#genre: historical

[blackinmotionpictures]

CHEVALIER (2023) dir. Stephen Williams

[queermovierecs]

Desert Hearts (1985)

Vivian, an uptight English professor, moves to Nevada in 1959 to await the finalization of her divorce. There, she meets the wild and wonderful Cay Rivers, and Vivian's tidy life suddenly becomes infinitely more complex. Dessert Hearts is well-crafted, steamy, and—most pleasantly surprising for the time of its release—happy. If you're looking for a tender lesbian period piece that doesn't end in tears, Dessert Hearts is your movie.

Director: Donna Deitch

Runtime: 1h 36m

Genres: Romance, Drama, Historical

Watch if you like: Carol (2015)

Ray's rating: 8/10

[the-emporium-of-free-adopts]

This has been posted on deviantArt for the purpose of being sold and making a profit- however, since it was generated by AI, it does not fall under intellectual property laws, so it's yours for the taking!

[paperbackd]

Book review: A Restless Truth (The Last Binding #2) by Freya Marske

A sultry queer romance set aboard a ship crossing the Atlantic, with a new cast of characters teaming up to continue the adventure which began in A Marvellous Light.

A Restless Truth is a long novel, but it ended up being a quick read for me. Sadly, the protagonists of the first novel of this series, Robin and Edwin, don't make an appearance in this installment, but I enjoyed getting to see more of Maud, Robin's sister. Her romance with a scandalous magical heiress, Violet, was very steamy, although I do wish that it had been given some more build up - while the fact that the novel takes place over just six days at sea helped with the pace of the novel, I found Maud and Violet's instant connection a little unbelievable. I wish they'd had more time to get to know each other, or perhaps been introduced to each other in America, before the novel began.

Still, I enjoyed the magical twists and turns of this chapter of the Last Binding series, and Marske's dialogue was as witty as ever. I'm looking forward to reading the final book of the series - especially now that I've seen who the two protagonists will be. Hawthorn and Ross were a surprisingly entertaining part of this novel - given that I loathed Hawthorn in book one! - so I can't wait to get a better insight into their characters in book three.

Publisher: Tor Books Rating:  3 stars | ★★★✰✰ Review cross-posted to Goodreads

[misireads]

Punaisten kyynelten talo ("The house of red tears") by Terhi Rannela

[ audiobook, listened in finnish ]

a fictional story based on real experiences from pol pot's dictatorship in cambodia that turned the whole country into one big concentration camp. the first part of the book jumps between the points of view of a mother and a daughter in 1975 who have already been separated before the narrative begins; the parents and their newest infant are taken to a notoriously cruel prison for torture, while the 9yo daughter is forced to live in labour camps under increasingly dismal conditions.

the second part takes places in the 2000s and switches between the PoVs of the daughter who is now a grown woman and a mother herself, her husband, and their daughter as they deal with the trauma and aftermath of everything that happened in the past.

🩸🇰🇭

➕ this was so fascinating from an educational standpoint, i vaguely knew of pol pot before from having listened to podcasts about dictatorships but there are so many everywhere in the world that the details hadn't stuck before. i also didn't know a whole lot about cambodia as a country in general. (i think geoguessr once tossed me in angkor wat and i had no idea what it was) i love learning about cultural stuff, though this one focused on a very negative era of this country. but it was interesting in the morbid way that dictatorships are.

➕ the first half was extremely gruesome and interesting, with both the mother and daughter's PoVs being gripping and engaging…

➖ …the second part, not so much. only the daughter's (now mother's) PoV was necessary there, really. the father, eh, maybe just barely, he's dealing with the trauma of having been one of the officers taking part in torturing and killing people but at least i didn't catch whether he was one of the guys actually present in the first part or not, probably not, so i was like, why would i care about this random guy now tho. and their daughter's PoV was completely pointless, about her school life and dancing outfits and liking some boy, i guess the point was to illustrate how children in 2005 don't even really know much about the pol pot era but, i was just waiting for her parts to be over tbh

⭐ score: 3½ -- i really enjoy historical novels based on real hardships that people have experienced and my baseline for them is maybe 4, this was good but just mildly below the average because of that less engaging second part. also idk what's wrong with me when i've been like "i have read so much dark stuff, i want something feel-good for a change" and then i listen to a book about people dying under communist dictatorship. i guess i just can't stop being pulled in by the darkness

[cinema-hallucinations]

Prompt: Create a concept for a movie musical about the historical figure of Sarah Winchester, particularly the endless construction of the Winchester Mystery House.

