hiya! this is a page to give you (yes, you personally) recommendations for films, books, music, and games. navigate these different flavours of media with the sidebar
MUSIC
hover over an album to learn more about it! click it to go to its bandcamp/youtube. more on my last.fm
a beginner's guide to faking your death
jhariah
alternative rock | 29m, 59s | 2021
- enter: a beginner's guide to faking your death (1:31)
- needed a change of pace (3:55)
- pressure bomb 3?!?! (3:16)
- debt collector (2:32)
- whose eye is it anyway??? (3:20)
- to take for granted (4:01)
- bad luck! (3:33)
- flight of the crows (2:38)
- pressure bomb 2!!! (bonus track) (3:10)
favourite track: flight of the crows
trust ceremony
jhariah
alternative rock | 46m, 30s | 2024
- tooth pact (2:44)
- bigshot (2:42)
- fire4fun (3:37)
- risk, risk, risk! (3:21)
- collar bone (0:50)
- pin-eye (4:32)
- maybe later dance (3:08)
- control baby (3:19)
- eat your friends (3:14)
- re:concerns (4:26)
- sasuke (4:13)
- russian doll (4:56)
- trust ceremony (5:22)
favourite track: re:concerns
love me forever
pinkshift
punk, grunge | 37m, 53s | 2022
- i'm not crying you're crying (2:49)
- nothing (in my head) (3:05)
- get out (2:18)
- cherry (we're all gonna die) (2:32)
- the kids aren't alright (3:16)
- trust fall (3:09)
- in a breath (3:58)
- cinderella (2:59)
- burn the witch (3:22)
- love me forever (3:57)
- let me drown (2:05)
- dreamer (4:17)
favourite track: the kids aren't alright
reject all american
bikini kill
punk rock (riot grrrl) | 26m, 57s | 1996
- statement of vindication (1:11)
- capri pants (1:40)
- jet ski (2:34)
- distinct complicity (2:29)
- false start (3:12)
- r.i.p. (3:37)
- no backrub (1:52)
- bloody ice cream (1:25)
- for only (2:25)
- tony randall (2:23)
- reject all american (2:30)
- finale (1:33)
favourite track: reject all american
doom loop
dream nails
punk (riot grrrl) | 31m, 56s | 2023
- good guy (2:55)
- case dismissed (3:36)
- geraniums (2:39)
- prevenge (3:08)
- monster (3:39)
- sometimes i do get lonely, yeah (3:35)
- she's cutting my hair (3:12)
- femme boi (3:01)
- ballpit (3:05)
- time ain't no healer (3:00)
favourite track: geraniums
girls get busy
bratmobile
punk rock (riot grrrl) | 32m, 11s | 2002
- i'm in the band (2:05)
- shop for america (2:20)
- shut your face (2:49)
- don't ask don't tell (3:22)
- that's happening (2:12)
- cryin' tryin' lyin' (3:09)
- what's wrong with you (2:05)
- idiot lover (3:03)
- are you a lady? (2:25)
- pagan baby (2:08)
- chicken or the egg (1:46)
- united we don't (2:36)
- take the pain and use it (2:06)
favourite track: shut your face
these monsters are real
heavens to betsy
punk (riot grrrl), grunge | 10m, 15s | 1993
- me & her (2:05)
- monsters (2:20)
- playground (2:49)
- firefly (3:22)
favourite track: me & her
gelatinous man
the oozes
punk rock | 22m, 44s | 2024
- intro (0:54)
- ready (1:47)
- cuppa t (2:47)
- ultrasound (2:36)
- eat shit (1:59)
- how i know what you did (1:53)
- piggies in blankets (1:42)
- strap! (1:59)
- b-u-r-n-t (1:37)
- just wait (5:23)
favourite track: ultrasound
anti-heroic self-destruction
done to death
metal, punk | 31m, 26s | 2022
- hazard pay (4:03)
- tragedy of the commons (3:54)
- hollow influence (4:44)
- seven basic plots (6:02)
- planned obsolescence (3:12)
- autoerotic asphyxiation (4:08)
- the liar is you (5:20)
favourite track: hazard pay
woods 5: grey skies & electric lights
woods of ypres
black metal | 1hr, 2m | 2012
