New Zealand’s Coming Home in the Dark is the first feature film directed by James Ashcroft, perhaps better known as an actor and most recognisable to international audiences for his minor role in the hit horror-comedy Black Sheep (2006). But there’s nothing funny about this powerful, nail-bitingly tense and disturbing road thriller, in which an ordinary family is subjected to a truly extraordinary ordeal in the desolate wilds of the Kiwi countryside. Our Culture reviews the film here as part of its selection from the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival.
Hoaggie (Erik Thomson) and his wife Jill (Miriama McDowell) are enjoying an at least semi-relaxing hiking holiday with their two sons: sweet and sensitive Maika (Billy Paratene) and surly, aloof Jordan (Frankie Paratene). Having driven for miles, they park their car in a remote location and make the most of an overcast day in the middle of nowhere, eventually stopping to enjoy a picnic by the coast. As they enjoy the scenery, the family is approached by two intimidating strangers: Mandrake (Daniel Gillies) and Tubs (Matthias Luafutu). After some decidedly threatening small-talk, Mandrake pulls a rifle from beneath his tattered trench coat and demands the keys to the family’s car, their phones and their wallets. But what begins as a robbery turns into something far worse when Mandrake realises that there is something familiar about Hoaggie, and soon they are taking a fateful road trip together – their final destination a slowly unfolding mystery.
Once the film’s action moves into the unbearably claustrophobic space of a moving car, Coming Home in the Dark is immediately in danger of feeling a little too much like any number of other films in a long lineage of vehicular thrillers, from Detour (1945) and The Hitch-Hiker (1953) to In Fear (2013) and Alone (2020) via Road Games (1981) and The Hitcher (1986). Commonly, these films have concerned innocent people who are targeted by unbridled maniacs on lonely highways for reasons that, in the vast majority of cases, remain ambiguous at best. What is impressive about Ashcroft’s take on this well-worn formula, though, is that it cleverly subverts expectations, forsaking what could have been a derivative and generic road thriller and driving in a different direction.
Adapted from Owen Marshall’s short story of the same name, Coming Home in the Dark – co-written by Ashcroft and Eli Kent – puts its emphasis firmly on slow, methodical character development. While his costuming (by designer Gabrielle Stevenson) subtly recalls The Hitcher‘s John Ryder, we come to learn that Mandrake is far from an unknowable psychopath, while Hoaggie is not as innocent as he might first appear. As the film races towards its destination and we begin to understand why a loving family man is being subjected to protracted physical and psychological suffering, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between heroes and villains in this complex narrative scenario. It is this moral ambiguity that makes the film feel refreshingly original.
Constant shifts in allegiance are aided by three excellent central performances. Daniel Gillies is particularly impressive as Mandrake, who is by turns sardonic, terrifying and surprisingly sympathetic; Matthias Luafutu, working with very little dialogue, manages to imbue Tubs with both a disquieting menace and a terrible sadness; and Erik Thomson’s Hoaggie effortlessly oscillates between righteous anger and self-pitying sorrow. All three characters share something in common that is evident in these nuanced performances: they are deeply haunted by past events that connect them together – and that they have struggled to forget.
All of this is not to say that Coming Home in the Dark doesn’t offer the genre thrills that one might expect from a road thriller of this type. There are plenty of suspenseful set pieces throughout the film, including a particularly anxiety-inducing sequence that takes place in an isolated gas station. But, as its mysteries are revealed, it becomes clear that this is a film to appreciate rather than to enjoy. It is brutally violent from the outset, and from there generates a relentlessly hopeless atmosphere that is aided by minimalist sound design (recalling 2007’s No Country for Old Men) and Matt Henley’s cinematography, which gives the wilds of New Zealand a truly bleak and oppressive quality. More gripping than it is entertaining, Coming Home in the Dark is harrowing, disturbing and not for the faint of heart – but will reward those who can stomach the journey.
British Sea Power – the English alternative group comprised of brothers Yan and Hamilton Wilkinson, Martin Noble, Matthew Wood, Abi Fry, and Phil Sumner – have announced they’re changing their name to Sea Power. They’ve also announced their next album, Everything Was Forever, which is out February 11, 2022. Listen to the new single ‘Two Fingers’ below and scroll down for the LP’s cover artwork and tracklist.
Discussing the name change, the band explained in a press release: “The band have been thinking about changing their name for years now. It’s become clear that it’s possible to misapprehend the name British Sea Power as indicating nationalism of an insular, jingoistic nature. Twenty years on from their inception, Sea Power now sail forth, free of any national flag of convenience. The new band name is a modest gesture of separation from the wave of crass nationalism that has traversed our world recently.”
