6.28.25 how much longer now? my slipsworld...

Welcome to the first ever SlipsWorld blog post! Every last Saturday of every month, I intend to post an update on the media that I have been engaging with most recently. Don't expect me to go too in depth on any one topic though as these are mostly just quick reflections and first impressions. Think of it as more of a monthly diary than anything super analytical and with that, let's start this post off with the big one:

Chapters 3 and 4 launched this past month and they've been the primary thing I've been thinking about for at least the past few weeks. Despite how these new chapters leave some plot threads and mysteries open to be resolved in future chapters, they still perfectly set the stage for Toby Fox to impactfully display the heartfelt thematic center of his ongoing fantasy narrative. Between the more experimental structure of Chapter 3 and the cinematic tone of Chapter 4, Deltarune never ceases to impress me in its ability to push its combat and exploration in new directions and to further immerse the player in its deeply engrossing metanarrative hijinks. I have tons more to say about this game, particularly about its antifatalist themes and how they might be represented through the underlying arc of its main 'playable' character, but I'll save that loaded topic for another time...

I've been playing this one pretty frequently and it's the satisfying sound design that keeps me coming back to rack up more combos. Sea Cucumber and Poop-Butt come in clutch every time; only real Nubbyheads understand.

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Justin Vernon does it again with a solid album full of introspective ballads and uplifting jams that make for a great summer soundtrack by the pool. While I was initially disappointed that they left behind some of the electronic experimentation that they were doing on 22, A Million and i,i, the emotionality and sheer tenderness that this album exudes is pretty darn contagious even without the weird vocoders and synthesizers backing it up. I find that the more acoustic driven tracks here also have more engaging progressions than some of their earlier stuff from For Emma, Forever Ago and I think that is only helped by the cleaner production making the guitarwork on this record especially irresistible to listen to.

Fav Tracks: THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS, Everything is Peaceful Love, From, If Only I Could Wait, There's a Rhythmn

I'm not usually into the type of brostep-trap-esque bass music that G Jones specializes in, but I feel like I vibe with his distinct style when it leans more into trance or ambient influences. While this release doesn't have as many interesting moments as The Ineffable Truth does, I still generally enjoy the more infectious textures and melodies that he has on offer here. Might give another listen down the line.

Fav Tracks: Too Far Gone, Perpetual Bloom, Maybe, Remnant

Not every track is an immediate hit for me and some of the ballads in the latter half might need to grow on me, but other than that, this is a pretty solid art pop record with breathtaking production from my personal GOAT A. G. Cook. The dynamic blend of industrial and ethereal sounds here is enough to convince me that A. G. should do more film scores.

Fav Tracks: Exhale, Cannibal, Wildeye, Salt Licorice, Hold, Swill

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Sam Raimi's debut feature may embody a simple horror premise on the surface, but his unmistakable eye for dynamic and visceral cinematography make this a decently worthwhile horror thrill ride. I'm looking forward to getting more into Raimi's filmography beyond his Spider-Man trilogy.

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While I don't think this film has as much to say about male friendships as a lot of reviews claim it does, this 100-minute I Think You Should Leave sketch is successful enough in retaining Tim Robinson's socially dysfunctional charm even if the character he plays here feels more actively unlikeable and delusional than a lot of the characters he normally plays on his Netflix show.

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The unpredictability of Terry Gilliam's directorial style makes this odd fantasy adventure increasingly more visually compelling as it continues with the prison break scene towards the end especially standing out as a thrilling setpiece. I still don't know how to feel about its more satirical and somewhat cynical ending and its humor felt kind of hit or miss to me, but its general fantastical style and its lead cast are infectiously likable enough for me to respect its ambition.

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This was a pretty timely watch considering the real life election of a new pope that occurred earlier this year. While the bulk of the drama of this film is present within the dialogue, I found the shot framing to be especially dynamic in how it represents the bureaucratic nature of the titular conclave, suggesting the worth of collective efforts within institutions and putting the reasons why people seek power to begin with into a larger perspective.

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Don't really have many strong opinions on this one. It's kind of just a standard Bob Dylan biopic, but it was a cozy enough watch with the family.

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I tend to like biopics more when they take time to create an atmosphere that represents the emotional or mental state of their subject(s) and Damien Chazelle's directorial style definitely lends itself to that kind of emotion even if it does dwell on the technical aspects of space travel for a little too long at times. There are some poignant moments displaying the general public's response to the space race to contrast with Armstrong's personal story and a pretty impactful aspect ratio shift at the climax, though it just takes a little too long to get to those moments.

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I'm watching season 3 right now which is when the series started doing episodes that tell standalone stories that pull away from the main cast of characters. When I first started watching this series, I half-expected it to be more of an anthology and I guess this season is where those expectations came from. Despite the heavier subject matter at the center of its racial satire, I feel like Atlanta generally provides a good balance of grounded, slice-of-life storytelling with its more hard-hitting points about culture and race in a way that feels poignant and empathetic without devolving into something overly cynical. Any satirical piece of media that is willing to strike that balance is very commendable in my book especially since doing so shows that the writers respect the intelligence of their audience enough to write a genuinely compelling story.

That's all for this week! I'll catch you next month for another blogpost as I continue updating and improving this space in the meantime. See you later!