- lightning & snow (4:40)
- death is not an exit (5:10)
- keeper of the ledger (6:03)
- travelling alone (5:04)
- adora vivos (5:41)
- silver (4:50)
- career suicide (is not real suicide) (3:43)
- modern life architecture (7:21)
- kiss my ashes (goodbye) (10:57)
- finality (3:57)
- alternate ending (4:29)
favourite track: adora vivos
lesbian vampyres from outer space
the scary bitches
gothic rock | 48m, 22s | 2009
- lesbian vampyres from outer space (3:32)
- werewolfe (4:01)
- you always eat the one you love (4:49)
- there's a licanthrope on the bus (5:06)
- strange child (3:40)
- piss all over your grave (3:56)
- theme from the munsters (2:47)
- necrofancy (4:53)
- the hole (3:44)
- bad hair day (3:44)
- you'll end up looking like the scary bitches (3:10)
- necrofancy - remix (4:53)
favourite track: piss all over your grave
jiminy
bear ghost
adventure rock | 36m, 43s | 2023
- after me, the flood (2:31)
- heavy news (4:24)
- peas and love (2:55)
- sirens (3:39)
- rivers is a vampire (3:05)
- big town banky blaine's rockability bbq (3:45)
- bark skinpson (2:00)
- the mario cliché (3:59)
- when i'm dead (3:27)
- vulture (6:54)
favourite track: sirens
the black parade
my chemical romance
alternative rock, pop-punk | 51m, 57s | 2006
- the end. (1:52)
- dead! (3:15)
- this is how i disappear (3:59)
- the sharpest lives (3:20)
- welcome to the black parade (5:11)
- i don't love you (3:58)
- house of wolves (3:04)
- cancer (2:22)
- mama (4:39)
- sleep (4:43)
- teenagers (2:41)
- disenchanted (4:55)
- famous last words (4:59)
- blood - hidden track (2:53)
favourite track: mama
lincoln
they might be giants
alternative rock | 39m, 39s | 1988
- ana ng (3:23)
- cowtown (2:20)
- lie still, little bottle (2:40)
- purple toupee (1:10)
- cage & aquarium (5:11)
- where your eyes don't go (3:06)
- piece of dirt (2:00)
- mr. me (1:52)
- pencil rain (2:42)
- the world's address (2:24)
- i've got a match (2:36)
- santa's beard (1:55)
- you'll miss me (1:53)
- they'll need a crane (2:33)
- shoehorn with teeth (1:13)
- stand of your own head (1:16)
- snowball in hell (2:31)
- kiss me, son of god (1:52)
favourite track: where your eyes don't go
flood
they might be giants
alternative rock | 43m, 8s | 1990
- theme from flood (0:27)
- birdhouse in your soul (3:18)
- lucky ball and chain (2:46)
- istanbul (not constantinople) (2:33)
- dead (2:58)
- your racist friend (2:55)
- particle man (1:55)
- twisting (1:55)
- we want a rock (2:47)
- someone keeps moving my chair (2:23)
- hearing aid (3:26)
- minimum wage (0:46)
- letterbox (1:25)
- whistling in the dark (3:25)
- hot cha (1:34)
- women & men (1:46)
- sapphire bullets of pure love (1:36)
- they might be giants (2:42)
- road movie to berlin (2:22)
favourite track: twisting
love run
the amazing devil
folk rock | 49m, 26s | 2016
- love run (intro) (1:51)
- king (4:39)
- pruning shears (4:13)
- shower day (4:27)
- elsa's song (2:41)
- pray (5:17)
- little miss why so (6:27)
- new york torch song (6:31)
- two minutes (5:04)
- not yet / love run (reprise) (8:11)
favourite track: not yet / love run (reprise)
counterfeit arcade
shayfer james
dark folk | 36m, 12s | 2011
- weight of the world (3:13)
- for the departed (3:40)
- where we belong (3:18)
- l.v.s (your lady waits) (4:03)
- villainous thing (3:21)
- battle cry (3:07)
- peace (3:10)
- diggin' up hatchets (3:58)
- under the willow (3:20)
- godspeed (3:43)
- have a seat misery (1:15)
