media update: November

I finally got a library card in my new city!  I hadn't been to a library in almost two years (thanks, covid!) so it was exciting.  I've been sustained by ebooks and my Book of the Month subscription, but I sure missed libraries.  Plus they actually have a pretty decent manga section!  It's certainly not as good as Los Angeles County's selection, which isn't surprising considering LA County alone has 8 million more people than the entire state of New Mexico*, but it's better than I was expecting.

* Yes, I looked this up.

Asterisks denote something I particularly enjoyed or found especially worthy of my time; double asterisks are reserved for the creme de la creme. As always, your mileage may vary.

FICTION

1. Win Me Something* by Kyle Lucia Wu:  After Willa takes a job as a nanny for a rich family, she grapples with her need to belong.  Wistful and lovely.

2. The Collective by Alison Gaylin:  After her daughter is raped and left to freeze to death, Camille discovers an online group of women who have lost children to violence or negligence, and they vow to help each other get revenge.  (Content warning:  sexual assault and anti-trans violence)

2021 total so far:  45

NONFICTION

1. My Body by Emily Ratajkowski:  A series of essays by the model-actress about how her looks have been both a blessing and a curse, which sounds vomit-inducing but, from a feminist perspective, is actually quite interesting.  (Content warning:  sexual assault)

2. Somebody's Daughter* by Ashley C. Ford:  The author's father had been in prison for as long as she could remember, but nobody would tell her why.  When she got older, she finally learned the truth behind his incarceration.  (Content warning:  sexual assault, domestic violence, and animal cruelty)

2021 total so far:  14

MANGA/GRAPHIC NOVELS

1. Dekoboko Sugar Days* by Atsuko Yutsen

2. The Hard Tomorrow by Eleanor Davis

3. Today's Menu for the Emiya Family vols. 1-2 by Taa and Type-Moon

4. I Think Our Son Is Gay by Okura

5. Downfall* by Inio Asano  (Content warning:  sexual assault)

6. Our Dining Table by Mita Ori

7. I Never Promised You A Rose Garden by Mannie Murphy

2021 total so far:  20

MOVIES

1. Batman:  The Long Halloween Part One:  Batman tries to track down a killer who always strikes on holidays.  Nice animation, and I was thrilled to hear Troy Baker as the Joker, but it really didn't need to be two separate movies.

2. Batman: The Long Halloween Part Two:  See above.

3. Dune:  I never read the books, so I don't know how well I can describe this movie as it was a bit complex.  I found myself spacing out a lot (possibly not the movie's fault as I watched it during a period of major insomnia), but it was beautiful to look at.

4. The Sparks Brothers*:  Sparks (led by brothers Ron and Russ Mael) is a band known for witty lyrics and unusual composition.  They've been big overseas for a long time, but are probably best known in the US for their eighties hit "Cool Places".  I've been a huge fan of theirs since randomly picking up their greatest hits CD in college (this blog is named after one of their songs!), so I was excited to see this.  Not only is it packed with interviews and concert footage, but thanks to director Edgar Wright, it's also visually interesting.  If you're a Sparks fan, you'll eat this up like candy; if not, it just might change your mind.

5. Don't Breathe 2:  I can't review this without spoiling key elements from the first one.  Some decently tense moments.

6. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings*:  Unassuming valet Shaun discovers that his father is in possession of the mystical Ten Rings, which grant him incredible powers.  Much better than the trailer led me to believe; some funny lines and a great action sequence on a bus.

7. Red Notice*:  An FBI agent (Dwayne Johnson) reluctantly teams up with an art thief (Ryan Reynolds) to catch another art thief (Gal Gadot) in this entertaining caper.

8. The Unholy:  A disgraced reporter (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) happens upon a religious miracle in a small town that turns out to be something, well, unholy.  Neither scary nor good; I have a weakness for bad horror movies, but this just outright sucked.  I will give it credit for decently creepy character design.

9. Love and Monsters*:  Seven years after mutated creatures take over the world, Joel Dawson (Dylan O'Brien) sets out on a journey to find his lost love.  Lots of fun.

10. Free Guy:  Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a mild-mannered bank teller who discovers that he's actually an NPC in an MMO.  If those acronyms don't mean anything to you, you're probably not the audience for this movie.

11. Zola:  Based on the viral Twitter thread, this movie follows Zola as she heads to Florida with a new acquaintance to make fast cash stripping.  Unfortunately, the trip doesn't go as planned.

2021 total so far:  60