May 7, 2024

A Kind of Spark

Finding a tap can take some time, so here we are with a gap, not for lack of trying, mind you. But I've run across one at last!

A Kind of Spark is a British drama series produced by a multi-national group to include BYUtv in the US. Yep, that BYU. You know we look with unclouded eyes, so stop judging, either way. The cool thing about this series is that 50% to most (figures vary) of the cast are neurodivergent. Yep again. The three main characters are autistic actors. The cooler thing is, they don't all play that way. I'd challenge anyone to figure out exactly who is what. But if you take me up on that, you are entirely missing the Majik.

The show is now in two seasons, each with their own storyline. The first, runs a parallel between the modern day lives of the sisters as they discover the buried history of persecuted witches in their sleepy town. They make the case that what seemed like witchcraft, may actually have been neurodivergence. While this is intriguing, it isn't really where it taps in.

The second season is set fully in modern times as the town struggles with its newfound identity of acceptance. But that isn't it either.

It taps into Majik in the WAY it treats the divergence. It's clearly from the inside. And this is a perspective, this author holds dear (read my work to see). Every inch of this is written from the perspective of autistic people. From the way they shoot the scenes, to the dialogue, to Keedie's quips about neurotypicals (loved and adopted, by the way). As someone whose own divergence shares many traits with autism, I totally appreciate this. While it's accessible enough for neurotypicals, it is a pure joy to watch without fear of something triggering!

So please check this one out, and thanks to everyone who produced and acted in this series. So much to love and I hope you get a thousand seasons. Lola and Eve, you're adorable. John and Zac you make me smile in every scene. But Georgia, I love your character best of all!

January 22, 2024

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once 

This 2022 film by the director team known as the Daniels was a huge surprise for me. I didn't hold out a lot of hope for it. Partly because someone recommended it to me. I rarely like people's recommendations because most people recommend what they like with little real regard for another person's tastes. So thanks to Em for this one, and for seeing. You got some Glass in you.

It plays like a cheesy Chinese Kung Fu flick done on a cheap budget with a terrible palette. It just makes you feel ill. The beauty is...they know that and are doing it on purpose! So, all you Tharmenaea are in at that, right? What follows is a crazier and crazier cacophony of sight and sound that spins us through a rather well-logiced representation ludicrousness of the multiverse...a concept which enabled all the mogit film makers to redo and redo and redo the same super hero plots and even stories without regard for continuity, but which if it were really a thing would be even far more absurd and actually boring...think that one through a while... I digress (but maybe that's on purpose).

While the clever fun-poking at super hero tropes is enough to make this good, it becomes great when the deeper level of the story becomes apparent. It isn't really about any of that! It's really a disjointed and dissociated journey through a confused psyche of a lonely has-been to recapture some meaning in her life before she loses her daughter altogether. If you're one of the many of us whose issues have led to bitterness and pain in our children, despite oure best attempts to shield them, you'll totally get this film.

Well done guys. I want more.  

December 14, 2023

Robert Falconer

There's been a gap in posts because there's been a gap in worthy material. So sometimes you have to go back to go forward. I reread one of my top shelf books, Robert Falconer by George MacDonald. A man I have become so familiar with through his work that I think of him as my own Uncle. And this time through, it is not reduced at all!

Granted, 19th Century English is not the easiest for many modern readers to follow, and throwing in that a good deal of this is written in Scots, which is a closely related, but distinct language (look it up), this one is not a popular read. But if you are a good reader, or dare to try, you will not be disappointed. Provided, you like this blog. If not, don't bother. Because Uncle George is one of the Founding members of the Majik school. Seriously, he's such an influence on me and I'm not alone. This author truly redefined faith for me such that I have been able to hold onto it in spite of all the influences that have made so many of my friends and fellow survivors run.

But enough about me. This is one of Uncle George's realistic pieces. It follows a young Scottish boy from childhood through death with all the events that made him an archetype for the faith that MacDonald (and I, and the thousands of Christian Universalists around the world) strive to be. Wait, wait...don't run. It's NOT what you think. If you need more convincing, check out the Freeborn, patterned almost directly out of the last few chapters of this book.

