Books
The Magic Border - This poetry collection by Arlo Parks is stunning.
Bellies - A subversive love story that travels across different moments in time and space. I admire Nicola Dinan’s ability to capture a single moment and make it so electric and alive.
Keisha the Sket - A revival of an old classic from Jade LB. If you grew up in LDN in 2005 - this novel was a nostalgic moment we were all incredibly grateful for.
Rosewater - Ha, biased. My debut novel was published and I do believe it’s pretty good. If you want to explore the themes of love, class, grief and what home means - this is one for you.
This Ragged Grace - The most beautifully written memoir from Octavia Bright about addiction and loss.
I’m A Fan - Sheena Patel’s debut about romantic obsession is original, chaotic and addictive.
Really Good, Actually - I loved Monica Heisey’s novel about a young divorcee.
Films
Fingernails - Fucking brilliant. There are SO many shows that explore the future of the world of dating but this one did it so well. It’s not about fancy technology but rather gets into the psychology of why we obsess over relationships.
Polite Society - An action/comedy from the writer of Channel 4’s We Are Lady Parts. It’s heartwarming and visually stunning. The stunts and the costumes are amazing. Like nothing I’ve ever seen in British film.
A Thousand and One - A heartbreaking portrayal of motherhood. Teyana Taylor is brilliant in this.
House Party - A silly bit of feel good fun!
American Fiction - A triumph and does what I think so many films and TV shows have failed to do. It interrogates race, art, work and politics in a way which feels subtle, nuanced and real!
Passages - The film follows what could be described as an 'entanglement' between a queer couple and a young woman played by the magnificent Adèle Exarchopoulos. It’s messy, chaotic, and a film without clear winners or losers.
Past Lives - A beautiful and indulgent exploration of friendship and love which spans three key moments in the protagonists' lives. It's about moments - missed, imagined and longed for. This one is for all the lovers and will definitely leave you in your FEELINGS. I cried. I laughed. I exhaled.
How to Have Sex - I loved it and it’s an incredible performance from Mia McKenna-Bruce.
Documentaries
Coleen Rooney:The Real Wagatha Story - Needs no explanation.
Beckham - Even though it is propaganda probably controlled by the Beckham machine, I enjoyed it.
The Fake Sheikh - Gripping.
Pamela - About the legend through her lens. It was honest, vulnerable and raw. Something celeb docs tend to lack.
Kokomo City - from Lena Waithe’s production company Hillman Grad is a documentary following Black trans women who are also sex workers. It’s candid, intimate and as much as there are moments of levity, it is also devastating. Particularly because one of the leads was murdered after the show aired. A harrowing reality for so many Black trans women.
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop - A deep dive into the women who gave birth to Hip Hop. It’s a three part series starring a lot of the greats.
TV Shows
White Lotus - Season 2. Just brilliant.
BEEF - I loved it.
Survival of the Thickest - Really enjoyed this Rom-Com based on Michelle Buteau’s book of the same name. It’s a light and enjoyable watch.
Champion - I suppose I’m drawn to Candice Carty-Williams’s books because they’re about love and family dynamics in Caribbean south London. This is her first TV show, and it’s just deliciously written. One of my favourite singers Ray BLK features and is on the soundtrack. Every song slaps.
Such Brave Girls - The weirdest, grossest, most uncomfortable thing I’ve watched and enjoyed. If it was just the weirdest I would have picked Saltburn but the less I say about that the better.
Partygate - A retelling of the events that later became known as ‘Partygate’. The shenanigans happening at Number 10 Downing Street while the rest of the country was in lockdown.
Poker Face - Brilliant.
Still Up - A lovely low stakes will-they-won’t-they Rom-Com.
The Crown - Final season
Painkiller - A brutal and devastating look into the world of Big Pharma, capitalism and exploitation. Real testimonies of families impacted were captured at the start of every episode to remind you this is real life.
Reality
The Queer Ultimatum - Fuck, I miss that time. What a time. It was never ending chaos.
The Repair Shop - My girlfriend is obsessed with this show and, after watching a couple of eps with her, I can see why. Each week the team restores items for the general public - usually something that belongs to a late relative that holds a huge amount of sentimental value.
The Rap Game UK - Something my girlfriend and I look forward to watching every year.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - The superior franchise returned at the end of the year and I couldn’t be happier about it. Honourable mention to the Real Housewives of New York that got a reboot plus the Jen Shah scandal from the Salt Lake City franchise that came to head at the start of 2023.
Exhibitions
Sola Olulode - Burning, like the star that showed us to our love at the Ed Cross Gallery in London. My favourite artist.
Ronan Mckenzie - To Be Held at the Carl Freedman Gallery in Margate. It was amazing.
Bollywood Superstars - The Musée du Quai Branly in Paris. On until Mid Jan 2024.
Lindsey Mendick - Shit Faced at Jupiter Artland was phenomenal.
See you in Jan!
L x
Quality recommendations. 👍🏾