With the unnecessary and unwanted remake becoming the ‘who the heck thought this was a good idea?’ film of the season (previously occupied by such luminary pictures as Birds of Prey and The Rise of Skywalker), I decided to revisit the original Mulan, which I had not seen in many, many years. Mulan came near … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Mulan’
Animation
Happy St. Valentine’s Day: Some Favorite Couples
And Saint Valentine said [unto the Emperor Claudius]: Certainly Jesu Christ is only very God, and if thou believe in him, verily thy soul shall be saved, thy realm shall multiply, and he shall give to thee alway victory of thine enemies. -The Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's … Continue reading Happy St. Valentine’s Day: Some Favorite Couples
Drakken and Shego Manip
Here's a photo manip I did of live-action versions of Drakken and Shego from Kim Possible. Features my dream casting of Jeffrey Donovan and Morena Baccarin.
The Difference Between Flat and Complex Characters
Now that the Ducktales revival is about half-a-season old, I can say that, while it is good, it’s not quite as good as I had hoped it would be. Part of the problem is that they go for the joke far too often, preventing the characters from developing much weight and consequently from engaging us … Continue reading The Difference Between Flat and Complex Characters
Multilevel Motivation:
Today I want to talk about a characterization trick I’m going to call multilevel motivation. This is where a character’s actions are driven by several different and often conflicting motives at the same time, creating a more psychologically complex and realistic storyline. Let me explain with an easily understood, but very well done example: the … Continue reading Multilevel Motivation:
Doofenshmirtz and Identity Politics
Phineas and Ferb is one of those shows that, though simple on the surface, lends itself to endless fascinating interpretations. Like so many great works of fiction, it tells the truth merely by trying to tell a good story. One of the chief themes of the show is the balance between childhood and maturity: Phineas … Continue reading Doofenshmirtz and Identity Politics
Why ‘Phineas and Ferb Star Wars’ is the Best Disney Star Wars
It is kind of a sad commentary on the state of the once-venerable franchise that the best and most satisfying work to come out of Star Wars’s move to Disney is a Phineas and Ferb special. Granted, Rogue One was pretty good, though it wasn’t well paced and the characters were mostly pretty bland. And … Continue reading Why ‘Phineas and Ferb Star Wars’ is the Best Disney Star Wars
Godzilla: Monster Planet
Being the huge Godzilla fan that I am, I of course had to check out Netflix’s Godzilla: Monster Planet anime, supposedly the first in a trilogy. And…yeah, I didn’t care for it. The story is that humanity has been driven off the planet by Godzilla and the other monsters, but have failed to find a … Continue reading Godzilla: Monster Planet
A Quick Word on the Beauty of ‘Phineas and Ferb’
I’m rewatching Phineas and Ferb again at the moment and just finished the episode Magic Carpet Ride. During the song sequence, it suddenly occurred to me that this really is a microcosm of just what makes this show so special. It’s that it manages to be both absurdist and sincere at the same time. It … Continue reading A Quick Word on the Beauty of ‘Phineas and Ferb’
Thoughts on ‘Gravity Falls’
Gravity Falls is one of those shows that I’d heard raved about from several different quarters as being a very smart, very funny, and very mature kids’ show with a lot of dark, creative imagery. So, when I had some extra time (read: was procrastinating again) I watched through it. My reactions were surprisingly pretty … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Gravity Falls’
Serpent's Den 