ARTS
THE HARVARD CRIMSON JANUARY 27, 2023
13
EDITOR’S PICK
MUSIC
‘BABYLON:’ HOLLYWOOD’S GLAMOUR AND UGLY SIDE
COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES
ASHER J. MONTGOMERY—CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Concert Review: Modest Mouse Reminds Us Of The ‘90s BY ASHER J. MONTGOMERY CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
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ssac Brock, lead singer and guitarist of Modest Mouse, walked onto Roadrunner’s stage on Dec. 16 with a jean jacket and spiked hair, picked up his guitar, and began to perform a sloppy version of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” When the crowd cheered, he laughed to himself and stopped playing. Then the set began in earnest. On tour to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their 1997 album “The Lonesome Crowded West,” the highly influential indie-rock band reminded the audience that they were grungy back in the day, and they still are. They may look slightly older and have bigger bellies, but that reckless teen spirit is still there. They played tracks from “The Lonesome Crowded West” in order. Brock spit out the words to the first song “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine” — the lyrics were almost incomprehensible, but that didn’t matter to the headbanging crowd. The performance was hard rock — energetic, loud, and crazy due to the guitars sounding
like an alarm blaring. The band embraced the eccentricity of the song, acting as if they were teenagers once again. The concert mixed nostalgia with a hefty dose of good humor. Simon O’Connor on the guitar wore long bangs in front of his face in a style oddly reminiscent of the 90s. Many newer fans who know them for their Indie Rock hits like “Float On,” a song they didn’t play at the show, were introduced to the grunge of Modest Mouse’s starting days. The fifth song of the set, “Jesus Christ Was An Only Child,” featured acoustic guitars to highlight the folksy feel behind the lyrics. “Jesus Christ was an only child, he went down to the river and drank and smiled,” Brock and O’Connor sang together, Brock’s face turning redder with exertion as the song got louder. “Yeah I know now what I knew then,” he screamed three times as the song came to a climax. The opener also contributed to the light hearted atmosphere before Modest Mouse’s set. The performer, who goes by the name Mattress, performed gothic experimental EDM music. He wore a gold suit and jewel-encrusted dress shoes that must have touched every part of the stage as
he danced around in an unusual stepping type of salsa. He danced like a middle aged man might if no one was watching. The lyrics were so random they could have been made up on the spot. But that could also have been the point. Regardless, his performance was unforgettable. In “Doin’ the Cockroach,” the drummer, Jeremiah Green, held the chaotic song together, switching between quick and complicated rhythms at lightning speed. At one point, Green even took out maracas that he shook with one hand while he kept playing the drum set with the other. Green was essential too, even when the set slowed down during the last two songs, “Bankrupt on Selling” and “Styrofoam Boots/ It’s All On Ice, Alright,” played mostly acoustically. The headbangs turned into sways, and people in the crowd took out their lighters. These two songs were the highlights of the set, as they stood out so drastically from the crazy energy of the first thirteen songs. The last song began with Brock on acoustic guitar playing a folk fingerpicking pattern, but Green joined back in on drums about halfway through, and Brock started screaming again. They couldn’t let it end on a soft
note, not when they were focused on reminding everyone how grungy they are. But it would be impossible to forget after this show. The song “Shit Luck,” started off with Brock screaming the first line of only four in the whole song. “This plane is definitely crashing,” he yelled. He leaned forward and slammed on the strings of the guitar at his shins. Then, as he stood up, he brought the guitar up to his face and played with his teeth, his mouth eating the strings. At the end of the set, Mattress thanked Modest Mouse and told the audience to get ready for their performance. “They are going to make you cry,” he said. This statement proved to be true. “The Lonesome Crowded West” deserved a tribute anniversary tour. The album transcends genre boundaries, not clearly falling into any category, but touching on blues, grunge, folk rock and many more, not to mention the level of comfort and enjoyment each of the members has on stage after so many years of performing.
