My Favorite Things: February Edition

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!

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TV 

Solomon’s Perjury

Synopsis: A male student’s body is found at school. Authorities assume that the student killed himself in a fall. Other students at the school hold a trial to uncover the truth behind his death.

This show was so intense and it kept me constantly on edge. It’s more of a teen drama (in Korean drama standards), but its worth watching. Since it’s shorter than most K-dramas (it’s 12 episodes long) I found it easy to binge watch. The narrative was easy to follow and I loved how the writers kept the mystery aura throughout the show. As each episode passes the audience start to make judgement about whose innocent or guilty. If you’re looking for a murder mystery drama, this is one to watch.

 

The Good Place Season 1

Synopsis: The series focuses on Eleanor Shellstrop , a woman who wakes up in the afterlife and is introduced by Michael to “The Good Place”, a Heaven-like utopia he designed, in reward for her righteous life. She realizes that she was sent there by mistake and must hide her morally imperfect behavior and try to become a better person.

I’m finally hopping on the “The Good Place” train since I’ve heard so many good reviews about it and a coworker recommended it to me. I watched the first season on Netflix in two days, and I’ll probably start the second season soon. It’s nice to see Kristen in another solid show again. The characters and plot are well written and the comedic factor is great too. The concept is pretty unique even though similar shows have been done before, so I’m looking forward to see how it grows.

Chewing Gum Seasons 1 & 2

Synopsis: Tracey Gordon, a religious, Beyoncé-obsessed 24-year-old, is fast to find out that the more she learns about the world, the less she understands.

Chewing Gum is pure gold and Michaela Coel is a genius! She has not only done a fantastic job of writing and directing this show, but she also shines as the main actress. I was laughing my butt off the entire show! Tracey’s (the main character) klutzy nature and nerdiness are relatable to the awkward person inside of us all. I feel like the audience can see themselves in her character and be inspired by a girl who wants to achieve her dreams. Even though it’s a bit raunchy at times, this show has a lot of heart in it.

Yuri on Ice!

Synopsis: Yuri Katsuki carried the hope of all Japan on his shoulders in the Figure Skating Grand Prix, but suffered a crushing defeat in the finals. He returned to his hometown in Kyushu and hid away in his family’s home, half wanting to continue skating and half wanting to retire. That was when the five-time consecutive world champion, Victor Nikiforov, suddenly showed up with his teammate, Yuri Plisetsky, a young skater starting to surpass his seniors. And so the two Yuris and the Russian champion Viktor set out to compete in a Grand Prix like none the world has ever seen!

This anime is truly a delight! I love the art of figure skating which is what originally drew me to the show (that and it’s ever rising popularity in the US). The animation is beautiful and striking! I loved how smooth the skate sequences are (they filmed Olympic skaters in order to create these scenes) and I can see how hard the team worked to bring this show to love. The OST is lovely and every time I heard the theme History Maker I got excited to watch another episode. I love the LGBT rep in this show and it’s a big deal for Japan since it’s such a conservative country. If you’re looking for a sports anime with heart, this is the show to watch!

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Beauty

Tony Moly Brightening Eye Stick

I’ve seen this product for ages every time I go to any beauty store and I’m so glad I tried it. It’s easy to use and very effective. Usually I put it on at night before bed (to get the full effect) and when I wake up in the morning my eyes are not as puffy or as tired looking. This eye stick leaves your eyes feeling refreshed, plus the design is adorable!

Soap & Glory’s Righteous Butter

I love this stuff! Soap & Glory, from what I’ve heard, has really quality products and this Righteous Butter is fantastic. It’s smells lovely and it always leaves your skin feeling so soft and smooth.

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Movies

Happy Death Day

Synopsis: A college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer’s identity.

This wasn’t the best horror movie, but it’s the most decent one that I’ve seen in a long while. The character was pretty unlikable for the first half of the film since she was such a terrible person to everyone around her. Once her character started to grow on me and she became a bit self-less did I actually become invested in the film. She starts out as a victim, but eventually she learns how to fight off her killer as she becomes closer to finding out who’s behind the mask.

 

Black Panther

Synopsis: After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

Honestly there are too many things to say about this movie to write in one post. The OST, the amazing actor/actresses, cinematography, and story were all great! I loved every second of this film and was completely immersed in the world of Wakanda from beginning to end. The costumes were so beautiful and I love how they celebrated and represented so many African cultures. The comedy had me laughing, the action had me in awe, and I like how there was commentary on race relations among other topics. Black Panther is not only a superhero, but a symbol for much more. My favorite character out of the whole movie was Shuri! She is the best Disney princess we could ask for. I have the Black Panther comics on my tbr so I’m hoping to get to them sooner than later.

Your Name

A teenage boy and girl embark on a quest to meet each other for the first time after they magically swap bodies.

I originally wanted to watch this movie in the theater, but I didn’t get a chance to. As soon as it was available at my local library I knew I had to have it. First off, the animation in this film in this is breathtaking. The attention to detail in the landscapes, people, and various setting made it seem so beautiful and realistic. The body swap concept has been done numerous times before in anime, but the director put their own spin on it. I was especially caught off guard by the sci-fi twist in the plot. It gave the story some extra flair. It was good heart-warming film!

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Music

Hello To The World by Ieiri Leo

Leo is one of my favorite female vocalists in Japan. Her voice is on the higher range but she has a clear voice that doesn’t come off as too pitchy. Everything I hear this song it puts me in a brighter mood with its happy melody. It’s a song about being motivated in life and seizing the day.

Journey To The Past from Anastasia The Musical

This OST is quite lovely! Anastasia was (and still is) on my favorite movies growing up. Listening to this Broadway gives me goosebumps as I sing along to my favorite songs. I’d love to see this show live!

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*This post is in no way sponsored

What are some of your favorite things in February? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 🙂