Hello friends! It is shameful how long it’s been since I last wrote a post, but here we are…nearly two years later. I’ve long nursed a work baby, which is always busy & stressful & inspiring & soul crushing, but I more recently had a HUMAN baby. My now four month old fills my heart in all the cliched ways they tell you about parenthood, but it also means I have a lot less extra time these days.
Somehow, there’s still time in my day to consume content, whether it’s podcasts, books, videos, shows or movies. I was a blogger back when blogging was podcasting (circa 2008), so I’m a bit self indulgent when it comes to broadcasting my takeaways with the world, and I’ve missed processing my takeaways through writing.
In order to make the Rabbit Hole more bite-sized and doable for both me & you, every month, I’ll share just three recommendations in the realm of content. Here we go:
#1: Return to Seoul (Film)
I saw Return to Seoul at my local indie theater (shout out to Landmark Theatres!) and it was thought-provoking and chewy; it sat with me for days after. In short, the film is about a Korean adoptee raised in France who visits Seoul on a whim as an adult and ends up spending years in the country, in the process meeting her biological family in her search of home and herself. Freddie, the protagonist, is messy, complicated and self-destructive. Her journey is non-linear and sometimes frustrating, but it’s also why I enjoyed the movie so much. At its core, Return to Seoul is a story about the human need for belonging, and what it means to be out of place in a place that should have been home. It’s now available to rent on all streaming platforms, including YouTube.
#2: Drops of God (Apple TV+)
I’ve been evangelizing Drops of God ever since I finished watching it a few weeks ago. It has all the elements of what I love in a series: drama, intrigue, romance, and an eccentric premise (oh my!). TL:DW: A world famous French wine collector dies. In order to decide who inherits his multi-million dollar wine collection (the most extensive in the world! oh my!), he has designed an extensive competition for his estranged daughter and his best student. If a competition about wine doesn’t sound intriguing to you, think again. The series, based on a Japanese manga (comic) series, takes place between France and Japan, and it’s lush, fun, and fascinating.
#3: Steven Yeun & Pedro Pascal (Variety’s Actors on Actors)
Variety’s Actors on Actors is my favorite series of conversations every year. Even though there are cameras on, there’s an unbridled frankness between the two actors, and it feels like you’re sitting in on an intimate conversation amongst friends. There’s many I’ve enjoyed over the years, but this year there was a conversation between Steven Yeun and Pedro Pascal, AKA GLEN AND JOEL.
Fun fact about me: I have a very weird love of shows & films about zombie apocalypses. I find them endlessly fascinating, mainly for their commentary on how humans behave when society breaks down. It’s less about zombies, and more what their presence brings out in us. To that end, The Walking Dead is one of my all-time favorite shows (that just happens to be about a zombie apocalypse) and Steven Yeun as Glen is one of my favorite character arcs ever. I was also a fan of The Last of Us, and loved Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of Joel. Beyond their characters in two amazing shows, I also adore these two actors and I absolutely loved their conversation, which was super smart, thoughtful, and funny. I only wished it was longer.
Til next month friends! x Kals