Cale’s cinema critics: “Beau is Afraid” (dir. Ari Aster)

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Cale Strickland General Editor

All of Ari Aster’s films are, in one way or another, about family.

His first feature, “Hereditary,” is a story of a family’s grief, and subsequent dissolution, iety. Although his mother, Mona Wasserman, played by Patti Lupone, is a business mogul, he lives in a cramped, dingy apartment in a crime-ridden city. At the outset of the film, his therapist, played by Stephen McKinley Hen- leaving the door open behind him. He comes back. His keys and suitcase are missing. Wondering if he should reschedule his visit, Beau calls his mother and asks for her advice. Audibly disappointed, she leaves her son with a cryptic ute “chunks” Aster boxes the three-hour epic into. films’ third acts. With “Beau is Afraid,” Aster holds the camera on a paranoid protagonist while the world closes in and collapses on him; I have heard a lot of people comparing the film to Darren Aronofsky’s infamous “mother!” For better or for worse, that is the wavelength Aster is operating on here. following the death of its matriarch. His follow-up, “Midsommar,” chronicles a young woman’s search for a sense of belonging after losing her sister and parents in a murder-suicide.

For the next two-plus hours, Beau finds himself on a mind-bending journey equal parts terrifying and laugh-out-loud funny.

Aster has described each of his films thus far as “nightmare comedies,” but “Beau is Afraid” genuinely fits the bill. I went to a near-full screening, and people were downright cackling during a couple of scenes — which says something.

His latest, “Beau is Afraid,” follows a middle-aged man for whom visiting his mother is a nightmarish, psychedelic odyssey.

Beau Wasserman, played by Joaquin Phoenix, is riddled with anx- derson, prescribes him a new, experimental drug because his current medication does little to nothing for the inescapable dread which clouds his consciousness.

But he has to visit his mother.

So, Beau decides he is going to will himself to Washington, D.C. He hastily packs his bags and rushes out the door before realizing he forgot his floss. He runs back into his apartment, message before hanging up: She knows he will make the right choice.

Within 24 hours, Beau has a bodega clerk threaten to call the police on him, his apartment invaded and trashed, a man fall on top of him mid-bath, a police officer hold him at gunpoint, a naked man stab him — multiple times — and a car hit him.

The film cuts to black, marking the end of the first of the four 45-min-

I saw Aster’s previous, “Midsommar,” in theaters as well. The people of Bethlehem, Georgia, did not know what they were getting themselves into. Aster’s work does not shy away from blood and gore; in fact, he often lets the camera linger on the horrifying imagery he has painstakingly crafted. A handful of people were visibly upset. I can distinctly remember seeing a middle-aged couple rushing their school-aged son out of the auditorium, covering his eyes from the horrors unfolding on screen.

Do not get me wrong. “Beau is Afraid” is disturbing, just not in the ways in which Aster’s other films are. The grief and anguish which fill the atmospheres of “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” are literalized by brutal, graphic violence in the

I am a “mother!” defender. As someone who came to politics through the lens of environmentalism, I loved what Aronofsky was after: a visual manifestation of ecological suffering, of the “hell” eons of human destruction have created. But I also understand its criticisms. It is abrasive. It is underwritten; its metaphor is painfully obvious, especially for Western audiences. Anyone who knows — of — the Bible can predict Aronofsky’s plot, frame for frame, from the opening shot. What sets Aster’s film apart from Aronofsky’s, though, is its commitment to humor. It is a three-hour movie; a lot of shots run a little long. But Aster paces himself, throwing in enough gags to let his audience breathe, even if just for a second. Aronofsky is deathly serious; Aster is, to a degree, at least, aware of the pretension he, and all other filmmakers working in “elevat-

In addition to his newfound lightheartedness, Aster has stretched himself as a filmmaker and an image maker. One of the film’s 45-minute quarters takes place in the forest and features a traveling theater troupe. Beau stumbles upon the group on the opening night of their production. He is welcomed with open arms and offered a costume; one of the troupe’s members says the group enjoys blurring the lines between the audience and the players. As he watches the play, Beau begins to see himself in the story, an account of a farmer’s struggle to find his family in the aftermath of a natural disaster — unfolding on stage. Audiences are transported into Beau’s mind as he imagines years and years of a pastoral lifestyle for himself. Large portions of the sequence are animated, and Aster’s attention to detail is downright mesmerizing.

Aster’s images are always memorable but rarely pleasant. “Beau is Afraid,” although disturbing, is lighter — “lighter,” not “light” — on its feet than anything else Aster has made thus far, and a breath of fresh air in the young filmography of one of today’s rising auteurs.

Coachella performance did not go as expected

Grace Robertson Staff Writer

Frank Ocean fans were excited to see him perform this year at one of the most anticipated music festivals, Coachella.

Ocean was announced to headline the festival in January — for his first performance in years.

Ocean previously announced his involvement with the festival in 2020 but was forced to cancel due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As one of the most acclaimed singers of his generation, the performance was con-

Ocean was set to perform at 10:05 p.m. PST. Fans were worried due to Ocean’s secretive nature and YouTube’s swift announcement to no longer live stream the event.

Ocean arrived at the main stage one hour late, leaving fans confused and disappointed. As the set began, Ocean was barely visible to the crowd, and most of his performance included lip syncing and remixes.

Ocean spoke about his decision to headline the event as a tribute to his family.

“You know, these last couple years, my dust out here, I always left with a respiratory infection or what have you. So, I would avoid coming, but I would always end up here.”

The singer’s brother, Ryan Breaux, passed away at 18 years old in 2020 from blunt-force head injuries in a single-vehicle collision.

The set ended quickly with an abrupt exit due to the star’s worries of a curfew fee.

“I feel like that’s not OK, because it’s his job,” said Michelle Crumbley, a freshman environmental science major. “He should have been prepared, especially because he was paid so much to do it.”

As soon as Ocean’s set ended, rumors flew.

Out of all the criticism swarming social media, one artist made sure to stick up for Ocean on Instagram: Justin Bieber.

“I was blown away by hours before due to an ankle injury he suffered in the previous week.

After rumors and stories filled the news, Variety’s Shirley Halp- out of necessity,” Halperin and Aswad said.

Soon after, the festival announced that American rock band blink-182 would re- sidered the most anticipated of the three headliners, which also included Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK.

On Sun., Apr. 16, life changed so much,” Ocean said. “My brother and I, we came to this festival a lot. I feel like I was dragged out here half the time because I hated the

The Festive Owl, a trusted source for insider festival information, explained that Ocean was initially meant to perform with an ice-skating rink and set of skaters, but the deconstruction of the set was demanded shortly before the performance was planned to begin.

Frank Oceans Coachella performance,” Bieber said. “His artistry is simply unmatched, his style, his taste, his voice, his attention to detail.. I was deeply moved. It made me want to keep going and get better as an artist. He continues to set the bar high and gave me a night I will never forget! Thanks Frank.”

The singer allegedly intended to cancel the set erin and Jem Aswad confirmed that Ocean made the decision to pull out of Coachella’s second weekend.

“After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend one, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked place the headliner for the second weekend.

According to Billboard, Ocean was initially set to be paid $8 million for the two performances, but the disappointing cancellation led to his salary being cut in half.

The performance, and cancellation, allegedly cost the festival millions due to the loss of interested fans, cost of the ice rink and curfew fees.