They added: “After all, this group have always been internationalist in outlook, as made clear in several songs, most notably Waving Flags, a hymn to pan-European congress. The name Sea Power is also a shorthand by which the band’s audience have long known the group.”
Of the new song ‘Two Singers’, co-frontman Yan Wilkinson said:
The song is part inspired by our late dad. He was always giving a two-fingered salute to people on the telly – a kind of old-fashioned drinking term, toasting people or events: ‘I’ll drink two fingers to that’, to some news item or to memories of a childhood friend. In the song it’s a toast to everyone, remembering those in our lives and those sadly no longer here and to making the world a better place. The song is ‘F*** me, f*** you, f*** everything.’ But it’s also ‘Love me, love you, love everything’ – exultation in the darkness. If you say ‘f*** you’ in the right way, it really can be cathartic, a new start.
British Sea Power’s last album was 2017’s Let the Dancers Inherit the Party.
Everything Was Forever Cover Artwork:
Everything Was Forever Tracklist:
1. Scaring At The Sky
2. Transmitter
3. Two Fingers
4. Fire Escape In The Sea
5. Doppelgänger
6. Fear Eats The Soul
7. Folly
8. Green Goddess
9. Lakeland Echo
10. We Only Want To Make You Happy
A gaming setup is a very personal thing. It can be as simple as a TV and gaming console, or it could include multiple gaming systems, a projector, and the latest gaming chair on the market. The key to finding your perfect gaming space is being able to visualize what you want before you start adding all of the individual pieces together!
Get A Better Playmat
A good playmat can do wonders for gaming. It’s great for your mouse hand, wrist, and arm. Playmats also make gaming surfaces more comfortable. A play mat can be made out of a variety of materials:
carpet scraps
mouse pad material
cloth fabric
Make sure the material fits you and your gaming experience. Modern playmats are made from cloth because they are more comfortable to rest your arms on while gaming. That is why people usually opt for that option nowadays.
Make Your Space Inviting
A nice and inviting area for gaming is a must-have for any gamer. Nothing beats the feeling of being comfortable in your own space, inviting friends over to game with you, or even just playing by yourself when you know that it’s all cozy and nice around you. Here are some ideas on how to create an inviting space.
Introducing natural elements like plants and flowers not only look good but also air out the gaming area making it more breathable. Add lighting fixtures such as lamps, candles, or anything else which creates a warm atmosphere. Use furniture pieces that aren’t too harsh-looking. Opt for something warmer instead if possible (couches work great). Bring in some clutter into your gaming area! It makes the space feel more inviting and like it’s lived-in rather than just a gaming area.
Install rugs or mats for the floor to make sure that your gaming station is not only warm but also comfortable! Put in some shelves around the room so you can display your gaming collectibles proudly without them getting lost on other surfaces. Hang up pictures of games, people playing games, or anything else which inspires you when you play video games.
Add-In An External Keyboard For More Ergonomic Gaming
An external keyboard is an excellent gaming accessory for the gamer that spends a lot of time playing. An external keyboard is also helpful if you are used to gaming with arrow keys rather than WASD because they will have more space on the desk for both mouse and keyboard without being in each other’s way or overlapping one another (which can be annoying).
This kind of keyboard is also a low-cost option for people who don’t want to spend money on gaming keyboards which are often over $100. If you can, use gaming laptops because they usually have an external keyboard and mouse built-in so that will save up desk space and be more convenient if you’re not used to using both of these.
Get Rid Of Cables By Using Wireless Peripherals Friends
Cables can be your worst enemy when gaming because they’re also a pain to deal with when gaming. If you want your gaming setup to be as clean as possible, you should start getting rid of cables by using wireless peripherals like gaming mice and keyboards.
This way, you can always game without having to worry about tangling cables or accidentally tripping on them. Plus, if the battery dies out then you’ll have to deal with it again which will be an annoyance for sure.
Create A Designated Area For Games To Avoid Clutter
Storing your games away from other items will help you keep your gaming area tidy. It also means that all of the games are in one place, which is great if you have guests over to play and want them easy access to gaming. Designate an area for gaming so it doesn’t get mixed up with other clutter. Keep all your gaming consoles together or stored away from furniture because they take up a lot of space! You’ll feel much more comfortable while playing if you do this.
Keep The Area Clean And Tidy So You’re Not Overwhelmed
Nobody likes to be in a messy room, so make sure to clean up the gaming area. Throw out or recycle old food wrappers and soda cans, put blankets back in their place instead of strewn across your bed (or floor), and tidy up any clothes on the ground before heading into gaming mode. It’s best to do this right after you’re done gaming for the night, grab a trash bag from under your desk chair, then use it as an excuse to have one last game!
