The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Friday, April 1, 2016 — 5

‘Boy & the World’ is 
attractive but flawed

By DANIEL HENSEL

Daily Arts Writer

“Boy & the World,” an ani-

mated Brazilian film directed by 
Alê Abreu (“Garoto Cósmico”) 
and 
nomi-

nated 
for 

the Academy 
Award 
for 

Best 
Ani-

mated 
Fea-

ture, 
never 

lets you go. 
It’s one of 
those 
films 

with 
pac-

ing so perfect, it’s impossible 
to look away. For an essentially 
silent film (the only lines of dia-
logue are few and far between, 
plus they’re reversed recorded 
Portuguese), 
that 
pacing 
is 

critical to keeping the story pro-
gressing.

In “Boy & the World,” we fol-

low an unnamed protagonist, 
a young stick figure boy from 
the countryside whose father, 
pressured to work harder, one 
day boards a train to head for 
the capital. The boy immedi-
ately becomes distressed, see-
ing visions of his father, who 
then fades away, leaving the 
boy alone. In his rural home, 
the animation is simple, bare 
and childlike. Small doodles in 
wildly varying colors comprise 
the grass, houses and clothes. 
There, a five-tone folk melody 
plays consistently, a recurring 
musical cue for the untouched 
naturalism of his home and 
the melancholic memory of his 
father — a well-remembered 

and vacant part of his life.

Our protagonist summons 

the will to search for his father. 
Traveling far from his home, 
across the rural landscape, the 
boy traces his father’s path to 
the grand metropolis. Along the 
way, he gains a few companions 
who provide him with hous-
ing. In the city, the boy walks 
through the vice district, among 
rush hour traffic and over-
whelming layers of advertising. 
Houses are stacked upon each 
other to form impractical, men-
acing towers.

In 
this 
futuristic 
world, 

where cities float in glass cap-
sules in the sky and flying sail-
boats are a safe and practical 
method of transportation, any-
thing seems possible. But, alas, 
it comes with a cost. This we 
can determine by the anima-
tion. In the cities, everything 
is processed, fake. Abreu uses 
magazine cutouts for objects 
instead of drawing them, like in 
the countryside. Even the news 
anchors and models have hair, 
lips, eyes cut out from maga-
zines.

While the film’s visual effer-

vescence is quite attractive, the 
story suffers from its format. 
Dialogue-free, 
hand-drawn 

films are dangerous; many of 
the characters look the same, 
and without dialogue as a ref-
erence for characters, a num-
ber 
of 
scenes 
immediately 

become confusing, especially 
when Abreu uses flashback and 
visions to convey ideas. Is this 
our protagonist as an older man 
or is this his friend? Minor ques-

tions like this bogs down the 
film.

Beyond 
its 
obvious 
com-

ing of age message, “Boy & the 
World” is primarily an environ-
mental parable. Environmental 
destruction is far from subtle; 
Abreu would prefer to animate 
in broad strokes than leave 
interpretation up to the viewer. 
One particular scene, a truly 
jarring and surprising sequence 
of environmental destruction, 
clearly demonstrates his inten-
tion. But that’s no hurdle for the 
film. This is a serious problem, 
especially for Abreu, a Brazilian 
who is undoubtedly wary of his 
nation’s destruction of the Ama-
zon.

Abreu wears his influences on 

his animated shoulders. Chan-
neling the fast-paced, music-
focused animated shorts of Walt 
Disney, the stunning large-scale 
choreography of Busby Berke-
ley, and the dystopian met-
ropolitan cityscapes of Fritz 
Lang, Abreu clearly has a wide 
appreciation for 1930s film. And 
it couldn’t be more relevant. 
For a story so deeply concerned 
about capitalist environmental 
destruction, Abreu turns to the 
1930s, a decade in which art-
ists had to confront economic 
turmoil 
through 
their 
art. 

“Boy & the World” is as much 
a pointed criticism of today’s 
environmental woes as Chap-
lin’s “Modern Times” was of the 
Depression. And, like Chaplin 
before him, Abreu keeps you on 
your toes, right until the very 
end. It doesn’t hurt that there’s 
a pretty view, too.

