Puss in Boots's blog to Tony Stark

Disclaimer: This week my goal was to write a blog post to a fictional character. I decided to write to Tony Stark (Iron Man). Although Mr. Stark is a billionaire with an intelligent mind, he is very humorous and acts like a child. Therefore, a blog about a cartoon will be suitable for him.

This week, once again, I am going to write a blog about my favorite cartoon character Puss in Boots. Because I have to write to Tony Stark to impress with him, I think writing about the character which I know the best is a wonderful idea. Music and implicit meaning in the movie are the primary factors which I want to focus on.

Puss in Boots is created based on the Matadors, a bullfighter in Spain, so the movie will carry the spirit of the "toreo" country – Spain. Throughout the movie, the sound of the guitar plays a role as a main theme of the movie. Mentioned to Spain, we right away remember the guitar played in every street by the people. The guitar is related to a romantic matador who can easily conquer a heart of a beautiful girl only by singing a song with the guitar. Furthermore, a lonely matador or a lonely singer also accompany with the classical guitar. Therefore, with the guitar as the main theme for the movie, the audience can understand that Puss is a lonely fighter and acts like a single matador who always seeks for adventures, helps people, and conquers the pretty girls' heart. Following this scene is an exciting and astonishing guitar sound. However, guitar is a flexible instrument. It can play a dramatic music as well as romantic music. Therefore, in the sad, deep and emotional scene, the filmmakers replace a thrilling sound effect by a romantic theme, so the theme will lead the viewers in the deep mood after exciting feeling.

Moreover, in the deadly and silent scene, a magnetic sound is raised. By using this music, the audience will figure out that this setting will be scary and breathtaking. Then suddenly, a noisy sound interrupts a quiet environment which definitely makes the audience surprise.

Among every cartoon I have seen, The Adventure of Puss in Boots contains lessons in every episode. In this third episode of season one, the most important lesson which I realize is even when you work alone, you still need friends around to help you. In the movie, Puss is a lonely fighter who always fights bad guys and rescue the town all by himself. Therefore in this episode, when Toby – his pig friend wants to help, he immediately rejects it. However, at the end, Puss finds out that although his friend is very clumsy, he always tries to help. Furthermore, Puss calls himself a cold heart and iron spirit, he still confesses to himself that he misses his clumsy and annoying friend when he is missing. Therefore, another implicit meaning is even when you are a cold spirit, your heart still contains warm part.

Girlboss

To Hannah Baker:

According to Sophia Marlowe, the star of the Netflix Original show Girlboss, “Adulthood is where dreams go to die.” Hannah, I’m pretty sure that you’d agree with her. Your dreams died when circumstances forced you to grow up too early. Your life was living proof of Sophia’s mantra. You both know that life will kick you the hardest when you’re already on the ground, but you dealt with it in two very different ways. Let me explain.

The theme of youth and irresponsibility as stated by Sophia are central to the plot of this show. In fact, the rebellious and illegal behavior of Sophia almost made me want to stop watching the show. As my classmate cgv2284 explained in her essay on Girlboss: “I feel as though the creators of this show decided to take a spin at creating the protagonist, by making her someone that no one wants to like, and yet the audience still wants to know where she will go wrong next.”

This rings especially true when I contrast this show to one of my favorites, New Girl. I see Girlboss as a wanna-be version New Girl. The characters in Girlboss are nowhere near as loveable as  those in New Girl, and it seems as if the plot doesn't have a ton of room to grow. Even after just watching the first episode of Girlboss, I feel as if I know a good amount about Sophia’s personality and current predicament. I am sure that the writers have made provisions to keep the show interesting throughout the season, but for now, I think I’ve received more information than necessary from the pilot episode.

A reason that I think Girlboss and New Girl are comparable is because I see a lot of similarities between the main character of both shows. I would describe both Sophia Marlowe and Jessica Day as “Manic Pixie Dream Girls”. If you’re unfamiliar with this term, it was coined by movie critic Nathan Rabin and describes “that bubbly, shallow cinematic creature that exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures.” Anyone who’s seen New Girl knows that Jessica Day is the textbook definition of a manic pixie dream girl. She dresses in vintage clothing, listens to classic rock records on her record player, and goes on drunken, irresponsible adventures with various lovers in the middle of the night. Sophia Marlowe from Girlboss shares many of these qualities, but has a much more pessimistic outlook on life.

All of that finally brings me back to you, Hannah. You and Sophia both lost your hope for the future, but you responded in completely different ways. Sophia saw her life going in a direction she didn’t want it to, so she blamed the system and fought back by refusing to conform to society's rules. Hannah, you saw your life going in a direction you didn’t want it to, so you just ended it. Honestly, I don’t think either of you were completely right or wrong. It’s a tricky thing to judge. But you faced some similar struggles, and I think that if you two had been able to meet in some universe, you both might be better off because of it.

Atypical

   Atypical is a show on Netflix that had an extremely high suggestion rate for me so I chose to watch it. After watching the first episode, I'm somewhat impressed by the amazing character selection for the protagonist.

