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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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The Drinking Game: Upgrade

Published on June 29, 2018, by Ailish Elzy.

Do you ever imagine what would have happened to Ryan Atwood’s brother Trey in the OC if he wasn’t shot by Marissa?

Let’s pretend we’re in a not so distant future where he’s still the fast car loving, all old school, grease monkey, but he’s married (don’t worry if you forget, he’ll continuously remind you). He’s all analog and his wife is all digital. Opposites attract I guess? They live in a black mirror-esque future with self- driving cars, smart houses that put on your evening playlists as soon as you’re home and two huge tech companies competing to be the best. So maybe it’s not that hard to imagine. Anyway, Trey (whose name in the movie is GREY TRACE so nice try hiding the fact that he’s “not Ryan’s brother”) and his wife gets in a strange car crash, she’s murdered and he’s paralyzed. Later he’s given the opportunity to walk again IF he puts a computer chip in his body to controls his motor functions and read his mind. BUT he can’t tell anyway about it, BUT ALSO DON’T WORRY IT’S ALL FREE. So yeah, seems very chill. Just casually put Siri in your spine. The spine Siri called Stem helps Grey/Trey do everything from pour whiskey like a robot, remind him of everything he touched to wipe fingerprints from a crime scene and straight murder some fools. It’s honestly pretty awesome. This movie has Ex-Machina meets Hardcore Henry vibes and I am here for it honey!!! Go see it and play this drinking game!

Drink when:

When he says “my wife”

When he asserts that he hates computers or anything made past 1970

When you realize you’re not watching Tom Hardy

When Trey/Grey looks away from murdering someone

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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Weekend Playlist | Smooth Raps

Published on May 31, 2018, by Stephanie Méndez

Listen to Smooth Raps on Apple Music or Spotify.

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thenewgrlsclub · 7 years

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Escapism and Mad Men

Published on August 23, 2017, by Ailish Elzy

There’s a pretty sexist and racist show that used to be on television. It had scenes filled with men cheating on their wives, women being treated like objects, black people, Jewish people and Chinese people getting treated like less than other people, but that wasn’t all it was.

Ten years ago this past July my favorite show of all time first aired. It wasn’t incredibly popular, it wasn’t on a channel people knew about and it was literally right before the so called “golden age of television”. It aired on July 19th, 2007 on a channel that previously was associated with a movie theater chain and popular movies from the 1950’s. The channel was AMC and the show was Mad Men.

I need to say this up front before I get into this show because I know people have problems with it. I consider myself an intersectional womanist. Meaning I vouch for the rights and humanism of all types of people because I am a middle class, mixed race, dual citizen, bisexual woman. I fall at literally all the crossroads. I understand struggles of minority humans in an incredibly complex way.

But I also consider myself a writer and a storyteller and often times those identities collide.

One prime example is with my love for the TV show Mad Men.

It’s strange that I began watching my two favorite shows the same way (the OC being the other, but that’s for another blog). I watched an early episode of the first season randomly on TV, liked it and then didn’t continue watching it. Then I started purposefully watching Mad Men when I was incredibly sick and bed ridden. It provided the perfect amount of escapism. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s a hard show to begin. There’s a ton of mostly unlikable characters, a lot of business jargon and frankly when you don’t know what’s going on the drama of the show goes over your head. Eventually, after a few episodes, I got into it and fell in love.

This isn’t a blog about the details of me watching it because that’s boring. I’m here to tell you that as a womanist writer, this show is something unique. This show understands theme in a way a lot of shows don’t. One of my favorite episodes explores the themes of old and young that seem so subtle on the first watch and so sucker-punch-to-the-face obvious on a second watch.

And that’s what I love about the show. I love that as a half black women living in 2017, it allows me to escape into a world neither my parents nor I know anything about. A world that feels so foreign yet so fantastical. You know how people dreamily talk about getting lost in a world of a fantasy novel? That’s me with Mad Men.

I know this show front and back. I know minute details you’ve probably over looked. I’ve read Mad Men Carousel while watching the show to better understand the episodes and I’ve read Philosophy and Mad Men to better understand the characters.

I’m not here to brag, I just want you to know that I know more than your average obsessive viewer of the show.

So why do I love it so much?

Why does anyone love a show? It’s for the characters and their development. One of my friends once said the most poignant point about Mad Men and it’s that you love and hate every character while watching it. At first watch, it seems clear who to hate. Pete was obvious for me, then Betty then Jane. But with more viewings, I grew to love these characters and hate other characters I used to love: Don, Joan, Megan. It’s with hindsight that you can truly understand why they do what they do. These characters experience so fucking much through the 10 years we know them. It’s hard not to grow to love all of them. To escape through their lives.

The details in this show are flawless. Their ability to weave in real historical events into the fictional stories is incredible. And it’s not just assassination and elections, it’s the typewriters and the weather.

