Haim Reviews

This is a hard post to write without giving away too much information but I will avoid spoilers where possible.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events is a children’s book series written by Daniel Handler under the fictional name of Lemony Snicket. The books chronicle the whereabouts of the Baudelaire orphans and the unfortunate journey that begins with the death of their parents in a house fire. The series is widely celebrated for its melancholy style and wit. Alongside the Harry Potter Series, it played a major role in me wanting to read books regularly.

What makes this series such a joy is its world building and subtlety. Outside the main series, there are various supplementary books and letters all within the same fictional universe. What makes this even more important is that these texts add to the main series, adding depth and background left undiscussed by other characters in the series. Even within the main series, there is a complexity not often seen in children’s literature. The twists in the series are brilliantly executed and add more weight to previous events in a way which may at times only be noticed as an adult. The inclusion of Lemony Snicket as not just a fictional author but character with connections to various characters in the story makes the series more engaging and sets it apart from many other children’s books. The series sets itself up as a reality that the reader must unravel over time and engages the reader without directly asking them to solve anything. Answers are sometimes left vague or unanswered at first glance but clues are hidden throughout the series and supplementary texts that may have answers. This may also be why the series has attempted twice to be made into a visual medium. It’s difficult to adapt something that takes full advantage of its original medium.

Many people are currently posting strong opinions about the planned removal of Apu from The Simpsons, so here are some quick thoughts. Keep in mind.m, this is coming from a mixed-race Aussie with no known Indian heritage so there are limits in my knowledge and experience.

Apu, like all Simpsons characters, is a broad stereotype. He has an exaggerated accent, works in a convenience store and has questionable ethical practices within that store. Apu is also an educated family man with a history of being good with women and is envied for his commitment to Valentines Day. He also plays a pivotal role in Lisa feeling accepted as a vegetarian. Regardless of whether he began as a one-note stereotype, he became a fully fleshed-out character over time.

The problem may be attributed to the world outside the show as much as (if not more than) the character himself. People are much more likely to quote funny sounding catchphrases than reaffirming lines about identity. As such, bullies and even misguided friends may have made many Indian people feel mocked due to this character. The lack of popular Indian characters would have also played a role in this.

For the sake of this post, I am breaking the illusion of anonymity somewhat.  Given that I don’t have many followers, this isn’t really an issue but I do hope this message makes a difference to someone out there.

I have hydrocephalus.  The specifics of the condition itself are fairly irrelevant to this post but what is important is that it effects the brain.  These effects vary from person to person but one effect it has on me is how I respond to the world.  While I have never been officially diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, there are small behaviours I have that tend to correlate.

Both Revival and Kamikaze are interesting albums that see Eminem in positions he hasn’t been in a while.  With Revival, Eminem had varied subjects ranging from the pressure to follow up is last album, sex, women, politics and his struggle overcoming an overdose.  Kamikaze, with some exceptions, had the aim of showing Eminem could still top any other rapper and take down critics of Revival.  Which album was best overall?  The response seems mixed but here is my reasoning.

Revival is an extremely bloated album with an interlude and track intro that never needed to be there.  While it was heavily criticised before release for the number of featuring artists, only one seemed to be a genuine issue.  P!nk and Eminem work well together but “Need Me” is much more fitting as a P!nk track than an Eminem one.  The album also has some embarrassingly bad puns in the tracks “Remind Me” and “Heat” which will vary depending on your threshold for dad jokes.  The production is varied, starting with a piano track, trap beats, rock samples, rap ballads and the strange combination of sounds used in “Offended”.  While the production can be extremely flawed at times, the variation keeps things interesting even in lesser tracks.  Where the album shines is in how it starts and ends.  The first five tracks of the album are great before “Remind Me (Intro)” stops the momentum and the final two tracks are extremely powerful when heard together as intended.  It’s a hit and miss album with some great highs.

Eminem has a problem.  The last few years have made his lyrics increasingly uncomfortable to defend.  In late 2017, he released Revival, a divisive album that many weren’t a fan of.  One issue that was touched upon a great deal in recent years is his contradictory lyrics, calling out bigotry will being part of the problem.  This is not a new issue.  In 2013, the opening track of Marshall Mathers LP2 seemingly addressed his sexism and homophobic slurs as a problem, yet both were consistently in the rest of the album.  To get to the point, this review will not defend Eminem against the issues of sexism and homophobia being raised regarding both his former work and Kamikaze.  He is still problematic in that regard and others have covered it already.

