In-Progress Review - DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD

TL;DR - It’s my favorite one so far, but I have TINY quibbles

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"Dragon Age: The Veilguard" has quickly become my favorite Dragon Age game, almost perfect in my eyes. To explain why, I’ll walk through my thoughts on the earlier games in the series and how they set the stage for what makes *Veilguard* so enjoyable—consider this a kind of “in-progress” review and retrospective.

Starting with *Dragon Age: Origins*, I really enjoyed it, but I found *Dragon Age II* even more engaging. The action-oriented combat in *DA2* was more my style, and I preferred its story, which felt tighter and more like a focused drama, along the lines of *The Sopranos*, compared to *Origins*' epic, *Lord of the Rings* vibe. *Inquisition* didn’t quite hit the mark for me; I loved the characters but eventually lost interest in its structure. Something about it felt tedious to me. 

With *Veilguard*, it feels like BioWare nailed the best elements of the series: fast, satisfying combat, a strong cast of characters, a solid customization system, and incredible voice acting—almost like the latest *God of War* games, which I loved. Some fans miss the personalized continuity of previous world states, but it doesn’t really matter to me since I played through so many different iterations of the world states in earlier games. I don’t personally have a canonical playthrough.  As for criticisms around “cringe” dialogue, the tone for this game is not new for Dragon Age, so I didn’t find it out of place. To be honest, I find it a bit endearing. 

The only minor complaint I have is with the camera, which can be a bit clunky after locking onto enemies. That being said, it’s rare and hasn’t harmed  my enjoyment. Another part of the game I appreciate is how relationships with companions evolve based on your choices. Characters may become “hardened” if certain actions are taken, distancing themselves and losing some abilities, while spending time with them and completing their quests strengthens their bond, letting them unlock new skills. This reminds me of the *Persona* series, blending gameplay with narrative in a really immersive way. If there’s any other complaint, however small, I wish there was a degree 

All in all, this is still an “in-progress” take, and my opinions might shift by the end. For now, though, I’m having a great time with *The Veilguard*.

A Somewhat Coherent Series of Thoughts on Incel Ideology

I think the problem with dealing with incel modes of thinking is they deal in partial truths. This isn't unlike many other regressive and far right leaning ideologies. They point out the few women who are only concerned with the social/economic/physical status of men, actually hate all men, and view themselves as without fault. They then take that seemingly loud minority and frame it as though they represent the whole, preying on the insecurities of a lot of boys, men, and even women. What complicates this further is the additional fact that amongst many left-leaning individuals online (the internet being where most of this incel ideology grows and metastasizes) these very things they call out are present. 

I say this with empathy, though. I imagine the many women who, jokingly or not, say things like "I'll never do 'x,y,z' for a man," or "men are all trash," do so from a place of hurt and these are statements that reflect that as opposed literally beliefs. As far as I can tell, MANY women have been incredibly hurt by the men in their lives. Even if they meet the majority that wouldn't do that, the intensity and frequency of that hurt from before left a mark, and it's one that's hard to erase. That being said, the nuance of human experience and interaction makes this something difficult to parse at times. Sure, I understand much of this kind of talk doesn't actually mean what it's saying in a literal way, as many of the people saying these things have male partners (though that opens the door for the few that really mean what they're saying to say their man is one of, if not the only, "good one"), but without that level understanding due to proximity of relationship (this being the possible origin of much incel thought) it only appears as it does on its face. 

There's a complexity here that I think may be best parsed out on a person-to-person basis. Boys/men making legitimate friendships with girls/women is an obvious first step, but there's a weakness there in the form of how both parties are typically socialized. So, maybe that would be the first area to look. At any rate, the great truth undergirding all of this is no group is a monolith. Painting with broad brushes isn't a particularly great way to engage people emotionally since it disregards the individuality of each person. I'd argue there should be a greater focus on person-to-person interaction and experience, as opposed to assumption. I've found that to be incredibly beneficial in my own communications with everyone. That being said, the one broad brush I'd paint is this: people generally want to be appreciated and want to feel a sense of security, whether they're men or women, or gender fluid. If one approaches their interactions with that in mind, I feel they'd have a lot more success interacting with others. 

Fighting Tales #1: Be Kind to Yourself

 This is a new series I'm starting chronicling my time as a truly try to get into fighting games. I've loved them my whole life, but I've recently realized I know next to nothing about really playing them, aside from a combo or two. So, this journey begins. I'll mostly focus on Street Fighter 5, but some other games may make it in as well. 

I should learn to be kinder to myself. 

So, I’ve got this new arcade stick (Mayflash F300; a stick for people just getting into using them) and I’m trying to use it to up my game with Street Fighter 5…and I’m having difficulties. Even though the very first night I used it I managed to get a win on someone ranked higher than me, the second night it was as though I had no idea what to do. My mind would think things like, "Oh, I should anti-air this jump," or "Yeah, should use a punish on that wiff of theirs," but my hands didn't cooperate. That left me spinning. How could I forget these combos that I've spent hours practicing? How are they all dropping? Is it me? Is it lag? Is it the controller? A combination? I was so frustrated, and honestly felt pretty defeated, heartbroken, and disappointed in myself. Soon, I grew tired and went to bed upset and dejected.

Flash forward to the next morning. I wake up to do my brief combo drills and sparring before work, and find myself in the same rut. Combos dropped, movement stiff, and frustration built. Dipping back into Training Mode revealed something to me.

I simply do no have the muscle memory for the fight stick built in yet. The gamepad (Playstation) has been my controller of choice for most of my life, so there's nearly no thinking needed in my finding the buttons there. I don't even have to think about it. On the other hand, the fighting stick is an entirely different beast altogether.

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A Review of the Mayflash F300

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I have no muscle memory for this thing. My hands have no real built-in ease maneuvering across the face to each button. This created the scenario I faced, one where my hands had no coordination with my mind. One where I could "see" each action I should have taken, but not being able to execute them at all. I had put so much negative energy into myself over these perceived faults on my end, when there was no reason to expect I would perform above mediocre at my level. That's ok. One has to take the time to acknowledge the need for practice with something as skill intensive as fighting games. So, I came up with a plan to both build muscle memory and build skill. To note, this is with my current main, Luke.                                                                                                                                                                            ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

1. Stick to Training mode to prep responses to jump ins by anti-airing, punishing unsafe moves with MP- MP-MP-MP, OR LP-MP-HP

2. Perform drills on all special moves, running each 15-20 times without stopping. If a move is dropped, start the process over.

3. Run the combo trials until able to do at least 50% of them

4. Fight CPU in Versus mode, starting on difficulty 4 and moving up to 6, aiming to get three wins out of 5 on difficulty 6. 

