Yoshiki talks new documentary film Yoshiki Under the Sky
American Fiction is a film about a novelist named Monk played by Jeffery Wright who had a hard time selling books that were written as casual and thoughtful as Shakespeare wrote Macbeth.
Max was the one to Watch at Miami Art Week with “The Art of Drag” Pop-Up Truck Tour.
At Art Basel Miami Swizz Beats and The LEGO Group created an incredible adults-only, custom-building experience in the recently renovated ballroom of the chic W South Beach hotel.
Sicilian painter Alessandro Florio was the artist of honor at Gitano Miami Beach during Art Week Miami.
Long before the days of everlasting gobstoppers, an expansive chocolate lake, and the boy who suddenly got everything he’d ever wanted, there were hoverchocs, a rather dreary looking room in the employee wing of a laundry parlor, and an inquisitive orphan named Noodle. And before Willy Wonka was Gene Wilder, he was Timothée Chalamet. Actually? Strike that, reverse it.
In order for Violet to turn violet inside of Willy Wonka’s infamous Chocolate factory, there had to be a factory to begin with. Paul King’s latest installment to Road Dahl’s beloved trilogy gives us a firsthand view of the road to this creation, and as to be expected (or maybe not at all), it did not come without hardship.
Without curiosity for a character’s past, a prequel doesn’t have a great deal of ground to stand on. Luckily, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory does a brilliant job at evoking curiosity (and a great deal of confusion) as to how these characters all ended up in the same place at the same time. Mel Stuart’s beloved 1971 film allows us to imagine the endless, quirky possibilities as to who Willy Wonka truly is and where he came from prior to the equally-as-quirky events that unfolded within the walls of the factory. The beloved film presents quite a mysterious character at the forefront, and it does make sense for the next installment to feature the rather ridiculous life of a young Willy Wonka.
The scene is set in a fictional European town in a (somewhat frustratingly) unknown year, with a vivaciously excited Willy Wonka, played by the always-exquisite Timothée Chalamet, singing a ballad of sorts about the past seven years of his life, which have been spent aboard a ship. In his own words, he’s pinned seven years of hope on the city he is about to arrive in, but he’s in for a bit of a rude awakening when the aforementioned metropolis is not exactly what he’d hoped for. After spending nearly all of the twelve silver sovereigns that he so confidently sang to us about having in the earlier, more naive verses of the song, it appears that his luck has run out when the final one slips through the highly noticeable hole in his pocket into the grated storm drain he’s standing directly over. Did not see that one coming. After accepting what sounded like an initially very kind offer to spend the night at Mrs. Scrubitt’s laundry parlor, Willy is slapped with a substantial debt due to his inability to “read the small print,” as Noodle, an orphan facing a similar debt, quietly encouraged. Willy’s inability to read lands him twenty seven years working in Scrubitt’s basement, throwing quite the wrench-shaped bar of chocolate into his plans.
Chalamet harbors the interesting ability to convince viewers that he was born to play every single role he’s ever had, and bizarrely enough, a young Willy Wonka is far from an exception. He’s a visionary as Wonka, delivering the perfect amount of absurdity, wholesomeness, and, since it’s Willy Wonka we’re dealing with, a perfectly calculated edge of madness.
But, if you’re searching for the somewhat dark and twisted elements that you’ll be met with in Stuart, and later Tim Burton’s, renditions of Dahl’s book, you won’t find it in Wonka. Spoiler alert- despite a close call or two, nobody drowns in chocolate in this one. The film carries a new cadence, a delightfully wacky ball of absurdity. In it, we see Willy and Noodle steal a giraffe (named Abigail) from the local zoo, a multi layered chocolate that mimics a big night out so perfectly that it has the security guard at the aforementioned zoo crying on the phone to the subject of his middle school admiration, a corrupt priest and his hundreds of chocoholic monks played by none other than Rowan Atkinson, and a “chocolate cartel” made up of Mr. Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Mr. Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Mr. Fickelgruber (Mathew Baynton), who are arguably one of the funniest aspects of the film.
