Media during 2025: What did I read, watch and listen to?

As a society, we consume all the time. Perhaps, more often than not, this is more mindless than we care to think. We are constantly bombarded with trends, that then form into microtrends; until your life begins to seem like it is being ruled by the Internet. It is an overwhelming flow of information that simply moves too fast for the human mind to keep up with. We weren’t meant to think like this, to be dictated by electronic hierarchies, to purchase items simply based on who we saw wearing it just a few swipes ago. 

In response, I’ve decided to make a list of the three most impactful types of media that I have absorbed so far in 2025. I think it is infinitely more important to watch or read things that genuinely have a message that resonates with you, rather than just scrolling randomly with the screen changing every nanosecond. I hope this tour inspires you.

Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain

Before reading this, I hadn’t heard that much about Anthony Bourdain. I now realise that this was a grave error. This book is a ride to say the least, maybe even comparable to The Smiler at Alton Towers – but with a few more screws loose. Bourdain talks about his life from its very beginning; from his first real experience of good food in France as a child, to his crippling drug addiction and depression that haunted him sadly, to his end. Within these lines lie so much more than that. We see his true compassion and kindness for the world, his ability to connect with even the most remote of people; with language being no barrier. He was an outstanding communicator, writer and chef, whose breadth reached from the far corners of Paraguay to Bordeaux. He had an innate talent for relating to humankind, no matter the country. Reading this novel changed my life perspective, it made me realise that above all, connection with anyone and everyone is what we should be seeking.

Bourdain said famously in Kitchen Confidential that, “Your body is not a temple, it is an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.” I’ll let you think about that one.

All Of Us Strangers, Andrew Haigh

God, this film was something. I first watched it when it came out in 2023, but re-watched it recently with my lovely housemate Leonia, who felt equally devastated by it. This is a tale of grief, queerness, but most importantly loneliness, and how it can be so horrifically impactful. I won’t tell you about the plot, because it can’t truly be done justice through words, but you know if Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are starring in it; it’ll be fabulous. This is a true visual experience, full of beautiful cinematography and dialogue so potent it makes you catch your breath.

I can’t recommend this film highly enough to anyone, but it will be enjoyed in particular by those who love an artistic and ambiguous plot. People really need someone to talk to; that connection should always be fostered. Open the door to your neighbour next time, or you might be left wondering.

Static and Silence, The Sundays

My friend Hana was the one who introduced me to The Sundays, and thank God. I’ve been listening to their music for a little over 18 months now, but this album is what solidified their importance to me. This is a melancholic, whimsical cacophony of songs that blend together to create an album that is nothing short of spectacular. Their sound evokes an almost unplaceable feeling within me, a sentiment of wistfulness yet a blinding nostalgia for not one thing in particular. Maybe it’s a place, a person or a moment in time. Or maybe it’s everything. I don’t really know. Truly authentic music has the ability to do this. To release something inside of you that you can’t quite put your finger on, but it’s just the emotion that counts.

‘She’, ‘Homeward’, and ‘When I’m Thinking About You’ are my top three tracks from Static and Silence, but it’s a challenge to shortlist them. Give the album a listen. I hope they make you feel something. It’s ok if you don’t know what that feeling is.