favourite track: for the departed
feast of hammers
birdeatsbaby
dark cabaret, folk | 41m, 36s | 2012
- intro (0:27)
- love will bring you nothing (3:13)
- anchor (4:09)
- what the water gave me (2:56)
- feast of hammers (4:13)
- the sailor's wife (3:06)
- incitatus (4:49)
- interlude (0:51)
- double nine (4:27)
- through ten walls (3:13)
- tastes like symphony (3:50)
- victoria (3:55)
- finale (2:20)
favourite track: what the water gave me
murder ballads of 1816: the year without a summer
american murder song
folk | 1hr, 13m | 2018
- murder! murder! (3:39)
- johnny (2:28)
- mary (3:02)
- edward (3:42)
- lullaby (5:22)
- sweet rosalie (5:11)
- unwed henry (4:19)
- pretty lavinia (3:37)
- six merry men (3:09)
- hail columbia! (2:34)
- the year without a summer (3:31)
- june (4:55)
- july (2:52)
- august (4:08)
- pray (4:35)
- wake up (3:33)
- a body on the step (3:44)
- a black matilda (3:24)
- the indiana man (2:54)
- i'm always walking as somebody else (3:10)
favourite track: july
the much much how how and i
cosmo sheldrake
folk | 47m, 43s | 2018
- linger longer (5:36)
- wriggle (4:28)
- birth a basket (2:39)
- birthday suit (1:13)
- come along (4:19)
- solar waltz (5:38)
- mind of rocks (3:10)
- spring bottom (1:08)
- egg and soldiers (3:23)
- axolotl (2:26)
- pliocene (3:47)
- linger a while (1:52)
- beetroot kvass (2:43)
- hocking (5:09)
- run rings right wrongs (3:03)
- wriggle (mr jukes edit) (3:46)
favourite track: solar waltz
live from dogtown studio
the crane wives
folk rock | 12m, 55s | 2023
- nobody (4:12)
- queen of nothing (4:04)
- the wolf (4:38)
favourite track: queen of nothing
aliceband
aliceband
folk | 37m, 42s | 2011
- maria (3:58)
- wolf (3:13)
- wait for me (2:27)
- home (3:12)
- fire with fire (2:56)
- dream of better things (2:19)
- saddam (1:33)
- fight for me (3:11)
- it gets better (3:51)
- jazzy number (2:50)
- and so do i (2:04)
- final prayer (2:41)
- time (3:20)
favourite track: fire with fire
high noon over camelot
the mechanisms
folk | 50m, 36s | 2014
- "the tower" (2:28)
- gunfight at the dolorous guard (2:53)
- "strength" (1:29)
- empty trail (3:42)
- "death" (2:19)
- the hanged man rusts (4:01)
- "the hierophant" (1:59)
- hellfire (3:24)
- "the lovers" (1:17)
- blood and whisky (2:53)
- "the fool" (1:24)
- skin and bone (2:47)
- "the hermit" (2:24)
- holder of the grail (3:35)
- "judgement" (1:50)
- peacemaker (3:51)
- "justice" (2:45)
- once and future king (5:28)
favourite track: hellfire
the bifrost incident
the mechanisms
folk rock | 52m, 8s | 2017
- black box (2:00)
- odin (2:58)
- cold case (2:35)
- loki (4:14)
- person of interest (1:06)
- thor (3:26)
- conspiracy to commit treason (1:39)
- sigyn (4:09)
- white noise (1:45)
- losing track (3:31)
- expert testimony (3:29)
- red signal (2:11)
- ragnarok i: runaway (2:50)
- ragnarok ii: the calling (3:16)
- ragnarok iii: strange meeting (3:59)
- ragnarok iv: jormungandr (4:04)
- ragnarok v: end of the line (2:52)
- terminus (1:54)
favourite track: thor
live the dream
ramshackle glory
folk punk | 35m, 7s | 2015
- first song (2:27)
- more about alcoholism (2:43)
- we are all compost in training (3:18)
- from here to utopia (6:40)
- never coming home (4:03)
- vampires are poseurs (2:50)
- of ballots and barricades (1:44)
- bitter old man (4:18)
- your heart is a muscle the size of your fist (3:40)
- first song, part 2 (3:20)
favourite track: from here to utopia
the grand finale
kabaret sybarit
