THE FALLOUT | THE AFTERPARTY | AZIZ ANSARI - NIGHTCLUB COMEDIAN | ALL OF US ARE DEAD
Pop Culture Weekly Round-Up 28/01/2022
Hello, everyone, welcome to my newsletter. This week I have opinions about the new Apple TV+ series THE AFTERPARTY. I also share some thoughts on the new Aziz Ansari special and the Zombie K-drama ALL OF US ARE DEAD. And to finish up, I talk about the HBO Max film THE FALLOUT. There is also a playlist of five songs I enjoyed last week.
QUICK THOUGHTS
THE AFTERPARTY is an Apple TV+ original that focuses on a high-school reunion and a murder that happens at its afterparty. At first glance, this is just another “who did it” mystery series. However, the attempt to investigate the murder is not where the true attraction of the show resides. The fun is in seeing the outstanding comedy ensemble (and some very interesting cameos) mess around in a variety of genres. Christopher Miller and Phil Lord the show's producers who are also behind THE LEGO MOVIE and 21 JUMP STREET use a different concept on every episode and that makes things very interesting. I was only allowed to watch seven episodes out of the eight being released. In other words, I have no ideas who the killer is and I’m very curious to find out who did it. The Afterparty is another worthy addition to Apple's ever-expanding lineup of original content. The show is engaging and passionately acted by some of the best comedic performers of their generation.
The series is set to premiere on Apple TV+ on January 28 with three episodes and a new one every subsequent week.
AZIZ ANSARI - NIGHTCLUB COMEDIAN is the comedian’s new half-hour special, shot during a surprise set at the New York’s Comedy Cellar. This time around Aziz pokes fun at Aaron Rodgers and Nicki Minaj, as well as the pandemic, anti-vaxxers, and the elections. He also spends some time attempting to elucidate America's political division. The show feels significantly more intimate than his previous works; it even begins with archival footage of him playing at the same place for the first time as an NYU student. NIGHTCLUB COMIC is an entertaining half-hour watch because Ansari is still charming as a comedian. I’m starting to think that the old Ansari persona is "dead." But his new kind of humor is perhaps more sophisticated and I’m digging it.
ALL OF US ARE DEAD Is a dramatic view of the heated combat between zombies and survivors eager to flee. The show combines the vibe of high school social dynamics such as; constant gossiping, betrayals, and dynamics of popular students mixed with zombie apocalypse tropes. The students are locked in a virus-infected school with no smartphones, no food, and no one to look after them. To protect themselves from the zombies the kids turn to desks, bookshelves, and bows in a frantic attempt to stay alive. The show also paints a deeper view of Korean society, showcasing the failure of government quarantine facilities and authorities' desperate attempts to put together an infection control strategy. Despite the fact that the zombie apocalypse premise is old and tired, the focus on a teenage cast trapped within a high school, which is already hell even without a zombie apocalypse, is an interesting twist. ALL OF US ARE DEAD premiers today, January 28, and could be the next big K-drama for Netflix.
THE FALLOUT
Vada (Jenna Ortega), a high schooler, attempts to reinvent herself while re-evaluating her connections with her family, friends, and her worldview, bolstered by new friendships formed under unexpected and terrible circumstances. Moving away from her comfy family routine, she begins to take risks by making a succession of impulsive decisions that put her own boundaries to the test and push her in new ways. As she spends more time with Mia (Maddie Ziegler), Vada gradually redefines herself via their shared experiences, moving her away from that day and closer to enjoying her life in the present.
What Megan Park's debut film gets right is how horribly uncomfortable and odd the ramifications of a catastrophe like a school shooting can be, especially when experienced by a bunch of teens. Park underlines the reality through her simple yet elegant directing, as well as creative shots that underscore how much pain and sorrow teenagers experience in the aftermath of an absolutely awful incident.
There are a lot of good things in this film but Jenna Ortega’s performance is once again outstanding. She plays a realistic and compassionate character. Ortega is a great young actor who does an excellent job in a challenging part. She's quickly becoming one of my new favorites, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does next ( She will play Wednesday Addams on Netflix’s WEDNESDAY).
THE FALLOUT takes a new angle on a difficult topic. Megan Park crafted a non-sensationalist film that dives into the core of a horrible incident to try to find some type of comprehension, even if there isn't any to be obtained. I also really liked the way the movie ended. It is heartbreaking and perfectly described how this very American problem is far from being solved.
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.
