The Atari 50 collection is back now with 12 new games. Best of all though these games are entirely FREE! In a market where games are increasingly nickeling and diming the player this is a big deal. It takes a lot of guts to release new content and not charge anything for it. Releasing these games for free says a lot about Atari and Digital Eclipse’s commitment and understanding of their player base! I applaud both of them, and look forward to any additional content added!
Adventure II (2600 Homebrew): Adventure II as the name implies is very similar to the original Adventure. It still has you bringing keys to gates while being hunted by deadly dragons that look like mutant ducks, only this time it is even tougher. Adventure II is a labor of love that is clearly designed for players experienced with the original who want more challenging scenarios. I recommend newcomers start with the first Adventure game as this sequel is a challenging add on to the first game for veterans, rather than a new experience.
Aquaventure (2600 prototype): It surprises me that Aquaventure was never officially released. Not only was this prototype pretty much completed, but it also plays great. In Aquaventure you control a diver (who is depicted in the game’s art as a woman) seeking treasure deep beneath the sea. This game has you dive down and then return to the surface with treasure while also trying to avoid deadly sea life, jagged coral lined walls, and running out of air.
Aquaventure combines simple arcade style game play with the joy of exploration. It is very much a risk/reward type of game. While you are always racing an increasingly tight time limit (represented by an air meter) to get through a variety of obstacles, it is also important to be careful when exploring to avoid being hurt and to only use your spear gun sparingly. Aquaventure is not only creative and great to look at, but also a lot of fun and one of the best games added to collection.
Bowling (2600): At first glance it would be easy to dismiss Bowling as another terrible sports title for the 2600. This impression isn’t helped by the game’s graphics which are about as plain as they come (though shockingly they were originally praised by players), and its simple style of gameplay. Despite this Bowling is actually a really fun game. It has tight and fun gameplay and physics that holds up far better than most other sports games on the system. It is especially fun to play this game against a friend like a real game of bowling. Bowling is a perfect video game example of the adage, “Don’t judge a book (or game) by its cover.”
Circus Atari (2600): One of the games I was most excited to see added to this collection was Circus Atari. Circus Atari is a fun game with a premise similar to Breakout where you are hitting objects on the top of the screen. Instead of launching a ball with a paddle though, you are instead using a moving see-saw to launch a person at balloons. These changes result in a more challenging, fast paced, and exciting game. Also, like Breakout this game was designed specifically for a paddle controller, but is well adapted to more modern hardware. While I do still prefer playing Circus Atari with original hardware, it is an important and great addition to this collection.
Double Dunk (2600): Double Dunk is a game I have mixed feelings about. The first thing you will notice about it is that it looks great for a 2600 game, even for a late era game. Despite now looking ancient and lacking player animation, Double Dunk shows just how powerful the VCS could be, and even includes a title screen, a ball warping effect, and music (a rarity for the system). The gameplay is so much better and more advanced than many earlier Basketball games, and it works remarkably well despite pushing the console’s limits.
Despite being much much better than Real Sports Basketball, and having fun and frantic gameplay, being on the 2600 does still give this game some major limitations. Because it is so fast paced and complex it can be hard sometimes to keep up with the gameplay, especially with the game’s flat perspective and stiff designs. I had a hard time when I started figuring out how the game played and finding any fun in it, though I did eventually figure it out and then had a better experience. Despite its limitations I still really enjoyed Double Dunk. While it isn’t going to replace games like NBA Jam, it is absolutely worth a play especially if you enjoy basketball games.
Maze Craze (2600): Maze Craze is a simple, but fun game… if you have someone else to play with. Sadly, I do not. What I can say about this game of tag though is that uses very simple graphics and has tons upon tons of gameplay options. I’d recommend trying this with a friend, but by itself it is basically unplayable.
Miniature Golf (2600): While most of the new sports games added have been vast improvements on the previous line up, this is not the case with Miniature golf. Even for the VCS this game looks ugly, consisting primarily of colored squares. While this could be forgiven if the game play was any fun, it isn’t. At best miniature golf feels more like playing a single ball (or in this case square) billiards game on some foreign planet. That is if you don’t shut it off or fall asleep. Avoid this game!
MotoRodeo (2600): MotoRodeo feels more like a tech demo then a game. To be fair it is one impressive tech demo which pushes the systems visually, has good representational engine sounds, and well-designed one player AI. My biggest issue with it is how repetitive it feels. Each race is relatively short and typically emphasizes a specific element. While it is fun in short bursts and impressive for the system, I often found myself not wanting to spend too long with MotoRodeo. These bursts were very fun and the way I would recommend playing this game. It isn’t an experience though that I would recommend spending long amounts of time with.
Return to Haunted House (2600 Homebrew): Like Adventure II, Return to Haunted House is a challenging sequel. Where it differs, however, is in its design. Return to the Haunted House feels more like another sequel to Adventure with a Haunted House theme, then a Haunted House sequel. Sadly, I don’t think it does either game justice. Return to Haunted House is all about finding and using (vaguely shaped) items to find a skull. The problem is knowing what to do and how to do it is difficult, especially when dealing with the game’s aggressive ghosts who are constantly chasing you. While it isn’t a bad game, it fails to live up to the premise of Haunted House or Adventure, and instead makes me wish I was playing one of those games.
Save Mary (2600 Prototype): Save Mary is a weird but fun puzzle game. In it you play a crane at a gorge. Your goal is to save a woman (Mary) at the bottom of the hole by using pattern blocks to build her a way up to safety as water slowly begins to pour in. Save Mary balances thinking about how to build structures with the physical timing of placing blocks so that they don’t crush Mary, while also making sure they don’t fall into the water. It is an interesting premise for a game that manages to work well with the hardware. Despite its creativity though, how much you will actually enjoy Save Mary depends largely on your enjoyment of puzzle games. If you like them (as I do) then I recommend playing this game, those who don’t though aren’t going to be swayed despite the creativity involved.
Super Football (2600): It is really hard for me to review a game like Super Football. It clearly is a major improvement on game’s like Real Sports Football,but still isn’t a game I enjoy spending a lot of time with. Graphically Super Football looks great. I especially love the use of an isometric camera angle which allows for neat strolling effects (a rarity for 2600 games). Its gameplay is fast paced and works well. One of my biggest issues with the game though is with the lack of quality of life features it has. Its really challenging to pass the ball, and also features a list filled with various plays that I didn’t understand at all. The result was that while not running or kicking off I was often stumped as to what I should be doing. Football fans will probably enjoy this game far more than I did, but I didn’t really get much enjoyment out of it. That being said I feel like the wrong person to be judging this game, and that sports fans should give it a chance.
Warbirds (Lynx): I can see why some people love Warbirds and why some can’t stand it. I do have to say that putting a flight combat simulator on a handheld console and making it actually work at all is quite impressive. Warbirds in many ways looks and plays like an older computer game. In it you fly a WWI style plane, and do dogfighting missions. While the graphics in this game might look very plain by today’s standards, they were incredible for the time, especially on the Lynx. This comes though at the cost of a sense of speed or control.
Despite being about dog fighting, Warbirds is often neither fast nor intuitive. Even in “arcade,” mode the game doesn’t feature an aiming radicle and moves fairly slowly. Finding and shooting at enemies is always a major challenge that takes serious commitment and practice to get anywhere with. How much you enjoy Warbirds is largely based on how much you enjoy old flying simulations and computer type games. Personally, I’m very much on the fence about how I feel about Warbirds as a game; I do think though that it makes an excellent tech demo for what the Lynx as a console could do. Even if you aren’t a fan of games similar to Warbird it is at least worth trying this game out if only for the graphical quality.
I really wish that this series had a more dynamic and appropriate title. Naming it Online, when it doesn’t really seem to involve the internet in any major way seems like a mistake. Instead this series falls into the video and death game genre, combining it with a bit of romance. Despite its misleading title and falling squarely into genres that I don’t normally enjoy, I actually had a much better time reading Online than I initially thought I would.
Online follows Mai Yashiro, a high schooler who is forced to participate in the dangerous role-playing video game Nightmare. She soon discovers that many others in her school have also been selected to explore this game world and unlock its dangerous secrets. Together with her goofy new friend Asagi, the headmaster’s headstrong son Sugiura, and her school mates she must overcome the games challenges and surprises in order to stay alive and protect those around her.
At first glance Online might seem like a generic video game/death game-based story similar to titles like Sword Art Online, Log Horizon, or Magical Girl Raising Project. While it does have some of the clichés of these types of series, it is within the details of the story that Online shines. This series benefits greatly from being well paced and exciting. There were many points in the story where I found it hard to put down my book, eagerly wanting to know what would happen next. I also like that its story focused on a female protagonist, rather than the usual male centered narratives found in most similar works. While the story of Online probably isn’t nearly as engaging for those unfamiliar with video games and does have some clichés, I found it an exciting and fast paced read.
What really helps set this series apart from others though is its characters. Online has characters clearly designed to excite young female video game fans. One reason for this is that the characters in Online don’t represent power fantasy stand ins usually present in these works. This makes the characters feel more grounded in reality, and helps create a real sense of intrigue and danger.
These aspects are especially apparent when looking at Mai, the lead character. She isn’t there to be rescued or to be objects of desire for a male reader insert protagonist. While she is presented as very clever and powerful, she isn’t a badass who makes it through her struggles with ease. Her awkwardness and relationships are also core parts of her character, and were important in making her a character I could relate to and that I cared about. Likewise, Asagi, her friend and love interest is portrayed as a goof, rather than a badass. While he does want to get stronger and protect Mai, ultimately, it is working together as a team and thinking through problems that helps them both succeed. The rest of the cast, while not as fleshed out, is also given interesting personalities and quirks that set them apart such as the grumpy but capable student leader Sugiura, and the lazy but capable head of Mai’s division. Online’s characters help to create a sense of relatability that made me care about the characters and their fates, and set the cast apart from those found in other light novels.
While the characters made this work stand out from others, what brought it all together for me was Mai’s narration. The choice to use first person narration was a smart one. While not as distinct as some other light novels such as Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina, Mai’s narration serves two important purposes. The first thing it does is allow us to get into her head and focus on what she is feeling and thinking. This makes her development as a character more satisfying and feel more realistic, despite the high concept of the plot. Another thing that this does is make the diction seem more natural. Had Online been written in the third person its language might have felt more artificially designed for the intended younger audience. Because it is specifically designed to convey her perspective and experiences as a high schooler though the style employed feels like it fits with Mai’s voice. Online’s use of first-person narration was a very pleasant surprise, and helped me feel engaged with the story content.
Despite my initial misgivings I really enjoyed reading Online. Its surprising depth of character, exciting story, and enjoyable narrative style helped prevent it from feeling stale or overly cliché. While it is primarily aimed at female video game fans; which might make it difficult for other readers to enjoy, those who enjoy video games, especially RPG’s, will find a lot to love in Online. I’m glad I read this series with an open mind. I think that it stands out as one of the best video games based light novels I have ever read and one that is perfect for teen gamers.
It’s hard to know what to say when someone like Akira Toriyama passes away. Toriyama was a living legend whose work and creativity changed the industry forever. His contributions to the anime and video game fields were revolutionary. His manga and their anime adaptation created a blueprint for modern Shonen and Comedy series that is still closely followed to this day, while also being one of a kind. His artwork and style also permeated the Dragon Quest series (one of the first major Role-Playing Game series in Japan aimed at Japanese audiences) and many other video games. His influence on video games can still be felt even after his passing in the upcoming Sand Land and Dragon Ball Sparkling Zero video games.
His friendship and work also influenced and was influenced by creators far and wide. He befriended so many important creators including Hisashi Eguchi, Rumiko Takashi, Hironobu Sakaguchi, Eiichiro Oda, Yusuke Murata and Masashi Kishimoto (just to name a few). His influence was even felt in unexpected areas and people such as martial arts and comedy actor Jackie Chan, Dreamworks director Pierre Perifel, Steven Universe Producer Ian Jones-Quartey, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure creator Hirohiko Araki. Despite the large differences in style Araki was so deeply interested in Toriyama’s work and structure that he analyzed it closely in his book Manga in Theory and Practice; examining in detail why Dragon Ball was such a successful series.
