14 minute read
DEEP ROOTS
from Inlander 08/26/2021
by The Inlander
CANDYMAN
Rated R Directed by Nia DaCosta Starring Yahya AbdulMateen II, Teyonah Parris
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REVIEW Deep Roots
Candyman is a scary sequel that dares to delve into America’s racist past
BY MARYANN JOHANSON
Ihad never seen the 1992 horror film Candyman, and I’m so glad I watched it before I saw the new movie of the same name. This is being promoted as a “spiritual sequel” to the ’92 film, but it’s very much a direct follow-on from the original story. Would the new movie be incomprehensible without the background of the first one? Not at all. But if there is anything you find even the least bit appealing about this new Candyman, you would do very well indeed to watch, or rewatch, the ’92 film. (It’s available on Amazon Prime and other streaming services.)
The older Candyman holds up extremely well 30 years later. No spoilers: It’s the tale of grad student Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen), who is writing a thesis about Chicago’s urban legends. And she becomes a tad obsessed with one about Candyman, a bogeyman figure with a hook for a hand who appears if you say his name in a mirror five times, at which point he kills you. So why on earth would anyone summon Candyman? Ah, well, this is one of the things Helen is studying: what hold urban legends have on those who revel in them, and what they say about our collective cultural fears.
Here’s the thing, though: Helen is White, and she is investigating a manifestation of the Candyman legend among the residents of the notorious Cabrini-Green housing project, which is home to poor Black people. Candyman is Black, too (he’s played by Tony Todd), and the tragic roots of his story are fixed in America’s horrific racist past, just as its impact at Cabrini-Green springs from America’s racist present. The film avoids becoming a White-savior narrative for lots of reasons, but as powerfully as it explores the legacy of American racism, its tale is nevertheless told from the perspective of a White person.
But with this sequel, co-screenwriter and director Nia DaCosta, a Black woman, fully centers Black stories and Black experience. We are back in Chicago at Cabrini-Green, though it is much changed. The neighborhood has undergone massive gentrification, and the Black people at the center of the story now are very well off: artist’s agent Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris), and her partner, painter Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).
Today, Anthony is the one obsessed with Candyman: He’s only just heard about this urban legend, and something in it speaks to him for reasons he doesn’t initially understand. Researching the story leads him to Helen Lyle’s tale, which has itself become mythologized and misinterpreted, her name deployed by some for purposes that suit their preconceptions, not reality.
Some of that comes via a former Cabrini-Green resident Anthony encounters, Burke (Colman Domingo), who claims to have been visited by Candyman as a child, and who is a thwarted artist himself. Some of Helen’s story and other aspects of the rich cultural canvas Anthony uncovers unfurl onscreen as a shadowplay of paper puppets; this was a medium Burke experimented with as a child. It’s a clever, beautiful, and strikingly original way for DaCosta to toy with the unreliable narrator that culture can be, and the power of storytelling regardless of that sometimes unreliability. The film will put Anthony right about Helen’s story eventually, but if you come into this new Candyman aware of what “really” happened with her, via a recent viewing of the 1992 movie, you can see the subtle warp and weft of DaCosta’s story as it unfolds rather than in retrospect.
Inextricably woven together here are inescapable legacies of violence, the boundary between unacceptable cultural appropriation and genuine artistic inspiration, the pernicious influence of historical racism into today, and how wealth and influence cannot protect the people in racism’s sights. They come together in a tapestry the big picture of which is this: We absolutely must not bury even the worst, most terrible stories but remember them and spread their lessons far and wide. As with the 1992 film, there is plenty of gore here, but what’s scary in Candyman is not blood and guts, not monsters jumping out at us. It is the very real horror of the hatred that is baked into our society, a hatred that is always lurking in the shadows and all too often rears its hideous face.
This is not a movie about White people, and yet we might hear Candyman’s insistence to “Tell everyone” directed squarely toward that quarter. Perhaps a juicy genre flick like this one is one way to get that heard. n
Today’s experiment could open tomorrow’s doors.
River Park Square (509) 456-TOYS
Spend your Saturday downtown at the second annual Summer Sidewalk Sale. Vendors and retailers all across the city center will be moving their inventory out into the fresh air and featuring an array of discounts and special promotions.