    Sam is the main character in the series that has autism so making life changing decisions is quite difficult for him. The series does a fantastic job of displaying that as well, it appears as if Sam was made to play this role. In the show he has this look on his face that's the same throughout the show, has this obsession with penguins, very literal, and needs everything to be in a specific area. People with autism are usually associated with unusual obsessions and things that have to be in a specific order such as his room. Sam’s room is quite tidy and it's laid out perfectly just for him. In general, his role was mapped out well and did a remarkable job of making his acting believable.

    Sam is aware that he is different and made comparisons to Antarctica nearly throughout the entire show. He said that Antarctica was considered a desert because it only receives eight inches of rainfall but if you look closer you'd truly see that it isn't a desert at all. The so called desert isn't what it appears to be such as himself. He's comparing Antarctica to himself because he feels as if people think of him as something that he is not. For example, there was a part in the series that showed him riding on the bus but he was sitting a peculiar way compared to everyone else and a woman stared at him. Maybe she thought he was strange but it deals with preference, Sam prefers not to have his back against bus seats. Everyone has a preference, it may be different than the next person but it's has the same concept. After hearing Sam say that Antarctica was like the desert, I understood why he admired it so much.

    Continuing with Antarctica, Sam’s room is filled with the color blue and things that are or resemble penguins and Antarctica. Blue is a very cool and relaxed color, which are words that I would use to describe Sam’s personality. However, the color blue has so much more meaning than cool and relaxed, I associate blue with intelligence and creativity because those are characteristics that describe him. Sam works at a technology store because he's able to retain all the information about electronics easily. It's one of his many capabilities that others sometimes fail to realize. All in all, blue can be interpreted many ways but with Sam, it's intelligence.

   Atypical is a show that gives your insight from an autistic person’s point of view which is very informative, something I think everyone could use. The series explain how difficult it is to be autistic and I learned so much from watching one episode. It's so many shows that immediately grab my attention and this show is one of them. Netflix must've had it right, this is a show I would and will continue to watch. 

F is for Family?

This week, I sat through the first two episodes of F is For Family. I still find myself enjoying animated media (hence why I reviewed Bojack Horseman two weeks back. Most adult cartoons successfully establish their tone very early in the show, exemplifying what the viewer may expect of the series as a whole.  For example, Family Guy demonstrated its unapologetic gross vulgarity early on, South Park established its classy sociopolitical satire, and Bojack Horseman exhibited its charming nihilistic existentialism within the first few episodes. I found myself mildly confused by the type of comedy and general message that F is for Family wanted to establish.

F is for Family is about a family. That is the best way to explain it. There isn’t anything innovative or interesting about it. It’s about a dysfunctional family and the interactions that they have with each other and the rest of the world around them. You have the problematic teen character, the annoying little brother and sister, the flat character mother, and the hate-filled, consistently enraged father.

On one hand, you have the satirical aspect of the show, which is definitely not one of the most prevalent  aspects of the comedy of the show. In the first episode, there is a gag where they turn on the television to an interview show hosted by a middle aged white man. The host speaks with black people and women about their issues, making comments that are obviously counterproductive and disrespectful. I found myself appreciating this gag because of its obvious, blatant satire. This was one of the very few jokes that I appreciated in this show.

One thing that contrasts to its form of satire is the character of the father along with his interactions with others. Perhaps, the father is the only gimmick or specialty that the show has, which is unfortunate because the father is so unpleasant to watch. Nearly every communication between the father and other characters involves him screaming obscenities and insults. The temper exhibited by this character is slightly off-putting and awkward to watch on screen. But this makes me wonder, was that the goal the creators had while making this show? The father is obviously the embodiment of the idea that family life is unbearable and insufferable for middle aged men (see: most sitcoms). I’ve found that this common illustration of family life being the absolute worst occurrence for men, to be exhausting and overused. That being said, I can not, and will not believe that the short temper and miserability of the father character is meant to be a punchline. If so, it is a sad and concerning punchline.

Overall, the show is not enjoyable. The jokes in the show that are clearly meant to be jokes fall flat and everything else is questionable and concerning. The goal and direction of the show is unclear, and none of the characters are likable. I would not recommend this show to anyone and I honestly wonder who watches this show and what keeps them coming back for more.

Small Crimes. What would you give to start fresh?

