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Reviews
Inside Job (2021)
Great adult animation with tons of references
Maybe I'm a little biased because I adore adult animation with dark or absurdist humor, but I'm sure there's some people with the same preferences as me anyway, so here's my review of Inside Job.
I actually loved the show right until it got cancelled. Thanks, Netflix. It's got a refreshingly creative premise based on real life conspiracies in the United States, so it actually feels relatable enough to maintain my interest through the first several episodes. I'm not quite sure how entertaining it could be to those living outside the U. S. I loved the character dynamics between the main cast, especially between Reagan and Brett. Cranky overworked researcher with poor social skills and a charismatic himbo. Thank goodness their relationship is entirely platonic too or I would've steered clear because I am sick of male-female pairs ending up romantic every damn time.
I guess I'm alone on this one, but I actually thought the show was quite funny. I thoroughly enjoyed every miniplot and arc. The show is not without its flaws, but what piece of media isn't? It's been a year since I finished watching and I am left with vague yet pleasant memories.
A solid 8/10 that could have potentially been a 9 or 10: if only we could have gotten more seasons to watch the characters develop.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Enjoyable show but still flawed
It's been a short while since I last watched the show, so I don't remember specifics. I do, however, remember the impression the show left on me. It's safe to say I enjoyed it, for the most part at least.
A lot of people are giving this show a 10/10 for diversity which is understandable since not many popular shows incorporated as many characters with different backgrounds and identities as She-Ra at the time of its release. Of course this could lend positive bias for people who don't often see themselves in media, especially as characters who actually have plot importance beyond simply being the "diversity character." I get that, I really do. I myself am a POC woman who's part of the LGBTQ+ community. However, I'm young, so I have had the privilege of experiencing all sorts of media with representation throughout my formative years. Therefore, I do not have as much diversity bias as some, providing me a different view of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power that I would be glad to offer to others like me.
Let's start with Catra and Adora's relationship. Undoubtedly, they are loved by many, fans of the show or not. I'm not going to bash Catradora fans, but I do agree with antis saying the ship is unhealthy. I don't know about abusive, but it is certainly not the healthiest relationship out there. It's not exactly the greatest WLW representation, but it is undeniably one of the most well-known lesbian relationships in media. It would be foolish to deny Catradora's overall influence in bringing queer relationships to mainstream media.
It would be most unideal for somebody immature enough to model their relationship after Catradora but trust me, there are greater issues at hand: for example, how the cast has treated Entrapta, an autistic character. In season five, she, a grown woman, was put on a leash because the characters didn't trust her to not run off. Most people might just write it off as comedic relief, but to autistic people and others who may identify with Entrapta, it feels quite dehumanizing. For a show that provides such an accurate portrayal of neurodivergence through a lovable and complex character, it's a little funny-weird that the writers didn't think about how to make other characters interact with her without dissatisfying their neurodivergent audience.
Now onto my thoughts about our favorite cat-human hybrid, Catra. A lot of people suffering from borderline personality disorder and similar disorders identify with her for good reason: her insecurity, reactivity, and her having a "favorite person." As somebody with diagnosed BPD, I often deeply relate to similar characters in media, such as Bojack Horseman, Spinel from Steven Universe, and Jinx from Arcane. Yet, for some unknown reason, I just do not identify with Catra to that same degree. Perhaps it's a flaw in writing that didn't bring her character to life, or maybe just some other reason personal to me. I do wonder if other people with BPD have the same opinion as me.
And last but not least, I agree with several other commentators that Catradora's make-up at the end of the show feels incredibly rushed and shallow. After five seasons of antagonizing each other, you'd think it would take some time before the two completely forgave each other and became as close as they used to be before Adora's defection way back at the beginning. Yet all it took was "I love you" and a kiss for Adora to seemingly forgive and forget everything.
Once again, apologies for any inaccuracies. I tried to stay away from assuming specifics given how long it has been since my last watch (over one year) combined with my below average memory, only speaking about my general impressions about the show that I still recall. If my review can help even one person, then my time writing this word salad has been worth my while.
Class of '09 (2021)
Hilarious and well-written satire of the typical high school experience
If you enjoy Bojack Horseman and other adult comedy media, Class of '09 will be right up your alley. I'm not one to enjoy watching game playthroughs or rather anything on YouTube, but I sat through hours of watching Class of '09 with no regrets. It's not easy to make somebody on SSRIs laugh this hard, but this game has achieved the near-impossible. Each character is an absolutely hilarious parody of real-life high school kids-you've got the average womanizer jock, emo cokehead girl, weird anime kid, and literally every other stereotype you can think of; including the school staff and other adults. This game has its darker moments as well, but it's incredibly well-balanced with humor. Class of '09 will undoubtedly take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride in the best way possible. Honestly, if anybody knows other series like this and Bojack, I'd kill to know what they are.
