Quarantine Control #5: The Evil Spirit’s Spectre

The Coronavirus pandemic is starting to relax in several parts of the world, with new cases and deaths trending downward. Those places are slowly reopening as a result and stay-at-home orders are being relaxed, though their leadership is still encouraging social distancing. But the virus hasn’t been eradicated, and several states in the United States are seeing the problem with opening their economies too early by gambling with people’s lives — though whether the officials who made those decisions will see that as a “problem” is another matter.

That’s why it’s best to stay at home as much as you can. It’s also why the Quarantine Control series is continuing into this fifth installment, because we’re still watching and catching up on movies, TV shows, and video games while entertainment production has been slowed if it hasn’t been paused entirely. You might also need recommendations now if you’ve watched or played too much over the last couple of months.

 

Geoffrey Barnes

Spectre
Source: Blu-ray
Episodes: It’s a movie

I finally caught up on Bond films by watching Spectre, the newest film in the long, long-running James Bond 007 series and the fourth to star Daniel Craig in the main role. Stories in the Bond films mostly stand alone, but continuity matters for this movie more compared to previous Craig films and those prior to this era. The 007 series had to top itself by featuring villains that matter more in the grand scheme, a solid plan in theory. The execution of the concept this time around isn’t all the way there.

This is notably the most, let’s say, traditional Bond film of the Craig series thus far, thanks to the introduction of more gadgets. This sounded bad for people like me, who actually came to prefer the diminished reliance on gadgets after the Pierce Brosnan films got a little too crazy with them — especially the last one. Fortunately, they’re not too dominant here.

Spectre was an entertaining film with an intriguing main villain despite the main face coming in late, and seeing a grander overall threat that connects all the movies worked out well. But it’s not a flawless film. This is the longest movie in the franchise to be released thus far, coming in at a whopping two hours and 28 minutes, and the pacing makes it feel like that length. Several segments could have been shorter, particularly key dialogue sequences and quieter parts. The overall movie feels stretched out to make ticket and home video prices look easier to stomach, to let the consumer know they’re getting a lot of time out of this for their money. I’ll blame everyone who complained about Quantum of Solace being too short. It’s very thrilling to know that the upcoming and delayed No Time to Die will be even longer.

Despite the movie’s length, it’s also remarkable that Monica Bellucci’s character is only in the movie for five minutes despite the buildup for her being the oldest Bond Girl. I’m not wishing the movie was any longer, but the idea of introducing a lead female whose age was closer to Craig for this film fell flat.

I didn’t envy the producers of Spectre for having to make a movie that lived up to the superlative Skyfall, but I’m sad it didn’t match it. But it’s not as bad as some people would have you believe, similar to how Quantum of Solace compared to Casino Royale. The internet has a funny habit of believing in absolutes, with nothing between good or bad. Let’s leave the “bad” labels for Bond films that actually deserve them, like Die Another Day.

Streets of Rage Remake
Source: PC Download
Episodes: This is a video game

I’m slacking when it comes to picking up a copy of Streets of Rage 4, because my indecisive self can’t choose between whether to purchase the digital copy now or buy a physical one from Limited Run Games. It makes a big difference this time since the physical copies won’t ship for months, likely due to the pandemic making printing copies a hassle. But I still had the urge to play a Streets of Rage game now, so I downloaded the fan-made Streets of Rage Remake, easy enough to find despite Sega trying their damnedest to wipe it from the internet. Playing it has been an illuminating experience in mostly positive ways.

The Remake is a good reminder that the SoR titles are as solid as I remembered them, and the team behind this did such a good job that calling it a “Remake” is doing it a slight disservice. Yes, it uses the same sprites from the Genesis/Mega Drive games (especially those from Streets of Rage 3), but includes a new story with multiple endings, and multiple paths to go down to experience alternate, though short, cutscenes. It also contains extra playable characters who weren’t available in the older games, along with new stages.

This also marked a good time for me to discover how my skills at side-scrolling brawlers have melted over the years. I’m not revealing the number of times where I got my ass handed to me by random dudes in order to preserve a semblance of my confidence, and key bosses gave me more trouble than they should have. I could blame developers for not making brawlers for a good while, but the genre somewhat returned to prominence with the rise of digital distribution over a decade ago. I have no real excuse here outside my old (in my mid-30s) age, and even that’s flimsy.

