The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 3B
'True Detective' episode five
recap: Plot lines weave together
baked .buzzed .bored.
In this series, three Daily Arts writers
in varying states of mind visit the same
place and write about their experiences.
this week's destination:
'TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET' SING-ALONG
By CHLOE GILKE
and AKSHAY SETH
Daily Arts Writer
and Managng Arts Editor
Akshay: Nothing quite like that
brilliant 6-minute tracking shot
this week, but I think we saw the
biggest leaps in terms of actual
story development since the pilot.
Chloe: I certainly was not
expecting Rust and Marty to catch
Ledoux so soon.But the scene with
Rust and Marty "tracking" with
the help of DeWall and the rev-
elation of Ledoux's headquarters
was exhilarating. Marty shoot-
ing Ledoux was a shock: until the
reveal that he was hiding innocent
children in his shed, I wasn't sure
what would have made Marty
snap and finally kill him. But it's
tragically ironic that Marty would
be so driven by his emotions and
concern for kids, considering that
in the 2002 scenes he was abusive
and cruel to his own daughter.
Akshay: I could kind of see
it in his eyes as he walked out
toward Ledoux that he was prob-
ably going to end the suspected
killer's life. I think it's a tie-in back
tothosesexuallyexplicitdrawings
he found his daughter making and
also to that general sense of out-
rage he feels whenever he sees his
ideaof a "normal" familylife being
threatened. The tracking scene
was really excellently executed,
not just because of the action, but
because I thought it was a little bit
funny how far it veered from the
way Rust and Marty were describ-
ing it to Gilbough and Papania,
the "company men." Pizzolatto
gave us the scene with moments
of taut silence interjected with
the most stereotypical, exagger-
ated descriptions you can heartwo
cops giving. It was masterful. And
I think it culminated perfectly
with that awfully bloody head-
shot, which we got through Rust's
eyes.- -- - -11
Also, Pink Floyd tees shouldn't
be worn when blowing someone's
brains out. Justsaying.
Chloe: Yeah, that Pink Floyd
shirt was just gorgeous. People
who complained the show was too
serious definitely got their little
moment of humor.
And this week we also saw the
first real discrepancies between
the 1995/2002 narration and what
Marty and Rust told Gilbough and
Papania. The cover-up of their
involvement was brilliant: Even
though their friendship had fallen
apart years ago (we have a date
now, too - 2002), they are evi-
dently still on the same page and
protectingeach other (awwww).
Akshay: FYI, Chloe is having
a conversation with (Daily Arts
Writer) Alex Intner on Twitter
while we do this recap. #Multi-
Tasking. Anyways, I think it's a
testament to the obsessive, metic-
ulous nature ofthisshow how well
they're able to handle the jumps in
time. We don't just jump forward
or backward to give the viewer
more exposition, like we got about
the set-up for Rust and Marty's
falling out. I think Pizzolatto did
it to embody that ideal of repeti-
tion and reincarnation we always
see Cohle spewing on about. Rust
gets romantically involved with
another woman (and it inevitably
falls apart). Marty gets back with
Maggie (I'm pretty sure it'll fall
apart). The investigation reopens.
It's all an ingenious reference to
how "time is a flat circle."
Chloe: I may or may not also
be watching an episode of Louie
at this moment #SuperMultiTask-
ing. But yeah, the recycling was
so well done. Marty is nicknamed
"Captain America," and reuses
the "captain" name to insult his
daughter later in the episode. Reg-
gie mentions the "yellow king,"
which is apparently a reference
to literature that I didn't under-
stand because my familiarity with
Southern Gothic is woefully lack-
ing. But that just goes to show that
even though "True Detective" is
only written by one person, it's
not short-sighted. Pizzolatto is
evidently pulling out all the stops
with this season and using his
sole-writer status to create true
auteur TV. Uh, oh.I'm movinginto
film theory territory. Rescue me,
Akshay
Akshay: I can't. I wrote an
11-page paper about Dorothy
Arzner over the course of a horri-
ble, film theory-spiked all-nighter
that I don't want to think about. I
wonder what Arzner would make
of "True Detective." ("They're all
secretly gay"). I AM DIGRESS-
ING. I think one of the tiny short-
falls of having just a one-person
writing team is that every char-
acter other than the main duo has
kind of been one-dimensional and
forced to the sideline. The most
relevant example are "the com-
pany men." Their detective work
leading up to the conclusion that
Cohle was singularly responsible
for all the new deaths -the only
explanation being "he blacked
out" and didn't remember doing
them- seemed kind of weak. Now
that we're finally moving into the
territory of present-day and the
fresh murders, I'm hoping we'll
see Papania and Gilbough provide
a more active draw to the story
other than just being the people
that ask the questions.
