January felt like it lasted ten years, but the month is finally over! The first week of February 2018 brings us a horror movie starring Helen Mirren, the premiere of 2 Dope Queens on HBO, and Zadie Smith’s first essay collection in eight years. As a reminder, we haven’t watched, listened to, or read everything ourselves — we’ll include a link to a review if we have one, or note if it’s covered in print.
MOVIES
Helen Mirren stars as the widow of a gun manufacturer who is convinced she is haunted by ghosts of those killed by her husband’s firearms in this supernatural horror movie directed by Michael and Peter Spierig. Out Friday, February 2.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
This movie tells the story of Wonder Woman’s creator Dr. William Moulton Marston, who was inspired to create the iconic superhero by his wife and his girlfriend — all three of them were in a kinky, polyamorous relationship. Out on digital and DVD now. Read our interview with director Angela Robinson here.
TV
Comedians Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson bring their hilarious podcast 2 Dope Queens to TV with the first of four hour-long specials. Premieres Friday, February 2 on HBO. See our interview with the duo in the latest February/March 2018 issue and listen to Phoebe Robinson on BUST’s podcast Poptarts out on Friday, February 2.
Rose McGowan’s new docuseries shows McGowan’s part in the #MeToo movement and her fight against Harvey Weinstein, who she says raped her in 1997. Out on E! now.
MUSIC
Synth pop singer Emmy Wildwood released a new single ,“Down Down,” off her upcoming sophomore album All My Blood. She says the song “interprets a downward spiral of addiction and self sabotage as coping mechanisms and the inevitable destruction that ensues when we live in denial of our demons.” Out now.
Beth Ditto recently released a cover of the 1960s R&B hit “I’m Alive” by Tommy James, as a sort of musical fuck you to Trump. “Being alive is so radical right now! So let’s live!” Ditto says. Out now.
Nashville singer Sophie Allison, aka Soccer Mommy, dropped a new single, “Cool,” and kicks off a tour with Phoebe Bridgers this week. Out now.
BOOKS
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith’s second-ever essay collection features some of her best essays, profiles, criticism, and speeches from the past eight years, on subjects that are “wide-ranging and sometimes delightfully weird,” writes BUST. Out Tuesday, February 6. See the review in our February/March 2018 issue.
Brave by Rose McGowan
Released to coincide with her new E! series, Rose McGowan’s deeply personal memoir details her abuse by Harvey Weinstein, Robert Rodriguez, and others, as well as her decision to come forward and fight back. Out now.
The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard
This new novel by Janet Beard follows a young woman who moves to Oak Ridge, Tennessee — known as “Atomic City” — in 1944 and work on the Manhattan Project, which, though she doesn’t know it, leads to the development of the atomic bomb. Out Tuesday, February 6.
top photo: 2 Dope Queens/HBO
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