CBD is one of the Cannabis plant’s main components, along with THC. Unlike THC however, CBD is non-psychoactive, which means one can enjoy its many benefits without experiencing an intense and uncomfortable high. Doctors from around the world have praised CBD for its therapeutic effects and health benefits, particularly when it comes to the treatment of chronic pain disorders. Full-spectrum CBD [which does contain THC] has been compared in efficacy to a number of prescription-strength pharmaceutical analgesics, like codeine for example.
If you want a natural painkiller that contains no harmful additives, then CBD is for you.
Here’s how you can use it to relieve pain.
Consider Strength
One of the first things to consider when you’re shopping for CBD is strength. If you are going to treat a pain disorder, you will need to find potent CBD oils, preferably full-spectrum ones. Full-spectrum oils contain THC, but not enough to produce a high. They are extremely effective and work as anti-inflammatories and analgesics. In addition, they are fast-acting. You need to find an oil that’s strong enough to deal with your pain effectively, so run-of-the-mill CBD won’t do. If you’re confused about what strength you need, speak to your physician or alternatively get in touch with an online dispensary and ask for their advice.
Organic Ingredients
If you are going to use CBD as a painkiller, then the chances are that you don’t want to use pharmaceutical painkillers, probably because of their harmful ingredients. It’s important, if this is the case, to only purchase organic CBD. There’s no point in investing in non-organic CBD, because it will contain pesticides, additives, and potentially harmful ingredients. In addition to looking for a CBD oil that is derived from organic plants, you also need to find one that has been extracted without using solvents. Manufacturers will tell you whether oil is organic or not on the product’s packaging. You can also email them and ask them for advice, if you can’t find this information yourself.
Product Cost
CBD oil can be expensive, but there are ways that you can save money. One of the best ways to avoid paying full-price for CBD products is to buy them during sale season or alternatively apply a coupon at checkout. Most CBD retailers offer coupons in order to make their products more affordable to people who are on low incomes. If you can’t find any coupon codes, then see if your chosen dispensary has a sale section and buy CBD from there. With Christmas fast approaching, it’s very likely that your chosen dispensary will be holding some kind of sale. Be wary of websites that offer extremely low prices on their CBD products, however. Even when it’s discounted, CBD should still be somewhat expensive.
Consider Dosage
Once you have found a CBD product that you’re interested in buying, you need to plan out how much you will be taking. In order to take the right amount, you will likely need to work out your height and weight. You can do this at home or by visiting your physician. You should also speak to a healthcare professional in order to work out exactly how much you should be taking for your condition. In addition to planning your exact dosage, you also need to plan out how often you will be taking CBD.
Other Products
In addition to oils, there are many other CBD products that you can buy. It’s worth considering different product types if you aren’t enthused with the idea of taking an oil several times a day. With that said, you can make your own CBD products with CBD oil. You can use it to cook or you can apply it to water, assuming that you have purchased a water-soluble oil. If you would rather buy products ready to consume, then here are your options:
Vapes
Vapes were originally designed as a way for people to quit smoking, but can now be used for the consumption of CBD and THC. CBD vape capsules are fast-acting and are just as effective as CBD oil.
Ointments
CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory and can be used to treat a number of different skin conditions. If you are suffering from a skin condition, then you may want to buy CBD in ointment or lotion form.
Gummies
Gummies are edible CBD sweets that contain concentrated CBD oil. If you want to consume CBD but don’t want to apply oil to your drink or tongue, then gummies are a great alternative.
CBD is a very effective painkiller as long as it is taken carefully and responsibly, as part of a wider treatment plan. Make sure to work out your treatment plan with a healthcare provider, so that you find one that’s perfect for you. In addition, do your best to live a healthy lifestyle.
