Ben J. Fenty

This is where I post updates of my stories, a few top 10s and and defenses of popular/controversial topics.

[a34trgv2]

My Online Tip Jar

Ben Fenty | My Online Tip Jar | Patreon

Become a patron of Ben Fenty today: Get access to exclusive content and experiences on the world’s largest membership platform for artists a

I never like asking for money. I prefer to work for it. I've been writing posts on here for a good while and never bothered opened a Patreon page because I didn't feel the need to. I decided to open it up now because I'm anticipating at least one person to ask how they can support me beyond sharing and liking my posts. On my page you, you can feel free to pledge $1 a month. Nothing will be behind a pay wall because this is more of a tip jar if anything. If you would like to generous and pledge $1 a month, just follow the link. I'm not asking for a penny more.

[a34trgv2]

Why It Worked: Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 3

Introduction: The 3rd Phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands the franchise by bringing in new characters and worlds before coming to the epic 2 part event that is Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Where the last Phase had some divisive reception on some of the films, all 12 of the films in this Phase recieved generally good to great reviews, with one being nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. So without further delay lets talk about how this Phase played out.

The Plots: Phase has a good balance of sequels and standalone features this time around. At the start of the Phase, the Avengers' (specifically Captain America and Iron Man) differing ideologies in how they should operate force them to essentially break up. In the midst of this, new faces are introduced to this ever growing franchise. The Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Stephan Strange learns mystic arts in his film, the Black Panther, King T'Challa learns what it means to be a good king versus a good man in his film, Carroll Danvers learns how to channel her emotions in her film and Hope Van Dyne becomes the Wasp in the follow-up to Ant-Man. The Guardians of the Galaxy also deal with family issues (Gamora with her sister and Peter Quill with his father), Thor teams up with Hulk, Valkeryie and Loki to stop Hela from conquering the 9 Relms and Spider-Man was introduced in the MCU in an unprecedented deal between Sony and Marvel. Then there's the event Marvel has been building towards since the post-credit scene of The Avengers: the arrival of Thanos. Once he starts collecting the Infinity Stones one by one, it's up to everyone to stop him and end his reign of terror. Joe and Anthony Russo had a gigantic task presented to them with Infinity War and Endgame and thankfully they succeeded both times with their excellent directing. We should also give credit to James Gunn for making a great sequel to an already great film, John Watts for breathing new life to the Spider-Man franchise, Ryan Coogler for bringing the world of Wakanda to life, Taika Waititi for adding his style of humor to the Thor series, Scott Derrickson for making magic feel real, Peyton Reed for making a strong follow-up to Ant-Man and Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck for introducing Captain Marvel in a fun and entertaining way.

Cast and Characters: A slew of new faces show up in this phase as well as some old fan favorites getting significant character development. Starting with the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Dr. Stephen Strange goes through a really believable and intriguing arc from an egotistical neurosurgeon to a humble sorcerer who learns to fight for something bigger than himself. This was also the phase that introduced Spider-Man into the MCU. This incarnation of the famous webslinger is a young high school student who looks up to Tony Stark and tries to balance his superheroing with his school life. T'Challa was also introduced in this phase as the king of Wakanda and his film tackles some serious issues and stands as a culturally significant movie. Last but not least we got Carroll Danvers, aka Captain Marvel. She's a headstrong, brave and snarky heroine who learns who the real heroes are and takes on an entire Kree armada. The returning Avengers all change and grow drastically during this phase, with Tony Stark becoming the father he never had (both metaphorically and literally), the Guardians of The Galaxy and Thor dealing with their own family issues, and Scott Lang, Hank and Hope trying to get Janet back from the Quantum Relm. Major props should be given to the actors for breathing new life into these characters. Benedict Cummberbach was phenomenal as Stephen Strange, bringing in the right amount of charm and self-assurance to the character. Tom Holland make for a great choice as Peter Parker and makes him feel like a really smart, naive yet brave high school student. Chadwick Boseman gave an outstanding performance as T'Challa, making him very stoic, smart and brave. Brie Larson perfectly captured the spunky and brave attitude of Carroll Danvers and made her such a force to be reckoned with. Of course returning stars Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evens, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Mark Ruffalo bring their A-game as the core Avengers, with Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautisa, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel once again shining as the Guardians of The Galaxy and Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily and Michael Douglas reprising their roles brilliantly.

Super Supporting Players: In addition to great main characters, this phase also went above and beyond making the supporting characters funny, likable and well rounded. Wanda and Vision's relationship is both beautiful and tragic especially when it comes to the events of Infinity War. They have such natural chemistry with one another and despite their fates we still root for them to have a happy ending. Christine also had very natural chemistry with Dr. Strange and was very resourceful in helping him when he was injured. Wong appears very stone cold and serious, but has his funny moments and eventually grows to respect Strange. Questionable casting choice aside, I think The Ancient One was still a really good mentor to Strange as well as being a very complex character. Yondu became a much more complex and sympathetic character in Guardians 2, as did his 2nd in command Kraglin. Mantis was also a very sweet character, given her natural ability to emphasize with others. Ned Leeds made for a funny, helpful, and supporting best friend for Peter. Michelle proved to be a snarky, smart, and funny young lady who eventually forms a relationship with Peter in Far From Home. Aunt May proved to be a funny and supportive legal guardian to Peter, Flash is reborn from the stereotypical jock to a petty, narcissistic rival to Peter, and Happy Hogan returns to bring his signature charm and wit. Rounding out Thor: Ragnarok's cast includes some exciting new faces such as the tragic yet courageous Valkyrie, the charming and always funny Korg, and the eccentric Grand Master. All the actors and actresses did such incredible work bringing these characters to life and I'm more than pleased that the majority of them became cult favorites.

The Big Baddies: One aspect about this Phase that recieved the biggest improvement was the villains. Not that the villains in Phases 1 and 2 were bad, but Marvel really stepped up their game in making some of the most iconic villains in the superhero genre. First we had Helmut Zemo, a grieving Sokovian solider who takes advantage of the rocky reputation of the Avengers to split them up from the shadows. Next up was Kaecillius, a sorcerer who used to be part of the Masters Of The Mystic Arts before he became a servant to one of the most dangerous villains in the Marvel universe: Dormammu. Peter Quill's Dad, Ego, started out kind and welcoming Celestial before his true colors were revealed and he more than lived up to his name. Adrian Tombs joins the ranks of previous on-screen Spider-Man villains as a cunning, ruthless, yet sympathetic arms dealer who sees the web slinger as an inconvenience at best. Hela was a merciless, conniving, and theatrical villain who proved time and again why she's the goddess of death. Erik Stevens, aka Killmonger, is a tactical solider, a ruthless killer, and a cunning fighter, but above all that he's also a villain who's motivation is not unfounded. Then there's the Mad Titan himself, Thanos, who more than delivered on his character after being teased throughout the previous Phases. Where most villains either chew the scenery and are maniacal about their plans for destruction, Thanos is calm, honest, and caring about it as he sees the genocide of trillions as a good thing. Obviously he's wrong, yet what makes him such an iconic villain is he 100% believes that he's right and not a single hero he encounters can beat enough sense into him to change his mind. Rounding out the villains of Phase 3 include Ava Star, aka Ghost, a tragic woman who can phase in and out of reality (causing her much pain), Yon-Rogg and the Kree empire who convince Carol Danvers that Talos and the other Skrulls are the enemy, and Quinton Beck, aka Mysterio, a master manipulator who uses holographic technology to make himself look like the hero. We also have some secondary antagonists that left a memorable impression such as Brock Rumlow, aka Crossbones, the Sovereign lead by Ayesha, Taser Face, who lead the mutiny against Yondu (and has a hilariously stupid name), Skurge, Hela's Executioner, Surtur, the giant fire demon who's meant to destroy Asgard, Ulysses Claw, the Black Order (Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive, and Cull Obsidian), Sonny Burch, and Bill Foster. An overall round of applause to the cast for bringing these villains to life, particularly Michael B. Jordan, Josh Brolin, Michael Keaton, Cate Blanchett, and Kurt Russell.

