Watched and Read - September 13, 2026

 

Here’s what I watched, listened to, and read…

MOVIES

Obsession (2026), directed by Curry Baker, is a very good dark comedy horror. I laughed a lot watching this one, although there were some very dark and graphic moments in the film. The film is a take on the short story, The Monkey’s Paw. The main character, Bear, purchases a toy called “One Wish Willow” that allows for one wish. I won’t say much more, especially because it’s a new film. Overall, I thought Baker did a great job of pacing and stretching scenes without becoming boring. There are some good jump scares. I also thought Inde Navarrette’s performance as Nikki was outstanding. I hope she gets nominated.

Ladies and Gentlemen The Fabulous Stains (1982), directed by Lou Adler. I caught this one on the Criterion Channel. A good musical drama, with great performances by the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones and Paul Cook, and The Clash’s Paul Simonon.

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TV

We finished season two of Mr. In Between and thought it was amazing. I can’t believe I had not heard about this series. If you love shows like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad, this is one to definitely check out.

I am halfway through the third season of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. The main characters are fully developed. They have increased the humor and campiness, something I’ve always loved about the series. But you do get the sense that Cordelia is becoming unnecessary baggage. They would create Angel after this season, and it was a smart decision to move her character there. I’m not sure what other storylines they could have come up with for Angel and Cordelia in Buffy.

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AUDIOBOOKS

Horns by Joe Hill. I’ve read the book but wanted to hear the audio version. My drive to work is long and gave me a good opportunity to try it out. It was also my first time listening to an audiobook, which I very much enjoyed. This is a great and gritty book that involves a young man named Ignatius “Ig,” who discovers he has grown devil’s horns. We learn that Ig’s girlfriend, Merrin, had been raped and murdered, and many believe Ig was responsible. But with the mishandling of evidence, Ig was cleared as a suspect. The town of Gideon, however, still thinks he’s killed her. Hill has a great gift for words. Hearing them spoken made that even more evident. My only gripe is that I did not believe Ig’s older brother, Terry, was a trumpeter. Otherwise, an excellent novel by one of our great Gen X horror writers.

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YOUTUBE

I stumbled across a live performance of Mad Season in 1995. I love seeing Mike McCready play metal. He is a metalhead after all! And what a great song written by Layne Staley. It reminds me a little bit of “Angry Chair,” a song he wrote for Alice in Chains on the album Dirt.

 

This is a great interview with legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter. We recently saw him perform Miles Davis songs at the Hollywood Bowl with Herbie Hancock. It was a very memorable performance. 

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PODCASTS

If you love the Red Hot Chili Peppers, check out Fresh Air’s interview with Flea. He recently released a jazz album. Who would have known he could play jazz? They played a few clips during the interview, and they sounded amazing! songs at the Hollywood Bowl with Herbie Hancock. It was a very memorable performance. 

 

  

 

 

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Watched and Read - September 6, 2026

 Here's what I watched, read and listened to last week...

 

 

MOVIES

China Girl (1987), directed by Abel Ferrara, reimagines the gangster film through the story of Romeo and Juliet. There’s a gang war between the Italian and Chinese gangs. Tony is from Little Italy and Tye is from Chinatown, and they fall in love. You can probably guess what’s going to happen, but I very much enjoyed the film.

The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), directed by Jon Favreau. I watched the movie with low expectations but wound up really enjoying it. The film had some great surprises, especially in the last half. I also liked that they brought in some characters from The Clone Wars and Rebels. I heard some critics saying that the film is more like television than cinema. I would say it is an intimate and quieter film than the epics we typically associate with the Star Wars universe.

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DOCUMENTARIES

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, a new documentary streaming on Netflix, is a startling and shocking documentary about the corporate brass putting money over the safety of people. This was a frightening one to watch.

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TV

I finished the fourth season of The Wonder Years. There were a lot of great episodes, especially the ones involving Kevin and Winnie. But I also enjoyed many of the episodic ones, such as “The Cost of Living,” “Who’s Aunt Rose?,” and “Separate Rooms.”

