Monthly Amusements: January 2016

I've decided to add a new element to my blog where I review entertainment-related things that I have been enjoying within the past month. This may not be a regular thing as I might not do these reviews for every single month of the year, but I figured I would try my idea out for January and see how I enjoy writing one. Feel free to give feedback in the comments, and also tell me your favorite January things.

Movie: What Maisie Knew

I didn't watch a lot of movies in January, but one of the few that I did choose to view surprised me. What Maisie Knew was honestly just one of those Netflix movies that I selected on a whim, simply because it had a pretty high rating. I didn't know who was in it or what it was about, but I found myself really enjoying the movie as it progressed. I found it to have most of the elements needed to create a touching story about a young girl trapped between her battling parents.
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

TV Show: Broadchurch

I'll be honest and say that I don't watch many TV shows, but occasionally I'll give one a watch. I had heard good things about Broadchurch, and upon watching the first episode I was hooked. It's an extremely well-executed TV show that gets just about everything right. The plot does fall a little short for me and is somewhat typical of most murder mysteries, but the acting, cinematography, music, and setting of the show more than make up for this.
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Book: The Delirium Trilogy

Lauren Oliver's science fiction romance trilogy, consisting of the books Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem consumed most of my reading time in the month of January. Overall I enjoyed this series of books more than I thought I would, but it still fell a bit short of the bar that Oliver set with her books Panic and Vanishing Girls. Still a good read for the month though, as the Delirium trilogy offers a unique look at a loveless world.
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Music: Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

January has been pretty lackluster for music, and I haven't been very lucky this month with finding new additions for my soundtrack. However, I have listened to the album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming by electronic band M83 several times. This album provides some really unique-sounding songs that blur seamlessly together when the whole album played, and it is definitely worth a listen.
My Rating: ★★★★☆