Nerdie (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nerdietalk) wrote2018-12-31 10:37 pm
nerdietalk) wrote2018-12-31 10:37 pmFiction of 2019
Hell yeah, a new and improved obsessive list
nerdietalk) wrote2018-12-31 10:37 pm
Books
January
Al Ewing does it again. This Hulk is reimagined as a horror story once again. A story about who people think they are and who they really are. Banner wants to think Hulk sprang from the gamma radiation. Hulk wants to think of himself as the righteous, heroic anger, that Banner won't let him have. And both of them don't want to be their father. In the meantime, the story focuses on one-shot horror stories. People messing with forces they don't understand. People trying to fight seeing who they are. Its a psychological horror about monsters and people and everyone caught up in between.
The Immortal Hulk Vol. 2: The Green Door
Al Ewing's Hulk story continues with suitably horrific fashion. The entire tale devolves into a deeper nightmare as everyone tries, once again, to control the Hulk. It isn't as charmingly one-shot as volume one, but the over-arching story allows a deeper dive into the mind of Hulk and his supporting cast. It also goes much more mystical route than Hulk usually gets to take and it is fascinating.
Dragonoak: The Complete History of Kastielir
A very gay very good fantasy book. I'm not usually into old-style fantasy books but this one really works for me. Its not a doorstopper novel by any means, so I can actually tolerate the magic. Its fun, engaging, and full of likable characters. Its the gay fantasy novel we deserve.
May
On my dare list of 2019. A bizarre ride about a man struggling with or walking alongside fate. There's a lot of Deus Ex Machina stuff, but the gods are a tangible force in the story and there's a feeling of "even though you won this time, there was a cost" in most of events. Cazaril is also one of the most broken protagonists of all time and it makes you really root for something good to happen to the poor guy. It was an interesting read!
On a Sunbeam
A sci-fi romance set in a strange setting. It never gives you complete information about the world and you're almost kind of glad for it. You're just dropped right into this elaborate, fascinating world. Each character gets greater focus as the story continues and you get a greater understanding of who they are. No character is wasted and the thrill of adventure never stops. My only complaint is that it kind of genuinely made me crave a story about people coming in to restore or demolish old temples and places in a fantasy/sci-fi world. Its such a fascinating concept that I want to see done in tighter detail.
June
Riordan's writing got leaps and bounds better. Great book as always. Its weird reading a story by Riordan where you can't actually trust what the narrator says, but that makes it very fun too. Apollo and Meg are wonderful characters and I'm super excited to see where things could possibly go from here.
Doom Patrol (Gerard Way)
I'll need to read more of the older stuff, but this is just such a phenomenal continuation of everything Doom Patrol is. Wacky, insane, but full of endearing heart. Casey Brinke is one of my new favorite characters and I wish she got so much more to do.
July
I like it a lot! Its wacky and weird with a bunch of heart. Unfortunately, its written by Grant Morrison, and sometimes that misogyny and racism just can't be held back. TV!Danny the Street is much better. They're very "80s LGBT" here.
Paladin of Souls
I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Curse of Chalion but it was still an interesting book. The mechanics of the Five Gods universe is so weird but fascinating. The further exploration we get is definitely fun.
August
One of my lessers of the Discworlds. It introduces Susan, good Death development, and some fun shenanigans, but it didn't quite grab me right.
Wee Free Men
Felt really different from other Discworld books! Its definitely a young adult novel with Pratchett's writing and it works better than I thought it would. Definitely going to check out more Aching books.
Aru Shah and the End of Time
Seeing other people approach the Riordan formula is really cool. Roshani Chokshi nails the tone and language you'd expect while giving it her own flair. Definitely a good start to a new series!
Superman: Red Son
Way better than I expected. The contrast between ideals and actions is powerful. The immortal line I rolled my eyes at ACTUALLY lands thanks to the set-up. Worth a read!
September to November
A book about the history of school clubs should not be this interesting to me and YET
The Quiet American
yo that 50s movie missed the point worse than anything i've ever SEEN, holy shit, fuck america
Unintentional Time Traveler
Trans and gay time travel book, kind of aimless and hard to keep track of where things are, occasionally frustrating too, but generally enjoyable
Sorrow of War
Devil in the White City
The Sympathizer
Movies
January
A moving yet brutal film about touch decisions in the face of a system rigged against you. A love story between a gorgeous couple: one behind bars, the other pregnant with his child. First major role of Kiki Layne and she puts on an amazing display. The whole cast is acting their socks off and the camera takes the time to carefully give each character just enough focus to understand them. The fathers who have to steal to support their families, the friend who's been in jail and has only just gotten out when the system tries to use him to imprison his friend. The victim who just wants to heal from the damage done to her, even if someone else suffers in the meantime. They are no good solutions, only ways to survive and try to keep yourselves going in the meantime. There's a couple images I don't understand the symbolism of, but I was real into it anyway.
Tokyo Godfathers (Rewatch)
I was pretty nervous showing this to my family. I think I was scared of being vulnerable enough to show something I loved that they might not like. That they wouldn't understand. And that's what this movie is about, in a way. That fear that the people you love won't want you anymore because of some mistake or flaw about yourself. But family - a tue loving family - won't judge you. They might even enjoy things with you, like mine did. And that's a powerful message. Its a film about hope and miracles. Its beautiful.
Mary: Queen of Scots
I sure do love it when historically murdered people are portrayed as gay so the straight white lady looks hip. Very progressive to depict the Elizabeth/Mary rivalry as jealousy over beauty and youth instead of angry Catholics/Protestants murdering a lot of people who believed different things. Didn't feel like a straight white man screenwriter trying to seem woke at all.
Even that aside, its just boring
Bumblebee
Finally, some good fucking Transformers.
This movie cares about its characters. It cares about its hero. It wants Charlie to improve and move past her father's death. It wants her to accept her stepdad Ron. It wants to see her bond with a giant yellow robot named Bumblebee. And that's so refreshing after a series of films that don't care about themselves, their content, their designs, or their girls. Its a good movie with good characters and good relationship building. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Rewatch)
It's impossible to understate how good this movie is. It's a miraculous spectacle that defies all animation we've seen before. It's a brilliantly written character piece with an absurdly likable cast. Every single piece of this puzzle fits beautifully. I'd watch it a million times over.
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
The Netflix Documentary. WOOF. Its a slow countdown of things going wrong and not enough time to fix them. Its funny and entertaining but there's a moment where it becomes revolting. Billy McFarland is an absolute sociopath and its sickening to watch him get away with it. Poor goddamn Andy.
The Green Book
Its basically modern Driving Miss Daisy. Black guy teaches white guy about racism. White guy saves black guy. The dynamics of those kind of odd couple movies are fun but still frustrating in how much they put the onus of teaching white people on black people. Mahershala Ali is doing his darnedest with what he's given and I appreciate that.
A Star is Born
Boy, people went gaga for this. And I don't entirely blame them? Its well-filmed. Its real nice to look at. It wasn't entirely for me but its good at using its camera to tell a hidden story. Ally looking directly at the camera to say "I do" for the wedding, but Jack isn't looking at the camera. He can make eye contact with her physically, but he can't emotionally. He thinks he can. But he can't. There's a lot of visual storytelling I appreciate.
February
A pretty fucked up story about triplets who were separated at birth for the sake of unclear experiments. It leaves the kids wondering what might have been and hurts them for life.
Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Final: Ex-Aid and Build
Lots of Kamen Riders I don't recognize but it was good to just see Fourze, Ex-Aid, and Build bounce off each other.
Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors
God, it just. It believes in itself so much. The animation isn't great, the voice work needs improvement. But it really believes in itself. This version of Squirrel Girl is one of my favorites. Its amazing to see Ms. Marvel on the big screen. And its doing so well representing other essential characters. Its a diverse cast and it does what it can to provide that diversity in genuine ways.
Get Me Roger Stone
Absolutely repulsive and difficult to watch. The sheer soullessness of Stone and is ilk is downright sickening. Every minute is another infuriating remark, another smug sense of superiority. Their disgust for morality and empathy. The glee with which he promotes anti-intellectualism and profits from lies and hurting people is the worst. And he doesn't care. And he'll get away with it.
They Shall Not Grow Old
The thirty minute behind the scenes thing after the credits is almost more fascinating than the movie itself. Its a labor of love and dedication the likes of which I haven't seen in the hands of a historian before but its amazing to behold. Peter Jackson worked hard to make sure every detail was accurate and everything you could learn from this piece of history was valuable. And that's great.
The Last Valley
Honestly, its more interesting to think about as a piece of the 70s/Vietnam War than it is as an actual movie? Its trying to be about Vietnam when talking about the Thirty Years War and sometimes it works? Other times it doesn't? Its a film more interesting when you go in deliberately looking to examine how it treats women/men/soldiers/peasants/etc.
The Curse of the 13th Ghost
The Duellists
What a fucking flick. Two men who have honor to uphold insist on holding stupid duels every time they meet. This goes on for sixteen years. Its a tale of obsession and codes of conduct and some stupid ass men. Its super compelling and an utter delight.
Oscar Nominated Shorts: Animation
- Bao: its fine. Good, actually! I'm just salty Pixar will win again. But its really good this time.
- Late Afternoon: The shit I LIVE FOR in 2D animation. Fluid movements melting together to tell a story that only it can tell like that.
- Weekends: I think I'd need to give it another watch? I liked it a lot, but there was meaning there I didn't quite grasp.
- Animal Behavior: enjoyable but ultimately throw-away
- One Small Step: Felt very Pixar! Kinda schmaltzy, but good.
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Its trying. Its trying a lot. But I don't think it quite nails what its going for. Which is a shame because there's good ideas here? And just totally fails to nail them.
Joyeux Noel
Easily my favorite of the war film class so far. An incredible film about humanity in the face of war and propaganda.
March
I'm gonna be honest, I was way more focused on ranking which Looney Tunes character is more likely to defeat Bugs than I was on this movie. It seemed fine. Interesting themes.
Rashomon
It suffers the burden of most "first to do the influential thing" movies in that there's a lot of hype around it and it doesn't seem as special. But there is something compelling about how it uses the Rashomon theme: to question if humans are natural liars and evil.
Captain Marvel
I still have massive problems with it, but. Its visually more interesting than most Marvel films, has actual things to say about the refugee crisis, and its a fun popcorn film. Just with the military propaganda/Monica and Phylla erasure would stop.
Mrs. Miniver
A classic. I really thought the German in the house bit would have been longer but its mostly about these sort of class differences and how they need to be abolished during war time to focus on the real threat.
Inglorious Basterds
I really do despise Tarantino but I think this time his obsession with long conversations works because it rackets up the tension a lot. And I appreciate his willingness to depict the deals Americans were willing to make with Nazis. And the willingness to kill a lot of Nazis, just a whole slew of Nazis, and let Jewish people be the ones to do it. Great stuff.
April
Disturbing movie about the Katyn massacre, a little known event from Polish history wrapped up in lies and propaganda. Various soldiers, politicians, and people who might threaten Stalin's control were killed. What do the families of the victims believe? Do they believe the Nazis, who say the Russians killed them and they merely discovered the bodies? Or the Russians who insist that the men died three years after their original deaths? Its fucked man.
Shazam
This movie was fun and visually great with good arcs. I didn't feel the same pressure to enjoy it as I did with Marvel movies. Dumb fun is good. I need more of it.
Bad Times at the El Royale
I put this on at a whim and it skyrocketed up to one of my favorite movies of all time. I was transfixed for every single second. What a stellar, incredible, immaculate film.
A Woman in Berlin
That's. That's a rough one, fellas.
The Guardians/Les Gardinnes
Its very slow but it doesn't feel wasted? Its crafting an aesthetic before it hits you hard in the chest. Its tells a really personal feeling story about sacrifices for family and a tragedy about the things you lost for it.
May
A satirical look at the reign of Stalin and the many backstabbing mind games that ensued after his death. While it may diminish the real harm he did for laugh and where it places its sympathy is strange at times, there's definitely a feeling of "oh these people are the worst." No one comes out looking shiny and even when our "hero" Krushchev wins, you can see the mania of a tyrant start to seep into his thoughts too. Buscemi plays it way better than I expected and I'd love to see him given more things like that.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Way better than it has any right to be. Its not just fun, its surprising heartfelt. It genuinely cares about its characters and wants you to care about them too. Some of them do some pretty horrible stuff and you still hope they get out of it okay. Every performance is inspired, especially Jack Black. Its just a good time.
Detective Pikachu
SO MUCH FUN. For being a Pokemon movie, its wild how little franchise building this flick does? They get in, show their love for the entire Pokemon universe, have a solid mystery, and then get out. There's no loose ends or after credits teaser to get you excited for a sequel. Its really impressive! But most importantly, I got to see my girlfriend smile for two hours. I'd pay to see that anytime.
Ocean's 8
Cool heist movie. Weird gender politics? these GIRLS are gonna steal this NECKLACE and these JEWELRY and they need to go to FASHION SHOWS and hire a FASHION DESIGNER for their team and its all a ploy to get revenge on the EVIL EX-BOYFRIEND". That's weird, right?
Thomas Crown Affair
I watched it because Griffin McElroy kept referencing and man FUCK this movie. Its not even a good heist movie, its a smug asshole being clever and the movie supporting his bullshit. Fuck off with that.
Avengers: Endgame
The third heist movie in a row! But for real, I wish this movie was only the time heist. The time heist was what every Avengers movie should be: fun. Every character mattered, every personality shined, and it didn't try to erase the silliness of comic books. It embraced it for once! And you know, it almost improved my opinion of other Avengers movies? Its a nice celebration of the good the MCU has done.
Its the rest of the movie that falls apart. Nebula and Ant-Man get time to shine and enjoy genuine emotion like they haven't before, so that's good. Its a nice cap (eyyyyy) to Cap's reign in the MCU. But I've never enjoyed the Tony stuff and the treatment of women, POC, and LGBT people? Still pretty bad! Really bad actually!
Tolkien
Fine, inoffensive, kind long and drags sometimes and probably not what you're looking for if you want to know true things about Tolkien. Its two hours, whatever.
June
Its fine. They're really going to make these forever. The more absurd the franchise gets, the more I think I want to know about the everyday person rather than the numerous assassins. What's their life like?
Men In Black International
Iiiii think it needed a final rewrite and some more heart, to be honest. The chemistry is good, but it could be much better. Better than MiB2, worse than 1.
