#with choice lyrics and paragraphs explaining their relevance

[shittinggold]

🎵 FUFFY!!!!!!!

Okay. OKAY. You have to have known that I would never be able to narrow it down to just one song. I am going to have to dump about a dozen songs on you, each corresponding to a different era of Fuffy. If that's a problem - tough, you knew what you were getting into.

To start us off, both Bodybag by Chloe Moriondo and Saccharine by Jazmin Bean capture that early-Fuffy feeling of "I'm not sure if I want to fight you or fuck you and frankly I think it might be the same thing".

I could cry when I hear you speak but that just makes me angry Wanna kiss you on your cheeks but I also wanna punch your teeth I just don't get it, I just don't know Don't know if I hate you or if I wanna date you Put you in a body bag instead of my bed

You make me afraid Come closer, wait no, go away Disgusted at the fact I care Cut you the fuck off like dead hair

Speak Your Mind by Alice Merton is the anthem for That final scene in Revelations. I saw her in London a couple of months ago and she was great, but I need to see her again until she performs this song.

And you know that it's hard for me To look at you and realize you're part of me But nowadays you seem so far away from me So out of reach Won't you speak your mind? There's a silence in the room and it is killing me Won't you speak your mind?

If you wanted something for their wild nights bonding in Bad Girls, then Untouched by The Veronicas is a classic, and 100% captures that vibe: horny, but perpetually unconsummated. Speaking of Bad Girls, the song that plays when they dance in the Bronze - Chinese Burn by Curve - is a very Faith song.

She burns friends like a piece of wood And she's jealous of me because she never could Hold herself up without a spine And she'll look me up when she's doing fine Because the rage it burns like Chinese torture She's just someone's favorite daughter Spoilt and ugly as she willingly slaughters Friends and enemies they're all the same

I know they're TSwift, and putting Taylor Swift songs on a fanmix is a cliche beyond parody at this point, but I have to shout out three songs from Folklore - Hoax, My Tears Ricochet and The 1 - for being unavoidably great Fuffy songs.

For what it's worth, any song that references "the one" instantly rings Fuffy bells in my head, because "the one" is SUCH a loaded term for them (being soulmates who are in direct competition to be The One). As such, I present Uno by Muse, which gets at that post-Enemies feeling thy both have of feeling like the other really messed up by not following them.

You could have been number one And you could have ruled the whole world And we could have had so much fun But you blew it away

For the same period, but more focused on the rage and denial that comes with self-recognition through another, we have Anything Like Me by Poppy, which is definitely up there as one of the most Fuffy songs around.

I'm everything she never was Now everyone's out for my blood Stop, you're making a scene You're coming at me with blood in your teeth You shouldn't be anything like me You shouldn't be anything like me You'll never be anything like me You shouldn't be anything like me I feel her heart beating in me Get her out of me Love is never-ending in me Take it out of me

While we're doing cliches, I obviously have to mention that Kiss With A Fist and Girlfriend In A Coma both exist. They're like the complimentary breadsticks of Fuffy mixes - they're not what you're there for, but their exclusion would be a choice. Knife Going In by Tegan and Sara is also another surprisingly appropriate set of lyrics given how on-the-nose the title is.

I feel the knife going in I'm feeling like she's not enough to kill me I thought it up and fast But I'm feeling it now And I feel like she's sleeping inches from me I let it pass

Before we finish, I wanna take us to S7, which is just a goldmine - so many songs about that specific feeling of "we were once friends and now we're so far apart". I'll shout out Bad Blood by Bastille, I Want You by Mitski, and Maria by AliceBand, but most of all a slight wildcard - Forget About What I Said by The Killers.

We used to tear it down But now we just exist. The things that I did wrong, I bet you got a list. Now I know how you remember And those moments that you choose Will define me as a traitor Stealing everything you lose.

If S4!Fuffy is more your thing, then we have When I Needed You by Carly Rae Jepsen and Crash and Burn by Maggie Lindemann to both capture Faith's jealousy and anger after waking up.

You picked him over me And you left with no apology Felt a knife in your back Yeah, you thought I was the killer You're looking in the mirror

Or for the Who Are You body-swapping soul-muddying you-and-I-have-begun-to-blur of it all: Bloodstream by Stateless.

Words can be like knives They can cut you open And the silence surrounds you And haunts you I think I might've inhaled you I can feel you behind my eyes You've gotten into my bloodstream I can feel you floating in me

(Yeah, knives is another trigger word for the Fuffy bells)

To finish off, I'd like to bring us back to S3, and Graduation Day Part II. For me, this is the absolute peak of love and tragedy that makes their story what it is. Strawberry Gashes by Jack Off Jill is a great Buffy-POV song that expresses her feelings of wishing she have reached out and done something different to save Faith, while also understanding that it was Faith's choices that led them to this.

Scold me, failed her If only I'd held on tighter To her pale white skin That twisted and withered away from me, way from me Watch me lose her It's almost like losing myself Give her my soul And let them take somebody else, get away from me Watch me fault her "You're living like a disaster" She said, "kill me faster" With strawberry gashes all over, all over me

But if there's one song that works for both of them at this moment, it's Switchblade by LP. If I had a gun to my head and was forced to pick one song to sum up Fuffy, it would be Switchblade by LP. Both the mood and lyrics manage to capture the soul of it - the wistfulness and melancholy, the lost love and lost innocence, the doom and destiny, the pain that comes intertwined with affection. The homosexual yearning. Seriously, go listen to Switchblade by LP.

We were electric We were wild, we were free And I thought that you meant it It's hard to accept it That it's not meant to be But I'll never regret it I don't, I don't No, I don't, I don't Long live the beautiful hearts Who find love and tear it apart Long live the beautiful hearts Who find love and tear it apart All of the hurt you've been hiding away Cuts me at once like a switchblade So take every stab you can take And I'll give it to ya, give it to ya I always knew that you'd cut me someday I fell in love with a switchblade And I know that you did the same And I'll give it to ya, give it to ya

[kassysyd]

“Her Sweet Kiss” - A Short  Analysis

Preface: In my job, a key part of my role is to select and analyse various different forms of poetry (yes, lyrics are a type of poem) so, I am keenly aware of the difference between what could be considered quality poetic verse and the doggerel we frequently hear passed off as lyrics in modern songs. I was expecting the latter from the soundtrack to Netflix’s The Witcher, I was wrong.

 Although, at first listen “Her Sweet Kiss” appeared to be a simple love ballad, the uncommon depth and intricacy of the symbolism stunned and forced me to take another listen. Additionally, its arrangement within key scenes of the episode, as well as the inclusion of both alternative lyrics and instrumental versions was ingenious. I don’t have time to do a full analysis, instead, I have pulled together a basic overview of the key elements which stood out to me from this marvellously complex song. I hope this may assist you with your own interpretations.

 Before we start analysing the lyrics, let’s look at the contextual placement of this song within the episode 'Rare Species'. It is featured at three key moments; the opening scene showing Jaskier composing the song, the sex scene between Geralt and Yennifer and then finally played over the credits.   

