#read the last of the henriad plays

[rudestmechanical]

i want to read at least one book a day for the rest of november so i can read just christmassy / winter-y books in december. let’s do this lads

[britneyshakespeare]

let me tell you. i have read 21 out of 38 of the extant canonical plays of william shakespeare. the first one to make me close the book and think "well i wish that had been better" was henry v.

[galacticlamps]

Get to know you game! Answer the questions and tag 9 people you want to know better!

Tagged by: @smooth-mccrimmonal

Last song listened to? Better Things by The Kinks!

Currently reading? I'm halfway through the play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, I just started the 11th Dr novel The Silent Stars Go By, and as far as nonfiction goes, I've been working on The Material Culture of the Jacobites for an embarrassing amount of time (it's not even a slow read, it's just physically a bit big for the bag I commute with, so I have fewer overall opportunities for that one)

Currently watching? Star Trek TNG (very slowly) // begging myself to resume my Season 5 Dr Who rewatch that went off the rails even more than usual when the disc drive on my laptop broke (but I think I finally fixed it? fingers crossed!)

Currently obsessed with? uhhh can I say Shakespearian foils without sounding either pretentious or overly-specific? Hamlet & Laertes, Henry V & half the characters in the (good) Henriad... those plays in general have been on my mind a lot lately - I think because I randomly realized the 'How all occasions do inform against me' speech could fit Hal nearly as well as it does Hamlet. I didn't mean anything in particular by that comparison, but it just got me back to thinking about/revisiting those plays more often

Tagging: @uighean @seismologically-silly @terryfphanatics @moonlight19256 @queen-boudicca @rystonlentil @livesonthebside @wheelybard @arbeaone - but no pressure! (really, nobody's worse at acknowledging these things than me lol)

[madelgard]

Tag people you'd like to know better

Thank you @klarionthewizard and @neumh for the tag!

Three ships:  Conan Antonio Motti/Tiaan Jerjerrod (Star Wars), Bertie Wooster/Bingo Little (P.G. Wodehouse stories), Henry IV/Richard II (Shakespeare's Henriad plays)

First ship:  It was probably Goku/Vegeta from DBZ. I need to wear the Cone of Shame.

Last song:  "Tevye's Dream" from Fiddler on the Roof

Last movie: Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie

Currently reading:  The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England by Dan Jones. Also a lot of fic, with the most recent being The Dance of the Seven Veils by marketchippie (Measure for Measure fic, Isabella/Angelo).

Currently watching:  Summer's Lease rewatch time let's fucking goooo

Last thing I wrote:  Poked a bit at this Thrawn/Piett and Motti/Jerjerrod thing centered around the idea that the Chiss gain a sort of seasonal plushness that results in a thicker Thrawn:

Into Piett’s suite aboard the Chimaera, Thrawn and Motti stepped into view. That they had just returned from the exercise suite was obvious. Stripped to their undershirts and trousers, their tunics were off—Thrawn’s held under one bulky, bare arm, Motti’s slung carelessly over his shoulder—and both men had a light sheen to their skin, as though they’d just stepped out of the showers. Thrawn’s gaze swept the room, landing, as it always did, squarely on Piett. Exercise effused him with a lively flush, a bruised and purpling blue darkening the high ridges of his cheeks. It made his smile very white indeed. “Firmus,” he said happily. The bass-baritone of his voice was all warmth. “You will be pleased to know that Conan Antonio and I are now at a three-g pull in the heavy gravity room. The added resistance is most gratifying.” With a cackle, Motti crossed the room and plopped himself onto the sofa adjacent Piett’s, flush against Jerjerrod. “Gratifying is one word for it.” He slung an arm around Jerjerrod’s shoulders, tugging him closer. “I’d say it’s sweaty business, actually,” he murmured, very near to Jerjerrod’s ear. It was spoken murky and low, but unfortunately still audible to the rest of them. “Very sweaty. Maybe you’d like a demonstration, Tiaan.” At Motti’s drawl, Jerjerrod shuddered. His cheeks had pinkened considerably. “That doesn’t interest me in the slightest.” Thrawn sat down next to Piett, so near that their legs touched. His thighs were large, and solid, and hot enough that Piett couldn’t help but press up against him. “That does not surprise me,” he said, frowning at Jerjerrod. “You have no aptitude for athletics.” Jerjerrod bristled, but Motti laughed. “He’s plenty athletic. Why, just last night, he demonstrated a remarkable degree of flexibility when he—” “Conan!” Jerjerrod hissed. He’d gone scarlet. “That’s private!” “Firmus is athletic,” Thrawn announced to no one in particular. “Notably athletic, considering his size. We enjoy a daily run together, prior to our shift.” “Running’s boring,” Motti declared. His hand had dropped from Jerjerrod’s shoulder to sling around his waist. He’d taken to rubbing mean little half-circles in the indent of Jerjerrod’s hip, and Jerjerrod, for his part, had gone rigid. Staying upright seemed to be requiring all his attention. “Unless you’re being chased. What d’you think, Ti? Want to chase me down the hall?” Jerjerrod’s answer was breathless. “I suppose you’d quite like me to hunt you down.” “Mhmm, like an animal.” “Like a dog.” “Bring me to heel, sweetheart.” “Don’t think I won’t,” Jerjerrod muttered. He was staring at Motti’s mouth, and Motti, in turn, looked to be about a half second away from hauling Jerjerrod directly into his lap. Disaster was imminent. Piett had suffered such a collision before, and had no intention of witnessing it again. Not in his quarters; the sofa was far too cumbersome to clean. “So,” he said, loudly enough that Jerjerrod jerked his head in alarm. He seemed surprised to find Piett still in the room. “Perhaps we ought to, uh, part ways....” “An excellent idea,” Jerjerrod said at once. He stood quickly, towing Motti up by the elbow. “We have—ah, that is, there’s... there’s flimsiwork Conan and I need to review, in our, ah, his quarters.” “Is it a big stack of flimsiwork, Tiaan?” Conan was grinning. “Large? A lot to handle? Would you say it's thick—” With a snarl, Jerjerrod dragged him away, Motti still needling him even as the blaster doors slid shut. In their absence quiet filled the room, pleasantly oppressive. And to Piett’s side, Thrawn was scorching.

Currently writing:  The Wedding Night chapter of my Motti/Jerjerrod marriage fic, Pale Veils and Silk:

Throat dry, he darted a glance at Conan’s face, and his stomach performed its familiar flip. Husband. Husband. Husband. Conan was grinning at him. “What’s on your mind, Ti?” “Nothing,” he said at once, so immediately guilty that Conan barked out a laugh.

