Page 6 August 22, 2019 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Entertainment
Film Review Check It Out
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver
Reviewed by Kristina Kora-Beckman,
Librarian, El Segundo Public Library
Lauren Oliver’s latest, Broken Things,
gives readers a dark look at how obsession
and fantasy can twist relationships with
deadly consequences. The story centers on
Mia, Brynn and Summer, who bond over
their shared love of the novel The Way into
Lovelorn about friends who find their way
to a magical world and have adventures. But
as their exploration of the imagined world
continues, their friendship begins to fray,
dividing loyalties and exposing underlying
cruelties. Then Summer is found viciously
killed in the forest -- and due to conflicting
secrets and damming circumstantial
evidence, the town assumes Mia and Brynn
are responsible.
Fast-forward five years and Mia and Brynn
are pulled back into the mystery of Summer’s
death and their roles in the events leading
up to that fateful day. Following previously
unrealized clues while dealing with their
own demons, Mia and Brynn discover the
horrifying truth behind that summer and the
imaginary world they thought was an escape.
Gripping and at times graphic, Oliver’s novel
deals with difficult topics such as abuse, violence
and ritual killing in an impactful way.
She depicts flawed characters whose haunted
pasts led to an inability to tell fiction from
reality, and with tragic results.
To check out Oliver’s fiction titles, please
visit the library to apply for your free library
card. These titles would also qualify for our
HS Teen and Adult Summer Reading Programs,
going on now until August 31! For
more information or to sign-up, please stop
by the Reference Desk. •
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver. Kristina Kora-Beckman.
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
Offers Tricks and Treats
By Morgan Rojas for Cinemacy
Can you ever really trust a person whose
livelihood is based in fantasy? That is the
question director Ben Berman faces after
getting to know John Edward Szeles, aka The
Amazing Johnathan. An American stand-up
comedian and legendary magician, Johnathan’s
story follows in the footsteps of many troubled
performers before him: on top of the world
one minute, drugs and depression the next.
Fascinated by Johnathan’s history and rocked
by his public health crisis, Ben sets out to
his crew, Johnathan and his wife Anastasia
Synn discuss his drug habit (cocaine, speed,
meth) as they get ready to hit the road for
one last comedy and magic tour. However,
things take a turn when Ben discovers that
Johnathan has allowed another documentary
crew to film him as well. Two documentary
crews making a movie about the same subject
is understandably frustrating, but Ben does
his best to stay true to their original story.
In an attempt to put the unwelcome surprise
behind them, Ben carries on with production
-- that is, until they find out there is a third
crew coming, as well as a fourth.
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary is one
of the most fascinating portraits of the human
condition and the power of manipulation.
Along with the filmmaker, viewers begin
losing sight of right vs. wrong and truth vs.
illusion. This “straightforward” documentary
eventually spirals into gonzo journalism when
an unconventional proposition to smoke
meth together on camera is made. Crazy?
Absolutely…but given everything Ben and his
team have been though, at this point in the
film he considers it. That’s the power, or at
least the illusion of power, that The Amazing
Johnathan has over Ben. This unsettling
circumstance leaves Ben questioning the
validity of Johnathan’s condition: is he really
dying? Or is this just an Andy Kaufman-esque
prank? Can you ever The Amazing Johnathan Documentary, Courtesy of Hulu trust a magician? •
document the final days of Johnathan’s life
-- but things don’t go according to plan.
Everything Ben thought he knew about the
man he considered a friend begins to unravel
and is captured in this thrilling feature, The
Amazing Johnathan Documentary, now
streaming on Hulu.
Johnathan is best described as a man
with nothing to lose, a disruptive force in
the entertainment industry akin to the likes
of Mickey Rourke or Angelyne. We are first
introduced to The Amazing Johnathan at
his lavish home in Henderson, NV. Having
been recently diagnosed with terminal heart
disease and given one year to live, Jonathan
ironically wears a “Legends Never Die”
t-shirt while discussing his illness. Ben,
Morgan Rojas
Student ID Cards from page 3
themselves. Talking, writing or thinking about
death is another warning sign that shouldn’t
be ignored, mental health experts say.
The National Alliance on Mental Health
says another tipoff is when someone is giving
away their possessions and putting their
affairs in order. Saying goodbye to family
and friends can indicate a person is thinking
about suicide and needs professional help.
The new student IDs are designed to get
teens talking about their inner thoughts, which
might include taking their lives. Sadness,
despair and disappointment are common
reasons that drive young people who are
impulsive and immature to consider suicide,
according to the experts. People who see the
signs can help by starting a conversation.
“Talking openly about suicidal thoughts
and feelings can save a life. Talking about
suicide won’t give the person ideas about
death. The opposite is true — bringing up
the subject of suicide and discussing it openly
is one of the most helpful things you can
do,” the California PTA says on its website.
Ask a child, relative, neighbor or friend
is they’re thinking seriously about suicide,
and be a good listener. If they confide about
feeling hopeless or considering suicide, take
them seriously, the PTA says in its guide to
suicide prevention and intervention.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
anytime at 800-273-8255. In the event the
person appears to be an immediate danger
to themselves, call 911 or take the person
to a nearby emergency room or crisis clinic
for evaluation.
California Senate Bill 972 created the
new requirement that students in middle
and high schools carry with them the phone
number of the 24-hour lifeline. Sacramento
lawmakers and public health agencies
have been addressing mental health issues
and creating outreach programs since lawmakers
approved a Suicide Prevention Act
in 2000.
A website called stopbullying.gov offers
parents and educators valuable resources
about classmate bullying, which has been
blamed for student suicides and sparked
backlash against schools for not doing enough
to stop the behavior. As many as one-fourth
of U.S. students report being bullied at
schooled, and 70 percent say they’ve seen
it on campus.
Most bullying happens in middle school,
according to researchers. The most common
types are verbal and social bullying.
Cyberbullying happens much less frequently,
though it has gotten a greater amount of attention
because it can lead to suicide by its
young victims.
Data from schools suggests that bullying
may be declining. It still remains a prevalent
and serious problem in today’s schools.
However, the amount of media coverage given
to the topic has created more awareness,
according to information at stopbullying.
gov. Young people who are perceived as
different from their peers are often at risk
for being bullied.
A valuable tip for children who feel intimated
by another student or are bullied, either
physically or psychologically, is to speak up.
That someone can be a trusted adult. And be
sure to get help if the bullying is leading to
thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else.
Call 911 if the bullying include physical
violence or threats of violence. Contact the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for
someone to talk to about self-harm. If a child
is being bullied at school, a parent should
report it to a teacher, counselor or principal. •
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