#scream kingdom 2014

[book--brackets]

The Chronicles of Faerie by O. R. Melling (1993-2003)

American Gwen and her Irish cousin, Findabhair, have long planned a summer of backpacking around Ireland, visiting sites out of the old legends of fairy folk. Little do they know that it is the summer of the Hunter's Moon, a dangerous time for mortals who meddle with the kingdom of Faerie. One night, camping out on old ruins, Finn is kidnapped by the Faerie king, who wants her for a bride and possible sacrifice. It is up to Gwen, the more indecisive of the two, to rescue her cousin.

The Farsala Trilogy by Hilari Bell (2003-2006)

Stories are told of a hero who will come to Farsala's aid when the need is greatest. But for thousands of years the prosperous land of Farsala has felt no such need, as it has enjoyed the peace that comes from being both feared and respected.

Now a new enemy approaches Farsala's borders, one that neither fears nor respects its name and legend. But the rulers of Farsala still believe that they can beat any opponent.

Three young people are less sure of Farsala's invincibility. Jiaan, Soraya, and Kavi see Time's Wheel turning, with Farsala headed toward the Flames of Destruction. What they cannot see is how inextricably their lives are linked to Farsala's fate -- until it's too late.

Everworld by K. A. Applegate (1999-2001)

David’s life was pretty normal. School. Friends. Girlfriend. Actually, Senna was probably the oddest aspect of his life. She was beautiful. Smart. But there was something very different about her. Something strange.

And on the day it began, everything happened so quickly. One moment, Senna was with him. The next, she was swallowed up by the earth, her screams echoing from far, far away. David couldn’t just let her go. Neither could the others. His friends—and hers. So, they followed. And found themselves in a world they could have never imagined. 

Now they have to find Senna and get home without losing their lives. Or their minds. Or both…

The Wizard Knight by Gene Wolfe (2004)

A young man in his teens is transported from our world to a magical realm that contains seven levels of reality. Very quickly transformed by magic into a grown man of heroic proportions, he takes the name Able and sets out on a quest to find the sword that has been promised to him, a sword he will get from a dragon, the one very special blade that will help him fulfill his life ambition to become a knight and a true hero.

Inside, however, Able remains a boy, and he must grow in every sense to survive the dangers and delights that lie ahead in encounters with giants, elves, wizards, and dragons.

Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice by Dave Wolverton and Jude Watson (1999-2002)

Twelve-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi desperately wants to be a Jedi Knight. After years at the Jedi Temple, he knows the power of the lightsaber and the Force. But he cannot control his own anger and fear. Because of this, the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn will not take him on as a Padawan apprentice.

Now Obi-Wan is about to have his first encounter with true evil. He must face off against unexpected enemies--and face up to his own dark wishes.

Only then can his education as a Jedi truly begin.

Skylark by Meagan Spooner (2012-2014)

For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley waited for the day when her Resource would be harvested and she would finally be an adult. After the harvest she expected a small role in the regular, orderly operation of the City within the Wall. She expected to do her part to maintain the refuge for the last survivors of the Wars. She expected to be a tiny cog in the larger clockwork of the city.     Lark did not expect to become the City's power supply.     For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley believed in a lie. Now she must escape the only world she's ever known...or face a fate more unimaginable than death.

Westmark by Lloyd Alexander (1981-1984)

When Theo agrees to print a traveling showman's pamphlet, he only thinks of the money it will bring in. Instead, it sets off a chain reaction that results in the smashing of the press and the murder of his master. Caught on the wrong side of the law, Theo must flee the city. Soon, he has teamed up with the traveling showman Count Las Bombas (who is actually a con artist) and his servant. The trio is soon joined by Mickle, a clever, strong-willed girl with a mysterious past. Performing feats that astound and amaze, the motley crew falls into a trap set by Chief Minister Cabbarus, who is determined to wrest power from the grief-stricken king. Now they must not only save themselves-they must save the kingdom...

The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell (2003-2011)

One terrible day, Makenna, a young hedgewitch, witnesses her mother's murder at the hands of their own neighbors. Stricken with grief and rage, Makenna flees the village that has been her home. In the wilds of the forest, she forms an unexpected alliance. Leading an army of clever goblins, Makenna skillfully attacks the humans, now their shared enemy.

What she doesn't realize is that the ruling Hierarchy is determined to rid the land of all magical creatures, and they believe Makenna is their ultimate threat - so they have sent a young knight named Tobin into the Goblin Wood to entrap her.

In this captivating fantasy adventure, the difference between Bright and Dark magic is as deceptive as our memories, hopes, and fears -- and the light of loyalty and friendship has a magic all of its own.

A young hedgewitch, an idealistic knight, and an army of clever goblins fight against the ruling hierarchy that is trying to rid the land of all magical creatures.

Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones (1993)

When Controller Borasus receives a strange letter from Earth he is both curious and alarmed. Someone has activated an ancient machine and is using it for most trivial purposes. Surely no one would dare to tamper with Reigner seals in this way? Yet the effects of such interference resonate throughout the universe, so he decides to go to Hexwood Farm to investigate…

On Hexwood Estate, Ann watches the mysterious comings and goings with interest. She knows something deadly is going on – or is Hexwood simply altering her too?

Guides for Dating Vampires by D. N. Bryn (2022-present)

Vincent Barnes has suffered four years as a vampire, and they’ve been the most miserable years of his pathetic life. Too poor for black market blood, he feeds from sleeping humans to survive. He tries to never intrude on the same prey twice, but after a single delicious taste of a long-lost childhood neighbor, he can’t help returning for seconds.

Wesley Garcia has been waking up with fang marks. Lucky for him, he needs a vampire—to use as bait. He’s certain Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical killed his mother, but to gain access to their covert research labs, he has to bring them a bloodsucker for their experiments. 

Step one, a dramatic offer: Stay, and you can bite me. 

Vincent leaps at the chance to gobble Wesley up.

Wes’s plan is perfect. He’ll befriend the vampire, then trick him into coming to the lab. No fighting, no fuss. But Vincent is more than Wesley has bargained for: sweet and shy, with intoxicating fangs that awaken new desires in Wes. As the two bond, Vincent believes he might have finally found someone worth putting his trust in... and Wes fears neither of them will survive the betrayal he has planned.

[incorrect-batfam-quotes-mostly]

I was thinking of the batkids fav cartoons when they were kids.

Dick, if Johnny Bravo, Odd parents or scooby doo were on he wouldn't leave the screen

Cass, Didn't watch a lot. SAILOR MOON.

Jason, pucca (once stayed up past his bed time and screamed of enthusiasm because Garu gave Pucca a kiss on the cheek (got grounded))

Thomas: Ben ten, power puff girls, Ben and Holly's little kingdom, Oggy and the cockroaches, Mr.Bean (almost every cartoon he saw, he watched)

Tim, watched Courage the Cowardly Dog (didn't sleep at night, that how the coffee started), The News, Ninja Turtles

Steph, Was a my little pony girl, winx, Barbie dream house, Steven Universe, Adventure time, Dragon ball, Scooby doo: Mystery Imp-corporated, the amazing world's of Gumball, Sailor moon crystal (2014), she watched a lot.

Damian, his siblings forced him to watch their favorites, he got a few favorites from it. The amazing World's of Gumball, odd parents, scooby doo Imp, Mr. Bean, courage the crowdely dog (watched to mock Tim about it not being scary (stayed up all the night)), he also watched a few on his own, Danger mouse (both old and new), looney Toons (he and Alfred watched them togheter when he first arrived at the mansion), Gormiti, Sonic, pokemon, wakfu, Hilda, Garfield and Ninjago. (Yes watched a lot, no i don't care he deserves them)

Ooh love these!! Very accurate and I love the idea of them watching cartoons and all of that as kids, its adorable!

[gena-rowlands]

jean's films of 2023!