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With this, I think I'll gain a higher degree of mobility on the fight stick. It might take a few weeks to really build it up, though. So with that comes the need for giving myself a little more grace. Considering the fact I've only been seriously digging into a fighting games for a little under two weeks, I can't expect myself to perform at a high level. I need to set realistic expectations for myself.

I need to be kinder to myself. 

 

Media In the Age of Corona: Growing Pains in Art Criticism 3

     As many of us are experiencing a surplus of free time due to Everything Going On, we are consuming many pieces of media that we may have not had time for before. This new way of being has led me to a few thoughts/re-examinations of how I consume what I consume, and my relationship with media in general.

    For one, I feel that I (if not many other people) feel a compulsion to consume as much media/content as possible. I find myself feeling as though I need to watch every new film, listen to every possible album I may enjoy, play every game that may seem to push the medium forward, or binge every new show that may strike my interest. At its worst it, feels like a sickness, or an addiction. Compounded with this is the fact that I've began to take art criticism more seriously for around a decade or so. I've tried to make more of a point to not just interact with media on a visceral but to think about its construction or analyze its themes as well. Add to that the ADDITIONAL fact that I've had a healthy diet of film and game criticism I've been reading during that same decade, which has had a major influence on how I consume and think about art, and how I think it should be discussed.

     All of these issues swirl together and manifest as part of the anxiety that is the background radiation of my life. I have this blog, I have my creative ambitions regarding what I want to talk about, and I have this sense of vague expectations I put upon myself regarding all of these things.

     "I should write a lot more. I have all these thoughts and I should express them."

     "Ok, I'll write an article a week. That should be easy." 
   
     "What do I actually have to contribute to the conversation on this? Is there anything else that should be contributed?"

     "I HAVE to watch/play this thing so I can be part of the conversation."

     In feeling all of this, I feel awash within a sea of choices: choices in what to consume, what to say, and how I feel. Even saying all of this, I don't think I've accurately expressed this feeling. It's an unease. It's a discontent. It's a fear of saying too much and not saying enough. It's the fear that I'm wasting my time and I have nothing to say, or worse, that I'm speaking to hear myself speak.

     I don't know what to do with this. So, I push through. I watch movies, play games, read criticism, keep thinking about the things I'm consuming, and try to do it all in the spirit of wanting to encourage people to think about the art they consume and how they relate to it. I just worry that I'm doing it more for myself than for everyone else.

Twenty hours into Final Fantasy 7 Remake (or A Mixed Bag at Best)

NOTE: THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST 20 HOURS OF "FINAL FANTASY 7 REMAKE" OR AT LEAST UP TO CHAPTER 13    


Part 1: The Road to Remake

     To start, I think some context is needed, as many have no real idea about the fervor around this game. I have no particular attachment to the original Final Fantasy 7. Like many, I played it as teen and enjoyed it, but moved on to the next game. It was nothing more than just another great piece of interactive entertainment that I still enjoy to this day. For some, there was a much stronger connection, and this passion and intensity was seen by the developers and publishers at Square Enix (previously Squaresoft) leading to a few ports of Final Fantasy 7 to PC's and to later PlayStation systems via the digital store. Along with this came a prequel (Crisis Core) for the PSP, a sequel (Dirge of Cerberus) for the PS2, another sequel in the form of a movie (Advent Children), and even appearances in other games (Cloud and Sephiroth are both in the Kingdom Hearts franchise).
     Though many wanted a HD remake of the game (no doubt fueled by a tech demo shown at the 2005 E3) there was denial by many in charge that this was happening. Finally, on June 15, 2010, it was announced that the remake was in development. It was also announced that the game would be in multiple parts, as opposed to recreating the game on a 1:1 basis. There was a split reaction to this, as it was also announced that the game would only cover the initial starting location of the original game, the city of Midgar. This section only took about three to five hours to clear, so the idea of it being stretched into a full-length, 40-plus hour game was a lot for people to swallow. Nevertheless, the game continued in development and was finally released on April 10, 2020.
     I, throughout my observation of the development, had a morbid interest in how this would turn out. Knowing about the intensity around it, would this be a success? Would it be possible to find a fresh take on this well-trod ground that would please both old fans and new? Being (somewhat) in the former category, I had to see this through. I've spent roughly twenty hours now in the new look at an aged game at the time of writing, and I've been fairly mixed on the results. To better organize all of this (as this is my own writing and is for no publication, so there) I've decided to split this into sections. First the good, then the bad, and finally the conclusion.

Part 2: The Good

     For me, the biggest, and most immediate, change from the polygonal and isometric view of the original is how much graphical fidelity there is. Every aspect, from the hair on each character, to the individual fibers of each article of clothing, to even the individual movements of each person are so well-defined as to be almost photo-realistic. That change lends itself to the more emotional moments people may have where, instead of having to infer the intensity of the moment due to how little expression the graphical capabilities of the PS1 allowed, one can see the character feel the emotion. You can see them furrow their brows, or shed a tear.
     There's a certain energy here that I can only describe as "anime-esque," where characters perform absurd acrobatic feats, and have grand gestures and movements that are almost operatic in nature. This is something that occurs a great deal in a number of Japanese RPGs, so it's no surprise it's here as well. The larger point is that I think they all work and all match the level of drama the rest of the game brings.
     On the subject of incredible changes, the renovations to the music is where I would put the most accolades. Nobo Uematsu's compositions, while limited by the hardware and software of the PS1, still stuck out to me and with me to this day. Songs like "Still More Fighting" and "J-E-N-O-V-A" are expanded far beyond their original scope with the help of orchestral arrangements that elevate them to the same level as the graphical achievements. I should admit that my knowledge of music theory isn't deep enough to dig deeply into the mechanics of the score's successes, but I encourage one to listen to the soundtrack to perhaps see what I mean.
     While not exactly in the category of change, certain elements of the original were expanded in ways that lead me to actually feel something for characters and settings that were just hinted at. You get to actually see more of the interior lives of characters like Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, people who you only got a few lines from in the original. An entire section of the game is spent with the protagonist, Cloud Strife, having what amounts to an extended bonding sequence with the trio. This also leads to an extended "boss fight" with a sword-wielding opponent on a motorcycle. All of this in service of elevating three characters who were formerly elevated extras into fully realized constructions.
     This can also be extended to the whole of Midgar, as instead of loosely sketched environments that were static due to the limitations of the PS1, we have people in the streets talking and actually doing things. The player can see the ramshackle favelas of the undercity as the plates of the top city tower hundreds of feet above, the drunken energy of the red-light-district known as Wall Market, and the dark and polished halls of Shinra Inc. For me, the whole of the city becomes a character far richer than before.
     In addition to the expansions, some story beats were completely rearranged and occur at different points or in slightly different ways. All of this is to great effect, as they find new ways and angles to old ideas. For example, the Wall Market section originally featured a moment that can only be described as "gay panic" within a bath house involving Cloud. In the new version, this is replaced with a rhythm-game based dance sequence all bookended by Cloud being taught about the ways of the Market as well as opening himself up to others. It's brash, and bright, and I love it. The idea that it lets this deadly serious, sulking guy be so broad and flamboyant in the same breath is frankly refreshing.
     One major change that I thought was very interesting was the evacuation of Sector 7. Originally, Shinra Inc destroys the Sector 7 slums in the undercity by causing the top plate to fall on top of it, destroying both. All of this was an attempt to frame the protagonists as to better get to them. In this version, most of the population manages to get out and live on. As small as this may seem, this adds a further element of hope and goes along with the added depth given to the other characters, as you get to meet and know many of the evacuees early in the game. This can have the effect of uniting the cause of the protagonists to what the player is connected to.
     While all of these positives revolve around the story, I would be remiss to forget to mention the joys of the new combat system. At its best, I find it exciting and engaging. The blend of third-person action gameplay, a la Kingdom Hearts, with the need to switch between different characters strategically sells the anime-esque nature of the game. Characters can play off of each other while all getting "big action moments" in the form of Limit Breaks and other special moves. It's fast and definitely requires one to be on their toes in order to take advantage of the openings in combat. This all works for me because it elevates fairly straight-forward turn-based combat into something that (again) matches the level of gravitas of all of the other elements of the game.

