Sebastian Ellis

Fluffy and the Stars

I'm not sure whether there's too much caffeine in my bloodstream, or a lack of real spice in my life, but after two reads, I am left grasping at straws. There are no chapter breaks, and the story jumps between four different timelines, making it impossible to follow along. There's no clear inciting incident, the climax is astronomically underwhelming, and the ending basically loops back to where it started with no real resolution—just a flood that brings people together. The same message could’ve been conveyed in a much shorter story without all the references to coyotes and the Old Testament. The characters are more shallow than a kiddie pool and half of them could’ve been cut without affecting the plot. I am befuddled, bamboozled, and overwhelmed. I don’t even know what I’ve read. Wish me luck on the essay.

Green Grass, Running Water

Wicked

Loved the first movie. Moana 2 was substanceless, the plot felt rushed and undeveloped (I barely remember anything that happened even though I watched the movie earlier today) and the songs were even too cringe-inducing for me (one of them involves Moana and Maui-wannabe flapping their arms around like fools and trying to make the "best" of a doomed journey.) The movie also introduced characters that felt "forced". Spoilers: there is a supporting character who is apparently "doomed" to be stuck in a cave for thousands of years who sings a sappy song to motivate Moana. There's also a girl with the most >annoying< Southern accent and an old man who has no role except "comedic relief" (as he is often portrayed as a helpless farmer and the joke of the movie.) Moana also "nearly dies" (the suspense was terrible) but somehow comes back as a demi-god because her ancestors blessed her? There's a definite lack of common sense. Anyhow, the plot / characters are poorly written and the songs are sappy and absurd. Overall, the sequel is a flop.

Moana 2

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The Outsiders

We were mandated to read "Little Fires Everywhere" in English class earlier in the year. Although the book offers a in-depth glance at classism and the "transracial adoption paradox” - it simply has too much s*x. The book also promotes the allusion that "women are s*x objects." Pearl - one of the protagonists and a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD sophomore - is sexually active and quoting her, "I will not spend the rest of high school as a frustrated virgin." Like what the f*ck? Why is the teacher making us read graphic s*x scenes that promote the "women are s*x objects" ideology? What kind of f*cked up shit is this? Also, Pearl's mother "Mia Warren" is no better. She was a surrogate for another family but blatantly lied and said "she had a miscarriage" and proceeded to mooch off them and run away with THEIR legal child. -w- Overall 2/10 book. Not recommended.

Little Fires Everywhere

We were mandated to read "Motorcycles and Sweetgrass" in our English class. Earlier in the year, we read "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng. Although "LFE" is comparative to a teenager version of "Fifty Shades of Grey," it offered a little education value, targeting the transracial adoption crisis. "Motorcycles and Sweetgrass" however, serves absolutely zero educational value. It barely touches base upon residential schools, and instead focuses on a thirteen year old and his "teenage problems," as well as his middle-aged whore mom who lusts over an alarmingly younger man for TWENTY FOUR WHOLE CHAPTERS! 0/10 book. Do not recommend.

Motorcycles & Sweetgrass: A Novel

Six Puppies and Us

The Final Cut is Roger Water’s masterpiece and a beautiful album. It is poetic, Roger sings beautifully, probably the best singing he’s ever done on a Pink Floyd record. Not even The Wall can compare with the beauty of The Final Cut. Hell, the title track is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve EVER heard. It’s one of the only songs to make me cry, because it’s so damn beautiful and well-written. It really hits hard. The Gunner’s Dream on side 1 features a fucking ethereal sax solo which is better than anything David could ever play on his stupid Stratocaster. The way Roger’s voice morphs into the saxophone is literally one of the most beautiful things Pink Floyd has ever done. Even the weakest song, Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert, is still a nice, cheeky little track that adds a tiny bit more depth to the album. Overall, The Final Cut is a beautiful album which deserves more praise than it gets. It’s the most poetic and beautiful thing Pink Floyd has EVER made, it definitely does not deserve all the hate it gets.

The Final Cut