This is a preview of our pop culture newsletter The Daily Beast’s Obsessed, written by editor Kevin Fallon. To receive the full newsletter in your inbox each week, , a Ryan Gosling action movie that I forgot existed. It’s not outrageous to point out the glaring difference between that film and Paris Paramount: the supposed demographic their genres appeal to. Romantic comedies and the largely female audience who love them aren’t taken seriously by the industry, in spite of the fact that I predict most film fans—of any kind—would move mountains for the chance to see Meyers in her element, with an ungodly amount of money.
I’m so annoyed that the only thing that will calm me down at this point, ironically, is putting on a Nancy Meyers movie to comfort-watch. Makes you think!
People Have Never Been So Horny for a Movie
Earlier this week, a tweet went out with an update to the new film from Andrew Haigh, Strangers, which has the helmer of the achingly beautiful gay romantic drama Weekend directing heartthrobs/reigning Internet Boyfriends Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal.
The tweet from @FilmUpdates featured photos of Scott and Mescal brooding at a camera, while wearing white tank tops. People were beside themselves. I’ve never seen the internet hornier for a movie. Just take a look at how thirsty these quote tweets are. Is it possible to throw all of Twitter into a cold shower?
“Paul Mescal could burn my house down and run me over with an 18 wheeler &I’d thank him.” “Gonna be in my silk robe with candles lit for this.” “I’m a screenwriter. Puncture me.” “People died (me).” “Babe wake up new white men kissing in a cinematic way just dropped.” ““Horny people won today.” “I apologize in advance for the person I become after I see this movie.” “I’m not strong enough.” “This is far too much for me and my mental sanity.”
There are so many more. These are just the ones I could share without blushing.
One of the Best Shows Is Finally Coming Back
Months after A League of Their Own premiered on Amazon’s Prime Video, there’s finally a Season 2 renewal—but only for four last episodes. They gave us morsels, but we’re going to make a goddamn feast out of it.
Why is this so frustrating? First of all, because the show is so good. Co-creators Abbi Jacobson and Will Graham found a way to pay homage to Penny Marshall’s perfect film, while expanding its universe to tell nuanced stories about the queer and Black women whose experiences are often cast aside in stories like this. And that leads to the second reason to be annoyed: Once again, a TV series that does beautiful work depicting the lives of marginalized people, particularly within the LGBT+ community, is slighted.
Prime Video
There’s a glass-half-full way of looking at this. For a while, it looked like the show wasn’t going to be renewed; at least we’re getting more, even if it’s just four episodes. But also, I’m tired of settling for minor victories like this.
Ben Affleck’s Most Genius Observation
This whole interview with Ben Affleck in The Hollywood Reporter is fantastic. But it’s the way that he describes people who golf that I’ll be thinking about until my dying days: “I look at golf like meth. They have better teeth, but it doesn’t seem like people ever come out of that. Once they start golfing, you just don’t ever see them again.”
What to watch this week:
Swarm: People will be buzzing. Get it?! (Now on Prime Video)
Lucky Hank: Bob Odenkirk on our TVs is always a good thing. (Sun. on AMC)
The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: I will be savoring every last second of this new season. (Thurs. on Peacock)
What to skip this week:
Boston Strangler: A fascinating story about journalism; a not-so fascinating movie. (Now on Hulu)
Shazam! Fury of the Gods: Another failure from the DC cinematic universe. (Now in theaters)