Kamikaze is a strange album in many ways.  The cover pays homage to Licensed To Ill with a small number of changes.  Some of the lyrics take aim at people who disliked Revival and the instrumental and vocal flow often delve into other artists’ styles.  In most cases, this would simply be copying someone else but Eminem seems to be actively trying to top multiple artists in their own territory.  He takes hints of multiple rappers then raps at insane speeds in an attempt to show them how it should be done.  Eminem pushes himself to go faster in these tracks more consistently then in any of his recent releases.  Instead of one fast verse in one song (like in “Rap God” or “Offended”) he attempts it in multiple songs showing that even in his forties, he can still push himself.  The instrumentals often do little to impress with the lack of Rick Rubin being extremely noticeable after his work on the previous two albums.  The music is more electronic than in previous releases lacking the funk and catchy bass lines of Dr Dre or the rock elements of Rubin.

Introduction: I would like to look at some forms of media through the lens of hydrocephalus.  Hydrocephalus is a medical condition which causes excess spinal fluid to leak around one’s brain.  This build-up of fluid can cause headaches, nausea and many other effects I will cover in these posts, including death if left unresolved.  Here is a look at Iron Man (aka Tony Stark) from a hydrocephalus perspective.

Iron Man isn’t the only comic to indirectly or directly discuss disability or medical conditions.  Origins: Wolverine gave a new perspective on chronically ill children.  Outside of Marvel, DC gave Barbara Gordon a new direction as Oracle after The Joker left her paralysed.  She was able to still contribute greatly despite her new disability.  Hydro Girl is a comic specifically written for those with hydrocephalus and covers the matter brilliantly.  I will try to cover this series on a later date.  Iron Man is not about hydrocephalus but explores disability in a way which lends itself perfectly to a hydrocephalus discussion.

Iron Man has a disability, if one were to consider Darth Vader’s reliance on his armour to survive also a disability.  If one were to be more critical, he is at least an analogy to disability.  Tony Stark requires his electromagnet chest piece to keep shrapnel from reaching his heart after an incident in Afghanistan.  Without this, he would not live.  People with hydrocephalus require surgical adjustments to protect them from the effects of the condition.  The most notable of these approaches is the use of a shunt, a tube which relocates fluid from around the brain to another location.  Much like the electromagnetic chest piece, this is necessary to survive.  Tony builds an Arc Reactor to power the magnet, which helps him become more mobile.  He later uses the Arc Reactor to power his Iron Man suit.  To put it in clichéd terms, Tony turns his setback into a strength.  This is a powerful message for anybody with a medical condition or disability requiring artificial support.  The addition is not the problem, it is the solution.

Introduction: I would like to look at some forms of media through the lens of hydrocephalus.  Hydrocephalus is a medical condition which causes excess spinal fluid to leak around one’s brain.  This build-up of fluid can cause headaches, nausea and many other effects I will cover in these posts, including death if left unresolved.  Here is a look at the song “Give Me Novacaine” by Green Day from a hydrocephalus viewpoint by going through the lyrics line by line.

Take away the sensation inside. Bitter sweet migraine in my head. Hydrocephalus causes head pain but this pain can be a signifier that something is wrong and what the cause may be. It's like a throbbing tooth ache of the mind I can't take this feeling anymore The condition should not be left unresolved. Drain the pressure from the swelling The sensation's overwhelming. The condition can cause either either high or low intracranial pressure depending on the circumstances.  The condition can initially cause a skull to increase size if left untreated too long.

Give me a long kiss goodnight and everything will be alright Tell me that I won't feel a thing So give me Novacaine This song is about drug addiction but in this reading the pain killers are relief from symptoms of the condition.

Introduction: I would like to look at some forms of media through the lens of hydrocephalus.  Hydrocephalus is a medical condition which causes excess spinal fluid to leak around one’s brain.  This build-up of fluid can cause headaches, nausea and many other effects I will cover in these posts, including death if left unresolved.  Here is a look at Harry Potter from a hydrocephalus viewpoint.

