Teresa Blue

Great camp; okay plot. The set design was wonderful and the acting was top notch (all of the actors had the earnesty the movie required). The physical comedy in particular was wonderful and "Barbieland" was not only beautiful but well utilized throughout the film. There is a real love for the Barbie franchise and the real ways kids play with these toys. Not to mention the music! On the other hand, the plot was...a bit of a mess. There was a logical progression of events but no particular thoughtfulness in the themes the movie wanted to upheld. The issues stem from the film trying to map the realities of North American feminism onto the society of Barbieland--which is, of course, radically different. Barbieland is a world in which "Kens" are somewhat of a minority figure--not holding much political power and seemingly obsessed with the affections of Barbies (their oppression thus taking on interpersonal and political ramifications). This is made worse by how all masculinity in Barbieland is oddly framed within the confines of a flamboyant femininity (think the ridiculous outfits, emotional expression, and abundance of pink). Not to mention how the men (not only the Kens) are incompetent in the movie. It even brazenly works under the assumption that only girls play with Barbie (I'm still not sure in this was unintentional gender norms at play or the movie trying to show Barbieland as a female-dominated space). The movie essentially tries to have both Barbies and Kens suffering under gender-based oppression--seeming oriented towards both genders shown all the while refusing to give the men any depth. This leads to some very confused and flaccid moral messaging. Is this a story pushing the conservative idea that either woman or men will dominate so there can be no equality? Or is it trying to push a fairly shallow idea of feminist rhetoric? It's not surprising that they had to literally have a woman preach at the end of the movie because frankly the meaning was unclear. However, if there is one thing this movie taught me it's that a film can (and perhaps should) be understood as nebulous cultural artifact and not just a self-contained piece of media. It is fun to dress up in pink to see it. I have a lot of respect for the marketing that promoted it. And the idea that camp could have a renaissance is incredibly tantalizing. People in the future may see it--but they'll never again see it when it first came out.

If you can get past the first episode (and assuming you like camp), this show is an absolute delight. It has heart and passion beneath a thin veneer of absurdity. It's characters are complex and lovable (at least once the show expands the focus to more than the main protagonist Josh).

(Spoilers) A film that both manages a coherent and entertaining plot and a tackling of various themes such as individuality, feminism, and what we owe to the vulnerable of the world. Unlike many films, Enola Holmes takes risks--most of which pay off. Notably, the protagonist occasionally breaks the fourth wall, in a way that does not feel juvenile but cheeky and serves as a reminder that while this story includes characters we recognize, it is, ultimately, Enola's story. It chooses not to definitely include a romance and even scoffs at the idea--which is somewhat refreshing for a story about a young woman. At times, its consideration of so many themes means that few can be explored in as much depth as they deserve. I would have liked to see an exploration of whether Enola's individualism is responsible. Certainly some consequences for Enola's decision to adventure with her friend instead of find her mother would not be amiss.

This story laid out a breathtaking and binge-worthy conversation on life, loss and crucially isolation while playing with dark humor in a way that only drove home the points it made. Blunt yet caring, this show is worthy of anyone's time. I'm not entirely sure what the bonsai trees represented, but all-in-all it was a worthy experience. On a side note, while I can't speak to the commentary on mental health care, I did enjoy the complex characters with mental illness. It was nice seeing them characterized as real people with a multitude of issues and passions who fully partake in the human experience.

This show presented such interesting questions about who the misfits of society were and where we can find hope. It balanced philosophy and comedy with a beauty and grace that would make other writers salivate. It let us bond with this family of misfits and take their concerns as the ultimate plot. Amusingly meta and daringly opinionated, it was a masterpiece. As the seasons passed, it slowly worsened. Self-awareness turned to lampshading. Relatable characters turned overgrown, apathetic, and codependent. Fresh ideas became worn with overuse. The saddest part is that I truly believe it could have made a better show if the characters were allowed to evolve little more. If the show remembered that this was, in many ways, a relationship drama; meaning that those relationships have to continuously adapt, even at the expense of plot and comedy (even when 3 major cast members leave). More than anything, this show had become a twisted reflection of our own views on community. A community, this show seems to say, cannot allow for change or distance. The characters themselves seem to be grasping on to the show past their expiration date. Watch it. It's a good show. But don't make yourself watch until the end. Just let it go.

While the special effects were compelling and the acting was adequate, this movie hardly makes up for what it lacks in writing. It is hard to state how much of a disappointment this movie was to me. The central idea of the Matrix is fertile ground for enormous creativity, but instead of harnessing it, the creators choose to cobble together a story-line out of cheesy dialogue, random plot events (and plot-holes) and rather horrible character arcs. Instead of engaging with the question of whether it matters if one is living in a simulation, this movie relies on characterizing the "bad-guys" in hopes of emotionally manipulating the audience into that point of view. In the end, there isn't even much reason to support Neo's team given the fact that they don't seem to have a clear goal, and are working to disrupt a world where people actually get to live lives, fall in love, and pursue goals instead of dying early in some future dystopia where the sun doesn't even make it to Earth. And that's not even mentioning how many people they kill in cold blood with the empathy of story book villains. The audience isn't even given any selfish reasons to support the characters as we fail to see them meaningfully interact. Instead, we get told that these characters care for one another despite how they hardly have conversations other than to argue, plan attacks, and offer overly pretentious monologues. Perhaps there is merely a generation gap at play. I have long since come to terms with the idea that this is a simulation and am frankly fine with that--so long as the people I meet here are real. Perhaps once this movie could make up for its failings by presenting this idea in a modern way to the general public--but I don't think that's still true.