#genuinely so obsessed with this. like the concept is incredible and then the drawing itself like!!! in love
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So the ATLA Movie Is... Good, Actually?
Just kidding, of course it’s not, it’s so bad it sucked the paint off my walls. But after ten years of people pointing out its glaring flaws, why would anyone bother talking about this garbage heap if not to go the other direction? So here’s a very brief and very superficial list of things the movie does get kinda... not atrociously wrong.
And they won’t be fake hipster pokes, like “It’s fun to laugh at”, “The Rifftrax for this is OK”, or “Kudos to the actress for managing to say we believe in our beliefs as much as they believe in theirs with a straight face”.
(though now that I mentioned it, it is fun to laugh at, the Rifftrax for this is OK, and massive props indeed.)
Rasta Iroh
Yes, I know it’s not exactly the aesthetic of the real Iroh or that it makes no cultural sense for him to sport this do when no one else in the racebended Indian “OMFG what were you thinking Shyamalan” Nation does but goddamn, long-haired dudes are my one mortal weakness and I will ogle the hell out of him.
Jesus is that a man bun I see that’s it mum I’ve been deaded
Yue’s hair
No.
Now we’re talking. Yue’s hair turned white when the Moon spirit gave her life, so it makes sense for it to go black again when she sacrifices herself to revive the koi fish. It’s a neat detail I find myself expecting whenever I rewatch the scene in the show. Yes, I realize it’d be a pointless hassle to animate since she, unlike in the movie, immediately goes on to become the Moon herself but still. I like.
The Blue Spirit’s mop
Zuko, hun, what’s with the dance-off?
First of all, I want to imagine that Zuko the Theatre Nerd was about to leave his ship with just the mask like in the show but then stuck his head into the cleaning cupboard and went, “Yeah, more coverage might be good, even though it do seem mighty fried to shit”.
Which makes me giggle. I like to giggle.
And secondly, the hair’s movement is what makes the static mess of the Blue Spirit’s solo fight scene appear at least bit more dynamic because God knows the cinematography isn’t doing it.
Any particular reason why it’s at the edge of the action, shot all boring-like?
Now, I get why circular shots would be reserved for Aang while he’s in the practice area and then used once the two join forces. What I don’t get is why Aang’s part of the action scene has a defined visual style while Zuko’s delegated to a few stationary wide shots from afar as though he’s a tertiary goon, meaning that when the time comes to combine the respective pieces of cinema language and visually convey collaboration, there’s not really much to combine.
But as long as Zuko is stuck in this static mess, it’s that awesome disaster on his head flopping about that draws the eye, helping me understand that something even is going on over there.
It also prevents me from paying much attention to how the extras are mostly just staying put and a lot of the hits don’t land, so that’s good.
The music slaps
James Newton Howard is too good for this.
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Pls ignore that the word “gods” is used in the ATLA universe
I can’t be the only one who constantly uses this piece to daydream about writing specific fanfic scenes instead of, you know, actually sitting down and writing them. It’s just so good at communicating a sense of sorrow while speaking of rebirth that I find myself getting misty-eyed whenever I listen to it. Unfailingly, the soundtrack as a whole manages to break through the mile-thick crust of horrible acting, confusing writing, and uninspired cinematography and make me feel things. And considering how everything on screen is working against it, that’s no small feat.
Imagine what a powerful experience it would be if the score was used in service of an actual movie.
Dev Patel
No wonder since he’s the only one in the film occupying that crucial intersection between “is a good actor” and “was given something to work with”. It also doesn’t hurt that he breaks with the trend of actors starring in martial arts flicks despite never having done any martial art.
And all EIP-jokes about “stiff and humorless” aside, he’s a pretty decent Zuko considering how abridged this version of the character is. A while ago, I remember hearing a reviewer say that with his comedic chops, Patel should have been cast as Sokka. And on one hand, yes, god, absolutely, I need to see that asap. But on the other? He captures all layers of Book 1!Zuko, the desperate obsession, rage, and self-loathing, and at the same time gives you a peek at the soft momma’s boy dork that’s buried underneath. For Christ sakes, he exudes intensity and ambivalence even when acting against an emotionless hunk of wood that’s giving him nothing in return.
Oh, and I guess there’s a tree in the frame.
Ba dum tss
What can I say, the guy’s good.
Showing vs telling
OK, so this movie is all tell and no show, except for one single moment. And it’s the exact moment where the original goes in the other direction in terms of how information is conveyed.
See, I never liked this. The revelation is preceded by Iroh giving advice to Zuko who scolds him for nagging. Iroh then apologizes, moves in to say the line above, and is interrupted by Zuko who seems rather uncomfortable with Iroh laying his feelings out like this. And once they’re out, Zuko verbally confirms that he knew already and Iroh didn’t need to bother.
All this extraneous information and pussyfooting ends up weakening what should be a profound scene that reveals to us, the viewers, how deep the relationship between these two in fact runs.
Compare to the movie where Dadroh acts like a parent by fussing and worrying, with Sonion needing a single look to tell him and us that he understands what it’s all really about.
It’s genuinely efficient and just good.
No Cataang
Fine, a bit mean-girl bitchy from me since I only start minding the ship in Book 3. And probably unintentional on the part of the creators since there are moments where I think they’re trying to set the romance up? There’s a, well, an attempt to recreate the famous introductory shot of fateful meaningful destiny of meaningness, there’s some slight note of saving each other’s bacon going on, I’m pretty sure they’re the only ones in the film who smile, and oh, right, Katara’s shoved into her post-canon useless role where she doesn’t ever do anything, and is all about Aang right from the get go.
Yes, I will blame the “executive producers” because a) I’m incredibly petty, and b) it’s perfectly in line with their vision of the character so why the hell not.
Hilariously, none of it reads on screen because the actors are just... yeah. These poor kids are struggling so much with delivering their own lines and portraying their own characters they don’t seem to have any strength left to create something between them. To be fair, the bare-bones shot-reverse shot style of their scenes doesn’t exactly lend itself to the idea they occupy the same universe, let alone are friends or each other’s crushes.
And I enjoy this immensely because it allows me to forget the depressing horror show Katara’s life turns into post ATLA.
Yes Zutara
I need to delve into this because it’s fucking hilarious. So in a movie which fails to establish the original’s central romance so spectacularly that if Aang got lost in a crowd I don’t believe Katara would notice, SomEOnE thought it’d be a good idea to add an utterly unnecessary non-canon moment where Zuko for some reason feels the need to pause his character-defining hunt for the Avatar which otherwise has him ignore everything and snap at everyone, and explain his central conflict to an unconscious peasant he doesn’t know, complete with gently pushing the hair from the pretty girl’s the soulmate’s the Water Tribe Ambassador’s the Fire Lady’s the love of his life’s her face away, AFTER his uncle nagged him twice to find a girl and settle down.
I just wanted to make sure we’re all on the same page and this is what we really saw.
Celibate Avatars
I have no idea why the decision was made, if TPTB thought expecting viewers to understand the story through the lens of Buddhism would be too much, or if the “executive producers” already worked their retconny magic. What I do know, however, is that there’s a big shift in worldbuilding and Aang’s struggle with his role as the Avatar stops being a personal conflict defined by a) his grief for Air Nomads, b) his notion of being robbed of the loved ones in his life, and c) the selfish attachment to Katara he confuses with true love. Instead, what he has a difficulty to accept is apparently a general notion of who Avatars are supposed to be, i.e. a fantasy version of Catholic monks, no family and worldly relations, period.
I guess either someone understood the original’s portrayal of de/attachment as “hermit no freaky”, or thought the audience would so why not go there outright.
Now, do I like this on its own? No, God no, it makes the world infinitely poorer and changes the story from an exploration of ideas which aren’t all that ingrained in the West, to a cliché tropester about a Catholic priest going Protestant so that he could be with a girl.
At least I assume that’s where they were going to take this eventually.
I mean, I think the direction was “look conflicted, this isn’t the final stage of your journey”?
But consider this—the show went there, it built on the concepts of Eastern philosophy and touched upon the ideas of spiritual awakening, only to swerve in the end and strongly imply they’re bullshit and Aang should have never wasted his time with them.
So honestly, I much prefer scanty worldbuilding to an insulting retcon by a damn rock.
Multiracial Air Nomads
Probably the most substantial “no hint of irony” point on this list and a genuinely good addition to the universe’s worldbuilding.
See, the notion of the elemental nations being perfectly separate and never mingling before Sozin has always been sketchy but it’s especially ridiculous in the case of airbenders. It never made sense to me for all airbenders to be Air Nomads and for all Air Nomads to be monks and for all monks to be chilling at the temples all the time to facilitate a quick everyone-dies genocide should an imperialistic warlord ever decide to commit one.
Because committing everyone to a single way of life at a handful of places kinda goes against the central philosophy behind airbending. Like the freedom and nomadism part.
Instead, there should be more variety to the airbending culture, with some staying at the temples as monks, hermits, and teachers while others live as nomads, travelling the world and creating more airbenders, with the resulting children in turn being influenced by the non-airbending cultures they grew up in.
And thus, not only should airbenders not be modeled after a single culture to create a one-size-fits-all lifestyle, but they should have the most diverse and dynamic culture out of the four nations.
And it’d be precisely this diversity which would pave way for an eventual reveal that some of them survived, that their complete extermination is impossible.
Because they’re everywhere.
You know.
Like air.
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just any individual toh character hc would SLAP. mebbe ur thoughts on the twins idk this is vague
Nah it’s cool, I can dig it let’s do this
I only put this under a line break cuz it got so long oops lol
Emira:
Defo has a stutter that she went through a lot of intensive and grueling speech therapy sessions for (when she was about 7 years old) that she hated. Amity and Edric both know this and know it’s a sensitive topic for her. They’ll tease her lightly about it, but never in front of anyone else and they know where to draw the line. In my last Vinera post, I mentioned how much Viney adores her stutter. She absolutely loves getting Emira flustered enough to start stuttering. She’s incredibly patient and understanding when it comes to Emira’s stutter and Em’s feelings about her stutter, and she helps Emira learn to be okay with it again. It’s nothing to be ashamed of (and it’s cute).
My girl likes carrots. Like, really likes carrots. As in she’ll eat them straight out of the ground if she’s given a chance to wash it first. She really loves carrots. This is only an issue later on after she and Viney start taking care of beasts together and Emira’s been caught eating their entire stock of carrots that’s meant for the beasts. Viney has to keep the carrots in a secret box away from Emira after that point.
Emira actually really loves beasts/animals but has never been good at handling them. Any time she’d try to approach an animal to pet it, it would try to bite her. She’d get extremely pouty whenever this happens because beasts/animals love Edric. It’s not until after she and Viney start dating that Viney actually starts teaching her how to approach different creatures and her love for creatures reignites.
Emira’s a giant pushover for Amity. Only Edric knows this because he’s also a pushover for her. If Amity ever found out what power she actually holds over them, they’d be in so much trouble. They mask their love for their sister with constant teasing. Yes of course they get annoyed by her, that’s how siblings are, especially when Amity tattles on them, but at the end of the day, they’d help Amity hide the body if she asked. (The few times they witnessed her crying by someone other than their parents, they had gone on a warpath. Nobody hurts Mittens.)
Defo had a brief infatuation with Luz for like 5 minutes before she realized how head-over-heels Amity was. As long as they’re both happy, that’s what matters. She’ll take that secret to her grave though.
