#25: is there a better description of a cube than that of its construction?

Regrettably, I am a completist, a compile-ist and someone who- if you’ve ever met or engaged with me in any capacity- fucking loves a list.

At the start of this year, I started a “culture diary” in the notes app on my phone, essentially inspired by Steven Soderbergh's annual ‘seen/read’ lists which he shares on his soderblog (here’s 2024’s). I am borderline obsessed with these, not just because I'm nosey and like knowing what everyone else is investing in, but because I can't get my head around how he- a wildly productive artist and filmmaker- has the time to make his way through that many things over the course of a calendar year.

As I've shared before, I spent a lot of last year thinking about overconsumption and my inability to enjoy any of what I was bombarding myself with and accordingly, I am trying to be more efficient at managing the media and art I am engaging with in 2025. This is primarily why I started this track on my notes app- to hold myself accountable and attempt to divert my direction toward things I consider to be worthwhile. I also wanted to see which of the streaming platforms I was actually bothering to use in hopes that I could free myself from the tyranny of paying for at least one of them. All culture is entertainment and distraction to a lesser extent, and boy do I think we’ll need it more than ever this year- so why not be more mindful.

In January alone, I’ve listened to 45 podcast eps, watched 32 episodes of television, watched 15 films and listened to music by 96 different artists (thank you lastfm for that one). I didn’t intend to share any of this only-interesting-to-me-data, but I do want to periodically begin to once again highlight some of the things I have been enjoying in hopes that anyone else might find it an interesting directive- it’s sort of why I started doing this in the first place. This is the 25th instalment of newsletter writing which, considering I started doing this back in 2016, is no achievement at all. It's also the end of the month (the longest January on record), so what better opportunity to reflect and share opinions nobody asked for.

Five for January 2025:

• Film:

I was going to pull away from being very obvious, and instead focus on one of the other twelve new to me films I've seen over the last four and a half weeks, but where’s the fun in that? I implore you to see The Brutalist; don’t be intimidated by the run time (but DO go to an earlier screening if you can). Treat it like a trip to the theatre, with a drinks intermission and chance to stretch your legs. I was very, very sceptical that absorbing months and months of hype from across the pond would dampen my enjoyment when the UK release date finally rolled around but that wasn’t the case- it’s really quite something, and I cannot wait to see it again to pick it apart further.

Inevitable given my status as PTA fan but I kept thinking about There Will Be Blood and The Master, all films about men building and investing in things (structures, movements) as a way to comprehend and process their trauma, until all of it becomes an albatross around their neck, everything unravelling, a sacrifice of self. Every Oscar nomination is much deserved!!

• TV:

The Traitors became real appointment viewing this month, even though I have many, many thoughts about the ending and outcome (we have got to stop letting members of the armed forces participate in this game). Undoubtedly my least favourite of the three UK-based seasons so far, but I am endlessly grateful to have had something to show up for weekly and discuss at length with my friends and in the office. I cannot believe someone pretended to be Welsh the entire time, and still didn’t win and I simply need to know how Claudia Winkleman gets her hair that shiny.

• Music:

The extent to which this has me in a chokehold is, at this point, utterly laughable.

• Podcast:

I know I shouldn’t, but I really do pride myself on making my interest everyone else’s problem and with that in mind, it’s important that you know many, many people got in touch as soon as the Harris Dickinson episode of Off Menu dropped this month. I am nothing but an enthusiast!! A dickinstan!! He seems very nice and normal; I hope he signed the petition to save the Prince Charles Cinema.

• Reading:

My ability to read fell off aggressively last year, and despite best efforts, has failed to return in full force. I did however start Robert Harris’ Conclave, recently adapted for the screen (and the source of many, many memes last autumn). It's always interesting to read a book after you’ve seen a film and while there are several differences between the book and Berger's version (some of the names, the nationalities, the ages), it’s equally as compelling for something which is- in a complimentary way!- a pure airport paperback.

Was this anything? Tell me how you’ve managed to negotiate January, culturally or otherwise.