(r) = rewatch

Coming Home In The Dark (2021) ★ 06.01

1408 (2007) ★★½ 11.01

Baby Driver (2017) ★★★★½ 11.01

Along Came A Spider (2001) ★★½ 12.01

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) ★★★★ 12.01

(r) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) ★★ 13.01

The Guard (2011) ★★★½ 13.01

The Menu (2022) ★★★ 14.01

Don’t Look Up (2021) ★½ 15.01

(r) Barbara (2012) ★★★★★ 16.01

The Danish Girl (2015) no rating 17.01

(r) Carol (2015) ★★★★★ 17.01

(r) Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) ★★★★ 18.01

(r) Mamma Mia! (2008) ★★★★½ 19.01

My Policeman (2022) ★★½ 20.01

M3GAN (2022) ★★½ 22.01

The Girl on The Train (2016) ★½ 26.01

Empire of Light (2022) ★★★★ 27.01

Phoenix (2014) ★★★★★ 28.01

Videodrome (1983) ★★★★ 28.01

(r) The Favourite (2018) ★★★★★ 29.01

Red Eye (2005) ★★ 29.01

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) ★★★★½ 30.01

Badlands (1973) ★★★ 30.01

The Craft (1996) ★★★ 31.01

The Father (2020) ★★★★½ 02.02

TÁR (2022) ★★★★½ 03.02

(r) Open Season (2006) 03.02

Vivre Sa Vie (1962) ★★★★ 04.02

Rope (1948) ★★★★★ 05.02

(r) Carol (2015) ★★★★★ 08.02

(r) Ocean’s Eight (2018) ★★★★ 11.02

Do Revenge (2022) ★★ 12.02

The Wonder (2022) ★★½ 12.02

The Dig (2021) ★★★★★ 12.02

Nightcrawler (2014) ★★★½ 13.02

Valentine (2001) ★★½ 14.02

The Fabelmans (2022) ★★★★½ 17.02

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) ★★★★½ 22.02

The X Files: Fight The Future (1998) ★★★½ 24.02

Dial M for Murder (1954) ★★★★ 25.02

(r) Paddington 2 (2017) ★★★★★ 25.02

(r) Carol (2015) ★★★★★ 26.02

Wild Strawberries (1957) ★★★★★ 01.03

Torso (1973) ★★ 02.03

The Lobster (2015) ★★★½ 03.03

Nimic (2019) ★★★★ 03.03

Disobedience (2017) ★★★★½ 04.03

Mad God (2021) ★★ 04.03

Road To Perdition (2002) ★★★★★ 05.03

The Lovers (2017) ★★½ 05.03

(r) Carol (2015) ★★★★★ 06.03

(r) Mamma Mia! (2008) ★★★★½ 07.03

Scream VI (2023) ★★ 12.03

Audition (1999) ★★★★ 19.03

(r) Carol (2015) ★★★★★ 19.03

Barbarian (2022) ★★★½ 21.03

Autumn Sonata (1978) ★★★★★ 22.03

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022) ★★★★ 23.03

Tokyo Story (1953) ★★★★ 23.03

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) ★★½ 24.03

Winter Light (1963) ★★★★ 24.03

Persona (1966) ★★★★½ 25.03

Best In Show (2000) ★★★★★ 26.03

(r) The Hunger Games (2012) ★★★★ 27.03

(r) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) ★★★★ 29.03

(r) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 ★★½ 31.03

(r) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 ★★★★ 31.03

The Blood of a Poet (1932) no rating 01.04

The Green Mile (1999) ★★★★ 01.04

(r) The Princess Diaries (2001) ★★★★ 03.04

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) ★★★ 04.04

(r) Brokeback Mountain (2005) ★★★★½ 04.04

Faces (1968) ★★★★ 05.04

(r) Blue Jasmine (2013) ★★★★ 07.04

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) ★★★½ 08.04

Rebecca (1940) ★★★★½ 09.04

(r) Carol (2015) ★★★★★ 09.04

Dead Poets Society (1989) ★★★★ 10.04

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) ★★★★½ 13.04

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) ★★★½ 14.04

(r) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) ★★★★★ 15.04

All About Eve (1950) ★★★★★ 20.04

Bringing Up Baby (1938) ★★½ 21.04

Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) no rating 21.04

Shall We Dance (1937) ★★★½ 22.04

His Girl Friday (1940) ★★★ 28.04

Hour of the Wolf (1968) ★★★★½ 02.05

A Single Man (2009) ★★★★★ 04.05

(r) Carol (2015) ★★★★★ 04.05

Pearl (2022)★★★★ 05.05

X (2022) ★★ 06.05

(r) We Bought A Zoo (2011) ★★★★ 06.05

The Snowman (2017) ½ 06.05

(r) Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) ★★★★½ 07.05

Enys Men (2022) ★★★ 07.05

After the Rehearsal (1984) ★★★½ 09.05

Rosemary's Baby (1968) ★★★★½ 10.05

(r) But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) ★★★★½ 11.05

When Harry Met Sally... (1989) ★★★★½ 11.05

The Great Gatsby (2013) ★★★ 14.05

(r) All About Eve (1950) ★★★★★ 15.05

Heavenly Creatures (1994) ★★★★ 16.05

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) ★★★★½ 21.05

Legally Blonde (2001) ★★★★ 25.05

Waiting for Guffman (1996) ★★★★ 28.05

Funny Games (1997) ★★★★★ 29.05

[dweemeister]

The Zone of Interest (2023, United Kingdom/Poland)

Over the last decade, English director Jonathan Glazer questioned whether it was appropriate for him to make a Holocaust movie from a Nazi perspective. Glazer, who comes from a Jewish family in north London, said that his family never spoke about the Holocaust at home, but it nevertheless loomed over their lives. His late father, when learning about Glazer’s decision to adapt Martin Amis’ novel The Zone of Interest, expressed disapproval. Yet Glazer forged ahead, his vision now complete.

I am no expert in the area of Holocaust cinema (of which there is a growing and always-controversial history) and do not profess to be a specialist of the Holocaust or Nazism. Nevertheless, I do believe it is possible to make a moral Holocaust narrative film from a Nazi point of view. Does Glazer succeed in doing so? That is a question that still perplexes me, and I am not sure if I can provide any satisfying answer. Given Glazer’s moral agonizing while making and within the visuals of this film, I am not sure if he knows either. So while I will still attempt to engage with the morality of The Zone of Interest (which, by many accounts, resembles little of Amis’ novel), this write-up’s premise will concentrate on two of the film’s goals as stated by Glazer himself.

The first is to immerse the viewer into the psychologies of Auschwitz concentration camp commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel; Rudolf Höss was the longest-serving commandant of the camp) and his wife, Hedwig (Sandra Hüller), and understand how their mindset is similar to how the viewer compartmentalizes modern-day atrocities. In these respects, Glazer succeeds. Just. Secondly, Glazer, “wanted to remove the artifice of filmmaking” in order to make as natural a film as he could, so that the audience can pay stricter attention to what is occurring on-screen. This is where The Zone of Interest falters.

It is 1943 in Nazi-occupied Poland. The Höss family lives in an estate just outside the walls of Auschwitz. Some days, the five children and their parents spend a lazy outing at a nearby riverbend, swimming and enjoying nature. At home, the Höss parents shield their children from the ugliness of the Second World War and the mass human suffering occurring just beyond the walls of the camp next door. Hedwig’s perfectly manicured garden, replete with flowers for decoration and herbs for cooking, is her escape – a world without wants. A small pool in the spacious backyard provides the children plenty of swim time. On a clear day, we can see the smoke stacks of an approaching train in the distance, soon to drop off its passengers to a place worse than hell itself. At night, Auschwitz’s crematorium spews an unearthly red – piercing the sky and sneaking past the drawn curtains of the Höss estate. And at all hours, we hear gunfire and screaming emanating from inside the camp.

Never do cinematographer Łukasz Żal’s (2014’s Ida, 2018’s Cold War) cameras show any glimpses of life within Auschwitz’s walls. None of the human suffering wrought by the Nazis appears directly in the film. We have a fleeting glimpse, obscured by foliage and for purposes unclear, of chained prisoners walking outside the camp’s walls under military escort. In another moment in the Höss household, a female prisoner comes to Rudolf Höss’ office for what is presumed to be forced sex; we never see or hear from her again, as we witness him wash his genitals (filmed from his backside) after their encounter. The particulars of what the Nazis did to the inmates of Auschwitz and the other concentration camps is for another film, Glazer says, a self-admission that he cannot hope to capture that suffering in narrative or documentary form. The decision not to show any Holocaust cinema has precedent, as seen in Claude Lanzmann’s documentary Shoah (1985, France) – largely seen as the 566-minute magnum opus of Holocaust cinema.

Instead, Glazer is more interested in something that has become a cliché in all writings on The Zone of Interest – what philosopher Hannah Arendt deemed the “banality of evil” – in order to allow modern audiences understand their own complicity in contemporary atrocities. Writing on the 1960 trial of Adolf Eichmann (one of the crucial facilitators of the Holocaust) in Israel, Arendt’s definition of the “banality of evil” stemmed from her subject’s lack of ideological fanaticism towards Jews, coupled with his inclination towards professional progression if it meant not having to think critically about any moral issues tied to said progression.

Arendt’s definition of the “banality of evil” has been controversial ever since the publication of 1963’s Eichmann in Jerusalem – a common accusation that Arendt was trying to diminish the severity of Eichmann’s guilt (she was not). Controversies aside, The Zone of Interest, on a cinematic surface, adopts that same “banality of evil”. The Höss parents never engage in explicit anti-Semitic language or refer to Auschwitz’s inmates as subhuman. Though Rudolf washes his genitals after the presumed sexual encounter with the prisoner and Hedwig seems uneasy when going through the luxury clothes of incarcerated/deceased camp inmates, life otherwise appears normal. In a scene where Rudolf is meeting with a private contractor on a more efficient crematorium system, both Rudolf and the contractor speak not with genocidal terms, nor carefully-worded innuendos. Instead, their meeting covers only the mechanics of the proposed system, in numbers and cold engineering efficiency. Without the historical context of The Zone of Interest, that discussion might eerily fit in a plain industrial meeting (not so much a later meeting with other concentration camp commandants as they discuss an imminent influx of Hungarian Jews to their camps).

To what lengths can a person accept the rationalizations of a leadership bent on the mass slaughter of innocent people on an industrial scale? Similarly, how does one reckon with their ostensibly peaceful existence when that peace is made possible only by revolting violence just a stone’s throw away? For these questions, we never receive any answers from anybody in the Höss family or their associates depicted within this film or from history itself. They live life without examining themselves, with no hints of regrets.

