Guava Island
April 13, 2019 12:27 PM Subscribe
Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) and Rihanna (Rihanna) star in the ~1h long film Guava Island [clip], which premiered at Coachella this year. It's available to stream for free on Amazon until 9pm EST TODAY (after that, available on the Amazon Prime video streaming service). It features several new songs, and new takes on old songs. If you appreciated This Is America, this is for you [NPR article].
From that NYT article: it feels very much like a movie a bunch of friends thought up late one night, perhaps while sharing a blunt, as a party was winding down. This is meant as a compliment.
1) Yes, this is true.
2) Today's NYT is not the NYT of 20 years ago.
posted by hippybear at 2:30 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
1) Yes, this is true.
2) Today's NYT is not the NYT of 20 years ago.
posted by hippybear at 2:30 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
The opening animation seemed in the style of the original Arch Bible Stories which I bet Glover has seen.
I love watching Donald Glover dance. It's mesmerizing, creative, and beautiful, but it's seated in a graceful, almost fierce awkwardness that betrays his Jehovah's Witness influenced childhood.
I want my transistor radio back. They seem so much more joyous than this shitty phone.
There has never been anything as magnificent and powerful as a blue Kofi in mourning, telling Red, We got our day.
I like this movie. It was beautiful, magical, sad, and powerful. I'd def recommend.
posted by Stanczyk at 3:17 PM on April 13, 2019 [5 favorites]
I love watching Donald Glover dance. It's mesmerizing, creative, and beautiful, but it's seated in a graceful, almost fierce awkwardness that betrays his Jehovah's Witness influenced childhood.
I want my transistor radio back. They seem so much more joyous than this shitty phone.
There has never been anything as magnificent and powerful as a blue Kofi in mourning, telling Red, We got our day.
I like this movie. It was beautiful, magical, sad, and powerful. I'd def recommend.
posted by Stanczyk at 3:17 PM on April 13, 2019 [5 favorites]
I really enjoyed this but no Rihanna singing was a shame!
posted by ellieBOA at 5:18 AM on April 14, 2019
posted by ellieBOA at 5:18 AM on April 14, 2019
i definitely spent an hour in anticipation waiting for Rihanna to sing
posted by Gymnopedist at 8:34 PM on April 14, 2019
posted by Gymnopedist at 8:34 PM on April 14, 2019
i definitely spent an hour in anticipation waiting for Rihanna to sing
This was the Donald Glover show, featuring Donald Glover.
And Rihanna.
It felt like an extended music video, and that's not a bad thing. It was enjoyable, but a waste of Rihanna. And just about everyone else, too.
posted by filthy light thief at 5:34 PM on April 16, 2019
This was the Donald Glover show, featuring Donald Glover.
And Rihanna.
It felt like an extended music video, and that's not a bad thing. It was enjoyable, but a waste of Rihanna. And just about everyone else, too.
posted by filthy light thief at 5:34 PM on April 16, 2019
I finally watched this and, meh, it was sort of OK? I reflexively want to like anything Donald Glover does, he's amazingly talented. But this thing comes off kind of strange. It's sort of an extended music video but not completely dedicated to the idea the way Beyonce's masterpieces are. It's sort of a fun story about industry exploiting labor and a sweet clown man resisting it, but it's not a very strong version of that story. And it's sort of a video with Rihanna starring in it except she doesn't really do anything.
The filmmaking is lovely though and a great use of Cuba as a shooting location. And some of the musical pieces are pretty good.
posted by Nelson at 7:12 AM on April 26, 2019
The filmmaking is lovely though and a great use of Cuba as a shooting location. And some of the musical pieces are pretty good.
posted by Nelson at 7:12 AM on April 26, 2019
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Reviews are positive: New York Times, Variety. Sounds like another hard-to-pin-down Glover production. I'm all in for that, the man is phenomenally talented.
posted by Nelson at 2:00 PM on April 13, 2019 [3 favorites]