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BOOKS

The Children by Melissa Albert. I read almost 300 pages and wasn’t sure what to make of this novel. Stephen King’s quote mentioned that the prose reminded him of Ray Bradbury, which I definitely agree with. But I didn’t find the characters to be likable. However, when I read the last 100 pages, most of my thoughts on the novel changed. I read that this was Albert’s first adult novel. I’d be curious to read her next book.

Now and Forever by Ray Bradbury is a book of two novellas, “Somewhere a Band Is Playing” and “Leviathan ’99.” The first is about reporter who arrives in a mysterious town to learn that the residents never die. The second is Bradbury’s take on Melville’s Moby Dick as a space expedition. Both embody many of Bradbury’s themes. “Somewhere a Band Is Playing” has a nostalgic vibe, one that reminded me of Dandelion Wine. “Leviathan ’99” has a Martian Chronicles feel, especially the part where the crew comes across a moon with an abandoned civilization. I also loved the scene where they make contact with the famous broadcast voices of the past. The story reminded me of Star Trek, given that the crew’s mission is to explore and report their findings.

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PODCASTS

The Kingcast is a podcast I have been listening to since it debuted in 2020. They have had many great guests on talking about Stephen King’s books, including King himself. But the episode they recently did with Sam Weller, who wrote Ray Bradbury’s biography, was one of their best. If you love Bradbury and King, you should definitely check it out.

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YOUTUBE

If you like or even love Pearl Jam, I highly recommend Rick Beato’s interview with Mike McCready and Jeff Ament. Beato asks great questions about their songs and their techniques. I also learned some new history about the band, especially about its formation. It is definitely worth the watch.

 

Watched and Read - August 30, 2026

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

 

 

MOVIES

Pather Panchali (1955), directed by Satyajit Ray, is one of the great films in world cinema. Ray was inspired by Bicycle Thieves, a quintessential film of Italian neorealism. Pather Panchali’s on-location shooting, non-professional actors, and depiction of poverty are all characteristic of neorealism. My favorite scene is when Apu sees a train for the first time - what a wonderful and poetic moment. Great film.

Rififi (1955), directed by Jules Dassin, is a classic French noir film. The heist sequence is one of the best I have ever seen. It is definitely up there with Michael Mann’s Heat and Thief.

The Life of Chuck (2024), directed by Mike Flanagan, is a very good adaptation of King’s story. Mark Hamill gives a great performance as Chuck’s grandfather, especially in the scene where he discusses the importance of math.

9 to 5 (1980), directed by Colin Higgins, is a movie I watched all the time on cable in the early 1980s when I was young. We watched it this weekend in honor of Dolly Parton’s passing. The film’s humor still holds up.

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TV

Spoiler alert! I loved the first season of Mr. In Between. The last two episodes were funny and suspenseful. I enjoyed the unpredictability of Ray’s character. My allegiance toward him would sometimes shift, such as when he figures out that Nick is working undercover for the police. I found myself rooting for Nick to live. But most of the time, I am rooting for Ray not to get caught or killed. This is why suspense does not primarily operate on morality. I am looking forward to checking out the next two seasons.

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BOOKS and STORIES

Spoiler alert! Black House is a great follow-up to The Talisman. As mentioned in my last post, the story starts off slow and then gradually moves faster. There are some very cool connections to the Dark Tower series. It was only a few years later that King released the last three books in the series. I loved the book’s prose, especially the scene where the Fisherman attacks Henry in his home. Henry is blind, which made it even more devastating to read. Lastly, some of the kills were very graphic, especially Henry’s and Charles’s deaths. Great read.

“There Will Come a Soft Rain” by Ray Bradbury is a post-apocalyptic story about a house equipped with automatic systems that does routines such as cooking and cleaning. Bradbury paints a dystopian picture of the aftermath of nuclear war. The story is positioned at the end of The Martian Chronicles. Having read all the stories that take place on Mars, it is the post-apocalyptic Earth that is strange and foreign.

