What I've been watching (Jan 2026)

 Didn't watch my first film this year until Sunday LOL but I guess we all gotta start somewhere. Since then I've watched a few more so I thought there's no time like the present to do a lil' film round-up for this month. I know I'll forget but I'm gonna try and do these monthly this year ^_^

Sunday 25th January

Conclave ( Edward Berger)  

Been wanting to watch this for a while now after everyone was raving about it, and so being me I watched it just over a year later, lol. Like probably most people who have seen it, the fact that I enjoyed it so much and wasn't bored was a real surprise. Obviously, I like films about religion but didn't think I'd be so fussed on a film about the pope, but actually it was a really riveting watch, barely feeling like the two hours went by at all! The main premise of the film is quite simple: the pope dies and so they have to pick a successor. Spoiler, the options are pretty bad, and so the main guy around the place, Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) attempts to sway votes into a direction that wouldn't mean that things would go back to the dark ages. The cinematography is great and makes something possibly boring into something really interesting. It got a 4 star rating from me!

 

Winter Light (Ingmar Bergman)

Was clearly feeling a bit inspired on Sunday so thought I'd watch another clergy-based film from Ingmar Bergman. Winter Light has been on my list ever since I saw the film First Reformed, which is heavily based on it. I love First Reformed so much and have already seen Bergman's Through A Glass Darkly which I liked too so I had high hopes. And woah, this film is worth watching. The film begins in a rural church in Sweden that has a very small congregation. The priest is ill and depressed, and struggles to inspire hope in those around him seeking it. What follows is a set of highly emotional moments in which the priest attempts to find love within him for God and even the people around him whilst loosing faith in himself. I don't want to reveal too much but it really is a special film and sits nicely alongside Through A Glass Darkly which shares much of the same themes. 

“Beneath all my false pride and independent airs, I have only one wish: to be allowed to live for someone else.”

 

Monday 27th/ Tuesday 28th January 

Doubt  (John Patrick Shanley)

Had to put two dates on this film because I got half way and realised I had to get up early lol. Anyway, another film about the clergy. Your joking. Nope I really did it again. But this one has Meryl Streep in it so it's a win for everyone.

This one is about a Catholic school in NY in the 1960s and about how the principal of the school, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) is suspicious of priest,(Phillip Seymour Hoffman). Not much else actually happens in it but the acting is great and Amy Adams plays a really sweet character so I enjoyed watching it. I found the films discussion on doubt vs religious obedience really interesting but it never really explored anything properly in depth and just kind of stayed with a pretty surface level message. 

 

 

Boy A (John Crowley)

No priests, no nuns, no popes. Finally. Instead Boy A has you screaming out of anxiety and then just straight up sobbing. Felt an urge to watch every Andrew Garfield movie after seeing Under The Banner of Heaven so here's another one. Boy A is about a man emerging from prison to start a new life after committing (possibly?) a horrific crime as a kid. I should of known this film was going to make me anxious, even the premise is fear inducing and watching it they keep teasing you with,, ooh its all gonna go wrong,,,. It's a short exploration on forgiveness a la Adolescent and really makes you question some truths about the world. Probably will never watch again because it's actually nerve-wracking but it was pretty good anyway. 

 

Here's to more movie watching! See anything good this month - let me know in the comments!

Trip to Bristol + Stationery Haul

Beginning the new year by feeding my stationery and art supply addiction.. huh. Judgements aside, yesterday I went on a day trip to the city of Bristol to meet up with my friend (Paulie Bleaker, those who know, know.). I live a couple hours away so I had to get a bus then a train and then finally a coach which was actually very stress-free :). Our first stop was this crazy 3 floor stationery, art and party supply shop - so a very dangerous location for somebody like me lol. My favourite paints are gouache paints, which are like a watercolour acrylic hybrid, so when I saw some I knew I had to get at least one tube. Unfortunately they only had the most expensive brand ever - Windsor and Newton - and the only white tubes they had were huge. So I caved and just got it anyway lol, at least it's cheaper than ordering online and paying shipping?

My version of a Gucci bag

After that we went to a cute coffee shop that we had been to before which is especially cool because its 100% vegan and also a cooperative, meaning that everyone who works there owns it! I was between buying a breakfast sandwich or cake, so I got this amazing chai cake and an oat milk cappuccino.  

Post cake and coffee demolition...

