Netflix

Thoughts on Social Media Dilemma

December 3, 2025December 1, 2025HalsdollLeave a comment

First off, I want to mention I have an Instagram account and an abandoned Twitter (X) account. I am sure if I remain on it for too long, it would give me a mental breakdown. A ❤️ notification can light up someone’s day. Not enough of it–can break someone. This is especially true when they post something from their ❤️.

I watched this documentary (more like listened to it) while I was working. It was insightful and terrifying. The sound effects made the future seem ominous. Out-of-control AIs will overrun the internet. To save our sanity, we must delete and unplug our social media accounts for our mental health’s sake.

Let’s be frank, we are accustomed to comparing with one another, and tech companies know that. I feel terrible at times using it, even though I like to think I have a solid self-esteem. I started to wonder what’s wrong with me. Why can’t I feel a connection with these people even though I sometimes I agree with them? Maybe it was designed to be that way. It’s as if it knew that I can be competitive deep down. I feel this way when my ego is being stepped on. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . I don’t know. It didn’t make me feel good so I ended up talking to a teddy bear instead.

Now combined that knowledge with the money-making system, social media. This combination makes social media seem rather twisted. It’s alive because it’s driven by people’s clicks and likes. It’s like the movie, The Cube (1997). A bunch of people with different viewpoints are trapped inside a puzzle box. The only difference between the Cube (TV) and Social Media is that it’s 10 times worse! Not only are we watching TV, but the TV is watching us. Soon, we ended up buying or doing things based on what we were exposed to on the platform. To me, it feels like a gigantic billboard ad. I often wonder how I ended up with so many notebooks/journals after watching several influencers advertising it?

Overall, the documentary is quite educational. I am glad I watched it. For me personally, limiting oneself from using any technology-related product is impossible. This is especially true for those who live alone and/or who want to promote their business. For example, I find it hypocritical to advertise products that reduce digital consumption on social media platforms. How did I learned about these alternative activities in the first place? Social Media! I am just glad there are some rules and regulations set in place. If it’s making adults all jittery, I can only imagine the damage it has done to the most vulnerable.

Note: Originally posted on Sept 17, 2020; revised Nov. 24,2025.

Atelier Series Review: It’s More than about Underwear

May 16, 2022November 5, 2023Halsdoll

Death Note (2006) Review: Light, the Dark Angel

November 8, 2021October 30, 2023Halsdoll2 Comments

I often hear people say if you want a good introduction to anime, watch Death Note. But I have mixed feelings about this statement. It was a solid insightful review that convinced me to give it a try, but I can’t find the same review now that I finished watching it to go back for reference and give it credit. I like the ambitious story concept in Death Note but I didn’t like the art direction all that much. I find myself dragging my feet towards the next episode when one ends. It wasn’t binge-worthy because I sort of knew what was going to happen. The schoolboy is going to be reduced to a pawn for thinking he is above everyone.

You see, Light Yagami, the protagonist has it all. He comes from a good family. He is an honorable student. He is so attractive that schoolgirls turn heads at the sight of him walking past. He has a bright future ahead of him. So, what’s his problem? What’s there not to be content? The answer is in the first episode. He is bored and lonely out of his mind until he discovers Death Note. He thought he could create a perfect world where he is God and where everyone is kind. But during his process of killing criminals to build his utopia under the name Kira, L, a mysterious detective who works for the I.C.P.O (International Criminal Police Organization), starts to investigate who is the person behind Kira in hope of putting that mass murderer behind the bar. Thus, the game begins between two very intelligent people who have a strong sense of justice. The story is more than a cat and mouse chase, but more like a tennis match as the anime suggested in episode 10. The light finally meets his match, L. Now I have a question for the readers who have seen this anime. Whom did you side with?

So, let’s talk about what I like about this anime since this is a blog about metaphors. Right of the bat, I knew the anime was about morality and knowledge is being compared to an apple, and the Shinigami has that knowledge.

Knowledge is the fruit. Is apple evil? — I took a bite from Blood Apple and it was good. Glad I can finally use this picture to illustrate my point for a blog post.

You see, in Genesis, the serpent said to Eve if she eats the fruit her eyes would be wide open to know between right and wrong. She’d have the conscience of God. On a side note, did you know that the fruit in Genesis is unknown? I would assume John Milton’s Paradise Lost popularized the notion that Eve ate an apple and not just some fruit, but please tell me otherwise. In a way, you can compare Light to Eve whom both have a hunger for knowledge and a hunger for perfection. Eve has good intentions even though she is warned by God not to eat the fruit. Can you blame her for wanting to be like God? He’s perfectly all-knowing. Likewise, Light has good intentions. He wants a perfect world where there is no crime. In the end, the show left me thinking about humans desiring to be God. For someone like Light, should we admire a serial killer who kills in the name of justice? Then is God himself, a murderer? That’s a mystery. The only conclusion I got from this anime is that God must be bored and humans are nothing but sport for Him to ease His boredom. If that is the case, then God is…

Like the saying goes… life is nothing more than a game of chess and that was exactly what I was watching. The undertone to the story is pretty dark to my liking or perhaps, the art direction failed to convey the manga artist’s true intent. Personally, I don’t think God (or a higher intelligence or whatever you believe in) to be that simple. There were other titles much better in my opinion such as Lain, Noir, and Now and Then, Here and There just to name a few that I enjoyed in the past which introduced me to anime. Maybe the manga is different, who knows?

3 Poetic Movies I Watched

August 23, 2021October 30, 2023Halsdoll2 Comments

I’m becoming a bit lazy with my introduction or maybe I don’t have much esteem for the fast pace society we have become. Not all of us like reading drawn out long rambling paragraphs. So, I will spare you the trouble and give you my list. Perhaps, you might find something worthwhile to watch.

