Spontaneous Musings

I managed to see all the Oscar Nominated films for Best Animation, the last three over the weekend. I'm not sure you can really compare or choose between them? They are so different, and will appeal to different tastes? All have similar universal themes? But that's about it. Outside of being animated and similar on a general thematic level - they are nothing alike.

1. Memoir of a Snail was not at all what I expected. First off, this is an Australian film. It's obviously an Australian film - it takes place in Australia for one thing, and everyone sounds Australian in it. It's an independent Australian film by way of IFC (the distributor). (there's three independent entries in the Oscar race, Memoir (Australian), Flow (French), and Wallace and Grommit (British).)

After seeing all the others, I was expecting a children's film about a snail.

It is not a children's film and while it has "snails" in it - it's not about a snail. I picked up on this right before the opening credits rolled - it's R-rated. And I thought, okay, that's interesting. How are they doing an R-rated film with stop motion? It's among the few R-rated animated films I've seen, there aren't that many. Nor do I tend to (generally speaking) seek them out - because, well..if you've seen them, you will understand?

I admittedly have mixed feelings about this film.

Mother: would you recommend it?
ME: uhm, I'm not entirely sure I'd recommend it to anyone? It's admittedly innovative and brilliant in places? But also dark, kind of repulsive, a little on the offensive side, with a biting and somewhat crude sense of humor?
Mother: did you like it?
ME: I honestly don't know.
Mother: you obviously found it watchable -
Me: Oh it was compelling. I stayed up past my bedtime watching it - because I miscalculated and thought it would be shorter than it was. Also it haunts me with visuals that I'm not entirely sure I want in my head?

It was also absurdly funny in places. It has a biting sardonic adult wit. But not for the metaphor blind, the jokes will jump over your head and do the hoochie coochie and turn themselves about.

( review of Memoir of a Snail )

I say more - I'd give away the movie. And I don't want to do that. I went in blind - completely blind. See above.

Here's a trailer, so you don't have to go into blind if you don't want to:
Trailer of Memoir of a Snail

Eh, the trailer was more uplifting than the movie. I understand why it was nominated, it's innovative. I've not seen anything quite like it, and it haunts me long after it ended. It's clever, intricately animated, and different. I'm just not sure I like it or want to recommend it?

How can you watch it? It's on AMC+ free with subscription, or for $4.99 via Amazon Prime, which is how I did it. Cheaper than a subscription.

2. Inside Out 2 - this apparently was the highest grossing film of 2024 (which says a lot about the film audience in 2024 although I'm not entirely sure what?). It took me three tries to get through this film. I get why it was nominated, I'm just not sure I'm the correct demographic for it? And I liked Inside Out 1 and Turning Red (which kind of tackles the same issues this one does) better - but that's just me.

What is it about? It's much like Turning Red in that it is about female puberty. Although I thought Turning Red handled it a little better? This film is a sequel to Inside Out and while it most likely would work better if you saw the first film? You could most likely figure it out without seeing it? It does give the audience a recap.
( review, somewhat spoilery )

The animation style is familiar to anyone who has watched Pixar. But after seeing the other films, I think Pixar may need to up its game a bit? It's prettier than snail. Bright colors. The people are pretty. Most if not all the human characters are female, and well drawn. The emotions are the range and distinctive, with bright upbeat colors. If watching Snail felt like well watching through a dirty mud puddle or snail shell (which might have been deliberate and the point), Inside Out is like watching through a Rainbow of candy coated colors - which probably was also deliberate and the point. I thought it went on too long, and drug a bit. My attention kept wandering away from it. But it was moving towards the end, and delivered. I cried at the end of it - I admit that.

It's on Disney +, and recommended for ages 12 and up. It is not an independent film and was done by Pixar Studios which is part of Disney Animation Studios.

3. The Wild Robot - this is Dreamworks entry, distributor is Universal Studios.

It's a stunning film. And definitely a children's film. Ages 10 and up.
A bit long, but compelling. It concerns a robot that crash lands on an island that has no one but wild animals, birds, etc. It's science fiction.
Heartwarming. And the point of view is mainly the robot.

I think it's better to go into it blind, like I did?
( vague spoilers )

Wild Robot is available on Peacock for free with subscription.

***

So, now that I've seen all the Oscar films? Here's how I would rank them, although to be fair? They aren't really comparable. This is just a personal preference thing? Completely subjective. Because all the films are brilliant innovative pieces of animation in their own right, and artistic achievements. Of the films, I found the Memoir of the Snail and Flow to be the most surprising and innovative - they both haunt long afterwards. Flow I want to see again and adored.