There is no clear connection between the Harry Potter series and any specific disability or medical condition.  The series definitely delves into bigotry and mistreatment but generally focuses on race parallels.  The series works more as an analogy to World War II if a real-life comparison is to be made.

So how can the series be connected to hydrocephalus?  Harry himself has many incidental connections to the effects and symbols of the condition.  Most notably, he has a scar as the result of surviving an incident during childhood.  People with hydrocephalus experience a range of surgeries to manage the condition.  As a result, one or multiple scars on their head is unavoidable.  If we are to view Voldermort as a representation of the condition itself and Harry’s mother’s love being protection from the effects of the condition, the comparison fits relatively well.  Harry’s scar tends to hurt in certain circumstances and he must learn to understand what it means, much like someone with hydrocephalus learning to distinguish between various headaches.

Harry is also notable for wearing glasses.  Hydrocephalus can potentially effect vision (either for life or temporarily).  The problem with reading into this attribute of Harry’s design is that it appears to be a genetic situation.  James Potter, Harry’s father also wore glasses so it is unlikely that Harry’s vision is the result of surviving Voldermort’s attack as a baby.

Context: This review comes from the perspective of someone who loves the cult bad movie The Room as well as the book and film versions of The Disaster Artist.  The film was viewed at a screening featuring actor/writer Greg Sestero.  This review will try to avoid spoilers.

Best F(r)iends was a risky film to make.  With The Room gaining further cult status over time via online reviews, word of mouth and The Disaster Artist, Greg Sestero had a big obstacle to overcome; making Tommy Wiseau work now that he is self-aware.  Wiseau has attempted multiple times to capitalise on The Room’s success with The Neighbours and The Tommy Wi-Show but neither quite worked.  Wiseau is at his funniest when not trying to be funny.

Best F(r)iends is the first feature-length endeavour since The Room to feature both Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau in lead roles.  While Wiseau was only acting this time around, Sestero took a shot at writing the script.  The result is a film that is still surreal but more competent.  As Sestero himself discussed last night in Sydney, the film plays to Wiseau’s strengths with a role tailored to his quirks.

While the film is far from flawless, with constant instances of “crossing the line” during conversation shots and an accidental interruption kept in the film, the chemistry between the two leads makes the film extremely enjoyable.  Wiseau as the quirky mortician Harvey is perfectly awkward, quirky and uncomfortable.  Sestero as the complicated, homeless Jon has some legitimately well-acted moments where his face does all the talking.  While the early scenes of the film drag on significantly, Sestero’s expressions sell every moment of despair and hilarity.  Kristen StephensonPino does a great job as Traci, balancing the caring nature of the character with the no-nonsense attitude as the film progresses.

The score, by Daniel Platzman, is justifiably unsettling even when it needs to be soft or romantic.  The score adds tension to scenes even when things seem otherwise calm, implying something more sinister on the horizon.  While this seems odd at first, it starts to seem more intentional after a while.

One common trend I’ve seen over the years, which many reviewers have critiqued, is the idea that films such as Blazing Saddles could not be made today due to their use of racial humour.  Even director Brooks himself claimed “politically correct society is the death of comedy”.  In the last year, we have seen the Simpsons character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon reanalysed and discussed as a troubling representation.  What do these two examples say about modern society and pop culture?

To begin, it’s worth discussing the two separately.  Blazing Saddles is a western comedy about racism and bigotry which actively shows that discrimination could potentially not only stop society progressing but also end it.  Sheriff Bart is chosen to protect a town named Rock Ridge on the basis of being African American.  Attorney general Hedley Lamarr plans to use this to make the town collapse so a railroad can be built through it.  The only way for the residents to overcome the railroad being built through their town is to accept Sheriff Bart and by extension African Americans as a whole.  The film shows racism as regressive and its two protagonists are represented as progressive in their morals.  The first line by Gene Wilder’s Jim is “Are we black?” when asked if he is awake.  This is strongly connected with the basis of the film.  Jim is aware of the prejudice in the town and, while not racist himself, is legitimately surprised about the town having an African American sheriff to the point of questioning if he is still dreaming.  This line is also rooted in character as Jim’s reality may be slightly blurred due to his alcoholism revealed soon after.

