October Is Over

Originally published November 1st 2023

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I have settled into the new apartment well. Picture frames line the walls, a wee painters studio with a blue tarp dominates a section of my room. I dyed my fringe ginger. The furniture has found it’s place, small tables set aside already building up coffee cup stains. We get a lot of direct sunlight in the kitchen, which is likely why the cat keeps trying to get on the table. We put a broken pub chair, made of dark wood, next to the window to sit and look over the garage next door over to our neighbours. I’ve spent several early mornings watching the light go from dark to light, feeling a nice cold breeze through the open window. But it’s mainly become a place for the cat to nap.

There are several well priced thrift shops near us, like proper thrift shop prices. I got a beautiful black leather skirt for $7, a few jumpers and my sister has already acquired several new coats (she is a coat fiend, but so am I to a lesser extent, our closest stuffed to the brim with jackets, coats, blazers and fleeces). Every café is also a bar, our local bookshop is also a café/bar. We went to a place that had free arcade games, they also do a B-movie night once a month that I need to go to. Visited the jazz bar. One local spot does by the looks of it not very legal basement shows, having to go through the employee only door downstairs to a place covered in wires and cobwebs in equal measure. There’s also an open mic night which is a mixed bag, as they tend to be. The art shop nearby is bigger than my old one. We found a place that does great neapolitan pizza and a Persian restaurant that’s the fanciest place I’ve eaten in a long time. A bar that did karaoke for Halloween and I had fun chatting to many people about horror movies and complimenting costumes. Flirted with a man dressed as Andre the Giant, feeling very much like a person out in the world. I haven’t felt like I’ve explored that much but writing this down I feel much more accomplished. The only downside is that there’s no cinema but maybe that’s a motivator to push myself.

I am trying not to consider it such a terrible thing that I’ve hardly read this month. I’ve been busy with other things. Mainly, writing and playing video games. Busy does not mean productive, ya know? Mentally scrambled, over and under sleeping. I am out of the loop with myself, but I know what needs to be done to get back. I have been cooking a lot, it’s the only thing I feel quite good about lately. I’ve made butter chicken from scratch thrice, and my oh my is it good. Sauteing red onions with garam masala and other spices will put anyone in a good mood. Even the other night, I just made spaghetti with tomato sauce but it still felt better than my usual lazy jarred pesto pasta meal. A little bit of effort will take you a long way I suppose. I still find what to make for lunch an impossible task for some reason. As if there’s rules to what one is allowed have for lunch rather than the simplicity of leftovers or a sandwich.

Going back to the not reading, I have continued to struggle to engage with the books I choose. Something feels off or rushed or I know where this is going. I miss the social aspect I got from reading when I lived in London. Starting out by chatting to booksellers at The Review in Peckham or Burley-Fisher in Hackney, then eventually becoming a bookseller and talking to co-workers and customers. Books have never been an isolated thing for me, they brought me out of my shell, helped me practice talking to people. As much as I enjoy writing book recommendations, it feels very one sided. I’m better at explaining myself through scattered rambles, in exchange with another person. When reading now, I feel apathetic. “There’s no one to talk to about this” crosses my mind. In writing this, I suppose I should once again drag myself out to the local and befriend the booksellers to get some good recs and go from there. The new local is promising too, was recommended Bina by Anakana Schofield and also grabbed a copy of Flannery O’Connor’s Mystery and Manners, so I’m optimistic.

Thank you for reading,

Enya xx

Books:

There’s nothing here. Because I finished zero books this month. Sorry.

Movies (I watched A LOT this month this list lonnngg):

The Exorcist (1973)- “When young Regan (Linda Blair) starts acting odd -- levitating, speaking in tongues -- her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest (Jason Miller), however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow) to help with the difficult job.”

This is not just a great horror movie but a great movie in general. Even after knowing so much about it because it’s so iconic didn’t matter, it was more like a medical drama and existential exploration of faith vs science. The google synopsis I used isn’t exactly correct. Everyone is rational. The exorcism itself is because of a rational leaps of logic. I really loved this movie, well worth the hype.

Dog Soldiers (2002)- “During a routine nighttime training mission in the Scottish Highlands, a small squad of British soldiers expected to rendezvous with a special ops unit instead find a bloody massacre with a sole survivor. The savage attackers of the special ops team return, and the men are rescued by Megan (Emma Cleasby), a zoologist who identifies what hunts them as werewolves. Without transport or communications, the group is forced to retreat to a farmhouse to wait for the full moon to disappear at dawn.”

What a silly film. So many questions. So many plot holes. Also fun and gory and weird. Written, directed and edited by one guy and it shows (the editing is rough). But I also liked it because it was a romp and the bar for werewolf movies is so low that this is considered one of the best ones.

