THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021 Page 15 ~ THE ADVOCATE MOVIE REVIEW ~ “A Quiet Place Part II” – Grade B By Mitchell Ringenberg A lmost two decades after Newsweek announced M. Night Shyamalan as “The Next Spielberg” on their cover, director John Krasinski (best known for playing the ever-smug Jim on “The Office”) earned similarly bold pronouncements with his second directorial effort, “A Quiet Place,” in 2018. That horror-thriller was certainly one in the Spielbergian tradition: a slick creature feature with an unabashedly sentimental (and surprisingly effective) family story at its center. It also featured a genuinely novel concept: a world overrun by monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing, forcing those still living to remain quiet for the majority of the film, lest they become lunch next. That gimmick made for an enthralling theatrical experience, forcing the audiences to wait in silent terror alongside the characters. Therefore, few movies seem more appropriate to lead this crucial Memorial Day Weekend charge at the theaters than “A Quiet Place Part II,” an early summer blockbuster that delivers plenty of killer suspense sequences and heartfelt character beats on par with the first film, even if it ultimately feels like more of the same. Those place immediately after the events of the first “Quiet Place,” following the central family as they leave the now-destroyed farm they called their home and venture out into the world seeking a new one. Story-wise, there really isn’t anything here one couldn’t find in, say, your average episode of “The Walking Dead.” Post-apocalyptic tropes abound here, and yet Emily Blunt returns in “A Quiet Place Part II” with Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe in the latest sequel to John Krasinski’s 2018 horror film, “The Quiet Place.” who have missed going to the movies this past year should find this a fitting return, as Krasinski clearly designed his sequel to be seen on the big screen: Every ominous creak and flitter in the sound design, every creature darting just out of frame in the background – it all lands with maximum impact in a theater. “Part II” opens with a flashback that gives audiences a glimpse of life moments before the alien invasion. Most importantly, however, it’s a showcase of what makes Krasinski such a promising director. As Lee (Krasinski), his wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and hearing-impaired daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds, who steals the whole show here) watches his son, Marcus (Noah Jupe) during his Little League game, cinematographer Polly Morgan frames this mundane weekend afternoon with palpable menace. These images of pure Americana – barbecues, baseball, nuclear families – are undermined by eerie silences and the uncomfortable open spaces Morgan Saugus Catholics Collaborative in-person Mass restrictions lifted B lessed Sacrament Parish and St. Margaret’s Parish are happy to announce that, following the new guidelines from the Archdiocese of Boston and effective May 29, vaccinated churchgoers will no longer be required to wear masks in church, and the churches will not be required to maintain social distancing in the pews during services. Both churches are fully open during services; therefore, reservations are no longer required for seating at Mass. At the same time, the Collaborative understands that some people might prefer to continue social distancing. So Blessed Sacrament Church will designate one quadrant of the church for socially distanced seating. Anyone who leaves in every frame. An overthe-shoulder shot of a kid at home plate leaves the wideopen sky in the foreground, suggesting an incoming alien invasion that the audience knows could be coming at any instant. When chaos does indeed erupt, the camera remains on the actors’ faces, letting the monsters scutter in and out of focus. It’s an ingenious technique that prioritizes the human drama while also elevating the horror of the alien threat. The rest of the film takes SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 3 “I was impressed. She wishes to continue to wear a mask is, of course, very welcome, and can sit anywhere in either church. We would also like to note that the dispensation from the obligation for coming to Sunday Mass has not yet been lifted, and even when it is, if a parishioner is feeling ill, they should remain at home. THIS WEEK ON SAUGUS TV Sunday, May 30 from 9 to 11 p.m. on Channel 8 – “Sunday Night Stooges” (The Three Stooges). Monday, May 31 all day on Channel 8 – “Movie Monday” (classic movies). Tuesday, June 1 at 8:30 p.m. – Finance Committee Meeting from May 26. Wednesday, June 2 at 7 p.m. on Channel 9 – Finance Committee Meeting ***live***. Thursday, June 3 at 7 p.m. on Channel 9 – Planning Board Meeting ***live***. Friday, June 4 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – School Committee Meeting from May 27. Saturday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Board of Health Meeting from May 26. Saugus TV can be seen on Comcast Channels 8, 9 & 22 (Public, Governmental and Educational). For complete schedules, please visit www.saugustv.org. ***programming may be subject to change without notice*** wanted a fair contract. I don’t blame her a bit and she was a forceful advocate, which makes me even more certain we made the right choice given the complexities of the job,” he said. “In resumes and during interviews, everyone naturally tries to put their best foot forward, and certainly anyone who tuned in during the public forums and interviews saw impressive candidate after impressive candidate. What impressed me most from Erin’s references was that confirmation from a wide range of people that she really is the real deal, that she throws herself into challenges and gets the job done and that she still thinks of herself as a teacher.” Here are some excerpts from three reference letters which McMahon provided “Part II” does just enough to rise above its more generic genre contemporaries. First and foremost is positioning Millicent Simmonds’ character Regan as the real lead, subverting expectations with the introduction of a grizzled survivor, played by Cillian Murphy, named Emmett. Here, Regan emerges as the determined leader of the pair, her steely resolve making up for Emmett’s frightened skepticism. In the end, “A Quiet Place Part II” doesn’t necessarily tell you anything that the first one didn’t three years ago. Family is still a source of courage in the most dire of situations, and watching this follow-up is simply watching these characters learn that lesson once again. Nonetheless, “Part II” would stand out as a worthwhile trip to the theater in any summer movie season. In 2021, of course, that’s now twice as true. the School Committee with her job application: Jack Chorowsky of the KIPP Foundation out of New York City: He hired her three years ago to help foundation leaders to reverse the downward trend among more than 200 KIPP Schools in 4th and 8th grade literacy and mathematics. She not only succeeded, but was instrumental in a reduction of 44 programs to 21 and a 19 percent savings amounting to $3 million, according to Chorowsky, who noted the following in his recommendation: “I have never in my life met an education leader who is as explicitly focused on student success and well-being as Erin. “She brings that purpose, that focus, to every meeting, every interaction, to everything she does. She does so both implicitly and SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 24
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