Rachel Brown, one-half of the duo Water From Your Eyes, has announced a new album under the moniker Thanks for Coming. The follow-up to September’s #1 Flake in North America is called rachel jr., and it arrives on January 9. “i will be releasing my very first self-produced album called ‘rachel jr.’ on my 25th birthday in exactly 2 weeks from now,” Brown wrote on Twitter. They’ve also shared two new tracks from the LP, ‘Hard Drive’ and ‘To Become Immortal — And Then Die’. Check them out below and scroll down for the album cover and tracklist.
rachel jr. Cover Artwork:
rachel jr. Tracklist:
1. Nonsense Highway
2. Dear Rachel
3. Hard Drive
4. Lehigh (I Take Back What I Said About Florida)
5. To Become Immortal — And Then Die
6. Singular
7. Pushing the Limit
8. Destroy Me
9. My Name
10. Delusions Of Grandeur
11. In My Pockets
12. Torch Song
Neil Young has unveiled a previously unreleased album called Summer Songs. Originally recorded at Broken Arrow Ranch in 1987, the eight-track LP features early versions of songs that would later appear on 1989’s Freedom (‘Wrecking Ball’, ‘Someday’, ‘Hangin’ on a Limb’), Harvest Moon (‘One of These Days’), Psychedelic Pill (‘For the Love of Man)’, and CSNY’s 1988 record American Dream (‘American Dream’, ‘Name of Love’), as well as the song ‘Last of His Kind’, which Young debuted at the 1987 Farm Aid but never officially released. Subscribers of the Neil Young Archives can stream the album here.
Young wrote in a blog post:
Happy Holidays everyone! I think you will enjoy this very cool recording – lost for years, but not forgotten. Now a gift. NYA’s files reveal the whole history. American Dream feels more real than ever. How could somethin’ so good go bad so fast? Wow, that was a little sad. But things are still good down on the farm right? Not so fast. Thanks Willie, John, Dave, Carolyn, Annie, for all you’ve done. It’s an honour being there with you. Replanting for next year? The farmer’s wife, the children, the animals. the birds. Kinda leaves you hangin’. We can win.
Earlier this month, Young and Crazy Horse issued their latest album Barn.
✞✞✞ (Crosses), the project of Deftones’ Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez, have returned with a cover of Q Lazzarus’ 1988 track ‘Goodbye Horses’. It follows their rendition of Cause & Effect’s ‘The Beginning of the End’, which arrived in December 2020 and marked the band’s first new music since their self-titled 2014 album. ✞✞✞ also tackled ‘Goodbye Horses’ shortly after the release of their debut. Listen to their new take on the track below.
Following their signing to Warner earlier this week, ✞✞✞ confirmed in a post on social media that they have more music in the way, slated for release in 2022.
twst has shared a new music video for her latest single ‘Sugared Up’. Released last month, the track is a hyperpop take on ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’, from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1892 ballet The Nutcracker. Check out the Vasso Vu-directed visual below.
The festive season is always a good time to rewatch some familiar favorites, even if they’re non-Christmas comfort movies and TV shows. Years after its conclusion, NBC’s The Office continues to be a hit all year round, but luckily for Christmas enthusiasts, the series includes seven Christmas episodes.
Like most long-running shows, The Office has its ups and downs across the nine seasons. At its best, it’s a well-paced sitcom that draws laughs out of almost any kind of viewer. At its worst, it can be offensive and flat. The same goes for the show’s Christmas episodes – so here’s every Christmas episode in The Office, ranked from worst to best.
7. A Benihana Christmas (season 3, episodes 10 & 11)
This episode begins with a promising set-up: Carol dumps Michael after she realizes how immature he is (it takes him photoshopping himself into a family photo of her with her children and ex-husband on a ski trip). After the breakup, Michael invites Jan on a trip to Jamaica. In the office, the Party Planning Committee is at odds when Pam and Karen try to plan a margarita karaoke party to rival Angela’s stiff, boring breakroom party. Kevin finds himself torn between Angela’s brownies and the fun of Pam’s party, while Andy and Dwight fight for Michael’s attention by consoling him in his heartbreak.
Michael takes Andy, Dwight, and Jim to Benihana’s as a Christmas treat and an attempt to make himself feel better. Dwight is forced to sit separately, allowing Andy the chance to suck up to Michael while Dwight shouts across the table to participate in the conversation. This segment is a funny one until Michael brings two Asian waitresses to the office and makes a string of offensive remarks about them, going so far as to use a marker to tell them apart. While entertaining at times, this episode suffers from an overtly racist storyline. Even for a comedy, and even for a series that aired in 2006, the implications cannot be ignored.