Tagging @retro-hussy, @alexx-dax, and @shakespeareaddict

[arthursknight]

ok I love shakespeare and have been meaning to reread some lays/branch out from what I read in school pls tell me where to start/what I need to know

CRACKS KNUCKLES

okay so it really depends on what your tastes are.

if you're an American (or really, anywhere outside of the UK), it is very likely you were not taught the histories, save for maybe richard iii. that is a goddamned shame. Fuck That. yes, the histories contain a lot of... well, history. there's names and places and shit that you probably won't recognise if you haven't been taught it. it will take some research and cursory knowledge for the reading of the plays (though i believe, as with all shakespeare, that if you know how to play the damn thing, then such details are irrelevant and the audience should understand what is happening regardless of their knowledge of context). but the histories contain some of the most gutwrenching portrayals of humanity i have ever seen. these are some hidden fucking gems, dude. which is silly to say bc like. it's shakespeare. the man is arguably the most known writer in the english language. but here i am, the president of the The Histories Are Good, Actually club, and i am telling you. read the histories.

good place to start is the henriad. *the sun shines, angels sing, flowers bloom, etc*

the henriad is the love of my life and yes I will elaborate, but probably later. it comprises of richard ii (my underrated love), henry iv parts i and ii, and henry v. henry iv pt i is, quite literally, my favourite shakespeare play. is it the best? objectively probably not. does it make me absolutely fucking insane? Yes. this is a whole separate post, babes, but the first time i saw henry iv pt i (and, at that time, i was well cemented in my shakespeare knowledge), i literally had to fucking pause my life and consume as much of it as i could. absolutely unbelievable. william, you're crazy for this one!!!!!

ahem.

weakest parts in my opinion are the back half of the henriad-- pt ii is a joke (sorry, will, babes, but. come on) and henry v, while still being about the Love Of My Life, has incredibly great moments and beats and scenes, but it just. it's not part i. you can never be that girl. (i am currently getting flayed as we speak for speaking this treason, esp for someone who literally cries every time they hear the st crispin's day speech)

anyway what were we talking about.

reread romeo and juliet and forget fucking everything any English teacher ever has taught you. i have Strong Opinions on romeo and juliet and in due time you will hear them but. reread it. stop applying any lens to it and just read the damn thing. form your own opinions. do not let Everyone Else's Opinion matter on this.

reread othello and really sink your teeth into why iago is the villain beyond the fact that he's literally called a villain. think about how incredibly radical it was for the villain of a play about a black man was, arguably, its most racist character. (we will have the Shakespeare And Race talk another time.)

reread hamlet just because that shit is a good play. reread macbeth and for the love of God stop taking it so seriously. we get it, it's about murder.

read king lear and let it wrench out your heart when you think about how age and madness can consume the best of us (and fucking shudder at the "let him smell his way to dover" line, jesus)

and read the comedies! the loves of my life! and don't you DARE listen to anything anyone tells you about taming of the shrew without first understanding that the crux of any shakespearean play is the idea of play. just trust me on that one and maybe i will elaborate if you buy me a cuppa.

read much ado. it's the love of my life.

just pick up the works and read. read titus, because it's an early work and it's a silly as fuck play and we all love young William in his Revenge Play era. read the tempest and weep about him being at the end of his life (though we have no real validation it was his last play, it is a later play, and the themes are there). read everything in between.

and, and this is most important

don't you dare listen to a single soul who tells you some posh snot nosed fuck from Oxford, of all places, wrote his plays instead. punch their classist nose right in. they deserve it.

enjoy my dear. i will be here with you to scream.

[heartofstanding]

this or that / last and current

tagged by @bending-sickle

apple juice or orange juice | breakfast in bed or dinner in a blanket fort | peanut butter or butterscotch | rain or snow | water park or amusement park | guitar or violin | flip flops or sneakers | big cats or bears | ocean or lake | bonfire or picnic | draw or write | oak or mahogany | volleyball or tennis. | key chains or postcards | queso or salsa | skateboard or roller blades | porch or patio | love quotes or inspirational quotes | hearts or stars | backpack or duffle bag | orchard or garden | baby bunnies or baby ducks | pastels or earth tones | New York City or Los Angeles | secret stairs or secret tunnel | street magician or escape artist | fairies or gnomes | comedy or mystery  | purple or green | daisies or dandelions | crayon or chalk | sunglasses tinted blue or sunglasses tinted yellow | bracelets or rings | question mark or exclamation point

last song: pet shop boys - ‘bet she’s not your girlfriend’ 

last movie: the chimes at midnight, the best version of the henriad 

currently watching: um, i’m rewatching shetland series 1? I got sad they abandoned the style of self-contained mysteries and went for a series-long mystery which tends to be a bigger, complicated mystery with less focus on the environment. on youtube, it’s pretty much the try guys and clips from the nanny. 

currently reading: maggie o’farrell’s hamnet which is... OK. I was in love with the writing style, it feels very sort of fairytale-esque but I think that sort of... quasi magical side to it is actually working against me liking it more? it’s just sort of agnes is a witchy, herblorist who knows best and is very special and i wish it was more grounded? i was scared it was going to be like “shakespeare sucked as a husband” but so far he’s characterised really nice. next will be turn of the screw  and other ghost stories or death in venice, then probably a medieval book. 

currently playing: plants vs zombies 2. 

currently craving: just more time, i suppose. 

[harry-leroy]

20 in 20 Book Tag

I was tagged by the lovely @princess-of-france. Thank you!! ❤️

Rules: List either 20 books you want to read in 2020 or 20 goals, or some mix of both, up to you! Then tag some friends to play along :)

(Those are essentially paraphrased rules, but you get the general idea...)

I broke the rules a bit and did 20 books and 10 goals - as a lit major I always have a list a mile long of books I want/need to read. Some of these are plays as well, because I’ve got like half a leg stuck in theatre but I love it. And goals are always important!

20 Books for 2020

1. The Libertine - Stephen Jeffreys

2. Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe

3. Shakespeare in Love - Tom Stoppard

4. Blandings Castle - P.G. Wodehouse

5. Dunbar: William Shakespeare’s King Lear Retold - Edward St. Aubyn

6. L.E.L.: The Lost Life and Scandalous Death of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, the Celebrated “Female Byron” - Lucasta Miller

7. The Island Princess - John Fletcher

8. Collaborative Playwriting - Paul C Castagno

9. The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins

10. Farinelli and the King - Claire Van Kampen

11. The Vexations - Caitlin Horrocks

12. The Revolutionists: A Comedy, A Quartet, A Revolutionary Dream Fugue - Lauren Gunderson

13. Poldark - Winston Graham

14. This is Shakespeare - Emma Smith

15. The Gilded Stage: A Social History of Opera - Daniel Snowman

16. Schubert’s Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession - Ian Bostridge

17. Emma - Jane Austen

18. The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler

19. Last Bus to Woodstock - Colin Dexter

20. Shakespearean Character: Language in Performance - Jelena Marelj, Jonathan Hope (that’s my cool Shakespeare professor ahh), Lynne Magnusson

10 Goals for 2020

1. Get through 99 operas! - 49 were on a list of most famous operas, 50 were chosen by me. We’re 5 down - 94 to go!

2. Actually use my planner :’) - I bought fun stickers to put in and on it so maybe it’ll persuade me to use it.

3. Make new friends and keep in touch with old ones! (I’m so excited to meet a bunch of theatre people in two weeks guys).

4. Figure out a thesis topic (ahhhh)

5. Do well academically this semester and turn in some good honors projects.

6. Finish a draft of The Selby Roses

7. Perhaps start a new play WIP (we’ll see)

8. Travel!

9. Learn how to sing or play a new instrument

10. Perhaps start a studyblr... or blog/vlog thing? (I’m not sure how interested people would be or how plausible this sounds with my crazy busy schedule, but I feel like a studyblr would be manageable).

