Story Stream: 8/15 - 8/21
It's interesting how different this looks after spending a week on vacation with my wife's side of the family. We watched almost exclusively bad movies and TV shows, but I also had more time to read, listen to audiobooks, music, podcasts, etc. It was a very full week with regard to consuming stories. Very fun as well. Here we go!
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MOVIES
No Holds Barred (1989)
If you've never seen this cinematic masterpiece, you simply must. It's one of the most absurdly written, poorly acted work of self-aggrandizement (on the part of Hulk Hogan) I've ever seen. It's hilariously, embarrassingly, even shockingly bad. Worth whatever it costs you in time and money to enjoy. Available wherever you buy/rent digital movies. (1/10 - Very Highly Recommended)
Cool As Ice (1991)
Again. A masterpiece. You couldn't even consider this a B film. It's not low art. It's not art at all. In this way it parallels the music career of Vanilla Ice. A career it almost certainly helped to end. I showed this to my wife's family this week, who agreed to watch ONLY 10 minutes of it. They watched it start to finish and then spent the entire rest of the week talking about how much they loved it. Available wherever you buy/rent digital movies. (1/10 - Very Highly Recommended)
Over the Top (Year in italics)
I think for some members of the family, we were watching this as a joke. Not for me though. I appreciate it's 80s cheesiness, but I also just really like this movie. I am 100% sure that has everything to do with the nostalgia it surfaces in my heart, but that's okay. It's an original take on a classic plot. Instead of a prince slaying a dragon to win the love of a princess, a truck driver / arm wrestler slays his father-in-law (figuratively) as well as a number of tough guys' arms, to win the love of his son. What's not to love? Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (7/10 - Recommended)
The VelociPastor (2018)
The story is in the title. This is a priest who turns into a velociraptor and kills bad guys and a Chinese(?) ninja army that includes the American brother he forgot about entirely, in order to save his sex-working, Pre-Med/Pre-Law grad student love interest. It's barely an hour long. But it feels so, so much longer. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (1/10 - Kinda Recommended)
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TV
Ozark (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2)
This was a re-watch for us. My in-laws haven't seen it, and it's right up their alley. It was a nice reminder for me of how amazing this show is. Can't wait till Season 4 releases! (If, somehow, you haven't watched this show, you must. It's excellent.) Streaming on Netflix. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)
Ghost Adventures: Horror at Joe Exotic Zoo (2020)
We have a long-running love/hate relationship with this show, especially on vacations. We genuinely couldn't hate it more, but we always watch it on vacation. In fact, this past Christmas my brother-in-law gave me a Ghosthunting for Dummies book written by the show's ridiculous host, Zak Bagans. When we saw that they did a Halloween special at The Tiger King, Joe Exotic's zoo, we couldn't NOT watch it. Streaming on the Travel Channel app. (1/10 - Not Recommended)
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PODCASTS
The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill - (Episodes 1-8)
I've had so many people recommend this show over the last month. I finally dove in on the 10 hour drive from Houston to Seaside, and I couldn't turn it off. This is very well produced, high quality journalism (although I'll admit, I'd LOVE to actually edit this show. It's a little lacking in the "clean edit" department, but I'm positive I'm the only one bothered by it). To all of you who have recommended this one, thank you. I'm enjoying it thoroughly. Streaming on the various podcast listening apps. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)
Stay Away From Matthew Magill - "Episode title/s or number/s in italics"
I listened to this series a couple months back, and loved it. Somehow I didn't notice that I'd missed the final episode entirely. I picked it up this week, and loved it even more. This show is different that you might guess, but in the best ways. Streaming on the various podcast listening apps. (9/10 - Very Highly Recommended)
The Reset - (Episodes 1-8)
A friend, former co-worker, and Milieu neighbor started working for this company recently, so I checked their podcast out on the drive home to Houston yesterday. The actual content of this series (which you can stream in its entirety in about an hour) is actually pretty good. Very digestible, very practical, very simple exercises for improved mental health. The production could be executed quite a bit better in my opinion, but in general, it's worth the minimal time it takes to listen. The host is good and easy to listen to. Overall, again, worth a listen. Streaming on the various podcast listening apps. (6/10 - Recommended level in italics)
The 11th - "Inbox: Part 1, Emily"
I'm ever-increasingly impressed by the shows Pineapple Street Studios is putting out. This is such a clever concept, and I wish I'd thought of it. On the 11th of each month, new content will release under this title. Sometimes a single episode. Sometimes a new short-run series. Sometimes comedy, or interviews, or a chat show, or true crime. A brilliant way to put content out that maybe doesn't need an entire brand of its own. I'm one episode in to their August series, and it's already very, very good. Streaming on the various podcast listening apps. (8/10 - Recommended level in italics)
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MUSIC
The Golden Age - I'm Sure It'll Be Fine (2020)
I've been a fan of Nashville-based songwriter Bryan Simpson for many years. I loved him as the frontman of bluegrass band Cadillac Sky, under the more indie-rock(?) moniker The Whistle and the Bells, and now as the less traditional bluegrass-adjacent The Golden Age. He's a brilliant wordsmith, and a musical phenom. You HAVE to explore this and his other music. Streaming on the various music listening apps. (9/10 - Very Highly Recommended)
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AUDIOBOOKS
Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment, and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words - by David Whyte (2014)
This is a book I will revisit for the rest of my life. Although, I'll get a hard copy instead. It's a perfect balm for any of a number of life's emotionally challenging moments. The quote on the cover is dead-on. It was an excellent listen, but don't get the audio. Buy the book. Streaming on Audible. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
What to Remember When Waking: The Disciplines of an Everyday Life - by David Whyte (2010)
This isn't technically a book so much as an audio program/presentation. It was shared with me almost a decade ago by an artist friend, and I regret not spending more time with it then. I've only made it through the first of six sections, but it's already been so compelling. It's beautiful and rich. Whatever your creative interests, I'm confident this will serve you in them. Streaming on Audible. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
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BOOKS
Letters to a Young Poet - by Rainer Maria Rilke (1929)
I shared about this in Instagram this week. This was given to me by my therapist a few years ago, and I picked it back up this week (and finally read it all the way through). It's short, but packed with wisdom. I'll re-read this many times in my life. Especially since it is only a 1-2 hour read at most. Available at your local independent book store. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide - by John Cleese (2020)
I picked this up on a whim at my favorite bookstore, which happens to be in Seaside, where we were vacationing. It's very short, and I read it in a single sitting on our last day at the beach. Again, maybe a 1 hour read. There's nothing revolutionary inside, but it was still enjoyable enough. Available at your local independent book store. (6/10 - Somewhat Recommended)
Is This Anything? - by Jerry Seinfeld (2020)
Another Seaside purchase. This is a really fun collection of mostly unused bits Seinfeld has written over the last 5 decades in comedy. If you're familiar with his particular comedic voice, then little is lost in reading these bits. However, opposite the David Whyte book, I plan to buy this one as an Audiobook, as I'm confident it will be a better experience hearing him actually deliver the jokes. Either way, even after only reading through the 70s section, I can tell you this is worth picking up. Available at your local independent book store. (8/10 - Highly Recommended)
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Like I said... there was a LOT this week. And it was the oddest combination. But so much fun! I'd love to hear what you're watching, reading, and listening to! Let me know your recommendations in the comments below! More soon.