Tag: journal

every movie i watched in 2024

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

well, a happy new year to anyone reading! last year was a mess thanks to some severe mental health episodes. but this tradition is commencing as usual. this year has quite a long list as you’ll see…

key: ⭐ = 1 star / ✨ = 1/2 star / [film name] = rewatched

january

  • Saltburn (2023) ⭐✨
  • Carrie (1976) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Brazil (1985) ⭐⭐✨
  • Focus (2015) ⭐⭐✨
  • Bloodsport (1988) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Bones and All (2022) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Casino (1995) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Carrie (2013) ⭐⭐

february

  • Bottoms (2023) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Ghost in The Shell (1995) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Troy (2004) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Manchester by The Sea (2016) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

march

  • Desperado (1995) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Coming to America (1988) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Is It Fall Yet? (2000) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Platoon (1986) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Exit Strategy (2018) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Charade (1963) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Big Fish (2003) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Reality (2023) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Dune: Part Two (2024) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
  • A Knight’s Tale (2001) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Philadelphia (1993) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Road House (1989) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Road House (2024) ⭐⭐
  • Is It College Yet? (2002) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Fury (2014) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • A Few Good Men (1992) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

april

  • The General (1926) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • One Week (1920) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Goat (1921) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Blacksmith (1922) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Electric House (1922) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Cook (1918) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Great Train Robbery (1903) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Scarecrow (1920) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Neighbors (1920) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Cops (1922) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Play House (1921) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Paleface (1922) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Haunted House (1921) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Boat (1921) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Blacksmithing Scene (1893) ⭐⭐⭐
  • My Wife’s Relations (1922) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Hard Luck (1921) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Balloonatic (1923) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The High Sign (1921) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

may

  • Top Gun (1986) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Day Dreams (1922) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Love Nest (1923) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Dickson Experimental Sound Film (1894) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Monkeyshines, No. 1 (1890) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Monkeyshines, No. 2 (1890) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Garage (1920) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Bell Boy (1918) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Idea of You (2024) ⭐⭐
  • Moonshine (1918) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Good Night, Nurse! (1918) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Where The Crawdads Sing (2022) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Hayseed (1919) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Passage of Venus (1874) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Dickson Greeting (1891) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory (1895) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Annabelle Serpentine Dance (1895) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (1895) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Roundhay Garden Scene (1888) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Lost Daughter (2021) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Convict 13 (1920) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Wait (2020)
  • The Frozen North (1922) ⭐⭐⭐
  • His Wedding Night (1917) ⭐⭐
  • Love (1919) ⭐⭐⭐
  • A Reckless Romeo (1917) ⭐⭐
  • Disturbia (2007) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Rough House (1917) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Runaway Train (1985) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Coney Island (1917) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Scent of A Woman (1992) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Waves (2019) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Butcher Boy (1917) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Oh, Doctor! (1917) ⭐⭐
  • Jada (2016)
  • The Perfect Gooseys (2002)
  • Offside (2015)
  • A Modest Defeat (2018)
  • Feeling Through (2019)
  • Small Arms (2017)
  • Gamechanger (2016)
  • Ari (2016)
  • Turning Tide (2013)
  • Will “The Machine” (2019)
  • Éclair (2016)
  • Grape Soda (2014)
  • Los Angeles 1991 (2015)
  • No More Wings (2019)
  • Tumble Dry Low (2015)
  • Breathless (2018)
  • Flying Eggs (2018)
  • PAWNS (2017)
  • Over The Wall (2018)
  • Guests (2014)
  • Rabbit (2014)
  • Little Grey Bubbles (2019)
  • Presentation (2018)
  • Ironied (2015)
  • Stop (2015)
  • Hitch Hike (2012)
  • Night (2017)
  • Fire (2016)
  • Runner (2017)
  • Eleven (2014)
  • STOP (2019)
  • Two Piece (2018)
  • Spelletjesavond (2016)
  • La Carnada (2014)
  • Game (2017)
  • Light My Fire (2018)
  • Olde E (2016)
  • 12 Weeks (2015)
  • Martha the Monster (2017)
  • Growth (2016)
  • Where Have You Been (2021)
  • Prosopagnosia (2011)
  • Night Swim (2019)
  • Doorstep (2019)
  • Naysayer (2019)
  • Hope Dies Last (2017)
  • Thin Ice (2018)
  • Mother, Child (2017)
  • The Treehouse (2012)
  • Damage (2019)
  • Street Flame (2019)
  • Shoebox (2019)
  • Lucky Girl (2019)
  • toni_with_an_i (2019)
  • Re/Entry (2019)
  • Happy Birthday (2018)
  • The Cook (2022)
  • Toast (2017)
  • Pareidolia (2023)
  • Perfection (2020)
  • Uncounted (2021)
  • Unmask (2021)
  • The Cake (2022)
  • The Gnome (2020)
  • A Believer (2018)
  • For Milo (2020)
  • The Docks (2018)
  • 6 AM (2017)
  • Between Days (2021)
  • The Black Hole (2008)
  • A Story (2016)
  • Kick Me (2018)
  • Employee of The Month (2017)
  • Run! (2021)
  • Mama Agnes (2023)
  • Child and Man (2016)
  • Mother (2015)
  • Thursday Appointment (2019)
  • Father (2014)
  • Duel (2017)
  • Afraid (2019)
  • Head Above Water (2017)
  • Doublespeak (2020)
  • Happenstance (2010)
  • Hyperuranios. The Hypermarket of Ideas (2020)
  • From Life (2018)
  • Rewind (2007)
  • Happy Valentine’s Day (2018)
  • F Is For Friendship (2017)
  • Fighter (2017)
  • Pieces (2020)
  • 82 (2012)
  • Pull (Unknown)
  • Those Eyes (2016)
  • The Fox (2017)
  • Cornflower (2019)
  • Black Swell (2016)
  • A Man Falls From The Sky (2017)
  • Krista (2018)
  • Loco (2020)
  • Furlong (2019) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Things You Think I’m Thinking (2017) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Back Stage (1919) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Thelma & Louise (1991) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Three Ages (1923) ⭐⭐⭐✨

