Video Monsters

Welcome to another episode of The Gargyle Podcast!  Tonight, we are continuing our coverage of the Chattanooga Film Festival.  And no, the title was not a typo.  In tonight's episode, Tim, Daniel, and I discuss the various talks that we attended at the Chattanooga Film Festival.  So, we are talking about talks about movies - starting with Izzy Lee's talk Socio-Political Themes in Horror Film, then Grady Hendrix's talk about Paperbacks from Hell, and ending with Joe Bob Briggs (the patron saint of CFF) and his talk Joe Bob Does Exploitation Film.  

As I mentioned in the last episode, Daniel and Tim will be joining me for the next several episodes of The Gargyle Podcast as we cover all of the films that we saw at the Chattanooga Film Festival.  On the next episode, we will be discussing movies that were closer to "big budget" movies.  So, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check back soon for more of our coverage of the Chattanooga Film

Once again, I was able to return to the Chattanooga Film Festival!  I love cinema in all of its forms, so the Chattanooga Film Festival is (without a doubt) one of my favorite times of year because I am able to spend four days being surrounded by movies and fellow film lovers...and Chattanooga Film Festival 2018 was no exception!!

On tonight's episode, Tim, Daniel, and I discuss the movies we saw at CFF 2018 that you are most likely not going to be able to see in theaters, unless they play at another film festival.  The films covered in tonight's episode include:

• November - an Estonian fantasy drama that felt like if Ingmar Bergman and David Lynch had a baby and named it Romeo & Juliet
• Lesser Beasts - the world premiere an indie film that questions the role of human existence. 
• Ninja Zombie (presented by Bleeding Skull) - yet another cinematic masterpiece presented by Bleeding Skull.  There is a plot, involving ninja and a zombie...ninja.  I hav

What do Happy Death Day, Event Horizon, Knoxville Horror Film Festival, and Chattanooga Film Festival have in common??  Well, aside from horror, they are all talked about on tonight's episode of The Gargyle Podcast!!

The majority of the podcast is an analysis/review of Event Horizon, but Eric and I also have a brief discussion about Happy Death Day and talk about how awesome the Chattanooga Film Festival and the Knoxville Horror Film Festival are!!

Eric and I both agree that Event Horizon is an awesome sci-fi movie with some absolutely horrifying elements...that aren't quite actualized as well as they could have been.  So, join us as we dive into what worked, and what didn't, in Event Horizon!!

If you enjoy this episode, be sure to keep checking back at gargylereviews.blogspot.com for more film reviews, festival and con coverage, and general geekery!!

music for The Gargyle Podc

Adam and I are back at it again with the next episode in our coverage of the Harry Potter series!  In tonight's episode, we discuss (among other things):  the interaction of horror and child-like wonder and fantasy, whether the giant frogs in the choir are singing or being played like instruments, our interpretations of J. K. Rowling's infusion of social and political commentary into her stories, and the intentionality of cgi hippogriff poop.

While each episode in our Harry Potter series will primarily focus on the specific movie that was just watched, there will be conversations about how the movie deviates from the book, references to information from previous movies/books, discussions about events that take place later in the series, and comparisons to events in other series/franchises.  So, consider this your general spoiler warning.  But, if you've already seen/read all of Harry Potter, then watch out for hippogriff droppings and give your time turner a turn or

The podcast is about to begin...sir!  There is something so awesome and inherently creepy about Phantasm, but it can be kind of difficult to discern exactly why.  So, on tonight's episode, Eric and I discuss mental health, sex and violence, loss of humanity through technology, and the fear of the unknown in our analysis of Phantasm & Phantasm II in an attempt to explain it!!

You play a good game boy, but now it's time...to listen!

If you enjoy this episode, be sure to keep checking back at gargylereviews.blogspot.com for more movie reviews, con coverage, and general geekery!!

music for The Gargyle Podcast by Bensound

After a little time off for the holidays, Adam and I are back with the next episode in our coverage of the Harry Potter series!  In tonight's episode, we discuss (among other things):  the ethical treatment of house elves, why Hogwart's kept the Slytherin house (despite Salazar Slytherin's view on racial purity), and the impact of the discrepancies between book and movie.  Plus, Adam makes several innocent comments that are taken wildly out of context.

While each episode in our Harry Potter series will primarily focus on the specific movie that was just watched, there will be conversations about how the movie deviates from the book, references to information from previous movies/books, discussions about events that take place later in the series, and comparisons to events in other series/franchises.  So, consider this your general spoiler warning.  But, if you've already seen/read all of Harry Potter, then grab a handful of flue powder, and meet me and Adam in Diagon

A few weeks ago, Adam and I podcasted about our time at CONjuration.  While CONjuration is a con for all things magical, it grew out of a love for the Harry Potter and much of the con does revolve around the Harry Potter series.  Consequently, a good portion of the conversation that Adam and I had on that podcast also revolved around Harry Potter.  In fact, we were enjoying the conversation so much that we kept talking about it even after we stopped recording.

So, we decided to prolong our conversations about Harry Potter by doing a series of podcasts on the films.  Over the next several months, Adam and I will be rewatching the films together and then podcasting about our thoughts, questions, and analyses of the films and books. 

While each episode will primarily focus on the specific movie that was just watched, there will be conversations about how the movie deviates from the book, reference to informa

If you've been following me for the past couple months, you know that I've been watching nightly horror movies since the start of September (well, mostly nightly movies...on the nights that I didn't have time for a movie, I at least watched an episode or two of shows such as Goosebumps and Tales from the Crypt) with themed weeks all leading up to Halloween.  I love Halloween and had an absolute blast watching and discussing horror movies with friends, as well as going to two awesome horror film fests!! 

As much as I absolutely love Halloween, I also really love Christmas (for different reasons).  So, with a love of Halloween and Christmas, and with having watched two solid months of horror, 60 Days of Halloween turned into 60+ Days of Halloween and I watched Christmas horror movies to transition from the Halloween season to the Christmas season.  

There are some pretty terrible slasher movies out there that just put the killer in a Santa suit (or stor

From mythical creatures, to fantastical worlds, to epic journeys, to endless imagination, the fantasy genre covers such a wide spectrum of topics and interests that it's easy to understand why it is so loved by so many people.  One of the most beloved fantasy series is Harry Potter - due in part to how relatable the characters are, as well as how real J. K. Rowling makes the fantastical elements feel!  And the love of the Harry Potter series, as well as all things magical, is a palpable experience at CONjuration Con!! 

Last weekend was the fourth year of CONjuration, and it continues to get better with every single year.  I've been to all four years of CONjuration (links to coverage from previous years below) and I can honestly say that I look forward to it all year long.  Chris and Angela (the founders and headmasters of CONjuration) pour their heart and soul into the con to make sure that it is a magical time for all who attend,

A couple weeks ago, special guest William Mahaffey (Director of the Knoxville Horror Film Festival) joined me and Eric to talk about the Knoxville Horror Film Festival, Central Cinema, partnering with the Ijams Nature Center, and horror movies for IFC Midnight Week.  And as much as I have been loving all of the horror movies that I've been watching each week, I have been looking forward to the Knoxville Horror Film Festival ever since I was there last year!  It is such an awesome film festival filled with amazing horror movies, put together by people who very clearly know and love horror!  And this year's Knoxville Horror Film Festival certainly did NOT let us down!!