Matthew
McConaughey’s
(“Sing
2”)
memoir
has
no
business being as good as it
is. As I perused Audible for a
nonfiction book, “Greenlights”
caught my eye — not because I’m
a diehard McConaughey fan, but
because I had seen it circulating
Bookstagram
and
BookTok
and decided to give it a go. This
was two years ago. I’ve read
McConaughey’s memoir six times
since.
The following statement is
probably going to haunt me
forever, but here goes nothing:
Matthew
McConaughey’s
“Greenlights” is one of, if not
the, best celebrity memoirs ever
written.
I’ve listened to “Greenlights”
in each season, on nearly every
mode of transportation, alone
and with others. I listened to
the memoir lying in the grass
in my front yard. I listened to it
biking the 24-mile trail behind
my house. I forced my best friend
to listen to it on our road trip up
north to Petoskey. I read it while
wrapping presents, under the
glow of my Christmas tree.
The charm of “Greenlights”
can
be
fully
attributed
to
McConaughey’s
musical
southern drawl. It is crucial —
essential — that first-time readers
listen to the memoir for the best
experience.
McConaughey’s
book is meant to be heard; the
style of “Greenlights” leans more
informal
than
formal,
more
personal than professional. On
paper, the sentences might seem
unfinished and lengthy, but it’s
because they’re supposed to be
spoken:
“We all step in shit from time
to time. We hit roadblocks, we
fuck up, we get fucked, we get
sick, we don’t get what we want,
we cross thousands of ‘could
have done better’s and ‘wish that
wouldn’t have happened’s in life.
Stepping in shit is inevitable, so
let’s either see it as good luck or
figure out how to do it less often.”
No, McConaughey is not the
next great American novelist.
His writing is unrefined and
relaxed, but that’s the point —
McConaughey
is
sharing
an
intimate look into his life, and
he’s doing it faithfully. There
is no ghost writer, there are
no unnecessary frills or false
philosophical fillers. It is just
McConaughey telling his story
and telling it absurdly well at
that.
I’ve read numerous celebrity
memoirs in my day — they’re
my “guilty pleasures,” if you
will. From Emily Ratajkowski’s
“My Body” to Betty White’s “If
You Ask Me,” I have crossed out
title after title from an extensive
spectrum — and nobody does it
better than McConaughey. I’ve
wept through emotional memoirs
like Michelle Zauner’s “Crying
in H Mart” and Carmen Maria
Machado’s “In the Dream House,”
and I’ve laughed with celebrities
like Issa Rae and Stanley Tucci as
they’ve recounted entertaining
tales in their respective works,
“The Misadventures of Awkward
Black Girl” and “Taste: My Life
Through Food.” Yet, though I’ve
collected celebrity memoirs like
infinity stones, the only one I’ve
returned to is McConaughey’s.
“Greenlights” is sentimental
and serious, amusing and clever.
McConaughey does justice to his
book with his gripping recital; his
talent for storytelling — his gift
of gab — is what sets his memoir
apart from others and keeps me
crawling back.
“Greenlights” is divided into
eight
parts,
chronologically
retelling
McConaughey’s
life
experiences
starting
from
childhood.
In
each
part,
McConaughey
interrupts
himself with what he calls
“bumperstickers” — “lyrics, one-
liners, quick hitters, unobtrusive
personal preferences that people
publicly express” — in addition to
snippets from past journal entries
and extended soliloquies. They
make the listening experience fun
and exciting because they bring
the authenticity of storytelling
to the page. They resemble the
familiar
tangents
of
friends
going off-track when recounting
last night’s events, the sudden
realizations people uncover when
they relay past incidents. By
extension, the memoir feels more
realistic, more true, like you’re
eavesdropping on the stranger
across the bar rather than reading
a polished autobiography.
On top of the personal, lyrical
style of writing, what makes
McConaughey’s memoir great
is the memories he shares. The
stories are hilarious — from
the bizarre rites of passages
McConaughey and his brothers
underwent, like winning a 3
a.m. pissing contest, to the time
McConaughey showed up on
set without looking at his script,
only to find he had a four page
monologue in Spanish — and are
brought to life by McConaughey’s
captivating narrations. There’s
nothing funnier than when the
person telling the story can
barely get through it themselves;
hearing McConaughey’s laughter
magnifies the hilarity of it all.
