culture porn 8/19
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
the sandman (netflix)
we've been eagerly awaiting this long-awaited series ever since we partnered with AUDIBLE on the successful audiobook release of neil gaiman's beloved graphic novel. an incredibly faithful adaptation has diehard fans – who've waited for decades as the project languished in hollywood – rapturous and delirious at last.
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bodies bodies bodies (a24)
packed with young talent from faves like GENERATION & INDUSTRY, this new A24 release is the black comedy slasher film to see. i gasped occasionally and laughed a lot at the self-referential Gen Z humor. at an hour and 35 minutes it’s the type of shortish-form movies i want to see more of!
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freedom uncut: george michael (apple tv+)
this recent doc, directed by the late artist himself, serves as both a poppy throwback and cautionary tale. but what's stunning is to realize what an iconic global megastar he was, influencing fashion and film, most memorably through his collab with director david fincher and the all-supermodel cast of FREEDOM '90.
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prey (hulu)
this prequel to the PREDATOR franchise takes place in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. i was interested to see it because of this new setting. admittedly, i hadn't seen the original PREDATOR films so i was watching it cold, but there was plenty to enjoy. at times it felt tropey, but i enjoyed the protagonist, Naru - a very impressive warrior, and her equally skilled dog Sarii. alas, i have yet to find an alien film that visually portrays the aliens in a way that doesn't make me chuckle...i still maintain SIGNS would have been better if they hadn't shown the aliens!
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the watch: industry s2 (the ringer)
i'm so excited about the return of this HBO series about Gen Z's existential angst in the fast-moving world of finance. while i don't understand any of the money talk, i'm loving hearing the inside perspectives of showrunners mickey down and konrad kay from THE WATCH hosts andy and chris.
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scary stories to tell in the dark (netflix)
after seeing a meme about this alvin schwartz novel, which haunted many a millennial child including myself, i discovered there was a 2019 movie interpretation available on NETFLIX! it was creepy, but not as creepy as the books - primarily because the nightmarish illustrations of stephen gammell are untouchable.
insights + inspo
why must we work so hard before vacation?
i do love a vacation. but sometimes it can feel like so much work to go away - the pre-planning, the catch up. it can be so intense that it takes a few days away to even start to relax. is it worth it? of course. without a doubt. it's the essence of living! but is there a way to make the benefits better through easier transitions? no doubt. at CULTIQUE, we've tried to work on hand offs and re-entries to make a vacation feel easier. like mentioned in the article, for longer trips i try to pre-plan a buffer day to get up to speed before i launch back into work.
read more here
why is hollywood obsessed with orgies this summer?
now that sex positive terms like bisexual, fluid, polyamory, and consensual non-monogamy are dominant in cultural convos, it’s to be expected that hollywood is jumping in on youth’s willingness to explore alternative lifestyles. curious? check out the trailer from our partners at HBO for THE IDOL - from sam levinson (EUPHORIA) and the weeknd - or the last video in what THE CUT called harry styles’ “orgy trilogy.” but what responsibility does media have in educating a generation that gets much of its sex instruction from porn?
more here
japan’s female sushi chefs are claiming a seat at the counter
as a sushi fan(atic) i was eager to read about how female chefs in japan are breaking down traditional gender barriers in a very traditional industry. sushi is an intense art to master that requires long hours and a lot of training, making it an even more fertile ground to improve work/life balance -- that likely will benefit all sushi chefs.
for more, head here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
wrapping up the east coast leg of my summer, it was wonderful to reconnect with MEDIALINK CEO michael kassan and his lovely wife ronnie in sag harbor hot spot TUTTO IL GIORNO. it’s always great to get the advertising guru’s take on the industry and its people, but as with so many friends this year, much of our talk swirled around how great it is to bask in the joy of travel once again.
tennis GOAT serena williams announced that this year’s US OPEN will be her last professional tournament. and i was fascinated with her decision to “evolve” instead of retire. personally, i’ve been excited to see the language around growing older shift to more accurately reflect our vitality as age expectancy lengthens.
for linda’s full debrief, head here