At the start of “Babylon,” amid a 1920s Hollywood mansion party drowned in jazz, drugs, and genitalia, the only elephant in the room is… an actual elephant in the room, painstakingly corralled from the rural plains of California to be a unique party trick, writes Crimson Staff writer Kieran J. Farrell. As it turns out, the elephant is ultimately used as a distraction for guests when the staff needs to carry out the body of an actress who died during the party. “Babylon” is clearly not afraid to thrust the audience into the boisterous reality it imagines, and once it brings on the noise, it refuses to quiet down. The film, the latest from Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle ‘07, follows the careers of several individuals working in the cutthroat film industry of the 1920s. Chazelle, who graduated from Harvard College and whose previous credits include the critically-acclaimed films “Whiplash” and “La La Land,” turns in another gem, this time greater in scope but reminiscent of his earlier works in how carefully it chronicles the rise and fall of its central characters. For a film that runs over three hours long, it is also masterfully paced, as its vivacious nature ensures that it is never in jeopardy of losing steam. Also touting superb editing, creative utilization of music, and a fascinating story that offers a rare indictment of film culture itself, “Babylon” ironically positions itself to be the film of the year. In “Babylon,” careers burn bright and they die, unceremoniously. As such, after his moment in the spotlight has expired, Jack Conrad desperately tries to recall the good: “It was the most magical place in the world, wasn’t it?” But Jack’s query may unfortunately be stabbing at a revisionist history, or perhaps no history at all. By the time the credits roll, Damien Chazelle has magnificently filled our screen with an epic that alters the way we perceive the screen itself.
THC Read more at THECRIMSON.COM
asher.montgomery@thecrimson.com
‘The Recruit’ Review: Confusion, Captivation, and Centineo BY HAILEY E. KRASNIKOV CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Noah Centineo takes on a new fast-paced, nail-biting role in the new Netflix series, “The Recruit.” Centineo stars as Owen, an adrenaline junky and newly-hired CIA lawyer who gets thrown into the world of classified missions, in which people are constantly trying to kidnap or murder him.
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In “The Recruit,” viewers can see the true versatility of Centineo’s acting skills. For Centineo, who has previously starred primarily in teen romance films, this change of genre is refreshing. In “The Recruit,” viewers can see the true versatility of Centineo’s acting skills as Owen navigates several stressful situations, which differs from his usual humorous and lighthearted roles. Owen’s character forms a complicated friendship with Max (Laura Haddock), a CIA asset trying to extort the CIA in return for keeping their secrets. Owen is
charged with making her see reason — an assignment that turns his life upside down. Their relationship conveys both a sense of distrust and romantic tension: Owen cannot decide if he can truly trust Max, but he cannot deny his natural attraction and attachment to her. Haddock’s acting is so extraordinary, viewers would forget she’s just playing a role. Her character’s simultaneous assertiveness and mysteriousness makes it hard for the audience to fully understand her motives. This route of character development is quite unique because it is difficult to predict a plot if the character in question is so unpredictable. The series sets itself apart from other spy thrillers, as it definitely paints the CIA in a new light. Unlike the typical protagonists of espionage stories, Owen maintains a certain sense of chaos and unpreparedness throughout the season — it seems like he never understands what’s going on with his mission or with the agency. Owen’s lack of smoothness and stealth make him a surprisingly compelling lead. However, he does not always follow his exact orders, yet seemingly faces no real consequences — a detail that facilitates the storytelling, but is ultimately much
more unrealistic than the usual portrayal of secret agents. In addition to Owen’s continuously risky and impulsive decision-making,, it does not even seem like he can trust the agency or the other agents around him. Ironically, Owen comes to trust Max and lets her guide him through the chaos, despite the fact that she was a criminal and a murderer. Max and Owen’s ambiguous and unclear relationship is a consistent, key factor of the twisty main plot, which follows Owen trying to do his job. Admittedly, this relationship draws attention away from the extremely complicated narrative, possibly hindering the overall effectiveness of the story itself for the viewers. While the series succeeded in establishing a strong emotional attachment for the viewers in relation to Max and Owen, other characters were unfortunately far less developed. The lack of backstory or context for the series’ supporting characters often made it difficult to understand their actions and their true motives. However, in some ways this lack of context makes the series’ unexpected plot twists all the more surprising. Overall, any viewer in search of adrenaline, drama, or sus-
pense is sure to enjoy “The Recruit”’s whirlwind, adrenaline-filled story. Tune in to watch the development of Owen and
Max’s romantic friendship at the heart of the series. Their starcrossed dynamic perfectly complements the politics and secret
missions highlighted by the series’ plot and twists. hailey.krasnikov@thecrimson.com
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
