Warbreaker

My first novel that I read from Brandon Sanderson, and I loved the fact that the author was generous enough to let readers have it for free. For me not having touched many fantasy novels, the introduction was very easy to catch on to and have me visualize a clear picture of what was happening from the start. The characters in the book are likable from the start and unraveling them slowly through the beginning and middle kept my attention on top of the plot. After I read through the first part of the book I caught myself getting a little bored at certain parts and breezily skimmed chapters to keep my interest. Taking 'breath' from people in order for the gods to survive was dark and put a twist on how people take a view of the role of a god, especially coming from a Christian background. This trait that these characters carried with them reminded me of the soul suckers from harry potter in how these demons don't kill their hosts but leaves people in a state that is considered worse than death. Overall I would recommend this book to friends who have an interest in this genre because of his colorful imagination.

Audition dir. Takashi Miike

This movie took me about 4 days to complete because I couldnt keep my attention towards it for very long. Thirst was an awesome shot movie with interesting angles and scenes. Now seeing this film, I was bored within the first 20 mintues. Scenes lasted too long with prolonged pauses and flashsbacks. Very little dialogue was used in the film. Nothing is wrong with the lack of speaking in a movie but along with boring scenes made the film dull and repetative. I also never felt engaged or connected with other characters who were introduced. I would have preffered it if I recieved more background information about them. When the audience developes an emotional attatchment to the plot and introduction of people, it makes for a strong connection that keeps viewers interested.

Frankenstein

For not being much of a reader as one of my common hobbies, Mary Shelly's Frankenstein was a beautiful piece that I enjoyed to engage in. Her language and vocabulary throughout the writings and stories was poetic and well thought out. I loved the romantic characters that were introduced in the book including the monster.

The first third of the book introduces the biography of Frankenstein well to get the audience a clear emotional connection to his character. What I loved about the layout is that I was introduced to Frankenstein as a well educated man that was respected and a good human figure. As the story progresses, I soon find out that he slowly eludes every positive aspect about himself and see his character slowly morphing into the actual monster.

This book was more of a tragedy of events rather than horror in my opinion. I loved how reading her book took every stereotype for the monster and threw it out the window for me. I came to have feelings and connection to the created monster and felt extreme sympathy throughout his journey. I felt as I progressed through each chapter the monster actually became more human. Once Mary starts to introduce the thought process of the monster and his understanding of loneliness, the reader gets that human connection with the character and can sympathize because of similar emotions we have all encountered in the past.

Genius went completely wrong for Frankenstein. This was a story of how education and playing the role of God completely backfired for this scientist. He actually became more like a demonic figure towards the end of the book. He had the brainpower and created something that no human has every created before and lacked the responsibility to follow through with his creation, inevitably killing everything he ever loved. His quest to kill the monster is symptomatic for him in search of destroying himself.

Thirst

Beautifully shot movie to say the least. The transitions from scene to scene were interesting and fluid. I also enjoyed some of the obscure camera angles to display a scene which gave it a more eerie vibe to the film. Aside from the overuse of gore, the display of a vampire tied in well with good/evil, God/Satan. I enjoyed the philosophy of the film where religion was brought into the beginning stating that the worst sin a human can commit is suicide. At the end the two lovers committed this act which raises juicy questions for the audience such as 'Are they still considered human?' 'Is killing other beings for their survival better than killing themselves?' 'Are they going to be judged in front of God and where might they end up?'

Night of the Living Dead dir. George Romero

As the perfection of the genre 'zombie' greatly enhances it's characteristics overtime, this was not one of them. Unfortuneately this particular zombie flick had my attention directed elsewhere. I was not impressed with the acting of the characters and especially the monsters. It took me about ten minutes after the first zombie was introduced to figure out it was an actual zombie. This being said, the costumes of the monsters were very dull and the acting was not shocking, scary, or unpredictable. One positive trend I noticed for the monsters is finally towards the end of the film they started to evolve by using hand tools and other materials to kill their victims in a faster fashion. The zombies looked just as confused as the people did, which signaled that the acting on both parts was not believable for me. The most interesting scenes of the movie were only when the victims in the house turned against one another because of the 'stress' and conditions that they were all put in. Lastly, the point that there was no explaination of the killing sprees butchered the film by not tying in a plot for the movie.

Gothic Formula

- A character whose sensibilites will be sympathetically familiar and contemporary to the matter of the actual setting - is removed by circumstances from the normal to another dark realm
- This is another world, and it seeks to bring the protagonist under its sway. Supernatural manifestations, manifestations of the villians usually quite natural designs
- The protagonist becomes intrigued, or desperate enough to voluntarily travel deeper into the castles mysteries
- At the crux of the story, the awful thruth is revealed - and then the escape, through fortuitous discovery or romantic interest
- In true gothic, evil cannot be a moral cipher, or a psychological bon mot. It must take its place as an active, positive force in the narrative, for the characters as well as the reader. Torture and terror is never enought, there must also be the possibility that this is a genuine alternative with its own rules, own passions and rewards. The character must be able to see themselves as part of it-perhaps secretly desire it.

Elements of a Horror Film

- Sound is vital for the emotion of a horror film to portray 
- Minimal instruments for the buildup of the scare
- Quiet Pauses
- Expressive characters along with good acting/facial expressions
- Believability of almost all human emotion happy, terrified, surprised, sad
- A need for an explanation of the character whom to fear either before or after introduced
- Movies need to answer "Why should the audience be scared of this character?"
- The despription for the motive of the character (weapons, physique, phrases) that the audience can describe the character in few adjectives
- The character also needs to be unpredictable in dramatic events to makes him or herself interesting