12/16/22
This week: Gen Z discovers ZOOLANDER, Damien Chazelle does not disappoint, and AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER hits theaters. Plus, an unconventional, underrated Christmas movie.
TRENDS THIS WEEK:
Youtube BIG BOYS – SNL
Letterboxd PINOCCHIO
Spotify ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU – MARIAH CAREY
Netflix HARRY & MEGHAN
Twitter BLOCKBUSTER
Trailer BARBIE
Shopify It’s Been A Week
Life & Culture
AVATAR’s long-awaited return is back this weekend with AVATAR: THE WAY OF THE WATER. The first film, which came out 13 years ago, was massively successful: it made $2.9 billion worldwide, and is the highest grossing film at the box office of all time (not adjusting for inflation). Its success was unusually spread out over its release window, driven by repeat viewing, which might be the story with the sequel as well, as it slightly underperformed domestically on Thursday. Regardless, the film has rave reviews and I’m definitely looking forward to being swept away by the fantasy world later this weekend—and seeing if it matches up to its predecessor.
In more film news, BARBIE’s teaser trailer debuted this morning. I can report it’s definitely intrigued me. Coupling the teaser with the onslaught of news about the film every few weeks, it has somehow forged a movie about a plastic doll with a too-small waist into one of the films I’m most interested in watching next year.
The decision on which country will host the 2030 Winter Olympics has been pushed due to climate change. The International Olympic Committee said that it needs to continue investigating how venues will be affected by climate change before it makes a decision. The three contenders seemingly under review are Salt Lake City, Vancouver, and Sapporo, and the IOC is now considering requiring hosts to show average minimum temperatures below 32° F at snow sports venues over a 10-year period.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
Internet
ZOOLANDER is having a resurgence on TikTok at the moment, as Gen Z is realizing that the entire movie is a meme. This video describes how I feel about the trend. I also enjoyed this wholesome holiday rendition of Flo Rida’s LOW [APPLE BOTTOM JEANS], this impressive volleyball rally, and this shockingly close rocket launch footage someone took on a passing plane.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
Film
If you’re a fan of Damien Chazelle, the writer/director behind LA LA LAND and WHIPLASH, then you likely already have his upcoming fourth feature BABYLON (trailer here) on your radar. It’s set to hit theaters next week, but I had the pleasure of catching an early screening and I’m here to report: It’s three hours of a dazzling, passionate wild ride. Starring Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and Diego Calva, BABYLON is a frenzied ode to Hollywood in the 1920s—the rise and fall of silent films and talkies, and the decadence, depravity, sex, drugs, chaos, and excess of the era. From the opening sequence, BABYLON shows viewers right away that it’s going all out. The extravagant clips in the trailer are just a snippet of the lavish, jaw-dropping, beautifully constructed, masterfully choreographed, and at-times absurd scenes in the movie, all accompanied by a gorgeous, hyper-energized score by the genius Justin Hurwitz, a longtime collaborator of Chazelle’s, and the mind behind the unforgettable scores of LA LA LAND and WHIPLASH. As the story unfolds, we get to know three dreamers—Brad Pitt as Jack Conrad, a silent-era heartthrob; Margot Robbie as Nellie LaRoy, a giddy free spirit who knows her star-power before ever stepping foot onto a movie set; and Manny Torres, a Mexican immigrant who will take any job to work in the movies. To say the least, BABYLON is an ambitious epic, unafraid of showing an industry that is at once full of glamor and bigotry, And I’d be remiss to not mention the meticulous craftsmanship—the elaborate production design, the stand-out costumes, the dazzling cinematography—and the brilliant performance by the ensemble cast. If this sounds like your cup of tea, make sure you check it out starting next weekend!
—Mimi Li, Development Coordinator
If you’re looking for an unconventional Christmas movie that isn’t DIE HARD, I've made a tradition of watching the lesser-known and criminally underrated GRANDMOTHER’S GOLD every holiday season since it first came out. Originally posted to YouTube by actor, comedian, and filmmaker Brian Jordan Alvarez in 2018, the movie stars Alvarez and much of the cast of his other self-produced works, including the webseries THE GAY AND WONDROUS LIFE OF CALEB GALLO. It opens on a rather melodramatic scene in the distant year 2023 as siblings Danny and Madeline argue with their parents during Thanksgiving dinner, but things pretty quickly take a left turn into absurdity after the characters casually mention that it’s been three years since the internet was completely shut down. When they wake up the morning before Christmas to find that all of Los Angeles has lost power and the economy has crashed, Danny and Madeline join forces with their friends on a quest to find their estranged grandmother and her stash of gold. This movie definitely appeals to me as someone who isn’t particularly nostalgic for typical holiday fare, but it also manages to neatly wrap everything up in a feel-good Christmas movie message about the power of friendship and family.
