10/07/22
This week: Cate Blanchett, you are incandescent. Also, paranormal terror, a book you’ll devour in a weekend, and the return of RAMY.
TRENDS THIS WEEK:
Youtube Kid Cudi - HOT ONES
Letterboxd HOCUS POCUS 2
Spotify UNHOLY - Sam Smith & Kim Petras
Netflix LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE
Twitter MLB Post Season
Trailer VELMA
Life & Culture
In the latest installment of this “will he or won’t he” saga…it looks like Elon is going to buy Twitter after all. Probably. If you aren’t caught up on this never-ending drama, Musk is now two weeks out from going to court with the social media company. It all started back in April, when he made a very public announcement that he wanted to buy Twitter for $54.20 a share. And later that month, Twitter accepted the deal. On July 8, Musk wanted out of the deal, which led to Twitter suing him (there’s a $1B breakup fee on the line). And as we’re now about two weeks out from the trial that would’ve decided this, Musk is back to saying he actually does want to buy the platform for his original offer.
In an unprecedented deal, Netflix’s GLASS ONION, A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY miiiight be coming to a theater near you. All three big theater chains (AMC, Regal and Cinemark) have agreed to show the streamer’s film in a very limited capacity. It will come next month, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, to 600 theaters in the US and Canada. For the minimum week required for awards consideration. No box office figures will be released. But Netflix will hold the film’s debut on its platform another month until December 23.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
TikTok
This week I loved this incredibly wholesome video of a tiny student unexpectedly seeing her teacher out in the world, this cinematic skater-take on RATATOUILLE, and this video of a kid who takes the MULAN Disney on Ice performance very seriously.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
Film
PICTURESTART’s latest film, LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE (trailer here), drops on Netflix today! Based on Jessica Knoll's 2015 bestselling book and starring Mila Kunis, LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE tells the story of Ani FaNelli, a successful magazine editor who seems to have the perfect New York life. But when an investigative documentary starts to dredge up questions about her harrowing experiences in high school, Ani must confront the traumas she never had the chance to process as a teenager. It is a timely and inspiring story that balances its serious subject matter with Ani's acerbic tongue and witty observations of her world. We can't wait to share it with you all!
—Julia Hammer, Director of Production
After 15 years away from the director’s chair, Todd Field (LITTLE CHILDREN, IN THE BEDROOM) makes his return this weekend with psychological drama TÁR (trailer here): an incisive, damning portrait of formidable music composer Lydia Tár (an incandescent Cate Blanchett) on the cusp of a public reckoning when accusations of past impropriety begin to surface. During the film’s press conference at New York Film Festival last week, Blanchett described the film as one that “raises more questions than [it] answers.” In less assured hands that would likely make for a frustrating film, but Field poses those questions—of complicity, “cancel culture” and abuses of power at large—in a manner that's more thoughtful and considered, but never didactic or judgmental.
He lays the groundwork to do this with his uncannily specific writing and blisteringly real filmmaking. The film opens on a New Yorker panel moderated by staff writer Adam Gopnik (playing himself), introducing us to the fictional presence of Lydia Tár with a level of verisimilitude that’s immediately striking; she’s not only a luminary of classical music with decades of training and accolades under her belt but a real cultural presence too—she’s an EGOT winner after all! But of course, the only place left to go from the top is down, and when a former student who Lydia mentored and suddenly shunned under questionable circumstances commits suicide, the cultural spheres that Lydia inhabits and the internet at large begin to catch wind of her misconduct. Field seamlessly integrates our cultural reliance on technology with dreamlike sequences of paranoia to depict her downfall as the apparatuses that support her dodgy decisions begin to crumble underneath her. All of this, of course, only reaches its full potential with Cate Blanchett at the center, who is always magnificent but gives a performance that is so confident and fully realized, it’s no wonder she picked up the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at this year’s Venice Film Festival. If you’re looking for a ruminative film that will capture your attention without veering into sensationalism, which just happens to feature one of the best performances of the year, TÁR is out in select theaters in NY/LA this weekend before expanding on October 14.
—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
TV
The third season of RAMY (trailer here) came out last weekend and I watched the entire thing in just a few days. Ramy Youssef, the creator of the series, who also directs and stars in it, delivers my favorite season of the show yet. Each episode is funnier than the last and it still manages to tackles some very real issues at the same time. And bonus: Bella Hadid makes her acting debut as Ramy’s best friend’s girlfriend, Lena. Overall, I could not recommend this show enough and I firmly believe it has something for everyone, but I especially recommend it to any child of immigrant parents who’s struggled with balancing their own American identity with their parents’ heritage and culture. At the risk of sounding overly earnest, I’ll say that watching RAMY, I feel seen in a way that I never have before, consuming entertainment in America.
—Saad Hamid, Digital Intern
Book
COUNTERFEIT by Kirstin Chen was such a great read that I was truly bummed when I finished it! The novel follows two former Stanford roommates who run into each other later in life and run an elaborate international counterfeit high-end handbag empire. Yes, really. It’s absurd but it hits all the right notes on some truly addicting elements: a mystery, a marriage on the rocks, elite Bay Area preschools, fractured family relationships, and even a college admissions scandal! I was cheering and cringing (in the best way) throughout—and have not stopped thinking about it since I turned the last page.
—Rosemary Brennan, Marketing Consultant
Podcast
In my book, spooky stories are timeless and have no season. However, Halloween is only 24 days away, so I’m here to recommend a favorite paranormal podcast. TWO GIRLS ONE GHOST is probably the most haunted podcast out there, so beware before you go into it. And if you start experiencing unexplained occurrences once you’re in, well, don't say I didn't warn you. Corinne and Sabrina, hosts of the podcast, along with their ghost Sven, do an amazing job at curating, researching and delivering listeners deep dives on paranormal subjects ranging from demons and aliens to cryptids and ghosts. And if you need more creepy content, you can also go back and listen to episodes solely dedicated to listeners' stories that will make you feel all the heebie-jeebies and full body chills. There are plenty of stories here to keep you entertained (or scared!) until Halloween comes—and well beyond. And if you do become haunted and start experiencing "weird stuff," please let me know—I am very much here for it!
—Eri Taira, Graphic Designer
Music
Remember when the Steve Aoki remix of PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS by Kid Cudi came out and changed the course of house parties (and maybe also history) forever…? Well, we’re now a decade later, and if you haven't heard, Kid Cudi has evolved into a true artistic multihyphenate. Coming off his acting work in the horror film X released earlier this year, check out ENTERGALACTIC on Netflix, starring Kid Cudi and Jessica Williams. It’s a new animated, unapologetically Black romantic comedy that I guess could be called a film—but it also has chapter breaks which makes it seem episodic in structure. It honestly feels like an extended music video/visual album, highlighting Kid Cudi's work, and I'm absolutely into it! Alongside the film/series/experience, Kid Cudi has released a full album—his latest release since 2020's Man on the Moon III: The Chosen. Honestly, I am just extremely here for Cudi exploring so many different artistic arenas beyond music. Although, his music is of course my first love. I need to re-listen to this latest album, but some of my early favorites on it are DO WHAT I WANT and SOMEWHERE TO FLY (with Don Toliver). Take a listen!!
—Erin Harris, Development Coordinator
Have a great weekend! And as always, be kind, stay healthy, and stay creative. ツ
