I’ve been loving my summer vacation! I have had ample time to explore various books, movies, and shows, and improve myself. There were some true bangers this month, and I hope I can adequately talk about them.
This is how I rate things!
- No redeeming qualities whatsoever, visually, aesthetically, or as a story.
- It was so boring I could barely pay attention, or it frustrated me SO much I couldn’t finish.
- I had a headache, but I somehow made it through. This category is also for when I absolutely DESPISE something I’ve watched or read.
- I could make fun of it because of how bad it is or because it lacks any real merit.
- It’s not good, it’s not bad. It’s just blah.
- There were various interesting aspects, but nothing to really gush about.
- A solid story. Good characters, plot, and visuals. However, it’s not amazing.
- I genuinely enjoyed watching/reading it. I could see/read it again with friends.
- A great experience! As a film/show, it is visually stunning and has an incredible story that I could go back to multiple times. As a book, I could do the same.
- Near Perfect (nothing is perfect.) It has become one of my favorites. I could also write entire articles on it.
Books
The Warrior’s Path (1980), 8.5/10
Filled with exciting tales of the frontier, the chronicle of the Sackett family is perhaps the crowning achievement of one of our greatest storytellers.In The Warrior’s Path, Louis L’Amour tells the story of Yance and Kin Sackett, two brothers who are the last hope of a young woman who faces a fate worse than death.
When Yance Sackett’s sister-in-law is kidnapped, he and Kin race north from Carolina to find her. They arrive at a superstitious town rife with rumors—and learn that someone very powerful was behind Diana’s disappearance. To bring the culprit to justice, one brother must sail to the exotic West Indies.
There, among pirates, cutthroats, and ruthless “businessmen,” he will apply the skills he learned as a frontiersman to an unfamiliar world—a world
I appreciated this novel because it talked about the “white slave trade,” undisclosed in most U.S. History classes. I learned about this subject two or so years ago and was flabbergasted because NO one ever told me about it, not even my college professors. This is baffling to me because it was a real and tragic problem.
Anyway, I’m just a genuine fan of Historical fiction DONE RIGHT, with characters who represent the best in humanity. I would definitely read this if you’re interested in early American history.
Ghost Hunter’s Daughter (2020), 7/10
Claire doesn’t believe in ghosts, even though her dad is a ghost hunter on TV. But then her dad disappears. And a strange boy in her class, Lucas, knows something about ghosts. One of them has a message for her: Her dad has been taken, and he’s in grave danger.
Together, Claire and Lucas set out for the town of Hush Falls, where her dad was last seen. Legend says that a tall man in a dark tattered coat lurks near the local reservoir, and anyone who gets too close to old Lemuel Hush is never heard from again.
Claire and Lucas are determined to rescue her father. But how can they save him from the ghost of Hush when everyone knows that seeing the ghost means that you’re destined to die…
I finally found this book in a thrift store a few months back after waiting so long to get it on Libby. My verdict? It was okay. If I were younger, perhaps between 10 and 14, I would have really liked the mystery. AS an adult, it was okay overall.
Frankenstein (1818), 10/10
Obsessed with creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life with electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear. Mary Shelley’s chilling Gothic tale was conceived when she was only eighteen, living with her lover Percy Shelley near Byron’s villa on Lake Geneva. It would become the world’s most famous work of horror fiction, and remains a devastating exploration of the limits of human creativity.
Although I’m still technically reading this, I’m loving this nostalgia trip. This is still one of my favorite books after all these years, and I’m eating up every. . . single. . . page. I will defend this classic novel till I die!
Furthermore (2016), 10/10
There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it’s been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she’s about to embark on one to find the other.
But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she’ll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. It will take all of Alice’s wits (and every limb she’s got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.
When I need a pick-me-up, I reach for this book. Bronson Pinchot is one of my favorite narrators, and it’s nice to fall into a quirky children’s fantasy with relatable, flawed, yet beautiful characters.
Webtoons/Manga
Author of My Own Destiny (2021),6.5/10
Evil mage Fiona Green was destined to die at the hands of the protagonist couple in “The Emperor and the Saint.” That is, until the story’s author became Fiona herself! Though mistreated, cast out by her pompous family and thrown into the battle at Heylon, Fiona is determined to use her magic for good. But things take a rather unexpected turn when she rescues the male lead, Siegren, turning him from foe to friend… Will she successfully rewrite her fate without changing the story’s happy ending?
What a ride! I followed this series until the bitter end, and I think it was… fine. It started falling apart two-thirds of the way through, but at least the art was nice. I honestly forgot much of the plot… so I probably won’t read it again.
