ONE || BlacKkKlansman
BlacKkKlansman is based on the real-life black policeman, Ron Stallworth, who was not only the first African-American cop in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but was the first black klansman (unbeknownst, of course, to the KKK). Gripping and funny, this Spike Lee film is a timely piece of cinema that showcases how little we’ve progressed since the civil rights movements of the ’60s and ’70s.
Bonus: BlacKkKlansman features Denzel Washington’s son!
TWO || Rodrigo y Gabriela
Think metal meets flamenco, and you have Rogrigo y Gabriela. This Mexican duo is literally jaw-droppingly talented. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe what they can do with guitars was even humanly possible.
THREE || Robert Ellis
Robert Ellis opened for Rodrigo y Gabriela. A Texas native, he reminded me of Johnny Cash. His songs were like stories from his past, and he can kill it on the guitar, too.
FOUR || Sharp Objects
Gillian Flynn’s novel, Sharp Objects, has been adapted to an HBO mini-series. Amy Adams plays the lead, and she does an amazing job portraying the alcoholic journalist. It’s a whodunit show and an almost intolerable slow-burn that’ll keep you invested (even through the unnecessary Calhoun Day episode).
All in all, Sharp Objects is a classic Southern Gothic, and I’m here for every single ounce of it.
FIVE || Highway 1 is Now Open Again on California’s Big Sur Coast
After a devastating mudslide that took out a section of the highway in 2017, the coastal Big Sur drive was practically cut off from the rest of the state. It’s open now after millions of dollars and a year of difficult work.