We're back bursting your entertainment bubble with our Dutch Designer Silvie Kisters. Partial to the weird and wonderful, it was actually one of Silvie's recommendations (not inlcuded here) that sparked this whole idea. Having previously ignored an abstract looking film before her praise, it impressed on me the value of genuine recommendations and the need to break away from our own algorthmic staples.
Here are a handful of Silvies top picks.
BOOK
‘Oma weet raad’ - or ‘Grandma’s tips’ in English.
This practical book is filled with ’life hacks’ from an older generation. Examples include stain removal, natural remedies for illness, cooking hacks and many more. Most of us might know some already, such as removing rust with ketchup, using baking soda & vinegar as powerful cleaning duo or eating ginger to prevent travel sickness.
Most of grandmother’s tips involve non-chemical problem-solvers with products that you probably already have in our kitchen, so why not give it a go? (Maybe skip the eating raw onion and washing your hair with vinegar whilst being in lockdown with others).
Here's a more modern web variant for you to check out
And here's an English equivalent
YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Weird History
This YouTube channel is equally entertaining as it is informative. It takes its viewers through a range of historic events, but also answers questions such as ‘How you could have survived the Black Plague’. Another equally interesting and distressing episode is ‘What life was like in medieval castles’.
History holds incredible stories about cultures, adventure, heroism, horror.. and we have the ability to explore them all.
Watch the ‘Weird History’ channel on Youtube
FILM
Midsommar
Ari Aster - Amazon Prime
Those who know me should be aware of my love for horror movies. However, I hate jump scares - I feel they’re cheap tricks to scare someone and anyone can achieve this (or anything, if you include the drying wetsuit on a hanger in our dark hallway..). Neither am I a fan when you can see ‘the monster’.
That being said, Midsommar unsettles its viewers for the duration of the movie whilst the entire movie is set in broad daylight. It does so with the use of music, bizarre rituals and a unique location.
The plot sounds pretty familiar: a group of young tourists visit a remote village in a foreign country. Once there, the atmosphere takes a sinister turn. Trust me though, the visuals and level of detail alone makes this movie worth a watch.
Take a look on Amazon Prime
SERIES
Dark
Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese - Netflix
Dark is a German sci-fi/thriller series that slowly builds an ominous atmosphere throughout its episodes. The disappearance of a chid, a strange cave, everyone is keeping secrets. Normally I am not a fan of series that confuse the hell out of me - I’d much prefer to be entertained and shut off my brain in the evening. But this series is so so worth it. PS - The soundtrack of this series is worth checking out too!
Check it out on Netflix
DOCUMENTARY
The Shed at Dulwich
Vice’s Oobah Butler - Vice.com/YouTube
Some people might have heard or seen ‘The Shed - the #1 restaurant in London'. A project that involved a fake restaurant that was faked all the way into becoming the best restaurant in London - according to Tripadvisor’s review system. The video became a viral success and Oobah created some follow-up videos within the ‘faking your way to the top’ theme. All of which can be found on Vice.com or Youtube.
Check out ‘The Shed’ here
MUSIC
What's a girl to do
Fatima Yamaha
Relaxing & a bit dreamy. Exactly what I need during my work.
Have a listen on Spotify
To read G's recommendations, click here.
To read Al's recommendations, click here.
To read Sean's recommendations, click here.
To read Ed's recommendations, click here.