Small Crimes is a 2017 crime thriller dark comedy directed by E.J. Katz and starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Robert Forster, Gary Cole, Jacki Weaver, and Molly Parker. The film follows Waldau's Joe, a corrupt cop who is released from a six year prison sentence for attempted murder. As he tries to rebuild his life, his past pulls him back to his old ways. As Michael Corleone said in The Godfather Part III: "Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in."
To me, Small Crimes' biggest strength is the cast of the film. Coster-Waldau was fantastic as Joe, making a character who should by all accounts have been despicable sympathetic. I felt for Joe and really felt like I understood his character. Molly Parker is also great as Joe's girlfriend Charlotte. She seemed very real and was probably the most likable character in the film. I really felt bad for her when bad things happened to her and was happy for her when good things happened. The rest of the cast, which is made up of mainly character actors, is also great. Every performance in the film was top notch and fit perfectly for what the film was trying to do.
I also want to give a lot of credit to the dialogue of the film written by writers Macon Blair (I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore.) and Katz himself. Not only was the dialogue smart and snappy, but it helped make the characters seem real. Also, the writers and actors perfectly and seamlessly created chemistry between these characters, making their connections feel strong and not forced. I really believed Joe and Charlotte's romance just as I really felt the three way tension between Joe, Robert Forster's Joe Sr., and Jacki Weaver's Irma.
Another major strength of the film is the editing. The film is absolutely perfectly paced, never feeling slow nor rushed. The film is given time to develop characters and plot lines, but not too much time to where they become stale. The film also never felt choppy as if parts of the film were crudely cut out for runtime reasons. For the entire hour and a half of the film, I was interested and completely oblivious to the outside world.
The final huge strength I want to mention is the question the film poses. While on the surface the film seems relatively straight forward, a question constantly arises throughout the film: is it possible to forget the past and go forward clean? Joe constantly remarks about how he wants to start fresh, however it seems that as often as he mentions this another problem arises, forcing him to not accomplish what he wants. What's really interesting about this is that I'm not sure if the film ever provides a concrete answer to the question. Personally, I don't think that is lazy filmmaking; I think it is thoughtful filmmaking that wants the audience to decide for themselves.
While I clearly very much enjoyed the film, it did suffer from a few problems, mainly a confusing tone and a sloppy and overused plot.
For the most part, the film has a very darkly comic tone to it, similar to films such as Pulp Fiction. The end, however, is incredibly dark and tragic, which feels very out of place with the rest of the film.  I do think that this was done intentionally as I've seen Cheap Thrills, another film by Katz that also has a confusing tone. That all said, I don't think it worked. This is a technique that is done often and rarely works and personally, I don't think it worked here.
The major problem with the film, however, is the plot. First of all, it's all over the place. Like The Discover, the film introduces random new plot threads well over half way into the film. The film also has about one hundred different engines all going at once, which sometimes made the film a little hard to follow. The biggest problem with the film, however, was just how cookie cutter the plot was. From the former felon who wants to live a good life to the "bad" dad with a heart of gold who wants to see his children to "if you don't kill so-and-so, you're going to prison," the film reuses plot threads that were redundant fifteen years ago. Of course, almost everything has been used in Hollywood at one point or another and the great films are the ones that can make these plots feel fresh again. Small Crimes does try valiantly, however it was just in vein.
Overall, I think Small Crimes is a very solid film and one that I would give a recommendation to others about. Of all the Netflix Original schlock out there (*cough* Adam Sandler *cough*), this is definitely one of the hidden gems. If you enjoy crime thrillers or just want to watch a solid film under two hours, I would definitely check it out.

Girl Boss (Edited)

Hey Barney, I think I may have found your opposition. After seeing many ads for the show on YouTube and various other platforms, I decided to watch the first episode of the series Girl Boss. I have yet to hear about anyone actually talk about this show, as it is one of Netflix’s less popular shows. In this episode, we’re introduced to our main character Sophia. She’s shown as rebellious, selfish, and quite a slacker. She’s the typical character that most people would hate, yet want to know she ends up. Basically, she's just like you. We learn that she’s a college drop out, trying to figure out what she wants to do, and who she wants to be. She has a love for vintage clothes, and a hate towards any higher-ups.

I feel as though the creators of this show decided to take a spin at creating the protagonist, by making her someone that no one wants to like, and yet the audience still wants to know where she will go wrong next. In the first episode, she's seen hooking up with this guy, and it seems like they're about to have a one night stand. Until, she stops him, just before things "start getting good". I would love to see how you would handle a girl in this sort of situation, a womanizer like yourself. She seems to be playing pretty hard to get. However, I think she’s a character that would definitely need to be developed a bit more, as this is only the first episode. For this only being one step in her journey, I think there are a lot of directions the creators could take.

One of the most interesting things I found about the show was that it is based on true events. More specifically, about Sophia Amoruso and show she came to create the brand Nasty Gal. I know you're Mister Fashionista yourself, you've probably heard of the brand. However, at the introduction of the show, it says it's “very loose” in reference to how true the events are. When shows are based off true events, I’m sure the creators change up a few things no matter what. I’m interested to know what prompted them to add in the “very loose” part at the beginning.

I feel as though one of the most major things needed in order to appreciate this show for what it is would be a love and eye for fashion. After foreshadowed clues and Sophia’s big sale at the end of the episode, it’s clear that Sophia is gonna try her hand at the fashion industry, mainly in resale fashion and vintage styles. While it’s clear that not everyone will take an interest in clothing, I personally love the idea of second hand buying and looking for steals to take advantage of. While you also know how to dress yourself, you two have clearly different styles. I'd love to hear what you have to say about her take on fashion. In that, as much as I’m not sure if I like Sophia at all, I’m still intrigued by what she does and how she’ll go about reselling these clothes.

Girl Boss seems as though, from the outside, it’s a show about a girl standing up to the system. However, to me, it’s a show about deception and taking advantage. Which, in a weird way, I’m really interested in. I know I’m gonna hate Sophia no matter what at this point, and yet I want to watch her and her journey, and see where she, and her business, will end up. I could definitely see you, Barney, being a friend of hers. I would say maybe more than a friend, but I don't think even you could crack a girl like that. You should check her out for yourself! Until next time, my friend.

