these are my fave genre and just generally an interest of mine! i love when they go beyond just reporting what happened and into why/what it says about us and culture. There are lots of creators in this space but here are a few I keep thinking about:
biz barclay’s vid on snapewives: religion, passion, fandom, the early internet.
folding ideas on the metaverse, “the future is a dead mall”: why the idea of the metaverse is so appealing and why all corporate attempts are falling apart
mina le’s recent video about booktok: the aesthetic politics of reading and how that’s at play now
I’ll update if I think of any more and would love to hear if anyone else has recs in this arena
Related Recs
Currently getting through Dan Olson/Folding Idea’s latest video. All of his stuff is great and thoroughly well researched. Some of my fave videos of his: Tuca & Bertie, Flat Earth, and *his critique* of the Nostalgia Critic's *critique* of The Wall by Pink Floyd - his videos on NFTs and The Metaverse are fantastic too
In no particular order, here's some more YouTubers I'm subbed to:
(would love to write up a paragraph for each of them but don't want to take up too much space!)
Princess Weekes: https://www.youtube.com/@Princess_Weekes/videos
Jenny Nicholson: https://www.youtube.com/@JennyNicholson/videos
Defunctland: https://www.youtube.com/@Defunctland/videos
Khadija Mbowe: https://www.youtube.com/@KhadijaMbowe/videos
Lisa Fevral: https://www.youtube.com/@LisaFevral/videos
Any Austin: https://www.youtube.com/@any_austin/videos
Shesez: https://www.youtube.com/@BoundaryBreak/videos
Leo Vader: https://www.youtube.com/@LeoVader/videos
Yhara Zayd: https://www.youtube.com/@Yharazayd/videos
ModernGurlz: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernGurlz/videos
Mina Le: https://www.youtube.com/@gremlita/videos
PushingUpRoses: https://www.youtube.com/@pushinguproses/videos
Maggie Mae Fish: https://www.youtube.com/@MaggieMaeFish/videos
hbomberguy: https://www.youtube.com/@hbomberguy/videos
withcindy: https://www.youtube.com/@withcindy/videos
Evasive: https://www.youtube.com/@EvasiveOne/videos
Team Starkid: https://www.youtube.com/@starkid/videos
Hildegard Von Blingin’: https://www.youtube.com/@Hildegardvonblingin/videos
Jan 26, 2025
📑
The video essay space is so oversaturated and there are a lot of people that don’t really have opinions or evidence they just repeat stuff but here are some people that make insightful video essays in my opinion and some recs for videos to watch
the stars are for my fav channels
tv/movies/pop culture
Big Joel
Broey deschanel - love the saltburn video
Cj the x - very chaotic but insightful videos on a range of topics
Friendly space ninja
Jane mulcahy - has great videos on hallmark movies
Jenny Nicholson * - yes the videos are long but i have watched them all multiple timea
Lindsay ellis *
Lola Sebastian * - her videos on cannibalism, tennis and James franco are amazing
Mina le * - love her recent video on the evil symbolism of milk - she talks a lot about fashion as well
Pop culture detective - breaks down tropes like harmless peeping and “born sexy yesterday”
Princess weekes - media analysis from an intersectional perspective
Sarah z - I’m not always familiar with the media but it’s always interesting
Sloan Stowe *
Skip intro * - great videos on copaganda
The morbid zoo - great videos on the sound of freedom and civil war
Verilybitchie - love the video on Spider-Man and class
Yhara zayd - haven’t always seen the relevant movies but every video is very insightful and well put
Social commentary/politics/philosophy
Alice cappelle
Intelexual media * - so underrated she discusses history sociology and pop culture with a focus on black women
Olisunvia
Philosophy tube
Contrapoints - love the twilight video
Shanspeare *
Miscellaneous/informative
Bobby broccoli - amazing videos about science scandals that are interesting even if you have no special knowledge about science like me
