AADL 2021 Staff Picks: Screens

FILM & VIDEO

AADL 2021 Staff Picks: Screens

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AADL 2021 STAFF PICS: SCREENS
TV, movies, DVDs, YouTube, streaming, etc.:

 

HEIDI P. — DESK CLERK

Dirty John
(2019)

{AADL}

W1A
(2014-20)

Yeah, cool, yeah. I mean, no, yeah. Brilliant. {IMDB

Deep Space 9
(1993-1999)

The Prisoner
(1967-68)

The things you find when you wander the stacks. {AADL} {AADL

Firestarter 
(1984) 

I was surprised to realize I had never seen this! First, I read the book and then I watched. The movie is a bit different from the book and both are well done! Drew Barrymore was indeed a talented child actor. {AADL}

Predestination
(2015)

Based on the short story “All You Zombies” by Richard Heinlein. I still don’t know what to say about it. It’s a twisty tale. {AADL

 

PHOEBE H. — DESK CLERK

The Repair Shop 
(2017-)
This is THE most relaxing, comforting show. They take old family heirlooms, from vases to clocks to stained glass windows, and repair them to their original beauty. {IMDB}

The Old Guard 
(2020)

The action movie of my DREAMS! Centuries old immortals who have to keep themselves a secret while sometimes fighting bad guys? Yes please! Tell me more! {Netflix}

Minari 
(2021)

This is the first movie I saw in theaters after over a year of theaters being closed. It follows a Korean-American family who is trying to start a farm in Arkansas and their struggles to start a new life. An absolutely beautiful film. {AADL}

Promising Young Woman
(2020)

Yoooooooooooo. Just watch it. {AADL}

Big Hero 6 
(2014)

Excuse me but why was I sleeping on this movie? Why did it take me so long to see it? So cute, so heartwarming. {AADL}

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
(2021)

Put your hands together for an ASIAN SUPERHERO IN A LEAD ROLE! I saw this movie four times in the theater, and would absolutely do it again. It’s visually beautiful, it’s action-packed, and so much fun. {AADL}

 

AMANDA S. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Smooth Talk
(1985)

Artsy coming-of-age film starring Laura Dern as 15-year-old Connie. She is angsty and mopes around the house, arguing with her mom, and lying about her whereabouts. She trades in the beach for cruising around flirting with boys. She meets an older man and learns all too quickly how things can go. It's sparse, beautiful, and thought-provoking. I recommend the Criterion Collection copy and the extensive liner notes about the film's creation. {AADL}

Night of the Creeps
(1986)

I watched this Fred Dekker horror flick for the first time this Halloween and loved it! It involves a college campus, some hazing, vampires, and a police officer portrayed by our good friend TOM ATKINS. It's campy, gross, and totally weird. Thrill me! {AADL}

Sex Education, seasons 1-3 
(2019-)

One of my favorite new TV shows of the past several years. It's so clever, fresh, and well done. Though farfetched, there are amazingly funny and oddly heartwarming storylines, and you really do fall in love with the characters. Plus we get Gillian Anderson! {Netflix

Frayed, seasons 1-2
(2019-)

Created, written by, and starring Australian comedian Sarah Kendall. Set in the 1980s, she portrays a mother of two who suddenly has to leave her posh London life and return to her dysfunctional home and family in a seaside town in Australia. The show is full of quirky, imperfect characters throwing one-liners and fist-punches. It's bizarre and funny, and a hidden gem I was glad to uncover. {HBO Max

 

ELIZABETH P. — LIBRARIAN

Ted Lasso
(2020-)

I’d been hearing references to the show Ted Lasso since last year, but I mostly ignored them since I’m not usually a big television watcher and I’m not a soccer fan. My fiance started watching the show over the summer and insisted that he thought I’d love it. I resisted for a few months but finally agreed to give it a shot this fall and I am so glad I did! Since I’m completely behind the times, you probably already know the premise but in case you’ve been ignoring the show like I was, here’s a brief summary: Good-natured, relentlessly positive Midwestern football coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) somewhat puzzlingly gets recruited to move to England to coach a British soccer team. His marriage faltering, he accepts the offer for a change of scenery, not realizing that the owner of the team has hired him in hopes that Ted will bring the team to ruin and thus crush her ex-husband, whose one true love is the team. Ted throws himself into his new coaching role and ...  the show ensues! Ted Lasso is brilliantly cast and gets better with each episode as you get to know more characters and various storylines develop. As someone who finds modern television often either dark, stupid, scary, or all of the above, Ted Lasso was a wonderfully surprising balm. Laugh-out-loud moments are mixed with thought-provoking and even sometimes beautifully emotional scenes and the characters are nuanced in unexpected ways. There are two seasons out now, and I was devastated to find out that the third season won’t even begin filming until January. I’m sure several rewatches of seasons one and two are in my future while I wait! {Apple TV+}

 

CRYSTA C. — DESK CLERK

The Big Sick
(2017)
This is more than a comedy. Not only is it based on the writer and his wife's actual bizarre experiences from when they first started dating, but the nuances of differing traditions and backgrounds are explored with real love. It's a beautiful story. {AADL}

Are You Afraid of the Dark?
(2020)
When I was a kid in the 1990s, watching Are You Afraid of the Dark? every Saturday night was the highlight of the weekend. I couldn't get enough of spooky stories (and I still can't). So I was both nervous and excited to come across this TV movie in AADL's catalog. I was not disappointed! This is a fitting entry into the AYAOTD family. {AADL}

Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries
(2019)

Some of my favorite music came out of the 1960s, so this decade will always have a soft spot in my heart. I am already a fan of the show Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, which takes place in the 1920s. This "mod" Melbourne is a treat. The fashion is fantastic, and the relationships between the characters as well as the mysteries are definitely not just a rehash of Miss Fisher. A very enjoyable series that is not dependant on its predecessor, but it does help you with some of the Easter eggs hidden throughout. {AADL}

Slingshot
(2015)

I had no idea that one man, Dean Kamen, invented so many things. He holds an unbelievable 1,000-plus patents! From the dialysis machine to the Segway to Coca-cola's Freestyle machine. This documentary focuses in on Slingshot, an amazing water purification device that can make clean, potable water from any source. It really is quite remarkable. {AADL}

The Story of Plastic
(2020)

This is a bit of a tough watch, but so important. Most people don't realize how little of our plastic gets recycled, even the stuff we dutifully put in the recycling bin. I hope everyone who sees this documentary is inspired to help change the system. {AADL}

 

SARAH A. — BOOKSHELVER / PROCESSOR

Demon Slayer
(2019)

I know I know everyone and their mother has heard of or seen this anime, but wow is it worth it. Most shows rarely live all the way up to their hype, but Demon Slayer met all of my expectations and exceeded them in some regards. You'll become deeply attached to the main character and his struggle to find a cure for his sister-turned-demon while becoming accidentally embroiled with much larger forces at play. {AADL} {Netflix}

 

ELI NEIBURGER — DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Better Off Dead
(1985)

