february 2023 media round-up

[sunkisser]

(source)

I don'even have it in me to be embarrassed that this took so long T__T the end of february got so insanely busy for me so unexpectedly?? and then it carried out into march... but it was a pretty good media month actually??? despite not achieving the goal I set for myself this is still probably the most movies I've watched in a single month in my entire life

💬

🎞 movies

total movies watched: 7
6 new, 1 rewatch

feb. 2023 movies
ranked

1. puss in boots: the last wish (2022) ★★★★★
2. argentina, 1985 (2022) ★★★★★
3. the hunger games (2012) ★★★★☆ ↻
4. little women (1949) ★★★★★
5. the banshees of inisherin (2022) ★★☆☆☆
6. the fabelmans (2022) ★★★★☆
7. batman: year one (2011) ★★★☆☆

I so badly wanted to watch as many oscar nominated movies as possible for some reason but it was definitely a fail... I got so busy at the end of the month I didn't really have the motivation to sit down to watch anything and lost the rhythm I got into at the beginning of feb T__T but I did get to watch a few at least! I'm especially glad I could watch puss in boots because what gave this movie the right to be SO GOOD?? I thought my fellow internet users were lying when they raved about how this was so amazing BUT IT WAS I was completely hooked from start to finish, totally immersed in the plot and absolutely invested in the outcome. CINEMA!!!! I love animated movies and the last few "big" productions I watched didn't really do it for me but this made me fall right back in love again T__T the animation was so beautiful, the little brush stroke details in the backgrounds and the COLOR SCHEMES!!! were just so amazing + the callbacks to shrek were soooooo fun. and yes I was like every other bitch and cried at the end AND at the panic attack scene, they were both sm better with context and like the message of the movie sjdhsjsn everything about it was just So Right even the sound track!!! and the voice actors had me in love too. excellent execution we love u puss in boots

then I watched argentina, 1985 and let me just say it got robbed bye... this movie was seriously sooo fucking good. over half my family are lawyers so I really have a predisposition to think everything to do with them is boring but this movie definitely did not disappoint T__T starting with the fact that latin american dictatorship is so close to home and the way they really perfectly captured that sort of ominous feeling of being in between political insecurity and democracy because anything can change any time. the production level was also soooooo insane, the cinematography really gave it all such a special touch, the art direction was immaculate and each take was so beautifully done like even the aspect ratio was a gift with this film. the actors were also incredibly insane like I'll admit I didn't really get it at first but the more you get into it and the more you let the pacing envelop you the more you realize why the movie is done the way it is. the testimonies made cry in earnest with how well done they were and how perfectly they were placed within the storyline + the last statement was just so masterfully done TT the takes were perfect and the courtroom shots seen through the lense of the old TV cameras like !!!! talk about insane. set design was incredible too I never thought I'd like an argentinian movie this much but they kinda snapped with this one. like they even had the perfect balance of humor to contrast the serious topic THEY WERE ROBBED I TELL YOU

I do kinda regret watching banshees of inisherin instead of another of the nominated movies tbh... like I saw so many people talk about how funny and sad it was but no one mentioned the chaotic part?!??? like it's really an insane movie… like I can't even say it wasn't good but it's just not my type of cinema. the execution was perfect for what it was trying to convey, it had a very good script and incredible shots. I kind of really loved the contrast between how crazy the actual content of the movie was vs. how beautifully crafted each shot was like it was truly crazy.. I was kind of expecting it to be kinda like a story about friendship?? with a bad ending of course judging by the vibes and it kind of was, like I really, really liked that aspect and how it painted the main characters "falling out" and colm's post midlife crisis or whatever it was all soooooo interesting to me and I was really hoping they would sort of keep that going? even if it wasn't towards redemption or whatever just the whole tortured artist who hasn't been able to see greatness bit really had me and also the whole man's descent into madness bc of the loss of friendship/companionship/familiarity and IT HAPPENED but well.. not in the way I expected/hoped I guess. also I, like everyone else, was surprised with how funny it is but it was really trumped by the atmosphere like it was funny but I wasn't rolling laughing u know.. I'm just still kind of in shock I really can't describe how this movie made me feel like I was hooked but shocked and definitely grossed out/put off but it didn't really make me think any less of the movie even if it wasn't for me T__T I've noticed it's very in the style of the oscars to nominate this style of movies?? like > movie that seems totally normal but gets extremely and somewhat inexplicably insane by the end < I haven't liked many of these movies in my lifetime but maybe that's just cinema??

