Film, food, fashion, music – it’s all culture… Popular Instagram account No Filler cuts through the internet noise, with weekly lists from curator Anthony Remedy and guest creatives based at home and abroad. Anthony brings you his latest list below…<\/p>\n
Blind Tests on the Electronic Beats TV YouTube channel<\/p>\n
Do you know your tunes? Like, really know them? This is one of those games I will play as I’m good at it from the get-go. On the Electronic Beats TV YouTube channel, watch well-known international DJs \u2014 everyone from Mr C to DJ Sneak to Miss Kittin \u2014 try to guess (or remember) tracks from a certain genre or era to win. 1995\u20132000 French house? Yup, I know my Motorbass from my Daft Punk. Maybe 90s Detroit techno? Or 90s US house? Okay, I can take a good stab at 2000s techno, but not so much at 2000s dubstep. This is the moment when I can be smug with a few friends about knowing that Underground Resistance or Ian Pooley track. Meanwhile, my wife shrugs, calls me a nerd, and walks out.<\/p>\n
\n
Jonathan Anderson and Matthieu Blazy<\/p>\n
Whilst some people feel luxury fashion is in the doldrums, I would argue we have entered the next golden age. Step forward Jonathan Anderson and Matthieu Blazy. I know I’ve mentioned both designers on previous No Filler lists, but now they are both firmly on the front foot in their respective roles as Creative Directors of Dior and Chanel, and we are starting to see their paths emerge. In short, it\u2019s worth another post. What I find just as interesting as the design and the shows is their approach to storytelling. For instance, JWA brought Dior to LA for their Cruise show:<\/a> a noir-inspired presentation set at LACMA, with collaborators including the great American artist Ed Ruscha, BTS photography by Lauren Greenfield, and hats by Philip Treacy. Then, a few days later, follow-up descriptions on Instagram detailing not just the who, but the why.<\/p>\n \n Compare this to Blazy, who presented his Cruise collection in Biarritz, France, where Gabrielle Chanel opened her first couture house in 1915. Blazy, as far as I can see, is much less informative about the thought process, allowing the clothes and location to do the talking. No follow-up DVD commentary here. Similar to the likes of Kendrick Lamar or David Lynch, he puts it out there and offers minimal explanation. Both designers\u2019 collections are massive hits, especially Chanel\u2019s, which recently topped the Lyst poll of the world\u2019s hottest brands. Hashtag Blazy Mania. Now, clearly, many of these objects are wildly expensive, but just because something is out of reach doesn\u2019t mean we can’t look at them. I honestly think people will, in years to come, circle back to this period when Blazy and Jonathan Anderson took over the reins at the two biggest fashion houses. Masters at work.<\/p>\n \n The Feed Is Fake \u2014 article by Lane Brown in Vulture<\/p>\n Literally as I’m writing this piece, my feed just showed me Claude Code for marketing. As per the post, in one prompt, Fastlane deploys social media content, generates viral content, and posts everything for you. Is this the end of social media as we know it? Looks that way. But maybe it was on the way out anyway, as I read this excellent piece in Vulture about virality, which is now mostly manufactured. At least we knew we were watching a manufactured band when watching X Factor. From songs to influencers to celeb drama, the piece explains in detail how it’s all part of a covert marketing plan to shift more units, streams, or whatever else can be sold. The long-form piece, which I would encourage all of you to read,<\/a> speaks to Joe Lim, who ran a company called Floodify. He estimates that 90% of what you see on the internet now is advertising in disguise. His company “floods” the internet with videos across major social media platforms, all designed to look like a person commenting or giving an opinion. Never has there been a stronger argument for not reading the comments section. The article mentions many so-called viral moments, from Sydney Sweeney\u2019s “good jeans” to Geese to Justin Bieber to Mamdani’s rise to power. Brown also goes into the ‘clipping’ technique \u2014 the preferred method of companies like Floodify and Chaotic Good (another company mentioned in the article) \u2014 used to dupe both the public and the algorithm into thinking this is what people are talking about. Arrgghh. Is anything real anymore? Well, No Filler is.<\/p>\n \n Mongoose, 78 Thomas Street, Dublin 2<\/p>\n Open just three days a week \u2014 Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday \u2014 friction is the point. Ballsy. You can’t, however, be this demanding unless the cooking is worth the hassle of dining on an off-night, and in this case, it’s a resounding yes. Keelan Higgs’ easy-breezy joint next to his Michelin-starred Variety Jones, Mongoose serves up \u00e0 la carte dining. Order whatever you want. Order everything.