Because immense amounts of research have been done, it doesn’t feel clunky, it feels seamless. Like this is actually a show taking place in 1960 with an incredible writing staff and HD cameras.

Since this month is all about escapism, the idea of getting away from it all into a new and mostly foreign world, when I want to escape, there are four Mad Men episodes I go to.

Season 1 Episode 7

Red in the Face

This is probably my favorite episode of the series. It’s one of the best examples of how a general theme is weaved into the plot of an episode in such a subtle but profound way. The theme is in everything from the relationship between Pete, his coworkers, and his wife, the Nixon ad campaign assignment and Roger’s relationship with Don. Pay attention to the ideas of old and new or young and old.

Season 4 Episode 7

The Suitcase

This episode is a masterpiece of television in my mind. I know it’s on a lot of people’s lists of best mad men episodes and rightfully so. This episode goes so far without really leaving the office. There are monumental relationship growths and changes that happen in this episode. Also, the fact that it’s mostly contained to one location makes it feel extra dream like. If you’re at all a fan of Peggy and Don’s relationship, this is the episode.

Season 5 episode 5

Far Away Places

Roger is such an understated character. What really is his job and purpose at the company? I believe it’s to bring a sense of childlike honesty, and comic relief to those who he works with and also us. He’s one of the few characters who genuinely tells it like it is. He doesn’t sugarcoat a thing which is refreshing and helpful to have to stabilize the other characters. There are other important elements of this episode, but this is a stand out for Roger and how important honesty is for him. Additionally, this episode is a prime example of the people behind the show letting your figure out for yourself what’s happening. You’ll know when you watch it.

Season 6 Episode 12

In Care of

This episode is a difficult one to fall into if you’ve never seen the show before, but in a way, it’s also not. The show does a precise and almost delicate job of never really telling you too much. Things are rarely admitted outright, so in a way, you could watch this and get all the backstory you’d ever need about the characters, in addition to some pretty pivotal information. If the relationship between Don and Sally has ever intrigued you, this is one of those subtle and telling delves into their relationship.

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thenewgrlsclub · 7 years

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Escape: A Playlist

Published on August 18, 2017, by Stephanie Méndez

Stress from school or your job. Aftermath feelings from watching/reading the news. Heartbreak. Overthinking. Overanalyzing. Family drama. Friend drama. Feeling anything other than happiness and bliss. These are all things and emotions that cause negativity within, and it is only natural for us to want to escape even if it can only be achieved for a few minutes or hours. One way this can easily be obtained is via music.

I don't know about you all, but I personally turn to music for just about anything. Some people like to read, and find comfort within words others write that depict exactly what it is we're feeling. While others, like myself, like to find those same words, in lyrics.

I just recently lost someone very dear to me, and it served as the perfect example to prove that music has the capability to escalate me to a higher level or just uplift my mood from the one I had prior to hitting play. Sometimes we have specific memories attached to certain songs. They provide us with nostalgia for a moment or of someone, and it helps us remember them and smile, as a result.

We all have specific songs or genres we listen to when we're happy, sad, mad, etc. The way that music is able to adapt to your current mood and even more, raise it to a more positive one, is rare and cannot be achieved with too many other mediums (at least not with the quickness).

Other times, words aren't even necessary. Sometimes all you need are sweet, melodies (jazzy ones in my case) to bring you back to zen. There are instrumentals galore out there, but I have put together a few of some of my personal favorites for your enjoyment. Instrumentals are best when working on something. Whether it be work for your job or yourself, on rainy or foggy days, or when you need humans and or the thoughts in your head to chill for a bit and stop talking. In the words of the mighty Alchemist, "Music is therapy, it's spiritual, way beyond something I could even put words to."

The world and our own can be such a hectic place sometimes, but I am so so thankful we have music to turn to and escape it with. For me personally, Jazz, Hip Hop, Instrumental, Indie, Rock, Alternative, Funk, the genres are endless, and with me, they always do the trick. I would recommend hitting shuffle for best results!

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Click here to listen to the playlist on iTunes.

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thenewgrlsclub · 7 years

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New Grls Club Weekly Watch

A (quick) weekly roundup of what you should and shouldn’t be watching this week.

Published on August 7, 2017, by Ailish Elzy

In Theaters

Atomic Blonde

Although the plot falls a bit in the third act, the whole movie is incredibly fun, exciting and fast. Ton’s of rad hand to hand combat, Charlize in incredibly enviable clothes and a bad ass soundtrack make this movie worth watching.

Notable: One incredible fight scene in a stairwell that does an impressive job of looking like one take.

Girls Trip

If this is the summer of rad female driven movies then this is our peak blockbuster comedy. It starts off a little cringe worthy with the voiceover that sets up the movie, but it’s all up hill going forward. It’s the #BlackGirlMagic movie version of The Best Man (which makes sense considering the director).

