Watched and Read - October 19, 2025

 Here’s what I watched and read last week..

MOVIES

The Killer (1989) is one of my favorite John Woo films, featuring some of his best action sequences. If you enjoy over-the-top action done with artistry, this movie is definitely worth checking out. Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets was a major influence, and you can also see the impact of Sam Peckinpah in Woo’s use of slow-motion violence.

The Conjuring 2 (2016) I really enjoyed this film and found it almost as scary as the first one. It had plenty of great scares throughout. The highlight for me was Lorraine’s encounter with the nun and the painting at her home — a chilling scene.

¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! (2024). A very good documentary about South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker buying and renovating Casa Bonita, a beloved restaurant in Colorado.

Frankenweenie (2012). I was deeply moved by Tim Burton’s film. My dog passed away earlier this year, so the story really hit home. I also loved all the references to classic films, especially Universal Horror and Godzilla. This is truly a hidden gem in Burton’s filmography.

Mars Attacks! (1996). This feels like one of those movies you either love or don’t — and I absolutely love it. I think it’s hilarious and a great follow-up to Burton’s masterpiece Ed Wood. Like Frankenweenie, it’s full of fun callbacks to 1950s sci-fi and the paranoia films of that era. Apparently, Jack Nicholson even wanted to play more than the two roles he already had! Also great to spot a young Jack Black. It was a lot of fun revisiting this one.

Dark Shadows (2012). This film is visually stunning, but I felt the story could have been stronger. The comedy didn’t always land, especially following the dark and dramatic prologue. That said, I loved the Gothic imagery, and I thought Johnny Depp gave a strong performance.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016). As expected, Burton’s visuals are impressive—especially his Gothic interpretation of the Peregrine home. However, the climax veered a bit into CGI overload. I felt the story could have been stronger overall; the narrative stakes for Asa Butterfield’s character never fully landed for me. That said, I did enjoy the time-loop elements—they added an intriguing layer to the film.

Sleepy Hallow (1999). I had mixed feelings when I first saw this back in 1999. Having grown up in the Hudson Valley, I wanted the setting to feel more authentic to the region I knew. But on rewatch, I really appreciated how Burton reimagined Sleepy Hollow. The set design is incredible, and Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography is stunning.

I also liked that the story is set not long after the founding of the United States, around the turn of the 19th century. I interpreted it as a moment of transition—moving toward modernity—which Johnny Depp’s character embodies through his tools, gadgets, and early forensic methods. I’m glad I revisited it. Heads will roll…

 

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TV

Task. The show keeps getting better every week. This week brought another surprise, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how they wrap it up. It’s definitely one of the best television shows I’ve watched this year.

Dept. Q. Episode one and two. I really like this so far. I’ve been a fan of Scott Frank’s work going all the way back to Out of Sight and Minority Report. The setting is well done, and I’m curious to see how they solve the case.

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BOOKS

Criss-Cross: The Making of Alfred Hithcock’s Dazzling, Subversive Masterpiece Strangers on a Train by Stephen Rebello. A good read overall. Having read quite a bit about Hitchcock, I felt much of what Rebello covers has been explored by other writers before. I thought the sections on Raymond Chandler and the film’s music could have been shorter. The most interesting part of the book for me was the production of the film. Still, it’s definitely worth checking out if you love Strangers on a Train. I also highly recommend Rebello’s Making of Psycho.

Tim Burton: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work by Ian Nathan. I’ve read quite a few of Ian Nathan’s books on directors, and they’re always fun to read. This is a new edition focused on Tim Burton. As you can probably tell from what I’ve been watching this week, I’ve been revisiting a lot of his movies—especially ones I hadn’t seen before or hadn’t watched in a while.

 

Newsletter #4

 Happy autumn!

Zworsky’s Children

Here it is. Last Stand is now available to pre-order! The paperback and hardcover will be available to purchase on November 11.

 

Thank you to Stuart Bache for designing another amazing cover. A huge thank you as well to Lynda at Easy Reader Editing for copyediting the book. I’m so excited to share the conclusion of the Zworsky series. With that being said, I’ve also written another story set in the Zworsky universe, which I’ll share next year.

Hitchcock Project Update

The journal did not accept the revisions I made to my article. Rejections are always tough, but they come with reviewer feedback that can really help improve the work. In fact, the pressure to address the comments got me back into the groove of academic writing.

The Hitchcock project is moving along faster than I expected. All five chapters are now written, including the introduction, and I’m currently doing a fine edit. After that, I’ll write the conclusion. I’ve even started working on a textbook proposal form, which I plan to begin submitting to publishers next year.

My Lovely Dark Summer

My new mystery and coming-of-age novel will be sent for copyediting in November. I designed the cover myself and will reveal it toward the end of the year. The release date is set for the first week of February, and I’m very excited to share this one with you.