The Fly (1986)- “When scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) completes his teleportation device, he decides to test its abilities on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a housefly slips in during the process, leading to a merger of man and insect. Initially, Brundle appears to have undergone a successful teleportation, but the fly's cells begin to take over his body. As he becomes increasingly fly-like, Brundle's girlfriend (Geena Davis) is horrified as the person she once loved deteriorates into a monster.”

Cronenberg 2023 continues with arguably his most popular movie, The Fly. Jeff Goldblum acts like Jeff Goldblum as his body goes through a horrific mutation and it’s all the nasty goodness you’d expect from an 80s horror. Of course I liked it, it has the same weird philosophies, going on about the “poetry of the flesh” that Cronenberg’s entire filmography is built on. Wonderful practical effects by Chris Walas (who also created Gremlins).

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)- “When horror novelist Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow) goes missing, insurance investigator John Trent (Sam Neill) scrutinizes the claim made by his publisher, Jackson Harglow (Charlton Heston), and endeavors to retrieve a yet-to-be-released manuscript and ascertain the writer's whereabouts. Accompanied by the novelist's editor, Linda Styles (Julie Carmen), and disturbed by nightmares from reading Cane's other novels, Trent makes an eerie nighttime trek to a supernatural town in New Hampshire.”

Really great idea with okay execution. It’s odd because all the pieces are there to make it a really great Lovecraftian horror movie but the pacing was weird and it overall felt unfocused. Could have cut out some bits to let others expand. But I liked it for what it was which was John Carpenter shitting on Stephen King. It’s a good not great film but I’m curious to see if it’ll grow on me.

Ginger Snaps (2000)- “The story of two outcast sisters, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins), in the mindless suburban town of Bailey Downs. On the night of Ginger's first period, she is savagely attacked by a wild creature. Ginger's wounds miraculously heal but something is not quite right. Now Brigitte must save her sister and save herself.”

When I was a teenager, I would go to my friends house in Half Moon Bay where she and another friend would watch horror movies while I sat on the other side of the room listening to music on my iPod because I hated scary movies (oh how the time changes). This I remember was one of those movies. It popped up on Criterion Channel and I thought I’d finally rip off the bandaid. It is the most “made in 1999/2000” angsty teen horor movie. In terms of werewolf movies it’s one of the best but I didn’t love it. If I’d watched it back in the day I think I’d have more love/nostalgia for it. I didn’t really like the creature design and wasn’t too invested in the characters. But if I ever have a teen daughter I’ll show her it.

The Exorcist III (1990)- “Police Lt. Kinderman (George C. Scott) notices similarities between his current murder investigation and the methods used by the "Gemini" killer (Brad Dourif) who was executed 15 years before. He soon discovers a hospitalized mental patient (Jason Miller) claiming to be the dead serial killer, but who looks uncannily like a priest Kinderman knew who died during an exorcism. As more bodies are found, Kinderman looks for connections between the two supposedly dead men.”

Having heard what a terrible slog The Exorcist II is, I decided to skip it and go straight to The Exorcist III which I was reliably informed to be a very good movie. It’s a crime drama that is gripping and you really feel for the characters. It’s written and directed by the writer of The Exorcist novel and screenplay, William Peter Blatty. Much like the first film, everyone behaves how a rational person would, they go through the logical avenues before being pushed further into the unexplainable. I also want to highlight Brad Dourif’s performance who it becoming one of my favourite actors. It is a really great film, I wouldn’t even consider it a horror film, it’s more like the movie Seven.

Friday the 13^th Part 4: The Final Chapter (1984)- “A carefree lakeside vacation is interrupted by the re-emergence of killer Jason Voorhees (Ted White). After he escapes from a morgue, leaving bodies in his wake, Jason travels to Camp Crystal Lake where a group of friends is staying. The teens meet some locals: Tommy (Corey Feldman) and Trish (Kimberly Beck), as well as secretive hiker Rob (Erich Anderson). As the group of teenagers engages in drunken debauchery, their numbers begin to dwindle, and pieces of the past resurface.”

As much as I liked the first movie, I knew a slasher series with 9 sequels wasn’t going to exactly yield good results. So I went on the internet forums and figured what were the ones people liked best, this being in the top spot, beloved more than the original. I can’t say I was a huge fan of it besides Crispin Glover’s strange dance scene. It was fairly conventional but a solid slasher movie. The irony of being called the Final Chapter as the 4th movie in a series of 10 films.

Strange Days (1995)- “Former policeman Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) has moved into a more lucrative trade: the illegal sale of virtual reality-like recordings that allow users to experience the emotions and past experiences of others. While the bootlegs typically contain tawdry incidents, Nero is shocked when he receives one showing a murder. He enlists a friend, bodyguard Mace (Angela Bassett), to help find the killer -- and the two soon stumble upon a vast conspiracy involving the police force Nero once worked for.”

