2013
Noah’s Barks pages covering things relating to the year 2013.
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Shin Megami Tensei IV
‘Shin Megami Tensei IV’ is the series’s first numbered entry in over a decade. Is it worth that honor? (read more)
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Pacific Rim
If you claim to love action movies for the spectacle, then I dare say we shouldn’t expect much more than Pacific Rim in this day and age. Take it from a mecha anime fan: this is good but also quite disappointing. In other words, it’s right on par with most of the mecha genre! Not… (read more)
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Inside Llewyn Davis
As a folk fan, Inside Llewyn Davis is a heavy disappointment. I can’t buy into it as a portrayal of the early-60s folk scene because the Coen bros’ dialogue is too crass, modern, and maybe simply anachronistic. The intense bitterness of every character being either an idiot hick or a smartass shithead is overbearing, and… (read more)
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Little Witch Academia
It’s a magical day! Studio Trigger’s ‘Little Witch Academia’ is a delightful short movie that captures an innocent, classical fantasy vibe that’s difficult to find in modern Japanese media. (read more)
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Justin Timberlake – “The 20/20 Experience” (2013)
If you know me, you can guess that the baroque, traditional pop orchestrations on The 20/20 Experience have me pretty giddy. In particular, the album reminds of the direct influence old R&B and soul music has had on its modern variants. Justin Timberlake is much more open about that, and it’s that honesty that makes… (read more)
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Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
The 08th MS Team grounds the Gundam franchise in guerilla warfare, with relatable characters and focused, tight storytelling. (Includes "A Battle with the Third Dimension," "Miller’s Report") (read more)
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Death Billiards
Created by studio Madhouse, ‘Death Billiards’ is a wonderful short film certain to please any general fans of psychological thrillers. (read more)
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Her
The film about love in the 21st century, and what’s incredible is that it may be so for centuries more. In a society where individuals are growing increasingly distant and romance becomes more necessary for the only genuine emotional connections one can find rather than physical, Her looks at where we’re headed and where we’ve… (read more)
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Roy Harper – “Man & Myth”
You know, for someone who spent most of the ’80s directionless and confused about what the values in his music were, Roy Harper has made quite a stark recovery since 1990’s Once. Each album since has been an enjoyable affair from the cult-classic wordsmith and elegant string-picker, culminating in 2000’s The Green Man, which can truly be… (read more)
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The Gathering – “Afterwords”
You know, I came into Afterwords optimistic. I was already planning on writing a review that praised this album. It was going to go a little something like this: It’s time we face the facts: Anneke van Giersbergen is not that amazing of a vocalist. She’s great at what she does, does it well, and… (read more)