We watch movies for different reasons—sometimes to go on a journey, sometimes to fall in love, and sometimes to scare our pants off. Horror Film Spotlight focuses on the ones that keep us up at night, whether they star restless ghosts or psychotic ax murderers. Some are spooky and some are gory, but they’re all full of that shadow-in-the-doorway, voice-in-the-dark sense that something’s just not quite right. And what’s scarier than that?
From the film’s first moments, it’s clear that not everyone will be making it off the train to Busan alive. First to die (excluding one scene-stealing zombified deer) is a woman who sneaks on board seconds before the train departs from the station. The horde she creates forces surviving passengers to barricade themselves in a single car as their country collapses thanks to the fast-moving virus. Survivor Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) is a pragmatic workaholic bent on saving only himself and his daughter, Soo-an (Kim Su-an). Soo-an isn’t nearly so selfish: thanks to her, Seok-woo forms tentative alliances with other passengers, including a no-nonsense working-class couple (Ma Dong-seok and Jung Yu-mi) and two high schoolers (Choi Woo-shik and Ahn So-hee). Despite Seok-woo’s best efforts, the group draws together as the train carries them toward their last hope, the quarantined city of Busan.
Why You Should Watch It
Train to Busan is basically World War Z—action-packed and full of some damn speedy zombies—but with a far deeper emotional core. Whatever his faults, Seok-woo loves his daughter. In the end, his love redeems him. The film does hammer in its message (selfishness is never okay, even in a train full of zombies) hard: most of the self-serving characters are guaranteed a bloody death scene. But like any good zombie movie, the body count runs high, so don’t expect the selfless characters to have it any easier. Train to Busan isn’t as sweeping as World War Z, or as gory as The Walking Dead, but it holds its own as a terrifying, touching story of family, friendship, and zombies.
We watch movies for different reasons—sometimes to go on a journey, sometimes to fall in love, and sometimes to scare our pants off. Horror Film Spotlight focuses on the ones that keep us up at night, whether they star restless ghosts or psychotic ax murderers. Some are spooky and some are gory, but they’re all full of that shadow-in-the-doorway, voice-in-the-dark sense that something’s just not quite right. And what’s scarier than that?
Meet Lily Saylor. She’s a shy, intensely awkward, and easily frightened nurse who has accepted what is possibly the worst job for an awkward and easily frightened nurse: she works as a live-in caretaker to a long-retired author of ghost stories. The author, Iris Blum, insists on calling Lily “Polly,” a quirk that seems more sinister once Lily discovers that Polly is the protagonist of Iris’s best-known book, The Lady in the Walls. In fact, Iris claimed that Polly was not only a real person, but a ghost who haunted (and still haunts) her house. To protect her sanity, if nothing else, Lily refuses to believe that Iris’s story is anything but fiction. After all, she and the old woman live alone in the house, often going without visitors for months at a time. The idea that someone—or something—else has been watching them is more than Lily can bear.
Why You Should Watch It
Okay, here’s the thing: this film isn’t for everyone. I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House isn’t so much terrifying as it is unsettling. From the moment Lily appears onscreen, it’s obvious that something about her is just a tad bit off. Maybe it’s that she always wears white. Maybe it’s that she speaks so slowly and stiltedly that you’d think she was reading her lines out of a book. Who knows? The film is an eighty-seven-minute-long exercise in building up a mood that doesn’t necessarily answer the questions it raises. Why, exactly, did Polly die? For that matter, why did she decide to tell her story to Iris, and why does Iris mistake Lily for her? (Iris is an old woman who could simply be suffering from dementia, but is something stranger going on there?) If you’re looking for straight answers, skip this one. If, on the other hand, you like your ghost stories slow, stately, and ambiguously resolved, why not give it a try?
It is a terrible thing to look at oneself and to all the while see nothing.
Have you seen I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House? What did you think?
Take a war-torn, matriarchal version of 1900s Asia. Add a dash of steampunk, a pinch of magic, and a whole lot of horror. This is the world that Maika Halfwolf, the protagonist of Marjorie Liu’s ongoing comic series Monstress, must travel through in order to avenge her dead mother. After growing up as a prisoner of war, Maika is full of hatred and anger--and, even worse, an ancient, bloodthirsty god who lives just beneath her skin. This creature, otherwise known as a Monstrum, is both unimaginably powerful and uncontrollably hungry, and Maika’s struggle to harness its powers for good (or as close to good as it can get) is at the core of the series. Need more prompting? Here are four reasons to give Monstress a try.