Costumes And Visuals: It was really during Phase 3 where the costume and visual FX departments started borrowing more heavily from the comics to bring the MCU to life. From costumes that looked like they lept off the page such as Crossbones, Hela, Mysterio, and Black Panther, to the incredible visual effects that brought the powers of the Infinity Stones, the magic of Docter Strange, and Ego's planet to life. This all culminates in the spectacular work done in Infinity War and Endgame where they went all out with the VFX and costumes during the climatic battles. It also cannot be understated how well they brought Thanos to life with motion capture so that we see Josh Brolin's emotions shine through and we see how he towers over everyone. The production design of these films also deserves major props as the locations feel lived in. I absolutely love the look of Wakanda as well as Kamar-Taj, Sakaar, and Ego's planet. Major props to the hardworking men and women who work on the costumes and VFX. You all deserve more credit, respect, better working conditions, and fair pay.

Where It Falters: As great as this Phase is, I do have my gripes. I think Steve Rogers kissing Sharon was awkward and unnecessary. I liked Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One, but I think they should've casted a Tibetan actor to play the character because wanting to avoid upsetting the Chinese government is no excuse for whitewashing a historically Asian character (yes I know The Ancient One is a title, and not a character. Still, they could've avoided the whole controversy by just staying true to the comics and casting a Tibetan actor). I thought the Ravanger mutiny was a tad to easy, given that Yondu is quite skillful with the arrow. I didn't think Liz was as interesting as a character given that she's just Peter Parker's crush. I think Volstagg and Fandral should've fought alongside Hogun during Hela's arrival on Asgard because having 2 out of the Warriors 3 already killed before they had a chance to fight just felt underwhelming (also where was Lady Sif?). I didn't feel strongly either way about Agent Ross. I would've liked to have seen more Hulk during the battle in Infinity War. I thought it Ant-Man and The Wasp had a scene or 2 that was a little too exposition heavy. I thought Captain Marvel was pretty predictable plot-wise, but that's the nature of prequels. As long as Avengers: Endgame was, I still would've liked to have seen Hulk and Thanos have a rematch. Lastly, I thought Brad from Far From Home was an unnecessary jerk and not very funny. Could've easily filled his role with Flash and nothing would change. These are overall minor gripes in the grand scheme of things and they don't at all hinder my enjoyment of Phase 3.

Conclusion: Marvel completely outdid themselves with Phase 3 and brought the Infinity Saga to an epic conclusion. With 11 great and even masterfully crafted films, an army of well developed characters, excellent visuals effects and wonderfully crafted costumes, they showed the world how to deliver an epic conclusion to a multi-film saga. And to this day they're still growing strong with no signs of slowing down. I'm looking forward to talking about the next Phase in Marvel's ever growing Cinematic Universe. Thank you so much for reading and I'll see you soon ;)

[a34trgv2]

The Problem With Dated Slang And Memes In Storytelling

A story can be many different things: good, bad, exciting, boring, funny, sad, or what have you. Yet the one thing I feel every story should strive toward above all else is being timeless. Like, even with references to the real world or time period the story is set in, it should still feel like it can be told to the audience without making itself feel like it was made during a bygone era. Which is all the more frustrating whenever shows or movies use dated memes or trendy slang. If you'll indulge me for a bit, I'm going to explain my issues with stories that incorporate dated material as a vain attempt to be relatable to the audience.

For the very few people that don't know what a meme or slang is, both of them are essentially in-jokes online and in select circles. They're often reactionary images to a specific subject or they're an off-the-cuff catchphrase coined by someone with a sizable following that spread like wild fire. They rarely end up as everyday vocabulary and more often than not they're seen as cringe after a while (if not immediately). Memes and slang often fall out of favor because of their repetitive nature and how they were only amusing in the moment. They don't have long shelf lives, so when they're referenced in a movie or show that was made months or even a year or 2 after the fact, it comes off like the creators were out of touch and makes the whole thing feel awkward or cringe.

Among the many criticisms lobbied towards films like Read Player One, The Emoji Movie, Ralph Breaks The Internet and Space Jam: A New Legacy was the films' use of Internet memes and slang. These critiques are not unfounded as this films primarily use the Internet as a setting and as such memes like flossing, the screaming goat, and Big Chungus were inevitable. Because of that inevitability, these films feel like time capsules for better or worse. The worst part about the use of memes in these films is the difference in contexts. Online, Big Chungus is a funny meme of Bugs Bunny impersonating Elmer Fudd when he was more round. In Space Jam: A New Legacy, the context is changed to him telling LeBron James to act like Elmer Fudd and he morphes into Elmer's plus size appearance. The change in context drastically changes the meme and instead of being a clever in-joke, now it's just a nonsensical gag that falls flat. This is the nature with movies and shows. They have an established context so when they're referencing memes and slang, they need to adjust the context of said memes and slang to fit in the present context. And this often leads to a flat or cringe gag that might as well have been cut entirely.

Word of advice from one writer to aspiring writers who are tempted to include the latest meme or slang you found funny: don't. You can work in a pop culture reference or 2 if it fits the narrative or a character's personality, but I would strongly advise against using memes or slang. They may be funny in the moment, but they won't be funny outside it. To conclude, memes and slang should be reserved for online spaces and in specific communities and not be referenced unironically in movies and shows. Otherwise they might as well hold up a big sign that says, "I am a product from *insert specific year here*."

[a34trgv2]

Why Generative AI Needs To Die -.-

It's been a rough couple of years for artists everywhere, thanks in no small part to greedy tech moguls hyping up generative AI. It's been the bane of mine and every other like minded person's existence for years and yet there's still some zealouts out there who say this is the future. What these tech bros fail to realize is that the future is dictated by our actions in the present, and right now my action is to make a comprehensive post about why generative AI needs to die. That way, in the future, we can look back at this time and think "Thank goodness that trend is over." as we should as a functioning society.

