Infinity Pool will shock some, bore others

Infinity Pool is the second film from Brandon Cronenberg, starring Alexander Skarsgår and Mia Goth. The story is about a couple who goes on an idyllic vacation to a strange island and are faced with horrifying scenarios.

It’s no surprise that Brandon’s father is director David Cronenberg, famous for classics like The Fly. Like his father, Brandon Cronenberg is clearly passionate about stories that aim to be bizarre and disturbing. For some people, this can be incredibly uncomfortable, and I wouldn’t recommend this film to someone squeamish. However, if you are a fan of horror, it is most definitely the most exciting horror movie made in the past year, but it does have its limits.

This is not a film that is focused on having a specific

Ayan Guha

narrative. It spends most of its time exploring random ideas and visuals. Some of them are quite fascinating and offer a lot to chew on. However, some times, the surrealist sequences go on just a bit too long and become annoying. Occasionally, it is hard to identify the exact reason why something is happening. While this was most likely done on purpose, it is easy to get disengaged after the film spends large amounts of time on something that feels completely meaningless.

Visually, the film stands out as one of the more bizarre experiences you could have in a theater. It frequently showcases horribly disfigured faces, epilepsy-inducing strobe lights, and lots of blood. It is very easy to get overwhelmed by the experience, but it can also be highly entertaining to see all the crazy things in front of you. Regardless of the narrative, the film always managed to offer up an interesting idea that could be interpreted in every which way. All the other aspects of the film, like the characters, the dialogue, and the narrative are serviceable but don’t really stand out. To the director’s credit, they shouldn’t. They are supposed to act as a vehicle to explore all the crazy ideas and philosophical queries in his head. While it does not make for a masterpiece of a film, it makes one that will certainly sit with you for a long time.

Infinity Pool will most definitely divide audiences. Some will find it to be incredibly profound and meaningful, while others will criticize its excess. However, I guarantee that everyone who watches the film will have an experience they won’t forget.

Infinity Pool is currently showing at the Regal Swamp Fox.

Film reviews by Ayan Guha and Thomas Merzlak appear alternatively each month in The News Journal. Guha and Merzlak are seniors at Wilson High School in the International Baccalaureate program.

Opinions expressed in this review are those of the columnist and not of The News Journal or its staff.

Chamber offering small business session

The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, along with Francis Marion University’s Kelley Center for Economic Development, have partnered to present a small business session for individuals looking to network among local entrepreneurs and gain useful insight on protecting and growing a business.

The in-person event will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Room at the Florence Chamber office on West Evans St. This workshop will offer advice on

JACKSON FROM PAGE 4

The fact that these kids have to be delineated by race is what’s racist. All of these children should know their individual heritages, period.

Recent comments by Florida Gov. DeSantis ban- ning an advanced-placement Black history class were even more overt examples of racist and homophobic speech.

“When you try to use Black history to shoehorn in queer theory,” he said, intellectual property law and details to understand about how digital marketing is used to grow business. Join this small group of individuals for a free lunch sponsored by First Citizens Bank and information you never knew you needed to

“you are clearly trying to use that for political purposes.” I’d argue that these protestations are tactics used by politicians to support their own careers, thereby propagating unnecessary parental fears in the

Trinity helps fund new mammography unit

know about managing a small business.

Speakers include Douglas L. Lineberry, a licensed attorney that practices at Burr & Forman, LLP, and Josh Richardson, sales director at Influence Digital Agency, LLC.

process. Let’s allow teachers to teach all of our histories — positive and negative. Don’t let ignorance prevail.

Janet Y. Jackson is a columnist with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Trinity Collegiate School recently presented a check of $3,150 to aid in the funding of McLeod Health’s new Mobile Mammography Unit. Accepting the check on behalf of the McLeod Health Foundation was Octavia Williams-Blake, an administrator and representative of McLeod Health, as well as a Trinity parent. The school raised the money during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October of 2022 by creating and selling pink t-shirts. Trinity Collegiate School thanks each and every one of their patrons for their support. Pictured left to right: Kendall Bullock, April Munn, and Octavia Williams-Blake.

Heart Healthy Barber Shop Tour begins

HopeHealth is partnering with the American Heart Association to host a Heart Healthy Barber Shop Tour. The first stops were held Saturday at Thompson Barber Shop in Florence and Joe’s Barber Shop Lake City.

The goal of this partnership is to inform men of their blood pressure levels and educate them on ways they can successfully manage their blood pressure. The American Heart Association will be providing valuable blood pressure information.

HopeHealth will be providing blood pressure screenings and will give away 10 free blood pressure monitors at each location. To keep this initiative moving forward in each community, the participating barbershops will also receive a free blood pressure monitor and training on how to correctly check their customers’ blood pressure.

Other locations on the tour include Manning and Orangeburg. Participants needing a healthcare home will also have the opportunity to learn how to become a patient with HopeHealth.