https://www.russellfalcon.com/blog daily 0.75 2024-07-23 https://www.russellfalcon.com/blog/june-shoutouts monthly 0.5 2024-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/43c3138f-d8ae-4333-bcbe-f38bda2926ac/nyc+prep.jpeg Blog - June shoutouts - Since the majority of our Bravo reality shows are either off season or indefinitely on break, my husband and I have been perusing the network’s back catalogue. Recently, we watched the early 2000s one-season curio “NYC Prep.” Turns out it was the perfect Pride Month viewing because the entire show is a sinister, closeted teen terrorizing a group of underclassmen and all of them trying to keep from calling him the F-word. The Pope would have done it! “NYC Prep” is currently available to stream on Peacock. It can also be purchased or rented across most other streaming platforms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/59f6c1c3-3ce3-4794-a8f3-ef12082a9c60/Hardcore-Vintage-Movie-Poster-Original-1-Sheet-27x41.jpg Blog - June shoutouts - Paul Schrader is among my favorite directors but I had never seen his 1979 noir thriller “Hardcore” until this month. The film follows a devout religious man from Michigan as he’s thrust into the underworld of the adult film industry in 1970s Los Angeles. The search for his runaway daughter will test his boundaries of right and wrong and force him to face his own hangups around sexuality. “Hardcore” is gorgeously crafted and wonderfully written and deserves to be listed among Schrader’s best. “Hardcore” is available to stream on The Criterion Channel and can be rented or purchased across most platforms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/212480e1-0114-454d-a882-897c762e75af/Nin_ghostsVI.jpeg Blog - June shoutouts - It’s really confusing but though “Ghosts: VI: Locusts” is the “fifth” installment of Nine Inch Nails’ “Ghosts” series, it’s only the third actual release. While I still need to listen to “Ghosts I-IV” and its follow-up, “Ghosts V,” I organically kind of came across one “Locusts” track and got drawn in — deciding to take it as a sign to finally begin my long-coming dive into the NIN discography. For fans of Trent Reznor’s film score work with Atticus Ross, “Locusts” doesn’t disappoint. Delivering upon the moody, drone-y atmosphere of Reznor-helmed scores for films like “Gone Girl” and “The Social Network,” “Locusts” is reminiscent of a film score because it was one. At least some portions of the score were rejected work for 2021’s “The Woman in the Window” adaptation, and these thoughtful-but-eerie tracks give a great glimpse of how different (better) that movie might have been with this music in-tact. Standouts include “The Cursed Clock,” “The Worriment Waltz” and “Your New Normal.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/c1ff4388-9557-4c09-94c9-77816419f2da/71yeQAes58L._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg Blog - June shoutouts - Tom Crewe’s “The New Life” fictionalizes two real-life academic pioneers in Britain’s Victorian Era as they work to change attitudes and laws against homosexuality. This finely researched and delightful novel was a moving and educational experience to have through this month, remembering the LGBTQ+ people and allies who came before me and paid big prices. This is a very old-fashioned toned novel — which was challenged at first — but I’m glad I stuck with it before barreling through. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/fd172242-662c-47f5-bbb1-16cfe4387311/91t7HFEfXDL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg Blog - June shoutouts - In perfect time for Pride Month, I received an advanced reader copy of Chuck Tingle’s new Hollywood slasher, which follows a semi-closeted TV writer whose career troubles are compounded when his own terrifying creations take on a life of their own. Fun, funny and inventive, this is a great vacation read. “Bury Your Gays” by Chuck Tingle is now out from Tor Nightfire. My review: REVIEW: Hollywood horror comes to life in Chuck Tingle’s ‘Bury Your Gays’ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/d419bb39-c4db-41d0-87fe-5b455bc57c4f/Charli_XCX_-_Brat_%28album_cover%29.png Blog - June shoutouts - Based off the quality of the first three tracks released from dance-pop auteur Charli XCX’s latest album, “brat,” I was more excited for this album than I’ve been for any release in a long while. And Charli did not disappoint. It’s been a joy experiencing this album with friends and seeing endless numbers of reactions online. Here are a few of my favorite reactions: “I AM LOSING MY MIND!!” and “THE BRAT LISTENING PARTY.” Standouts (aside from tracks I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters) are the Sleigh Bells-esque “Sympathy is a knife” and “365.” The latter of these is maybe my favorite song released this year by anyone (so far). https://www.russellfalcon.com/blog/april-shoutouts monthly 0.5 2024-05-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/71422d3c-63e3-4083-9058-748a64aa42fd/LUEgfTixxhH81fg1DgLkP5JdPosAPh_large.jpeg Blog - April shoutouts I dove into Scorsese’s beloved but less-popular third film, “Mean Streets” (1973) this month and despite watching it a) on an iPad on a plane and b) while slamming face-first into jet lag, I loved every second. The