Tagging: @nuingiliath, @dustyp-rose, @bonebreakfast, @sneez, @forcebros, @shredsandpatches, @necromancy-savant, @devilsss-dyke, @twostarsinonesphere, @meharmonycarmen, @ghost-minuet, @chaotic-archaeologist, @lovesjustachemical, @henriadical, @witty-fool, @fantasmaglory, @maryiofengland, @exercise-of-trust, and @themalhambird, @maplelantern

(I think all of y’all are mutuals! I don’t know all of you extraordinarily well, but consider this to be a wave hello! Of course, anyone who sees this and wants to do it is tagged - I love seeing people’s TBR lists. And if life is moving at 9000 mph, don’t feel obligated to do this! ❤️)

[annemyunansevermi]

A blog on The King

Short story: It was about be a bad movie but it ended brilliantly. 

Long story: I don't know where to start.

I believe the movie has two main groups of audience, medieval enthusiast whose main motivation is to see some damn-good war scenes and beloved fans of Timothée Chalamet. Former is roughly satisfied and the second is happy to moon.

King Henry V is someone real guys, but it is said that the movie is mainly based on Shakespeare’s play, Henriad -more specifically Henry V, there are tons of Henry plays under the name Henriad- which created his own King Henry. So, we have a real struggle of historical facts and historical historical fiction. However, I really don't think that this problem needs that much attention because The King is a character movie, like the play. Yes, Shakespeare loved young man in existential crisis with lots of courage and virtue and whatever heroic characteristic required for traditional definition of manhood, and basically, he build his characters through this image.

Movie follows this legacy well, so well that I would call it “a ballad to man-making” -or king-making?- We see only 4 (four) women in total in this 130 minutes movie, no name girl who happened to sleep with him (Henry), matron of the inn where he was wasted during his earlier days, his sister and his wife -or let’s say princess of France. Well, this is a men’s world certainly but our French queen achieved to be the most drastic character of the movie. Guess when she appears in the movie though. Last 10 minutes. 

I think the biggest problem of the movie is its structure. Let’s face it, it is a slow movie. We only have three changes in atmosphere, Henry becomes the king, Henry goes to war, Henry learns the truth. Rest is conversations between a young king and dignitaries around him. A great cinematographer or an outstanding composer might save it by making us not notice that slowness, however, even Henry’s smart-ass oratory talent wasn't enough. What we have in hand are very good costumes and brilliant acting. 

Let’s also face with this. Timothée Chalamet is writing history, just in front of us. We’re literally witnessing the birth of something. His casting doesn't seem like a coincidence. The change in his body language throughout the movie shouldn't miss from eyes. Without his fluent French, we wouldn't have this gasp of well-deserved king image that clearly -yes for this, they sacrificed the English accent. Everyone is praising Robert Pattinson’s French-accented English but they miss the political message of the movie. There is a well-educated English king who is about to claim the French throne when his opponent, an arrogant, almost effeminate French successor who depicts an impotent ruler in most stereotypical way. I believe you get it. There is nothing changed since Dunkirk. Plus, I would like to remind you the recent British foreign policy really quick. Okay, that’s enough of conspiracy.

But, the movie doesn't let us leave with that opinion of “brave English men against French” which may make the audience think “There wouldn't have been a more typical historical movie.” The game changes so unbelievably towards the end that it makes you feel like you watched first two hours just for that end. Undoubtedly this is the most striking phase of the movie, even though it takes 10 minutes in total. The famous battle scene -not the scene, the battle itself is very famous- is also highly criticized by the type 1 audience for not being as glorious and ‘historical’ as it should be -horses they say, supposed to wear amour too they say, otherwise they say, they wouldn't have sink in mud they say........-. However, this is not a war movie and I believe that the director wanted to keep it that way on purpose so, the audience is left with that pure awe in the end.

What we left with in the end is a pure Machiavellian way of reading the human nature -or ruling nature. He named his book the Prince, pretty much in the same line with the King. You even can add Charles Tilly and hear him saying “Wars make states, states make wars.” But, wait, wasn't it that wars before make kings? 

[thefeministpress]

6 and 25 for the Bookworm Asks? :)

Hey there! Thanks for the questions!

6) What stereotypical “bookish” things do you like or own?

Oh boy. Besides, you know, all the books … where do I even start? When I was young my family and friends realized that literary/bookish gifts were always a safe choice for me—a fact that has never changed—so between gifts and the purchases I make for myself, I’ve acquired quite the collection.

In high school I discovered Out of Print as a freshman (around 2010ish), and immediately bought the Nineteen Eighty-Four Sweatshirt they were selling at the time. It was mint green and borrowed its design from the cover of the first edition. I actually think I might have taken my first-ever Instagram selfie in that sweatshirt. (Out of Print doesn’t have it anymore, but they do sell this one now, and it looks just as comfy!) Shortly afterward I bought a Catch-22 t-shirt from them (I think it was this one) and I got these banned books socks either that year or the following year for Christmas. I also got this banned books pouch, which is perfect for holding various charging cords, and this Edgar Allen Poe pop art shirt. My shirt must have been an earlier version of the same shirt, because it was this grayish brown color instead of the current blue color. People kept asking me if the person on my shirt was John Wilkes Booth. The audacity. (Also, excuse me!? I would never!) 

In high school I also got this Edgar Allen Poe candle (which smells absolutely amazing), was given this Edgar Allen Poe lunchbox from Powell’s Books as a gift, purchased this scarf featuring the end of A Tale of Two Cities, and got this Thomas Jefferson’s library mug on a trip to Washington DC at the Library of Congress.

Right before heading off to college I got this t-shirt to rep one of my all-time favorite local institutions, the aforementioned Powell’s Books, as well as this literature-themed Nalgene water bottle. (They also come in sci-fi, philosophy, mathematics, and women authors—oh my god, that last one is definitely new and I NEED IT).

Since high school I’ve acquired two more pairs of Out of Print socks.

In college, friends gave me these Shakespeare and Jane Austen bandaids and this banned books mug.

In college I also started to obtain literary wall art and posters. I have some framed book illustrations from an antique collection of Shakespeare’s plays, a Kenyon Review poster (it’s, uh, obviously not blurry in person—I just couldn’t find a better picture), and a vintage poster from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Since graduating from college, I’ve obtained tote bags from AWP 2018, the Poetry Foundation, The New Yorker, (couldn’t find pictures/links for all of them) and a grocery bag from Powell’s Books. I also got a vintage Oregon Shakespeare Festival t-shirt as well as this t-shirt from their most recent season.

Since I’ve been in New York I’ve gotten yet more tote bags from Words Without Borders, the Feminist Press, Drawn and Quarterly, and the Strand. I also bought this sticker, this keychain, and this t-shirt from the Strand.

I know this is probably leaving quite a bit out,* and I’m sorry if by any chance you see this post and notice that I’ve left something that you’ve given me out—this is just off the top of my head!

Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, I’m eyeing these socks for the upcoming holidays; this McNally Jackson tote bag; and this Community Bookstore tote bag. I already have too many tote bags. Oh, and the Powell’s Nalgene women authors water bottle that I discovered in the process of answering this question.

*This list, it should be noted, doesn’t include any of the comics-related stuff that I own. So … yes, there’s more, haha. I’d be happy to write about that as well if anyone would like—just send me a message!

—

25) What books do you read over and over?

Paradise Lost ● John Milton

White Teeth ● Zadie Smith

Pride and Prejudice ● Jane Austen

Persuasion ● Jane Austen

Against Memoir ● Michelle Tea

Wuthering Heights ● Charlotte Brontë

Sabrina ● Nick Drnaso

A Christmas Carol ● Charles Dickens

Citizen: An American Lyric ● Claudia Rankine

The Sherlock Holmes canon ● Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Pericles, the Henriad ● Shakespeare

Bad Feminist ● Roxane Gay

And, of course, I know there are some I’m definitely forgetting!