dark cabaret | 14m, 42s | 2018
- elephant man (4:32)
- bloodshed and bone (2:56)
- animal (3:16)
- souviens de cherie (3:57)
favourite track: souviens de cherie
horsetamer
julia ecklar
folk | 1hr, 16m | 2013
- going back (2:08)
- the dark is rising (6:12)
- with the trees (3:42)
- shai hulud (7:10)
- gentle arms of eden (4:49)
- the troll king's dream (4:23)
- the horsetamer's daughter (12:20)
- songbird (6:43)
- ender interlude i (0:51)
- the battleroom (3:37)
- ender interlude ii (1:58)
- tin soldier (6:23)
- native son (4:38)
- elizabeth's song (5:28)
- cathedral (5:53)
favourite track: the horsetamer's daughter
BOOKS
piranesi
by susanna clarke | fantasy (magical realism), mystery | published 2020Piranesi lives in the House: an infinite sprawl of rooms, corridors, vestibules, and statues, with an ocean trapped in its halls. his sole purpose in life is exploring and mapping out the House. his only company is The Other, a man who visits twice a week searching for a Great And Secret Knowledge. that is until Piranesi begins to suspect the presence of a third person, and the true nature of the House, The Other, and Piranesi's own history begin to unravel.
the quickest way i can describe piranesi is "what if house of leaves wasn't horror." it's one of those stories you can't reveal anything about because the mystery has so many layers. more notable than the mystery, though, is how *beautiful* this book is. clarke's vivid descriptions of the house paint a gorgeous picture of a setting that is well and truly *alive*. piranesi loves the house, and the house loves him too.
piranesi is my favourite novel of all time. read it. i'm not asking anymore.
honeycomb
by joanne harris | fantasy (fairytales), short stories | published 2021honeycomb is a collection of one hundred (often dark) fairytales in the style of the brothers grimm and the child ballads. while each story works on its own, there is an overarching plot following the adventures of the Lacewing King, trickster king of the Silken Folk.
honeycomb feels like an ancient, leather-bound tome i would find in my grandfather's attic. it combines three things i love with all my heart: folklore, tricksters, and bugs. harris mimicks the style of old fairytales - not just in writing, but in structure and characters - perfectly. but rather than copying folklore beat-by-beat, she examines modern themes and morals.
central to honeycomb, however, is the lacewing king! he is selfish, cruel, arrogant, and spoilt, and it takes him a very, *very* long time to grow. he's not the type of hero you root for or against, but the type you just want to *watch* (like a bug...) as he gets himself into trouble, out of trouble, then back into more trouble.
it hurts my heart that i can't write a full review here. honeycomb is such a masterfully woven (like a spider...) book, that even years after reading the full thing in order i can still vividly remember every detail. and i haven't even mentioned the stunning illustrations by charles vess, without which the book wouldn't feel complete. there is nothing out there quite like honeycomb.
the lord of the rings
by j.r.r. tolkein | fantasy | published 1954-55long ago, the dark lord sauron forged a ring with which he could rule over all. now, the ring has fallen into the hands of the hobbit frodo baggins. frodo and his companions must journey across middle earth to destroy the ring and stop sauron once and for all.
