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THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014
Movies: Chiaroscuro International Film Series presents A Lady in Paris
Television: Orange Is the New Black season two summer premiere
Music: Femcee Angel Haze makes a name for herself
It’s not too late to check out what the Chiaroscuro International Film Series has to offer. A Lady in Paris is about Anne, a caretaker from Estonia, traveling to Paris to tend to the needs of an elderly Frida against her will. The film will play at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in downtown Grand Rapids March 9 at 2 p.m.
Have you been itching to find out what will become of Piper Chapman since season one’s giant cliffhanger of a finale? Well, get ready! The season two premiere of OITNB will kickoff June 6, so be prepared to have a binge-watching party in your best jailhouse orange.
The lyricist from Detroit, Michigan, is making her way toward hip-hop stardom with her recent collaborations with Ellie Goudling and song-writer Sia Furler, who’s also featured on her newly released single, “Battle Cry.” Haze’s debut record Dirty Gold is out now in stores for your listening pleasure.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT >>ELLEN PAGE
Earlier last week, Juno star Ellen Page came out as gay in an awe-inspiring speech aimed to comfort LGBT youth at an event sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, proving she has the heart of a heroine.
COURTESY MICHAEL BUCKNER
Dallas Buyers Club shows frontrunner potential
#EllenPage
paris close | culture editor
I am not a big fan of “coming out of the closet.” And if you read my column on the matter in an issue published October 16, 2013, then you already know why. I know it sounds super weird to say, but I just don’t think it serves much of a purpose to publicly announce your sexuality to the world. I mean really, what good would it do knowing whether or not I am gay? And what would that have to do with my credentials as a potential employee? The Editor-in-Chief might bring me into their office for my interview. We’ll exchange glances, my anxious glimpses for their astute stares. And in between a round of scripted questions they will ask me to tell them more about myself, and I’ll respond: “Well, in my spare time I like reading books I never seem to have time to finish because I am either too busy trying to get back the four years of sleep I’ve lost to college studies or YouTubing recipes for the most perfect chocolate chip cookie. I like cats. No wait, I love cats! And… oh yeah, did I mention, I like guys?” Just imagine how dreadfully awkward that would be for you, let alone your employer. Unless it’s on your own accord, you should never feel pressured to reveal anything about yourself you don’t feel entirely comfortable with. It’s like, when will we learn to just respect someone’s lifestyle and stop prying for answers? Still, no matter where I stand, coming out is still a powerful moment in a person’s life. It’s just as suspenseful as a marriage proposal but can be just as emotionally devastating as a death in the family if received wrong. That is why I respect those who do or do not choose to reveal that sort of detail about their life. Because either way, it really wouldn’t change who that person is to me. They would still my relative, my best friend or my idol, which is why I want to spend these next few moments to acknowledge our girl, Ellen Page. Page is a talented, triumphant actress and she is also gay. She made this fact brilliantly clear in her candid and tearful speech last week to members of the Human Rights Campaign, uplifting the hearts of LGBT members across the nation. Since then, I’ve replayed her speech a number of times because it was poignantly executed in a way that not only touches the heart but also doesn’t try pacifying a serious topic that is often swept under the rug. And for that, the 35-second round of applause she received following her confession was well-deserved. For starters, I love Page. And who wouldn’t? She’s Juno, for Christ’s sake. And as with all the other celebs willing to share this sort of information to the public, Page, too, will continue to have a prosperous career. She is so down-toearth and I even consider her to be a more polished and more talkative version of Kristen Stewart (say what you want, I live for anything K. Stew). Not only is she lovable to watch on the big screen, the girl also has a badass movie resume: An American Crime, X-Men: The Last Stand and Inception… need I say more? Even though being openly gay is still a big deal, like I said, I’ve never really understood how someone’s sexuality would get in the way of their success. It doesn’t cross my mind. But then again, we’ve always had this guilty tendency to exaggerate and nip-pick the little things about a person when basing judgments of character: choice of clothing, religious standings and sexuality all seem to be the most talked about. Welcome to America, people. Being gay, lesbian, bisexual etc. does not determine who you are, and we have plenty of successful figures that flaw that senseless notion: Ellen Degeneres is rich, beloved and a truly endearing role model who is unbothered by the expectations of society. Orange Is The New Black’s Laverne Cox, the fabulous transgender advocate, made her very own breakthrough last year on Netflix’s hit series, making headlines everywhere. And how could we forget about our fellas? Anderson Cooper, Neil Patrick Harris and Andy Cohen (my dreamboat) all continued to have thriving careers after coming out to the general public. If anything, Page’s announcement will do nothing but gain her more followers and inspire others to feel as comfortable enough to join her in the fight for freedom and happiness.