The Inventor: Out For Blood in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is such a gross place and this documentary really cements that no hope emerges from that hellscape. All efforts at good submits to rushed demands for profit. Its got the same fear the Fyre documentaries have: you know its a scam and you're waiting for the shoe to drop and everything to go to hell. The shoe isn't quite as harsh and you might expect, partly because you don't get to interview the people who were scammed by Theranos. But the suffering of the employees, which is horrific, is downright sickening to behold. Well worth the watch.
Godzilla (1954)
Overtly political in ways I didn't quite expect. Its a classic for a reason and boy does it deliver.
July
It exists.
Paddington 1 and 2
These movies are so charming. I was expecting dreck and was completely wowed by the creativity and love on display throughout the film. A pure joy to behold the entire time. Its the kind of movie that makes you want to make the world a better place.
Aziz Ansari: Right Now
Boy this dude is on the defensive. He apologizes straight-up in the first couple minutes but most of the stand-up is talking about people caring about issues and controversies. I don't know how I feel about it! On one hand, he makes some points about performative wokeness and people looking to gain imaginary points instead of doing good. On the other hand, its weird that most of the special is tailored around people pretending to care about things, like with R. Kelly and etc. On the other hand, "sometimes I'm just tired by the time actual racism towards me comes up, like I can't care anymore" makes a lot of sense! On the other hand.... weird tone for this special! Its a mess!
The Spy Behind Home Plate
Fun documentary! Kind of treated me like I didn't know what nuclear weapons/Manhatten project was, but the details about this one weird baseball player who ended up in the spy business? Wild.
Independence Day
I had to look through my search history to even remember that I watched this. I just immediately forgot all of it. That's not great. I don't understand why the president punched his assistant. He's doing his job dude. Relax. Maybe you didn't need to fly the planes to space yourself. Jesus.
Predator
I remembered this five seconds before I remembered I watched Independence Day. I guess these two movies are connected in my mind now as two boring films I couldn't be bothered to pay attention to.
League of Their Own
Okay, I didn't even know that was Madonna until dad walked in and said "Hi Madonna." DAMN, she can act way better than I expected. And what a charming movie! Everyone's having fun and merriment and there's real emotional punches in the middle. A great time!
August
So this was pitched to me as a goofy kid adventure movie and I was so tense and terrified throughout. This flick skirts the edge of terror, making the final minutes where they desperately try to stop the end of the world all the more hectic and gripping. The punchline of the film ends on a perfect note without drawing out questions about everyone's fate. A great ride.
Ed Wood
This is Doug Walker's fourth favorite "character" and I couldn't stop thinking about all the ways he clearly projected his own shit onto him. Yes, Ed Wood has a passion for film that pushes him to pursue a career he has no talent in. This is true. But Doug zeroed in on that and not the part where Ed was also making the movie for his friends. He wanted the crew to have a fun time. He wanted people to praise Bela Legosi. Doug Walker focusing only on "I want to make movies no matter WHAT people tell me" is so. Doug.
Cool movie, also, by the way.
Creature of the Black Lagoon
It probably was supposed to be scary but the creature's death is just really pitiful and its really hard to buy him as a monster. He's just doing his best. Let him live.
Bridge on the River Kwai
Gorgeous movie depicting an obsessive clash between ideologies and cultures. Nicholson's obsession with proving his strength is initially played as an admiral display of willpower. But when he has a chance to keep his men from work, his comrades, his fellow prisoners of war, he instead zeros in on this bridge as a way to prove his own abilities. When he starts talking about what the bridge would actually need to his own men, its hard not to feel like you're losing your mind. I basically spent most of his remaining scenes with my head in my hands, in utter disbelief that this was where he thought his priorities lay. His inability to realize he already won against his captors and was now committing treason in an attempt to break the warden. Its so buckwild and fascinating to watch.
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusader
Evil Adam West Batman is Nolan Batman. I love it. Its so so good.
Kinda wish they went with Eartha Kitt Catwoman but I get why they went with the one who was, you know, alive to do voice work.
Unforgiven
The theme of Eastwood falling back into darkness was fairly well done and there's a lot of care to portray violence as a complicated and brutal act that helps no one. I think it kind of falls apart in places, but the parts that work work.
Miller's Crossing
Weirdly enjoyable Coen Bros film. Tom's loyalty and motives is under question throughout and even at the end its unclear exactly what kind of man he is. But he did everything he could to help Leo, at the cost of everything else he cared about.
American Grafitti
Incredibly boring. Good actors, probably ground-breaking, but I was bored out of my mind.
Brian Banks
TV movie-esque but I'll stan for Aldis Hodge any day. That man can ACT.
The Great Hack
HELLWORLD. HELLWORLD.
A Fish Called Wanda
Kinda dumb! I think I would like it more if the humor was... I don't know, there was something about it that bugged me. I liked the Kevin Kline scenes! Otto was just too much for me.
Mad Max
God I hated this. Its weird seeing the franchise start on the verge of apocalypse? But Max's starting point is boring and his family is so obviously slated to die for angst. I think Mad Max might be better without the backstory. Its all so whatever.
The Wind That Shakes The Barley
I watched this in two different chunks weeks apart and each chunk fucked me up. Jesus. Its so devastating. Incredible movie about the IRA, the search for freedom under the British, and more.
Planet of the Apes
Holds up insanely well. Great costumes, great actors, great dialogue. I kind of expected it to be a B-Movie that got popular, but its actually an incredible film with a lot to say. There's this compelling throughline of two characters arguing for a cause they don't believe in. Holden's character and Dr. Zaius aren't actually pro-human/pro-monkey, but that's the side they were born in and that's the side they'll stay with.
Handmaiden
Powerful story about women being pit against each other by evil men, before realizing how much they cared about each other and taking those dirtbags down. I can't say more than that without getting fucked up by feelings again.
The Postman
I fell for this movie hard. Its got major problems (too long, lame straight romance, pacing issues, too jingoistic) but I would love to see a remake that goes even harder. I can see why it failed in the 90s, but it was the perfect movie for right now in my life.
Shoplifters
Most of it didn't really... grab me at first.. But that's the thing- its all building to the final climax where the dream world falls apart. It wants you to see the cracks, but buy so totally into their happiness that you can ignore the flaws on the horizon. It was only that I realized this world was on the verge of collapse that I was finally gripped. Were they right to do what they did? Maybe not. But it was the best possible outcome for everyone. And the outside world doesn't care. The cameras flash on the decrepit house and see monsters. "We have no way of knowing what they did in that house." They can't imagine the love that existed there. The family that was built. They can only see the mistakes and the sacrifices made to survive. The majority view wins. The outsiders and children thrown away lose.
Gaslight
I'm so uncomfortable
Network
I'm so uncomfortable.
9
Weird movie, but gorgeous and well-crafted. I saw complaints that it was short but I think its just enough without over-staying its welcome. Its a really weird topic for an animated flick but it pulls it off well.
Harakira
Stunned to discover this wasn't a Kurosawa. A skewering of the samurai honor and demonstrates how this idea can be perverted for the sake of reputation. The Clan believes in their own classist bullshit so much and the climax of the story revolves around Hanshiro destroying every brick of their foundation of honor. He proves how for all their bragging, not a single one of them will commit to what they preach. The wild laughter of Hanshiro as he unveils the next step in his scheme is so infectious. What a legend.
Hellboy (2004)
Saw the second one first years ago- this one has more depth and its just a fun ride. Had a total blast watching it.
