Extra 3187 – Diamantino, a Dystopian Satire
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07.12.2018 fri Movies: Mary Queen of Scots Book: Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood by Karina Longworth Music: A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships by the 1975 Wine: The Super Umbrian; or, Lamborghini Macau Daily Times | Edition 3187 | 07 Dec 2018 People: Julia Roberts , a dystopian satire this december at the Macau Film Festival Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt rustle up one of the year’s most singular debuts with this winningly bizarre, genre-melding political satire, “Diamantino,” whose eponymous character is the best footballer of all times, bearing a striking resemblance to Ronaldo’s physique and skills a review X2 PÁTIO DA ILUSÃO illusion BOOK IT DRIVE IN N EDUCTION OWARD UGHES I ‘S ,’ H H ’ AP PHOTO HOLLYWOOD NO HAVEN FOR WOMEN ollywood history for the #MeToo Hmovement, Karina Longworth’s “Se- duction” is an astute and entertaining AP PHOTO takedown of the movie industry, the press and the multimillionaire turned wannabe filmmaker Howard Hughes. Hardly anyo- ne emerges from the pages of “Seduction” unblemished by selfishness and greed once they are touched by the movie business and its promise of wealth, power and fame. If that promise was kept, it was mainly for the benefit of men even though, as Lon- gworth writes, women were integral to the Guy Pearce stars as William Cecil (left) and Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth in “Mary Queen of Scots” rise of the movies. Her book recounts what happened to some of the many, many wo- men who fell into the orbit of Hughes, for better and often for worse. FILM PUTS A MODERN SPIN ON Howard Hughes is remembered today, more than four decades after his death, as a ARY UEEN OF COTS weirdly eccentric, incredibly wealthy man ‘M , Q S ’ living in seclusion in the penthouse of a Las Vegas hotel. Or as the oddball character ary, Queen of Scots is an curately concludes, will just try to ting the only thing she can — paper Leonardo DiCaprio played in 2004’s “The Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard ambitious re-imagining of take the throne from her. And the flowers. Aviator.” But for many years, mainly in the Hughes’s Hollywood (Custom House), by Mthe Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I men in both of their camps try their The film takes enormous liber- Karina Longworth 1930s and 1940s, the press presented Hu- saga with modern flourishes and best to make a peaceful relationship ties with history, bringing the two ghes as a handsome if shy heir to an oil in- bold performances from Saoirse between the two countries impos- rulers together for a face-to-face dustry fortune, a creative maverick behind could become stars, an unrealistic expec- Ronan and Margot Robbie. But the sible. conversation, and infusing the cast the camera, or an innovative and daring tation fostered by the press as well as the film, for all its prestige and edgi- But the question of a successor re- with more diverse faces and the- aviator — at times all three. The mental movie industry. ness, its lofty goals and contempo- mains and becomes urgent when mes to varying degrees of success. illness that appeared to gain on him as the Hughes, who sought to control every aspect rary messages, is not a particularly Mary comes back on the scene and That conversation that apparently years went by was hidden or downplayed of his life, habitually put young actresses engrossing experience. starts making her own claims to the never happened is well worth the as quirkiness. under personal contract with the promise of It’s a shame too, because most of throne. The two rulers correspond factual leniency. It’s the scene that The better story for readers and listeners a shot at stardom. In some cases he promi- the elements are there. The gor- and negotiate in an elaborate game the whole film is building toward in those years of economic depression and sed marriage, even proposing to one woman geous costumes and meticulous of chess in which everyone is at- and both Robbie and Ronan are war was how practically every beautiful while engaged to another and nightclubbing settings are breathtaking, and they tempting to manipulate an unstable extremely compelling — vulnera- young actress was on Hughes’ arm at one with a third. Whether they were already couldn’t have chosen two leads be- situation. Elizabeth tries to offer up ble and introspective yet also fierce time or another. That was certainly the ima- engaged or even married didn’t matter. His tter suited to playing these women, a husband to Mary, in her own lo- and unwavering — in this power ge he sought to convey — and