#2024 film recap

[oreolesbian]

TOP 10 FIRST-TIME WATCHES IN 2024 RANKED <films I watched for the first time in 2024 not released this year>

Godzilla Minus One (2023) dir. Takashi Yamazaki

Night of the Living Dead (1968) dir. George A. Romero

All of Us Strangers (2023) dir. Andrew Haigh

Rear Window (1954) dir. Alfred Hitchcock

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Perfect Blue (1997) dir. Satoshi Kon

High and Low (1963) dir. Akira Kurosawa

Farewell My Concubine (1993) dir. Chen Kaige

Die Hard dir. John McTiernan

The Birdcage (1996) dir. Mike Nichols

HONORABLE MENTIONS A Night to Remember (1958) dir. Roy Ward Baker The Zone of Interest (2023) dir. Jonathan Glazer Labyrinth (1986) dir. Jim Henson Beetlejuice (1988) dir. Tim Burton Gladiator (2000) dir. Ridley Scott Lady Snowblood (1973) dir. Toshiya Fujita Paris, Texas (1984) dir. Wim Wenders The Sum of Us (1994) dir. Geoff Burton, Kevin Dowling Nosferatu (1922) dir. F. W. Murnau

[ladysparrow01]

"What was your favourite book this year?"

"Which film did you enjoy seeing?"

"What were your top songs from the year?"

Me, apparently unable to remember a single piece of media I experienced over the past 12 months:

[magentagalaxies]

Kids in the Archive: Episode 10

welcome back to kids in the archive! to celebrate my college graduation + KITA's 10th installment + finally honor the request i received from @oliviaskithworld multiple months ago (thank you for your patience!) today i'm going to be showcasing the classic s1e3 sketch "Citizen Kane"

even if there are other sketches that i would choose as my personal favorite, i respect "citizen kane" so much as a feat of comedic timing. the premise and dialogue are funny enough, but what puts them over the top is the perfect rhythm kevin and dave establish - fast-paced dialogue that's occasionally repetitive in its text but each repetition leads to escalation in the performance.

Citizen Kane: June 3rd 1989

I actually have two copies of the script for Citizen Kane: both dated 06/03/89, and nearly identical, to each other and to the version of the sketch that aired. There really aren't many differences to point out: some sentences are shorter or longer for the purpose of timing, and there is one specific line missing from the "white" pages that's present in the "pink" pages

i assume the version i have may not be a first draft - this was likely a scene performed at the rivoli for years before making it to the screen. or perhaps this scene was mostly created via improv, so the first time on paper was less an act of creation and more documenting what already existed. the only "big" changes are removing a section of brief physical comedy before picking up the newspaper (which was not being held by another customer).

honestly, as much as i wish i could've honored this request in a timely manner, the wait has allowed this episode to be so much better. this could have been it. i would have had to stretch these tiny differences into 3 bullet points because i just couldn't show you how the sketch evolved. except, as i write this on december 21st 2024, now i can. but we have to push a bit further...

Citizen Kane: ~2002

the kids in the hall tour-film "tour of duty" was unavailable to stream for most of this year before finally being reuploaded by a fan in november. i've previously put out a full essay with general thoughts on tour of duty, but let's examine the show's version of citizen kane.

tour of duty's "citizen kane" barely changes, especially compared to some of the other sketches in this show. sure, the words don't always line up exactly and the rhythm is a bit slower (a product of enunciating for a large theater vs recording a sketch for television), but most changes are physical. in the original sketch, a fake-arm was made for dave foley for the purposes of stabbing his hand. in this one, a prop-knife was used for the effect, freeing up both hands for motioning. most notably, this version ends with dave falling out of his chair and flipping 360 degrees before landing on the floor.

immediately following the sketch is a transitional scene with bruce and mark, where they essentially replicate the "citizen kane" bit of forgetting a name and refusing to admit you're wrong, only this time they're trying to remember the name of the sketch they just watched. it's cute.