Goodbye Lenin
The core tragedy of the movie isn't the son's determination to let his mom believe Russia is still intact. Its that he wants to go back to that same time that he knows he was oppressed. All these people know that the government was corrupt, but the new world has no place for them. Their struggle to adjust to this world is the key piece of the film.
The Great Escape
I don't think it has a lot to say, but its a thrilling escape movie!
Memories of a Murder
You can't change the system. Even if you're a "good cop," the frustrations and desperation will change you too, until you're just as bad.
September
Really powerful. Well-received for a reason. Biggest surprise was that it was mainly based on the trial notes, so it could claim much more accuracy than most of these kinds of films. Was thrilled the entire, hard to watch journey through Joan's final days. God damn.
A Brighter Summer Day
So I went into this thinking it might be bullshit and too long but it actually has quite a lot to say and it knows how to say it. There's things that escape me because I don't have the right cultural context but. I was still really fascinated through the whole film. I think there's a sensation with these specific kinds of film where the treatment of women is appalling but it definitely was intended as a damnation of this sort of behavior, not a belief that the behavior is right. Ming gets put through the wringer while she's looking for someone mature and normal and that's accurate to that experience! Sucks, but its true to life. The secret police subplot is terrifying and unsettling, but I'm sure that's true to life too. Whew! A heck of a movie!
Steven Universe: The Movie
About the same mixed feelings I have about all of Steven Universe. Its so full of joy and delight and optimism but... Criminy. The Diamonds thing is so distracting.
Great music, great villain, great characters, but wowza those Diamonds.
Dora and the Lost City of Gold
A legitimately delightful movie with a delightful hero. You want to root for Dora and you want her to win and you know she'll turn this cynical world around. Its a treat!
Ben-Hurr
Folks, I think I hate this fucking flick.
The Sixth Sense
Jokes aside, a genuinely remarkable film. Knowing the famous twist enhances instead of destroys. Every actor knocks it out of the park and you're loving every second. Wow!
Princess Mononoke
Its Ghibli. Its good. Probably my favorite, even? Its easier to notice that for all Miyazaki fans praise his female characters, they're all kind of. samey. But Lady Eboshi is incredible as a complicated villain. The world is very carefully paced to let you see both sides and how, in the end, nature is going to lose if we aren't careful. But there's also still magic in the world.
Red Rock West
Dad said Bad Times at El Royle reminded him of this. People are sleeping on some STUNNING flicks, goddamn. Nic Cage goes subtle here but it absolutely works. You buy him as this dude who slipped on on his moral ground once (lying to a potential boss) and immediately gets swept into a complete mess that he wants nothing to do with. The world won't accept half-measures. You can be a crook and succeed or you stay righteous and hope to survive. He keeps trying to finagle the situation to keep the stolen money while keeping everyone alive and the world punishes him for it each time. Only when he gives up the money does he finally get to escape Red Rock knowing that no one else got hurt. And he gets a few hundred for his trouble! Its a great western neo-noir. Give it a look.
F For Fake
I'm not gonna lie, the beginning is a bit too mad-dash to work and its hard to follow at first. Eventually, it settles into a nice rhythm and lets itself breathe with what its trying to say. The last twenty minutes are kinda ugh but its almost worth it for the punchline.
October
I'm gonna have to keep an eye on Lorene Scafaria. This was INCREDIBLE. Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez robbing the hell out of Wall Street people. Love it love it love it. That said, boy that movie takes a turn that punches you in the heart. Hell of a flick.
The Dark Crystal
Watched it with my girlfriend, so I loved it.
Child's Play
I HATE CHUCKY A LOT.
12 Angry Men
That movie HOLDS THE FUCK UP, goddamn what a ride.
Six Degrees of Separation
Rich people getting conned deserves its own genre. Will Smith robs all these people and they basically thank him for it. That's how charming Will Smith is. Believe it. It didn't even occur to me this was based on a play and while there are scenes that clearly work better on stage, the camerawork to sell this is mind-blowing.
Hereditary
i'm so uncomfortable
Scream
Liked it way more than I thought I would! Every deconstruction rip-off kinda missed the point of its deeper message on how women are treated in horror flicks.
Clash By Night
Ah, 50s. Its a story of a woman cheating on her husband just because with a guy who does racist impressions. When the husband and the lover fight, I swear the husband actually said "Why don't you do another Chinese impression?! Like we used to?!" So not great!
November to December
There's probably some deeply troubling aspects but the slow shift of "kid needs to learn better" to "oh god they're child soldiers" is real good and Taika pulls off the switch from comedy to drama mostly well.
Platoon
Good movie good!
The Green Berets
hate hate hate hate hate hate john wayne can eat my shorts
Rambo: First Blood Part II
says way too much about masculinity and nationalism than I'd like
Knives Out
This movie OWNS. Amazing cast, amazing writing, amazing. It does become a movie that's also About Something, but it also still just a great murder mystery.
My only complaint is that I craved one more twist but I was satisfied with what I got.
Gosford Park
Something about it just Bugged Me and then I learned most dialogue was improvised and honestly that format just kills my enjoyment of most movies.
That said, there's a lot of great layers here and I think on a rewatch, now that I know what to expect, I'd enjoy it a lot more.
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker
I'm too tired to explain why I hate it.
My Cousin Vinny
Mostly holds up, but also definitely doesn't.
Bombshell
The balancing act this movie plays is fascinating because it has to pull a careful thread of "the Fox news women don't deserve what happened to them" and "the Fox news women did some AWFUL shit." I think there's something to be had there in the morally complicated zone, but the movie finds its solution be... creating a new character to symbolize someone who bought into the propaganda and get struck with the realization that the network doesn't care about her. Margot Robbie does really good acting with that! But its also real hard to watch the real women because it doesn't feel like they'll quite go there with them. Mixed feelings all around
Kate McKinnon's character is perfect, but shout out to Liv Hewson with what little screentime they get in this. I really hope they get more parts.
Detective Dee
Played a video game called "Detective Di" recently (see below), which is inspired by either this or the historical figures Detective Dee is inspired by and I spent way too much of the early film trying to decipher if the people who made Di ripped this off. That said, both of them are ultimately doing different things and are just generally a riot of a time. Gotta love this Empress Wu renaissance!
Certified Copy
A movie about relationships and also I think it switches into a different universe half-way through the movie but its really unclear.
Under the Skin
A movie revealing what we always knew: ScarJo is an alien here to ruin our movies
Interstellar
McConaughey: We are the ghosts of our children's futures
Me, crying: he's the ghost of his kids' future...!
Phantom Thread
"Well this was kind of an interesting but weird movie that people seem to love about a romance falling apa- SHE'S DOING WHAT?!"
Moonrise Kingdom
I *should* love everything Wes Anderson goes for but it just fails for me for some reason
Carol
Harold jokes aside, this movie genuinely fucked me up with its meditation on the sacrifices lgbt people needed to make in order to survive
Melancholia
There's something profound in the movie's connection of human cruelty and the destruction of the world, but it just fails for me on every level
Tree of Life
There's something really beautiful and profound in the movie's connection of human empathy and the birth of the universe, but it kinda fails for me on every level
The Master
Joker meets scientology and its an uncomfortable mess that I couldn't look away from
Inside Llewyn Davis
I mostly watched for the star wars meme it got connected to, but its a really great film about an artist accidentally sabotaging himself at every turn
TV Shows
January
A wacky trial farce starring a big city cop coming to a Parks and Rec style eccentric town, doing his best to save a man who keeps shooting himself in the foot. Utterly hysterical with laughs almost every minute. The cast is amazing and the way they bounce off each other is astounding. Has an astounding level of continuity but it works really well. That's an A+ from me.