 In the opening scene, Jaskier is shown singing and composing while waiting for Geralt to return from a hunt. The lyrics are slightly different here and include the adjectives ‘gorgeous’ and ‘lovely’ in reference to the ‘Garroter’ character. He asks the men nearby whether the metaphorical use of ‘garroter’ is too ‘cerebral’, indicating that it is indeed symbolic of someone (Geralt). The lines “I’m weak, my love, and I am wanting… Gorgeous Garroter, jury and judge”, are sung by Jaskier and introduce the concept that the narrator is in love with someone but is also conflicted about their choice to follow them on 'The Path' (more on this later). It is also important to note that the notebook resting on his thigh contains an alternative version of the lyrics which do not feature the secondary 'her' character yet and instead focus instead on the narrator’s own weakness and inability to leave what he feels in an unfair relationship 'If I were a man of more merit,  if I were a man of resolve I’d leave you behind, get my fair peace of mind'.  

 The second time the song is heard during the sex scene between Geralt and Yennifer. This time the song is purely instrumental. The moment where they first kiss, the chorus line 'She’ll destroy with her sweet kiss' is playing. As the audience had already heard some of the song, they would recognize it. But as they only heard the earlier version, which describes only the narrator’s willingness to suffer to be with the one he loves, the full significance of the song is not yet established with the audience. This lack of audible lyrics further symbolizes the narrator’s uncertain feelings towards their relationship at this point in the episode. But also unambiguously associates the song with both Geralt and Yennefer, establishing it as a proxy theme song for their romance and further supporting the argument that the characters from the song are indeed Geralt and Yennifer.

 The final time this song is heard is over the end credits, this time the song is sung by Jaskier and plays in full. The previous ambiguity is sharply contrasted here when the revised set of lyrics are presented to the audience and the true theme of the is song revealed (Jaskier’s anguish). The final scene between Geralt, Yennifer and Jaskier is key to contextualizing these lyrics as it directly foreshadows many lines and themes explored in the song. For example, in Jaskier’s line 'that’s not fair' echoing the lyrics directly and the show’s constant depiction of Yennefer using storm imagery (both themes explored in more detail below).

 The Characters

The song contains three distinct characters 'I/Narrator', 'You/Garrotter' and 'Her'.

 'I/Narrator' – The narrator of the song, possibly Jaskier – It has been established in songs such as ‘Toss a Coin to Your Witcher’ that Jaskier frequently writes from his own perspective and as clearly illustrated in the lines 'When a humble Bard, graced a ride along with Geralt of Rivia along came this song' frequently portray Geralt as their protagonist (this is also canonical for the books, but, I’m limiting my interpretations to the show). Additionally, many key themes and concepts from the lyrics directly reference Jaskier’s own life and experiences (explored in more detail in later paragraphs). It is later shown that Jaskier has written so many highly successful songs about Geralt that the prostitute in the opening scene of ‘Betrayer Moon’ was able to identify his scars by their relevant songs and was surprised to find one that she did not recognize. It can plausibly be argued that ‘Her Sweet Kiss’ is both autobiographical and includes Geralt as a key character.

 'You/Garotter' - The love interest of the narrator and also addressed as 'My Love' and 'Fool'  -  We can connect this 'Garotter' character with ‘Geralt’ through both the phonological similarity between the words and in scene featuring Marilka in the episode 'The End’s Beginning' when she points out 'Geralt'… like Garroter?' a canonically explicit linking of the names. ‘Garotter’ is a term for a killer, specifically, someone who does so through strangling, symbolic of Geralt’s employment. Jaskier himself points out that the ‘metaphor’ may be to ‘cerebral’, indicating to us the audience the need to interpret the line figuratively rather than literally.

 'Her'- The rival for the narrators love interest - A woman described as a destructive and unjust force, using wild, nature-based metaphors such as ‘storms’ and ‘currents’ to describe her ‘love’. Repeatedly throughout the show Yennefer is also described using similar nature/storm imagery, such as Geralt’s description of her 'like a tornado wreaking havoc' (a line Jaskier is shown to have overheard as the camera pans to him).  

 The evidence then supports the supposition that the song may well be written from Jaskier’s perspective, exploring his feeling regarding Geralt’s and Yennifer’s relationship (for a discussion on the dubious nature of consent in this relationship see my other post). For convenience of analysis, from here on I will be assuming the narrator is Jaskier, the 'Her' character is Yennifer and the 'You/Garotter' character is Geralt'.

 The Lyrics

  The ‘’fairer sex’’ they often call it, but her love’s as unfair as a crook.

  Jaskier opens the song by comparing the cliché of women being 'the fairer sex' with the simile 'love’s as unfair as a crook' (an old-fashioned term for a criminal or thief). As ‘fair’ has the dual meaning of both beauty and justice, his description of her as ‘unfair’ attacks both her beauty and her morality. The simile comparing her to a 'crook' (an old-fashioned term for a criminal or thief) suggests that Jaskier feels that she acts both unjustly and steals her love (a possible oblique reference Yennifer’s willingness to use magic to coerce sexual behaviour and disregard consent – as illustrated by the scene Jaskier witnessed in ‘Bottled Appetites’ where she compels a large group of apparently unwilling participants to engage in group sex). The song also echoes Jaskier’s dialogue 'That’s not fair' after Geralt unfairly lashes out at him after his argument with Yennefer, providing further evidence for the autobiographical nature of the song.   

  It steals all my reason, commits every treason of logic with naught but a look.

  Yennifer’s ‘love’, he argues ‘steals’ (continuing the symbolism of her immorality) and commits ‘treason’ (the crime of betrayal) furthering the description of her as being both unlawful and ‘unfair’ in her relationship with Geralt. These lines also illustrate the despair Jaskier feels over not being able to convince Geralt of her corrupt nature. He feels that she can defeat or prevent his ‘logic’ and ‘reason’ easily, ‘with naught but a look’.

  A storm raging on the horizon of longing, and heartache, and lust

 The show repeatedly correlates Yennifer’s behaviour with the destructive forces of nature, and storms in particular. Scenes such as that at Aretusa where she bodily subsumes lightning then uses it to attack another student and when Geralt describes her as a ‘tornado wrecking havoc’ among others, highlight this correlation. Jaskier describing her as a 'storm' that is 'raging' highlights his perception of her as both destructive and aggressive. The storm in this line is be symbolic of Yennifer herself, showing that Jaskier recognizes her arrival as leading to ‘heartache’ and ‘lust’ rather than genuine love between her and Geralt.

  She’s always bad news, it’s always lose-lose

 The repetition of ‘always’ in these lines clearly illustrate how desperately Jaskier feels about the situation. He argues that involvement with her will inevitably lead to pain and loss for all of them, there is no way to win.

  So, tell me, Love, tell me, Love. How is that just?