The best way to get the most out of your gaming experience is by setting up a designated space for playing. It’s worth investing in a good playmat, and it’s important to make sure that you have plenty of room when you’re sitting down with friends or family. Add an external keyboard so that you can game without straining yourself too much, and invest in wireless peripherals like mice and keyboards if possible. Keep your area clean and tidy and avoid clutter at all costs! This way, your experience will be much more enjoyable.
Raise your hand if you like cannabis. Good. Raise your hand if you don’t want to smoke or vaporize it. Excellent, so many hands. Raise your hand if you like sweets, like ice creams, brownies, or sweet bread. Wonderful, so many people like all of these things.
There is good news for you. You can now freely consume cannabis by taking it with your favorite sweet flavor. You can also store in chips bins anything left over. The culinary has put a lot of effort (well, not necessarily) and created recipes for those who enjoy the marijuana high but don’t want to consume it directly. Below are three wonderful keto recipes you should try.
Keto Brownies
Brownies have become a household name based on how many people enjoy both cooking and eating them. Now, you have a chance to bake your keto brownie and spice it up with some cannabis-infused oil.
Take a food processor, add the baking soda, macadamia nuts, and salt and pulse these ingredients until their mixture becomes crumbly.
Next, pulse the cannabis-infused oil and chocolate so that you get a smooth mix.
Pulse the other ingredients.
Take a parchment-paper-lined 8 x 8 brownie or cake pan.
Transfer the mixture from the food processor to the paper or the pan.
Bake it for 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Let your brownies cool for one hour on the counter.
Start eating!
Keto Banana Bread
Yes, you heard that right. Not only can you find some delicious bread with bananas, but also you can mix it with some cannabis and make it taste even better. The best thing is that it is straightforward and quick to make.
Ingredients
3 medium bananas
2 cups almond flour
3 large eggs
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons cannabutter
1 tablespoon regular coconut oil
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Take some parchment paper and line the pan with it.
Mash up the bananas.
Take a mixing bowl and put all the other ingredients in it by mixing at a low speed.
Transfer the mixture from the bowl into the pan.
Bake it for 60 minutes.
Ready to dig in.
Vanilla Ice Cream
Is there anyone who can survive the summer heat without indulging a mouth-watering ice cream? Not many can do it. This recipe comes in handy when you want to kill two birds with one stone: obtain some cold and feel some high.
Ingredients
4 separated eggs
1 1/3 cup of heavy cream
1/3 cup of Natvia (or Erythritol)
1 vanilla bean
1-2 teaspoons of cannabis-infused coconut oil (melted)
Directions
Separate the egg yolk from the whites and bit the whites with an electric mixer.
Wait until the whites become “white” and fluffy and mix them with Natvia.
Take another bowl, put the heavy cream in it, and use the electric mixer to beat it until it becomes thick (but it should not be like batter).
Take a sharp knife and remove the seeds from the vanilla pods with the back of your knife.
Add the cannabis-infused oil and mix with the heavy cream.
Gently fold the whites in with the cream, add the yolks and keep on folding.
Transfer the mixture to a rectangle pan.
Freeze for about 4 hours.
Bon appetite!
List of Other Options
These were only some of the most popular and easy-to-make recipes, but the list is not exhaustive. There are many other options for making keto edibles, such as cacao keto bites with cannabis, gummy bears, pretzels, and so on. The bottom line is that limited opportunities for consuming cannabis are long gone. Specialized dispensaries and shops have creative cannabis edibles along with canna recipes that you should definitely give a try.
Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this segment.
On this week’s list, we have the new Max Martin-produced track from The Weeknd, who’s managed to make an infectious pop song about autoerotic asphyxiation; Nation of Language’s pulsating, cathartic ‘This Fractured Mind’, taken from their forthcoming album A Way Forward; ‘737’, the magnificently explosive opening track from Foxing’s new album; Public Service Broadcasting’s gorgeously dreamy ‘Blue Heaven’, which was inspired by Marlene Dietrich; and Hand Habits’ ‘Aquamarine’, the intimate lead single from their upcoming LP Fun House, which hints at a new sonic direction for Meg Duffy.
Celeste Ng’s second novel, Little Fires Everywhere was published in 2017 and adapted for the screen by Hulu in 2020. The general plot remains the same in the miniseries, though some of the details undergo significant changes. In both cases, the story follows the intertwined fates of two families living in Shaker Heights, Ohio, in the 90s.
Mia is an artist and photographer who travels the country with her teenage daughter, Pearl, moving from place to place as she completes each creative project. In addition to selling her work, Mia works several part-time jobs to make ends meet. Pearl doesn’t know anything about her family history but is glad when Mia promises that they’re going to stay in Shaker Heights for good.