Chloe: I agree. Maggie has also
been sort of shoved aside. I was
hoping she'd play a bigger part in
the series (maybe the resistant
Skyler White to Marty's devolv-
ing Walter), but Maggie is mainly
around to be a foil for Marty and
serve as the object of the audi-
ence's sympathies. That being
said, Michelle Monaghan is fan-
tastic with the material she's given
(especially when she tells Maisie
off forgetting involved in her argu-
ment with Marty and Audrey).
I just hope we learn more about
Maggie in the next few episodes of
the show. I just realized that we're
on episode 5, though. Three more
to go! But somehow the show just
keeps getting more intriguing, and
I won't expect anything but the
best from its third act.
On a completely unrelated
note, Rust's practically catatonic
2002 wife was pretty hilarious.
She's a doctor, but apparently not
much else. And that is definitely
Edward's mom from "Twilight"
and I feel like we need to make a
bigger deal about this.
Akshay: I feel like Pizzolatto's
mantra whenever he gets to writ-
ing dialogue for a character other
than Cohle or Marty is "THIS
ISN'T ABOUT YOU" *shuts door*.
In any case, I'm excited to find out
what ends up being the final argu-
ment that caused the rift between
our two protagonists. I'm think-
ing it involves Maggie because I'm
not certain about the exact num-
ber, but I think Marty said "It was
right under my nose" around 974
times. I really don't feel Cohle is
responsible for any of the murders,
and I think the last scene with him
breaking into the religious school
to find more devil's nests is an indi-
cation of his innocence, but also a
confirmation that he's being reab-
sorbed by his obsession with the
case. I think thatobsession is what
kept him going back to the crime
scenes once bodies started show-
ing up again. If it all ends with
him looking in his eye-mirror and
saying, "HOLY LEDOUX IT WAS
ME THE WHOLE TIME," I will
lose a lot of faith and throw a lot of
things.
Chloe: Rust as murderer would
be waytoo obvious. It's the theory
I had the minute the pilot episode
ended (seemed like a pretty smart
idea at the time, don't judge). If
that's really all Pizzolatto has in
store for us ... well, I am not even
going to entertain that. Rust is def-
initely back and re-investigating
the case out of passion, not out of
necessity or sloppy criminal work.
Let's be real here. If Rust were
reallythe killerhe would certainly
make sure there was not a trace
of incriminating evidence. He's
just looking-at thecase again and
searching on his own for the real
killer because he's been brought
back to the same place. Events
repeat themselves, "time is a flat
circle," you know. And here we
are again. Quoting Rust, quoting
Ledoux.
Akshay: READ THIS PIZZO-
LATTO. LOOK HOW WE TIED
IT ALL BACK TOGETHER.
The buildup to the finale is going
to be memorable, just because I
think more and more people are
going to start ostracizing Cohle
for his reestablished disrespect
for authority and "crazy" theories
about it all being tied to the top.
Whatever happens, I'm beyond
doubting this show at this point.
I feel like every episode has been
better than the last and I don't see
that streak breaking any time in
the next three weeks. CIRCLES.
Chloe:Atthispoint,Ican'teven
imagine toppingthis episode. We'll
need a 12 minute trackingshot and
Rust killing someone while wear-
ing a Lynyrd Skynyrd tour tank
top. Preferably in 2012. 1 canit wait
to see what the next episode has in
store for us. We'll talk then!
nE.
0
We met Twan - the Twan - in the lobby of the theater because *******
knows him interviewing him, but ******* is wasted now and maybe I'm not
just high but also super turnt. "Bump and Grind" dance party commences
and I'm pretty into it as the combination of weed & Fireball gotme tripping
like an infant that's just learning to walk. Here are hundreds of turnt col-
lege kids in a pristine Christine chapel of a theater - Holy shit, I'm so sick
with this word shit. Get at me.
Here's a sociologist's dream case study: A nearly all-white audience
giggles as the word "ni**a" appears on-screen for the first time in the sing-
along, and I'm high enough to spend the subsequent 25 minutes contem-
plating the state of modern day racial relations.
"I'm about to climax!!!" screams an audience of horny millenials in a
dark room listening to Kells. "Everyone's mad, but their all cheating on
each other, so none of them really has the right to be mad," suggests the
sage Gillian Jakab to my left.
I leave to take a piss while Gillian goes to the counter and haggles her
way into free popcorn and when we re-enter, the plot has thickened of
course, and a midget and heavy set white trash woman have entered the
"Closet" story as I munch the munchies away on this popcorn - thanks
Gillie - and candy cigarettes.
- DAILYARTS WRITER
Okay so I'm hoarse already I've never been more in love with R. Kelly
in my life, getting a little emotional got to talk to Twan and I feel like
I'm in Disneyland might've just eaten a whole tub of popcorn lol R.
Kelly is mayhem.
