Hot Grrrl Shit

, , , , , , , , , , ,

January Favorites

Movies

Poor Things dir. Yorgos Lanthimos

I went into this movie knowing nothing about it, except for the fact that I love Ramy Youseff, Willem Dafoe, Emma Stone, and Yorgos Lanthimos. As a longtime fan of Lanthimos’ work, I was super stoked to see how elaborate and intricate the world he built for this film was, and how artful the cinematography was. Aside from the classic wonderful weirdness of Yorgos Lanthimos, at its core, Poor Things is an incredibly relatable coming-of-age story that touches on female sexuality and autonomy in a fresh way.

Nowhere dir. Gregg Araki

I watched this movie at 3 AM after being incredibly disappointed by Saltburn (which I could complain about for hours but I won’t). I decided that watching an actually queer erotic film would cure my disappointment and boy did it. Gregg Araki has this ability to create films that make me wish I could move to LA in the 90s, do a ton of acid, and join a polycule with James Duvall. I wish I could print out every frame of this movie and put them all on my wall (I do also wish I could make out with James Duvall circa 1997). 

Scrapper dir. Charlotte Reagan

I will admit, that my inspiration to watch this movie was Harris Dickinson, and while his performance is stellar, I was massively impressed by Charlotte Reagan’s directorial debut. Scrapper follows Georgie, a 12-year-old living alone following her mother’s death, played phenomenally by Lola Campbell. Georgie’s dad returns to her life, and the two struggle to adjust to a father-daughter relationship. I think my favorite thing about this film, is the way it depicts East London. While most movies set in London depict the city as grey and gloomy, Scrapper is colorful and full of fun, life and love.

Music

Wallsocket by Underscores

This is one of the most fun albums of 2023. It’s a perfect blend of hyperpop, indie-rock, Ke$ha, and bedroom pop. The album contains so many different sounds, which are all tied together by the repeating ‘okay’ motif, which is such a fun detail. I think my favorite song on this album is “Girls Like Us” ft. Gabby Start, because how can you not love a song that interpolates Stereo by Pavement?

“Third Coast” by Teezo Touchdown

I have listened to this song at least once a day since it came out. I absolutely adored Teezo Touchdown’s debut record, How Do You Sleep at Night, but “Third Coast” is a clear standout on the deluxe edition. My favorite kind of song is a song that has multiple parts, and Third Coast does that masterfully. The song starts with more of a traditional braggadocious rap song vibe. As the song evolves, Teezo strips off layers of masculine bravado, ending with a more funky, soulful vibe that fits his playful aesthetic. 

“Steamroller” by Feeble Little Horse

I revisited Feeble Little Horses’ 2023 album, Girl With Fish after being so stoked to see them on the Coachella lineup. In my revisit, I fell in love with “Steamroller”. It has the perfect amount of noisy fuzz, complimented by its shoegaze-y tempo and Lydia Solcum’s lax vocals. I also think the lyricism in this song is so gorgeous and poetic. 

Books

Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon

Kim Gordon’s memoir was my end-of-the-year subway read, and it was hard to put down once I made it to my stop. So much of this book felt nostalgic, despite primarily being about a time I wasn’t alive for. The way Kim Gordon paints the New York scene at the time is so lovingly detailed and immersive. Girl in a Band is a really interesting insight into the formation and success of Sonic Youth, while still remaining incredibly personal to Gordon. A quintessential read for any rock girlie.

Sofia Coppola Archive by Sofia Coppola

Like most girls with a letterbox account, I begged for this book for Christmas. Its simplistic, perfectly selected pink cover makes it an amazing coffee table staple. I swear and flip through it every day, and remain in awe of Coppola’s attention to detail, and ability to craft an aesthetic so intentionally. It also comes with a poster, which will be going up on my wall ASAP.

Zines

The Young Ajooma’s Guide to Self-Care

I picked this zine up at the Brooklyn Museum zine exhibit and didn’t put it down the entire train ride back to my building. Not only is this zine an incredibly fun and colorful ode to middle-aged Korean women, but it’s also full of great advice. This zine has tips on everything from recipes to skincare, to fashion. 

Skate Witches #16

I got this zine at a Skate Like a Girl sesh in Seattle, and I instantly had so much fun flipping through it. Flipping through this zine felt like flipping through any other skate magazine (which I love to do) except for the fact that all of the skaters included looked like me and my friends. This zine also features a crossword and a playlist, which is always a bonus.

Magic Baby Zine #1

I was gifted this zine by Akira, one of the contributors, and member of Seattle bands Femmes Eat Fruit and Teen Vamp Army. I love how many hand-drawn/colored elements this zine has. It gives the whole zine a super fun and nostalgic aesthetic. The theme of his issue is light, which makes for a really positive vibe and a pleasant reading experience. 

Misc.

Essie Willow in the Wind Nail Polish

This is the perfect shade of green. As someone who paints her nails constantly, I have never been complimented on my nails, or asked what color I’m wearing more than when I wear this color. 

Modpodge

I spent most of my winter break locked in my room, crafting. In those three weeks, I think I used more modpodge than any sane person should use in their lifetime. I collaged a ton of journals and tin wallets and had a great time. 

Minolta 4K Ultra HD 16x Digital Zoom IR Night Vision Video Camcorder

For Christmas, my mom got me a Camcorder and I have not put it down since December 25th. I’ve been filming literally everything and I adore it. I love being able to document my life, and I think this camcorder is a really cool way for me to capture memories and document my life while not pulling out my phone, and ruining the moment. 

Leave a comment