My Favorite Things: April
My Favorite Things” is a monthly segment where I share my personal and current favorites in seasonal products, health & beauty, food, decor, movies, TV, and more. Hope you enjoy these personal picks!
Movies
Brittany Runs A Marathon
Synopsis: A hard-partying woman receives a startling wake-up call when a visit to the doctor reveals how unhealthy she is. Motivated to lose weight, she soon takes up running to help her prepare for her ultimate goal of competing in the New York City Marathon.
I heard about this movie via a interview I listened to on NPR and it got me wanting to watch it. Brittany not only goes through a journey of wight loss, but also a journey of self-love where to she wants to better herself. The audience sees her want to do the marathon to prove to herself that she can do it, not for others. It’s a movie about growth and believing in yourself. It’s a motivating film to watch. This is the first time I’ve seen Jillian Bell (the lead actress) do a more serious role on screen and I was so impressed by her acting!
Perfect Bid
Synopsis: A math genius from Texas named Ted Slauson and his life of memorising and documenting the prize amounts on The Price Is Right. Keeping track of items and their prices began as a hobby for Slauson, until age 18 when he became eligible as a contestant.
I love to watch documentaries and I also love to watch game shows. Growing up as a kid, I used to sit and watch The Price is Right with my grandma on a regular basis. I still hope I can visit the show or play as a contestant one day. Seeing the synopsis my interest was piqued immediately. It was interesting to see Ted’s dedication to the game show and how he used his math skills to estimate prices of items or predict future prizes of the games. And how it all unfolds in the end had me a bit shocked too!
Deidra & Laney Rob a Train
Synopsis: Life is moving fast for whip-smart high school senior Deidra and her younger sister Laney. Graduation looms, their part-time dad is a full-time schemer, and adolescent embarrassments arrive daily–just like the train that rambles noisily through their backyard. But things take a turn for the worse when their mother Marigold is thrown in jail for a minor offense after succumbing to the pressure of single parenting. To help her struggling family, Deidra hatches a plan to start robbing trains.
This movie has been in my Netflix queue for ages and I watched it one weekend while journaling. I liked that for the most part the cast is newer/lessor known actors and actresses. I always like to see fresh talent instead of the big name celebrities that seem to pop up in all the films. It’s a tale about family and two sisters that ultimately want to make a better life for their selves. Deidra and Laney have so much potential, but feel stunted in their small town. There’s an overarching theme of coming-of-age along withthe family narrative and I liked how the family ends up coming together.
Instant Family
Synopsis: When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child, but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight. Now, Pete and Ellie must try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hope of becoming a family.
I was intrigued to watching movie in theaters, but I didn’t get the chance until I found it on Amazon. This is the feel-good movie that I needed to watch in these difficult times and I loved the themes of family that it presented in it’s story. It had me laughing and crying. I also liked that it brings awareness to fostering/adopting kids and giving them a home. The cast really got the audience hooked into this story.
TV
Skull Faced Bookseller Honda-San
Synopsis: Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san is based on a real life experience of the author Honda during his days as a bookstore employee. The story follows the life as the staff while telling how a bookstore works.
I love books about books, and in this case it’s anime about books. I’ve only watched a few bookish anime in the past. After watching a wholesome anime recommendation video on the Youtube channel Get In The Robot, I decided to watch this show. I like that it’s heartwarming, humorous, and showcases the heart of a bibliophile. Honda-san is a delightful character and I like that he never mocks his customer for their sometimes unusual requests. I also like that it takes a deeper look at the world of publishing.
Beauty
HOLIKA HOLIKA Gudetama Lazy & Easy Good Cera All-in-One Master
This serum was given to me by a friend who knows how I much I adore skincare products and Sanrio characters. The packaging is adorable and I like the product itself. The serum is light, moisturizing, and leaves skin feeling refreshed!
Music
Say So by Doja Cat
I’m apparently late the to the bandwagon on this song since it’s been out at the beginning of the year. I love the catchy lyrics and the overall disco sound and feel of this track. It gets me dancing.
Paris In The Rain by Lauv
I love the chill vibe of this song. It feels like a song you would cruise to in your car. I love Lauv’s smooth and melodic vocals on this track. It’s a song I like to listen to while working or crafting. It’s so soothing!
Algo Contigo by Rosario
Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Latin music and this is a song I’ve had on repeat. I love the rhythm of this song and the guitar gives this melody it’s flavor. I find myself doing some salsa dance moves whenever I hear this song.
Youtube
Bonsai Pop
While looking for some more anime centered Youtube channels, I found Bonsai Pop which takes deep dives on classic and new anime. They discuss a wide range of topics about each show such as the themes, characters, and music and how it’s essential to the show being well-received by audiences. This channel gives some nostalgic and reminds me of why I love anime so much!
What are some of your favorite things from April? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
*This post is in no way sponsored
Ooh, Deidra & Laney Rob a Train sounds really fun! I love a train heist story anyway, so it sounds like it’s right up my alley in a couple of ways.
I was all set to tell you something I enjoyed in April, and I literally can’t remember the month of April. Are we sure it happened at all? My memory appears to only go back a week and a half.
It is a fun movie. It’s goofy with a bit of heart. A nice feel-good film. 🙂
I’ve had Deidra and Laney on my list for ages, too. And, like you, lately I’ve been glancing over the longtime residents of the list and trying a few. In April I was finishing watching Orange is the New Black. It felt like it took me ages to finish the last season but, then, when I got to the end, i just loved the finale and wouldn’t have minded if it’d been another season longer after all. For reading, in April, I read Toni Morrison’s A Mercy, short enough to read in a single sitting, and reread an old favourite author from when i was a kid, Katherine Paterson, perhaps best known for A Bridge to Terebithia or The Great Gilly Hopkins. I hope you’re finding lots of new faves in May!
I enjoyed reading A Mercy by Morrison. It was such a good book. I forgot all about A Bridge to Terebithia, that’s a classic. I think there was a film adaptation for both of those books? This down time I have been able to find some gems in my TV streaming queues so it’s nice to find some new favorites to add to my list.