6. Christmas Wishes (season 8, episode 10)
In this Christmas episode, Andy is the boss at Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, and he’s decided to grant his subjects any Christmas wishes they may have. Erin quickly finds a few holes in this ambitious vow. She becomes jealous of Jessica, his new girlfriend who tags along for the office Christmas party, and Robert California persuades her to drown her sorrows in alcohol. The insinuation that the new CEO of Sabre is interested in Erin – who is very drunk, much younger than him, and clearly pining over Andy – gives the episode an undertone of awkwardness that is never addressed head-on.
Meanwhile, Darryl is trying to impress Val from the warehouse after she shows up to the party extremely overdressed – at his presumptuous suggestion. The most entertaining subplot, though it’s the least original by the end of season 8, is Jim and Dwight’s struggle to give up their pranks at the risk of losing their Christmas bonuses. Theirs is the most entertaining plotline of the episode, especially since Pam is away on maternity leave and Michael has left the show at this point. Apart from Jim and Dwight’s antics, the rest of the episode is a little tedious and probably the least original of all of The Office‘s Christmas episodes.
5. Moroccan Christmas (season 5, episode 11)
In an attempt to liven things up, Phyliss throws a Moroccan-themed Christmas party as head of the Party Planning Committee. However, Meredith’s excessive drinking soon brings the proceedings to a halt when her hair catches fire. Michael decides to hold an intervention for her, but instead of helping Meredith, he ends up insulting her and making her feel terrible about herself. In the end, he forcibly drags Meredith to a rehabilitation center, only to learn that patients must admit themselves voluntarily.
This episode’s subplot involves Dwight selling “Princess Unicorn” dolls to fathers who haven’t bothered to think of Christmas presents for their daughters – only he’s inflated their price to make a sizable profit. When Toby is desperate to buy his daughters one of the dolls, he bargains with Darryl, who has just bought the last one. However, he balks when he sees that the doll is Black but is too nervous to say anything to Darryl. The real payout of the episode comes when Phyllis finally reveals to everyone in the office – minus Andy – that Angela has been sleeping with Dwight. After building up Phyllis’s new upperhand over Angela, it’s satisfying to see her triumph over the rigid woman.
“Moroccan Christmas” is a solid episode all-round, but it doesn’t quite match up to some of the other Christmas episodes. However, it does have one of the best cold opens of the series, where Jim wraps Dwight’s belongings in gift paper. When Dwight tries to sit at his desk, he discovers that his whole work space has been replaced with hollow cardboard.
4. Dwight Christmas (season 9, episode 9)
“Dwight Christmas” has to be one of the most original episodes of the series, while relying on familiar plotlines to carry it through. Dwight and Jim’s relationship comes to a head when Jim has to leave Dwight’s German-themed Christmas party to go to his new job in Philadelphia. As the last Christmas episode of the series, it’s a satisfying one with great emotional payoff. Dwight is visibly upset about Jim’s departure, and it’s one of the first times audiences can see how much he truly cares about Jim. When Jim decides to postpone his trip until the following day, Dwight is overjoyed at his return. Of course, the main reason Jim returns is to be with Pam, which fills the episode out nicely.
Dwight introduces his co-workers to some hilarious holiday rituals over the course of the episode, and his Belsnickel costume is a memorable fixture. Meanwhile, Erin watches Die Hard with Pete while Andy is on a boat in the ocean, and Toby tells Nellie every excruciating detail about the Scranton Strangler case. Darryl fears that Jim has forgotten his promise to introduce him to the Philadelphia gang, but is reassured by Jim that he’s organized a meeting for him. By this point, Darryl has drunk enough alcohol to drown his anger that he crashes the party – literally. The highlight of the episode, however, is easily the dynamic between Jim, Dwight, and Pam. It makes for a memorable and enjoyable Christmas episode with plenty of laughs and a great emotional payoff.
3. Christmas Party (season 2, episode 10)
The first Christmas episode of the series begins with a Secret Santa gift exchange. Jim is excited to give Pam a teapot she’s wanted for a while, and which he has filled with personalized mementos. Michael, meanwhile, is excited to give Ryan an iPod, though the price limit for gifts was $20. Michael is disappointed when he receives a hand-knitted oven mitt from Phyliss and suggests a game of Yankee Swap. Jim watches anxiously as Pam’s teapot travels from person to person, dismayed when she requests the iPod. Michael, meanwhile, struggles to get rid of the oven mitt, offending Phyllis.