Part 2: The Bad

     All of that being said, the combat is where my least liked things lie. The focal point for this feeling is how counterintuitive the camera and lock-on functionality can be during combat.  More often than not, I would find myself left with a camera that would whip around as I tried to adjust to keep the enemy on-screen, or that being locked-on to an enemy leads to my not seeing another enemy's telegraphed attack which obliterates another party-member, or even the environment itself getting in the way of what I can see which leads to everything being this cacophonous mess of translucent bodies and environments, with damage counters appearing and me having to disengage the lock-on and pull back just for it to happen again. Something I learned, too late, was that there were several settings within the game that could be changed to alleviate much of this, but it doesn't merely take it to a more personally preferable place. It made it feel actually functional. The fact that this issue which even the Kingdom Hearts games didn't really have occur here is a bit puzzling to me. 
     In addition to this, I found that the real use of party members I didn't control was mostly to try to get the attention of the other enemies or the boss monster, as they use no special abilities that may actually be useful unless you make them by taking control. In the worst moments, the boss monster would only attack the character I'm currently controlling, the character who most likely had the specific materia equipped to handle the particular weakness of the enemy at hand. There is the bizarre push and pull, sometimes from battle to battle, where things would work perfectly then completely fall apart as two characters would be inflicting a good bit of damage to an enemy and pulling its attention, only to lose that attention as I switch to the designated healer in the distance who attacked one time to build up the energy to cast a healing spell. It was hard to know how much damage was needed to really pull that attention.
     Both of these things tend to happen at the same time in the very worst moments. It's beyond me that there's no way to pre-program some behavior for the characters you aren't controlling in combat like FF12. By having this, you could avoid these moments where the speed and intensity of the combat works against you due to the camera obscuring some important information, leading a character getting wiped out by something that wasn't even visible. Characters could automatically respond to certain situations. You would still need to jump in sometimes if a party member becomes incapacitated, but it makes it feel as though you're actually on a team, which would compliment all of the narrative strides the game makes.
      On that same note, I have to comment on how little I like how some of the boss fights fall into the category of being "bullet sponges," or enemies that aren't really difficult due to strategy but due to the fact that they have an incredible amount of armor or health. I find these to be incredibly tedious and complete buzzkills compared to how fantastic I find the monster designs to be. A good example of this is the final fight you face in the colosseum in Wall Market. Very few attacks hurt it, and most of the time is spent avoiding its attacks and hitting it when it actually is vulnerable. While there's some reading you need to do of its attack patterns, it's fairly simple and is more a matter of how quickly you can dodge and switch back and forth between your two characters. In short, it's a long waiting game, because once you know what its weakness is, due to acquiring the Assess materia early on, you just hit it with the corresponding spell or abilities and run around.
     Sadly, this disappointment stretched to even some of the expanded areas, where it seems things were added just to extend this to around 40 hours as opposed to 20. Sequences like the sewer escape post Wall Market, the Train Graveyard after that, and the collapsed highway are moments that were just a few screens in the original that were stretched out with no real value added. The same effect could have been given with shorter moments. In the sewer escape and collapsed highway, puzzles were added for padding, and they ultimately felt pretty tedious as opposed to challenging or even interesting. They boiled down to: walk up, push a button/move a lever, proceed. I wouldn't call that very engaging. 
     The very worst part of these moments is the Train Graveyard, which adds in a small sub-plot of a specter that kidnaps children and keeps their souls as well as a somewhat friendly ghost that kind of aids your party in getting back to sector 7. The problem is that this adds nothing, and is connected to nothing. It's just a moment full of the same combat issues I had before. It's almost the platonic ideal of all of the issues I have with this game. It'd be one thing if it expanded something that was previously established, or was used as part of the reconfiguration of the story, but it isn't. The cinematics are nice, but it's to the effect of nothing. 

Part 4: Conclusions

     If I had to describe my time with the first 20-or-so hours with one word, it would be: Mixed. There's so much here that made a big positive impact on me, so the negatives being so large is just an incredible let-down. The big bright spot is that there seem to be some very interesting narrative directions this could be going. The question is, will the narrative and mechanical sore spots keep me from enjoying this as much as I want to? On some level, I thought to myself, "Perhaps I'm being too hard on this, and much of this is user error or my nitpicking a bit too much." Then, I would keep playing and be reminded of just how frustrating these negatives were, at one point threatening to overshadow the positives in my mind. There are a few things I didn't mention, like the barely-there side quests (aka run around the same spaces to fight one thing), or the real crawl that the act of locomotion can be. I can only hope that things pick up, so that I don't come out of this completely bummed out. 

Side Quests and the Abuse of Player Agency

I'd say the main issue I have with the vast majority games released these days is that they want to have their cake and eat it too. They want to be these monumental narrative achievements, but also are loaded with a load of optional objectives that don't really add much besides something else to do.

I think this creates a dissonance you don't really see until you look at it. Then, it's glaring.

In every videogame, the player is essentially "role-playing" as the avatar on screen. It's in the name, avatar. Traditional narratives have characters do things for specific reasons emotionally. It's what's meant by "character motivation."

The obvious issue with narrative in games is that the player may not have the same motivation that the story implies for the avatar. If I don't care that there's a civil war going on between the two factions in The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, it will be difficult to get me to care about large parts of the the various narrative elements.