L O V E S having her hair played with, but like, only with people she’s super comfortable with. She has so much hair (mostly due to her mother’s wishes) and any time they all have attend some fancy gathering, Emira has to be seen by a stylist in order to get all her hair into whatever wild fancy shape her mom wants for the event. That she hates more than life itself, but whenever she’s upset, Edric or Amity grabs her hair brush and just gently brushes her hair out until she’s chill again. (She absolutely melts when Viney starts playing with her hair). In an act of defiance and because she needed this Change, the moment she and her siblings leave the Blight Manor permanently, she cuts off all of her hair. It’s very reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Viney loves it. Everyone loves it actually, but the biggest reactions come from Viney and Luz (they both love running their fingers through the newly cut hair because it’s so soft).
She likes to sing to herself when she’s alone. It’s rare that it ever happens because if she knows there’s other people in the same building as her, she won’t chance it. But when she knows she’s alone and no one will notice if she casts a silence bubble around herself so she can sing at the top of her lungs? You better believe she closes any doors or curtains in the area, locks everything, casts that spell and goes nuts. Her voice isn’t all that great, but it’s lovely when she’s singing quietly to herself while she does homework or something. On especially bad nights, Amity will ask her to sing to her. Emira sang to her once when they were like, 3 and 5 respectively, and it’s been their secret thing ever since for especially rough nights/nightmares.
Edric:
Yknow how James from Pokémon is just super good with Pokémon ?? Like, he knows how to treat them, he knows what they like, he asks them gently if they’d like to join them, etc. That’s exactly how Edric approaches creatures. He’s a natural with them, but he and his sister’s natural affinity for illusion magic kept him from pursuing that track of magic.
He’s always wanted a pet, but every time he brings it up to his parents, he’s met with the same firm No as always. He’s definitely gotten in trouble for trying to sneak wild creatures into the house to keep in his room. Thank Titan for Em’s cool new girlfriend who’s not only a multi-track student, but studying the exact subject he wants to study and is super eager to teach him everything she knows. He learns vicariously through her and helps her study for her tests. At first, Emira is suspicious of them, but she knows her brother wouldn’t be so cruel as to try to steal her girlfriend away from her. He’s just a dork.
My boy’s got a sweet tooth. He loves desserts and sweets and fluffy baked goods and often tries to sneak candies when he thinks no one is looking. Chocolate is a big weakness for him. When Luz introduces him to Human Sweets, he’s practically bouncing off the walls. Cotton candy??????? Flan?????? Dulce de Leche en Tabla??? He nearly passes out when Luz busts out what she calls a “chocolate fountain” and turns it on. Y’all remember that one image of a bird bathing in a chocolate fountain from a million years ago? That’s Edric.
Edric Blight LIVES to see his sisters laugh. He would pull all sorts of silly faces and dumb tricks to make Amity laugh when they were little. He still tries to make her laugh, but usually those have grown from giggles to disgruntled mumbling. He’ll never admit how much it breaks his heart and it’s not until he sees her laughing at something Luz has done that he has hope he may still be able to get her to laugh again (it’s also the first time he’s heard her laugh in years and it makes his heart soar in relief. He was almost certain their parents had stamped any concept of laughter out of her).
My boy Edric is so full of love and passion; actually quite similarly to Luz. What makes them different though is that Edric is Aromantic. He’s never had a crush in his life. He’s happy with his sisters and all of their friends and their family as it grows in the future. He has some best friends that he lives with for a while (after his sisters move in with their respective partners), but for the most part he’s chill. He loves his family, he loves spoiling his sisters’ kids, and he’s content with himself. It takes him a super long time to be content with himself, but he gets there. I will literally never get over the fact that his biggest fear is “being alone forever”. He’s never alone. He will always have his friends and family. And, thanks in large part to Luz, he has his parents back. His parents that actually were excited when he cast his first spell and tucked him in at night when he was a toddler, giving him kisses goodnight and pleasant dreams. Not the parents he’d run away from; those were the cold, uncaring, obsessed with fake concepts of popularity and status people he ran away from with his sisters. It took years, but Luz helped bring his real parents back. He loves getting to know them for who they are now that he’s an adult too.
He and Gus become best friends. Like, dumb buddy cop movie levels of best friends. They get into so much trouble when it’s just the two of them and they have the time of their lives. At first, he and Em just sort of took Gus under their wing because he was a little bit of an outcast in their homeroom for being so much younger than everyone else. But he’s a friend of Luz’s and a friend of Amity’s after a while, which automatically makes him cool in their book. They soon find themselves actually enjoying his company, rather than just protecting him from stray bullies, and they find his ability with illusion magic exciting. They themselves are considered prodigies so having another prodigy to show off practice with is super stimulating for all of them. As the years go on (and Emira spends more time with Viney) Edric starts calling more and more often for “Bro Time” where they go do stupid teenage stuff or test the limits of their magic or even just hang out and talk for hours. It’s actually all this time hanging out with just Gus that Edric discovers he’s aro; somehow it comes out that Gus has developed a crush on Edric and (major age differences aside) Edric realizes he’s never had a crush on anyone before. It’s a conversation that sucks a lot, but they’re besties and they manage to get through it. Gus maybe needs to take a day with his original gal pals to just cry about it, but he gets over it just fine. He also helps Edric understand what it means to be aromantic. Well, with the help of Luz and Willow as well; Luz is a walking dictionary for lgbt terminology and Willow’s super good at helping dissect feelings (when they’re not her own cough’outofsightoutofmind’cough).
I genuinely don’t know what he might pursue for a career. Part of me wants him to be independent and do his own thing, but a much stronger part of me wants him to just be part of Viney as Emira’s business. He loves creatures so much and he loves taking care of them, but I don’t want him to feel like a third wheel around his twin sister either. Maybe he becomes a dual track teacher at Hexside specifically for healing and beast keeping so more students can learn about Service Creatures. He can substitute for the Illusion track homeroom when needed, but he’s super passionate about the Service Creature sub-track he and Viney pitch to Principal Bump.
#prinxly inquiries#anonymous#the owl house#emira blight#edric blight#toh headcanons#I have a lot of Thoughts and Feelings about these two
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So you've watched a lot of different shows through the patreon and kori donations
If it's not too time consuming I was wondering how you would summarize those shows in a sentence or two
Or maybe just do the most memorable ones?
Not a bad idea! Here’s a one-sentence summary and a one-sentence personal note on every show I’ve reviewed more than one episode of on this blog. TLDR I’ve pretty much enjoyed everything that appears on this blog, though for different reasons. Links to all my posts about these shows can be found here!
This is turning out to be a rather long post so I’m going to throw the list under a Read More.
ANIME
Sailor Moon: I feel compelled to list it here but, like, I think you know enough about Sailor Moon by now.
Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun: Group of high schoolers write and draw a romance manga while simultaneously living the most chaotic reversal of common romance tropes. SO happy this was recommended to me because I never would have picked it up on my own but it’s officially a new favorite!!!
The Case Files of Jeweler Richard: Gem expert and his assistant solve rock-related mysteries while engaging in homoromantic behavior. A lesser known franchise that I think deserves more love!
Snow White with the Red Hair: Herbologist in a medieval fantasy environment escapes her oppressive government and starts a new life in a neighboring kingdom where SHE makes decisions about her life. I’m not even that far into the series but I am OBSESSED with the premise and all the character dynamics are so genuine and honest in a way I can’t describe.
Penguindrum: Himari dies of Glamorous Victorian Illness but is resurrected by the Penguin God in exchange for a favor. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen so far, although it is Ikuhara so it’s often confusing and abstract and all the characters need therapy.
Madoka: Being a magical girl is bad actually due to the amount of sacrifice involved. Reviewing this one is so effortless because there’s SO much material to talk about and it has such a well-established presence in the mainstream pop cultural consciousness.
My Next Life as a Villainess: Girl is reincarnated as the villain in an otome game and rewrites the script by being nice. I’ve compared it to the Good Place which is one of my favorite shows, and I cannot get enough of these characters, especially, of course, our angel queen, Catarina.
Cardcaptor Sakura (and Clear Card): Sakura has to capture all the cards. I LOVE the low stakes, slow pace, sweet and friendly vibe of this show, which might frustrate some people, but for me it’s the very definition of a comfort anime.
Zenonzard: Speaking of cards; apparently a witch created a card game to get revenge on humanity and now it’s the future where everything is neon, there’s humanoid robots all over the place, and card games are a gladiatorial sport. The visuals are amazing, the world is fascinating, and overall I’m impressed with an anime that’s based on an app.
Princess Tutu: Duck turns into a ballerina and uses unconditional kindness to save everyone from sad feelings, while ALSO working against the author who is writing her fairytale. I can’t describe how much an impact this show left on me!! A Big Fave!!
Revolutionary Girl Utena: High schoolers with swords fight each other for a shot at finding something eternal. If you read this blog, you already know I had a delightful time with this series.
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!: Three girls use their skills to make a hand-drawn anime. I only reviewed the first two episodes, but I had watched it while it was airing. I love series that delve really deep into a niche subject, and this one tackles the animation process in a fun accessible way while ALSO having a wonderful trio of protagonists with wildly unique personalities.
Fruits Basket 2019: Professional Cinnamon Roll Tohru collects friends who can turn into the zodiac animals. From what I’ve seen, the characters and relationships are a huge strong point in this series. I want to give them all a hug. This fell by the wayside a little while ago but I would love to get back into it!
CARTOON
Gargoyles: They are gargoyles, who come to life at night. Never got into it as a kid, but certainly appreciate it now!
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: Girl from futuristic underground city arrives on the surface to find out that animals have taken over and have developed arts and culture. It’s so refreshing to see a post apocalyptic world that’s NOT a dystopia! It’s not earth as we know it, but it’s still bright and colorful and full of art.
LIVE ACTION
PGSM: I don’t think I need to list a summary, but WATCH PGSM OH MY GOD. Sailor Moon but with soap opera levels of drama, a killer soundtrack, an incredible cast, puppets, and a really cool reimagining of the Silver Millennium mythos.
Tokusatsu Gagaga: Office lady tries to hide her obsession with tokusatsu shows and makes friends who have similar interests. I fell fast and hard for Gagaga; if you’re a nerd who has tried to function in a non-nerd environment, you WILL relate to this 7-part series!!
Russian Doll: Natasha Lyonne relives the same day over and over and has to make connections in her life. First introduced to me when it won a Patreon vote, and even though it was different from my usual content, I was enraptured by the dark comedy and surreal vibe. Thursday, what a concept.
Good Omens: An angel and a demon low-key turn their backs on Satan and God in order to prevent a war between heaven and hell. I can’t even think of an adjective that’s good enough to describe how well this miniseries was translated from the book. Legendary casting, satisfying plot twists, hilarious commentary on religion.
Cutie Honey The Live: Robot girl fights off an organization that turns people into living weapons through various wacky schemes. Over-the-top in all senses of the phrase. I love a show that’s extremely silly, but takes itself seriously.
Gokushufudo: Former yakuza member becomes a househusband. Only just started this series but man, with a premise like that, how can you NOT fall in love.
#And this isn't even a list of my favorite shows that i HAVENT reviewed#i've been writing one sentence book reviews on goodreads and now i'm very into that method lol#from the ask box#Anonymous
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Best Films of 2019 (So Far)
It’s that time of year again! As most of my followers probably know, I’m an avid cinema-goer beyond Star Wars. I also quite enjoy making lists, so what’s better than a combo of the two? Below, I run down my top 10 films of 2019 so far - please note that this list is based on UK cinema release dates, so some of these films were 2018 releases elsewhere.
