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Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Taul “Toy Crusher” Waters is a Jacksonville, Florida–based artist whose practice evolved the way street knowledge usually does: illegally, obsessively, and with a sense of humor sharp enough to draw blood. He cut his teeth in graffiti and illustration, learning early how to communicate fast, loud, and without permission. That foundation expanded into graphic design, painting, digital illustration, and blogging—each medium treated as another surface to disrupt, remix, or interrogate. His work balances discipline with defiance, blending professional execution with the residue of alley walls, sketchbooks, and long nights spent refining ideas that refused to behave. Taul draws inspiration from hip hop culture, drum and bass rhythms, science fiction, horror, skateboard graphics, and the kind of absurd life experiences you only understand after surviving them. More recently, his exploration of synthography has pushed his visual language into stranger territory, where machines collaborate in the chaos rather than clean it up. Darkly comical and deliberately confrontational, his work invites viewers to laugh first, think second, and then realize they’ve been implicated the entire time.

Monday, September 7, 2026

Episode 24: As We Continue On...


What kind of savage doesn’t think Modern Family is hilarious?…


I just recently turned 49 a few days ago and I found it appropriate to post this photo above as evidence that I was already, as an infant, in the "this is some bs" existential mindset. I don't remember the story as to why I was so up in arms and angry, but I believe it was something along the lines of I didn't want my photo taken. So, yeah...no one's been listening to me since then...

...from the archives!...
FREESTYLES FROM 2000

One of the most frequent questions I receive from anyone who thumbs through my sketchbooks is "do you have a life?" This is due to the amount of variations in characters contained within them. The answer is no, by the way. At least not in the sense of "hanging out for the sake of being out". I'd tell y'all where the inspiration for all of these weird faces comes from, but there's no way to explain it without seeming pretentious or being accused of trying too hard to come off as obscure, so...let your imagination run wild, family.

If you don't know about MySpace, you're probably too young to be reading this blog...

MYSPACE OWNERS PLAN COMEBACK FOR THE ICONIC SOCIAL NETWORK
The Myspace interface back in 2009 | ©Image Credit: Flickr / Chris Messina

From yahoo!tech:
"The 2011 acquisition began with an unusual gambit where the brothers issued a fake press release announcing that Justin Timberlake had joined their acquisition team before they had even spoken to him. Their ploy worked, however, as it got them a meeting in New York and Timberlake eventually came on as an investor.

Nevertheless, the revival didn't take. By the time the duo had control over the platform, Myspace had already cycled through several CEOs and leadership teams. With Facebook having firmly established its dominance, advertisers had moved on, and the site's cultural pull was gone.

While there's no timeline for the new attempt and no detail on what the site would look like, Chris DeWolfe, one of the original co-founders, suggests that there's room for something that isn't algorithm-driven."
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

At the risk of sounding overly nostalgic, I'm all for going back to the format of not giving af about reach or engagement. The people you wanted to see your posts saw them, you got to choose exactly what you wanted to see, "doom scrolling" wasn't even a term that was thought of or conceived, and - most importantly - people weren't so compelled to do ridiculous, "rage baiting", or licentious things for attention. Artists gained following based on merit. Musicians, same thing. Also, one of the biggest draws was - if you're savvy in HTML - you could customize the appearance of your page in any fashion you were capable of. I can't count how many dj gigs and art show spots I secured through MySpace, and I think that young creatives coming up now would benefit greatly from this dynamic as they could focus on doing their thing vs having to wear 13 pairs of pants by being an artist, video editor, publisher, coder, social media manager, falconry expert, etc just so people know who they are. Then again, all that is probably inevitable.


This...this is why people fear the advent of AI. Also, the Terminator movies...

APPOFENIACS TRAILER

From Horror Society:
"Amused by exploiting our instinct to believe what we see and hear, Duke (Aaron Holliday) treats deepfakes like a contagious party trick. Not because he has something to prove, but simply because he can. Soon blood starts to spill, but Duke isn’t the one who has to clean it up.

Intersecting storylines catch the fallout of Duke’s petty pastime: Poppy (Simran Jehani), heading into the desert for a weekend of cosplay and foreplay; Clinto Binto (Sean Gunn), a legend in the scene with a reputation too expensive to fake; and Lazzy (Paige Searcy), a stranger who picks the wrong line, the wrong coffee shop, and the wrong day to argue.

