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THE GAMECOCK ♦ Friday, November 8, 2002 5 CONTACT US GEORGE GORNS ' ' ' '' ' ^| ' ’ ' ] GEORGE BURNS: Too bad the only people Story ideas? Questions? Comments? who know how to run the country are busy E-mail us at gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com driving cabs and cutting hair.” Above: An ore, left, faces off against Aragorn In the PlayStatlon2 game “Lord of the Rings.” Below left: Gandalf the wizard appears In the game. Bottom left: Pippin, left, and Merry are hobbits. I Video game combines first movie and parts of ‘Two Towers’ BY ANDY EVANS THE GAMECOCK Many people have seen “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” the movie based on the epic trilogy created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Now, of course, a big hit movie comes out and some company wants to try and ride off the movie’s hot streak by making a video game based on the movie. One developer, however, has pro duced a “Lord of the Rings” video game that is worth playing. From the first movie, “The Fellowship of the Ring,” two games came out from three different pub lishers, and that in itself is confus ing. A game release should be the same across all systems, but for one of the games, a separate publisher handled the Xbox version. Many people are fa miliar with Electronic Arts from such games as the “Madden” foot ball series, the NCAA basketball and football series, and the “Need for Speed” series. Unlike other pub lishers and developers, howeven EA tries to do things right, and that is exactly what it did with its ver sion of the “Lord of the Rings” game, exclusively for the PS2. What makes EA’s version so much different? One major reason is it spans both the first and the sec ond movie, which won’t be in the aters until December. The — game has actual movie footage from the second movie to serve as cut scenes. EA did its home work and has tons of resources at it's disposal, and the company made it all come together in the game play. Players can choose from Aragorn the Balanced Ranger, Gimli the Strong Dwarf, Legolas the Swift Elf and a secret character that must be un locked. EA took a lot of the battle scenes from the movies and made them part of the game. For example, in one of the lev —^ els, players can participate “ ns. in the last battle from the first movie in which a gigantic swarm of en emies comes at the player’s throat. The battles are crazy, hectic, fast Band iline 1. ers can lomly gaway the roller ad see what dam age they cause, or they can learn the at tack buttons and actually have some' sense of order in the destruc tion they amount. After every level completed; based on how many attacks and combos players link, they get ex perience points. These points can be spent for health increases, ar- . row-damage output, different move combinations and other benefits. And even though the game ven tures into the “Two Towers” movie, EA did an intensive job of not letting any spoilers leak out in the game.^' The only downfall is players can’t take the role of Gandalf the wizard, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t make an appearance. EA has produced and published a game that takes the thrill, action, suspense and adventure of the movie and puts it in players’ hands for them to control. If you are a fan of the “Lord of the Rings” movie, then this is definitely a game for you. | Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.cotn Improv group keeps the Art Bar laughing 'I BY MEG MOORE THE GAMECOCK Improvisational theater has be come a trendy form of entertain ment both on stage and on televi sion. Popularized by the hit tele vision show “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?” improv troupes have taken root across the country. In Columbia, whimsical im prov comedy can be found at Art Bar, which features its own com edy troupe, the Art Bar Players. The group, which recently cele brated its sixth year, performs monthly at Art Bar and has also worked with wiiumuiUJ' theater class #. es. On its Web ■ site, the group says it prides itself on being both “live and funny” and it includes a large reper toire of engag ing skits with in its fast-paced shows. Improvisational theater de pends on audience interaction. The Art Bar Players not only ask for ideas from the audience dur ing their shows, but also allow au dience members to take part in some of the skits. With such names as “The Amazing Underwater Skit” and “Freudian Slips,” the skits and games leave audience members entertained and humorously en A gage them as well. ' In their shows, the Art Bar Players stage several of the games that are featured on “Whose Line is it Anyway?” “Alphabet” re quires two participants to act out a scene in which they start each sentence with successive letters of the alphabet. “Audition,” an other game used by both the show and the Art Ben- troupe, places one player in charge of auditioning others for various imaginary roles. “Helping Hands,” up,other game borrowed from “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” is also an Art Bar mainstay. In the game, one play er stands behind another and uses his or her hands to replace those of the player standing in front. Although many of the group’s skits were popularized by “Whose Line is it Anyway?” games such as “The Amazing Underwater Skit” are originals. Guaranteeing that participants will wind up wet, the skit involves three players, who are given a scene to act out. They then take turns keeping their heads submerged in a buck et of water. While one 10 uu derwater, the others proceed with the scene. When the sub merged player emerges for air, he must take his place in the action and somehow Avnlain his soggy appearance within the con text of the scene. Meanwhile, an other player takes his turn being submerged. While touted as an improvisa tional troupe, the Art Bar Players do incorporate written material into their performances. Scripted sections are rehearsed on Wednesdays, while Mondays are reserved for practicing improvi sation. Both weekly rehearsals are open to the public after 8 p.m., let ting those interested enjoy a be hind-the-scenes view of the group’s preparation. In addition to their free perfor mances on the second Friday of each month, group members have also helped with acting workshops and improv festivals such as the Laugh/RIOT Columbia Improvisation Festival. Todd Watkins, a Player who was involved in the inaugural Laugh/RIOT festival in 2001, said ♦ ART BAB SEE PAGE 6 With such names as “The Amazing Underwater Skit” and “Freudian Slips” the