MOVIES/TELEVISION & MISC MEDIA
ARCANE
It used to take a lot for me to start an animated series. It's not that I didn't think there were good stories; I just tended to favor live-action media over cartoons. That changed after I binged She-Ra: Princesses of Power in one sitting after it's fifth and final season dropped in May 2020. I've been searching for another one ever. I dabbled with Owl House and Infinity Train, but ultimately fell off the tracks. After starting a full-time job, I've been a bit more selective about the content I consume. I wanted a story that extended beyond the 15 or 30-minute mold.
Arcane dropped on Nov. 6 to massive fan acclaim. Netflix partnered with Riot Games and Parisian animation studio Fortiche to bring to life the origins of characters featured in the League of Legends. It's art style blends hand-drawn and CGI animation.
You don't have to touch the game to understand this series. It's a prequel, standalone work meant to appeal to fans new and old. The show stars Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), two sisters caught on opposing sides of a war between the utopian city of Piltover and the squalid, suffering underground of Zaun. A 16+ rating allows it to delve into deeper thematic elements than programs geared toward younger audiences are permitted to. And it does so super early in the series. Arcane plays like an animated Dungeons & Dragons campaign, filled with magic, political intrigue, high emotions, and rife with action. And, I'm only on episode 4. Season one is available on Netflix. (Season two already in production.)
THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS
HBO really has a grasp on the 18-24 audience. Smash hit Euphoria has a chokehold on the age group, but it is a bit... dark. Genera+ion introduced a lighter series about the high school experience that unfortunately didn't get the chance to grow beyond one season.
The Sex Lives of College Girls released on November 18th is trying to fill that void. And, if I'm being honest, it's refreshing to finally have a program set in college. While sexcapades aren't limited to the university age group, steamy scenes with of-age characters are a lot more comfortable to watch.
Pop musicals are a guilty pleasure of mine, so I've been a fan of Renee Rapp since her days as Regina George in Mean Girls on Broadway. I expected this show to have queer women (due to it's nature), but I'll admit... I was surprised it was Leighton.
That's on me, though! I suppose after watching The Wilds, I shouldn't discount the blonde, popular it-girls from my predictions.
MUSIC
TOP TRACKS THIS MONTH:
Dress - Taylor Swift
buzzkill - Mothica
Bechdel Test - Isabel Pless
Our Love - Curtis Harding, Jazmine Sullivan
What Could Have Been - Sting, Ray Chen
Guns for Hire - Woodkid
True Faith - Lotte Kestner
peace - Taylor Swift
Orpheus - Sara Bareilles
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows OSTs
I'm always looking for new TV/film/music/book recommendations! Have you been obsessed with anything recently? Feel free to drop some suggestions below!
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