#too cartoony for the gruesome story

[dead-fox-art]

Eden remembering the life as a further evolved rabbit. Basically, it is a farmed rabbit that become popular in the future years of 2127 to 2246 before the fur industry is lost to a rodent disease all across the world. The rabbits come in many different variants, mainly siamese and belted markings, with an array of different colors including black, grey, brown, cream, and tortoise shell. They are the common domestic rabbit we have nowadays, except they evolve to stand taller with a denser build and become more aggressive than it's older, timid ancestor to have better defense against its predators.

(Eden sees herself as a unique version of the species with her special fluff of hair to differentiate the original experience from her experience)

[kustas]

Do you have reccs for "ugly" art (manga, comics, movie, etc.)? Thanks for the Tekkon recs btw I really liked it

That really depends on your own personal media landscape and what your definition of "ugly" is! As a random example, I've seen many people call ONE's art ugly because of the wobbly linework when I think it's lovely. Ugly could also mean something a bit shocking/crass in its themes. Etc, etc... I'm going to go with the definition of "something that's a bit jarring to look at or go through" here :)

Disclaimer: a lot of these tackle sensitive topics, sometimes for fun and not always tastefully. If there's themes you really can't handle in media, do your research before looking into them.

Manga

I keep recommending yes because it rules but Dorohedoro and its scratchy messy art and gore galore. talking about the manga exclusively here the anime is too polished for my taste

God's Child (Kami no Kodomo): tbh this one is for the art only I hated the writing. very gruesome & unique looking short story

I hesitate to recommend this one because it's edgy as hell but I shan't lie I had a lot of fun with Hellsing. it's "bad" in the same areas as something like berserk but unlike that one it does not take itself seriously

if you liked Tekkon i strongly suggest trying out more stuff by its author (saying this with immense biais). the most ugly/messy thing i've read of his, which isn't a lot because i find his work very delicate, is No. 5 which i would less describe as "good" than "very compelling to me". i also recommend this wonderful essay tearing it down

Comics (non JP)

FLEEP: a short story about a man who wakes up in a phone cabin seemingly encased in concrete. one of the comics i always recommend for its length and storytelling. (link leads to the artist's website where you can read it for free!)

The Astonishing Exploits Of Lucien Brindavoine: a young artist gets drafted in the first world war and goes through a series of almost supernatural adventures. beyond the adventure book aspect, a harsh criticism of nationalism/patriotism that's still awfully relevant

Animation

Ruben Brandt: Collector: a psychiatrist suffers from strange art related nightmares ruining his life. his clients, a bunch of high profile criminals, decide to help him fight off his demons by organizing one long vacation where they steal every painting involved. extremely unique visually, a fun heist movie with thriller elements.

Junk Head: goofy post apocalyptic movie about a man on a quest to save, who keeps losing sight his goal because cartoony violence episodes have his head tumble into new lows, literally. this is, perhaps, one of my favorite animated films ever, it's earnest and fun and lovingly crafted. very unique of a watch

The Apostle: freshly escaped from prison, a thief is on a mission to find treasure hidden by his old cellmate, and finds himself stuck in an ancient village who's strange looking elderly inhabitants are way too insistent on his stay. classic spooky folktale with its millennial curses and foreboding warnings, it's also a nice peek into the culture of Galicia and old world medieval weirdass catholicism. you can buy a DVD on their website

MKFZ: dumb as hell high adrenaline animated B movie with excellent animation. there's a plot about alien living undercover in fantasy california but you don't watch this kind of film for the plot. fair warning this is adapted from a french comic so of course, it's crass and racist

Blow to the Head - Lightning bolt: awesome music video (YT link)(warning for flashing/strobing lights if you're sensitive to that!)

Canon Fodder: from the Memories omnibus film. little slice of the life of a fantasy war obsessed industrial nation

with its new movie on the horizon, it's a great time to get into Mononoke, despite traditionally pretty visuals its got a unique style and gets pretty offputting

Live action cinema

7:35 in the morning: short film about the fear in improvised musical numbers where you don't expect any. it's on youtube in bad quality

The Draughtsman's Contract: an artist is hired by a Lady to draw several vistas of her house, in exchange for money, good drawing condition, and the Lady. follows a good hour of cunts in powdery wigs being awful to each other for their own gain. if you're into dark humor it's a good test, otherwise it has a really satisfying murder mystery to follow too.

Three Kings: during the gulf war, a group of US soldiers decide to steal Hussein's gold for themselves under the mighty standard of kuwait's loot repatriation. extremely caustic take on good ol murican international politics. i was shocked at how far it goes and it's express, low budget treatment which i did not expect from a hollywood film. the movie tires itself fast and becomes less good in its second half but the it's opening acts are interesting

Delicatessen: a sliver of humanity survives in an old timey stone building in the middle of nothingness on top of a functional butcher's shop. gossip follows the arrival of a new roommate. how does one even maintain a butchery in a no man's land? weird film with a unique(ly goofy) take on the post apocalyptic genre

Other

For traditional artists, I like the works of Beksinski (<3), Schiele, Giger. For modern artists Oleg Vdovenko (heavy gore warning for that one), Jeff Simpson

I'm less a fan of the MV and live performances they got infamous for than their music proper but I really like the band Cardiacs, who's judged by many of my friends to be extremely hard to get into lol.

[adhdemongirl]

Kind of a review of "Laika: Aged Through Blood"

Over the past weekend I managed to put 24 hours into this little game and I have so many feelings about it that I decided to write up a review of it. So let's get into it:

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a 2D metroidvania by Brainwash Gang that released on the 19th October of this year. It's also a shooter with bullet time. And also one of those bike-platformers like the Trials games or Happy Weels. And a post-apocalyptic spagetti-western.

Gameplay: Like I've mentioned before, Laika plays a lot like one of those bike-platformers, meaning that you'll spend the vast majority of the game driving trough the desertificated ruins of civilisation, making sick flips and trying desperatly not to break all of your bones on the pavement. The major way in which Laika differs from those games is that it also gives you a gun and asks you to shoot facists with it. Because aiming while having enemies shot at you while also trying not to crash isn't that easy, the game throws you a bone (because your playing as a canaid, get it?) and activates bullet time as soon as you press down the trigger, firing the gun only when you release. This doesn't only alleviate the chaos, but also makes you feel cool as fuck! Your guns (of which threre are six in total) all have infinite ammo, but require you make a backflip to reload. You are also able to parry enemy bullets by pressing the turn button at the correct moment. Your parry only replenishes after doing a front flip. This is fucking brilliant, because it forces you to do tricks and tricks feel satisfying to pull of.

The metroidvania aspect of the game honestly falls a bit into the background. There are only 3 really new abilities that you unlock over the game, one of which doesn't get utilised enough. The gamplay at the end of the game doesn't feel that different from the beginning. Luckily enough, the gameplay that is there feels amazing and the game isn't long enough for this lack of evolution to become a problem. Still, it would probably be more honest to call this an open world game than a metroidvania, especially more so because while exploration is definitly a thing that happens, it happens more passivly while you are doing quests for the people in your village or other wastelanders. A couple of other (really minor) misgivings that I have are that I only really found myself using 2 of the 6 guns, that there should have been a couple more teleporters around and that the dash upgrade should have been a nitro boost.

Presentation: Laika has a really cute cartoony art stile that contrasts brilliantly with it's bleak world and gruesome violence.

Even the most minor encounter will lead to mangled corpses and our heroine being soaked in blood (partially because this wastelands currency are the guts of your enemy)

That doesn't mean there isn't time for more peacefull or communal moments though

And honestly, the game needs an artstyle like this. Anything less and it's world would feel to bleak. A game this bleak and melancholic needs a bit of cartoony levity, else it would be to depressing.

Speaking of melancholy, the soundtrack by Beícoli is hauntingly beautifull. Tracks like "The Whispers" or "Mother" will be spooking around in my head for a while. The soundtrack is also completely diagetic! Because not only is Beícoli a character in the game, but the songs you listen to are cassetes that you listen to with a walkman (that you can eject and replace whenever you want through your menu).

The rest of the sounddesign is also great. Menus have all the right clicky noises, your bike roars apropiatly and while I'm not completely satisfyed with the guns (could use more cracking) they still sound better than in some FPS games I've played.

Story and World: I'm honestly a little bit afraid to say too much about both, because I'm afraid to spoil to much of an amazing experience. I'll still try to give at least a (very tiny) ocerview. I'll also get into the content warnings for this game. Because besides the extreme, although cartoony, violence, the game also features depictions of extreme violence against kids and depictions and mentions of suicide, as well as mentions of sexual assault. Now the game itself warns you of these and it didn't feel like it relished in any of them. I still think that they are worth mentioning though.

As I've alluded to before, Laikas world is not a happy place. The world you inhabit isn't dying, it died a long time ago. And there are still people that want to deprive others of what little they have. Specificaly these racist as fuck birds with legally distinct guns and uniforms that definitly aren't a stand in for real world imperial powers, what are you talking about?

(The birds in question)

The game beginns with a child having been brutally murdered by them and his father having gone out to take revenge. Our heroine, the anthro coyote Laika (whoever would've guessed that she's called that!?), follows him. soon enough she's sent out by her village to wage a one person war against the enemy. Luckily, Laika is cursed (ha), which means that she can not only see the ghosts of the recently decesed, but she's functionally immortal (because resporning at checkpoints is also diagetic, hell yeag!) Laika is also a single mom looking after her daughter Puppy (there is an actual story reason she's called that, the writers weren't just lazy). Laika doesn't want this fucked world to rob her Puppy of her childhood (for more reasons one). Her own mother, Maya (who she has a very strained relationship with at best), disagrees. Maya believes that Puppy needs to grow up to have a chance surviving. Both of these plotlines, Laika fighting the Birds and Laikas relationship with her family, are surprisingly nuanced, overlap at times and, most importantly, hurt me. Laika: Aged Through Blood is one of these stories that, even right after beginning them, you just know can at best end melancolic. That doesn't mean there is only tragedie to be had here, just be aware that you shouldn't play this game if your goal is only to feel great.