While I could continue at length to share about how important Toriyama’s was to so many other people, I want to focus this tribute on the effect Toriyama’s work had on me and many others of my generation. I first experienced Toriyama’s stories while helping my father go through comics in his closet. There I found an issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump that featured an early Dragon Ball story. While it was in Japanese and I was probably too young to grasp it, it was fascinating to me. It wasn’t long until I sought out Dragon Ball at my local library (Mansfield Public Library) and at local bookstores.
Despite being a “boys,” adventure title and having some raunchy elements I didn’t fully understand, Dragon Ball still greatly appealed to me. Its sense of fun and adventure, with Goku’s innocent enthusiasm and Bulma’s more worldly knowledge immediately stood out to me. Dragon Ball was a journey into Toriyama’s world of creativity and fun; a world that fascinated me. This also drove me to seek out his other major series, Dr. Slump, a manga filled with all sorts of humor, fun, and wacky parodies.
Much to my delight I also found that my local video store stocked VHS copies of Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies and the Dragon Ball TV series. For some context, this was at a time long before Dragon Ball aired on TV, and was especially surprising considering the availability of anime within rural Connecticut. I rented these tapes (along with Sherlock Hound, Tut Boy King, and Godzilla films) a lot and they became a core part of my viewing experience and in me developing an interest in anime.
Moving forward a few years, as a teenager Dragon Ball Z was a staple of my television viewing experience. While I was in Junior High DBZ was one of the flagship shows of Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. This block featured shows aimed at teenagers and included many important anime and animated series. I would often come home from school in the afternoon and put on Toonami so that I could see Dragon Ball Z and the other series airing. While I always preferred the original Dragon Ball to the violence found in this later incarnation, DBZ still holds a special place in my heart. DBZ was a show that I would (and will continue to) talk excitedly with my friends about; a shared world we would explore together. Years after seeing it on TV I still can recall many key moments from the show, have seen many of the series movies, collected the cards, played many of the Dragon Ball video games, and even followed the new Dragon Ball Super sequel show.
After Toriyama’s passing I was initially concerned that I wouldn’t have enough personal thoughts on his works to warrant a tribute. As I reflected more and more on my memories and experiences while writing this piece though, I quickly came to realize just how interictal Toriyama was to my anime and manga experience. His works, especially Dragon Ball, pushed me to seek out not only more of his comics, but also to explore all sorts of anime and manga. While I have had many influential experiences that made me the fan and scholar I am today, Toriyama played a huge role in opening my eyes to the world of manga and anime, and remains a vital part of my reading experience. To this day works such as MangaOTheater, continue to entertain and fascinate me, and I probably will continue to be a fan of Toriyama’s works for the rest of my life. Despite all that Akira Toriyama has done I realize upon reflection that it is this love and fascination for anime and manga that he shared with the world that may be his biggest legacy.
Welcome to the Forbidden Library, the newest series here on Secret House of Anime. In this series we will be exploring and reviewing various Light novels (a form of popular writing from Japan), including some of my personal favourites. I look forward to introducing more people to these often-overlooked books and to teaching about them!
For those who have never heard of Light novels before, here is a brief history of the format.
Light novels were originally developed in the 1970’s from Japanese pulp magazines, which often included articles that combined pop-culture imagery and text. These books tend to be associated with teenage and digital formats (such as web and cellphone-based works), and usually contrast with what is considered, “classical,” Japanese literary forms. Often, they are also linked to anime, manga, and video game works, culture, and imagery, and are often adapted into and from these forms.
The popularity of Light novels in the United States is surprisingly recent. While manga companies such as TokyoPop and Seven Seas did offer Light novels in the mid to late 2000’s, a combination of factors such as the manga industry crash, a lack of interest in Light novels from publishers and readers, and translation costs and challenges made the interest in publishing Light novels quickly die out. Despite being linked to many popular anime and manga series, Light novels didn’t really become a major market force in the US until Yen Press (a manga subsidiary of the Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group) formed its Yen On Light novel line in 2014. This time Light novels proved highly successful, and created a major push for other companies such as Seven Seas and J-Novel club to produce more content. Now it is estimated that there are more than twenty-four new novel releases in the US each month.
Personally, I have a real love-hate relationship with Light novels. Like manga there is a lot of material to sift through, and a lot of it doesn’t end up interesting me. Even among the few novels I have read some have turned out to be disappointing, or even downright insulting. Due to this I am very picky about what novels I read and enjoy.
It also doesn’t help that so much material is constantly coming out and many of it looks so similar. This makes it hard for fans like me to keep up with even a fraction of what is being released. Because of this constant influx of new material those who aren’t familiar with the format often find knowing where to start daunting and intimidating, especially if they aren’t already anime and manga fans.
Another major barrier for getting into the format is a lack of libraries that know about and carry Light novels. Most librarians I have talked to are unaware and/or unsure about how to approach collecting Light novels. Even librarians who are aware and enjoy Light novels tend to face barriers purchasing them for their collections due to limited budgets, space, titles available through purchasing vendors, and a lack of patron interest. As a result, most libraries carry little to no Light novels, and don’t feature them in their promotional material.
Despite all these barriers and issues though there are a number of really great Light novels worth reading. That is why I decided to create this curated series. I hope to be a guide and to share some of the (mostly) great Light novels that got me interested in the format with others, as well as many of the promising new titles coming out this year (2024). While this does mean that most novels in this series will reflect my personal tastes and will exclude many common themes found in these books such as: power fantasies, Isekai (travelling or reincarnating into a fantasy world) and traditional “high,” fantasy, ecchi and sexual content, and video game-based titles; I will still try to include a variety of books and story themes, and to make my selections and reviews accessible to newcomers. Most of all though I hope you enjoy this new series!
Horror Collector:
I am a major fan of horror content, especially horror stories. Many horror tales contain some of the most imaginative and interesting elements and narratives I have read. Ranging from urban legends, folk tales, and campfire stories going back thousands of years, to finely crafted lengthy novels filled with unusual details, suspense, and clever twists; horror has played a major role in our oral and written traditions. Horror Collector draws upon these features to create short stories aimed at young readers.
Horror Collector features stories of children encountering Japanese urban legends and folk monsters. Each story typically involves a new character encountering something odd and out of place in their world, often causing them misfortune. The only through line in each story is a strangely knowledgeable mysterious boy in a red hood who often acts as a warning to the characters about the situation they face.
What really makes this novel interesting is its use of Japanese lore. Horror Collector draws from a surprising number of sources, and included many classic creatures and stories, including a few that I was unfamiliar with. While most children reading this title probably won’t have heard of legends it uses, each story is presented in an informative, accessible, and engaging way that is easy for newcomers to grasp. One thing I really appreciated was that the stories were not watered down. Despite being aimed at children many of these tales included classic horror tropes, and were effectively creepy. I can easily see this series being an eye-opening experience for a young reader, and getting them into the horror genre. While I didn’t find most of the stories actually scary as an adult and avid horror fan, I still had a great time reading them despite not being the target audience.
Most of the characters only appear in a single short story so it is hard to say much about them. Most of the cast are stock, with many of the main characters being middle schoolers designed to stand in for the intended reader. While this is a neat feature, most of the cast doesn’t really stand out on their own or reoccur outside of their story. The one character that does appear in each story is Fushigi Senno, the boy in the red hood. His backstory is purposely left vague with little pieces of information about him parsed out in each story. In many ways he is also the stand-in for the sort of horror mascot and warning figure often found in classic anthology works such as Uncle Creepy, The Crypt-Keeper, or Montgomery Darke. While most of the characterization in Horror Collector isn’t strong, it really isn’t meant to be with the exception of Senno’s who exemplifies a nice less is more effect.
Perhaps the best and worst feature of the Horror Collector is its use of simple diction. The language used is clearly designed to be easy for a kid to read. At times this does make the stories come off as a bit barebones for older readers, but its quick and imaginative style kept me from ever getting bored. What I do have to applaud though is how the style avoids getting in the way of the subject matter, and at time actually even enhances it with a campfire like quality. While these stories aren’t filled with gruesome gore they also don’t hold back on the scary material. Despite the simple language the wording didn’t detract from the series conveying interesting and creepy subject matter. While as an adult I was not blown away by the book’s style, I clearly wasn’t the target audience and despite this still really enjoyed reading it.
Horror Collector is a great introduction to the horror genre, and Japanese folk and urban horror stories. Despite not being the book’s target audience and its language being simple, I still had a blast reading it and look forward to exploring more titles in the JY Light novel line. As a librarian and Light novel fan I would absolutely recommend it to young horror fans hoping to learn more about Japanese horror traditions. This series is one I will absolutely be reading to its conclusion, and one that I will be recommending to those who like books that are similar to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Death on the Nile: This year has been the year of Poirot for me. 2023 saw me read a variety of the Poirot novels, see the new Branagh films, and watch the television series starring David Suchet. Of all the many excellent books I have read in the series thus far, I feel that Death on the Nile is my personal favourite.
Death on the Nile has Poirot travelling on a steam boat down the Nile river along with a number of eccentric and suspicious characters including: Linnet Doyle a newly married heiress, her husband Simon who is described as a simple but handsome man, and Jacqueline de Bellefort, Linnet’s former friend who was previously engaged to Simon, as well as a number of other eccentric and suspicious figures. Things are complicated by Jacqueline who is seeking out revenge on Linnet for stealing her fiance, and has been following her and her husband around the world while carrying two deadly pistols. Things go from bad to worse though when mysterious murders start happening aboard the vessel.
Death on the Nile carries with it all of Christie’s signature story elements. It involves a complicated murder that Poirot must solve, multiple suspicious characters who aren’t what they seem, a classy restrained style, a travelogue featuring historical settings, and even a bit of humour and pathos. Both the mystery and its payoff are cleverly done providing clues to the reader while also not being obvious. Poriot is also in great form uncovering hidden truths and secrets, and piecing them together to give a clear picture of the murder and the various people aboard the ship.
While I would highly recommend reading a lot of Poirot novels, if you only plan on reading one or are just starting then this would be the one I would recommend.
Comet in Moominland: Comet in Moominland is a brilliant children’s book. Filled with whimsy, creative ideas, and a bit of surrealism it is an offbeat story that immediately grabbed my attention as an excellent read.
Comet in Moominland stars Moomin troll and his pal Sniff as they seek to discover the mystery of a comet which is heading towards their home. On their way to learn more about the comet they meet a variety of strange characters including Moomin’s friend the wanderer Snufkin, the Snork Maiden a colour changing creature resembling Moomin, her serious brother the Snork, the Hemulens obsessive creatures more interested in their hobbies than anything else going on around them, and Mr.Muskrat a self proclaimed philosopher.
Reading through this story was a blast, and like any good book each chapter had me wanting to read on and find out what happens next. While the main narrative is never forgotten often the story would go on unexpected odd and enjoyable detours. This was complemented well by the adorably strange and obsessive cast who often would get into trouble or strange situations. Even though the cast is terrified of the comet, many of the characters take time to search for treasure, go to shops to look for curios, go to dances, and enjoy themselves.
Despite being the first and only Moomin book I have read, I can already tell that the world featured in the series is filled with delightful wonder and that I will be revisiting it frequently in 2024.
Best manga of the year:
A Bride’s Story: A Bride’s Story is the best manga I had the pleasure of reading this year. As an avid manga reader who has read tons of manga, including many incredible titles I do not make this statement lightly. A Bride’s Tale stands out as one of my all time personal favourite manga series, because each element is so masterfully employed. The plot, characters, and art are all top notch and work together to create an incredible reading experience.
A Bride’s Story takes place in Central Asia during the 19th century and follows Amira, a young bride who comes from a nomadic family in the mountains. It follows her experiences joining a local village and her relationship with her much younger husband Karluk. This series also covers the experiences of those in the town, especially the women and girls living there, and Henry Smith, an English anthropologist studying the community.
A Bride’s Story more than lives up to its interesting premise. Its story moves between themes of drama, romance, comedy, and action with ease. What really stands out though about the story are the characters and the historical designs it uses. A Bride’s Story is effective because it balances Karluk and Amira’s relationship and story with the stories of other character’s. Each character is given their time to shine and is given an interesting and sometimes complex personality. Each character plays a role in the story and community they live in which adds to their intrigue. This depth of character allows them to stand out as unique.
