Among
my
many
complaints
about
Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” is how
muddled it is in scope. Is it a movie about space
time travel? About the future of humanity?
About a scientist and her cosmos-wandering
father? I’m not sure and neither is anyone
else. What’s clear is that any film would have
trouble being all those things simultaneously,
successfully. “Interstellar” tries, and the result is
claustrophobically awkward.
An equally grand movie
that gracefully dodges these
complications is “Ad Astra.”
To call James Gray’s (“The
Lost City of Z”) latest work
a space drama would be
almost wrong. It’s probably
better classified as a drama
that happens to take place
in space. While the hazards,
lessons, and implications of
interplanetary travel compose
the
film’s
backdrop,
“Ad
Astra” is purely the story of
a broken man’s relationship
with his father. When strange power surges
threaten all life on Earth in the near future
Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt, “Deadpool 2”)
embarks on a journey for their origin — the last
known location of his disappeared father.
One element common between “Ad Astra”
and “Interstellar” is cinematographer Hoyte
Van Hoytema (“Dunkirk”). His experience with
space imagery is vividly apparent here, taking
advantage of a serene camera and eerie solar
lens flares. He expertly contrasts the slate gray
interiors of human buildings with the literally
otherworldly hues of the galaxy. Nearly every
frame, whether simple aerial shots of the Earth
surface or a windowed corridor on Mars, is
picturesque.
As aesthetically beautiful as it is, the wistful
charm of “Ad Astra” comes from the details of its
narrative. Among them are a harrowing rescue
operation of a medical research ship, a freefall
from the International Space Satellite near the
film’s start and a spectacular chase sequence
that can only be characterized as “Mad Max” on
the moon. (I wouldn’t have minded if this part
became the whole movie.) Many more of these
details emerge in the film’s bracing, enigmatic
final act that must be discovered for oneself. But
Roy’s journey is a marvel in storytelling, suffused
with operatic momentum. Every obstacle feels
like a necessary sidestep, contributing a valuable
spoke to the film’s narrative wheels.
Pitt’s performance is nothing short of
remarkable. The movie places him in the center
of its every scene, and even in long cosmic
stretches without dialogue or voiceover, his
thoughts,
confusions
and
anxieties
seem
tangible. He rides the line between conveying
just
enough
to
keep
our
eyes fixed on his and clearly
holding
back
something
vulnerable.
Indeed,
Roy’s
vulnerability is a cagey and
fleeting thing, appearing in
the twitch of a cheek muscle
here,
a
momentary
pause
before mentioning his dad’s
name there. But whenever Pitt
brings this quality out, it’s as
much a relief from the pain as
it is a foray into it.
Between Roy McBride and
Cliff Booth, Pitt’s recent role
as a quirky, violent stuntman
in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” he’s
demonstrated how varied two quiet characters
can be. Where Roy is an aching, convincing
sympath, Cliff is wry and detached and want-
less. But neither character speaks much. The
space between these laconic poles is, and has
always been, the essence of Brad Pitt’s charisma.
A compelling choice by Gray was to surround
Roy with death. Death is the consequence for so
many fellow astronauts Roy encounters, and the
gravitas of that reality is unbearable for some.
What makes a career marked by death different
for him is not that he’s immune to emotion, but
that he feels like he must be. Roy’s understanding
of that ultimate price is messy, and watching
this internal grapple is a genuinely affecting
experience.
It’s safe to say that “Ad Astra” is my favorite
movie of the year so far. I found every moment of
the film as captivating as the last, and I left the
theater a little more optimistic about the future
of both movies and human civilization. What
else could one want?
‘Ad Astra’ reaches Nirvana
ANISH TAMHANEY
Daily Arts Writer
FILM REVIEW
This past Thursday, the University of Michigan’s Museum of Art
and the Zell Visiting Writers Series hosted author Wayetu Moore to
discuss her debut novel, “She Would Be King.” She started off the
evening by discussing her dedication for the book. She spoke about
the importance of her Liberian family, having moved to the U.S.
from Liberia at the age of five. These roots were the inspiration for
her novel. She did not return to the country until after she finished
her novel. To write the book, she relied heavily on research and her
earliest memories.