What are your favourites so far from this year? Let me know in replies/asks!
Honourable mentions: Toy Story 4, Long Shot, Aladdin, Alita: Battle Angel & The Kid Who Would Be King
1. The Favourite, dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
This completely wowed me - it features a trio of magnificently compelling female characters (played by Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone) operating at the court of Queen Anne (Colman is Anne, Weisz and Stone are courtiers), and is focused solely on the shifting sands of the power dynamics between them. The script is savage without sacrificing poignancy, witty without ceasing to be genuine. And while I’ve seen some react to this film as a comedy (and it certainly has laughs, most of which are closely tied to shock), for me it was very clearly a drama about the inscrutable and complicated relationships that exist between women. Specifically, it is about how those relationships run the gamut from sincere affinity to ruthless manipulation. This is an amazing movie, and it also has the best use of an Elton John song in 2019 (sorry, Rocketman!).
2. Midsommar, dir. Ari Aster
I went into this film with reservations, since I wasn’t a huge fan of Hereditary (by the same director), which I found to have extraordinary moments but iffy execution overall. This movie, however, wowed me, and I am still uncertain as to whether this or The Favourite is my top film of 2019 so far (fortunately, this gives me a good excuse to watch Midsommar three or four times in cinemas). While marketed as a freaky cult horror film, the director has described it as a fairy tale, which is the level on which is spoke to me. Midsommar follows Dani (an incredible Florence Pugh), a young woman who has suffered a terrible loss, as she travels with her boyfriend and his friends to a pagan festival in the Swedish countryside. Dani is painfully isolated, and her grief is hers to shoulder alone since her boyfriend is un-receptive and distinctly unprepared to help her. Over the course of the film, destruction and creation are conflated in ways that are frequently beautiful and horrific at the same time - this film spoke to me on a profound level, and the way it ended gave me a sense of incredible catharsis. This won’t be for everyone, for I found it to be a deeply special film and I can’t recommend it enough.
3. One Cut of the Dead, dir. Shinichirou Ueda
While I went into The Favourite with high expectations given the talent involved, I went into this with no expectations whatsoever - and what a treat it was! One Cut of the Dead is easily one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in ears, taking what initially seems like a trite concept (a crew is filming a zombie movie at a desolate location ... only to discover that the zombies are real!) and twisting it in a truly ingenious way. The comedy is often of the broad variety, but it is consistently delightful and always manages to avoid becoming crass - the movie even has some really sweet family dynamics at the centre of it, which gives it some real emotional heft. The success of this film is heavily reliant on a major twist that occurs part-way through, so the best advice I can give you is to stay as far away from spoilers for this one as possible - go in blind, and you will be amply rewarded for your faith.
4. The Farewell, dir. Lulu Wang
I saw this following a wave of festival hype, so while I was excited I was also a bit apprehensive (since I have been burned by the aforementioned festival hype before). Thankfully, my doubts were blown away as this turned out to be just as wonderful as the early reviews had suggested. It’s a personal story about a young Asian-American woman (Awkwafina) struggling to reconcile her heritage with her current situation and values - specifically, she is tested when her grandmother is diagnosed with terminal cancer and the wider family make the decision to hide the truth from her. The Farewell does a fantastic job of generating empathy for all the different perspectives and positions in play, but it’s truly anchored by Awkwafina’s amazingly nuanced and tender performance - basically, anyone who’s ever loved a grandparent should leave this feeling incredibly moved and inspired. The themes of The Farewell are both specific to the Asian-American experience and general to anyone who has struggled with maintaining bonds over a vast distance, whether physical or cultural.
5. Booksmart, dir. Olivia Wilde
God, how I wish I’d had this movie as a teenager! While Booksmart has a cliched premise - two high-achieving teens decide to have one wild night before graduation - it tells the story in an incredibly charming and impressively creative way (I won’t spoil it, but let me just say this - that scene with the Barbies!). As someone who was an awkward nerd with no discernible social life in high school (as you Americans call it), I found this portrayal of that peculiar limbo period very sensitive and thoughtful - it doesn’t mock or shame its heroines for being studious, and it allows them to have limits and step back from situations that make them uncomfortable. It also serves as a beautifully honest portrait of a friendship, depicting the qualities that bring people together in friendship together in the first place, as well as the forces that can break people apart. This is a very accomplished debut from Wilde, and it makes me very excited to see where she goes next as a director.
6. A Private War, dir. Matthew Heineman
This was a very suspenseful and tightly focused film about an extraordinary woman, and the film soars on the strength of Rosamund Pike’s incredible performance as Marie Colvin. She provides piercing insights into the psyche of a person so driven to pursue truth and enact change that she loses all concern for her own wellbeing - it’s simultaneously a portrait of heroism and obsession, and it’s impressive for how it handles the ambiguity inherent in Colvin’s choices. She’s exceptionally brave, but the film is unflinching in depicting the costs of her bravery. It left me feeling inspired to learn more about Colvin’s life and work, and I still need to watch the documentary Under the Wire to get more insight into the real story behind the film.
7. Fighting With My Family, dir. Stephen Merchant
This is the year of Florence Pugh - she killed it in Midsommar, and she is just as fantastic here. If anything, Fighting With My Family and Midsommar make great complements as they serve as fantastic showcases for Pugh’s range as an actor. While her character in Midsommar is fragile and vulnerable, Fighting With My Family is a platform for her strength and comedic skill. As Paige, Pugh is instantly likable and compelling - I don’t give a damn about any form of wrestling, but this film (and Pugh specifically) did a fantastic job of drawing me in and making me root for Paige’s struggle to prove herself as a legitimate force in wrestling. This is a real underdog story, and Pugh did a wonderful job as the Cinderella of the WWE.
8. Apollo 11, dir. Todd Douglas Miller
My dad has always been crazy about the space program, but I hadn’t picked up the bug myself. That changed after I watched this extraordinary documentary, which brought the Apollo 11 mission to vivid life. The footage that’s used for this documentary is extraordinarily crisp, and some moments are vividly powerful - the crew getting into their spacesuits, the swirl of fire surrounding the moment of takeoff, and the journey of the spacecraft towards the moon. It left me feeling moved and touched by human potential, especially when you remember that this all happened 50 years ago when the available technologies were so fragile and primitive. I also loved how the footage was allowed to speak for itself, with no voiceover or exposition - it’s a must-see for anyone who’s ever looked up at the stars and wondered about reaching them.
9. High Life, dir. Claire Denis
This movie is second to only Midsommar in terms of how weird it is. I saw this in a Hungarian cinema while on holiday, which made for a disorientating experience in itself. While the meaning of the film is quite elusive and I’m sure that many people will find viewing it a uniquely frustrating experience, I appreciated how it created a hothouse environment that brought out some of the ugliest aspects of humanity. Robert Pattinson was great as what comes closest to amounting to our protagonist, though he is as inscrutable and inaccessible as the film itself. I can’t quite pin down why I liked this one so much, but I know I did and it made me want to seek out more of Claire Denis’ work.
10. Free Solo, dir. Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
It’s tragic that most people will only watch this documentary on a TV screen (or, so much worse, a laptop!). I was fortunate enough to see it in its full IMAX glory, and it’s rare to see any film - let alone a documentary - take such full advantage of the format. The woozy spectacle of this film is the real star, though the subject - mountain climber Alex Honnold - is also fascinating with his unnerving detachment from the magnitude of what he is setting out on. It is clearly a necessary detachment for him to be able to achieve what he achieves, but I appreciated how the filmmakers questioned it and explored its impact on his girlfriend. This is a compelling documentary, and is worth watching even if you’re not usually a fan of the genre.
#films#cinema#films 2019#midsommar#florence pugh#the favourite#one cut of the dead#free solo#high life#apollo 11#fighting with my family#a private war#the farewell#booksmart
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Tomarrymort: Why it’s Such a Promising Ship
I absolutely adore Tomarrymort. It’s one of my all-time favorite ships, and I find myself coming back to it time and time again. Of course, it might take a bit of work to convince the quintessential skeptic about this pairing, so here are some reasons why Tomarrymort is a gold mine of content.
I. The parallels
J.K. Rowling painstakingly draws numerous similarities between Harry and Tom’s upbringing. For instance:
A. Childhoods
Although not explicitly stated by Rowling, Harry definitely grew up in an abusive home (starvation, overwork, belittlement, so on). Tom Riddle also spent his childhood in a bad environment, as he was born in 1926 at the height of global turmoil and England-specific class upheavals. As an orphan at an unforgiving home, he likely experienced harsh treatment for reasons even aside from his fear-inspiring magical abilities.
B. Unfit, Hostile Guardians
The Dursleys did everything they could to quash any freakishness in Harry. They systematically diminished his self-worth and sought to stifle his magical abilities in every way. Similarly, Wool’s Orphanage also treated Tom as an “other”. While Tom was by no means a saint, the Matron and his peers made no secret of their unease and borderline dislike for him, which likely only alienated Riddle further.
C. Marked by Dumbledore from a young age
Since the prophecy’s creation, Dumbledore singled out Harry as a tool to win the war. Dumbledore may have cared for him and genuinely regretted the self-sacrificing role he would have to play, but regardless, he still passively and actively ensured Harry would be put in too many life-or-death situations that no child should’ve experienced. And while Dumbledore preemptively christened Harry a savior, he contrastingly damned Tom at the very start. Within mere moments of meeting Tom, he was convinced that this young boy was someone to be feared. Mind you, I’m not a Tom Riddle apologist; I fully recognize that he was a very dark villain as an adult and his actions could not be primarily attributed to the rejection he faced from adult figures. However, the way that they were both pseudo-predestined to play opposing roles is rather fascinating.
D. Why these similarities matter!!
On a surface level, children are objectively impressionable beings, and the way Tom and Harry were raised likely affected their behavior and character in interesting ways. Because they had similar influences upon their childhoods, it becomes even more intriguing to observe where their paths diverged and how they became such famous hero-villains. I’ll let Tom say it himself:
“There are strange likenesses between us, Harry Potter. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even look something alike.”
There’s something uniquely attractive about characters who could’ve been like one another, and yet ended up as completely different people. It’s like looking into a mirror and seeing a twisted reflections — rather incredible, isn’t it?
II. The magical ties
A. Horcruxes: Parseltongue, Occlumency, and more
This is probably the biggest addition to Tomarrymort’s intrigue. To start with, we have Harry’s Parseltongue abilities, which presented themselves early on in the first book and continued to appear in very memorable scenes throughout the series. While Parseltongue itself is a rather loaded concept rife with worldbuilding potential, its continued presence was a constant reminder of the soul relationship between Harry and Voldemort.
For, recall that Harry’s Parseltongue ability was a direct consequence of his soul relationship with Voldemort. He housed a piece of Voldemort’s soul for over a decade. This is astounding, given that there are several examples of other characters being affected by even a brief contact with Voldemort’s Horcruxes. The Diary possessed Ginny after just a school term, the Locket recreated Ron’s greatest fears after mere weeks of wear, and the shard in Nagini likely contributed to her complete obedience and lethality. That then begs the question — how could the piece in Harry have affected him? And if there was no effect, that just makes it all the more interesting with questions of why Harry alone was immune.