Final thoughts: I could talk about this game for hours (but that would involve heavy spoilers and isn't fitting for a review). I don't think I there was a moment in the 24 hours I spend with it that I didn't enjoy (mind that someone that was better at the game wouldn't need that long, I just fucking sucked at it, lol). It's a game that made me cry multiple times. It's a game that definitly deserves more attention than it is currently getting. It's a game that you can try out right now because there is a demo available! It's probably my game of the year.

[viviskull]

@huggisms​ : x

Maybe that was a very fair response to seeing a pile of bloody, dismembered toys. They had been small ones, more perfect, but unable to protect themselves from the horrors of the factory. Ones he hadn’t been able to save.

Still, he didn’t want her to have to see such a gruesome scene.

A small, nervous laugh comes from behind this very blue stranger (he liked the color, really! It was so vibrant!) and a soft plush hand lays itself feather light upon her shoulder. She wasn’t looking at him, it would be okay if he opened his mouth to speak just a bit. “Don’t look... it’s too awful.” A strangely somber tone for such a cartoony voice.

Practically kneeling down over the poor toy carcasses that sat limp upon the stained crimson tiled floor, some bits of the pooled artificial blood marked one of the soles to her blue mary jane shoes.  The faint smell of dry colt slithered into her nose, and she almost wanted to recoil back in disgust, too.  Yet, curiosity was quickly spinning the gears as many questions stirred in her head.  What could’ve caused some devastation to such once vibrant and put together looking toys?  How could they bleed such a vast amount of blood for what such pretty skin hid beneath the surface?  None of this made sense.  But, with such destruction, she just couldn’t take her eyes off towards the mass; as if it was hoping she could put their little puzzle pieces together in that instant.

However, just as she went to scoop a finger full of this foreign vital fluid for further study, Vivi was stopped by the tender weight upon her shoulder by her newly acquainted companion.  Plush fluff held just against the worn fabric of her wool sweater.  Her movement ceased for a second.  Slowly, she drew her hand back from the bloody pile of limbs.  With a moment’s pause, she quietly acknowledged the other’s warning with a feeble squeeze of their resting hand.

Usually, Huggy barely spoke during their first few interactions whenever she came to visit this run down factory.  They rarely ever answered her questions.  Interviews were always drawn short whenever she came, finding answers were always guarded closely with a locked key.  They’d always come short, perhaps even briefer than the last.  Yet, whenever they did speak?  It almost always startled her.  Maybe this time.. she could make the most of this small opportunity; while they were still in the mood, it seemed.

A little push never hurt.  She was already pushing it with finding herself alone in this place again.  Especially so late into the night, too.

Taking their light touch as her cue to rise, she righted up her bag upon her shoulder as she clutched her bat in the other; using it as a staff to help herself to her feet.  She kept her gaze upon the plastic corpses, still finding herself ever drawn to the mystery of its story.  “.. Do ya have any idea what might’ve happened to them?”  Her voice came soft, almost bare to a low whisper.  “What might have caused this, even?”

[turqrambles]

I watched all 26 episodes of an obscure Australian cartoon in one week and I’m not okay - My journey with Wicked! (2001) PART 1

Here it is, the reason I started this blog in the first place. I need to talk about this cartoon I ran into completely by chance. 

It all started, like you would, with Tubitv.

Good ol’ Tubi, the free streaming service that makes you either an expert at being able to find diamonds in piles of garbage or a connoisseur of said garbage. It’s thanks to Tubi that I put down that I watched Alpha and Omega: Family Vacation on Letterboxd for all to see and judge, but it’s also thanks to Tubi that I finally ended up watching Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

Anyhoo, one day I was browsing their family film selection when I ran into this selection. And that was the day my life changed forever.

What you see before you, posted to a streaming service accessible in the United States, is the movie adaptation of an Australian TV show that never made it to the United States, which is based off a series of Australian children’s books from the 90′s that also never made it to the United States. It made it to other territories like Germany and the United Kingdom (and it apparently did super well in France but don’t quote me on this) but the TV show ran for one year and then disappeared without a trace after one 26 episode season.

How obscure is this franchise? Well, for starters, at the time I’m writing this in 2020, the books, the TV show, and the movie all don’t have a single Wikipedia page to call their own, and the easiest way to get info about this thing is to find the (rather tiny) TvTropes page. 

Let’s just get right into this shall we.

What is Wicked!?

Before you try to be all cute and make any references to the hit musical, there’s a reason I’m putting that exclamation mark there.

Wicked! started out as a series of six children’s books written by Paul Jennings and Morris Gleitzman. I actually grabbed a kindle copy of all six books (because I’m in this thing too deep and I wanted to see how the cartoon compared with the source material) and I gotta say, they’re very charming.

The best way I can describe them is that they’re in the kid horror genre, but they’re less Goosebumps and more The Weenies book series by David Lubar in terms of gore and child endangerment. Wicked! has some artful depictions of blood and gore, but in a way that can be digested by the grade school crowd.

Being a former child, I can proudly proclaim that I would’ve adored this series when I was younger. Just look at these covers!

The plot of the books is that there’s a widower with a daughter and a divorced wife with a son who get married, and the two new step-siblings Rory and Dawn absolutely hate each other. They can’t stand the fact that their parents are getting married! Gross!

But then, on the day of their wedding, creepy things begin to happen after Rory receives an appleman doll in the mail, and then, over the course of six books, a deadly single-minded virus that feeds on hate and is targeting Rory’s bloodline begins to spread across wildlife, creating crazed mutant animals that try to kill everyone in the household. It’s up to Rory, Dawn, and Dawn’s grandfather Gramps to stop this virus before it kills Rory and his mother, and to do so, they have to seek out Rory’s father, who seems to be the mysterious cause and/or the solution to the virus.

I’m not sure how well these books did, on account of the whole “not Australian” affliction I seem to suffer from, but they seemed to do well enough to get a TV show adaptation.

And surprisingly, the TV show is a very close adaptation of the books, only they changed the plot in two big ways so that it fits an animated series with a “monster of the week” setup.

The first big change was that, of course, they toned down the blood and gore and removed the deadliness of the virus, choosing to go with a more cartoony mutagenic approach. Rory gets infected by the virus several times in the show, just like how he does in the books, but unlike the books, he never thinks that he’s going to die from it and it’s definitely treated as a more temporary thing. There’s no race against time either. Everyone is trying to live their lives except every so often, the virus shows up. A wacky cartoon virus with cartoony stakes.

That brings me to the other main change that they make in the show. Unlike the books, where the main villain is a mindless virus that feeds off of hate, an invisible foe that can only be defeated at the end of the last book with the help of Rory’s father, the TV show decides that that’s no fun and instead makes a main villain out of one of the main plot points in the books. Say hello to The Appleman. (Apple-Man? Apple Man? Fuck it, I’m going with the first one from now on)

Instead of having the virus mutate mysteriously and having the main characters constantly hypothesize what’s going to happen next, the TV show made a main villain who constantly reinvents new strains of virus in a laboratory that he set up in an abandoned refinery.

What then happens is a basic plot set-up that the show follows pretty consistently in every episode. The family is trying to do something, we get the theme for the episode, and The Appleman, who is a spiteful bastard who is trying to ruin this one family in particular (and I’ll get to that), decides to make a virus that will infect the theme of that episode.

Pretty standard cartoon stuff, right? Ah, but then you don’t realize the beauty of this show. But first, I gotta introduce the main stars of this show.

The Characters

(quick note: this bus is incredibly important to the plot, but only in the books)

First we have Rory (the boy holding up the tin) and Dawn (the mad red head).

Dawn is the step-sister who lost her mom, a bus driver, in a gruesome bus accident, Rory is the step-brother whose parents got a divorce and then his dad went missing, believed to have run away from his whole family. Both of them are meant to be the dual protagonists, but I feel that there’s just a tiny bit more focus on Rory. There’s a reason for this that I will mention later.

What is interesting to note is that they make Rory the smart, non-athletic little nerd that gets picked on a lot at school for being a dork while Dawn loves sports, is failing science, gets made fun of for not being as girly as the other girls in her class, and likes violent computer games. I wouldn’t exactly call them “fleshed out” but they did enough to make these kids feel like actual kids.

Also, they fight. Constantly. This is the main complaint of anyone who actually looks into this show judging by my brief skimming of Internet comments because these two constantly bicker and insult each other and that makes up like 40% of the dialogue in any given episode. While this is one of the main story conflicts and they’re like this in the books too, it just feels super exhausting to see these two constantly at each other’s throats in every single episode.

They get mean too. Which, surprisingly, makes them both more realistic (I babysat multiple times and kids can be pretty verbally awful to each other) while also making them just a tiny bit unbearable at times. Here’s some actual dialogue.

"My dad sent it to me!" "Gee, he must think a lot of you to send you a doll full of worms." "Your mum thought so much of you she drove this bus over a cliff and into the river to get away from you."

GEEZ, guys...

Eileen, Rory’s mom.

It feels out of the three adults in the family, she gets the least amount of character development, but she does get a fair amount of screentime, so you can’t really say they’re intentionally ignoring her. She divorced her previous husband and works as a mail courier. Instead of owning a car, she drives a motorcycle, and, in the first episode, even drives it to her own wedding while dressed in a bridal gown. Rory’s mom rules.

She tries to bond with Dawn because she always wanted to raise a daughter, but Dawn clearly doesn’t like her new stepmom very much. Dawn is also afraid of the motorcycle and it comes up a couple times in the show.

Eileen is the adult that gets targeted the least by The Appleman’s schemes. There’s a very pointed reason for this, and I swear, I’m getting to it soon.

(quick note: yes, the show uses real photos to put in picture frames in the backgrounds and it’s real weird and never addressed)

Jack, Dawn’s dad.

