CITY LIGHTS surprise track “Instant Night” builds, Miller’s jarring words blend into Nelson’s plea for some empathy. Not only was the new release a welltimed message, it perfectly aligns with Beauty Pill’s identity as a band “born in the mouth of the 21st century.” Chad Clark, the D.C. rock band’s frontman, says “Instant Night” was a plea for listeners to have empathy for one another, to understand the seriousness of the crises at hand, and to vote Trump out of office. The official music video features former band member and artist Ryan Nelson painting satirized portraits of Trump and other political figures. Beauty Pill members also navigated pandemic restrictions by recording the song on a rooftop while adhering to social distancing guidelines. In the wake of a drawn-out, bitter presidential election, the message of “Instant Night” continues to resonate. The track is available to stream or purchase through Bandcamp. $1. —Sarah Smith
City Lights
Yi Yi
City Lights
Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine Comedian Sarah Cooper captured lightning in a bottle with her lip-syncing TikToks poking fun at President Trump. By swapping the podiums and press conferences that offer him a veneer of dignity for a roster of wigs and homemade props, Cooper unveiled a new shade of absurdity in Trump’s erratic soundbites. But Cooper’s apparent overnight success has been years in the making. As a way to escape the stifling corporate atmosphere of jobs at Yahoo and Google, the Montgomery County-raised Cooper started a humor blog that went viral for satirizing productivity culture and “girlboss” feminism. After striking comedy gold again with her Trump bits, Cooper landed a mid-pandemic Netflix deal for her debut special Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine. The special places the dumpster fire of 2020 in a blender, adds a wild mix of guest stars like Jon Hamm, Megan Thee Stallion, and Maya Rudolph, then stuffs it all into the format of a morning news show. Everything’s Fine contains staples of sketch comedy like bizarre infomercials and fake movie trailers while offering original bits and a new song from Fred Armisen. But the
highlight of the show is a delirious peek inside the infamous Access Hollywood bus starring Helen Mirren as Billy Bush. The special also serves as a fine showcase for director Natasha Lyonne. Between directing Everything’s Fine, staffing an all-female writer’s room for her series Russian Doll, and producing Jacqueline Novak’s off-Broadway show Get On Your Knees, Lyonne has positioned herself as the salmon cannon that shoots female comics upstream. With Cooper as Lyonne’s latest protégé, the future of women-led comedy is bright—we just have to get through 2020 first. The special is available to stream on Netf lix. Free with subscription. —Mercedes Hesselroth
City Lights
Dash & Lily There are some classic signs that Christmas is right around the corner: Carols play on the radio, snow settles on the ground, and a deluge of holiday romance plots hit the screen. Dash & Lily is Netflix’s latest entry into this annual TV tradition, adapted from the YA novel Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Silver Spring-born author Rachel Cohn and her writing partner, David Levithan. In search of a special someone with whom to share the holidays, the sentimental Lily hides a notebook in the J. D. Salinger section of the Strand Bookstore. The misanthropic
36 november 2020 washingtoncitypaper.com
Dash discovers her message, and an anonymous correspondence between the two begins. There’s just one catch: Lily loves Christmas, while Dash’s skepticism toward yuletide cheer makes him a bit of a Scrooge. To overcome this dealbreaker, the two bookish teens spend the holiday season sending each other on a series of dares throughout New York City, coming out of their shells along the way. But when the time comes to meet face-to-face, the pair must decide whether they’re meant to be or if they just got swept away in the holiday magic. Given that Dash & Lily was filmed in 2019, the series may well be one of television’s last portrayals of Christmastime in preCOVID New York. The series’ festive crowds, concerts, and parties serve up a dose of sweet winter escapism needed at the end of a long year. Dash & Lily is available to stream on Netflix. Free with subscription. —Mercedes Hesselroth
City Lights
“Instant Night” How do you make the perfect single for Election Day? Start by warping a February 2017 speech from White House senior adviser Stephen Miller that declares the powers of President Donald Trump are “very substantial” and “will not be questioned.” Then, weave in the hauntingly smooth sound of Beauty Pill vocalist Erin Nelson. As the
The late Taiwanese director Edward Yang only managed to make eight features before he died of colon cancer in 2007 at the age of 59. But his work includes some of the most celebrated—and most moving—arthouse films of the era. His final feature, the 2000 drama Yi Yi, is the epic story of a middle-class Taipei family. Beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral, the film documents a year with the Jians, whose heartbreaks and triumphs span three generations. The emotional action focuses on two male figures: NJ (Wu Nien-jen) is the middle-aged father who is unsatisfied with his corporate job and tempted to stray from his stagnant marriage with an old girlfriend. His young son YangYang (Jonathan Chang) is navigating the anxiety of childhood, teased by classmates but curious about the world. Throughout the course of the film, the boy takes up photography, capturing elusive images of mosquitoes and the backs of people’s heads as he tries to make sense of the world. Meanwhile, the director, with the help of cinematographer Wei-han Yang, captures exquisitely composed images of adult strife, domestic arguments carefully framed in windows through which his characters become overwhelmed by reflections of the big city. For three hours, the film observes its sprawling family with a quiet tenderness. Yi Yi is part of the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center’s virtual “Taiwanese Cinema Rediscovered” series, which includes 10 films that can be viewed throughout the U.S. and U.S. territories. The film is available to stream from Nov. 7 to 29. Tickets are available at newfilmstaiwan.eventive.org. $12. —Pat Padua