During her journey, Maika meets people and creatures from all walks of life: half-animal, half-human demigods known as Arcanics, witch-nuns, talking cats, soldiers, scholars, slaves. The cast is far from whitewashed, and also diverse when it comes to age, including a centuries-old monster, a very young girl, and a teenager. (Maika is seventeen.)
Sure, they’re tons of gorgeous comics out there. It would be hard, though, to find another one this elaborate. When it comes to worldbuilding, the art does as much heavy-lifting as the text, drawing you into Maika’s frightening yet enchanting world. No detail is too small, and the Monstra are especially well-done. Sana Takeda’s illustrations show them to be both terrifying and weirdly beautiful. It’s easy to see why some Arcanics worship them.
Like creepiness and gore mixed in with your fantasy? Then Monstress is the comic for you: the fact that Maika shares her body with a ravenous Lovecraftian god makes for plenty of both. Going deeper, Monstress deals with themes—war, slavery, and genocide, to name a few—that are just as horrifying but more realistic. But despite all the blood and guts, this is not a world without hope. Even Maika, who considers herself damaged beyond saving, is capable of pity, mercy, and love.
With a mostly female cast that flips the traditional guys-to-girls ratio in fantasy, Monstress gives its characters room to grow beyond typical stereotypes, showing that women can be kind, cruel, powerful, brutal, intelligent, damaged, spiteful, innocent, moral, immoral, or somewhere in-between. Maika isn’t particularly feminine, or, at times, even particularly likable. She is, however, a complex, fully-formed character whose limitations aren’t defined by traditional gender roles. And what’s more empowering than that?
Have you read Monstress? What are some of your favorite comics?
A few weeks ago, Marvel Studios released yet another movie in their epic superhero franchise: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. This rip-roaring space opera comedy led our favorite criminals-turned-heroes to the furthest reaches of the galaxy to learn not only what it takes to be heroic but also what it means to be a family. Here's what we thought of the film.
Well. This movie destroyed me. And did it in the best possible way: with humor, tragedy, a scrappy found family, and a whole ton of awesome 80s music.
Honestly, though, my favorite thing about this was how much (and how well) it develops themes introduced in the first movie. GOTG set up its characters as not just business partners, or even friends, but as a family; GOTG Vol. 2 is all about the reality of a bunch of imperfect people trying to figure out how to be a family when some of them aren’t quite sure what “family” means and all of them are a little fuzzy on what makes a good one. And in the end, it’s not about being perfect (there’s not a single perfect relationship in Vol. 2) but about being there for each other and doing their best.
I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone who hasn’t had the chance to see it yet, but prepare for a certain character’s redemption arc (that’s as beautiful as it is unexpected), hilariously spiteful banter between Rocket and Peter, and a rainbow of incredible special effects. I can’t think of a galaxy I’d love to visit more—and that’s including Star Wars’ galaxy far, far way.
Oh, and one more thing: Baby Groot is every bit as precious as he was in the trailer. But don’t underestimate him. He’s surprisingly deadly.
If someone had told me back in 2008 that Marvel movies would not only end up in outer space but include a whole cast of characters that aren't as well known in the comic book world, I wouldn't have believed them. Yet with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, this is where we are. Not only do we have the Guardians, who weren't as well known until their first movie, but we have other smaller characters alive and breathing in the MCU: Ego, Ayesha, Mantis, and... Adam Warlock. It's incredible. It's fantastic.
That's basically how I felt about the entirety of GOTG Vol. 2: incredible and fantastic. The story is one wild ride of bizarre and hilarious, cosmic-sized events. The dialogue is perfect from Starlord calling Rocket trash panda to Rocket making fun of Taserface to Yondu's Mary Poppins comment. It has everything a comedy needs yet it's smashed together with science-fiction world-building and space opera action. It's a great follow-up to the first installment, continuing the Guardians' journey into becoming somewhat of a heroic crew while not back-tracking anything that was established in the previous film. But it goes beyond the first film as well, diving into more Guardians lore and ideas, introducing new characters, and keeping the focus on what makes the Guardians so special: family.