Jack is a sheep shearer, just like in the books, and he’s a big easy-going dope that is hard not to love. Look at him hammer in this carpet. A true champ.

Out of the three adults in the family, he seems to be the one that nearly dies the most, with The Appleman going out of his way to specifically target Jack in some episodes. If you know Appleman’s backstory, this reads as absolutely petty spite and I love every minute of it.

Gramps, Dawn’s grandfather and Jack’s dad.

He’s an aging WWII veteran (one that has killed people in combat no less) who radiates constant Boomer vibes and, unlike Eileen and Jack, he actually sees some of the crazy shit that happens and will sometimes sense when something is infected with virus when the other two adults can’t.

In the books, he’s suffering pretty badly from dementia, but thankfully the cartoons drop that completely. I’m glad too, because I don’t have the confidence that they would’ve written it with enough sophistication to make it not seem ableist. Instead, he’s just your typical kooky cartoon grandfather.

He’s probably the adult that gets the most screentime because he will actually help Dawn and Rory out. Again, this ties into the books, where he was the main adult ally for the kids.

He says a lot of army-themed catchphrases. It’s a tad overplayed but it never really gets to a point where I would call it “annoying”. Also, instead of living in the house, he lives in a tiny granny flat on the property. Sometimes Rory spends the night there.

Last but not least, we have the star of the show, and the reason why the easiest way to find information of this show is to google “Wicked The Appleman”.

The Appleman, as explained, is the main villain of the story. Dressed in a very fancy suit complete with dress shoes and a nice blue tie, he lives in an old refinery full of rats, bats, and giant worms (called Slobberers), and he’s rocking a voice that can be best described as “Australian Mark Hamil” with an absolutely heavenly evil laugh. He has gross clawed hands, a rotten apple for a head, and likes making people miserable, because he’s basically the living puppet for a virus that feeds off of negative emotions. The main goal of each episode is to either defeat him or to stop the mess he’s made. Usually both.

Since all of his minions are non-sentient animals, a lot of his dialogue is him lurking behind something while he monologues to himself, sometimes turning it into a creepy little rhyme. He’s a pretty lonely guy, so him hanging out with this family can be seen as a very non-subtle cry for help.

The best episodes are the ones where he tries to lurk about in public with a very poor attempt at disguising his hideous features. Somehow it always works, you know, despite the fact that he has yellow eyes, the skin like a moldy apple, and no ears.

What Makes Wicked! Unique

(no, The Appleman doesn’t actually use that axe)

The first thing this show does that most of the formulaic shows don’t do is that it does, in fact, have a beginning, a middle, and an end. That’s why this show was packaged into a full-length movie - you can glue scenes together and actually make a pretty decent narrative, even if the resulting movie definitely had a “glued together TV show episodes” feel ala some of the bad Disney sequels like Cinderella II and Atlantis II. 

This show even has some plot-heavy episodes that dive into just why this whole Appleman situation is going on and why he seems to have it out for this one family in order to flesh out the characters more.

Because that’s a thing that this show does. The Appleman is a cartoon-y villain who cackles in his lab and constantly invents new strains of viruses that can mutate things like animals and household appliances, but he doesn’t do it to take over the city or to “destroy the world”. He does it purely to inconvenience this one Australian family, who he stalks pretty regularly. This is a thing that comes from the books and honestly, it’s a thing that elevates Appleman from “ugly-looking cartoon villain” to “pretty damn creepy, if also still cartoony in execution”.

Sure, a lot of cartoon villains target the main protagonist in their evil schemes, but this one is definitely more personal.

He regularly follows Rory and Dawn to school and, when the family goes on a camping trip, he comes too. If Rory decides he’s going to hang out in the wrecker’s yard, The Appleman will be cackling and hiding behind totaled vehicles. If Gramps takes the kids out to the bay to go fishing, The Appleman will pull an ice cream truck out of his garage and follow them there. That’s how the main conflict is really set up.

I think if a scarier cartoon tried, they’d make him out to be this grotesque stalker, but instead, since this show is kinda goofy in execution, he’s like the shittiest cryptid in the world, constantly crouching behind trash cans and on top of rooftops while constantly cackling about how clever he is and how, miraculously, no one notices anything’s amiss.

This alone would make this villain interesting, but then they set up something about this show at the beginning if you watch the intro and the first episode and put two and two together.

Right from the start, the opening shows that The Appleman was once human by depicting his transformation by the virus. They don’t even try and pretend that he’s some demon or some sort of supernatural monster - he’s specifically a blue collar worker who had a nasty run-in with fate and mutated into this hideous apple-headed creature that now has to hide out in an abandoned refinery. You see why he’s dressed like that - he’s still wearing his work uniform.

Right after you watch that intro, the first episode of the show has Rory receiving a mysterious package from his father on the day of his mother’s wedding. It’s the first time that Rory and his mom Eileen have heard from their dad after he mysteriously vanished years ago. 

What’s inside? An apple-headed doll, which contains the first virus-infected monsters, The Slobberers.

When The Appleman makes his first dramatic appearance, he never says Dawn’s name, but he does know Rory’s name.

And, in case you didn’t pick up the hints from the first episode, the fourth episode really drives it home without spelling it out. Then the last episode of the series decides to say it out loud.

That’s right. Rory’s father, the man who mysteriously vanished from Eileen and Rory’s lives, is still an important part of the cartoon’s storyline, but instead of being the man who appears in the last book that knows how to cure the virus while also being the first victim of the virus, he’s the main antagonist.

The Appleman is Rory’s father.

And honestly, because of this little plot point, this show becomes a much richer experience once you look at the unhinged appleman who keeps unleashing horror on these kids and realize that he’s a divorced dad who constantly keeps tabs on his ex-wife's unstable dysfunctional family in order to make them more pissed at each other because that feeds the virus that mutated him.

This is a very cool concept. This is where Wicked! shines when, for all intents and purposes, it is otherwise a pretty average turn-of-the-century Australian cartoon that can be best described as “it’s okay, I guess” in terms of quality.

Because that’s really the rating I can give this show. It’s Okay.

It’s a very solid Okay, but I think any adjective more powerful than “Okay” is really pushing it. It’s not Great, it’s not Amazing. It’s Okay. Alright. Kinda Good.

But man, is it a wild ride.

Next time, I’m going to start discussing the actual episodes as well as this show’s pros and cons. Dividing this up into multiple parts partly because I feel like these things are more easily digested in smaller chunks and partly because I’m pretty sure tumblr now has a size limit on posts soooo...yeah.

Follow this handy link for Part 2 - The Actual Review!

[spaceorphan18]

Oliver & Company

So... now we’re into the part of the watch-thru where I start telling personal stories from my childhood.  I’m sorry in advance, except not really.  I didn’t see it in the theater - I was still too young - but -- I remember all the merchandise! McDonalds had these little plastic toys, and I had one of Georgette, and we had it for years and years, well into the 90s.  We may have eventually given it away at a garage sale, but my one vivid memory on the release of this movie is that. 

Anyway... interestingly, I didn’t see this movie until I was much, much older, and I was kinda meh about it.  But I had only seen it the one time, and much like 101 Dalmatians, I really enjoyed this one!  It’s definitely not my favorite of these movies, as in I’m not rushing back to see it again any time soon, but it’s an cute little movie. 

The thing that stands out to me, though, is that beyond Great Mouse Detective, we’ve really turned in a corner. Unlike the dreary and drabness of the past half dozen films, we’ve now gone bright, colorful and upbeat, and it’s a really welcome change.  Part of it is that there’s a new crew in charge and a new crew doing the animation and they seemed to be able to breath life into an animation studio that had been basically dying for about a decade.  

So.  Oliver and Co is really an updated version of Oliver Twist.  There’s plenty of similarities going on here, and it’s a decent adaptation of the Dickens novel, which is pretty amazing for a Disney film, because they like to throw the source material out the window.  It’s update for New York in the 80s, which is kind of fascinating, because rarely do these movies take place in the present.  But this movie is a time capsule of the 80s in NYC, and it’s really kinda neat -- especially since I remember this time period, and it’s authentic in a cartoony way.  That kind of added to the fun of the movie, actually. 

So, Oliver is this cute little tabby cat voice by an adorably young Joey Lawrence - which I did not know back then but I do now and omg, it’s the cutest thing.  Dodger is Billy Joel - who does pretty well, even if he’s laying on the accent pretty thick.  There’s an eccentric cast of characters who are a lot of fun, too, including Cheech Marin voicing a chihuahua, which is kind of amazing.  Bette Midler is around as well, and while she’s amazing as always -- I think she’s a little held back, tbh. But really, over all the characters are fun. 

The villain is a little forgettable (I don’t even remember his name) but he does have a really gruesome death -- I was kind of surprised when they showed him being hit by a train.  

I thought the animation was fine on this one.  A little Saturday Morning Cartoon-y in some places.  My brother, though, was driven nuts - because it’s ‘too smooth and not enough shading’.  **shrugs** idk, it was bright and not dreary, and not terrible, which is a welcome change.  

The music is fun.  It’s all 80s pop music, which is totally appropriate, and totally in line for the films that are about to follow it.  Bette Midler also does a Broadway number, which is good, but again, they really shouldn’t have held her back.  Why Should I Worry is easily the best number -- and I still have it stuck in my head right now!  

The weird part about all of this -- despite the cast being good, and the songs being good, and the plot being solid it’s still not... quite Disney’s best.  There’s something about that feels a little lacking, though I’m not sure what.  But, I think it’s more like this is a rough draft of the fun musicals Disney is going to be known for coming up.  

Other thoughts: 

The Butler’s name is not Jeeves, which makes me sad.  I can’t think of a fictional story where the butler’s name is actually Jeeves.  Where did that even come from then?

I looked up 1125 5th Avenue, NYC - and apparently there’s a building there.  According to Google Earth it’s 5th Avenue Millennium Aesthetic Surgery.  Sure.  And yes, I totally looked it up on Google Earth as one does. 