“It lives in the rocks.” That’s the opening line of the synopsis. Stay tuned for more!

Charlie One: Run to the Future

I never thought I’d be writing another Charlie One story—but here we are! This new book started with two vivid images I couldn’t get out of my head. After sitting with them for about a year, the pieces finally clicked, and I found a way to connect them into a story.

You don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy this one, though there are a few connections for returning readers. The title is Run to the Future, and I’m aiming to have it ready by 2027.

Books Read

I’ve read a lot about Alfred Hitchcock this year as part of my research. One standout was Patrick McGilligan’s massive biography of Hitchcock, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also immensely enjoyed Todd McGowan’s Introduction to Jacques Lacan and wrote a short review for it.

Movies
One Battle After Another really stood out for me—I loved it. It might now be one of my favorites of Paul Thomas Anderson.

You can always read what I’ve watched and read by subscribing to my Substack. Or check out my Blog.

Well, that’s it for me.

Enjoy the fall. Happy Halloween.

Keep reading. Watch movies.

Tom C.

www.tomconnellyfiction.com

Watched and Read - October 12, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

MOVIES

Are We Good? (2025) is a great and entertaining documentary about comedian and podcaster Marc Maron. Most of the film focuses on the years just before and after the lockdown. I especially loved seeing the studio where he records his podcast—and we even got to see his cats! After the screening, Larry Charles interviewed Maron, which basically turned into a stand-up set. I’m really sad that there won’t be any more WTF episodes.

Bullet in the Head (1990) – The Criterion Channel is currently featuring John Woo’s action films. While Bullet in the Head isn’t quite as great as The Killer or Hard Boiled, I still enjoyed Woo’s take on the story of three childhood friends trying to escape war-torn Vietnam. Having seen many Vietnam War films, it was fascinating to watch Woo’s perspective. The movie carries a Deer Hunter flavor, especially in the tragic fate that befalls one of the friends later in the film.

Slither (2006) – James Gunn’s directorial debut is a lot of fun to watch. It reminded me of the 1988 version of The Blob. You can already see some of Gunn’s signature touches, like his creative use of popular music and sharp sense of humor. The bathtub sequence was definitely the highlight of the film.

A Good Marriage (2014) – I believe this was a straight-to-video release. Stephen King adapted his own novella for the screen. It’s not a bad movie—slow at times, but still engaging. I especially enjoyed Joan Allen’s performance. The story comes from Full Dark, No Stars, a collection of four novellas by King that I highly recommend.

What Lies Beneath (2000) – I had mixed feelings about this one. I was living in Vermont at the time it was filmed, so it was fun to recognize some of the locations. The film is visually stunning, but the story feels a bit muddled. It starts in Rear Window mode, then shifts into Gothic horror with a “restless ghost” narrative. Zemeckis clearly shows his love for Hitchcock, but the film struggles to decide what it wants to be. That said, there are some great moments—especially the bathtub scene. Funny enough, that’s two horror films I watched this week featuring bathtubs.

Annabelle (2014) – Not as scary as The Conjuring, but I still enjoyed it. I liked that the story is set in an apartment, which gives the film a Rosemary’s Baby vibe. There are some solid scares, too.

Ozzy: No Escape From Now (2025) – This is a very good documentary about the final years of Ozzy Osbourne’s life. We watched the entire Back to the Beginning concert in July, and it was incredible—one of the greatest metal shows. The documentary doesn’t delve much into Black Sabbath or their brief reunion for one last performance, but it powerfully captures how much Ozzy struggled after his unfortunate back surgery. Very sad. RIP Ozzy.

John Candy: I Like Me (2025). Nice documentary that celebrates the life and work of John Candy. Uncle Buck is one of my favorites of his.

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TV

The latest episode of Task was one of the best so far. Mark Ruffalo delivered an incredible performance, and that twist was huge. This series is really turning into something great.

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BOOKS

Pure Excess: Capitalism and the Commodity by Todd McGowan is an excellent companion to his earlier work, Desire and Capitalism. In Pure Excess, McGowan’s central argument is that the commodity form conceals our fundamental lack by offering objects of pure excess. Since the subject is always psychically divided—meaning we carry an unshakable lack—the commodity form masks this truth by presenting the illusion of pure excess without requiring us to confront that lack. In this framework, limits are the enemy of capitalism. McGowan provides many scenarios and examples to illustrate how this dynamic plays out. Highlight chapters include his analyses of paranoia and modernism.

 

Watched and Read - October 5, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

MOVIES

One Battle After Another (2025). An outstanding film by Paul Thomas Anderson—possibly one of my favorites of his. The performances are incredible, especially Sean Penn’s. The cinematography is also excellent. The movie has a western vibe to it. Even the title evokes the feeling of a western. It is so cool that a major studio financed the film. Definitely one of my favorites of the year. Anderson should be nominated or win the Oscar for directing.

