bakerstreetdozen Reviews

Alice in Borderland: Episode 8 (2022) Season 2, Episode 8

Explanation for those confused

[9/10 · 10 January 2023]

I see lots of people a bit, or very, confused about the ending, so major spoilers ahead as I make sense of it for you.

· · · · Borderland is a purgatory between life and death. When the "fireworks" hit in the real world before being sent to Borderland, those were actually meteorites. Everyone in the surrounding area of Shibuya then entered the purgatory state of Borderland where they played a series of games to fight to live -- just as their bodies in the real world were fighting to survive.

If people died in the Borderland games, that means their body didn't survive the meteorite crash, and they died in the wreckage. Those who made it through the games were presented with the choice to stay or go back. Those who stayed, died, and those who went back, woke up. This is why Arisu's friends didn't make it, but why people like Usagi, Aguni, Kuina etc. All survived and woke up.

In the manga, the Joker is a ferryman. He ushers people through life and death. In a game of cards, a Joker is also a wild card. This was likely a little nod from the ferryman to say that they survived Borderland, but now their last game to survive is life itself. Life is a wild card. The rules, like the games in Borderland, are simple, but the game is no less daunting. Things can happen you may not expect.

That's all. Hope it helps.

Cowboys (II) (2020)

Yes, trans people were involved

[7/10 · 7 January 2023]

Really not sure what the one reviewer is talking about when they say "no trans people were involved." The actor who plays the transgender child Joe (Sasha Knight) IS TRANS. He says in interviews he was assigned female at birth but is a boy. The director also says she went out of her way to hire an actor with the lived experience of being trans. She also went out of her way to speak directly with other trans kids and their parents in order to make sure the movie and role were respectful.

Please actually do some research before making such a brash assumption. A trans child played a trans character, trans people WERE INVOLVED.

Snack vs. Chef (2022– )

Take a shot every time they say "umami"

[3/10 · 30 December 2022]

Good lord, if you took a shot every time someone said "umami", you would be drunk in no time at all. It's annoying how often they say it. Every single thing is umami this, umami that. Enough already.

I like the general concept of the show, but the execution just sucks. The music in the background was constantly playing and was too shrill and irritating. The judges say the same thing over and over. Not a lot of focus on recreating these classic snacks, more focus was on "taking a detail" from the snack and making something new which didn't work out very well most of the time. Lacks umami 🙄

If they just stuck to trying to recreate the snacks, it might be fun. It was just annoying.

Blockbuster (2022)

Not as bad as the bad reviews say, but not great

[6/10 · 6 November 2022]

I'm a millennial born in the late eighties, so Blockbuster was a huge cornerstone of my childhood and teenage years. The people there knew my brother and I by name, and even gave us some free copies of things over the years because we would rent them so often. I have a huge nostalgia for the people and place as a result, so I thought I would really love this show, especially since I loved Superstore, which has some related producers/writers.

It's sadly nowhere near as good as Superstore. I don't think it's self-aware or clever enough to be airing on a place like Netflix, given that Netflix is the biggest reason why Blockbuster went out of business in the first place. The actors all do a pretty decent job, but the jokes just don't land as well as they could or should, often leaving me just smiling rather than laughing out loud.

Having said that, it's also nowhere near as bad as a 1, 2, or 3-star show, which is the majority of the ratings on here. That's shockingly low for what's actually here, so I'm not quite sure where those numbers are coming from since it's a very inoffensive comedy. The worst you could call it is mediocre.

It may be worth a watch if you're an elder millennial or Gen X and have that nostalgia, but I wouldn't expect it to be as good as Superstore.

The Boys (2019– )

Superhero satire at its best

[9/10 · 18 July 2022]

This show is both dark and comedic, and manages to make fun of both the superhero genre and the current US political climate in so many fun ways. It's extremely graphic (and seems to get even more so as the seasons go on), but the subject matter is worth sticking around for if you can manage to sit through some violence and nudity.