Interestingly, there are plenty of books that I love just as much as these ones that I haven’t read more than once. I guess it’s because I rarely re-read books. There are so many good books out there, and I want to read as many of them as I can rather than reading the same ones again—at least, most of the time. When I do read books more than once, it’s usually because 1) I really, really loved the book, 2) I’m craving a story that’s really comforting, 3) I know I’ll get more out of the book if I read it more than once, or 4) the book is the only reading option (or one of the only reading options) I have at the time.

—

Thank you so much for sending in these questions, and I’m sorry it took so long to get around to them! Hopefully my responses were interesting. :) I promise to provide swifter responses in the future!

In solidarity,

Your local FP intern

[twostarsinonesphere]

get to know me

Tagged by : @walkingthroughhistory

Birthday: november 30th

Zodiac Sign: sagittarius

Height: 5'10 (and i'm pretty thin so i look like a gangly ass beanpole. it's a problem)

Hobbies: reading, writing (poetry and prose, but mostly poetry), running, researching random shit, and also i genuinely enjoy washing dishes

Last Song I Listened To: passerine by the oh hellos (it won't leave my brain also so that's fun)

Favourite Colour(s): light pink, maroon, dark blue, gray, black, silver: sort of,,, neutral classic?

Last Movie I Watched: john wick. hated it, but i loved keanu reeves

Favourite Book(s): crime and punishment by fyodor dostoevsky, henry iv pt i by william shakespeare, and walking on water by madeleine l'engle

Dream Job: history and literature teacher for high school

Meaning Behind URL: it's pretty much the line "two stars keep not their motion in one sphere, nor can one england brook a double reign: of harry percy and the prince of wales" from prince hal in shakespeare's henry iv pt i, just twisted a bit to be a vague message about coexisting. it's also from one of my favourite plays ever written

tagging!

@skeleton-richard @cadhla-marie @nothing-but-our-own-red-blood @pyotr-verkhovensky @harry-leroy @henriadical @princess-of-france @nightly-echoes @nothinggold13 @lasaraleen @madeleineengland

my apologies if i've forgotten anyone, feel free to do this if you want

[sassy-little-hedgehog]

Hey, thanks for the tag @forfucksakejohn !! That's really cool!

Since I always talk about Sherlock or other fandoms I want to use this as an opportunity to talk about another thing I absolutely love: Shakespeare.

I am totally obsessed with everything he wrote. I came into contact with his works for the first time when my drama teacher wanted us to learn half a page of "Romeo and Juliet" by heart in a set time to see how much we would remember. I learned the whole page and also fell in love with the language (and that wasn't even in english at the time, but in german). I revised that page every day for some time and constantly told people because I was so proud.

In that same year we had planned our holidays in London and all around South England. I was so excited and I persuaded my whole family to take a tour through the Globe Theater (it was amazing). My parents like Shakespeare as well and when we travelled around England we went to Stratford-upon-Avon where we basically visited everything Shakespeare, like his Birthplace and the Royal Shakespeare Theater and everything. I even got to talk to some Shakespeare experts and I bought my first English copy of "Romeo and Juliet". I read it as quickly as I could and I was so amazed! Then I started to dive deeper into the topic and began to analyze how he wrote and what which words meant and how the english language was back then. I learned all the grammatical peculiarities and looked up all the stylistic features to see how he meant them.

I became (a bit) obsessed. I learned both of Juliet's and Romeo's death monologues by heart (the passages shortly before their deaths) and it's still my favourite part of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet's was the first I learned because the same passage right before she "dies" was the one we learned in drama class so it had a lot of meaning for me because it was the first Shakespeare thing I had ever read. But I still like Romeo's part even better. For anyone who listened to my ramblings up to this point: here's the part of all of "Romeo and Juliet" that I like best:

"Eyes look your last; arms take your last embrace; and lips, O you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss; a dateless bargain to engrossing death."

And after like one or two more lines he kisses Juliet and dies.

Well, after that I bought some more books about the time of Shakespeare in general and his life and everything and started to watch documentaries about him (a lot). Then my mum and I watched an adaptation of the play "Romeo and Juliet" and I loved it. The next work of Shakespeare I read was Macbeth because my mum found the english version somewhere among her things from when she was young. After that I read Coriolanus and Hamlet and began to watch "The Hollow Crown" (and became obsessed). For Christmas, my parents gave me a subscription for the "National Theater at Home" and of course I watched Coriolanus first because I had already read the book and also, Tom Hiddleston plays Coriolanus and it was very very amazing. For Christmas I also got a very very long book about everything Shakespeare (it's literally huge, there's so much detailed information in it and I love it).

Up to now I have read:

Romeo and Juliet

Macbeth

Coriolanus

Hamlet

Othello

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Merchant of Venice

And I'm currently reading Julius Caesar

I also watched:

Some plays of Romeo and Juliet (there are so many versions out there, some better than others) as well as some film adaptations

Coriolanus (The National Theater)

Othello (The National Theater)

Hamlet (one version of the play where I'm not even sure where I watched that anymore but it was shown on TV once, Hamlet the play with Benedict Cumberbatch - it was amazing - by the National Theater and the Hamlet film adaptation of 1990 with Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia)

Julius Caesar (The National Theater version and some DVD we had at home)

ALL of the Hollow Crown (so the whole Henriad - Shakespeare's second tetralogy - Richard II, Henry IV Part one, Henry IV part two and Henry V. With actors such as Tom Hiddleston - again, he was so amazing as King Henry V. As well as The Wars of the Roses with Henry VI part one, Henry VI part two, Henry VI part three and Richard III - Richard III is played by Benedict Cumberbatch)

I also recently watched the play of Richard the II live at one of our local theaters (and therefore in german but it was still so amazing). It was the first stage play they performed since the lockdown and it was the start of our theaters opening again. Therefore only a very small number of people where allowed in the theater to watch it and my mum and I got lucky enough to be among the first people who bought tickets and got in. It was amazing!!

Yes, well there you go. I think my whole class and all my teachers know me as the Shakespeare girl by now. After I learned Juliet's death monologue by heart I recited it to my drama teacher and kind of shocked her 😅 I'm also the reason why we took time to talk about Shakespeare in class and every time a teacher is like: well if we're doing that/talking about this, we could just go and start reading Shakespeare! I get so excited and then they turn to me and are like: Don't get too excited, I know you would like that but nobody else would.

It's kind of sad because I wish more people around me would be interested in it but at the same time it's kind of funny that people know who is meant when they say "the Shakespeare Girl" 😅 And it's just one of my favourite hobbies to altercate with the topic and learn more about it like fun facts and stuff.

So, a fun fact at the end: Shakespeare was the first to invent the term "green-eyed monster" for jealousy and first used it in Othello, Act III, Scene 3 (I'm not sure which line but it's spoken by Iago). Since then it has been the most common metaphor for jealousy.

Yeah, thanks for listening to my ramblings. This happens if you let me talk about something I like.

GIFs are of the Hollow Crown (Ben Whishaw as Richard II, Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III, Tom Hiddleston as Henry V)

Tagging: @theresnoescapingfromtheheartache @bluebellofbakerstreet @consultingravenclaw221b @elisabethvanroseblood @helplessly-johnlocked, only if you want to, of course, and everyond else who has something they want to talk about!!

