BOOK

The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

A royal romance inspired by Prince William and Kate Middleton; however, after reading it post-Meghan/Harry, you wonder if Cocks and Morgan have a crystal ball lying around. A delicious slow-burn romance that’s enjoyable with each read; follow American exchange student, Bex Porter, on a trip to Oxford that will change her life forever. It will make you swoon and it will make you squee. And, best of all, the sequel, The Heir Affair, is due out in July.

FILMS

Inspired by last night’s Disney Family Singalong, we wanted to share some of our all time favorite musicals:

Grease (Amazon)

Tell me about it, stud. I’ve been in this musical twice, been a pink lady for Halloween, and have seen it more times than I could tell you. It never gets old.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Netflix)

Johannaaaa! Listen, this movie has HITS. I’m not a huge musical person, but I rewatched it for the first time in 10+ years recently and still remember the words to every song. Also, SBC’s accent is other-worldly.

Music & Lyrics (Youtube)

To be honest, I completely forgot about this movie. But I’ve completely killed all my plants since quarantine and told myself it’s ok because Drew Barrymore also did. Check out Hugh Grant, a washed up pop star, and Drew Barrymore, the plant lady, write some fire songs together.

Hairspray (Amazon)

I wake up most mornings singing, GOOD MORNING BALTIMORE, but should probably give it a rest because 1. I’ve never been to Baltimore and 2. It’s a really hard note to hit in the morning. All I know is if Tracy was real, she would slay Tiktok.

Mamma Mia! (Amazon)

Did everyone just hear Meryl Streep was doing a movie set on a beach in Greece and sign the f*ck up? The only thing better than that might be watching Lily James portray Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! 2

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Amazon)

We’re currently having an internal debate whether or not Willy Wonka is a musical. Maybe it’s because I’m still triggered by this movie after getting one spray tan for prom and hearing “Oompa Loompa” from my brother for two weeks straight.

8 Mile (Apple TV)

Not to spoil this one for you, but he opens his mouth and the words DO, fortunately, come out. Who knew Marshall could act? Well, IDK – does it count if he’s playing himself?

And if those don’t satisfy you, check out ENCORE! (Disney +), an Olive Bridge production, where former high school classmates reunite for another chance to re-stage the musicals they performed way back when. In case you’re not a musical fan (??), check out some other movie recs from our previous posts: A League of Their Own, Miseducation of Cameron Post, Ready or Not, Don’t F*ck With Cats.

TV SERIES

Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC)

Do people still have cable?? If you do, please give this a shot. It is so wholesome, weird, and loads of fun. Jason Segal did wonderfully in casting Eve Lindley as his love interest in this heartfelt series. It’s brought to its fullest life by Andre (3000) Benjamin and Sally Field. I know I haven’t given any details on what this is about, but you’ll get it within the first 15 seconds and I won’t be the one who ruins the experience for you. It’s the perfect dose of escapism you’re looking for right now.

Unorthodox (Netflix)

I straight up binge watched this until 2 AM last night. It’s short, only four one hour long episodes, but wow there’s so much happening. Loosely based on Deborah Feldman’s autobiography, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, the show follows Esty’s escape from her community in Williamsburg and her loveless marriage. It’s dark, but also incredibly compelling. I quite literally could not stop watching.

PODCASTS

Thirst Aid Kit

Admittedly, I am not a huge podcast person. Even after moving to LA. One of my favorite things, however, is talking about celebrity crushes with friends and gushing over their on screen moments that made us feel something. Since I’ve been in quarantine solo, listening to Bim & Nichole share thoughts similar to mine on Dev Patel, Jake Johnson, Penn Badgley, John Cho has brought me a sense of familiarity during this time. Enjoy!