At Shaker, Pearl meets and befriends Moody Richardson, who is one of four children of an affluent family. His mother Elena writes for a small paper, while his father Bill is a lawyer. Trip, Moody’s older brother, catches Pearl’s eye early on. His sisters Lexie and Izzy also find ways to worm themselves into Pearl and Mia’s lives. Izzy often clashes with her own mother and seeks comfort from Mia, who seems to understand her better than anyone, while Lexie uses Pearl and Mia whenever she needs something.
Both the book and the miniseries begin with the Richardsons’ house on fire. In both cases, it’s implied that Izzy may have had something to do with it, but she’s nowhere to be found. However, in the miniseries, what begins as a crime mystery turns into a psychological thriller about race as well as the book’s topics of class, motherhood, and identity. Pearl and Mia’s race is never specified in the book, though most readers assume they’re women of color. The series doesn’t tiptoe around this topic, and though the book can be read through this lens, the screen adaptation examines racism more overtly – and this is where all of the other differences between the two stories spawns from.
Izzy Richardson
Elena’s youngest daughter, Izzy, plays a significant role in both iterations of the story. In the book, she’s the one to light the Richardson house on fire, though this isn’t confirmed until the end. In some ways, this reveal doesn’t add much to the story because it’s already heavily implied from the opening chapter. The miniseries opens with a police officer questioning Mr. and Mrs. Richardson about Izzy’s absence.
Izzy has a tumultuous relationship with her mother, which begins from a young age. In the book, it ties into Izzy’s premature birth and Elena’s struggle to be her mother. Elena resents Izzy from the beginning of her life, but in the series, she seems to make an effort to be nice – at least in the early episodes. The series makes this conflict more overt: Izzy acts against her mother, sabotaging her performance at a concert and burning her hair on purpose.
In the screen adaptation, Izzy is an artist and Mia allows her to use her studio whenever she likes. This allows them to form an emotional connection. In the book, Izzy’s curiosity is directed more towards Mia than her art.
The biggest difference in Izzy’s character is her social life; she isn’t gay in the book, nor does she seem to have any friends. Her entire story is focused on the pull between Elena and Mia. This aspect is still important in the series, but the backstory behind it is completely different.
2. Elena and Mia’s Relationship
Because of the marketing strategy for the show, it makes sense that Elena and Mia, played by two stars (Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington), are presented as the main characters of this story. In the book, both of these women feel more distant; Mia, because Pearl sees her closed-off and serious, and Elena because she simply isn’t present as much as she is onscreen.
The key difference in their relationship, and the way the plot plays out, is that the two women don’t pretend to be friends. In the show, they have some wine and discuss motherhood after a book club meeting – but neither the conversation nor the book club exists in the book’s world. Thus, the two never get a chance to argue and have a falling out. Mia remains her maid for the duration of the story, while in the show she quits, causing further conflict between the two families.
At the center of Elena and Mia’s onscreen conflict is Pearl. In the show, Pearl often seeks Elena out for comfort or secretly sleeps at the Richardsons’ house when Mia bans her from visiting them. In the book, Mia doesn’t ban her from the family because Pearl is quieter, and more firmly on her side about things like Bebe. This change allows Elena to use Pearl to get to Mia – and vice versa. In the book, she’s not so involved with the Warrens, so she wouldn’t even consider threatening Mia to reveal the truth about her past to her clueless daughter. This leads to loud arguments between Mia and Pearl, but both are much calmer and quieter in the books and rarely fight at all.
3. Bebe and May Ling
When Bebe learns that the McCulloughs have her baby, she is too afraid to act because of the racial and class differences that put her at a disadvantage. In the show, Bebe storms the baby shower (which isn’t included in the book at all), where she has sent Mia to find May Ling under the pretense of taking photos for Linda. This gives Linda more reason to fear Bebe, along with rumors that Bebe steals money and deals drugs at the restaurant where she works. In the book, Bebe’s financial circumstances seem much more dire than they do onscreen; her clothes and living space look too nice, and she probably wouldn’t be able to afford a car.
When it comes to the trial, Mia agrees to testify for Bebe. In the book, Mia isn’t so involved in the case. As with all other matters, she prefers to stay on the sidelines, unnoticed. But in the series, Mia tells Bebe about her past, which helps Bebe understand why Mia is so passionate about this case. The Richardsons, on the other hand, are much more divided over Bebe’s case than they are in the book. Moody seems to take Izzy’s side and support Bebe in her claim over her own baby. In the book, the other Richardson children don’t care so much about Bebe because they’re so wrapped up in their own problems. However, this change makes sense for the miniseries because it helps to focus the story.
