July Updates

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re all well. It feels like the last month went especially quickly. It was a big one for me – I started my new job! I’m still working with homeless people as I was previously, but now in a mental health capacity (amongst other things), finally going back to my psychology routes. It’s a really weird feeling as I adored my old job, but I’m trying to enjoy the slow easing in and all of the new learning it’ll afford me. I’m sure I’ll talk more about it on the channel at some point in the future.

And I have even more good news – the video is finally, finally almost done. I tried out a slightly different workflow this time, actually doing a rough cut first. This might sound insane to fellow video creators but I usually do all the fine-tuning of the editing as I go, which has its benefits and pitfalls. The fact that I had a rough cut means I’m able to fly through this last part of editing (which is super bare-bones anyway) and finally have some momentum again. It will be up this month, so more on that soon!

Otherwise, here’s some of the stuff I’ve gotten through watching and reading this month:

Three Body Problem (TV)

Three Body Problem is a sci-fi Netflix show set between the UK and China. It’s really a case of the less you know the better, but suffice to say it involves aliens.

I was in the US earlier this month and had a quick browse through Netflix the night before my flight to look for something to watch. I’d heard Three Body Problem mentioned and thought it sounded intriguing, so settled on it. I watched most of the show with my friends I was visiting in the US over the rest of my visit.

I can’t say I recommend the show as much more than something to laugh at (we laughed at it a lot). It started off somewhat promising but the pacing kept ramping up, the characters’ actions (or at least the disconnect between their actions and emotions) felt increasingly unbelievable, and the female characters in particular were really disappointing. There were one or two characters I took to slightly but none of the performances were super standout either (no doubt not helped by how little there was to work with). Sorry to be so negative but this was not good!!

The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (film)

Another plane watch. This is the film adaptation of the Hunger Games prequel novel. I was big into Hunger Games back when the novels and original films were coming out but kind of aged out of it and stopped following the franchise in its later stages. Revisiting the series as an adult, I’ve been surprised at how well it holds up, and how some of its more mature ideas are actually easier to parse now (I remember feeling the final novel was needlessly bleak when I read it and haven’t revisited it, but now find the film at least quite poignant).

Unfortunately, Ballad didn’t impress me to the same extent. I do think the lead actor’s performance was very strong and the film’s portrayal particularly of domestic violence was quite powerful and well-realised, but I don’t know how well it all links up with the original trilogy. I haven’t read it since I was a teen so can’t say too much, but the focus on Snow’s desensitisation to violence, loss of empathy and increasingly controlling nature weren’t necessarily in-line with the person he seems to be in the series’ present-day -- cold, but actually very good at empathising and then emotionally manipulating, having supreme control of his emotions, and endorsement of violence as a tool rather than complete disregard for it. It’s not inconceivable to see him ending up here from the end of Ballad, but it feels like the film ends where the development of that persona begins. I also felt that the female lead had depressingly little agency within the narrative and just didn’t contribute much aside from as a means to develop Snow. The huge class element of his character development and its relevance to the wider story also felt bizarrely disregarded beyond superficial references in the broad strokes of the plot, despite this being arguably the major strength of the series. Ballad has the same director as the previous films save the first, so I’m not sure how or why this happened. I will say the games were entertaining to watch as ever, though I’m conscious that if that’s my biggest takeaway, there’s an issue, considering what series this is. The musical thing they were trying to shoehorn in was also really odd and off-putting!! Entertaining enough but not an amazing watch.

The Athenian Murders by José Carlos Somoza

I had the pleasure of visiting Athens for the first time in June but knew very little about it, so picked up this novel as a way to better familiarise myself with and immerse myself in the city.

The Athenian Murders is a novel containing two stories – that of the primary text, a murder mystery set in Ancient Greece, and the second happening in the novel’s (also fictitious) footnotes written by the text’s translator. The book is heavily metafictional and increasingly bizarre as it progresses. It also naturally references and incorporates philosophical concepts, particularly those of Plato. I wasn’t in love with it, but it was an interesting read, and would be for those who’re a fan of such elements in fiction (many of you I’m sure).

The Traitors UK (S1)

So I’m not much of a reality TV consumer, but anybody else who lives in the UK will have caught wind of the hype around The Traitors, and I finally succumbed. In the show, 22 people move into a castle, three of whom are randomly and secretly given the role of ‘traitor’. Each night, the traitors pick somebody to ‘kill’ and remove from the game. In the day, the group take part in tasks to build up the prize fund, in the evening, they vote collectively to try to eliminate a traitor. Whichever group is last one standing wins the money.

It’s a pretty simple premise but one of the most entertaining to see play out. The layers upon layers of deception happening both between and within each group as the players form genuine relationships and weigh up what they want to come of the game make for really interesting viewing from a psychological standpoint. I became absolutely hooked and now have to stop myself from watching the second series lest it take over my life. There are US and Australian versions, as well as the Dutch original. Recommend!

Alice in Borderland (S2)

I put this one off but again was looking for something to watch on the plane and finally got through Season 2 of Alice in Borderland over the course of the month.

I felt mixed about the first season (I haven’t read the source material FYI) – it was entertaining but didn’t bowl me over. I definitely found the second season more gripping and there was a lot to appreciate about it. The cinematography, sets/CG and fight choreography and performances were all super impressive. I’m also already a fan of the composer from Babylon, and he did a great job bringing the drama, emotion and excitement – some scenes really had my heart pumping. The whole show felt like a really grand, big budget production, moreso than the first, and in some ways episodes felt like they were approached as cinematic pieces, which was fun and very enjoyable. I found Chishiya’s character the most interesting, and I did enjoy Arisu’s development.

On the other hand, the acting was often underwhelming and a bit stiff to me across most of the cast, and there were some really odd writing decisions. It felt ridiculous at points that characters managed to escape certain situations without injury, and I had quite a few gripes with the last episode in particular. I didn’t feel like the conclusion had as much weight or thematic resonance as it easily could have had it been tweaked even a little in quite obvious ways. The more I say, the more I realise this could easily be a video topic… If anybody has either seen the show and/or read the manga, let me know what you think. I do think AiB is worth watching on the whole, but it’s a case of missed potential in my opinion.

That’s everything for now, but I’ll be back very soon!!