Dwight ends up with the teapot, while others end up with personalized gifts meant for their colleagues. Pam trades the iPod for Jim’s gift after Roy tells her he planned to get her an iPod anyway. Jim decides not to give her the letter he’d written for her, but is pleased when Pam appreciates his gift and the effort he put into it. Afterwards, Michael disobeys company policy and brings an excessive amount of vodka to the party. Meredith gets drunk and exposes herself to him in his office. Angela, meanwhile is upset that nobody appreciated the effort she put into planning the party, and is jealous when Kelly suddenly seems interested in Dwight. The subplots in this episode work well without overshadowing the main plot, making for an entertaining and well-executed episode. Each character gets a chance to shine, which is useful for audiences who are just getting to know the ensemble early in the show’s run.
2. Classy Christmas (season 7, episodes 11 & 12)
Michael’s last Christmas with Dunder Mifflin is a memorable one. In “Classy Christmas”, he has just learned that Holly Flax will be returning to the Scranton branch while Toby is on jury duty for the Scranton Strangler case. In preparation for Holly’s return, Michael proposes a classier Christmas party. Holly arrives, and it’s clear that they still share an emotional connection, but Michael is heartbroken to learn that she’s still in a relationship with A.J. Feeling sorry for Michael, Pam and Phyllis talk to Holly, and she decides to give A.J. an ultimatum: if he doesn’t propose to her by the end of the year, she will end their relationship.
Michael is encouraged by this news until A.J. arrives to surprise Holly for Christmas. He behaves immaturely, upsetting Holly. Meanwhile, Pam and Andy help Darryl make Christmas at the office fun for his daughter. Holly forgives Michael for his behavior when she sees him dress up as Santa to make Darryl’s daughter happy. Angela brings her boyfriend Senator Lipton to the party, where Oscar immediately suspects that he is gay. Pam makes Jim a comic book as a Christmas present, while Jim engages in a prolonged snowball fight with Dwight. The fight escalates over the course of the day, leaving Jim traumatized.
While funny, this episode also leaves room for some wholesome family moments, reminding the audience of what Christmas is really about. It gives Michael a chance to show the audience – and the other characters – who he really is, even while he continues with his antics. The subplots are entertaining and fit well into the overall storyline. Overall, this is a great episode of The Office.
Secret Santa (season 6, episode 13)
As the boss, Michael is excited for another Christmas of dressing up as Santa in the office. However, he’s disheartened when he arrives at work to find that Jim has allowed Phyllis to be Santa that year. Michael becomes petty and eventually calls David Wallace, who informs him that Dunder Mifflin has been bought out. Partly to take the attention away from Phyllis and back to himself, Michael tells the other employees that they’re all going to lose their jobs. They call David again, but he reassures them that the office employees will keep their jobs – it’s the corporate team who will likely be replaced.
Meanwhile, Andy has decided to give Erin the twelve days of Christmas – literally. He thinks it’s a romantic gesture, while she is terrified and annoyed of being harassed by geese and other birds. Erin requests that her Secret Santa stop sending her the gifts. Andy’s interactions with her become awkward when she suspects that he’s her Secret Santa; Andy asks Phyllis to keep it a secret, but Michael reveals Andy’s cover. At the end of the episode, he sends “twelve drummers drumming” to the parking lot, and Erin is pleased.
“Secret Santa” is one of the funniest episodes of The Office, thanks to iconic scenes like Kevin sitting on Michael’s lap, Pam playing matchmaker for Oscar and Matt from the warehouse, and Dwight finally piecing together Michael’s Secret Santa gift with childlike joy. The episode does a great job of humanizing Michael after his selfish and immature behavior regarding the Santa incident. With the drama of Dunder Mifflin being bought, it’s a strong episode without a dull moment, and it still holds up years after its premiere.
Nas is back with a new project titled Magic, produced by Hit-Boy. The Christmas Eve release follows this year’s Grammy-nominatedKing’s Disease II, the sequel to 2020’s King’s Disease. It features nine tracks, including a collaboration with A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier called ‘Wave Gods’. Listen to it below.
Hit-Boy produced and executive produced both King’s Disease and King’s Disease II. Earlier this year, he teamed up with Nas on the singles ‘Big Nas’ and ‘Life Is Like a Dice Game’.