28 Years Later (2025) isn’t quite on the level of the original, but it’s still a solid zombie film. As you’d expect, it’s extremely dark and gruesome—so intense at times, I had to look away! Anthony Dod Mantle’s cinematography is stunning. He absolutely deserves an Oscar nomination this year for his work.

The Conjuring (2013) was terrifying! I had to watch it in parts because it was so intense. Great work by James Wan—there’s definitely a Poltergeist meets The Exorcist vibe going on. That said, I did wonder how the family didn’t know there was a basement in the house. But it didn’t matter—the horror totally worked on me. I’ll probably check out the other films in the series.

Panic Room (2002). I wrote about this film for my book, Cinema of Confinement, so it was fun to revisit it. In the book, I explore how films set primarily in a single location sustain viewer engagement without resorting to ‘filmed theater.’ Panic Room, along with other films like The Shining, Room, and 10 Cloverfield Lane, were among the works I analyzed.

Escape From New York (1981). Classic John Carpenter. I love the way he uses space to create suspense. Might be my favorite score of his.

Signs (2002). Very good apocalyptic film. Very suspenseful, especially the scene in the basement! I love Shyamalan’s early films.

Stealing Home (1988). I caught this on the Criterion Channel as part of a Jodie Foster spotlight. It’s not a bad movie—though at times, it leans a bit too sappy. After watching it, I read that the reviews were terrible. Roger Ebert even called it one of the worst films he’d ever seen, which I thought was hilarious. That said, I thought Foster was great.

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TV

Task, Episode 4. Another great episode. I was curious how they were going to pull it off, but they did—and with a big twist. Such a strong show so far. Stephen King was spot on to say that this is a crime story with soul.

We just finished Black Rabbit and thought it was really good. The performances by Jason Bateman, Jude Law, and Troy Kotsur were outstanding. They should all be nominated for an Emmy.

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BOOKS

The Winter Crone: The Arcane Tales of Tamsyn Pride by Natasha Bache. I really enjoyed reading this. The world-building was rich, and it was a pleasure getting to know the characters. There were some great surprises and twists along the way, and the writing was beautiful throughout. I’ll definitely be reading Book 2.

Watched and Read - September 28, 2025

Here’s what I watched and read last week:

MOVIES

Chinatown (1974) is one of the great films of the New Hollywood wave. It helped usher in the neo-noir era—a term used because filmmakers in the 1940s and 1950s didn’t realize they were creating what would later be called “film noir.” The label “noir” came from French critics, most notably Nino Frank. I still consider Robert Towne’s Chinatown one of the best screenplays ever written.

Needful Things (1993). Three hours and 8 min version. It was hard to tell exactly what was new, but I did enjoy it more than the theatrical cut. I’ve read King’s novel, which I like a lot—though the ending is a bit messy. Perhaps that has to do with the madness that takes over Castle Rock in the final part. King’s multi-character perspective novels are some of my favorites—The Stand and Under the Dome, for example. Needful Things definitely fits into that storytelling style. I thought the extended cut did a better job of capturing the ensemble cast than the theatrical version. It would’ve been interesting if the story had taken place over the course of just one day. That might have made it even more powerful. I also appreciated that they didn’t explain why the devil shows up in Castle Rock—it’s more unsettling that way. They left out Ace Merrill (the villain from The Body) from the novel. I thought he might show up in the extended version, but I’m guessing that would’ve made the film way too long. The standout performance was J.T. Walsh—he pretty much stole the show. Overall, a fun film to kick off the Halloween season!

Devo (2024) is a good documentary. However, I wished it had gone more in-depth about how the band got into songwriting and how they learned to play their instruments. I also would have loved to learn more about what the other musicians—besides Mark Mothersbaugh—did after Devo during their hiatus. Still, it’s definitely worth checking out. Director Chris Smith has made some great documentaries, especially American Movie (1999), which is one of my favorites.

Triumph: Rock and Roll Machine (2021) is a very good documentary about the rock band from Toronto. It was directed by Sam Dunn of Banger Films, who has made many great documentaries—especially in the metal genre. What I particularly liked about this one was the fan-focused aspect.

Five Corners (1987) – I watched this on Criterion and thought it was a very good film. It was written by John Patrick Shanley, who also wrote Moonstruck (1987) and Doubt (2008). The movie features a great ensemble cast, and John Turturro delivers a chilling performance as a particularly scary character. There were some genuinely shocking moments that caught me off guard.

 

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TV

Episode 3 of Task is beginning to take on a labyrinth-like structure, effectively blending suspense, noir, and whodunit mystery.

Black Rabbit is messy (maybe its supposed to be), but I’m still enjoying it.

