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Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (2019)
entertaining and easy to watch; problematic presentation of social issues
I found this anime to be entertaining, but not very original or inventive. The animation is fluid and clean, and the art style is pretty but not overly so (only a tiny bit on the fan-servicey side). The story is your run-of-the-mill video game isekai anime, following the hero as he is summoned unwillingly to a fantasy world.
The storytelling didn't particularly grip me, but I found it easy to watch. There were a number of big detractors story-wise. There weren't many innovative elements, especially when it came to incorporating the fantasy world-building and video game elements into the story. Also, the video game elements themselves were a mashup of a whole variety of game mechanics, rather than a focused take on a few relevant mechanics.
My biggest gripe with the anime (as you may have guessed) is its problematic presentation of certain social issues and dynamics. False accusations, even in cases of sexual assault, certainly exist and deserve representation (the trauma that ensues from such false allegations is especially heart-breaking). But the way this anime handles it is deeply problematic.
First, the allegation is used as a method of characterization and plot device, without being explored as a social issue. Secondly, after the protagonist's run-in with the manipulative, plotting woman, every female character afterwards is either angelic (and virgins, of course!) or evil. This isn't even touching on the weird, weird, weird slave dynamics in the show. The main character is a "nice" master and the slaves are willing slaves, with the whole thing saturated in cute interactions tinged with a harem vibe. Yes, there are historical cases of kind-hearted people caring for and even freeing slaves - but in no case I know of are the slaves single-mindedly happily devoted to the master.
Hanna (2011)
Fascinating, atypical spy-thriller
An entertaining movie, if not exactly a masterpiece. Pitched as a spy-thriller, I actually enjoyed the film more so for its bizarre blend of genres and tonal shifts.
The film starts off with Hanna and her father Erik surviving and training in the forest / tundra and soon escalates to some typical chase scenes, fight scenes, stunt scenes. But the action doesn't quite reach the hyperbolic cheese or machismo of spy thrillers. It's always interspersed with coming-of-age / coming-into-society humour or some other odd bits and ends. But none of these generic categories stays too long. It always seems to be shifting. The atmospheric presentation was fascinating too: it's the kind of film where you can never be sure how perverse or violent it will allow itself to get.
The plot is weird and erratic. It's not the strongest part of the film, or why you should watch it. You should watch it because it's A) different from the typical action film, and B) Saoirse Ronan's acting is captivating.
Yurukyan (2018)
cozy & NOT cringey or too cutesy
The fact that I'm reviewing an anime on imdb probably already tells you that I'm not a huge anime buff. On the whole, I especially stay away from very cute, slice-of-school-life shows, animes with the same outward aesthetic that Yuru Camp has. But Yuru Camp was a delight to watch, and has probably the best depiction of camping in Japan that I'll ever see from an anime.
Its take on camping is both gorgeous and sophisticated (which is why you should watch it mainly), but it also has likeable main characters and, let me stress, terrific FOOD animation. The show is about girls who discover different sides to camping, and introduces you to beautiful views of campsites in Japan. At the same time, the way it includes camping methods, equipment, setting up, cooking, and so on, is both generally well-informed and also makes you want to up your camping game. The show is surprisingly down-to-earth.
The girls also aren't as, erm, prone to squealing as you might think from the artstyle - there were some expressions that I thought were a bit much, but overall the style is more elegant than cloying.
I especially appreciated that one of the main characters, Rin, isn't relegated to some "cold, loner" stereotype who eventually lets her walls down, etc. etc. Instead, her preference to camp by herself is presented as another, fully appreciable way of enjoying the outdoors, nor is her character exaggeratedly cold to people.
In all, an enjoyable show.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
Amazing collection of shorts
Amazing! movie version of the short story format, which isn't usually done. sure, it could have been a mini-series or something, but because the segments vary so much from one another in the technical respect of time, and since there would then lack some artistic sense that a collection gives, i'm happy this takes the form of the film. it doesn't seem to work quite as well as a collection of short stories in novel format, but i'm happy it was tried.
as is the case with collections of things, there are some that fall short, and others that exceed expectations. unlike a lot of other people, i didn't have any preconceptions about the Coen brothers, because i'm not knowledgeable enough about cinema to hold those preconceptions. maybe this worked out for the better, since i was able to enjoy the film without judging it and risking disappointment.
the shorts themselves were generally fantastic. not all of them are driven by plot, necessarily, or offer full-fledged narratives. "the ballad of buster scruggs" is a fantastic, violent romp with cowboys and ballads. "near algodones" was less impressionable for me, but still offered a good story filled with irony and fate and humour. i really enjoyed "meal ticket" as well - poe-esque, gothic, shakespearean; FASCINATING. "all gold canyon" was another good one, especially for the atmosphere and a view of the sublimity of nature intertwined with the human. "the gal who got rattled" wasn't quite up my alley, and i was a little taken aback by the slightly uncomfortable presentation of the "natives". i did, however, enjoy the sense of unease it built around all of the characters. i personally loved "the mortal remains," although i understand why some people may not. this last short is more or less made up of just dialogue, plus a backdrop, imbued with a sense of the horror story (also humour); a tiny tiny bit trite, but the acting contrasted with the backdrop made for an excellent mixture of reflective meditation and gallows humour.