Savage Steve Holland made two extraordinary teen comedies starring John Cusack. While One Crazy Summer is widely available to stream, Better Off Dead is a rare '80s film that appears to be truly unstreamable ... and your AADL has three copies. Warning: It hasn't held up very well, but it still has some magical movie moments. Everybody wants some. {AADL}

City of Ghosts
(2021)

Zelda is a member of Ghost Club, a team of ghost-interviewing kids who meet under a table at a Los Angeles Public Library Branch. With incredibly engaging voicework and a unique and appealing 2D-3D style, these six short episodes follow Zelda and her friends around L.A.'s historic neighborhoods, discovering cultures past and present. It's unbelievable that Netflix hasn't ordered more episodes of this amazing show! Created by Elizabeth Ito, who directed tons of Adventure Time and the amazing short Welcome to My Life. {Netflix} {YouTube}

 

RYDEN A. — BOOKSHELVER / PROCESSOR

Klaus
(2019)

Incredibly moving story of the origins of Santa Claus. A self-centered postman is sent to a town of hostile citizens. There, he meets a lonely woodcutter and brings joy to the lives of the town's children. My new favorite movie, which I've already watched over a dozen times (despite only occasionally having Netflix). {Netflix}

Digimon: Ghost Game
(2021)

In the near future, there are strange phenomena called "Hologram Ghosts." After meeting Gammamon, a strange child-like Digimon, middle schooler Hiro begins investigating the source of these ghosts and how to prevent them from wreaking havoc on the human world. {Crunchy Roll}

 

NATE P.M. — GRAPHIC DESIGNER

I watched Loki, WandaVision, Squid Game, etc., but I figure A) you know about them and B) people will write about those. Here are a few other things I watched and loved this year:

My Comic Shop Country
(2019)

A documentary with a sentimental look at the struggling industry of comic book shops. {Curiosity Stream}

Joe Pera Talks With You
(2018-)

A sweet, funny, and short show in which Joe Pera Talks With You About Beans, Takes You on a Hike, and Talks to You About the Rat Wars of Alberta, Canada 1950-Present Day. Set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. {Adult Swim} {HBO Max}

Fleabag
(2016-2019)

A funny, heartbreaking, fourth-wall-breaking show about grief, healing, and getting out of your own way. {AADL}

Bo Burnham: Inside
(2021)
Bo Burnham returns to performing right as the pandemic hits. I'm still singing the songs and feeling the existential dread. {Netflix}

Sex Education
(2019)

Stellar writing, characters, and soundtrack. Funny and touching, Sex Education is fantastic at depicting the awkwardness of teenager-dom while still taking it seriously. {Netflix}

 

ELLE B. — LIBRARIAN

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
(2021)

As a person who has seen every movie/TV show Marvel produces, I can say that this movie is an absolute gem. Rather than following the same tired plot most superhero movies adhere to these days, Shang Chi felt much more like an epic by following a lot of tropes from Joseph Cambell's The Hero's Journey and I am 100% here for this fantastic breath of fresh air. I have seen it roughly one million times and can say the bus fight scene is constantly a winner. {AADL}

Bo Burnham: Inside
(2021)
Y'all. This tore me to shreds and I have watched the Netflix special, listened to the album, and watched YouTube clips on repeat. {Netflix}

Dune (2021)
Dune (1984)

The new Dune was my first exposure to anything in the sandworm/spice/what-in-tarnation-is-up-with-the-Harkonnens universe. After watching the new Dune, I was pretty interested in learning more so I watched the original Dune. Here's my hot take: I think old Dune is .... better??? Or at the very least complements new Dune in a way that is needed?? Lemme take a second to explain: I typically prefer a thorough plot over visuals. Yes, new Dune is a good film. It is BEAUTIFUL and CINEMATIC, but in my opinion, relies too heavily on the viewer having previous knowledge. Also, not enough Zendaya. That being said, I learned more about the Dune universe in the first 15 minutes of the original Dune than the entirety of the new Dune. I ended up liking original Dune more than new Dune because original Dune basically made me care more about the universe it built? Original Dune walked so new Dune could run. Don't @ me (or @ me, you do you). Whether you @ me or not, if you saw new Dune you should probs watch original Dune also. All I know for sure is that I'll be reading Dune (be on the lookout for Staff Picks 2022!). {AADL}

Only Murders in the Building
(2021)

Watch this Hulu show. Just do it. It's a fun, suspenseful, and HILARIOUS show about some true-crime fanatics trying to solve a murder and podcasting about it. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez are the trio I never thought I needed but am so happy to have. {Hulu}

Squid Game
(2021)

Netflix's Squid Game took the internet by storm and quite frankly deserved to. The show is an in-your-face, realistically horrifying portrayal of capitalism played out in the most grotesque and gut-wrenching way. The best dystopian stories are the ones that you actually believe could be real and the show's creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, hit the nail on the head. This show will haunt you for weeks after watching. {Netflix}

The White Lotus
(2021)

This HBO series follows both the staff and guests of a Hawaii resort for one week. The very first scene of the show teases of a death that occurs during the week of this paradise vacation and everything goes off the rails from there. The show is more or less a visualization of a snowball effect of unfortunate events while making a biting commentary on social status and wealth. Honestly? Here for it. {HBO}

Ted Lasso
(2020-)

I didn't start watching Apple TV's Ted Lasso until season two came out and I was immediately obsessed. Ted Lasso is an American football coach who gets hired to be the coach of an English football team (read: soccer). That being said, I cannot emphasize enough that this is NOT a show about sports!! I realize everything I said is contrary to that statement but it's true! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll crave shortbread biscuits. {Apple TV}

 

AMANDA V. S. — GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Dune 
(2021)

{IMDB}

Reservation Dogs
(2021-)

{Website}

Clare Saffitz x Dessert Person
Clare is delightful! I am not a baker, but love her personality and am happy to follow her here after her departure from Bon Appetit and the Gourmet Makes show on YouTube. {YouTube}

Cornell Lab Bird Cams
Need a dose of nature when it’s either too hot or too cold to open the windows? Having this livestream of the feeders at Sapsucker Woods on in the background while working is lovely. {YouTube}

Craft in America
{PBS}

 

VALERIE L. — ACQUISITIONS CLERK

Jungle Cruise 
(2021)
My boyfriend really wanted to see this so we braved the theater on a Saturday early in the day. I think it was the first showing. We got lucky that there was only one other person in the theater with us because the movie had been out for a few weeks. I enjoyed it a lot. More than I really thought I would! I'm usually a wuss with movies and there were a couple scenes my boyfriend told me not to look but I won't say which scenes because it would spoil the movie. I'd give it 4 stars out of 5 and wouldn't mind watching it again at home. {AADL}

Only Murders in the Building
(2021-)
What an amazing debut season!!! I was hooked from the very first episode of this Hulu original show! The way the story kept building and kept ending with cliff hangers was great! This series has a lot of star power with Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selina Gomez, Nathan Lane, among others. The comedy is subtle as this is a more dramatic show, but what comedy there is, is brilliantly done and quite hilarious! How could it not be with that cast?! If you have the opportunity, hit this series up! {Hulu}