Where are Penny’s parents? This really bothers me that they are not around AT ALL.  

Not-Jeeves is totally into wrestling, and that’s kinda hilarious.  I love when these side characters get fun quirks. 

There’s a part near the beginning when all of Disney’s old, famous dogs show up -- like Pongo from 101 Dalmations, and a few from Lady and the Tramp.  My brother reminded me that Pongo would be dead by now and it’s probably his grandson, lol. 

This is where we do get kinda meta in general -- The chihuahua sings High Ho.  

 There’s more kidnapping in this movie -- why is this a theme that’s been three out of the last five films? Weird. 

JAC Redford scored the film - he also scored the second and third Mighty Ducks movies.  Yes, I recognized the name in the credits. 

Final Thoughts: It’s a fun and sweet movie, which has more energy in it than the dreary bunch that had come before it.  I’m so glad we’re getting into fun Disney again. 

[mike-like-a-justice-league]

The problem with Joker stories, (or maybe big 2 comics in general?) is that he isn't allowed to just be the Joker anymore. Everytime he shows up now it's "THE Joker story, and he's worse than ever!" And that's not a criticism of those stories, Big Joker stories are great too that's why he's such a good character. But I've been watching Justice League Action and the Joker is so fun in that show and it reminds me of why the Joker is supposed to be popular.

One, he's not a deranged murderer or at least he's talking about more than just killing everyone and being gruesome. And two, he does things for crazy reasons because he's an insane supervillain in Gotham and when the Riddler steals his lunch at Arkham he kidnaps Batman and tricks Riddler into working with the Justice League out of spite. Which is brilliant!

But I think Joker thrives on that balance between cartoony and dark just like Batman does. And when it's over the top in the murder direction it's bad and over done.

[chelzone]

i like to have a collection of characters that range from heroes, good folks, average folks, dumbasses (but not malicious), dumbasses (malicious), scumbags, cartoony villains, fucking awful monsters w/power, literal scum of the earth peak awful (those one's get their gruesome deaths planned eventually for stories!)

there's other types of folks too but im blanking rn, i can only ramble so much!

oh yeah toying with those grey areas when possible too

[andmyvape]

I posted 4,360 times in 2022

368 posts created (8%)

3,992 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@feifiefofum

@kingscrown666

@andmyvape

@adorablegorilla

@thalkon

I tagged 528 of my posts in 2022

#malcolm in the middle - 33 posts

#httyd books - 21 posts

#httyd - 19 posts

#... - 7 posts

#please - 5 posts

#adhd - 4 posts

#;d - 4 posts

#goncharov - 4 posts

#hiccup - 4 posts

#homestuck - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#'honesty i'm not sure what a goat is. or what system i was supposed to show her through. did you mean the emergency crash landing procedure

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

THIS is fucking neat to me. The hook represents a gruesome end AND a worrying question

45 notes - Posted October 1, 2022

#4

Bit the fuckin bullet and now I'm looking into stoner dating apps

Which uh

WHEN EXACTLY WERE YALL GONNA TELL ME THESE EXIST

46 notes - Posted January 24, 2022

#3

Fucked up that testosterone doesn't come in the form of a suspicious green fluid in a smoky glass that belches when you open the bottle

55 notes - Posted February 10, 2022

#2

Gender is fake it's all a scam the only binary that matters is

Are you the one that summons the spider remover or are you the spider remover

58 notes - Posted March 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Maus was fucking hard to read and I'm so in awe of the way Spiegelman was able to demonstrate the levels of gut wrenching horror that was involved in the Holocaust

Part of it was the story itself. You've got the story of Spiegelman's father who lived and suffered through the camps, the atrocities, and survived purely through his tenacity, wits, and luck. The loss, the suffering, the abject misery, you get Art's father's perspective through it all instead of the perspective of a businessman who finally grew a consciousness, or a boy who befriends another child in a camp

Then the framing. It's illustrated, it's kind of cartoony, and if you were me, you pick it up knowing it's about the Holocaust and yet in no way prepared for what's coming. When you watch cartoons, you see Tom chasing Jerry, but it's funny because you know it's a cartoon and everything will be fine. Tom never catches Jerry. When I saw the cartoon style here, knowing what I did of what happened in the Holocaust, the first scene that lays out just how fucking awful it was hit me in the gut hard. It's a cartoon, it can't possibly be that bad. But it's worse. And if the illustration was more realistic, pearl clutchers would have been too busy crying about how damaging violence is to the poor children, way too busy to see the story for what it truly was, a masterpiece of... I don't been know, man, but Maus was fucking impactful

261 notes - Posted February 1, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[protagonistheavy]

Only uh three episodes into Stranger Things 4. It's cute... which I dont think is what you want to hear about Stranger Things. Perhaps.

Idk, it feels almost wrong to hold this season up to the standards of season one, which is just kinda out of reach for the series to be able to replicate. The franchise has really gone out of its way to make itself more marketable, so that meant losing those gritty tones and going more the line of generic action movie themes. This season still tries to win its edge points by having graphic and gruesome supernatural deaths, stressful scenarios in Russian prison camps... but when it isnt explicitly these scenes, the show is so goofy and toony. The characters are all goobers and hard to take seriously, and there are soo many characters, some of which are just being plucked off one at a time.

The monster, I guess Vecna. Yeah pretty underwhelming, I agree with most people here... The original demogorgon was a lot scarier and had to do a lot less to be creepy. This is just a uh gross-looking worm dude... And we see him so often, not even doing anything, just being...... a menacing presence.

Other vibes are just off this season. I mean surely thats part of the point, to show that things arent quite right. But its less about the intentional awkwardness and more about how the charm just isnt really there anymore. the actors are just a little too old to keep playing these young parts, the characters themselves have been through cartoony levels of experiences and respond very oddly with regards to that... It definitely feels like the story has just become bigger than what it set out to be, what wouldve been a cool and humble eerie-mystery show for one or two seasons became expanded into some huge plotline that involves colorful characters and over-the-top deaths.

[wazafam]

Gaming with friends is always an enjoyable pastime, no matter what the genre might be. Bullets might fly, starships might be destroyed, and fighters might be met with gruesome and gory fatalities, but there are few themes more enjoyable than joining together on a quest in search of an adventure.

RELATED: 10 Best Story-Driven Games On PS1

RPG games come in a variety of flavors from fantasy to sci-fi and beyond. Since it's dangerous to go alone, why not invite a friend or two to join in on the loot and the action? There are dozens of titles to choose from, and the genre is rich in quests, side missions, and excitement to share.

10 King of Dragons

RPGs and side-scrolling-beat-em-ups are two games that are often blended together in a delightful cocktail of action and adventure. If gamers are just getting into that beloved combination, this Capcom classic is an excellent way to start.

The beat-em-up combat is the core of this adventure, but it has a healthy handful of RPG elements that perfectly complements the traditional fantasy aesthetic. It's an arcade gem that more than likely inspired a number of other games on this list, so why not give the original a go?

9 Castle Crashers

It might not be as classy as some of the other entries on this list, but it's impossible to say that Castle Crashers isn't fun. Beating and brawling through a cartoony fantasy kingdom will definitely keep players entertained for hours, but don't let the Newgrounds look mislead, there's some strategy at play too.

RELATED: Castle Crashers & 9 Other Best Beat-Em-Ups on Switch, Ranked

Players can upgrade their knights, pick different weapons, assign skill points, and take different paths throughout this over-the-top adventure. And with plenty of unlockables, there's reason to come back for more.

8 Borderlands Series

Borderlands has been called a hybrid of FPS and Diablo, and that essentially isn't too far from the truth. Fighting off hoards of mutants and bandits through a cell-shaded wasteland has never been so much fun, especially when this game has more loot than a dragon horde.

With multiple classes, tons of weapons, and four entries in this cult-favorite series, there are plenty of ways to get thrown into the fray. Best of luck, Vault-Hunters.

7 Torchlight Series

This top-down RPG might have a Diablo-inspired makeup, but Torchlight has a fantasy flavor all its own. Its lore, world, and characters alone are worth giving the game a once over, but as is the case with most dungeon-crawlers, this one is definitely better with a full party.

RELATED: Torchlight 3: Best Things to Do After Beating The Game

There are plenty of monsters to mash, character classes to experiment with, companions to aid, and a world to explore and conquer. Single-player is fine, but nothing beats a full party.

6 Lord of the Rings: War In The North

An underappreciated hack-and-slash title, but one that will scratch every fantasy itch imaginable. An epic journey set against the backdrop of Tolkien's War of the Ring with a fellowship of three original characters? How has this not gotten a re-release yet?

The split-screen might take a little getting used to, but it makes for an epic quest between friends once everyone's locked in. The action is the biggest selling point, and crushing orcs together never gets old by any means.

5 Gauntlet Series

If there's one co-op RPG that the entire genre owes its life to, it's Gauntlet. It's the OG of dungeon crawlers and every entry from the arcade original to the modern remake deserves to be played with a full party of adventurers.

RELATED: Best Video Games Of 2020 With Crossplay & Multiplayer

Warrior, Wizard, Valkyrie, and Elf join forces together against an army of goblins, skeletons, and more on their quest to raid dungeons, gather loot, and get to the exit. A little rinse and repeat, but not a formula without its own distinct charms.

4 Battle Axe

Perhaps the newest entry on the list, but not one that was considered lightly. Battle Axe is what happens when Gauntlet, Golden Axe, and Zombies Ate My Neighbors get put in a blender. When an evil sorceress puts a curse upon the kingdom, three heroes must join forces to stop the world from falling by her dark hand.

It's an arcade adventure at its finest, but certainly not without its flaws. Single-player mode can be as difficult as a quarter-eating arcade cabinet, so having multiple players literally provides a better experience.

3 Stardew Valley

Not all RPGs have to be about fighting evil, casting spells, or raiding vaults for guns. Sometimes it's just nice to unwind and plant a garden together. Enter Stardew Valley for players who just want to unwind and veg out.

