The Weekly Spill #29
dancing at coyote ugly with the challengers cast, cher, and the kennedy correspondent
Happy Friday! I took last week off to be patriotic, but I am back again to spill the beans. Here are all of the things I can’t stop thinking about:
Challengers: I might be the last person on Earth to see Challengers, but you know what they say about late and never. I finally got my shit together this week and watched it. I don’t always say this, but… everyone was right. This film is amazing. We’ve done it 2 years in a row you guys—the summer blockbuster is actually good. Culturally, we are healing from the Marvel sickness that once plagued us. No longer are people showing up to the theater en masse for boring superhero CGI. It’s homoeroticism or bust, baby! Who knew tennis was so horny?
Probably the people who play tennis…Have they been keeping this from the general public? Is this why people join country clubs? Should I play tenn—anyway! Since I’m months behind on this one (and all of you have most likely seen it), I’ll spare you my every thought. They aren’t that unique: I thought the acting was top notch and the film deserves a score and editing nomination. If you’ve also fallen behind and have yet to see this—go watch it!!Note: not to be that girl, but… everyone from high school who judged this theatre kid better keep quiet about Mike Faist. Where were you in the Newsie era? When is everyone going to realize that my finger has always been on the pulse? It’s exhausting.
This Coyote Ugly Megamix: I don’t even remember how I stumbled upon this, but I have been listening to it non-stop for almost 2 weeks. I think dancing on a bar with Tyra Banks could cure me, but since that is not looking like an option at the moment, I’ve decided that listening to this on repeat is a start.
Jack Schlossberg joining Vogue as a political correspondent: I’ve made it no secret that I’m a fan of this man, so none of you should be surprised when I say that I’m obsessed. Genius. Inspired. I think whoever had this brilliant idea deserves some sort of prize. I read the interview that accompanied the announcement as well as his explainer on the recent Supreme Court decision, and they are both great. He’s incredibly smart, and contrary to reports by confused pundits—very self-aware. He and Vogue know that you will tune in because of his persona, but hopefully you learn something too. And the photoshoot is fab because…he is very pretty. Obviously.
To my Condé Nast divas (and you know who you are): I will need to be briefed on any Jack sightings. Okay? Glad we are on the same page. These shoes…I am conflicted: Okay, I’m savvy enough to know that I probably have been swayed by the trend, but I keep thinking about buying these. Is it just the trend though? Will I wear them?
I think they are really cute, but I did famously say the following about the mesh ballet flat trend: “it’s like the dogs aren’t out, but they are behind the screen door.” So…it’s a maybe?
The Museum of Pizza: This story is WILD, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I fear that this man and I might have some similar things going on in the brain. Thankfully, I do not have the capital nor the gumption to get myself into this big of a pickle.
Breton Stripes: quite literally a basic, but I am currently on a Breton Stripe kick. I’m not sure what kicked off this obsession, but it has prompted me to create this Breton Striped mood board.
this is currently in my cart, and I am wearing the short sleeve version as I type this The Last of Shelia: I watched this a couple of weeks ago after looking through the Sondheim auction items, and I kind of already want to watch it again. Sondheim collected antique games and puzzles, and in the auction was a game based off of this movie that he co-wrote with Anthony Perkins called The Last of Shelia.
I had been curious about it for a while, since it was his only foray into screenwriting, and seeing the game convinced me to finally sit down and watch it. Sondheim used to throw these very elaborate murder mystery parties for his friends, and that was the inspiration for this movie. It’s a largely forgotten, campy, whodunnit that served as major inspiration for the Knives Out franchise. There are elements that reminded me of Clue (1985) too. I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything—it is a mystery after all—but the basic premise is this: a Hollywood producer invites a group of people, all potential suspects in the hit-and-run of his late wife, aboard his yacht for a week’s cruise around the Mediterranean. While on board, they will all play a mystery game he has created, and hopefully the killer will be revealed.
It’s not a perfect movie, but it’s a fun 70s campy yacht mystery in the Mediterranean, and it was written by Stephen Sondheim, so the writing is naturally top notch.
Strands: The team who comes up with the games for the New York Times has done it again. It’s now on my daily rotation along with Wordle, Connections, Sudoku, and Spelling Bee. I do the mini sometimes, it depends on the day. Do we believe the science about games like these keeping your mind sharp? Because let me just say… huge if true. Then playing silly games isn’t really so silly. I’m not wasting my time playing games, I am investing my longterm cognitive health, and that is literally so important. Similar note: would playing Connections cure Biden? Forget the mental fitness test, release his Wordle stats.
The Romeo & Juliet balcony pas de deux:
Woman’s World (the definitive version): Miss Katy, what are you doing? This is your big comeback? Perhaps, we should go back to the drawing board because the song is bad. Why would you work with Dr. Luke for a feminist anthem? If you are going to work with him, the result better—at the VERY least—be a hit. And... it’s not. Do you know what is a hit though? “Woman’s World.” Cher’s “Woman’s World” from 2013’s Closer to the Truth.
So, not only did we already have a girl-power anthem with that name, it is objectively a better song, and—it wasn’t produced by a someone who is famously an abuser. If I hear someone mention “Woman’s World,” I am going to continue assuming that we are talking about the Cher song. You will need to clarify if speaking about whatever this new attempt is. Sorry to any Katy fans: I don’t make the rules, I just enforce them.
That’s all for this week! TTYL, divas!
P.S. Olivia Culpo’s wedding dress drama was going to be included in this letter, but I have too much to say. So…be on the lookout for that post coming soon!