GoneTrending

A bold claim is made in the title of Bao Nguyen’s The Greatest Night In Pop, a new documentary that premiered on Netflix this week. Nguyen’s film depicts the conception, execution, and aftermath of “We Are The World,” the massive-selling charity single released in 1985 to raise money and awareness for the battle against African famine. The song was written by two of the era’s biggest artists, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and involved a galaxy of stars from a variety of genres — including Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Cyndi Lauper, and a couple dozen more — singing in the now-familiar “celebrity choir” format that “We Are The World” helped to codify for future celebrity do-gooder anthems.

“We Are The World” did do a lot of good in its time, raising around $60 million and paving the way for the Live Aid concerts in Philadelphia and London later that year that brought in millions more dollars to fight hunger. But the song has also been associated with the excesses of celebrity self-regard and hubris. Do you remember that embarrassing viral video from the pandemic era of various famous people singing “Imagine”? That’s the long tail of “We Are The World” right there. Also: It’s a pretty corny song! Part call-to-action and part guilt trip, “We Are The World” probably could not exist in these more politically divided, cynical, and mediated times. The level of naive earnestness on display grounds the song in a very different era. (Turns out that just you and me did not make a better day, after all.)

Nevertheless, The Greatest Night In Pop is a very fun documentary that got me thinking about an inescapable song from my grade school years. The movie makes a convincing case that even if you think “We Are The World” is mawkish and overblown, it was kind of a miracle that it all came together. The talents that were assembled for the recording session truly make for a fascinating mix of geniuses and one-hit wonders.

So, who did the best job on “We Are The World”? Let’s figure it out. Two things to note before we get started.

1. I am focusing primarily on the solo singers. The ones only in the choir will not be ranked, as their individual performances are difficult to assess.

2. This is not about the overall careers or singing abilities of these singers. I only care about what they do on “We Are The World.” In other words: Huey Lewis will get his flowers!

Pre-List Entertainment: The Top 5 “Wrongly Relegated To The Choir” Singers On “We Are The World”

5. Waylon Jennings

Here’s something I learned from the movie: Waylon actually didn’t stick around for the choir. He walked out of the studio when Stevie Wonder suggested singing some of the lyrics in Swahili. Imagine Waylon Jennings singing “We Are The World” in Swahili! The mind reels in amazement at this scenario. But he shouldn’t have been “choir-only” to begin with. Because Willie Nelson was also in the studio, and Waylon and Willie should have been paired at some point. For all of his genius, the song’s producer Quincy Jones apparently was unfamiliar with the greatness of “I Can Get Off On You.”

4. Lindsey Buckingham

This was Lindsey in his post-Go Insane/pre-Tango In The Night era, when he had the Eraserhead hairdo and oozed smoldering cocaine mania. His energy was all wrong for a charity single, no doubt, but that’s precisely why I wish he was more in the mix.

3. Smokey Robinson

He sang “The Tracks Of My Tears.” You don’t put the guy who sang “The Tracks Of My Tears” in the choir, even if it’s 1985 and that guy now has a deeply unappealing mustache.

2. Better Midler

Three years later she earned the title of Queen Of The Schmaltzy ’80s Pop Ballad with “Wind Beneath My Wings.” But she needed to be in the starting lineup for the decade’s ultimate schmaltzy pop ballad in 1985, not put on the sidelines.

1. Harry Belafonte

The documentary makes it clear that the singer/actor/activist was one of the most respected people in the room. He’s the one who picked up the phone and talked Lionel Richie into doing “We Are The World” in the first place. And how do they repay him? By sticking him next to Dan Aykroyd on the top riser! The indignity!

Now let’s get to the proper list.

The 21 Soloists On “We Are The World,” Ranked

21. Paul Simon

Take a look at that photo above. The bad vibes emanating from Simon are palpable. Based on the video evidence, he was the worst hang in the room. In the documentary, Kenny Loggins quotes Simon making the following joke: “If a bomb falls on this place John Denver’s back on top.” Keep in mind that Simon was still one year away from putting out Graceland, and his career wasn’t in much better shape than Denver’s. In that context, the John Denver crack just seems mean-spirited. Later, we see Paul getting pissy with Kenny Rogers when Kenny can’t nail a high note. Or maybe he’s just annoyed to be stuck with The Gambler and not an A-lister like Stevie or Bruce. Either way, he’s a buzzkill.