4. Mia’s Backstory
Mia is portrayed as a mysterious, taciturn woman, even around her daughter. She’s reluctant to reveal the truth about her checkered past, including the identity of Pearl’s father. Mia’s pregnancy is organized by a wealthy couple who need a surrogate. Mia agrees, for a sum of money that will cover her college tuition. However, during the pregnancy, she grows close to Pauline Hawthorne, her mentor. In the book, Pauline helps Mia get through college, which is one of the hardest periods of her life.
When Pauline dies, still pregnant, Mia drops out of college, flees the city, and changes her name. The show presents the reasoning behind this decision in a different way than the book does – perhaps so that it’s easier to grasp in the absence of narration. Pauline and Mia are not at all romantically involved in the book; in fact, Pauline has a girlfriend named Mal. Their relationship is strong only because of their shared passion for art. In the book, Mia has already left the city when she gets a call from Mal about Pauline’s health. Mia returns and stays in their apartment. Onscreen, Mia almost lives with Pauline, but in the book, she’s reluctant to accept such charity.
Mia raises Pearl as best she can all on her own. She cuts herself off from her parents, who are much harsher in the book – in regards to both her pregnancy and her career choice. She barely scrapes by financially and is utterly focused on her work as an artist. In the book, it’s made clear that Mia is romantically and sexually inexperienced, perhaps because she’s asexual, but also because she doesn’t have the time or the means to involve herself with anyone else.
5. Lexie’s Story
Lexie’s part in the story is much larger in the series than it is in the book, and this may be one of the strongest changes made for the adaptation. Her more important role adds nuance to the story, especially when it comes to the portrayal of race and class inequalities.
Early in the show, Lexie announces that she’s applying for Yale, but that she needs to write an essay about hardships she’s faced. Elena dismisses this task as ridiculous saying that she and her husband should be praised for creating an environment for their children that is free of hardships. So, when Pearl comes home talking about a teacher who insisted on changing her math class because he doesn’t think her capable enough, Lexie claims it as her own. However, she erases the issue of race and changes the details so that the story is about her being a girl.
When her boyfriend Brian, who is Black, hears about this, he’s disappointed in Lexie – but she can’t understand why. This causes their relationship to slowly crumble, whereas in the book their relationship is perfectly intact until the end.
Later in the series, Lexie gets an abortion. She asks Pearl to accompany her because she doesn’t want anyone to know about it. In the book, the clinic receptionist is her mom’s friend, but in the series, there doesn’t seem to be as much of a connection. This makes it easier for Lexie to use Pearl’s name on the admissions form. Later, when Elena is investigating Bebe Chow’s medical history, she visits the clinic but finds Pearl’s name in the records. Her discovery isn’t as impactful as it is in the book because of the missing connection with the receptionist.
After the abortion, Mia learns that Lexie used her daughter’s name, but Pearl doesn’t tell anyone in the book. This gives Mia a chance to be angry, which readers don’t get to see on the page.
6. Melodrama vs. Subtlety
Overall, the book is much subtler on many fronts. This is understandable, given the visual nature of a television series that doesn’t have any voiceover narration to offer insight into the characters’ decisions. Scenes are added in to make things more visually obvious to the viewer. For instance, in the book, Mia’s decision to keep the baby has nothing to do with Warren’s speech when he comes to visit her. In fact, he doesn’t visit her at all in the book.
Many of the scenes are imbued with typical T.V. drama; for instance, Mia and Pearl never fight in the book, but they do experience tension. Mia doesn’t have a secret reason for their less-than-glamorous life on the road; she simply can’t afford anything else.
One of the biggest differences between the two iterations of the story is how racism is presented. In the book, the Warrens’ race is never made explicit, and thus, the reason behind the rivalry between them and the Richardsons can only be inferred. Bebe Chow’s case has more to do with race than Mia and Pearl’s stories, though the link between these women gives readers the impression that everything in the book is about race. The difference between the show and the book here is that Ng’s narration is much subtler and leaves room for readers to fill in the gaps themselves.
7. Elena’s Backstory
To transfer Elena’s story from exposition to a visual medium, her internal conflicts are mad external. For example, her younger self is given a decent chunk of screentime to explore her past relationships and key life choices that have lead her to where she is now. As a young woman, she has the opportunity to leave Ohio with her then-boyfriend, Jamie. She’s tempted but ultimately refuses because of her fear of the unknown. Elena has grown up with a very specific idea of her life in mind, and she never strays from it.
In her adulthood, Elena comes to regret her choices and even visits Jamie (this doesn’t happen in the book). When her husband Bill finds out, the conflict becomes external. Throughout the season, Bill is much more present than he is in the book, and it’s largely because the narrative is building up to the final conflict, which leaves Bill and Elena with completely new perspectives of each other. The book is more subtle about Elena’s regret, and Bill never even suspects that she misses a former lover and the life they might have shared together.