“Greenlights”
is
freckled
with
sentimental
moments
too, including the story of how
McConaughey
met
his
wife
Camila Alves, whom he first
encountered in a dream. In fact,
McConaughey
relays
several
dreams in his memoir, many of
which guided him figuratively,
and all of which guided him
literally
to
places
like
the
Amazon and Africa.
Of
course,
McConaughey
talks about his career in show
business; he began college as a
straight-A pre-law student and
ended as a barely passing film
major intent on making his way
in Hollywood. He recalls walking
into the casting room for “Angels
in the Outfield” and being
hired immediately for his all-
American look, when he got the
call that he’d be acting alongside
Sandra Bullock (“The Lost City”)
in “A Time to Kill,” the dreadful
amount
of
romantic-comedy
scripts he’s read and the moment
when he decided to only take
on projects he believed would
challenge him as an actor. He is
honest about his struggles to be
seen as a legitimate actor and
his frustration with numerous
box-office failures. I imagine
that anyone interested in show
business could learn a thing or
two from these remembrances,
which are full of advice and
nonchalant wisdom.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Dune, dune, dune! For a time last
fall, it seemed as if all anyone could
talk about was “Dune.” Met with
approval from both critics and fans
alike, it made over $400 million
at the global box office. Beyond
commercial success, it went on to
win six of its 10 Academy Award
nominations, sweeping in nearly
every technical category. Within
four days of its official release,
“Dune: Part Two” was greenlit. To
get ahead of the madness that will
inevitably occur once people figure
out that Florence Pugh (“Don’t
Worry Darling,”) and Austin Butler
(“Elvis”) are in the sequel, I beseech
you to think critically next time you
see Timotheé Chalamet (“Bones
and All”) crusading across the
desert. Because although we may
praise “Dune” as being a critique
of the white savior narrative, its
adaptation is nothing more than a
white story in culturally ambiguous
clothing.
The first and only time I watched
“Dune,” I went in with a clean
slate. I’d taken peripheral notice of
the trailers, Timotheé Chalamet’s
tweets and the fact that Zendaya
(“Euphoria”) was in it, but that
was about it. I dragged an equally
uninterested friend with me for
a 10:30 opening night showing,
looking for entertainment and little
else. Two and a half hours later, it
was past one in the morning, we
were struggling to stay awake in
our seats and I was in for one hell of
a rude awakening.
Once the credits rolled, my
friend and I exchanged a glance
of mutual contempt for what we
had just witnessed and sat in
bewilderment as the rest of the
theater erupted into applause and
unanimous exclamations of praise.
On the sleepy walk back home
and during brunch the next day,
we discussed the film’s superficial
merits (easy on the eyes, or “good
cinematography” if you’re a film
snob), as well as its faults (too much
sand, not enough Zendaya). But
in all seriousness, I found myself
returning to a persistent state of
uneasiness as I reflected on the film,
a disquietude that crept into my
mind, a consternation that seemed
to rapidly pool within the pit of my
stomach at the mere thought of it.
‘Dune’ isn’t worthy of
your praise
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 — 5
Design by Abby Schreck
SERENA IRANI
Daily Arts Writer
Kat Stratford isn’t the
feminist icon we all
make her out to be
We’ve all wanted to be Kat
Stratford (Julia Stiles, “Save
the Last Dance”) from the 1999
blockbuster film “10 Things I
Hate About You” at some point
in our lives. Admit it. From her
style, to her confidence, to the
books she reads, to her “I don’t
care” attitude, she is THAT girl.
Her theme song is Joan Jett & the
Blackhearts’ “Bad Reputation.”
Can she get any cooler than
that? She seems to achieve the
façade she effortlessly puts on,
but while this “aesthetic” is
appealing to modern audiences,
myself included, we should walk
on eggshells when idolizing
characters like Kat. Thinking
Kat is an icon is fine (and
accurate), but I don’t think
I’d call her a feminist. In her
patronizing version of feminism,
Kat is the epitome of a white
feminist, and her idolization
serves as a vehicle to silence
minority
experiences
while
giving white experiences most,
if not all, of the attention.