Paranoia. Confirmation bias. Baseless certainty. We’re all APPOFENIACS. When anyone’s version of the truth can be created with the tap of a finger, the horror isn’t the lie. It’s what happens when people believe it."
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

I'm thoroughly convinced we're going to start seeing more films like this, as most horror of any era chooses to pick topics of fearful contention appropriate to the time it emerges. I'm too old to know who the actors are or who the director is (even though I could just easily look these things up), but I'm considering this as one for my To Watch list because it's one of the first contemporary horror films pertaining to AI that I've caught wind of. (EDIT: There are a slew more, I'm just lazy)

Coincidentally, the best ways to tell if someone is propagandized to be against AI are they either refer to AI generated content as "slop", or they continuously bring up how much water goes into generating said content...or both. Which is funny when you think about it - especially when you consider that they tend to point out every other form of propaganda. Reminds me of the COVID era.

On first watch, I struggled to determine whether this was a zombie, vampire, serial killer, or evil spirit type of horror flick...

THE CYCLE TRAILER

From Movie Insider:
"When the body of a man missing for thirty-six years is discovered at the scene of a horrific crime, it’s up to his estranged daughter to unravel his dark past.

The Cycle will be released exclusively on Shudder on Friday, October 23, 2026."
There isn't a whole lot of info out on this movie - or hype, for that matter. To me that's usually a good thing because I can go into it without someone else's preconceived notions. The downside is I still don't know what type of horror movie it is, so...yeah, you get it. Maybe that's the theme, but either way I'm adding this to the list due to the sheer intrigue.


When you look at existence as one big absurb cartoon, these words come in handy...

THE MOCKERY OF A "NEW LIFE"

The Mockery of a "New Life" by Poetic Outlaws

By: Emil Cioran

Read on Substack

From Poetic Outlaws:
Emil Cioran was a Romanian philosopher and essayist known for his existentialist and nihilistic-leaning musings. He was born on April 8, 1911, in Rășinari, Romania, and died in Paris on June 20, 1995. An avid reader of Cioran, Susan Sontag declared him “the most distinguished figure in the tradition since Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Wittgenstein.”

Cioran's works often explore themes of despair, alienation, absurdity, and the futility of human endeavors. His prose is concise and darkly poetic and is characterized by its aphoristic style. Despite his pessimistic outlook, Cioran's works have gathered much adoration for their philosophical depth and literary quality, influencing many thinkers across various disciplines.

Nic Pizzolatto, director and screenwriter of the astounding True Detective TV series, which was greatly influenced by Cioran’s writings, stated in an interview: “As an aphorist, Cioran has no rivals other than perhaps Nietzsche…"
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

A realist knows what comes with lifting illusions off of the everyday events and relationships that they interact with and participate in. Even those who realize this perspective and reject it in favor of having illusions that flavor what happens within the timespan of their life know; they just choose to play the game - which is smart. Mind you, I'm not speaking of a cold detachment from feeling - far from that. I guess it's best said as such: you can know that the act of falling in love is mostly a chemical process, but you can still fall in love.

A few posts back, we talked about this...

EXIT 8 TRAILER

The synopsis from the official website is in Japanese, so you can go on that adventure if you like. What's great about this movie - besides the consistent liminal weirdness - is trying to keep up with participating in the main characters (plural) plight and decision making. If I'm not mistaken, it's based on a video game which I've clearly never played so it makes sense that it manages to immerse you in the story almost first person; even though it isn't told mostly from that perspective. This is the type of horror that implicates you in your own "scaredness" because it makes you think your way into it. Ever since I saw Audition, I was convinced The East had the horror game locked on 15 other levels - and this flick kept proving that point. Also, I have to add (even though this is borderline spoiling) that there are The Shining and Solaris references embedded in this one...

>>> WATCH FULL MOVIE HERE <<<

This is the collab you needed, but did not expect...