On the subject of Skyrim, it's one of the best examples I can think of a game's bloat of optional objectives crippling it's narrative pursuits. Skyrim is absolutely loaded with quests. Every square mile of the map is full of a number of activities that are in no way needed to progress through the main narrative, but are advertised as being something to do.

Pursuing a few of these quests after progressing through the main narrative for a bit reveals the issue: when the fate of the world is on the line, and every minute needs to be invested in saving it, why would the player-character stop to find someone's dog in a cave or investigate some random tower for rumors of a cult?

All of this seems to suggest that a great deal of games are focused on goal of giving people as much to do as possible over a focused experience. It's as though they learned the wrong lessons from realizing that the greatest strength of the medium is the fact that the observer can interceed into the narrative.

One game that I think works as a positive example of this would be The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While it doesn't totally escape the aforementioned negative designs, the vast majority of the activities the player can engage in fit the motivations of the avatar.

From the beginning, you are told that you CAN go straight to the final area after reaching a certain point, but you're advised against it as it would be certain death (It's doable, but it's incredibly difficult). Instead, it's suggested that you proceed to various points in the world to make this final confrontation less punishing.

While doing this, the player is also given advice on how to restore the avatar back to the physical status they were before their pre-game coma. This provides a number of optional activities, but each one is something that fits what the character would want and benefits the player. I think that kind of unity of motivations leads a player to care more about the whole of the experience.

Ultimately, I'm not against optional activities in games. I'm against those that serve no purpose but to serve as filler. All that does is weaken any narrative that already exists. Why provide the player number of things to do that don't contribute to the story? It seems less like effective use of player agency, and more like abuse of it.

Five Albums I Loved in 2017

Something that has been somewhat obligatory for many movie/culture review outlets is the end of the year/best of the year list, where the "best" things from the year are ranked or merely recalled. Even though I've been writing on this blog for at least three years, I have yet to actually make on for myself.

To start, if I were going to compile some sort of end-of-the-year list, I certainly wouldn't rank anything on some arbitrary scale of ascending or descending value. That always struck me as kind of a waste of time, seeing that my favorites are in this constant state of flux. So, instead, I'll opt to simply list five things I watched/played/listened to that really stood out to me. This one will focus on albums I enjoyed.

Before, I do that, I'm going to have to clarify a few things first. For one, not all of the things I'm going to speak on actually came out in 2017. Some came out in 2016. Some came out even earlier than that. The second thing is that they are listed in no particular order. I'm literally just coming up with a list. At any rate, let's begin.

1.) Big Fish Theory - an album by Vince Staples

For the most part, I find mainstream hip hop to be lackluster. A seemingly endless stream of people imitating the same lyrical structures and melodic textures won't do more than leave me a little lethargic. Thankfully, I came across Vince Staples and his 2017 LP, Big Fish Theory. While being similar to much of the Top 20 crop of hip hop, Staples seems uninterested in staying in one lane, as he pulls from EDM, Grime, Noise, and a variety of other genres for his sonic layers. He also has a self awareness and introspection that I wish existed more in the more popular songs of our day. Some stand out songs include "Love Can Be", "Yeah Right", and "Bag Bak."

2.) Poppy.Computer - an album by Poppy

Few artists have the visual flair of Poppy. That's how many got to first know her, via her cryptic YouTube videos. Directed by her producer, Titanic Sinclair, these served to also be many people's introduction to her music, a sort of blend of J-Pop and American Pop sensibilities, with EDM and chiptune elements added in. Her first full length album, Poppy.Computer, is much more focused than her EP, Bubblebath, and leans even more into her thematic explorations of fame, the internet, and how tech effects us as humans. At first those themes may not seem apparent, but that's only due to her childlike cyberwitch aesthetic. Stand out songs include "Software Upgrade", "Interweb", and "Pop Music."

3.) The Most Hated - an EP by Polyphia 

Leaning into their pop influences, the virtuoso progressive metal/djent musicians of Poplyphia crafted an album that seemed to take the ostentatious noodling of their genre of origin and blend it perfectly with the syncopated vibe of trap music. The end result is something that I listened to on repeat for no less than two months. More impressive than just the music itself is viewing video of their live performances of these songs, as they find a way to make it all work in concert. Stand out songs include "Goose", "40oz", and "Icronic."

4.) OK Computer - an album by Radiohead  

I'm shocked it took me this long to listen to this one. As they are apt to do, the sad boys of found a way to the core of my anxieties and musical interests to craft an album that manages to be some combination of memorable, melancholy, and humorous. Poking and prying at the various monotonous actions taken on a day to day basis, along with the various barely there anxieties of modern life is a great way to get me to love whatever piece of art one makes. Stand out songs include "Airbag", "Paranoid Android", and "Karma Police."

 5.) Ctrl - an album by SZA

With melodies and samples taken from and inspired by neo-soul and trap music, along with her cashmere-like vocals and extremely personal lyrics, SZA's first LP is like a warm blanket for my ears. The production is so sumptuous, velvety, and all other adjectives for extremely good. Hold on, there are others: it's like chocolate ice cream on a hot day; it's like sheets fresh out the dryer on a cold day; it's like a strong hug from an old friend I haven't seen in years. Needless to say, I loved it. Stand out songs included "Supermodel", "Go Gina", and "Prom." 

Game Review: Super Mario Maker

A game like SUPER MARIO MAKER  is a bit of an anomaly, from a review standpoint. To even begin to do so requires one to ask themselves a couple of questions. First, is SUPER MARIO MAKER even a game? For all intents and purposes, it seems to be more a platform for level creation that allows you to play the levels that others have made. That lends credibility to the idea that the actual game lies in playing through the created levels, or in the "100 Mario Challenge", a special mode that gives the player 100 lives and a series of player-made levels to run through, all in three different difficulties. All of that being said, for the sake of argument, let's go ahead and call the whole of the thing one game with different modules, or sections.

The next question is pretty straightforward: how does one even go about reviewing SUPER MARIO MAKER? Would you have to review the THOUSANDS of player-made levels in existence along with the actual tools the game provides for the creation of your own? Would you review the UI (user interface) of the level creator with regards to how intuitive it is when using it? For my own sake, I see reviewing EVERY level in existence to be a bit of a silly goal. People continuously add levels, and the sheer volume renders the whole act tantamount to insanity. On the other hand there's something to looking at the UI, as a poorly done UI leads to fairly frustrated players.

