Dune: Part 2 - The Prophecy Fulfilled

 

Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya). These two characters are the protagonists of Director Denis Villeneuve's sequel.

The Kwisatz Haderach Rises

"You shall die. You may see... the Beauty and the Horror!" - The Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) to her son Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as she wills him to become the Kwisatz Haderach foretold by the Bene Gesserit Prophecy

Dune: Part 2 is another truly great film from Canadian Director Denis Villeneuve. In it, he tells the second half of the story begun in 2021's Dune. As adapted from Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction classic, this is the story of Paul Atreides's ascendancy to become a Messiah figure and Emperor of the known universe.

Part 2 opens exactly where the first film ended, with Paul and his mother the Lady Jessica traveling to Sietch Tabr, a Fremen stronghold, with Stilgar (Javier Bardem), the tribe's leader and his people. Paul and his mother are the last survivors of House Atreides, the rest of whom were killed during an ambush under cover of dark by their Harkonnen rivals. 

 

Villeneuve jumps right into the action, since all of the exposition was done in the first film. So it helps to have done your homework by reading the book and seeing the 2021 movie beforehand. Right off the bat we see some truly awesome visuals. Particularly cool is seeing the insect-like Harkonnen troops using anti-gravity boots to float up the face of a rock wall so they can avoid a Sandworm attack.

 

The opening fight scene immerses us in the struggle for control of Arrakis, the only planet in the universe that produces Spice - a substance that extends life, and one that facilitates travel between planets. The struggle is between the native Fremen, who come to embrace Paul as their leader, and the Harkonnens, led by the grotesquely corpulent Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) and his nephews Beast Rabban (Dave Bautista) and the psychotic Feyd Rautha (Austin Butler). Where the good guys are sand coloured and dirt covered, the bad guys are black and resemble giant bugs. Villeneuve seems to have taken a cue from the Star Wars movies here.

 

Na-Baron Feyd Rautha embraces his uncle the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen after being named
Planetary Governor of Arrakis.

 

 

The bad guys are truly sinister here. Austin Butler's Feyd Rautha is introduced to us on the polluted Harkonnen homeworld of Giedi Prime. He is first seen preparing for a gladiator match set in a triangle-shaped arena that was shot entirely in black and white. The exploding fireworks from above look like so much ink temporarily staining an otherwise colourless sky. Butler does a damn good job at stepping into the leading villain's shoes. He achieves a neat trick by doing an uncanny impersonation of Skarsgård's accent. As the Baron's heir apparent, he is a genuinely scary villain.

Speaking of standout performances, for me the film's best character by far is the Fremen leader Stilgar. He is a true believer in the Bene Gesserit spread Prophecy of the coming of the Lisan al Gaib (Voice from the Outer World) who will lead the Fremen to a 'Green Paradise.' Set against the skeptical and non-believing Fremen, Stilgar does a wonderful job of providing comic relief in an otherwise serious film.

One bit of casting that had me wondering was Christopher Walken as the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV. At one point, speaking to Baron Harkonnen, he says: "More! I need more!" To me it seems like a deliberate reference to Walken's famous SNL Cowbell sketch. Another bit of welcome humour. 

 

All of the action and decisions our hero makes lead up to the climactic final duel between Paul Atreides and Feyd Rautha, after which Paul assumes the title of Emperor and launches his Holy War across the stars. This sets the stage for a possible third film - Dune: Part 3, which would cover the material from the second of Frank Herbert's Dune novels, Dune Messiah.

Saltburn - Emerald Fennell's Satire of the British Upper Classes Serves up Shocks and Laughs

 

Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) Saltburn's Villainous Protagonist, on the lawns of the Estate.

Tell Me What You Want: Irish Actor Barry Keoghan Steals the Show as Saltburn's multifaceted Protagonist

For an otherwise exciting, well-paced movie, the twist at the end of Emerald Fennell's Saltburn is rather disappointing. Human greed at work again. Yawn. But I'll come back to that.

Director and Writer Emerald Fennell has created what is likely to become a cult classic with her movie, the title of which references the lavish British country Estate where half of the film's action takes place.

