Something Wicked This Way Comes
Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Society, A Halloween Treat
The Pop Culture Cold Brew is a collection of pop culture adjacency news that’s sincerely piqued our interest with frivolous diversions during these wildly unprecedented times— only without the celebrity worship culture. The Cold Brew also comes with a side of candor in critique pieces on pop culture and societal mores; get into it below.
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I’ve assembled an accompanying film list of ageless horror favorites simply because horror is critically overlooked or easily dismissed due to its surface snap judgment of Satanic panic or gore and crimson-coated nightmares. For others, we find it enchanting. Also, grief, agony, and, of course, trauma. The genre is multifaceted, with exploratory themes on more than fear, jumpscares, or shock— although sometimes mayhem is chaotically introduced and welcomed.
Sisters (1972)
Misery (1990)
Near Dark (1987)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)
Blood and Black Lace (1964)
The Velvet Vampire (1971)
Black Christmas (1974)
Rear Window (1954)
The Hunger (1983)
Phenomena (1985)
Saint Maud (2020)
🎧 Soundtrack
Youthquake playlists are constantly rearranged and updated. If you’re in a rude mood or need a little something to set that spooky, atmospheric vibe— we’ve got you covered.
For Apple Music listeners, HERE.
There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand. — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein.
Alexander McQueen the Maison British design is notorious for its romantic and theatrical looks have always given us memorable looks. However, their Autumn/Winter 2021 Anemone print dress needed another moment with its hauntingly gothic romantic Anemone print that reminds me of Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak. Powerful in structure, delicately flowing, and visually scarlet-striking, the dress is a stunnin’ display of femininity— which is overall powerful itself.
“It feels like now is a time for healing, for breathing new life, for exploring echoes from the past to enrich our future. More than ever, a sense of humanity, of the team working together with a single aim – to make something beautiful, something meaningful – feels both precious and important. We looked at water, for its healing properties, and at anemones. Anemones are the most ephemeral flowers, here made permanent in cloth. The women wearing the anemone dresses almost become like flowers, like their embodiment, their character – but amplified, grounded, radiant and strong.”
Sarah Burton, Creative Director.
Pop culture moments are inevitable whether we engage; celebrity speculation is a full-fledged spectator sport to us, regular folks, with mindless pop culture nonsense— escapism is well-deserved. Here’s the pop culture round-up we can’t get away from— or enough of, seemingly.
Jacob Elordi as Sofia Coppola’s Elvis is no Austin Butler.
Matthew Perry, best known for Chandler Bing on Friends, made some curious thoughts public ahead of his new tell-all memoir.
In one section, Perry, 53, is talking about his friendship with the late actor River Phoenix and writes, “River was a beautiful man, inside and out — too beautiful for this world, it turned out. It always seems to be the really talented guys who go down. Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?”
Perry now responded with, “I’m actually a big fan of Keanu. I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologize. I should have used my own name instead.” In a statement to People which screams damage control. Lesson of the day, don’t come for Keanu Reeves— or anyone, without coming correct and with reciepts to back statements up because bitter isn’t flattering.
Julia Roberts will forever be my white mother with incredible historic ties to FBI-targeted civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. Being raised on Julia Roberts films, seeing her and George Clooney again has been refreshing in an age of remakes and regurgitating perfectly fine films for cash grabs. It seems like the appeal of Hollywood’s film stars still matters, as Universal’s Ticket to Paradise earned a total of $33.7 million for a 10-day domestic release and $119.4 million globally via THR. A fantastic win for screwy romantic comedies, and that charm and chemistry triumph over the great TikTok migration of promos and viral dances to stay relevant.
Twitter is officially owned by the Tesla purchaser-not-creator, Elon Musk. Praised by fragile ego incels and crypto worshippers, Musk adheres to the girlboss work ethic of the old school fear mentality— which screams insecurity— as he’s known to intimidate by coercive power. They are the go-to for glass-boned men that can’t handle accountability and claim ‘woke mob’ and ‘cancel culture’ for the consequences of their grown-ass actions. I can see why keeping the lid on the fact that the trust-fund son of an incestuous billionaire earned wealth through federal and state government subsidies by buying Twitter was his wannabe Lex Luthor supposed chess/boss move. While I understand why users leave the hellsite full of troglodytes, I still come back to it repeatedly, but I’ll hold onto Twitter until I can tolerate the bitter end.
Halloween is always about setting the mood, so this surprise Halloween treat is short and hopefully sweet as it soundtracks or sets your night right with our film picks. We leave you with the parting words of Oscar Wilde, “a mask tells us more than a face.”
I declare this meeting of the Midnight Society closed. Until next time... pleasant dreams, everyone.
Con Amor,
Naomi x