#like the next few posts will be entries from emma's diary

[alliluyevas]

This cemetery post focuses on Emily Partridge Young and her children. I'll talk more about Emily and her life in a bit, but I wanted to start off with some discussion of polygamous families in grave records. Both the two family plots I've discussed so far (the Whitney and Wells families) are basically centered around the family patriarch and his wives and include graves for children from multiple marriages. Horace Whitney, like the majority of Mormon polygamists, only had two wives at the same time. Daniel Wells had six, which actually puts him in a very small minority of most-married polygamists, but Brigham Young was basically in a category by himself (well, really he was in a category with himself and Heber Kimball, but I'm focusing on his family here). With children by sixteen women, including Emily, and more wives whom he did not have children with, the Young family matrix is even more complicated--both in life and in death.

I know from Emily's diary entries that Brigham's widows were offered the choice to be buried with him in a small family cemetery near the Lion and Beehive Houses or to be buried elsewhere (Emily then remarked, half-sarcastically, that she hoped they would not be in a hurry to bury her). She was conflicted over this choice, as she was about her marriage in general, but ultimately chose to be buried here in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, next to her son and his family. Most of Brigham's widows made the same choice, with only six choosing a plot next to their husband. There are several quadrants of the SLC cemetery that are primarily Youngs, though, with several sister-wives and half-siblings buried near Emily and Don Carlos.

Anyway, I brought this up partially because I think it's interesting and partially because it speaks to a sort of conflict between different notions of family in Emily's life: her immediate nuclear family, the children to whom she was a devoted and loving mother, and the larger polygamist family in whose orbit she spent much of her life, yet often felt isolated from. (In addition, let's consider her other biological family: all three of her surviving sisters shared a husband, and they did not live in Salt Lake City, and she struggled with being separated from her siblings while they all lived together).

Emily was the third daughter of Edward and Lydia Partridge. Her parents became early Mormon converts when she was six, and her father was the first in the church to hold the title of bishop. Emily wrote poignantly about her childhood home in Painesville, Ohio, where her father worked as a comfortably middle-class hatter. Despite, or perhaps because of, the sacrifices she'd made for her faith throughout her life, she felt that she had never truly been at home anywhere since she'd left Painesville as a young child.

Shortly after the Mormons had arrived in Nauvoo, when malaria was sweeping through the population, Emily's father and her older sister Harriet died within days of each other. Joseph and Emma Smith took in 16-year-old Emily and her oldest sister Eliza to relieve the burdens of their widowed mother. Emily remembered her first two years living with the Smiths fondly. She seems to have seen them as surrogate parents, felt they were fond of her, and adored their younger children. Things changed when Joseph asked her to secretly marry him. Emily was resistant at first but eventually gave in after a second proposal on her nineteenth birthday. A few months later, she married him again along with her sister Eliza, this time with the begrudging agreement of his first wife. The Partridge sisters were told not to tell Emma they'd already married him, so as not to upset her, but the relationship between Emma and the younger women was ruined anyway. After several more months of conflict, Joseph agreed to have Emily and Eliza move out. Not long later, Joseph was killed: Emily later wrote about how difficult it was to attend the funeral as a secret wife. Almost immediately, she remarried Brigham Young as a "proxy wife" for time (meaning that she and her future children would "belong" to Joseph Smith for eternity), and soon was expecting her first child. Three marriages to two men, a funeral, and a pregnancy in less than two years.

Emily with her two oldest children, Edward (who tragically died not long after this picture was taken) and Emily.

I would describe Emily's second marriage as deeply unfulfilling, and she did too, at least in the private pages of her diary. Being part of such a large polygamist family was stressful in general, but it was particularly so for Emily, who felt unloved and forgotten by her husband, to the point of unsuccessfully asking him for a divorce at one point. While she initially lived in the Lion House with several other wives, she was eventually sent to live with her children on an isolated dairy farm her husband owned, and later to a run-down house in Salt Lake City. As a less favored wife, her financial situation was also precarious, and she felt that her husband neglected and resented their children because of his issues with her.

While she had a lot of conflict with her husband, and often felt lost among the other wives socially or jealous of their comparatively favored position, many of the other women and children in the Young family remembered her as a kind and loving presence. Though there's definitely some disconnect between what she expressed privately and to others, her personal writings do show her to have been a sweet and compassionate woman--though one who also had a lot of pain and anger she doesn't seem to have felt comfortable expressing out loud. I think the way she wrote about Emma Smith is particularly striking--while she clearly still was upset about how she'd been treated as a teenager, especially being thrown out of their home, she also expressed a lot of sympathy for what Emma was dealing with and I think the way she thought about this situation shows a lot of both intellectual and emotional nuance. In general, she seems like a very kind, thoughtful person, and I feel very sad that she did not receive the kind of love back that she seems to have desperately wanted.

I also wanted to talk a little bit about her children. The grey-scale photo is Emily again, this time a little older, and the other pictures are her five children who survived to adulthood, in birth order: Emily, Caroline, Don Carlos, Miriam, and Josephine. There’s definitely a family resemblance, I think. I was able to find the graves of all but Miriam (I found several of Miriam's children where Miriam and her husband are supposed to be buried, but I wasn't able to find the parents. Again, this is an area of the cemetery that is not in the best repair and all the graves are in-ground plaques, so they may have grown over).

Emily Jr. and Caroline were both, like their mother, plural wives married to significantly older men--Emily to Hiram Clawson, Caroline to apostle George Q. Cannon. I included a picture of Hiram's gravestone, which is this huge and in my opinion quite ugly literal boulder that dwarfs the small plaques of his wives, and of the Cannon family monument as well as Caroline's individual gravestone. Don Carlos, an architect, also had two wives, Alice Dowden and Marion Hardy, though both were less than a decade younger than him. Younger sisters Miriam and Josephine were both in monogamous marriages. Miriam was married to Leonard Hardy, who was the brother of Carlos's wife Marion (Miriam and Leonard married first), and Josephine, somewhat disturbingly, was married to Albert Young, who was her half-brother Brigham Jr.'s son. So her husband was technically her nephew, but due to the half-sibling thing, the fact that she and Brigham Jr. did not really grow up together, and the wonky generations meaning that Albert was actually a few years older than her, I think genetically and socially it was probably more like a cousin marriage. Still, it's definitely a bit uncomfortable to put that together.

Moving back to talk about Emily again before I close: I feel like a broken record here a bit, but I just wanted to pay tribute to someone who seems like she was a decent, kind-hearted woman who survived a lot of very difficult trials, including raising her children mostly on her own. While she didn't have the public presence or published writing that some of the other women whose graves I visited did, her private writing is articulate and poetic, especially when dealing with the injustice and emotional conflict she faced. I hope that she feels the peace and comfort that so often eluded her in life.

#mormonposting tag #long post #julia in utah 2023

[applesaucesims]

Emma’s Diary

Early Spring, 192–

Dear Diary,

Little Ken has been growing fast. It seems like yesterday that he was just a baby, but now he’s already walking and dancing around all day long. He particularly likes it when our mother is playing the piano, to which he has starting singing along these days. Granted, to me it sounds like any other baby noises but Mum and Dad love it, so it can’t be too bad.

I wish time wasn’t moving so fast. Although I seem to be the only one that’s bothered by this. Everyone else can’t seem to wait for things to move on from where they are now. I wish I could say the same.

#ts4 decades challenge #ts4 #sims 4 #ts4 legacy #1920s #emma jones #maureen baker #edward darwin jones #kenneth jones #this is gonna be the format i'll use to transition to the 1930s gen #like the next few posts will be entries from emma's diary #thought it was a great compromise between the story driven content of the 30s and still showing what's happening in between

[austenmarriage]

New Post has been published on Austen Marriage

New Post has been published on http://austenmarriage.com/fanny-burney-writer-of-her-time/

Fanny Burney: Writer of Her Time

Fanny Burney was the female writer before and during Jane Austen’s life. Both in popularity and literary regard, she stood astride the Regency era as the Colossus stood astride the harbor of Rhodes. She published her first novel, Evelina, when Jane Austen was three years old, hit her publishing peak as Jane was beginning her serious writing, and continued to live and work for another two decades after Austen’s death.