With the Höss parents not providing potential answers, it then turns to the viewer to ask themselves those same questions. I do not wish to come off as a youth-basher, but younger (American) viewers will need additional context for this film, if generational rates of Holocaust denialism are to be believed. For the rest of us, can we imagine ourselves turning a blind eye or going about our daily lives knowing that our happiness rests on the oppression, subjugation, or mass murder of a people? What do you share, personally, with Rudolf and Hedwig Höss? Does The Zone of Interest, in reaction to popular Hollywood Holocaust dramas of the 1990s and 2000s (see: 1993’s Schindler’s List, 2002’s The Pianist), paint the Holocaust as a non-unique event? This is a provocative work from a filmmaker who, in the absence of a grander narrative or intentional moralizing in his work, turns all of the introspection onto the audience. Beyond that, the film in and of itself is ideologically hollow.

The other half of Jonathan Glazer’s aims for The Zone of Interest was to create a film with minimal cinematic artifice. Łukasz Żal’s unobtrusive compositions and mostly-still camera certainly help in this regard, but too often some of the interior shots of the Höss household appear as if they are coming from the corners of the room, like anachronistic security camera footage. Most anachronistic of all are the black-and-white scenes in night vision for exterior shots of a young girl leaving apples around workplaces at Auschwitz. How jarring that the most humanistic moments of The Zone of Interest appear in the most visually artificial scenes of the film. The use of a night vision camera broke whatever hold The Zone of Interest had on me, cinematically. It comes off as a needless artistic flourish, as if to impress a captive audience.

Worst of all is Mica Levi’s horrific and unlistenable score. The score, for the ten to fifteen minutes it plays (hardly a score given a 106-minute runtime), is an atonal howler that shares a close relationship with the sound mix* – to the point where numerous other film critics have conflated the two. If Glazer is attempting to dissociate his film from the artifices of cinema, I cannot think of a better encapsulation of how quickly he fails than with this collaboration with Levi. In a time when many directors are telling their composers that they do not want noticeable music (in most instances, a fundamental misunderstanding about the dramatic and emotional capabilities of film music), Levi’s score is inescapable. Its heavy sonic distortions; complete dismissal of any familiar intonation (one of Levi’s primary influences is experimental composer Harry Partch, whose music obliterates the familiar seven pitches of a diatonic scale in favor of a 43-tone scale with uneven intervals); and bizarre use of electronically-manipulated choral screaming (a kitschy musical decision that borders on the insensitive and tasteless) might perfectly set the tone for some viewers. For myself – especially the scenes shot in night vision and the moment the screen fades to red – it was a discordant distraction that, again, only served to take me out of the movie.

The best film scores have several disparate but heavily interdependent and coequal qualities: they empower, but not overtake, the comedic/dramatic and emotional power of a movie and its narrative (if a narrative is present); they should typify exemplary musicianship (in composition and performance); and the viewer should be able to hear the music. Levi and Glazer share the failure on the the first two aspects. It is only on this third aspect that Mica Levi’s work truly contributes to The Zone of Interest – a film that would be better treated without a score.

The Zone of Interest raises pertinent questions of culpability and human responsibility in reckoning with humanity at its worst. There are moments in here – mostly scenes in which the reality of the Holocaust leaves its terrible shadow over the Höss family, moments where you expect them to possibly recoil from what they are doing – that stick with me, and haunt my ruminations over how I rationalize living in a society built on violence. Crucially, The Zone of Interest is not unique in inspiring such thoughts in a person, as some are suggesting. Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) and Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave (2013) also provoked a similar introspection in me – these films depict two episodes within the context of the two original sins of my home nation. And though neither of those films centralize the goodness of others (far from it), if one looks close enough, one can find the banality of good (amid more naturalistic filmmaking).

In the end, Jonathan Glazer’s treatment of The Zone of Interest buckles underneath the weight of his promise to forego the conventions of art cinema. His objectives conflict with the artistic trappings – in its cinematography, music, sound mix, and an intellectual remove from human nature that I am unsure is appropriate for this subject matter – found within. It leaves his promise utterly broken.

My rating: 5/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog. Half-points are always rounded down.

* You hear nearly everything in this film. Sometimes, a little too perfectly. There are several moments in The Zone of Interest in which you hear the screams of Auschwitz’s prisoners or gunshots and they sound as if they are far too close to the Höss household than they should be. It reminded me, to paraphrase Larry Mantle on the December 15, 2023 episode of FilmWeek, of stage plays using off-stage tapes to play sounds for activities ostensibly not occurring "on stage". While that might work in a stage play, that is not the sort of comparison I wish to be making when writing on a film.

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[lemon-snickety]

My Top 21 Favorite Movies

21 because it’s my favorite number and more exciting than 10

#21: Booksmart (2019)

#20: Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

#19: The Dark Knight (2008)

#18: Tommy Boy (1995)

#17: The Princess and the Frog (2009)

16: Clueless (1995)

#15: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

#14: Wayne’s World (1992)

#13: Barbie (2023)

#12: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

#11: Jurassic Park (1993)

#10: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

#9: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

#8: Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (2018)

#7: Tangled (2010)

#6: Scream (1996)

#5: Pride and Prejudice (2005)

#4: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

#3: Chicago (2002)

#2: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

#1: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

[gaymer-hag-stan]

So, I have a list of Eurovision songs from 2004 onwards ranking which entries did the best based on average score.