COURTESY FOCUS FEATURES
True stories: Matthew McConaughey comes alive as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyer’s Club. By Laura Farrell Staff Writer Although the Oscar race this year is as close as it has ever been, a few actors seem to be leading the race, and they happen to be from the same film. With his track record of cheesy romantic comedy films, Matthew McConaughey did not sit high on my list of favorite, or even serious, actors. But his latest role in Dallas Buyers Club brought out a whole new McConaughey, or perhaps just a lighter McConaughey, who pushed the limits and executed a stellar
performance. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, Dallas Buyers Club tells the story of rough and tough cowboy Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) as he finds himself at ends with his sex, alcohol and drugs-filled life after he is diagnosed with AIDS. Set in 1985, Woodroof finds himself ostracized by his former friends and neighbors, yet still remains hostile to fellow HIV positive patients. Woodroof decides to take matters into his own hands, and after meeting with a doctor in Mexico, Woodroof smuggles unapproved pharmaceuti-
cals into the United States after they begin to improve his symptoms. The journey of Woodroof is a heartbreaking but heartwarming one. Now associated with AIDS-stricken homosexuals, the rodeo cowboy is in limbo, with no where to go and no companion to confide in. Jared Leto gives the performance of a lifetime as Rayon, a transgender woman who is the first person to take on Woodroof for everything that he is and eventually become his business partner. Other performances include Jenni-
fer Garner as Dr. Eve Saks, a dedicated and ambitious physician who treats HIV-positive patients. Garner’s performance, in my opinion, might be the most underrated of the year. At the height of the movie, Garner and McConaughey give a heartbreaking performance during a dinner scene, where the weight of death and disease seems to be heavier than any sense of hope. In that moment, Garner seems to realize that her efforts in finding a cure will go for nothing for her newly found friends, and the result is pure acting genius. Controversy surrounded the already-touchy film as Leto and McConaughey lost 30 and 50 pounds respectively for their portrayals of HIV positive characters. Every move they make in the movie looks painful, since the audience can just about count their ribs. Dallas Buyers Club provides a window into the pure prejudice and tragedy those who have AIDS in America experience. If I had to choose my favorite movie from this Oscar season, I would have to plead the fifth. It has been a monster year for cinema, but truthfully, Dallas Buyers Club remains one of my favorites. The unclouded genuineness of its storytelling makes for a philosophical ride home from the theatre. As far as the Academy Awards, Dallas Buyers Club deserves any award it brings home, so definitely catch the flick before the awards show airs this Sunday.
Artist Spotlight: Lake Street Dive By Cait Hilton Staff Writer Artist: Lake Street Dive Genre: Jazz, Soul Current Album: Bad Self Portraits Comparisons: Fitz And The Tantrums Popular Tracks: “You Go Down Smooth” & “Use Me Up” Lake Street Dive, with the power of Rachael Price’s ringingly clear vocals against upbeat jazz and soul inspired instrumentals, brings something so unlikely but naturally exhilarating to the table. Polished in the art of jazz from the New England Conservatory, the United States’ oldest independent school of music, comes the members of Lake Street Dive: stand-up bassist Bridget Kearney, drummer Mike Calabrese, trumpet/guitar player Mike Olson and lead vocalist, Price. The band is named after a neighborhood of seedy bars, Lake Street, in Olson’s hometown of Minneapolis. According to the band’s website, the second part of the name comes from their devotion to always being a “dive bar band, whether we’re playing for 10 people or 10,000. We always want them to have that feeling.” In an interview with NPR, Olson spoke about the band’s growth over the years: “Our musical development has been like Google Earth.