To ensure the proper level of respect, some editors insist that we call her “Frances” rather than “Fanny,” the name she used all her life. Evidently, no one will take her seriously as Fanny but Frances will garner immediate intellectual respect. You’d think her complex writing style, modeled on Dr. Johnson, would be enough for anyone to take Burney seriously. But, here, we digress. …

Austen called Burney, who married a French officer to become Madame D’Arblay, “the very best of the English novelists.” In tracking Jane’s surviving correspondence, we can see her tracking Burney’s career. At the age of twenty, Jane subscribed to the purchase of Burney’s third novel, Camilla.

Two months after its publication in July 1796, Austen references Camilla in three successive letters, including the comment that an acquaintance named Miss Fletcher had two positive traits, “she likes Camilla & drinks no cream in her Tea.” Camilla is mentioned in the discussion of novels in Northanger Abbey. Jane’s annotated copy of Camilla is now in the Library of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

More interesting is a possible indirect but personal connection between the Austens and the D’Arblays. A relative, who likely encouraged the Austens to subscribe to Burney’s novel, was Mrs. Cassandra Cooke. She was first cousin to, and a contemporary of, Jane’s mother. The Cookes lived across the road from Burney and her husband for four years and nearby for several more.

Though the two authors never met, Jocelyn Harris writes in an article that Mrs. Cooke was probably a “direct source of information” about Burney to Austen. In her book Satire, Celebrity, and Politics in Jane Austen, Harris also finds a number of connections between scenes and characters in Austen’s fiction and Burney’s novels and life. Harris proposes that Mrs. Cooke may have been the source for the biographical anecdotes about Burney.

In addition to her novels, Burney wrote plays, most of which went unproduced, and was active at court. From 1786 to 1791 she was “Second Keeper of the Robes” to Queen Charlotte, and she dedicated Camilla to her. During the Napoleonic wars she was trapped for a decade in France. Though her husband was a military man and patriotic Frenchman, the couple detested the violence of the French Revolution and the dictator that followed. She was able to slip out of France when her son was a teenager to keep him from being conscripted into Napoleon’s army.

When Napoleon returned from exile in Elba to reclaim his throne, this time her husband fought against him on the side of the allies and was wounded in battle, before Waterloo ended Napoleon’s career a final time. After the war, the D’Arblays settled in Bath near relatives. Many French emigres had settled there during the war.

Two hundred years later, Burney’s position as Literary Superstar and that of Jane the Obscure has reversed. Burney is still read, and The Burney Society exists to promote her life and works. Yet most of the interest today relates to her diaries and journals, which show us the private thoughts of a sensitive, articulate woman about her long and eventful life. They record what it was like for an intelligent, vivacious, politically aware woman of the age. The also record her personal travails, including her description of undergoing a mastectomy in France—without anesthesia.

Burney began her diaries as a teenager. In an early entry, she tells of an earnest but not very pleasant fellow who fell for her on their first meeting. She asks her family how to get him to leave her alone. They instead encourage another visit. Burney writes in her diary something right out of (write out of?) Austen: that she “had rather a thousand Times die an old maid, than be married, except from affection.”

Today, few would put Burney in the same class as Austen as a novelist. Many Burney characters are extreme, her plots at times involve wild coincidences, and her language is enormously complex. What follows is a simple but representative example in the difference of style. The first is Austen’s dedication to the Prince Regent at the beginning of Emma. The next is Burney’s dedication to Queen Charlotte at the beginning of Camilla.

Austen’s, printed in capital letters and in large type to fill the page:

“To his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, this work is, by his Royal Highness’s permission, most respectfully dedicated, by his Royal Highness’s dutiful and obedient humble servant.”

Burney’s, set in type a little larger than normal, addresses the queen directly:

“THAT Goodness inspires a confidence, which, by divesting respect of terror, excites attachment to Greatness, the presentation of this little Work, to Your Majesty must truly, however humbly, evince; and though a public manifestation of duty and regard from an obscure Individual may betray a proud ambition, it is, I trust, but a venial—I am sure it is a natural one. In those to whom Your Majesty is known but by exaltation of Rank, it may raise, perhaps, some surprise, that scenes, characters, and incidents, which have reference only to common life, should be brought into so august a presence; but the inhabitant of a retired cottage, who there receives the benign permission which at Your Majesty’s feet casts this humble offering, bears in mind recollections which must live there while ‘memory holds its seat,’ of a benevolence withheld from no condition, and delighting in all ways to speed the progress of Morality, through whatever channel it could flow, to whatever port it might steer. I blush at the inference I seem here to leave open of annexing undue importance to a production of apparently so light a kind yet if my hope, my view—however fallacious they may eventually prove, extended not beyond whiling away an idle hour, should I dare seek such patronage?”

Austen was no fan of the Prince Regent, and her publisher probably prodded her into a sufficiently proper flourish. Yet even doubled, her dedication would barely run 50 words. Burney’s dedication runs 216 words—and the excerpt does not include all of it.

This gushing pipe of words is not just an instance of royal flattery. The entire 900-page novel strains under the load of such verbiage. Burney’s first and most successful novel, Evelina, written in the epistolary style, was a contrast. The letters by Evelina are as sharp and funny as anything Elizabeth Bennet ever said. Everyone else, however, writes in a ponderous style that came to dominate Burney’s third-person novels. Wanting to be taken seriously, Burney followed the “serious” style that “real literature” of the eighteenth century required. She was a writer of her time.

—

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen, which traces love from a charming courtship through the richness and complexity of marriage and concludes with a test of the heroine’s courage and moral convictions, is now complete and available from Amazon and Jane Austen Books.

#18th century literature #Bath #Burney's journals #Fanny Burney #Frances Burney #Jane Austen #Napoleonic war #Regency era

[buffyfan145]

Here's the full list of Vicbourne like things I've found in Anne Bronte's "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" in order.  I loved this book so much as it's such a great story and ahead of it's time, and then add in all the Vicbourne things and the real connection to Lord M and it's so good.  It's so weird as not only did Gilbert and Helen remind me of Vicbourne but discovering that Lord M, Caro, and Byron all inspired characters and Lord M's counterpart ended up with a 2nd wife like Victoria, and other characters that reminded me of ones in "Victoria" including Helen and her first husband having a dog named Dash. There were also many Vicbourne style scenes including their walks and talks, horseback riding, her sketching, him giving her flowers, dances, and even rooks! And even a scene many of us wished happened during the wedding. So it's behind a cut because it's long. LOL :)