Notable: Tiffany Haddish. She steals every scene of this film. Her improve, physical humor and timing are unmatched.

On Netflix

The Incredible Jessica James

I’ve been eager to watch this for almost a year and it did not disappoint. It’s the indie movie I’ve always wanted that just shows a dope black chick being dope and black while both beginning a relationship with someone while mostly rediscovering herself after a breakup. The dialogue is raw and honest, there are some really cool and important child characters and Chris O’Dowd and Jessica Williams’s chemistry is pretty great.

Notable: Literally everything Jessica James wears is incredible and I want all the outfits.

On Tidal

Moonlight – Jay-Z

Even if you don’t have a subscription, it’s worth signing up for the free trial just to watch this music video. It’s part of a very spot on remake of the bottle episode with the theme song staring so much Black television excellence. (Also it’s directed by Master of None co-creator Alan Yang)

Notable: The transition from Friends remake to music video is intoxicating.

I watched this so you don’t have to

Gypsy

I wanted to give this show the benefit of the doubt, but it disappointed in every way. There was way too much white privilege to handle. Nothing felt new or inventive and I have no sympathy for Jean/Diane and the first episode gave me no reason to like her or to understand why she does what she does. She’s an uninteresting nosey, liar.

Notable: Although the story was annoying there were some pretty cool shots involving mirrors that I think we’re supposed to relate to how the main character is split between worlds.

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thenewgrlsclub · 7 years

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Rep: A Playlist

Published on July 14, 2017 by Stephanie Méndez

Sometimes with all the noise going on in our nation, and throughout the world, it’s necessary to make our own.

*turn up the volume and hit play here*

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Here in the Bay we really do dance, speak and carry ourselves a little different. This depicts where we're from without having to literally say it, and natives take pride in this heavily, on the daily.

I can only speak on the way I feel being here from the bay because that's all I personally know, but I know that others feel the same way with their respective hometown. There is specific lingo, dances, gestures, etc that exist within all the different states and coasts that are included in the playlist above. Representation branches directly off of an individual’s nationalism.

Within hip hop specifically, repping home is very common and numerous songs have hit the surface when it comes to praising one's turf. There are many areas within the states that I did not include, but the ones I did were either national hits or were discovered via second nature, as a result of being an avid hip hop lover. We all heavily believe the place we call home is the utmost best, and nothing and no other area is superior. This is unrealistic in a sense because we literally all feel that way with our respective hometown, which is fine, but obviously the Bay Area is superior ;-).

We all have an artist or multiple that we identify with as their music resonates with our hometown & provides us a source of pride. My goal was to pick tracks that I feel represent other stomping grounds around the nation, that I imagine give the fans in their respective community the same sense of pride Zion I's 'The Bay' provides baydrestrians with.

The sense of pride and dibs we have on an artist from our area before they are exposed to the hype, cultural appropriation, etc is something that we hold very dear and we are ready to clap back at anyone who we feel is disrespecting or taking away from the perfection that we see within them. Case and point, André Hicks aka Mac Dre. I think it's safe to say the majority of his true fans from this area are not and never will be okay with mainstream artists like Drake full on biting his lingo, lifestyle, and straight up lyrics. While some may see it as "putting us on," the reality is he is stealing and claiming it to be his own original style, and that will never be okay. Before I continue to digress and commence a rant on my strong dislike of Drake, let me refocus.

photo by @space_is_the_place

There are multiple motives that prompt artists to write a song about the place they call home. Whether it be a good or bad memory associated with one’s upbringing, sharing their reason for leaving, or merely having the desire to represent for the place that raised them, this is a way for artists to paint a picture for those who have perhaps never stepped foot on their soil.

Allow me to give you a glimpse of the sense of pride that Zion I gives me in listening to his anthem for the place I call home. We really do have a “hippy mentality” here because we are genuine, and have hospitality, kindness, and a sense of all for one, and one for all embedded in our DNA.

“a place you probably don’t know” - since we are located in California, we are automatically overshadowed by the more well-known half of the state, Los Angeles County.

“from the West who was blessed with a soul” - this is controversial, but it is known for people from the Bay to be a lot more easygoing and inviting of both strangers and people who need assistance whether it be asking for directions, a good place to eat, or in the job context, networking.

“Panthers and hippies” - two historic and major components that are instantly thought of when San Francisco is mentioned, but that naturally are not ALL that we are made up of or known for.

“Sideshows” - Originated here in the 80’s (in case you don’t believe me: https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/08/18/sideshows-the-birth-of-oaklands-hyphy-culture/), and have only gotten larger and more a part of the everyday Bay culture, being as it is just another component we hold here that invites anyone and everyone to be a part of, feel welcomed, and like they belong.