I liked Nebula and Gamora's strained sister-relationship, even feeling remorseful about Nebula's past, and how they eventually lean on one another. I adored Mantis. When I heard they were including her, I was excited because she was quirky in the comics, but this Mantis is even better than I imagined. She has this soft-spoken innocence and introverted outlook that I can relate to. Plus, she's just so darn cute, and her friendship with Drax was amazing. I was stunned by how much in common Rocket had with Yondu. I was not expecting 1. their connection to be so moving and powerful, 2. for there to be more to Yondu and Peter's back story, and 3. to care for Yondu at all, since I kind of hated him in the first movie because he acted like a scumbag. But by the end of the movie, I did care for him and I was sad to see him die. (Maybe Marvel will do their magical thing and bring him back, but I'm doubtful.) Baby Groot was adorable, but Teenager Groot was just hilarious. These writers, man. They nailed it.
Rocket, Drax, Baby Groot, Peter, Gamora, they were all fabulous and the story was fun. I hated Ego, which is a good thing, and I knew he wasn't good news. Poor Peter. But the part that got me the most was during the end credit scenes when they name dropped Adam, as in Adam Warlock. I was so excited I audibly gasped because it was a name I knew from the Guardians comics. I knew he was important, although my brain couldn't remember why at the moment, but after a quick search, it became apparent he's more than important, and now I'm excited to see how he will play a part with the Guardians in future movies!
Basically, Marvel, you did good. This was a fun, exciting new chapter in the Guardians of the Galaxy saga and I look forward to more films with these lovable characters. (Next time, can you bring in Cosmo and Moondragon and Jack Flag and Quasar and...)
When I watched Vol. 1, I knew nothing about Guardians of the Galaxy. What brought my attention to the film was that I knew Chris Pratt was starring in a superhero movie! However, for Vol. 2 I not only came for the Pratt, I came for the picture, and I have to say that I may actually like Vol. 2 a bit more than 1. At the very least, they’re comparable, and if I could say I enjoyed them equally, then I’d go with that.
Just like the title suggests (Vol. 2), we get an amazing score. There’s even music blasting while the guardians pummel, pulverize, or perfectly plunder from all enemies, while firing off quick, witty retorts. Just the first sequence alone warranted an applause. (Plus, baby Groot is cute!) There’s even one part in the movie (though I won’t spoil it) that promises even more music to come!
In addition to fight scenes and clever comic book tie-ins, I also enjoyed the characters! They can be quite hilarious, and I appreciated that (this makes it easy to merge with the Marvel universe), but even beyond that, the characters are something special.
The characters all fall under a trope that has always fascinated me: anti-heroes. These superheroes aren’t your typical cookie cutter, save the day individuals. In fact, they were all once criminals and, in some instances, still are... as seen early on in the movie (*sigh* Rocket). But because of this, the audience also sees the complexity of human nature (or... alien nature?) that makes itself apparent throughout the story. I’m not saying that the epic, golden boy hero is bad, just that it’s important to represent not only a hero’s strengths but also his or her faults. Makes them more relatable. And though maybe we don’t go out and steal prized galactic batteries from a crazed “perfect race,” we all have a dark side that we must live with and learn from.
Anti-heroes also strengthen another theme: the importance of family. Whether that family formed due to blood or friendship, because it means that regardless of your path, the bond should be treasured. This motley crew, criminals or not, wins the audience’s hearts because of their unwavering camaraderie.
So, *ahem*... We are Groot!
Sky Destrian
I'm in love with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. No, beyond that--I'm in love with the frickin' Guardians of the Galaxy. (Only I didn't say frickin'.)
Seriously, though, every single character in this franchise is so amazing. Every time I try to decide on my favorite, I fail. Most of the time I think it's Rocket and Groot, but then there's STARLORD, and Gamora, and... and...!!! This movie made this decision even harder because of its new characters and development of old ones. In particular, Yondu and Nebula endeared themselves to me, and I also have a new appreciation for Drax. The addition of Mantis was great as well, and I liked the enhanced role of Kraglin as well.