—Lauren Kirksey, Development Intern
When RRR (trailer here) first came out, my social feeds were filled with jaw-dropping clips from the movie, and I instantly knew this was something worth watching in the theater. It took a couple months, but I finally saw the movie, followed by a director’s Q&A with S. S. Rajamouli. I truly mean these next few words: That night was one of the best theater experiences I have ever had. Not only did RRR blow me away with powerful performances from leads Ram Charan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. (my new favorite bromance), masterful storytelling, and a scale that is rarely seen in modern films, but the audience itself created a uniquely magical experience. People were laughing, crying, and on their feet and dancing throughout the theater. Especially during the absolute bop NAACHO NAACHO. I can’t recommend this film enough to pretty much everyone, but if you are a fan of action films this may go down as one of your new favorites. Prem Rakshith must be mentioned, as the action sequences, which varied between giant scenes with 2,000 extras to the intimate one on one fight scenes, were flawlessly choreographed. Let’s hope it continues to get the global recognition it truly deserves (Oscar nominations please). Go watch, sing, and dance with RRR on Netflix!
—Jackson Ingraham, Executive Assistant
TV
If you're a fan of wild true-story documentaries, I recommend checking out PEPSI, WHERE’S MY JET? (trailer here) on Netflix. The four-part docu-series chronicles the extremely wild true story of 20-year-old John Leonard's efforts to redeem 7 million Pepsi points for a Harrier Jet, following his discovery of a controversial loophole in a Pepsi promotion in 1995. The docu-series turns into a David vs. Goliath court battle featuring some truly memorable characters (including a young Michael Avenatti) who band together to take on Pepsi, and get John his jet. What really elevates the docu-series though, is the way that it delves into the cola wars of the 1990s between Coke & Pepsi, to contextualize the advertisement. There's great interviews with the folks involved with those ads—from the execs who oversaw the campaigns to the celebrities like Cindy Crawford who starred in them—who talk about what it meant to be part of the "Pepsi Generation." Ultimately, this all leads to an ending that gives insight into what it’s like to take on a corporate giant, for better of worse. Oh, and throughout the docu-series we get to see the interviewees take a blind taste test of Coke vs Pepsi. Enjoy!
—Toby Ellentuck, Creative Executive
Video Game
I’ve been replaying HADES, following the surprise announcement that HADES 2 is currently in development, and wow, I’ve never gotten re-addicted to a game so quickly. Playing as Zagreus, the son of Hades himself, you attempt over and over to escape from hell as your illustrious Olympian relatives lend you boons to boost your skills. Dying in this game isn’t game over, but rather an integral function of the narrative as each reset makes you a little stronger. It’s wonderfully voice acted with a great soundtrack, and it’s incredibly replayable even after you’ve reached both the “ending” and the “true ending” of the storyline. And as if all that wasn’t enough, everyone in the game is ummm…really hot. If you’ve got a long flight home for the holidays or a few days to just relax, I highly recommend giving Hades a run-through, then another, then another, and another.
—Anna Lee, Development Intern
Book
I finished ONE LAST STOP, a super charming romance by Casey McQuiston, a few weeks ago and I absolutely adored it. Amateur detective August moves to New York City to finish college and she unexpectedly meets Jane, the girl of her dreams, on the subway. The only problem? Jane has literally been stuck on the Q since the ‘70s thanks to supernatural time travel. What I loved most about the novel is that it felt deeply real, even with the fantastical elements. August and her friends remind me so much of me and my pals at that age: trying to find ourselves and our places in the world. McQuiston explores themes of found family, loss, and reconciliation beautifully and I’m eager to read more of their books.
—Rosemary Brennan, Marketing Consultant
Have a great weekend! And as always, be kind, stay healthy, and stay creative. ツ