A Familiar World of Gentle Lunacy

I stole this ^ from Magda Szabó because it perfectly describes what you'll find here. Sign up for emails if you want to receive the same bullshit in your inbox.

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 4: Dissolving Margins

Quick summary: If the neighborhood politics weren't clear before, they come into stark focus by the end of this episode. Over the course of two parties, the atmosphere becomes increasingly dire, especially for Lila. Initially, it seems like the rione's younger generation is willing to move

10 Jan 2025

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 3: The Metamorphoses

Quick summary: During (Elena's dream of) Don Achille's funeral procession, the children of the neighborhood grow up: the young cast is replaced with an older one and many fantasies (e.g. Louisa May Alcott) give way to practical reality. With Elena (Margherita Mazzucco) in middle school

31 Dec 2024

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 2: The Money

Quick summary: "The Money" begins where "The Dolls" ends: with Elena and Lila outside Don Achille's (Antonio Pennarella) door, steeling themselves for a confrontation. Predictably, this middle-aged mobster is clueless about their dolls and sends them away with a wad of condolence cash, which

24 Dec 2024

Film ⸱ Lindsay Pugh ⸱ Saul Sugarman

Lindsay & Saul Suffer Through 'Our Little Secret' (2024)

Quick summary: Have you seen a Hallmark Christmas movie? Then you’ve seen “Our Little Secret” (which, according to Katya, sounds like a Lifetime movie about molestation). Avery (Lindsay Lohan) and Logan (Ian Harding) are two friends turned lovers who split up when she receives a job offer in London

19 Dec 2024

TV ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 1: The Dolls

Elena Ferrante is one of my favorite writers and I was terrified when I heard that "My Brilliant Friend" (2011), the first novel in the series, was getting the small screen treatment. Although I've occasionally loved book adaptations, I typically find they pale in comparison to

17 Dec 2024

Recommendations ⸱ Lindsay Pugh

Recommendations for people who like good shit 🥐

I AM SO HAPPY IT'S OCTOBER. This is my favorite time of year. Summer is over, clothes are 10,000x better, and spending time outside is finally pleasant now that the most annoying bugs have begun to die. In her new novel, "Creation Lake" (which I

8 Oct 2024

Yale, janitor, in 100 years we'll all be dead. It's all the same.

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The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Geneviève Dulude-De Celles

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Bridey Elliott

Greta Gerwig

Lucile Hadžihalilović

'My Old Ass' (2024) is light on Aubrey Plaza, heavy on the fleeting nature of youth

Quick summary: During an 18th birthday mushroom trip, Elliott (Maisy Stella) meets her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza) and receives valuable advice: wear your retainer, be nicer to your family, and avoid a guy named Chad (Percy Hynes White). Does young Elliott listen to her future self? Take one look at

'Carol Doda Topless at the Condor' left me wanting more

A version of this post originally appeared in The Bold Italic. Quick summary: In 1964, Carol Doda made history by becoming the first woman to dance topless at the Condor, one of North Beach's most happening Broadway clubs. Marlo McKenzie and Jonathan Parker’s documentary — inspired in part

TGIF Recs, Pt. II 🥞

The last time I wrote one of these was six months ago. Since then, I completed the "Gilmore Girls" rewatch project, threw together some rando musings on "Sex and the City," and then took a nice break from the internet. When I started this blog in

I couldn't help but wonder... Wtf happened to these 'SATC' characters?

Every time I talk to my mom, I'm hit with a barrage of news I would rather not hear about people who have been purposely purged from my memory. If I wanted to know about [insert random person from high school] and her helmet-wearing baby, I would join

'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' Fall 🍁

Production notes: The Halfway House Cafe, where Lorelai tries (and fails) to get coffee after she tries (and fails) to do "Wild," is a real place in Santa Clarita, California. If it looks familiar, that's because it's been featured in thousands of commercials, movies,

'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' Summer 👙

Production notes: One of my favorite pedantic activities is combing through IMDb to see what other projects key crew members have worked on in the past. Cinematographer Alex Nepomniaschy has a fun resume, including Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" music video and '90s movie classics

A Familiar World of Gentle Lunacy

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 4: Dissolving Margins

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 3: The Metamorphoses

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 2: The Money

Lindsay & Saul Suffer Through 'Our Little Secret' (2024)

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 1: The Dolls

Recommendations for people who like good shit 🥐

Explore Tags

'My Old Ass' (2024) is light on Aubrey Plaza, heavy on the fleeting nature of youth

'Carol Doda Topless at the Condor' left me wanting more

TGIF Recs, Pt. II 🥞

I couldn't help but wonder... Wtf happened to these 'SATC' characters?

'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' Fall 🍁

'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' Summer 👙

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