Basking in her minimalistic
style, angsty-girl music and
feminist prose, she is perceived
by many as a “heinous bitch,”
as explained by her guidance
counselor. She places herself
on a pedestal of confidence. We
may call her the queen of “fake
it ’til you make it” since, as she
shows near the end of the film,
she does have feelings similar
to those that her traditionally
feminine sister Bianca (Larisa
Oleynik, “The Secret World
of Alex Mack”) experiences.
Nonetheless,
her
personal
portrayal of her superiority
over
everyone
around
her
is
problematic,
ultimately
contributing to her performative
feminism and privilege.
She constantly judges her
sister — and every girl around
her, for that matter — for
expressing
their
femininity.
Although Bianca is wrong in
criticizing Kat for choosing
to opt out of doing what’s
considered “cool” and “popular,”
Kat is similarly wrong in making
fun of her sister for enjoying
being feminine. She emphasizes
her
sister’s
shallowness,
claiming she comes from “Planet
Look At Me, Look At Me” in an
attempt to ridicule her sister and
her interests. Kat thinks that
Bianca is defenseless as a result
of her hyperfemininity. Kat also
goes so far as to criticize her
best friend for wanting to go to
the prom, not understanding
why anyone would go to such
an “antiquated mating ritual.”
In the end, Bianca proves, albeit
in a stereotypical way, that her
femininity does not impede her
from standing up for herself
and those she cares about.
GRACIELA BATLLE CESTERO
Daily Arts Contributor
Matthew McConaughey’s memoir is more
than just ‘alright, alright, alright’
LILLIAN PEARCE
Managing Arts Editor
puzzle by sudokusnydictation.com
By Bonnie Eisenman
©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
09/21/22
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis
09/21/22
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2022
ACROSS
1 Thwack
5 Informed (of)
10 Compensation
14 Tuck out of view
15 Wrinkled
16 Many a univ.
donor
17 365 days
18 Rub ingredient
19 HBO political
satire starring
Julia Louis-
Dreyfus
20 Impractical way
to get dressed?
23 Barack and
Michelle’s eldest
daughter
26 Family room
27 Impatient
28 Lives
30 Cookie fruit
31 Planning meeting
for the costume
department?
35 “Stop filming!”
38 Broody sorts?
39 Sir or sri
40 More than dislike
41 Donkey
42 Disappointing
sign on a
store selling
warm-weather
garments?
44 GPS display
45 Small village
46 Food cart snacks
in South Asia
49 Texting letters
52 Swerves
53 Really pulls off a
jacket?
56 Initial poker bet
57 Japanese noodle
dish
58 Carried debt
62 Appear to be
63 “You __ kidding!”
64 Grow tiresome
65 Jekyll’s
counterpart
66 Basil-based
sauce
67 Yields, as a profit
DOWN
1 Bashful
2 Blip on a
polygraph, maybe
3 Hugo-nominated
novelist Palmer
4 Continues
5 “One more
thing ... ”
6 Totally beat
7 Ouzo flavoring
8 Scouting mission,
briefly
9 Garden with
forbidden fruit
10 Fluttering in the
wind
11 Warning signal
12 Ballpark figure
13 Like cans in a
recycling bin,
hopefully
21 Doth own
22 Fall flat
23 Anime genre
featuring giant
robots
24 Wheel-
connecting rods
25 NFL team whose
mascot is named
Roary
29 Punchline lead-in
30 __ and blood
32 “Pull up a chair”
33 Corp. computer
exec
34 Fuzzy sitcom star
of the 1980s
35 “The Grouchy
Ladybug” writer/
illustrator
36 Out-and-out
37 Tries, as one’s
patience
40 Place of origin
42 Cheerios grains
43 “__ Nagila”:
Israeli folk song
44 Defiant retort
46 Cymbal sound
47 Bee product
48 Performed
49 Open up, in a
way
50 Fast-spreading
social media
posts
51 Fragrance
54 Hip hop genre
55 “I’m __ your
tricks!”
59 Pint-size
60 “Mangia!”