A Very English Scandal
I haven't always been the biggest fan of Russel T. Davies but this miniseries plays to his strengths. He's great at gay whimsy and gay tension and he uses that to tell the fascinating tale of the Thorpe Affair. Both sides of the scandal are understood and sympathized with, while not downplaying Thorpe's horrible actions or Norman's tendency to be vain and self-destructive. Whenever you get a little too relaxed into how happy these men are to be gay, it reminds you exactly how hard it was to be gay in the strict straight world. Its a gripping journey points out the absurd but doesn't ignore the real emotions behind it all.
Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Season 3)
Fuck, what a show. The book series has been near and dear to my heart and the final books are hard to get through. Sometimes, the bleakness of it all gets to be too much. But this show offers a path for characters the books didn't. It doesn't promise them happy endings. The show never claims that the Baudelaires never had trouble again after the show. It doesn't claim that the Widdershins had a pleasant family reunion. It doesn't promise the survival of dozens of its characters. But it promises a future. The show never shies away from the cruelty of the world it presents. How ignorance is more dangerous than malice. And it never claims that things will end happily. But, unlike the books, it promises the audience that it is important to keep going. That there could be a happy ending for you and for all of us. And that means a lot.
Parks and Recreation (Season 7)
I haven't watched mooooost of Parks and Rec? But I like what I've seen and I really enjoyed this season. It wraps a bow on each character respectfully, giving all the characters a future to look forward to. Its so heartfelt! And passionate about doing good for the future! Its great!
Nailed It!
A fun show about people screwing up baking. I dumped a good five hours into this and had a swell time with it.
The Good Place (Season 3)
When you go big, sometimes its good to go small. Season 3 goes for smaller stakes and its all the better for it. We get to see how the cast interacts in different situations and how they can try to improve the system for everyone. The season even ends with them in a more powerful position than before, no longer in the whims of fate. But it doesn't come without cost. The final mind-wipe of the season puts the knowledge of the cast out of wack with each other, a slower stakes twist to a slower stakes season. And it works! It needed to go back to the simple stuff for the future stuff to land. Bravo.
February
Del Toro really revels in cliche and its really apparent in this show. Still, it does try to take risks and those risks can be breathtaking when they work. Its a show that doesn't always work or even grab my interest. But I can't deny its kind of fascinating for another (albeit successful) attempt at a franchise.
3Below (Season 1)
About the same as Trollhunters. Its Fine, harmless fun. Some good character moments among lots of cliches
Netflix's Carmen Sandiego (Season 1)
GOD. Stunning character art, amazing backgrounds, genuinely funny and stylish. The whole thing is just buckets of fun. Its got the thrill of a Saturday morning cartoon. Absolutely adored it.
Babylon 5 (Season 4)
What a fucking season of television. I'm still coming right off of Deconstruction of the Falling Stars but it really is a brilliant show. Its so ambitious and its doing its hardest to reach for the stars. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but its never boring. It covers so many complicated topics across history and all the things that will happen again and again. There's depictions of propaganda taking the truth and spinning it to their own racist, homophobic ends. There's metaphors for dealing with evil government administrations (Trump): its like taking a bit of poison everyday. Eventually, you get used to it.
But I think what really got me was the finale. The heroes won and had relatively happy endings, sure. But the ending says "hey, the future isn't going to be good forever. Horrible things are going to happen. But that's okay. There's always going to be hope too. Its worth it to fight. Its always worth it to fight. Even millions of years later, its gonna be okay."
This and Legend of the Galactic Heroes are one of the most important science fiction shows of all time.
13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo
It... was super not was I was expecting. With all the hype around it as the "demonic" Scooby show, that conservative parents hated. But its really goofy. Its proto-Pup Named Scooby Doo. Lots of wacky shenanigans and dancing and so on. Flim-Flam gets WAY more flack than he deserves. Scrappy is doing a lot better. There's a lot of gags they just do to death. But its charming in its strangeness. A piece of Scooby history, for sure.
May
I love this show a lot. Its a great bunch of fun. Its also really gay and its characters are all so compelling. This season was much shorter but it still had interesting developments in understanding Hordak and Shadow Weaver. I'm hoping other characters get the limelight soon too because they're all great.
Moominvalley (Season 1)
I've been rocking that Moomin life for a bit now. This 2019 season takes a different approach to some characters: Moomin's a bit of a moody teen trying to be cool, Snufkin's aloofness is more attached to social anxiety. But these changes generally work? Its telling a modern version of these philosophical tales and it kinda comes together really nice. I probably prefer the soft comfort of the 90s show over this one's zany antics, but its still really compelling in what they decide to do with it all.
Leverage (Season 1)
Its very "early 00s USA network show" but sometimes I need that in my life. Rob the rich, give to the poor, inject those anticap themes into my veins.
Doom Patrol (Season 1)
My favorite superhero show. Its so GREAT and BONKERS and never loses its humanity in the middle of all the wacky shit it does. Every character shines and how they move past or succumb to their faults is always absolutely fascinating to watch unfold. I'm never mad when the scene shifts to another character because I care about every character. Even the side characters are total delights. Give me more Flex Mentallo, give me more Danny, and give me more Joshua, and definitely give me this Kate character, she sounds GREAT.
One of the plot points episode is that a rat and a cockroach make out in a sentient street thanks to a beard fetishist. Its perfect.
Leverage (Season 2)
Oh, loads better than season one. The camera direction is actually superb in this show in general, with really creative and energetic shots to keep the pace exciting. The lead up to the season finale is well-paced as you just know characters are going down a bad path that will spell disaster, but there's just no avoiding it. Its exhilirating and a fun ride along the way.
June
A delightful romp with whimsy to spare. There's several characters I can't really make myself sit through, but the characters that do work make it really easy to care about their fates. David Tennant's Crowley and Michael Sheen's Aziraphale have unbelievable chemistry and they fully embrace the weirdness and charm of the entire show. What a wonderful show.
Leverage (Season 3)
Show keeps getting better! It really does understand the importance of character moments. Elliot picking up his gun is terrifying because it relies on seasons of set-up and what it means for him to be put back in the position of needing to use it. I kinda wish it got a more understated moment afterwards: one of the crew trying to calm him down after his big gun moment. It feels like a sacrifice, but I think they could go harder into it too. Still, the villain arc is really strong and the show does what its going for really well.
July
Somehow, it got even better. Some of its most powerful episodes were in this batch. I was completely blown away. Aldis Hodge should be in so much more, holy shit what an incredible actor. Remind me to start City on a Hill because that man can fucking ACT. One of the most underrated stars in the business by far. He spent an episode playing, instead of himself, a past version of special guest star Danny Glover. And NAILED IT. FUCK! Aldis Hodge is the best!
Lupin the Third
This is pure, concentrated, goofy joy. Feed it to me like grapes.
August
I got emotionally ruined in a way I haven't in a long time. I was literally curled up in a ball on the couch, devastated. Fuck. It hit me so goddamn hard. What an incredible show filled with incredible characters.
