10/15/21
This week: Halloween Toks, a whole lot of genre, a Keanu-penned comic, and “divorce, babe, divorce.”
TRENDS THIS WEEK
Youtube Meghan Thee Stallion - Hot Ones
Letterboxd NO TIME TO DIE
TikTok #HalloweenCostume
Spotify STAY - The Kid LAROI
Netflix SQUID GAME
Twitter Halloween Kills
Life & Culture
Now, I know you don’t need me to tell you how huge SQUID GAME is. But, this week, Netflix told us exactly how many people watched (at least two minutes, anyway). Drumroll, please...it’s over 111 million fans, which, of course, makes it the platform’s biggest show ever. This week, the streamer also unveiled a brand new merch partnership with Walmart, which will see the companies co-releasing items on a digital storefront within Walmart’s existing site. Fans will be able to buy clothes and toys from shows like SQUID GAME, STRANGER THINGS, WITCHER, and NAILED IT!. And, if they aren’t covering your favorites yet, Walmart also shared plans to launch a new service it’s calling Netflix Fan Select, where fans will have “the opportunity to vote for merchandise they’d like to see from favored Netflix shows — and then Walmart merchants will bring them to life.”
Shameless self promotion alert! There's an I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER series launching today on Amazon Prime, and we’re stoked (and also involved, ha). Go watch! And once you’ve binged the first four, go back and watch the original movies (which have an incredible BTS origin story that we’ll tell you on IG later this month...).
And, I have two Halloween-themed TikToks to share with you all today. This one is the best rendition of a Harry Potter costume that I have ever seen, and this one features a sweet animated ghost with a wholesome message about mental health.
—Darlene Kenney, Digital Strategist
Films
MY DINNER WITH ANDRÉ (trailer here) turned 40 earlier this week. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that it’s a personal favorite because of its reputation as pretentious…but is a little pretension really the worst thing? Written by and starring Wallace Shawn and André Gregory, the film is set almost entirely at a restaurant table, where Shawn and Gregory’s characters (coincidentally named Wally and André) have a long, meandering philosophical conversation. There’s no more plot than that, and I completely understand if it sounds boring—it has continuously been the butt of jokes in pop culture for a reason. But the action (limited though it may be) does still rise, climaxing with Wally finally openly criticizing André’s dramatic, mystical worldview in favor of an appreciation for the mundane. Shawn and Gregory succeed in bringing contemplative storytelling to the screen by situating a movie wholly concerned with life and how to live it at the most ordinary of activities: dinner with a friend. Check it out on HBO Max if you’re feeling just a hair pretentious this weekend.
—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant
The brutal first trailer for SCREAM (2022), the fifth installment in the franchise, dropped this week and it quickly skyrocketed to the top of YouTube’s trending chart, racking up millions of views in its first 24 hours. The original SCREAM is my favorite movie of all time (I saw SCREAM 4 in theaters five times in 8th grade…), so this first look at the newest installment could have been Neve Campbell reading a phonebook for 2 minutes and I would’ve freaked out. But if you’re feeling jaded by recent disappointments like THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE and HALLOWEEN KILLS, this trailer might single-handedly restore your faith in the horror genre. Taking a seemingly darker approach (Ghostface is snapping legs! Someone’s been set on fire..?), the trailer has some fans worried that the franchise has done away with its signature meta humor. A few of the film’s stars have insisted that SCREAM “fits perfectly” within the franchise, however, so I’m not too worried. And while this is the first film in the series to not be helmed by the late Wes Craven, it's directed by the highly promising Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the directing duo behind Searchlight’s 2019 runaway horror hit READY OR NOT). Moreover, the original Woodsboro trio (Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox) have all returned to star alongside an array of exciting young talent including Jenna Ortega (YOU, THE FALLOUT), Melissa Barrera (IN THE HEIGHTS), and Jack Quaid (THE BOYS), so I couldn’t be more excited. Ghostface looks more terrifying than ever, and if you’re worried about the trailer spoiling who’s hiding behind the infamous mask this go-around, relax: the directors assure that this trailer is “the tip of a very, very deceptive iceberg” full of misdirects. Happy viewing, and with that: I’ll be right back…in January.
—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
This week, I watched three highly-anticipated genre films. The first, ANTLERS (trailer here), premiered at the American Cinematheque-sponsored Beyond Fest with director Scott Cooper and producer Guillermo del Toro in attendance. The second, LAMB (trailer here), had been long-awaited as the latest “elevated horror” work distributed by A24 and emerged from Cannes as a festival favorite. And the third was VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE (trailer here).
Now, if you saw the first VENOM movie and were bewildered by the clash of grim, self-serious VFX bloat and complete off-the-walls ridiculousness, I’ve got good news—the sequel goes all-in on the latter, with a surprisingly sweet twist. Writer Kelly Marcel and director Andy Serkis (yeah, that one) added a whole new spin on Eddie Brock’s relationship with the alien symbiote inhabiting his body. And well, these two comic book characters, crammed in their dingy SF apartment bickering over house rules and what’s for dinner, have found themselves in a straight-up rom com. They fight, they make up, they make pancakes. With Venom’s character essentially turning into Clayface from the “Harley Quinn” animated series, both he and Eddie form a new vulnerability, intimacy, and sense of self (and yes I can’t believe I’m still talking about VENOM 2 either). This film is equal parts tender and camp. Tom Hardy’s indecipherable accent? Camp. Michelle Williams’ heinous wig? Camp. The tentacles (oh, so many tentacles)? Camp…verging on pornographic. Oh yeah, and there’s Naomie Harris and Woody Harrelson doing a NATURAL BORN KILLERS THING too. I guess I am encouraging you to see this movie. And you know what? I’m okay with that.
