16 A RT S & E N T E RTAIN M EN T
Henry By Kassady Doyel It was hot. Too hot. Too hot to be standing out in the sun in nothing but a t - shirt and a pair of jean cutoffs that were a size too small. Too hot to have forgotten sunblock in the car which she couldn’t go fetch for fear of losing her place in line. The only relief she would find was when the people standing in front of her moved forward into the cool, air - conditioned shop, and she could step under the awning that protruded humbly from the front of the building. It hadn’t even been her idea to come to this stupid little shop and stand here, burning. It was Henry’s. Henry with his baseball cap to protect his face and complexion so used to the sun that it didn’t bother his skin at all. Henry who could stay out in the sun all day, not a minute in the shade. Henry wouldn’t mind standing in line for hours in the sun for some off brand ice -cream. But she did. Her, with her skin so pale even now she could feel it beginning to burn after only twenty minutes. Her who spent all of summer indoors or constantly slathering sun block up and down her body. She squinted toward the parking lot, wondering if she had any after sun lotion at home. The line shuffled forward. Her watch read two thirty pm. Henry was always late. He was never on time, she knew this. But each time they met she showed up five minutes to the dot, thinking one day he’d show on time. She wondered if she looked as miserable as she felt, if the poor souls behind her could see on her face as she shamelessly stared, how much she loathed her current situation. The line shuffled forward. She was one paying customer away from the grimy, green awning. One person away from sweet salvation. She stared longingly at the shade only a few feet away. Her mind jumped ahead a few hours to her at home, watching daytime television while cold Aloe Vera stained her couch cushions. “Bea!” She turned at the mention of her name. Henry ran toward her from the parking lot, flip flops slapping the hot pavement so loud that half the line turned to watch his approach as well. “Sorry I’m so late,” He gasped, cracking a lopsided smile and clutching his chest. He wore a worn - out tank top and a pair of blue board shorts. A Mariner’s baseball cap sat backwards on his head. “Don’t worry,” She said, “I’m used to it.” “It’s not like I do it on purpose.” He said. She squinted up at him, he smiled, she rolled her eyes. “I’ve been out here, burning, for half an hour Henry.”
CREATIVE CORNER “Here.” He removed his baseball cap and set it on her head. She held still while he adjusted it so the sun was blocked from her face. It smelled of his shampoo and aftershave, and she found herself sighing as an excuse to take a deep breath of the scent. “Better?” Henry asked. He smiled down at her, his handsome lopsided smile. “It’s not the worst, I guess.” She said. “Oh! I brought this too, knew you’d forget yours.” He pulled a bottle of sunblock out of his pocket and handed it to her. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was too late, she could feel a sunburn, which meant it was too late for sunblock. Not that he would know, she doubted he’d ever had a sunburn in his life. Not perfectly tanned Henry. “I just left it in the car,” she said, “but thanks.” Two groups of people left at once, so instead of stepping into the shade, they walked right under it and into the comparatively freezing shop. She fixed herself a small cup of frozen yogurt, less than half the size of the monstrosity that Henry produced. As they set them on the scale she dug through her wallet searching for her Visa card, but Henry beat her to it. He put a hand on her wrist and he held up his American Express to the woman behind the counter. “It’s alright,” he said, smiling with his lopsided smile, “I’ve got it.” They took their cold treats and left the shop. Henry held the door for her. She sat at a small wire table that was stained with the messes of the day’s previous customers. Taking the seat in the shade, her own sweat mingled with the sticky confection already present on the chair, creating an unpleasant situation for the part of her legs that weren’t protected by her jean cutoffs. Henry’s seat was in the sun, but he didn’t mind. He sat down without a second glance to discern if his seat was spotted the same as hers. “So,” she said, twisting her bright pink plastic spoon between her fingers, “why were you late this time?” “Oh, Bea. It’s a fantastic tale of intrigue, heartbreak, and murder.” “Murder?” He proceeded to tell her the story of how Bruno, a dog he had been asked to look after, had broken free from his yard and led Henry on a wild chase through the surrounding neighbourhood. He had eventually found him in the neighbour’s koi pond, terrorising their fish along with the other neighbour’s dog, a poodle called Pixie. “I still haven’t told them that they have to reimburse them for the fish. They want three hundred bucks. For a fish! Can you believe that?” He smiled his lopsided smile, and she laughed, knowing full well that the next time he asked her to do something with him she would show up five minutes to the dot, because she never wanted to miss a moment of their time together.
