#5 Culture Fix
New music, old music, same music, King Cillian, flaming beauties and enemies of the people.
The Culture Fix is the place where twice a month I share the books, films, music, articles, interviews, plays, exhibitions, places, and even food, I’ve enjoyed recently.
Recommendations may refer to content in either English, Spanish, French or Italian and sometimes not available in English. But since this is a publication called Abroad written by a multilingual foreigner in London, and hopefully appealing to those curious to explore beyond their own borders, this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
I’m informed this edition of The Culture Fix is too long to read on email so you may want to open it on the Substack app or website.
I have the feeling that The Culture Fix gets bigger with each new issue. Which is good because it means I’m enjoying lots of great stuff and I’m excited to share them with you, but also bad because this is only made possible at the cost of not having any social life.
You’re lucky to have found in me a generous soul who is willing to sacrifice human interactions to bring you cultural enlightenment.
Since the last Culture Fix, where I informed you of the upcoming arrival of Flaming June to London, I’m glad to report that I’ve already been to the Royal Academy to pay my respects to Frederic Leighton’s masterpiece. As it’s often the case pictures don’t do any justice to the vibrancy of the colours in the original.
Short Reads
— How to become a professional writer, a tongue-in-cheek view by
— In LA, directors have clubbed together to save a landmark cinema. Why don’t Brits do the same?
— Director Denis Villeneuve believes young people crave longer films and meaningful content
— The next AI wave won’t revolve around chatbots
— Reddit has a new AI training deal to sell user content
— We’ve lost the ability to see reality a great reflection on how AI is challenging our perception of what’s true by
— on how setting intentions can help you fight the feeling that life is happening to you when you had other plans
— Meet Pauline Rose Clance, the psychologist who discovered imposter syndrome
— on Anna May Wong, the Chinese-American actress that defied studios to cast Asian actors beyond the stereotype
— What’s behind our obsessive surveillance of celebrities?
—I’ve discovered excellent substack The Honest Broker recently and I strongly recommend reading Dopamine Culture and the follow-up 13 Observations on Ritual
— BT Tower, a London landmark visible from my kitchen window, is set to become a luxury hotel. And that’s another place I’m being priced out.
Books
— The piece on Anna May Wong has brought to mind Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. Set in contemporary San Francisco, the novel explores race and identity as well as the constant battle for Asian-American actors to prove they too can play (because they are) people with a full range of emotions and experiences. Very funny and original novel which manages very effectively to convey how easy it is to forget the humanity within people when we only see them as a stereotype.
— I’ve tried my best to finish Dune in time to see Dune Part II (which is gathering raving reviews from critics). It’s been an intense week full of evening events so I’ve made it only to page 200 out of the 553 but since I’m going to see this film a few times, I’m not worried. If like me you belong to that group of people who aren’t into science-fiction, don’t worry because I’m not going to tell you why you should read it. However, know that Dune is not only a classic of the genre, but also a modern classic of literature tout court as it trascends the tropes usually associated with sci-fi. In fact, what has made me embrace the world of Dune so seamlessly is the lack of technology as well as the timeless universality of its key themes, which explore religious fanaticism, free will versus determination, the exercise of power or the importance of ecology and working in harmony with nature, among others. Subjects that are as relevant today if not more than when Frank Herbert published the novel in 1965. I’m of the opinion that some books are meant to find us when we are ready to receive them and Dune was such a book for me. If I had tried to read it before, or someone had tried to force it on me, I probably wouldn’t be talking about it so passionately today. As Italo Calvino said, a classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say, so perhaps one day Dune will have something to say to you, too.
Before I share with you my film recommendations, I’m very excited for the next Cillian Murphy film, Small Things Like These (based on the wonderful novella by Claire Keegan on the Irish Magdalene laundries) which has premiered at the Berlin Film Festival recently and which will arrive in the UK later in the year. This man is having a great year and I’m unexplicably happy for him and wish him every success.
Films
— Dune Part II. By the time you’re reading this I’ll be either on my way to see this movie for a second time in a bigger screen (the ticket was booked already) or I will have already seen it twice. And there’s still the BFI IMAX in mid March. The second instalment of Dune is as spectacular as the first one, but with the added bonus of Javier Bardem getting more screen time (and all the jokes) and great action scenes impressively shot, and yet the story keeps an even pace even when little is being said. Waiting already for Part III as Denis Villeneuve clearly had in mind a trilogy for this epic tale on the many dangers of both wishing for a hero and becoming one.
