Tom Brady. Patrick Mahomes. King Penguin. It's a big weekend for the GOATs as we get ready for Super Bowl Sunday, and you've got some time to kill before kickoff. In our humble opinion, there's no better way to get into the weekend mood than by checking out the Friday Five, and Volume Six is bringing some heat. Whether you want to vibe out to a great comedy or jam along to some sick funk, we've got all your bases covered.
Palm Springs
No one could have possibly imagined how prescient the time-loop comedy Palm Springs would become when it sold for a record $17,5000,000.69 (nice) at Sundance last year. By the time the Andy Samberg-led comedy debuted on Hulu, the pandemic already had us living the same day over and over again for a couple of months. Now, a year after its Park City debut, Palm Springs still resonates as one of the bright spots of a pretty bleak year. The bright colors and breezy soundtrack fit the locale, and Samberg’s ever-present Hawaiian shirt is a vibe all by itself. Cristin Milioti matches the Lonely Island star joke-for-joke, and JK Simmons drops in to steal scenes as well. Palm Springs offers viewers a chance to escape to a big party in a year where #WeddingSZN largely didn’t exist (and certainly didn’t look the same.) And a tip from us - don’t watch the trailer, just dive right into the movie. The surprises will be worth it!
Lupin
Every once in a while, the Netflix algorithm serves up something that feels like it was made just for you. Here at King Penguin, that show is Lupin, a French drama that spent the first couple weeks of 2021 near the top of the Netflix charts. The show is based off of an old French novel about a “gentleman thief,” and if that isn’t the coolest sounding profession out there, I don’t know what is. The main character Assane is suave, smart, well-dressed, and capable of blending into any scenario. He’s always got a plan and is the epitome of calm, cool, and collected. Lupin as a show is fun, and it manages to build up high stakes while never getting overly dark like a lot of prestige dramas. It might not win a ton of awards (though Omar Sy is phenomenal as the lead), but the world pulls you in within the first few minutes of the pilot, and you won’t want to get out. There are only five episodes in the first season, so it’s an incredibly easy binge that will leave you wanting more.
CAPTV Art
We’re always on the lookout for dope designers to keep our walls and Instagram feeds fresh, and one of our recent favorites has been Cameron Burns and CAPTV Art. The account heavily features a computer-generated 3D astronaut put into all sorts of wild environments. Whether it’s relaxing on a blow-up flamingo, playing the piano, or literally climbing into the clouds, we are blown away by the style and realism of the designs. There’s a dreamlike quality to a lot of Burns’ work that is incredibly refreshing on our timelines, and each post feels unique even though they all feature the same character. Plus, the astronaut just looks pretty damn cool. If you’re looking for something to spice up your feed, and maybe some new prints to hang up on your walls, take a good long look at CAPTV Art.
David Fincher - “Let’s Grab A Beer”
Before he was busy making some of the most harrowing thrillers and highly-regarded movies of our times, David Fincher cut his teeth directing commercials and music videos. For Super Bowl LV, Fincher went back to his roots and executive produced a cool new ad spot for Anheuser Busch called “Let’s Grab A Beer.” The ad features music by longtime Fincher collaborator Atticus Ross, who has scored hits like The Social Network, Mank, and Soul with his partner Trent Reznor. The commercial is a series of short moments to remind us all that even our worst days can be made at least slightly better by grabbing a drink with some pals. It might not win him any Oscars, but man does this commercial play at our heartstrings. So kick off Super Bowl Commercial Season with a bang, and crack a beer to the weekend.
The Main Squeeze - "Blow My Mind"
It feels like an eternity since we’ve been able to go to a live music show, and while huge arena tours are great, there’s a deeper void left by the absence of small, intimate performances. While there’s not an audience, The Main Squeeze recreates a bit of that feeling with their video for their song “Blow My Mind.” Their living room jam session delivers the same energy you get from being there in person, even though you’re listening along in your own bubble. It’s awesome to hear first the guitar, then the vocals, then the horns all come in and give the tune more layers of funk. We’ll warn you, if you’re looking for something to jam along to at your desk, it’s going to be pretty hard to keep your head from bobbing and your foot from tapping along. The groove is infectious, and it definitely adds a burst of energy to whatever you’re doing. If you're looking for an encore with even more horns and guitar solos, you can check out this James Brown cover they just dropped. Our advice? Pour yourself a drink, throw The Main Squeeze up on your TV, and pretend you’re shoulder-to-shoulder in a packed bar back in 2019. That's got us feeling the weekend vibes already.