Aggretsuko (Season 2)
Beneath the goofs, the show depicts the struggle of maintaining adult relationships. Things aren't always easy. Things fall apart. But its necessary to put the work in. And this show is willing to have real conversations about it.
Infinity Train (Season 1?)
After Over the Garden Wall, I've been craving another dark but psychological Cartoon Network miniseries. Infinity Train easily nails that specific craving. Tulip's struggle to accept the illogical in herself and how she lashes out to feelings and discomfort is such a strong through-line of the series. The villain's motivation needed a little bit more polish but the direction they take the core premise of the show is incredible. I definitely can't wait to see what other places the show could go.
Cannon Busters
You see more and more of these kind of anime inspired shows from people who grew up in the 90s. They have a lot of ideas to throw around and it ends up kind of a mess? But its also kind of a fun mess? Its very strange. Anyway this was fine I guess. I like Sam.
September
I waffled back and forth on this a lot but I think ultimately I enjoyed it quite a bit. I don't think anything else in the 90s was this psychological and philosophical to this degree. And its dedication to character over plot is really something to behold when it goes so far in its examination. Good lord. But really...
End of Evangelion
It was EoE that sold it for me. Everything that worked about Eva slams together for a thrilling finale. The Third Impact sequence set my veins on fire. The criticism of its own fans was electric. Its a stunning, fascinating display that builds on what they've done before in one final "fuck you for not understanding." Holy shit what a journey.
Harper's Island
This was so fucking stupid. I loved it.
Revue Starlight
THAT WAS GAY. LOVED IT.
October to December
catra please get better.
Fillmore
HOLDS UP. HIGH ART. DESERVES ALL THE ATTENTION
Games
January
A fun little action game where you make choices to see how a fox dies. I really enjoyed getting the wacky endings and seeing all the horrible ways Reynardo can die but WOW does this game start to drag after you've gotten far enough. I'm glad for most of the endings I got but jesus I could not play another ten hours.
West of Loathing
I've never played Kingdom of Loathing but this sure made me want to. It's a delightful RPG with stick figures and nonsense screwball comedy. Time is pretty split between building the strongest team and then discovering a non-violent way around even using your team. And it wasn't that I felt a big need to spare people, it just made things easier for me and I got more dialogue out of it. I really just went in trying to wring as much dialogue from the characters as I could. I dropped about 13 hours into it and wasn't bored for a second.
Unavowed
Another WadjetEyes point and click. I love this dev team and this might be one of my favorites. Dave Gilbert has this talent for wild but compelling story ideas. A local suburb becoming obsessed with creating art until they self-destruct. A protestor spitting out generic anti-corporate stuff, not because he wants to, but because that's all he's allowed to say. Another district where everyone reacts to death with the same chipper tone. And for once, I really enjoyed the ending. Gilbert's getting better at endings!
The main story itself is super compelling and the characters are strong (good work from ProZD). That said, they do get a little predictable. Logan just won't STOP talking about the alcoholism and Vicki's every other sentence has a variation of "when you're in a cop family." Please have.... other traits... but overall, in time, this might be my favorite WadjetEye.
The Hex
What the fuck.
I think its missing a few components to really tighten it up, but its an absolutely thrilling experience that I couldn't look away from. I went in completely blind and was on the edge of my seat throughout.
Lamplight City
Francisco Gomez's second game after Shardlight and very different from what he produced while working with WadjetEye. Dave Gilbert/WadjetEye games are great at creating amazing, layered characters and pushing their art and puzzles to the test. Gomez is aiming for something quite different. He's going even further old school and expanding on that style and gameplay. What he lacks in layered characters, he makes up for in just fun mysteries. It's a blast putting together all the pieces to the puzzle.
Okami
A beautiful, artistic, stunning game with character and style out the whazzoo. An absolutely phenomenal achievement. Its just so long, gang. It took me six months, fellas. It took me three years, on three separate attempts. Its so long. I love it! I enjoyed it a lot! But its so long.
Detention
A haunting, sinister game about the history of Taiwan. It takes place during a specific point in history, during Taiwan's state of martial law. Its a piece of history I was unfamiliar with and one I'm all the better for knowing. The tension and creeping dread wash over you quickly as the story unfolds. The question of the game isn't "what's going on?" Its "what did I do?"
What did you do, Ray?
February
Its using a lot of things that Paper Mario would do better but... its really clear why its so beloved. Its a hell of a game with lots of weird ideas. I totally get the appeal of Geno now. He's a hell of a character.
March
I dumped 50 hours into it. I love it a lot.
Ghost Trick (Replay)
God what a classic game. What an incredible, perfectly paced, insanely well done game. I both want this to have a sequel and to be left alone? I want Shu Takumi to get the chance to make more games that aren't Ace Attorney. He can make some incredible stories.
MySims Agents
Its goofy and its dumb but. God damn do I love this game. Its so charming.
April
A bizarre puzzle game with a nigh-incomprehensible plot. It feels very proto-Dangan Ronpa, with both less and more of Dangans problems. I think I liked the characters even if some are half-baked. Never forget upside-down sudoku.
Donut Country
A very charming fun little casual game good for planes and drives. Short fun but good fun!
The Sexy Brutale
Hell of a game! It made a lot of best game lists and I can see why. Its inventive, its charming, and it has a lot to say about redemption and when its deserved, when its not, and so on. Gameplay's great, game good.
Session Seven
Free point and click. Kind of a pixel hunter. Trying to tell something deep, success is debatable. Gives you small choices with some effect on story. Its an hour of your time and harmless.
The Darkside Detective
Fills out my itch for point and click, but lacks the story weight I need to be truly fulfilling.
The Journey Down
Little bit deeper than Darkside! I think the characters need... a bit more to them? But there's enough style and fun to carry it through. Final battle rests on the power of rock and that's great.
May
GREAT GAME. Its a game that pushes you towards the perfect run and its a blast every second. Excited for whatever the sequel/DLC will be. What a fucking game.
Helen's Mysterious Castle
Unique gameplay for a RPG that I've never seen before or since. It drops you right into a world pre-established and lets you discover the lore secretly right until the final hour. It did its on take on the Undertale idea and it really works. Try it out! Its $2.
Analogue: A Hate Story
Played it on a whim before I went to sleep. Kept playing until I finished it at 4 am. It sparks that same sort of rage you get reading racist/stupid comments online. Its so infinitely infuriating reading that same shit. But that's the point? Its about going through historical documents and confronting the worst of people head-on. Its puzzling through the past to put together the wider picture. And that's rad! It gets pretty Anime in HMM ways and I feel weird about Hyun-ae love arc but its. Still fun! Really interesting and worth a play.
Danganronpa
I watched the anime first and I never care about spoilers and the fandom can be pretty bad but somehow a lot of it still works. I'm always rolling my eyes at the whole "hope vs despair" fight but the whole series is so over the top anyway. And the mysteries are so fun. The anime is on such a tight crunch that the extra time the game gives you to develop each character is a welcome relief. Its fun but sincere, even in its meta jokes.
The Last Door: Season 1
Extremely creepy, somewhat half-baked. It just kinda falls apart when it tries to do bigger things, but the first and second chapter is phenomenal. I was real spooked.
