PICTURESTART 10/23/20 PICTURESTART 10/23/20

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

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

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PICTURESTART 10/15/20 PICTURESTART 10/15/20

10/15/20

This week: Megan Thee Stallion takes a stand, sustainability strides forward, and all the fresh music.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Demi Lovato - Commander in Chief
☞ Letterboxd: Hubie Halloween
☞ TikTok: #ThenLeave
☞ Spotify: Mood - 24k Goldn
☞ Netflix: The Haunting of Bly Manor
☞ Twitter: Kanye

LIFE + CULTURE

Violence against women “happens because too many men treat all women as objects, which helps them to justify inflicting abuse against us when we choose to exercise our own free will.” These are Megan Thee Stallion’s words, from an incredible op-ed she wrote in the New York Times this week. She addressed her own experience as a survivor of violent crime, and talked about how absurd it is that we live in a culture where a phrase like “protect Black women” is somehow controversial. Her great hope for change? “That Kamala Harris’s candidacy for vice president will usher in an era where Black women in 2020 are no longer ‘making history’ for achieving things that should have been accomplished decades ago. In an unequal society, the bar for progress unfortunately feels really low. The piece and accompanying video are moving and powerful. Read, watch, think about what she’s saying, and as she so plainly points out: Vote. Please vote. Check your registration status here. And learn more about your voting options in your state here.

Another bit of news that made me feel optimistic this week? It seems like retailers are (finally) putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to sustainability. H&M just came out with a machine that turns old clothes into new clothes, and it’s pretty dope. The machine, called Looop, creates a new garment in 8 steps, using no water and no chemicals, making it a process that has a much smaller carbon footprint than typical clothing production. IKEA also just announced that it’ll be buying back old furniture from customers. The recycling program, launching Black Friday, is meant to “help customers take a stand against excessive consumption.” Both initiatives are based in Europe, and I’m hoping they make their way to the US sometime soon so I can check ‘em out as well.

And I couldn’t leave you without a few TikToks that brought me joy this week: this cat with an interesting cactus-candle-making talent and this exquisite one-man Mean girls reenactment.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

FILM

The first two of the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” films dropped on Amazon this week, and I’m SO excited to check them out. NOCTURNE, starring Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney, is a Black Swan-esque psychological thriller about a young pianist competing with her sister at their prestigious conservatory. EVIL EYE starring Sunita Mani and Sarita Choudhury is more of a slow burn. It follows a mother and daughter who are targeted by an evil man (maybe even a demon?) who was spurned by the mother in her youth. Perfect to add to your October spooky-movie lineup!

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

In anticipation of Manolo Caro’s eagerly awaited Netflix miniseries SOMEONE HAS TO DIE debuting this week, I’ve been rewatching the ridiculously entertaining series that began his relationship with the streamer, THE HOUSE OF FLOWERS. Featuring an all-star Mexican cast with uproariously fun twists and thoughtful commentary on the LATAM bourgeoisie, this breakout hit almost makes me forget about the general state of the world. Also, Hispanic Heritage Month ends this week and I know y’all haven’t been watching enough Latinx fare as is so do your part, gringos!

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Exec

MUSIC

Wow, big week in music. Post Malone and Billie Eilish came out on top at Tuesday’s Billboard Music Awards, Ari is dropping new music soon (!!). Kanye released a new song on Twitter (in celebration of what is likely fake precinct reporting from early voting in Kentucky, so there’s that). And Billie Eilish announced a live stream concert this month as an alternative to her cancelled tour. Also feeling great about all of the f*** off tweets from Kat Dennings, Madonna, and others, defending Billie Eilish against body-shaming trolls.

—Erica Beach, Development Assistant

COMEDY

For all our LA locals I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the comedy series I went to see this past weekend. It’s called LOW KEY OUTSIDE and I can assure you that it’s socially distanced and safe. Produced every two weeks by local comics, the show has had some star-studded guests including Bill Burr and Taylor Tomlinson. I had high expectations when I arrived, and they were exceeded when one of my favorite comedians, Ramy Youssef, showed up! Safe to say I was starstruck. Check it out if you’re in LA.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

THEATRE

One of my favorite plays of last year, Will Arbery’s HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING, will be performed live (online) next week! It’s an incredibly timely, hilarious, and horrifying drama about a group of friends reuniting five years after graduating from their small conservative college. I can’t tell you much more without giving it away—but I will never forget the feeling of walking out of that theater in stunned silence after the play ended. It’s CHILLING.

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

PODCAST

The latest podcast from Sharon Mashihi and Mermaid Palace, APPEARANCES tells the story of an Iranian-American woman, Melanie Barzadeh, and the voices in her head. These voices (almost exclusively voiced by Mashihi herself) are the articulation of Mashihi/Melanie’s internalized expectations—explicit and implicit expectations placed on her by her mother, partner, and community at large. This podcast is a beautiful combination of documentary and fiction, blurring the lines between where Mashihi stops and Melanie begins. It’s unlike anything else I’ve listened to—and pushes the boundaries of the medium in extremely compelling ways. I highly encourage everyone to listen.

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant

Remote high school sounds rough, but Gael, Thomas, Kayla, Isaac, and Mark; five seniors from Anaheim, are pretty much thriving. Their podcast TEENAGER THERAPY has taken off over the past few months, and this week they interviewed none other than Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in honor of World Mental Health Day. Like I said, thriving. Check out the episode here, but I also suggest browsing a few of their past episodes. They have amazingly raw, honest discourse about often difficult subject matter, and it’s so cool that their podcast has evolved into a lifeline of sorts for teens across the country.

—Erica Beach, Development Assistant

BOOK

If you haven’t already preordered Matthew McConaughey’s memoir, which comes out next Tuesday, then I don’t know how to help you. See you next week.

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

COMIC

The last survivors of the Multiverse live among us under new superhero identities. They’re five survivors of doomed worlds...taking a second chance to ensure our world lives on. A new twist on strange superhero comics, with a bleeding-edge eye on the current moment, COMMANDERS IN CRISIS by Steven Orlando follows in the footsteps of DOOM PATROL and THUNDERBOLTS.It’s a fun series that’s very ambitious and feels like THE BOYS meets THE LEFTOVERS. It’s about a group of heroes who come together after their respective universes have been destroyed and our Earth is the last planet in existence in the multiverse. The series deals with some massive themes, but it takes the superhero genre into a theoretical, religious space that I’ve never encountered before. I recommend it, for sure!

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec

SHORT FILM

Short film animator Don Hertzfeldt has released a third episode for his critically acclaimed WORLD OF TOMORROW short series. The premise here is that Don records his young niece as she is doing various things around the house and uses the audio to build out an epic sci-fi short film. This may sound gimmicky but if the first two shorts are any indication, this will be a wide-ranging exploration of the human condition. Make sure you’re in a positive mental state before you dive into this one! Links for all the shorts here: first, second, third.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

PRODUCTION

Mels Studios in Montreal launched a virtual production stage this week. It utilizes Epic Games’ Unreal Engine to display dynamic digital sets on massive LED walls that surround the actors on a stage. Production has the ability to react and manipulate the digital content in real time. THE MANDALORIAN pioneered this technology and it’s been growing in popularity during the pandemic as it offers the potential to reduce travel while working with a smaller crew. Check out a video of the virtual stage HERE.

—Graham Lawyer, Physical Production Coordinator

PICTURESTART 10/9/20 PICTURESTART 10/9/20

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

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

PICTURESTART 10/2/20 PICTURESTART 10/2/20

10/02/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Borat Sequel Trailer
☞ Letterboxd: One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
☞ TikTok: #dayinmylife
☞ Spotify: Don’t Stop - Megan Thee Stallion
☞ Netflix: American Murder
☞ Twitter: Trump Tests Positive

LIFE + CULTURE

The digital world was flooded with content this week about the presidential debate, and right now, Trump’s positive COVID-19 test. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, and I’m sure you’re probably sick of hearing it, but we all gotta vote this year! Snapchat had a study come out this week showing that 85% of Gen Zers believe that young people have the power to change things in this country and 82% say this pandemic made them realize that political leaders’ decisions impact the everyday lives of people. I found these stats super inspiring and powerful, and knowing that there are 23 million eligible Gen Z voters this year, it gives me some hope for our generation and our future.

Guess what the top sought-after skill in potential employees during the COVID era is... According to LinkedIin, it’s effective communication. “As our interactions become more complex, the need for higher-level communication skills becomes more obvious and essential.” 🗣🗣🗣 I hear you!!! Keep talkin’, folks.

A quarter of US adults get their news from YouTube, according to a recent study. And only 23% of those views are actually on “established news organizations”, like CNN or Fox’s YouTube channel. Another interesting takeaway from the report is that 48% of YouTube news-watchers said they’re looking for information and facts only on YouTube, while 51% said they are primarily looking for opinions and commentary.

Among Us is the newest app craze that has been making its way through Gen Z this past month. Launched by a team of three developers in 2018, Among Us features up to 10 players in a room who are either assigned to be crew members or impostors. The crew members work to complete a set of tasks (short mini-games) while the impostors try to kill all of the crew members without being suspected by their fellow players. The game -- which i must report is pretty addicting -- has, of course, resulted in many internet memes. It’s a cool way to hangout with friends in this socially distanced world we’re now living in.

PRODUCTION UPDATE

New York City is gearing up to have 40 or more productions underway by the end of the year. This would bring it back to pre-COVID-19 levels which is great news for the city whose local economy needs a boost. Some projects that are ramping back up include: THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, SUCCESSION, POWER BOOK II: GHOST, CITY ON A HILL, BLUE BLOODS and BULL. However, concerns still linger as the city is seeing new clusters of COVID-19 and the shaky future of its tax incentive which was rolled back to 25% in April. More HERE.

FILM

Of all the movies coming out this fall, the one that really might get me to brave a movie theater is Sofia Coppola’s latest, ON THE ROCKS, which comes out this weekend (and on Apple TV+ on October 23rd). The film stars Bill Murray and Rashida Jones as a father and daughter who team up to snoop on the daughter’s husband (Marlon Wayans) who she thinks might be having an affair. The trailer is laugh-out-loud funny and with this creative team, we’re sure the movie will be, too!

VIDEO GAME

Sad you won’t be able to experience a haunted house this year? No fear (or a lot of it). I’m playing this 4-player Steam video game PHASMOPHOBIA for a good scare. Think Ghostbusters meet Paranormal Activity. A ghost is haunting the dark abandoned house and it’s up to you and your friends to use the ghost hunting tools to gather move clues. Check out this tutorial to get a sense of the game or watch Pokimane stream her first-time experience in this world.

THEATRE

For one weekend only, your favorite Gen Z brat pack members will be assembling for a performance of a new Zoom play called THE PARTY HOP by Natalie Margolin. The star-studded cast includes Ben Platt, Beanie Feldstein, Ayo Edibiri, Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, and Catherine Cohen. We know literally nothing else about it (other than this legendary poster) but we will SEE YOU THERE!

