Hindsight is 2023
Well, that sure was a year we just had. And, boy, that year sure was a thing. I went back to my post from the previous year to check what exactly the goals I’d set for myself were so I could compare them to how the year actually went. I knew in my heart of hearts that the disparity was going to be significant, but yikes. Needless to say, this year was rough. However, over the course of it, I’ve had the opportunity to examine my life and what I want from it. I’ve also been reminded of how many truly wonderful people I’ve been able to meet. That I am somehow ending this year in a good place, warm and comfortable, with hope in my heart for the next one is only because of the support I’ve received from my friends and family. Even now, sitting alone in my new apartment, typing this post, I can’t help but feel the love of so many people who have gotten me through it. You all mean the world to me, and I can never thank you enough.
As for my writing this year, it definitely wasn’t the worst year I’ve had. I started the year off dabbling in movie reviews and learned quite a bit. I’m especially proud of the review I wrote for Shin Kamen Rider which I would definitely recommend reading in the “Blog” section if you haven’t already. There was a huge void in the middle of the year, but by the end I managed to finish a couple short stories that gave me the opportunity to push myself as a writer and to start working towards overcoming some of my weaknesses. I’d also recommend checking those out in the section I’ve proudly and pretentiously called “Poems and Fictions”. Slowly but surely, I feel myself improving and I’m seeing a body of work come together that makes me proud. As for my novel, I’d have to check, but it’s possible that I haven’t written a single word of it this year. I’m not giving up, but this year demanded a lot of me, and the novel sadly fell by the wayside. I’m planning to pick it up again with the beginning of the year, but I’ve still got to secure my footing a bit more first, so we’ll see. One thing I was reminded of this year was how much joy writing gives me. It’s who I am, and life may slow me down, but it will never make me stop.
Now, with that out of the way, I want to focus on a lot of the things I got to enjoy this year. It was a slow reading year, but it was nowhere near a bad one. I read some fantastic novels which I’m excited to talk about. I wanted to branch out a bit more from last year, so I added a few films to the list as well. So, without further ado:
The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster
This book collects three novels separate in themes and characters but tied together as a post-modern exploration of detective fiction, loneliness, and the American Dream. Are they detective stories? Not even the author himself is sure. They certainly are stories involving mystery, investigation, and deduction, but in the process of doing so, they pull the reader further into a foggy night where even our own sense of self becomes obscured. Tightly paced and full of dark humor, these suspenseful tales have stayed in my head throughout the entire year. The three novels included in the collection are titled City of Glass, Ghosts, and The Locked Room. You can find them individually, but they are best enjoyed as a set.
Shin Kamen Rider
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve already written my thoughts on this film extensively, so I’ll only touch on it briefly here. I’ve definitely hit a point in my cinema going experience where superhero movies have started to feel a little “been there, done that”. Ironically, it was this retelling of the classic superhero TV series that blew that sentiment out of the water and proved how much more thematic ground there was to explore in the genre. The movie is lightning-paced, experimental, and filled with all the quirky charm of the original. It’s easily my favorite movie to have come out this year. I can’t recommend it enough. Read my review and then go watch it yourselves. (Or maybe read my review afterwards cause it’s got minor spoilers in it. Just don’t forget to check it out!)
The Year of Sanderson by Brandon Sanderson
I’m grouping these together otherwise this whole thing is going to turn into a Sanderson article. As I’ve mentioned numerous times both on this site and in-person, I LOVE Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere books. So obviously, when he announced that this year was going to be the “Year of Sanderson” and that anyone who backed his Kickstarter would receive a gift box each month and FOUR brand new novels, I immediately turned into that “Shut up and take my money!” meme. And boy, I was not let down. The novels were all a bit more experimental than his usual fare, and he mentioned in interviews that part of his goal with these projects was to try different narrative voices than he usually used. Three of them were set in the Cosmere universe and one was a novel unconnected to any of his previous works though all four were written with the intent that anyone could pick them up and enjoy them without the context of any of his other work. In order of release, they are: Tress and the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizards Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. I adore Sanderson’s ability to worldbuild and each book felt like hooking a battery cable into my brain to supercharge my imagination. These books were easily the reading high-points of my year. Each one showcased Sanderson’s capacity for balancing creative rules for worlds and magic along with likable characters and poignant storytelling. There truly is no one else like him and I can’t recommend his books enough. Plus, each of these books is currently available in stores! They’re perfect for anyone who might be interested in the Cosmere but intimidated by the sheer number of books involved. Now that the Year of Sanderson is wrapping up, I’m planning to write a more in-depth retrospection of each book, so stay tuned!
