Feelings, fame and football

I miss the Matildas. 💌

The FIFA Women’s World Cup has taken Australia and New Zealand by storm over the past month. Setting attendance records, making soccer fans out of all of us, and leaving in its wake many Australian women confused about the offside rule and also their sexual orientation (👀).

If you’re looking to fill the soccer ball sized hole in your life, Matildas: The World at Our Feet is a documentary series about the Matildas gearing up for the World Cup (available on Disney+). Over 6 episodes, it provides a behind-the-scenes look at the World Cup preparations for the preceding 18 months, including Tony Gustavsson looking wistful in Stockholm, the gruelling schedule of the players, some disappointing setbacks and that almighty team spirit.

Australia’s defence force.

For my new subscribers: welcome and thank you. This is a newsletter that responds to the eternal question: “I need a new TV show/movie/podcast/book. Do you have any recommendations?”

YES. The goal of Laz’s List is to keep you informed on all things entertainment. Each edition will provide a review of a few noteworthy releases so that you can decide what is worth your time. Let’s go!

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🎬 Past Lives

(In cinemas on 31 August.)

Past Lives opens on a wide shot of three people sitting at a bar together. We can’t hear their conversation, and the voiceover asks: Who are these people to each other?

This question lies at the heart of this beautiful film about the many paths life can take you and the indubitable bonds of culture and childhood, written and directed by Celine Song.

This look alone could snag them the Oscar, right? 😮‍💨

Nora Moon (Greta Lee) moves from Korea to the United States with her family at 12-years-old. She leaves behind both her Korean name and her childhood crush, Hae Sung (Teo Yoo).

Nora and Hae Sung reconnect years later in their 20s and begin a brief, meaningful online relationship over Skype. It is not until they are in their 30s that they see each other in person again for a weekend in New York City, where Nora now lives.

“He is just so Korean,” Nora repeats to herself, surprised by their connection despite so long apart. Hae Sung draws her back to a part of herself she hasn’t known since she moved. “I only speak Korean with you and my mom,” she tells him.

The power of the movie comes from its restraint - what the characters don’t say, what they don’t do. Celine Song is already drumming up some Oscars buzz for this moving debut, so I’d suggest getting yourself to the cinema to see what the fuss is about.

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📚 This Is Not a Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan

(Available now in hardcopy and on Audible)

Abi Morgan is an award-winning screenwriter, known for her work on The Split*, The Iron Lady and The Hour.

This Is Not a Pity Memoir begins in 2018, when Morgan was living a busy life in London with her long-term partner, Jacob, and their two teenagers. Jacob collapsed one day as a result of complications with a drug he was taking to treat his MS. He spent over a year in hospital and was in a coma for 7 months, waking with serious brain damage. Among many side effects of his injury, when Jacob emerged from the coma he did not recognise Abi. Or rather, he didn’t believe that Abi was the real Abi. She was an imposter.

A banger of a title.

Of course, this is not a light read, but Morgan’s magic is in her ability to add humour and honesty in telling the story of the unimaginable hand she’s been dealt.

“In times of crisis it is useful to be a writer,” she has said. As the title would suggest, Morgan doesn’t delve into self-pity. At multiple points during the book she jokes that the TV depiction of her story would probably have to edit some parts of it out for being too unbelievable.

I highly recommend this as an audio book (fun fact: it is narrated by the actor who plays Rose in The Split).

*(A 10/10 Laz’s List endorsed TV show).

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📺 The Other Two

(Seasons 1-3 available now on Binge)

The Other Two is exactly the kind of easy, funny show with short episodes that you can watch at the end of the day.

Brooke and Carey are siblings in their late 20s in New York trying to “make it” in the entertainment industry. When their 13-year-old brother becomes a Justin Bieber-level famous singer and teen heartthrob overnight with his hit song “Marry You At Recess”, they spiral.

Broad City meets Schitt’s Creek meets the Justin Bieber documentary?

The Other Two is written by former head writers at Saturday Night Live and executive produced by Lorne Michaels, so the parody of fame is bang on. Molly Shannon plays their chaotic but well-meaning stage mom, and Ken Marino is fantastic as the needy, Scooter Braun-inspired agent.

(Author note: the show ‘jumps the shark’ a little in season 3, so bask in seasons 1 and 2 and you can leave the rest, if you like.)

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Currently…

⭐️Looking forward to: Season 3 of Starstruck coming out next week on ABC iView. (Watch the trailer here).

🤖Can’t stop thinking about: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. The best book I have read this year.

⚽️Re-watching: Bend It Like Beckham (for obvious reasons). (Available on Binge).

👠Amused by: And Just Like That…The Writers Room - a podcast by the writers of And Just Like That, who pontificate for over an hour each week about the brilliance of the episode they have just released. When the podcast discussing the TV episode goes for longer than the actual TV episode, surely we have a problem?

See you next time!