BOOK

Throughout quarantine, I’ve taken to picking up some of the smallest books on my bookshelf purely because I know I can finish the slim volumes in one or two sittings. Recently, that led me to Yoko Tawada’s delightful novel THE EMISSARY, published in the original Japanese in 2014 and translated into English in 2018. The novel imagines a future in which Japan (like many countries) has totally shut itself off from the rest of the world. As a result, the rest of Japanese society has begun to deteriorate: the young are incredibly feeble and sickly; very few crops can be grown; even language itself has begun to waste away, as they can no longer use any words originating from or related to the rest of the world. All this is to say, it’s quite a bleak book, but also incredibly quirky and whimsical at times, like all of Tawada’s work. Plus: only 140 pages!

COMIC

INKBLOT by Rusty Gladd, & Emma Kubert -- Third-generation comic artist EMMA KUBERT partners with up-and-coming creator RUSTY GLADD to deliver a high-fantasy epic! This new ongoing series follows a powerful sorceress attempting to correct her greatest mistake—the creation of a magical cat that can travel through time, space, and reality. The cat threatens to unravel the fabric of the universe, doesn’t care, and just won’t listen!

This is a great new comic that feels like THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA meets WILFRED. The first issue sets up an interesting world that feels familiar to the universe of Norse mythology. Our hero, known only as Seeker, chases an impish (but cute) cat that appears out of nowhere when she spills her magical inks. This is a great prep for the creepiest month of the year!

PODCAST

APPEARANCES is a “fiction” podcast from Radiotopia & Mermaid Palace. Created by the immensely talented Sharon Mashihi (The Heart), Appearances is an audio fiction about an Iranian American woman, the family she carries around in her head, and the family she wants to have. Sharon voice-acts all the characters in one family, the depth of the love, pain, and struggle is felt with a visceral, profound compassion at every turn. This is a one woman show pushing the boundaries of the form.

SHORT FILM

à la fin… by Nicolas Lichtle. There have been plenty of think pieces on how it’s been to live during quarantine but never have I seen a visual representation that captures the nuances of both the positives and negatives of what living during these past six months quite like this short. The animation is wholly original and the different sequences really had me in my feelings. I chuckled and almost cried. Check this one out.

PICTURESTART 9/25/20 PICTURESTART 9/25/20

09/25/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Ellen’s Season 18 Monologue
☞ Letterboxd: Nomadland
☞ TikTok: #hellofall
☞ Spotify: Gimme Love - Joji
☞ Netflix: Enola Holmes
☞ Twitter: #BreonnaTaylorMatters

LIFE + CULTURE

Jaden Smith just launched a racial and social justice series on Snapchat called THE SOLUTION COMMITTEE, which depicts Jaden talking with various celebrities about “complex topics” important to young people. In the first episode (also out on YouTube) Jaden speaks to Justin and Hailey Bieber about voting. The rest of the season is set to feature talent like Yara Shahidi, Lena Waithe, and Bella Hadid. Coming out at the perfect time for these types of conversations, the show feels super fresh and unique for the Snapchat platform.

Humans of New York has been publishing the 32-part story of Tanqueray, a 76-year-old New Yorker. She shares stories of growing up as a young black girl in a white neighborhood in Upstate NY to her experiences working as a burlesque dancer in the middle of New York’s club scene in the 70’s. The gofundme raising money to support Tanqueray is currently at over 1.2 million dollars. Her story is delightful and gripping and interesting and is continuing this weekend. Highly recommending hopping on board.

This week, Twitter went wild about the fact that you won’t be able to buy a gas-powered car in California in 15 years. Governor Newsom announced this week that he is banning the sale of new cars powered by gas in 2035. He declared, “For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe... Cars shouldn't melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines."

Want some insight on Gen Z? Tiffany Zhong, CEO of Zebra IQ, got u. You can download her in-depth “State of Gen Z Report” for free here. The report goes into depth on Gen Z’s relationship with the digital world, from how we consume information to how we talk to each other. The idea for Zebra IQ was born as Tiffany understood just how valuable insights about Gen Z was for venture capitalists. “I kind of became the go-to teen, or Gen Z whisperer” she said. She dropped out of college to start Zebra IQ, and now companies like Snapchat turn to her reports for insights on all things young people.

PHYSICAL PRODUCTION

Got a little production update for ya'll. Hollywood’s labor unions and studios have finally reached an agreement on return to work protocols for the coronavirus era. The studios have already restarted a number of series and movies by engaging in separate negotiations on a project-by-project basis with unions. However, this pact will make it easier studios and others to move forward with new projects. One key highlight from the deal: Cast & crew are separated into 4 different zones which determines their proximity to cast, frequency they are tested and level of PPE. More HERE.

TV

The second season of PEN15 arrived last week and it was everything I wanted and more. It’s stunning to witness creators and stars Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine make you forget they’re 33-year-old adults playing middle-schoolers with their perfect blend of 2000’s nostalgia with an unapologetically honest and cringe-inducing depiction of female adolescence. I love how Hulu continues to deliver on comedies that may not always be your cup of tea, but will always prove an interesting viewing experience– or like whatever.

FILM

Harry Bradbeer’s zany, lighthearted ENOLA HOLMES is exactly the sort of film I’ve been craving: snappy dialogue, beautiful costumes, and a whole lot of madcap fun. Millie Bobby Brown is right at home as a leading lady, playing the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. Brown even manages to upstage her brothers (and when they’re played by Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin, that’s no easy feat!) For those who miss Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s direct-to-camera addresses as Fleabag, you’ll be pleased to find that Bradbeer (who directed most of Fleabag’s first season) and Brown have used that same gimmick to great effect here.

VIDEO GAME

Amazon gives us LUNA. It’s a completely new cloud gaming service that only requires a bluetooth controller (Amazon sells one for $50 dollars) and any of their Fire Stick products. Gaming has been one of the slowest in the world of entertainment to adopt cloud/streaming technologies, but with both Sony and Microsoft releasing completely digital versions of their next generation consoles, it seems like online retail giant is looking to dip its toes into the pool. The PS5 and Xbox Series X will both come with online gaming subscription services, so it will be interesting to see what the dawn of this streaming battle will look like and who ultimately comes out on top.

THEATRE

One of my favorite theater companies, Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago, has just launched STEPPENWOLF NOW - it’s a virtual programming stream that will include online performances and readings, radio plays, immersive experiences, and more. Their initial slate includes new work by playwrights like Rajiv Joseph and Isaac Gomez alongside older works from writers like Sam Shepard. Signing up is a great way to vary up your home-entertainment routine while also supporting a fantastic non-profit theater!

BOOK

Because I’ve been cooking for myself almost every night since March, I’ve been really enjoying reading about food. First Bill Buford’s memoir DIRT, and now David Chang’s memoir EAT A PEACH. But while I bought the book for its mouth-watering descriptions of dishes I have no chance of cooking in my own kitchen, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this memoir actually goes much further. Chang opens up about his struggles with mental health and bipolar disorder in a way that feels honest, refreshing, and uplifting.

COMIC

The team behind hit comic COYOTES returns for an all-new, two-arc maxi-series, BLISS by Sean Lewis. There's a drug called Bliss wiping away memories in Feral City. A good-hearted young man, overwhelmed by a deathly sick child and distraught wife, makes a deal to become the personal hitman to three gods, killing those in their way and sending memories down the river of Oblivion in exchange for his family’s well-being.

This limited series has a fun darkness to it that asks the hard questions of what lengths would we go to protect our family. It’s part BREAKING BAD meets AMERICAN GODS. There’s a fanatical element to it that goes hand in hand with the terrible nature of our heroes deeds. If any of these comps sounds up your ally, you should give this a read.

PODCAST

PAPER GHOSTS is the newest true crime podcast from iHeart. Four separate cases, four young girls. All of whom go missing in the early to mid-1970s, all within miles from one another in neighboring New England towns, but no arrests. In Paper Ghosts, investigative journalist and true crime author M. William Phelps’ decade-long search for answers is reignited when a call reveals new information that sets the investigation in motion, uncovering never-made-public documents and bringing forth new witnesses and suspects.

SHORT FILM

SUMMER HIT by Berthold Wahjudi is really charming. Berthold captures a study abroad fling with a realness and lightness that you rarely find in romance on screen. Between the music and the cityscapes, it reminds me of a world I have been missing over the last few months.

PICTURESTART 9/18/20 PICTURESTART 9/18/20

09/18/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Mandalorian S2
☞ Letterboxd: The Social Dilemma
☞ TikTok: #ghostphotoshoot
☞ Spotify: Sunburn (re-imagined) by DROELOE
☞ Netflix: The Devil All The Time
☞ Twitter: Justin Bieber’s Hair

LIFE + CULTURE

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a pioneer in the fight for women’s rights and the second woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, has passed away today. She leaves behind a massive influence on women’s equality laws. Our nation has lost a cultural hero. If you haven't watched it yet, I recommend the doc RBG on Hulu, which details her life and impact on the world.

Emily Ratajkowski’s thoughtful and brave opinion piece in The Cut reached all corners of the internet this past week. In the essay, which she called “an extremely personal piece about image, power, and consent”, she shared her own experience with sexual assault and what ownership of your body as a woman in the modeling industry means. The essay was shared widely over every social platform. Playwright Jeremy O’Harris described it best, calling it an “incredibly vulnerable excavation”.

OG Justin Bieber is back, apparently. Twitter users pointed out that he now has the same signature hair that he did in 2009― the shaggy skater hair that could be seen emulated by middle schoolers everywhere for a good chunk of the early 2010s. His throwback hair was unveiled in DJ Khaled’s music video for his song Popstar.

2009 is clearly making a comeback right now. MTV just announced that they’re bringing back their show 16 AND PREGNANT. They’re calling the reboot a “newly-reimagined docuseries”, and it will be a 6-episode season with all new moms and babies. It’s coming out next month...2020 just keeps getting weirder.

Got a few updates on the never-ending TikTok saga for you guys, hot off the presses. TikTok released some details on their elusive agreement in the works with the US government. American investors, including Oracle and Walmart, will have at least a 60% stake in TikTok. However, the Commerce Department announced today that they will be banning the app starting on Sunday for new users, while people with the app currently downloaded can still use it. If all this wasn’t crazy enough, Charli D'Amelio, TikTok’s most popular creator, joined rival app Triller this week. It gets crazier, with three creators filing a lawsuit over the ban.

FILM

If you live near a drive in, I highly recommend checking out Natalie Krinsky’s new romcom THE BROKEN HEARTS GALLERY. It’s an (ahem) highly relatable and endearing story about a woman taking charge of her life after she’s had her heart broken one too many times. And if you needed further proof that Geraldine Viswanathan is a movie star, this is it.

TV

WOKE is one of the most daring comedies in tone and subject matter with a career-defining performance from Lamorne Morris who sells the hell out of the wacky premise through exuberant charisma we haven’t seen since Jim Carrey’s iconic turn in LIAR LIAR. While the Hulu series occasionally loses its footing, don’t sleep on this audacious blend of cartoon characters in an adult live-action comedy.

THEATRE

One of the venues I miss the most from *the before times* is Joe’s Pub in New York, and in particular, their fantastic lineup of cabaret performers. Lucky for us, one of their most notorious cabaret acts - KIKI & HERB: SEEKING ASYLUM - will soon be available for streaming! Created and performed by Justin Vivian Bond and Kenny Mellman, it is an absolutely wild ride - I can’t wait to re-watch!