2021 has been another interesting year for film. With more productions getting back on their feet thanks to Covid-19 vaccination programmes, we can be cautiously optimistic about what’s on the horizon. As for this past year, Our Culture has once again selected an eclectic range of titles (chosen by key staff and contributors) which we feel were the cream of the crop.
No Time To Die (Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga)
Daniel Craig made his final appearance in the James Bond series with No Time To Die, leaving no stone unturned. The film was an emotional send-off that arguably marked the most successful Bond era since the late Sean Connery, who concluded his portrayal of James Bond in 1983. No Time To Die captured a more personal Bond, one with ties and emotional depth seen across Craig’s run. This level of character evolution has brought the franchise to further acclaim and planted a positive seed for Bond’s future. – Modestas Mankus
Luzzu (Dir. Alex Camilleri)
Luzzu, a Maltese film by Alex Camilleri, follows a struggling Maltese fisherman who faces the lure of selling his fishing boat and joining a black-market enterprise that ravages the fish population and the livelihoods of local community. The simple yet intriguing story of the film captures the ever-changing lives of fishermen through outstanding cinematography and captivating performances. – Modestas Mankus
Censor (Dir. Prano Bailey-Bond)
If Censor tells us anything, it’s that director Prano Bailey-Bond has a very exciting future in film. The story follows Enid (Niamh Algar), a censor for the British Board of Film Classification during the height of the ‘video nasties’ moral panic. Every day she wades through a slew of violent films until one title in particular stirs uncomfortable memories of her missing sister. In her desperate search for answers, Enid’s behaviour becomes erratic and destructive.
This is a terrific debut feature from Bailey-Bond. Her affection for horror history is evident as she captures precisely what the video nasties panic was really about: a government incapable of understanding social issues as a result of complex, intersecting factors and instead choosing an easy scapegoat. How she uses that background to frame Enid’s desperate struggle for closure is fantastic. Perceived social ills cannot be solved by quick legislation, just as one’s own grief can’t be easily settled. I cannot wait to see what Bailey-Bond does next. – Christopher Stewardson
Mad God (Dir. Phil Tippett)
Our Culture was lucky enough to see Phil Tippett’s Mad Godearlier this year at the Fantasia International Film Festival – and what a privilege. Tippett had been working on Mad God off and on for over 20 years, with the film finally seeing the light of day earlier this summer.
It’s a nightmarish vision of warfare on an unfamiliar world. Told almost entirely through stop-motion animation, the film follows a strange soldier who is lowered into the planet’s underworld, map in hand, on a mysterious mission. On their way, they bear witness to numerous atrocities, weird creatures, and violent conflicts.
It’s an extraordinary piece of work, visually astonishing and dotted with resonant images. In Tippett’s words, “the final form of Mad God is the memory after you watch it, like waking up and exploring the memory of a dream you just had.” Hopefully it’ll soon make its way to home video, so we can pick that dream apart once again. – Christopher Stewardson
Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Dir. Ahmir Thompson)
2021 was a great year for music documentaries. Britney Spears was the subject of four feature-length films that brought the #FreeBritney movement further into the public eye. Peter Jackson’s engrossing The Beatles: Get Back docuseries changed our perspective on the band’s final days. There were acclaimed documentaries on Tina Turner, The Velvet Underground, and Billie Eilish. But perhaps none was as revelatory as Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s Summer of Soul, which would be true even if all it did was unearth footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival that was buried in a basement for 50 years. A 19-year-old Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples are just a few of the icons who are featured, and the film understands that it’s a wonder simply to watch these performances unfold. But it also uses the spirit of radical joy that unites them as an opportunity to shine a light on the culture and racial politics that surrounded these artists, creating a vibrant narrative that sits at the opposite end of another insightful 2021 music doc, Woodstock 99. Summer of Soul not only presents a powerful moment in the history of Black music, but serves as a loving tribute to it. – Konstantinos Pappis
Titane (Dir. Julia Ducournau)
Julia Ducournau followed up her cannibalistic 2016 debut Raw with a film that’s at least as ravenous and transgressive. But while Titane is most definitely a wild ride, it’s also much more than that: anchored by a fearless performance from newcomer Agathe Rouselle, this Palme d’Or winner takes the thrills of body-horror fantasy and uses them as a means of exploring queerness, family, and identity. You could describe it as a film in which an exotic dancer with a car fetish goes on the run after a killing spree, which might be enough to explain why it provokes such a visceral reaction – but Titane addresses deeper questions as much as it’ll have you mumbling “What the fuck?” at every turn. Ducournau may not offer answers to these questions, but the fact that she raises them with such bracing sincerity and a commanding vision is an achievement in and of itself. – Konstantinos Pappis
Seance (Dir. Simon Barrett)
Simon Barrett is the writer of some of the best genre films in recent memory – chiefly You’re Next (2011) and The Guest (2014) – and one of the primary creatives behind the V/H/S series, which returned this year with the excellent V/H/S94 (Hail Raatma). While Barrett helmed an excellent and extremely creepy short for the latest instalment of the found-footage anthology series (a 2021 horror highlight in its own right), his larger contribution to the genre this year came in the form of his feature debut in the director’s chair: Seance.