This is the Bay Area. This is where I’m from. Anytime I hear about these things mentioned above, I know it is stemmed from this place. The sense of representation that I feel when I hear this anthem speaks louder than I could about any current presidential climate. Using Drake as a parallel, we don’t want nor need some clown speaking on behalf of where I’m from. I know that it is WE as individual communities, and the love we have for where we stay, that can ACTUALLY make America great again. Representation is important to carry around with us always because it helps us stay grounded in our values and beliefs that are rooted within us via our respective collective. The way that this song makes me feel, I know gives the same to others in their place within the nation.

No matter how loud the noise gets from the sh*tty state of the world, I know I have my little hyphy place on the globe.

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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#Filmstruck4

Published May 10, 2018, by Ailish Elzy.

Last week on Twitter, FilmStruck started a trend with the hashtag #FilmStruck4.The parameters were simple: We want to celebrate the personal nature of cinema and fill your timeline with the films that define you.

Because I’m in film school, the trend caught on really quickly amongst my friends and I was tagged soon after FilmStruck’s original tweet.

Like any good film student with a bad memory, I keep a list of my favorite movies for reasons like these. I freeze in the moment and forget all my favorite things. So, when I was tagged, I referred to my list and added to the tag with some of my favorite movies: Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, The Girl Can’t Help It, Back to The Future, and Heathers.

These are some of my favorite movies. They’re so rewatchable, so fun, have incredible sequences, the most creative lines and have some of my favorite cinematic moments.

But the point wasn’t really supposed to be the films that are your favorite. They’re supposed to be the films that inspire you. As a film student, the films that made you want to make movies. The films that define YOU.

These films I chose, as incredible as they are, do not define me.

So what does?

In a twist of fate, the trailer for Blindspotting was released the morning after the FilmStruck4 hashtag. I watched the trailer as soon as I saw it on twitter because it featured Daveed Diggs. I remembered vaguely hearing about this film and that it was set in Oakland, but it was so much more. I watched it and felt that feeling I’ve felt only a few handful of times. That feeling of “this is the movie I want to make.”

It made me reconsider my entire hashtag. These aren’t the movies that define me. These movies don’t take place in Oakland, or have brown people in it, or deal with race. They don’t inspire me to want to make my own movie.

After seeing the trailer, I immediately thought about the films that gave me that same feeling of wanting to make movies. The films where I saw myself represented.

I reevaluated my choices and decided on four films that truly define me are: Dear White People, Kicks, Blindspotting and Sorry to Bother You.

Movies about brown people in Oakland, (or at least California) dealing with problems I can relate to like racism, interracial dating, trying to innocently navigate The Bay. Two of these movies aren’t even out yet, that’s how desperate I still am for representation and for movies that define me.

The films that are your favorite are completely different from the films that define you. Those are the ones that convince wary artists to make something. They’re the turning point between not knowing what you want to be and feeling like you have to make a film before it’s too late. I live for that feeling and I hope every filmmaker, but especially the ones of color, get a chance to feel that more often.

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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The Drinking Game: Uncle Drew

Published on July 9, 2018, by Ailish Elzy.

If you’ve ever seen a Gold Bond, The General or Icy hot commercial and thought, “wow Shaq is a great actor, I’d love to see him act more in heavy prosthetics” you are in luck.

If you’re looking for that light-hearted really silly summer comedy, don’t sleep on Uncle Drew. It seems dumb on the surface, but trust me when I say it’s the right kind of dumb. For a film that got its inspiration from a Pepsi commercial, it manages to include everything you want for a summer blockbuster: A dance-off, a car chase, and Tiffany Haddish.

Imagine if there was an alt universe of the Carmichael Show where Bobby Carmichael and Nekesha got back together, but in this version, Bobby didn’t have a loving and supportive family and was actually an orphan and used basketball as a way to cope with his feelings and find his place in the world. And just when his life goes to shit and Bobby Bottleservice steals his basketball team and what he thinks is his only shot at success, he meets Kyrie Irving and finds new meaning in life from these old ballers.

Drink when

There’s a celebrity cameo

Someone swishes

“She Ready!”

They mention another basketball player

Someone makes a short joke

It gets meta (Pass the ball Kobe, or I’ve seen Get Out”)

Montage Time!

Shaq does karate outside the dojo

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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The Drinking Game: Ibiza

Published on June 29, 2018, by Ailish Elzy.

With the success of Girls Trip and Rough Night and the need for more movies with a whole bunch of ladies, Netflix was like “I think I’m gonna try and bank on this trend”. But they’re Netflix so you really never know. I feel like they’re constantly playing darts blindfolded hoping they’ll hit that sweet, sweet bullseye like they did with Stranger Things or Master of None, but this is, unfortunately, more of a flop like Friends from College. It’s got a ton of people I love from other things, but it just didn’t blend right.

