My Favorite Things: Fall 2020 Entertainment Roundup
2020 is such a difficult year (and I’m sure you’ve heard this expression a hundred times) but it doesn’t mean I don’t have fun, occasionally. Being in isolation for the majority of the year meant I consumed a bunch of good stuff. What can I say? Not productive on the writing front has led to this.
I’d like to make the Favorite Things Roundup a regular thing. Once per quarter, or whenever I feel like it.
TV Show
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix Limited Series)
Binged this show in one afternoon. It’s that good. I rarely feel strongly about movies or TV shows, and keep a handful of names when I have to answer what’s my favorite show.
I can say The Queen’s Gambit is my favorite show of this year, maybe ever. Halfway through the series, I upgraded my Netflix plan to the $12.99 version to watch it in 1080p, and that’s saying something. The sepia-tinted past deserved rose-tinted glasses, and we can all romanticize addiction and obsession if we get to see Beth Harmon slay her opponents on the chessboard.
This show is well-paced, well-written, and well-acted. A gorgeous rendition of something I never thought would be so interesting to watch.
Game
Hades
Supergiant has done it again. Another amazing game from the indie developer. I’m not a big fan of roguelike because the idea of losing progress upon death just never appeals to me.
But Hades is a different kind. It’s more of an action RPG than a roguelike, where death is a part of the story and never wasted. The gameplay is polished to a shine, and the weapons are all so different but balanced. Every run stands a chance and feels amazing to play.
And the art style. God the art style is ever so amazing. The underworld looks glamorously Art Deco. All the gods have the best design in their millennia of iterations. Everything is beautiful to look at, and seemed gilded underneath.
Album
“The Line” – Kalandra
The first song, “Border”, is so jaw-droppingly gorgeous. When it played on Spotify’s radio I dropped everything to pick up a pair of headphones to listen to it. The album is Kalandra’s debut, though they had put out some singles and EP before. I had never heard of the band before this album, and it made a strong impression.
It’s apparently nordic. The mood of black sands and the fjord is such a strong visual inspiration for a lot of stuff I’m currently daydreaming about.
Until next time,
Aurelia