Books I Read and Movies I Loved in August

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After only finishing 2 books in the previous month I have apparently hit the Graphic novels real hard to make up for it. And I watched some amazing films after an also mediocre movie month last month.

Books I Read in August

The DC Universe by Neil Gaiman Deluxe Edition: Read one last time because it’s not staying on the shelf.

Blue Period Volumes 8- 13 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi: The second half of a Humble Bundle purchase. I’m glad I was able to read a lot of this but I won’t be pursuing finishing it.

Dracula, Motherf**ker by Alex de Campi: Another part of a different Humble Bundle. Not for me, unfortunately.

Miki Falls, volumes 1-4, by Mark Crilley: A Friends of the Library purchase for a dollar each! Fine but I’ve outgrown this. I’ll be passing it on.

Example of the Humor

False Knees: An Illustrated Guide to Animal Behavior by Joshua Barkman: I’m on the fence with this one. I really loved it last time I read this like 8 years ago but I’m not sure if the humor holds up.

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible Vol. 1 by Nene Yukimori: I bought this from a new Graphic Novel store under the recommendation of the employee working and I’ll also be passing this one on.

Movies I Loved in August

5 Stars

Jaws (1975): I threw a Shark Week watch Party and this was so fun! Good movies, good food, good friends.

Dreams (1990): Just a beautiful film.

The End of Oak Street (2026): Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs! Ewan McGregor and Dinosaurs! Anne Hathaway and Dinosaurs!

The Odyssey (2026): My Imax watch! Check out my blog post from August 31st for a more indepth adventure.

4.5 Stars

Tony (2026): A Mystery Movie Monday watch from my local theater. I never would have sought this out but hey, it was great!

Brainstorm (1983): Innovative and crazy. If you like Sci-fi please watch this!

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000): This is the type of Coen Brother film that really scratches a particular itch in my brain.

Muriel’s Wedding (1994): Absolute emotional Whiplash.

Books I Read and Movies I watched in July!

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Wow, Books for July is very sparse. I only finished two books! In my defense both books are pretty long and one was pretty boring to get through so it took a bit but I persevered.

July Books

Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett. Man, I just love the witches. Any book that ends up in the OG three witches I’m just gonna enjoy and roll around in like catnip.

What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson. WHAT. A. SLOG. I read this because I want to do a rewatch of the movie, which while sad, I remember being pretty fantastical. This book was the driest writing I think I’ve ever read. I don’t understand how someone can make a journey into Hell that boring. Amazing.

Movies I Loved in July - While I watched quite a few movies in July it was apparently on Okay to Mediocre movie month.

5 Stars:

The Peanut Butter Solution (1985): I am never going to no give this movie 5 stars. What is even more fun is that I basically watched this at least 2 times speed because I was creating a PowerPoint for a Girls Weekend I was going to and we were having a PowerPoint night and I just had to share my love of this movie. They don’t believe it exists.

The Odyssey (2026): My first watch of this in a normal Big Screen viewing. I can’t believe how short 3 hours seems in this movie. I’ve seen this twice now and I’m curious how this is going to stand to an at home viewing.

4.5 Stars

Killing the Devil (1970): This might be the hoitiest-toitiest sentence I’m ever going to type: I really love Czech new wave cinema. I’d be really interested to watch more films from this era from this part of the world. I originally gave this 4 stars but as time has gone and I find myself thinking of this film more often than not I bumped it up.

Favorite Books and Movies in June!

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This is going to end up being my house some day…IYKYK.

 

I feel as if I’m always behind on my Website. I do love it here, I just have a hard time creating the time for it. I’m trying to do better...but I’m also trying to read, and watch movies, and create stuff and it all adds up.

Movies I watched and Loved in June

4.5 stars:

Toy Story 5 (2026) : Better than it’s predecessor but still completely superfluous in my opinion. My local Theater had a Make Your Own Forky Table though, so that was cool.

Robocop (1987) : Re-watched with a Blank Check Podcast. It’s still surprising to me how much I truly truly enjoy this film.

4 stars:

Dead Calm (1989): Man, RIP Sam Neil. I always loved you as Dr. Alan Grant but as an adult I grew to love your entire acting career. This movie kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. An evil Billy Zane has appeared!


The Life of Chuck (2024): I recently read the book and wanted to watch the movie…That beginning third of the film was absolutely the best horror film I’ve ever seen.

The Furious (2025): This is fun because my theater has been doing “Mystery Movie Monday” where they put a film on that hasn’t been released yet and this was the first one and dude, such cool action.