Most race-related lines have a similar context.  An old lady in the town calls Bart the N word which may seems to be just shock humour with a racial angle but also says a great deal about the town.  The initial slur isn’t said as a result of the lady not being aware of changing times but as a result of genuine dislike.  In having this specific character say the line, it is showing that even characters who would generally be presented as harmless are filled with prejudice.  This makes the town’s changing views later in the film more powerful.  Context for dialogue is extremely important in discussing this film.

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is seen as a troubling character.  As the key representation of Indian culture in the 90s, he was mostly just a stereotype throughout many of his early appearances until he was slowly fleshed-out over time.  Throughout the years, Apu has gotten married, had his wife give birth to octuplets and helped Lisa connect with her newfound vegetarianism.  Of the extended characters, Apu is among the most complex and fleshed-out, so why is he troublesome?  The idea that Apu owns and works in a 7-11 parody called the Kwik-E-Mart isn’t inherently concerning as many 7-11 workers are Indian.  The issue is that, being the key representation of a whole race in the 90s, he should have been given more depth early on.  To have the Kwik-E-Mart be a key component of his character is an issue when that’s all people get to see of Indian culture.  The forced accent by a voice actor who is not Indian has a similar effect.  Most of the Simpsons cast are playing characters they have little in common with.  Nancy Cartwright plays a 10 year old boy, Harry Shearer plays a Dr who is a parody of an African American actor (which has since become troubling for other, more complex reasons).  The idea of someone playing another race, sex etc in an animated format isn’t inherently offensive, it comes down to, who else was there for Indian actors to play in America?  While Apu may not be the sole representation of Indian culture in pop culture now with the success of Big Bang Theory, Life Of Pi, Lion and more, the fact that he was their biggest voice at one point is where much of the concern appears to be rooted.

Matisyahu’s 2012 album Spark Seeker is a complicated album to discuss.  The album continues the shift towards a more pop sound with rap influences that Matisyahu had explored in his previous release, Light while also being released during a moment of extreme personal reflection.  A year before the release of Spark Seeker, Matisyahu shaved his iconic beard and continued his journey to find himself.  The combination of a shift towards pop and a slow drift from traditional orthodox practices may have been a major risk being an orthodox reggae artist was what got him universal attention and lead people to discover he was more than a novelty act.  Since then, Matisyahu also stopped wearing a kippah/yamulke but there is still an ongoing journey in his music in which he is trying to connect with his spirituality.

While Matisyahu’s journey is often a key theme in his lyrics, it’s important to not overlook the album on its own accord.  Spark Seeker is a unique mix of pop, hip hop, reggae vocals and Middle Eastern instrumentation that works much better than it should.  The experimentation in this album makes it a unique experience that may seem odd at first.  Two songs begin with speeches, multiple end with a change in instrumentation, talking or even strange, monstrous sounds.

The production on this album can be busy at times but never has too much going on to distract from the melody or vocals.  While Matisyahu’s previous album, Light, sounded great overall, it suffered from layering vocals too much (”We Will Walk” and “Smash Lies”) but everything on Spark Seeker manages to find a balance and this aspect makes the overall experience worthwhile.  The instrumentation ranges from minimal to extremely layered and yet still feels like a coherent product throughout.

Image from: https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2018/03/ready-player-one-is-an-orgy-of-nostalgia-in-all-the-wrong-ways/

Ready Player One is an interesting film with some interesting ideas.  The world within the film is one which is in decline.  People escape the reality of their world through a game called The Oasis.  This game is set up to have real world consequences which could be explored more than they were.  At first glance, this is a great concept and is more coherent to a general audience than the likes of The Matrix but at times it doesn’t realise its own potential.  The film is filled almost entirely with references to other films, games and music from the past, with the reasoning of the game creator loved nostalgic pop culture.  On the one hand, the film sets up a great commentary about escapism through nostalgia which parallels its commentary on gaming.  On the other hand, it uses these references as easter eggs for the audience, letting the viewer feel a sense of intelligence for getting various references.  The potential of the aforementioned parallel is never fully explored and most of the commentary on escapism is focused on the gaming aspect, understandable considering director Steven Spielberg is arguably a major part of most viewers’ nostalgia himself.