Resident Alien, season one
(2021-)
This is another series that had a great debut season! I had seen part of an episode on Syfy and thought it was interesting, but then I never got around to watching it. So when we got the first season on DVD/Blu-ray, I snatched it up and binge-watched it at home! I loved it! Quirky comedy, great sci-fi special effects, and a compelling storyline. I'm looking forward to the second season! {AADL}

 

BETH M. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

The Sound of Metal
(2019)

Riz Ahmed portrays Ruben Stone, a heavy metal drummer who starts to lose his hearing. I was struck by the physicality of Ahmed’s depiction of Stone, a part for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2021. From the heavy drumming to explosive tantrums, the actor captured the angst and fear that the character was going through. The subtle mannerisms he used to render Ruben, as a manipulative substance abuser, were spot on. It was a memorable and riveting story. {AADL}

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
(2020)

This biographical musical drama was based on the 1982 play by August Wilson. Viola Davis starred as Ma Rainey, the bawdy blues singer who is in Chicago to produce a record in the 1920s. While Ma is trying to wield her power by making demands of the record producer, Chadwick Boseman’s character, the trombonist Levee, is angling to get his own record deal. Both Boseman and Davis won Golden Globe awards, Boseman’s posthumously. Their performances were gripping. {Netflix}

Palm Springs
(2021)

Stuck in a time-loop, two wedding guests develop a romance while living the same day over and over. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti star in this riotously funny film. Considering we were stuck at home doing the same thing over and over when we watched this it kind of hit the mark that it could be worse. Although Palm Springs looks like a great place to be stuck in a loop. {Hulu}.

Summer of Soul
(2021)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s directed his debut film in this documentary of the Harlem Cultural Festival that ran in 1969. Vintage footage of Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Sly and The Family Stone, The Staple Singers among others, performing in Mt. Morris Park in Harlem had me agog. Interviews by attendees as well as the musicians described the tenor of the moment. This was not a typical music festival in those days. The bitter reality is that if Questlove hadn’t gained access to this remarkable film that he shared it could still be sitting in a basement. Said Thompson, "What would have happened if this was allowed a seat at the table? How much of a difference would that have made in my life? That was the moment that extinguished any doubt I had that I could do this.” We are all better off for having seen it. {Hulu

 

REENA P. — DESK CLERK

The Wicker Man
(1973)

A Scottish policeman investigates the disappearance of a young girl at a remote English settlement on a minor British Isle. He finds a group of eccentric fertility cultists who begin to grate upon his devout Christian nature. A classic folk horror movie with a charming soundtrack that I watched this Thanksgiving, this is my favorite movie that I've seen this year. Directed by Robin Hardy, with wonderful performances by Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward, and featuring incredible camera work, choreography, and blocking, I am beginning to appreciate older films more and more. {AADL}

 

HAILY H. — DESK CLERK

Halloween Kills
(2021)

I was ecstatic to hear that another Halloween movie was released this year. Halloween Kills immediately picks up where Halloween (2018) left off and further steeps the quiet town of Haddonfield in terror and paranoia when it discovers that Michael Myers still lurks in its shadows {Peacock}

Scream
(1996)

After hearing about the upcoming Scream movie set to be released in January 2022, I decided that now was a good time to watch the original 1996 film for the first time. I was not disappointed! Scream is a horror film that is self-aware, thrilling, and humorously clever. I found myself laughing at the horror-trope references and was kept on my toes up until the plot twist near the end. {AADL}

 

ROOSEVELT R. — DESK CLERK

Columbo
(1968-2003)

I know I'm not the only one who discovered the Lieutenant during quarantine, but it bears repeating that Columbo makes for an excellent comfort show. It's a cozy detective series that follows the rumpled but brilliant Lieutenant Columbo as he plays to the biases of high society L.A. murderers to get under their skin until they inevitably incriminate themselves. The formula is comfortably predictable but convoluted enough per 90-minute episode to keep your attention. The series features a fantastic roster of guest stars and one very good dog. I also highly recommend checking out the lovingly tended fan blog The Columbophile for episode rankings, synopses, trivia, and contagious enthusiasm. {AADL}

Willy's Wonderland
(2021)

You may or may not remember the trailers for this slasher comedy that pits Nic Cage against an ensemble of homicidal Chuck-E-Cheese animatronics. Inspired by the wildly popular horror game series Five Nights at Freddy's, this movie is exactly what it promises to be, and it is neither shy nor overly serious about it. I was thoroughly charmed by Cage's silent protagonist—he delivers an exciting and oddly endearing performance without speaking a single line of dialogue (and while smashing evil furry robots to pieces). If this sounds like your thing, give it a watch. If not, no hard feelings. {Hulu}

 

STEVEN P. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

The Green Knight
(2021)

Totally mesmerizing. I saw this in theaters at the beginning of the year, and I can still recall every moment of it. It is spellbinding and entrancing as well as intensely vague. It will leave you wondering why you’ve arrived where you did, but you won’t regret the journey. {AADL}

Bo Burnham: Inside
(2021)

A masterpiece. There’s nothing I can say other than “watch this.” The premise, the jokes, the songs, the visuals, even the interstitials, they all work in such concert to create an actual work of art. If you can only consume one more piece of media, make it this one. {Netflix}

 

GRETCHEN T. — BOOKSHELVER / PROCESSOR

The Final Girls
(2015)

Part affectionate riff on '80s slasher films and part story about grief, this movie was fun but also surprisingly moving. It leans much more into comedy than horror and has next to no gore, which is a plus for people like me that are more than a little squeamish. {AADL}

 

EILEEN W. — DESK CLERK

The Witcher
(2019-)

Netflix's TV adaptation of the Polish fantasy novel turned videogame is spectacular and enthralling. In this fantasy world, Witchers are roaming monster hunters for hire, and have some of their own very hard-won magic. But the world is changing, a continent-wide war is coming, monsters and elves are being pushed out by humans of the places they used to live, and Witchers, who were already loners, have become a dying breed. Throughout season one we see Geralt, the titular Witcher, struggling with who the monsters really are—are they the creatures he's paid to kill, the humans he interacts with, or is he the monster in the room? We follow three different characters on three different timelines that only start to fully intersect in the final episodes (if you can't follow the timelines, don't worry, it doesn't become important until episode four or so, but know that the young former princess of episode one is actually a contemporary of Ciri's grandmother, whom we also meet in episode one just at a much later date). Season two was released in late December 2021 and the showrunners have promised its chronology will be more straightforward. At times graphic and bloody, it never devolves into the GrimDark-style hopelessness that characterized Game of Thrones. {Netflix}

Was It Love?
(2020)

It's a Korean TV drama about a 30ish single mom who ... you know what, K-drama is often too convoluted and twisty to describe well in a couple of sentences, and Was It Love? is no different. Suffice to say, I'm a K-drama fan and this one is one of my recent favorites. {Netflix}

 

ALLIE H. — DESK CLERK

Joe Pera Talks With You
(2018-present)

