SHE’S SUPER COMMITTED
Aubrey Plaza hits a creative high with two new films plus producer titles
When director Matt Spicer was casting the title role of his dark tale of obsession and identity “Ingrid Goes West,” he wasn’t sure if Aubrey Plaza would be the right fit. ¶ “My only question was does she see this as a comedy?” he recalled thinking. “Or is she going to be able to do some of the more dramatic stuff we’re going to need her to be able to do?” ¶ Consider those questions asked and answered. With her current run of work, Plaza has emerged as a performer of surprising depth and range and a creative force to be reckoned with behind the camera too. ¶ In addition to serving as both star and producer for “Ingrid Goes West,” opening Friday, Plaza produced “The Little Hours,” a randy medieval comedy that opened this summer. The back-to-back indies arrive in the wake of some of the best critical notices of Plaza’s career for her performance on TV’s “Legion.” ¶ In “Ingrid Goes West,” Plaza plays the title character, a young woman who moves to Los Angeles hoping for a fresh start after the death of her mother. First via Instagram and then in the real world, she stalks a woman (Elizabeth Olsen) who seems to have it all — the right clothes, the right boyfriend, the right lunch, the right life. ¶ As Ingrid,
Rep. Maxine Waters is reclaiming her time. And your time. And everyone’s time.
Sure, the longest-serving black woman in the House of Representatives has already had several moments this year, but her latest is truly special. This time, there’s a soundtrack. It began on July 27 during a routine House Financial Services Committee meeting. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was testifying and seemingly trying to avoid Waters’ inquiries about President Trump’s financial ties to Russia, which Waters was having none of.
“Reclaiming my time,” Waters repeatedly intoned, invoking House floor procedure and giving the Internet a new rallying cry.
(Lost in the rejoicing was Waters’ absolutely savage reply after she had, indeed, reclaimed her time: “Thank you for the compliments about how great I am, but I don’t want to waste my time on me.”)
This was far from Waters’ first instance of online renown, having spent the last year going head to head with President Trump and former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.
Why did people respond to Waters’ recent invocation so fervently? Because it was a simple example of taking your power back from someone attempting to minimize it, an occurrence all too common for marginalized populations.
Also, it sounds boss.
And now Adam Joseph, a producer and DJ, has turned Waters’ take-no-prisoner words into a dance mix destined to be the politically relevant jam your pool party needs.
Even more inspiring is Broadway performer Mykal Kilgore’s gospel rendition of “Reclaiming My Time,” featuring his angelic, a cappella harmonizing, while using Waters’ wisdom as lyrics. Kilgore’s performance even garnered accolades from the queen herself, with Waters tweeting, “Wow! Headed for the Grammys. Praises and thanks!” to the singer on July 28.
Well, guess you can plan to see Waters at next year’s Grammys too.