Episode 21: HEL_

We can probably stop using the word "quagmire" at this point...

The story behind this seemingly subtle photo goes like this: 5 young creatives who happened to somehow end up enlisted in the armed forces wind up in a hole in the wall bar in Sicily that happened to be playing Digable Planets as we walked by. We met some young ladies (one of which took this photo) who'd happened to have studied at some school in Massachusetts that I will never remember the name of, so they spoke great English. Long story short, by the end of the night I'd drank a slew of different types of alcohol which ended up in everything I'd eaten that day on the floor on the ship right next to my bed. Alcohol poisoning works the same in every hemisphere, y'all...

...From the Archives!...

FREESTYLES FROM 2000
I might start rocking that gradient effect more often; I actually completely forgot about it. Then was a period of experimentation and taking subject matter beyond the usual threshold. There are quite a few characters on these same pages that I can't post here or this whole operation would turn into an adult situation. You don't really realize how weird you are until your skill catches up enough to where you can illustrate it.

I, for some reason, thought I was an amateur philosopher. Then I read this...

5 SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY THAT DIED OUT Dive into five philosophical schools that have faded into obscurity but still whisper through the ages.

From Big Think:

"Some of the world’s oldest surviving texts are dedicated to philosophy. In many ways, no school of philosophy ever fully dies, as a good idea can endure over millennia. On the other hand, there are plenty of schools of thought in which nobody seems to claim membership anymore. Here, we look at five schools of thought that died out, and whether we can see any trace of their intellectual legacy today."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
Once you read some of the reasons these philosophies became less popular, you gain a better understanding of just how backwards the world has become. It's one thing to joke about "being born in the wrong era", but to know...

CREATURES, CREATURES, CREATURES!...

RESIDENT EVIL TRAILER
From Bloody Disgusting:

"Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is infecting theaters this coming September, and the marketing campaign is about to get underway. While we wait for the first official trailer, Sony Pictures has launched the official website for Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil movie this week.

There’s nothing much on the website at this time, but it does reveal the official logo for the film (above) while also confirming that September 18, 2026 remains the release date.

Check out the website here and expect Cregger’s Resident Evil trailer soon."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
Your boy Cregger is on a roll, not gonna lie. Barbarian cut through because of grotesque claustrophobia. WEAPONS hit a nerve because of oddity and unnervingness; this new Resident Evil, though...those creatures are what I anticipate will make the film. There's rumors that the gaming community isn't happy as the representation of the game isn't as accurate as they'd like. To that I'd say: it's a movie. Definitely looking forward to this, though, as I love a good zombie flick - and I'll probably watch it multiple times once it's released.

On top of that, another legendary franchise is cracking heads this year...

EVIL DEAD BURN TRAILER
Frome Warner Brothers Horror:

"Evil Dead Burn unleashes the franchise’s most savage and terrifying ride to date, blazing onto big screens with an all-new chapter of carnage and demonic mayhem. After the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home. As one by one they are transformed into Deadites—turning the gathering into a family reunion from hell—she comes to discover that the vows she took in life... live on even in death."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
If I have to mention that they should have never canceled Ash vs Evil Dead...you know what, nevermind. I'm actually happy with the direction they're taking this one; that og gore absurdity is back on the menu. There's also that Evil Dead Rise easter egg that I'm sure you keen lot spotted immediately. I got excited when I heard about this last year and actually didn't believe it would even be fully green-lighted, but here we are. Prepare yourselves.

It's simultaneously crazy and joyous to be alive during such unprecedented times for the horror genre...

A24 PODCAST FEATURING KANE PARSONS & JAMES WAN

From A24:

"Topics covered include:​ Kane's parents keeping him off the internet until age eight, pirating way too much software, the origin of the Backrooms, the purgatories we build for ourselves, meeting your heroes after early virality, building 30,000 sq. ft. of sets on a soundstage, Kane accidentally calling his film a "product" and immediately wanting to flee to the woods, shotlisting an entire feature in Blender, renting out a Vancouver theater to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey during prep, James Wan's hopeful advice for young filmmakers, Renate's spiritual curiosity, control variables, and bringing the family together for the theatrical premiere of Backrooms."

