Monthly Roundup – August

With just over two months now until the US presidential elections, it feels fitting to remind ourselves of the democratic system of America. Directed by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss, Boys State follows a thousand 17-year old boys in Texas who join together to build a representative government from the ground up.

Whilst some young men take the two week camp seriously, trying to implement policies that they believe in and want to push forward (the most hotly debated topics being gun control – Texas, obviously – and abortion), the film also suggests that the young, impressionable boys simply imitate the flawed politics they see today. From picking extremist views to get the votes, to the dirty tactics to attack the opposition.

In July, Showtime cancelled Jim Carrey’s series Kidding after only two seasons, which might be why the show feels even more special given that it only has twenty episodes in total. Loosely based of Mr Rogers, the series follows children’s TV personality Mr. Pickles, who after a personal tragedy with the death of one of his twin boys, he struggles to maintain his polished and positive performance leading his father to try and clone his character through animation. As you would expect from Jim Carrey, it’s a dark, heartwarming and complex comedy.

Adapted from the best-selling nostalgic novel of author Keigo Higashino’s, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store takes a dive into Japan’s yester-year as three teenagers discover a means of communicating with strangers from 1980. Beautiful attention to detail in costume and cinematography, and observation of young adult human emotions and decision-making.

Although Hong Kong band Room 307 released their self titled album in 2018, they finally shared a music video to accompany the track ‘My Bonnie’, which inspired us to go back and re-listen.

Out latest Constant Radio playlist by Tim Ho.

Jerry Seinfeld responded to a LinkedIn article titled ‘NYC is Dead Forever. Here’s Why‘, with an article in The New York Times. His response ‘So You Think New York is “Dead”‘, as you would expect, was very New York; scathing, sharp, and dry to the bone.

The Cut’s article ‘Un-Adopted‘ about YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer, who shared every step of their parenting journey, from pregnancy announcements through to their adoption process of a toddler from China. An internet wormhole of an article that has you searching their instagram feed and youtube channel to see ‘did they really ghost their own son!?’

Her third memoir, Year of the Monkey, by Patti Smith. As you would expect for one of the original bohemian musicians, it’s weird, magical, and dream-like, with the narrative beginning with her booking a room in a place she calls “The Dream Motel”. Based on the events of the year 2016, it follows her travels and stories around America when Trump was elected into office.