  This line is a direct address to Geralt (his ‘Love’), begging him to explain, to see, to speak to him and understand. The rhetorical question 'How is that just?' again draws back to the concept of the ‘unfairness’ and injustice of her relationship with Geralt, Jaskier feels that she ‘steals’ love rather than earning or winning it (again a possible reference to lack of consent). The use of a rhetorical question also implies that he feels powerless and unable to expect any response to his pleas.

  But the story is this. She’ll destroy with her sweet kiss. Her sweet kiss

  Here Jaskier is using juxtaposition to show how her ‘sweet kiss’ (symbolic of her sexual relationship with Geralt) will ‘destroy’ him. He sets the tone by stating as fact that ‘The story is this', affirming his opinion that no other possible narrative exists beyond her storm-like destruction of their relationship and Geralt himself.

  Her current is pulling you closer, a charge in the hot, humid night.

  This line again uses the theme of the destructive power of nature, Yennefer is like a ‘current’ pulling Geralt towards her. The repeated portrayal of Yennefer as a destructive force of nature somewhat dehumanises her, correlating her actions with an uncaring inhuman force rather than that of a woman with genuine affections.

 The red sky at dawn is giving a warning. You Fool better stay out of sight

 This line references an ancient mariners rhyme 'Red sky at night, sailors' delight.Red sky at morning, sailors' warning.' meant to warn sailors of an impending storm when a red sky is seen at dawn. Jaskier is again using the ‘storm’ metaphor to warn Geralt about Yennifer. He addresses Geralt directly, calling him a ‘fool’ and advising him to hide from her destruction. 

  I’m weak, my love, and I am wanting. If this is the path I must trudge.

  This line provides a key insight into the identities of the characters and their relationship to each other. In Witcher canon 'The Path' is the name given to the life of a Witcher as he journeys around the continent battling monsters. It’s somewhat comparable to the religious concept of a 'calling'. By describing his choice to accompany Geralt on his quests as 'trudging' indicates that he does not enjoy the journey aspect of their relationship, but also signals his acceptance of this as the price he must pay for a relationship with Geralt.

 To further this point, in the show Jaskier does not always join Geralt in his actual monster battles, instead, it is implied that Geralt himself later recounts the stories. This is evidenced by the lines 'Geralt’s usually so stingy with the details' and later 'I’ll go get the rest of the story from the others'. This habit of receiving the tale after the events reveals that there is no need for Jaskier to continuously accompany Geralt on his journeys, multiple tales could just as easily be collected from Geralt or others (as seen in the tavern scene) at a later date. It can be supposed then that Jaskier, therefore, chooses to accompany Geralt for ‘love’, a reason which is also explored in the notebook version of the lyrics, 'If I were a man of more merit, if I were a man of resolve I’d leave you behind, get my fair peace of mind' It is implied here that he should leave but can’t because his love for Geralt is too powerful.

  I’ll welcome my sentence, give to you my penance. Garroter, jury and judge

 Jaskier’s conflicted feelings about his choice to accompany Geralt is explored further in the line above. He described the act of joining 'the path' as a form of punishment ('sentence' and 'penance') for being 'weak' and desirous ('wanting' Geralt). This ‘sentence’ is enforced by a 'jury and judge', the Garotter (Geralt).  

 The song’s repeated use of justice/legal symbolism is interesting. He places Geralt into the role of a 'Jury and Judge' passing out sentences from a position of power and control over Jaskier (and arguably Yennefer). Yennifer is described as a 'crook' who 'steals' and commits 'treason', but is not punished for these criminal acts. Instead, it is Jaskier himself who is punished, made to give 'penance'. He feels this is an injustice and 'unfair'. This sentiment neatly reflects the events of 'Rare Species', where after his disastrous romance with Yennefer, Geralt lashes out at Jaskier, accusing him of causing all of his misfortune.

 It can be imagined then that Jaskier may have taken his half-composed love song and written new lyrics in direct reaction to that betrayal; his pain laid bare in verse.   

[bourbon-ontherocks]

For the meta asks for writers! 3! 4! 14!

Oh wow, these are so great, thank you so much!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I’ll answer 3 last so that I can put a keep reading thingy there, though...

4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like)

So this is a sentence from Don't Steal From Me that I really like, and it happens in a moment when Beth and Rio are in the middle of an angsty argument/talk and are obviously standing way too close to each other (spoiler: they do kiss in the next sentence):

“The second seemed to stretch into an hour, two people losing their balance at the edge of a cliff and faltering for the excruciating eternity of an instant before falling into the void, swallowed by the ocean.”

I'm a sucker for the flip-a-coin instants where the world stops turning and oscillates before falling on one side or another and I really love the metaphor here (and as a non-anglophone I find those particularly hard to write because evocative writing??? In a language you don't speak?? C'mon...). I think that the word choice restitutes pretty well the image I was trying to summon, which is the climax (figuratively, the smut comes later...) of the tension I built over the previous paragraphs?

14. At what point in writing do you come up with a title?

That depends I guess?

My titles are always borrowed from songs I like, except for my season 3 one-shots series where they are actual lines from the show, so in this latter case titles came pretty early to mind, sometimes they were even here before I started to write the actual story.

For the song titles, it's really volatile. I try to find songs that fit the mood of the work/chapter, either regarding the lyrics, or the music, or both, and sometimes it's super easy, like it's obvious (I also have a list of songs which titles could be relevant to a Brio story so I check sometimes if there's anything fitting what I'm currently looking for) and I know what it will be from the start. That’s what happened with the first chapter (Trapped In The Closet) of It's All Coming Back To Me.

Sometimes it's harder, and I can end up with the work finished but unposted until I found the right title, which is what happened with Chapter 9 of the same work (All The Things She Said, but you have no idea of the number of unsatisfying working titles I’ve had for this chapter!!).

In most cases, it happens mid-writing, then I'm like, "Oh!", and once I've found the title it helps me orient my writing and editing to make it fit even better (like for Chapter 8, It's A Heartache, I already knew I wanted Beth to experience physical discomfort as a subconscious manifestation of denial, but once I found the title it comforted me into using the anxious tightness in her chest as a common thread throughout the whole chapter.)

3. What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway)

Mhhh, I'm not sure I have one of those? I mean, when there's a scene I want to write, I just write it, and then I realize that I'm too lazy to write all of the set-up and plot leading to/going from it, and I guess that's what my Fragments and ideas.doc file is for? So here's one scene from it that I just had to write one day but have absolutely no idea of the set-up bringing to that moment nor what comes next. I've been rejecting any follow-up ideas I've had so far so I don't know if that scene will ever be part of a work but here it comes. Just a warning though: it's super angsty. Basically, it's Beth POV and she just took a (potentially lethal, the end is currently open) bullet.

She's dying. She knows it. Blood is flowing over the palm she's pressed against her stomach in a warm stream that mixes with the soaking mud on the ground. The raindrops blind her blinking eyes and she can nearly feel her life going away with every sharp intake of breath her lungs are attempting to perform.

How ironic, though. That she's the one spending her last minute on the ground, while she'd planned a completely different ending.

