Conversational and full of Scooby Gang-level quips, this love letter/study of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's impact on pop culture was fun to devour, quickly followed by a craving to rewatch the entire series (even Season Six.) The devoted Evan Ross Katz grapples with the greyness of adoring a life-altering show with such dark and complicated history and comes out at the end without a solid answer, since one doesn't exist. Except one thing remains true forever: Sarah Michelle Gellar reigns supreme.
In the words of Melissa Lozada-Olivia, "this bitch has me crying to Creed." But that's what King does throughout her essay collection by perfectly balancing the social commentary on pop culture, what's deemed "tacky" and perhaps shameful, with the personal struggles of enjoying what you want to enjoy. Tackling her friendships and relationships and her need to be the sexually available cool girl, she ties it effortlessly to cultural artifacts such as Jersey Shore, warm vanilla sugar, Hot Topic, the Sims, and the American shopping mall. For those who grew up in the 2000s, take this trip down memory lane.
After years in the film industry Blake Snyder identified a pattern about the movies we love. What he discovered changed the world of screenwriting forever. Explained in 13 easy to digest steps, his breakdown for aspiring screenwriters is called The Beat Sheet. This book (and series) will change the way you think about not only writing but watching movies. It is a MUST read for anyone ready to see their story on the big screen!