The film’s subplots are where most of its charm lies. The decision to set the film entirely in the time prior to Wonka obtaining the factory rather than having at least some of it pertain to its creation and early days was a unique one, as the factory has been the main focal point of the trilogy. That being said, it does make for some highly entertaining tidbits involving Willy and Noodle going on wacky adventures and meeting some colorful characters. The layout of the story could not be more perfect, it is the ideal mix of concrete plot points that contribute to the storyline and absurd whimsicality that provides the charm one would hope to find in a Willy Wonka film.
Through Chalamet’s portrayal, we see a softer version of Wonka than what we’re used to. It’s unlikely that this particular version of the character would have stood around and simply observed the less than favorable situations that the factory guests had found themselves in in the first film. His banter with Lane’s noodle and the miniature details that his character is strapped with (i.e.- a small bottle of hand sanitizer inside of his magical chocolate making box, a factory prequel in and of itself, so that hennever has to make chocolate with dirty hands) create for a delightfully wholesome protagonist that you can’t help but root for.
Newcomer Calah Lane surely won’t be a newcomer for very long. With an absolute powerhouse of a voice, an unmistakable charm, and the same ability as Chalamet to completely transform into a character, she has a bright future ahead of her. At her very core, Noodle is the heart of this film. The emotional story of an orphan in search of her family is something that has been done many times before, but it feels refreshing from her perspective. Her curious attitude and friendship with Willy adds to the loving atmosphere of the film.
When Willy exasperatedly confides in Noodle that a “little orange man” has been stealing all of his chocolate at night, she doesn’t believe him. What may be most surprising to the viewer about this exchange is not the existence of the little orange man or Noodle’s disbelief. Rather, there’s only one little orange man?
Where the two previous films had no shortage of Oompa-Loompas, this film only had 1. But what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in, well, Hugh Grant. Grant carries the weight of an infinite amount of the aforementioned creatures. Simply put, he’s hilarious, and his performance is absolutely delightful.
The film’s music can be met with the same word: delightful. Lane carries every song that she is a part of with an unmistakably remarkable voice, and Chalamet, a high school theater veteran, has a warm and inviting voice that is perfect for this role.
For many, Wonka was a delightful surprise. The perfect mix of absurdity and affection, and truly the perfect addition to the holiday season. Hear more about it here!
Neude., a luxury shapewear underwear line for men, launched at The Webster during Miami Art Basel, their exclusive retailer.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
“Nothing brings the family together like a road trip,” says Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg) in Apple TV+’s new film The Family Plan; little does his family know, this isn’t your average matching t-shirt family trip.
At the top of the film, Dan and his wife Jessica (Michelle Monaghan) celebrate their anniversary in the same way since they started dating over a decade ago, going to the amusement park and riding a specific rollercoaster. Jessica foreshadows the rest of the movie when she hints about wanting to switch it up and have some excitement in her life; again, little does she know what’s about to come to her.
Apple TV+
While leaving the park, Dan catches someone recording him, and when he tries to intervene, the antagonizer graces him with a slushie shower. On the way home, Jessica teases him for diverting the situation because she believes he isn’t a “fighter.”
A few days later, while Dan is shopping for groceries with his newborn, he is again matched with a former enemy who will stop at nothing to harm Dan, leading to an all-out brawl ending with smashed glass and, in good film fashion, no consequences. On the other hand, Jessica meets a new friend, Gwen, (Maggie Q) who doubles as a travel agent at her boxing class.
It’s important to note that if you’re watching this with friends/family, you should watch the trailer beforehand because up until this point, there is no mention of Dan’s former life, making it a bit confusing to anyone who may not have context.
It isn’t until after this altercation that we learn Dan was a former assassin and a good one at that.
Dan soon realizes he’s not safe in Buffalo, so he embarks on a family vacation, a.k .a. a mission to get his family out of Buffalo for good. After tossing everyone’s cell phones off the highway in the name of safety, we learn about Dan’s older children.
Nina (Zoe Margaret Colletti) is a high school senior, soon heading into college on what should be a journalism major. She is in a situationship with someone who persuades her to be the opposite. Kyle (Van Crosby) is the idea of a “nobody” in the real world, but when he logs onto his gaming system, he is the ultimate celebrity. The overall family dynamic is exceptionally developed, allowing viewers to see themselves in one of the members.
