Bounty Bundle (Burger King)

To celebrate the release of the new film in the Star Wars franchise (which, as an aside, I would have called my favorite fictional franchise ten years ago, have burned out in the years since, and now, probably won't even watch), Burger King has released a meal deal honoring the property. My preference, in reverse order to build suspense:

• Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots – a little chewy for my taste, and could have used more cheddar flavor. I had them with honey mustard, and the sauce, mild as it is, still overpowered the tots.
• BBQ Bounty Whopper – a Whopper, so it’s already pretty good, but not a drastic improvement. Yes, there was bacon, and yes, there was barbecue sauce. These are nice additions to have, to be sure, but for the most part, it was a burger.
• Grogu's Garlic Chicken Fries – if the chicken fries were different than the usual recipe, you could have fooled me. I have no taste buds. But the paired garlic sauce was immaculate! In a normal order, I would be hard pressed to rank standard chicken fries over a standard Whopper, but the garlic sauce pushed these over the edge.
• Grogu's Blue Cookie Shake – this abhorrent mess of a dessert was also the most delicious. Even despite the blue cookie syrup dripping down the side, the shake itself was delightful. Overly sweet, of course, but the crunch of the cookies was a perfect textural separation.

The Delta (1996)

A quiet, contemplative, mostly mundane story about a queer young American, a Vietnamese immigrant, and the intersection of their lives. I don’t know if this was the appropriate read of the film, but I detected a sense of mysticism to the immigrant’s story. Was he real or merely a spiritual companion for the young person with bisexual desires and seemingly few other ambitions? This interpretation, correct or not, worked for my viewing. Regardless, “John” took on the status of the main focus of the film while the other boy assimilated back into his life. We are left to explore what happiness means with John, who seems perpetually adrift. Also, the word “shocking” gets thrown around too often, I’m guilty of it as well, but the ending here caught me completely off guard. Even hours after finishing, I’m still not sure what to make of the closing scene.

Stray Dog (1949)

An entry in the contemporary crime genre of the Kurosawa-Mifune output, as opposed to the classic samurai. Mifune is strikingly young in this film, and it didn’t occur to me until later that this was one of his earliest collaborations with Kurosawa, and in fact, one of his first roles ever. Audiences at the time would not yet have made the connection between the two. The character’s lack of experience and his naivety makes the film. The emotional connection with the tired veteran, who almost loses his life in the process due to Murakami’s carelessness, adds to the stakes. Nearly every single scene reminded the viewer how this particular summer in Japan is oppressively hot. Rather than become repetitive, however, it only served to increase the pressure felt by the main detective with each passing hour he did not recover his gun. All of that culminates in a brilliant and satisfying ending.

Poetic Justice (1993)

What an emotional departure from the first film in Singleton’s loosely connected trilogy. Whereas Boyz is bleak and tense, this film is a lighthearted and tender love story between two young people. Not without its tragedy—there is yet another murder in the climax of the film—the characters transcend this in a happy way. There is a sense of hope the first film never had. The real-life tragic irony is that Tupac would be murdered only a few years after this film. His acting is strong in this, and it’s terrible that we never were able to see his full range. In general, the acting is also consistent with the first film in that it features a cast of both actors who would go on to have enormous careers and musicians not known for acting but turn out to be quite good at it. Singleton and his casting team really knew how to build an ensemble.

Mad Dash Racing (Xbox)

This year, I’ve fallen into the 25th anniversary nostalgia of the original Xbox, and I’ve felt the desire to play some more games from that system. I picked up this game chiefly because it has the unique distinction of being, as far as I can tell, the only game released two weeks before the console itself. I don’t know if that’s true, but the novelty of it made it worth a try. This one turned out to be surprisingly fun! It’s a cart racer, even if the characters are technically on foot. The gameplay is not enough that anyone is going to give up Double Dash!! or Crash Team Racing (picturing college dorm rooms of that era), but it’s definitely good enough to hold your attention. I didn’t play any multiplayer, only the solo adventure mode which is actually quite deep. The levels are branching and intricate, and because they are only one lap, you are not redoing them constantly. But because there are multiple paths, it does inspire a want to go back and run some of the levels again. Speaking of replay-ability, there are medals to earn for finishing levels with each character, finding hidden medals (of which I found zero), and doing attacks and stunts, which gives plenty of satisfying reasons to want to go back. It’s also worth mentioning this game has insane rubber-banding, meaning no one is truly ever out of a race. There were plenty of times where I had a comfortable lead the entire race and lost at the end. Frustrating. But there were just as many times where I would get stuck in a wall for several seconds at a time (this is a launch game, after all), turn the wrong way after exiting, only to be in 1st place within a minute. Exhilarating. As such, there is not much reason to restart in the middle of a race. Fully competent racer, well worth playing again and again.

Boyz n the Hood (1991)

This is an affecting film 35 years later, because it deals with subject matter we've heard on the news and seen portrayed in media ever since. The commentary from the opening scene as well as the final message taken away could be just as true today, that violence among young, Black men is devastating to the community. What this movie did so well was to create that community, make it feel lived in, and then demonstrate how commonplace and standard violence can be. It also illustrates how pointless it is, as lives are lost over escalated squabbles. It opens a window into a world that feels very real. Also, the only thing I really knew about this movie before I watched it, because it's on the poster, was that Ice Cube wears a Tigers hat. Despite the facts, Cube is from LA, director John Singleton is from LA, and the entire film takes place in a five block radius in South Central LA. A frivolous thing given the heaviness of the rest of the film, but it will never not be distracting to me.

