Entertainment
De Los Reads: Here's what we're reading in June
Welcome to “De Los Reads,” a monthly feature dedicated to amplifying the vibrant and diverse voices of Latinx authors.
In a literary landscape hungry for diverse voices, journalist Natasha S. Alford’s debut memoir, “American Negra,” offers a refreshing perspective on what it means to be Afro Latina in the United States.
Alford, who is vice president of digital content for the Grio and a CNN political analyst, explores the complexities of growing up as a bicultural child and discusses her embrace of her Black identity while acknowledging her Puerto Rican heritage.
“To me, saying I was Black was not about downplaying my Puerto Rican roots but about rejecting a system that seemed to have rejected me by default,” she writes in her book. “I didn’t look like the Latinos people expected to see in America — it seemed like everyone had gotten a clear memo. And not only was it fairer skin that made you Latino in America but the ability to speak Spanish.”
Many Latinxs are confronted every day with the idea of “performing their identity” by speaking Spanish or even eating certain foods, she says, arguing that American society has many expectations about what Latinos should be.
“I wrote this book for the Latinos who’ve been asked, oh, how do you speak Spanish so well? People act surprised when they order certain kinds of food or they ask for directions. Even with me not being fluent in Spanish, the little Spanish that I speak, I always get sort of surprised reactions from many fellow Latinos, and it has this feeling of making you feel like an alien, even within your own culture, like you don’t belong.” Alford said.
Reggaeton is another element of Alford’s narrative. The blazing beat that ignites dance floors in Latin America and across the U.S. has served as a voice for marginalized communities, offering a platform for artists to address social issues, celebrate cultural heritage and express personal narratives.
As an undergrad at Harvard, Alford wrote her graduation thesis on reggaeton, questioning — as she shared in the memoir — whether Black feminist consciousness was being expressed in the genre.
“When I found La Sista’s work specifically, that was life-changing for me. … [She] showed what it meant to give a Latina woman, particularly a Latina woman of color, the microphone … [in] a genre where a lot of women were, ‘I can be in the background and the subject of male desires,’” wrote Alford.
In the intersections of race and ethnicity, many Afro Latinxs are cornered by a society that challenges their identities to fit in, she says.
“American Negra is about how you create a career and life path in general where you get to be your full authentic self,” Alford said. “There were times when I perhaps sacrificed certain parts of my identity, or I code switched … We may straighten our hair, we may wear certain clothes. I did all of those things in an attempt to look quote-unquote presentable … utilize respectability politics to fit in. … In moving away from that respectability … that is in honoring your uniqueness and your heritage … [when] you actually can thrive … there’s freedom in that.”
De Los Reads June picks
(Ecco) (Voracious) (HarperCollins)
The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez (Ecco, March)
This captivating historical fiction takes the reader back to 1907, to the bustling world of Panama amid the monumental construction of the Panama Canal. It follows the story of Omar, who defies his father’s wishes to seek companionship and opportunity in the excavation zone, and Ada, a spirited Barbadian teen who travels to Panama seeking a job to pay for her sister’s life-saving surgery. Against the backdrop of historical events, this gripping tale navigates the complexities of human connection and resilience, offering a poignant glimpse into the lives of those who shaped the canal’s legacy.
The Art of Crying. The Healing Power of Tears by Pepita Sandwich (Voracious, April)
In many societies, crying is a sign of vulnerability or weakness. This graphic novel challenges the stigma surrounding tears, presenting them as a powerful act of healing and self-compassion. Through playful illustrations and introspective prose, the author guides readers on a journey of questioning and self-discovery, offering a refreshing perspective on the transformative potential of tears. [Disclaimer: Pepita Sandwich has previously contributed to De Los.]
Into the Mighty Sea by Arlene Abundis, illustrated by Cynthia Alonso (HarperCollins, June)
This picture book is a heartfelt voyage through the turbulent waters of childhood emotions and thoughts. It’s a tender narrative that celebrates the power of familial love and the importance of embracing and accepting strong emotions. The story’s comforting illustrations create a safe harbor where families can explore their feelings together. From moments of joy to those of fear and uncertainty, the story guides readers on a journey toward emotional safety.
Roxsy Lin is a bilingual journalist and illustrator originally from Venezuela. Her work focuses on the pulse of the modern rhythms of Latinidad, arts and culture. @roxsy_lin
By and large, the zombie subgenre has bitten off more than it can chew in modern times. Between George Romero survival films and camp comedies, the well has become pretty infected. But once in a while, along comes a movie like This Is Not A Test.
Let’s sink our teeth into this new release and see how it stacks up against the classics.
The tone and tenor of this film represent the classic survival movies like Night Of The Living Dead. But the thing that grabs the audience about This Is Not A Test is the trauma of the characters. Holt shines as a withdrawn survivor of an abusive home, trying to cut through the wreckage to reunite with her sister. Each of the main characters have standout traits, and they bathe in strongly acted moments as the stress of the situation changes who they are.
The gore in This Is Not A Test is pretty strong. The attacks spring quickly and when they do, the special effects team does a good job showcasing the battle scars. The camera work is also frenetic in a good way, because the chaos of the chase scenes puts the viewers in a first-person perspective. This film lets you feel like a part of the survivors, so their journeys are interactive.
