Arts The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com 4 — Wednesday, January 11, 2023 puzzle by sudokusnydictation.com By Tom Pepper & C.C. Burnikel ©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 01/11/23 Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis 01/11/23 ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: Release Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2023 ACROSS 1 Bit of pond growth 5 Snatches 10 Map out 14 Earsplitting 15 Anti-harassment movement 16 Perfect gradually 17 Soft feathers on a croquet implement? 19 Billions of years 20 Stick on 21 Bow (out) 22 Judi Dench and Helen Mirren, for two 23 Emeril catchword 25 “No thanks” 27 Proverb 30 Negotiations over the ingredients of a milkshake? 35 CBS forensic franchise 36 Animated film about a bird from Brazil 37 Some unauthorized creations 38 All the __ 40 Font flourish 42 Rascal Flatts, e.g. 43 Casting director? 45 “Shea Butter Baby” singer- songwriter Lennox 46 Day-__ paint 47 Place to park one’s spiteful feelings? 50 Bracket shape 51 Drop out of the conversation? 52 Stately tree 54 Herb piece 56 SoFi Stadium NFL player 59 Psyched 63 Landing spot for a cannonball 64 Karl’s years with the Utah Jazz? 66 Unflappable 67 Honeycrisp, for one 68 Video snippet 69 Private employer? 70 Sauce for gnocchi 71 Sandogasa, beanie, etc. DOWN 1 __ mater 2 Be a couch potato 3 View from Florida’s west coast 4 Embrace spontaneity, in a way 5 Clock-setting std. 6 Give the decor a face-lift 7 Resting on 8 Neckwear worn by Matt Smith on “Doctor Who” 9 Male offspring 10 Ring-necked state bird of South Dakota 11 Has tremendous influence 12 Baby photographer Geddes 13 Loch in tabloid photos 18 Final, e.g. 22 Spreadsheet contents 24 Color akin to brick 26 Common email attachment 27 “Buzz off!” 28 Yoga position 29 Leeway in a negotiation, say 31 Falsehood 32 Text at a bat mitzvah 33 Whale food 34 Seat at the bar 39 Prozac maker 41 Ring of Kerry’s isl. 44 Vaping device 48 Brightly colored wrap 49 Escape in a hurry 53 Stick in a book 54 Animal rescue org. 55 Not great 57 Austrian peaks 58 Lose feathers 60 __ monster 61 Give off 62 Counts at a gym 64 Diagram at a visitor center 65 Opposite of paleo- SUDOKU WHISPER “Welcome back to School!” “The break was so short.” WHISPER By Rich Norris ©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 12/07/22 Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis 12/07/22 ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: Release Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2022 ACROSS 1 GI on the lam 5 Annual festival in Austin, TX 9 Tot’s crumb catcher 12 Rural strolling spot 13 Short dog, for short 14 Forearm bone 15 French preposition 16 Rationale 17 Gloomy aura 18 Nissan sedans since 1982 20 Put away, as loot 22 “Blade Runner” actor Rutger __ 23 Lives 24 Take away 26 Brought up 27 “Night” author Wiesel 28 Finance guru Suze 30 1815 classic whose title character is played by Anya Taylor-Joy in a 2020 film 34 Common interest group 35 “Same” 36 Campus bigwig 37 Novelist Morrison 38 Derby town in Surrey, England 39 Frigg’s husband 40 Steakhouse order 42 Steakhouse order 44 Database systems giant 47 Jousting weapon 48 Revenue source in many a free app 50 Counterpoint melody 52 Kid’s plea for permission 53 Fairway chunk 55 “__ girl!” 56 “Law & Order: SVU” co-star 57 Storm rescue op 58 2007 U.S. Women’s Open winner Cristie 59 Lil Wayne’s “__ Carter V” 60 File partner 61 “Grand” ice cream brand DOWN 1 “Sad to say ... ” 2 Greet from across the street, say 3 Phrase of unity in the Pledge of Allegiance 4 Itinerary for touring speakers 5 Health club amenities 6 Crosses (out) 7 Winter getaway need, maybe 8 Brunch dish with ham and peppers 9 Malaise, with “the” 10 Cove, e.g. 11 Gets thinner, in a way 14 Food named for how it’s baked, and a hint to each set of circles 16 Flatbed scanner relative 19 Blues-rocker Chris 21 Lumberjack competition projectile 24 Mortgage balance, e.g. 25 Nonsense 26 Ulan __: former Anglicization of Mongolia’s capital 29 Matterhorn and Weisshorn: Abbr. 31 Treated, in a way 32 Primary way in 33 Dudek of “Mad Men” 41 Matterhorn or Weisshorn 43 Courtroom VIPs 44 Footnote abbr. 45 Jazz drummer Max 46 Sleep disturbance 49 Operatic icon 50 Tie up at the pier 51 Patches, as a driveway 54 Part of a moving story Reports suggest that after its premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival, “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths” was edited down by about 22 minutes before its release