61 Many profs
SUDOKU
By Lisa Senzel & Christina Iverson
©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
09/14/22
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis
09/14/22
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2022
ACROSS
1 Spanish tennis
great Nadal,
familiarly
5 Upgrade, as
machinery
10 Uncertain
14 Cabbage buy
15 Glazer of “The
Afterparty”
16 Skating
commentator
Lipinski
17 Analogy words
18 Bridal path flower
piece
19 Stash, as gear
20 Japanese drama
21 Cookbook
contents
23 Author Rand
24 Genre for
composer
Terence
Blanchard
26 Informal “You’re
oversharing”
27 Caramel candies
29 Like some
dangerous
isotopes
32 Curry of the NBA
34 Bike part
35 Quintet for most
starfish
38 Prefix for a
lifesaving “Pen”
39 Not so big
41 Knock
42 Try to hit
44 Tell it like it isn’t
45 Speed skater
Ohno
47 Act parts
49 Past the point of
caring
50 Michelle of “Crazy
Rich Asians”
52 Neighborhood
53 *Secretive email
option
60 Uncommon
61 Assertion
62 Cookie used as a
12-Down topping
63 Admit frankly
64 Omit in speech
65 Spreadsheet unit
66 Soaks up the sun
67 Calf-roping event
68 Diet that’s high
in fats and low
in carbs, as
illustrated by
parts of the
answers to the
starred clues
DOWN
1 Safari herbivore
2 Fabulous writer?
3 *Figure often
depicted with a
scythe and an
hourglass
4 Hubbub
5 Ready for
picking
6 __ college
7 *Pakistani-born
chef who was
posthumously
honored with a
James Beard
Award
8 Up the creek
9 Story
10 Part of FWIW
11 *Serious
software
problem
12 Dessert from
16 Handles,
familiarly
13 Signs of
boredom
21 “Wicked!”
22 __ Lanka
25 Sidelines cheer
28 Fertility lab cells
30 Maker of the
Deep Blue chess
computer
31 Workout top
32 Bodies of water
33 __ fail
36 Timbuktu’s land
37 Predicament
39 Fine horse
40 Black bird
43 “What’s the
latest?”
46 NBC symbol
48 Abby Wambach’s
sport
49 Juliet’s cry
51 Winnie-the-Pooh
greeting
52 Tolerate
53 Sassy kid
54 Chocolate
__ cake
55 Waffle maker
56 “Kills bugs
dead!” spray
57 Hockey Hall
of Famer
Willie
58 Hit, as with
snowballs
59 “Seize the day”
initialism
PARKING
Parking Space
for Rent
North State & Kingsley
734-904-0649
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ad here! Email
wmg-contact@
umich.edu for more
information.
‘When Harry Met
Sally’: I WON’T have
what she’s having
Whenever I tell people I don’t
like “When Harry Met Sally” I am
always met with the exact same
reaction: incredulity. People have
a hard time understanding how I
don’t like a film that is regarded as
one of the best comedies of all time
— perfect material for the Hot Takes
B-Side.
It’s not that I particularly dislike
romantic comedies, either. I grew up
watching every classic rom-com that
a person could name. Whenever I go
home for winter break, my dad and I
rewatch more ’90s rom-com classics
than most think possible. But the
one film we never watch anymore is
“When Harry Met Sally.”
The film follows Harry (Billy
Crystal, “The Princess Bride”)
and Sally (Meg Ryan, “Sleepless in
Seattle”) as they run into each other
over multiple chance encounters in
New York City after initially meeting
during a cross-country drive from
Chicago. They initially become good
friends, discussing their personal
lives intimately with each other.
Over time, they find themselves
attracted to each other and attempt
to set up each other with their friends
Marie (Carrie Fisher, “Star Wars: A
New Hope”) and Jess (Bruno Kirby,
“Donnie Brasco”), which backfires
and leaves both of them alone.
Eventually, they pronounce their
love for each other at a New Year’s
Eve party, and the movie ends with
an interview of Harry and Sally, now
married.
Rewatching the film after not
having seen it for many years did
make me realize that my initial
dislike of the movie was a bit strong.
I found myself laughing at more of
the jokes, appreciating the idealized
aesthetic of New York City in the fall
and winter and obsessing over Ryan’s
outstanding acting skills. I started to
see what made everyone else fall in
love with this movie. After watching
the scene in which Ryan hilariously
fakes an orgasm, I thought I might
not be able to write this piece
anymore. I thought that maybe I did
like the film now. However, I kept
watching and remembered why I
dislike the movie.
ZACH LOVEALL
Daily Arts Writer
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Read more at MichiganDaily.com
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Read more at MichiganDaily.com