The Missteps of My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia (MHA) is many things: a shounen action series, a worldwide phenomenon, and possibly this generation's Dragon Ball Z. However, MHA is not flawless and these faults are becoming more pronounced. As a fan these recurring problems make me concerned that these consistent bumps in the road will eventually lead to a full-one decline in quality. What are these issues I'm talking about?

School Status Quo 

The series's initial setup of a powerless child who tries to get accepted into a superhero school was a perfect starting point. It made world building focused, gave our protagonist clears motivations, and introduced a large supporting cast. U.A. has now turned into a setting that consistently hurts the momentum of the series. Every time there is an arc that challenges the status quo and moves the narrative in an interesting direction, like the Hideout Raid or Pro Hero Arc, it is then followed up my storylines that take place entirely in an academic setting. While these school arcs are not outright bad they lack a crucial element: tension.

The tension in academic arcs is negligible compared to the ones that proceed them, since the controlled settings of U.A. and its affiliated organizations are free from any real danger. While lower-stake story threads are important the lack of tension is worsened due to the length and odd gravitas given to MHA's take of these plotlines. A perfect example of this is the Joint Training Arc, the most recent example of this, which consisted of 23 chapters, running from chapter 194 to chapter 217. This might not seem like an issue until you consider that it is only 4 chapters shorter than the Forest Training Camp and Hideout Raid Arcs combined. Major character beats such as Tokoyami showcasing a new form and Deku unlocking a power occur in the arc but since they both take place in mock battles that are basically extreme versions of Capture the Flag, they lack the weight and impact that they could have had.

Having villains attack during these academic storylines would be a poor solution since it is a card that the series has already played twice and doing it again would seem trite. A better approach would be to simply shorten the length of the arcs and tie them in more directly with the more impactful plots to follow. Touching upon the academic side of things might be important but it should never bog down the narrative at large.

Bloated Cast 

As previously mentioned ,a large assortment of characters has been a part of the series's identity since its inception. The rate new cast members are introduced has not slowed down which has caused many pre-established players to get sidelined as new ones take the lion's share of the attention. This has proven to be detrimental to several major characters like Uraraka and Midoriya who, despite being the protagonist has taken a backseat for months at a time. Even the Joint Training Arc only incorporated him at the start and the end with this momentum for his character being cut off once we get into the Meta Liberation Army Arc.

Trimming down the cast and making sure that our main characters have active roles in plotlines is a good way of fixing this problem. Reduction could come in the form of killing off minor and major players, though this seems unlikely since MHA has a tendency to avoid character deaths. Another way of slimming the roster is to give characters a natural and understandable exit from the series, writing them out in a way that still maintains their agency. Fugo leaving the crew in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is a great example of someone leaving the narrative with a clear motivation: he does not want to oppose the gang so he decides to get out while it's safe.

Limp Villains 

Now we come to what may be the biggest recurring issue in the franchise: inconsistent antagonists. The villains of MHA all tend to be underwritten in one way or another. All For One was a puppet master who was built up as the ultimate threat who upon his first true fight in the series---used a dull combination of abilities while wearing an over-designed mask that made it impossible for him to emote. Upon his defeat he is then reduced to cameo appearances. Overhaul's minions declare that their boss treats them like a real family, but we only see him either killing people in cold blond (including one of his own men), trying to murder heroes, or torturing his own daughter! We are told the Overhaul is a gangster with a heart of gold but nothing we are shown ever backs that up.

The worst offender in this regard has to be Shigaraki who is possibly the dullest character in MHA. He can be boiled down to a violent nihilist who just wants to destroy hero society because he sees no point in it, which is a motivation that would be serviceable if Shigaraki felt like he was actively trying to uproot the world. Instead 70% of the time he is just sitting down and grinning. This one-note personality and showing no agency makes him boring and difficult to engage with as a reader/viewer.

While the previous points are relatively simple to fix the villain problem is more complicated. While antagonists such as Stain or Gentle Criminal are highlights in MHA since their simpler motivations gave way to more direct interactions and streamlined conflicts it is hard to see more villains like them appearing in the future. Both were ultimately street-level threats that ,with the series heading towards what seems like an all-out war, its difficult to imagine simpler baddies like them showing up as we build to an ultimate conflict.

Conclusion 

While these are not all my issues with My Hero Academia, these are the three recurring issues that are the most detrimental to the series. Despite how long this critique has been it should not be seen as a takedown. I feel in love with MHA when I first watched it and am still a fan but there are problems with it from my perspective and I want these improved for the betterment of the franchise.

The Resonance of Jon Favreau in "Avengers: Endgame"

As the end of an over decade-long saga Avengers: Endgame is filled with moments that conclude character arcs and provide emotional closure for long-time fans. One of these instances that is not being heavily discussed is the appearance and actions of the character Happy Hogan, played by Jon Favreau.

Casual viewers will see the actor's appearance as emotional solely because Happy Hogan was a prominent character that appeared throughout of the MCU. They may be unaware of Favreau's bigger contributions to Marvel as the director of Iron Man 1 & 2, played a major role in constructing and setting up the entire cinematic universe.

There are two scenes involving Happy Hogan that strike an emotional chord: Tony Stark's funeral and Hogan comforting Cassie, Tony's daughter. Over the course of these scenes Favreau symbolically puts the character he brought to prominence and made a household icon, his baby, to rest. Moments later he consoles Cassie, Favreau's symbolic granddaughter, ensuring her that he will keep Tony's memory alive and ensure that he will look after her in his place. Though the old guard is gone, their are those that will still embody their values and pass them on to future generations.

As the MCU enters uncharted territory post-Endgame it is easy for viewers to be wary of what comes next, but Favreau's presence is meant to comfort and ensure the audience that everything will be alright. Though we have lost beloved characters, their creators and champions still exist and will make sure that this new journey succeeds. Jon Favreau helped forge the birth of this universe, saw his most personal creation sacrifice himself, and is going to continue to pave the way for future heroes.