Does the term “90s earnestness” exist yet? Because I’ve noticed with a lot of 90s films I’ve watched lately there’s a prevailing cynicism and apocalyptic feel to them whilst being overall optimistic. I think we’re currently circling back to it, with things like Everything Everywhere All At Once, “shit sucks but we can fix this” kind of attitude. Whilst there are several issues I have with this film, overall I really liked it. I also did not realise Ralph Fiennes was hot??? There’s such a style to this movie, in the clothes, the music, the EARNESTNESS whilst being entirely cynical. It could only have been made in the 90s. It does something else that I love in movies which I get why they don’t do anymore because it’s corny but having a scene where one character is performing on stage while another in the crowd is having a character moment (in this film it’s Juliette Lewis covering PJ Harvey’s Hardly Wait). Magnificent. Also, when did movies stop having warehouse club scenes?! Bring ‘em back!

eXistenZ (1999)- “Video game designer Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has created a virtual reality game called eXistenZ. After a crazed fan attempts to kill her, Allegra goes on the run with Ted (Jude Law), a young businessman who falls into the role of bodyguard. In an attempt to save her game, Allegra implants into Ted's body the video game pod that carries a damaged copy of eXistenZ. Allegra and Ted engage in a series of experiences that blur the lines between fantasy and reality.”

Well…..Croneneberg 2023 continues and uh….I certainly watched this movie. It was so boring. And it’s about a video game and I could tell they were inspired by games like Harvester and Sierra Games (Point and Click) but never really seemed to care about games as a concept, just a way to make this boring ass film. They didn’t take advantage of the premise at all. And I was just. So. Bored. You wasted Willem Defoe! Jude Law is there. Jennifer Jason Leigh is asleep. And the message of the film is so lazy. This was the same year The Matrix came out, it did not stand a chance. I’m worried I’ve run out of “good” Cronenberg movies and will now have only the rough ones (I dread watching Maps to the Stars, but I still got Naked Lunch and Spider which are meant to be good).

Spirited Away (2001)- “In this animated feature by noted Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, 10-year-old Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi) and her parents (Takashi Naitô, Yasuko Sawaguchi) stumble upon a seemingly abandoned amusement park. After her mother and father are turned into giant pigs, Chihiro meets the mysterious Haku (Miyu Irino), who explains that the park is a resort for supernatural beings who need a break from their time spent in the earthly realm, and that she must work there to free herself and her parents.”

When I need to do a deep clean (mentally or physically), I throw on a Studio Ghibli film. It’s nice to have on while tidying up. I remember seeing this film in the cinema but it didn’t resonate with me at the time. I didn’t really get into any Ghibli films until my 20s. As someone who generally doesn’t care for animated movies, Ghibli always delivers.

Friday the 13^th Part 6: Jason Lives (1986)- “Years ago, Tommy Jarvis (Thom Mathews) killed infamous hockey-masked murderer Jason Voorhees (C.J. Graham), and the intensity of the experience has landed him in a mental institution. To end his torment and achieve a level of closure, Tommy escapes from the hospital and heads to the graveyard where Jason is buried, intending to dig up the body and cremate it. But, before this total annihilation can occur, a freak electrical accident resurrects Jason from the dead, and the terror begins anew.”

This is another beloved sequel in the franchise and I think it’s my favourite. They knew that Jason being scary had run its course so they got inventive with deaths and had an actual plot! The bar is low for slasher movies. There were a good mix of slasher and comedic elements without ever the joke being on Jason, the antagonist, so he remains an intimidating force.

Young Frankenstein (1974)- “Respected medical lecturer Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) learns that he has inherited his infamous grandfather's estate in Transylvania. Arriving at the castle, Dr. Frankenstein soon begins to recreate his grandfather's experiments with the help of servants Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Teri Garr) and the fearsome Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman). After he creates his own monster (Peter Boyle), new complications ensue with the arrival of the doctor's fiancée, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn).”

I wanted something light but still Halloween-esch so I threw on a Mel Brooks classic. I’d seen it many years ago and couldn’t remember much about it. Gene Wilder is great and his delivery is so spot on. Very old school, slapstick humour (not old school in the racist way). It’s weird thinking about how lacking cinema is in physical comedy these days, most comedies now are just pop culture references rather than someone embodying a joke or a proper set up and pay off. There is a scene where Dr. Frankenstein is playing darts with a detective and keeps missing then the next scene is the detective driving off in his car when the wheels have been destroyed by the darts and it’s so silly and the camera zooms in on the wrecked wheels and it’s just really funny.

Passages (2023)- “A gay couple's marriage is thrown into crisis when one of them impulsively begins a passionate affair with a young woman.”

