"Everything happens for a reason," Bob assured...
...his dissapointed Burger King customer after he served him a Big Mac. ...the opposing team as he grabbed the soccer ball and ran away. ...his boss when he replaced all the automobiles in the dealership's lot with toy cars. - Written by C.A. Nicholas - Illustration by Hansuan Fabregas
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Dear R.F. Kuang, I am grateful to have discovered your art; The Poppy War trilogy is one of my favorite tales, and your storytelling is a tour-de-force. The Poppy War is the first book in the series. It is a haunting Historical Fantasy that symbolizes shamanism, while presenting the horrors of war for all participants, the ripple effects of vengeance, the harm of idolizing anyone, and the ethical gray area of major choices. It also shows how propaganda can dehumanize "the other" beyond ethnic caricatures, by simplifying the nuances, complexity, and dirty side of a sworn-enemy society's history, as well as their current politics. Furthermore, this story's symbolism of the real life Second Sino-Japanese War reinforces its cautionary lessons. The themes and characterizations in the sequel, The Dragon Republic, are even more complex than the ones in The Poppy War. Kuang understands that to be human is to be interwoven with contradictions, and this shines a light on empathy's heroism, which accompanies the narrative's theme of how not looking for the roots of individuals' cruelty can nurture its spread. Characters' perceptions on some sworn enemies and trusted heroes are also turned on their heads, while the themes of ethnocentrism and imperialism from The Poppy War are wisely joined in this story by the theme of dehumanization through religious exceptionalism. The final book is named The Burning God. It brings back some moments of levity that were present in The Poppy War, and the juxtaposition of humor with harrowing events intensifies the tragic scenes. Furthermore, by extending the personal focus of the numerous battle scenes to several individuals who had a significant presence since book 1, the action feels even more emotionally involving, as well as narratively enriching.
A new theme of assimilation's horror is presented in The Burning God, alongside a return of the previous books' themes. Similarly, this story is uniquely subversive to the prior two books, though it enhances the storytelling because it serves it, rather than shock value. Sometimes, what we deem to be our best laid plans are upended as if they were fleeting daydreams; that's why the ability to adapt is important, and the discipline for long-term goal strategization beyond triumph must be achieved (namely pondering on how to maintain victory, which involves allowing methods toward it to evolve, and planning for what happens after an end-goal is reached). The necessity of compromise to a certain point (even if it's for the lesser of two evil solutions) and the impact of its absence on the cyclical nature of war is starkly shown in this story, through vengeance and paranoia, which is fueled in the narrative by power addiction, accompanied and fueled by a type of reaction to trauma and fear. The book is devastating in ways that I wasn't prepared for. It would have been less difficult to turn The Burning God into a conventional tragedy. Bravo R.F. Kuang. Though the trilogy arrives at a definitive conclusion for its overarching narrative, it is still open-ended enough to reflect life's unstoppable progression (rather than too open-ended as to read as a tease for more stories in a franchise that keeps promising a conclusion but never reaches the end). After all, though real-life stories reach a conclusion, life goes on. Undone's Season 2 is another timeless masterpiece. I'm in awe of the cast and crew's artistry.
It's the first fictional story that caused my heart to simultaneously soar and break from happiness, that I recall. Tragedy is also in this second chapter's being, though its weep-inducing power accompanies catharsis so sorrow can be a bridge to healing. By providing an empathic experience, Undone's Season 2 teaches the following: ✓ Tragic moments are unavoidable in this life, but to feel ferocious sadness from them is to feel love. Furthermore, sorrow is easier to go through with one another. ✓ Being joyful about one another's existence is another aspect of love. To be mindful of other souls' connection to one's own is to nourish that love (and joy). ✓ Recovery requires us to face our traumas. ✓ Ignoring or downplaying stressful experiences (or trying to keep them secret from loved and trustworthy individuals) only fuels one's anxiety, which will affect other souls. ✓ Children may have different dreams than their parents for who they want to be, and that's okay. ✓ Losing ourselves in a task to help someone is possible. Simply being there for someone is sometimes the best help that someone can receive. (Illustration by Bianca Van Dijk)
Having positive role models is a wise practice but deifying any fellow human being crosses a line because none of us are perfectly good in attitudes and behaviors. Deification is a path to cynicism (or a cultish perspective). Cynicism is a destructive worldview, since when an idolized individuals' flaws become known, we can feel betrayed if we don't fall into denial, while it effectively normalizes the leadership that is actually inhumane. The sense of betrayal that stems from cynicism, that which is rooted in deification, is a temptation to generalize leaders as deceivers who want to take advantage of us, while their good deeds essentially become invisible. This worldview is a path to trust in conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, propaganda, or (and) the fear-mongering about minorities since those answers are easily digestible; those explanations are comforting due to their lack of nuance and complexity (while that viewpoint can even inspire a belief about a few people pulling world leaders' strings, as if we're living in a James Bond, Mission Impossible, or Austin Powers film). It's a belief system that produces an assurance that minorities and (or) leaders have and will take advantage of us (except the leaders who knowingly or unknowingly produce misinformation to produce a sense of community and a feeling of refuge). This worldview ironically amplifies anxiety. Furthermore, our vision to our own flaws, and the true source of our problems, become flawed if we fall for that type of perspective. Defeatism ironically nourishes defeat. Therefore, if we give in to deification, then others ultimately aren't the only ones harmed, while we walk upon the intertwining path of self-destruction. Illustration by Andorra (Bellinon)
~~~ One of the best things we can do for ourselves and others is to say no to taking on a job, project, or a task that would be fatiguing to us, whether it's directly due to having enough work to tend to (paid or not), it'd hurt our passions, or it'd harm our health (mental and physical health are connected). Saying no (politely but firmly) may upset some individuals but saying yes to what would be burdensome (not merely a challenge or inconvenient) to us would certainly cause us to burn out, thus harming the people who sought our labour, our other work, others who would be served through our service, and our personal relationships. No amount of money, nor kindness from any workmates and bosses, will make work that's inherently fatiguing to us less fatiguing, and though an accompanying healthy salary will provide material essentials, and perhaps even luxuries, one's soul will starve while disadvantaging others'. However, saying no opens up the door to other individuals who are a good fit for what was asked of us, while it allows us to pursue work opportunities that would be mutually beneficial between us, any teammates, and the individuals we serve. Sources: My experiences, introspection, and MS in Leadership degree. My review is spoiler-free!
