January Staff Picks

Mika Ellison

The Dispossessed

It’s been a while since I’ve read Ursual K. Le Guin, so picking up The Dispossessed was a pleasant surprise, since I’d forgotten just how utterly masterful Le Guin is at what she does.

Like many of her novels, The Dispossessed, written in 1974 (I know, I’m late, whatever) is pretty obviously a thought experiment, or rather a series of thought experiments, mostly about what kinds of society are possible for humanity to sustain. Le Guin was inspired by the writing of famous anarchists to create a speculative anarchist society on the moon, one that had split off over a hundred years ago from their capitalist planet. And then she spins out exactly what that might look like, from the perspective of a physicist from the moon who visits the capitalist planet on a research trip/mission. 

But the magic of Le Guin, and what makes her an absolute titan of the genre, is all of this complicated political machinery is reduced to what it actually is: people making decisions, many of them flawed, but just as many attempting to do right by their community and their loved ones. Le Guin’s respect for human compassion, and the ability for people to grow and change, is all the more incredible because of how clearly she sees human nature itself. When she suggests a new vision of humanity, and when she imagines a better, different world, you listen. Because in her hands, anything seems possible. 
The Dispossessed functions brilliantly as both an allegory for the world we live in and as a story that envelops you with its exacting detail and riveting plot. Par for the course for Le Guin, but a revelation for me.

Ari Iscariot

Iron Lung

The end of the world. A convict sentenced to scour an alien planet covered in an ocean of blood. A sea floor littered with clues regarding the disappearance of humanity. Haunted by the ghosts, mistakes, and betrayals of his past, this convict fights to survive in the isolation of a welded shut, rusted submarine and to withstand the influence of horrors so Eldritch and incomprehensible he can barely hold onto his sanity.

This is the premise of Mark Fischbach’s indie horror movie, Iron Lung, adapted from a video game of the same name. Self-financed, cowritten, directed, distributed, and starred in by Mark, this film wasn’t expected to show in more than 50 to 200 theaters. But after insistent requests to theaters, made by fans of Markiplier (Mark Fischbach’s widely successful Youtube channel) and of the game, Iron Lung has shown in more than 4,000 theaters and debuted to the tune of $21.7 million, after reportedly costing $3 million to make. So what’s the secret to the film’s success? 

Firstly, adulation must be given to the technical aspects. With such a small set (a painted wooden box pumped full of 80,000 gallons of blood) the film could have easily become visually boring, trapped in the same space for most of the story. But brilliant camera work elevates the visuals past the usual indie benchmark. The film makes clever use of reflections (a glass port window, a computer screen, even the convict’s eyes) and capitalizes on intense close-ups and dramatic lighting to reveal information in carefully measured punches. Exploration and discovery ensure the space doesn’t feel static, secrets are continually discovered: written messages, concealed panels, and pitch-black crawlspaces. Mark’s acting, after a slow, building start, further guarantees the audience stays invested. His big personality and dramatics are streamlined into a galvanic, desperate, heart-wrenching performance. The eerie sound design, cataclysmic soundtrack, and ever ratcheting tension leaves you raw, gasping, and abs sore from flinching. The emotional aspect of the terror weighs heavy, as the claustrophobic space allows you no visual distraction or escape.

The second secret to the film’s success is the expansion of the convict’s backstory and the game’s lore. Without getting too spoilery, I believe fans of the game will be pleased with how the original story was preserved, while also providing the convict with more depth and agency. In the film, the convict is given the opportunity to decide his fate, and by extension, the fate of humanity. “This is bigger than any of us,” is the film’s repeated tagline, and while it’s unfair not all of humanity will survive, our characters believe sacrifice is a worthy price to pay to leave the world a better place. This allows the film an ending that, while not joyous, still has a breath of hope in it, and is deeply satisfying.

I find this theme strangely fitting for Mark’s first directorial debut. He has expressed many times his own desire to leave the world a better place for future generations. With this film, Mark is trailblazing and inspiring and doing good—creating a blood drive alongside the premiere of the movie, paying bonuses to all his staff after the movie’s success, netting a win for filmmakers by showing independent passion projects can survive and thrive without the support (and censure) of a massive Hollywood studio. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say the success of this movie is a win for everyone, the people who made it, the fans who supported it, and the future movie-makers it will inspire to break beyond the constraints of the industry. Most of all, it’s a win for audiences that desire daring art created with imagination and spite and love.

Taylor Pittman

Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry is a Crave original that HBO picked up at the end of 2025. When I tell you, I’ve been obsessed with this show since its release. Based on the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid, Heated Rivalry follows Shane and Ilya, two rival hockey players, who end up falling in love with each other. For romance lovers, it has everything: the chemistry, the tension, and a bit of spice. 

However, it is incredibly emotional at times as it explores the struggles professional athletes face regarding their sexuality and the homophobia they may encounter. In fact, since its release, several hockey players have come out themselves, and there is more support and representation in the sport than ever before. It’s already been confirmed for season two, and I can’t wait to see Shane and Ilya’s story continue.