During their road trip, the family stops along shady motels and visits Nina’s desired university choice, only to discover her “boyfriend” has found someone else to toy with. A few keg stands and yet another battle later, the Morgans are back on the road to Las Vegas, where the family will get the tickets to their new lives.
In Vegas, the parents go to dinner, and the kids go against their parent’s wishes as they head to the hotel ballroom for one of the year’s biggest gaming conventions. Throughout the dinner, Dan tries breaking the news to Jessica, even telling her in French; the problem is that she doesn’t speak French.
Nonetheless, the couple heads back to the room where one of his enemies hides. After threatening Jessica’s life, Dan has to put his hitman skills to use and take him out, much to the dismay and confusion of his wife. The following 10 minutes are the epitome of action-packed and comedy-driven as Dan has to take out more rivals in front of his family.
Once things slightly settle, Dan finally comes clean to his family, who are less than thrilled with their father’s former job. Jessica is so distraught she calls up her travel agent friend, Gwen, to help get her back home. Of course, her friend comes to the rescue, only to reveal that she is working on the side of the assassins and captures the Morgans.
As it turns out, they’ve been trying to get Dan and his family to get him back because an email wouldn’t have worked, right? Therefore, they give him the ultimatum to walk away from his family and back to the assassins, or his family goes. Another Hunger Games-esque violent battle ensues, and the whole family is in on it this time.
Jessica gets beaten time and time again before putting her track and field skills to use and taking down her friend with the help of her daughter. On the other side, Dan and Kyle team up to take down the rest of the squad until it’s only Dan and the head of assassins, also Dan’s father.
In one last fight, Dan takes down his father, and his family is freed for good. They go on to live subtle suburban lives where Dan is now a squad trainer; Jessica coaches the local high school’s track and field team; Nina is studying journalism at Standford, and Kyle is making a killing as the virtual celebrity, Killboy.
Apple TV+
Overall, The Family Plan utilizes comedy to balance out the hard-hitting fight scenes, contributing to portraying the story in an effective way and leaving no holes in the plot at the end.
So, when you need a break from the holiday rom-com, be sure to check out The Family Plan on December 15, only on Apple TV+.
Just in time for the holiday season, The Knockturnal kicked off their holiday season with Modelo’s Holiday Happy Hour. It was a fun-filled evening at Cantina’s Rooftop exploring a variety of products, from their classic Modelo Especial to their upcoming launch Modelo Aguas Frescas, it was impossible to not savor every sip that met your lips. Attendees of the event were welcomed with cocktails upon arrival. We had the pleasure of going from station to station where there was a different Modelo product at each station and a Modelo infused appetizer. There was no doubt that if you were at their Happy Hour, you were leaving on an empty stomach!
As someone who has never been a beer girl, I went into the event not knowing what to expect, but of course with their warm welcome and delicious drink and food menu, my expectations were far exceeded. Although I went into the event not a fan of beer, with the help of Modelo’s team I got to explore every product available and found a newfound appreciation for the diverse and rich flavors within Modelo’s range. From the classic beer like Modelo Especial to the innovative and refreshing Modelo Aguas Frescas (this will be the drink of summer 2024 might I add!), the guidance of Modelo’s team allowed me to discover a world of taste I had never considered before. The event transformed my palate, and by the end, I found myself enjoying and savoring each unique offering in a way I never thought possible. What made the event so special was learning the rich history that goes into Modelo’s products. It wasn’t just about the flavors; it was about understanding the heritage and craftsmanship that contributed to the excellence of Modelo’s products, making the event a memorable experience. It was those small details of each cocktail that made the drinks so special and allowed me to connect to their craft. Every year on New Years my family welcomes the New Year by eating grapes, it’s a Spanish tradition and of course to my surprise Modelo incorporated that into their welcoming cocktail. All in all, what started as an unfamiliar venture into the world of beer became a remarkable journey of discovery and appreciation, thanks to Modelo’s warm hospitality, diverse product range, and a commitment to blending tradition with innovation.
If you find yourself looking for a new way to spice up the Holiday season with your loved ones and expand your horizons, check out Modelo’s Food and Drink Recipe Menu on their site https://www.modelousa.com/blogs/recipes. Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or someone looking to embark on a flavorful journey, Modelo offers a diverse selection that goes beyond the ordinary.