Roman Holiday (on Amazon Prime)

Release date: September 2, 1953
Director: William Wyler

What is a real holiday? A one without a schedule? Being able to breathe and enjoy the simple things in the present moments that are. This film sure captures it –black and white breathtakingly beautiful shots, especially Audrey Hepburn who looks like a flower with her tiny waist. The male actor, Gregory Peck also looks a quite handsome pairing up with the actress. It’s quite wholesome, sweet, and just like a dream to watch two people flirting. It’s one of those feel-good films where you just want to take a short break from doing whatever you are doing and relax with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of wine, depending on your preference. Just let the stress melt away. Like a photograph, each scene was mesmerizing and I just realized movies are just moving photographs. Ah…I am dreaming of a holiday in the comfort of my living room.

Rear Window (on Amazon Prime)

Release date: August 4, 1954
Director: Alfred Hitchcock

I don’t think I have seen an artistic suspense film that occurs in one view, sitting by the window. I love the concept and I believe Silent Hill 4, a survival horror game for the Playstation 2, may have been influenced by this idea of being trapped in an apartment. The plot reminds me of the board game Clue, which involves solving a murder mystery. It’s far from scary but suspenseful enough to be entertained. A news photographer plays the detective and watches his interesting, colorful neighbors going about doing their business until he suspects a murder has been committed just from watching them from his window. The whole feel of the film reminds me of staring inside a doll house. It’s very staged and I sort of like that. Try the film, you might enjoy watching a glamor ad. The film did end with a fashion magazine Bazaar. Fashionably bizarre film indeed. Now, I want to live in one of those apartments, but I don’t want to be spied on by a peeping tom news photographer.

Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (on Netflix)

Initial release: July 22, 2021 (Japan)
Director: Kyohei Ishiguro

This cute animation made me realize teenagers these days must have it hard growing up with social media and smartphones. It only amplifies low-esteem and depression. At that age, I remember I was trying to find my identity through music. There wasn’t a lot of distraction from the outside world called Cable T.V., especially not in my household. We get our entertainment from video cassettes and public channels. So, I can only imagine feeling overwhelmed if I were a teenager from this time being exposed to so many influencers from all over the world. The result would be to hide in poetry. Like the male protagonist, I was a shy kid too. Some of us don’t like to draw attention to ourselves because we want to avoid involuntary blushing. Overall, the animation is vibrant and stylish. It feels old but new. Same teenager issues, but just set in a different time.

That’s it for my list of three. Hope you found something worthwhile to watch as well.

My Husband Won’t Fit Review (2019): Let’s Talk about Sex

February 22, 2021October 30, 2023Halsdoll1 Comment

I’m a few days late like usual. Valentine’s Day has passed. I could learn how to prioritize my blog posts to sync with the holiday, but I guess I missed the opportunity. In my mind, I thought reviewing Cuties was more important. But at least I got my punctuality right. Punctuality is a great trait to show people we care. On second thought, I don’t know. Throwing panties at any sexually starved man will make any man punctual. Okay, maybe I am stretching a bit there. You can blame the media for my biased views. Enough exposure in the media will make anyone believe that all men are hungry wolves who jump at any piece of meat they come across.

So let’s talk about the birds and the bees because that’s what love birds do during Valentine’s Day, right?! I heard in Japan, many couples are in a sexless marriage. If you are asexual, this is probably the perfect type of relationship you want to be in. After all, for some folks, there is more to the relationship than just sex. But for the majority of people–sex is important in a relationship. This quirky Japanese TV show explores the concept of love, relationship, and sex. What does it all mean? I found this show amusingly fun to watch and I think you should give it a try too.

There are 10 episodes total, which is the perfect length for nowadays shows–not too short, but not too long. The amount of content in this TV show is decently covered. I found myself binged watching the show because it was entertaining enough even though I did not agree with its content. As a westerner, I find the relationship between the couple quite unique. They successfully separate sex from lovemaking. So cheating is not really considered cheating if feelings are not involved. Do you agree with that? Now that is a hot discussion for couples! We all know that most women don’t like their men having secret affairs behind their backs. But the protagonist in this TV Show has no problem because her husband simply doesn’t fit! She just wants him happy. She is the perfect wife for those men who have a big appetite for a variety of women. Who can say no to a sweet timid, considerate wife who does not object to her husband’s external affairs? She’s always thinking about her husband’s happiness. How honorable…not! I hope you could tell I was being sarcastic! For most women, it’s a deal breaker that sex is out of the equation and there’s is a lack of respect for the marriage when one seeks others to fulfill sexual needs. Not being able to satisfy our significant other sexually could cause a severe blow to one’s self-esteem. In fact, this is what led the female protagonist to seek comfort from other men. In this show, both husband and wife are guilty.

So this brought up many questions about relationships: What is love? Isn’t love about the other person? Think about it, does that sound rather heartless and harsh if people get into a relationship to fulfill their sexual gratification only? This show explains how unique one marriage can be between a couple. It’s the biggest argument in this show is that sex is not everything for a lifelong partner. Clearly, both main characters are always thinking of each other’s happiness.

Well, I hope I’m not the opposite of cupid. Hope I did not spark a heated debate between lovers. I just thought this show is worth watching. I like its lighthearted approach to asking tough questions about what marriage and love are. I found myself experiencing different emotions–shock, anger, happiness, and sadness for the couple. Isn’t love supposed to make us feel like we can be our true selves and our partner is always having our interests in mind and vice versa? It’s a sweet little show.

As my final thought, the only love we need is self-love if you ask me. Once we love ourselves, we can love others in a healthy way. So, pop those self-loving pills and Happy belated Valentine’s Day. And if no one loves you, Halsdoll loves you. So come back again for some more insightful reviews!