Another major part of this manga is the setting and cultural aspects. Mori makes great pains to ensure that the geography, food, culture, events, and clothing is not only historically accurate with the period, but also a prominent part of the story. Nothing about the setting of this series is incidental. Unlike most manga, the setting is just as important if not more so than any other element.
Mori’s art also stands out as outstanding. Her style is not only reflective of the setting and story, but also stands out in its own right as beautiful and detailed. Aspects missing from other manga series such as backgrounds, perspective, cultural details, anatomy and fashion, and varied panelling are all on full display in A Bride’s Story. Mori also clearly draws from cinematic technique with her use of movement, bringing life to a Bride’s Story and reminded me of the techniques used to convey action by other great manga artists like Tezuka and Urusawa.
I could go on and on praising this series, but ultimately what it comes down to is that A Bride’s Story is a masterpiece. It is well deserving of its many and multi-national awards, and I feel it was the best manga I read this year!
Showa: A History: It is hard for me to emphasise just how monumental this series is. Showa is a masterpiece that covers the personal and the historical, and brings them together in an accessible way to talk frankly about a difficult period of Japanese history.
In these books Mizuki chronicles the history of Japan during World War II while also adding in his own experiences growing up, and being drafted during the war. Why this book works so well is its honesty about the period (something rarely found in Japanese depictions of the war) and its emphasis on contrasts. Mizuki gives an honest depiction of his personal and family experiences growing up during war time, and his personal thoughts on Japan and its involvement in World War II. This is monumental because talking about the war and Japan’s issues during it is still something that is highly discouraged within the country.
Contrast is another impressive element that Mizuki uses both in his art and storytelling. Mizuki switches seamlessly between a realistic artstyle and one more resembling his work in Kitaro. He also includes his character Rat Man as the narrator, despite the narration often having a serious tone. He likes to move from historical events into his own personal story and back and vice versa, blending each in order to create content and a cohesive narrative. Doing this is no easy task, and shows just how versatile and invested Mizuki is.
Showa: A history is one of those special types of series that seem nearly perfect because they are clearly a product of the creators personal passion, interests, and experiences.
Horror manga:
Mao: Mao is an excellent series that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. I find it really strange that it still hasn’t gotten an anime adaptation and has been so overlooked in the Western market, despite its similarities to Takahashi’s other works.
Mao features Nanoka, a middle schooler who finds a gate that takes her back to the 1920’s where she meets the powerful and aloof exorcist Mao, and his assistant Otoya. She soon discovers that her parent’s mysterious death, her recent superhuman abilities, and Mao’s curse are all connected to each other. It turns out that both have been cursed by a powerful cat demon, and they both gradually learn about each other and exorcists from Mao’s past.
One of the reasons why Mao’s lack of popularity puzzles me is the recent influx of translated Takahashi material. While Mao was being published in the United States, the Urusei Yatsura’s manga, the original anime including the movies and the OVA, and the new anime series have all been released, and have been popular and successful. Also Takahashi’s collection of newer short stories Came the Mirror was also released recently and received positive attention.
On top of that, Mao’s tone and plot involving demon slaying is very similar to Inuyasha, one of her most popular series in the United States. Like Inuyasha Mao also combines shonen action with supernatural horror blending the two together. It also contains top notch art which is expressive and reflects the tonal mood, and that highlights the contrast between time periods effectively. You would think all these factors would make this series popular or at least a minor cult hit. For some reason though this hasn’t been the case, and I rarely see Mao mentioned by anyone. This is a shame as I have really enjoyed this series and feel it deserves praise.
If you are a fan of Takahashi’s other works you really owe it to yourself to read this hidden gem of a series.
GeGeGe no Kitarō The Great Tanuki War: Shigeru Mizuki is one of those authors like Osamu Tezuka or Rumiko Takahashi that you can count on to always have interesting and weird stories. The Great Tanuki War is probably the weirdest manga I have read this year, but is well worth reading.
The Great Tanuki War finds Japan faced with a crisis as 800 Tanuki (Racoon Dog) warriors emerge angered by the creation of a dam. It turns out though that they also have ulterior motives, and want to claim Japan for their own with the use of a giant moon like egg. This distressing move gets the attention of Kitaro a half yokai (a Japanese supernatural entity) half human boy who is trying to bring peace among the two groups, who decides along with eyeball father and the turncoat coward Ratman to help the humans save Japan, despite the country’s ungrateful prime minister.
The Great Tanuki War is a one of a kind story filled with strange references to Japanese mythology. Its entire premise is based upon the stories of Tanuki who use their bellies as drums and live underground, and the giant spirits they employ to conquer Japan. The artstyle for this story also draws strongly from traditional Japanese Yokai art effectively creating a sense of strangeness to it. What is most strange, however, is the storyline. In it Kitaro uses a number of his strange powers, has his father act as his eye, and is reincarnated after being melted. The story’s conflict between the Tanuki and Japanese people is equally strange and interesting, and contains a lot of political satire regarding the government and its ineffective response. If you like weird stories or stories focused on Japanese mythology then this and other Kitaro stories should be at the top of your reading list!
Shonen:
Demon Slayer: As someone who has been reading manga for years it is often hard to impress me. Despite my Oldtaku crankiness I did try to give some of the newer big shonen series a try. While many that I read this year failed to impress me, I did surprisingly really enjoy Justu Kaisen and my pick for this category, Demon Slayer. While Demon Slayer does follow some of the hallmarks of the shonen genre it stands out thanks to its setting and execution, and was an enjoyable read.
Demon Slayer stars Tanjiro Kamado, a boy living in Japan during the Taishō Period (1912-1926). He returns home one day to find his family slaughtered by a powerful demon, and his surviving sister transforms into a demon herself. This experience drives Tanjiro to seek vengeance against the demon responsible, and to become a demon slayer. This series follows his training and quest to help his sister return to being a human, and help others who have suffered at the hands of demons.
Despite having a power system, and journey involving friendship and training Demon Slayer sets itself apart from other Shonen manga thanks to its protagonists and constant sense of danger. Tanjiro is not depicted as the typical plucky and bit naive or dense heroes, but rather as a caring voice of reason for his friends and as someone who cares deeply even for the demons he slays. His strength comes from his personal conviction and determination to help others. His friends likewise are unusual including the cowardly Zenitsu Agatsuma who fights best while asleep or knocked out, and Inosuke Hashibira a wild and brash boy raised by boars. These characters fall outside of the usual Shonen style of character design, as do many of the other Demon Slayers, especially the strong Hashira leaders of the Slayers.
Another aspect that makes Demon Slayer different from most shonen series is the stakes it presents. Characters in Demon Slayer often get hurt or even die including major characters. Despite their powerful breathing techniques and magic swords, slayer’s are often depicted at a disadvantage from the power, immortality, and healing powers that demon’s possess. Slayer’s often rely on demons’ weakness to sunlight or the removal of their heads in order to win battles, often at great cost.
Despite many characters only being given limited story time they make a big impression. Character deaths including the deaths of demons are often depicted as bitter and tragic, and have a major impact on Tanjiro and other characters. This differs strongly from most shonen stories where the heroes winning a battle is almost always seen as triumphant and assured by the end.
The difference this manga has from a typical shonen makes it more appealing and easier for me as a reader to invest in its characters and story. While far from perfect Demon Slayer weaves an interesting tale with unique elements that make it stand out from most shonen manga.
Comedy:
Doraemon: One of the few titles that I have had to read online, Doraemon is strangely absent in the United States. Despite its immense popularity in Japan there has never been a physical English translated manga release in the States. This is a real shame as Doraemon is absolutely worthy of its reputation as a great manga for kids.
Doraemon stars Nobita, a kid who is kind, but also lazy, poor at school, and bad at sports. One day he is approached by his relative from the future who sends him Doraemon, an earless cat robot designed to help Nobita avoid a tragic fate through the use of gadgets brought from the future. In many stories Nobita’s experiences with Doraemon’s devices often backfires as he often becomes arrogant or lazy, or has a friend or family member accidentally stumble upon the device leading to chaos and trouble by the end of each short story.
Despite its age Doraemon is still a delight to read. Fujiko Fujio, the pen name of each of Doraemon’s two creators, brings countless imagination to each vignette along with a small amount of snappy cynicism that feels similar to that found in Peanuts. Each story is fast paced and fun, and often involves weird devices such as time machines, flying propeller hats, and lips that only lie. While the characters are stock they work well together, and it is fun to see how they will react in specific situations. I also like how characters are not always good or bad with the lead sometimes acting poorly, and the series having some stories that make you feel sorry for the antagonists.
I love Doraemon, and really wish that it would be translated into English in a physical form. If it was you can be sure I would be one of the first to pre-order it and suggest friends do the same.
Shojo:
Princess Knight: While I didn’t read a whole lot of Shojo this year (2023), Princess Knight is not only one of the most memorable Shojo manga works I did get to read, but also left a strong impression on me. Osamu Tezuka’s seminal Shojo series, Princess Knight, helped to define the genre and changed it forever.
Princess Knight is a fairy tale featuring Sapphire, a princess who is accidentally given the heart of a brave prince and a beautiful princess at birth by the peppy angel Tink. Opposing her is the wicked Duke Duralumin and his evil henchman Lord Nylon. Duralumin wants to use the kingdom’s misogynistic law to put his own childish son Plastic in charge. On top of that she also has to face a witch and a goddess of love who both want to take away Saphire’s love interest Prince Franz.
Princess Knight is a remarkable story that weaves together themes of action, romance, identity, and feminism together with Tezuka’s own eccentricities to create a truly revolutionary story. Because of Princess Knight many women working in the Shojo genre were able to publish works highlighting their own experiences and feminist themes. Princess Knight stands on its own though as a unique and fantastical story filled with all sorts of fun twists and turns, constantly refusing to sit still and coming up with new surprises. Some highlights of the story for me included the women’s revolt at the castle, an anaemia ridden Sapphire entering into a knight’s contest, and the witch’s daughter Hectate being disinterested in marrying a prince or getting a princess’s heart despite her mother’s objections, and helping Franz to escape. Princess Knight is a really interesting manga that combines all sorts of interesting themes and scenes with Tezuka’s caricaturist art style to create one of the most memorable Shojo experiences.
Drama:
Emma: It was really hard for me to decide if I was going to pick Emma or A Bride’s Tale to be my manga of the year. While I eventually went with A Bride’s Tale due to its interesting setting, Emma is also very much worth reading. It has a lot of the elements you would expect from Mori such as excellent artwork, a focus on maids and historical culture, and engaging characters and story.
Emma focuses on Emma, a Victorian maid, and her relationship with William Jones, a wealthy high end merchant. Despite their class differences the two fall in love, and have to contend with the struggles of the British social class system. They are helped and hindered by a variety of people including William’s best friend and gaudy Indian prince Hakim, Williams disapproving father and approving siblings, and Eleanor Willaim’s an arranged aristocratic finance for William.
Mori’s passion and interests once again shine through in this story. Mori’s love for maids, Victorian fashion, detailed artwork, and romance are all highlighted in this title. Emma clearly also draws inspiration from Victorian class dramas and romance stories, especially those of Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters. Her work also stands alone though as distinctly impressive. Emma is an excellent series and well worth reading, especially if you are a fan of Austen and/or romance stories.
Seinen:
Furari: If you have never read a Jiro Taniguchi manga before, reading this manga will probably surprise you. Whether that surprise would be a good one or not though would largely depend on your interest in slow, relaxing, reflective, and philosophical stories. While most manga do not emphasise these elements, if you enjoy them then this manga will be a treat.
Furari features the story of a man similar to the historical figure Inō Tadataka, a famous middle aged mapmaker who lived in 19th century Edo (Tokyo). Most of the Furari consists of his daily life within the city and his meditations on his work and the world.
