February Roundup
Kernels, Jan 29 - Feb 29, 2024
Hi friends,
It’s been three and a half weeks since I sent my last newsletter. That’s a longer gap than I would have liked. I’d like to say that the break was because I was in the Amazon with your mom researching spiders right before she died, but it was really a combination of seasonal depression and spending a LOT of time organizing some dinners that I’ve hosted at my place. Thanks for sticking with me as I get back in the swing of things, writing-wise!
Next up for this newsletter, I’ll write all about the big Oscars dinner party I hosted this past weekend (and with plenty of pictures), and following that,a writeup of another dinner that I put on with my cousin Eric for Tết.
And now, a recap of what I was up to in February, besides those dinner parties! It got long but my goal really is to send these “Kernels” columns out a bit more often, and with a lower word count.
Sk8er Bois
In recent weeks, the seafood vendor at my farmer’s market has been selling skate wings. I don’t think I’ve ever seen skate offered outside of a restaurant, and having eaten a really yummy one at the Ha’s Dac Biet pop-up in January, I jumped at the chance to take some wings home. The cartilaginous fish, which resemble a small stingray, has long been a favorite of French seafood bistros and has traditionally been served with capers and brown butter.
That’s exactly what I did the first time I cooked a skate wing, using a recipe from Food & Wine. The fish was poached in a solution of vinegar and herbs; I found that the wings reached 150ºF much sooner than the times listed in the recipe. While the fish simmered, I made the brown butter-caper sauce. I served this with some roasted potatoes, spooning the sauce over everything on the plate. It was delicious, especially after tossing some finishing salt on top. It has a fairly mild flavor but a soft texture, with flesh easily separated from the cartilage. One wing is a fairly hefty serving, and the seafood vendor sells these at $16 a pound, making each piece roughly $12-13.
I also wanted to try a crustier preparation, so the following week I followed a pan-fried recipe that called for dredging the fish in flour and then shallow-frying it. The recipe says to use de-boned wings, an instruction I ignored out of laziness. That was a mistake, because while I got a decent crust on the outside of the wings, the insides took a lot longer to come to temperature. Concerned with burning the outside parts, I pulled the pan off the heat when the fish could charitably be described as very rare. Lesson learned… with pan fried fish, remove the bones (or in this case, the cartilage). One good tweak: I put some chili oil on top of the fish, which I served alongside stir-fried cabbage with fish sauce.
Oscar Futures
Oscar season is almost! Finally! Over! The nominations were announced over five weeks ago, and there’s still a week to go before those envelopes are opened and Christopher Nolan can give his acceptance speech. On the morning of the nominations, I made a big post with commentary and prognostications, but since then there’s been a plethora of “precursor” awards ceremonies, such as the SAG Awards. Armed with more information, I’m issuing some updates to my Oscars predictions and locking them in before Sunday’s ceremony.
Original Screenplay: The Holdovers ➡️ Anatomy of a Fall
I genuinely believe that the press tour by Messi, the dog from Anatomy of a Fall, is going to ensure the film won’t go home empty-handed. It has five nominations, but I don’t think it can win anything except for its writing.
Production Design: Napoleon ➡️ Poor Things
Now that I’ve seen Napoleon (fun battle scenes but a huge slog to get through!), the set design is terrific, but not so terrific that it would lose to the well-respected Poor Things. Don’t count out Barbie though.
Costume Design: Barbie ➡️ Poor Things
I’m sort of 50/50 on this one… Barbie has flashy fashions, but will voters discount the costumes because they’re all based off of existing doll designs?
Visual Effects: The Creator ➡️ Godzilla Minus One
Having now seen all five of the nominees in this category, I still think The Creator is the most photorealistic, and best integrated into the live action material. It’s truly astounding how well the computer generated imagery looks, well, not computer generated, and the secret is that they filmed so much of it in real locations and meticulously planned the effects work. But Godzilla Minus One has a better story: $15 million budget! A team of just 35 people! It is also a much better movie than The Creator.
And one HOLD for Best Actor: Paul Giamatti — “The Holdovers”
I was really bullish on Giamatti winning a month ago, but Murphy just won the SAG Award for Best Actor, which usually aligns with the Oscars. It’s still a very close race, but there’s got to be one big surprise each year and I’m gonna go for Paul.