its the lord of the rings, what more could i possibly say? there's a reason this series has defined the entire fantasy genre for the past 70 years. the world of middle earth is so beautifully intricate and real. it feels like every word was placed with intention. needless to say, it had me completely enthralled, and i devoured all three books in about two weeks and i'm still hungry for more.
storyland
by amy jeffs | nonfiction, folklore | published 2021storyland is a collection of retellings of medieval british legends, with commentary on their history and their place in modern britain. these stories range from noah's arc, to the building of stone henge, king arthur, and beyond.
storyland is gorgeous. jeffs' passion for folklore really bleeds through, with her commentary adding a new dimension to the stories she retells. i especially loved the focus on geography. by tying these fantastical, old legends to real, physical spaces, it manages to make the world feel just as magical and ancient.
the memoirs of lady trent
by marie brennan | fantasy, sci-fi, historical | published 2013-17in an alternate universe styled after the 19th century, isabella, lady trent, travels the world studying dragons.
the memoirs of lady trent is just such a unique take on fantasy. it feels like fantasy worlds are always either based on modern day or the medieval/renaissance, so it's *really* refreshing seeing a victorian-based world. and what a rich world it is! each book takes us to a new place, to explore a new culture and geography, and new *dragons*! it's clear how much thought brennan put into her worldbuilding, especially with her scientific descriptions of dragons. god dragons are so cool
the priory of the orange tree
by samantha shannon | fantasy | published 2019after a thousand years of peace in the west, rumours spread of the nameless one's - a wyrm - return. supposedly, queen sabran the ninth is the only thing keeping the nameless one bound, and it's ead duryan's, a mage from the south undercover as a lady-in-waiting, job to keep her safe. meanwhile in the east, tané, who has trained all her life to be a dragon-rider, grapples between her ambition and a choice that could unravel her life.
priory of the orange tree is, as far as i'm concerned, the *ideal* long, complicated fantasy book. its world is rich and intricate, and its characters deep and real, it feels like the kind of book you could spend a lifetime analysing. there's also lesbians
the witcher
by andrzej sapkowski | fantasy | published 1992-2013comprising two short story anthologies and six novels (one of which being a prequel), the series follows the witcher geralt of rivia - a mutant monster hunter - and cirilla of cintra, child of prophecy and heir to an occupied kingdom. after ciri goes missing, geralt and his companions set out to find her.
despite spawning multiple incredibly popular adaptations, some good and some. less good (cough cough netflix). the original witcher books are shockingly overlooked in the west. which is an absolute shame because the witcher series is fantastic from start to finish. the characters are what stand out most to me, it is *impossible* not to fall in love with geralt's hanza (dandelion and milva marry me please please)
all my copies have the netflix sticker printed on, which is already a crime against nature. but it seems netflix wasn't content at only ruining my bookself, as i could not find *any* images of this set of covers without that godforsaken red zit for this page. horrible
good omens
by terry pratchett & neil gaiman | sci-fi (urban fantasy), comedy | published 1990according to the nice and accurate prophecies of agnes nutter, witch, armageddon is just around the corner, and the forces of heaven and hell are ready. the demon crowley and angel aziraphale, however, are scrambling to locate the misplaced, 11-year-old antichrist.
good omens is absolutely *hilarious*, it never fails to make me laugh out loud. it's full of very clever satire and, propping up the comedy, is its very genuine and emotional core. crowley and aziraphale obviously steal the show, but i really loved adam's story. he's a lovely kid ^_^
the princess bride
by william goldman | fantasy, romance, comedy | published 1973william goldman father would often read to him s. morgenstern's the princess bride, cutting out 'the boring bits'. now grown up, goldman has abridged the princess bride to leave only the good parts, just like dad. it's the story of buttercup, her true love westley, her would-be marriage, and a nonzero amount of fencing!
