2022 is almost over and 2023 is upon us. Honestly, I can’t really remember most of the year; so much happened in the news while I had nothing to really occupy my mind (I had a job as a crossing guard, and while I’m grateful to have worked there, it wasn’t really a job that would fulfill me in the long run), so everything kind of blurred together. That changed in September, when I became the proud alumni of McMaster University; if there’s anything that I’m looking forward to in the New Year, it’s to see where my education takes me and new people I can meet at one of Canada’s best schools. I’m loving it so far!
Even if my life didn’t really pick up until the last quarter of the year, I still had a lot of great stuff to read, watch, and play in the meantime. Here are my fave things of 2022!
FAVE MOVIES
My fave movies of 2022 are Turning Red (dir. Domnee Shi), The Sea Beast (dir. Chris Williams), NOPE (dir. Jordan Peele), Pinocchio (dir. Guillermo del Toro), and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (dir. Joel Crawford). I want to give special attention to NOPE and Pinocchio because they stand out to me for two different reasons.
NOPE (my fave live action movie that I watched this year) was the film that made me actually love watching movies again. In a world dominated by Marvel and would-be franchises trying to be Marvel, NOPE was a breath of fresh air. A genuinely thrilling, well-crafted horror that offers social commentary without being too on the nose and leaving some room for interpretation. NOPE felt like a modern-day JAWS (one of my fave movies of all time); a horror movie that employs great writing and acting/characters without relying too much on seeing the monster, and asking if the humans are any less monstrous in this situation.
As for Pinocchio…holy shit this is probably the most beautiful stop-motion animated film ever made. Sometimes I forgot I was watching a stop motion film; it almost felt REAL. I also praise it for how it unflinchingly portrays the horrors of fascism and how we should never give fascists the benefit of the doubt. As the granddaughter of two Italian immigrants whose childhoods were stolen by WWII, I appreciated it when Pinocchio told Mussolini to go eat shit in a cheery song and dance number.
Overall, I didn’t get to see a whole lot of movies this year (ticket prices are expensive), but for the most part, I really enjoyed the films I got to see.
FAVE GAMES
Even though I didn’t see a whole lot of movies, I played a LOT of video games this year, both old and new. Of the games released this year that I loved, they were Neon White (dev. Angel Matrix), Rollerdrome (dev. Roll 7), Tunic (dev. Tunic Team, Finji), The Entropy Centre (dev. Stubby Games), Metal: Hellsinger (dev. The Outsiders), Burnhouse Lane (dev. Harvester Games), and of course, the indie breakout hit Stray. Granted, there are still a LOT of games that came out this year that I haven’t played yet or played all the way through (I got Bayonetta 3 for Christmas and need to start playing it soon), so my fave games might change, but those were a few that really stood out to me. If I had to pick my GOTY (Game of the Year), it would have to be Neon White; a game that seamlessly combines multiple genres (first person shooter, platforming, speedrunning, visual novel, dating sim, deck builder) into one high-octane thrill ride with just the right amount of camp.
Also, 2022 was the year I discovered one of my fave games of all time: Omori (dev. OMOCAT). It came out in 2020 and I tried it once but didn’t really get into it, but decided to give it another shot during my summer break. I am so glad I did. Omori is one of the most emotionally intense and engrossing pieces of media ever made; it really is a good candidate to bring up in the “video games are art” argument. I don’t really want to talk too much about it because it really is something you should experience for yourself, but be warned: this game is a VERY raw look at mental illness, trauma, guilt, depression, and suicide, none of which is romanticized or glamorized whatsoever. If you can handle it, it’s worth it; it’s a game that will stay with you long after you’ve played it.
OTHER FAVES
I don’t watch a lot of TV anymore, but I enjoyed watching Baymax! the series. It was so lovely seeing Hiro and Baymax again. And I haven’t seen the whole thing yet, but from what I’ve seen, I’m really loving Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal; I bought the first season on Blu Ray, and hopefully the second season will be out soon. I also loved Arcane and Invincible from last year; they’re great examples of adult animation that isn’t comedy done RIGHT.
And while I’m not finished it yet, I’m really absorbed in Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died. It’s a very sobering look at child stardom and how abusive stage parents can really get; even though I’ve never watched iCarly, I’m happy Jennette was able to let her feelings out.
MOVING FORWARD
I haven’t been too active on this blog, and that’s for a few reasons (lack of writing inspiration, busy with school), so I can’t guarantee what 2023 will have in store here. But I do want to give a quick update on myself. I’m 27 now (I’ll be 28 very soon), and I’m very happy with the person I’ve become. I feel a lot smarter, more mature, more rational than I used to be, and I can get through problems without breaking down crying all the time. For me, aging isn’t a curse, it’s a gift; the gift of getting wiser, and more experienced. I still have bad days, of course, but I’m a LOT better now than I was just a few years ago.
Do I have any resolutions? No. Those give me too much anxiety. But I am looking forward to 2023. It’s hard to tell if the world at large will get better or worse, but for me individually, I can tell things are just going to get better and better.
Happy New Year’s, everyone. May 2023 bring happiness, comfort, security, and reasons to keep going.
With Love,
Laura
The Flying Red Robot 