The plot of this movie is pretty straightforward, girlfriends go to Spain, one falls in love/lust with a DJ, they follow him to Ibiza do a lot of drugs and drinking and have to make it back to Barcelona in time for the business meeting they’re actually there for. If it sounds bad, it’s because it is. I really, really wanted to like this movie, but it was such a bad representation of party culture in Ibiza that even the island of Ibiza is trying to sue Netflix. The best part about this movie is Phoebe Robinson and literally everything she says. If anything, good comes out of this I really hope it’s 100 more roles for Phoebe. Honestly these girls are all talented and they should be given the chance to make a shit movie and then make a great one if dudes are allowed to do this constantly (*cough* Armie Hammer *cough*)

I don’t really recommend seeing this movie, but I will say that it makes for one HELL of a drinking game! You really don’t even need that many rules. I promise you, you will get shit faced so play with caution!!

Drink:

Anytime someone says Leo West

Anytime someone says Harper

Anytime they say where they are (This is New York, I can’t believe we’re in Spain, Welcome to Ibiza)

Every time a main character makes out with someone

Any slo-mo montage (twice if they’re drinking during it)

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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The Drinking Game: Tag

Published on June 29, 2018, by Ailish Elzy.

Tag is like Game Night meets Vacation, but with none of the character development. But for me, that’s perfect because it makes for the ideal drinking game since there isn’t that much to pay attention to. It’s a silly movie inspired by a true story about a bunch of dudes who play tag. That’s it. That’s all there is. There’s no hidden love story. There’s no coming of age. There are no characters that develop. It’s just a bunch of friends trying to tag their one friend who’s never been tagged. That being said, there are some hilarious Sherlock Holmes inspired sequences and a killer performance by Isla Fischer. I think ridiculous wedding scenario movies might be her calling. When they inevitably remake The Hangover with an all-female cast, she needs to be Ed Helms’s character.

Drink when…

There are Flashbacks Whenever someone gets tagged Slo motion There’s a nut tap There’s a butt punch Chili smokes weed “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?” Ben Franklin Is quoted The women are better at the game then the dudes

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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Weekly Playlist | Then & Later

Published on June 29, 2018, by Stephanie Méndez.

Here are a few of Stephanie’s favorites across the genre boards. Songs include original samples and the contemporary songs they were flipped into.

Listen to Then & Later on Apple Music or Spotify.

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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Weekly Watch SPECIAL EDITION: Food Shows

Published on June 18, 2018, by Ailish Elzy.

I wanted to write this food show edition of Weekly Watch for a little while now and was taking my time with it so I could watch all the shows and get a real feel for what to suggest. And then Anthony Bourdain died and it made me think about these shows more seriously.

We’ve always had the Food Network and the Cooking Channel, but we’ve recently had an upsurge in the quality of these shows and I really think you can trace it back to Bourdain. Whether you were an early fan of Parts Unknown or No Reservations or you just recently got into Chef’s Table or Ugly Delicious, you have Bourdain to thank for that.

There’s a lot that has been written in the past week and will continue to be written about in the years to come because Bourdain had a profound impact on the food industry, on the food documentary and on how we see different parts of the world. I only recently got into his shows in the past three years, but I very quickly fell in love with his passion, his sense of adventure and his honesty. He was an incredibly inspiring and fascinating dude to watch.

I’m not here to talk about him in depth, mostly because I don’t feel like that’s my place. I want to talk about the impact I’ve seen on food television because of him and his legacy. This will be a slightly different Weekly Watch. It’ll all be food shows I love and recommend watching because this is a large umbrella of a genre that’s worth exploring.

The real reason I wanted to write this in the first place was that I recently acquired two new books. One about Wine called Wine. All The Time by comedy writer and leisure enthusiast Marissa A Ross. A book I highly recommend no matter how much or how little you know about wine (I know very little). The other book I acquired was Cravings by supermodel and well-known internet person Chrissy Teigen. Both books are very dope and enjoyable in different ways.

Since I’ve been reading them, I’ve subsequently stopped watching scripted shows and fallen down a very enjoyable hole of watching shows about food and wine. It’s really hard to watch these shows and not immediately think you’re a talented chef yourself. Shows about food and cooking are highly underrated in my opinion. It’s not just your mom’s Food Network anymore either, it has really expanded.

I’m sure you’ve noticed the influx of well-produced food-related documentaries on Netflix or channels expanding on their brand and adding a food show. It’s not even just on TV. YouTube holds some very well produced fooding shows (which is what I feel like we should be calling them) from channels like Tastemade or Bon Appetit as well as homemade shows by regular-ass kids.