20. Kim Carnes

The singer who in retrospect seems the most super-glued to the 1980s. I’m old enough to remember hearing “Bette Davis Eyes” on the radio when I was (very) young, but the average person in 2024 won’t recognize Kim Carnes (or Bette Davis). It doesn’t help that she has very little to do. She sings literally two words: “when we.” And then she’s overshadowed by Huey Lewis and Cyndi Lauper. (More on them later.)

19. Billy Joel

He’s only ranked this low because he’s under-utilized. His beard, however, is excellent.

18. Tina Turner

The most egregiously under-utilized singer in the entire “We Are The World” arsenal. Vocal arranger Tom Bähler explains in the doc how he carefully placed the singers where he did in the song and the studio, to maximize their musical and visual power. His reasoning with Tina is that he liked the warmth of her voice in the lower register. And he’s right — she sounds great. But what about the part at the end of the song, when several of the male singers get the chance to kick some ass, gospel-style? Tina should have had a spot in that section, screaming her head off like it’s “Better Be Good To Me.”

17. James Ingram

You know who Tina could have replaced in the “kick some ass” part of the song? No offense but it has to be James Ingram, a fine singer who doesn’t have the gravitas of the other legends who bring “We Are The World” home.

16. Kenny Rogers

He hit that high note with Paul Simon shooting lasers into his skull. Many would have folded under the pressure, but Kenny knew when to hold ’em.

15. Kenny Loggins

This is prime soundtrack era Loggins — it’s one year after Footloose and one year before Top Gun. A journeyman folk-rocker turned yacht rocker turned ’80s movie tunesmith, Kenny was finally a big deal, kind of. 1985 is possibly the one year in his life when he would have been considered famous enough to deserve being in that room. And he does his blue-eyed soul thing beautifully. My one unanswered question: Was Kenny’s frequent collaborator Michael McDonald considered for “We Are The World”? Can you imagine the backing vocals Mike could have laid down? It would have definitely taken the song to another level. World hunger would probably be cured by now.

14. Diana Ross

The anti-Paul Simon. According to the doc, her vibes were off the charts. At one point, she walks up to Daryl Hall, says “I’m your biggest fan,” and asks for his autograph. This is Diana Ross! Of The Supremes! And about 200 hit songs! After that, everyone was asking for everyone else’s autograph. Diana set the tone for the minimized egotism and communal affection that made the recording of “We Are The World” possible.

13. Willie Nelson

We didn’t get to hear him with Waylon, which is a crime, but I actually love his pairing with Dionne Warwick. They sound really good together! They should have made an album of duets. (They still could!)

12. Dionne Warwick

All of the singers I’ve mentioned so far weren’t given a lot to do, which hurt their ranking. But Dionne found a way to make a meal out of the small morsel she was given, hitting the “Welllll!” on the entry with beautiful sophistication. (She is also, naturally, a very good interview subject in The Greatest Night In Pop.)

11. Bob Dylan

1985 might very well be the worst year of Bob Dylan’s professional life. Many believed that he was a has-been, including Dylan himself. And “We Are The World” was his nadir. The behind-the-scenes footage of Bob struggling with his part — and Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones coaching him on how to sing like Bob Dylan — already existed on YouTube before the documentary. But the movie offers more background that makes the sequence even more painful to watch. It’s not that he sounds bad. He can’t even get the words out. His voice shrinks under the pressure. The panic in his eyes is unnerving. It’s the most vulnerable this famously impenetrable man has ever looked on camera. When Bob finally manages to get through his vocal, there’s an affecting moment when Dylan says to Quincy, “That wasn’t any good,” and Quincy embraces Bob and tenderly assures him that the take was perfect. And Bob does, in fact, sound reliably Dylanesque on the track.

10. Al Jarreau

This classy R&B/jazz legend gets bonus points for sounding as good as he does given that he was apparently wasted on wine and barely able to get through his one line. One observer in the doc says that Al was “a little over the top in the alcohol section,” which has to be the least efficient way to say “drunk” possible. Though I refuse to believe that Al was the only intoxicated person in that room. This was L.A. in 1985! And it was the night of the American Music Awards! Intoxication was in the air!

9. Daryl Hall

This had to be one of the best days of Daryl’s life. He nailed his vocal, his hair was perched at maximum “lion’s mane” majesty, Diana Ross asked for his autograph, and — best of all — his long-time musical partner and sworn life-long enemy John Oates got stuck in the choir.

