• Home
  • Tales From Sea and Skies
  • Jaguar Empire
  • My Stories
  • About Me
  • Other Writing Services

Wood the Writer

~ Author of Tales From Undersea

Wood the Writer

Category Archives: top 5 list

My Top Five Favourite Pieces of Junk Food Media

06 Tuesday Aug 2019

Posted by Jessica Wood in Blog, film, top 5 list, tv

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

animation, anime, bee movie, cardcaptor sakura, film, friends, moominvalley, mst3k, mystery science theatre 3000, television, the moomins, top five list

I enjoy a wide range of books, tv shows, and films. I also enjoy a wide variety of different types of food. Often the way we consume media is similar to the way we eat. There are days when we want to eat a fine gourmet meal or watch or read something deep and important. But there are also days when we’re tired or stressed and just want to stop at Burger King or watch a stupid movie. It isn’t the most nutritious food there is or the most intellectually stimulating entertainment to choose from, but it’s comforting and easy, and there are days when we need that. That’s why I call these types of books, shows, and films ‘junk food media’.

It’s not as if these works never deal with tough themes or have sadder moments. It’s just that they don’t make up the main bulk of the story, and there are always plenty of uplifting moments to get you through them.

These are my personal favourite junk food pieces of pop culture which never fail to cheer me up when I’m in a bad mood:

Cardcaptor Sakura

Not only is Sakura an adorable and perpetually cheerful little ball of funshine, the town she and her friends live in is essentially a utopia. The cast have an endless supply of lovely clothes, eat delicious dinners every night, and live in houses which are almost unaffordable in real-life Japan. Even most of the problems which Sakura faces are a mere apocalypse of mild peril (the threat in one episode was that their cakes were too sweet). Sakura and company do still go through the many perils of growing up and feeling their first heartbreak. The episodes dealing with Sakura’s dead mother are especially tear-jerking. Yet even while watching these moments, you always know they’re going to make it through, which is why the series is so endearing even over 20 years after its debut.

The Moomins

Yes, it’s basically the law that I have to include this on my list when I live in Finland. But there’s a reason why the show is so insanely popular in the country. Moominvalley is a throwback to a more rustic, relaxing time of countryside living. That and the cast of fun, quirky characters makes any variation of this massive franchise fun to watch. Again, there are sadder moments. The scene where Snufkin leaves for the winter could easily be symbolic of losing a loved one or having a friend move away (the author, Tove Jansson, seemingly based it upon her best friend fleeing the Nazis). My particular favourite is the UK-produced new version, mostly because it has prominent British comedians amongst the English cast, including Matt Berry as the voice of Moominpapa.

Friends

Maybe it’s because the show is ‘lifestyle porn’. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen it so many times that it is comfortable and familiar. Or maybe it just is that good. Whatever the reason, watching Friends feels like having coffee and cake in Central Perk. As much as I love the darker comedy of British shows or the more subtle humour of modern sit-coms, I will always have a soft spot for these cosy, found family, laugh-out-loud comedies.

Bee Movie

It’s a children’s film about bees suing the human race for using their honey, and is apparently full of political symbolism. And a woman leaves her boyfriend for a bee. I have no idea if the writers intended for this film to be taken seriously or if they knew how absurd their premise was and made it silly on purpose, knowing that nobody would ever take it seriously. Either way, the film is unapologetically stupid, nonsensical, and completely lacking in morals and I couldn’t love it more.

Mystery Science Theatre 3000

One of the reasons I love Bee Movie so much is that it’s so bad that it lends itself to making jokes about it as you watch – also known as ‘riffing’. MST3K invented this concept and is still going strong with it 30 years later (in fact, the show is only slightly older than I am). Not only is it hilarious to hear riffs on terrible old movies, but the skits by the hosts and bots are insanely fun. It almost feels as if you’d like to hang out on the Satellite of Love. Well, almost…

What are your favourite pieces of ‘junk food media’ that never fail to cheer you up on a bad day? Tell me in the comments below!

Top five books with good premise but bad execution

27 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by Jessica Wood in author, Blog, book review, criticism, fantasy, musings, romance, steampunk, story, top 5 list, writing

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

book criticism, books, creative writing, lit, writing

If you could name one thing in common with all your favourite books, it would probably be that they all have an excellent premise. Perhaps it is a new twist on an old genre, a unique location, or a fascinating character. It is the thing which made you choose the book over thousands of others on the shelves.

But like me, you might have frequently found yourself drawn into a book by its excellent premise only to find that the content of the book is severely lacking, or not what you were expecting. These are some of the books I have read which I had high hopes for but which I felt weren’t carried out well (this is all opinion based so don’t get your panties in a bunch if I slag off a book that you like):

Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher

The premise: A teenage boy travels to a remote English villa to find out what happened to his missing father, and uncovers mysterious secrets.

The execution: Mystery, time travel, steampunkish tech, faeries, and some other stuff I just didn’t get all jammed together into one book. This book had a strong opening, but then threw so much stuff at me all at once that I barely had time to take it all in or keep track of what was going on.

The King’s Sister by Anne O’Brien

The premise: A story about Elizabeth of Lancaster, sister of King Henry IV and a little-known figure of history.

The execution: Medieval soap-opera melodrama and problems which were either solved way too quickly or just seemed to solve themselves eventually anyway.

Bearers of the Black Staff by Terry Brooks

The premise: A highly different fantasy which is set not in another world or the distant past, but in the post-apocalyptic far future.

The execution: Just another bog-standard sword-and-sorcery fantasy. There are so many things that could have been done with this premise- Magic duels in the ruins of skyscrapers, contemporary stories becoming folklore, everyday modern objects viewed as sacred artefacts. If you want this same premise done much better, read the Mortal Engines series instead.

The Wolf Princess by Cathryn Constable

The premise: A teenage orphan and her friends get the chance to travel to a remote palace in Russia and uncover hidden family secrets.

The execution: Cliched characters, a protagonist who is barely active in her own story, and huge, completely noticeable plot holes.

Dragon’s Child by M.K. Hume

The premise: An origin story for King Arthur, focusing heavily on the Roman Britain setting.

The execution: Murder, rape, torture, paedophilia, slavery, and just plain uncomfortable reading.

 

What are some books which you thought were going to be great but severely let you down? Tell me in the comments below.

JOIN MY NEWSLETTER

Contact me

jessica@woodthewriter.com

Social

  • View jwoodwrites’s profile on Instagram
  • View jessicawood21’s profile on Pinterest
  • View jessicawood10’s profile on Flickr
  • View jwoodwrites’s profile on Tumblr

Contact me

jessica@woodthewriter.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Wood the Writer on WordPress.com

Archives

Categories

Flickr Photos

DSCF4530DSCF4527DSCF4524DSCF4528
More Photos

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Wood the Writer
    • Join 179 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Wood the Writer
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.