Ringworld – Larry Niven

I picked this up firstly because it’s a classic in the sci-fi genre, but also partially because I’ve been exploring more Halo content this year, and I was always told this loosely inspired the game franchise. The connection is obvious—gigantic ring floating in space capable of supporting life—though the similarities mostly end with the structure. This book was a product of its time; the main character was a bland old, human, male who was pretty much inconsequential to the plot of the story. The aliens are portrayed in a range from curious beings to savages. The female characters serve only to captivate and adore men while remaining otherwise clueless. So, while the character work was uninspiring, I did appreciate the science fiction rules of the world. I was also a sucker for the revelation that the largest mountain was actually an inverted tear from a passing asteroid. Functioning purely as a travel guide to this strange world was entertaining, even if the events along the way were lacking.

Mark Twain - Ron Chernow

This isn’t the longest biography I’ve ever read, but of course I was still daunted by the 1,000+ page count. It turns out, every chapter was worth it. This was such an illuminating portrait of an author I always enjoyed, but about whom I had little background. As it should, the book covered every aspect of Twain's life, from the funny to the complicated. It also made me realize how little of Twain's actual written works I was familiar with and made me want to consume more. This is the kind of biography which will only enlighten anything I read from Mark Twain from now on. I only wish I could share this biography with my mom, who put me onto Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer from a young age.

Gilda (1946)

At first, I was a little unsure on the two most immoral characters ending up together and, apparently, getting exactly what they wanted. Both are manipulative and self-serving, and they hurt others along the way. After thinking more about it, however, it seems less what they both want and more what they both deserve. So, the two may be happy as the film concludes, but if the past behavior is any indication, this will be fleeting. Also, this film had one of the coolest shots I’ve ever seen playing with shadow. While one character was talking in the background fully lit, the other listened and responded in the foreground, completely featureless, being kept both literally and figuratively in the dark. That scene will always be first to mind when I think of this film.

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Sega Genesis) & Kirby’s Avalanche (Super Nintendo)

This is technically about two video games, but it’s really about the same game. When I say these are the same, I don’t mean they are comparable or one inspired the other or one is a spiritual successor. No, they are the same exact game, except for having Sonic characters or Kirby characters. Fortunately, it’s an excellent game!

I always fell more in the Dr. Mario camp of falling icon puzzle game preferences, so when my closest friend and Mean Bean advocate said he was clicking with Dr. Mario 64, I had to give Puyo Puyo another try. I immediately got stumped by the second (of thirteen!) levels. But once I learned the patterns and the importance of combos, things started to make sense. I was eventually able to progress through and vanquish King Dedede and Dr. Robotnik in their respective games, even as the blocks are dropping faster than I could see them. It’s almost not possible to watch them fall, you simply have to line them up and hope. I can see how someone can get good at this, but it took fairly lucky massive combos for me to finish both games. And at the end of the day (literally), I’m closing my eyes and seeing beans fall. That’s a bonus win for me.

Halo: Cryptum - Greg Bear

Earlier this year, I made a personal goal to fill in some of the Halo lore and backstory. Now, this is typically a misguided idea, but this is a franchise I already enjoy, so adding some in-universe history interested me. This was the first book of the chronologically earliest trilogy, thus a good starting point for this project. It was a fairly straightforward science fiction story about the oldest species and their early encounters with the common enemy which arise throughout the game series. This nebulous enemy is the impetus for the entire franchise, as it has the potential to spread and dominate the universe, necessitating constant conflict and the very Halo weapon itself. With this story in particular, they may be less of an immediate threat; instead, the conflict lies in the weapon’s creator and the political power it brings. This book is not going to win any new fans, but people who already have an appreciation for the story will find some nuggets of interest.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

I read this book when it came out, which means I remember almost nothing of it now. Watching this movie did something rare for me: it made me want to pick up the book and read it again. When I heard it was being made into a film, seemingly so soon after the book’s release I was intrigued, especially with how it would be adapted. Considering how particularly narrative is the nonfiction of author David Grann, it didn’t exactly surprise me that Scorsese was doing it. Unfortunately, since I’m not in the Apple ecosystem, I had to wait a few years for Criterion to put it out. Initially, the runtime scared me, but it never actually felt overly long. It was fascinating to see the very familiar Scorsese crime drama applied to a Western setting. That said, it never achieved the level of gravitas as some of his other period pieces. I still enjoyed it, possibly even more than his last streaming exclusive crime epic, but I still have a hard time fully accepting movies which are intrinsically linked with a streaming service. It’s ridiculous, it’s outdated, but it’s my problem.

A Wave That Will Never Break - WU LYF

Apparently, I missed out on the mythology of WU LYF. A band that unveils little information about themselves, they released one highly regarded album in 2011—perhaps the height of my music discovery phase when I could have found them—they apparently disappeared for a decade and a half before returning now with a new record. I didn’t know any of this until last week, but the story was intriguing enough for me to go digging. I have to say, I haven’t heard a song from this band yet that I haven’t liked, including this newest release. Comfortably in my favorites of the first half of the year, this album is incredibly well put-together. Being only seven tracks, it seems slight, but each song is put together so immaculately in a way that feels sprawling. I look forward to returning to it all year, especially in different seasons.

