Obsessions #20: Tom Cruise Hanging Out of a Plane

Everything I’ve been reading, watching and listening to during the first half of the year

Hello and welcome back to Why’s World! Here are all the best things I’ve been reading, watching and listening to during the first half of 2025.

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What I’ve Been Reading

Recent(ish) Releases

Torrey Peters’ Stag Dance: A Novel & Stories is a sophomore collection that combines three of her previous stories and a new novel. All four stories explore the blurred boundaries of gender expression and hierarchies among trans communities. I especially adored the titular novella, which takes place in a logging camp in the 1800s with period-appropriate slang. Still, it’s “The Chaser,” a teenage boarding school pseudo-romance with a jaw-dropping ending, that lingered with me most after finishing the book. I love how artistically free Peters feels in this collection.

I’ve been meaning to read Naomi Klein’s Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World since it was published to universal acclaim in 2023. The nonfiction tome uses the confusion between Klein and writer Naomi Wolf as a launching point to analyze the current political climate, where disinformation and conspiracy theories worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it sounds intense, the book is highly readable and smart. Doppelganger is one of the best books about the 2020s so far.

The yellow-and-black cover of Kevah Akbar’s Martyr! popped up so many times on my Instagram feed since it was published in 2024 that I finally had to read it. The novel follows Cyrus Shams, an Iranian-American recovering alcoholic and aspiring poet, as he attempts to write a book dedicated to martyrs throughout history. The book is filled with multiple point-of-view shifts of Shams’ family across the decades, as well as some killer pop culture references. Despite some of its heavier themes, I had a lot of fun reading this novel and I adored the ending.

From My Bookshelf

As a general reading note, I’m trying to disengage from the hype cycle of new releases and concentrate on classics I bought years ago that are sitting on my bookshelf untouched. After I finished Stag Dance, I read Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, as I heard Peters say in an interview that she was influenced by its depiction of internalized hatred from a marginalized character. It’s an incredible book and a great entry point into Morrison’s work. I also read Elena Ferrante’s The Lost Daughter, her only novel I had yet to read. At 140 pages, it’s a satisfying (and slim!) gateway into her style for those who cannot commit upfront to four volumes of the Neapolitan Novels.

What I’ve Been Watching

2024 Awards Season Catch-Up

My favourite film released last year was RaMell Ross’ debut feature, Nickel Boys. Based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name, the movie follows two young boys sent to a reform school in the 1960s. The film is shot entirely in the first person, which fully immerses you in the story. The innovative cinematography and outstanding performances took my breath away in a way that I have very rarely experienced while watching a movie. I was delighted to see that Nickel Boys took the #1 spot in IndieWire’s recent list of the 100 best movies of the 2020s so far.

Another excellent film that almost made it into the Oscar race last year was Universal Language, Canada’s official selection for Best International Film. The second feature from Matthew Rankin, who plays himself in the film, incorporates the influence of Iranian cinema to imagine a Canada where the two official languages are French and Farsi. This film is incredibly unique, but its specificity is what makes it singular — think Tim Hortons as a Persian tea house. This movie would probably kill an American.

The Best Movies of 2025 (So Far)

Sinners is, without a doubt, the best movie of the year so far. Ryan Coogler’s vampire drama is smart, bloody and sexy. It features a tremendous dual performance by Michael B. Jordan and a fantastic score by Ludwig Göransson. My mouth was wide open during multiple scenes, especially THAT one. If there’s a new release I end up liking more than this, we’re in for a good movie year.

The first six months of the film release calendar are always slow, but there are a few others I’ve enjoyed. Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later is a tense and surprisingly emotional sequel to his original zombie film. I’m also one of the few people who liked Celine Song’s The Materialists. What can I say? I responded to it! Speaking of controversy, I loved Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning despite the criticisms of its dull first hour. I even had a dream that I was defending the movie. “Tom Cruise hung out of a plane! What more do you want?!”

TV Rocks Right Now?!

The first half of the year delivered some excellent television. The second season of Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal broke my brain in the best way possible. “He got a license to fly a plane! What more do you want?!” The three-year wait for the new season of Severance was worth it, particularly its exceptional cinematography. I enjoyed the third season of The White Lotus, especially the performances from Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey, despite not loving the finale. Still, the meta of Mike White returning for Survivor 50 is BEYOND thrilling.

In lighter fare, I had a fun time watching Seth Rogen’s insider-Hollywood satire The Studio. I’m in a deep place of Top Chef right now and enjoyed the recent season. I even saw Chef Massimo walking on the streets of Montreal and yelled that I loved him on the show (“THANK YOU SO MUCH,” he responded at full volume). I screamed all the answers at my TV while watching Pop Culture Jeopardy! in a way that truly terrified my boyfriend. I’m salty my audition didn’t go through for that because I fully believe I would have won.

What I’ve Been Listening To

Montreal Scene Report

I’m blessed to have a lot of extremely talented musicians in my life, so I’ve been going to more local shows recently. One of my current favourite bands in the city is Time Ghost, a post-punk trio that collides political lyrics with intentionally silly energy. They recently released their first album, Forked Tongue On A Forked Road. Kevin O’Meara, bassist for Time Ghost, has also released monthly solo EPs this year with an indie-alt-folk vibe. If you’re more of a hip-hop head, my exceptionally talented pal Jaywood has a new album coming out in September; check out the singles “Assumptions” and “Big Tings.”

Pop Girlies

It’s summertime, which means I only want to listen to pop music. I might be the only self-identifying Little Monster who wasn’t stunned by the new Lady Gaga album, although I adore the singles. I’m loving the new Addison album, especially “Fame is a Gun” and “Diet Pepsi.” I’m eagerly awaiting the new releases by Lorde (which drops TODAY) and Kesha.

Everything Else Bringing Me Joy

Gamer Girl

While I’ve dabbled in my fair share of Mario Kart 8 (I’m always Toadette on a scooter), I’ve largely stayed away from video games in my adult life. Until that is, I saw the release of Hello Kitty Island Adventure. I needed the hook of these damn Sanrio characters to make me invested. I’ve been playing the game daily for about two weeks and love it. Your main goal is to run around the island and give gifts to your friends. It’s super cute and relaxing. I may or may not have cried at one point because Cinnamoroll was nice to me and showed me his “quiet corner.” Big recommend!

Screen-Free Socializing

As someone who looks at screens all day every day, I’ve appreciated getting into some screen-free socializing. I’ve been attending the Drawn & Quarterly Cookbook Club for the past year and love it. The group picks a cookbook every three months, tests as many recipes as possible, and then comes together over a potluck to discuss our efforts. So far this year, we’ve done Pass the Plate by Carolina Gelen and What Goes With What by Julia Turshen; we’re currently on Soups, Salads, Sandwiches by Matty Matheson. Limiting myself to one cookbook has simplified my meal planning. I also love the seasonal gatherings, because people always cook something delicious from the book that I didn’t even realize was in there.

Another activity I’ve taken up recently is… line dancing?! I’m not a country girl, so this is surprising to me as well. Spurs Night, currently active in Montreal and Toronto, is a queer line dancing night that is equally likely to play Luke Bryan as it is to play Britney Spears. While I found it difficult to keep up with the steps at first, after a handful of visits, I’ve now successfully mastered the choreography to “Footloose.” The only problem is that I now have “Fishing in the Dark” stuck in my head most of the time. Small price to pay.

Thanks for reading! I hope you are having an okay start to the year despite the terrifying chaos of the world. Keep in touch on Instagram, Letterboxd and Goodreads.