film’s opening — set to the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” — is among my favorites I can remember in recent memory. “Mean Streets” definitely has a lo-fi, master-in-progress feel to it and I get why it might not stand out too much among Scorsese’s several masterpieces (the movie’s low key plot and circular character arcs give it a “So what?” kind of feeling but that’s also part of its charm). Nevertheless, I adored this slice of (low)life and will be revisiting it for years to come. “Mean Streets” can be streamed for free on Tubi and purchased or rented across all major streaming platforms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/6fe0bc32-a5e0-4fa3-b339-f055d2c11218/MV5BNTk1MTdmYzctNzlkOS00ZTNmLWI4ZTMtMzc3OWFkMDI0MTJkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ%40%40._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg Blog - April shoutouts Luca Guadagnino’s romantic sports drama “Challengers” was among this year’s most-anticipated releases in my household. And I’m happy to report the film, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, did not disappoint. An extra-special bonus was the film’s pulsing club-ready score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. “Challengers” is currently in theaters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/87a423e3-4f47-432f-a896-02e8fb0c4c37/Deal-or-no-Deal-Island-on-NBC-1.jpg Blog - April shoutouts I have to be honest: “Deal or Not Deal Island” is very, very dumb. I love it. NBC essentially said, “We want to have our own version of ‘Survivor’ but we don’t own ‘Survivor”…. what brand do we own? Oh, yeah. What about ‘Deal or No Deal’ but on an island?” “Deal or No Deal Island” is available to stream on Peacock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/70caf720-b3cd-42b7-acfc-b6e833af13e6/vampire+weekend+only+god+was+above+us.jpg Blog - April shoutouts I included several tracks from Vampire Weekend’s fifth album, “Only God Was Above Us” in a previous newsletter and I’ve been enjoying the full album since its April 5 release. Standouts include “Prep School Gangsters” (the most Vampire Weekend song title I can think of), “The Surfer” and album closer “Hope.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/c62c1627-9753-4da8-a821-341864f5a044/71HwfxBH5LL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg Blog - April shoutouts In anticipation of the first leg of our honeymoon, I checked out the audiobook of “Pancakes in Paris: Living the American Dream in France,” which chronicles comedian Craig Carlson’s harebrained idea to open up an American diner in the City of Lights. What followed was a charming tale about second-chance dreams and how believing in yourself inspires other people to believe in you, too. Naturally, we stopped into Breakfast in America while in Paris and enjoyed the small piece of home. The burger was exactly what I wanted after a long day of walking the city — high recommend if you’re in Paris! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/dc874b04-c059-4f2b-9c48-c879b537d2dd/thumbnail_9780374272685_FC.jpeg Blog - April shoutouts I didn’t finish Katrina Carrasco’s “Rough Trade” soon enough to write a proper review of it, though I had originally planned to. It’s unfortunate because I actually really loved this, the second in a series about a transmasculine opium smuggler who gets caught up in a series of murders in the Pacific Northwest. This 1888-set thriller is the second in a series but I actually have not read the first one (yet) and still understood everything pretty well. “Rough Trade” is fun and surprising and also very well-researched about queer communities in former ages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/154dc378-883b-4fd3-a22f-0e30453b2801/717im8GuIIL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg Blog - April shoutouts Author Conner Habib has a colorful career: writer, academic, podcaster and former adult entertainer. In many ways, Habib’s debut novel, the glorious “Hawk Mountain” pours flavors of all of the author’s life buckets into a cohesive story. “Hawk Mountain” is a claustrophobic dramatic thriller which follows single father Todd as he’s unexpectedly reunited with Jack, his high school bully, decades after their last interaction. But something is amiss: Jack remembers being friends with Todd and is happy to see him. “Hawk Mountain” took several turns that surprised me and as shockingly inevitable as the ending seemed, as a reader, you will feel powerless to stop it. Big Patricia Highsmith vibes on this one. https://www.russellfalcon.com/blog/march-shoutouts monthly 0.5 2024-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/74eff3cf-86ae-4e4a-88c9-de6404ebeec9/a3877139783_65.jpeg Blog - March shoutouts I almost included Real Estate’s sixth studio album, “Daniel” in my February newsletter but I needed more time with it. Like much of the indie rock band’s work, songs can blend together if you’re not listening intentionally. This was wise because I ended up falling upside down in love with it. Every time I think I have a favorite track, it changes. A running theme in this newsletter is the way musical acts I loved in college either fade away or keep on — and whether or not I’m still listening. Real Estate appeared poised to fade out for me, as their 2011 sophomore effort was the last time I sat down to listen to one of their albums. But “Daniel” has me wondering whether I need to go back to see how they got here: effortlessly sounding like they did back in 2009 but better, fuller, wiser. Standouts include “Airdrop,” “Market Street” and anthemic album closer “You Are Here.