May Favorites: The Best Movies, TV Shows, and Videogames (Retro and New) I've Encountered

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A month of packing, moving, and unpacking has left me limited time for the finer things in life - like videogames, so this list is short - but here it is, my May favorites, both old and new.

Videogames

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for Gamecube (2002)
For some reason, this game has clicked really well with me.   It follows Link (of, course) a young elf on a quest to save his sister who has been kidnapped by a sinister bird-like creature.  While searching for his sister, he learns that he is in fact, the hero who has been prophesied to save the world from an evil villain trying to destroy it.  I'm enjoying the game because its story unfolds gradually - giving you just enough information to keep you asking questions.  The controls are also precise, flexible, and easy to master, which I like.  The puzzles, also, though sometimes frustrating, are incredibly satisfying to solve.

There is also a HD version available for Wii U here:
Nintendo Selects: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD - Wii U





TV


Oliver Stone's The Untold History of the United States (2012)
I've been on a Cold War history kick and one of my work supervisors suggested I watch this show to get a non-mainstream perspective on that topic and others.  In 50 minute snippets, this show chronicles major US historical events from the 20th century, often including facts or interpretations that aren't mainstream.  While this show certainly has a liberal bias (I noticed it especially in the episode titled "Cold War," which paints in the USSR as being far more trustworthy than I really think it was at the time), it is valuable because it's accessible (unlike history books are often far too long for busy or impatient people) and discusses topics that are integral to current US politics, including WWII, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War.

Available on Netflix


Death in Paradise (2011) 
This BBC murder mystery takes place on the fictitious Caribbean Island of St. Marie and follows its quirky, and witty police force headed up by the serious, stick-in-the-mud, and incredibly British Detective Inspector Richard Poole.  They spend their days apprehending murders, getting into minor tiffs, and admiring the beautiful landscape.  While this show captured my attention with its setting - , it frequently takes its audiences to beautiful beaches and lush jungles - its greatest asset is its comedy.  I love the awkward encounters between the by-the-book Inspector Poole and the passionate and free-spirited whom he works closely with.

Available on Netflix



Movies

Beauty and the Beast  (2017)
This movie was so popular that I didn't even want to see it.  It just couldn't be as excellent as people said it was.  I am both pleased and slightly ashamed to admit that it does live up to the hype. The musical performances is skillful, the dance is fanciful and fun.  The added scenes rounded the characters out better, making the beast easier to love and Gaston easier to hate.  I just love it.













Singing in the Rain (1952)
This classic musical follows Don Lockwood (Gene Kelley), a silent film star trying to adapt to the age of talkie,s and Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds), an amazingly talented nobody, whose career is being sabotaged by jealous star, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen).  The best part of this movie is its ability to life the spirits; it's music, dance, and farsical comedy all serve to remind viewers that even in the heaviest downpours, there are reasons to dance and sing in the rain.

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