Comedian Joe Pera takes on the persona of a Marquette, Michigan, native talking watchers through some of his favorite things and activities. From the most mundane things (beans, rocks, simply waiting around) to more serious feelings (mortality, relationships, dreams), Joe has something to say and he will kindly, softly inform you of all his thoughts. I found the story arc to be surprisingly compelling and the humor soothing, though I will admit to shouting out at the screen whenever Joe made mention of northern traditions (it's ALL about the whitefish!). Adult Swim has uploaded a few episodes for free on their website, including the Christmas specials, but season three is currently airing! {Adult Swim

 

CHRISTIAN A. — DESK CLERK

Dark 
(2017-2020)

This German sci-fi program was on my 2020 list, but I finished the series in 2021. Reminding us all that when we cease to exist, it will be cool {Netflix}

My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To
Two siblings resort to questionable tactics in caring for their younger brother, who is "ill." Written and directed by Jonathan Cuertas, this film is filled with exquisite, claustrophobic cinematography and cryptic, clever storytelling. {AADL}

The Saturday Show
(2020-)

Sit your kids down in front of this ragtag buncha ne'er-do-wells and subversives from the Ann Arbor District Library every Saturday morning at 11 am. Here is the multi-award deserving "TSS Action News" episode, coincidentally the one providing the least amount of educational content. {AADL.tv}

 

CHRISTOPHER B. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Killing of a Sacred Deer
(2017)

One of the most memorable and arresting movies I saw all year. Telling you the plot would convey little of what this movie is or how it will make you feel: upset and repulsed. But don't miss the humor along the way. The fact that this was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos who wrote the screenplay to The Lobster tells you a lot of what you are in for. But not everything. {AADL}

I Think You Should Leave
(2019, 2021)

SNL has been a lifelong favorite of mine. But where the joke ends in an SNL skit, it’s just getting started in I Think You Should Leave. There is the goofy setup and the punchline, but then it just keeps going to new absurd, uncomfortable, and funny limits. “TABLES!” Thanks, Toby. {Netflix}

Daria
(1997-2002)

I missed this completely the first time around and was so happy to see it available through the library. I loved the portrayal of clueless parents who express their concern only far enough to avoid having it impact their work schedules. The usually steadfast friendship of Daria and Jane were a welcome anchor through such a stupid year. {AADL}

Joker
(2019)

The confusion, rage, and humiliation that Joaquin Phoenix portrays in this movie easily matches a performance by Daniel Day-Lewis or Philip Seymour Hoffman. If you thought that you didn’t need another superhero movie and were tempted to skip this one, give it another look. I’m not even sure it is a superhero movie anyway. {AADL}

Shin Godzilla
(2016)

This is the OG Godzilla. He’s pissed off. He’s nasty. And he is going to smash everything while the rest of the world turns its back on Japan. {IMDB}

Veep
(2012-2019)

The Thick of It is a BBC show about the inner workings of British politics and was created by Armando Iannucci. Every episode was like a new ulcer of stress from political choices that all had bad outcomes. When the series ended, Iannucci transplanted the premise of the show to the vice president’s office in the U.S. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the Veep who has to navigate all the conflicts of her position, her incompetent staff, and her own worst impulses. Extremely funny, super sweary, and just as gut-wrenching as the original. {AADL}

Chernobyl
(2019)

This show will stay with me for a long time. It’s every bit the modern horror with an unseen killer that destroys people’s bodies, company men debating how to cover it up, and the ever-present Soviet machine in the background. {AADL}

Inside No. 9 (season 1)
(2014)

30-minute independent episodes that all take place inside a different house, but always No. 9. It’s less horrifying than Black Mirror but utterly lacks a single character that you are rooting for or feel any sympathy with. Usually I can’t stand clever twist endings but I enjoy them here, as each episode has one or more sudden turns. {IMDB}

Cold War
(2018)

Paweł Pawlikowski’s absolutely gorgeous movie in black and white. It’s the story of doomed lovers who can be happy neither in Poland nor in the West, crossing the borders back and forth illegally. It ends badly for them. {AADL}

The Asphalt Jungle
(1950)

Classic film noir that is a lot of fun. Full of crooked cops and men of society in too deep. The hired gun is desperately trying to go straight but you know he is never going to make it, no matter how much you are rooting for him. {AADL}

 

KATIE D. — DESK CLERK

Free Guy
(2021)
Ryan Reynolds plays Guy, an NPC in an online video game who begins to question the world around him. He decides to take control of his own life and gets caught up in an adventure that is bigger than the video game world he lives in. The story switches between the real world and the video game world. It has a lot of loveable characters, plenty of hilarious moments, and is just a really fun movie! {AADL}

The Chair
(2021-)
This TV show starts when Pembroke’s English department elects their first female chair, Ji-Yoon, and almost immediately, chaos erupts. Ji-Yoon must navigate department politics, handle budget cuts, and try to stop a snowballing crisis, all while dealing with her personal life as well. The show has plenty of funny and heart-warming moments, but it also throws light on the often skewed gender roles of university faculty. {Netflix}

The Goes Wrong Show
(2019-)

I saw The Play That Goes Wrong off-Broadway in 2019 and was cracking up the entire time. The cast plays a cast of amateur actors who put on a production where everything imaginable goes wrong: actors forget lines, sets fall apart, things catch on fire! It’s slapstick at its finest and I loved it. I was thrilled to find out that they had made their own TV show and also recorded two longer plays: Peter Pan Goes Wrong and A Christmas Carol Goes WrongThe Goes Wrong Show is half an hour long and just as funny as the full-length plays. Great for whenever you want a good laugh! {Prime Video}

 

JENNY C. — DESK CLERK

The Nevers
(2021)

This past year saw the release of HBO’s The Nevers. I found myself thoroughly enamored with the notion of super-powered individuals in a Victorian London setting. It feels like a lot of cool stories can be told. These powered individuals are referred to as the “Touched.” The powers of the Touched vary from the expected (i.e., super strength, and flame-throwing) to the unexpected (turning things to glass and bleeding bullets). The story centers around two women trying to gather and protect their fellow Touched from a society that fears and shuns them. One thing to note about this show is that it was created by Joss Whedon. Whedon is mostly known for his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and superhero films such as The Avengers and Justice League. But in the past year or so he has had several allegations made against him, citing inappropriate behavior on sets over the years. He left the project before it premiered, but his involvement could understandably make someone think twice about watching the series. {HBO}

So I'm a Spider, So What?
(2021)

One of the many anime that held my attention the past year. Belonging to the genre called “Isekai”, the story focuses on characters who died and were reincarnated in a fantasy world that adheres to ‘video game logic’. People level up, learn magic and skills, just like in a modern Role Playing Game. What makes this story different from other Isekai, is that the title protagonist is reborn as a spider monster instead of as a person. We furthermore find out that not only did she die and get reincarnated, but her entire high school classroom did too! A mysterious explosion killed the whole class at the same time, and everyone including the teacher reincarnated into the fantasy world. Each of them remembers their former lives, some even going by their old names. Having been reborn as a spider, the protagonist (referred to by fans as Kumoko, although she is nameless for a lot of the story) is able to get eight legs up on leveling and acquiring skills, as the rest of her class are stuck having to grow up all over again.