This year's Loreen, Käärijä, Noa Kirel and Marco Mengoni all made the list

1. Norway - 2009 - Alexander Rybak - Fairytale - 78.6%

2. Sweden - 2015 - Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes - 77.9%

3. Portugal - 2017 - Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois - 77%

4. Sweden - 2012 - Loreen - Euphoria - 75.6%

5. Ukraine - 2022 - Kalush Orchestra - Stefania - 67.4%

6. Austria - 2014 - Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix - 67.1%

7. Ukraine - 2004 - Ruslana - Wild Dances - 66.6%

8. Sweden – 2023 – Loreen – Tattoo – 66.5%

9. Finland - 2006 - Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah - 65.7%

10. Russia - 2015 - Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices - 64.7%

11. Serbia and Montenegro - 2004 - Željko Joksimović and Ad-Hoc Orchestra - Lane Moje - 62.6%

12. Bulgaria - 2017 - Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess - 62.5%

13. Italy - 2015 - Il Volo - Grande amore - 62.3%

14. Denmark - 2013 - Emmelie de Forest - Only Teradrops - 61.6%

15. Finland – 2023 – Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha – 60%

16. Greece - 2004 - Sakis Rouvas - Shake It - 60%

17. Italy - 2021 - Måneskin - Zitti e Buoni - 57.4%

18. Russia - 2006 - Dima Bilan - Never Let You Go - 55.8%

19. Netherlands - 2014 - The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm - 55%

20. France - 2021 - Barbara Pravi - Voilà - 54.7%

21. Serbia - 2007 - Marija Šerifović - Molitva - 54.4%

22. Ukraine - 2016 - Jamala - 1944 - 54.2%

23. Russia - 2008 - Dima Bilan - Believe - 53.9%

24. Germany - 2010 - Lena - Satellite - 53.9%

25. Russia - 2012 - Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody - 52.6%

26. Israel - 2018 - Netta - Toy - 52.4%

27. Australia - 2016 - Dami Im - Sound of Silence - 51.9%

28. Netherlands - 2019 - Duncan Laurence - Arcade - 51.8%

29. Bosnia and Herzegovina - 2006 - Hari Mata Hari - Lejla - 51.5%

30. Azerbaijan - 2013 - Farid Mammadov - Hold Me - 51.3%

31. Greece - 2005 - Helena Paparizou - My Number One - 50.4%

32. Sweden - 2014 - Sanna Nielsen - Undo - 50.4%

33. Russia - 2016 - Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One - 49.8%

34. United Kingdom - 2022 - Sam Ryder - Space Man - 49.7%

35. Italy - 2019 - Mahmood - Soldi - 49.1%

36. Spain - 2022 - Chanel - SloMo - 49%

37. Azerbaijan - 2011 - Ell and Nikki - Running Scared - 48.4%

38. Ukraine - 2007 - Verka Serduchka - Dancing Lasha Tumbai - 47.7%

39. Switzerland - 2021 - Gjon's Tears - Tout l'univers - 47.3%

40. Ukraine - 2013 - Zlata Ognevich - Gravity - 46.9%

41. Sweden - 2022 - Cornelia Jakobs - Hold Me Closer - 46.7%

42. Turkey - 2004 - Athena - For Real - 46.4%

43. Belgium - 2015 - Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside - 46.3%

44. Ukraine - 2008 - Ani Lorak - Shady Lady - 45.6%

45. Iceland - 2009 - Yohanna - Is It True? - 44.3%

46. Serbia - 2012 - Željko Joksimović - Nije ljubav stvar - 43.4%

47. Cyprus - 2018 - Eleni Foureira - Fuego - 43.2%

48. Greece - 2008 - Kalomira - Secret Combination - 43.2%

49. Malta - 2005 - Chiara - Angel - 42.1%

50. Russia - 2007 - Serebro - Song #1 - 42%

51. Azerbaijan - 2009 - AySel and Arash - Always - 42%

52. Norway - 2013 - Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love - 41.8%

53. Australia - 2015 - Guy Sebastian - Tonight Again - 41.8%

54. Italy - 2011 - Raphael Gualazzi - Madness of Love - 41.4%

55. Iceland - 2021 - Daði og Gagnamagnið - 10 Years - 41.4%

56. Israel – 2023 – Noa Kirel – Unicorn – 41.3%

57. Sweden - 2011 - Eric Saade - Popular - 40.5%

58. Cyprus - 2004 - Lisa Andreas - Stronger Every Minute - 40.4%

59. Sweden - 2004 - Lena Philipsson - It Hurts - 40.4%

60. Armenia - 2014 - Aram Mp3 - Not Alone - 40.3%

61. Italy – 2023 – Marco Mengoni – Due vite – 39.9%

62. Ukraine - 2021 - Go_A - Shum - 39.9%

63. Latvia - 2015 - Aminata - Love Injected - 39.7%

64. Armenia - 2008 - Sirusho - Qélé, Qélé - 39.4%

65. Romania - 2006 - Mihai Trăistariu - Tornerò - 38.7%

66. Russia - 2019 - Sergey Lazarev - Scream - 38.5%

67. Sweden - 2006 - Carola - Invincible - 38.2%

68. Russia - 2013 - Dina Garipova - What If - 38.1%

69. Moldova - 2017 - SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma - 38%

70. Switzerland - 2019 - Luca Hänni - She Got Me - 37.9%

71. Turkey - 2010 - Manga - We Could Be the Same - 37.2%

72. Belgium - 2017 - Blanche - City Lights - 36.8%

73. Lithuania - 2006 - LT United - We Are the Winners - 36.4%

74. Norway - 2008 - Maria - Hold On Be Strong - 36.1%

75. Turkey - 2009 - Hadise - Düm Tek Tek - 35.9%

76. Romania - 2010 - Paula Seling and Ovi - Playing with Fire - 35.5%

77. United Kingdom - 2009 - Jade Ewen - It's My Time - 35.1%

78. Sweden - 2017 - Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On - 34.9%

79. Ukraine - 2011 - Mika Newton - Angel - 34.8%

80. Sweden - 2019 - John Lundvik - Too Late for Love - 34.7%

81. Romania - 2005 - Luminița Anghel and Sistem - Let Me Try - 34.6%

82. Norway - 2019 - Keiino - Spirit in the Sky - 34.4%

83. Austria - 2018 - Cesár Sampson - Nobody but You - 33.9%

84. Italy - 2017 - Francesco Gabbanni - Occidentali's Karma - 33.9%

85. Germany - 2018 - Michael Schulte - You Let Me Walk Alone - 33.7%

86. Israel - 2005 - Shiri Maimon - HaSheket SheNish'ar - 33.7%

87. Latvia - 2005 - Walters and Khaza - The War Is Not Over - 33.5%

88. Serbia - 2022 - Konstrakta - In corpore sano - 33.3%

89. Greece - 2013 - Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free - 33.3%

90. Turkey - 2007 - Kenan Doğulu - Shake It Up Şekerim - 33.1%

91. Hungary - 2014 - András Kállay-Saunders - Running - 33.1%

92. Finland - 2021 - Blind Channel - Dark Side - 33%

93. Denmark - 2010 - Chanée and N'evergreen - In a Moment like This - 32.6%

94. Ukraine - 2006 - Tina Karol - Show Me Your Love - 32.6%

95. Moldova - 2005 - Zdob și Zdub - Boonika bate toba - 32.4%

96. Bulgaria - 2007 - Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov - Water - 31.7%

97. Azerbaijan - 2010 - Safura - Drip Drop - 31.7%

98. Serbia - 2008 - Jelena Tomašević feat. Bora Dugić - Oro - 31.7%

99. North Macedonia - 2019 - Tamara Todevska - Proud - 31.7%

100. Azerbaijan - 2019 - Chingiz - Truth - 31.4%

Full YouTube playlist

Semi Full Spotify Playlist because some songs are just not on Spotify 😭😔😞

[jeiceys-dead-poets-hcs]

Songs by my Favourite Band That I Would Assign The Dead Poets.

so if you couldn’t tell by the cover photo, my favourite band is Twenty One Pilots. They’ve been my favourite band ever since around 2014, and I plan on getting a tattoo related to them soon!

knowing most songs quite well, i decided i’d relate songs to our lovely poets!

please enjoy! i’ll link the full songs as well!

also- might have to make a part 2. the possibilities are running through my brain!

Neil Perry:

Anathema.

Neal is a person who keeps all of his struggles internalized. We never witness him talk about any of his struggles until his breaking point when he is no longer allowed to pursue acting.

Which is why I find the first few sets of lyrics very fitting, because in reality, it seems only Todd had a slight idea of what was happening. Even then, that could be pushing it.

I feel this song encapsulates Neal’s worries and how they all eventually add up, and suddenly disappear.

No I’m not crying stfu.

key lyrics!:

And you will never know (won't you go to someone else's dreams)

What I'm thinking of

So won't you say goodnight (won't you go to someone else's head)

So I can say goodbye

And you will never understand (haven't you taken enough from me)

What I believe

So won't you say goodnight (won't you torture someone else's sleep?)

So I can say goodbye

I start to part two halves of my heart in the dark and I

Don't know where I should go

And the tears and the fears begin to multiply

Taking time in a simple place

In my bed where my head rests on a pillowcase

And it's said that a war's lead but I forget

That I let another day go by

I want to be afraid but it seems that these days

I'm caught under water and I'm falling farther

My heart's getting harder, I'm calling my father

Am I screaming to an empty sky?

Empty sky, no way, that's me

'Cause one half of my heart is free

Empty sky, no way, that's me

'Cause the other half of my heart's asleep

Todd Anderson:

Forest.

This song is one of their more heavier pieces in terms of poetry. All of the lyrics are symbolic, intuitive.

It talks about how our brains travel to the darker side of thoughts the more you think about it, and the longer you look at things.

I just think this song really captures some dreadful thoughts in Todd’s brain, but in his more classic, poetic styles.

This song is one of my favourites :)

key lyrics!:

My brain has given up

White flags are hoisted

I took some food for thought

It might be poisoned

The stomach in my brain

Throws up on to the page

Does it bother anyone else

That someone else has your name?

I don't understand why everything I adore

Takes a different form when I squint my eyes

Have you ever done that?

When you squint your eyes?

And your eyelashes make it look a little not right?

And then when just enough light

Comes from just the right side

And you find you're not who you're suppose to be?

This is not what you're suppose to see

Please, remember me? I am suppose to be

King of a kingdom or swinging on a swing

Something happened to my imagination

This situation's becoming dire

My treehouse is on fire

And for some reason I smell gas on my hands

This is not what I had planned

This is not what I had planned

Charlie Dalton:

My Blood.

This song to me represents absolute loyalty to your friends and family. We’ve had no shortage of Charlie always looking out for the Dead Poets and avenging Neal after his death.

I always think about my closest friends when listening to this song, so I felt it was only right. I think it’ll make more sense in the key lyrics.

They have my whole heart your honour.

key lyrics!:

When everyone

You thought you knew

Deserts your fight

I'll go with you

You're facing down

A dark hall

I'll grab my light

And go with you

When choices end

You must defend

I'll grab my bat

And go with you

Stay with me

No, you don't need to run

Stay with me, my blood

You don't need to run

If there comes a day

People posted up at the end of your driveway

They're calling for your head and they're calling for your name

I'll bomb down on them, I'm coming through

Do they know I was grown with you?

If they're here to smoke, know I'll go with you

Just keep it outside, keep it outside, yeah

If you find yourself

In a lion's den

I'll jump right in

And pull my pin

And go with you

Steven Meeks:

Guns for Hands.

I feel like he also holds deep concern for all of his friends. Maybe not as outright and stubborn as Charlie, but he has a good head on his shoulders when it comes to his friends.

He seems like the type of friend to divert and distract rather than take the problem on full-throttle. He may be able to listen, but he gets scared when giving advice. His worry still haunts his mind, though.

It also just has his boppin kinda energy that I think he just radiates. Sunny man.

IM TRYIN IM TRYIN TO SLEEEP

sorry

key lyrics!:

I know what you think in the morning

When the sun shines on the ground

And shows what you have done

It shows where your mind has gone

And you swear to your parents

That it will never happen again

I know, I know what that means

I know

That you all have guns

And you never put the safety on

And you all have plans

To take it, to take it

Don't take it, take it, take it

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep

I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep

But I can't, but I can't, when you all have

Guns for hands, yeah

Let's take this a second at a time

Let's take this one song, this one rhyme

Together, let's breathe

Together, to the beat

But there's hope out the window

So that's where we'll go

Let's go outside and all join hands

But until then you'll never understand

Gerard Pitts:

House of Gold.

This is just a really sweet song for a really sweet man <33

He’d introduce it to the poets and they sing it during meetings sometimes. It never fails to bring a smile to his face.

