Dark Discussions Podcast

Sometimes Hollywood “royalty” aren’t enough for a film to stand out and become a blockbuster.  When you have director Gregory Hoblit, behind such genre films as PRIMAL FEAR (1996) and FREQUENCY (2000), screenwriter Nicholas Kazan behind AT CLOSE RANGE (1986) and REVERSAL OF FORTUNE (1990), and Denzel Washington starring, you’d think the film FALLEN (1998) would be a blockbuster.  But it wasn’t.  Why?

Synopsis:  Detective John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) successfully captures serial killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas).  On the day of his execution, Reese seems to have made peace with Hobbes, shaking hands.  But while dying, he appears unrepentant.  Days later, copy cat murders begin and drag Hobbes back into a crime wave that may be more than just done by a man.

Besides Denzel Washington, the film’s cast includes John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, James Gandolfini, and Elias Koteas.  The movie was released during a wave of supernatural religious thrillers in the 1990’s that were either hit or miss.  FALLEN received mixed reviews and left the box office with little success.  A Patreon pick from one of our listeners, the podcast crew take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

The podcast decides to try to do something different with our latest episode. Genre movies, books, video games, disc reviews, interviews, anime, art house film – that’s been our regular format. But with 2023 just wrapping up, and almost all of 2024 still to come, we decided to take a look at various films between the two years and recap and deconstruct what we know.

2023 was a pretty mediocre year when it came to genre films. Horror and superhero films were mostly forgettable with the occasional gem that hit it out of the ballpark. We go into depths of some well known films like EVIL DEAD RISE, and some lesser known gems like VENUS and MASTER GARDENER. But we also look back at televisions series like LAST OF US and ONE PIECE too.

Then we take a look at some films and television shows coming in 2024. Will the new ALIEN: ROMULUS take the franchise in a new direction? After Ryan Gosling’s performance in BARBIE and Emily Blunt nominated for an Oscar for her role in OPPENHEIMER, will their new film THE FALL GUY that’s coming be a major hit? Also discussed is how some of the 2024 movies that may not make the Dark Discussions Podcast may actually be picked up on Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews as episodes. Take a listen and enjoy.

We are already half way through January in 2024, yet 2023 is now in the rearview mirror.  It’s time to take a look at the prior year and go through all the many films that came out that were considered horror and genre films.   Dark Discussions and its co-hosts puts together their review of all that was good and bad in 2023.  Was it one of the better years in genre cinema or did it have too many missteps to be remembered?

Each of your co-hosts put together a list of movies they thought were good enough to recommend. Two lists were procured.  This included a list of horror films and a list of other speculative fiction films. Afterwards we then combined those lists and came up with the Dark Discussions definitive lists in both categories as best of the year. Some obvious films like MEGAN (M3GAN) and EVIL DEAD RISE appear but also little known films like THE ARTIFICE GIRL and VENUS were too.

Also included are some of our “sometime co-hosts” choices and what they felt were the best of the year. And don’t forget our top and worst scenes, scream queens, breakout star, and anything else you can think of. Dark Discussions wraps up last year in a nice tight bow and gives their listeners a good many films to go out and search for.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.

Dennis Paoli some say has written some of the best horror films of all time. His most famous include RE-ANIMATOR (1985) and FROM BEYOND (1986). His work with directors Stuart Gordon have been applauded which also includes DAGON (2001). The three films listed above are all based loosely off of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories. His latest, SUITABLE FLESH (2023), directed by Joe Lynch, was released during Halloween in 2023 with some great reviews.

Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham) unexpectedly receives a patient named Asa Waite (Judah Lewis). Troubled and saying he has had experiences of being possessed, he’s the last patient she’d want to break her oath and have an affair with. When a horrific happening occurs at Asa’s house, things begin to spiral and Elizabeth’s sanity may be the price she’ll pay.

The movie was directed by Joe Lynch, known for such cult films as WRONG TURN 2: DEAD END (2007), EVERYLY (2014), and MAYHEM (2017). Besides starring Heather Graham (FROM HELL (2001), KILLING ME SOFTLY (2002)), the movie teams actress Barbara Crampton (RE-ANIMATOR (1985), FROM BEYOND (1986)) with Dennis Paoli. Also Bruce Davison co-stars. Your podcast co-hosts take a look at the film and give their thoughts.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.

No one can deny director David Slade hit it out of the ballpark with his 2 initial features, HARD CANDY (2005) and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT (2007).  Both were splendid genre films and have become cult classics.  Between the years he has directed music videos and television episodes among some other films.  Late in 2023 his latest film DARK HARVEST was released during the Halloween season.

In the early 1960’s within a small isolated farming community in Illinois, every Halloween a monster known as Sawtooth Jack rises from the local cornfields.  Years ago he entered the local church and cursed the town to with failed crops and hardship.  Now, each year, a custom has been set in place.  Each Halloween, the teenage boys of the town must hunt Sawtooth Jack before he curses the town once more.

The movie is based on the novel with the same name written by author Norman Partridge.  After being held back for a year, the movie was released to digital VOD as the last film by MGM/United Artist before their absorption into the Amazon movie fold.  Your co-hosts take a look at David Slade’s “comeback” and give their thoughts on the movie.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.

New Year’s resolutions are a big thing for folks. Some want to lose weight, find a spouse, get a new job, work towards completing something; others have goals that they strive for. Co-host Mike said that there are a lot of genre films he hasn’t seen that he wants to get to, so as a New Year’s resolution, why not ask all the co-hosts to see some film they always wanted to see and then discuss. Another year doing so, each co-host chose a genre movie that they had never seen and decided to watch it and give their opinions.

Films we discuss are Lucio Fulci's 1980 Lovecraftian film CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, Ruggero Deodato's 1980 film CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, the 1955 Ray Harryhausen film IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA, and the 1988 Tom Holland/Don Mancini classic CHILD'S PLAY.  A wide variety of films they are but also some important ones too that one of your co-hosts finally got to see.

With all that, Dark Discussions would like to say happy 2024 to all of our listeners and extra mention to our Patreon supporters, both new and old, and hope to hear about some of the films you folks have never seen and plan to in this new year. Email us at [email protected] and let us know.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.