Whispers of a Machine
Nordic cyberpunk mystery! Really fun mechanically with lots of replay value! The endings kinda bum me out! I don't know, I associate cyberpunk with like. Anti-authority and not straight people? This game puts you in a weird spot. Siding with authority gets you away from the weird straightness, but also makes you feel like shit if your character doesn't become a mom. Meanwhile, wanna join the crazy religious revolution? Well, you get two women on a cool roadtrip together, and then your ghost husband shows up to say "remember this is all for Straight Reasons, not gay ones, also don't think about how creepy I'm acting". Its just kind of a bummer!
Its also kind of weird how the power you from being empathetic to people is mind wiping. That feels fucked. Dislike.
June
A fascinating logic game that requires your COMPLETE ATTENTION. Never seen anything like it and it kept me captivated for eight straight hours.
Star Fox 64
Oh that's how this game is 1.5 hours and still beloved. Lots of replayability, lots of charm and character, a rocking good time. I'd love this franchise to do more because it seems like they've been put out to the pasture.
Heaven Will Be Mine
A great, gay as hell game. I think it gets a bit wordy and has characters talk about their problems rather than show them, which wasn't really a problem in We Know the Devil. Its weird. They're always talking about "here's your problem [character] which only I recognize" but it kind of seems like every character recognizes the problems. But its a game that's so much about fluidity and the abstract and trying to find something solid and real in space that maybe that's okay? Celestial Mechanics ending was probably my preference for this reason. Embrace the abstract, embrace the unknown, defy the set rules society gave us. Different is good. Different is great.
2064: Read Only Memories
A LGBT-friendly game about AI, technology, and the consequences we live with. I think they want you to feel that each ending has a consequence: like there's no "good" ending per se. But there's definitely a good ending so the attempts to make it seem muddled kinda fall flat. Characters are enjoyable and entertaining, the world-building is.... interesting but with some furry stuff that I feel vaguely weird about but fine otherwise. Its fun! Ten hours spent well.
Hollow Knight
I played fifty hours in like a week or two. What a fucking game. There's a lot of Metroidvania I've bounced off of, but this was a delight from beginning to end. You're rewarded no matter where you go and the world is engaging and well-developed. If I was going to show you a single game to pitch you on the Metroidvania genre, it would be this one. God damn.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
All Kirby games are basically the same but guess what. They're all good. Don't even try to complain. They're all great.
July
Game good! I might try other ones but as charmed as I was, a lot of this was a slog. It moves at a really good pace for a while but sometimes there's just long boring sections that lose me and then I stop playing for a month. I started it in February. Like woof. Still! Vivi and Steiner were great, Zidane won me over eventually, the girls were not as bad as they could have been, and the villain becomes real compelling by the end. A good time!
A Case of Distrust
A short mystery game. That's what I need sometimes. There's two clues that require you to pay attention to really specific details and actually think about them. Naturally, those are the ones that gave me trouble. But! It was still a beautiful, minimalist game and if you want to spend two hours problem solving, you deffo can.
Black Mirror I
Not the tv show. Its goofy ass point and click horror at its finest. Its doing its best to work and sometimes it lands but its mostly just campy fun. It does, however, have a whole slog of waiting around for the game to continue that just sucks. Its padding out the game for the sake of padding out the game. Its infuriating.
Persona 5
It just... works. 100 hour games is a hell of a time investment, but it absolutely sucks you in. Every character is incredible, the plotline is really engaging, the gameplay never gets tiring, and its just a wonderful time. People say it goes kind of off-the-rails and I do think the final hours could have been better established but... I still really enjoyed all 99 hours I played. I'd play it again even. Its a fun ride.
Nancy Drew: The Captive Curse
I missed Nancy Drew a lot. I haven't played one in years and I think I'm gonna quickly change that. There's something so charming about all the goofy puzzles and the voice acting and everything. But I think the games have really evolved since I dropped them off. There's more care into people's motives and stories than I remembered. The writing is more powerful and funny. Its a riot.
Day of the Tentacle: Remastered
By comparison, this has aged horribly. It was a fun ride but a lot of jokes don't land and its painfully 90s. Schafer games are certainly goofy, but the other ones just have much more depth and care into its characters than this. I don't... care about Bernard, Hoagie, and Laverne. I want to- Laverne is a very different type of "obligatory girl" character that I haven't seen before. But it just didn't drag me in.
August
Hey! These games are about murder again! Nancy Drew moving up in the world! Taking some risks!
Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall
Liked it a little less that Deadly Device, but the character drama's much stronger. Big ol tragic family fucking up the world. Love that shit.
Monkey Island 2: Revenge of LeChuck
I was dreading starting this and put it off for years. Actually? Also a really good one! Guybrush turning into a dick wasn't as bad as it could have been. The ending twist better paced than I expected. LeChuck comes off much more terrifying than he usually does, Tales of Monkey Island aside. Chapter 2 goes on too long, but 3 and 4 knock it out of the park. A great piece of the franchise.
Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice
Somehow a stronger and weaker entry in the series! It starts a Phoenix Wright games and ends up more of an Apollo Justice 2. Some of the characters are weaker but the cases are better than usual! The cases all follow this idea of perception and people blaming others for mistakes they made. Shaming the outsider rather than examining their own failings. This works better in some cases than ever.
But more than anything, the game aims to give Apollo a backstory and a send-off. It took until Dual Destinies for Apollo to gain a strong, personal arc. This game goes further, finally showing his childhood and role models. His motive for becoming a lawyer. And this wouldn't work as well if Dhurke wasn't such an endearing character right away. He sells you as the guy that wanted to be there for Apollo, but couldn't. The guy who did inspire Apollo to become a lawyer, despite believing Dhurke abandoned him. Apollo just becomes a much clearer picture. He tries to separate his feelings and his work and fails constantly. He never brings up his personal life because he's completely ashamed to admit he still just wants his dad to come back. It's a total retcon, but it actually works so much better than it should. Apollo is finally a full picture.
There's another bit of this developing characterization: Maya. She's still the same girl, but she's grown up. She's less silly than before. And Phoenix, like the player, doesn't know how to deal with it. Phoenix tries to egg her into the stepladder debate and gets no response. She's not a child anymore.
SADLY, not everything works. They try to sell you on the tragedy of the new prosecutor, but I just don't buy it. Edgeworth and Franziska worked because their arrogance came from a place of desperation to prove themselves. Nahyuta being secretly good doesn't work for me because of the perverse pleasure he takes calling everyone a sinner. I can't buy that he's chill when he's doing these things even outside of the country.
I don't believe Phoenix is a father to Trucy. He's concerned for her safety once and then never again. The tight bond Phoenix has with Maya isn't given here to Trucy. Let Phoenix age.
Ema finally getting her forensic work fills like she's lost a bit of her edge that was fun in Apollo Justice. Apollo Justice is dedicated to showing characters fail, and seeing Ema's failure undone gives me mixed feelings! But she's still a little snarky and bitter and that time lost still matters. So there's that.
I think... older Pearl needs more. It's like the games don't know what to do with her. They wanted her to still be a child but she's almost an adult. And I think now, what I want, is to see her take a major role. I think I want Pearl Fey: Ace Attorney. Or at the very least, she could be an assistant character to Apollo or Athena. That would be awesome.
All in all, despite my grievances, I enjoyed it a lot! It was a challenge again and a thrill to unlock the clues you need to show that murderer who's boss. The new breakdowns are a delight, case 2 being the stand-out. I thought I would hate Khu'rain, but it comes together really well and it's built up carefully to make sure it works. A great game and a promising future for the franchise!