I find it hilarious that it took until season three for c0nservat1ves to realize that Homelander was a villain. These are likely the same ones leaving one star reviews calling the show "too w0ke" now that it's in its third season, since they are now just realizing that they are the ones being made fun of. Poor you.

Turning Red (2022)

Super cute animation with lots of heart

[8/10 · 26 March 2022]

Turning Red is, at its core, a coming-of-age tale that has many (not-so-subtle) metaphors for puberty and menstruation. But it also tackles the issue of being crushed under the weight of expectations of overbearing mothers, and breaking the cycle of that. The animation is a cute and accessible way to explore both themes, and is both beautiful and vibrant to look at.

I guess I'm not quite sure why so many are upset about this movie. Puberty and periods are a fact of life. There is nothing inappropriate about discussing this very real issue that children -- yes, children -- are going to experience. There's also nothing sexual about this movie, and says a lot about the people saying that it is. Your kids have crushes on other kids. Your kids get periods. This isn't a sin, but if we don't discuss it, they're going to believe it is. These topics don't just go away because you refuse to talk about them with your own children -- your children will either find out another way, or worse (and like older members of my own family) think there is something wrong with them. Do you really want that?

I swear, if conservatives had their way, we would all be forced to sit in a corner and never talk about anything real ever again. Ever.

Horizon Forbidden West (2022 Video Game)

Great sequel, but suffers from unnecessary additions

[8/10 · 11 March 2022]

I really enjoyed the first game and this was my most anticipated game in awhile. I can't say I'm exactly disappointed, it's extremely fun. But there are certain changes that they made that just...didn't need to be made. Like fixing a problem that didn't exist.

Examples:

-The weapon system has become extremely convoluted. Whereas in the first game, each weapon had its own specofic set of ammo types that were fairly consistent even when you got better equipment throughout the game (sharpshot always had tear, warrior bow always had hardpoint and fire, elemental bows had shock and ice, and tripcasters and blastslings usually had explosive/shock/ice), here things are different. There are still different kinds of weapons and ammo types, but there is no consistency in what weapon has which ammo type, and with each weapon having typically 3 ammo types, I can guarantee you you'll end up with overlapping types at some point. I almost always end up with multiple weapons with acid ammo, but I require all those weapons for the other ammo types they have that DON'T overlap. Additionally, there is a standard, advanced, and elite version of every type, making it absolutely ridiculous later on in the game as you can even have more than one of the same type equipped to one weapon.

-Dodge rolling was a useful tool in the first game to avoid enemy attacks, especially if you had the long roll skill unlocked. There is no long roll here, and the short roll takes too much time to execute to cover such a short distance that it almost never provides any sort of protection from enemy attacks. You also get punished for rolling more than twice in a row, even if you are just rolling for traversal's sake, by getting trapped into a sort of "stumble" animation. In such a fast-paced game with lots of enemy attacks, and with enemies being far more deadly than in the first game, you need to have a way to avoid things, but they basically took that away from players. You could try to sprint and slide, but I find that half the time Aloy ends up crouching instead of sliding, which puts the player in a dangerous (if not deadly) situation.

-If you had built up any sort of strategy in the first game, it's useless here. I actually find that there were more varied ways to play in the first game than there were in the second, because they took away some of the player options -- never a good thing. For example, if you wanted the ability to use traps and wires in the first game, you could go ahead and do so and never be seen. Here, they have locked you into a max amount of traps and wires at any given time, increased the length of time it takes to place traps, increased the amount of resources it takes to craft, and reduced the tripcaster's abilities greatly (most human and machine enemies can jump over them, and wires also just snap/disappear after a length of time). If you enjoyed the ropecaster in the first game, it also doesn't work the same way here since it can't attach to armour and every machine has extensive armour. By the time you remove said armour to use the ropecaster, you might as well just go with a different strategy.

-The game seems to really want you to use mounts, even adding in races with them, yet I find myself running everywhere instead because the mounts are just not great. Most are slower than running, get stuck very easily on objects Aloy does not, and just overall have massive jank when other people are around.

