The Ontarion’s staff picks
Rachel Weitz (Sports & Health Editor) recommends Big Mouth
Big Mouth is a Netflix original series created, produced, and written by comedian Nick Kroll, who also voices the protagonist and about 20 other characters. The show follows the lives of four 13-year-olds in middle school living in New York. Big Mouth is a twisted masterpiece that accurately depicts what it is like to be an awkward kid experiencing physical, psychological, and social changes throughout puberty. Each kid has their own hilariously vulgar “Hormone Monster,” a physical embodiment of puberty who tracks and influences their experiences as pubescent teens. While this series is often criticized for being perverted and graphic, it normalizes topics such as female masturbation, homosexuality, and generally bizarre sexual activities that kids this age do (spoiler alert: one kid is in a sexual relationship with his pillow). Big Mouth is the weirdest thing I’ve ever watched, and I love it.
Matteo Cimellaro (News Editor) recommends She’s Gotta Have It
Spike Lee’s first feature-length film (joint) centres around Nola Darling, a young, self-possessed black woman who can’t choose which man she wants, so she decides to date three different men at the same time. Much of the movie’s comedy derives from the conflict the men face, like at a scene where the three men share a dinner at Nola’s apartment. The movie is defined by unorthodox shots like fourth-wall breaking monologues and a musical number. The Netflix series remake is worth viewing too, but do yourself a favour and start with the movie.
Karen K. Tran (Arts & Culture Editor) recommends Lovesick
This British sitcom was originally titled Scrotal Recall before Netflix commissioned its second season and renamed it Lovesick. The premise of the series is main character Dylan’s discovery that he has contracted chlamydia, and is contacting all of his former lovers to inform them of his diagnosis. Each of the episodes focuses on Dylan’s past relationships through flashbacks, and he reminisces on what he perceived went wrong that led to breaking up. This sitcom can be pretty cheesy; it’s worth binging if you’re in a hopelessly romantic mood.
Tiffany Agliani (Director of Layout & Design) recommends Sex Education
It’s a British TV show on Netflix with only one season containing eight episodes that are approximately 45 minutes in length. It follows awkward teen Otis, whose mother is a relationship and sex therapist. He teams up with a sort of “bad girl” type peer named Maeve and they set up a clinic using Otis’ knowledge of sex and relationships to help their peers with their occasionally weird sex and relationship problems. I really enjoyed watching it! The show touches on themes like growing up and being in high school, the sexual pressures that come along with that, messy teen relationships, and relationships with parents. It also has awesome representation of many minority groups. The show openly talks about sex and LGBT relationships and really just normalizes it. I loved it.
Alora Griffiths (Multimedia Content Creator & Editor) recommends After Sex
A 2007 rom-com that follows eight different couples’ conversations about the ups and downs of relationships. What makes this film so different and fun is that all the conversations take place immediately after sex. There are also many different types of relationships being portrayed in this film: straight, lesbian, gay, open, swingers, and first timers. Usually films only show one or none of these types of relationships. It’s a fun film that shows no matter what type of relationship you’re in, we all experience certain universal emotions.