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” by Richard Matheson. I have seen the Twilight Zone episode many times, but I have never read the story. Matheson’s prose never lets up, creating a classic tale of suspense and terror.

Spoiler Alert! “The Life of Chuck” by Stephen King, is one of the novellas in the collection of stories in If It Bleeds. King tells a three-chapters story, starting from the end and moving to the beginning. It is not made explicitly clear, but the apocalyptic ending is everything from inside Chuck’s head as he is dying. I very much enjoyed the story’s exploration of life, memory, and death.

 

Watched and Read - August 23, 2026

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

 

 

MOVIES

Sense and Sensibility (1995), directed by Ang Lee, is a very good romantic drama based on Jane Austen’s novel. The film has a killer cast, including Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman. And the cinematography is gorgeous. This is Ang Lee’s first English-language film. I also read Whitney Crothers Dilley’s chapter on the film in her book on Lee, which explores a variety of topics, including feminism and globalization.

Man with a Movie Camera (1929), directed by Dziga Vertov, is one of the masterpieces of documentary filmmaking. The editing and camera movement are amazing. It is no surprise that Sight & Sound ranked it as the eighth-greatest film ever made.

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TV

Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. I very much enjoyed rewatching season two. There were a handful of episodes that felt more like filler. But overall, this is a strong season, especially the last two episodes, which are some of the series’ best.

Mr. In Between. We are watching the first season. This is a solid crime drama. In his book on The Sopranos, Dana Polan writes about the series as having a picaresque format: the small adventures of a criminal you root for. This is definitely the case for Mr. In Between.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents. I watched “Lamb to the Slaughter.” This is one of the classic episodes that Hitchcock directed. It was written by Roald Dahl. Hitchcock’s mixing of the macabre and humor is on full display.

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. This is my second time watching the series. Some of the topics they explore are mind-blowing, such as when Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the Cosmic Calendar. I hope they release Cosmos: Possible Worlds on Blu-ray.

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BOOKS

King’s Ransom, written by Ed McBain, is a novel from his 87th Precinct series and was loosely adapted by Akira Kurosawa into High and Low (1963). I love the gritty feel of the novel, particularly the realism of the dialogue. I am planning to teach the novel next year for my writing course, comparing it with Kurosawa’s adaptation. I also read Matthew Bernstein’s excellent article, “High and Low: Art Cinema and Pulp Fiction in Yokohama.”

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YouTube

If you love rock and metal music, I highly recommend Rick Beato’s channel. There are a lot of great interviews, especially his recent one with Billy Joel. One of the highlights of the series is “What Makes This Song Great?” Beato breaks down the song by isolating the audio tracks and analyzing the different sounds, techniques, and tones used during the recording. After you watch the video, you’ll hear the song in a new way. I also love his “rant” videos.

 

 

Watched and Read - August 16, 2026

 Today marks the one-year anniversary of Watched and Read! Fifty-two postings! Whoa! Looking back, I have learned a few things about myself. I watch at least three movies every week. My television viewing diminished and intensified throughout the year. It was also difficult to write weekly short reviews of books. It usually takes me about 10 to 14 days to read a book, especially theoretical ones. That’s why I sometimes share brief comments on books I’m currently reading. 

 

MOVIES

The Buddy Holly Story (1978), dir. Steve Rash, is one of the great rock biographies, with an outstanding performance by Gary Busey. Having played in many bands, I can tell if an actor knows how to play their instrument. Busey not only knows how to play the guitar, but he plays the songs correctly. But most importantly, he plays and sings from his heart. That’s what elevates this film. If you love music, this is a must-see film.

Tramps! (2022), dir. Kevin Heggeis, is a good documentary on the New Romantic movement in the UK during the late 1970s. It focuses on the fashion that emerged from the nightclubs and venues during that time. I’ve watched many documentaries on punk and New Wave, and it was very interesting to learn about how this subculture was intimately connected to it.

Mother (1926), dir. V.I. Pudovkin, one of the masterpieces of Soviet Montage cinema. The cross-cutting between the prisoners’ escape and the flow of ice is an iconic sequence. Mother and Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin are two great movies to compare in terms of different theories and styles of editing.

