Favorite Dance Video
Kick it - NCT 127 (Squad VS Fighter Version)
My first exposure to NCT 127 was this album and this song blew my mind. I was really enamored by the song's structure, but then I came across this video here. I was thrilled by the intro and everything that followed after. Honestly, I dug how the movements fit the theme and how smoothly it went into the groove as soon as the chorus drops. Then, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the routine was choreographed by Brian Puspos, who happens to be one of my favorites. What a wonderful combination of events that made this glorious source of entertainment. Do you agree?
Favorite Movie Discussion
How Knives Out Switches Genres (Twice) - Just Write
Knives Out was one of my favorite movie experiences late in 2019 due to its crazy rollercoaster ride. I thought the way it told its story was quite fascinating and while I was watching it, I did notice quite a shift in the way its presentation. The problem is, I did not really know the most concise way to phrase it nor did I realize the sophistication of the mixture of genres. This video truly brought what it demonstrated in the best way possible and made me love the movie so much more.
Favorite Music Remix
Red Velvet Cake 2019 - Yirohan (Mashup)
Now when I tell you that my first experience watching and listening to this was awe-inspiring, that is actually an understatement. During 2019, I finally reeeeeally descended into the world of Kpop and by the end of the year I listened to Red Velvet's entire discography and became a dedicated Reveluv. Therefore when I saw this video pop up in my recommendations, I figured I would give it a chance despite mashups not being my go-to content. I saw that there were 78 tracks incorporated and thought, this could end poorly, yet I was happily proved wrong. This presentation put into 5 sections for each member was extremely impressive! In conclusion, any fan with 15 minutes to spare should watch this because it's an honest-to-God masterpiece of a composition/performance.
Favorite Mini Documentary
Edge of a Cliff - Lindsey Alderman
Lindsey is an artist that I've followed for a couple of years who hails near my hometown. Her journey in music has been fun to watch so far, as she begins to grow her fan base. This doc explores one of her personal life moments which is the last hometown (Lawrence, KS) performance for a while after her move to California. This video allowed me to learn so much more about her mindset and determination to the craft of performance at such an early stage of her career. I watched and knew I needed to keep rooting for this talented woman, although leaving it knowing that she would be ambitious to prevail without my support. She'll just jump of a cliff and fly!
Full March 2020 Playlist: click here
Alexa (USA/South Korea)As much as I want to gush on and on about NCT 127 and how I've come to love them even more in the month March, I think it's only proper to spotlight someone who is lesser known instead. Alexa is a new talent in the kpop sphere and I heard of her through YouTube suggestions for a new upload from Form of Therapy. Before I watched his video breaking down two of her music videos, I decided to check her out first. Obviously, I was very impressed with her debut and android concept. She has amazing moves, a pretty good voice, and tons of potential to bring something new; possibly bridging the gap more for western and Korean pop. I'm still slowly more and more about her through her brief biography on some of her music videos' descriptions and Instagram, but I can tell she's very passionate and dedicated to sharing her talent with the world. I'm definitely supporting her as "Bomb", and occasionally "Do or Die", continues to repeat in my head randomly throughout the day. Aside from NCT 127, I give another honorable mention to a new kpop boy group called MCND who deserve some recognition in the near future.
"Dr. BeBe" by Pentagon
As I on again/off again acquaint myself with this group, I am so happy that I gave this song a listen. I can't remember much of what of heard from previous music videos from this group, but I'm willing to go back and give it another chance. This latest release by Pentagon (Korea) really surprised me. From what little I remember from previous videos, they did a lot of light and cute or adjacent concepts, so this was a huge shocker. I love dark concepts that are well executed and thought out. I don't think I see many nowadays, since VIXX has been exploring other areas of their talent. This song is not only catchy, but has some amazing range in the vocal department. It's both aggressive and dramatic, which is a rare combination. The production of this video is just...wow! It tells an interesting story of the boys being mental patients (of love) and we get to see the many sides and metaphors for their sanity or lack there of. Definitely check it out if you haven't yet. I know I'll be delving back into Pentagon again soon.
Tokyo Godfathers (2003, Japan)Starring: Tôru Emori, Yoshiaki Umegaki, Aya Okamoto | Directed by: Satoshi Kon & Shôgo Furuya
I'm so happy to have seen this Satoshi Kon classic be remastered for the theater and I got to enjoy it with my anime club! I've been wanting to see this movie for a very long time, since I thoroughly enjoyed Perfect Blue and Paprika. The movie follows three homeless people who find an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve. The movie delves into various issues that are still relevant to not only Japan, but worldwide such as transgender people, family, and society's views on the homeless. I think that really stood out to me and mentioned it to the club members. The characters were very likable and entertaining and I loved their chemistry together as this dysfunctional family. At the beginning of the movie, we are told what Kon's intentions were in this movie and kinda what to expect, which I thought was very accurate. I honestly didn't know much about this movie going into it, but the best way to describe it according to the introduction is that it constantly changes directions. When you think the story is gonna go one way, it takes a sharp turn the other way. At the end of the movie was a nice little walkthrough on the real life scenery used in the movie and what elements Kon wanted to include. They also explained some of the animation techniques they used like showing how they achieved the depth in the snow. After seeing this movie, I look forward to checking out more of Kon's work in the future and rewatching this in Japanese as I couldn't attend the theater showing for it. I highly recommend everyone [or anyone] to check it out if you haven't.
Preacher (2016-2019, USA)Starring: Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun, Ruth Negga | Episodes: 43
I've watched this series since it first premiered on AMC and gradually became hooked to the craziness of this world. I loved it so much that I had to check out the source material and...I love the comic book just as much [so far]. Before the lock down in my area, I finally forced myself to get back into finishing its final season and boy, what a ride! Jesse Custer is a small town preacher who just tries to do his best for his church and community, until a supernatural event occurs and he enlists the help of a vampire and his ex-girlfriend in a wild adventure to find God. Yes, God. This is in no way a normal or typical comic book show, but it made me enjoy odd TV iterations of Legion and Happy!, which I'll review at some point. Throughout the series since my first review had quite the ride and I was not disappointed in their interpretation of Jesse's
BNA (2020)Episodes: ?
In an attempt to stream Winter 2020 anime, I came across this unexpected gem. I know everyone's raving over Beastars and sharing their furry meme jokes, but this is my "furry" show...until I jump into the latest addition to Show by Rock!!. Yes, I've came across other entertaining shows in the winter season such as my honorable mention choice ID:Invaded, but I haven't heard anyone talk about this show at all. This original series from Studio Trigger takes place in a 21st century world where humanoid animals are trying to co-exist in a world with humans. A high school student by the name of Michiru suddenly turns into a tanuki and runs off to Anima City to find a "cure" for her condition. Instead, she meets a wolf named Ogami Shiro, among a few other colorful characters, and gets mixed up in various investigations with him. I was not expecting to love this show so much! I love the vibrant and unique animation style, the entertaining action and humor, and the pace of the main story with Michiru is perfect. I can't wait until more episodes are released in the Spring anime season. Lastly, the opening and ending songs are so good!
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life (2019)Author: Ali Wong
Unfortunately, I don't have an interesting manga to share as I continue to read series I've started years ago, which there is nothing wrong with sharing that from time to time. Nonetheless, I still have at least one [or two] highlights from my reading for the month. I love Ali Wong. No, I really love Ali Wong. I requested this book immediately at my job and added it to my never ending list of biographies I want to read on Goodreads. Originally I was planning on reading Tiffany Haddish's The Last Black Unicorn, but opted for something a little different. Don't worry, I'm still planning on reading her book soon. This book, according to comedian Wong, is meant as a series letters to her two daughters when they grow up and she shares this with the world, obviously. The books mixes Wong's sassy, honest, and sometimes crass humor with wisdom and encouragement. I really enjoyed how open Ali Wong is about her life, especially when it comes to dating, pregnancy, and following your dreams. The book is very well paced with its content and what emotions it wants to press on in the right moments, because there are definitely some serious situations that come up from time to time. It's a given that Ali Wong fans will enjoy this book, but I think mothers, mother figures, and daughters can enjoy it as well. Another good read for the month is Kati Morton's Are u ok?: A Guide to Caring for Your Mental Health , a book about mental health and mental health professionals.
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