8. Steve Perry

Pure, uncut arena-rock gold. For about three seconds, Steve Perry turns “We Are The World” into a power ballad about how the road ain’t no place to start a family as long you don’t stop believin’ with open arms. His voice is male romantic longing in its most intensely melodramatic audio form. When he sings “We Are The World,” it sounds like a song that a mulleted man would put on while making love to his lady on a waterbed covered with tiger-print sheets.

7. Huey Lewis

Here’s another thing I did not know before I watched The Greatest Night In Pop: The part that was reserved for Prince on the off-chance he decided to show up (he didn’t) was eventually given to the least Prince-like person in the room, Huey Lewis. (Sheila E. meanwhile snuck out of the session once she realized that her main purpose for being there was luring Prince away from the Mexican restaurant he was hiding out at that night.) But once he was put on the field, Huey proved that he belonged. His greatest feat — aside from affecting some truly fantastic “soulful white guy” faces — was devising an extemporaneous three-part harmony part for himself, Cyndi Lauper, and Kim Carnes that kicks the song up a notch.

6. Cyndi Lauper

The best entry of anyone in the song: “Well well WELL WELLLLLLL!!!!” Real “Kool Aid Man bursting through the door”-level stuff. Then she miraculously turns “change” into a three-syllable word. As if my respect for this performance could be any greater, the doc reveals that Cyndi had to remove about 87 different bracelets and earrings because they were making too much noise during her vocal. Just incredible work all around.

5. Lionel Richie

I had to at least put him in the top five, given that he was the quarterback of the team. Though Lionel doesn’t do much singing on “We Are The World,” he was in “Patrick Mahomes in the second half of the 2024 AFC Championship Game” mode. A game manager who kept the operation on track and pointed toward glory.

4. Michael Jackson

The most spine-tingling moment in The Greatest Night In Pop is when MJ is alone in the studio, singing his part, and you are reminded that in spite of everything else about MJ he has one of the most extraordinary voices in the history of humankind. After that scene, I automatically put him at No. 1 on this list. But when you listen to the actual song, you realize he’s in there less than you remember. While Richie was wise to go into game manager mode, I feel like MJ was held back more than he should have been. He could have dominated “We Are The World.”

3. Ray Charles

The top three singers are ones who kick the most ass at the end of “We Are The World.” The ones who testify while the choir sings the chorus over and over for several minutes. The first of this trio is the man most responsible for bringing gospel dynamics to the secular musical world. When you hear Ray Charles, it’s like the voice of God commanding the audience to empty their wallets for a worthy cause.

A Quick Scenario Before The Top Two: What Does A “Modern” Version Of “We Are The World” Sound Like?

Jack Antonoff is the Quincy Jones. Phoebe Bridgers is the Lionel Richie. She co-writes the song with Taylor Swift, the contemporary analogue to Michael Jackson. Paul McCartney plays the “elder statesman” Ray Charles role. Bob Dylan plays the “music’s social conscience” Bob Dylan role and remains extremely awkward. Frank Ocean, like Prince, is invited but doesn’t show up. John Mayer is the “40-something-year-old soft-rock star between career peaks” Paul Simon-style buzzkill. Rihanna is the Diana Ross-esque iconic diva with the best vibes. The most surprisingly good pairing is Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars. The least effective pairing is Lorde and Dave Grohl. The song is streamed one billion times on the first day of release and never again afterward.

2. Bruce Springsteen

His voice is ravaged from the Born In The U.S.A. tour. It looks like he hasn’t showered since flying out of Buffalo. His jaw is the size of Alaska. If this isn’t the single coolest Bruce incarnation of all time, it’s in the running. In the doc, Bruce comes this close to calling “We Are The World” a bad song, settling instead on deeming it “broad.” But he sings it like he’s doing “Badlands” at the Meadowlands. The conviction is unreal. The raspiness is captivating. The Bossness is undeniable.

1. Stevie Wonder

The unquestioned peak of “We Are The World” is when Bruce and Stevie are belting their hearts out into each others’ faces on the split screen. Every time I see that I think, Just make the whole song this! This is so sick! I ultimately give Stevie the slight edge over Bruce because of his MVP performance behind the scenes as well. Not only did he coach up Bob Dylan on how to affect a Dylanesque vocal delivery, he also at one point walked Ray Charles to the bathroom. (A person in the doc inevitably calls it a “blind leading the blind” moment.) Yes, he also inadvertently chased off Waylon Jennings. But Stevie Wonder won “We Are The World” like it was an Album Of The Year Grammy in the 1970s.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Millions of people have developed the subconscious habit to open TikTok first thing in the morning, and if that’s you, you might notice that TikTok sounds different today, February 1: Drake is among many artists whose catalogs are no longer available under the “Sounds” tab to soundtrack a TikTok.