Citizen Kane: November 25th 2024

so that's all well and good, but still not a lot of differences to parse through. what would it take for them to take citizen kane in a completely different direction?

well, what if 22 years later the kids in the hall reunited to put on a show in support of paul bellini's medical expenses, but dave foley wasn't able to attend due to pneumonia and the other kids barely had time to rehearse?

a high-quality version of the full show will be available in the new year, but recently i found a fan's uploads of a few iconic sketches from the november 2024 show, including the perfect finale to my citizen kane post, because oh boy did they go off-script. for starters, the original "citizen kane" as uploaded onto youtube is 4 minutes and 16 seconds. the "tour of duty" version (not counting bruce and mark's tag) is just under 6 minutes long. the november 2024 version is NEARLY TEN MINUTES LONG

and uniquely i am actually in a position to explain how these changes happened: scott was chosen to take over dave's part in the sketch the day of the show. they added mark walking on as "constable bobby" as a way to acknowledge dave's absence (and i was actually riffing with mark, kevin, and scott when they decided the character's name. in rehearsal, mark improvised a bit about his character going undercover as a teenager). but scott responding to kevin's "was it citizen kane?" with "yes"? bruce walking on as another officer? kevin kissing scott's forehead when scott apologized for forgetting his line? that was all truly improvised, and i was standing backstage watching it happen.

prior to the show, citizen kane was one of the sketches scott was the most nervous about since it's actually quite difficult to memorize: so much of the comedy relies on repetition and timing. i've probably watched the sketch more times in the past year than he has and even i wouldn't get it word-for-word. but once you're out there onstage, you can't beat yourself up over forgetting a line. you make that part of the gag, and suddenly the sketch becomes citizen kane on top of citizen kane: a sketch about someone forgetting something and ignoring their friend's corrections becomes about scott forgetting his lines and ignoring kevin's corrections.

there's no way the kids in the hall could've replicated everything about citizen kane on the evening of november 25th 2024: the sketch was at least 35 years old, it was being performed with minimal sets and costumes in a 1500-seat theater, and the person whose comedic voice it most represented wasn't around. but in my opinion, citizen kane 2.0 reflects exactly what a live version of a pre-existing kids in the hall sketch should be: using the well-known framework as a basis for improv while still being grounded to the important beats. this attitude carried over into the night's other sketches, even ones which didn't feature dave at all like "salty ham." it gives fans new and old something new to appreciate, and allows the KITH to focus on making each other laugh. after scott got off the stage, he wasn't upset for flubbing citizen kane. he was smiling ear-to-ear, whispering to me "i forgot how fun this was". i would take this over "tour of duty" any day

or maybe i'm just saying that because i now own 2024 citizen kane's prop-knife

oh, and don't think i've forgotten the one line that changed between my two scripts, both dated 06/03/89.

"that's a hayley mills vehicle, that's not even close"

and because of scott's role in the 2024 show, i now know that's the one line HE contributed, leading me to believe the "white" pages were just kevin and dave's writing, and the "pink" pages were after the input of the other KITH on the same day.

god, i love how things become full-circle.

...

PREVIOUS KIDS IN THE ARCHIVE EPISODES:

Episode 1 - armada finale ("do we make it?") Episode 2 - fran & gordon: the vacation Episode 3 - comfortable Episode 4 - cathy & kathi: is he? Episode 5 - danny husk: kidnapped! Episode 6 - trappers Episode 7 - sizzlers & the bank Episode 8 - darcy & francesca Episode 9 - show within a show

thanks for reading!

[pomegranate]

THANK YOU to both @amrv-5 and @hawkesque for tagging me to ask for my list of

9 of my favourite films that I watched for the first time this year!

I’ve seen 49 new (to me) movies this year - and I will be watching at least one more new one before tomorrow at midnight to cap it off at 50 - and there were a lot of really great ones overall, but these ones get the honour of being named my favourites.

