Hello, everyone! I hope you all had a great week. I have a couple of Pop Culture recommendations for you that will make your weekend even better. In this week’s newsletter, I talk about The new Apple TV+ series LOOT. Even though it is not great, it has the amazing Maya Rudolph in it and that alone is worth checking it out. I also have thoughts on the weird (in the best possible way) film APPLES that I watched a couple of years ago at TIFF and it is finally getting a wide release this weekend. And last but not least I talk about the new Beavis and Butthead movie on Paramount+ called BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD DO THE UNIVERSE which I found funny. But keep in mind that I’m a product of the 90s and those were very weird times. And as always there is a playlist with five songs I enjoyed last week.
QUICK THOUGHTS
LOOT is a New 10-part comedy on Apple TV+ that tells a well-known story about the discovery of the self-worth of a ridiculously rich but clueless character. Despite the simple concept, the show adopts a fun, carefree style while maintaining a sincere tone. The series follows a newly crowned third-richest woman in America after a profitable divorce from her ruthlessly egocentric husband, John (Adam Scott). She then embarks on a world bender that does little for the environment or her reputation. LOOT does a few things right. Beginning with its current storyline and an admirable display of Maya Rudolph's many talents. But unfortunately, you'll keep watching the series more for its promise than for its immediate delivery which is only ok. However, by the end of its first season, LOOT starts to develop a more firm position on the issue of whether or not institutional inequality can be solved by disgustingly privileged individuals giving more to charities. I believe that Rudolph totally deserves a transcendent series that explores more of her comedic gifts. LOOT is not yet that series. But, If Apple TV+ approves a second season, the show could get better. I see plenty of potential to grow, and hopefully, take a more progressive turn.
LOOT premieres today, Friday, June 24 on Apple TV+.
BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD DO THE UNIVERSE - Well, I can’t believe that it is 2022 and I’m writing about Beavis and Butthead, but here we are LOL. I was a big fan of the MTV show and the 1996 movie when I was a kid. However, I had doubts if there was any demand for a new Beavis and Butthead flick. But thanks to the streaming wars and the endless need for new content; We were blessed with this frivolous, juvenile escapade. These two filthy dudes will make you laugh because they are still dysfunctional even after 30 years. There is nothing groundbreaking here. But it is still hilarious, in my simple-minded opinion. The movie starts right after the show's 1997 finale. It is 1998: Beavis and Butthead, (who are both still voiced by creator Mike Judge), are bizarrely chosen for a real assignment in space when they get sent to a space camp in a bid to curb their overall misbehaving. They eventually drop into a black hole and emerge in 2022. The foundation of the movie storyline, like many of the best B&B episodes, is a misconception. They're on a mission to lose their virginities (score), just as in the previous movie and episodes. But government authorities misinterpret that for something far more sinister. Overall I would say that if you grew up watching the show, you will love this movie. But if you were never a fan (how could you?) or don’t even know who these guys are, stay away.
APPLES
Amidst a worldwide pandemic that causes sudden amnesia, a middle-aged man named Aris (Aris Servetalis) finds himself enrolled in a recovery program designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities. He is prescribed daily tasks on cassette tapes so he can create new memories and document them on a Polaroid camera.
I had a chance to watch APPLES at TIFF back in 2020. And I was very intrigued by how Greek writer-director Christos Nikou came up with such an interesting reflection on memory, identity, and loss—exploring how society might handle an irreversible epidemic through one man's story of self-discovery. I also really enjoyed how he provides a narrative with a very gloomy flavor. The film is snarkily comic while yet being a lovely reflection on identities and recollection. A very fresh idea that is both weird and very current, with little dialogue, and clearly distinct air of sadness
The main character, who is superbly played by Servetalis, embraces his situation for reasons that aren't revealed to us until the very end of the film. With a discovery delivered subtly, with no ceremony or fuss. Slowly Aris slides back into ordinary life, and he even meets Anna (Sofia Georgovasili), a woman who is also in recovery. Aris's behaviors being predetermined for him may be the most upsetting feature of APPLES since it illustrates how his new identity is constructed by others rather than by his own conscious choice.
In my opinion, APPLES takes a bizarre and generally funny approach to uniqueness, with unusual but nonetheless thought-provoking outcomes. Also, Aris’s use of a Polaroid camera and a tape recorder is very similar to how many people currently record their daily activities on their smartphones. We have developed the habit of documenting every minute of our lives on the internet instead of living them fully. And only time will tell if that’s a good thing or not. Anyway, if you like weird foreign films, you will love this.
TOP 5 SONGS
These were the 5 songs on heavy rotation in my house last week. You can listen to them on Spotify and YouTube.