I also feel he loves it because he’s very loyal to his family. His mother, to be specific. A momma’s boy in secret, but also not really in secret.

key lyrics!:

She asked me, son, when I grow old

Will you buy me a house of gold

And when your father turns to stone

Will you take care of me

I will make you

Queen of everything you see

I'll put you on the map

I'll cure you of disease

Let's say we up and left this town

And turned our future upside-down

We'll make pretend that you and me

Lived ever after, happily

And since we know that dreams are dead

And life turns plans up on their head

I will plan to be a bum

So I just might become someone

Richard Cameron:

March to the Sea.

This song reminds me a lot of conformity. How we’re all just mindlessly walking to an endpoint, sometimes with no inspiration or desire to be free or do something different.

We know he is all about conformity.

I like to think Cameron is conflicted with following rules, but he falls under the pressure of his authority figures to actually be free.

key lyrics!:

There's miles of land in front of us

And we're dying with every step we take

We're dying with every breath we make

And I'll fall in line

A stranger's back is all I see

He's only a few feet in front of me

And I'll look left and right sometimes

But I'll fall in line

And as we near the end of land

And our ocean graves are just beyond the sand

I ask myself the question

Why I fall in line

Then out of the corner of my eye

I see a spaceship in the sky

And hear a voice inside my head

Follow me instead

Then the wages of war will start

Inside my head with my counterpart

And the emotionless marchers will chant the phrase

"This line's the only way"

And then I start down the sand

My eyes are focused on the end of land

But again, the voice inside my head says

Follow me instead

Take me up, seal the door

I don't want to march here anymore

I realize that this line is dead

So I'll follow you instead

So then you put me back in my place

So I might start another day

And once again, I will be in a march to the sea

Knox Overstreet:

Tear in my Heart.

Could really only think of this one because it seems like his only personality trait is being creepily in love

Sorry not sorry

The lyrics just show the hopeless devotion and vulnerability to somebody you love. Tyler Joseph had wrote this for his wife, Jenna :)

key lyrics!:

Sometimes you gotta bleed to know

That you're alive and have a soul

But it takes someone to come around

To show you how

She's the tear in my heart

I'm alive

She's the tear in my heart

I'm on fire

She's the tear in my heart

Take me higher

Than I've ever been

My heart is my armour

She's the tear in my heart

She's a carver

She's a butcher with a smile

Cut me farther

Than I've ever been

[theredbackpack]

Asteroid City, reviewed.

When Wes Anderson followed the triumph of The Royal Tenenbaums with 2004's bloated The Life Aquatic and 2007's The Darjeeling Limited, you could be forgiven for thinking he was spent. He'd become a collection of tropes, perfected to precision and ripe for parody; when unfunny people on social media talk about "Wes Anderson" this is what they reference.

2012's Moonrise Kingdom started Wes Anderson's second act. The Grand Budapest Hotel, which landed in 2014, confirmed his new era: impeccably designed sets, obsessively composed frames, and painstakingly emotional beats tuned to a degree you could miss how much sorrow swims underneath the surface. Old Anderson jokes are Bill Murray making a silly face after reading Margot Tenenbaum's life history and saying "she's a smoker." New Anderson jokes are Jason Schwartzman telling his father-in-law Tom Hanks "I haven't found a good time to tell the kids their mother is dead" and Hanks responding "there's never a good time" with a pregnant pause implying a laugh-track bellowing after his delivery.

Since Moonrise Anderson has wrapped his movies in conceptual nesting dolls. Moonrise is musical variations on themes; Budapest tells its story within a story, an homage to a writer's decaying memory; The French Dispatch is just the New Yorker but told through an obituary. Asteroid City's framing device is purposefully convoluted: Bryan Cranston hosts a mid-'50s tv special about a playwright who wrote a never-produced play, Asteroid City, that also doubled as an SNL-ian bottle of pre-discovery young talent. It weaves "is this happening" moments with riveting, meta-performances from Edward Norton as a queer playwright and Jason Schwartzman as his lover, toAdrien Brody as a hothead director.

The play-within-a-tv special-within-a-film framing is a distraction: whereas previous framing devices suggested ways of interpretation, Anderson doesn't offer that here. Instead it's a way for him to immerse you in the performances of his actors—if we subscribe to the idea of Asteroid City as his "COVID film," he's asking us to view his movie as one of difficult conversations and grief bargaining, which is how I remember 2020. Casting a major star like Steve Carrell only to stash him as a minor bit character suggests Anderson like a lot of us spent the pandemic re-watching The Office. Richard Brody hit the mark with his review: he called Asteroid City "political" and I think that's right. Asteroid City isn't overt, although there are moments that scream at the audience. (Quarantine dropped for no reason other than to appease restless rubes? How this doesn't make them happier, but leads to a full-scale insurrection?)

This way of making Asteroid City about performance signals his authorship of the movie. The first time I saw The French Dispatch, I thought "this is someone born to make movies fulfilling his vocation." The first time I saw Asteroid City, I thought "is Wes Anderson the most important artist of the 21st century?" As a director he defies typical auteur traits: neither a blowhard or media personality; while his movies are always anticipated, they sidestep the insufferable masturbation that surrounds say new PTA films; he doesn't take forever to make movies; and for all the hand-wringing about how fussy or twee or pretentious his movies are, since Moonrise they have all been modest hits that resonate outside the typical arthouse demographic, each with a fanbase devoted to their pick. (The DMs I got when I saw Budapest at a drive-in and posted it to my stories in 2020—some of those people never spoke to me before, or have since.)

The French Dispatch was about stories and Asteroid City is about the people inside of them, how they languish at the whim of their authors, how their lives are perpetually suspended and animate only when viewed or read. It's mind-blowing a movie in 2023 is anchored by a Jason Schwartzman performance (Bored to Death rewatch when) and backseats Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson. And you can see this movie in a theater, and it makes money. Who else has the nerve?

If movies are the populist artform of the past 100 years (the film industry is designed so we see every movie, and this is the only medium for which that is true), and Anderson is as influential as he is even in the streaming era, and all his movies eventually become populist entertainment, wouldn't that make him one of the ten most important artists/entertainers/thinkers we have?

The syllabus of movies, tv shows, music, books, fashion, design, and history encompassing everything since Bottle Rocket could teach you a lot of what you would need to know about the 20th century. We don't typically think of filmmakers, even artsy kinds, as influencers. But in the classic (cliché/stereotype) way we define authors as influencers—Capote, Wolfe, Zadie—Anderson fits this mold more than any other working American director, save for maybe his mentor Scorsese. That's what makes his movies so good: informed by real-world taste, he works with actors like a novelist works with words, indifferent to audience demands, in pursuit of a singular vision.

If this seems like a lot of writing around Asteroid City than about it, that's by design. I've only seen it once, and much of it resists surface-level analysis and passive enjoyment. It's probably a four-star movie where his others are solidly five (other fours: Aquatic, Darjeeling, Isle [which might be a 3]). The anguish of Norton's doomed romance, Schwartzman's widower grief, Johansson's trauma-influenced stoicism, quarantine, aliens, insurrections, fumbling government authorities, cowboys, real estate salesmen, atomic bombs—none of this is light or handled lightly. It doesn't offer a ton of laughs but the pre-teen romance between Schwartzman's son, Jake Ryan, and Grace Edwards knocked me off my feet. The alien scenes are bizarre and funny and scary and unlike anything he's done before.

Asteroid City might be Anderson's Tha Carter III—he already proved himself the greatest, re-wrote the rules, cultivated the following, the respect, he's on autopilot yet not exactly phoning it in. But entering a late period at age 54 changes expectations and impact, and while it didn't go platinum in a week, it was (yet again) a modest hit that will undoubtedly suffer from the braindead choice at Focus/NBC to put the movie on streaming something like three weeks after it opens. Executives hate movies, and they hate you, and they hate work, which is why the continued success of Wes Anderson is so life-affirming. He can do it and I hope he does it and will continue to do it until he runs out of ideas. As long as he doesn't make Rebirth.