Give Remake a shot if you’re not too busy with SoR4 or a host of other games at the moment. But you might feel guilty about it considering Sega does not want this to exist, at least partially due to the extra characters using sprite animations from non-Sega games like SNK’s The King of Fighters titles. That’s why I’m not providing a download link here, but it’s easy enough even a neophyte at Google-fu to find. It’s worth a shot for any fan of the franchise or genre, at least for curiosity’s sake.

 

Angela Moseley

One of the biggest drags about being an essential worker in the shipping industry is how what used to be the slow season is now as busy as the holidays. On one hand, I’d like a vacation which may seem insane to those of you on lockdown and unable to leave the house. On the other hand, I thankfully have a scheduled vacation coming up soon. 

Somali and the Forest Spirit (2020)
Source: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 12

During the winter anime season I was complaining that there was nothing good to watch, thus the dive into my backlog. If I had looked a little harder I would have found plenty of current shows to watch. Considering how much anime for spring and summer have been delayed because of the pandemic, I’m sure a lot of fans will be digging into their backlogs soon enough. Anyway, whenever I opened up Crunchyroll I always saw Somali and the Forest Spirit on the front page. It didn’t break through the excitement of Beastars, so I figured it was probably a mediocre series. However, the banner art on the front page was so intriguing that I couldn’t help but try out the series. I want to kick myself for nearly missing such an excellent show.

Somali and the Forest Spirit was adapted from Yako Gureishi’s 2015 digital manga. As of this writing, there are currently six volumes and the series is ongoing. The animation production was handled by both HORNETS and Satelight.

In a fantasy world where humans, monsters, and spirits exist, one golem is content to watch over the forest he’s been tasked with protecting. Even as he nears the end of his lifespan he’s content. The golem’s world suddenly changes when he finds a young human child in his forest. The child is emaciated, only wearing rags and is bound in chains. When she sees him she immediately calls him “Dad.” Some time passes and both the girl, whom he has named Somali and the golem have left the forest. The two have formed a relationship as surrogate father and daughter. They are on a journey to find more humans. In this world humans have been persecuted by monster clans and are on the brink of extinction. The world is both a wonderful and dangerous place for the two as they travel and meet new people along the way.

Somali and the Forest Spirit is all about the journey. Despite the dark undertones of the overall world, I enjoyed the almost slice-of-life nature of the series. It was fantastic to watch the father daughter relationship between the golem and Somali grow. She started off as a bit annoying and headstrong, but it was clear she fully embraced the golem as her father. The golem on the other hand claimed he didn’t have emotions, but it was clear that he loved Somali. At the same time, he didn’t fail in his duties as a parent. There were even touching moments that made me tear up, such as when he got advice from another father about parenting and the balance between discipline and freedom. 

All of the sheer joy of watching these two characters’ relationship develop, is tempered by the fact that the golem knows he has a limited amount of time before he ceases functioning and has to find a safe human village for Somali. Of course, he doesn’t tell her his time is limited and she wants to stay with him forever, adding a layer of sadness. Their journey isn’t all pleasant, as humans are rare for a reason. While it’s clear that some of the folks that come across Somali figure out she’s human (the golem disguises her as a member of the Minotaur clan), most don’t care. However, a few do care and some are even willing to harm Somali. This brings up great questions about the overall world and prejudice. These questions are addressed, but never quite fully answered as we’re left wondering if it’s the fault of humans for their own persecution, the monster clans giving the audience a skewed perspective, or a mix of both perspectives.

While you wonder if any destination will truly be safe for Somali, this is still a fantastic story about relationship growth. Add some fantastical settings, colorful water color backgrounds, and a diverse set of fantasy creatures, and you have a show that’s filled with visual splendor. I really can’t recommend Somali and the Forest Spirit enough. It’s easily one of the best shows of 2020. 

Togo (2019)
Source: Disney+
Episodes: 1 movie

Togo was an interesting movie for me. In all of the years since seeing Balto and learning that Togo ran the majority of the relay, it seemed unfair that he never got proper recognition alongside Balto. Oh sure, Balto would go on to be sold to a vaudeville circuit by his owner, Leonhard Seppala and treated horribly until being rescued by children in Cleveland. In the meantime, Togo got to retire and sire puppies that become the foundation of the modern husky breed. In the end, I’d say Togo certainly the better deal, even if Balto had mainstream fame. In the 2019 Disney+ release of Togo, director Ericson Core tries to rectify the obscurity of Togo with this film, which not only tells the story of the 1925 Serum Run, but also tells the life story of Togo through Seppala’s eyes. Despite taking some unneeded shots at Balto, this movie is pretty enjoyable.

