Slate Culture Gabfest: John Ham's 'Your Friends and Neighbors,' 'Minecraft Movie,' and Blue Origin's All-Female Flight

Review of 'Your Friends and Neighbors'

• 🎭 The panel discusses Apple TV+'s new drama 'Your Friends and Neighbors,' starring John Ham as a dysfunctional Manhattan executive.
• 📉 The show is critiqued for its generic portrayal of the wealthy elite and its lack of compelling characters or plot.
• 🌟 Despite the criticisms, some panelists found John Ham's performance and supporting actors like Amanda Pete to be redeeming qualities.

Analysis of 'Minecraft Movie'

• 🎬 The 'Minecraft Movie,' starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, is discussed as a surprise box office hit, bringing teens back to theaters.
• 🎮 While some critics found the movie nonsensical, others appreciated its goofy charm and its ability to capture the spirit of the game.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The film's success is partly attributed to its participatory nature, with audiences encouraged to engage and shout along, particularly with Jack Black's musical numbers.

Critique of Blue Origin's All-Female Flight

• 🚀 The all-female Blue Origin flight, featuring celebrities like Katy Perry and Gail King, is debated as a feminist statement versus a PR stunt.
• 💰 Panelists largely view the mission as a ludicrous PR stunt and a symbol of oligarchy, lacking scientific purpose and trivializing space travel.
• 🚺 The phrase "putting the ass back in astronaut" is heavily criticized as sexist and anti-feminist, undermining the idea of women's equality in space exploration.

Podcast and Book Endorsements

• 🎙️ Steve Metcalfe is endorsed for his new podcast, 'What Rough Beast,' co-hosted with Virginia Heffernan, which explores political and societal shifts.
• 📚 Delmore Schwartz's collected poems and short stories, particularly the title story "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities," are recommended for their literary merit.
• 📺 Julia Turner endorses John Mulaney's Netflix talk show, 'Everybody's Live,' praising its humor and unique take on Los Angeles, while lamenting the name change from 'Everybody's in LA.'