If you don't know what generative AI is, the gif above would humorously call it witchcraft. In all seriousness, though, it's a faulty computer program that gathers data from across the Internet to create an image based on a prompt typed by a random user. The end result is a poorly constructed image that either lacks any attention to detail or is overly excessive with unnecessary detail. I'm talking incomplete outlines, addition digits, uncanny valley humans, a pukish yellow tint, inconsistent lighting, flat textures, and missing anatomy among other prominent issues. How could anyone want this, you ask? Because the people that made this faulty program (i.e. Sam Altman) hype this product up based on a lie. That lie being, "with this latest product, you too can create art like a professional." Even if they don't say it word for word, this is exactly what they're trying to do. The worst part is people actually fell for it not knowing they were being sold the modern equivalent of snake oil.

If you're wondering what snake oil is, it was one of the most infamous scams in the 19th century. Con artists hyped up this regular old bottle of mineral oil as a cure for any and all ailments. They made bold claims, shouting in public areas and talking fast and loose so that passersby wouldn't suspect a thing. Often times, by the time people had already wised up to the act, the con men already got away scot-free with all their unearned wealth. You must now be steaming at how scummy and unjust it is that these swindlers fooled so many people and got away with it. Now you know how I and many other people feel about generative AI.

What makes generative AI worse than snake oil, though, is it causes environmental harm. Every generative AI app and website is fueled by data centers that are often larger than a football field. These data centers are located in or near small towns and are powered by electricity that's supposed to belong to the citizens. A lot of data centers require 100 megawatts of power just to sustain themselves. That's more than enough electricity to power a small town and that's all going into 1 facility, leaving the neighboring citizens with next to nothing. Due to this amount of power, these data centers exert a lot heat and to prevent them from overheating, they use water from nearby lakes, rivers, groundwater, and aquifiers. And they're consuming water by the 100s of millions to even a billion every year. This copious amount of water consumption greatly disrupts the water cycle and once again leaves neighboring citizens with next to nothing. Imagine you woke up one day and all your electricity and water was gone because they're being used to keep the AI data center alive. And for what? A cheap, poorly constructed image that gets worse the more you stare at it? Give me a break 🙄

Now that you know how bad generative AI is, you'll want to know how to help stop it in its tracks. Firstly, call it out for what it is if you see it on your feed. If you're unsure or you want to prove deniers wrong, use AI detection tools such as Sightengine, WasItAI, MyDetector, and Hive Moderation. If you want to learn to draw, there's plenty of free tutorials on YouTube to teach you. If you feel you can't do your ideas justice with your own drawing skills, there's no shame in commissioning an artist on Fivver, Artistree, ArtFinder, VGen, or even Newgrowns. Generative AI will crumble like snake oil before it once people wise up and support real artists. The sooner it dies, the better all our lives will be.

Sources: Energy demand from AI – Energy and AI – Analysis - IEA https://share.google/BsTg3H9nTyeIlpX20

Data Centers and Water Consumption | Article | EESI https://share.google/flKgXcDPRBvUgBMet

A History Of 'Snake Oil Salesmen' : Code Switch : NPR https://share.google/3D5LT69xpgO72X9XC

AI image detector. Detect AI-generated media at scale https://share.google/QFaiHVNak07OMWEKH

AI Image Detector: Check if Your Photo or Image is AI-Generated https://share.google/YxeZXvNYlBdSLdQdo

/wasitai · AI image detector https://share.google/ZNcmFvUUetfp4Z7Ib

AI-Generated Content Detection | Hive https://share.google/y8l2QbgPfugnRPST4

Cartoon Yourself - Hire a Freelance Cartoonist Services | Fiverr https://share.google/RISzBvad0mEU6z5dc

Artistree | Digital Art Commissions Platform https://share.google/o4sWAYrAae9XtsTua

Commission an Artwork | Artfinder https://share.google/EXx1Q28aJSkilkLss

VGen | For the love of human creativity https://share.google/c9wjOgmUfA2zP5BWr

Newgrounds.com — Everything, By Everyone https://share.google/jwlI0yaJYktM9oGG6

[a34trgv2]

Why It Worked: Sonic The Hedgehog 3

SPOILER WARNING: If you haven't seen this film, you might want to before reading this post. You've been warned.

Introduction: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is an action adventure comedy film based on the video game franchise, specifically Sonic Adventure 2. Directed by Jeff Fowler, the film stars Ben Schwartz, Colleen O'Shaunghnessy, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Kristen Ritter, Lee Majdoub, and Alyla Browne as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Dr. Eggman, Gerald Robotnik, Tom and Maddie Wachowski, Director Rockwell, Agent Stone, and Maria Robotnik respectively. Distributed by Paramount Pictures and produced by Original Films, Marza Animation Planet, and Blur Studios, the film premired at Empire Leicester Square on December 10, 2024 before making its world premier on December 20, 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics, even more so than it's predecessors. Out of the 152 reviews aggregated on Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of them were positive with an average rating of 6.7/10. The film was also a box office success, grossing $492.2M on a budget of $122M, becoming the highest grossing film in the series as well as the 2nd highest grossing video game adaptation (after The Super Mario Bros Movie). I saw this movie in theaters with a friend and I had an absolute blast with the film. With this film, I consider the first 3 Sonic films to be a fantastic trilogy. I'm more than thrilled to talk about this film and why it resonated so much with me as a Sonic fan and a storyteller.

The Plot: Picking up some time after the events of the 2nd film, Team Sonic is recruited by G.U.N. to stop Shadow, who is on a revenge filled quest after being awaken from a 50 year long hibernation. After being ambushed by drones, our heroes reluctantly form an alliance with the very much alive Dr. Eggman to find out who was behind Shadow's awakening. We find out the mastermind behind it is none other than Professor Gerald Robotnik, who not only feeds into Shadow's lust for revenge, but also bonds with his grandson, Eggman, so that the latter may assist him in completing his mastermind plan: using the Eclipse Canon to destroy all of humanity. Naturally, it's up to Sonic and co. to stop the nefarious mad scientists and save the world. Right off the bat, this film jumps the audience into the action with Shadow taking out G.U.N. soldiers left and right before Sonic and crew drop into Tokyo to face off against him. It may seem rushed, but I think cutting to the chase after a scene or 2 of brevity with our heroes is a good way to keep the story from dragging. This film over all has really good pacing, allowing the quieter moments to breath in between the intense action scenes. The film also made the excellent decision to have an extended flashback of Shadow having fun with Maria, giving the audience a clear glimpse into what she meant to him. The main them of the film is a tried and true message that everyone, especially kids, can get behind: there are no winners with revenge and you the love you have for your friends and family is far more powerful than the pain you have for losing someone. I gotta give major shout outs to the visual effects and animation studios that brought these characters to life. Rising Sun Pictures, Rodeo FX, ILM, Fin, Marza Animation Planet, as well as the in-house team at Paramount did fantastic work on the visuals from the textures, the effects, the character acting, and the lighting. The score was also fantastic with memorable character themes and cleaver song choices. I especially loved that they played the iconic Crush 40 song, Live and Learn, during the climax. It was such a well deserved treat for fans of the franchise and, like it did with Sonic Adventure 2, very much fits the theme of the movie. Lastly, this movie is absolutely hilarious with so many of the jokes leaving me in stitches. From Knuckles being scared of ghosts (especially Casper of all people), Maria drawing a funny face on the glass holding Shadow, to the hilarious dance sequence of the 2 Robotniks infiltrating G.U.N. HQ. Needless to say, when it comes to adapting a video game's story, this film more than succeeded.