Here’s why.

Why Aren’t Drake’s Songs On TikTok?

In short, Universal Music Group (UMG) wasn’t bluffing. On Tuesday, January 30, UMG posted an open letter to address its expiring contract with TikTok.

“In our contract renewal discussions, we have been pressing them on three critical issues — appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users,” it reads, in part. UMG additionally relayed that “TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal” during negotiations, leading to UMG no longer licensing UMG artists’ catalogs to TikTok.

UMG is one of the most vast label umbrellas in music. So, while Drake is signed to Republic Records, Republic falls under the UMG umbrella. Therefore, Drake’s music was stripped from TikTok.

TikTok released its own (much shorter) statement on Tuesday, as seen below:

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.

Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.

TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

It’s been a minute since a new Schoolboy Q project, as his latest album, Crash Talk, was released in April 2019. That was nearly five years ago now, but Schoolboy is ready to end the drought soon: Today (February 1), he shared the tracklist for Blue Lips, his upcoming sixth album that’s set for release on March 1.

He made the reveal with a simple video that shows the tracklist written out on a giant tarp. The clip also highlights multiple dictionary definitions of the term “blue lips”: “speechless, especially as the temporary result of shock or some strong emotion,” “(of a person or mood) shocked, speechless, or embarrassed,” “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something,” and, “become fully aware of (something) as a fact; understand clearly.”

Fans have been looking forward to the album (in a concrete way, anyway) since this past summer, when the Back On Figg podcast hosts declared, “We been in the mixing process of Schoolboy Q’s album. That sh*t is coming very, very soon.’

Check out the video above and find the Blue Lips tracklist below.

Schoolboy Q’s Blue Lips Tracklist

1. “Funny Guy”
2. “Pop”
3. “Thank God 4 Me”
4. “Time Killers”
5. “Yeern 101”
6. “Cooties”
7. “Movie”
8. “Ohio”
9. “Nu Nu”
10. “Blue Slides”
11. “Love Birds”
12. “Lost Times”
13. “First”
14. “Germany ’86”
15. “Faux”
16. “Pig Feet”
17. “Smile”

Blue Lips is out 3/1 via Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope. Find more information here.

You know the drill on February. Not only is the weather miserable, but the restaurants are packed due to a certain made-up holiday. Both are very good reasons to hunker down as much as possible, and fortunately, TV is here for you if you want to zone out at home while awaiting Reacher and the Liberty Bell (which needs to happen onscreen, btw).

Granted, the “romance” subject cannot be totally avoided, but fortunately, both noteworthy applicable shows — the Mr. & Mrs. Smith reinvention from Amazon and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live from AMC — have much more to offer besides two lead characters making eyes at each other. Additionally, Larry David will bid farewell to “Larry David,” and fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender can take stock of the newest live-action adaptation, which will hopefully be more successful than the last effort.

Here are the must see shows for February.

Genius: MLK/X (Nat Geo series streaming 2/1)

This eight-part series dives into both the philosophies and personal relationships of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre). As a result, we will see Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson) as the icons’ equals as all four parties lead the Black empowerment Movement. The show also portrays King and X’s only in-person meeting, although the two advocates held an ongoing conversation (while sometimes at odds) on the cause of racial equality. The series will stream next day on Hulu and Disney+.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Season 1 (Amazon Prime series streaming 2/2)

Do we really need a reimagining of the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie movie? Watch the first few episodes, and you might agree that this effort was not wasted. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine pick up as assassins who happen to be paired together (and “married”), and you aren’t ready for the rollicking, madcap, action-packed set of missions that they must complete (or else?). Glover is incredible as always, but Erskine steps up to take control of the screen, and boy, their onscreen relationship is as much of an occupational risk as the assignments themselves.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 12 (HBO series streaming 2/4 on Max)

Larry David’s final curmudgeonly season is upon us? Feels like we’ve heard that before, but this time, he even declared, “‘Larry David,’ I bid you farewell. Your misanthropy will not be missed. And for those of you who would like to get in touch with me, you can reach me at Doctors Without Borders.” Hey, if Larry says that he’s done, do not argue with the man.

Abbott Elementary: Season 3 (ABC series returning 2/7)

After multiple Emmys and a long hiatus due to 2023 chaos, Quinta Brunson and her crew will be back with fewer episodes than expected, but at least viewers will see some followup on the Janine and Gregory relationship. The school calendar might be confusing at first to make up for lost time, but rest assured that Abbott classes will be back in session and as funny as always.