first of all, i adore the framing device of the princess bride. it's just so clever! the metafiction elevate the story from a funny but formulaic fairytale, to a genius commentary on storytelling, satire, and growing up. god i fucking love metafiction
second, the princess bride is just. everything. there's a reason summaries of this book tend to be just. lists of things: "revenge. fencing. true love. hate. etc etc etc." because it is just *everything*. i cannot imagine that there existed a time before the princess bride, it feels like it wasn't so much written as discovered.
american psycho
by bret easton ellis | horror, black comedy | published 1991patrick bateman is young, rich, charming, and works on Wall Street in the 1980s stock boom. by night, he is a ruthless serial killer.
i don't think a single person who talks about american psycho has. actually read it. it is an absolutely genius satire, and balances its tone so well. the genuinely harrowing descriptions of violence don't detract at all from the comedy, and vice versa. its just. fucking brilliant!!!
guards! guards!
by terry pratchett | fantasy, comedy | published 1989thought long-extinct by the people of ankh-morpork, the dragons have returned. it's up to captain vimes, young constable carrot, and the rest of the city watch to stop the dragon and those who summoned it. the eighth book in the discworld series, and first in the city watch sub-series.
i gave myself a limit of one discworld book here, so i of course had to choose the one which introduced me to the series. pratchett is an absolute master of comedy and satire, guards! guards! being full of wit and charm, all around a very serious core of social commentary. it also serves as the introduction to captain vimes, a major character in the rest of the series, and my favouritest guy Ever.
sacred and terrible air
by robert kurvitz | sci-fi, mystery, crime | published 2013twenty years ago, four sisters went missing. now, even as the world ends, their three classmates - jesper, khan, and teeresz - haven't given up the search. set in the same universe as disco elysium
that summary was a challenge, because i very genuinely could not tell you the plot of this book. it doesn't just have an open ending, it has an open everything. which is why i Love it. the beautifully vague, poetic prose (mixed with the complete lack of exposition for any of its sci-fi concepts) forces you to pay attention to the *themes* much more than what's literally going on. this is a story about hope and nihilism, the "crime mystery" is just a footnote
the count of monte cristo
by alexandre dumas | published 1844falsely imprisoned in the chateau d'if on his wedding day, young sailor edmond dantès learns of a great buried treasure on the small island of monte cristo. he vows to escape his dungeon and get his revenge on the men who destroyed his happy life.
this book is SO long, and yet manages to never feel boring. it's full of the kind of whimsical pirate-y, sword fight-y, princess bride shit i *adored* as a kid -- but wrapped in a dark story which doesn't dimish the fun adventurous vibe, but only adds to it. i choose to believe this is just what marseilles is like.
space odyssey
by arthur clarke | sci-fi | published 1968-82when humankind was young, an large, alien monolith appeared to guide their evolution. long after this history is lost, in 2001, another monolith is unearthed on the moon, sending a signal towards saturn. a crew of astronauts, headed by captains david bowman and frank poole, and guided by their ship's sentient supercomputer hal 9000, are sent to investigate.
just an incredibly fun sci-fi adventure from the retro-futurist golden age. hal 9000 is there.
fun fact, the reason i formatted series to include every book visually on this page was specifically so i could exclude the last two books in this series. because they, as scholars say, Suck Ass.
the hound of the baskervilles
by arthur conan doyle | mystery, crime | published 1902legends say that, should the baskerville family ever wander the moors which surround their home, they will be slaughtered by a beastly hellhound. when sir charles baskerville is found dead near the footprints of a massive dog, it's up to sherlock holmes and watson to unravel the truth.
this was my first sherlock holmes book, which was a great choice because it's also the best one. eerie and dark, doyle really sucks you into the mystery with the eerie atmosphere of the baskervilles' home on the supposedly-haunted moors. sherlock holmes is, of course, a fantasticly charming character in a way the modern, pop culture perception of him completely ignores. but you can help change that: read the books.
dracula
by bram stoker | gothic horror | published 1897when solicitor jonathan harker visits the count dracula in transylvania, he makes a horrible discovery about the mysterious count's nature and what he plans to do in england.
