James McAvoy’s screen portrayal of multiple personalities is energetic but not the real thing.
I have a confession. I’ve enjoyed all of M Night Shyamalan’s movies (apart from The Happening, which was just silly).
The latest is Glass. Without giving anything away that isn’t in the trailer, the film brings together characters from two previous movies, Unbreakable and Split. Both of those have psychological elements, with the theme that “superpowers” of the comic-book kind may be a kind of self-generated placebo effect: we may be super-strong, or particularly vulnerable to water, because we believe it’s true.
Glass has had a mixed reception, but James McAvoy’s performance as Kevin Crumb has won general approval. He steals both Glass and Split. In both, McAvoy’s body is home to numerous personalities, both male and female, aged nine and up, and McAvoy gives all of them everything he’s got.
The notion of multiple personalities has a long history, recently characterised by controversy. Case studies apparently date back about 500 years, and long before that, the phenomenon may have been known as possession.
Denne historien er fra February 16-22, 2019-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra February 16-22, 2019-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