I didn’t make predictions for the short films on nomination day because I knew nothing about them, but having seen the animated and live action shorts, I’m predicting WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko to win the former category, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar to win the latter. For the doc shorts, it’s a crapshoot, and I haven’t seen them yet, but I’ll go with The Last Repair Shop.
If you win any money off of these predictions, send me half your earnings. If I was wrong, well, that’s your fault for trusting me! 💸
The Screen Scene
Speaking of the Oscars… I’ve been watching as many of the nominated movies as I can before the ceremony on March 10. Including the shorts, even though they usually are forgettable at best. So far, I’ve seen all of the Live Action and Animated Shorts that were nominated. For the animated shorts, my favorite by a wide margin was Ninety-Five Senses (Docplus), a tour of one man's life through the way he perceived the world through sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. Love that they had different animators work on their own sense segments to give them distinct styles. Definitely the most "complete" short film of the bunch, in that it tells a full story and doesn’t feel like a pitch for a longer feature.
On the live action side of things, Wes Anderson’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Netflix), an adaptation of a Roald Dahl story, is going to win. Not just because he’s the biggest name, but because that film actually is one of the best shorts of the bunch. Not that it’s saying much. My favorite of the five is the dryly humorous Knight of Fortune (The New Yorker), which is all about coping with grief. But the short that was the most fun to watch was the absolutely awful The After (Netflix). David Oyelowo stars as an Uber driver recovering from a tragedy so over the top that my friends and I started howling with (derisive) laughter when we watched it unfold. It happens pretty early into the film, so that ridiculousness gave us permission to shit talk the rest of the time.
Speaking of fun-bad movies, I saw Madame Web on opening night. In IMAX. Once this hits streaming, it’s going to be a great “get your homies drunk and/or high and laugh” type of movie. There’s parts of the movie that are competent, some that are bad in a dull way, and some that are bad but in a transcendentally hilarious manner. Dakota Johnson is actively fighting the urge to roll her eyes in every other scene! Her character tells people that her mother died in childbirth… at a baby shower! Personally, I can’t wait to see this movie again.
I did see some good movies. Thanks to the Lincoln Center, I was able to catch an early screening of Dune 2 with director Denis Villeneuve appearing for a talkback. What can I write about this film that hasn’t already been covered by others? It's a sci-fi spectacle on the highest level. It rips apart the mythology of the great white man, the Lawrence of Arabia type who leads a foreign people to their liberation. There is no such thing as a benevolent colonizer. Anyone who thinks that this film is saying otherwise is simply not paying attention!
If there’s any faults in the movie, it stems from breakneck pacing that doesn't allow for natural character development. Two hours and forty minutes wasn’t enough; it should have been a full three hours! Florence Pugh is absolutely serving in her limited screen time, but similar to Zendaya’s appearance in the first movie, she’ll be a much bigger part of the next one. I need a Dune Messiah movie pronto.
The Q&A with Villeneuve was really insightful. He talked about his process of visualizing the script, how the sound design was baked into the initial edit, and the benefit of the strike-delayed release. His personal resonance with Dune also came up: he grew up in Québec at the tail end of the Quiet Revolution, which transformed a society once controlled by the Catholic Church into a more secular state and also brought forth a distinct identity for the Canadian province.
Two other notable movies that I saw thanks to friends organizing some viewings: Bollywood classic Kal Ho Naa Ho, in which Shah Rukh Khan sets off a love triangle in New York City. Every single song in this movie is a banger, which is not the case for the other Indian movies that I’ve seen. On the more offbeat side of things, Journey to the West is an incredibly charming Chinese indie dramedy about a ufologist who travels across the country in search of proof of alien existence. The film starts off with zany hijinks reminiscent of a Taika Waititi movie, but it’s no spoiler to say that our hero’s search for extraterrestrial life masks a more guttural form of grief.
The movie schedule for March is looking rather bleak unless an Amy Winehouse biopic or Ghostbusters franchise extension intrigues you. All I have on my list are the promising Love Lies Bleeding, an erotic thriller starring Kristen Stewart, and Problemista, the directorial debut from Julio Torres. He got Tilda Swinton in his cast, so it looks like it’ll be a quirky, odd ol’ time. I’m looking forward to early April, when Film at Lincoln Center and the MoMA host New Directors/New Films, a festival of new films from new directors around the globe. It’s a good survey of new arthouse movies that often push the boundaries of narrative filmmaking. I always recommend checking out one of the Short Film programs!