I gotta say I am totally here for this! Food shows are a wonderful break from scripted TV. You can throw them on in the background when you’re cleaning but you can also sit and watch them like you would any other show. You can even watch them when you’re cooking, although you might feel inferior depending on if you’re watching Chef’s Table and if that’s the case, maybe just throw on Nailed It when you’re making food to feel a little better about yourself. I will say the one place I don’t recommend watching these shows is at the gym. It should be pretty obvious, but I thought I could handle it and then immediately got SO hungry and had to make a pizza.

If you need it, here are some shows I recommend, where you can find them and a solid episode you can start with if you’re unsure.

Nailed it

Why it’s good: This show is almost everything I’ve ever wanted a competition cooking show to be. It’s silly, it’s realistic, it’s short, and they win money. The premise is home cooks try to recreate all those things you see on Pinterest with people making cakes that look like emoji’s or Spongebob. Nicole Byer, the host, is EASILY the best part and really the only reason to watch it!

A dope episode to start with: Honestly the first one. The episodes are short and you’ll get right into the vibe of it.

Where you can watch it: Netflix babyyy!! Also they just got renewed for season 2

Chef’s Table: Pastry

Why it’s good: If you love high quality docu-series AND food, you’ll love this. It’s got that cinematic quality goodness mixed with a really heartwarming story about someone trying to achieve their dreams. They really do a good job of weaving a narrative into these people’s stories of success.

A dope episode to start with: Milk Bar. It’s fun, it’s really American, and it shows you a very approachable way to cook delicious and simple desserts.

Where you can watch it: Netflix duh!

Bonus: Pastry is the fourth season, the other three seasons focus on non-pastry foods, or what they call in the biz, food. There’s a fantastic episode about Nancy Silverton (season 3 episode 3) that has such a great dramatic arc it really seems more like a narrative show than a documentary.

Ugly Delicious

Why it’s good: I was particularly drawn to this series because they focus on one type of food per episode. And they really know how to get you. Episode titles include: Pizza, Tacos, Stuffed and Fried Chicken. Honestly, unless you’re a vegan, what’s not to like? They take you all around the world. They eat the highest quality, the lowest quality (usually fast food) the weirdest and the least expected versions of whichever food they’re profiling. You’re definitely going to learn something new about a food you’ve loved. The style of this show is also particularly cool. They’ll do a parody genre, or have a section just be animated. They really have fun with it which makes you as a viewer have fun with it!

A dope episode to start with: I’d say pick whichever food you like the most and go from there.

Where you can watch it: Netflix (obviously!!)

Frankie Cooks

Why it’s good: If you’re into Italian home cooking, but you’re a little intimidated, BUT you also want to learn about why you’re supposed to do the things you do while cooking, Frankie is your dude! His hyper-enthusiastic personality will draw you in, but his pasta knowledge will keep you coming back for more. I’m a HUGE fan of pizza and pasta and have had many of his meals made for me by my boyfriend who is both obsessed with his videos and the one who introduced me to

A dope episode to start with: As will become clear with a lot of these, it’s best to find the food you want to learn more about and start with that, but the one that got me into Frankie was this video.

Where you can watch it: Youtube, baby! Here’s his personal channel and here’s where you can find him on Tastemade.

Good Times with Jen

Why it’s good: Another Tastemade person! Jen is such a delight. She specializes in Filipina food and comfort foods that are easy to recreate at home. Her personality is fun and authentic which can be really rare with these kinds of videos (trust me, I watched a lot). She has a lot of great videos of her getting stoned and making or attempting to make food which is so fun to watch. But I really love her videos because I feel like I learn more about Filipino food and they’re actually dishes I can eat and enjoy (I’m allergic to a lot of foods).

A dope episode to start with: A funny video to start with is this one, but a good food video is this Filipino bacon recipe.

Where you can watch it: On Tastemade’s youtube!! Or just follow those links.

Huang’s World

Why it’s good: I think this was the first cooking show on vice that I ever watched and I really loved it. I was REALLY apprehensive about vice show at first, especially shows about food. I guess I just didn’t trust that they knew what they were talking about. Boy, was I proven the fuck wrong. Eddie is a fucking G. He really knows his shit, but he’s also really open to learning about the culture where he’s visiting. I think that’s what I enjoy most, how open and respectful he is about where he is. The food they eat is also really great.

A dope episode to start with: I personally loved the episode in Japan.

Where you can watch it: Viceland! (Either Youtube or on cable I guess)

F*ck That’s Delicious

Why it’s good: This is the type of show I actually expected from Viceland. Something raw, lots of cussing, smoking weed and just eating a bunch of food. This show is really all over the place. It’s hard to describe, but that’s also why it’s so fun.

A dope episode to start with: A while back The New Yorker had a great write up about a specific episode which is a really solid one to start with to get a feel for what this show is all about.

Where you can watch it: Viceland probably or maybe on YouTube.