I've said so much about this already - just like millions of others. However I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge - again - how legendary this is for the game. I can already see this becoming a comfort film.

It took me my entire life to learn this...

WHY YOU SHOULD PRETEND TO BE LESS INTELLIGENT THAN YOU ARE
From Academy of Ideas:

"Access 130+ membership videos! ► http://academyofideas.com/members/

Access the transcript and a gallery of the art used - https://academyofideas.com/2026/05/wh...

Substack - https://theacademyofideas.substack.com/
Twitter - / academyofideas
Instagram - / academyofideas
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2dio7KU...
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...
Visit academyofideas.com for all our content."

>>> VIEW CHANNEL HERE <<<
The fact that I even posted this more than likely catalyzed in most peoples minds this question: "Who does this guy think he is?"...and fair enough. Yet the author of this video didn't intend to insinuate that "most people are stupid, so therefore pretend to be one". Rather I believe the intention is - as it pertains to dealing with particular social dynamics - to refer to one of the 48 Laws of Power: Never Outshine the Master. I'll let them explain it more eloquently in the video, but it definitely makes for an interesting watch.

I learned how to do the Charlseton - at that point in time known as the "Kid & Play" - to It Takes Two...

RIP ROB BASE

From Rolling Stone:

" Rob Base, the rapper who was best known for the hit “It Takes Two,” died on Friday, May 22, after a battle with cancer. He was 59.

News of his death was shared via his official Instagram account. “Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world. Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten,” the statement reads. “Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives.”"

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
It Takes Two is hands down one of the most legendary uses of the Think break, the soundtrack to literally every middle school house party - regardless of what side of Jax you grew up on, an instant b-boy classic, and an indicator that something wild is about to happen if you heard it in a movie soundtrack. Don't get it wrong, he had other bangers like Joy & Pain, but it's been said all throughout history - Good Music Unifies People. Salute to Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, and condolences to his family and friends.

Once again, you may leave my metaphorical presence, but before you do, listen to just how hard this mix by KhanFu goes.

Stay up!

DJ KHANFU - BOOM BAP AND BREAKS 2020 MIX
#philosophy #bigthink #toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #zachcregger #residentevil #evildeadburn #djkhanfu #kaneparsons #jameswan #thebackrooms #a24 #robbase #academyofideas

Episode 20: Liminal Animal

I've probably said this before, but Eleven22 is like the Planet Fitness of churches...

Winter. 2008. I didn't know it at the time, but this photo is one of the last of me making a public appearance. It was around this time - due to a series of consecutive life events - that anxiety would start to take a hold. It manifested - publicly, no less - a couple of years later, but we'll get to that eventually. Anyway, this was painted in front of Cafe 331 on Forsythe in downtown Jax for a crowd of maybe about 10 people. It was cold, fam, nobody wanted to stand there for more than a few minutes to literally watch paint dry...

...from The Archives:

FREESTYLES FROM 2000
I fully realize that from the context of reading this blog, looking at these images for the first time may spark a line of questioning in most people's brains. Probably foremost is "Why? Why post photos of work done almost 3 decades ago instead of what you've been doing recently?" The answer to that is simple: I reignited this flame of a blog to produce a digital catalog of where I came from as an artist; to not only showcase the progress of my creative ventures, but also to illustrate the psychological meanderings and musings of someone who's lived as an outsider. A celebration of the weird and obscure, if you will. I can promise you this, though: if you can bear with me you'll get it by the time my catalogue catches up with the current date.

Imagine the amount of work you'd have to put in to be labeled as a "rogue archaeologist"...

From Big Think:

HOW EXPERIMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGISTS ARE SOLVING ANCIENT MYSTERIES

How experimental archaeologists are solving ancient mysteries by Big Think

Sam Kean examines how rogue archaeologists are recreating the sounds, tastes, smells, and practices of the ancient past.

