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Iconic Bathroom Scenes in Literature and Pop Culture

[Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash]

Poop is rarely the topic of polite conversation, but despite this, bathrooms (and especially toilets) have been the scenes of surprisingly iconic movie moments over the years! It’s not all toilet humor either. While this can certainly be the case, other movies manage to make awkward bathroom moments joyful, inspiring, vengeful, and even metaphorical.

Perhaps that’s something to take a cue from in how we talk about bathroom habits and bowel moments in general. That’s certainly what Julia Blohberger and Roos Neeter would like to see, and these yoga teachers and Ayurvedic practitioners have created Good Sh*t to help along the way. This guidebook to all things poop and health helps readers learn what our excrement can reveal about overall health and our bodies. It demystifies and lightens up the tendency to get very shy about something that literally everyone does!

In honor of Good Sh*t, we’ve got some of the best scenes that take place in bathrooms—and these are some good sh*ts too!

Posted by Rose Moore

Middle Grade and YA Books to Read Based on Your Favorite Miyazaki Film

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Today marks the eighty-first birthday of the beloved Hayao Miyazaki, and we’re here to celebrate his critically-acclaimed films. Known mainly for his work with Studio Ghibli, the animation studio he co-founded with fellow director/screenwriter/producer Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, Miyazaki’s made a huge impact on the international animation community and animation fans alike.

His original film Spirited Away is currently the eighth highest-grossing animated film of all time, five of his films place in the top ten highest-grossing anime films, and he’s won countless global awards and nominations for (including, but in no way limited to) the Tokyo Anime Awards, The Mainichi Film Awards, the US and Japan Academy Awards, the Annie Awards, Kinema Junpo Awards, and the Golden Bear Award. He’s also a Person of Cultural Merit, an official and high honor for those who’ve contributed to the creative advancement of Japanese culture.

Whether you’ve watched all his films, starting with Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, or you have that one comfort Miyazaki film that you turn to in times of need, the themes of humanity and nature, friendship and family, and all sorts of human emotions are sure to stick with you.

Many viewers still have that itch that only Miyazaki films can scratch, and while you wait for Miyazaki’s last film, based on Yoshino Genzaburo’s novel How Do You Live?, try these middle grade and young adult books based on your favorite Miyazaki film.

Posted by Gabrielle Bujak

The Matrix Resurrections: Other ’80s and ’90s Franchises That Deserve Follow-Ups

Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels

Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that revivals and reboots are a big part of Hollywood right now. From Ghostbusters to Home Alone to Child’s Play to this month’s highly anticipated release of The Matrix Resurrections (over 20 years since the first film was released), everyone loves seeing older franchises updated and brought back to the big screen.

Inevitably, moviegoers can expect more classic franchises to get refreshers, and while remakes are definitely an option, it seems that fans are far more interested to see continuations of the original story. Of course, not every ’90s franchise deserves a follow up and some have already had failed attempts, but these five would have the subject matter, big names, or devoted fanbase to pull off a resurrection of their own.

Posted by Rose Moore

The King’s Man: The Best Historical Spy Movies

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

The King’s Man hits cinemas this month, continuing the story of the Kingsman with a prequel – and instead of focusing on Eggsy, the underdog of the first film, it will look at how the spy organization fared in World War 1.

While the details of the plot will have to wait until it hits the big screen, fans of the series know that they can count on director Matthew Vaughn’s incredible approach, which means brilliant action, bold shots, and a lot of comedy to balance it out. This, and the original Kingsman, makes a change from the classic spy movie style, but it’s the time period that really makes this stand out. While there are many critically acclaimed spy flicks set in the modern day (or the era they were released in), giving things a period flair creates something truly special—as these other phenomenal historical spy and action movies do too.

Posted by Rose Moore

The Book of Boba Fett: New Star Wars Reading

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December is going to be the month of Boba Fett, as The Book of Boba Fett launches on the small screen on December 29th (hoping to recreate the success of The Mandalorian), and an actual book, Be More Boba Fett, lands on the shelves on December 21st. The book, a lighthearted look at entrepreneurship subtitled “Always Get the Job Done,” is bound to be a hit, and it isn’t the first Boba Fett book, either! In 2013, The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett was released, adding to the mythology and canon culture of the bounty hunters of this universe.

It’s easy to see why this bounty hunter is so popular, of course, as he’s one of the most mysterious characters from the original trilogy, and one whose mythology continues to grow as the Star Wars universe expands. He’s also far from the only one who has found their way into the pages of a book, as well as in adventures on screen. From tie-ins and novels to a Star Wars take on mindfulness and more, these are some of the best Star Wars books that have only come to the galaxy not-so-far-away a very short time ago…

Posted by Rose Moore

Disney+ Hawkeye Series: The Best Comics to Read Before You Watch

[Header from Marvel/Disney+'s Hawkeye]

This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Quirk Books may earn a commission.

The latest miniseries to join the Marvel Cinematic (small screen) Universe is Hawkeye—a six episode adventure into Clint Barton’s life, and that of his new protege, Kate Bishop. Marvel comic fans will, of course, know who Kate is, as she has a long-established history in the comic universe (she first appeared in 2005). However, fans of the on-screen super-verse only may not quite know what to make of this Hawkeye-in-the-making.

For those looking for a little background on Kate, her time with Clint, and of course, the much-beloved Pizza Dog, these are the best comics to get caught up.

Posted by Rose Moore