November Media Arcade

The orange hues of October are beginning to fade to grey as we make our way into the final part of 2025. I write this from the Devon countryside as my parents and I take a break from the hustle and bustle of normal life. They’ve earned it. October seemed to breeze by, and I think my Media Arcade worked out pretty successfully. I loved listening to Made in the A.M. and five seconds flat, which is playing on repeat in my mind. While I didn’t finish No Country for Old Men, I did finish volume three of The Walking Dead. My family and I watched Something Wicked This Way Comes the night before Halloween and it was even more absurd than I remembered but the perfect autumn watch. I saw Him in cinemas, and you can read my full review here. And I sped through the second season of Pretty Little Liars, engrossed by its twists and turns. The darker nights and biting cold mean staying inside this month isn’t such a bad idea after all. This is how I’ll be spending my November.

The first album I’ll be listening to this month is Starting Over by Chris Stapleton. Stapleton is arguably one of the greatest contemporary country artists, having won ten Grammy Awards from twenty nominations. Starting Over is an album I have listened to plenty of times, and I am consistently enthralled by Stapleton’s tone. It sways from soft acoustic guitar towards electric rhythms with heavier percussion and his distinct, punchy southern vocals. If you’re not usually a fan of country music, I’d recommend Chris Stapleton as the perfect introduction. You won’t be disappointed.

I have added Olivia Dean’s latest album, The Art of Loving, to my CD collection which will serve as the background to my drives this month. Dean has taken this year by storm, beginning with her contribution to the Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy soundtrack to her recent singles ‘Nice to Each Other’ and ‘Man I Need’. If you’re interested in my thoughts on The Art of Loving, you can find my full review via The Edge.

It was slightly ambitious of me to think I’d finish Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men in one month. Even though it’s a challenge for me, I’m enjoying it and I’m persevering. McCarthy’s words are simple, but his style is complex. We flit between several different perspectives as these characters follow each other through southern America and across the Mexico border. I often struggle with keeping track of characters and locations when reading and so I’m making sure to be extra careful that I understand how the book is progressing.

If I manage to complete No Country for Old Men, then I’ll be moving on to 11/22/63 by Stephen King. After reading The Long Walk earlier this year, I’ve been eager to move onto my next King book and 11/22/63 seemed like an incredibly popular choice. My group of friends have decided to start a mini book club, and this is our first read! One friend, the most well-read of us all, reached page 60 before passing it on to me. Stephen King is far from her usual, but we agreed that, if I ended up really enjoying it, I’d pass it back to her and she’d give it another go. We’ll have to see how far I can make it through its almost-1000 pages.

The first film I’m choosing from my watchlist is Sorry, Baby, the 2025 directorial debut from Eva Victor. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find this in local cinemas when it was initially released, but I’ve been eager to watch it! After reading an incredible article by B. Ruby Rich in the September issue of Sight & Sound, this film seems to tackle relevant themes in a thoughtful manner, and I’m interested in seeing what Victor has created. I might also add that Sorry, Baby stars my favourite actor John Carroll Lynch who brings something compelling to every performance.

There are plenty of films coming out in cinemas this month! I’d say I’m most excited for Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, the fourth and final Stephen King film adaptation of this year. Wright’s signature style is irresistible so I’m curious to see how he approaches King’s work which usually has a much darker tone; from the trailer, however, it seems as though it will still feature Wright’s classic comedic touch. The Running Man has a star-studded cast, including Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, and many others. This action thriller seems like the perfect film to watch on the big screen.

And, finally, I hope to finish season five of Orange Is the New Black. I began the show earlier this year, after an eager recommendation from a close friend, however the long runtime per episode made it hard to keep consistent. We have become intertwined with the show’s dense set of characters, and we continue to learn about their backstories before incarceration and their complex lives after leaving the prison. It’s a show that requires your full attention and, when it’s got you, you can’t think of anything else. For those that are familiar with it, the narrative of season five is a particularly brilliant one, and so I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

So, that’s my November Media Arcade! It feels as though the days are slipping by and I can’t quite sink my teeth into them, but I’m looking forward to exploring new things and completing that which I’ve not yet been able to. It feels surreal that the third Media Arcade will be December, my favourite time of year. I look forward to seeing you then!