On Television front, tried Poker Face created/directed by Rian Johnson, with the main show-runners being the ones who want to do the Buffy reboot. The pilot episode was okay, but didn't really blow me away. I agree with the folks who state that Natasha Lyon's character is a kind of female Columbo, but not quite as bright as Columbo, nor with the backup. I think Columbo worked better.
( vague spoilers for the pilot episode )
I don't know if I'll stick with it or not? It's a bit too episodic for my taste. It did do well apparently - it only had one season. Aired in 2023.

Then I tried Northern Exposure on Amazon Prime. Unlike Buffy, it does not hold up well. Granted it was filmed in the mid-1990s. I suppose it depends on how you view it? But the Native Americans are used as comic relief, and Joel is ...well beyond sexist in how he relates to the women in the town. We also have the whole Shelly (Miss America who is in her early twenties) being fought over by two men old enough to be her grandfather.

I looked it up? It much like Ally McBeal derailed in its final seasons (basically seasons 4-5). It is really hard for a television show to make it past five seasons or to five seasons apparently. ( Read more... )
What was that Judge smoking?

Finished Arcane - which was surprisingly good. I don't like video games, and usually adaptations from them vary from awful to mediocre, but this thing was brilliantly adapted. It may well be the best adaptation from a video game ever done.

You can't tell it was adapted from a video game - I only know it was - because they tell me in the front and end credits. That's the only way you'd know.

Airing in 2021, it quickly became NETFLIX's most popular and best reviewed animated series ever. It also, is the first animated streaming series to ever win an Emmy. According to the Verge Arcane beat another streaming exclusive, Marvel’s What If…? (available to watch on Disney Plus), as well as non-streaming offerings from Bob’s Burgers, The Simpsons, and Rick and Morty, to the punch. Previous years have seen entries from other Netflix animated shows, such as Big Mouth and BoJack Horseman, nominated for the award. [ I can see why - having attempted or watched the others, Arcane kind of leaves them in the dust. The animation is better, the characterization, world building, vocal talents, the soundtrack and the writing.]

The soundtrack, animation, world-building, plot and characterizations are all well done and well executed. That's kind of difficult hat-trick to pull off. It's a combination of steam-punk and horror sci-fi. While there are sexual situations, it's more violent than anything else - and there's quite a bit of body horror involved (reminiscent of Japanese Anime in that respect).

The story focuses more on sibling relationships than romantic ones. And the key romantic relationships are between two women, and interracial. The lesbian relationship is quite subtle and being built over time - I'm not quite sure it is going in that direction, but it feels like it is. And it has a lot of unexpected twists and turns in both the relationships (familial and romantic) that I didn't respect - with a heavy emphasis on friendship.

There's an extensive and quite diverse ensemble cast. The science fiction is melded with fantastical elements or magic. And the fight scenes are well choreographed. Plus the main fighter is female.

Even the villains are interesting and complicated.

It's well deserving of the awards it has received to date along with the accolades. Not everything is. And while it sort of ends on a cliff-hanger, it does have a second season in the works.

The set-up? Two brothers on opposite sides of the war underground - internal battle ends up in turn breaking up two sisters, who also end up on opposite sides of a battle. It starts when various characters are kids, then skips ahead to when they are adults. It's clever and progresses the characters and storyline along in a manner that not only tracks plot wise, but demonstrates how the characters are diving the plot, not the other way around, and the theme organically comes from the characters.

Highly recommended, if you like this sort of thing. Among the best anime series that I've seen to date.

Still here. Still well. Outside of allergies - itchy eyes, and some scratchy throat that went away once the Xzfal kicked in.
( corona virus diaries continue )
For entertainment? I watched two more episodes of Steven Universe last night, I'm four episodes in now, another episode (a REALLY good episode) of Runaways - possibly the best I've seen to date, and 101 Dalmatians - the animated version. There was a group of Disney animated films down by the same artists/vocal talents and music composer, in the late 1960s/early 1970s - 101 Dalmatians, Jungle Book, Aristocrats, Robin Hood and I think the Rescuers were the last of this period.
It was the period between Snow White, Cinderella, Lady & the Tramp, and Dumbo, but before the weak animation period of The Rescuers, Sword in the Stone, Black Cauldron...there's about five different animation period with Disney.
( Disney animation periods )
One of my cousins, who is bisexual, is project manager who put together and launched the Disney + platform. We're very proud of her.