(after making this list I realized 4 of them take place during periods of sweltering heat lmao. INTERESTING)

- Past Lives (2023, dir. Celine Song): I talked about this one a bit in that end of the year ask meme but I really didn’t know what to expect going into this one and came out deeply affected in a way I’ve not been able to put into words. I can’t believe this is Celine Song’s directorial and screenwriting debut?!?! It feels so well-crafted and extremely deserving of the praise it’s received. I think this description from a Looper listicle sums it up beautifully: "a master class in the art of subtlety while evoking complex human emotions. The minimalist love story is like no other in how it expertly captures the slow-burn nature of fate. It's a bittersweet experience that'll leave you aching for all of life's "what-ifs.""

- Asteroid City (2023, dir. Wes Anderson): I really enjoy some Wes Anderson films but a few of his more recent ones missed the mark for me, so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this one. Happily, I had an absolutely fantastic time watching this with friends - it’s funny and inventive in a way that really tickled me, and the heartbreaking romance woven into the “background” of the story (quotation marks bc it’s not really the background) really stuck with me.

- High and Low (1963, dir. Akira Kurosawa): I’ll admit I wanted to see this after Ayo Edebiri included it in her Criterion Closet video bc I have a massive crush on her and I admire her taste, and BOY it did not disappoint! It’s just under 2 and a half hours long but I was so wrapped up in the tension and drama that the time absolutely flew by. My first Kurosawa film but definitely not my last!

- Nine To Five (1980, dir. Colin Higgins): I did not expect to have so much fun watching this but I should’ve known a movie starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton would have me clapping my hands and stomping my feet with delight. Dabney Coleman is also SO great as their disgusting boss and a special shout out to him for how funny he was in each of their little fantasy sequences. God, if only real life was as satisfying as the ending of this film.

- Roman Holiday (1953, dir. William Wyler): I’ve had this on DVD for years but only got around to watching it this past August and OH what a beautiful movie! It’s wild to me that this was Audrey Hepburn’s first film; she’s totally captivating and I can’t take my eyes off her the entire time. Definitely one I’ll be returning to again and again.

- Moonlight (2016, dir. Barry Jenkins): I’m embarrassed it took me this long to watch this film but unsurprisingly, it’s as magnificent as everyone has always said. Chiron’s story is told so beautifully and the way it all comes together in the end is simply perfect. Every performance felt vivid and authentic and each actor who played Chiron made him feel like a real person I was watching grow up on my screen. Quite possibly one of the best movies of all time.

- Dog Day Afternoon (1975, dir. Sidney Lumet): I challenged myself to only include one Al Pacino movie on this list and since this is the one that kicked off my Pacino era (despite me having watched Cruising earlier this year), it’s gotta be here. Watching it a second time also highlighted how well made it is as a film - Al is magnetic in his performance as a desperate man pushed to the brink to take care of the person he loves. The rest of the cast is fantastic as well, especially the tellers, led by Penelope Allen. And now that I’ve seen the 2nd Godfather installment, my love for John Cazale has blossomed fully. I love the deeply disturbed Sal sooooo much. GOD I haven’t even touched on Lumet’s insanely masterful direction and the fact that this movie swings from unbearable tension to being hysterically funny within moments is BEYOND incredible. MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!

- Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock): Another one that I’m embarrassed I hadn’t seen until this year, despite recognizing many references to it through pop culture (most notably the Simpsons ep where Bart thinks Flanders has murdered his wife). It lives up to the hype, with a murder mystery so well-crafted that even if you KNOW where the story is going, you’re still not entirely sure what’s going to happen next. I’m also so fascinated by Hitchcock’s use of cameras (both Jeff’s and the actual camera filming the movie) to show us the range of humanity on display within a fairly confined area and how Jeff’s voyeurism is contrasted with our voyeurism as the audience. I need to watch this again bc I know I wasn’t fully appreciating that storytelling device the first time.

