This Week
I made a playlist of songs I like from 2019. Here it is. You can listen to it.
A quick note on the stuff going to paid subscribers: last week I sent an essay about my love of lists. It’s neat. You can read it.
I hope you’re heading into a time of relative rest and relaxation, no matter what your holiday status.
Links
The 2019 haters’ guide to the Williams-Sonoma catalog.
Manohla Dargis on Hollywood’s crisis of masculinity.
The feminist horror of Black Christmas 1974 and Black Christmas 2019.
How Indigenous people have embraced and made art from their connection to Star Wars.
The best true crime books of 2019.
A collection of videos and resources about the loneliness of Edward Hopper paintings.
In a tiny Japanese town where the last children have grown up and many adults have moved away, a woman makes life-size dolls to fill the empty places.
“Just because everybody loves a story about a woman who is losing her power (or better yet, never had power to begin with), that doesn’t mean it’s true. Beloved stories shared by all are sometimes the least true things in this vast sparkling universe.” Ask Molly.
Reading/Watching/Listening
What better way to celebrate the holidays than with a feminist slasher film? The original 1974 Black Christmas is a great film (streaming on Shudder now, by the way), and this modern updated version of Black Christmas doesn’t pull any punches expressing its opinions. Recommended for those who want to burn down the patriarchy.
Also on Shudder is a little-known Japanese film called One Cut of the Dead. It starts out as a low-budget horror movie within a horror movie: while on set filming a zombie movie, real zombies attack the cast and crew. It then morphs into something else, no spoilers, but it remains a good time. This movie is just a straight-up blast to watch. It made me feel like I just got off a super fun theme park ride. Recommended for everyone.
I suppose I should make mention of the wars among the stars. I don’t have a lot to say. I had lowered expectations and that was probably for the best. But I do give full marks to Lando’s coat.
At least we still have Baby Yoda.
Love,
Jen
Connections
Substack archive: https://jenmyers.substack.com/archive
TinyLetter archive: http://tinyletter.com/jenmyers/archive
Essay archive: http://modernadventuress.com/
Website: http://jenmyers.net
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jenmyers
Email: hello@jenmyers.net
Post: P.O. Box 13114 Chicago, IL 60613
This week’s quote is from Rainer Maria Rilke.