At risk of spoiling, I am particularly in love with the scene where Robert tells his Granny that when he died and went to the Calvinist heaven of his upbringing, he would ask God if he could go back and die for someone else...and each of us could do the same right on down through Satan himself. Second favorite is the scene where, as an adult, he leaps over the edge of a bridge to catch a young addict in the act of killing herself and asks her if she is prepared to go into whatever comes like this, or rather would come with him and see if it couldn't get better. So practical and loving and perfect and over 100 years old, yet still speaking to those of us who know what a gun barrel tastes like.

But I can't possibly say it better than MacDonald himself. So give this one a try. And if you like it, you'll LOVE what I write.

 

September 30, 2023

Not Cinderella's Type

I watched this movie (haven't read the book yet.) solely because I'm a fan of Paris Warner. I obviously understood it was a retelling of the fairy tale, but what I got was something really tapped in. Thus it's a surprise for me and winds up here.

To be perfectly honest, it's not the best acted movie. The villains were far over the top, almost silly, though perhaps this was intentional to lighten the mood. I'm going to assume this, since I would have done something similar, given the intent of the movie, which I'm getting to. Much of the supporting cast was also mediocre; watchable, but just not oscar material. And the dialogue got a little canned in parts, again, for reasons. Of course, Paris plays it so well. But that's not what I love about it.

Turns out, this retelling takes the story literally. No magic, and a healthy dose of meta, in that the characters are aware of the parallels. But let's be honest, the story of Cinderella is plainly a case of abuse. And while we don't tolerate that kind of thing in our society, what we fail to see is just how insidious and widespread it really is. Would you recognize it? If you did, would you do anything? I would lay strong money you HAVE witnessed it, and didn't know that's what you were seeing. Want to know what you missed? Watch the movie. You'll see a realistic portrayal of what a kid in those circumstances looks like.

But more than that, you'll see just how confusing it can be for a kid to recognize that it's even happening. Our family lives are so closed and abusers are good at controlling the narrative, so it just feels normal for the one being abused. You'll also see how even good people explain it away and contribute to it. But you'll also see the RIGHT way to intervene. I don't want to spoil it, so you'll just have to watch to get more. As a survivor myself, I will say I found myself in tears wishing someone had done that for me when I was a kid. So, please, please, don't think you are preserving the good by leaving the family intact. You aren't. If you suspect, intervene!

And if you are one of those kids who happen to read this, listen close. This one is no fairy tale. It really can happen like this for you. If anything tugs at you when you watch this, please look deeper at your own situation and do what you can to get help. There are many of us watching for you and waiting to keep you safe.

July 15, 2023

Pleasure

This 2021 Indie by Ninja Thyberg comes with some serious warnings and disclaimers. 1. THIS IS NOT FOR KIDS. 2. It's not porn. 3. It may really bother some viewers, so use discretion.

That out of the way, I have to say I thought this was a brilliant movie. You might wonder how a blog could in any way equate The Chosen and Pleasure. But if you don't get that, then you don't get Majik yet. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The film follows an adult film actress from introduction to the industry through her rise to fame. There is no real backstory. We're just dropped in for an open-eyed look at things. Gritty, disturbing, endearing, human things. In fact, it's so real, most of the actors are actual adult film personalities. But lest you think this is another gawful waste of screen like Showgirls, THIS film consciously refuses to objectify women. The absolutely amazing feat of this movie, is as Thyberg herself has acknowledged, is to make a movie about porn that isn't porn. Thyberg, who has an advanced education in Women's Studies has said she set out to make an open and honest look at the industry, good and bad that neither vilified nor condoned. How did she do it? While the scenes are intense, you'll see it more from the actress' point of view, and that only briefly. The rest is brilliant cinematography that echoes the stilted fakeness of porn but manages to capture the real elements they seek to hide in actual porn.

Now of course, you can't really make any piece of art without injecting some commentary. It's in the choice of shot, the lighting, what makes the cut to the final, etc. So, Thyberg clearly has issues with the abuses in the porn industry (as do I, for the record.) But she follows the documentary ethic well enough that it's really hard to say what is my own interpretation of the scene and what is her own voice.