Like many of Taniguchi’s works Furari is more about self reflection and character study than it is about a major conflict and issues to resolve. It is also a more abstract work that reflects upon the beauty and structure of the world, rather than having a complex storyline. The book often seems to travel from place to place like its lead, and focuses on his experiences and feelings just as much as what is occurring around him. This type of story-telling suits Taniguchi’s realistic and detailed style, giving it a feel that is rarely explored in other works. While very different from most other manga I am very thankful that I got a chance to read this book this year, and am waiting with baited breath to read Taniguchi’s next translated book (The Solitary Gourmet) in 2024.
Science Fiction:
Memories of Emanon: Emenom is not what many people probably think of when they think of Science Fiction. It doesn’t feature space, and isn’t really about the future or scientific discovery. Emanon is instead more of a thought experiment questioning the nature of existence and the world around us.
Emanon follows the experiences of a young looking woman who in reality is a being that has existed and evolved since the earth’s inception, and remembers all of her experiences in detail. Unlike most people she does not ever forget things, and every time she gives birth her memory is transferred into a new body. The series follows her wanderings with stories about her experiences and the experiences of people who have met with her.
Emanon is a fascinating work because it manages to tackle an interesting and complex concept, while also feeling down to earth. Emanon tries to interact like other people, and is cautious about telling her story. She isn’t someone who acts substantially different from the average person, and Emanon’s story is more interested in her feelings and exploration than a grand narrative about her exploits. At the same time though as a reader you do get a real sense of the weight that her memories cause her, and her personal struggles with being unable to forget things and having to carry billions of years worth of memories. This is reflected in her offhand remarks about past experiences, her wandering loneliness, and her refusal to take a proper name (Emanon is no name spelled backwards). These contrasts work well making her seem more realistic, while also reflecting the sort of thought experiments Science Fiction is known for.
The artwork in this series is beautiful to look at, especially the watercolour images. Its style is on the more realistic side, but isn’t so realistic that it feels stiff or out of place. The art does a great job of representing the experiences and memories Emanon has. It also does an excellent job making her look unique, giving her a lanky body and freckles; while also avoiding making her seem over the top. This balance within the art helps to enhance the already unusual story, and makes Memories of Emanon one of the most unusual and interesting Science Fiction comics I have read this year.
Haunted House: It probably comes as no surprise to everyone at this point that I love the Atari 2600. A sadly overlooked console, the 2600 might currently be the best retro console to collect for. Getting games and hardware for this machine is dirt cheap, and the 2600 offers a plethora of great titles to choose from and enjoy. Of all the games I’ve played for it, the game that stands out the most for me this year is Haunted House.
Haunted House combines the pick up and play elements of many games on the system with creative gameplay emphasising exploration. Its premise of exploring a haunted house, searching for a Urn, and then finding an exit may not sound like much especially on such a low powered system, but it is a game that is far greater than the sum of its parts. One thing that stands out about this game is the sense of mystery it provides. The fact that you are exploring a house while in the dark with enemies and locked doors makes for a spooky game, without resorting to the modern cliches of violence and trying to outright terrify the player. Haunted House also offers incredible replay value taking full advantage of the VCS’s many console switches and allowing for a randomised experience that is different each time long before roguelikes became popular. These factors make Haunted House a joy to play for all ages that has me coming back again and again for more fun.
Runners up:
Gradius: Gradius is bone crushingly hard for me. While many seasoned Shmup fans might find Graduis mild in comparison to the more modern bullet hells, I didn’t grow up playing Shmups and have spatial disorder making them a struggle for me. So why do I keep coming back for more pain? Despite the difficulty I have with it I also love this game. It is not only a great introduction to the Shmup genre, but also a staple of it for a reason.
Gradius is a tough, but fair game. It is difficult enough to feel thrilling while also not being too overwhelming for a beginner like me to learn from. While I haven’t gotten far I continue to practise and improve, and just as importantly never get bored or frustrated thanks to great game design. I love that there are all sorts of obstacles to contend with, including the famous Easter Island statues that spit out death at you. The gameplay is also great because it rewards learning to dodge thru barrages, and managing the screen so that the enemies don’t overwhelm you. The game’s classic and memorable tunes are also noteworthy, help drive the experience, and bring intensity that makes me want to keep trying again despite repeatedly dying.
Graduis has solid gameplay, memorable music, and a fair amount of difficulty that keeps me coming back even though I constantly lose. While I still have a long way to go I really look forward to playing the rest of the series, and learning more about Shmups from this classic game.
Pong: You might think that the first major arcade game hit would no longer be appealing. Especially in this age of blockbuster video games and computers with massive processing power you might think Pong feels primitive and lacking. You would be wrong though. Pong remains one of the most entertaining games I have played. Similar to games like Tetris, Pong is a game that takes many forms and variations, but remains a solid experience thanks to its two player competitive action.
Despite basically being a game of virtual table tennis, Pong consoles take so many different forms and have a ton of fun variations. One thing that is extremely fascinating about Pong is how many consoles and console designs there were for it. Pong consoles of all shapes and sizes popped up during the first wave of commercial video game systems with a wide variety of controllers and minor graphical differences to them. My girlfriend has got me into collecting these often gorgeous and fascinating antiques which are often surprisingly cheap despite their ages and interesting designs.
When it comes down to it though, what is most important about Pong is the gameplay. While it is simple enough that almost anyone can learn and play it, what makes Pong even more exciting is that it is designed to be played with others! Playing Pong is a game of virtual ping-pong that comes down to purely skill and fun, while being far more accessible then actual table tennis. I’ve spent countless hours this year battling my girlfriend, making it one of the few primarily multiplayer games that I have played a lot of. I’m sure that next won’t be much different, and I look forward to testing out my two new pong consoles with her and marvelling at how fun and built to last they are.
Great games such as Warlords and Arkanoid/Breakout all owe their existence to this game, but Pong stands on its own as a great experience to share with others and explore.
Mega Man 2: This year saw me beating every Mega Man game from the original series. While there were some other great stand outs I still have to give the nod to Mega Man 2. Mega Man 2 is an incredible game that highlights the best the series has to offer. While fairly easy in comparison to other games in the series it is a blast to play, and isn’t a cakewalk. Mega Man 2 features a lot of creativity, tough but fair gameplay, and includes some of the best robot masters and stage designs of the series. Whether it is blasting through the forests of Woodman, weaving through the fast moving lasers of Quickman’s stage, braving disappearing platforms over lava, or battling a robotic dragon while jumping platform to platform Mega Man 2 is sure to provide a creative and thrilling experience.
One element that absolutely has to be mentioned about this game is its soundtrack. Mega Man 2 has some of the best music in any game. Even among the other bangers of the Mega Man series the music offered in two feels special. Every track just feels, “right,” and is perfect for the stage it is designed for and the situations it represents. While not a perfect game Mega Man 2 does avoid many of the pitfalls that some other games in the series have (such as being overly difficult), and is my favourite Mega Man game.
Movies of the year:
Island of Lost Souls: The Island of Lost Souls is one of the most criminally overlooked horror films of all time. An adaptation of the famous novel the Island of Dr. Moreau, Island of Lost Souls does an outstanding job adapting the story into a film and also adding additional lurid elements. The film stars Edward Parker, a man who ends up trapped on an island where the mysterious Dr. Moreau and his assistant are doing cruel experiments. Morceau hopes to eventually turn animals into humans through gruesome surgeries, and by giving them a strict moral code. While at first reluctant to share his work and wanting Parker off his Island, Moreau eventually takes an interest in seeing Parker get together with Lota, a panther-woman who he considers his greatest experiment.
While many in the cast are lesser known, everyone in the film is great. Particularly great though is Charles Lauton as Dr. Moreau. Lauton’s Moreau is an obsessive and sinister man who is only concerned with his studies. Despite his cruelty Morceau considers himself an advancer of science. He comports himself with a creepy sense of sophistication, despite totally lacking a sense of caring or morality.
Although this is a post-Haye’s code film Island of Lost Souls surprisingly doesn’t skimp on the sexual content and violence. Island of Lost Souls is a film that in many ways is far more extreme for its time then most other films, even those before censorship. If anything the film increases to what would have been considered objectionable content. It adds in subplot about Moreau attempting to test human animal sexual relations, and a lurid ending scene dripping with gruesome implied violence. I’m glad I got a chance to see this excellent overlooked film with my father, who has appreciated (and put up with) many movies with me!
The Old Dark House: Another criminally underrated film is The Old Dark House. While James Whale’s other universal films such as Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible man are lauded for their combination of horror and comedy, for some reason The Old Dark House is far less well known despite having similar themes. This movie is as strange as it is great, highlighting many of Whale’s trademarks including relatable characters, effective horror camp, and many unusual and creative concepts.
The Old Dark House stars a couple and their cynical world weary friend who are forced by a storm to take refuge in a strange old mansion with even stranger inhabitants. They are soon joined by another two guests, and forced to deal with the increasing danger and madness of the house’s bizarre occupants. With nowhere to go they have to make it through the rainy night together and survive.
James Whale’s direction transforms this haunted house narrative into a bizarrely comedic one. Though it has the expected horror elements, I think The Old Dark House could best be described as a parody of a haunted house film. Odd lines like, “Have potato,” “They were all godless here. They used to bring their women here – brazen, lolling creatures in silks and satins. They filled the house with laughter and sin, laughter and sin. And if I ever went down among them, my own father and brothers – they would tell me to go away and pray, and I prayed – and left them with their lustful red and white women,” and “No beds! They can’t have beds!” are iconically strange and memorable.
Among the actors Ernest Thesiger and Eva Moore do an incredible job as the comically eccentric and constantly quarrelling brother and sister of the house, while Charles Laughton and Lilian Bond also do a great job of portraying surprisingly complex and sympathetic characters. Ironically one of the lesser actors (though still excellent) is Boris Karloff who is stuck with the role of a mute drunk brute of a butler. Special mention should also go out to Brember Wills whose portrayal of Saul is effectively unhinged and unpredictable.
The Old Dark House ranks among the best of Whale’s pictures, and is a delightfully eccentric treat for anyone who enjoys his other pictures and his off kilter style.
Death on the Nile (David Suchet): My favourite adaptations of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot novels would have to be the ones that star David Suchet as Poirot. Not only do these interpretations stick closest to the stately feel and methodical pace of the original stories, but Suchet does an excellent job giving dimension to Poirot’s character. Of all the adaptations of Poirot with Suchet I have seen thus far I think Death on the Nile may be my favourite.
Not only is Death on the Nile my favourite of the Poirot novels, but I also feel that the ITV version does an excellent job of capturing the story on a low budget. This adaptation of the story avoids the excesses of the Branagh version, while still embodying the liveliness and large scale setting of the novel. It is really impressive to me not only how much filming actually took place on a real steam ship in Egypt, but how the adaptation streamlines the novel while using the visual language of cinematography to enhance it. This film is clearly concerned less with the portraying of bombastic spectacle, and more with making sure that it adapts the story as well as it can within a short amount of time. As a result it opts for a mostly non-celebrity cast, instead using a number of great British character actors to cover many of its major roles. Suchet is also especially great as Poirot in this movie, and gives Poirot a sadness and depth that is especially tangible.
This adaptation has been my favourite so far of a Hercule Poirot story. While nothing can beat reading the novel, this movie does come remarkably close.
The Body Snatcher: Many horror movies of 1940’s were designed as works stressing commercial appeal, rather than creating complex and creative filmmaking. As a result many of the films of the 40’s (especially those from Universal) often either failed to tread new ground, and/or lacked the class, budget, and gravitas of earlier efforts. A major exception to this rule though were the films produced by Val Lewton. Unlike Universal’s films of the time that valued monsters and spectacle, Lewtons films were more classy affairs based in psychology and the playing off the viewer’s imagination. These elements are all strongly highlighted within The Body Snatcher.
This movie is based upon a story written by Robert Louis Stevenson about 19th century anatomists and resurrectionists who dug up corpses and provided them to doctors for study. Because of its unusual subject matter The Body Snatcher is unlike many other films of the era. The movie centres around Dr. Wolfe MacFarlane, an anatomist running a school in Edinburgh who is repeatedly tormented by the resurrectionist and cab driver John Grey. Grey enjoys black-mailing the doctor and having him at his beck and call, but also provides him with corpses to study and helps protect the doctor’s secrets. Caught in between the two are a young mother and her disabled child who want MacFarlane’s help, Meg Cameron the doctor’s house keeper with a secret, and MacFarlane’s new star pupil the conflicted Donald Fettes.