A secondary protagonist, Shun, is introduced. The story following him is more the standard Isekai fare, except it involves a handful of reincarnated characters, who find themselves in high school for a second time. Kumoko, however, hatched in a dangerous underground labyrinth, filled with all sorts of monsters. The story is mostly split between Kumoko surviving alone, and a 15-year time skip to when her classmates are grown and going on their own adventures. The reasoning for the skip in the narrative becomes clear at the end of the first season when the two stories finally collide. A lot of questions remain, but there are some surprising revelations for Shun and his friends, as well as the audience.

A second season has not been announced at this time, but that may give me a reason to dive into the novels the series is based on. According to my friend who has read them, they lack the time jump and read chronologically instead of going back and forth between stories. I may just read the manga, however, which the anime is more directly based on. But regardless, I’m hoping to see a second season of this anime in the future and continue the adventures of Kumoko the spider. {Crunchy Roll}

Night of the Comet
(1984)

One of my favorite horror movies for a long time, Night of the Comet explores a lonelier horror landscape. Not one packed with zombies (though, there are several in the film), but a bleak emptiness backlit by a deep red sky. I cannot help but remember the beginning of the real-life pandemic when I see this movie’s empty streets and abandoned stores. But while the setting and situation may be grim, the main characters were born to survive this sorta thing. The story follows two teen sisters, and later a truck driver who joins them, as they explore a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. These girls aren’t cast as helpless victims like is often the case in horror and are trained with firearms and self-defense. This leads to some great action scenes, featuring some of the aforementioned zombies (who are also armed). I’ve rewatched the film several times over the past year, wanting to share it with friends. But that said, I do need to include a trigger warning; there is a scene where one of the girls is attacked, and it comes close to resembling sexual assault. No spoiler intended, but she comes out of the situation unharmed. {AADL}

The Jimquisition
YouTuber and critic James Stephanie Sterling is someone who I’d always been aware of, since their early days in-game critique, but never followed. A decade ago they started The Jimquisition, a show that not only reviewed video games but would be critical of the game industry and the millionaire execs who profit from it. In 2020, they came out as nonbinary, and in 2021 began dressing femme. This unfortunately was met with a huge backlash from the standard “gamer” crowd that followed them. They have lost over 100k subscriptions on YouTube this year due to this, something they have joked about in their “Under 900,000 Subscribers Special!” This episode parodied the notion of having a 1 Million Subscriber special because they hadn’t even had a chance to make such a special before losing those subs. They deserve better. {Website}

 

LOREN B. — DESK CLERK

Summer of Soul
(2021)

This mind-blowing documentary produced and directed by The Roots' Questlove rescues the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival from U.S. pop-culture obscurity. Present-day interviews with performers and audience members are set against clip after clip of amazing live performance footage by musical giants (Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Fifth Dimension, Sly and the Family Stone). Buzzing underneath these stunning performances are unsettling questions about race and power. {Hulu

Harakiri: Seppuku
(1962)

Kobayashi's blisteringly powerful samurai story-within-a-story transfixed me as the hapless-seeming protagonist slowly, carefully turned the tables on his social "betters." {AADL

H.A.G.S. (Have a Good Summer)
(2021)

Feeling uncertain about his foray into adulthood, twenty-something filmmaker Sean Wang calls(!) old pals from middle school to catch up and reminisce. A sweet and zany meditation on growing up and (re-)defining success. {Vimeo}

The Coffee Cantata (BWV 211)
(written c. 1735, performed in 2017)
 
J.S. Bach's mini-comic opera starring a hip young lady who likes coffee and her grouchy old dad, who does not. (There's a happy ending.) I love that Bach wrote this, and this staged rendition is well done. {YouTube

 

LUCY S. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Television:

Betty
(2020-2021)

{HBO}

Blindspotting: The Series
(2021-)

{IMDB}

Dickinson
(2019-2021)

{IMDB}

High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
(2021)

{IMDB}

Reservation Dogs
(2021-)
{IMDB}

We Are Lady Parts
(2021)

{IMDB}

The White Lotus
(2021-)

{HBO}

Movies:

Another Round
(2021)
{AADL}

Come From Away
(2021)

{IMDB}

Emma
(2020)

{AADL}

Minari
(2021)

{AADL}

Small Axe
(2020)

{AADL}

 

AUDREY H. — LIBRARIAN

Jennifer's Body
(2009)

What a ride. I have never encountered a funnier horror-comedy in my life, and Jennifer's Body packs a walloping punch with its commentary about the teenage female experience. The movie has recently been experiencing a resurgence among the horror community, and rightly so. Forget whatever you remember of the horrible trailer (the marketing for the movie led us all astray) and go watch this movie. I cannot emphasize enough the excellence of this film. {AADL}

Taskmaster
(2015-)
A bunch of British comedians attempts to compete in silly and outlandish tasks. You will laugh, everyone will laugh. {Youtube}

 

AL S. — TECHNOHOST

Black Widow
(2021)
It may be another Marvel movie but it plays like a James Bond film with super-heroes, which gives it a sheen all its own. {AADL}

No Time to Die
(2021)

Daniel Craig’s final James Bond film does things you never expected a James Bond film to do. At 2 hours and 43 minutes, it may be too long but aren’t all movies these days? {IMDB}

Dune
(2021)

Frank Herbert’s classic SF novel (or part of it, at least) finally done right. Also too long but so compelling that you’ll never notice. {IMDB}

The French Dispatch
(2021)
Director Wes Anderson has perfected the use of film as a canvas. The plots of the stories here are almost irrelevant, used mostly as a palette for Anderson’s portraits and landscapes. It may not all coalesce but it is all brilliant. {IMDB}

Torn Curtain (1966)
Topaz (1969)
Frenzy (1972)

It recently occurred to me that I had seen these three Hitchcock films so long ago that I barely remembered them. So, I watched them again. Torn Curtain and Topaz do not have good reputations, but I found Torn Curtain to be filled with Hitchcockian suspense, particularly in its last half-hour, while Topaz, though uneven and lacking Hitchcock’s original ending, also has its suspense moments as well as an overhead shot involving a red dress which is one of the most remarkable of Hitchcock’s career. Frenzy is brutal and heartless but also fine Hitchcock with a great final line on the par with Psycho’s “She wouldn’t even harm a fly.” {AADL} {AADL} {AADL}

 

MARISA H. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Reservation Dogs
(2021-)

I can’t recommend this TV series enough! It follows four Indigenous teenagers in Oklahoma who are dealing with the death of their friend as they plot to move to California. {Website}

Teenage Bounty Hunters
(2020-)

This Netflix show follows twin sisters Blair and Sterling who take up bounty hunting for extra cash. It’s quick and witty but has a lot of heart. {Website}

Black Monday
(2019-)

This is some of the best TV I have watched in years. It chronicles the events leading up to the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street aka “Black Monday.” It’s 1987—the writing is as quick as a Lambo and as extravagant as a Limo. A limbo, if you will. {Website}

 