Going from the entire universe to a specific place. That is how we’ve honed our sound. We had the whole world of music at our fingertips.” Those fingertips have prints they can completely call their own. Lake Street Dive pulls together both familiar and distinctly unfamiliar sounds cohesively, producing their largely acoustic, energetic, jazzy sound. After a decade of shared performances, the band exhibits true chemistry, which comes through in the creation of their music. Some say this puts Lake Street Dive on the cusp of stardom, but although gorgeously tasteful, their unique sound goes against everything popular in COURTESY JAY ADAN music today Lake Street Dive released Gettin’ jazzy with it: Tune into the soulful sounds of Lake Street Dive. a new album on February 18, Bad Self Portraits, that truly showcases Hall & Oates are equally as energetthe talent of the instrumentalists and by the beats of the past. Lake Street Dive features songs ic and strong. Their performance of Price’s surging voice. The album encases many of the band’s practiced like, “My Heart in Its Right Place,” a The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” styles: the R&B in “You Go Down concoction of smooth jazz, the jangle- on a Boston street corner last spring Smooth,” the Motown soul of “Use pop, ‘60s garage rock tune “Got Me is what earned them their new found Me Up” and the gospel-like blues Fooled” and “Don’t Make Me Hold popularity. NPR has said Lake Street Dive pulling through in “What About Me.” Your Hand,” which is the record’s From Bad Self Portraits all the way knock-out track but impossible to “powers past nicety to connect with the passion that brings blood and back to their earlier self-titled album knock-out of your head. All four members of the band sweat” that thrives on creating music, Lake Street Dive, released in 2010, the band’s style has never stopped evolv- contribute to writing lyrics to all-orig- that breaks your heart, all while asking but has always revolved around inal songs, but their covers of George ing you to dance. their core, original sound influenced Michael’s “Faith” or “Rich Girl” by
Austentatious gets clever and chaotic By Cait Hilton Staff Writer Austentatious (the musical) is a violent beating of the classic novel Pride and Prejudice. In a performance that would surely make Jane Austen turn over in her grave, one could not imagine chaos delivered with such charm anywhere other than AQ’s Circle Theater. Austentatious highlights the annoyances of working with an amateur theater company built on a misfit cast and serves as an ode to behind the scenes efforts of technical support during production. Playing hot potato with the struggles of the theater as they recreate P&P is cooled by the cast’s lovely singing, full-hearted acting and novel-inspired comedic relief. The play within the play is directed by Dominic (senior Stephen Wright), an incredibly eccentric and
Culture Editor Paris Close
narcissistic man with no idea how to pull together a production, but he does know how to handle actress Emily. Emily (played by senior Marris Wimmer) has an energy that demands attention. Sleeping with the director has earned her writing and choreography rights, as well as the role of leading lady, Elizabeth Bennet, in what she tries to make “her” production of Austentatious. Penciling in clog and tap routines, pirates, and, God forbid, dancing to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” she drives her cast and crew members up the wall and Austentatious down the drain. On stage, Lauren (sophomore Marisa Purcey) frustrates audience members with her need for control, especially when she is cast as Lydia, and drags David (freshman Ben Avery) around. Devoted to her role as Jane, Jessi-
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ca (junior Taylor Nefcy) has an agreeably spunky attitude. Accompanied by cast member Blake (freshman Kenny Judge), a stoner participating as Mr. Bingley on doctor’s orders, the pair are sources for guaranteed laughter. One of Emily’s renditions of Austentatious has Jessica and Blake promiscuously flash dancing in gold jumpsuits, followed by a “lighters in the air” scene where Blake professes his desire to perform well, thanking his joint and homemade bong, which he keeps in his lunch pale, for strength. The duo had the audience roaring and jumping out of their seats. Sam is the theater’s foundation, played by senior and Rachel Varley. After nine productions and earning her degree in Theater and French, Varley is ready to leave the department, thanking her friends, family and Theatre Program director Randy
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Wyatt for guiding her through. Varley bowed at her last curtain call, showing the audience the important yet underrated technical side of theater through her unrealistic ability to stay calm while surrounded by chaos and managing the show when no one else can. Sam supports every character, especially David, who, through their awkward romance, evolves from a nervous wreck to a confident man. Austentatious is jam-packed with hyperactive personality embodied by the cast of talented students. The chemistry demonstrated by these performers as they act and react with one another shines on stage is flawless. They produce shows like Austentatious that never disappoint. The show deserves the 10/10 gold stars, and an added point for creativity.
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