12/2/22
This week: 4 wildly different films and TV shows, the creative genius of Janelle Monáe, a TikTok phenom you can’t ignore, and more!
TRENDS THIS WEEK:
Youtube GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 3
Letterboxd GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
Spotify ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU
Netflix WEDNESDAY
Twitter Uruguay
Trailer THAT ‘90S SHOW
Shopify It’s Been A Week
Life & Culture
This week ushered in my personal favorite time of year…Spotify Wrapped season, of course. For any Apple Music users who also abstain from using social media, let me explain: This is the annual moment when the streamer uses all of the data it’s been collecting (for better or worse) and packages it up as a neat little gift of personalized year-in-review magic. This year, the streamer added a section outlining each subscriber’s music personality (with 16 different types), which was cute. Personally, I learned that I am loyal to a fault, as I’m fairly certain four out of five of my top artists were the same as last year. Worldwide listening trends are similar—Bad Bunny was the most-listened-to artist for the third year in a row, and his album UN VERANO SIN TI was the most-streamed album. Taylor Swift took the second spot, same as last year, and Harry Styles’ song AS IT WAS was the most streamed song. For the next month (even as I write this email) you can catch me absolutely bopping out to what I consider the most perfect playlist: my own top 101 songs from this year.
The FIFA World Cup, hosted in Qatar this year, is now down to 16 teams, and for the first time ever, this knockout stage features teams from all six populated continents; including the United States, Brazil, Japan, and Spain. The U.S. plays the Netherlands next, tomorrow at 10am ET. Maybe my favorite content to come out of the tournament so far was this video a fan took, documenting the fun some of the workers are having while assisting the crowd.
And finally, I’ve got (more) bad news for potential home buyers, and (finally, maybe) good news for renters. Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman analyzed Zillow's rent index, which suggests that the rate of rent growth has slowed sharply in recent months, hitting its lowest level since early 2021 in October. He thinks this trend will continue, and also believes it points to inflation cooling down a bit, too. But the brutal buying market, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be slowing down. According to figures from Redfin, if you live in LA, you now need to make $221,592 a year to buy a median-priced home in the city, which is up a whopping 41% from last year. And across the country, things aren’t looking much better. In the US on average, home buyers need to make $107,281 a year to afford a median-priced home, up 45.6% from last year.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
Internet
My favorite pieces of the internet this week include this extremely wholesome tweet that resurfaced, Adam Sandler’s Gotham Awards speech (written by his daughters!), and this TikTok highlighting how much fun Senegal’s soccer team has during warmups.
—Darlene Kenney, Director of Brand Marketing
Film
Last weekend I caught Steven Spielberg’s new film, THE FABELMANS (trailer here) in theaters. It’s the kind of film that reminds us why Spielberg, or anyone really, makes movies. The meta aspect of a filmmaker making a film about his own life is both countered and enhanced by its distinctly fictional elements. The title immediately clues you in to the fact that, while the film is semi-autobiographical, it is first and foremost a story about “the Fabelmans,” not “the Spielbergs.” You’re fully aware that you’re watching a dramatization, but as a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor balances out the brilliantly acted emotional pangs, every strategically placed exaggeration only makes the story feel more true. To watch a master of his craft skillfully show you how he came to master his craft is something very special. Plus, it’s always fun to see Paul Dano being Paul Dano.
—Anna Lee, Development Intern
I finally watched AFTERSUN (trailer here) starring Paul Mescal and newcomer Frankie Corio the other day, and I have yet to stop thinking about it. The film is based on writer and director Charlotte Wells’ real-life relationship with her father. It follows a young father, Calum, on vacation with his 11-year-old daughter, Sophie. Calum is an extremely lovable father with a boyish charm that masks a great deal of emotional turmoil. In practicality, that means he desperately tries to provide for his daughter—which causes him to be emotionally distant toward her. The movie flashes back and forth between Sophie’s perspective in the future and her perspective at the age of 11, while noticing these changes in her father. The film felt so incredibly personal, but at the same time, somehow relatable. This might be one of my favorite indie movies of the year so if you’re lucky enough to have it in a theater near you, please go take advantage!
—Saad Hamid, Digital Marketing Intern
TV
If you’ve opened Netflix (or certain corners of the internet) this week, you’re likely heard about the Tim Burton-helmed ADDAMS FAMILY spinoff, WEDNESDAY (trailer here). The series has already set a new record for the most hours viewed in a week in its category. Starring the incredible Jenna Ortega, who delivers a stunning performance, WEDNESDAY is a more youthful, soapy spin on the original IP, focusing on deadpan daughter Wednesday as she starts at the infamous Nevermore Academy, her parents’ alma mater and a place for outcasts, freaks, and monsters. It’s never an easy task to breathe new life into iconic IP, but WEDNESDAY knows exactly what it is trying to accomplish here—it brings its gothic characters into a modern setting and puts them in a serious situation; all the while maintaining a campy, kooky and darkly comedic tone. And importantly, it doesn’t shy away from what makes a good, addictive and poppy show, leaning into teenage angst, romantic tensions, and setting up a mysterious high school with secret societies and dances. In all, it’s so much fun, with incredible performances from Ortega, Christina Ricci (who was the OG Wednesday Addams!), Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, and many more. Consider this your ideal weekend binge!