Cast and Characters: The cast did such a wonderful job portraying these characters, both in terms of returning cast members to new additions. Ben Schwartz once again nails the cocky, funny, impatient, but will meaning Blue Blur that we all know and love. Colleen O'Shaunghnessy sounds absolutely brilliant as Tails, who retains his technical prowess and child like wonder. Idris Elba amps up Knuckles' naivety but still makes him a caring and honest to a fault older brother figure to the team. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter have excellent chemistry together and provide some genuinely funny moments in the film. And of course, Jim Carrey returns to not just ham it up as Eggman, but also play his more sadistic grandfather, Gerald. These 2 characters bounce off each other so well and Carrey gives among his best performances in this dual role. For the newbies, Keanu Reeves absolutely nailed Shadow's character. From his stone cold demeanor, to his dry wit, to his honesty, Keanu just proved Sonic's comment about him in the first film correct: he really is a national treasure. To me, though, the most important character in the entire film is Maria Robotnik. Alyla Browne did such a great job making her a genuine friend to Shadow and we really get to see who she was as a person. She was funny, she was mischievous, she was clever, and she saw Shadow as a friend as opposed to an alien freak. They did such a good job making the audience care about Maria that it's all the more heartbreaking when she does die and we completely understand why Shadow is full of anger and hatred. In addition the excellent main cast, we also got some really good supporting characters. Commander Walters was a good ally to both Team Sonic and even Maria when he was younger, Director Rockwell's icy cold attitude contrasts brilliantly with the rest of the cast's comedic antics, Agent Stone also gets plenty of laughs and continues to show his loyalty to Eggman, and it was really clever of the filmmakers to have Tom and Maddie disguise themselves as Rachael and Randall to infiltrate G.U.N. HQ. These characters are all so well rounded and brilliantly acted, they really do make the film feel alive.

Where It Falters: My only critique with the film is the use of the death fake out trope. I understand the filmmakers not wanting to kill Tom, though I don't necessarily agree. I think if Tom had died, it would've been a clearer reflection of Sonic and Shadow's circumstances. Having Tom be hurt but still alive just doesn't hit the same as him being dead. Again, I like Tom same as the filmmakers, but I think killing him would've been the more effective option to raise the stakes.

Conclusion: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is now neck amd neck with The Super Mario Bros Movie as one of my all time favorite movies based on a video game. The writing was fantastic, the cast was excellent, the characters were a ton of fun, the visuals were incredible, and the score was amazing. I'm more than happy with Sonic getting his own film trilogy yet I'm all the more excited for Sonic 4 coming soon. Thank y'all so much for reading and I'll see you next time ;)

[a34trgv2]

Why I'm Very Stubborn

Those who know me personally know I am stubborn. VERY stubborn. It's something that's always been a part of me and it's not going away anytime soon. Every time I make new friends and we have a disagreement, I have to say upfront that I'm stubborn. But why is it that I'm so stubborn though? Has it ever been helpful in my life? Well, not always, but other people will be quick to say never.

Everybody has a different origin for their stubbornness. Mine dates back to when I was a small child, not long after I started valuing my independence. It started with small accomplishments, such as climbing up the stairs to my apartment, tying my shoes, cleaning up my messy room, etc.. A major turning point, though, came when I was in middle school, when I had misread the date for when I Am Legend was supposed to come out. I firmly believed it was coming out in October when in reality it came out December. That was one of the first times I held onto a belief so strongly that when I was challenged, and in this case corrected, I got mad. And I know what you're thinking: "you're human, everyone makes mistakes. Just let it go." That is not at all how I see the world.

See, I grew up in an environment where mistakes and excuses weren't rewarded with empathy or patience. Or if they were, they were grossly overpowered by the amount of times I (and/or my siblings) were yelled at for them. Forget to do your homework? Get yelled at. Misplace the remote? Get yelled at. Accidentally trip one of your siblings as they were getting up from the table? Get yelled at (true story, happened to my younger sibling and even though they said it was an accident, Mom yelled in their face "IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT!"). Needless to say, I've been conditioned to believe that mistakes and excuses are unacceptable because if you make them, you get in trouble. It doesn't matter if that's true or not, that's ingrained deep into my psyche and I cannot turn it off (believe me, I tried). So the whole "you're human" and "everybody makes mistakes" schpeel does actually make me feel better about myself. Instead it makes me think back to when I forgot to bring my backpack home from school and I got yelled at.

As you can very well imagine, I've gotten into very heated arguments because I refused to accept that I might have been wrong. Be it on social media, in real life, even in online games at one point, there was always that one moment where it when from a simple disagreement to an all out battlefield. I've gotten into arguments about teamwork, what the creator of a show or movie's intentions were, what is/isn't acceptable animation quality, what is/isn't appropriate to say towards family members, and so on. Often these heated arguments leave me emotionally exhausted, like I just ran a 5 mile marathon in my head. That said, I still remain my stubborn self because there are times where it is helpful and necessary to stand your ground. For example, I will never accept bigotry as being anything other than dangerously stupid. I'm also a firm believer in AI image generators being inherently broken and fundamentally useless. It's also due to my stubbornness that I've never gotten involved in drugs, alcohol, sexually predatory behavior, or being a violent thug on the streets (not to mention being raised by loving parents that helped me learn what NOT to do to avoid those sinful acts helped a ton). In this respect, it's actually a good thing that I'm stubborn because the alternative is being complacent, which is far worse in the long run.

No, there is no scenario in which I learn to not be so stubborn after posting this. It's something that's been embedded into my psyche for as long as I can remember and has actually helped me be a better person all things considered. I may get emotionally exhausted after an argument but I'd much rather fight to be right than be complacent when I know it's wrong. To conclude, I hope y'all understand this aspect about me and maybe do some self reflection on your part on why you are the way you are.

[a34trgv2]

Woke: You're Saying It Wrong

For the past number of years, the word woke has been thrown left and right by people online when talking about people with agendas. This buzzword has become part of the zeitgeist, but it's often used incorrectly by everyone who uses it. When you actually look at its definition, you might just see how ridiculous people sound when they use it in a negative light.

Normally, woke would be the past tense of wake, as in waking up from a good night's sleep. Since the 20th century and especially today, though, it has adopted the new definition of being made aware of social and racial injustice in our society. This should be seen as a good thing because ignorance and complacency to racial injustice is what makes it grow and prosper. It's that very thing that we've been fighting for over 200 years to make sure it never happens. Unfortunately, many people use this term as a in a negative light and claim companies are worse off following this "woke agenda."" Here are some examples of woke being used as such:

"The filmmakers are pushing their woke agenda on our children!"

