Slate Culture Gabfest: F1 Movie, Taskmaster, and Best Films of the 21st Century

F1: The Movie Review

• 🏎️ The film "F1: The Movie" starring Brad Pitt is discussed as a blockbuster vehicle that leans into sports movie clichés with high-octane action.
• 💡 Despite its familiar plot, the movie is praised for its thrilling racing sequences, efficient storytelling, and inventive cinematography by Claudio Miranda.
• 🌟 Carrie Condan is highlighted for her transcendentally fun performance as the grounded lead engineer, elevating the film's romantic subplot.
• 📈 The film is a huge hit for Apple, potentially becoming Brad Pitt's biggest hit in 20 years and is predicted to gross a billion globally.

Decoding Taskmaster

• 📺 "Taskmaster," a British panel/game show, is celebrated for its wildly silly competitive tasks and manic energy.
• 🧠 The show's genius lies in its deviously clever task design, combining the need for creative problem-solving with humiliating and silly challenges.
• 🎭 The hosts and guest Daisy Rosario emphasize the mischievous yet not mean-spirited nature of the show, highlighting the humbling and celebratory aspect of watching diverse personalities tackle absurd tasks.
• 🤔 While initially perceived as "off-puttingly British," the show's lovely tonal mix and the rapport between panelists ultimately win over viewers, offering genuine escapism and belly laughs.

The New York Times's Best Films of the 21st Century List

• 🎬 The panel dissects the New York Times's list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century, noting its conventional wisdom and lack of truly edgy or new titles for critics.
• 🧐 While acknowledging the list's many great films, the absence of Paddington 2 is called out as a major oversight, with discussions on overrepresentation (e.g., Christopher Nolan) and underrepresentation (e.g., Greta Gerwig, films by women).
• 📊 Individual contributor ballots are found to be more fascinating, revealing edgier and odder selections than the aggregated list.
• 🌟 Personal picks for films that should have been included range from "The Death of Stalin" and "Four Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days" to "Mean Girls" and "Toni Erdman."

Endorsements

• 🌿 Sam Adams endorses pastis, an anise-flavored aperitif, recommending Henri Bardouin for a relaxing summer drink.
• 🍽️ Julia Turner recommends Tomat, a delicious Northern European cafe located in an unlikely strip mall near LAX.
• 🎶 Steve recommends the album Cunningham Bird by Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham, a cover of the unavailable Buckingham Nicks album, and the Fleetwood Mac song "Sara."
• 🎭 Dana Stevens endorses the production of Shakespeare's As You Like It available on National Theatre at Home, praising its sparkling direction and performances.