04/02/21

This week: Professional exterminator-level parents saving their child, Tina Turner doc and more

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ Youtube Suez Canal Reopens
☞ Letterboxd THE FATHER
☞ TikTok #DoctorsofTikTok
☞ Spotify Lil Nas X - MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)
☞ Netflix BAD TRIP 
☞ Twitter April Fools

Life & Culture 

Two acts of violence left us shaken this week. In the third mass shooting in the U.S. in 16 days, a gunman killed four people—including a nine-year-old child—in Orange, CA on Wednesday. If you’re driven to action and looking to make a donation in support of gun safety advocacy, I recommend giving to Everytown, which works to reduce gun violence through both grassroots and policy work. 

And on Tuesday, a 65-year-old Filipino woman was assaulted in broad daylight, a few blocks from Times Square, by a man yelling, “You don’t belong here!” before kicking her in the stomach. The violence itself is hard to watch, but just as troubling is the lack of action from the doormen and security guards standing feet away from her, who shut the building’s doors instead of intervening in any way. It’s another heart wrenching reminder of the different forms hate can take. And a good call to action for anyone who hasn’t taken bystander intervention training yet. It’s free (and virtual) through Hollaback!. Sign up here. 

—Neha Gandhi, EVP Digital & Strategy 
 

The casual game Among Us got a big update on Wednesday. The app, which came out in 2018 but didn’t see widespread popularity until the middle of last year, released a new map called The Airship. It’s the biggest map yet, and comes with a new moderation system and apparently some new hats. I honestly thought that the game had its 15 minutes back in October 2020 and would slowly fall out of orbit like ultra-popular mobile games of the past (ahem, Temple Run and 2048), but according to mobile intelligence provider Apptopia, that’s very much not the case: “monthly player retention has remained massive, reaching nearly as high as 200 million active users at the start of 2021.” Impressive.

I’m keeping it short this week, because I’m actually hidden away on a farm, taking a few vacation days, but I can’t leave you without my favorite TikToks: this America’s Funniest Home Videos-esque moment when a high school track runner gets into an unexpected accident, and these professional exterminator-level parents saving their child from the wrath of a spider. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant 

Film

One of my favorite films of last year, SHIVA BABY, is finally available for everyone to watch! This impressive debut film by Emma Seligman follows a young college student who attends a shiva (a Jewish memorial ritual), only to run into her sugar daddy... and her secret ex-girlfriend/high school best friend. Seligman does an incredible job capturing the awkwardness and claustrophobic nature of the encounter, and Rachel Sennott's performance as the titular sugar/shiva baby is laugh-out-loud funny. If somehow these women are not already on your radar, take note. And please, check out the film ASAP!! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

I fell in love with the documentary TINA, following the life, music, and legacy of Tina Turner. As a young, Black woman, I grew up listening to her music and fully appreciate how much of an icon she is. However, this documentary dives deep into the 60s and 70s music scene, and thoroughly explores her personal life, excavating details I never knew about Tina Turner. We follow her rise to fame from such a young age, and get to see how her music truly shaped rock n’ roll. And we don’t shy away from the harrowing truths of Tina’s personal life, either. I was captivated by Tina’s juxtaposition of the emotional and physical abuse she endured offstage with the power she found in her performances on stage. Through interviews with celebrities like Oprah, Angela Bassett, and Tina herself, as well as snippets of her incredible live performances (Her dancing! Her energy!), this documentary on HBOMax definitely deserves a spot on your weekend watchlist! 

—Erin Harris, Development Assistant 

Theater 

Jaqueline Novak's one-woman show GET ON YOUR KNEES is a strong candidate for my favorite live performance of 2019 (remember those??). It's a stand-up show that often felt more like a one-woman play, offering "a personal and intellectual history of oral sex" (thank you, NYT, for the delicate phrasing). More importantly: It's the funniest thing I've seen in years. And now, Novak is taking it on tour! She’s already announced dates for shows in Austin and Boston, and she should be making stops in London and Los Angeles as well. If you’re anywhere in the vicinity, run, don't walk! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Book

Rather than recommending a book this week, I wanted to take a second to talk about the amazing legacy of Beverly Cleary, who passed away last week. Her books are a gateway into the world of reading for so many children, and I know they were important to many of us here at Picturestart. If you haven't read Sarah Larson's 2016 New Yorker essay celebrating Cleary's 100th birthday, it's a great analysis of why her books struck such a chord: "Cleary was an early pioneer of emotional realism in children's writing, respecting young readers enough to write about the feelings provoked by the joys and embarrassments of the world as it was, for children and their allies, animals." We love you Beverly! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Podcast

This week, in light of Anna Young’s recent death, I recommend UCP Audio’s new podcast THE FOLLOWERS: HOUSE OF PRAYER. This podcast details the events leading up to cult leader Anna Young’s daughter telling the police that her mother had likely murdered a child years prior. This police report and subsequent investigation resulted in the indictment of Anna Young for multiple murders as well as a window into what life was like in the ‘House of Prayer’ cult. This series is heartbreaking and fascinating for anyone (like me) obsessed with the psychology of cults.

—Lucy Putnam, Creative Executive

03/26/21

This week: Remembering Jessica Walter and forgetting David Dobrik.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Henry Cavill on The Synder Cut
☞ Letterboxd: ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE
☞ TikTok: #InspirationalQuotes
☞ Spotify: Peaches - Justin Bieber
☞ Netflix:  GINNY & GEORGIA
☞ Twitter: Jessica Walter

Life & Culture 

Mourning the loss of two prolific creative women this week. Beverly Cleary, the renowned children's book author, who brought us adored titles like BEEZUS AND RAMONA, passed away at 104 on Thursday. This quote of hers has likely inspired countless writers, and remains true to this day: "If you don't see the book you want on the shelves, write it."

Jessica Walter, the Emmy-winning actress with over 150 credits to her name, passed away on Wednesday. Beloved for, among other things, her iconic turn as Lucille Bluth on ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, she perfected the art of playing sharp-tongued, challenging women. Her daughter shared the news, telling CNN: “A working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off. While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre.” 

If you’ve been on the internet at any point in the past five years, you’ve probably come across David Dobrik in one form or another, even if you haven’t been actively looking for young YouTubers making prank content. With a seemingly never-ending string of free giveaways and nearly 19M subscribers, he enjoyed a long reign as social media’s favorite relatable It boy. However, over the past year, fans and fellow creators have been calling him out for some of the extremely messed up content he’s put out in the past. And this past week, just as it finally seemed like the general public was really starting to pay attention to the mounting allegations, Insider published an article that details the story of a college student who says she was raped by one of Dobrik’s Vlog Squad members during a shoot for one of his vlogs. And, as tweets like this one pointed out, he didn’t apologize for his involvement until after his brand sponsors cut ties with him. Now, fans are looking back at the YouTuber’s content and seeing racism and misogyny clearly embedded in the entertainment that previously looked like nothing more than harmless jokes to so many of us.

It feels like a lot of dark stuff has been dominating the news cycle lately. So, here is a TikTok of a sloth on a lil boat ride to bring you some much needed joy. And here’s a video detailing the cute way that Tokyo makes use of tiny open spaces in the city. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Filmmaker

You may know Margaret Zhang as the new editor-in-chief of Vogue China—at the age of 27, she’s the youngest EIC to ever helm the title. In addition to being a fashion icon, this Australian-born Chinese multi-hyphenate is also a talented filmmaker with a unique eye. I recently watched her short film I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE. In this dreamy, highly stylized short film, two outsiders alone in Tokyo—and two avatars treading carefully in a Japanese chat room—embark on an unlikely search for identity through the modern, distorted lens of the projected self. This fun, gorgeous, and at times disorienting short blurs the thin line between physical reality and digital reality, exploring the desire to feel connected and loved in both spaces. Go watch! 

—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
 

Film

Last month Apple TV+ released BILLIE EILISH: THE WORLD’S A LITTLE BLURRY, a documentary following Eilish’s ascent as she records and tours her mega-successful debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? The movie provides a detailed look at Eilish’s day-to-day and her interactions with her brother and parents, who are all closely involved with her career. Because she initially gained popularity on Soundcloud and is one of the first purely 21st century pop stars (born in December 2001!), I was most interested in Eilish’s relationship to the internet and social media. While the film doesn’t spend much time investigating this relationship, a couple of Eilish’s most vulnerable moments arise from online commentary about her persona. More prominent are traditional teenage hallmarks: getting her driver’s license, dramatic declarations of love. Ultimately the doc shows Billie Eilish as a modern teenager who happens to be a pop star.

—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant
 

Theater

There’s an all-new spring lineup for the Spotlight on Plays reading series! This weekend only, you can catch Keanu Reeves (!!), Bobby Cannavale, Alia Shawkat, and Heidi Schreck (again, !!) in Larissa FastHorse’s THE THANKSGIVING PLAY. The wickedly funny play follows a group of “woke” teachers trying to create a pageant that celebrates both Thanksgiving and Native American heritage. Later plays in the season include Sarah Ruhl’s DEAR ELIZABETH, based on the compiled letters between poets Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop; and Paula Vogel’s THE BALTIMORE WALTZ, a fantastical story about a brother and sister confronting the brother’s fatal disease. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Book

Last year I spoke at length with my Aunt Sarah about our favorite books, and I recommended Kazuo Ishiguro’s THE REMAINS OF THE DAY to her. We’ve never spoken of it since. So you can believe I was surprised earlier this week when I received an unexpected package from Aunt Sarah carrying a signed copy of his new novel KLARA AND THE SUN. Ishiguro returns to near-future science fiction, working in a register similar to that of his classic NEVER LET ME GO, with a story about Klara, an “Artificial Friend” hoping to be purchased by a human customer. I was already excited for this release, and its surprise appearance on my doorstep has only amplified that excitement. Thanks, Aunt Sarah!

—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant

Music

Lil Nas X did it again! The musician finally released his single MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME) today. Personally, I have been anxiously waiting for this moment since he dropped a 38-second clip of the song on Twitter back in July, which has since been viewed 18.6 million times. It’s that good. And of course the music video that accompanies the song is an absolute movie. It’s so cinematic and wild and fun to watch. Lil Nas X (whose real name is Montero) also shared a beautiful letter that he wrote to his 14-year-old self explaining that he wrote a song with their name in it. He wrote, “I know we promised to never come out publicly, I know we promised to never be ‘that’ type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist.”

This TikTok put me on the important Hannah Montana investigation currently underway. Apparently the show came out 15 years ago this week, which I refuse to believe. But anyway, a verified Hannah account popped up on Twitter, and at the same time, Miley wrote a very cute love letter to Hannah. And if that weren’t enough, Hannah also sent heartfelt gifts to figures like Quavo, Corbin Bleu, and Joe Jonas—all of whom have varying connections to the show and its place in pop culture. While this might just be a sweet celebration of the show’s anniversary, some fans are speculating that a reboot or a new album might be in our future. As a former fan who had the show’s Season 2 Episode 4 bone dance fully memorized, I'm here for whatever content we can get. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

03/19/21

This week: MoviePass, Avengers, and an anthology-shaped gift to give yourself

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Justin Bieber - Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
☞ Letterboxd: JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
☞ TikTok: #StopAsianHate
☞ Spotify: What’s Next - Drake
☞ Netflix:  YES DAY
☞ Twitter: #DragRaceUK

Life & Culture 

We were gutted by the news of more AAPI hate leaving 8 people dead in Atlanta on Tuesday. If you're feeling the same anger and frustration in the pit of your stomach today, and looking for a way to take action, check out some great resources from GOLD HOUSE and CAPE for a plan to to weed out hate and plant seeds of understanding here. You can also take this bystander intervention program that Shuyu on our team flagged for us. There are different degrees of involvement you can have as a bystander who speaks up, depending on your comfort level, so there really and truly is a way for all of us to be part of the solution and stop anti-Asian hate and harassment.

—Neha Gandhi, EVP, Digital & Strategy

To those of you who took advantage of the most innovative and brilliant idea in all of Hollywood (I’m talking about MoviePass, obviously), and are missing the days of endless theater viewing...good news might be coming your way. Maybe. On Tuesday, the company mysteriously updated this website with the text “the movie is about to start” and a countdown set to end on Monday, March 22. According to Variety, former MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe has no idea what the countdown might mean. Curiouser and curiouser. 

But whatever ends up happening, I love the drama of it all and remain somewhat hopeful that one day soon, we’ll all get to see as many movies in theaters as our hearts desire, for the low, low price of $9.99 a month.

Most regular readers of this email probably know that I spend a decent amount of time on TikTok every week—curating the best videos of the platform for you all, of course. Once of the things I’ve been noticing lately is how much real estate the platform gives to the issues that we all should (and likely do) care about—more than any other social media site.The first thing you probably saw if you perused the Discover page any time this week was an initiative to stop AAPI hate crimes, with one section on learning resources, one on amplifying AAPI creators, and another on how to take action. The platform has also explicitly created space for Black voices during Black History month, and is running a similar program for Women’s History month as well. 

With all of that being said, of course, my favorite videos on TikTok from the week. This video accurately depicts an average morning of anyone who listens to The Daily, and this one hilariously portrays what getting robbed might look like in the world of Gen Z.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Filmmaker

“Sometimes a first feels like a long time coming. You feel like it’s about time.” That’s Chloe Zhao talking about the many talented female directors—and particularly women of color—who came before her, who she admires. I’m pretty sure I don’t have to “introduce” you to Chloe. She’s probably one of the buzziest directors in Hollywood right now and is making history at every turn. With 34 wins (so far) she’s already become the most awarded person in a single modern awards season, according to Variety. She’s also the first woman of color to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar—and if she wins, she’ll be the second woman to ever win the prestigious award. She’s also the first woman of Asian heritage to win a Best Director Golden Globe.

One of the most interesting things that drives her work: a desire to get out of the echo chamber. She told Alfonso Cuarón in Interview: “I am terrified that I will end up making films for people who already agree with me, which just keeps enforcing our own ideas. I’d rather have one person who disagrees with my politics watch my film, and then somehow see themselves in it without putting up a shield, than a whole room of people who already agree with me give me a standing ovation.”

