#it blows my mind that this film came out in 2003 and the main protagonist is a trans woman who's just the fucking best

[bixels]

Now that Ghibli's new movie is coming out soon, I've been thinking about anime films and wanna talk about my favorite animated movie ever, Tokyo Godfathers.

TG is a 2003 tragicomedy by Satoshi Kon, following three unhoused people––an alcoholic, a runaway girl, an a trans woman––who find a baby in a dumpster and set off across Tokyo to reunite her with her parents.

If you like the sound of that, go watch it because the rest of this post is spoilers and I have FEELINGS about this movie.

URGHH, the fact that only two moments of true kindness, generosity, and care given to the three protagonists without any expectation of reciprocity are given by a Latin-American immigrant couple and a drag show club full of trans women. The fact that, despite her loud and dramatic personality, Hana is the glue that holds the team together and the heart of the whole movie. The fact that this movie pulls no punches at showing the violence and inhumanity committed by "civilized Japanese society" against the unhoused. The fact that Miyuki craves to be loved by her parents and ends up seeing Hana as her true mother. The fact that Miyuki starts off accidentally using transphobic language against Hana, but slowly begins calling her "Miss Hana" out of respect. The fact that, according to Kon, Hana's role in the story is as a mythological trickster god and "disturb the morality and order of society, but also play a role in revitalizing culture." The fact that Hana so desperately wants to be part of a true family, yet is willing to sacrifice her found family so they can be with their own, and is rewarded for her good deeds in the end by becoming a godmother. The fact that, throughout the movie, wind and light have been used to signify the presence of god's hand/influence (this movie's about nondenominational faith––faith in yourself, faith in others, faith in a higher power. Lots of religious are referenced, such as Buddhism/Hinduism, Christianity, and Shintoism), and in the climax of the film, as Hana jumps off a building to save a baby that isn't hers, a gust of wind and a shower of light save her from death. The fact that god saves a trans woman's life because she proved herself a mother, and that shit makes me CRY.

[creativity-is-rebellion]

Top 20 Horror Movie List

Since I was a teenager, I have been a horror movie buff. This is my own personal top horror movie list, in no particular order, other than the order they came into my head.

1) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

This is a classic for all horror movie buffs, and a movie that can be re-watched again and again every Halloween. The original Freddie is that perfect mixture of vicious and darkly funny. 

2) Halloween (1978)

This is a slow-burn horror movie, especially when you compare it to later movies in the Halloween franchise, but you could definitely say this, along with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, sparked the first wave of the slasher craze, and spawned the creation of a number of masked, unkillable killers for decades to come.

3) Child’s Play (1988 and 2019, they both are good in their own way)

Chucky is a mixture of evil and hilarious. If you like to watch people get slashed whist the killer is delivering devastating one-liners, this is the movie for you.

4) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (either the 1974 version or the 2003 version, they both bring interesting acting and plots to the table)

See my comment above regarding Halloween. This also squarely fits into some aspects of Southern Gothic (read my post about the Southern Gothic horror genre to see what I mean). I don’t think there is a more vicious and twisted family in horror, save for Rob Zombie’s Firefly clan.

5) Friday the 13th (1980)

If you haven’t seen this one, can you really call yourself a horror buff? The original camp getaway slasher. And the killer isn’t who you think.At least not in this installment.

6) Leatherface (2017)

Not all backstories in horror movies are worth a watch. This one is.

7) Session Nine (2001)

This low-budget slow-burn takes the old idea of an abandoned asylum and gives it a modern twist. It also examines the horrors of toxic masculinity, with supernatural undertones. The ending is mind-blowing. It’s a must-watch

8) Eden Lake (2008)

A brutal and effective British hoodie-horror that, despite the clichés, stays on the right side of scary. It also delivers a surprising ending.

9) Lake Mungo (2008)

Few films convey the complexities of the grieving process better than this psychological horror, which became an instant modern indie classic. It chillingly employs a faux documentary and found-footage format to tell the story of the Palmer family, who are attempting to come to terms with the strange drowning death of their daughter Alice, although I don’t want to give too much away. A must-see.

10)  It Follows (2015)

This movie is the most dire disincentive for fornication on the far side of reality, and its premise is very creative. Not only is the plot quite unusual, the setting and the way in which it was filmed is also unique. It Follows is deceptive (in a good way), as it looks as simple as a horror movie can be, but when you watch closely and pay more attention, some bizarre elements of it really stand out. In addition, it has incredible camera work accompanied by John Carpenter-style music. Watch this movie for a fresh take on the horror genre.

