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Page 6 September 28, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Film Review Check It Out
By Morgan Rojas for www.cinemacy.com
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the polarizing
reactions to Darren Aronofsky’s horror/
freakout film, mother! and you may have
already drawn your own conclusion about
whether or not you’ll be seeing the Jennifer
Lawrence-starring film in theaters--if at all.
It has been the cause of audience confusion,
offense and walkouts, and even earned a rare
“F” Cinemascore (a rating of audience’s reactions
leaving the movie). So clearly, people
are divided on the film.
However, one can argue that the sign of
any good film is the impression it leaves on
its audience, whether it be one of love or
even hate. To this standard Aronofsky has
succeeded in not only making a successful
film, but having written and directed one of
the most polarizing and divisive movies of
recent times. It proves the power that cinema
has to elicit debate, physical reactions and
psychological head trips that last far beyond
the film’s two-hour run time.
Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Black Swan) is
a modern father of unconventional storytelling
and mother! is no exception. The story
centers on a young woman (named lowercase
“mother” and played by Lawrence) and her
older husband (named uppercase “Him” and
portrayed by Javier Bardem), an acclaimed
poet. The couple lives alone, isolated from
the rest of society in his childhood home
that she willingly renovates while he works
on his writing. Their quaint life of solitude
comes to an abrupt halt when a man (Ed
Harris) shows up at the couple’s door with
more baggage than just his belongings.
The couple’s life turns upside down as their
sacred space gets encroached upon by the
man, then his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer)--and
Entertainment
then hordes of unwanted guests. The guests
idolize Him: as fans of his writing, they
worship his every word, even if it comes at
mother’s expense. This becomes too much
for her. Her generosity and kind spirit are
abused, disrespected and all-around disregarded
at times, even subconsciously by her
own husband. As she nears her breaking point,
mayhem becomes imminent and what ensues
is the most shocking and head-spinning of
circumstances seen onscreen this year.
Allegorical themes and symbolism run
rampant throughout the film, yet are best
left to be discovered organically. That is the
gift of mother! It goes far beyond just the
surface. Bardem gives a performance that
is captivatingly creepy with mystery lurking
just beyond his signature stare. Lawrence is
a subtle thunderstorm, starting off restrained
and building towards a crescendo that only
she could create. Her performance is nothing
shy of phenomenal.
To say mother! has been grossly misunderstood
by the masses is an understatement.
It should be applauded for its unwavering
commitment to breaking the stereotypical and
formulaic Hollywood tropes. It is a punch to
the gut. It will push you out of your comfort
zone and will make you question humanity
and the true intentions of your neighbors
and friends altogether. mother! will unnerve
you and shock you, and the best part is it
will reaffirm your faith in the magic and
power that movies still hold in serving as a
reflection of the equally shocking times in
which we live.
mother! is rated R for strong disturbing
violent content, some sexuality, nudity and
language. 121 minutes. Now playing in
theaters. •
American Born Chinese
By Gene Luen Yang
Reviewed by Katrena Woodson,
Teen and Young Reader Librarian,
El Segundo Public Library
This week’s review is for an awardwinning
graphic novel called American Born
Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. When this
was first published, it broke boundaries
by winning the 2007 Printz Award and by
becoming a 2006 National Book Award
finalist. No graphic novel had ever received
either award before. Since then, it has gone
on to win many other awards as well as
having become a school reading staple in
many communities.
Yang does an amazing job portraying
the difficulty, prejudice and hardships that
can come as a result of being different.
He does a spectacular job blending Chinese
and American cultures in each of the
three competing stories told over the course
of the graphic novel. The first of these stories
is a well-known Chinese tale called “The
Monkey King.” The second involves Jin
Wang, who is one of only two Chinese
students in the class. The third story is about
a kid named Danny who has a Chinese
relative come to visit named Chin-Kee-
-basically the embodiment of every Asian
based stereotype. Yang goes back a forth
between these three stories, but they end up
colliding in an unexpected way. This story
gives a genuine and honest look into what
it is like not only to grow up as a Chinese-
American, but what it is to grow up as a
first generation American, being a minority
and being different. The graphic novel is
well-written and illustrated with simple yet
expressive images keeping true to the story’s
origin as a web comic. Yang’s message is
clear: you need to accept who you are and
where you come from. Once you do that,
you will have already reached out and connected
with others.
The El Segundo Public Library offers
access to its collection of titles in a variety
of formats, including traditional hardback,
e-books and books on CD. To check out,
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
or any other title on your to-read list, please
visit the library to apply for your library
card, or please contact the reference staff
for further assistance. •
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.
Katrena Woodson.
mother! is a Stunning and Provocative
Gut Punch That Will Divide Audiences
Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence in “mother!” Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
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