Halo: Season 2 (Paramount+ series streaming 2/8)

Pablo Schreiber is back as Master Chief, and if he has any say in the matter, there won’t be Sexy Master Chief on display this season. Officially, he will be fretting about the changing tide of his war and how to prepare for what he believes is an imminent attack by the Covenant on the most valuable stronghold known to mankind. Can he finally find the Halo, which will either help humanity survive or kill it off forever? So much pressure! Yeah, please don’t have him wasting time getting down and dirty this season.

Constellation: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series streaming 2/21)

Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks attempt to recover after a space disaster in this action-drama series that imagines a hidden history of mankind’s voyages within the universe. Yes, it’s an adventure series but also a spooky exploration of human psychology and both literal and figurative darkness.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix series streaming 2/22)

Yes, there’s been a live-action adaptation of this IP already. And yes, people overwhelmingly prefer the Nickelodeon animated series, but here is another reimagining that will hopefully make everyone forget about that M. Night Shyamalan project. The setup will be familiar, of course. The story takes place in a world where the four nations (represented by the elements of Water, Earth, Fire, and Air) no longer live in harmony. Fire Nation destroyed the Air Nomads, and one young Air Nomad (Aang) must now ascend to his rightful ruling position and restore peace between the elements and realms. The Fire Nation is very angry, however, so watch out, Aang and friends.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Season (AMC series streaming on AMC+ 2/25)

Rick Grimes has been missing from TV screens for a handful of years and in The Walking Dead timeline for over a decade. Now, Michonne is about to save his ass and hopefully torch the CRM while she’s at it. Too much? Nah, this franchise went off the rails a long time ago, and that’s part of the fun. Meanwhile, Daryl is still in France, now with added Carol, so they won’t be reinforcements for the “Save Rick” cause, but we can hope for a reunion.

Shōgun: Season (FX series streaming on Hulu 2/27)

James Clavell’s beloved 1975 novel (within his Asian Saga) will be lushly rendered to bring his 1600s civil war-story to life. You might need a flowchart to keep track of the various alliances and betrayals in this show, which begins when Lord Yoshii Toranaga finds himself being dragged into oblivion by “vultures,” i.e. the opposing Council of Regents. Enter an apparent ally, John Blackthorne, whose ship has conveniently been marooned nearby, although he could be the key to helping Toranago tip the balance against his enemies. That’s only the beginning, and clearly, any attempt at a small blurb would fail to adequately describe what’s in store for viewers here.

The Tourist: Season 2 (BBC One/Stan series streaming 2/29)

Netflix picked up this title (in the U.S.) after Max streamed the first season (arriving on Netflix as of 2/1). This season, Elliot/”The Man” will travel to Ireland from the unwelcoming Australian Outback after discovering why bad dudes are trying to kill him in violent ways. As it turns out, Elliot was a bad dude, too, but can he make any headway with digging into his past on the Emerald Isle? First, he’ll be drawn into a family feud — the worst kind of feud.

It is a sad day for SwiftTok. This week, users likely started discovering that TikTok videos with any Taylor Swift songs on them have been either muted or removed and questioned why. There has been a lot happening behind the scenes with the app and its negotiations with major labels.

Here’s what to know about why Swift’s catalog suddenly disappeared from the social media platform.

Why Aren’t Taylor Swift’s Songs On TikTok?

Earlier this week, Universal Music Group put out a statement about trying to get a deal with TikTok that wasn’t going well. Swift is one of UMG’s signees, so when the label removed all of their artists, she was been taken off the app with them.

“As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth,” UMG’s statement read. “How did it try to intimidate us? By selectively removing the music of certain of our developing artists, while keeping on the platform our audience-driving global stars.”

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” TikTok responded in their own statement.

If the two companies reach a deal, hopefully UMG will reverse the decision, and bring back their artists’ songs to TikTok. Until then, Swifties’ favorite fan edits are left sad and songless.

Donald Trump is claiming he’s more popular than Taylor Swift, and Stephen Colbert will not “tolerate it.”

The former president is not concerned about Swift endorsing Joe Biden for president (again) ahead of the 2024 election because, according to Rolling Stone, he’s “told people in his orbit that no amount of A-list celebrity endorsements will save Biden. Trump has also privately claimed that he is ‘more popular’ than Swift is and that he has more committed fans than she does.” I’ve seen footage of Trump rallies and I’ve been to Taylor Swift dance parties — MAGA ain’t got nothing on the Swifties.