So, with all that being said, and examined, you may be wondering how I would go about actually reviewing SUPER MARIO MAKER and not just hypothesizing about the possibility of probably thinking about doing it? It would go a little something like this:

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Nintendo's SUPER MARIO MAKER, for the Wii U, may be one of the most novel games I've played in a very long time. Certainly, other computer-based game development programs designed for mass markets have been in existence for a while, but it's the sheer simplicity of its design that sets SUPER MARIO MAKER apart. At its core, SMM is a platform for the creation of custom levels using elements from four different games from the SUPER MARIO BROS. franchise: SUPER MARIO BROS, SUPER MARIO BROS. 3, SUPER MARIO WORLD, and NEW SUPER MARIO BROTHERS U. As I mentioned in an earlier article, there is a great deal of variety in what one can create, and that creates amazing opportunities for so many to get a peak at the complicated art of game development.

The actual UI for the game is pretty simple. To start, you are given a scant amount of options such as different ground designs, breakable blocks, boxes, and simple enemies and power-ups. These are expanded in two ways, one automatic and one manual. The automatic way just involves different elements being made available each day, lasting around 7 days. The manual way just unlocks more options the more you use the level creator.

Along with physical items to interact with, there are also a variety of sound effects to apply to those items. This has the effect of adding additional layers of quirk to every level. The natural tension that comes from going up against a koopa is tightened with certain effects layered on top. An already silly level becomes sillier with samba rhythms woven in.

After playing SUPER MARIO MAKER for a LONG TIME, I'm of the continued opinion that this is one of the more important games to come out in years. Who can say what the number of people inspired to enter the world of game design will be because of this game? Even more, at the time of writing this, much of the chaff of the player-made levels has been washed away in favor of some real quality work. All in all, not only is SUPER MARIO MAKER now a very useful educational tool for those looking to dip their toes into game design, but also a strong catalogue of interesting takes on a variety of design themes used in the various MARIO BROS games.



Here is a peak at some amazing levels that have been created:

 

Mini Review: GET OUT

Though Jordan Peele became famous for his comedic work as one half of the titular writing team on KEY AND PEELE, he seems to have more of an affinity for drama and horror with his first film directed on his own (his actual first film was written and directed with writing partner, Keegan Micheal Key), GET OUT. This film manages to combine the imagery more experimental films, like BEING JOHN MALKOVICH or 2001 A SPACE ODDESSY, with biting social commentary on race by making the very real issues of the fetishization and marginalization of People of Color (specifically, black people) into the existential horror that it really is.

I have so often experienced what Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) experiences at the home of his girlfriend, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams), and her parents. I have experienced those questions that range from vaguely to completely racist ("You must be great at basketball." "Oh, you're one of the GOOD ones."), and have met people a bit TOO eager to show that they "aren't racist." In grounding such real experiences in such an extreme setting, Peele manages to truly convey the emotional reality of these moments.

A Few Thoughts on RIVERDALE, Season One

Contains minor spoilers


I have to say, I'm more than a little surprised at how much I enjoyed the first season of RIVERDALE. At first, the idea of a live-action version of ARCHIE on the CW sounded more than a bit questionable. After giving the first episode a shot, though, any fears I had quickly faded. What I discovered is that this a show much in the vein of TWIN PEAKS. While not having as surreal a bent, RIVERDALE features much of the same qualities: a quiet town with a major local industry, a loved youth cut down in their prime, a well of deep secrets being revealed, and a murder-mystery propelling the plot.  

While I'm generally a fan of all of the characters, Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse) may be my favorite. He's a kid who's wise beyond his years due to the difficulty of his life, yet retains the simple desire for acceptance...YET, continues to push people away due to the emotional scars he's endured. There's a real complexity there. Other characters get a lot to do as well, as so many of the relationships are entangled together. The murder of Jason Blossom uncovers so many of the layers of complexity to the interpersonal realities of the town, and I think it's just the right kind of sleazy: scandalous, yet grounded.

With all that praise to character aside, I have to say something about the fact that there are a number of moments where that characterization seems remarkably inconsistent. For example, Cheryl Blossom is a constant antagonist to a number of characters, taunting and insulting a number of them. Yet, there will be a moment where it seems that Cheryl and another character have a breakthrough in their relationship. Whatever walls that were once up seemingly come down, and new friendships are forged...until the next episode, when they are at each others throats once more. This kind of thing happens more towards the middle of the season, and frankly dragged the momentum of the entire season down. It's as though, rather than continuously moving character relationships forward, the writers opted to artificially prop up the tension. There's a bit of frustration to be had with characters constantly resetting each episode.

Overall, despite my frustrations, I was very happy with what season one of RIVERDALE had to offer. At the very least, it was consistently entertaining, and at best, it was nearly transcendent sleaze.

A Few Thoughts On TWIN PEAKS, Season 1

CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1 OF TWIN PEAKS





Somehow, despite my adoration for the works of David Lynch, I managed to miss watching TWIN PEAKS, his late 80's/early 90's surrealist neo-noir television series. Thankfully, my Amazon Prime account came to the rescue by featuring the first two seasons. After learning this, I just HAD to give them a look.

First, and most reasonably, I started with the first season. The first episode almost lulls one into a false sense of security from that aforementioned surrealist nature with how normal it all seems in its early moments. A young girl is found dead on a lake shore, and the reactions of various townspeople are shown. Normal.

The arrival of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) pushes it into Lynchian territory, with his constant dictation of current events into a handheld audio recorder, intense fascination with nature, and adoration of pastries and coffee. With that comes another Lynchian trait: a sincere affection for people. Cooper is a methodical man who becomes enamored with the town of Twin Peaks and its citizens, becoming best pals with its sheriff and sometimes going out of his way to help them solve their problems.

I'm going to go on record with saying that Cooper is my favorite character in the show. There's really something to just how much affection he has for the town and its people, along with his willingness to keep an open mind for the more (possibly) supernatural elements at work. There's also the fact that he's just a fantastic investigator, like Sherlock Holmes crossed with James Bond.

The town itself opens up over the course of the season, revealing that nearly everyone had some sort of outrageous skeleton in their closets. Seemingly kind and chaste schoolgirls hide double lives as prostitutes, star quarterbacks work as drug runners, and every other person is sleeping with the other person's spouse. One would almost think it like a soap opera. This is certainly the case as this was also Lynch's take on that particular form of daytime entertainment. I think it lends to his style and desires to explore the dream-like nature of cinema, as soap operas tend to be somewhat dream-like in nature, what with their glossy aesthetic.

When the show dips into its more surrealist aspects, that's when I knew it had me. I mean, I would expect some surrealism. This is David Lynch we're talking about. Yet, its real success is how it all tied together with the greater narrative. Much of the series is made up of the citizens of Twin Peaks confronting hidden (read: subconscious) things. Surrealism deals with the subconscious explored through art. So, we have dreams that have some cryptic relationship to reality (said dreams were had by Agent Cooper), as well as bizarre behavior that never really is explained. This points back to my previous point about Lynch's predilection for cinema's dreamy nature. While there certainly are events in the show that are "real," just as much may only be visions or somewhere in between.

