General view at the venue during Prime Video's "Harlem" After Party at Harlem Parish on December 01, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Amazon Studios)
New Year, new things to stream! Cheddar's Digital Team recommends modern romance in the Big Apple, the instant Disney classic with yet another slapping soundtrack, a ghost story/murder mystery for the chills of January, and the feature-film return of a fearless girl adventurer.
Harlem - Amazon Prime
Picked by Producer Lawrence Banton
Let's kick off 2022 with a New York City love story, Harlem. The story follows a young Columbia University professor named Camille Parks (played by Meagan Good) and the path she takes in life after a heartbreaking split with her longtime boyfriend Ian ( Tyler Lepley) who stumbled upon a job opportunity in Paris. Several years and new relationships later, the two again cross paths in Harlem. So, how does it end up? It's messy to say the very least. Love, new relationships, and familiar sex? Sounds like a disaster worth diving into for your viewing pleasure, if you ask me. Not only does the story follow these two and their friend groups, but the neighborhood of Harlem itself plays a major character in the series, often finding itself at the intersection of authenticity and gentrification.
Encanto - Disney+
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
I jumped on the Encanto train last weekend and was not disappointed. The latest animated Disney movie is filled with joy and hope, bright colors, and beautiful music. It tells the tale of a Colombian girl who is the only person in her family without a magic power of her own. The young Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) has an unstoppable optimism, despite constant criticism from her firm grandmother (María Cecilia Botero), which she uses for better or worse. It's a fun, uplifting film that viewers of any age can enjoy.
Seance - Amazon Prime Video, Shudder
Picked by Alex Vuocolo
Most hardcore film fans like to have their best-of lists wrapped up before the turn of the new year, but for me, January has always been a catch-up month — helped in no small part by all the great rankings and round-ups floating around. By that token, I've caught up with several 2021 releases this week, and my favorite was a little horror film called Seance. Directed by Simon Barrett, the screenwriter behind The Guest and You're Next, Seance is a murder mystery crossed with a ghost story, which is set inside a prestigious boarding school. Someone or something is picking off the students one by one, and it's up to a recent transplant (played by Suki Waterhouse) to figure out if it's a ghost or one of the other students. While the concept may sound familiar, the filmmakers give it a fresh twist with some excellent casting, sharp dialogue, and surprising plot turns. Overall, Seance is a modest but effective horror flick, well worth cozying up with on a cold winter night.
Hilda and the Mountain King - Netflix
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
**SPOILERS** if you haven't caught up with the series.
This absolutely delightful animated show about an adventurous girl named Hilda, who grows up in a fantastical woodland but eventually moves to the walled city of Trollberg, ended on a cliffhanger in Season 2. This new feature-length special on Netflix picks up where the series left off with the young adventurer magically swapped with a troll changeling and forced to navigate a new world while a conflict between the maltreated magical creatures and the humans of Trollberg gathers steam. The entire show should be a family staple for years to come, and the movie alone is a 90-minute, emotional lesson about a mother's love and true tolerance rising out of a history of oppression and fear. Season 3 is also still in the works!
Looking for more to watch? Check out our recommendations from last week and the week before.
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
While Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, it's also a time to reflect on how they can be better heard and supported.
Black Americans are still fighting for voting rights, facing more severe impacts from COVID-19, and experiencing gaps in workforce representation and pay. Alexandra Schrecengost, hybrid work expert and CEO of "Virtual With Us" and "Culture With Us,' joined Cheddar News to discuss.
Premio Lo Nuestro 2022 is kicking off awards season this month with its 34th show. The star-studded event will include performances from Pitbull, Luis Fonsi — and even Sting with his new Spanish-language single "Por Su Amor." Ignacio Meyer, the vice president of music and non-scripted entertainment, Univision, joined Cheddar News to talk about the music award show details. "We’ve actually still got plenty of surprises that were going to be announcing," Meyer said. "We're not done announcing the star power just yet." Singer Camilo leads with 10 nominations going into the event.
Black spending power reached a record $1.6 Trillion in a 2021 report from the University of Georgia Selig Center for Economic Growth. Ayesha Selden, certified financial planner, breaks down why real estate is the key to closing the racial wealth gap and how Black Americans are using social media to improve financial literacy. "If we look at home ownership as being a primary driver of wealth, when you look at the equity that Americans have in their homes, that equity can be used to buy additional assets like other rental properties. That equity can be used to educate our children," Selden said, noting that lower rates of home ownership meant Black Americans tend to incur more debt on average for their student loans.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Dr. Kate Strasdin, fashion historian & senior lecturer in Cultural Studies at Falmouth University, discusses the lessons industry leaders draw from history to make fashion more sustainable today; Kendall Becker, fashion editor and trend forecaster, forecasts the hottest trends of 2022, and what will be left in 2021; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Going Circular.'
Dr. Kate Strasdin, fashion historian & senior lecturer in Cultural Studies at Falmouth University, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss the lessons industry leaders draw from history to make fashion more sustainable today.
A new survey from Etoro suggests that talking crypto might actually help Americans on the dating scene find love...or at least land another date. The survey found that 74% of respondents would be more interested in going on a second date with a person that pays the bill in Bitcoin. Callie Cox, Etoro's U.S. investment analyst, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
Energy Vault, the company developing sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions, is now trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the completion of its business combination with Novus Capital Corporation II. Energy Vault develops sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions designed to advance the transition to a carbon free, resilient power grid. Robert Piconi, co-founder and CEO of Energy Vault, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to disucss.