EVENT PREVIEW
A historic ‘Sleeping 
Beauty’ production

By MERIN MCDIVITT

Daily Arts Writer

For the 25th anniversary of 

the University Musical Soci-
ety’s lauded dance series, some-
thing special 
was in order. 
Fortunately 
for 
them, 

and for local 
audiences, 
the 
perfect 

opportunity 
presented 
itself 
when 

American 
Ballet Theatre 
announced 
it would be 
going on tour 
with 
Tchai-

kovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty.”

There could hardly be a bet-

ter time for the performance. 
American 
Ballet 
Theatre 

appeared in the headlines last 
year when they appointed the 
legendary Misty Copeland as 
a principal ballerina, the first 
Black woman to ever win that 
position in the United States. 
The audiences on Friday and 
Saturday will even get the 
opportunity to see Copeland 

dance in a minor role.

And during the end of March, 

many on campus are craving 
an escape from the drudgery 
of work and studies. “Sleeping 
Beauty” promises to be one of 
the most lavish productions 
the area has seen in recent 
years, featuring an exquisite 
set, period costumes and an 
enormous number of perform-
ers. Bringing a huge, luxurious 
production here was far from 
easy, as Jim Leija, UMS’s direc-
tor of education and community 
engagement, can attest.

“It’s also a really big col-

laboration between UMS and 
the Michigan Opera Theatre in 
Detroit,” Leija said. “We don’t 
really have a stage or venue 
that’s big enough to do this kind 
of classical production in Ann 
Arbor.”

The collaboration, which will 

continue in future productions, 
worked out beautifully for both 
partners, resulting in stellar 
production values that stay true 
to the show’s original produc-
tion in New York City.

“It’s a really beautiful pro-

duction. It’s quite lavish,” Leija 
said. “There are something like 
200 people in the performance, 

and about half of them are from 
the local community.”

In the weeks leading up to 

the production, American Bal-
let Theater has participated 
in 
community 
workshops 

and other engagement events 
with UMS. Dancers led mas-
ter classes at the University of 
Michigan as well as at Wayne 
State University and Oakland 
University, and Detroit high 
schoolers even had the oppor-
tunity to “meet the artists,” 
Leija said. They also visited the 
Ann Arbor YMCA to lead a “You 
Can Dance” collaboration with 
adults of all ages interested in 
movement, dance and expres-
sion.

The 
dazzling 
show 
runs 

through Sunday, the culmina-
tion of years of planning and 
months 
of 
preparation 
for 

UMS, Michigan Opera Theatre 
and American Ballet Theatre. 
Then the ballet will hit the 
road, bringing their fantasy of 
slumbering royals and magi-
cal kisses across the country. 
But the promising partnership 
between UMS and Michigan 
Opera Theatre, beginning with 
this impressive high note, will 
continue in the coming years. 

ESPAÇO FILMES

>Tfw your face is an electrical outlet

FILM REVIEW

B

Boy & the 
World

Espaço Filmes

Michigan Theater

American 
Ballet 
Theatre’s 
“Sleeping 
Beauty”

Mar. 31-Apr. 3

Detroit Opera 

House

Sold Out

ALBUM REVIEW
Domo Genesis goes 
beyond Odd Future

By ANAY KATYAL

Daily Arts Writer

During Odd Future’s peak, 

critics of the collective liked to 
parrot the notion that the group 
was 
nothing 

but a loosely 
tied 
collec-

tion of crass, 
offensive, teen-
age hooligans. 
They 
skate-

boarded, their 
music 
pushed 

the limits of 
what was defined as “explicit” 
and their live shows were often 
likened to the bombastic and 
reckless punk concerts of the 
genre’s 
heyday. 
Oftentimes, 