The Winchester House

Logline: Haunted by the spirits of those killed by the Winchester rifle and guided by a chilling psychic's prophecy, Sarah Winchester, widow of arms magnate William Wirt Winchester, embarks on a relentless, decades-long construction project, building a labyrinthine mansion to appease the restless ghosts and stave off their wrath.

Tagline: Endless construction, endless inspiration.

Characters:

Sarah Winchester: A complex and enigmatic woman, haunted by grief and guilt. She's strong-willed, independent, and fiercely determined to complete her mission.

William Wirt Winchester (Ghost): The spirit of Sarah's deceased husband, a restless presence that both guides and torments her.

The Spirits: A diverse ensemble of ghosts, each with their own unique story and grievances. Some are sympathetic, while others are mischievous or even malevolent.

Thomas "Tom" Reilly: A skilled carpenter and confidante to Sarah, offering practical advice and emotional support.

Marion "Daisy" Merriman: Sarah's niece and personal secretary, initially skeptical of Sarah's obsession with the mansion but gradually drawn into the mystery.

Plot Summary:

Devastated by the loss of her husband, William Wirt Winchester, and their daughter to illness, Sarah inherits a vast fortune from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. However, she becomes convinced that she is cursed by the spirits of those killed by the rifles her family manufactured ("The Winchester Curse").

Following a chilling encounter with a psychic who predicts that the spirits will never be at peace unless the house is constantly under construction, Sarah embarks on an endless building project, adding rooms, staircases, and corridors to her mansion seemingly at random. She dismisses traditional architects, taking control of the project herself and relying on the advice of skilled carpenters like Tom Reilly ("Hammer and Nail").

Her niece, Marion "Daisy" Merriman, initially skeptical of Sarah's obsession, becomes her closest confidante and personal secretary. Daisy witnesses firsthand the strange occurrences within the mansion ("The Ghosts of Winchester"), gradually becoming drawn into the mystery and even developing a rapport with some of the resident spirits ("Second thoughts").

The mansion becomes a labyrinthine masterpiece, a testament to Sarah's ingenuity and her desperate attempts to appease the spirits. Along the way, she encounters a variety of ghostly figures: the victims of the Winchester rifle, mischievous poltergeists, and even the spirit of her deceased husband, William ("William's Whisper").

Through song and dance, we witness Sarah's journey of grief, guilt, and ultimately, a form of acceptance. She learns to coexist with the spirits, acknowledging their presence while forging her own path ("House of Shadows"). The mansion becomes a reflection of her inner world, a testament to her resilience and her unique vision.

Musical Numbers:

"The Winchester Curse": A haunting ballad expressing Sarah's grief and fear of the spirits, incorporating the psychic's chilling prophecy.

"Hammer and Nail": An upbeat, energetic number celebrating the construction of the mansion and the camaraderie between Sarah, Tom, and the carpenters.

"The Ghosts of Winchester": A spectral number featuring the diverse ensemble of ghosts, each sharing their own poignant stories.

"William's Whisper": A haunting duet between Sarah and the ghost of her husband, exploring their complex and evolving relationship.

"House of Shadows": A climactic number discussing the hypothetical grandeur and mystery of the never-to-be-completed mansion, with Sarah finally finding a sense of peace within its walls.

"Second Thoughts": A song expressing Daisy's initial skepticism and her gradual acceptance of the supernatural occurrences within the mansion.

Themes:

Grief and Loss: The film explores the profound impact of grief and the enduring power of memory.

Female Empowerment: Sarah Winchester emerges as a strong and independent woman, defying societal expectations and forging her own path.

The Power of Art and Creativity: The mansion itself becomes a work of art, a testament to Sarah's ingenuity and her unique way of coping with her trauma.

