This shit is exhausting.
I’m exhausted, though it feels like I have no right to be. I’m the first to admit that I am extremely privileged. But I also know that in order to be able to help do what is right, I need to take care of myself. Others will better benefit from a me that is charged up and ready to go.
Since Crow Name is all about media, I’ve put together some recommendations for things to enjoy between protests and quarantining (warning: most of these will be animated, because I’m in love with that stuff).
People will benefit from a you that’s charged up and ready to go. So here’s my top 10 palate cleansers (in no particular order) for these trying times.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Thank you, She-Ra, for being unabashedly gay. That’s what I love about you.
The She-Ra reboot isn’t just gay, though. It’s got some great action, drama, betrayal, and aliens trying to take over a world far far away from ours. And you guys, I cried at the ending.
Cannon Busters
This is a series that I think doesn’t get enough credit. For one, it’s filled with people of color and was created by someone of color as well (LeSean Thomas). Two, robots. Who doesn’t love robots who are wacky as hell?
Follow Philly the Kid, an immortal with a habit of getting killed, S.A.M., the “special associate model” cyborg, who just wants to make friends, and Casey Turnbuckle, the sweetheart maintenance bot on their adventures.
Avatar the Last Airbender
It’s back, babyyyyy! The fact that it’s on Netflix in the United States has caused a resurgence of fans. Now’s the perfect time to either get into it for the first time, or go back for nostalgia. With some perfect themes that we can relate to now, Avatar (not the James Cameron version) is a classic.
Just don’t watch the M. Night Shyamalan version.
What We Do In The Shadows
Taika Waititi brings you modern vampires in New Zealand. A hilarious take on the genre, the original movie is a must see. The TV series is no less great either.
The original movie follows vampire roommates showing a “documentary crew” how they live, and how they’re getting ready for a supernatural gathering. Get ready for shenanigans.
Ni No Kuni
This is the only video game on this list. Well, video game series. With a movie. If you want to see beautiful graphics and cutscenes by Studio Ghibli artists, this is for you.
The original Ni No Kuni game was about a boy who travels to another world to save his mother – and that simple base spawned a franchise (I personally really like Ni No Kuni II as well).
The Dark Crystal
Puppets, amirite? If you want to embrace the darkness that isn’t real life, The Dark Crystal franchise is for you. While the original movie can get rather confusing, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance expands on the ideas of the original with a pinch of extra character. While it might have a hard time suspending your reality at first, once you’re in the puppet world, you’re there for good.
Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse
Ahh. Spiderverse. The only good superhero movie (don’t @me). No one can deny that it is a beautiful example of CG animation done right. With a fantastic soundtrack and killer voice actors, Spider-Man has never been better.
Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus
Sometimes you just need to watch something dumb. Or nostalgic. Whether you grew up watching Invader Zim or not, Enter the Florpus is an entertaining one. Does Zim actually manage to take over the world this time?
Who knows.
Marble Racing
I blame you, Gail. How dare you make me get into watching these things. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Marble Racing by Jelle’s Marble Runs at all. I never thought that marble racing would ever be interesting.
Maybe it’s because I’m now starved for anything sports-like, but I have gotten really attached to certain marbles racing. The narrator treating each marble like it’s alive helps too – the play by play of how the marbles are doing in each race is unparalleled.
Brian David Gilbert’s Polygon Unraveled Series
Need some gaming theories that most definitely don’t matter in real life? Watch Brian David Gilbert on Polygon. I promise you won’t be disappointed with his crazy videos about building the perfect gamer space with a horse feeder and warm milk, taste-testing all the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild recipes, or his Waluigi, Unraveled.
Revel in the wild chaotic energy of his videos and forget about what really matters for a while.
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Please continue to support these causes and organizations:
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
National Police Accountability Project
Unicorn Riot Alternative Media
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Meagan Jones is a writer and artist from Southern Maine. She graduated in 2019 from the University of Maine at Farmington with a Creative Writing BFA and a Spanish minor. Check out her personal website at https://meaganljones.wordpress.com/ Follow her on Twitter @supernarra