What Have I Been Up To? April 2024

Hello to all who read this! I hope you’re having a great day. I’ll just be going over some books, films, and comics I read/watched last month. As always, this is how I rate things.

No redeeming qualities whatsoever visually, aesthetically, or as a story.
So boring I could barely pay attention or it frustrated me SO much I couldn’t finish.
I had a headache but somehow made it through.
I could make fun of it. . . because of how bad it is.
It’s not good, it’s not bad. It’s just blah.
There were various interesting aspects but nothing to really gush about.
A solid story. Good characters, plot, and visuals. However, not amazing.
I genuinely enjoyed watching/reading it. I could see/read it again with friends.
A great experience! As a film/show it is visually stunning and has an incredible story I could go back to multiple times. As a book, I could do the same.
Near Perfect (nothing is perfect.) It has become one of my favorites. I could also write entire articles on it.

Movies

Wish (2023), 5/10

Drum roll. . . the review many of my students, friends, and family have wanted. And. . . here it is. This movie was a mess. But, I can see why some people might like certain parts of it. For me though, I’m a nitpicky animation and music nerd so it didn’t do it for me. Here is what I thought was good in the film:

The voice acting was well-picked. I didn’t think any of the characters had bad voice actors.
It isn’t ugly. Some people say it is but I honestly think it is quite beautiful in places.
I enjoyed watching the characters’ facial animations and how clear and clean objects moved in certain scenes.
It does have a goodish message.

Now for what I didn’t like:

The songs. Good golly whoever wrote the lyrics for these songs must have either used an AI for ideas or had very little time to clean up the lyrics. I sort of like parts from some of the songs. . . . but for the most part they were mediocre at best. This is such a shame because they had really good bones to them. The song I hated the most. . . was either the chicken song or the villain song.
The story was incohesive and lacked any real passion. I could tell they couldn’t decide where their story was really going. Perhaps they changed things along the way, took out characters, or shifted character roles.
I know what the story could have been with the starboy love story with a princess controlled by her evil parents. THAT would have been a better story. (I think one of the songs was haphazardly changed from a love song to a duet with Magnifico and Asha).
I didn’t find any of the characters really likable. They were passable.
They could have had a better ending.
All the references to different Disney movies were distracting. It made me want to go watch those movies instead.

Wall-E (2008), 9/10

There isn’t much more to say about this film that I haven’t said before. I did enjoy watching it with my students and seeing how they reacted to it. I had them write either a positive or negative review about the film and some of them felt physically ill at the thought of writing a negative review. Apparently, nostalgia runs strong for this particular film.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), 8/10

Surprisingly, I did like this film. I’m kind of shocked because Wes Anderson is not really my type of director. I wouldn’t say this is now one of my ultimate favorite stories but I did laugh a lot and enjoyed the clever animation and camera work.

Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie (2017), 8/10

Another surprise, I didn’t think this movie was bad. I took several months to watch through Hey Arnold! (1996) and actually think this was a pretty good ending. I would have maybe liked to see more indications of Arnold realizing his feelings for Helga, or for Helga’s obsession to shift into something less crazy but honestly, who cares.

TV Shows

Hey Arnold!, (1996)10/10

Behold the show that took up most of my evenings for April! I wrote about this last month but I finished all these episodes, watched some video essays, and have concluded I LOVE THIS SHOW. I’m a bit of an Arnold myself in the sense I always seem to be giving advice and helping people with their problems.

Here is what I really liked about this show:

Arnold is a really good role model. A lot of protagonists in 90s cartoons were either really dumb, mean, or aggressive. Arnold is introspective and takes his time to know people and help them.
Helga really made me laugh but also made me think deeply about how we handle toxic or unideal situations in our lives. Helga on the Couch was especially thought-provoking because it didn’t advocate for Helga to be mean or vent her pent-up feelings through aggression. It showed her situation and opened a door for honestly looking at and facing problems.
All the characters come from different backgrounds and live in a community that’s inclusive and open. A lot of shows today are trying to do this by forcing different cultures and races into the story. Hey Arnold! does this in a very organic way. I remember seeing this as a kid and never really wondering about how different everyone was. I liked learning about each character’s family, religion, cultural background, and interests.
The music was REALLY well written in this show. Listening to it is kind of like slipping back into my childhood or into a LOFI soundtrack.
It took its time and didn’t always have people talking. There were moments of contemplation and silence which are really important for an audience. These types of pauses give an audience a chance to unwind and see and interpret visually a character’s emotions and circumstances.