Books I finished in June

  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories from the Sketchbook (1820) by Washington Iriving

  • Call Me Princess (2000) by Tomoko Taniguchi

  • The Life of Chuck (2020) by Stephen King

  • Misery (1987) by Stephen King

  • Cat’s Eye Omnibus (2026) by Tsukasa Hojo

  • Reaper Man (1991) by Terry Pratchett

  • Black Cloak Volume 1 and 2 (2023-2025) by Kelly Thompson

  • Blue Period Volumes 1-7 (2017-2020) by Tsubasa Yamaguchi

  • What I Talk About When I talk About Running (2007) by Haruki Murakami

Since I finished so many books this month I am not going to put images for them but a couple notable thoughts on them.

I like Washington Iriving’s stories way more than his essays.
I found Call Me Princess at a local Media Thrift store, such a blast from the past and a great reread.

Misery is FUCKED up.

I continue forth with my Terry Pratchett Discworld novels, I was telling my brother that they might have been the best humble bundle I’ve ever purchased.

An IMAX Movie Adventure

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The IMAX Theater

 

Apparently I am in a state where one of 40 theaters in the entire world are showing the 70mm film IMAX version of The Odyssey, so you know we had to do it.

Our tickets were purchased an entire month in advanced, it was the soonest we could get tickets and the showing was at 8 o’clock in the morning. Instead of risking potential traffic in the morning we opted for an overnight stay in a hotel where we watched the 1994 classic (?) Clifford, starring Martin Short while we ate our mediocre Wendy’s.

I woke up early enough to hit the breakfast buffet (my safe go to: plain bagel and those little packets of peanut butter) and to procure some coffee and we headed out.

I would like to give some kudos to this theater…it was BEAUTFUL. It was so colorful and fun, neon lights, patterned carpets, and even every toilet paper dispenser in the restroom was a different color that matched the confetti colored tiles. It was breathtaking. It was like stepping into 1996 and I was here for it.

While enjoying the sights we meandered down the deep hallway to watch the film. This is the 2nd time we’ve seen it, the first was in a decommissioned regular IMAX (big picture?) and we we surprised out how fast the film felt, at a nearly 3 hour runtime you would think we would be shifting in our seats for the movie to be done but each time we both could have sat there for probably another hour. This film envelops you and time just evaporates. Seeing it a second time I was really able to focus on some details and even notice some things that I missed the first time.

 
 

The theater was basically sold out at 8 in the morning and this theater of people locked in. Unfortunately the person next to me seemed to suffer from restless leg syndrome so my 70 mm IMAX experience also had a 4DX experience added to it for free. The dude was shaking my seat so bad but what am I going to do? He probably felt terrible.

After the film we got to take a bit of a detour behind the theater. They have a booth with windows where you can see the actual film, film case, and projectors used for the 70mm movie. It was so cool to see. They also had a poster where you could put a pin from where you were from to see The Odyssey in this format.

We took a photobooth photo to commemorate the occasion and then went on a tiny Grand Rapids adventure. We went to Rise (a vegan bakery!), several 2nd hand media stores, and I even got to see this crazy ass Castle apartment complex that one of my friends did a PowerPoint on and it felt famous to me. I also saw this really cool Potato Chip Ad but were were driving by so fast that I was only able to capture a blur as we drove by. It was such a fun Monday.

Favorite Movies I watched in May

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It’s June while I’m writing this and I have been to the movie theater so many times. The MOVIES ARE BACK BABY.

With that being said my highest rated movies are all 4.5/5 stars this month. I was able to watch 26 movies in May which felt great.

High Noon (1952): Western Thriller is right. This was such a good watch. I really felt the passing of the time in the town and the increasing desperation of the Marshall as his town basically leaves him high and dry. Riveting.

Hokum (2026): A movie theater watch with some new movie friends! This was such a creepy vibe. I really appreciate how grounded in realism this was with just a touch of folklore horror. Adam Scott in elevators, who’d have thought it would be such a great thing.

How to Be Alone (2019): A short film with my Scream Queen Maika Monroe. A very good short watch with enough creepy vibes to make it really off putting but not too offputting.

My Blueberry Nights (2007): We had to really get going on watching some Wong Kar Wai because a bunch of his stuff we don’t own was leaving the Criterion Channel and we had to get it done. I’m so glad we started our Wong Kar journey. Apparently My Blueberry nights is one of his most least liked films and I loved it and then I loved the next one and I think I’m probably going to keep loving them all. This one was fun to start with because it was an English Speaking cast and it was such a sweet love story. I could have done without Natalie Portman’s character plot but on the whole, perfect.

