The 2024 BSR Year-end Recommend: books, films, TV, music, and more

From executive director Neil Bardhan:

BOOK: A family member handed me the novel Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr some time ago and I’ve finally picked it up. Like many other novels I’ve enjoyed, the structure is several threads that criss-cross and bear similarities. I actually haven’t finished reading it yet so please don’t spoil the ending!

MOVIE: Ultimate Citizens is a documentary that had me laughing, cheering, and tearing up. A guidance counselor in Washington state brings students in a K-8 school together through Ultimate Frisbee, a sport I dabbled in during my own youth. But these kids come from tough backgrounds: refugees who haven’t seen their parents in years, poverty, and numerous other barriers.

TV: Taylor Sheridan’s Tulsa King, available on Paramount+, lets Sylvester Stallone have fun. The organized-crime dramedy drew me in instantly with Stallone as the titular fish-out-of-water mobster. Early this fall, my wife and I accidentally binged the first season and start of the second season, then were delighted to learn we had merely caught up and could watch weekly new episodes.

PODCAST: History Mixtapes is quite new and connects historians with their specific musical interests, including stints as college radio DJs and thematic connections they draw between their research and their recreational listening.

MUSIC: Here’s a local creator: Michael the DJ started releasing mashup songs on Bandcamp during the Spring of 2021. I know Michael as a Philly comedian and was blown away with her musical production skills when these dropped. She tightly weaves 1970s rock (think: Yes, The Doobie Brothers, Heart) and 1990s-2020s pop (think: *NSYNC, Lady Gaga) into high-energy tracks. When I get a Bandcamp notification about Michael the DJ, I drop whatever I’m doing and hit Buy Digital Album.

From social-media manager Maya Arthur:

Maya is new to our team this month. She’s taking over for our longtime socials manager Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, who remains in our community as a writer. Welcome, Maya!

POETRY: Bluff by Danez Smith. The poet’s latest collection is enlightening, heartbreaking, and thoughtful.

MOVIES: Conclave and The Idea of You. Surprisingly, I enjoyed both of these movies. As a lapsed Catholic student, Conclave brought back memories with its intrigue and politicking. Meanwhile, The Idea of You elevates Harry Styles fanfic with heartwarming performances. As someone who never cared about One Direction, I found this movie great fluff!

MUSIC: Brat by Charli XCX and Poetry by Dehd. Brat was a cultural moment. As a longtime fan, I’m happy to see Charli XCX get recognition. Poetry by Dehd is fantastic indie rock; their show at the Foundry in October was amazing.

NEWSLETTER: Ira Madison III’s FRANK. For in-depth Real Housewives commentary, this Substack is a fun and insightful read.

From proofreader Zara Waters:

BOOK: Life, I Swear: Intimate Stories from Black Women on Identity, Healing, and Self-Trust. I came across this book of essays at Mt. Airy-based shop Vera Doyle, and have found myself returning to the stories of self-love and healing the last few months. "Love After Love" by Chloe Dulce Louvouezo was a highlight and a touching read for anyone finding themselves after heartbreak.

MINISERIES: Scenes from a Marriage. I have watched this miniseries, featuring Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac, from start to finish at least three times this year. It offers such a visceral and raw depiction of the complexities around love, marriage, divorce, and family that is at times captivating and other times extremely difficult to watch, but ultimately provides an honest look at the most difficult aspects of romantic relationships. Content note: This series contains depictions of intimate partner violence.

From associate editor Kyle V. Hiller:

ANIME AND MANGA: This year has been quite the year indeed, and I haven't had many chances to engage with what's new this year. One thing that has carried me through this year's various stages, phases, and seasons is Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, a Japanese anime and manga series written by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe. It tells the story of Frieren, an elven mage who has lived for hundreds of years—and over the last 28, has been mourning the death of a friend she traveled with on a magical pilgrimage—while also teaching a new young human mage on a new journey. This show (and the manga) has some of the most compelling conflicts and magical battles, all rooted in down-to-earth experiences, growing pains, grief, love, and fear. It's also been an incredible mechanism as I've been coping with my own mourning this year, and it's wild to see life, death, and living through the eyes of someone who's been around for centuries. It's really put so much into perspective in my own life. You don't have to be a fan of anime or high fantasy to enjoy this—I feel comfortable enough in sharing this with everyone. The anime is streaming on Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime (also available on DVD and Blu-ray); the manga is available on Bookshop.org.

MOVIE: Okay, so Godzilla Minus One came out at the end of 2023 (just like Frieren). And I know many people aren't as familiar with Godzilla, especially the Japanese films. Godzilla Minus One is a great start for anyone interested in tapping into the franchise. It's got high-stakes action—even though Godzilla is only in the movie for a collective eight minutes. There are also high-stakes emotions: found family in the aftermath of WWII, the complexities of national pride, and seeing people come together in the face of the ultimate destructive fear feels oddly relatable. I've watched it over a dozen times, and I've teared up every time. It's streaming on Netflix and available on DVD and Blu-ray.

From editor-in-chief Alaina Johns:

NEWSLETTERS: For the uninitiated, Substack is a platform gaining popularity with journalists, essayists, podcasters, and other creators. It’s similar to the blogging revolution of the early 2010s, but Substacks have a built-in newsletter function, so you can read the work of your favorite writers right in your email inbox if you subscribe. I will recommend three that are essential for the Trump era.

Abortion, Every Day by Jessica Valenti. Similar to her latest book, Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lives, and the Truths We Use to Win, Valenti uses her daily newsletter to track the latest in reproductive freedom (and the lack thereof) across the US. The info is tough but essential, and Valenti tracks judicial and legislative threats as well as trends in anti-choice rhetoric before any other journalist catches on. She also explains victories for reproductive rights.

News Not Noise by Jessica Yellin. I’m going to keep recommending political journalist Jessica Yellin, a former CNN White House correspondent who launched her own nonpartisan news platform with the tagline “We give you information, not a panic attack.” When I am on a news diet for my own mental health, I can read Yellin’s newsletters for balanced, concise, well-reported updates on the national and international news I need to know.

Erin in the Morning by Erin Reed. We must commit to supporting our trans community in the coming years, and Erin Reed is one of the country’s top journalists tracking judicial and legislative threats and victories for trans people. This is info we need for the many looming fights over Constitutional rights for trans people (and everyone else).

BOOKS: Look out for my list of micro-reviews of my top reads of 2024.

TV: Hulu’s What We Do in the Shadows about a house of vampires on Staten Island. Taika Waititi is an executive producer, and I will watch almost anything he develops, including Our Flag Means Death on Max, in which he stars as Blackbeard the Pirate. Both shows are some of the funniest and most tender TV I’ve ever seen.

MOVIE: Netflix’s Woman of the Hour. Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut is tense, confident, stylish, and dynamic. But more than that, it captures something I have rarely noticed onscreen: the reality that violence against women does not happen just because of lone bad actors, but because of the societal structures that fail over and over again when we try to get help. In light of that, the solidarity and genius for survival on display here are all the more exciting and poignant.

We hope you enjoyed this year's Recommend. We'd love to know what you've added to your list, and what you recommend for us!