Page 14 - aruba-today-20210107

A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 7 January 2021
Vanessa Kirby is raw, dynamic in 'Pieces of a Woman'

By LINDSEY BAHR writer and director couple.
AP Film Writer Kata Wéber wrote the
" Pieces of a Woman " be- script based on her own
gins with a tragedy. Martha experience losing a child
(Vanessa Kirby) is expecting with director Kornél Mun-
her first child with her part- druczó during pregnancy.
ner Sean (Shia LaBeouf). And "Pieces of a Woman"
For a few minutes, we see goes places that many
them in the final stages of films wouldn't dare. The first
preparation for life with a half hour will likely get most
baby: She's saying fare- of the attention but there
well to her co-workers and are a few other jaw-drop-
packing up her things; Her ping scenes of grief and
mother is signing the pa- anger that you must see to
pers on a practical mini- believe including a late film
van; And they're hanging argument between Mar-
the final photos up in the tha and her mother, who is
well-stocked and tastefully played by Ellen Burstyn.
neutral nursery. Aside from the revelatory
Then, suddenly, Martha is in moments, however, the
labor and for almost 30 min- This image released by Netflix shows Vanessa Kirby in a scene from "Pieces of a Woman." film unravels a bit as it goes
utes the audience is given Associated Press on. The focus turns too of-
a front row seat to the most ten to Sean, a construction
realistic and graphic depic- And it's just one of many it's seeing children out in backdrop. worker whose relationship
tion of a home birth ever deeply unpleasant occur- the wild, running into her Kirby, the English actor who with Martha, an educated
put on film. It's a difficult rences to come. Like Mar- mother's friend at the gro- portrayed Princess Mar- professional from a wealthy
labor — Martha is almost tha and Sean, you are left cery store or all the physi- garet in the first seasons of family, never makes a lot of
drunk with pain — and it's somewhat paralyzed and cal postpartum changes "The Crown," plays Martha sense.
made even more stressful drained after the events of that one's body endures not as a wilting flower but His descent is a bundle of
by the fact that their mid- the beginning and have no regardless of whether or as a kind of steely, deter- clichés and distracts from
wife is unavailable and a choice but to continue this not the child has survived. mined robot alternating the uniqueness of Martha's
replacement is sent. Then it emotionally wrenching and She's also navigating her between utterly detached story. He also has a mo-
ends in death. hauntingly visceral journey own family's grief, argu- and aggressively angry. It is ment of sexual aggression
It is a brutal and harrowing with them. ments over burials and fiercely unguarded. with Martha that is even
start to a film that is commit- Martha attempts to go epitaphs and a legal battle If the gutting discomfort made even more trouble-
ted to telling the ugly truth about her life but is con- against the substitute mid- feels more authentic than some to watch in light
about a loss so devastat- stantly being reminded of wife (Molly Parker), which is you're used to, it's because of the recent allegations
ing that it's almost taboo. what happened, whether thankfully relegated to the the story is personal for the against LaBeouf.q

Neil Young becomes latest artist to sell stake in his songs

Terms were not disclosed. idol to him. mon for musicians to earn
The deal comes a month In an industry where music income through adver-
after Bob Dylan sold pub- sales have dwindled and tising campaigns. But at
lishing rights to more than the concert industry is on least through 2016, Young
600 songs to the Universal hold due to the coronavirus continued to resist having
Music Publishing Group for pandemic, song publishing his music used this way,
a reported fortune of be- is seen as an increasingly according to Rolling Stone
tween $300 million and a valuable asset. The com- magazine.
half billion dollars. Stevie panies generally push for It was unclear whether the
Nicks sold an 80 percent use of an artist's songs in Hipgnosis deal augers a
stake in her music to Pri- movies, video games and change in that policy.
mary Wave for a reported advertising. In Wednesday's announce-
$100 million. The latter use has been a ment, Mercuriadis said that
Merck Mercuriadis, found- sticking point for Young, his company and Young
er of Hipgnosis Songs whose 1988 song "This "have a common integrity,
In this May 25, 2019, file photo, Neil Young performs at the Bot-
tleRock Napa Valley Music Festival at Napa Valley Expo in Fund Limited, said that he Note's For You" sharply criti- ethos and passion born out
Napa, Calif. bought his first Neil Young cized artists who leased of a belief in music and
Associated Press album when he was seven their music for advertising these important songs.
years old. campaigns. The accom- There will never be a 'Burg-
By DAVID BAUDER day. "'Harvest' was my compan- panying video parodied er of Gold' but we will work
AP Media Writer The Hipgnosis Songs Fund ion and I know every note, ads that featured Michael together to make sure ev-
NEW YORK (AP) — Neil said it had acquired half every word, every pause Jackson and Eric Clapton. eryone gets to hear them
Young has become the lat- of the copyright and in- and silence intimately," he In the song, Young sang: on Neil's terms."
est musician to strike gold come interests in some said. "Neil Young, or at least "Ain't singin' for Pepsi, ain't Young has released some
with his song catalogue, 1,180 songs written by the his music, has been my singin' for Coke. I don't sing 70 albums as a solo artist
selling a 50 percent stake in 75-year-old rock star, com- friend . . . ever since." for nobody. Makes me look and with bands like Buffa-
his music to a British invest- poser of "Heart of Gold," The businessman also said like a joke." lo Springfield, Crazy Horse
ment company in a deal "Rockin' in the Free World" Young's late manager, El- In the years since, it has and Crosby, Stills, Nash &
announced on Wednes- and "Cinnamon Girl." liot Roberts, was equally an become much more com- Young.q