![](./pubData/source/images/pages/page2.jpg)
Page 2 November 2, 2017 TORRANCE TRIBUNE
Entertainment
Film Review Check It Out
Oscar-Worthy The Square Is a Satirical
Look at Affluence Through Modern Art
By H. Nelson Tracey
for www.cinemacy.com
About once a year, if we’re lucky, a movie
comes along that transcends the labels of
comedy, drama and other classified genres. It
will also prove that with top-tier filmmaking,
you can utilize a full emotional range to tell
a story. It is safe to say we have an entry for
this year in Ruben Östlund’s The Square.
A modern art museum in Sweden, vying to be
cutting edge while also needing to sustain its
overhead and encourage people to actually visit,
is getting ready for its newest, boldest exhibit:
The Square. At the helm of the museum is
Christian (Claes Bang) who lives in a swanky
apartment, drives a Tesla and has no trouble scoring
beautiful women. Because this new exhibit
is almost entirely focused on helping people
and trusting strangers, Christian presents himself
with the challenge of upholding the artistic vision
of altruism throughout the rest of his life.
In reaction to his generally self-serving
behavior, the new exhibit pushes Christian
out of his comfort zone. Yet in every earnest
(or disingenuous) attempt to help other
people--his co-workers, the homeless, family
members--there is a bitter, comical pushback.
The results are absolutely hilarious, perhaps
because of how cringe-worthy and honest the
situations are as people react while trying to
fall into societal norms.
By using the world of modern art and affluence
as its backdrop, The Square allows
for bizarre features to be fair game while also
utilizing cinematic artistry when necessary. Most
importantly, this film is a satire of the wealthy
do-gooders who reek of hypocrisy without even
realizing it. In most American films when we
see characters who are wealthy, it is typically
either glamorized or normalized. Here, as was
true of his last film, Östlund takes a critical
examination of wealth in a way in which we
all can take a lesson.
To English-speaking audiences, a trio of
recognizable faces each play a supporting role:
Elisabeth Moss as a naive reporter, Dominic
West as a self-serving artist and lastly, Terry
Notary--whose name doesn’t carry star power,
but whose resume includes doing motion capture
for the Kong and Planet of the Apes movies.
Here, Notary plays a controversial performance
artist and I’ll only say his animal motion capture
work gets to play off extraordinarily. The star
of the film remains Claes Bang, whose deadpan
delivery as Christian, no matter what scenario
he finds himself in, is both endlessly relatable
and at times hysterical.
It is not required that you see Östlund’s last
feature, Force Majeure, before you see this film.
However, it does prime you for what to expect
from his particular style. His preceding film
also deals with painfully comedic scenarios of
an affluent family set in a ski resort. That being
said, the ideas and aspirations that Östlund
introduced in Force Majeure are delivered in
greater extremes in The Square.
It’s too early to see what the competition
will be for the Best Foreign Language film
Oscar. History has proven that this specific
category has some of the most misguided of
the already fallible awards, but my reaction
would be that this film is a shoe-in. The
Square represents the first truly amazing movie
of the fall awards season.
The Square is rated R for language, some
strong sexual content, and brief violence. 142
minutes. Now playing at The Landmark and
ArcLight Hollywood. •
Elisabeth Moss and Claes Bang in The Square. Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Hazel Gaynor’s The Cottingley Secret
Delves into Fairy and Family Mystiques
Reviewed by Roz Templin, Library
Assistant, El Segundo Public Library
Olivia Kavanaugh inherits an old bookshop
when her beloved grandfather passes
away. She’s in the midst of wedding plans,
engaged to a distant (both physically and
emotionally) businessman. She takes leave
of her job and plans to travel from London
to Ireland to investigate her inheritance and
settle her grandfather’s affairs.
Not only does she fall in love with the
old shop, but Olivia finds there is a cottage
to empty and sell as well as financial woes
to address. Her grandmother is in a nursing
home, suffering from Alzheimer’s, and she
doesn’t know which way to turn.
She finds an old manuscript that describes
the famous Cottingley Fairies--the photographs
taken in the Yorkshire village of Cottingley
by two young girls in the early part of
the 20th Century. People (including Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle) believed they proved
that fairies really existed. “Notes on a Fairytale”
is an important part of Olivia’s story and
The Cottingley Secret reveals some history
of her own family that she didn’t know
was missing.
During the months she spends in Ireland,
trying to make a go of the bookshop and
ensure her grandmother’s medical bills are
paid, Olivia must face up to some hard truths
and make difficult decisions. There is a bit
of romance that presents itself unexpectedly,
as well as some unexplained phenomena that
occur in her bookshop’s window display.
