Movie Review: Peeling the Glass Onion

MICHAEL SHTROM Copy Editor

I never thought I’d relive the year 2020, but as soon as I started watching “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” I immediately felt transported back. From lead detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) playing the popular video game “Among Us” to characters working on Zoom, the film begins in a grounded, realistic depiction of 2020. Residing in this world are a cast of colorful, dramatized characters, featuring Claire (Kathryn Hahn), Duke (Dave Bautista), and Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.), among others. Each of them receive an ornate box of puzzles from billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton), who invites them to his private island in Greece for a murder mystery-themed party. When one of the players is actually murdered and all of the other players become suspects, a real murder mystery begins. There are quite a few enjoyable parts of “Glass Onion.” The film is set in Greece, so it is visually stunning. Every scene is shot against a beautiful backdrop of gorgeous mountains and clear skies, along with a beautiful, intricately-designed mansion that ends up playing an incredibly satisfying part in the climax. The cinematog-

Talented Teacher: Ms. Vu’s Art Career

Though Pinewood art teacher Sasha Vu is beloved by her students and the Pinewood community, she does more than just teach art. In addition to having attended an arts high school and college, she makes colorful

2D illustrations and art installations for various buildings in the San Francisco

Vu’s love for art stemmed from a young

“There are students where [you can tell] that [there’s something] they’re good at,” Vu said.

“And for me, [art] was the thing I was good at. It was obvious raphy enhances these visuals, with creative and unique shots that keep the film visually interesting as a whole. Along with great visuals, the film is supported by solid writing. The story unfolds in an engaging and satisfying way, and most of the plot elements established early in the film are tied up by the end in interesting and unexpected ways. I particularly enjoyed how some of the metaphors and puzzles discussed early in the film, such as the Glass Onion itself and the fugue in the puzzle boxes, become a representation for the film and story itself.

However, these metaphors also exemplify one of the problems with the film: the reveal of the murderer. From the beginning, the film works tirelessly to set up motivations and potential explanations for multiple suspects, but the murderer is eventually revealed to be the most obvious candidate. While the Glass Onion metaphor — a layered, multifaceted object with a clear center — does attempt to explain it, the reveal of the murderer still comes off as somewhat uninspired. In addition, I would have liked the characters in the film to have more development. Though this may be typical in a murder mystery, each character seems to have a single character trait that is overexaggerated throughout the film, leaving little room to explore any complexities in the characters. I believe that, if the film showed a bit more char acter development or featured more complete character arcs, it would have been even more compelling. develop my artistic voice,” Vu said. to everyone and I just went with it.”

Despite these flaws, I still had a great time with “Glass Onion.” The characters were fun, albeit a bit oversimplified, and the story had a satisfying structure. Because it features a good murder mystery with an anticlimactic ending, I would say that this would be a great film for someone who enjoys the journey rather than the destination.

A few of the classes she took included expressive art therapy, sculpture, and film classes, all of which she said helped expand her “artistic voice” and gave her opportunities that she wouldn’t normally have elsewhere.

Throughout her art journey, Vu said she has been inspired and encouraged by her art teachers. Despite struggling in other subjects, having teachers who recognized Vu’s strengths gave her the affirmation and support she needed. Vu’s art teachers have been some of her biggest influences along her journey and are part of the reason why she loves teaching art today, she said.

Outside of school, Vu is the co-founder of a San Francisco art collective, Street Heart. The collective, which Vu runs with a few friends, mainly consists of installation art and murals. Vu said she has been making art installations with her friends for about six years now.

This love for art continued from high school and led to her attending Pratt Institute, an art university in New York. During her time at Pratt, Vu said she was surrounded by the world of art and honed her skills.

“It was good to be immersed in art and be given so many opportunities to explore different mediums, and

Vu’s art can be seen on display in San Francisco; her latest piece was completed in an art residency, which is a studio space where art can be made. Art residencies are typically combined with a show toward the end. Vu has done many art shows, although she said the thought of having so many eyes on her art can be nerve-wracking at times.

Even as a professional artist, Vu still struggles with art at times.

“There’s always a feeling . . . when you look at your art and think ‘I hate this,’” Vu said. “[When this happens,] time can [help] if I take a few days to step away and look back at it.”