(Remember All Consuming, perhaps the first “reading list” web app?)

I used to do “stuff I’m consuming” posts here. I figured it’s been a while and it’s a simple well of content, so here are five things I recommend…

The Wolf House
I can’t stop thinking about The Wolf House. I watched it knowing literally nothing of the background (it’s a nightmarish fairy tale retelling of the Colonia Dignidad in Chile), but that turned out to be OK. The stop-motion visuals are astonishing and the use of painting and repainting for movement is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The closest comparison I can come up to in terms of style and mood is Švankmajer’s Alice, but even that’s inadequate. Currently free on Kanopy, Tubi, Plex, and Roku Channel.

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
I came late to the John Green/Hank Green/vlogbrothers bandwagon. Like, this year late.

James Brandon Lewis
I hadn’t heard of saxophonist James Brandon Lewis before his mention in a recent Pharoah Sanders obituary. So far I like what I hear quite a bit, fiery free jazz with funk… right up my alley.

Midjourney rendering of an autumn porch scene Sitting on the porch
There are two beautiful times of year in the northeast where you can sit on your front porch and the weather is perfectly comfortable (perhaps requiring a sweatshirt) but there are no mosquitos, and we’re smack dab in the middle of one of those times. Yes, it’s a very basic, middle-aged dude thing to say, but there are few greater pleasures than sitting on the porch with a warm beverage, a book, and your dogs. (No, I’m not really consuming my porch, but I’m… consuming time there.) (Note: This was initially written at the beginning of November. There are fewer porch-sitting days late in the month.)

Rutherford Falls
Ed Helms' newish show on Peacock is thoroughly funny and enjoyable. It’s nice to see some Native representation on TV that acknowledges the challenges Native Americans face internally and externally. Sadly, the show was cancelled after two seasons. I am a fan of these more complex sitcoms we’ve been seeing in recent years.