TV Shows

High Fidelity (2020)
Available on Hulu

Can we talk about Zoë Kravitz? For one, she is gorgeous. For two, she plays a music snob/record store owner/introspective millennial named Rob. It truly is the best of both worlds. I binged the whole series in one night, it was that good. The soundtrack is also killer; I found myself shazamming at least three songs per episode. It is originally based on a book of the same name, which was adapted into a 2000 film starring John Cusack and Lisa Bonet (Zoë’s mom!).

Nathan For You (2013-2018)
Available on Hulu

This hilarious series follows Nathan Felder, Canadian business school graduate, as he provides really bad (or good, depending on how you view it) advice to help small business owners, with a little of trying to help his own personal life in between. In case you need more proof of its excellence: this is the only show that all of my friends and I can agree on when deciding what to watch.  

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Available on Hulu

Listen, I know that you have already heard of this show. But, it truly is one of the best! I would only start watching if you’re willing to commit to all seven seasons because, once you start, you won’t wanna stop. Buffy is a normal teenage girl except she has crazy super strength and other superpowers (but they seem kind of…normal? Not like that superhero type of stuff), falls in love with two (2) vampires, slays all kinds of evil, and saves the world multiple times with some help from her friends. It has action, drama, love, death, demons, vampires, and Sarah Michelle Gellar!

Daria (1997-2002)
Available on Hulu

A classic MTV animated series that you’ve probably seen screen stills from, Daria is a monotone angsty teenager who is just trying to navigate the simps of her school and home life with her best friend Jane Lane. She’s witty, smart, and funny and totally annoyed with the rest of the world. *sigh*

Derry Girls (2018)
Available on Netflix

I cannot stress how funny this show is.  I definitely recommend using subtitles, because these Derry girls have quite thick accents. This sitcom follows four Northern Irish teenage girls (and one English teenage boy) and their shenanigans all while “The Troubles” bring a (pretty much unrecognized) military presence throughout Derry. Watch them navigate war, sexuality, teenagehood, and the ‘90s! 

Fleabag (2016-2019)
Available on Amazon

Written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this show was adapted from her one-woman stage show of the same name. Fleabag is a depressed sex addict who masks all of her problems (personal and otherwise) with humor. She talks to the camera throughout the series, which is definitely a bit unsettling at first. She’s facing her demons and growing up, while being a hilarious, narcissistic asshole. This is another show that I binged in one night. 

(I also recommend Killing Eve, another show written by Waller-Bridge. It’s about a psychotic hit woman being hunted down by Sandra Oh.  And yes, it’s as great as it sounds…)

Movies

Good Time (2017)
Available on Netflix

The first thing I’m gonna say about this movie is: do not watch it before you go to bed. Not because of any type of nightmarish elements, but because this movie will undoubtedly get your adrenaline pumping. Directed by the Safdie Brothers, produced by A24, and starring Robert Pattinson; quite the formula for a bank-robbery-gone-wrong flick. It also has an original song by Iggy Pop (written for the movie) to close it out. If he thought it was worth his time, it is certainly worth yours.

(I would also obviously recommend one of the most talked-about films of last year, Uncut Gems, which is also a Safdie Brothers film. They truly are the kings of New York!)

Clue The Movie (1985)
Available on Amazon

Okay, okay… I know what you’re thinking. And yes, it is a little cheesy because it was made in 1985.  But, pretty much every film that was promoted as a “blockbuster” was cheesy, so give it a chance! This star-studded cast brought their A-game when it came to portraying board game characters. It’s a hilarious murder-mystery starring Tim Curry as a mysterious butler who invites a list of secretive government-employed characters, including the frontman of punk rock band Fear, Lee Ving. The ‘80s really were an interesting time…

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)
Available on Amazon

Another A24 film, we follow San Franciscan native Jimmie Fails and his best friend Montgomery as they try to reclaim Jimmie’s family home in the Fillmore District. Directed and written by Joe Talbot and Jimmie Fails, the story is heavily based on Fails’ real family history. This film gracefully tackles gentrification through the lens of sentimentality and family. It’s a love letter to San Francisco, a family home, and the duality of change. “You don’t get to hate it unless you love it.”

Tangerine (2015)
Available on Hulu

This Sean Baker film, which was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S, follows the story of two transgender sex workers, one of whom just got out of jail, as well as their customers and friends in Hollywood. A beautifully shot film, it is historical without trying to be. Interestingly, Baker gave the actresses the freedom to say whatever and act however they saw fit. In combination with its low budget production, Baker succeeded in producing a unique, high quality film. I would also recommend Baker’s other film The Florida Project, available to stream on Amazon, for a beautifully heartbreaking story of three young children living in impoverished Orlando motels.

Dumplin’ (2018)
Available on Netflix

Set in a small Texas town, this film revolves around the Miss Teen Bluebonnet Pageant and a teenage girl’s determination to stir the pot and make her town (and her mother) see how alienating pageant culture can be. With characters named Willowdean, Ellen, Bekah, Candee, and Delia, it has a real southern feel, but in the most charming way. There are drag queens, a very cute love interest, and a soundtrack of only Dolly Parton songs. It does an amazing job of being inclusive without tokenizing the wide variety of characters. Also, it stars Jennifer Aniston with a Texan accent!