Sundance Film Festival 2022: Five New Frontier Highlights

Projects and performances that comprise the pioneering VR, AR and immersive program

From a virtual spaceship floating high above planet Earth is where (avatars of) attendees of Sundance 2022 will once again enter New Frontier—the film festival’s pioneering program of virtual, augmented and immersive works. Until roughly a week ago, programmers, volunteers and many ticket-holders planned to be on location in Park City, Utah, where New Frontier intended to construct a “Biodigital Bridge” that allowed passersby of their physical hub …

Ronnie Spector: You’d Be Good For Me

Ronnie Spector, best known as the lead singer of quintessential ’60s girl group the Ronettes, has died at 78 years old. Born Veronica Bennett in Spanish Harlem, she formed the trio with older sister, Estelle Bennett, and their cousin, Nedra Talley, in 1957. They soon became a popular live act in NYC, but their biggest hit—”Be My Baby” (with its opening drum beats making it …

OkayPlayer’s James Mtume Playlist

Musician, producer, singer/songwriter and activist James Mtume sadly passed away this week. While many know him for his band’s 1983 hit “Juicy Fruit”—which was famously sampled in Notorious BIG’s “Juicy”—Mtume was remarkably prolific far beyond and for many decades, oftentimes behind the scenes. He was a session player with Don Cherry and Herbie Hancock, rose to prominence as part of Miles Davis’ ensemble and, in …