To get the bad out of the way first; this film wastes Bella Lugosi. Instead of getting top billing or a major part, Lugosi is forced to play a hapless janitor. It is a small and thankless role that doesn’t take advantage of the actor’s immense talents and screen presence. All the other actors in the film are excellent, but it is Henry Daniell and Boris Karloff that steal the show. Daniell does an excellent job showing the complexity of the doctor he plays who struggles between his desire to learn and train others to help people, and his dubious connection with Grey, personal ego and shame, and his poor bedside manner. Karloff’s Grey is probably the best part of the film. His sneering face often belies his nasty, oppressive, and opportunistic nature. He delights in tormenting and insulting MacFarlane, and repeatedly upping the ante of his cruelty.
The Body Snatcher is the first film involving Lewton that I have seen, and illustrates his immense skill at crafting horror based on strongly written characters, and a less is more approach.
Adaption: Strange doesn’t even begin to describe this picture. Adaptation is unlike any other movie I have ever seen. It features one of my favourite actors Nicholas Cage playing the contrasting brothers Charlie Kauffman and Donald Kauffman (Donald being a fictitious character created for this film). Charlie is chronically neurotic, sexually frustrated, and is constantly concerned about his latest project, a treatment for the film version of the novel The Orchid Thief. The problem with the book though as he puts it is, “… it (the novel) has no story. There’s no story.” His brother on the other hand is confident and sincere, and decides on a whim to also become a screen-writer much to Charlie’s disgust. What follows is a strange meta-narrative where the two brother’s get involved in the very type of story that Charlie is actively trying to avoid as their spying on the novel’s author Susan Orlean’s (played excellently by Meryl Streep) gets them embroiled in her secret relationship with John Laroche, the eccentric subject of Orlean’s book.
It’s hard to put into words just how excellent the acting, script, and story for this film is. Despite its unusual concepts that in lesser hands could have fallen apart, it is somehow able to balance all of its various complexities and elements into a cohesive story. I also couldn’t think of a better cast for this type of film than who was chosen. Cage is mind-blowingly great in his double role, particularly when depicting Charlie’s self loathing which feels suitably heightened, but also very much real. It’s also remarkable how this film creates an effective meta-narrative and how well it parodies Hollywood film writing, bad tendencies, and cliches, and Kaufman himself.
Adaptation is a film that is best viewed, rather than talked about as it fits together so many unusual, original, and incredible elements together. It is absolutely worth a watch, especially for fans of filmmaking and looking for something original.
The Devil Rides Out: I have watched and enjoyed a lot of Christopher Lee’s films. Lee made a career out of playing sinister larger than life villains such as Dracula, Sauramon, Kharis the mummy, and Lord Summer Isle. The Devil Rides Out though is a rare case where Lee gets to play the hero of the story.
The Devil Rides Out is about the struggle between the powers of good represented by occultist Nicholas Duc de Richleau and his friend Rex Van Ryn, against a Satanic cult led by the powerful Mocata. Each side is fighting over the lives and souls of Richealu’s friend’s son Simon and another initiate Tanith. Richleau and his allies must endure the intense powers of evil in order to stop the wicked Mocata, and protect the two initiates from being drawn into the clutches of evil.
What makes this film so effective is the constant struggles that the heroes have to face. Throughout the film Richealu’s and his allies are forced to fight and defend themselves against the overwhelming forces of Satan. Mocata and his cult are shown to be formidable and dogged foes who will stop at nothing to claim the lives and souls of their initiates. Mocata (played by Charles Gray) himself is especially threatening with his use of all sorts of spells and hypnosis in order to get what he wants. Despite playing against type Lee is also great. His character’s smart, commanding, moral, and has a strict personality that fits well with Lee’s commanding presence and allows him to convincingly stand against the immense evil that Mocata represents.
The Devil Rides Out is not only memorable for the acting though, it features great effects and music. Despite its low budget Terrence Fisher managed to add in some impressive special effects to the film. Especially impressive is the depiction of the angel of death which manages to be both scary and have gravitas. Another element that stands out for this film is its score. Its composer James Bernard, who is well known for some of the best British and Hammer movie scores of all time (including Dracula, The Curse of Frankenstein, and The Hound of the Baskervilles). He does an excellent job bringing out the danger and mysticism within the film while also elevating its serious tone further.
The Devil Rides Out is a film that draws upon some of the best elements of British horror, bringing them together with some original ideas. The result is a classy and original work that ranks among Terrence Fisher, James Bernard, and Christopher Lee’s best work.
Cheesiest movies of the year:
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey: Blood and Honey was probably the worst new film I saw this year, but despite its terrible quality I cannot say I didn’t have fun watching it. For months me and my girlfriend would joke about this film, and seeing it together didn’t disappoint (probably because I had no expectations to begin with). In a way this film was actually a good film as we both enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We often love repeating phrases from the film such as, “You left,” and “Not your lucky day mate,” to each other and had a great time despite the film’s dismal quality.
Blood and Honey was the result of the original Disney copyright expiring, and a love of the cheesy slashers of the 70’s and 80’s. It has a group of teens on holiday being stalked and killed by a vengeful Pooh bear and Piglet. Is it a badly acted and stupid film? Yes! Was it a blast to see and so bad it was good? Absolutely!
The Apple Dumpling gang series: The 1970’s Disney Live Action films were some of the worst films of their kind. Films like the Shaggy Dog, The Million Dollar Duck, and the Dexter Riley Trilogy were all common during this period and they all have in common that they have aged very poorly. Perhaps the worst offenders of this period though are the films the Apple Dumpling Gang and the Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, both terrible movies for different reasons.
The first Apple Dumpling gang film is a snoozefest. It’s a contrived and cliche film about a man who is tricked into taking care of children who end up striking it rich and forming a family with them. It has all the usual lukewarm sentimental and comedy beats you can expect from this era. Sadly it also has Tim Conway and Don Knotts who play two bunging wannabe crooks who mug a lot. The whole affair is dull and predictable to the point where I could tell you exactly what was going to happen next every time even on the first viewing.
The sequel starring Knott’s and Conway is just as bad if not worse then the first film. Instead of cliche sentimentality this movie opts for the two going place to place obnoxiously mugging with a thin subplot about military corruption. In the Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again things just seem to happen. The film’s lack of a plot also isn’t helped by the lack of actually funny humour, a kiss of death for any comedy film.
These two films are so bad that I now use them as a measurement for bad films. Even most-bad films aren’t as bad as these two are. While they may not be the worst films Disney has to offer, they are the worst Disney movies I have ever sat through.
Fun in Balloonland: Fun in Balloonland is without a doubt the worst film I have seen this year. Worse than (Santo and the) Fist of Death, worse than either Apple Dumpling Gang film, worse than Abbott and Costello go to Mars, worse than Between Worlds, worse than The Magical Christmas Tree and worse than Laserblast. This in fact may be the worst film I have ever seen, maybe even beating out Santa Claus meets the Ice Cream Bunny and Beast of Yucca Flats.
Fun In Balloonland is a terrible amateur home film that somehow was commercially released. The first part of the film has a confused and bored looking kid trying to interact with lousy voice overs coming from balloons, while an out of tune piano plays. Things only get worse when the kid is joined by other kids who are forced to awkwardly sing and dance. The second part of the “movie,” involves some of the most awkward commentary ever put to film. A woman gives stilted narration to a frequently out of focus balloon parade footage. Then the film ends with one of the worst songs put to film. DREADFUL beyond belief!
Laserblast: Laserblast is what happens when you have an idea for a special effect, but no idea how to place that idea into a competent movie. While the film has some fun (though often cheesy) special effects it’s plot is rambling and incoherent. The film stars Kim Milford, as the angsty teenager Billy Duncan (though he was 27 at the time) who finds a laser gun (that looks like a slightly painted poster tube with a CD player on top) and a pendant left in the desert by aliens. This weapon then begins to corrupt Billy, turning him into a crazed monster who blasts everything in sight, and grows a metal disc within his chest. Meanwhile the aliens, discovering their mistake. come back to stop Billy and retrieve their gun.
The only part of this movie that was any good were the effects. In particular the stop motion alien effects by Randall William Cook and David W. Allen stand out above the rest of the film’s quality. The acting in this film could best be described as embarrassingly poor especially in the scenes featuring romance and during the insufferable teen pool party. It is the slip shot writing though that really makes this film hilariously bad. The film tries to highlight Billy’s unhappy and unfocused life with cringe worthy depictions of gluttonous sheriffs, his girlfriend’s angry and dementia ridden grandfather, an absentee mother, and two local bullies, but none of this really plays much into the aliens or laser gun possession plot.
Watching some of the stop motion clips and its many explosions is far more rewarding than having to sit through the entirety of this film. Laserblast is a tedious film that goes nowhere and often doesn’t make a lot of sense.
The Magical Christmas Tree: Every Christmas I try to watch a terrible holiday film. Because of this I have been exposed to such “gems,” as Santa Claus Meets the Ice Cream Bunny, Santa Claus (a film where Santa comes down from the clouds to battle the forces of Satan with the help of Merlin and a Norse god), and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Well all of these films are terrible, The Magical Christmas Tree probably ranks among the bottom of the list.
The Magical Christmas Tree is the story of a boy who is knocked out after helping an old woman (who is actually played by a young woman in a terrible costume). For most of the film he dreams that he receives a magical ring that brings to life a talking christmas tree that grants him three wishes. He uses these wishes selfishly, but in the end does the right thing only to be left with nothing. Then he wakes up and finds out it was all a dream.
The Magical Christmas Tree has all the amateurish trademarks I have come to expect from these types of cheaply made movies. One major clue for this is how it desperately attempts to drag itself out to feature length. Lots of the movie involves the camera man and the actors dragging through pointlessly drawn out scenes that add nothing to the film and that are a snooze fests. Some examples of this include random sequences of a kid walking in a quarry with the camera focusing on his shoes, kids talking about their lunches on a bench, and a man with a pie chasing a woman down the world’s longest street but never getting significantly closer or farther away. When things are actually happening though such as, “comedy routines,” or “moral lessons,” they aren’t much more coherent or enjoyable. Another mark of this film’s incompetence comes in the cast who for the most part never acted in anything before or after this film. Even the director only worked on this film before calling it a day which kind of says it all.
This film is in good company with the other cheesy holiday films I have seen, and is only possibly topped in terribleness by Santa meets the Ice Cream Bunny. When the best parts of the film (other than when it ended) featured a confused big man who couldn’t decide whether or not to kidnap the selfish lead boy and then threatens the audience, and a turtle who lives within a nightstand you know you’re in trouble.
Biggest movie disappointments:
Santo and The Fist of Death: Even among Santo films this one is BAD! Fist of Death features Santo in one of his final roles. The film has him heading through the Florida everglades (a Jungle stand in) to help a tribe of karate “experts,” who worship a C-3P0 head defeat a scantily clad evil sorceress leader (who is played by Grace Renat, who also plays the equally undressed leader of the good guys) and her evil minions.
This has got to be the worst Santo film I have ever seen, and I’ve seen a great deal of them (many of which are also terrible). Nothing in the film works, least of all Santo who was less than two years from passing away. It is really sad to see just how frail he is in this film compared to his earlier pictures. Instead of impressing the audience with his physical skills Santo is instead helped along and extremely protected by his co-stars. The result is that the fights are incredibly dull and lifeless, which isn’t helped by Santo’s wooden acting.
To try to compensate for this issue the film tries to appeal to the karate craze and with the sex-appeal of Renat. Neither of these things though can disguise how poor this film is. The karate fighting is an especially bad imitation of a bad Hollywood imitation of a martial arts film, and only adds even more racism to the surrounding terribleness of everything. This is a film so bad that it eclipses all other Santo films I have seen (which is no easy feat), and is one I would not recommend subjecting yourself to even for camp value.
Between Worlds: Based on the description I read online I thought that this film was going to be a cheesy good time; boy was I wrong! Instead of a fun romp through cheesy plot points, Between Worlds is a depressing and uncomfortable slog of a film that even Cage cannot save.
