The Boy and The Heron (2023)

 

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Hayao Miyazaki just doesn't want to truly retire...and honestly, I am so glad. What would I have done without this movie? Being all at once dark, cute, quirky, and beautiful, t's not going to be for everyone (something I feel like I've been saying a lot about my movie choices lately), but if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli films, I really think this one is an amazing addition to their collection.

What's this film about? I almost don't want to tell you! In some ways, I don't know if I even could do it justice. I walked into it after seeing a trailer for it, but didn't really know much, honestly. And I really feel like that was a perfect way to experience it. Twist after twist, laugh after laugh, and constantly waffling between awe and bewilderment, it was an incredibly fun cinema experience. There are some dark moments (particularly at the beginning), so be aware that this isn't a young child-friendly film.

I watched this one in Japanese with English subtitles. I was happy to watch it either way, and would love to watch it again in the future with the English dubbing. I feel like both methods have their merits, and often different experiences, so I would say to watch it in whichever way works best for you. I know that for some it can be difficult to focus on anything other than the subtitles in a piece, and this movie is so visually stunning that I would make sure you watch whichever method allows you to see that to its full extent.

Here's what I feel I can say about it:
It's fantastical
The animation is beautiful
There are multiple twists that I don't think you'll see coming
The music is gorgeous
You might honestly question what kind of fever dream you walked into multiple times

So, without telling you too much other than this, I would absolutely recommend it!

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Do you enjoy animation? Have you seen any Studio Ghibli films before? If so, what are your favourites?

July 2023 Update (2)

In an effort to work through a backlog of old posts and remember the things I have actually watched and read, this post was completed roughly a year ago and is being posted now.

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In the past several months, I've been focusing on some of my other hobbies, such as painting and working with polymer clay, so my T.V. show viewings definitely haven't been super high! I wanted to update you all regardless, and since it's been months there has actually been a decent buildup of content.

I have been doing a few re-watches as well, but I haven't included them here this time.

So, here are a few things that I've watched:

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Emily in Paris - S2
Complete fluff? Maybe. But I find this show addictive regardless. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as season 1, but I'm still really looking forward to seeing what season 3 brings us. What a cliffhanger!!

cosmopolitan.com

The Witcher - S2
Love this show. So much. I tried to not blast through it, and actually spread it out...I failed. I started playing the Witcher 3 video game as well and have been completely obsessed. I've heard mixed things about the books, so I am happy to leave it at these two formats for now, but I'm very excited for the next season.

rottentomatoes.com

Arcane - S1
Okay, so I walked into this one with very, very little knowledge about the source material, League of Legends. I really loved this one, but the tone shift a few episodes in caught me so completely off-guard that I had to step away from this one for a little bit (If you've seen it, you know what I mean).  Once I came back to it though, I did really enjoy it. There were a few parts that were a bit confusing with the flow of it, but I did find it really enjoyable and will most likely watch another season if it comes out.

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All Creatures Great and Small - S2
All Creatures is the sweet series that has been exactly what I've needed. It has just enough going on to keep you engaged, but at the same time, you know that things are going to be okay in the long run. I don't have to feel stressed watching it, and I get to learn a few interesting things too. Lovely scenery, nice characters that you grow attached to, and all-in-all just a lovely watch. Similar vein to The Durrells, but with less quirkiness, if anyone loved that series as much as I did.

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Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - S1, S2
This is a show that one of my closest friends recommended to me...a few years ago. I finally got around to trying it out. It was a nice diversion, and I was enjoying it, but it ended up getting too far-fetched and silly for me that I haven't really wanted to continue into the third season.

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Bridgerton - S2
Another perfect example of a pure fluff show. I was obsessed with this season, and adored it. I'm reading the first book in the series right now (The Duke & I) as I needed just something mindless on a recent vacation, and this was perfect for the plane. I'll most likely finish it, although I don't know if I'll continue on with reading the series...but definitely will start watching the next season. It's one of those shows where I say..."Is it good?" "No" "Do I love it?" "Yes!"

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Castlevania - S1, S2 (started)
Hello gore-fest! Wow. Okay, so I walked into yet another show with no background. Look where that gets you, Shayna! I was interested in the characters instantly, but found the level of gore and violence to be a bit much. I decided to stick with it, slowly, and it has toned down a bit, so I am glad I did. One of those shows where I don't watch it often, nor do I know how much of it I will end up watching, but it's been an interesting experience, and different from my typical viewing habits.

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Have you watched any of these shows? Do your television habits fluctuate throughout the year, or stay pretty steady?