- Gilbert Markham's writing style through the letters (each chapter is a letter to his brother-in-law) and the way he talks and personality are so similar to Lord M, as well as his relationships with his two siblings and taking over the family farm and house after their dad died, and getting his thoughts on things especially with Helen and how he keeps getting distracted by her especially in church. LOL He's also a farmer which made me think of Rufus in "Cold Comfort Farm" or the gifs/pics I've seen since I still need to watch it. - Helen's described as looking somewhat similar to Jenna with the very dark eyes, and personality wise matches Victoria's too and she's very protective of her son Arthur (which was the name of one of Victoria's sons) and not wanting him to turn into his father (who was a cheater and an alcoholic). When the book switches to her POV she's been raised by her aunt & uncle in London and at 18 gets forced to look for a husband even though she doesn't really want to marry and gets warned against marrying her first husband. - Arthur immediately becomes attached to Gilbert and Gilbert's dog and these scenes are adorable (Gilbert refers to him as "the little gentleman"). - Helen is a painter and sketches often which Gilbert admires her skill greatly and just sits and watches her in amazement. - All three love going on horseback rides and walks together, and eventually Gilbert & Helen start calling each other by their first names which Gilbert loves. - Gilbert starts buying and giving things to Helen and her son including books, a puppy, and flowers which Helen thinks she owes him money for it but he tells her he got them all as gifts for them and wants to make them happy. - Wildfell Hall like Brockett Hall was built in the first Elizabeth era but hasn't been as tended and up kept as Brocket Hall . - Gilbert loves dancing, especially waltzes. - Gilbert thinks he loves his first girlfriend Eliza but once he meets Helen and comes to know her & her son and learns her story, that changes. - Gilbert's mother can't stand Eliza and even calls her a hussy (didn't know that word existed in Victorian times). - His sister Rose also befriends Helen and reminds me of Emma. - Eventually the town starts gossiping and making up rumors about Helen's past which angers Gilbert and makes him even more protective of her and Arthur. - There is a scene very similar to the "Brocket Hall" one but Helen is the one who tells Gilbert they can't be anything more than friends and refers to them as companions while he is holding her hand. Still doesn't stop Gilbert from loving her. - Helen gives Gilbert her diary so he can read her full story and know the truth of why she had to start over and the narration for those chapters switches to Helen's POV in her diary entries. - Helen's first husband Mr. Huntingdon is based partly on Lord Byron after Anne read his biography and was intrigued by his younger years and affair with Lord M's wife Caro, and wanted to tell something similar but about a woman based on Byron's wife and starting over in a new town and finding love again. - As I mentioned in my other post Lord M and Caro are characters in this named Lord Lowborough and Annabella. We get introduced to Annabella first, then Lord L (who is said to have been born under a unlucky star and have bad things happen to him, and has very dark green eyes and his whole face & air changes when he's happy), and they marry and have two kids before the affair starts.  It plays out almost exactly the same as real life but Lord L divorces Annabella (who later dies penniless) and he eventually falls in love again to a very kind and decent woman, and his son & daughter get a loving step-mom which he thanks God daily for. So Anne possibly gave Lord M two happy endings. :) - Helen didn't like Lord L at first but they became friends once she noticed he had already matured from Huntingdon and their friends and Lord L is really nice.  Their friendship gets closer after the affair with their spouses and they keep in touch, and later with Gilbert, as life has been kind to them with their 2nd spouses. - Helen's relationship with her aunt reminds me of Victoria and her mother, while Helen is very close with her uncle a lot like how I've read Victoria really was with Leopold. - Huntingdon has a couple dogs but favors one named Dash who is also a spaniel!  But is sometimes very mean to him and Dash runs to Helen to be comforted and protected, and forms an attachment to her. - Helen's maid Rachel reminds me a lot of Lehzen as she's been with the family since Helen was a baby, and ends up being a huge help when Helen and Arthur leave her husband and moves with them to Wildfell Hall and is distrusting of Gilbert at first. - Helen's verbal abuse from Huntingdon is hard to read but at the same time it reminds me of Sir John and how he manipulated Victoria's mom and also was abusive to Victoria.  Helen also feels she's trapped in her own home till she finally leaves with Rachel and Arthur. - Helen's relief at getting to Wildfell Hall safely with Arthur and Rachel and starting her life over reminded me of Victoria taking charge of her life and leaving Kensington for Buckingham Palace. - When Gilbert finishes reading Helen's diary he falls in love with her even more and wants to comfort her and give her a better life.  He has so much hope and then marvels at the dawn of the next morning and seeing the animals including the rooks!!! - Helen does like Lord M and even though she loves Gilbert too she still tells Gilbert they can't be together because of the fear of Huntingdon finding out and what he would do to her, Arthur, and Gilbert.  They tearfully part after sharing a kiss and long hug but promise to writer letters. - The "Further Reading" section has a thing about the original novel of Rufus' other miniseries "Middlemarch" and how Dorothea & Will's relationship is similar to that of Helen & Gilbert's including Gilbert worrying Huntingdon wrote in his will Helen couldn't remarry but that wasn't the case. - After almost a year lots of things happen as they lose touch with Gilbert only hearing a few things from Helen's brother.  Huntingdon dies painfully and you end up feeling sorry for how he died.  Then months later Gilbert is told from Eliza that Helen is marrying Mr. Hargave, a ex-friend of Huntingdon's who had feelings for Helen but she refused him.  Gilbert get freaked out and rushes to the wedding to stop it, like some of us wanted to happen with Vicbourne, but it turns out it's Helen's brother getting married to Hargrave's sister and it's so funny how Anne wrote it. LOL - Then it turns out Helen's uncle died too and left her his estate and majority of money.  This makes Helen rise in status and rank, and is now considered too far above to marry Gilbert without people looking down on the match exactly like if Victoria married Lord M.  He thinks that's the end and decides to leave till Arthur sees him and yells for their carriage to stop so he and Helen can talk to Gilbert. - It all ends very happily for Gilbert and Helen as once they're alone she tells him she never stopped thinking about him and loves him so much.  Gilbert is so happy to hear this and proposes which Helen accepts and they kiss.  Arthur walks in on them and Gilbert realizes Arthur is his son now.  They all get happy endings with Gilbert & Helen having a happy marriage, at least 2 kids, taking care of Helen's aunt and Rachel till their deaths, and Arthur grows up to be a good man and husband like Helen hoped. :)

#vicbourne #the tenant of wildfell hall #anne bronte #lord melbourne #books #queen victoria #Victoria #lord byron #lady caroline lamb #dash

[maczazind]

Film Diary 2017: August AKA "The Month Where I Crossed A Lot Off Of My Watchlist"

I found myself playing a major round of catch up last month, cramming three months worth of detailed movie reactions into one massive film journal post. But finally, I’m back on track with quite the larger month so far in 2017 as I cross off some highly notable titles from the past year off of my watchlist.

As always, the following reflects MY OWN OPINION. If you’d like to see these entries in full as the year progresses, each installment is given the tag “Film Diary 2017” so feel free to follow along! To see which movies I’m watching in real time prior to these posts, various ratings on a five star scale for assorted journal entries, likes and more, you can take a peek at my personal Letterboxd here & maybe even give me a follow there.

Each entry includes how every feature was primarily seen and an asterisk which denotes that viewing was the first time I’ve seen that movie in its entirety, despite possibly having seen pieces of the film previously or having a general knowledge of it. Numbering reflects the year’s overall total, not the monthly total.

89) August 1st: The Accountant* - DVD (Rental - Library); This first entry of the month I admittedly gained some new interest towards when news arrived that a sequel is reportedly in early development. Driving it home even more so was a glowing review from family members, as it had just arrived on HBO weeks prior. So having watched it, I can say I enjoyed it though I did manage to guess at least a few of the larger twists that seemed to have a impact towards others’ experience of the narrative. The story, when it irons itself out and gets rolling, ultimately can feel spiritually similar to that of Jack Reacher; both being solidly-crafted mystery thrillers centered around a man with an impressive set of skills. But where Tom Cruise delivers a military-trained badass, Affleck presents a character a bit more complex due to a high-functioning form of autism coupled with a number of interesting factors that I wouldn’t want to reveal for spoilers’ sake. Because of this, Affleck brings out a unique performance that’s demanded of him while its the supporting characters surrounding him who help define it and push it into new directions. Anna Kendrick is charming opposite Affleck as she finds a way to connect with him and ultimately gives the film a decent part of its emotional side underneath the mystery. Jon Bernthal is absolutely the scene stealer you wish was given more screentime, with his final scene in the film shining his talents wonderfully and his prior moments presenting a sly counterbalance to Affleck’s focused demeanor. Director Gavin O'Connor (who also helmed the incredibly moving feature Warrior that I highly recommend, along with the based on a true story Miracle) presents a thriller that certainly takes a novel approach, as it does feel like the tight style you see in various books brought to life on screen. As I stated, some of the larger surprises I was able to guess before their reveal; however, that doesn’t rob them of their overly satisfying and slick feeling when officially presented. In fact it actually adds more intrigue into the world, if anything. The Accountant is a good mystery that I certainly walked away from with more pros than cons. And if a sequel is to be made, I’m definitely intrigued by how Affleck, O'Connor and more will elevate the foundation laid out here.

90) La La Land* - DVD (Rental - Library); If you had asked me last Winter which of the contenders to emerge out of awards season caught my eye, I absolutely would have said La La Land. My hopes were definitely high as an impressive cast and the idea of a musical came forward under the direction of Damien Chazelle, who brought us the incredible Whiplash. As awards season took off, though, La La Land dominated to the degree of annoyance, resulting in many parodies, screen time, thank you speeches and ultimately a major downturn in my expectations. Six months later and far removed from the height of awards recognition, I can say that it absolutely deserved its praise & yet not everything presented shines as brightly as word of mouth would have you think. Chazelle crafts a great homage to classic Hollywood musicals of the past, heartfelt and passionate but perhaps a bit too predictable. Sebastian and Mia are both great individual personalities, equal parts charming, frustrating, and inspiring. They each come from very different worlds with very different passions, and it’s clear where that path will eventually lead them. I did, however, appreciate that 95% of what was presented in trailers and commercials as this sweeping love at first sight is given a twist to first time viewers with their origins and the songs sung at the time not painting the perfect picture. Seeing their relationship bloom is an interesting journey, with Emma Stone easily delivering the best performance of the film. And it all results in a finale that is both touching and oddly satisfying. Chazelle’s vision is presented with memorably shot scenes, and what helps boost the musical is a soundtrack from Dear Evan Hansen’s Pasek & Paul that will keep the catchy original songs stuck in your head for days to come. At the same time I feel it gets a bit too lost in the Hollywood love letter to give it a true edge, ultimately resulting in me gravitating more towards the intriguing exploration of themes in Whiplash as opposed to the spectacle of La La Land. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy nor believe La La Land is a great film; it absolutely is and I’ll wind up owning it on Blu-Ray someday for sure. But in the quest to measure up to the great musicals of the past and reinventing it for the present, a premise similarly presented just a few years ago in the award winning The Artist, it’s just too heavy of a task at times.

