It’s that time! For my sporadic, inconsistent entertainment post. Here’s all the stuff that I finished recently.
Books (audio and physical)
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman. I mentioned this in the Add It To My List but I do recommend it.
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life – Samantha Irby. She’s a funny blogger and has funny things to say and also some real life shit going on but I loved the book.
Mrs. Fletcher – Tom Perrotta. I can not recommend this to you if you’ve never read a Tom Perrotta book. So Tom Perrotta is probably known most (well, currently) for The Leftovers. He wrote the book that begat the HBO Series that I couldn’t watch because it was too dark. But he also did Election and Little Children and I love the movies (and read Little Children). He takes you to the dark side of suburbia and that’s what Mrs. Fletcher is. A divorced mom sends her only child off to college and becomes addicted to internet porn while trying to figure out what to do with herself. The son is trying to navigate his way through college and what it means to shed your high school identity. It’s no The Leftovers (nothing is) but it was a quick read.
The Woman in Cabin 10 – Ruth Wade. I hated this one more than I hated The Girl on the Train. Mostly just terrible main characters that make stupid terrible decisions and end up in danger and should be killed.
What Happened – Hilary Clinton. It is dry because it is politics. And it is infuriating because each day in Tr*mp’s America is dumber than the day before. But I am glad I listened to it.
Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng. I suggested this on the last Add It To My List and stick by my recommendation.
Difficult Women – Roxane Gay. I bought this eBook like when it first came out but one day I was stuck somewhere without the book I was currently reading and thought I could just read one of the short stories to pass the time and I haven’t picked back up the book I was reading. There aren’t enough content warnings to give to the book so if you are easily triggered by trauma from basically anything that women face being women in the world, skip this one. It is heavy. HEAVY. And some stories, most stories, don’t always end in a satisfying way. But Roxane is just such a great writer I couldn’t stop reading it. I know some reflects trauma in her own life, and after listening to her speak a few months ago, I know she just has a fascination with twins. It reminded me a lot of A Manual for Cleaning Women.
Movies
Landline (2017)
It’s on Amazon Prime now because it’s an Amazon Studios movie. It was a cute movie about two sisters growing up in New York in the 90s so there’s lots of pagers and payphones and reference to 90s music. It’s quirky but probably just catch it on Amazon Prime. I was also very sad it wasn’t a film adaptation of the Rainbow Rowell book.
The Big Sick (2017)
Kumail Nanjiani took his real life and made it an indie romcom (which means very few LOLs and lots of feels) where he hid his relationship with a regular ol white girl from his Pakastani parents. Things get tough when Emily gets sick and he has to deal with her parents. It’s delightful. DELIGHTFUL. Watch it now.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Literally everyone told me to love this movie and while The Greater of All Chrises™ (Pine) is in it, I was not overwhelmed. Because Marvel.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
This movie elevated Hemsworth in the official Chris rankings but also was a really really good piece of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I didn’t bother with Thor 2 but from what I hear it was meh. This isn’t as fun as Guardians of the Galaxy 1 but I am now very, very, amped for Infinity Wars. Cate Blanchett is the best villain and Tessa Thompson is everything as Valkyrie. If none of these words mean anything to you, you need to start from Iron Man 1 and catch up. You have until Black Panther comes out in February.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
If you can handle the over the topness of the first Kingsman, then watch the second. If you can not, do not attempt.
Home Again (2017)
Resse Witherspoon plays a recently separated mom who moves her kids to her childhood home in LA and befriends a friend group of up and coming actors. It was cute enough to where I will watch it in a Hallmark or E! RomCom marathon but typing about it right now, I literally remember nothing from it.
Coco (2017)
OMG Yes go see it. And they’re taking out the Frozen “short” because it was a limited run.
TV
I spent a lot of time binge watching adult themed cartoons.
Bobs Burgers – S1 -S3 (via Hulu)
I’ve been a casual Bob’s watcher. Very casual. Because H. Jon Benjamin’s voice belongs to 1) Coach McGuirk and then 2) Sterling Archer. Bob’s is fantastic and hilarious.
Rick & Morty – S1 – S3 (S1-2 on Hulu, S3 just ended on Adult Swim)
Dan Harmon created Community. I knew he co-created Rick and Morty but I never watched it because the internet fandom is terrible (as is always). Rick and Morty is great but I’m not obsessed. Rick is the smartest human in the universe and also a terrible drunk and has no morals because he can time travel and knows there are infinite realities. Morty is his grandson that is stuck going on adventures with him.
Big Mouth – S1 (Netflix)
Big Mouth is a Netflix show about going through puberty. But like, how it actually happens. Like the kids have hormone monsters and stuff. It’s funny but again so innappropriate and if you don’t laugh within the first few seconds you’ll probably just hate the whole thing so I’d say give half an episode a go to see if it’s for you.
Also, Maya Rudolph is a national treasure.
In non animated shows…
I binged Curb Your Enthusiasm again to prep for the new season. I got through 5 seasons like a boss.
Insecure – S2
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than S1 and I liked S1 but S2 was just better. Better story and the characters were better developed and I really hope the show found its groove and I’m ready for S3!
Others
I listened to the Dirty John podcast and it was good but I’m glad it was only 6 episodes because I was like “whew white people crazy, girl”.
N*E*R*D is back and released a new song with Rihanna but it turns out Chad and Shay didn’t have anything to do with the song, it’s just Pharell and Rihanna. But it’s okay because Rih. Goes. Off. Jamma.
(absolutely not even remotely safe for work)
And for the past 3 weeks I’ve only been listening to the “new” (to me) Unknown Mortal Orchestra album Multi-Love. It’s more of the same from their other album, II that I instantly fell in love with.
I plan to get in some good binge watching over Christmas Break so I will take suggestions but will probably also watch shows I’ve already seen 30 times, so don’t be offended. Addy offered to take me on a pity date to see The Last Jedi (she was sad I said I was going alone), and I’m on the fence about seeing Lady Bird and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (yes that’s a movie).
Bob’s Burgers is hilarious.
Loved Little Fires and Eleanor Oliphant. I’m a big fan of Roxanne Gay.