Low Key

Shirley is about the brilliant American Gothic author Shirley Jackson, whose mid-20th century work has influenced many of the creators we admire today. Shirley specifically dramatizes the period that Jackson wrote the novel Hangsaman, by introducing a young, recently married couple into her home. Jackson and her husband Stanley Hyman, a literary critic and university professor, provide the couple room and board as the young husband seeks university tenure.

In exchange, Rose, the young wife, acts as a daily helper to Jackson who is struggling to write her book or finish chores around the home, let alone come up with a galvanizing idea to write her next great piece of fiction.

The set up is straightforward but the execution is anything but.

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The lead for a superhero film has to be in phenomenal shape, capable of imposing criminals with their physical presence - or do they? Robert Pattinson, the newest actor to take on the role of Batman in the upcoming 2021 film, adamantly disagrees. In an interview with GQ conducted in April 2020, Pattinson made the case that anyone advocating for working out at all times is “part of the problem.”

Presumably, his conviction against exercise is about the pressure to have the perfect physique in a capitalist, image driven society that makes us obsessed with striving for unattainable goals. Detractors would say he simply doesn’t want to work out. This episode of the Low Key podcast begins with a rant arguing the latter. 

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Today’s episode of the Low Key pod covers Beyonce’s visual album Black Is King, a re-envisioning of the classic Lion King tale through the talent and vision of black folks across the globe. In fact, each song for this project was part of Disney’s CGI-live action 2019 Lion King remake, but Black Is King adds additional layers and textures to each rendition by introducing a wide array of African people, tradition, and modern experience. Some audiences will be bewildered and others will not be able to find the words to explain why this is such an important piece of art beyond typical rating critique.

Black Is King is streaming now on Disney Plus.

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At the end of the first episode of Netfix's The Business of Drugs, host Amaryllis Fox says to the camera:

"Legalization may seem pretty extreme to most Americans. But as long as the demand continues to climb, and the prices remain astronomically high because of no legal competition, I can't help wonder whether legalization and regulation is the only real option, and prohibition is just an illusion to make us all feel good."

Humans have used substances to induce soberless states since the beginning of time, but The Business of Drugs breaks down how our shared global habit is causing chaos for forgotten people. On this episode of Low Key, we talk about destigmatizing addiction, how poverty fuels drug markets, and whether legalization would help.

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In this episode we explore Netflix's Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado, about a Puerto Rican TV astrologer who rose from humble beginnings to become a sequin-caped inspiration to millions.

With his distinctive look, aura of mystery — especially about his sexuality — and ability to blend many religious beliefs into a medley of optimism, Walter Mercado gave hope to the hopeless — until an ugly legal dispute yanked him from the air and cost him control of his own carefully cultivated image.

:45: Our late-night infomercial memories

3:00: Is the Michael Jordan-approved The Last Dance real journalism? Is Walter Mercado getting the Michael Jordan treatment?

5:45: "Celebrities nowadays are derivatives of celebrities back in the day."

5:50: How Walter Mercado was like Michael Jackson and Prince

7:05: About that psychic phone line...

7:50: How is Walter Mercado different from a televangelist?

8:50: "You just can't swindle a swindler"

10:00: Let's talk about Walter Mercado and his manager's relationship

11:45: Zodiac signs

12:40: "What's the difference between a Walter Mercado and a Tony Robbins?"

15:00: Tim has the same religious beliefs as Walter Mercado: "No one has a monopoly on God"

18:00: "He had a much better life than most people have"

24:00: A Billy Dee Williams story (and here's the background on the gender-fluid story)

27:00: Another excellent famous-person story

30:55: "The only person I ever saw solve racism was Prince"

31:50: "Netflix, again, coming through on the diversity point before it was fucking cool. ... They've been on this train."

33:15: Netflix's $120 million donation to HCBUs

36:00: "I have an appreciation for any man that dresses up like a wizard"

Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado is now streaming on Netflix.

