10/23/20
This week: Political ingenuity, political films, and the demise of Quibi.
TRENDS THIS WEEK
☞ YouTube: Presidential Debate
☞ Letterboxd: The Trial of The Chicago 7
☞ TikTok: #ComingOfAge
☞ Spotify: Positions: Ariana Grande
☞ Netflix: Unsolved Mysteries
☞ Twitter: #Borat
LIFE & CULTURE
#endSARS started trending October 8th in Nigeria, in protest of ongoing police brutality from the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad, but the movement gained international attention when the police opened fire on peaceful protesters on October 20th, killing at least twelve people. Beyoncé, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and others have used their platforms to amplify the voices of the protestors and to share their own outrage. Sharing some resources for anyone who wants to learn more and support the protestors: the Feminist Coalition is an organization of feminist Nigerian activists; Connected Development supports local communities across Africa; and Amnesty International has more information on the protests.
RIP Quibi (2020 - 2020). After spending what felt like years building buzz, the short-form streaming service announced its demise on Wednesday. Whether you cite the pandemic, the ongoing streaming war, the quality of content, or the interface for its failure, it’s clear that people didn’t need another way to keep themselves occupied for seven minutes. Let the eulogies begin and the headlines finally end.
—Erica Beach, Development Assistant
In other techy news, US Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar found a new way to reach young voters: on their favorite mobile game. The reps played Among Us with popular YouTube gamers on Tuesday and live-streamed the session on Twitch. AOC’s stream racked up 439,000 live viewers at once, making it the third most watched Twitch stream ever. It’s cool to see politicians encouraging voting by simply meeting young people where they already are. You can check out the stream here, or just watch this quick fancam that someone on Twitter made, which I think sums up the night pretty well..
And of course I’ve gotta share some TikToks that brought me joy this week: this accurate depiction of any given mom and aunt on Thanksgiving and this heartwarming spontaneous mother-son dance.
—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
FILM
I have been mainlining THE WEST WING like it’s my job for the past month (sorry, Erik), so you know I watched THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO SEVEN as soon as it premiered on Netflix. I’m pleased to report that the movie is everything I hoped/expected/worried it would be: incredible performances and costumes, gorgeous but overwritten monologues about the importance of democracy, and a sliiiight oversimplification of the conflicts within the Seven. Come for Jeremy Strong playing a hippie, stay for the all-too-relevant history lesson disguised as entertainment.
—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
We cannot recommend Garret Bradley's brilliant documentary, TIME, on Amazon Prime enough. Weaving together years of home footage, this is a decades-spanning story of the Richardson family in Louisiana. Robert Richardson was put in prison on a 60-year sentence in the early 90s for armed robbery—and his wife, Fox, has been working ever since to get him out. A humane exploration of a broken criminal justice system, this movie is educational but also emotionally wrenching. It's a poignant exposition of the passing of time told in a linear and digestible way that will have you in tears by the end. Please check this one out—it warranted the first double rec in PS Weekly history!
—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant & Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant
FRANCESCO, the new documentary on Pope Francis’ life, premiered on Wednesday at the Rome Film Festival. The biggest takeaway from the doc was that the Pope has endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time, saying that gay people have the right to be in a family since they are “children of God.” The documentary, which finished shooting this past June, also tackles the pandemic, racism, and sexual abuse. It will premiere in the US on Sunday at the Savannah Film Festival.
—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
TV
I wasn’t planning on recommending another Spanish-language offering, but then I came across PATRIA. It’s rare to find a show that so poignantly captures the lasting trauma of political unrest through the eyes of ordinary people, caught in the crossfires of a situation out of their control (sound familiar? LOL). When Basque separatist group ETA announces an end to more than forty years of violence, a Spanish widower is compelled to learn the truth behind her husband’s murder, with the narrative jumping back and forth between her investigation and the (likely political) events leading to his death. This is a smart and sophisticated new series from Alea Media that’s so rich in character and mystery that I can’t decide whether it’s best described as a thrilling drama or a dramatic thriller, but it’s fantastic either way. Put down whatever le Carré novel you were reading and stream this on HBO Max instead.
—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Exec
I’ve recently found it difficult to find TV that both has something to say and has a blast while saying it. THE GOOD LORD BIRD on Showtime manages exactly that. And it’s been a welcome addition to my weekly TV viewing. The show tells the story of John Brown, the eccentric white abolitionist played by an electric Ethan Hawke, and neither inflates nor condemns the controversial figure. Our perspective into this world is through the eyes of Onion (Joshua Caleb Johnson; quite the discovery), a resilient enslaved boy carelessly mistaken as a girl (and in the interest of survival, he goes along with it). Brown recruits him as part of his crusade. The show is almost too relevant. It forces you to consider: What is the role of an ally—especially one with a great deal of privilege? And, what’s the “right” form to retribution? Plus, Daveed Diggs has an absolutely delightful turn as Frederick Douglass, a natural foil to Brown’s more...intense character. AND! The show also manages to be wickedly satirical (I mean literal laugh-out-loud moments) without exploiting its subject matter.
—Neil Krishnan, Development Assistant
Are we getting….a Euphoria Christmas special? It actually aptly matches the 2020 mood. HBO will release two standalone episodes—the first of which drops December 6th and takes place as Rue celebrates Christmas. Sam Levinson is all about these secret pandemic productions!
