BIG SCREEN
NO TIME TO DIE
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
James Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. Unfortunately, his peace is short-lived as Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading James Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology
DIRECTOR: Cary Joji Fukunaga
CAST: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas
WHY IT’S WORTH WATCHING?
No Time to Die is the 25th installment in the James Bond film series and at a 163-minute runtime, it’s the longest James Bond movie ever (you better make sure you go to the bathroom before you sit down to watch it). The movie features Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as the fictional MI6 agent, and as we see him donning the 007 mantle for the last time, it’s fitting that this concluding story will have a longer runtime, way more action, and a gripping storyline. Five years after the capture of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, James Bond has left active service. He is approached by Felix Leiter, his friend and a CIA officer, who enlists his help in the search for Valdo Obruchev, a missing scientist. When it becomes apparent that Obruchev was kidnapped, Bond must confront a danger the likes of which the world has never seen before. Will he survive? Watch and find out – yet another James Bond movie we’ve fallen in love with.
Bond must confront a danger the likes of which the world has never seen before. Will he survive? Watch and find out – yet another James Bond movie we’ve fallen in love with. – No Time To Die
THE LOVEBIRDS
WHAT’S IT ABOUT: A couple experiences a defining moment in their relationship, when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery. As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme – and hilarious – circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.
DIRECTOR: Michael Showalter
CAST: Kumali Nanjiani, Issa Rae
WHY IT’S WORTH WATCHING?
Kumali Nanjiani and Issa Rae play Jibran and Leilani, a couple that finds themselves accidentally wrapped up in a grisly murder. They go on a run in an attempt to clear their name and must get involved in the seedy criminal underground. Unfortunately, the duo does so while messing up basically everything along the way. With an extraordinary storyline and plenty of hilarious moments, The Lovebirds is definitely the rom-com of the year.
ON THE RECORD
POP/FOLK-ROCK
Velvet: Side A
By Adam Lambert
Velvet is definitely the perfect title for Lambert’s new album, as the sound is classic and the production smooth. The album’s core is a funk-driven, 70’s rock sound that is very different from his past work. Lambert effortlessly takes an old sound and makes it fresh for a modern audience. Album opener Superpower comes with a heavy bassline, smooth falsettos and some slick guitar riffs, and Lambert puts in a confidence that hasn’t been seen in his past work, with the lyrics only adding to the raw power of his voice: We can definitely hear the influence of touring with Queen in small moments of his album, and the team he worked with, including indie-pop engineer Tommy English, pop-rock producer Butch Walker and more, especially on Velvet: A Side. Glints of R&B, disco and dance-pop find their way through, without making the project feel oversaturated. To enjoy are songs like Closer to You, which opens as a simple piano-vocal ballad, before growing itself into a classic Pink Floyd-style slow jam, without making us question the transition. Velvet: A Side truly reveals the depths of Lambert’s talent, leaving nothing to be desired for the listener.
POP/FOLKROCK
Silver Landingsn By Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore’s seventh studio album Silver Landings is her first release in 11 years and spins with a folk-rock sensibility— a style in which she is wellversed. But the Moore we hear in this new album emerges older and wiser, with lyrics that are sadder compared to her previous albums. Silver Landings’ message lies in the importance of falling in love with yourself first, delivered via polished country-folk production and a confident vocalist ready to reveal a swath of life lessons. Opener I’d Rather Lose stands as a defiant mission statement, with soulful, mournful guitar mirroring Moore’s Linda Ronstadt-esque vocals, and Save A Little for Yourself outlines the dangers of giving too much of yourself away in a relationship, giving listeners not only good music, but also something to think about. As clear as day, Moore has successfully moved herself from a teen-pop singer to an adult troubadour.
FULLY BOOKED
FICTION
Such a Fun Age
By Kiley Reid Reid’s darkly funny debut follows Emira, a black, underemployed 25-year-old who splits her time between babysitting for a wealthy white family and working at Philadelphia’s Green Party office. When a late-night encounter with a grocery store security guard attracts unwanted attention, Emira’s life takes several unexpected turns, as she has been wrongly accused of kidnapping while babysitting a child. One of the most provocative page-turners of the year.
NON- FICTION
How to Break Up with Fast Fashion
By Lauren Brave Fast fashion is the ultimate toxic relationship. It’s bad news for the planet, our brains and our bank balances. How to Break Up with Fast Fashion will help you to change your mindset, fall back in love with your wardrobe and embrace more sustainable ways of shopping — from the clothes swap to the charity shop. Full of refreshing honesty and realistic advice, Lauren will inspire you to repair, recycle and give your unloved items a new lease of life without sacrificing your style.