A gleeful mash-up of the slasher movie and the haunted house film, Seance takes place in a prestigious boarding school, where new blood Camille (Suki Waterhouse) is invited to sit around a Ouija board with the resident meal girls. They intend to contact the spirit of a student who recently died by falling from the window of her dorm room following a cruel prank – a decision they very quickly come to regret. Packed to the rafters with unpredictable twists and turns, Seance has all the hallmarks of Barrett’s best work – it’s a perfect balance of genre thrills, laugh-out-loud humour and astute social commentary. – Craig Mann
Gunda (Dir. Viktor Kossakovsky)
Gunda is unlike any other nature documentary. It’s also unlike any documentary about farm life. Executive produced by one of Hollywood’s most famous vegan activists, Joaquin Phoenix, this quietly revelatory black-and-white film from Russian director Viktor Kossakovsky takes a different approach from eye-opening documentaries like Earthlings or Dominion, as it avoids passing judgment or making its message explicit. It makes no attempt to anthropomorphise these animals, to insist that they are like us, or focus on the incalculable suffering humans inflict on them. Instead, it subtly prioritizes and gently immerses us in their unique point of view, following the daily life of the titular pig, two cows, and a one-legged chicken without adding music or voiceover narration. It’s a serene and meditative mood piece that fills us with wonder for the 90 minutes that we’re allowed to enter their curious world. But the slightest sign of human intervention is enough to disrupt this peace, and as it moves from beauty to transcendence, Gunda’s devastating finale leaves us with no choice but to reconsider our relationship with the animals we consume. – Konstantinos Pappis
Candyman (Dir. Nia DaCosta)
The original Candyman (1992) is a classic of modern horror cinema, and its eponymous entity has taken his rightful place in the pantheon of contemporary horror villains. So Candyman (2021) director and co-writer Nia DaCosta had her work cut out in bringing the character back to the big screen following Candyman 3: Day of the Dead(1999). And then there was the widespread confusion as to what a new Candyman would be: a remake? A sequel? A ‘reimagining,’ whatever that means? As it turns out, DaCosta’s film is essentially a straight sequel, in which Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) – an artist living in the since-gentrified housing block at the centre of the first film – falls under Candyman’s thrall.
But its power lies in its revisionism; it is far from a slavish love letter to Bernard Rose’s movie. Where the 1992 film ultimately revolves around a white woman drawn to the vengeful spirit of a Black man, 2021’s Candyman keeps its attention keenly focused on issues faced by the Black community: poverty, police brutality and everything that comes with unchecked institutional racism. And, most importantly, it recognises that while (white, wealthy) society has an unfortunate habit of making monsters out of the marginalised, Candyman is not really a ‘villain’ at all, but rather a tragic symbol of America’s consistent failure to enact meaningful change. – Craig Mann
The Power of the Dog (Dir. Jane Campion)
It might take a while for The Power of the Dog to get under your skin. Jane Campion’s first feature-length film in more than a decade (she co-wrote and co-directed two seasons of Top of the Lake in the interim) runs like an epic Western but has the air of an atmospheric period drama, with echoes of her 1993 classic The Piano and a mesmerising performance from Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of a tortured cowboy in 1920s Montana. Based on the 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, this slow-burn of a film is interesting for the elusive ways in which it plays with genre, but it’s Campion powerful vision and sense of control that makes it such an unsettling and poignant experience. A master storyteller, she digs deep into the dark inner lives of each of the characters, building tension around the central conflict to explore issues of family dysfunction, social dynamics, and male fragility. As the greater narrative slowly comes into focus and its many layers unfold, you’re left with no doubt that this is one of the year’s best. – Konstantinos Pappis
Join us in 2022 for new reviews, articles, and more.