The Supernatural and the Psychological: The film delves into the blurred lines between reality and the supernatural, exploring the psychological impact of grief and guilt.

[rpgromanceplayinggirls]

Name: Rise of the Ronin

Genre: Historical, Action RPG

Platform: PS5

Release: 2024

Audience: Teen

Protagonist Type: Optional, Customizable

Romance type: Optional, BxG, GxG

Official Synopsis:

Japan, 1863.

After three centuries of the Tokugawa Shogunate’s oppressive rule, the Black Ships of the West descend upon the nation’s borders and the country falls into a state of turmoil. Amidst the chaos of war, disease and political unrest, a nameless warrior forges their own path, holding the very fate of Japan in their hands.

Content warnings: Violence, Xenophobic themes

Notes:

The unnamed playable female character has multiple love interests, both men and women, from several different factions in the game, all of whom are bisexual. All of the love interests are based on real historical people, but often demonstrate key differences to their real counterparts. Some of the love interests can die during the course of the story, but some can be saved from their fate depending on the choices the playable character makes. A small few characters cannot be saved at all, even if romanced.

There is no reactivity towards the female lead's gender during the game, and she is largely treated as male by the other characters, which is extremely noticable in certain scenes. The various love interests have a varying amount of content depending on the character, with the most content going to Sakamoto Ryouma.

Several of the love interests were married in real life, and the game deals with this differently depending on the character. For example, if Ryouma is romanced, he mentions things not working out with the woman who would become his historical wife. One character, Genzui, is technically romancable using the same mechanics as the other characters, but he remains faithful to his wife and only enters into a kind of martial brothers/platonic soulmates relationship with the protagonist.

There is an unnamed character in the playable character's backstory, also customizable, who is implied to have been their lover before the events of the game if certain dialogue options are taken, but this second character is not romancable.

[theannypetite]

Xian Chan Nu

Time to Read: 1 minute The young lady of the Liu family, Liu Shiqing, doesn’t act the way she’s expecte to. Because she grew up with her father leading armed escorts, she’s not able to stay cooped inside all day, no matter how much her father tells her to do so. One day the men are escorting a certain thing, and Liu Shiqing sneaks into the escort and nearly gets kidnapped. However, a handsome…

[iamthemaestro]

how many times do I need to tell my friends I do not need to get on tinder I need to be courted 18th century style by a shy polite well-dressed educated gentleman who can barely hide his affections for me despite the fact that we’re both men and it’s 1785 and his parents intend to betroth him to my sister for the sake of the family’s reputation but I’m the one he invites for long walks around the country estate under the pretense that we’ve gone hunting to deepen our fraternal bond with one another I’m the one he gazes at over his glass at dinner in a way that tells me to meet him in the library at midnight I’m the one whose hand he kisses in the moonlight when no one is around to see it and to whom he utters his barely audible confession that he wants me desperately but he loves me too much to ever risk my life and reputation by acting upon it even though he would throw away his in a heartbeat if it meant he could pretend have me for even a moment

[resplendentoutfit]

Painting to Dress Match-up

Thomas Pollock Anshutz (American, 1851–1912) • A Rose • 1907

[lionofchaeronea]

Greek Girls Picking Up Pebbles by the Sea, Frederic Leighton, 1871

[queermovierecs]

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Set in the late 1700s, Portrait of a Lady on Fire follows Marianne, a female painter, and Héloïse, the woman she has been commissioned to paint. Although they know their time together is brief, they have a passionate affair that stays with them for the rest of their lives, even as they go on to live apart. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a masterpiece of lesbian and feminist cinema that will quietly haunt you in the most beautiful way.

Director: Céline Sciamma

Runtime: 2h 0m

Genres: Historical, Romance, Drama

Watch if you like: Maurice (1987), Carol (2015)

Ray's rating: 9/10

[the-emporium-of-free-adopts]

This has been posted on deviantArt for the purpose of being sold and making a profit- however, since it was generated by AI, it does not fall under intellectual property laws, so it's yours for the taking!