But what really makes this movie shine is its core Guardians, and oh my gosh, do I love them. I had forgotten how much I loved them. They are like shining stars in a sea of darkness... except they're really more like diamonds in the rough. I absolutely love that they're not perfect. That's what makes them so incredible.
One of my favorite parts of this movie is that I laughed so dang much. I don't know if I've ever laughed this much at a movie. I still smile when I think about it. This movie is my happy place.
And of course, who could forget the soundtrack?! I didn't think they could top the music of the first movie, but they absolutely did. It makes me want to dance when I hear it--it's incredible. (Bonus: I even went to Hot Topic right after and got a blanket in the shape of the Awesome Mix Vol. 2. It's very warm and snuggly. I love it.)
My absolute favorite part of this movie was Baby Groot. Every time he came on screen I had tears in my eyes from laughing and sheer adorableness. He's adorable and precious and I want to protect him from everything. Though, I think he could fight everyone for me anyway.
Another favorite part was Yondu. I was ambivalent towards him at the beginning, but by the end I was crying. I'm still heartbroken about it. (However, I laughed too. He had one of the greatest moments of the movie--Mary Poppins, anyone?)
I thought that the plot line involving Starlord's father was interesting. I knew he was a bad guy right from the start--how could you not with a name like Ego? The twist with his children was absolutely sickening. Though I did find the parts where he was talking to them from the core slightly uncomfortable, I liked the overall concept. (And the subtle face in the planet was cool.) I loved the scene where he and Peter play ball. Also, that plot twist where Ego's the one who put the tumor in Peter's mom's head? I gasped in utter shock. This movie just... got to me, guys.
That's really what it all boils down to: this movie got to me. Heart and soul. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm in love with the frickin' Guardians of the Galaxy. Every single one of them. They're not my friends. They're my family.
We watch movies for different reasons—sometimes to go on a
journey, sometimes to fall in love, and sometimes to scare our pants off.
Horror Film Spotlight focuses on the ones that keep us up at night, whether
they star restless ghosts or psychotic ax murderers. Some are spooky and some
are gory, but they’re all full of that shadow-in-the-doorway, voice-in-the-dark
sense that something’s just not quite right. And what’s scarier than that?
Pro tip: if you find a new storybook on your child’s
shelf—one that you can’t remember seeing, let alone reading, before—maybe, just
this once, a book burning is in order. But what could be dangerous about the
pop-up Mr. Babadook? Plenty, as it
turns out; after reading the book to her son Sam (Noah Wiseman), Amelia Vanek
(Essie Davis) starts sensing a new presence in her house. Unable to prove
anything to the police, she and Sam are forced to deal with disturbing phone
calls, shadowy figures, and increasingly graphic threats illustrated in the
seemingly indestructible book. Because here’s the thing about the Babadook: the
longer it’s ignored, the stronger it grows. And once you let it in, it never,
ever leaves.
Why You Should Watch It
Like our first Horror Film Spotlight, Mama, The Babadook also
delves into the darker side of motherhood. This time around, though, it’s the
human who has the problem, not the monster. Amelia loves her son, but there’s
no denying that Sam is a disturbed and off-putting kid who’s isolated his mother from
her friends and family. The true conflict of the film isn’t between Amelia and
the Babadook but between Amelia and Sam—you’ll be on the edge of your seat
wondering if they’ll team up in time to save each other. Also be on the lookout
for cool practical effects and simple-yet-eerie set designs. It’s not quite as
fast-paced as Mama, but The Babadook is just as atmospheric and
unsettling.
If it’s in a word. Or
it’s in a look. You can’t get rid of…the Babadook.
Last Friday, during the annual Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, a teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released and left fanboys and fangirls scrambling to force every bit of information out of those two glorious minutes of footage. What did we think of the trailer? Let's find out!
Anna Gensimore
This trailer caught me by surprise! I thought that they were going to wait until May 4th to release it... but I'm glad that they didn't wait.
The trailer has given me so much to think about: Why is Kylo Ren's helmet smashed? Am I getting hints about Grey Jedi? Is this what bringing balance to the force truly means??? Luke... what are you doing? Where are they that has red space dust? What's going to happen to General Organa? And most importantly... IS FINN STILL IN A COMA?
