It’s brutal out there, and that’s why, more than ever, we needed the consoling and prodding pleasures of popular music to help everything make sense in here. [Stage direction: taps chest, knowingly.] ...

The cameras are rolling from the first moments of CIX’s movie-themed love song “Cinema”—quite literally, as a voice announces, “ready” and “action!” Bright synth notes kick in as the five-member group ...