— Blackberry. If you think a movie about a phone can’t be entertaining or moving, you’re wrong. Blackberry traces the rise and fall of the hottest mobile device… until the iPhone was launched. The reason I enjoyed this film so much -aside from it being genuinely entertaining- is because a couple of years ago I also watched General Magic, a documentary on the Silicon Valley startup that first invented the smartphone but did it too soon for the market to be ready. It’s heartbreaking to see how the effort and passion of years went up in smoke and how Steve Jobs would pick up the pieces to incorporate in the iPhone many of the features that General Magic originally designed but never got credit for. Blackberry is the next iteration of General Magic: the company that got it right at the right time but couldn’t foresee change coming nor keep up with it fast enough.
— My son. A movie with Claire Foy, James McAvoy speaking with his Scottish accent and breathtaking Scottish landscapes can’t go wrong, right? That depends. My son has a compelling premise but it turned out to be what Liam Neeson’s Taken would look like if it were an arthouse film: the plot is on the thin side, the action is somewhat chaotic and improvised (these are regular parents after all), and every now and then you have a beautiful shot of the Highlands inserted for no purpose other than vibes and to help you make sense of what’s happening. If anything. But somehow it worked for me. Don’t try to overnalise it, though.
— Aftersun. Sometimes you really want to like a movie because it’s got great reviews and you know the acting is strong. But it just lays flat. I didn’t see the point of Aftersun and had to read a few reviews (this and this) mid movie to make sense of it. I don’t rule out that the reason of my indifference was due to cultural differences (the setting in a cheap holiday hotel was an immediate no for me and I have my reasons). Anyhow, everyone seems to agree it’s a gem, so I’m including it here.
— La La Land. I was so dismissive of this movie and I regret it profoundly because I have absolutely loved every frame of it. Surprisingly, it has brought to mind Anatomy of a Fall - although very different in tone and plot, both movies have at its heart the conflict that arises in a couple when both want to pursue their creative dreams. Who gives up? Who should chase their dreams? What happens if neither is successful? Or if both are? Or worse: if one is but the other isn’t. Dedication, such an honourable quality, can quickly turn into neglect towards someone that happens to be our biggest fan and wish we can truly achieve what our heart desires. Both movies explore that question through different angles and offer different solutions to the conflict. In Anatomy of a Fall there’s jealousy and resentment that ends in tragedy; in La La Land there’s admiration and unconditional support, even if it means losing the love you’ve always longed for. Which is another kind of tragedy.
— The Taste of Things. I strongly advise you see this movie on a full stomach (or with something to eat within reach) as otherwise you may spend most of the time salivating. The Taste of Things opens with an impressive coreographic scene that sets the tone of the film: this is a story about showing -definitely not telling as silence is another actor- the dedication and passion for preparing food and turn it into a feast of the senses. But it is also a story about how food can be a love language in itself as we witness Benoît Magimel and Juliette Binoche speak to each other through recipes shared over the years and simple meals enjoyed in the hearth of the kitchen. And above all The Taste of Things is an understated love story that has simmered slowly and we arrive to it when it’s about to be taken from the stove.
— Wicked Little Letters. Olivia Colman, Jessey Buckley and Anjana Vasan bring to life a real story from the 1920s where an anonymous writer created a public outrage by sending poisonous letters to the neighbours of Littlehampton. Lots of fun, visually delightful, a great women-led cast plus an unexpected turn of events that makes watching the story unfold until the end very satisfying. It also made me question how this movie would have been if set in Argentina, which inspired a reflection on the unmatched talent for insulting and swearing that Argentinians possess.
— Perfect Days. In the same Denis Villeneuve interview I’ve shared above he also said that cinema is for visual storytelling, not dialogue. Enter Wim Wenders and Perfect Days, his quaint portrayal of the every day life of a Tokyo public toilet cleaner who challenges spectators to shift their viewpoint and look at the world in the same way he does, taking in every little detail, rejoicing in the comfort of routine, taking pride in a job well done and finding meaning in a world that has put a price on everything while selling us the idea that what we do and what we own are the true markers of our value. Supported by an excellent soundtrack that sets the tone of his day, Hirayama (played by an excellent Kōji Yakusho) proves time and again that who we are transcends any fancy job title or lifestyle. Instead, its our choices and how we decide to look at the world what truly define us. As the saying goes “some people are so poor that all they have is money” and Hiroyama definitely is a wealthy man.
And also - BAFTA special
The Baftas have left us many memorable moments this year and even inspired a piece on my newfound love of cinema.
