Share: In the midst of the diverse dosage of music that has been released in the last few weeks, it’s easy for some worthwhile projects to get lost in the shuffle. Scouring the internet to make sure I didn’t miss a thing, I found myself stumbling across some hidden gems that wouldn’t normally be in my go-to playlists. Being mostly unfamiliar with WILLOW’s discography, the single that came my way first was “run!” and it latched onto me impersonating a warm welcome into enjoying a …
‘Everybody’s in LA’ is not for everybody, but is for Los Angeles
Share: John Mulaney is not from Los Angeles. But in his short time as a resident, he has created the oddest comedy talk show that a transplant could make to better understand the city titled, “Everybody’s in LA.” This six-episode installment talk show is streaming live on Netflix for one week only during the “Netflix is a Joke Festival” and is set to wrap forever on Friday. As Mulaney says in the opening monologue, “this show will never hit its groove”– but it will certainly …
Met Gal-Blah 2024: Rich people dress like shit
Share: The Met Gala was this Monday, and celebrities reminded us yet again that even though they have all the money and power in the world, they still don’t know how to follow a theme. The theme for this year’s Met Gala was “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” with the dress code being “The Garden of Time” inspired by JG Ballard’s 1962 short story. Evidently, many celebrities took the garden part a bit too literally, simply throwing in a floral pattern and calling it a day. …
‘Franny and Zooey’ comments on crisis of conformity
Share: What does it mean to be authentic in a time where individuality is diluted by ever-changing social media trends? The question of authenticity isn’t anything new—humans have always struggled with how we fit in the spaces that surround us. In the short stories of “Franny and Zooey” author J.D. Salinger explores what it means to participate in society, whether we do so willingly or not. Both short stories are set in 1955 New York City and begin with Franny Glass, the youngest of the …
‘Challengers’ serves up carnal chaos
Share: With a premise that shares more in common with an erotic thriller from the 90s than your average sports movie, it’s all the more impressive that Luca Guadagnino’s tennis-centered sensual drama is not only endlessly entertaining but among the best releases of an already impressive early 2024. Where “Challengers” succeeds most is in its overall execution. While the story and characters are certainly strong enough to maintain a compelling, if not slightly soapy narrative, the key lies in how these elements are brought to …
The ‘Big Three’ beef is heating up and Drake just won round one
Share: The first round of the ‘Big Three’ beef has concluded and in a span of one month, we got three albums, two diss tracks (kind of), and one participant turned casualty. Coming into the fight there was a wide consensus that Drake for some reason was at the bottom of the pole, but after this preliminary round, it’s time to throw that list away and actually get it right this time. What reignited the Cold War feud into the fiery onslaught it is now …
Crawl out of your vault and go check out ‘Fallout’
Share: Amazon’s live-action adaptation television series “Fallout,” doesn’t fail to impress new viewers or old fans with its faithful rendition of the post-apocalyptic video game series. The show satisfies what one should expect from Fallout: nuclear wastelands, cynical humor, jazzy music, ominous mutants, and bloody violence. Premiering on Prime Video with 8 episodes for its first season, “Fallout” doesn’t directly adapt from any of the existing games but rather expands on them as a chronological continuance of the series. Starring Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, and …
Dev Patel fights tooth and nail in bloody brilliant directorial debut
Share: After sitting on Netflix’s shelf for years before producer Jordan Peele took it off their hands and brought the film to the big screen, “Monkey Man” finds Dev Patel rising to the top as an unlikely action hero who holds his own against the “John Wick” franchise. Patel, who broke through at 18 when he starred in Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire,” serves as writer-director-star of “Monkey Man,” a far cry from the dramas he’s known for. In his stark departure, he punches against …
‘The First Omen’ delivers damn-good body horror
Share: Winter is over, and it’s time for Hollywood’s tortured and undying horror franchises to shamble their way into theaters one by one. Studios could have stuffed the spring schedule with series filler, but “The First Omen” brings a screaming start to the year, revitalizing the franchise with an experience that is visceral and shocking. Released last Friday, the feature-length debut from director Arkasha Stevenson is both a prequel and reboot. It knows when to foreshadow the Richard Donner original and when to ignore it …
‘Godzilla x Kong’ roars, leaving another win for the MonsterVerse
Share: “Godzilla x Kong” is the sequel to the smash hit “Godzilla vs Kong” where this time around the duo teams up to battle giant ape Scar King and his ice-breathing dragon Shimo while Kong continues his search to find others of his kind. When compared to previous films in the franchise, “Godzilla x Kong” is more on the cartoony side with one fight scene being in an antigravity room where Godzilla and Kong are flying through the air battling other titans. The duo also …