Issue 1: The Taste of Things
Currently on French foodie film, creative mornings, accepting ambiguity, Ryan Reynolds, and collecting affection
📝 Reviewing: The Taste of Things (2023)
I recently went on a solo trip to Japan. Being halfway across the world on my own and unable to communicate with anyone offered me plenty of time to observe. My observations across numerous cities filled with many types of people in various environments resulted in this takeaway — humankind is a simple kind. We strive for these three things:
To work hard
To eat well
To spend time with the people we love
The Taste of Things touched me in an unexpected way as a cinematic representation of these simple pleasures that were so fresh on my mind. It’s a love letter to honing a craft, providing for others, and love itself. Like an extended cut of Chef’s Table, every shot serves up a feast for the eyes and whisks us away into a tender passion two people have for one another and for the art that binds them. The Taste of Things was my favorite film of this year’s Denver Film Festival and will be available in limited release in February 2024.
💡Inspired By: Social Endurance
Most of the greatest experiences I’ve had are in those two windows — either before what I was going to or after what I was going to.
Endurance was the theme for October’s Creative Mornings. The scheduled speaker wasn’t able to attend, so the hosts leaned on the audience to take the stage. Andrew Novick challenged the common viewpoint that endurance is to withstand physical adversity by presenting the concept that endurance can also be a social exercise. His talk has made me re-think the moments in which I find the most fun, and how more often than not, fun is found in the unexpected.
🎧 Listening To: ReThinking
Make them think a lot without giving them the answers they thought they came for.
A big part of my professional role is being comfortable in chaos and sifting through ambiguity to calmly identify a path forward. So I lean in when I come across insight that encourages the acceptance of the unknown. Organizational psychologist and author, Adam Grant, believes that great minds challenge each other to think differently. In his recent podcast episode, he speaks with poet Maggie Smith to explore the value of asking questions that may not have a satisfying answer — or any answer at all.
📣 Recommending: Taskmaster + Welcome to Wrexham
"Taskmaster" is a British comedy panel game show where comedians undertake a series of eccentric challenges. The tasks can vary widely in nature, ranging from creative challenges to physical activities. The contestants are encouraged to interpret the tasks in unique and humorous ways, leading to entertaining and often unpredictable outcomes. I appreciate the creativity of the tasks, the ingenuity of the contestants, and most of all that it consistently makes me laugh more than I’ve ever laughed before. The current series is available to watch on YouTube.
In "Welcome to Wrexham," Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds embark on a journey to manage the third oldest professional football club in the world, Wrexham AFC, aspiring to transform the team into a global underdog sensation. Despite lacking experience in football and navigating a partnership, the series captures their Hollywood-to-Wales transition, exploring every aspect from the pitch to the pub, the locker room to the front office. The docuseries is a touching exploration into the power of sport to bring hope and change to a community in need. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Hulu.
🧱 Working On: Public Displays of Affection
I’m currently working on a new photo book titled, “Public Displays of Affection.” Originally conceived during COVID when I wasn’t able to make photos of my own, this photo book is a curated collection of 35mm film slides found in secondhand stores over the past three years. The theme explores the power of physical touch in friendship, family, celebrations, and love. Expected to be released in Q1 2024.
Thanks for being here.
— Justin