The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 07, 1994, Page 7, Image 7
Moviegoei
LIGHTSCAME RARE ACTION
STEPHEN BROWN Staff Writer
MIXED NUTS
it (out of four stars)
A few holiday seasons ago, comic actor Steve
Martin asked us to take a "Leap of Faith" at the
box office. Now he provokes the desire for viewers
to take great leaps of death as he and the ensemble
cast crack open "Mixed Nuts," a wacky
comedy about the misadventures of suicide hotline
operators on Christmas Eve.
?**: i j: i xt t7_i /?oi
ivjLiAeu n uus, uii w;ieu uy iNurd r>piiruxi x. oit*;pless
in Seattle") is a loose, aimless attempt to
translate the humor of the French cult film "Le
Pere Noel est une Ordure" for American audiences.
Steve Martin (Tather of the Bride") plays
Philip, the hapless ring leader at the suicide hot?Mf
jap
ENTRIE
Srwctotyi (3bec&m
\
TOURNAMEN
3 on 3 BaskeH;
in Gym 308 <
Triples Volleyb
in Gym 306
i
1 Mark you
1 Semi-Anni
"LATE I
;
; Friday, Dece
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This event is open
, Please bring 3
1
Weight Room o|
until midmgh
!
Find the Hiddc
Reindeer for Pri
This event is spoi
Office of
;
Register to win door p
Carolina's Bookstore, I
Sounds Familiar, Jeff ]
; T
Actual events am
?
rs should
line circus. Difficulties pile up one by one as hi
fiancee dumps him (1 didn't want to tell you thi
over the phone. I really wanted to fax you," sh
says), and he and his staff are being evicted fron
their Life Savers office.
Rita Wilson ("Volunteers") plays the dream;
Catherine who hopes she will find a miracle t
redeem her lonely Christmas. Although some
times she is tangled in strings of Christmas lights
she is constantly cheerful ("She could find th
bright side of a plague").
Madeline Kahn ("Young Frankenstein") take
the role of the bitter widow Blanche Munchnik
the resident curmudgeon. Other associates an
the landlord Stanley (TVs Garry Shandling), cos
tume shop owner Grade (Juliette Lewis of "Cap*
Fear") and her artist husband Felix (Anthon;
LaPaglia of "Betsy's Wedding").
S CLOSE:
Rec
Aet 91it at 5:00fwn
all
r calendars noi
ual USC STRI
MIGHT AT 1
?mber 9,1994 8
Blatt P.E. Cen
and free of charge to all U
^our USC ID to be admitte
Pen JHWfc
^ jfavL ?Jse
Ji V CN / \uuu\
izes
"isored by: Office of A..
Campus Recreation, G
rizes generously donated by
lussell House University Bo<
Price Tennis Ski & Skate, US
his schedule is for informational p
d times may change due to fundinj
-i^ r~ ii^>i il" U\f>i
pass on M
s As for the plot, there is none. "Mixed Nuts"
s functions as a series of vignettes, sometimes ree
lated and sometimes not, which occur on the
a busiest holiday of the year. From phone callers
who think they have called a sex line to other
basketcases who get a hold of the address and
make themselves at home, a wild assortment of
people begin to congregate, much to Philip's dismay
e "Mixed Nuts" is a hodge podge of throwaway
jokes and witless situations. It becomes difficult
to find a reason why so many great comic talents
got involved in the film. After the latest "Pink
g Panther" movie, flicks like "The Man With One
Red Shoe, and now this mixed mess, maybe Holg
lywood should lay off the French imports for a
y while.
Clever comic tenches include a touch-tone
UPS ARE
S ON NOW
l up in the Office of Campus
reation, 202 Blatt PE Center.
Call 777-5261 for
more information.
* * rfyi???yy? ** <?? #*>
HOLIDAY
AEROBICS CLASS
Free Aerobics Class
beginning at 8 pm
A in Gym 307
v - it's BACK!
ESS BLOWOU
HE BLATT"
pm -12 midnight
ter
SC students, faculty & staff.
;d into the P.E. Center.
Fun for Everyone
in attendance
I
fee- Free Food, Music
& Door Prizes
Lcohol & Drug Programs,
iAMMA & Pepsi.
Addam's University Bookstore
okstore, Peaches Music & Videc
C Athletic Department & more!
urposes only.
g or programmatic decisions.
artin's 'Mb
phone prompt for when no one is staffing the sui- r<
cide hotline and multiple exchanges of last year's s<
fruitcake. But the gags simply do not add up. fc
One of the film's comic highlights involves a tl
drag queen who convinces Philip to dance. Their e
tango sequence is an excuse for Martin to exhibit a]
some of his trademark slapstick physical come- i
dy, which is much needed amidst otherwise slim
comic pickings.
Adam Sandler of "Saturday Night Live" shows ce
up as a hilariously annoying, ukulele-playing oi
character who serenades Philip and Catherine ei
as they discover their love for each other. His
song, which he dubs "a work in progress," is one
of the most spontaneous and ridiculously funny fi
parts of the movie. tl:
All the way through the film, and even through tl
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* > The Carolina Chaplains Association
promotes cooperation and fellowship
( the foundation of the diversity of
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All association members support th<
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as a significant part of higher
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St. Thomas M<
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iced Nuts'
sctor Ephron seems to be distracted from a
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lis new one really rambles. The upbeat big ba
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nd the premise could have been good for a c<
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But the movie is a bore. Ephron gets her fi:
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"North," east of "Ishtar," and beyond "He*
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Martin and company struggle through tl
asco, managing to maintain their composu
trough a painfully unfunny comedy. HI pass
le "Mixed Nuts" and recommend you do t
ime.
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Educational Tasting Service Photo by Kan Shung
Chaplains
Corner
White Elephant Party
ry Tues., Dec. 13, 6pm
Bring wrapped gag gift
Merry Christmas
See you next semester!
' *.v ^
/ JJL \ Presbyterian
- 2 StudentgCenter
- OlilO * 1702 Greene Sl. 799-0212
lists
>re Catholic Center
6 pm; Mon.-Thurs. 12:15 pm
Confession
oai. pm or oy apt.
Newman Club
Evening Prayer - 6:45pm
Meetings: Tues. 7 pm
Rev. Michael F. McCafTerty, Chaplain
570 (across from the School of Nursing)
m Heart to Heart
"Mission Team USA 'as
Concert"
HI
COATCBKT
Special Guest: Mission Team USA
0j Thursday,December 8,1994 7:00pm