January is not a great time for new media content. It’s the doldrums of Hollywood – a bit too late to get your Oscar bid in, and way to early to release an indie hit or Blockbuster summer flick. Everyone’s depressed with the malaise of the post-Christmas blues, so they go see the holiday hitmakers that have been in theatres for months.
And it’s my time to strike.
When I say “my time,” I mean I’m late to the game trying to catch up with stuff I’ve missed. And when I say “strike,” I mean passively watch with my roommate or casually rent on RedBox. I try, guys. I try. But this blog isn’t making me any money so I don’t try that hard. Once y’all start paying me, then we’ll talk.
So we’ll call this catch-up week for your resident media lover, even though we could be saying much meaner things about her right now. (The Slowpoke meme comes to mind.)
MEDIA MINUTE #2 – JANUARY 14, 2019
What I’ve Watched This Week:
Bandersnatch (2018): But you already knew that.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018): I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t walk into this movie with huge expectations, other than I knew it was going to be fun. And don’t get me wrong, it was fun. But it was smart, fast fun, not just spending-the-day-at-Chuck-E-Cheese-with-your-nephew-fun. But like jump out of a plane over a tropical rain forest fun. And just as visually stunning. The voice cast is unmatched (Shameik Moore! Nicholas Cage! Hailee Steinfeld! John Mulaney!) and the witty writing makes the screen all the more colorful. But where there’s color there’s also depth – our hero, Miles Morales, is navigating his own bildungsroman but with a twist (spoiler alert: it involves a radioactive spider) while teaming up with four other spideys from four different dimensions. It’s well-executed, well-written, and just good wholesome fun.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018): The first few weeks of this year have been Audrey-catches-up-on-everything-she-missed-last-year. It will probably be that way until I die. But maybe they have the Oscars in Heaven. Who knows. I did get the chance to catch Crazy Rich Asians this week, though, and it was an unexpected treat. I honestly wasn’t planning on watching it at all until my roommate popped it in the other day (says the millennial, who remembers the days when saying “pop in a video” was actually acceptable.) Crazy Rich Asians is a rom-com with a brain. It’s hilarious, but it’s also culturally poignant. How do our cultural norms affect our dating life? Our heroine, a Chinese-American, goes to Singapore to meet her first-generation (and extremely wealthy) Chinese-American boyfriend’s family. Cultural miscommunication ensues, as does the typical rom-com fare – including a crazy best friend, a girls’ day out (shopping spree! On a remote island!) and a b-word of an ex-girlfriend.
The Favourite (2018): Want to glut yourself on a hefty helping of Oscar contenders? Make way for the grandeur of The Favourite. Set to a sumptuous Baroque soundtrack, two acolytes (Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz) compete for the affections of petulant Queen Anne during political turmoil in mid-18th Century Britain. It’s like eating a really rich meal – delicious but heavy, and it gives you something of a stomach ache at its end. But in a good way, I guess (?) Directed by the man who brought us The Lobster, get ready for quirk, spunk, and extremely tight and uncomfortable close-ups (also some mesmerizing fish-eye shots.)
What I’m Listening To:
Mumford & Sons: I’ve been listening through Mumford’s latest album, Delta, and I can’t help but feel like this is the music they play in a hipster church before the sermon starts. I’m sure Mumford would take that well, since they’ve developed their own edgy pseudeo-Christian vibe (Awake My Soul, hello.) It’s sonically vast and pulsing, which isn’t completely unappealing, but it kind of delves into a synthy same-ness after awhile. I liked their departure from their typical sound in Wilder Mind, but they seem to have departed and then just…stayed there.
“Goodnight Hollywood” by Jamestown Revival: Speaking of neo-folk, say hello to Jamestown Revival. One of my favorite songs by them is aptly titled “Revival,” and it’s great barn-raising music, I’ll tell ya. “Goodnight Hollywood” is more laid-back and contemplative – it’s about giving up yourself for the ideal of fame, only to give it up because of the cost. Give it a listen. Jamestown has delicious vocals and folksy, charming writing.
What I Want to Watch/Read/Pontificate On:
Origins – Imagine Dragons: I’ve always loved Imagine Dragons’ poppy, punch-the-wall sound, and I’m looking forward to their latest album (which is new to me. Give me a break, guys, I’m busy.) Most of their albums have been fairly successful (or at least have had some killer singles) but let’s see how this one adds up, shall we?
The Godfather Part III: In true slowpoke fashion, I have not watched any of the Godfather films until this year. But the first two were definitely cinematic treats, and yes, the second has stood out to me so far. And yes, I’ve heard the third is pretty terrible. But I’m watching it out of principle. Ask me how I feel about prinicples afterward.
You: Cuz I gotta stay on top of what the kids are into these days! Evidently this is Netflix’s new binge-worthy original. I might get my paws on it eventually. And by eventually I mean next year. Probably.
Audrey D. DeBoer 