So... Just because I'm bored, I'm tagging 10 random people and all I ask of them is to post something about a topic they truly love. Like a song, a movie, anything. Anything about anything. I just think it's so important to listen to people talking about their favourite things because we don't often get chances to talk about random things we love. So here it goes!

@namelesswalkingcorpse @summerfly-lesbian @treesarefuckingbeautiful @kettykika78 @rachel1337 @helloliriels @megara-holmes @2mucheyeliner @saoirse-1887 @lunah

[kneelbeforeclefairy]

So I'm actually a little emotional. Today was the last read of Henry V with social Shakespeare , and I got to be the last Hal. Furthermore, I got to read in all four plays, as Northumberland in Richard II, Gower, Quickly and others in Henry V and Prince Hal/Henry V in Henry IV parts one and two and Henry V. I THIIIINK I'm the only person in the Social Shakespeare casts who got to play one charecter through all their plays , and it was fun and an interesting challenge to take this one charecter through so much and grow him up, take him from a mess, to a soldier, to a king (whatever that means. My Hal never really does figure it out)

Social Shakespeare readings are one of the things that got me through the quarantine. Quarantine was hard on everyone, but I was quaratined alone, in a foreign country, a month before my partner was set to come back to me after we had been apart for three months. The borders closed and she never did come back . I was living alone for the first time, with no direction and on very strict lockdown rules, in a place where I didn't speak the language, far from my home and not knowing how or when things would change. I was A MESS.

but reading the Henriad helped.

Looking forward to the readings, being able to talk with people in English, being able to be a total nerd and talk about Shakespeare when I've had to....not hide bits of myself but in any situation when one is not comfortable one is never onesself....and just have fun

It's not secret these are my favorite Shakespeare plays and are extremely important to me. They're actually one of the things that brought me and Ann together. we were talking Shakespeare one day early on in our friendship and I mentioned my favorite was Henry V and she mentioned Henry IV and Falstaff. I knew of the charecter Falstaff but I had never heard of the plays. She was surprised and told me that it was the story of Henry V when he was younger and basically to go home and read it. I did, and the rest is history. We keep seeking out these plays, seen multiple versions of them (including Richard II in the Globe itself and a version of all four so long and terrible we christened it the Test of Endurance) and now we're writing the musical version (will it be finished? Preformed? As for tomorrow, who knows )

Hal (specifically in part one but really all three plays) is a dream role I'm sure I'll never get. But getting to do this role in some small way made me realize....hey...you know what, I CAN act. Maybe I'm not a professional, maybe I wouldn't stand a chance in the real world, but I KILLED saint crispins day today and I'm not going to say I didn't.

Social Shakespeare was a beacon, something to look forward to, to give structure and hope to an uncertain world. Getting to dissapear into Eastcheap, Harfleur and Agincourt meant more to me than anything. And now, Greece is more or less completely open, my beloved home of NYC is recovering better than anyone expected and also opening, I finished my last class for my masters degree yesterday, and I will be going home to my partner next week (who plays an AMAZING Falstaff, by the way). I feel like a mini era has ended. But these readings, these people, and the friends I made will be one of my fondest memories of Quaratine, and of one of the hardest times in my life.

By the time we read Merry Wives of Windsor I'll be home.

[britneyshakespeare]

i think reading the first three shakespeare henriad plays back-to-back-to-back has broken my brain for the last three months

[inhalingwords]

Monthly Wrap Up || October 2017

Henry IV, Part 2 by William Shakespeare || Henry V by William Shakespeare || The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare || A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare || Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare || As You Like It by William Shakespeare || Hamlet by William Shakespeare || Instrucciones para salvar el mundo by Rosa Montero || Kudottujen kujien kaupunki by Emmi Itäranta || Brokeback Mountain: Story to Screenplay by Annie Proux, Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana || Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë || The Gap of Time: The Winter’s Tale retold by Jeanette Winterson || Puhdistus by Sofi Oksanen

Henry IV, Part 2 by William Shakespeare

Disease, darkness, decay. 2 Henry IV is a sequel and it shows tbh. It’s boring, Prince Hal is obnoxious, there is not a thing in this play I much care for. The prologue is alright.

Henry V by William Shakespeare

Henry V continues and -- thankfully -- ends the story in the Henriad. Like 2 Henry IV, I didn’t enjoy this one either. I mean, it’s a fine play (and tetralogy) about war, kingship, honour, patriotism, etc., except that that’s precisely the problem. All of that presented as it is in the play(s) is directly opposite to my own values and morals. I don’t think it’s honourable that king Henry V wants to wage war with France only because of some titles and dukedoms to add to his name/”imperium” (+ to distract the populace with external unrest away from civil unrest) or that he threatens French towns with rape and pillaging if they don’t let them in so he can have them surrender “peacefully”, and that’s all supposed to make him out to be this great, amazing king because “band of brothers! we happy few! he totally gets down with the lowly commoners! wooo”, like, no thanks.

The entire concept of these plays is to bump up English/British nationalism/patriotism and be a reminder of these “”””glorious””” things done in the past “under God’s will”. lmao. It’s jingoistic propaganda and that doesn’t interest me.

The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare

Now, The Winter’s Tale is a severely underappreciated Shakespeare play imo. There are not sufficient words to explain how much I loved reading this play!

The Winter’s Tale is a lovely tragedy-that-turns-to-comedy about jealousy, family, time, redemption, rebirth, healing, and hope in the middle of darkness. There are some real kickass female characters (Pauline! what a woman! i love her! and Hermione, who is Great™), one of the most famous stage directions of all time (”Exit, pursued by a bear”), queer subtext, cute romance, and one of the most beautiful scenes in Shakespeare (that last scene with the “statue” Hermione, damn!).

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

This was actually my second reread of this play this year, I already reread it back in March. But because I recently bought the beautiful Arden edition of the play, I just needed to reread it once more. And I’m glad! This is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays (hence why I bought the separate edition). I love the whimsy, the fairies, and the aesthetic, but I also really appreciate the plot, the running away into the woods and all the love-magic shenanigans.

I greatly enjoyed the Third Series Arden edition’s emphasis on the theatrical staging history across the world. It was very interesting to read about (also: wtf I didn’t know there’s a history of female!Oberons, that’s my new favourite interpretations at the mo, so yess, thanks). The entire Introduction was top-notch and I found much to think about; my favourite things is how the play has very much a dreamlike quality with many alarming things bubbling underneath the surface that are never quite brought into focus and problematised.

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Holy moral ambiguity and manipulation, y’all! There’s no clear villain in this play, everyone’s a bit sketchy, and the central theme is of political rivalry and machinations. My favourite thing about Julius Caesar (and other plays like this) are the many layers, like when you consider the historical time depicted in the play, the context of Shakespeare’s time when the play was written in, and also the context of present time when I myself am reading this play. 

I ended up liking this play much more than I expected to, and I’m looking forward to reading it again in the future (and seeing some great adaptations in the meantime!).