JACOB G. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Cruel Summer
(2021-)

I would've never guessed that one of my standout TV picks for 2021 would be a nighttime soap opera on the Freeform network. (I would've never guessed a lot about 2021.) Cruel Summer is set in the early '90s (the clothes, soundtrack, and lingo are amazing) and follows Jeanette and Kate over the course of three years. Kate is very much the cool girl with the big house and popular boyfriend. Jeanette is not that ... until Kate goes missing. Is Kate dead? Did she run away? And now that Jeanette is dating Kate's former boyfriend, dressing like Kate, and hanging out with Kate's friends, does that implicate her in Kate's disappearance? Cruel Summer is a delectable mess that will have you guessing 'til the very end. And I mean THE VERY END. I highly suggest you suspend your disbelief, pop some corn, and hunker down for 2021's most lovable TV disaster. {Hulu}

The Alienist
(2018-)

Based on the novel of the same name, The Alienist is two seasons for period television bliss. Set in the early 1900s, the show follows an alienist (fancy word for psychologist) who has turned his attention to solving a series of murders in 1910s New York City. With opulent set and costume designs, you'll be swept away into a story of old-timey intrigue with a cast of characters you grow to love, hate, and pine for. At times gruesome but always entertaining, The Alienist transports you to a different place and in today's world, that is worth its weight in gold. {AADL}

Tales From the Crypt
(1989-1996)

I like to be spooked. I like to laugh. I like to be shocked! And sometimes all I have is 30 minutes. Tales From the Crypt is the perfect morsel of television that will delight and fright. Each episode is its own little story, which makes it great for those moments where you've sat down in front of the TV with dinner but have no idea what you want to watch and you can't eat until you put something on but you don't want to put just anything on. Or is that just me? You can watch most of Tales From the Crypt for free, in HD, on YouTube. You can also check it out from us! Viewer discretion is advised. {AADL}

 

CHARLIE H. — DESK CLERK

Midnight Mass 
(2021)

This was another great series by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor), and featured a few of the same amazing actors from his previous two shows. It is set on a very tiny, very religious island that is slowly fading away, and follows the tensions of small-town politics, relationships, and religion as a supernatural force slowly starts to upend life as the islanders know it. {Netflix}

Star Trek: The Next Generation 
(1987)

I realize I'm pretty late to this series, but it is still very enjoyable to watch for the first time in 2021! It is a fun and philosophical journey through the stars, meeting new civilizations, and learning about what the universe holds. The first season is a little goofy, but it really hits its stride by season two, particularly with the stand-out episode "The Measure of a Man." {AADL} {Netflix}

 

FRED B. — BOOKSHELVER / PROCESSOR

Porgy and Bess
(1959)
After reading Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Will Haygood, I was intrigued by the chapter about Porgy and Bess, which charted its journey from novel to Broadway play to opera, culminating in a much-maligned 1959 film version that killed the property's cultural momentum. The Gershwin estate so disliked the film that they destroyed every print they could find as soon as the rights reverted back to them. As one who compulsively seeks out the unloved and unseen, this felt like a challenge, so I cleared my afternoon, made some coffee, and checked YouTube, unearthing a dodgy but watchable version in about 30 seconds. (My apologies to Ira and George, but this is the age we live in.)

With an A-list cast of contemporary African-American talent (Dorothy Dandridge, Pearl Bailey, Diahann Carroll, Sidney Poitier, Sammy Davis Jr.) and direction by Otto Preminger, producer Samuel Goldwyn thought he had a sure thing on his hands, but his timing was off by about 20 years. Some of the show’s songs had become popular standards, but this decades-old tragic opera about African-Americans living on the margins in a place called “Catfish Row” was at best unfashionable in an era when civil rights movements were growing in visibility and influence. Film critics of the day found it flawed aesthetically as well, and after a short theatrical run and a single TV screening, this Porgy and Bess was forgotten.

All of the criticisms levied at the film are fair. Poitier and Dandridge’s singing was clumsily overdubbed by opera performers, the sets are a clash of stagey abstracts and genuine outdoor locations, and there’s a desultory feel to the whole affair, a despairing tone that may be true to the subject matter but won’t be inviting to fans of musical theater. Still, it’s such an unusual object that I couldn’t resist, and was won over by a show that I had only passing familiarity with until now. The performers are great, particularly Davis as the cynical, seductive drug dealer Sportin’ Life, and the narrative bursts with murders, hurricanes, doomed love, and picnic islands. Are there better productions of Porgy and Bess? I’m sure there are, but I'll leave that for serious opera heads to argue over; this version is for those with an interest in midcentury cinema and the last gasps of old studio system Hollywood (i.e., me).

 

CHEYENNE F. — DESK CLERK

Saint Maud 
(2021) 

I think in the years to come Saint Maud will be viewed as a horror classic, and rightfully so. Saint Maud is a story about delusion and isolation, and I still can’t get the last 20 minutes or so of the film out of my head. This is a movie I have been waiting for since 2019, and it definitely delivered.

Succession 
(2018-)

I feel like I’m a bit late to the Succession train, but I can’t stop watching this family drama/satire. While it took me a while to get into Succession, I think season two hit it out of the park. It’s just so entertaining to see the Roy family eat itself alive. {AADL}

Touki Bouki 
(1973) 

Touki Bouki is a masterpiece, and one of two feature films directed by Djibril Diop Mambéty. The film manages to create its own form of new wave cinematography while also riffing on French New Wave styles. This is extremely apt, as the film deals with the main character’s dissatisfaction with his life in Senegal and his desire to move to Paris. {HBOMAX}

The Green Knight 
(2021) 

I have been waiting for this movie to come out since March 2020, and I was not disappointed at all. The Green Knight is often ambiguous and vague, and I am a big fan of movies where things happen slowly. {AADL}

Killer of Sheep 
(1978) 

A movie that often has no narrative, Killer of Sheep plays like a snapshot of a family’s life rather than a contained story. Though oftentimes sad and funny, there is a thread of tenderness that runs throughout the film while it explores the ghettos of Los Angeles. {AADL}

 

ALLISON J. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Kingdom
(2019-)

The political intrigue of Game of Thrones meets The Walking Dead. But where the latter two shows tended to meander along at points, this show moves at a breakneck speed. Which is a good thing, because there are zombies on the loose! Set during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, we follow the Crown Prince as he struggles to find out what’s happened to his father, the King. He and his subordinates unwittingly stumble upon something much worse than they had feared: a brewing political conspiracy paired with an unnatural plague that resurrects the dead. At only 13 episodes, you could easily binge it in a weekend. Watch the subtitled version if possible, not the dub. I love the idiosyncratic zombies, the fast-paced action sequences, the rich storytelling, and I love all of the awesome hats! Not for the squeamish or the weak of heart, but a thrilling, action-packed and extremely good series. {Netflix}

Train to Busan
(2016)