OPENING FILMS NOW PLAYING
Not Going Quietly
CANDYMAN
This sequel to the 1992 thriller has Jordan Peele (Get Out) on board as a co-writer and the hook-handed killer back in effect, this time in a gentrifying neighborhood in Chicago. (DN) Rated R
NOT GOING QUIETLY
A documentary looking at progressive activist Ady Barkan, who suffers from ALS and helped spark at movement of confrontational protests over America’s lack of decent healthcare. At the Magic Lantern (DN) Not rated
12 MIGHTY ORPHANS
Luke Wilson plays a high school football coach who turns a ragtag team from a Texas orphanage into Texas state champions in this inspirational tale inspired by a true story. At the Magic Lantern (DN) Rated PG-13
AILEY
This documentary on dance pioneer Alvin Ailey shines the spotlight on how his choreography reflected his Black American experience. At the Magic Lantern. (DN) Rated PG-13
BLACK WIDOW
A flashback in the Marvel Universe in which the title character (Scarlett Johansson) is overshadowed by her spunky sister (Florence Pugh) in an action-packed affair. (DN) Rated PG-13
CRYPTOZOO
Michael Cera, Lake Bell and Zoe Kazan all give voice to characters in filmmaker Dash Shaw’s animated, hallucinatory story about biodiversity and acceptance. At the Magic Lantern. (DN) Not Rated
DON’T BREATHE 2
A sequel to the surprise 2016 hit about home invaders encountering surprising resistance takes place a few years later as the Blind Man lives with his past misdeeds. (DN) Rated R
ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
The original Escape Room movie was a lot less fun than actually going to an escape room, but was enough of a hit to warrant watching six new contenders try their luck. (DN) Rated PG-13
F9 THE FAST SAGA
The long-awaited ninth episode finally hits theaters, bringing Vin Diesel’s Dom back into action to foil a plot hatched by his long-forsaken brother Jakob (John Cena). (DN) PG-13
FREE GUY
acter taking charge of the game’s narrative. (DN) Rated PG-13
THE GREEN KNIGHT
Dev Patel stars in a twist on King Arthur’s story as the nephew who adventures to confront a giant green-skinned knight and prove his character. (DN) Rated R
IN THE HEIGHTS
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Bronx-set musical hits the big screens under the direction of John Chu (Crazy Rich Asians), tracking a bodega owner’s dreams of forging a better life in a neighborhood full of colorful characters (and a whole lot of music). At the Magic Lantern (DN) Rated PG-13
JUNGLE CRUISE
Disney taps Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for a river adventure based on the famous ride in which they journey down the Amazon and search for an ancient tree with healing powers. (DN) Rated PG-13
THE NIGHT HOUSE
Rebecca Hall carries this tale of a widow visited by horrific nightmares in the house her husband left her, dreams that lead her to discover he wasn’t exactly who she thought he was. (DN) Rated R
NINE DAYS
Winston Duke stars as a mysterious figure tasked with determining which souls deserve a trip to live on Earth. (DN) Rated R
NO ORDINARY MAN: THE BILLY TIPTON DOCUMENTARY
This documentary explores the complex life of Spokane jazz musician Billy Tipton, a trans pioneer whose life was largely misrepresented after his death revealed he was born a woman. At the Magic Lantern. (DN) Not rated
OLD
M. Night Shyamalan is back with a tale of a secluded beach that makes its visitors age rapidly, reducing their entire lives to one day. (DN) Rated PG-13 PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE
The animated adventures of heroic dogs who have to save the citizens of Adventure City from the dogs’ rival, and Adventure City’s new mayor, Humdinger. (DN) Rated G
PIG
Nicolas Cage plays a truffle hunter who has to leave the wilderness and head to Portland to find the person who stole his beloved pig. A recipe for some John Wickish fun. (DN) Rated R
THE PROTEGE
Raised from childhood to become a contract killer, Anna (Maggie Q) finds herself in a rivalry and potential romance with a brutal fellow killer (Michael Keaton). (DN) Rated R
REMINISCENCE
Hugh Jackman plays a private eye of the mind who helps clients find their lost memories, but a new client (Rebecca Ferguson) leads him into a potentially lethal new case. (DN) Rated R
RESPECT
Aretha Franklin gets the biopic treatment she’s long deserved, with Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson in the title role. (DN) Rated PG-13
SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY
Hey look, it’s another reason for people to argue over who is better, the Michael Jordan of the original Space Jam or Lebron James in this new version. (DN) Rated PG
STILLWATER
Matt Damon plays a working-class Oklahoman who has to travel to France in hopes of exonerating his daughter from a murder charge while navigating the obvious cultural barriers. (DN) Rated R
THE SUICIDE SQUAD
Director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) takes the realm of this team of violent ex-con supervillains including Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, King Shark and more on a mission to save the world. (DN) Rated R n
Counting Crows are pushing themselves in new directions.
PREVIEW LIKE BUTTER
Counting Crows’ Adam Durtitz finds a new songwriting groove decades into his career
Adam Duritz didn’t resent the unexpected, pandemic-forced time away from performing with his long-running pop-rock band, Counting Crows. The band recorded its latest record, Butter Miracle Suite One, in February and March of 2020, but a scheduled supporting tour never happened due to COVID-19.
“We’ve been on tour for like 30 years now, basically, so I don’t know that I miss it,” he says. “I tend to be in the present more than anything; I am where I am. If I’m touring, I’m completely involved with it, but I’m not missing it if I’m not.”
Ruminating on the present moment has been an important exercise for Duritz throughout his time as the primary songwriter for the Crows, though he acknowledges that his music can powerfully recall the past, as well.