on Netflix in early December. To this I say, “Why stop there?” Alejandro González Iñárritu’s (“The Revenant”) first feature film in seven years is a flashy, long-winded, surrealist look at the experiences of a Mexican immigrant to the United States struggling with his identity. It’s likely one of the last of Netflix’s auteur-driven blank-check era — one that provided both stellar highs and unbearable lows. Despite its admirable ambition, “Bardo” simply doesn’t work because the confusing storytelling doesn’t mesh well with the actual story being told. Iñárritu tries to create a surreal, dreamlike world. There are some incredibly bizarre moments, like when a doctor at the beginning says that a baby refuses to be born because the world is “too fucked up,” but there are also some minor strange details, like having Amazon buy the Mexican state of Baja California. The intended effect is to create a purgatory for the main character, Silverio Gama (Daniel Giménez Cacho, “Memoria”), as he finds himself stuck between his two dueling identities as a Mexican and an American. The film’s surrealist qualities lead to the occasional brilliant moment, like a dance sequence at a party for Silverio in which all but the vocals of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” fade out, showing the emptiness Silverio feels. It also leads to some truly baffling sequences, like when Silverio meets with Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés atop a mountain of murdered indigenous people in the middle of Mexico City and they discuss the genocide of the Natives. The film’s ideas feel all over the place, and the more it leans into surrealism, the more confusing everything becomes because the surrealist elements distract from what Iñárritu is saying. There are a lot of interesting ideas at play in “Bardo,” but it fails to give enough attention to any of its major storylines. The film is simultaneously about grieving the loss of a child, political tensions between the United States and Mexico, the history of oppression faced by Mexico’s indigenous people and dealing with criticism of one’s personal work. These are a lot of big, heavy ideas, and ones we don’t see dealt with much in films released by major Hollywood studios. Unfortunately, because Iñárritu seems more interested in how the story was told and not what story was told, “Bardo” comes off as one big mess. Though it looks far more interesting than most of the films Netflix puts out — the vast majority looking no better than a high-budget episode of television — the way “Bardo” is shot doesn’t do much to elevate the material. Iñárritu and cinematographer Darius Khondji (“Armageddon Time”) overuse the wide-angle lens to such a degree that the intended surrealist effect becomes disorienting and ugly over the course of the film’s significant runtime. After his display of the technique in other films, Iñárritu’s beloved long takes feel flashy and hollow in “Bardo.” In his previous film “Birdman” the long takes act as an impressive gimmick — where the entire film is made to look like one continuous take — and give the audience a better sense of the theater’s space. In “The Revenant” they add a sense of dynamism to chase sequences. But in “Bardo” they simply feel like a way for Iñárritu to show off. Though the film itself doesn’t work well, it’s a shame that “Bardo” is likely one of the reasons Netflix will be moving away from big, risky films. The world is far better off with more “Bardo”s and fewer “The Gray Man”s. “Bardo” may not have been successful, but every once in a while, the home run swing taken by a filmmaker like Iñárritu hits, and we are rewarded with a great work of art. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ‘Bardo’ is too over-stuffed with ideas for its own good MITCHEL GREEN Daily Arts Writer Read more at MichiganDaily.com Loona’s betrayal: A story about the power of K-pop fans It’s no secret that K-pop has gained popularity in the United States over the past decade. Songs like “Gangnam Style” were once seen as a cultural anomaly, but we now see world-famous boy groups like BTS widely catering to their American audience, with merchandise found even in your local Barnes and Noble. If you’re a new fan, it’s fascinating to navigate the landscape of K-pop. Each time a group launches a new song, it comes with not only a music video but a photo book, several promotional stage performances, custom choreography, trendy styling and more. There are dozens of groups to discover, but