the public penchant for brunettes — Ava Gardner, Jane with Ronan as Mary and Robbie ver Robert Dudley (Joe Alwyn), as showdown. ate it up with the help of his publicists and Russell, Yvonne De Carlo, Linda Darnell, as Elizabeth. They just don’t come a strategic plant. But, Mary, seeing Unfortunately the journey to get to a lazy, compliant and sometimes paid-off Faith Domergue and Jean Peters, among together very well, straddling an through the plan, weds another this part is long and, for long stret- news media. In his day Hughes didn’t have others — could have stymied a witness at awkward line between wanting to Englishman, the charismatic Lord ches, quite dreary and dull. “Mary, to point and shout “fake news!” because he a police lineup. He did manage to find time be both a modern referendum on Darnley (Jack Lowden), ensuring Queen of Scots” also has the mis- was too busy manufacturing it. for Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe and other the real struggles of being a fema- that her offspring would have a le- fortune of coming out around the The women seduced by Hughes appa- blondes. le leader in the 16th century and a gitimate claim to the throne. same time as the deliciously com- rently bought the ballyhoo. After all, the Soon enough, the women discovered there “Game of Thrones”-style actioner. There are interesting ideas to explo- pelling and lively Queen Anne film only two movies he directed, “Hell’s An- might not be more to a Hughes contract than Director Josie Rourke, who has a re about being a powerful woman “The Favourite” and might get lost gels” and “The Outlaw,” were troubled a paycheck. Some never even met him. Of- background in theater, certainly has in this time. But the script from in the shuffle. This is a more staid productions, scorned by many critics and ten, he didn’t allow a “discovery” to work a knack for grandeur and drama. “House of Cards” creator Beau and straightforward experience, challenged to return their over-the-top for years. Domergue, for example, was un- But choppy editing and stilted story Willimon seems to oversimplify and, for some costume drama en- costs even with good ticket sales. Most of der contract to Hughes for seven years and evolution never really do justice to things. He imagines a relationship thusiasts, possibly even the prefera- the two dozen others that he had a hand appeared in just two films. Escaping him what should be an epic and suspen- that devolves mostly because of ble one. But for this critic, “Mary, in producing also showed poor judgment could require emotional stamina and no seful tale of political machinations Elizabeth’s jealousy of Mary’s you- Queen of Scots” was royally un- and oversight. Exceptions like 1932’s gan- small amount of court action. and power struggles. th, beauty and ability to bear chil- derwhelming. gster classic “Scarface” are outweighed by The mind games and sex games that per- The story itself is fascinating. Mary, dren. This point is hammered over Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer numerous embarrassments on the order of meated Hughes’ movie career help make a Catholic widowed at 18 from the and over, as Elizabeth, hearing that “The Conqueror” (1956), which famously “Seduction” an engaging read. But don’t let King of France, returns to Scotland Mary is pregnant, gathers her skirt “Mary, Queen of Scots,” a Focus miscast John Wayne as a young Genghis that overshadow Longworth’s real focus — to rule. She has eyes on England to just see what she would look like Features release, is rated R by Khan. not so much Hughes but what it was like to too, which is under the rule of her pregnant in silhouette. The birth the Motion Picture Association of As Longworth makes clear, Hughes and be a woman in Hollywood back then. The cousin, Elizabeth I, a Protestant scene is even more noxious, cut- America for “for some violence and so many other men in filmmaking used women were pretty, the times were not. And who refuses to marry and produce ting back and forth from Mary in sexuality.” Running time: their clout to seduce women who wanted whether that much has changed for them re- an heir. A husband, Elizabeth ac- labor, to poor, sad Elizabeth crea- 112 minutes. to make movies, too. Untold numbers of mains debatable. actresses were sold the idea that they, too, Douglass K. Daniel, AP IFFAM showtime: Dec 11, 7:00 pm, Macao Tower tTUNES AP PHOTO THE 1975’S NEW ALBUM IS PROOF THEY CAN DO IT ALL he English band the Much of this effort addres- Healy sings about stepping failed us” as he assesses 1975, practitioners of ses life rushing by too fast, out on loved ones via texts the world around him. Tsome of the smoothest elec- and the 1975’s smart lyrics and phone calls.