"This critic spouts out woke propaganda! Don't let them brainwash you!"

"How dare they make franchise woke?! They should be ashamed of themselves!"

"McDonald's should stick to making fast food instead of pushing their woke ideologies down our throats!"

You get the idea. What these comments are actually saying is they want everyone else to shut up about racial injustice and just live in ignorance like them. Sorry, Jack, but that's never gonna happen! This isn't 1953 where discrimination, sexism and homophobia were just regular old living. This is the 21st century! We are living in a time where our voices can and should be heard, as opposed to when our parents and grandparents were growing up where their voices fell on deaf ears. Big corporations taking a stand against injustice isn't them forcing something toxic down your throat. It's them keeping up with the times and showing their customers that they're on the same side.

Being woke isn't, nor sholud it be a problem because being woke combats social injustice. I can't help but roll my eyes whenever someone complains that something is bad because it's woke. "This movie's trash because it brings awareness to racial and social injustice!" See how ridiculous that sounds when you say it like that?

[a34trgv2]

Reblogging because Lord knows this is still relevant

[a34trgv2]

Red Flags To Look Out For When Watching A Show or Movie

🚩When the story begins with a lore dump being delivered plainly and without any nuance.

🚩When the characters start talking about superfluous stuff and never shut up.

🚩When the theme song just tells you what the show is about and doesn't have catchy music or clever lyrics to make it memorable.

🚩When the main character does something irresponsible just to move the plot along.

🚩When a boy in an animated show/movie is voiced by a middle aged man yet is still to be treated as if he was an actual child and not a caricature.

🚩When the spoiled brat arrives on the scene and never gets their comeuppance for being nasty.

🚩When the animation in an animated show/movie is stiff, weightless, and/or choppy for no good reason.

🚩When the character designs in an animated show/movie are unappealing when the story wants the audience to root for them.

🚩When the acting is wooden and unenthusiastic for no good reason.

🚩When the jokes either leave you cold or they make you cringe.

🚩When telling is prioritized over showing (especially in animation).

🚩When the main character's "best friend" isn't a good friend.

🚩When the songs in a musical are badly written and/or sung.

🚩When the main character's parents are bad at parenting (especially in animation).

🚩When the setting is smaller than it should be for its premise.

🚩When the premise is so simple you could've thought of it when you were a toddler (especially in animation).

🚩When the premise has too many things going on at once to make sense.

🚩When the main character lacks common sense.

🚩When the main character isn't aware of how bad they are.

🚩When stupidity is the joke.

🚩When the spin-off/adaptation contradicts and/or disrespects the source material.

🚩When there's a significant drop in quality between the original movie/show and its spin-offs (especially in animation).

🚩When characters explain the joke.

🚩When an unfunny gag gets repeated over and over.

🚩When a character has a stupid and annoying catchphrase.

🚩When the pet/animal lead is just named after their species.

🚩When there's bad sound mixing/editing

🚩When the show/movie is shamelessly ripping off another show/movie.

🚩When the characters just stand around and talk rather than perform some sort of action to progress the story (especially in animation).

🚩When a character is reckless for no good reason.

🚩When the main character has an unoriginal or terrible name.

🚩When the bully of the main character later falls in love with the main character.

🚩When romance is badly written.

🚩When the show talks down to its audience (especially when said audience is young children).

🚩When the show/movie has a really good premise but a really bad execution.

🚩When characters conveniently get out of danger by luck and not skill.

🚩When the pacing is either sluggishly slow or rapidly fast.

🚩When the main character of a show/movie is a stupid, irresponsible girl who makes things worse.

🚩When the good intentions of the creators are lost in the final product.

🚩When characters act out of character for no good reason.

🚩When the villain isn't threatening, smart, or maniacal.

🚩When there's only one element you like in a show/movie (especially in animation).

🚩When a show/movie's definition of adult is having characters swear like sailors, there's a copious amount of drugs, sex, and violence, and every character is an unlikable and unsympathetic jerk (especially in animation).

If you notice any of these red flags, don't hesitate to turn off the show or movie and watch something that's better suited for your time. Hope this helps.

[a34trgv2]

Shut Up About The "CalArts/Bean Mouth" Style -.-

Forward: Due to it being taken down from Reddit, here's my full rant on the infamous "CalArts style/bean mouth" term and why it should've been retired years ago. Tl;dr It was coined by disgraced animator and notorious pedophile John Kricfalusi, it was the sole reason towards a shooting threat at CalArts, it's redundant because character designers have been drawing characters with round mouths since Day 1, it's a hollow term that doesn't actually explain what's wrong with the character design, not every character designer went to CalArts, and CalArts it's doesn't have an art style.

Introduction: Whyare people still using this stupid term when it's been proven time and again to be not only hurtful but also untrue? There's not a single excuse you can muster to justify using this term when discrediting character designs. So let's kill this thing with cold hard facts and move forward with actually fair and just critiques for character designs.

It was coined by a pedophile: In the mid-2000s, Ren and Stimpy creator and notorious pedophile, John Kricfalusi, coined the term "CalArts style" to insult and belittle artists who were inspired by classic Disney films and were alumni of CalArts. John K is most infamous for 2 things: hating Disney and raping 2 kids and getting off Scott free. Everything he has said and done is forever tarnished by his disgusting behavior, including the term "CalArts style." So just know that whenever you use it, you're echoing the sentiments of a guy who raped 2 kids.

The bean mouth is nothing new: You may think this is a phenomenon that started in the 2010s, but the reality is it's almost as old as animation itself. In the 30s, characters like Mickey Mouse, Flip The Frog, Bimbo, and Bosko the Talkink Kid had similar features to one another, including a round, malleable mouth for big expressions. This was to make it easier to show how a character's feeling and to add emphasis to their screams and laughter. There's even a term for it: it's called appeal. Appeal is one of the 12 Principles of Animation, and giving the characters a round, malleable mouth is key to making them appealing. Character designers today are following the same principles of character designers of the past because these principles still hold up, and they still lead to making memorable cartoon characters.

There's actually nothing wrong with it: If you're argument against the "bean mouth" begins and ends with "it's overdone" or "it's lazy," you don't have an argument. Arguing and critiquing a character design actually involves dissecting the design to see why it doesn't look right and why it's not appealing. For example, Pim and Charlie from Smiling Friends are not well designed characters because their body shapes are not well defined, their eyes are hollow and give them blank expressions, their attire is ordinary and basic, and they're very restricted in their facial expressions. What critique do you have of Dipper's design beyond his mouth? What makes Star Butterfly unappealing besides her mouth shape? What's wrong with Elio's design as a whole and not just because of his mouth? The reality is these characters are actually very appealing, and you're just ungrateful that they don't look like something you would draw in doodles.

Not all character designers go to CalArts: While CalArts is a very famous institute that has taught many notable alumni (such a Tim Burton, Stephen Hillenberg, Brad Bird, Pete Docter, and Paul Reubans), some character designers didn't even attend the school yet their designs are lumps in with this stupid term. Becky Dreistadt (character designer for Star vs The Forces of Evil) went to Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. The character designers of The Amazing World of Gumball when to school in Europe. The creators of Steven Universe (Rebecca Sugar), Hilda (Luke Pearson), and Big City Greens (The Houghton Brothers) also never went to CalArts, so putting them in the same space is redundant and stupid.