Saltburn is home of the aristocratic Cattons. We first meet the son, Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) at Oxford University, where he studies, and is admired from afar by Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan). Felix does what you would expect him to - parties, attracts women effortlessly, drinks and dances into all hours of the night with his friends, and lets the trash pile up in his room because cleaning is something you leave for the Maid.

Felix and Oliver meet, seemingly by accident, when Felix's bike has a flat tire and he borrows Oliver's to make it to class. Up until this point in the film, Oliver's best friend on campus is an ultra nerd who at one point yells at Oliver to ask him a numerical sum so that he can prove his genius-like math ability. 

Clearly wanting to move with Felix's set, Oliver gets his wish. Though with a last name like Quick, you've got to believe some foreshadowing is being done.

Oliver gamely puts up with the social humiliations that are part of university life. Including at graduation when Felix's cousin Farleigh Start (Archie Madekwe) make a comment about Oliver almost passing as human in his rented Tuxedo. 

Oliver and Farleigh Start (Archie Madekwe) compare Tuxedos at their Oxford University graduation.

 
After relating a sob story about his home life to Felix, Oliver is soon invited to spend the summer at Saltburn. This is when the story really gets its' wings. We get to see so many sides of Oliver's personality - shy nerd, sly social manipulator, horny, needy creature. You can't take your eyes off of him. 

This is what the film does best. It leaves you guessing until the end about what exactly it is that our unreliable narrator really needs. Does he want to be adopted into the Catton family? Does he want to have sex with Felix (and who could blame him?) 

Or is he just out for the money?

We are introduced to other members of the Catton family as they watch television in a common room. There's Sir James Catton (Richard E. Grant) the Patriarch. Generous, slightly absent minded, odd sense of humour. His wife Elspeth Catton (Rosamund Pike). Her delivery of barbed comments is so good, and so casual. They make for some of the movie's funniest moments.

Venetia Catton (Alison Oliver) Felix's Sister, is a dreamy, moody creature with an unspecified psychological condition. Something that has an effect on her eating habits. She's the most perceptive member of the family.

Cousin Farleigh is also staying at Saltburn for the Summer. He pegs Oliver as a rival, and a potentially dangerous outsider from the start. 

What follows is a game of Oliver's construction set against the backdrop of Summer on the estate. 

The climax occurs at a 'Midsummer Night's Dream' themed birthday party for Oliver on the estate's grounds. By this point Oliver has been exposed to Felix as a liar who made up the sob story about his family (he has two normal looking parents who live in a pleasant house).

Surrounded by all of the pomp, spectacle, and excess, Oliver looks lonely and lost. The people around him who are partying it up stand in stark contrast to this strange person.

Saltburn does a lot as a movie, and much of it well. The cinematography, music, pacing and shock comedy (you will never look at bath time with Rubber Ducky the same way) stand out for me. 

The ending left me cold. The proximity to money and the things it can buy makes Oliver throw any values he has straight out the window. 

"Stranger Danger" indeed, as Venetia Catton aptly puts it near Saltburn's end. When the time is already far too late to do something about said danger.

Star Trek Picard: Season 3 is an Emotional Story about the Nature of Family

 

Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) on the Bridge of the USS Titan. In the background are Jack Crusher (Ed Speelers) and his mother Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden). (Paramount +)

Star Trek Picard's Final Season is Atmospherically Lit, with Superb Storytelling

"You're only ever really as good as those around you. Your crew become a part of you, complete you. They lift you up to accomplish the things you could never do alone." - Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, Season 3, Episode 4: No Win Scenario

"I have slaughtered countless enemies over the years, and considered sending their heads to all of you. But I was advised that was... passive aggressive." - Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) addressing his Enterprise crew mates, Episode 8: Surrender

The final season of Star Trek Picard, a show named after one of the franchise's most famous characters, succeeds in wrapping up The Next Generation crew's story with an emotional bang. Gone are the previous seasons' hesitation to use Starfleet ships with crews in full uniform. 

