By The Gatepost Arts & Features Staff
‘Bob’s Burgers’: Season 15 Episode 8 ‘They Slug Horses, Don’t They?’
By Liv Dunleavy
Interim Asst. Arts and Features Editor
Throughout “Bob’s Burgers’” 14-year run, fans have laughed, cried, laughed until they cried, and ran to the theaters, in search of that same hit of dopamine from day one. I have been one of those fans.
Season 15, episode 8 “They Slug Horses, Don’t They?” is one like many others following the release of the “Bob’s Burgers Movie” - an episode filled with a nuanced aura, one of new beginnings, evolving character development, and mending the unspoken troubles of major and minor characters.
The story of this one stands out among a plethora of other meaningful episodes though, because I find myself relating to it heavily.
With the plot revolving around a quarrel between Louise and Tina, the sisters escalate their squabble through “I’m Sorry” cards drawing a sequence of comics in their own anger to represent their side of the argument.
I see a lot of myself in this episode, as my sister and I would fight over small disagreements and it felt a lot like watching this.
It feels scary, being young, afraid, and angry, thinking, “Are we always going to be this way?”
The argument’s resolution was honestly what broke the dam. As an overly emotional person, I cry easily, but I cannot express the waterworks that streamed down my face as the sisters came to a compromise, because sisterhood is more important than a petty fight.
It came from their aunt Gayle, and her own story of dealing with sisterhood.
“We’re sisters. It’s like the person you love the most, who you also want to kill, but you don’t ’cause you love ’em so much.”
The cherry on top of the whole episode is the end credit song “We’ll Never Drift Too Far,” it pulls directly on my heart strings and makes me uncontrollably sob.
This episode is a must watch for any “Bob’s Burgers” fans.
‘Blink Twice’
By Ryan O’Connell
Associate Editor
The directorial debut of actress Zoë Kravitz, “Blink Twice” checks all the boxes for a great psychological-thriller.
The film follows working women Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) who, after blending in at a cocktail party, meet billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) and are invited to spend “a few days” at his private island with several of his closest friends.
Things are perfect for the women, whose days are spent drinking, smoking, and competing against each other for Slater’s attention - until Jess is bit by a viper. She wants to leave. Frida wants to stay in paradise.
“Blink Twice” reminds me a lot of another actor’s directorial debut - Jordan Peele’s “Get Out.”
Because like “Get Out,” “Blink Twice” uses sci-fi and horror to spotlight abuse - abuse that is unfortunately far from fictional - against women, especially women in the entertainment industry.
Both stories follow characters that are depicted as outsiders in high society. They both suffer extreme injustices and violations of the mind and body. They are both abandoned by authorities who, under no conditions, will believe them.
And in both movies, the abusers get what’s coming to them.
“Blink Twice” is not a carbon copy of “Get Out.” It has its own merits. It has an interesting lineup of characters. It has a stronger emphasis on mystery. Its ending is definitely more hopeful.
In short, Kravitz’ first film is excellent on both a surface level and as a piece of contemporary art, and I have a feeling we won’t be forgetting this one.
‘Dandadan’
By Owen Glancy
Interim Arts & Features Editor
Last year was excellent for anime and saw an impressive list of both returning classics and hype new shows. Of all the anime released last year though, “Dandadan” stands head and shoulders above the rest as the craziest.
The show takes all of the tropes and mannerisms that have come to define the shonen genre and filters them through the frankly insane lens of the mangaka, Yukinobu Tatsu. Tatsu’s time as an assistant under Tatsuki Fujimoto, the mangaka behind “Chainsaw Man,” is evident as “Dandadan” has all the same chaotic insanity that Fujimoto’s works have.
However, rather than completely giving into the chaos, the show knows exactly when to reel it back in and play it safe.
In one episode, the main duo Momo and Okarun will be fighting a mantis shrimp alien inside a flooded school and in the next episode, they’ll be running around their campus trying to find one another to talk about ghosts.
This blend of chaotic fight scenes and comedic slice-of-life relaxation makes for a show that both excites and engages the audience at every turn. The music and animation really add to this as well. From the banger opening theme song performed by Japanese artist Creepy Nuts, to stand out scenes like Acrobatic Silky’s past, the production values on display are shockingly high.
Despite all its tropey scenes, sudden ending that feels like an abrupt stop more than an actual conclusion, and some cringey fan service, “Dandadan” is proof that when the positives are this noticeable, the negatives are little more than nitpicks.
‘We Live In Time’
By Emma Lyons
Editorial Staff
“We Live in Time,” released Oct. 18, is one of the most beautiful movies I’ve seen in a long time.
The movie tells the love story of Almut and Tobias, drawn together when Almut hits the newly divorced Tobias with her car. Tossed together by fate - and the Fiat Almut drives - the pair navigates through the highs and lows of their life together - everything from celebrations of career success to Almut’s arduous cancer battle.
Florence Pugh shines on the screen as she plays Almut. Despite having a large reputation and recognition, Pugh disappears as she depicts Almut, making viewers forget they are even watching anyone act.
Andrew Garfield similarly disappears as Tobias. Garfield’s emotional acting throughout the film makes you feel as if you are going through the events of the movie alongside him, not just watching the story through the screen.
Though dealing with heavy topics and events, this movie is surprisingly comedic. Along with all of the emotional and heartfelt scenes are poignantly placed moments of natural comedy, with each character finding their own ways to bring joy into their hardships.
But, don’t let me mislead you - you may finish the movie with tear stains down your face. I definitely did. The emotions in this film run very high, and at the end you feel like you’ve lived a whole life in the one hour and 47 minutes Tobias and Almut did.
“We Live in Time” is raw, funny, heartfelt, and a masterpiece. You would be wasting your time if you watch any other romance movie but this one.
‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’
By Antonio Machado
Staff Writer
Last year was a great year for music, with an incredible assortment of album releases by a variety of artists spanning a wide range of genres. Among all of these superb releases, “Alligator Bites Never Heal” by Doechii managed to leave quite the large bite mark on the music industry, earning the musician her first three GRAMMY award nominations.
The musician’s third mixtape, "Alligator Bites Never Heal,” demonstrates an artist who has begun to refine her craft, with expertly selected beats and creatively placed ad-libs. Despite being a mixtape, the project provides a cohesive look into Doechii’s insecurities, relationship struggles, and how she’s addressed the pressures of success - and it all sounds amazing.
A Floridian first and foremost, Doechii’s beats and lyrics all drip with southern references, providing a well-rounded view of the artist as a person. Through her animated chaos, Doechii takes some influence from the works of Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Busta Rhymes, and countless other iconic figures in hip-hop, and their influences amalgamate into Doechii’s very own charismatic growl.
However, the record doesn’t only stay within the realm of hip-hop. Scattered throughout the 19-track mixtape are R&B- and pop-flavored songs, reminiscent of something found on a Doja Cat record. Following the success of her Recording Industry Association of American platinum-certified R&B single “What It Is? (Block Boy),” Doechii is unafraid to “sang a lil’ bit,” and she is all the better for it.
“Alligator Bites Never Heal,” but nobody wants Doechii’s bite marks to leave them. This mixtape provides a look into an incredibly appealing up-and-coming artist and is undoubtedly one of the best records to have come out of 2024.
‘A Man on the Inside’
By Raena Hunter Doty
Staff Writer
If I love one thing, it is earnest but hilarious comedy series that neither drag on for too long nor wrap up before they truly feel complete.
If it sounds like I’m talking about “The Good Place,” you’ve perfectly understood my vibe.
For fans of “The Good Place” or anyone interested in what I described above, I can’t recommend “A Man on the Inside” enough.
I won’t lie that Ted Danson’s role as the main character is what piqued my interest, and he did not disappoint. In the show, he excels in his role as Charles, an old man who’s slightly goofy and slightly sad but entirely loveable.
The story follows Charles as he’s recruited by a private investigator to infiltrate a nursing home in pursuit of some lost jewelry. He gets to live out many people’s childhood dreams as a spy, and he takes advantage of it - much to the chagrin of his employer.
Along the way, though, he gets to know the residents, who are goofy, sweet, and chaotic as they live out their best years.
Hilarious as it is, it’s also an earnest story about what it means to hold onto your life and sense of self as you grow older. A population so often cut off from society has so much to provide the world, and “A Man on the Inside” showcases all of this.
It’s short - just eight episodes - but it never needed to be longer. Too often these days, a single-season, eight-episode series on Netflix just screams “my ending will be slightly unsatisfying.” But “A Man on the Inside” is a perfect package of comedy and kindness. If you have eight hours, you have a good day waiting for you with “A Man on the Inside.”
‘Desire I Want to Turn Into You: Everasking Edition’
By Emily Monaco
Editorial Staff
A resurrection of artistry in music from the indie pop subculture took rise in early 2024. Caroline Polachek brings us back into her masterful work and auditory excellence with a special edition release.
Well known for her experimental music, Polachek released this album on Feb. 14. The album “Desire I Want to Turn Into You: Everasking Edition” features some of her original songs from the album “Desire I Want to Turn Into You.” Previous songs featured include “Sunset,” “Bunny is a Rider,” “Blood and Butter,” and “Billions” - just to name a few.
However, special editions of previous songs have been released on this new album in addition to some newer songs. Some of these songs include “Butterfly Net” featuring Weyes Blood, “Gambler’s Prayer,” “Crude Drawing of an Angel,” and my personal favorite, “I Believe - Acoustic Version.”
This edition of the album takes more artistic liberties and a more poetic approach. Emulating similar vocals as to Enya or Imogen Heap, Polachek’s voice offers an almost paradisiacal listening experience. From the eclectic beat of “Pretty In Possible” to the longing of “I Believe” this album covers every base - a versatile soundtrack to life.
“I Believe - Acoustic Version” was featured on her NPR Tiny Desk Concert and Polachek described the process of transferring her pop song into an acoustic version as most difficult. I highly recommend listening to her Tiny Desk Concert as well.
The perfect Valentine’s Day gift of 2025 would be this special edition album by Caroline Polachek.
‘Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ By Michael Trueswell Staff Writer Aardman Animations’ most recent movie “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” lives up to the expectations and legacy of the “Wallace and Gromit” franchise. This followup to the short film “The Wrong Trousers” from over 30 years ago, has made noticeable improvements on the claymation, with the return of expressive voice acting making it one of the best films of 2024. This British claymation comedy delivers timeless entertainment with its iconic visual gags, wordplay, tone-setting music, and sound effects. “Vengeance Most Fowl” turns up the stakes with the return of the ruthless Feathers McGraw - and this time it's personal. McGraw spends his confinement plotting to escape from captivity to steal the blue diamond and finally take his revenge on Wallace and Gromit for foiling his past theft attempt. With a runtime of one hour 22 minutes, the film follows Wallace's new robot invention, “Norbot” to help with household tasks and make ends meet. McGraw, having not forgotten the pair, sticks his beak back in Wallace and Gromit’s lives by framing Wallace for multiple thefts, wrecking his good name and ultimately leading to quite the kerfuffle. Gromit loyally goes to great lengths to investigate the thefts to clear Wallace’s name and stop McGraw with the local constables hot on his tail conducting their own investigation. Eventually exposing a surprise twist near the climax of the picture that baffles the viewers and recontextualizes Wallace and Gromit's past scuffle with McGraw, adding to the rewatchability of the film.