MY NEW THOUGHTS ON REBECCA

On numerous occasions, I have hailed Rebecca as one of my favorite books and a Classic I would recommend to covert Classic-haters. Four years after my initial reading, I have a newfound appreciation for the writing and a better understanding of the protagonist, but my qualms with the development were amplified. It pains to me say this, especially since I've praised it for so long and my respect for it, but it can be a real bore! 

On another note, I've also done a little more research on Daphne du Maurier. I found this article from The Guardian, which will open in a new window, incredibly fascinating. Reading this article affected how I read and interpreted Mrs. Danver's spiel after the ball, giving me a whole new perspective on the characters and the author.

REWATCHING GHIBLI IIX, IX, X + BONUS

Pom Poko

I remembered this strange movie as raccoons who can transform with their scrotums hanging out. Even as a child, I got the message of protecting the environment and considering the impact one has on other living creatures: they lay it on pretty thick. With this viewing, which took me most of the day, I didn't feel anything new or develop a newfound appreciation for it as I have for other films. I was amused by the tanuki's antics and dazzled by the animations during the parade full of Japanese mythological figures, but it wasn't exciting or ground-breaking throughout. The plot became repetitive and depressing because of their repeated failures. And when the ending came, it felt sudden and rushed. Am I missing something? It felt like a defeat. Well, it was a defeat after all... This movie is bittersweet: it has adorable and hilarious raccoons, but its final message was, "even if you start paying attention now, it's too late. You should have recognized earlier." 

ENJOYING TV FOR ONCE

As someone that has boldly claimed to hate TV and prefer movies over in this post, I would like to take back my words because I have recently and immensely enjoyed one, and I mildly enjoyed another one, but we'll get to that later.