june

  • Fist of Fury (1972) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Out West (1918) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Trunk Space (2016) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Curve (2016) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Lion (2017)
  • Water Closet (2019)
  • The Seven Year Itch (1955) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The 39 Steps (1935) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Pulp Fiction (1994) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Natural Born Killers (1994) ⭐⭐
  • Battling Butler (1926) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

july

  • Offline Dating (2015)
  • Seven Chances (1925) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • RoboCop (1987) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Once Upon A Time In America (1984) ⭐
  • Lazy Boy (2016)
  • The Misfits (1961) ⭐⭐⭐

august

  • The Black Phone (2021) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Not Without My Daughter (1991)
  • Snatch (2000) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Django (1966) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Lawrence of Arabia (1962) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

september

  • Rocky II (1979) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Rocky III (1982) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Rocky IV (1985) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Rocky V (1990) ⭐⭐
  • Rocky Balboa (2006) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • A History of Violence (2005) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

october

  • The Menendez Brothers (2024) ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

november

  • Animal (2023) ⭐✨
  • Swallowed (2022) ⭐⭐
  • The Gold Rush (1925) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Daddy (2019) ⭐⭐✨
  • Fracture (2007) ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Zone of Interest (2023) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Leo (2023) ⭐
  • Vikram (2022) ⭐⭐✨
  • Rush Hour (1998) ⭐⭐⭐✨

december

  • Rush Hour 2 (2001) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • The Substance (2024) ⭐⭐✨
  • Straight Outta Compton (2015) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • Blood Diamond (2006) ⭐⭐⭐✨
  • They/Them (2022) ⭐✨
  • The Equalizer (2014) ⭐⭐✨
  • The Equalizer 2 (2018) ⭐⭐✨
  • Sherlock Jr. (1924) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

so May turned out to be a busy month with plenty of short films. I have to admit though, this was caused by my OCD (it’s a long story). I also began enjoying a lot more silent films, especially films by and with Buster Keaton whom I’ve come to adore so much :’)

here’s to more movie-watching in 2025!

A Tale of Two Cultures: Poetry & Thoughts

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

Being brought up

in two cultures

is a blessing.

The door to opportunity,

ambition and reality

is open.

Take what you like

to add to your

identity.

But nothing should

define you

other than

yourself.

– Ashika

I’m British-Indian. I’m ethnically Indian and migrated to the United Kingdom when I was a clueless 2-year-old with my Dad. Growing up in two cultures was fascinating but challenging, to say the least.

British culture has allowed me to be open, ambitious and encouraged to chase my passions and dreams. It has also taught me tolerance, respect and kindness to others. My Indian heritage has also taught me similar philosophies. But what I truly cherish from India is our diversity as a nation in language, religion, culture and much more. Our clothing and festivals are so vibrant and it sparks happiness when I show my British friends the wonders of my country.

I used to detest one or the other as I grew up, believing that it is not possible for me to value both as much as each other. I felt as if I can’t be British enough or I can’t be Indian enough. There were times where I was discouraged from “becoming too British”, as in not becoming like those English kids at school who do whatever they want, swear, have families that are split and not perfect. Even embracing my Indian identity had me scared for some reason, as if others will laugh at me for talking about curry or might snicker discreetly when I show my churidhar in class. But I love my English friends, I love the roast dinners and fish and chips at school, I love the carefree nature of those I have come to know living in Britain. I also love when my friends say they love Indian cuisine, I love showing off my traditional clothing, wearing them to school events and having classmates say it looks beautiful.

