The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 70

10F THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER Friday February 12 1993 Concept behind barely works but actors dig in Groundhog Day Vit Stars- Bill Murray Andie MacDow-ell Director Harold Ramis Rating PG Mild profanity comic violence Excellent Good Fair Poor Nostars Showing at Clear Springs Delta Matthews Festival Movies at the Lake Park 51 South-Park UruonSquare University Place "Groundhog is a three-quarters-baked idea combining A Wonderful Life" and a Monty Python sketch a very near miss coming as close to its comic target as its release date comes to the holiday itself Star Bill Murray and director Harold Ramis (who also wrote the script with Danny Rubin) suffer from the disease that has afflicted Eddie Murphy Chevy Chase and even Andrew Dice Clay in movies They exploit the actor's well-defined linage as a cynical shamming egomaniac then ask us to admire him after a huge change of heart in the last third of the picture the kind of phony gesture that crippled the end of where a storyline made it obligatory and the kind of thing Murray might explode in a comedy routine Here he plays a TV forecaster named Phil who makes a hellish voyage every Feb 2 to watch his over a cliff Life has no consequences lasting longer than a day he even kill himself so no behavior is too outrageous Then he turns his attention to Rita learning more about her each and using his knowledge to mold himself into her ideal suitor But she sees through his intentions and her heartless co-worker has a change of heart- He devotes himself to fixing wrong with the town has the lamest ending of the new year The writers get into a plot corner and give up without explanation letting it peter out Why does Murray repeat his maddening How can he remember everything that happens while no one else When something affects the cycle (as of course it must) why do things change? Even fantasies have rules and not so much as an answer MacDowell seems more at ease in the part than she has in most films and her Southern grace carries her through (Remember from Gaffney C) Almost every scene she doesn't grab belongs to Murray with his phomly humble smile and his sad yet conniving eyes a good enough actor to make the film work when it gets soppy but not when it gets sloppy namesake pop out of a hole in Punxsutawney Pa accompanied by Rita his sweet producer (Andie MacDowell) and a wise-guy cameraman (Chris Elliott wasted in a small part) The big day goes predictably enough for Phil until he discovers that a blizzard he failed to predict has blocked all roads home Then As Yogi Berra allegedly said a case of deja vu all over again He spends another night in Punxsutawney wakes up to a disc announcement that Groundhog Day has come and discovers that the town has again congregated on Knob to see the rodent emerge Then Phil realizes the truth- doomed to spend eternity in Punxsutawney living the same day over and over First he indulges in selfish fantasies- Wrecking cars sleeping with women driving Punxsutawney Phil Now It's Back Hot And It's lime For You To Order Season Tickets! MMi MOT MOT MOT MM MM MMI OT MOT rm Ready To Break The lees I Want To Reserve Season Tickets To Charlotte Hocks I his fall ice hockey is returning to Charlotte and the time to reserve your seats You can see Charlottes new team live in 34 action packed home games for the price of 32 And if you send in your deposit by March 31st give you a $20 Gift Certificate per season ticket to Longhorn Steaks when we receive your payment in full Season ticket holders will also receive Enclosed is my deposit of (Number of season tickets $50 non refundable deposit) Price per season ticket Number of tickets Total Cost Name TastesSo Great cemuttieia Address City State Zip Phone 1 COUPON 2 For 1 Dinner ft0' A subscription to the monthly coach newsletter Priority option to purchase ECHL playoff tickets Priority option to purchase tickets for a preseason NHL game between the Bruins and Flyers September 28th at Independence Arena An invitation to a meet the-team party The completely refurbished Independence Arena is the place to be for the fastest hardest-hitting sport ever see Our first face-off is only a few months away so get the hottest tickets going while good seats still remain Season Ticket Pricing: Balcony $160 Mezzanine $224 Circle $320 Box $510 (Box seat prices are not discounted) Mail this order form with check or money order payable to Charlotte Professional Sports Teams 800 East Boulevard Charlotte NC 28203 VisaMasterCard orders (704)342 4423 Buy any barbecue dinner plate price and get a barbecue beef chicken plate free Not valid with rr manti rack o( riba charbrollad chkrkan or any olbar dlacount or spaclal EamitsailBfill Dina In laka out or whart available drive thru Offer good thru Thuraday February 25 1993 DAY SALE! CASSETTES SPECIAL SELECTION! $-J44 Begin the perfect Evening Pick her up at her door Chauffeur her in 1st Class Style By 1st Class Coaches The only chauffeur -driven Mercedes available in Charlotte COACHES Call for Availability 704-332-4697 or 704-342-8422 and up and up EARN FREE GIFTS with Camelot Repeat Performance Ask Sales Associate For Details Plus many unadvertised specials on cassettes Movies and more! 90 et and Michael Dolton Timeless (The Classics) Columbia Phish Rift Elektra Madonna Erotica Warner Bros Compact Disc Cassette $y88 each 71? Billy Dean Fire in the Dark Liberty Emerson Lake Palmer Live at The Royal Albert Hall Victory sade love deluxe 11 88 Sade Love Deluxe Epic each Pricing Good Through 2-20-93 a We Special Order Bobby Brown Bobby Extreme I Sides to Every Story ASM Kenny Breathless Arista Billy Ray Cyrus Some Gave All Mercury MCA This month dive into the best-tasting ravioli around meat cheese or a combo Or enjoy the hearty Ravioli Feast Platter Entrees include soup or salad freshly baked loaves of San Francisco sourdough bread and total satisfaction guaranteed oumm giciPi mou (Meat cheese or combo) NELSON RANGELL TRUEST HEART A rTyrt VIDEOSCheck Out Our Selection! The Rocky Horror Picture Show From Jazz to Blues to Classical -Camelot Has It All! Cassette $7t '88 each Compact Disc $11 88 each Man does not live by ravioli alone MVIOU FEW MUM AWrtr Nelson Ranged Truest Heart GRP 88 $15 Richard Elliot Soul Embrace Manhattan I The Secret NBA Camelot Narada Sampler Various Artists Narada Compact Disc $888 Cassette 488 Lou Rawls Oooh That Voice Manhattan Faure: Piano Quartets Ma Ax Laredo Stern Sony Classical pi pel Spaghetti Warehouse mi Woithmgton N( Ik I Mill 376 808 4001 INDEPENDENCE BLVD (Superstore) 568 3847 EASTRIDGE MALL 867 8736 CAROLINA MALL 782-6612 SENECA SHOPPING CENTER 522 8406 CAROLINA PLACE MALL544-O019 McMULLEN CREEK MARKET 541-1583 im mm mgm.