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This - Omar El Akkad

This was a challenging read in all the ways the book itself warns it will be. As a formal diatribe saying, essentially, “silence is violence,” I felt uncomfortably complicit throughout the book. I am not educated enough about the war in the Middle East nor have I dedicated the time, which speaks precisely to the book’s thesis. It pulls zero punches about the global tragedy, and particularly the luxury and privilege of the Western world to be disconnected from the events. I had some nitpicks about the writing, where some of the parenthetical phrases felt forced and vindictive, but all of that is ultimately inconsequential. It is an impressive book. The family history connection makes the story personal while the journalist background keeps it professional. Sadly, I feel this same book could be written (and probably has) about any number of global issues, and come to the same realization: human nature tends to lean towards self-interest. A solution was not offered—that’s not this book’s responsibility—and that only made for a more devastatingly bleak conclusion.

Triple H vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (WWF, 2/25/2001)

This was a nice take on the two-out-of-three falls format, even if the first two falls were basically indistinguishable from each other, and the cage match came up lacking as a result. Still, the hatred between the two of them was evident. The finish was well-told with both competitors exhausted to the point of passing out, which really sold the intensity of the 35+ minutes of action. Even though the actual resolution may have been corny and unbelievable, it was a protected win for Hunter, overwhelmingly the unpopular choice. But when both are seemingly passed out after the bell, no one actually loses.  

The F1 Movie (2025)

I knew going in, I was predisposed not to like this film. I have an almost active disinterest in auto-racing of any kind, and the triumphant sports movie genre does not generally inspire me. In a bizarre way, I thought this might surprise me, especially since I did actually enjoy Maverick. Instead, it met all of my expectations exactly. The story of aging athlete battling it out with a younger competitor, taking risks, getting beaten back, getting involved in a harmless if ham-fisted love story, fending off a cartoonish business executive. I’m sure it was an expensive movie, but the sponsored payments probably paid off the budget before it left the editing room. There were no less than three ads in every frame. Don’t get me wrong, it looked great on Blu-ray—I have no doubts the IMAX was a looker—and the Hans Zimmer score was as good as usual. But otherwise, it was an empty collection of quotes and tropes, but devoid of risk.

Their Satanic Majesties Request – The Rolling Stones

This has to be one of the most bizarre Stones records I’ve heard. I picked it up as a blind spot, knowing only one track and little else about the background. To be honest, I didn’t even know the Rolling Stones had a psychedelic “phase,” which is probably too wide a term considering it appears to have lasted for just this one album. It is understandable the desire to compete with the Beatles and Sgt. Pepper, but I would say it was not very effective. Obviously, they must have agreed since the follow-up began an unassailable run of albums—at least four, but possibly as many as eight?—all of which went back to the core sound rooted in blues. All of those, in fact, I prefer to this one. This was a fascinating experiment, and one I would actually like to return to at some point despite my misgivings.

Hamnet (2025)

I found the pacing of this film to be odd, and when I looked around online after watching it, I saw others feeling the same way. Anecdotally, though, it seems like people tend to form into one of two opposing opinions about the film’s ending: it either confirms the slow pace and does not resolve well or justifies the slow build and earns the emotional payoff. It was good to see my feelings echoed online, because I was very much in the latter category. It takes twenty-five minutes for the love story to develop, the title character is not even revealed until minute forty or thereabouts. This hardly gives time to develop a meaningful connection before he is abruptly killed, propelling us to the climax. But then, the conclusion is spell-binding. By way the mother and her brother, we go from feeling the playwright’s absent coldness to losing his son, to realizing he has actually expressed his grief in the most public way possible. The mother achieves a sense of catharsis by watching a tragic play as personal elegy intended only for her despite being surrounded by a hundred different people having a hundred different feelings of their own. This film is a perfect example of art as healing—for both creator and consumer.

Viridiana (1961)

From what other Buñuel I've seen, I had expected this to be far more surrealist. Instead, this was a straightforward film with gorgeous scenery, set almost entirely in a Spanish villa. The film was beautiful, even if the messaging fell short for me. For vague reasons, the title character visits her wealthy, estranged relative, just as she is about to achieve her life goal, which ends up derailing her life. Without sacrificing her goodness, she is able to make the most of a new situation, only for her intentions to betray her, and leave her empty. She is, quite literally, assaulted by those above and below her place in life, and we are left to believe she is ruined because of it. I realize the intent of the film was to decry the lack of morals of the upper class, but the way the poor were ultimately demonized at the end didn't sit right with me. 

Mile High Madness Anything Goes (AEW, 2/25/2026)

This is not really my style of match, overemphasizing chaos and props, but it was certainly enjoyable for what it was. This was the definition of a spotfest, and I don't necessarily use that as a pejorative. To begin the match, having Jack Perry's music running the entire first two or three minutes was goofy and fun. From there it was quick cuts jumping from action to plunder to more action. Kudos to the Perry, the Rascalz, and the Bucks for wearing similarly colored pants; otherwise, I would have been totally lost in the mayhem. I can't watch too many of these in a row, but I'm good for one or two a year. 