- Do The Right Thing (1989, dir. Spike Lee): I said this in my other post from the end of the year meme, but I had absolutely no idea what to expect going into this movie and it floored me. I was immediately drawn into the vibrant community where I’d be spending the next couple of hours, with Lee’s distinctive directing style making me feel like I was right there in Brooklyn with the characters as the heat and tension simultaneously reached a boiling point. The explosion that we see kick off with about half an hour left to go in the runtime is inevitable but still felt like a punch in the stomach. God. I think my heart rate is climbing just thinking about it. One of the most powerful cinematic experiences I’ve had in a long time.

Honourable mentions that didn’t make this list include Bottoms (2023), Charade (1963), Some Like It Hot (1959), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), Hundreds Of Beavers (2022), Scream (1996), …And Justice For All (1979), The Godfather Part II (1974), Fancy Dance (2023), and The Holdovers (2023).

As for tagging other people, I’m going to leave it blank for now bc I’ve been sitting in a chilly vehicle writing this but I may come back later, not sure! I don’t want to pressure anyone who doesn’t feel like doing it but PLEASE do it if you want to & tag me in your lists bc I would love to read them!!!

[eliosvniverse]

2024 Recap

Happy new year! I meant to post this a few weeks ago, but things happen! This is a short collection to remember all my favorite things that came out of 2024.

#1 ALBUM OF 2024

Underdressed at the symphony, Faye Webster (2024)

My top album for the year is underdressed at the symphony by Faye Webster. Each song is as beautiful and stunning as you'd expect from Faye Webster. I love each and every song, although but not kiss is most definitely my favorite.

Honorable mentions

This Is How Tomorrow Moves by Beabadoobee (2024)

Submarine by the Marías (2024)

#1 BOOK OF 2024

Don't let the forest in by C.G. Drews (2024)

Unfortunately, I did not read many new books this year... But I did read Don't let the forest in by C.G. Drews. This book was absolutely beautiful and I have fallen absolutely in love with the characters.

Honorable Mention

Eat the World by Marina Diamandis (2024)

#1 FILM OF 2024

Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

So many amazing films came out this year, so this was such a hard choice! Lisa Frankenstein definitely stuck with me the most. The dream sequence was beyond beautiful and was absolute perfection.

Honorable mentions

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

Challengers (2024)

A Part of You (2024)

Maxxxine (2024)

Apartment 7A (2024)

Nosferatu (2024)

A Complete Unknown (2024)

There's many exciting things coming to 2025! Here's some I'm looking the most forward for...

The Right Person Will Stay, Lana Del Rey

Companion (2025)

Possible Kate Bush project (unlikely but I have hopes!)

New song by the marías?

New song by Mitski?

New song by Marina?

Many more to be announced!

[boutique-nouri]

[worldfianna]

2024 photo recap

˖ ࣪ ⊹﹏﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖

little recap of some of my favourite photos taken last year with my camera ^^

video diary account (IG): Wh0sth4tch1ck

[heartinport]

top eight movies i watched this year (for the first time)

(in no particular order)

In & Out, Frank Oz (1997). Made me happy. Perfect movie. Can't stop thinking about the Barbra Streisand jokes.

Challengers, Luca Guadagnino (2024). Movie of the year! Had me about to jump off my seat.

Strangers on a Train, Alfred Hitchcock (1951). I watched it at home during the summer, thought it was fine. Then, during the fall, I rewatched it in a small town theater - it turned out to be one of the best moviegoing experiences of my life. It really is a different film on a big screen. Oh Farley Granger.

Miss Congeniality, Donald Petrie (2000). I had probably seen 75% of this movie throughout my life - it was somehow always on TV, on one channel or the other. I watched it for real this summer, was floored by Sandra Bullock's charisma (obviously). I was surprised by how fun and tight the script was. Can we go back to that?

Nosferatu, Robert Eggers (2024). So fun and beautiful and exciting to watch. I left the theater thinking, huh, it was fine, but I liked The Lighthouse better. But the more I think of the movie the more I like it, so.

La Chimera, Alice Rohrwacher (2023). Josh O'Connor best actor alive, etc, etc. I was intrigued and entertained by this movie but, as I was watching it, I kept wondering why people spoke so highly about it. The last twenty minutes made that obvious. I cried!