So why does this movie end up on this blog? Well, it taps into Majik in that it chooses to 'see with eyes unclouded' and doesn't flinch as it looks into a taboo and dark place. You see, the statistical reality is that the internet has made porn ubiquitous. Over 80% of people have consumed it, even those who most strenuously decry it. Some say it's a shedding of old taboo. Others like me, find it more like a drug. It has its uses but also its negatives. I am not a supporter of the industry for its abuses to the actors and the viewers, though I am no plaster saint. The challenge, though, is to separate the real humans, someone's daughters and sons, with hopes and dreams and survival instincts, from whatever we may think of the industry, whether titillating or off-putting. These are real people.

And this is exactly where I think the movie taps in so well. Like, Snyder, it intends to make you uncomfortable and feel the full price for what you as a consumer have driven people to. But on the positive side, I think it also does a great job of showing the immense ability of the human psyche to adapt and normalize.

Look, sexual abuse and rape are realities in my life and the lives of others I know. So I totally get that this film is NOT for everyone. Don't even try, if you suspect it might bother you. There's other movies. But for me, life is all about that red pill, Ashitaka, wide-eyed honest understanding of myself and others. So if that is you as well, this film will help you see things in a different light. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

 

April 29, 2023

Suzume

Makoto Shinkai does it again with another incredibly beautiful, heartfelt, and deep film. If you don't know Shinkai's work, you are really missing one of the best directors in a lifetime.

True to form, Suzume deals with a young person who finds herself swept up into a fantastic adventure drawn from Japanese folklore. But it stays grounded in reality. I won't go too into the story, since I think it's best encountered with fresh eyes. If you've read other summaries or reviews, sorry. Stop now and just go watch the movie. Even if you know nothing about Japan or the culture and history, you won't be disappointed. But of course, if you do have some experience with it, you'll find so much more to love.

Why? The same reason it's on this blog: It taps into something universal and emotional. A reality we all experience but which most of us spend our lives trying to ignore. Shinkai is a master of expressing the evidence of this truth in his art. But beyond that, the whole story is a densely packed metaphor for the pain and resilience of the human spirit, especially as seen through Japanese eyes. And let me tell you, the Japanese cultural memory is replete with suffering and therefore skilled at finding the Majik in fleeting moments of beauty. But in a more modern sense, he mythologizes the process of leaving the past and moving forward. If you've ever had to do this, you understand just how wrist-slittingly painful and utterly crucial it is. It does things to us we can't control any more than the events that create the scenarios.

But Shinaki, yet again finds a beautiful way to approach it. Feel it from the inside, and then step on. My favorite part? The brief scene where they connect what exactly the Worm is composed of. Once you get that, pay attention to the incantation to seal the doors. That's all there is to it.

And if you love Shinkai, I know another author you'll come to love as well... Me. I'm talking about me... but if you needed me to explain that, you probably won't get either of us.

