From the indie powerhouse production company A24, “We Live in Time” is a heartfelt story of love, loss and living. Directed by John Crowley, the film takes place in England and follows two characters, Almut (Florence Pugh, “Little Women”) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield, “The Social Network”), as they fall in love. However, when Almut gets diagnosed with ovarian cancer, their relationship faces a ticking clock. 

The movie garnered attention when it announced its two main leads, Pugh and Garfield. Both actors have a dedicated fanbase and are acclaimed for their acting. Specifically, their chemistry with other actors in their previous works raised expectations for their romance. One thing that can be said for certain is that these expectations are fully met, with brilliant performances from the two leads. 

“We Live in Time” uses a nonlinear narrative to tell the tale of these two lovers. Almut is a chef, ambitious and high-achieving, while Tobias is a Weetabix employee and a recent divorcee. The two of them meet in a car accident and are instantly attracted to each other. While the film may seem to be full of existing tropes — the meet-cute via accident and the impending death of one of the leads — Pugh and Garfield tread the careful balance between reality and fiction. Together, they convince the audience that they are real people living out the relationship, but in a cozy, poignant way that is familiar in movies. 

However, for fans of classic rom-coms, “We Live in Time” may not be what is expected. The nonlinear narrative skips back and forth in time; at some points of the film, it fails to deliver the correct amount of tension that might be present in an older movie. The buildup of the drama between Almut’s ambitious personality and Tobias’s family-oriented mindset is never truly pushed to its maximum, partly due to the alternating timelines. Instead, it serves as the underlying conflict throughout the entire movie, much like how it might in real life. While the first half can feel a little jumbled, the nonlinear narrative strengthens in the second half. 

Overall, the editing is not detrimental to the film. The nonlinear story truly gets to shine in the last half of the movie, serving as a tool to show parallels between the couple’s lives before and after everything they went through together — cancer, family and their child. 

Combined with its classic story and its playfulness with time, “We Live in Time” pulls its strongest point from the regularity of it all. Almut’s internal conflict between her career and her family, and Tobias’s worry for his wife and their relationship touches the audience’s  hearts. It is all something that any person might have gone through. Although it is hard to tell if the film would have received attention and praise without Pugh and Garfield, “We Live in Time” succeeds in delivering a genuine, passionate and warm story for the cold, fall season.

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Mitski, who is known for her songs “Nobody” and “Strawberry Blond,” had a successful three-night stop in Atlanta from Sept. 6 to Sept. 8. The tour for her latest album, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We,” was held in the historic Fox Theatre. 

Mitski brought out the Japanese indie band Lamp as her opener. With their delicate vocals, funky guitars and unconventional percussion, Lamp held the audience in a captivating performance. The lead singer’s vocals carried more than words. Even though the majority of the audience could not understand Japanese, their emotions, sometimes combined with the croak of a guiro (a wooden, frog-looking instrument), left a bright and calming vibe to the concert. If jazzy, indie pop sounds appealing, make sure to listen to Lamp. 

After Lamp left the stage, fans waited in a hushed atmosphere, like they would for a play or a musical. It was very different from a traditional concert — there was excitement, but not in a riled up, chatty manner. Considering the fact that Mitski announced how she wanted her fans to connect with the live performance rather than to record her on their phones, her wishes seemed to be well respected, even in the intermission period. 

Finally, Mitski came up on stage quietly. Slowly approaching from the side, she started with the song, “Everyone,” from her previous album, “Laurel Hell.” Arriving at the center of the stage, she was quickly enshrouded in a circular fabric, making her shadow a larger-than-life figure. 

Once the fabric came down, the show really began. From her strong vocals to distinct dancing, Mitski delivered an enticing performance from the start. Most notably, in “I Bet on Losing Dogs,” she shrinks herself down as the dog, connecting with the lyrics and giving a memorable interpretation of her own songs. 

Despite the artistic quality of her show, Mitski did not shy away from speaking with the audience directly. In a humorous manner, she commented on the Georgian weather and its shocking lack of humidity that weekend. She also jokingly thanked the parents who, perhaps begrudgingly, came to see her with their teenagers. These interactions made her tour much more personalized to each city, and they did not take away from her act.