Art Bar Player’s skits and games leave audience members entertained and engaged. M(J V IE REVIEW Movie doesn’t work for Sandler “PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE” Starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson ★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ BY KRISTIN CHANDLER THE GAMECOCK A brief warning to Adam Sandler fans: “Punch-Drunk Love” is not the typical laugh-till you-cry type of comedy that you have come to know and love from him. Instead, the dark romantic comedy introduces Sandler as Barry Egan, a pathetic, unhappy toilet-plunger salesman with some serious issues and occa sional violent tendencies. Out of lonely desperation, he calls a phone-sex line, but more for con versation than anything sexual. Although he is careful to try to safeguard his privacy, Barry soon finds himself blackmailed by the phone-sex operator and her boyfriend. From this brief plot outline, die-hard Sandler fans are proba bly picturing comic twists and crazily funny situations that Barry will get into while trying to extricate himself from this blackmail. Unfortunately, these comic twists and hilarious situ ations never occur. “Punch-Drunk Love” starts out slow and never gets enough mo mentum to go anywhere. Director Paul Thomas Anderson, of “Boogie Nights” fame, focuses on Barry’s sad life rather than on the comic potential of the situation. Barry is the kind of guy who tries to give clients his home PHOTO BY BRUCE BIRMELIN/KRT CAMPUS Sandler and Watson share a moment in “Punch-Drunk Love.” phone number to talk business af ter hours, just so that someone will call him. The kind of guy who, thanks to the tormenting ol his seven sisters, is painfully in secure. The kind of guy who ana lyzes grocery-store coupons and figures out that if he buys $3,000 worth of Healthy Choice pudding, he will be awarded enough free airline miles to last him forever. The kind of guy who actually buys all that pudding, despite the fact that he has never flown be fore and doesn’t like to take trips. The one bright spot in Barry’s quiet existence is Lena Leonard (Emily Watson), a friend of his sister’s who has a crush on him. Lena goes out of her way to meet Barry and takes the initiative to ask him out. Although this seems to be a weird pairing, Lena really likes Barry and continues to pur sue him. On their first date, Barry’s nervousness gets the best of him, and he responds to the pressure with a ferocious attack on the men’s room that results in the manager’s asking them to leave the restaurant. Lena, however, passively accepts Barry’s ravaging of the re stroom. Strangely enough, Barry ends up following Lena to Hawaii, where they fall in love. After their trip, Barry is forced to con front the blackmail situation, as well as his feelings for Lena. The filming is excellent — the rapid camera movement seems to mimic the intensity of Barry’s swirling thoughts — and the plot is decent. But this movie doesn’t stand a chance at the box office. Sandler is a talented per former, but this role is just too much of a challenge for him to handle without being able to fall back on his humor. While it’s possible many will see the movie because Sanders stars in it, the film would probably have done better with another actor, in stead of one known for his comedic performances. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail com Adam Sandler’s funny acting style doesn’t fit well into this dark romantic comedy. PHOTO BY BRUCE | BIRMELIN/KRT S CAMPUS H CD REVIEW Album will lull listeners to sleep “A NEW DAY AT MIDNIGHT" David Gray ★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ BY CHARLES TOMLINSON THE GAMECOCK A sun setting behind a cloudy horizon graces the cov er of David Gray’s new album. This peaceful, serene image matches Gray’s laid-back, folk . influenced tunes on his new al bum, “A New Day at Midnight.” The album artwork also con tains photos of bright lines blaz ing through the night sky. The lines were created by stars in time-lapse photography, which makes a series of images visible in one glance. The album often has the opposite effect, however. It contains several strong tracks, but drags through some sections. By the end, listeners will feel as though the album has gone on for two hours, not 50 minutes. Gray kicks off his new album with “Dead in the Water,” which begins with a rhythm-and-blues beat and a breathtaking chord progression. The bass line strategically drops out at the be ginning of the second verse, cre ating an ear-catching tension. Gray’s lyrics alternate be tween the breezy and the pro found. He presents religious im agery in varying contexts; on “Dead in the Water,” he refers to the “killer’s angel eyes” and “an Armageddon sky.” He sings, “Tell it like it is,” then turns the often-used phrase and sings, “Sell it like it is.” The song’s lyrics imply religion might be a ceremonial and minaiess institution. Halfway through the album, on “Kangaroo,” Gray uses reli gious imagery in a more positive way. Gray sings, “You could be my olive branch/Lift me up above the stench.” The olive branch, most notably used in the biblical book of Genesis, is im mediately countered with, “Will you won’t you be my leech/Take it all and when I screech/Leave it there just out of reach.” But the middle of the album is also the place where it slips into a lull. A piano paints beau tiful tones on “Freedom,” and Gray’s voice intensifies as the song proceeds. The instruments, however, do not match Gray’s dynamics, and the song never builds up effectively. The lyrics aren’t so inspiring on “Last Boat to America,” on which he sings, “Baby, let’s go all the way this time.” But on “Real Love,” Gray re turns to religious overtones, he sings, “I hear the voice of Eden cry/Lift me up; I’m walking on high.” Singing about the vanity and artificiality of the world, Gray seems to imply real love can be found in a higher power. On the chorus of “Knowhere,” Gray alternates between bright major and darker minor tones. But the rest of the songs toward the end of the album are gener ally forgettable; Gray even has to resort to lvrics such as “Jumpin’ Jesus, holy cow!/What’s the difference, any how?” to keep things interesting. The strongest and most mem orable track, “The Other Side,” is the final song on the album. It’s an excellent single, but gives the album a morose ending. “A New Day at Midnight” is an album with powerful, beau tiful compositions. It lags in cer tain areas, however, so listen ers might not want to take the album all in one sitting. Comments on this story? E-mail gameeockmixeditor(a)hotmaiLcom