—Neha Gandhi, EVP, Digital & Strategy

Film

I really hate to be ~that person~ and talk about a film I saw at a festival that isn’t available to watch, but I’m going to do it anyway. I got to see Megan Park’s film THE FALLOUT this week at SXSW and thought it was a fantastic debut. Written and directed by Park, the film follows two high school students (Jenna Ortega and Maddie Ziegler) after they are trapped in the bathroom together during a school shooting. The shooting happens off-screen but we stay with Ortega and Ziegler in real time for a harrowing five minutes. The rest of the film follows Ortega’s character, Vada, as she struggles to come to terms with what has happened. It’s an incredibly empathetic film that never feels like trauma-porn; it simply sheds a light on the varied ways teens might process such an awful event. I should note that the film also looks super stylish and is buoyed by a great soundtrack and score. Universal has already acquired all distribution rights to the film so it should be gracing your various screens in no time! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

I was holding off on watching NOMADLAND because I had a feeling that I would cry the whole time and wasn’t mentally prepared for it—and I was 100% right. The movie is so beautiful. I specifically loved the way that every character that Fern, played by Frances McDormand, comes across—from the endlessly loveable Swankie to passing coworkers sharing the stories of their tattoos—are all clearly living such full lives with their own world as their center, similar to how we experience our own lives. If you, like me, usually prefer to end your work days with some lighter fare, I get it. I really do. But I highly recommend switching it up and checking out this one any night that you have a few hours free.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

TV

On my must-watch list for this weekend is the first episode of THE FALCON & THE WINTER SOLDIER on Disney+. Right on the heels of WANDAVISION, Marvel TV is back to give us more content featuring characters we know and love. Although WANDAVISION was truly iconic, and I’ll be humming “Agatha All Along'' at least for the next year, I’m so excited to see what they do with Sam and Bucky in this series. From the final trailer, it looks like the series will tackle themes of fame and celebrity in American culture and what these avengers (specifically Captain America) symbolized for so many. I feel like we’ve been missing action from our screens and I can’t wait to see these two banter in a post-Steve Rodgers world. 

—Erin Harris, Development Assistant

Theater 

Starting this weekend, Broadway on Demand is streaming Lincoln Center’s 2012 production of VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, a Chekhov-inspired farce by Christopher Durang. The play is about two dysfunctional adult siblings-and-roommates (David Hyde Pierce and Kristine Nielsen) whose routine is interrupted by the arrival of their sister (Sigourney Weaver) and her new boyfriend (my personal fave, Billy Magnussen). If it wasn’t clear from that all-star comedic cast, hilarity ensues. It streams for free here! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Book

NOTES FROM THE BATHROOM LINE is hilarious comedic anthology showcasing the work of 150 female and non-binary comedians—and it happens to have been compiled and edited by a dear friend of PS, Amy Solomon! The book features essays, comics, poems, short stories and more from hilarious women ranging from Beanie Feldstein and Patti Harrison to Natasha Rothwell and Geraldine Viswanathan. It’s a totally delightful read that makes for a great one-year-of-quarantine anniversary gift to yourself,

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Short Film 

This week I’m recommending a pair of shorts by female Asian American filmmakers. First is Lulu Wang’s 15-minute TOUCH, available on Vimeo. Based on a true story, the narrative follows Chen, an elderly Taiwanese immigrant to the US whose cultural differences lead to an encounter with the legal system. Wang crafts this story as a family drama, showing how the lawsuit intensifies the divide between Chen and his first-generation son. Also worth checking out is Karyn Kusama’s HER ONLY LIVING SON, the last entry in the 2017 horror anthology XX. Kusama channels ROSEMARY’S BABY with the story of a mother growing increasingly worried about her teenage son’s violent and mysterious behavior. The full anthology (which also includes a short by Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent) is streaming on Hulu and with ads on YouTube – jump to the 52-minute mark for HER ONLY LIVING SON.

—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant

Podcast

I’m dropping in here to recommend ODESSA, the four-part docuseries from the New York Times. I started listening because I discovered the second episode in the feed for THE DAILY, and it billed itself as a doc following the real-life high school behind FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. And my love for Matt Saracen knows no bounds. Turns out, it’s something much better and more compelling than that. It’s a series about the high school on the other side of town from the real-life Dillon Panthers—a high school with a not-great football team and an excellent marching band, which happened to stay open for in-person education during COVID. It’s a look at how an entire economy can be decimated overnight when the price of oil plummets. It’s also a look at the costs of closing schools—and the costs of keeping them open. And at its emotional center is a teenager named Joanna Lopez—and hearing her tell her story in her words brought me to tears twice this morning. Once, feeling the emotional highs of finding belonging in high school and a second time, feeling the lows of what it means when your family can’t make ends meet, and your future becomes collateral damage in a macro puzzle that feels entirely disconnected from your life.

—Neha Gandhi, EVP, Digital & Strategy

03/12/21

This week: Bad news for free-loaders, good recs for entertainment lovers.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Doja Cat - Streets
☞ Letterboxd: MOXIE!
☞ TikTok: #90sAesthetic
☞ Spotify: What’s Next - Drake
☞ Netflix:  GINNY & GEORGIA
☞ Twitter: Shawshank Redemption

Life & Culture 

For anyone using their roommate’s ex’s grandma’s Netflix account, I have some bad news for you: Your heyday might be coming to an end soon. This is going to be hard to hear for the 42% of TV watchers who use someone else’s credentials, but Netflix is taking measures to crack down on password sharers across its platform. A small sampling of users are reportedly being asked “is this your account?” with a prompt to verify with an email or text code. Which pretty much means the end is near. Streaming services are apparently losing $9 billion a year to password-sharing, so truth be told, I’m surprised it’s taken them this long to start policing free-loading more aggressively. 

This time last year, the most money Beeple had sold a piece of art for was $100. Yesterday, he sold an NFT for a piece of digital art for $69 million. Auction house Christie’s announced the piece back on February 16, and declared it “the first purely digital work of art ever offered by a major auction house”. For the piece, titled EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, Beeple digitally juxtaposed 5,000 individual pieces of work that he’s created every day for the past, well, 5,000 days. The resulting art showcases Beeple’s journey as an artist, and is pretty cool to look at too, if you ask me.

Two of my favorite Toks from this week are this video in which a steadicam operator takes viewers through a scene, and this video where two friends infiltrate a group of horses in a Trojan Horse-type moment. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Filmmaker

Photographer, filmmaker, and self-portrait artist Nadia Lee Cohen released the 2021 second edition of her monograph WOMEN last week, so I figured I would use the opportunity to highlight her work here. As a photographer, the British (but L.A.-based) artist’s work is easily recognizable, thanks to the saturated colors and the intentionally orchestrated images, creating a dreamlike, and maybe more accurately, nightmare-ish look that challenges the concept of perfection. As a filmmaker, she brings a signature retro-inspired surrealism to everything she does. You probably recognize her work on A$AP Rocky’s “Babushka Boi”, Kali Uchis and Tyler the Creator’s “After the Storm”, and this GCDS x Barilla Campaign (yes, as in a collab between the streetwear and pasta brands). 

—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
 

Film

I can’t remember the last time I awaited a release as much as I have QUO VADIS, AÏDA?— not because I hadn’t seen it (one our film execs, Jessica Switch so brilliantly suggested I watch at TIFF) but because I wanted to recommend it to everyone I know without being the asshole who says “oh, it’s not out yet.” 

QUO VADIS, AÏDA? tells the story of Aïda, a UN translator in Srebrenica during the Srebrenica massacre/genocide. While the film obviously (and beautifully) addresses identity, violence, and the politics attendant to access of information, it’s also a heart-wrenching story about family, morality, and truth. Although I sobbed through the vast majority of the movie, every time I think of it I’m reminded of the universality of storytelling and the power of art, and specifically of film, to convey humanity and elicit empathy.

—Lucy Putnam, Creative Exec

TV

On my watch list for this weekend is GENERATION, a half-hour dramedy following a group of high school students navigating sexuality, identity and (you guessed it!) intergenerational conflict within the trappings of their conservative-leaning California town. Created by father-daughter duo Daniel & Zelda Barnz and starring Justice Smith among an exciting cast of newcomers, the series promises an unvarnished, neon-tinged look at Gen-Z in the vein of EUPHORIA and GRAND ARMY. Zelda Barnz was 17 years old when the show was picked up, and it was born out of her desire to see her experiences as a teenager depicted truthfully rather than shown through the diluted prism of an adult’s perspective. I’m intrigued to see if GENERATION turns out to be an all-out cringefest or a worthy addition to the #unfiltered teen-centric TV canon; with executive producer Lena Dunham in the mix, it’s bound to polarize! 

The first three episodes are available now on HBO Max.

—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
 

Theater 

I’m incredibly excited to watch Steppenwolf Theater Company’s latest online offering, DUCHESS! DUCHESS! DUCHESS!, which is about my favorite topic of the moment (and most moments), Meghan Markle and the Royal Family. The play is formatted as an interview between two Black women named the Soon-to-Be Duchess and The Duchess. What begins as a conventional “princess lessons” conversation devolves into a study in holding one’s tongue—and to think Vivian J.O. Barnes started writing this in 2018, before Megs and Harry were even married! I’m eager to see what Barnes makes of both the Soon-to-Be and Duchess characters, and will be more than happy to discuss with anyone else who watches. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Book 

This week’s edition of “books that have sat on my shelf for years but I’m finally reading” features Kate Hope Day’s debut novel IF, THEN. The novel follows an ensemble cast of characters in a small Oregon town as they grapple with motherhood, grief, difficult marriages, and one professor’s research that indicates the long-dormant volcano their town is built upon may actually be active. Oh, and they’re also beginning to see flashes of their lives in alternate realities—the people they might have been if they had made different choices. In spite of this light sci-fi twist, the book reads like an intimate character drama. And Day’s writing is incredibly engrossing, so the pages fly by! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 
 

Podcast

I listened to the first two episodes of STOLEN: THE SEARCH FOR JERMIN, hosted by journalist Connie Walker, and am eagerly awaiting the release of the rest of the season. I’m recommending this podcast because it is both moving and tragic, but not because it is extraordinary. In fact, just the opposite. I’m recommending this podcast, which chronicles the search for Jermain Charlo, an indigenous woman who went missing in Montana in 2018, because what happened to her is so commonplace. 

So far, this podcast has effectively situated Jermain’s disappearance and the resulting investigation against the broader context of the current epidemic of violence against Native American Women. If you don’t love podcasts, but want to know more about this subject, please find two New York Times articles here and here. 

—Lucy Putnam, Creative Exec

Short Film

Are short film adaptations of late 19th/early 20th century European writers the hot new trend? Pedro Almodóvar’s adaptation of Jean Cocteau’s THE HUMAN VOICE suggests yes. That short will get plenty of attention, so I actually want to highlight Russian filmmaker Daria Geller’s HIM & HER, inspired by an Anton Chekhov short story. A journalist interviews a lively singer and her alcoholic manager—who also happens to be her husband.  When asked about their relationship, both list their spouse’s faults…and the lists are not short. Their love is obviously toxic—I certainly wouldn’t want to be married to either of them—but in their private moments we see that there’s something more keeping them together. I know that sounds cliché, but the writing is funny and the performances are charming, so just trust me and check it out on Vimeo. 

—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant

03/05/21

This week: Secret societies, pornography, gender-bending theater, and more.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: St. Vincent - Pay Your Way In Pain
☞ Letterboxd: NOMADLAND
☞ TikTok: #WhenWomenWin
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Netflix:  GINNY & GEORGIA
☞ Twitter: #WandaVisionFinale

Life & Culture 

It’s March...again. On the one hand, that means we’re coming upon one year of Covid-19 lockdowns in the US. But on the other hand, it also means we get to spend the month honoring and celebrating the women who have shaped history in known and unknown ways. In honor of Women’s History Month, we’ll be highlighting exclusively female-identifying voices and stories in today’s edition of PS Weekly. 

In big-release day news, our entire office is aflutter with COMING 2 AMERICA, new Drake music, and RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON, all debuting last night and today.

And every Wednesday, you can find a #TinyHistoryLesson on @picturestart on Instagram, telling the story of a woman who shaped history—who you might not have heard about. 

But first, a few TikTok recommendations. This video describes how one woman in the 1800s unknowingly inspired a classic early 2000s song, and this video inadvertently markets Amazon’s Alexa speaker better than any actual ad ever could. Unless it’s secretly sponsored...in which case, I can’t say I’d be surprised.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

I’ve been following @nifty_gateway on Instagram for a while now. Initially, I only did it because I thought “ooh cool digital art—love the aesthetics''. I had no idea what the account actually was or what it meant that it was a “marketplace” … until I saw that Grimes sold $6 million worth of NFT through this account. The highest bid was for her video/music piece DEATH OF THE OLD—which sold for $388,938. If you’re totally confused by what NFT is, and why people are paying for ownership of art that only exists digitally, well, you’re not alone. NFT stands for “Non-fungible token,” which more or less means tokens that are unique and cannot be replaced with something else. This article does a pretty decent job explaining the concept, so I’m not going to attempt it. Because I have a word count limit here, after all. 

 But to me, this is a good reminder of how the digital realm is very much its own space—where people “exist" with their own unique digital identities, connections, and now ownership of “properties.” Also, just another chance to celebrate Grimes’ success—go off queen. Make that $$$. 

—Mimi Li, Development Assistant

Film

In honor of Women’s History Month, I’m guest writing this week’s film section to recommend Ninja Thyberg’s PLEASURE, an intimate film about a newcomer on the L.A. porn scene. I saw PLEASURE at Sundance in January and truly have not stopped thinking about it since (and not just because it has to do with porn and is extremely graphic). 

PLEASURE is everything I could want in a movie. It’s as powerful as it is disturbing, as entertaining as it is thought-provoking, and as stylistic as it is substantive. Every directorial choice furthers the narrative and deepens the audience's understanding of the characters and themes. Especially the way Thyberg pairs classical music with mirrors, different lenses, and social media to explore gender/sexual performativity. But ultimately, the graciousness of Thyberg’s direction, particularly in the moments of tenderness that punctuate the violence, make it a must-see. 

—Lucy Putnam, Creative Exec

TV

This week, I would be remiss to recommend anything other than ALLEN V. FARROW, the searing HBO documentary series that doubles as a welcome addition to the nation’s conversation on the media’s treatment of women *cough* *cough* Free Britney *cough* and an excellent follow-up to filmmaking trio Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering, and Amy Herdy’s prior credit, ON THE RECORD. Regardless of what you already know—or think you know—about the domestic lives of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow, I can guarantee you will be shook from the first episode.

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Exec


Music

What better way to celebrate women in music than highlighting a new single from Charli XCX, the future of pop music herself? After teasing a The 1975 collaboration for years, they’ve finally delivered the first single from a new supergroup they’ve formed with No Rome: “Spinning.” It’s a propulsive, euphoric electropop track that’ll have you dancing around the kitchen or bopping in the car with the windows down as we head toward sunnier, longer days. Also on the horizon is ALONE TOGETHER, a documentary capturing the fan-centered creative process behind Charli’s career-defining album, HOW I’M FEELING NOW, which was conceived, recorded and released over five weeks last spring at the height of quarantine. The doc will close out SXSW later this month. 

tl;dr: It’s Charli XCX’s world and we’re just living in it.