We had Cillian Murphy threatening to sing a rebel song after winning the award for Best Actor (he also received the Screen Actors Guild Award a few days later, hopefully an omen of what’s to come at the Oscars), Michael J. Fox making a surprise appearance to present the Best Film Award (very touching moment), and David Beckham creating a little controversy for using the wrong word. He was understandably starstruck after meeting Michael J. Fox so we can forgive him.
We also had a BBC interviewer asking very uncomfortable questions to Andrew Scott (still can’t believe he wasn’t nominated for Best Actor and that he had to put up with this), Robert Downey Jr. delivering the perfect speech, Hugh Grant stealing the show with an Oompa Loompa rendition, and even an infiltrated YouTuber.
And of course the one and only Sophie Ellis-Bextor performing Murder on the Dancefloor. Another classic that will never finish saying what it has to say, if you ask me.
The highlight of the evening, however, was the look Ryan Goslingto gave to Emma Stone when she went down the stairs to get her Best Actress award. Many compared the moment to the final scene in La La Land. Now that I’ve watched the film I can see why.
It was a beautiful moment and a testament that Gosling is one of the most heartfelt people in celebrity land. He was also glad Robert Down Jr. won Supporting Actor despite both of them were competing for it.
And on this note find someone who celebrates your success like Ryan Gosling does for others. If you’ve got them already, where did you find them? Asking for a friend.
— Paul Mescal in conversation with Louis Theroux discussing his love of acting
— And to stay on topic here’s the first episode of The District Dump on How stylists are engineering the rise of Irish actors
— La La Land soundtrack. I may have listened to it quite a few times ever since watching the film. Fine, if we were at that moment in the Beckham documentary, I’d have to confess that a particular track has been on repeat for the best part of the last two weeks (and counting).
— As a result of watching a film I wanted to like but didn’t (Mr. Right, with Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick, watch at your own risk) I’ve been reminded of how much I love Saint Motel, whose upbeat My Type opens and closes said film.
I’ve always wondered why they aren’t more well-known as they have a fantastic sound. They make the kind of music that gets you moving and feel optimistic about life even if you don’t want to. Yes, even in this country. In this weather. After Brexit.
They released a new album in 2021 The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and I’m currently loving this track.
— Last but not least I’ve recently discovered Aime Simone thanks to another recent fixation: watching interviews with Denis Villeneuve. Villeneuve mentioned Simone’s music in an interview not long ago and as a result Say Yes, Say No has been getting a lot of love over the past two weeks.
In this Dark Time is a perfect soundtrack for the bleak UK weather but What’s Up With the World? is taking over now to see me into spring.
In case you hadn’t reached this conclusion already, I am someone incapable of having normal interests, only compulsive obsessions.
— If you find yourself in London before 13th April, I strongly recommend you spend your hard-earned money on a ticket for An Enemy of the People at The Duke of York’s Theatre. Matt Smith delivers a superb performance (as does the rest of the cast) as Thomas Stockmann in this modern reimagining of Ibsen’s classic directed by Thomas Ostermeier.
The play includes a very interactive second act where the people in the audience are invited to have their say during a critical moment in the story which arrives after an incendiary speech delivered with great provocative effect by Smith, who spares no one.
From the rise of AI and our obsession with harvesting likes on social media to the growing number of food banks, climate change, political corruption, the cost of living crisis, uprising violent conflicts, and even the Post Office scandal, Smith’s words make a dent on us with each topic he touches on.
Like Frank Herbert’s Dune, Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People still has a lot to say thanks to the new life that has been breathed into it to bring its message to our present times. This is what good theatre -and by extension art- is for: to put on the table uncomfortable questions that leave us transformed after the experience and make us look at the world with new eyes.
— Sargent and Fashion at the Tate Britain | 22 February – 7 July 2024
Tate Britain never disappoints with their exhibitions. I loved the breadth of paintings they had on display for The Rossettis last year so I already have my ticket to visit this one on Sargent in April. A great opportunity to finally see the painting “Lady Agnew of Lochnaw” as last time I was in Edinburgh it wasn’t on display at the National Scottish Gallery.
Abroad is an independent publication about identity and belonging, living in between cultures and languages, the love of books, music, films, creativity, life in London, and being human in the age of artificial intelligence.
I've also been forever avoidant of La La Land, whatever puts me off of widely acclaimed movies 😅 But after I watched Barbie and Drive on the same day, and seeing Gosling's reactions to various people, questions and events, I'm finally sold on him, so maybe I should finally watch it, too 👀 Besides, Stone is also a lot of fun to watch as an actress
Thanks for the mention Christina. A great post with lots of great recommendations. I can’t wait to see dune 2!