Poe and a Trio of Psychos 04/25/2017 Poe and a Trio of Psychos Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most recognizable names in classic horror. He has his own museum, and his face (often beside his much quoted raven) is on everything from posters to coffee mugs to socks. There are adult coloring books, movies, and even an animated adaptation of his stories. For our final assignment, we read three of his short stories: “The Black Cat,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” I had read all of these stories before, and
Poe and a Trio of Psychos Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most recognizable names in classic horror. He has his own museum, and his face (often beside his much quoted raven) is on everything from posters to coffee mugs to socks. There are adult coloring books, movies, and even an animated adaptation of his stories. For our final assignment, we read three of his short stories: “The Black Cat,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” I had read all of these stories before, and
The Killing Joke 04/18/2017 The Killing Joke I have been a Batman fan for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I used to watch Adam West as the caped crusader every night before dinner. “Same bat time, same bat channel,” as they said at the end of every episode. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I started reading graphic novels. I was kind of pissed no one had given me one sooner. The artwork, the subtlety of the storytelling, the way the work trusts the reader to fill in the spaces between the limited
The Killing Joke I have been a Batman fan for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I used to watch Adam West as the caped crusader every night before dinner. “Same bat time, same bat channel,” as they said at the end of every episode. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I started reading graphic novels. I was kind of pissed no one had given me one sooner. The artwork, the subtlety of the storytelling, the way the work trusts the reader to fill in the spaces between the limited
Se7en 04/05/2017 Se7en Se7en is a dark tale of a serial killer with a message. John Doe murders people he thinks to exemplify the seven deadly since. The murders are gruesome and torturous, leading Detectives Mills and Somerset in a race to stop the killer before he kills again. There is a gritty darkness to every aspect of this film. Aesthetically, it’s raining through much of the film, the lighting is always dim, and the crime scenes don’t seem to have power, leaving the detectives to rely on
Se7en Se7en is a dark tale of a serial killer with a message. John Doe murders people he thinks to exemplify the seven deadly since. The murders are gruesome and torturous, leading Detectives Mills and Somerset in a race to stop the killer before he kills again. There is a gritty darkness to every aspect of this film. Aesthetically, it’s raining through much of the film, the lighting is always dim, and the crime scenes don’t seem to have power, leaving the detectives to rely on
Taxi Driver 03/28/2017 Taxi Driver Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro and directed by Martin Scorsese is a classic. This movie often shows up on lists of the best movies of all time. While character study of Travis Bickle is interesting to dissect, I found the movie as a whole to be slow and often boring. I’m a fan of character driven films and often love movies others find boring because of a particularly good character arc. Taxi Driver missed the mark for me. To gain more insight into this beloved movie,
Taxi Driver Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro and directed by Martin Scorsese is a classic. This movie often shows up on lists of the best movies of all time. While character study of Travis Bickle is interesting to dissect, I found the movie as a whole to be slow and often boring. I’m a fan of character driven films and often love movies others find boring because of a particularly good character arc. Taxi Driver missed the mark for me. To gain more insight into this beloved movie,
Helter Skelter 03/19/2017 Helter Skelter Helter Skelter takes a look at the crimes committed by Charles Manson and his “Family,” told by Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi was the attorney who tried the Tate and LaBianca murders. The beginning is a little dry, detailing the crime scenes and causes of death of all of the victims. They accounting is straight to the point, and a little lackluster considering the brutality involved. The police in charge of the LaBianca and Tate murder investigations made mistakes from the
Helter Skelter Helter Skelter takes a look at the crimes committed by Charles Manson and his “Family,” told by Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi was the attorney who tried the Tate and LaBianca murders. The beginning is a little dry, detailing the crime scenes and causes of death of all of the victims. They accounting is straight to the point, and a little lackluster considering the brutality involved. The police in charge of the LaBianca and Tate murder investigations made mistakes from the
Misery Loves (unwilling) Company 03/08/2017 Misery Love (unwilling) Company Stephen King has been one of my favorite authors since I was about ten. Every time I read one of his books and write a blog, I feel like a fan girl because there will be gushing. I haven’t read all of his books. In order to keep up, I’d probably have to give up reading anyone else for the rest of my life. But I’ve read a lot of them. I’ve never read one that I didn’t at least LIKE. Misery falls into the category of books I love. Novelist Paul Sheldon
Misery Love (unwilling) Company Stephen King has been one of my favorite authors since I was about ten. Every time I read one of his books and write a blog, I feel like a fan girl because there will be gushing. I haven’t read all of his books. In order to keep up, I’d probably have to give up reading anyone else for the rest of my life. But I’ve read a lot of them. I’ve never read one that I didn’t at least LIKE. Misery falls into the category of books I love. Novelist Paul Sheldon