A still from cheerleading doco series Cheer. Photo / Netflix
A still from cheerleading doco series Cheer. Photo / Netflix
BINGE
I might be biased thanks to a childhood full of Bring It On movies, but Netflix's new documentary series Cheer is amazing and managed to fill the Queer Eye-shaped hole in my heart with its wholesome nature. It follows the best cheer squad in America and their bid toremain the best - with all the fallouts, tears, drama, injuries and triumph that encompasses. Plus you get to see some breathtaking athleticism and tear-jerking personal stories and to meet Jerry, the purest, most joyous man, who is clearly 2020's gift to the internet.
LEARN
Last week a friend recommended 300 Days Alone and I'm so glad I took his advice and watched it. The doco follows Swiss adventurer Xavier Rosset as he voluntarily ships off to a deserted island to live alone for 300 days with little more than a few essentials, a Swiss army knife, a machete and the video equipment he uses to self-record his adventure. Let me tell you, it is rough. But it's also super-insightful as he comes to realise what's important in life and what he's taken for granted. The best part? It's available in full on YouTube. Enjoy.
I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to dissect Circles, Mac Miller's latest album, released just over a year after his death. As the companion album to Swimming, his final release while alive, it's as emotional as you'd expect, as he continues to examine his own anxiety, depression and struggle with fame. But what hurts more is that he seems to have finally been starting to confront his mental health issues head-on and finding some peace. Knowing his story, and hearing him sing it in this way just makes the album that much more impactful.
READ
I've been reading a lot of celebrity biographies - I blame Michelle Obama - the latest of which were by Phoebe Robinson and Jonathan Van Ness. JVN, the breakout star of Queer Eye, wrote his memoir, Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love, tracking everything from his childhood through his darkest years. And let me tell you, he really goes there - from drug addiction to prostitution to sexual abuse, everything is laid bare. Conversely, Phoebe - star of 2 Dope Queens - puts a lighter spin on the bad parts of life in Everything's Trash, but it's Okay. She tackles everything from race to sex to money to Bono in a style of writing that makes you smile and feel like you're talking to your BFF.
