Professor Adrian Bejan presents an argument based on the physics of neural signal processing. He hypothesizes that, over time, the rate at which we process visual information slows down, making time ‘speed up’ as we age.
As he puts it: “People are often amazed at how much they remember from days that seemed to last forever in their youth. It’s not that their experiences were much deeper or more meaningful, it’s just that they were being processed in rapid fire.”
The events of 2023 were enough to age anyone. From strikes to Barbenheimer, news flashed before our eyes. Images. Stories. Events. The Reel 360 News team covered as much as we could process.
So take that, Professor Bejan!
As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s evident that this year has been nothing short of eventful, starting with the entertainment industry pumping the brakes on work for almost six months. The battle over fair wages, AI, and streaming residuals brought Hollywood, New York, Atlanta and Chicago to a standstill, impacting film and television productions across the board. Negotiations were tense, and the outcome of the strike sent ripples throughout the entertainment landscape, sparking discussions on the future of labor relations in the digital age.
However, the work stoppage did not prevent the movie event and term known as “Barbenheimer” from becoming a cultural event as audiences flocked to see Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
2023 also saw us mourn the death of many. But did anyone touch us more than when the “Conscience of Hollywood” producer and writer Norman Lear passed away? We also lost a good “friend” in Matthew Perry.
Despite the ongoing dominance of superhero franchises, 2023 saw a notable downturn in the fortunes of some major comic book adaptations. The Flash, The Marvels, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Blue Beetle and now, Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom all underperformed at the box office, sparking discussions about the potential fatigue audiences may be experiencing with the genre.
Or were they just sub-par movies?
2023 also saw heartwarming surprises emerge from advertising. A Capital One campaign featured John Travolta recreating his iconic opening from Saturday Night Fever as the coolest Santa Claus to ever hit the screen and streets of Brooklyn. And a Progressive commercial provided a nostalgic trip down memory lane for fans of the ’90s hip-hop duo, Kid ‘n Play.
Challenges, shifts, and changes affected advertising, film, TV and more. Here are the “Biggest Stories of the Year” that the Reel 360 News Team processed with the neurons still firing in our brains.
REEL 360 News top 22 stories for 2023
23. The Bear Chef Matty Matheson shops with Raekwon The Chef and Tiny Chef for DoorDash
In February, DoorDash capitalized the FX hit TV series The Bear with the launch of a new campaign, “We Get Groceries.”
The 30-second spot featured celebrity chef Matty Matheson of Hulu’s hit series The Bear, Raekwon The Chef of legendary rap group The Wu-Tang Clan, and Nickelodeon’s stop-motion-animated Tiny Chef, as they show Dashers all the tips and tricks for selecting the freshest groceries.
22. Kardashians “cuff it” in 3-minute music video
Kicking off the series premiere of their eponymous Hulu show for season 3, America’s busiest and most famous family surprised viewers by creating a dazzling, disco-infused music video to Beyoncé’s chart-topping track Cuff It for its episode 1 debut opening intro.
Donning sparkles, sequins, and their signature megawatt smiles, The Kardashian and Jenner ladies enlisted SixTwentySix director Arrad to shoot them in a roller skating rink that included all 6 of the successful sisters and their matriarch: Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kylie, Kendall, and Kris.
21. Paul Russell’s Lil Boo Thang has become a big thing
During the summer a new star rose in the music world. Paul Russell, a 25-year-old singer, rapper, and songwriter, captivated TikTok users with his infectious pop hip-hop track, Lil Boo Thang.
The song, which cleverly samples the instrumental from The Emotions’ Best of My Love, became one of TikTok’s unofficial anthems of the summer, making waves with over 50,000 user-generated posts and millions of views.
Russell has since signed a record deal with Arista Records, a prominent subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, marking his official debut under the label. He also just performed his song during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
20. NBC’s Linda Yaccarino joins Twitter as CEO
Just hours after she resigned as the head of ad sales from NBCUniversal, Elon Musk announced that Linda Yaccarino would become Twitter’s next CEO. Musk said Yaccarino “will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology.”
Since her hiring Yaccarino has been fairly quiet amidst all of the Musk controversies.
In April, celebrated CNN host Don Lemon says he has been fired by CNN.
In February, Lemon drew criticism when in a conversation about presidential candidate Nikki Haley, he called her too old and past her prime. He took several days off the show before apologizing and agreeing to participate in formal training.
In a lengthy report published by Variety, Lemon was accused of misogyny, continually making offensive comments about women on air in the past. The report claimed his behavior toward female colleagues at the network was inappropriate.
18. Ari Weiss leaves DDB to launch indie agency
November saw Ari Weiss, the Global Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at DDB bid farewell to the agency after an impactful seven-year stint. Weiss is set to venture into the world of entrepreneurship with the launch of his independent agency, slated to debut in January.
Having initially joined DDB as North America CCO in 2017, Weiss swiftly climbed the ranks, earning the global CCO position in mid-2019. His departure follows closely on the heels of Rodrigo Jatene, DDB Chicago’s CCO, who recently announced his move to Wieden+Kennedy as CCO for Latin America.
17. Dave Filoni named CCO of Lucasfilm
The force was prominent in November. Dave Filoni, a longtime force within the Star Wars franchise, was appointed as the Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm.
Filoni, renowned for his work on Star Wars projects’ The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian and Ashoka over the last two decades, now takes on a more central role in the early development stages of Star Wars endeavors, collaborating closely with Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and Head of Development Carrie Beck.
