For the Weekend Warriors, Weirdos & Whackjobs - Issue #134
reading this email, a poor substitute for standing outside and smoking
In case you missed what we chucked into your inbox this week, don’t worry, here she is:
Out to everyone, 136 Times from Kennedy. We often oversimplify our understanding of behaviour. “She blocked him, but he kept contacting her” is a simple sentence that explains a complex issue. It’s a sentence that can describe almost anything. This week’s piece is about what gets lost in that compression, and why scale, context, and human relationships matter when we evaluate cases involving domestic violence.
In paid inboxes, Some Lawyer answers the important question on everybody’s mind with “How to find your grandpa in swimwear.” Taking a dive into some family lore, we explore the channels we can utilize to confirm those whispers and rumblings from our cousins at the Fourth of July BBQ.
What Kennedy Recommends
Movie | Obsession
Obsession is one of those rare low-budget horror successes. It was shot in just 26 days for well under $1 million with a scrappy non-union crew. It premiered at TIFF’s Midnight Madness, sparked a bidding war, and ultimately sold for around $15 million, the biggest genre acquisition in the festival’s history.
I’d read about all of this and heard some rumblings in the horror community, but had no idea what the movie was actually about. So, the other night I walked to my closest theatre and caught the 7:30 screening, completely blind to the plot. What a ride.
The movie follows Bear, a music store employee who buys a toy that grants his wish for his friend Nikki to fall in love with him, a wish that comes with horrifying consequences.
While I’m a big horror nerd and fan, I can admit the genre makes some pretty shit films. The formula can be pretty predictable, and the scares can be cheap. You can have a nice time and still just shrug afterwards. Obsession is the first movie in a long time to make me genuinely uneasy, pleasantly shocked me with its performances, and posed some thought-provoking questions I’m still pondering.
Check it out.
Touch grass, stay hydrated.
See you next week.
Love,
Your Bullshit Hunting Crew