2022 media review
a few of my favorite new-to-me books and movies & what I thought about them
in 2022, I read 43 books (a local minimum for me, but i’m trying to not be sad about it) and watched 107 movies (a local maximum, probably at the cost of my reading). here i’ll include only the ones I really loved and strongly recommend (15 books and 20 movies).
books
poetry collections
why I wake early (mary oliver) — yet another mary oliver hit. the way she pays attention to the inherent beauty in the world and records it never fails to move me.
the hurting kind: poems (ada limón) — I’m a big fan of limón, the latest US poet laureate, and this newest collection in particular which celebrates the joys of living while holding such complexity. I relate to her sensitivity and the ups and downs that come from feeling so strongly connected to the world.
the moon is always female: poems (marge piercy) — I adored this collection, especially the first half of it. many of the poems explore love in its myriad forms— obviously a favorite topic of mine, so it’s no wonder I have more photos of the poems in this book than I do of probably any other poetry collection.
autobiography of red (anne carson) — a unique novel in verse that is a gay retelling of greek myth, so, right up my alley and it lived up to the expectation.
a responsibility to awe: poems (rebecca elson) — oof where to begin? elson was a professional astronomer who passed early and tragically, but her husband and friend published her work post-humously. this contains finished poems, drafts and notes from her journal, and an essay about her career. I’ve never had a piece of literature resonate so strongly with me. I felt so inspired and affirmed reading her work, which had been on my list for a long long time but was hard to get a hold of. thank you bookshop santa cruz <3
novels
the lying life of adults (elena ferrante, translated by ann goldstein) — I am, of course, a ferrante fan girl, and I really enjoyed this latest coming of age story about a young italian girl as she learns about beauty, truth, performance, and identity. her characters are excellent as ever.
my dark vanessa (kate elizabeth russell) — this dark and captivating story of a woman who has had an affair with her high school teacher, split between two timelines many years apart, was difficult for me to read but also difficult to put down. this is a hard story to tell well but russell definitely succeeds.
butter honey pig bread (francesca ekwuyasi) — this novel tells the story of three women: a mother and her twin daughters spanning a vast range of time and geographical setting. ekwuyasi explores guilt, sexuality, familial trauma, reconciliation, and more in a way that feels nuanced and natural, beautifully interweaving the stories of these women.
breasts and eggs (mieko kawakami, translated by sam bett & david boyd) — I read this as part of a book club and found it thought-provoking and gripping. it’s about sex, fertility, motherhood, and aging through the lens of a few japanese women, and though the characters were very unrelatable to me, I was engaged in their stories.
giovanni’s room (james baldwin) — ahh I can’t believe it took me so long to read this absolutely heartbreaking gay classic by baldwin. some books are sad in a way that feels just brutal and unnecessary (sorry to ‘a little life’) but this one is sad in a beautiful, poignant way like love and life itself.
nonfiction or memoir
red comet: the short life and blazing art of sylvia plath (heather clark) — my #1 read of the year though it was very hard to be so absorbed in sylvia plath’s life for the time it took me to read this behemoth of a book. do not read if depressed. I love plath and can’t describe how strongly I felt this beautiful, thorough, nuanced telling of her life and work.
figuring (maria popova) — wow wow this also massive book touched me in so many ways. popova tells the stories of many figures, mostly women, mostly scientists or poets or both, in a way that tangles their lives and their themes so delicately and expertly. this is truly a masterpiece and worth the work to read. there’s a good reason quotes from it come to mind and get included in this here newsletter often!
girlhood (melissa febos) — this incredible essay collection was so good I had to go out and buy a paper copy to annotate in the middle of reading the library rented e-book. I want all of my friends to read this.
I’m glad my mom died (jennette mccurdy) — if you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of mccurdy’s memoir, but tldr this former icarly star wrote about her life as a child actress, and particularly her relationship with her controlling, abusive mother. it was hard for me to read because of eating disorder triggers but worth it for the honest and empathetic writing.
bluets (maggie nelson) — this was a reread but I had to include it because I need everyone to read this book!! it is a quick read and will make you feel many things!! just go buy it and support maggie nelson’s incredible work!! I, too, am in love with the color blue and that is all I’ll add.
films
everything everywhere all at once (2022, the daniels) — this was just spectacular, as you should know by now. such an ambitious, maximalist movie that could have gone so wrong but instead went so right.