Besides, Colbert ain’t buying it. “What? More popular than Taylor Swift? That is insane,” he said during Wednesday’s episode of The Late Show. “Can you imagine Trump selling out stadiums in Tokyo?” (Taylor resumes the Eras Tour in Japan next week.) Colbert broke into a terrible Trump impression (“I love your beautiful country, but I have to say, your Filet-O-Fish? Frankly, undercooked”) before making fun of the “ridiculous” claim that his followers are more committed than Taylor’s fans.

“To be fair, in the last three years, about 500 of his fans have been committed to jail,” he joked, later adding, “This country dumped Donald Trump ― and we are never, ever getting back together, like ever.”

You can watch Colbert’s The Late Show monologue above.

Simple, guilty pleasures exist for good reason. You’ve got ’em, and the 2005 Mr. & Mrs. Smith film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie was a guilty pleasure of mine for years. It made fine TBS-rerun background noise, and this could have even been my own personal “Snyder Cut” since I dug the unrated/extended version, too. This enjoyment was cut short by the real-life issues between the two stars, but at one point in time, it honestly felt like enough — for a silly blockbuster movie — that two sexy people did sexy action things and found each other sexy again after discovering that they both led adrenaline-fueled lives as assassins for rival agencies.

Fast forward to 2024, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith has received a reboot that was perhaps inevitable because Hollywood cannot resist pulling old hits out of the attic. Like (undoubtedly) plenty of people, I wasn’t immediately jazzed, so I get the concern. Seriously, I do. Very few revivals/reboots/remakes are worth the resurrection, and most are not fantastic or even worth commentary.

Fortunately, this effort was not wasted, and that has to do with Donald Glover hearing that his pal scored the rights and not really understanding the original story’s purpose: “[I]t’s just two gorgeous people in this situation. But the story I didn’t quite understand.” And yes, that checks out. As fun as the movie was to watch, the actual dynamic between the pair was unimportant. The mere realization of their mutual murder-lives immediately reignited their passion. Marriage problems solved? So they claimed, but this was an adequate 2005 summer-popcorn film. Now, even without the uncomfortable details that unfurled about that leading duo, I don’t think I’d want to watch it again.

Why? Because that damn Donald Glover is ruining things, and I thank him for it. Amazon’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a TV reimagining that reworks the whole concept in a tactically and emotionally smart (but not obnoxiously so) way, and much of that credit (onscreen and off) goes to Maya Erskine, too. She began this project as a writer, and when Phoebe Waller-Bridge ducked out, Maya stepped up to fill those acting shoes. Let’s talk about the three simple ways that this series is worth your time:

Could this be an ongoing story with more seasons? Yes! The ensemble cast includes Ron Perlman, Sarah Paulson, Michaela Coel, and Paul Dano. Each of their characters add layers to the story without distracting from the main duo. The show organizes itself around a ready-made structure, given the ultra-episodic nature of this story — sort-of a mission a week, and there are unspecified leaps forward in time, which are not frustratingly unclear but add to the texture of the story — for guest stars to pop in and disappear at whim.

Additionally, there’s much more intrigue in this series beyond simply “two gorgeous people kill other people and have a final stand-off after their employers try to kill them, only to live happily ever after.” There’s an enduring mystery and a cliffhanger ending that could flow right into a second season, so there should be more if the show’s audience is receptive. However and as with Glover’s Swarm, this season will release in bingeable form, which I feel is a mistake because weekly drops would build the suspense more, but I don’t call those shots (go talk to Jeff Bezos if it makes you mad).

Also, this feels like as decent a section as any to mention that Mr. & Mrs. Smith is very unlike anything that Donald Glover has done in recent years. Atlanta, as brilliant and funny as it was, loved to subvert expectations and do it again two episodes later. It truly kept viewers on their toes, but it also wasn’t a show that you could watch on autopilot. Whereas Mr. & Mrs. Smith picks you up and carries you along with momentum. Like those damn addictive chips called Pringles, once you pop, well, you catch my drift. It’s a clever show, but it doesn’t make the viewer work for what they receive. That’s a sweet spot.

The setup of their jobs is much better: Things go incredibly wrong in the business of death, and also, you have to consider this: how f*cked up are people who agree to do this for a living? Pretty screwed up, as it happens. In a departure from the film, Glover and Erskine’s “John” and “Jane” were hired before they knew that they would be paired with anyone, let alone “married.” They work that discomfort and the sense of discovery hard, in the most entertaining way. Glover is incredible as always, but Erskine steps up to take control of the screen, and boy, their onscreen relationship is as much of an occupational risk as their assignments themselves.

