Hello everyone. I hope you’re all well. I have been enjoying the good weather here in Lisbon and using it as an excuse to go to the beach every day and avoid my problems. You know, just like real adults do. Anyway, in this week’s newsletter, I share my thoughts on everyone’s favorite creeps, Joe & Love from the Netflix hit show, YOU. I go back to the 60s to learn more about that interesting decade with the documentary THE VELVET UNDERGROUND. I explain why I disliked TED LASSO’s episodes being released week-to-week and I have a “how do you do fellow kids” moment while watching the reboot of I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. There’s also a playlist of five songs I listened to last week.
Quick Thoughts
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - This is a fine documentary by Todd Haynes. The film tells the story of how this revolutionary band has left an indelible mark in the world. This isn't, however, a tabloid-style exposé film. Instead, Haynes receives insightful feedback from those who were involved with the band. The film, in particular, gives historical background for the 1960s when art, film, and music were all exploding. It also details their involvement with Andy Warhol's factory, as well as the pop artist's encouragement and involvement in the creation of the iconic "Banana" record. I thought that the film was fascinating and I learned a lot about that time period. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND premieres today in cinemas and on Apple TV+.
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER - This is a series reboot of the horror movie, that is coming to Amazon Prime Video. The show is based on the 1997 horror cult hit and has a fresh set of actors. It follows a group of adolescents that find themselves tied together by a terrible secret and hunted by a vicious killer a year after the deadly tragedy that plagued their graduation night. They reveal the dark side of their supposedly idyllic town—and themselves—as they strive to figure out who's after them. I remember having fun watching the original movies in the 90s and so far, I enjoyed the 4 episodes I’ve watched. It is like a mix of EUPHORIA and Blumhouse flicks and I think Gen-Zers will dig this new version too.
TED LASSO Season 2 - The last episode of Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso, which was released on the streaming platform last Friday, concluded a Season 2 that wasn’t quite as good as the first. One of the problems I had with season 2 is personal. I prefer binge-watching vs. weekly releases. My reactions to a show are frequently shaped by how I watch it. And I find it easier to follow a character's emotional development and mental state when I watch many episodes in a row. I also felt that season 2 was just an exposition for the upcoming season 3. Don’t get me wrong, the writers did a great job this season expanding our awareness of each character so that we may completely comprehend what will be at stake in the next one. But as a result, the next big conflict that will undoubtedly dominate Season 3 was only revealed in the season finale. So yeah, as an ex-London expat, I appreciated and identified with all the “fish out of water” jokes. However, this season really felt like a filler.
HALLOWEEN KILLS - The second movie of this new trilogy continues up to where 2018's HALLOWEEN leaves off. With three generations of women beaten and tired after a damn difficult battle. It is hard to believe but, Michael Myers may be at his most ruthless in HALLOWEEN KILLS. There are much more killings than in the previous flick, and the style of the kills is highly inventive and gruesome. This movie will definitely appeal to fans of the HALLOWEEN franchise. It has enough nods to the original film to please Carpenter aficionados while also adding to the legends surrounding Michael Myers and Haddonfield. However, the lack of boldness of the writing is one factor that works against HALLOWEEN KILLS. The movie, just like the second season of TED LASSO, felt more like a bridge to the next chapter of the trilogy, and in my opinion, could have been much better.
YOU Season 3
YOU is based on Caroline Kepnes' best-selling novels and stars Penn Badgley and Victoria Pedretti. It follows a stalker who uses social media and every tool at his disposal to become close to his obsession, even going so far as to remove any obstacle --including people -- that stands in his way of getting what he wants.
The third season of YOU picks up just a few months later after the second one. Joe (Badgley) and Love (Pedretti) are now married and raising their kid in a Northern California suburb. We are introduced to an eccentric mix of neighbors. A judgmental mummy blogger played by the great Shalita Grant (she was amazing in SEARCH PARTY and she is amazing here too), an invasive tech entrepreneur, and anti-vaxxers parents.
The new season doesn’t disappoint and watching Joe trying to keep the balance of a wife, a baby, and suburban life is, for the most part, a macabre pleasure. Anything said beyond that is a spoiler. But it is fair to say that the burbs are full of bright, happy folks who Joe frequently finds irritating and some of them are unlikely to make it through this year's ten episodes.
I believe that season three of YOU is totally worth watching. It re-establishes itself as classic binge-worthy entertainment, with all of the expected thrills and unexpected twists. Also because of Joe and Love's weird relationship. One minute they appear to be in love, and the next they appear to be bitter foes. And it is fascinating to watch that.
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.