i highly value my status as a Massive Nerd, so i'm usually a little annoyed when something -- for example, a classic whose view in pop culture is very different to the actual book -- gets popular online -- for example, an email list sharing a chapter of the book a day, like some sort of... daily... dracula... dracula is the exeption to this, i love this book and i'm so happy more people get to experience it in all its weird, gothic glory.
on one hand, dracula is an expertly-woven tale, full of the kind of slow suspense that never quite leaves you. the slow reveal of information is chilling. on the other hand, there is a cowboy. a real, genuine cowboy... so basically, it's perfect
frankenstein
by mary shelley | sci-fi, gothic horror | published 1818young science student victor frankenstein is set on creating the perfect being, by reviving the dead. but, when he abandons his creation in disgust, the creature swears revenge.
the creature makes me so emotional it is unhealthy.
the idiot
by fyodor dostoyevsky | published 1869after prince myshkin returns to russia from switzerland, he becomes embroiled in the romance and drama of the russian aristocracy.
packed to the brim with fascinating characters, the idiot gives me the same feeling as listening to someone explain drama i have no stake in. i've never been more invested in a love triange (or quadrangle? there's four...)
myshkin is well-meaning and innocent to the point of naivety. the novel explores how the cruel upper-class russian society breaks him down -- and still, he doesn't give up his faith in others. a christ-figure, or an idiot, who's to say.
the hunchback of notre dame
by victor hugo | published 1831in the dark towers of notre dame, quasimodo is the church's hunchbacked bellringer. after meeting young, romani dancer la esmerelda, he becomes infatuated. la esmerelda has also caught the eye of archdeacon claude frollo, who grapples with his religious guilt in the face of his lust towards her.
hugo's descriptions of paris are what make this book so beautiful to me. i really expected to find the scenery-description chapters dull beyond words, but they were some of the highlights. hugo's writing is breathtaking.
the story itself is also very engaging, with a great selection of the Worst Fucking Guys Ever and the poor people whose lives they keep ruining. claude frollo is especially wonderful.
susanna clarke
joanne harris
j.r.r. tolkein
amy jeffs
marie brennan
samantha shannon
andrzej sapkowski
terry pratchett & neil gaiman
william goldman
bret easton ellis
terry pratchett
robert kurvitz
alexandre dumas
arthur clarke
arthur conan doyle
bram stoker
mary shelley
fyodor dostoyevsky
victor hugo
click on a book to learn more about it! scroll the shelves for more books
FILMS
2001: a space odyssey
1968 | sci-fi | 139 minsWhen an ancient, alien monolith in unearthed on the moon sending a signal towards Jupiter, astronauts David Bowman, Frank Poole, their hibernating crew, and sentient supercomputer HAL 9000 are sent to investigate. This is only about an hour of the film, the rest is Really Weird.
fight club
1999 | comedy, thriller, satire | 139 minsA depressed office-worker's mundane life changes when he meets and moves in with soap-salesman Tyler Durden. Bored, they fight each other. This soon morphs into an ever-growing underground club for other dissatisfied, white-collar men to fight each other. Their perfect, destructive routine is crashed when Marla catches Tyler's eye.
american psycho
2000 | horror, comedy, satire | 102 minsPatrick Bateman is young, rich, charming, and works on Wall Street in the 1980s stock boom. By night, he is a ruthless serial killer.
saw
2004 | horror | 103 minsAdam Stanheight and Dr. Lawrence Gorden wake up chained to opposite ends of a derelict bathroom with a corpse between them. Having no memory of how this happened, the two men must slowly piece together who brought them here and why.
ginger snaps
2000 | horror | 108 minsWhen they were younger, sisters Ginger and Brigitte Fitzgerald made a pact to either move out of their mindless suburb or die before age sixteen. On the night of her first period, after a string of dog killings in the town, Ginger is attacked by a feral, wolf-like creature. Though the wound heals, something begins to change within her.
