SoCalSon

A Minecraft Movie (2025)

Still struggling to believe this got past test audiences. We knew it would be bad, but holy shit dude

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War (1996)

Pretty incredible to make a game this ambitious on the SNES, and while the vast scale can cause some lulls in gameplay, they absolutely reap the benefits of the worldbuilding in the narrative. Really glad I gave this one a second chance.

Pokemon Black 2 (2012)

Played this one before, but about a month ago I went back to do the postgame for the first time. Pokemon games have become a bit bloated over the years but this was probably the best iteration of that maximalist design philosophy, and it's also the series' visual peak.

3 for 1: Best O' Boingo (1991), Gorillaz (2001), The New Abnormal (2020)

My sister got me these on CD and while I don't usually go for that since I listen to albums straight through on Spotify anyway, they came in clutch when my phone bricked and I needed music for the road. Pretty good albums too.

T.H. White - The Once and Future King (1958)

Haven't gotten through this one all the way yet but I'm putting it down for now around the halfway point. Has its moments for sure with fun characters like Arthur and Merlin, but it's very meandering. Hoping it'll be better when I come back to it.

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

As usual, wonderful work from Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. You'd never know it's 46 years ago because the appeal and core themes of the movie are so timeless. And personally, as I'm struggling with burnout right now, I really needed this one.

Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Crazy that this is over 50 years old, it still feels like a breath of fresh air as a first time listener in 2025. I loved Time and Money especially, really great vocals and bass on those. Other than being a little long I have no criticisms for this.

The Manimals - Seven (2016)

Heard about this being an ASOIAF concept album so I had to check it out, and overall I liked it. Most of the songs are a bit poppy for my taste but the lyrics are all good and I was able to jam with Teeth (the Arya song) and Good (the Brienne song). Pretty good!

Sicario (2015)

Pretty compelling, and interesting enough to leave me wanting a rewatch by the end, but I wasn't quite as enamored with this one as I would've liked. This is a dense movie that I can definitely recognize is well made, but I stop short of being able to say I really liked it, I guess.

Flow (2024)

Beautifully animated, and as for the awards it's always nice to see an indie film get recognized, but I gotta say this left me a bit disappointed. I think it was just a little too much to attempt a full length movie with no dialogue like this, there just wasn't enough there for me.

Mickey 17 (2025)

First new movie of the year! Watched this in a fairly crowded theater with my dad and enjoyed it well enough. I definitely enjoyed both Snowpiercer and Parasite more when comparing this to Bong's other films, but it's still a good time with that classic Bong flair.

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

My first completed TV show of the year, and a really good one at that. This one has it all: great vibes, fun songs, cute and lovable characters, a compelling overarching plot, and a heartwarming conclusion. Really glad I finally got around to this one.

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)

This movie is not good but every once in a while it's a decently fun time with friends. The Elijah Wood scene is still hilarious every time.

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)

Great end to the strange but distinct cultural moment that these movies are. As usual, the tiny gay cowboy and Roman are the best part, but this was very solid overall. It's also the last film of Robin Williams' career, and an earnest sendoff at that.

Alien 3 (1992)

Probably the weakest of the original Alien trilogy, but really great nonetheless. Feels appropriate for this to be the last Sigourney Weaver Alien movie that I get to, I don't hate 4 like some do but this is a much more appropriate conclusion for Ripley. Loved Charles Dance in this.

Beck - Odelay (1996)

Could see this becoming a favorite if I let it grow on me, considering I already like roughly every other song here and that really helps the listening experience as an album. Jack-Ass and Minus were surprise favorites for me, and everyone knows Devil's Haircut rocks.

Yeah they made a sequel to Ocarina 2 years later, and they had to reuse a lot of assets so they did a groundhog day scenario where you do little quests for all the NPCs over a 3 day loop. Ocarina is obviously a cultural touchstone but if you ask me this one is better by a mile

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (2015)

For many years this was my GOTY 2015, and yeah it's still really good, very glad I was able to experience this game even without an N64. I can admit the lighting is worse than the original but it takes more than that to ruin a masterpiece.

Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf (2002)

10/10. Literally every song is a banger. Listen to it.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

Unfortunately not very good. The first one was fun and also has a decent emotional core, but the sense of humor in this one really overstayed its welcome. Every bit is just 2 characters repeating something at each other 12 times with no edits.

The Nice Guys (2016)

Now THIS is a movie. Can totally understand why I wasn't into it when I first watched it with my family, but this one's a great time and a half. Really funny, really nice to look at, has a great cast, and for all that it doesn't bother me that the plot makes no sense.

Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (2024)

Rewatch, this time I didn't have the benefit of watching it in an IMAX theater. The animation and sound design are really awesome in this movie, and if you look at it from the perspective of a newcomer to Haikyu it works, but this really should have been a show.

Trance (2013)

Really weird heist/romance/psychological thriller/mystery movie that, as you may have guessed from all those genres, lacks focus. Not good, but I did have a good laugh at it with friends.

Gorillaz - Song Machine (2020)

Not a fan. A decent start to the album does not excuse the overall length, the lack of cohesion, and the general mediocrity of the later tracks. The Valley of The Pagans (feat. Beck) and MLS (feat. JPEGMAFIA and CHAI) were decent, the rest can go.

George R. R. Martin - A Game of Thrones (1996)

3rd reread, this time I got the tail end in Spanish, and I'm going to continue in Spanish for the rest. Paradoxically I appreciate this one more now while also wanting to rate it lower relative to the rest of the series. Still perfect though.

Radiohead - The King of Limbs (2011)

Had always set this one aside as the worst good Radiohead album. A friend told me it was underrated, but after re-listening I don't really agree. Little By Little is good and Bloom is at least memorable, but idk, it's a fine album that I feel very little for.

Snaur :)

Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R (2000)

First album was good but this just blows it out of the water. Feel Good Hit Of The Summer sets such a great tone from the start, and I love the chorus echoing through the album. Favorite songs are The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret and Monsters In The Parasol.

The Brutalist (2024)

Starts as a fairly down to earth, human story about a struggling foreign artist in a strange land, that transitions into a wild ride of clashing egos, betrayal, abuse, and a climactic schism. Not my favorite movie, but it's up for best picture and I'd be ok if it won.

Yung Lean - Psykos (2024)

Nice, short shoegaze-y rock album. One of my friends who's really into Bladee recommended this one to me and overall I thought it was pretty good. Thought it peaked early with Ghosts and Golden God, but I like that it starts with a Coda so you get it again when it loops.