Trigger Warning

 

- Trigger Warning: Short fictions and disturbances. Neil Gaiman. 

Gaiman’s third short story collection, after “Smoke and mirrors” and “Fragile things” offers another mix of fantasy, horror, humor —with some sci-fi even, plus poetry, short-shorts and even a novella! All dealing with sudden changes in the world, as noted by both title and introduction. Even Gaiman’s traditional short story hidden in the Introduction!

Far less shocking than a title like “trigger warning” would suggest, yet it’s a very good, very enjoyable collection. often more memorable than the previous “Fragile things”. There is a recurrent theme of fairytales, folklore and rituals. Some brought to modern times, others essentially taking place in all eras and none. All sort of familiar faces show up, from assorted folk characters to tv personalities like Dr. Who and even Gaiman’s own Shadow (of the novel “American Gods” and others). Also famous fairytale and literary characters here and there. 

On the whole, accessible both to longtime Gaiman fans and to newcomers. While not entirely on par with his 90’s work, certainly the pinnacle of his creativity, it’s still very much a kind of book downright needed nowadays. Both stimulating and thought-provoking. 

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November 2022 Extras

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Also read / watched in the month: 

TV SHOWS

LIVE ACTION

- The midnight club. 

Inspired by assorted books from 90’s YA horror author Christopher Pike (not just the titular one). Good companion to other recent adaptations of YA / Children’s horror —like the "Fear Street" and "Goosebumps" movies (all drawn from R. L. Stine), or “Scary tales to tell in the dark” —and one would be tempted to include the tv series “I know what you did last summer”, had that one not been a disappointment. 

In any case, The midnight club is a fairly entertaining thriller that, like the Fear Street movie trilogy, brings the diversity (in particular the Queerness) that was barely present in the original books. 

- Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of curiosities. 

Fairly entertaining horror anthology. Though at times it’s little more than a new season of “Masters of Horror”, rather than the Twilight Zone vibe it seems to be aiming for, it’s nevertheless worth a look for horror aficionados. 

- The boys (season 1). 

Media satire disguised as a bad-taste superhero parody. Better than one would expect from the trailers, if still more clever than intelligent. Still, worth a look —definitely not for everyone, however. 

ANIMATED

- Dead end: Paranormal park. (season 2)

Extraordinary dark fantasy for children, notable both for the queer elements (that are here an integral part of the story) and for becoming an apologia for rebellion against God. Quite recommended. 

- Zootopia+. 

Shorts derived from the famous movie. Nicely animated and amusing, if short enough to count almost as deleted scenes. Still, pretty entertaining. 

- Sailor Moon Crystal. (Seasons 1 - 2)

The much maligned second anime adaptation of the world-famous manga —I found it to hold up surprisingly well. Perhaps it works much better completely ignoring the Fandom Discourse around it, both positive and negative, and simply watching this one on its own merits. 

WEBCOMIC

- Some other animal’s meat. Emily Carroll. 

Excellently creepy horror comic from a master of the genre. The basis for a Cabinet of curiosities episode that truly did not do justice to the original. 

MOVIES

- Sailor Moon R: The movie. 

- Sailor Moon S: The movie. 

- Sailor Moon SuperS: The movie. 

The movies spun off from the original anime all hold up nicely, each with their own themes and aesthetic.

- Sing.

So-so animated musical. While entertaining and nice to look at, something is missing and overall is fairly unmemorable. 

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