It’s that time of year again when I share my Top Books of the Year! And once again the books do not disappoint. I am always thankful when I get some leisure reading in, especially with my busy schedule. Whether it’s on the plane, sitting poolside or by the beach, or while I’m under the hairdryer reading something new or revisiting a classic is very much necessary.
As an extra bonus a few of the books on this year’s list even got turned into Hulu and Netflix television series, now that’s pretty exciting!
So without further ado (in no particular order), check out Dr. G’s Top 23 Books of 2023!
As I always like to say ‘Happy Reading’ and make sure you support your local bookstores!! Look forward to sharing with you all in 2024!!
It’s that time of year again…Award Season is upon us!! With the releasing of the Golden Globe nominations on yesterday many of us could not wait to see who was in the running. Considering the lack of content (due to the writers and actors strikes) I was very curious as to who would get a chance at winning the golden statue. This was especially the case regarding Black excellence !!
So let me take a moment to highlight Black Excellence with the 2023-24 Golden Globe nominees, check them out below:
Best Actress in a musical or comedy (Film)
Fantasia Barrino, Celie in The Color Purple
Best Supporting Actress (Film)
Danielle Brooks, Sofia in The Color Purple
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy (Television)
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Best Actor in a Drama (Film)
Colman Domingo, Bayard Rustin in Rustin
Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy
Jeffrey Wright, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison in American Fiction
Best Actor (Limited Series, Anthology, or TV Movie)
David Oyelowo, Bass Reeves in Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Best Original Song
Lenny Kravitz, “Road to Freedom”
Best Musical or Comedy Series(Television)
Abbott Elementary
Best Animated Film and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement in Motion Pictures
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Best Stand-Up Comedian On Television
Trevor Noah: “Trevor Noah: Where Was I”
Chris Rock: “Selective Outrage”
Wanda Sykes: “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer”
The Golden Globes Ceremony will air live on CBS on January 7th, 2024, 8-11 pm/ET (You can also stream on Paramount+ and the CBS app).
Whether you have a Thanksgiving routine with your family or want to start some new traditions check out this Turkey Day watch list…
Network Television
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade [8:30 AM- 12:00 PM/ET, on NBC]
The 2023 National Dog Show [12:00 PM/ET on NBC]
Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions [12:30 PM/ET on FOX]
Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys [4:30 PM/ET on CBS]
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks [8:20 PM/ET on NBC]
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Streaming Networks
**Netflix
Rustin: Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.
Best. Christmas. Ever!: After a twist of fate brings their families together for Christmas, Charlotte sets out to prove her old friend Jackie’s life is too good to be true.
The Killer: After a fateful near miss, an assassin battles his employers — and himself — on an international hunt for retribution he insists isn’t personal.
Leo: A coming-of-age musical comedy about the last year of elementary school as seen through the eyes of a class pet.
**Hulu
The League: The dynamic journey of Negro League baseball’s triumphs and challenges is told through previously unearthed archival footage and interviews with legendary players.
Quiz Lady: A hilarious and heartfelt comedy starring Awkwafina and Sandra Oh as estranged sisters forced to cover their mother’s gambling debts, set out to get the cash the only way they know how – by turning Anne (Awkwafina) into a bona-fide gameshow champion.
Season 5-Fargo: In this anthology series inspired by the 1996 film, each season follows a mostly new cast of characters who get involved with murder investigations in different Midwestern towns, with seemingly unrelated crimes sometimes being connected in some way.
**Disney+
Dashing Through the Snow: After a traumatic experience, Eddie Garrick, a social worker, no longer believes in the magic of Christmas. At the request of his estranged wife, he brings his daughter Charlotte to work where a magical adventure begins for them.
The Naughty Nine: Mischievous fifth grader Andy finds himself without a visit or presents from Santa on Christmas morning. Realizing he must have landed on the “naughty list” and feeling unfairly maligned, Andy pulls together a team of eight other “naughty listers” to help him execute an elaborate heist at the North Pole to get the presents they feel they deserve. Along the way, the group comes to realize that the very best way off the naughty list is to redirect their unique talents for good — instead of mischief.
Season 2-Loki: The second season of the American television series Loki, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name, sees Loki working with Mobius M. Mobius, Hunter B-15, and other members of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to navigate the multiverse in order to find Sylvie, Ravonna Renslayer, and Miss Minutes.
**Max
Blue Beetle: Jaime Reyes suddenly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology called the Scarab. When the Scarab chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he’s bestowed with an incredible suit of armor that’s capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.
The Gilded Age: The Gilded Agefollows a young woman who moves in with her old-money aunts and quickly gets entangled in the social war between them and their new-money neighbors. In a world on the brink of the modern age, will she follow the rules of society or forge her own path?