Theater Talk
I made it out of the house to see a few shows in February. Broadway is in a bit of a quiet period before an onslaught of musicals and plays open in March and April. Many of the new musicals seem like they’re based on movies, more so than usual: The Outsiders, Water for Elephants, The Notebook… Plus revivals of musicals that have well-known film adaptations like The Wiz and Cabaret… I actually haven’t seen any of those movies, besides The Wiz, so I’ve got some movie watching to do.
But the three shows that I saw in February were all originals. There was Kate Douglas’ The Apiary, which premiered at Second Stage’s Off-Broadway theater. It’s a send-up of corporate culture amidst a near-future environmental collapse. The pollinators have largely died off, so almonds and fruits have become symbols of a decadent past. It’s the end of the world and bees know it. Asking questions about the limits of pragmatism and the slippery slope of just causes, Douglas’ text is enlivened by its small ensemble, with Carmen M. Herlihy the highlight as Pilar, a chipper junior member of the team whose cheerfulness is portrayed as a defense mechanism.
New York City Center’s Encores program continues to deliver with Jelly’s Last Jam, a musical about Jelly Roll Morton, an influential musician who claimed he invented jazz. He didn’t, but the spectacular dancing and fun big band music make up for a rather awful book. Nicholas Christopher, the titular Jelly, showcases formidable talents in singing, acting, and tap dancing; Billy Porter channels Hadestown Hermes by way of Hadestown Hades as the “Chimney Man” who ferries Jelly from this life to the next. These Encores productions only run for a couple weeks, so its time has now passed, but definitely make the time to see Titanic in June. No relation to the movie, or to Céline Dion, even though the musical came out the same year as James Cameron’s epic. Gonna try to line it up so that I can see this in the afternoon, then head downtown to see Titanique that same day.
The show I’ll remember the most from this month — and perhaps from this entire year when all is said and done — is Merrily We Roll Along. I had been entering the lottery for the Sondheim revival for a few months, but when TodayTix offered a $24 discount, my friend and I caved. We got seats in the front row of the balcony, which were rather terrific considering we paid $100. It’s a brilliant, beautiful show. All three of the principals — Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe — are equally fantastic, but who knew that Harry Potter could sing?
The gimmick of the story’s reverse chronology must have been a huge acting challenge; rather than progressing through a character arc, the cast had to peel back the layers of time and experience and reach a state of youthful innocence that feels so much more tragic when the start for these characters is the end of the show. They’re blissfully unaware of the hurt and pain they’ll cause each other in the years to come. Does Merrily necessitate therapy, or is it therapy? I think the answer is both.
One final theater note: Appropriate, which has become the play of the season, is transferring to the Belasco Theatre. You’ve got until the end of June to see Sarah Paulson do her thing. You can read my brief thoughts here but my briefest thought is that you should see it!
Some Broadway Promo Codes
I’ve ended up on the mailing lists for New York theater patrons (particularly for Telecharge) and the direct mailers usually include a promo code of some kind. So if you want a small discount…
Brooklyn Laundry - SC1BKLD
The Outsiders - PONYBOY (must purchase by April 10. Valid for performances through 6/16/24)
Patriots - PATDM24 (for performances April 1-30)
Suffs - SUFFSMAIL (for preview performances March 26 - April 17)
The New York Review of New Yorkers
These are the best articles I read in the New Yorker (print edition) in February:
A Slippery Slope, By Sheelah Kolhatkar
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which allows rich people to buy their way into America, is rife with abuse and fraud. Kolhatkar walks us through how it all works, through the example of a rural Vermont ski resort that could have revitalized a small mountain town.
The Oligarch’s Son, By Patrick Radden Keefe
If you read one thing from this section, make it this one. Gripping story of a teenage imposter getting ensnared in London’s criminal underground and plunging into the Thames. Paired with last year’s article on a Dubai princesses who holes up in a London manor, only to be CIA renditioned back to the UAE… England’s capital seems corrupt AF.
Realms of the Senses, By Anthony Lane
The New Yorker’s chief film critic is shifting to a new beat, covering broader cultural topics. This is his last review in his capacity as a movie critic. His perpetually bemused tone and discursive prose wasn’t for everyone, but he knew how to write a sentence. And who could ever forget his infamous, unnecessarily horny review of The Incredibles 2? Sample sentence: “And Daddy just rested his cooling soda firmly in his lap and, like Mr. Incredible, tried very hard to think of algebra.”
In the Weeds, By Jia Tolentino
The legalization of marijuana in New York has undoubtedly been a disaster. Government incompetence makes suckers out of those who play by the rules.
