culture porn 1/26
this week’s playlist
screenshot me:
american nightmare (netflix)
while everything about the framing, titling, and docuseries-ness of this felt almost like the genre was starting to parody itself....there's a reason it's the top show on NETFLIX right now. it's almost unbelievable to watch, and viewers are review-bombing the vallejo, CA police department in outrage.
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fool me once (netflix)
i just had dinner with the author of NETFLIX's #1 global series. and the very first question i asked harlan coben was: how do you come up with the names of your books? (answer: they just materialize!) his 2016 best-seller is now an action thriller: a female special ops veteran gets caught in a deliciously messy knot of potential double-crossing involving her recently murdered (or was he?) husband.
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poor things (searchlight)
i love me some emma stone! coupled with her BRILLIANT performance (about performance!) in THE CURSE (SHOWTIME), i can't get enough of this crazily talented and versatile actress. plus, the oversized mutton sleeves and wacky wardrobe choices are already driving the vibe on the runways this season. and oh, that dance scene with mark ruffalo. filmmaker yorgos lanthimos proves, once again, that weird is truly and spectacularly wonderful.
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wiser than me (lemonada)
i just discovered this pod by julia-louis dreyfus (VEEP) talking to women "of a certain age" about their life lessons. and not just any women, but icons like carol burnett, isabel allende, jane fonda, darlene love, diane von furstenberg, and (the episode i started with) – fran lebowitz. it's part therapy, part biography, and an earful of great convos.
- @piklinong
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inside voice (audible)
we've been deep diving on sonic branding lately, and this lake bell audiobook is the cherry on top! it's a great listen (with some fantastically voiced celeb cameos) on all things vocal and how broad of a cultural (and personal) impact voice has. tl;dr: voice affects more than you might realize!
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hackers (max)
continuing on the "they don't make movies like they used to" theme, in which i check out fan-favorite movies that i haven't seen, but definitely are worth a revisit (with a big thank you to my fiancé for prompting all of these archival viewings!)....this week is about HACKERS, the movie that walked so MR ROBOT could run! everything about HACKERS feels appropriate for a rewatch today -- anti-institution youth mixed with cyber-punk meets "corecore" style-edits and a fantastic soundtrack.
insights & inspo
pandemic learning loss: understanding academic, mental, & developmental delays
the data is in: the learning loss that took place during COVID-19 academically, emotionally, socially, and developmentally, is being coined the “most damaging disruption in the history of american education.” our founder, sarah unger, spoke to matt klein of
about the challenges and the solutions that will need to be put in place.more insights here
the crochet coral reef keeps spawning, hyperbolically
when art can bring together community and creativity plus raise awareness about the importance of protecting our oceans, it’s a feel-good moment for humanity. the art-science collaboration of the CROCHET CORAL REEF project is a global initiative, led by the wertheim sisters, blending art, mathematics, and environmental advocacy. each crocheted piece represents the delicate ecosystems of the great barrier reef, highlighting the intersection of imagination and conservation.
more insights here