The Sly Poetics of Terry Zwigoff

By Julia Yepes

May 19, 2017

“I can’t relate to 99 percent of humanity,” says a character in Terry Zwigoff’s perceptive cult film Ghost World (2001).  That movie—an ode to alienation, loneliness, and the melancholy process of growing up—was inspired by the graphic novel of the same name by Daniel Clowes. It’s a bittersweet comedy with a strange but alluring rhythm that intricately captures the peculiar moods and emotions of its characters, which include two teenage girls, Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson); Seymour (Steve Buscemi), a middle-aged record collector; and various other characters in an unnamed suburban town. Zwigoff and Clowes collaborated on Ghost World‘s Oscar-nominated screenplay. With its intentionally oversaturated colors, quirky characters, and offbeat dialogue, the movie bears the signature features of Zwigoff’s work.

 

The Agony and Ecstasy of Thien Venus Milo

By Julia Yepes

October 7, 2016

Twenty-four-year-old Thien To, who makes clothes under the name Thien Venus Milo, is a designer to watch. This June, for her senior collection at Philadelphia’s Drexel University, To presented seven edgy and opulent couture looks in silk, satin, leather, and tulle, inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland. Molding laser-cut plexiglass forms into leather and incorporating patterns used in welded iron railings into her red, white, and black designs, To created an imaginative eveningwear collection with ornate details.

Why character actor Eddie Marsan always plays the villain

Eddie Marshan

Photographed by Matt Holyoak

Why character actor Eddie
Marsan always plays the villain

By Julia Yepes

April 3, 2018

You know his face. Over the last 20 years, the British character actor Eddie Marsan has distinguished himself by playing complex villains and characters teeming with thoughts, who don’t—or can’t—articulate their ideas. He’s the rare actor who creates characters you can feel for, even if they’re terrifying. His unforgettable turn as Scott, a volatile driving teacher in Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky [2008], who coaches his cheerful student, Poppy, to turn corners “expecting the worst” is both hilarious and powerful. He’s brought nuance and pathos to Reg, a solitary laborer, in Leigh’s Vera Drake [2004]; John May, a civil servant who arranges funerals for people who have died alone in Still Life [2013]; Reverend John, who counsels Benicio del Toro’s born-again Christian ex-convict in 21 Grams [2003]; and Terry Donovan, the brother of the main character on the current Showtime crime drama Ray Donovan. This spring, he stars in 7 Days in Entebbe as then-Israeli defense minister Shimon Peres, and he’s part of the highly-anticipated superhero action-comedy Deadpool 2.