Read on Substack

Because I've ventured into synthography, I'm going to start calling myself a "rogue artist". Eat that, street artists. It has to be extremely interesting work to recreate what humans from the distant past experienced via the senses. Remember, canned air fresheners and Yankee candles weren't a thing back then. They may have had something better - or way worse - but also keep in mind that flatulence has been a human thing since time immemorial. (I don't know if that's true; Also, I had to look up "immemorial" to make sure I spelled it correctly)

I've always said that this type of horror - Liminal Horror - is the future...

EXIT 8 TRAILER
From Exit 8:

"地下鉄の改札を出て白い地下通路を歩いていく。天井には【出口8】の看板。しかしいつまでも出口に辿り着くことができない。何度もすれ違う同じ男に違和感を感じ、やがて自分が同じ通路を繰り返し歩いていることに気付く。そして壁に掲示されている、謎めいた【ご案内】を見つける。通路のどこかに【異変】があれば引き返し、なければそのまま前に進む。【1番出口】【2番出口】【3番出口】…正しければ【8番出口】に近づき、見落とすと【0番出口】に戻る。次々と現れる不可解な異変を見つけ、絶望的にループする無限回廊から抜け出すことができるのか？ 　インディーゲームクリエイターのKOTAKE CREATE氏がたったひとりで制作し、累計販売本数180万本超の世界的大ヒットを記録したゲーム『8番出口』が実写映画化。「あのゲームをどうやって映画に？」と謎につつまれた映画プロジェクトだったが、わずか30秒の特報映像と俳優・二宮和也の主演情報が解禁されると、爆発的に全世界に拡散され、Xのポストが2900万インプレッション超えをするという「異変」が発生。その他の登場人物については「VIVANT」で強烈な個性を放った河内大和、唯一無二の存在感を放ち続ける国民的ミューズ・小松菜奈など、数少ない出演者情報のみが公開されている。『告白』『悪人』『君の名は。』『怪物』など数々の映画を製作し、初監督作『百花』で第70回サン・セバスティアン国際映画祭にて日本人初となる最優秀監督賞を受賞した川村元気が監督・脚本を務めた本作は、第78回カンヌ国際映画祭オフィシャルセレクション【ミッドナイト・スクリーニング部門】に選出。超日本的な地下通路映画は、瞬く間に世界へと羽ばたき、カンヌの地で開催されたワールドプレミアで「圧倒的に新しい映画体験！」「重層的かつ現代的なテーマが編み込まれ、まったく新しいゲームの映画化となっていた」「まさかの展開、緻密な物語に驚かされた！」と絶賛され、アジア、ヨーロッパなど既に30以上の国と地域での上映が決定。いま最も、世界から公開を待ち望まれている日本映画となっている。そしてきたる8月29日、全世界に先駆けて映画『8番出口』が日本公開となる。"

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
Y'all already know, straight up, I have zero clue as to what any of that says and I didn't bother to translate it either. (I did, but I'm not telling any of you...) I trust that it explains a brief synopsis of the film and adds value to your day. I also wanted to mess with everyone's tolerance of my shenanigans and to show respect to the Japanese by not altering the text from one of their websites. Just know, this one gets weird.

The Hip Hop culture just lost a pathfinder...

AFRIKA BAMBAATAA PASSES AWAY AT 67

From MINT:

Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa has died at the age of 67, TMZ reported. The influential DJ and producer passed away early Thursday in Pennsylvania, with the cause of death linked to complications from cancer.

Born Lance Taylor in the Bronx, New York, Bambaataa is widely regarded as one of the architects of hip-hop culture, alongside DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash.

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
I had the privilege of seeing Bambaataa play in Orlando at what used to be a weekly called Sunday School back in '94 or '95 and the energy was unmatched. He played some of the most obscure and reknowned breaks alike - plus the Orlando Zulu Chapter b-boys had an elite cypher going the whole set. It's moments like that I wish smartphones were a thing just so I could have the footage of that night. My condolences to his family and friends.