But overall, I'm hoping that Rian Johnson's contribution to the Star Wars Saga answers these questions while managing to create more. Who knows, maybe we'll get a "Rey, I am your father" moment in The Last Jedi, maybe not. Either way I am so excited!!
Oh, this is going to be fun! And so beautiful. Whatever happens in The Last Jedi (and, let’s be honest, that title does not bode well), I have the feeling that it’s going to be a wonderful ride. Here are some more thoughts, roughly in order.
Ah, it’s good to be back! Star Wars is one of my very favorite cinematic universes. So, of course, I couldn’t be more hyped about the teaser trailer release! Here’s my thoughts on it.
Of course, it’s great to see everyone again. It’s great to see Poe in action. I was afraid he would have too small a role in the film to appear in the teaser, so it’s great finding out that’s not the case.
The smashed helmet/mask. Is it Vader’s? Is it Kylo Ren’s? Who smashed it? And why?
LUKE. My son. My son is a teacher. So proud. *sniffs* Seriously, though, I cannot wait to see the training scenes between him and Rey. We’ve already seen Luke as the student, so it’ll be interesting to see what he’s like when the roles are reversed.
I’ve seen a lot of people speculating that Luke might be going to the dark side, due to his comments about the Jedi needing to end. While no one can know for sure until we see the actual movie, I really doubt that’s the case. I’ve talked a lot in previous Star Wars articles about how the Jedi are Actually Terrible. Yoda was one character in particular that I complained about in my Star Wars commentary series. Anakin most likely would never have gone to the dark side if it weren’t for Yoda’s ideological extremism – an extremism that all Jedi seem to adhere to. And I talked in a previous article about how Luke is often unfairly maligned for rebelling against Yoda’s advice and choosing instead to rescue his friends. Luke is a person who chooses love over Jedi doctrine, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he sees the Jedi as something dangerous that needs to be stopped. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out he had temporarily adopted the Jedi’s stances, failed Kylo Ren in the process, has now come back to his old mindset, and is now trying to right his wrongs by bringing a balance between light and dark through Rey. I was with him all the way in the Original Trilogy, and I have a feeling I’ll be with him in this movie too.
Speaking of the balance between light and dark, that’s another thing I’ve written about in previous articles. As a big Reylo shipper, I’ve long wondered if the struggle between the light Rey and the dark Kylo might eventually lead to some kind of balance of the Force through them. Whether it ends up validating my ship or not, this is definitely a theme I look forward to the film exploring. Anyone who, like me, has looked up the Jedi Codes will notice there is such extremism in both the Jedi and Sith ideologies. Whereas Grey Jedi have a balance I would love to see finally portrayed on screen.
Overall, I am, of course, super psyched about this movie. December can not get here fast enough!
But then, I watched it again. And again. And... too many times to keep track. Each time I watch it, I notice something new and my fears of this movie completely ripping out my heart are a little relieved. I have no doubt it will still ruin me, especially with the red logo, the foreboding title, and the glimpses of destruction that were shown in the teaser. But I also have this sense of... hope? This movie is going to change Star Wars; I can feel it. Everybody is worried about Luke because of his narration in the trailer, that the Jedi must end. But I think there's more to it. I don't believe it's Luke turning to the Dark Side and demanding the annihilation of the Jedi (which don't really exist now anyways). I think, like Izzy mentioned, that Luke is working on something more--on a balance--through Rey. And I'm stoked to find out how it all pans out.
In addition, here is a short list of my reactions to the rest of the teaser:
Sneaky camera guys making me think we're in outer space when we're just on a rock!
Look! It's Rey! And she's breathing heavily at the beginning of the trailer just like Finn in The Force Awakens trailer. Suspicious...
(Does this mean Poe will show up breathing heavily at the beginning of Episode XI? Please say yes.)
(Also, the fact that I get to say Episode XI still sends a thrill through me.)
Luke! The island! Aaaahh!
Seriously the footage is glorious. Look at those rocks hovering in the air. I'm already in love. Because of CGI rocks.
Is that Leia in front of the hologram of the star system? I think it's Leia. (Who else could it be?)
(This movie is going to be the worst.)