8. Mia and Pearl’s Relationship
Because of the external nature of the screen adaptation, the conflict between Mia and Pearl is exacerbated. Towards the end, Elena sits Pearl down and tells her the truth about Mia’s past. In the book, Mia is the one to tell Pearl herself. Thus, the tension between the two families is more subtle and unsettling in the book, where everything simmers just below the surface.
A lot of things are left unsaid on the page, especially between Pearl and Mia. For instance, she never tells Mia about her relationship with Trip. There’s never a suggestion of it being a one-time fling – Pearl is interested in him because she likes him as a person. Still, when Pearl does tell her mom, it allows them to grow closer. In the book, their bond is more distant, and they certainly don’t have a secret knock.
Mia is a more enigmatic figure on the page, whereas onscreen, her life seems a little too nice for her circumstances; their new house in Shaker Heights is roomy, pleasant, and more comfortable than what Mia could realistically afford.
9. Pearl, Trip, and Moody
A love triangle forms between these three teens when Pearl fails to read the signals Moody’s sending. Onscreen, Moody is more proactive about his feelings for Pearl – he even asks for Trip’s advice on how to broach the topic with her. This interaction results in Trip confronting his own feelings towards Pearl, whereas on the page, Trip isn’t conflicted about this at all. Thus, he doesn’t argue with either Pearl or Moody. Because he doesn’t ask for Trip’s advice in the book, Moody doesn’t feel betrayed when he learns that his brother is now seeing the girl he likes.
In the book, Pearl and Trip are too careful about their meetings (and their location) to be caught, and they never plan on telling anyone. Moody catches Pearl in her lie and then confronts Trip, but in the book, he puts two and two together on his own. All in all, every character has a bigger role to play in the series than in the written version, and this is why the conflict is externalized so much.
10. The End
The ending of the miniseries leaves a little to be desired in terms of a resolution between the Richardsons and the Warrens. However, it offers a more layered sequence of events leading up to the fire. The outcome is the same in both mediums, but the timeline and the events leading up to it are different.
When everything falls apart, Elena demands that Mia leave the next day, but onscreen, the decision to leave without delay is Mia’s. In the book, Mia doesn’t want to leave, and Pearl argues bitterly. She and Moody have a wordless reconciliation which doesn’t translate to the screen. This is because more time passes between his discovery about her and Trip and the Warrens’ departure.
In the book, Izzy burns the house down in secret on the morning of the Warrens’ departure, and every step is carefully planned. Nobody knows for sure that she did it, though they can guess – interestingly, this is given away in the opening pages of the book.
The first episode of the miniseries suggests that Izzy has something to do with the fire, but the final episode untangles the true mystery behind it. Izzy’s siblings stop her before she can light the first match, and the rest of the family (except for Bill) contributes to the fire in their own ways. In the book, Lexie isn’t even present for the fire, having spent the night at Serena Wong’s.
Nobody expects Elena to take responsibility for burning her own, carefully constructed home. Her children believe she hates Izzy and would like to see her punished, and her husband is still hurt after their argument the night before. Not even the viewers would expect her to be so selfless after learning everything they have about her past.
As for Pearl and Mia, they leave without a clear destination in mind. They’re ready to let go of the past, but they don’t exactly know where they’re headed. Pearl only knows that she’s not ready to meet Mia’s past yet, but in the show, Pearl is the one to knock on her grandparents’ front door.
Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, longtime saxophonist and an original member of Kool & the Gang, has died at the age of 70. The band confirmed his passing on their Facebook page, writing, “Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back demeanor.” Thomas passed away “peacefully in his sleep” on August 7.
Born in 1951 in Orlando, Florida, Thomas co-founded the soul-funk band in 1964 alongside brothers Ronald Bell and Robert “Kool” Bell while in high school with them, initially calling themselves the Jazziacs before settling on Kool & the Gang in 1969. Thomas played on every Kool & the Gang studio album, including their upcoming album Perfect Union, which is out August 20, 2021. His last performance with the group was at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on July 4
“A huge personality while also an extremely private person, Dennis was the alto saxophone player, flutist, percussionist as well as master of ceremonies at the band’s shows,” the statement reads. “Dennis’ prologue featured on the group’s 1971 hit, ‘Who’s Gonna Take the Weight’ is legendary and an example of his showmanship. Dee Tee was the group’s wardrobe stylist who made sure they always looked fresh. In the band’s early days, Dennis also served as the ‘budget hawk’, carrying the group’s earnings in a paper bag in the bell of his horn.”