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Game Boy Advance)

Zelda is very much a winter franchise for me. Something about the holiday time inspires me to pick up a game to chip away on. This year, I landed on a new-to-me entry, as I didn’t own a Game Boy Advance growing up, and this game was a blast. While the overworld was a bit trite (forgivable, considering it’s on a mobile device) the dungeon puzzles were highly satisfying. I thought the music, when I remembered to turn up my Game Boy’s volume, was particularly magnificent, directly reminiscent of Ocarina of Time. There were moments I thought I had played this before, but it was only the music grounding me. This was not my favorite Zelda game, not even my favorite 2D Zelda, possibly not even my favorite handheld 2D Zelda, but even a “not my favorite” in this series is still a tremendous game. Especially after feeling burned by the Zelda output on the Switch, this reminded me what I love about the series.

Network (1976)

Although he doesn’t play a major role, Robert Duvall submits another incredible performance, proving he would not be typecast as Tom Hagen, despite being just a couple years removed from The Godfather. What a treasured American actor. A ludicrous satire of mass media, which—while obviously dated—somehow feels more poignant viewed in today’s America. The sensationalism depicted here actually winds up feeling quaint compared to the real-life news channels. The interpersonal relationships of the executives could not hold my interest, but the machinations of the TV station, whereby all moral values are sacrificed at the altar of Nielsen ratings and ad revenues, will never not be relevant. This is Succession, but fifty years earlier.

Football - Chuck Klosterman

I have often said no one has influenced my writing style more than Chuck Klosterman. In fact, these very words wouldn’t exist without him. So, my favorite author wrote a book about sports. One sport in particular, actually. And it was exactly what I’ve come to expect from him and his writing. I like to read his thoughts on pretty much any subject, but as it happens, football is also a topic I enjoy, though not nearly as much as he does. Still, his appreciation is undoubtedly infectious. This is less of a history or analysis of the game, and more critical think-piece essays about football’s place in the larger view of society, which is again to be expected. If anything, it was more focused than I expected, less tangential than his usual works. Not many nonfiction books have ever made me laugh out loud, but he does it with regularity, and this one was no exception. He writes at a level of intellectualism where I feel dumb even trying to comprehend it, but then bends it back around to a level of stupidity where I feel smart again. The truth is probably closer to the former for me, but at least it's a fun ride, and it tends to prompt me to initiate similar conversations with my own like-minded friends. He has an undeniably special way of looking at the world that sitting in the bar and chatting with him for an afternoon would feel natural.

The Alabama Solution (2025)

As expected, this was a difficult documentary to watch. The story was primarily told via vertical cell phone footage directly captured by inmates of the Alabama prisons, and it was amazing how quickly the blurry imagery naturally gave way from “cinematography” to realism. Specifically, the film focused on a handful of prisoners and the immediate impact of their mistreatment. Broadly, though, it was about the widespread systemic racism and classism in the prison system where powerless human beings are kept in inhuman conditions. Likening the captivity to slavery—forced labor, little to no chance to graduate—made the message that much more effective. Importantly, the film did not give time to anyone with the concept that these people somehow deserve what they are going through beyond a couple arrogant radio hosts, nor does it blatantly politicize the outcome beyond the usual, which is to say financial gain. Doing so would have only made it divisive, and this shouldn’t be. Human beings throughout the nation (as the documentary reminds us this is not limited to one state or one region) are being denied human rights. It’s impossible to talk about this as a work of art. It’s a well-made documentary, sure. But the value, of course, is in the meaning, and hopefully some actual difference can be made because of it.

Big Arch burger (McDonald’s)

It’s not often a fast food gimmick actually works for me as anything more than that: a fun one-off I never need to try again. Calling myself a connoisseur feels pretentious, but I do make regular trips to any fast food establishment for any new goofball menu offering, so I can comfortably say I’ve had a wide range of offerings. That said, I was impressed with the new Big Arch burger, even for someone with such a limited palette. For starters, opening the lid to see a dual sesame and poppy seed bun was a very pleasant surprise. I appreciated the gooey over-serving of cheese surrounding both patties, which was even tastier in conjunction with the sauce. But the best addition was the combination of raw and fried onions, above and below the meat, respectively. If I had one request, it would be for a pop of fresh tomato. It is decidedly too much food to function as my daily driver of a sandwich, but as an occasional purchase and competitor with the Big Mac, this burger deserves a place in the regular menu, or at least a rotating treat.

Justified – Justin Timberlake

I’m of the opinion that 39 minutes is the perfect length for an album. Somehow, rap and pop records seem to be the biggest offenders of this rule. This album (like last week’s Pitchfork Sunday review, Madonna’s Erotica) is guilty of overstaying its welcome. Although it only has thirteen tracks, it’s still over an hour, which is too much. Especially if it’s not my preferred style of music.

I have at least one friend who swears by later Timberlake albums, but this one didn’t do a whole lot for me. While I would have been a little young for the whole boy band craze, Justin Timberlake was ubiquitous enough that I kept waiting to be hit with songs I of course recognized, but that only happened once, with “Rock Your Body.” I did have a moment of shock when I heard Clipse on one song, so it was less of a surprise to learn The Neptunes were heavily involved here. Otherwise, I heard talent, both in the production and vocalizing, but an overall sameness. It’s hard to say without the benefit of hindsight, but it felt like an early record from someone who goes on to be one of the biggest pop multimedia stars of the decade. And again, every song could have trimmed 30-45 seconds off the meandering outros. At some point, I’ll probably try a later album or two, for no other reason than to see if I agree with my friends.

