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Last year The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (you know, the people behind the Oscars) declared the second Saturday of February Global Movie Day, and with the second anniversary coming up tomorrow, we wanted to celebrate the power of movies and the movers and shakers behind those films that inspire and connect people across the globe.

Now, there are countless directors, writers, producers, actors, editors, and other movie makers that have left an obvious impact on the film industry, whether that be in their genre, their country, what have you, but here’s a select few as well as book recommendations for each to hold you off until feature film releases become a norm again and you can enjoy their next big movie.

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From the classic jigsaws, crosswords, and sliders to the niche disentanglement puzzles, Rubik’s cubes, and games like Minesweeper, puzzles have been around since the dawn of humanity because people really do just enjoy solving problems. And it makes sense too as the simple idea of answering a riddle, locating all words in a word search, or decoding a cipher or rebus offers a rewarding and satisfying sense of accomplishment.

For those puzzlers out there who get psyched each January 29th (National Puzzle Day) to amp up their puzzling game or for those who simply enjoy puzzles three hundred sixty-five days a year, consider picking up one of these middle grade reads with their own puzzles, riddles, tricks, and mini mysteries. Not only do middle grade books typically allow more room for puzzles where adult and YA novels tend to limit themselves (especially in aspects like book design), but the puzzles themselves are included to be solved. There are no unguessable plot twists or undecipherable codes. These books offer playful content that are designed to engage the brain, present imaginative storytelling, and allow for a maximum sense of achievement. If that sounds like your cup of tea, get your TBR list ready for puzzling season!

Image from The Game Awards site.

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Game nerds across the globe gather together each December to watch the Game Awards recognize the skills and talents of developers, performers, athletes, teams, coaches, hosts, and more for their outstanding contributions to the gaming community in the past year. Last year’s Game Awards has come and gone, announcing over 20 winners across 30 categories from Best Score and Music to Content Creator of the Year to Best Community Support.

Gamers understand the power of gaming and know that the stories, music, art, and direction can immerse players in other worlds, introduce them to new people and characters, and change their lives for the better, just as readers know this of their favorite books. Whether you research the Game Awards to compile a list of titles to try in the new year or you watch on the edge of your seat, fingers cross for your favorite game, give these book recommendations a look! It could help you decide whether a game has the story for you, or you could find your next best read based on your favorite Game Awards winner.

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Are you a fan of chocolatey sweetness? Do you prefer a bit of bitter to level out a sugary treat? Well then, January 10th, Bittersweet Chocolate Day, is the day for you. But what about those other bittersweet fans whose cravings lean away from chocolate bars and toward books that leave them lying in their beds, staring at their ceilings until 3am? Those who enjoy stories that manage to pull a tear or two out of them on public transport or have them closing the book only to hold it, a bit stunned, as they wrap their head around their feelings, reorient themselves, and wonder what could possibly come next.

This one’s for those bittersweet book fans out there, looking for a good cry, a sincere smile, and their next read to leave them feeling that satisfying aftertaste of hope and sadness, happiness and dread, bitter and sweet.

Before you grab a handful of bittersweet chocolate chips and dive into these recs, note there will be SPOILERS AHEAD. As the title suggests, this roundup focuses on the book endings, and can ruin your individual experience with the story by having the endings spoiled. Proceed with caution.

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When the end credits of a movie roll, it’s easy to walk out of the theater, exit the streaming service or app, or eject the blu-ray/DVD. It’s rare for viewers to sit through end credits or even take note of the names in the earlier part of the film, but in recent years there’s been a trend with including entertaining credits, especially end ones, to keep audiences occupied. This is most relevant in big-budget movies like the MCU films (no wonder, as audiences are expected to sit through the credits for a final after credits scene) and animated films that utilize the credits to play around with the movie’s art style, and kudos for them. These credits are a small step towards casual viewers noting the names of all the people who have contributed their time, skills, and efforts to the making of the movie.

January 5th is National Screenwriters Day, created to celebrate and honor the work of all the screenwriters who can get left in the shadows of the directors. Yes, the director is obviously an important and major figure in bringing a film to life, but those who script the film are just as crucial in the movie making process. This list is for all those aspiring screenwriters and other filmmakers, from editors to camera operators to producers, who have big plans for the future and the now. May these middle grade reads inspire you to pursue your dreams and continue creating movies that make you happy.

(Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash)

Last year North American, indie and foreign film distributor Film Movement did the world a favor and registered December 28th as National Short Film Day. This amazing new celebration commemorates the day in 1895 when the Lumière brothers projected a program of 10 short films to a captivated audience of 33 at the Grand Café in Paris (read more about it in Venice Gondolier Sun’s article).

To honor the igniting of a global fascination with cinema and to celebrate how far the world’s come with film, here’s a small collection of beautifully done shorts, paired off with some familiar and hopefully new reads. Grab your popcorn and your TBR list!