As they get to know each other while disposing of bodies (what an icebreaker that is), they find that their motivations for entering the business differ, and that’s only a slice of what these two could ideally work out in therapy. Of course, solving these issues in the first season would not only distract from the story’s momentum but also kill some mystery, so the show instead peppers some of these deep-down revelations into the way that they handle f*ck ups. That’s honestly the most enjoyable part of this series: the unglamorous moments that aren’t as simple as fleeing the scene by jumping out of a skyscraper like Angelina Jolie did. And this is deeply, morbidly funny stuff.

The marriage exists beyond sexual attraction: Maybe this point is important for a major reason that romcoms have faded out of theaters and are few and far between as streaming releases, too. With all the competition for eyeballs these days, only the rarest of films can succeed by virtue of two people being hot. If there is going to be an eight-episode season of TV, there had damn well better be something else on the table beyond two gorgeous people getting busy, and the hook of whether they will fall for each other also isn’t enough to justify a reboot.

I’ll credit this show with realizing that the “will they or won’t they” question needed to be answered very quickly. From there, even with attraction, these two are still essentially two strangers who have to learn to deal with each other’s quirks and shortcomings, and it’s not always pretty. In fact, that’s a difficult obstacle to overcome for people who marry by choice. And for these two? They are thrown into insane, nearly impossible situations from the beginning, and I’m actually mildly surprised that neither of these characters “accidentally” kill each other at multiple points, but their partnership is structured in such a way that the show wouldn’t work without both of them.

Again, there is a cliffhanger there, and it’s a question that will need to be answered. I’ll be pretty irked if it isn’t settled with a second season. So give this show a shot, won’t you? It’s a rare example of reinvention that not only justifies its existence but updates and surpasses the original.

Amazon’s ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ will release a full eight-episode season on Feb. 2.

Viral marketing is a difficult art for films to pull off, and presumably, this turns into a glut of unacknowledged attempts to harness the practice. In the case of the recent Smile, however, sports-loving seat fillers did the deed, leading the horror film to financial success via word of mouth. This approach follows long after The Blair Witch Project lured viewers into the woods, made a quarter-billion, and launched endless found-footage imitators.

Now, it might be too soon to call a successor to the viral-marketing throne, but an upcoming Nic Cage movie seems to be hitting those same elusive beats. And NEON’s Longlegs looks like a frightfully fun time at the movies, in the same way that The Strangers made people never want to look at a swing set again and Sinister made it scary to walk past an open window. In the case of Longlegs‘ marketing strategy, though, the intrigue lies in what the film’s plentiful teases are not revealing.

Let’s piece some clues together and not lose our sh*t in the process.

Plot

That’s actually a difficult question to answer, given the vagueness of NEON’s marketing campaign. The film appears to revolve around grisly sets of murders over the course of decades. The following NEON social media teases mention axes, a door-to-door visitor, an omnipotent “he,” and a 1992 scene with “No signs of forced entry.”

Note that Nic Cage doesn’t appear anywhere in these hints, other than his name in the headlining credits. Here’s what Polygon suggests that he could portray a serial killer, but there’s also hints of the supernatural at work, given that a nun is shown in one of the teaser images, although there’s no telling why a woman appears to be stabbing herself with a knife.

As if that wasn’t mysterious enough, video teasers insist that it’s important to “[r]emember to say your prayers.” There’s a mysterious “her” as well, and a very unsettling clip that again suggests repeat violence upon families.

Clear as mud? Yes. Longlegs is directed by Osgood Perkins (son of Anthony Perkins) of Greta & Hansel, The Blackcoat’s Daughter. He sure is working the suspense hard, and this is so much more enticing than countless movies who give too much away in trailers.

Admittedly, we don’t even really know the plot despite all of the teasers, and that’s intriguing. Heck, the film has also successfully teased a Nic Cage-starring film in several ways without even showing Nic Cage in any of the preview materials.

Cast

This will be one of Nic Cage’s final movies, according to Nic Cage himself. His role, however, remains a mystery. We also know that Maika Monroe (It Follows) willplay one of the FBI investigators of the horrific crimes therein, and buckets of blood should arrive on the scene.

Release Date

Keeping with the cryptic theme, Longlegs hasn’t revealed its precise 2024 release date. Yet.

