It’s the first full week of spring, which means the sneezes around campus might just be run-of-the-mill allergies and not another flu strain out to get us. Maybe.

This week, movie lovers can watch two big Oscar winners at home — “Anora” on Hulu, or “Wicked” on Peacock. Comic and video game lovers find out what happens when the seemingly unrelated worlds of DC Comics and Sonic the Hedgehog collide, and indie band Japanese Breakfast is back with the appropriately titled sad-girl album “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women).” 

But first: does a peek into Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games” universe really count as a distraction in our current climate? Let’s find out. Here are some fresh distractions from March 17-24.

‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ by Suzanne Collins

Any readers feeling weary about the latest installment in the “Hunger Games” series being a sellout can safely put their doubts to rest. Released March 18, “Sunrise on the Reaping” is the newest extension of the dystopian world of Panem. The novel tells the tale of 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy as he’s thrust into the 50th Hunger Games — 24 years before he would mentor Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. The book is a welcome continuation of the somber and disparaging “Hunger Games” universe, and it feels as connected to the original trilogy as ever, even nearly 17 years after the first book was published. The book bombards readers with gasp-worthy lore and name drops, and author Suzanne Collins connects dots and reveals plots she’s been planning for almost two decades. Bailey Brantingham

‘Anora’ on Hulu

This year’s Academy Award winner for best picture is finally available for a streaming audience. After leaving theaters this fall, “Anora” has debuted on the small screen. 

“Anora” follows a Brooklyn sex worker (Mikey Madison) and her tumultuous relationship with the son of a Russian oligarch, Zakharov, also known as Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn). Anora and Vanya meet while Anora is working at a strip club and is asked to speak Russian with a client. Quickly, their relationship turns into something more – or at least Anora believes so. The pair gets married in Las Vegas and Anora cautiously decides their relationship is based on a real connection, rather than Vanya using her for sex or American citizenship, as he’d like to escape from his father’s business. 

“Anora” is available for streaming on Hulu. Emma Burden

‘DC X Sonic the Hedgehog’ #1

DC Comics has had its fair share of wacky crossovers over the years. Now the Justice League is teaming up with Sonic and friends in a brand new five-issue series. Part one, “Chaos Crisis,” released March 19. Written by Ian Flynn with art by Adam Bryce Thomas, the first issue shows our heroes from different dimensions pairing up to hunt down the powerful chaos emeralds before they fall into the wrong hands. Fans of the franchises get to read interactions they never thought possible, like Batman and Shadow the Hedgehog trauma dumping to each other. This issue reveals the answer to the age old question: Who is faster, Sonic the Hedgehog or The Flash? 

“DC x Sonic the Hedgehog” #1 is available at local comic book shops and wherever comics are sold online. Victoria Stone

Japanese Breakfast — ‘For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)’

Nearly four years after her last full-length album, “Jubilee,” Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast has sidestepped that album’s joy to deliver ten new tracks with lyrics ranging from sad to sardonic. The album’s title may sound over the top, but it’s absolutely fitting.

Zauner, also known for her best-selling memoir “Crying in H Mart,” writes songs that won’t stop listeners from feeling sad, but might help them realize they’re not alone. Even with this less positive outlook, Zauner remains playful throughout “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women),” dropping mythological allusions into multiple songs. Warm string arrangements wrap around several tracks, offering complexity to the sound.

The album dropped on streaming services March 21, and it’s also available on vinyl. Japanese Breakfast’s tour arrives at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium April 28. Shauna Reynolds

‘Wicked’ on Peacock

After a long wait, fans of “Wicked” can finally watch the beloved musical from home. 

The Broadway musical turned Oscar winning film is now streaming on Peacock, bringing the story of the witches and wizards of Oz to a broader audience. The movie features Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman on a journey to discovering her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular figure who has yet to find the depth of her own heart. 

“Wicked” premiered in theaters Nov. 22 and quickly set the record for the highest-grossing film based on a Broadway musical. Now it’s reaching even more fans as they stream it from the comfort of home. Brianna Sorrell

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