The Hand (2004): Another Wong Kar Wai after we watched this one I asked my partner if they were all going to be melancholy and sad and he was like, I’m pretty sure that’s what the director is known for. So I have a bunch more of that to look forward to!

I haven’t’ been doing the special shout out to the worst film of the month (it felt bad sometimes because I know that people work hard on films) but the one I watched was so egregiously bad that even a Blank Check Commentary Podcast couldn’t save it and that was The Love Guru (2008). I gave that bitch half a star and it should thank me.

Movies I Watched and Books I Read, April Edition

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April has been a rough month for media consumptions so I thought I would combine the posts. I’m watching and reading things but it’s either slow going or mediocre so *shrugs*

Movies in April:

The Drama, 2026 (4 Stars): Boy Howdy, what did I walk into in the theater for this? It was cu-razy. I had no idea about anything when we went, we just wanted to go to a movie. All I have to say is Rachel is the worst.

Mortal Kombat, 2021 (4 Stars): A re-watch with some Blank Check commentary! The new one is coming out soon (With Karl Urban!) and we are very excited. It was such a new and fun adaptation I’m really holding out hope for the sequel.

The Mask, 1994 (4 Stars): You know what…physical comedy is KING. You do not get any better than that.

Books in April:

Eric by Terry Pratchett (1990): We got another Rincewind Novel! Always fun but probably not my favorite going forward.

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami (2008): This one is a story in 2 parts and I really enjoyed the first part but it truly lost me on the second part. I ended up finishing it because it is beautifully written, the story was just not my jam. I’m going to end up selling this one.

The X-Files Comic Collection 1 (1995): Purchased from the craziest little comic book/ vinyl record store in the backwoods of Pennsylvania. We’ve been watching the X-files off and on for a year plus now and are truly enjoying it so I thought I would indulge in a trade paperback collection. A little disappointed that it had to do with Mulder’s sister. It’s not my favorite story arc in the tv show either.

This Star Won’t Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl (2014): This was an almost DNF, I don’t regret finishing this story because it’s such an important history to the Nerdfiteria lore but I do have some problems with some items in the book that I’ll keep to myself. I did cry though because a child shouldn’t have to die from cancer.

I never know what movies we are going to watch next but we have some movies in the theater I want to see and have plans on going on a double date soon (gasp!) with another movie loving couple I’ve recently befriended.

As for books, I’m slowly working on the Haruki Murakami book, Moving Pictures by T. Pratchett, and a couple shorter reads in the pipeline to make some progress on the old bookshelf.

Who Did it Better?

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With as many movies we watch, my partner and I notice many things. Actors who tend to work with the same directors, which composers produce different scores and their similar sounds, and which DOP does a movie (Looking at you, Dean Cundy). But sometimes we notice something just silly.

Exhibit A:

Jeff Goldblum!

Argubly the most recognizable pose an actor has ever done that’s been captured on film.

Exhibit B:

Ernie Hudson!

What we have is Ernie Hudson in 1989’s film LEVIATHAN. Predating Jurassic Park but several years.

Ernie here did it first but who did it better?

Movies I watched in March

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5 Stars

Watchmen (2009) : A re-watch with my brother while he was in town. He had never seen it and I really had to rectify this. Still holds up and guess what, I like it more than the comic. The ending makes more sense, fight me.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) : Also another re-watch with my brother. He has never seen any Wes Anderson and was interested and we’ve been wanting to start a Wes re-watch anyhow. He was surprised at how “not funny” it was. It’s not a knock he just thought Wes was more light hearted, which he definitely gets in his later filmography but there is still a lot of feelings in his movies. Still an amazing movie and I kind of like a more serious Wes.

4.5 Star

Project Hail Mary (2026) : I have not read this book (YET) but this movie was so much fun. A way more light hearted “Arrival” but also maybe I need an excuse to cry and want to watch “Arrival” now.

Hoppers (2026): After a few sleepy Pixar movies I’m glad to say that they hit it real good with this one. My favorite bit is how the animal have beady eyes every time we are looking at them through a human’s vision.

Lilo & Stitch (2002) : There can only be one and it’s this one. After we watched this and so thoroughly enjoyed it we put on the live action for like, 15 minutes, just to see, and oh my god what a travesty. And I am someone who at least liked the live action Aladdin. Original is smart comedy, beautiful animation, heartfelt, and doesn’t treat their audience like fools.

