As temperatures begin to cool and midterms swamp even the most productive students, everyone on campus is in need of a little break. That’s why the A&E desk is recommending you unwind with this week’s selection of reporter’s picks, including a recent New York Times Sunday read, a sci-fi blockbuster, a local band’s new song and a pair of binge-worthy TV dramas. As always, we’ve got you covered with the best in pop culture.
Season 3 of “You”: Despite its controversy, the third season of the Lifetime-drama-turned-Netflix-original hit the streaming service Oct. 15. Lead actors Penn Badgley and Victoria Pedretti resume their respective roles as deeply problematic couple Joe Goldberg and Love Quinn — although this time around their playground is right in the middle of an affluent suburb. With a newborn thrown into the mix, the Goldbergs seem for a fleeting moment like they might just be destined for a life of private preschools and mommy-blogger besties. But this is “You,” and I think we all had a feeling that the inevitable monotony of suburbia would leave the Goldbergs entangled in passionate, violent affairs of some kind this season.
“You” offers its viewers a romanticized sort of sociopathy between Joe’s identity as a terrifyingly emotionless stalker-slash-serial-killer to Love’s cool adaptability when it comes to extreme acts of violence. If you’re looking for something deeply disturbing and compelling to fulfill your TV binge desires, “You” hits both points. – Sophia Zimmerman
“Laurie Anderson Has a Message for Us Humans” by Sam Anderson: This New York Times profile finds the mysterious artist five decades into her career yet refusing to look back. After recently turning down the Hirshhorn Museum’s request for a retrospective exhibit on the basis of moral qualms, Laurie Anderson worked to create an entirely new body of multi-media work that furthered her status as one of America’s greatest –– and most enigmatic –– modern artists. Known for her futurism and an unimaginable breadth of ambition, the story explains why the 74-year-old Laurie Anderson continues to push her art forward (specifically into the realm of A.I.) and how her Midwestern upbringing has kept her grounded through all these years in the world of the avant-garde. – James Schaak
“Boys” by Hippo Campus: The indie rock band from Saint Paul is back with a brand new single, “Boys.” This release comes alongside the band’s announcement of their upcoming album, “lp3,” which will drop on Feb. 4. But new music isn’t all that’s in the works for Hippo Campus. They recently kicked off a local arts initiative, Blossom, that will support and foster the Twin Cities arts community through hosting live shows, sharing creative resources and more. Check out the new track and keep an eye on Blossom to stay on top of all the local music happenings. – Macy Harder
Season 3 of “Succession”: Your favorite uber-rich nepotism babies are back for a third and final season of “Succession.” The dramedy vaguely based off of ubiquitous media families centers around the Roy family right after Kendall Roy publicly disavows his all-powerful father, sparking a civil war between the family and questions of who will succeed the big and mighty Logan Roy, the man who started this all. With expensive scenery, sharp writing and a 21st century rendition of “King Lear,” this show is a must-watch. New episodes come out every Sunday. – Nina Raemont
“Dune”: This intergalactic sci-fi film is a retelling of Frank Herbert’s classic “Dune” novels. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this time around, the story’s main theme focuses around the colonization of the Indigenous people who were displaced and forced to flee because other powerful nations invaded their homeland for spices, the most powerful substance in the universe. What appears to be a convoluted story with complicated plotlines, character names and planet names to remember, “Dune” slowly but surely becomes a coherent plot. The filmmakers do an amazing job of creating multiple planets that have terrifying biomes where known and unknown dangers await those who willingly or ignorantly decide to travel through the regions not to be trifled with. This film’s score resembles a dark, brooding and dreadful ambiance where death is given to everyone like they’re on Oprah’s show. The movie features an ensemble cast that stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Zendaya and Javier Bardem. “Dune,” released on Oct. 22, is in theaters everywhere and is streaming on HBO Max. – Jarrett George-Ballard
