What a January (screaming). I really hope you’re hanging in there. In non-international nightmare news- we celebrated my grandmother’s 85th birthday, discovered that Vybz Kartel wrote the 2016 hit “Fever” from jail (and Grammy nomination), that a man made 13 million suing Red Bull for false advertising for it not “giving him wings” and that Putricia, the corpse flower, is back.
Here were my January cultural highlights for you to escape the world-hope you enjoy!
TV
My favorite TV show in years- My friend Ali wrote to me recommending Le Monde de Demain/Reign Supreme, after her twin Marcelle shared it with her because it had most of my interests wrapped in one show- and it’s my favorite tv show in years. The series based on archival footage follows the birth of Hip Hop in France, centering around the group NTM made of Joey Starr and Kool Shen. I am not sure if anyone else would appreciate it to be honest but it made me nostalgic for my years from 12-16 dancing in the group LadyShock headed by Steffi Sessions. The show also brilliantly highlighted the women that helped found French hip hop like Lady V/Virginie Sullé who have been forgotten over time and a humbling reminder of this ambitious movement at the time- especially after seeing NTM just 10 years ago in Central Park.
If you’re looking to be inspired- when I need a boost I tend to go for Sports documentaries and the Simone Biles one is just a reminder of her extraordinary journey, mental stamina, and supportive adoptive family (her grandfather and his girlfriend).
Movies
If you want to see a beautifully stylized movie and be amazed at Tilda- though the Room Next Door IS inherently a bit sad- it’s also funny, minimal and the fashion is jaw-dropping. PLUS- my aunt Arielle’s mug makes a cameo appearance in it!
If you want to see an Oscar bait movie and dive deeply into something hard/thought provoking- The Brutalist’s 3 hours pass by extremely fast, the set with buildings built for the project, plus Adrian Brody throwing himself fully into this role in the most vulnerable, painful and courageous way are worth your while. The story itself was so dense that both Sarah and I were slow to realize it was not a biopic.
If you want to laugh and not think- I really recommend Thelma (streaming) is a really funny action movie about a grandma trying to catch the person who scammed her. I am not into action movie but I caught myself laughing out loud several times here.
If you’re looking for a sweet story around friendship- I recommend the Will Ferrell roadtrip film, Will and Harper (streaming) about Will accompanying his best friend on her friend road trip post-transition, to all the places she used to go to on her own.
I’m Still Here hits a bit too close to home but showcases a gorgeous performance by Fernanda Torres.
Art Shows
Collective Threads at Invisible Dog: I LOVED this really original show curated by Ana Watterson the gallery manager around textile arts, featuring workshops and performances and managing to capture the wealth of diversity in the artform.
Barkley L. Hendricks at Jack Shainman: Hendricks’ show is a space for Black joy that connects humans to celestial bodies echoing aspirations for Afrofuturism with most works dating from the 1970s- which all still feel really modern.
Performances
Alex Tatarsky’s Nothing Doing- I somehow always see one of Alex’s shows in the what feels like the worst political times and their shows always acknowledge the situation and make me cackle as they distort their face into millions of characters to marvel over. Did they conquer my childhood fear of clowns? I could watch Alex do anything on stage for hours. We need more Alex.
The 7th Voyage of Egon Tichy [redux]- This show has been advertised to me non-stop- and maybe to you too- but I am incredibly glad I gave in (h/t shan). A survivor of quarantine theater, this play showcases Egon, an astronaut trapped in a time loop stuck with multiples of himself, his worst ennemy in trying to help him fix his shuttle. An incredible feat of physical theater and media work that transforms an 8’x4′ white box into a house of mirrors. A marvel.
Sound
keiyaA- We caught keiyaA’s performance at Abrons Arts Center on Friday and fell in love with her music and unique world. Blending storytelling/play with performance, she’s really doing her own things, with a jazz band to back her. A really impressive young artist.
We Came To The Forrest- A gripping, moving and gorgeous podcast my colleagues have been working on following the story of a group of activists that occupied a forrest on its way to becoming “Cop City”- a massive police training center in Atlanta. A really important story at the intersection of the environment, police brutality and queer love.
Books
Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte: Tony is hands down one of the most refreshing voices of today. This book of essays from the point of view of a lonely/misunderstood people (including incels). You will laugh, you will scream, you will feel constant second-hand embarrassment. There is a lot of explicit language in there- which- might not be for everyone but my god. What a king. The first two essays are the best- the 4th is the most-yell worthy. Just make sure you really take them each in and individually at least in one seating.
Ciao xoxo