All those voices in the background are interesting. I've had to rewatch this trailer like 8 bazillion times to figure out who is saying what. So far I've learned there is dialogue from Leia, Palpatine, Darth Vader (well, his breathing), Yoda, and Ben Kenobi.
The aerial shot of Rey practicing with the lightsaber is my favorite moment of the trailer. Chills. Every time.
Finn! Poe! BB8! The Falcon! Rey! Kylo Ren!
You can see Kylo Ren's scar. I repeat, you can see Kylo Ren's scar.
Why is something burning?!?! NooooOOooooo!
Red logo! Abort mission. It's going to be too much.
The music. JUST THE MUSIC. I can't.
I think I need a minute to... breathe.
Basically, the trailer slayed me. There is so much coming at us this December, and I'm excited for every minute of it. I might be worried, only because of the title and the red logo which signify a much darker turn of events, but I am also insanely stoked for this film.
I was sitting in the doctor's office when I found out the Last Jedi trailer had dropped. I eagerly watched it, even with the sound turned so low I couldn't hear it. I was glued to my screen, looking for first glimpses of the characters I loved so much. (In particular, I looked for Leia--she was there. ♥) Ultimately, though, I was just left with questions. And when I rewatched it with sound on, my questions still weren't answered! Like, is Finn okay? What's Poe doing? Is Rey doing okay? Whose mask is that? Who is even speaking? If Ben Kenobi is speaking, will he be involved in the movie/get a solo film (please)? Why does Luke want the Jedi wiped out? (Because that's not ominous or reminiscent of your father at all...)
These are all the questions I have, and they'll be answered soon with more trailer footage and the movie itself. And let me tell you something: I can't wait. I'm so excited, and I'm sure you are too.
We'll be watching this movie soon enough. Until then, we just have to remember to breathe. Just breathe...
We watch movies for different reasons—sometimes to go on a
journey, sometimes to fall in love, and sometimes to scare our pants off. Horror Film Spotlight focuses on the ones that keep us up at night, whether
they star restless ghosts or psychotic ax murderers. Some are spooky and some are
gory, but they’re all full of that shadow-in-the-doorway, voice-in-the-dark
sense that something’s just not quite right. And what’s scarier than that?
Lucas Desange (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) has been searching for
his nieces ever since their unstable father loaded the girls into his car and
ran it off a snowy highway. Their bodies were never recovered, and five years after the girls disappeared, a rescue party finally discovers Victoria and Lilly (Megan Charpentier
and Isabelle Nélisse) living on their own in an abandoned cabin. Lucas is ready
to bring them home, but his girlfriend Annabel (Jessica Chastain) isn’t so
sure; the girls are practically feral, but something was caring for them all
those years in the woods. And now that something has followed them
home….
Why You Should Watch It
Plain old eerie with a side of terrifying, Mama is worth watching for its creepy
atmosphere and special effects alone. But it’s also a heartwarming
story about the power of family and motherhood. Annabel, who at first
wants nothing to do with the girls, grows to love them and even risks her life
trying to save them. Mama herself won’t be winning any parenting awards, but
there’s no question about her motives: she genuinely loves Victoria and Lilly.
The ghosts make this film memorable, and the emotional hook makes it
satisfying. Whether you’re looking for a good scare or something a little
deeper, you’re sure to find it in Mama.
A ghost is an emotion
bent out of shape, condemned to repeat itself time and time again until it
rights the wrong that was done.
Looking for romance? You’ll find plenty of it in Outlander, the series of historical
fantasy novels turned award-winning TV show. It begins with Claire Randall, a
1940s combat nurse mysteriously dropped into 1740s Scotland. She meets and
eventually marries an outlaw named Jamie Fraser, but their (admittedly
fantastic) chemistry is only part of what the show has to offer. On her journey
through time—back, forward, and back again—Claire befriends five women who
guide and teach her just as much as Jamie does. Whether good, evil, or in
between, these five women prove that friendship can be as powerful as romantic
love. Here’s how.
A village herbalist who dabbles in spells and poisons on the
side, Geillis can be callous, scheming, and downright cruel. She’s also drawn
to Claire for reasons she can’t at first explain, but that are most definitely unearthly.
