Farewell to 2021! If you're staying home to celebrate the switchover to 2022, Cheddar's Digital Team recommends some dark humor, bright hopes, throwback thrillers, and a veritable icon of the romantic comedy genre — and no, it's not 'New Year's Eve,' which would be a bit on the nose. Happy New Year!
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
Don't Look Up - Netflix
This dark, absurd satire about scientists (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) trying to convince politicians, television personalities, and the global population that a planet-killing comet is about to strike the Earth had some critics poo-pooing the Adam McKay (Step Brothers, The Big Short) comedy as a too-pessimistic allegory regarding climate change. They charged that it's relatively unfunny and insulting to certain political ideologies. But, since the "doomsday glacier" is potentially going to raise sea levels by 10 feet within the next five years, to me, this mixed bag of a film seems understated and still worth a watch.
Station Eleven - HBO Max
But what if the world does end — but we don't end with it? Station Eleven, a limited series based on the bestselling novel by Emily St. John Mandel, imagines a post-apocalyptic future of people rebuilding after the old world comes crashing down. Unfortunately, originally written in 2014, the story imagines civilization grinding to a halt due to a massive flu pandemic, which might not be everyone's cup of tea as 2021 winds down. However, it's reassuring that while there is darkness in the subject matter, the series looks to uplift and provide hope that humanity doesn't JUST survive but is somehow worthy of survival.
Dexter: New Blood - Showtime
Picked by Producer Lawrence Banton
WARNING: If you have not watched the original series, this could be a spoiler. Eight years after Showtime put a bow on its hit show, Dexter, showrunners have returned with a continuation series Dexter: New Blood. It's the same premise just with a twist. First off: Dexter Morgan? He's dead. Sort of. The blood-spatter expert for Miami metro's police department, who doubled as a serial killer of known criminals, had to cut ties with the Sunshine State after his part-time killing spree was nearly exposed. After faking his death, he relocated to rural New York where his "dark passenger" took a backseat for more than a decade. But as the saying goes, the past has a way of creeping up on you. Dexter thought he left it all in Miami, including a son who ends up tracking him down. And if you can remember how his mother died and Dexter's own traumatic experience of witnessing her death, then you can paint a picture of where this series is headed. #SinsOfTheFather
Copshop - Amazon Prime Video (Rent or Purchase)
Picked by Reporter Alex Vuocolo
Copshop, which hit theaters without much fanfare earlier this year, feels like it was teleported from the early 2000s, and I mean that in the best way possible. The film takes place in a remote police station in the Southwest United States, where a man (Frank Grillo) has gotten himself arrested for protection from an assassin who is hot on his tail. Unfortunately for him, the assassin (Gerard Butler) gets himself arrested as well, and naturally chaos ensues on the cell block. Caught between it all is a rookie cop (Alexis Louder), who is just trying to survive the night. The balance of comedy and action is reminiscent of the best Tarantino knockoffs, and the single-location mayhem feels like an homage to John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13. If you're a fan of the action films of yesteryear, Copshop is as unreconstructed as it gets.
When Harry Met Sally… - Showtime
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
New Year's Eve makes its debut at the very end of this 1989 classic romantic comedy about two strangers and their not-so-fast friendship. Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) take a post-collegiate road trip together as they both prepare to start their new lives in New York City. Over the next dozen years, as the grads explore love and life in the big city (bringing us this famous NSFW clip), they find out that the Big Apple can feel really small as they run into each other time and time again. If you haven't seen it, or it's been a while, it's a hopeful way to kick off 2022 (whether you're single or not).
Tire manufacturer Michelin is partnering with the popular video game "The Sims FreePlay" in order to meet teens where they are to promote driving safety. Michelin North America Chairman and President Alexis Garcin joined Cheddar News to discuss how the #GoldenGauge program integrates with the game. "If you're a gamer yourself or your kids, then while you're driving and moving on the application, you will find a Michelin billboard, and if you engage with that billboard, then you will get some advice about how tires are critical for your safety on the road," Garcin explained. *Updated with the full title of 'The Sims FreePlay' and a typo fix in the name of Alexis Garcin.*
The video game industry has come a long way from the first commercialized 3D video game in 1980, but it still has a long way to go. Video game creators have recently been called out for not having realistic Black hairstyles in their games and graphic artists are now taking matters into their own hands by creating The Open Source Afro Hair Library. Jovan Wilson, 3D artist and resident for The Open Source Afro Hair Library, joined All Hands to discuss.
Neil Young has come up with an ultimatum for Spotify: his music or Joe Rogan’s podcast. This comes over concerns that the podcast is spreading COVID-19 vaccine misinformation to its listeners. "The Joe Rogan Experience," which is exclusive to Spotify, is currently the number one streamed podcast on the platform.
The American Federation Teachers Union has announced its latest partnership with NewsGuard in efforts to help educators play a greater role in deciphering facts from fiction that students see online. They say the goal is to help students build critical-thinking skills while also teaching them the importance of media literacy. Executive Vice President of Partnerships at NewsGuard, Sarah Bandt, joined Cheddar to talk more.
Doctor Caroline Leaf has created a 21-day program, consisting of five simple, but mindful, steps designed to rid our minds of toxic thoughts, anxiety, and depression. This brain detox is scientifically proven to impact one's happiness and success. Doctor Caroling Leaf, neuroscientist, author, and speaker at Switch Your Brain, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The memoir, "COMPROMISED: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump", tells a familiar story from a bit of a different source: Peter Strzok himself, former FBI Counterintelligence Agents and Agency Veteran who spent most of his very long career investigating some of the most controversial inquiries, most notably in recent American history. Those inquiries were Hillary Clinton's email to even Trump Russia investigations. Former FBI Agent and Author of "Compromised" Peter Strzok, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Foodable Labs data shows restaurants that started offering vegan options saw a 13% increase in traffic. According to this 2018 study, 51% of U.S. restaurants now offer vegan options, and we can expect that number to keep rising. This week, one plant-based, fast-casual restaurant celebrates the grand opening of their first brick-and-mortar store in New York City: PLNT Burger. Ben Kaplan, CEO of PLNT Burger, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Commercial and residential buildings account for 13% of carbon emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA, and one company says it has a solution. Runwise says it has updated the boiler and heating systems of thousands of buildings, and that its technology not only lowers carbon output but also saves landlords money. Lee Hoffman, Co-Founder and COO of Runwise, joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Kirsten Jordan, real estate broker and star of 'Million Dollar Listing New York,' joins Cheddar News to talk about the state of New York City real estate, tips for homebuyers, and season 9 of the Bravo show.
No. 2 pencils or Scantron bubble sheets are a thing of the past for the SATs. Priscilla Rodriguez, head of college readiness assessment for the College Board, joined Cheddar News Wrap to talk about the modern overhaul of the college entrance exam. On top of the change to an all-digital format and shorter time limit, the latest iteration will feature updates to help with flexibility and security. "As we've built our own digital testing platform, the app the students will do this on, we built this with security at the core," Rodriguez said. "And, in going digital we can do something we can't do today, which is, give every student who's taking the SAT, let's say in a given day, even in a given room in a school, a different version of the SAT."