—Alicia Devereaux, Development Assistant
TV
My fun weekend plans are to catch up on all of the incredible new shows released recently—one of them being MAID (trailer here) on Netflix. Adapted from Stephanie Land’s memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive, MAID follows a young mother’s journey as she cares for her daughter after escaping the abuse of her partner. This miniseries’s opening moments had me holding my breath: Watching Alex (played by Margaret Qualley) intently watching her partner’s sleeping chest rise and fall, quietly sneaking through the house with evidence of domestic violence sprinkled throughout her path, and finally grabbing her daughter and tearing out of there was so harrowing and raw. And as her limited funds and resources diminish, Alex pushes forward because she’s a mom and has a kid who needs her. The show's scenes of domestic violence feel all too familiar, which is both heartbreaking and terrifying. But ultimately, this is a story of survival—taking house cleaning jobs to provide for her daughter, battling with the shackles of poverty, and finding chosen family and stability. It’s all really well done and worth a watch.
—Erin Harris, Development Assistant
Comic Book
This week, I started reading BRZRKR, a brand new comic-book series co-written by Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt. When the cashier at the store recommended it to me, she pitched it as “JOHN WICK, but even gorier,” to which I replied, “Is that possible?” Turns out, it is. Imagine this: A super-soldier punching through an attacker’s body, ripping out one of their ribs, and stabbing another assailant through the throat with it. But while it’s gory, it’s also magnificently illustrated by Ron Garney and tells a fascinating story. The central character is an invincible anti-hero on a quest for mortality, and the comics explore his mind through conversations with a psycho-therapist. Think of it like JOHN WICK meets THE SOPRANOS. If you’re interested, hurry to a comic-book shop soon—they’re selling out fast.
—Daniel Shifren, Production & Development Intern
Podcast
In the words of Binchtopia hosts Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb, “If Plato and Aristotle had internet addictions and knew what ‘gaslighting' was, they’d probably make this podcast." If you’re looking for a funny,, smart and informative podcast that breaks down cultural hellscape and provides a refreshing perspective on current events, tune in. In each episode, alongside a slew of fun digressions, the ladies go through their listeners’ emails, then address a topical moment as they take us through the history of said event. In the episode “Abort Mission,” which came out right after Texas passed a near-total abortion ban, the ladies unpacked the complex history or reproductive rights in America—I must say, I personally learned a lot. Anyway, sexy and fun people listen to Binchtopia so make sure you tune in, you sexy and fun people.
—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
Music
Unless you live under a rock, you probably know that Adele is finally back this weekend with EASY ON ME, the lead single from her highly anticipated fourth studio album, 30 (out November 19th). It’s been six years since her last release, 25 (the fastest-selling album of all time in the US, lest we forget…), back when album releases still somewhat felt like actual events. The instant gratification of streaming has given way to artists dropping increasingly disposable, standalone singles, but leave it to Adele to tee up a proper album rollout. It started a few weeks ago, when mysterious “30” billboards started appearing in major cities around the world. While Adele is distinctly known for her numerical album titles based on her age at the time of songwriting, the Internet seemed to be doubtful— it had been so long since she dropped new music, and this seemed too good to be true. For me, the news was all but confirmed when Taylor Swift mysteriously moved the release of RED (TAYLOR’S VERSION) up one week, clearing the weekend of November 19th. Lo and behold, Adele released the teaser for EASY ON ME a week later, and the world was forever changed. A beautiful piano ballad that’s relatively sparse by Adele’s standards, EASY ON ME still offers her signature wistful sensibilities with a glint of catharsis and optimism. And around 1 p.m. on Friday, Spotify confirmed that the single had already become the platform’s most-streamed song in a single day, with a few tracking hours left to spare. In other words, just another Friday for Adele. The music video is directed by Xavier Dolan, who also directed the video for Adele’s HELLO, and it very much feels like a poetic sequel to the 2015 sepia-drenched clip. When asked on her (now viral) Instagram live last weekend what her forthcoming album would be about, Adele simply responded: “divorce, babe, divorce.” Consider this the beginning of sad girl autumn, and brace for impact.
—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
One of my favorite OG afro producers and DJs, Juls, just released his third solo album and it’s my favorite thing this week. Born in East London to Ghanaian parents, Juls began his career in 2013 while he finished his studies at the University of Surrey. Now, he’s regarded by a lot of artists in the space as a pioneering producer, having created songs with top talent like Burna Boy, Mr. Eazi, and Maleek Berry, to name a few. His new album, SOUNDS OF MY WORLD, feels like a diaspora homecoming. Juls takes listeners on a sultry and smooth journey, with each track masterfully dabbling in a new sound from the African continent. My personal favorites are WISH YOU, WICKED and MARE. Enjoy!
—Eden Bekele, Digital Associate
If you don’t know who PinkPantheress is, let me help you rectify that. If you’re on TikTok, chances are you’ve probably heard her music even if you don’t yet know her name. When Tiktok named her track Just for Me as its breakout track for the summer, the 20-year-old London-based singer-songwriter won the Internet over with similarly fleeting tracks (all lasting about 2 minutes) that have such a unique sound. Sonically, structurally and aesthetically refreshing and inspired by garage music, Pinkpantheress aims to make music in a way people don’t normally experience. This past Thursday, she dropped her latest mixtape, to hell with it—and in keeping with her existing body of work, the entire mixtape is just under 19 minutes and features a couple of tracks her fans are already familiar with. So, go check it out. And if you get her hooky sounds stuck in your head this weekend, sorry—but also, you’re welcome <3
—Mimi Li, Development Assistant