Pop forecast
“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” but these days, a guide through the seemingly endless flurry of pop-culture offerings is just what we need. With that in mind, here is what’s on the radar screen in TV, music and film for the
Movies Big release on Dec. 9: The Office Christmas Party.
Big picture: It’s The Hangover meets The Office meets Bill Murray in the final scene of Scrooged. The Office Christmas Party is exactly what you’d expect — a movie about an office party gone wild. That means a lot of body shots, physical comedy and a variety of disturbing St. Nicks, from skanky Santa to rapping Santa. Hangover style, we get an early glimpse of what’s left of the office in the aftermath of this holiday bash.
It looks like 25 frat parties were held in it simultaneously — all chaired by U.S. Olympian swimmer Ryan Lochte — and then Charlie Sheen hand-picked the debauched rubble to host an epic bachelor party. Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn, and Ghostbuster standout Kate McKinnon co-star. If you like your office parties with reindeer drinking out of the toilet (and let’s be honest: who doesn’t?) then this seasonal comedy is for you.
Forecast: I predict (a.k.a. hope) that the original Clark Griswold will make a profanity and eggnog-laced party cameo about the “Hap happiest Christmas” and Danny Kaye.
TV
Big events: Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (Dec. 5, CBS); Hairspray Live! (Dec. 7, NBC, 8).
Big picture: Just in time for the family holiday season … it’s Victoria’s Secret’s annual lingerie-palooza from Paris! For one night only, the City of Lights becomes the City of Angels! Supermodel Bella Hadid takes to the catwalk for the first time as Victoria’s Secret Angels descend on the French capital. This year’s fanciest bra is called the Bright Night, and features 9,000 gem stones, enough karat gold to fuel a small nation’s economy for decades and 27,000 crystals. It’s worth US$3 million. This year, the show’s website teaches us how to “train like an angel,” including enough hardcore workout images and video to make me wonder if the Angels all secretly double as Vampire Slayers. Considerably less scantily clad, and less-likely to battle the undead, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and The Weeknd will also grace the stage with music.
Speaking of music, Hairspray Live! Is NBC’s latest live musical event featuring the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Martin Short, and Jennifer Hudson.
Forecast: This TV musical thing is really catching on. Speaking of Danny Kaye, I’m predicting a 2017 remake of White Christmas called White-Black Christmas starring musical power couples Beyonce, Jay-Z, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman … with Robert Redford as the ex-general. (Take that, Trump America).
Honourable mention: White Rabbit Project (Dec. 9, Netflix). This new reality show is from the producers of MythBusters. It’s like Ghostbusters meets The Big Bang Theory meets reality as three science-loving detectives investigate the intersection of weapons, technology, history and pop culture.
Music
Big release on Dec. 9: Neil Young (Peace Trail).
Big picture: Canada’s folk-rock troubadour is already protesting — and this album was recorded before the U.S. election. Young recently said the president-elect was “like water on the garden of activism.” Who knows what musical flowers might bloom?
As for the Peace Trail, humanitarian concerns and social issues dominate the lyrics on this largely acoustic album, which features 10 stripped-down tracks and was recorded in only four days. The track I’m most curious about is My New Robot — mainly because I’ve always hoped for a reality show starring Young and a robot named Rust called Rust Never Sleeps.
Forecast: Young won’t be playing Trump’s inauguration.