12/18/20

This week: Holiday home stretch, all day, every day.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: I Gave People $1,000,000
☞ Letterboxd: PROM
☞ TikTok: Haven’t Seen
☞ Spotify: WILLOW - Taylor Swift
☞ Netflix:  A CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS
☞ Twitter: #BitcoinMeg

Life & Culture 

The hyper-talented Riz Ahmed will be putting on a one-off virtual performance of his album THE LONG GOODBYE this Saturday at 12pm PT. The show is meant to replace the tour Riz was planning in support of the album, and it promises to be an immersive digital experience. A take on his album, his upbringing, and his identity, I love Riz and can’t wait to watch it. Even better, it’s pay what you can!

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

Zoox, a transportation company owned by Amazon, shared its first driverless “electric robotaxi” this week, which aims to make it easier, cleaner, and safer to travel in cities. Its biggest differentiator from other robotaxis is its ‘bi-directional’ feature, meaning it can move side-to-side as well as forward and back. The vehicle is powered by battery packs that allow for up to 16 hours of usage. The company will be continuing to test the taxi now that it’s completed in order to get it on the road in major cities...soon. 

The Ratatouille Musical is getting a (virtual) stage! Tickets are available now for the musical, which can be streamed for 72 hours starting on January 1. Proceeds will benefit the Actor’s Fund on a pay-what-you-can basis. There aren't too many specifics about how the performance will materialize, but the website ensures that performers will include “Broadway’s biggest and brightest talents along with some of the most celebrated TikTok creators”. I’m excited to see how this creator-driven initiative comes to life and I’ll report back in the new year. If you want to watch along with me, get your tickets here. 

And finally, two TikToks accounts I want to put you on: first, this mother-daughter dancing duo that creates simply the best vibes in their videos. And then, this account that repackages the best Billy On The Street videos into bite-size pieces. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Film

I have been anxiously awaiting the release of MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, which stars Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman in an adaptation of the August Wilson play. I know very little about the film other than the fact that it was directed by George C. Wolfe and that it’s about a woman (the titular Ma Rainey, played by Davis) recording an album in Chicago in the 1920s. Those auspices are certainly enough to move it to the front of my Netflix queue this weekend—and I hope it’s enough for you, too!

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

TV

YOUR HONOR is without a doubt the most stressful viewing experience I’ve had all year (in a good way!). At its center, it features a moral dilemma that will have you and your loved ones heavily debating how you’d handle a parent’s worst nightmare. The titular parent here is portrayed to grim perfection by Bryan Cranston. This series is certainly not for the faint of heart, but it’s swiftly become my replacement for THE UNDOING and is one of the most stylish depictions of New Orleans I’ve seen in some time. 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive 

Theater 

Heather Christian, one of my most favorite contemporary theater writer/composers, is back at it with I AM SENDING YOU THE SACRED FACE. Performed by Joshua William Gelb out of his actual closet (like, a 4 x 8 x 2 foot space), the creative team behind this project has managed to make the most of the digital medium, with kaleidoscopic sequences and many iterations of Gelb dressed in drag as Mother Teresa. Though live performances of the piece will end Friday (12/18) evening, a recording of the show will still be available on Youtube to get you in … well… some form of holiday spirit. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Book

This week I’ve been reading Meiko Kawakami’s BREASTS AND EGGS, which was originally published in 2008 but was only translated into English this year. The first half of this gorgeously written novel centers on three women grappling with their bodies. Narrator Natsuko’s sister Makiko comes to Tokyo with her selectively mute daughter Midoriko, so that Makiko can get breast implants. The second half of the book, eight years later, centers on Natsuko’s desire to have a child. The novel is irreverently funny while also delving deep into the psyches of these women and their complicated relationships with their bodies. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Podcast

As 2020 comes to an end, I must admit I have true crime fatigue. That said, I can’t stop listening to Wondery’s most recent podcast: DEATH OF A STARLET. Premiering last week, this podcast tells the story of Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten’s rise to stardom, the men who loomed large in her life (men like Hugh Hefner, Peter Bogdonovich, and her husband Paul Snider), and ultimately her untimely death at the age of 20. While DEATH OF A STARLET sometimes edges too close to the “innocent girl getting murdered” trope, overall it was a gracious and dignified portrayal of Dorothy as well as a fairly nuanced portrayal of a toxic relationship. 

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant

Short Film 

Former Pixar animator Frank Abney has released his debut short film, CANVAS, on Netflix this week. The short is about a grandfather who, after losing his spouse, loses all inspiration to keep painting. It’s about finding inspiration in spite of grief and loss and leaning on the people around you to keep you going. It’s all told through facial expressions as there’s no dialogue, but it’s as moving a short film as you can find. Here’s hoping Netflix keeps putting more of these out!

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant