I did not spend April apeshit unless you consider a week long depressive episode to be apeshit then yes, ok I did that. I honestly felt kind of exhausted by the idea of putting together a list, I engaged with stuff but I didn’t feel…anything. But I think it’s good to keep a record. Maybe it’s not, I don’t think it matters.
Florence 2018, Mountains
I love the soundtrack for this game, which is a soundtrack I’ve been listening to on and off for a really long time. I finally decided to play the game because I knew it was short and it was, very cute and sweet. It is a game, but more so an interactive story and I really love stories portrayed in this way. I’ve always wanted to create something like this which stems with my brief obsession with transmedia. Maybe one day.
Madeline’s European Adventure
I had hyper-fixated on replaying this game so badly and thought I would never be able to have the chance. Luckily I was able to code my Dosbox to make it finally work and it was worth it for the 30 minutes of reliving Madeline’s adventure. It’s so funny that as a kid it would take me so long because I couldn’t figure out there was another area to get to and I’d get lost. I think my favourite part was catching the kitten or feeding the breadstick (it had such a distinct look) to Roberto the parrot. I love this game.
Math Circus
This was all there was on the school computers but it was still fun. I think I was having a breakdown but the circus music helped… or didn’t. I was still pretty bad at figuring out some of the hard mode math so really…maybe Math Circus is to blame for me being bad at math.
BOOKS
A Little Devil In America 2021, Hanif Abdurraqib
This book is full of love for blackness it just felt like being held. I would finish so many of these chapters and just have to sit in silence, take a gulp of air and feel the goosebumps on my skin. There is so much history in this small tome and it is told like such a good story. Hanif Abdurraqib is such a powerful writer and I loved every second I got to spend with this book.
Stone Fruit 2021, Lee Lai
I love Lee Lai’s work so so much. The way she captures relationships in such a constrained way, I don’t know. It’s human it’s messy it’s beautiful. The line work, the transition of looking like a free feral creature at play to humans feeling grief. ugh. The characters and their flaws!!!! Perfection, everything I’ve wanted in a story. I just want to eat this book so I can have it with me forever. I keep thinking about it.
The Pleasure of the Text 2021, Sami Alwani
This collection of comics is great and had me laughing out loud while also giving me a gut punch. It’s such a diverse collection stylistically and each story wholly stands on it’s own. If you enjoy to cringe and laugh, something a little less raunchy than Megahex you would love this.
Our Work Is Everywhere: An Illustrated Oral History of Queer & Trans Resistance 2021, Syan Rose
A really diverse and beautiful collection of interviews across the diaspora illustrated by Syan Rose. There is such a beautiful reflection of different experiences within the community and it was a pleasure to read it and the illustrations are a beautiful feast for the eyes.
John Cage: A Mycological Foray
I will always be weak for book design and printmaking. This beauty comes with fold out lithographic prints with vellum overlays that made me gasp out loud. I appreciate this as an art object and it’s something you spend time with. I read through it and enjoyed it but felt a personal disconnect, but I’m excited to one day revisit it. That’s the pleasure of owning a book like this!
Pokemon Primer 1 2 3
I bought this and I read it to my friends in our group chat and I bought it because Teddiursa is in it 5 times and it’s fun to feel like a kid and open up flaps in a book and write your name on a trainer invitation. I don’t care! Live a little.
Leaving Isn’t The Hardest Thing, Lauren Hough
I grabbed this because when the I Was A Cable Guy, I Saw The Worst Of America essay dropped I remembered reading it and really loving the tone of it. It’s rare I read anything longform posted on a site. My attention span is a mess. The collection of essays touches more on being in a cult, and just kind of this struggle to belong to anything. I really enjoyed it for the most part, there is something about it that kind of kept my out of it but I couldn’t tell you what that is.
Goosebumps: Secret of the Swamp
I am shelving and I pick up this book and here is a black girl with a prosethetic arm in Fever Swamp helping a family of werewolves? Where Fever Swamp failed, Secret of the Swamp excels. It’s not great, but me as a child would have loved this so I enjoyed it for them. Also the colourist painted the white character like blue in the night lighting and lmao I honestly love it.