—Mimi Li, Development Coordinator
The creators of DARK (one of my all-time favorite shows) are back with a brand-new concept. Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese’s 1899 (trailer here) follows immigrants on a steamship traveling from London to New York, as they get caught up in a mysterious riddle after coming across another vessel adrift on the open sea. With an ensemble cast of Europeans making their way to America, the incredibly intricate and mysterious series focuses on the dynamics of the characters before diving into a reality-bending tale that will keep any viewer jumping from one episode straight into the next. As a bonus, the series treats language in a fascinating way. With characters speaking in their native English, French, Spanish, German, Danish, or Cantonese, the show embraces the beauty and difficulty immigrants faced when decamping to America. Many scenes show that while the characters may not understand exactly what is being said, there are deeper ways to communicate with each other that breach the language barrier.
One of my favorite aspects of DARK was the multitude of clues and double meanings placed throughout the show, and 1899 follows brilliantly in its footsteps. The creators have talked about how they don’t ever want to toy with the audience, but instead give them real answers tucked into the art direction or throwaway lines. The final twist can even be seen in the first episode if you really pay attention (though I totally missed it). Please, turn back to the turn of the century in one of the best mysteries of the year (in the original language of course!).
—Jackson Ingraham, Executive Assistant
Book
Is there anything Janelle Monáe can’t do? While I’m sure she’s currently basking in all the critical acclaim for GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (which just concluded its limited theatrical run before it hits Netflix on December 23), the singer-actress-style icon also added author to her list of accomplishments earlier this year with the release of her short fiction collection THE MEMORY LIBRARIAN AND OTHER STORIES OF DIRTY COMPUTER. The book is an extension of her 2018 concept album and accompanying short film DIRTY COMPUTER, consisting of five short stories set in an Afrofuturist cyberpunk landscape controlled by an authoritarian regime called New Dawn. In this technologically advanced but socially restrictive society, time is a luxury and memories can be wiped like a hard drive, but the compelling characters brought to life by Monáe and her collaborators fight for the freedom to love and express their multifaceted identities on their own terms. As a longtime fan of Monáe’s music, I’m thrilled to see her seamless transition into acting and fiction writing, and THE MEMORY LIBRARIAN is definitely a culmination of her artistic genius that any sci-fi lover would enjoy.
—Lauren Kirksey, Development Intern
Music
Lous and the Yakuza (née Marie-Pierra Kakoma) is probably one of the coolest people currently walking this earth. In addition to casually gracing runways and billboards for the likes of Louis Vuitton and Chloé, the Congolese-Belgian singer-songwriter dropped her second album IOTA not too long ago, and it’s every bit as stylish and sophisticated as Lous herself. Featuring her signature blend of R&B and trap influences with haunting melodies and effortless French rap, this is the album to listen to when you’re feeling major main character energy. TAKATA, TRÉSOR, and KISÉ are my favorite tracks from IOTA, and I highly recommend checking out Lous’ previous album, GORE, as well.
—Anna Lee, Development Intern
Everyone knows one of those annoying people who’s always saying, “OMG I knew [insert artist here] way before she started blowing up.” And today, that annoying person is me. Allow me to put you on TikTok sensation Hemlocke Springs, a.k.a. Isimeme Udu. I was deep on Musictok back in May and that was when I first came across Hemlocke Spring’s first single, gimme all ur luv. Soon after that, the catchy chorus was all over TikTok, and even Bella Hadid made a video to it. Yep, Hemlocke took TikTok by storm with her eccentric vocal stylings, slightly awkward persona, and bold fashion choices. The more impressive part of it all is that Hemlocke is making all of her music in her bedroom while pursuing a full-time medical degree. Yeah…wow. She gained even more attention when she put out a snippet of her new single, girlfriend. The unique, catchy hook blew up overnight, and even Khalid did a little dance to it. The song now has over nine million streams on Spotify, and Hemlocke Springs just put out a music video for it two days ago. It’s refreshing with a nostalgic touch; it has a unique aesthetic; and most importantly, it just seems like Hemlocke is having a lot of fun. Go watch and listen!
—Mimi Li, Development Coordinator
Have a great weekend! And as always, be kind, stay healthy, and stay creative. ツ
