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crowdvscritic · 1 year

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round up // APRIL 23

A selection of words capturing my April pop culture experiences:

Museum

Podcast

Amy Sherman-Palladino

Muppets

Vampire

Nike

American Girl dolls

Read on for everything that brought me joy this month!

April Crowd-Pleasers

1. Renfield (2023)

Did I write a review of Renfield, an ode to the two Nic(k)s, or analysis of the Great Resignation? Yes, yes, and yes. Read whatever, in fact, I wrote at ZekeFilm. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10

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2. SNL Round Up

Whether they’re spoofing my childhood toys, my young adulthood wedding commitments, or my love for the Jonas Brothers, the crew in Studio 8H has been keeping me laughing this Spring.

“Southwest Airlines Announcement” (4811 with Michael B. Jordan)

“The Big Hollywood Quiz” (4812 with Pedro Pascal) - A great example of how no one watches the same things anymore

“Waking Up” (4812)

“Protective Mom” (4812)

“Lisa From Temecula” (4812)

“American Girl Café” (4814 with Travis Kelce)

“Bridesmaid Cult Documentary” (4816 with Quinta Brunson) - I feel seen

"Weekend Update: Co-Worker Who's Extremely Busy Doing Seemingly Nothing on Returning to the Office” (4817 with Molly Shannon) - I feel attacked

“Sally O'Malley: Jonas Brothers” (4817)

“American Girl Doll Movie Trailer” (4818 with Ana de Armas)

3. Descanso Gardens

Because I can’t resist a botanical garden! Gardens are becoming a go-to attraction for me on vacations, and the Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles did not disappoint. The day we went was not too crowded but was impressive enough to earn a huge crowd—a hidden gem for LA tourists!

4. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Panel at PaleyFest

The gardens were lovely, but there were two other attractions that were the real reason for my visit to Los Angeles. The first was PaleyFest to see Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino, and the cast of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel! Just before the fifth and final season started on Amazon Prime, we heard Alex Borstein and Rachel Brosnahan share their mourning process for the show’s ending, Caroline Aaron and Michael Zegen reflect on what these roles have meant to them, and Tony Shalhoub crack up the crowd. (And who knew I would be so starstruck by him? When he came on stage I wanted to scream, “YOU WERE SO GOOD IN GALAXY QUEST!”) Check out SO IT’S A SHOW’s Instagram for more highlights from when my podcast co-host Kyla and I visited the Dolby Theatre (home of the Oscars!).

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4. John Mulaney: Baby J (2023)

A full year ago I saw John Mulaney on his From Scratch tour, and now you can enjoy the set at home. His joke about not being interested in science “from magnets to ducks” did not make the cut (and alas now I can’t remember the setup for that punchline), but the other 90% of a show that made me laugh so hard I cried is preserved forever.

5. The Muppets. (2015-16)

Why did this gem only last 16 episodes? In this one-season single-cam sitcom, the Muppets are working on Late Night with Miss Piggy, a setting that could’ve produced comedy gold for years. With the frazzled Kermit producing, the Electric Mayhem as the in-studio band, and celebrity guests through the felt nose, I’m glad I checked out these 16 eps even though they ended on a cliffhanger. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like for Miss Piggy to date Josh Groban or to hold grudges against every blonde actress in Hollywood, you won’t want to miss it either.

7. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (2023)

Special in the way that the best coming-of-age movies are. I suspect Margaret’s insecurities about boys, bras, and besties will feel relatable to Gens Z and Alpha if for no other reason than this movie’s depiction felt scarily accurate to my own experience in the mid-2000s. I promise I will never start a review with the story of my first period ever again! At least, probably—at the rate we're going, it will never be apropos again. Read the full review at ZekeFilm. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 9/10

April Critic Picks

1. AIR (2023)

Is it controversial to say Matt and Ben’s collabs only get better? If we're playing Greatest/Best/Favorite, this might be my new ranking:

Greatest: Good Will Hunting

Best: The Last Duel

Favorite: AIR

Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

2. The Academy Museum

The other reason I went out to Los Angeles: After years of pandemic-caused delays, I finally made it to the Academy Museum! Six floors of movie and Oscars history and memorabilia? You know I’m in my happy place, but casual movie fans will find something for them, too. Some of my favorite exhibits included the several-stories high Mount Rushmore backdrop used in North by Northwest, the gallery that used The Godfather to show each element of filmmaking, and the pianos from Casablanca. Fanny’s (named for Barbra Streisand’s character in Funny Girl) serves exceptional museum food, and I learned about deep cut filmmakers and movements I was only vaguely familiar with before I went. I’d give the Academy a gold statue for museum execution if I could!