Special Shout Out to:

The Lawnmower Man (1992) : I gave this movie 4 Stars but this is one of the most balls to the wall craziest films I’ve every watched. We have dirtbag Pierce Brosnan, someone who went FULL Simple Jack, and some very early 3D animation that is just a wonderful time capsule of the early 90’s computer animation era. those parts reminded me of a crazed “Reboot” episode.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

Jobe: “...my birth cry will be the sound of every phone on this planet ringing in unison.”

Jobe: “I saw God! I touched God!”

Dr. Lawrence Angelo: “Jobe, listen to yourself right now. The first sign of psychosis is a Christ complex.”

Jobe Smith: “CyberChrist.”

Why wouldn’t I love this?

Movies I watched in February

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Not a very exciting month for movies, unfortunately. Some decent ones nothing too terrible.

4.5 Stars

Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993): The tonal shift of the TV shows, OVAs, and then the movies gives me absolute whiplash but I love all three equally and distinctly. the movies are SO SERIOUS. Go watch a TV episode and then a movie, I dare you.

4 Stars

Witness (1985) : I think I saw part of this film as a kid, just the opening in the bathroom and it stuck with me all these years later. A very good film and the high regards are well deserved! Also kind of a crazy score for a movie about the Amish?

The Help (2011): Re-read the book recently so I could watch the movie again. I know this movie is problematic but the acting performances are just so top notch. Every actress just knocks it out of the park. I stan Jessica Chastain.

Bugonia (2025): I was so scared to watch this film, so scared. In this day and age and with the trailer the way it was edited….ugh, I was so worried going into this film. The worries were unfounded, it was rough to watch in a few spots but it really defied my expecations. Jesse Plemons was Oscar snubbed for this.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001): “Welcome to the City of Atlantis!” A welcome re-watch on our Disney Journey. The art in this is just so good and so sharp (literally, everything feels sharp) and I miss Michael J. Fox, the man is so affable even his voice is affable.

Favorite Movies of January, 2026

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The movies will never stop. In 2024, I watched 327 films and in 2025, I watched 274. There was a significant drop but that is because we have added “Anime Wednesdays” and TV show Sundays and the current watch is X-Files. We’ve also fallen very hard into Task Master and when we end up eating late or are frazzled from the day we have had we do a Task Master Night. The movies though, they are always there.

5 Stars

They Live, 1988. We watched this on the first of the year with a friend who had never seen it. Seems appropriate for the times.

Together, 2025. Literally had me screaming, will not watch again. Excellent film.

Patlabor: The Movie, 1989. Robots and Biblical allegories.

4.5 Stars

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, 2026. Very much falling in love with this series. Which is surprising. The road to Horror film love has been long and arduous.

Outland, 1981. Space Crime Thriller. Do you actually need more?

Marty Supreme, 2025. I don’t know how I feel about Timothee Chalamet but the boy can act.

The Virgin Suicides, 1999. Pretty faithful adaptation of the book, a little uneven in places but wow, that soundtrack.

My Top 5 Movies of January 2024

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Much like the rest of the internet, I’ve created a LetterBoxd account to track and rate movies I’ve been watching. I started it last October so my end of the year results were a little skewed since I watch Horror movies in October. I have a nice clean slate for 2024 though and thought it might be fun to talk about my favorite movies each month.

Charade (5 Stars)

I’ve been watching a lot of Audrey Hepburn and enjoying her movies A LOT. This movie was a fun caper and with her costarring with Cary Grant? I wish more had been made with the two of them together. I’ve always loved Cary from Arsenic and Old Lace and the more movies I see with him the more I fall in love.

The Batman (5 Stars)

I did not appreciate this movie as much when I first saw it but it has definitely grown on me more and more. I do hope in the next one that we get to see a bit more Bruce Wayne or if not give me all of the grappling gun,

Poor Things (5 Stars)

I know this movie is a little controversial with people but I truly enjoyed the performances, the costumes, the music, and the settings. It was a visual and auditorial feast.

Anatomy of a Fall (5 Stars)

I’d love to see the French judicial system happen in America. Just a little.

Also the most realistic depiction of an argument between a couple ever to grace a film screen. Intense. Uncomfortable. Perfect.

The Holdovers (4.5 Stars)

I’ve been on the search for actual good Christmas movies. It’s a difficult task. So many are just trite basura.

This is not one of them. Imperfect characters with their own realistic baggage and nothing in common forced to come together for the holidays. I was rooting for all of them by the end and while I don’t want a sequel I do wonder how the characters end up.

Bonus: Worst Movie of January 2024

Fantastic 4, 2015 (2 Stars)

Yikes.

I was catching up on a lot of missed comic book movies and ended up watching this and I gave it 2 stars for Michael B Jordan basically.