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Page 6 March 29, 2018 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Entertainment
Check It Out Film Review
I’m Thinking of Ending Things Is
an Unsettling Fictional Journey
Reviewed by Jeff Huttinger, Library
Assistant, El Segundo Public Library
I believe it was Friedrich Nietzsche who said,
“…if thou gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will
also gaze into thee.” Smart guy, that Nietzsche.
Not since reading American Psycho when I was
a teenager has such a strong feeling of unease
burrowed its way under my skin and lingered
long enough to claim squatter’s rights. Written
with confidence and agility, author Iain Reid’s
2016 novel I’m Thinking of Ending Things is
an enigmatic and unsettling journey into the
subconscious that left me questioning the reliability
of everything I had just read while at
the same time deterring myself from trailing
down this particular rabbit hole any further.
In a plot seemingly straight out of a ‘90s
romantic comedy, our narrator, referred to only
as “The Girlfriend,” is on her way to meeting
her boyfriend’s parents for the first time.
Yet with every passing mile, she grows more
certain that she should pull the plug on this
relationship. Rather than a string of playful
mix-ups culminating in a happily ever after,
what the narrator instead experiences can only
be described as surreal. Each page is dripping
with tension as Reid skillfully crafts an escalating
series of strange conversations, erratic
choices and terrifying encounters climaxing in
a dread-filled pursuit in an abandoned school
that induces chills down my spine to this day.
The author’s prose is a masterclass in both
storytelling and discomfort.
What may have been the most troubling is
the distinct contrast between our heroine and
the situations in which she finds herself. She
is sincere. Her pragmatic ambivalence towards
her current relationship is both familiar and
reasonable. Thus, it is all too easy to slip into
her shoes and experience the unraveling events
with wide-eyed horror.
If I have one criticism, it would be the ending.
Although telegraphed to a certain degree
throughout, I was hoping to be surprised at
the author’s ability to throw me for a loop.
Instead, it turned out to be the finale I saw
coming early on in the read. The book really
doesn’t conclude there, however. Everything in
the previous pages invites further analysis -- a
fresh set of eyes after seeing the whole picture.
My advice, though? Give it a little time
before diving right back in. A week, perhaps.
Maybe give it a week.
To check out I’m Thinking of Ending Things, or
to browse any of our other fiction titles, please visit
the library to apply for your free library card. •
Jeff Huttinger.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid.
Isle of Dogs Is a Lovingly Crafted
Doggy Tale of Pure Delight
By Ryan Rojas for www.cinemacy.com
Is there anyone who could transition
from live-action filmmaking to stop-motion
animation as gloriously as the wonderful
Wes Anderson? No. Unsurprisingly, the
attention that Anderson gives to the tiniest
of aesthetic details, as seen in nowmodern
classics such as The Royal
Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom, makes
his natural tinkerer sensibilities only logical
for the stop-motion medium. In his latest
feature film, Isle of Dogs (in theaters today),
we see the director at his best – crafting a
storybook adventure that distills the essence
of delight into a small-scale canine and
kiddie-friendly epic.
Set in a fictional near-future Japan, Isle of
Dogs (say it fast for an added treat) tells the
story of a Japanese nation under siege by a
dog epidemic known as “snout fever.” This
brings about the rise of fear-mongering Mayor
Kobayashi (voiced by Kunichi Nomura), who
sets out to banish all dogs and force them to
live out the rest of their numbered days in
exile on Trash Island. Of course, this premise
is a not-so-veiled political commentary
about demagoguery -- but with Anderson’s
trademark wry and winking humor at play,
the whole thing is hilariously satirized and
maintains a sentimental heart.
Against this backdrop, the young Akira
(Koyu Rankin) sets out to find his lost dog
on Trash Island. This leads him to the rest
of the heroes in the story: the famished and
sickly Rex (Edward Norton), Duke (Jeff
Goldblum), Boss (Bill Murray) and King (Bob
Balaban) who all agree to help the young
boy find his dog, Spots (Liev Schreiber).
However, it’s the pack’s leader and single
stray of the group, Chief (Bryan Cranston),
who is hesitant to help Akira because of his
“obey no man” attitude. Ultimately outvoted
(the dogs always put group decisions up to
a democratic vote), Chief reluctantly accompanies
the fool-hearty dogs and human
on their odyssey.
It’s a magical thing to watch these animated
dogs come to life on the big screen.
Anderson’s skilled animators and voice cast
breathe a magical humor and humanness
all their own into these dogs, making you
remember that every movement was made
with the faintest of touches. Through a
long journey that sees Akira and the dogs
evade military forces in the form of robotic
dog hunters, it all leads to a climactic end.
With the help of pro-dog resistance fighters
(including an outspoken American foreign
exchange student voiced by Greta Gerwig),
Isle of Dogs. Courtesy of Fox Searchlight.
Ryan Rojas.
