It's Christmas coming in early...
I usually don’t go into Christmas mode until beginning of December, but Netflix has been dropping Christmas BOMBS since the end of October, and we’re doing a full month of Holiday Episodes for my podcast, Rude Dude Take Downs (which is a little spoiler for you all!) I’ve been getting into the Christmas spirit pretty hard this week, so here are those things that are hyping me up!
Winter by Matthew Winkler
I’ve known Matt for a number of years now, and it was only a couple months into our friendship when I learnt just how talented of a musician he is! He’s got the raspy vocal quality of Jackson Maine in A Star is Born with the vulnerability of Dallas Green. His musicality in most of his projects is also spot on and his lyrics are beautifully simplistic. He just came out with a new EP today, Winter, which is the first part of a two part album (we’ll have to wait two seasons till the second part drops though… and we’ll probably still be quarantined!)
This is some of his best work. Where his other EP has a nice cottage folk vibe, Winter elevates his sound. He’s a lot more experimental with this album, relying less on the stripped back guitar/vocals and composing amazing soundscapes around his tracks. It gives the music more tension and room for breath. The lyrical quality in this EP has also been stepped up, with stories crafted with more nuance and evocative imagery than the usual straightforwardness he usually approaches it. If I were to summarize Winter, it’d be like if The National started producing an album sung by Calum Scott who had a GOOD cold. It’s the kind of thing I would listen to under a blanket staring at the rising steam off my tea as the thick winter rain softly pounds against my bedroom window… So exactly what I needed right now.
I love this album and GO BUY IT ON BANDCAMP!
Dash & Lily
Look… I am a SUCKER for Christmas movies, and you’re telling me Netflix made a full on mini series set in New York featuring two recluse teens communicating through a notebook AND it’s based off a YA novel? I have no choice but to watch!
Honestly, this little show sucked me in from the first moments of that cynical little Dash hating on Christmas. Obviously there’s no way this convoluted ploy to trap a man for the holidays would’ve worked, but thank god for Lily’s conveniently placed relatives. It was a fun intro to the my usual holiday movie binge fest; it’s cheesy, it’s got a fun gimmick, and it’s super cute! It’s also not lost on me that these teens are super rich, and they’re just ALLOWED to be home alone for Christmas? Okay…
This also has a gay brother, which I’m pretty into. Love a good gay best friend, especially when he’s the one who orchestrated the whole thing! I also appreciate they didn’t make Dash a total arrogant asshole? I feel like they could’ve gone further into it, but this boy was pretty level headed and was genuinely super likable throughout the whole thing. Anyways… I’m VERY jealous of Lily’s ability to make all of her own clothes. That is literally my dream!
Overall, definitely recommend a watch when the Christmas mood strikes you. It’s a nice light 4ish hour show, go binge it! It’s honestly just so cute I can’t take it!
Aquaman
Okay, not necessarily a “Christmas” thing, but I always associate superhero movies with Christmas time because it’s the kind of thing I go see with my family (as it’s the only thing we can agree on watching). I’ve been a pretty staunch No DC person, as they are my favourite comics and Snyder has RUINED this universe. But with time, and the watching of Batman vs Superman last week, I figured why the hell not!
Honestly, this one delivered in ways I didn’t know I needed, and let me down in ways I knew were coming. It was pretty much what I expected, which was a madlibs version of Thor: Ragnarok, but had unexpectedly very funny and campy moments. I mean, every transition was an explosion? James Wan out here trying to be Michael Bay, and we love to see it! Nicole Kidman is the best part of the movie, and after watching her with do that fight choreography, I’m convinced there’s nothing she can’t do and want a full spin off of Queen Atlanna surviving at the center of the earth in that killer suit(Big Little Lies? More like Big Little HIGH KICKS!) Lastly, the scene when they crack the flare underwater surrounded by those Shape of Water creatures was genuinely tense. It shook me how good it was!
The thing that disappointed me the most was the romance. It took the whole god damned movie for Aquaman and Mira to kiss, and their romance was just awkwardly shoehorned into moments. And I’m on Black Manta’s team. Aquaman murder his whole dad and then was like “figure your life out”, and then had remorse? YOU DID THAT MOMOA! And Dad Manta had to explode himself to save his son! they also should’ve maybe omitted the Black Manta plot, and kept it for the inevitable sequel… We didn’t need it here… I just wanted more of that Kraken/Audrey 2 monster! Bring her back!
Things That Didn’t Make the Cut
Mel C is definitely a moment, and I would go listen to her newest album. It’s got good bops and get composition. It’s just too much of a Sam Smith meets Dua Lipa hybrid for me to truly get into it (though I might revisit it in a discussion… But I’ll just leave it here for now).
I’ve been watching my boyfriend play Persona 5: Royal for about 5 months, and I truly do love it! Would recommend if you have a PS4 (or if you were lucky enough to get a PS5). The only problem was I couldn’t play it!!! But now I have a PC, I got this little gem on Steam and I’ve been enjoying it thus far! I’m only in the first section so more to come… But the visuals are striking!
I’ve been missing sketch comedy, and I was genuinely enjoying Aunty Donna. The premise for the show is inventive, and it’s that heightening style of sketch comedy I do enjoy (and could collectively hear comedy nerds geyser their trousers over). I just… I dunno. Did we need another loud sketch comedy show by three cis-het white guys from Australia with moderate YouTube fame? I might just be pissed over Astronomy Club being canceled but… Seriously… We have I Think You Should Leave (which I love), and don’t get me wrong, I did like this… I just… I dunno… SORRY!! I’m not in LOVE.