“It touches emotional places in people that remind them of other times in their life, maybe, or music they loved at those times in their life,” he says.
Counting Crows is playing the new Spokane Pavilion in Riverfront Park on Saturday. Duritz is excited by the prospect of performing all 20 minutes of Butter Miracle Suite One for audiences for the first time. It remains to be seen how well the new material translates to the live setting, but he’s optimistic that it will fit into the band’s greater catalog.
“I think it’s going to be a great chunk of the show, to be able to do it all at once,” Duritz says. “I’m very curious to see how prepared the band is going to be. You never know how much you need to kick some butt to get people moving, but my hope is that everyone will come in really prepared and we’ll just be working on details.”
The hits “Mr. Jones,” “Round Here” and “Rain King” off the 1993 album August and Everything After ensured that Duritz’ voice would forever be part of the sound of the 1990s, though those songs — along with a 2002 cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” — were brutally overplayed on the radio, likely causing some listeners to tune out from the band’s more recent records.
Those who haven’t checked in with Counting Crows since its heyday may be surprised by how the band has retained its signature sound, both in terms of rootsy instrumentation and the emotive quality of Duritz’ voice.
“What you’re writing about changes a lot, but you’re still you,” he says. “How I write changes all the time. I wrote all these songs on a farm in England — that’s certainly never happened before. For whatever reason, at that point in my life, that was the place that made me want to write songs.”
He adopted a new style of songwriting, with the ending of one song “very much determining” how the next begins, he says. The end result was Butter Miracle Suite One, which comprises four tracks — “Tall Grass,” “Elevator Boots,” “Angel of 14th Street,” and “Bobby and the Rat Kings” — designed to blend seamlessly together,
BY HOWARD HARDEE
UPCOMING SHOWS
ODYSSEY, XINGAIA, LOIN HAMMER Fri., Aug. 27, 8 p.m. Big Dipper $10 REGIONAL JUSTICE CENTER, HOSTILITIES, GREYING, ROOM 13 Thu., Sept. 9, 6 p.m. Big Dipper $10
WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE, WALTER DEBARR Sat., Aug. 28, 8 p.m. Lucky You Lounge $15
LOST DOG STREET BAND Thu., Sept. 2, 8 p.m. Lucky You Lounge $15 ANA POPOVIC Sat., Sept. 11, 7 p.m. Bing Crosby Theater $27
ALLMAN-BETTS BAND, MARC FORD, RIVER KITTENS Sat., Sept. 11, 8 p.m. Fox Theater $38-$60
BULLY, LIGHTNING BUG Fri., Sept. 3, 8 p.m. Lucky You Lounge $15 RICH HOMIE QUAN, PAUL WALL Sat, Sept. 11, 9 p.m. Knitting Factory $40
WARREN G, MACK 10, THE DOGG POUND Thu., Sept. 9, 8 p.m. Knitting Factory $50-$60 FLYNT FLOSSY AND TURQUOISE JEEP Sat., Sept. 11, 8 p.m. Lucky You Lounge $15
Many artists and venues are requiring vaccination cards or recent negative COVID tests. Check with the venue before you go to a show!
blurring the lines between endings and beginnings.
“I think I would have loved to have done this at any point in my career, but especially nowadays, music is so seemingly digestible in one-song chunks; nobody is lining up to listen to a record,” he says. “In some ways, it may be smarter to make singles, but we’re not really a singles band — we make these worlds you can climb into. So, it’s kind of about finding a way to do that that’s not an hour long, getting people who want to listen to one fourminute thing to listen to more because they go together so well.”
Duritz has since returned to the same farm in Western England and written another batch of songs in a similar style — “each song being born from the one before,” he says — finding the new method to be an intriguing challenge and the place to be mysteriously productive. The new material lends itself to following up Butter Miracle Suite One with another multipart suite intended for listening all the way through.
“Making the songs flow together like that seemed, conceptually, like a really cool thing, but there wasn’t any way to know until we finished mixing it and played it back,” he says. “Then I heard it and was like, ‘Oh, it works.’ There was no concept at the beginning for a series of suites, but I really loved doing it, and I think I’m going to do it again.”
No matter the format of the band’s next collection of music, it surely will be covered in the fingerprints of Duritz and his bandmates, whom he credits with maintaining the band’s sonic consistency. And he’ll personally give it everything he has.
“That’s something we’ve always tried to do — make music we’re passionate about, make it as good as we can, make it everything we want it to be and play it with all our heart,” he says. “We’ve always approached music the same way, and I think that’s why it always turns out well — we’re just trying to make something we love.” n
Counting Crows with Matt Sucich and Sean Barna • Saturday, Aug. 28 at 6 pm • $50-$100 • All ages • Spokane Pavilion in Riverfront Park • 574 N Howard St. • spokanepavilion.com • 888-929-7849
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