One of the other unique aspects about her performance was her use of light. In the beginning, she used lighting just like other concerts, but as she got deeper into the show, the light became another performer. One of the most notable uses was during “Heaven,” when she danced with the spotlight. Instead of shining down on her, the spotlight was its own entity, her partner. It was a beautiful sight to see, and it made the concert almost like performative art despite the minimal stage decorations. 

In addition to the personification of light, she also made use of its reflective qualities in singing one of the most popular songs from her new album, ”My Love Mine All Mine.” Fitting with its melancholy mood, light reflected off of fragmented pieces of metal, reminding the audience of stars. Surrounded by these glowing pieces, Mitski delivered a hauntingly melodic performance. 

Another surprise was her country rendition of “I Don’t Smoke,” a song filled with electric guitar and bass. While Mitski is known for her impressive lyricism and sometimes grunge sounds, it was interesting to hear one of her most bass-heavy songs as a danceable, playful beat. However, the performance only solidified her prominence as a maturing artist and her ability to switch between genres while maintaining her sound. 

As every musician does, Mitski rushed off stage after a thank you only to come back for a final goodbye in the form of an encore. She then played a couple of her most popular songs: the viral “Nobody” and the catchy “Washing Machine Heart.” In a mix of the old and the new, Mitski stunned Atlanta with her artistic concert, in both vocals and performance. While her tour can be described in many splendid ways, the best word to describe it is poetic.

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Not to be confused with the original “Twister,” the 2024 film “Twisters” follows Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a former storm-chaser, as she ventures back into the whirlwind world of tornadoes. Throughout her journey, she meets Tyler (Glen Powell), a stereotypically country “tornado wrangler” who serves as a foil to Kate’s reserved ways. In her hometown of Oklahoma, the two collide and collaborate in this two-hour ride as they chase one storm after the other.

Before the release of “Twisters,” some moviegoers expressed concern over whether they would have a hard time understanding the film if they had not seen “Twister.” The newer movie serves as a “standalone sequel,” meaning that there is not a story continuity nor old characters making appearances. While this might be a disappointment for fans of the original film, “Twisters” is able to appeal to a wider, younger audience.

Even without an established fanbase, the movie is sure to draw in viewers with its landscape — arguably one of the best parts about “Twisters.” While the actors give a good performance, the tornadoes take full force in each scene. In some, it is a thing of beauty that both Kate and Tyler admire. In others, the storms are almost actors of their own, their presence threatening the duo like the antagonist of a horror film. 

The director, Lee Issac Chung, pulls experience from his own life of living in Ark.. In addition, his previous works (“The Mandalorian”) give him an action background to create a moving yet thrilling view of the midwest. Each shot of the vast fields rustling with tornadoes is enough to make the audience feel like they are right beside Kate. The tornadoes, much to the film’s namesake, make the movie a true spectacle.

That is not to say that the actors fail to put on a show. Both Edgar-Jones and Powell are rising Hollywood stars, and the film only solidifies their status. In a typical rivals-to-lovers trope, they bring chemistry into their tornado-hunting competition. In spite of a slow start to their romance, the two actors portray a steady growth of their relationship. 

Despite the actors’ efforts, they may be playing it safe — Glen Powell still performs the cocky professional he portrayed in “Top Gun: Maverick” (but with a touch of a heart of gold), and Daisy Edgar-Jones still has an air of the smart-but-stubborn Marianne she portrayed in “Normal People.” These characterizations are not necessarily a bad thing, but it does leave a familiar taste for fans of either actor. In the scope of the movie, however, both actors deliver a natural performance. 

Of course, the science behind the movie cannot be ignored. Although the crew of “Twisters” consulted with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for some parts of the film, the logic behind Kate’s tornado-dissolving solution is almost impossible. However, Edgar-Jones manages to make a convincing case for her methods, and what fun is sci-fi without the fiction? For the most part, the scientific inaccuracies do not get in the way of the movie’s viewing experience.

“Twisters” potentially carves a path for the return of non-superhero blockbuster movies. The director and cast members have expressed a desire to return for a sequel, especially after its surprising box-office success with around $274 million. Although a part of its success is due to its association with the 1996 “Twister,” the 2024 film holds well on its own. It is not exactly mind-blowing or innovative, but that is the appeal of the movie. Through its classic story and solid visuals, “Twisters” is worth a watch.

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