Loom
Its... really ambitious. Its gonna be noteworthy mainly for the Monkey Island gag on it, but there are a lot of really broad ideas its going for! Characters don't have long but their motives are so quick and clear you get what they're about quickly. Bobbin is endearing and grows surprisingly quickly. But its also such a short game. There's not much time for major depth. I wish it had gotten its planned sequels because the ideas are really impressive.
Curse of Monkey Island
Not sure how I feel, actually! Its good but I think some jokes go on too long. The game joking that its funny Voodoo Lady's the only female character isn't funny when its true. Elaine getting damseled is just disappointing. But the evolution of insult swordfighting is fun! And Guybrush has more of a personality than he did before. I don't want to claim Ron Gilbert would make a perfect sequel, but I do think... something has changed. Its unclear what, but something.
The Dig
Fairly compelling sci-fi story. Immediately shoots its theme in the foot at the end, so good job on that.
Full Throttle Remastered
I was sure I'd hate this but its definitely one of Schafer's best. Creative, hilariously unexpected puzzle solutions, and also a perfectly short pace. Worth a buy!
Oh... Sir! The Hollywood Roast
Fun party game. Same as the first, with a new theme. Perfectly serviceable.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: A Graphical Adventure
Oh you old point and clicks. Frustrating me at every turn even as I have a blast. That Nazi castle and final temple.... woof that was hard!
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
I can see why people wanted this to be Indy 4. Its an exciting story, well-done Indy action, solid puzzles, and its got the same uncomfortable gender/race dynamics.
Rusty Lake Hotel
These games exist and keep going and pretending they have a story and jeez louise.
September
The core premise relies on the idea that the final twist is... a twist. And its pretty clear what's going on really quick. But in spite of that, the journey is genuinely fascinating. The strange world and its complexities are made somewhat worse by the final reveal (doesn't matter! not real!) but the art direction is so stunning and creative. Its a thrill to behold. A short three hour game.
The Silent Age
Another short, three hour point and click. Much less interesting and memorable than Tormentum but basically fine? Its about time travel shenanigans and shifting between timelines is one of the excitement of the puzzles. But it doesn't try going beyond that mechanic and abandons it at the very end for a pretty disappointing final chapter. But there is some exciting concepts thrown around and I can't say it wasted by time. A nice short journey. Can't complain.
Post Mortem
OLD 3D POINT AND CLICKS. WHY MUST YOU VEX ME.
So many of these puzzles can screw you out of the good ending if you ask a question out of order. You lose opportunities to get evidence all the time. Its frustrating!
Still Image
Sequel to Post-Mortem. Quite a bit better! Gameplay is easier and more intuitive, there's no "wrong" question. In fact, interrogations are split into two easily labelled types of questions: plot and personality. The former advances the story, the latter helps develop the character if you're curious. Puzzles are much more intuitive too. Story kind of falls apart as the game runs out of money, but its still better than Post Mortem. I don't... think I'll play Still Image 2, honestly I feel compelled to push through more steam games. I did my time.
Nancy Drew: Labyrinth of Lies
Another great Nancy game! Even easier than usual because it was about Greek myths! That said, woof, the name Thanos is so goddamn distracting.
Blue and Bullets
God. The art and creativity on display here is astounding. Its so sad that its never getting a complete story but I adored what I got.
Virginia
Stunning. Incredible. Creative as all hell. One of my favorite games of all time for sure. What a ride.
Thirty Flights of Loving
Did I spend money on this? I don't know. Its a half hour game. Brief fun. Not much to say except that it inspired Virginia so.
Home
Serviceable point and click thriller. Not much to write home about.
Noir Syndrome
Randomly generated mystery game. Super not for me, even though it should be. Whoops!
Monster Loves You
Real cute and endearing. What kind of monster will you grow up to be? Its all up to you!
Later Alligator
UTTER DELIGHT. BAMAN/PIDERMAN CREW DOES IT AGAIN. 10/10
Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale
The closest a video game has put me in a rage in a long time because those combat sections are infuriating. However... its still such a compelling, fun game. The entire mechanic of selling things and racking up money is an incredible system that's a blast to play with. I really did enjoy is a lot. With more experience under my belt, I might even give New Game Plus a go.
Jenny LeClue
I love ambitious games, even when its sad it doesn't quite reach its goals. The game is a bit slow and plodding when it shouldn't be, the puzzles only really work towards the end, and I'm not sure about how "choosy" it actually is. But its dealing with really compelling ideas and its talking about my own love hate relationship with kid detective stories. The lack of danger is always a problem and the game has an open discussion about the values of thrilling murder stories vs. innocent playful stories. And I think its a discussion that needs to be had.
Untitled Goose Game
THE GOOSE IS LOOSE
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
GOD. The future of Metal Gear world makes perfect sense and its fascinating to behold. This needs a sequel so bad. The Rising series was exactly where the franchise should have gone. It sucks that this is it, but its still a wonderful journey. Blitzed through it faster than any other Metal Gear.
October
.......kinda wanna read homestuck
Old Man's Journey
This was fine! I hated playing it!
Submerged
Very Shadow of Colossus-esque, but they also knew they were on a budget. You can explore this flooded city with glee but there's only so much to do in it. But I enjoyed the story and had a fun time sailing along.
Death Mark
HATED THIS. I pushed through through sheer bitter. The thing that killed it, I think, was learning all the fucked up things they wanted to be the character backstories and then chickened out of. I'm glad they didn't do those things, but this game is so mean already! There's so many character choices they do that's just... what are you saying with that? And when girls get captured by monsters, they just happen to be in titillating poses. Its so gross. Insanely regret buying it. Might genuinely pirate the sequel just to spite through it. I'm so MAD that I'm curious.
Office Quest
I didn't actually beat this but I learned to accept that I was never going to. I can't... play point and clicks on the Switch. Its too frustrating and this was a Nothing game already.
Trace Memory
Goddamn I miss Cing. What a unique, incredible studio. They pushed out so many gems. Its astounding. Amazing stories with amazing gameplay. Icons of industry.
November to December
High concept, medium execution.
Portopia Serial Murder Case
I'm so glad for fan translations. Getting to play something so important to the genre of games feels amazing.
Frog Detective: The Haunted Island
Someone's unpolished quick game and exceedingly cute. A nice 40 minutes.
Detective Di
Also needs some polish and the stakes don't feel quite right, but still really good. A great point and click.
Gunpoint
Its fine.
Will: A Wonderful World
Half of the characters are insufferable, but the ones that aren't are really charming and you want to save.
Other
no subject
The most precious show ever invented. Let's fight the moon.
The Magnus Archives (Season 1)
Horror podcast with a fascinating framing device. The story hasn't developed much yet, but the individual stories are so fun on their own that I can't really complain. It taps into an irrational fear deep inside that other horror often fails to hit. Being replaced, being responsible for someone things, losing track of items, all those little fears expanded into entire premises. Its those kind of fears that it really nails. Great show.
17776
Its so... strangely hopeful. I mean, its about a world with no endings. A world where we're all so desperate to pass the time we create new things to do. And that's... that's strangely comforting. The idea that things will never end. Even when things pass in the real world, it doesn't end. Nothing ever ends. And we'll find new ways to entertain ourselves. Find ways to be comfortable. Find ways to communicate and play games with each other.
You want to live forever? Then play some football.