Longtime fans may say that there’s nothing new in This Is Not A Test, and maybe they’re right. There’s no fresh take on the monsters here, no crazy origin, nothing that we haven’t seen in the past fifty-eight years. But the pacing nails a great balance between getting to know the characters and getting the zombie splatter fest. The mental meltdowns of the characters feel well earned, and the arc of Sloane and her sister brings a lot of heart and investment to the story. Even the most jaded zombie horror fans will find something to appreciate here, even as a background movie.
Adam MacDonald has made another intense hit here, and This Is Not A Test is currently available to stream on Shudder.
Entertainment
‘You’re scaring my people.’ Shia LaBeouf’s alleged stalker arrested after posting viral video
Shia LaBeouf’s alleged stalker has been arrested after posting a video of the actor asking to be left alone.
According to Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office booking records, Alyssa Lee Couture, 40, was arrested Monday night and booked on a misdemeanor charge of stalking. Hours earlier, Couture had posted a video of a confrontation with LaBeouf in what appeared to be a grocery store parking lot. The “Honey Boy” actor is shown speaking to Couture through the window of a car.
“Leave me alone. God bless you. Leave me alone,” LaBeouf says calmly in the video. “You’re scaring my dad. You’re scaring my people. Leave me alone.”
Couture has posted more than 5,000 videos on her Instagram, most of which feature the woman addressing the embattled actor, whom she appears to believe is her husband. In a GoFundMe launched in May, Couture wrote that she was hoping to raise $70,000 to find permanent housing and that she had been living in her car and staying with family members. She also wrote that she had schizophrenia, among other disabilities.
Although the New Orleans Police Department does not identify Couture’s stalking victim as LaBeouf due to privacy policies, the timeline of her booking appears to line up with the confrontation with LaBeouf.
According to People, LaBeouf left Los Angeles after his split from actor Mia Goth last year and relocated to Louisiana to be closer to family.
In June, he pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery, months after he went viral for his involvement in a Mardi Gras altercation in New Orleans. The actor, 39, was arrested in New Orleans on Feb. 17. At the time, New Orleans police confirmed LaBeouf was charged with two counts of simple battery for allegedly assaulting two men near a bar in the French Quarter. TMZ published bystander video of the incident and footage of LaBeouf walking through the French Quarter hours before the brawl.
The actor was released from jail shortly after his arrest and posted $100,000 in bond. More than a week after LaBeouf’s initial arrest, the New Orleans Police Department issued a second warrant for the actor’s arrest in connection with the same incident, and he racked up an additional simple battery charge. Prior to the second arrest, a New Orleans judge ordered LaBeouf to begin substance abuse treatment and undergo weekly drug testing.
Times staff reporter Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.
- THE ODYSSEY
- Starring: Matt Damon, Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
- Rated: R
- Running time: 2 hrs 45 mins
- Universal
Our score: 4.5 out of 5
EPIC. If I was asked to describe Christopher Nolan’s latest film, that is the word I would use. He has mounted a film that rivals the greatest achievements of filmmakers like Cecil B. DeMille or David Lean. And, like the films of those mentioned, it’s runs a tad too long.
I was shocked, but pleased, to see that my 12-year-old granddaughter recently did a school paper on King Agamemnon. Thank goodness they’re still teaching History in our schools. Based on Homer’s “The Odyssey,” the film tells the story of King Odysseus (Damon) and his adventures which, if you’ve read “The Odyssey,” include the Trojan Horse, the Cyclops and assorted angry Greek gods. The film covers each of these adventures in great detail, sparing nothing in the production design department. While Odysseus is away – and he’s gone for a l-o-n-g time, his wife Penelope (Hathaway) has to endure a never ending string of “suitors,” men lining up in the hopes of replacing the King should he not return. The men are nothing more then scavengers, taking advantage of the law of Zeus, which decrees no one should be turned away. This angers the Queen’s son, Telemachus (Holland), who must control his temper when the men try to bait him into a fight, the idea being if Telemachus is killed, the new husband would become the King. It’s all very interesting and complicated. And long.
Director Nolan is one of the rare filmmakers who, in my opinion, has never made a bad film. From “Memento” to the “Dark Knight” trilogy to the Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer,” he has proven himself a true master of cinema. “The Odyssey” only adds to that distinguished resume’
The cast is a tribute to Nolan himself who, like Woody Allen, can pretty much get anyone he wants for his films because, as an actor, why wouldn’t you want a credit in one of his films. Besides the three stars named above, the cast includes Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Zendaya, James Remar, Jon Bernthal, Oscar nominees Samantha Morton and Elliot Page as well as Oscar winners Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyongo. As MGM used to advertise, “more stars than there are in heaven.”
The script and story are pretty faithful to the source material, though for some reason it bothered me whenever Telemacus referred to Odysseus as “dad.” Never father. The weird things you notice. Visual.y the film is stunning and the Trojan Horse and battle of Troy are worth the price of admission alone. I will add that I did see the film in 70 mm and, if that format is playing in your town, I urge you to see it in that format.
On a scale of zero to five, “The Odyssey” receives ★★★★ ½
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