Bonus: ficwriters can play with the idea of soul magic or Horcrux-related worldbuilding. It’s wonderful seeing all these different interpretations of Horcrux events: restoring/rejoining pieces of Voldemort’s soul, establishing soul bonds, soul-based mind manipulation, and more.
B. The Prophecy
The actual prophecy has been re-interpreted by numerous fanfics in different ways. The last two lines are the most fanficable, in my opinion.
“And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...”
Consider the phrase, “mark him as his equal”. A mark in and of itself is an inherently possessive act of claiming, which ties back to Tomarrymort’s obsessive relationship. And, the pairing can be written with paradoxically imbalanced power dynamics despite their “equal” status.
“And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...”
Oh, would you look at that — predestined enemies, fatal tragedy, and more. It’s quite poetic, really. Imagine falling in love with your worst enemy in this scenario. For Voldemort, the prophecy ascertained Harry’s status as a threat to his greatest goal of immortality, which would make a romantic pairing between the two into a very emotionally charged concept. And for Harry, he would have already experienced pain for loving a creature defined by an inability to love, and this prophecy line would have been the final nail in the coffin.
III. Fanfiction application
A. Sheer variety
Tomarrymort fics span across a wild spectrum. You can scroll just a couple fics down and go from a soul-crushing tale of beautiful angst to a gentle coffeeshop AU. There’s something for everyone here!
B. Depth
The nature of the pairing usually requires a good deal of buildup or context, and it can be pretty intense or achingly soft. Regardless, you’re guaranteed to get quite the vividly emotional experience.
IV. Conclusion
Generally speaking, there are too many reasons in canon and in fanfiction application that make Tomarrymort amazing. The community itself is also so lovely, and I found some of my greatest friends here. Give the pairing a try if you’d like, and cheers to happy fandom experiences!
(If you’ve read this far, kudos to you! Check me out on ao3, where I write sometimes! Or yell at me on twitter.)
#tomarry#harrymort#tomarrymort#fanfic#rant#fanfiction#harry potter#tom riddle#i just really wanted to get this off my chest#tomarrymort is so underrated
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I'm not sure if I'm supposed to ask or submit this, but if you haven't done Jane yet I'd like one (analysis). I always thought Heart of Stone was much more than just about Jane greiving not being with her son, but maybe also like commentary on how wives (especially in the Tudor era) are meant to bite their tongues and keep everything under control no matter their actual feelings
Hi love!!!
So Seymour is incredibly interesting to me as a character for so many reasons, and is a shinning example to me of why Six is such a fantastic show for female characters and female representation.
For Heart of Stone itself, I think it’s sort of like Don’t Lose Ur Head in where there’s loads of subtle messages and character development throughout but you maybe have to listen to the song a few times to fully get the messages, unlike say All You Wanna Do or even Get Down which are much more open about what they’re trying to say. Seymour goes through this character development (much in the same way Howard does), of realising that even though she loves Henry, he doesn’t love her in the same way and that she is utterly replaceable to him.
And while there’s definitely some commentary in there about how women were treated in the Tudor era, with Seymour acknowledging her worth is directly tied to her son, and while I would argue that that theme is discussed more in relation to Aragon rather than Seymour, it goes to explain a lot of their actions throughout the show. Both these characters are portrayed as incredibly argumentative throughout Six, which makes sense when you think that this might be the first time that they’re allowed to be argumentative and stand their ground and fight back against the horrible things that people are saying about them. Seymour (and Aragon) are no longer tied to Tudor ideals. They have a voice now and they going to use it. And while this character trait is generally played for laughs in the show, it actually becomes quite sad if you think about it too long and too hard.
My only issues with HoS is that some of the original lyrics from the student run actually worked better in my opinion, but that’s a whole other thing that I don’t have time to get into right now. AND I’m actually not a massive Adele fan/ a fan or slower songs in general so I’m usually more interested in the second half of the song than the first half. I would have LOVED a HoS that was closer to a Sia song like Chandelier or Titanium you know?)
One thing I’d also like to quickly draw everyone’s attention to is Seymour’s outfit. A main cast Seymour is the only queen (main cast or alternate) to wear a dress, while also having long hair that’s worn mostly down. While clothes and hair obviously have no gender and anyone can wear anything, Seymour’s costume is probably the most typically feminine out of all the queens and directly contrasts the more masculine coded costumes that Cleves and Parr wear. This links into Seymour representing the more traditional side of feminity, being linked most obviously motherhood but also the role of a wife or “homemaker”. Her love is unconditional...and that’s not something she needs to be ashamed about. Love is a strength, not a weakness, and it’s celebrated as such.
Speaking of which Six doesn’t ever tear down traditional ideals of feminity to bring up newer ideals or preconceptions. For example, Seymour’s more demure attitude is never frowned upon by the others in order to praise Cleves more confident and bold personality. Yes, the queens themselves argue amongst one another and bicker about who had it hardest, but the show itself (and Toby/Lucy) doesn’t seem to favour one or the other or believe women should strive to be one or the other. The show essentially boils down to telling the audience that ALL women should be respected and represented, including those who simply might prefer more traditional gender roles like Seymour. There’s nothing wrong with adhering to them or rejecting them, it’s forcing them on someone that Six frowns upon.
It’s just,,,refreshing to have a character who is celebrated for their feminity and for their pride in being a mother, rather than torn down or frowned upon in favour of other female characters who conform to more stereotypical versions of female empowerment, like the brooding/stoic woman who feels nothing (which six has none of!!! Thank god!!!)
But Seymour isn’t this goody-two-shoes queen or the Mary-sue character of the show either! She’s an incredibly flawed individual, just like the other five queens, with her main strength of her love for her son leading her to be incredibly defensive over her situation. And again, I do think this makes sense? Firstly, Seymour is written off in the show in the same way she’s generally written off in history, so her wanting to stand her ground and defend herself/her situation(which definitely could not have been easy for her. Remember Henry warned her about Boleyn’s fate after Seymour tried to challenge him...) makes perfect sense! And secondly, I genuinely think Seymour has some form of attachment issue to Edward. The way seymour acts in the show honestly reminds me of someone who has lost their baby for whatever reason and simply can’t cope with that loss. She’s practically obsessed with this concept of motherhood and of her son. Yes, that’s what she’s usually tied to throughout history but for some reason Seymour makes me think of a guilty parent who blames themself for something that was completely out of their control. I don’t think this takes away from the theme motherhood being a strength that Seymour also is a fantastic champion of, but I do think it’s a really interesting layer to her character. Maybe I’m grasping at straws with this, but I do just see Seymour as someone with an intense amount of grief that she’s unable to address in a healthy way.
So that’s my general opinions on Seymour as a character! While HoS isn’t necessarily my favourite song of the show, I do actually really enjoy Seymour as a character (as she has some of my favourite lines in the show) and what Toby and Lucy managed to accomplish with her as a character.
Hope this explains my feelings well love ❤️❤️❤️ I’ve got a few people asking me to discuss Cleves so that will be my next post!
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Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red: Pages 163-167 - ZUN Interview
Introduction to "Touhou" Game Design
To accompany this spin-off, along with the upcoming release of Phantasmagoria of Flower View, the kannushi of fantasy, ZUN, will reveal the inner workings of his mind. The goal of this interview was to have ZUN talk about his gaming history and his stance on game systems, as well as to express the concept behind his new game Phantasmagoria of Flower View.
The Philosophy of Establishing the Foundation for a Game World
Interviewer: Today, we will be asking ZUN about the philosophy at the heart of his games. First, may I ask when the first time you played a game was?
ZUN: It was when I was in kindergarten. My parents placed a table arcade machine in their cafe to lighten up the atmosphere. That kindled my interest in games, and during elementary school, the Famicom came out and we bought one right away. When I got a new game, I'd play them with my friends inside and out. But normally I would go outside and catch bugs and stuff, too. I was a normal countryside kid, after all.
Interviewer: What games from back then left an impression on you?
ZUN: Super Mario Bros. left the biggest impression on me. Before then, games didn't scroll, and there were still many games with black backgrounds. But in Super Mario Bros., if you went underground, there was an underground world. If you went above the clouds, there was a world up there, too. All the different places you could go in itself surprised me, and the fact that the music also changed with the setting was impressive.
The next impact was from... Street Fighter 2. It was almost like a second revolution. Everyone would play the game, so it was a way to fight without physically hurting each other. The play control was incredible, too. I would put in up to 10,000 yen in a day sometimes. That made my allowance disappear in a flash. (laugh)
Interviewer: In both of these games, what points about the game's system or quality were important?
ZUN: Those games were revolutionary because they had things like different systems from games before them, creating new atmospheres within themselves. Later, people would say stuff like "that game engine was revolutionary" or "the characters had a lot of appeal", but at the time, no one really thought about the individual aspects because they were too busy playing. Games don't become hits because of those kinds of reasons. The systems in those games weren't just the pinnacle of all the games made up to that point, there was also a decisive difference. If I had to put it into words, I would say they "created a new world". Though it's a little different from the usual meaning, let's just go with that.
Now to speak about my thoughts on game design, about establishing the foundation for a world. I try to design my games to exist in their own world. At the base of everything is the game world, and I structure the game's genre and system upon that, from which the pictures and music flow. One can feel this establishment as they play the game, so I believe. That's why the game's quality as it is called is just one part of the game, so if you get too obsessed about that, I'm afraid it will lose all meaning as a video game.
A lot of people say "the true nature of a game is it's quality, and quality and setting are different things", however, I don't think that they are exclusive concepts, and that they should be thought of as one. If you look at Xevious or Space Invaders, it is obvious that even at that time, games weren't mere collections of symbols. Even the very first video game was only about bouncing a ball back and forth, but even though it was a brand-new way to play it, it was still called Pong. So, the way I see it, this was a "world" that just happened to have nothing but ping-pong.
However, even with that theory, if it's not interesting, it probably can't be considered a success. On the other hand, only focusing on the basics isn't interesting either, so it is important to be able to connect both aspects to make a fun game. Based on experience, being able to fine-tune a game's quality or system is unmistakably engaging, but I think that games without that extra coat of paint are mistaken as "genuine". Before it can be played as a game, I think it is very important for it to have its own setting.
Interviewer: Now, when you say "creating a world", that comes with very broad implications, so I imagine there will be many different approaches to establishing a world.
ZUN: Please think of the quality of a setting and how well it is established as different things. For example, take sci-fi worlds or retro worlds. How well they are liked relates to the quality of how the setting is established. On the other side, how well the music and the backgrounds match the setting, how the game controls feel, even up to entering a name for a high score, those are aspects relating to the quality of a certain setting.
The way I see it, however you decide to establish a world, you need to decide it on based on the design of the created world. During the establishment of a game, particularly when making characters for the so-called world creation, people make the mistake of saying "This won't have any effect on the game", but even among these same people there are those who say "Because this character is in the game, I hate it." This claim is proof enough that even characters can influence a game. If it truly didn't matter, then the game would be playable no matter what the setting is. This means that the "hate" that is felt is proportional to how much influence the aspect has on the game. Conversely, I admit that there are bad games with well-designed worlds.
In Battle Garegga (*1), there was a very charismatic last boss called Black Heart. That is a good example of how a game's design can really make a character appealing. Before his boss appearance, you would see a bunch of smaller Black Hearts come out and do stuff. That was very important.
Interviewer: Is creating a world the same as giving meaning to every individual element in the game?