SIN Vol. 22 Issue 02
Five feel-good films to beat the pandemic blues By Darragh Nolan
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
College has moved online for Semester One and restrictions are coming back in, as Covid-19 cases surge. Now there’s another reason to stay at home, albeit a less important one; it’s getting pretty chilly out there. The rain’s pouring down in Galway and across the country with more regularity each day and temperatures are crawling ever downwards. It’s high - time we filled the evenings with some tried and tested feel - good favourites.
This indie flick follows Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a 22-year-old with Down’s Syndrome who leaves his care home behind to pursue a dream job in professional wrestling. Social worker Eleanor (Dakota Johnson) tries to bring Zak home while fisherman Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) helps him on his journey to a wrestling school. It’s original, refreshing and utterly wholesome. The Peanut Butter Falcon represents a huge step forward for Hollywood and even sparked a real - life friendship between Gottsagen and LaBeouf which saw them present an Academy Award together. A progressive story that has as much feel - good factor off - screen as on it.
School of Rock (2003)
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
There’s a certain charm to films based around the relationship between a teacher and their students and few are as uplifting as School of Rock. Jack Black is at his very best (admittedly not the hardest task) as a down - on - his - luck rocker who poses as his substitute teacher’s (not a temp!) roommate to score a job at a private school. Dewey Finn, played by Black brings a class of reluctant youths on a rock ‘n’ roll journey to Battle of the Bands that features stellar supporting performances from Joan Cusack, Sarah Silverman and the film’s writer Mike White. Non-stop fun with an excellent soundtrack and the novelty of a pre-Nickelodeon Miranda Cosgrove.
The appeal of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is rather self - indulgent. We’ve all pulled a sickie at one point or another but not like this. Staying in bed and playing your Nintendo is a far - cry from stealing a Ferrari and taking a tour of Chicago with your best mate and your girlfriend. Maybe I just wasted my days of ditching while the rest of you were driving sports cars and getting the shift… Nobody made teenage films quite like John Hughes and this is arguably the late director’s finest work. The fourth - wall breaking, the oh - so - satisfying battle between rebel and authority figure and all the youthful exuberance of a Hughes ‘80s classic. Not only a fun - filled movie, but a must – watch classic, period.
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Emma Thompson stars opposite Tom Hanks’ Walt Disney as Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers. The film follows the writer through negotiations around the film rights for her book with the media tycoon. Rife with the warmth and sentimentality typical of a Disney produced biopic, Saving Mr. Banks balances itself out with themes of loss, healing and Travers’ deep personal attachment to her work. Hanks puts forward what is surely the defining portrayal of Walt Disney on the big screen to date, but Thompson’s central role does not take a backseat in the slightest. She is fiercely authoritative, her command of the role the cornerstone of an overall excellent movie.
For my money, the ultimate feel-good film. Robin Williams is at his Oscar winning best as Dr Sean Maguire, leading Will Hunting (Matt Damon) through the emotional struggles of youth. The title character navigates romance, friendship and the counselling he receives from Maguire while coming to terms with his wasted intellect. On the surface, Good Will Hunting is a film about a young genius who works as an MIT janitor. The real gem is Will’s efforts to balance the conflicting relationships in his life. As likely to make you smile as it is to make you cry, it’s really a cardinal sin if you haven’t seen this one already.
T
HE WORLD IS GRINDING TO A HALT AGAIN.