As far as cities go, Bristol is a very large one with cool shops being literally all over the place - so you have to do a lot of walking lol. Our next stop was an incredible punk and hardcore record shop, which I have actually ordered from online before. I just had to go through every CD there lol and there were so many good ones, for example, Sparta's Three and two Gameface albums! I decided on Thursday's most hated album: Common Existence, so now I'm only one album from completing my collection, yay! My friend bought Reign of Terror by Sleigh Bells, which was a cool find because it's not an album I'd expect in a punk record store. 

After more shopping we were hungry again so we went to a ramen place and were somehow lucky enough to get there lunch deal which was cool. We both got the chilli tofu ramen and some free sides of edamame beans and some mushroom gyoza. All incredibly tasty!! 

Pre-demolition this time

 Then it was time to catch our respective transport back,, sob. But I did get a seat on the coach all to myself hehe. It was completely pitch black on the way back and the coach was very dark too which was cozy. I spent most of the time listening to the audio book of Geoff Rickly's Someone Who Isn't Me - it was funny, I was listening to the parts where he is talking about being in a tour bus and I was like.. I'm on a bus.. woah. I also ate some delicious sour sweets too so the journey was really great actually. 

Haul time! (Left to right) The book Death in Her Hands and the cat patch are both Christmas gifts from my friend - the cat is soo cute. Then we got Common Existence and below that a sketchbook that I actually got with a gift card - yay!. Next to that is a journal because my other one has nearly died. At the top are these amazing stickers that look like 2000s photoshop brushes, not sure what to use them for though lol. Below that are some postcards I got, the desert one reminds me of Dune hehe. 

A good start to the year I think! But also now I have even more sketchbooks T-T. Will probably make a proper new year post maybe.. but I don't think I have any resolutions this year... Happy New Year though!! <3
 

2025 - a year in review⋆｡°✩

2025 is over... yay! or not yay? I don't know really, I kind of didn't enjoy the year as a whole so I think I'm okay with moving on. This year I did watch lots and lots more films, finally began making some art I liked again and went to some awesome shows - not all bad then!

 January

January began with a weird ghostly dream I had whilst staying in my friends spare room... So I guess the year was off to a good start? I began to start blogging more with avenue's Bloganuary challenge which was really fun and probably got me to start this blog somewhere down the line...

What I was listening to... on January 31st 2025 something amazing happened to me. I saw L.S Dunes live and met Anthony Greene, Frank Iero, Tim Payne, Tucker Rule and Travis Stever (!!) The show was so good that it made me obsessed with their latest album - Violet. Still one of the best ever gigs I've ever been too ^_^

craziest show ever...

 What I was watching... This month I rewatched 50/50 with Jospeh Gordon-Levitt, and even if I find Seth Rogan so unfunny I have a real soft spot for this movie. I also saw Sunshine Clearing which is another heartwarming one. Was probably still watching It's Always Sunny lol.

 

February 

Birthday month!! For my b-day I went to a cat cafe with my sister and had a lot of fun. This t'was the month I spent all my time working on my Thursday fansite - Voices On A String.

he did not gaf at all.

What I was listening to... discovered Q and Not U this month, accidentally listened to Ten Thousand Animal Calls so much it became my top song of the year LOL. choke enough by Oklou came out this month yayy!!

What I was watching... finalllly started Severance but spoiler - I still haven't finished S2.. sorry. Also got around to watching Anora which was.. okay?

 

March 

HUGE month for Thurs-heads (me) - I got to see Thursday live again T-T I screamed so hard to fast to the end the girl in front of me turned fully around just to see what the noise was. It was me. Met other Thurs-heads and freaked the fuck out when I saw the band walking on the other side of the road. Also Steve Pedulla blanked my ass even though I was trying to smile at him LOL. also saw Clairo with my bestie and that was fun AND chill. Awesome month. 

WHAT

What I was listening to... THURSDAY. Also I got an iPod Classic for my b-day :D

What I was watching... discovered about Matt Johnson. Lost my mind. Watched all of his films and NTBTS (ok maybe not all this month). Also got really into Steve Jobs biopics. Pirates of Sillicon Valley is like one of the greatest pieces of cinema. Alsooo saw Under The Skin WTF.

 April

Easterrr holiday!!!! Went to Italy and lost my damn mind at how beautiful the world is and ate the best gelato of all time. Officially removed all social media (essentially..) from my life and started this blog up! :) I read Catcher In The Rye finally. so good.

takee meee baaack

What I was listening to... was really in my indie girl era and only listened to Laura Veirs, onelinedrawing, death cab ect ect. Received an amazing cd mix in the mail from Finny and discovered so many great musicians.