Stranger Things

Hi Mike! I watched the first episode of Stranger Things where you have a central role. I’d like to chat with you today about how the writers have written your character. Your town is in Indiana, and for those who live outside of Indiana, it sets up as a seemingly mundane location. I think the time frame in which you are living also helps dictate your character. With it being the late 80s there are some technological advancements, as far as tvs and phones, but not an overbearing amount. Your parents still control your tv usage, as many in that time period did, so you spend your free time with your friends playing Dungeons and Dragons, reading the Lord of the Rings, biking around town, hanging out with your teacher to form your own AV club, and playing in the forts you made. This simplicity lends itself to creating your character, a normal nerdy kid in grade school. I believe this helps set up the suspense part of the show, how you are a normal boy, in a seemingly normal family (a mom who really runs the household, a boy crazy sister). And then the unthinkable happens, your best friend, Will, disappears.

Right before Will leaves your house, he tells you that the roll was a seven, and that the Demogorgon got him. There is an intense and deep look shared between the two of you, not something that you would normally see from two grade school boys.It is quiet as you pause and consider what he is saying, which again is not typical habits of grade school boys. Both of your eyes are very prominent, and large. The usage of the number seven was intriguing to me, as you can tell from the number, it is from a larger die or two dice. After completing the episode, I would have expected this number to be eleven, not seven.

After class, you head to see your new AV equipment. You all are exceptionally excited about it, regardless of the disappearance of Will. Later on, after you discover he’s missing, the use of the radios between you and Lucas to come up with your plan to go search for Will ties back in with your AV club interest, as well as symbolizing growing up and not taking the answer of no from your mom. I’m not sure if the usage of the bikes serves a purpose for your character, except maybe to help leave a clue as to where Will disappeared. I suppose it could relate to the fact that kids in your time period worshipped their bikes, and most movies and shows set back then also have all children on bikes. In the principal’s office you refer to an area that Will takes home as Mirkwood. For those familiar with the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, the name alone suggests how you view the area, even after we get a glimpse of it when Will vanishes.

Overall, I think your character development will come a lot from your backstory and how the writers set up your surroundings.

I Get You

(I am writing this to Dev Shah from Master of None)
Tyler's is in love with his girlfriend Ali, but when a big fight makes him and Ali break up, he ends up making a big mistake with a girl he meets named Holly. The next morning he finds out that Ali is taking him back and he forgets all about Holly till he sees her again at his school. Turns out she’s the new girl and like every new girl she needs some friends. Her choice for a new friend just happens to be Ali.
This movie is not creepy, but at parts they play in close up shots and darker angles to give you a creepy feeling towards Holly’s actions. It very much makes you feel bad for Tyler and kind of scared of Holly and what she will do next. Holly is kind of creepy in the way she does things along with the fact she is unpredictable. I also know how much you love social media so how would you feel if you had a bad feeling about her like Ali’s best friend did and when you went to look her up you found nothing. There was no social media, no pictures, and no results. It was like she was nonexistent till they discovered her actual name. All of this mystery really made you wonder more about her.
This movie was also very focused on just a few characters, it really developed a personality of the 3 main characters and made it seem like you knew so much about them because there were only a few other people involved. They included both Ali and Tyler’s best friends whom you knew some about, but not like you knew the main three. The rest of the people you didn’t really get to know they were just included for effect and generally added character to the main 3. All of this really pulled you in closer to the movie and got you even more wrapped up in it. It made it seem like you know every detail about these three and that you knew them personally. I think this movie did a lot better job of personalizing it to you than most Netflix originals do.
This movie also did a great job of playing up Holly’s mental instability. It would take moments that could be completely normal and add a little bit of crazy from her. It was just little things and social cues, but they really impacted the way you saw her. She just seemed to be getting crazier and crazier to me as I was watching it. It was amazing to notice that much from small details. It really makes you realize that in a movie there are so many little details that make a world of difference in the final result.
Overall I think it was a great and thrilling movie and you would love it if you watched it. All the craziness and drama from holly and the way it all played out would make you fall in love with it.

Bojack and His Consequences

As I continue this journey through the world of Bojack Horseman, I began to notice something about Bojack, and this animated show world. Bojack truly cannot see anyone else’s feelings or the consequences of his actions. In the most recent episode I watched, Bojack has finally realized he cares for his ghost writer, Diane, so he gets blackout drunk constantly, and steals the D from Hollywood, leaving it as Hollywoo. After that, her boyfriend proposes to her and Bojack loses it. He then gets even more drunk, to the point where he begins to bother his ex-girlfriend and manager, Princess Carolyn. Bojack starts to believe that him and Princess Carolyn belong together. He begins to bother her, even ditching her as his manager in the hopes they can be together. He chases her down and almost makes it work, till he gets a haunting call from someone, and drops everything, including Princess Carolyn. She almost lost her job and her pride, and tried to make it work, just for him to ditch her once again.