Her limbs are numb and she's not even feeling her extremities anymore when she barely registers the slamming of car doors in the ambient rumble of the rain combined with the white noise in her ears. She does recognize his scent on her first inhale though. She feels his arms around her, pulling her up from the ground and it takes her a few disoriented seconds to understand that he sat down on the wet lawn and that her upper body is resting on his lap.

"Elizabeth!"

It takes him several calls to get her wandering gaze to focus on him. It's not that she didn't hear him. It's just... it didn't feel like the emergency of the moment. Her mind is drifting away in long-forgotten memories. She sees herself playing with a prepubescent Annie and it takes her all she's got to come back from this, stare at him, occupy her aching body, suddenly be aware again of the cold, the pain, the rain.

"Hurts," she hisses.

"I know, darlin', I know," he says, soothing.

But it's not... it's not what she meant and she vigorously shakes her head, or at least attempts to. The small part of her brain that is still able to get sensorial feedbacks can tell that it's barely perceptible. But he has to understand.

She didn't know bullets hurt so much. She didn't know. She wishes she had, though, she wishes she could tell before she inflicted it to someone else.

"Listen to m--" she starts but she can't go all the way.

She's just so tired. Her body is heavy as lead and her mind can't focus on anything anymore. She just wants to go to sleep, what's the harm in that? Her eyes flutter closed and she's already drowning in the blessed and painless oblivion of sleep when she feels the unpleasant sensation of life poking at her in the form of Rio's fingers sinking into her shoulders and shaking her until she eventually reopens her eyes.

She just wants it all to stop.

"Stay with me!" he half-shouts with something concerned and tense in his expression but she doesn't care. She doesn't care about anything. "Where's that fucking ambulance?" she vaguely hears him shout in the distance to someone else before everything goes dark.

   Ask me meta writing stuff!!

[mobydickmusical]

Every book chapter a song is named after: Loomings (Ch 1)

Since most of the (most recent) tracklist is named after chapters of the book, I’m going to attempt to work through the whole of the show this way, talking a bit about my thoughts on each chapter’s translation into a song. Based on the tracklist chronology rather than the book chronology. Skipping the songs we’ve already heard, for obvious reasons.

Also fairly obvious, but even though I’m using the chapters to imagine the songs, I naturally can’t be sure how closely they’ll follow the text of that specific chapter (see, The Pacific, which actually follows completely different chapters). 

TW for brief mention of suicidal ideation 

Loomings is very different from Extracts, in that I can pretty easily envision it fitting into a show of Dave’s, and imagine what it might be like as a song.

This chapter is our first direct introduction to what to expect from the body of this book, and it has four-ish main sections: 

1. Ishmael introduces himself as the narrator recounting this story, and explains his general path in it (going to sea because it’s what he does when he’s exceedingly depressed) 

2. He dwells on mankind’s inevitable attraction to water, and that this is due to how it represents the unknowable to us 

3. He details his reasoning for why he always goes to sea as a simple sailor, as opposed to a passenger or a crew member of higher rank

4. He describes his “choice” to go on a whaling voyage in particular as actually designated by fate. He does, however, then explain his personal attraction to going on the voyage, that could make it appear like free will to him. 

So, there is a lot being set up in this chapter. I can very much feel this becoming my main issue to accept (i.e. get my head out of my ass) with reconciling the adaptation with the book overall - there is so Much in Moby Dick and there is only so Much you can fit into a musical. Even a 4+ hour one. But yeah, that’s seen on a smaller scale with Loomings, in how it sets up a lot of background information about Ishmael and how he thinks, as well as starting some thought process about a number of important themes for the book (fate vs free will, capitalist and power dynamics, the limits of mankind’s knowledge… all that important shit). Where the song draws its focus from will just depend on what Dave chooses to emphasise the most. 

I'll go through the chapter, and mention where I connected things to either comments Dave's already made about the musical, or to his writing in general.

Coming into reading Moby Dick because I knew Dave was writing his musical, and reading the opening paragraph of Loomings where Ishmael introduces himself by launching headfirst into the details his depression, I naturally went straight to “so this is an introductory solo for a character played by Dave”. It’s not only something that leapt out at me straight off the bat, but one of the more ludicrously famous sections of Moby Dick, so I have to imagine it’s likely to make an appearance. 

The further thing I wanted to point out while I’m on this section, is that despite how famous this little piece of Moby Dick which clearly describes Ishmael’s depression and suicidal ideation is, the majority of Moby Dick adaptions have little to no other reference to his depression. Or they just have none at all if they’re really eschewing the narration. I’m not saying that it’s a deal-breaker for an adaption or anything of that kind, but mental illness definitely has a presence and impact in Moby Dick (I’ll just, leave it at that for now) that doesn’t especially get a lot of attention. On the other hand, it’s something that I, personally, will notice and think about. Anyone who’s familiar with Dave, however, knows that his shows almost consistently revolve around mentally ill characters (and what’s probably the most famous solo he’s written is about depression/suicidal ideation), and portray them in ways mentally ill fans relate to and appreciate. If an adaptor was to make a specific effort to earnestly portray Ishmael’s depression, and how that relates to his role in this story, it’d be Dave. (I could potentially even argue that The Pacific and Cetology already suggest ways in which he’s doing this but. Mm.)

But, anyway. I said Loomings is a good fit for that song that can be found in almost any Dave Malloy musical, where everything is just starting out, and someone (who is often played by Dave) sits down to pour out all their frantic thoughts and unstable feelings and draw you into their story - so, how I imagine the song is strongly based off the pre-existing examples of that type of song. Namely, I drift to Pierre and The Astronomer. 

Both songs have aspects I like for an imaginary Loomings. They’re both ruminative, emotive introductions to a character and their brain’s inner workings. They’re both at least somewhat depressed and ranty. I like Pierre for its emotional tumult, its inquisitiveness and desire for something more, its explicit descriptions of the effects of his depression on his behaviour, its moment of curiosity about mankind, and its drama. I feel like Pierre barging his way into his introductory solo, the first time we ever hear him sing about himself, with “It’s dawned to me suddenly, and for no obvious reason, that I can’t go on living as I am...” is not worlds away from how Ishmael can come across. I also like how it’s piano-driven (because I unimaginatively imagine Ishmael as a pianist in the show), unlike The Astronomer, but on the other hand, I prefer the less dense instrumentation of The Astronomer (maybe not quite that sparse though. Intermediate). I also like The Astronomer for its slow-paced style ranting, its dreaminess, its dwelling on Big Ideas, and the way it is more an explanation of who this character is through exploring his beliefs. Which is relevant as Loomings goes on. 

Both songs, particularly Pierre, channel more anger and resignation than is really relevant to Loomings, however. A part of this is that they’re both dwelling inside the emotions of an unhappy/unsatisfying present, describing that to us as who they are, now. Ishmael is outside of his present self because he’s a narrator. Throughout Loomings he is... recounting his past, but also describing the future of and influences on his past self, moreso than his past self’s present or who he was at that particular time. And, from that more distant position, opening these influences up to us, and the rest of the world. Uh. How relevant or sensible this is to point out I don’t know, but it seems like a very different emotional experience to convey. 