91) August 2nd: Big Night* - DVD (Rental - Library); Watching as much Youtube as I do, the hit cooking channel Binging with Babish landed this feature on my watchlist after his episode in which he crafted the film’s signature dish. It took awhile to hunt down the movie, but I finally managed to get my hands on it and ultimately found it to be an enjoyable little gem. The story at the center made me laugh plenty, with characters that were fun to watch, music and food that demanded your attention, interesting relationships to watch as they jump their respective hurdles, and even an ending that is more poignant with a message to deliver than it is overly satisfying.

92) Arrival* - DVD (Rental - Library); Continuing to close out my watchlist of films I missed in 2016, this sci-fi feature arrived last year and caught my eye due to director Denis Villeneuve who previously impressed me with thrillers Prisoners and Sicario. An alien invasion story that unfolds the more we discover what’s going on alongside the characters, Arrival has an absolutely gripping first act that evokes a tense feeling reminiscent to Signs and The Day The Earth Stood Still. To see the scope expanded beyond just what our cast is doing and take into consideration how the perspective of the invasion differs in countries around the world is an intriguing concept that helps drive the hurdles to the exploration at large. The second act tends to drag as really we somewhat plateau with the characters getting a bit too comfortable for the intrigue to really continue. However, this results in a third act with a surprise that I absolutely adored as it tends to reflect on the film in an entirely new angle. As for performances, Amy Adams really holds scenes strongly on her shoulders while similarly working well opposite most of the supporting cast. At the end of the day though, Villeneuve pulls off a memorable original sci-fi entry that makes me excited for his upcoming turn with Blade Runner so long as he can shake that mid-movie halt present here.

93) August 3rd: Ouija: Origin Of Evil* - DVD (Rental - Library); I’m attempting to keep a majority of my horror movie queue until next month as we start to move into the Halloween season. But as this one became available, I decided to take a shot. I’d yet to see the original Ouija as so-so reviews mostly kept me at arm’s length and in the years since it never really emerged as a must-see entry in the genre. However the prequel gained my attention last year when after a large marketing campaign, and its stance as the only horror themed outing for the 2016 Halloween box office, it intriguingly gained a positive reception. And after seeing it I can certainly see the appeal. At it’s core is a 60s-set haunted house movie driven by the title game that perhaps I enjoyed less for its scares and more for its plot. A fan of the Paranormal Activity franchise, the skeleton underneath it all felt like quite the similar set-up with a family you’re set to care for, demons, and all of the supernatural happenings taking place under one roof as the small nods ramp up into a bigger climax. What elevates it even more is director Mike Flanagan’s visual style. Flanagan pulls off something impressive by managing to fully immerse the story in a setting that truly does feel like the 1960s in nearly every aspect. Furthermore, there are quite a few shots in this movie that actually made me walk away impressed because they gave off a unique look that wound up sticking with me. The cast, likewise, is strong and plays in the world well; the younger actors are impressive in their delivery of the material (so much so that one of them is continuing the horror prequel haunts in Annabelle: Creation this month). My minor gripes are that while I found everything compelling enough, it didn’t offer too much in outright scares for myself; though I strongly admire that Flanagan goes for an overwhelming sense of creepiness and awe over what’s unfolding as opposed to a cheap string of jump scares. Additionally the CGI - while not used overwhelmingly - isn’t up to snuff thanks to the film’s low budget, as the few scenes it’s utilized in come across as late ‘90s level at best and SyFy original movie level at its worst. In the end, Ouija: Origin Of Evil was a solid watch that managed to now not only put Flanagan’s recent horror release Oculus on my watchlist but also possibly the original Ouija, as from what I briefly glanced I now have the perfect set-up towards it.

94) August 5th: Big Eyes* - Streaming (Netflix); I’m honestly not sure what compelled me to turn on this Tim Burton directed feature from a few years ago. Perhaps it just struck me as the right time to finally check it off my watchlist? Regardless, what transpires is a solid story that doesn’t quite emerge as one of the director’s finest films but manages to at least tell an intriguing true story. Burton manages to put his own unique spin on a biopic, not to Ed Wood heights however, as this art tale comes off quite different thanks to the central romance and Christoph Waltz’s character. Certain shots definitely evoke an early Burton feel through the visuals presented, such as the way he plays with color in a certain way on screen. But likewise, the story never manages to overly wow you beyond your personal fascination of the key struggle, and I think part of that has to do with Waltz as well. A strong actor, his initial take in which his role is supposed to be alluring and comforting in the first half comes off just too over the top, to the point you know that you shouldn’t trust this guy, even if a more effective outcome in the grand scheme of things demands you to. And it’s that mismatch that left me wanting something more in that execution, honestly, as the failure to be as swept away as Adams’ character had led to a disconnect for me that followed throughout. When things reach their peak, there is an empowering feeling to Adams that really emerges until the credits roll, despite an ending that can be a bit too comedic but at the same time satisfying as well. Far from an absolute hard hitting biopic, Big Eyes at least manages to do something different with the genre for a take almost as different as its interesting story, even if it’s not the cleanest brushstrokes.

95) August 6th: T2 Trainspotting* - DVD (Rental - Library); Back in January (when my journal posts weren’t so finely detailed), I had seen Trainspotting and walked away with an impactful reaction towards the film of entertaining and heartbreaking proportions. At the time, I knew a sequel was on the horizon but distanced myself from the initial word of mouth because I had no nostalgic attachment that many others have had. Seeing the sequel, my take is that it’s a fine expansion that doesn’t hit nearly as hard as the original but still manages to have a damn fun time with the characters. This go-around feels less about the overall theme of addiction and more about the aftermath of the first film’s climax, despite a great handful of our leads still being addicted to various things and even some trippy imagery in the middle of it all. The thematic focus this time is the impact of the original’s ending and the friendship divide it led to, in addition to whether or not those bonds can be repaired or not. In that respect it certainly works, with your intrigue as to where these characters are at and your compassion for them driving a good deal of the movie. Similarly it’s a change up that gives it a thankful new focus instead of simply being another sequel dealing with the same exact skeleton for a quick cash grab, as most non-blockbuster sequels tend to turn out. In doing this, director Danny Boyle tends to turn the attention inward for all these characters as they confront their current state and where they should be going after their dreams didn’t necessarily wind up going according to plan. Boyle reflects this in various ways, perhaps most notably a scene in which the lyrics for Queen’s “Radio Gaga” tend to relate rather fittingly. But as I’ve said, this is all well and good as long as you’re expecting more fun than you are another hard hitter. Character driven, I never quite felt like the situations at large were ever out of their controls nor that the conflict would result in any major surprises. At the same time, there’s a “dynamic” that’s cooked up that the film feels it needs to adhere to in order to give the plot one little left turn at the end that doesn’t really feel as grand as it wants to be. If you enjoy these characters and are looking to have simply a fun night out with them all these years later, absolutely take the chance.

