‘Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey’ is a Fun, Disjointed Flight

(Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

By Veronica Longo

“Birds of Prey” follows the fantabulous emancipation of the unreliable narrator Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), who recounts the story in a non-linear confusing style and renames herself mercenary-for-hire after breaking up with the Joker. Complications come along as the rest of the rogues in Gotham City find out she is free. 

Quinn’s past actions haunt her as former enemies Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina), and the dangerous Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) plot to revenge against her numerous transgressions, many of them listed on screen. Quinn finds support to fight her adversaries through unlikely allies Detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), Dinah Laurel Lance (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Helena Bertonilli (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and her sidekick Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco).

The film’s predecessor, “Suicide Squad,” directed by David Ayer, released in 2016, involves a shady government using a group of villain prisoners including Harley Quinn, to confidentially work dirty tasks for them, such as spying and killing in exchange for freedom; failure to comply increased their penalty. Quinn’s interesting backstory and fighting talents led to her protagonist in “Birds of Prey.”

“Suicide Squad” failed largely due to the disappointing end result from a muddled plot, thinly written characters and choppy directing, according to Rotten Tomatoes. “Birds of Prey” was feared to be another badly written script about villains, but ended up being a hit with the critics. But critical acclaim has not helped fill seats at the theater.

“Birds of Prey” only made $33 million out of a $45 million projection during its opening weekend, underselling compared to “Suicide Squad” which generated $325 million overall, even when disliked by both critics and viewers. 

Ewan McGregor's rendition of the Black Mask is unnerving and audiences will find that his violent chemistry with co-star Chris Messina works well to establish their villain role.

In a grisly scene, Zsasz peels off the face of one of the Black Mask’s rivals after their witty and entertaining banter during the murder. On another shocking scene, Black Mask hits Quinn so hard that it causes her to hallucinate, recreating Marilyn Monroe’s scene from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” By the second strike, Mask has been effectively established as the movie’s villain.  

A new character, Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) comes to challenge him with her sharpshooting fighting skills. She is also the most seldom seen. In a blink the audience might miss the rapid-fire version of her backstory. But she has the best reason to go against the Black Mask and Zsasz, as they were both involved in her family’s murder. 

“Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey” has an ingenious way of getting around the issue of missing Joker (Jared Leto), who is mentioned in flashbacks and introduced to the audience through an unnecessary return in the form of an animated short rendering. According to Hollywood Reporter, Leto’s presence in the movie was limited as a new Joker took the screens four months ago; sources said Leto was extremely upset.

But there’s a charm to the story’s clear intent to pay homage to the older DC comics.

Audiences will enjoy this movie, especially those who are just looking for a fun action movie and nothing more. “Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey” stands on its own as a superhero film, without relying on “Suicide Squad” or “Joker.” The three-hour film does a good job of avoiding turning Quinn into a hero.

Quinn remains a villain and troublemaker at the end of the film, although a sympathetic one; Margot Robbie’s performance alone is reason enough to watch this film and the stunning visuals should seal the deal.

‘Young, Gifted and Black’ Showcases Thought-Provoking Collection

“A Mother Who Had No Mother” by Chiffon Thomas expresses gratitude for her mother’s strength and guidance. (Photo Credit: July Torres)

By July Torres

Featured at Lehman, “Young, Gifted and Black: The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection of Contemporary Art” is part of a traveling exhibition that sheds light on the work produced by over 40 artists of African descent and is drawn exclusively from the private Bernard I. Lumpkin and Carmine D. Boccuzzi collection. Lehman’s presentation of the exhibit is an opportunity for black artists to display their contemporary art, giving visibility to otherwise underrepresented, talented artists and their work.

While some pieces in the collection have been lent to museums for many years, “Young, Gifted and Black” is the first stand-alone public exhibition where selected artworks are displayed for public consumption. Lumpkin began his collection over 10 years ago, and now owns nearly 500 works of art, which are split between his home and his husband’s law firm.

The death of his father prompted Lumpkin to learn more about his African heritage and to begin his collection of black art he told ARTnews.

“Though I support artists of all ages and backgrounds through my service, I choose to live with artists of color because I want people to know—when they meet me or come to my home—my background,” Lumpkin said.

The works of art that hang on the wall of the exhibition are instantly thought-provoking. Visitors can sense at first glance that there’s more than meets the eye, but what does meet the eye is aesthetically pleasing. The art, however, is elevated further when the work is analyzed and the stories it possesses are unveiled.

