Gabriel Valdez
@gabrieldv.bsky.social
Writer, movie critic, appreciator of good nonsense, unionize everything.
Writing:
https://basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com/
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/GabrielValdez
Writing:
https://basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com/
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/GabrielValdez
Just your average isekai fantasy auditing thriller gay romance.
Heated Rivalr– er, “Isekai Office Worker”
Talk about a title underselling the show. An imperiled kingdom in a parallel world summons a girl named Yua to become its savior. What they don’t plan for is workaholic accountant Seiichirou …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
January 27, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Just your average isekai fantasy auditing thriller gay romance.
New Shows + Movies by Women returns with a lot of new entries, including the new GoT prequel, a K-drama romance, and seeing more women directors in anime.
New Shows + Movies by Women — Knights, Idols, and Interpreters
We’ll catch up the last two weeks since we’re picking up from prior to the holidays. Before we get going, I’ll urge you to check out my Best Series of 2025 write-up. (Here’s…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
January 22, 2026 at 5:44 PM
New Shows + Movies by Women returns with a lot of new entries, including the new GoT prequel, a K-drama romance, and seeing more women directors in anime.
A calming slice-of-life/expertise procedural/travelogue that's worth your time.
Laundry Procedural — “Wash It All Away”
Kinme Wakana runs a laundry service in the seaside town of Atami. She mends clothing in between picking up and delivering laundry. Two episodes in, this is primarily a show about her business, and …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:06 PM
A calming slice-of-life/expertise procedural/travelogue that's worth your time.
The narrowness or the breadth of the art we take in shapes what we accept or refuse in the world. 2025 gave us visions of how we got here, what the most vulnerable among us have had to endure, and countless ways we can keep trying to make things better.
The Best Series of 2025, #10-1
Everybody has their own preferences. I tend to be friendlier to “genre” fare: sci-fi, fantasy, horror, thriller. I tend to rate these higher than critics of major publications do, and include a few…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:36 PM
The narrowness or the breadth of the art we take in shapes what we accept or refuse in the world. 2025 gave us visions of how we got here, what the most vulnerable among us have had to endure, and countless ways we can keep trying to make things better.
There are still things to celebrate, and art that guides us through.
The Best Series of 2025, #20-11
By any metric, audiences in the U.S. are watching an enormous amount of work from other countries. This includes a lot of non-English work: shows from France, India, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
January 6, 2026 at 6:32 PM
There are still things to celebrate, and art that guides us through.
Desperation is one of the most efficient projections. It's easy for a desperate figure to sow desperation because it creates like from like.
It's difficult for an angry figure to convince others to be calm, or for the hateful to garner commonly agreed sympathy. Projection struggles with opposites.
It's difficult for an angry figure to convince others to be calm, or for the hateful to garner commonly agreed sympathy. Projection struggles with opposites.
January 3, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Desperation is one of the most efficient projections. It's easy for a desperate figure to sow desperation because it creates like from like.
It's difficult for an angry figure to convince others to be calm, or for the hateful to garner commonly agreed sympathy. Projection struggles with opposites.
It's difficult for an angry figure to convince others to be calm, or for the hateful to garner commonly agreed sympathy. Projection struggles with opposites.
What are your favorite films each year so far?
2020: Lingua Franca
2021: Passing
2022: Qala
2023: Suzume
2024: The Peasants
2025: Baby Assassins: Nice Days
2020: Lingua Franca
2021: Passing
2022: Qala
2023: Suzume
2024: The Peasants
2025: Baby Assassins: Nice Days
Halfway through the decade! What are your favourite films each year so far?
2020: Promising Young Woman
2021: Shadow in the Cloud
2022: Vesper
2023: Nimona
2024: Orion and the Dark
2025: Train Dreams
2020: Promising Young Woman
2021: Shadow in the Cloud
2022: Vesper
2023: Nimona
2024: Orion and the Dark
2025: Train Dreams
Halfway through the decade! What are your favourite films each year so far?