Online gaming has had a tough couple of years that has felt like a bad beat at a casino! Don’t get me wrong: we’ve had lots of beautiful games to play and chat about, but the Covid-19 pandemic has ripped large holes in our routine. As a result, any excitement or anticipation throughout this year’s reveal streams was tempered by the knowledge that no matter what games were announced or how good they looked, they’d be years away.
While the year of delays has been frustrating, it has set the stage for 2022 to be one of the most exciting years in online gaming history. In 2022, we’ll see new games from well-known studios, as well as sequels to all-time online classics, and the indie industry will be bigger and more surprising than ever. As a result, every genre once thought to be extinct will be alive and thriving in 2022.
With all this in mind, here are the best five games that I believe will come out of 2022.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus – Arceus is numerous things in Pokemon Legends. It’s a brand-new Pokemon game made specifically for the Nintendo Switch. It’s a prelude to Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which were released in November on the Nintendo Switch. And, probably most crucially, it’s being built by Game Freak, the team behind every mainline Pokemon game since Red and Blue.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set in the Sinnoh region, similar to Diamond and Pearl, but in a distant past before humans and Pokemon interbred. Gameplay clips from trailers show the playable characters creeping up on Pokemon and attempting to catch them in real-time, as well as the series’ trademark turn-based fighting. Finally, Arceus appears to be giving longstanding players what they’ve been asking for: something new.
Gran Turismo 7 – Gran Turismo, one of the most well-known racing simulation games, will finally see its newest installment released in March of next year. The covid epidemic delayed the game’s development. Thus Sony and creators Polyphony Digital opted to postpone it until 2022. Gran Turismo 7 has several new and returning fan-favorite features that have sparked excitement among gamers and motor enthusiasts alike!
A realistic driving experience that makes full use of the haptic feedback available in current controllers has been a primary focus of this new chapter in the Gran Turismo series. Aside from that, the experience of customizing and altering your vehicle has been improved even more than in previous games, and other confirmed features include weather changes during races and dynamic lighting. As a result, for the player who appreciates both autos and video games, Gran Turismo 7 will define your 2022.
Lord of the Rings Online – If you want to immerse yourself in a lore-rich fantasy world with nearly 15 years of material and support, check out The Lord of the Rings Online. You design a character and go on adventures based on Tolkien’s hugely important fantasy writings. Throughout the main story, notable characters and antagonists appear. Nonetheless, each highly detailed and well-known gaming location has a slew of side quests. If you want a friendly, free-to-play experience in a conventional fantasy setting with a great story and deeds to do, you can’t go wrong with this game.
Hogwarts Legacy – Hogwarts Legacy is a bit of a sleeper compared to some of the other big-name open-world games coming out in 2022. There hasn’t been an actual Triple-A Harry Potter video game since the introduction of the tie-in movie games, and everyone who has played those games knows how unsatisfactory they are. On the other hand, Hogwarts Legacy is a little different. It takes place in the 1800s, long before modern technology was invented and well before the events of the Harry Potter series. It’s the first in a planned series of new Harry Potter games from WB’s Portkey Studios, and everything we’ve seen so far puts it miles ahead of expectations.
Sifu – Sifu is a fighting game developed by the same team that brought you Absolver, a delightful martial arts game launched in 2017. Sifu builds on that game’s water-color graphic design and distinctive martial arts gameplay by adding a new aging mechanic. You play as a kung fu student who must kill five assassins to avenge his family, but you will be revived somewhat older each time you die. As you get older, you get stronger, but your health suffers. You must avenge your family before Father Time extinguishes you.
If you are an avid traveler who loves to drink a glass of wine now and then, wine tourism might be the perfect type of tourism for you to try. It combines both of these activities into one unforgettable experience, allowing you to explore the world’s finest vineyards and wineries while discovering new cultures.
Every winery on your journey will provide you with unique sensations — scents, tastes, and visuals. Furthermore, you will get to experience wine production first hand and do wine tastings. And, if the season is right, you might even get a chance to participate in harvests!
If we managed to pique your interest in wine tourism and you wish to learn more about it, read on! Below, we explain what it is, why it is so beneficial to do, and how to do it right. Let’s get started!