The last thing I want to mention is something that is certainly not the least of things: the music. From the opening theme...

...to the song Donna, James, and Maddy sing...

...to Cooper's theme...

...all of the music leans into a pseudo-1950's aesthetic that Lynch often visits. He often likes to juxtapose that all-American-apple-pie-baseball-GOD-BLESS-AMERICA sense with a darker element. To wit, Twin Peaks seems like a sleepy mountain town, but it really hides incredibly dark secrets. I think this also works with some of the more humorous elements as the mood shifts. Lynch is known for jumping from darkness to light fairly quickly, and in this case he does it (along with his co-showrunner, Mark Frost) with immense skill.

Overall, season one of Twin Peaks seems to be a nearly perfect distillation a Lynchian project. Equal parts creepy and hilarious, it manages to have a massive cast of characters who all get fleshed out in one way or another. While doing all of this, we also get to experience some of the most surreal television ever put to screen. If you have Amazon Prime, I advise you to give it a look. If you don't have that service, get it. It's worth it.

I RECOMMEND: The YouTube Channel of Leonard French, the Copyright Attorney

Though it may not seem it, the more interesting aspects of YouTube lie not in pure video creation, but in the nuts and bolts of the process. There's making sure you're uploading the video in the right format so that time is saved on the upload, being sure you have all of the proper annotations you may need, working on the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to make sure the tags you apply to the video appear within the first few web searches, as well as applying captions (possibly in multiple languages). Most important, though, are matters of copyright.

Hold on, don't fall asleep yet. I promise, it's far more interesting than you may think.

In my time messing about on YouTube (something I've briefly mentioned here) I've seen a great many issues spring up around copyright and the production of videos. A number of content creators have had run-ins with various individuals claiming that said creators infringed upon some of their material. If not infringement, then possible slander/libel (notable examples include James Stanton aka Jim Sterling VS Digital Homicide, H3H3 aka Ethan and Hila Klein VS Matt Hoss). More often than not, the stakes for these content creators facing legal action are high, as the legal costs alone can bankrupt smaller creators well before any negative verdicts may fall upon them. Considering all of this, it's worthwhile for any content creator to be well aware of the in's-and-out's of copyright issues.

Thankfully, Leonard French's channel exists. While initial consisting of videos of his dog, Cato, eating watermelon, or or a bus slowly destroying a parked BMW's mirrors, he eventually changed his channel from a more private one to more of a public service. Drawing upon his expertise as a lawyer, he began to make videos pertaining to copyright issues on YouTube. Frankly, I think they're all pretty informative, and while not supremely comprehensive on the topic (I don't think he would ever claim they are), they certainly are well-made starting points for those looking to become involved with content creation on YouTube.

The simple fact is that a great deal of copyright law is a bit labyrinthine, and most of us know next to nothing about it. That fact makes the existence of resources like Leonard's channel immensely valuable. If you have even a passing interest in getting involved with content creation on YouTube, I highly advise you to pay a visit to Leonard French's channel.

 

 

Growing Pains in Art Criticism 2: Games and Writing

I think it goes without saying that I'm not an expert at this. By "this", I mean this whole "person writing art criticism online." I don't have any sort of formal background in critique, didn't pursue a major in journalism or film studies, or even write for any publications. Truly, I am a rank amateur. That obviously doesn't stop me from trying, though.

It should be said that I quickly realized that just because I have the will to try, it doesn't mean that my results would be anything of quality. I'm certain readers of this blog have seen that in some of my...less sophisticated work, but I view it all as a learning and growing process. Thankfully, I feel that I've grown quite a bit, writing-wise, as I'm able to form better constructed ideas, right off the cuff. Unfortunately, this has pretty much only around film and television, while only touching on video games and music, and not even beginning to really mention books.

The truth of the matter is that I'm more comfortable writing about film and television, as the language of those visual mediums is much more decipherable, for me. If I'm to be honest, books are up there, too, but I read far fewer than I should. Music is something I've been involved with my whole life, so there's some level of coherence in what I can say about it. With regards to video games, though, there's a real challenge.

My typical approach to talking about games is more in line with the way many reviews have been written: give a brief description of the general plot and then talk at length about the mechanics, and maybe touch on how the relate to the overall narrative. In no way do I consider that a bad model, yet I'm inclined to think I'm limiting myself in some regard. That's a bit ironic considering the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink model I tend to emulate. That leads me to want to pursue something more focused.

Very often, video games are born out of a single idea or mechanic that's then explored, in some way, via aesthetics and mechanics. I want to focus on that. What is the core idea in a game I'm talking about? In asking that question, I'm certain I'll find myself looping back around to the mechanics. It may take on a different appearance from what I've typically written, but I'm sure that it will also be better.

PASSENGERS Has No Self-Awareness

It's hard to really talk about PASSENGERS without spoiling a pretty major moment that happens about a third of the way through the film. So, just be aware that this article will have lots of information about the plot of this movie.


PASSENGERS is a visually stunning, confusing, mess of a movie. On the one hand, it's an original concept in a time where theaters are chock full of remakes and adaptations; one that takes some risks in its story. On the other hand, the risks it takes are worked into the story in a way that transforms any sense romance (seemingly one of the main selling points of the trailers) into something much more vile.

What I'm referring to is the moment where Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) decides, after being having no human contact for a year aboard a massive spaceship, to awaken one Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) from the cryo-sleep she and all the other people aboard the ship are in. In his loneliness and desperation, and just after a suicide attempt, Jim comes upon her pod and becomes somewhat obsessed with her. He watches all of her interview videos she submitted before boarding the ship (a sort of Ark going to a colony planet), and reads all of her writing. Essentially, he falls in love with a person he's never met.This level of obsession intensifies when he comes up with the idea to wake her up, knowing that she will not be able to re-enter the pod and will essentially be stuck on this ship with only him for the rest of her life. Even more, he lies to her about the fact that he woke her up.

What follows is one of the more troubling things I've seen in a major release, not because of the fact that it happens, but because of the way it concludes itself. Jim and Aurora, being the only two humans aboard the vessel, begin to fall in love, and at this point the film begins to resemble something more along the lines of a "romantic comedy", all the while working with the knowledge that it's all predicated on a huge lie.

Eventually, all is revealed and Aurora's love turns to hate, as one would expect it to. Then, after a series of complicated events, it comes down to the two of them to prevent the ship's core from overheating, killing them and all of the sleeping passengers. Up to this point, Aurora has sustained her hate towards Jim, but that breaks when he realizes that the only way to save the ship will involve him sacrificing himself. It's a moment that could have been ripe for so much emotional payoff. Jim, feeling the emotional weight catching up with him of how monstrous he's become, is willing to sacrifice himself in an act of atonement. Meanwhile, Aurora would feel many conflicting feelings, hating this person but also not wanting to be the only person on the ship.