Parts Unknown

I would be remiss if I did not include an Anthony Bourdain show on this list. There are so many good episodes and they’re all good for their own reasons. One of my favorite episodes is Season 8 episode two called Hanoi. This is the episode where he famously interviewed Barack Obama. My other favorite episode is Season 6 Episode 5 titled Bay Area. Because If Bourdain goes to Oakland, I obviously have to know where and what he ate. I was not disappointed!

I will say that the best way to watch Parts Unknown is to go through the seasons and find either the closest place to where you’re from or the most interesting sounding place you’ve always wanted to visit. Whether you know the place well or you don’t know it at all you’re bound to learn a lot of new information.

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thenewgrlsclub · 6 years

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Weekly Watch | May 21, 2018

Published on May 21, 2018, by Ailish Elzy.

Weekly Watch is Back Baby!!

Basically, this is where I write about some things I watched this week that I liked and some things I think you’d be chill skipping.

We only have so many hours in the day to watch all 4 Million episodes streaming on Netflix so hopefully, this can help make your decision a little easier. Also, I told my parents I’d keep giving them TV and Movie recommendations after I got my master’s degree so here we are.

Check this shit out!

Ali Wong’s Special: Hard Knock Wife

First of all, if you haven’t seen Baby Cobra, I’m not saying you have to see that special first, but it definitely helps. This is weirdly a sort of sequel to the first one. Just like in Baby Cobra, Ali’s also pregnant in this special. But unlike Baby Cobra, she never mentions her current pregnancy. She pretty much talks about what it’s been like to be a new mom, making more money than her husband and being more famous. Also, I love that Ali is kind of becoming an old-school catchphrase comedian with “Trap his ass” and “I have suffered enough.” I would love to go to a live show of hers where it’s just call and response. Ali: “Ladies, when your man does this, what are you gonna do?” Audience: “TRAP HIS ASS!” Ali: “When your baby shits her pants right as your husband comes home from work and he doesn’t wanna change her, what do you say?” Audience: “I HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH!”

This special is 15% Ali showing us her underwear, 55% butthole jokes and the rest is her talking about what happens to vaginas after having a baby. Honestly, we need WAY more comedians like Ali Wong. Where can I watch it? Netflix duh!

Deadpool 2

Your boy Deadpool is back and just as funny as he was before. I really don’t want to spoil anything about this movie, but I will say that if you enjoyed the first one you’re bound to enjoy this. There’s a lot of new fun characters, but honestly, we’re mostly all here for Zazie Beats as Domino. I suggest you read my drinking game review of this movie and play that as you’re watching. But fair warning, you will get very drunk. Where can I watch it? In the theaters, preferably a crowded one so you can audibly hear your neighbors understand a reference.

Killing Eve

You know when you watch a show and you’re like, “shit I didn’t know I wanted this”. This is how you’ll feel with Killing Eve. It’s an incredible…spy dramedy…? I’m honestly not sure what genre it would fit in but that doesn’t really matter. It’s the story of Eve (Sandra Oh) who is a mostly desk-bound spy/ security officer. She’s investigating a murder that will soon lead her to Villanelle, a French killer who is much smarter than the people she’s outsmarting expect of her.

It’s the attention to detail in the mundane or overlooked stuff in this show that keeps me on my toes. Not in the mundanity of things like in Fargo, it’s very different than that. If you liked Fleabag at all, then it’s that attention to the mundane you’ll love. Without giving away too much it’s a show you’ll quickly become obsessed with. One of my favorite moments from the first episode that really hooked me was watching Eve wake up screaming because both of her arms fell asleep. The show gets better with each episode.

Where can I watch it? The BBC America App and the AMC app. You need a cable log in for both, so ask your mom.

Barry

I know I’m late to the train, but I’m here now. And I love it. This show is really a testament to Bill Hader as an artist. He co-created the show, stars in it, and directed the first three episodes. I know we all know Hader is a comedian, and this role isn’t inherently a funny one, but still, he’s truly hilarious in this because he’s playing a bad actor so well. He has to be so subtle and have these tiny reactions that mean much more than they do and he does it SO well.

The Podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour described this show as Breaking Good. This show is about a hitman who’s REALLY good at his job, but is broken as a person and can’t find any meaning in his job. Then when he finds this thing he loves but is kind of shitty at it he feels like he’s found the purpose he’s been looking for. It’s really fun to watch this unfold in a kind of backward way. Where can I watch it? HBO. Either Go or Now. I’m not sure which is the freer one if you don’t have a login. But again, go ask your mom.

I watched this so you don’t have to:

Breaking In

Honestly, this just isn’t a smart movie. Like I’m not convinced they planned out how this heist movie was gonna work. There are so many flaws, and so much sexism it’s truly cringe-worthy. The two things that make this movie watchable are seeing it in a crowded theater to hear people’s reactions and to play the drinking game I made up for the occasion.