Wiseburn Board Hears Parental
Concerns on Dual Language, CDC
By Duane Plank
Prior to last Thursday evening’s meeting
of the Wiseburn Unified School District
(WUSD) School Board, soon-to-be-retiring
Superintendent Tom Johnstone predicted the
night’s meeting could entail some “fireworks.”
Seems that the District is considering a plan
to launch a dual language immersion program,
which, according to Johnstone, has proven to be
a bit controversial. And many District residents
are none-too-happy that Wiseburn will parry
down its current Child Development Center
(CDC) full-care program, with daycare until
6 p.m. for preschoolers being discontinued.
Johnstone wrote in an email, post-meeting,
“We have a serious issue in that there are not
adequate spaces to meet the needs of all of
our families. “We will continue to offer the
preschool, but we made a strategic decision
to focus on our K-5 students for daycare.” He
said that if the upcoming bond issue passes
in June, that the District would “hopefully be
able to expand the needs of both preschool and
K-5, but K-5 is the higher priority.”
Johnstone added that he doesn’t think people
are against a dual language immersion program,
but he noted that a game plan change in the
District that could impact educators as well as
students and parents was looming. He spoke of
the teaching staff at Anza Elementary, pointing
out the longevity of many of the teachers. Of
the long-term instructors currently working at
Anza, Johnstone said “their continuity is their
greatest strength, but it is also their greatest
challenge” as 21st century learning continues
to evolve.
Wiseburn admitted that some of the teachers
are “kind of hardened in their ways -- a bit
resistant to change.” He indicated that if and
when Wiseburn implements a dual language
immersion program -- which would feature
students not only sharpening their English skills,
but simultaneously learning either Mandarin
Chinese and/or Spanish -- the District will have
to bring in bilingual teachers to implement
it. This could lead to current teachers being
“displaced,” but Johnstone did not think that
would be widespread because of current teacher
upcoming retirements.
The day prior to last week’s meeting,
Johnstone, incoming Superintendent Blake
Silvers and two School Board members
visited Anza to listen to concerned community
members regarding the dual immersion program.
Johnstone said he and his group were mostly
listeners. “I call it rope-a-dope,” he explained,
noting that he let the Anza attendees have
their say, with concerns being broached about
the possible displacement of current teachers.
Johnstone added that he didn’t believe the dual
immersion program would launch prior to start
Department of Toxic Substances Control March 2018
Public Notice
The mission of DTSC is to protect California’s people
and environment from harmful effects of toxic
substances by restoring contaminated resources,
enforcing hazardous waste laws, reducing
hazardous waste generation, and encouraging the
manufacture of chemically safer products.
Cal/EPA DTSC State of California
CNS-3112461#
EMERGENCY PERMIT
THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION
2310 EAST EL SEGUNDO
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA 90245
On February 5, 2018, The Aerospace Corporation
requested an Emergency Permit from the Department
of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) for onsite
treatment of expired chemicals at 2310 East El
Segundo, El Segundo, California 90245. The items
to be treated are: 15 Tetrahydrofuran (6x1L, 5x2L,
3x4L, 1x500 ml), 2 Diethylene Glycol Dimethyl Ether
(100 ml), 1 1,4 Dioxane (500 ml), 2 Methyl Isobutyl
Ketone (1x1 pt, 1x1 qt), 4 Diethyl Ether (800 ml), 2
Diethylene Glycol Dimethyl Ether ( 100 ml), 2 Methyl
Methacrylate (1x1 L, 1x1 lbs).
Clean Harbors Environmental Services has been
contracted to conduct this treatment. The chemicals
are potentially reactive and unsafe for transport. The
treatment involves the addition of liquid solution to
the containers to stabilize the chemicals. Once the
chemicals are treated, they will be transported offsite
for proper management. DTSC has determined that
the chemicals pose an imminent and substantial
endangerment to human health and the environment
if not properly handled. Therefore, an emergency
permit should be issued. This Emergency Permit
is effective from February 19, 2018 - May 18,
2018. The Emergency Permit includes measures to
minimize any adverse impact to the community and
the environment.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENT QUALITY ACT
(CEQA): DTSC has determined that the project is
exempt from the requirements of CEQA and has
filed a Notice of Exemption (NOE) with the State
Clearinghouse. The Emergency Permit, NOE,
Aerospace Corporation’s request for this project are
available for review at the file room located at:
DTSC Sacramento Regional Office
8800 Cal Center Drive
Sacraento, California 95826
(916) 255-3758, call for an appointment
CONTACT INFORMAITON: If you have any
questions or concerns, please contact:
Parisa Khosraviani
Project Manager
(916) 255 6559
Parisa Khosraviani@dtsc.ca.gov
Tammy Pickens
Public Participation Specialist
(916) 255-3594, (866) 495-5651
Tammy.Pickens@dtsc.ca.gov
Barbara Zumwalt
Public Information Officer
(916) 445-2964
Barbara.Zumwalt@dtsc.ca.gov
See Wiseburn, page 13
See Film Review, page 11