April 1, 2023

The Goldfinch 

I'm referring to the book by Donna Tartt in this case, not the movie. Though if the movie is anywhere near as good as the book, I'll be writing about it soon. And this book is widely recognized so I am not unearthing some obscure gem here. People have compared Tartt to Dickens, and I see the point. Honestly, I think she referenced this book as an Oliver Twist story in the book itself, which makes me wonder if she had something to do with the comparison or if she was inserting an injoke of a comment that had already been made. The reason I include it here when I've had a long pause of drytaps is that this one echos back to the long rambling novels written before television series replaced the format, when people would read, often aloud, and loved to fall into long rambling stories that they could inhabit for a whole season. I personally still love this kind of literature best. I'd rather watch a movie with a defined end, a good arc, vs endless serial shows that wander and retcon as they get picked up for new seasons midstream. But in books, it's the best of the solid movie arc in the long format. Now, as an aside, I have to say that every bit of feedback an agent has ever given me for rejecting my book, I find in other already published books. Too long, wrong voice, slow start, too pensive, not popular enough, not original enough...and here we have another example. This book is so long and slow and rambling, I had no idea what was happening or where it was headed even up to the final arc, which I thought wasn't the final. Of course, I read in ebook format and my reader is chosen, among other reasons, because it doesn't immediately show me how far along I am in a book. I can just let it come as it comes. But the point is, this one was so full of ups and downs, and spans so much time, I really had no idea what was next...and I loved that! But this is really more about why I liked it and not really how it taps into Majik. The Majik is in world she creates, at once both realistic and fantastic. Fantastically real, let's say. Could be, but improbable, a deliciously tantalizing tension. Like a version of reality we all can see as real, but aren't quite sure about, maybe don't wish to be possible. Then there's the characterizations. Tartt let's us inhabit the characters. I can not on;y see, but smell and feel even the ones outside of the 1st person narration. That means she, in some fashion had to inhabit them...which means they inhabit her. This is something maybe only other authors can get, but a reality that we are not nearly as separated as we like to think. We are all, in very real ways, inhabiting and inhabited by others. This book does a great job of illustrating that. There is one downside for me though. Once the final arc concludes, by way of denouement, she lifts off into a philosophical soliloquy on the nature of life. But the thing is, the very extensive narration we had just shared with her made that abundantly clear and notably refrained from pensivity. As a very pensive writer, this may come off hypocritical, but see, I know that about myself and make no apologies. From Chapter 1 of my works, you'll get that. I don't tack it on at the end of 200,000 words of NOT that. So I could have done without it simply because it was unnecessary. But hey, different strokes, yeah? I still loved the book and can't wait to see how they made the cinematic leap...they got Wolfhard for Boris...so I'm already in! 4/4/23 EDIT: Intended to do a separate entry for the movie, but after seeing it, I can't. While the acting was great for the most part, the timeline was illogically confused and while I don't expect (or want) a movie to tell the exact story of a book, this was far too vague to stand on its own with significant scenes from the book left in, but reduced to mere icons with no explanation of relation. I watched with someone who hadn't read the book and spent the whole time explaining what was going on. REALLY disappointing adaptation of what could have been a top shelf companion to a top shelf book.  

February 4, 2023

Come Away

Brenda Chapman, of animated film note, brings a cool retelling of fairy tales in this 2020 realistic fantasy. Big names such as Jolie and Oyelowo really get attention, though they aren't the focus of the film. Rather it's a fictional story of events that may have inspired both Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. Though critics overall hated it, that has a lot to do with what I'm going to tell you below, also with the fact that this story is told fro mthe children's perspective. OK, so our whole fairy tale canon, and many religious, poetic, and philosophic standards tell us adults lose their ability to perceive Majik. So what do you think a movie will seem like to them that really does grasp this perspective of story-telling, worldview, etc? Yeah, exactly like what they wrote. So all those critics need to grow back down a bit and try again. As someone for whom developmental trauma resulted in a frozen childhood, I gotta say, I totally get it. This is just how the 7 year old me would write a movie. But of course, produced and directed by people with some skills to make that work. So that's the first tap. But it gets better. This is a fantasy, right. A fairy tale. Fairy tales let us do things we can't in reality. We can make things better. And they don't miss that. This is at root a sad but wondrously hopeful movie about kids being inspired by imagination, telling themselves stories to create the identities they need, and acting them out to truly become heroic in very real ways. This is the essence of Majik and EXACTLY the kind of thing fantasy is best used for. In addition to this inspiring story that demonstrates how kids can find agency to overcome horrible circumstances using their own innate superpowers, it goes a step further to do the other thing fantasy does so well, obliquely comment on society through the best tool for changing mass opinion: re-norming. Unrepentantly yet (in Oyelowo fashion) without beating the audience over the head with it, this film tackles racism, classism, prejudice. It's a freakin' fantasy! Why do Peter and Alice have to be white? Why can't a world like 19th century England not be far more racially mixed? In fact, why do we even have to define ourselves by skin color at all? This is brilliant because quite literally the stories we tell ourselves create our reality. Look it up, we all run on scripts and subroutines. Focusing too much on these polarizing and difficult issues makes them stronger. But subtly changing the narrative makes it so no one even thinks of things which were once total givens. For example, employing an 8 year old in a factory. Duh, who else is gonna fit inside those machines! Not like they have anything better to do... put 'em to work! Which brings me to the other reason lots of critics hated it...flat stare...eye-boring, uncomfortable flat stare. Awesome movie. Great job. Love Oyelowo. And these kids do it right! More please!    