As You Like It by William Shakespeare

As You Like It is a wonderful pastoral (romantic) comedy that both brings the pastoral to life and parodies/critiques it. It’s absolutely charming and also very queer (thereby claiming it’s place on my list of fave Shakespeare plays pretty much automatically). It’s also the play with the female character who has the most lines out of all Shakespeare’s female characters (woop!). The characters are what really make this play for me: Rosalind, Celia, Orlando, Jaques, I love them so much, and I might even go so far as to say I even enjoy Touchstone.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

I have to admit: this was my first time reading Hamlet, I haven’t seen a movie or stage adaptation of it, and, going into the play, I only had a very general idea what it was about (along the lines of “there’s a Danish prince called Hamlet, it’s a tragedy, people die”) and I knew a handful of quotes out of context.

That said, like for many others, my experience of reading Hamlet was that of recognition. I kept encountering quotes I knew and it proved super interesting to finally get the full context for them. I find Hamlet an intriguing play, (especially philosophically, psychologically and metatheatrically speaking) and I’m looking forward to seeing some stage/movie adaptations of it.

Instrucciones para salvar el mundo by Rosa Montero

Instrucciones para salvar el mundo is a milestone book for me: it’s the first book I’ve ever read in Spanish. Sadly, I can’t whole-heartedly recommend it for others. I like it... I think??

The problem I have with the book isn’t that it’s bad, it’s that I feel like I really love the theme and the central concept of the book so much -- there’s beauty in life, sometimes you don’t even realise how privileged you are and how much you have, how much life in itself is worth until you’re staring death in the face, that these darkness in the world but also so much goodness and beauty and happiness -- BUT something about the execution was just lacking. The characters felt a little bit too much like stereotypes (the two boring white male protags, one of whose wife is death so he’s grieving and the other who is cheating on his wife; the black sex worker who is Good and needs to be helped; the Moroccan suicide bomber, etc.). I did like two of the female characters (Cerebro, an old scientist, and Fatma, the sex worker) but they were more peripheral characters, just passing through the bigger plot of the two dudes, one of whom was so obnoxious I nearly put the book down because of him.

So, yeah. The book is good but not awesome, and I feel a bit let down.

Kudottujen kujien kaupunki by Emmi Itäranta

Kudottujen kujien kaupunki (UK: The City of the Woven Streets, US: The Weaver) is easily my favourite book of the month.

Earlier this year, in April, I read Itäranta’s first book Teemestarin kirja (engl. Memory of Water), which I loved, so I was expecting to like Kudottujen kujien kaupunki, and it honestly still managed to blow me away and even exceed my expectations. Once again, there’s a dystopian setting, environmental themes (this time, water pollution), beautiful writing, and fascinating worldbuilding, but with explicit wlw main pairing this time. My heart soars. Itäranta has definitely landed a spot on the list of my fave authors.

Brokeback Mountain: Story to Screenplay by Annie Proux, Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana

Proulx’s writing style isn’t necessarily my fave -- it’s quite sparse, unornamented and to the point -- but the story is beautiful and touching in all of its horror and it definitely packs a punch. It’s about rural homophobia, internalised homophobia, love and desires, repression, and life.

This edition also featured three short yet insightful essays about adapting the short story to the big screen.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

I…. like Wuthering Heights?? I’m baffled because I was pretty much prepared to dislike it due to so many people talking about how the relationship is really unhealthy and shouldn’t be romanticised, so I was expecting some sort of 1800s version of Twilight/50SoG, but… that’s not what this is?? 

Wuthering Heights is not a love story, it’s not a romance, and it’s not supposed to be. It’s not written as such. The relationship (between Cathy and Heathcliff) is not in any way portrayed as a romantic, healthy pairing you’re supposed to root and strive for (like in Twilight/50SoG) with the expectation that the reader is supposed to be sighing about how romantic and thrilling everything about the romance is. In Wuthering Heights, the abuse is portrayed as abuse, as negative and abusive, and the narrative does not support the reading of Heathcliff as a romantic hero and “Mr. Perfect”.

So, yeah. I like Wuthering Heights. In terms of the locale and characters, the scope of the novel is very small and almost claustrophobic, but the emotional magnitude is astonishing. Some of the characters are vile, selfish, and repugnant much of the time and yet I was so swept up in the story and invested in knowing what was going to happen, that I really enjoyed reading about them and I couldn’t help but symphathise with them because of the masterful storytelling. The portrayals of passion and revenge are so vivid I got chills. And I enjoy the double nature of the book; we have the one half (Catherine and Heathcliff) and the other half (Cathy and Hareton), and I love how it’s one of those hopeful stories about breaking the cycle of abuse, the younger generation doing better than the older.

The novel is also highly atmospheric. The moors, the nature, the wilderness. It all reflects the characters and the fact that the novel is so pointedly not about high society and social niceties.

The Gap of Time: The Winter’s Tale retold by Jeanette Winterson

My first venture into the world of Shakespearean book adaptations -- and I am so glad it was with such a great one!

The Gap of Time is a remix of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale (a tragedy-turns-to-comedy that I read for the first time this month and love a lot!), and to me it’s a very successful one. There are so many things brimming with insight (I feel like I marked up at least 2/3 of the book!), some nice winks at the source material and Shakespeare in general, and tbh I gotta love anything that takes the queer subtext in Shakespeare and makes it explicit. I really enjoy the way Winterson modernised the story and dived a bit deeper into themes like time and family, which were already present in the original play.

However, The Gap of Time did feel a bit rough and unpolished at times, although I wonder whether it was intentional and meant to reflect the way reading one of Shakespeare’s (or anyone’s) plays feels like (since obviously they are meant to be seen and not read per se, and consist of nothing but dialogue).

Puhdistus by Sofi Oksanen

In February, I read the first book in Oksanen’s Kvartetti series about Estonia’s recent history and the East/West dichotomy of Europe. This month, I finally picked up the second novel (and the most well-known of the three books that have been published in the series). I was much impressed reading it, and I can see why it became such a sensation.

Puhdistus is a story about shame and sexual violence from the PoV of two women of two different generations set against the backdrop of Estonian history (from 1940s to 1990s, mostly preoccupied with the occupations of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia, deportations, the Forest Brothers, and surveillance). The novel is at times brutal and sad, you might even call it a psychological thriller (though I myself wouldn’t go that far), but there’s also a constant thrum of hope of survival persisting throughout an the ending is hopeful. I find Oksanen’s writing a joy to read and I think I’m going to pick up the third book in the series sooner than I picked up this one.

[esonetwork]

Fall Movie Preview 2019

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/fall-movie-preview-2019/

Fall Movie Preview 2019

Fall movie season is here! This is always my favorite time of the year to see movies. There’s such a wonderful variety of films available to see in theaters. Everything from awards season contenders, indie darlings, and exciting space adventures! Get ready to make your way to the theater because this looks like it’s going to be a great season at the movies. Let’s take a look at what’s coming soon.

SEPTEMBER September 13th The Goldfinch Starring: Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fengley, Nicole Kidman, Finn Wolfhard Bring the tissues and prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions because this is gonna be a wild ride. The Goldfinch is based on the Pultizer Prize winning novel by Donna Tart. This is one of the best books I’ve read recently, but it’s quite an emotional journey. It follows 13-year-old Theo Decker after the traumatic death of his mother in an art museum bombing. It’s a haunting and powerful story about the human condition once grief becomes a prominent force in one’s life. The film is directed by John Crowley with Roger Deakins as director of photography. That’s what I call must-see cinema.

