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 CLASSIFIED ADS Your classified 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 Read more at MichiganDaily.com Read more at MichiganDaily.com Read more at MichiganDaily.com Read more at MichiganDaily.com