BOOK

A little younger than my usual fare, but I really loved Nnedi Okorafor’s debut middle-grade novel IKENGA, recently released by Viking. It’s about a 12-year-old Nigerian boy named Nnamdi who discovers that he has a Hulk-like ability to transform into a large, immensely strong supervening. Nnamdi must learn to control his emotions and hone his powers, all while grieving his late father’s murder. Though it sounds a somewhat familiar superhero story, its rooting in Nigerian folktales and spirituality brings a fresh perspective to the genre.

SHORT FILM

RUNON by Daniel Newell. One of my favorite shorts from SXSW this year. The film takes place in a bus station where a boy and his mom are waiting for their bus. I won’t spoil any more! I’m so glad it’s finally released to the world. I love Daniel's style. It's gritty, urban filmmaking, not unlike the Safdies. He shoots scenes in a way that makes you not want to look away. Coming from the world of music videos, you can tell Daniel has really honed his style. I can’t wait to see what else he does.

Also very into Vogue’s I LOVE NEW YORK campaign video, written by PS fave and frequent digest mention Jeremy O. Harris. The line, “New York love isn't brotherly, it's obsessive, ecstatic, an electric current that made you grab your bags and uproot your life” made me check out flights east immediately.

PODCAST

BUNGA BUNGA from Wondery: Silvio Berlusconi was the charismatic multi-millionaire real-estate mogul who set out to up-end the Italian political order. With his wealth, charisma and connections he became one of the most powerful men in the world until two words helped bring him down: “Bunga Bunga.”

The G ENERATION GREEN NEW DEAL podcast that dropped this week was truly inspiring. A new generation has pushed the climate crisis to the center of American politics. Generation Green New Deal tells the story of this youth movement: who they are, what they’ve accomplished so far, and where they go from here. These badass teens are impacting policy and the politics in real and meaningful ways, and I LOVE IT.

PICTURESTART 9/11/20 PICTURESTART 9/11/20

09/11/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Lady Gaga VMA Performance
☞ Letterboxd: Tenet
☞ TikTok: #welcomeweek
☞ Spotify: Over Now _ Calvin Harris ft. The Weeknd
☞ Netflix: Cobra Kai
☞ Twitter: #ChadwickBoseman

LIFE + CULTURE

Hackers are making millions by stealing Fortnite accounts. The accounts are being sold in a black market specifically dealing in stolen video game accounts, which makes over a billion dollars annually. The average stolen account goes for 200-250 dollars, while some accounts are sold for thousands.

Disappointed in the labor day weekend traffic? Same. But thankfully flying cars are almooost here. Toyota-backed company SkyDrive conducted its first public test flight this week in Japan. The car--which looks extremely futuristic, btw--is projected to land in a commercial market in 2023. The developers are hoping that flying cars will create a world with less traffic, especially in crowded cities.

Speaking of flying, David Blaine flew across the Arizona desert holding on to 52 helium balloons this week. Blaine is a YouTuber previously famous for his magic tricks and scaring celebrities by storing amphibians in his organs. His balloon stunt, which he dedicated to his daughter, went viral on Wednesday after he streamed it live. Watch the uplifting footage here. In even more flying news, a pilot flying into LAX informed the airport that someone on a jet pack flew by his plane on Sunday, and the FBI is now investigating.

With many colleges keeping classes online this year, students are finding ways to adapt. Some students are still choosing to live with their classmates in the cities that their colleges are located in, while others rented Airbnb homes in places like Hawaii and Montana in search of new experiences. Living together, even off campus, gives students the opportunity to work together and “recreate campus camaraderie”. Read more about the shift in Taylor Lorenz’s piece here.

Two TikToks that brought me joy this week: this Halloween costume idea i will in fact be stealing, and this 6 second slice of perfection.

FILM

I’m experiencing a serious internal dilemma as I try to pick which film to watch first this weekend: Niki Caro’s MULAN or Charlie Kaufman’s I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS. Wildly different films, but hey, I contain multitudes…

I’ve been anxiously anticipating MULAN ever since I first heard that they were making a live-action remake without Mushu or the original songs. While this initially felt like blasphemy, I’ve gotten pretty excited for Niki Caro’s reimagining of the Mulan story, which pays homage to the visuals of Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and other titans of Chinese cinema.

I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS, looks like textbook Kaufman - by which I mean I have absolutely no idea what to expect. Between the all-star cast (why aren't Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons movie stars yet?!), the incredibly trippy trailer, and last month’s WILD profile of Kaufman in the New York Times Magazine, I. cannot. wait.

TV

Some of my favorite guilty pleasures are back, even during quarantine! Both BIG BROTHER (a celebrity edition!) and LOVE ISLAND have both found creative ways to continue amidst the pandemic. Highly recommend watching for an escape from our own reality.

THEATRE

September 17th is the next installment of Paula Vogel’s “Bard at the Gate” virtual play reading series. Next up is Eisa Davis’ Pulitzer-nominated play BULRUSHER, starring PS fave Andre Holland. Set in 1950s San Francisco, BULRUSHER follows a young girl - multiracial, orphaned, and clairvoyant - in a predominantly white community who discovers a new sense of self when a Black girl from Alabama moves to her town. Tune in HERE!

COMIC

LONELY RECEIVER by Zac Thompson and Jen Hickman -- Catrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that's meant to bond for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly discon-nects without a warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She's alone for the first time in years and reeling from a loss she can't comprehend.

This new series is filled with so much honesty. It has all the shades of HER and ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, but with a different enough twist that it feels completely fresh. Through Catrin’s relationship with this artificial intelligence, she forces us to question what it means to truly love another individual and the balance between independence and freedom in a partnership. This is a great read for millennials and gen Z as they try to redefine relationships in 2020.

BOOK

Everyone’s favorite woman-behind-the-curtain, Elena Ferrante, is back with her newest standalone novel. While I haven’t gotten to crack open my copy yet, I know that the aptly named THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS explores the cycle of lying between parents and children, who then grow up and lie to their own children. In classic Ferrante fashion, the characters are lying about all the good stuff: sex, infidelity, and the awkward fumblings of adolescents. If you’re looking for a juicy escapist Labor Day read, I just found it for you. You’re welcome.

PODCAST

Because we stan Imperative this week we want to highlight... THE SYNDICATE a 10-part narrative series about a group of college friends who took advantage of Colorado’s medical marijuana laws to create one of the longest, most lucrative smuggling runs in U.S. history. Under the guise of running medical marijuana grow houses, the group trafficked thousands of pounds of pot out of state for sale on the black market—and raked in cash. So much that it filled up their closets and offices. They threw bags of money with GPS trackers off cliffs in the Rocky Mountains with the intention of picking them up later. The good times couldn’t last. When a drug mule flipped, the whole scheme came tumbling down. Within months, SWAT team officers and DEA agents kicked down the doors of 32 individuals around Denver. In the ensuing plea deals and manhunts—what has become known as “Operation Golden Go-Fer”—the Feds realized that the smugglers had redefined what it means to be a criminal organization in the era of legal weed and that the marijuana black market is not just evolving, but thriving.

SHORT FILM

HANDHELD by Pisie Hochheim & Tony Oswald. It’s fair to say I am a sucker for any mother son story. Pisie and Tony’s short is narratively simple. It’s about a boy and his single mom who find a handheld camera in their attic and start to watch the old footage. The footage is of the boy’s father and sends the two of them down memory lane. It’s a relationship driven short which is often hard to pull off when you have such limited time. Recommend this one for the tears it may bring!!

PICTURESTART 9/4/20 PICTURESTART 9/4/20

09/04/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

PICTURESTART 8/28/20 PICTURESTART 8/28/20

08/28/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: BTS ‘Dynamite’ MV
☞ Letterboxd: Boy’s State
☞ TikTok: #greenscreentile
☞ Spotify: The Plan - Tenet OST by Travis Scott
☞ Netflix: The Legend of Korra
☞ Twitter: #FreeBritney

LIFE + CULTURE

Professional athletes across multiple sports organizations in the US went on strike this week, protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake. LeBron James took to Twitter to share his thoughts, saying “Change doesn’t happen with just talk!! It happens with action and needs to happen NOW!” The NBA announced that games will resume tomorrow, after the league and players came to an agreement on next steps, including establishing a social justice coalition and converting NBA facilities into voting locations for the 2020 election.

Celebrities are getting into the OnlyFans scene and they're making $$$. Bella Thorne (former Disney star) joined and made over 2 million dollars in less than a week (while upsetting the platform’s sex workers). The platform, which is primarily known for porn, is a content subscription service where fans pay creators for exclusive content, giving influencers the ability to ‘monetize their influence’. This could be the future of social content, where big-name influencers charge directly for their photos and videos.

Spotify is developing a virtual events feature to help fans find online concerts and give artists a new way to generate revenue. Artists are also chartering innovative and creative ways to perform. Miyavi, a Japanese rock star based in Los Angeles, teamed up with tech-savvy director David Cihelna to shoot his next hit-single NEED FOR SPEED music video. Read how their dynamic team experimented with volumetric capture and game engines to foster a COVID-friendly environment for Miyavi’s electrifying performance. In other music news this week, FKA twigs shared the cinematic visuals for "Sad Day", directed by Hiro Murai, known for his work on Atlanta and Guava Island.

SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTok’s US drama continues...the company’s newly-minted CEO is stepping down, only three months after leaving Disney for the position. Analysts predict that this means for sure that the app’s US operations will be sold, they’re thinking to the tune of 35-40 billion dollars.

Solving murders with social media? After posting a series of videos detailing her sister’s disappearance in 2001, Sarah Turney was looking for justice. She suspected that her father had something to do with the disappearance and shared many videos explaining why. The videos got millions of views and, almost two decades after her sister’s disappearance, her father was charged with homicide.

Two TikToks that brought me joy this week: this wholesome way of celebrating a birthday in quarantine and this cinematic wild ride with an extra-special nod to fans of Vine.

FILM

The whole PS team is talking about SPUTNIK, a new Russian sci-fi/horror film by first-time director Egor Abramenko. Without giving too much away, it’s part ALIEN and part ARRIVAL, set in the 1950s Soviet Union, and anchored by a standout performance by Oksana Akinshina. If you’re looking for some new scares, it’s available on all SVOD outlets!

The 2020 New York Asian Film Festival starts today and this year’s offerings look great! Individual movies are $8 and an all access pass is $80. As for the films, I can’t wait for BASEBALL GIRL and IWEIRDO.

LUCE is available for free on iTunes until 8/31 courtesy of NEON. This is one of my favorite movies from last year, putting the spotlight on race in the suburbs within a tight psychological thriller. Check it out this weekend!

TV

As the Broadcast networks confirmed the fall won’t see the customary return of its shows, I decided to revisit my all-time favorites this week and SEINFELD remains a sitcom beacon, yet one that disarmingly doubles as a timely meditation on white privilege. All nine seasons on the iconic show “about nothing” are available to stream on Hulu.

COBRA KAI, a continuation of THE KARATE KID saga, is streaming on Netflix as of today. The series, which was nominated for an Emmy, was originally on YouTube Red. Netflix is making a third season of the show, which will be available in 2021.

