Day 2: The Monster (1925)
Posted in2016 31 Days of Horror Classics

Day 2: The Monster (1925)

For my first contribution to ItsJustAwesome's 31 Days of Horror series, I was tasked with watching 1925's silent classic, The Monster. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit that I am not typically the most enthusiastic watcher of silent films. I'm more of a 1930s and 1940s gal, as you may have gathered from previous, non-horror reviews (or listening to me sing the many praises of Barbara Stanwyck in The Good, The Bad, and The Podcast). I think it has a lot to do with my love of witty banter and well-crafted dialogue. When you're limited to what can…
The Light Between Oceans
Posted inBlog Posts Reviews

The Light Between Oceans

Tonight, I was excited to be able to attend an advanced screening of the new Derek Cianfrance film, The Light Between Oceans. TLBO is adapted from the best-selling novel by M.L. Stedman (which, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I have not yet read), and at 7pm I walked into the historic Belcourt Theatre in Nashville not really knowing what to expect. I knew that the film's three most prominent cast members (Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Rachel Weisz) are historically known for killin' it on the silver screen, so if nothing else, I was intrigued. I'd heard…
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD: AN ODE TO CAREY MULLIGAN
Posted inBlog Posts Classics Reviews

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD: AN ODE TO CAREY MULLIGAN

Carey Mulligan, you saucy minx. I have seen Thomas Vinterberg’s gorgeous adaptation of Far From the Madding Crowd twice now, and I have to say right up front: I love it. The cinematography, the score, the costuming, the casting choices…in my mind, they’re all aces. Never have lens flare and sheep-laden greenery looked so beautiful. As a movie playing out on screen, I think it hits almost every right note…but as a story, I do have a few minor qualms with it. FFTMC is often described as Thomas Hardy’s “most pastoral” novel, which kind of begs the question: Why exactly was it resurrected…