—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
 

Theater

EMILIA is an Olivier Award-winning play about the Elizabethan theater, in which men famously played both the male and female roles. In Morgan Lloyd Malcolm's play, a cast of female actors play those men playing female roles—and while it’s very funny, it’s also more than just a spoof. Written, directed, designed, and produced by women, EMILIA is an examination and sendup of the rigid gender roles of Elizabethan times and the (ahem) parallels to our modern world as well. The titular Emilia Lanier was an acclaimed poet who was later overshadowed (and maybe plagiarized) by Shakespeare, her on-and-off lover. The play is streaming through the end of March, so you have plenty of time to check it out! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

Book

My non-work-related reading this week was Leigh Bardugo’s hit NINTH HOUSE, a fantasy novel set in the exclusive world of Yale’s secret societies. The book proposes the idea that secret societies like Skull & Bones actually conduct magical rituals every month to facilitate the success of their alumni (a spell to inspire writers’ next tomes; reading the intestines of a corpse to predict the stock market… the usual). The magic Bardugo has created is incredibly specific and inventive; it made the entire book feel much more grounded, even as ghosts and demons began to appear. I’d definitely recommend the book for both fantasy-lovers and conspiracy theory / secret society-lover—something for everyone! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

Podcast

After a brief hiatus, in honor of Women’s History Month, I am back to recommend my favorite podcast of all time: THE GREAT WOMEN ARTISTS. While not necessarily new, I couldn’t let the opportunity to recommend this podcast pass. In each episode, art historian and curator Katy Hesse, interviews artists on their career or famous art luminaries on the female artists who have had the greatest impact on their lives. It is an exceptional exploration of creativity, passion, and of course powerful women throughout history. Although you can start with any episode, this interview with Joanna Moorhead on Leonora Carrington has really stuck with me. 

—Lucy Putnam, Creative Exec
 

Short Film 

To commemorate two years since the release of Solange’s WHEN I GET HOME, Criterion Channel has added a director’s cut of the short film that accompanied the album. Clocking in at just over 40 minutes long, this cut wouldn’t technically qualify as a short under Academy rules… but I’m not in the Academy, so I’m including it here! Experimenting with imagery and style—cowboy/Western, retrofuturism, an animated coliseum populated by dancing digital figurines—Solange feels out the relationships between her hometown of Houston, her past, and her future.  The full film is also available on Apple Music, and you can find excerpts of select songs on YouTube (definitely watch “Things I Imagined / Down with the Clique” and “Binz”).

—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant

02/26/21

This week: Curious iPhone photo shoots, 2021’s best show so far, and a fresh take on depression.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Chloe x Halle - Ungodly Hour
☞ Letterboxd: I CARE A LOT.
☞ TikTok: #BlackAndProud
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Netflix:  I CARE A LOT.
☞ Twitter: #StateofPlay

Life & Culture 

If you haven't spent the latter half of this week absolutely cracking up at Juergen Teller’s recent W Magazine photography, allow me to brighten your day. First off, let me preface this by saying that Teller is a very talented and very successful photographer. The internet isn't just making fun of an amateur here. He’s shot pretty much every celeb, from Kim Kardashion to, most recently, Riz Ahmed. What’s so unique about Teller's recent photos, though, is the fact that they’re actually not unique at all. They are reminiscent of a jokingly-intense photoshoot that I would force my roommate into in front of our Hollywood neighborhood’s attempt at greenery. Riz Ahmed recently told the internet that his shoot with Teller was the fastest in his life. And...it looks that way. But in the best way? Because what’s not to love about some aggressively normal trees, and some aggressively awkward poses? Please check out my favorite memes of his work here and here. And, go ahead and check out the photos that inspired the memes here.  

If you’re like me and compile ALL your favorite music on a miles-long list on Spotify’s “Liked songs” tab, it’s finally going to be easier to filter those favorites based on what you’re in the mood for right now. As of Thursday, Spotify is rolling out a new feature that lets you break down your list by mood and genre. Because yes, I love “The Spins” by Mac Miller 95% of the time, but there are those few moments when I’m feeling gloomy and reflective and need something slightly less upbeat. 

Mara Wilson, who you likely remember fondly as the child star of MATILDA, wrote a beautiful op-ed in The New York Times this week. In a post-FRAMING BRITNEY world, she gives insight to what she calls The Narrative: “the idea that anyone who grew up in the public eye will meet some tragic end.” The piece grapples with this expectation of failure that society thrusts upon young women in the entertainment industry, and the schadenfreude the media seems to relish in when this failure ultimately comes to a head. Drawing parallels to society’s recent reckoning with our collective treatment of Britney Spears, along with Judy Garland, Drew Barrymore, and others, Wilson forces us to examine the expectations we place on child actors. Read her full piece here. 

For some reason my FYP on TikTok keeps showing me sports videos lately, which isn’t exactly typical. Sports isn’t always my thing, but these videos have been so good I haven’t minded. I wanna share with you my two faves—this video from the 2018 Olympics, of a truly wild skiing comeback (LOL, one thing I didn't imagine ever writing in this email), and this calming video of a skimboarder doing things I had no idea people could do on skimboards. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Filmmaker

Big congratulations to Jeremy O. Harris on this week’s news that he’ll be co-writing THE VANISHING HALF series adaptation for HBO. Harris, who avid PS Weekly readers will recognize as a PS fave, is best known for his play SLAVE PLAY, which he wrote while still in college. The play, which received 12 Tony noms (!!), tackles themes of race, sex, and trauma. Harris also is somehow involved in what feels like everything—even this beautifully weird Animorphs-inspired clothing campaign. Plus, he has an amazing ongoing IG series “coronavirus mixtapes”, which make my day every time I see them. Can’t wait to see what he does with THE VANISHING HALF!

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Film

Another week, another new release that will make you sob (but in a good way!). This week it’s Florian Zeller’s incredible debut film THE FATHER, which everyone on our team can’t stop talking about. The film follows Anthony Hopkins as a man suffering from dementia, and Zeller has designed the film so that the audience sees what Hopkins sees. One minute his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) tells him she’s moving to Paris with her new boyfriend; the next, Anne's husband shows up declaring that Anthony is actually living in his and Anne's apartment. It’s incredibly disorienting and distressing. That said, the film is full of comedy, too. Hopkins (in an incredible, award-worthy performance) flits from laughing to crying, from tap dancing to screaming with rage, so rapidly you can barely keep up. If you only have time to watch one awards-contender film this week (or month), make it this one. I promise you won’t regret it.

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

TV

IT’S A SIN (all episodes on HBO Max) is by far my favorite show of the year so far. Yes I know it’s only two months into 2021, but in my defense, I watch a lot of TV. Russell T Davies’ (QUEER AS FOLK, A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL) latest show is a five-part miniseries about the AIDS crisis in 1980s London. It puts the audience directly into the perspective of five beautifully imperfect friends and asks us to imagine: What if you had to watch as your chosen family dies of a mysterious disease—a disease dismissed by media and science, a disease that you are publicly shamed for, a disease associated with who and how you love? At its core, the show tells a “coming-of-age” story, an unabashedly joyful celebration of these characters, the lives they did live, and the lives many of them would have kept living under different circumstances. Plus, it benefits from indelible casting and writing, with an absolute wallop of a final episode. WATCH WATCH WATCH. 

—Neil Krishnan, Creative Executive
 

Theater

If you’ve ever spent time thinking about what it’s like to be a content moderator, you should check out Anna Moench’s play SIN EATERS. The play centers on Mary Lee, who has recently started working as a content moderator for a new social media platform. She spends all day looking at graphically violent, sexual, and disturbing images, and before long it begins to take a toll on her psyche and her already-testy relationship with her husband. The digital production of the play was produced by Theatre Exile in Philadelphia, and is available to watch through this weekend. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Book

It should come as no surprise that the only book I have pre-ordered so far in 2021 is Hermione Lee’s new biography TOM STOPPARD: A LIFE. While Stoppard has always been one of my favorite playwrights, I didn’t know how fascinating his upbringing was! As a child, he fled from Czechoslovaki to Singapore, to India, and finally to England. He never went to college and wrote his first huge hit play, ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, at age 29. He didn’t know his ancestors were Jewish until he reached middle-age, which led him down the rabbit hole that became his recent play LEOPOLDSTADT. And on top of that, he also ghost wrote all of INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE?! No wonder the book is 872 pages! (I wish I were joking but I really think it’s worth it anyway.) 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Short Film 

Yaya’s KEEP IT QUIET follows a charming veterinarian named Corey who keeps her depression a secret from everyone around her. As Corey starts to lose her grip, her cat becomes an unlikely foil to her suicide attempts. What drew me to KEEP IT QUIET more than anything was its quietly powerful examination of depression, which transcends the tired tropes we’ve come to expect in suicide narratives. The film expertly pulls us into the tunnel vision of Corey’s suicidal thoughts with its foreboding camerawork and immersive soundscapes, as she's continually disrespected by her family and bogged down by the weight of her job. It all makes for a uniquely experiential depiction of depression that I haven’t seen on film before; one that illustrates how often it hides in plain sight, right beneath the facades and pleasantries of everyday life. Between its sneakily dark humor and a magnetic central performance from Rusty Schwimmer, KEEP IT QUIET is both a promising debut for Yaya and a compelling shift in the way we depict mental illness in film. It won Best Live Action Short at the 35th Warsaw Film Festival, and had its US premiere at Palm Springs ShortFest last year.

—Neal Mulani, Executive Assistant

02/19/21

This week: Tearjerkers, justice for Britney, and a cure for FOMO.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: CRUELLA
☞ Letterboxd: JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
☞ TikTok: #ColdDays
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Netflix: Good Girls
☞ Twitter: #CountdowntoMars

Life & Culture 

Tik Tok, Twitch, and Instagram creators woke up to some good news last Thursday. After three years of research and discussion, SAG-AFTRA is opening up membership to social media influencers who sell sponsorships on those platforms. The most meaningful thing about this change: access to health insurance and other union benefits. This feels like long-overdue validation for creatives who are part of a huge—and rapidly growing—industry. Don’t believe me? Check this: brands will spend up to $15 billion on influencer marketing in 2022 according to a 2019 study by Business Insider. 

Speaking of influence and the people who have it, David Dobrik dropped a new image-sharing app, Dispo, this past weekend. What makes the app different from Instagram, VSCO, and Twitter? After you take a photo, it disappears for 24 hours, meant to mimic a disposable camera. And in keeping with that theme, the photos also have an OG disposable camera filter applied to them when they’re shared. The app’s invites are exclusive, with only 10,000 testers currently using it Sadly, my invite got lost in the spam filters somewhere, but by the looks of the photos Twitter users have been sharing, the treatment looks a bit like the heavily filtered Instagram photos from the early days of the app. Let’s see if near-term nostalgia sticks in a social landscape that’s clearly hungry for change. 

And of course, my favorite TikToks from this week: this nostalgia-inducing take on iconic movie and TV lines, and this creator’s envisioning of how food would walk if it had legs.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Filmmaker 

The filmmaker I’d love to put you on this weekend is Virgil Williams. He’s currently adapting the book BLACKTOP WASTELAND for us, and we’re blown away by his ability to adapt a story into an innovative film retelling that still honors the essence of the original. While we (of course) can’t show you anything yet, we highly recommend checking out MUDBOUND, directed by the amazing Dee Rees, on Netflix, which Virgil co-wrote. He received an Academy Award nomination for his adaptation, and it was well-earned!

—Shuyu Cao, Development Assistant 
 

Film

In a season of dark and depressing movies, finally a beacon of light! BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR is a blissfully weird stoner comedy (minus the characters actually getting stoned) about two middle-aged Midwestern ladies on the vacation of a lifetime. Directed by our dear pal Josh Greenbaum, BARB AND STAR has everything you didn’t know you needed in a film: Jamie Dornan singing! Colorful culottes! And many, many jokes about the name Trish that somehow never get old?! I don’t want to give too much away, but I loved how the film would zig whenever I thought it was going to zag. It’s sure to be a cult classic for a long time, Trish. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Although it was released over three years ago at 2018’s Sundance Film Festival, Cathy Yan’s DEAD PIGS has finally found its way to streaming this week on Mubi. You may know Yan as the director of last year’s hit BIRDS OF PREY and if you liked that, I highly recommend checking out her first feature. The film is the intertwining story of a group of people from different walks of life in a rapidly developing Shanghai. It draws you in with its ambitious scope and scale and keeps you hooked with it’s biting satire. It’s also a great excuse to check out some of the other awesome films on Mubi with your free trial.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

Editor’s Note: This is Bennett’s last week as a PS Weekly contributor, because he’s following his creative dreams over to FilmNation. We’re going to miss his passion for film—and his commitment to watching a superhuman volume of short films and lesser-known projects, to bring you the very best recs here every week!  
 

Theater 

From now through March 1st, you can stream Riz Ahmed’s solo rap show THE LONG GOODBYE, which he originally live streamed/recorded on his iPhone in December. Through a combination of rap, spoken word, and storytelling, Ahmed takes the audience through his rap album of the same name and tells his life story along the way. And if you haven’t seen him rap before, you are in for a treat. He’s an electric, intoxicating presence on stage—every time I watch him perform, I’m left wondering if there’s anything he can’t do. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Book

Next up on my reading list is Chang-rae Lee’s MY YEAR ABROAD—mainly because I heard it described as an “obsessive food novel.” It’s the story of a young man named Tiller, who returns to New Jersey after a crazy and traumatic year living abroad (the reveal of what actually happened only comes at the end). He moves in with Val, a former mobster’s wife who’s now in the witness protection program, and befriends Pong Lou, a local entrepreneur trying to invent the next miracle energy drink. Again, I haven’t read the book yet, but given that all I think about these days is food and the travel I cannot yet indulge in, it seems like a perfect quarantine read. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

02/12/21

This week: Tearjerkers, justice for Britney, and a cure for FOMO.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: I Am Not A Cat
☞ Letterboxd: Malcolm & Marie
☞ TikTok: #WomeninSTEM
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Netflix: iCarly
☞ Twitter: #claptrap

Life & Culture 

Between March 20 and August 5 of 2020, Stop AAPI Hate  received 2,583 reports of incidents of violence against Asian Americans across the country. Recently, there’s been an uptick in this violence, directly specifically at seniors. An 84-year-old Thai American man was assaulted in the street in San Francisco, and died in the hospital a few days later. A 61-year-old Filipino American man was slashed across the face with a knife, on the New York subway. And until this week, there’s been very little media attention on any of these acts of hate and violence. 