AFRIKA BAMBAATAA & THE SOULSONIC FORCE - PLANET ROCK (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

I can't even begin to express how relevant this is...

THE FUNCTIONAL MELANCHOLIC - LOST IN LIMINAL SPACE: THE BACKROOMS AND THE INSTITUTIONAL GOTHIC
I don't want to say anything about the video because it's a highly interesting watch, but one of the most profound things I've heard him say in another separate video was this:

"Here's the thing: Life becomes a little less terrifying when you realize that it's not a test that you pass or fail. It's just a weird, crazy, unintentional absurd comedy that you've been cast in without an audition. Riders On The Storm."

>>> VIEW CHANNEL HERE <<<
This flick had me questioning shadows for a few hours...

TRAUMATIKA TRAILER
From IMDB:

"Mikey's worst nightmares turn into a waking horror when his mother begins exhibiting disturbing signs of demonic possession. As a dark, malevolent force takes hold, Mikey is plunged into a terrifying battle for his family's survival. What he's about to face will not only haunt him for the rest of his life but will set off a chain of unspeakable events, leaving devastation in its wake. As the entity's curse threatens to spread, Mikey must confront a sinister evil that seeks to claim countless lives, binding his family's fate to a terror that will endure for generations. —Horror Brains"

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
This is a strange watch because it begins in a first person, found footage aesthetic - which they should've stuck with - then turns into a very disturbing story about childhood trauma and the occult. What I enjoyed most about it is the imagery; the possession sequences are majorly offputting and provide a dark visual experience. The element that takes away from it, if I have to mention it, would be the storytelling. It's a good watch and I think any horror fan will enjoy it, despite it's minor flaws.

I honestly don't do this enough here...

CONRAD SUBS - CYLINDER EP

From METALHEADZ:

" Conrad Subs continues his run of releases on Metalheadz, this time landing on Metalheadz Platinum for the first time with the 'Cylinder EP'.

The Ipswich-based producer has built a reputation through a slew of releases rooted in drum and bass tradition, paired with a sharp, modern edge. His sound draws on the core elements of the genre while maintaining a consistency that now sees him land on Metalheadz vinyl for the first time, with four tracks built to do the heavy lifting. "

Jiggery Pokery has to be my choice from this EP; it's definitely high adherence to the Metalheaz sound. I even get a sense of Biotic, but much more modern. You can check out all of the tracks on the EP here:

>>> LISTEN HERE <<<

I'ma head out, but as I spend my life scouring the internet rest assured I will always find weird things like this video...

Stay up!

TEMUDO - U USED TO LAUGH AT MY JOKES

#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #cafe331 #forsythe #downtownjax #samkean #bigthink #temudo #techno #hatecollective #archaeology #eleven22 #exit8 #afrikabambaataa #traumatika #thefunctionalmelancholic #thebackrooms #conradsubs #metalheadz

EPISODE 19: Daggers & Darts

If you ask me, the Chik Fil A drive-thru is doing entirely too much. If it's 8:00 at night, I don't want to pull up and have to talk to a child about various types of chicken sandwiches. I'll just go and talk to this big square machine, ma'am...

There was a brief moment in history where I assumed I could grow my dreds back, but quickly discovered that was a delusion. The above image is photo documentation of that fact. I painted this at what was then called Endo Exo live for a Stupid Fly event hosted by Qel Droma around the beginning of 2010 (boy was that a strange year to remember). I actually ended up selling the finished piece I painted that night, was approached for a custom commission, met a lovely young lady with actual dredlocks, and another DJ with a bad attitude...

...From the Archives:

FREESTYLES FROM 2000
You can tell I'm the type of person who just draws whatever. These days I try to come up with concepts, but most of the time the MO is just draw random lines until something appears - something I learned from my art teacher in high school. What takes shape will tell you a ton about your psyche, though. Just a heads up.

