The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for movies, music and more
By BELLA PETERSON — arts@theaggie.org
Video Game: “Night in the Woods” by Infinite Fall (2017)
It seems that everyone has their recommendation for the ultimate “cozy autumnal game.” If you were to ask me, I’d say there’s no need to look any further than “Night in the Woods.” Especially if you consider yourself a fan of Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009), “Night in the Woods” is the perfect blend between comforting fall scenery and spooky plot points. Playing as main character and college dropout Mae, you travel through her hometown of Possum Springs to uncover the secrets behind the disappearance of her childhood friend, Casey. The game’s environment is brilliantly charming; with its mellow soundtrack and comforting visuals, you’d never predict the nefarious, underlying plot that slowly unfolds. If you’re already into indie games that don’t try too hard to impress a mainstream audience — featuring each character’s quirky sense of humor and portraying talking animals — then “Night in the Woods” is calling your name. It may not be for everyone, but if you’ve ever found yourself enchanted by silly little creatures that deal with real life problems, consider checking out this perfect game for the fall season.
Movie: “Death Becomes Her” dir. Robert Zemeckis (1992)
“Death Becomes Her” is an absolute cult classic that everyone must see at least once. With striking performances by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, it’s hard not to fall in love with this movie. Having just recently watched the film myself, I was blown away not only by the acting, but by the film’s gorgeous visuals. It reminded me of a time when films weren’t afraid to be bright and colorful. With the rivalry between the two women resulting in multiple murder attempts, the movie also highlights a golden era of astounding practical effects, which it won an Oscar for in 1993. Embellished with queer undertones and themes surrounding aging and female beauty standards, “Death Becomes Her” is timeless, with new layers to unearth each time you watch it. The chemistry between these two actresses is electric — the cherry on top of this deliciously hilarious cake of a movie. If you’re looking for a campy dark comedy that’ll satisfy your spooky cravings, then “Death Becomes Her” is definitely the movie for you.
TV Show: “The Twilight Zone” by Rod Serling (1959-1964)
“There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man…it is the middle ground between light and shadow…it is an area which we call the Twilight Zone,” the voice of Rod Serling says at each beginning of this classic shows’ episodes. If the ominous introduction to “The Twilight Zone” doesn’t immediately draw you in, its depictions of the supernatural most certainly will. The inspiration behind contemporary science fiction television — from “Black Mirror” (2011) to “Severance” (2022) — “The Twilight Zone” is a classic that anyone can become a fan of. The series utilizes each episode to depict a different kind of odd situation or world to the viewers, meaning it can be watched in any order. My personal favorite episode of the show has to be: “Time Enough at Last” where a man wishes for nothing more than to have all the time in the world to read as many books as possible. After he survives a nuclear apocalypse and his wish comes true, the episode’s dark comedic ending leaves viewers with a myriad of emotions. Blending weird and supernatural occurrences with grounded, emotional themes, the series is the perfect balance of scary and thought-provoking. With most shows, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by so many episodes, but with “The Twilight Zone” you can turn on any one of its 156 stories and become instantly immersed.
Song: “You’re Dead” by Norma Tanega (1966)
While we’re on the topic of “oldies but goodies,” you’d be remiss not to listen to “You’re Dead” by Norma Tanega this October. It’s a perfectly festive song for the season; while the leaves are changing their colors and everyone’s talking about their favorite pumpkin flavored thing, there’s nothing more that I love than listening to a song repeat “you’re dead” over and over again. Jokes aside, this track is incredible. With haunting lyrics like, “hear the unloved weeping like rain / guard your sleep from the sound of their pain,” the song has been a staple in my annual fall playlist. I’ve always loved the storytelling quality within folk music, and “You’re Dead” is a prime example of why it’s so special to me. Though the song is often related to vampiric culture due to its presence in the show “What We Do in the Shadows,” it was originally written as a sarcastic testament to the state of struggles that came with surviving in the ‘60s New York folk scene. Whatever the intentions may have been, this song is a perfect choice to get you in the mood for all things bizarre and spooky.
Written by: Bella Peterson — arts@theaggie.org