What I realized about Bojack Horseman, and something that I love, is that there is real repercussions for everyone in the show. In animated shows, when something big happens, it will almost always return to the way it was. However, since the D was stolen, the city has stayed as Hollywoo, and that is how it’s going to stay. It adds another interesting layer to the TV show, and makes you want to keep watching after every episode.

Overall, I have to say that Bojack Horseman is becoming a favorite. I’ve begun to watch it with my roommate and some friends, and it's become tradition. While everyone may hate Bojack in the show, I love his character, as well as all of the characters in the show.

Narcos Season 3 Episode 1 "Kingpin Strategy"

I decided to watch the newest season of Narcos, starting with episode 1 titled "The Kingpin Strategy." This episode was quite interesting because it shows that business does not stop even if the boss of all cartels is dead. When a leader goes down, two more comes back up and that is exactly what the case was with the Columbian cartels. Business never ceases to end. With the death of Pablo Escobar, you'd think that most of hot-shot cartels would just crumble, but that never happened. As a matter of fact, most of the cartels that rivaled Escobar simply flourished. Not only this, but they flourished so much that many of the cartels decided to keep the massive amount of money that they accumulated and decided to voluntarily go to jail in order to live freely after a couple of years.

What this shows me about life is that you must crush your competition and even then when the competition is crushed, you must move forward in life, all the while still continuously destroying competition. This episode also taught to never show mercy to the opposition. I came to this conclusion simply because after the death of Pablo Escobar, the rival cartels targeted the immediate family of Escobar to make sure that the competition will never show itself. I decided to attempt to implement this philosophy into my life. Whether I have to hurt anybody mentally, verbally, or physically; We have to do whatever it takes to rise to the top, just as the Columbian cartels did. They almost even infiltrated the political scene with multiple cartel members almost becoming Columbian politicians.

Overall I find this season to be something of great potential. Not only for Netflix, but for knowledge of criminal activity in multiple countries and how they affect the political climate of things. Continuing to watch the next couple of episodes I hope to gain some more knowledge that I can use in life, whether that may concern law enforcement and the processes that are initiated when criminal activity is active or whether it may be how criminals react to due process and the law when it is applied directly to them. I also hope to gain knowledge on how this effects immediate family because when one person goes down, it tends to have a huge on immediate family physically, and financially. Because if someone has died, the money that they would have gotten and given to their family members is no longer coming in. Based on the stories i have read online, most families involved i the cartel only relied on drug money so when that was gone, so was their luxurious lifestyle.

At the end of the day, I am in love with the show. Narcos is the only reason why I have netflix account and the only reason why I actually have a TV haha. It has taught me alot and it continues to teach me alot. I also have seen different type of angle shots within the show that we talked about in class. There are many stationary shots in the show. Stationary shots that catch the emotion in the characters face, leaving the audience to decipher what is going on in their minds. Very interesting show for understanding emotion because in the show there are times where you can be on the tip of your toes while the characters in the show seem relaxed, all because of the way they shoot the scenes and angles that are used.

On Master of None

To a friend:

For this week's post I'll be looking at Aziz Ansari's Netflix original show Master of None. From what I read the show was a commentary on many aspects of life such as: race, age, and parenthood, as well as implementing aspects of relationships and marriage. Ansari fills it with his takes on life and with is perspectives on life. Overall the show was well directed and seemed to bring up some very good talking points for many difficult topics.

Master of None

            This week I decided to check out the first episode of the show Master of None. I was initially drawn in because I have seen other things that Aziz Ansari is in and I find him to be extremely funny, so I figured this show would be too. Certain elements of the first show surprised me, like the picture on the cover of it, a black and white photo of Aziz on a bike. That made me wonder just what the show was about, because I honestly had no idea, and it almost gave me a vibe that the show was a bit more serious. Don’t worry though it definitely is not. The other thing that surprised me was the title sequence. It was very short and had an interesting song to go with it. They also chose to put the credits at the beginning of the show, which I actually thought was pretty cool. It kind of reminds me of our conversation in class the other day about credits and how no one actually takes the time to watch them, so by adding them in quickly at the beginning of the episode people will be much more likely to notice them and give credit where it’s due, which I think is super important!

            The plot line of this first episode involves Aziz hooking up with a girl and then almost accidentally getting her pregnant when the condom breaks. The rest of the episode basically consists of Aziz having an existential crisis of trying to decide if he wants to have kids or not. Just when he thinks he’s made up his mind, something will happen that causes him to be confused all over again. It’s honestly pretty relatable in that way, because I feel like that’s something that everyone goes through. Maybe not so drastically and switching opinions so many times in such a short time, but in general it’s something that everyone thinks about. It was definitely a very comedic take on this issue that plagues everyone when they’re young. Should I have kids? When and how many? How do I know when I am no longer a child and can therefore have one of my own??? It brought up a point that very much explains where I am in my life as far as this goes. Kids are so awesome and fun to hang out with at times, but it’s also really nice to be able to hand them back to their parents when you get tired out from it all. That’s why I enjoy things like babysitting and having little cousins/nieces and nephews to hang out with when I need my own kid fix. As far as having my own at this point, I am just way too selfish for that right now, and I also can barely take care of myself let alone another completely dependent human being. This reminds me of the very last bit of the episode which was sort of a weird way to end it in my opinion but I also got what they were going for. He was at a friend’s house whose kids he had been watching for the day, and they were finally sitting down to have a dinner. The kid’s mom had brought home some really good looking sandwiches, but the kids had a different idea. They wanted to make their own sandwiches, complete with peanut butter, lettuce, and ketchup. Of course their mom ate the sandwich they made instead of the really good one as any good mom would do, but when the kids tried to offer Aziz his sandwich along with a really adorable picture they had drawn him, he thought about it and then said, “That actually looks really disgusting, I’m gonna eat this other delicious looking sandwich.” I think it’s safe to say by the end of the episode he had decided he is indeed not ready for kids just yet.

