Top 10 Films of the Month

• 1. The Thing (1982)

• I cover a bunch of these films in my Spooky Movies Challenge, The Thing, Alien, Dawn of The Dead, Suspiria, and Psycho can all be seen there. I don't want to repeat myself, but theres no denying that Carpenter's The Thing is my favourite horror film.

• 2. Alien (1979)

• The cat lives, nothing else matters. The set design shocks me, its still so fresh. We watched the film with my brother who was playing Alien: Isolation at the time. It remains true to the films visually.

• 3. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

• Not what I expected at all, and thats a good thing. How can such old zombie flicks feel so much smarter and more creative than expensive shows and films like The Walking Dead and World War Z? Obviously I would rank the Romero masterpiece high up with Shaun of the Dead and Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.

• 4. Suspiria (1977)

• Despite how beautiful the setting is, candy-coloured buildings, fascinating lights, and blue velvet walls, its always deeply discomforting. The illusion of grandeur, but the dance school students are not safe for a moment.

• 5. Psycho (1960)

• There is really nothing else to say, its phenomenal, particularly because of the actors. However, I do think that the contrast of black and white is done even better in The Innocents.

• 6. Aliens (1986)

• Awesome action, nightmare alien infestation, and a fun little gang of inept soldiers, Ripley, and capitalism piece of shit. Bill Paxton is a little unhinged guy as usual.

• 7. Monsters (2010)

• Film suggested by my brother. He introduced it as a film in which the atmosphere is the strongest feature and I can confirm, yes, it really is. I was listening to Jon Hopkins before ever watching the film, Im really into post-rock. However, seeing it partnered with a desolate and unsettling jungle landscape is even better. There's no character drama or depth, when it does happen its average. But it doesnt matter, because the mood of the film is set and it carries the entire narrative.

• 8. Titan A.E. (2000)

• Actually unbelievable that I hadn't seen it until now. Anything that remotely resembles Treasure Planet or Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is always an automatic yes from me. This film was near perfect, with a phenomenal beginning. It kind of squandered the ending, story-wise. The action and art is amazing and fun throughout.

• 9. Scream (1996)

• I hope my brother isnt reading these entries because he will literally never shut up about me thinking Scream is any good. We started watching Scream together but he hated it and we stopped not even halfway through. I can totally admit it sucks and the characters make the dumbest desicions possible over and over, but it just works so well. I fuck with it.

• 10. Beyond The Black Rainbow (2010)

• A very ambitious sci-fi thriller with a vague and bizzare plot. I respect it for the set and costume design, editing choices, and being Canadian. It also feels like this film was one of the first to latch onto the 80s sci fi nostalgia that plagued the 2010s.

Top 5 Disappointing/Worst Films

• 1. Circle (2015)

• Why do I do this to myself. Awful. Awful. These people are terrible. The only fun part was the one-armed guy.

• 2. Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)

• Somehow the first Unfriended was scarier to me, even though this one is all about scummy dark web people which are real and freak me out.

• 3. Dragon Ball Evolution (2009)

• We have a movie night series going on with my friends, exclusively shit films. It all started with CATS, Baghead, and now we've reached Dragon Ball Evolution. RIP, budget 2009 Elijah Wood and the immense white-washing all over this movie. They call him 'Geeko' in this by the way. Stay tuned for: Slither and Dungeons & Dragons.

• 4. Annihilation (2018)

• For once, a film that I thought would be good but was not. It looks amazing and there are some concepts I am very interested in. The consumption of our familiar by a totally new life form for the sake of co-existence. All the good science is drenched in stupid group arguments and a very tedious romance.

• 5. An American Werewolf in London (1981)

• Damn, really wanted to like this one. Found it very boring.

Top 10 Songs of the Month

• 1. [Ontario - The Posies] on Amazing Disgrace (1996)

• Ok, I do. I want you to take me to Ontario.

• 2. [I Don't Know Why I Love You - House of Love] on House of Love (1990)

• The perfect melody.

• 3. [Slow Death - The Groovies] on Groovies Greatest Grooves (1989)

• The Groovies are kind of like no one else. This is my favourite song of theirs, because its haunting and dark, following a mysterious slow death. Its probably about drugs. For some reason, the riff here reminds me of something Magnolia Electric Co.-esque.

• 4. [Groove Is In The Heart - Deee-Lite] on World Clique (1990)

• There is a lot of Groove here today. I have nothing cool to say. Lady Miss Kier, I would do anything for you.

• 5. [You Wanted More - Tonic] on Sugar (1999)

• Greatly underrated, Tonic hits the perfect combo of a soft voice, hard backing instruments, and an impressive lyrical abiltiy for me.

• 6. [Celebrity Skin - Hole] on Celebrity Skin (1998)

• What can I say except its such an awesome song. The outfits in the music video are also phenomenal.

• 7. [Stand Bye - Systems Officer] on Stand Bye (2022)

• It usually takes me a real long time to get into new releases, even from my favourite bands and artists. I couldn't stand Tokyo Police Club's Forcefields and everything after that. I still dont enjoy most tracks on A Beginner's Mind and I love Sufjan Stevens. However, I am here to tell you that the way that Systems Officer / Pinback/ Armistead Burwell Smith IV make music is still the best fucking thing ever. New Pinback stuff would be much appreciated though.

• 8. [Save Yourself - Sense Field] on Tonight and Forever (2001)

• I love pretty much every Sense Field song out there. Jon Bunch, the vocalist of the band, passed away in 2016 as a result of a suicidal overdose. In this one he sings about a longing for real love, how it is to be cherished, and protecting yourself from the consequences of being just a casual thing to someone you want more from. Its always a cold, dark feeling to appreciate and learn from a dead musician, about them, about the world, and everything in between. I do it all the time when I listen to Jason Molina. Their ghosts linger.

• 9. [Yeah, Whatever - Splender] on Halfway Down The Sky (1999)

• This song gives me a lot of comfort. The cover for the album as well. A kind of imagery and sound thats totally erased from our world now.

• 10. [Rhythm From A Red Car - Hardline] on Double Eclipse (1992)

• This sounds like it should still be in the 80s, like quite a few tracks that are on most of my 90s playlists. But does that make it outdated? Clinging onto styles long out of style? Who gives a shit about anything like that at all? If it rocks, it rocks, and this fucking rocks.

Reads Of The Month

• 1. Hyperion (1989, Hyperion Cantos #1) - Dan Simmons

Progress - Reading - 15%

• I have not been devoting enough time to this book as of late. At the momenet, the exiled priest has met the Bikura, a very primitive people on Hyperion, witnessed an incredible mystery, and is now in grave danger!