Devious Dialogues: Mike Thorn and Anya Stanley on ‘The Exorcist’ Franchise
Devious Dialogues: A Horror-Themed Column by Mike Thorn and A.M. Novak
Mike Thorn
My fiction has been published in numerous anthologies and magazines, including DarkFuse #5, Turn to Ash Vol. 0, and Straylight Literary Arts Magazine. My criticism has appeared recently in MUBI Notebook, The Film Stage, and Vague Visages. Darkest Hours, my debut short fiction collection, is slated for a November release with Unnerving. Connect with me on Twitter @MikeThornWrites.
The Aesthetic and Formal Challenges of Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘Contempt’
“‘Contempt’ is a daunting and formally labyrinthine work, calling its own fallibility to question even as it submits completely to the romance of cinema.”
‘Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood’: Some Thoughts from a Mark Kozelek Fan
“Kozelek is present, combative and always original. He forces you to listen to his music on its own terms.”
Looking Back and Forward: Mike Thorn and Anya Stanley on the ‘Halloween’ Franchise
Mike Thorn and A.M. Novak discuss the ‘Halloween’ franchise.
The Many Peculiar Virtues of Wes Craven’s ‘My Soul to Take’
“As the second last film in one of the great contemporary horror filmmaker’s careers, it’s an extraordinary example of artistic self-reflection and development.”
Moments of Revelation in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Silence’ and ‘Shutter Island’
“What is the cost to oneself of living by a system of belief?”
What I Learned from Martin Scorsese’s ‘Life Lessons’
“Martin Scorsese’s ‘Life Lessons’ benefits more from analysis as a self-standing artistic expression than as a counterpoint to the other installments of ‘New York Stories.'”
Toxic Masculinity and Empathetic Comedy: Martin Scorsese’s ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’
“The cumulative effect of ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ is one of openness and warmth.”
The Way of the Future: The Connections Between Martin Scorsese’s ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘The Aviator’
“With ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘The Aviator,’ Martin Scorsese perfects a configuration of the biopic as self-recognized fiction.”
James Benning’s ‘Stemple Pass’: Minimalist Horror for Trump’s America
“Played in 2016, it’s eerily prophetic.”