A Series of Clever Cinematography

The aptly named Netflix Original series “A Series of Unfortunate Events” follows the Baudelaire children: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny through a series of unfortunate events. It follows a dark humored plot line that enjoys constant misdirections, dead pan, and fourth wall breaking humor. Most of the comedy comes from the dialogue instead of slap stick or lewd elements that one would come to expect from Netflix Original like Bo' Jack Horseman. Which offers a source of oddly refreshing comedy that I seem to be in a constant search of.

A classmate who has read the entire series has said that the books and by a probable transitory property show is heavily based on misleading and deception. After seeing only a little bit of the show I would really have to agree with him. All of the adults have poorly hidden secondary motivations that they or some one near them reveals to a comedic effect. The best part of these characters is that even after being revealed continue to act like or forget that they have been caught. This allows some characters have scenes of being exposed over and over.

While the characters may be deceptive that speaks nothing of the camera that takes glee in messing with you. It plays with field of view, depth of focus, and cuts that hide things or fake you out. The entire first sequence of the episode plays with this. Opening on a dark close up of the incredibly dead pan and mysterious narrator, making you think that this is a close up shot. Then the lights come on (out of focus) in the background revealing this to be a longer shot than you first thought. Moving further into the next part of the sequence we meet our heroes the Baudelaire Children in a clean clear shot, marred by awful CGI. When the shot opens to allow our narrator in everything except him goes out of focus. Most shots featuring him have this effect or have him not being affected by worldly things like wind or rain. This implies and reveals that he is from the world of the Baudelaire, but he is not a part of this story.

I think the highest showing of this, and my favorite scene, is the dinner scene. Count Olaf takes Sunny from the children and begins to act passive aggressively towards the infant. He proceeds to raise her over his head and begin to wobble and sway, while everyone around him readies to catch Sunny. Olaf Remarks that the table they are sitting at is far to dirty and places the baby on a platter and pushes her to the middle of the table. Before telling his troop that they must go practice their show. This scene works because both the camera is changing shots, and we've come to expect awful things from Olaf. He picks up the baby and lifts her over his head. This serves two purposes, one: it shows just how tall Olaf is and how much damage it would do to Sunny if she were to fall from that height, and two: the camera hides that the actor is not holding an actual baby, which would be insane if they actually did. I forgot to mention that this confrontation stemmed from Olaf being upset that the children made an Italian dish instead of a roast for him and his troop. The camera shows that Sunny had been put on a platter with potatoes and various vegetables. When I first saw this scene I thought we were about to get some threats of murder and cannibalism. He however tells his troop that they must go and practice. This scene relies heavily on misdirection and clever cuts.

I equate this show to a magic show. In order to make this show entertaining it requires small talk to prevent the audience from being bored. It also makes use of in universe and out of universe misdirection to surprise the audience. While I can not devote much time to watch this show, (Calculus, you know the drill) I gladly would if I had the time.

Okja: From farm to table

If you’ve ever lived on a farm, then you understand the importance behind never getting attached to the livestock. They are raised for a purpose and that purpose is to provide. Okja ties that in with the traditional ideas behind providing for a large society and the love a young girl feels for her pet. Many aspects of the film have a seemingly political air and it also addresses the rougher side of animal production for human consumption. With no clue what I was in for, I sat myself down in a pizza onesie with Bandit and began the film.

                The opening scenes and credits are very high in energy and almost have a brainwashing vibe to them. The press conference sets the precedent for the rest of the movie and in a whirlwind of excitement you as the viewer is transported across the globe to Korea. The first scenes in the jungle brought about this sense of serenity and I couldn’t help but feel at peace with my decision to watch this movie. Much of the first half of the script features the movie only spoken in Korean. I tend to watch many of my movies with closed captioning on anyways, so this wasn’t a big deal for me, especially since they added the English subtitles, however it was an interesting choice on the half of the director. Our first glimpse of Okja is confusing. The indecisiveness as to what she actually is can be visually distracting, however the plot does a fair job of keeping you entertained and on your toes. While she is classified as a “super pig”, she has many physical attributes and mannerisms that reminded me remarkably of a hippo. Mija, her caretaker and best friend, views her less as an animal for a competition and even more as her pet as the movie progresses. As it continues on, it begins to take a darker turn. Around the time the A. L. F. comes into play, you begin to get an idea behind the message that the movie is trying to get across. Pursuing this idea down the rabbit hole gives you a glimpse into what is potentially a portrayal of the current food industry, only with fictional animals. The vulgar and violent scenes often want to make you look away yet you fear to miss another gruesome detail that showcases the horror of American slaughterhouses. While the mass production of animals for food is no new concept, the conditions in which it can be done are demonstrated in an abhorrent manner. In an effort to not spoil anything I shall not go into further detail. Just know that this film is not for the faint of heart.

