05/29/20

This Week: Protests over George Floyd’s death spread nationwide. We suggest taking a look at this list of resources if you are looking for a way to help.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Rosalía & Travis Scott - TKN 
☞ Letterboxd: The Lovebirds 
☞ TikTok: #maincharacter
☞ Spotify: Rockstar - DaBaby
☞ Netflix: Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich
☞ Twitter: #DragRace

LIFE & CULTURE

In celebration of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) month, PBS has curated a three-part series about the history of Asians in the United States. Tracing back to as early as 1945, this docu series explores a breadth of American history: railroad construction, activism on school campuses, and Asian American’s first footprints in Hollywood…

Yesterday, Sundance Institute hosted a super inspiring webinar with Brit Marling, co-creator, writer and star of The OA. Tomorrow, don’t miss their half-day Virtual Documentary Filmmaking Session. More information here.

Brittney Spears released her first music release in four years (!!!) with her new single MOOD RING. Lil Yachty dropped his new 19-track album today as well, titled LIL BOAT 3. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Tik Tok: @tylietollestrup

If you’re going to follow a dance account, why waste time with your typical aspiring #influencer when you can watch a giant teddy bear do the damn thing to the Savage remix? While the mystery dancer known as Charminbear shows serious skill regardless of attire, their inventive style blows all non-fluffy counterparts out of the water. 

Two Toks that brought me joy this week:this accurate depiction of 2020&this dude who’s clearly mastered WFH.

COMEDY

Hannah Gadsby is back with her Netflix special DOUGLAS, her follow-up to the searing NANETTE. The entire set is meticulously crafted (she even lays out her entire plan for the special at the top of the hour) and results in an immensely rewarding viewing experience. More crowd-pleasing than her previous special, but just as immediate and necessary.


VIDEO GAME

SAI Developed by Mutiny
It's a third person action game exploring Celtic folklore and deforestation. Set in a magical forest, players will discover an environment damaged and destroyed by onslaughts of machines. These metallic creatures wreck their way through the land to get to the core of its magic, the Heart Tree. Though its presence is now but a lost memory, the machines remain, determined to find this all powerful entity. As a Druid, protector of the natural world, you must explore this beautiful realm, harness the power that still lingers here, and uncover its dark past. Stop the machines. Protect the land. Save the forest.

There’s not much to go off of with this one, but its graphics and the environmental message behind it make it worth the cheap price. The simplicity of the premise sinks its teeths into you.


COMIC

KING OF NOWHERE by Maxwell Prince

Lovable drunken lowlife Denis awakens on the outskirts of a mysterious village called Nowhere, home to a friendly populace of deformed, mutated, just-left-of-normal citizens-and he has no memory of how he got there. * But just when Denis starts to regain his memories, his past catches up to him… literally. * What at first seems like merely a bad trip quickly heightens into a drama of mistaken identities, small-town conspiracy, and high-stakes fantasy fulfillment.

The premise behind this one is super fun and has a workplace comedy feel to it. The characters are interesting, and it feels like a fun new take on OZ or ALICE stories. I’ll keep reading and report back.


THEATRE

Until May 31st you can stream the Goodman Theatre’s production of Jocelyn Bioh’s hilarious play SCHOOL GIRLS: OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY. SCHOOL GIRLS takes place at the most exclusive all-female boarding school in Ghana, where the social status quo is disrupted by the arrival of a new student from America. The play is a biting sendup of the high school comedies we all know and love and a wonderful quarantine watch. Link here.


PODCAST

THE MISSIONARY​ is a podcast about a young missionary named Renee Bach who left her comfortable life in America to start a malnutrition program in rural Uganda. Folks back home and in Uganda praised her as a model missionary -- an example of the healing power of God’s message. But a decade later she’s accused of masquerading as a doctor and rumored to have killed hundreds of children in her unlicensed clinic. How did Renee Bach end up here? Is she a case of good intentions gone wrong...or a predator posing as a saint? This is an interesting look at the “white savior” trope. 

If you want more information: article about the podcast here.
For additional coverage on the story: New Yorker article here.
 

SHORT FILMS

A PLACE TO STAY by Charlie Polinger is a story of a man (Andy) who discovers that his lover (Gordon) is living a double life with a wife and kids. He invites himself over to their house for dinner and what ensues is a tense and taut look at being LGBTQ in 1950s Kansas City. When you think of sexuality, your first thought isn't 1950s Kansas City. Charlie uses the setting well as a backdrop but never let's it overshadow the story he is trying to tell. The film is really well paced and the narrative is gripping. Definite recommend.

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.