11) Scream (1996)

This movie was a refreshing take on the slasher genre, which breathed new life into this dying (at the time) sector. It pokes fun at and subverts the horror movie tropes that came before it, and although the genre of horror may have now moved beyond what Scream had to deliver, it still owes much to this horror movie gem. Perhaps even its ability to still thrive.

12) The Shining (1980)

This is my favourite movie of all time. It can (and has been) interpreted in a myriad of ways, and has even spawned its own crazy conspiracy-ladened documentary (only see that if you are a die-hard fan). The camera-work, it’s inability to really age, it’s slow-burn script, and it’s exceptional acting make it just as awesome 40 years later as it was when it was originally released (even if it wasn’t initially welcomed and even received a golden razzie award). If you haven’t watched this horror movie classic and you consider yourself a horror fan, what are you doing with your life? Watch it now.

13) Doctor Sleep (2019)

The long-anticipated follow-up to The Shining does not disappoint (at least in my opinion), even if the plot tries to appease both the lovers of the novel and the lovers of the movie (the plot of The Shining diverged from novel-to-movie, if you are not aware). Rose the Hat may be one of the most terrifying villains in modern horror, and this movie doesn’t sugar-coat the more shocking scenarios in King’s novel. Seeing what became of Danny Torrance all grown up does not disappoint.

14) IT Chapter One (2017)

This is one horror remake that I thoroughly enjoyed, and believed to be much-needed. Although Tim Curry in the 1990 miniseries was superb, Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise is darker and creepier. And let’s face it, the miniseries hasn’t aged well. The kid actors do a superb job, and I easily believe that this was the best horror movie of 2017. Don’t come for me. The only negative aspect is that it had some (of what I believe) to be some cheesy and unnecessary CGI, when practical effects would have sufficed.

15) IT Chapter Two (2019)

I had to watch the second helping of IT twice in order to appreciate the story and the characters, who were all grown up. Taken as a whole, the first movie and this sequel have done a tremendous job telling King’s tale of a killer clown and how to defeat it. The acting, especially of grown-up Ritchie (played by Bill Hader) was great, and there were some genuinely scary scenes. The comments I made about CGI in my review of the first installment also apply here. But you can’t watch the first one without watching the sequel, and this sequel is more than good enough for a watch.

16) The Conjuring (2013)

The first chapter in the stories of possession recounted by real-life, renowned “Demonologists” Ed and Lorraine Warren is slow-burn and creepy enough as the characters gradually experience more and more disturbing supernatural occurrences, before the possession finally occurs. In directing The Conjuring, James Wan has succeeded in creating a new horror movie universe. It was definitely one of the scariest horror movies released in 2013.

17) The Conjuring 2 (2016)

I liked this follow-up movie in The Conjuring franchise because more things happened in this plot than in the sequel, and I like action-packed horror. The fact that these movies are based upon “real life” events makes them creepier to moviegoers. When you think they have found the entity that wants to possess the main protagonist of this story, you are led in a different direction, one that is ultimately scarier. The Conjuring 2 is a respectable follow-up to its predecessor.

18) Insidious (2010)

This is also an example of a successful horror movie universe created by James Wan. The Lipstick Face Demon, despite holding comparisons in appearance to Darth Maul of the Star Wars series, is legitimately terrifying. I love the idea this movie introduces regarding the place called “The Further.” This place is rife with entities, both sinister and helpful, and is mysterious enough to make you want to learn more. It is one of the better additions to modern horror of the past decade.

19) Happy Death Day (2017)

This Groundhog Day-inspired horror-comedy is a light-hearted addition to this list, albeit with an interesting and refreshing plot. You’ll feel invested in the protagonist as she undergoes a positive personality shift, and will also be rooting for her to succeed in finding her killer and thus getting out of reliving the same day again and again. The ending is satisfactory, and will leave you wanting a sequel.

20) Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

The sequel to Happy Death Day offers an entertaining expansion on its original premise, providing further explanation as to why Tree (the protagonist) ended up in the situation she did originally. There are some amusing sequences of different ways she kills herself to reset her day in order to return to her original universe and end her purgatory for good. In my opinion, this is a must-watch.

This is by no means a complete list. I might make another one with new additions down the track.