I grew tired of this pointless clash between cultures. There are bits and pieces that anyone who grew up in a multicultural family can value close to their heart. So I decided that I’ll embrace both my Indian and British identity, after all it makes me more unique as an individual and I shouldn’t run away from that. I also found that such an identity encourages a deeper understanding of the world and that reality is a door for endless possibilities and splendour. My eyes opened and witnessed the beauty of a culturally diverse person. A culturally diverse person is intelligent, aware, respectful, tolerant and possesses a kind and curious soul and thus can pass on these qualities to others so that may be the same.

Embrace your heritage and value your other half as well, for it is truly a blessing.

The Beauty Of The Rain: Poetry & Thoughts

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

The rain is ambiguous

The rain is ambitious

Tears of the lost souls fall

Your painfully sweet voice will call

These droplets are meant for sadness

But you say that is madness

Let’s make our love blossom with the rain

Let these raindrops wash away the pain

– Ashika

The inspiration for this poem stemmed from the Korean drama series, Love Rain. Although the content of the two differs, the series really made me appreciate the beauty of the rain completely.

The rain tends to connote sadness, loss and overall negativity. But what’s to stop it from being so meaningful, loving and beautiful? I used to wonder why kissing someone in the rain was romantic. Then I realised that people in love don’t care about anything around them or what will happen. The rain falling is making them wet and they’ll have to get dry, they could also become ill. But that love is so strong between them that even the evil bows down and changes for good.

The rain, to me, is also a metaphor of cleansing. These droplets, that can be considered the tears of those before us, are silently telling us that we should not dwell in sadness and instead, refresh and make ourselves new for the future. Its simplicity renders us able to imagine how wonderful the rain is, and it doesn’t have to be all negative.

So the next time you see or feel the rain, instead of complaining how it will affect you with useless problems, appreciate its beauty.

Journaling: Ideas, Prompts & Reasons Why You Should

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

Alright, I’ll admit that I only began journaling last year. But as the months passed, I knew that I held a deep passion for writing anything that meandered in my mind onto paper. Not only that, I wished to create aesthetically pleasing pages that I could cherish.

Since then, journaling has really helped me in more ways than one. I will attempt to inspire you to start journaling as well!

To begin with…

• Buy a journal!

The first thing to do is to buy a journal, obviously! You can find empty books in your local arts & crafts stores or you can order online. I own several because, frankly, I’m obsessed with gorgeous notebooks and journals.

• Make sure you buy a journal that speaks to you

Buying a plain-looking school notebook will not do. You need to make sure that your journal is of good standard and screams who you are. Try buying journals with pastel colours, inspiring quotes, high-quality paper and if you’d like, a hardback cover. Beautiful journals will motivate you to write in them.

• Decorate them!

If you can only get a hold of a plain notebook or good journals are expensive, just decorate them! Look through your local craft stores for washi tape, stickers and even paints to spice up your journal, all usually at a cheap price.

Next…is the writing process!

• If you’re keeping a diary-style journal, all you need to do is write an entry every day/week. In a diary, you are free to write about anything from the day’s events, your philosophical thoughts or just how you feel about certain people. The choice is yours, but ensure that you keep it secret!

• If you’re ambitious and love art, make an art journal! I only thought about creating one literally a few days ago. In an art journal, you can paint, draw and stick in quotes or book/newspaper sections. If you want some accompaniment, write a poem to match the art piece you have created. To get more inspiration for art journaling, please check out Noor Unnahar and Areeba Siddique, they have the best art journals I’ve ever seen!

• Travel journaling is something that I’ve decided upon doing because I’m extremely wanderlust. Write a list of places you’d like to visit, places you’ve been to and plan out your trips beautifully. You can write a review after you’ve visited somewhere as well.

• Other examples of journaling that you can try are keeping a gratitude journal, a poetry journal or even a bullet journal. Bullet journaling is basically a more creative way of planning.

If you are really unsure of what to write in a journal, you can just buy a Q&A Journal! These books from Potter Style basically ask you a question every day for the next five years. It’s easy and fun! There are different versions from a regular to a Q&A for writers. It is quite pricey (£14.99 in the UK) but it’s honestly worth the money.

Reasons Why You Should Start Journaling:

• It’s beneficial for your mental health. I can get quite emotional and I have anxiety, so writing down little things has helped me to release the tension and relax.

• It prompts creativity. Instead of just lying around, make your brain active by decorating and writing. The best part is that you can do whatever you wish.

• Discover yourself. Since you’re thinking a lot, you will realise more about yourself, what you’re good at and what you need to improve. You might even recognise a hidden talent that never shone before!

• It keeps you organised. If you bullet journal, it will make your life a lot easier! Organising your schedule and plans to do whatever it may be, can be done in a fun and simple way, thus more motivation to do so.

So what are you waiting for? Go get started and remember to have fun!

Happy journaling! 🙂