Fireworks - Matthew Burgess & Catia Chien (illus.)

When I say I enjoy following awards, I am referring to a wide range of them. The Caldecott Medal and Honor books are part of my yearly routine. This title, the award winner, was quite pretty. The artwork was minimalistic but the colors were vibrant. The story was not particularly deep, but that is never the intent of the award. One page expanded upward in a fold to expose the finale of the firework show, proving once again that children’s picture books are one of the last formats which cannot be replaced digitally. I always enjoy when picture books take advantage of the art form when it supplements the story. In this case, providing a vertical page extension added to the majesty of the firework celebration.

Somersaults – deathcrash

Sometimes, the bands I know nothing about wind up being more exciting than those I highly anticipate. This is just a gem of a slow-core record, heavy but with a strong hint of lo-fi. The title track in particular sticks out as one I will be belting out on a nighttime drive at least once this year. I will need to spend more time with the lyrics, but I already feel the emotional pull after only a handful of listens. It’s already on my list to revisit for the year, which makes four albums in two months, already outpacing last year.

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025)

Continuing more of my Oscar explorations, and this had me thinking about it long after it was over. The acting blew me away. It was stressful and beautiful, or in other words, lifelike. Of course, Rose Byrne's performance is award-worthy, but I was also stunned by the two actors working outside their normal expected ranges (Conan and A$AP Rocky). I was impressed with some stylistic decisions as well; Linda's is the only character's face you see for the first several minutes of the film, and it's a tight shot, foreshadowing how the ensuing events are going to swallow her whole. Conversely, withholding the daughter's face until the closing sequence received an audible gasp from me.

Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

This was another post-Valentines horror watch for us, and it was fun. I remembered very little from the first one, but that turned out not to matter all that much. The plot to this one was needlessly convoluted—jumping into alternate dimensions—but that also didn’t matter. It was enjoyable for what it was, fairly low-stakes for a horror movie. They tried to inject some finality to it as the main character was somehow running out of resets to the day, but that didn’t get in the way of the action. The story was also unexpectedly emotional, creating a choice for the main character between the love of her life in one universe and the return of her mom in the other. I think I said it after the first film, but I am so glad the Groundhog Day schtick hasn’t been completely overdone. We’ve got this, Palm Springs, and that’s pretty much it. Original ideas should stay original!

The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) - Rabih Alameddine

Huh, two consecutive books involving adult characters and the relationships with their mothers. This was a coincidence—honestly!—even if it would be reasonable to assume otherwise. Actually, the real reason I picked it up was, of course, following up on awards season. I see why this won the National Book Award. It is a personal journey through multiple eras of Lebanese history, about which I knew nothing. I always appreciate a story set over different time periods, and a personal journey leading through generations is a good way for me, a reader with no prior experience or understanding, to get a better sense of another culture. I really enjoyed the organization of this story. It began in reverse chronological order, centering with a hundred pages detailing situation similar to the film, Room, which was a point of origin for the character, before returning forward in time. This was an effective and comprehensible way of presenting both the character's and the country's history.

Cupid & Psyche 85 – Scritti Politti

The 80s are probably my least-versed decade in music, and I definitely made my share of uneducated comments about the common music styles way back in high school, but I’ve grown since then. I now have an appreciation for and understanding of the broader 80s pop scene, and this week’s listen, courtesy of Pitchfork’s weekly Sunday Review, fits squarely into that sentiment. I feel particularly indebted to the review for highlighting the other musical influences heard in this record. The reggae is immediately obvious, of course, but I had forgotten Scritti Politti was rooted in punk. I read Rip It Up and Start Again, but not since grad school. Going back and checking out some of their earlier punk tracks gave a greater context to this record. At times sounding like Prince (though I would never go that far!), this is a perfect example of highly-produced electro-pop that defined the decade. I likely would have been turned off by this in high school, and I would have been wrong.

Heart Eyes (2025)

What better time of year to settle in with a kitschy horror movie set on Valentine’s Day? The plot was inane, and the acting was cheesy, but the movie was still fun! A mostly predictable sequence of events with transparent villains and one or two jumpy moments. As to be expected, given the setting, there was a healthy dose of romantic comedy. Also, for better or worse, I will never be able to set this apart from the Scream franchise, based on both who was in the living room and who was on the screen. A lovely way to spend an evening, and I envision doing pretty much the same thing for the inevitable sequel.

Halo 2: Anniversary (Xbox One)

My memories of my first time playing through Halo 2 are hazy, as I was a pre-teen, but some moments do slip through. Being able to carry two weapons simultaneously. Playing as the enemy species for the first time. Encountering an entirely new enemy in the brutes. What I also recall, though, is the sense of anticipation to getting a sequel to what, at the time, had to be my favorite-ever video game. I also remember the slight uneasiness when it didn’t capture me the same way the first one did, surely not my first time being let down by a sequel in media, but one of the first I can bring to mind. The fact that it ended in a singular boss fight, without a climactic chase sequence, felt like a letdown then, and the franchise returned to an escape with its follow-up. While I was too young to be following game reviews and criticism, it seems like that was a commonly expressed sentiment around the game. Now, the online multiplayer aspect is recognized as a paradigm shift, and I can attest to that being formative for me as well. 

