An unordered compilation of things I liked last year
Going back through media I enjoyed, to sort my thoughts out.
2024 was a tempestuous year for me. Despite the best of intentions, reality and unattended circumstances ended up coming back to bite me in the ass. In the process, I became a better person, but it took a lot of self-loathing, doubt, and arguments with myself and my loved ones to get there. It was not an easy journey, but I'm better equipped to deal with the world now.
This new year is already looking up for a plethora of reasons, and I intend to complement my activities and studies with a lot of art. Not content, to consume. Art to enjoy, things that I seek for their emotional, intellectual, and recreational value. I tend to prefer things that are able to leave me feeling something new or different and allow me to grow as a person.
That doesn't really mean I'm looking for only the highest of the canonized artworks. I think that beauty and significance are everywhere genuine passion and expression are going on. I also want to give a chance to things I've rejected for asinine, juvenile reasons, like shojo and josei manga, romance stories, and queer narratives. I want to embrace new things and discover more of myself in the process. So that's the mindset I am in for 2025.
When it comes to 2024, however, I was less invested in myself and the things I did. Because of this, I had little interest in doing much of… anything, really, and I ended up enjoying very little art. Still, through recommendations, sheer luck, and ephemeral sprouts of curiosity, I ended up enjoying a few things I value enough to talk about in an article.
These are in no particular order, and if you saw my social media post, you might notice there are some entries omitted, mostly because I don't think I can add much or feel out of my depth.
When Evil Lurks (Demián Rugna, 2022)
When Evil Lurks has a special place in my heart for its Argentinean setting. When a man becomes seemingly possessed ("embichado"), a group of men from the countryside decides to just throw him in a ditch far away hoping to avoid the disgrace that comes with possession. The results are, of course, far from what they intended.
While the narrative cleverly avoids attaching itself too much to Argentina-specific context, any native will quickly catch on to the many subtle nods and cultural implications of the situation our protagonists are in and the horrors that abound.
The delightfully grotesque and horrific violent sequences are complemented with very convincing quiet scenes that build the kind of fear that thrives on the border between the human and the paranormal. It builds on superstition and paranoia. There's clearly something wrong happening… and still, if you try hard enough, you might convince yourself that these people are just mad, and there's nothing more here than a collective delirium.
As the story moves towards the conclusion, and a good ending becomes possible, you are kept on edge knowing that the only thing needed for everything to go to hell are the worst impulses of our “hero” coming back. It's, undoubtedly, a great watch.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Rian Johnson, 2022)
While I don't think Knives Out is perfect, it's hard for me not to appreciate a really polished script when I see it. The callbacks, the set-ups, the twists. Everything works in an orderly fashion to tell a fun and engaging murder mystery. I ended my first watch with the kind of satisfaction that only comes from fixing all the pieces of a good puzzle together, and for that, I think it deserves a lot of my respect and praise.
I found Glass Onion to be a really enjoyable viewing. Maybe not as tight in the intricate puzzle-like writing, but solid characters with great performances can take a movie pretty far. I think the casting is stellar all-around, and their interactions and banter were quick to engage my brain and help me get over the contrivances that, let's be frank, are part of the fun of the genre.
That's not to say that the Glass Onion's mystery is bad. I think the execution is great and the resolution, while a bit silly, comes with a good deal of catharsis for the characters. I certainly think that Johnson made a good follow-up to the original, and look forward to Wake Up Dead Man.
Nueve Reinas (Fabián Bielinsky, 2000)
Nueve Reinas is one of the most popular Argentinean films around, and it's hard not to see why. There's a genuine chemistry between its leads and Ricardo Darín gives a phenomenal performance. The story, about a duo's misadventures while trying to swindle a rare stamp from a collector, hardly misses a beat along most of its runtime.
There's also a certain Argentine-ness to the movie that's impossible to deny. There may be con men all around the world, but as you walk through Buenos Aires with our protagonists, learning about the day-to-day of petty thieves, swindlers, and manipulators, it's hard not to think about that Argentinean viveza (something like a "slyness").
The heist for the Nine Queens' beating heart is the joyful uncertainty of not knowing who to trust. Something is clearly afoot. Everyone wants to take advantage of everyone else. But who's going to end up on top?
I do think the ending is not very well foreshadowed and might come out of nowhere to many people. But I'd say the experience is worth it for a taste of new millennium Buenos Aires, and the wonderful performances.
Clickolding (Strange Scaffold, 2024)
When it comes to Strange Scaffold, there's always a new thing brewing in the background. That's something I can respect, and I intend to check more of their catalog in the near future. Last year, however, I had the pleasure of playing Clickolding and getting engaged in a sick game with perverse implications with a masked benefactor.
Seems simple, right? Just click, and make the tally go up. Do it enough and you get the money. The Clickold, however, starts making demands, and their dialogues and attitudes become more and more unhinged. Through exposure to his obsession, you start to understand the meaning of clicking.
After the game “ends", the prospect of continuing to click looms large above the player's head and I think it's a feat that so many people continue doing it. Expecting something. There's something there, a meaning, to find. The obsession, then, it's born anew, in you.
Saya no Uta (Nitroplus, 2003)
Definitely the most disturbing media I enjoyed last year. A Lovecraft-inspired romp through the mind of a man who, after an accident, sees reality with hideous colors and sensations. There's a girl, though, that he sees as normal and beautiful… the implication hanging in the air, horrific, during the first few hours.
Just in case it needs to be said: this game is solely for adult audiences. It contains gore, sexual imagery and violence, questionable relationships, and horrific deaths and implications. A lot of the things that happen are certainly hard to stomach, but that's what made it so interesting to read.
As you piece together what's happening, that uneasy feeling becomes abject horror. You get to understand that these characters are too far gone, their reality lacerated from eldritch intrusion. The result is, undoubtedly, an incredible horror experience. I certainly would not recommend it to anyone, though. Reader discretion is advised.
Los Peligros de Fumar en la Cama / The Dangers of Smoking in Bed (Mariana Enriquez, 2009)
One of my personal projects involves a survival horror game set in the south of Argentina. From the beginning, I decided that I needed to immerse myself in Latin American horror literature, as I wanted the setting to be more than just set dressing. Los Peligros de Fumar en la Cama is the first book in that journey and it's been an amazing start.
There's a certain mundaneness to Enriquez's horror that I find electrifying. It's the little things, the banality of everyday superstition intermixed with sudden apparitions and misfortune. The inner darkness of the characters, their envy, obsession, and discomfort. It's a phenomenal read and I think every single story in the book is deserving of praise.
I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. You'll have a great time.
Märchen Line (Nth Circle, 2024)
I've talked plenty about Märchen Line in a different article. If you need a summary: this little visual novel is a brilliant experience with great narrative, and it uses its stats and themes in a creative, cunning way. I really think it's worth your time.
SOPHOMORE SLUMP CALLITHUMP (STOMACH BOOK, 2024)
It's not easy for me to talk about music, as I consider it a deeply subjective and personal topic. I'll just say this: in a moment with lots of rage, self-loathing, and negativity, STOMACH BOOK managed to make me feel seen. The intense and overwhelming sound might not be for anyone, but Heartbeat will forever be one of my favorite songs, ever.
Conclusion
So, that's the recap! Thanks a lot for reading. As always, you can support me by buying me a coffee or sharing this post around. Have a wonderful day.