Hustlers Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Cardi B, Lili Reinhart Based on a New York Times article, former strip club employees band together to hustle their Wall Street Clients during the late 2000’s financial crisis. This looks a bit like the heist of Oceans 8 meets the real world story of Molly’s Game. It has quite a star studded female cast of movie/TV/and music stars and is directed by Lorene Scafaria (Seeking a Friend at the End of the World, The Meddler.)

September 20th Downton Abbey Starring: Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith, Hugh Boneville, Jim Carter You love Downton Abbey, I love Downton Abbey. Everyone loves Downton Abbey. I can hear the theme song playing in my head just thinking of the movie being released. That’s right, the beloved TV series is coming to the big screen. Hopefully, it won’t be anything like the season 3 finale. (Real fans know the pain and struggle. We can’t go back to that time.) In the film, Downton Abbey will be visited by the royal family. I’m sure it will make for quite an impressive cinematic experience. As a fan of the show, I can’t wait to see it all on the big screen!

Ad Astra Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Liv Tyler Just two months after showing the world that he doesn’t age in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Brad Pitt is back and he’s going to space. It makes sense, fall is the only logical time to release a film in the space genre. (The Martian, Interstellar, First Man, Arrival, Gravity were all released in the fall,.) Ad Astra is all about an astronaut who takes on a mission to uncover the truth about his missing father. The film is directed by James Gray (The Lost City of Z, The Immigrant). I just hope Brad Pitt gets to wear his iconic Hawaiian shirt. Audiences demand to see it again.

September 27th Judy Starring: Renée Zellweger, Finn Wittrock, Jessie Buckley, Rufus Sewell There’s nothing like a good biographical drama. Throw in musical numbers and it’s a hit in my eyes. Renée Zellweger stars as the iconic Judy Garland in this biopic that explores her life in 1969 as she arrives in London to perform a series of sold out concerts. Word from the Telluride Film Festival is that Renée Zellweger gives a very strong performance as Judy. Could she have an awards season run on her hands for Best Actress? We’ll see very soon!

OCTOBER

October 4th Joker Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert de Niro, Zazie Beets Joaquin Phoenix stars as the Joker in this standalone film that focuses on the origins of the DC villain. The film received an 8 minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, which seems pretty excessive for any movie. I’m just not a movie applauder. It’s unnatural to me. I’m also not much of a Joker enthusiast so I can’t get too excited about this or the way it seemingly wants me to feel sympathy for the Joker. I don’t. He’s a terrorist. However, this is going to be a huge cinematic event. There are striking similarities to 70’s hit films The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver in the first trailers of the film. Director Todd Phillips clearly wanted to make a unique comic book film and this one will have people talking.

Lucy in the Sky Starring: Natalie Portman, Dan Stevens, Jon Hamm Another space movie! Fall movie season demands it. After returning from space, astronaut Lucy Cola begins to feel withdrawn and disconnected from reality. The film is loosely based on Lisa Nowak, an astronaut who lost her grip on reality after returning to earth after space travel. One thing’s for sure, with a cast including Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm, and Dan Stevens, this one promises some impressive acting.

October 11 Gemini Man Starring: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen An assassin becomes the target of a mysterious government operative who can predict his every move. Soon he finds out that the mysterious operative is a clone of himself. Can Gemini Man help director Ang Lee (Life of Pi, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) find critical acclaim again after 2016’s underwhelming Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.

The King Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton Based on Shakespeare’s Henriad, The King follows Henry V as he takes the throne after his father’s death and navigates a kingdom filled with war, chaos, and political strife. While all of that is very interesting, I think we need to discuss the hair in this movie. First of all, there’s Timothée Chalamet’s bowl cut, which is quite a situation. So very round and tragic. Why Timothée? You know you have great hair, but the bowl cut is not your look! Then, there’s Robert Pattinson’s wig. It’s kind of amazing. The hair in this movie alone is going to keep me entertained for 2 hours. The King will be in limited release theaters on October 11th and begin streaming on Netflix November 1st.

October 18th Zombieland: Double Tap Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin This sequel comes 10 years after the popular zombie comedy first made its way to theaters. A lot has changed for the cast since 2009. Emma Stone has won an Oscar for La La Land, Jesse Eisenberg received a nomination for The Social Network, and Woody Harrelson has appeared in several projects including the Oscar nominated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and the critically acclaimed series True Detective. That doesn’t stop this cast for returning for a sequel!  This time around, the team is back in the American heartland to face off against evolved zombies.

The Lighthouse Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe I was initially indifferent towards this movie, but after watching the trailer I have to see it just to solve the mystery of who spilled those beans! Willem Dafoe is going INSANE over it. “Why’d ya spill your beans?” Someone please answer him before he turns into the Green Goblin! This movie is about two lighthouse keepers who try to maintain their sanity while living in seclusion on a remote island in Maine. (It’s also about beans, I think). The cinematography for The Lighthouse has a unique old Hollywood feel that is very intriguing.

Jojo Rabbit Starring: Taika Watiti, Scarlett Johannson, Roman Griffin, Sam Rockwell Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) directs and stars in Jojo Rabbit, an “anti-hate satire” about a young German boy whose imaginary best friend is an idiotic version of Hitler. One day, he discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home and Jojo’s world is turned upside down. There’s no doubt this will be controversial, but the key word here is satire. Taiki Waititi is Jewish himself and the film is obviously making fun of Nazis.

NOVEMBER

November 1st The Irishman Starring: Robert de Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci Martin Scorsese’s long awaited gangster epic is finally premiering this November. The 3 1/2 hour crime drama (Scorsese loves a good 3-hour runtime!) focuses on the life of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran a mob hitman who played a role in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. Netflix is distributing the film, but it will be available to see in select theaters on November 1st for cinematic purists. It will begin streaming on Netflix November 27th. (Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Go ahead and watch a 3-hour mafia epic with your family for the holiday! It’s Martin’s gift to you.)

Harriet Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monet, Joe Alwyn The true story of Harriet Tubman and her harrowing escape from slavery that eventually led to the Underground Railroad. Cynthia Ervio is going to be amazing in this role! She was such a breakout star in Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. Can’t wait to see her portrayal of Harriet Tubman.

Terminator: Dark Fate Starring: Mackenzie Davis, Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger The Terminator is back. In yet another installment of the franchise that will last forever, Sarah Connor and a hybrid human must protect a young girl from a newly modified Terminator from the future.

November 8th Doctor Sleep Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Jacob Tremblay 39 years after The Shining, it’s getting a sequel. Based on the novel by Steven King, Doctor Sleep focuses on an adult Danny Torrance as he meets a girl with similar “shining” powers and tries to protect her from a cult called The True Knot. There’s a lot of talent involved in this project, but The Shining is untouchable in terms of classic movies. There’s no need to make a sequel. Not to mention, this plot summary sounds kind of weak. Consider me very skeptical that this will be good.

Last Christmas Starring: Emilia Clarke, Henry Goulding, Emma Thompson A Christmas rom-com! Let’s jump for joy because a Christmas rom com is making its way to theaters! Last Christmas is all about Kate, a depressed woman working as Santa’s elf in a department store. She keeps bumping into the same man, Tom, who may help her find happiness in the holiday season. Henry Goulding/Emilia Clarke romance+Christmas? Sounds like a recipe for the perfect holiday movie!

