#magpieposting

I hope everyone involved with that movie feels so satisfied with what they made. It had some overly quick pacing, which my dad attributes that to Gen Alpha attention spans being shorter. But besides that, it is a REALLY damn good movie. Strong 8/10!

GOAT has a repetitive plot on paper. Down on his luck guy who always dreamed of being a sports star gets signed unto his favorite team who is having a slump. I mean, that has to be at least half of sports movies lol. But where GOAT sets itself apart is it’s gorgeous visuals, immersive world, witty dialogue, killer soundtrack, and SO much heart and charm 🩷.

Gabrielle Union as Jett is a big stand out for me. The whole cast shines but Jett is my fav. She, like the protagonist, falls into a common sports movie archetype, the “washed out” GOAT. It’s a refreshing switch to see a mentor/rookie dynamic between a younger man and older woman. Her and Will’s relationship is one of the emotional cores of the movie and they share the screen so well together.

One of the most underrated parts of the movie is the dialogue and writing. Social media is used in a casual way that does not feel “how do you do fellow kids”, so to speak. The characters talk like people I would meet on real life (with the exception of the ever eccentric Modo). There are not many kids animated movies that use AAVE and slang correctly but GOAT is a clear example of it being doing it right. Generally, African-American culture in general is on full display here and I can’t imagine how many refrences I missed watching as a non-Black person. I’ve never been into sports (not in any fanbases, picked most stuff up through cultural osmosis) but you can tell the writers know this subculture inside and out. Sneaker and jersey culture, rivalries, chants, news coverage, legacy, trading, the fans. The script is just so thorough in so many ways!

Overall, GOAT took a repetitive concept and turned it into something truly special. Recommend anyone into animated movies or sports gives it a watch!

KOD feels so warm and comforting to watch (at least to me personally). The show definitely wears its heart on its sleeve and I think that’s what makes it so special. It has a genuine feel that I really vibe with. There are a few moments that feel so relatable to watch, like a king voicing this discomfort with being picked last or reflecting on group dynamics. No big drama was happening but I was still super invested cause I wanted to see them succeed.

Murray Hill is a great host and presence but anyone who is familiar with his work doesn’t need me to tell them that. The panel of judges were solid and gave actual criticism. It’s cool seeing a production that genuinely wants their contestants to succeed and see their contestants as artists. That mindset is one of the reasons I was drawn to KOD in the first place.

It’s also nice to see drag that looks like… well normal drag lol. And I don’t mean normal like boring. I mean normal like reasonably priced. I feel like due to the beast that is Drag Race every drag show is expected to filled with ten thousand dollar costumes, designer pieces, and expensive gimmicks. It is refreshing to see drag performers who look similar to my local kings or acts I would see preforming at a convention. It feels more representative of the majority of artists and the art form in general.

Irish Dancer Miku 🇨🇮🩵✨

I usually don’t post my drawings on here but the “Miku in your own culture” trend is too cute not to participate in. So here’s Irish dancer Miku!

I only Irish danced for a year or so (soft-shoe) in elementary school but Irish dance was still a decent part of my life before high school. I did it, my sister did it, and lots of girls at my school did it too. Can you tell I come from a bit of an Irish-Catholic American background lol? Anyway, I kinda miss seeing it so often 🥹. It’s a very gorgeous and impressive art.

Miku here is dressed as a soloist in hard-shoe shoes. I’d imagine she is about to preform a jig.

(He's not dead btw. Just got laid off in recent Mattel employee purge)

Former principal designer for Barbie Signature, Bill Greening had worked at Mattel for 26 years. A few days ago, he announced via Instagram that he had "left the Dreamhouse". Although I have no doubt that Greening will go on to design more in the future (hopefully for a company like Integrity Toys, fingers crossed), seeing such a iconic and talented Barbie veteran kicked like this is very sad. It's especially frustrating knowing that Barbie has been dipping their toes into generative AI... Concerning to say the least :(.

Here is just some of the great work Bill has done during his time at Barbie:

The Barbie Basics + Barbie Basics Model (2010-2025) (line)

Red Carpet (line)

Birthstone Beauties™ (line)

Barbie Looks (2021-2024) (line)

Barbie City Shine (line)

Wizard of Oz + Wicked (2018) Barbies

Cher Bob Mackie Dolls

35th Anniversary Teresa (2023) + Christie 55th Anniversary Doll (2023)

Barbie x Bob Mackie Holiday Angels

Various vintage reproductions

And much more.

And some of my favorites <3

Halloween Haunt Barbie (2011)

Water Sprite Barbie (2016)

The Flintstones Barbies (2008)

And Birthstone Beauties (2007) (Miss Emerald pictured)

I don't collect expensive or collector dolls but I can still appreciate the beautiful dolls Greening designed for Barbie!! Literal eye candy <3

This whole situation, not just with Bill but all other employees, sucks. I can't imagine having basically your dream job stripped away from you like that </3.

Guys, please watch Long Story Short on Netflix.

It's a great adult cartoon from the dude who made Bojack Horseman. Don't go in expecting Bojack though; LSS is a lot less satirical and a lot more grounded in reality. The show is very earnest; the whole vibe feels like sitting in on a family dinner. I recommend watching with tissues if you are someone who cries easily.

It's only like 10 episodes too! Not a big commitment, time wise.

Long Story Short follows a Jewish American family consisting of a mild mannered father (Elliot), an outspoken mother (Naomi), and their three children (Avi, Shira, and Yoshi). The story is told nonlinearly throughout the children's lives (childhood, teen years, and adulthood). Other main characters include two of the children's partners, Jen and Kendra. Main themes include family, relationships, loss, and coming of age.

Some Reasons to Watch:

This genre of storytelling might not be for everyone but it is for me. Very emotional topics mixed with clever jokes, very typical of Raphael Bob-Waksberg's works. I'm planning on rewatching the series with my parents this winter. (Edit: Finished watching the series with my dad!)

It's very Jewish. And when I say Jewish, I mean as a central part of the shows identity. I was actually blown away by how thorough the show was with representing the Jewish American community. (P.S. I hope this doesn't this doesn't intimidate any other gentiles out there who might be interested in watching the show; I still highly recommend it. Even if you don't know a lot about Judaism or Jewish culture, the show doesn't keep you in the dark. Some references are more niche or will resonate more with Jewish viewers but it is still very enjoyable and pretty easy to follow. I do recommend googling some basic terms like bar mitzvah and kosher before hand though!)

The creative direction. So unique. At first, I wasn't sure about the art style but it really grows on you. The music is great as well!

Voice acting. Awesome. Main cast includes Ben Feldman, Angelique Cabral, Abbi Jacobson, Nicole Byer, Max Greenfield, Lisa Edelstein, and Paul Reiser.

A show that actually handles the pandemic non cringey? A first!!

Barbie must have gotten a new designer on the Fashionistas line cause wow. Is that an Odile mold? On a play line doll? Ken with a mullet? No T shirt dresses in sight? No clashing neon colors? These dolls aren't blowing me away but they still are a noticeable improvement*

*I'm still not planning on purchasing cause of my issues with Mattel (AI usage, massive layoffs of staff, mid quality, etc.) but I am admittedly glad that Barbie is stepping their game up a bit. Kids deserve better. Hopefully they got rid of the heavy pixelation as well.