The Toad's Burrow

       As an avid Weezer fan, what can I say, I think at one point I preferred the blue album to Pinkerton but I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t been growing on me once again as the years wane on. I mean it’s certainly not for anyone, it’s a messy album both sonically and lyrically, and as I’ve grown I’ve realized that some parts of the album are a lot less savoury that I remember, though that Across The Sea solo still bangs even if it’s in the context of an oddly pedophilic song. As one of the only bands my brother and I could only enjoy though, Weezer was a big part of my teenage years and it wouldn’t be the same without this album, considering it was one of my first forays into emo music. And so without further ado, my track-by-track review. Pinkerton – Weezer Tired of Sex – 85/100 I mean I’m going to be honest with you if you don’t like this song I doubt you’d enjoy the rest of the album. If you’ve ever heard emo lyrics or just any pop-punk song where they pine f...

    As someone born in the early 2000's it's hard for me to grasp the cultural phenomenon that is Die Hard,  I mean I don't even live in America either, though I suppose Toronto is similar enough culturally that its acclaim would have carried over the border to at least some extent. Yet, I didn't get it, and even now, I still don't really understand how it became as big as it did.     I mean from the arguments about whether or not it's a Christmas movie to Jake Peralta's obsession with the movie in Brooklyn-Nine Nine I've seen many cultural references to the film but never understood why. I mean from the swearing which is much more prominent than I remember from my initial watch of the film to the heavy amounts of guns and blood that are present it doesn't really strike me as something that could be a classic, or enjoyed by all like I initially thought it would.     I suppose that simply says more about my expectations for the film though, because de...

      Everyone knows about Nirvana, their logo is plastered across T-Shirts of many people for ages now, and their short but ironic run might make even make them that much more legendary.  For the record, before re-listening to this album I’ll preface this by saying generally I enjoy Nevermind more than I did In Utero , I know it’s not the cool hipster take because it’s the more accessible album, but that is one of the reasons I did enjoy it when I listened to it all those years ago in my high school years. And while my tastes have grown more acclimated to the harsher sounds found on this album, I’m not sure if my opinion will change much or I’ll simply appreciate this album more than I did all those years ago. I mean I was never the biggest grunge or Nirvana fan, don’t get me wrong I liked the popular songs on this album like Heart-Shaped Box and All Apologies , but otherwise I definitely relisten to the songs on Nevermind much more than I ever do In Utero . So I g...

      As a fan of The Intouchables , I tried, and I do mean I tried really hard to enjoy The Upside , but I just couldn't bring myself to watching it. I mean everything about it just felt like a poor mans copy that captures none of the charm and fails to make up for it in any other way. Now, I understand trying to make a movie that captures American sensibilities, but frankly all it manages to capture are its worst tropes. Like, I mean no disrespect to Kevin Hart, but I never quite understood him, and frankly it doesn't help that Bryan Cranston's character, Phillip seems disinterested in everything 90% of the time, so he really only acts in a few couple scenes.     I mean, the first film I could easily get through, it was a consumable 1 hour 52 minute piece about the indomitable human spirit and the bond that can form despite the background, and this movie is a 2 hour slog fest that just feels like everyone is going through the motions. I mean you could hardly e...

     Is there a correlation between being a quadriplegic and being rich, because I've watched two films about rich quadriplegic's already, and while they were completely different in tone, it's kind of weird how multiple films have been made about them, like Me Before You  and The Intouchables. And while I may have not cried at the end of this film, I can safely say that both, leave viewers with the imparting message of learning to live, grow and let go. Without a doubt in my mind, I do think this is one of the non-English films, I've watched ever.      I remember when I first watched this film, skeptical of whether or not I'd even enjoy it. I mean how many times have you been forced to watch a film in class and instead of enjoying what's being presented to you you just think about the subsequent homework that will stem from this viewing? Yes, while you might think Driss and his humour is juvenile I can safely say that my friends and I burst out l...