Mini-Reviews: Only Yesterday, Only Lovers Left Alive, To The Bone

TW: To The Bone - mental health, eating disorders, self-harm

northamptonfilmfestival.com

Only Yesterday

One of Studio Ghibli's "quieter" movies, as I like to call them. They are not fantastical like Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away, but they are beautiful snapshots of life and feelings. I liked the premise of this movie when I looked it up a year or two ago, but wasn't sure how interested in it I would be since I was more familiar with the aforementioned films' styles. But wow did I ever love this one. It's sad and nostalgic, and also hopeful and lovely. It was the right time for me to watch it, for sure. Definitely would recommend giving it a watch.

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Only Lovers Left Alive

This is a favourite of one of my friends, so I decided to watch it. Although overall I'm a fan of Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton and I are a bit hit or miss, so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one. Overall, it was fine but nothing to write home about. It just felt like it was missing something. It is slow paced, and mostly about the characters than an overarching plot, but...I wanted there to be more. More character development, or something. I would watch it again in order to see if there was more to it that I missed, but so far it hasn't grabbed me.

February/March 2020 Update

The funny thing about being in isolation during a pandemic...you think you would blog more, right? Nope. It's been very hard to find motivation. So, here's me trying - it's just a little late!

Started Watching:

miraculousladybug.wikia.com

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir - season 2 & 3, started and finished

I love this show. I would be lying if I said I didn't. They released the next seasons on Netflix, and I watched multiple a day every day until I finished it. I barely paced myself. Yes, I do regret that now...but it was also totally worth it. It's cute and it makes me happy.

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Maid-Sama! - started and finished

This one was cute. It took a little bit to get into, but I ended up finding it really fun, and overall relaxing. It switches between two animation styles a lot throughout the whole thing (the regular style, and the chibi style), which is effective in certain areas, but felt a little overdone to me.There were a few episodes that were a bit disjointed (and I was watching those while also playing on my phone), but overall well done. I got through the whole thing in a few days. The best part are the random fourth wall breaks, haha.

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Outlander - season 5
I started the fifth season, but I really wasn't feeling it. I missed one episode and all of my motivation left. I have some of them recorded, so I will likely just have a day where I blast through these, but I'm not sure. I might also just wait until it comes out on DVD. There's nothing wrong with the season (from what I saw...although my friend is further than me, and would disagree!), but I haven't read the book this season is based on, and I don't really care about this period in American history, so it's a double "meh" from me.

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Unrequited Love

The Chinese dramas are back! I'm about ten episodes into this, I think? So a little under halfway, and have really liked it. We're getting into rocky territory though, so if it gets too depressing, I'll need to take a break during quarantine! Overall, it's been good though (even if it has brought up some past feelings!)

February 2018 Update!

Well, it's been a month of TV for me it seems! I've started a few new series and finished up several. Things have been pretty busy with work and school, so I haven't been reading too much, but it's nice to take a break and wind down by watching an episode here and there. Unfortunately with all of that, I'm pretty behind on my TBR Challenge, but I expect that I will be able to catch up in the spring, so I'm not too worried yet. So, without further ado, here's what I've been up to in February:

Started Watching:

miraculousladybug.wikia.com

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir
Yes, I started watching a children's show...and I loved it. It's cheesy, repetitive and predictable, but it's basically a modern Sailor Moon in Paris. I quickly got hooked on it, and I can't wait until season 2 is translated and on Netflix.

mahouka-koukou-no-rettousei.wikia.com

The Irregular At Magic High School
I'll be honest, I don't know if I'm going to finish this series. There are some interesting things about it, but it can also be downright creepy. If sibling relationships that are uncomfortably close and intimate bother you, then don't even consider this one for a second. If you can get past that, it has some interesting plot points. I don't think it's overly well explained though, so you kind of have to get over a few things to watch this one.

Favourite Five: Studio Ghibli Movies...so far!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the work of Studio Ghibli, here's the basics:
Studio Ghibli, established in 1985, is a Japanese animation group by Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, Isao Takahata, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma. It has been the brilliant engine behind many of the highest grossing anime films in Japan, and has developed somewhat of a cult following in North America. Known for its quirky style, but thought-provoking storylines, if you can watch these with an open mind and heart, they are definitely an experience you won't forget.

I've been lucky enough to enjoy these movies for about five years now, and have seen nine so far. Although there are a few other films regularly referred to as being part of the studio (being made by the same people before it's official formation, etc.), these are the official movies made under the Studio Ghibli label, with the ones I have seen highlighted:

Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Grave of the Fireflies
My Neighbour Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Only Yesterday
Porco Rosso
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbours the Yamadas
Spirited Away
The Cat Returns
Howl's Moving Castle
Tales from Earthsea
Ponyo
The Secret World of Arrietty
From Up on Poppy Hill
The Wind Rises
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
When Marnie Was There

Now that I have a good chunk of these delightful films under my belt, I figured I'd share which ones have been my favourites. Although I fully expect this list might change as I get to view more of them, here are my current top 5 in no particular order! (And my goodness was it hard to pick between a couple!)