ATHENA | LOS ESPOOKYS (Season 2) | REBOOT
Pop Culture Weekly Round-Up 23/09/2022
Happy Friday, everyone! I’m back to give you some cool recommendations for your weekend. This week’s newsletter has some thoughts on two really funny TV shows. The very weird but hilarious LOS ESPOOKYS and Hulu’s THE REBOOT. I also talk about the Netflix original film ATHENA and as always there is a playlist with five songs I listened to last week.
QUICK THOUGHTS
LOS ESPOOKYS is back to cause even more spooky chaos while navigating the aftermath of the relationship dramas of Season 1. LOS ESPOOKYS is delightfully bizarre and not really for everyone, but I love it. The show follows a group of friends who turn their love for horror into a very peculiar business. They provide spooky solutions to those who need them in a dreamlike Latin American country where the unexpected and weird are routine. The group members include Tati (Ana Fabrega), Renaldo (Bernardo Velasco), Úrsula (Cassandra Ciangherotti), and Andrés (Julio Torres). This second season continues multiple plot lines from the previous one while continuing to book new projects for our favorite horror producers. However, some bizarre fantasies and terrifying nightmares also surface making things even weirder. The whole thing about LOS ESPOOKYS is that it is not really about the plot, it is about its amazing characters. They are super fun but also have unique aesthetics, hairstyle, and particular personal tastes. But beneath the quirkiness of all of these personalities, there is also a strong desire for connection. Anyway, I highly recommend checking LOS ESPOOKYS out. Just remember that this is not your regular comedy series and surreal is normal in this world. All six episodes of the first season are available on HBO Max and the second episode of season two was dropped today.
REBOOT - This series relies on the irony of the television industry's ongoing obsession to "reboot" hit shows from the past. The whole thing starts when a young and hip writer who is known for writing an independent film called "Cunt Saw" convinces Hulu to "reboot" a family sitcom from the early 2000s, bringing its dysfunctional cast back together. And now they have to deal with their unsolved problems in today’s rapidly evolving world. For me, it is super funny that the creator and writers of this show have found a way to bring old-school sitcoms back to the limelight. REBOOT is witty and satirical of itself. And I love how meta the show is and how Hulu functions as one of the show's main characters. That was a very clever spin. I’m also loving to see the original show's senior writers struggle with the younger politically correct writers. Just pure comedic gold. In my opinion, the best way to describe the show is 30 ROCK meets CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM meets 90’s sitcoms. So if you like any of these things, you will love REBOOT as well.
ATHENA - The foundation for this bold, passionate, and exciting Netflix original movie is laid by a story of loss and tragedy between three brothers. The film showcases director Romain Gavras’ talents and uses them to create a meaningful discourse. Gavras pushes the viewers to use their minds, heart, and anger to make them see what he's putting in front of them. It is not an easy watch and it feels like a modern Greek tragedy. The film’s main focus is contemporary French society, specifically, the alienation and dissatisfaction felt by non-white citizens of African and North African heritage. They have to deal with police abuse, and the complete failure of French society to tackle racial and religious intolerance. ATHENA is fast-paced and has multiple jaw-dropping tracking shots and tumultuous Parisian riot scenes. I think this film is a prophecy of the future of society in Europe. Don’t get me wrong, I love living here and I wouldn’t move anywhere else. But a lot of things need to be fixed before chaotic scenarios like the one happening in this film start happening in real life. Anyway, I liked ATHENA and I highly recommend it.
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.