The visuals in this film are brilliant, even if extremely artificial.  Given the context of the film, this works perfectly.  The brief moments of gaming landscapes and characters interacting with reality, aren’t as jarring as one might expect and are used sparingly.  The live action segments are fine but the focus is mostly on the game’s visuals for understandable reasons, the majority of the important actions takes place in the game or within enclosed locations.  The final act does have more variation with a chase scene occurring at the same time as in-game action.  The soundtrack is an 80s nostalgia trip which doesn’t seem out of place given recent Marvel and Netflix productions doing the same thing.  The score itself does its job without calling attention to itself.

The biggest flaw in the film is arguably its lead.  While Tye Sheridan does a fine job playing Wade Watts / Parzival, he is held back by lack of characterisation and rushed plot points.  His love for Samantha Cook/Art3mis is extremely rushed in order to get the plot moving faster and his character suffers as a result.  While their chemistry in both the CG and live action scenes is fine, there isn’t enough written in the script to build their relationship.  Olivia Cooke’s performance as Samantha is fantastic and there is more potential in her character to be an engaging lead.  The supporting cast do their job perfectly but are given less live action screen time to leave as much of an impact in that regard.  Their CG counterparts provide some great comedy and action, working off each other well.  Ben Mendelsohn as Nolan Sorrento is fairly one-dimensional and often incompetent as a character but his performance is very engaging much like in Rogue One.  It is difficult not to enjoy a Mendelsohn performance.  T.J. Miller as i-R0k, a freelance items dealer, is far too non-threatening but manages to provide some fantastic comedy throughout the film.

Image from: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/269520/a-series-of-unfortunate-events-season-2-images#0

Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events recently released it’s second of three seasons after a mixed to positive response for the first season.  These new episodes continue the unfortunate story of the Baudelaire orphans from books 5 through to 9.  These are the books in the series where things slowly start falling into place with the arrival of two of the Quagmire triplets and the introduction of Esmé Sqalor and Jacques Snicket.

The show has a knack for perfect or at least engaging casting choices and this season continues that tradition.  Nathan Fillion and Sara Rue (as Jacques Snicket and Olivia Caliban respectively) are fantastic editions to the cast and give more depth to the plot of the series so that events seem less episodic.  Kitana Turnbull is brilliantly frustrating as Carmelita Spats while Patrick Breen continues being hilarious as recurring VFD agent Larry Your-Waiter.  Sara Canning bounces perfectly off K. Todd Freeman as (Jacquelyn and Mr Poe respectively).  Neil Patrick Harris is still slightly too comedic at times as Count Olaf, often not being menacing enough but still being extremely entertaining throughout the season.  His scenes with Lucy Punch’s Esmé Squalor often come close to capturing the dynamic of the two characters despite some odd script decisions.  This season seems to have many more adult jokes hidden in it than the first, especially coming from Harris and Punch but balances it fairly well with plenty of entertainment for younger viewers.  Daniel Handler’s wit as Lemony Snicket in the books is still very present under the changes and Patrick Warburton’s dry delivery makes every line work.  While showing Snicket’s face still seems contradictory to the style of the source material, Warburton is a perfect casting decision.  Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes and Presley Smith continue to do a fantastic job despite being quite young (accurate to the source material).  They work extremely well with Avi Lake and Dylan Kingwell as Isadora and Duncan Quagmire.

The visuals continue the balance of questionable effects, artificial sets and legitimate sets creating a story-book or live play atmosphere at times.  In any other series, this may be an issue but since the plot is a recount of events by Snicket himself, it feels less jarring.  While the effects used for Sunny Baudelaire’s biting scenes can be distracting, it isn’t bad enough to completely take people out of the experience.  The pacing and music all function well, even if viewers may not enjoy musical numbers that are occasionally thrown into scenes.  The series never feels rushed as it spreads out the runtime well enough to cover the books while adding in elements that flesh out events and (in Sara Rue’s case especially) even characters.  These additional elements seemed odd at the start of the first season but, over the course of the sixteen episodes currently available, it has become clear why these were added and it appears to be a great decision.

