This year marks the 13th anniversary of High School Musical, a Disney Channel Original Movie (or DCOM for those in the know) that sparked the careers of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and ushered in a renaissance for musicals, especially those aimed at teens. While I could write many words about the significance that High School Musical has had in my own life and to the larger pop cultural landscape, instead I am doing something a little more offbeat. I am boppin’ my own beat all the way to the top. As a fellow member of the class of ’08, I feel a special kinship to the HSM kids, and that means that this year (or early next year) Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and all the rest will be turning 30. And so I am going to rank every song in the High School Musical series based on how useful they will be to the Wildcats (and the rest of us) as they turn the big 3-0.
Read moreSusan's #PodSquad: Crime Junkie
Hosted by Ashley Flowers with co-host Brit Prawat, Crime Junkie is my new favorite binge-worthy crime podcast. And if you know me, you know I've listened to a LOT of crime pods. Here’s what I love about it.
Read moreThe Bachelorette S15E7: I'm Falling in Love for You
Kelli: Hello everyone. Because Susan is moving in with her “final rose” this week, I am here covering for her.
Emily: Hi, that still makes me want to vomit. But welcome, Kelli.
Kelli: Thanks. This is the first time I will have to publicly reckon with the choices I made when I drafted this team. If I were Susan, I’d be extremely mad at me.
Emily: Yeah well… unfortunately some of the dudes you picked are still around. I hate all of them. #Mike4Bachelor #TeamPeter #TeamTyler #TeamAnyoneElseButLukeorJed
Read moreFeatured Bookstore: Unnameable Books, Brooklyn, NY
This month’s featured bookstore post might be one of our shortest yet, not because the store doesn’t deserve a lengthy description, but because it is one of the more mysterious businesses I’ve encountered. Located on Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, Unnameable Books certainly lives up to its name — so much so that when I asked the man working behind the register if he knew the name’s origin story, he told me that he wasn’t really allowed to say. This man, my unofficial source for this blog post, told me I could refer to him as “the old guy who isn’t the owner.”
Read moreChild's Play is the Best Episode of Black Mirror: Season 5
When you’re attempting to reboot a franchise that just released a sequel two years prior, you have to make yourself stand out.
So how did 2019’s reboot of the 1988 cult classic Child’s Play manage this? Or did it at all?
Read moreLate to the Game: Bloodborne
When Bloodborne came out in 2015 from FromSoftware, it didn’t ping my radar. For so many years, I enjoyed games solely as narrative devices, a means of telling a story. The Zelda series, or the JRPGs that dotted my PlayStation felt more complete than platformers or roguelites that held little plot but levels and levels of intense action. Bloodborne seemed like more of the same; an entry into the Souls series of games (that have a reputation for being extremely difficult), Bloodborne situates players in a world of monsters and combat with little to no explanation for what’s going on. I’m told that this is a hallmark of Souls games, and that piecing together the plot and lore is part of the fun (looking at you, friend-of-the-pod, Kyle!), and to begin with, I didn’t find it engaging. With nothing to go on, I’m not sure why my nameless hunter is roaming the streets of Yharnam, slaughtering inexplicably hairy monsters and listening to their groans and screams.
Read moreLove Island: Life Ruiner
When the 2019 season of Britain’s hit reality tv show Love Island was announced, I know everyone was dying to ask the same question: Is Emily going to recap this show? Well, the short answer is no. The slightly longer answer is hell no.
The longest answer? I’m about to get into it in this blog post.
Read moreBSG #29: Emma Fay Voice / The Mars Room
BSG #29: Emma Fay Voice / The Mars Room
Grab an orange jumpsuit and cuff your ankles together because the #BookSquad is heading to prison this week for our discussion of Rachel Kushner’s novel The Mars Room. We talk about characterization, how this relates to other prison-based media, and what this book is or isn’t trying to say about the justice system. We also read lots of listener feedback on An Absolutely Remarkable thing. (Thanks, #goalies! Keep it coming!) Head to the #BookSquadBlog for various TV recaps, movie reviews, music reviews and more, and watch Black Mirror season five with us for our next othersode on July 1!
Click through for summary, table of contents, and show notes!
Read moreBe a Smartie, Go See Booksmart
Mary and Kelli saw Booksmart, a new film by Olivia Wilde and had some FEELINGS about it! Spoilers for Booksmart to follow!
Kelli: Helloooo
Mary: Hiiiiii! Today, we are very excited to talk about Booksmart, the directorial debut from Olivia Wilde!! Do you want to introduce us a little?
Kelli: Sure! So, before I saw Booksmart, I heard it described as a cross between Lady Bird and Superbad, and I think that is a fairly accurate description - though it's probably more on the Superbad end of the spectrum. The film stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as Molly and Amy, two "booksmart" best friends who realize, on the last day of their senior year, that while they were studying hard to get into good schools, all of the other kids who were partying and acting like typical teenagers... also got into good schools. Horrified by this knowledge and determined to prove to her peers that she is "fun," Molly (Feldstein) drags Amy (Dever) along with her to have one night of debauchery before they graduate.
Mary: And boy, is it a wild night.
Read moreThe Bachelorette S15E5: The Luke Ness Monster
This week Hannah’s journey for love takes us across the pond to Scotland…
Emily: ABC did us dirty this week. First, we ended on a cliffhanger last week, and then they pushed the show back to TUESDAY throwing off my entire weekly routine. Then we get another cliffhanger at the end of this episode? It’s like we’ve entered Kaityln Bristowe’s season all over again. I’m very triggered. But here we are. Let’s start from the beginning.
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