CalArts doesn't teach a specific style: If you had any sort of common sense, you'd take a look all the alumni from CalArts and realize that they have nothing in common outside of attending the same school. This is because CalArts doesn't teach you how to create art in their style. What it actually does is teach you the history of filmmaking, the type of equipment used, how it's used, safety precautions, how animation works, the do's and don't's of filmmaking, and so much more. CalArts is not an elite class taught by 1 person, it's a school with hundreds of faculty members teaching thousands of students every year. So not only is the term "CalArts style" redundant and stupid, it doesn't even exist in practice. Just look at the CalArts character animation student film playlist and tell me they all look the same:

2023 CalArts Character Animation Student Films

The films featured in this playlist are made by BFA1 through BFA4 students in the Character Animation Program at CalArts, in 2023.

Never forget the shooting threat of CalArts in 2018: This incident should've been the straw that broke the camel's back. This, as well as the public downfall of John Kricfalusi, should've been the last time people used this term. Someone on Twitter threatened to go to CalArts and kill innocent men and women in a mass shooting. All because of this stupid term that was concocted by a pedophile. Someone hated the "bean mouth" so much that they wanted innocent people who had nothing to do with it to die! WHAT THE ACTUALLY FLOP?! I've never forgiven this person and I never will! I've also never wanted this term to be used again after this. When a term so stupid and untrue is used so much that it makes the wrong person threaten to kill innocent people, that's taking it too far.

Conclusion: This should be the last post anyone has to make on the "CalArts style/bean mouth." You should never say it again because of it's affiliation with a pedophile, it's not remotely true, it doesn't exist in practice, the bean mouth is actually a good way to make appealing character designs, and the term caused someone to threaten to kill innocent people. We're all adults and we should all know right from wrong and what's good critique versus what is not. So, for the final mother hugging time:

Shut Up About The "CalArts Style/Bean Mouth! -.-

[a34trgv2]

I suppose it was too much trouble to say that you disagree with my opinions. I don't know what makes you think this would be affective, but let me be the first to tell you that all you did was make a fool of yourself. I'm not going anywhere and my opinions on Gravity Falls and KPop Demon Hunters still stand. Also wild you brought up Samurai Pizza Cats as nobody remembers that show.

[a34trgv2]

Why "It Gets Better" Is A Stupid Argument -.-

When watching a show or movie that already gets off to a rough start, it's perfectly reasonable to call it after you can't take it anymore. Yet after sharing your thoughts on your negative experience, you get that one comment that insists that it gets better and that you should stick with it a little more. I know I've received this comment more times than I would like, and I've always questioned whether or not the commentor has had their patience tested like yours truly. This post will dissect this stupid argument and why it's actually not helpful.

When people use this argument, this implies that they watched the show or movie in full and have seen it's ups and downs to the very end. While their commitment is commendable, this doesn't mean everyone else is going to be as patient. When watching a show, the first couple of episodes are crucial to hooking the audience. Likewise the first act of a movie needs to be a solid foundation to get the audience invested. Failure to make a good first impression leads to frustration and disinterest from the audience. The notion that "it gets better" fails to grasp that there are no second chances to make a good first impression. The audience checked out after too many red flags popped up and its now a stain on the show/movie's reputation.

Another issue with this argument is, depending on the viewer, it's simply not true. Sure, perhaps the show got better for you, but too me it only got worse. Case in point, Summer Camp Island. The first episode was a slow, expository slog with dull humor and one note characters. I also was not on board with the designs of the characters or the fact that everybody else has a proper name but Hedgehog. Naively, I hoped it would get better and that I could grow to be a fan of it. 39 episodes later, I grew to absolutely despise this show and thought it was among Cartoon Network's worst cartoons. The animation got worst, the characters became more hatable, the world building became creepier, the jokes became more cringe, and each episode became just more tedious to sit through. It was because of how bad this show turned out that I swore off giving shows a whole season to hook me. Eventually that was shortened to half a season, then a quarter, than just 4-5 episodes before I finally stopped giving new cartoons a chance altogether. Because as someone on Reddit pointed out, if it takes a while for a show to get good, it's probably not good.

There's also the variation of this argument which is "it gets better on rewatch" which only works for movies that were already good on the first viewing. My hate for KPop Demon Hunters is already known, but if I were to watch it again, I guarantee you I'd only double down on my negative thoughts. I already watch it once and it was a tedious and frustrating experience that worked on my nerves. I'm not going to subject myself to that again just for the hypothetical chance that it might win me over. This is the biggest issue with "it gets better." It implies that movies and shows have to be watched more than once to be enjoyed. In reality, movies and shows have one chance to hook you, one chance to maintain your attention and one chance to get you to comeback for more.

This argument ultimately is a waste of space because the commenter wants other people to be patient with the show like them when it simply doesn't work like that. Everybody has their limits and assuming everyone is gonna give a whole season of television a watch after the first few episodes were so awful is just naive at best. If someone decides to call it after a few episodes, that's their decision. They're not missing out on something good when what they already saw wasn't worth it -.-

[a34trgv2]

Things That Would Be Cool To See In Sonic The Hedgehog 4

Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla Appearing: Since Amy is appearing in Sonic 4, I think it'd be fitting to also include her friends Cream and Cheese. Bonus if they include Cream's Mom, Vanilla. If not for a supporting role, than maybe a cameo.

Allusions To Chaos: Sonic 3 already adapted Sonic Adventure 2, so I think it's to be expected that they adapted Sonic Adventure 1 eventually. Maybe not in Sonic 4 specific, but this could be a good place to start planting the seeds. Maybe a cave painting or an illustration in a book or even Knuckles telling a story about Chaos. This could then lead up to an epic film about Sonic and friends facing off against Chaos.

Jim Carrey As Eggman Nega: If Robotnik himself doesn't comeback, I think a clever way to still keep Jim Carrey on board would be to have him play Eggman Nega. Perhaps he created Metal Sonic as part of his plot to avenge Eggman. It would also give Jim Carrey new material to work with as unlike Robotnik, Eggman Nega is more calm and collected and has a more sadistic sense of humor.

Jojo Returning For A More Pivotal Role: She missed out on the events of Sonic 3, so I think having her appear in Sonic 4 could be a chance to make up for it. Rather than have just a minor role like the first 2 movies, she could be play a more instrumental role in the film. If Shadow were to return, Jojo could show him kindness and compassion while he gets his strength back. This would make her the first dear friend he's had since Maria died. Or she could find one of the Chaos Emeralds and discover it gives her powers thus making her popular in school. Either way, it'd be nice if Jojo not only came back but played a much bigger role.

Sonic And Friends Meet The President: Not necessarily President Donald Trump, but rather the President from the games who resided in Central City. He kinda reminds me of Matthew McConaughey, and as unlikely as that were to happen, I think it would be killer to have him cameo as the President. If nothing else, than to congratulate Sonic and friends for saving the world from the Eclipse Cannon.