96) August 8th: Ouija* - DVD (Rental - Library); Ugh. I had to. I really had to go and let the mythology get the better of me. After seeing the prequel the previous week I decided to go back and watch the first installment that originated the story, despite terrible initial critical reception trying to convince me otherwise. That being said, I can’t accurately put into words how much I disliked this movie. Where Origin Of Evil has a thematic motif of a haunted house film, it’s almost as if Ouija is confused as to what it wants to be. In some parts it’s recognizable modern-horror fare with a demonic mystery, which doesn’t kick into high gear until halfway through the film, and then a lunge into full on supernatural confrontation. In fact, the haunting scenes leading into the overly supernatural half of the film feels more like it would’ve worked better as a slasher feature surrounding the teen characters. But the way it unfolds is in a frustrating blend of bizarre character choices, lack of any emotional reactions to twists, confusing time placement to put the prior into context, and more. There’s dumb horror thinking - such as simply accepting the stovetop turned on and proceeding to bed upstairs - and then there’s just absolutely bizarre, unexplained horror thinking - such as the parents’ of one of the victims vaguely “going away” IMMEDIATELY after their daughter’s death and leaving our lead character in charge of housesitting. And that’s just in the first 20 minutes. 95% of the horror in this movie builds up to a cheap jump scare; characters dying are barely given any kind of emotional reaction by our leads as they just go on with their lives; time in between scenes is even more abstract as dialogue to let go of their grief seems shockingly too soon. It’s just a mess. I’m willing to pay the film a compliment in that the CGI presented here is noticeably better than its prequel, even despite this entry having less of a reported budget. Additionally, Olivia Cooke does her damn best with what she’s given as her turn as Laine is perhaps the strongest of the cast. Origin Of Evil is certainly an effective evolution of whatever Ouija attempted to do, and I still absolutely recommend it. But if you’re looking for a chronological extension, it’s best to stay in the ‘60s because boy oh boy this script is ultimately what drags the whole movie down.

97) August 9th: Live By Night* - DVD (Rental - Library); This gangster film adaptation managed to come and go quickly from theaters, also managing to break Ben Affleck’s critical momentum as a director in recent years. Live By Night certainly has a visual flair about it, but easily this is my least favorite film directed by the Argo visionary. The pacing is slow as all hell, managing to change gears half an hour in and repositioning itself as a potential revenge-driven story, but never quite managing to find a strong a focus on that. Likewise, I find that Affleck’s performance following this shift leads to him mostly stone faced, leaving me wishing that we could have seen more behind his persona that peeks out but never quite gives him a beating heart. Supporting characters help add personality to that leading man though; Zoe Saldana is great, sly and lovable, Elle Fanning’s character has a great turn that I actually liked as her actress dreams finally grant her an audience she craves. But it never impressed as much as it should. The building of this new empire lacks the power it should easily exude because there’s always a threat in the way that never allows us to bask in the glory, and even lacks the confidence of strength to squash said menace at the same time. Characters all play in this muddled sandbox of conflicting motives and ideals with a drawn out ending that goes for poetic rather than satisfying, and ultimately while there are cogs to admire as the story machine pumps along, it’s far from well-oiled.

98) August 10th: Hell Or High Water* - DVD (Rental - Library); Going from one outlaw tale to the next, I’m happy to say Hell or High Water is one film I walked away in awe of, as it presents a charming, entertaining thriller that I absolutely adored. The plot immediately drops you in the thick of things, allowing much to be discovered by these characters that drive the events that transpire, leaving a slow, unfolding motive to interest you throughout. The tone brushes with western noir in quite a few ways, but at the same time has a lot of fun with the chemistry between our two central pairs; Chris Pine and Ben Foster play off each other fantastically for a dynamic yin & yang type of performance, while Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham share a very similar relationship posed on an opposite moral side. And what easily helps is a well-rounded script from Taylor Sheridan, that manages to make you laugh one moment, feel shocked the next, and marvel at plenty of tense encounters. I felt like director David Mackenzie’s feature was a longshot earlier this year to take home the title for Best Picture, and yet I walk away many months later feeling as if it would’ve deserved that underdog fight. Easily one of the best impressions of the month and the year at large.

99) Batman: Return Of The Caped Crusaders* - DVD (Rental - Library); As someone never overly attached to the late Adam West’s portrayal of Batman, I still give it a great amount of respect. I grew up in a time lucky enough to be swarmed with Batmen on television through The Animated Series, Beyond, Justice League and even Nickelodeon reruns of West’s version as well. Released last Fall, Return of the Caped Crusaders continued the fun of that original campy era with a number of original voices in tow, with the return of West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar. What results is a harmless, well-crafted love letter that is campy as always. The comedy is great, with the story and tone more in line with the original show for both its highs and lows. If anything, the film feels best described as being of the same spirit as the classic Hanna Barbera cartoons. The script is packed with plenty of fantastic homages and fourth wall breaks that only gain even more of a spotlight having built up over the years thanks to internet culture. Where it really finds a hard time is with pacing and balance. The first half hour follows the original show’s storytelling method almost verbatim for a straight half hour that once the charm of experiencing the classic atmosphere fades, it really starts to drag. Thankfully the plot manages to find a second wind afterwards to propel the second half, but at the same time can’t build anything quite serious enough to stand on confidently. For die hard fans of the original, unlike myself, this is absolutely a movie made for them. And though I see the flaws which led towards a more shaky reception, there’s still some fun to be had amidst everything else.

100) Get Out* - DVD (Rental - Library); For my 100th movie of the year milestone, I finally was able to see easily one of the most acclaimed and my most anticipated films of 2017 in Get Out. And man did it live up to the hype. Director Jordan Peele not only manages to create a creepy atmosphere all the way around while at the same time tackling major social issues, but does so with an incredible cast top to bottom led by breakout Daniel Kaluuya. Much like Ouija: Origin of Evil, what it lacks in outright traditional scares it makes up for in genuinely eerie and skin crawling tension. There are even some visual representations of the film’s main theme of racial & social divides and injustices that will have you rewatching the film over and over again. Even if you guess some of what transpires, the third act manages to squeak out some real surprises. The ending managed to evoke a real gut-drop of an emotional reaction from myself only to sophisticatedly subvert it in a way that has left a very lasting impression. A must-buy-on-Blu-Ray from me, and I’m happy to finally add to the number of voices praising this original feature that deserves said praise.

101) August 11th: xXx: Return Of Xander Cage* - DVD (Rental - Library); Vin Diesel has easily come back to the top of the box office thanks to the return and retooling of the Fast and Furious over the past decade. But truly, that’s been his only series of films go score a hit with audiences lately (unless you consider his turn as Groot in Guardians). When it was announced he would be returning as Xander Cage in another xXx film, I mostly had mixed feelings. The first entry was never my cup of tea, and I easily watched the sequel with Ice Cube more when I was younger (one of the few films I owned on UMD for the original PSP). So heading into this movie, I didn’t quite know what to expect. But ultimately I received an entertaining, endearingly over the top, big dumb fun action movie. The best way I can describe it is Return of Xander Cage feels like a film plucked out of that early-to-mid 2000s action genre where it also originated, for both its strengths and flaws. Diesel presents a performance that is definitely a change of pace from Dom in Fast and Furious; he really seems like he’s having plenty of fun in all his quippy charming pleasure. And honestly, there’s a good chance the feature would’ve crumbled without his presence. The story isn’t nearly as complex as they want it to be, with any real twists being seen from a mile away thanks to the classic “oh hey I kinda recognize that guy from somewhere” tactic spelling out importance later on down the road. Most of it has to do with a macguffin chase that is the only thing driving the plot forward. A great number of characters are introduced in a Suicide Squad manner that I’m sure many out there will roll their eyes over. Ruby Rose and others are awesome badasses, while others lean a bit too far into their roles; Toni Collette’s hard-ass company woman lacks the back & forth to come off as anything but blandly annoyed, and Nina Dobrev’s Becky is there for an overly comedic infusion that can feel really off balance compared to the tone of the rest of the action and one liners. As the team is assembled and the plot comes to a close, I just couldn’t help but feel as if the set up for another feature ultimately had more potential than this entry, as it had finally laid down the foundation for something bigger. The action gets better the longer the film goes on, but if I’m being honest the most sly and impressive action set piece occurs halfway through the film with a private island party setting. Additionally, when the action looks practical it really hits well; those assisted by CGI do not and simply take you out of it due to its highly stylized appearance. In the end, Return of Xander Cage requires even more extension of disbelief than your typical Fast and Furious entry, but is packed with some truly genuine charm and world building that is still pretty fun. If they can execute their ending set-up right and develop a story that’s both better and WAY less goofy, there’s potential we could see this series elevated beyond this chapter teetering the line of enjoyable and stupid.