In 1913 Togo is born and is immediately dismissed by Seppala as being too weak and small. He figures the runt isn’t cut out to be a sled dog, but Togo has other thoughts as he constantly breaks free in an attempt to be by his owner’s side. Keeping Togo confined doesn’t work, nor does selling the dog as he breaks free only to return to Seppala each and every time. Finally, he harnesses Togo up with the others and is surprised at the dog’s abilities. A few years later Togo helps Seppala win the All Alaska Sweepstakes earning his place as a great sled dog.

When a diphtheria outbreak strikes the town of Nome, Alaska in 1925 Togo is 12 years old at this point. Seppala’s wife, Constance, begs him not to take the old dog, but the musher insists. Togo proves himself in every way by running the most dangerous part of the Serum Run and traveling more miles than any other relay team. In the end, the journey leaves Togo lame and Balto gets all of the credit by leading the team that actually brings the medicine into Nome.

Togo had the right balance of a coming of age story (for Togo), Seppala’s acceptance of the dog, and man versus nature during the Serum Run. At the end of the day, it was less about the race and more about the bond between Seppala and Togo. It’s definitely an aspect missing from movies like Balto, and even newer films such as The Great Alaskan Race. As a bonus, actor Willem Dafoe bears a striking resemblance to Leonhard Seppala. My only gripe with the movie is how it raises Togo’s stature at the expense of Balto. Ultimately, both Togo and Balto were dogs succeeding at what was asked of them. The shade tossed at Balto feels like Disney taking a shot at Amblimation’s Balto despite the movies releasing 14 years apart.

Anyway, if you enjoy the sled dog movie genre, Togo will earn a place in your heart right next to Balto, Iron Will, Eight Below, and Snow Dogs.

 

Joseph Daniels

Wow, it seems that last week, we here at Damage Control had stuff we wanted to get off our chest.  Hopefully this week we’re feeling better.

You’re likely not coming here to hear about Covid-19 and our frustrations with how certain parts of the world are handling it, so I make a pledge this week that I will mention no evil.

No Evil
Source: Newgrounds & YouTube
Episodes: On-going (36 so far)

Betsy Lee’s epic animation project probably won’t take you very long to binge, especially compared to some of the media I’ve recommended in the past.  That said, it’s also several years in the making, so every so often I like to watch all the older episodes again, especially when a new episode comes out.  Speaking of, episode 36 was just released, so I binged the entire series once more this past week.

It’s interesting to me that the first few episodes were intended to be animation tests and not really follow a strict narrative, sort of like an animator’s resume as they shop themselves around for jobs.  Instead of being hired, Betsy Lee ended up fleshing out the setting and coming up with a story where a black ick known as the Black Tezcatlipoca is returning despite being dealt with in such a way that it shouldn’t be coming back.  There was a contract!

The growing mystery of why it’s returning and what certain creepy characters might have to do with it is the main driving force of the plot of No Evil.  But that’s not all.  One of my favourite aspects of it is that it takes myths and legends from many cultures, mainly American ones but not exclusive to the New World.  I also like that, despite that each character has a difficult-to-pronounce name from mythology, or even just an unwieldy name (Chalchiuhtlicue, Huehuecoyotl, Queztalcotl, for example), they also have a nickname that viewers are likely to favour (Calamity, Huey and Corn, respectively).

Sign language is used by some characters to communicate and that’s also awesome.  It shows just how much Betsy Lee is willing to research to make her setting work.

Despite the plot of No Evil involving a creeping blackness that wants to swallow everything, there’s a lot of humour and snark and I want to share a bit of that as well.  Some of my favourite lines:

“It ain’t a love triangle. It’s a love line segment, with one very ambitious point.”

“You know what’s good after a long, depressing run? Booze!”

And this exchange:

“Oh, hey, Kitty! Can I borrow this?” “That’s fine, but why?” “I don’t know.”

Given that Betsy Lee is doing most of the work herself, episodes take quite a while to come out.  At least it’s short enough to watch in one sitting every time a new episode is released.

 

There was a second thing I wanted to share this week with a snarky female character but I think I’ll save it for another week.  I’ll at least save it for when I’m farther along in my retrospective projects…

 

That’s all for this week. Many of us live in places where stay at home orders are unlikely to be lifted any time soon, so we’ll be back with more next week. Whether that will come through recommendations or editorials remains to be seen. Just please remember to stay at home as much as you can, regardless of what some dumb political leaders who think they know more than medical experts continue to say.