July/August Picks - CULTURETAP

Yelena Lightfoot
Sep 7, 2020
6 min read

Updated: Dec 18, 2021

Something I neglected to mention in my last post (i.e., the one that marked my triumphant return to the Internet) is that even though I took a fairly long break from blogging this summer, I by no means stopped thinking of all the things I wanted to write about when I decided to post regularly again.

I found myself still mentally taking notes of all the things I enjoyed so I could include them in a potential "summer favourites" list upon my return. Thus, this monster-post was born. As always, everything I talk about will be linked at the bottom for you to buy/read/stream/play them too. I had a hard time picking the best stuff out of everything (meaning I got indecisive and still included a LOT of stuff) so let's get right into it!

VIDEO GAMES

Catherine: Full Body (Nintendo Switch/PS4)

Coming from someone who's always had little to no interest in anime-style games and isn't very good at puzzle games, you should take me seriously when I say that Catherine: Full Body is a fantastic buy. It's not like it's really a surprise at this point; Full Body is actually a remaster of the critically acclaimed original (simply entitled Catherine) that was initially released just shy of 10 years ago. Back then, I was FAR too young to play M-rated games, and it's only recently been ported to my favourite current-gen system, so I think it makes sense that the game has only entered my scope now. If you aren't already in the loop, Catherine is a puzzler/platformer/visual novel hybrid about relationships, bachelor culture, and the decisions one makes within those environments with a supernatural twist to it. Full Body specifically also includes additional content such as new game modes, added difficulties, new music, and even a new character not included in the original story (and with that, more possible endings). If you've played the original, it's pretty take-it-or-leave-it unless you really care about the new stuff. However, it gets the seal of approval from me: it's sexy, it's got a great story, it's weird yet captivating, it can be challenging, and I can finally play it on my Switch. Very few complaints here.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (Playstation 4/PC)

I'll keep this one short because LITERALLY EVERYONE who owns a Playstation Plus subscription is playing it right now, but I too have jumped on the Fall Guys hype train. For context, it's essentially an online party game where you compete with players worldwide to navigate obstacle courses and play minigames in a "last man standing" sort of fashion. The closest thing I can compare it to are the old "Mario Party" servers that were popular on Minecraft in the early 2010's. That's a really niche thing to compare it to, but I only do so because I feel that the folks behind Fall Guys have created a game formula that is simple and familiar, yet SO genius, and they've rightfully taken over the current world of online gaming because of it. I also think this is one of those games that anyone can sit down and enjoy, so no matter who you are, give it a try if you're interested.

MUSIC

Bedroom Pop Playlist by Spotify

Okay, so I'm sort of definitely cheating this month because I didn't actually curate this playlist myself, but it's one I've found myself going back to whenever I need to relax or when I want to find new stuff. It's a Spotify-created playlist simply entitled "Bedroom Pop", and while I can't quite explain to you what that genre is, I think this was the perfect soundtrack to close out my end-of-summer-beginning-of-fall chapter of 2020. It initially pulled me in because it included a lot of Rex Orange County (whom I love) and got me more into similar producers like Clairo, Peach Pit, Current Joys and Cavetown. I find that Spotify playlists are always a great way to find new stuff to listen to, and this one is no exception. You can click the photo here to check it out if you're interested:

Heathers: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording)

Since the world has gone into quarantine for COVID-19, many of us have been picking up new and sometimes unusual hobbies. Maybe it's baking, maybe it's working out, maybe it's home renovation. For me though, I think my unexpected interests during this pandemic have come to fruition in the form of watching musicals. I've sank deep into pirated recordings of everything from Wicked, to Be More Chill, to Legally Blonde: The Musical, and of course, Heathers. This show and soundtrack is my bread and butter right now, and even though this interest of mine is fairly young, I'm still sad that I've never actually seen a production of it live. When the world starts back up again, someone hook me up with a local theatre director so we can get that going. I will pay BIG money to see it.

Again, you can click the photo here to check it out.

COMICS & BOOKS

Harleen by Stjepan Šejič

One of my biggest guilty pleasure characters of all time is Harley Quinn. I say "guilty pleasure" because even though she's no doubt becoming an increasingly popular character and therefore having more awesome stories written about her, I basically (and embarrassingly) made her character my entire personality in high school (down to wearing an HQ choker necklace to school nearly every day for my freshman and sophomore years...ugh). Surprisingly though, I haven't read a Harley story in a while, and I'm SO glad this is the one I decided to pick up. Harleen is an origin story, yes, but don't let that fact lead you to believe this DC Black Label book is in any way conventional or boring. I'd go as far as to say that this is not just my favourite comic version Harley's beginning, but that this might also be one of my favourite Harley Quinn stories ever put into print. The visuals are breathtaking, the characterization is great, and it manages to bring a new psychological edge to a story that is already very well-known to DC readers.

Oh, and the main author/illustrator is Croatian. Gotta represent for my (half) heritage.

MOVIES & TV

How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014)

Again, this is not a revolutionary take. Since it's release in 2005, How I Met Your Mother has somewhat suddenly become one of those iconic sitcoms that represent the time it aired during, in the same vein as The Brady Bunch, Friends, and Fresh Prince of Bel Air. This is another one that I'm only getting into recently since I was far too young to be watching it while it was still active. For that reason, I'd recommend it to anyone around my age or slightly younger, as this is one that we really missed out on that doesn't seem to get the same nostalgia fuel as shows from the 90's and earlier. I've never been a TV-binge type of person, and yet I can't wait to fly through the rest of the 9(!) total seasons on weekends during the school year.

The Umbrella Academy, Season 2 (2019 - present)

I hope no one is surprised that this is here. If you know me personally, I've likely already talked your ear off about this show. If you wanna hear me go REAL in depth about the newest season though, you can read my review, linked here! Or, click here for my review of season one.

Shamelessly plugging other parts of my site is my favourite thing to do.

EXTRAS

Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Hybrid Camera

I've always puttered around with the idea of getting one of those cute little Polaroid cameras that can print photos instantly, but I could never really justify the price of the camera, plus all the print, especially considering the fact that not every photo turns out the way you want it to. Even though the Mini LiPlay is a little pricier than the more common, colourful Instax Mini 11 model, I've found that the price-point justifies itself with the array of useful features that mitigate worry about wasted print, among other things. The main high point for me is that this camera/printer hybrid comes with a screen on it, meaning users don't have to print every single photo they take. It also includes several different filters and the ability to print photos from your phone or tablet via Bluetooth. You can also print multiples of the same photo in case you want to hand them out to several people. Like I said above, the thing is a little pricier than the more common models, but in my opinion, it's entirely worth it for all the convenient and fun new features.