2020: TENET
2021: LICORICE PIZZA
2022: AMBULANCE
2023: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
2024: THE SUBSTANCE
2025: EDDINGTON
2020: TENET
2021: LICORICE PIZZA
2022: AMBULANCE
2023: GODZILLA MINUS ONE
2024: THE SUBSTANCE
2025: EDDINGTON
January 2, 2026 at 2:01 AM
What are your favorite films each year so far?
2020: Lingua Franca
2021: Passing
2022: Qala
2023: Suzume
2024: The Peasants
2025: Baby Assassins: Nice Days
2020: Lingua Franca
2021: Passing
2022: Qala
2023: Suzume
2024: The Peasants
2025: Baby Assassins: Nice Days
All due respect to the trailer for Christopher Nolan's Zack Snyder's Viking Batman Odyssey, but...never forget what could have been.
All Odysseus scenes in Troy (2004)
YouTube video by Tiberius
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 6:07 PM
All due respect to the trailer for Christopher Nolan's Zack Snyder's Viking Batman Odyssey, but...never forget what could have been.
Al Michaels describing Kyren Williams' hard-fought run as "Williams burrows" is the most under-appreciated announcing moment this year.
December 21, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Al Michaels describing Kyren Williams' hard-fought run as "Williams burrows" is the most under-appreciated announcing moment this year.
The most important part of an hourlong, unbroken take is the small flaw that's left unpolished.
The Most Visually Stunning Series of 2025 — “Adolescence”
A 13-year-old boy is suspected of the murder of his classmate Katie. In interviews with a psychologist, his cyberbullying of Katie comes to light, borne of views toward women that have been shaped …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The most important part of an hourlong, unbroken take is the small flaw that's left unpolished.
Most Joyful is always my favorite end-of-year 'award' to give.
The Most Joyful Series of 2025 — “My Dress Up Darling”
Gojo Wakana’s been raised by his grandfather, who crafts traditional hina dolls. Wakana’s passion is learning how to paint them. He’s private about this because he was ostracized …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Most Joyful is always my favorite end-of-year 'award' to give.
Watched the Game Awards for the first time ever in the desperate hopes there'd be a Half-Life 3 reveal. Which there wasn't.
Holy crap, that thing is mostly ads. They'd sprint through entire genres' worth of awards without presentations or acceptances to get to more ads.
Holy crap, that thing is mostly ads. They'd sprint through entire genres' worth of awards without presentations or acceptances to get to more ads.
December 12, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Watched the Game Awards for the first time ever in the desperate hopes there'd be a Half-Life 3 reveal. Which there wasn't.
Holy crap, that thing is mostly ads. They'd sprint through entire genres' worth of awards without presentations or acceptances to get to more ads.
Holy crap, that thing is mostly ads. They'd sprint through entire genres' worth of awards without presentations or acceptances to get to more ads.
Alia Shawkat stars in a military satire, Zooey Deschanel leads a dog comedy, and a few limited theatrical releases expand to more screens.
New Shows + Movies by Women — Military Satire, Dog Comedy, Theater Expansions
It’s a lighter week than last week’s bonanza, but some of last week’s limited theatrical releases are expanding wide. This includes American pioneering film “Eastern Western” and …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Alia Shawkat stars in a military satire, Zooey Deschanel leads a dog comedy, and a few limited theatrical releases expand to more screens.
"For that 20-30 minute stretch where her figure’s regularly in closeup at this or that specific angle, it feels like she’s the last person controlling her character’s actions on-screen. The level of skin shown isn’t what makes things like this creepy. It’s the level of control the actor has lost."
Jurassic Tank Top: The Uncanny Valley of Agency
This is the first Jurassic Park entry in a while that’s felt like something original author Michael Crichton himself might’ve written: a group of mercenaries bands together with a group…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:16 PM
"For that 20-30 minute stretch where her figure’s regularly in closeup at this or that specific angle, it feels like she’s the last person controlling her character’s actions on-screen. The level of skin shown isn’t what makes things like this creepy. It’s the level of control the actor has lost."
Personally really looking forward to '100 Nights of Hero'.
