10/09/20

This week: Dark news cycles, bright spots on the internet.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Among Us, But With 99 Imposters
☞ Letterboxd: Enola Holmes
☞ TikTok: #WitchTok
☞ Spotify: Mood - 24k Goldn
☞ Netflix:  Emily in Paris
☞ Twitter: Kanye

LIFE + CULTURE

The internet blew up after my personal fav TikTokker, 420doggface208, went viral again with a video of him skateboarding with a bottle of cran-raspberry juice listening to Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. Mick Fleetwood made a TikTok account just to recreate the video. As a thank you for all that free marketing, Ocean Spray surprised Nathan Apodaca, the man behind @420doggface,  with a free truck—after hearing that he didn’t have a car to get to work. Truly love the internet in moments like this.

Another good one: David Dobrik’s recent Tesla giveaway. Dobrik’s no stranger to huge, splashy giveaways, but this one was a little bit different from his normal fare: It resulted in what was apparently one of the largest US Voter Registration Drives ever. After David announced his newest contest—where followers had to either register to vote or confirm that they’re already registered, almost 120,000 new voters signed up for the first time.

Mindy Kaling also has had a big week this week. NOTHING LIKE I IMAGINED, her new collection of essays, came out, available on Amazon in both digital and audio versions—free for Prime and Kindle Unlimited members. NPR described it as “a window into Mindy’s world away from cameras,” and I can’t wait to go on a listening binge. She also gave us another special peek into her world this week, announcing that she gave birth to her second child in September. Bright spots in a dark news cycle, indeed.

Opening, closing, opening...closing. The changing fortunes of movie theaters during this pandemic has felt a little whiplash-inducing. Some sad news this time around, though: After theaters in the US recently opened back up, it looks like many of them are closing back down again, with no return in sight. Cineworld, the parent company of Regal Cinemas, the second largest theater chain in the country, announced on Monday that it’s temporarily closing its 663 theaters in the United States and Britain this week—meaning 45,000 people may either lose their jobs or be furloughed.

On a brighter note, two TikToks that brought me joy this week. This highly accurate interpretation of the fly on Pence’s head’s publicist, and this video depicting Guy Fieri’s quick trip to the suburbs. That’s really Guy; you can’t convince me otherwise. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant


FILM

I have been SO excited for Diane Paragas’ debut film YELLOW ROSE to come out ever since I got to see an early cut in the Before Times…. The film tells the story of a young Filipina girl who is determined to make it as a country music star. The film has a little bit of everything: It’s a heartbreaking immigration story, an inspiring music movie, and an adorable tale of young love. Eva Noblezada’s star performance is the heart and soul of the film, and while she’s well-known on Broadway, I’m certain this film will put her on the map in Hollywood as well. Check it out at your favorite drive-in! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

TV

At long last, Gillian Flynn’s long-gestating adaptation of Channel 4’s UTOPIA has arrived! Originally set up at HBO with David Fincher directing back in 2014, both eventually fell off and Amazon took over. While I’ll always wonder what it would have been like to witness a TV reunion between the GONE GIRL duo, this nonetheless delivered the intriguing escapism I need now more than ever *cough* *cough* election-related anxiety *cough*. 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Exec


VIDEO GAME

Ever wanted to be an X-Wing pilot? Playing STAR WARS: SQUADRON immersively with VR is the closest thing you’ll experience to being in the cockpit, flying missions on both sides of the galactic divide.

This is the perfect way to describe this latest installment in the Star Wars video game universe. It’s big! It’s immersive! And, it’s exactly what Star Wars fans have been asking for. While the single player mode leaves a lot to be desired in the way of story, the actual gameplay and the multiplayer aspect more than deliver on the promise of the premise. You get to play both sides of the iconic war and see what it’s like to be a rebel pilot fighting for freedom or an imperial marine defending order. If you love the galaxy far far away, make sure to pick this one up. 

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec

This week, I’m trying out this free Stream game called PARTY ANIMALS. Your goal is to whack all the other players off the map with tools that show up at your disposal. Did I mention everyone is an adorable fuzzy animal? Puppies! Kittens! Giraffes! I can’t recommend this stress-reliever enough. Watch this KYR_SP33DY stream for a good intro. 

—Shuyu Cao, Development Assistant

THEATRE

Broadway’s Best Shows has announced a new “Spotlight on Plays” livestream series for the month of October, all to benefit the Actor’s Fund. While the lineup of both plays and performers is stellar across the board, I’m particularly excited for the October 20 reading of THIS IS OUR YOUTH by Kenneth Lonergan, which will star Lucas Hedges, Paul Mescal, and Grace Van Patten. If any play can make you nostalgic for nights where you sat around with your friends doing absolutely nothing, it’s this one. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec


PODCAST

Canary: The Washington Post Investigates is a seven-part investigative series hosted by reporter Amy Brittain. It’s an intertwining narrative of two women geographically and generationally distant but united by their desire to speak out. The brilliance of this podcast is in the depth of reporting we see unfold over the course of years—revealing a very real and raw emotional core. 

In 2013, Lauren Clark began seeing the man who violently assaulted her (and numerous other women) walking around her neighborhood. After digging a little further, she discovered that this man was a chef at a restaurant nearby and wasn't even required to be registered as a sex offender. Taking justice into her own hands, Clark began distributing flyers about the incident throughout the neighborhood. Her story became national news, which eventually reached a baker in Birmingham, AL named Carole Griffin. Griffin’s own story of assault leads her to make a connection to Clark that takes the story on a surprising—and devastating—turn. It’s gripping, personal, and eye opening.

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant


BOOK

I was thrilled to see N.K. Jemisin’s name among the list of this year’s MacArthur Genius Grant recipients. The sci-fi and fantasy novelist and three-time Hugo Award winner builds worlds unlike anyone I’ve read before. In her most recent novel THE CITY WE BECAME, the heroes are the human embodiments of the five boroughs of New York City. Her stories are sprawling, totally original, and place traditionally marginalized, predominantly BIPOC characters, at the center of her epic narratives. If you’re new to her work, I highly recommend starting with the Broken Earth trilogy! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

SHORT FILM

Have you ever wondered if those petty fights between you and your significant other are actually the work of an unseen force that’s out to get you? Turns out, you’re not the only one who’s had that thought. In THE TIME AGENT, director Jude Chun explores his titular character planting little arguments in random couple’s lives, but his heartless mission is derailed when he bumps into Yessul, whose suicide he may—or may not—have prevented. And if you want more of these characters and their complicated problems (which you will), JOHN WICK screenwriter Derek Kolstad is adapting the short film into a feature with Davis Entertainment, Black Label Media, and Gunpowder & Sky’s Dust. 

—Shuyu Cao, Development Assistant

PRODUCTION

Some good news coming out of Canada! CW’s RIVERDALE, BATWOMAN, and Netflix’s MAID were cleared to resume production this week in Vancouver after being required to shut down for more than a week due to lab delays. SAG-AFTRA mandates productions must get their cast and crews COVID-19 test results back within 72 hours (after Dec. 31st this shortens to 48 hours). U.S. productions in Vancouver are struggling to meet this requirement because it clashes with British Columbia’s testing strategy, which involves not testing asymptomatic people so they can place a priority on lab results for schools as the new academic year has started. More HERE.

—Graham Lawyer, Physical Production Coordinator