Adam

Adam

Toronto writer. Specializes in film, music, anime and video games. Loves dogs. And cats. Animals in general are pretty cool, really

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    Latest Articles

    Latest Topics

    4

    High School in TV - Idealistic vs. Realistic

    Talk about the different ways that high school has been portrayed in TV, in particular the two subsets of Idealistic (ie. Saved By the Bell, That’s So Raven) and Realistic (Daria, Freaks and Geeks). Compare these two portrayals to each other as well as the real life experience of high school.

    • Freaks and Geeks is a cult classic and the perfect example of a realistic TV show. Every individual can relate to a character on the show as each of them come from different backgrounds and face various adversities. Other TV shows like That's So Raven also tackle some real life issues like racism and portrayal of women in mainstream media (when Raven isn't allowed to be on a magazine cover) so it is not necessarily idealistic. There are different forms of TV shows, there are the recent Disney or Nickelodeon shows which completely set up false expectations for the kids. Then there are other TV shows like Gossip Girl or Parenthood, with predominantly white casts and where the families are completely supportive and everyone tackles everything together. A really great portrayal of high school is also showed in Gilmore girls. then again this is all TV... nothing can be explicitly like real life. – Aish 8 years ago
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    • First, one would have to agree that these two "subsets" are the only possibilities for high school representation. And second, one would need to clarify that the subject is American/Western/Hollywood portrayals of youth life. – T. Palomino 1 year ago
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    Mother's influence on indie games

    Examine the influence the JRPG series Mother has had on recent indie games, with examples being Undertale, Lisa, OFF, Space Funeral, Ib and Anodyne. Talk about how it’s atmosphere and mix of quirky humor and cosmic horror has been modified and utilized by modern indie developers.

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      Written Criticism vs. Video Criticism

      In the past few years, we’ve seen a shift in popularity from written media criticism to video criticism. It’s becoming more and more difficult to just be a writer, as you’re now demanded to a do a video or record a podcast alongside it. In this new landscape, have there been people left by the wayside? Is it still possible to become established solely through writing?

      • This is a very important topic. As a writer I feel pressured to create vlogs, as I'm sure most others are too. Whether it's writing, art, gaming, or anything at all, people flock to various youtube channels rather than head to personally made blogs or online galleries. To succeed as a writer the publicity needed seems daunting... Is the anonymous writer a thing of the past? – Slaidey 8 years ago
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      • This is a great proposal. Social media and the development of new technologies forces people to come up with different ways to propagate and "consume" ideas. But we don't have to forget that choosing a "medium" to communicate your ideas depends on who you want to reach, what you want to say, how long you want it to to last, how seriously you want to be taken, and many other things. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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      The Life and Death of Community

      Write a retrospective on the NBC comedy series Community, including its troubled production, various cast changes, and the numerous ups and downs during its broadcast history. Talk about the individual character arcs and storylines throughout the seasons and how they changed to reflect what was going on behind the camera.

      • A very worthwhile topic for fan of the show. A big part of what made community so special was unabashed devotion to being meta, which allowed it the freedom be cheeky about its own backstage dramas. For whoever decides to write this (I might be interested myself, but have too many articles pending at the moment; perhaps later down the line if it is not yet taken, but I give any other interested parties right of first refusal for the time being) some key examples worth looking at are: 1) the slow process of writing off Pierce in response to his feud with showrunner Dan Harmon, 2) season 4 as a "gas leak year", 3) Troy's departure coinciding with references to Zach Braff's presence in the final season of Scrubs, 4) Abed's cameo in the season 2 finale of Courage Town as a next-level crossover, 5) the constant re-assertion of "Six Seasons and a Movie" as the meter-stick for a show's success, 6) the final scene of the show being this beautiful gem (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1Pf_X_mgwM). – ProtoCanon 8 years ago
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      Film in a Post-Ferguson America

      Talk about the recent yearly trend of films addressing the history of racism in America, including 12 Years a Slave (2013), Selma (2014), Straight Outta Compton (2015) and the upcoming The Birth of a Nation (2016). Examine these films in the context of the recent resurgence of racial tension in America, as well as the reaction of calling them "anti-white" that some people have had.

      • Fruitvale Station (2013), which is based on a true story, might also be a good choice. – Emily Deibler 8 years ago
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      • I think the key word here is history. How can this telling of history be called "anti-White?". It is like saying Gandhi was anti-British instead of anti-colonialism. These movies are about being anti-slavery and attacking the institution, not the people. Just like Gandhi attacked colonialism as a political system, not the people. He always spoke with clarity about the differences between systems and people. That is one of the many reasons he is a great leader. Institutionalized racism is alive and well today in education, politics and economics. When discussing emotionally charged issues like racism, it is very important to focus on systems not attacking the people like these movies. It is also important to identify those in positions of influence, be aware of how they can direct future policies and suggest various courses of actions. In many cases, the people in these key positions are White. Movies that provide a voice for showcasing positive actions taken by non-Whites can hardly be seen as anti-White. I think it is important to show how racist systems are challenged by non-Whites and the fact that racial lines are drawn in these issues underscores the point, rather than detracting from it. – Munjeera 8 years ago
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      Monetizing Writing in 2016

      Examine the current state of professional writing, journalistic and/or fiction, in the digital age, and the comforts as well as the difficulties that aspiring writers may have making a living off their work. For journalism, you can talk about how modern outlets rely increasingly on easily replaceable writers repeating the news instead of defined personalities and opinions, as well as the reliance on sponsored content for income resulting in a rift between the editors and writers. For fiction, you could talk about how digital and self-publishing has made it more difficult for large publishing houses to bring on new writers and compensate them properly, while at the same time self-publishing for a living carries it’s own risks of being unable to easily reach a larger audience.