[mmoviejournal]

2024

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Aquaman and the lost Kingdom (2023)

Desperate Hours (1990)

Ambulance (2022)

Moonstruck (1987)

Mafia Mamma (2023)

Buried (2010)

The United States vs Billie Holiday

Joyeux Noel (2005)

The Nice Guys (2016)

Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)

A few good Men (1992)

The Voyeurs (2021)

Elemental (2023)

Ultimo tango a Parigi (1972)

Signs (2002)

100 Dinge (2018)

Natural Born Killers (1994)

The Graduate (1967)

Precious (2009)

The Last Song (2010)

Honor among Lovers (1931)

Insomnia (2002)

The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

Kingdom Come (2001)

Reptile (2023)

Die Hard 2 (1990)

Nowhere (2023)

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

Ladyhawke (1985)

It happened one Night (1934)

A Bronx Tale (1993)

Sully (2016)

The Edge (1997)

Smokin' Aces (2006)

Platoon (1986)

White Fang (1991)

Everest (2015)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Fury (2014)

Drylongso (1998)

Nedelja (2024)

The Drop (2014)

Der Fall Collini (2019)

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Say Anything.. (1989)

Cold Creek Manor (2003)

Sister Act 2 (1993)

The Conjuring: The Devil made me do it (2021)

Broken Arrow (1996)

The Contractor (2007)

I Confess (1953)

The Kingdom (2007)

In a Lonely Place (1950)

The Equalizer 3 (2023)

All of us Strangers (2023)

Above the Rim (1994)

The Slender Thread (1965)

Claudine (1974)

Brooklyn's Finest (2009)

The Men (1950)

The Menu (2022)

Sea of Love (1989)

The Fugitive Kind (1960)

Dead Man Walking (1995)

Moonfall (2022)

The Conversation (1974)

The Preacher's WIfe (1996)

Footloose (1984)

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

End of Watch (2012)

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

The Misfits (1961)

The Last Man (2019)

The Color of Money (1986)

Danny Collins (2015)

The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)

Boys on the Side (1995)

Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes back: Evolution (2019)

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Pillow Talk (1959)

Mallrats (1995)

Babylon (2022)

Mogambo (1953)

As They made us (2022)

Silk (2007)

Reality Bites (1994)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Men of Honor (2000)

Of love and Shadows (1994)

Get on Up (2014)

Citizen Kane (1941)

No Escape (1994)

Dune: Part Two (2024)

The Color Purple (2023)

Cocktail (1988)

I wake up Screaming (1941)

Ed Wood (1994)

Inspector Gadget (1999)

The Echo (2008)

Players (2024)

Gaslight (1944)

Blue Juice (1995)

Dreamgirls (2006)

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Watching the Detectives (2007)

Brute Force (1947)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Jungle Fever (1991)

Jorgovani (2024)

The Prince of Tides (1991)

High Society (1956)

50 First Dates (2004)

Losing Isaiah (1995)

Love with the proper Stranger (1963)

Damsel (2024)

The Marvels (2023)

Road House (2024)

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)

Don Juan DeMarco (1994)

May December (2023)

Pusing Tin (1999)

Ferrari (2023)

Pain Hustlers (2023)

And so it goes (2014)

U-571 (2000)

Broadcast Signal Intrusion (2021)

Rebel Moon - Part two: The Scargiver (2024)

Heart Shot (2022) (Short)

The War (1994)

Key Largo (1948)

Upgrade (2018)

The Idea of you (2024)

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

The World to come (2020)

The Swimmers (2022)

The Fall Guy (2024)

Sabrina (1954)

Prey (2022)

The King of Comedy (1982)

Krush Groove (1985)

Come Away (2020)

Poor Things (2023)

Quiz Lady (2023)

Wings (1927)

Tombstone (1993)

Complete Unknown (2016)

54 (1998)

Dog (2022)

Challengers (2024)

Abigail (2024)

Jaws (1975)

Drive Angry (2011)

Sommersby (1993)

Cop Land (1997)

The Sting (1973)

Life (2017)

Kalifornia (1993)

The Score (2001)

Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

Destination Wedding (2018)

The Strawberry Blonde (1941)

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

A Place in the Sun (1951)

Penelope (2006)

Hit Man (2023)

Yentl (1983)

King of New York (1990)

The Water Man (2020)

Dance Fools, Dance (1931)

The Getaway (1994)

Den of Thieves (2018)

Safety Last! (1923)

Something's got to give (1962)

Stowaway (2021)

Hadersfield (2007)

The Hateful 8 (2015)

Separate Tables (1958)

Amistad (1997)

Atlantic City (1980)

The Upside (2017)

Elvis (2022)

JFK (1991)

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

The King and I (1956)

Ricochet (1991)

Never say never Again (1983)

The Wolfman (2010)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)

Female on the Beach (1955)

Bombshell (2019)

Made in America (1993)

Mad Max (1979)

Witness (1985)

Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret (2023)

Laura (1944)

Pacific Heights (1990)

The Last Face (2016)

The Elephant Man (1980)

Assassins (1995)

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)

State of Play (2009)

Last dance (1996)

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

No Mercy (1986)

Miller's Girl (2024)

American Made (2017)

Kingdome of Heaven (2005)

The Marsh King's Daughter (2023)

Skinwalkers (2006)

Alien: Romulus (2024)

Fly me to the moon (2024)

El Hoyo (The Platform (2019)

Blink Twice (2024)

Modigliani (2004)

My Week with Marilyn (2011)

The Post (2017)

Gifted (2017)

Pride & Glory (2008)

Edge of the City (1957)

Speak No Evil (2024)

The Banshees of Insherin (2022)

Schlussmacher (2013)

Izolacija (2024)

Gladiator II (2024)

Meet me next Christmas (2024)

Volja Sinovljeva (2024)

Trolls (2016)

White Palace (1990)

Hide and Seek (2005)

Life (1999)

Double Indemnity (1944)

Furlough (2018)

[adamwatchesmovies]

Atlas Shrugged Part III: Who Is John Galt? (2014)

There’s something deeply satisfying about the failure that is Atlas Shrugged Part III: Who Is John Galt?. The first film had a budget of $20 million. It tanked at the box office. The sequel had a budget of $10 million and tanked as well. This third chapter was made with a budget of $5 million and earned less than $1 million in ticket sales. All three films feature a completely different cast despite being released only 1-2 years apart. If these movies were good, or even passable that would be depressing but these films are part nut-job parable, part cheezy romance. If there’s an entry in this series that’s so bad it’s good, it’s Part III: Who Is John Galt?, though whether it’s worth sitting through two films to have a couple of laughs at its expense is another story…

After pursuing Quentin Daniels to a remote part of the country, Dagny Taggart (played this time by Laura Regan) crashes into an invisible barrier. She’s discovered Galt’s Gulch, a hidden valley where the United States' brightest minds have retreated to avoid the government's oppressive over-regulation of companies and products. Dagny is told by John Galt (Kristoffer Polaha) that she and Henry Rearden (Rob Morrow) are the only people missing from this new hidden society of free entrepreneurs and inventors. Is Dagny ready to abandon Taggart Transcontinental and the rest of the outside world, or will she continue a fight everyone else thinks has already been lost?

At the end of Atlas Shrugged: Part II, I wondered what the point was. So much of the second movie reiterated what we had already been told. What unsuspecting plot points or revelations could possibly justify this book by Ayn Rand being turned into a trilogy? As this film begins, you’ll double-underscore that question because Rearden, who for the most part has been an important secondary character, is basically written out of the film to make room for John Galt, whom Dagny instantly falls for. It’s like a demented version of a fairytale conjured up by some loony objectivist. After falling into Galt’s magical kingdom, Dagny is confronted by the mystery man whose name is spoken like a curse in the outside world. What a surprise! He’s handsome and charismatic. Best of all, he believes that unfettered self-interest is good and altruism will ruin society. If that doesn’t make a lady want to take off her clothes, I don’t know what does.

The film tries so hard to make John Galt into a hero it becomes comical. At one point, he hijacks a broadcast by the President of the United States - oh, sorry. I mean the “Head of States” (Peter Mackenzie) - so he can deliver a message of rebellion and hope to the people. We're supposed to see him as some Bizarro world version of V. After heroically giving himself up, he is tortured by those goons in the White House in a way that resembles a crucifixion way too much to be a coincidence.

Who Is John Galt? is so hammy you might lose track of the film’s message, which is the same as before. The big enemy is the government. Yeah, there’s been some interference from Dagny's useless brother, the President of Taggart Industries (Greg Germann, whose character has a sub-plot that amounts to so little it must have been included solely because it was in the source material) but it’s those meanies up on Capital Hill that have been causing all the trouble. They insist on breaking up monopolies, taxing the rich, forcing wealthy states to share their money with poorer states, etc. Remember that last one. A turning point in this film that shows just how evil the Head of States is comes when we learn that a trainload of grains meant for a poor state is being diverted to another. “But the people will starve!” screams Dagny. “Why does she care?” you’ll ask. “Didn’t she previously tell us that altruism is for dummies and soft-headed care-bears?”

The biggest joke in this whole movie comes during the end credits when we see that the film’s budget included contributions from Kickstarter supporters. It’s so ironic I wonder how many of them sent money to director J. James Manera so they could metaphorically piss all over this film and on Ayn Rand in the process. If she believed in half of what this film exposits, she must’ve been one of the most uncompassionate, cold-blooded reptiles to ever disguise herself as a human being.

It’s easy to find things to say about a movie like Atlas Shrugged Part III: Where is John Galt?. My friends and I watched it together and our collective suffering will make us a more tightly-knit group. That doesn’t mean I recommend you watch it. The first two parts are so dull and infuriating that the “homework” needed for you to understand the irony of this cinematic blight just isn’t worth it. (On Blu-ray, April 7, 2023)

[goodmorningawfulbye]

Nobody asked but I started thinking about it and this is my house so here's my ranking of my top however many Zelda games come to mind

1. Skyward Sword. Therapy is expensive, SkSw was only $50 (plus it was a gift for my sweet 16 anyway) and I've played it at least 10 times. 400 hours for fifty bucks is a good deal. I want to live in the watercolor backgrounds. Or Lake Floria. augh (positive). Hate the Silent Realms though.