Happy Cafe (2005), 8/10
Uru is a very short girl and is constantly mistaken for an elementary school kid, but despite that, she is ridiculously strong and decides to live by herself after her mother gets remarried. She ends up working at a small cafe with two rather unique co-workers, Shindou, who acts gruff and intimidating, but who is really a nice guy who loves to make cakes and pies and the like, and Ichirou, who is really good-looking but who instantly falls asleep when he gets hungry and doesn’t wake up again until he’s force-fed something? What will the future bring to them?
I was pleasantly surprised reading this series again! I thought I’d outgrow it, but I still love its off-beat humor and cheesy love story. There isn’t much drama, and I genuinely wish I could just go into the book and eat cake.
Silver Spoon (2011), 10/10
Yuugo Hachiken has spent every waking moment of his life studying in order to achieve the highest grades in school. Finally cracking under the pressure of his parents’ expectations for success, Yuugo decides to leave his city life and enroll in the rural Ooezo Agricultural High School. However, he has absolutely no experience with farming!
Attempting to utilize the skills he has built through studying, Yuugo begins to pursue the true meaning of having a dream and perhaps discover his own along the way. But life is not as simple as it seems to be, and Yuugo must learn that hardship may appear when you least expect it.
No surprise here. . . I loved this series. I finally finished it after all this time, and it made me ponder how our food industry works. More than anything, I want to go to this school and buy the fresh products they sell! I’ve been really into holistic eating lately and wish I could try the amazing things they make. It also helped me realize I can’t be a vegetarian.
Clover Under Foot, 6/10
Dogs, cats, rabbits, tigers, and foxes exist in this world. Everything was chosen in the past and nothing has changed since.
…
Is it true that nothing has changed?
[Mutant] A ‘breed’ the world has ignored and refused to accept. To those who justify their beliefs and kept their eyes shut, they are none other than existences that go against the ‘rules.’This story is about those whose identities are mixed.
I don’t really know what constitutes a mutant in this story. But I loved that this story tried to code interracial marriage into its story without being overbearing or preachy.
I wouldn’t say it’s GOOD. But it isn’t bad.
The Secret of My Brother’s Friend, 5/10
When low-ranking noble Lucia’s fiancé suddenly ends their engagement to marry her cousin, she’s left with quite the dilemma—being invited that very wedding! Unable to refuse, and with her brother too busy to attend and offer support, he asks his friend Phill, a soldier currently on leave, to accompany her instead. But as the days unfold, she sees there’s more to Phill than meets the eye! A broken engagement is only the beginning to this sugary-sweet Cinderella love story!
Synopsis via comikey
Wow, it’s a bad sign if I don’t really remember the story. I think there was a prince who liked this girl for a long time… and she grew veggies. Yeah, it’s gone.
The Cafe Owner is an S-Class Guide (2024), 7.5/10
A newly awakened guide slash cafe owner fights an uphill battle trying to protect her business from a handsome yet explosive esper, who finds both her and her powers as addicting as caffeine.
Synopsis via TappyToon
This COULD be a good story. I have no idea yet. So far, the male lead isn’t a total yandere or psycho, so that is a good sign. Somehow. I do like the art, so I’ll keep reading just to see where this story takes me.
Movies
House of Wax (1953), 7.5/10
Professor Henry Jarrod is a true artist whose wax sculptures are lifelike. He specializes in historical tableau’s such a Marie Antoinette or Joan of Arc. His business partner, Matthew Burke, needs some of his investment returned to him and pushes Jarrod to have more lurid exposés like a chamber of horrors. When Jarrod refuses, Burke set the place alight destroying all of his beautiful work in the hope of claiming the insurance.
Jarrod is believed to have died in the fire but he unexpectedly reappears some 18 months later when he opens a new exhibit. This time, his displays focus on the macabre but he has yet to reproduce his most cherished work, Marie Antoinette. When he meets his new assistant’s beautiful friend, Sue Allen, he knows he’s found the perfect model – only unbeknown to anyone, he has a very particular way of making his wax creations.
I don’t have much experience with Vincent Price outside of The Great Mouse Detective (1986), The Thief and the Cobbler (1993), and Edward Scissorhands (1990). So, I went on a journey into the realms of corny horror and found this gem. Is it a perfect film? Nah. But did I have a great time watching it? Sure! I liked how much work the creators put into the costume and set design, and did think it was somewhat creepy.
The House on Haunted Hill (1959), 7/10
Eccentric millionaire Fredrick Loren and his 4th wife, Annabelle, have invited 5 people to the house on Haunted Hill for a “Haunted House” party. Whoever will stay in the house for one night will earn ten thousand dollars each. As the night progresses, all the guests are trapped inside the house with ghosts, murderers, and other terrors.
