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Reviews
Kimitachi wa dô ikiru ka (2023)
Masterful
Visually striking, this film at moments took my breath away. The storyline is layered and I cannot wait to watch it over and over again to pick up more. The film itself tackles concepts of grief, loss, and community through the lens and understanding of a child.
I think this is one of Miyazaki's most beautiful creations. The effects are so realistic, the worlds created are new but also feel like they could be in the same universe as Howl's Moving Castle.
The story is less obvious, this one feels muted and subjective. Which I believe is intentional due to circumstances within the written universe and main character.
Truly worth the watch and will be a forever repeat for me with most of his classic films.
Devs (2020)
Visually Striking and Thought Provoking
I really enjoyed this show. Visually the show is beautiful, so many of the film shots are pure art. There is this juxtaposition of visual complexity with the simplicity of the dialogue. Again with the complexity of technology and the characters acting on very human emotions and impulses.
As we sophisticate technology how do we get past our own human shortcomings? This show is striking, odd, complex, haunting and beautiful. It makes us think about the subjectivity of reality and what individual drives we have that create ours. This will be a show I rewatch again and again to pick up things I missed the first time.
The Rig (2023)
Deserves More Than The 5.8 Rating
This show was good! I don't understand why it's been rated so low. Had some familiar faces from Game of Thrones. I enjoy the story it's fairly original and not overplayed.
I won't spoil the ending but I really enjoyed how they closed out the season. My only critique that makes it a 7/10 for me is the timeline of the show gets a little wonky in some parts of the season, spending too long on one thing and not enough time on another.
If you enjoyed Annihilation or the first season of The Expanse I'd check it out (please note: same vibe not same setting). I'm looking forward to the second season.
This Is Where I Leave You (2014)
One of My Favourites
Honestly I'm surprised this is rated so low. Jason Bateman is brilliant in this. It's sad and funny and messy much like the grieving process in itself. Great cast, everyone does their role well, if anything I wish some had more time on screen; Tina Fey in particular. I enjoy that it showcases love outside of romantic love, in the forms of family and friends. If you want to cry and laugh and feel terribly human watch this.
The Midnight Gospel: Mouse of Silver (2020)
An Honour to Watch This
This is the most beautiful way to think on and process our inevitable cycle of life and death. This show in general is one of the most creative and unlocking things I have ever watched. Each character interviewed is a real person who speaks on these topics and are experts in their craft. There's so many doors to further investigate. But this particular episode will forever hold a special place in the world because it really is his mom, and he really did loose his mom to cancer, and they really had that conversation about how one is supposed to bear that. To surrender to the things that ARE and to allow the tragedy to unfold. AND to have someone like his mother so aware, who counselled people most of her career share her take on it. It's a gift. For anyone who has been touched by grief it is a gift that will deeply move you. It's one of my favourite episodes I've ever watched on anything.
Anne (2017)
Starts Off Great
The first season is great, Marilla and Matthew's characters particularly stand out. It's tough to beat Megan Fallows as Anne but Amybeth McNulty holds her own as the brilliant dreamer. The short is, the characters are well done but as the seasons progress the storyline goes down. There was choices to cover big complicated politics and human rights in the series and at times they miss the mark. Right intentions, but not enough coverage to actually show these moments in history/human rights. Canada is not that accepting and nice historically and has a bloody cruel history like any other country despite the stereotype.
I May Destroy You (2020)
Powerful Must Watch
Brilliantly written, I May Destroy You toes the edge and makes you look deeper into yourself. Your own dating life, your own grey areas. Anyone who is actively dating should watch this because it beautifully asks ourselves what is this dating world and how do we navigate it and most importantly how do we make peace with our experiences.
Manifest (2018)
That's 882 minutes of breadcrumb
Listen, in theory. This is an intriguing show. But there's something about the writing that makes it soo cheesy. It's like they want to use spiritual language to make the show seem more magical but don't use it in context so it sounds so dumb. I agree with other reviews where they touch on the lack of answers. You're breadcrumbed the whole time, and after 21 episodes each 42 mins there has been zero character development, zero progress on both answers and the journey/goal. That's 882 minutes of breadcrumb.
Absentia (2017)
I wanted to like this show
When I first saw the commercials for this show I was so excited! Such an interesting idea. The acting is fine. My issue is with the writing. The writing in this show is honestly terrible. They clearly have no idea how trauma affects human beings. You're telling me she spent 6 years in a glass tank and survived? In total isolation, trapped, consistently drowning on/off? I'm sorry but that is not possible. EVEN IF that was possible, the amount of trauma she would then have to overcome. She would not be good to go and fight crimes after talking to a professional twice. NOT ONLY THIS but the amount of animosity that people are holding towards her. The new wife acts as if helping her find a place to stay and having visits with her son is the greatest act of betrayal from the lead male character and instantly treats her like a homewrecker and him like a traitor. People don't do this? Why would she ever have so much hate for someone who has been traumatized for 6 bloody years. Tortured for 6 bloody years. It's like the writers don't understand what motivates human behaviours. The new wife's character has so much potential for a good story line. She could be conflicted with feelings of pity and jealousy. She could be understanding to her face but behind closed doors crushed in this situation. That's how real people would handle this impossible situation. There is no way you would be flat out hostile to someone who your husband thought was dead and turns out they were just being tortured this whole time. Instead they make her a vindictive bitch and it's intolerable to watch. The main woman "emily" seems to wade through this show only slightly traumatized and still able to fight crime, which is ridiculous AND everyone in this show is bloody victim blaming like she just disappeared for 6 years like it was shits and giggles. I just don't get it. I feel for the actors because they did their part, they acted well. And that's probably why it's rated so high. But the writing is just garbage. I think the writers need to look at the roots of what motivates human behaviour because literally no one acts the way they portray it.