What I Watched: September 2019

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. I was over-stimulated by all the comic sound effects and colors although I greatly appreciated the artistry of it, quite fun. I also found it quite hilarious in the beginning, but then I got bored half-way through, just wasn’t impressed by the plot.

Suspicion. Eh, rather boring.

And Then There were None. SPOILERS! Short version: sensitive people, beware. This is the BBC/Acorn Media 2015 miniseries version. Ok. Um, so many actors I recognized. And oh, my stars Aiden Turner! Let’s be real, this is the real reason I was watching, and he was SO much more handsome than I’ve ever seen him in the Hobbit films or photos (I haven’t watched Poldark nor will I). Plus his attitude, plus his Irish accent. But he was a serial killer! So, clearly, this contains spoilers people.

I didn’t remember the book beyond the killing everyone off part. This might have been the first Christie I ever read, although looking at Goodreads it isn’t on my shelf. Maybe this is the one I tried to read in play form, maybe I really didn’t read it?! Anyway, yeah, I was shocked by the fact that everyone (well, almost everyone) killed people, usually murdered. From what I looked up later on Goodreads, it looks like a couple characters were made worse (particularly the policeman) or technically worse (Turner’s character, apparently it was negligence not the mass murder the film implies, but I can’t say that the death meted out in the book sounds like a better way to go, so I don’t know that he really is worse or not). Anyway. I was more and more disturbed as I went on.

First, any murder mystery even if followed word for word with nothing added for effect, exaggerated, etc. is going to be harder to watch than read. Second, this was SO atmospheric with the music, setting, and the constant switching to the kitchen and the cutting, storing, etc. of seafish, meat, and entrails REALLY freaked and grossed me out. Third, then of course the worsening (?) of the crimes and the flashbacks to the crimes and just the overall portrayal of the people. Most of them didn’t seem only like murderers, but crazy people or psychopaths, including of course, the orchestrator. Fourth, the absolute goriness of the the deaths are shown, not in broad daylight, mostly of the film is gloomy, but you really get a view. Also, after the beginning of the film, you see NO ONE else. Not, apparently like the book, in which these crimes are discovered.

All this to say, watch with caution or not at all depending on your temperament. I had (combined with other factors) two nightmares from it. I had been recommending it to my sisters, and then I had to go back and give a warning. I don’t think they are as easily spooked as me. And this what this is. I don’t like violent films, but you can look away in fight scenes and all that. This eeriness, this mesmerizing suspense, plus gore, that really gets me. Okay. I think everyone has been warned sufficiently.