Fairytale stories and verse shed some light
on the basic questions of belief. If you can’t
see or touch something, does that mean it
doesn’t exist? During the original Cottingley
fairies incident, the United Kingdom was
reeling from the injuries and loss of life.
The First World War Spiritualism (which
included belief in fairies or “elementals”)
was very popular and gave hope to survivors
that they may see their loved ones again in
another realm. Olivia also experiences quite
a few deaths in this story, and we come to
understand her growing attachment to the
fairy manuscript and to those persons involved
in the event. She has recurring dreams of a
little red-headed girl that get resolved as she
nears the end of the forgotten manuscript.
Author Hazel Gaynor did some extensive
research into the real story of those famous
fairies and she adds some extra information at
the back of the book that’s pretty interesting.
In a section she supplies for further reading,
there are titles she used as well as some that
might add some insight to a curious reader.
The El Segundo Public Library offers interlibrary
loan services for titles that we don’t
own in our library, but that might be found
in another nearby. Please stop in and let us
help you locate that special search item. •
Roz Templin.
The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor.
Seniors Finance
Turning 65? Choosing The Right Medicare
Part D Plan Starts With 4 Simple Rules
(BPT) - If you’re turning 65 in 2017 or
of “preferred” pharmacies, which typically offer
2018, you’re one of 10,000 people who become
lower co-pays than standard pharmacies in the
Medicare-eligible each day. Choosing Medicare
network. Also, see if using a home delivery
prescription drug coverage can be confusing,
pharmacy or a 90-day supply could lower your
especially for the first time. You may have
costs even more.
questions about which plan fits your healthcare
Rule #4: Look for 24/7 access to pharmacists
needs and budget or how to enroll. The good
and Medicare experts who can answer questions
news is, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming
about your medicines and offer drug safety
if you know these four rules.
tips, money-saving alternatives and expertise
Rule #1: Lower premium plans may mean
in drugs to treat specific conditions.
higher costs. Plans with a lower premium may
Also, remember to check the Medicare
end up costing more in the long run if they have
Part D plan’s Star Rating. This is the overall
higher drug copays, which can really add up.
quality and performance rating (out of 5 stars)
Rule #2: Not every plan covers every drug.
based on member satisfaction surveys and
Drug lists (formularies) can change every year
other measures by The Centers for Medicare
and so can the drugs you take. Be sure to check
& Medicaid Services (CMS).
your plan’s formulary each year to make sure
For more information, please visit www.
any medications you take are covered.
Medicare.gov or www.RoadmapForMedicare.
Rule #3: Check that there are pharmacies
com. To talk to an Express Scripts Medicare
close to you. That way, it’s easier to fill your
adviser, call 1.866.544.3794, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
prescriptions. Select a plan with a wide range
7 days a week (TTY users: 1.800.716.3231). •
3 Steps To Help Freelancers And Gig
Economy Workers Avoid A Tax Blunder
(BPT) - More and more people are earning
extra cash by freelancing in the sharing
economy. That may mean writing on the side,
playing music on the weekends, driving for
ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft or
selling handmade jewelry on Etsy.
“While it’s easier now than ever to earn
extra cash, it’s important for freelancers and
independent contractors to get smart about
their tax responsibilities,” said Mark Jaeger,
director of Tax Development for TaxAct, a
leading provider of affordable do-it-yourself tax
software. “Gig economy earners must remember
they are responsible for paying federal and
state income tax on any income earned. And,
they’re also subject to self-employment tax,
to cover Social Security and Medicare taxes.”
If you’re one of the 55 million Americans
who chooses to freelance, it can be difficult
to correctly calculate and report to the IRS
how much tax you owe. In fact, a recent
survey conducted by the National Association
of Enrolled Agents found that, “independent
contractors participating in the gig economy
were cited as among those most at risk of
failing to accurately report all of their income.”
Taxpayers who miscalculate taxes owed are
likely to get a form called a CP2000 from the
IRS. Whether you work full time and earn a
little extra cash from a side hustle or you’re a
full-time contractor, meticulous record-keeping
is a must. Once a quarter, as you determine
what you’ll owe for quarterly tax payments,
make note of which of those receipts are
deductible.
When you’re freelancing, you’re your own
accounting department. Not only are you
responsible for generating invoices and collecting
payment, you must also keep track
of all income earned and accurately report
it to the IRS.
See Finance, page 5