Books

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater, 8.5/10

If you like quirky regency romance books without the vulgarity of Bridgerton this is the book for you! The main character is such a joy to follow, even without most of her emotions and the setting is fun to deep dive into. I enjoyed it and look forward to exploring this author’s other stories.

The Horse and His Boy, 9/10

The next three books are basically the same review plus or minus a few details. I like how this story is about a boy already born in Narnia and how he befriends a talking horse. I also liked how this story wasn’t blatantly insensitive about the more Middle Eastern country it is based on. So many British books about the Middle East or Africa turn the cultures into savages.

I also really love the scenes with Aslan in this book. Several encounters between him and the characters were quite thought-provoking and touching to read. Plus, I like how he turned the snotty prince into a donkey. That was fun to read.

The Magician’s Nephew, 9/10

I actually thought I’d hate this book compared to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, but found it quite enjoyable to read. I had forgotten this is the book where Narnia is born as Aslan sings it into creation. I also like how the Cabby and his wife became the first king and queen of Narnia.

The Last Battle, 9/10

I was sad to finish this book because it meant the series was over. I wish I had read this series more as a child and hadn’t gotten preoccupied with Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Although this series seems simple, it is beautiful to read. Some children’s classics lose their spark as they grow older. I can definitely say that is not the case with this book series.

Ganbatte!: The Japanese Art of Always Moving Forward, 8/10

I would love to dive deep into the myriad of lessons this book teaches about resilience, integrity, and perseverance. It is interesting to think these qualities can help us find lasting happiness since most people look for instant fixes and gratification. More to come on this series in the future.

The Wild Robot, 9/10

I’m glad I finally picked up this book. I’ve seen it many times in Barnes and Noble and other bookstores but hadn’t taken the time to see if it was my type of book or not. I loved it and it set me on a children’s book binge that I’m still going through. Its main character begs the question, “Can artificial intelligence gain a heart if put into the right setting?”

Webtoons/Manga

Machida-Kun No Sekai, 10/10

I’ve written about this series before and I just can’t get enough of it! Machida Kun is such a wonderful role model. In fact, the only flaw this series really has is that it is too short. I would read it over and over if I wouldn’t grow tired of it.

Cry, Even better Beg, 2/10

I saw this series on Webtoon and thought I’d give it a try. It is a toxic mess. The male lead literally ruins the female protagonist’s life in the name of “love” (cough, obsession) and he views her as his possession rather than a human being. Reading this story, I realized anew why we can’t have nice things and why people think romance books are a mess these days.

I don’t recommend this story AT ALL. I was so angry after reading through it that I clicked out of it and watched Phineas and Ferb to help me feel better.

The Viridescent Crown, 7.5/10

This story has a lot of promise. I liked how it established from the get-go that neither of the characters saw each other as siblings, adopted or otherwise. It’s been a fun ride, but it isn’t over yet so I can’t really score it any higher.

A Delinquent’s Life Hacks, 7/10

I want to like this story more but it isn’t really cohesive. I could tell it was serialized tentatively and taken out of magazines when it didn’t do as well as it could have. I liked the main guy and his life hacks but beyond that, I didn’t find it too intriguing.

Beware the Villainess, 7/10

This is a re-read for me. I think it is fine as a story but there were certain parts of it I couldn’t really get behind. Overall, it is pretty funny and has interesting characters. I also like the romance between Melissa and the Wolf Guy (sorry forgot his name).

Thank you for reading! Hopefully, you find something new to read or watch. Don’t take my word for these (Except that garbage love story webtoon). Perhaps you will have a different experience than I did!