The Professional Gamer - December 1, 2018

Hi all! I’ve had a busy week, which included going to see a movie at an actual theater. And it was fun! Also, I started watching a newer animated series as well. Let’s talk about things then.

First up is the Netflix series Hilda, about a young girl who has grown up in a small house in the wilderness with her mom. Due to series of incidents involving trolls and giants, they end up moving to the nearby city of Trollburg. Did I mention that this all takes place in a kind of whimsical modern-ish fantasy world? The animation is very good with a hand-drawn feel (even though it appears to have been produced digitally); the world building is very effective and unobtrusive, giving the viewer hints about what might be going on without ever getting boring or devolving into an exposition dump; the characters are quite lovable and fun; and the soundtrack really helps tie it all together. It is a kids show, and I do find occaissional moments where I with the plot or world was just a little bit deeper. But I this is a very good children’s series. It emphasizes some good values like friendship and bravery. Overall, I think its a really worthwhile watch, especially if you have kids in elementary or middle school. But, it can be enjoyed by all sorts. It’s not quite as weird and surreal as Adventure Time, but it has some similarity in tone that you may enjoy.

This weekend and next weekend, select theaters are showing the new movie by Mamoru Hosada, Mirai. Similar to many of his other films, Mirai is a family story told through a lens of magical realism. In this case, the story is of a young boy, Kun, immediately follow the birth of his little sister, Mirai. Kun has trouble adjusting to this new reality where he is no longer the sole occupation of his parents time. Then, he meets Mirai, except it is a middle-school aged Mirai who has come back in time to fix what seems like a very minor mistake that her dad made. Kun goes on to meet some other members of his family at various points in their lives. From them, he learns to accept his new sister and grow up a little bit. I’m not sure if this is my favorite Hosada film of all time, but it is still a very good movie. I was particularly struck by the character animation including moments where some of the younger characters are fidgeting with their clothes, and the background art. If you have a chance this next weekend, make a trip out to see it.

That’s all for this week. I hope to see you again next time. Have a great week and game on!