CZARFACE MEETS FRANKIE PULITZER

From Sun Tzu:
"CZARFACE Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer
Apple music ▶️ / czarface-meets-frankie-pulitzer
Spotify ▶️https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/albu...
Tidal ▶️https://tidal.com/album/536793587
Vinyl, CD, Cassette & Merch ▶️https://czarface.com/

Tracklist
01. Brothers Grimm
02. All it Takes is One Bad Day
03. That's Law
04. Raw Forever feat. Busta Rhymes
05. Triple Helix
06. Grim-Visaged War
07. Dr. Yorgo in the Land of Acid 7.0
08. Mad Technology feat. Method Man
09. Gnawing at My Rhyme Like A Poisonous Rat
10. Omega Beam
11. Dragon Cannon feat. El-P
12. Scrub
13. Paul Bufano Type Beat
14. Frankie feat. Kendra Morris
15. Intruder…Seems Curious

IG:
/ czarface_eso
/ ins_tagrams
/ dj7l
/ frankiepulitzer

℗ 2026 Silver Age

#Czarface #InspectahDeck #Esoteric #7L #FrankiePulitzer"
I just caught wind of this the day before I typed this, it popped up in my YouTube fyp like it was synchronicity or some sh*t, I clicked on it, head nods ensued. Not gonna lie, I'm still listening through this but the first two tracks - Brothers Grimm & All it Takes is One Bad Day are super grimey. Word on the street is Frankie Pulitzer is your boy Tom Hardy. If that isn't some year 2026 gangster business I don't know what is. I'd love to give a full review of this album, but I won't be anywhere near finished listening to it before I publish this post. Just do yourself a favor (especially if you know the Golden Era sound) and click that link...

Also, you're welcome...

MF DOOM MIX BY JAZZ SPASTIKS

This has to be one of the most thorough DOOM compendiums I've heard to date. There are tracks in this mix I've never heard, which subsequently made me question my fan status. If you don't have time to let this ride and vibe out, don't click this link. Go run your errands - because I gaurantee you once you press play you're gonna miss your appointments.


I should probably go do responsible adult things, but before I do I'll leave you with what I believe to be three of some of the best verses in hip hop...

Stay up!

MOS DEF, BLACK THOUGHT, EMINEM FREESTYLE 2009


#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #myspace #appofeniacs #mosdef #blackthought #eminem #modernfamily #exit8 #poeticoutlaws #emilcioran #thecycle #mfdoom #jazzspastiks

Sunday, August 2, 2026

Episode 23: "Crazy, Destructive, and Erratic"

I once thought I had a case of the “black poops”, but then I realized I’d eaten a bunch of Oreos.

Fun Fact: some time ago, a few friends and I were on our way to a party in Charlotte, NC from Jacksonville, NC and we all ate Sugar Cubes before we left. About halfway, we stopped at a gas station then sat in the parking lot and argued for an hour over who was going to drive. This photo wasn't taken at that gas station, btw. This photo was taken around 2019 or 2020 while I was painting the mens bathroom at the now gone Fly's Tie Irish Pub (RIP). That incident happened waaay before then. Anywhoo...

...from the archives!...
Imagine if you will: you've spent the last three years of your life in a different state or country every month crawling around in the woods and mud, then you move to a place in which it is the exact opposite of that, you have all this free time to draw, and this is the type of stuff that comes out of your head. I guess it could always be worse, though...

...so, as much as I'm really not down with studios constantly retelling the same stories, I'd be a bold faced liar if I didn't say that an A24 and that dude who did OBSESSION collab wouldn't pique my interest.

From DEADLINE:
Curry Barker and 1974's 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'
Brandin Ramirez; Everett Collection

" In regards to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre feature rights won by A24, Obsession director Curry Barker is set to direct and write a reimagined version.

This is separate from the A24 TV series in the works from JT Mollner and producers Glen Powell and Dan Cohen at Barnstorm.

Barker, who cut his teeth making YouTube horror pics and saw his TIFF Midnight Madness title Obsession get snapped up by Focus Features for $15M+ as we first told you, is a hot commodity now. Obsession went on to play SXSW and opens in theaters on May 15. It’s about a young couple’s relationship gone seriously toxic after one of them makes a wish to be loved by the other more."
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

This honestly isn't new news; I've just now gotten around to even posting about it. If I'm keeping it a buck, I haven't even watched OBSESSION yet - that's on purpose, though. I'm part of the generation who never succumbed to FOMO. Also, I've never witnessed a horror film generate so much hype. I'm definitely going to watch it, but I'm a little more interested in what happens in Barker's version of The Texas Chainsaw gang. In what ways does he plan on re-imagining the story? How big is Leatherface's chainsaw gonna be in this one? You know, the tough questions.

It seems to me that it can be truthfully said that people love the Crazy Woman Who Is Possessed theme in horror films these days...

OTHER MOMMY TRAILER

From People:
" Other Mommy has already succeeded in terrifying its audience after the release of its first trailer on July 21.