I’m not sure why I watched so many Korean zombie flicks this year (I also enjoyed #Alive) but this movie really blew me away ... so much so that I made my husband watch it with me again the very next weekend. In Train to Busan we’re introduced to crappy father Seok-woo, who must usher his young daughter to safety after a chemical leak at a biotech plant causes the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. They find themselves stuck on, you guessed it, a train headed for Busan, along with a cast of fully-realized characters that you’ll end up rooting for by the end (and one you really won't). While Kingdom can tend to get pretty gory and gross, Train to Busan runs closer to an intense action movie. Squid Game fans will recognize Gong Yoo in the leading role and Marvel fans will recognize the awesome Ma Dong-seok (who goes by Don Lee in American films and plays Gilgamesh in The Eternals). Smart, heartfelt, horrifying, dynamic, enthralling, and very entertaining. {AADL}

His House
(2020)

His House follows a married couple, Bol and Rial, who are refugees from South Sudan struggling to adjust to their new life in England. A shared trauma unites them and they find their relationship tested by the many challenges that come with being refugees. Bol tries to assimilate to prove to the British government that they belong in their new home while Rial tries to hang on to their culture. They experience racism and the constant threat of deportation. Adding to their grief and misery is the appearance of an apeth, or “night witch,” who begins to haunt them from inside their home. I wasn’t necessarily scared by this film, but once I understood what the full story was I found it horrifying and was still haunted by it several weeks after watching it. His House features my new favorite actress Wunmi Mosaku (who also appeared recently in Marvel’s Loki and Lovecraft Country) and she is absolutely incredible in it. The two episodes of the Dead Meat Podcast dedicated to this movie really helped me understand the complexity of Bol and Rial’s situation and experiences and helped inform me of the complicated history of South Sudan. {Netflix}  

Lake Mungo
(2008)

Speaking of being haunted by a film, I couldn’t get this one out of my head for about a month after watching it. Something about it just wormed its way in there and didn’t let go. Lake Mungo is an Australian mockumentary-style horror that features elements of found footage and relays the (fictional) story of 16-year-old Alice Palmer, who drowns in a dam while swimming with her family. The film is about the aftermath of her death and features various twists and turns along the way. I didn’t find this movie particularly scary and didn’t have much of a reaction to it immediately after viewing. But the more I thought about it, the more it got under my skin. The loneliness, the sadness, the terror, the grief. If you watch it, I suggest you visit Reddit afterward for interesting theories about “whodunnit” and what the movie was all about. {IMDB

Derry Girls
(2018-)
This is the funniest show I’ve ever seen! Ordinarily, my husband will NOT rewatch something we’ve already seen, but we’ve watched this show together probably five times this year. Set in Derry, Ireland, during The Troubles, Derry Girls follows a group of friends as they navigate life and teenhood in the early 1990s. The writing is insanely good and extremely funny, and you won’t believe the situations these characters find themselves in. I find something new that I didn’t notice before every time I watch it. My favorite character is Orla, although it’s really hard to choose between so many great characters and strong performances. The first time you watch it I suggest you turn on subtitles, as the thick Irish accents can be hard to parse out at first. The third and final season is set to come out next year and I’m both looking forward to it and devastated that it will be over soon. {Netflix

Malcolm in the Middle
(2000-2006)

As a kid, I assumed this show was boring for some reason and never watched it. I watched it for the first time this year and couldn’t believe how good it is! Not only has it held up very well in the 20 years that have passed since its debut, but I found it relentlessly funny and never wavering in quality throughout its seven-season run. Starring Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, Bryan Cranston as his father (pre-Breaking Bad), Erik Per Sullivan (who plays my favorite character, Dewey), and a very talented cast rounding out the rest of this dysfunctional lower-middle-class family. This is one of those shows that appeals to both kids and adults, and it’s fun to watch the cast grow and change along with the characters. The show was really influential as a family sitcom: It wasn’t filmed in front of a live studio audience (it used a single-camera filming style that many others adopted later) and helped popularize cold opens, whip-pan transitions between scenes, pieces to camera delivered by a main character (breaking the fourth wall), and ending with an abrupt cut to black at the end of each segment. It was even an inspiration for this year’s WandaVision, further down on this list. Now I see why this show has made so many different lists as one of the greatest TV and sitcom series of all time. {Hulu}

Grounded for Life
(2001-2005)

I watched this a lot as a kid on ABC Family and rewatched it again this year to see if my opinion on it had changed. It definitely holds up! The show stars Donal Logue and Megyn Price as Sean and Claudia Finnerty, an Irish Catholic couple living on Staten Island with their three kids. Sean’s strict father (played by Richard Riehle) and street-smart brother Eddie (played by the hilarious Kevin Corrigan) round out the cast and add to the hilarity. The show has a unique storytelling style, often using flashbacks to fill in gaps in the story. The music in the show is really great as well. I’m surprised more people haven’t heard of this show, but after this rewatch I would classify it as one of my favorites. {IMDB

WandaVision
(2021)

Over the years I’ve grown kind of sick of the Marvel universe. I felt like the movies had gotten formulaic and stale (with the exception of Black Panther). However, WandaVision totally changed my mind and made me really excited for the future of the Marvel universe. It's an ode to sitcoms throughout the decades and a gripping meditation on grief that unfolds like a mystery, featuring incredible performances by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany. I also loved seeing Kathryn Hahn and Debra Jo Rupp in great supporting roles. {Disney+}

Grace and Frankie
(2015-2022)

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star as Grace and Frankie, two unlikely friends who are brought together after their husbands (Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston) announce that actually, they’re not just business partners: Robert and Sol are in love with each other and planning to leave their wives and get married to each other. It’s a great set-up made even better by the awesome performances of these four unbelievably good actors. Stick with it through the first season … the second season is when this show really takes off. {AADL}

The Planet of the Apes reboots
(2011, 2014 & 2017)

I had never seen a Planet of the Apes movie before watching this new trilogy, which serves as a reboot of the original series. I went into this thinking that they would be absolutely terrible, and was pleasantly surprised to find out they are actually good! Fun and surprisingly thoughtful.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes {AADL}
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes {AADL
War for the Planet of the Apes {AADL

Lovecraft Country
(2020)

A collection of some really great moments and really interesting ideas that never coheres into something bigger or deeper. This show is VERY graphic in every way possible. If you’re not willing to watch a man explode, this is not the show for you. Unfortunately, after the first two incredible episodes this show goes downhill fast. I’m still not sure what happened or why they made some of the decisions they did in this adaptation (for more information on that, check out the incredible Princess Weekes’ video on the series). So, why am I recommending it? Well, some of it is good, and overall this show gave me a lot to think about. I was still mulling things over months after watching it. Featuring Jonathan Majors in the lead role as the perfect leadin- man type, Michael K. Williams in one of his last major roles (RIP), and one of my favorite new actresses Wunmi Mosaku in an ... interesting role. {AADL}

 

VANESSA K. — BOOKSHELVER / PROCESSOR

Star Wars: The Bad Batch
(2021-)
Set between the events of Star Wars Episode III and Episode IV, this series shows us the aftermath of Order 66 as the Grand Army of the Republic transitions into the Galactic Empire. The show is told from the perspectives of Clone Force 99 (aka the Bad Batch)—a group of elite clone troopers with genetic mutations— who are trying to figure out their place in the new order. {Disney+}