The novel is set during the liberation of Liberia. In the mid-19th
century, Liberia was the very first independent African country
to form during the time of colonization. Moore’s three central
characters have drastically different backgrounds; however, they all
seem to utilize their differences to help them.
I found the reading to be especially riveting, as Moore is a natural
storyteller. The excerpt she read depicted a pregnant young woman
attempting to hide the birth of her child because the child was
cursed. Moore read with a refreshing passion, usually found more in
performers than writers.
The story follows three people all from different backgrounds,
all deemed cursed by society. They all meet in the new nation of
Liberia. The novel explores the African diaspora, community and
the meaning of family.
“The most profound thing I heard in this reading was just the way
that she sought to honor her family as well as the narratives that
were a part of her childhood,” Julia McDaniel, a graduate student in
the Zell Writers’ Program, said.
Moore’s writing style is packed with magical realism. Throughout
the book, a magical wind guides the story along. It softens and
personifies the harsh realities of life in tumultuous political times.
After the event, Moore entered the UMMA atrium with grace and
confidence far beyond her young age. She greeted the modest line
of those wanting their book signed with eager and open kindness.
Even though this is Moore’s debut novel, she is no stranger
to activism — she has a nonprofit organization that publishes
and distributes literature about underrepresented people to
underprivileged areas. Her generosity was apparent in her tenacity
of spirit during her reading. She was excited to share her culture
with fellow writers.
‘She Would Be King’ shines bright
NATALIE KASTNER
Daily Arts Writer
COMMUNITY CULTURE REVIEW
“Ad Astra”
The State Theatre
Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Brittany Howard’s debut solo album, Jaime,
marks a distinct artistic shift from her previous
work with the Alabama Shakes. Jaime, in all
its glory, is an experimental masterpiece. In
these eleven tracks, Howard leads the audience
through a medley of emotions and poignant
life experiences, sourced directly from her
own memories. Named for her sister, who
passed away from cancer in her youth, Jaime
is a journey through Howard’s life. Exploring
a variety of themes — from racism to faith to
the tribulations of love — Howard presents an
authentic, powerful statement on the labors of
our lives and how they shape us.
The album opens with “History Repeats,” an
upbeat, flowing song with hints of jazz influence
and welcome doses of R&B, hip-hop flair. The
song is an energetic opening to an album that is
blunt and honest about the labors of Howard’s
life. The song has an element of chaos — a
reference to Howard’s artistic “breaking free”
as she embraces the opportunity to branch out
beyond her Alabama Shakes roots. The sounds
of the song seem scrambled, but repetitive lyrics
work to ground the track. Howard sings, “Hoo,
I don’t want to go back there again” — as the
ages-old lesson goes, we must learn from our
mistakes, lest the past repeat itself. Howard’s
lyrics go deeper, however, suggesting that
personal growth is found in moving forward;
The past can hold pain of trials overcome, and
the false safety of slipping back to bad habits.
Howard wastes no time or effort in her
debut album, embracing from the get-go
experimentation and pushing her music to
the far-flung corners of constricting “genre.”
The song “13th Century Metal” is one of the
more adventurous tracks in Jaime, structured
as a speech or chant in the form of a protest.
Howard repeats over and over, “I repeat, we
are all brothers and sisters,” evoking a sense
of power and urgency one would find in the
midst of a rally. “He Loves Me” is similar in its
lyrical form, its religious undertones turning to
the song into an “alternative sermon.” Howard
sings of her God loving her regardless of her life
choices, “I know he still loves me when / I’m
smoking blunts / Loves me when I’m drinking
too much.” A contrast to organized religion’s
historic campaign against so-called “sinners,”
in a world where the sin of the church, and the
sins of reality, have reached a radical dichotomy.
What is most notable in the album, however,
is how Howard approaches the concept of
struggle in her songs. “Georgia” spins a tale of
a young girl exploring her sexuality, having a
crush on another young girl. As Howard sings
“And I can’t help the way I was born to be / I
ain’t no little boy,” what is emphasized is how
normal the experience is. Howard doesn’t
attempt to turn the song into anything more
than a tale of a girlhood crush — it’s not about
the fact that this girl is gay, but more so about
the pivotal experience of growing up, and the
pain of unrequited emotion. The “struggle” isn’t
defining: It’s present, it’s there, but Howard’s
music suggests that life is more than the
struggle. It’s the experiences that count. People
aren’t defined about all the bad in their life, and
not all the good either — it’s how they have lived
in totality that crafts a person from the murky
clay into the person they are now.