Twisters, Lee Isaac Chung (2024). Super fun summer movie. Dare I say better than the first one...

Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet (2023). Super fun winter movie!

honorable mentions (perhaps not great movies but fascinating watching experiences):

the singer not the song, roy ward baker (1961): bizarre. very gay. practical magic, griffin dunne (1998): totally nonsensical, spectacular vibes. wicked, jon m. chu (2024): as a film - terrible. as a musical film - terrible! but i did have fun watching it. ariana grande was extraordinary, i loved cynthia erivo's voice better than menzel's, and enjoyed that jonathan bailey's fiyero was, well, very very gay. co-husbands (mari(dos)), lucía alemany (2023). watched it on a plane and was absolutely surprised by how much i enjoyed it!?

worst films i watched in 2024:

saltburn, mean girls the musical.

[stuff-diary]

Top 10 movies watched in 2024

Now it's time for my 2024 movie ranking. As always, I count all the films I've seen for the first time this year, even if they were released earlier. And just so you know, I had a really hard time picking the definitive position for the top 3. Let's go!

10-Theater Camp (2023, Molly Gordon & Nick Lieberman)

This charming little comedy burrowed its way to my heart, to the point that I couldn't not include it. Deserves much more love.

9-Challengers (2024, Luca Guadagnino)

One of the most fun movie-watching experiences this year. Fantastic acting, directing, editing and score.

8-Look Back (2024, Kiyotaka Oshiyama)

Despite its simplicity, it manages to hit you like a truck. Tatsuki Fujimoto's genius is further boosted by Oshiyama's filmmaking.

7-Under the Silver Lake (2018, David Robert Mitchell)

Mitchell's work always enthralls me. This particular film is not for everyone, but I definitely vibed with its unabashed strangeness.

6-Love Lies Bleeding (2024, Rose Glass)

I love me an unhinged queer romp. Glass doesn't shy away from anything and that makes for an unforgettable experience.

5-The Substance (2024, Coralie Fargeat)

A no-holds-barred movie that goes all out in order to tell its message. Fargeat's talent never ceases to amaze me.

4-Anatomy of a Fall (2023, Justine Triet)

Basically the perfect legal drama. It's pretty long, but it managed to keep me hooked from beginning to end.

3-Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024, George Miller)

Thank god Miller got to make at least one more movie set in this universe. Pure filmmaking excellence in every way.

2-Monster (2023, Hirokazu Kore-eda)

I feel like I've thought about this movie pretty much every day since I watched it. Haunting is probably the best word to describe it.

1-All of Us Strangers (2023, Andrew Haigh)

Few films have resonated with me as much as this one. I just felt so... seen, like it was specifically made for me. I had to give it first place.

And that's all, thanks for reading!

[now-that-i-saw-you]

2023 recap

I've lived a thousand lives this year. I also read around 40 books, watched 17 shows, 34 movies and listened to 40,214 minutes of music and I'm gonna narrow them all down to top 3 favorites of each category.

Music

1. Midnights

I'm a swiftie forever and ever so best believe whatever album Taylor released it's gonna be my favorite album ever, but Midnights is exceptionally good. It's no surprise that most songs on my top 5 most-played are from Midnights (and the only one that isn't is seven). This is my AOTY and I want to personally thank Taylor for writing You're On Your Own, Kid.

2. Stick Season

My sixth most-played song was Dial Drunk and I think it was just a couple of streams away from entering the top. The rest of the album is just as good and as poignant. It's so folklore-esque and I adore a good story that makes me forget about my problems.

3. Good Ridddance

Did you guys know Gracie Abrams is fucking excellent? I listened to Good Riddance and it was amazing and then I listened to her earlier work and they were also amazing. Good Riddance is for girls in their 20s who feel like they mess everything up (it's so evermore-coded).

