Movies

‘Treasure Planet’

I will never skip an opportunity to plug this movie. This 2002 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, “Treasure Island” was a labor of love that took nearly two decades to produce. Instead of sailing the high seas, Jim Hawkins (voiced by Joseph Gordon Levitt) joins a merry band of alien pirates to sail the Etherium towards a planet filled with treasures beyond imagination. While the CGI might look somewhat dated, the themes of faith and finding yourself, as well as an adventure through a science-fantasy world, will never go out of style. This movie is free on Disney+ and $2.99 on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

The Bill and Ted series

When you can’t travel too far out of the house, why not travel through time? In “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” join Bill S. Preston (Alex Winter) and Theodore “Ted” Logan (Keanu Reeves) on a journey to complete a history assignment, graduate high school and save the future. In the sequel, “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey,” Bill and Ted must save the world again, but they have to win against death and escape hell first. With “Bill and Ted Face the Music” still slated to come out this summer, it’s not too late to see the films that started it all. Most excellent! “Excellent Adventure is free on Hulu and $2.99 on Amazon Prime and YouTube. “Bogus Journey” is $2.99 on Amazon Prime and YouTube. “Face the Music” releases on Aug. 21.

The John Wick series

With Keanu Reeves playing the role of John Wick back in 2014, the “Keanussaince” came in full force. With three films so far, and a fourth on its way, Reeves’ action star prowess is highlighted in every scene. Although the first is bare plotwise, which works well for it, the intrigue of The Continental and network of assassins is expanded upon in the sequels. And, Reeves’ old stunt double, Chad Stahelski, directs the films and their insane action scenes to perfection. If it isn’t already clear enough, I’ll stress it again: the John Wick series has some of the best action choreography in film history. The first two are available for $2.99 on Amazon. “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” one of my favorite movies ever, is available on HBO and Hulu.

TV Shows

‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’

If you’re a fan of musicals, satire and feminist themes, this is the perfect show to binge during quarantine. The show follows Rebecca Bunch as she moves from her high-paying job as a lawyer at a prestigious firm in New York City to a lower-paying firm in West Covina, California. And it’s totally not because she ran into her old boyfriend, Josh Chan. What follows is four seasons of new friends, old nemeses, grappling with mental health, bad decisions and a song for every scenario. The entire show is currently streaming on Netflix.

‘The Untamed’

With this Chinese drama, high fantasy swordfights and homoerotic subtext is just the beginning. Two soulmates, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangj,i always find each other despite everything in their world trying to tear them apart, whether it’s a high-powered clan seeking total domination, war or even death. All 50 episodes are currently streaming on Netflix, but if you don’t have the time or patience for 50 episodes of political intrigue, side stories and deep dives into spiritual lore, worry not. A 20 episode special edition that focuses solely on the core relationship is available to stream for free on YouTube.

‘BoJack Horseman’

I will tell everyone who listens to watch this show until the day I die. Starring Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins and Aaron Paul as anthropomorphic animals and humans, “BoJack Horseman” is so much more than the animated Hollywood satire it seems like at first glance. Although the satire and comedic elements are some of the most creative and entertaining moments on streaming today, the show’s dark underbelly lets itself loose about halfway through season one. The final two episodes of the series left me feeling an indescribable way that cannot be imitated anywhere else. All six seasons can be watched on Netflix.

Music

Jimmy Eat World – ‘The Middle’

Ah, “The Middle.” Everyone knows it, everyone loves it and I am no exception. This song is an emo classic, and for good reason. While it definitely conjures up images of high school flicks from the early 2000s, “The Middle” has come to mean so much more to me over the years. To me, there’s nothing more soothing than those first guitar chords followed by lines like, “Just try your best / Try everything you can / And don’t you worry what they tell themselves when you’re away.” The song is available on Apple Music and Spotify.

TVXQ! – ‘Purple Line’

This electro-dance song comes straight from the second generation of K-pop and would easily be one of my guiltiest pleasures if I believed in them. While the title seems silly and nonsensical, the lyric translation reveals it to be a metaphor for forging your own colorful path in an otherwise black and white world. The cheesy production and intermittent vocal modulation date it severely, but that’s just part of its charm. Pounding percussion and an infectious beat carry the song and energetic vocals drive it home. The song is unadulterated fun and, given time, will keep your energy up throughout quarantine. The song is available on Apple Music and Spotify.

TWICE – ‘Cheer Up’

From the moment I heard the chorus kick in for the first time, I immediately fell in love with this relentlessly optimistic track. Even if you don’t understand Korean, the nine-member girl group singing “Cheer up, baby!” throughout the chorus is hard to not smile at. With twinkly, innocent production and bubbly vocals, “Cheer Up” is what I imagine a crush would sound like if distilled into a song. While the lyrics describe a girl playing hard to get with a boy, the upbeat energy never fails to lift my spirits in a way only TWICE can. The song is available on Apple Music and Spotify.

The Weeknd – ‘After Hours’

The Weeknd’s latest album has some of the R&B and pop-infused songs so far this year, which makes it a must-listen for fans of his style, or fans of music in general. Each song stands out on its own while coming together as a cohesive whole to make the LP a joy to listen to front-to-back. And for those who enjoy reading the subtext of art, the album seems to have something to say about his recent breakup with model Bella Hadid. A full review of the album can be found here. “After Hours” is available on Apple Music and Spotify.

Video Games

‘The Sims 4’

While you’re stuck inside the house, why not build a new one? You can even start a family, while you’re at it. The Sims has been a fun and addictive way to fulfill your dreams and play with life since the beginning of the new millennium. After two decades of extension packs and new editions, The Sims 4 is the most recent iteration with new opportunities, new features and improved graphics, it’s even easier and more fun to build the pretend life you want. Even if you don’t touch it again for six months after this is over, that’s all in the spirit of the game. The game is available on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.

‘Call of Duty: Warzone’

The latest addition to the ever-growing battle royale subgenre of video games, “Warzone” sets itself apart by maintaining a classic Call of Duty feel, while placing it in the massive fictional region of Verdansk. Players can expect all the tried and true tropes of battle royales that have been established thus far, like dropping from an airplane at the start of the match, supply boxes scattered everywhere to stock up and the ever-present threat of the shrinking circle to force players into increasingly tense firefights as they vie to be the last squad standing. But most important of all, it’s free. Although downloading it requires a download of the entire “Modern Warfare” game released last year, which is locked behind a $60 paywall, it’s cross platform play on PC, Playstation 4 and Xbox One make it worth it.

‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’

If you’re looking to maintain a semblance of peace during this crisis, look no further than Nintendo’s latest. The game, and the series as a whole, is all about building your own happy community from the ground up. Players start off in a tent on a deserted island but can gather resources and make the island feel like home. Played in real-time, when it’s noon outside, it’s noon in the game, and when it takes a day for your crops to grow, you can check back in 24 hours to find your bountiful garden full of colorful fruits and vegetables. Plus, you can play online and locally with friends and invite them to your island to proudly show off your creations. The only thing you’ll have to worry about with “New Horizons” is the limit of your own imagination. The game is available on the Nintendo Switch. If you don’t already own a Switch, you may want to forgo the bundle and buy the console separately, as the Animal Crossing bundles are upwards of $600 as of this post. The much cheaper Nintendo Switch Lite is currently priced at about $250 on Amazon.