This film, however, was a bit of a letdown. The one part I like was with the skeleton puppet coming out of the acid. Why didn’t the bones melt along with the string, too? Who knows. . . It was like Scooby Doo in the haunted mansion without the humor or likeable characters.
The Masque of the Red Death (1964), 6/10
The evil Prince Prospero is riding through a Catania village when he sees that the peasants are dying of the Red Death plague. Prospero asks to burn down the village and he is offended by the villagers, Gino and his father-in-law, Ludovico and decides to kill them, but Gino’s wife, the young and beautiful Francesca, begs for the lives of her husband and her father, and Prospero brings them alive to his castle, expecting to corrupt Francesca.
Prospero worships Satan and invites his noble friends to stay in his castle, which is a shelter of depravity against the plague. When Prospero invites his guests to attend a masked ball he sees a red-hooded stranger and he believes that Satan himself has attended his party. But soon he learns who his mysterious guest is.
This… was painful to watch. I liked Vincent just fine, but the plot was ALL over the place. The original Edgar Allan Poe short story doesn’t have TOO much going on, but at least it was haunting and impactful. This movie was all spectacle and no substance. It tried to be edgy in all the wrong ways, and by the end, my brother and I looked at each other confused and gave up on Vincent Price for a while.
The Haunting (1963), 8/10
Dr. Markway, doing research to prove the existence of ghosts, investigates Hill House, a large, eerie mansion with a lurid history of violent death and insanity. With him are the skeptical young Luke, who stands to inherit the house, the mysterious and clairvoyant Theodora and the insecure Eleanor, whose psychic abilities make her feel somehow attuned to whatever spirits inhabit the old mansion. As time goes by it becomes obvious that they have gotten more than they bargained for as the ghostly presence in the house manifests itself in horrific and deadly ways.
Just like the book it’s based on, The Haunting at Hill House (1959) this story feels SICK. It didn’t scare me. It made me feel like I needed to purge my soul. So I watched Bluey until the feeling passed. Is this a well-made, freaky movie? OH YEAH. If you like horror, please give this a watch!
Carnival of Souls (1962), 8.5/10
Mary Henry is enjoying the day by riding around in a car with two friends. When challenged to a drag, the women accept, but are forced off of a bridge. It appears that all are drowned, until Mary, quite some time later, amazingly emerges from the river. After recovering, Mary accepts a job in a new town as a church organist, only to be dogged by a mysterious phantom figure that seems to reside in an old run-down pavilion. It is here that Mary must confront the personal demons of her spiritual insouciance.
This film is severely underrated. Out of all the horror movies we watched this month, this is the one that actually got me thinking. What I wish, though, is that it were… a silent film. It would have been better as a silent film, especially with its janky movement and long spaces without dialogue. It had a shoestring budget, but despite all it had going against it, it still managed to tell a truly haunting story.
WALL-E (2008), 9.5/10
WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying up the planet, one piece of garbage at a time. But during 700 years, WALL-E has developed a personality, and he’s more than a little lonely. Then he spots EVE, a sleek and shapely probe sent back to Earth on a scanning mission. Smitten WALL-E embarks on his greatest adventure yet when he follows EVE across the galaxy.
Still a great movie! Not much more I need to say about it.
Plan Nine From Outer Space (1957), 3/10 Quality, 8/10 Enjoyment
In California, an old man (Bela Lugosi) grieves the loss of his wife (Vampira) and on the next day he also dies. However, the space soldier Eros and his mate Tanna use an electric device to resurrect them both and the strong Inspector Clay who was murdered by the couple. Their intention is not to conquer Earth but to stop mankind from developing the powerful bomb “Solaranite” that would threaten the universe. When the population of Hollywood and Washington D.C. sees flying saucers in the sky, a colonel, a police lieutenant, a commercial pilot, his wife and a police officer attempt to stop the aliens.
Don’t let the poster fool you. This is an awful movie with egregious pacing, wooden acting, and a plot so full of holes it could be a block of Swiss cheese. Do I still like watching it? Oh yeah! It is so stupid, it is one of the best accidental comedies I’ve ever seen.
The Changling (1980), 8.5/10
It was the perfect family vacation for composer John Russell and his family when a freak automobile accident claims the lives of his wife and daughter. Consumed by grief, John, at the request of friends, rents an old turn of the century house. Mammoth in size, the house seems all the room that John needs to write music and reflect. He does not realize that he is not alone in the house. He shares it with the spirit of a child who has homed in on John’s despair and uses him to uncover decades of silence and deceit. With the help of Claire Norman, the one who aided John in procuring the house, they race to find the answers and soon learn that a devious and very powerful man guards them.