New Shows + Movies by Women — Forbidden Romances, Trading Places, and Great Journeys
It’s a rich week for new films directed by women. As can often be the case, it’s a little scattershot where you’ll find them, however. Some are on streaming, but the ones in theat…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Personally really looking forward to '100 Nights of Hero'.
I like to think Varsapura only exists bc someone from Hoyoverse played CONTROL and got genuinely confused Remedy featured a floating woman but never gave her an umbrella, so now they'll make CONTROLish 2 and everyone floats with an umbrella, damn it.
November 22, 2025 at 10:01 PM
I like to think Varsapura only exists bc someone from Hoyoverse played CONTROL and got genuinely confused Remedy featured a floating woman but never gave her an umbrella, so now they'll make CONTROLish 2 and everyone floats with an umbrella, damn it.
A Claire Danes thriller, Argentina's Oscar entry, Lohan, and more.
New Shows + Movies by Women — The Missing, Cosmetic Surgery, and Body Swaps
A quick reminder since it applies to a few movies this week: I include films both when they hit theaters and when they hit a subscription streaming service for the first time. If you ever see an en…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:37 PM
A Claire Danes thriller, Argentina's Oscar entry, Lohan, and more.
What are your Top 5 Movie Genres? Mine are:
-Nobody believes the kids so they'll save the world themselves.
-Magical realist isekai
-Big ships chase each other around on sea/in space
-Social deduction sci-fi/fantasy
-Quiet, understated, atmospheric giallo w/musical score trying to deafen you
-Nobody believes the kids so they'll save the world themselves.
-Magical realist isekai
-Big ships chase each other around on sea/in space
-Social deduction sci-fi/fantasy
-Quiet, understated, atmospheric giallo w/musical score trying to deafen you
What are your Top 5 Movie Genres? Mine are:
Heroine in a horror decides she doesn't want to be in a horror movie and does something about it
Santa Claus is depressed and disappointed in you
Anti-capitalist expressionistic kid's movies
Postapocalyptic fairytale
Stealth superhero origin story
Heroine in a horror decides she doesn't want to be in a horror movie and does something about it
Santa Claus is depressed and disappointed in you
Anti-capitalist expressionistic kid's movies
Postapocalyptic fairytale
Stealth superhero origin story
What are your Top 5 Movie Genres?
Careless astronauts find they should have been more careful
Brilliant evil strategist fails to shoot interloper
Scientist gets caught up in doing something cool.
76 minutes waiting for 14 minutes of giant monster
Attractive 30 somethings have holiday romance
Careless astronauts find they should have been more careful
Brilliant evil strategist fails to shoot interloper
Scientist gets caught up in doing something cool.
76 minutes waiting for 14 minutes of giant monster
Attractive 30 somethings have holiday romance
November 16, 2025 at 10:21 PM
What are your Top 5 Movie Genres? Mine are:
-Nobody believes the kids so they'll save the world themselves.
-Magical realist isekai
-Big ships chase each other around on sea/in space
-Social deduction sci-fi/fantasy
-Quiet, understated, atmospheric giallo w/musical score trying to deafen you
-Nobody believes the kids so they'll save the world themselves.
-Magical realist isekai
-Big ships chase each other around on sea/in space
-Social deduction sci-fi/fantasy
-Quiet, understated, atmospheric giallo w/musical score trying to deafen you
"It's a silly thing, but in the hands of people who know how to instill a serious, beating heart inside of a silly thing, so that it’s not just a lark for us to forget as soon as we walk out of the theater, but a whole emotional center that can stick with us and keep making us smile."
Mythic Pixie Drone Quarrel — “Predator: Badlands”
“Predator: Badlands” is very good. It’s fun, it’s crowd-pleasing. It does what it says on the tin. It’s two giant, 45-minute roving action set pieces that orbit around 10 minutes …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"It's a silly thing, but in the hands of people who know how to instill a serious, beating heart inside of a silly thing, so that it’s not just a lark for us to forget as soon as we walk out of the theater, but a whole emotional center that can stick with us and keep making us smile."
