Dark Discussions Podcast

Technology has changed things tremendously, especially the internet. Social media has allowed folks to connect with each other unlike never before. However, hacking has become prevalent as well. Personal data and bank accounts need constant protection. But what about those little cameras on one’s laptop? What happens when they are hacked and folks are able to watch you when you are unaware? The new movie EYE WITHOUT A FACE (2021) uncomfortably portrays this.

Henry (Dakota Shapiro), a young agoraphobic man, lives in a house he inherited from his father. Help to pay the property tax, he has let his friend Eric (Luke Cook), an inspiring actor, move in with him. During Henry’s quiet days at home, he has hacked into the webcams of various women that live in his home city of Los Angeles. While watching them during their private moments, he suspects one of them to be a possible serial killer.

Director Ramin Niami also wrote the script for the film. Along with Dakota hapiro and Luke Cook, the film stars Vlada Verevko, Rebecca Berg, and Ashley Elyse Rogers. With its very modern topics, the film is most certainly interesting as it confronts computer crimes, women’s privacy, mental illness, and parental abuse. Your co-hosts take a look at this interesting film and give their thoughts.

James Wan is one of today’s most celebrated horror and genre directors.  He was a the creator or co-creator of such horror franchises as INSIDIOUS, SAW, and THE CONJURING universe.  Many of these films are considered iconic films of the genre.  Now in 2021, he has directed a new horror film entitled MALIGNANT (2021) that has been released simultaneously to theaters and HBO Max.

Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is married, pregnant, and seems to live the American dream.  But when her husband become abusive, her life turns upside down.  She begins to have visions of an intruder who is out hunting what appear to be random people within her hometown, Seattle, Washington.  When a deep secret about her past is revealed, the murderer, she discovers, may be someone that she has known all her life.

Unlike many of his other films being written by director/writer Leigh Whannell, MALIGNANT’s script is written by Akela Cooper.  The movie starts Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, and George Young.  Music is composed by long time collaborator Joseph Bishara.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this very strange and intense film and gives their thoughts.

Lincoln Child is one of today’s best selling authors.  His set of novels based off the special ops private eye Jack Reacher have been some of the favorite books by thriller and mystery fans.   In 2012, Tom Cruise was able to star and produce the feature motion picture, JACK REACHER, based off the first book in the series, ONE SHOT (2005).  The film was directed and written by long time Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie.

When a serial killer shots five people dead in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a mysterious former Army military police officer shows up named Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise).  When the district attorney, Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins), seeks the death penalty, his daughter Helen (Rosamund Pike) feels something is suspicious.  Soon Jack Reacher joins up with Helen and the two begin to unravel a much larger conspiracy.

Jack Reacher is another in a long line of films that were pushed back due to real life crimes that seemed to mirror the plot of the movie.  When the film finally was released, it made less than expected but received legs and made a boat load of money world wide.  The film stars Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Robert Duval, Werner Herzog, and David Oyelowo in a strong ensemble cast.  Your co-hosts take a look at this well received film and give their thoughts.

After some unfortunate violence in the real world, the film, THE HUNT (2020), was pulled from Blumhouse’s future releases.  It stayed in limbo for a bit, before reappearing on their theatrical release schedule for March 2020.  Unfortunately it was the very week that COVID-19 became the pandemic that it was, and as a result, the movie tanked at the box office.  Finally after an off and on release schedule on VOD, the film arrived to HBO Max where folks could finally take a look at the controversy behind the film and judge for themselves.

After a group of privileged elites discussing on text the murdering of so-called online “deplorables”, the conversation mistakenly is leaked and goes viral.  After their careers are ruined and all are cancelled, they decide to kidnap the Twitter trolls that brought them down.  The hostages are brought to a remote location where they must fight for their lives if they want to survive.

THE HUNT was directed by Craig Zobel (Z FOR ZACHARIAH (2015)) and written by Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof.  In its ensemble cast, the stars include Betty Gilpin, Hillary Swank, Emma Roberts, and Amy Madigan.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this interesting film and are joined by actor Dan Lench (CIRCLE (2015)).

Grindhouse sometimes refers to B-movies filled with blood and boobs, bad acting and papier-mâché monsters.  But even if they don’t have all those ingredients, they can still be over the top silliness.  Many times in a good way.  The new movie, STAY OUT OF THE ATTIC (2021), even has an alternate title STAY OUT OF THE F*CKING ATTIC.  Arriving on Shudder earlier this year, the movie got a lot of buzz because of that alternate title.

Albert (Ryan Francis), an ex-con, owns a moving company.  Giving a second chance to other parolees, his company is hired by Vern Mueller (Michael Flynn), an elderly German immigrant that has a manor that requires Albert’s services.  As the movers begin to pack up this immense house, they discover a horrible secret that could lead to all of their deaths.