these critics had considerable 
fuel for their argument, espe-
cially when dissecting some 
of the solo projects from OF’s 
frontman Tyler, The Creator, 
or Earl Sweatshirt’s breakout 
single “EARL.” It’s an argument 
the general public generally 
accepted if they had not been 
exposed to much of the group’s 
work beforehand, but for those 
who actually took the deep dive 
into the crew’s music without 
having the conservative predis-
positions of a suburban soccer 
mom, the group’s diversity of tal-
ent and the mischaracterization 
of those beliefs becomes fairly 
clear. Frank Ocean became the 
neo-soul enigma the music-lov-
ing public has become infatuat-
ed with. Matt Martians and Syd 
Tha Kyd started successfully 
making smooth and sensual soul 
arrangements under the moni-
ker “The Internet.” Earl Sweat-
shirt, with his dark, brooding, 
sonically 
distinct 
bodies 
of 

work, can be accurately likened 
to a younger MF Doom. With 
Genesis, Domo Genesis joins the 
ranks of OF alumni that illus-
trate the overlooked level of tal-
ent that permeated the group 
during its height.

When profiling each mem-

ber of Odd Future, Domo Gen-
esis is often touted as being “the 
most underrated” or “the most 
slept on.” Often times, people 
who said that wanted someone 
to validate their pretentious 
love for his debut mixtape Roll-
ing Papers, but there was some 
truth to the idea. No one dared 
call Domo the best of the group; 
after all, he isn’t as technically 
gifted as Earl, nor is he the kind 
of bombastic character that 
Tyler is. Despite that, he quietly 
pushed out three mixtapes, each 
increasing in skill and mastery, 
slowly exchanging the teenage 
immaturity Domo was suscep-
tible to for more technically 
astute, complex lyrics and beats.

Having been in the works 

since early 2013, Genesis’s elu-
sive release almost became as 
similarly storied as the video 
game “Duke Nukem Forev-
er” and its 15 year protracted 
release date. In those three 
years, Odd Future has essen-
tially disbanded, leaving Domo 
without the free hype he was 
afforded earlier. As disappoint-
ing as it is, Domo still manages 
to drop one of Odd Future’s 
strongest solo projects. Smooth, 
jazzy production and consis-
tently clever lyricism had me 
rewinding plenty of Genesis’s 
songs (namely “Wanderer” and 
“My Own”). Domo used to be a 
rapper who crafted fairly gener-
ic bars about weed and life, but 
Genesis shows a rapper with an 
impressive level of self-aware-
ness and maturity. As much as 
he can talk about getting fucked 
up with his squad, Domo can 
also lament life regrets, and rap 
about the motivators behind his 
musical career.

Genesis’s focal point, “One 

Below,” opens with an emotion-
al spiel from Domo’s mother, 
before he raps about feeling lost 
as a teenager, and how music 
helped him find fulfillment. 

Throughout the album, his lyr-
ics often deal with the influence 
music has had on his develop-
ment. Considering that, Genesis 
is an apt name for Domo’s debut 
LP, symbolizing the advent of 
Domo finding purpose, some-
thing he largely owes to his 
musical career.

Though Genesis is a testa-

ment to how much Domo has 
grown as a rapper, collaborators 
on the project also play a signifi-
cant part in making the album 
the enjoyable listening experi-
ence that it is. “Go (Gas),” an 
eclectic combination of Juicy J, 
Wiz Khalifa and Tyler, The Cre-
ator, contains an entertaining 
level of goofiness and liveliness. 
On “Coming Back,” Mac Miller’s 
sing-songy hook is integral in 
maintaining the song’s intended 
vibe. Anderson .Paak’s smooth, 
hybrid R&B and rap perfor-
mance on “Dapper” will have 
anyone dancing in their seat.

Genesis 
has 
the 
makings 

of being an overlooked work, 
largely thanks to Odd Future’s 
general nonexistence and the 
maligned reputation some of its 
members are unfairly slapped 
with. But considering that Gene-
sis is one of hip hop’s most cohe-
sive bodies of work so far this 
year, it might deservedly lend 
fame and credibility to Domo 
once and for all. Domo’s career 
timeline has been a long-winded 
journey toward Domo finding 
his musical identity, and with 
Genesis he finally does that.