Thomas is survived by his wife Phynjuar Saunders Thomas, daughter Tuesday Rankin sons David Thomas and Devin Thomas, Aunt Mary “Duggie” Jones, sisters Doris Mai McClary and Elizabeth Thomas Ross, brother Bill Mcleary, and his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.
It’s hard to separate Jack Antonoff’s omnipresence in today’s pop music landscape from his own solo work. That was the case in 2017, when the producer put out his second Bleachers album, the same year that saw the release of albums he worked on by Lorde, St. Vincent, and Taylor Swift. And it sure is the case now: his latest full-length arrives halfway between Lorde’s much-anticipated follow-up to Melodrama and Clairo’s recently released sophomore album, and mere months after from St. Vincent’s Daddy’s Home – all records he co-produced in their entirety.
But removing Antonoff’s ubiquity from the equation isn’t really what it takes to enjoy his music. You don’t even have to pretend to be into ‘80s nostalgia, which seems to be the sole reason for the project’s existence even though much of the music skews closer to run-of-the-mill alt-pop than any particular decade. Instead, it makes you ask questions like: What if all this music does for me is dread the thought of a Nice Guy remix of a certain Billie Eilish hit or a watered-down Phoebe Bridgers song? What if I simply can’t relate to what this guy is trying to articulate with such genuine passion? What if I have no idea what it really means to Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, no matter howmanytimes he explains it? What if I’m not from, have never even been to New Jersey?
For music with such big aspirations, Bleachers’ latest – like much of the band’s prior output – seems to chase a feeling that’s perpetually out of reach. That’s part of what makes their bestsongs so thrilling, but it’s also what keeps their full-length albums from being consistently rewarding. But say Saturday Night hits you at just the right moment – say it’s a certain kind of Saturday night and you suddenly know exactly what he’s singing about, or are too caught up in the moment to even care – and you’re in for a good time. Perhaps it’s less about allowing yourself to indulge in its nostalgic pleasures or ignoring the discourse than a simple matter of coincidence. And when it does click, the spectral, evocative qualities of Antonoff’s production suddenly colour your surroundings rather than serving as a monochromatic backdrop, and you’re more inclined to overlook the silliness of lyrics like “Get in my backseat, honeypie, and I’ll wear your sadness like it’s mine.”
That’s the first line on ‘chinatown’, Antonoff’s collaboration with his childhood idol and lifelong inspiration, Bruce Springsteen. It’s one of the two massive tunes on the record, the other being ‘Stop Making This Hurt’, and it just so happens that they’re also the only tracks that directly reference the album’s title. You would expect their liveliness to be the answer to that plea, but really they serve to accentuate the contrast between the atmosphere of the music and the lyrics. Because just as you’re about to join in one of those gargantuan sing-along choruses, you’re reminded that the pop maximalism so much of Antonoff’s music aspires to is really a mirage. It’s not just that the larger-than-life production belies a real sense of melancholy – there’s a constant push-and-pull between Antonoff’s musical restraint and his showy theatrics, as if he’s singing with a lump in his throat yet can’t help but scream his heart out. What the album lacks in emotional nuance it makes up for not only in earnest vulnerability but the nervous energy that pulses through it.
Occasionally, Antonoff’s tendency to hide behind big sentiments and drown the smaller ones in layers of fuzz and reverb can leave the whole project feeling weightless. But at least Saturday Night, unlike previous projects, feels cohesive in its messiness. His trademark style is no longer anchored in a certain sound as much as the vague emotionality that binds everything together. And though ‘Stop Making This Hurt’ is the only moment that allows for catharsis – ‘Chinatown’ swallows it – there’s more substance in the album’s stripped-back arrangements, which are paired with lo-fi production at once fittingly intimate and concealing. ‘91’, co-written and with author Zadie Smith and co-produced by Annie Clark, manages to turn disparate feelings of dissociation into an immersive opener. His reflections on coming of age on the acoustic ‘45’ are just as poignant: “I’m torn exactly into two pieces/ One who wants you and one who’s gone dark.” The whole album is framed as a battle between those two forces – darkness and the desire to get out of it – but they slowly blend into one.
When it’s not underwhelming, the best word you could use to describe the album’s most resonant moments is “strange” – the same word he uses on highlight ‘Strange Behaviour’. Because this is when Antonoff turns his focus on his own penchant for romanticism, and the whole thing feels like a shadow of itself: “What you thought was faith/ That was hollow,” a girl tells him. On the next and final track, he wonders what to do with all of it. “I don’t have God. I don’t have a sureness about certain things in my personal life that I wish I did,” Antonoff explained. “But for some reason I’m spilling over with faith, and I don’t even know where to put it.” If there’s a hollowness to Saturday Night, it’s because it can’t possibly contain all this feeling, not even at its most euphoric. It’s the haunting kind. Like living in a dream you can’t escape, it takes a while before you realize you’ve been here before, and just like him, you can’t leave.