Books

1. All For The Game

I read a lot of great books this year but this is probably the only one I've been properly obsessed with. Every single word in these books made me cry, it just made me feel so much; angry, sad, happy, but mainly hopeful.

2. She Who Became The Sun

This is objectively the best book I read this year. It's eloquent and complex and interesting and deals with subjects like gender and sexuality in such a fine, delicate way. I wanted to savour every moment with this book, read every word slowly so I could properly understand it. Ouyang is up there with Adam Parrish and Lyra Silvertongue in my Favorite Characters List.

3. Conversations With Friends

This book made me feel seen, while deeply hurting me. Turns out I kinda like the Miscommunication trope and I think it's mostly because I love it when characters feel like real people and nothing is more real than not saying what you should or saying the wrong thing.

TV Shows

1. Succession

I came to realize that what makes me love a show/book is mostly the characters. I love complicated characters that feel like real people. I love it when I can't decide whether I hate or love a character. Even my least favourite characters (Logan and Tom) were well-written and had a very satisfying storyline. I did not understand a single thing they said when talking about finance (at least I learned what a Bear Hug is...sorta) and that didn't stop me from enjoying the show and following the plot and to me that shows how entertaining it was.

2. Better Call Saul

Everyone should watch this show. This is one of the greatest corruption arcs I've ever seen on TV and Jimmy is an excellent protagonist, I love the way the writers build his character's arc and his relationship with people around him, mainly his brother but also Kim because their relationship was amazing. They were so cute and doomed by the narrative. Personally, I enjoyed every season and wasn't bored at any point. This show was done with so much love and you can feel it.

3. Totally Completely Fine

I love it when I stumble on a show because I have nothing else to watch and it turns out to be a favourite. Totally Completely Fine has everything: Humour and wit, discussing important, sensitive topics in a very appropriate manner, and an incredibly real sibling relationship. The show gives a voice and empathy to the eldest siblings, the youngest and the middle child and I'm never getting over "you took all the air."

Please watch it because I want a second season.

Films

1. The Whale

Idk if this a controversial opinion or not but I found this film very moving. To me it's a story about healing and forgiveness being a possibilty for everyone. I really felt and cared for the main character.

2. El Camino

The Breaking Bad writers are just very good at their job. I love Jesse and I love this additional story to the universe.

3. Loving Vincent

The entire film was made by oil painting. How can I not include this? It's a beautiful film telling the story of Vincent Van Gogh's death. I encourage everyone to watch it.

[blackcatfilmprod]

I love to thanks Recap Studio for allow us to film Prom Queen a Slasher Mini Web Series Documentary at their Photography Studio and best wishes to them and their business.

Thanks guys!💋🌹💜🎬🎥

[oreolesbian]

EVERY MOVIE I WATCHED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2024

[tranquildr3ams]

What's Up - December 2024 + Recap

What's Up - December 2024 + 2024 Recap #movies #books #TV #games #2024 #Recap

2024 RECAP Goodreads Recap Total books read: 20 booksLongest book read: Fox Volant of Snowy MountainAverage book length: 139 pages Honestly, there’s nothing too exciting about reading. I gradually started getting back into ready but most for children’s books and random free Kindle books I picked up years ago or reading Jimmy Liao and started reading Chinese manhua books. Hopefully next year…

[offscreendeath]

OFFSCREENDEATH's 2024 REWIND

Film.

I think if I absolutely had to, I'd say "I Saw The TV Glow" was the best movie I've seen this year, but not because it was better than anything else I saw on a purely technical level. It just resonated very strongly with me emotionally, which is all I really care about when it comes to film, or art in general. I did want more -something- out of it, maybe because I was anticipating more of an action-genre element to come into play, since it reminded me a bit of Stranger Things from the little bit of promo and previews I saw before watching it.

I thought the horror/thriller aspect would be incorporated just a bit more than it was. In 2025 I would really like to watch more obscure/independent/art films, at least as many as the more big budget box office ones. I fear I won't be satisfied if I don't...because I don't believe what I'm looking for just isn't being made, but that it takes a bit more effort to find it. Lots of Horror this year, I'm honestly kinda burnt out on it. I have a feeling I'll get more than enough horror dealing with the incoming political shit show that's inevitably gonna go down.