perfect blue
1997 | psychological horror | 81 minsAfter leaving her J-pop group to become a full-time actress, Mima Kirigoe is stalked by a phantom of her younger, idol self, as she slowly loses her grip on reality.
lisa frankenstein
2024 | romcom, horror | 101 minsRecovering from tragedy and the move to a new high school in her senior year, Lisa has a crush -- on a Victorian bachelor buried in the local abandoned graveyard. After a serendipitous bolt of lightning brings him back to life, he and Lisa embark on a quest of love and revenge.
the rocky horror picture show
1975 | comedy, horror, musical | 100 minsAfter they get a flat tyre in a storm, engaged couple Brad and Janet seek shelter in the castle of mad scientist and transvestite Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As it happens, this is the night Dr. Frank-N-Furter unveils his creation: a sexy muscle man named Rocky.
jesus christ superstar
1973 | drama, musical | 106 minsA rock opera retelling of the last days of Jesus' life, from the perspective of Judas Iscariot. It's REALLY gay.
rosencrantz & guildenstern are dead
1990 | black comedy | 117 minsMinor characters in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, begin to realise they're not only in a play, but in a tragedy.
labyrinth
1986 | fantasy, musical | 101 minsFantasy-loving teenager Sarah, frustrated at babysitting on a weekend, wishes her baby brother would be taken by goblins. When the baby really disappears, Sarah must navigate to the centre of the Goblin King Jareth's labyrinth in time to save him.
little shop of horrors
1986 | horror, comedy, musical | 94 minsSeymour Krelborn works in a flower shop, crushing on his co-worker Audrey. During a solar eclipse, he buys a strange plant -- which he names Audrey II. It is immensely popular in the flower shop, but must feed on increasing amounts of human flesh to grow.
but i'm a cheerleader
1999 | romcom, satire | 92 minsSeventeen-year-old Megan is your picture-perfect American girl -- she's popular, a skilled cheerleader, and she's dating football player Jared. That is until her parents and friends -- noticing her lack of passion towards her boyfriend, vegetarianism, and posters of beautiful women -- decide she must be a lesbian, and send her to True Directions, a conversion camp. There, she meets Graham, an unabashed lesbian, and the two begin to fall for each other.
scott pilgrim vs the world
2010 | action, romcom | 112 minsScott Pilgrim is the bass player for a garage band, and is dating seventeen-year-old Knives Chau, to the disapproval of his friends. That is until he meets Ramona Flowers, who brings with her an army of seven evil exes Scott must defeat before they can date.
electric dreams
1984 | sci-fi, romcom | 96 minsArchitect Miles Harding buys a PC to help in his work. However, the computer -- Edgar -- slowly gains sentience, and a love triangle forms between him, Miles, and his cellist neighbour Madeline.
the princess bride
1987 | fantasy, adventure, comedy | 98 minsA grandfather reads his grandson a story about the beautiful Princess Buttercup and her true love. It's also a story about revenge, and sword fights, and miracles, and kissing.
lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring
2001 | fantasy, adventure | 178 minsLong ago, the Dark Lord Sauron forged a ring with which he could rule over all. Now, the ring has fallen into the hands of the hobbit Frodo Baggins. Frodo and his companions must journey across Middle Earth to destroy the ring and stop Sauron once and for all. The first film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
pan's labyrinth
2006 | dark fantasy | 120 minsIn Spain, 1944, 10-year-old Ofelia and her ill, pregnant mother Carmen move in with Carmen's new husband -- the sadistic Captain Vidal. While exploring an ancient, overgrown labyrinth, Ofelia meets a faun who claims she is a lost princess. Ofelia must complete a series of dangerous tasks to return to her kingdom in the underworld and achieve immortality.
catch-22
1970 | black comedy, satire | 122 minsStationed in a Mediterranean air base during World War II, Captain Yossarian of the U.S. Air Force is sick of the insanity of war. He must resort to extreme measures in his attempts to escape. A cynical, anti-war satire on the absurdity of war.