Los Angeles singer-songwriter Christian Lee Hutson has shared the third volume of his The Version Suicides EP series. It features covers of Shania Twain’s ‘You’re Still The One’ with help from Julia Jacklin, the La’s ‘There She Goes’ with Fenne Lily, and Fugazi’s ‘I’m So Tired’ featuring Great Grandpa’s Al Menne. Check it out below.
The second volume of The Version Suicides saw Hutson take on the Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’ (with Shamir), Liz Phair’s ‘Why Can’t I’, and Bruce Springsteen’s ‘I’m Going Down’. For Vol. 1 of the project, he covered songs by Taylor Swift, ABBA, and Vanessa Carlton. His most recent LP, the Phoebe Bridgers-produced Beginners, arrived last year.
For the discerning genre fan looking for the next One Cut of the Dead(2017), look no further than Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes. Written by Makoto Ueda and directed by Junta Yamaguchi, this gleefully funny, supremely silly and surprisingly profound mash-up of science fiction, comedy and romance – shot on an iPhone and ostensibly presented in a single take – is the latest Japanese festival favourite destined to become a cult classic. Our Culture reviews the film here as part of its selection from the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival.
Kato (Kazunori Tosa) is a café owner who is stuck in something of a rut. By day he runs his business; by night he lives alone in an apartment just a few flights of stairs from his workplace. He can’t even pluck up the courage to ask out Megumi (Aki Asakura), who works in the barbershop next door. In the blink of an eye, though, Kato’s painfully mundane life takes a turn for the absurd, as a voice begins to speak to him from his computer. And it’s his voice – from the future. He soon comes to realise that the screens he uses to monitor his business after hours have developed extraordinary and inexplicable powers: the one in his apartment can see two minutes into the future, while the one in his café can see two minutes into the past. Together with his employee Aya (Riko Fujitani) and their overly excitable friends Komiya (Gôta Ishida), Tanabe (Masashi Suwa), and Ozawa (Yoshifumi Sakai), Kato begins to explore the possibilities of knowing what has been and what is yet to come.
It’s a high concept, then, and it must be said from the outset that the physics of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes are mind-boggling. It’s difficult to get a clear sense of exactly how its timeline works on a first viewing, and in this regard it is just as intellectually challenging as, say, Primer (2004), Timecrimes (2007), Coherence (2013) or Tenet (2020). What sets the film apart, though, is an enormous sense of fun; Ueda’s sharp dialogue and five pitch-perfect comedic performances ensure that it never takes itself too seriously. The film’s science fiction elements are present primarily to generate laughs – and while the “Time TV” is certainly a fascinating puzzle, trying too hard to solve it could easily detract from an experience both hilarious and heartwarming.
What was this strange voice coming from Kato’s computer?
Moreover, there is a sense throughout Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes that the film does not want its temporal mysteries to be easily unravelled. Its overarching theme – communicated through its farcical comedy, which deftly illustrates that being able to see a few minutes behind or ahead is not actually very useful – is that we can become far too concerned with the passage of time. We learn that Kato has long been obsessed with what lies ahead of him (“I hate the future,” he tells Megumi), while Megumi is much too fixated on events in her past. Ultimately, what the film communicates is that we should endeavour to live in the present – the here and now – and enjoy what we have while we have it; a profound message for a film that features bad guys brandishing plastic ray guns. And one, of course, that is common to many time travel stories – though rarely has it been communicated in such a playfully eccentric way.
Like its predecessor One Cut of the Dead, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is a technical marvel akin to a cinematic magic trick. Much of the film (aside from a short sequence preceding its title card), is presented in one continuous shot – and, in a 70 minute film, that one shot is a staggering 64 minutes long. Whether or not those 64 minutes were genuinely captured in a single take doesn’t really matter; the effect is utterly flawless. That alone is an achievement as baffling as the film’s central conceit, but even more jaw-dropping is the seamless insertion of past and future events on the two screens that constantly drive the plot forward at an incredible pace. The attention to detail required to make the movie work is head-spinning.
All of this becomes so much more impressive with the knowledge that Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is a micro-budget picture, shot on an iPhone during a pandemic. In short, it is the rare film that lends some credence to a tired cliché of the filmmaker Q&A: that in the age of the camera phone, anyone can make a movie. Under the direction of Yamaguchi (who also served as cinematographer), this joyful genre mash-up is thus a testament to what can be achieved through sheer creativity, will and ambition.
