Beachfront exhibitions, lesbian crime adventures, and new music from Justin Timberlake and Kacey Musgraves.
advertisementHave you ever wondered what it would be like to be a chicken nugget?
You can do this after looking at this week's cultural recommendations, of which there are many. Who says you need to have Guaranteed Glastonbury tickets Or live on The most wonderful street in the world To have a good time?
Exhibitions
Showtown, Blackpool, United Kingdom
The smell of fish and chips riding on the sea breeze, the flashing neon lights, and the distant clatter of coin exchange machines. There is something surreal about Britain's seaside towns; Comic landscapes at the edge of the haunting horizon that now appear frozen in time. But the New museum In Blackpool it revives the old glamour of its heyday. From Stan Laurel's hat to the generous doll, the sparkling clothing, and the door to the Blackpool Police cell from which Harry Houdini escaped – the displays are filled with distinctive vulgarities that will take you back to simpler, “Oh, I love to be by your side” seaside times.
“Speaking to the Eye”, Paris, France
Widely considered a pioneer of computer-generated art, Hungarian artist Vera Molnar has left a legacy of brilliant futuristic works, paving the way for artists to create alongside technology and leverage its abilities to shape ambitious ideas. Molnard sadly passed away in January, but a new retrospective at the Center Pompidou in Paris celebrates her innovative approach and lasting influence on abstract art. Until August 26, 2024.
Festivals and events
“Music Suite: Atenea Quartet, Barcelona Overture”, Barcelona, Spain
The elegant, sharp architecture of Barcelona's famous Mies van der Rohe Pavilion is the perfect host for an intimate string quartet performance by the Atenea Quartet on March 17. Organized in collaboration with the Ciutat de Classica programme, the event is part of the Barcelona Obertura Spring Festival and provides a platform for young local musicians.
Tomorrow's Winterland, Alpe d'Huez, France
While the festival season is quickly approaching (see our European recommendations here), it still seems forever away. Fortunately, there's a winter edition of Tomorrowland, one of Europe's biggest electronic music celebrations, starting this weekend (March 16-23). Located on the stunning ski slopes of Alpe d'Huez, the line-up includes superstar DJs and electro artists such as Alesso, Blasterjaxx, Steve Aoki, Henri PFR, Lost Frequency and more. See you after the rave.
films
Driving away dolls
A lesbian road trip gets weird and wild when Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) discover a suspicious bag in the trunk of the car they've been assigned to deliver. Enjoy a classic Coen brothers crime thriller – although Ethan Coen rides solo this time – filled with quirky characters, quirky Americana and plenty of action. The cast is excellent, including Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon, Beanie Feldstein and Miley Cyrus. So says our resident film critic David Morequand Had something to say about it.
London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, United Kingdom
BFI Flare, the UK's largest gay film festival, returns in 2024 and the line-up looks better than ever. One of the most anticipated films is Rose Glass Love lies bleeding To voices and short films yet to be discovered, there is a plethora of amazing LGBTQIA+ cinema to watch until March 24.
TV series
Chase (Apple TV+)
This edge-of-your-seat drama tells the true story of John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle), the stage actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 while performing at the theater. Focusing on the consequences, we follow Edwin Stanton (Tobias Menzies) as he leads a 12-day hunt for Booth. Even if it's a story many of us are familiar with, watching it in this brilliant series still makes for incredible viewing. Have Wikipedia ready.
Chicken Nuggets (Netflix)
“I woke up this morning feeling like a piece of chicken,” said internet star Trisha Paytas in an infamous (among chronic internet videos, at least) 2017 YouTube video. That concept was taken to the extreme in This new Korean Netflix series sees a woman inexplicably transformed into a piece of chicken after getting inside a strange machine. Her father and her boyfriend must band together to try to reverse the curse before anyone hungry shows up. Silly, fried fun that you probably won't want to see with your Happy Meal.
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Kacey Musgraves: A deeper well
The sixth studio album from Grammy Award-winning country singer Kacey Musgraves is a meditation on life and love, written in the wake of her divorce from fellow singer Ruston Kelly. Centered around the astrological belief in the return of Saturn, a transit period that brings chaos, Musgraves swoons over glimmers of synths through themes of heartbreak and self-care in search of a sense of purpose.
Justin Timberlake: Everything I thought it was
The controversy over Britney Spears' conviction is still simmering Disclosure of notes2000s star JT returns with “Everything I Thought It Was,” his first album since 2018’s “Man of the Woods.” The album’s first single, “Selfish,” was released earlier this year amid A disappointing response, but for fans of Timberlake's back catalogue, the fizzy, synthetic-flavored pop is packed with enough nostalgia to quench your thirst.