      • Great topic, one that I've recently written on. Some background information about the effects of social media on advertising revenue for journalism and literature publications would be helpful in grounding the exploration. As well, niching, or the death of the general interest magazine, could be covered as well. – Aaron 8 years ago
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      Latest Tides

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      Majikoi and the Value of Being Different

      Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!, or Majikoi for short, is a visual novel that is, quite simply, one of the most charming visual novels ever written. It centers on a group of childhood friends living in an bustling city populated by the descendants of warriors. It features a huge and colorful cast of characters, each with their own distinct personality and moments to shine. Utilizing a unique blend of genres including romance, action and drama, it creates something completely new the likes of which has never really been seen before.

      That last part is key – never been seen before. The "harem" genre is a popular subset of anime and manga that focuses on a typically male protagonist and the multiple women whose affections he earns. It’s a genre that, thankfully, doesn’t take itself very seriously most of the time, but it’s still awash with the same tropes, character types and storylines. Majikoi not only averts these cliches, but makes something different by building on them and specifically pointing them out. Here I talk about all the ways Majikoi differentiates itself from typical harem and ecchi tropes and storylines, and, hopefully, convince you to give it a good read.

        Latest Comments

        Adam

        I enjoy both games that can be classified as “Bro” and role-playing games and see the division between the two genres illustrates how sexism works perfectly. Men enjoy role-playing games as they are tailored to be genderless, but women have harder time getting into the bro game community. Luckily there are several multiplayer games (Overwatch, MMOs) that appeal to women so it’s not like all multiplayer games are completely off-limits for them.

        “Bro Games” and the Gamer Divide
        Adam

        Not necessarily. Fighting is something that very few people generally do, so when people read those manga they don’t take it as “Oh, I should fight because anyone can do it!” they take it as “Oh, I should reach for my dreams!”. Whereas romance is a very real part of almost everyone’s life, so the message that harem stories send can be applied much more literally.

        Harem Anime and Manga - Expectations vs. Reality
        Adam

        I absolutely love Bojack Horseman and the way it balances comedy and dark themes. I haven’t seen it yet, but I hear that Moral Orel does the same.

        Bojack Horseman: Balancing Humor and Dark Themes
        Adam

        Life is not in absolutes. You’re not either perfect or mediocre with no middle ground in between. In most cases, “perfection” is impossible and striving for it will only hurt yourself in the long run. As someone who suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder I know this.

        Instead of striving for perfection, people should strive to do the best they can. I don’t think the people you listed were trying to be perfect either, they were trying to contribute to humanity with the best of their abilities. Sometimes there are limitations that people can’t control, the key is not to try to overcome them, but to learn to work within them. Body type can be one of those limitations.

        Overweight Superheroes and Supervillains
        Adam

        Personally, I believe that, in both fiction and real life, a person’s body type, be they skinny, muscular or overweight, is not important at all. What’s truly important is their character. I’m skinny and I look up to Steve Rogers immensely, not because he’s muscular, but because he’s a hero who always tries to do the right thing. If an overweight person were to feel bad because all their superhero role models are fit, they’re thinking about things completely the wrong way. Being truly heroic transcends race, gender or body type. They should ask themselves: Would their heroes care what they look like, or would they see the person underneath?

        Overweight Superheroes and Supervillains
        Adam

        I don’t think making the sequel unrelated to the first one would make it ineffectual at all. The themes of Life is Strange have been properly hammered home, nothing can take away the impact of the ending and what it was trying to say. But at the same time, Max’s story is over, and there would be no point in having her reappear aside from novelty’s sake. Going with a completely unrelated setting and cast for the sequel is the way to go, in my opinion. I think it would be great if it focused on adult characters, as the first one was entirely from a teenager’s perspective. Maybe have four games to represent childhood, adolescence, adulthood and elder years and the common themes of them all.

        Life Is Strange: The Illusion of Choice, Part II
        Adam

        Technically they came from Japan, but Flower Travellin’ Band fits right in with this scene. Great psychedlic stuff, I’d even say proto-metal. https://youtu.be/BxB55yaWG-I

        Swinging Los Angeles: L.A.'s Forgotten Role as a Psychedelic Rock Mecca
        Adam

        I’d say that, as far as biopics go, it was surprisingly willing to show the good and bad parts of most people involved. The negative aspects of Ice Cube and Eazy-E were portrayed, and even the manager who was ripping them off wasn’t totally demonized. I agree that the portrayal of Dr. Dre wasn’t the most balanced, though. Apparently his abuse of women was originally in the film but was cut for time reasons.

        The New Wave of Biopics