This was an unexpectedly great film! It was in a random list of forgotten horror movies, so Marty and I decided to give it a go. I wasn’t scared as much as I was intrigued by the whole mystery. It brings into question topics like infanticide, stolen identity, and finding peace in times of trial. I wish it’s ending tied together better to the beginning scene with the pianist’s family’s death.
Karate Kid: Legends (2025), 8/10
When kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) relocates to New York City with his mother to attend a prestigious new school, he finds solace in a new friendship with a classmate and her father. But his newfound peace is short-lived after he attracts unwanted attention from a formidable local karate champion. Driven by a desire to defend himself, Li embarks on a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition. Guided by the wisdom of his kung fu teacher, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), and the legendary Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Li merges their unique styles to prepare for an epic martial arts showdown.
Synopsis via IMBD
I might be a random weirdo, but I liked this movie. It isn’t groundbreaking, but I like the overall choreography and story. Sorry if this offends someone. Would I see it again? Hmmm. . . . not until I see all the other movies and the Cobra Kai (2018) show.
Mothra (1961), 4/10
Shipwreck survivors are found on Infant Island, which was presumed uninhabited due to Rolisican atomic tests. Investigating the case is reporter Zenichiro “Snapping Turtle” Fukuda and his photographer Michi. The castaways attribute their survival to a special juice created by the natives of the island which leads to a joint expedition of Rolisican and Japanese scientists.
Fukuda stows away on the expedition, which is headed by linguist Shinichi Chujo and Clark Nelson, an exploitative Rolisican businessman. The group encounters two tiny twin girls that Fukuda dubs the Shobijin, who worship the island’s mythical deity named Mothra. After Nelson kidnaps the tiny fairies and beings to exploit them for profit, Mothra sets out on a journey to rescue them.
The dub for this film was comically terrible! Plus, I laughed in all the wrong places. Like, when Mothra was born from a volcano, when a little boy got attacked by thugs, or when one of the main characters died. I didn’t understand this film’s convoluted plot and wanted it to be over after 20 minutes. Plus, the Mothra song made me break down in tears… from laughing so hard!
King Kong (1933), 7.5/10
Carl Denham needs to finish his movie and has the perfect location: Skull Island. But he still needs to find a leading lady. This ‘soon-to-be-unfortunate’ soul is Ann Darrow. No one knows what they will encounter on this island and why it is so mysterious, but once they reach it, they will soon find out. Living on this hidden island is a giant gorilla and this beast now has Ann in its grasps. Carl and Ann’s new love, Jack Driscoll, must travel through the jungle looking for Kong and Ann, while avoiding all sorts of creatures and beasts.
The poor female lead had no luck with men in this film. All the men in this movie were awful misogynists, but at least they didn’t try to peel her clothes off in a love cave. King Kong had the muscles and size to get away with it. Also, how the heck did he find the female lead in New York City with all those people? He must have memorized her scent. . . yeah. . . don’t think about it too hard. (King Kong is a major pervert. Why does no one talk about that?)
That aside, I loved this movie’s claymation special effects and iconic scene in New York City. I was not bored in the least.
Tarantula (1955), 5/10
In the Arizona desert, Professor Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll) is experimenting with growth hormones in the hopes of finding a way to increase the world’s food supply. His partner in the project was recently found dead in the desert, suffering from a disease that normally takes years to advance, but, in his case, seems to have afflicted him in only a few days. The local doctor, Matt Hastings (John Agar), is puzzled by the strange case and, with Deemer’s recently arrived (and very pretty) assistant, Stephanie “Steve” Clayton (Mara Corday), tries to figure out what is going on. When cattle remains are found in the countryside, evidence points to a giant tarantula as the culprit.
What a stupid, convoluted movie. For a movie with a giant spider, there wasn’t enough giant spider. Plus, what did the growth serum have ANYTHING to do with animals growing big? It was like Lovecraft’s Alex Croft from The Reanimator (1922) took stupid pills while trying to bring the dead back to life.
Cat People (1942), 7/10
Serbian national Irena Dubrovna, a fashion sketch artist, has recently arrived in New York for work. The first person who she makes a personal connection with there is marine engineer Oliver Reed. The two fall in love and get married despite Irena’s reservations, not about Oliver but about herself. She has always felt different than other people, but has never been sure why. She lives close to the zoo, and unlike many of her neighbors is comforted by the sounds of the big cats emanating from the zoo. And although many see it purely as an old wives’ tale, she believes the story from her village of ancient residents being driven into witchcraft and evil doing, those who managed to survive by escaping into the mountains
This isn’t a horror movie. It is a family drama film with a stupid excuse for a male lead. That aside, this was a genuine film that was more about women’s roles in marriage. The female lead did NOTHING WRONG, and I’m glad the psychologist got torn to shreds in the end.
