Argus romanticizing the relationship between Cole and Railly. The scenes in the future are confusing and you never really get what's going on with The Scientists. What struck me about "12 Monkeys" is the sense of futili- ty and desperation. Cole cannot change the course of events AFA's seesaw for 24 hours, because they have already happened. He can only gather information in order to help those in the future. Like most films which have time travel central to the plot, it raises some questions about the nature of history and time. Director Terry Gilliam presents an appropriately dark and dirty vision of humanity. He borrows from his previous film raise money for charity "Brazil," but there are also elements from "The Stand," the "Terminator" films and a blatant nod to "Vertigo." Nonetheless, "12 Monkeys" is a compelling tale. Pitt's By Brian LoSasso almost $400 from last year when the "Some people dropped in $20s," Armour performance is great. The music that accompanies his ranti- FeaturesEditor marathon was held in the Dugout. said. ngs is the creepiest use of an accordion I've ever heard. The "I was really happy with the results," said Everyone in the house participated complexity almost wears you down and I thought the ending Andrea Armour, last the LWU Titans battled semester's philanthrop- (including new pledges) and alternated in was unsatisfactory, but I have to recommend almost any film WhileWheaton this past Saturday ic chair. two-hour shifts, keeping the seesaw in con- that is insightful enough to offer cartoons as a metaphor for on the floor of Shirk Center, Armour also said that the large crowd in stant motion between 8 a.m. Saturday and 8 the chaos and violence of our existence. a different type of battle attendance for the basketball game added to a.m. Sunday morning. was taking place upstairs. the event's success. ARGUS MOVIE RATING SYSTEM "A lot of people walked The ladies were even joined at times by Members of the Alpha Gamma Delta by and were interested in what we were children who had wandered upstairs from *AA* = If you have a pulse, you will enjoy this film sorority continued their fight against juve- doing," she said. the game. *rA= We liked it, so should you nile diabetes with the annual Teeter-Totter- Sorority members began working over Sophomore Tina Acosta who participated a-Thon. break soliciting pledges and donations from ** = Unless you're desperate, better wait till it's on cable for her second year said this tradition is a Held for the first time in Shirk, this fund- friends and family members. A significant great way to raise money for a worthy * = Not worth the effort raising tradition in the AFA house raised amount of money also came from passers- cause. "It's also a lot of fun." Zero = You'll kick yourself for not waxing the floor instead over $1400. This is an improvement of by.

MUSIC REVIEW Down by the Old Mainstream (Rykodisc) Collaborative effort good, s no match for solo ventures

oration between these technologically soul of "Yesterday Cried," the quirki- inhibited artists. They would have been ness of "Pecan Pie," or the catchiness right. From this front-porch, foot- of the aforementioned "V." The end of stomping, beer-guzzling, flannel-wear- the album does get a much needed lift ing scene comes Golden Smog. from the Murphy and Perlman penned However, these guys aren't who they "Red Headed Stepchild," the album's say they are. The names Michael first single. Macklyn, David Spear, Raymond The album includes two covers of Virginia, Leonardson Saratoga, Scot old songs. The first, an old Faces tune, By Jason Carlson Summit and Jerret Decatur probably "Glad & Sorry" is nothing special. The Staff Reviewer don't mean anything to anybody. second, "She Don't Have To See You" But if the hype hasn't already let you is performed with soul and longing as in on Golden Smog's big secret, then I thick as Texas is wide by the native will. Chicagoan, Tweedy. remembered as a time In fact, Tweedy Golden Smog is actually comprised performed and wrote almost all of the when everybody raced of musicians including of best songs on here. toward the cutting edge and , Daniel Murphy of , Clearly, the artists who gathered in got tangled in the World and Marc Perlman, Mark Olsen and the making of this album had Wide Web. a great of the recently defunct time together. The fun that they had It's surprising that in a musical genre Jayhawks. An unknown artist named and brilliant songwriting capabilities that had long been regarded as "with Anthony James (Soul Asylum's Dave that they all possess definitely came the times," some of the best rock Pirner?) also takes lead vocals on the through with only a few let-downs. albums released last year were ones track "Nowhere Bound." By no means does this album com- which rejected this growing trend Throughout Mainstream's 14 tunes, pare to the best roots-rock album of toward technology. each band member gets a shot at both last year, 's Trace, nor is it Instead, artists have returned to the songwriting and lead vocals. "V," the even the best material that these artists roots of rock '' roll, placing the actual first track, starts the album off in ultra- have done. music above the fuzz and distortion. Seniors Rachel Xidis (left) and April Lord turned Saturday's hummable fashion. As the album pro- This doesn't matter though; for even Successes such as The Dave Matthews snow-covered quad into an art project with their creation gresses, however, the songs begin to these artists' worst moments outdo of Band, Wilco and indi- drag and become a bit predictable. most of the best from the rest of the "Kim," the snowoman. When asked the obvious question cate that this trend is here to stay, at Songs such as "Friend" and "why?" Xidis responded, "The packing snow was perfect-it industry. least for now. "Williamton Angel" just don't have the was an incredible opportunity." Jeff Millies/The Argus Some might have predicted a collab-