10/01/21
This week: Complex, captivating female characters; two wildly different shows about class—one from Sweden and one from South Korea; and two musical recs you really don’t want to skip.
TRENDS THIS WEEK
Youtube YOUTUBE'S MOST VIEWED VIDEOS
Letterboxd DUNE
TikTok #MyStory
Spotify STAY - The Kid LAROI
Netflix SQUID GAME
Twitter #PodcastDay
Life & Culture
On the off chance that any of you have ever dreamed of paying for your movie tickets with Dogecoin, I’m here to tell you that it looks like your wish will be granted by AMC. The company’s CEO tweeted out a poll asking his followers if the company should “explore accepting Dogecoin” in addition to the more mainstream forms of crypto that it already has plans to accept. Over 140K users voted, with 74% saying yes. Adam Aron responded by saying “it’s clear that you think AMC should accept Dogecoin. Now we need to figure out how to do that. Stay tuned!”
As a college student in the mid-to-late 2010s, I can attest that vaping was an absolute epidemic among students. I knew so many people who were hopelessly addicted to their Juuls. The tiny vapes, initially meant to be a replacement for traditional cigarette smoking, were simply everywhere. But it looks like things might be turning around. While vaping is still pretty popular, the FDA’s bet that forcing Juul to drop the fruity flavors would lower usage among young people seems to be paying off. According to The New York Times, 11.3 percent of high school students reported this year that they currently vape. This is down from 19.6 percent in 2020 and 27.5 percent in 2019. In light of these new survey results, the CEO of nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids argues that the FDA should take a further step and “eliminate all flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products,” which are now still available to consumers in a sort-of loophole, as disposable flavored vapes are still on the market.
And of course, my two favorite TikToks from the past week: This one captures an otter narrowly escaping a seemingly-hungry orca whale, and this one shows off the skills of two very tiny amphibians (I think they are lizards, but if someone knows for sure, please feel free to reply and correct me).
—Darlene Kenney, Digital Strategist
GUEST CURATED BY THE BRILLIANT MINDS AT
Artist to Know
Painter Lucía Vidales tends to blur the line between abstraction and figuration, and it’s imbued with the history of Mexico, where she lives and works.
She’s particularly interested in the physical, emotional and spiritual implications of the body—which she uses to explore the ongoing impact of colonialism in Latin America. In the works she’s presenting on Platform this month, she integrates elements of Mesoamerican religion and mythology and its impact on present-day Mexico—in particular, the fertility goddess Coatlicue and Xipe Totec, the Aztec god of regeneration, which you may be able to see references to.
I also love how she titles her artworks (The Dead and the Living, Piss and Tears, among others) — sometimes with historical references, sometimes with humor. I always find it to be a fun exercise to follow the clues an artist provides into their intentions for a given work, and that’s exactly what these titles feel like to me. Check her out, and have a crack at deciphering those clues while you’re at it!
—Richard Thayer, Director of Marketing, PLATFORM
Lucía Vidales
Punta, remate, fin y cabo, 2021
Oil, acrylic and encaustic on canvas
28.0 × 24.0 inches
$4500 (Available through October 31st)
Film
This past weekend, I watched the 1994 film CHUNGKING EXPRESS (trailer here) by iconic Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar Wai—in a movie theater. The double-pronged film follows two police officers who are both getting over exes. In their breakup processes, they each meet a mysterious new woman who changes the course of their lives. The cinematography, sound design, and production design in the film are oh-so-beautiful and dynamic, letting WKW’s directorial style really shine in this story of lovesickness, chance encounters, and the surprising interconnectedness of us all. Also, hats off to WKW for writing two strong female protagonists who are flawed but also charming, complex, and captivating. The heroine Faye is what I’d call “chaotic good” and might just be my favorite take on the “gamine” who’s fickle and sneaky, but all in the name of a good time. If you’re in the LA area and want to see it in theaters, the American Cinematheque is screening the film with new 35mm restorations this Friday (10/1) at the Los Feliz 3!
—Aimee Pham, Production & Development Intern
In 2000, Congress passed the Child Citizenship Act which granted automatic citizenship to children adopted by United States citizens—but left out adoptees who were already legal adults by the time the bill was passed. In other words, many adoptees who had grown up in America and knew no other life, could be deported tomorrow to a country they had no ties to. In BLUE BAYOU (trailer here), writer-director-producer Justin Chon doesn't shy away from painting this pained image for us. Antonio LeBlanc (Justin Chon) is a soon-to-be father who faces deportation after an encounter with a local police. The sad drip of inevitability permeates the entire film as we experience a deep feeling of helplessness in the face of a system that only protects certain groups of people. Justin, Alicia Vikander, and newcomer Sydney Kowalske all deliver powerful, wounded, and intelligent performances. So go hit up your local theaters this weekend and experience this beautiful film on screen!