FILM
Portrait of Jason 1967, Shirley Clarke
Let’s just start with unethical. I’m sure it’s nice to market a film about a 12 hour night where you ply an alcoholic with alcohol and film and berate them about their life for said 12 hours as something special and amazing. I think it’s distasteful and it shows the hierarchy of power held by Shirley Clarke a white woman, and her husband Carl Lee (black) over Jason Holiday who is a gay black sex worker. I have heard for some Jason Holiday was their first representation of a black gay man on western film. So what an awful thing to have him be torn down to tears. This left me with a lot of complicated feelings, mainly sadness. I loved listening to Jason talk and act, I loved the cadence of his voice and the flaws he would show off. I wish he had been given care most of all.
Concrete Cowboy 2020, Ricky Staub
SOB. This movie was really beautiful. Idris Elba is a DILF ALERT. He completely did it for me, woof. But the acting and heart in this, I had such a good time. And the people who were part of Fletcher Street and participated as actors did such an amazing job? It was just great to see this beautiful portrayal of black community with barely any whiteness present. That’s my favourite kind of movie. BUT I learned it’s written and directed by white guys so…that’s a little disappointing. Really hope they give the community profits, especially since the Fletcher Street Riders are asking for the the film’s creators to clarify information for their gofundme to the sound of crickets.
Sound of Metal 2019, Darius Marder
Eyes emoji for two hours saying WOOF the whole time. This movie was a lot but so so beautiful Riz Ahmed was amazing. I think about the “you saved my life” scene once a week. I genuinely really like Darius Marder’s work, he directed The Place Behind The Pines and that film also left me kind of feeling dazed and alone after I watched it.
Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare 1968, Yoshiyuki Kuroda
This was fun but I forgot to write something after I watched it and I don’t remember it enough. Good Kappa content though.
Yokai Monsters: 100 monsters 1968, Kimoyoshi Yasuda
Okay so I sought out Yokai Monsters becausse of this movie and someone saying insane people should watch it because I love a challenge. My whole personality is based off of watching movies people tell me I shouldn’t, or atleast, in my youth. Now I don’t have the time. I actually liked the second film better, this didn’t have ENOUGH monsters for me. But it was fun.
Angry Inuk 2016, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril
This movie makes me angry! It should make us all angry! It was so beautiful to see the community and how they used the seal meat and furs, their rightful pride in that part of their culture. I think this movie is essential viewing for everyone. If you care about the environment, Indigenous soverignity and land stewardship, animal rights, watch it!
An American Werewolf In London 1981, John Landis
I thought I was rewatching this….gender…I really convinced myself I’d seen this whole movie. Anyways, first time for everything. I Like this movie and I do Not like this movie. The cis het male writing is bad lmao, this nurse falling in love with him is weird and bad. Let me rewrite this where his best friend is in love with him and he’s haunted by him but in a gay way. Listen, this film is homoerotic if you like rub your eyes really hard. Sometimes that’s all we got. Okay, the important things. The makeup effects of the mauled bestie is chefs kiss, the clawed open throat and face look is iconic and I love it. The werewolf transformation is like…good. I like it. His body gets weird. The Werewolf is ONE of the best werewolves. Fluff fur ratio? Great. Ears? Big enough. Yellow eyes? Love it. Tens across the board. Also when he dies and turns back and is naked with the red wounds like that hot martyr man saint? I see you mister Landis. Okay I’m sorry for the essay but most of the dialogue is like campy and bad but “ I can’t calm down I’m a fucking werewolf” is a great line see it in a novel near you soon probably. YOINK.
Paddington 1 & 2 Rewatch
This was to commemorate and celebrate paddington beating citizen kane which is a fine movie but not one that I really give a shit about. Paddington has made it safe for everyone to go to film school, I think if children had to watch Paddington in public school they would be more pro union and pro prison abolition. Paddington is the people’s bear, I love him. May Paddington 3 have an absurd villain, and death to the crossdressing joke.
SERIES
UNHhhh… ( All of it)
This was the only thing that brought me joy this month. I love them together and also have been watching their Like To Watch netflix show.
The Circle Season 2
It’s baaaaaackkkkkkkk. This was a joy when we first started pandemic hell. I used to watch catfish all the time so a game about catfishes is something I’m into. This season isn’t as good but I’m still vibing. I love betrayal and drama and people being left alone in a room. The finale is next week and I can’t wait for catfishes to be revealed.
MUSIC
As Justin Timberlake famously sang… It’s gonna be May. Here is to getting a vaccine on Wednesday, TCAF and then shortly thereafter… VANCAF! There are so many cool online arts events happening so I hope it will revitalize some of the energy I’ve just been lacking. Stay safe and take care! til next month bYeeeee