But thanks to a handful of viral videos on social media—like Amanda Nguyen’s detailed video here, or David So’s video here,—and a flurry of attention around actors Daniel Dae Kim and Daniel Wu offering a reward for any info leading to the arrest of the person who assaulted three people in Oakland, that’s starting to change. It’s nice to see social media create positive change every once in a while.

In other social media news, I joined Clubhouse a few weeks ago. I don’t think you need me to tell you that  the audio-only app is blowing up right now. The latest bit of buzz comes after Elon Musk announced that he’ll be appearing on the app with Kanye West soon. Film industry stars—and especially Black creatives—like Ava DuVernay, Barry Jenkins, Tiffany Haddish, and our own BORDERLANDS star Kevin Hart, were among the early adopters of the platform, and have hosted conversations about their art and craft. The platform is still invite-only, but it’s added over 2M users since January—and now boasts a valuation of $1B—so I’m curious to see how conversations change as more entertainment industry peeps join in.

News of Mindy Kaling’s new Scooby Doo spin-off series VELMA released on Wednesday, and someone quote-tweeted the announcement with a gif of Michael Scott from The Office screaming “NOOO”. Mindy iconicly replied saying “I wrote the episode of The Office this gif is from,” which prompted the original Tweeter to delete his entire account. As Kelly Kapoor would say, “How dare you?!”. 

And as for my two favorite TikToks of the week, check out this video documenting high school gym class in the most accurate way, and this video, which depicts the beautiful moment in which a woman sang with her family for the last time. That second one is guaranteed to give you chills. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Filmmaker 

I have an inkling that Stefon Bristol is on the brink of a big break. His feature debut on Netflix SEE YOU YESTERDAY is a heart- wrenching and relevant story about two genius scientist prodigies on the brink of a major time travel discovery. When one of their older brothers dies in a police shooting, they must put their experiment to the test to go back in time and save their beloved. Stefon’s next sci-fi feature is in the works and it sounds just as innovative as the first! 

—Shuyu Cao, Development Assistant 
 

Film

I feel like every film I’ve loved in the past few months has been a tearjerker, and the latest addition to the list is no exception. Chad Hartigan’s LITTLE FISH, which is now streaming and in theatres, is a love story set during a pandemic. It’s not Covid-19, but rather a mysterious disease causing memory loss around the world. We jump around in the story of our two lovers, played by the always wonderful Jack O’Connell and Olivia Cooke. We first watch their friends and family members lose their memories, and then inevitably, we watch Jack’s character Jude lose his memory as well. There are certainly a few gut-punch moments, but overall it’s a beautiful, heartfelt film about the power of relationships and how we form our sense of self. If you're ready to cry, check it out this weekend. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

TV

I’m still getting chills thinking about the “Framing Britney Spears” episode of the NY Times documentary series on Hulu. I don’t think my opinion has changed about a celebrity so drastically since I saw the Paris Hilton documentary—which is actually a great companion piece to this. Now that I think of it, you should also watch that one immediately. Seriously, even if you first chuckled at the thought of #FreeBritney, you will be a die-hard activist by the end of this thoughtful and earth-shatteringly disturbing hour-long special. No joke, it gave me nightmares. 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive 
 

Theater 

One of the recent theater productions I’ve had the most FOMO about missing is 2018’s ANGELS IN AMERICA starring Andrew Garfield as Prior Walter and Nathan Lane as Roy Cohn. I am VERY happy to announce that if you also suffer from this particular type of FOMO, there is finally a cure! The National Theatre (where the production originated before transferring to Broadway) has just added both parts of the production to its National Theatre at Home rental service. What better way to spend your long-weekend Monday than by bingeing eight hours of this Olivier- and Tony-winning production? 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Book

Since it was published last month, Torrey Peters’ DETRANSITION, BABY has steadily been racking up critical and popular attention, and I am here to tell you that it is 1,000% deserved! Peters tells the story of a trans woman named Reese who is approached by her ex, Ames (who formerly lived as a trans woman named Amy) after Ames’ boss-and-secret-girlfriend Katrina gets pregnant. Ames is uneasy about the prospect of fatherhood and asks Reese if she would raise the child alongside Ames and Katrina. Reese, having always wanted to be a mother, hesitantly agrees. As the story unfolds from both Reese and Ames’ POVs, Peters dives headfirst into messy questions about desire, family, and of course gender. DETRANSITION, BABY is the sort of book you read and immediately want to discuss with everyone you know, so please, read it so I can talk about it more!! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Tiny History Lesson

For more #TinyHistoryLessons, check out @picturestart on Instagram. We’re dropping a new installment every Wednesday. 

02/05/21

This week: A spotlight on Black creators and their stories.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Coming 2 America
☞ Letterboxd: SOUL
☞ TikTok: #MakeBlackHistory
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Twitter: Rosa Parks

Life & Culture 

During this first week of Black History Month, I want to remind everyone that only 8 or 9% of history class time in US schools is devoted to Black history. Yeah, it’s staggeringly low. But also not at all surprising. After all, the people who have the power (usually white, cis men) get to write the history books—and tell us which stories and people mattered most. At PICTURESTART, we’re making it a priority to educate ourselves on the Black history we should have learned growing up. We’ll be sharing a new Tiny History Lesson each Wednesday on our Instagram, so follow along here, if you’re looking to expand your understanding of history as well.  

And in today’s email, we’re thinking about the spectrum of talented Black creators telling Black stories in every medium. That’s what this edition of PS Weekly is dedicated to celebrating—we hope you enjoy it! 

If you’re looking to get more quick bites of Black History lessons throughout the month, look no further than TikTok. Taylor Cassidy, one of my favorite creators on the platform, makes Fast Black History videos that educate viewers on notable Black figures in history. Taylor’s videos are fast-paced, digestible and fun, and also highly educational. While she’ll be releasing this series throughout the month, you can check out our favorites (so far!) here. 

Also on TikTok this week, I recommend checking out @laronhinesofficial. In his “Are you smarter than a preschooler?” series, La’Ron asks preschoolers various questions and films their responses. The confidence (and cuteness) of these kids is exactly what we all needed to cap off this seemingly endless workweek.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Film 

One of my favorite films from Sundance this weekend was the preview screening of Shaka King’s JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH, which arrives on HBOMax on February 12th! King has managed to craft a historical film that doesn’t feel like a stuffy biopic. It’s a dynamic, sleek, and often brutal depiction of William O’Neal’s infiltration of the Chicago Black Panther Party, leaking information to the FBI that ultimately led to activist Fred Hampton’s assassination. The film is full of excellent performances, but Daniel Kaluuya as the intoxicatingly charismatic Hampton and Lakeith Stanfield as the enigmatic O’Neal are the anchors of the film. Check it out next week and keep your eyes peeled for a cameo from AM I OK? star Jermaine Fowler. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Fans of RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA, rejoice! Brandy herself announced on Thursday that the iconic 1997 film will arrive on Disney+ on February 12th. Starring Brandy, Whitney Houston and Whoopi Goldberg, the original broadcast saw a record-breaking 60 million viewers and was ABC’s most-watched Sunday night program in more than 10 years. Brandy’s performance was groundbreaking as no Black woman had ever portrayed Cinderella on screen before. Disney+’s move will bring the film to a whole new generation of movie lovers that don’t have access to a DVD or VHS recording of the movie.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

TV

If there’s one show I always come back to, it’s Shonda Rhimes’s magnum opus GREY’S ANATOMY. This mid-season replacement for BOSTON LEGAL wowed audiences worldwide when it debuted in 2005, featuring a pitch-perfect (and diverse AF!) cast with a bomb-ass soundtrack—Snow Patrol, Ingrid Michaelson, and, oh yes, Adele—that single-handedly reinvented the procedural medical drama and marked the beginning of Rhimes’s prolific track record. Shonda, if you’re reading this, THANKS QUEEN! You gave this little repressed gay boy so much hope. <3 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive

Music

Rico Nasty is having a full-circle moment. She started her career by releasing her first singles on Soundcloud, and now she’s set to headline the platform’s upcoming gaming and music festival. The festival is the first of its kind for Soundcloud, and will take place on February 18th in Fortnite, with accompanying live video on Twitch and Facebook. Prominent Soundcloud artists will compete against each other in the game, and Rico Nasty will host and headline the event with a performance during halftime. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Manga

BLASTER KNUCKLES by Wazarai Shizuya is great! This manga is an oldie but a goodie and although it’s not written by a black writer, it’s still fun and has everything you want out of an engaging series. It’s set during the 1800s and features Victor Freeman, an ex boxer who hunts KKK members. While the terrorist group looks exactly the same as we remember them, there’s one small difference...at night they turn into bloodthirsty monsters that want to eat all people of color. It veers into blaxploitation at times, but still manages to be a great read. It’s DJANGO meets BUFFY in this classic series. 

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Director of Production

Theater

One of my favorite summer theater traditions is The Public Theater’s Public Works program, in which they gather hundreds of New York locals to participate in a one-weekend production of a big, spectacular musical. Though that program has temporarily been halted, we can all pretend it’s summer for a couple of hours by watching UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE. The documentary follows the Public Works 2017 production of AS YOU LIKE IT, directed by Laurie Woolery and featuring fantastic original music from Shaina Taub. If you, like me, are craving a strong dose of serotonin, then you should definitely check this heartwarming doc out. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Book

In this week’s edition of “I’ve been living under a rock and finally read a book everybody else read last year,” I want to talk about THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead. If you somehow missed the hubbub around this Pulitzer Prize winner in 2019, I would urge you to pick up this (only 200 page!) story of two boys struggling to survive in juvenile reformatory school in 1960s Florida. Whitehead manages to craft a tale that is both a history lesson and an intricate character piece. It’s a dark story, and I did cry a whole lot when I finished it, but it’s also an incredibly important story that we all should know more about. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Short Film

We all know that Maya Rudolph has a lot of range when it comes to her acting, but did we think she could play a convincing mosquito? I did not—until I watched Nicole Delaney’s THIRSTY. Rudolph plays a mosquito who is in love with the main character of the short (a human) and follows him around as he lives his life. It’s comedic in tone but as you watch you realize how clever Nicole Delaney and Sonya Goddy’s writing is. The mosquito is someone we’ve all been in our relationships and when the sad ending comes, you feel it in your heart!

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

Poetry

No, you aren’t hallucinating. A poet is performing at the Super Bowl this weekend—at the pre-show, specifically. That’s a first for the Super Bowl, certainly. And it’s a pretty exciting moment for the breakout star of President Biden’s inauguration, 22-year-old poet, Amanda Gorman. The first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate saw both of her books, CHANGE SINGS and THE HILL WE CLIMB, hit the top spots on Amazon last week, and they don’t even come out until September. I first met Amanda when she was a high school student visiting D.C. through a fellowship program, and have been rooting for her—and that very special fire that’s always been lit within her—ever since. I think we can all rest assured that this is just the beginning for her. 

—Neha Gandhi, EVP, Digital

01/29/21

This week: Our next movie has a title—and starts shooting next week!

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Billie Eilish, ROSALÍA - Lo Vas A Olvidar
☞ Letterboxd: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
☞ TikTok: #XGamesMode
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Netflix: FATE: THE WINX SAGA
☞ Twitter: #robinhood

Life & Culture 

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock with spotty internet coverage, I’m guessing you’ve heard about the twisty, turny story of Reddit, Gamestop and the stock market by now. Admittedly, my only real stock market experience involves playing a simulation stock market game in the sixth grade, but I can still recognize that what’s happening right now is extremely unique. If you need a quick download on what’s going on in layman's terms, I found this and this explanation helpful. And for more advanced deep dive into how this could end, try this one. 

In a nutshell: Redditors got excited about Gamestock (and later AMC) stock and also got annoyed about hedge funds betting against those businesses by shorting the stock. They (and likely other hedge funds and institutional investors as well) bought a bunch of the stock and drove up the price. This week, the stock price has been ping-ponging all over the place in a completely unpredictable way that has nothing to do with the value of the company and a few hedge funds lost a lot of money in the process. The situation escalated on Wednesday when Robinhood and other brokerages stopped allowing individuals to buy Gamestop and AMC stock on Thursday, only allowing them to sell. The story is evolving by the minute, and the saga briefly brought figures like AOC and Ted Cruz on the same side of the issue–although she quickly clapped back at his offer to collaborate, and it was everything the internet hoped and dreamed it would be. Things are still evolving, and it’s not totally clear how this will end. But I don’t think anyone will underestimate the power of a Redditor again. Michael Lewis, if you’re reading this, I hope you’re already hard at work on your next-next book.  

In non-Gamestop news, Pepsi is blurring the lines between content and advertising even further, and co-creating a TV show. That’s right, co-creating, not sponsoring. It’s a branded six-episode game show on Fox, called CHERRIES WILD. The show will be hosted by Jason Biggs, the actor best known for AMERICAN PIE, and will premiere on Valentine’s Day. It sounds like the show concept is similar to a typical game show, and contestants will compete for cash by answering pop-culture questions. Viewers are able to join in the action as well, by downloading an app that allows them to play along and compete for money—during the ad break. This is definitely out-of-the-box thinking, and I for one am very curious to see if viewers watch and love it, or skeptically skip it. 

Don’t worry, though. It’s not all transactional news this week. I also found myself obsessively refreshing Humans of New York’s Instagram these past 48 hours, for the latest on Sidra, a woman who grew up in Pakistan with dreams of creating something for herself. Sidra shares a sweeping but deeply relatable tale of pushing back on her parents’ plans for her future, leaving home, finding forbidden love, struggling with failure, and relentlessly pursuing her dreams—which might just involve building a brand you already know about. All 11 chapters are up now, so read through the whole story for a heartwarming start to your weekend! 

And finally, two of my favorite TikToks this week: this video, in which a grandson takes viewers through the one-of-a-kind book his grandmother made to depict her life, and this video of falling snow that will make you instantly forget the stress of the workweek.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Physical Production

We’re about to go into production on AM I OK?, starring Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno, with Tig Notaro and Stepanie Allynne directing (!!). You can read more about the film here, and learn a little bit about how we landed on that title here. But I promise it’s not the last time I will bring this up!
—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Film Festival

It’s Sundance weekend!! While our team is bummed to not be in Park City, we can’t wait to check out this year’s selections. High on our must-watch list are CODA (dir. Sian Heder), ONE FOR THE ROAD (dir. Baz Poonipiriya), ON THE COUNT OF THREE (dir. Jerrod Carmichael), and R#J (dir. Carey Williams). While we’re already big fans of those four filmmakers, we’re also excited to discover our new favorites who we don’t even know yet!  