A-

Genesis

Domo Genesis

Odd Future

EVENT COVER
Narayanan talks 
progressive retail

At Ross’s “India 
Marching Ahead” 
conference, Myntra 

CEO stands out

By ANAY KATYAL

Daily Arts Writer

Last 
weekend, 
the 
Ross 

School of Business hosted the 
seventh iteration of the India 
Business 
Conference, 
with 

the theme of “India March-
ing Ahead.” A variety of Indian 
business leaders and former 
bureaucrats sat down to talk 
about strides being made in 
the realm of business in India, 
and how the business relation-
ship between the United States 
and India has been changing 
for the better. Among the list 
of panelists, which included 
esteemed guests such as Yum! 
Brands India President Niren 
Chaudhary and former Minister 
of Finance for India Yashwant 
Sinha, Myntra CEO Ananth 
Narayanan and his talk about 
changing waves in the Indian 
retail industry through his 
retail app stood out.

Narayanan has a colorful his-

tory within Indian enterprise. 
Previously serving on McKin-
sey & Company’s product devel-
opment and automotive practice 
teams in South Asia, Naray-
anan’s background isn’t imme-
diately indicative of someone 
with fashion expertise. But he 
emphasized that heading Myn-
tra requires more than rudi-
mentary style knowledge.

“[Myntra] 
works 
hard 
in 

understanding the quirks of the 
Indian consumer base,” Naray-
anan said during his talk.

And this is important con-

sidering the rapidly develop-
ing economy India has right 
now. Myntra’s parent company, 
Flipkart, has only recently ush-
ered in the advent of online, 
Amazon-style shopping in the 
country. According to Price-
waterhouseCoopers, 
India’s 

e-commerce 
market 
itself 

has grown around $9 billion 
between 2009 and 2013. In 
2014, Amazon made an effort 
to cash in on this trend with a 
$2 billion investment in their 
Indian business. The industry 
for online purchases in India is 
much like the Wild West in its 
open landscape; with Myntra, 
Narayanan is among some of the 
individuals trying to capitalize 
on the opportunity, creating a 
new generation of fashion-con-
scious Indians in the process.

Myntra was acquired by Indi-

an e-commerce giant Flipkart 
(Amazon’s biggest competitor in 
the region) in early 2014. While 
Flipkart mainly functions as a 
“one stop shop” online desti-
nation for Indian consumers, 
Myntra was a strategic buy for 
Flipkart in their efforts to target 
India’s new, trendy and finan-
cially empowered youth popu-
lation. Flush with Flipkart’s 
cash and boasting an impressive 
inventory of the latest in fash-
ion and athletic wear, Myntra 
utilizes a variety of mobile and 
online channels to reach their 
targeted demographics, often-
times pushing an app-centric 
shopping experience in a coun-
try whose mobile phone adop-
tion has grown to over 1 billion 
subscribers according to Forbes.

Not only has Myntra been 

engaging Indian consumers in 
innovative ways, but they’re 

also among a select few Indian 
companies 
engaging 
India’s 

millennial populace on issues 
relating to gender and identity 
in Indian society. Their recent 
“All About You” advertising 
campaign employs Bollywood 
superstar Deepika Padukone to 
challenge longstanding myths 
about the kind of colors and 
clothes Indian women should 
wear; in a joint campaign with 
Indian fashion label Anouk, 
Myntra broadcasts a commer-
cial depicting a lesbian couple 
and 
their 
anxieties 
around 

meeting each other’s conser-
vative Indian parents for the 
first time. Evidently, Myntra is 
a remarkably progressive com-
pany in a country that has been 
blighted with issues of misogy-
ny and homophobia, marking a 
change in India’s social direc-
tion from the country’s youth, 
and companies like Myntra 
helping to empower them.

Time will tell if India’s con-

sumers will bite when it comes 
to Myntra’s advances, but the 
company is making laudable 
strides in increasing fashion 
accessibility to Indians. By giv-
ing young Indians a platform to 
both more easily express them-
selves through their styles, and 
affirm their beliefs and values, 
Myntra is a refreshing addi-
tion to India’s corporate land-
scape. With India on track to 
be the world’s youngest country 
by 2020 (according to the New 
York Times), Myntra’s efforts 
in targeting India’s emerging 
millennial middle class and the 
newfound disposable incomes 
they possess are paving way for 
an 
empowered, 
independent 

and socially conscious Indian 
populace. 

One of hip hop’s 
most cohesive 
works so far 

this year

