Give me biscuits or give me death

I watch a lot of random stuff, following links and suggestions, and I don't tend to keep track, so I thought I would dig back through some of my browsing history over the past few weeks, to look at the links I have followed.  I can see my algorithm at work here, which is always interesting. 

La Même Chose  (https://youtu.be/swjGGEI_rmM?si=DW1QbRtNSdTUKuqo)  This is a black and white 8 minute short film from 2024 starring the newly very bankable Connor Storrie from before he was famous and instead doing lots of interesting little arty projects with friends. This is a lovely detailed little interaction which works as a serious piece, and at the same time, a funny pisstake of a type of pretentious french film.  What really makes me smile is that lots of the fans commenting don't seem to think it's funny, so maybe it's just me, but 'give me biscuits or give me death' is excellent and I think I am going to add it to my collection of quotes to bring out when I am feeling dramatic.

Playlunch - this is what random scrolling on Instagram can bring you and I love that the algorithm thought I would like it (SPOILER - I do!) .  This Australian band just makes me laugh a lot.  It’s sweary so don’t open at work.  https://youtu.be/7PTvxw4fc9M?is=jpK3Ap_00ZhwHwaZ

Jack and Dan React  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjN8eGgeCP8)  I love a reaction video, and on YouTube there’s an endless choice of Gogglebox-like experiences to cover pretty much every tv and film you can think of which means that you are able to curate to your own interests and preferences.  I love seeing people love things I love, giving me a chance to enjoy it all over again but I also enjoy having an imaginary debate in my living room when I disagree with their takes.  I also love seeing people trying to watch things they don't understand, like a straight man reacting to a queer film or show, or a midwest American trying to understand a British costume drama.  Jack and Dan are one of my favourites, probably because they are also British and seem lovely, and I enjoyed this one in particular because it's funny and sweet watching them move from defensive blokeishness in episode 1 to full on tears at episode 5 and 6.  But other great ones include Reel Rejects and Reel Time  - both American but very good in general for the range of stuff they cover.

Substack   I love Substack anyway, a place where all sorts of interesting writing and niche interests find space to breathe.  Plus some 'proper writers' do interesting stuff there - here's something this week from Tom Cox  https://tomcox.substack.com/p/once-upon-a-time-on-a-lane.  However, my social media algorithm also found this one for me.  A romantasy writer who has written a fantastic essay about how interior thought and feelings are revealed in film/tv vs books.  https://inkayork.substack.com/p/the-interiority-problem-how-heated?r=2a4s3o&utm_medium=ios  Shes also done some brilliant reaction videos which pull out a fair number of the sub textual motifs and symbolism which elevates one particular show.  https://www.youtube.com/@TheSoftQueer

Americans discovering British stuff This is a whole genre which my algorithm knows I like so it's often offering me silly stuff, like Americans discovering British foodstuffs, but in this case it also offered this one.  Listening to reasonable Americans explaining why they still need guns even if they need to be controlled better is pretty scary.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpqIqqrU-Ow

MikeyJoTheatre  I follow a lot of theatre reviewers and never find one that I absolutely agree with, but this reviewer often has something interesting to say when he appears across my feed.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9lrnScdX3U

Tom Holland's Umbrella - this is just always in my history.  Didn't you know it's the law to watch it every time it comes across your feed?  It is always coming across my feed and I always watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPCJIB1f7jk

RB Dance Company  On Instagram I follow a load of choreography stuff and this is one I enjoyed a lot - lovely rhythm and synchronicity, both of which get me going  https://youtu.be/-CQPCD9OqJ0?feature=shared

This Film is Not Yet Rated.  Video sharing sites are full of old films, documentaries and other stuff.  This was a little treasure that I remember seeing and being incensed by years ago, probably on proper telly, and then I was sent the link by a friend in a Heated Rivalry group chat discussing the role of the patriarchy and the intersectional nature of squashing all sorts of people (yes, I know, but the internet contains multitudes...)   This one has the dvd extras I never saw before  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq2JiGRUzaw&rco=1   It made me cross all over again because although the people and the exact mechanisms may have changed I don't think much else is different now.

Hudson Williams is another actor unknown a year ago, newly bankable who has a history of weird artsy studenty short films while he was at film school.  My algorithm brings up all sorts of stuff and this is the latest.  He’s a really interesting actor as so much of his performance is internal whilst still highly visible, but he is also completely fearless, including physically,  in where he will take a role if needed.  This these are a couple of many really, really, student-coded things that came across my feed recently https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXgOqFIWcpE&list=PL06ubF6O4vzDFGmCcPnNW4gV0Xgp11zO6&index=5  or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMO51HA1laY&list=PL06ubF6O4vzDFGmCcPnNW4gV0Xgp11zO6&index=7

I don't know what you have discerned of my algorithm, but if you have spotted that along with artsy and funny stuff, Heated Rivalry is a currently a theme you would be right.  As well as the stuff referenced above, I have added new and different artists to my music listening, and I am currently reading a series of books about Ice Hockey culture, highlighting that it is really just unchecked patriarchy in microcosm. I recommend the the first one in particular - Beartown by Fredrik Backman.  I have also just booked to go to an ice hockey game with friends, which is definitely not in my usual comfort zone  but I believe in grabbing life experiences when they come my way so…. 

I noted a similar thing happen a few years ago when I enjoyed the Heartstopper tv series - I did a mindmap of the links at the time (here) and although I haven't done the map this time, I suspect a similar thing would apply now.   And I think if the internet had been more developed back in the day you would have seen a similar pattern when I fell in love with Green Wing, or West Wing or even, going back further almost to the beginning of time, The Partridge Family or Marc Bolan, as I would dig into performers, influences and other works, and investigate stuff adjacent to whatever is my current interest.  So, yes, it's scary that the internet knows what I like, and it's great that things are easier now.  But it's also fascinating to see how much influence we do have over our own algorithms - by changing a few things, the all powerful systems sitting behind social media will swing behind your new interests and leave the old in the dust.  I think it's pretty amazing that whatever you are interested in, from stamp collecting to line dancing, to a niche kind of horror movie, you will find stuff and probably a community.

As a late addition, this morning I listened to You're Dead to Me, one of my regular podcasts, which had an episode about historic fandom, which can be recognisably tracked back to the 1500s, with so many of the traits that today we would assign to social media.  Well worth a listen https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0p9lld4