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

Also worth noting: Sundance has gone digital this year, which means anyone can get involved. Interested movie-lovers are able to buy single-movie tickets for $15. Digital attendees get to watch a movie and attend a live Q&A with the director, cast, and crew. You can either watch during the premiere, when there will be a three-hour window to start the movie, or you’ll get a full day's worth of availability two days after that. There are still a decent number of tickets available—grab ‘em here. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant


TV

I cannot stop thinking about WANDAVISION and its embrace of the old-school sitcom. That nostalgic format is punctuated with sudden moments of heart-stopping genre that will immediately hook you in one of the most original and innovative offerings from Marvel’s prolific writers' room. I’m also just so impressed by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany’s irresistible comedic chops—and someone please give Jac Schaffer the Nobel Prize for being a freaking genius. 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive 

I’ve been watching THE REAL WORLD this week. I don’t know why or how it happened, but it’s happening. Maybe I wanted to escape the real world of the present and experience the real world of 1994 for a moment? I turned to Google to see which seasons were the best, and found some consensus around Season 3, and then I dove right in. Straight off the bat, I found the show extremely powerful. The season follows seven young strangers who move in together in San Francisco, including Pedro Zamora, who was the first person openly living with HIV and AIDS to be on television. What’s so powerful is how these roommates are forced to learn to understand each other and work through their struggles together. I’m still making my way through the season but I recommend it to anyone who feels like they might be looking to jump into a 90s reality show. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Theater
 
The latest offering in Center Theatre Group’s NOT A MOMENT, BUT A MOVEMENT reading series celebrating Black voices is CROWDNATION by Angelica Chéri. Performed by Sheria Irving, the one-woman piece follows our protagonist, Fatima, as she turns 29, the age at which her mother died of breast cancer. Fatima finds herself pulled in different directions by her faith, by her sexuality, and by family secrets that come to light–all while trying to find her purpose. You can buy a ticket to the digital stream HERE. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Comic Book
 

In POST AMERICANA by Steve Skroce, the nuclear Holocaust happened and America is now a wasteland. The government had a plan to restart humanity but that’s been co-opted by a power-hungry populist who plans to rule the wasteland with an iron fist and highly advanced tech. That’s where our hero, a cyborg rebel, steps in to defy his plans. 

In the vein of MAD MAX and FALLOUT this is a gory new series about what happens when all the rules of our country and society dissolve away over centuries. It asks what we’re left with after that—and what it ultimately means. All questions that feel pretty relevant these days.

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Director of Production
 

Book

I have been dying to talk about MILK FED by Melissa Broder ever since I read it last year (yes, I am 100% bragging), and now it’s finally out in the world and I can talk to all of you about it! The book is about a young Hollywood assistant named Rachel who has a very complicated relationship with food and with her body. After a voluptuous Orthodox Jewish woman named Miriam begins working at the frozen-yogurt shop Rachel visits every day, Rachel becomes infatuated with Miriam. The two embark on a relationship that Broder uses to explore spirituality, hunger, and female desire—in the most laugh-out-loud funny way.

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

01/22/21

This week: Bernie memes galore—plus, a film that more than lives up to a year of hype.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: The Inauguration
☞ Letterboxd: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
☞ TikTok: #PlantParent
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Netflix: BRIDGERTON
☞ Twitter: #BernieSanders

Life & Culture 

Wednesday’s presidential inauguration brought many things, including, of course, endless memes. Bernie simply existing got turned into a meme...again, and it was probably the most viral one to come out of the event. After this photo of Bernie watching the inauguration (admittedly in a very cute pair of knitted mittens that come with an equally cute backstory) started to make the rounds on the internet, it didn't take long for the senator to be edited into a variety of backgrounds. We saw Bernie at an NYC hotdog stand, among the cast of GLEE, and inside works of performance art. NYU student Nick Sawhney even created a website where users could place Bernie wherever they want—but quickly got flooded with so many users that he ended up with a Google Maps bill he couldn’t afford. So, he’s asking for donations to keep the site alive. 

We spend a lot of time talking about the Streaming Wars around here, but it’s probably time that conversation included audio streamers, too. . Apple, according to The Information, is “discussing launching a new subscription service that would charge people to listen to podcasts, according to people familiar with the matter.” Sounds like this is an idea in early stages, but if it happened, this would shake up the world of podcasts in a huge way. In 2020, according to Statista, 25% of podcast listeners said they used Spotify, while 20% said they used Apple Podcasts—but a new service could turn those close-ish numbers upside-down. And it would probably also heat up the bidding wars over superstar creators. . As the podcast giants try to snap up top-tier talent (Spotify just signed Ava DuVernay this week!), the deals just keep getting bigger.

Speaking of streamers, Bridgerton is back at Netflix’s number one spot after the company announced that Season 2 is confirmed and will start filming this spring. The announcement came in the form of a letter written by the show’s mysterious narrator, Lady Whistledown, and revealed that the next season will focus on Lord Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey. The show is projected to reach 63 million households within the 28 days since its Christmas Day debut. And since it’s based on a book series with eight novels, it’s safe to say we probably have a lot more content to look forward to. 

And of course, my two favorite TikToks from this week. First, this video that answers the question, “what it would be like to be a bird for a minute?”. And second, this video of a friend group reenacting an iCarly episode that I can't really explain but just has the best vibes.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Film

After hearing my colleagues rave about PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN at Sundance last year, I have anxiously spent the past year waiting for it to finally be released. I am very pleased to say that even after 11 long months of buildup, it totally lives up to the hype. The film is confident and stylish, and self-aware without being cutesy. I know the ending is somewhat ~controversial~ but I think it’s a perfect parable for the Trump era. Mulligan’s beguiling performance anchors the film, but it’s Bo Burnham’s turn as a romantic lead that steals the show (and my heart)... 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

This weekend, I’m looking forward to THE WHITE TIGER, premiering on Netflix today. It’s produced by and features Priyanka Chopra, and also stars Hollywood newcomer Adarsh Gourav. The film, directed by Ramin Bahrani, is adapted from Aravind Adiga’s award-winning book of the same name about Balram, a rickshaw driver, who climbs the social ladder by getting into the good graces of his wealthy boss. This journey of seeking freedom and financial prosperity takes a dark turn when a murder thwarts Balram’s well-planned scheme. The adaptation seems to have a similar tone as the book—socially relevant, darkly humorous, and deliciously thrilling. Check out the trailer here! 

—Shuyu Cao, Development Assistant

TV

The long-awaited final season of ATTACK ON TITAN is finally here and my friends, and I can’t stop talking about it. For those unfamiliar with the series, the entire show is on Hulu for you to binge. The story is set in a world where humanity lives inside cities surrounded by enormous walls to prevent Titans, gigantic humanoid beings whose sole purpose is to devour humans, from coming in. When one part of the wall mysteriously comes down one day, and the Titans invade and ravage the city, and our young hero Eren and his friends find themselves on a life-altering journey to protect their community and avenge their fallen friends. The last season answers the overarching mystery of the series: how did the Titans come to be and can they be destroyed? But truly, the complexity of the show lies in the twists and turns that ultimately collapse the gap between grotesque monsters and vulnerable humans. I warn you: Once you start, you won’t be able to stop. 

—Shuyu Cao, Development Assistant
 

Theater

Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins is one of the most exciting playwrights working in American theater today—which means tickets to his plays are hard to come by! I was thrilled to see that the original cast of his 2015 play GLORIA is reuniting for a benefit reading of the piece. The play opens on a group of editorial assistants at a prestigious magazine as they fight for a writing opportunity—but that’s just the beginning. What follows is a jarring, absurd satire about competition and toxic workplaces, and the extreme lengths to which some people will go to get ahead. It’s streaming through the 24th here! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Manga
 

AGRAVITY BOYS by Atsushi Nakamura tells the story of a group of four teenage boys who set out from Earth to find an earth-like planet. They fall through a black hole where they meet a god-like being who tells them that there was a great cataclysm in the world and they are the only remaining humans left. The entity tells them they must restart humanity and leaves them with one last gift, a potion that will transform one of them into a girl…

This sci-fi adventure is so much fun and has a great balance of comedy and real stakes. I’ve only read the first chapter preview, but you quickly get a sense of the story. If you’re a fan of Edgar Wright-type comedy and space epics like INTERSTELLAR, then this is a series for you.

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Director of Production
 

Book

There have been a lot of books/movies/shows that have been said to perfectly encapsulate the Trump era. And many of them definitely have. But one in particular has stuck with me. It’s HOMELAND ELEGIES by Ayad Ahktar. This is a very unconventional fictional memoir-style novel about Ayad’s feeling of belonging in America. The book is epic in scope, with anecdotes from his childhood all the way through the present day. It’s not the easiest to get into as the narrative structure is so unconventional, but there were passages that required me to pinch myself because they were so beautifully written and entrancing. 

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

Podcast

This week, I strongly recommend everyone listen to the BBC’s new YA Sci-Fi/Thriller podcast, THE CIPHER. It somehow manages to have it all (murder, romance, the moral ambiguity of technological innovation, and a conspiracy) without sacrificing nuanced characters and narrative clarity. More specifically, the podcast details the life of a high school girl (Sabrina) after she solves an impossible online puzzle called the Parallax. This accomplishment catapults Sabrina into the world of crime as she is enlisted to use her code-breaking skills to find an internationally wanted serial killer. Through this mission Sabrina comes to learn about her herself, her family, and things she never thought possible. 

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant

01/15/21

This week: Lighter fare to follow dark days.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: House Votes
☞ Letterboxd: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
☞ TikTok: #groupchat
☞ Spotify: drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo
☞ Netflix: BRIDGERTON
☞ Twitter: Armie Hammer

Life & Culture 

Olivia Rodrigo’s first single, drivers license, is absolutely dominating the internet right now. It seemed like overnight, hundreds of young people made TikToks about the song—from creating stories based on the lyrics, to uncovering the supposed love triangle that inspired the song, to recording their own renditions. According to Spotify’s global hits lead, Becky Bass, “we’ve never seen anything like this.” On Monday, the song set the platform's record for most streams in a day for a non-holiday song, and then on Tuesday, it beat that record with over 17.01 million listens. 

Trust me when I say these numbers are bonkers. For context, the second most-streamed song on Tuesday (Bad Bunny’s Dákiti) hit 4.2 million streams. What’s so surprising to me is that Olivia Rodrigo is a fairly new artist. The rest of her Spotify songs consist of her HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: THE MUSICAL: THE SERIES tracks, along with a few tracks from her Disney Channel show BIZAARDVARK. It’s rare that we see such a swift rise to the top, so it will be fascinating to see where she goes from here.

In other music-related news, Billie EIlish announced on Tuesday that she’s releasing a photobook of her life, which will come out in May with a recorded audiobook that will go with some of the photos. It’s already #1 on Amazon’s portrait photography bestseller list. 

On Sunday, ViacomCBS decided to air the NFL wild-card game on Nickelodeon in addition to CBS, and it paid off big-time. The broadcast was the network’s most-watched football game in four years, with over 2.06 million people tuning in. Nickelodeon’s version of the game, which was between the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints, included slime cannons in the endzone, lightning bolts that appeared after a pass, and dust clouds during tackles. Characters from Nickelodeon classics like RUGRATS and SPONGEBOB celebrated in the stands. The game honestly looked super entertaining—you can check out footage here. 

And finally, here are two of my favorite TikToks from this week: this one that highlights how much fun the Phineas and Ferb writers had working on the show, and this video that somehow makes sky-diving look tame. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Film

Alex McAulay’s tension-filled debut thriller DON’T TELL A SOUL premieres on PVOD platforms this week. The film follows two brothers (played by Jack Dylan Grazer and Fionn Whitehead) who are caught robbing a house by an older man (Rainn Wilson). While Wilson is chasing them, he falls into a deep hole and gets stuck there. The brothers are then left with a moral dilemma: Do they leave him there, or do they save him and risk him reporting their crime? It’s an imperfect but impressively crafted debut film, and as always, who doesn’t love an under-90-minute watch? 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

TV

In anticipation of its upcoming season I finally came around to watching Season 2 of YOU. If you also missed out, do indulge in this ridiculously entertaining LA-centered escapist fare that blends a soapy thriller with delicious millennial satire. Also, someone please tell Netflix I’m more than willing to volunteer myself as Penn Badgley’s obsession muse for Season 4! 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive

Netflix’s French-language series LUPIN is all we can talk about in our office group chat this week. It focuses on Assane Diop, a thief seeking revenge on the wealthy family responsible for the death of his father. It's fun and unexpected and super easy to binge. If you like MONEY HEIST or NOW YOU SEE ME, check this one out!
—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Manga

SAKAMOTO DAYS by Yuto Suzuki is the story about the world’s best hitman—who gives up a life of murder to settle down with the woman of his dreams in a small town. His life is interrupted by a young upstart hitman who is sent to kill him, but after Sakamoto subdues the young attacker, he takes a liking to him and turns the tables on him.. The two start working at Sakamoto’s convenience store, protecting and saving the citizens of their small town without any of them being any the wiser. 

This is a fun series that feels like KILLING EVE meets WE’RE THE MILLERS. While the stakes remain high, it manages to maintain a light-hearted tone. It’s very fun and reminds me a bit of CHUCK. It’s a nice escape from the craziness of the current world, if nothing else.

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Director of Production

Theater

The Public Theater’s annual Under the Radar festival has headed online this year! The festival showcases emerging talent from around the world, and while every year’s offerings are format- and boundary-breaking, this year’s are certainly even more so. I’m particularly looking forward to multi-hyphenate Inua Ellams’ one-man piece BORDERS & CROSSINGS about his upbringing across Nigeria, England, and Ireland; I’m also excited for the experiential piece A THOUSAND WAYS (PART ONE): A PHONE CALL, in which the audience follows a series of automated prompts as they engage with the person on the other end of the phone. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive


Comic Book

ONCE & FUTURE by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, and Tamra Bonvillain tells the story of a retired monster hunter and her grandson, who must go on a journey to stop a group of terrorists from bringing back a demonic King Arthur who wants to enslave humanity. 

This is SHERLOCK meets NATIONAL TREASURE set in the UK. The dynamic between Gran and her grandson is fun and caring. Plus, there’s a larger world to explore with this series, so if you’re yearning for some swashbuckling adventure this is for you.

