What I'm Watching: The Holdovers, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and More

Rachel Zegler, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Lionsgate

Here’s a quick rundown of everything I watched, read, and wrote about this past week:

The shows:

• I still have two episodes left of the Keri Russell-led political drama The Diplomat (I’m visiting home and it’s become a special watch-with-mom show), but why did none of you tell me this show slaps?! Okay, I think some people did, but now that I’m finally watching, I’m shocked I didn’t hear even more about this snappy, addictive, super-smart series about an ambassador trying to de-escalate calls for war and navigate both her choppy marriage and a potential vice presidency bid. Given Netflix’s track record, I expected something uncomplicated from this show, but it has all the intricacies of great political thriller past, like Homeland. It’s definitely already an unexpected favorite of the year.
• Speaking of great shows on Netflix: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a surprising delight on every level for longtime fans of the franchise (or even skeptics). There’s no way to talk at length about this funny, energetic, refreshingly self-reflective show without spoiling its best twists, but suffice it to say, it’s much more than a straightforward reboot of the Edgar Wright film or original comics. The cast, animation, writing, and narrative focus are all brilliant and rewarding, plus it’s a super short watch!
• I’ve watched the first two episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters twice now (I swear, extreme jet lag kept me from being able to form new memories for a little bit there) and I think this show has a lot of promise! I still need to brush up on some of the previous MonserVerse films (for the unfamiliar, this Apple TV+ show relates to recent movies like Kong: Skull Island and 2014’s Godzilla), but so far I’m enjoying the variety of monster-related adventures and the interesting way the show’s imagined post-monster society is a comment on our real-world fear-based economy. I’m still not sold on some of the acting here, and so far one timeline is more interesting than the other, but there’s definitely some stuff to love, especially for kaiju fans!
• I’m mixed on the first half of the final season of The Crown, but I actually think I’m less shocked by its distasteful narrative choices than most critics – simply because my expectations were already so low after season 5. I found that season pretty abhorrent in its inexplicably soft take on the monarchs the show had spent the past 4 seasons critiquing, so I was happy to see season 6 regain sympathy for Diana (Elizabeth Debicki), the show’s most likable figure. I still think The Crown is compelling and beautifully made, and the acting is top-notch, but the new season makes up a lot of plot details for no reason, and indulges in one of the nastiest narrative choices it's ever made in episode 4. There’s still a second volume on the way, but it unfortunately doesn’t seem possible for this once-great show to go out on a high note after these crucial missteps.

The movies:

• With respect to horror movies, TV, and docs, I’m beyond thrilled to finally be catching up on new release movies! I liked everything I watched this week, but Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers might have been my favorite of the bunch. A Christmas-set movie about the misfits stuck at a boarding school over winter break pretty much can’t go wrong in my book, but a trio of great central performances, a script that leaves plenty of breathing room, and authentic ‘70s texture and visuals make The Holdovers a standout. I’ll be thinking about Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s beautiful, aching performance for a long time.
• Now that I’ve finally seen it, I’m convinced Bottoms is the type of movie that can’t be properly explained, and must simply be experienced (there’s a screamingly funny joke about a goth kid that I feel like I’d get in trouble even trying to explain). The bawdy, bloody comedy about a lesbian teen fight club is a bit less extreme than I expected based on the Heathers and Wet Hot American Summer comparisons I’d seen, but it’s still hilariously weird and surreal. With a zillion unexpected jokes crammed into its brisk runtime, it’s also got great rewatch value. This one might be an acquired taste, but it’s a lot of chaotic fun.
• I didn’t manage to read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes book before going to see the Hunger Games prequel (it was backordered half of this year, so I only recently got a copy), but that meant I got to be surprised by its ambitious twists and turns. There’s a lot going on in this movie: a deep, dark central relationship, a wildly campy supporting cast (bitchy weatherman Jason Schwartzman! Stylish mad scientist Viola Davis!), a third act that desperately needed to lose 15 minutes, lots of clever new Hunger Games lore, and some fantastic folk music. I think with a tighter edit this movie could’ve been amazing, but as is, it’s still a welcome return to one of the most interesting movie universes in recent years.
• You don’t have to have seen the previous installments of Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot series to enjoy the latest loose Agatha Christie adaptation, A Haunting in Venice. This ensemble mystery doubles as an atmospheric ghost story, and what it lacks in substance (it feels so slight as to be somewhat forgettable) it makes up for in classic thrills and chills and an intriguing central mystery. I didn’t see Death on the Nile, but this is still certainly a step up from Murder on the Orient Express.

Odds and ends:

• I stayed up way too late last night finishing Michelle Williams’ audiobook reading of Britney Spears’ The Woman in Me. I really loved this book, both because it gave one of the most talked-about (and, as we recently learned, tightly controlled) celebrities of the 21st century the chance to speak up on her own terms, and because it avoided so many common celebrity memoir missteps. Spears never overshares here, but keeps the focus on what happened and how she felt. Her voice also comes through loud and clear; I assume most celebs use ghostwriters, but nonetheless this reads as authentically Britney in a refreshing way. It’s also a terrifying cautionary tale for anyone who, like me, is guilty of being way too much of a people pleaser.
• I just got a free app called Finch that lets me dress up a little cartoon penguin and decorate his virtual house if I do simple self-care tasks like leaving my house or turning off Slack notifications at night. Look, if we have to gamify the will to live, I think this is a very adorable way to do it. If you join Finch, use my invite code (QWMAYQWPXJ) and you might help me get a free llama sidekick. Seriously.
• The Decoder Ring podcast episode “The Forgotten Video Game About Slavery” made me cry on a plane this week for reasons I can’t quite articulate. I think perhaps I was touched to hear a story about a public backlash in which all parties involved actually care deeply about the topic at hand and there were no bad faith actors. If you’re a ‘90s kid and played Freedom! I’d love to hear about it.
• One of my favorite pop culture illustrators, Alex Kittle (aka the person behind Pan + Scan), started a newsletter, and as a fan and fellow newsletter-haver, I feel like I’ve gotta share it here.

It’s always weird to admit to having an off week as a writer, because I don’t want anyone to think I’m half-assing the work I’m turning in (I full-ass everything, thanks very much), but I’ll admit I don’t feel inspired to share much of my own writing this week. It happens! Instead, I’d love to hear about what y’all are working on lately, whether it’s a little project or holiday season plans or some work you’re proud of. As always, suggestions for shows, movies, and the like are always welcome too. Have a lovely week, everybody.