<\/p>\n Nicolas Cage on The Interview podcast<\/p>\n There will always be a place at my dream dinner party for David Lynch, Pamela Anderson, Diego Maradona, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nick Cage. The other invitees come and go. It’s a big table, btw! When listening to his in-depth thoughts on the art of acting, you really get the sense that, no matter what the film, Cage gives it all. Whether it\u2019s Leaving Las Vegas or Renfield, it makes no difference. Cage goes into his process on Wild at Heart, Peggy Sue Got Married (my Mam\u2019s fave), right up to his first foray into TV, the new Prime show Spider-Noir. Set in 1930s NYC, Cage plays a P.I. who just happens to be Spider-Man. You can watch the show in black and white or colour. Sign me up.<\/p>\n \n Is This Thing On? \u2014 Disney+<\/p>\n I’m a big fan of Bradley Cooper as both an actor and director, and tbh I find it jaw-dropping that he got so much scorn for the excellent Maestro. Does he care a lot? Yes. Does he wear his heart on his sleeve? I think so. Does that make him a bad director? Of course not. So, following the outstanding A Star Is Born and Maestro, this smaller but not insignificant film, starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern, has now landed on Disney+. Cooper also plays a supporting role here. The story is loosely based on comedian John Bishop, who, in the middle of breaking up with his wife, randomly walked into an open-mic comedy night in Manchester and performed stand-up to avoid paying the admission charge \u2014 and his life changed. The film swaps Manchester for NYC. Arnett is wonderful as the well-meaning guy having a quiet breakdown, but who finds something to save him from going under: comedy. A film made by grown-ups about grown-ups. I think it will be in my top ten of \u201926.<\/p>\n \n DJ Ross One \u2014 “Parties I Wish I Went To” Insta Reels<\/p>\n American hip-hop DJ Ross shares his FOMO about club nights from yesterday that he obviously didn\u2019t make. Whether it’s Keith Haring\u2019s birthday, “The Party of Life” at Paradise Garage with Madonna performing, or Area in 1985 for the opening of their Art theme, Ross shows the invite, describes the party, and highlights a specific aspect that makes it special. For instance, with the Area invite, the club itself was redecorated every six weeks. Before the Art theme redesign, the owner of Area invited some of the biggest artists in NYC \u2014 all of whom had agreed to make a piece for a pop-up club exhibition there \u2014 to dinner beforehand at Mr Chow and took a group photo on the night. Warhol, Haring, Mapplethorpe, Basquiat, Hockney, Sharp, and more\u2026 the photo ended up as the invite. Wish I was at that party. Dive in here…<\/a><\/p>\n Obsession – in cinemas now<\/p>\n Written and directed by newcomer Curry Barker, Obsession is the standout horror movie of \u201926 so far. The plot is very simple: nerdy, quiet guy Bear, who works at a music store, is into his childhood friend and work colleague Nikki. She, on the other hand, treats him as a friend and doesn\u2019t for a moment see him in a romantic way. Bear, through the magic of cinema, wishes she loves him more than anyone could ever love anyone, and his wish is granted. In hindsight, he should have wished to be the lead singer in The Strokes or Oasis or whoever. On the surface, Obsession is about getting what you want not always being that great for you, let\u2019s say. Dig a little deeper, imo, and it’s a messed-up story about how men knowingly keep screwing over women, over and over again, and continue to do so because it suits us. Obsession also has the best jump scare I\u2019ve seen in a flick since Midsommar; in fact, the film is heavily influenced by Ari Aster, both tonally and in its camerawork. The film belongs to Inde Navarrette, the actress playing Nikki, who goes harder than anyone expects \u2014 full-on bat-s**t crazy. It’s an exhilarating watch.<\/p>\n \n The jazz club revival<\/p>\n One of my predictions for \u201926 was a revival in jazz clubs \u2014 or at least a 2026 version of a jazz club. Why? For me, it was simple-ish. Essentially, jazz is the polar opposite of AI. Very hard to replicate, built on a structure that\u2019s difficult to copy, demanding serious talent to perform live, and, at its core, rebellious. The yin to the yang of overproduced music or DJs pressing sync. So I’m rather smug to read articles in the likes of the FT such as “Why Gen Z Is Packing Out Paris Jazz Clubs” or “The Live Jazz Bar Is Having a Moment Again.” Is it en route to Dublin? I think so.<\/p>\n \n Read more from No Filler here<\/a><\/p>\n