I brought fireball into the theatre sry. I lost my voice I'm catching
some Holy Ghost Im so fucking trapped right now. Serious creative
liberty on these subtitles by the way.
But actually it's like chapter 17 now and people are going nuts I feel
like I'm on a crazy pirate ship, oh shit Twan was just dreaming! Nobody
was shot thank god that crazy Italian Joey, R Kelly has the worst Ital-
ian accent ever.
They gave us condoms and fake money in the goodie bags but where
did mine go? Where??
Made it outside and In not sure if anything I just saw was real
though I swear I've run into Big Man the Midget before somewhere I
promise.
-DAILYARTS WRITER
The absurd. The offensive. The incredible.
I took my place in Michigan Theatre's red velvet Theatre - that's
theater with a capital T - complete with a balcony and potential for an
orchestra. The perfect operatic sensibility, paired with the intoxicated
cult of crazed "Closet" fats aroundne (most notably the friends I came
with and the others I waved to across the theater exchanging "haha
isn't this hilarious?" expressions,) struck me as more than amusing.
R. Kelly's hip-hopera narration began taking us down the twisty-
twervy road of musical melodramatic violence, sex and lots of betrayal.
In order to avoid becoming carsick on the journey, I had to leave behind
the analysis that a sober mind provides and try to get on the level of my
baked and buzzed friends. No one can enjoy "Trapped in the Closet"
through a critical lens - you'll find the glorification of almost every
negative, and you'll try to put a finger on what all the hype is about.
The hype is the hype. The audience is fueled off each other's absurd
enthusiasm.
This enthusiasm seeped into my bloodstream duringthe pre-screen-
ing dance party as songs like "Bump and Grind" clouded my thoughts
and the imagined nicotine from the candy cigarettes in our goody bags
gave me a head rush. Soon, I heard my voice joining the chorus shriek-
ing R Kelly's lyrics and cheering wildly after every chapter. When we
saw Twan after the show - forget it - my excitement was that of a
'Trapped' junkie.
- GILLIAN JAKAB
SO YOU THINK
YOU CAN FLY?
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TRAILER REVIEW
SINGLE REVIEW
The first red-band trailer
for Seth MacFarlane's lat-
est feature film opens with
a title that
reads "Ari-
zona, 1882"
accompa- A Million
nied by
a shot of Ways to
Monument Die in the
Valley, Utah. West
It's a subtle
spoof of Universal
genre con-
ventions
that bodes well for "A Million
Ways to Die in the West."
However, MacFarlane swiftly
kicks subtlety out of the
saloon with a montage alter-
nating between gruesome
deaths and MacFarlane's hor-
rified sitcom reactions. Seth
even gives a strangely anach-
ronistic speech calling the
old West "a terrible place in
time." This film takes its title
seriously.
"A Million Ways to Die in
the West" is MacFarlane's
Mike Gibney, a.k.a. "Gibbz",
is a Brooklyn-based producer
who has been one of the most
enigmatic
figures in
electronic
soul until Again and
now. Later, Again
Gibney
found a Gibbz
niche as a Self Released
collabora-
tor with the
group "Exmag" - a coalition of
likeminded producers, including
"Gramatik." Gibbz was featured
prominently on Exmag's first
album, released last month.
For many Exmag fans, Gibbz
became a subject of curiosity,
leavinglisteners unsure whether
he was purely a contributor of
vocal tracks, or a larger creative
presence. Gibbz answered those
questions on February13, when
he released his firstsingle,
"Again and Again."
"Again and Again"ts remi-
niscent of Exmag, while main-
taining its own original flavor.
second live action film, after
the moderately successful
"Ted", and the first in which
he acts. He stars alongside
Charlize Theron and a
diverse supporting cast that
includes Liam Neeson as the
villain, Amanda Seyfried,
Neil Patrick Harris and
Sarah Silverman. Unfortu-
nately, this trailer makes
UNIVERSAL
MacFarlane's Western look
about as funny as a bathroom
stall with a penis drawn*
on it. Hopefully they saved
the best jokes for the actual
film, because the success or
failure of "A Million Ways"
could determine whether
MacFarlane continues with
live action films.
-KARSTEN SMOLINSKI
Gibbz allows his voice to take
center stage, while layering his
own mixes in the back, creating
a highly personalized energy
that's easy to groove to. Vocally
and instrumentally, it's a sure
sign of good things to come
in the future. If there is any-
thing wrong with the song, it
is that it gets a bit repetitive. A
surprise change-up could've
SELF RELEASE
definitely improved the track.
However, for those following
the choral mantra of the song
- "We get fucked up again and
again, and again. You fill my
cup again, again, and again," -
I doubt they'll give a shit about
the compositional subtleties
and enjoy Gibbz' successful
solo debut.
-NICK BOYD
I