Rebuilding Black Wall Street: A six-part docu-series focusing on the ongoing reconstruction of the Greenwood District of Tulsa, which was destroyed in the 1921 massacre.
**Paramount +
Good Burger 2:Dexter Reed and cashier Ed reunite at fast-food restaurant Good Burger with a hilarious new group of employees.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves: American Western television series based on the life of the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River, Bass Reeves
Milli Vanilli:The story of Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, featuring interviews with the real singers, record executives, the producer mastermind behind the deception and exclusive interviews with Rob and Fab.
Apple TV+
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving:Peppermint Patty invites everyone to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving, even though he’s going to see his grandmother; Snoopy decides to cook his own version of a Thanksgiving meal with help from his friends.
Lessons in Chemistry:In the 1950s, Elizabeth Zott’s dream of being a scientist is challenged by a society that says women belong in the domestic sphere; she accepts a job on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a nation of housewives way more than recipes.
—
**In Theaters
Wish
Thanksgiving
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
For those preparing to celebrate Halloween, I wanted to share a recent feature that I am included in as well as my Top 20 Fave Horror movies!! Now while I’m not necessarily an active Halloween participant (anymore), I am a fan of a great horror/thriller movie!! On this past Monday I was featured in a VCU News article, “What’s your favorite scary movie? A horror film watch list for October.” The article features recommendations from VCU faculty, staff, and students on their favorite horror movies! I selected the 1992 classic film, Candyman! See an excerpt below:
“Candyman”is a classic example of how a film can and does eloquently have a conversation surrounding racism, Black pain and historical memory. This in many ways is what separates it from other horror films, telling the story of a mysterious Black man who comes back to life after being brutally executed.
Lead character “Daniel Robitaille” (played by Tony Todd) from Candyman (1992)
In addition to the above feature, I wanted to share my Top 20 Fave Horror/Thriller films! You can watch these on Halloween or any other day when you need that horror fix!
Now this list is in no particular order, just simply a feature list:
Candyman (1992 and 2021)
The Blackening (2023)
His House [Netflix] (2020)
Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019)
Master [Prime Video] (2022)
Eve’s Bayou (1997)
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (2023)
Get Out (2017)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Ganja & Hess (1973)
Tales from the Hood (1995)
Us (2019)
Smile (2022)
Nosferatu (1922)
Midsommar (2019)
The Exorcist (1973)
Carrie (1976)
The Craft (1996)
So many stories to tell, so many viewpoints to share, and plenty of chills to crawl up your spine!! Try one, or try them all, trust me there is at least something for everyone!!
We have a nice line-up of film and television for you to check out!! The weather is changing, a little more crisp in the air, so why not bundle up and watch something new!! Check out this week’s new trailers, see below:
Season 2-Invincible (Streaming on Prime Video November 3rd)
The Curse (Streaming on Showtime/Paramount+ November 10th)
Squid Game: The Challenge (Streaming on Netflix November 22nd)
Faraway Downs (Streaming on Hulu November 26th)
Candy Cane Lane (Streaming on Prime Video December 1st)
Mark Your Calendars BFF Family and Friends!! I wanted to make sure I shared this upcoming event with you that will be taking place next week! I will be giving a guest lecture/conversation to one of my good friend and colleague Dr. Julian Chambliss’ Afrofuturism course spotlighting Janelle Monáe.
During this lecture/conversation, I will discuss Monáe’s role and impact, as a musician and artist, within the framework of Afrofuturism. This event is part of IAH 207: Afrofantastic: Race, Power, and Gender in the Black Imaginary at Michigan State University.
Check out the flyer and registration details below:
As summer comes to a close, it’s time to usher in the fall! The TV shows and movies are still coming in, so we definitely need to take advantage of this while we can!!
Check out the trailers below:
Retribution (In theaters August 25th)
Spellbound (Streaming August 31st on Hulu)
The Other Black Girl (Streaming September 13th on Hulu)
A Haunting in Venice (In theaters September 15th)
Wilderness (Streaming September 15th on Prime Video)
Another month has coming and the reading lists continue! Hopefully you were able to enjoy the summer with a few good reads. But just in case you need a new literary fix, you know I always got you covered!
Check out this month’s book recommendations below:
Honey & Spice ~Bolu Babalola
The Secret to a Southern Wedding ~Synithia Williams
The Fraud ~Zadie Smith
Forgive Me Not ~Jennifer Baker
Forged By Blood ~Ehigbor Okosun
The Unsettled ~Ayana Mathis
As You Walk On By ~Julian Winters
Ander & Santi Were Here ~Jonny Garza Villa
Don’t forget to support your local bookstores and libraries!!
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!
“But surely to tell these tall tales and others like them would be to spread the myth, the wicked lie, that the past is always tense and the future, perfect.” -Zadie Smith (White Teeth)