Over the summer there were many excellent pieces of art that were released and that are continuing to release into this fall. So much great art that no one could possibly read, watch, or play it all. So if you are looking for something to keep you occupied and keep you thinking, here is a book, movie, album, and game from the summer that you may have missed.
Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy is a graphic novel which came out as a physical edition on May 5th, following its online publication the year prior. In the novel, the titular Lindsey Cheng enters her first year of University and starts dating a rock band boy who gives her all sorts of trouble. This is a great book to start off your fall (especially for all the first years out there), reflecting on the struggles that come with moving away from home and tumultuous young adult relationships. With a very cute art style and a Scott Pilgrim inspired slice of life flair, it is sure to capture your heart and make you want to call your parents.
Jane Schoeburn’s latest film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma follows in the footsteps of their previous hit, I Saw the TV Glow, with its deeply queer themes and surrealist presentation. The film also makes for a no-holds-barred summer slasher flick in the campy vein of Sleepaway Camp or Friday The 13th. The story follows a young film director’s journey to reboot the fictitious ‘zombie IP’ franchise of ‘Camp Miasma’ by staying with the reclusive starlet who starred in the original. What stuck with me most in this film was the deep reflections it carried on art and sex, looking at how escapism and the spaces we find away from our lives can often be the most self-revealing. It also features a masterfully put together soundtrack with original music by Alex G. Lesbians and film majors alike, rejoice!
Fans of the 2001 pop-punk revival music scene will love the latest release from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hidden in Pieces: Live. Here, Karen O and the band play their hits (such as “Maps” otherwise known as the “they don’t love you like I love you” song) as well as some of their underrated gems (such as “Cheated Hearts”) at the acoustically wonderful Royal Albert Hall in London. Some other treats on the album include a cover of “In Heaven”, a song from David Lynch’s Eraserhead. It is a song which has been covered by other artists such as Devo and The Pixies but is an especially poignant reminder now, considering Lynch’s unfortunate passing last year. The album has yet to fully release but you can hear half of it now to stir up excitement for the next half coming out mid-October.
If you are at all familiar with animator and musician Andyland, you will know that his debut game Endacopia was highly anticipated proceeding its release on July 27th. When it came out, the game nearly immediately gained a cult following of dedicated players who enjoyed it for its rich story and its haunted educational game look (like if Pajama Sam was put into a blender with an Osamu Sato game). You play as Mellow, a young boy-ish creature who finds a hidden world through his sewer system and solves puzzles posed by the strange characters he meets. That description being a gross oversimplification of a story which includes a serial killer chameleon that stalks a small village at night to make puppets from the townspeople, a meet-cute between a two clowns, and an odd inhuman surgeon who sings to you each time you see him. If any of those things sound even remotely interesting, I recommend playing it for yourself.
As another great season of art comes to a close we are lucky enough to continue to reap its benefits long after. If you have any new art you found in the summer, never be afraid to share and discuss it with the people you know. Beyond that, with all of the wonderful art scheduled to release this year, I hope you continue to keep your eyes peeled and your own creative pursuits inspired.
