Chihayafuru Seasons 1, 2, & 3
Felt inspired to watch more anime after enjoying March Comes In Like a Lion, and so I decided to watch Chihayafuru! Chihayafuru, like March, is a sweet and heartwarming anime about a competitive game, Karuta. Karuta is a Japanese card game that mixes strategy, poetry memorization, and physical agility, played between two people.
March Comes In Like A Lion Seasons 1 & 2
March Comes In Like A Lion is an adorable and sweet coming-of-age anime. The story centers around a reclusive high school boy, Kiriyama Rei, with a tragic past and who is a professional shogi player.
Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever…laughed so hard at a TV show. HAHA ok that was an incredibly cheesy opening line, but Never Have I Ever is one of those comedic gems that can get you laughing and invested from the very first episode. It clicked all the right buttons for me…
In This Corner of the World
In This Corner of the World (directed by Sunao Katabuchi) is an anime movie masterpiece about World War II through the eyes of a Japanese woman, Suzu. It is full of sweet wonder and heart warming scenes, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to everyone.
The Great Believers
The Great Believers is a moving and tragic story about characters who are undergoing or have been affected by the AIDS crisis in Chicago. It makes AIDS feel even more real and devastating, as it ravages through the tight-knit communities and friendships of the characters in this story.
The Last Romantics
The Last Romantics is a story about a semi-dysfunctional family (as all families are), told mostly through the perspective of the youngest daughter Fiona, as she is recounting her life in old age. I did not find this story to be particularly impactful or memorable.
Failing Up
This book was an absolute breeze to read. It's really short and sweet, and if you are a big fan of Hamilton (which I assume most readers are), Leslie Odom Jr. will dedicate 2 chapters to recounting his Hamilton experience.
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler is a really sweet (and surprisingly funny) book about a semi-well-adjusted middle-aged mom who goes on a short adventure of self-discovery. While the main character, Amy, is often times filled with self-doubt and haunted by a troubled past, she is surrounded by people who all love her to pieces and would do anything for her.
Schitt’s Creek (Seasons 1-5)
Like with most sitcoms, it usually takes me a couple episodes (or seasons??) to fall in love with it, and this was the case for me with Schitt’s Creek. When I first started watching, I found all of the characters pretty despicable and annoying (especially Alexis LOL), but looking back on it now, the cringe of the first few episodes really makes the character development in the later episodes all the more endearing!
All the Bright Places
All the Bright Places is a romcom that delves into some pretty dark themes about mental health issues in teenagers. It’s based on a book, which I read a while back, and did not find to be particularly memorable.
The Silence of the Girls
The Silence of the Girls is a novel about the legend of Achilles, but told through the perspective of Briseis, a Trojan woman who becomes Achilles’s slave. The reality is that when we reflect on “heroes” like Achilles, we think of his exploits in battle and tragic end, but no one really considers the collateral damage of his actions.
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
I went into this movie fully excited and expecting a fun rom com, but it was a cringe-fest…To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You is the second movie in the To All the Boys series, and as much as I love Lana Condor and the Asian representation in popular culture (cheers to the author, Jenny Han!!), I have to admit that this second movie fell really flat.
Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America!
I rarely watch stand-up comedy specials, but the Netflix marketing promos really got me this time! Ronny Chieng’s stand-up was hilarious and relatable to me, and I have to admit that a lot of it was because I was really into his jokes about Asian culture. I wouldn’t say that it made me laugh as uncontrollably as Ali Wong’s stand-up (which is the gold standard for me), but I found myself smiling and giggling almost the entire way through.
Miss Americana
Something about this documentary feels very familiar…and my hunch is that because Taylor Swift has already shared so much BTS footage with her fans (and I think she’s released a concert tour documentary before..?), this doesn’t feel like anything profound or new. But what this documentary does give us is an intimate look into some of the most controversial moments of her career, and how she was able to come out stronger because of it.
Little Women
Little Women is a beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott with hundreds of adoring fans across the globe, in addition to multiple film adaptations. This 2019 adaptation of Little Women has an all-star cast and director - Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Greta Gerwig, etc. - and it definitely does not disappoint.
Parasite
Parasite is no doubt a stand-out movie of 2019, and one of the best psychological thrillers I have seen in a long time. Not only does it contain an interesting plot-line and suspense throughout, there were also laugh out loud moments of comedy. Trust the hype, because the hype is worth it!
Violet Evergarden
It’s been awhile since I’ve watched anime, but what an amazing show to transport me back! Violet Evergarden is gorgeously animated and a show that can draw you in at first glance from pure visuals alone (kudos to the acclaimed Kyoto Animation).
The Farewell
The Farewell is a story “based on a lie,” where a Chinese family shows their love for their matriarch, Nai Nai, by convincing her that she is healthy rather than telling her that she has a terminal illness. The movie unfolds through the perspective of Billie, an Asian American young woman who loves her grandma and grapples really hard with the decision to lie to her.