It’s Friday. Looking for something to switch up your weekend, or to give you an excuse to relax a little? That’s what the Weekend Reset is for. Each week we’ll pull together five things to get your weekend started. Could be something to read or watch, something to eat or listen to, or even something to do. Enjoy the weekend fellas.
GO: Apple Picking
We’re in peak fall, people. And fall means apples. Whether on a (socially distant) date or with your significant other or family, there’s no better way to celebrate the season than to head to your local orchard and pick some apples. (What shall I wear to the apple orchard, you ask? Look no further: we’ve got you covered.) But whatever shall I do with all of these apples, you ask? Don’t worry: we got you covered. My favorite answer: make a crisp. Or dip them in caramel. Or make a pie. Or make a French apple cake. There are no wrong answers here. As an added bonus, many apple orchards also sell pumpkins — maybe you pick one or two of those up for Halloween pumpkin carving next weekend? Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash.
WATCH: Alien
With Halloween fast approaching, there’s nothing better than a scary movie to get you in the mood for All Hallows Eve. And man, I can’t think of a better chiller than Alien. I recently rewatched it over Zoom with several friends, and was blown away by how flawlessly it holds up. Everything in this film — from the set design to the art direction to the music to the Foley effects to the cinematography to the use of smoke, to the film’s sparse and perfect writing and it’s masterful direction — is designed to make you feel a sense of looming dread. So much of the Alien mythology has been absorbed into our mainstream pop culture, but this is where is all started, and it is just as good today as it was in 1979. Streams on HBO Max.
PLAY: Alien: Isolation
Speaking of looming dread. If watching Alien makes you want to LIVE IN the movie Alien — this is the game for you. In Alien: Isolation, you play Ripley’s daughter, sent to investigate the disappearance of her mother and the ship Nostromo. Instead of a simple run-and-gun shooter with tons of enemies, the genius of Alien: Isolation is that it’s simply you versus the Alien — and thanks to incredible AI design, the Alien is phenomenally smart, adapting to your your every move. Rather than emphasize gunplay, the game emphasizes stealth, smarts, and and survival horror mechanics. and lets you take on the Alien using the the motion trackers and flamethrowers from the original film. This is game that you play with the lights on — the perfect chiller for Halloween. Out on PC, Xbox, and PS4.
LISTEN: Father, Son, Holy Ghost by Girls
Very sadly, Chet “JR White, half of the short-lived but incredible indie rock band Girls, passed away this week. I’ve been since spending a lot of time listening to Girls’ second album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, an absolute classic of the early 2010s. This is a record that combines California surf rock, Pink Floydian scat-sung vocal licks, and Beatles-esque harmonies to create something wholly original. Put it on when you’re baking apple crisp or sipping on a hot whiskey sling, and you’ll quickly find yourself dancing around the house with a smile on your face.
READ: The Turn of the Screw
Henry James’ classic novella, The Turn of the Screw, might be the scariest thing I’ve ever read. The basis for both the movie The Others and the recent Netflix series The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Turn of the Screw is a ghost story about a Governess who takes care of two young children after the deaths of their parents — only for mysterious specters appear at the children’s estate. Written in James signature style, this is a story that will have you on the edge of your seat breathless by the end — and it’s under a hundred pages, so readable in an afternoon.
About the author: Michael Robin is an LA-based television writer. When he’s not working away on his latest pilot script, you can find him scuba diving, hosting Shabbat dinners, or goofing off with his goldendoodle, Biggie Lebowski.