The second section of Loomings, where Ishmael discusses water, moves the furthest from talking directly about himself and his story, I suppose, but is a big bit of theme/motif/setting foundation, and is also just very beautiful writing. I love it a lot, and I’d love to hear some of it put to music... A few little quotes from it because I like them:

What do you see?—Posted like silent sentinels all around the town, stand thousands upon thousands of mortal men fixed in ocean reveries.

///

They come from lanes and alleys, streets and avenues,—north, east, south, and west. Yet here they all unite. Tell me, does the magnetic virtue of the needles of the compasses of all those ships attract them thither?

///

There is magic in it. Let the most absent-minded of men be plunged in his deepest reveries—stand that man on his legs, set his feet a-going, and he will infallibly lead you to water

///

Yes, as every one knows, meditation and water are wedded for ever.

///

But though the picture lies thus tranced, and though this pine-tree shakes down its sighs like leaves upon this shepherd's head, yet all were vain, unless the shepherd's eye were fixed upon the magic stream before him.

I also like the abundance of rhetorical questions in this section, and how that invites the reader in as if you were in a conversation. Those could fit well into a theatre song, where you have Ishmael sort asking himself, sort of asking the audience (also a bit Pierre, tbh). This, combined with how much switching up of sentence length there is in this section, give it this lovely gentle-paced, meandering, breathing rhythm that makes me think of it being sung. There’s probably a better, more technical way of describing that, but I don’t know that smartness, so essentially - I can almost hear it simply because of the way it’s already written. 

The conclusion of this section is where Ishmael draws together his claim that the reason we all find water so magnetic is because to us it represents the things that’re unfathomable and unreachable in life:

Why upon your first voyage as a passenger, did you yourself feel such a mystical vibration, when first told that you and your ship were now out of sight of land? Why did the old Persians hold the sea holy? Why did the Greeks give it a separate deity, and own brother of Jove? Surely all this is not without meaning. And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting, mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged into it and was drowned. But that same image, we ourselves see in all rivers and oceans. It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all.

It’d definitely be a way to get us onboard this ship, swept up in this journey, while we’re inside a theatre: “Come along with me, into this huge, intrinsic thing, come, and try to obsessively chase down whatever inscrutable thing is still maddening you in the craziness of the world today!” Mmm. 

A little thing I find interesting, however, is how this little piece, and how it’d be presented in the context of the show, relates to some pre-existing lyrics from Cetology: “And the ocean is too deep for me to fathom/ And life is just to big for me to bear/ But who am I to compare my despair to the shaking of the sea?” These lyrics have no root in the chapter Cetology itself, and I can only assume they’re actually rooted in this section here. The weirdness of that is how Ishmael makes the comparison he lays out in Loomings, but then immediately questions his right to make it. He paints his own personal experiences as insignificant in the scheme of it all, even if he does harbour those feelings about the ocean which are due to feelings about the unknown. Which is intriguing and opens up a lot of shit. There’s a lot going on in Cetology which can explain why he says that in the context of That Song, but it makes me wonder if this claim will appear in Loomings and then reappear later with the catch on the end, or if it’s sole appearance is in Cetology. It shall be seen. And I’ll probably discuss those Cetology lyrics more when I’ve... actually heard Loomings! Or, oh, you know, the full show for legit context. 

The next thing Ishmael does in this chapter is discuss why he makes the choice to go as just a "simple sailor" every time he goes to sea, in doing so telling us a bit more about himself and his opinions. I won’t expand on these hugely, but I do think it’s a fair enough point to say that Ishmael makes statements in this section which could act as starting points for themes that Dave has specified he’s discussing through this show - namely capitalism, democracy and race/systems of power, in this situation. 

One of Ishmael’s reasons is money. He doesn’t have the money to pay to go to sea as a passenger, he needs/wants to be paid for it as a sailor. The actual pay for which, by the way, is really, really not that much considering how dangerous a job he’s signing on for. But we have to survive somehow, we suppose...? And, his opinion on the money-making in general?

The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvellous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to be the root of all earthly ills, and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. 

Another of his reasons is that he prefers not to go to sea in any higher rank because he doesn’t care for the honour attached to these positions, and doesn’t want the level of responsibility involved. He goes on to explain that while it can be unpleasant to be ordered around by one’s superiors, he accepts it, and there’s no sense in striving for superiority when he is in essence no lesser than them, since, he states, everyone is inevitably under the command of someone else. 

With very intentionally provocative wording in the context of a book published in America in 1851.

Do you think the archangel Gabriel thinks anything the less of me, because I promptly and respectfully obey that old hunks in that particular instance? Who ain't a slave? Tell me that. 

He finally says that it’s the ordinary sailors rather than their superiors who get the first, freshest breath of that revitalising ocean air. He then leans deeper into the thought: 

He thinks he breathes it first; but not so. In much the same way do the commonalty lead their leaders in many other things, at the same time that the leaders little suspect it.

Having laid out his justification for this choice, Ishmael moves onto why a whaling voyage specifically. He essentially accounts it to the mysteries of fate - though his desire to experience new, remote things could trick him into exaggerating the role of his free will. 

There’s a part towards the end of the chapter that I specifically wanted to point out, where Ishmael actually uses a piece of theatre as a metaphor for his voyage. It’s not as famous/iconic as some other parts from this chapter but it’s very entertaining in the context of an actual musical, and I’d love if it were referenced:

“And, doubtless, my going on this whaling voyage, formed part of the grand programme of Providence that was drawn up a long time ago. It came in as a sort of brief interlude and solo between more extensive performances. I take it that this part of the bill must have run something like this:

"Grand Contested Election for the Presidency of the United States "Whaling Voyage by one Ishmael

"BLOODY BATTLE IN AFFGHANISTAN." Though I cannot tell why it was exactly that those stage managers, the Fates, put me down for this shabby part of a whaling voyage, when others were set down for magnificent parts in high tragedies, and short and easy parts in genteel comedies, and jolly parts in farces—though I cannot tell why this was exactly; yet, now that I recall all the circumstances, I think I can see a little into the springs and motives which being cunningly presented to me under various disguises, induced me to set about performing the part I did, besides cajoling me into the delusion that it was a choice resulting from my own unbiased freewill and discriminating judgement.”

This little piece fits well with the metatheatricality Dave has said he’s interested in exploring in the show. In terms of this concept, he’s mentioned both Ishmael vs Meville antics, but also broadening the idea of character vs writer with the added layer of him as the composer playing Ishmael. This quote specifically refers to theatre, and referencing one’s own role in a performance, which obviously becomes increasingly funny when you’re a narrator in and composer of a musical based on the book. Pondering over your “shabby part”, and why it was given to you, while you’re existing in theatre you composed yourself… strikes me as in line with Dave’s humour. In the song Cetology, Ishmael already actually laments that “this could be an amazing song...”, in doing so pretty heavily suggesting that he’s self-aware of being in a musical he wrote. So I don’t think Dave using this quote for metatheatre’s sake would be that surprising. 