Shôjo shûmatsu ryokô (2017)
cute, atmospheric, and a dose of philosophy
I'm only a few episodes in, but i'm enjoying it well enough so far. it reminds me somewhat of kino's journey, with its melancholic roaming and light philosophy (light in that it isn't melodramatic and doesn't try too hard). i'm finding it has just the right amount of abstraction and symbolism. mind you, it's a slow burn so far, and i'm pacing it out with other shows. the atmosphere is really enjoyable and soundtrack isn't bad for conveying the isolation and wonder of a post-apocalyptic world. initially i wasn't too fond of the overly cute banter and chibi-ness, but i'm starting to enjoy it, in the way one enjoys watching videos of kittens.
Rilakkuma to Kaorusan (2019)
charming, sweet, relaxing
Actually so endearing. charming stop-motion animation. i was aware that rilakkuma was a character before this show, and was initially put off by the fact that he's the face of very "cutesy" merchandise, but this show doesn't give that impression at all. kid friendly, but some of the themes and humour may be a little *whoosh* for young children.
the only thing i wasn't too fond of were the "romance" bits, kaoru's lovey-dovey fawning over guys. it's just a bit too stock for me, and not really explored with the subtle charm that's done for other themes or life experiences.
watched the first episode in english, switched to japanese original with english subtitles from the 2nd one on and it's a lot better for me.
The Florida Project (2017)
how is this rated so high?
I watch a lot of indie films, subdued films, locally shot films, etc. this one had potential, and it had some really lovely, incredible shots with vibrant colours (even screenshotted some for art refs). as a film though, this couldn't make up for the characters, who are are wonderful if the goal was to capture the world's most unpleasant people and children (two more than the others). the children! ugh! they're not rebellious, they're not imaginative, or charmingly delinquent, or precocious - they're just brats. they're not even a good or accurate representation of children who live in relative poverty/ sketchy areas. the film sure does a poor job of creating empathy for the plight of the characters, especially halley. it has been a long time since i've hated a character so much, and so unsympathetically.
The Burial of Kojo (2018)
beautiful, serene, surreal
Another movie denied its proper place rating-wise by a sparsity of ratings! this was lovely to watch, with a beautifully haunting (original?) soundtrack and surreal, yet captivating cinematography. it's very much a thematic, atmospheric film. there isn't much of a "plot" and while the description / synopsis makes it sound like the movie focuses on the adventures of a girl across a magical land, that isn't the main focus, it's more of a glimpse into life, mythology, setting, guilt, death. less provocative are the characters, who don't stand out very much, and character development often feels a little forced.
Skate Kitchen (2018)
only finished this because...
...i'm pathologically unable to leave movies unfinished. the only saving point was the fashion statements - okay, and the skateboarding/camille's dynamic with the boys. but anything interesting in this film can be pared down to a 5-minute short. otherwise? no plot. which CAN be fine; in fact, i love slow burns, films portraying daily life in an interesting way; cf. Roma.
the glamour of "authentic NYC" is basically equated with "hooligans smoking weed who have inflated egos and a gigantic sense of forever-young syndrome." don't get me wrong: i love films with rebellious characters, views of subcultures in cities, or glimpses of kids in rough(er) neighbourhoods - but only when they are portrayed with richness or showcase complex issues (for instance, Detachment). but i couldn't get around how the characters in Skate Kitchen are so self-absorbed (not with themselves, but with their group). a documentary would have been so much better.
did i mention the script is (mostly) bland? some people are saying this is a film about growing up. it is not. it's a film about a few experiences and arguments among friends, namely the age old drama of who slept with whose boyfriend, how to be cool, etc. the not-fitting-in part is drastically underplayed and simplified.
here is a spoiler-free summary (in fact, how can you spoil a movie that isn't about anything): girl skateboards - cut to typical shot of NYC - cut to friends smoking weed - back to skateboards - rinse & repeat. lesson learned: i need to be more careful about netflix suggestions.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: He Said, She Said (2019)
not the funniest, but still great 99 material
...so since every review is dealing with the feminist message of this show, i wanted to offer some brief thoughts as well.
although i stand by the "message," i agree that the level of political correctness in this episode doesn't fit the tenor of this show. we've seen a lot of sensitive issues covered well in previous episodes, even when the stance is clear (e.g., rosa coming out, holt's sexuality, racism, etc.). by contrast, this episode wasn't very well executed in that respect. that said, i have always assumed that the audience of this show isn't your typical daytime-tele-watching crowd, but people who are smart, respectful, and have a decent sense of humour. so i'm actually a little bit surprised that the audience of this show would react so strongly to one episode's somewhat cringey presentation of a message which the majority of that same audience would probably sympathize with in real life.
those who have rated this episode 1/10 merely because of the "message" are clearly too sensitive to political correctness themselves, since apparently that's all they can see: even if you didn't like that part of the episode, did you also hate the disco strangler bits? or the typical peralta jokes? did the episode really, truly deserve a 1 or is that 1 a political reaction on your own part?
