2002
Noah’s Barks pages covering things relating to the year 2002.
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Spider
A technical masterwork that ranks among one of David Cronenberg’s most intricately plotted, with visual storytelling and essential symbolism. Spider‘s web falls apart when the technical side never gets to completely eclipse with the screenplay. Every scene is a slow dance to a point realized two steps in. The thriller format proves to be poor… (read more)
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The Wake – “Assembly” (2002)
Oi, The Wake tricked me with Assembly, so this review is dedicated to the other five fans of The Wake. The compilation Assembly ostensibly has five unreleased songs, but it’s actually two. “Rise and Shine” is a demo of “Sail Through.” “Make You Understand” is “World of Her Own.” “The Calendar” is “Torn Calendar.” They’re… (read more)
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Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny
As it moves away from its predecessor’s survival horror roots, what awaits the series in ‘Onimusha 2?’ (read more)
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Punch-Drunk Love
Punch-Drunk Love is a very unexpected mix of palpably uncomfortable anxiety-ridden drama, frilly romance, and absurdist comedy that comes incredibly, incredibly close to imploding in on itself by becoming a wild mess – but there’s just enough ambiguity to its strangeness to blur these cracks over and make it a really lovely trip. Any primary… (read more)
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DemiKids and the Fallacy of Comparing Shin Megami Tensei to Pokémon
I find it annoying when people compare the Shin Megami Tensei and Pokémon franchises. There are key differences that make this categorization useless for both sides. (read more)
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The Cat Returns
The Cat Returns has an extended sequence of a belly-dancing cat show. Who cares whatever else is in it? (read more)
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Macross Zero
‘Macross Zero’ takes off with the franchise’s standard themes, and even adds in some environmentally-minded spiritualism, but it struggles to stick the landing. (read more)
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Johnny Cash – “American IV: The Man Comes Around”
‘American IV: The Man Comes Around’ is very frontloaded, but still contains some of the best country you’re likely to ever hear. (read more)
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Suicide – “American Supreme” (2002)
Another Suicide album, another different sound. Martin Rev plays minimalist techno beats on American Supreme, which are kind of fun, but you quickly realize how repetitive they can get when not backed up by the layers and rhythmic complexity of classic techno albums, like those by Underworld. At the very least, they don’t necessarily play… (read more)
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Hooverphonic – “Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane” (2002)
Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane is Hooverphonic’s first concept album. The album’s lyrics are meant to illustrate the story of a woman named Jackie Cane becoming a star, which distances her emotionally from her sister. As she begins to become increasingly stressed, she decides to abandon her career and attempt to reconcile with her sister, only for… (read more)