When both women are accused of witchcraft, Geillis realizes that they’ll never
be rescued in time and makes an executive decision. As it turns out, their
friendship runs even deeper than Claire imagined—Geillis, who’s killed to save
her own skin before, gives herself up to the mob in order to save Claire.
Jamie’s older sister has been running the family estate
since his imprisonment. She’s not exactly dying to hand over the reins once he
returns, and she’s not too keen on his new English wife either. In some ways
Jenny and Claire are polar opposites; attacks from English soldiers have left
Jenny with a ruthless edge that Claire just doesn’t have. When the chips are
down, though, they’re united by their willingness to do almost anything in
order to save their family. After Jamie’s recaptured, Claire relies on Jenny
for help tracking him down, and by the end of that journey, they’re as close as
sisters.
Mother Hildegarde is the matron of a charity hospital in
Paris, and one of the few female characters in Outlander who doesn’t have or want a husband. She seems
intimidating at first, but Claire wins her respect through her hard work and
skill as a nurse. She also never lets
her sternness mask her compassion. When Jamie is unable to be with Claire
during one of the darkest and most dangerous periods of her life, Mother
Hildegarde is there to nurse her through it. No wonder Claire describes her as
one of the only true friends she makes in Paris.
Despite being painfully shy, Mary volunteers at the
hospital, survives a brutal attack, and eventually goes on to get her revenge.
She and Claire are united by a connection Mary never even realizes; she’s the
ancestor of Claire’s first husband, Frank Randall. Claire, fearing that Frank,
a history professor in the 1940s, will never be born, tries to keep Mary away
from the man she truly loves but eventually realizes that history will work
itself out on its own. She also sees that Mary is stronger than she appears to
be. After all, she holds the key to Claire’s future.
Brianna believes that Frank Randall was her father and
resents Claire, feeling that her mother “lives in another world.” She doesn’t
realize that she’s seemingly Claire’s last link to Jamie or appreciate how much
her mother loves her. But in spite of all her bitterness, it’s clear that
Brianna depends on her mother just as much as Claire depends on her. She’s also
ready to dig into her family history, even knowing she won’t like what she
finds. She might deny it, but Brianna desperately wants to understand her
mother; her discoveries are what push Claire into finding out what really
became of Jamie after she was forced to leave him.
The list wouldn’t be complete without her. Plunged into a time that’s in many ways completely
terrifying to her, Claire finds strength in her ability to love and forgive,
adapting to it without losing what makes her her. The show centers on her romance with Jamie, but her
friendships with other women are just as important. Sometimes they comfort her,
sometimes they guide her, and sometimes, when Jamie just isn’t available, they
save her.
Have you seen Outlander? If so, who are your favorite
characters?
You never know a good thing till it’s gone. By August, when the air conditioning’s broken down, the sparklers are all burned out, and the car feels like a takeout-bag scented sauna, you’re praying for summer to end. Now that February’s here in all its colorless, slushy glory, you’re probably missing those sparklers and maybe even your smelly car. The closest we can get to a summer vacation right now is escaping into a book or movie—and what’s more summery than a deep-sea mermaid story? Here are six of my favorites.
Set in a small Irish fishing village and inspired by Celtic mythology, this film revolves around the legend of selkies, beautiful women who can transform into seals. When Syracuse, the town drunk, discovers an unconscious woman in his fishing net, his daughter believes he’s caught a selkie. The woman calls herself Ondine, and though she doesn’t have a sealskin, she does sing songs that seem to lure fish into Syracuse’s nets….
2.) Men Who Wish to Drown
Art by Anna & Elena Balbusso
This one’s as creepy-yet-cool as the title suggests. A reluctant first-time whaler falls overboard and ends up stranded on the Weepecket Islands, where he meets the love of his life. Too bad she’s a mermaid cursed by a sea witch. This short story is available to read for free over at Tor.com.
Fiona’s brother, Jamie, disappeared the day her family left Roan Inish. His cradle drifted out to sea, but when she returns years later Fiona spots a boy his age living alone on the island. Fiona’s family is supposedly descended from a fisherman who married a selkie woman, and Jamie takes after her side of the family. In some ways similar to Ondine, yet also completely different, The Secret of Roan Inish is the movie that made me fall in love with selkies.