—Erica Beach, Development Assistant
MANGA
In CHAINSAW MAN, by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Denji’s a poor young man who’ll do anything for money, even hunt down devils with his pet devil-dog Pochita. He’s a simple man with simple dreams, drowning under a mountain of debt. But his sad life gets turned upside-down one day when he’s betrayed by someone he trusts. Now, with the power of a devil inside him, Denji’s become a whole new man—Chainsaw Man.
This is a super fun one and perfect for the spooky season. It’s a twisted world of demons, devils, and gangsters. It’s got hope and an interesting hero in a guy who only wants to eat bread with jam. The story revolves around Denji, who decides to rid the world of demons, once he harnesses the power of the devil inside him. This one is a definite recommendation!
—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec
THEATRE
Early on in the pandemic, I revisited Ann Washburn’s all-too-appropriate MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY for comfort in what felt like apocalyptic times. You can imagine my excitement when I learned that her latest play, SHIPWRECK (which was destined for the Public Theater’s 2020-2021 season) has been turned into an audio play that is now available for streaming! The piece’s full name, SHIPWRECK: A HISTORY PLAY ABOUT 2017 should give you a hint of what is to come: seven liberals, gathered in an upstate New York farmhouse, bemoaning the state of our nation...if only they knew! I haven’t had the chance to listen yet myself, but with a cast that includes Richard Topol and Raul Esparza, you can bet it’s next up in my queue.
—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
PODCAST
It’s no secret that I love Texas Monthly and its approach to championing long-form journalism through podcasting (reminder to listen to BOOMTOWN, which I mentioned in the 4/17 email). But this week, I’m recommending its newest podcast, TOM BROWN’S BODY. In this eight-part true crime series, award winning journalist Skip Hollandsworth digs into the mysterious 2016 disappearance of popular high school senior Tom Brown on the night before Thanksgiving. This is a dynamic and nuanced portrayal of small-town life in America, the ways in which people grieve, universal teenage struggles, and of course your typical true-crime “whodunit.”
I am by no means a sports fan but I found myself addicted to WHISTLEBLOWER, in a way similar to what I think a lot of people experienced with THE LAST DANCE. Likely this is because Whistleblower isn't merely a story about basketball but instead is a sweeping narrative about money, mafia, capitalism, and a conspiracy. The culmination of almost a decade of reporting, this series tells the story of NBA referee Tim Donaghy and the backstory behind his 2017 arrest for betting on games he officiated.
—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant
BOOK
I have been anxiously awaiting the release of not one but TWO Japanese translations this fall, and they have finally arrived! The first, WHERE THE WILD LADIES ARE, by Aoko Matsuda, is a collection of stories that are loosely based on Japanese folktales about ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural entities. The second, EARTHLINGS, was written by Sayaka Murata—if you haven’t read her delightful 2016 novel CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN, you’ve probably at least seen the cover. EARTHLINGS is about a young girl named Natsuki who is convinced that both she and her cousin are aliens. As we watch Natsuki mature into adulthood, we watch her struggle to define her identity as she feels increasing social pressure to conform. Both books are now available at your local indie bookstores (and Amazon, but who wants that).
—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
VIDEO GAME
Man, MARIO KART LIVE: HOME CIRCUIT is the type of game that brings together all the amazing things I loved about gaming and toys as a kid. It’s a mixed-reality racing game that uses physical radio-controlled cars in your house that respond to how the player controls the car in the game. This game is another great example of why Nintendo has continued to be one of the leaders in the space—it never shies away from ambitious experiences that push the boundaries of what we think is possible when it comes to video games.
Mario Kart Live bridges the gap between the virtual world and the real world. You can either race as Mario or Luigi. The live feed from the remote controlled car to your Switch is nearly seamless. Bumping into the gates that define the boundaries of the track presented some hiccups, but overall, the experience is solid.
There are also the issues of space and floor type. The ideal conditions for play are an open area with hardwood floors, but there is some fun in trying to think of cool tracks in your cluttered home. That said, it does become a bit stale after a few hours. The cost of the game and cart will run you $100, so it’s hard to pitch it for the casual gamer, but I’d argue it’s a must-have for Nintendo stans.
—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec
SHORT FILM
Since INTERSTELLAR, we haven’t seen many space-travel films that could match Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece. But recently, we came across this short film HYPERLINK, directed by newcomer Anh Nguyen, which gave us similar chills and thrills. The story begins with a thrilling sequence of two astronauts hurling into space. Something goes terribly wrong, and after one astronaut goes comatose, the other must try to save them both while stranded in a spaceship that may be invaded by another intelligent being.
—Shuyu Cao, Development Assistant & Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant
PRODUCTION
Despite the pandemic forcing ABC’s reality series SHARK TANK to shut down production in March, the show’s 12th season premiered last Friday. The production team decided to leave LA and pick up production at The Venetiain Resort in Las Vegas, creating a bubble of 250 people, including the crew, Venetian staff, the sharks, and the entrepreneurs. Everyone involved in the production stayed in guest suites and had all their meals catered.. The team stayed in isolation within the bubble for almost two months and there wasn’t a single Covid-19 case on the show. Very impressive! Check out the interview with the showrunner/executive producer and The Ventian Resort President here.
—Graham Lawyer, Physical Production Coordinator
Be kind, stay healthy, and as always, stay creative. ツ
Hit us up on Instagram / Twitter / Facebook or share a story or recommendation with us by replying to this email.
Like what you see? Subscribe Now
Care to share this newsletter with a friend?
Copy & paste this link to others: https://newsletter.picturestart.com/sign-up or just forward this email
Copyright © All rights reserved.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