RELATED: Stardew Valley: 10 Things To Do In The Secret Woods

The 16-bit paradise of Stardew Valley offers more than just sharecropping to pass the time. In fact, players can mine for ore, explore dungeons, raise livestock, and even just take a simple fishing trip. Why not exchange codes and come over for some company?

2 Dragon’s Crown

It's been said time and time again, but the reputation still stands. Dragon's Crown is one of the most beautiful RPGs ever created, thanks mainly to the art design from Vanillaware. It checks a lot of boxes for traditional action RPGs, but it's a classic experience any fan of the genre should have.

It's practically a love letter to the genre and with a full party of adventurers to choose from, each offering their own way to play, it offers a great deal more than the standard fantasy beat-em-up.

1 Diablo III

While the second entry in Blizzard's famous dungeon-crawler series is regarded as the best, Diablo III arguably brings just as much content and carnage to the table as its older brother. Plus, it's the one that's currently available across a multitude of consoles.

Players have their choice of heroes, armor, builds, weapons, and of course that all-important share of the loot. Raiding dungeons and killing demons will always be a go-to activity for RPG fans, and Diablo just makes that multiplayer pastime an absolute dream.

NEXT: Diablo 4: Character Classes That Should Return From Previous Games

10 RPGs That Are Better Played With Friends | ScreenRant from https://ift.tt/3htIun9

[spectral-musette]

I saw Justice League!

I VERY MUCH ENJOYED IT.

Spoilers below:

So disclaimer, most of my DC knowledge comes from the small screen (not the comics). Grew up with Lois and Clark and Batman the Animated Series. Caught up with the animated Justice League and Justice League Unlimited from the early 2000’s after it aired. Super enjoyed Young Justice. I’ve seen some sporadic DC animated movies, though certainly not all of them. I liked Season 1 of Gotham a lot but I bailed in Season 2 cause I got busy and was feeling sensitive about some of the gruesomeness of show.

(I’m not currently watching any of the other DC shows, the 70’s Superman movies have never been my thing, nor have any of the live action Batman movies, really.)

Overall I have way more background with DC characters than with anyone from Marvel. I adore various individual Marvel characters a lot, but for the team ups, I just feel more invested in the Justice League than I do the Avengers.

Also overall, I found both Wonder Woman and Man of Steel to be the more moving, poignant films, but….

Damn, Justice League was a lot of fun.

I mean, Wonder Woman made me actually tear up, but Justice League was a romp that left me feeling pleased and happy and very entertained. I definitely have space on my shelf for both kinds of superhero movies.

Starting off with who I know least about:

Aquaman was excellent and I hope everyone who fancast Jason Momoa is patting themselves on the back. Good call. He’s got a powerful screen presence and pulled off Damaged Loner who is Too Cool for School but Secretly Cares really well. I found him very interesting, I’m ready to find out more about his story and ship him with Mera, carry the heck on.

Cyborg was very sympathetic, and for only having about three quarters of his face to work with (what a nice face though), Ray Fisher had so much gravity and emotion. Also what a beautiful voice??? So glad they didn’t process it too much to sound more robot-y, because I just enjoyed listening to him so much. I liked that he played such a pivotal role in the plot. Of the newcomers, Aquaman and the Flash carried a lot of the humor, but Cyborg saved the day.

I’m mostly familiar with Wally West as the Flash (as in JLU and Young Justice), but I thought Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen was very endearing. Snacks for Barry 2k17. I thought his first-battle freak out was really well handled, and I love the way Bruce resolved it with the “just save one”. (Barry’s Speed Force run was a bit weird though, lol) Like, all in all, will any cinematic superhero speedsters compare to Quicksilver in Days of Future Past? Probably not. But I still liked Barry.

For those I know more about as characters in general:

I do like Ben Affleck as Bruce, and his Batman is growing on me. I liked that the opening scene with Batman involved a little more martial-arts-graceful-it’s-jujitsu-god-bless-you Batman than the heavily armored version in Batman Vs. Superman. Still really love Jeremy Irons as Alfred and only wish there might’ve been more, and more Alfred and Bruce banter. I could’ve listened to Alfred pick on Bruce about his crush on Diana for the entire runtime of the film.

(I am here for WonderBat, I blame the Justice League cartoon.)

BUT FOR REAL, MY GIRL DIANA. *RUNS HANDS DOWN FACE* I just love her a lot.

It’s admittedly been a while since I watched Batman vs. Superman, but I felt like her characterization in Justice League was a bit more in tune with how she was portrayed in her solo film – older and wiser and sadder, but with the same insightfulness and willingness to show vulnerability and softness when it was needed. And I like that the film gave her space to grow, exploring her fear not just of losing people she cares for, but of taking the responsibility of asking anyone to answer her call and risk their lives.

(Just now thinking about how much that must resonate with a Bruce who seems to have lost a Robin somewhere along the way)

And last but not least, CLARK I AM SO HAPPY YOU STOPPED BEING DEAD. The resurrection was a BIT wacky. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that. I was kinda hoping they would bring the coffin into the Kryptonian ship and something would just happen, but oh well. I felt like newly resurrected “unbalanced” Clark was maaaybe not even necessary, but I assume they wanted to have some hero vs hero fight scenes, and all in all it didn’t last that long (especially compared to the last movie in the franchise).

bEcAuSe Clark Just Loves Lois So Much, and I am always in favor of that as a plot point.

Also I really like both that Lois is dragging her grieving self to the Daily Planet to do her work but at the same time acknowledging that she’s not okay, and she’s not ready to write about other people’s grief and fear and pain just yet. And the fact that she carries some shame about that is very Lois, but I love how tender and understanding Clark is – of course he would never be ashamed of her. I really love everything we’ve seen so far between Clark and Lois, and I’m so happy that the DC movies are not only embracing the most iconic couple in superhero history but also making them fresh and real enough that I can actively ship them.

If I have to say something critical, it is that the villain was a bit cartoony (not just in the CG sense) and dull. Like, it provided the necessary “save the world” conflict. Aaand may have suffered a LITTLE from sharing a name with 70’s rock band. Like, I may have giggled a little, just like, once.

But not spending a lot of time developing the villain meant we had more time to devote to the heroes and the team dynamic and I was okay with that.

Wasn’t wild about the new Amazon costumes either, but they also weren’t quite as objectionable as I was expecting. Might’ve been more annoyed if I hadn’t known about it going in.

The CG on Henry Cavill’s face on the reshot footage was also noticeable and distracting, but, honestly, if that’s my biggest qualm about the movie, I’m okay with that?

[kihocrystal]

Summer 2017 - Final Impressions

I may have skipped writing opinions up for Spring season (due to computer issues...), but I’m back for Summer season! I even fell behind this season because of school (hence why this is half a month late), but nonetheless, here are my thoughts on the animes I finished this past season! 

The list of shows is in the tags, and are ordered alphabetically under the cut!

Boku no Hero Academia S2 - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

This was another really fun season of Boku no Hero Academia! This season was twice as long as season 1, which meant double the action! Most of the action this season was actually more on the light-hearted side, as two of the main story arcs of this season were the School Tournament, and the Final Exams. These arcs got to see the cast work together and face off against one another, which helped us learn more about their characters in the process! Almost everyone had their time to shine (which was great!), but the one who had the most prominent character arc was Todoroki; we learned about his troubled past with his family, and how he changes his mindset and attitude throughout the tournament, which was great to see! Character development was definitely a big aspect of this season (as seen through both of those arcs), but there was also a good amount of overarching story set-up as well! The main arc showing this off was the Hero Killer Stain arc (which included the Internships), which was definitely my favorite part of this season! Seeing Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida face off against him was super fun and interesting, and also kicked off some plot progression that should go towards future arcs! Midoriya has improved his super power usage over the course of this season, and we also learned about All For One, which will surely be the Big Bad of this series as a whole. The finale also teases more things about upcoming conflicts, which included Midoriya having an interesting interaction with villain Tomura (and a ship might be sailing with Ochako and Midoriya)! It’s a good thing a season 3 has already been confirmed, because an open ending like this would’ve been bad otherwise! As it stands though, it’s a really good lead-in to the next season! Season 2 was great set-up for things to come (and good fun action on its own, of course!); I probably would’ve enjoyed this season even more if there was more interactions with the villains, but that will surely come in the upcoming season 3!

Isekai Shokudou - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 ( B- )

This was a cute little show that was a good pick for “comfy show of the season”! I enjoyed meeting the wide range of characters and seeing them try out different types of food. I also appreciated how the food reactions were very downplayed, in comparison to more over-the-top fares like Shokugeki no Souma. That being said, they go into just as much detail describing why the food is so good (at least in the earlier episodes). I also liked seeing the patrons interact with each other, including getting into fights about who’s favorite dish is better. Each character’s story about how they discovered the diner (and the occasional backstory) was enjoyable to watch; we didn’t learn much about them outside of that, but we learned more about their interests and relationships via how they interacted with others both inside and outside the restaurant. It was also nice seeing how the restaurant has been a recurring thing for years, going back to the chef’s grandparents! The story is episodic, but each individual story was a nice, occasionally heartwarming, and “comfy” thing to watch once a week. The art-style complemented the easy-going pace as well; it was warm-toned and drew the food quite nicely (even if the animation itself was standard fare). This may not be a super in-depth slice-of-life show, but it’s a good watch if you just want to relax and see some good food!  

