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The Platform (2019) Review

April 05, 2020

I am writing this past four in the morning having just watched The Platform . I am kept awake, not out of astonishment, or awe, or fear, but pure anger, for having wasted my time on this movie. The Platform depicts inmates placed in a vertical prison (named The Hole ) made up of hundreds of levels, with two individuals on each floor. The title of the film is derived from the concrete platform which delivers a banquet of food downward every day, from the highest level all the way to the bottom. Those at the top have the privilege of eating as much as they wish and those on lower floors will have to settle for the unappetizing leftovers. As the platform descends even lower, no food is left, and you can take a wild guess on what becomes the substitute. I was extremely drawn to the premise of The Platform and set aside everything else for it. I built up the anticipation in my head for days, which was why the disappointment hit me harder than usual. I do no

Oregairu (2013) Review

April 03, 2020

Alternately known as My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As I Expected, Oregairu tells the story of Hikigaya Hachiman, an apathetic high school student with a nihilistic view on youth and life in general. Due to his unique personality and outlook on life, he spent most of his time as a loner, but make no mistake, he is not necessarily lonely. The series began when Hachiman’s teacher made him join the Volunteer Service Club as a punishment for writing an essay mocking social relationships. This introduced him to Yukinoshita Yukino, another outcast in the school. Together with another member, Yuigahama Yui, they solved problems brought forward by other students, but with Hachiman on the team, the methods are bound to be unconventional. Now..... where do I even begin? Oregairu is one of those anime I doubt I would have enjoyed as much when I was younger. I decided to give it a shot because it was suggested by one of my favourite anime Youtubers, Scamboli R

Extraordinary You (2019) Review

March 27, 2020

Extraordinary You is a romance fantasy about a high school student, Eun Dan-Oh, who started experiencing gaps in her memory. Sometimes hours, days or even weeks pass by within a blink, but she seems to be the only one going through this. Soon enough, Dan-Oh discovered that she’s actually a character in a comic book, and that the world she lives in plus the people around her are all created by an author. Unlike most characters, Dan-O has obtained her ego, meaning that she is able to form independent thought outside of her designated role. To kick things off, I would rate Extraordinary You average at most. There were countless moments during this show where I wanted to quit. It has 16 episodes in total, and I managed to get to 15 after pushing myself for the sake of gathering enough information to write this review. It’s difficult to discuss this show without revealing some key parts, so I apologize in advance. If you’re tolerant towards minor spoilers, I’

Kokoro Connect (2012) Review

March 23, 2020

Kokoro Connect revolves around five ordinary high school students who, unbeknownst to others, are switching bodies among themselves at random. Only minimal explanation is given about this occurrence, which is forgivable, because the focus of this show is not so much on why it happens but rather, on how they deal with it and go about their lives. Kokoro Connect is a psychological slice of life which is less plot-driven and more character-driven. A huge chunk of the show is carried by the dialogues among the five friends, which is usually difficult to pull off unless there is actual substance to their personalities. Fortunately, the script it solid, and in the midst of dealing with the emotional repercussions of this phenomenon, they also help each other overcome their past trauma. When you take over someone else's body, you can imagine how much more you start learning about them, now that you're literally living in their shoes. The same goes when someone else tak

Writing Prompt - "Swimming Pool"

January 25, 2020

JAN 2020 – “Swimming Pool” Liz has lived much of her younger years in this neighbourhood, and has passed this street more times than there are days in a year. The street is lined on both sides with similar-looking one-storey houses, apart from their colours and garden landscapes. Some of the kids in these houses went to her school, so they made it a habit to walk together in the mornings. All but one of them - the girl who lived in the house at the end of the street. The house at the end of the street stuck out like a sore thumb; not because it was odd in appearance, but because it was much larger and built on elevated ground. Despite its size, the house seemed warm and inviting, never intimidating. It was painted in white - a humble choice, Liz thought - and the gates were carved with simple motifs. Liz could not help herself but to peer into the white house every time she walked past. And there she would see it: the swimming pool, glistening in the morning sun. Sometime

Yours, Lan Zhan

December 18, 2019

Five years after Wei Ying's passing, Lan Zhan writes him a short letter. . . . Dear Wei Ying, This morning, I woke up with the sudden realization that all memories of you I hold onto so tightly; your face, your laugh, your witty comments, your booming smile, are starting to fade. With every passing day, my fear of forgetting you grows stronger. These memories are all I have, as there is nothing else to remember you by. There was, and is, no one else quite like you. You stormed into every situation at full speed; chaotic, fearless, intense, beaming. You were intelligent, powerful, empathetic, and so, so selfless. You were admirable, and the world let you down when they failed to recognize that. I hate it more than anything else, seeing you being wronged. Hearing made-up rumors about the Yiling Patriach, each one worse and more inaccurate than the one before. Wei Ying, I am not a man of many words, and there's nothing I regret more than the things I left unsaid.

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