I’ve been moving my all my reviews to Notion so that I can have them organized neatly. Unfortunately the process is rather cumbersome because I’d written all these reviews on Google Docs. But once I’m done, I hope to have a count of how much media I consumed in 2020. Moreover, I want to try highlight the bits of media I enjoyed the most.

That said, 2021 has started off fairly dry. I’ve seen one new film, Pixar’s ‘Soul’. And I finished my re-watch of the extended cuts of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films. In terms of books, I read Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Graveyard Book’ and I’m currently enjoying Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Elantris’. I’m playing a few games but I haven’t completed any of them. However, I am not sure if I shall be posting reviews for any of these.

Reviewing LotR in 2021 feels unnecessary, there is nothing I have to say that hasn’t already been said. They’re films that still manage to inspire me and have some of the most evocative visuals in a fantasy setting. To provide a deeper analysis would require time and energy that I do not have enough to spare. As for Soul, I enjoyed the film, the music, the message. Its a good Pixar film and worth a watch. Though if I were to rank Pixar films, Inside out would still sit at the top.

‘The Graveyard book’ by Neil Gaiman is a children’s book and an insightful one at that. What I love about it is its format. Its a series of short adventures that all come together to form a nice big picture. The book would make a great limited run series. I think this book added a lot of value to my life because I could see the writer subtly at work. Often writing stories is challenging because it takes a lot to learn how to craft a narrative that flows. Seeing a writer at work can be very helpful in this case. Its also why I think I should watch more B-grade films. They’re not subtle but that’s good because I can see what they’re doing and what that achieves. Besides, I think creators are often plagued with the ambition of being A-grade creatives. I think a better goal to chase would be telling the story you want to tell, as best as you can.

Grading and reviews are there to help audiences navigate their way through the plethora of options, not to help you feel validated. Or so I keep telling myself.

I’m still reading ‘Elantris’ so I won’t comment on it.

Point being, I’m not sure I will be posting full reviews on any of these as they don’t feel like subjects that I have a lot to say on. This could just be my fatigue setting in. But I hope to return with interesting analyses or at least short comprehensive ones, as the year progresses. Till then, I shall be recording my thoughts privately.

I hope you’re well and consuming media that brings you enjoy.