[from-a-spiders-web]

In the Wheat Fields, 1873 Giuseppe De Nittis

[misireads]

Mistä maailmat alkavat ("Where worlds start from") by Joel Haahtela

[ physical book, read in finnish ]

the life story of a young man (and later, not so young) who, after seeing a movie about vincent van gogh, is deeply inspired to become an artist and suddenly views the world around him through art. he starts taking art classes and meets other likeminded people, such as befriending another young man and his sister who becomes his girlfriend. he does a study trip to italy, and eventually gains great success with his first personal exhibition. he learns more and more about both art and humanity throughout his life.

🎨🖌️🖼️

➕ i'm so so so pleased with this little gem of a book that i randomly picked up!! it's like a little piece of art itself. this is a fairly short book, and it's not super grand or anything, but rather what made this for me was that it's a collection of scenes and moments that just hit somewhere deep.

➕ i really could relate to the way the main character sees everything through beauty and art. it's difficult to explain and i don't even have haahtela's ability to put the feeling into words anyway.

➕ very essentially a helsinki novel! set in the historical parts of the town centre. and this also included real historical people from the finnish art scene, visa studies in a real art school that actually still exists in helsinki, so that was a nice touch.

➕ my favourite part was the beginning when visa is still a teenager and realises he's beginning to drift away from his past life but that's okay because what lies ahead is so beautiful.

➖ this lost a bit of the magic touch towards the end, but then again that makes sense. visa grows up and becomes an adult and lives through more tumultuous decades, more socially aware. i didn't love the latter half but it fit the overall arc.

➖ that said i didn't hugely like how we linger in visa's 18~late 20s for the majority of the story, then it gallops forward like crazy over the last few pages and covers like, 50 years suddenly.

⭐ score: 4- -- a strong little book, and i'm sure many of its magical moments will remain in some corner of my heart.

[cinema-hallucinations]

Prompt: Create a movie concept for a disney musical animated adaptation of Great Expectations in the vein of Oliver & Co.: the main cast is composed mainly of talking feral, quadruped animals living parallel lives to human society.

Title: Paws & Expectations: A Tail of Two Tails

Logline: Pip, a streetwise alley cat, dreams of a life beyond the trashcans. When a mysterious benefactor (a reclusive parrot) elevates him to a life of luxury, Pip finds himself caught between his loyalty to his scrappy dog best friend, Herbert, and the charming but manipulative Miss Havisham, a pampered Persian cat.

Characters (Animals):

Pip: A resourceful and optimistic tabby cat, yearning for a better life. (Tenor)

Herbert: Pip's loyal and cynical mutt friend. (Baritone)

Miss Havisham: A beautiful but jaded Persian with a dark secret. (Alto)

Magwitch: A gruff but kind parrot, Pip's mysterious benefactor. (Bass)

Joe Gargery: A gruff but honest bulldog, Pip's "adopted" owner. (Bass)

Mrs. Gargery: A loving but overworked sheepdog, Pip's "adopted" mother. (Soprano)

Trabb's Boys: A mischievous pack of street rats. (Chorus)

Compeyson: A sly weasel, Miss Havisham's manipulative lawyer. (Baritone)

Musical Numbers:

Alleyway Blues (Pip & Herbert): Introduces Pip and Herbert's life and dreams.

Shiny Dreams (Pip): Expresses Pip's yearning for a better life.

Unleash the Purrfect Life (Miss Havisham): Showcases Miss Havisham's luxurious lifestyle and desire for revenge.

The Price of Pawsperity (Pip): Shows Pip's internal conflict between his new life and his friends.

Loyalty's Howl (Herbert & Pip): Reaffirms Pip and Herbert's friendship despite their differences.

A Tail Wagging Ending (Cast): Celebrates friendship, loyalty, and finding happiness.

Themes:

The importance of friendship and loyalty.

The dangers of social class and manipulation.

Finding your place in the world, regardless of your background.

Communication Barrier:

The film would emphasize the frustration and humor of the animals' inability to directly communicate with humans. Pip, for instance, might try to warn Miss Havisham about Compeyson's deception through elaborate gestures and playful nudges, while Miss Havisham misinterprets them as signs of affection.

This creates a unique dynamic where the audience, privy to the animals' thoughts and feelings, gains a deeper understanding of their struggles and motivations, often contrasting with how the humans perceive them.