THEATRE

I was thrilled to hear that Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of GODSPELL (the first musical allowed to open in the United States since the pandemic hit) was extended through September. Performed in an open-air tent with a cast of 10, the production is styled as an old-fashioned tent revival meeting - a decision that marries the musical’s subject matter with Massachusetts’ Covid protocols! Friends who have seen the production say that it is inspiring, rejuvenating, and welcome confirmation that theatre will bounce back some day soon. If you find yourself near Massachusetts in the next month, be sure to check it out!

VIDEO GAME

SPIRITFARER developed by Thunder Lotus Games.

It's a cozy management game about dying. As ferrymaster to the deceased, build a boat to explore the world, care for your spirit friends, and guide them across mystical seas to finally release them into the afterlife. What will you leave behind?

This is a game I’ve actually been tracking for some time now. I love the developers over at Thunder Lotus for how much thought and care they place in all their games, going all the way back to Jotun. While this one isn’t as action packed as that one, it manages to take you on a journey that’s both sad and joyful at the same time. It’s extremely accessible and during a year where so many of us are experiencing losses, SPIRITFARER is a nice warm hug and well worth the 29.99 price tag.

BOOK

I have been plowing through audiobooks this summer, but the one I cannot stop thinking about is SAY NOTHING by Patrick Radden Keefe. You might be familiar with Keefe’s writing in The New Yorker (where he is a staff writer) or with his recent hit podcast WIND OF CHANGE - he has a knack for turning his investigative journalism into epic, sweeping stories that often feel more like fiction. SAY NOTHING does all of that and more: it is a meticulously researched, nail-biting account of ten or so individuals from Belfast, Northern Ireland and their experiences during the 1970s Troubles. If you’re looking for a captivating, twisty-turny story that also happens to be a history lesson, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

PODCAST

IN THE RED CLAY is a new show from Imperative Entertainment, creators of the shows BARON OF BOTOX and BOOMTOWN. Whiskey, fast cars, drugs, betrayal, murder… and that’s just scratching the surface. Buried deep in the past of a quiet southern town lies the legend of Billy Sunday Birt. A chance meeting one spring day begins to unravel the truth behind the notorious figure and uncovers new secrets along the way. This is a 12-part series dropping weekly, and 3 chapters are out now.

SHORT FILM

DOUBLESPEAK by Hazel McKibbin. Hazel's film is a harrowing look at sexual harassment in the workplace. It's a horror movie disguised as a workplace drama. The tension is built around a knockout performance from Angela Wong Carbone as the protagonist who tries to navigate the incredibly rocky terrain of lodging an HR complaint for sexual harassment. The short is tightly made and ratchets up the tension with only a scene or two. If you enjoyed this short film, I highly recommend Kitty Green's film THE ASSISTANT which explores similar themes within the entertainment workplace context.

x

Thank you to PS Weekly reader Stephen for reaching out to share that OUTFEST LA continues this weekend. The LGBTQ film festival, which works to uplift diverse LGBTQIA+ stories, is virtual this year, along with drive-ins in LA. The drive-in has three more nights and is located in Malibu, while unlimited streaming of the festival is available here. Love getting submissions, keep ‘em comin you guys.

PICTURESTART 8/21/20 PICTURESTART 8/21/20

08/21/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Binging With Babish: Parks & Rec
☞ Letterboxd: Project Power
☞ TikTok: #medievaltiktok
☞ Spotify: Super Bounce - Dckwrth
☞ Netflix: Lucifer
☞ Twitter: #DrunkHistory

LIFE + CULTURE

Gen Z and millennials are hitting the stock market and they’re taking some risky bets. With new platforms making the process of trading easier, the trading activity has gone up with more than half of Gen Z and millennial investors saying their "risk tolerance has grown since the pandemic began.” Let’s get that bread fam. And here are a few TikTokers who are teaching fellow users how to tackle personal finances.

Joe Exotic’s zoo featured in early-quar show Tiger King has permanently closed. While our Tiger King-binging days genuinely feel like a lifetime ago, the rivalry between Joe and Carole Baskin has, unsurprisingly, continued. Joe accused the US Department of Agriculture of falling for the "pressures of PETA," while Carole raised concerns for the zoo animal’s welfare, as Joe plans to open a new zoo in Oklahoma.

Zendaya revealed possible plans for a “bridge episode” for Euphoria, meant to give rabid fans a “little something” as they wait for season 2, which has been put on hold due to the pandemic as with everything else. As one of these rabid Euphoria fans, I will take what I can get.

Mac Miller’s record company released two previously unheard songs “Ayye” and “Back in The Day” this past week, in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of his breakout mixtape K.I.D.S. In other music news, The Pitch Perfect Bellas got back together for an a cappella version of Beyonce’s “Love On Top”. It's really cute, see it here. And today, finally, Travis Scott is dropping the TENET theme song, which apparently “sounds like a brain-liquefying trip through time and space".

SOCIAL MEDIA

A girl on TikTok deadass jumped into the Hudson River, right in front of the statue of liberty like it was nothing. Wild. The entire internet was up in arms, detailing how bad of an idea this was. The diver responded saying she had no clue the Hudson was so polluted, and that she lives by the YOLO mentality. 🤘

One of LA’s infamous TikTok houses (...glorified frat houses) got their water and power turned off this week by Mayor Garcetti. This is in an effort to defer the influencers from throwing parties, coming after TikToker Bryce Hall threw down to celebrate his 21st birthday with hundreds in attendance.

FILM

I can’t stop talking about BOYS STATE, A24’s newest documentary that dropped on Apple+ last weekend. The documentary follows a group of high school boys as they vie for votes and power at the annual Texas Boys State conference. It’s inspiring, terrifying, and heartbreaking. It’s the perfect companion piece to this and next week’s national conventions - close your eyes and you might not be able to tell which is which!

TV

The eagerly anticipated LOVECRAFT COUNTRY might be the coolest new show you’ll find this year. It’s one of the rare offerings that is equally exciting whether you’ve gobbled up the eclectic sources of inspiration or experience it with fresh eyes. I can’t tell what’s more horrifying between the blatant racism of Jim Crow America and terrifying monsters our characters must face, but the winning performances from Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors, and Courtney B. Vance will keep you on the edge of your seat when they’re not charming the hell out of you in this subversive history lesson that couldn’t be more timely.

THEATRE

Another week, another Zoom-ified new musical to report! This time it’s ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS, an original musical from the Bristol Old Vic that saw its American premiere cancelled due to Covid. It’s a frothy and fun show about two timid chocolatiers who meet through the titular support group. Exactly the sort of escapist entertainment I’m craving these days! You can reserve tickets to the live-streamed performance here.

BOOK

With the success of Lily King's WRITERS & LOVERS this summer, I’ve picked up her novel EUPHORIA from 2014. A meticulously researched and thinly veiled account of Margaret Mead’s 1933 trip to New Guinea, the novel delves into the love triangle between Mead (or Nell in the book), her husband, and another anthropologist they meet on their trip. In addition to the rich and complicated characters, the details about Mead’s work are so thorough and transporting that it reads like the juiciest anthropology lesson you’ve ever had.

PODCAST

The third season of FIASCO, from Leon Neyfakh and Luminary, started streaming last week. The season will focus on what happened when Black civil rights activists in Boston demanded their children be given access to the same level of education as their white counterparts in the 1960s and 70s.

SHORT FILM

DO NO HARM by Roseanne Liang. Taking the short in a different direction this week –– a badass direction! This is an intense action short about a surgeon who has to break her physician’s oath when gangsters break into the operating room threatening her and her patient. The action sequences are brilliantly directed and left me wanting more! I can’t wait to see her new movie SHADOW IN THE CLOUD when it premieres at TIFF this year (thanks to my colleague Shuyu for the rec).

PICTURESTART 8/14/20 PICTURESTART 8/14/20

08/14/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: The Devil All The Time Trailer
☞ Letterboxd: She Dies Tomorrow
☞ TikTok: #justvisiting
☞ Spotify: Pressure In My Palms - Amine, slowthai, Vince Staples
☞ Netflix: The Last Dance
☞ Twitter: Apple Removes Fortnite from Apple Store

LIFE + CULTURE

Earn $93K after taking a $300 course? Sounds pretty sweet. Google just announced new professional certificates, on par with college diplomas, that can be completed in 6 months. The announcement comes at an already challenging time for US colleges with ongoing conversations about the future of the higher education system as a whole. Some commentators are asking if “this could be a solution to unequal access to education”. Some think “higher education is about more than just skills”, and “college helps create well-rounded individuals and critical thinking”. WDYT? I’ll be circling back on this.

Blockbuster broke its silence on Twitter this week after a six year hiatus… and then promptly checked out again only a few hours later. I would like to check out too plz. The iconic video company has one location left in Deschutes County, Oregon, and to celebrate their 20 years in business, Airbnb is hosting a pop-up. For $4, the lucky renters (strictly residents of Deschutes Country) can stay in the 90s-themed store for a sleepover.

AMC is reopening over 100 theaters on August 20th with tickets priced at 15 cents a pop. The company is celebrating its centennial by offering 2020 movies at these 1920 prices. They are also bringing back older films like Black Panther, Back to the Future, and Inception.

The Weeknd’s interactive virtual concert on TikTok saw over 2 million total viewers and raised $350,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative. The Weeknd performed in digital avatar form. The visuals from the concert were insane, and Abel released a handful of the songs on his YouTube page this past week.

On repeat this week: Moses Sumney’s Tiny Desk Concert. Truly healing. And in other music news, on the tail of WAP, Cardi B launches an OnlyFans account this week. I mean, respect.

FILM

PROJECT POWER, the latest film from our dear pals Henry Joost & Rel Schulman, comes out on Netflix today! It’s a high-octane thriller about the proliferation of a dangerous drug that gives the user superpowers for five minutes at a time - and it’s up to Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback to stop it from getting into the wrong hands. Fishback is a movie star in the making, and I cannot wait to watch her steal the movie!

And while I have you, check out PICTURESTART’s trailer for UNPREGNANT, starring Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira, and directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg! Slurpees, a stolen Trans Am, and a woman’s right to choose: a trifecta Thelma and Louise would be proud of. It’s coming out 9/10 on HBOMax!

TV

Just when you thought true crime was a passing trend, HBO gave us the perfect binge in I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK, an engrossing account of Michelle McNamara’s pursuit to uncover the Golden State Killer whose horrifying crimes dwarfed the Zodiac by comparison. Even for the most fatigued viewer to the genre, director Liz Garbus will hypnotize you with her subversive commentary on the frustratingly flawed treatment of crimes against women and a meditation on the tragic lengths Michelle went to solve the case that results in one of the most inspiring denouements I’ve seen in the crime space. Has it made me lock my bedroom door at night? Absolutely, but it was so worth it. All episodes are available to stream on HBO Max.

An easy quick binge about the cynical side of politics that STILL somehow feels more desirable than our current state of things - VEEP is hands down one of the funniest shows of the past decade. Come for the vulgar and hilarious one-liner insults, stay for every single microexpression that appears on comedy queen Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s face.

THEATRE

For those nerds who are craving some new original musicals in their life as much as I am, Transport Group is streaming their original musical BROADBEND, ARKANSAS through this weekend! The musical follows a Black family over three generations (from the 1960s to present day), as they grapple with inequality, violence, and suppression in the South. The musical "asks us to contemplate the cycle of violence in this country and how we will find hope and create change against the backdrop of hate that plagues America.”

