09/10/21
TRENDS THIS WEEK
☞ Youtube DON’T LOOK UP
☞ Letterboxd SHANG-CHI
☞ TikTok #summerrecap
☞ Spotify STAY - The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
☞ Netflix CLICKBAIT
☞ Twitter MATRIX
Life & Culture
Blues Clues’ ever-recognizable Steve is back—with over 60 million views across Twitter and Instagram this week. In a video posted by Nick Jr., Steve acknowledges that when he up and left the kids’ show for college, it was “kind of abrupt.” He also talks about how life has been hard but he’s proud of all of his old friends, and many people were like “yeah Steve, it has been hard”. Of course the viral moment resulted in hilarious takes and memes, (this one and this one particularly got me) that point out how wild it is that we’re at a point in society where Steve from Blues Clues needs to step in and give us emotional closure. Regardless, I am always here for a throwback from my childhood, and this one clearly struck a chord with a ton of people. Thanks, Steve—for everything.
El Salvador became the first country to adopt bitcoin as an official currency this week. On Monday, President Nayib Bukele tweeted that the country just bought another 200 bitcoin, which brings El Salvador’s total holdings to 400 bitcoin, or around $20.9 million. Citizens can now sign up for the new wallet app called Chivo (and see a fresh $30 for signing up), or use one of the bitcoin ATMs that the government has started installing across the country. While the currency fell up to 20% after the change, it doesn’t look like that volatility is going to deter adoption. This week, Ukraine also passed a law making bitcoin legal—and regulating it.
And, of course, two of my favorite videos from this week. This one, shining a light on the inner monologue of a dog when he does a certain trick, is something special. And, this one, from a very talented 3D artist is unexpected and trippy. I recommend checking out a few other videos on the latter’s page—they are very unique.
—Darlene Kenney, Digital Strategist
Film
If you haven’t seen Destin Daniel Cretton’s SHANG-CHI (trailer here) yet, I’m making it my personal mission to convince you to right that wrong.. Let’s get the obvious arguments out of the way, upfront: First, it features our first Asian-American Marvel standalone hero. Second, it smashed box-office records in the pandemic era, surpassing $100 million in domestic ticket sales alone. But my love for this film goes much deeper than that. Simu Liu brings to life a lovable and humane hero in SHANG-CHI. The film offers textured characters, grounded and established relationships, and gorgeous set pieces and action sequences that pay homage to Chinese culture. And as a snobby Chinese film-lover, I am especially critical when it comes to the latter. But this film elegantly takes inspiration from Wuxi-inspired Chinese martial arts tradition in a way that is very much justified by the story. Oh and athe rest of the cast of SHANG-CHI? Tony Leung as the complex antagonis—a conflicted husband, failing father and a ruthless leader; Meng’er Zhang as the badass sister who won’t stay in the shadow; Awkwafina as the down-to-earth and loyal best friend; Michelle Yeoh as the wise guardian…every one of them shines through. So grab your friends and family, hit up your local theater and enjoy the ride!
—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
TV
Last week, the adult animated comedy series Q-FORCE (trailer here) debuted on Netflix. It’s a fun spin on the self-serious tropes of the spy/action-thriller genre, and the twenty-minute long episodes make it the perfect candidate for some breezy, weeknight binge-watching. The series follows a down-on-his-luck secret agent, Agent Mary, who starts his own group of queer superspies (the Queer Force a.k.a. Q-Force) to prove himself and earn the approval of the American Intelligence Agency: the show’s fictional take on the CIA. Featuring some impressive, vibrant action animation and a slew of amusing references to both broader pop culture and queer life in Los Angeles, Q-FORCE’s storylines range from outlandish global missions to a noir-inspired episode about a missing twink titled “WeHo Confidential.” While some have criticized the show's depiction of queer stereotypes as dated, I actually think it shows a self-awareness that sidesteps the usual pitfalls of queer representation in media.
—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
You probably all already know that AMERICAN CRIME STORY: IMPEACHMENT (trailer here) premiered on FX this week. Ryan Murphy's take on the Clinton presidency is just as pulpy as you might expect, and (or but, depending on your POV) it’s also just as entertaining as you’d expect. Maybe the freshest aspect of the series is the BOMBSHELL approach of recounting its central scandal through the eyes of the women involved. Episode 1 hones in on Linda Tripp (Sarah Paulson) and Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein); they're both in need of something when they first meet at the Pentagon, and they hope to get it from each other. Whether or not you'll get what you're looking for while watching IMPEACHMENT kind of hinges on the Ryan Murphy of it all. While the series affords quite a bit of empathy to its characters (Lewinsky is a producer on the series), they are still characters—based on real people with real trauma, but done-up in scrunchies and shoulder pads and presented with a bit of a wink. If sensationalism leaves you feeling icky, avoid. But if you're game for a slightly messy retelling of one of America's greatest "-gates"—fat suits, wigs and all—then dig in.
—Alicia Devereaux, Executive Assistant
Theater
I’m using HADESTOWN’s reopening this week as an opportunity to shout from the rooftops: This is the best new musical I’ve seen in years. For those who aren’t familiar, HADESTOWN is based on folk musician Anaïs Mitchell’s 2010 concept album of the same name. Mitchell and director Rachel Chavkin have taken the album and turned it into a full-blown folk opera based on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. Chavkin’s staging is boisterous and inventive, with the Hades character eerily reminiscent of a recent U.S. president (though Anaïs Mitchell wrote the character long before that man was in office!). Mitchell’s songs range from joyful to haunting—I recently listened to the whole cast recording on a long drive and went on a full emotional roller coaster. If you find yourself in New York this year and want to see a musical, this should be the one, I promise!
—Julia Hammer, Director of Production
Ahead of the 20th anniversary of September 11th, I wanted to recommend COME FROM AWAY (trailer here). A filmed version of this Broadway one-act musical, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, is hitting Apple TV+ this weekend. We know what happened to those planes that crashed on 9/11, but what about every other flight that took off that day? This musical follows the very real story of 7,000 passengers and pilots who were grounded and taken in by the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. The local citizens’ hospitality fostered lasting relationships, love, and hope in the midst of tragedy. And while honoring the lives lost during this tragedy, we can never forget the aftershocks—the xenophobia and racism that shook up America (with its ripple effects very much being felt to this day). And while the set and staging is minimalistic, the performances of these actors is what set this musical apart. It’s such a warm hug of a show to watch, showcasing simple human kindness and light found in the darkest times.
—Erin Harris, Development Assistant
Podcast
Hyperpop icon Charli XCX has a podcast, and it's great. CHARLI XCX’S BEST SONG EVER follows Charli's quest to find...well, the "best song ever," with help from a wide range of guests including Christine and the Queens, Addison Rae, Mark Ronson, and on the fourth episode, comedian and “baiter” extraordinaire, Ziwe. This is basically a match made in heaven; in a lot of ways, both artists have built careers and personas out of satire, constantly deconstructing the spaces they're in. Not to mention, they're both hilarious and I could literally listen to them read an instruction manual and still enjoy it. Make your next closet cleanout much more bearable with this one—you won’t regret it.
—Alicia Devereaux, Executive Assistant