All of that said, with the 20-year wave of nostalgia cresting right now, I wanted to replay the campaign even if I was basically experiencing it fresh. The Anniversary re-release, as it is presented in the Master Chief Collection, is an excellent product, and the way to play it today. The entire game, including its cutscenes, is redone in a way that feels totally modern. And because I was coming to it nostalgically, I found myself mashing the Select button to alternate between original Xbox and Xbox One graphics multiple times every level. The boss finale does still seem anti-climactic, but not enough to detract from the totality of the game. A wonderfully tight experience, only whetting my appetite for more from the Halo universe, not to mention more romanticizing of the original Xbox.

Bell's Two Hearted Ale and Founders Centennial IPA

I've long maintained Bell's Two Hearted Ale is the finest beer, or at least my favorite. It's full in taste, plenty of hops, but not excessively heavy. The label is beautiful and makes me think of Nick Adams. Plus, it's from Michigan. I've had dozens of them over the course of my adult life, and I will always order it when I see it on a menu and nothing else jumps out at me. Imagine my slow realization as I made the connection that the design shares a curious similarity, at least in color scheme, to Founders Centennial IPA. Also delicious, also hoppy (in fact, using the same exact variety of hops as my beloved Two Hearted, as I later learned), and also from my beloved Michigan. Now, I have not had this beer near as often; their All Day session IPA is more of my go-to option. But when I realized they shared similar characteristics, according to experts who taste such things, I had to do a blind taste test. My conclusion? My taste buds are still non-functional. Sipped from the can, I preferred Bell's. Sipped from a tasting glass, it was Founders. What struck me seeing them side-by-side was how red the Centennial was. I've always thought Two Hearted is a beautiful pour, but it literally pales in comparison. Evidently, this did not affect the taste, however, as I had mixed results, which admittedly detract from my credibility in declaring a favorite. All said, I can't go wrong with either one.

COLD 2 THE TOUCH – Angel Du$t

After being slightly disappointed with the last Angel Du$t album (but loving those before that), I didn’t know what to expect here. I should have set my hopes somewhat high, though. “The Beat” was my first- or second-favorite song of 2025, easily one of my most played, and the experience of seeing it live landed perfectly. This album is tremendous. At 26 minutes, it’s their most compact release in ten years, but they pack in so much. The linchpin of the whole thing is near the midpoint, the song “DU$T” begins with an acoustic ballad before violently shifting into a breakdown eighty seconds into the song. This is a showcase of their immense range. Closing with the aforementioned “The Beat” was an unexpected choice, when I first read the track list, but it made sense in practice. It makes me think of walking out into the parking lot, among a dispersing crowd, and wandering back to my car after seeing a transcendent show. Two disparate thoughts, I wish the album continued on from there, but also, it’s perfect that it doesn’t.

I’m Not a Robot (2023)

As I watch through Oscar movies for this year, it is painfully obvious how many I missed from previous years. With that in mind, I watched last year’s winner for best live-action short. This was a well-made short with a serviceable science fiction story, sort of a modern version of Twilight Zone. As realization begins to dawn on the main character and panic sets in, the mood is decidedly upsetting, even if the paranoia was a little rushed. The video call between the main character and her partner was an exercise in tension, and I was urging one or the other to say something that would explain it all away. The ending sequence atop the parking garage was assembled particularly well. Not so much in the way the events transpired, which were mostly as expected, but rather how it was presented. I was so engrossed with how it was going to resolve that I gasped out loud when the credits started to crawl across the screen.

AEW Dynamite (2/11/2026)

I don’t often have the time to watch full wrestling shows anymore, but I try to keep up with the must-see matches at the very least, and this week’s Dynamite had two of them. First up was the newly added Tommaso Ciampa against Mark Fletcher. The heat for this match was unreal, especially for a TV match, and not even a main event at that. The plant on the steps was brutal, and the crowd was white hot from then on. The ending was somewhat telegraphed for how often commentary talked about the Australia show next week and the possibility of Fletcher returning home as champion, but that didn’t stop every near-fall from feeling meaningful. Ciampa kicking out of a brain-buster and looking blankly ahead while Fletcher cradled him in disbelief was perfect imagery.

Then, I skipped ahead to the end of the show to watch the strap match between Kris Statlander and the “toxic spider,” Thekla. Strap matches are rare enough they still hold some novelty for me. Add in a healthy amount of blood, and this was a looker. I quite liked Thekla going into her spider pose, only to be yanked out by a quick yank on the strap from Kris. It was short, it was violent, it was excellent.