Mara’s human mother abandoned their family, supposedly to save her immortal soul. As a mermaid, Mara knows she doesn’t have a soul and doesn’t care—she just wants her mother to come home. This chapter book, written by Katherine Langrish, retells Matthew Arnold’s poem “The Forsaken Merman.”
This Russian movie is a little hard to find but well worth looking for. It’s a retelling of “The Little Mermaid” featuring a gorgeous mermaid, an arrogant prince, and a kind-hearted storyteller, and ends with a tragic yet perfect romantic twist.
Here’s a bit of obscure mythology—according to some stories, mermaids have no tongues. In The Mermaid’s Three Wisdoms, they communicate through sign language, and an outcast mermaid befriends a hearing-impaired human girl. This book is (unfortunately) long out of print, but you library may have a copy, and used copies are available for a couple dollars on Amazon.
Ghosts might roam through Allerdale Hall, the creepy mansion to end all creepy mansions featured in Crimson Peak, but let’s be honest—the true stars of the show are the costumes. How can spirits compete with ham-sized puffed sleeves and bodices designed to resemble spinal cords? And these costumes aren’t just eye candy; they’re meant to highlight elements of the characters’ personalities, some of which they’d rather keep hidden.
Here’s how the story starts. Edith Cushing, an American heiress, falls in love with Thomas Sharpe, a British inventor. They marry and move back to his ancestral home in the middle of nowhere, England. Lucille, the sister whom he shares the house with, isn’t exactly the welcome-your-new-sister-in-law-with-open-arms type. From the moment Edith and Lucille meet, the film focuses on the conflicts between them and the two worlds they inhabit: the wealth and warmth of Buffalo, New York vs the chilly emptiness of Allerdale Hall.
If that sounds boring, don’t worry. Kate Hawley, the costume designer, says it better.
“Allerdale is bleak, stark, winter, snow, blues and cyans, a world barren, a world of starvation, of nothing. The world of Buffalo is the opposite… and Edith personifies that, she is abundance, the cornucopia, wealth, golds, yellows, rich tones. Edith is the Sun and Lucille is the Moon. Edith is the butterfly… Lucille is the moth.” (source)
The moth comparison sort of implies that Lucille spends most of her time swooping around in dark, drab gowns. When she first meets Edith, though, she’s dressed like this.
The color is a reference to the secrets buried beneath Allerdale Hall (the locals call it Crimson Peak) and features a spine-like decoration on the back which pops up in every costume Lucille wears. In comparison, Edith wears a cream-colored ball gown. It’s gorgeous and much more modern, but nowhere near as eye-catching. Lucille is an ambassador of an older, apparently more romantic world.
Edith’s dress shares the spotlight in their second scene together. It’s light, billowy, and covered with flowers. There are darker elements to it, including a mourning belt braided with her dead mother’s hair. Mourning belts were a type of Victorian accessory made to commemorate the dead. Edith’s implies that though she looks innocent next to Lucille, she’s no stranger to death.
After Edith marries Thomas and moves to England, places are switched. She’s as out of place in the crumbling and distinctly unromantic hall as Lucille was in Buffalo. At first, she keeps wearing bright colors and attempts to befriend Lucille. It doesn’t go well, and as their relationship escalates from hostile to dangerous, the colors fade.
Vines are always featured somewhere in Lucille’s costumes, symbolically binding her to the vine-covered house. She doesn’t care that Edith genuinely wants to be friends and compares her to a butterfly—in the sense that she’s pretty but weak, and easily killed. Kate Hawley sees it differently. “…she never loses her inner strength—so her wings, the sleeves of her clothes, are bold, expressive.” It doesn’t matter how drab her costumes are—Edith always gets to keep the puffed sleeves.
One of Lucille's dresses. Unlike Edith, she doesn't have very many
(source)
Without giving away too much, Edith and Lucille are only dressed similarly during their final confrontation. And even though you could see this as a leveling of the playing field—that they’re finally equally matched—only Edith escapes Allerdale Hall. Lucille stays bound and trapped in her dark, cold world. It’s probably no coincidence that Edith is compared to a butterfly. In Victorian times, butterflies symbolized the soul, and her courage and strength are the soul of the movie. Outwardly she might seem more fragile, but unlike Lucille, she’s free.