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BOOKS

Departure 37 (2025) by Scott Carson is an excellent sci-fi novel. The story blends elements of The Twilight Zone with Cold War-era paranoia, offering thoughtful reflections on technology that resonate with both the past and the present. I also recommend Carson’s other two books, The Chill and Lost Man’s Cave.

 

Watched and Read - September 21, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read this past week:

MOVIES

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969): One of my all-time favorite films. I rewatched it after hearing the terrible news of Robert Redford’s passing. I also watched All The President’s Men (1976) on Criterion - amazing film. Redford starred in so many great films, like The Natural and Three Days of the Condor. I also really enjoyed the movies he directed, such as A River Runs Through It and Quiz Show.
RIP Robert Redford.

Quintet (1979): I’ve always wanted to see this. What a strange movie! I thought the cinematography and set design were excellent—probably among the best-looking dystopian films of the 1970s. It’s definitely more about mood and atmosphere than plot, which is muddled and hard to follow. It could have been a great film. Still, it stands out as an early example of cinema blending with game-like narratives, a precursor to things like The Hunger Games and The Running Man.

Popeye (1980): I love this film and used to watch it repeatedly on cable back in the early ’80s. I was very young when it came out, so it was probably marketed toward my age group. While it doesn’t have great ratings on IMDb, I still loved watching Popeye again—maybe it’s nostalgia. As with many of Altman’s films, the set design is incredible. I read that Sweethaven Village is now a tourist attraction. I also loved Harry Nilsson’s songs.

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TV

I finished the third season of Strange New Worlds. Overall, I had mixed feelings about it. I’ll definitely tune in for the next season, though—I just hope it’s a lot better.

Task, Episode 2: This was a really strong episode and a great example of how we can suddenly find ourselves complicit with criminals or characters who make the wrong choices. It’s a theme that can be traced back to the cinema of Hitchcock.

I also finished the latest season of Bob’s Burgers and really enjoyed it. I particularly loved all the episodes that focused on Bob and Teddy. “Saving Favorite Drive-In” was one of my favorites. I also liked the episode where Bob flies a kite with his dad—or at least tries to!

Finally, I enjoyed the first two episodes of Black Rabbit. It has a film noir vibe, with strong performances from Jude Law and Jason Bateman, who play brothers.

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BOOKS

Bag of Bones by Stephen King: This was my second time reading it, and I really enjoyed it. That said, I do think some parts could have moved a bit faster—maybe a tighter edit here and there—but overall, I appreciated King’s gothic, paranormal tale. It’s moody, atmospheric, with a touch of classic King.

Watched and Read - September 14, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read…

MOVIES

Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982). I saw this a long time ago on cable in the late 1990s, so I was excited to see it available to stream on the Criterion Channel—along with a bunch of other Robert Altman films. It’s a very good film with great performances. I especially loved the set design. Anyone interested in fandom studies should definitely check this out.

Fool For Love (1985). I read that Altman was adapting a lot of plays in the 1980s. This one I’d never seen, and am not sure if I understood it. But I enjoyed the motel set and the performances.

That Cold Day in the Park (1969). Excellent film. I had no idea what was going to happen when I was watching it. Sandy Dennis’ performance is amazing. This was Altman’s third film and you can see he’s developing his style.

Friendship (2024). Couldn’t connect with the film’s dark humor.

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TV

Task. First episode was very good. Gritty and dark. I love Mark Ruffalo - one of my favorite actors. And it was very cool to see Martha Plimpton!

I finished the seventh season of Little House on the Prairie and enjoyed it. I watched the show when I was very young and don’t remember much from it. I’ve heard the last few seasons aren’t that great, so I watched episode one of the eighth season. They introduced Nancy to replace Nellie. Not sure if I’m going to continue.

I really enjoyed the Strange New Worlds episode “Terrarium.” It might be one of the best they’ve done. It reminded me of “Darmok” from The Next Generation, where Picard is stuck on a planet with a Tamarian. They have to use metaphors to communicate with each other.

“Wink of an Eye,” Star Trek, season three of the original series. I always loved this one. Kirk accelerates and everyone around him slows down. I watched it for research for a new novel I’m writing, which I’m almost done with!

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, “Hangover.” Tony Randall plays an alcoholic who blacks out frequently. Good twist at the end.

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BOOKS

Still conducting research on Psycho.

This week I read a chapter from Slavoj Zizek’s The Fright of Real Tears and “In His Bold Gaze” in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lacan. . . . But Were Afraid to Ask Hitchcock.” Zizek offer some fascination insights into Hitchcock’s films, using Hegelian and Lacanian concepts. I am particularly interested in Lacan’s concept of drive and how it operates in Psycho.

I’m also reading Tales from The Crypt. They are so much fun! I highly recommend it, especially as we get closer to October!