I also like this quote because of the quite bizarre, almost eerie throwaway piece of modern foretelling we’re given in the layout of performances in the “bill”. It’s interesting enough for a modern adaption to point out as it is, but especially since Dave is highlighting connections between the book and modern America, it feels like something he might reference. 

[iamkamoore]

Gang Bangs Anyways: Song Analyzes

           The disbandment of the Black Panther Party, has caused California, more specifically Los Angeles to be one of the biggest gang affiliated cities in the nation. The Game’s song: Gang Bang Anyways paints the perfect picture of what gang activity and violence is like in Los Angeles. The Game uses historic references, the use of internal and external wars, and being the product of the environment.

           Gang violence is something that America has been dealing with for more than 40 years. Even more so African-American gangs such as: The Bloods and Crips. Few people know that these two groups were started after the dismantlement of the Black Panther Party. In Gang Bang Anyways, The Game raps, “Started as Black Panthers, everything power, everything PRO Black/ Started off unified the FBI know that,” (Taylor). The Game reveals with this verse that the Black Panther Party was helping uplift the black community. The government was opposed to this because they were also receiving funding from taxpayers. The FBI set up a secret group called COINTELPRO, which targeted not only the Black Panther Party but many other ethnic and civil rights leaders.

           In addition, the review written by Dabian Witherspoon of Cle “Bone” Sloan’s documentary of: Bastards of the Party. Who is also a well-known member of the Bloods. Discusses many topics that are similar to the Game’s song.  “Gang bangers, like the members of the infamous Bloods and Crips in Los Angeles, live lives defined by violence and violent retribution…” (Witherspoon). This quote plays into the theme of The Game’s lyrics. The Game raps, “From the Hoovers to the Hundreds/From Kelly Park to Bounty Hunters/Same age as the kids in Iraq now/LA Chiraq now, funerals is packed now,” (Taylor). Throughout history, Bloods and Crips have always had a vicious rivalry. The Game reveals that it does not matter what set you claim a bullet does not have a name on it. Wheatear it’s Bounty Hunter Bloods or Hoover Crips is being claimed death is around the corner. The Game also suggest that Los Angeles is just as dangerous as Chicago. That the kids in LA are dying and getting involved in violence just like those in Iraq who are being forced into war. The quote from Witherspoon and The Game’s verse tie into to each other because both are explaining the tit for tat of gang life. If a Crip kills a Blood, then the Bloods are going go after that Crip. Then the Crips are going to go after the Bloods. Neither gang is going to stop until the vengeance is settled.

           Furthermore, The Game uses internal and external war, to further explain the love/hate relationship of gang life. The Game raps, “N***as don’t really like it but we grew up in it/City of the angels, belly of the beast get chewed up in it,” (Taylor). According to The Game Los Angeles, specifically Compton, growing up in gang life is inevitable. Wheatear it’s liked or not. Hints at the theme of internal and external war; the fact that young African-American males know that getting involved with gangs is wrong ultimately they know they have no choice but to get involved. Being surrounded by gangs all day, every day, there is a mentally of kill or be killed.

           The Game also reveals that having such a heavenly name (City of Angels) it is actually closer to hell. Which is another reference to his earlier verse, “Preachers at the pulpit, Jesus is the background/Grandmother get shot walking out the church/How that sound?” (Taylor). Again despite having such a heavenly name it’s still a city of hell. After a day of worship, a grandmother still gets shot. Leaving one to believe no one is really safe.

           The Bastards of the Party continues to discuss themes very relevant throughout The Game’s song. A reference to the earlier paragraph speaking on gang life being a never-ending “cycle of death”. The Cle’s documentary continues to look for the answers of why young black men become a part of gangs. Witherspoon writes, “Few, however, can explain the roots of that cycle, or why they would choose such a life,” (Witherspoon). Cle’s documentary provides insight and meaning by what attracts young black men to gangs. The Game raps, “Now the sh*t is worldwide cause it is what it was/We know the history and we know the sh*t could end any day,” (Taylor). The Game reveals that gang banging is not just between neighborhoods anymore, it is a worldwide situation. The Game again uses the theme of internal and external war and becoming the product of the environment. The line, “We know the history and we know the sh*t could end any day.” Reveals the decision of choosing right and wrong, once the history has been explained and the violence between gangs is seen first-hand. They know that tomorrow is not promised either. Can these young black men be the ones to blame, if all that has been seen and taught is gang life. So, regardless of the consequences gangs will still gang bang anyway.

           Cle opens up his documentary with images of the Antebellum-era, “Negroes for sell” signs and pictures of lynching’s from the early 20th century. According to Witherspoon, “The images highlight the deliberate annihilation of black of black people in America…” (Witherspoon). This plays into the historical references the Game uses. The Game raps, “Picture us chained together, under the boat, that’s a Kodak/Stolen identity, God left us here without low jack,” (Taylor). The reference to being chained together on a slave ship is also The Game asking how did black go from protecting each other and fighting together? Now black on black crime is more prevalent than protecting one another. The next line The Game is alluding to religion. A low jack is a device use to locate a stolen car and to return it to its rightful owner. The Game reveals that after blacks were stolen from their land and identities were taken. That children of slaves have no way of relocating themselves or where they have come from. The Game could also be alluding to the fact that black people rely on a religion that has done nothing but make black dependent and forget their culture.

           The hatred for blacks in Los Angeles dates back to as early as the 1940’s. In that era whites had restricted blacks from certain areas. Along with constantly being harassed by LAPD, there was also a white gang named the Spook Hunters that worked with the LAPD. Their last legal lynching was in 1948 of LA. This connects to one of the Game’s last verses. The Game raps, “Forced to find ourselves, forced to break up outta chains/Got tired of getting hanged so we started our gangs,” (Taylor). With the absences of African culture; blacks were forced to either fit into a culture that did not belong to them or start from scratch and make a new culture and life for themselves and their families. Literally having to break free of the slave chains but also having to break free of the mental chains that had kept black people oppressed for so many years.

           The Game reveals in his next line that blacks were tired of being harassed, attacked and bullied by other races. Black people began forming gangs to protect their communities. This line also has a double meaning; it is first referring to the days of lynching. As well as the violence going on within the neighborhoods. Which forces the children to stand together against outsiders and insiders that threaten harm.

           Throughout The Game’s very analytic verse he rapped about themes such as historic references, internal and external war and becoming the product of one’s environment. This essay explored how the effects of the FBI disbanding the Black Panther Party affected the black community and how it was a more a negative impact. It also examined the love/hate relationship that gang members have with their gangs. This paper is a short conversation, of the larger vision that gang life is more detrimental to that of young black men and black communities than the Black Panther Party ever was. It also opens up that dialogue if gang violence continues to spiral out of control there will be no more Crips or Bloods.  