Across the Spider-Verse
In the spirit of creative, groundbreaking superhero movies, this one was something special. An absolutely amazing Spider-Man film, possibly even the ultimate Spider-Man film, but definitely a spectacular Spider-Man film. This was both a great movie and a fascinating piece of meta-commentary on superhero tropes and the idea of recurring themes across iterations of a character. It was filled with big, multiverse-spanning ideas, but still managed to stay grounded in a cast of remarkably likable characters. Miles is our hero while Peter B and Gwen are both beloved mainstays, but the movie also manages to introduce us to a multitude of other Spider-People and gets you to care about them almost instantly. I went in expecting Hobie Brown, the “Anarchistic Spider-Punk”, to be insufferable and in a matter of moments, he was my favorite character in the movie. Despite the insane size of the cast, nothing takes away from the fact that this is Miles’ story. More and more, he’s proving himself to be the Spider-Man of today and we see his journey from rookie Spider-teen to proven hero as he enters into a world which does not intend to treat him kindly and he fights tooth and nail to rise above it If the first movie was about him learning to be Spider-Man, this one is about him learning to be himself. I, for one, cannot wait to see the next movie taking him beyond.
Godzilla Minus One
Boy, howdy, I did not go into a Godzilla movie expecting to be crying my eyes out, but here we are. It’s an oft-made complaint that these kaiju movies tend to have a barebones human story tacked onto them to keep the film from simply being a destruction-fest. This movie shatters that cycle with one of the most gripping, personal tales I’ve seen. The movie takes place in Japan at the end of the second World War. Our protagonist is a young soldier named Koichi returning to a country in ruins that had expected him to die on its behalf. Mired in trauma and survivor’s guilt, he slowly begins, along with the rest of the country, to build a new life from the ashes. And that’s when Godzilla surfaces. Compared to Legendary’s “guardian of nature” and Shin Godzilla’s tortured mutant abomination, this version of the famous monster is downright demonic. It is an engine of destruction and seems driven to cause as much chaos as possible. Despite being smaller than usually depicted, it is all the more terrifying because it can look directly at it’s victims. There is one scene seemingly inspired by Jaws where our protagonists are desperately fleeing on a boat while Godzilla gives chase despite them throwing everything they’ve got at him. Throughout the entire sequence, they are staring directly into his eyes. They aren’t random passersby getting trampled because they are beneath Godzilla’s notice. At that moment, there is no question that they are the specific targets of its wrath. There’s an intensity and an immediacy to the monster that hasn’t been present for some time. But all of that is merely surrounding the story of a man who believes he no longer has the right to live, but is seeking to find peace with himself. The supporting cast is filled with likable characters, adding more to the tension as the viewer roots for all of them to survive. The movie does not shy away from the grief and destruction of the immediate aftermath of the war nor is it afraid of criticizing the government’s handling of the war or reconstruction. This movie takes the place of my favorite Godzilla film and is easily one of the best films I’ve ever seen. Writing this now, I realize I have a lot more to say, so I’ll do my best to write a proper review soon!
That’s it for this year! Thank you again to everyone who has supported me. Going through the things I’ve enjoyed this year has reminded me of all the people I’ve enjoyed them with. I’m here because of you, and if the things I’ve written have given you a reason to smile then I’ll be gratified. I wish everyone a warm and happy holiday and all the best for the coming year.
And remember,
You’ve always got the Write of Way.