-Climbing was assigned to a set number of areas in the first game, and while I see what they were trying to do by expanding this system and make it easier to see where you could climb, it's just not as smooth as what it could be. Sometimes I can climb wherever I want to with no issue, other times Aloy struggles to climb to the point straight above her and I will have to climb to another point off to the side and then up.

-This is a petty complaint, but about half of the new machines come from the fact that there are like 20 different Burrower types. No I'm not joking. It's completely unnecessary to have so many.

-Lastly, one thing they really needed to fix but didn't was ally AI. It's still useless in the heat of battle. They don't do damage to anything, mostly just shoot and miss, and when you're in stealth, their dialogue can be extremely annoying (looking at you, Alva, with your nonstop shouting).

Sounds like a lot of complaints for an 8/10, but they did improve a lot. I enjoy the facial animations so much more, they are incredibly realistic. The story is great, the new machines are great, I love the improved melee and valor surges, and the map is HUGE. I've been playing about 80 hours and am only 60% complete, to give you an idea.

So yes, I definitely think they didn't need to change everything, but many things are great. I still recommend it wholeheartedly.

Superstore: Hair Care Products (2021) Season 6, Episode 5

Episode tells it like it is

[10/10 · 2 March 2022]

This is the lowest rated episode of the entire series, and I can't help but think that the low scores help prove the whole point of the episode -- which is so sharp-wittedly done. This show has always been political, and has never shied away from talking about racism, so this shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone here. Yet, because it addresses how white people not only don't know how to talk about race/racism, but also experience great discomfort in doing so, somehow it's suddenly gone too far. Again" the low scores prove the point. If this wasn't the truth, there wouldn't be so many triggered commenters here.

Raising Dion (2019–2022)

Perfect? No, but worth watching

[7/10 · 24 February 2022]

Anyone else notice that anything with majority Black characters gets labelled as "too woke" by white people? Careful or you'll out yourselves for the racists that you are :)

Anyway, this show isn't perfect -- the acting and writing are at times quite silly -- but it's aimed more at younger audiences, so I don't really fault it. The special effects are great and it's nice to have a bit of a different story in the superhero genre.

Solos: Nera (2021) Season 1, Episode 6

Being a Black Man in America

[9/10 · 24 May 2021]

The other reviewer doesn't seem to get the theme of this episode. There is a sci-fi element, to be sure, of a woman giving birth in the near-future and the baby aging rapidly. But the theme is how Black children, specifically Black boys and men, are viewed in America. They are seen innocent as babies and very early children, but are rapidly adultified and deemed as threats. This is shown through the phone call with the doctor, who informs Nera her son is dangerous. She believes this. Then the cops show up. He is now a young adult. She knows if she lets them in, he will be killed. She sees them through their eyes, and protects him. He is not dangerous. He is simply viewed this way by others.

Shadow and Bone (2021–2023)

It's fine

[6/10 · 21 May 2021]

I haven't read the books, but watched the trailer when it first hit and was immediately interested. It didn't live up to the expectations I had set for myself. I'm not sure what I had expected -- more magic, maybe? -- but it was more world-building than anything super fantastical. It was fine, but nothing extraordinary.

An additional note, I have a brand new television set and haven't had this issue with any other show/movie except for this, so I think it's just this show. Some scenes were extremely dark to the point of having trouble seeing what was happening, and the volume for the voices seemed to go in and out while the music volume stayed the same. It was weird.

Navillera (2021)

Did You Soar?

[10/10 · 13 May 2021]

Words fail me for how beautiful this show is. It combines two aspects that have touched my life greatly at one time or another, the first being ballet -- I danced as a kid, but had to give it up due to my own disability -- and dementia -- something which has affected my grandmother for many years now. This is the most honest portrayal of dementia I have ever seen on screen, which made it heartbreaking at times, and I cried through various episodes, but that only lends to the power of this show. Truly magical. Park In-Hwan and Song Kang have done a fantastic job playing these two men. I can't say enough.

Lupin (2021– )

Looking forward to more!