PlayTime (1967)

This was a new-to-me Criterion watch, and as usual, I went in blind. This movie was hilarious. I was wondering as I watched it, what effect Tati must have had on the Pythons, and then I saw Terry Jones in a featurette on the Criterion release, a perfect coincidence. Monsieur Hulot was not quite bumbling, but there was a certain slapstick quality to the whole thing. The American travelers were equally colorful in their gaudiness. The Paris as depicted was nothing but stark, modernist buildings, made funnier by two obvious sight gags: actual Parisian monuments visible only in reflections and other countries depicted with the same buildings with different decor out front. The hour spent in the restaurant was stuffed with even more visual bits, the doorman holding a handle unattached to a door, two waiters carrying a menu as if it were a corpse. And this is all without even mentioning the delightful, over-the-top sound effects! It was not until the film was halfway through that I realized no story was really taking place, there was no plot, but it did not matter in the slightest. In another time and place, I would be making the Hulot extended universe my entire identity. As it is now, I will be seeking out the rest of the series and probably watching this one again to pick up more.

Ignore the Ignorant - The Cribs

Another day, another Cribs album. This continues the upward trend for me of enjoyable listens, particularly from a distinctive era of 2000s British indie rock. I believe this might be the only album featuring Johnny Marr, and my goodness, it shows. In fact, I thought I picked up some Modest Mouse influence before I read that he was involved in this particular record. I really appreciate the way they slide in some longer songs amidst shorter ones, in a way that contributes to that art-y new wave atmosphere. There was a notable shift between the second and third record, and this fourth one builds on the previous, even if I didn’t get quite the same level of excitement out of it. Of course, I realize this is a disadvantageous way to go about listening to a band, doing a mostly passive cursory once-over through a complete discography, but it’s the way I do things. The immersion is making me eager to start over again and do some more closer listens, so there’s that.

Singin’ to an Empty Chair – Ratboys

Ratboys are from Chicago, but their sound should be able to confirm they are from the Midwest long before you know that detail. This band fits squarely into that alt-Americana of Big Thief and Waxahatchee, and not simply because all are fronted by female vocalists. I realize they are roughly contemporary with those other acts, but it is surprising they don’t get the same level of attention. This is a stellar follow up to their previous record, The Window, which felt like something was beginning to break through at the time. As a continuation, I hope this album elevates their progress even further. They are seemingly able to write simultaneously joyous pop pieces that feel breezy as well as longer epics that feel all-encompassing, and it changes from song to song. In fact, some of the more anthemic pieces are worth belting out. The music feels somehow both modern and timeless, but all songs are endlessly pleasant. Easily the first contender for my annual best of the year list.

Behind the Magnolia Curtain – Tav Falco’s Panther Burns

There are two types of Pitchfork Sunday Reviews: those that provide context for an already-known record and those which introduce a never-known one. In either case, there is a reason this has been part of my required weekly reading (and subsequent listening) for years now. This week’s review was an example of the latter, introducing a new-to-me album, a 1980s garage blues rock album reminiscent of rock and roll from thirty years prior. On my initial pass, I wasn’t a huge fan. The record was competent at making me consider classic rock and roll—Buddy Holly, Link Wray, Bill Haley—but ultimately, I would have rather listened to any of those artists instead. Musically, there were a few tracks which impressed me, but the vocals took me out of the experience, and I found myself wishing for more of the dirty, fuzzed out instrumentals. As an experiment in nostalgia, I found it interesting, but the novelty wore thin after some time. I fully admit, however, that I have basically no exposure to the source material of Memphis rockabilly referenced in the initial article, so I can't hold my own lack of nostalgia against the music. I will probably take songs from this record in doses, but I don’t see myself returning to the album as a whole in the near future.

Flesh - David Szalay

I used to enjoy stories about nihilistic, mundane characters, such as Holden Caulfield or William Stoner. Turns out, I still do! Istvan is the latest in that archetype for me, bouncing chaotically between affair and violence, never quite seeming to settle into a comfortable life. Even the moments where things do seem to be going right, there is always an atmosphere of unease. For a mostly bleak story, however, the pacing was incredibly quick, as so much narrative was told in rapid dialogue. There were bright spots, though. For one, the love Istvan felt for his wife was truly evident, even if his response to her fate was not handled well. The other was that Istvan's mother weaves her way throughout his life in ways that mostly went unnoticed by me, until the end. Of course that resonated with me, to the point that I went back and re-read the opening few paragraphs immediately after finishing. That Istvan was able to forge those two deep emotional connections amidst an otherwise gray existence was beautiful, inspiring, and, honestly, life-like. This was possibly my favorite ever Booker winner, though I would have to reconsider Shuggie Bain.

Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever – The Cribs

I’ve been meaning to check out this band knowing Jeff Rosenstock name-checked them in one of his best songs. Anything Jeff endorses is good enough for me. As I do with such things, I work through in chronological order, so this is the third record of theirs I’ve listened to this week. This approach is proving to work for me, because each album is growing on me, naturally as the band’s sound evolves. I got the sense this was the big release for this band, so I was eager to get to it. It is the first one that has made me want to dive back in for another listen. I have to say, it sounds very “of its era,” but I mean that as a compliment. Thinking about the other records coming from the UK in the mid-00s, this feels perfectly in place. I’m still not ready to claim fandom for the group, but I haven’t hit anything that’s made me want to quit either. Incidentally, this is the first album of theirs where I can really hear a sense of the Rosenstock sound coming through.