Trailer

No full-on trailer exists yet, but let’s resurrect those chills again with a replay of this trailer from 1999’s The Blair Witch Project.

It happened: Universal Music Group has removed its artists’ songs from TikTok. As of today (February 1), official songs from artists signed to UMG labels no longer appear under the “Sounds” tab on the TikTok app, and previously published videos that featured those songs now have muted audio.

Impacted artists include Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Steve Lacy, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Rosalía, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, J Balvin, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Post Malone, and many others.

TikTok and UMG had a licensing agreement that expired yesterday (January 31), and the day before it did, there were clear indications that negotiations on a new contract were not going well.

UMG shared an open letter about the situation, which read in part:

“As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth. How did it try to intimidate us? By selectively removing the music of certain of our developing artists, while keeping on the platform our audience-driving global stars.

TikTok’s tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and shortchanges artists and songwriters as well as their fans.

We will never do that.”

TikTok then shared a response that reads in full:

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.

Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.

TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

At the moment, it’s not clear when or if a new licensing agreement between TikTok and UMG will be reached, and when/if the artists’ music will return to TikTok.

The original The Walking Dead TV series lost some momentum towards the end, which was to be expected after several beloved characters (Rick, Michonne, poor freaking Jesus) left the show. Even Maggie went and came, as did Negan, and I think even viewers were willing to let the show go after eleven seasons. However, AMC has pulled off a virtual miracle with three new spinoffs featuring principal characters in new scenarios with Dead City taking that hot walker action to the street and Daryl Dixon taking a relatively idyllic jaunt through the French countryside and the meanest streets of Paris.

Soon, however, the long-awaited return of Rick Grimes will come to light. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will do the thing as “Rick Grimes and Michonne” show with Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira reprising their roles. She will still have her machete in hand, thank god, and he might be down some digits. Let’s talk about that and more.

Plot

Rick Grimes was originally going to depart the original series and head onto the big screen. Maybe? There were reports and rumors that a trilogy could even happen, and then the pandemic hit, and all Hollywood hell broke loose. Fast forward to 2023, and AMC began to put Fear The Walking Dead into its final grave while diving into smaller shows to showcase Maggie and Negan; Daryl and (soon-to-be) Carol; and the couple who was spotted naked by Jesus. Will Rick and Michonne eventually meet up with the other duos in a crossover? We can only hope, but let’s talk about where this spinoff finds Rick.

As viewers will recall, Rick needs to stay off horses and even ended his official The Walking Dead run midway through the ninth season. He was impaled, managed to pull himself off a giant spike, escape a horde, and blow up a bridge to save his community. As far as his adoptive family was concerned, he had probably perished somewhere out in the woods, although Daryl did spend years looking for his good friend. No one knew then that Janis/Anne had “saved” Rick by sweeping him off to be with the Civil Republic Military (CRM), and she was very proud of herself for capturing him as an asset. Then in the series finale, we found out that Rick had tried to escape, had been spotted by a CRM helicopter, and had left behind evidence of his continued existence, which was discovered by Michonne, who went looking for her husband.

Thus far, we know that Michonne has been looking for Rick and even left Judith and R.J. (Rick Grimes Jr.) behind in the Alexandria Safe-Zone while doing so. She will cut her way through the most ridiculously large horde of walkers seen in these shows, and footage thus far has seen her thrilled upon discovering that Rick is still indeed alive after she recognizes his walk in those trademark boots of his.

Rick, however, might be more than a little bit off the rails after what he’s endured. He has remained intent upon getting back to his wife, but even Rick Grimes can’t manage to leave the CRM. The show has also hinted that AMC has decided to go ahead and make Rick lose a hand, like he did in the comics.

Also, the show’s synopsis is incredibly existential:

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead… And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they’ve ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive — or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?

Cast

Pollyanna McIntosh is the third confirmed returning actor in this series. She, of course, portrays Janis/Anne, and it’s all her fault that Rick ended up in two ways: (1) Not dead; (2) As property of the CRM. Everyone already knows that Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira shall be the focus, and new roles will be portrayed by Lesley-Ann Brandt (as Pearl Thorne) and Matt Jeffreys (as Nat).

Release Date

Although this series will include some romance (this is Rick and Michonne’s long-overdue reunion, after all), timeliness for the holiday will not be of the essence. The official premiere date is February 25..

Trailer

This final trailer sets up explosions and Rick having just about had it with his past decade away from the fam.

Previously, a teaser trailer let the world know that Rick is doing about as maddeningly as expected in CRM custody.