Kakegurui - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 ( B- )

This was the most popular show of the season on MAL (in terms of amount of people who watched it), and it’s easy to see why: high stakes (and over-the-top) gambling, the extreme reaction faces, and VERY sexual characters who get off on gambling (with yuri overtones to boot!). The more sexual scenes kind of got old for me over time, but I enjoyed all those other aspects! The crazy gambling games and characters were fun to watch (as someone who enjoys YuGiOh so much, that’s right up my alley!), and the crazy reactions added to the over-the-top appeal. Yumeko was an enjoyable lead, since she’s got just the right amount of insanity behind her also-enjoyable sweet facade (plus her seiyuu, Saori Hayami, did a great job performing her!). Many of the other main girls got some time in the spotlight too, both student council members and eventual Yumeko allies (though some student council members got more time than others, for sure). The main male lead, Suzui Ryouta, was definitely just there as an audience surrogate though, since he’s pretty bland (though he had some involvement in some gambles too!). When you get down to it, the appeal of this show is the characters and the gambling events themselves; all the story in-between just feels kind of lacking in comparison. Even the finale, which to be fair was anime original, kinda felt like a non-ending; the outcome kind of made that final gamble pointless and didn’t leave me with a good sense of conclusion (but hey, at least it’s better than a full-on cliffhanger or abrupt stopping point!). This show was far from my favorites of this season, but it was still an fun time during the gambling parts (which thankfully there’s a lot of here!). If you enjoy over-the-top gaming action and don’t mind the more sexual aspects (which can get somewhat explicit at times), you might like this one!

Made in Abyss - 9 / 10 ( A )

This is easily my pick for AOTS, no contest! It’s just a great adventure show from top to bottom, with a great sense of adventure and mystery! It also helps that the setting is one of the most unique and mysterious we’ve seen in anime for a long time! The Abyss is full of many different elements that not even the in-universe cast know of, which lends itself well to majestic scenes, along with terrifying secrets (it’s a lawless place, after all). Not to mention that the background art captures it extremely well; the huge amount of detail is a good contrast with the more square and cartoony character art-style! The soundtrack is used wonderfully, as it really gets a grand sense of ambience, mystery, and scale all at once! (Especially that one insert song they use a couple times, but first in the premiere!) The Abyss has been a cool place to learn and see more about over the course of the show, but it can definitely rear its ugly dangerous head from time to time, too. Meaning, this show can be VERY gruesome at times; there’s quite a few scenes involving large amounts of blood, and even body mutilation. It’s definitely not for the squeamish. If you can handle it, these scenes just add to the raw emotion this show has, and will have you on the edge of your seat! As for characters, Riko and Reg were a really good duo to follow in their journey! Their personalities (plus abilities and awareness of danger) balance each other well, and I enjoyed seeing them grow closer over time! Riko’s definitely an odd case since she has no fear of the Abyss despite never being able to return home, though (^^;). My other favorite was Nanachi; she was (unfortunately) only in the *last four* episodes, but her character and story really makes up for it! I enjoyed the rest of the cast too, including the cynical and crazy Ozen and her maid assistant Maruruk (she was so sad when Riko & Reg had to leave ;~;). The only real gripe I have about this show is its… inappropriate jokes at times. Lets just say there’s quite a few penis mentions (and yes, they say that word outright). However, the (double-length!) finale was crazy good; incredibly intense, fucked up, emotional, and with a hope cherry on top (including the balloon scene! I just wish I knew what was written inside!) Just learning the full details of Nanachi (& Mitty)’s backstory was REALLY fucked up… and the whole buildup and execution (I’m sorry…) of Mitty’s death brought a few tears to my eye (and I don’t cry easily when watching stuff!). The story definitely isn’t done yet (which impacts its score as a standalone season a little bit), but it had as good of a conclusion as it could’ve had. It sets up an easy-to-hate antagonist really well too, all within the span of one (double-length) episode! This show is definitely the best of this summer season (and one of my top picks for this year!), so this is a very easy recommendation! (Unless you don’t do well with gore, of course).

New Game!! S2 - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

I really enjoyed this second season of New Game! It definitely took a slightly different approach, as there was a bit more emotional and dramatic moments (which personally, I think is a good thing!) I also can relate to this show quite a bit, as I’m now a game design student at a community college; so as a result, seeing the girls work on a game in a variety of ways (along with the working process in general) is very interesting to me! Of course, that’s not to say this show is the most realistic portrayal of the industry, per se, but it’s still cool to see more of this slice-of-life comedy about working in a game company! This season shows the team work on a new IP from start to finish, and all the trials that happen along the way. The girls are challenged a lot more as well, especially Aoba as she gets her first go at being the main character designer (with help from Yagami-san)! The concept art contest was definitely the biggest moment for her character arc; seeing her do her best on an art piece, despite knowing she’s going to lose by default due to a sales decision, was bittersweet to see for sure (but she came out much stronger in the end)! That even tied into Yagami’s character arc as well, since she realizes she’s holding back the growth of her younger employees (;~;). Aside from that, the programming aspect got a bit more spotlight this season! Watching Nene make a game by herself, then see her as a programming intern was great to see! Speaking of interns, we got two new girls this season: Momiji and Narumi! Both of them served as good “rivals” for Aoba and Nene, even if there wasn’t fierce competition between them; I just liked seeing their different (more cynical) viewpoints and how they interacted with the other girls (and learned from them + vise versa!). This season ended on a strong note as well; seeing Yagami leave for France and all the girls going to see her off (plus Aoba’s tearful goodbye to her!) was a great emotional end to the season (and heck, it could be a good end to the series in its own right!). I definitely liked this season even more than season one, as the increased emotional depth added a lot to this cute and fun series! If you like slice-of-life comedy shows, this is a really good one to check out!

Princess Principal - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

This show is my runner-up for AOTS, so you know this show is a fun time! It’s always fun to see a new spy anime, and this one really delivers on the spy action! The action scenes are really well done, with fluid motions and well-choreographed fight scenes! Add in the steampunk / early 20th century-style, and you’ve got a really cool spy show! The characters’ art style (for the girls) are definitely more on the moe-side, but they were fun to watch the whole way through! The main girls’ personalities were a good mix, and really interesting to see play out (especially Ange’s deadpan shtick). They all have their own skills to contribute too; even Beatrice, with no spy training, can use her mechanical neckpiece to perfectly imitate other people’s voices! The story is mostly episodic; while there is an overarching premise of an England-esque country being torn apart by war and regimes, each episode focuses on one specific spy case. I liked this approach, as each case told a nice little story than could range from action-packed & tense, to somber & heartbreaking. Each of the main girls get some spotlight time too in at least one story, meaning we get more insight into their personal histories and personalities, which is great! The main character focus though is definitely on Ange and Princess, as they swapped places when they were kids and reunite in the spy team during the present timeline. This story is kept vague (which added a good sense of mystery to these two!) until slightly past the halfway mark; it was great finally seeing their backstory when it came time! Their relationship had a big part in the final two episodes as well; speaking of that finale, it was yet another action-packed good time! But it also was very open-ended; The main villain hasn’t been defeated, and the anti-hero spy (Zelda) in the final two episodes got away as well. At least the main group is back together, and hopefully we’ll see them in a season 2, because the ending makes this season suffer a little bit as a stand-alone show. That being said, this was one of my favorite shows of the season for sure, and you should check it out if you like steampunk-style or spy stories!

Re:Creators - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ / A- )

What a solid show! It’s not every day we see a modern anime have a definitive and satisfying conclusion, but here we are! The first episode might not have won me over initially, but it definitely grew on me over time. Exposition was a bit more heavy-handed in earlier episodes as well (which is the most common complaint I’ve seen), but it’s not as bad later on. Re:Creators had lots of themes and messages about the act of creating things and what can come from it, which was really cool to see, especially since I’m an aspiring artist myself. This show may have had a lot of action, but the characters (both creations & creators) and how they interacted with each other was one of the most enjoyable parts for me. I definitely related to the main character (Souta) quite a lot, as he had a hard time creating things (& enjoying it) due to negative circumstances (albeit his reasoning was guilt-related, via mine being self-confidence). Not to mention he admitted to having negative bitter feelings towards his friend Setsuna due to her success (which I admit I also relate too…). Seeing this kind of character reflected in an anime, in addition to seeing a variety of different creators, was definitely great to see, since I could relate to it so much! The creative process is a big part of plot progression & magic-power-logic as well, which is super unique! Seeing a bunch of different genres being represented was cool as well, including a magical girl! (though I wish Mamika was the first to die & last only 8 episodes… at least she was a great character in that short time!) Magane was probably the other standout character for me, as she had a fun personality and was a real wild card in terms of what she could do (though she took a liking towards Souta, in the end). The villain, Altair, was also a great concept for a villain, since she was a Hatsune Miku-type who could use endless material from fan-works as her powers! Each character got at least a decent amount of development/screentime, and like I mentioned before, the conclusion to Altair’s story was really well done, and even left room for an epilogue episode at the end… I love when they do that! The ride that was Re:Creators was full of action, funny moments, heartwarming and heartbreaking moments. In the end… it’s a really good original action series that’s actually complete!

Sakura Quest - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ / A- )

P.A. Works does it again with another really good “working women” series! Like Hanasaku Iroha and Shirobako before it, this show follows a group of young adult girls working to try and revitalize a small rural town. As I’m getting older, I love seeing anime with characters closer to my age range, as they try to find their place in a working adult world, just like I am! The “revitalizing a rural town” aspect was also interesting to see play out, as there’s a lot that goes into that, like trying to get your name out there (either through the web or through TV) or organizing and planning events! The story plays out over the course of the year, but there’s lots of 1-2 episode-long stories that show off all these aspects, along with highlighting certain characters (which I always love to see!). It’s definitely a slice-of-life show that has a lot of character growth, and seeing the team accomplish things and the town slowly-but-surely come together was great to watch! The cast of characters was also really nice, both main and supporting! Most of the supporting cast were elderly or adults, so seeing them bounce off the young adult main group (& seeing their ideologies clash and work together) was cool to see too! Each of the main girls had their own realizations and journeys to make while working for the Tourism Board, whether it was learning the value of small towns (Yoshino) or finding your own way to do what you want to do, even if you fall short of your dreams (Maki). By the end, all five of them definitely show off some good insight towards adult life! The finale was nice as well, showing their classic festival finally coming together and the Dragon Song showing up again (which was one of my favorite mini-arcs back during the first half). While it’s left unclear whether Manoyama gets absorbed or not, it definitely ends on a happy, conclusive ending for our characters, and the town is definitely better off than at the show’s beginning. This was an enjoyable, down-to-earth show to watch, and you should give it a try too if you like slice-of-life shows (or if you enjoyed Hanasaku Iroha or Shirobako)!

