an experience of age, bully and afterlife

13 Reasons Why - a Ghost Story - Big Mouth
pop culture dailies 014

 A week hiatus after all those craziness last week, I can finally put together these properties that are based on real life experiences and adding or creating as they see fit ...:

! 13 Reasons Why s01e01 Tape 1, Side A [NETFLIX] ! Spoiler Warning !

I've known of this show and its much debated reputation because of the controversial real life social tragedy it based itself on: suicide. Whether or not the show in and of itself a well executed production, Netflix has always more than most been releasing original quality products and this in my opinion is another feather in the cap. The real heated discussion on the internet around its release is on how it romanticizes the act itself and how dramatic the whole journey leading up to it, criticizing that it might make it more relatable to the public especially the younger demography and present it as a viable way to end their life. This whole back and forth exchange on the viability of the series truth be told is the main reason I'd been holding it off, that was until now. After finishing the first episode, I can actually see both sides' points. As it revolves around a female teenager and how her own teenage drama affected her in the most negative way possible that it pushed her over the edge. I had been there myself and I can really relate to how dramatic their train of thoughts would be during those troubled times and for better or worse, the narrative would follow that perspective and view the world through their eyes. It is a slow unraveling of what happened to her that started it all which leads to her ultimate decision, while the aftermath being much more punctuated with the smart editing choice going back forth between before and after the incident. Since it is quite a dire topic, I am not sure if I wanted to jump straight back into it but colour me intrigued!

a Ghost Story [A24]

Indies could be depend on bringing something special or at least novel on the table and while that term has been abused tremendously recently, there is always some gems once in a blue moon such as this one in particular. I've heard of the film simply because of the buzz around Casey Affleck (can you separate the artist from the art?) being under a bed sheet for almost the whole runtime as a ghost but after seeing it myself, there is actually more to it than meets the eyes. As I've mentioned before, the whole storyline is revolving around a couple or more specifically the man in the relationship and how they are with each other and the house they live in ... when he, surprise surprise, passes away early in the first act, what happens after that is the meat of the film, how the Rooney Mara's character mourns his death and how he deals with his own. The supernatural nature of having the soul still lingers around because of unfinished business is an intriguing premise in and of itself and I applaud the filmmaker for even attempting to tackle it. The slowburn nature of the storytelling put the viewers effectively in the perspective of the ghost and how it is filmed and the grainy texture filter over the scenes certainly help in adding to the atmosphere. Where it eventually goes surprises me positively, and I hope you'll like it too.

Big Mouth s01e01 Ejaculation [NETFLIX]

Puberty is a b***h! This is especially true for those youths who are affected directly by the hormones inside their body, changing their physical forms that would transition them into adulthood although the process itself could be really traumatic and life-changing if they didn't know how to deal with it. I can vouched for that unfortunately from my own personal experiences since there is no sex education here in Malaysia at all and I had to make do with what I could find in the internet. That is why I love that Netflix is willing to tackle this very relatable matter head on with an uncensored animated series, Big Mouth. The reason I mention it is uncensored is because it shows the showrunner's genuine intention to educate the young minds with an educational approach, with much needed levity in the form of light crude humours that would be synonymous with such subject. Since everyone is affected in a different way by hormones, they smartly use it to their advantage by comparing the two friends with each other, how one is affected mentally with that hormone monster while the other materializes in how his body grows. Highlighting the different family support is also important since no matter how supportive or ill-conceived their approach is, it is up to the kids themselves whether or not to accept and apply their advice or just do as they please, for better or for worse. If you're not afraid of you children of a little dirty jokes that they might already be exposed to in today's day and age to be educated while still being entertained, this is a perfect series for them!

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Well, that's all folks! Thank you for your time and please do come back for my future posts! :-)