ZUN: For that, I'd like to talk about CAVE, who have always done a great job in creating their worlds. In Progear (*2), the look of the game changes as time passes from morning to evening, then to night, and when you start the second loop, it's morning again. A simple thing like the flow of time gives a real feeling of "progression". There is a similar effect in Guwange (*3), where it goes from the white color scheme in the town, to the darkness of Hell at the end. The stages flow smoothly, and in addition, it starts out in summer, and goes to fall, winter, and spring. The look of the game's stages have meaning. The player gets absorbed into the world of these kinds of games.
In Darius Gaiden too, even though it seems like the most attention was given to its quality, I think the reason for its popularity was the world inside it. The fact is, I was influenced by Darius Gaiden when I made the Touhou games.
Interviewer: Can you give any specific examples of this influence?
ZUN: In Darius Gaiden, there would be boss battles as long as 2/3rds of the stage, and the bosses would have personalities. Another characteristic is that the game would be organized solely to keep things exciting during the middle. Until then, when talking about games, people would only say things like "stage 3 was fun, stage 4 was...", but in Darius Gaiden, there was Octopus and Great Thing, and people could call bosses by name when they talked about the game. It meant that these game symbols were becoming something else. This "change" of turning symbols into characters made its way into Touhou, too. So, the first point of influence is making the games heavily favor boss battles, the second is the "Spell Card" system that tied characters to specific attack patterns, and the third is the result of making bosses no more than mere game symbols obsolete.
Interviewer: So when creating a unique world for a game, it's fundamentally impossible to create something like Touhou with more than one person?
ZUN: That's my opinion. In games where there are many people working on it, even in a best-case scenario, only a few people are working on the game design. As the game nears completion, they have to pull double duty, working on other tasks in addition to design. It's definitely the hardest phase of making a game. For my latest game, Phantasmagoria of Flower View, while I had to ask a few people for help, I was the only one working on it, so it was still largely a solo effort. I think it was best for the game.
For Phantasmagoria of Flower View, the theme I made was "enjoyable while playing and after playing". Usually, you may think "playing is fun", and it's exciting to do so, but if playing is all there is, then it's unexpectedly not fun. Music that is enjoyable, an enjoyable world, setting, and characters, and the entire atmosphere. If everything doesn't have that feel-good quality, then it feels bad. To sum it up, if you only focus how it feels to play the game, you won't see anything else.
The Attitude of Doujin Developers Not Focusing on Sales and Continuing to Make Games They Like
ZUN: I would like to say that even if a game doesn't sell very well, it can still be a good game. Making a game sell is a different story, though.
Interviewer: You think that doujin developers are not trying to make their games sell?
ZUN: There's no effort whatsoever. They believe that since they're small outfits, there's no obligation to do so. They'll go on making their own thing, never accepting or even seeking criticism of any kind. As an extension, they won't even care about publicizing their games. No advertising or anything to draw attention to new releases, not even on their own website.
Interviewer: So those developers purposefully isolate themselves?
ZUN: There are instances where they are just so busy it's hard for them to find time to handle PR, but otherwise, I would say yes. However, while it's natural to get inspiration from other works, if you get too caught in being worried what other people will think of your game, that's going to do nothing but hurt your productivity. Of course, I think that in the case of businesses, not caring about a game's reception is a real issue. They should be proactive in getting opinions through people who fill out surveys, fan sites, and other sources.
Interviewer: But in the case of doujin developers, it's better not to do that?
ZUN: Doujin developers are basically mini-businesses, so they should still act like businesses, and always be looking ahead. I think that consumers demand too much from doujin creators, things that are not doujin-like. When you compare the differences between businesses and doujin developers, too many requests and criticisms can wear down on the creator, so the market atrophies as a result. However, in the case of Touhou, its scope is still widening, and there are as many people playing it as there are playing commercial games, so it's gotten to the point where I can't ignore the fans even if I try. That's why those the production side should not be so aloof. That's my general mindset, although I get the feeling I've been a bit cold towards my fans recently. (laugh)
Interviewer: By the way, what programs do you use in the development of the Touhou games?
ZUN: I don't use the software or programs that most doujin developers generally use when I make my games. On my computer, I use my own version of DOS-V, and my development environment is a compiler, Visual Studio. For pictures, it's generally Photoshop, and for music I use Cubase SX, but not Prouse. It was a lot harder for doujin developers to make games 10 years ago. No matter what you made, it took a lot of blood, sweat, and effort. I don't like my expression when I exert a lot of effort so I don't do it very often. (laugh)
Interviewer: Do you have any advice for people who want to make games?
ZUN: I think that people who want to work for a game company and those who want to make games should receive separate advice. First, to those who want to work for a game company, the ratio of people who want to work for a company versus the number who are actually hired is incredibly large, so to stand out, it's important to hone and improve your unique qualities. I presented Touhou to demonstrate mine, but that was because I had to put a considerable amount of effort into it.
Also, there are a lot of people who want to work for a game company who go to college or technical school, but because they feel the gap between what they want to do and the regular office work they actually do, almost all of them quit. That may be because they didn't want to make games, just work for a game company. To those who want to make games, you might want to exclusively study that field, but I recommend you go to college and get a regular education. If you can adapt to your surroundings then, you can improve yourself as a person.
Pursuing the Feel-Good Quality for Phantasmagoria of Flower View
Interviewer: The theme for Phantasmagoria of Flower View seems to be very cheerful, being about flowers (laugh). How would you describe it?
ZUN: It's something I've always wanted to make. Phantasmagoria of Flower View is a game I made with the notion of something that you can play casually and still have fun. I would like to think that even those who didn't like the moderately serious settings of the previous games still enjoyed them, but on the other hand, I realize you can't please everyone. The response to the trial version has been positive, though, so I'm actually a little confused. (laugh)
Interviewer: So the music is enjoyable as well?
ZUN: While it's not like the music hasn't been suited for its stages up to now, there were considerable limits. But this time, there is nothing resembling progression within a stage and the only thing that flows is the background. It felt good and because of that reason, I thought I could compose some really beautiful songs. As a song repeats during a game, it gets stuck in your head. By doing away with any forced mid-stage dialog, I didn't have to think about arranging the music around them.
Interviewer: How does the story feel?
ZUN: There are a few tense, interesting parts to it, but it's still a little long so I'm presently fine-tuning it (laugh). This time, each character will have their own ending, so with repeated playthroughs, you can learn all kinds of things about the characters as well as their relationships. If you play through it once, you won't get the whole picture, just as the characters themselves don't fully understand the events that unfold by the end, but that's just another Touhou-like thing about the game.
Interviewer: A versus shmup was unexpected. What was your intention?
ZUN: While I wasn't planning on making a game this year, it's Touhou's 10th anniversary so I thought really, really hard about it. A lot of people are playing the Touhou games now, so I wanted to do something that would get everyone excited... so I intended for this to be a fan-service game and make it like Twinkle Star Sprites.
Maybe the people who play Touhou haven't played Twinkle Star, maybe they have. I don't think I'm trying to "compete" with it though. For example, people can only eat so much, so restaurants have to compete with each other by creating their own unique aspects. However, the same isn't true in the case of games. Instead, the thought process is that by creating something good, regardless of source, then everyone who is interested in those kinds of games will also be drawn in. Among shmups, this doesn't necessarily steal a share of the customers, and instead, it's called respect. This kind of synergy increases the whole shmup scene by another level. That's what I'm aiming for.
Interviewer: Finally, I'd like to ask about where you place this book, Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red.
ZUN: This book and the game, Shoot the Bullet have a mutual influence on each other, and I wanted to make something that would give people who already know about Touhou even greater enjoyment. That's why the story of this book is a bunch of interesting news articles about all kinds of things. While I don't think there are THAT many people who play the games, I wanted to give anyone familiar with the series and in-depth, up-close look at it. So I guess I didn't make this book for newbies, but for people who have had at least some experience with it. But if by accident someone new does read this book... they might be surprised. (laugh)
(*1)
1996
Released by Eighting
Mechanic brothers challenge a federation in this vertically-scrolling shmup.
The player controls a fighter plane.
(*2)
2001
Released by Capcom
Young children fight tyranny in propeller-driven planes in this horizontally-scrolling shmup.
(*3)
1999
Released by CAVE
Set at the end of the Muromachi period, a trio of shikigami users face a trial in this vertically-scrolling shmup.
(*4)
1994
Released by Taito
A horizonally-scrolling shmup, the side story to the original game released by the same company in 1986.
Famous for its bosses based around an aquatic creature motif.
(*5)
1995
Released by ADK
A very unusual versus-style shmup.
On July 28th, 2005, SNK Playmore released a remake called Twinkle Star Sprites ~La Petite Princesse~ for the PlayStation 2.
#touhou baijr#bohemian archive in japanese red#touhou#touhou project#project shrine maiden#interviews
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Child’s Play (2019): Chucky Come Lately, The New Kid in Town
We’re coming up on a month since the release of Orion Pictures’ Child’s Play remake. In the lead up to the polarizing release, there were two very different teams drawn up: you were either Team Good Guy, or Team Buddi. If you were the former, it was thought you were an elitist, unable to see past your love for the original and too closed minded to admit you were even a little curious as to how the new movie would turn out. If you wore the latter team’s jersey, you were part of what is wrong with horror today, ready to gobble up corporate studio schlock even if it means trampling all over the original. At a time when a remake is announced every other week, I want to discuss why it’s okay to root for the home town hero, while also being curious about what the rookie has to offer.
Child’s Play was originally released in 1988, having been written and directed by Tom Holland from a story by Don Mancini, produced by David Kirschner and distributed by MGM. The film was a hit, drawing enough at the box office to spawn six sequels, and the cult following was immediately under the spell of the pint sized, Voodoo practicing antagonist, Charles Lee Ray. I recently turned 30, and it wasn’t until I was in my early teens that I realized the original trilogy was called Child’s Play and not Chucky, as I’d always referred to the movies. Brad Dourif plays Chicago serial killer Charles Lee Ray, The Lakeshore Strangler. After he’s chased into a toy store and fatally wounded by Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon), Chucky transfers his soul into the body of a Good Guy Doll. The rest of the movie follows Chucky and the first person he reveals his identity to, a six year old boy named Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), as Chucky murders his way through babysitters, old accomplices and Voodoo mentors! All the while, Chucky preys on Andy’s innocence, telling him they’re “Friends til the end!” simply to make it easier for him to transfer his soul into Andy’s body.
This set up was, and still is, perfect! For much of the movie, Chucky is a stoic rubber doll, resembling one of the Cabbage Patch Dolls that were so popular in the 1980s. It’s clear to see how excited Andy is when he gets the doll as a birthday present, and you feel genuine fear for the kid knowing there’s the soul of a serial killer trapped inside his new best friend! I would give anything to travel back in time to sit in the theater on opening night and experience the moment Chucky finally reveals his true nature to Andy’s Mom! What may seem silly to us now must have made for an awesome group experience in that theater, especially considering the amazing animatronics and Dourif’s fantastic voice over work, his animalistic aggression striking fear into children for years after.
For all the praise we can give Chucky and the lore his movies built up, they did become somewhat formulaic, but Chucky and pals had solidified themselves in the minds and memories of millions. It’s easy to see why fans were hesitant, and confused, when the remake was announced. Some went as far as to write off the movie completely before even hearing what the changes would be. Well, as it turns out, the changes were pretty drastic, in part due to the legal issues of having a remake separate from the Mancini Chucky universe, soon to make a place for itself as a spin off TV show on the SyFy channel.
