Many Such Cases

Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954) is a really strange movie. I knew this to some extent going in, but I really wasn't prepared for the specific way it was strange. I knew about the whitewashing of Captain Nemo, which will be touched upon (oh trust me). I knew the characterization of our main trio would be off. I even knew that the whole thing would be kind of goofy. In the interest of not going on about this forever and ever, I'm going to organize this...review? Rambling? Into a sort of Pros and Cons list, topped off with some observations that amused me- and trust me, there was plenty amusing. The raw, unfiltered notes app version of my experience watching this can never see the light of day. I do love a good classic Disney book opening. Pro : To get the big one out of the way, the set design and general atmosphere of this movie is gorgeous and that's no exaggeration. There are some shots in this movie that genuinely take my breath away and I can't help...

Wake Up Dead Man Title Screen (i accidentally watched this in russian at first) I hesitated for weeks now to watch this movie. My roommates, whom I love and adore and will never listen to their opinions ever again, did not care for Wake Up Dead Man.  As I am easily influenced by those who I love, I abstained from watching out of fear that I would have a very bad two hours.  This was ultimately a mistake. The whole time my roommates were describing what they didn't like about Wake Up Dead Man, I was irresistibly put in mind of a particularly mid episode of Poirot. The one with David Suchet, naturally. And as much as I love Poirot, it did have a few letdowns, notably as it went on. A darker tone, confusing symbolism sacrificed at the altar of a coherent plot, and vapid side characters. So, when I finally decided to wade into this adventure today, I was keeping these things in the back of my brain. I am happy to report that I enjoyed this movie greatly. While I would need longer ...

There is something very satisfying about having a favourite ghost story. Bonus points if the only way to acquire it is either in a volume of other ghost stories, or through Project Gutenberg ( Australia ). Which, sidebar, there was no way to download that text from Project Gutenberg Australia so the only way to assure it fell into my hands for all eternity was to copy and paste it into Ellipsus, edit the atrocious typos ( Project Gutenberg Australia what happened girl) and finally save it as PDF. Thurnley Abbey by Perceval Landon. Edited version of one of the only covers I could find. Originally made known to me in a book I do not remember actually putting inside my home ( Classic   Victorian & Edwardian Ghost Stories by Someone Who Picked Them Very Badly), Thurnley Abbey is kind of my platonic ideal of a ghost story. It follows our first narrator on board a mail-boat bound for "the East". Here he meets a man, Alastair Colvin, whom he initially writes off as your ru...

I used to read Treasure Island to my sibling when we were children. Apparently I did this a lot, which is news to me as I can barely remember any of the plot besides the major beats. I was informed of this fact when re-reading Robert Louie Stevenson's classic adventure novel as part of my 2026 Reading Goals. So far I had been consisting of a diet comprised of Treasure Planet and the superior (though not necessarily to Treasure Planet) Muppet Treasure Island. (1996) Muppet Treasure Island. Really difficult to find in good quality, but I triumphed. These two adaptations, alike in dignity if not in whimsy, had fed me my information regarding the book that I had forgotten in the hazy period between childhood and teenagehood.  Critically, both have Mr. Arrow slotted in the role that I would come to find out is occupied by Captain Smollet instead. Notably, and hence the title, Mr. Arrow dies really fucking fast.  He's given one paragraph, and it is a mean paragraph. Detailing a very...