Skinamarink (2022)
Either you hate it or love it, but one thing's for certain: it's meant to be an experience
This film is definitely one of the more polarizing ones regarding audience enjoyment. On social media, I have seen nothing other than raving reviews about how terrifying Skinamarink is, yet one quick Google search reveals droves of unflattering reviews instead. I believe most of the difference can be chalked up to both social media hype as well as how you watched the film.
Similar to my Mandela Catalogue review, I'm leaving this 6 stars (6.5 if I could) because I find found-footage films a hit-or-miss. Also, I watched this movie with several friends, which definitely took some of the scare-factor away. Of course, that's just my personal experience, so read on for a relatively unbiased analysis of Skinamarink to decide whether or not this film is for you.
Unlike most horror films, Skinamarink does not rely on jumpscares to thrill its audience. Instead, it focuses on building unease by unearthing the watchers' childhood fears and wild imagination. Remember being terrified of the dark, not knowing what could be hiding behind that door? Perhaps... under your bed? Skinamarink deliberately plays with these nostalgic fears to regress its audience back to fearful little children. The film's execution is why I believe it would be more accurate to classify it as living an experience rather than just watching a movie. Watch it in broad daylight and you'll receive nothing more than a confusing bore-fest with grainy shots of a dark room. In order to properly experience this film, you should watch it alone on your laptop with headphones on in a pitch-black room. The later it is and the more tired you are, the better.
And finally, (don't) afraid to let your imagination run wild.
The Mandela Catalogue (2021)
Can't hold interest
I need to start off by saying I understand the appeal of The Mandela Catalogue. However, it's just not for me; I simply cannot be bothered to continue watching the series. I don't think the execution is bad or anything. Maybe the only issue I have with the writing is that everything is a little hard to follow, though that seems to be a trait of all found-footage media. However, I've enjoyed other found-footage films before, so I don't know why The Mandela Catalogue seems to be the outlier. Maybe because it's a web series? In any case, I suspect my unflattering rating is all a result of my own interests and dislikes.
I did mildly enjoy the videos I watched, though. I might not finish the rest of the series but I also don't feel like I wasted my time, so 6 stars for that. In general, this was a slightly above mediocre experience for me.
BoJack Horseman (2014)
Hilarious and extremely realistic
I'll be honest, I'm part of the population that started watching Bojack Horseman because I got diagnosed with various mental disorders and desperately wanted to watch a show that I could see myself in.
The first three episodes were incredibly slow and dry. I personally found the humor too corny, but I decided to stick with it and boy, am I glad I did. The next six seasons were some of the most raw depictions of mental health and real life problems I have ever seen in any sort of media. I can almost guarantee anybody that they will find some part of themself or somebody they know in this show, be it character or interpersonal dynamics. Bojack Horseman is a beautiful blend of satire, comedy, psychology, and tragedy that I have yet to experience elsewhere.
I would even go as far as to say this show has changed my life. Episode after episode, I watch as Bojack destroys his life more and more. He was a wretched mirror of my own thoughts and mentality the first time I watched the show. In the least corny way possible, I mean it when I say this show helped me understand what I was doing wrong. Self-pity does not make you better than other people, and it will get you nowhere. And even if you think you can escape your past, the consequences will always catch up to you. There are no true fresh starts in life. You can only keep going forward.
10/10.
As Above, So Below (2014)
Entertaining but with many incomplete subplots. Irritating white woman lead
Overall, this was an enjoyable action-thriller with occult themes. I'm quite new to horror films as a genre, so my words probably don't mean much to most horror connoisseurs, but I'll still put my thoughts out there for any others like me.
I certainly don't think this movie is as bad as its overall rating makes it seem like. The references to Dante's Divine Comedy and the nine Circles of Hell as others have mentioned are very much worth looking into.
However, I have some gripes about the multitude of undeveloped subplots in this film. For example, there's a recurring character from the beginning, the strange woman from the club, who is later seen leading a cult. I'm sure I'm not the only person who reasonably assumed she would hold some more importance in the film beyond an initial creepy scene and a single jump scare. Another loose string is the repentance the characters serve while underground. I like the addition of this subplot because it adds another layer of complexity to the story, especially by making the group's escape slightly more difficult, but I think that the writers should have solidified these ideas better by going just a little more in-depth about each of the characters' past wrongdoings and what they need to rectify. As the story is now, the whole redemption-from-the-past thing seems like something tossed into the story as an afterthought.
Finally, I just really need to say that I found Scarlett almost unbearable. She really just dragged multiple people to their deaths after they repeatedly told her they didn't want to continue down whatever path she chose. That girl has multiple PhD's but the only one she really needs is a degree in self-awareness and common sense.
Regardless, I give this movie a 7/10 because I am not a critic and I rate things like a high school teacher grades papers-whatever number I'm feeling at the moment.