It almost looks as though it's going this way, as we see Jim drifting along in space, oxygen leaking from his suit. A tearful goodbye seems to be approaching, yet this is stopped short by Aurora saving and reviving him and the two having a rather passionate kiss. It's as though they wanted an ending with real teeth, one where the central protagonist is does downright deplorable things and, despite the attempts to endear him to us, is punished. Unfortunately, they also wanted to eat that cake, as well as having it.

In no way does their still being together ring anywhere near emotionally realistic. For one, hardly any time is spent on Jim's debating awakening Aurora. Sure, there are a few moments where Jim is seen deliberating doing this, and in those moments we can see that he can see the weight of his choice. Compared to the latter portion of the film, though, these moments are woefully short. Secondly, the whole of said latter half begins to feel a bit Stockholm Syndrome-esque. To be fair, I originally thought that was the point, as this seemed to be a film examining the effects such an extreme situation would have on people. The main issue here is that this is a film that seemed to think itself more GONE WITH THE WIND, when it had more in line with Park Chan Wook's OLDBOY. Perhaps, if they had actually leaned into the direction of what the bulk of the film seemed to be (a meditation on how despiration and obsession corrupts), this would have been a film of note. Instead, it's a misfire of little consequence.

A Few Thoughts on the "Easy" Setting in Video Games

After a long day of work, it makes sense for someone to want to come back home and just unwind for a bit. Perhaps, they have themselves a tasty adult beverage, or listen to music, or (and more on topic with the title of this thing) they sit down and play some video games? This is an activity I've certainly engaged in a number of times, and it rarely involves me playing some deeply complex, technically rigorous piece, but more often something fairly straightforward (your CALL OF DUTY's, BORDERLANDS, and the like). Every so often, though, if I do take a dip into something more rigorous I may find my self playing it on the "easy" difficulty as an exercise in decompression.

For those who may not know, many games have different difficulty settings that you can choose from based on your skill level, or just how tough you want your experience to be. Something to note, however, is that most games are optimized to their "hard" settings, meaning that setting is the closest to many developers intentions for how the game should be played. Due to this, and to the desire for a greater challenge, many "hardcore gamers" gravitate towards "hard".

Yet, I think so many people neglect the real joys that can come out of "easy". As I previously stated, there is a real utility for decompression. Being able to completely plow through some monster, or what-have-you, that would have given you some difficulty on the normal setting is a remarkably cathartic feeling. There's a real sense of power that can come from that.While it's not as ultimately fulfilling as completing some truly difficult challenge, the immediate sensation is notable.

Deeper than that visceral sense is the feeling that comes from exploring the limits of the actual make-up of said games. Questions such as "Just how quickly can I clear this whole game?", "How long of a hit-combo can I string together?" can be answered and their results examined. More often than not, this leads me to somewhat of a deeper appreciation for the game in question. It should be said that it's also lead me to like some games less, as is the case of KINGDOM HEARTS, a game whose main worthwhile elements are contained in the complexity of its game play. Once those are removed, it becomes a mostly incoherent story where one just moves the camera around and does the most simple attack over and over.

I think more of us should embrace "easy" mode. There's real value there, and it would behoove some people to shed some of their oh-yes-I-am-such-a-hardcore-gamer shell. It just seems like such a limiting way to view this wide medium we call video games.

Mini Film Review: DOCTOR STRANGE

DOCTOR STRANGE works as a representation of what has worked for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as working as a step forward for it as well. Though Benedict Cumberbatch's Steven Strange may appear a carbon copy of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, it's through his journey to the mystical Kamar Taj, and his subsequent transformation of self that reveals how different this outing is from previous MCU movies.

It seems that director Scott Derrickson wanted to explore a variety of themes underneath the the banner of a Marvel film, touching on many elements of Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu, Confucian, and Christian thought. In showing Strange's journey through the spiritual world, we are simultaneously exploring it as well. It's refreshing to see another populist work want to dig somewhat into something beyond what scores a multi-demographic success in the box office.

The elephant in the room is, of course, the issue of whitewashing. In the source material, the Ancient One (the mystical master of Kamar Taj, and Strange's mentor) was a Tibetan man. Feeling that showing this would be encouraging certain unsavory stereotypes of south-east Asian peoples, Derrickson chose to take things in another direction. Unfortunately, this had the effect of erasing a potential role for an actor or actress of, or descended from, that region. It was a lose-lose situation either way, though it's worth noting that Tilda Swinton does a fantastic job as the Ancient One, really finding a way to make her enigmatic yet clearly possessing some sort of rich internal life.

Mini Film Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Although J.K. Rowling may have cut her teeth on writing the HARRY POTTER series of books, I don't think that same level of craftsmanship carried over to her first outing as a screenwriter for FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. This film adaptation of Rowling's auxiliary publication of a fictional textbook is, at best, uneven. Tonally, it seems to want to achieve all of the emotional beats of the entirety of the HARRY POTTER films, but in only one film. As a result, much of it never really lines up.

On the one hand, Eddie Redmayne's section of the film as Newt Scamander, author of the titular book the movie is (loosely) based off of, seems to want to be mostly the first film, THE SORCERER'S STONE, what with the whimsy and somewhat forced precociousness of Redmayne's portrayal of Scamander. Unfortunately, that's essentially all he is: kinda awkward. After this film was over, I had no idea who Newt Scamander really was besides superficial details. That characterizes much of his half of the film: surface-level whimsy and wonder with not much else to it dramatically.

On the other hand, we have the more serious section of the film, with Colin Farrell's Graves. It's this section of the film, with its focus on the Second Salem Society (a sort of neo-puritanical reaction to witches), and the complex interactions between its members, wizarding leadership, and the human government, that contains all of the depth of the film. These characters have real motivations, some of them shifting and overlapping, and feel more like actual people. It's a shame it feels crudely grafted on to its sub-par, but visually interesting, other half.

Mini Film Review: Arrival

When one considers the current political climate in the United States, the timeliness of something like Denis Villeneuve's ARRIVAL is pretty fantastic. Given the premise of Amy Adam's expert linguist, Louise Banks, being called in to interpret the intentions of the seemingly unintelligible alien visitors to the Earth, it's hard not to think of how there are so many chasms between modern people in this day and age and how they put many of us in similar situations.

This kind of layered, heavily nuanced film-making isn't in any way new for Villeneuve, as his previous English-language film, SICARIO, was a pretty measured look at the intersection of dubious government action and hyper-masculinity, as well as being an allegorical take on how people face trauma at the hands of those systems. That same care carries over to ARRIVAL, a film that manages to work in both the concrete and the abstract. The actual drama of the film is effective due to the purposeful slowness of some of the pacing, scenes sometimes crawling from one to the next. Their run-times give you space to breathe in every detail, after which pieces start to come together.