Honey Boy Starring: Shia Labeouf, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe It’s no secret that Shia LaBeouf has had a chaotic lifestyle in his post-Disney days. It looks like audiences are about to find out what has gone on behind-the-scenes in Honey Boy. The film is written by LaBeouf and follows his own experiences with fame and the strained relationship with his dysfunctional father. Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges will be playing Shia LaBeouf as a child and teen actor, while Shia LaBeouf will play his own father for a meta twist. As someone who grew up watching Even Stevens and saw Shia LaBeouf’s career progress, this is one of my most anticipated films of the fall.

November 15th Ford v. Ferrari Starring: Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Catriona Balfe American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles attempt to build a revolutionary race car for Ford to battle Ferrari at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1966. The premise of this movie reminds me a little bit of Ron Howard’s Rush which is a very underrated movie that should be watched if you haven’t seen it.

The Report Starring: Adam Driver, Jon Hamm, Tim Blake Nelson The Report is a political drama about an FBI agent’s investigation into the CIA’s torture practice on suspected terrorists after 9/11. Adam Driver stars in the film and he’s about to have a major fall movie season. The Report and Marriage Story (more on that one a little later) could easily get him awards buzz. In fact, I predict he’ll be nominated for an Oscar for one of those roles. Plus, he’ll be in Star Wars in December. You’ll be seeing a lot of him in the next few months.

Charlie’s Angels Starring: Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska, Elizabeth Banks Did we need another Charlie’s Angels reboot after the 2000’s movie trilogy and the ABC TV show? No. Yet there’s nothing Hollywood loves to more than to reboot a franchise we’ve just seen! This time around the angels are played by Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinski. Elizabeth Banks is directing and co-starring in the project.

November 22nd Frozen 2 Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf go on an adventure to an enchanted autumn forest to find the origin of Elsa’s powers and save their land. Just when everyone finally got Let it Go out of their heads, Disney is gonna hit us with another Frozen movie. I have to admit, I’m intrigued by the concept of the autumn forest. We need more movies that take place in the fall! It should be it’s own sub-genre.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson He’s already played Walt Disney, Captain Phillips, and Sully so it’s fitting that Tom Hanks would play Mr. Rogers on the list of “America’s favorite people” up next. The movie is all about the friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. I cannot wait to see this. If you haven’t watched the documentary about Fred Rogers called Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, do it before this is released! It’s going to add so much depth to the cinematic experience.

November 27th Knives Out Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette When a famous crime novelist is found dead on his estate, a detective is enlisted to investigate the family. Knives Out is directed by Rian Johnson (Looper, The Last Jedi) and packed with stars. It looks a bit like Bad Times at the El Royale meets the style of a Wes Anderson movie. I’m very interested in the central mystery at play here, but I can’t lie, Chris Evans is the reason I’ll go to the theater for this.

December 6th Marriage Story Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern This one is gonna be majorly sad, so let’s all take some time to prepare ourselves. A stage director and his actress wife struggle as their marriage falls apart and they proceed with a difficult coast-to-coast divorce. Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Frances Ha) directed the film which has already been receiving high praise from early festival screenings. This will definitely draw comparisons to Kramer vs. Kramer and Baumback’s The Squid and the Whale based on the trailer’s tone. The juxtaposition of the couple’s happy memories vs. the court scene at the end of the trailer is just heartbreaking. Marriage Story will be available to stream on Netflix December 6th.

December 13th A Hidden Life Starring: August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, Matthias Schoenaerts Few movies have affected me the way Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life have. It’s certainly not a movie for everyone, but it works for me. The unconventional narrative, epic cinematography, and orchestral score are unforgettable. Critics from festival screenings have said that A Hidden Life is his best work since The Tree of Life meaning I’ll need to see it ASAP. The film is based on a true story about an Austrian farmer named Franz Jaggerstatter who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. The trailer looks beautiful and poetic.

December 20th Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega The latest Star Wars trilogy will complete with The Rise of Skywalker. Taking place after The Last Jedi, the members left in the Resistance will face the First Order once again. The conflict between the Jedi and the Sith reaches a breaking point bringing the Skywalker saga to an end. I have so many questions about this movie! Was Kylo Ren actually lying to Rey about her parents in The Last Jedi? Could they really be important people? Will she turn to the dark side like this preview suggests? (I hope not). Why is Palpatine (the villain who died in Return of the Jedi) talking in all of the trailers? Thankfully, J.J. Abrams is returning as director for The Rise of Skywalker to answer all of my questions and hopefully deliver a great Star Wars film.

Jumanji: The Next Level Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was one of the biggest surprise box office hits in recent years, appealing to people of all age groups. It’s no surprise that The Next Level is being released so quickly after the massive success of Welcome to the Jungle. This time around, the group goes back into the game, but a few of their grandfather’s are sucked in as well. That means Kevin Hart will be playing Danny Glover and Dwayne Johnson will be portraying Danny DeVito.

Cats Starring: Francesca Hayward, Jason Derulo, Judi Dench, Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift Forget Star Wars, forget A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, forget A Hidden Life. Disregard everything on this list. Cats is going to be the cinematic moment of 2019! That CGI? Legendary! The actors could have worn cat suits or make up like the stage play, but director Tom Hooper decided that this is the 21st century…time to try out a new technique called digital fur technology! So now this movie exists. It’s difficult to describe what this digital fur technology looks like, but it’s not cats. I will say the trailer was released with plenty of time before the movie gets to theaters so there’s hope that the finished product will look way better than the original trailer. If I’m being totally honest, I love anything musical, so I’m totally going to see this.

December 25th Little Women Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Laura Dern Greta Gerwig’s highly ancitipated second film is a remake of the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel, Little Women. You all know the story, but I’ll do a quick plot recap anyway. Little Women is told through the eyes of Jo March as she recounts her life growing up with her 3 sisters: Meg, Amy, and Beth. Each have their own distinct personalities, but have a very strong bond with each other. The film reunites Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet as Jo March and Laurie for a mini-Lady Bird reunion. It also contains a little Big Little Lies reunion with Meryl Streep and Laura Dern. What a great Christmas day release!

That concludes this Fall Movie Preview! As you can tell, there are tons of movies releasing this season in all genres. What are you most excited to see this fall?

[harry-leroy]

I was tagged by @je-suis-em-jee for this very fun tag game! Thank you!! <3 

Rules: tag 9 people you’d like to get to know better

Top 3 ships: George Warleggan/Dwight Enys from Poldark, whatever the heck is going on in Così fan tutte, all of the couples in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Is that more than three ships? Oh well...) 

Lipstick/Chapstick: Chapstick hehehehe.... (I play the flute so I can’t wear lipstick most of the time anyway). 

Last Song: I just finished watching/listening to The Love for Three Oranges by Prokofiev - what an opera oh my goodness. 

Last Movie: I honestly can’t remember... it might have been Little Women? I can’t remember. I want to see Emma this week though. 

Reading: Way too many late Victorian periodicals (and Othello) 

3 Random Things That Make Me Happy:

The Love for Three Oranges is on the brain right now because I just finished it, but guys I don’t even know if I can EXPLAIN that opera to you - it’s the strangest opera I’ve ever seen but I LOVED it. 

I’m studying abroad in London next year (officially now!) 

I’m back home for the week with my nice library and friends! 

Tagging: @forcebros, @babinicz, @shredsandpatches, @henriadical, @ardenrosegarden, @fantasmaglory, @upstartpoodle, @twostarsinonesphere, and @passer-corvusque (and whoever else wants to do it! - also no pressure to anyone I tagged!)