The Pornographers:

THE MAN WHOLE STOLE THE SUN begins with the sound of a ticking clock over a dark screen. As innocuous as any clock you would find on a mantle or bedside table. The sound stops, then a flash of bright-orange light envelopes the screen, followed by an eruption of sound——a nuclear explosion. A mushroom cloud, dozens of miles in diameter, envelopes the screen. Then, we cross fade into the image of…

So, You Want To Be A Writer? …and the gentle art of trying. Wilmer Acosta-Florez May 20, 2026 The picture you see above was taken late one night at a coffee shop almost ten years ago. They are the scattered bits of writing that’ll later be compiled into a novella. I took the photo because I was proud of myself. Never have seen so many words scattered about! Thinking back, It blows my mind…

So, you live in Orlando. (sorry to hear it, bud) It’s Friday, and the weekend beckons. Everyone and their mother is either booking it to various theme parks or hitting the bars. But no, not you. You, being the beautiful, cultured and ever virile scholar of the cinematic arts, will set out for alternative kicks. The sort that reside within the confines of a cinema, and presented in celluloid, no…

“What?!” It’s the shriek that comes across a packed movie theater. Sheer bewilderment at the manner in which a story unfolds on screen. There was a time, post SIXTH SENSE, when “Twisty” movies were the rage. An awesome Friday night at the movies, where the popcorn was stacked high, and the films were made to inspire a simple laugh and thrill. But what defines a “Twisty movie?” Here’s my…

The Venice Half-Marathon No, I’m not referring to Venice, Italy, that much-revered, portal into an older chapter of Italian history. My “City of Water” is not home to an intricate system of canals that snake through the splendors of the Venetian capital. No. My Venice is one with rivers that splinter off into the Gulf of America Mexico. In lieu of gondolas, we have pontoons, kayaks, and…

Happy New Years, gang! Another holiday season in the books. Are we feeling fulfilled? Empty inside? Are we still chasing that infernal next high, or are we content with our lives? No comment? Alrighty then. In that case, I’ll make an extremely hard pivot and talk about CARRY-ON, one of Netflix’s recent holiday offerings. I stumbled upon CARRY-ON on the evening of it’s release early in…

2024 has been, without exception, the craziest year of my life. A year of personal and professional challenges that have pitted me against myself. A year of challanges, and change, for the better. Here’s a short compilation of all the places I’ve visited in 2024 in the spirit of adventure. I’m not one to brag about success, but it’s the end of the year. It’s pertinent that we contemplate the…

Here are the books I’ve read in 2024 that have left an indelible mark on me. I’ll leave amazon links on each book in case y’all feel like joining the fun. Enjoy, and happy holidays! Link to 10-6. 5. Devil In The White City – Erik Larson Erik Larson has carved out a wonderful little niche for himself, hasn’t he? The American journalist is known for his historical fiction output; a body of work…

Another year, another book stack to plunder. doesn’t it feel like the titles never end? On the one hand, your favorite influencer recommends what could be your next favorite novel. On the other, your birthday has come and gone, and it seems like all of your relatives have gifted you a book they found while scrounging around your amazon wishlist. If you’re anything like the above, then Hi! We’re…

When Jason Voorhees casts his brand of violent justice on horny camp counselors, he does so within the confines of Camp Crystal Lake. The surrounding woods supply the lumbering, waterlogged killer with a home field advantage.  For the counselors, the woods offered a rural abode. A brief respite from urban life, from telephones and television sets. What makes these slasher films imminently…

‘tis that splendid time of year here in Florida when the hurricanes plow through our livelihoods like Semi trucks on a highway. A peculiar time when the ominous gray mass forming above our heads signal one thing: Take shelter.  Can my house hold electricity? Will it stand the destruction? How long will the madness last?  You’re consumed by unknowable horrors. Suddenly, “cabin fever” takes on an…

M. Night Shyamalan stands in rarified air. He’s a contemporary filmmaker who’s films, whether you like them or not, exhibit a unique, personal style. 

A cursory glance of his Wikipedia page will reveal a filmography unlike any other. THE SIXTH SENSE, THE VILLAGE, THE HAPPENING, SIGNS. It’s personal list. 

Handcrafted, By which I mean: not formulated in a lab by committee. We respect the peaks in the same way that we lampoon the valleys. And as shaggy as this list may feel, one thing binds them together.

The man loves a good plot twist. 

You know, the surprising kind! The ones that leave you gasping. Think, THE SIXTH SENSE. 

“I see dead people.” 

Who doesn’t know that one? To truly feel the weight of a Shyamalan film, one must go in blind. No expectations. This puts his latest film in a curious situation.