Monthly Media is Neat: July 2018

Summer movie blockbuster time! Ah what a great way to beat the heat and see some silly fun. Oh also I read some books and played some games and stuff. Here’s to July!

Film:

Incredibles 2 (2018)
Worth the wait and still my favourite super hero franchise/interpretation of superheroes put to film. The villains are consistently complex and semi sympathetic, the powers continue to be explored and utilized in creative ways, and the heart of both films is still a family just trying to make it. I wish Frozone’s spouse got a little something different, but that’s me stretching to find something to talk about other than how stellar this movie is.

Ant Man & The Wasp (2018)
This went above and beyond any of my expectations. While I miss some of the comedic timing/visuals of the first (in playing with size), this film is really embracing the weird of the cinematic universe and I am ON BOARD! While I’m sure the budget for a film set entirely in the quantum realm would be too high (same for Doctor Strange and the sorts of places he could go), I’m happy with what we did get.

Jurassic World 2 (2018)
I went into this with low expectations and hot dang did it deliver! I mean it’s not as smart as the first film (none of the sequels are) but this one had plenty of tension, lots of cool dinosaur action, and was FUN! I really appreciate where this is all headed and, for the first time in a long time, I’m looking forward to the next one.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor (2018)
Having no deep connection to the show, this was a fascinating exploration of Mr. Rogers and his worldview. It’s wonderful to see someone so passionately speak with children’s best intentions in mind and for him to do so for so long. I just wish it got a little into more of his personal life. Or perhaps just a little more into how the show affected his personal life? There were bits and hints, but I just wanted them to follow those threads a little longer.

Television:

GLOW (Episode 2.01 to 2.10)
Of the Netflix series I’ve watched recently, this was one of the few that really felt like an improvement or continuation of the first season. Some plot points/characters don’t progress, sure, but it feels like what the characters would do and not a result of poor writing. Plus we finally get to see a “full episode” of the show! It may be weird from the perspective of pacing, but I think it’s a nice touch to show the meta audience what the in-universe fans are seeing. Oof and the hotel room stuff? Heavy. But it’s still a wonderfully silly show that has fun! Clearly this was a rollercoaster for me.

The Bachelorette (Episode 14.05 to 14.09)
Blake is too pure for this show but I suppose he’s the perfect antithesis to Garret’s weird political views. With that said, seeing Garrett’s family really hit home that he’s a product of upbringing. Garrett’s dad mocked him for expressing love to his grandmother! This is either the father’s mother or mother-in-law; what a weirdly toxic household! Watching this show is stressful.

The Great British Baking Show  (Episode 2.01 to 2.03)
We’ve just started the season and hot cross buns is it good to be back! So kind. So supportive. So talented. It’s all just so nice.

Reading:

Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman
(Page 56 of 270)
Perfect beach read despite having not been to the beach yet. It’s quick and light and as gossipy as I’d hope a book about the Bachelor family of products would be. I’m not terribly deep into how the sausage is made yet but it’s already fascinating.

The Dying Earth by Jack Vance
(Complete)
Really fantastic, and this is coming from someone who generally has trouble with short story collections. The fantasy setting (with a touch of futuristic science fiction) is a lot of fun and the writing was wonderfully atmospheric. The women still tend to only get stories that end in romance buuuuuut it was the fifties so I’m not totally surprised. If you’re into a quick read with some zany fantasy premises, check it out.

X-Men: Grand Design (Treasury Edition) by Ed Piskor
(Complete)
In concept, this is great. I wish more classic comics would get a condensed version of the history to catch readers up or to give them a general sense of what sorts of stories the characters get into. I mean I have no idea what the old Fantastic Four comics were about and something like this would help a lot. With that said, I found myself reading this more like a textbook and less like a story. Piskor does a great job at weaving years of narrative into a single tale, but it’s a fine line between brisk storytelling and wikipedia entry. Basically I’m not sure how I feel about it BUT if you want to know more about the early years of the X-Men, pick it up.

Audio:

Say It Out Loud by The Interrupters (2016)
Having never heard them before, I was immediately drawn in by their killer performance at the latest (and last) Warped Tour. Ska + Aimee Allen’s gravely vocals are exactly the sort of high energy/rebellion that I need in my music right now.

Whomp That Sucker by Sparks (1981)
How have I never known about Sparks?!? I love humour in my 80s pastiche and this has it in spades. Definitely going to be checking out more of their discography.

Gaming:

Dungeons & Dragons Hexcrawl Campaign (Wizards of the Coast)
The party were all turned into dragons, then pursued an ancient dragon with intent to destroy and bring utter chaos. The party, being relatively pacifist, tried to talk through the situation. The dragon, being a beast of cunning and guile, filibustered to the point that their transformations wore off, now leaving them fatigued and stranded in the forest. Also there’s some internal drama as one character’s origins were recently revealed to be something other than what she was telling everyone. It’s pretty intense.

And that’s it! As always, recommendos for stuff to read/watch/hear/play/see are always welcome!

Happy Tuesday!