April Media Roundup
Dentists, Dungeons, and Dead Ends (in the Best Way)
Have you ever had one of those months where your brain feels like a spinning Netflix carousel and your nightstand is stacked like a mini library you actually want to read? Same.
From chaotic dentists and spy lovers to pixel-powered worlds and teen detectives spiraling into darkness, this past month had a little bit of everything. So if you’re in the mood for something intense, clever, messy, or just straight-up fun, here’s what’s been living rent-free in my head lately.
Sinners (2025) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You keep dancing with the devil... one day he's gonna follow you home.
Ryan Coogler left no commentary untouched. His use of movement and depiction of relationships and the roots of Black music by weaving through a crowded dance floor grabs your attention and demands to be listened to. AND while including the historical significance of the hold Chinese immigrants had in the grocery store industry in the South during the time.
Sinners is about a lot: community, faith, money, ownership, and how all that plays out in the American South. Michael B. Jordan (and Michael A. Jordan 😉 ) both fight against racism and a system stacked against them, symbolized by charming white vampires—capitalism pretending to help while actually draining people dry. The film shows how even when Black people finally claim space for themselves, they're still pressured to give some of it back to those who oppressed them.
It’s a mix of horror and history, told on a grand scale. And there is something ironic about how Coogler made a groundbreaking deal: getting final say on the film, a cut of the profits from day one, and ownership of the rights after 25 years, when the film speaks to unfair dealings.
Near perfect. Nearly. You killed me with Hailee Steinfeld (Mary). She kind of just appeared on the train tracks, and we understand there was some relationship there. But if she’s “passing” and the reason all hell hits the fan by going to speak with Remmick and bringing the spirits in– I want to know how they got a tight relationship to begin with. So tight it ruined their lives forever.
Novocaine (2025) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dorky lover boy Jack Quaid has all the ingredients needed for your typical trash rom-com down to the ‘willing to die for a girl he went on one date with’ trope 🤝 meets Deadpool
Quaid balances that boy-next-door charm with serious “I did not sign up for this” energy. What starts as a typical day at the office turns into prescription fraud, dead bodies, and some very questionable romantic decisions. It’s chaotic, stylish, and darkly funny. Honestly? A fun date night movie.
Minecraft (2025) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bro Thor but make it Bro Aquaman.
Genuinely had no idea Minecraft had a playable storyline outside you mine and you craft. But love Jack Black being Jack Black, and the villager Jennifer Coolidge falls in love with is on my hear me out cake.
There’s heart, humor, and some genuinely fun action. It manages to feel for all ages without taking itself seriously, which is all I really wanted with no real expectations. And given the reaction from the audience, it felt like one for the fans.
The Amateur (2025) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would want my husband to avenge my death to this extreme as well.
You know those movies where someone completely unqualified decides to become a full-blown vigilante? This is that, but smarter and grittier. I was half-stressed, half-cheering the whole time. No gadgets, no tuxes. Just raw determination and a few very poor decisions.
Black Bag (2025) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okay, so this was a total surprise gem. The colour grade on this movie was so incredibly dreamy?? Everything was so soft yet still kept the sleekness that comes with espionage intact.
There’s globe-trotting, snappy one-liners, and enough mystery to keep you second-guessing everything. It’s got big "don’t mess with me" energy and I am so here for it.
Also, bring back the 90-minute film. Did what it had to do perfectly in a short run time.
What I Read (and Immediately Needed to Talk About)
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okay. So imagine you’re grieving, trying to get your life together, and suddenly your late aunt’s apartment becomes a literal time portal, but only sometimes, and only seven years into the past. That’s the magic of The Seven Year Slip, and it somehow feels both whimsical and emotionally gutting in the same breath.
The love story is soft and bittersweet, the characters are so real you’ll want to text them advice, and the whole thing wraps around this quiet, lingering ache about timing, healing, and letting go.
It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. But it hits. Like, ugly-cry-on-the-couch hits. Perfect if you’re into second chances, a little time-travel magic, and love stories that are more “right person, wrong time” than fairy tale ending.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pip is back and trying to calm the heck down after solving a literal murder (as one does), but surprise: crime doesn’t take breaks. This sequel goes even deeper and somehow raises the stakes without losing the smart, witty tone of the first book. If you liked A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, this one is basically a required reading extension of that but in podcast form.
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So. Much. Darker. This one broke me a little bit (in a good way?). It’s the final book in the trilogy and Pip is just not okay — and honestly, neither was I while reading it. It takes a sharp left turn into psychological thriller territory with a huge dose of ethics, and I couldn’t put it down. Read it with snacks. And maybe a comfort show queued up after.
So yeah, it’s been a month of teeth, spies, pixel worlds, and teenage detectives spiraling into morally gray territory. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you’ve seen or read any of these, let’s scream about it together. And if you haven’t? Consider this your sign to dive in. Pick your chaos: murder, mystery, Minecraft, or mental breakdowns in book form.
Until next time — may your media be binge-worthy and your books never have dog-eared pages (unless it’s your copy, then live your truth).