                While intentionally depressing and heart-wrenching, Okja stands apart from films and documentaries in its portrayal of the more crude aspects beyond your initial thought in the production of food. The unconditional love Mija feels for Okja provides an easy way for the audience to connect to her. This movie makes more of a political statement as to our meat production as a country more than anything else. With an open mind and a prepared mental constitution, you can make it through this movie and perhaps think about the journey it takes for your meat to make it to your table.

Friends From College

In hindsight, Jacob, I'm glad you turned down my suggestion of watching First They Killed My Father because, you're right, it would've been too sad for a morning that started out with a mini victory (Arsenal F.C. tied at Chelsea... big deal for viewers other than Jacob), even though I thought it looked super interesting. Friends From College, what we chose to watch, looked particularly interesting since it had actors from some good shows we've both seen in the past-- Robin from How I Met Your Mother, Key from Key and Peele, and Ben from Ben and Kate-- but also because I thought it could have some sort of relevancy to our lives, possibly some advice for keeping friends in college.

I was a little taken off guard when it opened up in a sex scene between two of the characters who were friends all throughout their years in college. Quite a bold choice to start out the entire show with that and even more surprising, as it turns out, the two characters were both married to other people in the show which amplified how uncomfortable the show was going to be. Last week's homework made me realize I should pay more attention to the title sequences (thanks @Allison) and after watching the first chunk of the show, leaving us both a little concerned if this was really something we wanted to continue with, it transitioned into a pretty good title. The whole time the camera stayed positioned at an aerial view of a table of six all swapping food and making messes; moving into different, more sophisticated meals in which we could tell that they were all growing up together. It was kinda cool, at first you could tell it was more of a middle school/high school table with the trays and chocolate milk cartons, then into college in which they "cheersed" with pizza, then onto that same sort of cheers with actual champaign and continuing into other milestone meals. All the while, a song entitled "Cut Your Hair" played in the background, reincorporating that things haven't really changed since college at all despite what it seems on the surface.

The premise of the show was a little odd, I think we both agreed. They threw in some semi-known actors in an attempt to give the show a familiar vibe and it started out funny with little one-liners here and there, but after taking a step back and looking at the episode as a whole afterwards it was definitely abnormal. Essentially, the characters all took shots at the young adult literature genre, as one of the main characters' career choice took a slight turn from writing adult novels to young adult. Even though a good part of the show was dedicated to knocking on it, I think you made a good point in suggesting that the writers of the show were probably young adult writers, too. It just came across like they're too cool and wanted to complain a little to make themselves feel better.

Overall, there were some elements of the show that were interesting, but in entirety it was a mess.

Disjointed

I have scrolled past Disjointed multiple times since acquiring access to Netflix. At first glance, I assumed that it was a documentary of sorts, and I just never found myself interested. At least until a friend of mine enthusiastically brought it up in conversation. I caved in and decided to watch it once I finally understood the setup and plot line of the show.

Disjointed is an average cheesy sitcom about a medicinal marijuana dispensary owner, Ruth, accompanied by her employees, as well as their weed-related business ventures and shenanigans. The show offers commentary on weed culture as it depicts various issues and stereotypes such as legalization, the everyday effects it that it has on users, and the way marijuana use is viewed by non-users, among other things. With the short scenes, the random scenes in the middle of the show that have absolutely nothing to do with the plot, it is quite obvious to note that the show is structured specifically for stoners, as can be assumed for most non-educational pieces of work that focus on pot.

Episode one of season one found me experiencing a plethora of thoughts. Initially, I found myself overwhelmed with excitement to watch such a seemingly groundbreaking show. The show successfully caught my attention. However, it also succeeded in losing my attention just as fast. The first episode quickly became dry and I couldn’t finish the single 25 minute episode in one sitting. Now, this happens to me very frequently with shows and movies, but it usually takes me no longer than a day to return to whatever I’m watching at the time. I did not return to Disjointed for about a week, and my return was reluctant. However, I trudged on through to the second and third episodes.

Though the second and third episodes still found me somewhat bored, I could not help but admire the charm that this show has. The show is interesting in a “I wonder what THC pun they’ll make next” way. Or a “what kind of hemp-based product will they educate us on now” way. So while yes, it can be a little cringe-worthy and dry at moments, the show does have its defining qualities.

One thing about stoner media is that it is not required to be of high quality. With ease, any viewer, marijuana user or not, can experience Disjointed and notice the tactics employed to communicate with its target demographic. The show is a novelty. It is an interesting take on sitcoms and weed culture and by crossing the two, it makes a different strain of entertainment altogether. Though Disjointed is not necessarily impressive or of high quality, it is still something that I would encourage most anyone (save for anti-cannabis activists) to watch.

