After being away from the stage for over a year, Arlo Parks has revealed plans for three exclusive live performances this month, titled “Sonic Exploration.” The artist, who released her second album ‘My Soft Machine’ in May 2023, will take the stage for a series of intimate shows in London, New York, and Los Angeles to showcase new material. “London, New York and LA - I can’t wait to share what I’ve been creating in the studio…” she expressed on her Instagram regarding the performances. The announcement of her upcoming shows - with tickets available through her mailing list starting today (Wednesday, November 12th) at 5pm GMT / 12pm EST / 9am PST - follows her recent release of a new song titled ‘New Desire’ on YouTube. “I’ve been in the studio working on new music, and this little idea emerged from a late-night session with @baird. D sent me a voice note in May that made me feel like a teenager again - filled with new magic. I wanted to put my heart on the line and write it as it FELT,” she mentioned in the video's description. Check out her upcoming live dates and listen to ‘New Desire’ below. NOVEMBER 2025 28 The Bath House, London DECEMBER 2025 02 Silo, New York 05 Melt, Los Angeles

      In his debut feature, Arco, Ugo Bienvenu presents a distinct and thought-provoking take on the solarpunk genre. He offers a vision of the sustainable utopia typical of this genre: clean air, vibrant gardens, flourishing wildlife, and cities nestled among the clouds (imagine Jack and Victoria’s home in Oblivion, but with much more greenery). However, instead of contrasting this ideal with our current society, Bienvenu shifts the reference point back by 50 years to a world struggling to cope with rampant wildfires and devastating storms, lamenting its inaction in critical times. This subtle yet impactful shift in perspective lends a sobering layer of urgency to the playful adventure at the film's core.

      The story begins in the distant future, where humans have not only embraced sustainable living but have also developed the ability to fly (both through time and space) by harnessing the energy of rainbows. Ten-year-old Arco (voiced by Juliano Valdi) yearns to participate in the excitement to see dinosaurs, but he is too young to fly. Undeterred, he swipes his sister’s cape and a special flying crystal, leaping into the clouds. Following a trippy time-warp sequence reminiscent of 2001, where his body is transformed into a psychedelic tadpole-like figure, he zooms through the clouds and crash-lands in a forest. There, he meets a young girl named Iris (Romy Fay), who tells him that although he has traveled back in time, he hasn't returned as far as he wished. The year is 2075.

      In contrast to Arco’s ideal world, the year 2075 is lacking in many ways. There are numerous green spaces and advanced vehicles, and humanity seems to have integrated sentient robots into daily life (serving as construction workers, nannies, and emergency responders) without self-destruction. Yet communities appear entirely vulnerable to the elements, with extreme weather being viewed as an uninvited but unavoidable consequence of a changed climate. Additionally, limitations on the number of identical items one can purchase at the grocery store imply minimal progress in sustainable food practices. It’s a sadly familiar society characterized by blissful, often intentional ignorance, and it’s not moving toward a promising future, as Arco realizes.

      Against this tumultuous backdrop, Iris and Arco embark on a quest to find the special crystal Arco lost during his crash, which is his only way to return home. What ensues is a classic underworld adventure, filled with the quirky characters typical of the genre. Prominent among them is the supportive companion, represented by Iris’ loyal nanny bot, Mikki (voiced by Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo in an uncanny vocal blend), and the charmingly affable antagonists, brothers Dougie (Will Ferrell), Stewie (Andy Samberg), and Frankie (Flea), who are obsessed with tracking down the legendary rainbow people. Their bumbling antics serve as a perfect counterpoint to the developing bond between Iris and Arco.

      The parallels between Arco and E.T. are extensive, extending beyond mere plot similarities. A recurring theme in Spielberg's works—the notion of a broken family finding completeness again—has a clear representation here: Arco seeks to reunite with his parents, who are lost in the future, while Iris hopes to reconnect with her parents, who both work in the city and only see her on weekends (though they kindly appear as holograms during dinner). Towards the film's conclusion, this Spielbergian comparison begins to shift, as Bienvenu’s exploration of the theme transforms from the personal to the political, with the repair of the nuclear family portrayed as a facet of humanity's broader reconciliation with nature.

      This pursuit for harmonious coexistence is echoed in Arco's meticulous sound mixing, which combines the warm strings from Arnaud Toulon's score with the natural sounds of birds and rustling leaves. Bienvenu’s cinematic techniques are equally thoughtful. A frontal shot of Iris and Arco on a bench morphs into a lively tableau as Iris turns her head, revealing Dougie, Stewie, and Frankie in the background, eavesdropping on their conversation. This creates a captivating layering of both imagery and atmospheres—hope in the foreground and disaster lurking in the background. It evokes what Bertrand Bonello referred to as the “limbo state” in his film Coma (co-produced by Bienvenu): the sensation many young people face of being caught between optimism and despair—recognizing the world’s issues yet feeling powerless, though still clinging to hope.

      Arco will have one-week qualifying runs in New York and Los Angeles starting Friday, November 14, and is set to open in January 2026.