annual media roundup

what i enjoyed in 2023

i’ve had a rough start to the new year.

moving, personal drama, and preparing for a trip that starts today has left me stressed and scattered. yesterday was the first time since Christmas that i’ve felt like myself.

as some belated bonus content for my Substack supporters, i am going to share my favourite new releases from the past year and why they resonated with me.

Ari Aster’s “Beau is Afraid”, Sam Levinson’s “The Idol”, Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn”, and Nathan Fielder’s “The Curse” are my top recommendations to anyone looking for quality entertainment brought to you by 2023.

let me tell you why…

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The Idol —

the beloved Euphoria director turned enemy by many for his problematic portrayal of love, stardom, and exploitation, Sam Levinson joins forces with The Weeknd to produce a world immersed in sound and sex. debuting Lily-Rose Depp as a captivating leading lady and filmed in Abel (The Weeknd)’s own home, the series is erotic and intimate. it explores the budding romance between fading pop star Jocelyn and club owner/cult leader Tedros, who has manipulated his way into her life.

the passionate relationship that ensues is filled with taboos—controlling, kinky sex, and mommy issues. it also leads to newfound meaning, love, acceptance, and success for the titular character. Levinson’s willingness to explore the grey areas surrounding desire and deceit resulted in a overwhelmingly negative audience appraisal. criticized for its “sexism” and sexual content, the show has low ratings across platforms and received next to no media attention.

i think this is a tragedy. this series spoke to my soul. the writing is snappy, the shots beautiful, the music memorable, and talent undeniable. it’s a funny side effect of our current culture that bad reviews are often a good indicator that something interesting is going on. the more other people hate it the more i am convinced it must be doing something right. people disliked “The Idol” because it is challenging, the story subverts expectations and popular beliefs about what love must look like. it is unapologetic in its point of view, it wastes no time trying to win you over, you either get it or you don’t.

i got it. i finished the series feeling seen and satiated, and maybe you will too.

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The Curse —

Nathan Fielder is one of the most powerful creative and comedic forces of our time. his previous work “Nathan For You” and “The Rehearsal” is worth watching for anyone unfamiliar with this man’s genius. Fielder is an expert at artifice and the absurd, leveraging reality TV tactics to carve little windows into the human spirit.

“The Curse” is his first scripted series. it follows a newlywed couple as they film a HGTV show attempting to bring eco-conscious homes to New Mexico. the tension between performative activism and the implicit gentrification, exploitation, and racism of the main characters mirrors broader culture. the reflective and ineffective homes left in the wake of the fake yet well-intentioned Whitney (Emma Stone) act as a visceral reminder of the precarious relationship between hell and good intentions. Fielder’s acting debut is charming and the dynamic between the two surprisingly endearing. he’s an autist and she’s an “artist”— can i make it any more obvious?