Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Cheryl Minns, Art Editor ™ arts@theotherpress.ca This issue: (Y Why art thou archaic (¥ A monster in human form (¥Y Chairman of the Board And more! Gritty Marvel series shows its humanity » ‘Jessica Jones’ series review Idrian Burgos Contrioutor OOOO essica Jones is not Jsvox superheroes. Although the protagonist, antagonist, and an important secondary character have superpowers, those superpowers only play a secondary role here. What differentiates Netflix’s Jessica Jones from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and serves as its own contribution to it, is the show’s basic humanity, both positive and negative. The characters mostly make that distinction possible. detective Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), who is recovering from past misfortunes; the sadistic and psychopathic Kilgrave (David Tennant), who lives only for himself at others’ often-twisted expense; and the supporting characters who bring their own imperfections to the story and : contribute to the show’s gritty : and gloomy atmosphere. The story itself helps to : distinguish the show even : more. In an effort to close a : terrible chapter in her life, Jones : : attempts to prevent Kilgrave : from continuing to wreak : havoc on other people’s lives. : This often goes disastrously. : This is a story that doesn’t : keep the gloves on as we see : the kind of misery that Jones, : those who support her, and : innocent victims experience : as a result of Kilgrave’s : viciousness. It’s not just : excessive, perverse gore that is : the product of his viciousness, : but perhaps more dangerously : the mental effects that give : despair to those afflicted. There is the alcoholic, appalling : While the previous Netflix : series Daredevil introduced a : more adult part of the MCU to : us, Jessica Jones extends that : adult aspect to arguably the : farthest it can go. There is no : restraint on sex, profanity, and : violence here. Jones’ frequent : resort to the bottle in order : to deal with her problems is : openly displayed. Moreover, : the show deals with real-world, : personal problems such as rape, : PTSD, and other mental health : issues, in what is probably a first for a superhero show. Concerning the technical : aspects, the regular use of : lighting gives a somewhat : sharper and sleeker appearance : to the show compared to : Daredevil’s dimness. The : scene transitions are a : superb example. The music : and visual effects help : in keeping the realistic, : detective tone of the series. Overall, Jessica Jones’ MCU : contributions are its morally : flawed story and characters. : They are not businessmen or : engineers like Tony Stark/ : Iron Man or super-soldiers : like Steve Rogers/Captain : America who aim to make the : world a better place. They are : ordinary people who try to : survive, even when they have : superpowers. They are the : type of flawed individuals who : viewers can relate to the most. ) co) S G eI o oO oO a4 mS ae) f=] o ep) fo) > 5 ~ wn Nobody's perfect » ‘Perfect Blue’ review Adam Tatelman GR Staff Writer OOOO tardom is scary, and that’s a fact. In this world of endless advertising that perforates every ! level of our lives, perhaps one of the oldest, most ethically questionable ideas invented is the mass-marketing of a person. In promoting a human being as an image of success, the media actively courts jealousy and obsession. Perfect Blue knows this and plunges unflinchingly into the darkest consequences of exploitative idolization. Based on a novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, Perfect Blue tells the story of Mima Kirigoe, a pop singer who desperately wants to be taken seriously as a dramatic actress. Against the wishes of Rumi, her manager and ex-pop idol, Mima quits her musical group : for arole ona TV crime drama. : As she strays further from her : good-girl image, pressured into doing more and more questionable things for success, her fans become outraged. One fan in particular follows : her every move, obsessed with : keeping her from changing. And then people start dying. This might sound like the : typical setup for a crazy stalker : film, but that’s just what Studio : Madhouse wants you to think. : The focus remains solely on : Mima herself and the budding : identity crisis she undergoes. : Her perception of reality : becomes blurred as the TV : drama she’s working on grows to : : reflect her confused self-image, : and phantoms of her former : success taunt her incessantly. : Eventually, all of Mima’s : identities are in conflict and she : begins to experience déja vu. I get the sense that director : Satoshi Kon is very interested : in the concept of art imitating : life. Much like his later film : Paprika, Perfect Blue allows : reality, fiction, and dreams : to simultaneously create and : control one another, like a : bizarre triple yin-and-yang. : These elements interact so : gradually that only the most : observant viewers will be : able to separate the three on : a first viewing. For example, : it is almost impossible to tell : whether the stalker is a real : person, a figment of Mima’s : imagination, or a character in : the TV drama, even though : he appears before any of this : confusion takes place. : : As aresult, the film walksa : : delicate tightrope. Making this sort of confused psychodrama : work is difficult because : eventually the audience’s : perception of reality grows so : confused that they refuse to : trust anything that’s shown : to them as being real. The : brilliance of the film is its : conviction that Mima’s public, : private, and stage identities : are all equally real in a sense, : because they all affect her personally. This makes the > uncertainty compelling : rather than off-putting. : I was immediately reminded : : of The Black Swan, another film : about an artist undergoing an : identity crisis with a surrealistic : : twist. That film’s director, : Darren Aronofsky, admits to : taking inspiration from Perfect : Blue. With that in mind, one : can spy many visual homages : when viewing The Black Still from the film : Swan, such as the extensive : use of mirrored imagery, or, : more specifically, the scene : with the living pictures. Perfect Blue reminded me : of something I’d lost track : of after so many reviews. Directors like Satoshi Kon enjoy : experimenting with imagistic : storytelling, and the creativity : that shines through their vision : manages to inspire people : from entirely different cultures : living on separate continents.