GLOW

Glow came by your suggestion, and while I really liked it, it was hard to write about. For me, the two most influential elements to this show would have to be the costuming and the lighting. While they make use of a few diverse camera angles, it is not as influential. The lighting there is meant to be natural, like it is coming in from the windows above the ring. However it comes off as very artificial and unnatural, perhaps helped in part by the fluorescent lighting that also is there. The lighting makes the environment look grimy and awkwardly bright. It allows you to see everyone clearly. When the guy that Ruth is sleeping with comes into her room, the lighting in there is about the same lighting as the rest of the scenes in her room. The lamps cast warm light and soft shadows. While they discuss that he is cheating on his wife with her, the shadows and lighting make it more serious than if they were in a brightly lit room. It is interesting that she wants to break it off with him, until a bit later when you realize it is her best friend Debbie’s husband.  

Costuming influences the perception of the characters, specifically these four to follow.. The people with most professional outfits left the initial audition when he explained what the parts were going to entail. We are first introduced by name to Cherry. She has a simple, streamlined outfit and exudes confidence and sophisticated. For the wrestling audition where they are learning moves, she has an army green jumpsuit that is more covered than most of the girls outfits and still simple. You can tell she is not using her outfit to stand out from the crowd, relying more heavily on her attitude and talents to carry her through. The girl with the wrestling dad wears simple shirts, first baby blue, then pale yellow. Her headshot is her blowing out candles on a birthday cake. From these you almost get the impression she doesn’t want to be there, especially when they are asked when they want to be there and she simply replies with who her family is. The girl with the scary vampire vibe gives headshot of wolf. She looks like she just came out of a zombie movie or maybe even got attacked by a wolf. I don’t even know what to say about her. The girl who says she “throws things” reminds you of prison. She is wearing a denim jumpsuit for the initial audition and follows up with a strong handshake. For the second audition she has another monochromatic outfit, this time baby blue with a fuller coverage tank top and shorts. Just from her outfit choices she appears strong and put together.

Ruth has the most professional outfit of all potential girls that remain there for the first audition; a long denim skirt, navy and red shirt, and red shoes, along with being only one of a handful of girls carrying a purse. On her second day, she is sporting an outfit that looks like it is straight from her aerobics class, teal and pink, with high leg cutouts. When she comes back after being thrown out, as she is emulating Hulk Hogan, she is more covered up than her second round. Her colors all coordinate, with red, white and blue. Once she enters the ring, she quickly sheds her cape to act. The war paint was interesting touch, as it is fluorescent and vibrant compared to the rest of her outfit. I thought it was going to be indicative of how she was going to fight back against Debbie, but besides one well thrown elbow, she elects to avoid fighting her. She came in with this persona of a professional fighter, however when confronted with her best friend, she cannot follow through. Overall, these costuming choices help us develop an idea of the characters that contributes to their development.

Chasing Coral

“I used to be an ad man. I spent 10 years in advertising, working at some of the top London agencies. Over time, you realize you’re having these conversations about toilet rolls, and it’s heated debate. And it’s about selling four-ply toilet tissue rather than three-ply. And you go, ‘I’m sure there’s something better I can be doing with my life.’” (Richard Vevers)

Did you know that in the last 30 years, we have lost 50% of the world’s corals? I didn’t. I have always loved the ocean. I have so many fond memories from my childhood there. I’ve probably been to the ocean 20 times, but I always come back for more. So, when I saw this documentary about coral reefs on Netflix, I knew I wanted to watch it.

To be honest, this was not very easy for me to watch. Because I love the ocean so strongly, hearing statistics and seeing photos of its plight really made me sad. It also made me a little angry. Why would humans be so disrespectful of this beautiful natural resource? As Chasing Coral points out, a healthy ocean is essential to a healthy planet. The ocean controls our climate, our weather, and even the air that we breathe. A continually thriving ocean is the only way for us as humans to ensure any quality of life.

As a whole, this documentary opened my eyes to multitude of issues, including the effects of human pollution and global warming on the delicate systems of coral reefs. The documentary was an hour and half long, and I honestly feel like I could write 20 of these blog posts and still not cover every issue that they did. So, for the sake of coming across clearly, I’m just going to focus on a few points that really stuck out to me.

One of the things that shocked me the most was that very few people actually know how much trouble the ocean is in. That’s why I think that Richard Vevers’ point of view on the whole situation is so fascinating. As a former ad man, he argues that what the ocean needs is better advertisement. Maybe, if people were more aware of the problems plaguing the ocean, they’d be more cautious of the way that they live their lives.

This is precisely why he began documenting coral reefs all over the world, using an underwater camera called Catlin to produce 360-degree images every 3 seconds. He published these images in a Google Earth type of format, allowing anyone with access to the internet the opportunity to go on a virtual dive. While this was helpful, it still didn’t manage to bring light to the problem: it peaked public interest in coral reefs, but didn’t explain how these reefs are dying all over the world.

So, with the help of some other scientists, Vevers began to make a comparative analysis of coral reefs in the late 20th century to now (an average time difference of 40 years). I am not going to go into too much detail about this second part of Vevers plan, because I want to encourage you to go watch this documentary for yourself. I promise, it will be an hour and a half of your life that is well spent.