January, 14, 2023

Belfast 

Sometimes going into a movie blind is the most intriguing way. That is certainly true in this case. I saw Belfast without knowing a single thing about it other than it popped up as a recommendation on a streaming service and the blurb looked good. So I watched it not knowing it was a Branagh film (huge respect), nor that it was about his childhood (more respect). In fact, I only had one suspicion in the middle that it must be based on the director's own experience. But that's not why this movie taps Majik. This movie is set against the early part of the terrible conflict in Northern Ireland. But it isn't about that. It's also not a maudlin nostalgia piece. It's a very real examination of human life in difficult times. But here's why it taps into that universal flow of humanity: this could happen anywhere. Pay attention to what this conflict does to the people in the story. From the old man who takes on the role of ID check simply to stop it from being in the hands of one of the less peaceful and egalitarian to the way the kids start absorbing the zeitgeist even in play. Pay attention to how a few ignorant fools can wreak so much havoc on families and communities. Notice how the vast majority want nothing to do with it, just want to live in peace, but can't stop the rocks and molotovs from flying. Notice how this tears families, how it terrifies children. And don't for a second, not one second, think it can't happen wherever you live. If you're in the US, you know what I'm referring to and if you are anywhere else, you have your own references. Even to my dearly loved friends and people in Japan: your isolation will not prevent this, does not prevent this. But also notice how there is one thing that overcomes it. Two things that just might prevent it. One is love and respect...let's call it civility. If you think using angry or hateful language, calling some group idiots because they don't agree with you is harmless, then you are no better than those rock-toting imbeciles because you are fueling those asses who can't tell they're wrecking their own houses. You aren't sacrificing your convictions to refrain from extremism. You're taking the higher road. The second thing is bravery. Bravery to speak up against it, even in the mildest form. Bravery to NOT join. Bravery to keep your hands down unless blocking that rock. Bravery to go when that is best. Bravery to stay when that is. And bravery to bring it down, hard and fast, BEFORE it has a chance to gain momentum. So this movie was brilliant, real, powerful on so many levels. But what else would you expect from Branagh?  

January 7, 2023

The Chosen

OK, so this one will be polarizing by nature. But I'm going to attempt to avoid them. First, a little disclaimer up front. I'm of the Christian faith, though not Evangelical. I don't care what you believe and I'm not going to try to convince you. But I will always challenge you to check your own biases. In this case, if you are shying away from this series because you have religious hangups, at least...at LEAST open to the possibility of equality...namely, that what you think isn't the same as everyone else. Therefore if 'Tits and Dragons' can get such a following, despite being so distasteful to huge swaths of humanity, why can't a well-done series with an international cast including hollywood actors that examines human nature in the context of the life of one of the most controversial figures to ever live? This ongoing series by Dallas Jenkins is an indy, crowd-funded production distributed by Angel Studios, which was founded by members of the Church of Latter Day Saints. It's about the life of Jesus of Nazareth and his disciples...see right there, half of you tuned out. But hold on a minute. This series actually focuses on the human drama, the fictional stories of the lives of the disciples and even Jesus himself, set against the backdrop of historic and Biblical events. It's not pushing an agenda. Which is why I write about it. Obviously, the makers have an agenda, but honestly, so does every other producer. Why should we rule this one out a priori because that agenda is faith-based. OK, so why does this tap Majik? Precisely because it stays consciously away from denominational and religious over and undertones. It's a reasonably well-made streaming series that follows the dramatized lives of some of the most famous and influential (for good or ill...I didn't add a value judgement) people in human history. But it goes far deeper than that. For one, Jonathan Roumie, the actor that plays Jesus, knocks it totally out of the park. And I've seen almost all portrayals. This is the closest to the image and swagger that I read into the Bible accounts themselves. Regardless of what you may believe religiously, this Jesus dude was on it. He went up against not only a super-strict sectarian government of some podunk desert people. But also the massive brutally efficient machine of the Roman Empire, entirely with a message of peace, love, and inclusion. One of the first in the world to include women and disabled, to recognize trauma and mental illness, to denounce the corrupting influence of power. Like it or not, his teachings have literally framed the entire Western worldview which dominates every continent in our increasingly globalized societies. Jenkins and Roumie respect that radical, that Hopepunk attitude, and draw out very relatable stories that could have been represented in the first disciples. Cleverly, these also tend to play to issues viewers will no doubt recognize without being preachy. And they do a great job of staying indistinct enough that it works globally. Do they mean that to be the controversy over in this corner of the US or that one over in Eastern Europe...or are they thinking of Africa...maybe east Asia? It just works. Not everyone wants or likes the depressing fog that has come to be known as Grimdark. And this series proves there's a huge market for uplifting fiction, and that uplifting doesn't have to mean trite, cheesy, or squeaky clean.