If a man who has the deepest ties to this beloved version of Iron Man is unwavering in his dedication to the future, then the fanbase should feel inspired to show the same level of faith and courage it what lies ahead.

How to Expand Ultraman to the West

Big Question: Should they double down or reduce in-universe selfies?

Ultraman is a Japanese icon who has often been referred to as a Japan's Superman and is one of the cornerstones of the tokusatsu genre. Despite how ingrained the franchise is into the country's pop culture Ultraman is a property that has failed to find traction in the West. This lack of expansion can largely be tied to legal battles that Tsuburaya Productions, the owner of the franchise, have been tied up in for years. This has changed recently as months ago  Tsuburaya won their copyright battles and have teamed up with Starlight Runner Entertainment to help expand the brand into the international markets, with the possibility that a new American entry in the series will be made.

But how do you take such a storied Japanese property and successfully expose it to a Western audience? There are a few key areas that could prove vital in making Ultraman's expansion work.

Finding the Right Platform 

There are currently two major digital platforms that could serve as Ultraman's gateway to Western notoriety: Netflix and VRV. Given Netflix's multitude of original series from Japan, including the recent anime spin-off of the Ultra franchise called ULTRAMAN, it might seem like the best option. However, that constant glut of new-content is a double edged sword as several shows are given the chance to find success, but it's a crowded field that causes a majority of the content to get buried.

VRV's status as an aggregation platform that houses many different networks may make it seem outwardly less focused than Netflix but it actually has a greater preexisting attachment to the franchise, with multiple Ultraman seasons  already available on Crunchyroll. Another upside of going with VRV is that they can promote across all of the service's channels with potential advertising opportunities including having the casts from the Nerdist, Roosterteeth, or VRV's other partners react to various episodes of the franchise, directly bringing Ultraman to the attention of those varied audiences.

Tsuburaya Productions and Crunchyroll seem to have had some sort of falling out/lack of communication over the last year with some older Ultra seasons being pulled from the service and Ultraman R/B not being simulcast as it aired, which its predecessors Geed and Orb received. If there is any trepidation on Tsuburaya's end then it would be important to reconsider those thoughts as Cruncyroll/VRV is the best available platform to expand the brand on and launch an American entry when it is made. 

Lean Into the Legacy

Tsuburaya loves leaning into the franchise's over 50 years of history in Japan and there is no reason they should not take that approach when expanding into Western markets. Their may be some trepidation in doing so since it could be intimidating to new viewers who don't have the generational attachments that the Japanese have, but the nature of the franchise should dissuade any doubts.

Nearly every season of Ultraman is a self-contained story following new sets of characters. There are references and ties to previous continuity, such as the titular character of the upcoming season Ultraman Taiga being the son of former protagonist Ultraman Taro, but the franchise's structure means that every installment offers a clean slate and potential jumping on point. It is a franchise that acknowledges its past yet does not require it viewers to have full knowledge of it, easing the challenge of introducing it into other regions.

Showcase the Fan Base 

At it's core Ultraman is a concept that is difficult for Western audiences to accept. While it may be unfair to boil down the series' premise to "Space giant beats up and kills giant monsters", that simplification is how many are going to initially see it as. The best way to gets over this hump is to highlight the preexisting fans and showcase why they love it.

Fans testimonials will make the property more approachable by not only showing that an established community exists, but that it is also made up of normal people. This should remove any intimidation while also informing newcomers about the finer details of this tokusatsu franchise that have allowed it to endure and remain beloved for over half a century.

From kaiju battles, to themes of friendship and team work, to its unique sense of style and humor, there are a plethora of reasons why millions already enjoy the Ultra franchise. Showcasing this preexisting love could enable millions more to give it a chance and find themselves falling for it as well. What better way to remove the roadblock to Ultraman's Western success than by tapping into the power of its greatest and most passionate champions?

[A version of this blog post is also available to read on The Tokusatsu Network. It is the first article I have ever had officially published and I could not be happier! Thank you to the amazing team at Tokusatsu Netwrok for giving me this opportunity and I hope to work with them again in the future.]

Answer: Double down.

Loveable Listening #1

#OnceForMoneyOnceForTaste

Love listening to podcasts and music. Do it everyday. So why not recommend some of what I have been enjoying recently?

Dr. Gameshow

Each episode the hosts, Jo Firestone and Manolo Morano, have a in-studio guest compete with callers in games submitted by listeners. It sounds like a complicated setup but its easy to understand once you start listening. Its one of the oddest and funniest podcasts I have listened to and always puts me in a great mood. Last December it was canceled by the podcast network it was a part of, Earwolf, but was recently brought back under the management of a new network, Maximum Fun. The only downside is that many older episodes are behind a paywall due to their old network's policy to incentivize subscriptions by restricting access to most content older than six months.

Still this is an amazing show that is family-freindly so anyone can listen and enjoy. Plus if you follow the show on Facebook you can learn when they're recording new episodes and get the chance to call in and participate. You should be able to find the show on every podcast platform including Spotify or visit the show's homepage and listen there.

Off Book: The Improvised Musical

Speaking of improve my other favorite comedy is Off Book. In every episode Jessica McKenna & Zack Reno bring in a guest to improvise a musical and it is such a fun show. Some episodes are stronger than others but I feel like none are duds. They also experiment with the format now and then which is always interesting.

Off Book is part of the Earwolf network which means that ,like Dr. Gameshow, many of the past recordings are currently behind a paywall which sucks but that should not dissuade you from checking it out. There are some great episodes currently available like Episode 75, which is an amazing Christmas episode that I relistened to recently. Its on Spotify, their website, and on several other places that I don't/can't link to like iTunes.

Glass Animals - How to Be a Human Being

Could this cover scream "Indie Band!" any harder?

