Author: Kerri Bland

I’m sure you’re all wondering… Kerri, what has become of you during this quarantine?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

I am a simple woman. I don’t require many things to live a moderately happy life. I wake up and immediately play Animal Crossing. I play Animal Crossing before I fall asleep at four in the morning. Anytime I’m not playing Animal Crossing, I’m getting obsessed with a different musical. We all know how disastrous that is. I’m wiling to bet at least half of the senior class has heard me recite entire musicals on cleaning night, or has witnessed me break into a room to show someone whichever character I have deemed my favorite. Rest assured, as soon as we’re back, I’m going to resume this.

This game is an absolute 10/10.

I can do literally anything in this game. I can make friends, I can talk to said friends. I can trap them inside their home by digging holes all around their house. Not that I do that– I actually really enjoy all my villagers. My New Horizons villagers, New Leaf is another story.

In my award winning essay entitled “My Non-Qualifications,” I list out the reasons I would be a horrible mayor, using only examples of the things I have done in Animal Crossing. After playing the newest game, however, I have found that most of the issues I had, I don’t have anymore.

Am I still financially incompetent? Absolutely. I’m making mild efforts to not be financially incompetent. I have yet to pay my in-game home loan, but now I have to know that Tom Nook is staring into my soul from across the room when I do contribute the absolute minimum to the house which I have forced him to build.

There is no need to time travel in New Horizons. There’s just enough you can accomplish on a daily basis without messing with the flow of time. There was once a time I was disturbed by my inability to time travel in the human realm. Animal Crossing; New Horizons has taught me that I don’t have to time travel. I can be okay with the normal flow of time if I put my mind to the important things, Like hitting rocks and mailing ominous letters.

I want to also mention that I absolutely love the graphics. Its very simplistic, and I love the cartoonish look. The one thing that absolutely confuses me, is why the fish are the most detailed things in the entire game. half of them look incredibly realistic. It throws me off.

I do recommend giving any of the Animal Crossing games a try! Especially while we’re all stuck at home. Animal Crossing is a synthetic outside world, and I am the Sophie of some odd production of Mamma Mia (2008) who runs around singing ABBA songs.

I knew from the moment the theater went completely dark, and green spotlights began to circle the stage, that I was going to be in for a ride.

Picture this, you’re sitting next to me in a theater in Jackson, Mississippi. I begin tapping your shoulders wildly, loudly stating that Demeter just rolled on stage. She is always the first character to enter in “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats.” I know every word to this musical. I know every word in the poetry book. Whichever route this takes, I will be able to recite it in its entirety.

This was an absolute experience.

The dancing was above and beyond, there were some crazy talented people in the cast. Each of them had a range of skills– everything from modern moves, to ballet. I really have to acknowledge how much energy it takes to do this show, there were some dancers that never seemed to catch a break, it was constant movement. The choreography was amazing, I loved it.

At one point, the rockstar cat jumped off of stage, ran into the audience, and danced with a middle-aged man. This was one of my favorite parts, as the woman sitting behind me loudly proclaimed “Oh my gosh… that’s my neighbor.”

Another 10/10 moment dance-wise was the Victoria and Plato scene. Victoria was so flexible, it was incredible. However, my favorite thing about this was that, after this dance, I received two texts from two different people asking about what just happened.

The music was played live, which was something i think added a nice charm to it. There were times when the actors wouldn’t be singing as strong, or there was a person slightly out of sync with the music. However, there were some moments where they truly shined.

Grizabella nailed the note in “Memory”, that’s a given. What truly impressed me was a cat that I didn’t care much for prior to seeing it live. Gus, the Theater Cat, sang The Awful Battle of The Pekes and Pollicles. I was not expecting this actor to suddenly start singing the way that he did, but it hit me in my soul. absolutely incredible. Considering he had just sang a song about how he’s old and dying– but then to suddenly go screamo opera on us? I just sat there, I couldn’t blink.

As for costumes, they were all adorable. I especially loved Alonzo, Rumpleteazer, and Cassandra. Cassandra’s costume lit up, which was not at all something I expected. I understood that Mistoffelees’s costume would light up, but then Cassandra’s lit up too?! and the lights would change color in sync to the music! absolutely spectacular, the costume designers outdid themselves on this one.

