Forgive us the shameless try and hyperlink the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the pleasant Moo Deng. However, hear us out — there’s one thing the 2 have in frequent because the 12 months attracts to a detailed. Escapism. Whether or not we discovered it on the yellow brick street, or in movies from a Thailand zoo, or maybe in unlikely Olympic heroes, we gravitated towards fantasy and feel-good popular culture moments this 12 months.
There have been new tendencies, as all the time. “Brat summer” turned a factor, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable purpose, we turned obsessive about movie star lookalike contests.
There have been breakups — Bennifer is, once more, a factor of the previous — and reunions: Oasis, please attempt to keep collectively for the tour. And a few issues stayed, remarkably, the identical: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé stored on breaking information and making historical past.
So, after a 12 months the place a lot modified however some issues held regular, right here’s our annual, very selective journey down popular culture reminiscence lane:
January
It begins as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” determine: “ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The solutions trace at one thing deeper and extra worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing a lot better is the viral phenomenon known as “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut on the GOLDEN GLOBES. However maybe the most poignant second comes from neither movie: LILY GLADSTONE, first Indigenous winner of greatest actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks within the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation.
February
Valentine’s Day — an ideal time to settle right into a candy love saga through TikTok. Solely that’s not fairly what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA’s miserable, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a person who lied about completely all the pieces. In the meantime, in the event you’re searching for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance, do that: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (changing into the primary artist to win album of the 12 months 4 instances AND asserting a brand new album), then heads to Tokyo for 4 tour dates, then jets again simply in time for the Tremendous Bowl in Las Vegas — the place she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the sector of victory.
March
“What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE. And what was KEN made for? Not solely clear — nevertheless it’s clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong model of “I’m Just Ken” is among the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Nonetheless, Christopher Nolan’s “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a uncommon case of the highest prize going to a blockbuster studio movie. Will it occur once more in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE certain hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Talking of selling, individuals are obsessive about that weird “DUNE” popcorn bucket. And BEYONCÉ carves her area in nation music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which is able to make her the primary Black lady to high the Billboard nation chart.
April
Tennis, anybody? The sport’s been round for hundreds of years, nevertheless it’s having a cultural second proper now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O’CONNOR (40-love? Extra like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a brand new period dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT,” then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,”the story of a struggling comic’s prolonged encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix.
Could
It’s MET GALA time — or because it’s identified in 2024, one other early advertising second for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make vogue waves on the carpet after which musical ones at dinner, with a soulful efficiency of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full power, one other one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer season tour amid experiences of each poor ticket gross sales and hassle in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK. It’s been an eventful 12 months for J.Lo, who’s launched an album and film known as “THIS IS ME … NOW” — each reflections on her renewed love with Affleck.
June
Welcome to BRAT SUMMER! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album, with its lime inexperienced cowl, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its phrase of the 12 months, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” On the celeb-heavy SWIFT reveals in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is both charming or cringe, you determine. Even higher: KELCE dons a high hat and tux and performs for one night time. At one other stadium throughout the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the group together with his cheery quantity “OMG.”
July
Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony alongside the Seine is punctuated by a wonderful CELINE DION, perched on the EIFFEL TOWER, singing her coronary heart out — within the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics really feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it doesn’t). Olympic stars are born — together with French swimming celebrity LEON MARCHAND, rugby participant ILONA MAHER, and bespectacled “pommel horse guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK, who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Additionally capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG, born this month. Her title means “bouncy pork.”
August
That is them … now: BENNIFER is not any extra. After twenty years, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo information for divorce. One union dissolves, one other returns: OASIS proclaims a reunion tour. Will they be “DEMURE, MINDFUL”? Everybody appears to need to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON’S act — even the WHITE HOUSE press group. Again on the Olympics, within the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN, arguably neither demure nor conscious along with her “kangaroo” transfer. Cute animal alert: It’s DECOY OHTANI’s Main League debut! SHOHEI OHTANI’s perky pooch does a fantastic “first pitch.”
September
One of many 12 months’s largest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN, withdraws from a music pageant after talking out about horrifying fan interactions. And extra on the worth of fame: In an excruciating second, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN, the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is compelled to take a seat by way of a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the cellphone. Tran is holding busy although — she’s introduced as a part of the brand new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Additionally on the record: rugby participant Maher, and Pommel Horse Man! Additionally, ANNA SOROKIN, dancing with an ankle monitor.On-line fandom, in the meantime, is shaken when X is quickly suspended in Brazil and movie star stan accounts publish tearful farewells, revealing to many throughout the globe that their favourite accounts are run by Brazilians.
October
“Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! 1000’s collect in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and issues actually get fascinating when Chalamet himself reveals up. He doesn’t enter the competition, although, and together with his mustache, he could not even have gained. The pattern continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK, and — in a really Washington model — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG, who’s been gathering a following with some fascinating social media posts. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT, the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot.
November
MAYA RUDOLPH does a fairly good KAMALA HARRIS snigger on “Saturday Night Live,” however who does it higher? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a shock cameo three days earlier than the U.S. presidential election, following within the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON, SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in tv, Bravo proclaims that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated actuality present that has lived by way of numerous scandals, is solely recasting its twelfth season — aside from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP. As for MOO DENG, she does not have her personal TV collection but, however our favourite pygmy hippo is producing loads of merch. And THAT brings us again to ….
December
“WICKED”! Director JON M. CHU’S emerald-hued fantasy stays very highly regarded, to cite certainly one of its buzzy present tunes, dancing by way of life and defying gravity on the multiplex. Moviegoers additionally come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney’s “MOANA 2,” which beckons us again to the seas of Oceania.
As soon as once more, 2024 appears to be telling us: Give folks some whimsy, a spot to flee, possibly some catchy tunes — and nobody is aware of how far they’ll go.