URGH – Mandy, Indiana

I’m still quite mystified by the naming conventions of this band. How does a group from the UK land on my home state as their calling card? I suppose it is pleasant to say aloud, but it is an otherwise unremarkable place. That said, I wish the music spoke to me more than the name did. This is not the first album of theirs I’ve listened to; listening to the weekly Stereogum recommendation is part of my weekly routine, and I suspect that’s where I picked up the last one too. I can do some electronic and some glitch and some weird, but taken as a whole, the style is just not for me. It is hard for me to put myself in the mindset where I would be craving it. Far and away, my favorite bit is the Billy Woods feature. And the album cover! Honestly, its chaos perfectly suits the music, and I can get behind that.

Two People Exchanging Saliva (2024)

Every February, I find myself seeking out the easily-available short films on the Oscar list because it’s easy to take in one or two with my morning coffee. I spent the first two acts thinking this was an intriguing, if standard, dystopian story, which it is. Affection is grounds for capital punishment, and the economy has substituted literal slaps in the face for money. But I was surprised at how swept up I was in the romance by the third act. The mundanity of a taxi driver taking Angine to a dumping ground of nondescript coffins to search for her lost love was sad enough, but revisiting the scene on the stairs from Malaise’s birthday from another perspective was heartbreaking. The scant runtime of the format lends itself perfectly to how rapidly the events of the story begin, develop, and resolve. Also, a banner year so far for short films with on-the-nose character names, with this and the Jane Austen period piece.

3:10 to Yuma (1957)

I have vague memories of watching the remake of this film, probably around the time it released on DVD, with my parents in my basement growing up. Almost nothing has stuck with me almost twenty years later except, I believe, a train in a tunnel? At any rate, I watched the original, in my efforts to stay up to date on Criterion Collection releases. This was such an affecting film, with Evans’ supreme moral compass and an utmost need to care for his family. As he says goodbye to his wife and implores her to remember him with pride regardless of the outcome, a devastating climax feels inevitable. This makes the final escape sequence all the more tense. The joyousness of the escape, coupled with the rain finally beginning to fall feels totally hopeful. Not to be forgotten, the haunting main musical song will stick with me for a long time. I had read the ending was different between the original and the remake and my aforementioned lack of memories about it, so I read through a synopsis, despite there really being only one other outcome. Interestingly, despite being backwards, I would say I watched both of these at the right times in my life. I’m sure the emotion of the remake’s end resonated with me artistically then, but the sense of hope in this viewing original was exactly what I needed now.

Hazuki vs. Mei Seira (Stardom, 1/11/2026)

Stardom is one of those wrestling promotions I see all the time on best-of lists, always want to know more about, but don’t usually have the bandwidth to follow regularly. In fact, I can’t recall if I’ve ever seen either of these competitors before this match. So, without any of the storyline context or background knowledge, I can safely say: wow, this was a stiff match! Hazuki’s offense in the closing minutes was relentless, Seira looked completely exhausted at the final bell. The pure sound alone was bombastic enough to make this a must-watch match. On a related note, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a referee with such rigid, vigorous mat counts. Truly authoritative performance from the referee, outshone only by the intense, rapid action from the wrestlers themselves. The one-off matches of Stardom I catch never fail to disappoint, and I need to do that more often.

As an aside, I have to start thinking about where Korakuen Hall would land on a list of all-time venues. Like a Madison Square Garden, it is one of those places where the location lends to the stature of the event.

Palate Cleanser

I’ve decided to start writing again. Actually, I’ve been thinking about this for a long time now—maybe years—the idea of writing short reviews of the media I consume. Maybe the occasional bit of sports writing, who knows. So, using this platform, I’m going to start writing 150-200 words to get my thoughts out about things. The reviews will be egocentric. The editing will be minimal. The style guide will be mine. The topics will not likely be timely. The idea here is to write for me, a living diary of the classic or contemporary things I’m reading, watching, playing, etc. Some may be first-time experiences, others may be repeat experiences. 

I also want to exercise my writing skills again while using some critical thinking. So much of what I do gets distilled down to a star rating on another platforms (some of which are linked on this very page) and my memory is so bad, I wanted to get some actual words behind the ratings to refresh myself for future reference. That does not mean these reviews will be intellectual (though they will probably still be pretentious?) But that’s okay, these are meant for me to revisit, and anyone who stumbles upon them, lovely, welcome, I appreciate you!

I decided not to go back and delete any of the pieces before now. Not because I think they are any good (quite the contrary: some would be difficult to re-read, I’m sure). No, I’m not deleting them, mostly because it would take work, and there’s no real point. Essentially, those were written by a different person, and the posts are there as relics, as artifacts. Plus, I was at least somewhat proud of them at one point in time. In fact, I even attempted something like this before, regrettably titled "Best Thing I Did Last Week." I want to keep it simpler than that. Hence, this interlude of a post serves as a palate cleanser, bridging what I use to write and what I will write going forward.

We’ll see how long this idea lasts. For now, I’d like to shoot for three days. Then, maybe a week. Then, maybe another week. The point is not to hold myself to anything. Not to mention, there will be days or weeks where I don’t engage with much of anything or feel compelled to express thoughts on them. That’s okay, too. And if nothing else, I’ll have this post, right here, to revisit when I don’t feel like writing anymore or when I get the itch to write again in a few years, whatever the case may be. This is for me, to stretch my creative thinking, to retain my memory better, and simply, to write words I want to read.