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Director of Production
 

Books

The winner for most exciting release of the week AND best cover I’ve seen in a long time is George Saunders’ A SWIM IN A POND IN THE RAIN. The book is an adaptation of a class Saunders teaches on the 19th-century Russian short, analyzing seven classic stories from that period. He takes the reader through his in-depth close readings, sharing his notes, analyzing punctuation choice, and comparing different translations of the same text. While I admit I haven’t gotten to dive into my copy yet, I’m taking the reviews at their word that it doesn’t read nearly as technical as it sounds. Stay tuned. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

I will admit, I was skeptical when someone told me to read HERE, a graphic novel by Richard McGuire. The prospect of reading a story exclusively set in the corner of a room, after spending the better part of a year in the corner of a room was...daunting. But I am pleased to say, I could not have been more wrong and now feel a compulsion to recommend it to everyone. HERE feels as much like experiential art as it does a book. It manages to coherently, beautifully, and brilliantly explore the concepts of space and memory, time and progress, as well as love and the imagination. All of this is to say, if you have not read HERE I suggest you do so immediately. It is a necessary and innovative portrayal of humanity that will change the way you sit in the corner of your room (and the world once you leave).

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant 

Short Film

The New York Times’ Op-Doc A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION is having its swan song at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and we highly recommend checking it out either through Sundance or on the NYT website. The short follows Horace Bowers Sr. as he tells the story of his upbringing in Jim Crow Florida—and juxtaposes it with the experiences of watching  his grandson Kris Bowers win an Oscar for the score to GREEN BOOK and watching him perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Beautifully shot through close ups of the two men's faces, this is a quintessential American story that shouldn’t be missed!
 
—Bennett Levine and Shuyu Cao, Executive Assistants

01/08/21

This week: Lighter fare to follow dark days.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Chaos in Washington
☞ Letterboxd: SOUL
☞ TikTok: #inlove
☞ Spotify: SZA - Good Days
☞ Netflix:  COBRA KAI
☞ Twitter: 25th Amendement

Life & Culture 

I can’t imagine welcoming the end of the week more wholeheartedly. It’s been a somber few days, after domestic terrorists stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, incited by President Trump. And in the wake of the mob violence and vandalism, it’s hard not to fixate on the fact that less than 100 people were arrested out of the thousands who took part.  The stark differences between law enforcement’s handling of this insurrection versus the Black Lives Matter protests of the summer lay bare the racially motivated biases in the system, at its very best—and something much more sinister, at its worst. It all reignited a now-familiar feeling of hopelessness in me, and I can imagine it did the same for many of you. Social platforms may offer a glimmer of hope in reaction to this news, as many are now taking action in a big way. Facebook and Instagram indefinitely banned Trump from using their platforms. Twitter also permanently suspended him, Shopify took down his store, and Twitch disabled his account. 

In the wake of all of that hopelessness, I’m looking to entertainment to give me an escape—and to lift my spirits just a little bit. If you’re looking for the same, I’ve got you. I checked out the Ratatouille musical, as promised. I’m happy to report that it was just as cute as the TikToks it was based off of. The musical raised over $1 million for the Actors Fund and featured big-time names like Wayne Brady, Titus Burgess, Andrew Barth Feldman, Ashley Park, André De Shields and Adam Lambert. It was produced by by Seaview Productions along with Michael Breslin, Patrick Foley and PS fav Jeremy O. Harris. One thing that stuck out to me was the care the production team took to highlight the original TikTok creators—from starting the show off with a forward from Emily Jacobsen, who made the first video that started the viral trend, to creating a full playbill crediting all the creatives originally involved. Check it out on YouTube if you missed it—you won’t regret it. 

And then, this week, two TikToks that brought me some much-needed distraction: this girl’s surprisingly accurate takes on which mall stores random actors would work at, and this friend group’s stand up competition. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Film

In what is truly the best premise ever, Thomas Vinterburg’s ANOTHER ROUND is about four high school teachers in Denmark who start drinking alcohol every day to make up for a supposed alcohol deficiency in humans (read: to see if it cures their mid-life crises). Mads Mikkelsen, everyone’s favorite Bond villain, stars as a history teacher whose classes become, admittedly, a lot more interesting when he starts boozing at work. While this all sounds comedic, I’ll say that the movie becomes increasingly hard to watch and sad as it goes on. But it all builds to a really beautiful and cathartic final scene that makes it all worth it! It reminds me of Claire Denis’ BEAU TRAVAIL for any fans out there…

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant
 

Theater

This is only somewhat theater-adjacent BUT I recently learned about a delightful series called STAGED that David Tennant and Michael Sheen created during the first part of lockdown. In the series, they play West End actors whose play has been shut down due to Covid, so they attempt to “rehearse” online. It’s irreverent and entertaining, and includes some truly excellent cameos (Hello Samuel L. Jackson in episode 3!) You can watch the first season on Hulu, or if you’re in the UK, the second season just dropped on the BBC iPlayer! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 
 

Book

I know this is meant to be a newsletter for “hip” and “new” content, but I was embarrassingly behind the ball and had not read PACHINKO until this break. If you, like me, have not read PACHINKO, I am here to tell you to stop whatever you are reading and pick it up! And if you truly live under a rock and don’t even know what it is: PACHINKO is a sweeping narrative following one Korean family over several generations as its members are forced to flee Korea and live in Japan. It’s a gorgeously written, totally heartbreaking story about the lengths we go to for family (and for survival). Don’t be that person who only reads the book after the Apple series comes out...

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Podcasts
   
I want to recommend QCODE’s new sci-fi podcast FROM NOW, as a distraction from the hellish start to the year. There are only three episodes out so far, and I’m eagerly awaiting the rest of the season! This podcast tells the story of astronaut Edward Fitz’s (voiced by Richard Madden) return to earth after being lost in space for 35 years. The only thing that makes his return more notable is that he’s the lone survivor of the expedition and appears to be the exact same age as he was when he launched. After being questioned by authorities and becoming an international phenomenon, Edward is reunited with his identical twin Hunter (Brian Cox). But quickly, their joyful reunion takes a turn, calling into question their relationship—and humanity more generally. 

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant

I started listening to the podcast DOLLY PARTON'S AMERICA this weekend after a friend recommended it. I know I’m a little late to the game here, but it is SO good, I’d be remiss not to share it with you just in case you’re in the same boat. I’ll admit I came into listening without knowing too much about Dolly outside of a few of her popular songs, but I’ve found myself emotional while listening to each episode so far. Host Jad Abumrad and producer Shima Oliaee document Dolly's life and artistry, taking listeners on a nine-part adventure into Dolly's world. Their storytelling is so captivating in a chill, laid-back way that makes me feel like I'm talking with friends instead of listening to a podcast. I highly recommend checking it out!

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

12/18/20

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

TRENDS THIS WEEK

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

Life & Culture 

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

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

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

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

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

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Film

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

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

TV

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

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive 

Theater 

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

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Book

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

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive
 

Podcast

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

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant

Short Film 

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

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

12/11/20

This week: The Binge Bundle, new TSwift, and random acts of fabulousness.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: If Everything Was Like Among Us 4
☞ Letterboxd: MANK
☞ TikTok: #RatatouilleMusical
☞ Spotify: DÁKITI - Bad Bunny
☞ Netflix:  SELENA THE SERIES
☞ Twitter: STAR WARS

Life & Culture 

Kicking things off with a little shameless self-promotion today! Our team is very excited to share our very first merch drop with you. It’s a collaboration with Ghetto Film School, a nonprofit that uplifts the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers. We designed four cool pieces that are part of a Binge Bundle—fleece-lined sweats, a cozy beanie, and soft tees filled with easter eggs to delight your film-and-TV-loving heart—and they’re on sale now! All proceeds go straight to Ghetto Film School, so you can feel good about wearing the finest film-and-tv-themed streetwear we could dream up. Go ahead and shop it now! 

In other binge-watching news, the streaming space is getting even more crowded. Redbox just added movies to its free, ad-supported streaming service, Free on Demand. Previously, the service offered ad-supported live TV, in addition to its iconic red DVD vending machines found outside of grocery stores. Titles include KICKING AND SCREAMING, LORD OF WAR, THE BROTHERS BLOOM, GHOST IN THE SHELL, and TRESPASS, and the service is available on Roku, iOS, and Android devices.

After I finally caved and dropped over a hundred dollars on last year’s airpods, Apple (of course) came out with brand new, $549 headphones. The jury’s still out on if buyers will fork over that much money to listen to their devices—and if it’s worth it. But they certainly are beautiful. In other auditory news, Taylor Swift announced a surprise album, EVERMORE, the sister album to her recent FOLKLORE. It came out last night, along with a music video for her new single WILLOW. I love that artists are getting more creative with the ways they announce music. This is exactly the sort of surprise we all deserve at the end of #theyearthatsucked.

Charles Rogers, co-creator of SEARCH PARTY (and our upcoming comedy MONSTER!), is blessing us with an iconic Instagram series this month. He’s been creating fake bestselling books, complete with titles, cover designs, and video descriptions. The series still has 20 days left, and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re up for a laugh. 

And finally, two TikToks accounts I want to put you on: First, this creator guesses people's heights solely based off of a photo of them holding a cup. He’s somehow always spot-on, and uses extensive math and research to back up his guesses. A true art. The other account has been in the zeitgeist for a while: Bunny the Dog. Her owner has rigged up a set of large buttons in their home that essentially allow for the dog to communicate with her. I avoided watching the videos for a while because to be honest the dog is a little creepy and seems like she knows a little too much, but I finally dove in and the videos are just as incredible as everyone said they would be.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Film

Probably a bad thing to admit here, but I’m embarrassingly film-illiterate when it comes to classic movies, so this week I watched THE PARALLAX VIEW and absolutely loved it. Warren Beatty is in FINE form as a denim-clad political reporter investigating a series of murders tied to the assassination of a senator years prior. In addition to being a chilling (and sadly timeless) political allegory about the power of the Political Machine, the movie is also so. damn. stylish. Director Alan J. Pakula and cinematographer Gordon Willis create so many clever and taut visual moments that I want to go back and watch it all again in case I missed any the first time. If you’ve exhausted your usual list of action thrillers—or if you just want to stare at Beatty’s perfectly-feathered hair for a couple of hours—it’s now on HBOMax! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

TV

I can’t stop thinking about the EUPHORIA Christmas special, which executes a contained, hour-long conversation about mental health, spirituality, and existentialism that perfectly speaks to the state of the world—despite keeping the focus solely on Rue’s struggles with addiction. Allegories aside, Zendaya and Colman Domingo have snuck into 2020’s best performances of the year with a perfect balance of intensity and vulnerability that proves this show’s worth beyond its exuberant production value, which is stripped down in favor of a disarmingly intimate atmosphere that feels like a play. I can’t wait for Part 2 featuring Hunter Schafer,  but look forward to re-watching this in the interim. 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive 
 

Audio

I was only recently turned onto the recording of BARTLEBY, THE SCRIVENER that Paul Giamatti made on his iPhone. And let me tell you, it is everything I wanted it to be. After all, Melville’s Bartleby does kinda feel like the urtext for so many of Giamatti’s curmudgeonly roles. Hearing him say “I would prefer not to” over and over is an absolute delight. I understand that this is a rather nerdy recommendation but I truly believe that it makes for delightful listening for all audiences. You can buy it and support 92Y’s Poetry Center here! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Comic Book 

CROSSOVER by Donny Cates is so good! It’s THE BOYS meets THE LEFTOVERS set in a world where we’re forced to confront the place of heroes in our society, and consider why we idolize them so much. When a mystical event like no other brings all the heroes from our comics to life, these new citizens call on us to contemplate the way we treat the unknown. This series has so much heart and emotion, and shows a ton of promise! 

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Director of Production
 

Theater

One of my favorite multi-hyphenate performers, Taylor Mac, is back with a pandemic-friendly holiday cabaret special! HOLIDAY SAUCE… PANDEMIC! will blend "music, film, burlesque, and random acts of fabulousness” (Mac’s words, not mine) in “the most subversive and cathartic event of the season!” I never know what to expect with Mac’s shows and always leave them feeling totally bewildered—but in a good way? There will be three live broadcasts of the show this Saturday 12/12 at 2pm, 7pm, and 10pm PT. Get your tickets here! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive 

Short Film 

While this isn’t a brand new rec, everyone at our company is currently watching NUMB by Liv McNeil. This year has been mentally taxing to say the least, and while there have been a lot of short films showcasing how we should be hopeful, there haven’t been many showcasing how we feel. Liv’s short encapsulates what many of us are feeling in terms of our mental health—a lot of bleghh. And it was shot as part of a class assignment, because Liv is only 15! Thanks to Lucy Kitada for the recommendation. 

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

12/04/20

This week: Your year in Spotify, crowd-sourced musicals, and big news from HBO.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube:  When Satan Met 2020
☞ Letterboxd: Happiest Season
☞ TikTok: #homecooked
☞ Spotify: DAKITI - Bad Bunny
☞ Netflix:  VIRGIN RIVER
☞ Twitter: HBO Max

Life & Culture 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Spotify Wrapped is out. Premium subscribers received personalized stories taking them through their 2020 listening data. The company also released its insights on what the world listens to.  Bad Bunny was the most listened to artist with over 8.3 billion streams, while Billie Eilish was the most popular female artist. The Joe Rogan Experience took the spot of the most popular podcast. I’ve mentioned it before, but I truly love how Spotify uses the data it mines from subscribers to give each user the best, most personalized experience. So many of us turned to music to help us get through this crazy year, and seeing the songs and artists I listened to in 2020 felt much more meaningful than it did in years past. 

Warner Brothers announced on Thursday that it is releasing its entire 2021 theatrical slate simultaneously on HBO Max. The films will be available on the platform for a month-long window at the same time that they’re released in theaters, and after that month the films will be taken off the platform for a period of time, while still running theatrically. The list of 2021 movies includes TOM & JERRY, DUNE, SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY, IN THE HEIGHTS, and more. The streaming service, which has a $14.99 monthly price tag, currently has 8.6 million subscribers. We’ll all be very curious to know what that number looks like at this time next year.

In more streaming news, on Wednesday, Hulu made Watch Party, its co-watching feature, available for all subscribers. The feature allows viewers to watch content with up to seven of their friends at the same time. Viewers can use the chat feature to communicate with their fellow watchers. Disney Plus is testing a similar feature in Canada, and Amazon rolled out their version for US users in June. With many people unable to spend holidays on the couch watching TV with their loved ones, I love that streaming services are giving us a digital alternative. 