3. Good Reads

A miscellaneous round up of good stuff I’ve read lately…

Final thoughts on 2022 Awards Season:

“How Avatar: The Way of Water Can Make $2 Billion and Still Feel Irrelevant,” Vox.com (2023)

“How Did We Let the Golden Globes Back In?” LATimes.com (2022)

Unexpected responses to Cocaine Bear:

“An Attempt to Define the ‘Good for Her’ Cinematic Universe,” Vulture.com (2023)

“The Case for Cocaine Bears,” Slate.com (2023)

Glitches in the Sports Industry Matrix:

“America’s Bad Bet on Expanding Legal Sports Gambling,” Vox.com (2023)

“Will Damar Hamlin’s Injury Change the NFL? Why a Safer Game Could Turn Away Fans,” LATimes.com (2023)

Watching trends that need to be fixed:

“Mumbling Actors, Bad Speakers or Lazy Listeners? Why Everyone is Watching TV With Subtitles On,” TheGuardian.com (2023)

“Television Is Going Exactly the Wrong Direction. I Know the Solution.” Slate.com (2023)

Explorations of our malaise at work:

“How to Care Less About Work,” TheAtlantic.com (2021)

“The Age of the Crisis of Work,” Harpers.org (2023)

All the ways—okay, just some of the way—social media is on the struggle bus right now:

“Why Every App Now Feels Like TikTok, but Worse,” NYMag.com (2023)

“How Elon Musk Turned the Blue Check Mark Into a Scarlet Letter,” Slate.com (2023)

“Commentary: If Twitter Finally Dies, Where Do We Find the Smart People?” LATimes.com (2023)

And even more miscellaneous good reads:

“You’ll Feel Better if You Go Outside,” NewYorker.com (2021)

“The Oral History of Helm’s Deep,” Inverse.com (2022)

“I’ve Had It With Stunt Ice Cream Flavors,” Eater.com (2023)

“Clothes Make the Con Man,” NYTimes.com (2023)

“Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, and the Easter Egg-ification of the Hollywood Feud,” Vox.com (2023)

“Why Are TV Writers So Miserable?” NewYorker.com (2023)

4. Current Exhibits at the St. Louis Art Museum

My membership to the SLAM always pays off. In April I indulged in two special exhibits:

The Age of Armor, which showcases the history of armor and battle gear with an emphasis on suits of armor. The galleries did a great job explaining how the armor functioned and provided model pieces to try yourself, but you know my favorite part was the Black Panther and Star Wars costumes at the end!

Monet/Mitchell: Painting the French Landscape compares the work of Claude Monet and American expat Joan Mitchell, and it brought me back to my magical trip to Giverny last summer!

5. The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

Sumptous costumes and sets, Bette Davis doing the most acting, and Errol Flynn at his handsomest. This Queen Elizabeth I costume drama from Michael Curtiz is maximalist in aesthetic and romantic at its heart. Crowd: 7/10 // Critic: 9/10

6. Under the Umbrella: A Little Women Podcast (2023-)

Little Women superfans unite! Kate and Kelsey (friends and both teachers) are analyzing the book and film versions from every angle, and if you love the March sisters, Louisa May Alcott, or Greta Gerwig, they are going to be your new best friends.

7. Just Like Us: The Tabloids That Changed America (2022)

Last spring the Ringer Dish podcast did a deep dive into the ‘00s tabloids and their obsession with Brangelina, Bennifer, and ‘90s child stars gone wild—so basically everything I obsessed over in middle school. Bottom line: They probably didn’t make our world better, but those mags (and emerging online blogs and reality TV) sure tapped into parts of our brains that made them addictive. This eight-episode series challenges any assumption we have about about celebrity gossip being harmless—or frivolous.

Until May’s Round Up…

In spite of the current state of things, I’m still tweeting in denial as @tblake24. Come join me until this platform burns to the ground!

