Newspaper Page Text
DIRECTOR RIAN JOHNSON TAKES
US THROUGH THE
Kevin Webb
Art and Entertainment Associate
Editor
KTW9B9@yahoo. Com
Futuristic thriller Looper
is the third film from director
Rian Johnson and his largest
project yet, reuniting him with
RISING STAR JOSEPH GORDON-LEV-
itt. The pair originally collabo
rated on Brick, Johnson’s criti
cally ACCLAIMED FEATURE DEBUT,
WHICH BROUGHT A NEW APPROACH
TO THE NOIR MYSTERY GENRE.
In Looper, Johnson takes
ON A COMPLEX TIME-TRAVEL THEME,
WITH BORDON-LEVITT STARRING AS
AN ASSASSIN FORCED TO KILL A FU
TURE VERSION OF HIMSELF. BRUCE
Willis plays “Dld Joe,” Gordon-
LEVITT’S COUNTERPART FROM 3D
YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
“I DON’T WANT TO TALK
ABOUT TIME-TRAVEL SHIT,” WILLIS
TELLS GORDON-LEVITT’S “YOUNG
Joe” early in the film. “Because
IF WE START, WE’RE GOING TO BE
HERE ALL DAY, MAKING DIAGRAMS
WITH STRAWS.”
IF ANYTHING, THE LINE COULD
BE A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR THE
AUDIENCE DELIVERED BY JOHN
SON himself. Rather than dive
INTO THE IMPOSSIBLY CONFUSING
MECHANICS TIME-TRAVEL, LOOPER
FOCUSES ON SIMPLER DYNAMICS.
Though the story takes place
IN 2044, TIME machines will not
BE INVENTED FOR ANOTHER 3G
YEARS, AND ARE IMMEDIATELY OUT
LAWED. Still, the mob finds a
USE FOR THE TECHNOLOGY, SEND
ING MARKED MEN BACK IN TIME TO
BE KILLED BY LOOPERS LIKE JOE.
Every looper is contract
ed TO ONE DAY KILL THEIR FUTURE
SELF, TAKING A LARGE PAYCHECK IN
EXCHANGE FOR A SHORTENED LIFES
PAN. However when Joe’s day
comes, Willis refuses to let his
YOUNGER SELF LOOP.
Johnson introduced the
CONCEPT FOR LOOPER TO GORDON-
Levitt not long after they fin
ished PRODUCTION ON BRICK IN
2005.
“1 WROTE THE PART FOR JOE,
so we had Joe set. So really my
THOUGHTS WITH BRUCE WERE LESS
ABOUT PICKING HIM AS AN OLDER
VERSION OF JOE, BUT INSTEAD HIM
BEING REALLY GOOD FOR THE ROLE.
And of course there’s the part
OF HIM BEING BRUCE WILLIS,”
Johnson said during an
INTERVIEW WITH THE MAROON TI
GER. “YOU SEE HIM AS THE BIG AC
TION STAR WHO’S GOING TO FIND
THE VILLAIN OR WHATEVER, BUT IT
TURNS OUT TO NOT REALLY BE THAT
AT ALL.”
WITH GORDON-LEVITT STAR
RING opposite Willis, one might
EXPECT THE FILM TO REVOLVE
AROUND THE TWO VERSIONS OF
JOE, BUT IT MANAGES TO SEPARATE
ITS TWO STARS INTO AN EXPLOR
ATORY plot. Young Joe wants
TO KILL HIS OLDER SELF IN ORDER
TO ESCAPE PUNISHMENT FROM THE
mob, but Willis’s character is
SET ON DESTROYING THE RAINMAK
ER, A DICTATOR WHO RULES THE
WORLD IN 2 □ 74.
Though Looper is set in
THE FUTURE, JOHNSON DEPICTS
A FUTURE THAT IS VERY DIFFER
ENT FROM SCIENCE-FICTION STA
TUS qiuos. The world of 2044
IS DARK, AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE
DISAPPOINTING TO THE CHARACTERS
THAN IT IS TO THE AUDIENCE.
Johnson spends a good
PORTION OF THE FILM BRINGING HIS
VIEWERS INTO THIS WORLD, BUT
TAKES CARE NOT TO GET BOGGED
DOWN IN THE LESS IMPORTANT AS
PECTS OF THE FILM’S SOMEWHAT
COMPLEX PREMISE. THE STORY IS
INSTEAD MOVED FORWARD WITH
THEMES THAT EXIST OUTSIDE OF
THE FUTURE SETTING.