I’d been waiting to see this for ages and it finally came out on Mubi. I was worried about hyping it up too much in my head (2023 hasn’t been great for new movies except for Past Lives, so I was really banking on this one). I really liked this movie and could grow to love it over time. Just visually I really did love it. I really loved the use of blue and orange, once you notice it you can’t unsee. The story is simple but effective. The NC-17 rating is stupid, it was so mild, but god forbid gay sex be portrayed on screen. Overall great acting (Adèle Exarchopoulos is a bit one note but everyone else was good). I don’t want to give much away because I think it is worth watching.

Cobweb (2023)- “Young Peter is plagued by a mysterious, constant noise from inside his bedroom wall -- a tapping that his parents insist is in his imagination. As his fear intensifies, he starts to believe that his parents are hiding a terrible and dangerous secret.”

Why this was released in July I don’t know. The film takes place a week before Halloween and ends on the day. It really really has that Halloween vibe and was absurd but I was told to go into the movie like it’s a fairy tale and I’m glad I got that advice because I think if I went in blind I’d be much more judgemental. I really liked this movie, it was very charming. There were a lot of really fun choices and visuals, all and all really liked it and think it makes a great Halloween horror. There is though one choice I really didn’t like but I don’t want to spoil any of it, I think it deserves a watch.

Hackers (1995)- “A teenage hacker finds himself framed for the theft of millions of dollars from a major corporation. Master hacker Dade Murphy, aka Zero Cool, aka Crash Override, has been banned from touching a keyboard for seven years after crashing over 1,500 Wall Street computers at the age of 11. Now keen to get back in front of a monitor, he finds himself in more trouble than ever.”

This is not a good movie. The plot is stupid, the hacking makes no sense. But it is so 90s and is trying so hard I cannot help but love it. The fashion and sets is really what makes it.

The Crow (1994)- “The night before his wedding, musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiancée are brutally murdered by members of a violent inner-city gang. On the anniversary of their death, Eric rises from the grave and assumes the gothic mantle of the Crow, a supernatural avenger. Tracking down the thugs responsible for the crimes and mercilessly murdering them, Eric eventually confronts head gangster Top Dollar (Michael Wincott) to complete his macabre mission.”

It had been a really long time since I’d seen this, a perfect film for teenage me, a little less so as an adult. But I do think it’s good, it’s a bit odd watching knowing the backstory and being able to tell they couldn’t do as much as they wanted to. Mentally preparing for the remake that’s supposed to come out next year.

Braindead aka Dead Alive (1992)- “Overprotective mother Vera Cosgrove (Elizabeth Moody), spying on her grown son, Lionel (Timothy Balme), as he visits the zoo with the lovely Paquita (Diana Peñalver), is accidentally bitten by the fearsome Sumatran rat-monkey. When the bite turns his beloved mother into a zombie, Lionel tries to keep her locked safely in the basement, but her repeated escapes turn most of the neighbors into the walking dead, who then crash a high-society party thrown by Lionel's boorish Uncle Les (Ian Watkin).”

I can safely say this is the most disgusting film I have ever seen. Not in a moral sense. The movie is just really gross. But you can’t help but adore a film where people so clearly had passion and fun making it. There is an obvious Evil Dead influence and the whole thing’s a splatter gore fest. The practical effects are really incredible and I enjoyed trying to figure out how they did certain bits and bobs. Would not recommend eating while watching but I do recommend.

Lost in Translation (2003)- “A lonely, aging movie star named Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and a conflicted newlywed, Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), meet in Tokyo. Bob is there to film a Japanese whiskey commercial; Charlotte is accompanying her celebrity-photographer husband. Strangers in a foreign land, the two find escape, distraction and understanding amidst the bright Tokyo lights after a chance meeting in the quiet lull of the hotel bar. They form a bond that is as unlikely as it is heartfelt and meaningful.”

I had only seen this film maybe once or twice as a kid and there are moments that stuck with me (the whiskey commercial shoot, karaoke). As a teen I listened to the soundtrack a lot, which is a genuinely great, while not even being a fan of the movie. On a hungover Sunday morning I decided to give it a go and I’m glad I did. I think when I was young I didn’t really get Sophia Coppola’s work, as an adult I relate to the silence of Charlotte’s sadness. I also understand the relationship between Charlottoe and Bob now, when it used to go over my head. I’m really glad I rewatched this film.

Halloween (1978)- “On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith's Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.”

This was another film I grew up seeing on TV around Halloween on Fuse. I realised I’d never actually sat down and watched it intentionally without commercial breaks. We watched it late on the Sunday before Halloween and I was the last to go to bed. This movie makes you see yourself from the outside, like you’re being watched. I was doing some dishes and thought someone could be watching me from the street. Unnerving and effective! I think some might say it hasn’t aged well given how slashers evolved into exciting, fast paced schlock, but I think it’s still a really solid tense film that’ll stick with you.