Watched in 2024 (incomplete list):

Longlegs - In a Violent Nature - Terrifier 3 - The Substance - The Deliverance - Deadpool & Wolverine - Inside Out 2 - Cuckoo - Trap - Monkey Man - Civil War - Love Lies Bleeding - Alien: Romulus - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Road House - Bad Boys: Ride or Die - Babes

TV.

This was a mediocre year of TV for me, especially when last year's releases seemed so excellent -- like I'm A Virgo, Survival of the Thickest, Bodies, The Changeling, Invasion, and more I'm probably forgetting.

I mostly ended up watching a lot of Dropout TV's series towards the end because I got tired of trying to wade through all the slop and 500 different reality TV shows to find something interesting. While it didn't come out this year, I very much enjoyed "Kevin Can F**k Himself". I also caught up with the new seasons of shows I was already watching, like "The Bear" and "The Boys", but both are sorta starting to lose their flavor (no pun intended). As far as TV goes, "Arcane," is definitely top my list as the best show out of all that I've seen this year, even though I absolutely HATE how Violet's arc ended, and I'm honestly not too big of a fan of the soundtrack either. Honorable mention goes to "3 Body Problem" for the premise and overall execution, as well as "Mr. And Mrs. Smith".

Anime.

Slow but interesting year for Anime, for me. I feel like (as with every year,) lots of good anime has come out that I either just didn't have time for or slipped under my radar when something else caught my attention. I have mixed feelings about it, but I pretty much enjoyed "Dan Dan Dan," and "Delicious In Dungeon" turned out to be way more interesting than I thought it would be. On the top of my list of anime to watch are "Frieren" and "Kaiju #8". I will probably be adding more. I heard "Shangri-la Fronteirs" is good, and I'll be checking out "Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction" too (what's with all these "D" heavy titles?)

Video Games.

Unfortunately I haven't been gaming recently because I haven't had a chance to get any systems and my computer is struggling as is just opening up new tabs. There's an arcade local to me that I've had a chance to visit a few times this year, but I haven't played anything that really stood out. I have a lottttt of catching up to do as far as gaming goes, and I don't anticipate I'll be able to catch up any time soon. I did play a lot of "Disco Elysium" and "Cult of the Lamb" earlier in the year/last year, which aren't "new" releases, but were definitely still fun. I want to play Baldur's Gate 3 and the Dragon Ball Z Sparking Zero really badly and they'll probably be one of my first purchases, among many others.

Books.

I wasn't gonna include this category because it's so sparse and I typically don't reblog or post book-related content -- I've only finished about 2 books this year because I kept buying more and more and starting them before finishing, a bad(?) habit of mine. I have read quite a few zines to completion, however, given that they require way less time and are usually quite portable. Since reviewing and running this blog isn't my job, and my day job requires a non-insignificant amount of mental focus and physical labor, by the time I get home and have time to myself I'm in the mood for more "lowbrow" entertainment that doesn't make me think too hard...though that feeling waxes and wanes. I've been dragging my feet through a few books in my rotation -- "Black Punk Now!", "Jesus and the Abolitionists", "How To Lose the Hounds", "The High Desert" currently have my attention, but my reading list has far, far outgrown my watchlist at this point, which I didn't even think was possible. It's sad that I only have one brain and pair of eyes, and so little time. I will absolutely read (AND FINISH!!!) more books in 2025...I won't leave the house without one.

[godefylife]

Three takeaways from each week one NFL game (2024):

Week one of the 2024 NFL season is in the books and before we even kicked off on Sunday, there was a lot going on, with last-minute contracts being finalized, star players getting handcuffed and more. For now, we‘ll focus on what we saw across the actual matchups however. You‘re going to hear a bunch of overreactions based on what we saw in these opening games and especially with so many star…