What I was watching... saw soo many films this month, here's the low-down - worst: Boyhood (too damn lonng!) and The Amatuer (sadly boring..), best - Love Lies Bleeding (insane.) and Zero Day (also insane.).

 

May 

Played so much SSX3  I though I could do snowboarding tricks. Saw Michael Cera Palin which was really cool.

What I was listening to... Fancy That by Pinkpantheress came out and while it is good was slightly disappointing for me :'(. Began a long descent into the Tooth & Nail multiverse.

What I was watching... only saw incredible films this month: First Reformed, Kneecap and Rushmore. All life changing.

 

June

 Really damn hot already. :/ Perfected Now Press Repeat (music blog) and spent alot of time coding. Had a cute solo-trip to London and went to a Yoshitomo Nara and Jenny Saville art exhibit. 

MEAL OF THE YEAR .. maybe

What I was listening to... went insane with the tunes this month. Discovered eastern European emo/ hardcore, finally listened to Sufjan Stevens AND Jason Molina. and importantly, re-joined the cult that is mewithoutYou. This band ruined my year lowkey. 

 What I was watching... because I don't know what tv shows I was streaming it appears to me I only saw two things in June: GO (2001) - I cried and The Secretary - crazy ass movie with like THE BEST wardrobe of all time. insane. 

 

July 

Basically nothing happened. Except that my cousin did have a crazy wedding and I ran around in a fountain.

What I was listening to... got really obsessed with Frost Children. The mewithoutMentalillness is setting in.

What I was watching... back again with the life changing movies: Blue Gate Crossing, The Trotsky and New Waterford Girl. Wow have I been spoilt this year. Rewatched cycle 12 of ANTM for Allison <3

 

August 

Went to Wales in August and had an awesome time, saw The Get Up Kids and they were so awesome. Took pictures of beautiful things and enjoyed the wonderful weather. 

Prettiest place ever

What I was listening to... in my After era for real. Deftones Private Music came out and so did Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams so I was fed with new tunes.

What I was watching... saw Short Term 12 for the first time and was sad. Also saw Heretic and was unexpectedly surprised and how good it is. 

 

September 

Blacked out on August 31st and woke up October 1st.  

What I was listening to... the Tooth & Nail disease hit me fully during this time. Still not able to free myself from grip that Mae and Copeland have on me.

What I was watching... only saw Saint Maud this month, not a brilliant film but I still think about it often.

 

October 

Spooky season! Went on a solo trip to Bristol and had a mini-break at besties house over Halloween - befriended his dog after years of discontent.  

We ate Halloween UP

What I was listening to... began my long journey to listen to every T&N band from the 2000s and went crazy in the process. Made a whole site page about it which I still haven't finished...

 What I was watching... saw soo many films and got to watch some with my mum too which was fun. Went to the cinema for the first time in a while to see Brides and that was good. Best: Goodbye Lenin, Brother Sun Sister Moon. Worst: Jesus Camp.

 

November 

 Sold some of my cards at a local fair which was kinda cool. I feel like I spent most of November working on a CD mix for Finny and did nothing else lol.

What I was listening to... really in my Christian rock era: Sounds Like Silas, Cool Hand Luke ect. Mainly listening to the mix I made for Finny lmao.

What I was watching... watched Under The Banner of Heaven which is defo the best tv I have seen all year.

 

December

Christmas-time.. mistletoe and wine... December was really good! Saw my friends more often and attempted a Christmas movie challenge which I STILL have not finished writing about T-T. Went on a cute trip with my mum to a stately home and had some good soup. 

Wish this was my house LOL

What I was listening to... listened to lots of metalcore this month e.g Underoath, Hopesfall, I Promised The World.

What I was watching... so. many. Christmas films... also I saw Tick, tick... Boom! with my sister and enjoyed it a lot. 

 

The Stats:

Films seen:  61 (an all time record I think?)

Music scrobbled on last.fm: 9,609 (a record low i think, got into CDs and iPod listening this year!)

Best Film: Rushmore or A Charlie Brown Christmas

Best TV: Under The Banner of Heaven or The O.C

Best new music: Both After EPs for sure!!

Top song: All Deliberate Speed by Mae <3 <3

Best concert: Thursday obvs, but L.S Dunes was incredible.

 

 Happy New Year readers of the blog! Thank you for supporting me this year ^_^ here's to another one! 2006 let's go~