the banshees of inisherin (2022, martin mcdonagh) — a movie about getting dumped, being depressed, and loving your donkey that is at once bleak and bright. exceptional lighting and landscapes. I was surprised at how many genuinely funny moments there were. all of the characters were well-written, cast, and played even though I still don't know what most of their names actually were.
aftersun (2022, charlotte wells) — this was special, slow, and sentimental, with so much specificity and charm. just lovely to watch alone in theaters. unafraid to hold shots (many of which were wondrously beautiful). made me laugh out loud and smile a lot but also feel sadness and nostalgia (especially as a queer “mature-for-her-age” daddy's girl who went on a lot of resort vacations, loved her camcorder, and got her hair accessorized abroad). I got to witness a q&a with director charlotte wells afterward, which made me appreciate this even more. frankie is a star and perfectly cast. paul is a cutie, but the least relatable thing about this is a dad character who apologizes for his actions!?
decision to leave (2022, park chan-wook) — this was a heavy midday watch but also one that will stay with me. I had been thinking about how many different ways you can love someone and what that can look like and this came at a good moment for me. there were some very creative directing decisions that strengthened the movie significantly. beautifully tragic closing scene.
the fabelmans (2022, steven spielberg) — movies rule!! I wish my senior ditch day in santa cruz was as well-organized as this one. I was so excited when they said santa clara county I whispered “that's where I'm from!!” my only wish was for more screentime and character dev for the sisters.
ganja & hess (1973, bill gunn) — this was my first horror film of this year’s spooky season, watched at the theater. things I loved: her cheekbones, the shots with things in the foreground, her cheekbones, the abrupt tone shifts, her cheekbones, the glistening skin, her cheekbones. this is my new favorite blood drinking movie (just much hotter than raw, let's be honest).
scenes from a marriage (1974, ingmar bergman) — I’ve been having a bergman-heavy year and have liked everything I’ve seen by him but I loved this so so much. a beautifully-directed intimate portrait of a couple’s marriage as it falls apart and their love morphs, chef’s kiss.
fanny and alexander (1982, ingmar bergman) — a christmas movie about children whose lives get turned upside down when their father passes. warm and moving.
vagabond (1985, agnès varda) — quiet, beautiful, understated, dark but not depressing movie about a woman who has been found dead and her life leading up to that point.
tampopo (1985, juzo itami) — favorite movie new-to-me this year. a ramen western!! a joy!! watch this please.
breaking the waves (1996, lars von trier) — beautiful exploration of love and (in)sanity, crushing and poetic.
over the garden wall (2014, nate cash) — a perfectly sweet miniseries that I must insist you all watch!! wholesome and joyful!!
carol (2015, todd haynes) — I watched this twice this year, which says a lot. it’s a christmas-time queer classic with iconic outfits, vibes, sex scene, close ups, and beautiful humans. the second watch was at my local indie nonprofit theater in december with queer friends and it was just heaven!!
the handmaiden (2016, park chan-wook) — chan-wook was really giving the gay femmes what they want with this one and I am satisfied.
the beguiled (2017, sofia coppola) — hell yeah. men are so fragile while women are powerful and independent– a movie my mom would support. also my toxic trait is that I stan sofia coppola so obviously I adored this. gotta go learn to forage and identify mushrooms, a skill i've been putting off acquiring for too long.
thelma (2017, joachim trier) — sapphics are so powerful. this was magical!! a truly thrilling thriller.
bacurau (2019, kleber mendonça filho & juliano dornelles) — gore is normally hard for me but this is just so well done. what a badass, beautiful, perfectly paced movie. it was also a good chance to practice my portuguese comprehension.
the worst person in the world (2021, joachim trier) — uh I watched this 3 times this year because I loved it so much. just a perfect movie for this time in my life. I also love any movie with chapter titles.
anonymous club (2021, danny cohen) — a very tender, genuine portrait of an artist i love (courtney barnett)!! shot on film!! watched while getting my hair played with after eating soup!! of course I adored this
drive my car (2021, ryusuke hamaguchi) — so very good it’s worth sitting through the length of it. so many shots I wished I could just record into my head and save forever.
p.s. feel free to add me on goodreads or check out my letterboxd for a more thorough accounting.
p.s.s. I was inspired to do this by charlotte, whose newsletter (Insecure Tea) y’all should consider subscribing to.