BOOK

If there’s one book everyone is talking about this month, it’s LUSTER by Raven Leilani. This debut novel follows a young black book editor who moves in with her older boyfriend and his wife (both white) and their adopted black daughter. The book is a self-aware and frank exploration of sexuality, racial dynamics in the workplace, and millennial angst. If you’re looking for a brief escape into other peoples’ problems, I highly recommend checking it out.

PODCAST

I could not let the week go by without professing my love for NICE WHITE PARENTS (a five-part series, detailing what is arguably the most powerful force in our schools: White parents).

But for a podcast a bit farther off the beaten path, I suggest you check out SMOKE SCREEN: FAKE PRIEST. The first episode dropped yesterday, and it’s captivating. It’s an investigative show about Ryan Scott, a popular priest who spent the last thirty years traveling the Midwest, committing crimes.

SHORT FILM

The Adobe Stock Film Festival 2020. Adobe gave 13 filmmakers from around the world the task to create a short film in just 5 days. They had unlimited stock and audio footage from Adobe’s platforms and were able to edit on Premiere Pro. They came up with some pretty cool films. Shows you how far a creative mind will take you in quarantine! I particularly liked CLASSIFIED by Jasmine McCullough.

Thank you to PS WEEKLY reader Jessie Kahnweiler who sent in her short film HE’S THE ONE. A really powerful take on sexual assault in a nuanced and humorous way. Also some really great acting here by Luka Jones and Jessie herself. Can’t wait to see what else you do!

PICTURESTART 8/6/20 PICTURESTART 8/6/20

08/06/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: The Boys Season 2 Trailer
☞ Letterboxd: Black Is King
☞ TikTok: #alttiktok
☞ Spotify: My future - Billie Eilish
☞ Netflix: Locked Up
☞ Twitter: #PrayForBeirut

LIFE + CULTURE

Mi pan su su sum, su su sum. If you're not on TikTok, you probably have no idea what that jumble of letters means. If you ARE, then you've had the pleasure of watching this lil mama llama do her thing, racking up over 92M views on the platform. Luckily for us, Insider did a deep dive on the audio that took the internet by storm, and found out that the weird sound originated from a Russian cereal commercial.

The competition between social media platforms keeps heating up. This past week, Facebook launched a rival platform to TikTok – Instagram Reels (stellar examples of this new content here and here). According to WSJ, Instagram is also attempting to steal some TikTok talent by offering to pay some big $$$. Snapchat also reportedly wants a slice of the cake and has secured music licensing deals in order to allow its users to add music to videos. Extra credit TikTok facts: the hype house is getting its own reality show, Addison Rae is the highest paid creator at $5M/year, and the White House's 45 day TikTok ban countdown has started ticking.

People won't be able to take selfies in space quite the same as they do here on earth. Commercial space flight company Virgin Galactic announced that cell phones will not be allowed onboard the spaceships taking tourists to space. The approximately 600 people that have bought tickets for the flights (spending up to $250,000 a ticket !!) won’t walk away without some selfies, though. 16 cameras are installed throughout the cabin and two more outside will record video and take photos throughout the flight.

Ever wondered what celebs tip on a burger with fries? Erica Smolcynski is spilling the tea on the (many) celebrities that she’s served as a waitress in LA, from who’s a fat tipper to who ordered the weirdest meal (looking at you Shia LaBeouf). Genuinely could watch her videos for days.

As if Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia album wasn’t enough of a bop - she’s now releasing a remix of it featuring the biggest icons of the 90’s. Oh snap! Booyah! Madonna, Missy Elliott, Gwen Stefani & more will be featured.

On repeat this weekend: WAP – Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion. And that album artwork... 😍

FILM

The ZOLA trailer that dropped yesterday may have been just a teaser, but it still has me delirious with anticipation. To my pals at A24: unreal People correction, but give the people what they want! Aka a release date / full trailer / the entire movie to be spontaneously dropped on demand…

Can’t wait for TENET? Check out Christopher Nolan’s first film FOLLOWING. Shot for $6000, the movie was planned and executed as cheaply as possible when Chris was in his 20s. The movie uses the same non-linear plot structure that I love him for and while it doesn’t scratch the TENET itch, it comes close! Stream it on the Criterion Channel or rent it from Amazon.

TV

If anyone thought I would be recommending a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g other than BLACK IS KING then you got me all wrong, sis. Stop what you’re doing. Start learning the steps for “My Power.” Thank me later.

IMMIGRATION NATION on Netflix is the must-see documentary of the summer. An agonizing look at immigration policy and more importantly, the immigrant experience within the United States. Told through almost exclusively ride-along footage (how they got this level of access to ICE I will never know) and heartbreaking personal testimonies, this is essential viewing.

COMIC

BAD MOTHER by Christa Faust & Mike Deodato -- A nerve-wracking thriller from crime writer Christa Faust and blockbuster artist Mike Deodato Jr. (The Resistance, Infinity Wars). April Walters is a hit-and-run victim of life -- a middle-aged soccer mom whose inner fire has been snuffed out by her dreary suburban existence. When her teenaged daughter goes missing under mysterious circumstances, April embarks on a harrowing mission to find her; a journey that takes her through the underbelly of her suburban community and sets her on a collision course with a massive crime syndicate and its lethal matriarch. Tested to her limits and beyond, April discovers that hell hath no fury like a mother scorned.

This new series (not to be confused with the hit franchise, BAD MOMS) has a pretty familiar start but with a much cooler vibe and tone. This one feels like KILL BILL meets TAKEN meets THE KITCHEN. While all those comps are very similar, our hero, April, is what sets this one apart. She’s witty, dangerous, smart, and determined. This is the perfect fit if you’re looking for a new gritty action hero!

THEATRE

BOLD 2020, an annual short play festival devoted to new work by Black womxn, returns next week! The festival spans three nights with two ten-minute plays premiering each night, followed by talkbacks with the director and playwrights. In the words of BOLD’s co-founder Destinee Rea, “The restoration of our culture is dependent on the amplification of the Black womxn’s voices… We are in desperate need of their stories being contributed creatively; grafted into the American canon.” Free tickets are available here.

BOOK

The 12 year wait is over! MIDNIGHT SUN, Stephenie Meyer’s companion piece to TWILIGHT, was released on Tuesday and it’s everything we’ve hoped and waited for since that ~fateful~ leak back in 2008. If you’ve regressed in quarantine as much as I have (or if you never stopped loving Twilight, #TeamEdward4Ever), this one's for you.

PODCAST

ONCE UPON A TIME… IN THE VALLEY tells the story of Traci Lords, a porn star who started working when she was just 15, before being busted (or saved?) by the FBI before her 18th birthday for being underage. The podcast interviews Traci and the people in her orbit, balancing between depicting Traci as a victim and a fierce woman in control of her agency. Was the porn industry taking advantage of her, or is it the other way around?

SHORT FILM

PS favorite Damien Chazelle took us on a tour of cinematic history with his new short film shot for Apple, THE STUNT DOUBLE. I’ve been missing Damien’s signature cuts ever since I finished “The Eddy” and THE STUNT DOUBLE doesn’t disappoint. It’s LA LA LAND meets ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD and I couldn’t be more here for it!

PICTURESTART 7/31/20 PICTURESTART 7/31/20

07/31/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Perfect Key Lime Pie From Dexter
☞ Letterboxd: The Rental
☞ TikTok: #NatureVibes
☞ Spotify: Guilty Conscience (Tame Impala Remix)
☞ Netflix: Umbrella Academy 2
☞ Twitter: Emmy Nominations

LIFE + CULTURE

Apparently horror and apocalyptic movie lovers are better equipped to deal with the pandemic compared to people who don't watch horror. The author of the study said "Our ability to imaginatively inhabit virtual worlds – worlds of our own making, as well as those conveyed by movies and books – is a gift from natural selection.”

Virtual affairs are on the rise during lockdown. According to research earlier this month, virtual infidelity offers an escape from pandemic life. “I don’t think these affairs are harmful in the same way as non-virtual affairs are. It’s easy to do strange things when they’re mediated by the anonymity of the internet” – Dazed

In music news, Beyoncé’s next gift to the world, visual album Black is King, premiers on Disney+ today, and Billie Eilish dropped her new single "my future”.

SOCIAL MEDIA

If you’re in the need of escapist humor, this fabulous stand-up profile on Tik Tok offers the perfect LOL breaks in-between your Zoom meetings that include the realest interpretation of the Old Testament.

This couple has the coolest IG account these days, and it's seriously heated up this week. Wanji and Sho-er own a laundromat in Taiwan and post photos of themselves styled in customers’ leftover clothes. Praying these two hit Vogue ASAP.

FILM

In case you missed its release last week, I highly recommend Karen Maine’s debut film YES GOD YES, now available through virtual cinemas! A spiritual successor to 2004’s SAVED! (though perhaps more grounded), the film follows Catholic high schooler Alice (played by STRANGER THINGS’ Natalia Dyer) as she begins to explore her burgeoning sexuality within the confines of a high school spirituality retreat. The film lampoons religious hypocrisy without ever feeling cruel, and Dyer nails the vulnerability of a young, sexually curious teenage girl. And did I mention it’s only 80 minutes?!

JULES AND JIM was released in 1962, but its vibrant and tragic portrayal of young love is forever imprinted in my heart. This summer, I highly recommend (re)visiting this classic, directed by the French New Wave auteur Francois Truffant. Legend has it that Truffant found the original novel by Henri-Pierre Roche in a used bookstore while he was adapting another Roche novel. This one overruled and you can feel why – Truffant lends his own romantic experience to this beautifully fatal love triangle tale. Check it out on the Criterion Channel or HBO Max.

TV

With a second season ordered a mere two weeks since its series premiere, breakout strip club drama P-VALLEY has proven it was well worth the wait. With razor sharp dialogue and some of the most eclectic characters you’ve ever seen from creator Katori Hall, this adaptation of her critically acclaimed play shows a side of the Mississippi Delta I didn’t know I needed.

Summer has always been the time to catch-up on old shows and quarantine has only made this an even stronger proposition. I recommend revisiting the seminal teen drama THE OC, now that all episodes are on HBO Max. The nostalgic music (you’ll never hear Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek” the same way), melodramatic storylines (I dare you to try drawing a family tree by the end of it), and all things Seth Cohen are guaranteed to add some SoCal sunshine to your quarantine.

VIDEO GAME

GHOST OF TSUSHIMA developed by Sucker Punch -- In the late 13th century, the Mongol empire has laid waste to entire nations along their campaign to conquer the East. Tsushima Island is all that stands between mainland Japan and a massive Mongol invasion fleet led by the ruthless and cunning general, Khotun Khan. As the island burns in the wake of the first wave of the Mongol assault, samurai warrior Jin Sakai stands as one of the last surviving members of his clan. He is resolved to do whatever it takes, at any cost, to protect his people and reclaim his home. He must set aside the traditions that have shaped him as a warrior to forge a new path, the path of the Ghost, and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima.

I’ve been waiting to talk about this video game because I felt it deserves special attention, and let me tell you it does not disappoint. This game manages to do the nearly impossible by pulling you into feudal Japan yet the controls are intuitive and natural. This is an RPG that all fans of the genre should pick up. The blend of combat and art have me extremely excited to see where this franchise goes next. It’s worth every penny!