“Too White To Be Black” by Bethany Collins showcases the complexity of racial identity. (Photo Credit: July Torres)

“Too White to Be Black” by Bethany Collins resembles a black classroom chalkboard that stands out and can be easily spotted from a distance. A piece with subtle meaning, it is open to different interpretations. There is a prominent blackness that represents how she identifies as a black woman. There is white writing of words that represents her other race. The words are either faded or erased almost entirely, expressing confusion, which symbolizes Collins’ difficulty with her identity as a mixed-race person.

In Chiffon Thomas’ piece titled “A Mother Who Had No Mother,” the artist emphasizes the importance of black mothers and motherhood. The inspiration behind Thomas’ work is her mother, who guided her to be who she is today; the artwork depicts a woman sitting on a soft-pink chair, which appears to be floating, giving the impression that she thinks highly of the woman. There is a hollow cutout of a child on her lap, as if intentionally averting attention from it, making her mother the sole focus of her art.

Thomas expressed appreciation for her mother’s supportive role, despite lacking support of her own by making her the focus of the artwork. This piece successfully sets her mother as the cornerstone by putting her on a pedestal, accurately exuding a tender and admiring feeling.

“Sleep: Deux Femmes Noires” by Mickalene Thomas depicts the normalization of homosexual love. (Photo Credit: July Torres)

While the exhibition concentrates on black artists, much of it also focuses on gender and sexuality.

Mickalene Thomas,’ “Sleep: Deux Femmes Noires” centers homosexual love by showcasing two naked black women sleeping together in a bed, while different photographs’ cutouts compose the outside spacious, grassy setting. This conveys a feeling of peace, freedom, and power. The collage of photos seemingly puts together what was once separate: lesbianism, sexual agency and normalization.

The “Young, Gifted and Black” exhibition at Lehman will run from Feb. 8 until May 2.

The Bronx’s Andrew Freedman Home Builds Community Through an Appreciation for the Arts

“Weekend at Auntie’s” by Jessica Spence, on display as part of “The Living Room Kitchen” (Photo Credit: Natalie Nunez)

By Natalie Nunez 

Nestled on the west side of the Grand Concourse between 166th St. and McClellan Street in the Bronx, the Andrew Freedman Home is a mansion-styled community center for art and free-of-cost resources in a space that once served as a retirement home. An official landmark since 1992, the building was erected in the 1920s, modeling the Italian Renaissance Palazzo fashion by a self-made millionaire, the home’s namesake.

The Andrew Freedman Home originally served as a place of retirement for the formerly wealthy, where residents could live out the twilight of their lives lavishly from 1924 to the 1970s. The rising costs eventually forced the home to close, but in 1984 the Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council took ownership of the property and revamped it to what it is today: a culture and community hub that benefits the community in many ways.

The Family Preservation Center was the first community initiative placed in the Andrew Freedman Home in 1995 and still serves as a community center for various resources for people of all ages. Free daycare is offered there, as well as High School Equivalency classes and testing, immigrant education programs, and after-school and summer programs for children.

“Ma y Pa” by Raelis Vasquez, on display as part of “The Living Room Kitchen” (Photo Credit: Natalie Nunez)

Aside from many other available services including a food pantry, benefits assistance, workforce development, and case management, the Andrew Freedman Home also showcases art through exhibits like “The Living Room Kitchen,” a body of work by various local artists that focuses on home life, currently on display until April 4.

Curated by Kiara Ventura, a Dominican-American Bronx native, “The Living Room Kitchen,” depicts artwork of home and family life, aptly and thoughtfully placed around what was once the living room of the Andrew Freedman Home. The exhibit welcomes viewers to a unique New York City lifestyle experience. 

Navigating the artists’ psyches involves an immersive walk through the gallery. The works include paintings, photographs, and installations: intimate glimpses of living areas and the inner workings of the creators, all of whom are local artists of color. The art ties together concepts that include culture, identity, family, and spirituality in a very poignant and uplifting way, offering a sense of empowerment and recognition of the community through art. 

Installation on display as part of “The Living Room Kitchen” (Photo Credit: Natalie Nunez)

One of the first exhibits was appropriately named “No Longer Empty,” for which 20 of the former bedrooms were transformed by painters, sculptors, and graffiti artists in 2012. Since then, countless artists have exhibited their work at the home and numerous pop-ups have held space as well, including the very first Bronx Fashion Week in 2014. Since then, artwork is found around every corner of the mansion.

The Andrew Freedman Home is not just a showcasing art-space, but also a place to create. There are 14 private studios reserved for an artist residency program that offers workspace in exchange for community service.

The Andrew Freedman Home. (Photo Credit: commons.wikimedia.org)

The “The Living Room Kitchen,” exhibit will host an interactive open conversation event on March 7, in which artists talk about their upbringing, and a closing reception called “The House Party” on April 4. These events welcome the audience to socialize with the artists and have a personal experience with the community, aside from enjoying the exhibit.