On the Night of the Khatam, By Jamil Jan Kochai (Fiction)
Refugee reunions and the stories we tell in search of absolution.
Torn Pages, By Claudia Roth Pierpont
Examines the importance of books during wartime, ranging from the ancient Greeks, thousands of years ago, to Gaza, today.
Wet January Final Update
Devoted readers will recall that at the start of this year I embarked upon Wet January, where I had at least one drink nearly every day during a month where everyone else cuts themselves off. Here’s a list of the first drinks I had each day. Entries in bold are for days where I probably would not have had any alcohol were it not for this little stunt. So there would have only been ten days this month where I consumed zero alcohol. I don’t know if that is good or bad. My key takeaway from this was that I went out a lot during the first half of the month, but really hunkered down at home as the cold weather got to me.
I briefly considered doing a Wetter February, wherein I have two drinks per day. But if I followed that to its logical conclusion, during the last month of the year I’d have to down a dozen a day.
Leftover white wine at home
German beer at Black Forest
(taking a mulligan on this day; hadn’t decided to do Wet January at this point)
Hard cider at Eric’s
Lagunitas at Plug Uglies
Cocktail at Hide & Seek
Brooklyn Kura Saké (Blue Door) at home
A flight of beer at Sixpoint Brewery
Boxed Gruner Veltliner (really good!!) at Aaron’s
A glass of PungJeong Sagye sool at Kochi
A glass of 2018 The Scholium Project "The Prince in his Caves” at Rosella
Split bottle of 2022 Florèz Wines Viognier Kind of Orange at Gem House x Ha’s Dac Biet popup
Shots of soju at Olivia’s
Hard cider at Eric's
Plantation OFTD rum at David's
A liter of Kostritzer Schwarzbier at Black Forest
“Apricot” Manhattan at Rockwell Place
A glass of some really freaking good Greek wine at home
Eggnog right before bed at home
Sixpoint Stooper Hazy IPA at home
Mulled wine at Josh’s
A glass of Purato Cataratto Pinot Grigio at home
A glass of Brooklyn Kura Blue Door Shiboritate at home
The “Smoking Jacket” cocktail at FancyFree
Sixpoint The Piff Hazy Double IPA at home
A glass of Sauv Blanc at Sravya’s
A pint of beer at Treadwell Park
Tequila Sherry eggnog at home
Jo & Co. Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 at home
Leftover Sauvingon Blanc at home
Sixpoint Bengali IPA at home
February Grog Log
This exercise did inspire me, however, to keep a running log of the first drink I have each day, every day, and see how long I can keep up a drinking streak. It only lasted two weeks this month. For the time being, I’ll publish the list at the end of each month because maybe it’s fun? Who knows?
A can of Sixpoint The Crisp Pilsner at home
A can of KCBC Superhero Sidekicks Hazy IPA at home
A dram of Rayo Seco Sacotoro Mezcal at home
A glass of Dr. G Dry Riseling, 2021 at home
A dram of Rayo Seco Sacotoro Mezcal at home
A pint of Guinness at an Irish pub near my office
A pint of Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock at DSK
A can of Sixpoint The Crisp Pilsner at home
A glass of red wine at Olivia’s
A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon at Seng Seafood
A glass of Beaujolais Lantignié, Ch. du Basty - 2022 at home
A flight of beer at Sixpoint Brewery
A glass of Marie Duffau Napoleon Armagnac at home (was watching Napoleon)
Nothing, oops… the streak ends here.
A dram of Rayo Seco Sacotoro Mezcal at home
A glass of Jean Marc Barthez Bordeaux Blanc 2021 at Leo’s
Cranberry sangria at Kunal’s
A mug of aged tequila-sherry eggnog at home
A mystery cocktail at David’s
Nothing, oops
Nothing, oops
Nothing, oops
Tommy’s Margarita (made by me) at home
A beer at TALEA Williamsburg
Daiquiri at The Rum House
Nothing, oops
German beer at Black Forest
Sixpoint Pilsner at home
Blood Orange Negroni test at home
A Napping KitKat
Thanks for reading, and I’ll try to write more regularly in the months to come. If you have any suggestions, notice a typo, or just wanna say hi, Substack has apparently introduced DMs, so feel free to slide in. Or you can contact me via the original direct message, email: andrew@butteredpopcorn.org
Loved reading this one. So many different facets of your life documented!