The Spooky World of Chris Ringler
Welcome to my strange world of Blogs, Books, Movie Reviews, Podcasts, Stories, and Art!
When I first learned that conventions existed, my mind kinda blew. Here were people from the movies I loved paired with artists, writers, and people selling merch and collectibles, and I was in heaven. I had never imagined such things could exist, but there it was. When I went to more conventions and eventually ended… Continue reading Rules of the Road – AKA – Vendor Manners
Fair warning, this is not to be confused with the Hugh Grant film. HERETICS isn’t the first found footage film I have seen about cults, and it does feel like an apt way to look at them. Seeing a cult examined through the lens of a found footage film, and in this case from the… Continue reading Found Footage Movie Review – HERETICS
In this podcast episode, author John Carlos discusses his "Cryonic Dreams" trilogy, focusing on the first book, "Awakening." The series presents an intriguing speculative sci-fi narrative set in a dystopian future. Listeners can find more detailed information about the books on Carlos's website.
This podcast explores the character Freddy Krueger, delving into his motivations and the elements that contribute to his terrifying persona. The discussion includes additional topics, making for an engaging listen. Enjoy this intriguing analysis of one of horror's iconic figures.
The faux-documentary is a tricky business. You have to present yourself as a documentary, with those trappings, but have to offer something different. You have to walk in those steps to a point, and know when to deviate. And with so many murder docs out there, it becomes even harder to find the correct tone. STRANGE HARVEST reminds me a bit of the film THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES. It’s similar, but don’t mistake them for being the same. They both handle horrific stories about a serial killer, and do so with aplomb, but STRANGE HARVEST is its own animal, and it has its own lethal bite.
Legacy sequels are a strange beast. They are movies dipping heavily into nostalgia for a film property, and while calling back to the things that fans loved from that original film, they also have an eye on rejuvenating a property. Legacy movies are nothing too new, but they have really become a fad in Hollywood, especially in horror, as studios try to wring every last dollar from these movies. They lean on the nostalgic love of these movies, even bringing back characters from the originals. The problem with a lot of them, is that they often feel like cash grabs more than honest attempts at renewing these movies.
Over the past few months, I have had the honor to check out three of director Rios’ films. It’s been fascinating to watch him hone his craft, tighten his storytelling, and really evolve as a filmmaker. A willingness to keep working to improve, and to become a better creator and, in this case, filmmaker, is how you GET better. We hear the adage of “putting in the work” all the time, but not all of us want to actually do that.
Over the weekend my wife and I went on a very rare evening out. Having a kiddo, it's not much of an option, but that's sorta part of the deal, right? So, we went to see comedian Patton Oswalt do a show in Flint. I ADORE the theater he was at, and any chance I… Continue reading Just Shut Up
For a culture so entrenched in pop culture, we Americans sure do miss the point. I suppose it's because we have learned to ingest things at a surface level, and not look deeper. I get it. It makes it hard to enjoy some things when you learn that they stand in opposition of your beliefs.… Continue reading Missing the Point
If there’s a subgenre in horror that feels intimidating to try to enter, it’d be zombies. There are so many beloved properties that deal with the living dead that it would feel hard to set something else apart from the rest. The thing is though, if zombies have shown us anything over the years is that they are evergreen, and if you have a new idea, or way to come at them, people will pay attention.
https://videopress.com/v/yevgRHqU?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true The Fallen God of Opal Bay is out on Amason NOW! A perfectly creepy read for fall.
I was able to take part in this year's Halloween podcast offerings from the "To Boldly Pod" podcast. Listen to me rattle off some Halloween movie recommendations. Big thanks to Dan, the host of the podcast.
Sitting in a hospital waiting room is sobering. You wait for someone to get a medical procedure done that will take hours, and cost thousands of dollars, and you hope that, when all is said and done, that they will get a clean bill of health. You hope that there is good news and everyone moves on with their lives. Until the bill comes. And another bill. And another. And another. And if they have something wrong? What then? You fight two battles, one for your health, and another for your survival. We have allowed the medical industry to hold all of us hostage, along with insurance companies, and survive at their pleasure. Last year, I went deep into debt trying to save the life of one of our dogs. And that was a dog. What if it was my child?
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 