Star Wars: Visions
(2021-)
Star Wars: Visions is an anime anthology series featuring original short stories produced by seven Japanese animation studios. {Disney+}

Guardians of the Galaxy
(2014)

I have finally gotten around to watching this movie. It was an entertaining and hilarious experience, and I enjoyed every second of it. The humor complemented the tone of the film well, rather than detracted from it. Additionally, the inclusion of select songs from the '60s and '70s fits the timeline of the film well, with the bonus of creating a sense of nostalgia for some viewers. {AADL}

Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song
(2021-)

Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song follows the century-long adventures of Vivy, the first ever autonomous AI, who is programmed to be a songstress and is tasked with discovering what it means to spread happiness through song. Early in the story, she is visited by an advanced AI from the future, who enlists her on a mission to prevent a disaster between humans and rampant AI set to occur in 100 years. Vivy is an exciting and beautiful sci-fi anime that features time-traveling, smooth action sequences, and plenty of suspense. The series also features captivating songs that are sung by Vivy and a few other characters introduced later in the series. If there was one aspect of the show that could be improved, then it is the pacing of the story. Some viewers argue that the show is too fast-paced, which is a fair assessment because it can be difficult to pace a 100-year journey into 13 episodes. {Website}

Shiguang Dailiren (Link Click)
(2021-)
Link Click is a Chinese animation series about two friends named Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, who each possess a special ability that allows them to jump into photographs and experience the events surrounding the picture within a 12-hour timespan. Together, they provide a special service to clients - many of whom request missing information related to events of the past and present photographs to Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, which may serve as the key to fulfilling the clients’ wishes. However, they have to take caution when reliving the events because one wrong step could alter the future of the person who took the photograph. Link Click is an excellent watch for anyone looking for an animated show filled with action, mystery, drama, and time-traveling. {Funimation}

 

Dennis Ball — Building Supervisor

Succession
(2018-)

Brian Cox is a tour de force as aging patriarch Logan Roy, head of the multi-billion dollar media conglomerate Waystar Royco. As he debates whether or not it is time to pass the torch, Roy's children clash over who should get eventual control of the company. Succession is an insanely watchable character study that somehow manages to feel simultaneously grounded and outlandish. {AADL}

The Boys
(2019-)

Based on the graphic novel series with the same name, The Boys asks, "What if Superman was a sociopath"? By turning the traditional superhero tropes on their collective heads, The Boys gives us a dark, gritty, and surprisingly poignant satire. Karl Urban gives a diabolical performance as Billy Butcher, a broken man on a vendetta to kill all superheroes—most notably, Homelander, the most famous superhero in the world with all the powers of Superman and a laundry list of psychological issues. Antony Starr's bone-chilling performance as Homelander is Emmy-worthy. {Wikipedia}

Bob's Burgers
(2011-)

Over the past 20 years, adult animation has tended to skew toward humor that is rude or crass. Bob's Burgers chose to head in a more charming, wholesome direction, which I think has led to its widespread appeal. Every character is authentic and unique. Gene spits out absurd one-liners that never fail to make me laugh, Tina is a delightful weirdo slogging through the gauntlet of puberty, and the youngest daughter, Louise (voiced by the ever talented Kristen Schaal), steals the show. Every episode is also riddled with puns and absurd songs that will get stuck in your head for days. {AADL}

 

ELIZABETH S. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Last year I found it incredibly difficult to focus on long narratives and found I was happiest watching anthologies, limited series, and stories that ended so dramatically there couldn’t be another season. It seems that trend continues, alongside the re-introduction of films and books, as we head into 2022.

Search Party
(2016-2022)

Though this series has been around since 2016, I just discovered it this year. I spent a lot of time watching it alone, laughing out loud to nothing and no one, texting my one friend who’d also seen it. The dark comedy follows a dysfunctional group of pseudo-adults making the mistakes that take them on a never-ending series of hilarious misadventures. The final season recently concluded filming and will air in January 2022. {HBO Max}

Brand New Cherry Flavor
(2021)

A new limited series based on the 1996 horror novel by Todd Grimson that shares the same name, this Netflix original was disturbing and visually stunning, complete with dark magic, zombies, and a body-jumping witch. {Netflix}

Midnight Mass
(2021)

For the past two years, Mike Flanagan’s horror-based Netflix mini-series have been on my list. Last year, it was Haunting of Bly of Manor, this year it’s Midnight Mass. Using some of the same visual elements, actors, and an entirely new take on a classic element of supernatural horror, Midnight Mass was both appreciated and unexpected. {Netflix}

Nine Perfect Strangers
(2021)

Based on the popular 2018 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers was among my favorites this year. The miniseries, adapted by Hulu, follows a group of visitors, all seeking a reprieve from their lives at Tranquillum House, a mysterious resort that promises a life-altering experience. What follows is a rollercoaster ride of comedy, suspense, and mystery as the guests discover what is really going on at the resort. {Hulu}

The White Lotus
(2021)

Possibly my favorite series this year, and by popular demand a new anthology series, The White Lotus follows a group of tourists during their stay at an upscale resort in Hawaii. In the opening scene, we learn that someone at the resort has died. Over the course of six episodes, the series explores the lives of the visitors and the staff at the resort, creating a vibrant, smartly funny, and cringy social satire. {HBO}

Mare of Easttown
(2021)

Yet another limited series, this crime drama starring Kate Winslet as Mare centers on a tense small-town murder investigation. The series received 16 Emmy nominations. It is clear why, with a strong range of characters, an intriguing backstory, and of course, the accents. {HBO Max}

Pig
(2021)

I was finally able to successfully watch movies this year. I even saw a few in theaters. Pig was among those few, and also one of my favorites, despite its slow-progressing plot and sparse dialogue. Nicolas Cage and Alex Wolff were a strange and heartbreaking pair in their search for a missing truffle pig in Portland, Oregon. {AADL

Phantom of the Paradise
(1974)

How can you go wrong with a film described as a “rock musical horror comedy” on the wikipedia page? With several influences, from the obvious Phantom of the Opera to The Picture of Dorian Gray and Faust, this classic is a lesser-known rock opera. For the phantom’s mask alone, this film is worth watching. {AADL}

 

CHRISTOPHER P. — LIBRARY TECHNICIAN

Saint Maud
(2019)

I agree with my colleague Cheyenne above who wrote, "...Saint Maud will be viewed as a horror classic." A remarkable exploration of mental illness and faith—and the fine line between the two. {AADL}

Rare Exports
(2010)

This Finnish Christmas-horror film mixes chills and heart, and it's a stone-cold classic not just of the Evil Santa genre but also holiday films and movies in general. Petri Jokiranta, the kid who plays Pietari, gives an amazing performance as the son of a local reindeer herder whose flock is mysteriously slain and all the town's children go missing. {AADL}

Hammer House of Horror
(1980)
This 13-episode TV series anthology from the Hammer Films captures everything about what made that British studio's horror movies so great: psychological terror, supernatural shenanigans, and general British weirdness. {Shudder}