One of the best decisions I made last year was to forfeit my subscription to cable television; if it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal to you, I commend you – because you’re right: it shouldn’t. There were late nights I would stay up, scrolling through obscure channels asking my Twitter friends where the hell I could actually watch the ‘News’ – you know, with facts, not talking heads? It was then that I realized how ridiculous it was that so many people are tethered to a static box, when their imagination and feet could take them infinitely outward and inward.
When I moved in with Danny in the Spring, I made the decision to quit cable all together – and to this day, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever had. Now, not to get it twisted – we’re heavy intenet users that are in lust with the capabilities of Apple TV and between the three of us, finagled manageable subscriptions to Hulu+, HBO Go and Netflix. Sure, I miss live sports games (which, I could remedy with a NBA Package), and Homeland hour where I’d turn off my phone and glue myself to the big screen in my living room; but now that I’m not subscribing to someone else’s schedule, my life feels more free – and I honestly don’t remember what it’s like to have cable, nor do I miss it. Not to mention, renting a movie from the iTunes Store finally seems like a great idea; not only is it cheaper than going to a movie theater, sans the nostalgia of course, but they download quickly, come in HD quality and are available for 24 hours.
Working from home, I tend to marathon through TV Series efficiently and can ingest multiple documentaries in a day – suffice it to say, I go through a lot of options and sometimes, come up empty handed. But sometimes, there’s a rare gem or few that catch my fancy and I’m uber stoked to share them with you. Heading into the Holidays, I’m sure you’ll find yourself with some extra downtime – either solo, with friends or family – so feast your eyes on these fancies. Some of these have been up for a minute, others are hot fresh on Netflix’s streaming shelf – either way, they’re downright enjoyable, humorous and intellectual pursuits that in one shape or form I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
Frequencies (OXV: The Manual) .
Imagine a parallel universe where your life trajectory is calculated on the frequency that you give off; how would that effect your interactions, your passions, your destiny? Made with the same dose of intellectual British Humor as the latest ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, Frequencies is a wonderful thought experiment wrapped in a romantic comedy.
The Current Civil Rights uprising in America, a community outrage against institutionalized injustice, has compounded socio-economic roots, many of them found within the taboo of Drug use. As it stands, the majority of our incarcerated population is there because they’ve chosen to alter their state of consciousness – the one part of our body that we deserve a sovereign right to. In the United States, we gave 5% of the World’s Population, but 25% of the Global Prison Population with a whopping 2.5 million people behind bars. And now, in 2014 – we have for profit prisons that need a 90% retention rate to stay in business.
The War on Drugs has been happening since the 80’s, but the War on Drugs is a War on Humanity in Masquerade. By systematically keeping down part of the population, part of the world – people are dying, wars are ravaging countries, and the illegal drug trade has become the third most profitable industry in the world. Instead of supplying, infiltrating and perpetuating this negative feedback cycle that’s become of the ‘War on Drugs’, the money could be better spent on education, mental health and awareness.
A pivotal, important film – Breaking the Taboo focuses on both a failed National campaign against drug use and global war on drugs and the failures set in stone since the launch of the United Nation’s Singe Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
All Hail King Julien (Series)
Lemur Lovers, rejoice! Slightly dopey, incredibly lovable and definitely worth a few laughs – this Animated Netflix Original TV Series comes from the Dreamworks camp and is based on the successful movie series Madagascar. The series focuses on my personal favorite character: King Julien – the enigmatic, slightly inane leader of the Lemurs. Great for some late night laughter with the family, or even just with your friends after a few drinks – All Hail King Julien packs a hearty punch and I’ve absolutely loving it.
I don’t know about the lot of you guys, but I refused to see Anchorman 2 in theaters based purely on principal. The first one, an undisputed cult classic, is still heavily quoted among my friend group and I was a little scared to have it get ruined. There were lots of laughs, but the story didn’t pull together quite as nice as the first flick; but it’s definitely worth the watch if you haven’t had the chance.
Wolf of Wall Street
As a guy’s girl – basketball playing, whiskey drinking, foul mouthed and extra sassy – there was a whole lot of fun to be had in the world of ‘Wolf of Wall Street’….as long as you were either male, or a whore. The fast paced, financially driven world only seems glamorous from the Hollywood perspective, and in that regard ‘WoWS’ is a fun romp on the WASP side with predictably tragic, yet endearing, results. Either way, it’s one hell of a ride – and perfect to toss on if you’re getting back together with your High School friends back at home over break.
The Bouncy Kitty 