Jaime’s many moving parts come together at
the album’s climax: “Short and Sweet.” Slow,
beautiful and vulnerable, Howard sings of a
blooming relationship muddled by the pain of
reason and pesky logic. “I may be a fool to dream
of you” croons Howard, notes reminiscent of
jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald, “But, God, it
feels so good to dream at all.” It’s easy to get
bogged down by worries of the future, and
anxiety is a familiar foe of the day-to-day. But,
Howard reminds us how important it is to stay
in the moment. We can’t let the lingerings of
past pain, or the fear of future mistakes, bar
us from living the life we have. While simple
in its mechanics, the unbridled beauty of song
is a beacon in an album that twists and turns
through multiple experiences, styles, and
structures.
In the end, Howard’s Jaime is an undoubted
success, both as a debut solo work, and for
it’s
incredibly
poignancy
and
emotional
authenticity. Listen to Jaime first for “Short
and Sweet,” a song not easily forgotten. Then
again, to enjoy Howard’s masterful writing and
soul-rocking tunes. It ain’t easy handling what
life throws at you, but with Howard by our side,
things don’t seem so dismal after all.
‘Jaime’ is a lovely life force
MADELEINE VIRGINIA GANNON
Daily Arts Writer
Jaime
Brittany Howard
AOT Records / Fantana North
AOT RECORDS / FANTANA NORTH / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
ALBUM REVIEW
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES
Moore read with a refreshing passion, usually found more in
performers than writers
By Seth Bisen-Hersh
©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
09/23/19
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
09/23/19
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Monday, September 23, 2019
ACROSS
1 Bowler’s
challenge
6 River in western
Belgium
10 “Quite contrary”
gardener
14 Dog guide
15 Paris currency
16 Singer Adams
17 Bert’s Muppet
roommate
18 Tiny bit of a min.
19 “Bob’s Burgers”
daughter
20 *Zero degrees,
on a compass
22 Looks for
23 *Fiduciary entity
whose holdings
are unknown to
its beneficiaries
26 Deli hanger
31 Rivière contents
32 Sun-dried brick
33 Campus housing
35 Ceremonial
shoulder-to-hip
band
39 *Life insurance
clause specifying
twice the
payment for
certain situations
42 “¿Cómo __
usted?”
43 Pre-holiday
nights
44 Helped
45 Exist
46 Opulent home
47 *Wet wooded
region
53 Early stage
54 “I’m there!” ...
and hint to the
first part of the
answers to
starred clues
60 Lab vessel
61 Therefore
63 Radamès in
36-Down, e.g.
64 And others, in
Lat.
65 Author Roald
66 Wild West film
67 Provocative
68 French “head”
69 Newspapers,
collectively
DOWN
1 Snow glider
2 Lima is its capital
3 Fictional reporter
Lois
4 “The doctor __”
5 “God” prefix
6 Film in which
Streisand plays a
yeshiva boy
7 Japanese rolls
8 Before, in verse
9 Mythical big bird
10 Usage measurer
11 French farewell
12 Ice show venues
13 Baker’s dough
raiser
21 Sac fly stat
22 “The Simpsons”
disco guy
24 Geeky-sounding
candy
25 Knight’s lady
26 “Smooth
Operator” singer
27 Kerfuffles
28 Lummox
29 __ The Museum:
Stockholm
exhibit honoring
a pop group
30 Singer Tormé
33 Sunken ship
explorer
34 __ of a kind
35 Peevish state
36 Verdi opera
37 Editor’s “never
mind that
change”
38 Jekyll’s alter ego
40 Gateway Arch
designer Saarinen
41 More, for Miguel
45 Rearward at sea
46 Many “Star Trek”
extras
47 Mars explorer
48 Friend of Maria
in “West Side
Story”
49 Author Asimov
50 Singer Furtado
51 Octet count
52 Swiped
55 Resting upon
56 Honey
alternative
57 Pot starter
58 Ballerinas dance
on them
59 Makes a mistake
61 NYC summer
hrs.
62 Actress Charlotte
6A — Monday, September 23, 2019
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com