November 17, 2022

Remarkably Bright Creatures 

  I definitely favor old books, but I believe it was C.S. Lewis who said for every new book one should read an old book for perspective. Well, I may not do it one for one, but I try to follow that in reverse. I'm happy to say this delightfully endearing book by Shelby Van Pelt taps for sure.   I'm not into happy so much...hopeful without doubt, but not happy. My perspective of Majik is just skewed toward the dark. To stick with my reference above, call me Puddleglum...or should I use my own metaphor and say, Sutoré? But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a lighter view. This one definitely brushes enough toward the dark to hook me, but stays in the bright enough to feel sweet and happy. This means, most people will probably think it's pretty dark...it all depends where you stand.   Ostensibly, the novelty of the...novel (intended, deal with it) is that a good portion of the narration is by an octopus. I love them myself, so I don't hate it. But there have honestly been a lot of books narrated by animal characters, even non-fantasy works. So that was just one more thing to draw me, and not a real shocker. But what I loved was how the octopus becomes a guardian angel. Now you're getting my attention! But that's enough before I spoil it. Which I won't do. Nope. I'm an author too. Don't take my word for anything; read it yourself. What I will say, is what would be a very conventional elder quest avoids being cliché by merging that trope with a very unconventional elder quest, and merging that with another conventional make-peace-personal-growth story. But it's just done in such a fun way, I really didn't want to put it down. I got invested. And that is the goal right? My only wish is for more Marcellus. I would have loved to see more of the story through his eyes. I get that not all of it would be possible that way, but we could have seen more that way. But what do I know, she's the one with a published book. And deservedly so. I really did like it!  

November 11, 2022

The King of Elfland's Daughter 

This influential example of early fantasy was written by Lord Dunsany in 1924. In poetic style that matches other similar works of the day, Dunsany tells a very modern story (as in modern era in which he lived) of disillusionment and re-enchantment.   I have to confess it wasn't my favorite tale. But it is influential of so many other works and I really loved the fact that the book is a great non-allegorical metaphor. Sound like anyone else you know...hmmm. I wish I could claim this as an influence, but truth is I only recently discovered it.   I also really loved the world Dunsany builds here. While so many conceptions of elves are effectively very human, Dunsany paints a completely other universe. While similar enough to inter-breed with humans, elves are utterly alien and strange, as are all magical creatures in their realm. (The similarities! I'm tellin' you, we authors who Flow are tapping into something beyond ourselves.)   For story, the long and short is that a naive human community wishes to make a name for themselves by selfishly using magic, so they send their wistful prince off in search of it. When he penetrates the veil between "the fields we know" and Elfland, he falls hard for the daughter of Elfland, who being so far from human, is intrigued by the entire concept and follows him home where she is enamored of the every day, which for her is anything but.   She bears a son, the first Half-Elven, but her nature is so different that she suffers in the human world until her father enacts powerful magic to draw her back and hide their realm. The smitten prince then spends his life questing to rescue her, but the price is steep.   Fortunately, their son is a bridge, unknown to himself and gathers about him so much of the realm that the townspeople quickly learn they should be careful what they wish for. Only one Magical Rune remains, and it might be able to set all things right. But should it? Will the King? And what would that actually look like?   If you like fantasy that creates dreamy Romantic worlds and subtly speaks to deeper meaning that you must invest yourself to apply, then this will captivate you. Certainly worth the read for the influence it's had, for seeing a metaphorical expression of the ennui and lostness of post WWI, and for the way it touches human experience across time, that is, it taps Majik.  