If this takes place in Texas, I'm staying away from Texas...

DOLLY TRAILER
Another sinister year lined up for horror and it's gems like this that are keeping it interesting. I'm actually having a hard time keeping up with all the films that have been showing up lately. If they keep coming with the creepy/weird combo like Dolly, I'll probably be spending money I shouldn't. The creators Rod Blackhurst and Brandon Weavil stick with the traumatizing gore trend while also taking it back to The Hills Have Eyes kind of vibes. I'll keep it a buck, I wouldn't even begin to know how to try to fight a huge brolic psycho dressed like a doll. Not only that, did the wig have to be blonde?

You may be intelligent, but are you London Cabbie intelligent?...

From Big Think:

MEMORIZING LONDON'S 25,000 STREETS CHANGES CABBIES’ BRAINS — AND MAY PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S

Big Think / Sarah Soryal

"By Frank Jacobs

To the casual observer, a London taxi driver is just a guy who knows a shortcut to Heathrow and has strong opinions on local weather and politics (“This bloody Starmer and his leftie government”). But to a neuroscientist, that cabbie is a miracle of neuroplasticity.

Why? Because you can’t become a London cabbie without mastering “The Knowledge.” As they cram the chaotic layout of one of the world’s most complex city grids into their heads, aspiring cabbies don’t just learn a map. They physically redesign and grow their brain."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
Just reading about memorizing that many city streets made me want to cry. You wonder why cabbies used to have such terrible, standoffish attitudes but then you read articles like this and realize "this guy's just trying to remember where tf he's going so the passenger doesn't murder him". They were also cranky because they used to get jumped out on a lot. I had a roommate that was a cabbie once and he told me some gangster ass stories, lemme tell you. Uber and Lyft drivers have it soft compared to the old school cab drivers. I used to drive Uber and I can personally attest that some drunk woman puking in the back of your car is peanuts compared to having a glock pulled on you.

Bruh, did they really just make a Hungry Hippos live action movie with a straight face?...

HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPOS TRAILER
From DEADLINE:

‘HUNGRY’: FIRST LOOK AT HIPPO THRILLER STARRING MADISON DAVENPORT

'Hungry' Mark Cassa

" The pic centers on a group of holidaymakers who must fight for their lives against a rampaging hippo after becoming lost in the Louisiana swamplands.

Davenport stars with Joaquim de Almeida (Road House), Tracey Bonner (The Exorcism), Jim Meskimen (Apollo 13), Samantha Coughlan (Damage), Olivia Bernstone (Mood) Michel Curiel (She Hulk: Attorney At Law) and River Codack (Under the Bridge).

The film is written and directed by James Nunn (One Shot trilogy), produced by Ben Jacques (One Shot trilogy) and executive-produced by Signature Films’ CEO Marc Goldberg and Head of Production & Development Sarah Gabriel (Riff Raff, Trap House). Capture will continue sales at this week’s European Film Market. "

I'm not...nah...

...this clan is in the year 3030...

HATE COLLECTIVE

FHASE 87 — LOST
>>> VIEW CHANNEL HERE <<<
From SoundCloud:

HATE promotes the best electronic, techno-oriented releases.

HATE on Soundcloud is all about exclusive Podcast Series & Premieres Cycle.

Mix series, born in October 2016, includes works from artists who are involved in the development of our channel and provide the tone of HATE Collective for a long time. Past records from them you can find on our YouTube channel.

After only one year from its birth, HATE podcast series was mentioned by Telekom Electronic Beats as one of "10 Techno Podcasts Every Techno Head Should Know": www.electronicbeats.net/the-feed/10-t…no-head-hear/

Follow us here: www.youtube.com/c/HATE www.instagram.com/hate_collective/ www.facebook.com/hatecollective/

Contact us here: hatemusic1@gmail.com

We've come a long way on the internet since the days of RealPlayer and Winamp. To find a consistent source of good techno during the dial-up days was akin to winning a mid amount of cash on your state lottery. Now I can just navigate to one platform and have enough good music to last me for weeks. Shout out to the HATE Collective. What a time to be alive...

