02/18/22
This week: There’s no rom-com like a J.Lo rom-com. Plus, new and old music, the return of Movie Pass (!!) and some other v. v. good recs.
TRENDS THIS WEEK:
☞Youtube ELVIS
☞Letterboxd KIMI
☞TikTok #SkiTok
☞Spotify Heat Waves - Glass Animals
☞Netflix INVENTING ANNA
☞Twitter Wordle
Life & Culture
A few very beloved TV shows announced their endings this week. If you’re a fan of ATLANTA, MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, or STRANGER THINGS, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but these stories all are coming to an end relatively soon. But as ATLANTA creator Donald Glover put it, “death is natural.” And on the off chance you haven’t seen the three shows, consider this a tripe rec from me to you.
Movie Pass is officially making a return. After shutting down in 2019, the movie subscription service will relaunch this summer with a new app. This new version features a tiered system where users can choose how many credits they want each month. CEO Stacey Spikes also announced a way for subscribers to earn extra credits: by watching ads. However, in order to track if individuals are actually watching the ads, Movie Pass will use eye tracking software linked to a mobile phone camera, and pause the ads if a viewer is not paying attention. If that doesn’t creep you out too much, you might just have a summer of free movies ahead of you!
In related BLACK MIRROR-esque news, Disney is making residential communities for Disney Adults who never want to leave the corporation’s branding. The project is called “Storyliving by Disney” and will have about 1900 units in its first iteration in California. Disney’s Imagineers are designing the communities, and “cast members” will run the day-to-day operations. Disney Parks, Experiences and Products exec Helen Pak described it as “an energetic community with the warmth and charm of a small town and the beauty of a resort.” The communities will allow members of the public to visit the neighborhood by purchasing day passes.
Finally, allow me to share three of my favorite videos from TikTok this week. This one describes the entire human experience of picking up a loved one from the airport, this one introduces us to a very intelligent puppy, and this one features a creative, calming version of the INDIANA JONES theme song.
—Darlene Kenney, Digital Strategist
Also, I have a burning q for you this week:
In the midst of an internet-wide obsession with an impending “vibe shift,” I need to know: do you think vibe shifts are real?
Yes, and I’m afraid I’m going to be left behind
What are you even talking about?
Film
The girls who get MARRY ME get it. And the girls who don’t, don’t.
You see, we live in complex times that lead to a deep nostalgia for something simpler: namely, the unabashedly sincere and frothy romantic comedies of the 2000s. There is nothing particularly groundbreaking about this type of film, but therein lies its beauty. And this is exactly why MARRY ME (trailer here), this year's Valentine's Day box office chart-topper, is the movie of the moment. It's the noughties rom-com reincarnate here to lead us all to a beautiful land of escapism, with absurd meet-cutes and third-act airport scenes aplenty. Trust me when I tell you there is no better film to watch right now, while inhaling a box of Milk Duds with all your other single friends at the nearest AMC.
The premise is simple: A popstar finds out her fiancé is cheating on her just as she's about to marry him at her concert—live streamed in front of the entire world, of course—so she randomly selects a reluctant concertgoer from the crowd to marry instead. But this pop star is no ordinary pop star. She’s played by global superstar and reigning queen of rom-coms herself, Jennifer Lopez. And her reluctant husband is played by Owen Wilson.. Add a supporting cast that includes Maluma and Sarah Silverman to that unexpected pairing and you have a party. I’m honestly not being facetious here—all of these pieces could fall flat so easily and instead, they come together for a breezy, winning rom-com about second chances at love that’ll sweep you off your feet. Jennifer Lopez and Maluma also assembled one of the catchiest soundtracks known to man, so catch us streaming ‘Marry Me - Ballad Version’ on repeat until our ears fall off.
—Alicia Devereaux and Neal Mulani, Development Assistants
In the midst of all the Kanye West drama, today his first-ever film documentary was released to the public, titled JEEN-YUHS: A KANYE TRILOGY (trailer here), reminding fans of the old Kanye. The film is filled with never-before-seen footage shot by Coodie and Chike, following the life of the artist, producer, businessman and designer, breaking his life up into three parts. The first act, VISION, premiered today and shows Kanye's early struggle, trying to get any and everyone to listen to one of my personal favorite Kanye tracks of all time, ALL FALLS DOWN. Here, we really see how determined Kanye was, truly all about his art. The film's release comes at an interesting time, likely to reignite Kanye fans and rile up his haters. But for me, it’s a stark reminder of his brilliance when it comes purely down to his art—because I, for one, definitely miss the old Kanye.
—Eden Bekele, Digital Associate
Not quite a film, not quite a series, I’m sneaking a comedy special into this section this week. Returning in her iconic leopard dress, Ali Wong is back in top form for her third Netflix special, titled ALI WONG: DON WONG. This time, she dives right into the the complexities of being a successful and powerful woman—from navigating creepy male fans, to being so busy she forgets to take a shit sometimes, to her evolving and very loving relationship with her very good-looking Asian Harvard Business School graduate husband (every auntie’s not-so-secret dream). Her observations are as sharp as ever—trust you’ll laugh along at her every joke and facial expression (we Asians can express, okay?). At a time when violence against Asian American women is at the forefront of our conversations again, it is extremely heartwarming to watch and celebrate a hilarious and formidable Asian American woman who refuses to be anyone but her unabashed self.
—Nimarta Narang, Digital Fellow
TV
I'm surprised by how much I love the new HBO series SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE (trailer here). This slice-of-life dramedy stars Bridget Everett as Sam, a woman in her 40s who’s stuck in a rut after moving back to her hometown of Manhattan, Kansas following the death of her sister. Sam and her friends and family, including her work bestie Joel (Jeff Hiller) and sister Tricia (Mary Catherine Garrison), are flawed but aspirational. The characters grapple with issues of faith, marriage, addiction, and self-acceptance—but they also have so much fun laughing and singing through it all. With Jay Duplass' direction, the series provides an authentic and intimate look into small-town Kansas. The unique yet accessible setting and characters make SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE an instant favorite. I highly recommend catching up on the first five episodes before the season finale airs later this month!
—Dustin Sloane, Development Assistant
Music
Last week, the pioneering, boundary-smashing Queen of Funk Betty Davis passed away at the age of 77. Davis, who left behind a trailblazing body of work that is hugely under-appreciated, was way ahead of her time. She only recorded music between 1964 and 1975, but her impact was felt for decades afterward. She was briefly married to Miles Davis, and introduced the jazz legend to the rock music of the era—and you can hear the influence clearly in his albums IN A SILENT WAY (1969) and BITCHES BREW (1970; my personal favorite Miles Davis album). But back to Betty. She first started making music in 1964 under her birth name Betty Mabry, and was an influential figure in the New York music scene in the late ‘60s. After her marriage to Miles Davis in 1968, she started performing under Betty Davis, and finally released her debut self-titled album in 1973. She quickly followed up with two more albums: THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT (1974) and NASTY GAL (1975). Marked by her controversial sexually liberated lyrics and her raw and gritty performance style, Davis quickly gained a cult following but failed to achieve commercial success. After all, sexual liberation did not hit the charts (at least from a female perspective) until the late ‘80s and ‘90s—by which time Davis has long disappeared from the public eye. But her music inspired many to come, including Prince and Madonna. In Lenny Kravitz’ words…”This lady was hip before hip was hip.”
—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
If you’re looking to add a fresh R&B voice to your listening rotation, up-and-coming singer Rayana Jay just dropped her new album LAST CALL and she’s an exciting new voice to check out. You might have heard any of her many features with Duckwrth such as LOVE ME LIKE or BIRTHDAY SUIT, and I love the way her soothing and sensational voice blends beautifully with Duckwrth’s on each of those. LAST CALL features tracks ranging from slower ballads marked by a confessional and old-soul storytelling (UNFAIR) to instantly danceable R&B with an unconventional edge (ATBO). My favorite track on the album is the groovy LAST CALL featuring saxophonist and singer Braxtoon Cook—the perfect song to get ready to on a Friday night.
—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
