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THEY SAID n « p AMFT1A prr T TO “Idealism is the noble toga V^U1>I Irloi 1 Uu that political gentlemen Story ideas? Questions? Comments? drape over their will to Write us at gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com power.’’-Aldous Huxley V Open your eyes Crowe tackles pop culture once more in remake of Spanish film BY TUG BAKER THE OAMECOCK When thinking of Cameron Crowe’s work, one can’t help but think of pop culture. Just look at his last two films, “Almost Famous” and “Jerry Maguire.” One is about a young music journalist, one is about a sports agent, and it’s easy to see that both films are bursting with pop iconography. His new film, “Vanilla Sky,” which reunites him with Tom Cruise, is no different. While his previous films have indirectly dealt with pop culture, “Vanilla Sky,” a remake of the 1997 Spanish film “Abre los Ojos,” instead takes the subject head-on and tries to find its effects on modem society. The journey to this discovery is a long and strange one, though, and many will find it much different from what they probably expect from Crowe and star actor Tom Cruise. At a press conference attended by The Gamecock, Cruise was asked why he chose such an offbeat film. He replied: “I’ve always wanted to make different kinds of films. It’s definitely a departure. It is out of bounds. It is a subject matter that I’m interested in that I love talking about... and that is pop culture’s effect on society. What is casual sex? What is love?” “Vanilla Sky” tells the story of David Aames (Cruise), the wealthy owner of a publishing house. He is the stereotypical young millionaire, keeping strings of women around and trying to shun as much responsibility as he can. When he finally meets Sophia (Penelope Cruz, who is resuming her same role from “ Abre los Ojos”), he can see his irresponsible days coming to an end. But Julie (Cameron Diaz), one of his “casual” lovers, doesn’t take too well to David’s settling down. If any more were revealed, it would ruin the film, but be assured that by the end of the film, it has taken as many twists and turns as a psychological thriller possibly can. Cruise called the film “a pop culture ride,” and Crowe echoed these sentiments, saying, “I wanted to get into the idea of pop culture and its hideous wonderfulness.” Of course, examining pop culture can’t be done without close attention to one of its biggest aspects, music. Crowe has always been known for paying dauntingly close attention to the music used in his films, and “Vanilla Sky” is‘ no exception. The soundtrack includes a number of musical gods, such as Radiohead, R.E.M., Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan, but it also gives voice to some relatively unknown artists like Jeff Buckley, Red House Painters and Icelandic rock group Sigur Ros. Crowe said the music used in the film actually had a hand in shaping the mood and feel during shooting. “We played a lot of that music while we were making it - those bands, particularly Radiohead. We listened to [Radiohead’s 1999 album] “Kid A” constantly.” Crowe later gave the reason for his close involvement ♦ SKY, SEE PAGE 8 MOVIE REVIEW Narration, cast make Tenenbaums a standout THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS Bill Murray, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow BY BROOK BRISTOW THE (.'AMKCOCK There is no such thing as a normal family. No family is the same as any other, and no family can emulate anyone from “Leave it to Beaver.” Instead, families are much like the Tenenbaums: where dysfunction is fun. The Tenenbaum children were all prodigies in their youth, but adulthood brought hardships upon them they are not equipped to cope with. The oldest son, Chaz (Ben Stiller), was a financial whiz kid but is now a sorrowful widower and an overprotective father of his two sons. The youngest Tenenbaum, Richie (Luke Wilson), was a star tennis player until he had a mental breakdown in a championship match. He now sails the seas, lusting after his adopted sister, Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), who used to write award-winning plays. Now she is a depressed woman unhappily married to a neurologist (Bill Murray). She spends her days sitting in a bathtub smoking cigarettes and feeling sorry for herself while having an affair with Richie’s best friend, Eli Cash (Owen Wilson). The downfall of the Tenenbaum children can be The star cast of Wes Anderson’s film make dysfunction fun to watch. Bill Murray (third from left) gives a performance that could help restart his flagging acting career. PHOTO SPECIAL TO ' THE GAMECOCK u contributed to one man -- their father, Royal (Gene Hackman). As his children’s adult lives are anything but stable, Royal has decided he wants to make amends with his wife, Etheline (Anjelica Huston), and the children. He has been kicked out of the hotel where he lived for more than 20 years; so he makes up a story to convince Etheline to allow him to stay in the house and reunite him with his children. But he doesn’t know Etheline has been seeing a devoted colleague named Henry (Danny Glover). In a word, “The Royal Tenenbaums” is brilliant. It is a stellar, utterly refreshing film in the recent world of movie trash. Writer/ director Wes Anderson (“Rushmore”) does a phenomenal ♦ TENENBAUMS, SEE PAGE 8 Modern covers, classic material “I AM SAM” Soundtrack *★★★ out of iririrtrit BY JUSTIN BAJAN THE GAMECOCK The Beatles left the pop world 32 years ago having established themselves as giants of a growing genre. Their indelible impression survives through an anthology of songs with a life expectancy reaching to a cultural infinity. The soundtrack for “I Am Sam,” which opened Friday and stars Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer, serves as a gentle reminder that the Fab Four made irreplaceable classics worthy of such musical praise. Covering the music of the Beatles is a demanding task; greatness is hard to mimic, and deviating from the original can be disastrous. On “Blackbird,” Sarah McLachlan finds a way to excel under such strict conditions. Her tender voice is as calming as Paul McCartney’s, as the cover carefully follows the original, adding some minor vocal layering to supplement the basic acoustic arrangement. Ben Harper covers “Strawberry Fields Forever” with the exact subtlety of John Lennon’s voice, further validating his underrated but undeniable skill. Harper’s band is joined by a powerful string arrangement and a pulsing horn line to match the original’s dynamic quality. Out of the spotlight for a while, Sheryl Crow shows up to cover “Mother Nature’s Son.” Her interpretation remains faithful to McCartney’s creation, bringing in a well-placed banjo to add to the song’s organic styling. Crow’s airy voice lacks the conviction of McCartney’s, but the musical arrangement makes up for her weakness. Modem rock greats the Black Crowes, deserving of their own cover album, appear to redo the classic “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Chris Robinson’s powerful vocals outmuscle ♦ SOUNDTRACK, SEE PAGE 8 Located downstairs in the BA Building. Open 7:30am - 3:00pm Featuring salads, sandwiches, smoothies and more! Serving "Seatde’sBest" Coffee. 1 11 come check us out! I CASH FOR YOUR NOTES Visit LeConte 117 for more info, or call 777-6142 Office of Disability Services - a university sponsored service ■