My one costume complaint was that Macavity wasn’t scary enough.

Overall, this was a great experience. I truly ascended into the Heaviside layer in that theater, that night.

cats, 2019.

Yes, it’s true. I sat in a theater for roughly two hours to see my favorite Broadway stars, singers, and late night show hosts fight each other to the death… for a chance at death.

I knew this movie would be good when I heard the woman sitting next to me attempt to stifle her profuse sobbing as Jennifer Hudson sang “memory”. At some point, she just let it all out. I feel for this woman, and I truly do wish I could have done something to comfort her. This is dedicated to you, sobbing woman in the theater.

I had been in the room for about half an hour when I let out my first audible “Huh?”

Munkustrap was singing about Jennyanydots in an attempt to explain cat heaven to Victoria, and suddenly, Rebel Wilson unzipped her cat body to reveal her SECOND cat body, which was the exact same, but with a vest. I don’t think that this was unusual for Jennyanydots as a character– Even in the stage play she rips off like two cat bodies until shes down to her normal suit. I love theater.

But, still, that was my first “huh?” moment.

The scene “Plato and Victoria” was cut out in replacement for a longer scene of “The Jellicle Ball.” You may ask, Kerri, how do you feel about this?

I understand WHY, 

I understand the reasoning behind this. Still, I do hate that such an iconic scene had to be removed. I can still appreciate the fact I could stare at Skimbleshanks in the background for a good amount of time. Boy could dance. Every time, and I do mean Every Single Time he was on screen, I found myself staring at him. The reason for this? This cat wore the brightest pair of red pants I have ever seen in my seventeen years of living. It’s impressive in a way.

The music was, overall, pretty great! I enjoyed most of the songs in their modernized form.  My personal favorite was the old-timey version of “Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer” that got revamped. There were a few weeks where I really had to ponder if I was okay with them using that version of the song as opposed to the 1982 version. I am, it’s absolutely great. MungoJerrie and Rumpleteazer were probably the least terrifying looking cats in this film.

My opinion on the CGI– It’s not as bad as I was told it would be. Truthfully, it really didn’t bother me at all. It was interesting to watch! Of course, I still have a preference to the hand-painted cat suits that look ever-so-stunning on stage. The technology that went into making everything move the way that it did. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

One of my least favorite things was the absence of Sillabub. While it is fitting that Victoria be the one to first accept Grizabella, Sillabub still rightfully holds that title in my heart. I think the movie lost something special by removing her.

Overall, I think it’s worth a watch! It’s a very surreal experience, one everyone should have at some point in their life.

As you all may or may not know, I have a tendency to get overly obsessed with things. She-Ra, is one of these things. This show follows Adora and her magical princess crew as they strive to save the world and defeat evil. Theres a bit of an unclear line between what is considered good and evil, as multiple characters have switched side. but, hey, I think it just makes it more interesting!

Season 4 specifically, focuses on each characters personal growth and ability to  overcome obstacles. For example: Glimmer adjusts to being the queen of Brightmoon, and Perfuma learns to work with cacti. That might be a bit vague, but, Perfuma just doesn’t like cacti.

Story 8/10

The story is, of course, a take on the old She-ra. This She-ra goes very in depth with characters, their motives, and their stories. Each plot point seems very fleshed out, and is not left unfinished. Even background characters have a full story within the show.

This season does a great job of giving us more insight into Scorpia’s life. In previous seasons, her past was vaguely mentioned, or hinted at. (Ex: getting an invitation to princess prom) This season explains Scorpia’s connections to her runestone, and how it came into the possession of the Horde. Scorpia has a breakthrough, and begins to stand up for herself. I am proud of her.

My one complaint for this season is the absence of Frosta. Frosta, like Glimmer, has dealt with grief. I feel there was a lost opportunity this season, in which Frosta and Glimmer could have strengthened their bond, and benefit each other through the power of understanding. Instead, there was a focus on the disconnection of Glimmer and Adora. The two were almost constantly arguing, which may have taken away from the plot.