Child’s Play 2019 has brought Chucky and Andy into the era of asking someone for their WiFi password as soon as you walk through their door. The film is directed by Lars Klevberg (Polaroid) from a screenplay by Tyler Burton Smith (Kung Fury 2) and produced by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith (IT, Chapter 1 and 2). In our post-Stranger Things world, Andy, played here by Gabriel Bateman (Lights Out), is no longer a six year old child but rather a young teen having trouble fitting in and making friends in his new neighborhood. His mom, Karen Barclay (Aubrey Plaza), is still a single mother working in retail, but the doll she brings home for Andy’s birthday is incredibly different due to the exclusion of one incredibly important character: Charles Lee Ray. Gone is the Voodoo. Gone is the Lakeshore Strangler. Gone is the voice! The new direction is daring to say the least.
In this version, Chucky is a WiFi capable, Cloud connected Buddi doll. As part of their use as an educational tool for children, Buddi dolls learn from their Best Buddies, picking up on their sense of humor, social cues and behaviors. Eventually Buddi could help you keep track of your calendar and even control climate setting in your home. Seems pretty cool, right? Well it would be, except Andy’s Buddi doll was hacked by a disgruntled factory worker who does away with Chucky’s limiters for language, violence, and seemingly even his free will.
What I feel works especially well in the new take is Chucky’s innocence at the start of the movie. A Buddi doll’s only mission is to imprint on their new owner and be the best friend this child could ever ask for. We get scenes of Andy and Chucky playing chess, hanging out, and even looking through scrap books of Andy’s art. Chucky takes a genuine interest in Andy and simply wants to be his Best Buddy, so when Andy is scratched by his mother’s cat, we get the first glimpses into Chucky’s unlocked potential for violence. He wants to punish anyone, or anything, that wishes Andy harm. Chucky hasn’t just imprinted, he is frighteningly obsessed.
One of my favorite scenes plays out as Andy, and his friends Falyn and Pugg (Beatrice Kitsos and Ty Consiglio, respectively) are watching a particularly brutal horror movie. I was genuinely giddy in the theater when the clips started to flash on screen, so I won’t spoil it here. This is where we see Chucky’s gears start to turn. Much like a child who may pick up on violent behavior they’re exposed to, Chucky sees Andy and his friends laughing at the outlandish violence on screen and decides to “entertain” them with a butcher knife.
Through out the course of the 90 minute run time, we see Andy struggling with how to control Chucky, now having gotten the wrong impression of violence and feeling rejected by his Best Buddy. The stakes are raised as Chucky becomes increasingly violent, seeking to please Andy at every turn only to make things worse, like a genie who twists their master’s words, making them sorry for not being more careful with their wishes. Come the third act, we can start to see hints of Chucky’s own fully formed personality, now having been twisted and deranged by the movies events.
This movie was more fun than I anticipated, and it even got my wife’s stamp of approval after I dragged her to the theater with me on opening night! Rather than try to be some incredibly bleak, super realistic take on the story, Child’s Play knew exactly what it was and went all out with the ridiculous concept. The movie’s R rating was also used to its full potential, and though most of the scares are pretty telegraphed, they shower you with so much blood and gore that you can’t help but laugh. Andy’s group of friends, though not nearly as charismatic or fun to watch as the cast of Stranger Things or 2017’s IT, really helped to give the movie some much needed warmth and heart. Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta), who played this movie’s Detective Norris, also gave a great performance, balancing comedy and that detective bravado just right.
The standouts though were Gabriel Bateman and this movie’s Chucky, none other than Mark Hamill (Star Wars and The Joker in Batman The Animated Series, I mean DUH!). Bateman gave a great performance as Andy, carrying a lot of the movie’s emotion, and Hamill helped give this Chucky his own voice. The third act culmination of Chucky’s deranged personality would not have been nearly as effective if not for Hamill’s amazing voice over work. This is not to say though that the movie was perfect. Aubrey Plaza was bland as Karen Barclay, giving every line that classic, so-edgy-it-hurts, Plaza sarcasm. It works on Parks and Rec and even the movie Safety Not Guaranteed, but it feels so out of place here. Thankfully, Bateman was there to sell most of their scenes together, or I would not have been able to buy into their relationship as mother and son, much less care about their survival. In addition to Plaza, there were a lot of jokes in the first and second act that simply didn’t land. The lines fell flat and hardly got more than a chuckle from most of the audience I was with. I’m sure they were after the wit and timing of the young ensemble cast of IT, but that came from time and intensive work building off screen relationships within that cast. Some jerky editing also made the movie feel like it would have benefited from an extra 15 or 20 minutes, leading to certain scenes that were meant to be emotional being brushed over and rushed.
Lastly, let’s address the elephant in the room: Chucky’s redesign. The very first reaction I heard as Chucky’s face flashed on screen was “Ew, what the fu-“. I want to give the effects team credit for sticking to mostly animatronic work once again, but Chucky’s face was simply horrendous. I’d like to think this was intentional, perhaps they wanted to play up the Uncanny Valley effect as much as possible, but I can’t see myself or any other fans saying the design won us over, no matter how fun the movie was.
Did Child’s Play 2019 have to be a Child’s Play movie? No, not at all. In fact, they could have called it “Alexa Gone Wild.” and it would have held much of the same effect. With that being said though, I think I enjoyed it as much as I did because of their new take. It impressed me just enough to leave me thinking “Wow, that was really fun!” I love the original Child’s Play, and Brad Dourif is quite honestly irreplaceable, but the film makers saw the challenge they had with this new version, knew the audience they had to try and win over and they swung for the fences. I may not be able to convince everyone to give this movie a shot, and I’m fine with that, but I think the most important thing to remember is this: If you’re going to update one of my favorite toys, my “Friend til The End”, then make sure the new version keeps me entertained til the end, friend.
Rating: 3.5 Full Moons out of 5 🌕🌕🌕🌗
#Child’s Play#Child’s Play 2019#Child’s Play Remake#Chucky#Good Guy Doll#Buddi Doll#Brad Dourif#Mark Hamill#Gabriel Bateman#Aubrey Plaza#Horror#Horror Movies#Film Reviews#Movie Reviews#Moonlight Madness#Moonlight Madness Reviews
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Dollhouse s01e01 ‘Ghost’
Does it pass the Bechdel Test?
Yes, three times.
How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?
Six (40% of cast).
How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?
Nine.
Positive Content Rating:
Two. TW: child sexual abuse, and I don’t consider it well-handled by the narrative. It should not be there.
General Episode Quality:
A very strange way to begin a show (mostly for the above reason).
MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:
Passing the Bechdel:
Adelle and Caroline pass as the episode begins. Dr Saunders gives Echo a check-up. Echo and Sierra pass out in the field.
Female characters:
Adelle DeWitt.
Caroline Farrell.
Echo.
Davina Crestejo.
Claire Saunders.
Sierra.
Male characters:
Matt Cargill.
Boyd Langton.
Topher Brink.
Gabriel Crestejo.
Laurence Dominic.
Paul Ballard.
Mr Sunshine.
Anton Lubov.
James Shepherd.
OTHER NOTES:
Some sources may try to tell you to watch the unaired pilot episode ‘Echo’ first, but you really, really should not do that. It exists completely outside the continuity of the rest of the series, half of the content is immediately retconned, and the other half is recycled and used throughout the first five episodes of the series instead. Also, it’s a really, really bad pilot episode, I am zero percent shocked that they were sent back to the drawing board. It tries to do way too much at once, laying out a huge amount of story in way too little time, and consequently it comes off over-stuffed and amateurish. The first five episodes of the series-proper are far, far less central-plot-heavy, and while that is unfortunate in that none of them are very strong or particularly compelling, the more relaxed, drawn-out process of establishing and developing the mythology of the series is infinitely preferable to the jumbled, noisy, everything-at-once nature of the shitty unaired pilot.
We could argue variously about whether or not to count the different imprints as actual characters, and it would be a very meta argument if we did, but for the purposes of this blog the doll characters will only be listed as differentiated individuals a) as their original personalities, b) as long-term imprints who exist significantly enough within the narrative that they form their own lives/memories/connections that aren’t just programmed experiences, and c) as their doll designations, the names of which I will continue to use for both their blank-slate and their temporary imprints. That’s just how it’s gonna be.
Reed Diamond is here, and that’s, y’know, everything. Reed Diamond is love, Reed Diamond is life.
Ballard’s introductory scene has him being instructed by his FBI bosses to stop 1) harassing politicians and public figures 2) committing crimes, and 3) interfering in other investigations, specifically the ongoing efforts to shut down a major human trafficking pipeline. His bosses also emphasise that he should dial back on these things on account of the fact that he has no actual evidence to support the ‘need’ for any of those actions, and, um. He should listen to his bosses, actually. The scene is designed to demonstrate to us that Ballard is professionally isolated and a bit of a maverick, that he has absolutely no intention of backing down in his investigation, but also that he’s on to something and that he’s gonna have to keep pursuing it despite the obstruction of the higher-ups and the rich and powerful Dollhouse-using people they protect. Thing is though, what he’s doing is absolutely rubbish FBI work. I mean, it sounds rather a bit like he should be fired (being an FBI agent does not entitle him to commit criminal offenses. That’s not how being FBI works). He might satisfy his own curiosity about things during the commission of his various felonies, but he can’t legally obtain evidence that will hold up in court, and therefore he’s actively jeopardising his own investigation through his ‘maverick’ methods. And if he also genuinely jeopardised the human trafficking case because he’s on his own righteous crusade? That’s not ok. It’s not for him to prioritise his own investigation (for which he presently has no evidence) over the very real threat posed to those trafficked victims. I’m not getting ‘dogged maverick investigator’ from this intro, I’m getting ‘reckless self-important asshole’. I don’t think that’s the intended interpretation, but it’s what the text has presented. Also, it’s a fucking huge cliche.
First episode in, and the plot hinges on the inclusion of child sexual abuse. Not in a small way, either; Echo makes various direct references to being assaulted as a child, which is confronting and difficult to listen to, and an unnecessary, perverse detail to include. Particularly for the first episode of the series, this is a bizarre decision, and this content is way too heavy for the attitude and tone of the rest of the story (which is not exactly light and frivolous itself, but it’s not up to the task of grounding a discussion of child rape). It’s also a wildly convenient turn of events that this particular abuser just-so-happens to show up, and that kind of lazy coincidental storytelling is the last thing you want when you’re invoking something of this traumatic magnitude.
To make matters worse, while the narrative dwells on the actual abuse, it really kinda glosses over the confrontation with the rapist and the idea of any kind of catharsis, in saving Davina, knowing that the rapist is dead now and can never hurt anyone again, etc. The focus makes it feel as though Joss Whedon just really wanted to do a story about child rape, and the idea of telling that story in a way that is sensitive to real-life survivors or that places the focus on their survival or literally anything other than using this excuse to have someone describing childhood assault didn’t really occur to him. I feel like the potential for this to be upsetting and/or offensive to real-life survivors is pretty high.
The child rapist hits Echo in the face. This will be an extremely common occurrence.
