8/7-8/11 ICYMI: Pop Culture Recap!
We are definitely ‘Out of the Woods’ this week with Taylor Swift’s announcement that ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ is releasing soon! Come ‘shake it off’ and check out what else you missed this week!
1. Taylor Swift Announces ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ is Coming!
If you haven’t been on Instagram on Thursday, you may have missed Swift’s biggest announcement of the week - ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ is on its way.
"The 1989 album changed my life in countless ways, and it fills me with such excitement to announce that my version of it will be out October 27," she posted. "To be perfectly honest, this is my most FAVORITE re-record I’ve ever done because the 5 From The Vault tracks are so insane. I can’t believe they were ever left behind. But not for long!"
2. Kuwait & Lebanon ban ‘Barbie’ over gender and sexuality themes
“‘Barbie’ is set to open across the Middle East on Thursday, but moves by Kuwait and Lebanon to ban the film over its themes about gender and sexuality have raised questions over how widely it will be released.” - NBC News
Last Wednesday, Kuwait announced their ban due to “ideas and beliefs that are alien to the Kuwaiti society and public order,” with no further explanation, whilst Lebanon stated they wanted to ban the film because of “themes of homosexuality” and “contradicting values of faith and morality.”
3. First-Ever U.S. Indigenous Fashion Week Launches in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Indigenous Fashion Week is coming to Santa Fe in May 2024! “From tradition to runway, Indigenous cultures are continually shifting, responding to the land and modern environment; some fashions reflect this, may challenge the viewer’s notion of “Indian style”, while some designers use fashion as a means for social activism. Contemporary Native American fashion is a vibrant and diverse field that reflects the ongoing creativity and innovation of Indigenous knowledge expressed through material culture.” - SWAIA Fashion
4. Disney to Boost Prices for Ad-Free Disney+ and Hulu Services and Vows Crackdown on Password Sharing
“Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger vowed to make its streaming services profitable via a planned October price hike on its ad-free Disney+ and Hulu plans and a crackdown on password sharing expected to extend through next year.” - U.S. News
Following suit to Netflix’s recent price hikes and password crackdowns, Disney+ and Hulu are unfortunately having similar policies placed on their products. Disney experienced a substantial loss across the board, so the company is tightening its reins.
5. Karan Johar’s ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’ Receives Mixed Reviews
Karan Johar’s latest directorial, ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ is finally in theaters, as of July 28th. Though many admired the good old vibes the movie brought, some thought it was similar to ‘2 States’ and did not have an uniqueness. Some viewers also mentioned that though Alia and Ranveer’s acting was great, their chemistry seemed a bit forced.