Senki Zesshou Symphogear - 7.0 - 7.5 / 10 ( C+ )

This fourth(!) season of Symphogear was a big, fun action fest, just like the other seasons! The strong points of this series have always been the bombastic fight scenes, the insert songs, and the characters, which continues to be true here too. This was the first season that I stopped trying to focus on the story, and I think my enjoyment actually improved because of it! This series’ story has always been silly and tries to top itself with every iteration, which happens again in this season; it likes to pull explanations out of thin air, and have situations work out for our heroes at *just* the right time so the show can have a cool “badass” moment. I will give AXZ credit though for at least trying to pull elements from past seasons into this season’s weapon upgrades and logic reasoning, even though it still kinda feels like an ass-pull to me (then again, other people disagree with me on this, so YMMV!). The story is definitely this series’ biggest weakpoint for me (which is why I tend to rate these seasons relatively low), but its strongest aspects are in top form and a lot of fun to watch! The fight scenes and power-ups keep finding new ways to one-up themselves, and the main Symphogear girls continue to have an enjoyable dynamic together! The new antagonist group was mostly just okay, but the core three alchemist girls (Saint-Germain, Cagliostro, and Prelati) grew on me after they turn on their master (even though I liked Cagliostro the entire time, really~). The final episodes were a fun time, as always (including Hibiki being an evil god-monster at one point!); it’s notable though that they set up some things here for the already-confirmed season 5! Symphogear definitely grew on me this season, as I realized it’s the epitome of a popcorn-action show; just shut your brain off, and enjoy the spectacle!

Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul - 8.0 / 10 ( B )

This was another fun and action-packed season of Shingeki no Bahamut! While I’m not sure whether I liked season 1 more than this one, it was still a very enjoyable watch throughout! One of the main reasons for this was the main new addition to the cast: Nina! She’s such a fun character to watch, as she’s strong, goofy, and jumps into action right away! I wasn’t the most fond of how “horny” she was for other guys, but that settled down a bit once she finds the guy of her dreams…. Which by the way, is also the main antagonist of the show, King Charioce. She falls in love with him when he’s in disguise, but even after his reveal, she still doesn’t give up her love for him (while simultaneously trying to stop his evil crimes). It’s definitely a unique approach to this type of romance for sure, but it was still a bit odd to me that she still stayed in love with him despite all the tyrannical things he did… At the very least, the execution of this subplot was pretty good, as were all the other story beats! This show has strong execution throughout (the prison escape arc was a highlight), with high quality animation (especially those dance scenes!), swelling music, and the right emotional notes. The problem for most people then will be some story beats themselves, mostly at the show’s end. A couple notable characters seem to get killed for no good reason, Charioce’s motivations try to spin him as “a good guy all along”, and his punishment at the end seems too light (as he merely just loses his eyesight); plus it feels like the people being oppressed by his rule turn right around and he gets praised as a hero for defeating Bahamut (which btw he himself summoned)! And oh yeah, Bahamut isn’t actually dead for good (leaving things open for a possible continuation). Oh well, at least the bittersweet aspect of a voiceless Nina and a sight-less Charioce being together is a nice touch. (I may sound mad here, but I didn’t hate these episodes at all ^^; ) In any case, the whole journey was fun to watch, and was full of engaging action the whole way through. I enjoyed seeing all the returning cast come back, and seeing them interact in both the upbeat and darker moments. Even though the ending won’t win over everyone, if you enjoyed the first season, you should have a good time here too!

[grazer-razor]

i love peacock. she's a clever reference to rubber hose cartoons, and has a cool design, too. she also has a plethora of technologically advanced abilities(i counted 6), and these abilities pose great combat potential, according to some old concept art. to top things off, she was one of the only characters who was able to resist the temptation of the skull heart(whatever the hell that thing is. probably some crappy alien from doctor who).

however, i do not love the game she's from. skullgirls is chockful of provocative characters and gruesome imagery. i mean, just look at this picture from one of peacock's cutscenes. that's a really brutal pic, and this is just from peacock's story mode!

and apparently, while peacock's attacks in the game are light-hearted and cartoony, not even she can escape skullgirls's highly suggestive aura. in peacock's intro, the following conversation takes place between avery the bird and andy the anvil. here it is-

andy: (Psst... Avery? So did the boss take a bath, or what? And what does she brush her teeth with, anyway? Metal polish?)

avery:(I think a bath and her usual morning routine were implied... but they aren't something the audience needs to see.)

...and then a big caption saying "hot 2D fighting"(complete with exhausted filia) obscures the screen, further advancing skullgirl's slutty agenda.

and the kicker?

PEACOCK IS ONLY THIRTEEN. THIRTEEN, PEOPLE. avery and andy are talking about the audience viewing a 13-year-old cyborg taking a bath- AND SHE'S UNDERAGE!

so? if you're a parent, and your kid asks you to get him/her skullgirls, don't do that crap. get him/her something decent like splatoon, or even transformers devastation!(i know it’s rated T like skullgirls, but it’s more like kirby and those lego games than anything else, so it deserved a E10+, IMO.) but skullgirls? stay away from that stuff. it's too grotesque and slutty, and might give your kid nightmares about mutilated henchmen and medical assassins with large boobies.

so yeah, that wraps up my little essay about peacock.

oh, and if that mutilated henchman gave you a need for eye bleach, fear not. i’m making a fanfic about peacock, and it’ll be based off of one of humanity’s greatest works.

[thegirlandfilm]

The Red Turtle.

“Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better” - Albert Einstein.

There is no thought without expression, no communication without language. Michael Dudok de Wit’s and Studio Ghibli’s message, however profound and important it may be, does not really exist unless it can be expressed through some form of language. However, how can one go about communicating a story without any dialogue? Or rather, how can an audience read a film that communicates without words? Dudok de Wit lets us read this film through his film language, that with the precision of the animated craft, can be perfected exactly to how he intends this story to be read. In this film, communication is not limited by any verbal expression; what we are reading instead are landscapes, characters, colours, lines, and details within his drawings. These subtleties offer all the thoughts, words, and ideas that the characters are unwilling to utter.

To watch Dudok de Wit's “The Red Turtle”, is to watch a filmmaker in control over the visual language of the film that his ideas presuppose. This film is carefully constructed drawing by drawing, and in watching this film, one immediately feels like they are in the hands of someone who knows precisely how they would like to tell you their story. Although communication is not verbal, it is still effective and impactful. Perhaps even more so, as it uses the universal understanding of image without language.

The sudden opening scene gives us a man shipwrecked from a boat we do not get to see, and tells us nothing about his past. He is offered by the ocean to the viewer as a blank canvas that we may impose ourselves onto. The island he is stranded on is beautiful, lush, even peaceful, yet the man is only able recognize it as an entrapment. Despite all of its natural wonders, we watch the man relentlessly attempt to escape the island so that he may rejoin the unknown civilization of his origin. Then we are given the perceived antagonist, the Red Turtle, who is consistently destroying the boat the man has fashioned from bamboo. Dudok de Wit repeatedly shows the limitations of man, and the ability that nature has to humble us. The man is stripped bare, literally and figuratively, and without the technologies and the masses of people of the land that he presumably comes from, his limitations are revealed. But while he tries over and over to create bigger, sturdier, and more advanced boats, it becomes clear that his enemy is not nature, but his perspective. While he builds a boat by day, he dreams at night of building a bridge. One that joins the man with the ocean, where he suddenly begins to take flight. Smoothly gliding over the bridge, transcending his situation. This is perhaps the most literal metaphor that Dudok de Wit provides, encouraging man to follow their natural instinct to unite with the earth to reach transcendence. It informs us that no boat, is going help him overcome his obstacles.

What separates Dudok de Wit from other filmmakers is his ability to generate these profound ideas with the animated craft. He then weaves these ideas together throughout the film, over and over, using lines, colour, symbols and signs as his form of language. His drawings are crafted so to reveal the emotional intricacies of his subjects, thereby distinguishing his characters from the cartoony characters typical for the medium.The simplicity of the lines and colours used on the animations, allows a viewer to focus on their internal subtitles, and not their external flare. What Dudok de Wit does throughout the film is blend this simplicity with vivid detail, a way for him to capture empathy through the audiences projection of themselves upon the character, and reality through the textured and unpredictable nature of the island. Through this unique duality, the viewer can import themselves into this world by aligning themselves with characters that are left fairly vague in their physical appearance. Without language or verbal expression to give the man a sense of humanity, his movement is given familiar idiosyncrasies. Like reaching to the bottom of a pond to feel the sand on your feet.

We are shown the basic tasks that another filmmaker might not include, like the tedious repetition of the man building his boat, one bamboo stick at a time. The man is also given to us as imperfect - another way to relate to him and perhaps a technique for Dudok de Wit to show us our own flaws. We relate to his anger at the turtle, we understand why he attacks it. Yet this scene gives the viewer no gratification, rather a remorse for our selfishness. This is because Dudok de Wit, following suit with Studio Ghibli tradition, incorporates the idea of animism - the notion that a spiritual presence exists within all of nature. The turtle is given a soulfulness that we recognize much easier when it takes the form of a human woman. Immediately the audience, and the man, are given the ability to see how much we have damaged this relationship and how imperative it is to repair. Through the personification of the turtle, we are given an empathy for nature that we often times lose sight of. That the man too, has been guilty of.