Let’s be real: the sexual abuse aspect of this story did not need to be there. It didn’t. I initially wrote a whole paragraph about how easily you could tell this story with the actual kidnapping as the central trauma, and no child abuse necessary to make the plot unfold exactly as it does, but that’s a moot point: the point is that a very poorly-explored rape-trauma was used as the centre-piece of this episode, and it’s utterly unnecessary, extremely odd for the beginning of a series which is not about child sexual abuse, but also, it’s directly in keeping with the fact that Joss Whedon is a rape-fetishising misogynist who uses his ill-gotten reputation as a ‘feminist’ to get away with writing egregious abuse of women and then claiming that it’s ok because his abused female characters are #StrongWomen. We’re gonna talk about that a lot as this show unfolds.
The truth is, this was the first of Whedon’s shows I ever saw, and the first time I watched it? I loved it. This was in 2010, and my discernment skills had yet to be honed, and the fact that this was my first adventure into the Whedonverse is important because I wasn’t able to judge Dollhouse by comparison to Whedon’s other work like I can now, so his obsession with rape and with chronic abuse of women was not clear to me then as it is now I’ve seen a whole lot of his travesties. But it wasn’t just that I was less critical of the content back then; I also loved the show because it’s honestly a fantastic premise, and the majority of the cast is incredible, and there are some truly inspired episodes in amidst the rot. I have rewatched the series several times since my first viewing (though not for a few years, until now), and independent of my growing revulsion for Whedon’s misogyny, I’ve gotta say: this isn’t a show that improves on review. This is a show with flaws, loads of them, and some of them are cataclysmically large. Once you’ve seen it all before a couple of times, you really start to see the cracks (and cracks in the cracks), and it’s incredibly frustrating to realise how much they squandered what could have been a truly great series exploring some wonderful cerebral concepts in an original and compelling way. As I said, it has been years since I watched this last, and so I’m interested to see how I feel about it now. I don’t anticipate it being very good; I think I’ll be angry most of the time, and these posts will be dripping with it. But I also expect that there will be some good in the mix, and some of what once made me adore this show will remain intact. At the very least, I figure I’ll always have something to say. Probably not nice things, most of the time. We’ll see.
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journal - 4th of march 2018
i watched some of spoonofconsciousness’ amazing videos about the matrix, all the perceived restrictions society has placed on us to keep us looking outward instead of in, where the truth lies. it encouraged me to keep looking in on myself to find answers, and i will do this through continued meditation. i then watched a few videos where he interviewed other spiritual people, and it was so reassuring to hear them use all the exact phrases and concepts i came to adopt through my scientific research and by looking into myself for the logical truth - dimensions, higher selves, geometry, cycles of experience, the all that is, the multiverse and the omniverse. it seems that whenever i start to doubt the existence of these things and fear i’m just deluding myself into some mystical fantasy to make my life more interesting, the universe finds a way to say that, no: other people know of this too, they have for thousands of years, this is all so very, very real. i will try to strengthen my faith.
yesterday i watched another episode of tribe by bruce parry and saw the suffering of natives who are being forced to give up their bond with nature’s spirits for promise of better healthcare, only for diseases given to them by loggers and invaders. i so wish i could go back to when times were better and we were happy and grateul and loving and so much closer to the oneness, but i know that’s not the existence i’m meant for at this moment, and that some day, in another life, i’ll be able to return to the home i long for. it’s just not my time yet. i need to accept and love how things are now, an idea the universe has been trying to guide me to for some time - loving everything that is, how it is, and having no desire to change it.
this is hard for me, because i know how things should be if we are to be happy, and i so desperately want to share that knowledge with the world to help guide people back to peace.
i was guided to a very much needed post in the spirituality tag, reminding me that, while i see the truths behind our reality, i am only one pair of eyes, with only one fragment of the answer, and that every single other person on this planet, no matter what stage of awakening they are at, holds within them another piece of the puzzle. many of my wise ancestors have come to realize their fragments in the distant past, many of my peers are doing so today, and many of my descendants will do so in the future.
i was also reminded by spoonfulofconsciousness that everyone awakens at their own pace, and by a post from a spiritual blog i follow that any change that occurs under influence cannot be considered pure and truthful change. i have heard that some people are alive today to spend their whole lives asleep, and that the karmic lessons they gain from these experiences are exactly what will lead them to enlightenment whenever it is their time.
this makes me wonder: is pursuing my goal of writing a book to help guide people to the truth what i’m meant to be doing? is it my life’s purpose, as i’ve been thinking for weeks? i don’t want to follow the wrong path and initiate change where it isn’t meant to happen, but i don’t want to sit by idly if i could genuinely help us along the right path by communicating my ideas to the world. i know that the greatest gift i can give to the world is my own spiritual awakening and healing, and that this is what i should prioritize, but if i could do more good for the world than that, i would want to.
i suppose it all comes down to whether it is my purpose or not, and at the moment i don’t know what is. i plan to reach out to a spiritual teacher for advice or a trustworthy reading, but i know ultimately it is my own question to answer.
however, acknowledging that my spiritual journey should be my priority has brought up some new concerns. i’m more than aware that i am in a significantly unsuitable environment for such indepth introspective thinking. i live with the constant, looming presence of my parents, very judgemental people who at this point would never accept or understand anything i was going through. this prevents me from expressing myself how i’d truly like to - i am always having to duck and dodge away from them, and have to wait until late in the night to smoke and meditate.
on top of that, their behaviours can be very destructive; my mother spends our money on things we don’t need - new bathroom tiles, new clothes, new handbags, a new couch, instead of food or a functioning dishwasher. she also has emotional problems rooted in her childhood that she chooses to take out on every member of the family, especially my poor father who takes the blow for each of her mistakes. even so, i am working on removing my judgement for her and even eventually forgiving her, but i cannot ignore the disruptive energy and unbalance she is bringing to this household. i previously tried to fight against her impact with aggression, which ultimately almost destroyed my parents’ marriage - i wish she would just take responsibility for her actions and acknowledge the effect she is having on all of us. it feels like a fight i just can’t win.
i also have some personal greivances with my parents - a strange sense of stubbornness stemming from my childhood and all throughout my life, where i feel i have to prove myself to them - prove i am who i say i am, that this is my personality, my identity, and that i will not back down from it or ever let them have the last word. unraveling this, coming to peace with it, forgiving myself and opening up to them even when they do not to me will be one of the bigger milestones in my journey, and will serve me greatly as it is such a personal and intimate source of conflict. opening my heart to people i’ve been psychologically battling with my entire life is a frightening thought, but one i know i must tackle thoroughly sooner or later.
another challenge is that i also have a close bond with my younger brother - a young boy who spends all of his time obsessively gaming and distracting himself, keeping up with every social trend imaginable. he constantly begs me for money to upgrade something as insignificant as his gaming setup, because he has been told that this is what will make him happy, and persistently begs for new video games to play with me. he is so overwhelmingly in touch with current societal culture, that he ends up drawing me in to it - forcing me to readopt the ego i’m so desperately trying to rid myself of, putting on the mask of my personality again and indulging in his futile distractions for hours and hours of my day, sometimes for entire days at a time.
additionally, he becomes very upset when i do not spend time with him - he has plenty of school and online friends but doesn’t usually hang out with anyone in person, i am essentially his best friend and his only source of company when he is at home. this means that whenever i decide to take a day to meditate on myself and explore the knowledge that awaits me, i both have to suffer through him intermediately barging into my room and demanding my presence, and then i must turn him down and nurse him so he isn’t upset by it. and even after that, he makes me swear to spend time with him the next day to make up for it.
i so very deeply need time to myself in this step of my journey - time to abandon the persona i put on when i’m around other people and focus on only behaving according to the voice in my mind, and then challenging problematic and restricting parts of said mind to fully dissolve my ego and open myself up to love. it’s like i’m living a double life - a witty, sarcastic, fun loving fellow people know as alex, and a deep, sorrowful, grateful and kind soul who only wishes to overcome the boundaries it has set up for itself to prevent it from being who it truly is, the person who will add love to the world simply by being. i feel so torn, not wanting to disappoint my brother but also being unable to stay away from my calling.
at the moment, my best solution to this is to adjust my sleep time table so that i sleep through the day when the others are awake, and to wake during the night to exist only as me, completely alone in my room, so that i have the quiet time i need to fully immerse myself into my true form, my soul. when i am in this state, that i accomplish through meditation, sometimes combined with smoking and a ceremony, i can feel my ego physically eroding away - dissolving into nothingness, leaving only my core being behind. i feel otherworldly, i understand every thought and feeling i have, i know exactly who i am, where i came from and how i got here. waking up the following afternoon is so incredibly jarring, being forced to take on the role of alex once again... sometimes i feel like i’m just leading a fake life, which, essentially i am, but because it fits so naturally with the constructed world around me, it’s the path i so often find myself taking.
what i really, truly need in order to nurture my spiritual soul is a long, isolated period of time, time for me to cast aside the briefly satisfying distractions and the everweighing obligations that do nothing but hold me back from achieving my life’s purpose. and while it is stressful that i cannot yet be in that environment, i must remain diligent, calm and patient, and know that better times are coming, so there is no reason to resent the now. still though, i can’t help but long for a better time, a better place - but longing will do nothing on its own, and stressing will only detriment that journey. i must work with what i have each and every day, constantly taking steps towards my goal and living in the now. this is what i must meditate on and put into practice if i am to live a happy life and reach my goal.
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Montreal’s Wasted Effort is Launching a New Collection Today
It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention, so when Wasted Effort’s Marie Foxall found that her usual resources weren’t available for her new collection, she decided to go with the flow and experiment with materials and techniques for her new designs. The result? Playful pieces that would make your next Zoom call or living room date night extra special. Read on to find out how Foxall started her brand, and what else she’s making (and learning) during quarantine.
So, tell me how someone with a background in mathematics becomes a designer.
I wish there was a perfect soundbite answer to this question, but I’m not really sure how one led to the other! For a long time, I followed a pretty clear-cut path set out by my family, who place a great deal of value and emphasis on math, science and education. I enjoyed math and it made sense to pursue it, but throughout my education and early career, I always had a passion for art which manifested itself in drawing, sculpture, clothing design, drama, music—you name it. Finally, when my jewellery design hobby became an all-consuming obsession, I knew I had to give this other side of my personality room to go wild for a while. I’ve never really been sure how these two sides fit together or if one informs the other, but I really enjoy being able to draw on both.
Photography courtesy of Wasted Effort.
What’s behind the ethos of the brand and the name?
Wasted Effort is part brand, part personal art project. Everything is hand-crafted by me, and is either made-to-order or made in small, limited batches. I realized pretty early on that the traditional fashion blueprint—showing a season ahead, predicting demand and holding inventory, then starting it all over six months later—wasn’t really for me, mostly because I constantly want to play and experiment and I like to be able to move from concept to sample to product as quickly as possible. The name was originally a cheeky nod to my math background, my (unartistic) education, the fact that I come from a family of scientists and academics, and that the pursuit of art as a career was not viewed as time well spent. If you can’t laugh at yourself, then what’s the point?
You’re primarily self-taught—how did you develop your skills and the know-how about the different materials that you use?
I took an introductory metalsmithing class many years ago, which was a great foundation in jewellery construction. I worked in more traditional materials, like silver and brass, for a few years and learned through trial and error and a network of amazing jeweller friends in Vancouver who were incredibly generous with their time and knowledge. Eventually, I switched to lucite when I was in a bit of a design rut; I had some lucite sheets and rods that I had bought for a tradeshow display, and realized that I could cut and shape them in the same way I used sheet metal. The rest is all play and experimentation—just a lot of ‘I wonder what happens when I do…. this?’
Photography courtesy of Wasted Effort.
