We’re kicking off a new semester by tackling two incredibly dark films that ask the question: have you checked on your mom lately? Alex and Andrea investigate the deepest depths of grief, despair and what we stand to lose (and gain) when we forsake our family for community.

 

Salem Horror Fest tickets! Get ’em here!

 

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REQUIRED READING

Pyewacket. Dir. Adam MacDonald, 2017.

Hereditary. Dir. Ari Aster, 2018.

EXTRA CREDIT

Fack exclusive: Pyewacket filmmaker audio Commentary! Adam MacDonald’s enlightening commentary for his film.

 

Canadians Talking Shit. Adam MacDonald’s podcast – we recommend!

 

“This be the verse.” Larkin’s poem from Alex’s inaugural poetry corner.

 

The Book of Spells by Nicole de Pulford. Alex’s foray into teen witchcraft. Disclaimer! We assume no responsibility for those sealed pages!

 

“Mass Media and Religious Identity: A Case Study of Young Witches.” For all us elder millennials who called the corners in the park.

 

Generation Multiplex: The Image of Youth in Contemporary American Cinema. Timothy Shary’s examination of teens on screen.

 

Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers. Maybe the most oft-quoted book of this podcast? Sady Doyle’s book on the construct of woman as monster.

 

“Silencing the Dead: The Decline of Spiritualism.” A piece from The Atlantic on the history of spiritualism and its fall from fashion.

 

“Trans Horror Stories and Society’s Fear of the Transmasculine Body.” A trans reading of Hereditary.

 

“The Truth About the Five Stages of Grief.” Everything we learned in psych 101 was BS! See why Kubler-Ross’ popular grief model should be put down in this great video from Sci Show.

LISTEN