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Based on a comic book by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández,The Old Guard asks the question: What if the X-Men, but everyone is Wolverine? The new film from Gina Prince-Bythewood features four very old yet young-looking warriors led by Charlize Theron. All of them have Logan-like super-fast healing powers that we could all use about now.

Netflix definitely intends for The Old Guard to be a hit ,given its star-studded cast featuring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Kiki Layne.

Is there room for a spinoff?

Does a Wolverine kill dudes in the woods?

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I May Destroy You, the new series created by and starring Michaela Coel, probably will destroy you. It's about consent, double standards, and justice—and that's just the start.

Also: Tim misremembered the college that helped pioneer the "yes means yes" standard of consent. It was Antioch.

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Today’s episode revisits the 1989 classic that put Spike Lee on the map, Do the Right Thing. Over 30 years later, the film’s raw depiction of racial relations in Bedstuy remains controversial - every group feels aggrieved, lashing out with both words and actions. By the time the film is over, one could make a strong case that no one did the right thing. The bubbling tension under the surface during the hottest day of the summer explodes into a riot that feels unavoidable once 911 is dialed.

Lee refused the urge to give the audience simple good versus bad character depictions. Singular characters act on their righteous impulses but are often guided by misplaced, unspoken misunderstandings. By the time Mookie throws the trash can through Sal’s pizzeria, his actions are about more than simply the death of Radio Rahim. The audience is given several reasons Mookie could be at the end of his rope with Sal and his family from Pino’s liberal use of the n-word to Sal’s supposed flirtation with his sister - Mookie’s frustration is macro and micro, legitimate and illegitimate. 

Although Do the Right Thing takes place almost entirely on one neighborhood block in 1989, it represented situations happening nationwide. Gentrifying neighbors and passersbys still have the same tense interactions with the black and brown youth today.. No wonder the film continues to resonate in the summer of 2020 as Black Lives Matter protests continue. 

Do the Right Thing is available for rent today on several streaming platforms.

Episode Breakdown

0:48 - Where did ‘Sweet Dick Willy’ get his name from?

1:50 - Themes echoing in the modern day  

5:05 - Is Mookie a passive character?

11:36 - Does anyone do the right thing?

16:50 - Radio Rahim’s intimidating presence and killing

21:00 - Real life police brutality comparisons

23:15 - The shock of police brutality, camera phones, and Black Lives Matter

31:40 - Mookie’s future and parenting in the film

35:50 - Closing thoughts

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A simple question: Would you go to a movie theater now? Your hosts weigh in from three distinct states with three distinct COVID-19 situations: Texas (Keith), Tennessee (Aaron) and Massachusetts (Tim).

We also get into whether our minds would change if Tenet were playing.

And there are questions about COVID-19 etiquette, whether the theatrical experience can ever be reproduced at home, and why contact tracing is difficult for strip club patrons.

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Today’s episode covers Spike Lee’s new film Da 5 Bloods which follows four black GIs returning to Vietnam nearly five decades after their tours ended to recover gold and the remains of their former captain. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned and chaos ensues.

The film releases with impeccable timing as the nation continues to grapple with social unrest in present day. The war scenes take place during 1968’s “Summer of Love” when all Hell broke loose for Black Americans after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Lee uses that eerie parallel to show that things have not changed as much as would like to believe. 

Da 5 Bloods is available now on Netflix.

Episode breakdown, with timestamps:

0:42 - Initial thoughts 

4:46 - Themes and the leading character, Paul as played by Delroy Lindo

10:10 - Vietnam War footage and previous Hollywood war films

16:22 - What is the purpose of the gold?

19:30 - The ‘mythic’ Stormin’ Norman, ‘Black rage’ in 2020, and Black Lives Matter

25:00 - Dodging the Vietnam War

26:50 - Character arcs for the the Black GIs

36:20 - The choice not to de-age characters during Vietnam War scenes

42:10 - Additional strengths and weaknesses of the film

44:16 - Stormin’ Norman’s fate

51:15 - Give Delroy Lindo all the awards

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