The Drama (2026), dir. Kristoffer Borgli, is a dark comedy filled with uncomfortable moments. I went back and forth between covering my face and laughing out loud. This is the type of film that you know is great but never want to see again. Great performances by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. And what a year for both actors!

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TV

I am Evel Knievel is a good documentary about the legendary stunt devil. The footage of Evel’s motorcycle jumps is breathtaking and really frightening! I kept thinking about Johnny Knoxville and the crew from Jackass.

The Story of Pixar chronicles the creation of Pixar Studios. I knew the studio made several box office hits, but I did not realize how many in a row! Toy Story, Cars, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and The Incredibles.

Elton John: Never Too Late (2024), dir. R.J. Culture, is not a bad documentary. Most of the stuff I already knew. But the section on John Lennon was a complete surprise.

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BOOKS

Rupture by Paul Eisenstein and Todd McGowan is an excellent book on political philosophy. The core of their argument is that rupture is the result of the divided subject. Eisenstein and McGowan draw their notion of rupture mainly from Hegel, Freud, and Lacan. If the subject is split or divided, the symbolic order must also be divided. The split in the symbolic order is what Eisenstein and McGowan identify as the site of rupture. The book offers many examples, ranging from history to the arts, to explain the potential of rupture. But what I found most enjoyable was their engagement with different philosophers.

 

Watched and Read - August 9, 2026

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

 

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MOVIES

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), dir. Destin Daniel Cretton. This might be my favorite of the four films made with Tom Holland as Spider-Man. Cretton does a great job of balancing action and drama. The CGI effects blend well with the live action footage. I also loved the film’s incorporation of martial arts. The friendship between Frank and Peter works well. And the setup from the last film, with Doctor Strange wiping MJ’s and Neds’ memories, keeps the story stakes high.

Bad Influence (1990), dir. Curtis Hanson, is a good thriller, with a touch of horror. It took me a moment to accept Rob Lowe as a sociopath, but he pulls it off. There are a lot of great suspenseful scenes. I especially love the look of the film and all the locations shot in and around Los Angeles. The film is streaming on Criterion and worth checking out. Be sure to watch Siskel and Ebert’s review of the film - they get into a pretty good argument.

The NeverEnding Story (1984), dir. Wolfgang Petersen. In honor of Stranger Things, and because I’d never seen the film, I wanted to check out this classic from the 1980s. I am surprised I’d never seen it, given that I was 13 when the film came out! I very much enjoyed it, especially the ending. I did not expect it to get philosophical. The special effects are not the greatest, but there is something charming and real about them. 

TV

Strange New Worlds, “The Griffin Incident” is a pretty good episode. It is a haunted house story that focuses on Spock, La’an, and Kirk as they discover the USS Griffin, which had been presumed lost. There’s some good atmospheric horror, along with graphic images that were a little disturbing, something I thought I’d never see on Star Trek.

The Imagineering Story (2019) is a great six-part series about Disney’s Imagineers. I’ve been to both Disneyland and Disney World, and it was really cool to see how they created the rides and attractions, particularly the Haunted Mansion, which is one of my favorites. The series is streaming on Disney+.

We finished the fifth season of Stranger Things. Watching it for the second time, I think it’s the weakest season of the series. I thought the plotting could have been better. I did not find that the abduction of Holly Wheeler gave the story enough stakes. I think it would have worked better if they had just focused on getting Max out of Henry’s memories. With that being said, I think there are a lot of wonderful moments in the series. Episodes four and eight were the standouts for me. Overall, I had a great time revisiting the series this summer, especially season four.

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BOOKS

I am rereading Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Black House in preparation for Other Worlds Than These, the third book of the Talisman trilogy. In the first section, King and Straub take their time setting up the world and introducing us to the characters in French Landing. I love how they use a bird’s eye perspective to achieve this. Once you get through the first part, the story starts to pick up. The connections to the Dark Tower are very intriguing. I can’t wait to read the next adventure with Jack Sawyer.