The film, which is due in theaters on Oct. 9, follows a family whose home has been invaded by a paranormal entity named “Other Mommy.” Jessica Chastain stars in the horror movie as both mom Ursula and her monster doppelgänger. In her dual role, Chastain switches seamlessly between her two personas while the rest of the family struggles to keep track of who’s who. "
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

At the risk of sounding too obvious...wtf was that under the table? Also, I never thought I'd type these words but Jessica Chastain's face now terrifies me. The intro to the trailer already had me, but as soon as I saw the multiple-hands-and-arms-bursting-through-the-door-seams it was a lock. This year continues to impress on the horror front and I'm here for it.

On today's episode of Things That Don't Often Get Talked About...

THE REAL STORY OF OSCAR ZETA ACOSTA, THE CHICANO ACTIVIST WHO HELPED INSPIRE FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
By Austin Harvey | Edited By Jaclyn Anglis Published May 14, 2025 Updated May 15, 2025

The Rise and Fall of the Brown Buffalo/Facebook
Attorney, activist, and writer Oscar Zeta Acosta in a photo taken by Annie Leibovitz.

From All That's Interesting:
"Oscar Zeta Acosta made a name for himself as an unconventional lawyer, a radical activist, and a drug-blitzed traveler before he mysteriously vanished in Mexico in 1974.

Hunter S. Thompson’s famous 1971 book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is not entirely a true story, but it certainly drew inspiration from real people and events. The book is a fictionalized account of his own reporting, a half-memoir, half-novel about a drug-fueled trip to Las Vegas.

The book’s main character Raoul Duke is effectively a stand-in for Thompson himself, but his traveling companion Dr. Gonzo was also based on a real person, Thompson’s friend Oscar Zeta Acosta. Acosta was an activist and lawyer who would later publish his own semi-autobiographical books, The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo and The Revolt of the Cockroach People.

Both novels are considered to be influential works of Chicano literature, and Acosta seemed poised to become a countercultural icon in his own right.

Then, one day in May 1974, he vanished in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico."
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

He basically pulled a DB Cooper. Whenever I hear a story about someone this legendary just disappearing, my brain automatically registers that as "they probably either planned it, or someone they owed something got them". It's tragic for his family if he had one, but this dude lived a fast and revolutionary life. Even though Fear and Loathing was an exaggerated account, to watch that performance knowing it was based on an actual guy is inspirational...even though drugs are bad.

I can't say I have a strong opinion on this, but I do find it interesting that this is happening in Jax...

NEIL deGRASSE TYSON TO BRING 'SEARCH FOR LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE' TO FLORIDA THEATRE
From Action News Jax:
"JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will appear at the Florida Theatre on Wednesday, March 17, at 7:30 p.m. for “An Evening With Neil deGrasse Tyson: Search for Life in the Universe.”

Tickets are available for purchase through floridatheatre.com or at the Florida Theatre Box Office at (904) 355-2787.

A Meet & Greet/VIP package is also available.

The event will feature a conversation on science, exploration and current events, with an emphasis on how scientific literacy shapes understanding of the world.

Tyson directs the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where he holds the Frederick P. Rose Directorship, and serves as a research associate in the museum’s Department of Astrophysics.

His recent books include “Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization” and “To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery,” co-written with Lindsey Nyx Walker — both New York Times bestsellers.

More information is available at neildegrassetyson.com."
Tyson - like literally every other human being I've encountered over the course of my life - has said things I've agreed with and things I've disagreed with. It does say something, though, that Jax is able to host something like this. Also, I'm assuming they meant March 17th of 2027, because if not then that's gonna cause damage points to Action Jax's intellectual credibility...

I previously mentioned above that I'd planned on getting around to watching OBSESSION, and well...

OBSESSION TRAILER

From Focus Features:
"After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price."
That's a very brief synopsis for a film that is rich in topics for discussion. I previously found myself in awe about the hype that this (along with a slew of other films) garnered before it was even released. I kinda chalked all that up to the creators already existing fanbase pumping fuel into the fire - which isn't necessarily a terrible thing. Then I watched it and realised they clearly knew something that the rest of us didn't. It's almost impossible to expound upon any of the theories I have about this film without spoiling it for anyone reading, so I won't. I can say this, though - there are layers to this flick that you don't really expect. Now, is it "greatest horror movie of all time" good? No, and after watching it twice, I don't understand why anyone would say that unless they had some incentive to. However, it is an excellent film that any horror fan should be eager to watch - regardless of the hype. Do not proceed alone, I'll tell you that, fammo.