Between Worlds stars Nicolas Cage as Joe Majors, a down on his luck trucker. He soon runs into Julie, a desperate single mother who wants Joe to choke her so that she can have a near death experience to help her comatose daughter Billie. Having tragically lost his own family Joe reluctantly agrees to help, and eventually starts to form a bond with Julie. While Billie does recover she begins to act strangely and develops her own unusual interest in Joe.
Even setting aside my disappointment about the film not meeting my expectations this isn’t a good film. While I love Cage and think he elevates the film I don’t think that his presence is enough to save it from all its issues. One major issue with the film is with its depiction of sexuality. While sexual content and relationships with major age gaps in the right hands can be handled interestingly, in this film it just comes off as uncomfortable and voyeuristic. Another issue with the film is that its characters are just not likeable or good enough to make up for this lack of likeability. The result is that it is hard to invest in any of them or overlook the many cliches found within the plot and the film’s poor production values.
Between Worlds is a mess that isn’t even fun enough to fall into the so bad it is good category nor smart enough to warrant its unpleasantness.
Abbott and Costello go to Mars: Abbott and Costello can be very funny. During their prime their comedy was filled with fast banter, energised slapstick and routines, and lots of great word play. If all you ever saw of them though was Abbott and Costello go to Mars you would wonder what the big deal was.
Abbott and Costello go to Mars ironically doesn’t even have the couple ever reach Mars. Instead they end up accidentally launching an experimental rocket that first lands in New Orleans during Mardi Gra, and then on Venus where they find an advanced race of women. During their adventure they also end up running into a pair of crooks that feel like cheap counterparts to the blundering couple.
This film just isn’t fun. Unlike other films starring the duo this film substitutes energy and wit for repeated cheap gags that almost never land. There’s nothing worse than a comedy that just isn’t funny, especially when that humour comes off as dated and offensive. Especially cringe-inducing is the part of the film where Abbott, Costello, and the two crooks end up on Venus alongside a society of scantily clad women. The jokes first about the women first being sexually deprived and making Costello their king, and then rejecting the men after they discover other more masculine men are on earth is misogynistic and painful to watch.
Watching this film and reading up on it, it appears that the duo were almost as bored making Abbott and Costello go to Mars as I was watching it. Just watch an earlier effort of theirs such as Buck Privates or Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein instead.
Murders in the Rue Morgue: Unlike other films in this list I actually didn’t dislike Murders in the Rue Morgue. The sets for the film are lovely, the cinematography by Karl Freund is incredible, and Lugosi steals the show as a driven sideshow presenter who wants to prove human’s relationship with ape’s. The problem is that the rest of the elements of the film could and should have been much better.
Murder in the Rue Morgue stars Pierre Dupin, a young medical student and amateur detective. Dupin takes his fiance Camille L’Espanaye and friends to a carnival where they meet Dr. Mirakle, a scientist and showman who wants to find a mate for his ape Erik. When Erik and the doctor take a liking to Camille they seek her out. While trying to kidnap Camille, Mirakle secretly tests and murders many other women who all fail to survive transfusions of Erik’s ape blood. Meanwhile Dupin is on the case and is trying to find out why so many dead young women have been washing up on the shore.
The plot for this film is a mess. It is unclear what Lugoisi’s character is actually trying to accomplish and equally as baffling what happens to him in the finale. Even worse though is the script and acting outside of Lugosi. Dupin is supposed to be one of the first major larger than life literary detectives, but here he goes between obsessive and analytical to a fault to love struck, dense, and passionately heroic as though the writers didn’t know what to do with him. The side characters especially, Dupin’s Fatty Arbuckle like housemate provide awkward dialogue that isn’t funny and adds to the film’s tonal issues. Far too frequently scenes fluctuate between dreadful comedy routines, and to brutalised corpses or the sinister presence of Lugiosi.
It’s a real shame how uneven this film is. If the movie had a better story that complemented the atmospheric expressionist shots and scenery, and a stronger cast and script that could match or at least support Lugosi’s acting this film could have been a real classic. As it stands it isn’t a terrible film, especially for Universal fans, but it also fails to live up to its potential and to come anywhere close to the studios best films.
Transylvania 6-5000: This film was largely the result of legal complications with the Yugoslavian government. Forced to reinvest in the country the Dow Chemical Company decided to support this film and have most of the movie shot within Yugoslavia in order to make back its money. Sadly this infamous story is the most interesting aspect of the film.
The film “star’s,” Jack Harrison and Gil Turner, a couple of bumbling reporters sent to Transylvania to research a Frankenstein story. Gil is convinced that something suspicious is going on and that many town officials are in on it, while a reluctant Jack just wants to woo Elizabeth Ellison, another tourist visiting the country with her daughter.
Transylvania 6-5000 is a horror comedy that is neither spooky nor funny. The characters are all grating and unlikable, especially the horndog reporter Jack played by Jeff Goldblum and an obnoxious butler played by future seinfeld actor Michael Richards. What is worse though then the weak plot and characters is that the film isn’t funny at all. Despite an all star cast the humour in this film just doesn’t work, and falls painfully flat.
Those hoping that the elements borrowed and parodied from the Universal Monster canon would fare any better than the humour though would also be disappointed. The monsters and their designs are at best stock, and don’t inspire fear, interest, or laughter. What they did inspire in me though was a deep apathy and bitter disappointment. Time and time again horror comedy films have shown that making good classic monster movie pastiches is absolutely possible. Somehow though, despite a plethora of talent the most horrifying aspect of this film is that it features Jeffery Jones.
I’m afraid I totally agree with the review for this film by Leonard Maltin, “Pennsylvania 6-5000…Stinks.” What should have been a fun and entertaining romp instead feels exactly like the ill advised chemical company investment project it is.
Welcome to the first of what I hope will be many end of the year lists. Unlike most content creators who mainly highlight new material that came out this year I instead want to focus on what impacted me the most in 2023. While this end of year celebration will still start with a list of the best new manga and movies of the year, I will also be giving an overall look at what grabbed my attention the most during the year.
Please keep in mind this list is super subjective and based upon what I have personally experienced. This means that many favourites of others probably will be left out due to my personal tastes or due to me not having experienced them yet. I hope that you enjoy this fun year’s review for me.
Best new manga release:
Polar Bear Cafe: Yes, of all the new and exciting manga this year I chose the one featuring puns and bears. To be fair though this series is actually really smart, cute, and funny. Polar Bear Cafe features stories about Panda Bear, a lazy kid who works at a zoo, and his friend Polar Bear, a kind cafe owner who loves jokes. Each story is full of pun based humour and brought a smile to my face.
I was pleasantly surprised when I found the first volume of this series at Secret Headquarters (one of my favourite comic shops), because it features so many Japanese word gags that are very difficult to translate. Michelle Tymon and Seven Seas have done an incredible job though capturing the wonderful and fun puns of the title so that anyone can enjoy it. If you are going to read only one new title this year, make it this one.
Runners up:
Kaoru Mori scribbles 1 and 2: While I couldn’t with good conscience include this title as manga of the year due to it being a translation of Mori’s sketchbooks I do want to highlight how good and impactful this book is. Kaoru Mori is one of the best living manga artists of all time, a claim that is reinforced by these fantastic books. Her art covers all sorts of themes, but retains her own feel and exquisite design. One thing that stands out about her art style is the detail in which she works. Mori not only has clearly studied a variety of historical costuming, but also cares deeply about her characters and improving as an artist.
Another thing that stands out about this work is Mori’s own commentary. Through her comments we get a clear sense of who she is as a person and what her interests are, and how much she loves fashion and costuming. While this title doesn’t contain a narrative (at least in the traditional sense) it stands head and shoulders over many books released this year.
Nichijou: Nichijou is back! Its return was very much a happy surprise; especially during a year where good new manga was hard to find and so many great titles I was looking forward to were delayed. Though I also loved the creators’ other major series, City, I am so grateful for more new Nichijou volumes!
It’s hard to explain exactly what Nichijou is about. Although its title translates to, “Everyday Life,” this title couldn’t be further from the truth. Nichijou follows the experiences of a high school and town filled with strange characters and odd things happening. This manga includes slapstick comedy and all sorts of weird features including a robot embarrassed by her robotic features, a genius but childish kid professor, a boy with butler who rides a goat, a teacher determined to capture and prove that one of her student’s is a robot, a deer wrestling principle, and a bunch of strange high schoolers doing over the top things.
Trying to explain Nichijou is in effect like trying to explain the concept of absurdity. As a reader you can always count on something strange, unexpected, and amusing to happen. Because of this it is hard to explain why Nichijou is so funny without just summarising its stories. If you love random or slapstick comedy though this is a series you need to read.
While not entirely new, Nichijou is a great series I’m really glad has returned. I look forward to reading more of it and busting a gut again in June when its next volume comes out!
Akane-banashi: Akane-banashi was a pleasant surprise. While simple it provides a lot of what I love in manga, it has lots of passion, a great story, and information about interesting and unusual subject matter.
This series is all about a traditional form of Japanese storytelling. After her father is cruelly rejected at an exam to become a professional Rakugo storyteller by an arrogant master, his daughter Akane dedicates herself to becoming one in her father’s place. She practises tirelessly with her father’s former teacher, a master Rakugo storyteller named Shiguma and his three other students in hopes of growing her skills and getting revenge for her father. Through their guidance she learns what it takes to be a professional and share her skills on stage in a variety of settings.
Akane-banashi’s focus on storytelling helps bring to life the traditional art of Rakugoka, a Japanese storytelling tradition that involves a presenter playing all the roles of a story with minimal props. Not only is the subject very interesting, but Akane-banashi does a good job teaching about the process of becoming involved in Rakugoka and feelings that come with performing it. Akane learns fast that she has a lot to learn despite her inherent skill, and is pushed by her peers and fellow storytellers to grow and improve. It is also really interesting to read a shonen title that is so outside the norm and features a female lead. So many popular shonen manga series follow a formula, it is exciting to read a series that breaks this mould and takes a different approach.
The art in Akane-banashi also does a great job of conveying stories being told and visualising them without distracting from the telling and performance aspect. Its representation of the tellers embodying their characters brings a liveliness to the performance, and helps visually embody an oral art. Its character designs are also great, ranging from very traditional shonen designs, to unusual characters that stand out. All these features allow the art to visualise and substitute oral emphasis of the story which is impressive.
Akane-banashi is a pleasant surprise of a title that presents an interesting subject and backs that subject up with good art and storytelling. I couldn’t put down this series and can’t wait to read more of it next year!
Best new movie:
The Boy and the Heron: The Boy and the Heron is Miyazaki’s latest film, and one of his best. A combination of all sorts of things, my mind was blown when I stepped out of my IMAX screening of this brilliant movie.
The Boy in the Heron follows Mahito, a boy living during World War II. After his mother tragically passes away he and his father move to a large estate in the country owned by his mother’s younger sister Natsuko. Natsuko has married Mahito’s father and is expecting a child, something the Mahito is largely unsure about how to respond to. Things become strange though when a grey heron seems to beckon Mahito to an odd abandoned tower where his eccentric grand uncle disappeared mysteriously years ago.
As the film is new I don’t want to spoil or say too much about it, but what I can say is that besides lacking flying machines it may be the most “Miyazaki,” Miyazaki film I have seen. The story clearly carries his themes, style, and fluid tonal shifts that remind you strongly of his other works. I’m not sure if this is my favourite of his films, but without a doubt it stands out as the best film I have seen this year and somehow manages to top even the latest animated Spiderman film (which was my favourite movie of the year before seeing this film). Even the dub (an element that can be hit and miss with Ghibli films) was excellent with its cast being almost unrecognisable, especially Robert Pattison who plays the trouble-making Heron. I feel that this film should not only win best animated picture of the year, but also deserves to be nominated for best picture of the year.
Runners up:
Across the Spider-verse: Across the Spider-verse may just be the greatest superhero movie of all time. It somehow manages to equal or even surpass its previous outing. Across the Spider-verse has its teenage heroes Miles and Gwen faced with great personal adversity, and take on a multiverse filled with trouble and other spider people.