I would dare say there's a sense of....melancholy? It's this haze that hovers over the whole of the movie, one definitely explored as some events go a bit downhill and as some characters are profoundly changed by their experiences with the visitors. It's these experiences that contain the heart of the film: the fact that the ability to communicate ideas is one of the most powerful tools we have as human beings.

A Few Thoughts on STRANGER THINGS, episode two

***This contains spoilers***

Oh boy...

This episode left me with more questions than answers. For starters, when did this major shift occur in Barb regarding Nancy's relationship with Steve? In the previous episode, she's all gung ho with the idea of the two dating, going so far as to essentially "mmhmm gurl" when Nancy found Steve's invitation to meet her in the bathroom. In this episode, she seems very against the idea of Nancy going to Steve's party, citing that "he just wants to get in her pants." Honestly, what did she think before? Secondly, was the decision to have the mystery beast that took Will also take Barb supposed to be some kind of subversion of the "final girl" trope? Barb would have been the "chaste" one in this situation considering that it was Nancy who seemed to want to engage in the illicit activity with Steve. So, according to the trope, Nancy would have been eaten before Barb. Obviously, I'll have to see how this plays out, but in the moment it seems bizarre.

Third, is Jonathan Byers crushing on Nancy? Is that the look he gave her after she talked to him in the hallway? Also, are we supposed to find it cute that he was taking pictures (while hidden in the woods) of Nancy and friends at Steve's party? Something tells me that this was the intent, but I assure you I read it as supremely creepy. Another also, why was he still there even after Nancy went back inside the house after falling in the pool? Was he waiting for her to come back out? Was he trying to photograph her through the window? A third also, the worst way to establish this kid loves photography is to show him snapping covert pictures of the girl we barely see him speak to. In fact, he doesn't really speak to anyone outside of his immediate family in the first hour or so of this series. That whole segment of the episode was so bizarre on so many levels, and I'm at a loss at what the Duffer's intended the audience to feel.

At this point, I'm starting to feel the weight of the influences of other films from the 80's on the show, and not in a good way. During the day, Mike plays hooky from school to look after Eleven. We can essentially call this section of the show "the E.T. part", because that's essentially what it is. It also confirmed something for me that I had suspicions of: I don't feel anything for Eleven. Now, that's not for lack of trying. I just haven't seen much in these first two hours to really attach me to her. The problem with doing what they do in this episode is that it's missing a few elements that E.T. had. In E.T., the titular character is a little, green, pot-bellied, pencil-necked alien with a face like the maggot-baby from ERASERHEAD. In short, he's weird looking. That goes a long way to adding humor to scenes where the kids try to give him clothes to disguise him or try to hid his presence. Simply put, a strange looking creature doing human-like things will have the appearance of being humorous.In the case of Eleven, her looking like a girl with a buzz-cut kind of takes the wind out of any humor hat could be drawn from the scene.

The E.T. moments also stretched into Eleven hiding in the closet and in the basement. The closet yielded a little bit more information about her past and relationship to the massive facility, but it also prompted more questions from me. For one, how much English does she know? In the flashback she seems to have more of a grasp on it, but in the present she has to be taught what a recliner is. If she knows more, is she choosing not to speak because she doesn't trust anyone, or does she honestly not know much of it? This isn't so much a problem, as much as it is a general question. If it turns out she knew a good bit of English, then having her go so long without talking would seem just a way to stretch for time.

The only major positive for me was when Will's mother, Joyce Byers, uncovers more about the mysterious phone calls she's been getting that she believes is, somehow, Will. In this moment, as she's seeing the lights flicker in a pattern that's leading her to Will's bedroom, it's one of the few times in the two hours of the show I've seen up to this point that doesn't have the characters catching up to information the audience already knows. It's something that I noticed in the first hour, but this second hour has almost doubled-down on it. I'm not against dramatic irony, but so much of this show is the audience finding out a good bit and then the rest of the characters finding out and hour or so later. I'm concerned that this is a trend that will continue through the whole of the season.

Another trend that concerns me pertains to the usage of the musical score.
Now, I know that S U R V I V E were seeking to emulate John Carpenter/Tangerine Dream, and the soundtrack is fine on its own, but some of the ways it's used in context strike me as odd. For example, in the aforementioned scene where Johnathan pines after Nancy in the hallway, a very ominous piece of music plays as he's shown exiting the building. The problem there is that music doesn't fit emotionally with what preceded it. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the music could have been removed and the scene would have largely played the same.

Overall, this was a pretty tough episode to get through. All this seems to not bode well for the rest of the series that, for some reason, I intend to keep watching. Here's hoping things improve.

A Few Thoughts on STRANGER THINGS, episode one

***This contains some spoilers for this episode***


If there was one word to describe the first episode of the Duffer Brothers' STRANGER THINGS, it would be "pleasant." It's no more than that, and it's no less. Given it's nature as an ode to the 80's and its movies (Spielberg and Carpenter seem to be the focus in this first installment), it has all of the prerequisite elements: a John Carpenter-esque score (made by the brilliant duo, S U R V I V E.) as well as various decade-specific needle-drops; era specific font for title cards and for the intro; kids on bikes in a suburban setting; a soft filter that gives it an era specific look to the picture quality; "Spielberg Oners"; etc. Really, I could probably go on for a few more paragraphs listing the amount of either straight up references or nods to films from the 80's. This isn't inherently a bad thing, though it remains to be seen if this will continue on with diminishing returns.

The actual plotting of this episode feels quite nice, as nearly every character gets introduced and given their respective story lines in a fairly succinct manner. The only one that seemed to go nowhere belonged to Nancy Wheeler, older sister to the character Mike Wheeler. The episode took her from having just entered a new relationship, to her kissing her new boyfriend, and finally to them kissing some more. It doesn't go much further than that, and given how much more every other character gets, it's unfortunate.

As far as moments go, the one that stood out the most to me was the sequence introducing the four main characters as they play a game of Dungeons and Dragons. It really gives the sense that these characters are good friends, and it's a pretty tensely shot scene, as well. Also, the symmetry between this scene and the moment that Will Byers gets taken by what is practically the Demogorgon from their D&D session is really tight narrative in a way I can't help but be happy with. Also, I have to mention the one-take shot in the police station. It was very clean and understated.

I can't really say too much in the way of where this show is going, considering this is the first episode, but I do hope that things move beyond this merely "pleasant" feeling it's giving off. As much as I liked certain elements, I didn't really finish the episode with any anticipation of what's coming next. At any rate, I'll continue the series.