Bruh, there is a life sized ark somewhere in Kentucky...

EXPERIENCE THE LIFE-SIZE NOAH'S ARK!

From Ark Encounter:
"Ark Encounter features a full-size Noah’s Ark, built according to the dimensions given in the Bible. Genesis 6 states that the biblical ark was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. Assuming this was a royal cubit (as was typical for large projects in the ancient world), this converts to approximately 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high. That’s huge! Learn more on deck one of the Ark.

This modern engineering marvel is the largest freestanding timber structure in the world and amazes visitors young and old."
Christians, y'all wild for this one. What's next, the Starship Enterprise?


I'ma make like a tree and go to bed.

Stay up!

ULTRAMAGNETIC MC'S - KOOL KEITH ANDROID MODEL 406


#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #flystieirishpub #currybarker #texaschainsawmassacre #a24 #othermommy #oscarzetaacosta #fearandloathinginlasvegas #neildegrassetyson #floridatheatre #obsession #noahsark #ultramagneticmcs #koolkeith

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Episode 22: Underground AF


I've never in my lifetime heard of there being a coffee shortage...
Again, I'm pretty sure I've posted this picture here at some point before. It just happened to pop up while I was scouring folders. This was taken by the legendary Gainesville DJ/Producer Flaco at the Perimeter Radio Studio one Sunday night long ago - probably around 2009. If you happen to be curious about my age, the two flip phones next to my right hand should put you in the ball park. Also, the fact that I had two of them is an indicator of how hectic my life was...

...from The Archives!...

FREESTYLES FROM 2000

"Tell me you took these photos with your phone without telling me you took these photos with your phone." Obviously this blog is about as low budget as they come, so thanks for reading. Just FYI: for the past few blog posts, these images have come from the same black book - I have more than several. That's a way of saying buckle up, because it doesn't get any less weird.

I kinda sorta figured this is something y'all would want to know about...

HACKERS SIMPLY ASKED META AI TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO HIGH-PROFILE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS. IT WORKED.
From 404 Media:
"Hackers say that they used Meta’s AI support chatbot to break into a host of high-profile Instagram profiles by asking the support bot to change the email address associated with the target account. The claims coincide with a series of high-profile Instagram account takeovers, including the Barack Obama White House account, the Chief Master Sergeant of Space Force’s account, and Sephora’s account.

The news shows the extreme risk associated with offloading support or critical functions to an AI chatbot. Users who have had their accounts stolen say that there is no way to escalate their problem to a human. In March, Meta announced that it was pushing AI support to all accounts across Facebook and Instagram, and that it would have the ability to reset passwords and perform other critical account maintenance functions: “Solutions, not just suggestions,” the feature’s product page says. “Account security and recovery.”"
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

What's wild is that this coincides with AI tech companies recently claiming that "AI development is moving too fast and we should slow it down". Not like we haven't seen this trick before: we know they won't slow their development down; the general public will only be privy to versions much less efficent and expedient - which is the primary reason most people utilize the technology. The positive is we live in a time where something of this magnitude is actually happening...and fast.


It goes without saying that this is highly useful information...

From Big Think:

What anxiety is really trying to tell you by Big Think

Anxiety feels like a malfunction. Evolutionarily speaking, it's one of your most sophisticated features.

Read on Substack

I heard a quote a long time ago from one of the Busey's who said: "You should laugh at rejection and drive on anxiety". I quickly found that to be easier said than done, so that's the last time I took any advice from someone of the Busey family. Laughing at rejection is easy, but harnessing anxiety that's running rampant is a whole other endeavor. However, the article points out that anxiety is meant to be uncomfortable; it's designed to encourage (which is a weak word to use in this instance) you to think rapidly and sharply in environments or situations in which one feels threatened. It gets dark and out of hand when you start perceiving mundane events for dangerous circumstances. Fun times!

As long as they stay off our lawn...

YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE FIRST EVER IMAGE OF ANOTHER MULTI-PLANET SOLAR SYSTEM

From AstroPhilesz:
"The bright point at the centre surrounded by a ring is a star called TYC 8998-760-1. The other dots of light scattered around it are not background stars. They are planets. Two of them, orbiting the same star, captured in a single image.

This photograph, taken by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile, was the first direct image ever captured of a multi-planet system around a Sun-like star. Every other exoplanet discovered before this was inferred rather than seen, detected through the dimming of starlight as a planet passed in front of it, or through the gravitational wobble it induced in its host star. This image showed the planets themselves.