October 30, 2022

Undone 

This animated series is an Amazon original by Kate Purdy and Raphael Bob-Waksberg.  It features the seldom used rotoscope style which some people really hate. But I think it works well in this series.  Why?  Traditional animation looks like charicatures of real things and live action is too...real.  If you want to make the real world seem somehow off, this is a great technique.  I believe this is what the creators were going for.   As always, I'm not going to give away much about the series.  Watch it yourself.  But I will tell you that this one definitely taps Majik.   What's it about?  A girl struggling with reality discovering just how deep that rabbit hole goes.  Is that her dead father visiting her to seek help from her genetic gift to skip around time, or is she having a psychotic break?  But it really taps in where this series is like watching a session of Internal Family Systems Therapy or even a deeply regressive EMDR session.  If you been there, you know what I mean.  I watched things happening to this girl that I have experienced in both contexts.   If you watch it trying to figure out what is real from what is psychosis, or dream, or whatever, you're missing the point.  Just go for the ride.  If you've experienced those things, you'll get it.  If you feel uncomfrotable, maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something.  And if you don't get it at all, welcome to what it feels like to live with it... only you can turn off the show whenever you get ready.  Suffice to say, none of us truly know what's going on deep down in those places behind our eyes. When it comes to the front, it's pretty darn freaky.   So, I highly recommend this one and hope enough of you watch it to convince the Amazonians it needs a third season.   Oh yeah, and if you happen to be one of the people who wrote the ending to the second season, it works, I saw what you were heading to and wasn't surprised.  But there's so many other threads I wanted to see tie back up...however, a third season might just be where you are planning that!  

October 14, 2022

A Ghost Story

This 2017 film by David Lowery tapped into the Majik so hard I had to go back and watch it a second time right after. With only about 10 minutes of dialogue in its 92 minutes, it's definitely a visual masterpiece. Even after the second viewing I had to look for some other reviews to get a handle on just what was happening.   But honestly, I didn't really care. I just wanted to hang in that world for a while longer.   Here's the gist. A young married guy dies suddenly, then rises up as a sheeted ghost and wanders home, where he stays...a long time...silently watching everything that happens from the wreckage his death causes to the odd ghost next door, new owners, and much much more.   But in case you're wondering, here's a little hint without too much spoiler. I don't think the ghost is really the dead guy. The key is in the one monologue at the party. In this sea of Majik any action, especially a deeply real one, leaves a ripple that transcends spacetime.   But what do I know.

September 3, 2022

Love and Monsters

This 2020 film by Michael Masters tapped Majik somthing fierce! In fact, it's one of my top movies to come out in recent years. Being a Hopepunk myself, I was so in love with the tone and characters. But to tell such a unique story with such cultural relevance (albeit charmingly veiled)... I am a HUGE fan!   Unfortunately this one hasn't gotten its due. Most likely sue to the Pandemic and the fact that in today's cinema the masses don't care if it isn't a remake or a famous person...preferably both. But it SO deserves attention.   Imagine if you will, an asteroid is coming to crush the Earth (Oh no. Not that.) But humanity unites to destory the threat by launching every destructive missile we have at it...and it works! This is just the prologue.   Unfortunately, this joyous effort is short-lived since the fallout (You mean drastic 'emergency' actions have unintended consequences?) rains back on the Earth mutating inconsequential smaller forms of life into monstrous sizes such that humans are instantly on the bottom of the food chain.   But wait, once again our ingenuity enables remaining people to exist in hidden cloisters linked only by spotty radio, where they fight to stay alive in a world where everything wants to eat them. Obviously, this world favors the brave, strong, and athletic. So the main character, who is none of those things, is basically a tolerated, but useless weight who likes to draw, until he's had enough and decides to go find his girlfriend 50 miles away.   Of course his sheltermates think this is suicide and beg him not to go, but he strikes off and quickly finds that this new world is not quite as bad as he was led to believe. Sure it's deadly, but with a little smarts, he finds he isn't dead so quickly.   I'm stopping there because I don't want to spoil this hidden gem. Just trust, me, there's much more to love and a plot that is anything from cliche...Oh yeah, and Minnow is totally my kinda girl...in an approriate Dad kinda way, c'mon!