The opening night of Netlfix documentary: “Pamela, A Love Story” was this week at The Paris Theater.
Netflix partnered with Michael Kors to celebrate the launch of Bling Empire New York, releasing on January 20th.
Oh mon Dieu! This weekend, New York City goers got a little taste of Paris right outside their windows to celebrate the newest season of Netflix’s fan-favorite show, Emily In Paris!
With the number of cliffhangers that the end of season two left, fans are more than eager for the newest season of the hit show. It’s been a year since Emily has moved to Paris and her life has been filled with stories; love triangles, her dream job, new friends, and more. But when she finds herself at an intriguing crossroads and faced with two very different life paths, she’ll have to make some tough decisions. Where do her loyalties truly lie within her career and love life, and how will these choices affect her future? On top of it all, she must continue to take everything that Paris throws at her as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
It’s easy to watch a show like Emily in Paris and want to drop everything to try and make it in the city of love, but Netflix ensured that no one had to leave Manhattan to live like Emily. Before you even set foot inside of the experience, it’s abundantly clear how much the street has been transformed, with the cutest signs and decorations surrounding every corner. Fans were given a passport where they could collect stamps at each booth, earning rewards for the amount they collected, and having the cutest keepsake. As Emily teaches us, it’s crucial to capture the moment, so the first stop is a no brainer; Emily’s photo op!
Cocou and Catbird both set up camp and offered tons of freebies along the way. At the Catbird booth, fans helped themselves to complimentary tote bags, gift cards, and some delicious hot cocoa and chocolate dipped croissants. The first five pair of besties to collect all of their stamps each day were treated to gratuitous matching forever bracelets inside of Catbird, and we enjoyed getting zapped as well! The Catbird forever bracelets are the perfect addition to an experience celebrating a show full of love and friendship. They bring the standard friendship bracelet to the next level, a classic, sparkly, solid 14k bracelet fit and welded around your wrist by a Catbird jeweler. Cocou treated it’s visitors to french classes and workshops throughout the popup, to enhance the Parisian experience with more knowledge of the incredible city!
Maman’s holiday market featured delicious treats and drinks inspired by the show, and it’s cozy interior was the perfect place to warm up after strolling though the different markets. Visitors were able to get their holiday gifts wrapped at paper source’s gift wrapping station, or take home a gif wrapping kit of their own! And with their crepe truck, live performances, champagne happy hours and s much more, Little Paris was the highlight of everyone’s weekend.
Fans weren’t the only ones here to enjoy the experience. Lily Collins and Ashley Park stopped by to see the sites and talk about their favorite parts of Paris. Inside of Maman, we sat down with Bruno Gouery, Lucien Laviscount, William Abadie and Samuel Arnold to talk all things Paris, Fashion, and of course season 3.
“It all takes your breath away for a second,” Laviscount said, referring to the shows iconic fashion looks that keep getting better with every season. “And then you realize you’re on Emily in Paris. Everything is bigger, better and bolder.”
“We have to give credit to Marylin Fitoussi, our head of the wardrobe department,” Arnold agreed. “She just understands every single character and how to bring them to life through wardrobe. I just think that it’s amazing, because all of the characters are so different from one-another, and she understands all of those little worlds and literally rose the level this season.” He chuckled, recalling the sheer amount of clothes that the characters each honed during the filming. “We had so many clothes and didn’t use half of it.”
Abadie recalled his time on Sex and The City and And Just Like That, and how those experiences compare to Emily In Paris, working once again with creator Darren Star. “I have such a fondness and love for both people, in that I mean Americans and French, Parisians and New Yorkers. New York is the place that I came too twenty something years ago with big dreams and all, my first professional gig was given to me by Darren. Which was this little part in Sex and The City, this little guest that stuck with me throughout the decades. It was a dream come true, landing your first job in new york in such a competitive field. To do that in the states and in New York was a dream, Sex and The City is still the iconic show that it is. So to still ride that wave with Darren, for him ti bring me now back to France, in this amazing show with this amazing cast, it’s fantastic.”
Abadie isn’t the only one at the table who’s taken a few trips in his acting career, as Gouery can be seen in this season of The White Lotus. “It was a dream,” Gouery said, “To be apart of Emily in Paris and The White Lotus at the same time, because the two crews are amazing and the two shows are different, and very talented, both of them.”
Emily In Paris season 3 will be streaming on Netflix on December 21st! Check out the brilliant series here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl3HY9yMEBI
Christmas With You is now streaming on Netflix.
In the tradition of heartfelt romantic comedies, Netflix brings a fresh film Christmas With You. It’s a story about a loving and risk-adverse father and a pop star who is desperate for a fresh start. When this pop star, Angelina, sees a post from a young fan, she goes to visit her school. Angelina soon discovers fresh inspiration and a chance at love.
Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr lead in this Christmas rom-com and the Knockturnal recently interviewed these stars. Aimee and Freddie shared their experience creating this movie. Freddie explained how he approached acting in a Christmas film. The creators and film crew helped facilitate the Christmas spirit as they were filming. From the set design to building real snow, the Christmas season stayed alive. Aimee surrendered to the process of developing these creative aspects of her character. Her character Angelina dances and sings and Aimee worked hard to become this pop star. Aimee explained that it was easy to keep the Christmas joy alive while creating this movie.
If you enjoy the usual Christmas rom-coms, you’ll appreciate Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr in this movie. The family dynamic in this movie feels grounded and real. It’s a fun movie to watch during this Christmas season.
Watch Christmas With You now on Netflix!
Hawkins is on a global wide tour. The Stranger Things Experience has officially landed in Atlanta, GA after opening in NYC and San Francisco earlier this year. The beloved Netflix series is now paired with an exciting hour-long walk through of Hawkins, Indiana.
We all know the Stranger Things kids are no stranger to danger and if you’ve ever wanted a firsthand look at the chaos, then this is your chance. Follow Max, Eleven, Mike, Lucas, Dustin and Erica through Hawkins as they try to defeat Hawkins biggest villains.
Without giving out any spoilers, fans are invited to interact with characters at Hawkins notoriously corrupt science lab, solve mysteries through different challenges and enjoy food and drinks inspired by the show in Hawkins very own Starcourt Mall.
Guests are thrown back to the 80’s where leg warmers and tacky windbreakers are the norm, and Scoops Ahoy employees walk around (adorably) interacting with guests in their iconic sailor uniforms.
Vintage arcade video games like Joust and Dig Dug line the walls of Palace Arcade, and of course there are plenty of opportunities for photo-ops in some. Old-fashioned photo booths. Guest can even explore Will Byer’s living room and then sit and enjoy a drink at The Upside, a neon-themed bar with specialty drinks and displays with real props and costumes from the show.
And it wouldn’t be a Stranger Things adventure without having to run for your lives through the woods at some point.
We got to chat with Netflix’s Marketing Producer Iris Arias about her role as a curator and how the live experience went global.
Interview With Netflix’s Marketing Producer Isis Arias
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The Stranger Things Experience is coming to a city near you and, in addition to Atlanta, is now open in Los Angeles and London. Fans can also visit the website and nominate their cities to be Hawkins next landing spot. Tickets start at $49. Follow Stranger Things Experience for more info.
NYC based LGBTQ+ film festival, NewFest, teamed up with Netflix to create the New Voices Filmmakers Grant. Four recipients, Blanche Akonchong, Livia Huang, Rodney Llaverias and Nyla Moon, were honored at Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn on October 17.
Winners of $25,000 each and a year of mentorship, the filmmakers gathered for a panel to discuss their films and journey’s thus far.
Blanche Akonchong directed “Mercury Afrograde,” a film depicting a family’s struggle when their secrets are revealed during mercury retrograde. “I edited it, colored it, I composed the music,” Akonchong told the Knockturnal. “I literally spent the whole first quarter of the pandemic just working on it. It was my catharsis.” The film received NewFest’s Emerging Black LGBTQ+ Director Award in 2020. Blanche is an actor, writer, director and musician who hails from Riverdale, Georgia with Cameroonian roots.
New York native filmmaker and actor, Nyla Moon, created “How Not to Date While Trans.” “I realized that there wasn’t a lot of stories by trans women about the trans experience,” Moon noted. “This is such a fun film and it’s like a love story to the trans community because everyone always talks about our experiences but they don’t listen to us, so I wanted to create this story so people could understand what it’s like actually dating as a trans person.” With this accomplishment, Moon continues to produce and act in more original works.
Working on the development of their first feature film while living between the Dominican Republic and Bogota, filmmaker Rodney Llaverias won the New Fest prize for “The Two-Headed Calf.” In the film, the protagonist comes to terms with their sexuality; a monumental event for most audiences don’t get to see from the queer point of view. “I really wanted to tell this story,” Llaverias admitted on the panel. “I had a very late flourishing when it came to my sexuality (…) I was really tapping into my past, my past traumas; I really wanted to talk about my relationship with my father and what that meant for me.”
“More Happiness,” by Livia Huang also explored parental relationships. “I think we all have evolving relationships with our mothers,” Huang said. “I just had these conversations that I couldn’t really let go of, and ‘More Happiness’ has this conversation with a real mother and daughter pair interspersed with the protagonist’s past memories about the past love affair with her ex girlfriend.” Huang, a Baltimore bred director, created the film as a thesis for Brooklyn College, two years ago.
Creating safe havens for queer communities since 1988, New Fest also dedicated the evening to celebrating thriving artists including Big Mouth’s Brandon Kyle Goodman, Wendell & Wild’s Sam Zelaya and Dead End: Paranormal Park’s; Zach Barack.
Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi brought a celebration of Black love to New York on September 28 to commemorate the premiere of his new Netflix animated series, “ENTERGALACTIC.”
With help from love connector, Bumble, and Netflix’s Strong Black Lead team; the festivities kicked off with a Black Love Brunch hosted by ENTERGALATIC star, Teyana Taylor. Kid Cudi, who voices the shows artistic protagonist “Jabari,” was in attendance alongside his co-star Jessica Williams; who voices Jabari’s love interest, a photographer named “Meadow.” Williams, no stranger to the rom-com genre, is also know for her role in HBO’s Love Life. Going from “Mia,” to “Meadow,” Williams described ENTERGALACTIC in two words: “Juicy and funny.” “Juicyfunny,” she exclaimed in a brief interview, making the two words one.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 28: Kid Cudi and Jessica Williams attend the Entergalactic Brunch to celebrate Black love at CATCH Steak on September 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 28: Guests attend the Entergalactic Brunch to celebrate Black love at CATCH Steak on September 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix)
Executive producers Kenya Barris, Karina Manashill, and Ian Edelman were also in attendance during the brunch held at Catch Steak. DJ couple, DJ Mos and DJ Kiss, set the tone for a dance filled afternoon before the showing of a never before seen ENTERGALATIC trailer; a little tease before the premier.
That evening, the red carpet was rolled out for cast, crew and various VIPS before the series premiere held at New York’s Paris Theatre. More cast mates, including Ty Dolla $ign, and executive producers such as Dennis Cummings and Fletcher Moules came out to celebrate with Vagina macaroons (a nod to an ENTERGALACTIC episode), drinks, mini bowls of pasta and more at Nebula NYC.
The Tyler Twins – Netflix Entergalactic 9/28/22
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 28: (L-R) Kenya Barris, Jessica Williams and Scott Mescudi attend the Entergalactic Premiere at the Paris Theatre on September 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix)
ENTERGALACTIC premieres on Netflix on Friday, September 30. Filled with music, fashion and art, the series captures the euphoric feeling of being high (via weed) and falling in love; all while serving as a love letter to New York City.
I love desserts. I never thought that that would be a statement that was needed to be said but as I venture further and further into adulthood and my dreaded thirties, I have noticed and unsettling trend: desserts are as unfashionable as cowboy hats in Times Square. I mention this because Netflix’s recent forays into animation have very much struck me with a sinfully sweet aftertaste. Let’s think about Arcane. Much like the tiramisu at Pecora Bianca, it’s not the reason you showed up but it’s the keynote to end off a great experience. Very few subscribe to Netflix for its animated content but it proved that it’s more than just a cherry on top, it’s a palpable final note.
Now not all desserts are great. For example, much to the chagrin of many fall lovers, I can’t stand pumpkin pie. But Wendell & Wild, the most recent Netflix animated film, is not quite that. It’s something like Paris Baguette – it’s like and fluffy and slightly sweet, but not quite the sugary punch you’d expect. You know dessert would be a satisfying meal, but you at least expect something that could excite your senses without destroying too many teeth. You don’t need it to fill you with nutrients. In the film world, that’s what Nolan and Tarantino are here for. Wendell & Wild, especially given the creative minds behind it, left me feeling a bit disappointed and bored while altogether remembering “right, this is a movie for children, after all”.
The strongest part about this film is the creative mind behind it all: Henry Selick. His animated art style is by far one of the most inventive visual experiences in the world of film today. He manages to push the boundaries of his iconic clay style animation to the limits and just when you think he’s exhausted the limits of his medium, he goes even further and creates something entirely new. He wasn’t the only creative talent at play here. In fact, there were many incredibly talented voice actors who were able to help bring this film to life, for example, Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael-Key. Their performances helped to carry the movie and it’s hard to imagine this movie working without them.
Back to talking about desserts. The reason why animated children’s movies and especially Wendell & Wild instantly brought my mind to think of dessert was because like many of the overpriced bakeries that are speckled across Manhattan, they look better than they taste. Every detail is precise, prim, and pretty but leaves me longing for the unassuming masterpiece that is my mother’s baked goods. The one thing Wendell & Wild has is that polish. It is an incredibly inventive and beautiful movie and it’s a joy to watch. It is a quintessential exemplar of the phrase “every frame a painting”. However the themes are explored at a surface level, character development is so rushed as to feel overlooked, and the plot can best be described at simplistic. Pixar showed that animated films can explore deeper themes in a real way nearly thirty years ago, but to compare the two even with Pixar’s weak recent releases would be a disservice. In the end, Wendell & Wild is a beautiful mediocre pastry in a world where Michelin starred outputs has been the established bar for years.
Tyler Perry wrote, directed, and produced the film, A Jazzman’s Blues, which will be released on Netflix on September 23rd.