My TikTok recommendation this week is a full-fledged social musical. If you’re looking to lose yourself in something beautiful, check out the crowd-sourced RATATOUILLE MUSICAL. It started back in August when user Em Jaccs made a video with an original song dedicated to Remy himself with the lyrics, “Remy, the Ratatouille, the rat of all my dreams/ I praise you, oh Ratatouille, may the world remember your name.” The rest was history, and since then, singers, dancers, designers, chefs, and even Broadway stars contributed to the musical with videos. Fair warning that you will almost certainly wind up walking around your house belting out the lyrics to one of the original songs.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant
 

Film

What’s better than one new Steve McQueen movie? Five new Steve McQueen movies! The brilliant anthology SMALL AXE has started releasing on Amazon Prime. All five films are about the West Indian immigrant community in London during the ‘60s and ‘70s. I’ve seen the first two, MANGROVE and LOVERS ROCK, and they are two of my favorite movies of the year. McQueen creates two very distinct films, as MANGROVE is a courtroom drama about the Mangrove 9, and LOVERS ROCK takes place almost entirely at a dance party. Both are visually stunning and impossible to look away from. I can’t wait to watch the final three. 

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant
 

TV

It’s rare that the odd-ball assortment of celebrities on my Twitter feed coalesce around a show, so when they were ALL telling me to watch HOW TO WITH JOHN WILSON on HBO, I felt like I needed to at least check it out. The show consists of quirky documentarian John Wilson walking around NYC with his handheld camera, filming how-to videos. Each episode tackles a different topic like “How to cover your furniture” or “How to make the perfect risotto”. Although the premise is weird and John doesn’t actually tell you how to do any of these things, beneath the weirdness are some really meaningful meditations on life and the simple relationships and encounters that make it up. The story builds to a final episode that I wasn’t expecting. I may have cried.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

Theater 

I promise this ~might~ be one of the last times I mention the National Theatre (JK probably not). But, they’re launching a streaming service where you can watch their old productions! Truly the best news I’ve gotten all week. Their available plays range from old classics (think OTHELLO and MEDEA) to contemporary works, and star everyone from Helen Mirren and Olivia Colman to Michaela Coel and Tom Hiddleston. Viewers can either pay a monthly subscription fee or rent plays one at a time—more info here! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
 

Comic Book

KNOCK EM DEAD, Eliot Rahal, Mattia Monaco, & Andy Clarke’s supernatural series about a stand-up comedian feels like I’M DYING UP HERE meets DEAD LIKE ME. The real allure of the story is the fight to perfect a craft, and the humor is great as well. It’s early on in the series, but the story already feels like it could be a perfect blend of comedy and horror. 

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Director of Production

Book

One of my absolute favorite books of this year is a relatively new release: THE ORCHARD by David Hopen. It’s effectively THE SECRET HISTORY by way of Orthodox Judaism, following a young man named Ari Eden as he moves from his ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn to the Miami suburbs for his senior year of high school. At his new modern-Orthodox high school, Ari falls in with a group of popular guys who introduce him to a world of teen partying, sex, drugs…basically everything he never would have considered trying in his former life. Grieving his late mother and determined to prove that he is one of God’s “chosen” people, Evan heads down a path of self-destruction that threatens the lives of his friends as well. It’s equal parts cerebral and thrilling, and I could not put it down. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
 

Podcast 

THE OYSTER is a new sci-fi podcast from the Paragon Collective, with an ensemble cast featuring Logan Browning (DEAR WHITE PEOPLE), Mamoudou Athie (JURASSIC WORLD), Giancarlo Esposito (BREAKING BAD), Carla Gugino (HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE), Constance Zimmer (HOUSE OF CARDS), and Andrew Santino (DAVE). The series takes place 30 years in the future, after global warming has rendered the earth nearly uninhabitable. The government creates a numeric rating system to determine an individual’s usefulness to society. People with ratings above 50 are deemed useful enough to be “saved” and enter a civilization below ground with limited resources. But once underground, in order to increase life satisfaction, the government begins testing The Oyster—a software program that mimics DMT and creates a sort of Nirvana for participants. At its center, this series explores what happens when people no longer want to live in reality. 

While the expansive cast of characters makes the podcast a bit hard to follow, the comprehensive world-building and high concept make this series notable. 

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant
 

Short Film 

I’m always looking for ways to find comfort in quarantine, and Siqi Song’s new short THE COIN offered exactly that. It’s a tale of tradition and finding home when you’re far from it, as many of us have to be, this holiday season. Bolstered by some seriously innovative and *woolly* animation, Siqi follows up her 2020 Oscar-nominated SISTER with an equally beautiful short. 

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

11/20/20

This week: Social backlash, Obama’s new book, and everything to watch/read over Thanksgiving

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Playing Among Us With Pros
☞ Letterboxd: Parasite
☞ TikTok: #NBAdraft
☞ Spotify: Therefore I Am - Billie Eilish
☞ Netflix:  The Crown
☞ Twitter: #Charli

Life & Culture

Big week for social platforms. IG changed its interface, adding tabs for Reels and Shopping, and people are not happy. Twitter added a “disappearing tweets” feature called Fleets, similar to IG and Snapchat Stories, and—surprise!—people are not happy. As humans, we are resistant to change, so this reaction is hardly shocking. Usually, we complain loudly, use the app anyway, get used to it, and then forget we were ever mad about it. But with IG users resisting adopting Reels in a meaningful way, I’m curious if that’s what happens in this case. Or, maybe Instagram walks the change back in another few months and replaces this experiment with something else shiny and new. 

On a more serious note, there’s a small sliver of good news related to this wilted disappointment of a year: The US’s greenhouse gas emissions are on track to fall 9.2 percent compared to last year. This is of course a result of the pandemic, as transportation is the highest-polluting sector of the economy and many of us spent a big part of this year working from home. Globally, emissions are on track to fall 7 percent, the figure that scientists say we’ll need to meet every year this decade to keep climate change at a manageable pace. Since the improvement came as a result of the pandemic and not real action, maintaining that number feels...pretty unlikely.

The two wildest TikToks I saw this week were this video depicting what is easily the most terrifying job on the planet and this video showcasing the most deadly rubber-band fly sniper out there. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant

Film 

If you’ve been craving the fun of a big theatrical film with a lot of heart and some weird-looking critters, LOVE AND MONSTERS is a great pick. Directed by Michael Matthews and released digitally last month, it’s the story of a plucky young man named Joel who’s been living in an underground bunker since the monster apocalypse hit. Sustained only by radio conversations with his girlfriend Amy, Joel sets out to find Amy’s colony on foot, monsters be damned. While I expected the movie to be a big CGI action-packed blockbuster (and it certainly is that at times), I was not expecting it to be so emotional and uplifting. A great co-viewing option for your Thanksgiving! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

TV

For those craving political and Hollywood history folded into one, THE REAGANS just released its first episode on Showtime. It explores the peculiar journey of the left-leaning and pro-union actor and President of SAG, Ronald Reagan, who went on to become the defining symbol of 80s conservatism. And yes, the profile on Nancy is equally (if not ten times more) juicy. The parallels with Donald Trump are undeniable and as fascinating as the doc’s interview with Reagan’s own son. 

—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive
 

Theater 

If you’re missing the usual family dysfunction of an in-person Thanksgiving, look no further than this star-studded production of UNCLE VANYA, available to stream through November 23! The production stars Constance Wu as Yelena, Samira Wiley as Sonya, Ellen Burstyn as Maria, and Alan Cumming as Vanya, the titular drunkard. Get your tickets here!

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
 

Manga 

DR. RAMUNE- MYSTERIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST by Toro Aho is a sci-fi/fantasy comedy about a doctor who can cure mysterious diseases. The series feels like HOUSE meets the CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA. Each case is funny and weird but ends with our hero helping the patient through a deep piece of trauma. It’s quirky, honest and heartfelt — something nice to settle into for Thanksgiving.

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec
 

Book

President Obama’s latest is here—and it’s shattering all the sales records for presidential memoirs. THE PROMISED LAND is the first in a two-volume set chronicling his political career and his two terms as the 44th president of the United States. Whether you’re eager to escape reality with some “historical” nonfiction or just looking for a gift for your dad for the holidays, immersing yourself in 700 pages of his elegant prose isn’t the worst way to spend your break. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
 

Comic Book

BIG GIRLS by Jason Howard has so much going for it. Set against a dystopian world with giant monsters of our own creation, it feels like PACIFIC RIM meets ATTACK ON TITAN by way of GIRLS. If that sounds like a combination that shouldn’t work, let me tell you that it does. While the series is gigantic in its action and scale, the emotions of the characters are small and intimate. Jump into this one if you want a fun action/sci-fi read!

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec
 

Podcast

Podcasts are often the perfect medium for “truth is stranger than fiction” stories, and BED OF LIES is a perfect example of how sometimes you just can’t make this shit up. The new podcast from The Telegraph hits on a scandal that uncovers a British police practice in which officers take on new identities and engage in romantic affairs with female activists to infiltrate left-wing circles. The level of deception is so extreme that, after six years of dating, one woman discovers her partner not only goes by a different name but also has a secret family. There are only two episodes out right now, but I’m dying to hear more about how deep this program runs through law enforcement and if the women have found a stealthy way to organize and retaliate… 

—Erica Beach, Development Assistant
 

Short Film 

Can a music video be a short film? I would argue yes, when it’s done as well as LOST BUT NEVER ALONE. Last week the Safdie brothers dropped the new music video with their frequent collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never and it’s just as trippy as you would expect. What I didn’t expect was how much heart it had. The video takes the genius concept of inserting modern-day technology into the past. The father of the family doesn’t understand the iPhone his son has and he destroys it with a hammer, but maybe what he’s actually destroying is…his son? Check it out! 

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

11/13/20

This week: Soapy mysteries, Hollywood con artists, and new music from Lil Nas X.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: Biden Victory Cold Open - SNL
☞ Letterboxd: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
☞ TikTok: #HolidayCountdown
☞ Spotify: Positions: Ariana Grande
☞ Netflix:  The Queen’s Gambit
☞ Twitter: #Billie

Life & Culture

Spotify is leaning even further into the world of podcasts—and getting access to a treasure trove of listener data in the process. The audio company announced on Tuesday that it’s acquiring Megaphone, one of the biggest podcast hosting companies that helps advertisers target specific audience segments across various podcasts. And obviously, where there is user segmentation, there’s user data. Personally, Spotify is one company that I’m cool with giving my data to—I listen to my Spotify-curated Discover Weekly playlist every week and can’t wait until I get to see the end of year data they share, from my Top 2020 songs playlist to how many hours of music I’ve listened to this past year. I’m definitely curious to see how this style of personalization extends into podcasts in the very near future. 

AMC is going nationwide with its private theater rental program. Movie lovers can rent out a screen at one of AMC’s 600 screening rooms nationwide for as many as 20 people. After testing the program in beta, the exhibitor saw 110,000 inquiries around the country. It’s showing recent titles like TENET for $149 and old classics like SHREK for $99. If you ask me, seeing SHREK on the big screen sounds like an absolute dream, and it’s cool to see theaters getting innovative in their quest to survive this pandemic. 

Lil Nas X is making a comeback almost two years after his genre-mashing EP went insanely viral and Old Town Road was all we heard anywhere and everywhere—for months. He’s had a chill, very Gen-Z-feeling approach to promoting upcoming music, as he’s been teasing upcoming singles on Twitter for months (this one in particular seems like it’s going to be a bop). He’s finally officially putting out a new album, and his newest single “Holiday” came out today. He’ll be promoting the song with a virtual live concert experience with Roblox, a global gaming company, on Saturday. 

Two of the best TikToks I saw this week were this video from one of my favorite series where a man asks strangers what happiness means to them, and this video of a girl discovering an extra, err, roommate living in her ceiling.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant


Film 

You guys. YOU GUYS. If there’s one movie that’s been tragically, conspicuously missing from every streamer’s library—until now— it’s the LA-set 90’s masterpiece, BOYZ N THE HOOD. I can get into the obvious reasons why this remains one of the smartest and most timeless films e-v-e-r but I’d rather dare you, reader, to name a movie starring more famous people who were all unknowns at the time. You can’t. So, when you’re done binging THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT (as our founder Erik Feig did in one weekend), I highly recommend staying on Netflix to check out John Singleton’s feature directorial debut. It’ll treat you to a baby-faced cast that includes Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fisburne, Morris Chestnut, Angela Bassett, Nia Long, and even a cameo from Singleton himself. You’re welcome in advance.
—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive

TV

Looking for a distraction amidst this most surreal news cycle? Look no further. THE UNDOING has earned its impressive ratings through a deliciously soapy mystery and a committed performance from Nicole Kidman. She effortlessly sells every single twist and turn in a way that reminds me, once more, why she’s one of Hollywood’s best. And the weirdly sexual tension she shares with a winning (and consistently underrated!) Edgar Ramirez? *Mwah*
—Kauveh Khozein Carrera, Creative Executive
 

Video Game

WATCH DOGS: LEGION is the game that got me through last week! It’s such a great release to be able to resist the government and rally communities to fight for freedom in a dystopian London. The most enjoyable part of the game is the fact that literally anyone can join the resistance. One minute you could be playing as a radicalized college sophomore and the next you could be playing as a retired history teacher. They all have different skills that make them indispensable to the cause. If you believe in freedom and fighting for what’s right, this is the game for you!
—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec
 

Theater 

Tickets are now available for my favorite Zoom theater series, OLD VIC: IN CAMERA. Next up is a production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL starring Andrew Lincoln and written by Jack Thorne. The play will be performed between December 12 and 24, so for anyone (like me) who’s already eager for holiday content, book your tickets now before they sell out! If the production value of their past shows is any indication, this is some of the best Zoom theater you’ll see all year. And since the shows are broadcast at 8pm GMT, they make for perfect afternoon co-viewing for the whole family!

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
 

Manga

In Heaven’s Animal Design Department, designers create a variety of new animals daily while contending with the unreasonable requests of their client: God. Funny, interesting, and full of useful information, this series answers questions such as, “Why can’t unicorns exist?”, “What makes an animal taste delicious?”, “What’s the most powerful creature in the ocean?”, and “Bird versus snake: Who would win?” HEAVEN’S DESIGN TEAM by Tarako, Hebi Zou, Tsuta Suzuki will make your next trip to the zoo or aquarium 100 times more fun!

This series reads more like a workplace comedy in the vein of MIRACLE WORKERS. The chapters feature a team of angels designing the various creatures of earth. The fun comes by way of the various problems they have to solve for each animal so that it can survive in its unique environment. It’s fun and educational, so if you love animals and manga like me, you’ll enjoy this series. 