If you want real-time updates on what I’m watching and loving, you can also find me as @tblake24 on Letterboxd.

Photo credits: Good Reads, Under the Umbrella, Just Like Us. Descanso Gardens, PaleyFest, Academy Museum, and SLAM my own. All other IMDb.com.

#Round Up #Renfield #AIR #SNL #Saturday Night Live #The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex #Descanso Gardens #Are You There God? It's Me Margaret.#Just Like Us: The Tabloids That Changed America #John Mulaney #Baby J #The Muppets.#The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel #PaleyFest #Academy Museum #St. Louis Art Museum #Little Women #Ringer Dish

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semena--mertvykh · 1 year

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Et joyeux Noël hein

Je suis partie porter plainte au commissariat du 11e, cet après-midi ; le type qui habite en dessous de chez moi est venu me menacer et il forcé ma porte au motif que je ferais du bruit.

Tu veux dire : plus que toi ? Impossible.

Le nombre de types qui sont ravis de s'en prendre à toi quand tu n'as pas de bonhomme pour te défendre, quand tu ne peux compter que sur toi-même, est difficile à concevoir quand on n'est pas concerné. Mes jours de cynisme au carré, j'ai tendance à diviser les hommes en deux catégories : ceux qui refuseront de te frapper, justement parce que tu es une femme, et les types qui chercheront à te frapper, précisément parce que tu es une femme.

Par chance, j'avais un gros tournevis a la ceinture - je bricolais quand c'est arrivé. Quand ce connard s'est jeté sur moi pour m'empêcher de fermer la porte, je l'ai repoussé, j'ai empoigné le tournevis comme on m'avait appris à le faire - la pointe côté petit doigt - et j'ai levé ma garde à hauteur de sa trachée. Il a vraiment cru que j'allais lui trouer la carotide alors il a reculé en couinant et j'ai vu la peur passer dans ses yeux.

Ce n'est pas le fait qu'il m'ait écrasée contre le mur avec la porte qui m'a mise hors de moi : j'étais tellement imbibée d'adrénaline que je l'ai à peine senti. Ce qui m'a mise hors de moi, c'est ce qu'il venait de me dire quelques secondes auparavant : Je vais appeler les flics et on va vous faire interner d'office. J'ai hurlé dans la cage d'escalier : PLUS JAMAIS TU ME TOUCHES SALE FILS DE PUTE. Il a reculé encore et j'ai vociféré de plus belle : PLUS JAMAIS TU LÈVES LA MAIN SUR MOI. PLUS JAMAIS TU RENTRES CHEZ MOI. Tout l'immeuble sur le palier, évidemment, c'est tellement plus intéressant que le bêtisier de Noël d'un coup (par contre, dès qu'il faut te donner un coup de main, il n'y a plus personne).

Je me souviens d'un sketch de Guy Bedos où il avait cette phrase ignoble : "Dans leurs têtes elles sont encore en crinoline ces connes". En parlant de nous. Je te renvoie le compliment vieille ganache : au fond de vous, vous restez des inquisiteurs. Dès qu'une femme vous tient tête, vous dévoyez justice et médecine pour la coller dans une cage. La vocation vous revient vite.

Cette ordure m'avait couverte de bleus, alors j'ai fait établir un certificat et mon médecin traitant a haussé les épaules : "Tu imagines, si on internait d'office parce que la tête du voisin nous revient pas ? Il resterait plus grand monde dans les rues". Je suis ressortie épuisée de mon audition chez les flics - surtout des quatre heures d'attente avant - et j'ai été rouler sur le Périph, pour me vider la tête.

50 Cent disait You can find me in da club : plus maintenant.

Il y aurait beaucoup à dire sur le storytelling de la victime - la manière dont elle doit présenter les choses si elle veut être entendue. J'en sais un peu plus, maintenant, depuis le harcèlement qu'on a traversées, Rohra et moi, au Bureau des travaux. Mais là, j'avais juste envie de rouler, d'écouter Hejira et de ne penser à rien.

#you can find me on the fast lane #fête des voisins #noisy neighbor #maison sucrée maison #50 cent #in da club #hejira #joni mitchell #bette davis #goddess bless #the private lives of elizabeth and essex #michael curtiz #keira knightley #pirates of the caribbean #corset & crinoline

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