Author Archives: davetcourt

Film Journal 2024: Perfect Days Directed by Wim Wenders A film that teaches us how to know a person not through the use of speech, but through observation of things like facial expressions, eye movement, physical gestures and tendencies. The more these subtleties cause us to pause and ask why questions, the more we getContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Perfect Days”

Reading Journal 2024: Where Butterflies WanderAuthor: Suzanne Redfearn The book does stumble a bit in the middle, especially where the back and forth nature of the drama starts to get drawn out and repetitive. But it is also bolstered by a strong premise and a really riveting first quarter. Even where it stumbles, there areContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: Where Butterflies Wander”

Reading Journal 2024: FallingAuthor: T.J. Newman The very definitiion of a literary blockbuster. An understatement to say it was impossible to put down. The way the chapteres kept adding to the tension and ending with a cliff-hanger. There were a few times when I asked if it could give me even just a short breather.Continue reading “Reading Journal 2024: Falling”

Reading Journal 2024: The Heaven and Earth Grocery StoreAuthor: James McBride There is some payoff in the end, to be sure, but I’m still mulling over whether this is actually able to overcome what were some very real obstacles for me. The writing itself is strong of course, and the book’s premise is alluring. IContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store”

Film Journal 2024: Cabrini Directed by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde The film dedintiely has its issues- it’s far too long given the material it is working with, and this is made more aware by some poor editing choices, both of which challenge the story structure and prolonge the conflict past its effectiveness on a narrative level.Continue reading “Film Journal 2024: Cabrini”

Film Journal 2024: Imaginary Directed by Jeff Wadlow Imaginary offers some nice surprises in what is ultimately an uneven effort. Top of the list being just how straight up horror this thing was. And I was here for it, including a handful of legitimate jump scares. The potential was there to hit a home runContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Imaginary”

Film Journal 2024: The American Society of Magical NegroesDirected by Kobi Libii A complicated film to consider and analyze for sure. Not because the material is overly complicated,.but because of how it approaches the satire that informs its working premise (A society where the magical part of the equation is literalized and imagined as aContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: The American Society of Magical Negroes”

Reading Journal 2024: ThornhedgeAuthor: T. Kingfisher A fascinating, and very brief at just over 100 pages long, reimagining of the aged fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. Characters are swapped and reshaped in ways that turn the story upside down and and sideways and backwards, so much so that it makes the unfolding tale nearly impossible toContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: Thornhedge”

Reading Journal 2024: MCU: The Reign of Marvel StudiosAuthors: Dave Gonzales, Gavin Edwards, and Joanna Robinson A bit of a niche exercise, intended for those who have not simply interest in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), but in Hollywood and the American film industry. Most important thing to know about this book is that itContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios”

Reading Journal 2024: Anonymous: Jesus’ Hidden Years…and YoursAuthor: Alicia Britt Chole Definitely overplays its hand, moving from an intriguing premise- imagining how the fact that Jesus’ ministry didn’t arise out of nowhere, and the idea that his hidden years, the spaces that we do not know much, if anything about, contains the necessary roots ofContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: Anonymous: Jesus’ Hidden Years…and Yours”