This film’s use of multiverse works so much better than so many other superhero films this year, because at its core is such a personal narrative. Spider-verse, despite its scope, is grounded in a story of family and fighting against personal loss. Unlike most superhero films this year, Spider-verse feels like it has real stakes that mean something, gives the heroes a personalised purpose, and makes the antagonist’s losses and feelings understandable. It also doesn’t hurt that the film looks amazing, is filled with comic book in-jokes, and continues to balance the seriousness and silliness effectively in a way that other films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor failed to do. A great film only topped by The Boy and the Heron, Spider-verse is a must see.
Asteroid City: Asteroid City is yet more evidence of the quirky genius of Wes Anderson. While I don’t believe in Auteur theory (films are expensive multi-faceted undertakings involving a variety of people) if there ever was a modern director who you might make me rethink my stance it would be Wes Anderson. You know a Wes Anderson film when you see it, and Asteroid City very much highlights many of his trademark elements.
One thing that stands out about this film is just how odd and almost surreal the plot is. The movie depicts the creation and production of an eclectic playwright’s retro-futurist play about a government run children’s science contest in a remote military camp within the desert. The play depicted also focuses on a family grappling with loss and an alien encounter. The movie also highlights the absurdity of the play’s narrative and quirky characters, and the people who play them.
Like many of Anderson’s works the tone of Asteroid City is one of dry comedy, eccentricity, and the human condition. It brings together so many different concepts and deliberately avoids clarifying how much of its dialogue and plot are people playing a role and what is actually a commentary by the actors themselves. This leads to a blending of meta commentary purposely muddling narrative to comedic and profound effect, and purposely highlighting artifice of the work rather than avoiding it. Another thing Asteroid City does that is unusual is have celebrities cast against type. Actors often play roles that you normally wouldn’t expect outside of an Anderson film.
Anderson is famous for his use of colour pallets, something this film also strongly emphasises. Asteroid City is very deliberate about its colour scheme employing bright blues and whites, and muted tan colours which give the film a distinctive and controlled sense of style. These colours pop out and also add to the unusualness and artificiality that he is going for.
While similar to many of Anderson’s other works, Asteroid City stands out as a unique experience unlike any other film that came out this year. It is a film that demands the attention of its viewers, but also rewards them for their interest. Asteroid City is a strange and wonderful film well worth seeing, especially if you like the other films of Wes Anderson.
The Old Way: Why is it that this film has been so ignored and maligned? The Old Way places Cage in an old fashioned revenge drama playing a former outlaw who is driven out of retirement when his wife is killed. In lesser hands this type of film could be cliche, but it is saved by two things, Cage’s performance and the inclusion of Ryan Kiera Armstrong who plays Cage’s character’s daughter.
The film’s handling of the pair’s struggles and mental illness sets it apart from the typical Western. Cage’s character Colton Briggs and his situation is portrayed primarily as tragic and flawed, not as badass or heroic. Cage does a great job portraying mental illness as something that is complex. Brigg’s toughness is shown as something that separates him from the world, not something to seek out or idolise. It is Brigg’s past cruelty that drives the antagonist Jimmy to be traumatised and to grow up to misguidedly trying to emulate Brigg’s violence. He and his gang then murder Brigg’s wife not only as revenge, but also as a way of getting him to come out of retirement so that they can kill him. While Brigg’s is driven by a focused purpose of revenge making him a deadly force to be reckoned with, is primarily portrayed as a tragic world weary figure that had a hand in his own suffering and created a cycle of violence that was the result of his previous callousness.
Brigg’s daughter likewise shares his inability to feel things, and feels like an outsider. While this allows her to overcome many things a neurotypical girl her age would struggle with, it also brings an awkwardness to her as she tries and often fails to model normative behaviour. Often she is unclear as to what emotion she should be feeling or what role she is expected to play in the world. Armstrong does an amazing job subverting typical tropes surrounding how young girls are portrayed in Western’s, giving her character a calculating hardedge of a personality.
I find it really sad that The Old Way was so overlooked, especially when it came out. When I went to see it at my local movie theatre the theatre was strangely empty, making the viewing experience more surreal and magical for me. It was a much better film than other films released at that time, and it still confuses me why hardly anyone went to see this film and why it was so maligned by the critics who did see it. I’m glad I get to share my thoughts on this hidden gem here, and hope more people will now go see this fantastic Western.
A Haunting in Venice: I will be honest and say that a lot of Kenneth Branagh’s films have been hit or miss for me. I adore many of his Shakespearean adaptations, but am not a big fan of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (which is a terrible name for this film), Thor, Cinderella, and Artemis Fowl. My experience with most of his Poirot Trilogy has also been hit or miss. I usually prefer the more straightforward and stately adaptations of David Suchet to Branagh’s more loose films. Many of Branagh’s previous adaptations of Poirot seemed awkwardly trapped between the slow and stylized tone of the Christie content, and the more bombastic style he is known for.
Thankfully this film dispenses with most of the pretexts of doing a faithful adaptation, instead opting for creating mostly original concepts. While it bears very little resemblance to the novel it is based upon (the Hallowe’en Party) this turns out to be a good thing. Branagh transforms the slow paced mystery of the book into an exciting old dark house style story where it becomes unclear if the things occurring align with a traditional murder narrative or are the result of supernatural forces. Setting the movie mostly within an old Italian villa and making major changes to the story that take advantage of the medium of film really helped it build tension effectively. These changes also made the mystery far more exciting, and allowed all the celebrity actors to give interesting performances that stood out. I ended up liking this film far more than I was expecting, and consider it one of the best mysteries of the year.
Godzilla Minus One: Godzilla Minus One delivers the goods. While I really enjoyed watching Shin-Godzilla this year, it really can’t compare to the quality of Godzilla Minus One. Minus One seems to get everything right, and is a fitting tribute that blows other recent outings of Godzilla out of the water.
The film stars Kōichi Shikishima, a kamikaze pilot who fakes engine trouble and abandons his duty of suicide near the ending of World War II, only to have the small island base he landed on be attacked brutally by Godzilla. When tasked with shooting the monster he freezes up with fear and is unable to shoot it allowing Godzilla to slaughter all but one of his comrades before disappearing into the night. As the war comes to a close Koichi is left with trauma and guilt, and returns home to find Tokyo in ruins and his parents dead. He ends up taking in Noriko, a woman who lost her family, and Akiko, the baby she rescued. Eventually they form a makeshift family together and start to re-build. Godzilla does not stay dormant for long though and it seems like no government is prepared or willing to help stop the monster from rampaging.
Godzilla Minus One has finally broken the curse that has plagued many Godzilla films since its inception. In most Godizlla films I just want to get to more monster action and/or cannot take the human elements seriously. This is not the case for Godzilla Minus One. Minus One has a complex plot where its lead is driven by a mixture of guilt over his past, and a genuine desire to do good. He tries his best, but you see him struggle in an authentic and at times messy way with all the trauma he is carrying. You want to see him succeed and really care about his fate, and the fate of his friends and family.
The film also does a great job making you care about the rest of the characters around Koichi. You really get to know and understand the feelings of the Koichi’s friends who all get good arcs and have distinct personalities. You really come to care about the makeshift family he forms, his neighbour who despite her initially misgivings cares for his household, and the crew of minesweepers Koichi works with.
Another thing Godzilla Minus One gets right about human parts of the plot is making it about community. While the film values patriotism, it views patriotism as the sacrifices of individuals and the coming together of the communities to solve problems, rather than unquestioning nationalism, militarism, and trusting corrupt governments. Like Spiderverse it understands that for conflicts to have stakes that the audience actually cares about, the story needs to personally invest the viewer in the story and characters, and to have them face real struggle together.
Godzilla Minus One also doesn’t skimp on Godzilla. Though Godzilla does appear a lot less then in some other Godzilla films every appearance of Godzilla carries a weight to it and brings terror. Godzilla in this film is a force to be reckoned with, a true monster bent on destroying cities, lives, and Koichi life. Godzilla is portrayed as a seemingly unstoppable force leaving death and destruction in their wake. Even at sea Godzilla is a menace ripping apart huge battleships like they were nothing, and being unphased by human attacks. Ultimately it becomes up to human ingenuity to fight Godzilla as the government is powerless and too corrupt to do anything despite Godzilla ravaging Tokyo, the United States is unwilling to do anything about Godzilla, and conventional force proves useless.
While the ending of Minus One doesn’t quite stick the landing for me, I still think that Godzilla Minus One is one of the best Godzilla films I have ever seen in years. It gets the human elements right, while also making Godzilla even more terrifying than in Shin Godzilla.
1. Cat People: Val Lewton strikes again in this classic film that ranks among his best. Cat People stars Irena Dubrovna as a woman who fears that love will transform her into a deadly panther. Dealing with themes such as sexuality, jealousy, and the inner and outer demons, Cat People is a film well worth seeing. It is a film that is famous not for what is shown, but rather how it uses the viewer’s imagination against them to create suspense.
2. Dracula’s daughter: Dracula’s daughter is a strange hidden gem by Universal that is well worth seeing. Both a sequel to the original Dracula as well as its own entity Dracula’s daughter stars Gloria Holden as the vampire daughter of Dracula Marya Zaleska. Unlike her father she is an unwilling vampire who tries her best to fight her vampiric urges, and hopes that her father’s death will help her be rid of her vampirism. Dracula’s Daughter mixes the hypnotic feel of the original, with black comedy and lesbian undertones to create a movie that is an interesting and unusual part of the Universal canon.
3. Metropolis: “The mediator between head and hands must be the heart!” These words reflect the famous theme of Metropolis, a Science Fiction film by Fritz Lange. This film had effects that were unheard of for its time, but also has a strong emphasis on the plight and exploitation of the working class. Metropolis may be Lange’s most famous film and had a huge impact on Science Fiction films, and film making as a whole.
4. The Boxer’s Omen: One of the strangest martial arts films I could find, the Boxer’s Omen is a must see. The film involves a gangster who is seeking revenge and ends up battling a black magic user on behalf of a Buddhist monk. What is most important to know about the film is it’s unbelievably strange and horrifying special effects. This movie involves so many memorable and unique scenes such as battling crocodile skulls and battling a floating head with tentacles.
5. Master of the Flying Guillotine: A true classic Master of the Flying Guillotine is the sort of film that sticks in the memory. It is so strange and memorable that it has to be seen to be believed. Master of the Flying Guillotine not only has battles between a one-armed boxer and a blind old man with a deadly guillotine hat on a chain, but also somehow involves a world martial arts tournament as well. It is the sort of low budget film that throws everything and the kitchen sink to entertain the viewer, and as a result is an over the top spectacle.
6. Son of Frankenstein: It is only fitting after seeing the original Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and House of Frankenstein that we also see this classic film as well. Son of Frankenstein stars Basil Rathbone as the son of the famous doctor who moves back home only to find that the town’s people don’t like or trust him. It turns out they have good reason for this though as the monster is used by the undead fiend Ygor (played by Bella Lugosi) to terrorize the town and get revenge against those who hung him. Son is the last great Universal Frankenstein film to have all the classic elements to it. It includes a lavish budget, angry villagers, a misguided doctor, a fiendish villain, and Boris Karloff’s last ever portrayal of the monster.
7. Dr. Who and the Dalek’s and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.: Peter Cushing’s portrayal of the Doctor is not to be missed. Sadly, overlooked by many Who fans this is a great film series. These films star Peter Cushing’s kindly old doctor, his niece, and a policeman companion as they face an apocalyptic future caused by the doctor’s nemesis the fiendish Daleks and try to stop them. Despite not doing well in the UK these films are cheesy, fun, and well written, and would be a lot of fun to see together with you.
8. The Gorgon: The Gorgon is another important Hammer film. Its plot revolves around the Medusa-like gorgon terrorizing a European village and turning people into stone. But forget the silliness of plot, what really is important is that it is a Terrence Fisher movie starring Lee and Cushing, and even has a cameo by Patrick Troughton! These figures elevate the Gorgon making it a delight to watch, and helping to give the story gravitas.
9. Blood on Satan’s Claw: Another classic of British folk horror, Blood on Satan’s Claw is probably the second most famous of the British Folk horror movies after the Wicker Man. Blood on Satan’s Claw features an 18th century village that is being terrorized by satanic possession which brings bloodshed and violence. It is another Folk horror movie about the underlying uneasiness with both the old traditions (pagan customs) and the new (children and youth culture). Folk horror is an interesting and rarely touched upon genre, but has produced many excellent films including this one.
