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a14 people & arts
Wednesday 15 June 2022
Review: A prison experiment gone wrong in 'Spiderhead'

By LINDSEY BAHR beyond Thor. Jeff, mean-
AP Film Writer while, is somewhat stripped
George Saunders' short of his edge and tragic po-
story "Escape from Spider- etry and is turned into a
head" is not, you might say, bro with a conscience and
an obviously cinematic visceral memories of the ill-
piece. It's the kind of sub- fated night he decided to
tly unsettling work — stark, drive drunk. And he gets an
moody and dialogue actual, not drug enhanced
heavy — that could eas- love interest, which un-
ily be a play or a haunting der normal circumstances
experimental film. So it's would seem a bit cliché but
an especially bold leap to here is made interesting
use it as the inspiration for because of Jurnee Smol-
a starry, big budget, Netf- let's raw and captivating
lix-subscriber-driving event performance.
movie, as they've done Some of these choices
with " Spiderhead," which work, some are silly and
starts streaming Friday. some come across as
But stranger things have This image released by Netflix shows Chris Hemsworth in a scene from "Spiderhead." downright mean. In the
worked for the streamer Associated Press story, Jeff is subjected to
and who doesn't like a slick, the love serum twice to
dystopian sci-fi? rious leader of the facil- Miranda (who also teamed who makes grand speech- see what happens with
Originally published in The ity, Abnesti, who keeps an with him on "Top Gun: es about the perks of life in two different women de-
New Yorker in 2010, "Escape open-door policy in the Spi- Maverick") further had to Spiderhead and the virtu- scribed as "equally so-so."
from Spiderhead" is about derhead to foster trust and dream up an entire look for ousness of the experiments Both times he falls deeply,
a group of prisoners living respect with the prisoners. Spiderhead, too. They went while also sampling his own albeit briefly, in love. In the
in a specialized facility who You have to admire the with dystopian brutalism product on the side. It's film, however, one woman
are being subjected to ex- ambition behind those who plopped in the middle of quite a good role for Hems- is conventionally attractive
perimental mood-altering had the idea to adapt the a tropical paradise. Jeff is worth, who excels at being and the other is styled as
drugs, with names like Ver- story. Screenwriters Paul played by Miles Teller (who charming with an under- though she may be a meth
baluce, which makes you Wernick and Rhett Reese also worked with Kosinski on current of mania. There's addict. It's turned into a
speak eloquently, and ("Deadpool") needed to "Top Gun: Maverick" and even an incredible dance joke, and a somewhat mi-
Darkenfloxx, which makes make many big choices the underseen firefighter sequence to Roxy Music's sogynistic one at that, and
you feel about as badly and leaps to stretch it out drama "Only the Brave") "More Than This" that is per- the poetic connection is re-
as a person can feel. The to feature-length: They and Abnesti is taken on by haps on par with Oscar duced to an over-the-top
audience experiences the added backstories, love Chris Hemsworth, who also Isaac and Sonoya Mizuno's sex bit. There's a gay panic
world through one of the interests and flashbacks. produced. The writers have "Ex Machina" moves. Like his bit, too, and an odd sub-
inmates, Jeff, who is start- Director Joseph Kosin- turned Abnesti into a more brief turn in "Ghostbusters," plot about an inmate who
ing to question the tests, ski and his team, including blatant eccentric, a vision- it makes you eager to see has been stealthily drawing
the drugs and the myste- cinematographer Claudio ary pharma/tech genius him keep branching out on the walls with feces. q

Sean 'Diddy' Combs to receive lifetime honor at BET Awards

is the founder of Bad Boy dia, culture, business and ducer played Walter Lee
Records and a three-time philanthropy — Diddy has Younger in the Broadway
Grammy winner who has exemplified Black excel- revival of "A Raisin in the
worked with a slew of top- lence." Sun," which aired as a tele-
tier artists including Noto- The award is given to an vision adaption four years
rious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, individual who has shaped later. He's also appeared in
Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans culture through their ca- films including "Get Him to
and 112. reers and "transformative the Greek" and "Monster's
The music mogul cre- leaders that consistently in- Ball."
ated the fashion cloth- spire generations." Last month, Combs recent-
ing line called Sean John, Past recipients include ly hosted the Billboard Mu-
launched the Revolt TV Prince, Whitney Houston, sic Awards.
with a focus on music and Queen Latifah, Samuel L. "Puff's contributions to cul-
has his own vodka. He' also Jackson, Lionel Richie, Ani- ture transcend hip-hop,"
produced the reality show ta Baker and New Edition. said Jesse Collins, ex-
Sean "Diddy" Combs arrives at the Billboard Music Awards in Las "Making the Band" for MTV. Combs, 52, won Gram- ecutive producer of the
Vegas on May 15, 2022. "Diddy has always been mys for his platinum-selling awards. "Growing up in DC,
Associated Press a pioneering force in our 1997 album "No Way Out" I watched his rise at How-
community, breaking bar- and the single "I'll Be Miss- ard University as he repped
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. his decorated career has riers, achieving unprec- ing You," a song dedicat- Black excellence from day
AP Entertainment Writer earned him one of the edented heights, blazing ed to the late Notorious one. It's an honor to cel-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean highest honors at the BET new trails, and, in so doing, B.I.G. who was killed earlier ebrate him now, while he
"Diddy" Combs built one of Awards this month. raising the bar for all of us," that year. He won another is still on his incredible jour-
hip-hop's biggest empires, Combs will receive the Life- BET CEO Scott Mills said in Grammy for "Shake Ya Tail- ney."
blazing a trail with his own time Achievement Award a statement. "His virtuos- feather" with Nelly and Mur- Taraji P. Henson will host the
music television network on June 26, the network ity is matched only by his phy Lee. live show from the Microsoft
and fashion line, and now announced Monday. He range — from music to me- In 2004, the rapper-pro- Theater in Los Angeles.q