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/320ac385-605a-4789-9a58-5cc94b4f57bd/81nq%2BewtkcL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg Blog - March shoutouts As mentioned in a previous newsletter, I spent the past few months slowly getting through Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” in anticipation of the release of Denis Villeneuve’s (great) “Dune: Part Two.” I can’t say I loved every moment of the experience (or that I intend to ever read it again) but I’m glad to have read it. It’s an odd book to be considered a classic and I admire that about it. Imagine if “The Lord of the Rings” ended with Frodo as a villain? Also, it will never not be funny for people in the distant future to be named “Jessica” and “Paul.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/591b7723-489b-499b-a98a-e70f9ae7a20b/turningtables.jpeg Blog - March shoutouts This YouTube channel, Turning the Tables, offers a wholesome enough premise: grown son Connor introduces his dad, musician Kevin, to his favorite music. Connor and Kevin’s taste in music is impeccable and I’ve learned so much more about music and the albums I love. But my absolute favorite element of this setup is how much it reminds me of the relationship I have with my own father. Music is something he and I talk about and bond over and it’s nice seeing that reflected in another father-son relationship. A few of my favorite reactions include their videos on Lana Del Rey’s “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd,” and Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/f04d8797-68fd-40a2-ab97-64ab4eb48d2a/MV5BNTc3NzA0YWQtNDA0MC00MjE1LWExZTMtNzY0YWIxYzdkNTRmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTY2MjE4Mzkz._V1_+%281%29.jpg Blog - March shoutouts The lengths people go to to belong is the idea at the center of Apple TV+’s latest comedy, “Palm Royale,” which premiered on the platform this month. As social climber Maxine Simmons, Kristin Wiig leads a large cast of star talent in this 10-episode period piece created by Abe Sylvia, writer of 2021’s “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” While there’s something to love in every episode, the true marvel is Kristen Wiig, who you’ll fall in love with all over again. “Palm Royale” is available to stream on Apple TV+. My full review . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/9163934a-cc29-4832-8f17-d75d86e96fb0/ete_85_2637676123.jpeg Blog - March shoutouts While watching director François Ozon’s 2020 French-language romantic drama “Summer of 85,” it’s impossible to not be reminded of 2017’s “Call Me By Your Name,” but this story actually predates both that book and its wonderful movie adaptation. One summer day, on the waters of a Normandy beach, 16 year-old Alexis encounters 18 year-old David, whom he soon becomes enamored with. What follows is a beautifully soundtracked French countryside fantasy but there’s more happening, too. Viewers learn in the first few minutes of the film that David has died sometime in the future — and Alexis is on trial in relation to it. I won’t say too much more for fear of spoiling but “Summer of 85” is one of the most moving and realistic portraits of first loves and first real friendships I’ve seen in a while. I’ll be revisiting this for years to come. “Summer of 85” is available to stream on MUBI. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/90a48223-e165-47e8-948d-ac8f8d208bab/818PO8Z%2BJnL._UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg Blog - March shoutouts I had a moment with Neil Young’s fourth album, “Harvest” back in 2016-17 and have been meaning to listen to more. Late last year, I stumbled upon the closing track of the artist’s second album, “Everybody Knows This is Nowhere” — the psych-rock-western “Cowgirl in the Sand” — added it to a playlist and kind of forgot about it. It came up in shuffle a few weeks ago and I decided to listen to the whole thing. I’m still feeling it out but adoring the intricate production and rich longing of Young’s voice. Standouts are the previously mentioned “Cowgirl,” in addition to “Down by the River” and “Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets).” https://www.russellfalcon.com/blog/february-shoutouts monthly 0.5 2024-03-23 https://www.russellfalcon.com/blog/twin-peaks-the-return-and-accepting-things-suck monthly 0.5 2020-08-15 https://www.russellfalcon.com/blog/something-to-look-forward-to monthly 0.5 2020-07-21 https://www.russellfalcon.com/home daily 1.0 2025-12-17 https://www.russellfalcon.com/writing daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://www.russellfalcon.com/about daily 0.75 2025-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ee0634d39103c03ca4cd569/1595118173639-W1GZMFJ4TF9LINLZ4480/me.jpg About https://www.russellfalcon.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-04-14 https://www.russellfalcon.com/newsletter daily 0.75 2021-01-31