culture porn 2/3
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
poker face (peacock)
i've never been a huge fan of natasha lyonne (RUSSIAN DOLL), but her natural charms work to her advantage in this case-of-the-week comedy by rian johnson (GLASS ONION). inspired by the bumbling, nervy charm of COLOMBO (ICYMI, the original series is on PEACOCK), her elevated pitch is perfectly cast, and a great match for the heightened production design. don't miss adrien brody, whose clothing is even more notable than his much-commented on wardrobe in SUCCESSION.
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you people (netflix)
cringe after cringe moment abounds in kenya barris' latest film which takes a MEET THE PARENTS-esque set up and adds in the dynamics of interracial relationships and a mocking POV on appropriate woke culture. i personally appreciated the LA setting (especially LA's specific Jewish culture in the mix) and seeing Eddie Murphy in anything is a total treat.
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close (a24)
the moving performances of the two young boys really resonated with me – and the cannes jury as well. they awarded the grand prix to this belgian film, now an oscar contender, which slow burns its tale of a childhood friendship that is torn apart when a schoolmate inquires if they're a couple. examining intimacy, loyalty, and the cruelty of judgment, director lucas dhont channels his own experiences being bullied and confused by his budding sexuality.
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shrinking (apple tv +)
if you liked THE PATIENT (HULU), follow it up with this lighter take on therapy. harrison ford (1923) is in full-on grumpy wisecracker mode - think of han solo as a veteran psychologist – trying to help a hapless colleague (jason segal) grieve the loss of his wife. jessica williams (2 DOPE QUEENS, THE DAILY SHOW) adds color (literally) as their hydration-obsessed co-worker.
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classic krakauer: essays on wilderness and risk (jon krakauer)
at my aunt's recommendation, i devoured ten essays from one of my favorite authors on wilderness, risk, and survival. given my ongoing knee saga has me benched from the adventures i love, reading vicariously through these thrilling (and at times terrifying tales) was adrenaline enough. some were heart wrenching, but all were well written. highly recommend.
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strength to strength (portfolio penguin)
i'm a longtime fan of arthur c. brooks' great columns in THE ATLANTIC about happiness, and this book on navigating mid-life and mid-career transitions is my new bible. even if you're in the early stages of your career, this book (along with rick rubin's A THE CREATIVE ACT: A WAY OF BEING) helps you envision and evolve a successful life at any age.
insights & inspo
the hottest place to network is an icebath
reading this felt like a parody but then again, it all makes sense! sometimes we're hanging on by a thread, caught in our own mental patterns, and ice baths can shock our senses -- and our social skills? seems so for a very self-selecting subsection of folks.
this post triggered conversation in the comments on our instagram, @cultique.co. User Ashley Day (@spicycilantro) commented:
“this is something that i actually frustrated me about working in tech/design field lol. maybe not specifically the ice baths but like that one quote in your post quoted that person as saying, “we need someone who fits our culture. this is a good way to find out.” it seems like the wellness industry has taken over those industries and if you don’t agree with it or your beliefs don’t align with it, there’s judgment lol. makes me also think of the meyer-briggs test being used to discriminate. it feels more like, “are you cool enough to be in our world?” it doesn’t take into account that people have different cultures or beliefs at time. i worked at a place where the CEO and higher ups would share neo-spiritual ideas or beliefs as company foundations on how to run the company. sometimes things like this now seem like a red flag to me. it’s cool if you want to treat your company to a spa day, but to treat it as a good way to “vet” people can border on discrimination sometimes i think.”
we thought it was a very interesting point and definitely sparks discussion over whether belief systems (spiritual, religious, lifestyle or otherwise) can be infused in work culture without being discriminatory or more specifically used in vetting talent. we’ve definitely seen examples of company cultures being cult like and it seems like a conversation worth having over where to draw the line.
more insights here
forget google maps: why paper map sales are booming
as a teenager learning to drive, my mom was keen to get my directionally-challenged self to appreciate the educational glory of a road atlas. unfortunately, printed MAPQUEST directions soon took over, ending my career as a cartographer. directions have never been my strong suit...they are perhaps even my achilles heel. but now, i too appreciate maps! i respond to their beauty, as i seek to learn and understand the world around me. i marvel at information laid out visually. when @lindaong100 shared this article on paper maps - the latest art craze - i took note.
more insights here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
for this week’s look forward linda ong shared what’s trending that she’s NOT a fan of.
I’M NOT A FAN of vegas, but seeing the 19th performance of adele's residency at CAESAR'S was worth braving the masses – and she did it too!
I'M NOT A FAN of the NFL's regular season, but i go all in around this time of year. this year's NFC & AFC contests featured 4 young QB's - and now more history is in the making. the CHIEFS' patrick mahomes (a relative veteran at 27) faces the EAGLES' jalen hurts (24) in the first-ever SUPER BOWL between 2 teams led by Black men.
I'M NOT A FAN of anthropomorphic candy, but i'm loving the shade-throwing now that M&M's is replacing its troubled spokescandies for maya rudolph, and "rebranding" to "MA & YA's." hmmm.
for linda’s full debrief, head here