We finally got a teaser for the new Backrooms film...

BACKROOMS TEASER TRAILER
I'm going to refrain from talking about this too much more because I'd really hate to be disappointed about something this monumental happening within the history of the horror genre. Just know I'm super excited...

I must have listened to this at least 7 times over the years...

SAMURAI MUSIC PODCAST 023 - PESSIMIST MIX
I'm surprised I haven't posted this by now. I honestly think I may have posted it somewhere and just don't remember, which is highly likely. The tone and mood set by Pessimist has sparked a whole slew of different creative concepts over the years for me, and this specific mix is a big part of how I got into the Samurai Music camp's music. I'm all about the dark, gritty soundscapes on this side so it would be easy for me to get carried away and go through all of their mixes in one sitting.

Aight, I'ma head out but I wanted to mention that I just got around to watching Keeper and after the third viewing I now look like the picture below trying to analyze and assess why they chose to end it so weird. I'm sure there are a slew of break down videos out there to scour through, though.

Also, did y'all know there's a whole slew of free horror movies sitting up on YouTube? Granted 80% of them are corny af, but true horror fans don't really care that much about that. Anyway...

Stay up!

JOHN ROLODEX - THE KNIFE DRAWER

#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #dollymovie #dolly2026 #johnrolodex #theknifedrawer #samuraimusicpodcast #pessimist #bigthink #londoncabbies #neuroscience #hungryhungryhippos #hatecollective #fhase87 #backrooms #thebackrooms #kaneparsons #a24

EPISODE 18: The Deep

On this day in whatever year this was, I sweated more buckets than a small village trying to put out a fire...

I painted this at 818 Studios at One Spark one year many moons ago alongside Campbell, OXEGEN, VAN, and a few others. I also remember doing a bunch of characer throwies and scaring a few of the patrons of the show. This was something that couldn't be helped, seeing as they came to see street art and that's exactly what we gave them. You can't see it, but I'm shrugging my shoulders aggressively right now...

...From the Archives!

Blackbook Collab 2000
This was something the homie from Chicago and I did when we were out in the desert in 29 Palms in between two 2 month training operations. That California heat did something to our linework for those 4 months. Yet we left there having listened to so much good West Coast Hip Hop we weren't even mad. Young guns.

I'm just going to get right down to making some folks mad...

From Intellectual Takeout:

THE CASE FOR AI LITERACY IN A SKEPTICAL AGE

"The artificial intelligence debate is immediately polarizing. We’ve all heard our family or friends talk about it. AI is either seen as a boon or met with severe pessimism.

But there’s a middle ground worth considering. This isn’t about championing AI as the solution to all our problems. Rather, it’s about realizing that AI literacy is essential, whether we choose to use these tools or not.

AI literacy isn’t about becoming an expert in machine learning. Unless you work in that field, it won’t do you much good. Instead, it’s about understanding what generative AI systems are, what they can and cannot do, and how they’re likely going to shape our economic landscape in the future."

>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<
I imagine that someone who's vehemently against the implimentation of AI systems, LLM'S, image generators, etc. probably sounds like I used to sound when I outright refused to learn to use Photoshop. Turns out you end up kinda needing it at some point. Being a purist is admirable in many ways, but evolution is inevitable. I truly don't believe that AI can in any way replace traditional art, film, music, or any of various other human made creative endeavors. However it's easier and faster to assemble something with an electric drill than a handheld screwdriver.

For all of us on the dark side in perpetuity, let the madness of 2026 begin...

From Screen Rant:

THIS NEW SERIAL KILLER MOVIE FROM THE WRITER OF SE7EN COULD BE THE NEXT SLEEPER HORROR HIT

PSYCHO KILLER TRAILER

"2025 will stand as a benchmark for horror, as it was loaded with everything from Oscar-caliber box office smash hits to universally-acclaimed independent films. While Sinners and Weapons may be the titles that everyone remembers long-term, smaller-scale hits like Companion, Clown In A Cornfield, and Heart Eyes set the tone before we got into peak spring and summer movie season.