2. Twilight Princess. Because A. That's my boy, B. Exquisite sound and level design, and C. "Gee I sure hope this won't come up again later," says weird little girl turned woman obsessed with an elf who turns into a wolf 18 years after TP's release

3. Wind Waker. MY SON!!! Also the main theme is so cleverly done it makes me scream. Honestly so many good parts collected into a very good whole.

4. Majora's Mask. Has to be listed before its more popular older sister because I love Theophany's albums Time's End and Time's End II, and because of my HWMMAU.

5. Ocarina of Time. Iconic! I don't vibe with the N64 controls but that's a me problem. The symbolism for Kids Like Me is off the charts and it has Saria in it which makes me emotional (positive). Also Kakariko Village theme. Hell yeah.

6. Breath of the Tears of the Wild Kingdom. I'm harsh on BOTW because of it being the first "refreshing shakeup" to one of many series I love that made me really bitter in retrospect. But I like the dragons theme and I like exploring the world most of the time and I like Sidon. Passing grade. TotK, on the other hand, felt like "we had more ideas for mechanics from BOTW, I guess we need a LITTLE story" but at least Rauru is voiced by Chris Hackney and we have Matt Mercerdorf

7. A Link Between Worlds. Ravio. Bunny son. That's it! (The painting mechanic is VERY cool, and I love Hilda's theme. And all the inversions of dynamics and values and stuff between Hyrule and Lorule. I had a lot to say about that in 2014!) (But genuinely that was a cool writing choice)

8. Minish Cap. I just think Vaati is neat. And the mechanic where you fling yourself using mushrooms

[influencermagazineuk]

What to Watch on Netflix in June 2024: From Bridgerton to Sweet Tooth

As June 2024 approaches, Netflix is set to offer an exciting lineup of new and returning titles for its subscribers in the United States. From highly anticipated Netflix Originals to classic movies and new seasons of beloved series, there's something for everyone to look forward to. Keep this page bookmarked, as it will be continuously updated with the latest additions. Image: Netflix Here's a comprehensive look at what's coming to Netflix in June 2024: Coming to Netflix June 2024 (Date TBD) - 100 Days to Indy (Season 2): The racing series returns, diving deeper into the high-speed world of IndyCar. - The Loot and the Lost Kingdoms (2024): A Nollywood documentary exploring the stolen treasures of the Benin Empire. - The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse (Season 1: Part 2): New episodes of the popular anime series. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 1st, 2024 - 1917 (2019): Sam Mendes’s Oscar-winning World War I drama about two soldiers on a crucial mission. - 30 for 30: Once Brothers: A compelling sports documentary. - A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014): A comedy Western starring Seth MacFarlane. - Ali (2001): Will Smith stars as the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. - Baby Boy (2001): Tyrese Gibson leads this drama about a young man facing life's challenges. - Black Clover (Season 3): The latest season of the hit anime series. - Cold Copy (2024): A gripping film starring Bel Powley and Jacob Tremblay about a journalist and her mentee. - Detective Pikachu (2019): The live-action Pokémon adventure featuring Justice Smith and Ryan Reynolds. - Divergent Movie Collection: All three films in the series - Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant. - Dune (1984): David Lynch’s classic sci-fi adaptation. - Flushed Away (2006): A charming animated film from Aardman Studios. - Heartland (Season 16): New episodes of the heartwarming Canadian drama. - Home (2015): An animated movie from DreamWorks. - Janky Promoters (2009): Comedy starring Ice Cube and Mike Epps. - Kicking & Screaming (2005): A family comedy with Will Ferrell. - Land of the Lost (2006): An adventure comedy starring Will Ferrell. - Lumberjack The Monster (2023): A thriller about a lawyer seeking revenge. - National Security (2003): An action comedy with Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn. - On the Basis of Sex (2018): The inspiring story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. - Pilecki’s Report (2023): A WWII drama about Captain Witold Pilecki. - S.W.A.T. (2003): Action-packed thriller. - Simon (2023): A drama about a young man fleeing oppression in Venezuela. - Strawberry Shortcake’s Summer Vacation (2024): Animated fun for kids. - Tangerine (2015): A drama about two trans sex workers in LA. - The Breakfast Club (1985): The iconic John Hughes film. - The Conjuring Movie Collection: All three films in the horror series. - The Devil’s Own (1997): A thriller with Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford. - The Lego Movie (2014): The beloved animated comedy. - Two Can Play At That Game (2001): A romantic comedy with Vivica A. Fox and Morris Chestnut. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 3rd - 30 for 30: Lance (Season 1) - 30 for 30: The Good, The Bad, The Hungry - 30 for 30: The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius (Season 1) - 300: Rise of an Empire (2014): The epic action sequel. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 4th - Anti Hero (2024): A Japanese legal drama. - Ride on Time (New Episodes) - The Price of Nonna’s Inheritance (2024) Netflix Original: An Italian comedy. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 5th - How To Rob A Bank (2024) Netflix Original: A documentary about a master bank robber. - My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman (Season 5) Netflix Original: Featuring Miley Cyrus and Charles Barkley. - Under Paris (2024) Netflix Original: A French horror thriller. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 6th - Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura (2024) Netflix Original: An epic anime crossover. - Basma (2024) Netflix Original: A Saudi drama. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 7th - Hierarchy (Season 1) Netflix Original: A new Korean drama series. - Hit Man (2024) Netflix Original: Richard Linklater’s romantic comedy starring Glenn Powell and Adria Arjona. - Perfect Match (Season 2) Netflix Original: Reality series. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 8th - Wonder (2017): A heartwarming drama starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 11th - Keith Robinson: Different Strokes (2024) Netflix Original: Stand-up comedy special. - Tour De France: Unchained (Season 2) Netflix Original: Sports docu-series. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 12th - King of Collectibles: The Golden Touch (Season 2) Netflix Original - Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors (2024) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 13th - Bridgerton (Season 3 – Part 2) Netflix Original - Doctor Climax (Season 1) Netflix Original - LEGO Friends (Season 2): Animated series for kids. - Remembering Gene Wilder (2024): A documentary about the beloved actor. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 14th - Abang Adik (2023): A Malaysian neo-noir drama. - Forged in Fire (Season 14) - Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams (Season 1) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 15th - Cold Case Files (Season 3) - Miss Night and Day (Season 1) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 16th - Welcome to Marwen (2018): A drama starring Steve Carell. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 17th - 30 for 30: June 17th, 1984 - Carol (2015): An LGBT drama directed by Todd Haynes. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 18th - Agents of Mystery (Season 1) Netflix Original - Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) - Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution (2024) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 19th - Black Barbie: A Documentary (2024) Netflix Original - Dexter (Seasons 1-8): The complete crime series starring Michael C. Hall. - Inheritance (2024) Netflix Original - Kleks Academy (2024) Netflix Original - The Lego Batman Movie (2017): Animated adventure. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 20th - AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Season 1) Netflix Original - The Accidental Twins (2024) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 21st - Aftersun (2021) - Gangs of Galicia (Season 1) Netflix Original - The Victim’s Game (Season 2) Netflix Original - Trigger Warning (2024) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 22nd - Rising Impact (Season 1) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 24th - Little Angel (Volume 5): Kids animated series. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 25th - Kaulitz & Kaulitz (Season 1) Netflix Original - The Flash (2023): DC superhero movie. What’s Coming to Netflix on June 26th - Worst Roommate Ever (Season 2) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 27th - Drawing Closer (2024) Netflix Original - Supacell (Season 1) Netflix Original - That 90s Show (Part 2) Netflix Original - Unicorn Academy (Chapter 2) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 28th - A Family Affair (2024) Netflix Original - Hoarders (Season 14) - Kota Factory (Season 3) Netflix Original - Oloture: The Journey (Season 1) Netflix Original - **Owning Manhattan (Season 1) Netflix Original** - The Mole (Season 2) Netflix Original - The Whirlwind (Season 1) Netflix Original - Savage Beauty (Season 2) Netflix Original What’s Coming to Netflix on June 30th - Alone (Season 10) - NCIS (Seasons 16-17) - The Smurfs (Season 2) There's a wide range of content to look forward to on Netflix this June, from new seasons of hit series like "Bridgerton" and "Sweet Tooth" to classic films and exciting new releases. What are you most excited to watch? Let us know in the comments below. Read the full article

[avalkorn]

