The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) Trailer # 1 - Martin Freeman HD

In the opening pages of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Earth is destroyed. Now if that doesn't scream 2020 so far, what does?

In Douglas Adams's 1979 novel, which premiered as a radio series on BBC Radio4 in 1978 (42 years ago—but more about the significance of that number later), Earth is suddenly blown up in order to make room for an intergalactic superhighway. Now, in a year that has—after only 3 months, people—given us a contentious, confusing democratic primary, the death of Kobe Bryant, new and worsening facts about our climate and habitat at large, appalling leadership, and of course the rapid spread of and global shutdowns by the coronavirus (COVID-19), it seems impossible to turn to any source for comfort.

Enter The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: a novel that starts with the global annihilation that we might be heading for and then follows the characters as they cope with new realities, with isolation and loss, an endless information source that brings with it endless anxiety, and an egomaniacal, arrogant, selfish, attention-craving president of the galaxy.

Keep ReadingShow less
MUSIC

Kat Capone Spills the Tea in Music Video for "Choke"

The pop singer-songwriter holds nothing back and keeps it real in her latest music video.

Kat Capone

The New York native pop singer/songwriter Kat Capone continues to shows off her dynamic and candid personality in her latest music video for her song "Choke."

Drawing from her musical influences like Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Missy Elliot, Capone skillful combines honest and direct songwriting mixed with fun, impactful pop beats to create music that can be enjoyed by the masses.

The video begins with fast cut scenes of a decadent living room, panning over luxurious decor and glittering gold furniture. The camera then cuts to Capone, dressed stylishly in all black and wearing matching berets with two other women. The trio begins to sip their tea when Capone launches into the song's opening lyric, "I heard what you said/ And you seem a little obsessed/ We coulda been friends/ This song coulda been a duet" with her sensual and raspy voice.

According to Capone, "Choke" is a high energy rhythmic jam full of attitude and confidence inspired by gossipers who secretly follow everything you do. This theme and Capone deep cutting swagger is especially obvious in the track's infectious chorus. With lines like, "You ain't gotta like me I got enough friends/ You ain't gotta lie to me or pretend/ No time for the he said she said/ We could smell the hate on your breath," and "Been hearing that my name's in your mouth/ When you see me you don't even make a sound/ Guess the cat got your tongue tied now/ Don't choke on my name spit it out," the singer makes a stance that she isn't here to waste time and energy on people who are less than authentic.

The quirky track is produced by MultiPlatinum producer KQuick (Alessia Cara, J Cole, Queen Naija) and its infectious flute melody is supported by deep 808s and clocklike percussion. The chorus serves elementary school playground taunting vibes paired with a classic reggae sample from Major Cat.

Check out Kat Capone's music video for "Choke" below!

Choke - Kat Capone (Official Video)www.youtube.com

As mentioned in our 2018 year-end review, the year in film comprised a strange but satisfying mix of big-budget blockbusters and smaller, specific stories. Now, with a slate of Best Picture nominees ranging from Roma and The Favourite to Bohemian Rhapsody and Black Panther, it's clear the Academy feels similarly. But cast a net that wide and there are bound to be some snubs and surprises.

Snub: Women

There are no women in contention for the Best Director award this year, despite the fact that critics could not stop talking about the brilliance of Chloe Zhao's The Rider, Lynne Ramsey's You Were Never Really Here, and Debra Granik's Leave No Trace. Even Marielle Heller, whose Can You Ever Forgive Me? earned two acting nominations and a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination, couldn't seem to break into the category.

Surprise: Male Actors

Willem Defoe, Sam Rockwell, Viggo Mortensen, and Rami Malek all snagged acting nominations. On paper, the nominations of two returning nominees and a newcomer arriving on the wind of a great performance doesn't seem surprising. Yet add together the fact that Defoe's nomination is the sole nomination for At Eternity's Gate, Rockwell's and Malek's are for roles in films with broadly tepid reviews, and Mortensen's is for a film that's been regarded as problematic (to put it lightly), and the result is a strange, uneven lineup. Add again that BlackkKlansman lead John David Washington was shut out altogether, and the result seems like a mess.

Snub: No Director Nomination for Bradley Cooper

Surely Bradley Cooper is thrilled that his directorial debut, A Star is Born, has garnered eight nominations, including Best Picture. While the film has been recognized for acting, writing, music, and cinematography, he was left out of contention for Best Director, which he wanted so badly we could all taste it. Alas, like Ben Affleck before him, he couldn't seem to go full Clooney. Which proves that there can be 24 awards at the Oscars, and you can be nominated for eight of them, but only one is the one that will make the industry take you seriously as a filmmaker, and that, to Bradley, is Best Director.


Rebecca Linde is a writer and cultural critic in NYC. She tweets about pop culture and television @rklinde.


POP⚡ DUST | Read More…

"Jane" Spins Off, Gilead Gets New Neighbors, and more: This Week's TV News

Now in Theaters: New Movies for the Weekend of January 25

"Glass" Is Enjoyable If You Don't Get Your Hopes Up