#13 - A Hidden Life (2019)

I ramble about three horror movie marathons I attended last October: 1. "Ha-Ha Horror" at Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles, where I watched the following horror-comedies in 16mm: Once Bitten (1985); Vamp (1986); Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988); Lake Placid (1999); Transylvania 6-5000 (1985); and Night of the Comet (1984)  2. "Camp Frida: Monster Mash" at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, where I watched the creature features Razorback (1984); The Ritual (2017); Attack the Block (2011); Shakma (1990); Lifeforce (1985); and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) 3. "The 20th Annual Horrorthon" at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, where I watched The Funhouse (1981); the uncensored cut of Night of the Living Dead (1990); Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987); Demon Witch Child (1975); Squirm (1976); and Night of the Demon (1980) Click here for the blog version of this episode. (Note: During my "Night of the Comet" review, I messed up and said "Nicaragua" when I meant to say "Honduras". I will make sure to fire myself for that blunder.)

Welp. I find myself increasingly bummed by the outside world, and so I decided to cheer up by watching two made-for-television movies from the 1980s about nuclear war: The Day After (1983), directed by Nicholas Meyer and written by Edward Hume, and Threads (1984), directed by Mick Jackson and written by Barry Hines.    Click here for the blog version of this episode.

After my longest break yet, I pop back up just in time to want to go back into hiding, being Election Day and all. In the meantime, here are my ramblings on two horror movie marathons I attended in October: 1. "They're Here" at Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles, where I watched the following haunted house-themed films in 16mm: Amityville II: The Possession (1982); Something Evil (1972); Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986); The Others (2001); The Entity (1982); and House (1985) 2. "Camp Frida: British Invasion" at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, where I watched the following UK-based horror movies: Ghostwatch (1992); The Legend of Hell House (1973); The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971); Theatre of Blood (1973); Dracula (1958); and Xtro (1982) Click here for the blog version of this episode.

Last April, I visited Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles for "CYBERJUNK", a 12-hour all-day marathon of low-budget science-fiction movies, presented in 16mm, courtesy of Secret Sixteen. The following films were screened: Cyborg (1989); Millennium (1989); Android (1982); Trancers (1984); The Ice Pirates (1984); The Terminator (1984).    Click here for the blog version of this episode.

I ramble general grumperies about not taking part in general arguments, before discussing three films from 2022: the coming-of-age 80s period piece Armageddon Time, directed by James Gray, and starring Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong, and Banks Repeta; the Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler, and starring Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, and Tenoch Huerta; and the sci-fi horror flick M3GAN, directed by Gerard Johnstone, and starring Allison Williams and Violet McGraw. Click here for the blog version of this episode.

After a three-year absence from The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, CA., I returned to enjoy their annual Camp Frida all-night horror movie marathon, where I watched the following: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997); Nightmare Beach (1989); Dead Snow (2009); April Fool's Day (1986); The Return of the Living Dead (1985); and Maniac Cop (1988).    Click here for the blog version of this episode.

I talk about an incident at work that kinda/sorta/not really happened, before discussing three recent viewings: The 1969 erotic thriller/black comedy The Laughing Woman, directed by Piero Schivazappa, and starring Philippe Leroy and Dagmar Lassander; Ti West's X prequel Pearl, from 2022, directed by West, and starring Mia Goth; and the 1991 "ultimate road movie" Until the End of the World, directed by Wim Wenders, and starring William Hurt and Solveig Dommartin.      Click here for the blog version of this episode.

In which I drove like a maniac to the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica to attend a movie marathon focusing on Los Angeles-based horror films from the 1980s. The following films were screened: They Live (1988); Society (1989); The Slumber Party Massacre (1982); Chopping Mall (1986); Blood Diner (1987); and Angel (1984).     Click here for the blog version of this episode.

As a fan of the movie podcast "Trick or Treat Radio", I decided to play along by watching the same films they covered in 2021, and forming my own "Top 13" list of favorites.  Visit the Trick or Treat Radio podcast if you want to hear fun genre talk. Note: This episode was originally intended to be released January 2022, but I had issues with the intro, which I felt was too dark. Normally, I don't care about such things, but I didn't want to start off the New Year with such a bad vibe. I prefer to save such gloom for June. So I ended up editing it down by 2/3, leaving it a relatively tame shadow of its former self -- and it *still* seemed too bleak. So I shelved it. Well, cut to a few months later, 2022 is shaping up to be yet another mother, I stopped caring, and so here it is. I've since deleted the longer version, but I'm sure those thoughts will pop up here and there in future posts, that is, if there *is* a future. See, my mind is always good at brewing up awfully negative things like that. 

Between bitching about car salesmen and crying about humanity, I ramble about the 2019 film A Hidden Life, written and directed by Terrence Malick, and starring August Diehl and Valerie Pachner.  Click here for the blog version of this episode.