Seeing More Of Mobius: We only get a handful of scenes of Mobius in the movies so far, but how's a good time we see some more. Maybe we can see the village where Tails is from, or get a glimpse into Sonic's Island years after he left it, or even how the other inhabitants reside there. Maybe we could even have Tom and Maddie go with Sonic and friends on a trip to Mobius to see how it greatly differs from Earth.

An Easter Egg Of Soleanna: I'm one of those people that defends Sonic The Hedgehog (2006), so this is the most wishful thinking entry in this post. I think having the nation of Soleanna acknowledged in the movies would be really cool. It could just be mentioned on the news, shown on a travel brochure, or spotted on a map. A simple Easter Egg would be appreciated by the select few fans of Sonic 06.

[a34trgv2]

Chadwick Boseman Was A Blessing

Last year on this day (August 28, 2020), we lost Chadwick Boseman at the young age of 43. I was honestly sad when he passed so suddenly as not only was he a terrific actor, but he was also just a really good person. For this post, I'm going to talk about some of my favorite Chadwick Boseman moments both on and off the screen.

I was first introduced to Chadwick Boseman as an actor all the way back in 2013 when he played the legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson in the movie 42. While I liked the movie well enough as a teenager, it was only after rewatching it as an adult did I grow to appreciate it more. Chadwick more than did Jackie Robinson justice, bringing out the physical athleticism he had as well as his likable personality. My personal favorite scene from the film was the breaking the bat scene. While this didn't happen exactly in real life, this scene does show that all those nasty things people said to Jackie did get to him. It also showcases Boseman's amazing acting, with genuine tears of pain and frustration rolling down his face. This scene alone would've convinced me to vote for Chadwick to have been nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars if I was a member of the Academy.

Chadwick Boseman gave a speech at Howard University in 2018 and he was so inspirational. He encouraged the students to never give up and value their time as well as talk about the time he was fired from a role and met Muhammad Ali . The speech is full of so many great quotes including the one in the gif. One of the quotes from the speech that stuck out to me was this: "Purpose is an essential element in you. It is the reason you are on the planet in this particular time in history." This personally tells me that I do have purpose in this life regardless of what my negative thoughts say. I wish I was in attendance at the speech so I could've shaken Chadwick's hand and thanked him personally for his inspiring words.

I was more than amazed by Chadwick Boseman's performance as James Brown in Get On Up. In addition to looking the part, Chadwick also had some amazing dance moves and singing chops, replicating James Brown's style of jazz down to a tee. I also thought he did a good job showing James' human side, particularly when his band quit and he got really emotional.

While making the movie 21 Bridges, Sienna Miller had been working a lot and her daughter had just started school. She was originally hesitant to do it as she was exhausted, but Boseman not only encouraged her but fought to make sure she had equal pay (as women unfortunately often don't) by donating part of his salary. This was so generous and supportive of him and I wish this was more common place not just in Hollywood, but all over the world.

I only recently got around to watching Marshall and I wholeheartedly agree that it's really good. Chadwick certainly looked and played the part brilliantly as he made Thurgood Marshall a very smart man that managed to work around the restrictions placed on him during the court case and provided very convincing arguments for the defendant. While I'm not as familiar with Thurgood Marshall as Jackie Robinson and James Brown, this film certainly convinced me to learn more about him.

One aspect about Chadwick Boseman is how he kept his personal life private. In addition to his battle with colon cancer (which started back in 2016), he had also secretly gotten married to Taylor Simone Ledward after they got engaged in 2019. Celebrities are often subjected to having their personal lives be filmed and talked about online, so to see Chadwick put in so much effort to keep his personal life is itself worthy of my respect.

I've talked about how amazing Chadwick Boseman's performance as T'Challa was in a previous post, but now I want to address something that's been on my mind for months now: should Marvel have recast the role? I recognize from a business standpoint, if an actor is unavailable for the part, they have to be replaced to meet deadlines. That said though, this isn't the same scenario as an actor dying before or during filming. By the time Chadwick had passed, he had already made 4 appearances in the MCU and everyone had associated T'Challa with Boseman. I was on the fence that whatever decision Marvel would make I'd accept because the show must go on, whether that means recasting or not. Even if they had picked someone else for the part, Boseman would still be the definitive portrayal of T'Challa, much like how Christopher Reeve was the definitive portrayal of Superman.

I hear people were really upset that Chadwick Boseman didn't win Best Actor at this year's Oscars. While I agree his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was outstanding and he certainly earned the nomination, unlike most of the Internet, I was a good sport about Anthony Hopkins receiving the award. I congratulated all the winners and respected the Academy's decisions even if I disagreed. Chadwick's family congratulated Anthony Hopkins and even said Chadwick didn't put Oscars on such a high standard anyway. That said, I think it would've nice if he had just 1 Oscar under his belt. In anycase, it's still an honor that he was even nominated.

I did not know Chadwick Boseman personally, but given that I've heard nothing but positive things about him for the past several years, I think it's safe to assume he was as great of a man as he was an actor. He was humble, selfless, inspiring, courteous, kind and very smart. If I was a kid during this time, I'd want to grow up to be just like him. In closing, I'd like to give my thoughts and prayers to Chadwick's family. May God bless you all and I hope to see Mr. Boseman in Heaven alongside my Grandma. Rest in power, Chadwick. Wakanda forever 🙅‍♂️

[a34trgv2]

It's now been 5 years since he passed away. Yet it only feels like yesterday when he was still with us 🙏

[a34trgv2]

And before you ask, these are my thoughts on KPop Demon Hunters

A ★½ review of KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

This review may contain spoilers. Visit the page to bypass this warning and read the review.

No it's not bait and it's not cap. I didn't actually plan on seeing it until after the summer when the reviews came in, people talked about it for about a week and then moved on. Yet for reasons that are beyond me, people really hyped this film up as one of the best, most unique animated films of the past 5 years. So I gave it a watch 2 weeks after it premired, much to my utter disappointment, this film was bad from start to finish. I thought after giving my thoughts on it, more people would chime in and share similar sentiments about the film's pacing, the relationship with Rumi and Jinu, the lack of action, Mira and Zoey's lack of development, and film's derivative plot elements. Nope! What we got instead was an annoying echo chamber that refuses to listen to any legitimate criticism. All people talk about in regards to the film is how pretty it looks and how catchy the music is. Nobody ever brings up how Mira or Zoey are portrayed as characters, how this world functions, or if anyone has different opinions on Huntrix in-universe so that they're not portrayed as infallible goddesses. No it's just different variations of "I like how pretty it looks" and "I like the songs" and that's it. Like, it's one thing to like the movie, but it's an entirely different thing to only like it based on its surface level elements. I really hope before you comment, you actually read my review so that you see where I'm coming from.

[a34trgv2]

Update: 08/27/2025

Hey, it's been a minute. Here's a much needed update to explain the lack of posts and why I failed to uphold my New Year's resolution.