Australian singer AViVA’s new single “Drown” is out today, the second single since her 2016 return with “GRRRLS”.  The track showcases the singer’s gift for blurring vulnerability and power while continuing the catchiness of her newer material.  While “GRRRLS” had a simple, yet effective, hook following the chorus, “Drown” catches the listener earlier with the vocal melody of the second half of the verse instantly sticking to one’s mind.  This part of the song also serves as a perfect bridge into AVIVA’s newer sound, maintaining the vocal harmonies of her earlier work while successfully translating it into a more uptempo track with a different flow.

Image from: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/backstage/2017/11/punk-protest-and-green-day-phil-jamieson-interview.html

American Idiot is a hard musical to pull of successfully, balancing musical theatre and a punk rock energy that should theoretically be at odds.  Lyrics need to be audible but rough, they need to be heard over instrumentation with heavy guitars, to pull this off successfully is an impressive feat.  This musical also had a lot to live up to after the popularity of the original cast, immortalised by the cast recordings and documentary footage.  A standard had been set for each character.

The performers, or at least casting director seemed well aware of this fact, with all performers finding a balance between fitting the original vision of the characters and renewing them.  Linden Furnell did a spectacular job as Johnny (the Jesus of Suburbia), with “When It’s Time” being a emotional standout along with “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, with both songs connecting narratively and musically.  Phoebe Panaretos went all-out vocally throughout the musical, leading to a powerful rendition of “Letterbomb”.  Phil Jamieson did a brilliant job as St Jimmy despite possibly going slightly too comedic with the vocals during the track named after his character.  He did brilliantly during every other aspect of the musical, filling the stage with energy every time he stepped onto it.  Kaylah Attard pulled off both a great vocal performance while doing fantastic aerial work during “Extraordinary Girl”,  Her and Connor Crawford (Tunny) performed the song perfectly and it was among one of the visual highlights of the musical.  Ashleigh Taylor and Alex Jeans were a perfect combination as Heather and Will respectively.  While Taylor’s vocal performance was definitely comparable to the original Heather, Mary Faber, opting for power over subtly during songs such as “Last Night On Earth” but doing so perfectly.  Her performance of that song in particular showed the raw, unsuppressed emotion felt by Heather towards her baby, changing the context of the song’s original lyrics in a beautiful way.

The Last Jedi is a polarising film which has the Star Wars fanbase split.  I have taken time to digest what I watched and discussed the film with other viewers.  The best possible conclusion, it takes risks and the success of that is where people are torn.  There were be minor spoilers but mostly things which were implied in the trailer.

The Force Awakens was successful but widely criticised for being far too similar the the franchises’ first release A New Hope.  Trailers for The Last Jedi had fans speculating much of the same for this instalment also which may have fuelled their confusion when what they got was quite different.  What they saw instead was another deconstruction of the Jedi mythos, questioning their god-like status.  This is seemingly what George Lucas attempted to do with the prequels and it is definitely done better here with Luke Skywalker’s conflict coming mostly from wanting to move on from what the Jedi were.  The conflict between Rey and Ben (Kylo Ren) mirrors this sense of frustration.  This also ties into Finn’s story to a lesser degree.  This is where the film finds most of its flaws.

Finn and Rose’s mission throughout the film often interrupts the Luke and Rey scenes, switching the momentum and tone drastically.  While their storyline does connect with the other two plots, it feels disjointed up until the final act and even then serves to have the same message as the other B plot.

The visuals and sound design in this film are fantastic with many comparing the visuals to that of anime.  Colour is used extremely well and the use of brilliant imagery often makes up for the occasionally unsubtle nods to the audience and social commentary.  There are lines in this film that are quite clearly aimed at criticism of the film and plot twists are seemingly pushed to mislead the audience’s expectation.  While the latter functions perfectly in terms of plot and character development, it can feel too much like it is addressing the audience as much as it is the characters.

Lastly, there is strong criticism over how the force is used in this film.  The force has been adjusted to fit directors’ needs from very early on with force ghosts and increasingly acrobatic abilities becoming part of Star Wars canon.  While the use of the force in this film may catch people off guard, the idea has been expanded already, this shouldn’t be an issue any more.