Uncultured Twenties

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! RuPaul's Drag Race is more than just a show, it is an EMPIRE. With more than 18 seasons, 16 international versions, additional spin-offs, and several albums; Drag culture has been brought to the mainstream. Follow Maya: @theonly.opinion Keep up with Uncultured Twenties: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@unculturedtwenties⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @uncultured20s⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Simple instrumentation and a powerful voice. Tracy Chapman’s 1988 debut album exploded on the scene when she appeared at Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday tribute concert, quickly gaining critical acclaim and breaking records. Informed by her childhood in Ohio as a working-class Black lesbian, this folk-inspired album still resonates heavily today. Her hit song ‘Fast Car’ came back into public consci...

🎁🎄Merry Christmas! Our present to you: ELF 🍬🍫🍝 Directed by John Favreau in 2003, this Christmas comedy stars Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel along with many other notable cameos. From a stellar soundtrack to many quotable moments, it is viewed as holiday fun for the whole family. Will Lian and Julia join in the Christmas cheer, or embody the Grinch? Listen as you drive to your weird great-un...

We're keeping spooky season going with 1963 thriller, The Birds. Directed by the "master of suspense" Alfred Hitchcock, this film is an early look into man vs beast: the clash between humans and the natural world. As this rift has gotten wider, does the film become all the more relatable? In this episode we simplify the 2 hour film, go into the fascinating production details, and bri...

Don't get lost, find your way through Labyrinth with the help of Uncultured Twenties! The 1986 fantasy film is an autumnal watch, with it's longevity resting on the thoughtful character design and nostalgic vibe created by Jim Henson of The Muppets. Full of references to classical literature, Labyrinth is a treasure hunt for '80s lovers. From cultural icon David Bowie as the goblin kin...

The rumours are true...Uncultured Twenties is back! In this series opener, Lian and Julia discuss the heart-breakingly honest album Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. Go into any analog fanatic's collection, and you'll be sure to find this vinyl from 1977. From being inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame to Bill Clinton's presidential campaign soundtrack to inspiring Emmy-nominated miniseries Dai...

Moulin Rouge! is an unexpected take on the stage, contrasting modern cinematic techniques and song compilations against Paris in the turn of the century. With references to Madonna, La bohème, Orpheus and Eurydice, Moulin Rouge! led the way for early aughts musicals. It's inspired Mr. Brightside, the Muppets Christmas Movie and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's gold medal winning routine in th...

Brown Sugar has everything a classic rom-com needs: friends to lovers, slow burn, miscommunication and a wedding mishap! Think 13 Going On 30 meets Love & Basketball . The cast is full heavy hitters and recognizable faces, while giving us tons of laughs. It's a lovely portrayal of Black love on screen that tests your knowledge of New York hip-hop. Our guest Kay-B is a TV and film critic, write...

It’s truly been a brat summer…we were too busy this weekend being it girlz to upload! it’s been awe-spiring to watch this cultural movement happen in real time, and we just had to break it down. From Y2K references to diss tracks to love songs, BRAT encapsulates Charli xcx’s iconic career as a songwriter and performer. Her inspiration from hyperpop pioneers SOPHIE and A.G. Cook are evident through...

Korean pop has become an international phenomenon through groups like BTS, Blackpink and TWICE. The genre has crossed cultural and language barriers through impressive social media presence and online fan culture. However, this isn't all Korea has to offer. Behind The Beat's Brenessa Roach is here to show us the wealth of diversity Korean music has to offer though one of her favourite band...

Over the past 80 years, Archie Comics have shaped comics as we know them today. They have garnered awards, memorabilia and collaborations with their iconic characters...particularly the Archie/Betty/Veronica love triangle. Though the story and it's spinoffs have been adapted for television multiple times, none of them have captured the world's attention quite like Riverdale. With a reputat...

What does Be The Cowboy mean? To our guest Karen K. Tran, it means embodying the confident spirit of a man and owning a room. Rebuking stereotypes and fetishism. Mitski's Grammy-nominated album was Pitchfork's top album of 2018. Her music is emotion driven and cinematic, informed by her mixed-race identity. This album in particular features upbeat pop-inspired songs with lyrics of desire a...