Music 10/10

The background music in this show is absolutely phenominal. The music I would like to focus on, though, are the songs in the musical episode, “Boys’ Night Out.”

The song “Friends with Friends” is just the right level of chaotic and cursed.   I highly enjoy the fact that nearly all, if not every song in the entire series has been sung by Seahawk and Mermista. They’re the most musical characters in the show, and that in itself can be a crucial part to their personalities, and, really, it just makes it super fun to watch.

animation 6/10

I want to say upfront that there are some stunning sequences of animation in this show. I did notice that with this season, there tended to be more mistakes. A character may be wearing a flower crown in one shot, but then it suddenly disappears. The more I got into the episodes, the less I noticed. The first through third episode, though, had quite a few.

The episode with the coolest animation, in my opinion, was Episode 9, which focuses on Razz, and her memory. Seeing the world switch from present to past was quite trippy. A bit sad, too. I’m not sure if it was meant to evoke sadness from deep within me, but it sure did! great work, She-Ra team!

Overall, in conclusion, watch She-ra.

Cats! The Musical; A Review

A few days back, I sat down and watched the 1998 production of Cats. With the upcoming film adaptation coming to theaters, I figured it would be a great piece to look at!

Cats is adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber of T.S. Eliots “Old Possums Book Of Practical Cats.”

I’d like to start off by reviewing the plot. The plot of Cats is debatable. It is, essentially, a battle to cat heaven. The cats must convince their cat leader that they deserve to die and be reborn into their next life. or, that’s what I’ve gathered, anyway. The plot is not entirely clear. There is no dialogue between songs, and the songs are comprised of introductions and information about every single character. The music is still quite catchy though! Still, the plot could use a bit more content and/or explanation.

There are many characters, just a bit too many to keep up with. Certain characters are charmers, some make me want to cry, and some genuinely terrify me. In all the versions I’ve watched, the actor has done a wonderful job of portraying a strong personality in each cat. Many cats are even given their own introduction song, but I do feel bad that some characters are sort of left out.

the costumes are probably the BEST part of Cats. They are comprised of yarn-like wigs, and striped body suits that look like the different patterns of different types of cats. In some scenes, they will be seen with leg and arm warmers. The costumes look absolutely beautiful on stage, and help convey the look of a cat. different cats may have different items to convey their personality. For example, Rumpleteazer, a thief cat, wears a large pearl necklace (which is probably stolen).  I wouldn’t change single thing about the costumes, they’re all wonderful.

The music of Cats is absolutely awesome. Most all song– with the exception of “Memory”, the most well known song– come directly from the original poems about each cat. There are a variety of songs, and type of song, so none of it ever gets boring or repetitive. The duets, trio’s, and solo’s are all wonderfully done. I especially like that most cats will sing a song about another cat which they admire.

the stage set of cats is very intriguing. There are many different entrances and exits, so that cats can enter and leave throughout large dance scene. I like how its almost like a junkyard of sorts, but still keeps a classy charm to it. The lighting is also quite nice for each scene, I really don’t have any complaints.

Overall, I think cats is a wonderful musical that is really only missing a plot line. Even then, that doesn’t bother me much. The music, costumes, dancing, and set make up for it.

Recently, I went back to one of my childhood games, somethingI had spent much time dreaming and writing fan fiction about during middle school-chub Penguin! Club penguin is an online multiplayer game in which you portray your own, customizable penguin. The game has mini games within itself (in which you can earn coins to trade in for other goods in the game), music, as well as missions you can complete. SO, without further ado, lets take a look at Club Penguin.

Graphics

4/10

The graphics aren’t overly amazing, and then to be a bit pixelated at times, but considering this game was originally made in the earlier 2000’s, I’d consider it pretty good! It has a nostalgic feel for me, especially. surprisingly, the mini games have to most detailed illustration and backgrounds.

customizable’s

10/10

In Club Penguin, there are a variety of colors and accessories to give your penguin. The catalouge for clothing changes each month, with specila event items being added. As a teenager, I can appreciate the hard work and dedication that went into designing all these items. As a kid, I think its the coolest thing ever, and want every single clothing item ever.

