April 13, 2022
Elden Ring
Some games are more enjoyable once you learn that failure is the only way forward. With FromSoftware making games left and right that challenge players, there was bound to be one that has been in the limelight. In Elden Ring, you are Tarnished, one of a group of people who were banished from the Lands Between, and your goal is to become the Elden lord. You must travel through The Lands Between and defeat the bearers of the Elden runes, which are bosses that range from a king that grafted other arms to his own body to a demigod who holds the stars in the sky and wields two giant blades. You must travel far and remain true to the quest you were given with many encounters along the way. Those whom you can ally with may help you reach the end, while others want to bring only suffering to all they encounter. Pain, madness, destruction, and worse are what you will see along your journey. You can use almost any weapon, spell item, and armor that you see fit, but you must meet the required level of understanding to use it and make sure to stay mobile in a fight but not too frail at the same time. Based on whom you chose to trust and aid, there will be up to six ways you can choose the fate of The Lands Between and those who reside in them. Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Steam.
—Will Kosmal, Gaming Editor
Somewhere in the middle of the American Southwest, there is a small town called Night Vale. Twice each month, you can hear the radio broadcast from this strange place where reality isn’t quite right. Cecil Palmer is the radio host who narrates the whole show, sharing the daily news, community calendar, the weather, and many other segments which appear from time to time. While this might sound boring, you quickly learn that nothing is as it seems in Night Vale. For example, one of the first things the show establishes about the town is that no one is allowed in the new dog park. No humans, dogs, or any other creature except for the hooded figures may enter. Ever. And the towering creatures living in Old Woman Josie’s house? Oh, those are just angels, all named Erika. You can’t acknowledge them, though, as the City Council does not legally recognize their existence and will arrest anyone who tries to do so. All this weird information and much more can be heard throughout the show’s run.
You read the books. You filled out your brackets. You voted weekly for a month. And now, all of that effort has paid off. We have a winner for March Book Madness! The one book to rule them all is…The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins!
Trigger Warning: Includes racist beliefs, depictions of slavery, rape, marital abuse, sexual references, and other possibly disturbing themes related to the Civil War and Post-Civil War era.
Charulata (1964)
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower appeared in NPR’s “100 Best-Ever Teen Novels,” and it would be a confounding miracle that the movie could portray so accurately and seamlessly a beloved novel if we did not know that its author also wrote and directed the screenplay. The movie follows Charlie through his high school freshman year as he processes the deaths of a best friend and a favorite aunt. Saving graces appear through an English teacher—who encourages Charlie’s interest in reading and writing—and two new friends. Sam and Patrick, stepsiblings, bring shy Charlie into their loud and bright world of dreams, struggles, and questions. The movie deals with the usual politics of a coming-of-age film, but it goes into serious, emotional territory. Charlie, Sam, and Patrick must confront hurts and misconceptions if they are ever going to heal. And who can’t relate to that on some level? Whether you’ve read the book or not, you do not want to rule this movie out. Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Hulu. Trigger Warning: Mentions of sexual abuse and suicide.
Can I call Bridget Jones’s Diary a staple of the early 21st century rom-com era? I’m going to say yes. The book itself made waves, topping bestseller lists for months on end, but when the author joined the screenplay team that would bring our main character, Bridget Jones, to the screen…well, a jewel was born. The movie introduces Bridget, a British singleton who is ready to turn over a new leaf in the new year and quit cigarettes. She’ll document all of this in her diary, of course. She keeps running into the rude barrister she met at Christmas who grumbled that she was “a verbally incontinent spinster who smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish, and dresses like her mother.” It would be seriously disconcerting if it weren’t for the flirty messages she’s been receiving from her longtime crush (her boss, who has suspect vibes the moment we lay eyes on him). Only time will tell how this will play out, but Bridget can only hope. Maybe then her parents will focus on their issues rather than hers. Yes, Bridget is concerned with dating, and yes, she constantly talks about losing weight. But this movie pays its dues to the book in showing us a woman trying to find happiness in a world that tells her she needs to be a million things. And it’s truly hilarious! It’s worth noting the movie also finds its roots in a loose interpretation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. For all you book lovers, this is a double-win. Pro-tip: You do not need to watch the sequels that are not nearly as good, in my humble opinion. Available to stream on HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV.
The Princess Bride: I once attended an outdoor showing of The Princess Bride in a Washington, DC, park, and what I remember most is how all of us in the audience kept quoting the lines along with the actors. While I would normally find this annoying, for this film, I felt a sense of kinship with the others around me, who had, like me, watched this beloved film so many times, they had practically memorized the script. 
The Color Purple: Creating a movie that is based on a book can be extremely difficult. Not only does the movie have to make sense to people who haven’t read the story, but it must also follow the book closely to be considered a good adaptation. That’s exactly what The Color Purple (originally written by Alice Walker) does. Directed by Steven Spielberg, it tells the classic story of the main character Celie (Whoopi Goldberg) and her experience of growing up as a Black woman in the South. We see this Celie grow from a fourteen-year-old girl into adulthood through her letters to God. The audience can follow along on Celie’s journey as she learns to write, read, and experience her life, where she got the short end of the stick. With all the troubles and hardships, she faces she remains hopeful and learns what it means to be a woman. The sets, costumes, and script couldn’t have been closer to the book, but what’s even better is the cast. Starring Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, and Margaret Avery, this film pulls on the heart with incredible acting. If you haven’t read the original novel, it is one to add to your reading list along with the movie. Available on Tubi TV for free.