The Rewind: I watched 23 episodes of ‘Love Island’ in 9 days and regret nothing
Plus "F1 The Movie," Taylor Swift, Denis Villeneuve's James Bond, and more!
What do you mean I saw Taylor Swift perform at a bowling alley on a random Tuesday night???
Last week, I was one of the blessed few to witness a real-life fever dream: Taylor Swift performing at “Tight Ends & Friends,” the concert arm of Travis Kelce’s Tight End University. Yes, that is a real sentence.
Imagine telling a Swiftie two years ago that Taylor’s red carpet debut with her NFL boyfriend would happen at an event sponsored by *checks notes* Dude Wipes and Jersey Mike’s. It’s a love story, baby just say... what?
After a few cocktails in the crowd, Swift surprised fans – and herself – by hopping on stage for an impromptu performance of “Shake It Off” with Kane Brown.
We know there are no accidents when it comes to Swift’s scheming, but there’s just something poetic about her first live performance since regaining ownership of her masters being in an intimate venue in Nashville – back where it all began.
Not that I’m counting or anything, but it’s been 204 days since her last Eras Tour show. Seeing her back on stage? A literal serotonin injection.
⏪ Rewind: ‘F1 The Movie’ may just be ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on land, but that’s all it needed to be
Okay, wait, there’s actually more to this.
In reality, Joseph Kosinski’s new racing drama, “F1 The Movie,” is actually “Top Gun: Maverick” meets “Moneyball,” by way of “Ted Lasso.”
Hear me out… Kosinski brings the high-speed action of “Maverick” to the race track, while Brad Pitt’s leading man Sonny Hayes has the pragmatic “do more with less” mindset from “Moneyball.” All the while, Apple funds the project about an unconventional outsider coming in to right the ship of a failing sports team desperate to avoid relegation. Sound familiar? Damson Idris might as well be named Jamie Tartt instead of Joshua Pearce.
“F1 The Movie” is an amalgamation of Very Good™ things which means it is also a Very Good™ movie.
Yes, it’ll hit Apple TV soon. But trust me – catch it in theaters to make the most of the thrilling racing sequences.
Tune in to the full episode:
▶️ Play: The ‘Love Island’ Villa has me in a chokehold
Zach: Until nine days ago, I’d never seen a single second of “Love Island.” I knew vaguely that “hot new bombshells” stormed into something called “the Villa,” but I had no idea the sheer joy that comes from watching beautiful idiots flirt, fail, and full-on swap spit for hours on end. Now? Nine days, 23 episodes, and one completely ruined attention span later, I’m locked in. Season 7 might be catching heat from the veterans, but as a first-time viewer? I’m thriving in the chaos. Biggest takeaway: justice for my king Jeremiah. He truly deserved better.
For more “Love Island” thoughts, tune in to this week’s podcast.
“Love Island” streams every night except Wednesdays on Peacock.
⏸️ Pause: Denis Villeneuve is here to save James Bond… just don’t tell Tom Holland
In what is quite possibly the biggest movie news of the year so far, Denis Villeneuve is officially stepping into Her Majesty’s Service to direct the next James Bond film.
It’s a genius move to use the mastermind behind the “Dune” franchise and hits like “Sicario” and “Arrival” to reboot the franchise with gravitas and grit. Suddenly, Amazon’s acquisition of Bond from the Broccoli family actually seems promising.
But while the director choice is a shaken-not-stirred victory, Amazon’s reported wishlist for a new 007 is giving… mocktail. Tom Holland? Jacob Elordi? Harris Dickinson? All under 30 and more internet boyfriend than Bond.
Villeneuve’s Bond deserves a full-grown man, not a barely-legal license to kill.
May I counter with Aaron Pierre? Go check the tape. Watch Pierre kick ass and take names in “Rebel Ridge” on Netflix and tell me he’s not the perfect 007.
⏩ Fast Forward: Quick! Go see ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ before ‘Superman’ steals the show
It’s summer, which means it’s blockbuster season — and with “Superman” still a week away, “Jurassic World Rebirth” is looking to roar.
If you know the “Jurassic” playbook, you know the drill: one iconic original, followed by a parade of increasingly chaotic dino slop. That trend held for the OG trilogy and the “Jurassic World” era.
Now, “Rebirth” is looking to do just that for the franchise – a reboot/sequel/spinoff hybrid clawing its way out of the billion-dollar dino print left by 2022’s “Dominion.”
Early reviews are… mixed. But Gareth Edwards is at the helm, and if “Rogue One” and “The Creator” proved anything, it’s that the man can deliver scale. Emotional resonance? TBD. But at the very least, expect some stunning visuals.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” releases in theaters Wednesday, July 2.
Other Recs This Week: “Love Island” (Nightly, Peacock) “The Old Guard 2” (Wednesday, Netflix), “Smoke” Ep. 3 (Thursday, Apple TV+)
That’s a wrap on this week of The Rewind!
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