immediately after that I watched the fabelmans and like it was the perfect movie for people who like movies where nothing happens and everything is emotional and I Mean It. nothing happened in the 2 and a half hours I sat there and I didn't feel a single minute passing by it was actually impressive how immersed I was by what was basically an iteration of a home movie of some guy growing up. adored it fr it was just so mundane but still fun and every shot was seriously so gorgeous and well planned out. cannot even give much of an opinion bc seriously what is there to say abt a movie where nothing happens but u still cry like three times? maybe it's all the child of divorce feelings and parental relationship coming through lmfao but it was entertaining and mild despite the Feelings

then in attempt to watch something nice to close off the month I watched [checks notes] ...batman year one apparently ...aside from how truly unsettling it was that the characters did not have eyeballs.. like the whites in their eyes were the color of the skin it was horrifying… this was a pretty ok movie lol terribly dramatic as batman movies tend to go but still pretty fun and a nice view into batman’s first year although I guess they could’ve afforded to make it a little more believable?? in the sense that he fucked up but barely lol it was more abt his alliance w gordon but still quite fun to watch..

📺 shows

total shows watched: 2

(source)

chainsaw man (2022) ★★★★★
the way I've been watching this show since like october of last year and I just never had the chance to finish it?? T__T I wish I could've watched it a bit faster so I could remember all the details from the beginning but either way this anime was so fucking good it's insane like it really had me hooked from the very beginning. I think the world building can be a little iffy at times like there's just a lot of stuff to make sense of out of the blue but the characters and the storyline more than make up for it like it's really crazy how attached I grew to all of them despite how totally flawed they are they're just all so human in the end and the way they care for and are attached to watch other in their own little ways!!!!! truly insane dynamics throughout the whole show, beautiful animation, heartbreaking storylines (DENJI < / 3), crazy hooks and just overall a really nicely done show. denji's entire character is so insanely well done it's crazy to me like his personality, his habits, his way of being are so entirely tied and explained by his life story and situation before he turned into a hybrid I can't even be mad at all the softcore porn in this TT I read a tweet that said chainsaw man is not for people who get attached to characters easily but this sign won't stop because I can't read ! hahaha this show stresses me out so much my brother and I had to watch a few bluey episodes after the finale to calm down.. all I can say is the sleepytime one is actual cinema.. cried twice and all

arknights (2022) ★★☆☆☆
i know this show is based on a videogame but even then this feels a little too much like they just took the cutscenes and edited them together T__T they really said no additional plot, no additional character development, not even properly animating the fight scenes just vibes and catgirls to carry the show forward.. I couldn't even pinpoint a fave character to divert my attention from the plot because none of them even had a PERSONALITY.. like not even amiya and 80% of the scenes had her in it I don't get it.. and the doctor was so annoying too like I get it that they're supposed to be the character you play inside the videogame but if there's no other function to them then WHY KEEP THEM IN.. JUST MAKE THE STORY WITHOUT THEM??? maybe arcane spoiled me because it was a little too good and it really sacrificed some canon aspects for the sake of making a good show but if that worked so well then maybe these other shows based on videogames should take a hint idk…

📚 books

I read nothing except fic this month.. lol.. anyway here are some recs:

• all my friends are turning blue by sunghanbin: the way the show isn't even over and I've already scrolled through the entire bp tag I'm already setting myself up for heartbreak here.. mattbin have been pretending they don't know e/o since shanbin is all busy buttering up hao but if there's one thing that gets me is childhood friends who promise to debut together and then Do so these two better get their happy fucking ending
• so easy, even a 5 year old could do it by Miralana: [dying noises] I've read so much atz fix idk what to do with myself.. and this fic totally enamoured me in a way I can't even explain.. talk abt a business toddler
• fly-hard by illie: no comment on this one except IT'S GOOD and everyone should read it, I love this characterization of 2ho <3
• sober up to kiss me by ouchsolo: this is something I never thought I would read with my own two eyes but I did and it was so good I think it altered my brain chemistry...

🎜 music

604 scrobbles, 21 daily avg
61 artists | 124 albums | 207 tracks

TOP ARTISTS:

1. tomorrow x together (152)
2. ateez (52)
3. sza (41)
4. nct 127 (30)
5. stray kids (25)

TOP ALBUMS:

1. the name chapter: temptation by txt (93)
2. sos by sza (41)
3. the chaos chapter: freeze by txt (32)
4. ay-yo - the 4th album repackage by nct 127 (29)
5. bss 1st single album 'second wind' by bss (21)

TOP TRACKS:

1. farewell, neverland by txt (30)
2. dear sputnik by txt (25)
3. skyscraper by nct 127 (22)
4. moonlight sunrise by twice (18)
5. ghost in the machine (ft. phoebe bridgers) by sza (18)

I felt like I wasn't listening to as much music but m scrobbles were actually a little higher than last month?? crazy ig.. also the fact that txt's album continues to wreak havoc in my stats is insane like why was this comeback so fucking GOOD.. the fact that there's a 2100 scrobble diff between them and ateez T__T how did I get here

dear sputnik too.. txt have always had good music but I kinda stopped listening to them after platform 9 and 3/4.. I listened to everything else they released after that as soon as sugar rush ride came out and it's been like an enlightenment they have so many good fucking songs omfg

aside from that um well bss's album slaps so fucking hard I'm surprised it's not higher on the list tbh??? I played it on loop for days straight.. especially 7p.m. it's SO GOOD mr. peder elias rlly knows what he's doing

the fact that teddy bear didn't even make it to my top10 tho.. I'm sorry my stayc gorls it's grown on me recently but it rlly isn't that appealing to me without the performance aspect.. :') I hope they have another cb soon

🎤 k-pop

caught up with some ateez variety and some of the yt videos they did to promote halazia which was super fun! especially wanteez I love consistency I love shows that release once a week and keep me anticipating (side eyes nct) but the real obsession of the month here was boys planet.. obsession of the year probably with the way it's panning out tbh idek how I got this invested...

(source)

my perfect centerz...

anyway I won't go too in depth abt it because I did a twitter thread a few weeks ago and I'm lazy but even though I've been suffering it it's also quite an enjoyable show. I have some fairly popular pics and I feel like most of them will make it to the line-up?? like if f4 and g3 aren't all up there in the final.. my most "obscure" pick was jongwoo but he's been rising the ranks so fast I TRUST HE'LL MAKE IT NOW t__t can't say I have the same confidence abt haruto anymore tho...

and also hui.. I won't be said if he doesn't make it obviously but when this show is abt talent and he's clearly the most talented person there by FAR.. I do miss him in ptg too but whatever happens I just hope he's happy in the end

anyway here's my top9 rn

🔆 miscellaneous

I'm ususally very aware of all the trash I watch on youtube but tbh I don't remember much of last month..

Watch on YouTube

I do remember this tho.. by far the best video I've watched in a long, long time like I know virtually nothing abt high fashion but gwendoline christie just talks so passionately and enthusiastically about all her roles and the people she's worked with and each dress and how she felt/wanted to feel in each of them it was truly such a joy to just watch her in her element!! she's so, so beautiful and it really stands out whenever she's talking about her journey to accept herself as she is + her sense of style is sooo immaculate, everything she wears is gorgeous and looks incredible on her T__T she's so eloquent too, it's like she picks and chooses each word carefully. I'm just completely in love with her what can I say