[scrawnydutchman]

My Top 10 favorite animated features

So in case it somehow wasn’t obvious to the followers of my Blog and my other social networking (follow me on twitter @Tomjvank and subsribe to my youtube channel @TomboTime), I friggin LOVE animation. Quite possibly the world’s most innovative, commercialized and yet surprisingly underappreciated art form all at the same time, the movement of pictures is, always has been and always will be an accessible and yet enlightening art form that speaks of human imagination, interaction and character on a level unachievable by any other art. Whether it’s 2d hand drawn, 2d rigged puppet, stop motion or 3d, animation is always a wonder to behold, and while there are DEFINITELY terrible animated products out there the stuff that’s good far outweighs the bad. Also, while animation trends may come and go with 2d being out and 3d being in and so on and so forth, truly triumphant works of art remain relevant and timeless for their audiences, however big or small, for their entire lives. So we’re going to look at my current 10 choices for my favorite animated features.

Before we go into it, let’s clarify some things: While there are very innovative giants on this list, this should not be considered the best animated films EVER. This is completely my opinion and is based on many subjective variables such as, but not limited to; the impact they had on me as a kid, how many times i rewatched them and what I remember about them. Not to mention how quickly they came to mind when writing up this list. Of course I’ll be considering more objective variables such as the impact they had on the industry as a whole, but expect a pretty bizarre order. These are NOT in order of objective quality, they are in order of how much they impacted me personally. without further ado, let’s get started.

10. Fantastic Mr. Fox

So fun fact about this list; Akira used to be in this spot when I first made it. But upon completion of this blog I suddenly remembered one of the most charming, unique and well delivered pieces of stop motion ever put on film. I don’t have anything against Akira, in fact I think it’s brilliantly made and lovably eerie and action packed and I appreciate the impact it had on the industry. But I only really thought of it when I couldn’t think of anything else at the time. I remembered this movie suddenly afterwards and realized I made a mistake. It seems silly but it’s true. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a lovable retelling of Roald Dahl’s novel of the same name but adds quite a bit of charm not previously there. A wonderfully dynamic cast of some of the most popular and talented actors around brings to life this unique, distinct and delightful romp of which frankly, nothing else is like it. Plus it’s incredibly funny with surreal bits reminiscent of Wallace and Gromit as well as some nice deadpan delivery and an attitude adults will especially enjoy (in fact I think this movie would entertain adults more then kids, but that said it IS child friendly). Also this movie has the funniest outburst of anger ever put in a movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6xoL76TbnQ

Check it out; it’s a cussin’ good time.

9. The Thief and the Cobbler (THE RECOBBLED CUT)

Emphasis on “The Recobbled cut”. This movie is nothing less then a tragedy incarnate. I mean that in the most sentimental way possible. It’s difficult to wrap up this movies 30+ years of development hell in a single paragraph, but I’ll see if I can do it.

Basically this was SUPPOSED to be the animated magnum opus of legendary animator Richard Williams (who is one of the most innovative animators in the industry who wrote the fabulous educational book on how to animate called The Animators Survival Kit and is also the animation director for a film coming up later in this list). He began production on this film in 1964, but due to budget complications it was going in and out of production for 3 decades. To make things worse, Disney got word of Williams’ passion project about the animated retelling of an Arabian Night and decided to create their own commercially viable version of it and release it before he could so they could take credit for the idea (And that’s where Disney’s Aladdin came from). What followed is a bunch of heavily edited, alternatively named versions of the same movie including an infamous Miramax version in 1995 that decided it would be a good idea to give an intentionally silent protagonist the voice of Matthew Broderick that frankly, would not shut the hell up throughout the whole thing.

But then there began production of “The Recobbled Cut”, which is the closest to Richard Williams’ original vision that utilizes unfinished cels and linework to tell the story the way it was meant to be told. I emplore you, WATCH THIS VERSION. In fact, here’s the link to the vimeo right here:

 https://vimeo.com/156616168 

It’s artistically spectacular, wonderfully surreal and colorful and the motion is nothing short of enchanting. It’s so good it managed to land a spot on this list in spite of being unfinished (though that does keep it quite a ways below). Not to mention it features the last performance of legendary actor Vincent Price upon release. I can’t recommend it enough, especially since we can’t let all of Richard Williams’ hard work go to waste.

8. The Nightmare Before Christmas

 Ah yes. Hot Topic regulars rejoice! The film that only did okay in the box office but has one of the most active and passionate cult followings I’ve ever witnessed, and rightfully so. An enchanting stop motion romp with unforgettable visuals, music I’ve memorized all the lyrics to, lovable characters in both personality and design as well as a beautifully simple yet original storyline, this movie is simple childlike joy. It’s not particularly complex or thought provoking but dammit, it just has an irresistible charm. Plus it proves that high quality entertainment that takes risks and goes in over it’s head CAN be profitable long after release. I mean think about it; this movie sparked an entire franchise of cult merchandise still relevant several years later AND IT’S JUST ONE MOVIE. that’s a hard feat to recapture. plus it’s a technical marvel with hundreds of unique faces for Jack and iconic setting and cinematography. I get warm just thinking about this movie.

7. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Good God, speaking of technical marvels. THIS is the highly innovative work of Richard Williams I was referring to when talking about Thief and the Cobbler. The movie that jaw-droppingly meshes wonderfully slick and fluid animation with live action in a way that feels like an hour and a half long magic trick and meshes it with a funny and original noir movie premise, this critically acclaimed masterpiece is the ultimate love letter to cartoons. Hundreds of little historical references to the medium scattered around the movie, little in jokes, plus the utilization of some of the most iconic and memorable cartoon characters to ever be shown on screen ALL from different companies ALL in the same movie. How surreal was it to see Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny on screen at the same time?? Not to mention hilarious performances from the live actors, particularly Christopher Lloyd. This movie had a concept presumed to be impossible at it’s time, but the animation crew had SUCH attention to detail that in one of the scenes where Roger and Eddie are wrestling they bump a live action lamp, and the real lamp that’s actually there ACTUALLY EFFECTS the lighting of the Roger Rabbit character model in real time. That’s where the animation phrase “bumping the lamp” comes from in the industry. click on this link to see what I’m talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EUPwsD64GI

Overall, it’s a wonderfully done love letter to everything great about cartoons you simply can’t miss out on.

6. Howl’s Moving Castle

Wouldn’t be a very well informed animated feature top 10 if I didn’t have at least ONE Studio Ghibli movie on this list. Most people would pick either Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke when referring to best animated flicks done by Ghibli if not best films of all time. And while I DO like and appreciate both those movies a lot, there’s a connection I have with Howl’s Moving Castle that I don’t have with other Ghibli films I can’t really explain. I don’t know why this movie impacted me more then those other ones did, it’s considered fantastic and among the best of Ghibli for many fans, but most wouldn’t put it before Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke. I think the main thing is I went into both those other movies expecting it to live up to all the hype put on them by the people around me, and while I DO certainly agree they both deserve all the praise they get, Howl’s Moving Castle is the one I wasn’t told anything about and so it left me with the most surprises and curiosity. The movie has great animation as Ghibli always does, with BREATHTAKING settings, wonderfully fluid and constantly morphing animation and an overwhelming amount of imagination and whimsy. It’s everything great about Ghibli and it’s an unexpected favorite for myself. Check it out!