[8/10 · 14 January 2021]

I truly love Omar Sy and was very excited to see the trailer for this. In my opinion, the show got better episode by episode. This is not a show about Arsene Lupin, rather, it is about a man named Assane who enjoys Lupin, and is trying to prove his father's innocence. Has some very clever and fun bits as well as more serious commentary about racism and classism in our society. Ends on a cliffhanger, so may be worth it to postpone watching until part 2 comes out.

The Shrine (2010)

Not for me

[2/10 · 14 October 2020]

I personally do not understand why this is considered a hidden gem. Low budget horror can be very good, but this was just bad. The acting was really terrible at times, and it went back and forth between an actual environment and a visible green screen -- often within the same scene, which made no sense at all. The practical effects looked similar to an old Buffy episode, but worse, and this was made in 2010. The story was a mishmash of various things we've all seen before in horror movies, with tired tropes and archetypes, with very little new to offer to any of the formulas. I gave it a two because Aaron Ashmore did seem to try his best.

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

Definitely horror, just different than Hill House

[8/10 · 14 October 2020]

I think if you go in expecting this to be very similar to Hill House, you will be extremely disappointed. It is still very much horror, but it's also very different in its execution to that of Hill House. The story here is much slower to unfold and connect all the dots; the things that are meant to scare you are not so overt, instead with an unsettling tone throughout. If you enjoy a chilling mystery with a side of romance, with stellar performances, then you will probably like this. If you are looking for lots of things that come out and scare you, this is not that, and that's okay too.

The Last of Us: Part II (2020 Video Game)

Different from the first, but just as good

[10/10 · 24 June 2020]

There is a lot of hate for this game. Some of it is from people who have never played it and are going off of some assumptions they have heard (those are easy to root out). Others have played it and thought this game was going to be something else, and they are disappointed. Frustrated, even. I can understand that. This game does not take the easy way out. This game takes you places intended to make you, the player, question the idea of morality -- more so than the first game. It's not a simple revenge story. It will not hold your hand. It will ask you huge questions and leave you, long after the game is over, to find the answers. I would strongly urge you to consider playing this morally and narratively complex tale, which is crafted so beautifully. Make up your own mind.

The Handmaid's Tale: Heroic (2019) Season 3, Episode 9

Black women don't matter I guess

[1/10 · 28 July 2019]

I mean this entire series is a white feminist portrayal of events that have already happened to Black and Indigenous bodies, spun to centre white women. They've already focused less and less on Moira this season, hanged a Black woman, and introduced Natalie purely so audiences could hate her and the characters could mistreat her. This episode takes this even further by having the doctors treat Natalie as though she does not exist, referring to her unborn baby as the patient. A white woman (June) plots to kill her. Her life does not matter. Parallel this to the real world where Black women are dying at exponentially higher rates -- including infant and maternal mortality rates. This is incredibly crude. Margaret Atwood, do better.

Afflicted (2018– )

Manipulative trash

[1/10 · 27 August 2018]

For anyone giving this a good review, I would strongly encourage you to do some reading. They edited the hell out of this "documentary" to throw these people under the bus. As a person with multiple chronic illnesses, this makes me so freaking angry.

Every single one of these individuals has been evaluated psychologically -- not just in the past, of their own volition, BUT FOR THIS ACTUAL SHOW! It was a requirement! So before you go and say stuff like they have a mental illness, or it's all in their head, it's not. No one is saying there aren't any connections between the mind and body. Even these people have admitted as such -- on camera, only for it to be cut and/or spliced in such a way that makes it look like they're saying they're mentally ill.

Any treatments that were turned down by the patients were turned down for a reason. This has all been sensationalized and dramatized to make every one of them look like they don't want to get better, like they're refusing treatments or accepting "quack science" out of desperation. Imagine how you'd feel if people behind the camera were manipulating your treatments to have you appear in a certain light? It's such BS. They don't deserve this.

Go read their essays and watch their videos. These are real people, with real illnesses. This is not their real story. Shame on anyone who believes this crap and perpetuates the stigma of individuals with chronic illnesses being disbelieved and treated like sideshow freaks.