"If her novel is grief caught in amber, his film is a lens through which we can see how desperately it tried to reach out, to breathe, to last another moment, both grief and griever alike; to become something else, to transmute meaning from suffering, to justify endurance."
Empathy First, the Rest Nowhere — “Frankenstein”
The characters in Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” only ever encounter empathy briefly. It never lasts. Life, for them, is an endurance, and yet through …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:06 PM
"If her novel is grief caught in amber, his film is a lens through which we can see how desperately it tried to reach out, to breathe, to last another moment, both grief and griever alike; to become something else, to transmute meaning from suffering, to justify endurance."
Among the best weeks for women leads I've covered.
New Shows + Movies by Women — Lawrence. Snook. Fanning. Lee. Jeon. Sennott. Ritter. Shipka.
It’s an absolutely loaded week, so screw the preamble and let’s jump straight in. New shows by women this week come from South Korea and the U.S. New films by women come from Canada, Fr…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Among the best weeks for women leads I've covered.
Star Rail: What if your mom Franz Kafka and her gamer pal hacked the universe to attack a Terry Pratchett Witch's space station where she homunculuses life-sized puppets to make a Matrix to research gods inside and later you have to Inception Space Greece with time travel to bring back the dead?
November 6, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Star Rail: What if your mom Franz Kafka and her gamer pal hacked the universe to attack a Terry Pratchett Witch's space station where she homunculuses life-sized puppets to make a Matrix to research gods inside and later you have to Inception Space Greece with time travel to bring back the dead?
For when oppressive horror no longer feels like escapism, please find within:
2 great found footage horrors,
2 experiments that have fun with their genres, and
1 Krysten Ritter glam witch.
2 great found footage horrors,
2 experiments that have fun with their genres, and
1 Krysten Ritter glam witch.
5 Overlooked Horror Movies That Are a Little Less Bleak
Horror can be pretty oppressive, and it’s difficult to feel like that’s the escapism I want right now. But some evoke a different feeling. Some horror movies are scary while being more …
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:47 PM
For when oppressive horror no longer feels like escapism, please find within:
2 great found footage horrors,
2 experiments that have fun with their genres, and
1 Krysten Ritter glam witch.
2 great found footage horrors,
2 experiments that have fun with their genres, and
1 Krysten Ritter glam witch.
"Deep down, it forces us to glimpse the repulsion of an uncanny valley that each of us carries within ourselves, something that’s increasingly lured out bit by bit in the social media age, that we’re then taught to frenzy and lure out of each other."
The Road Taken — “Perfect Blue”
When I think of my top 10 films, the titles on it shift and change between a good 30 titles. There are two films that make each version of the list, and Satoshi Kon’s “Perfect Blue” is always…
basilmarinerchase.wordpress.com
October 28, 2025 at 6:19 PM
"Deep down, it forces us to glimpse the repulsion of an uncanny valley that each of us carries within ourselves, something that’s increasingly lured out bit by bit in the social media age, that we’re then taught to frenzy and lure out of each other."
Pippin: But what about Fetterman?
Aragorn: You already have him.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. But what about second Fetterman?
Merry: Don't think he knows about second Fetterman, Pip.
Pippin: What about homophobia? Victim blaming? No voting record? That tattoo? He knows about them, doesn't he?
Aragorn: You already have him.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. But what about second Fetterman?
Merry: Don't think he knows about second Fetterman, Pip.
Pippin: What about homophobia? Victim blaming? No voting record? That tattoo? He knows about them, doesn't he?
October 23, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Pippin: But what about Fetterman?
Aragorn: You already have him.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. But what about second Fetterman?
Merry: Don't think he knows about second Fetterman, Pip.
Pippin: What about homophobia? Victim blaming? No voting record? That tattoo? He knows about them, doesn't he?
Aragorn: You already have him.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. But what about second Fetterman?
Merry: Don't think he knows about second Fetterman, Pip.
Pippin: What about homophobia? Victim blaming? No voting record? That tattoo? He knows about them, doesn't he?