Those ships, namely the moodily lit USS Titan, serve as the backdrop for a season that is unmatched when it comes to Special Effects, Lighting, bringing beloved TNG characters back into the mix, and, most importantly, plot.

Season 3 does a deep dive into the nature of family. We learn that Admiral Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher have a son who was born more than 20 years ago. As the story begins, a hunted Beverly sends Picard a desperate call for help on an encoded transmission that he accesses through his old Communicator Badge. Telling him to, "trust no one" she implores Picard to come to her aid.

Which, of course, he does.

We soon learn that Beverly and Jack are being pursued by a group of Changelings - beings who can imitate a person's appearance on sight. Their Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) has a special interest in capturing Jack. As we get to know his character, we learn that Jack is haunted by a Red Door in his mind that has vines creeping away from it, crawling underneath hallway floors and along the walls of his thoughts.

In one brief scene we see him shirtless, splashing water on his face, haunted by these visions. With a chest like that it's no wonder why everyone is pursuing him across the galaxy. The man is simply too attractive for his own good. 

: - )...

But I digress.

Admiral Picard and Jack Crusher have a drink together in a Holodeck version of Ten Forward - a bar that was part of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D. (Paramount +)

 

Episode 4: No Win Scenario is a crucial episode for both the plot twists and its' contribution to the theme of family. It opens with Picard and the crew of the USS Titan trapped in a gravity well that is pulling the ship ever deeper, slowly crushing it. It appears to be a hopeless situation.

Indeed, the episode must draw as an inspiration the famous Kobayashi Maru training simulation used at Starfleet Academy. Those who undertake the simulation are faced with an unbeatable enemy force and certain death. It has become shorthand for a 'no win scenario.'

Of course, through Picard, Dr. Crusher and Jack banding together and convincing other crew members, they get themselves out of the gravity well and manage to outmaneuver their Changeling enemies. Near the episode's end we see a flashback of a speech given by Admiral Picard to Starfleet Cadets. This flashback ends in the quote above - about how a real family lifts you up and encourages you to do your best work among them.

The family of Starfleet is based on shared ideas and values. In Scott Colura's excellent video for IGN he discusses why the Starfleet Uniform matters: "It's not just that Starfleet Uniforms should look cool when done right. They also mean something to these characters... The uniforms are indicators for the type of characters being portrayed. If you're wearing Starfleet red, gold, or blue you've basically outgrown the petty, selfish concerns of humanity (in the) 21st century. You stand for something more than yourself - you stand for principals like duty, honour, sacrifice & truth."

Contrasting with the Starfleet family in this Season's final episodes are the Borg. They are revealed as the main Antagonists - the mysterious entity that has been hunting Jack Crusher. For Jack has the Borg encoded into his very DNA. He is able to transmit Borg signals and temporarily control the bodies of non-Borg crew members.

In the series finale it is revealed that the Borg Queen (voiced by Alice Krige) has stayed alive after the Star Trek: Voyager 'Endgame' episode by cannibalizing the drones on her Cube. She survives by draining the life forces of others to buy herself time. The Queen delivers a terrifying and dark monologue to Picard as he works to rescue Jack from the Collective's clutches. 

Where in Starfleet the ideal crew lifts up individual members by encouraging and developing their gifts, with the Borg the life forces of the many are taken to serve the needs of an elite few. As Picard aptly points out after connecting himself to the Borg hive mind in order to free his son, the Borg represent not perfection, as they claim, but death.

Jack's rescue by Picard is easily one of the series' most potent emotional moments. It caps off a number of such moments in a well paced and written 10 episode run. 

A final note - Commander Worf easily steals every scene he is part of. The character's evolution into a kind of Zen Master who prefers pacifism over violence makes sense. And Worf's dry humour with a trademark deadpan delivery hits the mark almost every time.

For those who enjoyed the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series (1987 - 1994) or any of the feature films that followed (Star Trek: Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, etc.), you will find Season 3 of Picard a worthy sendoff to a beloved cast of characters.

Severance, a new Apple TV+ Series, is both completely Original and Electrifying

Helly R. (Britt Lower) and Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) enjoy some 'Defiant Jazz' in Apple TV+'s electrifying series Severance.

With Severance, Ben Stiller has created a completely original Office Drama with hints of Science Fiction and Suspenseful Twists

"In the air the smoke cloud takes its form.
All the phones take pictures while it's warm.

Panopticom, let’s find out what’s going on.
Panopticom, let’s see where clues are leading.
Panopticom, won't you show us what's going on?
Panopticom - so how much is real?" - Peter Gabriel, Panopticom

Severance, Apple TV+'s excellent new series, was informed by Showrunner Dan Erickson's own experiences in the corporate world. As Erickson told Apple Insider, he had a string of office jobs including one in a, "weird little windowless office." He often thought to himself: "Man, I wish I could just totally not experience the next eight hours. I wish I could disassociate and just have it be 5:00 PM and suddenly I'm going home."

Actor and Director Ben Stiller, who directed and produced 6 episodes of the series, said the plot is, "reminiscent of certain workplace office comedies, but then it also had this other strange, dark undertone to it too."

The show's plot revolves around Lumon Industries, a multinational corporation that has pioneered the practice of Severance. This means employees who opt for the procedure have their work and home selves split through the effects of a microchip that is inserted into their Brains. A severed worker's 'Outie' has no idea of the nature of the work he or she does for Lumon, while their 'Innie' has no idea what their life above in the outside world is like.

Lumon Industries was founded by the mysterious Keir Egan, a corporate figure who inspires religious levels of devotion within the firm. The Bell Labs Holmdel Complex in New Jersey was used as Lumon's corporate offices for the show. The floor used for the series' severed workers has a mid-century architecture that gives Severance a feel of existing outside the boundaries of time. 

The Metadata Refinement Team are the show's core characters. Mark S. (Adam Scott), hilariously foul mouthed Dylan (Zach Cherry), defiant newcomer Helly R. (Britt Lower) and rules obsessed Irving G. (John Turtorro) spend their days pulling 'scary' numbers into electronic boxes while working on older computers in a very retro office setup. 

Their employer, it would seem, is up to something rather sinister. 

The team's supervisor is the absolutely terrifying Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) who reminds me very much of the character of Love, a merciless Personal Assistant and Replicant, from Blade Runner 2049. Mr. Milchick doles out awards such as Melon Parties and Musical Experiences for Lumon employees who perform and stay on their best behaviour. Rule breakers are taken to the 'Break Room' where they must repeat a bizarre Mea Culpa with religious overtones until Milchick and his own boss, mid level Manager Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) are satisfied.

Cobel lives next door to Mark S. in the outside world, where he knows her by another name and identity. She gets to spy on her star employee and worship at the altar she has created in her home for Lumon Founder Keir Egan.

The show's writing is solid, bordering on flawless at times. And the concept has been well developed and tested by the show's team of writers. Particularly enjoyable is the character of Burt G. (Christopher Walken), the head of Lumon's Optics & Design department. His office romance with Irving G., and how this in turn kindles a budding alliance between the 2 departments, is both moving and a hilarious send up of inter-office rivalries.

In Episode 3 (In Perpetuity) members of the departments encounter each other in one of Lumon's many bland, aggressively illuminated hallways. Dylan, who has been led to believe the Optics and Design employees were once involved in an attack against the Metadata Refiners, misses no opportunity to take a shot at Burt G. Observing the remnants of their 'Egg Drop Challenge' he remarks, "those Eggs look like shit!" as the teams part ways.

This is quite humourous because Dylan loves the meaningless perks that Lumon doles out for its' star workers - such as Finger Traps, hand drawn Caricatures, and Waffle Parties complete with Eyes Wide Shut overtones.

Season 1 of Severance ends with a nail biting cliffhanger as the Metadata Refiners work to, "burn (Lumon Industries) to the ground," to paraphrase the words of Irving G. The team has found a way to bring their work selves into the outside world,  thus setting the stage for a very exciting opening to Season 2, which has been confirmed by Apple.

Brett Morgen's 'Moonage Daydream' Captures Bowie in all his Colourful Complexity

 

Brett Morgen's impressionistic documentary on rock legend David Bowie hits its' mark, capturing a complex human and diving deep into what motivated him.

"Never play to the gallery (laughs). But you never learn that until much later on, I think... I think it's terribly dangerous for an Artist to fulfill other people's expectations. I think they generally produce their worst work when they do that. The other thing I would say is that if you feel safe in the area you're working in, you're not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you're capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don't feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you're just about at the right place to do something exciting." - David Bowie interview from the 1990s'

Director Brett Morgen's Moonage Daydream Paints David Bowie in broad strokes while revealing a warm, humane philosophy of life

Moonage Daydream, a film collage exploration of David Bowie's career, begins with cold space. Specifically the surface of the Moon and a crumpled, empty Astronaut's uniform with a smiley face on the chest plate. As this image fades out, there is a fade-in of Hallo Spaceboy. And just like that, we're plunged into the action.

Director Brett Morgen assumes his viewers are familiar with Bowie's signature achievements and outsize impact on popular culture. So in making the film, which has a rubber stamp from the Thin White Duke's estate, he goes for a splashy neon collage of a movie that explores major themes in the man's life and body of work. 

Narrated mostly by Bowie himself, Moonage Daydream covers well-known events in Bowie's life from approximately 1971 (Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) through the early 1980s' (Let's Dance). His last album, 2016's Blackstar, and Bowie's death shortly after the album's release is barely touched on. 

Which is a good thing, in my opinion. By allowing Bowie to narrate the bulk of the picture his philosophy of life is explored - both the light and the dark. Alienation and Isolation - well-known Bowie themes - are covered here in his emotionally distant relationship with his parents. His family suffered from, "an awful lot of emotional-spiritual mutilation," in the Artist's words.

We also get to see him offer his own version of spirituality. There are surprisingly warm reflections about the importance of travel, being connected to other human beings, and the pure joy of a life filled with a large variety of experiences. 

I particularly identify with his desire to make every day count. The man hated wasting time. When answering a 'Proust Questionnaire' in 1998, to answer the question: "What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?," Bowie responded: "To have discovered the early morning." That time of day when it feels as if the world belongs to you, and you alone. 

Though I am familiar with his work, and own all of Bowie's albums, I was still surprised by the intellectual playfulness and flexibility he displayed. It's well articulated in the audio and video clips Morgen chose to use.

While overall an excellent ride, I do have two criticisms of Moonage Daydream. Firstly, the lack of context and chronological progression could be off putting for viewers who are not well versed in David Bowie's work and personas. (There was a lot of work - in addition to the albums, Bowie painted, acted on stage and film, sketched, and made sculptures in his spare time.) Watch for a clip of Bowie acting in a Broadway staging of The Elephant Man. Morgen uses it quite effectively - it's a very emotional moment. 

My second criticism is that, though they use clips from the music video again and again, we never hear The Heart's Filthy Lesson from 1995's superb Outside album. This song is my favourite David Bowie song. It addresses mortality and the danger of wasting time. 

In the best part Bowie sings, "Paddy will you carry me? I think I've lost my way. (Heart's Filthy Lesson, Heart's Filthy Lesson.) I'm already five years older, I'm already in my grave. I'm already." The song is more potent than ever with the News being filled with natural disasters of all shapes and sizes. 

He's telling us to get on with it. It's a message I've taken to heart.

So for all the Bowie-philes and longtime fans, go see Moonage Daydream. In IMAX, if possible. The sound is intense and wonderfully overwhelming at times. You will enjoy yourself. 

For people who have only a vague idea of the man's career and significance, best to take a pass on this one.

Indie Director Bruce LaBruce Pokes Fun at the Fashion World and Infidelity with The Affairs of Lidia

Sandro (Drew Dixon), Piero (Sean Ford), and Lidia (Skye Blue) confront each other in a scene from Bruce LaBruce's 'The Affairs of Lidia' where infidelities are revealed.