Glass Animals is a band I have known about but only listened to a bit of their work before. Recently one of their songs that I liked on Spotify, Season 2 Episode 3, kept coming up so I decided to check out the album it was from: How to Be a Human Being. It was a good listen and I have been replaying some songs like Life Itself, Pork Soda, and The Other Side of Paradise.

I also listened to ZABA, their first album, and while appreciate its experimentation it was hit and miss at times with some tracks failing to be memorable. How to Be a Human Being is more consistent and has a sound that is more appealing to me. If you are a fan of indie/alternative music this album is definitely worth a try.

Kaen/ Love Dramatic feat. Ihara Rikka/ 99.9

Mob Psycho 100=If One Punch Man was more than a one note joke

My final recommendation is the triple threat that is the openings of all this season's best anime. First is Kaen, which is the opening to Dororo (2019), a series about a man cursed at birth who recovers the body parts that he was born without by slaying the demons his father made a deal with. Its a dark story that injects a nice dose of levity through its character interactions that makes it an overall fun adventure show. Its opening starts by eluding to the melancholy of the entire scenario before becoming more fast paced and bombastic, which signifies our main characters refusal to accept the hand they have been dealt. 

Love Dramtic feat. Ihara Rikka is theme of the season best comedy Kaguya-sama: Love is War, a romantic comedy centered on two high schoolers who harbor feelings for one another but refuse to admit their attraction, instead they try to trick the other into confessing first. The first two episodes are rough around the edges though by episode 3 it finds its footing and maintains an consistently funny rhythm. This OP is pure funk which is cheesy but hard not to fall in love with, much like the series itself. 

Last but certainly not least is 99.9, the theme of the best show of the season Mob Psycho II. Its amazing and I cannot recommend it enough. Smartly written, beautifully animated, and full of heart, this series has everything. Its OP touches upon the recurring theme of Mob needing to accept himself  in order to be a more emotionally healthy person.

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Cleverly Absurd

On January 25th, 2019 the final episodes of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Having recently watched the finale I can safely say that it is sad to see such a uniquely hilarious and strange show. Recalling the semester when the show first came out I remember hearing other film majors calling the show "enjoyably bad" or "kinda terrible", which was odd to me. Many were treating the show as a guilty pleasure or a fluke and it seems like a disservice to the creative team.

Created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the same team behind 30 Rock, Kimmy Schmidt is an absurdist comedy it is unapologetic in his eccentricities. Its fast pace prevents you from lingering on one odd occurrence or joke before heading to the next event in that episode's plot. Choosing not to ease a viewer into the experience can understandably be a con to some but it is one of my favorite aspects of the show. Such little exposition or scenes that lingers allows for greater immersion in the narrative and setting since the audience is in a similar position as our protagonist Kimmy, being into a strange new setting that they must adapt and find their own footing.

Kimmy is also a surprisingly complex character. While she may seem happy-go-lucky and naive on the surface the series does not stray away from exploring the deeper traumas she has. A reoccurring issue Kimmy has is an inversion to physical intimacy due to her years of being abused by her kidnapper, but where this character differs from many victims of traumatic circumstances is that she does not dominated by that past experience. She is determined to persevere and establish her own identity, rejecting being classified as a victim by the world at large. In many ways she is one of the most positive portrayals of a trauma survivor I have seen as she accepts her past strife but has no intention of letting it define who she is.

The various oddities in the world were used to further the commentary and comedy, pushing real-world scenarios ti an extreme that demonstrate the ridiculous nature of real-world entities and events. Kimmy Schmidt takes shots at every prominent viewpoint or perspective, from conservative to liberal and from the sports industry to Broadway.  While it is unafraid to tackle and mock issues and social groups it does not do so maliciously, always balancing showcasing one extreme by soon targeting the opposite end of the spectrum.

Season 3's ongoing plot thread about the gentrification of New York's boroughs is a great example of this. On one hand you have Lillian (Carol Kane), who sees the changing of her neighborhood as an attack of its culture with the upscaling of the block leading to a stripping of its personality and driving out of its current residents. Then Artie (Peter Riegert) is introduced as a counterpoint to her cause, a rich philanthropist who sees gentrification as a way to help the less fortunate and prevent children from having the poor upbringing he had. Their relationship manages to have great comedic moments while commenting on real issues effecting New Yorkers like food deserts and rising housing prices.

If you do not find the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt funny then that is fine because comedy is highly subjective, but dismissing the show as being simply sill or stupid is writing off the depth and nuance that exists in the series. With the whole series being available on Netflix I would encourage everyone to hive the show a shoot and see if its clever absurdity entertains you as much as it does me. 

Pixar's Sparkshorts

While looking into information on Toy Story 4 I stumbled upon Pixar's SparkShorts. This recent initiative allows those working in the animation industry to create short films using Pixar's resources and given creative freedom. Getting to see smaller projects made by lesser known talent is interesting and with the first three shorts already released on their Youtube channel it seems like now is a great time to check them out.

Purl (2019)

Background/Summary: Written and directed by Kristen Lester, the film follows Purl, a living ball of yarn, who enters a corporate, human male culture that initially alienates her.

Takeaways: While Pixar has juxtaposed realistic and cartoonish character designs in the past, most notably with Inside Out, Purl's constant interaction between the two styles is unique. It gave the short its own personality while easily keeping my interest. I could easily see Purl's unique visual style working in a feature-length film and hopefully it gets implemented into future productions.

Outside of visuals, the film's other major takeaway is its societal commentary. Many animated features focus on addressing universal themes while leaving any critiques on cultures as subtext which is not a bad move, but a more explicit commentary is welcome. Given the demographic of Pixar movies it would be surprising to see this element bleed into other productions though it can not be entirely ruled out.

Smash and Grab (2019)

Background/Summary: Industry veteran Brian Larsen, who has been working in animation since The Iron Giant, tells the tale of two underclass robots who want to break the chains that are preventing them from expressing their friendship.

Takeaways: It is hard not to get Wall-E vibes when watching Smash and Grab. From its dystopian setting to its silent robot protagonists this short seems to purposely invoke similar ideas and aesthetics of Pixar's past success. This is not necessarily a con since I love science fiction and seeing the studio explore that genre further is enticing, though it would be nice if future efforts distinguished themselves a bit more. Though this short is well-done and has heart it hues too closely to its predecessor. It comes off more as a distillation of Wall-E's themes then an expression of something uniquely its own

Kitbull (2019)

Background/ Summary: Kitbull, created by Rosanna Sullivan, is about the friendship that forms between a stray cat and an abused dog.

Takeaways: Besides 2010's Day & Night, the short film that was shown before Toy Story 3, I can not think of many prior example of Pixar exploring 2D animation. This makes Kitbull stand out as it sport a beautiful animation and a lovely art style. Its hand-drawn look imbues everything with personality and charm with designs like the kitten's looking like soemthing from a Studio Ghibli production. Pixar posted a video that showcased how the short was made and the process they used is fascinating as they used 3D modeling to layout the scenes before drawing over and animating it.

Theatrical 2D animation has been out of favor for years due to various reasons but Kitbull's smart production strategy presents a possible future for them to come back. Pixar has shown its capability of making 2D animation that looks amazing and after the massive financial success of The Incredibles 2 the studio has enough clout and earnings to take such a potentially risky venture.

Final Thoughts

The SparkShorts initiative is being more experimental than I thought it would be which is great. Each one seems to have a healthy budget so Pixar's desire to facilitate creative expression seems genuine. While Smash and Grab may have may have been too similar to Wall-E for my taste all three shorts were enjoyable and worth a watch. More shorts are going to be released in the coming weeks so there is a lot to look forward too.

Rom-Com Roundup

OOO's Love Combo is the figuart we want but not the figurart we deserve.

Romantic comedies are a genre I usually avoid because they often feel bland or predictable. In honor of Valentine's Day I decided to challenge my preconceived notions and check out three of the most talked about rom-coms in recent years.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

Proving that invasions of privacy can have adorable results.

 Based on Jenny Han's best-selling novel this film is about Lara Jean (Lana Condor), a teenage who keeps letters she has written to every crush she had. One day those letters are mailed out without her knowledge and in the aftermath Lara Jean ends up in a fake relationship with Peter (Noah Centino), a former crush.

The biggest surprise with this film is how down to earth it can be with traumatic experiences that gives the main character some depth while making them more relatable. Lara Jean and Peter's great chemistry made it easy to get invested in their relationship and watching each of tehm let their guards down was entertaining while being believable. Of the three films this one probably had the best romance. 

Another surprise was the cinematography which was far stronger than I though it would be. Most comedies tend to use flat lighting in order to maximize shot coverage, but To All the Boys I've Loved Before bucks this trend. This film use of shadows and natural lighting grounds its world even further and makes it feel more natural then many teen comedies. Some shot compositions were also impressive in how they helped showcase character's emotional distress.

On the comedy side of things is where this movie falters. To be fair some jokes do hit and are funny, but a fair number of the fail pretty hard. Some of the material that comic relief characters are given given, such as Lara Jean's best friend, is straight up cringe worthy. Though the film's biggest problem lies in its antagonist Gen (Emilija Baranac), who is very one-dimensional and almost cartoonishly spiteful. Her lack of depth and one-note characterization ends up clashing with the grounded nature of the rest of the film.

A poor villain aside this film ended up being quite enjoyable. Its sweet and charming while also having substance that elevates it above being cinematic fluff.

The Big Sick (2017)

Kumail's happy knowing he managed to leave The Daily Show before it became insufferable.

Kumail Nanijihani plays Kumail, a struggling comedian who falls in love with Emily (Zoe Kazan). He has to hide this relationship from his Muslim parents who are trying to arrange a marriage for him. The whole situation worsens when Emily is hospitalized and Kumail has to interact with her parents.

Co-written by Nanijihani and Emily V. Gordon, this story is based on their real-life relationship. This grounding comes through in the final product with dialogue feeling natural and everything has a sense of tangibility. Kamil's dramatic weight is impactful while also feeling believable. His conflict of trying to please his parents wishes while also not letting their cultural beliefs define his life is a struggle almost anyone can relate to on some level.

On the technical side their is not much to talk about. I noticed a use of a Dutch Angle and that's about it as far as film making tricks. Its not a true fault of the film since its clear that cinematography is not its focus. Everything is in service of the characters and allowing the actors to embody their struggle. While more variation would have been welcome, its easy to accept a lot of shoot-reverse shoot when the plot is gripping and performances are good.

Kamil and Emily's relationship is nice with the actors having a good back and forth though I wish their relationship was showcased more before Emily's hospitalization. Once she gets sick her character is essentially a non-participant for the entirety of Act 2.

Far more of a drama than a comedy, it still boasts a good romance and a strong character journey. While the relationship could have been enhanced with more screen time in Act 1 it was still a great feature.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Most fictional aspect of this film is proposing that rich people have redeemable souls.

Rachel (Constance Wu) is dating Nick (Henry Golding). Rachel finds out that Nick's family is filthy rich. Nick's mother  Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) finds out that Rachel's family isn't. Conflict ensues.

The film's drama is more complicated but you wouldn't know that if you judged just by the first act, which is pretty cheesy and light-weight. Once you get into the meat of the conflict in Act 2 is when the narrative's weight is felt. Themes about the toxic nature of traditionalism and how it facilitates the growth of classicism and infighting. Rachel is by far the most fleshed-out character though some like Eleanor get a decent amount of depth.

It looks like a high-budget studio production and that is not said as an insult. Crazy Rich Asians is the first major studio film in over two decades to have an entirely Asian cast which makes this movie a benchmark for diversity. Its a blockbuster that is meant to service an underrepresented so I don't mind if its visually average.

What I have no problem critiquing is Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina), Rachel's best friend and the film's major comic relief, being super annoying. She dominates many of the early scenes she is in and her personality gets grating fast. Her entire family is meant to be funny and while they did make me laugh when they were first introduced, subsequent appearance felt lacking.

Comically lacking but thematically rich this film ended up being a fun watch.

Conclusion 

 Pleasantly surprised at the quality of each of these film with each being really enjoyable. While I enjoyed some more than others it feels kinda weird to rank them so I want to say what good ways to watch them is.

Crazy Rich Asian: It's a crowd-pleaser so it is probably best enjoyed with a group of people. If your friends or family want a movie night than this is a good option.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before: If your looking for a date night film than this is a solid pick. Its grounded and more intimate while still being very approachable.

The Big Sick: A very interesting and personal story that might be too heavy if you are looking for a fun watch. Initial viewing should probably be by yourself or a significant other who is into dramaedies.

Chalice isn't a super love themed character but his visor is heart-shaped so...it fits.

Deciphering Toy Story 4's Existence

Toy Story 4 is a movie that confuses me. After Toy Story 3 ended the franchise on a thematically poignant note it seems so odd to release another film. I am curious about this new project but cautious. To alleviate some of this confusion I have decided to delve into what is known so far about the project in order to get a better feel of what to expect upon its release.

The Talent Behind It

The film's IMDB page shows a mix of old and new talents. John Lasster, Andrew Stanton, Pete Doctor, and Lee Unkrich are all credited as story creators. All four of them are Pixar veterans who have extensive history with the franchise. Having such figureheads in charge of the story is a potential sign this new narrative may have the depth of past entries.

Though they may have created the narrative they are not in charge of the script. Will McCormack and Stephen Folsom are the movie's screenwriters and both are relatively new to feature film making. Additionally neither has much experience with animated projects with Folsom having written two episodes of Star Wars Resistance.

Josh Cooley, the director, lands in the middle of the rookie-veteran spectrum. Cooley has been a storyboard artist with Pixar since The Incredibles and was one of three screenwriters on Inside Out. He has directed animated shorts but Toy Story 4 will be his first feature-length film.

The Premise

A summary of the film can be found on Pixar's website which ,for brevity's sake, will not be copy/pasted here. This paragraph has three major details about the movie:

1.  It is a road-trip so the plot will be structured around visiting various settings and set pieces.
2. Forky, the character that premiered in the first trailer, will be a central figure in the story and his identity crisis regarding his status as a toy.
3. Woody's conceptions about the world seem to be the main theme of the narrative. It mentions that Woody has always devoted himself to taking care of his owner and never questioned this role until now.

This premise is interesting as it does buck trends established in the previous films. Instead of focusing on one central location the narrative will shift its settings throughout the story. Having the main character's world view challenged also presents some interesting opportunities to explore Woody's character.

The Marketing 

So far there have been three trailers released for the film with each having a comedic tone. Comedy seems to be the central tenet of the marketing campaign which could best be seen in the second trailer which focuses on Ducky and Bunny, two new characters who are voiced by Keegan-Micheal Key and Jordan Peele. The ad is centered on Bunny and Ducky recreating a reoccurring sketch from their show, Key & Peele. 

Bo Peep's appearance on the international poster and Super Bowl spot seems to be a play to nostalgia. Compared to the comedy this aspect of the marketing is fairly minor though.

The Verdict 

Having so many Toy Story founders still playing a hand in the new installment's creation is reassuring and the plot synopsis hints that there may be interesting themes. Though having this project's screenwriters being relative fresh faces is interesting but odd since only one of them, Folsom, has previous experience writing for animation.

The advertising push is probably the most concerning aspect of the movie. Focusing on Key & Peele is weird considering their show been off the air for years and both comedians have been successfully pursuing solo careers since its cancellation. Bringing them together for Toy Story 4 seems like a move that is a year or two too late. It makes Ducky and Bunny feel like characters from previous drafts that were brought into the final product even if their gimmick is dated, which makes me worried if there are other dated aspects. 

While the ads have not made me laugh it would be wrong to write off what the comedy will be like in the final product. Jokes have failed to land so far though that could be tied to how little I am attached to these new characters which the final film could fix. This feature is being promoted as the most light-heated in the series so while their is precedent for thematic depth it should not be the expectation.

Sorry to Bother You

Boot's Riley directorial debut, Sorry to Bother You (2018) was one of the most lauded indie films of last year, with discussion and analysis around it seemingly increasing since the New Year. Interested I went in with no knowledge of what the movie was actually about, which was the perfect way of experiencing it.

Sorry to Bother You is an absurdist comedy that follows Cassius (Lakeith Stainfield) as he gets hired at a call center and tries to climb the corporate ladder. While there is more to unpack and discuss I want to avoid any chance of spoiling it since this is an experience best enjoyed by going in as blind as possible. At its heart the film is a critique of capitalism but there are several more subject matters explored and it all comes to together to a fascinating piece of cinema.

Stylistically  this film could best be described as art-house by way of Adult Swim. Its absurdist aesthetic at times reminded me of shows like Tim and Eric or Children's Hospital but this movie avoids the raunchy and juvenile trappings of those programs. Beautiful lighting and great shot composition help visually convey the character's emotions and help endear the viewer to its weird world. Their is a lot of style on display that strengths the substance of its societal commentary while not being overbearing.



Though the style and substance complimented each other for me I could see how someone else could feel differently. It was overwhelming to me at first yet eventually warmed up to it, yet it would not be surprising if others could not acclimate to how the movie presents itself. While I cannot guarantee what you will get out of it there is a entertaining and interesting viewing experience worth having.

Tangled

In preparation to play Kingdom Hearts 3 I decided to watch Tangled (2010), the only film featured in that game that I had not watched before. Tangled seemed to spark the beginning of Disney Animation's recent wave of success though discussion around the movie seemed to die out when the studio's next production, Frozen (2013), became a cultural phenomenon.

Rapunzel is a pretty shallow fairy tale so I was surprised by how well the creative team managed to use its elements as a springboard for making a fun world. Though the world building gets off to rough start with a lengthy exposition dump that explains how Rapunzel's hair is magical and Gothel kidnapped her in order to exploit that power. It felt inelegant and sloppy though most of these writing issue are relegated to Act 1 with the movie finding its footing in Act 2.

Most of the cast is very likeable with Rapunzel being a highlight as a protagonist with a big personality but with enough agency and intelligence that she always felt competent in any situation. Her and Flynn end up having a nice chemistry with their courtship being fairly cute. Even the animal side kicks, a horse named Maximus and a chameleon called Pascal, have nice comedic moments while avoiding being annoying.

Beautifully animated and with colors the pop, Tangled is visually gorgeous. Some sequences like the fight in the canyon utilize dynamic camera work that gives the set pieces a nice sense of energy. The visual design exuded charm and it was hard not to smile at times. Character designs are nicely varied even though it does all into the trapping that many animated films have where the main character are all traditionally beautiful while the more unique designs of its supporting cast are treated as being ugly or abnormal.

Surprisingly cute couple that isn't as generic as promo pics led me to believe.

The film's biggest flaw is its antagonist, Gothel. Her position as Rapunzel's kid napper/ adoptive mother presented the writers with two possible avenues for her character's development: they could have made her sympathetic or unapologetically evil. While giving Gothel some kind of true motherly attachment to the protagonist would have been an interesting direction rich, exploring that kind of captor/captive relationship is a dark subject matter that may be too much for the movie's target demo to handle or understand.

So while I can not begrudge the writers for choosing to make her fully evil I can say that she failed to leave any kind of impression. Gothel has the motives of a crazy mastermind but lacks the larger then life personality that makes these type of villains enjoyable to watch. She mocks our heroes with petty insults and jabs that just feel juvenile and as a result she never feels like a true threat. Instead og coming across as a serious, manipulative monster she ultimately feels like a rejected extra out of a Disney Channel original movie.

Tangled was a pleasant surprise and a fun watch. It has a clunky start but it eventually settles into a nice grove. If its villian got some major reworks I could see this film being on par with many classic Disney films. Still a enjoyable movie and a worthwhile watch if your in the mood for some family-friendly entertainment.

Children of Men

Children of Men (2006) is considered to be a classic film in some circles which easy to understand at first glance. Its premise of a world where mankind has been left infertile is interesting and its use of ong takes(oners) is legendary. However, just because a project is lauded with praise does not mean it above fair critique.

The tale of a man seeking redemption by guiding society's last hope presents great potential for character development, but its let down by the dialogue. All lines are delivered with concise wording and a fast, unnatural cadence that ,at first, I appreciated for how it sped up exposition. The problem arose when it was carried over into every exchange because that is not how people talk. This utilitarian approach to dialogue ensured that every line was efficient and had purpose but also led to a lack of resonance for me because it caused them to never seem like real people, which is a major flaw for a story that is meant to examine the humanity of its characters.

Quick, unnatural line delivery ties into my biggest critique with the film: its pacing. It moves at a breakneck speed and rarely slows down, making it difficult to get immersed into the world. Children of Men's take on a dystopian society is interesting and worth exploration yet the focus on moving from set-piece to set-piece does not allow the characters or audience to linger in one environment for too long, limiting the opportunities for quiet periods of reflection that build immersion.

Most disturbing thing about this scene is how hideous that bag is.

To the film's credit the set-pieces are well done, utilizing great staging and camera work to make each one visceral. Director Alfonso Cuaron seem to have a great handle on how to use oners to further a scene's tension and sense of chaos. Art direction is on point when it comes to lending the dilapidated world a sense of realism and scale. If I was judging the film purely on its technical merits then it would be spectacular.

Though the premise is fascinating and the entire production is well shot Children of Men's fast pacing and unnatural dialogue prevented me from getting fully invested and immersed. It was an interesting watch and though far from a bad movie it ultimately disappointed in many key areas of storytelling. Not a regrettable viewing but can safely say it will not be one I return to in the foreseeable future.

The Florida Project

Looking at Sean Baker's filmography reveals his tendency to tackle underexplored perspectives in our society. Take Out (2004) told the story of a Chinese immigrant, Tangerine (2015) was a tale about a transgender prostitute, and his most recent film The Florida Project (2017) is based around the lives of people living in the impoverished neighborhoods of Kissimmee, Florida. Centering on six-year old Moonee (Brooklyn Prince) and her mother Halley (Bria Vinate) as they try to make it through the Summer, this is a tale meant to showcase the struggles experienced by low income communities.

It starts as a series of vignettes that introduce the characters and the setting before transitioning into a tighter narrative structure in the second act. This is an approach that I am fond of and the film pulls it off quite well though some vignettes are overly long. The hottest point of contention with the movie is its ending which takes a more abstract fantastical style. I found this shift to be jarring and while the intention to leave the story on an open-ended note is understandable it clashes too heavily with the realistic tone of the rest of the project. Resolutions that are up to viewer interpretation can work but not when they veer too far from the thematic and stylistic approach of everything that proceeded it.

Though a consistent throughout the entire production is the strong acting with the child actors Being surprisingly good even when they are given clunky dialogue. Amazon's summary of  The Florida Project declares that Willem Dafoe's role as Bobby, the hotel manager, is a career-best performance and I would agree. Dafoe is well-known for his over-the-top roles that his down-to-Earth portrayal of Bobby allows him to flex his acting skills as he delves into a dramatic role..

Dafoe drops truth bombs better than be drop pumpkin bombs.

On the visual side the biggest standout is the film's color palette which, as you can see by looking at the movie's posters, really pop and standout which helps give the world life and personality while also having symbolic weight. In the text it is pointed out how the motel's owner spent over two million to give the building a vivid purple paint job but will not give Bobby the funds to hire an exterminator for a bedbug infested room. It points out how we often put up fronts and hide our problems in the world around us, but in this quest to gloss over the issues it leads to our flaws growing worse and potentially spiraling out of our control.

Several films that focus on people in poverty feel heavy-handed and preachy but The Flordia Project avoids those trappings thanks to strong direction, good writing, and interesting characters. While the effectiveness of the ending is debatable the strengths of the rest of the movie make it a great watch.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly

Blue Boys vs. Green Man: The Movie

In many ways Broly was the Boba Fett of Dragon Ball, with both characters having iconic designs that are undermined by shallow characterization. In his previous films Broly was little more than a raging giant. Luckily all those previous films are non canonical which now lets the series creator, Akira Toriyama, rework and reintroduce Broly into the series proper.

World building is given more focus than most previous DBZ films. Act one shows the origin of Broly while also giving more insight into the Freeza Force's history with the Saiyan race. There are slight retcons made like Goku's parents involvement in his departure to Earth which seemed somewhat unnecessary but welcome. The prioritization on character work in the first half was a pleasant surprise with the charm and personality of the returning cast being well displayed while the new characters get enough screen time to leave an impression .

Super Saiyan God Vegeta makes his onscreen debut and he looks so good!

The second half focuses squarely on unrelenting action. Amazing fight choreography and excellent, unique animation make this one of the most beautiful pieces of Dragon Ball media ever made. While the fighting is exciting it was disappointing to see Broly fall back into the familiar DBZ film formula after it had spent so much time sidestepping those trappings and exceeding what was expected out of a shounen movie. An increased focus on fisticuffs also meant less time spent on character interactions which was also sad to see. There are character moments sprinkled throughout the brawl but they take a noticeable back seat.

Luckily the climax and ending do renew the focus on character work, with the film's final moments demonstrating the franchise's trademark charm. While Broly is not the best Dragon Ball film ever made, that honor still belongs to Battle of Gods, it is easily the runner up due to how well it utilizes the cast to deliver an entertaining and engaging experience. While the action may have overly dominated its second half Dragon Ball Super: Broly was still a great time and a must-see for any fan of the series.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack

Gundam is a franchise that I have dipped my toe into over the years but have never to a degree where I would consider myself a full-on fan. That changed last year after watching the original Mobile Suit Gundam film trilogy. Many of the original's elements still hold up surprisingly well and demonstrates how influential this franchise has been on not only the mecha genre but the entirety of the anime industry. One of the strongest factors was the rivalry between Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, which spanned across the first series, it's sequels, Zeta Gundam and Double Zeta Gundam, with Char's Counterattack being the conclusion of the conflict.

Taking place 14 years after the end of the One Year War, Char is now leading a revived faction of Zeon as they launch asteroids at the Earth, with each impact bringing the planet closer to a nuclear winter. Amuro and the Earth Federation are taking every step possible to prevent such a disaster. The film is at its best when focused on Amruo and Ray's relationship and exploring how each has been emotionally crippled since losing Lalah and how each resents the other because of it. The most interesting wrinkle is that they both know that no one else can understand them on the same level that they know each other. This relationship is utterly fascinating and if this was the main focus of the movie than is would be spectacular.

Amuro and Char: the heart of the film.

Unfortunately much of Char's Counterattack is spent with new characters. The sheer glut of new faces in a two-hour film causes them to be underdeveloped, with Quess Paraya being the worst offender. Quess shares many similarities with Kamille Bidan, the protagonist of Zeta Gundam, as they both were raised in powerful but broken households and now lash out at everyone around them, which initially makes both of them unlikable. The difference is that Kamille had 50 episodes to mature and became a fleshed-out character. The same can not be said of Quess whose slight development fails to create significant character growth, preventing her from overcoming the initial unlikability.

Incorporating so many new younger characters was likely done to touch upon how war affects youth, one of theme s that is at the core of  Gundam. This presents an issue because the short run time means this is an idea that fails to be explored thoroughly while taking attention away from exploring the effect of war on those hardened by previous conflicts. That is a theme that Char's Counterattack is uniquely equipped to fully explore thanks to the characters and world that have been developed for over a decade upon it's release. Yet it squanders some of this thematic potential by trying to explore the youth angle more the veteran persepctive.

Though the movie is not without its merits. As previously mentioned, all scenes with Amuro or Char are great with some like Char riding a shuttle full of pro-Zeon civilians who sing propaganda  in his honor being great pieces of world building while also showcasing how the character's have evolved over the years. The climax is awe-inspiring and evocative, perfectly showcasing Gundam's consistent message of human potential and the power of cooperation. Shot composition is also strong particularity regarding showing scale and conveying the isolation of space. Also the animation is gorgeous and still holds up even 30 years after its initial release.

Creating a story that was meant to end a fourteen-year saga is not a simple task, especially with a universe as complex as Gundam's Universal Century timeline. While Char's Counterattack spends too much time focusing on its weaker elements the strong qualities rise to the top and the entire project evens out to being okay overall. It is a good film that disappoints because of how close it was to being truly great.

The Sweatbox

When a video called "The Sweatbox (2002) - BANNED DISNEY DOCUMENTARY" showed up in my recommended feed I initially thought it was a bad Creepypasta. Some research revealed that The Sweatbox (2002) is a real film that documents how the Disney feature Kingdom of the Sun was continually altered until eventually transforming into The Emperor's New Groove (2000). Getting a peak behind the creative process and troubles of an animated film did intrigue me so it became the fourth of one hundred films.

If anyone intends to watch this movie because it sounds like it will be a hit piece that showcases the evils of Disney then you will be disappointing. The Sweatbox is not an indictment of the corporation and despite what the flaunting of its "banned" status, its a fairly straightforward chronicling of the six-year production process of Kingdom of the Sun and the strain it put on those developing it. The first 30 minutes are spent showing Roger Allers, the project's lead, and his crew researching and creating a fantasy film whose scope was on par with Allers's previous hit, The Loin King (1994). Seeing most of that work get thrown out after its first screening to the heads of the animation department is devastating. When one of the heads said that the only thing he liked about the production was two songs you can feel all the crew's hearts breaking.

A living totem character was one of many elements from the original pitch that was cut.

This is when I started to have conflicting feelings about the film. On one hand seeing Aller's work get criticized and thrown away is sad especially as a fellow creator, but on the other hand I do not begrudge the department heads for their critiques. From everything shown it looked like Kingdom of the Sun was a fairly stock Prince and the Pauper-style story. Though the production seemed well-detailed and visually lavish, it seems to have been in service to tell a generic tale. While what the film eventually turned into, The Emperor's New Grove, is not Aller's vision it is arguably a more unique and interesting addition to the Disney pantheon then the initial pitch would have been.

Ultimately I am at impasse with this project since while parts of it are interesting, it showcases a production cycle that is fairly unremarkable when compared to other production disasters like Fantastic Four (2015) or Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). If you are a Disneyphile or a fan of animation then this may be worth a watch but everyone else could safely skip it. While the sun may have set on Aller's original idea, it would rise again to reveal a quirky cult classic and a serviceable documentary.

Fyre + Fyre Fraud

In the spring of 2017 a massively hyped-up music festival failed spectacularly as it was revealed to have been built on a bed of lies. Its attendees who were promised extravagant beach-side housing were left to sleep in wet tents. Everyone who bought into it felt scammed and whose on the outside ridiculed and memed their misery. This infamous debacle is known as Fyre Festival, an event that was spearheaded by entrepreneur Billy McFarland and professional rapper/grunter Ja Rule.

After a few weeks the memes died down, lawsuits were filed, and Fyre Media went into bankruptcy while the incident faded from the public eye. I have barely thought about Fyre Festival since with it only coming to my attention again after watching the Internet Historian's great video "The Failure of Fyre Festival" about a year ago. However it seems the event has remained in quite a few people's minds as in the span of one week not one but TWO documentaries about the festival were released on competing streaming platforms. How do they differ from one another and which is superior? Well that's what I intended to weigh in on.

Fyre: The Greatest Party that Never Happened  (Fyre)/ Netflix

When taking a documentary studies class about a year ago the first lesson our professor taught us was how to identify a doc's intent ,and Fyre's  main goal is to illustrate how the many failings of the music festival (like its deceptive marketing, questionable business practices, and terrible event planning) can be fully blamed on Billy McFarland. Many testimonials from his former employees, advisors, and contractors paints a picture of a man whose thirst for success led him to lie to everyone around him as he refused to properly prepare for the monumental task he was throwing onto their shoulders.

Pay for villas, get wet tents.

The film attempts to level all blame onto McFarland is fairly transparent. Using cliche demonizing methods such as the heavy use of ominous music and slowing down clips to make them seem more threatening. Having a majority of those interviewed being those who played a prominent had in the festival's creation is also telling as they deflect all blame onto McFarland, even when talking about failings that their departments were in charge of. It's odd that the documentary never criticizes them, even the other major players, for the roles they played. Even weirder is that Ja Rule, the co-founder of Fyre Festival, was shown to have a lot of influence over how it was organized early in the film but after the first 30 minutes he barely gets mentioned again.

Fyre's heavy bias and focus on incriminating McFarland prevents the movie from truly exploring every facet of the doomed event. I am not saying that McFarland is blameless, far from it, but rather that he can not be the only one to blame. What about Ja Rule the other co-creator who in every clip seems to be the dominant personality in their relationship who, after the first 30 mins, barely gets mentioned? Or those who worked alongside McFarland yet dismiss any culpability? The film's narrow scope ultimately makes it feel more like a hit-piece then a comprehensive deep dive.

Fyre Frau/ Hulu

This doc succeeds where the other falters by offering a wider scope of the entire operation of Fyre Media and the history that led up to the festival. It covers many of the subjects that I wanted to be further explored such as the impact of influencer culture, the complicity of the other major contributors to Fyre Fest like its marketing and planning director, and what hand Ja Rule played in it all. The greatest advantage this film has is that it actually interviews Billy McFarland.

McFarland just riding the waves of a sea of tears. 

Despite not setting its sights squarely on McFarland, this film is better at showcasing his faults by having him speak. Seeing him dodge questions, frequently avoiding eye contact with the interviewer, and getting aggressively defensive at any allegations while evidence of his deceit are shown is fascinating. McFarland is shown not as a cartoonish monster but instead as a human being. A flawed, destructive, delusional man who refuses to take responsibility for what he did. A interesting character portrait is made alongside a critique of those who aided him in creating the event.

An interesting aspect mentioned at the end is that Jerry Media, the marketing company that advertised Fyre Festival, is funding its own documentary which is Fyre: The Greatest Party that Never Happened. It seems Fyre was created by Jerry Media as damage control, using McFarland's terrible reputation to make him a scapegoat for any and all responsibility they had in organizing the failed event. Fyre Fraud has accomplished one of the most impressive clapbacks that I have seen, easily poking holes in the other doc's credibility.

Conclusion 

Of the two films Fyre Fraud is definitely the one worth watching. It only has a wider scope, more interesting editing,  and a greater statement. The dubious motives behind Fyre's creation led to a documentary that oversimplifies the situation while excluding important context. Hulu's Fyre Fraud is a powerful blaze while Netlfix's Fyre is merely a flash in the pan.

Both of the docs bring up the island of pigs. I figured it was the happiest thing to end on.