102) August 12th: Silence* - DVD (Rental - Library); Upon awards season heating up last year, there was a little bit of talk behind Martin Scorsese’s latest film Silence that didn’t reach the crescendo of other competitors alongside it. Regardless of this, I still wanted to give it a look and see if it lived up to the hype. And while it definitely needs to overcome an incredibly long runtime, it’s when the movie switches gears following the first hour that a truly impressive outing is presented. Slow paced at first, it’s after that aforementioned time passes by we truly get to the meat of our tale and with it a story that rests firmly on the shoulders of Andrew Garfield. In that focus, Garfield gives an absolutely powerhouse performance that is just captivating to watch as he is put through an emotional ringer. I have yet to see Hacksaw Ridge, which he was nominated for, but a case easily could have been made for a nomination here as well had he failed to secure the nod originally. It’s in this stage as well that the film gains its true depth as we see a test of faith in many forms for our protagonists throughout; faith in their missing mentor, faith in their guide who they don’t fully trust. And Scorsese visually astounds as he ties in thematically to various parts of The Bible, with the allegories losing subtlety the longer the film goes on. For some reason, I originally didn’t think Silence would be as overwhelmingly religious in its nature as it was, despite its premise, but it is and it may turn off some audience members in that exploration. But I also saw the artistic side of it in terms of relating the ongoing plot to that of the classic text and simply found myself impressed at what Scorsese accomplished. In the end, if you can endure the slow burn introductory act and are set to see the story through, there is plenty to capture your attention later on that will leave a longer lasting impact well after the credits roll.

103) August 13th: Selma* - TV (DVR - FX); Sitting on my DVR from earlier in the week, I found this to be the right time to watch this film in light of recent events. And Selma is as amazing as people have said, reaching the right tone of powerful and heartbreaking to examine the Civil Rights movement and their marches. At the heart of it all is David Oyelowo leading a great all-star cast, with Oyelowo presenting a stunning, moving performance that absolutely should’ve been nominated for awards at the highest level. Through his heart and emotion as Martin Luther King Jr., the narrative reaches deeper emotional depths beyond those already presented that even managed to make me misty eyed at one point. Definitely an important feature to watch.

104) Justice League: Dark* - DVD (Rental - Library); My second WB-animated outing of the month, this entry falls more in line with the ongoing DC animated film canon that I’ve been very touch-and-go with in recent years. The latest entry from the studio to get an R-rating, I had anticipation for this outing as it not only featured the return of TV’s John Constantine in Matt Ryan but was also a preview of what may hit the big screen sooner rather than later in live action. And overall, I have to say it was solid but felt far more at times like a pilot for a television series than a standalone feature. The main plot feels a bit so-so in its slow build up, introduction of team members, assembly of said team and more, until a very late third act results in a memorable showdown with some true strength. Did it deserve an R-rating? While I don’t believe it grasps as dark of a tone as The Killing Joke, it does feature some undoubtedly dark moments and creepy imagery that certainly makes a case for the rating, but debatable. As for the voice work, I’ll admit it took a bit of warming up to, especially in the realm of Ryan gaining his spark as Constantine the longer the film goes on, having to shift his role from the usual portrayal to behind the mic. Notably, Camilla Luddington is absolutely fantastic as Zatanna and boosts the material incredibly well, while Nicholas Turturro is very entertaining as Deadman. It wasn’t the strongest of the DC Animated Original Movie canon thus far, however it’s far from the weakest. If anything, a solid foundation into the more mystic side to present further adventures rather than an overly satisfying standalone.

105) August 15th: Disney’s Beauty and The Beast (2017)* - DVD (Rental - Library); Before I begin this reaction, I feel I have to tackle the subject of the recent Disney remakes to indicate my headspace. I was grown up strongly on Disney from a very early age and there are various films from their history that hold a special place. In recent years, Disney has unleashed a number of live-action remakes that in my opinion take the base story of the originals and attempt to elevate them beyond the iconic scenes that you can never ever replace in animated form. So far some of the remakes (The Jungle Book) have achieved this much better than others (Maleficent). This year it was Beauty and The Beast’s turn and while admittedly the original was a well-remembered feature, it is far from my personal favorite. But now that I’ve seen the remake, I have to say how absolutely impressed I am. Taking the original story, the live action version manages to expand in key areas that wildly impress; Belle emerges far more independent and self-sufficient, Maurice is granted a much more emotional side that deepens his relationship with his daughter and is woven into the plot in bigger ways. Josh Gad sheds a more comedic and goofier typecasting for a Le Fou that is given depth, attempting to serve as a well-calculated conscience for Gaston while still delivering sharp-witted humorous lines and subtle emotional intentions as well to fantastic effect. Backgrounds for both our main leads are explored to heartbreaking success, though I do wish The Beast was still given more beyond a single flashback for additional sympathy (and a freakin’ human name would STILL be nice). Everything else either matches well with the original as classic scenes and songs are brought to life, while the supplemental songs are just as catchy and provide more emotional context (such as “Evermore” or “Days in the Sun”, the latter of which reads as a more somber yet satisfying replacement to the extended cut’s “Human Again”). The acting is strong from all fronts; the enchanted castle inhabitants did take a little bit of getting used to on my end and don’t necessarily hit the same iconic look of the animated version. There are even some surprising developments as the film’s story goes on as well that adds more for the plot and characters to gain from. Personally, I adored this version despite whatever shortcomings it may have and Disney manages to prove that updating their classics can still be a worthwhile endeavor. If you haven’t, definitely check this out when it hits Netflix for U.S. subscribers in the coming weeks.

106) August 16th: Phoenix Forgotten* - DVD (Rental - Library); The popularity of the found footage style in film has continued to simmer down, following its resurgence courtesy of the phenomenon that was the first Paranormal Activity. The horror genre has produced plenty of entries using the method in the years following, but a few additional found footage sci-fi narratives popped up to notable intrigue in that time, such as 2012’s Chronicle. Earlier this year prior to my screening of Kong: Skull Island, a trailer played that caught me completely off guard for a new sci-fi found footage film called Phoenix Forgotten that is based around the mysterious real life Phoenix lights event of 1997 and looked almost to be the alien/sci-fi version of The Blair Witch Project. The feature arrived quietly in some theaters one month later and has now arrived on home video just a few weeks ago. And while the concept is intriguing, the pacing comes off as wildly sluggish as it attempts to balance two timelines. The film is packaged as a documentary that admittedly at times had the exact quality look of real life docs that have impressed on Netflix in recent years. In this fictional doc, though, we are told a story between present day and 1997 as the now-grown-up younger sister of our subject in the 90s footage attempts to piece together what happened to her missing brother. The present day set-up helps support the other plot, sure, but once the 90s footage starts to grow intriguing its that storyline you ultimately want to stick with. However, it’s when the present day interlude pops its head in at one of the most inopportune times that it almost halts any momentum the handheld “shaky cam” portion attempted to build. We’re taken through various bridges before we can ultimately get to the real climax of the film in the 90s material, and even afterwards when perhaps you need answers the most, all we get is some text on screen as opposed to any type of continuation or conclusion from the present day story. And it’s this off balance that left me cold to Phoenix Forgotten as I couldn’t help but feel that it was stunted in its growth. It’s the constant stopping that bored me and after the most interesting part of the movie arrives thankfully uninterrupted, the other side of the movie simply refuses to carry the torch any further as we head to credits instead of build on its own momentum as well. I understand that I am part of a massive divide on this movie, as internet comments throughout have been pretty evenly mixed between people who hate it and people who adore it. While I loved the concept and the ideas presented in various moments do have a great deal of interest, this UFO simply couldn’t beam me up.

107) August 17th: The LEGO Batman Movie* - DVD (Rental - Library); The LEGO universe is rolling forward quite hard this year, with The LEGO Ninjago Movie arriving in theaters soon. The original The LEGO Movie was a quick-witted, hilarious, and charming endeavor with Batman being a standout character in a supporting capacity. This spin-off certainly received positive reception, and I enjoyed it well enough. It’s nowhere near as smart in its humor as its predecessor, but presents an impressive deconstruction of the entire Batman legacy by exploring his core role and relationships, especially including the ones with the Bat family and The Joker. There are wonderful nods to other incarnations of the hero, as well as his universe, while the climax of The LEGO Movie helps enhance the more absurd elements that pop up, even in terms of pop culture crossover. The inclusion of a key piece from Superman’s stories actually brings something different not seen in this corner of the Dark Knight’s films. It still skews overall younger in its demographic range, and I would argue even more so than The LEGO Movie did, but is still fun. It’s not the most satisfying or groundbreaking animated feature, and yet a worthy second installment in the brick-filled franchise.