Bruce LaBruce returns with a satirical Romantic Comedy filled with silly dialog, big ideas, and a thoroughly enjoyable Soundtrack

"Gay, straight, I don't know what it matters anymore." - Piero (Sean Ford)

"What matters is... Fidelity." - Lidia (Skye Blue)

Fidelity (definition from Merriam-Webster's online Dictionary)
Noun

1. a) The quality or state of being faithful

    b) Accuracy in details: Exactness

Canadian Director Bruce LaBruce, who helmed It's Not the Pornographer that is Perverse... (2018) and Saint-Narcisse (2020), among other Art films made a good choice when he decided to use the song I'm Over You by Vomit Heat as the theme for his newest feature film, The Affairs of Lidia. The song's lyrics about being done with an unfaithful partner and the catchy hook serve as a counterpoint to the film's fluffy plot. The last minute and a half of the track is just haunting. It brings to mind the feeling of standing alone in a downpour outside a bar on a hot Summer night after last call, contemplating the world.

I'm Over You is a song about someone washing his hands of a failed relationship. It serves as an emotional undercurrent to the goings on in LaBruce's pornographic satire of the Fashion world. "I'm hiding from you... I was lying to you. Usually dishonesty isn't something that I like to deal with... I'm over you," croons Nils Herzogenrath. The lyrics resonate with me.

In The Affairs of Lidia the titular Lidia (Skye Blue), a Model, suspects her Boxer husband Michelangelo (Markus Kage) of being unfaithful. She discreetly follows him one morning and discovers he is having an affair with Sandro (Drew Dixon) a Fashion Photographer. To get revenge Lidia first seduces Sandro, and then strikes up a friendship with Piero (Sean Ford), Sandro's boyfriend, who runs a boutique clothing shop. The dialog that prefaces this entry is from Lidia and Piero's first meeting.

This particular exchange is the film's biggest joke. Only two of the characters in LaBruce's bedroom farce could be described as faithful. The Fashion industry itself is built on superficiality, since clothing projects an image of how we want to be seen by the world. This image changes from season to season, and from one year to another to keep profits flowing. 

So it's the exact opposite of the qualities most attractive in a human being - C squared. This was once described to me as being, "Constant and Consistent." Interacting with the best people (in my experience) is like going to a favourite Restaurant - you know what to expect, and have those expectations met consistently. In other words, the person is reliable and standing on solid foundations.

Which is not the case with LaBruce's characters in The Affairs of Lidia. This is what makes the movie such an effective erotic comedy. All of the lies and infidelities eventually come to a head in a dinner party hosted by Lidia at her loft.

Because The Affairs of Lidia is at its' heart an Art Porn film, acting and dialog are of secondary importance, though still worth mentioning. To call the acting wooden would be generous. It's truly awful on so many levels. In fact, the cast's acting is so bad that it's good.

My favourite scene is a Fashion shoot where Sandro is photographing Xenia (Pascale Drevillon), a transsexual Model. While having Xenia pose Sandro uses a large painted black box as a prop. When asking Xenia to imagine various scenarios he says, "(The box) is your lover. It's the best box you've ever had." And then a moment later, imagining a different scenario, he says, "The box is telling you a secret. What's it telling you my dear?" In a third scenario: "You want to walk the box. How are you going to walk the box?" The scene's acting and dialog revel in their absurdity while playfully mocking the idea of Fashion.

A word about LaBruce's choice of cast to end this entry. While many are familiar names in the adult film industry, the casting of American Sean Ford stands out. Over the years, he has taken on the role of intellectual Porn Star. Back in 2020 he was featured in a wonderful interview in Interview magazine where he discussed the importance of intimacy.

Ford was also the Model for British Artist Stuart Sandford's statue work Adlocutio, which is based on 3D scans of Ford. The piece is rather tongue-in-cheek because the word adlocutio comes from Latin, and refers to an address from an Emperor or General to his assembled troops. The figure's outstretched right hand is meant to signal power and authority, as well as divinity and devotion. In Sandford's piece the naked Ford is taking a selfie, presumably to post on Social Media. To me, Sean Ford is the most interesting figure in contemporary pop culture.

