movies – Joanna Maciejewska

Are Vampires Boring?

By a chance, I’ve learned that World Dracula Day, commemorating the publication date of Bram Stoker classic, falls on May 26, and it sparked some thoughts about vampires in fiction and pop culture. They’ve been around in books since late 19th century (if we take Dracula’s release date as a marker), and had accompanied us for thousands of years in oral storytelling, folklore, and various myths. After such a long time, are they a little bit stale? Are they… dare I say it, boring? Or, perhaps, like certain pieces of clothing, vampire never go out of style?

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May 26, 2021

As a Side Note

Waiting for the Witcher

I first read the Witcher series in my early teens, grabbing the books off the bookstore’s shelf as soon as they were published. Through years to come, I’ve re-read the saga almost as much as I used to read one of my other favorites, The Count of Monte Cristo. At some point, I knew pieces of dialogue and descriptions by heart, and reading those books impacted my growth as a writer.

Yet, my relationships with the Witcher’s derivative works were—so far—very lukewarm. Can the Netflix’s upcoming series change that? (more…)

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December 15, 2019

As a Side Note

4 Horror Movies I’d Watch Again

Let’s make something clear: I’m not a horror fan. I don’t get grossed out by flying intestines, but watching gore most often than not bores me. At the same time, the atmospheric, fear-instilling scenes tend to annoy me. After all, there are only two options: either something will jump out or not. And since those scenes consist only from slow exploring or long shots and silence with nothing else to carry them through, I tend to catch myself muttering, “Get to the point already!” I don’t mind a slower pace in a movie narration, but whenever it feels like a drag, my mood is lost. (more…)

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October 29, 2018

Personal Rants

Watching Novels: Thoughts on Book Adaptations

Sometimes, when you look at Hollywood’s movie repertoire, it seems they only release remakes and book adaptations. Some people cringe, hoping for more original content and fresh stories, and as much as I’d love to see more originality as well, I do have a soft spot for book adaptations. There’s something enchanting in seeing the story I loved (or at least enjoyed) envisioned by someone else. It’s almost like sharing thoughts on a book and learning someone else’s perspective. (more…)

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February 19, 2018

As a Side Note

3 Interesting Sci-Fi and Fantasy Movies

We all hear about blockbusters like Avatar, Lord of the Rings, or movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some are great, some meet our expectations, and some are just entertaining enough to ignore their shortcomings. There are many sci-fi and fantasy movies that any fan could readily name. But what about the less known titles? They aren’t necessarily worse, and sometimes they offer some fresh ideas, because they aren’t bound by the blockbuster requirements of how the story should be written.

I’m sure there are many great ones out there, but today I’d like to share three that I really liked. They aren’t without flaws, and they aren’t the most recent blockbusters, but they all provide decent entertainment and some inspiration too. (more…)

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October 2, 2017