108) August 19th: Inferno* - DVD (Rental - Library); I was never one that particularly gravitated towards the phenomenon that was The Da Vinci Code at the height of its popularity. I had seen the previous two films and thought they were solid but short of the top tier blockbusters or thrillers they strived to be. After a seven year gap between films, the franchise continued with little fanfare last year in the third installment Inferno, which in my opinion was fine but ultimately felt like a dull next chapter against a sharp ongoing narrative. The main premise of this adventure immediately puts lead character Robert Langdon at a disadvantage, left to discover exactly what is going on, and yet in the progression of that journey he still feels outpaced. At one point there are seemingly three different factions working against a Langdon not at his full strength, which is increasingly overwhelming the longer the story switches their morality around, and leaves a bit of a mess in its wake because of it. The script at least presents a mystery in the middle of all the clutter to latch on to, and wisely explains a variety of plot threads that manage to come-and-go by the time credits roll. Action sequences can feel slow paced at times, bundled with some CGI that stands out as well. In the end, perhaps this was better left to the page, as the complex mystery thriller can wind up more forgettable than captivating this time around.

109) The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe - Streaming (HBO Go); It’s been awhile since I traveled to the fantasy world beyond the wardrobe. A notable feature upon its release and a story largely taught to me in school for its thematic focuses & allegories, I never got around to falling for anything beyond this initial adventure. As one of my best friends made her way through the trilogy, I decided that perhaps it was time to revisit the saga before it undergoes a planned reboot of sorts in Hollywood. First up is the most notable entry in the saga that still holds up for the most part. The acting from our core four actors really differs, getting a bit better as it goes on but leaves a bit to be desired. Likewise, some smaller shots with green screen backgrounds notably stand out 12 years later as the technology has advanced. Early career James McAvoy is still an absolute scene stealer; Tilda Swinton stands strong as does Liam Neeson’s voice performance as their titular characters. The end battle is still a blockbuster climax that captures your attention as much as a similar faceoff in Game Of Thrones would. I don’t know if it was the fact that I’ve gone through the central story multiple times before, but ultimately I wound up feeling as if the film felt lighter to me and I wasn’t as sucked in as I may have been the first time around. At the same time, with my determination to finally see the trilogy through, that may have been because upon this rewatch I see it simply as a reintroduction and the first act of the films to come.

110) August 20th: The Space Between Us* - DVD (Rental - Library); This sci-fi feature seemed to come and go rather quickly earlier this year, sneaking under the radar as more high profile fare made its way to theaters. Curious due to the cast involved, I was interested in whether or not the original story would come as a pleasant surprise. And for awhile, it actually did. The first act of the movie I thought was fantastic, filled with a interesting concept, themes, and relationships that are set up which could easily be explored for a powerful emotional undercurrent. In fact, it’s at this point that I thought perhaps the marketing of an overly young adult romantic adventure and cheesy title pegged it wrong. Asa Butterfield comes off great here as the lone teenager of Mars, a dreamer of a life beyond his highly isolated one, and even sharing a promising dynamic with his surrogate mother (Carla Gugino). However, it’s halfway through when the film loses its edge as a fish out of water tale by changing gears towards Earth. It’s here the central romance is pushed aggressively towards the front, with the adults shoved to the side until late in the third act, left to simply chase our lead around as it’s reduced to a road trip movie instead. That being said, Britt Robertson does a great job as an individual with her own dreams, which syncs her up with Butterfield not only in tone but in dynamic as the more grounded of the duo to present a yin and yang repertoire. Here, though, the romantic dialogue seemed to get more cringe-inducing as it goes on, with quite a few eye rolling moments in tow, a plot twist that didn’t sit well with me, and an ending that similarly landed way too flat. And it’s that second half that disappoints me the most, as so much potential is set up early on just waiting to be explored thanks to it’s unique premise. Instead of focusing on the complicated bonds, his very hidden existence, an entirely different culture, the loss of his mother & more, it’s the magnification of the cutesy star-crossed lovers that leans too heavily into cliché and left a lesser impression as a result.

111) August 21st: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian* - DVD (Rental - Library); Going into the second installment of the Narnian trilogy, I recalled seeing a portion of this film many years ago but never finishing the entire outing as I didn’t like the drastic time jump at first. Rewatching it now, I can state it’s my favorite of the three entries thus far. That’s not to say it doesn’t have a small share of problems, such as its bloated runtime, and it not being as allegorically deep or thematically satisfying with a focus more so on an action template. But in that note there’s also a lot to be explored in that length. At the close of the last film, our core four characters lived into adulthood as the royalty of Narnia, only to be reverted back to their childhood selves upon rediscovering their original portal into the world. An abrupt ending at that point left much to be desired, and Caspian absolutely enjoys delving into that as we see not only the toll its had on the four of them but a new sense of maturity in the quartet as well. It’s there we get into a generally more mature outing, where the stakes are even higher for the fate of Narnia itself as opposed to strictly its leadership, and likewise the actors present better performances as a reflection of all these combined elements. While half of our key siblings are destined to not return in the sequel in a leading capacity, the ending here gives a heartfelt conclusion that grants us a better close than the previous entry, capitalizing on our time spent with the Pevensies and more confident in their road ahead.

112) Now You See Me 2* - DVD (Rental - Library); The previous Now You See Me managed to impress me enough as a sly magic-fueled thriller and capitalized on the atmosphere with a twist ending that’s a nice touch despite not quite being spelled out narratively beforehand. It’s not the greatest, but certainly an entertaining outing. The sequel, however, steps in a completely different direction for a handful of reasons. For starters, I feel as if the trailers were a bit misleading, as the direction seemed to indicate that perhaps this time around the magic would have some reality to it (spoilers: no it doesn’t). Additionally the secondary tone underneath the primary thriller goes way more comedic, which is better when contained in a surprisingly great relief character such as Lizzy Caplan, but is presented too widespread here and is an odd contrast to the foundation laid out by the first film. Having to tackle the first film’s aftermath is intriguing enough, attempting to widen the scope beyond our core group and similarly exploring the true identity of one of our leads. But with some in-fighting mixed with the lack of being the ones on top this time around, the engine isn’t exactly firing at full steam. And when it’s mixed with that aforementioned comedic slant in tone, the tricks fail to astonish and amaze as much as it did the first time around.

113) August 22nd: The Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage of The Dawn Treader* - DVD (Rental - Library); I conclude my viewing of the Narnia trilogy with Dawn Treader, the entry that in my opinion seemed to have an uphill battle. Not only is this the first film in the series without Disney behind it nor director Andrew Adamson, it’s the first without two of the major four characters traveling to the title land due to the conclusion of Prince Caspian. And honestly with all of the changes, it’s my least favorite of the trilogy. Easily the shortest of the saga, it somehow feels the longest as the pacing is a bit weird. The opening reintroduction into Lucy and Edmund’s lives are barely driven home on an empathic level before we’re whisked away to Narnia. While Ben Barnes is back as Caspian and awesome as one of our leads, the massive change of accents between films proves a bit distracting. Additionally, the lack of a major villain for the first time in the series adds to the pacing problem despite a clear objective painted out. It just feels a bit listless and as if there isn’t much resistance to the flow of the story. That being said, somewhere in the thick of it all Lucy and Edmund’s personal stories are concluded rather well; even if I would argue Lucy’s is given more attention than Edmund’s. The acting may be the best of the three, especially when Will Poulter steals scenes as the infuriating yet enjoyable newcomer Eustace. And while the allegories come off less subtle this time around, it’s hard to knock Dawn Treader for it, as this leads towards easily the most emotional ending thus far; highly memorable, heartfelt, definitive and satisfying. All the behind the scenes shuffling may have prevented this installment from reaching bigger heights, but it’s a handful of character moments, a new dynamic, and that incredible ending which you cannot rob the third entry of.

114) Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Blu-Ray; Looking to shift my mindset from the Narnian conclusion, I at random decided to revisit a mid-90s animated feature that in my opinion only gets better the older you become. Hunchback is easily one of Disney’s darker and more mature outings, which as a kid I always liked for its visuals and songs but always felt a disconnect with. As I’ve grown older, though, the film has absolutely climbed my personal charts not just for its incredible songs (one of the greatest of which “Hellfire” accurately displaying an internal conflict for our villain) but for all its complex themes of religion, mass persecution based on class, morality through perspective, temptation, subverting your idea of the key romantic subplot to respect the platonic, and more. What hinders some of the maturity, though, is the more slapstick comedic moments filled with wacky sound effects, an example of which includes a chase scene in the middle of the main festival. And while yes The Gargoyle Trio are those goofy sidekicks that show up all throughout Disney’s animation, they do raise a very interesting purpose in serving as this intriguing outlet for Quasimodo that also reflects not only his isolation but his mentality in these three being simply a figment of his imagination created in his loneliness (before that’s seemingly thrown out the window as they fight back in the climax, but I digress). Going back now, there’s plenty to love about Hunchback that’s easily worth a revisit and may manage to impress those who haven’t seen it in awhile.