5. The Incredibles

For the first 3d animated entry on this list (and only . . . spoilers) what better studio to celebrate then Pixar? Pixar can be credited for paving the way of mainstream animated features for establishing beautifully realistic and thoughtful movies that really capture what the medium is capable of. In my opinion, The Incredibles is the perfect example of what the studio is capable of and is my favorite work of theirs. To be fair I’m probably pretty biased as I’ve loved Superheroes for the vast, VAST majority of my life, but that bias doesn’t change the fact that this movie is action packed, dramatic, thought provoking, philosophical AND goddam hilarious in a way that Pixar hasn’t recaptured in quite some time. This movie celebrates everything great about the Superhero genre while also challenging it and mocking it in a delightful way. I remember reading on the back of the box that someone (can’t remember who) said this movie was X-men, James Bond and Indiana Jones all rolled into one and . . .yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Wonderful textures, great color scheme that knows how to reflect the mood of every given scene, and the faces . . OH MY GOD the faces in this movie are SPECTACULAR. Wonderfully detailed, you can see every hair and every tooth, they just feel so organic, like the facial muscles are really there, and are so funny to look at. Not to mention this is the only Pixar movie that actually makes sense to give a sequel to at this point (Cars 3 . .  . .really??)

4. The Emperor’s New Groove

Okay, so Disney was coming sooner or later. It’s pretty obvious to put SOMETHING made by them on here and EVERYBODY has their favorites. They’ve made so many classics that they can fill an entire list of their own. But for the sake of diversity and a little unpredictability I’ve narrowed my Disney picks down to two selections (foreshadowing). My first is this comedic marvel. Witty, slick, and exploding with personality, The Emperor’s New Groove is an entity that came into fruition by complete accident in the middle of the production of an Incan inspired epic called Empire of the Sun with the leaving and replacing of directors and writers . . . .and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every casting choice in this movie is spot on, 99.9% of the jokes in this movie are a dead ringer, and it’s a miracle of bizarre and unpredictable decision making creating something great. Disney has a habit of recycling old storytelling tropes, characters and, well . . . straight up animation when budgets are tight. Disney Princess movies are comparable and often times predictable, but Emperor’s New Groove is a breath of fresh air and entirely it’s own entity that cannot be recreated. Also, I shamelessly listen to this movies opening song on the regular. WHAT’S HIS NAME?!?!

3. Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Ladies and gentlemen, the second entry from Disney Studios on this list and the only other one from Disney studios. Now I have to come out and admit that this movie is pretty problematic and objectively, I don’t think it could be considered better or even on par with previous entries on this list. It’s not as tightly written as Emperor’s New Groove, it’s not as well paced as the Incredibles, It’s not as Whimsical as Howl’s Moving Castle. But what this movie gets right, it gets REAAAALLY right. For starters, the scale in this movie is HUGE. the stakes are incredibly large, the choir is captivating, the villain is a maniacal perverted badass, and it’s arguably the darkest entry Disney has ever done (either this or The Black Cauldron). It has stunning angles, great lighting, SOOOO MANY character models on screen at once in certain shots. It has a bit of a tonal problem in that it shifts between happy and very dark jarringly, and with the exception of a FEW jokes it isn’t very funny due to ineffective comic relief (the Gargoyles) but the things this movie does so incredibly well is what stuck with me since I was a kid. I would play this movie at least once a day for a while as a kid and as an adult I identify with it a scary amount. The epic scene where Quasimodo is breaking the chains is etched into the deep crevices of my subconscious. Also character design in this movie is great, with Quasimodo being effectively ugly but easy enough on the eyes to still remain sentimental.

2. Kubo and the Two Strings.

Okay, so anybody who knows me in real life knows that for like a month I would not shut the hell up about this movie. But for those of you who also saw it, can you blame me?? This epic is a technical innovator that brilliantly captures the atmosphere of Japanese culture right down to the nearest detail and has a refreshing yet familiar story that feels so much like ancient folklore; making something that’s been around for generations suddenly seem new. I could go on and on about this movies achievements: the thousands upon thousands of unique faces for the protagonist, the seamless integration of CGI and stop motion, the largest stop motion puppet to ever be featured on film and the first 3d printed puppet to be featured in a movie, it’s SO refreshing to have a movie this challenging and risk taking again. Studio Laika deserves all the praise  they can get for this masterpiece. A lot of people have problems with the story and to be fair, I had my issues with it for a while too, but honestly it’s only as contrived as a Japanese myth, which is what it’s trying to replicate anyway. It’s definitely a style over substance movie, but the style works SOOO well that you can’t deny how friggin impressive it really is, plus the substance is serviceable enough and tells it’s story in a way lets you put variables together as you go along. Plus the casting choices for this movie are SURPRISINGLY good, especially Matthew Mcconaughey. I initially thought he would be the thing that holds this movie back but he’s a surprisingly helpful and charming character that completes the dynamic in this movies trio. I love movies that can take bizarre decisions and make them work, in case you couldn’t tell from my entries.

Honorable mentions before we see number 1: Spirited Away, The Prince of Egypt, Aladdin, The Iron Giant, Princess Mononoke, Akira

1. Song of the Sea

My pick for the number one spot was a real toss up between Song of the Sea and Kubo and the Two Strings. Most likely because they are actually incredibly similar. They’re both highly immersive in their culture, they are both recent releases that unfortunately didn’t do nearly as well in the Box Office as they deserve, and they feature child characters that defeat their antagonists and save their respective days through the use of love and kindness. But ultimately I decided Song of the Sea should be my pick for the number one spot. For one, it’s story is a lot tighter; much simpler, much less contrived and a hell of a lot more nuance. This movies greatest strength in terms of storytelling is it’s allegories and how it presents them, with every main character somehow being a reflection of some ancient celtic tale. It’s story and characters are great and believable and heartwarming, but it’s true strength is it’s animation. Brilliant use of simple geometric character design, wonderful sense of depth perception, brilliant background design that highly resembles Irish aesthetics and architecture (which makes sense because this movie was produced by the Irish studio Cartoon Saloon) which also has lots of adult jokes and imagery scattered around out of sight for the kids btw, and Miyazaki levels of enchanting imagination and color use. If you haven’t seen this yet, drop whatever you’re doing and watch it now. Not only is it in need of some long overdue attention but it will make you a better person by the time you are finished watching it. 

So those are my current picks for my top 10 favorite animated flicks. There are so many classics out there I have yet to see so sometime this list might change, but until then this is what it looks like. If there are any flicks here you haven’t checked out then by all means give them a watch. They most certainly deserve it.