THEATRE

Get your tickets now for The New Group’s reunion livestream of THE JACKSONIAN by Beth Henley! A dark comedy about a murder in a seedy small-town motel, the play is chock full of the wonderfully bizarre characters one might expect from that setting, from filandering dentists to gold-digging motel workers. The star-studded cast includes Jane Krakowski, Ed Harris, and Bill Pullman, among others. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased here!

BOOKS

The longlist for the Booker Prize, Britain’s most prestigious literary awards, was announced this week, and I was excited to see some of our favorite books from this past year on the list! In addition to SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid and HOW MUCH OF THESE HILLS IS GOLD by C Pam Zhang, we highly recommend the lesser-known LOVE AND OTHER THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS by Sophie Ward. The novel is made up of ten interconnected vignettes centered around Rachel and Eliza, a couple trying to get pregnant. The narrators of each story range from a boy who once slept with Rachel’s mother to an ant that crawled behind Eliza’s eye. It’s a satisfying, beautiful read that grapples with big ideas without feeling too heady.

PODCAST

REVEAL: AMERICAN REHAB is the newest season from the Peabody Award-winning Reveal, produced by the center from investigative reporting and PRX. The series is dark and the result of a 3-year investigation into the rehab facilities taking advantage of patients across the US: a system that puts its patients through a form of indentured servitude — and has roots in a cult. What exactly is going on in many American rehab facilities? And what impact is it having on people trying to recover from issues with substance abuse?

This is a brilliant piece of journalism. If you are interested in the opioid crisis, mental health, and/or cults, I recommend this podcast.

SHORT FILM

THE BALLAD OF JUNIOR by Chris Ortega is an auto-biographical dramedy about Junior, an Uber driver, trying to find his way through his love life and the world at large. What I love about this is how Chris takes larger than life existential themes and distills them down to small conversations that we can all relate to. It's funny and heart-warming and the craziest part is Chris wasn't going to play the lead character until half of his actors dropped out at the last minute! I for one am happy they did. He does a great job. Check it out!

PICTURESTART 7/18/20 PICTURESTART 7/18/20

07/18/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Remembering Grant Imahara
☞ Letterboxd: Palm Springs
☞ TikTok: #hiddengems
☞ Spotify: No Fear No More (Remix) - Madeon, Earthgang
☞ Netflix: Project Power
☞ Twitter: #MichelleObamaPodcast

LIFE & CULTURE

Someone put all of the top trending daily U.S. google searches together from the past two years and it is...insightful. It turns out the nation is a lot more concerned with Fortnite than I would have predicted. Check out the video yourself here.

2020 is just getting weirder. The iconic 11-year-old yodeler Mason Ramsey, who went viral in 2018, stars in Burger King’s most recent advertisement. Directed by Michel Gondry, the commercial starts off with Ramsey strutting out of a cow’s butt and simply takes off from there. He sings a song that describes how Burger King, according to the song, is working to bring down those emissions by putting their cows on a diet of lemongrass, which apparently leads to the cows excreting 33% less methane.

The #FreeBritney movement has been sweeping the internet recently. After many decidedly strange posts popped up on Britney Spears’ social media pages, people began to dig into the 12-year-old conservatorship that allows her father to control most aspects of her life. Read more about the movement here.

This LA-based DJ offers the perfect coffee break in his TikToks, with quick compilations of all kinds, from senior year throwbacks to, oh yes, ratchet classics.

TECH

Elon Musk's success has no end in sight. Tesla’s stock is now valued higher than American Express and Bank of America COMBINED. The man is now officially worth more than Warren Buffet.

Twitter users from Barack Obama to Kanye West to Apple got hacked bigtime this past week. The hackers used verified accounts with large followings to enact a bitcoin scam that earned them almost $120,000. Twitter took the drastic step of blocking new tweets from every verified user, compromised or not.

Sports teams across the world are replacing live audiences with...cheerleading robots? With stadiums empty, someone has to step in. Watch the amazing out-of-synch cheering here.

VIDEO GAME

IN DEATH UNCHAINED developed by Superbright — In Death is an excellent bow-based VR roguelike that has you battling through Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell. It’s an intense amount of fun, and while the normal version is great, In Death: Unchained is taking the experience to Oculus Quest. This makes all of the spins, trick shots, and intense amount of panic wire-free, and that’ll make it one of the best experiences on the platform to date.

I've slowly started to dip my toes into the world of VR gaming, and this one feels cool. It hasn’t come out yet but feels like a tribute to Dante’s Inferno that challenge your hand/eye coordination as you. I played a demo of the first one and enjoyed it, so I’m excited to check this out.

COMIC

DOSE by Sean Ellis & John Gebbia — Dose! is a unique reinterpretation of the super hero genre which explores what would happen to society if the technology and superhero population introduced in the Silver Age of Comics grew exponentially through today. Super Powers are mundane, kaiju walk the streets, and cybernetic enhancement surgery is just a phone call away, if you have the cubits to pay for it, that is. Within this environment, we meet the Screw Worm, an unemployed, ex-teenage metahero sidekick with a growing dependency on drugs and too much time on his hands. Through a series of calamitous events, the Screw Worm unwittingly stumbles onto a conspiracy that threatens to hasten the destruction of a world already teetering on the edge of collapse.

I’m a big superhero nerd and love any series that deconstructs this genre, which is exactly what we have here. It’s about what happens when you feel average and how to cope with what that means for you. It’s a cousin of WATCHMEN and THE BOYS, and if you’re a fan of those you should definitely add this to your pile.

THEATRE

The 2020 Kilroys List has been released! This year’s list honors and amplifies new plays that were cancelled, postponed, or closed early due to COVID-19, all written by the women, trans, and non-binary writers of the American theatre. We were excited to see that PS faves Anna Moench, C.A. Johnson, Chiara Atik, and Jocelyn Bioh were among those named! Check out the list here.

PODCAST

UNFINISHED: DEEP SOUTH — 10-part podcast that investigates the lynching of a wealthy black farmer in Arkansas at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement. In June 1954, three weeks after the momentous Supreme Court decision that overturned segregation, Isadore Banks was kidnapped, tortured, chained to a tree and set on fire. Banks’ murder terrorized the black community on the Arkansas Delta, foreshadowing a wave of white violence that would soon sweep the broader South. Sixty-five years later, we investigate Banks’ murder, joining his family in their attempt to restore his legacy and solve the crime before the story goes cold forever.

This is a really important story, while only the first three episodes are out. It is a vivid depiction of systematic racism in the south and will hopefully also uncover the mystery of who killed Isadore Banks.

PICTURESTART 7/9/20 PICTURESTART 7/9/20

07/09/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: The Umbrella Academy Season 2 Trailer
☞ Letterboxd: Bad Education
☞ TikTok: #readinglist
☞ Spotify: Ego Death - Ty Dolla $ign, FKA Twigs, Kanye West
☞ Netflix: The Baby-Sitters Club
☞ Twitter: Vine

LIFE & CULTURE

Twitter is reportedly creating a ‘subscription platform’ which miiight mean that we’ll eventually have to pay for tweets. This job listing raised flags that a paid subscription service is in the works at the social media platform, although reps at Twitter said they have nothing to share yet.

Hey all you cool cats and kittens. I’m here to share the news that Tiger King’s Carole Baskin is making an absolute killing selling Cameo videos. She offers personalized videos for $199 a pop and has reportedly made over $20,000 on her first day on the platform.

Guess what the third highest grossing app in June was? Not Disney Plus, not Angry Birds - Tinder. With lockdowns going on there’s no wonder people crave some romance. Last month, the app reports that it was downloaded over 2 million times alone and its daily chats are up 20 percent worldwide.

Zendaya and John David Washington filmed a secret movie titled Malcolm & Marie during quarantine — and I simply cannot wait to watch it. The film, from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, finished filming just last week. The plot is yet to be revealed, but Deadline reports that it "has some echos of Neflix's Marriage Story, while resonating a number of social themes that the world is experiencing right now." Side note, the iconic Kid Cudi was one of the investors involved. Will be waiting day n nite until the movie comes out (dad joke I know, but it’s been a week).

SOCIAL MEDIA

People on social media are comparing the NBA’s Orlando Bubble to the infamous “Fyre Fest”. The Orlando Bubble is where NBA players are being quarantined before their season starts back up. Some basic accommodations are off to a rocky start for the highly anticipated return of the 2019-2020 season, and the internet is ready for all of it.

Julian Bass, a young VFX creator, went viral when Bob Iger responded to his tweet. Julian tweeted out his dope, VFX-heavy TikTok video and said “if y’all can retweet this enough times that Disney calls, that’d be greatly appreciated”. Bob Iger himself actually replied, saying “The world’s gonna know your name!”

TikTok: @prince
Like you need a reason to follow the official account for the man who gave us the best Batman song ever. You’re welcome.

VIDEO GAME

DISINTERGRATION, developed by V1 Interactive — Set in the near future on Earth, the only hope for human survival is through Integration, a process developed to preserve human brains in robotic armatures. You play as Romer Shoal, a former Gravcycle pilot in command of a small resistance force still grasping onto the fading memories of their human selves. With the domineering Rayonne forces set on eliminating the final remnants of human society, it’s up to Romer and his crew of Outlaws to fight back and reboot humanity. Pilot a variety of weaponized Gravcycles and command your crew on the ground by leveraging a variety of unique unit abilities and mastery of your own personal arsenal to dominate the battle.

The big concept behind this game is incredibly interesting. While the dialogue is strong, the actual gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. I’m all for people trying to reinvigorate first person shooters, but the ability to control troops while also being on the battlefield never truly yields a new experience other than exactly what it is on the surface. If you need a FPS to tithe you over until CYBERPUNK 2077 comes out, this will do, but don't expect much.

COMIC

JOIN THE FUTURE by Zack Kaplan — The Future. Ultra-modern megacities reward millions of their citizens with a completely funded life, with every need met, from food to housing and healthcare, in order to com-pete in an economic power struggle in which population is key. But a few rural residents still cling to their independence in what last American small towns are left. When a nearby megacity pressures the people of a small town join up or else, a young teenage girl named Clem will learn how far she'll go to defend her prin-ciples

This is a great new series that reminds me a lot of 1984 with a modern twist. It also feels very timely as our country is becoming more and more split between rural towns and big cities. I suggest reading if dystopian futures are a favorite genre of yours.

THEATRE

PS fave Jordan E. Cooper (best known for his play AIN’T NO MO’) has created a short film / digital play called MAMA GOT A COUGH, about a family trying to check in on their mother’s health via Zoom. In addition to being laugh-out-loud funny, the piece makes the most of its technological / locational constraints without feeling like you’re on another work Zoom. Link to watch HERE.

PODCAST

MURDER ON THE TOWPATH — Hosted by journalist Soledad O’Brien, Murder on the Towpath is about the 1964 murder of a white artist, the black man who stood accused, and the barrier-breaking (black female) civil rights lawyer who rose to his defense. The resulting trial rocked the nation and became a capsule of all the racial tension and government distrust of the 1960’s. To this day, Mary’s murder remains one of the most fascinating unresolved cases in U.S. history. Who shot this socialite, painter, and pacifist in one of DC’s wealthiest neighborhoods, if not Ray Crump? This mystery becomes even thornier as Mary’s powerful connections come to light--she was having an affair with a very powerful man: President John F. Kennedy. A stolen diary, a strange phone call, and a mysterious jogger with multiple aliases leave us wondering what Mary knew, and whether the CIA might have wanted her taken out.