A notable trait of this film is that there is no true antagonist. The binary code that is often used in film to inform us of what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’, is left out here. We see a gruesome example of man’s willingness to destroy in the name of human progress with his murder of the Turtle. He is trying to build a boat to get him away from the island but nature keeps holding him back, not allowing his progress and his return to civilization. He comes to the turtle and with a forceful stroke, he hits the turtle over the head with a bamboo stick. He then flips the majestically large turtle onto its back, leaving it helpless, a clear example of man's ability to manipulate nature to his own benefit. We see the turtle on its back, in the scorching sun, only feet away from the cool ocean without any ability to save itself. It lays there peacefully, un-angrily, and defeated. This moment of brutality was damaging, but repairable. Similarly, a tsunami strikes the island, tearing down all that this family has built and nearly killing the man. The man and the turtle, are both capable of tenderness as well as savagery. Both can be as brutal as they are kind. Dudok de Wit shows us that there is no one against the other, no man versus nature in this story. Rather these two forces, are bonded through mutual love and respect that is shown throughout the second act of the film. Not only does Dudok de Wit encourage this relationship, but he pays particular attention to it. The film is never about the man winning, but it is about him adapting and growing to a world that isn’t built around his wants. He in fact, is never able to return to his home, but the solidarity and connection that he has forged with the world is gives him spiritual liberation.

The son of the red turtle and the man, is given as a representation of man’s potential. Born of both man and earth, he is equally capable of swimming great lengths through the ocean with the grace of a sea turtle, and showing curiosity for human invention. Dudok de Wit does not favour nature over mankind. To him, these forces are not in opposition at all. And with the son, we see these two forces working together in harmony. We see his human-spirit in the son’s early discovery and fascination with the glass bottle. This glass bottle is the single piece of human technology that remains from his father’s civilization, and throughout the film we only see the young boy alone using it or finding interest in it. Dudok de Wit uses one of the most basic elements of human technology,  a bottle, as a symbol of human's instinct for technological creation.

It is given a beautiful moment of rediscovery after the tsunami hits the island; the boy finds the bottle for the second time, in the sand of the drinking pool he once used. This shows us that the human spirit for discovery and progress cannot be broken, and should not be. Beneath the rubble, the delicate glass bottle is perfectly intact, like the spirit of mankind that remains inside the boy. It is after this moment that the boy decides to leave the island. Dudok de Wit leaves the purpose for his departure ambiguous, but his satchel seems to imply a journey. The boy is seeking to find the world, the world that his father drew for him in the sand, full of people, animals, and glass bottles. And Dudok de Wit makes the boy successful in this quest unlike his father before him, because rather than building a boat, the boy is a bridge. This theme of rebirth is something very familiar to Studio Ghibli, as well as Japanese film. Massive spectacles of destruction followed by hopeful rebuilding has been a theme in Japan since the trauma of the nuclear bombs. To deal with the despair of the nation’s consciousness, hope for Japan’s rebirth was given through film.  Man and nature are mutually destructive to each other, and from the years of conflict between these two forces, the young boy acts as a hopeful symbol of unification. While man has broken its relationship with the earth, it is able to be repaired.

Dudok de Wit urges us to redefine what we currently see human progress to be. It is often defined now as, scientific discovery, technological innovation, efficiency, ease - technologies providing an answer to the world’s problems. But Dudok de Wit challenges this notion, arguing instead that not only our progress, but our survival is dependent on this intrinsic relationship man has with the earth. That like the man, we cannot harness nature and manipulate it, or treat is as an enemy to our existence. This idea will never be successful. Rather, man should work with nature, allowing our progress to follow the natural rhythm of the earth.

Our connection to the life we think we have, is but small in the face of our much larger spiritual relationship with the earth that informs our human experience. This theme is filtered through other moments in other characters,  until this theme becomes solid. The Red Turtle is not Dudok de Wit’s repudiation of human's desire to achieve progress through technology, but rather a suggestion to re-realize the importance of nature and our relationship with it. This theme of unification with nature, is also echoed in Dudok De Wit's unifying language of animation. Through lines, colour, and movement, he allows audiences of all languages to be united in one similar experience. This film explores the unique perspective that an animated and dialogue-free film can gift to a film goer, much like the perspective that a new relationship with the earth would give us, and what kind of new world that perspective allows us to see.

[danaaxlove]

After 2016’s Suicide Squad, audiences had mixed reactions to the Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey trailer, (or should I say Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey now that the title’s changed). Some people loved it. Some people hated it. As for me, I decided to spring up two pigtails, spray them pink and blue, dot a heart onto my cheekbone, and head out like a giddy six-year-old, excited to see Margot Robbie bring one of my favorite crazy characters back to the screen. Boy, was I in for a surprise. But before I jump into that, here’s a quick film production recap.

“Do you know what a harlequin is? A harlequin’s role is to serve. It’s nothing without a master. No one gives two shits who we are, beyond that.”

Birds of Prey was initially announced in May 2016, ahead of the release of Suicide Squad, with Warner Bros stating that it was a spinoff film focusing on Harley Quinn and a couple of other female DC Comics heroes and villains, such as Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. Margot Robbie spent three years working on Birds of Prey and continued to present it to Warner Bros. until the studio felt the project was at the point it could be made. After a bunch of tugging and pulling and scrapping and editing, Warner Bros. and DC Films finalized a deal in April 2018, with Cathy Yan set to direct, making her the first female Asian director to direct a superhero film. Robbie was also confirmed to be producing the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment banner, as part of a first look deal she has with the studio. With all of that preproduction information out of the way, you may be wondering what Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey is about.

“I’m the one they should be scared of! Not you, not Mr J! Because I’m Harley Fucking Quinn!”

Directed by Cathy Yan, Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey portrays the return of Harley Quinn,

The squad.

(Margot Robbie), after her devastating breakup with the Joker. Upon the break-up, Harley is submerged in grief and struggles to move on with her life. However, the post-breakup blues are quickly subdued when Harley finds out that her breakup with the Joker places her as a red alert target for those she’s wronged during her time with Mr. J., especially narcissistic crime boss, Black Mask, (Ewan McGregor). And things only get more complicated when she crosses paths with pickpocketing kid, Cassandra Cain, (Ella Jay Basco), Huntress, (Mary-Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary, (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Renee Montoya, (Rosie Perez). Will Harley transcend this web of complications and prove to herself that she’s something more than just the Joker’s arm-candy? And does this cluster-bar of interesting characters coupled along with lessons learned from Suicide Squad guarantee this film being an A+ show? Dissection time!

“Here’s the deal, Quinn. You need me!”

That iconic smile.  😀

When I replay the events of the film while typing this article, the first factor that appears in my mind is story. I have mixed feelings about the story. On one hand, it’s fun, entertaining, and an action-packed frenzy, much like our lovely leading lady. But on the other, it’s just that and nothing deeper. It follows a typical action movie formula with no improvisational ingredients added to our bland elixir. There aren’t any unexpected, gruesome obstacles that raise the stakes for our main characters and causes our hearts to pound along with the raising tension of the film. And there aren’t any moments that elicit any empathy from us or leave us in awe. It’s predictable and quite linear—very A-to-B. Yan could’ve created an unpredictable storyline to match Harley’s unpredictable, quirky personality, (aside from the visually pleasing manic colors painting the film). But maybe she wanted to play it safe after Suicide Squad? So I don’t blame her. Nevertheless, this may also be a good thing for someone who knows exactly what they want. If you want to just want to kick back, relax, and have the film serve as a spoonful of entertainment rather than a syringe of seriousness—by all means, go ahead. Heck, the characters also added onto that entertainment factor.

“YOU KILLED MY SANDWICH!”

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn: flawless. Robbie is back in portraying the lovable,

Awaiting her breakfast sandwich.

makeup-caked psycho–and what a sweet goody bag treat it is. She completely satisfied my expectations in regards to how Harley would act in her own adventure, in real-life, etc. Robbie is perfect, and I hope she’ll return to whatever films Harley Quinn is needed in. Ewan McGregor as Blackface: entertaining and amusing. It was my first time seeing McGregor play a villain, and there wasn’t an awkward barrier that kept us from immersing ourselves into the film, like it sometimes happens with other actors. I’ve read from other reviews that some people considered McGregor to be too ‘cartoony,’ but I didn’t think that at all. Mary-Elizabeth Winstead was also fantabulous, (cute reference to the title. See what I did there? Har, har, har). But having said that, some of the characters could’ve still been improved. One big aspect of improvement that stuck out to me was the chemistry between the characters. Frankly, there could’ve been more of it. With Wonder Woman or Guardians of the Galaxy for example, (yes, I know I shouldn’t compare DC to Marvel), the characters were immensely entertaining by either being emotionally invested with each other and to the audience, bantering nonstop, etc. In Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, Harley’s personality obviously shines through, but a majority of the characters are just kinda there in the movie with Harley. It would’ve been nice if they had been more animated or vivacious in their personalities, (aside from McGregor and Winstead). You only feel the chemistry between the characters towards the end of the movie, leaving the viewer feel a bit cheated. And because of that, the various characters’ background stories get swept under the rug as cliched, rather than fulfilling their potential of being engrossing and enchanted with personality. But having described the areas the film could’ve improved in, it’s not that bad, especially when compared to other bombing reviews.

“Get ready, ladies.”

Move over, Lady and the Tramp. We’ve got a new pair of lovers.

I recall someone in IMDB’s reviews calling Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey “an Antifa film,” (I know—hilarious and dramatic). Another as being “a DC chick flick” and “Deadpool 2 knock-off.” But I completely disagree with those. Sure, it’s not what it could’ve been. But that doesn’t mean that it’s bad. I’m still glad that it was made. It’s fun, entertaining, and great for those looking for just that.

  Genre: Action/Crime

Rating: R.

Time: 1 Hour, 49 minutes

Final Verdict: B

PS: In case y’all were curious as to how my  “giddy six-year-old”  Harley Quinn fangirl looked like the day I went–here ya go! Enjoy the goodies, haha.

  Here's a little Valentine's treat for you guys! Dana's Film Review: Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey (2020). Check it out! #harleyquinn #birdsofprey #harleyquinnbirdsofprey #margotrobbie #film #critic #filmcritic #huntress #blackmask After 2016’s Suicide Squad, audiences had mixed reactions to the Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey…