When it comes to the popular genre of "adult cartoons" it's very easy to categorize a show in one of two sub-genres. The comedies and the dramas (such as Aeon Flux, for example). When it comes to the comedies, you can break it down even more - the category that The Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy, South Park, etc. fall into which are more one-shot, heavy comedy based animated series, and the chronological dramadies like Archer and Moonbeam City. Recently, with the arrival of Netflix Originals, we were given the wonderful gift of BoJack Horseman, the half man/half horse, narcissistic, washed up actor in the midst of an existential crisis. The show came out of nowhere and captured the hearts and attention of fans and critics everywhere. And, with great excitement, the third season hit internet streams this past Friday - and it does not disappoint.
BoJack is known for its mature themes and undeniably perfect mixture of humor and seriousness. The show follows the misadventures of the titular character BoJack (voiced by Will Arnett) as he attempts to rediscover himself after the conclusion of his hit 90s sitcom.... a conclusion that happened almost half a century ago. He's crass, rude, and nearly always drunk, initially leaving the viewer with questions as to why they should be rooting for this washed up horse to find happiness. But as the show progressed and the first two seasons came and went (much too quick for the majority of the viewers' liking), every bit of your soul was being poured into the heartbreak and sadness that followed this unlikely hero (antihero? We still aren't sure) in his feeble attempt to find love, true friendship, and happiness. Set beside a supporting cast that is diverse, relatable in all the most wonderful ways, and has a chemistry that is electrifying, Netflix has created a momentous treasure in a surprisingly deep and moving animated series.
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The time had come. It was announced earlier this year that we would be graced with a new Batman animated movie. Little did we know that it would be THAT Batman movie. The fans know what I mean, there's one definitive comic that has been screaming to be brought to life for years since hitting the shelves. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill would, of course, be returning in their respective roles as Batman and The Joker, and comic geeks and Batman fans grew excited. It was also noted the movie would premier at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con, then be released for purchase midnight that following day. The countdown began, we were finally getting The Killing Joke; Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's controversial, beloved, and revered origin story of the infamous Batman nemesis.... The Joker.
The story, for those who are unaware, shows a quick and dark glimpse into how the Joker became the deranged, psychotic, and ruthless maniac that has haunted and taunted Batman since the dawn of comics. It's bloody, racy, violent, uncomfortable, and undoubtedly the most well known Batman comic in existence. The short one-shot is nearly thirty years old, but still captivates fans to this day. Although the animated adaptation has a few undeniably problematic elements, it is indeed exceptional. It comes across as very true to the initial media, and is worth it for long-time fans of Batman and this iconic comic. Growing up in the late nineties and early 2000s as an elementary student/pre-teen meant Cartoon Network was a massive part of every single day. From the conception of Toonami (when America finally got a hold of anime) to CN originals like The Powerpuff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Ed, Edd, and Eddy - it was the greatest part of after school afternoons. I would spend hours every day consuming quality cartoons with my mom and brother. It evolved into Disney XD late nights of Oban Star Racers, Boomerang retro marathons of 60s and 70s Hanna Barbara gold, and Saturday morning anime binge sessions on Fox. And after a while, all of the effort and beauty of classic animation was destroyed by CGI mega manufacturing, poor writing, and easy money. Flash forward to late 2015, I'm sitting alone in my apartment suffering from insomnia and I'm binging a WatchMojo playlist of some sort and come across a clip of a beautiful gem (no pun intended) called Steven Universe. I was curious, this looked like my childhood resurfacing and I was so excited.
![]() Paul Dano is immeasurably flawless. Daniel Radcliffe is undeniably incredible. The DANIELS are creative geniuses. Swiss Army Man is bizarre, delightful, impactful, and may just revolutionize the way modern Hollywood and film is done. (Please note this post may contain some spoilers for Swiss Army Man): Everybody who has even the slightest love for film and summer blockbusters has seen the posts, the reviews, the interviews - everybody stating, "in a summer full of reboots and franchise sequels, #SwissArmyMan is bringing the movies back to life." - and I simply cannot agree more. This is one of the most beautiful, heartfelt, and original pieces of cinematography I have seen in a very long time. Now, please hear me on this, I am a movie buff. On average I see a minimum of three movies a week (so at a minimum, 156 movies annually from the comfort of my home) on various streaming and rental services and somewhere between 17-25 movies in theaters per year. And I am going to be completely honest, it has been a long time since I've seen a movie so full of passion, brilliance, weirdness, and brutal honesty about life in the 21st century than Swiss Army Man. Probably the last movie this original and utterly out there I have seen was 2008's The Brother's Bloom, which means it was well overdue for Hollywood to be shaken a bit. And I honestly will be quite upset if this doesn't get some form of an Oscar. Now, also hear this - this is NOT a movie for everyone. Like Deadpool, just because reviews are great and it's starring the lovable Harry Potter alum, please DO NOT take your children to this, and do not go into this movie without some caution since this movie one hundred percent refused to hold back in any way shape and form.
In a day and age where everybody is paying astronomical prices for Spotify, Tidal, Hulu, and Netflix (just to name a few), and nobody feels comfortable being confined in a cubicle to make enough moolah to support the media habits of 2016, YouTube Red just kind of seems like an unnecessary add-on. Now, granted, since 2012 I developed a habit where I spend an average of 3-5 hours on YouTube every day, I even have playlists running all night as I sleep. But the commercials didn't bother me and their original content didn't seem appealing... that was until last night. It was a dark and stormy and horribly boring evening locked up at work as the rains literally beat down on the roof of the gym I work at. Holiday weekends are usually slow, so I was kicked back behind the counter catching up on my daily YouTube subscriptions - Markiplier, FunHaus, JackSepticEye, the majority of my day-to-day YouTube consumption revolving around Let's Plays. I've always been familiar with the Tyler Oakleys and Shane Dawsons and iJustines of the world, but was never super interested in keeping tabs on them. I appreciate what they do but it's never been massively appealing. But, the night was slow andI had run out of media, and I came across the first episode of Joey Graceffa's "Escape The Night" and I was hooked. I broke down and bought YouTube Red because I HAD to know what happened next - curses, I was trying so hard too.
![]() May 28th, 2012 - PewDiePie uploads a video that lasts 5:42, titled "FREAKY SH'T! - Paranormal - Part 1". This video was my introduction to PewDiePie, and to the world of Let's Plays, YouTube gaming videos, and Indie Horror Games (it also led to me and my sister running around yelling JER-O-MII to my younger brother and playing pranks on each other by hiding our vast collection of sketch models in each other's rooms and bathrooms when the other was sleeping). I was going through a really rough patch (like both parents died, I moved, I was being forced to go to college, new family, life falling apart, it was lovely) and this five minute, forty two second long video changed my life. It was a new experience, I never realized how much I loved the jumpscares and being swept away into another world. After that I discovered the love of my life, Markiplier (he just doesn't know it yet) and my world became immersed in the world of YouTube Gaming (before that was even a thing). Flash forward four years - Felix Kjellberg is now the most subscribed person on YouTube, he has uploaded thousands of videos, almost 95% of which are all creations from his own mind (the remaining being fan made videos using VOs from his uploads). He has made a fairly popular mobile game, published a novel about motivational quotes and an abundance of pictures of ducks, has an army of bros spanning across the globe, and has become a household name in the matter of a few short years. And yet, everybody seems to hate the guy. People complain about his face, his voice, his attitude, "he's a sell-out". People like the infamous MatPat have even made videos trying to justify his success. Now I'll admit it, as the years have gone on the content and quality fluctuates. But a moment of honesty? PewDiePie is a genius and deserves every bit of recognition and every subscription, he earned it and has stayed one of the most humble human beings in the Social Media empire. And let me explain to you why.... |
AuthorJust your average geek chic gamer chick into all things ghostly and geeky (and vice versa) Archives
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