115) August 23rd: Dawn Of The Dead (2004)* - TV (DVR - IFC); This zombie-action reimagining from the mid-2000s has been notable over recent years not only because it’s grown a strong following, but also for its director Zack Snyder and writer James Gunn. Having caught bits and pieces over the years on cable, I finally sat down to watch the full film and while I admire it for the subversion of the iconic rules & perception of zombies from Romero’s original outings, it didn’t overly wow me. The factors leading to my timid reaction I believe are perhaps a bit of over hype from a vocal fanbase for the flick, but also the exhaustion of the genre in this post-Walking Dead culture, where there are certainly echoes of a similar dynamic in regards to a group focus and competing dynamics within. That being said, the more agile undead come across as terrifying, threatening antagonists that certainly lean into the film’s more general action-over-horror feel as to how they are dealt with by our core characters. Speaking of which, there are some solid entertaining arcs for a handful of the members, especially Michael Kelly’s C.J. and a highly memorable close to Mekhi Phifer’s Andre, that add a bit more substance beyond their initial first impressions in which they seem to fill a respective role in the crowd. It’s the farthest thing from what I’d define as a bad film; I just wish I had seen it before the over-saturation that’s emerged in the last decade, where it may have astonished me before zombies achieved another massive popularity boost.

116) August 25th: John Wick: Chapter 2* - DVD (Rental - Library); The original John Wick managed to impress me with badass action and a gritty, ruthless feel against a rather simple yet unique revenge story. And though the sequel lacks as big of an emotional undertone underneath it as its predecessor along with some pacing issues, the sequel still manages to surprise in new ways as the previously mysterious background of John’s prior assassin profession is explored and cracks the previously smaller scope wide open. The action remains as awesome as ever, with plenty of fantastic build up, tension in certain scenes, and intriguing matchups presented once the core narrative truly hits its stride. How exactly you anticipate the face-off between John and supporting characters certainly drives intrigue with the rest of the plot, as in the meantime we’re given a villain with a bit more mythology behind him, and plenty of rules in regards to the assassin organization that fuels the underbelly of the entire film. Additionally, this second installment sets up a third entry with such ease, anticipation and captures the imagination of what they could do now that they’ve painted themselves into a corner. Another enjoyable outing that I may have liked more than its first, despite any flaws.

117) August 26th: Split* - DVD (Rental - Library); It’s no secret that M. Night Shyamalan has let me down before. Hell, I went to go see The Happening and The Last Airbender in theaters for who knows what torturous reason. Regardless, I had yet to see Shyamalan 2.0 in action as The Visit has not made its way up my watchlist and this outing was quite the hunt as a physical rental. I can finally say I’ve seen Split, despite knowing full well what the “twist” extra scene at the end was well in advance, and it was a tense, well-acted thriller that overcomes some early sluggishness to work quite well. The first act tends to be where I saw the most faults, with standoffish dialogue between characters that left them initially cold and a general odd tone of lesser films from the director, which left me worried. But once more about our primary protagonist and antagonist are revealed, the plot takes off as an edge of your seat battle ensues. James McAvoy is absolutely astounding as the key player in all of this, afflicted with multiple personality disorder and making sure to convey each identity uniquely that will just leave you appreciative of his performance. Likewise, our lead on the other side of things Anya Taylor Joy gives a performance that grows heartbreaking the more you understand her, thanks to a backstory that breaks down her initial highly guarded walls. It’s the dynamic between these two that plays well to drive the set-up forward and has me intrigued in exactly how it may shift upon the addition of new cast members in the upcoming sequel. Mentioning that, the spoiled extra scene really didn’t hinder my opinion of the movie as a whole. In fact, it helped enhance some minor dialogue throughout, especially in regards to Dr. Fletcher’s psychological theories. When all is said and done, though Get Out easily takes the cake this year with its artistic subtleties bubbling under the surface, Split is a well crafted entry in the thriller category that lands Shyamalan back on my good side.

118) August 29th: A Cure For Wellness* - DVD (Rental - Library); I’m willing to admit this wasn’t one I was completely eager to see earlier this year, and yet upon its theatrical release I remember positive reactions from friends. So, I decided to give the film a try and found a visually stunning psychological thriller with a compelling mythology that unfortunately doesn’t move quick enough. That’s not to say I felt the film’s two and a half hour runtime felt overly dragging compared to other features this past month. In that regard, the movie manages its screentime and pacing rather well. But to me where A Cure for Wellness tends to lose some points is the second half in its failure to execute its reveals at quite the right time. The story articulates its mythology so well that I felt I knew exactly what was going on for awhile before Lockhart (Dane Dehaan) did, or before we reached the major unveiling in one of the film’s final set pieces, almost as if it was underestimating its audience in a way. And that’s disheartening as not only is the mythology a large part of what helps this story work, but what separates some good chunks of the film from also just being weird for weird’s sake. That being said, I actually liked A Cure for Wellness despite all its flaws. Dehaan does strong as the audience vehicle; Mia Goth is compelling as the complex patient whose innocence is a stark contrast towards a lot surrounding her; Jason Isaacs is an absolute scene stealer as the director of the facility. In the end, I feel that this is a movie that will easily divide people as its something many can perceive different things from. Some will see an overly creepy and intriguing mystery thriller; others will see the subtext of a life over analyzed and over medicated. For me, I found a blend of both but still wish there had been less of a beating around the bush in regards to the mythology, and more of an outright focus on exploring of the deep central themes.

119) Jackie* - DVD (Rental - Library); Another awards season contender, it seems I chose to end my month with two features with grief at their core. First comes the mourning of JFK, with a film that focuses on Jackie Kennedy and the days following the death of her husband. Natalie Portman delivers a strong portrayal of the former First Lady, showcasing not only immense strength but exceptional poise amidst the chaos of it all, managing arrangements her way, dealing with her brother-in-law, political factors, her children and so much more amidst a very heartbreaking loss. All of this is explored wonderfully and thematically as I sat in awe of how much Mrs. Kennedy had to endure. Storywise, I have to admit that I didn’t really get into the film until after the first act, which comes off non-linear as we jump across multiple timelines, until we finally settle on just two. From that point on we get to see the true emotional and thematic meat of the movie emerge and it can be quite intriguing. It didn’t knock me on my ass as much as it did other people, nor did it crack my top films of the month either, but it’s still a strong entry if you’re interested into the material.

120) August 30th: Manchester By The Sea* - DVD (Rental - Library); And finally, we have my last awards contender of the month. With only trailers and tv spots to go on, I didn’t quite know what to expect from Manchester By The Sea except for the wide consensus that it was sad. Imagine my surprise when I found myself chuckling early on at the odd charm the film presents, while at the same time intrigued as the story begins to uncover exactly what’s behind the lead character of Lee. Seemingly off-kilter, especially in his reactions towards his brother’s death, it’s when Lee’s story is revealed the film reaches deeper lengths in its grief theme as each of our characters are experiencing it in one form or another. The ending may upset people, but honestly I dug it as the reasoning is very prominent in the film through Lee’s actions, supporting characters’ examples, and it never robs the central story from its character development that it does build, especially between Lee and his nephew Patrick. Lucas Hedges steals the show in his breakthrough performance, and likewise Affleck works well to present a lead whose complexities are unveiled the longer the film continues. A strong watch that works on both an entertaining and artistic level, similar to that of Hell or High Water.

And that concludes my incredibly packed August! I expect the next month to be a rather slow one because I’ll be converting a good deal of my free time towards Destiny 2 as it’s released. But there are certainly some big films landing on my radar as we inch closer towards Halloween, including the remake of It and the sequel to Kingsman. Additionally, I’ve already begun to plan a horror-themed list of features, including an experimental rewatch of the Paranormal Activity franchise but in chronological order of events. Until then Guardians, I’m grabbing my Ghost, going to see Ikora Rey, and I’ll see you next time.

#film diary 2017 #movies #film #text post