LaBruce puts Ford in all sorts of adorable outfits throughout The Affairs of Lidia. He looks especially cute while wearing a white button up shirt with earrings and a black French Painter's hat. His lack of acting ability and the monotone delivery of his lines isn't really a problem.

I give The Affairs of Lidia 4 out of 5 stars. It's an entertaining escape if you enjoy romantic comedies and bad acting. Sit back, take in the sights, and let the soundtrack linger in your mind.

We're Not Broken by Eric Michael Garcia Takes a Deep Dive into Living with Autism

 

Eric Michael Garcia, an American Journalist and Autistic individual, has written a book that sheds light on the condition, as well as common misconceptions about Autism.

Eric Michael Garcia's First Book We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation Sheds Light on What it's Like to Live with Autism in 2022 America

Autism - definition from Merriam-Webster's online Dictionary:

"A variable developmental disorder that appears by age three and is characterized especially by difficulties in forming and maintaining social relationships, by impairment of the ability to communicate verbally or non-verbally, and by repetitive behaviour patterns and restricted interests and activities."

As someone who is Autistic, I will say the reality is considerably more complex than Merriam-Webster's definition of the condition. For example, while I may occasionally have difficulty maintaining eye contact, I can communicate perfectly well. My interests and activities are wide ranging and include keeping myself up-to-date on the Arts, current events, and breaking news. I also have a strong appreciation of the German culture and work ethic, since I lived in Berlin for 2 years.

Pop culture has often portrayed Autistic individuals as emotionless savants - for example the character of Raymond Babbitt, portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in the 1988 film Rain Man. His character has an excellent memory, but shows little emotional reaction to events. The depiction of Autism in Rain Man popularized the idea of Autists as eternally childlike innocents. 

So the world should be thankful for Eric Michael Garcia, an American Author and Political Journalist who has just published his first book - We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation. Garcia, who is himself Autistic, has written eloquently about Autism advocacy and government policy in the United States.

The book takes a deep dive into such topics as Education, Healthcare, Housing, Relationships, and Work. In doing so it tackles the complexity of Autism and the needs of individuals living with the condition.

I was particularly moved by a passage that discusses how Autistic individuals often live in fear of making poor choices because they worry it will mean a loss of independence.

Through interviewing Autistic individuals who have lived in institutions, Garcia makes a powerful case for integrating these people into their communities, rather than isolating them. 

From page 84: "Unfortunately just as 'experts' in the twentieth century thought it best to keep Autistic people in institutions, there are still people today who support this dated approach. This takes away Autistic people's opportunity to live within their community and with their families - something we know improves their overall well-being."

In my own life experiences, I can certainly attest to this. I have felt happiest when participating in Toronto's LGBT community over the years. From working as John Scythes's Assistant at Glad Day Bookshop, to helping Paul Bellini and Scott Thompson make a documentary about their band Mouth Congress.

Returning to a discussion of Garcia's book, it is a well-researched and thorough examination of Education, Work, Housing, Healthcare, and Relationships told from an American perspective. Garcia graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Journalism program, and has covered American politics for several news organizations. 

Some of Garcia's best writing in We're Not Broken challenges the stereotypes of High Functioning vs. Low Functioning Autists. In interviews conducted for the book, he discusses individuals who, because of their support needs, are seen as Low Functioning, yet manage to hold high functioning jobs. 

From page 26: "Functioning labels only go so far and don't actually describe what autistic people can do - for example, whether they can speak and hold a job or not. Hari Srinivasan, one of the first nonspeaking autistic people admitted to the University of California, Berkeley, said the functioning labels are stigmatizing."

On page 62 Garcia discusses Specialisterne, a global organization born in Denmark that works to connect Autistic individuals with jobs, at some length. Autistic people (myself included) often bring unique strengths to the table that can greatly benefit a company:

"What's more, these hiring initiatives exist in companies all over the world. Thorkil Sonne founded the Danish company Specialisterne in 2004 after he learned his son Lars was autistic, and he has pledged to create one million jobs for autistic people. When I spoke to Tara Cunningham, who was then the CEO of Specialisterne's U.S. organization, on the phone, she immediately mentioned how there were still plenty of misconceptions about autistic people in the workplace, including the idea that many autistic employees love repetitive tasks, which she dubbed 'bullshit.'"