This is a captivating exploration of gender and race relations in our country. If you love the podcast...HERE and HERE are some additional articles on the story.

SHORT FILM

BLOEISTRAAT 11 by Nienke Duetz — A beautifully animated short about a summer friendship between two girls that starts to slowly change as they go through puberty. No dialogue is spoken, but we see the physical and emotional transformation through the animation and the characters actions. A very Picturestart short indeed!

PICTURESTART 7/3/20 PICTURESTART 7/3/20

07/03/20

This Week: Happy 4th of July!

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Binging With Babish Special
☞ Letterboxd: The Vast of Night
☞ TikTok: #FlashBack
☞ Spotify: Introspection - UMI
☞ Netflix: Dark
☞ Twitter: Beavis and Butt-head Reboot

LIFE & CULTURE

Say hello to the brand new class of Academy members. Zendaya, Awkwafina, Lulu Wang, Beanie Feldstein, Olivia Wilde, Florence Pugh, Lakeith Stanfield, and Ari Aster are all among the total of 819 artist and executives that are invited to vote on next year's Oscars! Heckyess! - The Hollywood Reporter

Top music composers that previously worked on blockbuster films have turned their talents to the world of video games. As the medium becomes more and more popular, composing the music for games has become more and more lucrative. Danny Kelleher, Founder of Laced Records, said "It feels like video game music is finally receiving the praise and mainstream recognition it deserves, and this is helping to attract more composers to the medium." Read more about the shift at Wired.

Beyoncé announced this week that she will be releasing a new visual album on July 31, titled Black Is King, on Disney Plus. The album is based on songs from The Lion King: The Gift and is written, directed, and executive produced by Beyoncé herself.

COMEDY

Search Party is back for Season 3 - now on HBO Max! The delightfully sardonic show still centers on a group of entitled, millennial quasi (or maybe actual?) sociopaths and we can’t get enough of it. Congrats to Sarah-Violet Bliss And Charles Rogers for another sick season!

VIDEO GAMES

The talk of the gaming world this week is without a doubt, Naughty Dog’s long awaited sequel, THE LAST OF US PART 2.

While I haven't had a chance to play through the entire game (literally my only plans for the 4th Holiday), it’s received rave reviews from critics and promises an engaging tale. The story continues with Ellie who sets out on a quest of revenge after experiencing a devastating loss. Although the clicker-infested world feels surreal in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic, this has me incredibly excited for Craig Mazin’s adaptation of the property that’s in active development at HBO.

THEATRE

On July 8th The Public Theater will digitally debut THE LINE, a new docu-drama play derived from interviews with New York City medical first responders during the Covid-19 pandemic. The play’s creators Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen set out to “present a fundamental redefinition of what it means to protect and serve, examining the fault lines in our system through the words of the brave people who show up every day to care for us all.” Link to watch here.

PODCAST

A botched police investigation, missing evidence, and a wrongful conviction in a city plagued with more than a hundred unsolved missing and murdered cases. Uncover: Dead Wrong takes us through the twisting, almost unbelievable story of Glen Assoun, who spent more than 17 years in prison for the murder of Brenda Way, a crime he did not commit. How did institutions fail him — and who really killed Brenda?

SHORT FILM

Netflix released HOMEMADE this week. An anthology of 17 short films from various world filmmakers. I highly recommend watching them all as they all have something different to bring to the table but below are a few that I found special!

Ladj Ly’s short. This is a spiritual successor to Ladj’s feature LES MISERABLES. It follows the character Buzz (Ladj’s son Al-Hassan) as he flies his drone over Clichy-Montfermeil outside of Paris.

Pablo Larrain’s short. A sweet short showcasing a man in a nursing home professing his love to a woman who got away. But there is a twist….

Ana Lily Amipour’s short. Showcases Ana as she rides around an empty Los Angeles on her bicycle. Narrated with equal parts chilling/poetic/hopeful narration by Cate Blanchett (soon to be in our BORDERLANDS!).

PICTURESTART 6/26/20 PICTURESTART 6/26/20

06/25/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Cyberpunk 2077 Trailer
☞ Letterboxd: Shirley
☞ TikTok: #MyPride
☞ Spotify: Black Parade - Beyoncé
☞ Netflix: Disclosure
☞ Twitter: #AnimalCrossing

LIFE & CULTURE

Fortnite is having a movie night tonight inside the game! After the success of the game’s exclusive debut of the trailer of Tenet, Christopher Nolan’s next film, it is streaming three of his past movies. The available films are Inception, Batman Begins, and The Prestige, though what players will actually be able to watch will depend on their region.

The Barcelona Opera opened for the first time since March with an audience composed completely of plants. The plants came from local nurseries and will be donated along with a certificate from the artist to 2,292 health care professionals at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona.

Gucci's newest collab is with...pro gamers? The Italian luxury brand announced yesterday that they've teamed up with esports organization Fnatic – which signs champion players from across the world of gaming – on a watch. Gucci said they were inspired by Fnatic's League of Legends team and made the watch in the gamer group's signature colors.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Tik Tok: @JacobSuttonFilms

Do yourself a favor the next time you’re looking for a quick break and stop by Jacob Sutton’s page. What started as a personal page for the teen aspiring filmmaker has evolved into a growing number of tastefully rendered homages that include Kubrick’s cinematography, his favorite female filmmakers, and the beauty of musicals.

Two Toks that brought me joy this week: this rendition of America's most recognizable jingle and this wholesome video of strangers dancing.

COMEDY

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been missing Jon Stewart a little extra these days. He stopped by the New York Times to hype his new movie, but it also gave him an excuse to drop some sharp, funny observations about our surreal times. A must-read from an intelligent, empathetic, and of course, hilarious treasure.

VIDEO GAMES

West of Dead developed by Upstream Arcade Descend into the grim and gritty world of Purgatory in this fast-paced cover shooter which combines the fluidity of twin-stick controls and tactical cover usage. Dodge behind cover as you try to outgun your enemies in the unknown procedurally generated hunting grounds.

The best part about this game is Ron Perlman voicing the main characters. It’s an excellent blend of westerns with horror. If you’re looking for a fun shooter and unique world I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

COMIC

The apocalypse is nigh with Mariah McCourt's ASH & THORN. The world needs a Champion, and the only heir to a sacred mystical lineage is...a little old lady? Meet Lottie Thorn, reluctant savior of the world, and her also-elderly trainer Lady Peruvia Ashlington-Voss. They might not look it, but these women are prepared to take on any Big Bad that comes along. But first, perhaps a nice cup of tea?

This is a fun story about unlikely heroes and the truth behind the idea that it’s never too late to seize your destiny! I recommend this one for a fun read about misconceptions and what people truly want out of life. I can’t wait to keep reading it.

THEATRE

In pre-Covid times, one of the most hotly anticipated theatrical events of the spring had been BAM’s presentation of LUNGS, starring Matt Smith and Claire Foy. While the production will not be gracing New York stages anytime soon, the Old Vic (where the piece originated) has nimbly adapted their production into a livestreaming event. Over the next few weeks, Smith and Foy will be performing the play to an empty theater but a full virtual audience. Tickets are almost sold out, so be sure to secure yours here!

PODCASTS

FORGOTTEN: WOMEN OF JUAREZ In the border city of Ciudad Juárez, hundreds of women have gone missing. The ones that are found have strange symbols carved on their bodies, some have their wrists bound with shoelaces. All are discarded like garbage. The story of Forgotten investigates theories about what or who is responsible—a serial killer, organ traffickers, a Satanic Cult—and pursues an investigation with law enforcement on both sides of the border, terrified witnesses and corrupt authorities.

SHORT FILM

NOSIS by Vincenz Neuhaus. This is a uniquely animated short about a boy who discovers that his extra-long nose gives him the superpower to understand the true meaning and essence of everything it penetrates. It's a twist on the normal superhero genre and veers into haunting territory. Recommend checking this one out for the style but also the substance. Big noses of the world unite!

PICTURESTART 6/19/20 PICTURESTART 6/19/20

06/19/20

This Week: “The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in.” - James Baldwin. In commemoration of Juneteeth, NYT made a really powerful interactive website dedicated to celebrating the holiday and expanding on its history. It includes photos, poems, quotes, and excerpts from essays. Let’s get educated.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Little Dragon: NPR Tiny Desk Concert
☞ Letterboxd: D a 5 Bloods
☞ TikTok: #Juneteenth
☞ Spotify: L ockdown - Anderson .Paak
☞ Netflix: P olitician
☞ Twitter: A nimoprhs

LIFE & CULTURE

Instagram is on track to overtake Twitter as the top news source for GenZ. Younger audiences are more likely than older generations to prefer visual storytelling formats for their news, which Instagram is well suited for.

Snapchat pulls insensitive Juneteenth filter after backlash, “aaaand this is what happens when you don’t have any black people on the product design team. As a Snap alumni, this is extremely embarrassing. It doesn’t have to be this hard,” tweeted Ashten Winger, who’s Black and previously worked at Snapchat developing original content.

Spike Lee will be in conversation with Barry Jenkins hosted by the American Cinematheque this Saturday at 5pm PT / 8pm ET. They’ll be talking about Spike’s career and his new film, DA 5 BLOODS. Register here.

The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles just released a virtual showcase of more than 120 features, documentaries and shorts to celebrate the last 17 years of Indian cinema. The films are available for 17 days starting today. Check them out here.

Colin Kaepernick joinsMedium’s Board of Directorsto develop projects focused on race and civil rights in America, “I am excited to continue to elevate Black voices in the news and publishing industry. I also look forward to creating new opportunities and avenues for Black writers and creators with my new role as a Board member.”

COMEDY

John Oliver has been on a tear during quarantine and has still continued to release weekly episodes (only now in a completely white room with no audience). His recent special on the police - where he examines law enforcement’s steady militarization and history of discrimination in the United States - was particularly illuminating and is a must-watch.

VIDEO GAME

WAKING developed by Jason Oda. Combining third-person action and guided meditation, Waking is an emotional adventure through your dying mind. Battle the forces of oblivion, conjure the memories of loved ones, and join them in the fight for your life. This is a great adventure game that explores the benefits of meditation and inner peace. With an interesting world where you fight to regain your consciousness, the design and music themselves work to offer a soothing experience that will relax you as a player.

THEATRE

On Saturday June 27th, Out of Hand Theater in Atlanta will be hosting a reading of ONE IN TWO by Donja R. Love. The play, which premiered off-Broadway this winter to rave reviews, takes its name from the statistic that one in two Black men who have sex with men will be diagnosed with HIV in his lifetime. Love’s play is a funny, absurd, and touching exploration of being Black, queer, and living with HIV. Register for the reading here!

PODCAST

Spotify is growing its audio empire by signing deal with Warner Bros., DC for Slate of Exclusive Scripted Podcasts. There’s no information yet on how much the deal is worth or when the first projects will drop but here’s some more info.