The Good Place (2016)
entertaining, helps that existential crisis
Was pleasantly surprised by this and still watching into season 3! it's quirky, but more down to earth than purely whimsical shows like pushing daisies. it does have handfuls of pop culture references, but it's blended in imaginatively so it doesn't feel quite so 'mainstream comedy', which i love. i appreciate a good comedy that isn't all reliant on sex jokes too.
there is surprisingly more plot than you'd expect, and also surprisingly better atmosphere than you'd expect. it's light-hearted, but you also get twists of darker humour. it's a good show to turn to if you're having an existential crisis (as long as you don't take its preachier bits too seriously, since the show itself doesn't seem all that serious about them)
Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan (2018)
good for smiles & giggles
This has been enjoyable enough so far! i'm far from a connoisseur of anime, but this one mostly managed to avoid the things that i dislike about the medium (stilted dialogue, fan service, melodramatic monologues, exaggerated humour, etc. - there are exceptions of course), but they're still there occasionally.
the 'messages' in the show and the characters used to showcase them (e.g. friendship) are sledgehammered into your head. still, i thought the humour, which you'll get to see in the very first episode, was pretty good. overall, the show runs a bit on the bland side. it's sort of like if you were invited to a halloween party open to all sorts of crazy costumes and you came dressed as a witch.
my two cents, since there's so few reviews for this show.
Juno (2007)
a favourite, got me into "indie" films
I first saw this a number of years ago, and remember i loved it then & i'm pretty sure for a while i was quoting juno all over the place. rewatching this in my mid 20s, didn't think i'd like it as much, but i definitely appreciated it even more. the soundtrack is fantastic & the writing couldn't be better.
if you've yet to see this (hard to believe!), do yourself a favour & watch it.
You (2018)
addictive show, mildly original
I was hooked easily by this show & finished all 10 episodes in a couple of days. not a big fan of the millennial vibes (as much as some characters profess not to be), or the portrayals of most of the rich girls, who come off as one-dimensional and undeveloped. the romantic subplot with peach had so much more potential.
creepiness-wise, if you've seen criminal minds, there isn't anything more disturbing than even some of the milder episodes of cm. and yet, it's definitely more engrossing than the majority of cm's episodic stories.
although the sympathetic disturbed/ unreliable narrator has been done to death, i like that this show keeps the protagonist's level of psychopathy unpredictable, unlike the very extreme introduction of dexter in dexter (which, admittedly, i haven't really seen).
Hilda (2018)
cozy, adventurous, nicely animated
Watching this in my 20s, and enjoying it quite a bit. it's not too pedantic as a children's show and it's not laden with tons of morals by any means, but it's very wholesome (not as "edgy" or covertly adult as adventure time, steven universe, etc.). it's highly imaginative and encourages creativity, and the art style, while not unique, is very welcome.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
disappointing after juno/ other similar titles
I saw juno several years ago & soon afterwards went on a "similar movies" binge. now that i'm rewatching these movies, i realize how flat this one fell. it's not horrible, but just really bland to watch. the most important things to me in titles like this are the dialogue, music, cinematography, and art direction. all of these were ok here, but there was nothing particularly engaging. the dialogue is uninventive, the acting is mediocre (but probably the result of the dialogue), the characters are stock types, the music is not good enough to compel you to look for the OST. at least there were a few laughs.
Devilman: Crybaby (2018)
appears stylish for the first few minutes
Tbh i haven't seen the whole thing, and i'm not going to waste my time doing so. as others have said, this show caters to a certain subsection of pubescent adolescent males. the first few minutes of the first episode were promising. stylized & slightly creepy - like when you first watch a show and you're not sure how explicit the violence is going to be. then everything goes right out the window - it's just visual diarrhea, no tension, no creepiness, no character or plot. my biggest gripe is probably the archetypal use of female body parts transforming into monsters. the whole show is male fantasy, and also male anxiety.
Dead Like Me (2003)
An odd little show that's flabbergastingly good
This is one of my all-time favourite TV series that I've now seen and seen again. I'm assuming it took me a few episodes to really appreciate it, but honestly I don't even remember a time when I didn't love it. I found it thru suggestions in the wake of Pushing Daisies and Wonderfalls, and while those were both excellent, Dead Like Me feels much more real and gritty. The acting and writing go hand in hand perfectly--it's whimsical, yes, but not technicolour, doused in saturation whimsy. All of the characters have their own charm. Mandy Patinkin is always great to watch, and Ellen Muth and Laura Harris grew on me too. The soundtrack is mouth-watering! At times charming/upbeat and at times desperately haunting...
There's kind of a fine line between disliking (or liking) a show because it's up your alley vs. because it's well-done. Dead Like Me isn't exactly a drama, or comedy, or fantasy, or some surreal art piece, and because of that in many ways it feels almost subdued, but there is a lot of wit and story-telling and beauty in it.