September 2023

I loved the FLCL
"pronounced as FhooleeKoolee"
It's fast paced and omnipresent good vibes are incomparable.
So cool to see a new season of it came out.

The animation style has a strong 3D feel,
which usually I find repulsive,
but this one seemed like the production company is going for a middle-ground -
where the 2D animation still feels like handdrawn pictures with the 3D CGI movements.
It still feels awkward to watch,
but FLCL is too good for me to be bothered.

2. "My Journey To You" - 《云之羽》

郭敬明导演's work is worth watching no matter how full of flaws they can be.
云之羽 is as full of flaws as it is full of lovely aesthetics.
The actors are easy on the eyes. ;P
The cinematography for this story is impeccable.
The sets are gorgeous!
If you watch a lot of 仙侠剧 like I do,
you'd be able to identify some locations that were used in other epic shows.

The pace of the acting and storyline certainly feel quite slow,
but I don't really feel annoyed by it.
I actually don't mind slow-paced stories,
I don't really appreciate super-fast-paced ones that a lot of shows these day have.

Actors were recorded live and the show used the live recording,
which made the story feel real and helps the audience feel present throughout the story.
But I find that they almost speak a little too softly -
it's as if they're always whispering.
Perhaps this is the director's intention -
as the characters are either always scheming against each other,
or hiding the truth about themselves from others.

郭敬明 certainly proves again that he has quite the way with presenting his characters,
and is good at beautifying scenes and his actors.

I think, even on set, he's super strict with all the actors' diets,
even the 盒饭 prepared for the cast have little to no no salt
and offer all cast on-set with very oil-less and rather healthy choices,
so everybody could keep their weight down for the camera!

The choice of actors for this show are pretty good.
I can't really find fault in most of them except 宫紫商’s actress 金靖's "本色出演".
Her comedic style certainly alleviates the drab pace and darker mood of the story,
but her body movements and facial expressions can be too overboard,
I don't think including her own style was necessary to the story in anyway,
and almost reduces the elegance and beauty of the cinematography.
When she's serious, she's actually a really good character.
Any of those extra body movements and comedic acts -- i find - don't serve well to the show.

Other actors chose to play the other characters really fit their individual roles,
their performance certainly feel more mature and well directed compared to their previous work