Where can I watch it? In a theater with a lot of black people

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thenewgrlsclub · 7 years

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New Grls Club Weekly Watch: Special Wednesday Web Series Edition

A (quick) weekly roundup of what you should and shouldn’t be watching this week.

Published on September 27, 2017, by Ailish Elzy

There are a LOT of fucking shows on TV right now. Everyone is talking about it. So how do you relax and not have a panic attack about how many shows there are and how little time you have to watch these shows?

One way to deal with it is to watch a web series instead. All the best shows on TV right now started as a web series: Broad City, Insecure, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Hood Adjacent!

Here are five very different and very interesting web series that I like that I think you’ll like too!

I’ll give you the scoop on who’s in it, what it’s about, where it takes place, and why should you watch it.

We Need to Talk

What: This is an instructional web series on Attn that talks about different elements that come up in relationships. They talk about everything from Social Media in relationships, clinging partners and open relationships.

Who: This series stars Nev Schulman (of Catfish) and his wife Laura Perlongo.

Where: You can watch it on Facebook

Why: This bite-size show is super interesting in getting to the bottom of modern relationship problems and hearing usually two very different opinions about the same thing. I love how Nev and Laura don’t always agree, but they respect each other's opinions.

Favorite Episode I love the episode on clingy partners. I think it was the silliest and the most relatable plus there was a hilarious question on bathroom time.

Strangers

What: I’ve mentioned this on a previous Weekly Watch, but it’s so good it deserves to be mentioned again. It’s a series about a girl, Isobel, who recently broke up with her boyfriend after cheating on him with a woman. In order to supplement her rent, she posts her house on Air BnB and has very different guests

Who: The regular cast includes Zoe Chao and Meredith Hagner (Search Party) but there are a great many guys stars including Shiri Appleby (UnReal, Lemon), Breeda Wool (UnReal) Jemima Kirke (Girls) and Jemaine Clement

Where: You can find it on Facebook here

Why: It’s honestly just a really great and happy story about women. Thankfully there are much more examples of these now, but this feels excruciatingly honest and open and relatable. It’s a joy to watch.

Favorite Episode: I think with this, you just have to start from the beginning. There are some delightful sequences in later episodes, one in particular that includes some characters dancing on mushrooms.

Overrated

What: This is a show produced by Vox taking about things in our culture that are overrated (duh).

Who: It’s hosted by one of Vox’s own Phil Edwards

Where: You can watch it on Facebook or on Youtube

Why: It’s a really interesting premise for an educational show. It’s all a deep dive into shit you may not know too much about, but ti will always answer the question “Why is this thing so popular?”. They’ve covered topics ranging from paintings to offices. The episodes are short and digestible and always interesting.

Favorite Episode: I really loved the episode on To Kill a Mockingbird (mostly because I learned the most from that.)

Kaptain Kristian

What: This channel is full of video essays spanning topics mostly to do with film, television, and music.

Who: Kristian is a most mysterious dude. All I can gather is that he’s a (cool) guy from San Francisco, and he seems to want to keep the mystery alive so let’s keep it that way.

Where: You can find all of his videos on Youtube

Why: These videos are edited so beautifully and are incredibly engaging. He usually covers topics I don’t know much about or wouldn’t be interested in normally and then makes me obsessed about the subject just by how he presented it. He’s a very talented writer and editor and you can tell a lot of love and hard work goes into these essays. (Bonus, he’s unapologetically honest when he tweets, which isn’t very regularly, but always great when it happens)

Favorite Episode: It was really hard to choose only one. His video about Childish Gambino is one of the best breakdowns of Donald Glover as an artist I've ever seen online (and this coming from a super fan who has a Gambino lyric tattooed on their body) But I also thoroughly enjoyed his take on South Park and censorship where I learned way more than I thought I would about South Park’s beginning.

The North Pole

What: This is a web series about three friends living in North Oakland (shout out) who are dealing, like we all are, with the changing and gentrifying city.

Who: this show is created by DC native Josh Healey, differed by Oakland Native Yvan Iturriaga and features a ton of new faces with some dope local guest stars.

Where: Oakland Baby! (But also if you wanna watch it you can find it on Youtube here)

Why: I will ALWAYS prioritize a show that’s about my hometown. But the fact that this show is smart, funny, engaging and interesting make it that much better. It’s not a story about Oakland being told by outsiders, it’s being told by brown locals like me. I love that they film outside on location and use local music and references. I’ve been waiting for a show where Oakland is a character the way New York always is and I finally got it with this!

Favorite Episode: Like with Strangers, you have to start from the beginning. Every episode is delightful, but I will say, the first episode starts with a hilarious parody sequence of the three main characters driving through Oakland as if they’re on a National Geographic style safari.

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