March Wrap Up.
Everything I watched, listened to, and read.
March pulled me out of my winter slump. We got a bunch of warmer, sunnier days in the city, and that quiet feeling of possibility was in the air again. I truly feel like the start of spring is the real start of the new year. Everything feels fresh, and my energy is slowly climbing back up. I’m making plans for the summer months and, little by little, mapping out my next career steps.
Here’s what’s been keeping me inspired, grounded, and occasionally confused this month (looking at you, Beau Is Afraid).
Films + Shows
Beau Is Afraid (2023)
This one was… um… interesting, to say the least. I spent the majority of the movie thinking, what the fuck is happening?
Beau is a middle-aged man who struggles with his mental health, and after learning that his mother has died, his world is shaken—sending him on a nightmarish adventure.
Honestly, if you’ve seen this movie, I’d love to hear your thoughts. After the first hour, it completely lost me. I still don’t know what the fuck happened.
Queer (2024)
Queer is the newest film directed by Luca Guadagnino, who happens to be one of my favourite directors. He also did Call Me by Your Name and Bones and All.
The movie follows Lee, an American expat living in Mexico City within a small community of fellow Americans. He’s extremely lonely and spends most of his days in gay bars—drinking, doing drugs, and occasionally hooking up with random strangers. He soon becomes infatuated with a younger man named Eugene, who he pursues relentlessly. Lee eventually invites Eugene to travel through South America with him, in hopes of building a genuine connection and finding a plant said to offer telepathic abilities.
I really wanted to like this movie, but it just wasn’t for me. I wasn’t a fan of the storyline or the characters—Lee kind of pissed me off. Luca’s movies are often dreamy, slowly unraveling to reveal something deeper about the characters. I just didn’t get that here. I think it could’ve been executed better.
Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998)
The Lion King is one of my favourite Disney movies, and earlier this month I finally saw the musical for the first time. It was amazing—I cried multiple times and loved every second of it. Seeing the show reminded me that I hadn’t watched the sequel in years.
As a kid, I was obsessed with Simba’s Pride. I’m not joking—I used to watch it on repeat. And mind you, it was on VHS, so picture me either manually rewinding the tape or waiting 10 minutes after pressing the rewind button.
If you’re not familiar, the sequel follows Simba’s daughter, Kiara, who’s adventurous and curious. She ends up meeting Kovu, an outsider—and Scar’s heir. Thanks to a malicious plan by Kovu’s mother, Zira, the two meet again as adults. And of course, they fall in love and have to go against their parents’ wishes to be together (very Romeo and Juliet). This one never gets old for me—the story is solid, the songs are fire, and I’ll love it forever.
Life On Our Planet (2023)
This series was awesome! I’d scrolled past it on Netflix so many times and always told myself I’d watch it—and I finally did. Life on Our Planet is narrated by Morgan Freeman (pretty cool) and tells the story not just of the creatures that once walked the Earth, but of Earth’s evolution itself.
I was obsessed with dinosaurs as a kid, so stuff like this really interests me. Each episode walks us through a different time period—from the earliest forms of life, to the rise of plankton, the first plants and sea creatures, and each major extinction and regeneration event.
They use a lot of VFX to recreate prehistoric creatures, which was my favourite part. It’s so cool (and kind of terrifying) to imagine the life forms that came before us. If you’re into evolution, ancient life, or science documentaries, I highly recommend this series. I learned a lot and would definitely rewatch it.
The Scooby Doo Show (1976)
Scooby-Doo was one of my favourite shows growing up—especially the original 70s series. I had Scooby bedsheets, matching backpack and lunch bag sets in grades 1 and 2, and plushies. No joke!
Recently, Volkswagen came out with the Buzz—a modern version of the classic 70s mini bus, aka The Mystery Machine. I think the car is cool as hell, and it inspired me to revisit the show.
In my opinion, these episodes still hold up 50 years later. I love the spooky settings, the ghosts and ghouls, and every “zoinks,” “ruh-roh,” and “jeepers.” Each episode follows a similar format: the gang passes through a new place, usually to visit someone, they get pulled into a mystery, look for clues, catch the bad guy, and end with the classic: “I would’ve gotten away with it if it weren’t for you meddling kids!”
Man, I love it.
Books
All That We Are Together by Alice Kellen
If you remember last month’s wrap-up, I had read the first book in this duo—All That We Never Were—and fell in love with it. I wrapped up the sequel early this month and flew through it just as quickly.
All That We Are Together picks up three years later. Leah is now in university, studying painting, and Axel is working as an agent at an art gallery in Byron Bay. They haven’t spoken since their heartbreaking separation, but when their paths cross again, Axel proposes to represent her. Leah reluctantly agrees—her heart still sore—but she knows Axel understands her work best. When they travel to Paris together for several weeks, it’s only a matter of time before their walls start to come down.
I loved this book just as much as the first. Alice Kellen is an incredible writer, and these are my favourite romance novels I’ve read to date. I’ll read anything she writes going forward.
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed Old by Brooke Shields
Lately, I’ve been really into content that explores different aspects of womanhood. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older and coming into my own, but I’ve become curious about life beyond my twenties.
I was drawn to this new book by Brooke Shields because she was such a beauty icon in the 80s and 90s, and in recent years, she’s spoken candidly about the harshness of the industry. I’ve seen the online comments critiquing her appearance now that she’s older.
I liked this book a lot. It’s mostly aimed at women in their forties and beyond, but there’s still so much value in it for younger readers. Brooke covers topics like motherhood, changing relationships with her daughters and partner, the importance of friendships later in life, menopause, self-image, and the unexpected confidence that comes with age. What I loved most was her message that life doesn’t end after our younger years—many women find much more happiness later on. Society often undervalues older women, but there’s real peace in knowing who you are and what you want.
Albums
Permanent Vacation by Aerosmith (1987)
I’ve always liked a bunch of Aerosmith songs, but I’d never done a deep dive into their discography. I started with Permanent Vacation because “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” is one of my favourites.
This album was a much-needed comeback for the band after some rocky years dealing with addiction. They got clean, revamped their sound, and really went for it on this record. It’s got a fun, groovy energy and it’s great to throw on while I’m working.
Aside from “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” my favourites are “Rag Doll,” “Angel” (we love a power ballad), “Permanent Vacation,” and “Magic Touch.” I plan to keep going through their discography next month—I'm definitely a full-fledged Aerosmith fan now.
Rhythm Of The Pridelands by Lebo M. (1995)
Keeping the Lion King vibes alive, I listened to this gem all week. Besides the official movie soundtracks, Rhythm of the Pridelands is a stunning addition. The cover alone—Simba running against a sunset—is iconic. And the music? Even better.
Lebo M. is the powerful voice behind the Circle of Life intro and sings He Lives in You, the opening song from The Lion King II. This album features full versions of a few transitional songs heard in the films, plus some new ones.
My personal favourites are “He Lives in You,” “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and “Busa.”
As always, I’m out here watching things I barely understand, crying over fictional characters, and listening to 80s rock like it just dropped yesterday. If you’ve got recs, send them my way!
Until next time, may your playlists be fire and your rewatches hit just as hard ♡