the groups you’re most likely to hear about are produced by the “Big 4” entertainment agencies in Korea: SM Entertainment (NCT, Red Velvet), YG Entertainment (Blackpink), JYP Entertainment (TWICE, Stray Kids) and HYBE Corporation (BTS). However, there are plenty of smaller companies that produce K-pop groups with just as much talent and style. One in particular has caught a ton of international attention: 12-member girl K-pop group LOONA. The group has gained popularity through their catchy, energetic songs and choreography, and if you’ve spent any time on Twitter in the past five years, maybe you’ve heard the phrase “Stan LOONA.” This is because of the fans’ dedication to promoting the group across the world. KATELYN SLIWINSKI Daily Arts Writer Read more at MichiganDaily.com ‘The Circle’ season five is nothing without Raven Sutton I guess you could say I’m a longtime “The Circle” expert. From writing about the early seasons of “The Circle” in my application to The Michigan Daily Arts (winter 2023 deadline is Jan. 22!) to enjoying the TikToks of season four contestants John Franklin and Alyssa Ljubicich’s real-life relationship, I’ve been paying close attention for a while now, which is higher praise than I can give most shows. Now gradually releasing its fifth season, “The Circle,” a voice- activated internal social media platform competition, is back — this time, with its first-ever deaf contestant. “The Circle,” a game designed such that the players never actually meet another contestant until they are eliminated or reach the finale, understandably causes players to be cautious and distrustful, interacting exclusively on the virtual platform. As each player wonders if the others are who they say they are, “The Circle” sows the seeds of conflict and heartbreak. All reality television requires some level of betrayal and scandal to remain entertaining, but “The Circle” stays relevant and lacks the “ick” that so many other reality television shows carry in abundance. What’s the “ick?” Watching people suffer horrible mistreatment by both production staff and other cast members, all influenced by a tint of racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. On “The Circle,” though devastating blocks and gossip may cause rifts — even between former allies — nobody suffers mistreatment by the production staff or is targeted because of their race, gender, sexuality or disability — including deafness. A season five “Circle” favorite, among viewers and other players alike, is Raven Sutton. Raven, a Black woman from Maryland, is the first deaf player in “The Circle.” Introducing herself as “#deafasfuck, and … proud of it,” Raven is a warm, vibrant presence from the start. With her interpreter, Paris, by her side, Raven explains to the audience that, “in the game, I’m the one calling the shots” and that, “American Sign Language is my first language, and yes, I can use my voice, but I feel more comfortable using sign language.” She adds that she comes from a deaf family, and is third-generation deaf. From her introduction alone, Raven intercepts all the questions a hearing audience might ask and, despite the fact that she’s probably received all of the questions many times, responds preemptively with grace, clarity and pride. A self-proclaimed “bad bitch,” Raven’s presence on the show is a refreshing and carefully- handled change of pace. Raven is an autonomous, incredibly lively human being, and is never construed as anything less by her fellow competitors or the show itself. When Raven tells her “Circle” competitors that she’s deaf in her profile, nobody bats an eye. Even in a game where just about everybody comes in either as a catfish or with the intention of catfish hunting, nobody questions Raven. Disabled people are frequently questioned at every turn — whether being harassed for using a disability parking spot or having to “prove” their own disability to the government (there’s even a United States Social Security Administration page titled “How We Decide If You’re Disabled”), disabled people face cruelty on a regular basis as they go about their lives. Thankfully, you won’t see anything of this nature on “The Circle.” Raven’s treatment on the show represents both a model for how the rest of the world needs to behave and an example of how easy it is to do so. EMMY SNYDER Daily Arts Writer Read more at MichiganDaily.com This image was taken from the official trailer for “The Circle,” distributed by Netflix. Courtesy of Katelyn Sliwinski