What Is Wine Tourism?
Wine tourism is a form of tourism that involves traveling to wineries and vineyards to learn more about the wine production process, taste different wines, and enjoy the local attractions. It can also be described as a type of agritourism — a branch of tourism focused on agriculture and nature-based activities.
In other words, wine tourism is an exciting way to experience the world’s best wine regions and learn more about the local culture of the largest wine-producing countries in the world. And if you are not a big fan of wine, why not check Bourbon Bounty hunting instead, or perhaps dive deeper into the magical world of Kosher Blends?
Why Should You Do Wine Tourism?
There are many reasons why you should consider wine tourism. First of all, it combines two great things: traveling and drinking wine! Secondly, it gives you a unique chance to explore the world’s finest vineyards and discover new cultures. And lastly, it will help you discover yourself and understand your true passion and preferences.
Here are some specific benefits you can get from wine tourism:
Learn More About Wine Production Processes
If you have always been interested in how wine is made, this might be the perfect opportunity for you to learn more about it. In fact, visiting a winery is the best opportunity for learning how wine is produced!
Experience New Cultures Firsthand
One of the main perks of touring around the world is getting to know new people, cultures, and traditions. Most wineries and vineyards are located outside of major cities, which means that you will get to interact with locals in an authentic manner.
Take Your Time and Enjoy the Scenery
Another great benefit of wine tourism is that it gives you more time to really explore the area you are visiting. You can travel to many vineyards and wineries, meaning you will be able to take your time and truly enjoy each place on your list!
Meet People Who Share Similar Interests
Since most people who engage in wine tourism have similar interests, this activity is the perfect opportunity for you to meet like-minded people! You might even make new friends!
Discover Yourself
Last but not least, wine tourism can be seen as a self-discovery journey — while visiting different vineyards and wineries, you will get to explore your own personal preferences. This will allow you to understand yourself better as well as highlight your strengths and weaknesses in regard to wine tasting!
How To Do Wine Tourism the Right Way
There are many ways for you to experience wine tourism outside of your home country — however, we recommend that you should do some research beforehand so that you can choose the best option for yourself! Here are some steps you should follow:
1) Choose a Destination That Is Right for You
The first step in planning your trip is deciding where exactly you want to go. Some wine regions, such as Alsace in France or Tuscany in Italy, offer amazing experiences for those who wish to visit a variety of wineries; others such as California offer more opportunities for those who want to do some grape stomping!
Figure out what kind of destination would be best suited for your needs by reading reviews online or asking your friends who have already visited a certain area.
2) Organize Your Itinerary Ahead of Time
Once you have figured out where exactly you want to go, it’s time to start planning your trip! Decide how long and when you want to visit certain parts of the world; then, start planning your itinerary based on these parameters!
Depending on whether you wish to go alone or with a group of friends, decide how many days per week you would like to spend exploring different regions around the world. Then figure out how many days each region will require in order for you to see all of its main attractions.
Once this has been done, list each region on its own piece of paper or create an Excel spreadsheet with all of them!
3) Choose the Right Type of Transportation and Accommodation
Once you’ve decided on your itinerary, it’s time to start planning transportation and accommodation. The first thing you need to figure out is where you are going to stay the night. Depending on your preferences, you can opt to stay in a hotel, rent an apartment, sleep in a tent, or rent a guesthouse.
After figuring out where you are going to stay, start planning your transportation. You can choose from a variety of different airlines and prices. Make sure to consider not only the cost of getting to your travel destination but also returning home.
The type of transportation that you choose should be directly related to the regions you want to explore — for example, if you wish to visit a variety of vineyards in France, then taking a train is a great option since it will allow you to explore many different cities! However, if you wish to do grape stomping and winery tours in California, taking a plane from the east coast of the U.S. might be more convenient for your trip!
Conclusion
Wine tourism is an amazing way for you to explore the world and discover new cultures. It combines two fantastic activities: traveling and drinking wine! In fact, some people even say that wine tourism is a better choice than traditional tourism since it allows you to immerse yourself in culture much more deeply!
No matter which wineries you decide to visit, you will surely have a great time. On top of that, you will get a chance to learn more about the world’s finest vineyards while also getting to know yourself better! So, if you love wine and traveling, this type of tourism might be just what you have been looking for!