Season four of SLOW BURN just came out, with the second episode dropping this past Wednesday! It is the story of how a white supremacist became an American political phenomenon. David Duke’s rise to power and prominence—his election to the Louisiana legislature, and then his campaigns for the U.S. Senate and the governorship—was an existential crisis for the state and the nation. It explores how a Nazi sympathizer and former Klansman fashioned himself into a mainstream figure, and why some voters came to embrace his message. It will also examine how activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens confronted Duke’s candidacy, and what it took to stop him. - Vulture.

SHORT FILMS

FRAMED by Marco Jemolo. FRAMED is a stop-motion short about an anthropomorphic clay human who is trying to figure out who created them. The film touches on themes of gender, identity, police and is wholly original. It’s sad and heart wrenching, but ever relevant. Highly recommend this one.

Be kind, stay healthy, and as always, stay creative. ツ

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PICTURESTART 6/12/20 PICTURESTART 6/12/20

06/12/20

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: All Sports Golf Battle
☞ Letterboxd: 13th
☞ TikTok: #blackvoices
☞ Spotify: Rockstar - DaBaby
☞ Netflix: 13 Reasons Why
☞ Twitter: #UngodlyHour

LIFE & CULTURE

Chloe x Halle’s new album Ungodly Hour dropped last night! These sisters are incredibly talented and made their new album entirely in their garage. Their idea of a garage band is def different than mine was growing up...

The Grammys are renaming their Urban Contemporary category to 'Best Progressive R&B Album’. The redefinition of this category, according to the Academy, is "intended to highlight albums that include the more progressive elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of hip-hop, rap, dance, and electronic music."

Join Boots Riley, director of SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, for a conversation on arts, politics, and revolution, hosted by Haymarket Books on June 15 at 2:00 PM PST. Get tickets here.

The internet blew up after JK Rowling released a lengthy essay in response to backlash to this tweet. Many of the Harry Potter series cast members responded, including Daniel Radcliffe, who wrote an essay for The Trevor Project.

Oh, and don't miss Spike Lee's newest film DA 5 BLOODS, starring Chadwick Boseman, out today on Netflix. Also new today is Judd Apatow's THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND, starring Pete Davidson. The movie has the dopest poster I've seen in a looong time.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Tik Tok: @whatchugotforme

Rising comedian Sarah Cooper was featured in the LA Times and just signed with WME following several viral impersonations of President Trump reminding us all that laughter is the best medicine (and that he can’t quote the Bible).

The #ShareTheMicNow campaign launched this week to center black women’s voices, work, and experiences, and to form relationships among Black and white women. The campaign reached over 300 million people with 40 pairs of women participating. Here are a few sample features:

Bozoma Saint John, one of the campaign organizers, business woman, and CMO at Endeavor, swapped with Kourtney Karashian...see the posts here.
Austin Channing Brown - Author of best-selling book “I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness”, speaker, and producer of the web series, The Next Question took over via Brene Brown’s account...see the posts here.
Melina Abdullah - Chair of the Pan-African studies department at California State University, Los Angeles and Co-founder of the Los Angeles Black Lives Matter chapter swapped with Chelsea Handler...see the posts here.

TECH

Now you can get insight to how monetization works on Youtube. The new BTS look gives creators and users some more clarity at what types of videos allow ads. There’s still a lot of gray areas but this monetization guideline from Youtube provides some answers.

Apple has secured a patent for socially distant group selfies. It will allow you to snap a single-person selfie and then crop multiple photos together to become one image - and so now you won’t have to physically be with your friends for that group photo. Could be cool? Maybe?

COMEDY

Last night, Netflix surprise-dropped Dave Chappelle's new comedy special for free on their YouTube channel "Netflix is a Joke". Chappelle dives deep into topics of police brutality and Floyd’s death in the set. The special was filmed on June 6 in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with coronavirus-era social distancing guidelines in place for attendees, including face masks and temperature checks.

Also, hitting you guys with a throwback this week...F. Gary Gray’s FRIDAY is a true classic. The hilarious yet heartwarming comedy centers around one Friday in South Central LA, where two best friends (played by Ice Cube and Chris Tucker) try to come up with the money to pay off a crazy drug dealer. The themes and moral battles presented in this film are only a glimpse of what we deal with in our own realities. It teaches us to stand up for what we believe in and to always have your family’s back. But more than anything...it's SO funny.

VIDEO GAME

THE Playstation 5 IS HERE!

Check out the live streamed event here. We’re getting a whole new system with an advanced controller that will take gaming to the next level! Their flagship game will be a sequel to the highest selling superhero video game of all time, but this time it will star Miles Morales beneath the mask! Take a peek at the trailer here.

COMIC

ARTEMIS AND ASSASSIN by Stephani Phillips

What happens when a time-traveling assassin and a spy from 1944 try to kill each other?
For a price, a top-secret assassination organization will travel through time and interfere with watershed moments. Trained as the agency’s top assassin, Maya is sent to kill Virginia Hall, the deadliest spy of WWII. Charged with carrying important plans about the invasion of Normandy to the allied troops, Virginia’s death would have a cataclysmic effect on WWII as we know it.

This a great new series that has time traveling and spies two of my favorite things. There is a great revisionist history vibe to it that makes a fun compelling ride for sci-fi and espionage lovers.

THEATRE

This week the American theater community rallied around an open letter entitled “Dear White American Theater.” The letter criticized the American theater industry for its prioritization of white audiences, its predominantly white leadership, and its tokenism of theatermakers of color. You can read more about it here. The letter has led many playwrights of color to speak openly on Twitter about their negative experiences in MFA programs and in working with nonprofit theaters.

PODCAST

THE EZRA KLEIN SHOW: WHY TA-NEHISI COATES IS HOPEFUL - Winner of the 2020 Webby and People's Voice awards for best interview podcast. Ezra Klein brings you far-reaching conversations about hard problems, big ideas, illuminating theories, and cutting-edge research. This is his interview with National Book Award-winner Ta-Nehisi Coates.

They talk about hope and discuss how this moment differs from 1968, the tension between “law” and “order,” the contested legacy of MLK, Trump's view of the presidency, police abolition, why we need to renegotiate the idea of “the public,” how the consensus on criminal justice has shifted, what Joe Biden represents, the proper role of the state, how we conceptualize the role of violence in movements, the poetry Coates recommends, and much more.

SHORT FILMS

THREE BROTHERS by Spike Lee. This film intercuts the deaths of Eric Garner and George Floyd with the death of Radio Raheem from 1989's DO THE RIGHT THING. Radio Raheem's murder was based off the 1983 killing of NYC graffiti artist Michael Stewart. A chilling reminder that issues of police brutality are not new and it's going to take systemic change to fix them.

Be kind, stay healthy, and as always, stay creative. ツ

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PICTURESTART 6/5/20 PICTURESTART 6/5/20

06/05/20

This Week: #BlackoutTuesday

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Meek Mill - Otherside of America
☞ Letterboxd: The Vast of Night
☞ TikTok: #blackvoices
☞ Spotify: Rockstar - DaBaby
☞ Netflix: Space Force
☞ Twitter: #JusticeforBreonna

LIFE & CULTURE

All across the world, people have taken to social media to spread information, activism, and awareness more than we’ve ever seen before, from Facebook, IG, Twitter, to even TikTok. The #BlackoutTuesday initiative garnered over 28.9 million unique posts on IG alone.

That said, it’s been a week of trial and error, as users collectively try to correct for algorithm flaws and ensure resources for protestors and others aren’t lost in the sea of black squares. Though social media activism is high this week, general rhetoric is pushing people to identify more tactical ways to support BLM and social justice initiatives to create meaningful, permanent change.

A recent study reports that kids in the US ages 4 to 15 now spend an average of 85 minutes per day watching YouTube videos, compared with 80 minutes per day spent on TikTok. Overall, the study found that kids today watch twice as many videos per day as they did just four years ago. Check out the rest of the study here.

In the heels of snagging Disney’s top streaming executive (and a presumed contender for Bob Iger’s throne), Tik Tok issued a new draw to subscribers with #LearnOnTikTok, an educational initiative that connects its users with celebrities and high-profile experts on everything from gender identity to cooking tutorials.

This Houston-based musician is guaranteed to uplift your weekend with impeccable violin covers of R&B’s best hits, from 90’s classic “Candy Rain” to Summer Walker’s “Playing Games.”

TECH

Creativity has always been — and always will be — hugely important for effective marketing, but “Data also plays a massive part in helping to connect emotional storytelling with beautiful craft and intelligence." Download this white paper from DigiDay to learn about creative data, and how it can be used for optimizing creativity.

Certain apps have grown in popularity this week. Citizen is an interactive map to chart movements of protests and is ranked 11th in downloads on iOS software.

Softbank has announced that it is launching a new $100 million fund called the Opportunity Growth Fund that “will only invest in companies led by founders and entrepreneurs of color.” The fund is the largest capital reserves ever dedicated to solely supporting businesses run by people of color.

COMEDY

INSECURE is more poignant and urgent than ever (though it really always has been). Take it from creator Issa Rae herself - “we hope this celebration of Black life, love and community can provide some solace to anyone who’s hurting or needs a laugh. Black lives are beautiful. Black lives are complex, and Black lives matter.”

THEATRE

The Public Theater’s critically acclaimed production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is available for streaming through Monday 6/8! The Kenny Leon-directed production is set outside Atlanta just before the 2020 election and features an entirely black cast. Link to watch through PBS here.

Through the end of June you can also listen to NATIVE GUARD, an audio drama that centers on Natasha Tretheway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of poetry by the same name. Native Guard is both an elegy to her mother and a journey into Mississippi’s Civil War history. In poetry and song, she reflects on her mother’s passing while contemplating the former slaves who became soldiers in a regiment known as the Native Guard. You can listen to the recording here.

PODCAST

Here are a few podcasts we feel are important to listen to now (in addition to CODE SWITCH, a podcast we previously highlighted):

On POD SAVE THE PEOPLE organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson explores news, culture, social justice, and politics with fellow activists Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Sam Sinyangwe, and writer Dr. Clint Smith. They offer a unique take on the news, with a special focus on overlooked stories and topics that often impact people of color.

REVEAL is a Peabody Award-winning podcast that goes deep into the pressing issues of our times--from prisons to protests, immigration to the environment. Reveal is a project of The Center for Investigative Reporting and is co-produced with PRX. The show is hosted by Al Letson and partners with reporters and newsrooms around the world, including The Washington Post, ProPublica, APM, The Marshall Project and The Investigative Fund. Reveal is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and has won many broadcast journalism awards, including a duPont and three national Emmys.

THE STOOP digs into stories that are not always shared out in the open. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba start conversations about what it means to be black and how we talk about blackness. It’s a celebration of black joy with a mission to dig deeper into stories that we don’t hear enough about.

SHORT FILMS

WE ARE GEORGE FLOYD by Julian Marshall. This film showcases NYC's response to the murder of George Floyd. Julian uses incredible footage shot from his neighborhood and overlays the voices of Cornel West and Killer Mike. It's hard to distill what has happened over the past few weeks into a film, but Julian comes pretty close to doing that. It's aching, heart-wrenching, beautiful and hopeful. Check it out.

Be kind, stay healthy, and as always, stay creative. ツ

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