Johnson became an in
die DARLING WITH BRICK, A HARD-
NOSED DETECTIVE THRILLER SET
IN A SUBURBAN HIGH SCHOOL. IT
WAS PRAISED FOR ITS RESPECT TO
THE NOIR CLASSICS OF THE 1 9305
WHILE INJECTING NEW LIFE INTO
THE GENRE. LOOPER IS THE WRIT
ER/DIRECTOR’S FIRST FORAY INTO
SCIENCE-FICTION AND CREATES A
FUTURE SETTING THAT IS AS ENGAG
ING AS ANY SCI-FI FILM CREATED IN
RECENT YEARS.
“I LIKE GENRES BECAUSE
THEY GIVE YOU A CHESS BOARD,
PIECES TO WORK WITH AND MOVE
AROUND FOR THE AUDIENCE. SCI-
Fl GENRE IS A GENRE THAN DE
MANDS TO BE INFUSED,” JOHNSON
SAID. “YOU ALWAYS HAVE A BETTER
CHANCE AT POPPING OUT AT FESTI
VALS, IF YOUR MOVIE IS INTEREST
ING. IT’S NEVER THE RIGHT THING
LOOP
TO JUST GO WITH EVERYONE ELSE
IN MAKING IN THE INDIE WORLD. IT’S
ALWAYS THE RIGHT THING TO MAKE
SOMETHING NO ONE’S SEEN BE
FORE.”
Looper was a project in
THE MAKING FOR A BETTER PART
OF A DECADE, AND WAS PRODUCED
INDEPENDENTLY FOR STUDIO END
GAME Entertainment before be
ing PICKED UP FOR DISTRIBUTION
by Sony Pictures. The $3D mil
lion DOLLAR BUDGET USED TO PRO
DUCE THE FILM IS THE LARGEST OF
Johnson’s career, but meager
IN COMPARISON TO BLOCKBUSTER
SCI-FI THRILLERS LIKE TOTAL RE
CALL.
Celebrating its opening
LAST WEEKEND, THE MOVIE HAS
ALREADY GARNERED A “CERTIFIED
Fresh” rating from Rotten To
matoes, WITH A 93 PERCENT AP
PROVAL RATING.
The 38-year-old director
CAN NOW BE CALLED AN INNOVA
TOR IN MULTIPLE GENRES, AS HIS
CAREER CONTINUES TO BRANCH OUT
INTO NEW TERRITORY.
“YOU SPEND 3-4 YEARS ON A
MOVIE, THINKING ABOUT THE IDEAS
FOR A MOVIE. AND WHEN YOU’RE
DONE WITH THAT, YOU’RE KIND OF
SICK OF THAT,” JOHNSON SAID OF
HIS CREATIVE PROCESS. “YOU JUST
WANT TO FIND SOMETHING NEW,
AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIF
FERENT.”
Here’s to 5C, one, and
MANY MORE FOR OUR SPIDER-MEN.
ARE YOU READY FOR
FALL FASHION TRENDS?
FUTIflG LOTUS EXPLORES
Michael Martin
Contributing Writer
mike.a.martin93@gmail.com
Summer is almost over! Is yoijr
WARDROBE READY FOR THE CHANGE? HERE
ARE A FEW QUICK TIPS TO KEEP YOU LOOK
ING GREAT THIS FALL.
For men, it’s all about the
blues. Dark blue suits can be a great
ALTERNATIVE TO THE BORING GREY AND
BLACK SUITS WE’VE SEEN SINCE ITS CRE
ATION. And you can keep those bright
SUMMER SHIRTS IN YOUR WARDROBE, AS
THEY ARE A GREAT POP OF COLOR TO ADD
TO THESE BLUE-BLACK SUITS. ALSO, DON’T
BE AFRAID TO TRY ADDING A TIE CLIP TO A
SLIM SQUARE-END TIE AS THE ICING ON THE
CAKE TO THIS PROFESSIONAL FALL LOOK.
Furs and skins are a given for
ANY FALL/WINTER SEASON. FOXTAIL KEY
CHAINS ARE A BIT OUTDATED, SO OPT FOR
A MORE GLASSY OPTION, LIKE A SCARF. FUR
JACKETS AND VESTS CAN BE A FLAVORFUL
ADDITION TO A SIMPLE FALL OUTFIT. BUT IF
YOU HAPPEN TO BE ANTI-FUR OR JUST WANT
TO TRY A LESS HARSH APPROACH, ALLIGA
TOR SKIN BELTS AND WALLETS ARE OTHER
CHOICES THAT WORK JUST AS WELL IN AC
CENTING A FALL LOOK.
Leather can be a great op
tion TO ADD SOME EDGE TO YOUR FALL
WARDROBE. A GREAT BOMBER JACKET
PAIRED WITH COMBAT BOOTS AND SLIM FIT
JEANS CAN CREATE AN EDGY LOOK TO ADD
SOME SPICE TO YOUR REPERTOIRE OF FALL
clothing. Leather pants can be pulled
OFF WITH THE RIGHT STYLING, SO BE CARE
FUL WHEN TRYING THIS UNUSUAL TREND.
Go BIG THIS FALL WITH OVERSIZED
GARMENTS! WEARING TRENCH COATS,
SHIRTS, FUNKY SWEATERS, AND JACKETS
A FEW SIZES TOO BIG ISN’T TABOO LIKE
THOSE INFAMOUS “TAUT. TEES.” PAIR THESE
OVERSIZED PIECES WITH A SKINNY JEAN AND
CLUNKY BOOTS AND YOU’RE READY TO GO.
Plaid shirts are a fall staple
AND CO WELL WITH ANY WARDROBE, NO
MATTER YOUR STYLE. SOMETHING NEW
YOU CAN TRY IS TYING YOUR PLAID SHIRT
AROUND YOUR WAIST. TRADITIONALLY
THOUGHT AS SOMETHING MOSTLY DONE BY
WOMEN, WE’RE SEEING THIS TREND ON THE
RUNWAYS OF MENSWEAR SHOWS AROUND
THE WORLD. So WHETHER YOU WEAR THEM
BUTTONED IJP AND TUCKED IN, OPEN AS A
JACKET, OR TIED AROUND THE WAIST, PLAID
IS A MUST-HAVE FOR FALL.
The most important thing is
TO MAKE THESE TRENDS WORK FOR YOU!
Don’t wear something just because
it’s “in.” Wear it because it makes
YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE AND EXPRESSES
YOUR PERSONAL STYLE. MlX THESE LOOKS
IN WITH YOUR SIGNATURE AND YOU’LL BE
READY FOR THOSE WARM AUTUMN NIGHTS
BY THE BONFIRE.
"UflTIL THE
Kevin Webb
Associate A&E Editor
Ktw989 @ yahoo .com
The name “FlyLo” may escape
recognition from all but the most astute
music aficionados, but electronic producer
and DJ Flying Lotus has been pushing out
beats for the better part of a decade. While
some may be most familiar with the tunes
he produces for Adult Swim’s signature
black and white bumps, “Until the Quiet
Comes” is the fourth album released by the
Los Angeles composer. Working under the
tutelage of famed hip-hop producer J.Dilla,
Steve Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, developed
his own style blending old school hip-hop
tracks with electronically produced jazz
and blues sounds.
Flying Lotus has established himself
as a leading member of American hip-hop’s
avant-garde, and “Until the Quiet Comes”
is no doubt an experimental project. The
album was described by FlyLo himself as
“a collage of musical states, dreams, sleeps
and lullabies." The first track on the album
“All In” is a showcase of the producer’s di
versity, introducing us to an array of sounds
ranging from harps, bells and shakers to
bass and guitar over a fast moving drum
beat. The track eventually slows down,
bringing us into the trance sounds of “Get
ting There” featuring the vocal talents of
Niki Randa.
Listeners are treated to a variety of
styles as the album progresses, with tracks
like “Heave(n)” and “Sultan's Request”
reflecting influences from nu-jazz and
dubstep respectively. Like a handful of the
album’s 18 tracks, “All The Secrets,” lasts
under two minutes, but teases us with a
QUIET COfllES"
smooth melody mixed into abstract video
game-esque sound. Teasing is something
FlyLo does well; “The Nightcaller” bumps
with synthetic funk and quick rhythm
before breaking into a slower lounge style
beat with an even funkier walking bass.
Leaving fans disoriented seems to be one of
Ellison’s goals, surfing across a countless
number of appealing sounds with no appar
ent direction.
His 2010 offering, “Cosmogram-
ma,” gained widespread critical acclaim,
having been partially inspired by a trip on
DMT, a hallucinogenic drug said to create
near death experiences. Ellison took the
drug in an effort to cope with his mother’s
death. “DMT Song” is an ode to the drug,
featuring Brainfeeder bassist Thundercat,
invoking the sounds of 60s psychedelic
music.
FlyLo has been no stranger to col
laboration, bringing in a number of heavy
hitters. Erykah Badu’s singing is almost
difficult to recognize underneath the rolling
sounds of procession on “See Thru To U.”
Radiohead front man Thom Yorke offers
his distinct vocals to “Electric Candyman,”
echoing through the track's heavy sea of
reverb.
By the end of “Until the Quiet
Comes,” Flyng Lotus has thoroughly
explored the experimental territory he is
known for. The blend of unique sounds is
impressive as always, though some of the
album’s tracks border on becoming too
self-indulgent. Though Flying Lotus's work
may never see tremendous mainstream
success, his brand of exploration will be
what inspires future generations of industry
producers.
Recycle The Maroon Tiger
WWW.THEMAROONTIGER.COM
OCTOBER 3- 10, 2012