Roundup Review | Top streaming recommendations for April 24
Features and entertainment writer Josh Mandell breaks down his top music, TV and movie picks for the week: "Malibu," "Lunar Light," "Free Solo" and “Love, Death & Robots.” Photo collage by ANGELINA HICKS, editor-in-chief
“Malibu” | Anderson .Paak
When r&b and jazz is this smooth, it can never go wrong, and “Malibu” is a perfect example of an album that achieves both of those things while putting a new spin on the genre. .Paak is able to take many musical styles and fuse them under the umbrella of r&b, coining them as his own. This 2016 album is the second in a series of four, all based on Southern California cities, “Venice,” “Malibu,” “Oxnard” and “Ventura." Part of the reason why this album means so much to me is that it has my absolute favorite Anderson .Paak song, “The Dreamer.”
“The Dreamer” is the final track of 16 on the album and preserves the same melodies and beats as the rest of the album. The song is about .Paak’s childhood and his struggles in becoming an artist and finding his place.
It closes the album perfectly, giving hope to the next generation and telling them to keep dreaming with lyrics like, "Who cares your daddy couldn’t be here? / Mama always kept the cable on / I’m a product of the tube and the free lunch / Living room, watching old reruns."
The album acknowledges the trials and tribulations of .Paak’s life such as dealing with homelessness when his parents were sent to prison. Each song brings a unique perspective talking about his struggles in different ways, which leads to a theme of perseverance. .Paak’s voice is as smooth as honey and his vocal range is remarkable.
The album was nominated for a Grammy but did not take it home, as many people predicted it would have. I strongly suggest you listen to this album but strap in because it is a fun ride.
“Lunar Light” | Mikey Ferrari
So many times I feel like I will listen to a song on repeat and then eventually grow tired of it. Obviously, because I am listening to it 25 times a day, but this is one of those rare instances where no matter how much I listen to it, I won’t turn it off. From the beginning, “Lunar Light” pulls you in and never let's go. The chorus is catchy and makes you want to scream at the top of your lungs, even though it is a slower song.
At its core, the song is about repairing a relationship by any means necessary and all the things Ferrari would do to fix it. It has lyrics like, “I think of all the reasons why / I should be next to you / I would dye the ocean red” and “I live by lunar light / Tryna write a constellation that might just bring you back” — making the theme pretty obvious. The vocals emphasize the stress and urgency in his voice, which makes the song all the more emotional and relatable. With minimal instrumentals, Ferrari’s voice is at the epicenter and shines brighter than imaginable.
Ferrari does not have much music out yet, as he is relatively new to the scene, but his discography so far is wonderful. His current tour will run until late May, where Ferrari will perform along with Sam Macpherson, another powerhouse of an up-and-coming artist. Give it a listen, it is a perfect one.
“Free Solo”
I can not even begin to express my love for documentaries and films like this one. “Free Solo” is, without a doubt, one of my favorite films of the last decade. In 2018, the film premiered at Telluride Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival, eventually grossing over $28 million upon its release.
Those numbers are practically unheard of for a documentary on wide release. It was nominated for 55 awards, taking home 30 of them. The documentary won one Oscar, five Emmys, one BAFTA and multiple Critics Choice Awards.
The film centers around three things: El Capitan summit, Alex Honnold and free soloing — a form of rock climbing where the climber does not use any protective equipment. That means no rope or harness, just their own skillset and strength thousands of feet above the ground.
El Capitan stands about 3,000 feet tall and is located in Yosemite Valley. Prior to Honnold, no one in recorded history had ever been able to successfully free solo El Capitan, a feat where failure means death.
Alex Honnold is the documentary's subject and he had been determined to free solo the mountain for a long time. At a young age, he dropped out of Berkeley to dedicate his life to climbing. In 2008, he was brought into the public eye as he free-soloed the northwest face of Half Dome, also in Yosemite. He stayed in the mainstream media for his climbing achievements despite living in a van. In June 2017, he decided to take on the beast that is El Capitan with Jimmy Chin, one of the best documentary filmmakers around, to film it.
The film is incredibly entertaining with anxiety-filled moments and never knowing what comes next. With each rock he grabs, your heart will sink. The documentary is absolutely brilliant and is streaming on Disney+.
“Love, Death & Robots”
Short films are a medium I wish were more popular. They break the mold and when done right are able to communicate a story with us better than some full-length films. "Love, Death & Robots" is one of the few instances where I feel as if animation is getting the love and respect it deserves.
This adult animation anthology began running in 2019, finding its home on Netflix. It currently has 35 episodes across three seasons, with hopes of more to come.
My absolute favorite aspect of the show is that each episode is created by different studios in different countries with varying animation styles. While some studios have done multiple episodes, the show has employed nearly 20 different studios. None other than two of the episodes are connected as each is an independent, unique story.
The creators are giving a voice to those who otherwise wouldn’t be heard. They have worked with a wide variety of filmmakers and actors from all different kinds of backgrounds. It reminds me of watching the cinematic parts of video games but with extreme detail and a closed story.
My favorite episode comes from the third and most recent season called “Bad Travelling.” It tells a fantastical story of a crew traveling through the rough ocean when a giant crab climbs aboard. The crew must make smart choices and try to survive as things get fishy, no pun intended. The animation is flawless. At times, you question whether the visuals are animated or live-action, with a narrative that is a masterclass in storytelling.
That should come as no surprise as David Fincher directed the episode and Troy Baker, the star of the "Last of Us" video games, is the star. The duo creates an incredible pairing that I have probably watched over 15 times now. After being in development hell for nearly ten years, the show finally got made by Tim Miller and David Fincher.
Miller was coming off his success of “Deadpool,” which he directed. And Fincher is, well, David Fincher — one of the most critically-acclaimed directors of the last 20 years His long-standing relationship with Netflix helped turn the series from a dream to a reality.
I greatly appreciate the efforts of Tim Miller and David Fincher who created a series that highlights the range of the animation medium and shines a light on what it can be when not confined.