—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
TV
SNABBA CASH (trailer here), translated to Fast or Easy Cash, is a Swedish show on Netflix that simply hasn’t gotten enough attention. The series is based on a book (with the same name) from 2006 by Jens Lapidus, a Swedish criminal defense lawyer. Set mainly in the projects outside Stockholm, the show draws parallels between the start-up/tech world and the mob in a really interesting way. The story, which ultimately centers around class, follows a young single mom of Middle Eastern descent who’s desperate to get her tech business off the ground and gets entangled with drug money from her brother-in-law. What sets this show apart from many other Nordic shows is the diversity of the cast—and absolutely incredible performances from Alexander Abdallah and Even Ahmad.
—Martina Lund, VP Marketing & Media Design
SQUID GAME (trailer here) is the new show that seems to have the Internet in a chokehold. Released less than two weeks ago on Netflix, the story is a South Korean survival drama written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. The show follows 456 people who are invited to risk their lives playing childhood games in exchange for a shot at a massive cash prize. It tackles major themes like class conflict and egoism, shown throughout the games as contestants are continuously tested on what they’re willing to do to others to further their own chances. The show has been reported by Netflix to be on track to being the most watched non-English speaking show ever, which is promising news for those of us hoping for a Season 2.
—Eden Bekele, Digital Associate
Dance
With my one free afternoon in New York this weekend, I’m choosing to see choreographer Bill T. Jones’ new piece DEEP BLUE SEA. While I have long been an admirer of Jones’ work (ahem, SPRING AWAKENING), I’ve never had the opportunity to see Jones actually perform in one of his pieces. He performs here for the first time in 15 years, with a cast of 100 dancers and community members, in a work inspired by both Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech and Moby Dick. I’m not entirely sure how Jones and his company will blend those two pieces together, but I am very excited to find out!
—Julia Hammer, Director of Production
Short Film
I haven’t been able to get Sudarshan Suresh’s MIZARU (trailer here) out of my head since I saw it last year, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s one of the best shorts I’ve ever seen. Set in Mumbai on Valentine’s Day, MIZARU takes place in one fluid shot as a young couple finds themselves targeted by a vigilante group, also known as the “moral police,” for engaging in some PDA in the park. Staging a short in a single take is always a risky proposition, but the hyperrealistic performances and smooth camera blocking elicit a palpable sense of dread that I haven’t felt since watching WHIPLASH for the first time. A number of supporting characters show up throughout the film as well, including members of a recreational yoga group, a duo of police officers who pass through to see what all the commotion is about, and another unlucky couple that finds themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. As Sudarshan Suresh lets these side characters stroll in and out of this harrowing confrontation, you can’t help but notice the utter apathy—both on a social and bureaucratic level—that precipitates this insidious vigilantism. Yet, MIZARU never veers into ham-fisted territory under Suresh’s assured hand, making for a smartly observed social thriller that packs a real punch. After an incredibly successful festival run including Telluride, Brussels, and Palm Springs ShortFest (where it picked up a Special Mention for Best of the Festival), MIZARU is finally available to stream on the Criterion Channel, or to rent on Vimeo.
—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
Music
Listen, if you haven't listened to H.E.R, this is me not-so-casually begging you to do so immediately. H.E.R is a four-time Grammy winner who’s truly one of my favorite artists of this decade. She garnered a lot of recent attention for the original song “Fight For You” on the incredible oscar-nominated film JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH. But her entire catalogue is spectacular. I have finally come down from the high of seeing her in concert at the Hollywood Bowl last month, and it truly solidified my love for her. She performed with the LA Philharmonic, paid her respects to the Black lives lost to police brutality, recognized the year we have all had amidst an ongoing pandemic, and even brought out Daniel Caesar and helped a couple get engaged to a rendition of “Best Part.” And to top it all off, she played a total of five instruments during the concert. I'm truly in awe of her skill and musicality, and I will be the first to buy tickets to any future tours. Also, did I mention she's only 24? Her most recent album “Back of My Mind” was released in June of this year—go stream it now!
—Erin Harris, Development Assistant
I've spent many an hour crying to Sufjan Stevens songs. I even referenced him in my honors thesis. But today, there’s no better reason to talk about Sufjan's latest work than the fact that it's entirely movie-centric. His new album “A Beginner's Mind,” made in collaboration with fellow indie singer-songwriter Angelo De Augustine, ruminates on films the pair watched together as an intended respite from writing. The variety of films discussed is eclectic, from ALL ABOUT EVE to BRING IT ON AGAIN. Even RETURN TO OZ, a nightmare-inducing staple from my childhood, makes an appearance. The whole thing works beautifully because Sufjan's music—dreamy, baroque balladry filled with themes like innocence, loss, spirituality, and love—has a tendency to stir emotions and memories and leave you with a sense of aching nostalgia and introspection. If you're looking for something to listen to and something to watch this week, this could be the perfect twofer solution.
—Alicia Devereaux, Executive Assistant