Music

7/10

The music in this game, I’ve noticed, tends to be a loop of about 30-second pieces. The music is not overly simple, and not overly complicated. it all seems to fit it’s designated location/game/event perfectly.

Story

5/10

While there is not one specific  storyline to Club Penguin, there are many branches of stories you can have your penguin explore. One of these is the EPF (Elite Penguin Force) in which you complete a series of quests to help other penguins, and defeat the evil villain Herbert P. Bear. The dialogue is easy enough for a child to follow, and fun for all ages.

The world of Club Penguin also has a newspaper that is updated frequently. This can help improve reading skills,as well as keep the player up to date.

My personal favorite story-realted event in Club Penguin was found in the Theater. CLub penguin has a variety of plays players are able to perform. There area a variety of scripts. Though most of htme do not carrya strong plot line, they are humerous, and make refrences to a variety of time periods and genres. For example, Space Adventure Planet Y is a futuristic sci-fi, while The Twelfth Fish is a pun-filled Shakespearian focused play.

Overall, I would give Club Penguin a 7/10. Club Penguin was a major part of my life growing up, and I do believe it helped develop my love for music, fashion, and general socialization. Though the official Club Penguin closed down years ago, I can still see all the effort being put in to the new fan-made remake of the game. While writing this blog, I found out a lot about what went into the production of this game, and I  have to say that it is amazing. The Club Penguin team put in years of dedication to make their dream om etrue, and that in itself should be applauded.

Little King John: The Flood, is a 12 episode YouTube series created by Ratboy Genius. The show is tied in with two other series by the creator- Ratboy Genius Dreams Minecraft and Starship Genius.

The series follows king John, who’s kingdom has been obliterated by a great flood. He is alone on his yacht, until stumbling upon a sole survivor on a small patch of land. King John takes in the survivor, known as “Sneezy.” Together, the two rebuild his kingdom on a new land, making new friends along the way.

ANIMATION

The animation of the series is, admittedly, not that great. However, the animation does not take away anything from this series. I fully believe one can enjoy all the episodes without caring that this was made in Minecraft. At times, King John stretches considerably far lengths. It is unnatural, and yet it is somehow intense. It adds to the scene, rather than being unnatural to the point it takes away.

(1/5)

VOICE ACTING

Something that’s interesting about Little King John, The Flood, is that there are no human voice actors. The voices are all robotic. While each voice is different and unique to each character, there are times this doesn’t work well. For example, In a song where King John and Sneezy confront each other via song, their voices have trouble blending, and don’t harmonize well. In other instances, a voice may be hard to understand and require subtitles. I don’t hold this against the creator though, as I know these types of things take lots of time, and budget may be an issue.

(1/5)

MUSIC

This specific series has a small intro to each episode. The short clip of music is incredibly catchy, and can vary in intensity depending on the mood of the episode. I can genuinely say no other series has made me cry based on a 10 second clip of music having more brass sounds than the episode before. There aren’t a ton of songs in the actual show, but the ones that are fit well in context. In one episode,  King John has a nightmare of his past regrets. The eeriness of the song gives off a fast paced, scary tone. In another episode, they introduce a character via song.

While Little King John, The Flood is not a musical, it’s musical aspects help add interesting effects to the series as a whole.

(3/5)

STORY

Upon first viewing, the watcher may judge this series. one may think it wouldn’t have the potential to have a good, complex story line. However, it still has all the elements needed for a good story. characters, plot, conflict, etc…

While King John had the right amount of motives and character development, there are just a couple of issues. I do feel as though the series was ended rather abruptly, and some things left unanswered. Some characters are left without much development or solving the issue at hand. my biggest concern came around the last few episodes, in which Sneezy reveals he is not who King John thought him to be, and the Caterpillar Minister left us with a puzzling question about King John’s true abilities.

(4/5)

Overall, I would give Little King John: The Flood a 3 out of 5. I grew quite attached to all the characters, and the series has become near and dear to my heart. I would recommend giving it a watch!

Have you seen Little King John: The Flood? If so, let me know what you think!