Love Island and Materialists

Emergency episode

I need to discuss the equally distressing new season of Love Island US and Dakota Johnson’s new film, Materialists. Both left me feeling queasy and uneasy. Scroll to the end for Materialists review if you don’t watch Love Island.

This season of Love Island US of course had me hooked from episode 2 (takes a second to figure out who everyone is and who to invest in). They unfortunately don’t have the secret sauce of last season (lighting in a bottle!!), but I’m still rooting for some of the islanders (Chelley, Cierra, and Olandria primarily). As per usual, the male contestants don’t quite measure up (literally in Ace’s case). But things are ramping up and getting messy (in a dark way).

Shit hit the fan the last two episodes when we found out how America feels about “mom and dad” of the house Huda and Jeremiah. The contestants wailed as though they were being drafted for war, rather than having to vote out a fellow islander. Here are some quick-fire thoughts on the fallout:

Amaya: I’m not sure the screaming and crying at this level was quite necessary, hon, but I can’t really judge because I’ve sobbed openly in countless mundane scenarios. It’s interesting that Amaya was hyperventilating when she thought Charlie might go home, but then sent him home very calmly in the end. What didn’t we see?

Huda: Ok, so while Kaylor’s crash out last season was over-the-top puffy eyed lip filler spectacular, Huda’s is feeling a little darker and mentally unhinged. She’s lost the plot, and thinks of America voting for Jeremiah to recouple is him betraying her. Her storming around the villa is becoming all-consuming and draining, rather than dramatic. I hope in the next recoupling she gets sent home so she can decompress and get some therapy.

Jeremiah: He isn’t saying much. He’s more of a bewildered chess piece at this point. Mind you, he was the extreme love bomber at the beginning and now he’s like “what? huh?”

Austin: Poor Austin can’t quite wrap his head around the rules. He’s still trying to understand why him voting for Taylor ended up sending Charlie home. I realized he and Charlie are probably so close because they are both known Trump supporters. Awww.

Ace: I think Ace has listened to too many man podcasts. I really don’t think he’s interested in dating, he more wants to empower his fellow males. His dead serious cult leader vibe is really hilarious. When Huda dramatically confides in him that she’s a mom, he basically says “yeah, I also have a mom.” Cold!

Nic: Nic is smart and very good at articulating his thoughts in a way that diffuses tension (he did this with both Huda and Jeremiah last episode). He also has a cold sore that I’m concerned about.

Olandria and Chelley: We need some bombshells to come in that are at their level because I think the main issue is that neither of them are actually that into the guys that are interested in them. Even Chelley with Ace, I’m not seeing chemistry. Unfortunately, I doubt we’ll meet many quality guys in Casa Amor.

Cierra: Just a delight. Keep doing what you’re doing girl. She’ll definitely end up the fan favorite like Leah.

Taylor: IDK what he’s doing. Just chillin I guess.

Hannah: I loved that she was bawling next to a polaroid of her and Charlie and then snapped out of it, went on her date with Pepe, and had fun. She got it out of her system!

Iris: She’ll probably become a fan favorite as well. She seems to be intelligent and even keeled. I’m not really seeing any guys at her level.

I’m excited to see what’s going to happen tonight.

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Let’s talk Materialists

THIS HAS SPOILERS DON’T GET MAD AT ME

Zoe Winters as Sophie

Over the weekend I watched Materialists with Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans. I left feeling conflicted. At first I thought it had emotionally affected me and made me think about society and dating in a new way. I later realized I cried toward the end of the film not because it was emotionally moving, but because it was hollow and infuriating. It portrays an emptiness that reflects our modern culture.

I’m not a film critic the way I am with television. I don’t have the background and references and knowledge needed for it, so I’ll just quickly go into one of the storylines that didn’t work for me.

Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a matchmaker who is serving lewks and dropping hard truths on her clients. She makes 80k a year, which in the world of this film means she can live in a nice one bedroom in Manhattan and wear head-to-toe Aritzia. In her world (and I think the world we’re living in) stats mean everything. Weight, height, salary, looks, degrees, high-profile friends. People are whittled down into 2d versions of themselves for others to pick apart.

Lucy tells her clients they’re not fit to date someone of higher value than them. She deems Zoe Winters character Sophie (photo above) to be “ok pretty” and too old (39) for most of her male clients (in their 40s and 50s). She tells Sophie she can’t be too picky and then sets her up on a date with an average guy with an average salary. ***SPOILER*** Sophie ends up getting assaulted by him, which more serves as a storyline of personal growth for Dakota Johnson’s character.

I found myself so angry at this half-baked storyline. Sophie is 39 with no friends and seemingly completely past her prime. She says all she wants is to find love, but is instead hurt and violated for putting herself out there and being brave. I was mad because so many people approach dating in this calculated way. It feels like a cold culmination of years of brain rot. It feels like a confirmation of my greatest fears as a single woman in my 30s. Tik Tok and social media have turned dating into more of an exchange/matching of goods. If you have this + this you’re good, but if you are anywhere outside the norm, you’re mid and less than.

I think Sophie’s story could have worked in another context and with more care taken, but as a plot device, it completely missed the mark.

Lucy ends up with her hometown, imperfect boyfriend (Chris Evans lol) who is broke and lives with two messy roomies. It’s supposed to make us feel like love can conquer all, but instead just feels a little doomed in our capitalist, money focused society.

If someone has a rom com movie or book to recommend, I would greatly appreciate it, because I’m feeling blue :(

Ok that was a lot of typing. Love you bye! TTYL TTFN ta ta for now!