The two planets are both enormous. The inner one is roughly 14 times the mass of Jupiter. The outer one is about 6 times Jupiter's mass. Both orbit at extreme distances from their star, far further out than any planet in our own solar system. Jupiter sits about 5 times further from the Sun than Earth does. These planets sit 160 and 320 times further from their star than Earth sits from ours.

The star itself is very young by stellar standards, only about 17 million years old. Our Sun is 4.6 billion years old. This system is so young that the planets are still radiating heat leftover from their formation, which is partly why they were detectable in infrared imaging despite their distance.

Direct imaging of exoplanets is extraordinarily difficult. Stars are billions of times brighter than the planets orbiting them. Seeing a planet next to its star is roughly equivalent to seeing a firefly sitting next to a lighthouse from across a continent.

This image proved it was possible. Every directly imaged exoplanet that follows builds on what this photograph established.

We did not just discover other worlds. We finally got to see them."
How long do you think it will be before we go looking for oil there? It goes without saying that there are a whole slew of subsequent questions that come with receiving information like this. Let's run through a few of them:
1 - What's going on over there?
2 - If intelligent life exists there (and it's highly likely it doesn't), do you think they saw us first?
3 - How many more of these are out there?


Never fails that once I think I've seen so many weird movies that I can't be "weirded" anymore, I run across this banger...

THE ASSESSMENT TRAILER

From "Wicked"pedia:
"In the near future, society enforces strict regulations on parenthood due to environmental collapse and resource scarcity. Pharmaceutical cocktails that dramatically increase human life expectancy and healthspan also inhibit reproduction such that procreation is only possible through artificial wombs. Prospective parents must undergo a rigorous seven-day assessment to determine their suitability for raising a child. Mia and Aaryan, a married couple residing in a secluded, technologically advanced home beneath a protective dome, are eager to have a child. Mia is a dedicated botanist working on cultivating plant life, while Aaryan designs virtual reality pets to replace real animals that have been eradicated. "
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

What's offputting about this film is that it's not so much that the imagery or cinematography is weird, it's the entire premise along with the characters actions that send you into a frenzy of existential questions. The morality of their "situation" is highly questionable, and then there's the Assessor herself who is so close to being the female version of a manipulative butler that it's not even funny. I can't let myself spoil this one, so I'll stop there. I will say that if you choose to accept the mission of watching this, well...

It's been a minute since I've been this unnerved and creeped out...

UNDERTONE
"The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way."

>>> WATCH FULL MOVIE HERE <<<

You kinda have to go into this with open senses - I say that because the whole kick of the film is that it plays with the senses. It's not a "jump scare / show you tons of blood" type of horror film. What it does best is poke at 3 things: tension, visual expectation, and auditory paranoia. A theme I've noticed in a lot of contemporary horror is that creators have begun to really harp on psychology as it relates to fear. I love a good zombie, cosmic, or slasher horror flick - but with all the new heady liminal stuff that's being released I think we're in a new Golden Era of the genre. You've also got flicks like The Backrooms and Obsession breaking records at the box office, so there's that as well.

Listen, if Train to Busan didn't have you on edge, then this most definitely will...

COLONY TRAILER

From IMDB:
"Professor Se Jeong attends a biotech conference, only to witness it spiral into catastrophe when a rapidly mutating virus is unleashed. As the outbreak spreads and the infected begin to transform, authorities seal off the entire facility."
>>> READ THE REST HERE <<<

Notice that lazy synopsis? That's because it's 10:38 on a Friday night as I type this while watching [REC] and it's past my bedtime. However, I do believe that this one will stand out due to part of the premise being the virus that infects people continually evolves...like, majorly. I'm not kidding, these things go batshit. So far I've only seen Resident Evil do this trope; at least in somewhat real time - but these things have zing and pep...and that's dangerous.


Time for me to head out, but I ran across this quote that is so on the nose it's actually a shame...

Stay up!

DIG-IT - ANTIFEPN (FIXON REMIX)


#toycrusher #taulwatersuniverse #mechdirective #art #artblog #jacksonville #jacksonvilleflorida #jax #jaxart #jaxartist #duvalcounty #duuuval #horror #jacksonvilleart #jaxartblog #dig-it #fixon #techno #anxiety #bigthink #perimeterradio #404media #undertone #a24 #theassessment #colony

Monday, May 25, 2026

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

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