Firstly, my day job was becoming more and more emotionally taxing. From the amount of stress to the panic attacks, it was just becoming too much for me to keep it all together. I only just left that job last month and now I feel as though I've mentally recovered enough to start posting again.

Second, the story I wanted to get published on Martin Luther King Day didn't happen because of how I thought the short story format wouldn't do it justice. I started writing the first few pages and the more I wrote, the more I thought about how long it needed to be to not feel rushed or half baked. So I put a pause on it to try and figure out how to approach it properly. In the meantime, I plan on writing an actual short story in the near future that will feel like a short story. So stay tuned for that.

Third, Reddit became a bad joke over the past couple years. It particularly became frustrating arguing with people in different subreddits regarding my takes. Some of my most infamous takes include telling people to shut up about the "CalArts style", saying there's no excuse for bad cartoons, and how the 12 Principles of Animation should be followed to a tee. Needless to say, nobody wanted to be civil or fair when discussing my controversial opinions so I just decided to take down all my controversial posts and have my profile be abandoned. That is, until I decide to start up my own subreddit.

Lastly, I still have not been able to get into any new cartoons. And believe me, it wasn't from a lack of trying. Basically, nearly every cartoon I've seen throughout the year has made creative choices I think are bad. If it's not characters talking nonstop, it's the animation being stiff and choppy under the guise of a "stylistic choice." As much as I don't like feeling stuck in the past, I can't bring myself to keep sitting through new cartoons that leave me bored and frustrated. So no more reviews of modern animated shows.

That's all for now. This week we'll be back to our regularly scheduled uploads with a post about what I think would be cool to see in Sonic The Hedgehog 4. Until then, take care ✌️

[a34trgv2]

Why It Worked: Inside Out

Introduction: Inside Out is an animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed and co-written by Pete Docter, with the screenplay being co written by Meg LaFauve and Josh Cooley, the film stars Amy Poehler, Phyliss Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan and Richard Kind as Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Riley, her parents Bill and Jill, and Bing Bong respectively. Released on June 19, 2015, the film was a major box office success grossing $858.8 million on a budget of $175 million. It also received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike. According to Rotten Tomatoes, out of the 384 reviews aggregated, 98% gave a positive review with an average rating of 8.9/10. It also received numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, several Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Annies, a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, and a Critic's Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature. It is often seen as a culturally significant film for mental health and the importance of expressing one's emotions. I saw this film for my birthday back in 2015, and I loved it right out of the gate. After multiple rewatches over the years, I stand by my personal opinion that this is a masterpiece of animation and visual storytelling. I'm overjoyed to talk about this film now that it finally has a sequel out.

The Plot: This film has 2 stories that are interconnected to one another, taking place in the mind of an 11 year old girl. On the outside, it's about a kid moving to a new city and being overwhelmed by the sudden changes happening all at once. On the inside, it's about Joy and Sadness trekking through Riley's mind, while along the way understanding each other's importance. Together, they create a very unique and engaging plot about growing up and learning to express yourself. The film brilliantly cuts between Riley, Joy, and Sadness' journey and what's happening at HQ to organically show what Riley's feeling and how her actions have psychological consequences. In addition to having powerful gut punching drama, it's also a very funny film with plenty of slapstick, goofy gags, and impressive word play that always gets me to belly laugh. Michael Giacchino also provides an enchanting, dreamlike score with great use of the piano and brass sections. The true highlight of the story is, of course, Pixar's masterfully crafted and innovative animation. The film makes Riley's mind so vibrant and expansive with Dream Productions and Imagination Land being major highlights. The outside world also looks very well done with the people looking very appealing, San Francisco looking grimy yet lived in, and Riley's old home in Minnesota looking very welcoming and colorful. Speaking of color, the use of colors in this film is nothing short of excellent from the radiant colors of Riley's memories to Riley's clothes reflecting her current state of mind throughout the film. I also love how they use black and gray to represent faded memories and lack of emotion. If there's one word to describe Inside Out's story and animation, it's colorful.

Cast and Characters: This is an outstanding cast they brought on board for this film. Shout outs to the film's casting directors Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher for picking out some excellent actors. Amy Poehler was phenomenal as Joy, perfectly capturing her bubbly and eccentric personality while also naturally showing her vulnerability and frustrations. Phyliss Smith sound perfectly dower and soft spoken as Sadness, yet at the same time making her sound so innocent and relatable. Lewis Black was the best match for Anger, making him sound crusty, cynical, and having a short fuse. Mindy Kaling brought in the right amount of sass and pettiness as Disgust and her comradery with the other emotions was brilliant. Bill Hader did a great job making Fear funny and relatable as a character. Kaitlyn Dias also deserve major props for her vocal performance as Riley, making her sound like a soft spoken but fun kid who goes through a great character arc in the film. Lastly, Richard Kind was the absolute surprise standout of the cast as Bing Bong as not only did he do a great job making him funny, but also made him relatable, selfless, a bit of an airhead, but also really resourceful. The cast did such a great job bringing these characters to life, with all of them being iconic and memorable in their own way.

Where It Falters: Outside of maybe adding another scene or 2 with Riley's life in Minnesota, I wouldn't change a thing with this film. It's one of those films where the only nitpick I have is I wanted more. Fortunately, that's remedied with the existence of the 2024 sequel. Coming out a couple years sooner wouldn't have been so bad either, but like I always say, quality>quantity.

Conclusion: There are a select few movies I consider to be a masterpiece. Inside Out is most certainly one of those movies. With outstanding writing, iconic characters, wonderful voice acting, masterfully crafted animation, and an enchanting score, it has more than earned its cultural significance. I cannot recommend this film enough, especially for those who struggle with expressing themselves, such as yours truly. I promise this film will speak to you as it has for me after all these years. Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you soon ;)

[a34trgv2]

Reblogging for the film's 10th anniversary!

[a34trgv2]

i'm definitely talking to a brick wall here but this won't leave my mind so i'm just going to say my piece and then go to bed

there are a lot of animated shows that are extremely successful and can be super wordy at times. phineas & ferb, danny phantom, hell i think spongebob was also pretty wordy at times too. they're also very campy. and there are multiple generations, both older folks and younger, who like these shows. they're successful. phineas & ferb is literally a disney show. danny phantom n spongebob were on nickelodeon.

and millions of ppl love these shows.

ur other criticisms im not getting into because they're not relevant to this point i wanted to make, but im still gonna say ur wrong about everything else (the title, the way the characters are written, etc.).

anyway have fun in ur little ego trip echo chamber, i'm going to bed and im not reading whatever you say in response to this because i actually have a life

For the last time, I'm not egotistical, and I don't live in an echo chamber, unlike you. Yeah some shows can be dialogue heavy and still great, but then you have cartoons like Samurai Jack, Courage The Cowardly Dog, Tom & Jerry, Teen Titans, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Kid Cosmic that allow the visuals to speak for themselves. None of my other criticisms are wrong, especially the one about the mouthful of a title. If you have to be in on the joke to get it, it's not a very good title on its own.