Page 6 March 16, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD Entertainment Check It Out Film Review A Certain Age By Beatriz Williams Reviewed by Roz Templin, Library Assistant, El Segundo Public Library Books that can project not only information but feelings about a specific time period are fascinating to me. Working in a library, I can appreciate the research that authors put in when writing their works. It is that extra step that I admire--the one that puts you right in the scene you are reading and into the lives of the characters, as if they were living, breathing people. Beatriz Williams accomplishes this in the 1920s era A Certain Age that recalls the beginnings of women’s independence along with the jazz and party atmosphere of wealthy East Coasters. Mrs. Theresa Marshall is caught in a triangle with the young lover she refers to as “The Boy,” a former World War I flying ace, Octavian Rofrano, and her brother’s fiancée Miss Sophie Fortescue. Mrs. Marshall has grown children of her own and is amusing herself while her husband carries on with a long-time mistress. And, there’s more intrigue! People are not who they seem and those revelations become the basis for a “trial of the century.” The tone shifts from light-hearted to sarcastic to melancholic. There is sharp and witty dialogue as well as sad reflections of Roz Templin. A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams. Kristen Stewart is an Unexpected Tour de Force in Personal Shopper By Morgan Rojas for www.cinemacy.com Next to her newly-shaved head, Kristen Stewart’s indie film Personal Shopper is the latest buzz-worthy presentation coming from the multi-hyphenated actress/director/Chanel ambassador. Transforming into an emotionally complex fashion stylist who dabbles in connecting with other-world spirituality in the hopes of finding closure from her twin brother’s death, Stewart makes Personal Shopper an intriguing art-house thriller and further frees herself from her previous blockbuster identity by being known as an actress looking to attach herself to more daring work. Stewart renews her indie darling status by re-teaming with French director Olivier Assayas, whoM she previously earned praise with starring in 2014’s Clouds of Sils Maria. In this intimate psychological thriller, Stewart plays Maureen--an American living in Paris as a personal shopper for a local celebrity. The glitz and the glamour of this high-fashion life do not faze her (at first), as Maureen throws herself into the position as well as the extracurricular activity of looking for a sign from her deceased brother. Both born with the same heart defect, the siblings made a pact that whoever passed first would send the other a sign from the beyond. Maureen is now adamant that she cannot leave the city her brother died in until she is confident he has made his presence known to her. At first, Maureen brushes off the text messages from an Unknown number as just a prank or even inappropriate cyber stalking. What she did not expect was to be followed (haunted, if you will) by a presence she could not see or feel. As she becomes consumed by her phone and the anticipation of the next text, Maureen begins to unravel at the seams. Exposing her vulnerabilities brought on by her phone, she is pushed out of her comfort zone by the unfamiliar messenger, and finally caves by acting out her wildest fantasies. Wearing her client’s forbidden clothes and sleeping in her bed while she’s out of town are just the tip of the iceberg. It is only when Maureen stumbles upon a murder that she is forced to take an introspective look at herself and face her demons once and for all. The French filmmaker’s high fashionmeets ghost story tale (think The Devil Wears Prada meets The Sixth Sense) proves to be a divisive watch (despite winning the Best Director award the Cannes Film Festival, as well as a nomination for the prestigious Palme d’Or– the honor ended up going to the British film I, Daniel Blake). Visually, the film is a nice balance between glitzy and gritty, but leaving the superficiality of style aside, Personal Shopper leaves much to be desired. It is one thing to engage an audience by forcing the viewer to be actively attentive, but more ambiguous-than-not storytelling that leaves the audience to derive their own meaning ultimately does a disservice to the film. Numerous early setups never pay off, and its ambitious mix of genre-blending feels tonally inconsistent as opposed to fluid. However, it is undeniable that Kristen Stewart is magnetic to watch onscreen. Essentially acting opposite herself, she commands the picture with a quiet strength that I would love to see more of in these daring yet artfullycohesive films. Although Personal Shopper feels incredulously unbelievable at times, it is an ambitious and daring work that feels fresh and new. Kristen Stewart manages to emerge from under the weight of this somewhat confusing script and makes this a film to check out if you’re curious enough. Personal Shopper is rated R for some language, sexuality, nudity and a bloody violent image. 105 minutes. Now playing in select cities, including ArcLight Hollywood and the Landmark. • Kristen Stewart in Personal Shopper. Courtesy of IFC Films. Every Visit our Website www.heraldpublications.com issue always available online! New Issues/Old Issues • Out-of-town? Read the Herald newspapers online • Interested in an article from a prior date? 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