2026 is already off to a strong start as far as critical scores are concerned, as January will see the release of We Bury the Dead, Primate, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and Sam Raimi's return to horror in Send Help. While Send Help may still fit the bill, none of the January releases has qualified as a major box office success.

That could change in February, as one horror movie on the docket seems poised to be a breakout hit in the way the aforementioned early 2025 releases were. 20th Century Fox is set to debut Psycho Killer on February 20th, which could be the box office sleeper hit that truly kicks off 2026's horror run."

You may recognize the lead, Georgina Campbell from Barbarian, Black Mirror, or that one movie where she's a park ranger in a very disturbing situation that I'm too lazy to look up right now but will probably highlight this text and link it later on. Andrew Kevin Walker wrote this (yep, that Se7en dude) so the twisted factor will be on 10. Not too many film makers can do a serial killer / slasher joint and make you feel like you can't guess what they'll do next or what they're motives are, so buckle up.

Thank you @dandoonah for sending me this!...

This is a snapshot of the state of mind of the majority of America right now. Even though that photo is parody gold and their tweets are off the chain, it says something that a police department has a social media account that clowns that much...

This had me tense the entire trailer and - at first - I kinda failed to understand why...

IRON LUNG TRAILER
...then I read the synopsis...

From Iron Lung:

"Set in a post-apocalyptic future where an event known as "The Quiet Rapture" caused all known stars and habitable planets in the universe to disappear, a convict is sent to search an ocean of blood discovered on a desolate moon, using a small submarine nicknamed the "Iron Lung".

An ocean of blood. The only hope left after The Quiet Rapture. In the rusting halls of crumbling space stations, the last remnants of humanity craft a submarine to explore the bleeding depths… and weld one soul inside to pilot it. But hope in this void is as illusionary as the starlight. This is not an expedition.

It’s an execution."

It's something about the feeling of extreme remote isolation in this description that makes this seem like an interesting story apart from everything that's been released so far. Cosmic Horror works because of the existential dread its narratives usually invoke. To shut the lights out on the entire universe, then somehow come to the conclusion that an ocean of blood has the answers to...look, all I can say is whoever wrote this (Mark Fischbach) pass that, please.

This will forever be etched in my memory as one of the weirdest things I've ever experienced sitting down. Almost up there with Beau Is Afraid...

VIVARIUM TRAILER
From Thrillist:

"This piece contains spoilers for Vivarium.

In Vivarium, a young couple finds themselves drawn into and trapped inside a 21st century suburban nightmare: a neighborhood populated by an endless sprawl of homes of the exact same size and shape, isolated from the world and crushed by the brutal sameness of their surroundings. Unlike your typical 21st century suburban nightmare, the couple also finds themselves enslaved to a race of interdimensional humanoids, forced to nurture one of their kind as it grows, with unnatural swiftness, from infant to adult."

>>> WATCH FULL MOVIE HERE <<<
I went into this blind and not knowing anything about the story it was based on. I honestly didn't expect it to be anyting but an artsy drama, yet it swiftly turned into something strainingly disturbing and a little twisted. The majority of the film has you thinking "W exacty TF is going on right now?", but it definitely pays off. You can relate to the characters frustration and confusion while they endure the surreal events they're suffering and you become immersed in solving the problems they're faced with. I'm glad I stumbled upon this because I'd honestly never heard anything about it.

Speaking of stumbling upon...

LOXY - X OF SWORDS MIX (2020)
You don't just listen to a Loxy mix...you survive it. The breaks, the selection, the mood, the transitions; all of it makes for a head-heavy listening experience. Took me six years to hear it, though.

I was about to do my usual corny outro, but then I saw this...

GHOST TRAIN TRAILER
Sleep tight, and stay up!

LYNX & MAPLE - SHAKU
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