Film/TV:
Society of the Snow (La Sociedad De La Nieve), 2024: Society of the Snow is a Spanish survivalist film directed by J. A. Bayona with a running time of 2 hours and 24 minutes. It tells the miraculous true story of the Uruguayan rugby team, whose flight crashed in the Andes Mountains on a trip to Chile back in 1972. As a result, the remaining survivors must work together to fight starvation and freezing temperatures. In complete honesty, this film was incredibly difficult for me to watch due to the gruesome special effects and harrowing conditions, but it has hands down been my favorite watch of 2024 thus far. Additionally, with themes of faith and friendship, the conclusion of this story leaves viewers feeling hopeful and inspired. Not only is the cast's acting superb, but the cinematography (done by Pedro Luque) is incredibly breathtaking and mimics photographs from the actual crash to a tee. With critical acclaim, Society of the Snow even earned two very well-deserved Academy Award nominations this year for Best International Feature Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. You can now stream Society of the Snow on Netflix. I gave this film 5 out of 5 stars on Letterboxd. Check out my full profile to see what else I've been watching: https://letterboxd.com/anatress/
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, 2023: Based on the book series written by Rick Riordan, this show was released in December, almost ten years after the first film installment starring Logan Lerman and directed by Chris Columbus and Thor Freudenthal. This season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians follows the events of the first book,The Lightning Thief, which tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy (Percy) finding out he is a demigod, the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Percy and his friends must then embark on a quest to return the master lightning bolt to Zeus at Olympus in order to prevent a war between the gods. Starring Hollywood newcomers Walker Scobell, Leah Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri, this series is a very different take on the story than the original 2005 film. It's been a while since I read the book, so I can only speak about how it compares to the movie. With the final episode having premiered on January 30, my favorite parts of this show were hands-down the visual effects and score composed by Bear McCreary. Although I personally prefer the original film over the series, it was still a lot of fun to watch. My roommate and I were religious about watching each new episode as they premiered every Tuesday. If I'm being honest, the ending of the final episode was a bit anticlimactic for me, but I still enjoyed witnessing the character progression throughout each episode, with Percy eventually coming to terms with his newfound demigod identity. You can now stream all episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+.
Music:
Temperance by Addy, December 2023: Addy is a folk/alternative country singer-songwriter based in Philadelphia. I heard their music for the first time when I saw them open for Lucy Dacus at the State Theater in Ithaca, New York, back in the spring of 2022, during my last semester of college. I immediately fell in love with their mellow, feel-good tunes and continued to follow them from there. Temperance is a six-song EP that Addy released at the end of 2023. I rarely listen to an album in full, but there is something about this one that had me in a chokehold from the very first note. With themes like nostalgia and growing up, I genuinely resonated with the lyrics and stories hidden within each song. If you enjoy music like that of the band Pinegrove, I highly suggest checking out not only this EP but the rest of Addy's work.
Creators:
@okay______fine: Kylie, most commonly known as okay______fine across social media, is a jewelry collector and curator. She gained the majority of her following from TikTok by posting about her love of fine jewelry. In her voice-over style videos, where she keeps her facial identity a mystery, Kylie shares her jewelry collection and how she styles different pieces. Finding her videos inspired me to mess around with stacking and layering different pieces. She also made me rediscover my love for charms and utilizing my own collection. Overall, if you're looking for jewelry inspiration or are just a fan of the finer things in life, I'd definitely check out Kylie's profile.
Podcasts:
The Basement Yard: Hosted by childhood best friends and internet personalities Joe Santagato and Frank Alvarez, The Basement Yard is a comedic current events podcast. Although this podcast started back in 2015, I just began listening this past year. Santagato and Alvarez riff off of each other with ease and create an hour-long weekly escape from reality. They share childhood stories along with their takes on what is currently happening in the world. Just recently, the pair even did a live show at the Wellmont Theater in my home town of Montclair, New Jersey. Once they come out to LA for a show, you know I'll be there. If you're in the market for a new podcast, I'd definitely suggest checking out The Basement Yard.
The Broski Report: Recorded on an elaborate set built inside her home, host Brittany Broski deep dives into her current obsessions, from music to literature to internet lore, in this hearty podcast. Always funny, surprisingly educational, and often moving, this podcast fills a niche that I didn't know I was looking for. You will find yourself smiling and belly-laughing throughout this hour-long weekly podcast without even realizing it. If you're looking for a good laugh or just some content recommendations, The Broski Report is the place to go.
The Sit and Chat: If you were a Disney Channel kid growing up like me, The Sit and Chat is a must-listen. In this podcast, hosts Bradley Steven Perry (Good Luck Charlie) and Jake Short (A.N.T. Farm) interview fellow child stars/actors and internet personalities. They humorously discuss what it was like to be a child actor and how the industry has changed since their days at Disney. It's incredibly interesting to hear about what went on behind the scenes of some of my favorite childhood shows and how becoming famous at such a young age can affect the trajectory of one's life. I'm always looking forward to a new episode every week and love seeing how the two's friendship has blossomed as they've come into adulthood. Overall, this is a very informative podcast if you're interested in hearing what it's like to be a working actor in Hollywood post-strike. The boys of The Sit and Chat are a joy to watch, and their chemistry is undeniable.
Books:
The Best Short Stories 2023, Edited by Lauren Groff: I am not a big reader by any means, but I wanted to change that in 2024. So, while at the airport on my way home for Christmas, I picked up a book by the name of The Best Short Stories of 2023. It is a collection of fiction anthologies written by winners of the prestigious O. Henry Prize. In college, I took many creative writing courses where we read multiple short stories each week. Since I enjoyed those classes so much, I thought that this book would be a good first read in 2024, and I was right. With each chapter being a different short story, it makes the book digestible for a born-again reader like me. With a diverse selection of topics and themes ranging from fantasy to reality, the authors of these narratives inspire me to continue telling my own stories.