10. Dragon Inn (Long men kezhan): Dragon Inn is often cited as a cornerstone of Chinese martial arts cinema. Taking place in feudal China it follows sword fighters defending the children of an executed emperor. Dragon Inn is famous for its fight scenes and inclusion of strong women characters. It was a film that was highly influential to other films of the genre such as Lady Hermit, Iron Monkey, and Jin fen you long, as well as a number of remakes and other films by its famed director King Hu.
11. Eerie Tales (Unheimliche Geschichten): One of the earliest of the German Anthology films Eerie Tales draws from the imagination of its creators, and from classic Poe and Stevens stories. The film involves three menacing pictorial figures (Death, the Devil and the Harlot) coming to life to tell creepy stories. This film’s use of atmosphere, and inclusion of Conrad Veidt (playing Death) and other major players of the early German film industry who are teamed with famed adaptors Richard Oswald and Robert Liebmann helped to craft a first-rate early film. This film was the first recorded horror anthology title and helped to popularize the Anthology film movement which led to many of the other famous silent and early sound films we have watched together.
12. Santo vs. Doctor Death: It wouldn’t be a 12 Movies of Papi list without a Santo film. I scoured the IMDB film list and releases for Santo movies, and found this “gem.” While not the best Santo film, Doctor Death seemed like a fun (and cheesy) film we could enjoy. It finds Santo once again in a spy thriller, this time battling a gang of Spanish art thieves led by the Bond-like villain Dr. Death. What follows is a spy outing as Santo takes on crime using his wrestling to triumph over evil.
Tempest (Arcade): Tempest is another game in this collection that could be considered timeless. One of the originators of the tube shooter genre; Tempest has you shooting at abstract enemies coming down a tube. Interestingly, at the end of each level you also have to fly through the completed tunnel to the next stage, and avoid any spikes left behind by enemies. Tempest’s incredible vector graphics and original gameplay make it a joy to play again and again. It is a timeless game that ranks among Atari’s best, and is a vital part of this collection.
Tempest 2000 (Jaguar): Tempest 2000 is an incredible game. Not only is it hands down the best Jaguar game I have ever played, but it also manages to improve on the original Tempest. This probably has a lot to do with its creator Jeff Minter and his company Llamasoft which worked on the game.
While I do miss the vector glow, the new colorful presentation goes a long way in making up for the lack of vector style graphics. Tempest 2000 draws from the original game, while also adding improvements to the graphics and stages, new power-ups, and techno music. Tempest 2000 is a masterpiece that is as good if not better than the original. This whole collection is worth owning for this game alone, due to the cartridge’s rarity.
Touch Me (LED handheld): Touch Me has me torn. On the one hand it is an important part of Atari’s history and the history of portable consoles. On the other hand, though, it is basically just a port of the “Simon Says,” toy (a game where you repeat colour coded patterns), and could easily be seen as a waste of a game slot. While I understand why this game was included, I would have preferred it if the space used for this game was instead taken by another important and more enjoyable game such as Motor Psycho (7800), Space Invaders (2600), Pole Position (2600 or 7800), Battle Zone (Arcade), Empire Strikes Back (2600) or Klaxx (Arcade).
Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy (Jaguar): Like many Jaguar Games this one isn’t very good, and tries to rip off a Nintendo hit. McFur attempts to steal its theme and character designs from Star Fox; if only it had tried harder to also copy Star Foxes fun gameplay. Trever McFur is a slog. It’s a generic and below average shmup that is for some reason missing music all together (so much for 64 bits). Maybe at one time its use of pre-rendered graphics was impressive, but playing it now the game just ends up looking like a strange mess that fails to impress on any level. While not one of the worst Jaguar games it is still far from impressive and another game from the Jaguar that is worth skipping.
Turbo-Sub (Lynx): Turbo-Sub is a surprisingly great game for the Lynx. It’s a simple but effective game that has you flying through the air blasting enemies and dodging fireballs. After this part of the game you then dive down into the water to slalom through rocks, fight enemies and collect crystals for upgrades before going through a cosmic portal. While relatively repetitive and pixelated the fast paced and exciting gameplay more than makes up for its shortcomings. This game is the best Lynx game in the collection, and while not perfect is still a lot of fun to play.
VCTR-SCTR (New): Despite its strange name VCTR-SCTR is a great compilation. A tribute to vector graphics VCTR-SCTR combines sequences from Asteroids, Lunar Lander, Battle zone, and Tempest into one fast paced game. It also looks incredible, with a beautiful homage to the glowing vector graphics of the 80’s. While I enjoy some parts of the game more than others as a whole it holds up great. It also does an incredible job of modernizing these games while remaining true to their source material. I personally feel that this is the best of the new games offered in this collection, and well worth playing.
Warlords (arcade, 2600): Warlords was the next step in Pong’s evolution. In it you play against three other players each trying to protect their castle walls using a paddle. Your objective is to bounce a ball away from your castle and break through your opponent’s castle wall until they are knocked out of the game. Fun and fast paced Warlords is a good game even when playing alone, but really shines when you are playing with other people. The 2600 port, while not as polished, offers a plethora of modes, but either version is a lot of fun to play with a friend.
Yars’ Revenge (2600): Yars’ Revenge is the sort of game that you would show off to someone who is unfamiliar with the VCS. Clearly designed by and for the 2600, Yars’ Revenge reworks Star Castle into a totally new and original game. Your goal in this game is to use your insect-like ship to blast through an enemy’s barrier while avoiding being hit by that ship’s homing missile and Buzzsaw-like attacks. To protect yourself you can fly into the psychedelic shield in the center of the field, but this shield also doesn’t allow you to attack while within it. This game is brilliantly designed to take advantage of the 2600’s hardware, and as a result is one of the best games for the console. Despite the 2600’s enormous library this game might just be one of my personal favourites for the console.
Yoomp! (800): Yoomp! is an interesting game to end this collection on. Created in 2007 for the Atari 800 this game has you bouncing through levels to a jaunty tune. It has a feel kind of similar to the old computer games like Skyroads, which also has you traversing through colourful levels. In Yoomp! you bounce through a tube trying to avoid pits and empty spaces. While I wish Yoomp! had additional music and more complex level design, it is still enjoyable, unique, and a good addition to this compilation.
Saboteur (2600 Prototype): Saboteur is in effect three separate small games in one. The first has you trying to protect alien rebels and stop robots from preparing a rocket for launch. The second has you trying to reflect shots against a satellite to hit a production line while dodging a fast bouncing projectile. The last stage has you battling desperately to stop the missile from launching. While some of these segments are fun (especially the first one) as a whole the game is too complex and difficult, and that it would have been better to do a single more polished level. Despite these issues though this game is still an interesting curio.
Scrap Yard Dog (7800): Scrap Yard Dog involves the quest of a big nosed man to save his dog from gangsters. In it he must platform through mediocre stages in order to find the gangster responsible for the dog napping. This game is sadly a dog despite its weird elements (like playing a giant piano inside a trash can or interacting with a surly shop-keep), and isn’t much fun to play.
Scrap Yard Dog (Lynx): While very similar to its console counterpart Scrap Yard Dog’s Lynx version is different enough that it warrants its own entry. The Lynx remake of this game is far more polished in just about every area then it’s 7800 counterpart. It also is a lot weirder and includes dimensional portals, biker rats, multiple types of gangster dogs who use guns, and includes strange boss battles such as fighting a dog in a laser tank and using floating in a flying saucer to battle another saucer within a sewer. This attention to detail, and increased variety helps to make this game far more fun. While still far from as good as a classic platformer like Mario, Sonic, or Bonk it still is worth playing and a major improvement when compared to the 7800 version.
Secret Quest (2600): Secret Quest is a game that shows off the capabilities of the VCS. In it you play a space hero whose goal is to blow up and escape from space stations inhabited by deadly monsters. Secret Quest quirkily combines dungeon crawling with Science Fiction elements to create a game that is all about exploration, and learning the layouts of colored rooms. Secret Quest looks and plays great!
Solaris (2600): In some ways Solaris may be the most graphically advanced game on the 2600. It has you choosing a location on the map and then flying to that location. Each location type has a different challenge, such as shooting down enemy ships, rescuing people, or flying through wormholes. While this game is very complex, its incredible graphics and gameplay (including super scaler areas and fast paced dog fights) make investing time into it well worthwhile.
Space Duel (Arcade): Space Duel is a game that is a lot of fun, despite not being fully original. It combines multiple elements from other games and adapts them into something that feels new. Space Duel draws strongly from Asteroids, and in one of its two player modes is very similar to the game Space Wars. The primary objective of this game is to shoot flying objects, and avoid crashing into them. Despite these similarities there are things that set Space War apart from the games it emulates. First is that the graphical style is vibrant and more abstract than other games. The biggest though is that the game offers a tethered mode that allows for the controlling of two connected ships. If you aren’t interested in collaborative play though the game also has a competitive mode that pits you and a friend against one another. Space Wars is a great update on classic formulas, and is one of the best-looking games this collection has to offer.
Sprint 8 (arcade): It’s really hard to talk about Sprint 8 for a number of reasons. First is that the controls in this collection just don’t do it justice. The Sprint series is meant to be played on a cabinet with a foot pedal and steering wheel. These controls didn’t translate well to the controller I was using. Another major problem is that this game is meant as a multiplayer game. Sprint 8 was specifically designed so that up to 8 people could play together. It wasn’t designed as a one player experience (like I experienced it). For these reasons it’s hard for me to comment on the game as it was meant to be play, but I can say that the issues with the controls and my personal experience with other Sprint variants made it clear that this port of the game fails to capture the original well.
Star Raiders (5200): Star Raiders is a mixed bag. It tries to draw from Solaris, but use a first-person 3D perspective. This perspective looks impressive and gets you into the action of dog fighting, but it also makes the game far more complex and difficult to control. While I enjoyed my experiences with Star Raiders a lot, I feel that Solaris plays much better due to this game requiring even more time investment and patience to figure out.
Super Breakout (Arcade, 2600, 5200): Super Breakout improves upon the original Breakout’s ball and paddle tile breaking gameplay. Impressive graphically for its time Super Breakout now includes double paddle options as well as two player game-play. Surprisingly my favourite version of this game is the 2600 version which is impressive looking and more accessible than its arcade counterpart, with the 5200 version also being well made.
Surround (2600): Surround takes the simple game of Snake and turns it into an exciting multiplayer experience. Surround is about navigating a stage with an ever-growing line while avoiding touching yourself or the walls of the area. The difference with this game though is that instead of trying to collect the most dots like in Snake, instead the game involves competing against another player (similar to the light cycles in Tron). This simple change makes a big difference in the dynamics of the game, turning it from a solitary high score game into a fun competitive experience. Playing this simple game with a friend is a lot of fun.
Swordquest Earthworld (2600): I’m very torn with the Swordquest series. While these games have not aged at all gracefully and are extremely confusing there is a certain charm in them. Swordquest Earthworld was the first in a series of fantasy adventure games centered around finding secrets to earn real prizes. Like the rest of the series this game is filled with items and obscure puzzles to solve. While it is very cryptic and it’s hard to know what to do, Earthworld is still an enjoyable curio.
Swordquest Fireworld (2600): The second in the world series, Fireworld ups the stakes. It has even more difficult and puzzling elements to it, and takes a lot of trail and error. While very confusing and sometimes frustratingly difficult I enjoyed myself. While not a game I would go back to repeatedly it is still fun.
Swordquest Waterworld (2600): Swordquest Waterworld is very similar to the other games, only even better. It starts you right in the action with a swimming segment. While easier to figure out and tighter in controls it is still a confusing game that I am not ready to invest major time into.
Swordquest Airworld (New): Despite being a new game this title fits in nicely with the rest of the series. While still confusing this is probably my favourite game of the series. It includes neat new elements such as a flying horse, while retaining a graphical style that matches the rest of the Swordquest series. While not one of the best in this collection, Airworld is my favourite of the Swordquest games and well worth trying out.
Secret House of Anime 