16. Erin Riley promoted to CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day
There were lots of shifts in advertising in November. TBWA announced the promotion of President Erin Riley to the position of CEO for TBWA\Chiat\Day United States.
Riley took charge of overseeing the creative endeavors in Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York, with a primary focus on driving the continued growth of the agency in the U.S.
15. Former Moody Blues, Wings musician Denny Laine passes at 79
Accomplished musician, Denny Laine, known for his significant roles in rock bands, The Moody Blues and Wings co-founder, passed away at the age of 79. Laine’s wife, Elizabeth Hines, who was by his side during his final moments, shared the sad news on Instagram, revealing that he peacefully departed early this morning.
14. Matthew Perry, Friends and Odd Couple star, dies at 54
Matthew Perry, known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing in the beloved sitcom Friends, has passed away at the age of 54. The news was confirmed by Capt. Scott Williams of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide division. While the exact cause of death was not immediately determined, there were no indications of foul play.
The actor was discovered unconscious at his home around 4 p.m. No drugs were found at the scene and no foul play is suspected, they said. But it is thought that the actor, after playing two hours of Pickleball, may have had a cardiac event in his jacuzzi.
13. WPP merges Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R
In October, WPP announced a significant development in its services by merging two of its prominent agencies, Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R. The newly formed entity will be known as VML and is set to become the world’s largest creative agency.
This strategic merger combines the strengths and expertise of two highly awarded creative agencies, known for their excellence in commerce, customer experience, and marketing technology.
It wouldn’t be a year without a David Zaslav story. Of course, we could have confined him to the strikes, but there was this – Warner Bros. Discovery rebranded the streaming service as Max in April.
The launch came a year after WarnerMedia and Discovery completed its $43 billion merger, with the combined company led by CEO David Zaslav. Part of his plan was to create a streaming service that can compete with Netflix and Disney+.
This meant combining HBO’s celebrated scripted programming such as House of the Dragon with Discovery’s profitable reality content like Moonshiners.
11. TV legend Norman Lear passes away at 101
Earlier this month, Norman Lear, the iconic writer, producer, and activist known for revolutionizing television with groundbreaking sitcoms such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude, Good Times, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and The Jeffersons, passed away at the age of 101.
Lear, who died at his home in Los Angeles, left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry and American culture.
REELated:
10. It’s Santa Night Fever as John Travolta stars in Capital One spot
Hollywood legend John Travolta stepped back into the shoes of his iconic character, Tony Manero, from the classic film Saturday Night Fever. This time, Tony Manero gets a festive makeover as Santa Claus, grooving to the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive and spreading yuletide cheer with a dash of disco flair in a 60-second.
Directed by Bryan Buckley of Hungry Man and crafted by agency GSD&M, this minute-long ad captured the essence of the season with a touch of disco flair.
9. Progressive Insurance rolls with Kid ‘n Play for new Replay spot
Progressive Insurance’s “Replay” campaign takes a trip down memory lane by featuring Kid ‘n Play, the iconic 90s hip-hop duo, in its latest commercial titled “Watch Party.”
Starring Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin, the commercial, created by VMLY&R, brings the duo together for a football watch party, injecting humor and nostalgia into the scene. The plot revolves around a misunderstanding between the two friends, leading to the need for a Replay challenge flag.
8. Marvel, Creed III star Jonathan Majors found guilty
Jonathan Majors, known for his roles in Marvel productions like Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, was found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and guilty of harassment by a New York jury.
The six-person jury deliberated for over four hours across three days before reaching the verdict. Majors was found not guilty of intentional assault in the third degree and not guilty of aggravated harassment in the second degree. The sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2024.
7. Everything is Everywhere at 2023 Academy Awards
Everything Everywhere All at Once took home seven Oscars in total; also for Best Directing, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. Meanwhile, All Quiet on the Western Front won Best International Feature Film for Germany among four total wins.
Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the multiversal heroes from Everything Everywhere All at Once — the year’s most nominated film — gathered together at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood with Na’vi aliens, estranged Irish mates, First World War soldiers, a new class of Top Gun graduates, Lydia Tár and the King of Rock and Roll, and more for the 95th Oscars.
6. “Barbenheimer” keeps the Box Office sizzling
“Barbenheimer” smashed box office records all summer! In their second weekend, the dynamic duo of Barbie and Oppenheimer continued their relentless domination, leaving a trail of jaw-dropping numbers in their wake.
Last week’s combined gross of $244.5 million catapulted the total earnings for all films to a staggering $311.3 million, making it the fourth-highest-grossing weekend in North America.
The two movies secured an impressive $139.2 million, soaring their ten-day domestic total to an awe-inspiring $525.5 million. Hollywood’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes seem to have taken a backseat, as the studios are reveling in their bountiful profits.
5 – 1. The WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strikes
No this is not a cop out. During the two strikes, Reel 360 News wrote over one hundred news stories covering the intense history-making work stoppages. Our coverage delved into the core concerns of the writers and actors, emphasizing their push for fair wages in an industry that has seen significant shifts with the rise of streaming platforms as well as AI. It was tense, at times frustrating, but the two guilds finally settled. After four years of firing agents, pandemics and strikes, hopefully, 2024 will be somewhat normal.
There are so many other stories we could have listed but for us, these were the tales that held the most impact for ourselves and our readers. That sums up the best of our 2023. See you on the flip side.
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on Twitter at @colinthewriter1
Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram
