Media Diet: January 2024

Well, this was the most media I’ve consumed in a month in a very long time! A combination of spending a lot of time flying and being a bit burnt out in between trips is to blame. I have been watching various series over the last few months that I finished up.

🎥 Nate Bargatze: Hello World - After hearing other standup comedians talk about how incredible Bargatze was, and with him coming to Vancouver for a show, I decided to try him. It just wasn’t for me. Nothing special. (B)

📚 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros - This year’s romance fantasy novel that took off. I usually try them out and don’t make it more than 25% of the way through. I finished Fourth Wing and enjoyed the actual fantasy parts of it, but the romance was incredibly dull. (B-)

🎥 Poor Things - Yorgos Lanthimos is the master director of unhinged, intense films. This continues that trend with my favorite cinematography of his films to date. (A)

📺 The Great Season 3 - I’ve been “slow watching” this over the last few months, knowing it was the final season. It holds up to the previous seasons; sadly, it’s over. (A-)

📺 Happy Valley Season 1 to 3 - I had watched the first season back when it was released but didn’t realize it had continued. I loved it from start to finish. The 3rd season coming out many years later is a great way to end it. (A)

📺 Everyone Else Burns Season 1 - The Return of Simon Bird! He hasn’t acted in anything notable since “The Inbetweeners” but crushes it in this. Fantastic, nuanced commentary on religion. (A-)

🎥 Dream Scenario - Love an unhinged black comedy starring Nicolas Cage. It’s a bit inconsistent in the middle, but overall, it’s worth a watch. (B+)

📺 For All Mankind Season 4 - My favorite Sci-Fi show on the air today keeps up the quality! It’s another great time to jump into the future and some tense drama. (A)

🎥 Saltburn - I had so many people ask me if I had seen Saltburn that I finally got around to watching it. Barry Keoghan gives a masterclass on being incredibly creepy. I enjoyed the film all the way through but didn’t find it as shocking as most report it to be. Other strange indie films have numbed me. (A)

📚 Huge: A Novel by Brent Butt - A departure from the comedic stylings of Brett Butt into the thriller, but he pulls it off! It’s well worth a read. (A)

🎥 Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget - I can’t believe the original Chicken Run came out 23 years ago, but this sequel still feels fresh! It is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys animated films. (A-)

📺 Halt and Catch Fire Season 1 to 3 - I watched the first season when it aired but never kept up with it. A co-worker told me how great the rest of the series is, so I finally returned to it. It’s a great show that is well worth a watch. I am slowly making my way through the final season now. (A)

📚 Starter Villain by John Scalzi - Easy, fun, and funny read. Great for a light change of pace. (B+)

📺 Fargo Season 5 - I’ve found the Fargo TV series could have been more consistent, but Season 5 is a return to the first season’s quality. Great characters, intense story

🎥 The Killer - A very uneven film. On one hand, it has one of the best fight scenes I’ve seen in years. On the other, I had a hard time caring about any of the characters. (B)

🎥 Funny Pages - I missed out on seeing this at Cannes in 2022 and was glad I finally got around to streaming it. They could have done more with the ending, but it was entertaining. (B+)

📺 How To with John Wilson Season 3 - This show will go down in history as a cinematic and storytelling masterpiece. (A+)

🎥 Out of Sight - A classic George Clooney film that I hadn’t seen before. Great cast of secondary characters. Fun and worth a watch. (A-)

📚 My Murder: A Novel by Katie Williams - Tense from start to finish. Fun sci-fi vibes in an urban setting. (A-)

📺 The Lovers Season 1 - A sweet and funny Irish series. Perfect light viewing. (A-)

🎥 Next Goal Wins - Taika Waititi’s disappointing fictional adaptation of the fantastic documentary. Skip this and watch the documentary instead. (C)

📚 Killing Floor by Lee Child - It was my first time reading a Lee Child book, and I enjoyed it! I’ll only read some Jack Reacher novels, but I will jump through some of the best-reviewed ones. (B+)