I have always felt that 'high functioning' and 'low functioning' should be assessed on an individual basis. Many autistic people I've met in my own life are perfectly able to communicate their needs to others.

We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation is an important book that shows how far Autists have come in terms of being able to succeed at work, and have their right to independence recognized. Most importantly, Garcia's book tells the story of how more and more, Autists are shaping government policy that affects our lives.

The White Lotus Explores Themes of Class Conflict and Wealth Divide in a Troubled Paradise

 

Staff Members of the titular White Lotus hotel. Hotel Manager Armond (Murray Bartlett), Spa Manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) at center, and Dillon (Lukas Gage) far right.

HBO's The White Lotus explores a growing wealth divide and its consequences with cringe inducing Comedy

Dillon (Lukas Gage): "You're in big trouble." Armond (Murray Bartlett): "I know." - The White Lotus, Episode 4: Recentering

Paul Bellini, a member of The Kids in the Hall, and formerly a columnist for Fab Magazine, once told me that true comedy happens when something goes wrong. Mike White, creator and writer of HBO's drama The White Lotus, understands this well.

A whole bunch of things go terribly wrong in the 6 episode miniseries. Set in the titular Hawaiian resort, the show is an amped up satire of the wealth divide in the United States. White introduces and fleshes out characters whose unlikable qualities cause friction with both each other and the resort's Staff. This results in cringe worthy comedy that makes The White Lotus what a good satire should be.

In a word, biting. 

Shane (Jake Lacy) and his new wife Rachel (Alexandra Daddario) are two of the first guests we meet. Their relationship gradually disintegrates as Shane is revealed to be a man child pursuing a vendetta against Armond because he made a mistake with their room. Because Shane and Armond are both stubborn individuals with strong wills, this conflict escalates as the show progresses.

Other principal characters include the Mossbacher family, presided over by tech company CFO mother Nicole (Connie Britton) and her beta male husband Mark (Steve Zahn). They are accompanied by their son, daughter, and their daughter's best friend.

Quinn Mossbacher (Fred Hechinger) is one of the only characters with redeeming qualities. He grows as a person when his iPad and Cellphone are destroyed by the Ocean. This pushes him out of his comfort zone and he eventually joins a group of local boys who are Canoeing the islands. As a result Quinn begins to learn how to be independent and how to better relate to other people.

Unfortunately most of the characters do not develop. Take spacey heiress Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge). Shortly after arriving at the resort she strikes up a friendship with Spa Manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and tempts her with the prospect of giving Belinda financial backing so she can strike out on her own.

Their relationship is an exploration of a uniquely modern form of Slavery. When your prospective business partner holds all the money, they also hold all the power in the relationship. Which puts you at the mercy of the more powerful person's whims, as Belinda learns the hard way.

For me The White Lotus's strongest plotline is the Tragedy of Armond. Murray Bartlett put his all into the role, and it shows. Armond's will to stay sober after 5 years of being on the wagon is put to the test by his feud with Shane over the room mix up.

Over the course of 6 episodes Armond escalates his feud with Shane as he goes off the rails. Most memorably in Episode 4 when Armond seduces Hotel Attendant Dillon (Lukas Gage) and gets caught by Belinda and Shane. Bartlett's character has so many likeable qualities that you find yourself rooting for him. Which makes it even sadder when the wheels eventually come off. 

After some reflection, I think The White Lotus is a cautionary tale. It shows what happens when people with money and power let it go to their heads. When they don't give other people with less resources the Respect that is the right of every person on this planet. Human dignity is inherent and cannot be taken away.

It's a lesson worth heeding as the world leaves the Pandemic behind. If you've got time on your hands, The White Lotus is certainly worth a watch. 5 out of 5 stars.