Doctor X (1932), 5/10
A monster lurks as New York newspaperman Lee Taylor investigates one of the “Moon Killer” murders, in which the victims are strangled, cannibalized and surgically incised under the light of the full moon. The trail leads to the cliffside mansion of Dr. Xavier, where the doctor and his colleagues conduct a strange experiment.
“SYNTHETIC FLESH!” This movie had a tonal problem. On the one hand, it wanted to be a creepy expressionist film. On the other hand, it wanted to be a mystery comedy. It failed at both. The male lead was like a teenager pretending to have a legitimate job. Also, the main villain made things with SYNTHETIC FLESH! That was dumb.
This is also a film that would have been better silent. But for different reasons.
Shows
Mr. Villain’s Day Off (2025), 7/10
As a member of a malevolent organization, the General is tasked with invading Earth and wiping out humanity. Even an extraterrestrial being like him, however, needs a chance to rest.
Not even the Rangers—a team solely dedicated to defeating the General and his colleagues—will stand in the way of him visiting pandas at the zoo, buying ice cream at the convenience store, and enjoying his well-deserved day off from committing evil deeds.
Well, this show isn’t bad. I like the cute pandas and any scene with the General guy fanboying over said pandas. I don’t get how he could be so nice but. . . want to kill everyone one earth? It’s a “wholesome” story with a main character who wants to take over the world for real. I can’t fully root for him and his organization, knowing this.
Pluto (2024), 10/10
Gesicht, an android police detective of Europol, is tasked with finding the murderer of Montblanc, a retired war hero robot. Although it appears that only a robot could have committed this crime, the murder of a renowned robot rights activist casts doubts on the criminal’s identity. Indeed, outside of an isolated and unexplained incident that occurred eight years ago, robots are programmed to be unable to kill human beings. However, the lack of human evidence on the crime scene and the similarity of modus operandi lead Gesicht to suspect that the two murderers might be the same being—be they man or robot.
Shortly after Montblanc’s passing, another retired elite war robot is mysteriously eliminated. Gesicht notices a pattern in the choice of murder victim: both dead robots belonged to a group of the seven most powerful war machines ever designed. Determined to stop the murderer from eliminating the five remaining veterans, Gesicht seeks help from Atom, a cutting-edge android who resembles a human boy. The duo must now hunt down the rogue killer before the series of murders is carried on, lest the very fabric of society suffer irremediable damage.
Synopsis via Myanimelist
Wow, just wow. I haven’t been as drawn into a story (visual or written) for a LONG time. I need to read this author’s other works, like 20th Century Boys and Monster, now. I watched this show super fast and cared deeply for EVERY character. I also think it’s fitting that the author wrote this Astro Boy tribute near the Iraq War. Also “Cherished Memories” is one of the most beautiful piano pieces I’ve heard in a LONG time. I’m learning it on the piano now.
Tastfully Yours (2025), 7/10
Depicts the story of Han Beom U, the successor of a large food company, who runs the best fine dining restaurant in Seoul but has no interest in ‘taste’, and Mo Yeon Ju, a chef crazy about ‘taste’ who runs a one-table restaurant without a sign in a remote corner of the countryside. They grow together and fall in love while running a small restaurant in the city of Miraek, Jeonju.
Synopsis via Mydramalist
This show lacked substance. Plus, the male lead’s hair had all the style of crappy boyfriends in other dramas. That aside, I liked the overall ambiance and look of the food and restaurant.
I will say, the opening was so cute and well-animated, it’s going into my favorites from this year!
The Amazing Digital Circus (2023), 9/10
The Amazing Digital Circus is a psychological dark comedy about cute cartoon characters who hate their lives and want to leave 🎪😀
Synopsis via YouTube
No surprise here, I like this show! It is on YouTube and I think. . . Netflix. I love what it represents for animation as a whole. Disney and Illumination Studios lack creativity, and most animation studios treat their artists like crap. So, I love it when independent, non-corporate animation studios get popular like this! So much love and care went into the story, characters, and animation, and I hope it ends well.
I probably read and saw more… but it’s lost to time for now. If I think of any others, I’ll put them into my July list. For now, thanks for reading!
From the Perspective of an Old Soul 