Yes, I'm an animation nerd. I actually know various people who work in the field. My brother's childhood friends do. I'm kind of envious, art is very meditative. Today on the wake up, via my headspace app, I watched an artist create an abstract work of art using thousands of colored paper clips. He patiently placed each on in its proper place and created an optical allusion. I envied him in a way - it seemed very meditative. I need to draw something. Find a picture and attempt to draw it. But I find I have no time - working from home the way I am. When I'm done with work, I call my mother, make dinner, take a walk, watch television, update my journal, do a zoom hang out with my church, interact on social media...then wind down for bed.

Often just watch television. Disney + and Hulu are a joy to behold. Streaming provides animation and sci-fi/fantasy choices...just what I need in these crazy times.

What I'm trying to do is keep the anger at bay. I'm furious with the Federal Government and those who brought it about. And that is not helpful. It's better to let go of it. I can't do anything about it until November anyhow.

For cjlasky7 -

Chuck Jones and The Evolution of An Artist...



And American Saturday Morning Television from 1964-1976. I remember a lot of these shows. Some predate me. (I was born in 1967, so if it wasn't rerun or shown in the 70s, I've no memory of it.)




And...the History of Saturday Morning Cartoons and why they disappeared:

( History of Saturday Morning Cartoons and Why They Disappeared )

As a little kid, I loved them. We'd get up at 6 am and watch each Sat morning. I used to look forward to them as a little kids.

The 1980s cartoons...I didn't watch all of them, because this had the one's I watched -- specifically the stupid Drak Pack by Hanna Barbara, who had a tendency to take a popular formula, namely Scooby Doo Where Are You, and copy it to death (although this was a bit more innovative), Captain Harlock (much better), and Battle of the Planets (which was the best of the group).

Dark and gloomy day. Literally. And about fifty-four degrees. So feels like a dark and gloomy day in say March not January, making me sort of miss snow. Odd thing that. Highly inconvienent thing snow (and yes, try as I might, I can not for the life of me remember how to spell the word convienent, it eludes me). Anyhow...slept late, made scrambled eggs and bacon and watched this nifty cartoon entitled Avatar: The Last Airbender wherein I got my subject heading - the rest of the quote is:

"Sometimes life feels like a long dark tunnel, not unlike the one we are traveling in now," an old firebender, known as the fire dragon, tells the Avatar, a young boy who looks a lot like a monk with a painted arrow on his head. "But if you keep going, sooner or later, you will find yourself in a new and different place - like this." The tunnel ends and they enter a cave with beautiful waterfalls and staglights in crystal. It's not necessarily a better place, but hey it's different! [Yes, I know this is hardly a new idea, but I'm dense, so it comforts me whenever someone points it out to me.]

Speaking of kid's fare - going out on a limb and stating that the computer generated films have lost their charm/lustre for me finally. Saw Over the Hedge last night, which basically felt the same as Cars except with a cocky racoon as opposed to cocky racecar. Granted the story was somewhat different - but the general thematic structure the same. Found it dull and grating in places. It makes me miss the good old days when Disney did fairy tales - you remember - Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, with a couple of nifty legends - Dumbo and Robin Hood. As opposed to retellings of A Toy Story, and I happened to like a Toy Story, I just don't need to see it done on a race track, a hedge, in the bug kingdom, the ocean, and now amongst bees...but what do I know? Oh well, don't have kids, so can skip them thankfully. If you like this sort of thing, and some people really do, not my cuppa I'm afraid - make sure you watch the credits of Hedge, some nice comic bits and a catchy tune that makes fun of well, people who like these sort of things. LOL!

Avatar: The Last Airbender on the other hand - which is shown weekdays apparently on Nicklodean at 4:30 pm EST, and on Sat's at 11am EST - is quite innovative. It incoporates Chinese philosophy and martial arts to tell a story about a young boy's journey towards manhood in a mystical kingdom. What's innovative about it - is the Chinese philosophy, usually these tales use Western philosophy as opposed to Eastern philosophy. Outside of that, it's your standard hero's journey tale - proving once again that yes, there are no new plots out there, just new ways of telling them.

Got stuff done. Paid bills. Signed lease. Wrote on novel. Knitted. Bought groceries. Discovered overpriced light manual umbrella from The Sharper Image is a bust and useless. Am going back to cheap bodega umbrellas that cost two bucks and are automatic. Not a bad day overall.