In this episode we get a little peek into Julia's personal lore, and Lian's grudge against The Mod Club. AJJ (Formerly known as Andrew Jackson Jihad) is a band that is known for wordy lyrics, exciting instrumentation and transcending genre. "Christmas Island" is the fifth studio album in their 20 year long career, and confronts themes of grief, surrealism and acceptance. This alb...

A time travelling alien who changes faces and travels the stars. Creatures made out of living plastic. Mischief-causing goblins. This British TV series is an INSTITUTION! At over 60 years old, Doctor Who has been listed in Guinness World Records as the longest running science-fiction series in the world. Seems intimidating? Don't worry, we brought the experts in. Troy (Red Archer Live) and Cri...

No one can deny that Twilight has had a major cultural impact. From tattoos to dolls to museums to parody films, the book turned film series is multi-billion dollar industry that is still active today. In this series opener, Lian and Julia indulge in their Twihard roots while examining the disturbing undertones and outright racism. Maybe there is a better love story than Twilight... Keep up with U...

This special edition festival season has come to an end! We take you through some of the films that we haven’t covered yet, the best rated films of the festival, and our personal favourites. Thank you for taking this journey with us - send us recommendations for what you think we should cover next season! Films, albums, books, comics, shows...get creative! Keep up with Uncultured Twenties: Instagr...

In anticipation of tomorrow’s release, we present a double feature! This episode covers the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer and Shawn Levy’s upcoming Netflix mini-series adaptation. This WWII historical fiction follows a blind French girl fleeing the German occupation, and a tech-savvy German orphan who is manipulated by his government. The two bond over th...

Happy Halloween! We're doing the time warp and uploading something scary: our FIRST EVER recorded episode! RHPS is a definition cult classic. Hated by the mainstream, but adopted by the fringe. It's been parodied and referenced by Glee, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, That '70s Show, The Simpsons and so many more. The film is often accompanied by a 'shadow cast' mocking and sh...

It's 1990 and all Benny wants is to see Fleetwood Mac in concert with his mom. Instead, he gets shipped off to his grandma's for the summer. On the Navajo reservation all he can do is watch Starman and play with his action figures, until his cousin Dawn shows up and opens his world. Writer-director Billy Luther says this film is "a tribute to our elders" and is influenced by his...

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this is a podcast! We recount The Talking Heads’ classic concert movie. Originally directed by Jonathan Demme in 1983, the 4K restoration premiered at TIFF with a live Q&A hosted by Spike Lee. The new wave band made 4 albums in 4 years, though their time was cut short by internal drama and power dynamics. Julia tells us about their highly antic...

QUEER JOY! QUEER JOY! Director Jen Markowitz takes us behind the scenes of Camp fYrefly, a summer retreat for LGBTQ2S+ youth in Alberta. They explain the importance behind making queer history concrete, positive queer role models and queer filmmakers of the '90s. This season we’re bringing you background access to the Toronto International Film Festival. Put your earbuds in and listen to exclu...

This season we’re bringing you background access to the Toronto International Film Festival. Put your earbuds in and listen to exclusive interviews, early viewings and ones to watch as we dissect the future of film. Too often have women's stories gone unbelieved, and female directors such as Greta Gerwig, Sofia Coppola and Ava DuVernay have started to change that. In this episode we discuss “W...

In one of the most ambitious music videos of all time, two of the most influential female artists of the 21st century did not come to play. This collaboration between Lady Gaga and Beyoncé has left us begging for more...and actually coming to appreciate Tarantino's aesthetic? Wow. Their power! Telephone is a ten minute long smorgasbord of pop culture, product placement and payback. We couldn&#...

You've heard your mom crying to '(I've Had) The Time of My Life', or seen this poster in a dance studio. Entertainment writer and '80s lover Jenna Benchetrit joins us today as we examine how progressive Dirty Dancing truly was for it's time. In this episode we talk about steamy montages, daddy issues and the need for more choreographed group dances! If you love Hairspray, G...

With the explosion of multi-verse films in the past decade, it's hard for one to feel fresh and inspired. Marvel's highly regarded 2018 adaptation of Spider-Man manages to do so with a masterful mix of artistry, heart and humour. Listed on the Writers Guild of America's 101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (So Far), this animated film has cemented itself as a modern classic. We...