One Thing This Week: April 15
The finest film from Hong Kong's most influential director, a vivid picture of teen angst in the digital age, sonic experimentation via kalimba, and more.
One Song
Darkside - “S.N.C”
Darkside is the psyched-out, funky side project of genre-defying composer and electronic music trailblazer Nicholas Jaar. Their new album pushes sonic boundaries while staying catchy and groovy, as exemplified by the lead single “S.N.C” which seamlessly stitches together fragments of danceable groove and melody into a tasty sonic collage.
Distinctive for their blend of instrumental improvisation and electronic music, the foundation of Darkside’s sound is the interplay between Jaar’s electronics and Dave Harrington’s guitar, which combine to produce a spontaneous, analogue feel that’s rare in electronic music.
Listen to it on headphones to fully appreciate the brilliant production.
One Album
Lucy Dacus - Forever is a Feeling
Fans of the indie supergroup Boygenius will no doubt feast on the lyric sheet for Lucy Dacus’ major label debut—by Dacus’ own admission, the album intimately chronicles, and confirms, her relationship with bandmate Julien Baker.
But the songs are about more than just her lover. They are a reflection on the joy and pain and contradictions of love writ large, set to lush, emotionally textured backdrops that foreground Dacus’ warm and resonant voice.
It’s a mature and assured outing for Dacus, balancing emotional candour with a deeper musical sophistication. The album’s strings, synths, and sonic layering represent an evolution from her earlier, guitar-driven work. This musical confidence and breadth may well reflect her time spent collaborating with Baker and Phoebe Bridgers in Boygenius—a project known for pushing each member to elevate their craft and experiment.
Get tickets to see Lucy Dacus live at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on August 12, 2025
One TV Series
Adolescence
Reference Points: Eighth Grade meets The Social Dilemma— and even those only scratch the surface.
There’s almost no reference point that can fully frame the brilliance of this series. Adolescence is a searing look at the impact of social media on teens, families, and ultimately an entire community that is forced to reckon with unthinkable grief. It has some of the edge of Euphoria in its pacing and musical influence, but it's more firmly rooted in realism and emotional depth.
At the heart of the show is the senseless death of a teen—a tragedy made all the more haunting by the digital breadcrumbs left behind. It wrestles with the question of how a generation fluent in online expression can be invisibly drowning, and how parents, teachers, and institutions can often miss the signs until it’s too late.
Adolescence doesn't moralize—it illuminates. It offers no easy villains, just layers of disconnection, misunderstanding, and heartbreak. It also captures moments of resilience, friendship, and joy, making its message all the more resonant.
Visually stylish (with every episode shot in a single take), emotionally raw, and often painfully truthful, the series features a breakout cast and a soundtrack already generating buzz online. Expect it to linger long after the credits roll.
One Film in Theatres
Black Bag
Director Steven Soderbergh is a master of the espionage and with Black Bag, he’s at the top of his game. Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender star as a married pair of elite British intelligence agents whose loyalty to each other is tested when one of them becomes the prime suspect in a mole hunt. It’s a sleek, emotionally charged thriller that dances on the high wire between trust and betrayal.
This genre is nothing new but Soderbergh makes it feel fresh by combining spy drama with marital psychodrama. His crisp visual storytelling and David Koepp’s razor-sharp script help elevate the material while Blanchett and Fassbender bring their trademark smouldering intensity.
See Black Bag in local theatres now
One Tiny Desk Concert
Yasmin Williams
This folk guitar virtuoso first learned the instrument by playing Guitar Hero. That would be the last thing you would guess when you hear her lush, layered compositions steeped in traditional folk styles, yet sounding refreshingly original.
But when you see her dexterity and physicality with her instrument, you get a sense of where that Guitar Hero training might have come in handy: she often plays seated with the guitar laid flat across her lap, tapping out rhythms on the body, hammering notes with both hands, and adding additional layers with kalimba or tap shoes.
A rare talent playing authentic, joyful, life-affirming music. What could be better?
One Throwback Film
Chungking Express
Reference Points:
Released in 1994, three years before the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China, Chungking Express serves as a kind of visual tone poem conveying that era’s sense of fragmentation and uncertainty. It combines two parallel but only loosely connected stories of lonely, enigmatic cops moving through the city, physically and emotionally adrift.
Experimental and inventive in its cinematography, editing and structure, the film has been hugely influential on a generation of filmmakers. Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) cites it as a major influence on his visual style and emotional pacing. Sofia Coppola channeled its dreamy atmosphere in Lost in Translation. Quentin Tarantino was so taken he distributed the film in North America through his Rolling Thunder Pictures label. And more recently, directors like the Safdie brothers and Greta Gerwig have paid tribute to its kinetic editing, saturated colour palette, and pop-infused moodiness. Wong Kar-wai’s fingerprints are everywhere once you start looking.
Pre-order Chungking Express on Blu-ray from Videomatica
One List
“The 27 Best Movies Currently Not Streaming Anywhere”
We’re so used to a world of instant access that it feels like an affront where’s there’s a film we can’t watch as soon as the urge hits. You might be surprised to learn just how many such films there are—many of them absolute classics that are unavailable on any streaming platform.
Just like in the old days, you’ll have to seek out these films on *gasp* physical media! This might bring you into contact with *double gasp* other humans! Try Videomatica, one of our favorite video stores. Or keep your eye on what’s showing at The Cinemateque or VIFF Centre, who often screen classic, hard-to-find films.
Read the full list of un-streamable films here
