February 21, 2018
Page 19
World Cultures Resonate at PIFF
C ontinueD from P age 14
(including Jeffrey Tambor, Mi-
chael Palin, and Steve Buscemi as
a very persuasive Nikita Khrush-
chev) and, though I worried a bit
about portraying these Russian
events from an English perspec-
tive, I lost that worry quickly;
this film would never be made in
Russia and depends on a kind of
very-perceptive humor in which
language is everything. Iannucci
has managed to capture a quite
credible sense of how this specif-
ic example of despotic power and
violence must have played out,
and also some real insights about
the senselessness (in every sense)
of this sort of power in gener-
al—how malleable the truth is in
the hands of those with structural
power, and how quickly one can
change from being the person with
the most ruthless power and the
scapegoat. As Buscemi’s Krush-
chev aptly explains, “This is how
people get killed, when your story
doesn’t fit.”
“Won’t You Be My Neigh-
bor” is an appreciation of Fred
Rogers, whose gentle television
presence in “Mister Rogers’
Neighborhood” comforted chil-
dren--including myself--for more
than 30 years, offering many
of us a much-needed image of
a kind father who loved us just
as we were. While filming “The
Music of Strangers” with Yo-
Yo Ma, director Morgan Neville
(“Twenty Feet from Stardom”)
asked the cellist who he credited
with teaching him how to handle
fame, and his surprising response
was Fred Rogers, with whom he
shared a long friendship. That
conversation inspired Neville’s
curiosity, and what his further
investigation revealed was a per-
son whose work in television was
fueled by a sense of mission that
was more radical than people
have realized. His show launched
in the late 1960s when television
was still new, and Rogers wor-
ried his whole life about the val-
ues that children’s programming
communicate to children. I actu-
ally remember noticing as a child
that most cartoons seemed to be
about either slapstick violence or
plots to end the world--but Rog-
ers broke all the rules of good
television with a clear vision of
what children need to hear and a
conviction about the importance
of love. Its theatrical release will
happen in June.
“Bodied” would not have been
made without the independent vi-
sion of its director, Joseph Kahn;
it’s impossible to imagine a stu-
dio giving a green light to a film
helmed by a director of color and
deliberating poking at the issues
of race, misogyny, homophobia,
and political correctness impli-
cated in the world of battle rap.
The story here focuses on a white
Berkeley graduate student who
rooting around for an idea sep-
arate from his English professor
father; he thinks he admires the
creative innovation of people of
color in the world of rap, but as
he finds himself pulled into the
world as a performer the ques-
tion of what he really admires
becomes more complicated. Does
he just want to say the N word?
Is he an improvement on his PC
white friends (who don’t appear
to associate with any people of
color (except an occasional Asian
who they dub not really a POC?
Or is he just the worst kind of cul-
tural appropriater? As is self-con-
scious racial humor equivalent
coming out of anyone’s mouth?
These and other questions are
served up and not answered here
with skill and humor—and some
self-indulgence. It appears to be
headed for a theatrical release.
“Thoroughbreds” is a well-ex-
ecuted film noir about two up-
per-class teenage girls who goad
each other into an increasingly
high-stakes revenge plot. Its two
lead performances are strong and
its writer-director, Cory Finley,
directing his first feature, dis-
plays a sure hand with plotting
(aside from a clumsy ending) and
smart dialogue. The question for
me is why we needed to see a film
about two murderous upper-class
teenage girls in the first place; it
felt to me sumptuous and clever
for the sake of being sumptuous
and clever.
For the films still getting a
PIFF run, you can buy tickets
ahead at nwfilm.org or at the art
museum.
Darleen Ortega is a judge on
the Oregon Court of Appeals and
the first woman of color to serve
in that capacity. Her movie re-
view column Opinionated Judge
appears regularly in The Port-
land Observer. Find her movie
blog at opinionatedjudge.blog-
spot.com.
Obituary/Remembrance
In Loving Memory
Jerry Murray
Jerry Murray of Portland died Jan. 17,
2018. He was born June, 4, 1946 in North
Carolina to Hazel and Inetta Murray.
He graduated from Benson High
School in 1964, then attended Portland
State University for two years. He joined
the US Marine Corps, becoming a corpo-
ral and earning two silver stars, the mil-
itary’s third highest personal decoration
for valor in combat and gallantry in ac-
tion. He was honored in a book about a
gunnery sergeant in the Marines written
by P.E. Brandon titled “Gunny.”
Jerry earned the title of Mr. Oregon for two years, body building
at the Matt Dishman Community Center. He worked for the ESCO
Company for 35 years; and he also worked security for Safeway and
Fred Meyer stores.
He was preceded in death by his wife Betty in 2013; his parents; and
brother Nicholas. He leaves to mourn his death a sister Barbara Barber
(Ernest), a brother Steve (Rhonda), and a host of nieces, nephews and
friends.
Services will take place on Monday Feb. 26 at 10:30 a.m. at Maranatha
Church, 4222 N.E. 12th Ave. Viewing will take place on Friday, Feb. 23
from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Terry Family Funeral Home, 2337 N. Williams.
In Loving Memory
Willie ‘George’ Rutherford
Willie “George or G.W.” Rutherford
was born Feb. 22, 1941 and died Aug.
5, 2016.
Happy birthday love! Your wife and
family, sisters and brothers, all wish
you were here to celebrate! It’s not the
same without you! We all miss you so
much!
I love you, Your wife, Ann Rutherford
In Loving Memory
Portland NAACP Updates Issues
NAACP Portland NAACP President Jo Ann
Hardesty and executive leadership from the local
civil rights organization will provide updates about
current and future initiatives during an upcoming
meeting of the group that is open to prospective and
current members.
The session is an opportunity to connect with the
organization’s work in advancing racial justice in
the community. The session will be held Saturday,
Feb. 24 from noon to 2 p.m. at Lloyd Center in the
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former Deb’s retail store space just north of the ice
skating rink.
The mission of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the po-
litical, educational, social, and economic equality of
rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred
and racial discrimination. The vision of the NAACP
is to ensure a society in which all individuals have
equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial
discrimination.
Nathaniel ‘Butch’ Baker Jr.
Nathaniel Johnnie “Butch” Baker Jr.
of Portland was born Sept. 18 1955 and
was called home on Feb. 8, 2018.
He graduated from Adams High
School in 1974 and was a remarkable
drummer who entertained with several
bands.
Family and friends will hold a me-
morial service on Sunday Feb. 25 at 3
p.m. at the Colwood Golf Center, 7313
N.E. Columbia Blvd.
T he R e B uilding C enTeR (RBC)
is more than a store! Did you know that the ReBuilding Center has been
serving the community for more than 20 years? What are some ways
that RBC can serve the community? Share your ideas with us
at our Community Outreach Open House!
February 27th, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
(Scavenger hunt 5:15-5:45 p.m.)
The ReBuilding Center Commons
3625 N Mississippi Ave
Drop in and enjoy some refreshments, participate in a scavenger hunt, win prizes, network
with others in the community, and learn about the ReBuilding Center’s Community
Outreach Program, departments, services, and projects!