MOVIE & TV SHOW

1. Гром. Трудное детство / 2023

2. Мульти-пульти / 2023

3. Obi-Wan Kenobi / S1 / 2022

4. Treasure Planet / 2002

5. American Psycho / 2000

6. Incendies / 2010

7. Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre / 2023

8. The Fabelmans / 2022

9. Minions: The Rise of Gru / 2022

10. Andor / S1 / 2022

11. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story / 2016

12. The Office / S5 / 2009

13. Babylon / 2022

14. Нулевой пациент / S1 / 2022

15. The Pale Blue Eye / 2022

16. M3gan / 2023

17. Ms. Marvel / S1 / 2022

18. Titanic / 1997

19. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania / 2023

20. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law / S1 / 2022

21. Russian Doll / S1 / 2019

22. Escape from New York / 1981

23. Cocaine Bear / 2023

24. The Legend of Vox Machina / S1 / 2022

25. Top Gun: Maverick / 2022

26. Scream VI / 2023

27. All Quiet on the Western Front / 2022

28. Russian Doll / S2 / 2022

29. 65 / 2023

30. Shazam! Fury of the Gods / 2023

31. The Legend of Vox Machina / S2 / 2023

32. The Office / S6 / 2010

33. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves / 2023

34. The Dark Knight / 2008

35. John Wick: Chapter 4 / 2023

36. Peaky Blinders / S4 / 2017

37. The Super Mario Bros. Movie / 2023

38. Renfield / 2023

39. Air / 2023

40. The Mandolorian / S3 / 2023

41. Dead Poets Society / 1989

42. To Catch a Killer / 2023

43. Guardian of the Galaxy. Volume 3 / 2023

44. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent / 2023

45. Tetris / 2023

46. Morbius / 2022

47. Triple Frontier / 2019

48. Dead Man / 1995

49. Euphoria / S1 / 2019

50. Fast X / 2023

51. Ghosted / 2023

52. The Office / S7 / 2011

53. The Little Mermaid / 2023

54. Euphoria / S2 / 2022

55. The Covenant / 2022

56. Hypnotic / 2023

57. The Flash / 2023

58. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of Black Pearl / 2003

59. Locke / 2013

60. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness / 2022

61. Blade Runner 2049 / 2017

62. Arrival / 2016

63. Красный состав / S1 / 2022

64. Barbie / 2023

65. Nimona / 2023

66. Moonrise Kingdom / 2012

67. Blue Beetle / 2023

68. Hercules / 1997

69. After Yang / 2022

70. Heart of Stone / 2023

71. Equilibrium / 2002

72. Under the Silver Lake / 2017

73. Hotel Artemis / 2018

74. Gunpowder Milkshake / 2021

75. Wild Target / 2009

76. Oppenheimer / 2023

77. Ночной дозор / 2004

78. Shrek / 2001

79. Sunshine / 2007

80. Дневной дозор / 2005

81. Interstellar / 2014

82. La Dolce Vita / 1960

83. Сергий против нечисти / S1 / 2021

84. Сергий против нечисти / S2 / 2023

85. Dumb Money / 2023

86. Molly’s Game / 2017

87. BlackBerry / 2023

88. Dracula / 1931

89. Decision to Leave / 2022

90. Logan Lucky / 2017

91. The Hummingbird Project / 2018

92. Papillon / 2017

93. Star Trek Into Darkness / 2013

94. The Hunger Games / 2012

95. The Killer / 2023

96. The Misfits / 2020

97. Napoleon / 2023

98. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire / 2013

99. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 / 2014

100. Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose / 2023

101. Слово пацана. Кровь на асфальте / S1 / 2023

BOOK

1. Dune / 1965

2. Supergods: Our World in The Age of the Superhero / 2011

3. Generation П / 1999

4. The Hobbit / 1937

5. The Theory of Everything / 2002

6. Elantris / 2005

7. The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan / 2020

GAME

1. Baldurs Gate III / 2023

2. Cyberpunk 2077 / 2020

3. Spider-Man. Miles Morales / 2021

4. Hogwarts. Legacy / 2023

5. Diablo 4 / 2023

[rockzone]

Tracklist: 31 May 2023

Featured Album: "Cards On The Table" by Jason Charles Miller

7pm Uriah Heep - One Minute (2014) Jamie Porter Band - Feel So Good (2023) Leadfinger - Gimme The Future (2023) Bon Jovi - This House Is Not For Sale (2016) The Exiles - Fade Away (2023) Jason Charles Miller - Better Late Than Never (2023) Bonfire - Who`s Foolin Who (Mmxxiii Version) (2023) Downtown Patriots - Your Burden (2023) Night Ranger - Knock Knock Never Stop (2014) Bad Touch - Kiss The Sky (2020) 3 Doors Down - Kryptonite (2000) Sari Schorr - King Of Rock And Roll (2018) Geordie - Keep On Rockin (1973)

8pm Y&T - Summertime Girls (1985) Fatal Vision - In My Fantasy (2023) Robert Jon & The Wreck - Bring Me Back Home Again (2023) Glenn Hughes - Heavy (2016) Hurricane #1 - Tonight (2023) Jason Charles Miller - Reckless (2023) Seventh Crystal - Shut Up (2023) Wytch Hazel - Strong Heart (2023) Voodoo Vegas - King Without A Crown (2013) Def Leppard - Kings Of The World (2011) Magnum - Kingdom Of Madness (2015) Sebastian Bach - Kicking & Screaming (2011) Bryan Adams - Kids Wanna Rock (1984)

* Recent shows can be heard On Demand and via Google Podcasts

[pyreofsunflowers]

What I watched this week (3/20-3/26)

Oops, It's late! Anyways hope y'all enjoy.

The Wicker Man (1973, dir. Robin Hardy)

So apart from my obvious bias of being a Neofolk fan watching the Neofolk movie, the Wicker Man fucking rocks. Everything about it is masterfully crafted, from the story to the subtext to the imagery and ESPECIALLY the soundtrack.

I greatly enjoyed the commentary on religion and conservatism, which despite this movies age still manages to hold up some. Christopher Lee is amazing and really carries this movie with his convincing performance.

I don't have a lot to say about the Wicker Man that isn't insane raving about how pretty it is, but I will say that it is not like Midsommar at all outside of aesthetics :-)

5/5

Eyes Wide Shut (1999, dir. Stanley Kubrick)

I loved this one, kinda unsurprisingly. Tom Cruise knocks it out of the park, which is surpring - as I normally hate Tom Cruise. But that aside, this movie is fascinating. It does a really good job at putting you in the shoes of someone truly in over there head - wandering around lost, looking for answers, afraid but yearning for more. It captures all of these emotions well.

I liked what it had to say about the intersection of sex and class, and even more what it had to say about desire - and how desire can both bring people together and apart.

Go watch it, it's so much more than just the haha funny cult movie. In fact, the cult is a relatively small part of the plot for how much people talk about it!

4.5/5

Moonrise Kingdom (2012, dir. Wes Anderson)

As dark, foreboding, and weird my usual aesthetic (and taste) in movies is. I am not immune to a feel-good Wes Anderson movie. Maybe it's the style, maybe it's the melancholy, maybe it's the soundtrack. I'm not really sure, but I love Anderson. Especially when I'm stuck in bed with the flu and can't think, which is when i watched this one!

And surprise surprise. I loved it, as it has all the trappings of every other Anderson film. Solid, unique characters, a fun aesthetic and a story with just the right amount of stakes that despite it's simplicity wraps you up and keeps you enthralled. Is it his best work? no, I don't think so. But it's a ~* Good Fun Movie *~ nonetheless :-)

4/5

Halloween II (1981, dir. Rick Rosenthal)

Meh. Is what i have to say about Halloween II. It was FINE. I feel the same way about it that I do Scream 1. It's decent, it's well made, It has it's fun moments, but it's just nothing more than that. It doesn't have an amazing aesthetic, or extremely well done kills, or out of this world pacing and suspense. It does have the same high quality cinematography and lighting of the original, but that's about it. For movies that take place on the same night, they could not feel more different.

3/5 - put it on in the background while you get high or bang your gf or at a party or whatever.

Gone Girl (2014, dir. David Fincher)

YOU ALL LIED TO ME ABOUT GONE GIRL. ALL OF YOU. AND IM SO HAPPY YOU DID.

Because I hate the essence of Amy's character, and I hate the people who idolize it. This movie. THIS MOVIE IS SO GOOD AT MAKING ME HATE AMY and I love it. Sure, Nick is not a good guy either. I don't like him at all, but dear GOD was I rooting for him more than I've rooted for any other movie main in a while.

If this ever escapes, I will get crucified for this and I do. Not. Care I hated that bitch and watching her downfall over the runtime was amazing and enthralling.

What's even more commendable is that the ending twist manages to still be satisfying despite not ending the way I (or Nick, most likely) would have wanted it to end!

Also shoutout to the score I love you Trent Reznor.

Go watch it it if you haven't, and go watch it again if your a weirdo who thinks its some feminist masterpiece

4.5/5

[akocomyk]

There are times when I make a series of blog posts here—aside from those that I do every year. See them below:

Caricatures

This is an ongoing project. I've only posted a few in past two or three years, but I do plan on completing this someday.

Aking Mahal

I wrote poems—sonnets, to be specific—dedicated to someone that I love

Jelly Poops

A friend of mine had a very interesting TOTGA story, and I thought about dedicating a series for her because their relationship screams toxicity.

Letters to the Cosmos

2017 was a pivotal year for me—even though I didn't care much about the memories I made that year. It was pivotal because of the people that became dear to me. So... I wrote letters to them.

The Golden Mango and the 13 Talongs

A series of poems chronicling the different men that one of my closest friends has flirted with.

Wake-up Call

When I was still a campus journalist, I had an opinion column of the same name. A decided to continue my column here because a real journalist doesn't stop being one even when they've already marched off of their schools.

Souls of the Gateway Kingdom

A 2023 edition of the artwork and stories I created back in 2014, based on true-to-life events and relationships that happened within my college newspaper.