Though I wasn't alive during 1963, nor have I yet set foot anywhere in Japan, a sense of nostalgia rapidly blossomed within me when I watched From Up on Poppy Hill. Like the best period films that install a sense of wistfulness for a bygone era, this movie features songs from that time, a warm color palette, and adventurous optimism that plows into tribulations; those elements help make audience members who are outside of a narrative's time to yearn a visit there, as they feel a connection to the story through their own nostalgia. Now a misconception about optimistic people is that they're a perpetually cheery bunch, who are ignorant of the gravity of threatening situations and immunized against grief. Yet optimism can be a ferociously challenging perspective to maintain; It is not an easy mindset to fall into, and it isn't reliant on bliss; One can be optimistic even as they feel like they're drowning in despair. Optimism is a refusal to remain down when one gets knocked over. It is acknowledging the severity of problems while discovering the best in situations; It is strategizing on how to be triumphant for oneself and others. The main characters in From Up on Poppy Hill practiced optimism when they advocated against their historic clubhouse's demolition. ~ ~ ~ There's a scene where one debate team wanted to keep their historic clubhouse (a place they shared with the other team), while the other side wanted it to be replaced. A broader issue was soon revealed: one side didn't want to throw out all traditions because one shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater (as the saying goes) and one can't really progress without remembering the past. Meanwhile, the other team wanted to throw historic traditions out in the name of progress. This scene shows us that the debate teams desired the same goal: how to sufficiently progress (even when they disagreed on the matter of preserving their clubhouse). Likewise, some of us share the same political goals (if not the same methods) even if we see ourselves as politically opposed. A character in the debate scene also lashed out by calling an opponent who wanted to keep their historic clubhouse (a representation of holding on to some traditions for the sake of progress) an anarchist. This moment shows us that political labels can be unintentionally misapplied in a hilarious manner. ~ ~ ~ ★ Film Details ★ Directed by: Goro Miyazaki Screenplay by: Hayao Miyazaki & Keiko Niwa Based on: Coquelicot-zaka kara by Tetsurō Sayama & Chizuru Takahashi Genre: Drama Release Year: 2011 ~ ~ ~ My other Studio Ghibli film reviews: My review of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is spoiler-free!
What do I, a fan of the Harry Potter series think about the Fantastic Beasts films thus far? Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has a broad narrative whose focus is divided between a continuation of the predominantly stand-alone first Fantastic Beasts film (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) and a Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald prequel that is reliant on the Harry Potter saga (as the Harry Potter saga fascinatingly is reliant on the subsequently released Crimes of Grindelwald). Though the scene transitions don't always flow (the connective tissue from one scene to the next sometimes feels like it's missing, though the film is never confusing), the movie nevertheless features a masterclass of writing, performances, and music. While Where to Find Them is a wondrous adventure whose touch of deep melancholy is countered by resilient optimism (qualities that make it feel like it could be a Christmas film, despite its events taking place outside of Christmas Day and Eve), Crimes of Grindelwald is a steadfastly tragic tale about discrimination, trauma, rhetorical warfare, and how propaganda that scapegoats can manipulate even wise and empathic souls. Where to Find Them is predominantly whimsical and consistently beautiful in its telling. It is ultimately uplifting like a steaming cup of apple cider, despite it compelling our hearts to break, at times, for someone who commits horrifying acts, by showing us their perspective on what led them there, without excusing their heinous crimes. Crimes of Grindelwald is a tale of two narratives, though the film is more thematically complex. Both movies have a through-line of empathy; it is filtered through optimism in Where to Find Them, while it is filtered through grief in Crimes of Grindelwald. I adore both films. By the way, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore releases in two weeks! ★ Alternate Movie Review Title ★ Before Dumbledore's Secrets Were Revealed, We Found Fantastic Beasts and Grindelwald Committed Crimes My review is spoiler-free!
Ponyo reminds me of Disney Animation's Pinocchio (1940) and The Little Mermaid (1989). That's merely because the premise of Ponyo's desire to be a human and to be best friends with a human boy resonates with elements of those other films' premises. This film is steadfastly joyful in contrast to those two Disney movies, though Ponyo's characters were also faced with plenty of significant challenges in its unique story. Dare I say that I, who is often drawn to hopeful art if melancholy is at least its undercurrent, found myself charmed by this film? Well, I already said it, and it's true. My adrift thoughts on Ponyo: ★ Theme: Being overprotective of one's children can be fueled by love, but it is the type that is led by fear. Reasonable protection of one's kids is a must, but not allowing them to truly live suppresses their joy. When one is overprotective, a sense of control becomes a burden, while being apprehensive becomes the norm. ★ Theme: Cynicism isn't a form of wisdom. ~ ~ ~ ★ Film Details ★ Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki Screenplay by: Hayao Miyazaki Genre: Fantasy Release Year: 2008 ~ ~ ~ My other Studio Ghibli film reviews: My review is spoiler-free!
Ocean Waves was not my cup of coffee though I am grateful that it was the type of film for others, while others will take a liking to it. I did not find Rikako Muto's frequent manipulation of the protagonist (Taku Morisaki) to be a rewarding experience. While she was never malicious, she strung him along by playing upon his kindness. Rikako's behavior was a form of abuse though it is never glorified, even though it is brushed aside as well. In a similar fashion, they slap one another at one point but that violence is recognized as negative by implication, which is countered by Taku's purchase of candid photos of Rikako in swimwear (it's not clear if she gave permission for candid photos of herself to be sold but it didn't seem like it). Perhaps this story is about flawed individuals finding a way to empathize with one another, as it's revealed why Rikako manipulated others and was stand-offish. However, the focus on wrong behavior, and any lessons that were learned, was upon her. My adrift thoughts on Ocean Waves: ★ My favorite scene was the college reunion scene though we're formally introduced to a character who quickly becomes prominent...only to quickly disappear. ★ There were some background scenes where the characters were still. It seemed like this was done due to budget, time, and (or) for animators' tiredness, but it was interesting to look at, as if they crowd was composed of living statues. ~ ~ ~ ★ Film Details ★ Directed by: Tomomi Mochizuki Screenplay by: Kaori Nakamura Based on: I Can Hear the Sea by Saeko Himuro Genre: Romantic Drama Release Year: 1993 ~ ~ ~ My other Studio Ghibli film reviews: My review is spoiler-free! Only Yesterday shows the necessity of nurturing passions, whether it is in others or within ourselves. Taeko Okajima (the protagonist) worked in a 9:00 to 5:00 office job that paid her well, but her soul withered because her work there didn't match her interests. However, she thrived when she participated in countryside labor. As I learned in my graduate leadership courses, being in an occupation that doesn't align with one's passions will inevitably harm one's mental well-being, and that business will lack productivity when someone's personality and interests aren't being served by the type of job; it's a mutually unhealthy relationship for customers, the employee, and the organization at large. As exemplified in Only Yesterday's multiple heartbreaking scenes, it's especially important for elders to support childrens' dreams. When kids are taught (whether explicitly or implicitly) to suppress their passions and to not stray from the career paths that their parents believe to be the best for their children, then it erodes their self-esteem. Furthermore, not nourishing kids' dreams prevents others from being provided the best fruits of their endeavors before they even reach adulthood, no less so than when that passion is for the arts because experiencing creative literature, performances, paintings, music, etc. is just as vital to all of our well-being as other types of work are. On a related note, one doesn't know whether they will truly enjoy something unless they try it according to Only Yesterday. We should never steal an individual's agency on pursing their dreams by presuming to know better. Similarly, when someone has a unique way of solving a problem, then it should be celebrated. No one should be forced into one way of arriving at a solution because that harms one's ability to strategize, and maybe even empathize since it can impair the adoption of other perspectives. This is emphasized in how a character perceives math problems, as well as Taeko's regret over one of her classmates. One's unique way of processing information doesn't mean that someone has a low IQ (besides, emotional intelligence is at least just as important), and being referred to as stupid certainly doesn't help matters. My other thoughts on Only Yesterday: ★I love how a few of Taeko's childhood memories were framed within the 27 year old Taeko's present. ★ Theme: Cruel words that are aimed at you diminish in power when you recognize your worth as a human being. ★ Theme: Romantic feelings for someone can unfold gradually. Either way, no one should enter a romantic relationship just because it is what others want. ★ Theme: Relaxing and socializing in-person is no less important than working. ~ ~ ~ ★ Film Details ★ Directed by: Isao Takahata Screenplay by: Isao Takahata Based on: Only Yesterday by Hotaru Okamoto & Yuko Tone Genre: Slice-of-Life Release Year: 1991 ~ ~ ~ My other Studio Ghibli film reviews: |
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