      When Rian Johnson comes to mind, I remember him directing The Last Jedi , a movie I hated with such mighty fervour as a child when it came out. I couldn't stan him, I felt as if he had ruined everything that could have happened, and all that had been set up in The Force Awakens , only for J.J. Abrams to pick up whatever pieces were still salvageable and make The Rise of Skywalker , whatever that might be. However, all that changed when I watched Knives Out, I was inexplicably confused, Rian Johnson could produce something competent, a movie that was good, even amazing one might say.     I remember with great vigour begging my best friend to watch the movie, because my sister and I were blown away by what we had just witnessed, we were hooked. So when the sequel announced I waited with bated breath, I mean rarely do I like sequels, because the majority of the time I just find that they were completely unnecessary and only tarnish the legacy left behind...

      As a musical fan, one habit I've developed it watching multiple renditions of a musical in succession in order to gauge what I loved about each version, and I can safely say while I did enjoy this movie, I think the 2023 Toronto run of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was better, if on the sole basis of it not having really aged parts that make you go, wait this is for kids? Keep in mind I literally just poured all my energy into reviewing the musical in the very last post, so this won't be a conventional review, and mostly just me talking about how aged this musical has truly become.     First off, I'd like to note that I didn't realize God or Jesus isn't mentioned a single time during this musical. I guess I never noticed the exclusion because it's not like this musical isn't overtly religious, but they never even said that Joseph's gift was God-given or that God has a plan for him, and I suppose that's a good thing. To really rea...

      If I told you that someone made a musical rendition of the classic bible story involving Joseph and his twelve brothers filled with humour packed to the brim, your first thought would instantly go to  VeggieTales , the Christian animated series involving a loveable cast of vegetables. Now, before you start raising pitchforks, keep in mind that I actually think the comparison between VeggieTales  and  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is quite apt, and frankly high praise considering I loved VeggieTales  as a kid, because I think  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat  brings the same family fun with a lot more flare.     To be honest, when I first heard of this musical, I was a bit skeptical, I mean as someone who grew up in a religious household, I've seen religion shoehorned in quite possibly all facets of life, from odd plates, to conventions and even poorly made animated films (not VeggieTales ), so ...

     This album was a bit of a slog to get through, I won’t lie, but I suppose I was never really the target audience, and frankly metal was never my favourite genre even if I do like some of the songs that are provided. When my friend CJ had recommended Iowa by Slipknot I was a little intrigued. Frankly, my only other experience with them was this high school friend turned weirdly transphobic who listened to a lot of metal, but he also had these weird notions about masculinity and listened to Greta Van Fleet, so make of that what you will. I suppose I came out pleasantly surprised at least sonically, though I would say I’m less than impressed with the lyrics. So without further ado, my track-by-track scores. Iowa by Slipknot (515) – N/A I was never a metal fan and after hearing some screams on this first track I’m not quite sure how this is going to go  People = Shit – 65/100 Like with my review of the Dillinger Escape Plan I will once again say I’m not the bigges...

      It's not hard to get me to like your anime, all I need is some catchy theme song, some over the top characters and I'm set, I could easily watch forty episodes of whatever series thrown my way, and that's how I felt about Bocchi the Rock!  season 1. While I might have been skeptical of the series as a whole, that's only because I kept on comparing it to K-ON!,   but once the plot started to pick up I was hooked, this anime is cute, catchy and just generally loveable, the only way you hate this anime is if you hate fun.     When I say let them cook, I mean the animators and showrunners, because they really had their fill of fun with this series, and frankly I'm all here for it. From a clip where they start running in the middle of the woods to overturn a rock, to Goto randomly t-posing and flying into computer generated cubes like an old Youtube poop made using source film maker, they really do whatever they want. I think that's what really h...

      As an avid Pokémon fan, I have to admit that I had some optimism watching trailers for  Pokémon Scarlet and Violet , I mean it was trying something new, and as someone who had rekindled their love for the series in recent years, for once I was hopeful that they'd continue on this new trend started by  Pokémon Legends: Arceus. However, in the end all I got was a mockery that had bits of potential, but once again showed the glaring flaws that leak out of the gaping pores that cover this once beloved bundle of joy. If  Pokémon Legends: Arceus  was like a breath of fresh air, then  Pokémon Scarlet and Violet  is like a stinky aftertaste that quickly makes you forget what even happened.     I mean, there's nothing wrong with the story, the gameplay is fine, but it's like Gamefreak and Nintendo put it in a glossy package that releases a stinky fart when you open it. Like the greed is so apparent, the year lo...