I love your tagline, “Doing everything the hard way”. Tell us about what that means…
Since I prefer to make everything in small batches, I like to have control over every aspect of the process. This means that although it would be so much easier to outsource aspects of production or get my pieces laser-cut, I still cut everything by hand with a jeweller’s saw, then I file, sand and polish it myself. It’s extremely time-consuming and definitely not the most business-savvy approach, but it keeps me connected to the work and personally invested in every piece I send out.
Fill us in on your new pieces!
Since things shut down, I haven’t been able to access many of the supplies that I need to produce my usual pieces, so I’m trying to get creative and make one-off variations on some of my favourite designs. I have been playing around with dye and custom colours, which is a fun experiment and a surprise every time! I have also been updating some designs by incorporating various gems and stones I had been waiting to put to good use, like opal, aura quartz and moonstone.
Photography courtesy of Wasted Effort.
Your work is quite happy-making, which leads me to assume you’re a pretty happy, optimistic person. How are you staying calm and finding joy right now?
This question threw me a little bit because although I love to joke around and find humour in most situations, I am definitely also an anxious person! I think the humour and cheerfulness in my jewellery work is a celebration of my playful side, but also an attempt to offset my anxious side. It brings me joy to create bright, colourful things and to see other people looking joyful wearing them! At the moment, I’m staying calm by making lots of non-work things like vases, planters, pillows and clothes, and finding joy in learning new skills. I’m taking online coding courses and guitar lessons. I’m also trying to be kind and forgiving to myself on the days when I don’t do much at all.
What are you hopeful about coming out of this crisis?
I hope that there is a shift in the way we consume everything. It’s clear that many people are changing their habits by necessity and to keep busy—planting their own vegetables, making their own bread, brewing the perfect cup of coffee at home. I hope that this helps people find joy and satisfaction in doing things themselves and makes them even more thoughtful and grateful for farmer’s markets and restaurants and coffee shops when we’re able to enjoy those things again. I am also hopeful that the outpouring of community support continues. Especially in the arts and small business communities, I have seen so much love and generosity and genuine connection happen over the past few weeks and I hope that this will have a resounding positive effect.
Shop the new collection here.
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Continuing my Misfits freakout after having seen the best episode of the series Season 3 Episode 3, I just had some thoughts about television in general, mainly nostalgic feels and other nonsense about my emotional and obsessive love for tv
Cue nonsense below:
So the year I really got obsessed invested in television was around 2010/2011 when I was just turned 13 and being a weird antisocial kid in middle school. For some reason, watching Misfits this past month and experiencing All The Emotions™ really brought me back to when I first started loving television and that 2009-2013 era of television that I loved so much.
My first real show was Glee, which I started during the season 2B in 2010. At the time I was also watching Bones in 2010 (all out of order) and also started watching Pretty Little Liars in 2010. I really spiraled out of control when I started watching Elementary in 2011 (yup I started from THE BEGINNING), Modern Family in 2012, The Good Wife in 2012, Hawaii Five-O in 2012, Lost in the summer of 2012, Battlestar Galactica in 2013 (and probably some other show I’m forgetting?). Oh and let’s not forget all the Disney Channel shows I still watched lol. Don’t believe me? Go through my old posts. Actually please don’t.
But it still makes me feel nostalgic when I remember watching a lot of these shows during middle school/beginning of high school. It still boggles my mind that at that age, I was able to understand complex shows TGW elementary Lost BSG etc. Or maybe I didn’t understand them. But I sure went through The Emotions. It was probably because at that age, I was still “finding myself” or at that age where I was really anti-social and started thinking of Bigger Things in life or something. And so many of those shows (Elementary, BSG, and LOST in particular) were so character driven that I was immediately captivated by the stories they told. And BSG and LOST really drew me into the sci-fi/mythology genre that I’ve come to love so much in the shows I’m watching now like Westworld and Misfits. My particular love for BSG/LOST comes from that aspect of character driven storylines with elements of mystery and humanity I guess? It was the first time I was exposed to entertainment and storytelling that made me rethink the way humans and society worked, and I know that’s Going Deep but it’s really true. In addition, shows like The Good Wife (back in it’s better days) and Elementary really made me smarter in a way, because it pointed out things that I wouldn’t have noticed, and there are so many subtleties and nuances that made for thrilling television (Like the iconic Hitting the Fan?! The Season 1 finale of Elementary, which to this day I still remember as the BEST season finale of any show?)
This isn’t to knock on any of the shows I watch now. I still remember those iconic 7 days where I binged all 6 seasons of Scandal, completely enthralled with the political twists and turns. I still remember those first 9 episodes of HTGAWM (still my favorite episodes) where I was literally writing recaps on this blog and thinking about who killed Sam?!?! I remember falling in utter complete love for a character on Daredevil, Elektra, who I related to more than I even knew I could connect to a character. Being able to appreciate the nuances in her characterization and trying to fight a storyline pre-written for her, and fighting her inner demons and darkness all while putting on a front to appear confident and collected. I remember falling in love with Raven Reyes, a character who goes through too much shit on a trashy show but consistently fights for every breath she takes. I remember being shook by a cartoon show, Avatar the last airbender and legend of korra, and the fact that I literally loved every single character for being complex and wonderful to watch. I remember discovering The Flash and the iconic Iris West develop agency and become 1/2 in the most ICONIC ship to exist. FINALLY having an Asian American family to watch in Fresh off the Boat, and discovering the incredibly talented and outspoken Constance Wu. Exploring my love for sci-fi with the ever thought-provoking Black Mirror (before it got popular, mind you!) Delving into the world of Marvel with Luke Cage and the world of ancient mongolia with Marco Polo. And that’s not even half the shows I watched, or still watch today! Honestly, if anything, my love for television hit it’s peak once I entered high school and started discovering a plethora of wonderful stories to be invested into.
But at the core, (and evident by the previous paragraph), what really affected me the most in television were the characters and their stories. I was reflecting on how I don’t really ‘ship’ characters as much as I thought, because I mainly loved the character first, and then any relationship they had with others second (WA is the only exception at the moment I think). And that’s why my television phase in 2009-2013 means so much. Because those shows, and LOST/BSG in particular exposed me to what beautiful storytelling could be. And it made me feel The Feels towards characters and storylines for the first time. I still remember how I felt after LOST 1x06, when Jin is waiting the airport line before showing Sun the white flower. I was hit with The Emotions. And it only got worse as the show went on. BSG was the same, with the concept of humanity, survival, and cylons. (I’m kicking myself for writing such a passionate piece on BSG because I still haven’t finished the last season. But that’s another problem for another day).
So bringing this back to focus, what does this have to do with Misfits? Well, as stated earlier, Misfits was a show airing from 2009, so it fits within the timeline of my early phase of television, and to be honest, it feels like it too. Of course I felt The Emotions while watching shows 2013+, but for some reason, after finishing THE episode of Misfits (S3E3), I was hit with The Feels that I didn’t remember feeling since my early phase of television. And I’m not sure why? It’s a wacky, weird, dark, cheeky, extremely british sci-fi show that’s not necessarily as character driven as Lost, not nearly as mythological as BSG, much shorter than both shows, but for some reason it’s still making me feel The Emotions. The ending scene itself just destroyed me. It made me feel nostalgic. It reminded me of my summers binge-watching LOST and BSG, where I was constantly entertained by ideas that seemed larger than myself. And Misfits doesn’t necessarily ask those hard-hitting life questions like lost and bsg might, but it provided such a relatable feeling to it? Similar to how I could relate to the storytelling and characters in lost/bsg, I connected to the characters in misfits in some strange way. It’s hard to sell misfits in my opinion, because you never really get what it’s about until you actually start watching. To me, I connected with how each of the characters didn’t really fit in? They are all odd, realistically dealing with whatever goes their way. It’s not glorifying or heroic. In fact, it’s ridiculously messy. Sometimes it’s just one big wtf.
So I’m still trying to figure out why S3E3 hit me so hard. Maybe it’s because it was a huge combination of an overarching sci-fi plot (Superhoodie and the time traveling loophole), an emotional core (Salisha? <3), suspense and thrill in the plot (graphic designer guy who isn’t really a villain but just wants to be something MORE, at the end realizes what he wants to do), the combination of superhero and graphic novel/comic storylines that I’m also becoming more invested in, the emotional FEELINGS upon seeing the final drawings graphic designer guy pinned to the wall documenting the final events of Simon, ensuring that he keeps the superhoodie, ensuring that it all works out and realizing how he could help the narrative rather than hurting it. The sheer humanity of the episode (which sounds ridiculous if you’ve seen any of the other episodes) if probably what got to me. Similar to how San Junipero (and to a lesser extent Nosedive) hit with me for Black Mirror. This show has given me zany, weird, strange, etc. but it’s never given me pure emotion and genuine humanity before. Sometimes it’s so narcissistically cynical that you come across an episode like S3E3 that just punches you in the gut because you didn’t expect a show about telekinetic milk powers, the origins of harambe, or a self-proclaimed jesus to hit you all of a sudden with genuine hope and love (similar to how San junipero was so incredible compared to the lineup of gloomy Black Mirror episodes). Additionally, what made me love LOST/BSG was the incredible score and soundtracks that accompanied each emotional moment in the show, and Misfit’s soundtrack game was STRONG with S3E3, and I’m really starting to love the score so much that I’ll probably download it too. Not all episodes have sweeping orchestral themes, but this one did, and it definitely made me feel more feels. It’s not often that a television show relies on scores rather than soundtracks, so maybe that’s another reason why Misfits gave me nostalgic and emotional feels.
So after the episode ended, of course I was an emotional mess. But it was the kind of emotional mess I didn’t remember being in since watching LOST, BSG, S1 Elementary, or those older shows I watched when I was transitioning from middle school to high school, still trying to find my voice or who I wanted to be. I’m still puzzled to exactly why, but I enjoyed thinking back to the shows that really brought me into the world of television and how I still need to finish bsg. It makes me so thankful for these shows that I grew up with and are growing up with now, because those stories really helped to shape me into the person I am now. It’s probably why I’m so selective with tv shows now, because I’ve seen so many great things and have felt The Feels from so many impactful shows that at this point, I have standards lol. (one of them being well written WOC but that’s besides the point).
Anyways, I told myself I’d stop watching misfits after S3 since that’s when all the originals leave (and truly, I loved all the original ASBO 5 characters, and Rudy is kind of growing on me even though I find him kind of pointless and annoying most of the time), but if the show continues thrilling me and producing quality episodes like this one, I might give S4 and S5 a chance. Hell, I’ll probably still watch it because one of the new characters is kind of cute. But basically the whole point of this post was to express all my nostalgia and how my television habits have evolved over the years. And it took the best episode of Misfits to trigger these feelings. But it’s crazy to see how far I’ve come in my television. To see how some shows have fallen off my radar after previously loving them (TGW, Bones) and how some shows are STILL going strong (Elementary!!!). And of course all these new shows I now have to deal with. But Misfits really gave me the ultimate TBT, and the whole vibe really reminds me of the shows I cherished back in 2009-2013. It was a good feeling, and it was nice to go back and document what really made start investing in television and how I’ve evolved in that sense.
Beyond that, I’ll look forward to all my shows I’m watching now, and of course, the rest of Misfits (which sadly will never upstage the glorious S3E3).
#wow this turned into some kind of word vomit documenting my entire television watching history#why did i even write this#apparently i have lots of thoughts today#my thoughts#tv show#misfits#personal
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