Though the film played the festival circuit in 2020 the movie was released to all audiences in the USA on March 11th, 2021.  The film is directed and co-written by newcomer Jerren Lauder in a film that is so over the top, it would have fit nicely back in the Times Square and 42nd Street run of bizarre cinema from the 1970’s and early 80’s.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this curious midnight movie and give their thoughts.

Your podcast hosts take a look at a small film from the UK. The movie, MEDUSA (2021), and its title may be a bit of a misnomer. The monster, Medusa, one of a group of creatures called gorgons, are from Greek and Roman mythos from years gone by. But as a creature, she has been used in many forms in film and literature since.

For this movie, we have a young woman, Carly (Megan Purvis), living in a traveling trailer park, along other women who are prostitutes. At one time leaving this life, she fell back into it, and unfortunately has become once again depended on hard drugs like heroine. When she is sent to meet a “john”, the man has a snake that bites Carly. As the days go by she begins to notice something sinister happening to her body and her life.

The movie is directed by someone simply named Mathew B.C. but the movie is produced by British producer Scott Jeffrey who is known for funding many low budget horror films. The film stars Megan Purvis in a strong role requiring much screen time. Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews take a look at this very interesting film.

Based off the short story by Clive Barker, The Forbidden, the 1992 film, CANDYMAN, made a surprising impact on horror films.  As the new wave of flashy slasher films were about to flood the market in the nineties, CANDYMAN was a bit different.  A slow brooding film placed in the housing projects of Chicago, its iconic monster played by Tony Todd turned him into a star and made a franchise that still lives today. 

In 2021, a follow up sequel also called CANDYMAN has arrived to very good reviews.  With its updates to the legend of Candyman while still following the general “rules” that the original conceived, critics even more so than fans have given positive reviews to the direction this new film has gone.

The film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (WATCHMEN) and Teyonah Parris (WANDAVISION).  Nia DaCosta directs based on a screenplay co-written with Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld.  Only at theaters at the time of this writing, the movie has grossed double its budget.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this new film and gives their thoughts.

Well, the year 2021 seems to be the year that Nicholas Cage has returned to the zeitgeist.  Earlier this year he appeared in the well received potential cult classic film WILLY’S WONDERLAND.  Now a few months later, his latest movie, PIG (2021), brings him once again to the forefront.  It has been one of the most highly rated films critically this year.  With over 213 reviews from mainstream press, PIG has a 97% approval rating.  And audiences ratings are not that far behind.

Robin Feld (Nicholas Cage), a rural truffle forager, lives in a shack alone but with his trusty pig who helps identify locations of the buried fungi.  Amir (Alex Wolff), a truffle dealer from  Seattle, collects and pays Robin and others for their gatherings.  He sells the expensive commodities to exclusive restaurants in the city.  When one night Robin is attacked by intruders and his pig is stolen, he sets out with Amir to find his beloved pet.  And the two men on the way may find out more about themselves.

The film is the directorial debut of Michael Sarnoski and co-written with Vanessa Block.  Having been filmed two years ago but traveling through the festival circuit since, the movie officially received its United States release July 16th, 2021.  Your co-hosts take a look at this amazing movie and give their feelings on its meaning about life, love, loss, and healing.

Dark Discussions Podcast has made it to Episode 500. After ten and a half years, numerous side podcasts, and becoming a network, the original has persisted on and finally arrives to a giant milestone. After posting a poll on facebook with over 24 classic and cult classic genre films, listeners and members have chosen the film for us to discuss. That film is LIFEFORCE (1985), directed by Tobe Hooper (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) and co-written by Dan O’Bannon (ALIEN).

When a joint US/UK shuttle called the Churchill visits Halley’s Comet, they discover a UFO in the comet’s coma. Inside appear to be human sized dead bat creatures. But the crew also finds three humanoids that resemble human beings, alive, but in stasis. When rescuers board the Churchill they discover the ship is internally immolated with all the crew dead. Returning to Earth, they bring the three humanoids back to the British Space Research Center. However the female humanoid awakens. After escaping into the city of London, panic sets in.

This Cannon Studio production had big talent behind it including Tobe Hooper and Dan O’Bannon. But also composer Henry Mancini and special effects artist John Dykstra were added. With a big budget and a great cast including the who’s who of British characters actors of the time including Frank Finlay, the movie initially received mixed reviews and was considered a box office failure. Now years later, the film has begun to grow with praise and expanded from just being a cult classic. Dark Discussions takes a look at this interesting vampire film and gives their thoughts.

Hi, Its a few days late because ... whatever,

Episode Includes News of the miscellany, and 5 reviews, on Blood Red Sky, Aftermath, A Quiet Place 2, Suicide Squad 2 and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.