Horses *
knowing better- analysis of religious groups and history
Kaz rowe - great videos on a range on crazy phenomenons from a range of historical periods
Lemmino - animated videos about various mysteries
Merafromyoutube - K-pop analysis
Micthesnare - music history and commentary
extra: last week tonight with John Oliver - not exactly video essays but very well researched and funny deep dives into a range of topics
Sorry this list is so long I apparently watch a lot of video essays
Anyway hope this list is helpful <3
Jan 7, 2025
🎧
i'm aware this is very long but hope it helps <3
books:
- colorless wonderland
- * emmie * - go-to for classics and relaxing vlogs
- a clockword reader - mostly fantasy + cozy atmosphere
- ana wallace johnson - always reading books i've never heard of + very cool vibe
- booksandLala - does lots of challenges and themes
- caricanread
- lexi aka newlynova
- noelle gallagher - love love her vibes
- sally thames - pls come back
- shawn mccomb - insane
- shitty book club - v funny
- the book leo
- paperbacksanddaisies
- fantine - v v cool vibes
- natalie.mp4
- bookpogo
- paperbackdreams
vlogs:
- caricakes - lives in seoul + very cozy
- chelsea callaghan - realistic vlogs of nyc life
- claire mcgory - underrated vlogs of life at st andrews scotland
- dobochobo
- dustin vuong
- emma chamberlain
- jingsuu - mostly study vlogs at oxford
- linh truong
- moya mawhinney
- ruby granger
- emma chamberlain
- jesycu
- elyse myers
- miadimilano
- leah's fieldnotes
- leandra yomo
- lauren louise
- claudia sulewski
video essays:
- alice capelle
- mina le
- shanspeare
- yhara zayd
- princess weekes
- lola sebastian
- the morbid zoo
- cj the x
- broey deschanel
- upinurbiz
- philosophy tube
- contra points
deep dives on random topics:
- ashley norton
- wendigoon
- bobbi brocolli - amazing animation + love knowing about science drama
- mic the snare - music deepdives
- gregcubed - deep dives into musicians
movies/shows deep dives:
- haley whipjack - love the once upon a time vids
- jane mulcahy - esp teen wolf vids
- jenny nicholson
- mike's mic - been a fan since the pigeon dating simulator
- pop culture detective
- sarah z
- sloan stowe
- uncarley
- babbity kate - love her video on bella's khaki skirt from twilight
- elievileye
- big joel
- gracietalksaboutthings - v underrated
- lindsay ellis
- friendly space ninja
funny people:
- danny gonzalez
- drew gooden
- eddy burback - also has very thoughtful video on apple vision goggles
- kaychung - stresses me out but love
- meditations for the anxious mind
- micarah tewers
- nicole rafiee
- good mythical morning - just look beyond the thumbnails
- brian david gilbert
- the sequel nobody wanted
- leo vader
- meditations for the anxious mind
educational:
- horses - wonderful story telling w/ visuals
- channel 5 with andrew callghan - very thought provoking yet entertaining
- intelexual media - such high quality content on topics that you don't hear much about
- jay foreman - very funny kinda like horrible history
- kaz rowe - obscure historical topics
- knowing better - deep dives into interesting groups like mormons
- kendra gaylord - love love love her interior design/architecture videos
- last week tonight w/ john oliver
- LEMMiNO
- wendover productions
- etymologynerd
miscellaneous:
- leena norms
- exurb1a - very creative stories
- vlogbrothers - always cheers me up
- nobody - amazingly specific playlists
- ultravclet - also cool playlists
- doobydobap - cooking vids
- mythical kitchen
Oct 21, 2024
Top Recs from @lynnnnie
Jun 15, 2024
🏨
Put on the robe, turn on adult swim or whatever, crank the ac, eat a late night snack in one bed and sleep in the other. The freedom of impersonal liminal space.
Oct 21, 2024
😃
hundreds of thousands of times over
The context may be different but no emotion is completely new— i can cope
Aug 1, 2024