decembherd
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! I hope you’re reigning in the opening days of the year with solid footing, and found clarity and closure in the final days of 2025.
For me, 2025 was a year of great trial and error — I cooked new things, crewed on bigger sets, traveled to unexpected places on short notice, added new crafts and trades to the repertoire, and (I say this with lots of self-love) very actively failed. Learned Oh So Much, and reveled in the bright spots of celebration throughout, but, all in all, it was a doozy. I wrote my yearly reflections and resolutions last week and was gobsmacked by how much the last two months recolored the year for me. But!! Update!! I am feeling better and climbing out of the perpetual chronic illness pain and fatigue!
Thank you to everyone who has checked in, taken additional calls, traveled further to meet me, forgiven extremely delayed responses and cancelled plans, or hung out with me without all my marbles — really really thank you. A big shout out to my brother, who texted me every morning to ensure I did my at-home-physical therapy. And an immense gratitude to Josh, who’s taken care of me through this, and loved me even when I didn’t recognize myself. Perpetually grateful for my incredible family and community. This was a terrifying season and I’m cautiously optimistic it is coming to a close, due to a ridiculous daily dose of antihistamines and frequent neuropathy stretches.
It feels right that the end of flare is coinciding with the end of the year. Someone recently mentioned to me that come Chinese New Year (2/17), we’ll be entering the Year of the Horse, full of fiery momentum, and leaving behind the year of the Snake, signified by shedding, or rebirth and renewal. And ya know what, that is comforting. I know my time in LA is abundantly showing, but I’ll take the hope. I’m ready to sprint! I’m ready for immense forward motion. So I’m wishing all of you a year of strength and progress and ease! May 2026 be a sweeter year for the world.
But what of December?
I journeyed to Texas and Florida for the Christmas holiday, during which time I started to miraculously improve, and got to enjoy holiday gatherings and spectacle. A wildly successful trip despite all odds, and a dissonant time and place to come to after eight weeks of strained brain space and body movement. Until then, my month consisted of, frankly, deranging pain, watching too many things, going to an outing per week, and knitting the days away. We made homemade jalapeño poppers for Hanukkah! And I knit a ton (for me! how do those IG people do it!?), enough to see myself improve in the hobby (I’m actually gauging!!!), and set my sights on next projects.
My return to making is slow but happening. I wrote a poem, and starting filming again. To shaking off the dust, thank goodness!
Last Month I Saw/Read:
{{KEY}}:
All caps, bold: MOVIE
All caps, bold, asterisk: SHORT*
All caps: MINI SERIES or TV SERIES, Season _
Italics: Museum: Exhibit
Quotation marks: “Play”
Italics, quotation marks: “Book” by Author
RC, rough cut
←, rewatch or reread//dec
WICKED: FOR GOOD
THE ROSES
TWINLESS
OH, HI!
STRANGER THINGS, Season 4
THE STUDIO, Season 1
HAMNET
ENGLISH TEACHER, Season 2
BAD SHABBOS
SHITHOUSE
NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS
BREAKABLE YOU
MILKWATER
AWAY FROM HER
MONSTER-IN-LAW
SACRAMENTO
SOME KIND OF HEAVEN
COLUMBUS
THELMA & LOUISE
“The Heirloom” by Jessie Rosen
HAMNET ←
UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE
WICKED: FOR GOOD ←
SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS ←
I LOVE LA, Season 1
SMASH, Season 1 ←
STRANGER THINGS, Season 5
WAKE UP DEAD MAN
A shocking fact about the above list is that 80% of it was consumed by the 15th and then I aggressively burned out on watching/listening to things. Before that point though, I went on a big stint of directorial debuts & second films! It was honestly refreshing and grounding for what’s possible on a low budget, or without 20 years of experience under the belt. In all of them, the cinematography was thoughtfully concise, the characters were distinct and dynamic, and the stories felt vulnerably personal. So, an ode to first and second stabs at big things, and for staying true to story <3
I should have known I’d like OH, HI! since I enjoyed THE BOY DOWNSTAIRS. Sophie Brooks, just getting stronger! The first 30 minutes are genuinely perfect. It moved away from things I cared about (probably because of Covid-filming restrictions) but landed the finish. Solid 90 min film; would recommend for a flight or late night on Netflix
Finally understand the Cooper Raiff hype! He really out the gate made everyone’s ideated first feature. Also shoutout to my dad for being the first person to recommend SHITHOUSE to me back in 2020 (actually)
The number of people in the past two years who’ve said I remind them of Greta Gerwig is now in the double digits, and thanks to NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, I am starting to understand whyyyyy. Oofs hard to see yourself reflected in a thing, but she’s brilliant, so I’ll take the compliment :)
Morgan Ingari, doing the impossible! POV of a messy person making bad decisions, and yet have me rooting for them the whole time?? Impressive as all heck. MILKWATER is an awesome directorial debut and hasn’t gotten enough word of mouth
I loved COLUMBUS. Kogonada, where have you been all my life!?! I watched at the tail end of my movie binge, where my watching interests were waning, and yet couldn’t tear my eyes from this film. As in put my knitting down to watch. Immaculate. Want to see on the big screen. AFTER YANG now top of priority watch list. And I guess I should check out PACHINKO as I really enjoyed that book !
The exception to the early director rule…
HAMNET, oh Hamnet. I adored this book and was anxious about the adaptation, and well, I needn’t have been. The way this film sits in my heart. I had an uncanny filmmaker-experience watching it where I could see all the work, see all the choices, and still be able to slip back and be lost in the world of it, be moved by it. Many claps to Chloe Zhao. Won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but boy was it made to my taste.
This year I made a great dent in my Letterboxd Watchlist (100 new-to-me films!), though awfully at seeing my 2025 Priorities. The last few months my Watched/Consumed blocks have been stacked because, well, I was bed ridden! Expect these sections to be lighter in the new year :) Here’s the full list of everything I watched / consumed in 2025, spotlights featured in the graphics. And voila! A new 2026 Priority List as well. What were your favorite art consumptions of the year?
Upcoming Releases:
Frankly, I’ve got some catching up to do! Films on my radar to catch that I missed this year: BUGONIA • IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU • IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT • MARTY SUPREME • NO OTHER CHOICE • PETER HUJAR’S DAY • REBUILDING • SENTIMENTAL VALUE • SINNERS • THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE
This January, I’m keeping an eye out for…
PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION (1/09 ) — The first of the Emily Henry adaptations!! Still somewhat surprised they chose a male director. This book low key inspired the feature I’m currently writing, so, yes I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with it!
ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU (1/09) — multigenerational story of Palestinian survival. Went to Telluride, Sundance, AFI, and the trailer looks great
TELL ME LIES, Season 3 (1/13) — I got to work briefly for Meaghan Oppenheimer this year, and I’m excited to see her finish this show out
A KNIGHT OF SEVEN KINGDOMS, Season 1 (1/18) — the Game of Thrones tentpole has me hook, line, and sinkered
THE GALLERIST (1/24) — Sterling K. Brown, Jenna Ortega, Natalie Portman, sign me up
BRIDGERTON, Season 4 (1/25) — guys, live a little
SHRINKING, Season 3 (1/28) — may it continue to be strong and complicated!
To creating, celebrating everything, and making the shadow work visible. To a new year!!!!