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec
 

Book

Apologies for doubling up on theater-related recs, but last week I finally got around to reading Isaac Butler and Dan Kois’ oral history of Angels in America, THE WORLD ONLY SPINS FORWARD. The book opens with a history lesson, documenting the origins of the AIDS crisis and how the spread of the disease inspired Tony Kushner to write his first draft of the play (which was over a thousand pages— a fact I can totally believe). Butler and Kois then walk us through the original workshops and productions of the play, followed by the HBO miniseries and subsequent major productions (with lots of fun anecdotes from the actors and major figures involved). The cultural impact of the play shines through on every page. I found the book an incredibly inspiring and important read, especially in light of the past year—art perseveres! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
 

Podcasts

I cannot stop listening to Campside’s new podcast CHAMELEON: HOLLYWOOD CON QUEEN. The series follows journalists Josh Dean and Vanessa Grigoriadis as they attempt to figure out who was actually responsible for a decade-long con targeting workers at the bottom of the Hollywood power structure. What makes this podcast so compelling is the peculiar nature of the con itself. The con artist masquerades as various powerful female executives in Hollywood and offers day players, trainers, and makeup artists their big break on a high budget movie in Jakarta….all they have to do is get on a plane. But when the plane lands, they quickly discover there is no producer. There is no movie. It’s all a fraud. Which brings us to the central question CHAMELEON tries to answer: Who was going through all this trouble to make a few 100 dollars per con?

—Lucy Putnam, Development Assistant

This indie podcast didn’t get much buzz upon release but WE SHARE THE SAME SKY just came across my radar and has stuck with me. It’s a powerful story of a woman tracing her grandmother’s past through WWII Europe as she leaves her home and flees from Nazis. The series explores how the retelling of family stories becomes history itself and how acts of kindness during war can echo across generations. This scar of history has been examined time and time again, but the podcast layers on a contemporary travel story, which felt like a fresh, relatable way into an intergenerational war story. 

—Erica Beach, Development Assistant
 

Short Film 

PARACHUTE by Katherine Tolentino focuses on Wendy, a Chinese "parachute" high school student in America. Parachute kids are students who are sent to go to school in the US without their parents. She has been living with an American family for three years when a new student from China, Mei-Ling, arrives. The two disagree on how to go about their respective lives in America, which forces each of them to question their place in the world, especially as outsiders in an American high school. Tolentino’s short feels universal even though it's very specific in scope. And just like with any good coming-of-age story, it feels deeply relatable no matter where you come from.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

11/06/20

This week: Patience, misinformation, and so much counting.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube:  Maluma & The Weeknd - Hawái
☞ Letterboxd: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
☞ TikTok: #homeoffice
☞ Spotify: Positions: Ariana Grande
☞ Netflix:  The Queen’s Gambit
☞ Twitter: Biden - 264

LIFE & CULTURE

As I type this, votes are continuing to be tallied, lawsuits are being filed, recounts are being promised, and the presidential race is still too close to call. Some positive takeaways from the election that we already know for sure? Voters in Mississippi voted to remove the Confederate flag from their state flag. Florida raised its minimum wage to $15. The first transgender state senator was elected in Delaware. New Jersey banned businesses from handing out single-use plastic. More people exercised their right to vote than ever before. Voters under 30 made up for 17% of all voters this go-round, and they overwhelmingly voted for Joe Biden—especially young people of color. 88% of young Black voters, 83% of young Asian voters, and 75% of young Latinx voters voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this election. 

Another bright spot: Social media companies have been forced to put their money where their mouths are in this close election, implementing new policies to flag misinformation and prevent its spread. Both Facebook and Twitter have been taking action on false allegations. In the days since voting closed, President Trump, notorious for tweeting false claims, has seen twelve of his tweets flagged for misinformation. I have noticed more hidden tweets due to misinformation on my timeline than ever before. While these new policies can’t stop people from forming and sharing their own opinions, it’s reassuring that the platforms are making an effort to ensure we’re sharing facts instead of falsehoods, when it comes to something as important as well, the future of our democracy. 

It’s been a stressful week, and for me it’s been a much more emotional week than I anticipated. Sharing a few Toks that brought me joy this week, because I think we could all use some of that. This cute grandad is absolutely killing the newest dance trend. This man was able to accurately depict my feelings every time we turn the clocks back. And this mom caught on camera simply attempting to pull her car out of her driveway gave me a deep laugh when I needed it most.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant


FILM

This past weekend I found myself needing an escape ahead of the looming election (and I didn’t know back then what I know now). On Sunday night I ended up retreating to a guilty pleasure of mine, mumblecore. Cooper Raiff's SHITHOUSE won the jury prize at SXSW this year and I've been eagerly waiting for it to drop. It didn't disappoint. Raiff wrote, directed and acted in this film which is an autobiographical portrait of his first days in college. He falls for his RA (an incredible Dylan Gelula) and they spend one night together, which has an outsized impact on where and how he finds his place at school. This movie is undeniably charming—so much so that for at least a few seconds, I forgot about the election and was completely transported into its world. Check it out on PVOD.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

TV

I’ve stuck with Luca Guadagnino’s WE ARE WHO WE ARE over the past eight weeks and while I was lukewarm on the first few episodes, I was completely enthralled by how the season turned out. For fans of CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, I can assure you, you will not be disappointed. You will get Italian landscapes, you will get queer romances and you will definitely get angsty teenagers. Luca is the master of mood and this show does not disappoint in that department. Also, look out for Jordan Kristine Seamón because she totally steals the show and is destined to be a star. All episodes are available on HBO and HBO MAX.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant
 

THEATRE

If you’re looking to spend a couple hours away from the election news cycle, I present to you: CIRCLE JERK by Michael Breslin and Patrick Kelly. There aren’t enough adjectives to properly describe this piece of digital theater, but I can tell you that it is a WILD ride unlike anything I’ve seen on stage or screen. It has white gay supremacist internet trolls (eager to purge the world of everyone but white gay men), evil Amazon Alexas, classic scenes from The Hills and The O.C., and a “Meme Ballet.” The live performances happened last week, but you can stream the piece through Saturday 11/7, so get on it! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

BOOK

Becky Cooper’s WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE is the latest book in my favorite genre of nonfiction-that-reads-like-fiction. It’s an incredibly detailed, nail-biting account of the murder of a Harvard grad student in 1969. After hearing the campus folklore around the murder while she was a Harvard undergraduate, Cooper became obsessed with the tale: An archaeology grad student was bludgeoned to death by the professor she was having an affair with. He decorated her corpse with red powder and jewelry, mimicking an ancient burial rite. But as Cooper began to dive into the mystery headfirst, she discovered that nothing from the urban legend was quite as it seemed… and that the most guilty party may actually have been the university itself. Even for readers who don’t love true crime, this is a fantastic exploration of how institutions suppress their darkest secrets. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec
 

PRODUCTION

A second spike of COVID cases—and new lockdowns in Europe—have not stopped film and TV production abroad. Shoots in France, Italy, Germany and the UK are carrying on thanks to their COVID protocols keeping casts & crews in quarantine bubbles. Some notable projects continuing production are MATRIX 4 in Germany and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 7 in Italy. Read more on what’s going on here.

—Graham Lawyer, Physical Production Coordinator

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

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10/30/20

This week: Vote, vote, vote, vote, vote.

TRENDS THIS WEEK

☞ YouTube: City Girls - Flewed Out
☞ Letterboxd: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
☞ TikTok: #mycostume
☞ Spotify: Positions: Ariana Grande
☞ Netflix:  Holidate
☞ Twitter: Paul Rudd

LIFE & CULTURE

I have always been resistant to the idea of merging my social media world with my shopping world. However, for better or worse, I’ve become a recent convert, after making my first purchase based on a targeted IG ad recently. And I guess it’s just in time, since shopping is about to dominate our social feeds, from Instagram to Tiktok. Shopping recs on the app have been passing from user to user for a while on TikTok, but now the tech giant is going all in, with a new partnership with Shopify.  Read more about the specifics of the deal here. I guess I’m primed and ready for my next ad-inspired purchase….

Large turkeys across the country are rejoicing—but they might be the only ones. Knowing that families won’t be able to gather for Thanksgiving in the same way they usually do, turkey farmers have been forced to reckon with the fact that people just won’t be buying big birds this year. These farmers have also missed out on turkey-leg sales at sporting events, fairs, and theme parks. (That’s really not a sentence I thought I would ever find myself typing at work.) While this all may seem pretty insignificant, especially to those who skip the turkey on Thanksgiving anyway, hearing this news on KCRW on Tuesday made me think about just how many individual aspects of our society have been shaken by the pandemic. The reality is that as of last month, half of adults in the US who lost a job during the coronavirus outbreak are still unemployed. 

If you have any type of social media account, it’s safe to say you’ve seen endless posts encouraging you to vote. It might feel like overkill—or even just lip service—at this point, but it actually matters. Here's the harsh reality: Only 55% of eligible voters actually voted in the 2016 presidential election. That means nearly half of the people who ~could~ vote, didn’t. and that’s not including people whose names were purged from voter rolls for sketchy and questionable reasons or formerly incarcerated citizens whose states prevented them from voting. Things are hopefully looking up, though. As of Thursday morning, more than 75 million Americans have already voted in this year's election—that's already over half of the total votes counted in 2016's election. I’m going to go ahead and add myself to the long list of people you don’t know telling you to vote...but go out and make your voice heard, guys!

And of course, I’ve gotta leave you with some TikToks. This week the Toks that spoke to me the most were this beautiful animation depicting the true circle of life as we all work from home, and this comprehensive tutorial on how to pick up a sheep, for any of you getting into that this weekend.

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant


FILM

Yes, this is slightly off-brand for me, but I loved BORAT: SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM. Even though the original came out 14 years ago (!!), the character and Cohen’s schtick have aged better than I expected, largely because Cohen has brought on a co-star, Maria Bakalova, who absolutely steals the show. Together, Cohen and Bakalova bring Borat’s uncomfortable comedy to insane new heights. It’s the perfect antidote to these hellish times!

—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

My rec is a throwback this week: Julie Dash’s beautiful DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST. Released in 1991, this was the first film directed by a Black woman to be theatrically distributed in the US (think about that for a second.). It’s set in a Gullah community on the islands off the coast of South Carolina, and features an entirely Black cast. The film plays more like a visual poem than anything else. It’s a bit hard to follow narratively but I recommend not trying too hard to follow the exact plotlines and instead letting yourself be immersed in the world that Julie has created. The film also captivated Beyoncé, as a lot of visuals from LEMONADE were drawn from it! Check it out on Criterion.

—Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

TV

In the world of Peak TV, THIS IS US still manages to deliver big-time emotional pressure release valves unlike anything else on TV. The two-hour premiere of S5 this week (on NBC) doesn’t pull any punches (it embraces COVID, Black Lives Matter, and a lot of the other defining and upsetting elements of 2020). I, personally, appreciate a show leaning into our world’s plagues, especially at a time when a lot of us might need it. Go ahead and reconnect with the Pearsons, cry, feel, and use the show as an outlet to unload so many of those emotions you’ve been holding inside of you. And of course, please vote. :)

—Neil Krishnan, Development Assistant


COMIC BOOK

No one has ever seen a living god, but Captain Malik is obsessed with being the first. In WE ONLY FIND THEM WHEN THEY’RE DEAD by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo, Captain Malik and the crew of the Vihaan II harvest the only resources that matter from the giant corpses of alien gods found at the edge of human space. While other autopsy ships race to salvage the meat, minerals, and metals that sustain the human race, Malik sees an opportunity to finally break free from this system. However, Malik's obsession with the gods will push his crew into the darkest reaches of space, bringing them face to face with a threat unlike anything they've ever imagined—unless the rogue agent on their trail can stop them first….

I love the ambition of this new series! It’s a space opera that has the promise of the great unknown. It’s a search for gods in defiance of authority. Captain Malik’s crew is diverse, fun, and interesting. The story feels very much like ATTACK ON TITAN set in space, so if you’re a fan of that property you should definitely check out the two issues that have been released so far!

—Royce Reeves-Darby, Creative Exec

PODCAST

No, I’m not over the fact that Nia DaCosta’s CANDYMAN pushed to 2021. However, DaCosta’s podcast GHOST TAPE  may hold me over for at least a few weeks. The story follows new recruit Tessa Dixon (Kiersey Clemons) at a remote army base in Texas as she deals with the psychological and physical trauma of basic training. When she finds a tape belonging to her grandfather labeled “Ghost Tape 10,” she plays the haunting audio and unknowingly unleashes a deadly manifestation of her own family’s horrible misdeeds. I was intrigued enough by the first episode that I found myself in weird corners of Wikipedia researching propaganda campaigns in Vietnam. So...something clearly stuck with me!

—Erica Beach, Development Assistant
 

THEATRE

Heidi Schreck’s hilarious and winning play WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME is not exactly new (it ran off-Broadway in 2018, on Broadway in 2019, and ran in Los Angeles earlier this year) but I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring it up anyway. A filmed version of the play is now streaming on Amazon, and it’ is the perfect antidote to the anxiety I’m feeling leading up to Election Day. Schreck’s play is not an overly earnest  didactic lesson in politics; it’s a wildly funny, heartfelt story of a young girl learning to engage with politics and the world around her as she comes of age.
—Julia Hammer, Creative Exec

BOOK

My favorite book of the year (my coworkers are truly tired of hearing me talk about it) publishes this week: MEMORIAL by Bryan Washington. Gorgeous and intimate, with a truly distinct gay romance at the center, this one has stayed with me for some time. Mike and Benson are on the verge of breaking up after four years. Just as Mike's mother Mitsuko arrives in Houston to visit, Mike decides to return to Osaka to visit his dying father (leaving Benson and Mitsuko to bond in what is my favorite potential buddy comedy spin-off). What I love the most about this book is how it shows the messiness of minority parent-child relationships (both Mike and Benson are POC) when dealing with queerness and culture clash—and how these can persist and even haunt, longafter the children grow up. A24 snatched up the rights to this (I’m not bitter at all) and I can’t wait to see the limited series adaptation.
—Neil Krishnan, Development Assistant
 

SHORT FILMS

In partnership with Dazed Media, Gucci released a series of short films titled ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS, which features nine first-time directors typically seen in front of the camera—including Elle Fanning, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Each short is visually stunning and playful, but Jodie Turner-Smith’s and Emma Corrin’s shorts topped the list for me. A few more installments in the series will be released next week. 

—Erica Beach, Development Assistant

Hot off the presses! Former PS assistant Sahan Jayawardena just came out with CAN I HAVE A MASK, a short film based on Sahan’s brother’s experience as a doctor in the early weeks of the pandemic. There has been a lot of COVID-related content dropping recently but Sahan’s short has a surprising amount of heart packed in, paired with some truly beautiful animation. Definitely check it out. 

—Darlene Kenney, Marketing Assistant & Bennett Levine, Executive Assistant

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

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